News
Priest charged with stealing $500K from fund for clergy retirement home
Msgr. William Dombrow of the Philadelphia Archdiocese was charged by federal authorities with a scheme to embezzle funds intended to support Villa St. Joseph, Darby, the archdiocesan residence for aged and ill priests.
Venezuelan bishops call for civil disobedience in constitutional crisis
The statement followed a decision by Venezuela's Supreme Court March 29 to strip the country's opposition-controlled parliament of its powers. In two separate rulings, the court's constitutional chamber ruled that it would assume legislative duties.
Global Catholic population tops 1.28 billion; half are in 10 countries
The 2017 "Annuario Pontificio," or Vatican yearbook, and a new edition of the Vatican Statistical Yearbook report that the countries with the most Catholics are, in order: Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Spain, Congo and Argentina.
Papal envoy praises ‘spiritual climate’ of Medjugorje
Polish Archbishop Henryk Hoser of Warsaw-Praga, named by Pope Francis in February to study the pastoral situation in the small town and the needs of pilgrims, held a news conference April 5 after a week in Medjugorje.
Bishops say church committed to addressing ‘scourge’ of human trafficking
Decrying "the evil of human trafficking" as an "international, national and local scourge," three Catholic bishops whose dioceses cover portions of Maryland said their state "is not immune from this tragic reality."
Cardinal, other pro-life leaders praise decision to defund U.N. agency
UPDATED - The U.S. State Department announced that it would no longer contribute to the U.N. Population Fund because of the agency's involvement in China's Population and Family Planning Law, long known as the "one-child policy."
Catholics to open climate march with Mass, prayer, Capitol Hill visits
March organizers are expecting hundreds of thousands of people to travel to Washington April 29 in a broad showing of grass-roots support for federal government action in addressing climate change.
Philippine bishops say they oppose Duterte’s policies, not the man
The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines assured the government that the country's church leaders are not against President Rodrigo Duterte.
South African bishops: Zuma resignation would not solve all problems
Corruption must be rooted out at every level of government in South Africa, said the country's Catholic bishops.
Pope horrified by ‘unacceptable massacre’ in Syria
UPDATED - Pope Francis strongly condemned a shocking chemical attack in Syria that left some 70 people, including at least 10 children, dead.