Nicaragua's government ups Catholic persecution with secret trial convictions
(OSV News) -- Four clergymen, two seminarians and a diocesan journalist were convicted in Nicaragua on charges of conspiracy to undermine national integrity...
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Marriage is a gift from God that benefits everyone, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Marriage is not a ceremony, a social event, a mere formality or an abstract ideal, Pope Francis said. Marriage, according to Christian...
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Day of Consecrated Life is time to renew missionary zeal, cardinal says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The religious-order brothers, sisters and priests and the hermits, monks and consecrated virgins who serve God and the Catholic Church...
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Pope Benedict XVI suffered from insomnia, exhaustion, which led to his resignation, papal biographer says
ROME (OSV News) -- Pope Benedict XVI's biographer revealed that the late pontiff for years suffered from insomnia and exhaustion, which ultimately led...
Read MoreUkraine's religious leaders renew invitation to pope to visit Kyiv
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Ukraine's religious leaders asked Pope Francis to visit Kyiv, said Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, the head of the...
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Sinner and sage: Despite troubled life, Caravaggio mastered spiritual meanings
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Considered one of Caravaggio's best masterpieces, "The Entombment of Christ" was covetingly confiscated by the French for its newly...
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Machete-wielding attacker kills sacristan, severely injures priest and other faithful in southern Spain
(OSV News) -- A Moroccan national is under arrest after a horrific attack in several Catholic churches in the southern Spanish city of Algeciras, killing...
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Women help religions share wisdom, promote peace, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The world's religious traditions and their followers are called to offer wisdom to the world and to "infuse it with a spirit of warmth,...
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In interview, pope says criticism is annoying, but can be helpful
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Public criticism by cardinals and bishops is annoying -- "like a rash that bothers you a bit," Pope Francis said -- but differences...
Read MorePope thanks Ukrainian religious leaders for unity in the face of conflict
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As war ravages Ukraine, the country cannot be divided among religious confessions but must be united behind "mother Ukraine," Pope...
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Pope tells Knights of Malta to strengthen unity, reject lust for power
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Conflict and division hurt the mission of the Knights of Malta, and craving for power creates distance from Christ, Pope Francis...
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Mission begins by meeting Jesus in the Scriptures and Eucharist, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Having come to know Jesus through the Scriptures and in the Eucharist, Catholics are called to share with others the hope and joy...
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Christians must not be oppressed by guilt, but filled with joy, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians must not "put pressure on others" to convert or induce in them "feelings of guilt," but take a weight off their shoulders...
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Vatican rejects proposed governing council of bishops and laity in Germany
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Germany's bishops do not have the authority to establish a permanent decision-making body of bishops and laypeople that top Vatican...
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Pope, bishops call for peace as violent protests in Peru turn deadly
(OSV News) -- Peru’s bishops pleaded for peace as violent protests against the country’s current president and legislature have claimed the lives of...
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Ukrainian Catholic leader warns against Orthodox ban
(OSV News) -- The head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church has warned against moves by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government to outlaw Orthodox communities...
Read MoreMass media needs more kindness, truth spoken with charity, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The media and the field of communications need to exercise more kindness and share the truth with charity, Pope Francis said."Kindness...
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Church tensions are not new or all bad, says Cardinal Hollerich
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis did not need to launch listening sessions for the Synod of Bishops for people to discover there are tensions in the...
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God's word, mercy must be shared with everyone, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Word of God, which heals and raises people up, is meant for everyone, Pope Francis said. Jesus "wants to reach those far away,...
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UPDATE: Long homilies are 'a disaster,' keep it under 10 minutes, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Lengthy, abstract homilies are "a disaster," so preaching should be limited to 10 minutes, Pope Francis said. Speaking off the cuff...
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Pope prays God will strengthen commitment to defending all human life
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As the Biden administration and state governments look at ways to expand or restrict access to abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court's...
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'Jordan is part of the Holy Land,' says ecumenical delegation of bishops during annual pilgrimage of the Holy Land Coordination
AMMAN, Jordan (OSV News) -- An ecumenical delegation of bishops from 11 countries participated in the annual pilgrimage of the Holy Land Coordination,...
Read MoreCatholics look to night skies as new comet reveals 'the glory of God'
ATCHISON, Kansas (OSV News) -- As Psalm 19 says, day in and day out, "the heavens declare the glory of God." But every now and then -- or sometimes every...
