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Europe Pope Francis

‘You are not alone,’ Pope tells women who escaped the Mafia

Pope Francis yesterday encouraged a group of women who escaped criminal organisations in Italy to keep fighting despite fear and to know they are not alone. Source: CNA.

Europe Safeguarding

Papal commission reaches out to victims of disgraced priest

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has reached out to known victims of Slovenian priest Fr Marko Rupnik, asking to meet with them. Source: OSV News.

Ecumenism Europe Middle East

Türkiye’s first new church in 100 years opens its doors

The Syriac Orthodox Church has opened the first Christian place of worship to be built in the 100-year history of the Republic of Türkiye. Source: Vatican News.

Disability Europe Pilgrimage

Wheelchair pilgrims call for Camino improvements

A group of Spanish pilgrims with motor neurone disease are lobbying for improved access for wheelchair users on the Camino de Santiago. Source: The Tablet.

Europe Funeral

Parishioners in Ireland to preside at funerals

Church leaders in Ireland are hopeful that more parishioners will step up and preside at funerals to ease the burden on overworked priests, with two dioceses already commissioning laypeople to take charge where there is no priest. Source: Irish Catholic.

Europe Euthanasia

France postpones euthanasia bill until after papal stopover 

France appears set to legalise assisted suicide but will delay the presentation of its new end-of-life bill until after Pope Francis visits Marseille this week. Source: The Tablet.

Abuse crisis Europe

Vatican investigating Swiss bishops’ handling of abuse cases

The Swiss Bishops Conference has revealed an ongoing Vatican-ordered investigation into the handling of sexual abuse allegations by Church officials, with the inquiry expected to run until at least the end of the year. Source: CNA.

Europe

Italian priest shoots himself in the foot over rifle blessing

A priest in northern Italy who had announced plans to bless rifles to celebrate the opening of hunting season has been forced to backtrack and apologise after a social media backlash against the idea of appearing to sanctify weapons. Source: Crux.

Europe Fundraising

French mayor cycles to Rome to save dilapidated church

A needy but determined mayor has pedalled 750km by bicycle from Nice to Rome to raise funds to renovate the dilapidated 12th-century church in his village in northern France. Source: The Tablet.