FAITH/STORIES
CAMERINO, Italy -- Wearing a firefighter's helmet painted white and gold for the occasion, Pope Francis entered the earthquake-damaged cathedral in Camerino and prayed before a statue of Mary missing the top of its head.
VATICAN CITY -- An upcoming Synod of Bishops will study the feasibility of ordaining married men in the Amazon region to compensate for a shortage of priests.
JERUSALEM -- Following the successful cooperation on the 2016 restoration of the Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the leaders of the three churches who serve as guardians of the holy site have signed an agreement to continue with restorations, this time on the pavement and foundations around the tomb.
Pope Francis: Mitigate global warming, spare further injustice to poor
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY -- Faced with a climate emergency, the world must act immediately to mitigate global warming and avoid committing "a brutal act of injustice" on the poor and future generations, Pope Francis told a group of energy and oil executives and global investors.
Bishops vote to revise U.S. catechism's capital punishment section
By Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News ServiceBALTIMORE -- The U.S. bishops voted June 13 to revise what the U.S. church teaches its adult members about the death penalty in a passage on the issue in the U.S. Catechism for Adults.
Pope Francis to nuncios: Be men of God, not luxury-seeking diplomats
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY -- Apostolic nuncios are called to be men of faith focused on proclaiming the Gospel and shunning the power and corruption that can come from the luxurious trappings of their diplomatic status, Pope Francis said.
Plane speaking: Behind the scenes of the Pope's in-flight press conferences
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis’ in-flight news conferences are arguably less newsy than when his pontificate began, mostly because he has been insisting the past few years that most of the questions refer to the trip that is concluding.
U.S. bishops approve update of texts of rites for clergy ordinations
By Mark Pattison, Catholic News ServiceBALTIMORE -- The U.S. bishops voted to update texts last changed in 2003 for the ordination of clergy.
Nuncios' first mission is to love, says Vatican secretary of state
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY -- Whether the Catholic Church is operating in full freedom or under severe restrictions, no one can prevent its ministers and members from following the supreme law of Christ, which is to love others, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Causes for sainthood advanced for U.S. priest and Spanish martyrs
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis advanced the sainthood cause of Father Augustus Tolton, who was the first African American diocesan priest in the United States and founder of the first black Catholic parish in Chicago.
Wednesday Audience: Unity is first sign of true Christian witness
VATICAN CITY -- The Catholic Church gives an authentic witness of God's love for all men and women only when it fosters the grace of unity and communion, Pope Francis said.
Bishops may revise U.S. catechism to update capital punishment stance
By Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News ServiceBALTIMORE -- During their June 11-13 meeting in Baltimore, the U.S. bishops are looking at what the U.S. church teaches its adult members about the death penalty and they will vote about adding a revised passage to the U.S. Catechism for Adults about this.
Bishops consider update of texts of rites for clergy ordinations
By Mark Pattison, Catholic News ServiceBALTIMORE -- The U.S. bishops are set to consider an updating of texts last changed in 2003 for the ordination of clergy.