A review of some of Pope Francis' most memorable quotes over his papacy
Flying back to Rome from a lengthy trip to Asia, Pope Francis criticized both U.S. presidential candidates for what he called anti-life policies on abortion and migration.
Catholic leaders raise concerns over judicial reform pushed by Mexico's president
Mexicoโs Catholic leaders have raised their concerns over a controversial judicial reform pushed by President Andrรฉs Manuel Lรณpez Obrador.
Pope urges church in Papua New Guinea to be close to women after hearing of sorcery 'superstitions'
Pope Francis has called for the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea to be particularly close to women who have been abused and marginalized.
Church sex abuse scandals in East Timor met by silence, but Pope Francisโ visit brings new attention
When the Vatican acknowledged in 2022 that the Nobel Peace Prize-winning, East Timorese independence hero Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo had sexually abused young boys, it appeared that the global clergy sexual abuse scandal that has compromised the Catholic Churchโs credibility around the world had finally arrived in Asiaโs newest country.
An offering, a fire, a prayer. How a Mexico City community celebrates its pre-Hispanic origins
A couple of decades ago, when Claudia Santos felt the need for spiritual shelter, she dug into her countriesโ history and there she found it: Her ancestors, the Mexica.
Apache Christ icon controversy sparks debate over Indigenous Catholic faith practices
The congregation at St. Joseph Apache Mission in the Mescalero Reservation in New Mexico, is struggling to deal with the hurt caused by their priest removing a cherished painting called the Apache Christ, which portrays Jesus as an Indigenous holy man.
Peace must be a priority, say Catholic leaders on anniversary of priests' violent deaths in Mexico
Two years have passed since a leader of one of Mexicoโs organized crime gangs stormed into a Catholic church in the remote Tarahumara mountains and fatally shot two Jesuit priests.
Top US bishop worries Catholic border services for migrants might be imperiled by government action
A top U.S. bishop says government officials would be infringing on religious freedom if they were to restrict the Catholic Churchโs work serving migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Why US Catholics are planning pilgrimages in communities across the nation
A long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages is getting underway across the United States this weekend, with pilgrims embarking on four different routes.
Afro-Cuban drums, Muslim prayers, Buddhist mantras: Religious diversity blooms in once-atheist Cuba
The 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro installed an atheist, Communist government that sought to replace the Catholic Church as the guiding force in the lives of Cubans.
Why the speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker was embraced at Benedictine College's commencement
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker may have stirred controversy for his proclamations of conservative politics and Catholicism, but he received a standing ovation at the May 11 commencement ceremony at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Baltimore to pay $275k in legal fees after trying to block far-right Catholic group's 2021 rally
The city of Baltimore has agreed to pay $275,000 toward the legal fees of a far-right Catholic media group to settle a lawsuit over the cityโs unsuccessful attempt to block a rally in 2021.
The Vatican's problematic process to address clergy sex abuse cases, explained
Five years ago this week, Pope Francis convened an unprecedented summit of bishops from around the world to impress on them that clergy abuse was a global problem and that they needed to do something about it.
Nicaragua's crackdown on Catholic Church spreads fear among the faithful, there and in exile
Nineteen priests kicked out of the country, dozens of incidents of harassment and church desecrations, rural areas lacking worship and social services.
In the US, Black survivors are nearly invisible in the Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis
Black survivors have been nearly invisible in the Catholic Church sexual abuse crisis โ even in Baltimore, home to a historic Black Catholic community.
Rio's iconic Christ statue welcomes Taylor Swift with open arms thanks to Swifties and a priest
Rio de Janeiroโs Christ the Redeemer statue was illuminated with a welcome to Brazil message for Taylor Swift.
US Catholic bishops meet; leaders call for unity and peace amid internal strife and global conflict
Catholic leaders called for peace in a war-torn world and unity amid strife within their own ranks as U.S. bishops gather in Baltimore.
The head of Chinaโs state-backed Catholic church begins historic trip to Hong Kong
The head of the Catholic church in China has begun a trip to Hong Kong at the invitation of the cityโs pope-appointed Roman Catholic cardinal, marking the first official visit by a Beijing bishop in history.
Nearly 80% of Italians say they are Catholic. But few regularly go to church
In Italy, centuries-old churches dot the landscape, sanctuaries and processions draw crowds, and nearly 80% of the population profess themselves Catholic.
Women's voices and votes loom large as pope is set to open a Vatican meeting on church's future
Pope Francis will open this week a global gathering of Catholic bishops and laypeople to discuss the future of the church.
The Catholic Church defended human rights during Chileโs dictatorship. An archive tells the story
The archive of the Vicariate of Solidarity gives an account of a painful episode in Chileโs history: 47,000 instances of human rights violations during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, who took power after a military coup that deposed President Salvador Allende 50 years ago.
