Pope sends Easter message to Patriarch Kirill (Vatican News) “Dear Brother! May the Holy Spirit transform our hearts and make us true peacemakers, especially for war-torn Ukraine, so that the great Easter passage from death to new life in Christ may become a reality for the Ukrainian people, who long for a new dawn that will end the darkness of war.” Pope Francis penned those words to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, as Christians who follow the Julian calendar celebrated Easter on Sunday. The Pope’s brief letter of Easter greetings was sent also to other Patriarchs of Eastern Churches, and was published on the Moscow Patriarchate’s website…
Vatican clears John Paul II aide on charges of mishandling abuse claims (Crux) A former top aide to Pope John Paul II has been cleared by the Vatican of charges that he mishandled sex abuse cases in Poland, with a papal investigation concluding that his actions were “correct” and, as a result, “the Holy See decided not to proceed further.” Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz served as John Paul II’s priest-secretary and, later, as Archbishop of Krakow between 2005 and 2016…
Priest attacked with knife in church in Nice, France (Reuters) A man described as mentally unstable attacked a priest with a knife in a church in Nice, southern France, officials said on Sunday. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on his Twitter feed the priest’s life was not in danger and added that police had arrested the attacker. The assault came as France was voting in the second round of presidential elections. BFM TV quoted police as saying the attacker was a 31-year-old French man and there was no suspicion of a terror motive…
After losing his job for praying, ex-coach takes case to Supreme Court (CBS News) It was after watching the sports film “Facing the Giants” that Joseph Kennedy, then a new coach for the Bremerton High School football team in Washington state, was inspired to pray. And so, after coaching his first game for the Bremerton Knights in August 2008, Kennedy walked to the 50-yard-line, “on the battlefield,” the retired U.S. Marine says, and took a knee to offer a prayer of gratitude…
Bahrain’s largest Catholic church provides oasis of worship (The Jerusalem Post) While Christianity is fading in countries across the Middle East and North Africa, the tiny island country of Bahrain recently opened the largest Catholic church in the Gulf, giving a tremendous boost to the Christian community. Situated about 20 miles south of the capital city, Manama, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia is literally an oasis in a desert, both spiritually and geographically….
