An Argentine court on Monday convicted two Roman Catholic priests and the former gardener of a church-run school for deaf students in the province of Mendoza on 28 counts of sexual abuse and corruption of minors.

Priests Nicola Corradi and Horacio Corbacho were sentenced to 42 and 45 years in prison, respectively, while the school employee, Armando Gomez, got 18 years. The sentencings by Judges Carlos Diaz, Mauricio Juan and Anibal Crivelli of the Collegiate Criminal Court No&nbsp;2 were live-streamed in Argentina.

The sentences cannot be appealed. The accusations against the three had been made by more than 20 alumni of Mendoza's Antonio Provolo Institute for the deaf.

Monday marked three years since the first complaints in the case were announced.

Earlier this month an Argentine prosecutor requested the arrest of a Roman Catholic bishop after officials said he ignored repeated calls and emails relating to an investigation of sex abuse allegations against him.

The bishop, Gustavo Zanchetta, had been living in Vatican City, where he previously held a position in a church financial department, according to the prosecutor's office.

An Argentine court on Monday convicted two Roman Catholic priests and the former gardener of a church-run school for deaf students in the province of Mendoza on 28 counts of sexual abuse and corruption of minors.

An Argentine court on Monday convicted two Roman Catholic priests and the former gardener of a church-run school for deaf students in the province of Mendoza on 28 counts of sexual abuse and corruption of minors. Priests Nicola Corradi and Horacio Corbacho were sentenced to 42 and 45 years in prison, respectively, while the school employee, Armando Gomez, got 18 years. The sentencings by Judges Carlos Diaz, Mauricio Juan and Anibal Crivelli of the Collegiate Criminal Court No 2 were live-streamed in Argentina. The sentences cannot be appealed. The accusations against the three had been made by more than 20 alumni of Mendoza's Antonio Provolo Institute for the deaf. Monday marked three years since the first complaints in the case were announced. Earlier this month an Argentine prosecutor requested the arrest of a Roman Catholic bishop after officials said he ignored repeated calls and emails relating to an investigation of sex abuse allegations against him. The bishop, Gustavo Zanchetta, had been living in Vatican City, where he previously held a position in a church financial department, according to the prosecutor's office.

Argentina: Two priests sentenced to more than 40 years in sex abuse case

The Catholic Bishops' Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has urged the government to hold an "independent and impartial" inquiry into the Easter Sunday terror attacks as a matter of utmost urgency.

In a statement signed by 14 bishops, the CBCSL on Tuesday said it has evaluated the situation in the country in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terror attacks which resulted in the deaths of more than 250 civilians, including foreigners, and severely injured several hundred, Colombo Page reported.

The statement said the conference is saddened to note that a "fair and impartial" investigation into the terror attacks has not yet taken place.&nbsp;

It also appealed to the government that an impartial inquiry be held and the perpetrators brought before the law.

"We observe that several committees have been established and their main focus appears to be to find out those responsible for the serious lapses in security. Even though this effort is useful, we insist that as a matter of justice, the final aim of the inquiries should be to ascertain who the perpetrators are and who aided and abetted in any way in this dastardly acts. Unfortunately, we do not see any positive signs in this direction. The report of the Three Member Presidential Commission is yet to see the light of day," it said.

"The people are waiting to see the results of this inquiry as was promised to them. The government is yet to give an assurance to the people that there is only one set of laws in the country, for everyone is still in fear and there is uncertainty in the minds of the people," it added.

At the same time, the CBCSL appreciated and acknowledged the commitment of the armed forces and the police which made civic life possible amid the gloomy situation."

Therefore, we urge once again the government and all political leaders of the country to ensure an independent and impartial inquiry as a matter of utmost urgency," it said.

The eight deadly terror bombings had rattled several high-end hotels and churches across Sri Lanka on the morning of April 21 when people were busy celebrating Easter Sunday.&nbsp;

More than 250 people had lost their lives in the attacks.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has urged the government to hold an "independent and impartial" inquiry into the Easter Sunday terror attacks as a matter of utmost urgency.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has urged the government to hold an "independent and impartial" inquiry into the Easter Sunday terror attacks as a matter of utmost urgency. In a statement signed by 14 bishops, the CBCSL on Tuesday said it has evaluated the situation in the country in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terror attacks which resulted in the deaths of more than 250 civilians, including foreigners, and severely injured several hundred, Colombo Page reported. The statement said the conference is saddened to note that a "fair and impartial" investigation into the terror attacks has not yet taken place. It also appealed to the government that an impartial inquiry be held and the perpetrators brought before the law. "We observe that several committees have been established and their main focus appears to be to find out those responsible for the serious lapses in security. Even though this effort is useful, we insist that as a matter of justice, the final aim of the inquiries should be to ascertain who the perpetrators are and who aided and abetted in any way in this dastardly acts. Unfortunately, we do not see any positive signs in this direction. The report of the Three Member Presidential Commission is yet to see the light of day," it said. "The people are waiting to see the results of this inquiry as was promised to them. The government is yet to give an assurance to the people that there is only one set of laws in the country, for everyone is still in fear and there is uncertainty in the minds of the people," it added. At the same time, the CBCSL appreciated and acknowledged the commitment of the armed forces and the police which made civic life possible amid the gloomy situation." Therefore, we urge once again the government and all political leaders of the country to ensure an independent and impartial inquiry as a matter of utmost urgency," it said. The eight deadly terror bombings had rattled several high-end hotels and churches across Sri Lanka on the morning of April 21 when people were busy celebrating Easter Sunday. More than 250 people had lost their lives in the attacks.

Catholic bishops in Sri Lanka call for independent inquiry into Easter terror attacks

Northern Ireland: When British troops moved in 50 years ago with 'Operation Banner'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/francis-pope-discusses-ethics-of-artificial-intelligence-with-microsoft-chief-brad-smith-197242">The Vatican</a> on Monday reaffirmed Catholic teaching that priests cannot reveal what they learn in confession, in an apparent response to moves in Australia and elsewhere to force them to do so in cases of sexual abuse.

A document from the Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary, which deals with issues of the sacrament of confession, said no government or law could force clergy to violate the seal "because this duty comes directly from God."

The document, which did not mention any countries or the sexual abuse crisis, complained of a "worrying negative prejudice against the Catholic Church".

Most countries' legal systems respect the religious right of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/catholic-priests-burn-harry-potter-books-in-poland-207284">Catholic priest</a> not to reveal what he has learned in confession, similar to attorney-client privilege.

But the sexual abuse crisis that has embroiled the Catholic Church around the world has seen this right challenged more frequently.

In Australia, an inquiry into child abuse recommended that the country introduce a law forcing religious leaders to report child abuse, including priests told of it during confession.

So far, two of Australia's eight states have introduced laws making it a crime for priests to withhold information about abuse heard in confession. Others are still considering their response.

In May, the California state Senate passed a bill to require the seal of confession to be broken if priests learn of or suspect sexual abuse while hearing the confession of a fellow priest or a colleague such as a Church worker.

Church leaders in both the United States and Australia have opposed such laws and the document backed them up unequivocally.

"Any political action or legislative initiative aimed at breaking the inviolability of the sacramental seal would constitute an unacceptable offence against the (freedom of the Church)," the document said.

"(The Church) does not receive its legitimacy from individual States, but from God; it (breaking the seal) would also constitute a violation of religious freedom, legally fundamental to all other freedoms, including the freedom of conscience of individual citizens, both penitents and confessors," it said.

The document said a priest could not demand that a penitent turn himself or herself into authorities as a condition for receiving absolution from their sins.

The penitent also cannot free a priest from his obligation to respect the seal of confession, it said.

The Vatican on Monday reaffirmed Catholic teaching that priests cannot reveal what they learn in confession, in an apparent response to moves in Australia and elsewhere to force them to do so in cases of sexual abuse.

