World News
Indian shrine rector stabbed to death; police arrest former sacristan
UPDATED - Father Thelakkat, 52, had been rector there since 2011. He was stabbed at the Sixth Station of the Cross as he came down the hill after checking on preparations for the annual Lenten pilgrimage.
Berlin Archdiocese grieves after murder of African-born pastor
Father Alain-Florent Gandoulou sustained fatal injuries from being beaten with objects and was stabbed in the head with an umbrella tip. A 26-year-old man from Cameroon was arrested in connection with the crime.
Salvation is gift of God, brings people into community, document says
Salvation in Christ is a gift of God that cannot be earned by human efforts alone, and it is not simply some kind of interior transformation, but touches the way Christians live in the world and relate to others.
World Meeting of Families’ congress to center on ‘Amoris Laetitia’
Some of the church's best-known prelates have been lined up to expound on church teachings on the family for the ninth World Meeting of Families.
Ghanaian bishop urges Africans to learn from Laudato Si’
Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu urged Catholic leaders from Africa to use "Laudato Si'" as the basis of their work and to encourage others involved in ecological work to do the same.
Germany’s Trier Diocese latest to reorganize, reduce number of parishes
One of Germany's oldest Catholic dioceses has become the latest to unveil a major reorganization, in the face of rising costs and declining church membership.
Pope to visit Switzerland in June, government official says
UPDATED -- His visit is meant help commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the World Council of Churches and show the Catholic Church's support of the organization's ecumenical initiatives.
German bishops prepare Communion rules for mixed marriages
The document, primarily addressed to pastors, contains specific guidance about whether Communion is possible in particular cases for married couples of different Christian faiths.
Pope, cardinal advisers studying regional tribunals for abuse cases
A report published on the website Vatican Insider that said the pope and his cardinal advisers were considering decentralizing the role of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in handling cases, but would not diminish the congregation's authority.
Palliative care is pro-life response to euthanasia, panelists say
Intentionally causing a patient's death is different from accepting that a patient is dying, then providing emotional and spiritual support and pain relief, said a doctor who practices and promotes palliative care.