Articles by Daniel Payne
Vatican to publish private homilies of Pope Benedict XVI
Dec 27, 2023 / 13:00 pmThe Vatican Publishing House said this month that it intends to release a book of about 130 homilies given by the late pope.
New U.K. draft guidelines say teachers should not be forced to use students’ transgender pronouns
Dec 22, 2023 / 12:27 pmDraft guidelines issued this week by the U.K. Department for Education state that schools should only support student pronoun changes in rare cases.
European Union says Pornhub must comply with age verification, safety rules
Dec 22, 2023 / 10:35 amThe ruling by the EU means Pornhub and other high-traffic porn sites will have to “adopt specific measures to empower and protect users online, including minors.”
Is it okay to write ‘Merry Xmas’?: Inside the thousand-year-old Christian tradition
Dec 22, 2023 / 08:00 amContrary to what many believe, the term “XMas” is a Christian innovation meant to preserve Christ as the center of Christmas.
Indiana Catholic women’s college reverses transgender admissions policy
Dec 21, 2023 / 14:52 pmSaint Mary’s College President Katie Conboy had last month confirmed a new transgender-friendly admissions policy for the college.
After military review, IDF again denies killing two women at Gaza Catholic church
Dec 21, 2023 / 12:22 pmThe Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said last week that on Dec. 16, a sniper of the IDF “murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza.”
Jimmy Lai unlikely to receive a fair trial from Hong Kong judges, lawyer says
Dec 20, 2023 / 11:55 amCatholic democracy activist Jimmy Lai was arrested in August 2020 under that year’s controversial national security law.
U.S. religious freedom watchdog urges White House to list India as country of concern
Dec 19, 2023 / 10:45 amThe USCIRF said it was “alarmed by India’s increased transnational targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.”
Trial begins for Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong Catholic activist imprisoned for 3 years
Dec 18, 2023 / 07:00 amLai was originally arrested in August 2020 under that year’s controversial national security law, which was passed by China’s communist-controlled government.
Two women killed amid Israeli attack at Holy Family Parish in Gaza, Latin Patriarchate says
Dec 16, 2023 / 15:02 pmThe Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said two women were targeted by an Israeli sniper on Dec. 16.
Moral theologian on new cremation guidance: ‘Reverence for body’ still paramount
Dec 15, 2023 / 09:20 amCatholic Church teaching on “reverence for the body” must still be at the center of any decisions related to a loved one’s ashes.
Anti-Defamation League: ‘Terrifying’ rise in antisemitic attacks since Hamas war began
Dec 14, 2023 / 11:35 amFrom the war’s outbreak on Oct. 7, U.S. antisemitic incidents “reached the highest number of incidents during any two-month period” ever surveyed by the ADL.
Abortion advocates received nearly $2 billion in federal funds over three years, data shows
Dec 13, 2023 / 08:14 amThe report showed Planned Parenthood receiving nearly $2 billion worth of funds from several federal sources.
Catholic survey shows ‘shocking’ impact of church closures during COVID pandemic
Dec 12, 2023 / 14:00 pmA survey released this month by a British Catholic organization demonstrates what the group says were the “shocking” effects of pandemic church closures.
Nebraska priest dies after stabbing in parish rectory, suspect arrested
Dec 11, 2023 / 13:35 pmThe archdiocese said in a statement that Father Stephen Gutgsell was assaulted “during an invasion at the rectory of St. John the Baptist Parish.”
Climate activists vandalize St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy
Dec 8, 2023 / 17:00 pmClimate activists vandalized the facade of the nearly 1,000-year-old St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, on Thursday.
Pope Francis appoints three new auxiliary bishops for Philadelphia Archdiocese
Dec 8, 2023 / 13:59 pmPope Francis on Friday appointed Fathers Keith Chylinski, Christopher Cooke, and Efren Esmilla as new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
‘Social emergency’ of low fertility may be driven partly by pesticides, study shows
Dec 7, 2023 / 16:15 pmPlunging fertility rates, due to multiple factors, present profound challenges for couples today, and the future does not look bright.
Pope Francis accepts resignation of head of Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal Alencherry
Dec 7, 2023 / 14:35 pmPope Francis on Thursday accepted the resignation of Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, based in India.
Data shows most states moving away from use of the death penalty
Dec 7, 2023 / 14:05 pmExecutions peaked in 1999 and have been on a mostly unbroken downward trajectory since then with more states ending the use of the death penalty.