The Vatican on Monday reaffirmed Catholic teaching that priests cannot reveal what they learn in confession, in an apparent response to moves in Australia and elsewhere to force them to do so in cases of sexual abuse. A document from the Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary, which deals with issues of the sacrament of confession, said no government or law could force clergy to violate the seal "because this duty comes directly from God." The document, which did not mention any countries or the sexual abuse crisis, complained of a "worrying negative prejudice against the Catholic Church". Most countries' legal systems respect the religious right of a Catholic priest not to reveal what he has learned in confession, similar to attorney-client privilege. But the sexual abuse crisis that has embroiled the Catholic Church around the world has seen this right challenged more frequently. In Australia, an inquiry into child abuse recommended that the country introduce a law forcing religious leaders to report child abuse, including priests told of it during confession. So far, two of Australia's eight states have introduced laws making it a crime for priests to withhold information about abuse heard in confession. Others are still considering their response. In May, the California state Senate passed a bill to require the seal of confession to be broken if priests learn of or suspect sexual abuse while hearing the confession of a fellow priest or a colleague such as a Church worker. Church leaders in both the United States and Australia have opposed such laws and the document backed them up unequivocally. "Any political action or legislative initiative aimed at breaking the inviolability of the sacramental seal would constitute an unacceptable offence against the (freedom of the Church)," the document said. "(The Church) does not receive its legitimacy from individual States, but from God; it (breaking the seal) would also constitute a violation of religious freedom, legally fundamental to all other freedoms, including the freedom of conscience of individual citizens, both penitents and confessors," it said. The document said a priest could not demand that a penitent turn himself or herself into authorities as a condition for receiving absolution from their sins. The penitent also cannot free a priest from his obligation to respect the seal of confession, it said.

Vatican says laws cannot force priests to break seal of confession

Priests in robes and hard hats worshiped Saturday at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in the first Mass there since the French treasure was devastated by fire in April. The priests were joined by a handful of workers and other worshipers, also in hard hats. The group was limited to about 30 for security reasons, and the solemn ceremony in Paris was shown live by a Catholic channel via YouTube.

Worshiping in Hard Hats: Notre Dame Offers First Mass Since Blaze

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-issues-sweeping-decree-holding-bishops-accountable-for-sex-abuse-or-cover-ups-217263">Pope Francis</a> apologised to the Roma people on Sunday for the Roman Catholic Church's "discrimination" against them as he wrapped up a visit to Romania.

Making up around 10 per cent of Romania's 20 million people, many Roma are marginalised and live in poverty and have suffered centuries of discrimination and insults.

"I ask forgiveness – in the name of the Church and of the Lord – and I ask forgiveness of you. For all those times in history when we have discriminated, mistreated or looked askance at you," the pope said in a speech to the Roma community in the central town of Blaj.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sexual-revolution-of-1960s-led-to-church-abuse-crisis-ex-pope-says-209656">Sexual revolution of 1960s led to Church abuse crisis, ex-pope says</a>

"My heart, however, is heavy. It is weighed down by the many experiences of discrimination, segregation and mistreatment experienced by your communities. History tells us that Christians too, including Catholics, are not strangers to such evil," he said.

"Indifference breeds prejudices and fosters anger and resentment. How many times do we judge rashly, with words that sting, with attitudes that sow hatred and division!"

Earlier, the pontiff beatified seven Greco-Catholic bishops jailed and tortured during the Communist era.

"The new blessed ones suffered and sacrificed their lives, opposing a system of totalitarian and coercive ideology," he told some 60,000 worshippers attending mass on a "Field of Liberty" in Blaj.

"These shepherds, martyrs of faith, garnered for and left the Romanian people a precious heritage which we can sum up in two words: freedom and mercy," added Francis, while praising the "diversity of religious expression" in mainly Orthodox Romania.

Regime officials detained the beatified bishops overnight on October 28, 1948, accusing them of "high treason" after they refused to convert to Orthodoxy.

The Greek-Catholic Church was outlawed under 1948-89 Communist rule.&nbsp;

Buried in secret

The bishops died of maltreatment, some still in jail, others in confinement in an Orthodox monastery. They were then buried in secret -- to this day the whereabouts of four of their graves is unknown.

The bars of the cells where they were held were symbolically incorporated into the throne built specially for the papal visit.

The bishops followed the Eastern Rite Catholic Church which emerged from an Orthodox schism at the end of the 17th century when the central region of Transylvania was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

While retaining Orthodox practices they recognised Roman Catholic papal authority -- unacceptable for the Communist regime which took power following World War II. Under a 1948 decree formally abolishing the Eastern Catholic churches, Greco-Catholics were forcibly obliged to return to the Orthodox fold.

Under such stark political repression, most Romanian Catholics -- who numbered more than 1.5 million in 1948, abandoned their faith and their community has shrunk to around 200,000 today in a country of 20 million, almost nine in 10 of whom profess Orthodoxy.

The politics which has seeped through Romania's modern religious history has poisoned inter-faith relations -- even if the papal visit has softened feelings to a degree.

"No matter where we go, to the town hall, to the police or to school, doors get closed," a 72-year-old Roma, who gave his name as Ion, told AFP.

Roma, originating from northern India, suffered around five centuries of slavery before the practice was formally abolished in 1856.

But they remain a mainly poor and marginalised community -- even if recent years have seen roads paved and homes getting running water and electricity.

Seeking inclusiveness

Francis's arrival in Blaj to wind up his visit was part of his attempt at inclusiveness on his three-day visit to one of what remains Europe's poorest states.

Although Romania has developed apace since obtaining EU membership in 2007 there remain some "urban or rural ghettos where nothing has changed," according to sociologist Gelu Duminica, who heads the anti-discrimination Impreuna (Together) association.

Duminica and others in Blaj saw it as no coincidence that Francis, often seen as a defender of the rights of the most marginalised, chose the Barbu Lautaru district of Blaj, whose inhabitants are mainly Roma, to launch his appeal for tolerance and social inclusion.

"The pope's visit is a message for those who are marginalised, disregarded or not accepted by others," said Mihai Gherghel, an eastern Catholic priest, who supervised the construction of the Blaj church where Francis celebrated Sunday mass.

Pope Francis apologised to the Roma people on Sunday for the Roman Catholic Church's "discrimination" against them as he wrapped up a visit to Romania. Making up around 10 per cent of Romania's 20 million people, many Roma are marginalised and live in poverty and have suffered centuries of discrimination and insults.

