Catholic News Service
Bethlehem has a special hold on family
BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- Brothers Peter and Eli Hosh grew up knowing that their hometown was not only the place where they went to school and ran down to the corner market for their mother, but the town where Jesus was born.
Anglican Bishop, former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, to become Catholic
SHREWSBURY, England -- A former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II is to be received into the Catholic Church.
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Luigi Ventura, the nuncio to France, who has been under investigation for sexual misconduct in France and in Canada.
Faith groups praise Australia's religious discrimination legislation
CANBERRA, Australia -- The Australian government has released its second "exposure draft" of its religious discrimination legislation, winning widespread praise from faith groups, including the Catholic bishops, following changes to the original legislation released in October.
Fire destroys New Jersey church; suspected arsonist arrested
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. -- After a fire destroyed Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Franklin Lakes in the early hours of Dec. 11, the suspected arsonist was arrested. He was receiving burn treatment at a local hospital prior to his court hearing.
Students kept safe in N.J. Catholic school during nearby gun battle
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CNS) -- Sacred Heart Catholic School in Jersey City reopened Dec. 12, with a heavy police presence outside, two days after deadly gun battle took place at a kosher supermarket across the street from the school.
McCarrick abuse survivor sues Vatican
NEW YORK -- John Bellocchio, 37, who claims former Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick abused him when he was a teenager, announced at a Dec. 9 news conference the he is suing the Vatican and demanding "sweeping child protection changes."
Catholics urged to pray novena for Archbishop Sheen's beatification
PEORIA, Ill. -- Supporters of the canonization cause for Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen have been invited to take part in a novena starting Dec. 12 to "petition God unceasingly to remove all obstacles" for the beatification of the media pioneer, author and evangelist.
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Nearly 160,000 security personnel will be deployed to try to make Christmas and New Year celebrations in Indonesia safe, reported ucanews.org.
Early resignation of Bishop Malone accepted by Pope Francis
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bishop Richard J. Malone told Catholics Dec. 4 he asked Pope Francis to allow him to retire early so the people of the diocese "will be better served" by a new bishop who is "perhaps better able" to bring about "reconciliation, healing and renewal" in addressing the abuse crisis.