Kenya – Members of the Christian and Muslim faiths have joined in condemning the recent terror attack on the Westgate mall in Nairobi and to insist that communities are dedicated to good relations for the good of their country. “We, religious leaders, are engaged in a robust dialogue to ensure that these relations are not…

It has been reported that during a forthcoming audience with Pope Francis, the president of the European Parliament will invite the Pontiff to address the political assembly. Martin Schulz will formally meet with Pope Francis this October 11 in Rome, and, according to an anonymous source who spoke to the Catholic News Agency, an invitation…

Central African Republic – The United Nations must intervene in the country, the Bishop of Bangassou has said. In a message sent to the UN in New York ahead of a debate on the deteriorating state of affairs in the African nation, Bishop Juan Jose Aguirre Muno states that the controlling Seleka group is now…

This week, Rome marks the 50th anniversary of Pope John XXIIís encyclical Pacem in Terris. Between October 2 and 4, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is hosting a major conference on tenets of the encyclical, not least its educational aspect. This, the council’s president, Cardinal Peter Turkson said ahead of the conference, “is…

United States – A perfume manufacturer in the state of California has released a fragrance named in honour of Pope Francis. Excelsis Fine Fragrances, which was originally founded in 2005 to recreate the cologne worn by Pope Pius IX and has since offered colognes such as Benedictus has now released Francis, billing it as fragrance…

D&C Congress ‘filled with faith’ Cathal Barry Over 1,700 people from the diocese of Down and Connor packed out the impressive Waterfront Hall in Belfast at the weekend for their inaugural diocesan congress. ‘Living Church’ was an appropriate title for the first congress of its kind in Down and Connor, which drew together the faithful…

Pope begins meetings with hand-picked cardinal advisers on reform of curia

Milestone means 110 cardinals with conclave vote

Laos – Officials in the province of Savannakhet have ordered converts to Christianity to renounce their faith or face eviction from their villages. Amid concern at an upswing in conversions from the local animist faith, officials decreed that Christians will be removed from the district. Christians have rejected the order, pointing out that Laos is…

“It is important to bring the solicitude and the presence of the Church into the world of communications so as to dialogue with the men and women of today and bring them to meet Christ…The God in whom we believe, who loves all men and women intensely, wants to reveal himself through the means at…