Pope Francis issues new plea to end war in Ukraine (CNA) Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to the “harrowing war” in Ukraine, condemning in particular the “barbarism” of Russia’s reported attacks last week on civilians— including pregnant women and children— in the eastern city of Mariupol. “With an aching heart I add my voice to that of the common people, who implore the end of the war,” the pope said March 13, addressing the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome following the Angelus, a Marian prayer…
Mexican diocese cracks down on Catholic politicians (CNA) After the legislature of the Mexican state of Sinaloa voted to legalize abortion up to 13 weeks, the Diocese of Culiacán announced that Catholic politicians who voted in favor of the law will not be able to receive the Eucharist or be godparents. In a statement, Father Miguel Ángel Soto Gaxiola, director of the Culiacán Commission for Life, Family, Youth and Laity, officially announced that Catholic lawmakers who voted in favor of abortion that the decision to deny them Communion is “the recognition of the objectively unworthy state of a person to receive the Body of Christ…”
African Catholics find community in French Mass (AP) The French language is rooted in the history of the New York City church — founded as a chapel in 1910 by French missionaries from the Fathers of Mercy. Immigrants from France who lived on the Upper West Side in the early 20th century once filled Notre Dame’s pews. Today, it is African Catholics worshipping at the French service, one of the three languages its priests celebrate Mass in on Sundays…
Why are some Anglican bishops becoming Catholic? (CNS) Two of the four former Anglican bishops who became Catholics last year are to be ordained as diocesan priests in the coming weeks. One of the four, now a priest, said he thought all four were all united by the convictions they had about authority within the church…
Eastern Catholic professionals help Eastern churches abroad (CNS) Abin Kuriakose was headed to visit Mount St. Thomas in the southern Indian state of Kerala when he spotted a discreetly positioned sign by a small office that piqued his curiosity. To find out more, he did what all curious millennials do — he Googled it. “And that’s how I came across CNEWA and the incredible work that’s being done,” said Kuriakose, 31, referring to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, “and how much of that work, from my perspective, is supporting the best of things happening in the Syro-Malabar Church in India, our religious congregations, our missionary work and our social services…”
