News
Bishops condemn selling of Nigerians into slavery in Libya
A trio of Nigerian bishops condemned the enslavement of Nigerians who traveled to Libya for work, calling the practice a horrific abuse of human dignity.
Pope: Helping refugees means converting hearts hardened against them
"Our missionary work must also reach those hearts that are closed to the reception of others," he told 31 Jesuits from different parts of Asia and Australia, who are based in Myanmar.
Delicate art of diplomacy needed to build peaceful future, pope says
Diplomats share a responsibility to educate future generations about the importance of dialogue and reconciliation in maintaining peace, Pope Francis said.
Year in review: Nuclear threat raises tensions in U.S., Asia, worldwide
The ratcheting up of North Korea's missile testing, and fears that it also is advancing in its quest to launch a nuclear weapon, has gotten the attention of virtually everyone within range of any North Korean-fired missile and leaders worldwide, including Pope Francis.
After terrorism attempt, Trump calls for end to immigration programs
While many Catholics took to social media asking for the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the life of migrants who have come to the U.S. seeking a better life, President Donald Trump called, on Dec. 12, her feast day, for an end to two immigration programs.
Friars in historic California mission briefly evacuate after fire fears
A group of 27 friars from Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, California, voluntarily evacuated late Dec. 7 as winds kicked up during a wildfire in their area that burned through 4,000 acres, destroying 157 structures and damaging 64 others.
Bishop Luong dies; he was ‘a blessing’ to Vietnamese Catholics in U.S.
Bishop Dominic M. Luong, the first U.S. Catholic bishop of Vietnamese descent and the founding father of the Vietnamese Catholic community in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, died Dec. 6 in Orange, California. He was 76.
Pope wants church to be voice of the poor in Amazon
A Brazilian archbishop said Pope Francis' decision to convene a Synod of Bishops in 2019 dedicated to the Amazon shows he is seeking a voice for the voiceless living in the region that has experienced significant deforestation.
Fundraising starts to aid victims of Southern California fires
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has started a fund for victims of the wildfires that have raced through the archdiocese and were threatening to spread to locations in the nearby Orange and San Diego dioceses.
Hold the phone: Vatican says Pope Francis doesn’t use WhatsApp
While the thought of receiving a blessing by text from Pope Francis could have millions of mobile users glued to their smartphones, a Vatican spokesman said via Twitter that isn't the pope's style.