Notre-Dame, and many churches in France, are owned by the state and merely used by the church. That gave the French government, and President Macron, a big voice in the restoration project.
Dispatches
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Quebec was once a Catholic stronghold. Now it’s a haven for New Age spirituality.
Quebec has played host to a number of cults and alternative religions over the years, from the Ant Hill Kids, the cruelly abused followers of Roch Thériault to the U.F.O. believers of the Raelian Church.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Europe wants to deport Syrian refugees. Is their homeland ready for them?
Many Syrians would return voluntarily to their homeland, Father Benedict Kiely believes, “but it’s a question of what they are returning to.”
Posted inDispatches, Faith
Jesuit priest to bike across the U.S. to fundraise for Catholic schools in Belize
Next summer, Matt Ruhl, S.J., will ride across America by bicycle to raise awareness—and money—for Catholic schools in Belize.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Mozambique struggles to manage post-election unrest and a deadly insurgency
After another disputed election, street protests wrack Mozambique. while a northern province, Cabo Delgado, endures a deadly Islamist insurrection.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Border enforcement policies are effective—at driving up migrant deaths
Enforcement tactics do not in the end deter asylum seekers, who are typically fleeing life-threatening circumstances, but stricter enforcement does push border crossers to more dangerous paths.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Understanding the Latino vote: from George Bush to Donald Trump
Many have questioned how so many Latinos could support a candidate like DonaldTrump, who promised restrictive immigration policies. “And the answer is that, of course, Latinos are complicated people.”
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Donald Trump’s election has brought new fear to immigrant communities
“These are clear signs that the president-elect intends to carry out some of the worst campaign promises, including mass deportation,” Dylan Corbett, the executive director of Hope Border Institute, told America.
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
Trump courted white Catholics—and they helped him win the White House again
Donald J. Trump’s decisive Electoral College win was achieved in part by a strong show of support from white Catholic voters, a demographic group that his campaign specifically targeted.