A shooter opened fire on students attending Mass on the third day of school, authorities said. The assailant fired through the school's chapel windows at students sitting in pews and then committed suicide, officials said. The children killed were 8 years old and 10 years old, they said.


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A shooter opened fire on students attending Mass on the third day of school, authorities said. The assailant fired through the school's chapel windows at students sitting in pews and then committed suicide, officials said. The children killed were 8 years old and 10 years old, they said.



Minneapolis School Shooting Kills 2 Children; FBI Probes Terrorism | Trump Briefs on Incident | WION

Minneapolis School Shooting: At Least 2 Children Killed, 17 Injured | Suspect Kills Himself | WION

The issue of women being ordained as priests or being appointed as deacons has always been a sticking agenda among the Catholic liberals seeking reforms in the church. However, this demand for reforms remains unlikely at the Global Catholic Summit which opened last week. Watch for more details!

Report: Liberal Catholics Demand Greater Role for Religious Women

Pope Francis has announced the appointment of 21 new cardinals, a move that notably expands the size of the college of cardinals. This significant increase not only enhances the diversity of the group but also strengthens the Pope's influence over the future leadership of the Catholic Church. The newly appointed cardinals will play a crucial role in electing his successor, further extending Francis's legacy within the church. This latest announcement reflects the Pope's ongoing commitment to inclusivity and representation, as many of the new cardinals come from regions that have traditionally been underrepresented in the Vatican.

Pope Francis Increases College Of Cardinals Membership From 141 To 256

Pope Francis Expands College Of Cardinals That Will Pick His Successor

Pope Francis concluded his visit to Singapore on Friday, highlighting the nation’s strong tradition of interfaith harmony. His four-nation tour of Asia ended with the same message of tolerance and unity that he emphasized at the beginning of his journey.

Pope Francis concludes Asia Trip with a consistent call for interfaith tolerance

Pope Francis was warmly welcomed by the small Southeast Asian nation of East Timor, one of the world’s most Catholic countries. Nearly half of the population attended an open-air Mass to see the Pope.

Pope Francis' mass in East Timor draws nearly half its population

France's Senate adopted a bill to enshrine a woman’s right to an abortion in the constitution, clearing a key hurdle for legislation promised by President Emmanuel Macron in response to a rollback in abortion rights in the United States.

France to make abortion a constitutional right

Pope Francis on Monday (March 13) will mark 10 years as the head of the Roman Catholic Church&nbsp;and will be celebrating Mass with cardinals in the chapel of the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where he has been living since being elected as the catholic head. The 86-year-old is the first Jesuit and Latin American pope. He is the 266th pope elected, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who stepped down. With living such a religious life, Francis grabbed global attention for his remarks on the LGBTQ community, divorce/ remarriages and so on. Lets's take look at some of the controversies Francis was involved in:

Early life:

Jorge Mario Bergoglio or Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 17 December 1936 and worked as a bouncer, janitor and chemist in his early life before being elected as the pope. After being elected as he changed his name to Francis&nbsp;

His religious life began in 1969 when he ordained a Catholic priest and was the Jesuit provincial superior from 1973 to 1979 in Argentina. Being considered a rival by many, he became papal to Bergoglio after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.&nbsp;

Francis has always been lauded for his humility, concern for the poor and commitment to interreligious dialogue. He maintained the views of the Church regarding the ordination of women as priests and even initiated dialogue where women were made full members of dicasteries in the Roman Curia.&nbsp;

Here is the list of controversies under the papacy of Francis:

Hell does not exist:

The Catholic leader was quoted saying "there is no hell; there is the disappearance of sinful souls," by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica implying that sinners who die without achieving eternal salvation are not punished. This quote apparently caused panic within the church and even the news surfaced on social media slamming him for such a response. However, Francis dismissed the news and said that the interview with La Repubblica was a "reconstruction" and not a transcript of what the pope actually said. &nbsp;This controversy erupted as Pope washed the feet of 12 prisoners at Rome's Regina Coeli prison among which two were Muslims, an orthodox Christian and a Buddhist. Responding to this, Francis said that everyone has the opportunity to change life and one cannot judge.&nbsp;

Francis on LGBTQ- 'Who am I to judge?"

Back in 2013, Pope sent a shockwave over his remarks on the LGBTQ community. He was asked whether there was a gay lobby at the church or not to which he replied, "if someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"&nbsp;

The comment was hailed by all LGBTQ advocacies and mainstream media, marking it as a sign of change in the views of the Catholic church. The LGBT publication "The Advocate" even gave Francis their person of the year award and some even speculated that the church might become more open to blessing the communities.&nbsp;

The comment was appreciated largely because, Frabncis's predecessors like Pope Benedict XVI suggested that gay marriages are a threat to global peace, while on the other hand, Francis said that transsexuals and homosexuals should also be accepted and embraced by the Church, though he mentioned that he opposes schools and other institutions promoting or endorsing such tendencies.&nbsp;

Many advocacies celebrating the comment did not note that Francis also said that one must distinguish between a person who is gay and someone who makes a gay lobby, saying that a gay lobby isn't good

However, contradicting his own statement, in 2014 in Rome at a major gathering Francis said that "the complementarily of man and woman...is the root of marriage and family."

Marriage and Divorce

Speaking in Catholic terms, Francis issued an endorsement of major changes in the way priests approach Catholics who are either divorced or remarried. He outlined his vision on how the Vatican will promote family and family issues, by naming an American moderate to head the n ed VCatcian offside for families, directing to related institutes to give merciful care to spiritually wounded Catholics.&nbsp;

He even emphasised how he wants to focus on establishing church teaching on life and marriage issues with mercy, with an opening dialogue with other academic and scientific users, whether they are Christians or not.&nbsp;

Accuses sex abuse victims of slander

In Jan 2018, Pope shocked Chile by accusing the most notorious paedophile of slander that cost the Catholic church its credibility in the country. Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was involved in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadimas, all such accusations are "all calumny." His comments on the sex abuse scandals haunted the Vatican and it later announced that it is reviving its anti-paedophile community.

Pope Francis on Monday (March 13) will mark 10 years as the head of the Roman Catholic Church and will be celebrating Mass with cardinals in the chapel of the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where he has been living since being elected as the catholic head.

