World News
Pope praises French policeman who gave his life to save hostage
Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, 44, had convinced the gunman to allow him to take the place of a woman being held hostage in a grocery store in Trebes, a small town in southern France.
Five wounds of Christ: Pope urges recovery of traditional devotion
Reciting the Angelus prayer March 18, Pope Francis recommended a centuries-old devotion in which a person contemplates one of the five wounds of Christ and recites an Our Father before moving to the next wound.
At global forums, church leaders advocate for safe water for all
Access to clean water is a fundamental right must be a global priority, said Catholic leaders present at the 8th World Water Forum and the Alternative World Water Forum.
Latin American bishops call for ‘ecological conversion’
The letter, published in early March, reflects on environmental issues in Latin America in light of "Laudato Si',' on Care for Our Common Home," Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical.
Aborting children with Down syndrome diagnosis called genocide
The Vatican's ambassador at the U.N. decried how groups advancing the rights of women and girls are notably silent when pre-genetic screening and sex-selection abortion ends the lives of those they claim to defend.
China’s Communist Party overhaul includes religious affairs control
One observer in the Hong Kong Diocese said the Communist Party's move to intensify control over all religions was "a major step backward in religious work." It comes at a delicate stage of negotiations between China and the Vatican.
Talks between Christianity, China are indispensable, cardinal says
Dialogue and respectful understanding are the prerequisites for social harmony and world peace, Hong Kong Cardinal John Tong Hon told a symposium on Christianity and China.
At pre-synod, nonbeliever is optimistic about church’s future
An atheist at a Vatican meeting said the experience of interacting with young adults from different cultures was a "really positive" step toward building a bridge between believers and nonbelievers.
Young and old: Two thrown-away generations can save the world
The courage and creativity of young people and the wisdom of the elderly, "are the necessary ingredients of the gentle revolution we all need," wrote the author of a new book-length interview with Pope Francis.
Polish archbishop condemns government stance on refugees
The retired archbishop of Gniezno accused his country's government of falsifying its data on refugees and using "blatant fear-mongering," while also fueling a crisis with Germany over new demands for war reparations.