World News
Churches in Vietnam, Japan agree to jointly care for migrants
Church officials from Vietnam and Japan are working to collaborate on how to best provide pastoral care and social benefits to the increasing number of migrant workers and diaspora in both countries.
Pope sets pre-synod meeting to listen to youths’ hopes, doubts
"We must listen to young people," Pope Francis said as he invited Christian and non-Christian young people from around the world to a meeting next March in preparation for the Synod of Bishops on youth in 2018.
Church more aware of crime, harm of child abuse, Vatican official says
Action must be taken to "heal wounds, restore justice, prevent crimes" and establish a culture of "real safeguarding" so children can grow up healthy and safe, Cardinal Parolin said Oct. 3 in a keynote address opening the four-day gathering.
Pope: True Christians must remain hopeful, not ‘whiny and angry’
Christians are called to be witnesses of the resurrection through "their way of welcoming, smiling and loving" instead of just "repeating memorized lines," the pope said Oct. 4 during his weekly general audience.
Communist-era Salesian priest beatified as martyr in Slovakia
A Slovak Salesian priest who died from torture and radiation poisoning after forced labor in Czechoslovakia's uranium mines is the latest communist-era martyr to be beatified.
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have faint hopes about pope’s visit
Less than 5 percent of the Rohingya know about the pope because many are illiterate and the ethnic minority community has been cut off from the rest of the world by the military and Buddhist extremists.
Building indigenous relations remains a priority for Canadian bishops
Bishop Lionel Gendron of Saint-Jean-Lonueuil, Quebec, said a possible papal visit was not a major topic at the bishops' plenary gathering Sept. 25-29, but reconciliation with indigenous people remains high on the conference's agenda.
Social innovators meet in Rome to seek news ways to build bridges
Five winners of the 2017 BridgeBuilder Challenge gathered in Rome to share their winning ideas, which range from launching tree-planting drones that will restore mangrove trees in Myanmar to providing ethical mining jobs to former combatants in Congo.
Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala recalled for their devotion to faith
The Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala were among the early converts to Christianity in Mexico. They are considered the first martyrs in the Americas, "protomartires," because they were killed for their faith and will be canonized for that reason.
Prefect suggests couples can be better at marriage prep than priests
Marriage ministry needs to be done by married couples because priests have "no credibility in this area," Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, told a church gathering.