Catholic Church

The Latest

Report: Australia’s financial crime watchdog says it vastly overestimated Vatican transfers

Jan 13, 2021

Australia’s financial crime watchdog has said that it vastly overestimated Vatican transfers, local media reported on Wednesday.  Read more

Pope Francis gives a general audience address in the library of the Apostolic Palace. Credit: Vatican Media.

Pope Francis: Praise God above all in difficult moments

Jan 13, 2021

Pope Francis urged Catholics on Wednesday to praise God not only in happy times, “but above all in difficult moments.”  Read more

St. Peter's Basilica.

Report: Rome court orders return of cash found at suspended Vatican official’s home

Jan 12, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

A Rome court has ruled that the search and seizure of money and other valuables from the home of a... Read more

Fr. Giuseppe Livatino, postulator and cousin of martyred judge Rosario Livatino. Credit: www.piolatorre.it.

Rosario Livatino’s postulator: Christians urgently need ‘credible witnesses’

Jan 12, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The postulator of the beatification cause of a judge martyred by the mafia says that Christians today urgently need “credible... Read more

Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton. Credit: Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk.

Catholic bishops urge UK to give up nuclear arsenal

Jan 12, 2021

Catholic bishops urged the U.K. on Tuesday to give up its nuclear arsenal.  Read more

Cardinal Gerhard Müller at a penance service in St. Peter's Basilica on March 29, 2019. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Cardinal Müller: Media image of ‘two popes’ threatens papacy as a ‘principle of unity’

Jan 12, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The former head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office has said that today’s media environment is undermining theological truths that are... Read more

Pope Francis visits the Bambino Gesù di Palidoro hospital in Rome, Italy, on Jan. 5, 2018. Credit: Vatican Media.

Pope Francis: Coronavirus pandemic has ‘exposed inefficiencies’ in care of the sick

Jan 12, 2021

By CNA Staff

Pope Francis said on Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic had “exposed inefficiencies in the care of the sick.” Read more

Pope Francis greets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Nov. 28, 2020. Credit: Vatican Media.

Benedict XVI to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Jan 12, 2021

By CNA Staff

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will receive the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it is available, his personal secretary said Tuesday. Read more

Pope Francis on Easter Sunday April 21, 2019.

Pope Francis opens ministries of lector and acolyte to women: A CNA Explainer

Jan 11, 2021

By CNA Staff

On Jan. 11, Pope Francis published an apostolic letter issued motu proprio (which means “on his own impulse” in Latin),... Read more

A YouTube screenshot of St. Peter’s Square at night.

Why is the internet abuzz with false claims of a ‘Vatican blackout’?: A CNA Explainer

Jan 11, 2021

By CNA Staff

On Sunday, Jan. 10, the internet was abuzz with false reports of an overnight blackout at the Vatican, accompanied by... Read more

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square Feb. 26, 2020.

Pope Francis admits women to ministries of lector and acolyte in new motu proprio

Jan 11, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis issued a motu proprio Monday that changes canon law to allow women to serve as lectors and acolytes.  Read more

Mgsr. Hector Scerri, president of the Maltese Episcopal Conference’s doctrinal commission, discusses the decree regarding the Komunità Ġesù Salvatur. YouTube screenshot

Catholic Church in Malta confirms break with ‘closed cult community’ after investigation

Jan 8, 2021

The Catholic Church in Malta formally dissociated itself on Friday from what it described as a “closed cult community” after... Read more

The flag of Vatican City with St. Peter’s Basilica in the background. Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNA.

Pope Francis appoints first lay head of Roman Curia’s disciplinary commission

Jan 8, 2021

Pope Francis appointed on Friday the first lay head of the Roman Curia’s disciplinary commission.  Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne. Credit: www.ewtn.de.

Confidentiality dispute piles pressure on cardinal accused of mishandling abuse cases

Jan 8, 2021

German media have criticized the Archdiocese of Cologne for offering to provide a “background briefing” to journalists about an unpublished... Read more

The flag of Vatican City with St. Peter's Basilica in the background on April 29, 2019.

Australia’s financial crime watchdog conducts ‘detailed review’ of Vatican transfers

Jan 7, 2021

Australia’s financial crime watchdog said Thursday that it is conducting a “detailed review” of Vatican-linked transfers worth $1.8 billion.  Read more

Fr. Adolf Kajpr. Credit: Vojtech Novotny (CC BY-SA 4.0).

‘A martyr who died laughing’: Cause of priest imprisoned by Nazis and communists advances

Jan 7, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The sainthood cause of a Catholic priest who was imprisoned by both the Nazis and the communists has advanced with... Read more

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. YouTube screenshot.

‘May the Savior wipe away every tear’: Ukrainian Greek Catholic leader issues Christmas message

Jan 7, 2021

The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church urged his flock Wednesday to set aside “fear and sorrow” as they... Read more

A Three Kings parade in Castle Square, Warsaw, Poland, Jan. 6, 2021. Photo credits: Karol Darmoros/Polskie Radio and Orszak Trzech Króli.

Scaled-down Three Kings parades held in Poland due to coronavirus pandemic

Jan 6, 2021

An estimated 2,500 Three Kings parades took place in Poland on Wednesday amid tight coronavirus restrictions.  Read more

Pope Francis delivers his Angelus address in the library of the Apostolic Palace Jan. 6, 2021. Credit: Vatican Media.

Pope Francis calls for peace in Central African Republic after disputed election

Jan 6, 2021

Pope Francis called Wednesday for peace in the Central African Republic following a disputed election.  Read more

Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, head of the Maronite Church. Credit: Aid to the Church in Need.

Lebanese cardinal urges leaders to help country avoid ‘total collapse’

Jan 5, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Lebanon’s Maronite patriarch has said that the country could be facing “the risk of total collapse” amid a deepening economic and... Read more