Opinion

ROME — A doctor has been condemned in Argentina for refusing to perform an abortion in the fifth month of a pregnancy causing uproar among Catholics, Evangelicals and pro-life groups; Pope Francis has appointed two new auxiliary bishops to the troubled Archdiocese of Santiago, Chile; and an apology from a ... read more

ROME – News headlines of late have been dominated by rumblings between the United States and Iran, capped by President Donald Trump taking to Twitter to state emphatically, “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran.” In such moments of global tension, the Vatican typically ... read more

MUMBAI, India – Bangladeshi Catholics must break taboos surrounding sexual abuse to end a culture of silence, according to the country’s top prelate. Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario, the Archbishop of Dhaka, leads the small Catholic community in the Muslim-majority South Asian country. Christians make up just 0.5 percent of the population ... read more

ROME – Pope Francis on Wednesday offered a shout-out to Chinese Catholics, specifically those who endure “daily trials and tribulations.” Though interpreted as a sign of the pope’s commitment to his flock in China, the greeting also comes at a time when Francis is facing increased pressure over his recent ... read more

ROME — Catholic bishops across Europe encouraged their faithful to go to the polls in late May to elect members of the European Parliament who would promote unity and take seriously the power of the European Union to do good in the world. Citizens of the 28 countries of the ... read more

WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s bishops acknowledged on Wednesday that they have not done enough to prevent clerical abuse of minors and said there are “no words” to describe their shame about sex scandals involving priests. The acknowledgement came as Poland, where Catholic traditions and faith remain strong, is grappling with ... read more

WASHINGTON — Many took to social media to denounce the May 18 killing of a Salvadoran priest while urging authorities to look at the crime as a possible retaliation for Father Cecilio Perez Cruz’s criticism of the cutting of trees near the western town of Juayua. Initially, many characterized the ... read more

PARIS, France — A last-ditch appeal to the United Nations forced French doctors to resume life support Tuesday for a man who has been in a vegetative state for years and whose case has drawn attention across Europe. Vincent Lambert was critically injured in a 2008 car accident, and his ... read more

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signaled he will sign legislation that Republicans say is a defense of Chick-fil-A and religious freedom, but gay lawmakers sometimes tearfully railed against it on the House floor as a license to discriminate. The bill, given final approval Tuesday in the Texas ... read more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia — West Virginia’s Catholic diocese failed to publicly disclose decade-old allegations of sexual abuse of a student involving a Catholic school teacher, the state’s attorney general said Tuesday. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced an amended lawsuit against the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and former Bishop Michael Bransfield. A ... read more

MUMBAI, India – Mumbai police have been ordered to investigate accusations that Cardinal Oswald Gracias and two auxiliary bishops covered up an accusation of clerical sexual abuse in 2015. The order came from a Special POCSO Court, which was established by the 2012 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) ... read more

ROME – Leaders of Iraq’s Christian community have appealed to both Iran and the United States to sort out their problems in ways that don’t further harm minorities in the region, already devastated by the fallout of a 2003 American invasion and its aftermath. “As tension is increasing in the ... read more

ROME – Few things unite the people of the relatively young country of Italy like an unreasonable obsession for soccer, a reverential love for food, and a shared, unabashed hatred for gypsies. It’s no wonder then that Pope Francis’s yearly appointment with the Roma and Sinti peoples, commonly known as ... read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening words as the new leader to Catholics in the nation’s capital, Archbishop Wilton Gregory acknowledged the tempests facing the Church, telling the 3,000 people on hand for his installation that faith in Christ, “not any single minister,” will calm the Church’s storms. Although he ... read more

SAO PAULO, Brazil — Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Vilson Dias de Oliveira of Limeira. The bishop is being investigated by authorities for extortion of priests, mismanagement of the diocese’s funds and covering up alleged cases of abuse against minors by area priests. His resignation was announced May ... read more