Thai bishops express Cambodia concern

THE President of the Thai Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana, has expressed concern over the Thai and Cambodian border conflict, which has resulted in at least 33 people dead, Vatican News reports. On Thursday of last week, violence erupted over the 800 km frontier between the two countries, and has been ongoing since. Archbishop Arpondratana said that he “strongly supports dialogue, negotiation, and international mediation as pathways to lasting peace”.

Polish archbishop seeks unfrocking of murder-charge priest

THE Archbishop of Warsaw, the Rt Revd Adrian Galbas, has asked the Vatican to unfrock a priest who has been charged with murder, AP reports. On Saturday, Miroslaw M — who can be referred to only in this form owing to Polish privacy laws — was charged with the killing of a 68-year-old homeless man, who had been beaten with an axe and allegedly set on fire while still alive. Prosecutors said that the attack took place in Lasopole, in east-central Poland, after an argument over a flat and whether the victim would be relocated under a donation agreement.

Bishops Rowe and Singh reach agreement

THE Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, Dr Sean Rowe, and the family of the former Bishop of Rochester, in western New York, the Rt Revd Prince Singh, have reached a “resolution” about the church’s handling of their allegations of domestic abuse and alcoholism against Bishop Singh. They published a statement last Friday stating that their terms of agreement were “confidential”. Dr Rowe suspended Bishop Singh last December for three years (News, 20 December 2024).

US faith leaders praise Bill to resolve immigration issues

RELIGIOUS leaders across the United States say that a bipartisan Bill recently introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives may resolve immigration issues that have disrupted services to communities for more than two years, Crux reports. In March 2023, the Biden administration changed the way in which the government processed green cards. The shift created significant backlogs, which have prevented thousands of pastors, nuns, imams, cantors, and others seeking to remain in the US and continue their work. The new Bill would authorise the Department of Homeland Security to extend visas for religious workers while their green-card application is pending.