World News
Castro says pope is so impressive he might start praying again
"When the pope comes to Cuba in September, I promise to go to all his Masses and will do so happily," said President Raul Castro of Cuba, where Pope Francis will visit before his trip to the United States, including Philadelphia Sept. 26-27.
Relief items in short supply in landlocked Nepal
Supplies were yet to reach hundreds of thousands of victims of the April 25 earthquake. Some 400,000 houses have been fully or partially damaged.
French court orders removal of St. John Paul II statue from town square
While the court said the statue's location and size are "ostentatious" in nature, the main issue was not with the image of the pope, but rather, the public display of the statue under a cross, according to a May 6 Vatican Radio report.
Church looks to Spirit to solve problems with dialogue, not infighting
"The Spirit is the one who brings something new, who moves the situation forward, who creates new areas, who creates the wisdom that Jesus promised" and who creates "harmonious unity among everyone," he said, according to Vatican Radio.
Vatican approves statutes for papal commission for protecting minors
U.S. Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston -- one of the pope's top cardinal advisers and president of the pontifical commission -- had submitted a draft of the statutes, which were approved "by mandate of the supreme pontiff" April 21 by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.
Vatican releases details of pope’s trip July 5-12 to South America
Pope Francis' July 5-12 visit to Latin America will not take him to his native Argentina, but it will put him closely in touch with his Jesuit roots and with one of the main characteristics of his ministry as archbishop of Buenos Aires: direct contact with the poor, the sick and those striving to bring the Gospel to bear on social inequalities.
Christian leaders hope Palestinian saints can be intercessors for peace
"I am sure they follow our situation from heaven and will continue to intercede for peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land," Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of Jerusalem said at a news conference May 6. "Their intercession is strong and efficacious."
Papal push: Caritas leader sees ‘Francis effect’ at work on the ground
The secretary-general of the Vatican-based network says Pope Francis has had a huge impact on their programs and priorities, on the number of volunteers and, especially, on their sharing.
Kenya expects 100,000 at beatification of WWI-era nun
Kenyan officials are expecting more than 100,000 people at the May 23 beatification of Sister Irene Stefani, an Italian member of the Consolata Missionary Sisters who cared for wounded and sick soldiers in Kenya and Tanzania during World War I.
Pope thanks Mali’s Christians and Muslims for preserving harmony
The commitment to dialogue and harmony demonstrated by Mali's tiny Christian minority and most members of its Muslim majority ensured the protection of the country's cultural treasures, including the ancient Timbuktu manuscripts, Pope Francis said.