World News
Pope amends canon law on religious who abandon their community
In a document titled "Communis Vita" (Community Life), the pope amended the Code of Canon Law to include an almost automatic dismissal of religious who are absent without authorization from their community for at least 12 months.
Arab Israeli fights to visit father’s grave, now surrounded by air base
Since 2000, Salwa Salem Copty repeatedly has made formal requests to gain access to the cemetery to visit her family members buried there, but her appeals to various Israeli authorities through multiple channels have gone unhandled.
Australian church wraps first phase of historic lay council
In a 10-month listening process that finished March 13, 75,000 Catholics in Australia participated in a plenary council in which laypeople may vote and decisions could be binding, once ratified by the Vatican.
Pope urges officials to preserve Rome’s historic, spiritual traditions
Rome, he said, has had the unique distinction not only of inspiring Western civilization through its developments in civil law, but also inspiring Christians who visit the city and are moved by the witness of countless martyrs who gave their lives for Christ
Founder, editorial staff of Vatican women’s magazine resign
New management at the Vatican's newspaper has tried to "weaken" the magazine by launching initiatives that "seem competitive, with the result of pitting women against each other," said the director of "Women-Church-World."
Pope to beatify martyrs, visit Marian shrine on trip to Romania
Visiting Romania May 31-June 2, Pope Francis will stop at six destinations, including a popular Marian shrine in the Transylvanian region.
Mary inspires, assists those seeking their vocation, pope says
"Young people who are seeking or questioning their future can find Mary to be the one who helps them discern God's plan for them and find the strength to follow it," Pope Francis said.
Prayer, dialogue, enthusiasm are key to making good choices, pope says
In a Vatican audience with staff, middle school and high school students from Padua's Barbarigo Institute, three students were chosen to ask Pope Francis questions, and all three queries had to do with making important choices in life.
Pope accepts resignation of embattled Chilean cardinal
UPDATED - Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati's is the eighth resignation Pope Francis accepted after almost every bishop in Chile offered to step down in May 2018 after a three-day meeting at the Vatican to discuss the clerical sexual abuse scandal.
Ireland considers plans for seminarians to spend more time in parishes
The plans would allow for more time involved in active pastoral work alongside priests and lay pastoral workers and would, according to one bishop, give them a more realistic insight into priesthood in contemporary Ireland.