Spain’s ombudsman set to lead probe into Catholic Church abuses
Madrid, SpainReuters Spain’s parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the creation of an independent commission led by the country’s ombudsman to investigate suspected sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests. The commission would be a significant step for Spain, where abuse allegations are only now gaining traction years after similar scandals rocked the United States, Ireland […]
Wow!: ‘Lent’s Eat’ videos bring levity – and leaven – to solemn season
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, reports on how one US pastor is using food to connect with congregants during Lent…
Orthodox priest reportedly arrested in Russia for sermon decrying invasion of Ukraine
RNS A Russian Orthodox priest was reportedly arrested this week after he preached a sermon denouncing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an unusual example of the Russian Government cracking down on a cleric from a faith tradition that has long operated in lockstep with President Vladimir Putin. According to a BBC report citing Russian activists, […]
Russia shows “reckless disregard” for Ukraine civilians, US spy chiefs say
Washington DC, USReuters Russian forces are operating with “reckless disregard” for civilians as they face stronger-than-expected resistance in Ukraine, and American intelligence agencies are tracking their actions to hold them to account, US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Thursday. “The Russian military has begun to loosen its rules of engagement to achieve […]
Russia shifts stance on hospital bombing that sparked world outrage
London, UKReuters Russia shifted its stance over the bombing of a Ukrainian hospital in the city of Mariupol, with a mix of statements on Thursday that veered between aggressive denials and a call by the Kremlin to establish clear facts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said three people including a child had been killed in the […]
Ukraine museum scrambles to save Russian art from the Russians
Kharkiv, Ukraine Reuters As Russian forces pound the city with artillery and air strikes, staff at the main museum in Kharkiv raced to get priceless artworks to safety, many of them by Russian artists. The ornate, imposing building is still standing, unlike some others in Kharkiv, but the windows have been blown in by the […]
US tells China: Give UN rights chief wide access in Xinjiang
Geneva, Switzerland AP The United States called on China’s government Wednesday to grant “unhindered and unsupervised access” to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, when she visits China and its western Xinjiang region in May. Ambassador Sheba Crocker, the US permanent representative to UN institutions in Geneva, said any interference in the […]
In Canada, Bruxy Cavey’s former megachurch debates allegations: Sex abuse or an affair?
RNS Days after the pastor of one of Canada’s largest churches resigned after being accused of sexual misconduct, the church held a special online meeting Tuesday to announce that an independent, third-party investigation found that Bruxy Cavey, the folksy, long-haired leader of The Meeting House in Toronto, had a years-long sexual relationship with a member of his […]
In the US, Episcopal Bishop Curry says “more to do” as poll shows Christians viewed as hypocrites
RNS Ask a Christian to describe other Christians and the answers likely will be “giving,” “compassionate,” “loving” and “respectful”. Ask a non-Christian, on the other hand, and the more likely descriptors you’ll get for Christians are “hypocritical”, “judgmental” and “self-righteous.” Non-Christians are also far more likely to say Christians do not represent the teachings of […]
Significant Sights: How a makeshift PoW chapel from World War II continues to connect Ukrainians and Britons
DANIEL ADAMSON, a PhD candidate in history at Durham University in the UK, looks at the history of the Ukrainian chapel at the former Hallmuir PoW camp and its role in reference to the conflict in Ukraine today…