World News
Mexican bishops present five objectives for action on clergy abuse
The plan, presented March 5 in Mexico City, outlines five objectives: Diagnosis, prevention, justice and response, supporting victims and promoting respect for the law.
Many migrants surprised to find long wait to apply for asylum in U.S.
"We didn't really know it would take so long" to apply for asylum, said Rodny Pineda, 27, who fled Honduras with his sister-in-law and niece, 2, after his brother was murdered by gangsters in San Pedro Sula.
Lent begins with reminder of all that fades away, pope says
Marked with ashes, Christians set off on a Lenten journey where they strive to leave behind everything that will turn to dust and instead focus on drawing closer to God and God's promise of eternal life, Pope Francis said.
As Cardinal Pell awaits sentence, his appeal is fast-tracked to June
The Victorian Supreme Court has set June 5 and 6 for the bid for an appeal to be heard and any subsequent appeal hearing over which three justices of the Australian state's highest court will preside.
Number of priests declined for first time in decade, Vatican says
The global Catholic population in 2017 remained steady at about 1.3 billion. The number of priests dropped slightly while the number of bishops, permanent deacons, lay missionaries and catechists all increased.
God’s kingdom comes through gentleness, not violence, pope says
Jesus' petition for his father's kingdom to come "is not a threat at all; on the contrary, it is a happy announcement, a message of joy," the pope said March 6 during his weekly general audience.
Dissenting sisters in Indian rape case say they are church outcasts
As the Vatican grapples to devise stronger protocols and responses on clergy sex abuse of minors, five nuns in India complain of church repression for their support of a former superior general who was allegedly raped by a bishop.
Nigerian archbishop: Church works as bridge between Muslims, Christians
In Jos, Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama established the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace Centre in 2011 to "attempt to narrow the gap between different groups that are hostile to each other."
Religious persecution harms individuals, communities, official says
"The right to religious freedom blossoms or withers together with all human rights," Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, the Vatican observer to U.N. agencies in Geneva, said.
Nicaraguan bishops say they have not been invited to national dialogue
In a statement issued March 4, the bishops said Managua Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, conference president, let it be known at the opening session of the dialogue Feb. 27 that both sides would have to issue letters inviting the church to participate.