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January 8, 2020

Catholic church damaged by earthquakes in Puerto Rico

A destroyed home is seen after an earthquake in Guanica, Puerto Rico, Jan. 6, 2020. A larger temblor of magnitude 6.4 rattled Puerto Rico before dawn Jan. 7, killing at least one person and destroying a Catholic church. A series of earthquakes and aftershocks beneath the southern part of the island have been occurring since the night of Dec. 28-29.

WASHINGTON -- At least one person has died and one Catholic church was destroyed by the latest of a series of earthquakes to rock Puerto Rico.

Published in International
July 23, 2019

Puerto Rican governor resigns amid massive protests

Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello announces his resignation in San Juan late July 24, 2019. Rossello resigned amid a torrent of protests over vulgar, mean-spirited texting conversations recently made public across the island.

VATICAN CITY -- After nearly two weeks of massive protests in the fallout of scandals involving corruption and offensive private messages, Gov. Ricardo Rossello of Puerto Rico resigned from office, becoming the first governor to do so in the island's history.

Published in International
October 25, 2017

Puerto Rico recovery effort shows 'a church that walks with the poor'

Father Carlos Francis Mendez, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Las Marias, Puerto Rico, comforts a girl at her home Oct. 24 in a remote area outside the town. Father Mendez, and parishioners distributed relief goods to their home and others in the poor area who were affected by Hurricane Maria.
LAS MARIAS, Puerto Rico – By joining forces to create coalitions on behalf of those who are suffering in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico has been fulfilling Pope Francis' expressed wish to see "a church that walks with the poor."
Published in International
September 7, 2017

Irma cuts deadly path in Caribbean as church officials prepare response

Children in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, carry containers for water Sept. 6 as Hurricane Irma races across the Caribbean. The hurricane was scheduled to hit the island later that night.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Hurricane Irma cut a deadly path through the Caribbean, leveling entire islands as it moved toward Florida Sept. 7, while Haiti prepared for a potential disaster.

Published in International
August 18, 2016

In Puerto Rico, mistrust fuels more public doubt than urgency on Zika

Standing water is seen on a flat roof in San German, Puerto Rico, in this undated photo. Puddles of water contribute to the spread of Zika in Puerto Rico.

SAN GERMAN, Puerto Rico – Mistrust of local government and federal agencies has caused doubt among Puerto Ricans about reports the Zika epidemic poses a grave situation to the island.

Published in International
August 21, 2015

Bishop calls same-sex wedding event 'sad day for Puerto Rican society'

A crowd gathers for a massive same-sex wedding in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug. 16. Sixty-four of the 73 same-sex couples scheduled to take vows attended the event, the day a severe months-long drought broke with heavy rain throughout the island.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Puerto Rican Catholics have been quite outspoken against same-sex marriage, but their voices were not as strong during or after a massive outdoor same-sex wedding ceremony supported by government.

Published in International
April 11, 2012

Cardinal Aponte, church's only Puerto Rican cardinal, dead at age 89

Cardinal Luis Aponte Martinez, the second Puerto Rican to be ordained a bishop and the only Puerto Rican cardinal, died April 10 at Hospital Espanol Auxilio Mutuo in San Juan after a long illness. He was 89. Cardinal Aponte is pictured in an undated photo.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (CNS) -- Cardinal Luis Aponte Martinez, the second Puerto Rican to be ordained a bishop and the only Puerto Rican cardinal, died April 10 at Hospital Espanol Auxilio Mutuo in San Juan after a long illness. He was 89.

The head of the San Juan Archdiocese for nearly 30 years, he retired in 1999. Cardinal Aponte participated in the two 1978 conclaves that elected Pope John Paul I and Blessed John Paul II, but he was already over 80 and ineligible to vote by the time Pope Benedict XVI was chosen.

Puerto Rican Gov. Luis Fortuno declared five days of official mourning for the cardinal, who died on the 62nd anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Published in International