News

Churches in Vietnam, Japan agree to jointly care for migrants

Church officials from Vietnam and Japan are working to collaborate on how to best provide pastoral care and social benefits to the increasing number of migrant workers and diaspora in both countries.

Pope sets pre-synod meeting to listen to youths’ hopes, doubts

"We must listen to young people," Pope Francis said as he invited Christian and non-Christian young people from around the world to a meeting next March in preparation for the Synod of Bishops on youth in 2018.

Church more aware of crime, harm of child abuse, Vatican official says

Action must be taken to "heal wounds, restore justice, prevent crimes" and establish a culture of "real safeguarding" so children can grow up healthy and safe, Cardinal Parolin said Oct. 3 in a keynote address opening the four-day gathering.

Pope: True Christians must remain hopeful, not ‘whiny and angry’

Christians are called to be witnesses of the resurrection through "their way of welcoming, smiling and loving" instead of just "repeating memorized lines," the pope said Oct. 4 during his weekly general audience.

Panel: Efforts to protect life at all stages has never been more important

Stories from the lived experience of the speakers took the place of policy discussions during Georgetown University's first "Lives Worthy of Respect" conference Oct. 2.

Pennsylvanian sees making of a saint in Italian friend’s faith, sacrifice

"There was something different about Chiara," a young Italian woman who befriended Jennifer Pellegrine of Altoona, Pa., during a student trip to Rome. Now because of Chiara's courageous choice for life, she's being mentioned as a saint.

Communist-era Salesian priest beatified as martyr in Slovakia

A Slovak Salesian priest who died from torture and radiation poisoning after forced labor in Czechoslovakia's uranium mines is the latest communist-era martyr to be beatified.

Las Vegas Catholic churches, schools respond to shooting with prayers

UPDATED - "Many of our students' family members work in the hotels on the Strip so obviously there was a lot of concern when we started hearing of the horrible events that were occurring on Sunday evening," said Viatorian Brother Rob Robertson, a school counselor.

Do not let hate, violence ‘have the last word,’ says Las Vegas bishop

At an emotional interfaith prayer service at Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas Bishop Joseph A. Pepe told those filling the pews Oct. 2 that "in the face of tragedy we need each other."

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have faint hopes about pope’s visit

Less than 5 percent of the Rohingya know about the pope because many are illiterate and the ethnic minority community has been cut off from the rest of the world by the military and Buddhist extremists.