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News/International

Paying homage to Hungary's history, culture and location in the heart of Europe, Pope Francis pushed against the notion that the country needed to insulate itself to protect its identity.

Shocking cult starvation massacre in Kenya leaves 95 dead, hundreds missing

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Catholic bishops in Kenya have expressed shock and strongly condemned the mass "starvation suicide" in Shakahola, a remote forest-ranch area in eastern Kenya, where a pastor led congregants to fast to death.

Archbishop clarifies remarks on assisted suicide in Italy

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The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life affirms his opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide but believes that to end confusion in the country, the Italian Parliament needs to make clear laws about withdrawing end-of-life care, his office said.

Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter in the Holy Land with another year of Holy Fire restrictions

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Thousands of local and international Christian pilgrims thronged to Jerusalem's Old City and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for the ancient Eastern rite ceremony of the Holy Fire April 15, with some scuffles reported as Israeli police restricted the number of people able to reach the church.

Holy Land spirals into violence amid celebrations of Passover, Easter and Ramadan

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A British-Israeli mother and her two daughters were killed in a drive-by-shooting terrorist attack in the Jordan valley on April 7, during a week that, instead of seeing the holidays of Passover, Easter and Ramadan celebrated in parallel peacefully, spiraled the region into violence.

Two Catholic Relief Services' workers slain in Ethiopia amid Easter Sunday unrest

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Two Catholic Relief Services staff members were shot and killed Easter Sunday in Ethiopia's Amhara region, according to the U.S. Catholic Church's international aid agency. Details of the murders are still unknown, CRS said April 10, but the incident comes amid several days of unrest and protests in the region after Ethiopia's federal government moved to dissolve paramilitary forces.

Quake worsens wide array of Syrian problems

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Already decimated by years of war, poverty and international sanctions, the last thing people in northwestern Syria needed was the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude that wreaked havoc in their country and southeastern Turkey nearly two months ago.

Bishop installed in Shanghai, apparently without Vatican agreement

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In an apparent breach of the Vatican's agreement with China on the appointment of bishops, the bishop of Haimen was installed as the bishop of Shanghai April 4.

Poland remembers, defends JPII 18 years after his death

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Eighteen years after the death of St. John Paul II April 2, 2005, his native Poland remembered him with vigils and marches.

Pope Francis adjusts canon law appeal period for members of religious orders

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Saying he wanted to protect the rights of members of religious orders facing expulsion, Pope Francis made small changes to canon law, giving them more time to appeal their dismissals.