Cuba to release 52 political prisoners, Catholic Church says
The Cuban government will free 52 political prisoners, Catholic officials in Havana said Wednesday, the largest release of captive dissidents in decades and a surprise gesture that could help thaw relations with the United States.
Archbishop of Burgos, Spain, Francisco Gil, calls for civil disobedience of new abortion law
“Let’s be clear: this law is not a law, although it is presented as such by some politicians and lawmakers. It is no law because nobody has the right to take the life of an innocent human being. For this reason it is not obligatory. Moreover, it demands direct opposition without distinction.”
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez orders review of Vatican ties
President Hugo Chavez has ordered a review of Venezuela’s ties with the Vatican amid tensions between his government and the country’s bishops. An accord with the Vatican gave privileges to the Catholic Church not enjoyed by other churches, he said. The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference warned this week about growing political polarisation ahead of key legislative elections in September.
Mr Chavez has described local Catholic leaders as “troglodytes”. He also challenged the Pope’s authority, saying he was the Vatican’s head of state but not Christ’s emissary on Earth. “Christ does not need an ambassador. Christ is in the people and in those of us who fight for justice and freedom for the humble,” he said.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Church in the Age of Therapy
In 1966, Philip Rieff wrote in The Triumph of the Therapeutic that “Religious man was born to…
Canada’s Deadliest Blind Spot
On September 20, the Daily Mail ran a story with the provocative headline, “Our 83-year-old Christian grandmother…
The Faithful Joy of Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen
Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen seem to have had little in common. She favored rhinestones; he wore…
