As a sign of his closeness and concern, Pope Francis sent aid money to hurricane-stricken Haiti.
International News
21 Kidnapped Girls Released in Nigeria Two Years After Boko Haram Captivity
Catholic leaders welcomed the release of some of the girls kidnapped in 2014 from a school in Chibok and urged the Nigerian government to prioritize the release of the remaining girls.
Pope Urges Sports World To Maintain Its Integrity
Pope Francis challenged the sports world to fend off corrupt and manipulative practices and to uphold the values of honesty, fairness and transparency.
Pope Canonizes Seven New Saints
The church’s seven new saints were holy not because of their own efforts but because of “the Lord who triumphs in them and with them,” Pope Francis said.
Albanian Priest Learns He Is A Cardinal by Watching TV
The story of how an Albanian priest endured decades of imprisonment, torture and forced labor during his country’s communist crackdown against the church brought Pope Francis to tears.
Names of New Cardinals Contain Surprises
Choosing new members of the College of Cardinals, Pope Francis once again looked to countries and particularly to dioceses that were not and never had been represented in the body that advises the pope and bears responsibility for electing his successor.
Activist Argentine Priest Is Found Dead
An outspoken Argentine priest known for denouncing the threat of drug trafficking and warning of rising crime in the northern part of the country was found hanged in his parish home.
Pope in Azerbaijan: Respect Differences
Cooperation, peace and prosperity come when people hold fast to their cultural and religious identities without denigrating or trying to deny the rights and identities of others, Pope Francis said Oct. 2, the last day of his three-day trip to Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Holy Land Cuisine: Palestinian Chef Expresses Catholic Identity Through Cooking
When he was a child, Bassem Hazboun loved helping his mother prepare French delicacies in their Bethlehem, West Bank, kitchen. Today Chef Hazboun, 39, is the head of the culinary arts program at Dar al-Kalima University’s College of Arts and Culture in Bethlehem, which helps youth in the Holy Land hone skills in arts and culture.
Lumen Christi Award Goes to Protector of Youth
Melva Arbelo, director of the Santa Teresita of the Child Jesus Children’s Home in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, has been named the winner of the 2016-17 Lumen Christi Award given annually since 1978 by Catholic Extension. She will accept her award during an Oct. 19 Mass in Arecibo.