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.
International News
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.
Pope, Vatican Worried Over North Korea
Pope Francis and the Vatican are concerned about continuing tensions on the Korean peninsula “on account of the nuclear tests carried out by North Korea,” the Vatican spokesman confirmed.
Pope: In Times of Despair, Don’t Turn Away from God
Don’t respond to grief or anguish with pills, alcohol or avoidance – figure out what is going on inside your heart, then turn to God and beg him for help, Pope Francis said Sept. 27 during an early morning Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
Deacons Cannot Witness Marriages In an Orthodox or Eastern Church
In a change to Church law, Latin-rite Catholic deacons may not preside at a wedding when one or both of the new spouses are members of an Eastern Catholic church.
Abortion Aid, Suicide Are Seen As Impediments to Ordination
The sacredness of human life is so absolute that performing or helping procure an abortion or attempting suicide is an obstacle to ordination as a Catholic priest, even if the man was not Catholic at the time the events occurred, said a new Vatican ruling.