Pope Francis on Monday (March 13) will mark 10 years as the head of the Roman Catholic Church and will be celebrating Mass with cardinals in the chapel of the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where he has been living since being elected as the catholic head. The 86-year-old is the first Jesuit and Latin American pope. He is the 266th pope elected, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who stepped down. With living such a religious life, Francis grabbed global attention for his remarks on the LGBTQ community, divorce/ remarriages and so on. Lets's take look at some of the controversies Francis was involved in: Early life: Jorge Mario Bergoglio or Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 17 December 1936 and worked as a bouncer, janitor and chemist in his early life before being elected as the pope. After being elected as he changed his name to Francis His religious life began in 1969 when he ordained a Catholic priest and was the Jesuit provincial superior from 1973 to 1979 in Argentina. Being considered a rival by many, he became papal to Bergoglio after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Francis has always been lauded for his humility, concern for the poor and commitment to interreligious dialogue. He maintained the views of the Church regarding the ordination of women as priests and even initiated dialogue where women were made full members of dicasteries in the Roman Curia. Here is the list of controversies under the papacy of Francis: Hell does not exist: The Catholic leader was quoted saying "there is no hell; there is the disappearance of sinful souls," by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica implying that sinners who die without achieving eternal salvation are not punished. This quote apparently caused panic within the church and even the news surfaced on social media slamming him for such a response. However, Francis dismissed the news and said that the interview with La Repubblica was a "reconstruction" and not a transcript of what the pope actually said. This controversy erupted as Pope washed the feet of 12 prisoners at Rome's Regina Coeli prison among which two were Muslims, an orthodox Christian and a Buddhist. Responding to this, Francis said that everyone has the opportunity to change life and one cannot judge. Francis on LGBTQ- 'Who am I to judge?" Back in 2013, Pope sent a shockwave over his remarks on the LGBTQ community. He was asked whether there was a gay lobby at the church or not to which he replied, "if someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" The comment was hailed by all LGBTQ advocacies and mainstream media, marking it as a sign of change in the views of the Catholic church. The LGBT publication "The Advocate" even gave Francis their person of the year award and some even speculated that the church might become more open to blessing the communities. The comment was appreciated largely because, Frabncis's predecessors like Pope Benedict XVI suggested that gay marriages are a threat to global peace, while on the other hand, Francis said that transsexuals and homosexuals should also be accepted and embraced by the Church, though he mentioned that he opposes schools and other institutions promoting or endorsing such tendencies. Many advocacies celebrating the comment did not note that Francis also said that one must distinguish between a person who is gay and someone who makes a gay lobby, saying that a gay lobby isn't good However, contradicting his own statement, in 2014 in Rome at a major gathering Francis said that "the complementarily of man and woman...is the root of marriage and family." Marriage and Divorce Speaking in Catholic terms, Francis issued an endorsement of major changes in the way priests approach Catholics who are either divorced or remarried. He outlined his vision on how the Vatican will promote family and family issues, by naming an American moderate to head the n ed VCatcian offside for families, directing to related institutes to give merciful care to spiritually wounded Catholics. He even emphasised how he wants to focus on establishing church teaching on life and marriage issues with mercy, with an opening dialogue with other academic and scientific users, whether they are Christians or not. Accuses sex abuse victims of slander In Jan 2018, Pope shocked Chile by accusing the most notorious paedophile of slander that cost the Catholic church its credibility in the country. Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was involved in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadimas, all such accusations are "all calumny." His comments on the sex abuse scandals haunted the Vatican and it later announced that it is reviving its anti-paedophile community.

As Pope Francis completes a decade in Vatican here are some controversies he was embroiled in

An investigation by an independent commission recently has unearthed the dirty face of child abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in Portugal. The horrifying testimonies of the survivors become the ground of the commission's inquiry. The commission with the help of a large network of victims was able to make a deeper cut into finding out the ongoing paedophilia in the staunchly Catholic country.&nbsp;

The Portuguese inquiry which was commissioned by the church revealed that there are about 5,000 children who have become victims of child abuse since 1950. The report comes after the testimony of over 500 survivors last year.&nbsp;Commission head, Pedro Strecht, responded to the inquiry findings saying “This testimony allows us to establish a much larger network of victims, at least 4,815."&nbsp;

To do away with this gruesome malice, the country's bishop will reportedly convene in March. As per reports, the time for the majority of the offenders has passed its limit for bringing about the charges but 25 of these cases have been transferred to the prosecution service.

<h2>Victims' voices&nbsp;</h2>

Many victims have come forward to unlock their pain in front of the commission and recount the horror they have lived. A 43-year-old woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity has alleged that a priest raped her during confession when she was just a 17-year-old novice nun.

The woman revealed that she kept it a secret for a long time because of her deep-seated fear of speaking out against the clergies in a largely Catholic country. At one point, she said she mustered up the courage to bring culprits to justice but no one did anything to help her.

She expressed her anger saying that a bishop asking for forgiveness for his sins does not hold any meaning for her. “We don’t know if they mean it," she said adding, “The church needs to cleanse itself."&nbsp;

<h2>But this is not just Europe...</h2>

The child abuse cases which has now come to light in Portugal are nothing new as these accusations have been emerging every now and then from all across the world. Data exposes the magnanimity of the situation which can make anyone sit up and notice. The United States, too, have its own share of the burden when it comes to tackling these child abuse scandals carried out by the priests and the Catholic churches.&nbsp;

For instance, the legal bearing of the lawsuits got pretty real for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego. As per reports, now the diocese may soon become bankrupt as it stares down “staggering" legal costs thanks to about 400 lawsuits against its priests for allegedly sexually abusing children.&nbsp;

The Diocese in a statement said that a whopping $550 million in legal charges are against priests who are not presently serving.

All these cases, as per Diocese, were filed after a 2019 bill which make it possible for child sexual abuse victims in California to no longer face deadlines to file civil claims. At the time, California State Representative Dawn Addis in her remarks said that it's "time to end this arbitrary and cruel time limit on justice."&nbsp;

<h2>What is the new law?&nbsp;</h2>

Under the previous law, minor sexual assault survivors only had until their 40th birthday to seek justice in civil court however with the new bill the time limit is now dropped. It has opened floodgates as most of the alleged abuses were reportedly cited in the suits that took place 50 to 75 years ago. These child abuse victims just do not come forward by that age sometimes. &nbsp;

The data suggests that in New York, nearly 11,000 cases were filed in state courts seeking to hold Catholic dioceses responsible for sexual abuse by clergy.&nbsp;And it is interesting to note that like in California mass sexual abuse litigations are being filed all across US.&nbsp;

A total of 23 states, along with two territories and Washington, D.C., have passed laws that suspend statutes of limitations for sexual-abuse victims. However, there is one more loophole, the way the bankruptcy claims-filing procedures are.&nbsp;

<h2>The loopholes in the&nbsp;Bankruptcy filings&nbsp;</h2>

Judges who look at these filings in the Bankruptcy courts sometimes set up their own deadlines. This becomes an issue because when the victim misses the deadline they get nothing or they get only some of the claim from the accumulated amounts for unknown claimants.&nbsp;

In December 2019, Pope Francis in a bid to crack down on sexual abuse cases abolished the rule of pontifical secrecy. The changes let go of a practice of keeping silent on those who report sexual abuse or allege they have been a victim. At the time, Pope Francis vowed zero tolerance saying he will come down heavily on stopping the abuse. Even so, there are growing voices which continues to call for more to put an end to it all.&nbsp;

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An investigation by an independent commission recently has unearthed the dirty face of child abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in Portugal. The horrifying testimonies of the survivors become the ground of the commission's inquiry.

