News
Catholic mask: Italian bishops try to reveal truth behind mafia’s faith
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The godfather who stands up for a child's baptism one day and spends the rest of the week running a brutal crime ring unfortunately is not the stuff of movies.
Agency’s plan to house migrants from border called ‘right thing’ to do
BALTIMORE (CNS) -- After news broke July 17 that Catholic Charities of Baltimore planned to house unaccompanied immigrant children at a Baltimore-area facility, executive director William J. McCarthy said the first response he received was positive: an email praising the agency's decision with a pledge of $200 in support.
Holy Land priests on both sides try to help parishioners confront war
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Two priests on either side of the Gaza border are trying to help their small communities confront the realities of war. Both priests spoke of their material powerlessness against the weapons of war, but of the importance of their spiritual presence for their community.
Vatican revising canon law on abuse penalties, cardinal says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Church law has procedures and penalties for effectively dealing with allegations of clerical sexual abuse, but the Vatican is working to revise a section of the Code of Canon Law to make those norms and procedures clearer and, therefore, more effective, said the president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
Free from ordeal in Sudan, woman condemned for apostasy meets pope
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Meeting a Sudanese woman who risked execution for not renouncing her Catholic faith, Pope Francis thanked Meriam Ibrahim for her steadfast witness to Christ.
Stop targeting civilians, archbishop tells Israelis, Gaza fighters
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council urged the Israeli military and fighters in the Gaza Strip to stop targeting civilian areas.
Along the border: Agent has keen eye for signs of people on move
Border Patrol Agent Bryan Flowers has a keen eye for spotting signs of people on the move. He can make out fresh footprints in the dry desert sand and easily spot newly discarded water bottles, backpacks or clothing.
Humanity at the heart of immigration crisis, say faith leaders
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- While hundreds of children and families continued crossing the U.S.-Mexico border daily, a group of diverse religious leaders remained focused on the plight that immigrants are forced to face after they arrive in the country illegally.
Catholic agencies study Obama order on government contract employment
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholic agencies were studying President Barack Obama's executive order that expands the prohibition on employment discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender by the federal government and nonprofit agencies and corporations that receive federal contracts.
Archbishop says neither church nor courts can change nature of marriage
MIAMI (CNS) -- A Florida county judge's ruling that same-sex couples have a right to marry "represents another salvo in the 'culture wars' that ultimately seek to redefine the institution of marriage as solely for adult gratification," said Miami's archbishop.