NATION/WORLD

The "sacramental sense" of a Catholic pastor's outreach after the horrific violence that took place at a Connecticut elementary school "has brought the Church to bear in the most intimate and powerful way," said the director of communications for the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn.

DUBLIN (CNS) -- The Irish government has announced plans to legalize abortion in limited circumstances, but Minister for Health James Reilly insisted his plans will take "full account of the equal right to life of the unborn child."

Adam Lanza murdered his mother, forced his way into a school, and killed 20 children and six adults before killing himself. There was a depressing familiarity to it.

Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, was at Sandy Hook Elementary School almost immediately after the horrific shooting Dec. 14.

After 20 children and six adults were shot dead in Connecticut, Pope Benedict XVI offered his condolences and prayers, urging all to dedicate themselves to acts of peace in the face of such "senseless violence."

NEWTOWN, Conn. — As law enforcement officers tried to piece together the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 children and seven adults dead, priests from nearby parishes rushed to the scene to comfort families and staff.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI launched his very own Twitter account, sending a short inaugural message to his more than 1 million...

VATICAN CITY — The universal Church needs Catholics in the Americas who are joyful missionaries, well-catechized and faithful to the teachings of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Supporters of the traditional definition of marriage saw defeat in three states at the polls this November, breaking a string of 32 straight referendum successes since 1998.

Father Robert Sirico argues that a system of free-market capitalism is compatible with the principles of Catholic social teaching.