An investigation by an independent commission recently has unearthed the dirty face of child abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in Portugal. The horrifying testimonies of the survivors become the ground of the commission's inquiry. The commission with the help of a large network of victims was able to make a deeper cut into finding out the ongoing paedophilia in the staunchly Catholic country. The Portuguese inquiry which was commissioned by the church revealed that there are about 5,000 children who have become victims of child abuse since 1950. The report comes after the testimony of over 500 survivors last year. Commission head, Pedro Strecht, responded to the inquiry findings saying “This testimony allows us to establish a much larger network of victims, at least 4,815." To do away with this gruesome malice, the country's bishop will reportedly convene in March. As per reports, the time for the majority of the offenders has passed its limit for bringing about the charges but 25 of these cases have been transferred to the prosecution service. Victims' voices Many victims have come forward to unlock their pain in front of the commission and recount the horror they have lived. A 43-year-old woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity has alleged that a priest raped her during confession when she was just a 17-year-old novice nun. The woman revealed that she kept it a secret for a long time because of her deep-seated fear of speaking out against the clergies in a largely Catholic country. At one point, she said she mustered up the courage to bring culprits to justice but no one did anything to help her. She expressed her anger saying that a bishop asking for forgiveness for his sins does not hold any meaning for her. “We don’t know if they mean it," she said adding, “The church needs to cleanse itself." But this is not just Europe... The child abuse cases which has now come to light in Portugal are nothing new as these accusations have been emerging every now and then from all across the world. Data exposes the magnanimity of the situation which can make anyone sit up and notice. The United States, too, have its own share of the burden when it comes to tackling these child abuse scandals carried out by the priests and the Catholic churches. For instance, the legal bearing of the lawsuits got pretty real for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego. As per reports, now the diocese may soon become bankrupt as it stares down “staggering" legal costs thanks to about 400 lawsuits against its priests for allegedly sexually abusing children. The Diocese in a statement said that a whopping $550 million in legal charges are against priests who are not presently serving. All these cases, as per Diocese, were filed after a 2019 bill which make it possible for child sexual abuse victims in California to no longer face deadlines to file civil claims. At the time, California State Representative Dawn Addis in her remarks said that it's "time to end this arbitrary and cruel time limit on justice." What is the new law? Under the previous law, minor sexual assault survivors only had until their 40th birthday to seek justice in civil court however with the new bill the time limit is now dropped. It has opened floodgates as most of the alleged abuses were reportedly cited in the suits that took place 50 to 75 years ago. These child abuse victims just do not come forward by that age sometimes. The data suggests that in New York, nearly 11,000 cases were filed in state courts seeking to hold Catholic dioceses responsible for sexual abuse by clergy. And it is interesting to note that like in California mass sexual abuse litigations are being filed all across US. A total of 23 states, along with two territories and Washington, D.C., have passed laws that suspend statutes of limitations for sexual-abuse victims. However, there is one more loophole, the way the bankruptcy claims-filing procedures are. The loopholes in the Bankruptcy filings Judges who look at these filings in the Bankruptcy courts sometimes set up their own deadlines. This becomes an issue because when the victim misses the deadline they get nothing or they get only some of the claim from the accumulated amounts for unknown claimants. In December 2019, Pope Francis in a bid to crack down on sexual abuse cases abolished the rule of pontifical secrecy. The changes let go of a practice of keeping silent on those who report sexual abuse or allege they have been a victim. At the time, Pope Francis vowed zero tolerance saying he will come down heavily on stopping the abuse. Even so, there are growing voices which continues to call for more to put an end to it all. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

EXPLAINED: The ugly face of Child sexual abuse in Catholic church

A four corners investigation into the controversial workings of the religious group Opus Dei was aired on Monday night, which included serious allegations made by dozens of students of a Sydney school. The controversial religious group is known for its secrecy and enjoys massive influence within the Catholic Church. Although Pope John Paul II passed away in 2005 and Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, both of whom had been ardent supporters of Opus Dei, the organisation is still a significant force within the Catholic Church today, led by Pope Francis, a former Jesuit.

<h2>What is Opus Dei and who founded it?</h2>

Josemara Escrivá, a Spanish Roman Catholic priest who claimed to have had a vision of the creation of Opus Dei from God, founded the organisation in 1928. Throughout his whole life, Escrivá insisted that the birth of the organisation was not his doing but rather divine in origin. Opus Dei actually translates to "Work of God" in Latin. &nbsp;

Its followers are of the view that they are called to serve God by both their personal spiritual actions and their conduct in both their professional and personal life. &nbsp;They adhere to rigid conservative doctrine, often maintain a level of secrecy, and insist on not offering their membership to anyone outside the church.

<h2>Why is Opus Dei so controversial?</h2>

Since its inception, Opus Dei has faced criticism for its secrecy. Particularly the more liberal Jesuits have compared Opus Dei to the mafia or Freemasons acting within the church. It has come under fire for its hiring tactics, with detractors and former members charging that it aggressively recruits young individuals. Even within Catholics, Opus Dei's ultra-conservative views have stirred some debate.

<h2>Who are Opus Dei’s members?</h2>

There were 93,510 Opus Dei members worldwide as of 2021, according to the Catholic Church's most recent publication, the Annuario Pontificio (Pontifical Yearbook) for 2022. This number is made up of 91,395 laypeople, or regular, non-clergy members of the church, and 2,115 priests. Australia is home to 650 Opus Dei members, according to estimates. The majority of the group's lay members are super- or numeraries.

<h2>The recent controversy around Opus Dei, clash with LGBTQ+ members</h2>

Catholic schools in Australia are anticipated to protest against the idea of limiting their hiring and firing authority as part of a reform designed to safeguard LGBTQ+ kids and teachers. The Australian Law Reform Commission published a consultation paper on Tuesday seeking to repeal the Sex Discrimination Act's current exclusions that permit discrimination, which Catholic schools have said would be detrimental to their ethos.

A four corners investigation into the controversial workings of the religious group Opus Dei was aired on Monday night, which included serious allegations made by dozens of students of a Sydney school.

A four corners investigation into the controversial workings of the religious group Opus Dei was aired on Monday night, which included serious allegations made by dozens of students of a Sydney school. The controversial religious group is known for its secrecy and enjoys massive influence within the Catholic Church. Although Pope John Paul II passed away in 2005 and Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, both of whom had been ardent supporters of Opus Dei, the organisation is still a significant force within the Catholic Church today, led by Pope Francis, a former Jesuit. What is Opus Dei and who founded it? Josemara Escrivá, a Spanish Roman Catholic priest who claimed to have had a vision of the creation of Opus Dei from God, founded the organisation in 1928. Throughout his whole life, Escrivá insisted that the birth of the organisation was not his doing but rather divine in origin. Opus Dei actually translates to "Work of God" in Latin. Its followers are of the view that they are called to serve God by both their personal spiritual actions and their conduct in both their professional and personal life. They adhere to rigid conservative doctrine, often maintain a level of secrecy, and insist on not offering their membership to anyone outside the church. Why is Opus Dei so controversial? Since its inception, Opus Dei has faced criticism for its secrecy. Particularly the more liberal Jesuits have compared Opus Dei to the mafia or Freemasons acting within the church. It has come under fire for its hiring tactics, with detractors and former members charging that it aggressively recruits young individuals. Even within Catholics, Opus Dei's ultra-conservative views have stirred some debate. Who are Opus Dei’s members? There were 93,510 Opus Dei members worldwide as of 2021, according to the Catholic Church's most recent publication, the Annuario Pontificio (Pontifical Yearbook) for 2022. This number is made up of 91,395 laypeople, or regular, non-clergy members of the church, and 2,115 priests. Australia is home to 650 Opus Dei members, according to estimates. The majority of the group's lay members are super- or numeraries. The recent controversy around Opus Dei, clash with LGBTQ+ members Catholic schools in Australia are anticipated to protest against the idea of limiting their hiring and firing authority as part of a reform designed to safeguard LGBTQ+ kids and teachers. The Australian Law Reform Commission published a consultation paper on Tuesday seeking to repeal the Sex Discrimination Act's current exclusions that permit discrimination, which Catholic schools have said would be detrimental to their ethos.

What is Opus Dei? Know why Catholic schools in Australia are protesting against pro-LGBTQ+ laws

The Catholic Jesuit order, of which Pope Francis is a member, has been rocked by claims a prominent priest abused several women, a case raising questions about how the Church sanctions offenders.

Catholic Jesuit order hit by priest abuse scandal

A Roman Catholic cardinal and five others were fined in Hong Kong after being found guilty of failing to register a now-defunct fund. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong court convicts Cardinal Zen over fund

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020. This has been called a "massive phenomenon" that was hushed up by a "veil of silence".

