World News
Caritas Philippines leader calls typhoon devastation ‘unimaginable’
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) -- The devastation brought on by Super Typhoon Haiyan is on a scale so big it is "unimaginable," said Jesuit Father Edwin Gariguez, head of Caritas in the Philippines. "This is beyond our capacity," he said. With about 600,000 people displaced by the storm, the task of getting aid to Filipinos posed a challenge in terms of coordination and the logistics.
Belgium’s faith leaders: Don’t allow kids to decide on own euthanasia
BRUSSELS (CNS) -- The president of the Belgian bishops' conference joined other faith leaders who criticized proposed legislation to extend euthanasia to children and dementia sufferers, warning the measure risks "destroying the functioning of society."
CRS asks bishops to take up second collection to aid Philippines
BALTIMORE (CNS) — Catholic Relief Services officials committed $20 million in emergency aid for survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan, expecting that the funds will come from a second collection the agency asked U.S. bishops to take in their dioceses before the end of the year. “Our goal is to serve 100,000 families, about a half […]
Church beatifies German nun who founded order for perpetual adoration
PADERBORN, Germany (CNS) -- A Catholic nun who was born into a poor rural family and founded a religious order has been beatified in her native Germany more than a century after her death. "It is written in the Bible that love of neighbor is linked inseparably to love of God," Archbishop Hans-Josef Becker of Paderborn said at the Nov. 10 beatification of Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel.
Desperate Filipinos add to challenging logistics of delivering aid
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) -- International and local groups were poised to get aid to the worst-hit areas of the typhoon-stricken central Philippines, but the challenges of getting help to communities growing desperate for food and water went beyond just making sure roads were clear.
Pope asks parishes to be inclusive of the sick, value their gifts
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Parishes and Catholic organizations must be "pastorally inclusive" of the fragile and sick, who are a "spiritual resource" and not simply the object of Christian charity, Pope Francis said. Especially at a time when modern societies seem so intent on "hiding physical frailty and seeing it only as a problem," he said, Catholic parishes and associations must help the sick and physically challenged feel "fully part of the life and mission of the church."
Pope leads prayers, calls for aid for people hit by deadly typhoon
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis led prayers in St. Peter's Square Nov. 10 for people hit by a deadly typhoon in the Philippines and surrounding region, and asked that concrete aid be sent soon.
At Manila air base, distraught family members hope for plane to Leyte
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) -- The back entry to the grandstand at the Villamor Air Base was teeming with people as the noon sun peaked. It was Nov. 11, three days after Super Typhoon Haiyan pounded the central Philippine islands, leaving a path of overwhelming destruction that emergency and relief workers were hard-pressed to penetrate.
Church workers lose contact with central Philippines as typhoon hits
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) — As Super Typhoon Haiyan barreled across the central Philippines, national and international church aid officials lost contact with their local counterparts. “I’m just monitoring the news and I’m just hoping for the best,” said Josephine Ignacio of Caritas Philippines. “I’m just hoping that the government’s massive pre-emptive evacuation operation did miracles.” […]
Catholic advocates to add church voice to Warsaw climate discussions
WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- When government delegates begin debating climate change in Warsaw Nov. 11, Catholic representatives will be working to ensure the church's voice is heard. The Conference of the Parties, running until Nov. 22, will review progress since the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which committed industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.