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Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than 9 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.
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Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

unitedyam

City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya

In the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.

Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.

Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decades

In northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.

Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.

Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic church

An investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.

A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.

Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.

American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India 

Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. 

After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. 

Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospital

South African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. 

“This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. 

Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan 

Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. 

“The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”

German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases 

The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. 

“We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.

According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

Read More
Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than 9 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.
Read More

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

unitedyam

City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya

In the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.

Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.

Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decades

In northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.

Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.

Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic church

An investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.

A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.

Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.

American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India 

Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. 

After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. 

Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospital

South African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. 

“This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. 

Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan 

Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. 

“The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”

German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases 

The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. 

“We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.

According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

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New Catholic app hopes to ‘relight the hope of Catholic dating’ #Catholic Daniël Hussem and Emily Wilson-Hussem are the creators of the new Catholic dating app, SacredSpark. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Daniël Hussem and Emily Wilson-Hussem CNA Staff, Oct 9, 2025 / 07:10 am (CNA). When Emily Wilson-Hussem began sharing “matchmaking” posts on Instagram, inviting Catholic singles to share their names and locations to connect with others, she wasn’t expecting that her lighthearted experiment would lead to 12 marriages, 20 engagements, hundreds of dating couples, and even a baby.The Catholic speaker and digital content creator realized that young Catholics are in search of holy marriages but need help finding one another. This led her and her husband, Daniël Hussem, to create a new Catholic dating app — SacredSpark.The new matchmaking app blends technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships.“Over these years I have seen the difficulty singles [have] to connect with one another, especially of the same age, and a lot of the young single Catholics I met were having a really hard time, and so I felt like a nudge from the Lord,” Wilson-Hussem told CNA.After seeing the immense response from young people on her matchmaking posts, yet realizing the downfalls of trying to help connect people on Instagram, the Hussems decided to create an app that was intentional and focused on the fact that each user was made in the image and likeness of God.SacredSpark is a Catholic dating and matchmaking app that is blending technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships. Credit: SacredSparkOne of the main features of SacredSpark is its commitment to more meaningful connections between people. To foster that, all profile pictures are blurred. Photos become unblurred once both individuals match with one another. So instead of simply swiping through images of a person, users can record audio messages introducing themselves and other users can listen and determine if they believe there could be a connection.Hussem explained that this feature was created “because we want to start meaningful connections beyond just the appearance.”The couple also pointed out that unlike other dating apps that allow users to place filters on things like physical traits, including eye color, hair color, or even height, SacredSpark does not allow for any filters to be placed on physical qualities.“For us, we want it to be extremely intentional about the person as a whole, not just their physical appearance,” Hussem shared. “If you’re looking at the general scope of a sacramental marriage, are those things — someone’s color of their eyes or the color of their hair or their height — I think those are more superficial things that people can get sidetracked by versus just these intentional things.”