Pope Francis apologised to the Roma people on Sunday for the Roman Catholic Church's "discrimination" against them as he wrapped up a visit to Romania. Making up around 10 per cent of Romania's 20 million people, many Roma are marginalised and live in poverty and have suffered centuries of discrimination and insults. "I ask forgiveness – in the name of the Church and of the Lord – and I ask forgiveness of you. For all those times in history when we have discriminated, mistreated or looked askance at you," the pope said in a speech to the Roma community in the central town of Blaj. Also read: Sexual revolution of 1960s led to Church abuse crisis, ex-pope says "My heart, however, is heavy. It is weighed down by the many experiences of discrimination, segregation and mistreatment experienced by your communities. History tells us that Christians too, including Catholics, are not strangers to such evil," he said. "Indifference breeds prejudices and fosters anger and resentment. How many times do we judge rashly, with words that sting, with attitudes that sow hatred and division!" Earlier, the pontiff beatified seven Greco-Catholic bishops jailed and tortured during the Communist era. "The new blessed ones suffered and sacrificed their lives, opposing a system of totalitarian and coercive ideology," he told some 60,000 worshippers attending mass on a "Field of Liberty" in Blaj. "These shepherds, martyrs of faith, garnered for and left the Romanian people a precious heritage which we can sum up in two words: freedom and mercy," added Francis, while praising the "diversity of religious expression" in mainly Orthodox Romania. Regime officials detained the beatified bishops overnight on October 28, 1948, accusing them of "high treason" after they refused to convert to Orthodoxy. The Greek-Catholic Church was outlawed under 1948-89 Communist rule. Buried in secret The bishops died of maltreatment, some still in jail, others in confinement in an Orthodox monastery. They were then buried in secret -- to this day the whereabouts of four of their graves is unknown. The bars of the cells where they were held were symbolically incorporated into the throne built specially for the papal visit. The bishops followed the Eastern Rite Catholic Church which emerged from an Orthodox schism at the end of the 17th century when the central region of Transylvania was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. While retaining Orthodox practices they recognised Roman Catholic papal authority -- unacceptable for the Communist regime which took power following World War II. Under a 1948 decree formally abolishing the Eastern Catholic churches, Greco-Catholics were forcibly obliged to return to the Orthodox fold. Under such stark political repression, most Romanian Catholics -- who numbered more than 1.5 million in 1948, abandoned their faith and their community has shrunk to around 200,000 today in a country of 20 million, almost nine in 10 of whom profess Orthodoxy. The politics which has seeped through Romania's modern religious history has poisoned inter-faith relations -- even if the papal visit has softened feelings to a degree. "No matter where we go, to the town hall, to the police or to school, doors get closed," a 72-year-old Roma, who gave his name as Ion, told AFP. Roma, originating from northern India, suffered around five centuries of slavery before the practice was formally abolished in 1856. But they remain a mainly poor and marginalised community -- even if recent years have seen roads paved and homes getting running water and electricity. Seeking inclusiveness Francis's arrival in Blaj to wind up his visit was part of his attempt at inclusiveness on his three-day visit to one of what remains Europe's poorest states. Although Romania has developed apace since obtaining EU membership in 2007 there remain some "urban or rural ghettos where nothing has changed," according to sociologist Gelu Duminica, who heads the anti-discrimination Impreuna (Together) association. Duminica and others in Blaj saw it as no coincidence that Francis, often seen as a defender of the rights of the most marginalised, chose the Barbu Lautaru district of Blaj, whose inhabitants are mainly Roma, to launch his appeal for tolerance and social inclusion. "The pope's visit is a message for those who are marginalised, disregarded or not accepted by others," said Mihai Gherghel, an eastern Catholic priest, who supervised the construction of the Blaj church where Francis celebrated Sunday mass.

Pope apologises to Roma for Catholic Church's 'discrimination'

A group of 19 Catholic priests and academics have appealed to bishops to declare <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-appeals-for-evacuation-of-refugees-in-libya-camps-214149">Pope Francis </a>a heretic, in the latest ultra-conservative broadside against the pontiff over a range of topics from communion for the divorced to religious diversity.

The most prominent of the group is Father Aidan Nichols, a 70-year-old British priest of the Dominican order who has written many books and is one of most recognised theologians in the English-speaking world. The others are less well known.

"We take this measure as a last resort to respond to the accumulating harm caused by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-urges-libya-peace-return-of-refugees-to-syria-212319">Pope</a> Francis's words and actions over several years, which have given rise to one of the worst crises in the history of the Catholic Church," they said in a 20-page open letter.

The letter attacks Francis for allegedly softening the Church's stance on a range of subjects. They say he has not been outspoken enough against abortion and has been too welcoming to homosexuals and too accommodating to Protestants and Muslims.

It was published on Tuesday by LifeSiteNews, a conservative Catholic website that often is a platform for attacks on the pope. Last year, it ran a document by the Vatican's former ambassador to Washington, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, calling on the pope to resign.

A Vatican spokesman had no comment on the letter, which includes dozens of footnotes, Bible verses, pronouncements by previous popes, and a separate bibliography. The letter invites people to join an on-line signature drive.

Addressing the bishops, the letter says "We therefore request that your Lordships urgently address the situation of Pope Francis's public adherence to heresy."

It asks them to "publicly to admonish Pope Francis to abjure the heresies that he has professed".

A significant part of the letter concentrates on "Amoris Laetitia" (The Joy of Love), a 2016 papal document that is a cornerstone of Francis' attempt to make the 1.3 billion-member Church more inclusive and less condemning.

ULTRA CONSERVATIVES TAKE AIM

In it, Francis called for a Church that is less strict and more compassionate towards any "imperfect" members, such as those who divorced and later remarry in civil ceremonies.

Under Church law they cannot receive communion unless they abstain from sex with their new partner, because their first marriage is still valid in the eyes of the Church, unless they have received an annulment. The Church does not allow divorce.

Francis has opened the door to some exceptions, allowing the decision whether the person can be fully re-integrated and receive communion to be made by a priest or bishop jointly with the individual on a case-by-case basis.

After Amoris Laetitia was published, four conservative publicly challenged the pope, accusing him of sowing confusion on important moral issues. He has thus far not responded to their demands that he clear up their doubts.

The new letter lists pages of what it calls "Evidence for Pope Francis being guilty of the delict (crime) of heresy".

It attacks him for having once said that the intentions of Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, "were not mistaken". It says he has not condemned abortion strongly enough and is too lenient with homosexual Catholics.

The letter criticised Francis for signing a joint statement with Lutherans in 2016 in which the pope said Catholics were grateful for the "theological gifts" of the Reformation.

It also attacked the pope for a common statement with a prominent Muslim leader in Abu Dhabi in February which said that the pluralism and diversity of religions was "willed by God". Conservatives say the Roman Catholic Church is the only true one and that members are called to convert others to it.

The letter launches personal attacks on 22 people, nearly all of them current or past Church figures, asserting that their association with the pope supports their accusation of heresy.

A group of 19 Catholic priests and academics have appealed to bishops to declare Pope Francis a heretic, in the latest ultra-conservative broadside against the pontiff over a range of topics from communion for the divorced to religious diversity.

A group of 19 Catholic priests and academics have appealed to bishops to declare Pope Francis a heretic, in the latest ultra-conservative broadside against the pontiff over a range of topics from communion for the divorced to religious diversity. The most prominent of the group is Father Aidan Nichols, a 70-year-old British priest of the Dominican order who has written many books and is one of most recognised theologians in the English-speaking world. The others are less well known. "We take this measure as a last resort to respond to the accumulating harm caused by Pope Francis's words and actions over several years, which have given rise to one of the worst crises in the history of the Catholic Church," they said in a 20-page open letter. The letter attacks Francis for allegedly softening the Church's stance on a range of subjects. They say he has not been outspoken enough against abortion and has been too welcoming to homosexuals and too accommodating to Protestants and Muslims. It was published on Tuesday by LifeSiteNews, a conservative Catholic website that often is a platform for attacks on the pope. Last year, it ran a document by the Vatican's former ambassador to Washington, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, calling on the pope to resign. A Vatican spokesman had no comment on the letter, which includes dozens of footnotes, Bible verses, pronouncements by previous popes, and a separate bibliography. The letter invites people to join an on-line signature drive. Addressing the bishops, the letter says "We therefore request that your Lordships urgently address the situation of Pope Francis's public adherence to heresy." It asks them to "publicly to admonish Pope Francis to abjure the heresies that he has professed". A significant part of the letter concentrates on "Amoris Laetitia" (The Joy of Love), a 2016 papal document that is a cornerstone of Francis' attempt to make the 1.3 billion-member Church more inclusive and less condemning. ULTRA CONSERVATIVES TAKE AIM In it, Francis called for a Church that is less strict and more compassionate towards any "imperfect" members, such as those who divorced and later remarry in civil ceremonies. Under Church law they cannot receive communion unless they abstain from sex with their new partner, because their first marriage is still valid in the eyes of the Church, unless they have received an annulment. The Church does not allow divorce. Francis has opened the door to some exceptions, allowing the decision whether the person can be fully re-integrated and receive communion to be made by a priest or bishop jointly with the individual on a case-by-case basis. After Amoris Laetitia was published, four conservative publicly challenged the pope, accusing him of sowing confusion on important moral issues. He has thus far not responded to their demands that he clear up their doubts. The new letter lists pages of what it calls "Evidence for Pope Francis being guilty of the delict (crime) of heresy". It attacks him for having once said that the intentions of Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, "were not mistaken". It says he has not condemned abortion strongly enough and is too lenient with homosexual Catholics. The letter criticised Francis for signing a joint statement with Lutherans in 2016 in which the pope said Catholics were grateful for the "theological gifts" of the Reformation. It also attacked the pope for a common statement with a prominent Muslim leader in Abu Dhabi in February which said that the pluralism and diversity of religions was "willed by God". Conservatives say the Roman Catholic Church is the only true one and that members are called to convert others to it. The letter launches personal attacks on 22 people, nearly all of them current or past Church figures, asserting that their association with the pope supports their accusation of heresy.

