As the Catholic Church opened the Second Vatican Council in 1962, addressing and changing the Church’s relationship with the modern world, the church on the island of Cuba was entering a period of mere survival.
International News
Mafia Don’s Funeral Causes a Stir in Rome
Television programs, coffee bars, Italian Twitter accounts and the corridors of political power were abuzz Aug. 20-21 with news and commentary about the extravagance surrounding the funeral of the reputed boss of an organized crime ring in Rome.
Pilgrims Make Reservations to Enter Through the Holy Door
Drawing on the experience of the public exposition of the Shroud of Turin, Vatican officials are adopting a free, online reservation system for pilgrims who want to cross the threshold of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica during the Year of Mercy.
Pope Offers How-To Guide For Family Relationships
Pope Francis knows the family is made up of real people living in the real world, which is why he often gives down-to-earth advice.
Synod Needs to Adapt Its Teaching to Culture
A leading voice among Africa’s bishops predicts a new flexibility in Catholic teaching at October’s Synod of Bishops on the family, which he predicts will allow bishops in different parts of the world to adapt Church teaching on the family to the region’s culture, political landscape and economic situation.
Colombian Guerrillas Seek Meeting With The Pope
Representatives of Colombia’s FARC have asked to meet Pope Francis in Cuba in September and have requested the Church name a permanent delegate to their peace negotiations with the government.
Archbishop Sheen Statue Expected to Inspire Faith
By Michael Kelly DUBLIN (CNS) – An Irish artist commissioned to craft a bigger-than-life monument of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen for New York’s famous St. Malachy Church – The Actors’ Chapel hopes the work will inspire a new generation of devotees to the archbishop. Dublin-based sculptor Dony MacManus is working on the 10-foot-tall piece, which […]
Japan Marks Atomic Bombing Anniversary
Seventy years after the Aug. 6, 1945, bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a gong sounded repeatedly as residents and visitors to the cities paused to recall a similar morning 70 years ago when a fireball ripped apart the skies.
Christians May Be Among 230 Syrian Captives
Dozens of Christians are feared to be among the 230 people abducted by Islamic State after the extremist group’s militants captured a central Syrian town in early August.
Disability Diagnosis Used as Grounds for Abortion in UK
The practice of killing the patient as a way to eliminate a disease is one way to describe aborting unborn babies who have been diagnosed with disabilities.