News

Hurricane Matthew tears through Haiti as aid workers prepare to respond

Rains whipped by 145-mile-per-hour winds from Hurricane Matthew shattered Haiti's southwest peninsula, downing trees, ripping open makeshift wooden homes and causing widespread flooding Oct. 4.

Albanian president unveils statue of St. Teresa, a ‘daughter of Albania’

Hundreds gathered for the ceremony outside St. Athanasius Catholic Church where the figure of the founder of the Missionaries of Charity cradling a child in her arms has been installed.

Relevant Radio airs novena from national shrine in Wisconsin across U.S.

On the Aug. 15, Green Bay Bishop David L. Ricken announced that the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion had been formally designated as a national shrine by the U.S. bishops.

Pope visits towns in central Italy devastated by earthquake

Amid the devastation wrought by an earthquake in central Italy, Pope Francis quietly prayed and offered words of consolation to survivors and those assisting in relief efforts. "I want to be close to the people," he said.

Seven Catholic institutions will divest from fossil fuel companies

The organizations join a growing movement that is seeing hundreds of groups worldwide divest from companies involved in the extraction of coal, oil and natural gas and toward firms developing renewable energy.

Bishop Michael Burbidge named head of Arlington Diocese

UPDATED -- Pope Francis appointed the former auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, now the bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina, to lead the Virginia diocese. The pope also named a new archbishop for Anchorage, Alaska.

Catholics warn against new rules on religion in China

Since the underground Catholic Church is illegal in China, proposed new regulations will mostly affect the church's open community, which will be heavily fined for "unauthorized pilgrimages," among other offenses.

Use of death penalty re-examined in the states, at Supreme Court

The United States, with its mixed record on the death penalty, is about to take a closer look at the issue this fall with two cases before the Supreme Court and three referendums on state ballots in the November election.

SOA Watch to hold border demonstration against ‘militarization’ of region

"We are in solidarity with people who have been incarcerated for no other reason than seeking a better life for themselves and their families," he said.

Tolerance is good for society, the soul, pope says at Azerbaijani mosque

In addition to leaders of the country's majority Shiite Muslim community, representatives of the Jewish community, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Lutheran Church attended the gathering.