Catholic Church

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The pilgrim statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal visits the Church of San Gioacchino in Prati, Rome.

Statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal begins pilgrimage around Italy

Nov 30, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

A statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal began Friday a pilgrimage to parishes throughout Italy, marking the 190th... Read more

Pope Francis visits Rome’s Piazza di Spagna to venerate the statue of the Immaculate Conception overlooking the Spanish Steps on Dec. 8, 2019.

Immaculate Conception: Pope Francis cancels traditional act of veneration due to pandemic

Nov 30, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will not visit Rome’s Piazza di Spagna this year for the traditional veneration... Read more

The Palais-Royal in Paris, home of the Council of State.

French Catholic bishops win appeal against 30-person Mass limit

Nov 30, 2020

By Courtney Mares

The French Council of State has ruled that a proposed 30-person limit on Masses and other forms of public worship is... Read more

Bishop Robert Bourgon, the first Bishop of Hearst-Moosonee, Canada. Courtesy photo.

Canadian Catholic bishop resigns at age of 64 ‘for the good of the Church’

Nov 30, 2020

Pope Francis accepted Sunday the resignation of a Canadian Catholic bishop at the age of 64.  Read more

Pope Francis with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople outside the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli Oct. 20, 2020.

Pope Francis tells Orthodox leader: I am confident we will achieve full unity

Nov 30, 2020

Pope Francis told the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Monday that he is confident that Catholics and Orthodox Christians will attain... Read more

Archbishop Michel Aupetit, pictured in 2015 at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

French bishops launch second legal appeal to reinstate public Masses for all

Nov 27, 2020

By Courtney Mares

The French bishops’ conference announced Friday that it would submit another appeal to the Council of State, calling the proposed... Read more

Archbishop Brian Dunn. Courtesy photo.

New archbishop takes helm of Canadian Catholic archdiocese

Nov 27, 2020

A new archbishop took the helm in the Canadian archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth Friday.  Read more

The beheaded statue at the Jesuit church in Straubing, Germany. Photo

Artist offers to restore beheaded statue of Virgin Mary in Germany

Nov 27, 2020

By Courtney Mares

An art restorer in Germany has offered to restore a decapitated statue of the Virgin Mary free of charge.  Read more

The decapitated statue of the Virgin Mary in the municipality of Marghera, Italy.

Patriarch of Venice calls for prayers of reparation after Virgin Mary statue decapitated

Nov 27, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

A statue of the Virgin Mary in a public square in a suburb of Venice, Italy, was vandalized Thursday night.  Read more

Fr. Matthew Dajo, who was kidnapped Nov. 22 in Nigeria's Abuja archdiocese. Public Domain

Catholic archbishop: Pray for priest kidnapped in Nigeria

Nov 27, 2020

By Courtney Mares

A Nigerian archbishop has asked for prayers for the safe release of a priest kidnapped in Abuja earlier this week.  Read more

Pope Francis records a video message delivered to a Catholic social doctrine conference Nov. 26, 2020. Screengrab from Vatican YouTube channel.

Pope Francis: Avoid the temptation of seeking ‘utopia’ in this world

Nov 27, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

In a video message to a Catholic social doctrine conference on Thursday, Pope Francis said that remembering our baptism and the... Read more

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn at the Vatican April 8, 2016.

Cardinal Schönborn deplores attack on rabbi in Vienna

Nov 27, 2020

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn deplored Friday an attack on a rabbi in the Austrian capital, Vienna.   Read more

A detail from a graphic promoting the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life campaign.

Vatican dicastery urges youngsters to share wisdom of elderly people facing Christmas alone

Nov 27, 2020

A Vatican dicastery launched a new campaign Friday urging young people to share wisdom gleaned from the elderly facing Christmas... Read more

A detail from Timothy P. Schmalz’s sculpture, ‘Angels Unawares.’

Vatican diplomat: Lockdowns revealed ‘glaring contradiction’ in attitudes towards migrants

Nov 26, 2020

Coronavirus lockdowns revealed a “glaring contradiction” in attitudes towards migrants, a Vatican diplomat said Thursday.  Read more

Cardinal Vincent Nichols at Westminster Cathedral, London, on Dec. 21, 2019.

Cardinal Nichols urges UK government to reconsider cut to foreign aid budget

Nov 26, 2020

Cardinal Vincent Nichols urged the U.K. government Thursday to reconsider a proposed cut to its foreign aid budget.   Read more

Protesters in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, Sept. 13, 2020.

Catholic bishops appeal for ‘peaceful solution’ to crisis in Belarus

Nov 26, 2020

The Catholic bishops of Belarus appealed Wednesday for a “peaceful solution” to the crisis that has gripped their country since... Read more

Twitter criticized as ‘Burn the clergy’ hashtag trends in Spain

Nov 25, 2020

By Courtney Mares

On the same day that Pope Francis approved the beatification of 127 Catholics killed in Spain in hatred of the... Read more

Chur Cathedral in Switzerland.

Swiss Catholic diocese reportedly rejects Pope Francis’ candidates for new bishop

Nov 25, 2020

A Swiss Catholic diocese that elects its own bishop from a shortlist drawn up by the Holy See has rejected... Read more

A medical mask on a gargoyle of Notre-Dame in Paris.

French bishops press government to review 30-person Mass limit

Nov 25, 2020

By Courtney Mares

After a strong reaction by French Catholics to the government’s decision Tuesday night to limit Mass attendance to 30 people... Read more

 Sr. Wanda Boniszewska (1907-2003).

‘We had no idea’: The hidden life of the reputed stigmatist tortured by Stalin’s secret police

Nov 25, 2020

Sr. Wanda Boniszewska led an extraordinary life. But for one religious sister who lived with her in the last years of... Read more