Civil case over Cardinal Pell abuse allegations allowed to proceed against church in Australia
An Australian court has allowed a civil case to proceed against a Catholic archdiocese involving child sex abuse allegations against late Cardinal George Pell.
One thing the pope wonโt be able to ignore in Portugal is a legacy of clergy sex abuse
Pope Francis is making a five-day visit next week to Portugal, where a scandal that erupted earlier this year over Catholic Church sex abuse is still simmering.
Black nun who founded first African American religious congregation advances closer to sainthood
The Black Catholic nun who founded the United Statesโ first African American religious congregation has advanced another step toward sainthood.
Catholic bishops' president calls for better border management, continued care for immigrants
The leader of the nationโs Catholic bishops weighed in on ongoing immigration issues during their spring meeting in Florida.
Wave of anti-transgender bills in Republican-led states divides US faith leaders
As Republican-governed states across the nation advance numerous bills targeting transgender young people, Americaโs faith leaders are starkly divided in their assessment.
Poll: Religious service attendance a bit down after pandemic
A โstable shareโ of Americans has participated in religious services in some way โ virtually or in person โ during the coronavirus pandemic, but in-person attendance is slightly lower than it was before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Spain's ombudsman registers 445 church sex abuse complaints
Spainโs ombudsman says an independent commission set up a year ago to investigate historic sex abuse by the Catholic church has collected testimonies from 445 victims, as the nation tackles an issue other European countries acted on long ago.
Nicaragua proposes suspending Vatican ties after comments
Nicaragua โs government says it has proposed suspending relations with the Vatican days after Pope Francis compared President Daniel Ortegaโs administration to a communist or Nazi dictatorship amid a crackdown on the Catholic Church in the country.
Fear, anxiety follow Nicaraguan faith leaders into exile
Dozens of priests, nuns, seminarians and church workers have fled Nicaragua in recent years, or been exiled by President Daniel Ortegaโs government, which considers them a threat.
Abrahamic House in UAE houses a church, synagogue and mosque
A new complex erected on the shores of the Persian Gulf, in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, houses a Catholic church, a Jewish synagogue and an Islamic mosque.
Portugal church sex abuse study: Victims may number 4,800
A committee looking into historic child sex abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church says 512 alleged victims have come forward, but a report by the expert panel warned that the true number is likely higher than 4,800.
Sri Lankan court orders ex-leader to pay victims of bombings
Sri Lankaโs Supreme Court has ruled that inaction by the countryโs former president and four others led to Easter Sunday bomb attacks in 2019 that killed nearly 270 people and ordered them to pay compensation for violating the basic rights of the victims and their families.
French-born artist finds inspiration on remote Easter Island
Rapa Nui โ the remote Chilean territory in the mid-Pacific widely known as Easter Island โ is home to a Catholic church featuring artwork that reflects that islandersโ ancestral culture as well as Christian beliefs.
German bishops assure Vatican but vow to proceed with reform
Germanyโs Catholic bishops are vowing to continue their controversial reform process after a week of tense meetings with Vatican officials seeking to put the brakes on proposals to ordain women, bless gay unions and rethink church teaching on sexuality.
Vatican opens preliminary abuse probe into French cardinal
The Vatican has decided to launch a preliminary sex abuse investigation into French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, after he admitted to having behaved in a โreprehensible wayโ with a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago.
French cardinal says he abused 14-year-old girl 35 years ago
One of Franceโs high-ranking prelates of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, says that he had abused a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago and is withdrawing from his religious duties.
Historic Portugal church sex abuse 'truly endemic' at times
The head of a lay committee looking into historic child sex abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church says the problem in the past had been โwidespreadโ and on some occasions reached โtruly endemicโ proportions.
Vatican shelves assault probe into Canadian cardinal claims
The Vatican says a preliminary church investigation into sexual assault allegations by a Canadian woman against a top cardinal has determined the case doesnโt warrant further investigation.
Nicaraguan bishop fasts to protest police harassment
A Roman Catholic bishop in Nicaragua has begun an โindefinite fastโ inside a church to protest increasing harassment from national police, who he said followed him throughout the entire previous day.
Catholic leader blasts Israeli conduct at journalist funeral
The top Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land says Israel's police attack on mourners during a funeral for an Al Jazeera journalist was a โsevereโ violation of human rights.
Bishops in Spain ask lawyers to audit their sex abuse record
Spain's Roman Catholic bishops have asked a private law firm to investigate past and present sexual abuse committed by clergy, members of religious orders and others associated with the church.
Benedict woes come as German church reform pressure rises
A report on decades of sexual abuse in Germany that shone an unflattering spotlight on retired Pope Benedict XVI has come on top of already strong pressure in Germany to reconsider Catholic rules on issues including homosexuality and womenโs roles.
Rome church condemns swastika-draped casket at funeral
The Catholic Church in Rome is strongly condemning a funeral procession outside a local church in which the casket was draped in a Nazi flag and mourners gave the fascist salute.
