Celebrating marriage: Newlyweds look to Pope for blessings, strength
VATICAN CITY – Each week dozens of newlyweds, dressed again in their wedding gowns and tuxedoes, come to the Vatican to receive a special papal blessing as they begin their lives together.
17th century Samurai martyr beatified in Japan
TOKYO, Japan – A 17th century Catholic Samurai and martyr was beatified during a Mass in Osaka, Japan on Tuesday.
Health care is not a business, but a service to life, says Pope Francis
VATICAN CITY – A nation's health-care system cannot be run simply as a business because human lives are at stake, Pope Francis said.
Catholics, Protestants release Bible translations at joint service
STUTTGART, Germany – Five centuries after the start of the Protestant Reformation, leaders of the Catholic and Lutheran churches came together in a demonstration of unity to release new Bible translations.
Pope Francis admits there's corruption at the Vatican
VATICAN CITY – In a talk with representatives of Catholic men's religious orders, Pope Francis admitted there’s “corruption” in the Vatican but said he is not troubled by it and is working to reform the church administration.
Pope leads prayers for migrants, trafficking victims on St. Bakhita's feast day
VATICAN CITY – Marking the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a former slave, Pope Francis urged Christians to help victims of human trafficking and migrants, especially the Rohingya people being chased from Myanmar.
Vatican's U.N. nuncio urges action on poverty that moves beyond economics
UNITED NATIONS – Saying poverty is the greatest challenge facing humanity, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations called on nations to seek solutions to poverty not only based on economics but to also address personal, social and environmental factors that contribute to it.
Vatican releases updated guidelines for bioethical questions
VATICAN CITY – To offer clearly and accurately the Catholic Church's positions on abortion, contraception, genetic engineering, fertility treatments, vaccines, frozen embryos and other life issues, the Vatican released an expanded and updated guide of the church's bioethical teachings.
Keep searching for unity, Pope tells German Lutherans, Catholics
VATICAN CITY – Christ's call for his disciples to be one requires that even as they try to resolve their differences on doctrinal and moral questions, they must get used to working and praying together, Pope Francis said.
Why the Vatican thinks priests should learn about art, beauty
VATICAN CITY – Ugly churches with bad acoustics don't do justice to the richness and beauty of the liturgy – and it's this connection between art and faith that's vital for priests to understand today, a Vatican official insists.
Salesian home gives former Colombian child-soldiers new lease on life
ROME – While the process of healing and reconciliation continues in Colombia after 52 years of war, Salesians in the country are helping some of the most vulnerable victims of the conflict: former child-soldiers.