The Catholic Sun

Leaders in Hispanic Catholic ministry who gathered in Washington April 26-30 for a national meeting used the occasion to head to the halls of Congress in between meetings to push lawmakers on some form of relief on immigration.

Pope Francis has given his safeguarding commission a "very clear" mandate to encourage and supervise the world's bishops' conferences in establishing survivor support centers and services, said Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley of Boston, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

A trio of young adults and their dog Laika walked more than 800 miles in the footsteps of St. Junipero Serra on a Lenten pilgrimage to pray for California in the 46 days from Ash Wednesday to the Easter Vigil.

Pope Francis asked his safeguarding commission to provide an annual audit of what the church is doing to protect minors and what needs to change, as well as to urge bishops' conferences to set up special "centers" where victims can be heard and find accompaniment toward "healing and justice."

Superiors of women's religious orders from around the world will gather in Rome or online to look at their areas of vulnerability and find ways to "embrace" them so that together they are stronger and can be signs of hope for other vulnerable individuals and communities in the world, said Claretian Sister Jolanta Kafka.

Families play an important role in a society's development when ideologies are not imposed upon them, Pope Francis said.

As violence in South Sudan continues to raise concerns, Pope Francis' visit in July can serve as a much-needed boost for the hopes of millions who yearn for peace after decades of war and bloodshed, the country's newest bishop said.

Why would a parish celebrate the 179th anniversary of someone's birth?

Pope Francis praised members of the U.S.-based Papal Foundation for helping the Catholic Church build "a culture of solidarity and peace," including by providing assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine.

Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals met in-person at the Vatican April 25, discussing the war in Ukraine, the Vatican press office said.