Vatican continues work on reducing carbon footprint
THE installation of heat pumps, LED lighting, and better ventilation systems is part of plans to reduce the environmental impact of St Peter’s Basilica and other Vatican buildings, a committee reported on Monday. The Vatican office responsible for the upkeep of the basilica, Fabbrica di San Pietro, launched the project in 2022. The president of the group, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who also has a degree in mechanical engineering, said that the aim was to make St Peter’s a “zero-impact home” for the millions of pilgrims and tourists who visit each year.
Minnesota Bishop calls for calm after politician murdered
THE Bishop of Minnesota, the Rt Revd Craig Loya, has called for violence to be met with peaceful resistance, following the murder of a Democratic party representative in the Minnesota state legislature, Melissa Hortman. Ms Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot on Saturday. A suspect, who has since been arrested and charged, had planned to attack several politicians in their homes, according to state police. In a statement issued on Saturday, Bishop Loya put the incident in the context of recent tensions in American politics and public life, including immigration raids and protests against a military parade in Washington DC. “We, like Jesus, cannot remain silent in the face of the multivalent attacks on basic human dignity and society we are experiencing,” Bishop Loya said. “We must continue to show up, speak up, and witness to a better way than what the American empire offers in this moment.”
Ecumenical pilgrimage to site of 1976 massacre
CHURCH leaders from southern Africa made a journey across Johannesburg on Sunday, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Kairos Document, written predominately by Black African theologians. The journey culminated in Soweto, the site of the 1976 uprising in which police opened fire on Black school children demonstrating against being forced to learn Afrikaans. At least 176 people were killed. The group, which comprised leaders from multiple denominations, gathered at a statue of Nelson Mandela and visited his former home, before travelling by bus to Soweto, where a service was held at the Evangelical Lutheran Church. In a homily, academic Dr Thandi Gamedze said that the Kairos Document described theology as a “site of struggle”. She asked the church leaders to consider how “our Bible, our theology, our Church has been complicit in violence”.
Young saints to be canonised together in September
THE delayed canonisation of Carlo Acutis will take place on 7 September, the Pope announced last week. Acutis will be made a saint at the same time as Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died in July 1925, aged 24. He was a Lay Dominican known for charitable work and social action. The canonisation of Acutis had been scheduled for 27 April, but was delayed after the death of Pope Francis. Acutis has been described as the first “Millennial” saint (News, 9 October 2020). Born in London in 1991 to an Italian family, he set up a website documenting eucharist miracles, before his death from acute leukaemia at the age of 15.
Tearfund launches appeal for ‘forgotten crises’
CHURCHES are often the first organisations to respond in a crisis, and Tearfund has launched a new appeal to help to support its work in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bangladesh, it was announced on Tuesday. Tearfund’s director of fundraising, Stuart Lee, said that the charity’s church partners “are the first to respond in these crises, and they work there day in, day out. We need more funds to enable us to carry on supporting them in these increasingly difficult circumstances. They deliver life-saving clean water, help parents to protect their children from malnutrition, provide trauma healing and offer cash grants to restore people’s dignity and livelihoods.” More information about the appeal, and details of how to donate, are at tearfund.org.