Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,\u201d Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.<\/a><\/p>\n Gilbert\u2019s statement came after Sim\u2019s participation in an elicit ordination, which the bishop described as \u201ca clear break with the Church.\u201d <\/p>\n Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation \u201chave removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.\u201d<\/p>\n A community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversi\u00f3n in Avila, Spain, is \u201cwaiting for a grace that will allow us to return home\u201d after being evacuated amid wildfires.<\/p>\n The sisters said in a statement on Monday<\/a> that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,\u201d the sisters said. \u201cWe especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.\u201d<\/p>\n Father Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, gemeld<\/a> July 28. <\/p>\n Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. <\/p>\n The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.<\/p>\n The bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church\u2019s theological teachings about human biology amid rising \u201ctides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,\u201d the bishops said in the document published on Sunday<\/a> titled \u201cPastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.\u201d <\/p>\n The bishops further called on the faithful to \u201cresist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.\u201d<\/p>\n Another security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA gemeld<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.<\/p>\n The presidency of the Bishops\u2019 Conference of France is calling on Catholics to \u201ctake a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place\u201d in the aftermath of recent wildfires.<\/p>\n \u201cWe encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,\u201d the conference\u02bcs leadership said in a statement<\/a> signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Beno\u00eet Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. <\/p>\n \u201cWe know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,\u201d the bishops said. \u201cThat is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.\u201d<\/p>\n Nearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.<\/p>\n Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA gemeld<\/a>. <\/p>\n Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.<\/p>\n Bishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29,<\/a> uniting the two dioceses \u201cin persona Episcopi.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,\u201d Nash said in a statement<\/a> following the announcement. <\/p>\n \u201cThe challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,\u201d he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. <\/p>\n Lebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.<\/p>\n During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA gemeld<\/a>. <\/p>\n The patriarch also highlighted Lebanon\u02bcs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the region\u02bcs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.<\/p>\n Bishop Elias Zaidan expressed his \u201csolidarity and fraternal unity\u201d with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cOn behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops\u2019 Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,\u201d Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB\u2019s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in In een brief<\/a> on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.<\/p>\n \u201cBe assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country\u2019s Transitional Constitution framework.\u201d<\/p>\nAugustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in Spain<\/h2>\n
Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstill<\/h2>\n
Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identity<\/h2>\n
Christians in Syria call for lasting security<\/h2>\n
French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfires<\/h2>\n
Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab Emirates<\/h2>\n
2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishop<\/h2>\n
Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visit<\/h2>\n
Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South Sudan<\/h2>\n