The landmark report was released on Tuesday. The investigation took two and a half years. It was launched after widespread outrage over string of paedophilia claims and prosecutions against Church officials worldwide. 
&nbsp; 
This is tip of an iceberg as when sexual abuse by lower members of the Church like teachers at Catholic schools are included, number of child abuse victims over seven decades climbs up to 330,000.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europes-social-democrats-show-signs-of-life-but-france-poses-a-roadblock-417473">Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock</a>

"Until the early 2000s the Catholic Church showed a profound and even cruel indifference towards the victims," the president of the investigative committee, Jean-Marc Sauve, said at a press conference.

He denounced the "systemic character" of efforts to shield clergy from paedophilia claims.

Meanwhile, French Catholic bishops have asked for forgiveness from victims of the sexual abuse. &nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-wants-calming-down-in-algeria-relations-418305">Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations</a>

Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French conference of bishops, said he and his fellow bishops wanted to express to victims their shame at the abuse revealed in the report.

The report of the inquiry,&nbsp;at nearly 2,500 pages, found that the "vast majority" of victims were pre-adolescent boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds.

"The Catholic Church is, after the circle of family and friends, the environment that has the highest prevalence of sexual violence," the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020.

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020. This has been called a "massive phenomenon" that was hushed up by a "veil of silence". The landmark report was released on Tuesday. The investigation took two and a half years. It was launched after widespread outrage over string of paedophilia claims and prosecutions against Church officials worldwide. This is tip of an iceberg as when sexual abuse by lower members of the Church like teachers at Catholic schools are included, number of child abuse victims over seven decades climbs up to 330,000. Also Read | Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock "Until the early 2000s the Catholic Church showed a profound and even cruel indifference towards the victims," the president of the investigative committee, Jean-Marc Sauve, said at a press conference. He denounced the "systemic character" of efforts to shield clergy from paedophilia claims. Meanwhile, French Catholic bishops have asked for forgiveness from victims of the sexual abuse. Also Read | Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French conference of bishops, said he and his fellow bishops wanted to express to victims their shame at the abuse revealed in the report. The report of the inquiry, at nearly 2,500 pages, found that the "vast majority" of victims were pre-adolescent boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds. "The Catholic Church is, after the circle of family and friends, the environment that has the highest prevalence of sexual violence," the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

France: Inquiry reveals 216,000 cases of paedophilia by Catholic priests since 1950

Pope Francis used his short time in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday to urge his bishops to embrace diversity and send a message to the country’s hard-right, anti-migrant leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, that God is not a strongman who silences enemies and that religious roots, while vital for a country, also allow it to open up and extend “its arms toward everyone.”

The seven-hour visit, ostensibly a spiritual layover to celebrate the concluding Mass of a weeklong international conference on the Eucharist, was the first international trip for Francis since undergoing major surgery this summer. It opened a four-day visit to neighboring Slovakia, and the disparity of time spent in the two countries has prompted Hungarian prelates to lobby for a longer stay and allies of Orban to excoriate the pope, who regularly criticizes “national populism,” for the perceived snub.

Orban has portrayed himself as a defender of Christian Europe, and he has ramped up connections to church traditionalists, many of whom are critical of Francis, before expected elections in April. Some in the Hungarian church worried that Orban would exploit the pope’s visit for electoral gain. His government, they argue, has already essentially bought the independence and the silence of the church by showering it with many millions of dollars in subsidies.

On Sunday, Francis met for about 40 minutes with Orban and with other civil authorities in a gaping hall at the Museum of Fine Arts. The pope and his top foreign policy officials sat without masks and at a considerable distance across from Orban and Hungary’s president, Janos Ader.

But Orban quickly posted photographs of his greeting Francis on his Facebook page, writing that he had asked the pope “not to allow Christian Hungary to perish.” Hungarian media, where Orban’s government holds great sway, splashed the picture of the handshake on their homepages and reported that Orban, who has referred to the influx of migrants to Europe in 2015 as an “invasion,” gave Francis a copy of a letter sent by a 13th-century Hungarian king to the pope at the time. In the letter, the king complained that pleas to the church for help against an invasion from Mongol armies had resulted in only empty words.

The issue of migration apparently did not come up in the meeting, according to the Vatican, but, as anticipated by some of his confidants, the pope addressed the issue head-on in his subsequent meeting in the museum with a group of Hungarian bishops.

“Your country is a place in which people from other populations have long lived together,” he said. “Various ethnicities, minorities, religions and migrants have also transformed this country into a multicultural environment.”

Francis said that at the beginning, “diversity always causes some fear because it puts at risk the acquired security and upsets the achieved stability,” but he added that it was a great opportunity to reach out in brotherhood. “In front of cultural, ethnic, political and religious diversity,” the pope said, “we can have two reactions: close ourselves in a rigid defense of our so-called identity, or open ourselves to meet the other and cultivate together the dream of a fraternal society.”

He said that he wanted the Hungarian church to build new bridges of dialogue, to show, he said, its “true face” and become a “bright symbol for Hungary.”

In Francis’ public remarks — in the Heroes’ Square adjacent to the museum, which was spilling over with tens of thousands of people, including Orban in a front-row seat — the pope seemed to touch on those issues, if in biblical and religious terms.

Appearing strong after having about 13 inches of his colon removed in early July, Francis, 84, spoke about how religious sentiment, with which Orban imbues much of his political talk, “not only invites us to be well rooted, it also raises and extends its arms towards everyone.” He said that while it was important to keep the “roots firm,” it was also important to do so “without defensiveness.”

Francis also seemed to warn against the conflating of religion and politics.

“There is God’s side and the world’s side,” he said. “The difference is not between who is religious or not, but ultimately between the true God and the god of ‘self.’ How distant is the God who quietly reigns on the cross from the false god that we want to reign with power in order to silence our enemies.”

On the early plane ride to Budapest from Rome, Francis told reporters that he was happy to be traveling again, as the coronavirus pandemic and his own health challenges had kept him in the Vatican. “If I’m alive, it’s because bad weeds never die,” he joked. In Budapest, he rode in the so-called popemobile along avenues crowded with faithful waving flags. Hardly anyone on the streets, or in the square, or in the city’s bars or restaurants, for that matter, wore masks, and they all crammed closely together.

But Francis took breaks when he could. When, after his meeting with Orban, he met with Christian and Jewish leaders, he explained that he had to deliver his speech while sitting because “I’m not 15 anymore.”

In that speech, he expressed wariness about “the threat of anti-Semitism still lurking in Europe and elsewhere,” and he frequently used his familiar imagery of building bridges and breaking down walls.

During the pope’s morning meetings, prelates and faithful gathered in the square under hats and white umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun, and five members of the defunct Hapsburg empire, which ruled over Hungary and much of Europe for centuries, stood in a line together on the side of a stage that had been set up for Francis. Orban has appointed two of them as his ambassadors in the hopes of improving access in Western Europe.

Eduard Hapsburg, Orban’s ambassador to the Holy See, who worked with the Vatican to extend the pope’s stay, said he had met Francis at the airport. The pope, he said, told him that Hungarian was the language of heaven because it takes an eternity to learn. Hapsburg said that he had pretended not to know the joke and had laughed.

“I didn’t have the impression of a grim atmosphere,” he said. “It was very cheerful, enjoying very much, and yes, for us it’s incredible.”

His father, Archduke Michael Hapsburg-Lothringen, agreed with the rest of his family that the world unfairly treated Hungary as a pariah. He said he was deeply happy with Orban’s government, its handling of the migrant crisis and its advocacy of Hungary as a Christian nation. “I say we live in paradise,” he said. “Compared to neighbor countries, even. I mean, there is so much confusion.”

But Hungary, under Orban, is increasingly isolated in Europe. And as Francis and Orban met, some of those who had crowded around Heroes’ Square sensed the tension and felt torn between the two.

