World News
Pope Francis contemplates Shroud of Turin, calls it ‘icon of love’
It took place in silence and lasted only a few minutes, but Pope Francis' time of prayer and contemplation before the Shroud of Turin was marked with gestures of reverence and tenderness.
Pope says Scripture must have central place in church’s pastoral life
A lack of enthusiasm for Scripture weakens well-established churches and stunts the missionary verve of newfound Christian communities, said Pope Francis in a written message shared with members of the Catholic Biblical Federation.
Pope, Orthodox patriarch express commitment for unity
"We express our desire and readiness to look for new ways that will bring our churches even closer to each other, paving the way for Antioch and Rome, the only two apostolic sees where St. Peter preached, to establish full communion," Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem said.
Pray for justice, terrorists who kill in name of God, says cardinal
"Our prayer is much needed: for justice, for peace and security in the world," as well as for those who "commit violence in the name of religion, so as to return to God and change (their) life," said the cardinal, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Religious leaders decry arson at Church of Multiplication in Holy Land
The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land issued a strong condemnation against an early morning arson attack on the Benedictine Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee on June 18.
Church leaders see encyclical as opening new wave of climate action
Pope Francis aims to touch the hearts of people so that they act to stem climate change and change their lifestyle to reduce negative impacts on the planet in his encyclical on the environment, said a priest at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina.
Encyclical comes at crucial time with message for all, speakers say
There is "food for thought" for everyone in the text, and not liking something one reads in it is not an excuse to dismiss the whole document as irrelevant, some speakers said.
Read ‘Laudato Si’ for yourself
See the full text of Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, in English and Spanish.
All creation sings God’s praise, but people are silencing it, pope says
The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home."
Papal pull-out quotes from encyclical letter, Laudato Si’
The following are selected quotes from Pope Francis' encyclical letter, "Laudato Si', on the Care of Our Common Home"