World News
In Turkey, pope will tour crossroads of Christian Europe and Muslim Middle East
During prayers with Orthodox Christian leaders and meetings with Turkish government officials, Pope Francis will also visit Istanbul's Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Museum, a masterpiece once regarded as the finest church of the Christian Byzantine Empire.
Pope beatifies Blessed Paul VI, the ‘great helmsman’ of Vatican II
Beatifying Blessed Paul VI at the concluding Mass of the Synod of Bishops on the family, Pope Francis praised the late pope as the "great helmsman" of the Second Vatican Council and founder of the synod, as well as a "humble and prophetic witness of love for Christ and his church."
Synod ends by affirming tradition, leaving controversial questions open
Ater several days of animated debate over its official midterm report, the Synod of Bishops on the family agreed on a final document more clearly grounded in traditional Catholic teaching. Yet the assembly failed to reach consensus on especially controversial questions of Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried and the pastoral care of homosexuals.
Archbishop Kurtz urges more transparency at next family synod
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, said the October 2015 world Synod of Bishops on the family should return to the practice of previous synods in publishing participants' interventions, for the benefit of their discussions and the information of the outside world.
Synod of Bishops sends message of encouragement to traditional families
On its last day of business, the Synod of Bishops on the family approved and released a three-page message expressing solidarity with Christian families around the world.
Bishop says Ebola makes Liberians feel ‘God has forsaken us again’
A Liberian bishop unable to attend the Synod of Bishops on the family has urged his fellow bishops to use their influence to help West African families in their enormous suffering caused by Ebola.
Christians, Hindus must seek ‘culture of inclusion,’ Vatican says
Despite its many positive advancements, globalization also has brought about greater indifference, exploitation and suffering, said the leaders of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Terrorism in Mideast has reached ‘unimaginable proportions,’ pope says
In a meeting with cardinals Oct. 20, Pope Francis noted hundreds of thousands of Christians have been forced to flee the Middle East because of increased violence. The cardinals also discussed how to deal with the Islamic State.
Guerrero bishops ask officials to prioritize hunt for missing trainees
Bishops in the southern state of Guerrero asked federal and local officials to prioritize finding 43 missing teacher trainees, who authorities allege were detained by crooked cops and delivered to members of a drug cartel.
Cardinal Pell: Synod says no to ‘secular agenda’
Cardinal George Pell said working-group reports from the Synod of Bishops on the family finally give a true picture of the assembly's views, counteracting what he characterized as a misleading midterm report.