World News

Irish archbishop steps back from Cardinal Burke’s same-sex remarks

Archbishop Eamon Martin said Ireland's bishops "have appealed for people not to use language that is offensive" during the debate preceding passage of a same-sex marriage referendum.

Cooperate, don’t compete, in fundraising for missions, cardinal says

Initiatives also should hold onto the true meaning of mission as being more than just meeting physical and social needs, but also sharing the spiritual wealth of the Gospel message and God's salvation, he said.

Catholic commission urges Zuma to take responsibility for excess spending

"We wish to remind our political leaders that, at a time when millions of our people are struggling to make ends meet, it is morally unjustifiable for the government to spend excessive amounts" on "one person and on nonsecurity items," said the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference justice and peace commission.

Pope heads to Bosnia as ‘brother messenger of peace’

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis said he will dedicate his one-day visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina to encouraging a minority Catholic community in the faith, fostering ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and calling for peace and harmony after the devastations of war. He said he would be coming “as a brother messenger of peace to express to […]

Coming papal letter on environment has a name: ‘Praised Be’

Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment will be titled "Laudato Sii" (Praised Be), a line from St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of Creatures," and will be released June 16.

Pope meets sick children and children of prison inmates

"We can ask the Lord, 'Why, Lord? Why do children suffer? Why this child?'" Pope Francis said to families of ill children during their visit to his home in Rome.

Pope Francis lists abortion, unsafe workplaces among ‘attacks on life’

Civilization's progress is measured "by its capacity to care for life, especially in its most fragile phases," the pope said, decrying society's "throwaway mentality."

Evangelization demands experiencing God’s mercy first, pope says

In fact, how the church is educating people in the faith needs to go beyond classroom instruction and actually show them places where Christ is truly present and active in the world today, he said May 29.

Bishops in eastern Congo say they face ‘genocide … Balkanization’

"For more than 20 years, the eastern populations have fallen victim to war and insecurity -- in 2010, the victims numbered 6 million dead, and the toll continues," said the bishops from eastern South Kivu province.

Australian bishops: Redefining marriage would be ‘serious injustice’

On May 28, the bishops released a pastoral letter on same-sex marriage, which was fast-tracked for distribution given the impending introduction of draft legislation on same-sex marriage in the Australian Parliament.