“For me, Catholicism is one thing, and politics is another,” said Eva Tamar, 34, who came from the Hungarian town of God. “I know what is right in religion, but in real life and in politics, I don’t know who to follow. It’s hard.”

Others clearly knew what side they were on.

Balazs Nacy, 23, an ethnic Hungarian who was born and raised in neighboring Slovakia, said he thought the short stay in Hungary was “a political message.”

“He doesn’t really agree with things happening here in Hungary and what Orban does here,” Nacy said. “They say it’s Christian politics, but I don’t think it’s Christianity what they do here. The pope is sending a message.”

Pope Francis used his short time in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday to urge his bishops to embrace diversity and send a message to the country’s hard-right, anti-migrant leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, that God is not a strongman who silences enemies and that religious roots, while vital for a country, also allow it to open up and extend “its arms toward everyone.

Pope Francis used his short time in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday to urge his bishops to embrace diversity and send a message to the country’s hard-right, anti-migrant leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, that God is not a strongman who silences enemies and that religious roots, while vital for a country, also allow it to open up and extend “its arms toward everyone.” The seven-hour visit, ostensibly a spiritual layover to celebrate the concluding Mass of a weeklong international conference on the Eucharist, was the first international trip for Francis since undergoing major surgery this summer. It opened a four-day visit to neighboring Slovakia, and the disparity of time spent in the two countries has prompted Hungarian prelates to lobby for a longer stay and allies of Orban to excoriate the pope, who regularly criticizes “national populism,” for the perceived snub. Orban has portrayed himself as a defender of Christian Europe, and he has ramped up connections to church traditionalists, many of whom are critical of Francis, before expected elections in April. Some in the Hungarian church worried that Orban would exploit the pope’s visit for electoral gain. His government, they argue, has already essentially bought the independence and the silence of the church by showering it with many millions of dollars in subsidies. On Sunday, Francis met for about 40 minutes with Orban and with other civil authorities in a gaping hall at the Museum of Fine Arts. The pope and his top foreign policy officials sat without masks and at a considerable distance across from Orban and Hungary’s president, Janos Ader. But Orban quickly posted photographs of his greeting Francis on his Facebook page, writing that he had asked the pope “not to allow Christian Hungary to perish.” Hungarian media, where Orban’s government holds great sway, splashed the picture of the handshake on their homepages and reported that Orban, who has referred to the influx of migrants to Europe in 2015 as an “invasion,” gave Francis a copy of a letter sent by a 13th-century Hungarian king to the pope at the time. In the letter, the king complained that pleas to the church for help against an invasion from Mongol armies had resulted in only empty words. The issue of migration apparently did not come up in the meeting, according to the Vatican, but, as anticipated by some of his confidants, the pope addressed the issue head-on in his subsequent meeting in the museum with a group of Hungarian bishops. “Your country is a place in which people from other populations have long lived together,” he said. “Various ethnicities, minorities, religions and migrants have also transformed this country into a multicultural environment.” Francis said that at the beginning, “diversity always causes some fear because it puts at risk the acquired security and upsets the achieved stability,” but he added that it was a great opportunity to reach out in brotherhood. “In front of cultural, ethnic, political and religious diversity,” the pope said, “we can have two reactions: close ourselves in a rigid defense of our so-called identity, or open ourselves to meet the other and cultivate together the dream of a fraternal society.” He said that he wanted the Hungarian church to build new bridges of dialogue, to show, he said, its “true face” and become a “bright symbol for Hungary.” In Francis’ public remarks — in the Heroes’ Square adjacent to the museum, which was spilling over with tens of thousands of people, including Orban in a front-row seat — the pope seemed to touch on those issues, if in biblical and religious terms. Appearing strong after having about 13 inches of his colon removed in early July, Francis, 84, spoke about how religious sentiment, with which Orban imbues much of his political talk, “not only invites us to be well rooted, it also raises and extends its arms towards everyone.” He said that while it was important to keep the “roots firm,” it was also important to do so “without defensiveness.” Francis also seemed to warn against the conflating of religion and politics. “There is God’s side and the world’s side,” he said. “The difference is not between who is religious or not, but ultimately between the true God and the god of ‘self.’ How distant is the God who quietly reigns on the cross from the false god that we want to reign with power in order to silence our enemies.” On the early plane ride to Budapest from Rome, Francis told reporters that he was happy to be traveling again, as the coronavirus pandemic and his own health challenges had kept him in the Vatican. “If I’m alive, it’s because bad weeds never die,” he joked. In Budapest, he rode in the so-called popemobile along avenues crowded with faithful waving flags. Hardly anyone on the streets, or in the square, or in the city’s bars or restaurants, for that matter, wore masks, and they all crammed closely together. But Francis took breaks when he could. When, after his meeting with Orban, he met with Christian and Jewish leaders, he explained that he had to deliver his speech while sitting because “I’m not 15 anymore.” In that speech, he expressed wariness about “the threat of anti-Semitism still lurking in Europe and elsewhere,” and he frequently used his familiar imagery of building bridges and breaking down walls. During the pope’s morning meetings, prelates and faithful gathered in the square under hats and white umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun, and five members of the defunct Hapsburg empire, which ruled over Hungary and much of Europe for centuries, stood in a line together on the side of a stage that had been set up for Francis. Orban has appointed two of them as his ambassadors in the hopes of improving access in Western Europe. Eduard Hapsburg, Orban’s ambassador to the Holy See, who worked with the Vatican to extend the pope’s stay, said he had met Francis at the airport. The pope, he said, told him that Hungarian was the language of heaven because it takes an eternity to learn. Hapsburg said that he had pretended not to know the joke and had laughed. “I didn’t have the impression of a grim atmosphere,” he said. “It was very cheerful, enjoying very much, and yes, for us it’s incredible.” His father, Archduke Michael Hapsburg-Lothringen, agreed with the rest of his family that the world unfairly treated Hungary as a pariah. He said he was deeply happy with Orban’s government, its handling of the migrant crisis and its advocacy of Hungary as a Christian nation. “I say we live in paradise,” he said. “Compared to neighbor countries, even. I mean, there is so much confusion.” But Hungary, under Orban, is increasingly isolated in Europe. And as Francis and Orban met, some of those who had crowded around Heroes’ Square sensed the tension and felt torn between the two. “For me, Catholicism is one thing, and politics is another,” said Eva Tamar, 34, who came from the Hungarian town of God. “I know what is right in religion, but in real life and in politics, I don’t know who to follow. It’s hard.” Others clearly knew what side they were on. Balazs Nacy, 23, an ethnic Hungarian who was born and raised in neighboring Slovakia, said he thought the short stay in Hungary was “a political message.” “He doesn’t really agree with things happening here in Hungary and what Orban does here,” Nacy said. “They say it’s Christian politics, but I don’t think it’s Christianity what they do here. The pope is sending a message.”

