Catholic Church

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A statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Poland.

Catholics mark centenary of Poland’s consecration to the Sacred Heart

Jul 27, 2020

Catholics marked the 100th anniversary Monday of the consecration of Poland to the Sacred Heart.  Read more

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

Vatican dicastery launches ‘send a hug’ campaign for elderly isolated by pandemic

Jul 27, 2020

The Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life launched a new campaign Monday urging young people to “send a hug”... Read more

Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Cardinal Kasper defends Vatican instruction on parishes

Jul 27, 2020

Cardinal Walter Kasper has defended a new Vatican instruction on parishes after it was criticized by several German bishops.   Read more

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, archbishop of Yangon.

Cardinal Bo: Hagia Sophia’s conversion into a mosque will ‘reopen wounds’

Jul 24, 2020

As Hagia Sophia opened for Muslim prayers Friday for the first time in 86 years, a leading Asian cardinal said... Read more

A woman stands in a burned out area after an extremist attack on the village of Aldeia da Paz, Mozambique, Aug. 24, 2019.

Churches burned, people beheaded in Mozambique’s escalating extremist violence

Jul 23, 2020

By Courtney Mares

A Catholic bishop has deplored the world’s indifference to escalating extremist violence in northern Mozambique, where multiple churches have been... Read more

Archbishop Luigi Ventura, then-Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, speaks at a Mass and Concert held in Ottawa, April 2, 2009.

Ex-nuncio to France to face trial in Paris on sexual assault charges

Jul 23, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

A retired Vatican diplomat accused of sexual assault while in office is due to appear before the Paris criminal court... Read more

Bishop Paul McAleenan, lead bishop for migrants and refugees of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

Catholic bishop: UK and France must tackle ‘underlying reasons’ for rise in English Channel migrant crossings

Jul 23, 2020

A Catholic bishop has urged the U.K. and France to address the “underlying reasons” for a rise in migrants risking... Read more

From left: Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, and Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabrück.

Germany’s Catholic bishops divided over Vatican instruction on parishes

Jul 23, 2020

A new Vatican instruction on parishes has received a mixed reception in Germany.  Read more

Bishop Henrique Soares da Costa.

Cries of ‘santo subito’ for Brazilian bishop who died of the coronavirus

Jul 22, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

More than 48,000 people have signed an online petition asking the Brazilian bishops to open a beatification cause for the... Read more

Álvaro Calvente, center, arrives in Santiago de Compostela July 13, 2020.

Disabled teen encouraged by Pope Francis after walking Camino de Santiago

Jul 22, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

A Spanish teenager with an intellectual disability received an encouraging letter from Pope Francis after walking the Camino de Santiago... Read more

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg, at the Vatican, Oct. 5, 2019.

Cardinal says EU leaders have ‘chosen solidarity’ as they back coronavirus recovery fund

Jul 22, 2020

A cardinal praised European Union leaders Tuesday for showing solidarity with poorer member states after they reached agreement on a... Read more

Pontifical Academy for Life expresses concern over pandemic aggravating inequalities

Jul 22, 2020

By Courtney Mares

The Pontifical Academy for Life released a document Wednesday that expresses concern that the coronavirus pandemic is aggravating global inequalities.  Read more

President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Catholic bishops: Democracy is being eroded in the Philippines

Jul 20, 2020

The bishops of the Philippines have issued a pastoral letter accusing the government of undermining the country’s democratic institutions.  Read more

Bishop da Costa is the third bishop in Brazil to die after contracting COVID-19.

At least 9 Catholic bishops have died from the coronavirus

Jul 20, 2020

By Courtney Mares

At least nine Catholic bishops have died from the coronavirus worldwide as the pandemic continues to spread across the Americas.  Read more

The  Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral in Nantes, France, before a July 18 fire now being investigated for arson.

Police release volunteer questioned over Nantes Catholic cathedral fire

Jul 20, 2020

A volunteer questioned by French police in connection with the fire at Nantes Cathedral has been released without charge.  Read more

Church in Germany receives highest ever church tax income despite record exodus

Jul 20, 2020

The Church in Germany received more money in church tax than ever before in 2019 despite losing a record number... Read more

The restored Maronite Cathedral of St. Elijah in Aleppo, Syria.

Catholic cathedral in Syria that survived missile attacks reopens after restoration

Jul 20, 2020

A Catholic cathedral that was repeatedly struck by missiles amid the Syrian civil war was due to reopen Monday following... Read more

St. Peter's Basilica.

Vatican publishes instructions on parish reform and diocesan restructuring

Jul 20, 2020

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy published instructions Monday on reforming parishes and restructuring dioceses to better serve their “singular mission... Read more

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Amiens in France.

The 800-year-old cathedral that inspired the Notre-Dame de Paris spire

Jul 19, 2020

By Courtney Mares

While the spire of Notre-Dame de Paris was completely destroyed in last year’s devastating fire, another Notre-Dame cathedral, the largest... Read more

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