Catholic News Service
Fix overcrowded prisons unfit for human life, Pope says in wake of Brazil prison riot
VATICAN CITY – In the wake of a deadly riot in a Brazilian jail, Pope Francis called for all prisons to offer dignified living conditions and be places for true rehabilitation.
COCHIN, India – The church in India's Kerala state has formed a group of priests, nuns and laypeople to respond to the pastoral needs of transgender people, reported ucanews.com.
Noted biblical scholar Jesuit Father Fitzmyer dies at age 96
PHILADELPHIA – Jesuit Father Joseph Fitzmyer, a leading Catholic biblical scholar, died Dec. 24 at Manresa Hall, a Jesuit infirmary in Philadelphia. He was 96.
Berlin archbishop urges families to be inspired by 'Amoris Laetitia'
BERLIN – As traditional family holiday celebrations continued with the coming of the New Year, an official with the German bishops' conference encouraged Catholic families to read Pope Francis' exhortation on the family, Amoris Laetitia ("The Joy of Love").
MANILA, Philippines – The emergency response to a major typhoon that hit the northern Philippines Christmas Day and killed at least six people was slowed because some government and aid workers were on holiday leave, a Catholic Relief Services official said.
Security boosted at church in Philippines after bombing targets police
MANILA, Philippines – A southern Philippines church that was yards away from a police car bombing Christmas Eve was to have tighter security for the coming New Year's weekend, said the priest who was celebrating Mass when the explosion occurred.
WASHINGTON – District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser Dec. 20 signed into law a bill allowing doctors to prescribe lethal medications to terminally ill patients who want to end their lives.
Canadian Jesuit appointed to new Vatican department aiding refugees
VATICAN CITY – Canadian Jesuit Fr. Michael Czerny has been appointed to the Vatican's new department for the Promotion of Integral Human Development.
VATICAN CITY – Make time to get ready for what Christmas really is about – the child born in Bethlehem signalling that "God is with us," Pope Francis said.
Ohio governor signs 20-week abortion ban, vetoes 'heartbeat' measure
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a bill that bans abortion in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy, but also vetoed a bill that would have made abortion illegal when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually at about the sixth week of pregnancy.
WYD Blog
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Call to arms
If you did not feel empowered by Pope Francis' homily during the welcoming ceremonies at World Youth Day, then you weren't really listening. The…
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Jesus calls us here to meet him
There’s so much I could say about World Youth Day: I could probably write a short book about my experiences. There are so many…
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Jesus I trust you
Two weeks ago I left my home in Mission, BC, about an hour outside of Vancouver, and embarked on my pilgrimage to Kraków, Poland.…