World News
Pope calls for month of prayer to renew passion for missionary outreach
Pope Francis called for an "extraordinary month of prayer and reflection" to reinvigorate and renew the missionary spirit and action of the Catholic Church during the month of October 2019.
Mercy toward others implies taking risks, suffering, pope says
Works of mercy are not a way of easing one's conscience but are acts of suffering with those who suffer, Pope Francis said.
Pentecost is celebration of unity in diversity, pope says
The Holy Spirit continues to give Christians different gifts and to call them to share those gifts with each other in a community marked by forgiveness and "unity in diversity," Pope Francis said on Pentecost.
Safeguarding creation is religious obligation, Vatican officials say
"Our vocation to be guardians of God's handiwork is not optional, nor is it tangential to our religious commitment as Christians and Muslims: It is an essential part of it," said the Vatican’s annual message to Muslims for the end of Ramadan.
Mali’s first cardinal said to foster regional peace, understanding
Cardinal-elect Jean Zerbo of Bamako, Mali, the first from the western Africa nation, will use his position to ease the multiple crises facing sub-Saharan regions, an aide said, despite new media accusations linking him to a financial scandal.
Defending sacredness of life offers service to everyone, pope says
Upholding the sacredness of human life becomes concrete when generations work together to serve everyone: the poor, disabled, orphans, migrants, the unborn and the elderly, Pope Francis said.
Don’t be overly harsh on youth; they have much to give, pope says
Do not forget how God often chose the smallest, because proclaiming the Gospel "is not based on the greatness of human strength, but rather on the willingness to let oneself be guided by the gift of the Spirit," he said June 1.
Restorers unveil frescoed chambers in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla
The Catacombs of St. Domitilla are believed to be the world's oldest existing Christian cemetery and are among the largest in Italy with a total of some 150,000 burial spots.
Pope will not make South Sudan visit this year, spokesman says
With the civil war worsening and famine spreading, Pope Francis already in March had expressed doubts about the possibility of making the trip.
Bishops in southern Mexico face threats from organized criminal groups
The bishops serve a region rife with drug cartel activities and parishes located in impoverished indigenous communities where people eke out existences by cultivating opium poppies.