Senior Vatican official makes case for a married priesthood
Vatican CityReuters The Roman Catholic Church should “seriously think” about allowing priests to marry, a senior Vatican official and advisor to Pope Francis said in an interview published on Sunday. “This is probably the first time I’m saying it publicly and it will sound heretical to some people,” Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, who is […]
Italy’s coastguard works to rescue 1,200 migrants drifting at sea
Milan, Italy Reuters The Italian coastguard is carrying out operations to rescue two boats carrying a total of 1,200 people, it said on Monday, after a surge in the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa over the weekend. One of the boats, which is carrying 400 people and is in the Ionian […]
Snapshot: Mellieha, Malta
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Protests in Malta as parliament debates abortion amendment
Valletta, MaltaReuters A large picture of an unborn baby was placed outside the office of Malta’s Prime Minister on Sunday as demonstrators called on the government to halt plans to amend the country’s strict anti-abortion laws. The protest, the biggest in years, attracted several thousand people including Malta’s top Catholic bishop and the leader of […]
Malta’s Catholic bishops urge lawmakers not to back “abortion law’
Valletta, MaltaReuters Malta’s Catholic bishops have urged lawmakers not to back a bill now before parliament which they view as opening the door to abortion in the only European Union country that does not permit it under any circumstances. The government-sponsored bill would remove the risk of criminal action against doctors when a pregnancy is […]
Nearly 1,000 migrants stranded in Med as NGOs urge Italy, Malta to help
Rome, ItalyReuters Three charity boats carrying almost 1,000 rescued migrants on Wednesday urged Italian or Maltese authorities to welcome them into one of their ports, saying those onboard needed urgent assistance. The vessels operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), SOS Mediterranee and SOS Humanity have been at sea for more than a week. They said […]
Snapshot: Mellieha, Malta
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Pope Francis to visit Lebanon in June during economic crisis
Beirut, LebanonAP Pope Francis will visit Lebanon in June, the President’s office said Tuesday, in an apparent show of support for the country experiencing an unprecedented economic meltdown. Francis has held special prayers for Lebanon and has repeatedly said he plans to visit the small country since the economic meltdown began in October, 2019. Pope […]
Pope still working on meeting Russian Orthodox Patriarch
Aboard the papal plane AP Pope Francis said Sunday he was still working on arranging a meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, despite that leader’s seeming justification for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and said he wouldn’t rule out travelling to the region if it would help. Speaking to reporters en route home […]
Pope prays for end to “sacrilegious” war, refugee welcome
Valletta, MaltaAP Pope Francis prayed Sunday for an end to the “sacrilegious” war in Ukraine and for the world to show compassion to refugees as he concluded a two-day visit to Malta that was dominated by his concern for the devastation unleashed by Russia’s invasion. “May we be tireless in praying and in offering assistance […]