International

College of Cardinals: Pope extends terms of dean and vice-dean

Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re and Leonardo Sandri have had their appointments extended as Dean and Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, respectively. The decision was announced on February 6, by the Vatican Press Office in a statement noting that on January 7, the Pope had decided to defer the approval of the election of Cardinal […]

Man attacks high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican

A man desecrated the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on February 07 by climbing on top of it and throwing six candelabras that were on the altar to the ground, according to the Italian news agen-cy ANSA. After throwing the candelabras, the man began to remove the altar cloth, as can […]

Caritas Internationalis warns millions at risk with USAID cuts

Caritas Internationalis’ Secretary General, Alistair Dutton, has warned against the decision to close USAID-funded programmes and offices around the world, saying the sudden shutdown “will kill millions of people and condemn hundreds of millions more to lives of dehumanising poverty.” With an annual budget of over 40 billion dollars, USAID has funded humanitarian and development […]

Pope: Indigenous peoples have right to preserve cultural identity

“Land, water, and food are not mere commodities but the very foundation of life and the bond of [indigenous] peoples with nature.” Pope Francis offered that remin-der in a message sent to the 7th Indigenous Peoples’ Forum orga-nized by the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Develop-ment (IFAD). The forum takes place in Rome on February […]

St. Teresa of Calcutta added to Church calendar as optional memorial

Pope Francis added the Sept. 5 feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta to the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar as an optional memorial. The decree issued Feb. 11 by the Vatican noted the influence of St. Teresa’s spirituality around the world and said her name “continues to shine out as a source of hope for many […]

Irish Bishops: Healthcare should never lose sight of human dignity

As the Church marks the 33rd World Day of the Sick, on Feb-ruary 11, the Chair of the Irish Bishops’ Conference Council for Healthcare has reiterated that human dignity must remain at the core of healthcare practices. “Upholding the dignity and rights of each person is essential in healthcare,” remarked Bishop Michael Router, in a […]

Bishop Barron announces founding of new congregation dedicated to digital evangelization

In an era where the digital world has become the new public square, Bishop Robert Barron is taking a bold step to ensure the Catholic Church not only has a voice in the conversation but leads it. On January 15, Word on Fire, Barron’s influential media apostolate, announced an ambitious new initiative: the founding of […]

Pope critiques ‘rigid’ dress sense and mentality of conservative prelates

The Pope has taken conser-vative bishops and cardinals to task for the way they dress, suggesting their adherence to ostentatious styles reveals a “rigidity” of mind that in some cases may even reach a level of “mental instability” and “emotional deviation.” The Pope made his criticism of the sartorial preferences of traditional-leaning prelates in his […]

Salesians elect Maltese priest Fabio Attard as Don Bosco’s 11th successor

Pope Francis does not accept Cardinal Koch’s resignation: could continue at least until anniversary of Council of Nicea