Charles Esther
A petition to Pope Leo XIV calling for the removal of German Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki has gained over 60,000 signatures.
The petition, launched by a Munich priest, demands the dismissal of the archbishop of Cologne due to allegations of moral corruption and failure to address sexual abuse within the Church.
The petition notes that investigations into Woelki were halted after a fine of 26,000 euros (about $29,700) was paid, and it argues this failure to act constitutes grounds for dismissal under canon law.
In Uganda, two attempted suicide bombers were killed outside the Martyrs’ Day memorial event, according to local authorities.
Bishop Christopher Kakooza of the Lugazi Diocese encouraged pilgrims to continue the legacy of the Ugandan martyrs during the celebrations.
A counterterrorism unit intercepted and neutralized a man and a female suicide bomber riding a motorbike toward the event after an explosive detonated midway to the church.
In Kenya, Bishop Dominic Kimengich of Eldoret Diocese called for peace among warring communities following the murder of Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett.
The priest was fatally shot while returning from Mass on May 22 in the bandit-plagued Kerio Valley.
During the requiem Mass, the bishop urged the factions to end decades of violence and division and seek dialogue and reconciliation.
Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss the challenges facing Christians in the Middle East.
Patriarch Younan highlighted concerns about emigration, the loss of young people, and the need for continued spiritual and humanitarian aid.
He also called for deeper ecumenical cooperation, especially with the Syriac Orthodox Church, and praised efforts in pastoral care for Eastern and diaspora communities.
The Antonine Hermizdian Chaldean Order in Mosul appealed to Iraqi authorities to return more than 1,400 dunams (346 acres) of land seized during Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Despite government initiatives to allocate part of the land for housing Christian returnees, the monastic order claims the land was unjustly confiscated and its original ownership ignored.
Led by Abbot Samer Sourisho, the order has expressed willingness to donate land plots to Christian families if full ownership is restored.
The order criticized local authorities for allocating land they do not own and called for recognition of rightful ownership to support the return of displaced Christians.
In Vietnam, over 10,000 Catholics from the Da Nang Diocese participated in a jubilee pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Tra Kieu on May 31.
Archbishop Joseph Dang Duc presided over the Mass, which was concelebrated by hundreds of priests.
The archbishop described the pilgrimage as an event of love, faith, commitment, and service — an opportunity to affirm faith amid contemporary challenges.
This week’s Catholic news highlights ongoing challenges and resilience within the global Church community.