Conservatives want Catholic bishops to declare pope a heretic

The hidden homosexuality of so much of the Catholic hierarchy has distorted "every aspect of the church", a new book claims.

"In the Closet of the Vatican", a 570-page tome which will be published in 20 countries on Wednesday, claims that four out of five Vatican clerics are gay.

French sociologist Frederic Martel, who spent four years interviewing more than 1,500 priests, bishops and cardinals, said the reflex to hide the "double life" of so much of the clergy has left the church "distorted with shame" and caught in a culture of cover-up.

"The culture of secrecy around the fact that the Vatican is mostly gay is the key to reading much of the moral positions the church has taken up" in the last 50 years, Martel told AFP.

It is a "source of distortion of every aspect of the church", he added.

"I set out to understand how, to quote Pope Francis, the institution has come to be built around lies, double lives and hypocrisy," said the sociologist.

"This lie has had huge consequences," said Martel, from its opposition to family planning to the child abuse scandals.

Pope 'prisoner of system'&nbsp;

"It allows us to understand the misogyny of the clergy, the scandals around the Vatican Bank during the time of Archbishop Marcinkus, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and the revolt Pope Francis is now facing," the writer said.

The fact that the Vatican is "an essentially homosexual institution" -- but a closeted one -- accounts for much of the fierce opposition the Pope is now facing as he attempts to reform the hierarchy and its civil service, the Curia, he found.

"The Pope understands the system of which he himself is a prisoner," he argued, citing "his famous phrase, 'Beneath rigidity there is often wickedness and a double life'."

A rule of thumb in the Vatican, Martel said, is "the more a prelate is homophobic in public the more likely he is to be gay in private".

As the sexual revolution gathered pace through the 1960s and 1970s, the church felt "obliged to up its homophobic rhetoric to hide its own secret", added the author, who is also a presenter on French radio. &nbsp;

Abusing priests protected&nbsp;

The most damaging side-effect of the culture of secrecy, he maintained, is the way it has impacted on the child abuse scandals which have shaken the church to the core.&nbsp;

"There is no link whatsoever between sexual abuse and homosexuality," Martel insisted.

"But abuser priests have overwhelmingly been protected by gay bishops who were afraid of scandal and being exposed in the media.

"The church created a culture to hide its gay secret which in the end hid the abuse," Martel argued.

"That is how the system became so perverse and why there is no possibility of reform other than to change the doctrine of chastity for the clergy."

Martel said gay life within the Vatican broke down into roughly five groups. "Non-practising gay clerics who stick by their vows of chastity; those who have gay relationships but struggle with their desires and who self-flagellate, and then those who live with their lovers.

"Often you have cardinals who will be in a relationship with an assistant or a friend, and then there are others who go out and have lovers," he said.

Finally, there was a group "which included two cardinals close to the late John Paul II, who used male prostitutes".

Martel said Pope Francis is more or less "gay-friendly" compared to his predecessors, particularly "when it comes to (not) judging individuals. That said, he is a fiercely opposed to gay marriage".

The hidden homosexuality of so much of the Catholic hierarchy has distorted "every aspect of the church", a new book claims. "In the Closet of the Vatican", a 570-page tome which will be published in 20 countries on Wednesday, claims that four out of five Vatican clerics are gay.

The hidden homosexuality of so much of the Catholic hierarchy has distorted "every aspect of the church", a new book claims. "In the Closet of the Vatican", a 570-page tome which will be published in 20 countries on Wednesday, claims that four out of five Vatican clerics are gay. French sociologist Frederic Martel, who spent four years interviewing more than 1,500 priests, bishops and cardinals, said the reflex to hide the "double life" of so much of the clergy has left the church "distorted with shame" and caught in a culture of cover-up. "The culture of secrecy around the fact that the Vatican is mostly gay is the key to reading much of the moral positions the church has taken up" in the last 50 years, Martel told AFP. It is a "source of distortion of every aspect of the church", he added. "I set out to understand how, to quote Pope Francis, the institution has come to be built around lies, double lives and hypocrisy," said the sociologist. "This lie has had huge consequences," said Martel, from its opposition to family planning to the child abuse scandals. Pope 'prisoner of system' "It allows us to understand the misogyny of the clergy, the scandals around the Vatican Bank during the time of Archbishop Marcinkus, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and the revolt Pope Francis is now facing," the writer said. The fact that the Vatican is "an essentially homosexual institution" -- but a closeted one -- accounts for much of the fierce opposition the Pope is now facing as he attempts to reform the hierarchy and its civil service, the Curia, he found. "The Pope understands the system of which he himself is a prisoner," he argued, citing "his famous phrase, 'Beneath rigidity there is often wickedness and a double life'." A rule of thumb in the Vatican, Martel said, is "the more a prelate is homophobic in public the more likely he is to be gay in private". As the sexual revolution gathered pace through the 1960s and 1970s, the church felt "obliged to up its homophobic rhetoric to hide its own secret", added the author, who is also a presenter on French radio. Abusing priests protected The most damaging side-effect of the culture of secrecy, he maintained, is the way it has impacted on the child abuse scandals which have shaken the church to the core. "There is no link whatsoever between sexual abuse and homosexuality," Martel insisted. "But abuser priests have overwhelmingly been protected by gay bishops who were afraid of scandal and being exposed in the media. "The church created a culture to hide its gay secret which in the end hid the abuse," Martel argued. "That is how the system became so perverse and why there is no possibility of reform other than to change the doctrine of chastity for the clergy." Martel said gay life within the Vatican broke down into roughly five groups. "Non-practising gay clerics who stick by their vows of chastity; those who have gay relationships but struggle with their desires and who self-flagellate, and then those who live with their lovers. "Often you have cardinals who will be in a relationship with an assistant or a friend, and then there are others who go out and have lovers," he said. Finally, there was a group "which included two cardinals close to the late John Paul II, who used male prostitutes". Martel said Pope Francis is more or less "gay-friendly" compared to his predecessors, particularly "when it comes to (not) judging individuals. That said, he is a fiercely opposed to gay marriage".

Four out of five Vatican clerics are gay, says French sociologist Frederic Martel

Pope Francis held a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-makes-history-with-muslim-dialogue-in-uae-195068">historic public mass</a> for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/pope-visit-boosts-uae-efforts-to-redefine-concepts-of-tolerance-195001">United Arab Emirates</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, capping the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born.

The pontiff waved at the enthusiastic crowd carrying yellow Vatican flags and banners as he rode in an open-top Popemobile into Zayed Sports City Stadium, where an altar with a large cross was set up for the unprecedented open-air service in a country that normally restricts worship to inside churches.

The UAE borders Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, but unlike its larger neighbour, which outlaws all non-Muslim places of worship, Abu Dhabi allows Christians among its large migrant workforce to practise their faith discreetly.

Francis, who has made outreach to Muslim communities a cornerstone of his papacy, wrapped up his historic three-day visit with the mass.

