On Palm Sunday, Julian Assange, the Australian founder of WikiLeaks who made headlines in 2010 for publishing thousands of confidential US diplomatic documents, received a personal letter from Pope Francis.
International News
Indonesia’s Cardinal Praises National Response to Suicide Bombing
A suicide bombing at the Catholic cathedral in Makassar “shocked everybody in Indonesia, not only Catholics,” according to the country’s top prelate.
Latin America Prepares for Holy Week as COVID Cases Rise
As Catholics around the world enter the holiest week in the Christian calendar, many are setting their plan for Church attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jesus Takes on Human Suffering to Draw Even Closer to People, Pope Francis Says
A Christian life should be filled with amazement — astonishment at the son of God suffering and dying for humanity and awe at realizing how precious and loved people are in his eyes, Pope Francis said.
Analysis: A Reminder That Holy Week Is Prime Time for Anti-Christian Violence
To be blunt about it, worshippers March 28 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, the capital of Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province, got lucky. When two suicide bombers detonated their devices outside a Palm Sunday Mass, they were the only ones who died, in part because a security guard had prevented them from entering the church’s compound.
Indonesian Cathedral Bombed in Palm Sunday Attack
Catholics leaving a Palm Sunday Mass at an Indonesian cathedral were targeted by two suicide bombers.
Survey: More U.S. Catholics Concerned about Global Persecution of Christians
An estimated 340 million Christians worldwide face persecution for their beliefs, according to data from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Christians are increasingly getting that message, but ACN officials are concerned that people might become numb to that magnitude.
Critics Charge German ‘Synodal Path’ Exploits Suffering of Abuse Victims
As what’s come to be called the German “Synodal Path” begins forwarding its mid-term conclusions to Rome, many lay activists and bishops are describing the process as an historic and inspiring moment, a potential springtime of sweeping reform and renewal in Catholic life.
700 Years After His Death, Dante Still Inspires Popes
During the 2015 celebration of the 750th birthday of Dante Aligheri, Pope Francis invited Catholics from all over the world to read The Divine Comedy, one of the most important works of Western and Christian civilization.
Pope Francis Approves Pay Cuts for Cardinals, Top Management, Religious at Vatican
With the need to reduce costs and make sure employees are not laid off, Pope Francis has approved pay cuts for cardinals, clergy, religious and upper management officials who work in the Roman Curia and other Vatican entities.