World News
Humble service, now ‘that’s amore,’ pope says at audience
"Love isn't words, but works and service, a humble service performed in silence" without seeking acclaim, the pope told tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Polish church unveils preliminary plan for pope’s July visit
Pope Francis will visit the former Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau during a July 27-31 visit to Poland for the celebration of World Youth Day, the Polish bishops announced.
Bosnian church questions chances for peace unless rights are recognized
A Catholic official in Bosnia-Herzegovina blamed "legalized injustices" for preventing Catholics from helping peace efforts in the months since Pope Francis visited the country last June.
Pope marks third anniversary of election with talk on mercy
Pope Francis celebrated the third anniversary of his election with a simple Tweet -- "Pray for me" -- and the usual Sunday recitation of the Angelus prayer with tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Challenging questions can be sign of faith, preacher tells pope
"It gives me hope to see how, among the people of God, questions continue to grow and no one is content with the same old answers," Father Ronchi told the retreatants.
With drought, Ethiopian church feeds kids to keep them in school
Rural Catholic schools are becoming feeding centers during the worst drought in 50 years. Only 1 percent of Ethiopians are Catholic, yet the church is the country's second-largest provider of health and education services.
Auschwitz sets up tour dates just for World Youth Day pilgrims
The museum has set aside July 20-28 and Aug. 1-3 for participants in World Youth Day, which runs July 26-31 in Krakow, about one-and-a-half hours away.
Philippine cardinal challenges Asians to become church of the poor
Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato, Philippines, said Jesus "strikes at the natural upward mobility of humankind ... and goes down to the downtrodden, walks among them, lives with them, takes up their burdens, calls them his friends.
Judge says same-sex marriage ruling doesn’t apply to Puerto Rico
"The court concludes that the fundamental right to marry, as recognized by the Supreme Court in Obergefell, has not been incorporated to the juridical reality of Puerto Rico," concluded the ruling signed by U.S. District Judge Juan M. Perez Gimenez.
Charity urges better protection for Christian refugees in Germany
"We've heard much about the nasty treatment of Christians, and we're compiling a report to push politicians into action," said Rachel Marsuk, a spokesman for the Netherlands-based Open Doors International.