In Orban’s Hungary, pope urges bishops to embrace diversity

Two more Catholic churches have been destroyed by fires in Canada.&nbsp;The two churches were located in indigenous communities in Western Canadian region of British Columbia. The incident follows grim discoveries of nearly 1,000 unmarked graves,&nbsp;at former church-run indigenous residential schools in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

T Ann's Catholic Church on the Upper Similkameen Indian Band and the&nbsp;Chopaka&nbsp;Catholic Church in the Lower Similkameen Indian Band are believed to have been set ablaze less than an hour apart in the early morning hours of Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sergeant Jason Bayda of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement, "Both churches have been destroyed. (fires&nbsp;are) suspicious, and (authorities) are looking to determine any possible connection to the church fires in both Penticton and Oliver."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Two other Catholic Churches had been destroyed in fires a week ago, on the day which Canada marks as the National Indigenous People's Day. No arrests have been made so far.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The destruction of the four Churches comes at a testing time for Canada's indigenous peoples. The community is still struggling with the discovery of nearly a thousand bodies of indigenous children in mass graves at Church-run residential schools in Canada.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The remains of 215 schoolchildren were discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops last month. While ground-penetrating radar mapping also helped locate 751 more unmarked graves at another school in&nbsp;Marieval&nbsp;this week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau&nbsp;apologised&nbsp;for the&nbsp;'harmful'&nbsp;government policy of indigenous assimilation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A truth and reconciliation commission concluded Canada had committed&nbsp;'cultural genocide'.&nbsp;

The Canadian government's indigenous assimilation policy operated between 1831&nbsp;and&nbsp;1996.&nbsp;The policy backed residential schools run by the Catholic Church&nbsp;where&nbsp;over 150,000 indigenous children were forcefully enrolled.&nbsp;

Around&nbsp;4,000 children died of disease and neglect as&nbsp;many indigenous children were physically&nbsp;and&nbsp;sexually assaulted in these schools.&nbsp;Many indigenous children were&nbsp;also&nbsp;never reintegrated in their communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trudeau has urged the Pope to come to Canada&nbsp;and&nbsp;apologise&nbsp;for the Church's role in running these indigenous residential schools.

The Canadian Prime Minister said, "I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness Pope Francis to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on&nbsp;our&nbsp;soil. I know that the Catholic church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Pope Francis stopped short of a direct apology but said he was pained by the discovery of the remains of 215 children and called for respect for the rights and cultures of native people.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Two more Catholic churches have been destroyed by fires in Canada. The two churches were located in indigenous communities in Western Canadian region of British Columbia.

Two more Catholic churches have been destroyed by fires in Canada. The two churches were located in indigenous communities in Western Canadian region of British Columbia. The incident follows grim discoveries of nearly 1,000 unmarked graves, at former church-run indigenous residential schools in the country. T Ann's Catholic Church on the Upper Similkameen Indian Band and the Chopaka Catholic Church in the Lower Similkameen Indian Band are believed to have been set ablaze less than an hour apart in the early morning hours of Saturday. Sergeant Jason Bayda of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement, "Both churches have been destroyed. (fires are) suspicious, and (authorities) are looking to determine any possible connection to the church fires in both Penticton and Oliver." Two other Catholic Churches had been destroyed in fires a week ago, on the day which Canada marks as the National Indigenous People's Day. No arrests have been made so far. The destruction of the four Churches comes at a testing time for Canada's indigenous peoples. The community is still struggling with the discovery of nearly a thousand bodies of indigenous children in mass graves at Church-run residential schools in Canada. The remains of 215 schoolchildren were discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops last month. While ground-penetrating radar mapping also helped locate 751 more unmarked graves at another school in Marieval this week. On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologised for the 'harmful' government policy of indigenous assimilation. A truth and reconciliation commission concluded Canada had committed 'cultural genocide'. The Canadian government's indigenous assimilation policy operated between 1831 and 1996. The policy backed residential schools run by the Catholic Church where over 150,000 indigenous children were forcefully enrolled. Around 4,000 children died of disease and neglect as many indigenous children were physically and sexually assaulted in these schools. Many indigenous children were also never reintegrated in their communities. Trudeau has urged the Pope to come to Canada and apologise for the Church's role in running these indigenous residential schools. The Canadian Prime Minister said, "I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness Pope Francis to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on our soil. I know that the Catholic church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken." Earlier this month, Pope Francis stopped short of a direct apology but said he was pained by the discovery of the remains of 215 children and called for respect for the rights and cultures of native people.

Two more Catholic churches destroyed by fires in Canada 

Three&nbsp;of the&nbsp;seven&nbsp;Catholic&nbsp;clergy&nbsp;who were&nbsp;kidnapped&nbsp;in&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;more than a week ago have been&nbsp;released, a Church spokesman told AFP on Thursday, as the island nation grapples with a rise in violence and ongoing political crisis.

A total of 10 people were abducted in Croix-des-Bouquets, a town northeast of the capital Port-au-Prince, on April 11, including the&nbsp;seven&nbsp;clergy&nbsp;-- five of them Haitian and two of them French.

Father Loudger Mazile, spokesman for the Bishop's Conference for the island nation, said "the French were not&nbsp;released. There were no lay people among those&nbsp;released."

"Three&nbsp;of the&nbsp;seven&nbsp;clergy&nbsp;kidnapped&nbsp;on April 11 were&nbsp;released," he told.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is plagued by insecurity and natural disaster.

Also read:<a href="India sends Covid vaccines to Caribbean, up next Mexico">&nbsp;India sends Covid vaccines to Caribbean, up next Mexico</a>

Kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months in Port-au-Prince and other provinces, reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.

Haiti's government resigned and a new prime minister was appointed in the wake of the kidnappings, a move President Jovenel Moise said "will make it possible to address the glaring problem of insecurity and continue discussions with a view to reaching the consensus necessary for the political and institutional stability of our country."

The&nbsp;clergy&nbsp;abducted were a group of four priests and a nun from&nbsp;Haiti, as well as one&nbsp;priest&nbsp;and one nun from France. The&nbsp;three&nbsp;non-clergy&nbsp;were members of the family of a Haitian&nbsp;priest, who was not among those&nbsp;kidnapped.

The&nbsp;kidnapped&nbsp;victims&nbsp;were "on their way to the installation of a new parish&nbsp;priest" when they were abducted, Mazile previously told AFP, with the kidnappers demanding a $1 million ransom for the group.

Authorities suspect an armed gang called "400 Mawozo" -- which is active in kidnappings -- is behind the abduction, according to a police source.

Haiti's&nbsp;Catholic&nbsp;Church has slammed the government's failure to act over the country's unrest, decrying the nation's "descent into hell."

"The public authorities who are doing nothing to resolve this crisis are not immune from suspicion," the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince said in a statement.

The abducted five priests belong to the Society of Priests of St James, which is based in France, their superior general, Paul Dossous, confirmed to AFP.

Paris, meanwhile has opened an investigation into the kidnappings, entrusting the case to France's Central Office for the Fight against Organized Crime (OCLCO), which has jurisdiction over crimes committed against French citizens abroad.

Three of the seven Catholic clergy who were kidnapped in Haiti more than a week ago have been released, a Church spokesman told AFP on Thursday, as the island nation grapples with a rise in violence and ongoing political crisis.

Three of the seven Catholic clergy who were kidnapped in Haiti more than a week ago have been released, a Church spokesman told AFP on Thursday, as the island nation grapples with a rise in violence and ongoing political crisis. A total of 10 people were abducted in Croix-des-Bouquets, a town northeast of the capital Port-au-Prince, on April 11, including the seven clergy -- five of them Haitian and two of them French. Father Loudger Mazile, spokesman for the Bishop's Conference for the island nation, said "the French were not released. There were no lay people among those released." "Three of the seven clergy kidnapped on April 11 were released," he told. Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is plagued by insecurity and natural disaster. Also read: India sends Covid vaccines to Caribbean, up next Mexico Kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months in Port-au-Prince and other provinces, reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation. Haiti's government resigned and a new prime minister was appointed in the wake of the kidnappings, a move President Jovenel Moise said "will make it possible to address the glaring problem of insecurity and continue discussions with a view to reaching the consensus necessary for the political and institutional stability of our country." The clergy abducted were a group of four priests and a nun from Haiti, as well as one priest and one nun from France. The three non-clergy were members of the family of a Haitian priest, who was not among those kidnapped. The kidnapped victims were "on their way to the installation of a new parish priest" when they were abducted, Mazile previously told AFP, with the kidnappers demanding a $1 million ransom for the group. Authorities suspect an armed gang called "400 Mawozo" -- which is active in kidnappings -- is behind the abduction, according to a police source. Haiti's Catholic Church has slammed the government's failure to act over the country's unrest, decrying the nation's "descent into hell." "The public authorities who are doing nothing to resolve this crisis are not immune from suspicion," the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince said in a statement. The abducted five priests belong to the Society of Priests of St James, which is based in France, their superior general, Paul Dossous, confirmed to AFP. Paris, meanwhile has opened an investigation into the kidnappings, entrusting the case to France's Central Office for the Fight against Organized Crime (OCLCO), which has jurisdiction over crimes committed against French citizens abroad.

