World News

Chinese priest urges unity, sees government plan as way to divide church

The recent announcement of this year's working plans of the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs has driven a young priest from northern China to call church leaders to work for dialogue and reconciliation among Catholics in his country.

After gunbattle, Philippine prelates say peace process must continue

Philippine Catholic leaders called for the peace process to move forward between the country's largest Muslim rebel group and the government, days after a deadly encounter between fighters of the two sides in the country's South.

Pope: Salvation is not for VIPs, it’s offered to all God’s people

Christ showed that the way to draw close to God is not by putting down other people and creating an exclusive club, but by embracing and encouraging others to love and do good works, Pope Francis said.

Archbishop welcomes Greece’s new government, hopes for changes

A Greek Catholic leader welcomed his country's new anti-austerity government and predicted Catholics would benefit from changes.

Catholics help mark 70th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation

Around 150 former inmates of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where 1.2 million mostly Jewish prisoners were killed by the Nazis, attended Mass Jan. 27 at a church-run ecumenical center in Poland.

Christian leaders meet in Lebanon, call for end to financing terrorists

Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs called for an end to financing terrorists and suggested that borders be closed when necessary to prevent their movement.

Church agencies give displaced Iraqis fuel, heaters for winter

Colorful blankets, shiny metal heaters and canisters of kerosene provided by Catholic Relief Services and Caritas filled a parking lot for collection by their new owners -- Yezidis displaced by Islamic State militants in search of badly needed provisions to combat the cold.

Pope to dads: Play with your kids, be strong, loving, moral role models

When their lives are all work and no play, men turn their children into "orphans" who lack a father to guide them, show them love and teach them values, Pope Francis said.

Italian convents act as safe houses for victims of sex trafficking

Before her 18th birthday, Elizabeth had already traveled across the Sahara and the Mediterranean on her way from Nigeria to Europe and spent six months in a brothel in Denmark. She was being prepared to start working on the streets of Italy when she found her way to Casa Rut, a safe house for trafficking victims.

Sainthood cause for Focolare founder formally begins

In a message to hundreds of people gathered in the cathedral of Frascati Jan. 27 for the formal opening of Lubich's sainthood cause, Pope Francis expressed his hope that "the shining example" of her life and activity would strengthen Focolare members' faith and commitment to building up the unity of the church and friendly relations with members of other religions.