Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 20, 2025 /
06:00 am
Here’s a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:
Austria to ordain more priests in 2025 than in previous years
The Catholic Church in Austria is recording a positive trend in priestly ordinations for 2025, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.
At least 26 men have been ordained priests across Austrian dioceses, a Kathpress survey estimated, though the number could be much higher. Over the past decade, the average number of ordinations has been 22 per year.
Christians in Holy Land face ‘systematic displacement’ amid war, collapse
The Christian presence in the Holy Land, already a dwindling minority, is under unprecedented threat amid ongoing regional conflicts, reported ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner. With the Gaza war still raging and tensions between Israel and Iran escalating this month, Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, and Gaza are facing mounting hardship.
According to ACI MENA, Bethlehem’s economy has cratered, forcing dozens of hotels and shops to close, while in Gaza, the Christian population has halved since October 2023, with churches damaged and civilians killed while sheltering inside. Church leaders warn of a “silent, systematic displacement” as political instability and economic collapse push Christian families to emigrate. Sami El-Yousef of the Latin Patriarchate said remote operations have resumed post-crisis, but the humanitarian need has soared.
Bishop Thabet, defender of Iraq’s Christians, dies at 52
The passing of Chaldean Bishop Paul Thabet Habib Yousif Al Mekko of Alqosh, Iraq, has brought renewed focus to the suffering of Iraq’s Christian population, ACI MENA reported. A steadfast spiritual leader during ISIS’ occupation in 2014, Thabet returned to his hometown of Karamles after its liberation in 2017, where he discovered the desecrated statue of the Virgin Mary, later restored and blessed by Pope Francis in Erbil during his historic 2021 visit.
Thabet was deeply committed to helping displaced Christians return home, leading rebuilding efforts and blessing fields as symbols of resilience. His work featured in international exhibitions spotlighting Christian persecution. A scholar and writer on Chaldean liturgy, he was mourned as both a religious and national figure. “We lost a man of peace and coexistence,” said Nineveh Gov. Abdel Qader Dakheel, echoing the sentiments of many Christians across Iraq.
Ecumenical group in India discovers 2 Christians are attacked every day
The United Christian Forum (UCF), an ecumenical group that monitors incidents of religious persecutions, has found that more than two Christians per day are attacked in the country, according to a UCA News report.
UCF recorded 313 incidents from January to May. “If this trend is not stopped immediately, it will threaten the identity and existence of the Indian Christian community in its motherland,” UCF’s national convenor A.C. Michael told UCA. The organization recorded a total of 834 incidents throughout last year.
Kenyan archdiocese launches rosary marathon for respect for human life
The Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya, has initiated a three-day “marathon of rosaries,” interceding for respect of human life in the East African nation after protests earlier in the week culminated in violent clashes with Kenyan police.
“We are calling on all Catholics in our Archdiocese of Nairobi and beyond to pray the rosary, a marathon of rosaries for the next three days for the respect of human life and dignity,” Archbishop Philip Subira Anyolo said in a statement on June 18. The protests erupted after the murder of a teacher and blogger, Albert Ojwang, in police custody, reported ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa.
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Corpus Christi processions unite East and West
Catholic churches across the Middle East and beyond are celebrating Corpus Christi — also known as the feast of the Body of Christ — with processions that reflect both Eastern and Latin traditions, ACI MENA reported.
Syriac Catholic priest Father Boulos Affas explained to ACI MENA that, although street processions are rare in urban Iraq, rural Christian villages still observe the tradition with solemn rituals, crosses, incense, rose petals, and hymns accompanying the Blessed Sacrament.
The Chaldean Church has also added a distinctive nine-day novena honoring the Eucharist, featuring penitential prayers and adoration rites. Father Antoine Zeitouni of Qaraqosh told ACI MENA this tradition symbolizes the deep reverence for the Eucharist in Eastern liturgy.
Madalaine Elhabbal is a staff reporter for Catholic News Agency based at EWTN’s Washington, D.C., bureau.
