World News
Back to school Italian style: Papal greeting and gelato quests
At the Pontifical North American College, new student orientation is not just a weekend or even just a week -- it includes almost a month of intensive Italian studies, punctuated with occasional gelato sampling and one big shoutout from Pope Francis.
Myanmar bishop sees ‘big difference’ in refugee community at Indiana parish
When Bishop Lucius Hre Kung of Hakha, Myanmar, visited St. Barnabas Parish in Indianapolis two years ago, a mere six families comprised the parish's Hakha Chin Catholic refugee community.
Some Australians fear religious freedom laws won’t give enough protection
A draft of the bill -- which aims to mirror existing anti-discrimination laws covering race, age and disability -- is expected to be released in the coming weeks, following further consultation.
After 2018 Vatican-China agreement, two bishops ordained in China
The nomination and assignment of bishops had been a key sticking point in Vatican-Chinese relations for decades; the Catholic Church insisted that bishops be appointed by the pope, and the Chinese government maintained that would amount to foreign interference in China's internal affairs.
Pope: Proclaim God’s love through care for needy
While listening to and obeying God's word brings healing and comfort to those in need, it also can attract disdain and even hatred from others, Pope Francis said.
Indonesian police arrest suspects linked to 2018 church bombings
Indonesian police have arrested six terrorist suspects, two of whom have been linked to last year's bombings at three churches in Surabaya, the country's second-largest city.
Syriac Catholic Church reestablishes diocese in northern Iraq
Archbishop Nathaniel Nizar Semaan heads the new Diocese of Hadiab-Irbil and all Kurdistan. Previously, the area was under the Mosul Archdiocese's jurisdiction.
Retired pope responds to criticism of his reflection on abuse crisis
Most of the criticism focused on Pope Benedict seeming to blame the cultural and sexual revolution of the '60s, when many cases of priests sexually abusing children occurred before that time even if the public found out only recently.
Pope encourages interreligious dialogue initiative
Pope Francis welcomed Abu Dhabi's formation of an international committee to implement the "Document for Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together," which he and Sheik el-Tayeb signed in the country in February.
St. Teresa of Kolkata’s birthday not forgotten by Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity nuns in India celebrated the birthday of their order's founder, St. Teresa of Kolkata, three years after her canonization, breaking a Catholic convention.