India Denies Visas to Vatican Officials; Pope is Okay with Corporal Punishment, and More…

VATICAN CITY

Vatican officials denied visas to attend India church meeting
 — The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has stated that two key Vatican officials who were to address the 27th National Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India in Bengaluru which began on February 3 had been denied visas 
RADIO VATICANA

 

Indian government now apologizes for denying visas to Vatican officials 
CNH

 

Pope Francis endorses referendum denying gay marriage adoption 
PATHEOS LIFE SITE

 

Francis to be first pope to address US Congress 
JERUSALEM POST

 

"Vatican bank may be too corrupt for Pope Francis to save" — Gerald Posner 
YN

 

Pope Francis encourages Greek bishops in hard times 
VATICAN NEWS

 

"Corporal punishment is acceptable" — Pope Francis 
TIMES OF ISRAEL

 

Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has called on Hindus to nurture a "culture of inclusion" 
CHRISTIAN DAILY

 

Archbishop Bruno Musaro 
appointed 
apostolic nuncio in the Arab Republic of Egypt and delegate at the League of Arab States — Archbishop Musaro is currently apostolic nuncio in Cuba 
VIS

 

Peace between the Church and China would be a “gift from on high” — Bishop Joseph Han of Lanzhou 
VATICAN INSIDER

 

Much remains to be done, but Vatican-China relations may be improving 
CNA

 

Pope Francis to visit Sarajevo in June 
SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER

 

Papal telegram to new Italian president — The Pontiff prayed that the 73-year-old president would undertake “enlightened action in the promotion of the common good, in line with the authentic human and spiritual values of the Italian people” 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

NORTH AMERICA

Ignoring America’s true greatness
 — The United States was founded on exceptional principles, that we are ignoring at our peril 
 
WASHINGTON TIMES

 

Obama shows his true colors as he defends ISIS by citing Crusades 
JERUSALEM POST  ONE NEWS

"We are NOT at war with radical Islam"
 — Barack Obama  
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Obama administration actively hindering Christian refugees who find nearly every door in America closed to them
 ICH

 

Sunday night services canceled so church members can watch Super Bowl instead — (Good to know where people’s priorities lie) 
CHRISTIAN NEWS

 

Texas school forces children to remove underwear in intrusive search (Utterly shameful!) 
KSDK

 

Police State America: How a Christian family have had all their children seized 
CHRISTIAN NEWS

 

The New America: The Oregon-based Christian bakery that refused to bake cake for lesbian wedding, found guilty of discrimination and charged $150,000 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Pro-Palestinian students at Cal-Davis verbally abuse Jewish students 
FN

 

Police State California: California set to scrap exemption from vaccines based on religious beliefs 
BB

 

Woman and partner arrested for killing her estranged husband’s entire family — A Canadian couple have been charged with killing every member of the woman’s estranged husband’s immediate family 
DAILY MAIL

 

Breakaway South Carolina Episcopal diocese can keep $500 million church property, says judge  
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

The Catholic nun fighting Obamacare — A television network founded by a nun with a dream that has grown into an international Catholic media giant, is under attack because of Obamacare 
DAILY CALLER

 

Biden: "The past 6 years have been really, really hard for this country" — (I nominate Biden for this month’s "Stating the Bloomin’ Obvious Award!") 
BB

 

Mexican cartel kidnaps and beats newspaper director near Texas border 
BB

 

Church minister and family beaten to death in Houston 
NBC

 

The shame of "Bishop" Heather Cook 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Harvard bans professors from having relationships with undergrads 
FN

 

Rich in money, San Francisco is poor in faith and cannot afford to run its own parishes — But faith is alive in the city of St. Francis 
CWR

 

"Religious believers must speak in the public square" — Archbishop of Philadelphia 
CNH

 

"A great evil has descended on our world" — says Canadian Prime Minister 
CHRISTIAN TIMES

 

LATIN AMERICA

Arrest warrant for Argentine president found in dead prosecutor’s home
 
BOSTON GLOBE

 

Policeman shoots 16 year old in Chile 
DAILY MAIL

 

Mexico: The most dangerous place for Catholic priests 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

Syncretistic Catholics depriving evangelical Christians of their homes in Mexico 
CHL

 

World Council of Churches calls for protection of priests in Colombia 
ACNS

 

ISRAEL

US-Israeli relations never worse
 
WASHINGTON TIMES

 

Hirelings in Jerusalem’s Churches — Protestant church leaders send clergy to Jerusalem who work against the Jews and support the Muslims. Christians in Jerusalem must search in vain for Sunday services to worship the God of Israel. Hirelings have taken over and chased away the real shepherds along with the true believers 
ISRAEL TODAY

 

Palestinians firebomb IDF soldiers in Binyamin region 
JERUSALEM POST

 

Ya’alon to visit India in first visit by Israeli defense minister 
YNET

 