The pope's public comments in Abu Dhabi have centred on calls to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-arrives-in-uae-for-historic-gulf-visit-condemns-yemen-war-194933">end wars across the Middle East</a>&nbsp;and protect the rights of all citizens. In a homily on Tuesday, he turned to the tens of thousands of migrant workers living in the Emirates.&nbsp;

"It is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncertainty about the future," the pope said. "But the Lord is faithful and does not abandon his people."

More than 135,000 &nbsp;

Pope Francis' trip has been warmly welcomed by Filipino and Indian Catholics among the UAE's huge migrant workforce. About one million Catholics live in the country, or about one in 10 of UAE residents.

Asian nationals make up some 65 per cent of the population and are crucial to all sectors in the oil-rich Gulf state, from construction to services and hotels.

The son of Italian immigrants who was raised in Argentina, Jorge Bergoglio — or Pope Francis — has paid particular attention to migrants and refugees during his papacy.

Inside the stadium on Tuesday, 50,000 Catholics with tickets to the mass cheered the pope on, with one small group hoisting a pink posterboard which read, "We the Catholics of Yemen love you".

Another 120,000 gathered outside, watching via video link on large screens.&nbsp;

Parishes across the UAE said 135,000 tickets to the pope's mass were distributed to parishioners. Some 4,000 tickets had been given to Muslims to attend the mass, according to the local churches.&nbsp;

A choir sang hymns as the pope, joined by priests of different nationalities, began the service at around 10:30 (0630 GMT), broadcast live on Emirati television.

The UAE invited the pope to visit as part of its 2019 "Year of Tolerance" which has its own designated ministry. Tolerance Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak greeted the crowd at the stadium.&nbsp;

Yemen war&nbsp;

On Monday, the pope called for an end to wars in the turbulent Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria, at a meeting with a top sheikh and rabbi in the UAE.

All religious leaders had a "duty to reject every nuance of approval from the world war", he told the interfaith meeting.

"I am thinking in particular of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya," he said.

Yemen is in the grip of what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, triggered by the intervention of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies in a civil war between the government and Shiite Muslim rebels.

While the pope did not openly discuss politics, he called for "the full recognition" of the rights of people across the Middle East, a potential reference to Christian minorities and communities including Shiites in Saudi Arabia, refugees, migrants and stateless peoples.

"I look forward to societies where people of different beliefs have the same right of citizenship and where only in the case of violence in any of its forms is that right removed," he said.

At their meeting, Monday, the pope and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning, signed a document on "human fraternity for world peace", hailed by the Vatican as an "important step forward in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims".

It called for "freedom of belief", the "promotion of a culture of tolerance", the "protection of places of worship" and "full citizenship" rights for minorities.

Pope Francis held a historic public mass for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, capping the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born.

Pope Francis held a historic public mass for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, capping the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born. The pontiff waved at the enthusiastic crowd carrying yellow Vatican flags and banners as he rode in an open-top Popemobile into Zayed Sports City Stadium, where an altar with a large cross was set up for the unprecedented open-air service in a country that normally restricts worship to inside churches. The UAE borders Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, but unlike its larger neighbour, which outlaws all non-Muslim places of worship, Abu Dhabi allows Christians among its large migrant workforce to practise their faith discreetly. Francis, who has made outreach to Muslim communities a cornerstone of his papacy, wrapped up his historic three-day visit with the mass. The pope's public comments in Abu Dhabi have centred on calls to end wars across the Middle East and protect the rights of all citizens. In a homily on Tuesday, he turned to the tens of thousands of migrant workers living in the Emirates. "It is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncertainty about the future," the pope said. "But the Lord is faithful and does not abandon his people." More than 135,000 Pope Francis' trip has been warmly welcomed by Filipino and Indian Catholics among the UAE's huge migrant workforce. About one million Catholics live in the country, or about one in 10 of UAE residents. Asian nationals make up some 65 per cent of the population and are crucial to all sectors in the oil-rich Gulf state, from construction to services and hotels. The son of Italian immigrants who was raised in Argentina, Jorge Bergoglio — or Pope Francis — has paid particular attention to migrants and refugees during his papacy. Inside the stadium on Tuesday, 50,000 Catholics with tickets to the mass cheered the pope on, with one small group hoisting a pink posterboard which read, "We the Catholics of Yemen love you". Another 120,000 gathered outside, watching via video link on large screens. Parishes across the UAE said 135,000 tickets to the pope's mass were distributed to parishioners. Some 4,000 tickets had been given to Muslims to attend the mass, according to the local churches. A choir sang hymns as the pope, joined by priests of different nationalities, began the service at around 10:30 (0630 GMT), broadcast live on Emirati television. The UAE invited the pope to visit as part of its 2019 "Year of Tolerance" which has its own designated ministry. Tolerance Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak greeted the crowd at the stadium. Yemen war On Monday, the pope called for an end to wars in the turbulent Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria, at a meeting with a top sheikh and rabbi in the UAE. All religious leaders had a "duty to reject every nuance of approval from the world war", he told the interfaith meeting. "I am thinking in particular of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya," he said. Yemen is in the grip of what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, triggered by the intervention of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies in a civil war between the government and Shiite Muslim rebels. While the pope did not openly discuss politics, he called for "the full recognition" of the rights of people across the Middle East, a potential reference to Christian minorities and communities including Shiites in Saudi Arabia, refugees, migrants and stateless peoples. "I look forward to societies where people of different beliefs have the same right of citizenship and where only in the case of violence in any of its forms is that right removed," he said. At their meeting, Monday, the pope and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning, signed a document on "human fraternity for world peace", hailed by the Vatican as an "important step forward in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims". It called for "freedom of belief", the "promotion of a culture of tolerance", the "protection of places of worship" and "full citizenship" rights for minorities.

Francis holds first mass by pope on Arabian peninsula

The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country's restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/7-dead-as-bombs-hit-church-in-southern-philippines-193061">attack wounded</a> more than 100 people and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia's poorest and most volatile places.&nbsp;

The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo island, in Sulu province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said.

"The enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region," said Salvador Panelo, spokesman of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

"The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals."

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via the militant group's Amaq news agency, describing it as twin suicide bombings that it said killed 120 people.&nbsp;

Police are investigating but suspect it was the work of Abu Sayyaf, a domestic militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality.

"They want to show force and sow chaos," national police chief Oscar Albayalde told DZMM radio, suggesting Abu Sayyaf was the prime suspect.

Civilians bore the brunt of the attack, which also killed five soldiers. Police lowered the death toll from 27 to 20, after discovering duplications in initial records.

Jolo is a stronghold of the group, which runs a lucrative piracy and kidnapping operation that successive governments have failed to break up. The group, which operates in the waters and islands of western Mindanao, has beheaded numerous foreign captives when ransom demands were not met.

Images of the inside of the Jolo church showed several rows of wooden pews destroyed, with debris strewn across a blackened floor.

Speaking in Panama, Pope Francis condemned what he called a "terrorist attack" and during a prayer for the dead and wounded said: "May the Lord, Prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones."

'DASTARDLY ACT'

The attack followed Friday's announcement that the region, a mainly Muslim part of the predominantly Catholic Philippines, had ratified the creation of an autonomous area called Bangsamoro, with 85 per cent of voters behind it.

Although Sulu was among only a few areas that rejected autonomy, it will still be part of the new entity when it is fully formed in 2022.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the attack a "dastardly act" and urged the local population to cooperate and "deny terrorism any victory".

National Security Adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, called those responsible "mass murderers" and "extremist criminals".

"We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace," he added.

The referendum came amid concerns about the presence of extremists in the Philippines and the possibility that foreign radicals will join those of Indonesia and Malaysia in gravitating to Mindanao to capitalize on porous borders, jungles and mountains, and an abundance of arms.

