World News
Pope calls for action against hunger in a world of plenty
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- People must stand united against the scandal of hunger while avoiding food waste, Pope Francis said in launching a global "wave of prayer" today, Dec. 10, at noon.
South African cardinal says iconic Mandela had touch of humanity
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- Nelson Mandela, who led the struggle to replace South Africa's apartheid regime with a multiracial democracy, died Dec. 5 at his home in Johannesburg. Mandela, 95, became the country's first black president in 1994. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Pope to set up advisory commission on sexual abuse
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis accepted a proposal to set up a special commission on the sexual abuse of children, which will advise him on ways to prevent abuse and provide pastoral care for victims and their families.
Holy See developing child protection program for Vatican City
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In an effort to better implement the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Holy See has begun to draw up its own safe-environment program for children in Vatican City State and to offer human rights courses for its security and medical personnel.
Cardinal: For pope, church reform is spiritual exercise, not a project
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- For Pope Francis, the reform of the Catholic Church and its structures "isn't a project, but an exercise of the Spirit" that will take time, said Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa.
Pope calls for prayers for kidnapped nuns, all people abducted in Syria
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis called on Catholics worldwide to pray for five Orthodox nuns who were kidnapped in Syria and for all people who have been abducted during the conflict there.
Seminary offers unconventional path to the priesthood for migrants
MEXICO CITY (CNS) -- Oscar Urrutia's path to religious life has been anything but easy.
Church of England report suggests celebrating same-sex relationships
LONDON (CNS) -- A working group for the Church of England recommended gay couples should be permitted to celebrate their relationships with public services in Anglican parishes.
Wall Street vs. Main Street: Pope’s words on economy stir controversy
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In enunciating the principles of Catholic social teaching, popes have long stressed the church's special concern for the poor and the need for state intervention to promote economic justice.
Pope, cardinal council begin work on reorganizing Roman Curia
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis and the eight members of his international Council of Cardinals have begun their discussions on specific ways to reorganize the Roman Curia, looking first at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, the Vatican spokesman said.