International News

WASHINGTON -- The Getty Fire that began whipping through mountain communities west of Los Angeles during the early hours of Oct. 28 caused the closure of several local Catholic schools, the evacuation of students and staff at Mount St. Mary's University and a call for the retired sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet to shelter in place.

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Former Vice President Joe Biden attended the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony Church Oct. 27 and when he presented himself to receive the Eucharist was refused by the pastor.

HONG KONG -- As demonstrations pitting pro-government groups against pro-democracy protesters continue, a bishop urged Catholics to pray for the realization that all are humans and not "cockroaches or dogs."

UNITED NATIONS -- Expressing concern that arms control treaties are "abrogated and flouted," the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations called on global leaders to work to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

Christianity is disappearing from towns and cities in parts of the Middle East, warns a new report from the papal foundation Aid to the Church in Need.

For Christians in Syria and Iraq, Turkey’s invasion into Syria could be the tipping point to drive them out and hasten the end of Middle-East Christianity, fears Chaldean Catholic Bishop of Canada Bawai Soro.

WASHINGTON -- In light of continued attacks on houses of worship and holy sites around the world, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom held an Oct. 23 hearing at the Capitol to learn ways to deter such attacks.

AGBAKOPE, Ghana -- A Ghanaian government official used a Catholic girls' school celebration to emphasize the need to educate girls as well as boys.

HONG KONG -- A controversial extradition bill that sparked months of protest has been formally withdrawn by Hong Kong's government, reported ucanews.org.

MEXICO CITY -- Bolivia's bishops have called on electoral officials to "make transparent" the vote-counting process as protesters rioted in the South American country, alleging fraud in the presidential election.