A pro-LGBTQ message on a Methodist church in Nashville, Tennessee. / Glendale United Methodist Church|FlickrWashington D.C., Jun 6, 2023 / 15:45 pm (CNA).As the United Methodist Church (UMC) is rocked by disagreement over LGBTQ+ issues, more than 4,000 congregations have officially split from the denomination this year. More congregations joined the growing schism this weekend with 60 leaving in Michigan on Saturday and 250 in Kentucky splitting with the UMC on Sunday. Jay Therrell, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and a leader in the "disaffiliation" movement, told CNA that "the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Christ" has "deteriorated for many, many years in the United Methodist Church." Today, Therrell said, that problem is "playing out in the issue of human sexuality."As of Tuesday afternoon, 4,876 Methodist churches this year have officially completed the process to break away from the UMC, Therrell sa
Pope Francis prayed before a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux at the beginning of his general audience in St. Peter's Square, and shortly before going to the hospital for an abdominal surgery, on June 7, 2023. / Daniel Ibanez/CNAVatican City, Jun 7, 2023 / 04:37 am (CNA).One of Pope Francis last gestures before undergoing abdominal surgery on Wednesday was to pray before a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux.A relic of the French Carmelite nun, also known as St. Therese of the Child Jesus, was present on the platform in front of St. Peter s Basilica during the pope s weekly general audience June 7.Before beginning the audience, Francis venerated the relics of St. Therese in a moment of silent prayer. He also placed a single, white rose on the table in front of the reliquary.Pope Francis was taken to Rome s Gemelli Hospital for abdominal surgery under general anesthesia at the end of the morning audience, shortly after 11:00 a.m. Rome time, the Vatican said. Relics of St. There.
Pope Francis greeted pilgrims in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, a few hours before he will be hospitalized for abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. / Daniel Ibanez/CNARome Newsroom, Jun 7, 2023 / 03:01 am (CNA).Pope Francis will undergo abdominal surgery under general anesthesia on Wednesday afternoon, the Vatican has confirmed.The operation was planned by the pope s medical team in recent days after it became necessary due to a hernia that was causing recurrent, painful, and worsening symptoms, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. Bruni said that Pope Francis will have a laparotomy and abdominal wall reconstruction with prosthetic material in the early afternoon on June 7. The pope will be taken to Rome s Gemelli Hospital immediately after his general audience in St. Peter s Square and will recover in the hospital for several days post-surgery.The news of Pope Francis surgery comes one day after Italian media reported that he went to Gemell.
Pope Francis prayed before a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux at the beginning of his general audience in St. Peter's Square, and shortly before going to the hospital for an abdominal surgery, on June 7, 2023. / Daniel Ibanez/CNAVatican City, Jun 7, 2023 / 04:37 am (CNA).One of Pope Francis last gestures before undergoing abdominal surgery on Wednesday was to pray before a relic of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.A relic of the French Carmelite nun, also known as St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, was present on the platform in front of St. Peter s Basilica during the pope s weekly general audience June 7.Before beginning the audience, Francis venerated the relics of St. Thérèse in a moment of silent prayer. He also placed a single, white rose on the table in front of the reliquary.Pope Francis was taken to Rome s Gemelli Hospital for abdominal surgery under general anesthesia at the end of the morning audience, shortly after 11 a.m. Rome time, the Vatican said. Relics of St. Thérèse
Pope Francis greeted pilgrims in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, a few hours before he will be hospitalized for abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. / Daniel Ibanez/CNARome Newsroom, Jun 7, 2023 / 03:01 am (CNA).Pope Francis will undergo abdominal surgery under general anesthesia on Wednesday afternoon, the Vatican has confirmed.The operation was planned by the pope s medical team in recent days after it became necessary due to a hernia that was causing recurrent, painful, and worsening symptoms, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. Bruni said that Pope Francis will have a laparotomy and abdominal wall reconstruction with prosthetic material in the early afternoon on June 7. The surgery will attempt to repair an incisional hernia, a type of abdominal wall hernia at the site of a previous surgical incision. In the pope s case, this could be the result of the scarring caused by the pope s colon surgery in July 2021.The pope will be taken to Rome.