World News

South Asia vocations coming from nontraditional Catholic communities

As religious gathered July 20-25 in Thailand for a symposium on religious life hosted by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, religious men and women throughout the region find themselves facing new challenges to their missions.

Cardinal cautions Nigerian president on anti-corruption campaign

Fighting corruption goes beyond making a "few arrests here and there," Cardinal Onaiyekan said in urging Buhari to carry out his anti-corruption campaign in a way that would not violate human rights or be seen as selective.

Overtime, overhauls and the ordinary: 2013 goes down in Vatican history

When the Vatican publishes its annual report detailing its activities and operations, the 1,400-page volume is filled with references to the every day and the exceptional.

Patriarch calls lives of Middle East Christians ‘bad’ and ‘less bad’

While describing the condition of the Palestinians in the West Bank as "bad," he said their situation is better than the challenges faced by Christians in Syria and Iraq, especially those who have been forced to flee homes in the fact of Islamic State militants.

City mayors discuss promoting equality and the environment

At a Vatican meeting, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio asked why people are committed to outdated models of economic growth when that "model of development is slowly killing us."

Church charities augment tattered school system in quake-wracked Nepal

Like thousands of Nepalese homeowners, Sobha Laksmi Maharjan lost her residence in the devastating earthquake that rocked Nepal April 25. But she remains busy and cheerful at work despite the hardship.

World’s mayors head to Vatican, vow to tackle climate change, poverty

Pope Francis told the mayors that they were important because they were at the "grass roots" and could make concrete changes and put pressure on leaders above them.

Frustrations build among Christians in Iraq camp

Refugees from Islamic State militants live in over-crowded single-room trailers, averaging eight occupants, said a priest ministering to them. They remain dependent on overseas aid and upon the church.

Pope declares Ukrainian church leader ‘venerable’

Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, who led the Ukrainian Catholic Church through both world wars and the start of Soviet occupation, is on the first step to possible sainthood.

Seeing struggles of people is key during papal visits, pope says

A good pastor always sees what people are going through, feels compassion and then nourishes them with God's Word, Pope Francis said at the Vatican after his trip to South America.