a harsher-than-expected ruling critics fear will embolden hardline Islamist forces to challenge secularism in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.
Tuesday's guilty verdict for Basuki Tjahaja Purnama comes amid concern about the growing influence of Islamist groups, who organized m

Amongst the topics elaborated upon, he spoke of his concern for the North Korea crisis for which he urged diplomatic mediation, of the phenomenon of populism in Europe and across the world and of the dramatic situation of forced migrants and refugees in many refugee camps.
Please find below CNA and

Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis
Holy Mass, Cairo
29 April 2017
As-salamu alaykum! Peace be with you!
Today’s Gospel of the third Sunday of Easter speaks to us of the journey to Emmaus of the two disciples who set out from Jerusalem. It can be summed up in three words: death, resurrection

Francis's trip, aimed at improving Christian-Muslim ties, comes just three weeks after Islamic State suicide bombers killed at least 45 people in two Egyptian churches.
"Let us say once more a firm and clear 'No!' to every form of violence, vengeance and hatred carried out in the name of religion o

during which the Holy Father recalled the celebration of the feast of St. Adalbert, one of the Patrons of Poland.
Born in the 10th century, St. Adalbert was the bishop of Prague, and a missionary to the Baltic peoples, who received martyrdom for his efforts to bring them the gospel.
"This past Sun

(to the city and the world) message from the central loggia of St Peter’s Basilica on a sunny Easter Sunday.
The Pope said that “by his resurrection, Jesus Christ has set us free from the slavery of sin and death, and has opened before us the way to eternal life.”
In every age, the Holy Father und

The liturgy is held every year in every diocese, and is typically celebrated on the morning of Holy Thursday, with the clergy gathered around the bishop in a sign of unity.
It is called the “Chrism Mass” because it is during the liturgy that the sacred oils to be used in the Sacraments are blessed:

situated in north of capital city Cairo while no claim of responsibility was confirmed by any terror organization.
Coptic Christians were offering Palm Sunday prayers when blast struck at Mar Girgis church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta, 120km north of Cairo, Egyptian media reports said.
Images

and start explaining the big picture, shedding light on the causes behind migration.
“The mass media should be driven by the need to explain the different aspects of migration, also making the public aware of the causes of this phenomenon,” he said in an interview published April 7.
“The violation

Officials said the individual was inspired by “Islamic terrorism” before he mowed down crowds on Westminster Bridge and stabbed policeman Keith Palmer to death outside Parliament.
Four people died, including a policeman and the attacker, and 29 others were injured – seven of whom are in a critical

A communique from the Holy See Press Office said their discussions were "cordial".
"The Parties focused on the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and Lebanon, underlining the historic and institutional role of the Church in the life of the country. Satisfaction was then expressed for the

Casa Divin Maestro, nestled away in the woods on Lake Albano, is just a short distance from the Papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo in the town of Ariccia, some 16 miles outside of Rome.
One view from the retreat house encompasses the lake and the town of Castel Gandolfo; even the dome of St.

Pope Francis' advisory board in his ongoing reform of the Roman Curia affirmed their support of the Pope and his work.
On behalf of the group, Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga greeted Pope Francis at the start of the councils of cardinal's Feb. 13 meeting.
He thanked the Pope for his Chri

Vatican City: January 6, 2017. (Reuters) Pope Francis gave 300 homeless people and refugees a sandwich and a drink to thank them for helping to hand out religious pamphlets at an Epiphany feast day service on Friday.
The picnic, announced by the pope's charity office, was the latest gesture from th

The message, entitled ‘Non-violence: A style of politics for peace’ was published in December to mark the Catholic Church’s observance of World Peace Day on January 1st.
In the message the Pope notes that violence leads to suffering through forced migrations, environmental destruction, terrorism an