Indian, Pakistani cardinals seen leaving St. Peter’s Basilica together ahead of conclave

 

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 9, 2025 / 17:28 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news that you might have missed this week:

Indian and Pakistani cardinals leave St. Peter’s Basilica together ahead of conclave

Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India and Cardinal Joseph Coutts of Pakistan were spotted leaving St. Peter’s Basilica together on Wednesday after the Mass “Pro Eligendo Romano” (“For the Election of a Pope”). “Cardinal Gracias, 81, leaned on Cardinal Coutts, 79, who extended his arm and conversed with his confrere,” Agencia Fides reported on Thursday.

“In the general congregation before the conclave on May 6, the entire College of Cardinals issued a public appeal for peace, citing scenarios such as Ukraine and the Gaza Strip,” the pair reportedly told Fides, adding: “The appeal also includes the expression ‘in many other parts of the world,’ and this certainly includes the current situation between India and Pakistan, in which we implore the Lord for a just and lasting peace.”

The display of unity between the two cardinals comes after a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 26 Indian civilian tourists, one of whom was a 57-year-old Catholic man, last week.

Maltese government proposes discussion on legalizing assisted suicide

The Maltese government has launched a two-month-long “public consultation” on the prospect of legalizing assisted suicide for terminally ill patients who have six months left to live, with Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg insisting that the proposed reforms would have “strict” parameters, according to a Times of Malta report.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta is urging members of the faithful to engage actively with the government’s consultation process. “I suggest you participate in this consultation and tell the government you are not interested in killing yourself but you are very interested in being assisted and supported as you embrace death with dignity and support,” he said.

Conference in Jordan calls for unity and enlightenment amid rising extremism

A conference titled “Christians in the Arab East: Aspirations for Unity and Enlightenment” concluded in Amman, Jordan, gathering five patriarchs and religious leaders under the patronage of Prince El Hassan bin Talal, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported.

Organized by the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies, the conference addressed the rising tide of extremism and discrimination in the Middle East.

Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan condemned violence committed in the name of religion, recalling the tragedies inflicted by ISIS, including the 2010 massacre at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad. He called on religious leaders to present honest messages of love and coexistence, and urged governments to translate supportive words into policies that uphold justice, citizenship, and equal rights for all.

Prince El Hassan emphasized that freedom of belief is a cornerstone of modern societies and warned against sectarian and political divisions rooted in historical agreements like Sykes-Picot. He highlighted the Middle East’s rich cultural and religious diversity, calling for policies that promote unity, shared citizenship, and mutual respect.

Tanzanian bishops’ conference vice president: Attack on secretary-general ‘horrific, evil’

Leaders of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference (TEC) are calling on government security agencies to take action following a violent attack on the conference’s secretary-general, Father Charles Kitima. According to ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, Kitima was left bleeding from the head and calling for help after he was ambushed by two assailants who struck him with a blunt object before fleeing the scene.

“The Tanzania Episcopal Conference is deeply saddened and strongly condemns the evil act of assault and injury inflicted on the TEC secretary-general, Father Charles Kitima,” said TEC vice president Bishop Eusebius Nzigilwa in a statement. “We call upon the police force and other security agencies to take swift action to identify and apprehend all those involved in planning and carrying out this brutal crime and bring them to justice,” he said.

Bishop Bätzing: Chancellor Merz should fall back on the ‘expertise’ of the Church

The chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), Bishop Georg Bätzing, congratulated the new chancellor Friedrich Merz and encouraged him to fall back on the “expertise” of the Church in many politically relevant questions, CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner, reported on Wednesday.

“I sincerely wish you success in your work, necessary and courageous decisions, and, above all, God’s rich blessings,” Bätzing wrote in a statement. “You know that the Catholic Church is a reliable and constructive partner in many matters that affect your government program. Please draw on the expertise that we as a Church can bring to the political context.”