World News
After killing of Iranian general, cardinal fears for Iraqi innocents
Iraq's top Catholic prelate urged world leaders to avoid an escalation in violence and to spare his country "the unimaginable consequences" following a U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Pope prays for dialogue as tensions mount between U.S., Iran
Following the Jan. 3 U.S. drone attack that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, Pope Francis urged both sides to exercise "self-control and avoid the shadow of enmity."
Pope to health workers: Uphold ‘the truest human right, the right to life’
In his annual message for the World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis urged medical professionals to "reject any compromise" to patients' dignity in the face of terminal illness.
London cardinal condemns hate speech after anti-Semitic graffiti appears
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster denounced the Dec. 29 attacks on shops, cafes and a synagogue during the Jewish religious festival of Hanukkah.
Australian Catholics seek prayers as fires continue in four states
Bishop Shane Mackinlay of Diocese of Sandhurst expressed concern about the impact of the fires, which have killed at least 20 while destroying more than 14.5 million acres of land.
Archbishop: Iraqis have ‘big anxiety’ after drone kills Iranian general
Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Yousif Thomas Mirkis of Kirkuk said that the U.S.'s Jan. 3 assassination of Qassem Soleimani could spark further sectarian divisions in Iraq between Sunni Muslims and Shiites.
Ecological sin: Idea of updating catechism sparks debate
The impact of human activity on the natural environment is both simple and complex, said one theologian, since it falls "between the category of natural evil and moral evil."
‘A victory for women is a victory for humanity,’ pope says on Marian feast
The world will not know peace unless there is an end to violence against women, the exploitation of their bodies and the denial of their dignity, Pope Francis said on the Jan. 1 feast of Mary, Mother of God.
Pope begins New Year with apology, prayers for peace
At his Jan. 1 Angelus address, Pope Francis said he regretted his "bad example" when he became impatient with a tourist, and urged people to "never stop hoping in a world of peace."
God is at work in the world, pope says at prayer service closing 2019
Speaking in Rome Dec. 31, Pope Francis said that Christ continues to dwell in the hearts of men and women, "urging them to believe, to hope despite everything, and to love by working for the good of all."