World News
‘Two steps forward, one step back’: Vatican diplomacy with China
When Deng Xiaoping took charge of the Chinese Communist Party in late 1978 and announced his program of reform, it was the beginning of the end of 39 years of isolation for China's Christians.
German bishops apologize formally, release sex abuse data
"Sexual abuse is a crime," Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising told a news conference Sept. 25 in Fulda, Germany. "And whoever is guilty of it must be punished by law."
Time to heal, restore unity, evangelize, pope tells Catholics in China
In a special message addressed "to the Catholics of China," Pope Francis said he hoped a recent Sino-Vatican agreement would help "restore full communion among all Chinese Catholics."
On plane, pope discusses sex abuse, corruption of cover-up, China pact
Returning to Rome from a trip to the Baltic nations, Pope Francis said the Catholic Church has grown in its understanding of clerical sexual abuse. He cited the Pennsylvania grand jury report, saying, "when the church began to understand (the crisis), it did all it could."
As part of message to Catholics in China, pope offers prayer to Mary
As part of this message to Catholics in China and worldwide, published Sept. 26, Pope Francis offered the following prayer, inviting everyone to join him in invoking the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary.
God’s love in charity exists even in most secularized places, pope says
During times of freedom or persecution, the Gospel is needed to bring meaning, fullness and hope to life, Pope Francis said.
Abuse crisis is like fire purifying church, says head of Canadian bishops
"When there is a fire, our first instinct is often to try to put it out to prevent damage," said Bishop Lionel Gendron of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, Quebec. "In this case, however, we may need to allow this fire to keep burning," he said.
Cardinal beatifies 22-year-old Romanian as ‘martyr to chastity’
A 22-year-old Romanian peasant has taken a step closer to sainthood as a "martyr to chastity," six decades after she was murdered while resisting rape during the communist-era repression of the Catholic Church.
Pope prays for victims of ferry disaster in Tanzania
As of Sept. 25, at least 224 had been found dead after a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria Sept. 20.
Scandals create outrage, but there is time for conversion, pope says
In what is probably the least religious country in Europe, Pope Francis said he is surprised by how many people hold firm to their faith despite all the sexual abuse and financial scandals in the Catholic Church.