Knesset Speaker: "The Bible is our deed to this land" — (How I wish there were more who could recognize this truth) 
ISRAEL TODAY

 

Poll: Most Israelis interested in studying Bible 
— (In the years ahead I believe we may see increasing cooperation between some sections of the Church and the Jewish people. In particular I believe we may see Jews accepting Christ as the foretold Messiah of Judaism. Indeed, this "trend" has already begun)  
ISRAEL TODAY

 

RUSSIA

Putin could attack Baltic states
—
 warns former NATO chief
DAILY TELEGRAPH

 

"US won’t close eyes to Russian aggression in Ukraine" — John Kerry 
VOA

 

Vladimir Putin was diagnosed as having Asperger’s syndrome by expert working for Pentagon think tank, report reveals 
DAILY MAIL

 

"A Cultural Chernobyl" — As Moscow fire destroys library containing over one million books and documents, including 18th century manuscripts 
DAILY MAIL

 

Putin likely to discuss energy cooperation during Egypt visit 
JERUSALEM POST

 

Russian Orthodox Patriarch praises "balanced" Vatican stand on Ukraine 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

Is the Pope’s view of Ukraine blurred by "ecumenical correctness?" 
CRUX

 

RECOMMENDED ON ALETEIA

Superpowers Rise and Fall: Can You Guess Where America Is on the Arc?
 — Can we possibly avoid the fate of 11 superpowers before us?

 

UK Parliament Okays "Three-Parent Babies." Is US Next? — Opponents say the UK vote crossed an important moral line that might lead society to a “point of no return”

 

Some Regions of Nigeria Now Devoid of Christians — Bishop of Maiduguri requests emergency Western intervention

 

Does the West Need to Intervene in Nigeria’s Terrorism Issue? Bishops Say Yes — “We are dealing with a group that has lost all rationality and has an insatiable desire to kill people," an archbishop says

 

Why My Generation Loves Thomas Merton — As will generations to come

 

BRITAIN & IRELAND

Anti-Semitic attacks in UK have doubled:
 Hate crimes exceed 1,000 for first time after being fuelled by violence in the Middle East 
DAILY MAIL

 

Church of England opposes "three-parent babies" legislation — The Church of England has said it would be ‘irresponsible’ to introduce laws to allow ‘three parent babies’ in the UK, ahead of a parliamentary vote on the issue (How refreshing to see the CofE taking a clear stand on a moral issue) 
CHRISTIAN TODAY 

 

MP’s vote yes to "three-parent babies" — British MP’s have passed legislation making the UK the first country to allow a three-parent IVF technique 
CHRISTIAN TODAY  ALETEIA

 

Statement on Mitochondrial Donation following the vote in Parliament 
CCIEW

 

Half of UK adults visited a church last year — Nearly half of British adults have visited a church or a chapel in the last year, according to a new poll (But can the CofE do something about making such visits worthwhile?) 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

BBC is failing to take religion seriously, says Anglican bishop — (A bit like saying water is wet!) 
CATHOLIC HERALD

 

The world we have become: Woman faces jail for possessing extreme pornography and more than 600 indecent images of children when she was just 17 — (A government which cared for its citizens would make pornography illegal) 
DAILY MAIL

 

Police State Britain: UK judge rules mother of 6 with learning disability can be sterilized against her will — (Social workers have been given authority to enter the woman’s house, by force if necessary, and similarly to sterilize her by force, if required. Welcome to the new world!) 
CHL

 

School apologizes after pupils as young as seven have nightmares after seeing Michael Jackson’s 15-certificate "Thriller" video — (What you watch directly affects you, and the younger you are, the greater the effect) 
DAILY MAIL

 

"Disease of Islamic extremism will hang over my generation,"
— says David Cameron 
DAILY MAIL

 

Mom outraged after children were exposed to gay porn at a family restaurant 
LIFE SITE

 

The New Britain: "Stickers on your car which mention Jesus will invalidate your insurance" — Age UK Insurance 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Husband builds Britain’s smallest chapel in his back garden 
DAILY MAIL

 

Church of Scotland launches event to promote Gaelic language 
COS

 

EUROPE

France reveals photo of Islamist who stabbed three soldiers
 
DAILY MAIL

 

Lawyer asks Pope Francis for night-time relief from Linz Cathedral bells. Wolfgang List contacts the pope after bells in Austrian town keep his client awake — (This is not about noise, but about silencing the Church globally, a job almost done in some parts of the world) 
THE GUARDIAN

 

Nordic pagan worship being revived in Iceland 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

Religious instruction abolished in Luxembourg schools 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

Police State Sweden: Swedish city bans Jews from home schooling their children 
ICH

 

26 killed in Ukraine 
REUTERS

 

Ukraine crisis: Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande to fly to Russia 
DAILY TELEGRAPH

 

Churches being destroyed in Ukraine 
OCN

 

Why some Ukrainians feel that Pope Francis “has thrown their country under the bus” 
RCL

