Vatican notes growing ecumenical consensus on what ‘church’ means
ROME — Working for Christian unity and engaging in formal theological dialogues to promote it obviously raises questions about what the nature and mission of the church is. In a project that took two...
View ArticlePandemic increases demand on church’s food distribution
SCOTTSBLUFF, Iowa — The vehicles started lining up on the street next to Gering’s United Methodist Church on May 6 at around 4:30 p.m., but this was not unusual. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, those in...
View ArticleSearch for Christian unity is making progress, pope says
ROME — Marking the 25th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s encyclical on Christian unity, Pope Francis said he shares “the healthy impatience” of those who think more can and should be done, but he also...
View ArticlePray for unity in the Church, pope says honoring Peter and Paul
ROME – Pope Francis marked Monday’s feast of Saints Peter and Paul stressing the importance of unity in the Church and allowing oneself to be challenged by God, urging Catholics to spend less time...
View ArticleAmid intense division in U.S., God calls us to love, says Arizona bishop
PHOENIX — In a time of intense division in the country, the Gospel calls us to love, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares of Phoenix said in a virtual reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian...
View ArticleGermany’s ecumenical church assembly goes virtual
FRANKFURT, Germany — Instead of comfortable footwear, participants in Germany’s third ecumenical convention, or kirchentag, will need stable internet connections. Organizers had hoped to attract more...
View ArticlePartnering in the pandemic: Churches see possibilities for ecumenism
VATICAN CITY — In promoting Christian unity, ecumenical prayer and practical cooperation among divided church communities, the COVID-19 pandemic has not been all bad news. “Although it has impeded many...
View ArticleReconciliation: Catholic-Methodist dialogue looks at rituals, mission
ROME — Exploring their sacraments, rituals and outreach that promote reconciliation with God and among people, Catholic and Methodist experts acknowledged in a new document that divided Christians...
View ArticlePope tells displaced persons they’re ‘seeds of a new South Sudan’
JUBA – Pope Francis joined other Christian leaders Saturday in meeting with internally displaced people in South Sudan, saying he shares their suffering and urging them to be protagonists in building a...
View ArticlePope says imitating Jesus is more than ‘rigid observance’ of rules
ROME – Honoring Saints Peter and Paul, the patrons of Rome, on their liturgical feast day, Pope Francis said understanding and imitating Jesus is not a matter of following doctrinal formulas or the...
View ArticlePope hears details of Scotland’s growing Catholic-Protestant friendship
LEICESTER, United Kingdom – Pope Francis praised the growing relations between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland during a meeting with leaders of the Church of Scotland last week. “We talked how we...
View ArticleGhana Catholics face rising tide of defections to Pentecostal groups
YAOUNDÈ, Cameroon – Despite Africa’s general profile as the zone of greatest growth in global Catholicism, the West African nation of Ghana instead is reporting significant declines, with many of the...
View ArticleEcumenical meeting in India expresses ‘anxiety’ over anti-Christian activities
MUMBAI, India – Christian leaders in India participated in the National Ecumenical Bishops’ Fellowship Meeting, which sought to build the relationship of all Christians in a country where they make up...
View ArticleHysteria aside, elections don’t change everything … just ask Mar Awa III
ROME – Elections, such as the recent contest between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in the United States, often promote a strongly absolutist psychology about the consequences of selecting one leader...
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