Read MorePreaching peace amid violence: Pope heads back to Africa
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis' fifth trip to the African continent will highlight gestures of peace and reconciliation, consoling the victims of violence...
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To be pastoral, look to the Good Shepherd, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians must develop a pastoral heart to care for those who have not heard the Gospel or who have left the fold, Pope Francis...
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Catholic groups say increasing Russian missile attacks make providing supplies to Ukrainians 'extremely dangerous'
(OSV News) -- Catholic aid organizations are warning that increasing attacks by Russian missiles are preventing supply access to Ukraine, after 44 civilians,...
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Pope recalls John Paul II's message to Cubans: 'Return to your roots'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis asked Cubans "to make present in their hearts" the actions and words of St. John Paul II during his visit to their nation...
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Health care is a universal right, not a luxury, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Health care is not a luxury, it is a right that belongs to everyone, Pope Francis told health care workers. "A world that rejects...
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Nothing can diminish the value of any human being, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- No physical limitation or setback can diminish the value of any human being because each person is a unique and beloved child of...
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Catholic priest burned to death in Nigeria; other Christians in Congo killed
NAIROBI, Kenya (OSV News) -- Deadly violence hit Christians in Africa Jan. 15, with a Catholic priest in northern Nigeria burned to death and as many as...
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Faith is a call to service and mission, pope tells U.S. seminarians
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The call to faith in Jesus always is a call to service and mission, Pope Francis told seminarians, priests and staff of the Pontifical...
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Lead others to Jesus, not to yourself, pope says at Angelus
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- St. John the Baptist is a model for Christian witness, leading others to Jesus and then stepping out of the way so they follow the...
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Cardinal Pell's faith, suffering remembered at Vatican funeral
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The death of Australian Cardinal George Pell was a shock because just five days earlier he had concelebrated the funeral of Pope...
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Old rivalries take center stage at Vatican trial
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Francesca Chaouqui, convicted by a Vatican court in 2016 of leaking confidential Vatican documents, was back on the stand before...
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U.S. religious liberty expert 'disappointed' in Vatican-China deal
ROME (CNS) -- The United States' chief advocate for religious freedom expressed his "disappointment" in the Vatican over its provisional agreement with...
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Pope to confer ministries of lector, catechist at Mass Jan. 22
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will celebrate the fourth annual Sunday of the Word of God Jan. 22 and, like he did last year, will confer the ministries...
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Read the Gospel, always show people God's love, pope tells police
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To understand the Gospel, its beauty and its power, people need to read it, Pope Francis said. "I invite you to rediscover the beauty...
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Texts attributed to Cardinal Pell criticize pope, synod process
ROME (CNS) -- Australian Cardinal George Pell, who died in Rome Jan. 10, never made a secret of his staunch adherence to established Catholic moral teaching...
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Catholics organize to bring the fight to 'demonic' human trafficking
(OSV News) -- While teaching in a Louisiana public elementary school several years ago, Janice Henry was haunted by one particular student. "The child...
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity takes on 'even greater significance' in 2023
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – James Griffin, executive director of the Durandus Institute for Sacred Music & Liturgy, said the annual Week of Prayer for Christian...
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Cardinal Pell dies at 81; he kept the faith even amid tribulation, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis praised the late Australian Cardinal George Pell as a faithful servant of God and of the Catholic Church, who steadfastly...
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UPDATE: At funeral, pope remembers Benedict's 'wisdom, tenderness, devotion'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI "spread and testified to" the Gospel his entire life, Pope Francis told tens of thousands of people gathered Jan....
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North Star: Technology needs an ethical guiding light, speakers say
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even though the computational power of "artificial intelligence" has been around for decades, the technology has advanced so rapidly...
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Court rules Nicaraguan bishop charged with conspiracy will stand trial
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (OSV News) -- A court ruled at a Jan. 10 hearing that a Nicaraguan bishop, who has been detained since August, will stand trial on the...
Read MorePeru's bishops urge peace amid violent protests
LIMA, Peru (OSV News) -- Peru's bishops have called on the country's government to stop violence that claimed at least 18 lives in anti-government protests...
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Evangelization is the 'oxygen' of Christian life, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Sharing the faith is the "oxygen" that "invigorates and purifies" Christian life, Pope Francis said. Beginning a new series of catechesis...
