Belgian bishop asks pope not to make him a cardinal
Saying he did not want to add to the suffering of survivors of clerical sexual abuse who criticized his appointment as a cardinal, retired Bishop Lucas Van Looy of Ghent, Belgium, asked Pope Francis to withdraw his nomination, and the pope agreed.
Biden names Schneck, former CUA professor, to religious freedom commission
Stephen Schneck, a Catholic activist and retired professor, was appointed June 15 by President Joe Biden to serve on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal watchdog group that monitors religious freedom violations.
As charter turns 20, trust in bishops is slow to return, cardinal says
The nation's Catholic bishops have made progress in regaining the trust of the laity since approving a groundbreaking document in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis two decades ago, but for Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory "the task is not complete."
Cardinal-designate calls liturgical tensions a ‘tragedy’
Cardinal-designate Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, described as a "tragedy" the tensions within the Latin rite of the Catholic Church over the way the Mass is celebrated.
The success of the National Eucharistic Revival depends on each one of us
A year and a half after the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to proceed with a National Eucharistic Revival, this weekend -- the feast of Corpus Christi, observed -- marks the official launch.
Vatican releases suggestions for lengthier, revamped marriage preparation
Saying "superficial" marriage preparation programs leave many couples at risk of having invalid marriages or unprepared to cope with the struggles that arise in every marriage, Pope Francis endorsed suggestions for a yearlong "marriage catechumenate" drafted by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.
Discarding elderly a ‘betrayal’ of humanity, pope says
People have a responsibility to care for the elderly and cherish their wisdom rather than regard them as a burden on society, Pope Francis said.
Bishop leaving legacy as humble shepherd with rock-solid commitment to God
With Friday’s announcement that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, 75, and appointed Diocese of San Diego Auxiliary Bishop James P. Dolan to lead the Diocese of Phoenix, diocesan officials and laity began preparing for a new shepherd
Month focused on the Sacred Heart of Jesus builds intimacy with God
Yvette Reynoso-Barnes remembers the day she went out to her car and googled Sacred Heart images. She was 40 years old and pregnant with her seventh child. A day earlier, she and her husband and children had crowded into the doctor’s office to see the much-anticipated baby’s ultrasound image.
War, Vatican II, decision making: Pope shares insights with Jesuit editors
Pope Francis gave the editors of 10 Jesuit magazines a glimpse into how he makes decisions, background on one of his more controversial comments about the war in Ukraine and insight into what he sees as the refusal of some bishops to accept the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.