Vivaldi opera gets premiere in Ferrara nearly 300 years late
The Catholic Church and the northern Italian city of Ferrara are making their peace with Antonio Vivaldi nearly 300 years after the cityโs archbishop effectively canceled the staging of one of his operas.
Plans move forward for 2022 pope, Russian patriarch meeting
Plans are progressing for a meeting next year between Pope Francis and the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church following their historic encounter in Havana in 2016.
French bishops agree to compensate sex abuse victims
The president of Franceโs Bishops Conference said the country's Catholic Church made โa decisive stepโ after it agreed to provide financial compensation to sex abuse victims.
Nebraska AG finds 258 victims of Catholic church sex abuse
A Nebraska attorney generalโs office investigation has identified 258 victims who made credible allegations of sexual abuse against 57 Catholic church officials in the state going back decades.
French report: 330,000 children victims of church sex abuse
Victims of sex abuse within Franceโs Catholic Church have welcomed a new report that says an estimated 330,000 children were sexually abused over the past 70 years.
Vatican won't say if women can vote in 2023 church meeting
Vatican officials are refusing to say whether women will have a vote when Pope Francis convenes the Catholic hierarchy and experts to the Vatican for a meeting on the Catholic church in 2023.
Karadima, priest defrocked for sexual abuses, dies in Chile
Fernando Karadima, a Chilean priest who was at the center of a sexual abuse scandal that shook the Catholic Church in Chile and who was eventually defrocked by the pope, has died.
US churches reckon with traumatic legacy of Native schools
More than 150 boarding schools for Indigenous children in the United States were operated by religious groups between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries โ and churches are now reckoning with their traumatic legacy.
EXPLAINER: The Vatican's criminal code, sex abuse explained
The Vatican has released a long-awaited update to the criminal section of its Code of Canon Law, the internal legal system that regulates the life of the 1.3 billion-member Catholic Church.
Divided US Catholic bishops will debate Communion policy
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is planning to devote part of its national meeting next month to the sensitive issue of which Catholics are worthy of receiving Communion, despite calls for a delay.
Rwanda's Kagame welcomes French 'truth' about the genocide
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on Wednesday described a French report documenting Franceโs role in the 1994 genocide as โa good thing,โ welcoming efforts in Paris to โmove forward with a good understanding of what happenedโ 27 years after the massacres that shocked the world.
German archbishop offers to resign after abuse criticism
The report commissioned by Cologne's archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, absolved Woelki himself of any neglect of duty with respect to abuse victims. Francis has previously declined, at least initially, to accept resignations when they were offered to repent for mishandling sex abuse cases, though he has relented after time. Woelki said he also would temporarily suspend two Cologne church officials based on the findings of the investigation. The report found Schwaderlapp neglected his duty to inform and report abuse allegations in eight cases. AdIn January, a new system drawn up by the church to compensate abuse victims took effect.
Belgian bishop lashes out at Vatican over gay unions decree
FILE - In this Saturday, May 8, 2010 file photo, from left, Liege Bishop Aloysius Jousten, Brussels Archbishop Andre Leonard, Tournai Bishop Guy Harpigny and Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny attend a press conference at the Vatican. Belgian bishop Johan Bonny, in an opinion piece, has lashed out at the Vatican over its decree that the Catholic Church won't bless same-sex unions. The Congregation's note distinguished between blessing same-sex unions and the churchโs welcoming and blessing of gay people, which it endorsed. It argued that such unions were not part of Godโs plan and that any sacramental recognition of them could be confused with marriage. AdThe orthodoxy office's document argued that same-sex unions can't be blessed by the Catholic Church because they are not part of that plan.
Jacksonville pastor responds to Vatican rebuff of same-sex unions: โLoving someone is not a sinโ
Thatโs the message from one Northeast Florida pastor after the Vatican said Monday that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions. The Vaticanโs orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions. Marsha Brandt, the pastor at St. Anthonyโs National Catholic Church in Jacksonville, said her message to same-sex couples who are a part of the Catholic Church and see the Vaticanโs response is โdonโt listen.โโItโs not right, as far as weโre concerned. Thatโs one of the reasons she moved to the National Catholic Church. Since gay unions arenโt intended to be part of that plan, they canโt be blessed by the church, the document said.
Vatican bars gay union blessing, says God 'can't bless sin'
(Tiziana Fabi/Pool photo via AP)ROME โ The Vatican declared Monday that the Catholic Church won't bless same-sex unions since God โcannot bless sin.โThe Vaticanโs orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions. Since gay unions aren't intended to be part of that plan, they can't be blessed by the church, the document said. Francis has endorsed providing gay couples with legal protections in same-sex unions, but that was in reference to the civil sphere, not within the church. At the time, Argentine lawmakers were considering approving gay marriage, which the Catholic Church opposes. AdSpeaking of families with gay children, he said: โYou canโt kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this.