- Alfie Evans survives night after life-support machine was turned off (Metro)
“Doctors have been left ‘gobsmacked’ after Alfie Evans’ life-support was withdrawn but he continued to live,” according to the report. - El Salvador court reopens investigation of 1989 Jesuit massacre (America)
In 1989, soldiers from the nation’s army killed six Jesuits and two others at their university residence. - South Korean bishop hopes North-South summit brings results (CNS)
“With the [April 27] inter-Korean summit, as well as the ensuing summit between North Korea and the US, expectations are growing that the 65-year-long confrontation and struggle will end, and a new era of peace will come,” said Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon, president of the Korean bishops’ Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People. - Alfie Evans granted Italian citizenship (BBC)
Alfie Evans has reportedly been granted Italian citizenship, paving the way for the child’s transfer to Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome, where administrators have promised to provide him with care. The Italian foreign ministry issued a statement saying that it hoped for an “immediate transfer” after a British court ruled that care should be suspended in a Liverpool hospital, and the boy allowed to die, despite his parents’ wishes to continue treatment. The surprise move granting Italian citizenship was reported prompted by the intercession of Pope Francis. - Cubans, US exiles connect to help rebuild Cuba's Catholic Church (National Catholic Reporter)
Since the 1980s, the percentage of Cubans regularly attending Mass in the Communist nation has risen from 2% to 10%, according to the report. “There’s been a revitalization of the Church,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami. “The Church has made progress — it’s small steps. It’s not what it used to be, and it’s not what it should be.” - North Korea says it will stop nuclear tests, abolish test site (Reuters)
L’Osservatore Romano (4/22 Italian edition) devoted front-page coverage to this story. - Archbishop Paglia asks for 'shared response' to Alfie Evans (Crux)
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia has called for parents and health-care workers to agree on a “shared response” to the condition of Alfie Evans. The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life—who last month said that hospital officials were trying to prevent “overzealous treatment” of the child—said that the conflict appears to be nearing “a dead-end.” - 60,000 Catholic migrants, refugees live in Israel (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
Half are from the Philippines, according to the parish priest of a new personal parish for Israel’s Catholic migrants and refugees. Thousands of Catholics also have come to Israel from India, Sri Lanka, and Eritrea. - International inspectors enter Douma, site of alleged Syrian chemical attack (Washington Post)
L’Osservatore Romano (4/22 Italian edition) devoted front-page coverage to this story. - Bishop pleads for prayers for Alfie Evans as high court denies appeal (Vatican News)
Bishop Francesco Cavina, who is coordinating relations between the Evans family and Bambino Gesù Hospital, said that “only the power of prayer is able to melt hearts and crumble walls that now appear insurmountable.” - Bishops of England pray for peace in the Middle East (Catholic Universe)
- 4 Palestinians killed, including teen boy and disabled man, in Gaza protests (ABC News)
L’Osservatore Romano (4/22 Italian edition) devoted front-page coverage to this story. - Pope renews appeal for Alfie Evans and Vincent Lambert, meets with Alfie's father (Vatican News)
Click here for an interview with Thomas Evans and here for an interview with a bishop who present during the 20-minute audience. - Pope Francis: entrust yourselves to the Good Shepherd and be healed of spiritual infirmities (Zenit)
The Pope reflected on Acts 4:8-12 and John 10:11-18 before the recitation of the Regina Coeli on April 22 (video). - Mexican priest murdered: 23rd since 2012 (Crux)
A Mexican priest was shot and killed while hearing confessions near Guadalajara on April 20. Father Juan Miguel Contreras Garcia became the 2nd Mexican priest murdered in less than a week, and the 23rd priest killed in the past six years. - Pontifical abuse commission outlines priorities (Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors)
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors’ priorities are “working with [abuse] survivors, education and formation, [and] safeguarding guidelines and norms,” members told Pope Francis during an April 21 audience. - Love Jesus and love your nation, Pope tells Cuban faithful (Vatican Press Office)
Without mentioning the leadership change, the Pontiff made his remarks as Raúl Castro stepped down from the presidency. Castro remains the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. - Vatican celebrates Pope's 'name day' with ice cream for the poor (Vatican News)
On April 23, the feast of St. George, the Vatican celebrated the name day of Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Bergoglio. In honor of the occasion, 3,000 servings of ice cream were provided to the poor at the Vatican-run facilities catering to the homeless of Rome. - Church attacked in Egypt (World Watch Monitor)
- European Court decision forces German Church to reconsider hiring practices (Catholic Herald)
The German Catholic Church could be required to revise its employment practices in the wake of a European Court of Justice decision. The court said that current Church policies, which require employees to be affiliated with a church, must be reviewed. The secretary-general of the German bishops’ conference said that the Catholic Church, which is Germany’s 2nd-largest employer, does not impose religious demands on potential employees, but will “examine how far its recruitment practices should be adapted” to the new ruling.