“Our focus is on the image and likeness of God in each person you will connect with on the app. That’s a huge part of the core of what we’re doing,” Wilson-Hussem added.The app also includes a matchmaking feature, which allows the user to invite a friend or family member to act as a matchmaker on their behalf on the app. Wilson-Hussem explained that this feature was added into the app because of the great success matchmakers had on her Instagram posts. “A huge part of the success was a girl saying, ‘I have a brother, Jeff. He’s 31 and he lives in Wisconsin. If there are any great gals out there, I would love to connect you,’” she shared. “I would say at least half of the marriages have been from one person who put one person out there and was linking two other people and we thought, ‘Wow. A, that’s amazing because a lot of people know single Catholics, they have fun with it, but B, our singles need support. They need to feel like people are in their corner.’”She added: “You can hire a matchmaker for thousands of dollars — a person who has to get to know you, a person who has to look at who you are on paper. The people who have known you your whole life know you best. They know what you’re looking for. So, why don’t we find a way to activate those people and support our singles?”SacredSpark will be launched and open to the public in mid-October, but interested singles can already sign up to join the waitlist. The Hussems said they hope the new app will “relight the hope of Catholic dating.”“The overall mission is actually to help build up the Church one relationship at a time,” Daniël Hussem said.“I think a big part of the cultural breakdown is the breakdown of the family, and we want SacredSpark to really be a place, down the road, where we can connect people who will build up the Church because they’ve entered into a sacramental marriage and will build up the family,” Wilson-Hussem added. “The restoration of the family is going to be a huge part of the next many years and we think SacredSpark, hopefully, will play a part in that.”
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New Catholic app hopes to ‘relight the hope of Catholic dating’ #Catholic Daniël Hussem and Emily Wilson-Hussem are the creators of the new Catholic dating app, SacredSpark. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Daniël Hussem and Emily Wilson-Hussem CNA Staff, Oct 9, 2025 / 07:10 am (CNA). When Emily Wilson-Hussem began sharing “matchmaking” posts on Instagram, inviting Catholic singles to share their names and locations to connect with others, she wasn’t expecting that her lighthearted experiment would lead to 12 marriages, 20 engagements, hundreds of dating couples, and even a baby.The Catholic speaker and digital content creator realized that young Catholics are in search of holy marriages but need help finding one another. This led her and her husband, Daniël Hussem, to create a new Catholic dating app — SacredSpark.The new matchmaking app blends technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships.“Over these years I have seen the difficulty singles [have] to connect with one another, especially of the same age, and a lot of the young single Catholics I met were having a really hard time, and so I felt like a nudge from the Lord,” Wilson-Hussem told CNA.After seeing the immense response from young people on her matchmaking posts, yet realizing the downfalls of trying to help connect people on Instagram, the Hussems decided to create an app that was intentional and focused on the fact that each user was made in the image and likeness of God.SacredSpark is a Catholic dating and matchmaking app that is blending technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships. Credit: SacredSparkOne of the main features of SacredSpark is its commitment to more meaningful connections between people. To foster that, all profile pictures are blurred. Photos become unblurred once both individuals match with one another. So instead of simply swiping through images of a person, users can record audio messages introducing themselves and other users can listen and determine if they believe there could be a connection.Hussem explained that this feature was created “because we want to start meaningful connections beyond just the appearance.”The couple also pointed out that unlike other dating apps that allow users to place filters on things like physical traits, including eye color, hair color, or even height, SacredSpark does not allow for any filters to be placed on physical qualities.“For us, we want it to be extremely intentional about the person as a whole, not just their physical appearance,” Hussem shared. “If you’re looking at the general scope of a sacramental marriage, are those things — someone’s color of their eyes or the color of their hair or their height — I think those are more superficial things that people can get sidetracked by versus just these intentional things.”“Our focus is on the image and likeness of God in each person you will connect with on the app. That’s a huge part of the core of what we’re doing,” Wilson-Hussem added.The app also includes a matchmaking feature, which allows the user to invite a friend or family member to act as a matchmaker on their behalf on the app. Wilson-Hussem explained that this feature was added into the app because of the great success matchmakers had on her Instagram posts. “A huge part of the success was a girl saying, ‘I have a brother, Jeff. He’s 31 and he lives in Wisconsin. If there are any great gals out there, I would love to connect you,’” she shared. “I would say at least half of the marriages have been from one person who put one person out there and was linking two other people and we thought, ‘Wow. A, that’s amazing because a lot of people know single Catholics, they have fun with it, but B, our singles need support. They need to feel like people are in their corner.’”She added: “You can hire a matchmaker for thousands of dollars — a person who has to get to know you, a person who has to look at who you are on paper. The people who have known you your whole life know you best. They know what you’re looking for. So, why don’t we find a way to activate those people and support our singles?”SacredSpark will be launched and open to the public in mid-October, but interested singles can already sign up to join the waitlist. The Hussems said they hope the new app will “relight the hope of Catholic dating.”“The overall mission is actually to help build up the Church one relationship at a time,” Daniël Hussem said.“I think a big part of the cultural breakdown is the breakdown of the family, and we want SacredSpark to really be a place, down the road, where we can connect people who will build up the Church because they’ve entered into a sacramental marriage and will build up the family,” Wilson-Hussem added. “The restoration of the family is going to be a huge part of the next many years and we think SacredSpark, hopefully, will play a part in that.”

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Daniël Hussem and Emily Wilson-Hussem are the creators of the new Catholic dating app, SacredSpark. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Daniël Hussem and Emily Wilson-Hussem

CNA Staff, Oct 9, 2025 / 07:10 am (CNA).

When Emily Wilson-Hussem began sharing “matchmaking” posts on Instagram, inviting Catholic singles to share their names and locations to connect with others, she wasn’t expecting that her lighthearted experiment would lead to 12 marriages, 20 engagements, hundreds of dating couples, and even a baby.

