Catholic Church

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The late Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, pictured in 2012.

Pope Francis sends condolences after death of Cardinal Grocholewski

Jul 17, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis offered his condolences after Polish Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski died early Friday at the age of 80.  Read more

Sr. Lorena Jenal walks with local people from the Diocese of Mendi in Papua New Guinea. Courtesy Diocese of Mendi.

Catholic faith is the answer to sorcery-related violence in Papua New Guinea, says bishop

Jul 17, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Easter Sunday in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, three innocent women were burned and tortured while local... Read more

Refugees are welcomed to Rome by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio.

Catholic community welcomes its first refugees to Rome after lockdown

Jul 16, 2020

By Courtney Mares

A Catholic community welcomed Thursday the first refugees to arrive in Rome via a humanitarian corridor through the island of... Read more

Bishop John Arnold of Salford, England.

Catholic bishops seek cancelation of poor countries’ debts at G20 finance summit

Jul 16, 2020

Catholic bishops have urged the U.K.’s finance minister to press for the cancelation of debts owed by the world’s poorest... Read more

Ss Sixtus and Dominic, the church of the Angelicum, pictured June 13, 2015.

Rome’s pontifical universities prepare to resume in-person classes

Jul 15, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Rome’s pontifical universities will again hold in-person classes for the upcoming academic year, as they make adjustments to operation during... Read more

Bishop Hugh Gilbert, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.

Public Masses resume in Scotland with ‘irksome’ 50-person limit

Jul 15, 2020

Public Masses in Scotland resumed Wednesday with a maximum number of 50 people permitted to attend regardless of church size.  Read more

Biagio Conte, a lay missionary based in Palermo, is seen doing a pilgrimage in an almost deserted street March 20, 2020, in Palermo, Italy.

Catholic hermit is ‘full of hope’ after 40-day fast for humanity

Jul 15, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

A lay missionary who was fasting for 40 days in a cave outside Palermo, Italy, says he is returning to... Read more

Andrzej Duda celebrates his presidential election victory in Pułtusk, Poland, July 12, 2020.

Polish president Duda visits Marian shrine after narrow election win

Jul 14, 2020

Andrzej Duda visited Poland’s national Marian shrine Monday following his narrow presidential election victory.  Read more

Choristers pictured before the pandemic at Westminster Cathedral in London, England.

‘The situation is truly dreadful’: Church choirs struggle to survive pandemic

Jul 14, 2020

Musicians in England are warning that the coronavirus pandemic is likely to inflict lasting damage on the country’s church choirs.... Read more

Vatican diplomat urges solidarity in face of growing world hunger

Jul 14, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

According to a new report from the United Nations, an estimated 690 million people went hungry in 2019 -- 10... Read more

The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in the grotto in the French shrine.

Lourdes offers digital pilgrimage as shrine struggles without pilgrims

Jul 14, 2020

By Courtney Mares

As global coronavirus cases have surpassed 13 million, Lourdes is offering a digital pilgrimage this week to pray for the... Read more

 The first public Mass since March takes place at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, England, July 5, 2020.

Why some Catholic churches in England are struggling to resume public Masses

Jul 11, 2020

When the government permitted churches in England to resume public Masses July 4, Fr. Rick McGrath faced a difficult dilemma.   Read more

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square Oct. 2, 2019.

Pope Francis advances cause of teen who died of bone cancer

Jul 11, 2020

The Vatican announced Saturday that Pope Francis has recognized the heroic virtues of a 14-year-old Italian boy who died in... Read more

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square Oct. 16, 2019.

Pope Francis sends message to priests on Argentina’s coronavirus front line

Jul 10, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis sent a video message Thursday to the priests who work in Argentina’s poor neighborhoods serving the sick and... Read more

The Palais Bourbon, the seat of the National Assembly, in Paris.

French archbishop criticizes push to pass bioethics law amid pandemic

Jul 10, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

The archbishop of Paris has criticized the French parliament’s decision to debate a controversial bioethics bill which would increase access to... Read more

Caption: EU flags.

Catholic bishops urge renewed solidarity within EU for pandemic recovery

Jul 10, 2020

By Courtney Mares

The European Catholic bishops’ commission urged the European Union this week to commit to deepening solidarity in its pandemic recovery... Read more

Mario Draghi at a press conference at the ECB headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany.

Pope Francis appoints former European Central Bank chief to pontifical academy

Jul 10, 2020

Pope Francis appointed the former president of the European Central Bank to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Friday.  Read more

United Nations Offices in Geneva, Switzerland, home of the UNHRC.

Vatican diplomat tells UN ‘gender identity’ category not necessary for refugee protection

Jul 9, 2020

By Courtney Mares

A Holy See diplomat raised concern at the United Nations in Geneva this week over the use of the term... Read more

Xanten Cathedral, Germany.

Survey finds 30% of German Catholics are considering leaving Church

Jul 9, 2020

A survey released Thursday found that 30% of German Catholics are considering leaving the Church.  Read more

Fr. Jerome Pascal Ombeni. Courtesy photo.

A tale of two Churches: Young African priest ordained in south Italy

Jul 8, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Last month three men were ordained to the priesthood in a small city in southern Italy. Among them was Fr.... Read more