VATICAN CITY – Catholics and Orthodox need to explore ways authority can be understood and exercised so that is not an obstacle to unity, a group of top-level theologians said.
Faith leaders have moral duty to counter hatred, violence, says cardinal at U.N.
By Beth Griffin, Catholic News ServiceUNITED NATIONS – Religious leaders have a grave and urgent responsibility to act against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and other violence committed in the name of religion, said speakers at a United Nations panel Sept. 20.
Pope, Christian leaders pray for peace, victims of war at interfaith gathering
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceASSISI, Italy – Jesus' cry of thirst on the cross is heard today in the cries of innocent victims of war in the world, Pope Francis said.
Justice, respect are essential for peace, patriarch says
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceASSISI, Italy – The richness of the diversity found within humanity and in the created world at large is something that must be respected and never destroyed, said Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
No war is holy, Pope says at interreligious peace gathering
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceASSISI, Italy – Violence in the name of God does not represent the true nature of religion and must be condemned by all faiths, Pope Francis said.
Failure of ecumenism would imprison mercy, Anglican archbishop says
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceASSISI, Italy – Churches that are not reconciled with one another weaken the experience of mercy that unites believers to God and with each other, Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury said.
Religious leaders praise Patriarch Bartholomew as a great ecumenist
By Junno Arocho, Esteves Catholic News ServiceASSISI, Italy – As leaders of dozens of religions gathered in Assisi for dialogue and prayers for peace, they honored Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople as an exemplar of one who is so deeply rooted in his own religious tradition that he can reach out to others without fear.
Faithful make new connection with statues, restorers finding
By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic NewsOTTAWA – An Ottawa couple has discovered a calling restoring and re-painting religious statues, as they have found that the veneration of statues is “making a comeback” after falling into disuse in the years after Vatican II.
Study puts dollar value of organized religion in the U.S. at $1.2 trillion
By Lauren Markoe, Religion News ServiceWASHINGTON – Religion is big bucks — worth $1.2 trillion annually to the American economy, according to the first comprehensive study to tabulate such a figure.
Economic focus must shift from profit to people, cardinal says
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY – The current economic model that places profit over the common good of all human beings must change in order to confront the challenges the world is facing today, a Vatican official said.
Pope praises bishops' guidelines on helping divorced, remarried couples
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY – Pope Francis thanked a group of bishops in Argentina for providing their priests with concrete guidelines for implementing the section of his apostolic exhortation on the family about circumstances in which divorced and civilly remarried couples might eventually be allowed to receive Communion.