The Catholic speaker and digital content creator realized that young Catholics are in search of holy marriages but need help finding one another. This led her and her husband, Daniël Hussem, to create a new Catholic dating app — SacredSpark.

The new matchmaking app blends technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships.

“Over these years I have seen the difficulty singles [have] to connect with one another, especially of the same age, and a lot of the young single Catholics I met were having a really hard time, and so I felt like a nudge from the Lord,” Wilson-Hussem told CNA.

After seeing the immense response from young people on her matchmaking posts, yet realizing the downfalls of trying to help connect people on Instagram, the Hussems decided to create an app that was intentional and focused on the fact that each user was made in the image and likeness of God.

SacredSpark is a Catholic dating and matchmaking app that is blending technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships. Credit: SacredSpark
SacredSpark is a Catholic dating and matchmaking app that is blending technology and tradition to foster meaningful online connections with the goal of creating lasting offline relationships. Credit: SacredSpark

One of the main features of SacredSpark is its commitment to more meaningful connections between people. To foster that, all profile pictures are blurred. Photos become unblurred once both individuals match with one another. So instead of simply swiping through images of a person, users can record audio messages introducing themselves and other users can listen and determine if they believe there could be a connection.

Hussem explained that this feature was created “because we want to start meaningful connections beyond just the appearance.”

The couple also pointed out that unlike other dating apps that allow users to place filters on things like physical traits, including eye color, hair color, or even height, SacredSpark does not allow for any filters to be placed on physical qualities.

“For us, we want it to be extremely intentional about the person as a whole, not just their physical appearance,” Hussem shared. “If you’re looking at the general scope of a sacramental marriage, are those things — someone’s color of their eyes or the color of their hair or their height — I think those are more superficial things that people can get sidetracked by versus just these intentional things.”

“Our focus is on the image and likeness of God in each person you will connect with on the app. That’s a huge part of the core of what we’re doing,” Wilson-Hussem added.

The app also includes a matchmaking feature, which allows the user to invite a friend or family member to act as a matchmaker on their behalf on the app. Wilson-Hussem explained that this feature was added into the app because of the great success matchmakers had on her Instagram posts. 

“A huge part of the success was a girl saying, ‘I have a brother, Jeff. He’s 31 and he lives in Wisconsin. If there are any great gals out there, I would love to connect you,’” she shared. “I would say at least half of the marriages have been from one person who put one person out there and was linking two other people and we thought, ‘Wow. A, that’s amazing because a lot of people know single Catholics, they have fun with it, but B, our singles need support. They need to feel like people are in their corner.’”

She added: “You can hire a matchmaker for thousands of dollars — a person who has to get to know you, a person who has to look at who you are on paper. The people who have known you your whole life know you best. They know what you’re looking for. So, why don’t we find a way to activate those people and support our singles?”

SacredSpark will be launched and open to the public in mid-October, but interested singles can already sign up to join the waitlist. 

The Hussems said they hope the new app will “relight the hope of Catholic dating.”

“The overall mission is actually to help build up the Church one relationship at a time,” Daniël Hussem said.

“I think a big part of the cultural breakdown is the breakdown of the family, and we want SacredSpark to really be a place, down the road, where we can connect people who will build up the Church because they’ve entered into a sacramental marriage and will build up the family,” Wilson-Hussem added. “The restoration of the family is going to be a huge part of the next many years and we think SacredSpark, hopefully, will play a part in that.”

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Monumental censer at Christendom College chapel represents ‘grandeur of Christ the King’
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Monumental censer at Christendom College chapel represents ‘grandeur of Christ the King’

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“Now people need not go as far away as Spain to see this beautiful thing,” said Christendom College President Emeritus Timothy O’Donnell of the school chapel’s monumental thurible. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Christendom College

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Sep 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A tradition dating from the 11th century has been brought to Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia, extending an enduring symbol of faith and pilgrimage. A jumbo-sized thurible, commissioned by the college and made in Spain, now embellishes the college’s Christ the King chapel.

The connections between Christendom College and the Catholic culture of Spain date back to even before the college’s founding in 1977. Its first president and co-founder, Warren Carroll, took students to Spain on several visits to learn Spain’s history and experience life at El Escorial monastery near Madrid.

