German diocese allows use of ‘gender star’ symbol in messaging for certain ministries
The liturgical procession outside the Freiburg Cathedral on Nov. 17, 2024, where Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, presided over the beatification Mass Father Max Josef Metzger. Metzger was a Catholic priest executed by the Nazi regime in 1944 for his peace activism and ecumenical work. / Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Freiburg (Germany) Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 5, 2025 / 11:15 am (CNA).
German diocese allows use of ‘gender star’ symbol in messaging for certain ministries
The Catholic Archdiocese of Freiburg has announced that it will allow use of the “gender star” in certain ministry contexts such as youth programs, as well as university outreach and adult programs focused on gender identity, CNA Deutsch reported on Wednesday.
The archdiocese has framed its decision to allow use of the symbol in these instances as “differentiated target group communication.”
Use of the symbol—an asterisk placed in a German word ahead of masculine or feminine endings as a way to symbolize the inclusion of individuals who identify as “nonbinary”—is still prohibited from most official documents.
Lebanon’s Zahle Marks 200th Anniversary of Eucharistic Miracle
The Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol is preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a revered Eucharistic miracle credited with saving the city from destruction, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic language news partner, reported this week.
Archbishop Ibrahim Mikhael Ibrahim chaired a press conference, organized by Father Charbel Ouba, to announce the preparations.
The festivities, dubbed the “Feast of Feasts,” promise significant ecclesiastical participation, including the Synod of Bishops of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church, and are expected to draw high-level officials and faithful from across the region.
Violent attack mars Akitu New Year celebrations in Iraq
A distressing knife attack interrupted the Akitu New Year procession in Dohuk, Iraq, injuring a young man and an elderly woman, ACI MENA reported on Tuesday.
Ninos Odisho of the Assyrian Democratic Movement reported the assailant’s arrest after he disrupted the event by invoking the Islamic State, prompting immediate intervention by the procession’s youth organizers.
The Akitu festival, a historic celebration for Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Syriacs, annually attracts tens of thousands to celebrate one of humanity’s oldest recorded holidays.
Cameroon bishops urge authorities to provide ‘electoral security’ for October polls
The National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) is urging Cameroonian government authorities to address any electoral insecurities in the Central African nation prior to its elections in October, ACI Africa reports.
In the pastoral letter, the Cameroonian bishops expressed concern over numerous pockets of resistance from armed militias that they say could jeopardize the climate of peace needed to carry out elections smoothly.
“Every human life is sacred and must be protected. It is everyone’s duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved before, during, and after the upcoming elections,” the bishops stated, adding: “We call on the competent authorities of the Republic to use their powers to prevent electoral insecurity and ensure a favourable environment, free from fear and intimidation.”
Two churches in the Philippines granted ‘spiritual bond of affinity’ with Italian basilicas
The Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Augustine in Baliwag Bulacan has been granted the “spiritual bond of affinity” with the Baslica di San Pietro in Ciel D’Oro, the burial place of St. Augustine.
The special bond was granted in light of “the centuries old veneration of the saint and the strong devotion and piety of the faithful in Baliwag,” according to a local news report.
The Diocesan Shrine and Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Malabon City has also been granted a spiritual affinity with the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, as announced by Cardinal Pablo Virgillio David late last month.
Caritas Zambia fights for justice in child sex abuse cases in South African nation
The Zambian arm of the Catholic aid organization Caritas International is urging the Zambian government to establish fast track courts specifically designated to expedite the trial of child sex abuse cases, which are reportedly on the rise in the South African nation.
Caritas Zambia Executive Director Father Gabriel Mapuanga issued the call to action in a March 26 statement, in which he emphasized that the time to act is now in order to “collectively work to create an environment that ensures every child’s right to grow and thrive safely, protected by the dull force of our laws and moral duty.”
He further called for the courts to enforce strict penalties, such as life imprisonment with hard labor for perpetrators of child sex abuse with no option of bail or bond.
Bishops in Rwanda, Burundi appeal for normalcy amid rising tension in DR Congo
Catholic bishops in Rwanda and Burundi are calling for the border between the two countries to be reopened, despite fears that intense fighting in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could spill over into their respective territories, ACI Africa reports.
The crisis between Rwanda and Burundi is linked to the crisis in eastern DRC, where large parts of the provinces of North and South Kivu have fallen under the control of the Rwandan-backed M23 guerrilla movement. Burundi closed its border in January.
The bishops issued a plea to their governments after their plenary assembly at the start of this month to restore normalcy between the two countries, saying in a statement that “the closure of borders hinders economic growth, social cohesion, and cultural exchange.”
