Pope suspends Caritas Internationalis officers, appoints administrator
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has suspended the secretary-general and other top officers of Caritas Internationalis, appointing a temporary administrator...
Read MoreCLOSE
America's oldest Catholic newspaper
World News
Pope Francis removes Caritas Internationalis leaders, appoints temporary administrator
Pope Francis on Tuesday removed the entire leadership of an international confederation of charities and appointed a temporary administrator to improve...
Read More
Pope tells patriarch Catholics are ready for a common Easter date
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Meeting the U.S.-born patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Pope Francis expressed his hope that Christians of the East and...
Read More
Questions about Synodal Path dominate German bishops' 'ad limina'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The German bishops' meeting with officials of the Roman Curia was not a "showdown," but it did make clear the Vatican's strong concerns...
Read More
Vatican will do whatever possible to broker cease-fire, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican is willing to do whatever it takes to broker a cease-fire and bring an end to the war on Ukraine, Pope Francis said. "We...
Read More
Pope taps layman as new secretary of Laity, Family, Life
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has named a Brazil-born husband, father of two children and teacher of religion in an Italian school to be the secretary...
Read More
Canadian artist hopes to be 'visual ambassador' of Pope Francis' message to poor
VATICAN CITY (RNS) -- A self-proclaimed "visual ambassador" of Pope Francis' message, Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz is on his way to becoming the...
Read More
What Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel teaches us about God's creation, woman and man
Michelangelo's artistic masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel broke new ground in portraying the dynamic creative acts of God, but his work also depicts...
Read More
German bishops meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican amid concern over Synodal Way
Pope Francis received the German bishops at the Vatican on Thursday. The audience with Pope Francis lasted about two hours, the German Bishops' Conference...
Read More
Storytelling: From Vatican to small dioceses, Catholic media share faith
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When Pope Francis met members and staff of the Dicastery for Communication Nov. 12, he said listening to people is at the heart of...
Read More
Forest rangers, local towns stop planned cut of Christmas tree for Vatican
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The centuries' old silver fir tree that had been destined to become the centerpiece Christmas decoration in St. Peter's Square will...
Read More
Present diversity of voices while preserving unity, pope tells communicators
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Communication must bring people closer, give voice to the voiceless, put the spotlight on what gets ignored and show that it is possible...
Read More
Pope to Catholic teachers: Beware of 'ideological colonization'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Educators must always adapt, remain empathetic and grow with their students, Pope Francis told Catholic teachers. However, they...
Read More
Love the Lord by loving the poor, pope says at Mass
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Wars, famine and calamities of every kind can tempt Christians to a paralyzing fear that the world is about to end; what they must...
Read More
Vatican confirms it is opening abuse investigation of French cardinal
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has decided to open an investigation into French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, the retired archbishop of Bordeaux, who...
Read More
Former auditor, deputy seek damages from Vatican for forced ouster
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Libero Milone, the former Vatican auditor general, and Ferruccio Panicco, his former deputy, are seeking 9.23 million euros in damages...
Read More
UPDATE: Seminaries don't form 'supermen,' but humble servants, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The mission of a seminary "is not to form 'supermen' who pretend to know and control everything," but to help seminarians become...
Read More
Study: Nations with euthanasia, assisted suicide have higher suicide rates
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) -- Nations that legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide develop higher rates of "self-initiated" suicides than those that do...
Read More
German bishop calls current Catholic teaching on sexuality 'too simple'
AACHEN, Germany (CNS) -- Bishop Helmut Dieser of Aachen wants the Catholic Church to take a new perspective on sexuality. "Same-sex feelings and love...
Read More
Questions of faith: Vatican project sends theologians to 'the margins'
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Vatican office sent dozens of theologians and pastoral workers to refugee camps, prisons, shelters, street corners and markets...
Read More
UPDATE: SOS: Pope avoids row with Italy on migration but says lives must be saved
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis avoided a direct confrontation with Italy's new government over immigration policies, but he still insisted "lives must...
Read More
De-transitioner Oli London shares conversion to Christianity
As more men and women publicly share their stories of how they "de-transitioned," or reversed their gender transitions, one man is talking about how his...
Read More
African bishops: No climate justice without land justice
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- As the U.N climate change conference unfolds in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Catholic bishops in Africa are warning that...
Read More
Pope blesses 'begging statue' that will help Vincentians build homes
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A dove in flight lays a blanket over a homeless person in a new sculpture by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. Pope Francis blessed...
Read More
Peace requires 'gentle power of dialogue,' pope says at audience
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- For there to be peace, people need to expand their horizons, engage in dialogue and work with each other in a way that sets aside...
Read More
Cardinal tells leaders at COP27 they have duty to act on climate change
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (CNS) -- Leaders gathered in Egypt for the U.N. climate summit have "a moral obligation" to act seriously and together to safeguard...
Read More
Russian ambassador confirms pope helped facilitate prisoner exchanges
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Russia's ambassador to the Vatican confirmed Pope Francis helped facilitate recent prisoner exchanges with Ukraine and said the Vatican...
Read More
Pope accepts resignation of German bishop who cheated elderly woman
AACHEN, Germany (CNS) -- Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Aachen Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Bündgens, 66, who was convicted of taking nearly $128,000...
Read More
SOS: Pope avoids row with Italy on migration but says lives must be saved
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis avoided a direct confrontation with Italy's new government over immigration policies, but he still insisted "lives must...
Read More
Italian missionary sister beatified in Kenya after serving nearly a century ago
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- Rwandan Cardinal Antoine Kambanda beatified an Italian Cottolengo nun who served in Kenya about 100 years ago. Beatification is...