The Philippine military in mid-2017 encountered its biggest and longest battle since World War Two when an alliance of extremists loyal to Islamic State, among them foreigners and children, overran Marawi City and tried to establish a caliphate.

Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf faction leader anointed as Islamic State's Southeast Asian "emir" and wanted by the United States, was killed during that battle.

The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country's restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote.

The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country's restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote. The attack wounded more than 100 people and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia's poorest and most volatile places. The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo island, in Sulu province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said. "The enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region," said Salvador Panelo, spokesman of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. "The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals." Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via the militant group's Amaq news agency, describing it as twin suicide bombings that it said killed 120 people. Police are investigating but suspect it was the work of Abu Sayyaf, a domestic militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality. "They want to show force and sow chaos," national police chief Oscar Albayalde told DZMM radio, suggesting Abu Sayyaf was the prime suspect. Civilians bore the brunt of the attack, which also killed five soldiers. Police lowered the death toll from 27 to 20, after discovering duplications in initial records. Jolo is a stronghold of the group, which runs a lucrative piracy and kidnapping operation that successive governments have failed to break up. The group, which operates in the waters and islands of western Mindanao, has beheaded numerous foreign captives when ransom demands were not met. Images of the inside of the Jolo church showed several rows of wooden pews destroyed, with debris strewn across a blackened floor. Speaking in Panama, Pope Francis condemned what he called a "terrorist attack" and during a prayer for the dead and wounded said: "May the Lord, Prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones." 'DASTARDLY ACT' The attack followed Friday's announcement that the region, a mainly Muslim part of the predominantly Catholic Philippines, had ratified the creation of an autonomous area called Bangsamoro, with 85 per cent of voters behind it. Although Sulu was among only a few areas that rejected autonomy, it will still be part of the new entity when it is fully formed in 2022. Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the attack a "dastardly act" and urged the local population to cooperate and "deny terrorism any victory". National Security Adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, called those responsible "mass murderers" and "extremist criminals". "We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace," he added. The referendum came amid concerns about the presence of extremists in the Philippines and the possibility that foreign radicals will join those of Indonesia and Malaysia in gravitating to Mindanao to capitalize on porous borders, jungles and mountains, and an abundance of arms. The Philippine military in mid-2017 encountered its biggest and longest battle since World War Two when an alliance of extremists loyal to Islamic State, among them foreigners and children, overran Marawi City and tried to establish a caliphate. Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf faction leader anointed as Islamic State's Southeast Asian "emir" and wanted by the United States, was killed during that battle.

Philippines vows to crush 'terrorists' after church bombs kill 20

A Croatian pharmacist's refusal to give a customer birth control on moral grounds deepened concern Friday over threats to reproductive rights in the Catholic country, where many doctors in public hospitals also refuse to perform abortions.

The controversy was ignited last month when a young woman told a local fact-checking website Faktograf that a Zagreb pharmacist refused to give her contraceptive pills prescribed by a gynaecologist, citing a "conscientious objection".

"First gynaecologists, now pharmacists, how far this will go?" the young woman was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

The issue sparked outrage among rights groups, who expressed fears it would deter other young women from seeking medical care.

"Patients should not suffer consequences of pharmacists' personal beliefs," Sanja Cerar from CESI, a women's rights association, told AFP.

"In practice, the so-called conscientious objection can reduce people's rights to health protection and violate women's rights," she added.

Activists have long protested how a "conscientious objection" clause written into Croatian law in 2003 is used to deny women's legal right to abortion, in part due to lobbying by Church-backed groups.

Abortion right was legalized in Croatia during the Yugoslav era.

But nearly 60 per cent of public hospital doctors refuse to perform the procedure by invoking the conscientious objection clause, according to estimates.

While Croatia's Health Minister said pharmacists should not be allowed to cite the clause in their line of work, the country's Chamber of Pharmacists disagreed.

"A pharmacist has the right to a conscientious objection only if not endangering patients health and life", the chamber said in reaction to the recent controversy.

In the past five years prescribed drugs were denied only twice over a conscientious objection, it added.

A survey by Index news portal showed that 88 per cent of more than 33,800 people questioned said pharmacists should not have the right to a consciousness objection.

"Everyone is entitled to a conscientious objection but it should apply only to oneself," commented one internet user.

The debate comes at a time when Croatia is due to review its abortion law at the beginning of 2019.

Nearly 90 per cent of Croatia's 4.2 million population are Roman Catholics and the clergy play a powerful role in society.&nbsp;

A Croatian pharmacist's refusal to give a customer birth control on moral grounds deepened concern Friday over threats to reproductive rights in the Catholic country, where many doctors in public hospitals also refuse to perform abortions.

A Croatian pharmacist's refusal to give a customer birth control on moral grounds deepened concern Friday over threats to reproductive rights in the Catholic country, where many doctors in public hospitals also refuse to perform abortions. The controversy was ignited last month when a young woman told a local fact-checking website Faktograf that a Zagreb pharmacist refused to give her contraceptive pills prescribed by a gynaecologist, citing a "conscientious objection". "First gynaecologists, now pharmacists, how far this will go?" the young woman was quoted as saying. The issue sparked outrage among rights groups, who expressed fears it would deter other young women from seeking medical care. "Patients should not suffer consequences of pharmacists' personal beliefs," Sanja Cerar from CESI, a women's rights association, told AFP. "In practice, the so-called conscientious objection can reduce people's rights to health protection and violate women's rights," she added. Activists have long protested how a "conscientious objection" clause written into Croatian law in 2003 is used to deny women's legal right to abortion, in part due to lobbying by Church-backed groups. Abortion right was legalized in Croatia during the Yugoslav era. But nearly 60 per cent of public hospital doctors refuse to perform the procedure by invoking the conscientious objection clause, according to estimates. While Croatia's Health Minister said pharmacists should not be allowed to cite the clause in their line of work, the country's Chamber of Pharmacists disagreed. "A pharmacist has the right to a conscientious objection only if not endangering patients health and life", the chamber said in reaction to the recent controversy. In the past five years prescribed drugs were denied only twice over a conscientious objection, it added. A survey by Index news portal showed that 88 per cent of more than 33,800 people questioned said pharmacists should not have the right to a consciousness objection. "Everyone is entitled to a conscientious objection but it should apply only to oneself," commented one internet user. The debate comes at a time when Croatia is due to review its abortion law at the beginning of 2019. Nearly 90 per cent of Croatia's 4.2 million population are Roman Catholics and the clergy play a powerful role in society.

Croatia pharmacist's refusal to give birth control sparks controversy

Pope Francis on Sunday paid homage to Holocaust victims who perished in the Vilnius ghetto, 75 years to the day after the Nazis liquidated it, and warned 100,000 Lithuanians gathered for mass against "pernicious attitudes" leading to genocide.

"Seventy-five years ago, this nation witnessed the final destruction of the Vilnius Ghetto; this was the climax of the killing of thousands of Jews that had started two years earlier," the pontiff told faithful in a homily in Kaunas, Lithuania's second city.

Pre-war Lithuania was home to a thriving Jewish community of more than 200,000 people, with its capital Vilnius a hub of learning known as the "Jerusalem of the North".

According to historians, around 195,000 -- nearly the entire Jewish population -- perished at the hands of the Nazis and local collaborators under the 1941-44 German occupation.

Today around 3,000 Jews live in the EU and NATO member state which has a population of 2.9 million, the majority of whom are Catholic.

Recalling the Holocaust, Francis prayed for divine "discernment" to alert the faithful to any reappearance of "that pernicious attitude, any whiff of it that can taint the heart of generations that did not experience those times and can sometimes be taken in by such siren songs."

The pope also said he would pay tribute to Holocaust victims at the Vilnius ghetto memorial later on Sunday at ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of its liquidation.

"In these days, I reserve a special thought for the Jewish community," the pontiff said, calling for "dialogue and the shared commitment for justice and peace".