Three of seven Catholic clergy kidnapped in Haiti are released

Hours before President Joe Biden took the oath of office, he entered the front pew of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the seat of Catholic Washington, and beheld the mosaics behind the altar.

An intimate group of family, friends and congressional leaders had gathered for Mass, in the place where Pope Francis spoke in 2015 and where the funeral for John F. Kennedy, the nation’s first Roman Catholic president, was held.

When it was time for the homily, the Rev. Kevin O’Brien, president of Santa Clara University and friend of the Biden family, compared Biden’s upcoming inaugural message to the words of Jesus.

“Your public service is animated by the same conviction,” he said, “to help and protect people and to advance justice and reconciliation, especially for those who are too often looked over and left behind. This is your noble commission. This is the divine summons for all of us.”

There are myriad changes with the incoming Biden administration. One of the most significant: a president who has spent a lifetime steeped in Christian rituals and practices.

Biden, perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in a half-century, regularly attends Mass and speaks of how his Catholic faith grounds his life and his policies.

And with Biden, a different, more liberal Christianity is ascendant, less focused on sexual politics and more on combating poverty, climate change and racial inequality.

His arrival comes after four years in which conservative Christianity has reigned in America’s highest halls of power, embodied in white evangelicals laser-focused on ending abortion and guarding against what they saw as encroachments on their freedoms. Their devotion to former President Donald Trump was so fervent that many showed up in Washington on Jan. 6 to protest the election results.

Biden’s leadership is a repudiation of the claim by many conservative leaders that Democrats are inherently anti-Christian.

His rise comes as fewer registered Democrats identify as Christian. Nearly half are religiously unaffiliated or believers of other faiths, a share that has grown significantly in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center; about 80% of registered Republicans are Christian.

Yet the current influence of liberal Christianity in the Democratic Party goes beyond Biden. Sen. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, won election with a campaign rooted in Black liberation theology. The Sunday after his election, Warnock preached about John the Baptist, the “truth-telling troublemaker,” he said, who was beheaded by King Herod for his prophetic witness.

Rep. Cori Bush, a pastor who led Kingdom Embassy International in St. Louis, has started her tenure in Congress advocating universal basic income. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez connects her Catholic faith with her push for reforming health care and environmental policy. She has said her favorite Bible story is one where Jesus, in anger, threw money changers out of the temple.

In his inaugural address, Biden rooted himself and the country in a Christian moral vision that makes room for a pluralistic society, unlike his predecessor who promised to make America a certain kind of Christian nation. Biden quoted Augustine, “a saint in my church,” he said, who wrote that “a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love.”

Augustine, the fourth-century North African bishop, recognized that no political community was going to be the city of God on earth, explained Eric Gregory, professor of religion at Princeton University. This passage, from the saint’s “City of God,” has been used in the 20th century “to open up the space for a nontheocratic way for Christians to understand what it means to be citizens in a plural society,” he said.

For Biden, “it was a subtle and explicit effort to show a different vision of a way in which a Christian could imagine themselves as part of a diverse America, one that is defined by these common objects of love, rather than by hate and fear or exclusion,” he said.

While conservative Catholics have doubled down on abortion policy and religious freedom for the past four years, Biden’s policy priorities reflect those of Pope Francis, who has sought to turn the church’s attention from sexual politics to issues like environmental protection, poverty and migration.

On his first day in office, Biden recommitted the United States to the Paris climate agreement, the international accord designed to avert global warming; ended the ban on travel from predominantly Muslim and African countries; and stopped construction on the border wall.

Biden’s support for abortion rights is already causing tension in the Catholic church. Even before the inaugural ceremony had finished, Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued an extensive statement criticizing Biden for policies “that would advance moral evils,” especially “in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender.” Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, who is known for his alignment with Francis’ social and economic priorities, pushed back on Twitter, calling the statement unprecedented and “ill-considered.”

Biden’s priorities reflect values that progressive faith leaders have pushed for and that motivated many to speak out for him during the campaign, said Derrick Harkins, who led interfaith outreach for the Democratic National Committee this past cycle. There is a sense of moral synergy on the left among not only progressive Christians but also humanists, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and the spectrum of faith traditions, he said.

The work now “has a chance of really having traction,” he said. “I’m very optimistic about what can unfold.”

The grassroots progressive Christian movement is center stage in Biden’s Washington.

Unlike four years ago, when many of the participants in the post-inaugural prayer service were conservative evangelicals or prosperity gospel preachers, this year’s Thursday service included a broad array of religious progressives, including two transgender faith leaders. Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR, a Jewish community in Los Angeles, prayed for the coming of a new America, one “built on love, rooted in justice and propelled by our moral imagination.”

The Rev. William Barber II, a chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, preached and directly challenged Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to pursue a Third Reconstruction, decades after the civil rights era. He urged them to address “interlocking injustices of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation/denial of health care, the war economy, and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism.”

Jesus taught that a nation is judged by how it treats the least of these, the poor, the hungry, the sick, the immigrant, he explained in an interview.

“Birth pangs require one thing: pushing,” he said. “That is what the movement has to do.”

For many believers, the shift in the Christianity of the presidency is already personal. On the eve of his inauguration, Biden led the nation in a memorial service on the mall for victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

He adopted the posture of a chaplain, noted Michelle Ami Reyes, vice president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, a group that started last year to combat anti-Asian racism rising from the pandemic.

“That is a deeply biblical posture,” she said, “mourning with those who mourn.”

Hours before President Joe Biden took the oath of office, he entered the front pew of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the seat of Catholic Washington, and beheld the mosaics behind the altar.