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UPDATE: Australian Cardinal Pell dies at 81; Vatican's former economy prefect was acquitted of abuse charges in 2020
(OSV News) -- Australian Cardinal George Pell, former prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy and archbishop of Sydney and of Melbourne, died Jan....
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The Chosen's Jonathan Roumie, other Catholics to speak at March for Life
WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Jonathan Roumie, known for his role as "Jesus" in the television series The Chosen, and other Catholic speakers are in the lineup...
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Artificial intelligence must not hurt the most vulnerable, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis criticized the use of artificial intelligence in ways that negatively affect the most vulnerable, specifically those...
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Vatican prosecutor opens investigation into Orlandi disappearance
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The disappearance 40 years ago of Emanuela Orlandi has haunted her family, fueled conspiracy theories and provided grist for a recent...
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'Prayer is real': Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin recovers from near-fatal hit
(OSV News) -- Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin has united the nation and the world in prayer, supporters said at a Jan. 9 community vigil held...
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Migrant pleas, border realities confront President Biden in El Paso
(OSV News) – "Lord, I ask that you take me out of here soon … I want to be with my mom and sister soon. Amen." The prayer of a migrant girl in Ciudad...
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Panelists say late pope will be remembered as great theologian, thinker
WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Pope Benedict XVI will be remembered as one of the Catholic Church's greatest theologians, said a former U.S. ambassador to the...
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Safeguarding requires experts, survivors, support, cardinal says
ROME (CNS) -- There can be no improvising or going it alone when it comes to preventing and handling cases of abuse in the Catholic Church, said U.S. Cardinal...
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Peace requires a 'defense of life,' pope tells ambassadors
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "Peace requires before all else the defense of life," which is threatened by the "alleged 'right to abortion,'" Pope Francis told...
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The House Speaker race over, here's what Catholics can expect from the next Congress
WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was elected Speaker of the House Jan. 7 after a tumultuous process that stretched across the first...
Read MoreUnder Russian missiles, U.S. military archbishop visits Ukraine's military chaplains, sees 'catalysts for rebuilding' war-torn nation
(OSV News) -- Ukraine's Catholic military chaplains will eventually be "catalysts for the rebuilding" of their war-torn nation, said the president of the...
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After Benedict's funeral, publisher releases book by late pope's secretary
ROME (CNS) -- Soon after Pope Benedict XVI was laid to rest in the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica, an Italian publisher released early copies of a book...
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Pope reorganizes Rome vicariate to be more collegial, accountable
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With the same spirit and aims that behind his recent reform and reorganization of the Roman Curia, Pope Francis, as Bishop of Rome,...
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FDA permits retail pharmacies to dispense abortion drugs, prompting criticism from Catholic, pro-life groups
WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will allow retail pharmacies to offer abortion pills in the United States for the first...
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Pope's tribute to predecessor 'refined and profound,' says Benedict aide
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When the coffin containing the remains of Pope Benedict XVI was carried into St. Peter's Square, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi...
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Mourners see pope's funeral as celebration of life and legacy
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -– Just before 7 a.m. Jan. 5, the dome of St. Peter's Basilica was so shrouded with fog that it was scarcely visible. Yet the sounds...
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UPDATE: Pope Benedict: Eight years as pope capped long ministry as teacher of faith
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Retired Pope Benedict XVI, who had an impressive record as a teacher and defender of the basics of Catholic faith, is likely to go...
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UPDATE: World leaders express condolences, appreciation for pope's legacy
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Highlighting Pope Benedict XVI's great intellect, love and kindness, many of the world's political and religious leaders voiced their...
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UPDATE: Tens of thousands pay last respects to Pope Benedict in St. Peter's Basilica
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Tens of thousands of people streamed through St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their last respects to the late Pope Benedict XVI. While...
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Benedict XVI 'did theology on his knees,' Pope Francis says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The theological writings and papal teaching of the late Pope Benedict XVI were and will continue to be a blessing to the Catholic...
Read MoreAt funeral, pope remembers Benedict's 'wisdom, tenderness, devotion'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI "spread and testified to" the Gospel his entire life, Pope Francis told tens of thousands of people gathered Jan....
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Papal biographer: Benedict 'will be canonized some day'
(OSV News) -- For Peter Seewald, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was someone "who is what he says and what he preaches." This not only mesmerized Seewald but...