Among other works, Carroll, a historian, authored “Isabel of Spain: The Catholic Queen” and “The Last Crusade: Spain 1936” with an interest in defending Catholic faith and culture, said Timothy O’Donnell, the college’s president emeritus, in an interview with CNA.

Drone shot of Christendom College’s Christ the King Chapel in Front Royal, Virginia. Credit: Photo courtesy of Christendom College
Drone shot of Christendom College’s Christ the King Chapel in Front Royal, Virginia. Credit: Photo courtesy of Christendom College

Believed to be one of the largest thuribles or censers in the world, the famed Botafumeiro is a giant thurible used at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in northern Spain, which has been a pilgrimage destination for centuries, rivaled only by Rome and Jerusalem.

According to tradition, it is the burial place of St. James the Greater, who evangelized the Iberian Peninsula. In a centuries-old tradition, the massive censer, which weighs hundreds of pounds, is swung from ropes when pulled by a team of eight men at the transept of the historic church on feast days. It weighs more than 176 pounds and is over 6 feet tall.

O’Donnell recalled that St. John Paul II said in a homily in 1982, as the first pilgrim pope to Santiago: “This place, so dear to Galicians and Spaniards alike, has in the past been a point of attraction and convergence for Europe and all of Christendom.”

According to O’Donnell: “I was so moved by that because that is the name of our college. So, on certain anniversaries, we would take pilgrimages to Santiago.”

Seeing the giant thurible there ultimately gave him the idea to reproduce such a symbol of faith. “I thought it would be awesome to have something like this in the new chapel.” He turned to Heritage Liturgical, which designed and realized the project.

Seeing the giant thurible at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela gave Timothy O'Donnell, speaking here at the chapel, the idea to reproduce such a symbol of faith in the college's chapel. Credit: Photo courtesy of Christendom College
Seeing the giant thurible at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela gave Timothy O’Donnell, speaking here at the chapel, the idea to reproduce such a symbol of faith in the college’s chapel. Credit: Photo courtesy of Christendom College

“Now people need not go as far away as Spain to see this beautiful thing and incense going up to heaven like the prayers of the faithful and angels going to God on high,” he said. In a tradition dating back to the Old Testament, costly incense was a sacrifice; after the coming of Christ, it joins our prayers with his perfect prayer and sacrifice.

Instead of producing an exact reproduction of the Botafumeiro in Spain, Heritage Liturgical executed a censer that echoes the design of the chapel. Enzo Selvaggi, principal and creative director of Heritage Liturgical, told CNA that Christendom’s monumental thurible was “designed in a cogent and well-defined Gothic Revival mode to fit the architecture of the college’s Chapel of Christ the King.”

Emilio León, a silversmith of Córdoba, Spain, was selected for the project and helped restore the original Botafumeiro. Starting in 2021, León sculpted and chiseled for a year and a half to complete the work, which is silver-plated brass.

In an email to CNA, León wrote: “I incorporated my spiritual and religious values, just as I do in all my work, giving my best effort, knowing that it is for the glory of God.” León belongs to a royal fraternity that preserves Catholic traditions such as Holy Week processions and the dignity of sacred spaces.

León is also working on other projects for Heritage Liturgical to be installed in the U.S. For Catholics in Spain, he continued, the Botafumeiro represents “the grandeur of Christ the King and the apostle James.”

On feast days of the Church, Christendom's thurible is brought near the central altar where it is hoisted on chains and swung by senior students. Credit: Courtesy of Christendom College
On feast days of the Church, Christendom’s thurible is brought near the central altar where it is hoisted on chains and swung by senior students. Credit: Courtesy of Christendom College

Christendom’s thurible is normally displayed near the image of the Virgin Mary in the chapel. On feast days of the Church, it is brought near the central altar where it is hoisted on chains and swung by senior students, much in the tradition of Spain. The next feast day for swinging the grand censer will be the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, on Nov. 23.

Selvaggi told CNA that in works produced by Heritage Liturgical, the Catholic principle of sacramentality applies at their conception so that designers and artists use matter, as do theologians, to “make a spiritual reality encounterable in the world.”

Both Selvaggi and León are working on other projects destined for the U.S., including helping to restore churches in Nebraska and Georgia, and designing mosaics for churches in Wisconsin. The message from the company affirmed that the new thurible at Christendom College is “captivating not only because of its size and beauty, but more importantly, because it reveals something that already exists: the love of God that causes us to send our prayers rising up to God.”

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