News
Bishops to put together pastoral plan for marriage, family life ministry
U.S. Catholic bishops acknowledged that Catholic families and married couples need more support from the church at large and hope to offer it by giving parishes plenty of resources through a pastoral plan for marriage and family life.
Sainthood cause of Lakota catechist moves forward
The U.S. bishops voted Nov. 14 to move forward the sainthood cause of Nicholas W. Black Elk, a 19th-century Lakota catechist who is said to have introduced hundreds of Lakota people to the Catholic faith.
Panama archbishop: World Youth Day will invite youth of other faiths
UPDATED - Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panama visited Baltimore for the gathering of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 13 and 14, where he gave bishops an informational overview of the preparations for World Youth Day.
British Catholic schools remove ‘mother,’ ‘father’ from admission forms
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator, which settles disputes on behalf of the government, upheld the objection of a parent who wished to enroll a child in Holy Ghost Catholic Primary School in London.
U.S. seminary in Rome to host World Day of Poor lunch guests
About 4,000 poor people are expected to join the pope for Mass in St. Peter's Basilica Nov. 19, which Pope Francis had designated as the World Day of the Poor.
U.S. bishops take on immigration, racism at fall assembly
UPDATED - They acknowledged the current polarization in the country and divides within the Catholic Church and stressed their responsibility as church leaders to promote immigration reform, educate parishioners on justice issues and listen to those affected by "sins of racism."
Ghanaian bishops meet to discuss challenges to families
Families today live in complex situations, and Pope Francis "invites us to look at the reality of the family today in all its complexity, with both in its lights and shadows, in faithfulness to Christ's teaching," the pope's representative told Ghana's bishops.
Persecuted Christians at risk of being forgotten, bishop says
The plight of minority Christians will be the focus of "A Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians" to be observed Nov. 26.
Catholic Charities resets focus to disaster relief after huge storms
This fall's onslaught of destructive hurricanes -– Harvey in Texas, Irma in Florida and Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands –- has caused the agency to shift its priorities in the short-term toward aiding people who have lost homes and livelihoods, Dominican Sister Donna Markham said.
Indigenous Canadians seek closure in cases of missing family members
An estimated 1,000 to 4,000 women and girls have been murdered or reported missing in Canada over the last 30 to 40 years. The inquiry is expected bring recommendations to the federal government to address the systemic causes of violence against indigenous women and girls in Canada.