(Vatican Radio) Italian's are going to the polls Sunday in a referendum to change the constitution in a way that would potentially streamline Italy’s legislative process.Listen to Ann Schneible's report Sunday’s referendum seesItalians voting on whether to amend the constitution to make it easier for the Italian government to pass laws.The bill involves a proposal to shift power from the Senate in such a way that would allow the lower house of parliament to pass legislation without Senate approval.Under the current Italian constitution, both the Senate and the House of Deputies are needed to pass legislation, resulting in a process that is costly and time consuming.The bill was put forward by Prime minister Matteo Renzi who has claimed that such a reform would improve efficiency in the government, reduce bureaucracy, and lower government spending.Arguments from those opposing the bill have expressed fears that the move would reduce vital democratic checks and b...
(Vatican Radio) Italian's are going to the polls Sunday in a referendum to change the constitution in a way that would potentially streamline Italy’s legislative process.
Listen to Ann Schneible's report
Sunday’s referendum seesItalians voting on whether to amend the constitution to make it easier for the Italian government to pass laws.
The bill involves a proposal to shift power from the Senate in such a way that would allow the lower house of parliament to pass legislation without Senate approval.
Under the current Italian constitution, both the Senate and the House of Deputies are needed to pass legislation, resulting in a process that is costly and time consuming.
The bill was put forward by Prime minister Matteo Renzi who has claimed that such a reform would improve efficiency in the government, reduce bureaucracy, and lower government spending.
Arguments from those opposing the bill have expressed fears that the move would reduce vital democratic checks and balances in the government.
Earlier this year, Renzi announced he would resign as prime minister if the bill failed to pass.
God "is our peace" and "prayer leads us to meet him," said the archbishop of Bogotá, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio. / Credit: Colombian Bishops Conference / ScreenshotACI Prensa Staff, May 2, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).The Colombian Bishops' Conference (CEC by its Spanish acronym) has called on all Catholics to join on May 3, Day of the Holy Cross, in a day of prayer for peace and reconciliation in the country."The call is made directly by the bishops and is based on recognizing the serious humanitarian crisis that multiple territories face amid armed conflict and other types of violence, as well as the complex sociopolitical panorama that the nation is experiencing today, permeated by division and polarization," the CEC announced on its website.Since Pope Francis' visit to Colombia in September 2017 and his meeting with victims of the armed conflict, the Church in that country has established a National Day of Prayer for Reconciliation and Peace to be celebrated every May...
Thousands of pilgrims come together each year to take part in the annual Walk to Mary, which takes place on the first Saturday of May in Wisconsin. The 21-mile pilgrimage starts at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in De Pere, Wisconsin, and ends at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin. / Credit: The Shrine of Our Lady of ChampionCNA Staff, May 2, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Thousands of pilgrims come together each year to take part in the annual Walk to Mary, which takes place on the first Saturday of May in Wisconsin. The 21-mile pilgrimage starts at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in De Pere, Wisconsin, and ends at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin.The Walk to Mary will take place on May 4 this year and includes several "join in" points along the route that offer participants unable to walk the entire distance to participate. These locations shorten the pilgrimage length, allowing pilgrims of all ages to take part in...
null / Credit: Juthamat8899/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, May 1, 2024 / 17:05 pm (CNA).The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a new report on Wednesday highlighting the countries with the worst religious persecution in the world.From this report, which is released annually, USCIRF makes recommendations to the State Department on how to best advocate for religious freedom. The suggestions typically translate into sanctions from the U.S. against violating countries to pressure them to improve their religious tolerance. This year, the countries topping USCIRF's list of the world's most egregious religious freedom violators were Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.USCIRF recommends these nations be designated as "countries of particul...