Catholic Church

Malta pro-life campaign challenges 6 parties on abortion, euthanasia

Malta pro-life campaign challenges 6 parties on abortion, euthanasia

Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela called a surprise general election for May 30, announcing the vote nine months before his Labour Partyʼs five-year term was scheduled to end. Citing geopolitical turmoil, particularly the war in Iran and volatile oil prices affecting Maltaʼs energy costs, Abela framed the early election as necessary to provide “stability” at a critical moment. The timing is politically advantageous. Abelaʼs Labour government holds a comfortable parliamentary majority, and opinion polls hint the party is on track to win a record fourth consecutive term. Yet the election has forced an uncomfortable conversation about abortion, a topic observers…
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Pope Leo XIV Calls for Greater Focus on the Common Good

Pope Leo XIV Calls for Greater Focus on the Common Good

Pope Leo XIV urged nations around the world to put the common good ahead of political ambition and self-interest, stressing that societies reveal true justice through the way they treat the poor and vulnerable. Speaking during an audience with newly appointed ambassadors to the Holy See, the pope said diplomacy alone is not enough to build lasting peace. He urged world leaders to embrace what he described as “a deeper conversion of heart” that prioritizes solidarity, compassion, and the wellbeing of all people. Pope Leo XIV Emphasizes Human Dignity During his address at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV…
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Book to feature Pope Leo’s writings and meditations as Augustinian prior

Book to feature Pope Leo’s writings and meditations as Augustinian prior

The Order of St. Augustine and the Vatican Publishing House announced the publication of a new book by Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost O.S.A., titled “Free Under Grace: Writings and Meditations 2001-2013.” The book will be presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, which opened Wednesday. The tome will include, for the first time, the writings of the current pontiff during his term as prior general of the Augustinian Order, offering readers a "closer look at his spirituality," according to a statement from the Vatican Publishing House. It will include reflections, meditations, homilies, and addresses, all imbued with…
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How the tradition of Dutch flowers at the pope’s Easter Mass was saved

How the tradition of Dutch flowers at the pope’s Easter Mass was saved

In early 2022, some Dutch Catholics were dismayed to learn that a 37-year Easter tradition would not continue. The Netherlands, known for its fields of flowers, had for more than three decades donated the colorful tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths that decorate St. Peter’s Square for the pope’s Easter Sunday Mass at the Vatican. Pope Francis celebrates Easter Sunday Mass in 2017, flanked by tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils from the Netherlands. Credit: Lucia Ballester/CNA The custom was put on hold for two years because of coronavirus restrictions, and in 2022, the Dutch florist who had organized the initiative since 2015 said…
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