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Funeral Mass for Pope Benedict XVI will be based on a papal funeral
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Jan. 5 funeral Mass for Pope Benedict XVI will be a papal funeral with a few changes to fit with the fact that he was not the...
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Pope Benedict's body solemnly, lovingly carried to St. Peter's Basilica
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The consecrated women who cared for Pope Benedict XVI in his retirement gently stroked his hands before his body was carried on a...
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Cardinals Pell, Krajewski reflect on Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy
KRAKOW (OSV News) -- In interviews with OSV News, two cardinals pleased to call Pope Benedict XVI a friend reflected on his death and what the pope emeritus...
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'No' to war, rearmament; 'yes' to development, jobs, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- It is "intolerable" that conflict and wars are still raging in Ukraine and other parts of the world, Pope Francis said on World Peace...
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On New Year's, pope calls for taking the risk of changing the world
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The best way to usher in a truly "new" year is to stop waiting for things to get better on their own, and instead recognize what...
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Pope Benedict's spiritual testament: 'Stand firm in the faith'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Retired Pope Benedict XVI's final message to Catholics around the world was: "Stand firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused!" Less...
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Pope pays tribute to the late Pope Benedict, highlighting his gentleness
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Keeping his appointment to celebrate vespers as 2022 was ending, Pope Francis also paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Benedict...
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The lasting legacy of Pope Benedict XVI
(OSV News) -- On Dec. 31, the Vatican announced the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who left a lasting legacy over the course of his lifelong service...
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Pope Benedict's funeral will respect his wishes to be simple
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In accordance with Pope Benedict XVI's wishes, his funeral and moments of prayer surrounding it will be simple, according to the...
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U.S. bishops call Catholics to unite in mourning the death of retired pope
WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Across the U.S., Catholic bishops called on the faithful to unite in mourning for retired Pope Benedict XVI, who died on the eve...
Read MoreWorld leaders express condolences, appreciation for pope's legacy
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Highlighting Pope Benedict XVI's great intellect, love and kindness, many of the world's political and religious leaders voiced their...
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Church leaders remember Pope Benedict with gratitude
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholic leaders around the world who had been praying for retired Pope Benedict XVI reacted with sorrow to news of his death Dec....
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Pope Benedict: Eight years as pope capped long ministry as teacher of faith
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Retired Pope Benedict XVI, who had an impressive record as a teacher and defender of the basics of Catholic faith, is likely to go...
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Pope Benedict's 2008 U.S. visit a whirlwind with timely, pointed messages
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When Pope Benedict came to the United States for a visit to Washington and New York spanning six days in mid-April 2008, some news...
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Pope Benedict saw Jews, Muslims as allies in defending belief in God
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In trying to help people understand how belief in God is a natural part of life and provides grounding for the values that protect...
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German pope made no secret of his love for cats
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Like any bona fide cat lover, Pope Benedict XVI's face would light up and his hand would reach out at the sight of a fluffy feline...
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BREAKING: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies at age 95
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century and the first pope to resign from office in nearly 600 years, has died at the age...
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'Trust in Providence': Faithful pray for Benedict XVI at special Mass in Rome
In a special Mass for Benedict XVI at the Basilica of St. John Lateran on Friday afternoon, the faithful joined in prayer for the ailing pope emeritus. The...
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UPDATE: Pope Francis asks prayers for ailing Pope Benedict
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Two days after Pope Francis told people retired Pope Benedict was "very sick" and in need of prayers, the Vatican said he again had...
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Archbishop Broglio visits Ukraine, meets with military chaplains
KYIV, Ukraine (CNS) -- Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic...
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Vatican agency pays tribute to 18 missionaries killed in 2022
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Most of the 18 Catholic missionaries murdered in 2022 were not carrying out high-risk missions when they were assassinated but were...
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Eritrean authorities free Catholic bishop held 75 days in prison
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- Eritrean authorities have freed Catholic Bishop Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim after 75 days in prison. Bishop Tsalim, the 52-year-old...
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Papal calendar: 2023 holds important events for Pope Francis
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will soon pack his bags for his first foreign trip of 2023, a year that promises to be as busy as ever. The pope, who...
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Christians in Pakistan celebrate Christmas amid heightened security
Despite the continued threat of terrorist attacks, Christian communities across Pakistan celebrated Christmas Sunday in much the usual way, with great...
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