World News

Shijiazhuang – In the wake of the devastating tornadoes and floods that struck southeastern Chinese provinces in July, particularly Guangxi and Hubei, China's Catholic community has responded promptly with humanitarian assistance through Jinde Charities, the Catholic charitable foundation entrusted with representing the local Church's relief efforts on behalf of Bishops Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai ... read more

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops submitted a public comment on proposed changes to federal grants, expressing support for restrictions on gender ideology and abortion but opposing restrictions for groups that work with migrants who are in the country unlawfully.The bishops submitted the public comment to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on July ... read more

Huancayo – The Peruvian Bishops' Conference has expressed its "deepest sorrow" over the loss of lives and the extensive damage caused by the earthquake that struck the central Andean region of Junín, assuring its spiritual closeness to bereaved families and those displaced by the disaster. In a message signed by its President, Archbishop Carlos García ... read more

Abuja – Caritas Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in northwestern Nigeria, where insecurity fuelled by armed banditry and jihadist terrorism has forced thousands of people to flee their homes.The appeal was made by Jude Akwo, Head of Good Governance Program at Caritas Nigeria, during a one-day policy ... read more

Quelimane – In an official statement addressed to the clergy, delegates of the Conference of Religious Institutes of Mozambique in Quelimane, religious institutes, and apostolic movements, the Diocese of Quelimane has ordered the suspension of all festive and patronal celebrations until the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 22. The document, issued by the ... read more

At the opening Mass of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., called on African Catholic youth to build “authentic bridges of communion.” “That does not mean indiscriminately imitating or assimilating the ways of the world, diluting our Christian identity or watering down the demands of ... read more

Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, called upon bishops around the world to be more generous in allowing the celebration of the extraordinary form of the Mass. Cardinal Sarah made his remarks in a wide-ranging interview (transcript) with Diane Montagna, a journalist ... read more

In a wide-ranging discussion with Bishop Robert Barron, Vice President JD Vance discussed political philosophy, Pope Leo, Pope Francis, Catholic social teaching, and prayer. “Every time the Pope says something mildly critical of a Trump administration policy it’s like, ‘Oh the Pope hates the Trump administration,’” the vice president told the bishop of ... read more

In 1976, Franciscan University of Steubenville held its first youth conference on its campus in Steubenville, Ohio. This summer, the Catholic university celebrates 50 years of a conference that has changed many lives.Since its founding, the youth conferences have helped over 1 million young people encounter Jesus Christ through dynamic talks, the Mass, Eucharistic adoration, ... read more

I have often told my students that there used to be three ways for an army to get inside a walled city. They could scale the walls, batter the gates in, or dig a tunnel underneath and set off an explosive to blow up the defenses—literally what it means to undermine. I should have added ... read more

Ukraine’s leading prelates emphasized prayer and forgiveness in separate interviews with Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. ... read more

Because of declining vocations, at least 20 women’s religious institutes in the United States are now led by Vatican-appointed commissaries who belong to other communities. Sister Dawn Tomaszewski, superior of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, is also commissary for the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters. She “said one of the great ... read more

The Vatican newspaper devoted the most prominent article in its July 18 edition to the challenges faced by maritime workers. L’Osservatore Romano reported that workers aboard fishing vessels in countries like Indonesia often “fall victim to financial fraud, psychological abuse, and physical violence.” Father Ansensius Guntur, C.S., a chaplain of the Apostleship of ... read more

The Vatican’s Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (ASIF) and Germany’s central bank signed a cooperation agreement on July 17. “By signing this memorandum of understanding, we reaffirm our shared commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency, and international cooperation,” said Burkhard Balz of Deutsche Bundesbank. “This agreement provides a framework for ongoing exchange and ... read more

My eldest son plays in our town’s Little League. He’s no prodigy on the short list for a future MLB contract, but he’s a good player—he understands the game, plays hard, and keeps his cool under pressure. Last summer, he was invited to try out for the local travel team. It wasn’t terribly expensive, so ... read more