 

Chaldean patriarch decries divisions — In a message issued on the second anniversary of his patriarchal election, the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church lamented divisions and other problems within the Eastern Catholic church 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

Justice: Turkish style 
ZAMAN

 

AFRICA

Nigerian Bloodbath:
 Large numbers of innocent civilians have had to lay down their lives as a result of Nigeria’s incompetence in engaging Boko Haram 
VANGUARD 

 

Boko Haram slaughter over 100 in Cameroon 
REUTERS

 

Islamic extremism has diverted attention from South Sudan’s growing crisis 
RNS

 

Burundi: Priest says arrest of radio host seems a bid to silence the truth on murder of nuns 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

Priest says Egypt church attack was retribution by Muslim Brotherhood 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

More than 200 feared dead as boat sinks off Libyan coast 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

MIDDLE EAST

Will death of Saudi’s King Abdullah be trigger for attack on Israel
 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Two Americans working for defense contractor shot in Saudi Arabia — (Look out for the possible destabilization of Saudi Arabia in times ahead) 
DAILY MAIL 

 

Christian workers in Middle East say, "We know it will end in death; we will die as martyrs. It’s only a matter of when." 
ICH

 

20th 9/11 hijacker accuses Saudi of financing al Qaida 
i24 NEWS

 

Iran — unafraid and undeterred 
CAROLINE GLICK

 

Iran commissions cartoons denying Holocaust as retribution over Charlie Hebdo drawings 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

 

The plans ISIS men have for Iraqi children 
DAILY MAIL DM2

 

ISIS crucifying and burying children alive, says UN 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

Chaldean Patriarch says report that Iraqi priest’s beheading is unfounded  
FIDES

 

ISIS implementing "justice" towards homosexuals 
DAILY MAIL

ISIS sells belongings stolen from Christians and burns manuscripts 
THE TABLET CHRISTIAN TODAY

Jordan execute two ISIS men in wake of pilot burning 
DAILY STAR

They may be medieval barbarians but ISIS is playing a very sophisticated game (and they’re winning) 
DAILY MAIL

ISIS recommends marriage for girls at 9 years of age 
DAILY TELEGRPAH

 

ASIA & CHINA

Hundreds of Christian protesters detained by police in India 
— Demonstrators were pulled on to police buses as they tried to march from one of New Delhi’s largest cathedrals near parliament to the residence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh 
CHARISMA

 

Another New Delhi church is desecrated: The fifth church vandalized since December — Indian anti-Christian extremists have desecrated yet another Catholic church in New Delhi, prompting Catholics to appeal for a response from public officials 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

Q: What do you do if, when visiting a bath house in China, you forget your wallet? A: Leave your child as a deposit, of course! — Shocking story of how Chinaman leaves his granddaughter as a deposit, and how she is STILL at bath house a month later! 
DAILY MAIL

 

Chinese Bishop Shi Enxiang, Church leader imprisoned since 2001, dead at 94 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

FAMILY MATTERS

"He Redeemed My Life": Man who lived as woman now shares Christ with transgenders
 
CHRISTIAN NEWS

 

LGBT activists insist that Obama bans Christian therapy for teens struggling with gender identity and same-sex attraction 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Italian polls shows opinion swing against same-sex marriage 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

 

How children in the West are changing — Hooked on iPads and mobiles late into the night, they hardly sleep, here experts reveal the terrifying toll it takes 
DAILY MAIL

 

Republican congresswoman slams pro-life leaders as "abhorrent and childish" after backlash for stalling 20-week abortion ban 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

"The content is sadistic": Fifty Shades of Grey is banned in Malaysia as it’s dubbed "more pornography than a movie" — (For those who are willing, please sign the 
petition against this degrading movie) 
DAILY MAIL  CHRISTIAN POST

 

ADDITIONAL

A Prophetic Warning From the Holy Spirit 
— The winds of change are blowing, separating the wheat from the chaff 
CHARISMA

 

Warning: Stocks will collapse by 50% — (I have said the same, only that my prediction is that 
more than 50% of share values will be wiped out) 
MONEYNEWS

 

The Truth Files: A brief comparison between the teachings of Christianity and the "religion of peace" 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

How an atheist college professor encountered Christ 
TALK AMEN

 

How archaeology testifies to the authenticity of Scripture — (Holy Writ is the touchstone of Christian teaching, all the more reason therefore that we ought to carefully examine all that it has to say) 
BCN

 

A holographic Bible? — Microsoft technology offering new way to view the Bible 
CHRISTIAN POST

 

Christian genocide rises sharply as the world just watches 
WN

 

Say no to porn. Boycott 50 Shades of Grey, the movie: sign the petition 
LP

 

Swedish company implants microchips for staff to use photocopier and canteen 
DAILY MAIL BBC

 

Alice Cooper loves to hold Bible studies 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

 

The Vatican videos! 
DAILY MAIL