VATICAN CITY -- Addressing concerns about a proposed Amazonian rite in the Catholic Church, an indigenous participant at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon called on Catholics to soften their hearts and understand the needs of Catholics in the region.

VATICAN – Of the many traditions and penitential practices observed during the season of Lent, one of the more visible is the stark change in church decor and a complete absence of flowers.

VATICAN – The sacred liturgy is meant to help the people of God conform their heart, mind and actions more closely to Christ, Pope Francis said.

Myriam Guevara Mann still remembers looking out to a crowd of 800,000 people before she danced the biggest show of her life. 

From his first job in a labour camp to his last job praying for the Society of Jesus, Bishop Atilla Mikloshazy worked hard at one thing — caring for people.

WARSAW, Poland – The head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church welcomed the election of a leader for the country's new independent Orthodox church.

OTTAWA – An order of priests that became “like orphans” 30 years ago when it broke away from the schismatic Society of St. Pius X has prospered by observing Church tradition and stressing unity with the Holy Father.

QUEBEC CITY – French-speaking Canadians will begin using a new translation of the Our Father Dec. 2.

EDMONTON – If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, this beholder is pretty upset about one bad window.

It was 56 years ago this week — Oct. 11, 1962 — that the Second Vatican Council began its work of addressing how the Church should adapt to the modern world. Vatican II ended three years later and the changes formed the basis of much of the Church’s liturgy and teaching to this day. The massive task of the council, mandated by Pope John XXIII, began with much pomp and ceremony, as The Register reported in its Oct. 13, 1962 issue.

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WASHINGTON – In response to the church abuse crisis, many parishes around the country have been bringing out the big guns in a spiritual sense -- calling on St. Michael the Archangel to help the church.

One of my favourite bloopers from a church bulletin reads like this: “Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.” 

Proof that the Church has no shyness about irony is affirmed by news that Canada’s new Catholic hymnal will be unleashed during Lent two years hence.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The general chapter of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a society of apostolic life which celebrates the extraordinary form of the Roman rite, on Monday elected Fr. Andrzej Komorowski as its next superior general.

VATICAN – The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X elected 47-year-old Father Davide Pagliarani, an Italian member of the society, as its superior general.