Read MoreIn Lebanon, Afro-Asian migrants celebrate with 90-year-old U.S. priest
BEIRUT (CNS) -- To celebrate his 90th birthday, U.S. Jesuit Father Martin McDermott spent the day among the kingdom of heaven -- as he affectionately refers...
Read More
French cardinal admits to abusing teen girl 35 years ago
LOURDES, France (CNS) -- French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, former head of the French bishops' conference, admitted to abusing a 14-year-old girl 35 years...
Read More
Ukrainian archbishop tells pope Russia wants to destroy, not negotiate
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has continued to call on Russian and Ukrainian leaders to negotiate an end to the war, but the head of the Ukrainian...
Read More
In Bahrain, pope sees joy of Catholic minority, deepens ties with Muslims
AWALI, Bahrain (CNS) -- Traveling as a "sower of peace" to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Pope Francis further strengthened ties with the Muslim world and witnessed...
Read More
Pope: Chauvinism kills human progress; fight for equal rights must go on
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM BAHRAIN (CNS) -- A society that does not give women the same rights and opportunities as men will become impoverished, Pope...
Read More
How prisoners are treated reflects level of dignity, hope of society, pope says
MANAMA, Bahrain (CNS) -- Seek to be guardians and builders of unity, reaching out to dialogue with others and living as brothers and sisters, Pope Francis...
Read More
Pope tells young people: Skip Google, search God first for advice
AWALI, Bahrain (CNS) -- Everyone needs help to mature and to grow as a person of faith, Pope Francis told young people in Bahrain, so reach out to someone...
Read More
Source of evil is rejecting God, one's neighbor, pope tells Muslim scholars
AWALI, Bahrain (CNS) -- Conflicts and evil in the world are all rooted in people rejecting God and their brothers and sisters, Pope Francis said to international...
Read More
Religious leaders must build community, unity, peace, pope says
AWALI, Bahrain (CNS) -- A true love for the divine Creator means acting on behalf of his children who are neglected by the powerful: the poor, the unborn,...
Read More
In Bahrain, pope calls for full religious freedom, no death penalty
AWALI, Bahrain (CNS) -- Commitments to protect tolerance and religious freedom need to be put into practice constantly so that these rights may be fully...
Read More
Women must be included in formation of priests, says Father Zollner
One of the church's leading experts on safeguarding and clerical sexual abuse has said the exclusion of women from seminary formation has had "extremely...
Read More
Pope arrives in Bahrain, promoting peace through dialogue
AWALI, Bahrain (CNS) -- Pope Francis promised reporters traveling with him to the Gulf nation of Bahrain that his Nov. 3-6 visit would be an "interesting...
Read More
Showing love, mercy are key to entering heaven, pope says on All Souls' Day
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As Christians await their death and the final judgment of God, the Gospel tells them what they must do to be welcomed into heaven:...
Read More
Saints were revolutionaries who lived the beatitudes, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The saints were not "starched," picture-perfect conformists, Pope Francis said; they were "countercultural and revolutionary." The...
Read More
Will war chaplain Willie Doyle be Ireland's next saint?
Ireland's Father William Doyle, SJ, is one step closer to sainthood. Bishop Thomas Deenihan of the Diocese of Meath announced his intention Oct. 27...
Read More
Colombia celebrates beatification of MarÍa Berenice Duque, foundress of three congregations
Mother MarÍa Berenice Duque Hencker, a Colombian nun who founded religious congregations, including the Congregation of the Sisters of the Annunciation,...
Read More
President of Portugal registers for World Youth Day 2023: Here's how you can participate
The president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, registered as a pilgrim for World Youth Day (WYD), to be held in Lisbon Aug. 1-6, 2023. According to...
Read More
Notre Dame celebrates transfer of Chesterton Collection to London center
LONDON (CNS) -- Holy Cross Father John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, led a dedication ceremony Oct. 27 to celebrate the Catholic...
Read More
Catholic leaders want Latin American church that's synodal, reaches out
LIMA, Peru (CNS) -- The church in Latin America and the Caribbean is called to be a missionary church that heeds the cry of the poor and excluded; a synodal...
Read More
Brazilian bishops congratulate da Silva, note much work ahead
SÃO PAULO (CNS) -- The Brazilian bishops' conference congratulated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for winning the nation's presidential election but noted...
Read More
Christians must see others with compassion, not condemnation, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God always sees people's potential, looking past their mistakes and understanding what they can become, Pope Francis said. If people...
Read More
'Heroine of chastity' adolescent Benigna Cardoso is beatified
In the presence of nearly 60,000 people, the beatification of Brazilian Benigna Cardoso da Silva, known as the "heroine of chastity" for dying defending...
Read More
Vatican announces plans for Christmas tree, Nativity scene, stamps
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Nativity scene that will sit under a 98-feet-tall silver fir tree in the middle of St. Peter's Square this year will feature...
Read More
Commission starts planning global report on child protection efforts
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With a renewed membership, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors met at the Vatican in late October and laid the...
Read More
Synod reports show enthusiasm for mission, but also identify obstacles
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholics around the globe long to share the Gospel with a world in need, but they see situations and tensions within the church...
Read More
Hong Kong cardinal, others, return to court; defense presents case Oct. 31
HONG KONG (CNS) -- Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and five other activists returned to court Oct. 26 to face charges of failing to register a legal fund meant...
Read More
Enlarge the tent: Synod document sees desire for greater inclusion
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Around the world, listening sessions for the Synod of Bishops gave many participants a sense of finally being listened to, but they...
Read More
