Vatican news Pope Francis greets reporters aboard his flight to Indonesia as he begins an apostolic visit that also takes him to Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore. By Linda Bordoni – On board the papal flight to Jakarta We were supposed to be about 40 minutes away from the papal ITA Airways flight to…
Vatican news Ten years after Pope Francis visited South Korea for the 6th Asian Youth Day, Consolata missionary Father Diego Cazzolato said the Church seeks to unite immigrants from the Philippines and Nigeria through acts of outreach, while fostering interreligious dialogue in the hope of guiding new generations toward a safer world. By Antonella Palermo…
Vatican news Pope Francis meets with a group of migrants, including authors from Senegal and Gambia who have written books about their struggles to find a new home. By Alessandro De Carolis Pope Francis' meeting with migrants on Tuesday afternoon was not the first of its kind. However, each time it follows a similar pattern…
Vatican news As thousands of Venezuelans emigrate due to poverty or violence, the Church continues its mission by accompanying and bringing hope to those on the move. By Sr. Katleho Khang, SNJM Human mobility due to migration is one of the most important social phenomena of the 21st century. This reality is true in Venezuela,…
Vatican news The Archbishop of Johannesburg reiterates the Church's commitment to responding to statelessness in the Southern African region. By Sr. Katleho Khang, SNJM In southern Africa, many poor and marginalized children are at risk of statelessness due to lack of birth certificate, legal identity and nationality. Many of those born in rural and isolated…
Vatican news Pope Francis expresses sadness following the attack on a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo and calls on political leaders to work “in the service of peace and fraternity”. By Linda Bordoni Pope Francis said he was close to those affected by the deadly attack on the Mugunga refugee camp in…
Vatican news Fighting between the army and paramilitary forces that erupted more than a year ago has plunged Sudan into what observers predict could be the world's worst hunger and displacement crisis. By Linda Bordoni The UN reports that 12,000 civilians have been killed in Sudan's ongoing war – although the actual death toll appears…
Vatican news Catholic-inspired organizations are implementing a series of social programs in Ceuta and Algeciras, assisting those arriving from Africa to enter Europe. One of the greatest challenges is the fight against human trafficking which exposes women to forced prostitution. By Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, Special Correspondent in Ceuta and Algeciras Ceuta is a Spanish city, but…
Vatican news The recent British decision to approve legislation allowing the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda has drawn condemnation from humanitarian organizations including CAFOD, the aid agency for the Catholic Church in England and Wales. By Linda Bordoni Reacting to the British Parliament's approval on Tuesday morning of legislation to send some asylum seekers…
Vatican news Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, metropolitan archbishop of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warned that the situation in the east of the country was rapidly deteriorating. Armed militias have recently taken control of several towns in the region. By Vatican News Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, archbishop of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic…