Catholic News

The Latest

Pope Francis arrives in St. Peter's Square for the general audience, Dec. 9, 2015.

We need hope – not 'optimism,' Pope Francis tells quake victims

Jan 5, 2017

By Elise Harris

During an audience with people from the areas devastated by earthquakes in Central Italy, Pope Francis emphasized the need to... Read more

Pope Francis hands rosaries to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during his general audience May 4, 2016.

A new 'vocational culture' is needed in the Church, Pope Francis says

Jan 5, 2017

By Elise Harris

A fresh and courageous perspective is needed when it comes to helping youth discern and discover their vocation, Pope Francis... Read more

Across California, pro-lifers to rally in January 2017

Jan 5, 2017

January 21. That’s the date when Californians will come together at three events across the state for pro-life advocacy and... Read more

Planned Parenthood accused of serious abuses by Congressional panel

Jan 4, 2017

By Matt Hadro

Abuses and possibly criminal violations are occurring in the fetal tissue trade between abortion clinics and tissue harvesters, concluded the... Read more

Priest collar.

Italian priest accused of organizing orgies, prostituting women

Jan 4, 2017

An Italian priest from northern Italy has been accused of pimping out some 15 women, as well as organizing and... Read more

Bishop offers prayers after Brazil prison riot leaves 56 dead

Jan 4, 2017

A local bishop called for prayer and prison reform efforts after a 17-hour prison uprising in the Amazon city of... Read more

Pope Francis overlooking the crowd in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday morning on April 5, 2015.

There are no words for the loss of a child, but there is still hope, Pope says

Jan 4, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

While no words or gestures will ever be enough to comfort the pain experienced by those who have lost a... Read more

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during his April 20, 2016, general audience.

Pope shakes up monthly prayers, adds new 'urgent' intention

Jan 4, 2017

By Elise Harris

After launching the first video series on his monthly prayer intentions last year, Pope Francis has decided to make some... Read more

A look inside the little-known 'spoon trail' of Chile

Jan 4, 2017

Dawn breaks in the city of Santiago de Chile. Amid the hustle and bustle of the waking city, a narrow... Read more

Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

For Cardinal Mueller, a humble faith is good for theology

The ideological efforts to change Catholic doctrine after the Second Vatican Council were deeply misguided, said Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, prefect... Read more

An old anti-Catholic law has resurfaced in Georgia

Jan 3, 2017

By Matt Hadro

An amendment from the 1870s that was once used to target Catholics is now being invoked in Georgia once again... Read more

Federal judge overturns transgender surgery mandate

Jan 3, 2017

By Kevin J. Jones

A federal judge has ruled against the Obama administration’s mandate that health professionals must carry out gender reassignment surgeries, even... Read more

So, abortion doesn't harm women's mental health? The stats disagree

Jan 3, 2017

By Adelaide Mena

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that women who get abortions show no... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square at the general audience on Oct. 19, 2016.

No, Pope Francis didn't say Christianity and Islam should merge

Jan 3, 2017

Widely shared quotes attributed to Pope Francis, in which he advocates for a merging of the religions of Christianity and... Read more

Destroyed church.

What Christians are finding as they return to the Nineveh Plain

Jan 3, 2017

By Matt Hadro

As villages on Iraq’s Nineveh Plain are liberated from Islamic State forces, the Christians who lived there have returned, only... Read more

Deacon Tomas Garcia with his wife, Sylvia.

How this new LA deacon will serve Catholics on the margins

Jan 2, 2017

For the estimated 5,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing Catholics in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, parish participation can be difficult.  Read more

Project Mater – an oasis of help for pregnant mothers

Jan 2, 2017

Maria* has not had an easy life. Several years ago, while pregnant with her second child, she checked into a... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square April 13, 2016.

Pope kicks off new year renewing 'zero tolerance' policy on abuse

Jan 2, 2017

By Elise Harris

In a letter sent to bishops around the world for the feast of the Holy Innocents, Pope Francis lamented the... Read more

The National Shrine of Baclaran, Parañaque, Philippines.

Filipinos are in love with the Virgin Mary, and the Baclaran shrine is proof

Jan 1, 2017

A long-venerated icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help turned 150 last year, and many Filipinos’ Marian devotion has never... Read more

Who you gonna call (on murky moral issues)? Catholic bioethicists

Jan 1, 2017

By Adelaide Mena

What would you do if you're a young medical student who was told that you must participate in abortion in... Read more