Indian Sister Valsa John Malamel, a 53-year old member of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary congregation, was brutally murdered on the night of Nov. 15, 2011, in the poor remote village of Pachuari in eastern India’s Jharkhand state. She fought for the rights of the poor indigenous people against a lucrative coal mining operation in the area that threatened them with displacement and other dire consequences. She obtained permission from her order to live away from community life to dedicate herself for the poor, and in the bargain, she paid the ultimate price. Five years on, we remember Sr. Valsa and her sacrifice.Listen:
Indian Sister Valsa John Malamel, a 53-year old member of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary congregation, was brutally murdered on the night of Nov. 15, 2011, in the poor remote village of Pachuari in eastern India’s Jharkhand state. She fought for the rights of the poor indigenous people against a lucrative coal mining operation in the area that threatened them with displacement and other dire consequences. She obtained permission from her order to live away from community life to dedicate herself for the poor, and in the bargain, she paid the ultimate price. Five years on, we remember Sr. Valsa and her sacrifice.
A powerful tornado hit St. Mary's Catholic Church in rural Barnsdall, Oklahoma, on May 6, 2024. / Credit: Daniel McCay/Eastern Oklahoma CatholicCNA Staff, May 11, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).A rural Oklahoma parish hit this week by a powerful tornado suffered serious damage, especially to its parish hall. But amid the rubble, broken glass, and winds possibly as high as 175 mph, the church's tabernacle containing the body of Christ remained intact.Father Emmanuel Nduka, who pastors three local churches including St. Mary's, told CNA that the tabernacle's survival served as a sign of God's presence amid the devastation in the small Oklahoma town of Barnsdall."God is in control. There's no reason why our church should be standing after what happened in Barnsdall Sunday night," the priest told CNA.Nduka lives in a neighboring town 30 minutes from Barnsdall, but early on May 7, as soon as he heard about the damage to the church, he raced over. No one was in the church building at the...
Lego announced on May 7, 2024, a set of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, joining the ranks of LEGO's models of world-famous monuments including the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid of Giza. / Credit: LEGO GroupCNA Staff, May 11, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).In 2019 the world mourned the damage done to the medieval Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris by a fire that devastated the 315-foot-tall spire and roof of the 861-year-old monument. A restoration is in progress, though it has been delayed by COVID-19 and leadership changes. Visitors should be able to visit Notre Dame by the end of 2024, but for eager pilgrims and tourists who can't wait, the smaller-sized LEGO set may do in the meantime. LEGO announced on May 7 a LEGO set of Notre-Dame de Paris, joining the ranks of LEGO's models of world-famous monuments including the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid of Giza.Released alongside a LEGO set of the Mona Lisa as part of the LEGO Architecture Collection, the LEGO Notre-Dame ha...
Pro-life supporters march in this year's March for Life in Ottawa, Canada, May 9, 2024. / Credit: Peter StocklandOttawa, Canada, May 10, 2024 / 16:00 pm (CNA).Thousands of pro-lifers packed onto Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, and spilled out onto Wellington Street on May 9 for the 27th annual National March for Life.The diverse crowd gathered on the Hill at noon with its members bearing both homemade and professionally crafted signs pledging them to stand fast for the unborn and vulnerable.The march's theme, "I Will Never Forget You" was taken from the prophet Isaiah's poignant question: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast?"Participants in the Ottawa, Canada, March for Life on May 9, 2024, sing the national anthem. Credit: Peter StocklandThe rally and march were broadcast live by the U.S. cable network EWTN. (Editor's note: EWTN is the parent company of Catholic News Agency.)This year's speakers included pro-life speaker and author Abby Johnson, President of 40...