Francis will travel to mainly Protestant Latvia on Monday and secular Estonia on Tuesday as all three Baltic states mark 100 years of independence this year.

Soviet-era repression&nbsp;

The last century of Baltic history was marked by both the Nazi invasion and then decades of persecution under Soviet occupation during the Cold War.

Vilnius estimates that more than 50,000 Lithuanians died under Soviet occupation in camps, prisons, and during deportations between 1944 and 1953. Another 20,000 partisans and supporters were killed in anti-Soviet guerilla warfare.

"Kaunas knows about this; Lithuania as a whole can testify to it, still shuddering at the mention of Siberia, or the ghettos of Vilnius and Kaunas, among others," Francis told the faithful.&nbsp;

The Argentine pontiff will also honour victims of Soviet-era persecution later on Sunday during a visit to a museum in the former KGB building in Vilnius where regime opponents were tortured and killed.

Behind the Iron Curtain, the Catholic Church played a key role in the non-violent anti-Soviet resistance, especially in Lithuania, the only Catholic-majority country of the three.

As a result, it was persecuted with both priests and bishops jailed, sent to Siberia or killed by totalitarian authorities.

Pope Francis on Sunday paid homage to Holocaust victims who perished in the Vilnius ghetto, 75 years to the day after the Nazis liquidated it, and warned 100,000 Lithuanians gathered for mass against "pernicious attitudes" leading to genocide.

Pope Francis on Sunday paid homage to Holocaust victims who perished in the Vilnius ghetto, 75 years to the day after the Nazis liquidated it, and warned 100,000 Lithuanians gathered for mass against "pernicious attitudes" leading to genocide. "Seventy-five years ago, this nation witnessed the final destruction of the Vilnius Ghetto; this was the climax of the killing of thousands of Jews that had started two years earlier," the pontiff told faithful in a homily in Kaunas, Lithuania's second city. Pre-war Lithuania was home to a thriving Jewish community of more than 200,000 people, with its capital Vilnius a hub of learning known as the "Jerusalem of the North". According to historians, around 195,000 -- nearly the entire Jewish population -- perished at the hands of the Nazis and local collaborators under the 1941-44 German occupation. Today around 3,000 Jews live in the EU and NATO member state which has a population of 2.9 million, the majority of whom are Catholic. Recalling the Holocaust, Francis prayed for divine "discernment" to alert the faithful to any reappearance of "that pernicious attitude, any whiff of it that can taint the heart of generations that did not experience those times and can sometimes be taken in by such siren songs." The pope also said he would pay tribute to Holocaust victims at the Vilnius ghetto memorial later on Sunday at ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of its liquidation. "In these days, I reserve a special thought for the Jewish community," the pontiff said, calling for "dialogue and the shared commitment for justice and peace". Francis will travel to mainly Protestant Latvia on Monday and secular Estonia on Tuesday as all three Baltic states mark 100 years of independence this year. Soviet-era repression The last century of Baltic history was marked by both the Nazi invasion and then decades of persecution under Soviet occupation during the Cold War. Vilnius estimates that more than 50,000 Lithuanians died under Soviet occupation in camps, prisons, and during deportations between 1944 and 1953. Another 20,000 partisans and supporters were killed in anti-Soviet guerilla warfare. "Kaunas knows about this; Lithuania as a whole can testify to it, still shuddering at the mention of Siberia, or the ghettos of Vilnius and Kaunas, among others," Francis told the faithful. The Argentine pontiff will also honour victims of Soviet-era persecution later on Sunday during a visit to a museum in the former KGB building in Vilnius where regime opponents were tortured and killed. Behind the Iron Curtain, the Catholic Church played a key role in the non-violent anti-Soviet resistance, especially in Lithuania, the only Catholic-majority country of the three. As a result, it was persecuted with both priests and bishops jailed, sent to Siberia or killed by totalitarian authorities.

Pope Francis honours Holocaust victims in Lithuania

Ireland is getting ready for a historic referendum on Friday which will decide the decades old constitutional ban on abortion needs to be scrapped.

Currently divided into two as campaign yes -- in favour of the ban --&nbsp;and campaign no -- against the ban --&nbsp;the country has witnessed various anti-abortion rallies in past months in which thousands of people took part.

Local media also reported Irish citizens around the world travelling to Ireland ahead of the referendum.

Universities like Cambridge, Oxford, London and Nottingham also introduces bursaries to help students to fly to Ireland for the referendum.

The historic referendum will take place on Friday (May 25) to decide whether to revoke the constitutional ban on abortion. According to the current amendment, it states that a foetus also has an equal right to life just like its mother.

After seeing various protests, the Ireland government proposed&nbsp;an amendment which allows abortion for women up to 12 weeks of pregnancy only if the country voted yes.

Meanwhile, media reports said that there is high chance that the campaign yes will win as opinion polls have shown a significant lead for the yes campaign.

However, Yes campaigners are still concerned that the conservatism linked to Ireland's Catholic tradition still guides many voters' views which could affect the final decision.

The campaign to liberalise abortion laws got more impetus in 2012 when an Indian woman Savita Halappanavar died in a Galway hospital after she was refused an abortion during a miscarriage. Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, stated she repeatedly asked for a termination but was refused because there was a foetal heartbeat, reported a news portal.

Reports say that her life could have been saved if the doctors have terminated her pregnancy.

Currently, women living in Ireland used to travel to London to terminate their unwanted pregnancy.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-ed-sheerans-song-small-bump-being-used-for-anti-abortion-campaign-singer-expresses-displeasure-138615">Ed Sheeran unhappy with campaigners for using 'Small Bump' for anti-abortion promotion in Ireland</a>

The historic referendum will take place on Friday (May 25) to decide whether to revoke the constitutional ban on abortion

Ireland is getting ready for a historic referendum on Friday which will decide the decades old constitutional ban on abortion needs to be scrapped. Currently divided into two as campaign yes -- in favour of the ban -- and campaign no -- against the ban -- the country has witnessed various anti-abortion rallies in past months in which thousands of people took part. Local media also reported Irish citizens around the world travelling to Ireland ahead of the referendum. Universities like Cambridge, Oxford, London and Nottingham also introduces bursaries to help students to fly to Ireland for the referendum. The historic referendum will take place on Friday (May 25) to decide whether to revoke the constitutional ban on abortion. According to the current amendment, it states that a foetus also has an equal right to life just like its mother. After seeing various protests, the Ireland government proposed an amendment which allows abortion for women up to 12 weeks of pregnancy only if the country voted yes. Meanwhile, media reports said that there is high chance that the campaign yes will win as opinion polls have shown a significant lead for the yes campaign. However, Yes campaigners are still concerned that the conservatism linked to Ireland's Catholic tradition still guides many voters' views which could affect the final decision. The campaign to liberalise abortion laws got more impetus in 2012 when an Indian woman Savita Halappanavar died in a Galway hospital after she was refused an abortion during a miscarriage. Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, stated she repeatedly asked for a termination but was refused because there was a foetal heartbeat, reported a news portal. Reports say that her life could have been saved if the doctors have terminated her pregnancy. Currently, women living in Ireland used to travel to London to terminate their unwanted pregnancy. Also read: Ed Sheeran unhappy with campaigners for using 'Small Bump' for anti-abortion promotion in Ireland

Ahead of anti-abortion referendum, yes campaigners take lead in Ireland

The Syro-Malabar Church has said that yoga and Catholic faith cannot go together. A report by the doctrinal commission of the Syro-Malabar Church underlined the views expressed by its Synod last year that yoga is not a medium to attain divine experience.&nbsp;

In its report titled “Yoga and Catholic faith”, the commission headed by Bishop Mathew Kallarangat of Pala diocese, said yoga would help physical and mental health but the spiritual means in yoga would not gel with prayers and theological views of Catholic tradition.

