Catholic News Service
COVID forces Knock shrine to close Aug. 15 to discourage crowds
KNOCK, Ireland -- The Marian shrine at Knock announced Aug. 10 that in addition to postponing the popular Knock Novena and pilgrimage because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shrine and its church would be closed for the Aug. 15 feast of the Assumption of Mary to ensure pilgrims do not arrive anyway.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A suspended priest in the Diocese of Sacramento has been automatically excommunicated because he continued to celebrate Mass despite being instructed not to do so by Bishop Jaime Soto, and he also has refused to acknowledge Pope Francis as head of the Catholic Church.
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine government issued new orders restricting movement in an effort to control a spike in COVID-19, resulting in 10 dioceses suspending public Masses.
China hacked computers of Vatican, other church entities
China has been accused of hacking Vatican computers as well as those in the Diocese of Hong Kong and other Catholic organizations in May.
Beatification of Father McGivney to take place Oct. 31
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Father Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus, will be beatified during a special Mass Oct. 31 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford.
Cathedral volunteer charged with arson for Nantes fire
NANTES, France -- A Rwandan is facing up to 10 years in prison after he confessed to deliberately setting fire to the city's Gothic cathedral.
Christ statue vandalized at Florida church
MIAMI -- The beheading of a statue of Christ at a Catholic church in the Miami Archdiocese has saddened the parish community of Good Shepherd Church and prompted Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski to call on law enforcement to investigate the incident as a hate crime.
Arson suspected as cause of fire at Nantes Cathedral
NANTES, France -- French police have opened an arson investigation into a fire at a Gothic cathedral in Nantes.
Australian Cardinal George Pell, 79, a former senior adviser to Pope Francis, has broken his silence two months after the country's High Court overturned his conviction for sexual abuse of two teens.