Pope Announces He’ll Go to Bosnia

The one-day trip, scheduled for June 6, is an effort to bolster a minority Catholic population and encourage dialogue and friendship among once-warring ethnic and religious communities.

Vatican Panel to Study Alienation of Women

Violence against women, cultural pressures regarding physical appearance, and alienation of women from the Church are themes the Pontifical Council for Culture is set to explore.

Pope Says Christians Are United in the Shedding of Their Blood

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Christians are united in bloodshed as they suffer from violence and persecution in various parts of the world, Pope Francis told Christian leaders. Today’s martyrs are men and women, who through their witness to Jesus, are “persecuted and killed because they are Christian,” the pope said Jan. 25 during […]

Pope Tells Cardinals to Restrain Celebrations

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Writing to the 20 new cardinals he will create in February, Pope Francis said they should graciously accept that their friends, family and faithful will want to celebrate, but they also should ensure that the celebrations are not exaggerated. “As good Christians, they will celebrate because Christians rejoice and know how […]

Pope Says Annulments Should Be Free of Charge

Pope Francis, addressing the Vatican tribunal primarily responsible for hearing requests for marriage annulments, said: “How I wish that all processes were free.”

Niger Bishop Says Churches Will Rebuild

By Jonathan Luxmoore OXFORD, England (CNS) – An archbishop in Niger said the church would rebuild after rioters destroyed its places of worship during protests over cartoons mocking depictions of Muhammad by the French satirical newsweekly Charlie Hebdo. “We’re still trying to understand the savagery which erupted here – but it’s certain it was well […]

Pope Supports ‘Responsible Parenthood’

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM MANILA, Philippines (CNS) — Pope Francis stressed that, despite Church doctrine against contraception, Catholics fail to practice “responsible parenthood” when they have too many children. He also denounced the teaching of “gender theory” in schools, likening it to indoctrination of children by the Nazis and fascists. The pope made his […]