Many Syrians would return voluntarily to their homeland, Father Benedict Kiely believes, “but it’s a question of what they are returning to.”
Bridget Ryder
Bridget Ryder is a freelance writer based in Spain.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Italy broadened its ban on surrogacy. Will other European states do the same?
Pope Francis has condemned surrogacy as a form of “false compassion.” Now, in Italy, engaging in surrogacy in another country, even where it may be legal, will be a criminal offense for Italian citizens.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
The E.U. migration crisis’s latest challenge: the plight of unaccompanied children
On Spain’s Canary Islands, arrivals of unaccompanied migrants are on track to reach a historic high this year, and caring for the migrant youth has become politically contentious.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
‘We want them to go’: Spain is pushing Benedictine monks to leave Franco’s tomb, Spanish Civil War memorial
Spanish media reports that the ministry of culture is drafting a law that will expel monks. But that task will not be easy. The 21 monks do not wish to leave their monastery.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
The anti-immigrant tide is rising ahead of EU elections, pushing voters to the right
Voting in the E.U. parliamentary elections, which begins on June 6, is expected to result in a strong swing to the political right, as parties running on anti-immigration platforms have surged across Europe in recent years.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Abortion access is expanding in Europe. Is the end of Roe v. Wade the cause?
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June 2022, overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in 1973, has provoked supporters of abortion access in Europe to press for liberalization of abortion laws across the continent.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Pro-life groups gear up to counter historic French vote on abortion
After France became the first country in the world to enshrine abortion as a “guaranteed freedom” into its constitution, pro-life leaders say they are mobilizing to counteract the unprecedented move.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
The Catholic Church in Hungary is deeply politicized—and shrinking
Even as Prime Minister Victor Orban positions his government as one of the last defenders of Christian culture in Europe, religious affiliation in Hungary has dropped to a record low.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
A Monastic Christmas Fair: How laypeople in Spain are marketing monasteries to the modern world
The Christmas fair in Madrid was the work of Fundación Contemplare, a nonprofit set up to help Spain’s monasteries continue a legacy of gourmet baked goods and handmade candies but also, more importantly, to support contemplative life and reconnect monasteries with the world around them.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Pope Francis has called on Europe to change its migration policies—will it?
On his visit to Marseille last week, Pope Francis decried the “fanaticism of indifference” on the plight of migrants who risk their lives—and all too often lose them—in the attempt to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea.