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Eucharist stolen from Catholic church in Italy | SW NEWS The Blessed Sacrament has been stolen from a church in the Italian island of Sicily. The sacrilegious theft took place on the night of November …More
Eucharist stolen from Catholic church in Italy | SW NEWS
The Blessed Sacrament has been stolen from a church in the Italian island of Sicily. The sacrilegious theft took place on the night of November the 23rd at the Parish of the Holy Sepulcher in the town of Bagheria. The doors of the church’s tabernacle were prized open with the consecrated hosts then being removed. Some were later found on the floor of the church. The parish priest, Father Filippo Custos, said the parish felt great sadness to, “see the Eucharistic Body of the Lord Jesus treated in this deplorable way”. He has now instituted several days of prayer and reparation. Religious liberty U.S. Supreme Court rules against New York’s attendance limits on places of worship The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against the State of New York's imposition of strict attendance limits upon Catholic churches and other places of worship. The restrictions were imposed by State's Governor Andrew Cuomo in early October in a bid, he said, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. That decision quickly faced legal challenge, though, from both Jewish groups and the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. Now the Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 in their favor. The five justices who sided with the religious groups were Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. Catholic Church in England welcomes return of collective worship The Catholic Church in England is welcoming the decision by the country’s government to allow collective worship to resume in churches when the present national lockdown expires on December the 2nd. The General Secretary of the Bishops Conference of England & Wales, Canon Christopher Thomas, said the decision acknowledges the active collaboration that has occurred between the Church and the State in developing COVID-secure protocols for churches. Blessed Sacrament stolen from church in Sicily The Blessed Sacrament has been stolen from a church in the Italian island of Sicily. The sacrilegious theft took place on the night of November the 23rd at the Parish of the Holy Sepulcher in the town of Bagheria. The doors of the church’s tabernacle were prized open with the consecrated hosts then being removed. English university apologizes to pro-life midwifery student An English midwifery student who faced suspension from her studies due to being involved in a student pro-life group has won an apology and payout from her university. Last year, 25-year-old Julia Rynkiewicz was blocked by the University of Nottingham from entering her program’s hospital placement phase after the university learned of her leadership of the student pro-life society. Archaeologist claims to have found the childhood home of Jesus Christ An English archaeologist is claiming to have found the childhood home of Jesus Christ in Nazareth. Professor Ken Dark of the University of Reading states his case in a new book in which he claims to pinpoint the location of the Holy Family’s house in Nazareth. He says the historic site is below a convent belonging to the Sisters of Nazareth adjacent to the present-day Basilica of the Annunciation. Pope Francis: Catholic Church is the work of the Holy Spirit The Catholic Church is the work of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent to gather us together. That was the message of Pope Francis during his weekly Wednesday Audience at the Vatican this week. Reflecting upon the life of the early Church, the Holy Father noted that it was an active Church that was on the move and yet prayer was, its “basis and impulse for missionary action”. Pope Francis paves way for beatification of 127 Spanish Civil War martyrs The Pope has approved a decree recognizing the martyrdom of 127 Catholics who were killed during the Spanish Civil War -- thus paving the way for them to be declared blessed. The decision was announced by the Vatican on November the 23rd. The Spanish martyrs include the Father Juan Elia Medina, who was a priest of the southern Diocese of Cordoba, along with 126 of his companions including fellow priests, religious and lay people.