Describing the Amazon rainforest as “vital for our planet,” Pope Francis joined the regions bishops in praying for action to extinguish the massive fires burning there.
International News
Amazon Fires Receive Muted Reaction from U.S. Hierarchy
As fires ravage the Amazon rainforests, with few exceptions, U.S. Catholic leaders have yet to weigh in on what many world leaders are calling a potential global environmental disaster.
New Rules Could Extend Time Migrant Children, Families Spend in Detention
The Trump administration has moved to cast aside an agreement that previously limited the amount of time the government could detain migrant children.
Knock, Ireland Commemorates 140th Anniversary of Apparition
The Irish village of Knock is celebrating on Aug. 21 the 140th anniversary of “Apparition of Knock,” in which the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist and Jesus as the lamb of God appeared in the local church.
Cardinal Pell’s Appeal Rejected
Cardinal George Pell’s effort to appeal his conviction for sexual abuse was rejected by a Melbourne court on Wednesday in a 2-1 decision, delivering a striking blow to one of the global Catholic Church’s most prominent figures.
Australia Court to Announce Ruling on Pell’s Appeal of Abuse Convictions
On August 20, the Victoria state Court of Appeal will determine the fate of Cardinal George Pell, one of Catholic Church’s highest ranking members in Australia.
Pope Gives Rosaries to Syrian Catholics on Major Marian Feast Day
Pope Francis is giving 6,000 rosaries that he blessed personally to Catholic communities in Syria as a symbol of his closeness to them on the Feast of the Assumption, he announced during his Angelus message on August 15.
Young Melkite Catholics Find Hope at Gathering
Full of zeal for their faith, 920 Melkite Catholic young adults from the Middle East gathered in Lebanon for the first conference especially for them.
St. John Paul II’s Challenge Is Still Valid: “Learn Rome!”
Back in the day, when St. John Paul II would meet with seminarians in the Eternal City each year, he would challenge them to “imparare Roma.” It’s a phrase that technically violates the rules of Italian grammar, but everyone knew what he meant: “Learn Rome!”
Despite New Law, Some Churches in Egypt Forced to Close
More than 1,100 Christian churches in Egypt that had been built without approval before have been made legal during the past three years, but at least 22 churches have been shut down because of security reasons.