Catholic News Service
December 20, 2017
Archbishop: Israelis, Palestinians must agree before Jerusalem changes
JERUSALEM – The status quo of Jerusalem should remain as is until an agreement about the holy city is reached by Palestinians and Israelis, said Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Published in
International
December 20, 2017
Catholic leaders offer prayers for all affected by Amtrak derailment
DUPONT, Wash. – Catholic leaders in the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, offered prayers for all affected by the Dec. 18 derailment of an Amtrak train that had just come from the Tacoma station and was headed to Portland.
Published in
International
MELBOURNE, Australia – An Australian Royal Commission has recommended that the Vatican consider lifting the seal of the confessional in child-abuse cases and allowing voluntary celibacy for priests.
Published in
International
December 20, 2017
Cardinal Law, whose legacy was marred by Boston sex abuse scandal, dies
VATICAN – Cardinal Bernard F. Law, who had been one of the United States' most powerful and respected bishops until his legacy was blemished by the devastating sexual abuse of minors by priests in his Archdiocese of Boston, died early Dec. 20 in Rome at the age of 86.
Published in
International
December 19, 2017
German churches act as buffer for refugees with sanctuary program
BERLIN – Sitting on the bare pavement outside a Catholic church, an Afghan refugee woman, dressed in a bright floral headscarf, calls out plaintively to passersby, begging for coins.
Published in
International
December 19, 2017
Keep hearts open, ready to hold Christ this Christmas, Pope says
VATICAN – Countries with low birthrates suffer from that awful disease called "demographic winter," Pope Francis said in a morning homily.
Published in
Reflections
December 18, 2017
Polish Cardinal and "Rosary Priest" one step closer to sainthood
VATICAN – Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton and St. John Paul II's mentor, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski.
Published in
International
December 19, 2017
Pope meets Jordan's king amid rising tensions in Jerusalem
VATICAN – Pope Francis met with Jordan's King Abdullah II at the Vatican, two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital provoked outrage in the Middle East.
Published in
International
VATICAN – People need factual and trustworthy news that avoids sensationalism and whipping up heated reactions, Pope Francis said.
Published in
International
December 18, 2017
Vatican releases new instruction on authenticating, protecting relics
VATICAN – Only relics that have been certified as authentic can be exposed for veneration by the faithful, said a new Vatican instruction.
Published in
International