The commission was appointed to review the stand taken by the Syro-Malabar Church on yoga practice in view of the alleged communal politics and Hindutva agenda of the Sangh Parivar, the report said.

Last year, the synod of the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, which discussed the role of yoga in their faith, had opined that divine experience could not be attained through a particular posture. “The God in whom we believe is a personal god. God is not someone who can be reached through a particular posture,” a circular signed by the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal George Alencherry, had said.

In its circular to its priests and laity last year, the church had said that recognising the important place given to yoga in Indian culture, it is to be considered as a physical exercise or postures to concentrate or to meditate. “It is not quite right to think that the experience of God and the personal encounter with the Lord is possible through yoga,” the circular had said.

A doctrinal commission was appointed to review the stand taken by the Syro-Malabar Church on yoga practice in view of the alleged communal politics and Hindutva agenda of the Sangh Parivar, the report said.

The Syro-Malabar Church has said that yoga and Catholic faith cannot go together. A report by the doctrinal commission of the Syro-Malabar Church underlined the views expressed by its Synod last year that yoga is not a medium to attain divine experience. In its report titled “Yoga and Catholic faith”, the commission headed by Bishop Mathew Kallarangat of Pala diocese, said yoga would help physical and mental health but the spiritual means in yoga would not gel with prayers and theological views of Catholic tradition. The commission was appointed to review the stand taken by the Syro-Malabar Church on yoga practice in view of the alleged communal politics and Hindutva agenda of the Sangh Parivar, the report said. Last year, the synod of the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, which discussed the role of yoga in their faith, had opined that divine experience could not be attained through a particular posture. “The God in whom we believe is a personal god. God is not someone who can be reached through a particular posture,” a circular signed by the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal George Alencherry, had said. In its circular to its priests and laity last year, the church had said that recognising the important place given to yoga in Indian culture, it is to be considered as a physical exercise or postures to concentrate or to meditate. “It is not quite right to think that the experience of God and the personal encounter with the Lord is possible through yoga,” the circular had said.

Yoga, Catholic faith can’t go together: Kerala church report

Rome&#39;s ancient Colosseum was lit in red on Saturday in solidarity with persecuted Christians, particularly Asia Bibi, a woman condemned to death under Pakistan&#39;s blasphemy laws.

Hundreds gathered on a rainy night outside the Roman amphitheatre that is a symbol of the martyrdom of early Christians to hear the husband and daughter of Asia Bibi.

The Catholic woman has been living on death row in Pakistan since 2010 when she was condemned for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbours objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim.

Human rights groups such as Amnesty International say the blasphemy law is increasingly exploited by religious extremists as well as ordinary Pakistanis to settle personal scores.

&quot;The aim of the blasphemy laws is crush people who believe differently,&quot; Archbishop Nunzio Galantino, secretary-general of the Italian bishops conference, told the gathering.

The law does not define blasphemy and evidence might not be reproduced in court for fear of committing a fresh offence. There are no penalties for false accusations.

Asia Bibi&#39;s case drew international attention after the murder of two politicians who tried to intervene on her behalf.

At the Rome gathering, her husband Ashiq Masih said his wife was innocent of blasphemy. &quot;This is just hate against Christians, who are considered impure,&quot; he said.

The husband and daughter, who broke down in tears as she addressed the group, were earlier received by Pope Francis, who told her: &quot;I think often of your mother and I pray for her&quot;.

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, who has been tipped as a possible Italian prime minister after next week&#39;s election, said that persecution of Christians was &quot;a genocide&quot;.

&quot;A message must be sent from this place. It is the duty of Europe to defend these values (of religious liberty) wherever on earth they are trampled on,&quot; Tajani said.

Rebecca Bitrus, a Nigerian Christian woman who was held for two years after she was abducted by Boko Haram Islamist militants, told of how she was repeatedly beaten and raped.

During the event, organised by the Catholic group &quot;Aid to the Church in Need,&quot; there were live link-ups with Aleppo, Syria, and Mosul, Iraq, both of whose minority Christian populations have been hit hard by wars.

Hundreds gathered on a rainy night outside the Roman amphitheater that is a symbol of the martyrdom of early Christians to hear the husband and daughter of Asia Bibi

Rome's ancient Colosseum was lit in red on Saturday in solidarity with persecuted Christians, particularly Asia Bibi, a woman condemned to death under Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Hundreds gathered on a rainy night outside the Roman amphitheatre that is a symbol of the martyrdom of early Christians to hear the husband and daughter of Asia Bibi. The Catholic woman has been living on death row in Pakistan since 2010 when she was condemned for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbours objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International say the blasphemy law is increasingly exploited by religious extremists as well as ordinary Pakistanis to settle personal scores. "The aim of the blasphemy laws is crush people who believe differently," Archbishop Nunzio Galantino, secretary-general of the Italian bishops conference, told the gathering. The law does not define blasphemy and evidence might not be reproduced in court for fear of committing a fresh offence. There are no penalties for false accusations. Asia Bibi's case drew international attention after the murder of two politicians who tried to intervene on her behalf. At the Rome gathering, her husband Ashiq Masih said his wife was innocent of blasphemy. "This is just hate against Christians, who are considered impure," he said. The husband and daughter, who broke down in tears as she addressed the group, were earlier received by Pope Francis, who told her: "I think often of your mother and I pray for her". European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, who has been tipped as a possible Italian prime minister after next week's election, said that persecution of Christians was "a genocide". "A message must be sent from this place. It is the duty of Europe to defend these values (of religious liberty) wherever on earth they are trampled on," Tajani said. Rebecca Bitrus, a Nigerian Christian woman who was held for two years after she was abducted by Boko Haram Islamist militants, told of how she was repeatedly beaten and raped. During the event, organised by the Catholic group "Aid to the Church in Need," there were live link-ups with Aleppo, Syria, and Mosul, Iraq, both of whose minority Christian populations have been hit hard by wars.

Rome's Colosseum turned red to protest Pakistan blasphemy law

Muslims in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, attended a mass on Sunday, July 31 to pay tribute to a priest killed in a knife attack. 
 
The French Muslim Community Council had urged Muslims to attend mass all over the country in a gesture of solidarity and compassion with the Catholic community. 
 
The request was made after Father Jacques Hamel was killed when two attackers linked to Islamic State interrupted a church service and forced the 85-year-old Roman Catholic priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat. 
 
Since Saturday, Muslims have been joining Catholics around France for vigils, marches and masses to show solidarity and unity between their religious communities. 
 
&quot;To forgive is to give despite my anger, my resentment, so that life returns between myself and another, without which suffering moves in, remains and festers,&quot; Father Eugene Doussal said during his sermon. 
 
Among those who attended the service was Hayat, who came with her children and husband. &quot;This was basically a message of unity, aside from peace, it was really about unity,&quot; she said. 
 
Since the church attack, France&#39;s government has been pushing for interfaith unity. 
 
(Reuters)

Two attackers linked to Islamic State had interrupted a church service, forced the priest to his knees and slit his throat

Muslims in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, attended a mass on Sunday, July 31 to pay tribute to a priest killed in a knife attack. The French Muslim Community Council had urged Muslims to attend mass all over the country in a gesture of solidarity and compassion with the Catholic community. The request was made after Father Jacques Hamel was killed when two attackers linked to Islamic State interrupted a church service and forced the 85-year-old Roman Catholic priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat. Since Saturday, Muslims have been joining Catholics around France for vigils, marches and masses to show solidarity and unity between their religious communities. "To forgive is to give despite my anger, my resentment, so that life returns between myself and another, without which suffering moves in, remains and festers," Father Eugene Doussal said during his sermon. Among those who attended the service was Hayat, who came with her children and husband. "This was basically a message of unity, aside from peace, it was really about unity," she said. Since the church attack, France's government has been pushing for interfaith unity. (Reuters)

Muslims attend Catholic mass in show of solidarity after French church attack

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