World News

Pope Francis calls careerism a ‘leprosy’ on the priesthood

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Using especially strong language on one of his favorite themes, Pope Francis decried a plague of careerism among priests and urged them to renounce their personal ambitions for service to the church — warning that failure to do so would make them look “ridiculous.” “Careerism is a leprosy, a leprosy,” the […]

Help Syria, pope says; ‘where there is suffering, Christ is present’

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians must help the people of Syria because “where there is suffering, Christ is present,” Pope Francis told representatives of Catholic aid agencies working in Syria and with Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. “How much suffering, how much poverty, how much pain; and it’s Jesus who suffers, who is poor, who […]

Pope says ‘throwaway culture’ harms environment and human life

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis blamed widespread degradation of the natural environment and disregard for human life on an increasingly common “throwaway culture” that places no value on the needs of others. “We are living through a moment of crisis,” the pope said June 5. “We see it in the environment, but above all […]

In Venezuela, shortages include bread for Communion, sacramental wine

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CNS) — In his small parish outside of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, Father Maximo Mateos is filling his chalice with less than half the amount of wine he formerly used. The priests at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Caracas are precariously close to running out of sacramental wine. And for […]

Meeting on sex abuse expands reach, promoting global approach

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Once representing only English-speaking countries, the Anglophone Conference on the Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults is going global. For the past several years, growing numbers of delegates from the church in Latin America, Asia and Africa have been attending the annual gathering. Begun in 1996, the conference was […]

Czech cardinal welcomes plan to pay billions to churches for property

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) — A Czech cardinal welcomed final court approval of government plans to pay billions of dollars to churches in compensation for their losses under communist rule. On June 3, the Constitutional Court cleared the way for the implementation of a 2012 law that says 56 percent of assets, valued at $3.8 billion, […]

Catholic charities appeal for help after flooding in Central Europe

BONN, Germany (CNS) -- Catholic charities in Central Europe have appealed for help after floods devastated areas of Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. "The overall scale of this disaster will only be known in the next few days," Wolfgang Duschl, spokesman for the German church's Passau Diocese, said June 4. "But our own diocesan offices are closed, and analysts expect the material damage to run into tens of millions of euros."

Pope Francis recognizes martyrdom of 95 victims of Spanish Civil War

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis recognized the martyrdom of 95 men and women religious and laymen who were killed during the Spanish Civil War. The pope’s approval of a series of martyrdom decrees June 3 opened the way for their beatification to be scheduled. A miracle is required before any blessed may be canonized. […]

Pope’s Sunday focuses on need for peace, gift of Eucharist

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The horror of war, the valor of peacemaking and the gift of the Eucharist were on Pope Francis’ mind June 2, the day Italy celebrates its establishment as a republic and the day most dioceses around the world celebrated the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. Pope Francis began […]

Pope ends Marian month meeting children with cancer, praying rosary

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "Children are the ones Jesus loves most," Pope Francis told a group of young cancer patients and their parents at the Vatican May 31. The pope had invited the 22 children, who are being treated at the pediatric oncology ward of Rome's Gemelli Hospital, after they went on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and sent Pope Francis drawings of the shrine's famous grotto because he had never been there.