World News
Circus performers have a ‘joyful’ vocation, pope says
Meeting with an association of traveling circus and street performers, carnival workers, musicians and magicians, Pope Francis thanked the artists for their dedication in bringing joy to men, women and children.
Local responsibility, not disunity: Pope moves toward decentralization
Pope Francis talks about the need for a "healthy decentralization" in the Catholic Church, but how that should look and work has been a topic of debate since the Second Vatican Council.
Vatican diplomat recalled from U.S. during child-porn investigation
A member of the Vatican diplomatic corps serving in Washington is involved in a criminal investigation, the Vatican said Sept. 15. The U.S. State Department notified the Holy See Aug. 21 "of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images."
Holy Land trip helps U.S. military veterans overcome PTSD
Heroes to Heroes has taken 14 groups of U.S. veterans -- including those who served in Vietnam -- to meet with their Israeli counterparts and visit holy sites. It is a peer-support program with the goal of helping achieve spiritual healing and preventing suicide.
Indonesian church backs government anti-human-trafficking drive
Indonesian church officials welcomed a government move to tackle human trafficking by making it easier for migrant workers to obtain legal status and necessary documents.
Indian bishop asks prime minister to stop hatred against Christians
Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas charged in a letter to Modi that "spiraling hatred" was being perpetuated by Raghubar Das, chief minister of Jharkhand and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is known for pursuing a Hindu nationalist legislative agenda.
Pope asks new bishops from Florida, Texas about hurricanes’ aftermath
Bishop William A. Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida, said that when he and Bishop Robert M. Coerver of Lubbock, Texas, went up to shake the pope's hand, as soon as he heard where they were from, the pope asked about the storms and the people.
Bishops called to be humble shepherds, not lonely masters, pope says
A bishop cannot truly discern God's will by lording over his flock; rather he must listen to and participate in the lives of those entrusted to his care, Pope Francis told some 120 new bishops.
New tool to use Laudato Si’ to measure, rank nations’ development
The "Laudato Si'" Observatory "stems from taking the encyclical, dividing it into measurable topics -- measurable indicators -- and drawing up a human and environmental index," all of which concern "human development and environmental development."
Belgian brothers group to keep offering euthanasia at psych facilities
UPDATED - In a Sept. 12 statement, the organization said it had not been given a chance to explain its "vision statement and argumentation."