Hours before President Joe Biden took the oath of office, he entered the front pew of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the seat of Catholic Washington, and beheld the mosaics behind the altar. An intimate group of family, friends and congressional leaders had gathered for Mass, in the place where Pope Francis spoke in 2015 and where the funeral for John F. Kennedy, the nation’s first Roman Catholic president, was held. When it was time for the homily, the Rev. Kevin O’Brien, president of Santa Clara University and friend of the Biden family, compared Biden’s upcoming inaugural message to the words of Jesus. “Your public service is animated by the same conviction,” he said, “to help and protect people and to advance justice and reconciliation, especially for those who are too often looked over and left behind. This is your noble commission. This is the divine summons for all of us.” There are myriad changes with the incoming Biden administration. One of the most significant: a president who has spent a lifetime steeped in Christian rituals and practices. Biden, perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in a half-century, regularly attends Mass and speaks of how his Catholic faith grounds his life and his policies. And with Biden, a different, more liberal Christianity is ascendant, less focused on sexual politics and more on combating poverty, climate change and racial inequality. His arrival comes after four years in which conservative Christianity has reigned in America’s highest halls of power, embodied in white evangelicals laser-focused on ending abortion and guarding against what they saw as encroachments on their freedoms. Their devotion to former President Donald Trump was so fervent that many showed up in Washington on Jan. 6 to protest the election results. Biden’s leadership is a repudiation of the claim by many conservative leaders that Democrats are inherently anti-Christian. His rise comes as fewer registered Democrats identify as Christian. Nearly half are religiously unaffiliated or believers of other faiths, a share that has grown significantly in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center; about 80% of registered Republicans are Christian. Yet the current influence of liberal Christianity in the Democratic Party goes beyond Biden. Sen. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, won election with a campaign rooted in Black liberation theology. The Sunday after his election, Warnock preached about John the Baptist, the “truth-telling troublemaker,” he said, who was beheaded by King Herod for his prophetic witness. Rep. Cori Bush, a pastor who led Kingdom Embassy International in St. Louis, has started her tenure in Congress advocating universal basic income. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez connects her Catholic faith with her push for reforming health care and environmental policy. She has said her favorite Bible story is one where Jesus, in anger, threw money changers out of the temple. In his inaugural address, Biden rooted himself and the country in a Christian moral vision that makes room for a pluralistic society, unlike his predecessor who promised to make America a certain kind of Christian nation. Biden quoted Augustine, “a saint in my church,” he said, who wrote that “a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love.” Augustine, the fourth-century North African bishop, recognized that no political community was going to be the city of God on earth, explained Eric Gregory, professor of religion at Princeton University. This passage, from the saint’s “City of God,” has been used in the 20th century “to open up the space for a nontheocratic way for Christians to understand what it means to be citizens in a plural society,” he said. For Biden, “it was a subtle and explicit effort to show a different vision of a way in which a Christian could imagine themselves as part of a diverse America, one that is defined by these common objects of love, rather than by hate and fear or exclusion,” he said. While conservative Catholics have doubled down on abortion policy and religious freedom for the past four years, Biden’s policy priorities reflect those of Pope Francis, who has sought to turn the church’s attention from sexual politics to issues like environmental protection, poverty and migration. On his first day in office, Biden recommitted the United States to the Paris climate agreement, the international accord designed to avert global warming; ended the ban on travel from predominantly Muslim and African countries; and stopped construction on the border wall. Biden’s support for abortion rights is already causing tension in the Catholic church. Even before the inaugural ceremony had finished, Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued an extensive statement criticizing Biden for policies “that would advance moral evils,” especially “in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender.” Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, who is known for his alignment with Francis’ social and economic priorities, pushed back on Twitter, calling the statement unprecedented and “ill-considered.” Biden’s priorities reflect values that progressive faith leaders have pushed for and that motivated many to speak out for him during the campaign, said Derrick Harkins, who led interfaith outreach for the Democratic National Committee this past cycle. There is a sense of moral synergy on the left among not only progressive Christians but also humanists, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and the spectrum of faith traditions, he said. The work now “has a chance of really having traction,” he said. “I’m very optimistic about what can unfold.” The grassroots progressive Christian movement is center stage in Biden’s Washington. Unlike four years ago, when many of the participants in the post-inaugural prayer service were conservative evangelicals or prosperity gospel preachers, this year’s Thursday service included a broad array of religious progressives, including two transgender faith leaders. Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR, a Jewish community in Los Angeles, prayed for the coming of a new America, one “built on love, rooted in justice and propelled by our moral imagination.” The Rev. William Barber II, a chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, preached and directly challenged Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to pursue a Third Reconstruction, decades after the civil rights era. He urged them to address “interlocking injustices of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation/denial of health care, the war economy, and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism.” Jesus taught that a nation is judged by how it treats the least of these, the poor, the hungry, the sick, the immigrant, he explained in an interview. “Birth pangs require one thing: pushing,” he said. “That is what the movement has to do.” For many believers, the shift in the Christianity of the presidency is already personal. On the eve of his inauguration, Biden led the nation in a memorial service on the mall for victims of the coronavirus pandemic. He adopted the posture of a chaplain, noted Michelle Ami Reyes, vice president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, a group that started last year to combat anti-Asian racism rising from the pandemic. “That is a deeply biblical posture,” she said, “mourning with those who mourn.”

In Biden’s Catholic faith, an Ascendant liberal Christianity

A thousand crosses placed in front of Brazil's Congress to honour people who have died from COVID-19 and to denounce President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic, set against Bolsonaro supporters demonstrating in Brasilia on Sunday (June 28), showcased a divided country.

Crosses to honour coronavirus victims: Virus-hit Brazil remains split

Pope Francis on Saturday urged politicians to divert funds from weapons to research to avoid such pandemics in the future.

The request was made in the outdoor prayer service with about 130 people, largest gathering in the Vatican in nearly three months. Majority of these people&nbsp;had been directly affected by the pandemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-says-coronavirus-vaccine-must-be-shared-worldwide-296424">Also read:&nbsp;Pope says coronavirus vaccine must be shared worldwide</a>

The prayer gathering took place in&nbsp;the Vatican gardens. The devotees, who&nbsp;prayed the rosary,&nbsp; joined in large numbers through video from about 50 Catholic shrines around the world. A large screen in the gardens showed video links with about 25 locations.

Pope Francis, who maintained enough distance from everyone but was spotted without a facemask,&nbsp;in his closing prayer, said the national leaders should take a far-sighted attitude, help the most needy and establish&nbsp;long-term economic and social solutions.

He prayed that the Madonna would "touch (leaders') consciences so that enormous sums spent to possess more armaments and to perfect them be instead destined to the promotion of sufficient research to prevent such catastrophes in the future".

For the last few months, Pope Francis has been delivering his address through video messages with no audience present, due to the pandemic. St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square were fully reopened on May 18 as Italy entered the second phase of easing restrictions.

On Sunday, Francis will say a Mass with only about 50 people inside the basilica but will later deliver his Sunday message from his window overlooking the square for the first time since early March.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Pope Francis on Saturday urged politicians to divert funds from weapons to research to avoid such pandemics in the future. The request was made in the outdoor prayer service with about 130 people, largest gathering in the Vatican in nearly three months.

Pope Francis on Saturday urged politicians to divert funds from weapons to research to avoid such pandemics in the future. The request was made in the outdoor prayer service with about 130 people, largest gathering in the Vatican in nearly three months. Majority of these people had been directly affected by the pandemic. Also read: Pope says coronavirus vaccine must be shared worldwide The prayer gathering took place in the Vatican gardens. The devotees, who prayed the rosary, joined in large numbers through video from about 50 Catholic shrines around the world. A large screen in the gardens showed video links with about 25 locations. Pope Francis, who maintained enough distance from everyone but was spotted without a facemask, in his closing prayer, said the national leaders should take a far-sighted attitude, help the most needy and establish long-term economic and social solutions. He prayed that the Madonna would "touch (leaders') consciences so that enormous sums spent to possess more armaments and to perfect them be instead destined to the promotion of sufficient research to prevent such catastrophes in the future". For the last few months, Pope Francis has been delivering his address through video messages with no audience present, due to the pandemic. St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square were fully reopened on May 18 as Italy entered the second phase of easing restrictions. On Sunday, Francis will say a Mass with only about 50 people inside the basilica but will later deliver his Sunday message from his window overlooking the square for the first time since early March. (With inputs from Reuters)

Direct funding towards research to avoid another pandemic: Pope Francis

Roman Catholics in a town in eastern France were able to attend mass in their cars on Sunday (May 17), in the country's first drive-in religious service since the start of a lockdown eight weeks ago aimed at halting the spread of the Coronavirus.

French Catholics celebrate mass in parking lot

There was a rare spark of festive cheer on Monday (January 6) for a group of Bolivian children growing up behind bars inside a La Paz prison.

Rare festive joy for Bolivia's prison children as Catholics mark Epiphany

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