World News
Venerating Fatima statue, pope entrusts world to Mary
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Before a congregation of more than 100,000 in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis formally entrusted the world to Mary. "We are confident that each of us is precious in your sight," the pope said Oct. 13, facing the statue of Mary that normally stands in the shrine at Fatima, Portugal. "Guard our lives in your arms, bless and strengthen every desire for goodness." The short ceremony was the culmination of a special Marian Day organized for the Year of Faith
Pope meets Rome Jews, commemorates deportations to Auschwitz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At a meeting with members of Rome's Jewish community, Pope Francis denounced anti-Semitism and recalled the 1943 deportation of more than 1,000 of the city's Jews to the most notorious Nazi death camp -- an incident that has proven a major source of tension between the papacy and Jewish leaders. Of the more than 1,000 people sent to Auschwitz by the German occupiers on Oct. 16, 1943, just 16 eventually returned.
Pope declares medieval mystic a saint, without second miracle
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of seven men and women, including a Canadian and an English founder of two religious orders for women. He also declared the Italian medieval mystic, Blessed Angela of Foligno, a saint, foregoing the usual process of canonization and without formally recognizing a second miracle.
Pope meets Rome Jews, commemorates deportations to Auschwitz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — At a meeting with members of Rome’s Jewish community, Pope Francis denounced anti-Semitism and recalled the 1943 deportation of more than 1,000 of the city’s Jews to the most notorious Nazi death camp — an incident that has proven a major source of tension between the papacy and Jewish leaders. “It’s […]
Pope declares medieval mystic a saint, advances seven other causes
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of seven men and women, including a Canadian and an English founder of two religious orders for women. He also declared the Italian medieval mystic, Blessed Angela of Foligno, a saint, foregoing the usual process of canonization and without formally recognizing a second miracle. Pope […]
Cardinal Dolan, in Rome, lauds pope’s ‘new strategy’ of evangelization
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ recent warning against overemphasizing moral teachings against abortion, same-sex marriage and contraception means that U.S. bishops should emulate his positive approach to evangelization, not shift the priorities of their public policy agenda, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York. “What he’s saying is that if the perception of […]
Archbishop says synod theme shows importance of family for pope
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ decision to call an extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family in 2014 demonstrates how important he believes the family is and the urgency he sees in responding to problems Christian families face, said the head of the Pontifical Council for the Family. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, council president, said […]
Church workers: Honduran mine concessions fuel human rights abuses
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CNS) — Four years after a coup d’etat threw Honduras into crisis, church workers said human rights abuses continue unabated, fueled by disputes over mining concessions. A new Honduran mining law passed in January has opened up huge swaths of the countryside to mining exploration. But the mining industry has increasingly […]
Britain’s top prosecutor confirms gender-based abortions are legal
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) -- Abortions on grounds of gender are legal in Britain, the country's top prosecutor clarified in a letter to the government. Keir Starmer, director of public prosecutions, said in an Oct. 7 letter to Attorney General Dominic Grieve that the 1967 Abortion Act "does not ... expressly prohibit gender-specific abortions."
Pope calls synod to discuss families, divorce and remarriage
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The predicament of divorced and remarried Catholics will be a major topic of discussion when bishops from around the world meet at the Vatican in October 2014. The Vatican announced Oct. 8 that an extraordinary session of the Synod of Bishops will meet Oct. 5-19, 2014, to discuss the "pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization."