NEWS

As Christians pray, fast and give alms during Lent, they also should consider giving a smile and offering a kind word to people feeling alone or frightened because of the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis said.

A Catholic panel analyzing a path forward during moments of strife or of social sin said the only way to move ahead as a society toward healing is to recognize the damage done to a person or communities, to lay the truth out for everyone to see.

Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez had two questions about sharing the Catholic faith for participants in this year's Fellowship of Catholic University Students conference: "Are we presenting in our message the true image of God? Are we delivering the good news of a God of love?"

The largest Syriac Catholic congregation in the world is preparing physically and spiritually for Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Qaraqosh, Iraq.

Two U.S. bishops' committee chairmen and the head of Catholics Relief Services asked the Biden administration Feb. 10 to grant Temporary Protected Status for 18 months to foreign nationals from Central America in the United States and to provide aid to their hurricane-ravaged countries.

In a celebration blending religious and civic pride in one of Peoria's most famous and influential historic residents, the street outside St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria was given the honorary designation of "Bishop Fulton Sheen Avenue" Feb. 4.

Since childhood, the typical U.S. Catholic's response to Lent is giving up, as in "What are you giving up for Lent?"

Prayer makes every day better, even the most difficult days, Pope Francis said.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, has introduced a bill to prohibit use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.

Immaculee Ilibagiza found freedom in forgiveness after seeing her family wiped out by genocide in Rwanda, and she shared her extraordinary journey toward that forgiveness in an evening keynote Feb. 5 during the SEEK21 conference.