MADRID (AP) — The Portuguese Catholic Church said Thursday it has unanimously agreed to pay some form of compensation to victims of sex abuse by clergy. The country’s Bishops Conference said after a four-day general assembly meeting at the Fatima shrine that it will set up a fund with contributions from all the Portuguese dioceses to meet the eventual payments. …
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Afghanistan's Taliban leaders issued different messages for Eid. Experts say that shows tensions
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Messages by two influential Taliban leaders in Afghanistan this week showed tensions between hardliners and more moderate elements who want to scrap harsher policies and attract more outside support, experts said Thursday. The messages for Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan were delivered by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who defended the imposition of Islamic law …
Read More »Vatican document on modern issues shows 'how stupid it is' to see Church as 'left' or 'right': Bishop Barron
The Vatican’s recent document on human dignity shows that the Catholic Church transcends secular ideas of “left” and “right,” America’s most popular bishop says. Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester said the Catholic Church’s release of Dignitas infinita shows “how stupid it is” to try to categorize the faith as “left” or “right.” The document, the title of …
Read More »White House responds after Pope Francis condemns 'gender theory,' affirms Biden's support for trans community
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced questions about Pope Francis’ declaration condemning gender theory on Monday, ultimately affirming President Biden’s support for the transgender community. A reporter pressed Jean-Pierre regarding the Pope’s Monday document, which formally reaffirms and expands on the Catholic Church’s assertion that attempts to alter an individual’s immutable gender are ultimately misguided attempts to play God. …
Read More »Total solar eclipse and unyielding faith: 'Light comes after the darkness'
“The eclipse,” said pastor Jesse Bradley of Auburn, Washington, “is a beautiful picture and reminder of the light that comes after the darkness. Just like the stone that was rolled away from the tomb,and after Hisdeath, Our Saviorrose from the dead as the light of the world.” Bradley is pastor at Grace Community Church outside Seattle — and offered thoughts …
Read More »Vatican says gender theory, surrogacy violate human dignity in ethics document
The Vatican has released a document criticizing gender theory, transgender surgery and surrogacy as affronts to human dignity. Dignitas Infinita, Latin for “Infinite Dignity,” was released on Monday after more than five years in development by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) and focuses on threats to human dignity in the modern world. “In the light of …
Read More »Easter continues to bring gifts of the resurrected Jesus, says Washington, D.C., nun
For the faithful worldwide, the gifts of Easter continue after the official remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection. For Catholics around the world, Sunday, April 7, 2024, is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. In the Gospel of John, Jesus prepares those on Earth to carry out his holy mission: “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has …
Read More »NYC to pay $17.5M for forcing Muslim women to remove hijabs for mugshot
New York City has agreed to pay $17.5 million in a class action lawsuit led by two Muslim women who say their religious rights were violated when police forced them to remove their hijabs for mugshots after they were arrested. The preliminary financial settlement, which still needs to be approved by a district court judge, was filed on Friday in …
Read More »Christian leaders react to Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bibles: 'More Trump than Bible?'
Former President Donald Trump raised eyebrows last month after announcing he was selling special edition “God Bless the USA” Bibles. The holy books, themed after country music artist Lee Greenwood’s patriotic anthem, contain more than just Christian scriptures: The special edition Bibles also contain the text of secular documents, including the U.S. Constitution, the Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus …
Read More »Greek, Jewish, Puerto Rican: Biden has history of claiming to be 'honorary' member of numerous ethnic groups
President Biden has a long history of attempting to tie himself to a variety of ethnic groups and cultures. Biden reminded guests at the White House for a Greek Independence Day celebration this week of his claim that he inherited the nickname “Biden-opoulos” in his home state of Delaware. Attributing his early political success to the Greek community, Biden said …
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