Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris celebrates Mass in the Chapel of the Virgin inside Notre Dame Cathedral June 15, 2019. It was the first Mass since a huge blaze devastated the landmark building in April.

Mass returns to Notre-Dame

PARIS -- The archbishop of Paris wore a hard hat as he celebrated the first Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral since a huge blaze devastated the landmark building in April.

A firefighter hands Pope Francis a fire helmet made specifically for him to wear June 16, 2019, as he visits the Camerino cathedral, which suffered major damage during an earthquake in October 2016.

Don't let quake shake your hope, Pope Francis tells earthquake survivors

CAMERINO, Italy -- Wearing a firefighter's helmet painted white and gold for the occasion, Pope Francis entered the earthquake-damaged cathedral in Camerino and prayed before a statue of Mary missing the top of its head.

A woman participates in a march of indigenous people through the streets of Atalaia do Norte in Brazil's Amazon region March 27, 2019. The Vatican was to release the working document for the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon June 17.

Married priests on synod agenda

VATICAN CITY -- An upcoming Synod of Bishops will study the feasibility of ordaining married men in the Amazon region to compensate for a shortage of priests.

Tourists walk around the tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City, June 13, 2019. Following the successful cooperation on the 2016 restoration of the Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the leaders of the Greek Orthodox, Catholics and Armenian Orthodox, who serve as guardians of the holy site, have signed an agreement to continue with restorations, this time on the pavement and foundations around the tomb.

Holy site preparing for more repair work

JERUSALEM -- Following the successful cooperation on the 2016 restoration of the Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the leaders of the three churches who serve as guardians of the holy site have signed an agreement to continue with restorations, this time on the pavement and foundations around the tomb.

Corpus Christi celebrations in Rome in 2018.

God's Word on Sunday: Blessings flow through many channels

Body and Blood of Christ, June 23 (Year C) Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11b-17

There is always more than meets the eye in the Scriptures and much that begs for elaboration and explanation. 

Pope Francis listens to a question from Romanian journalist Cristian Micaci aboard his flight from Sibiu, Romania, to Rome June 2.

Plane speaking: Behind the scenes of the Pope's in-flight press conferences

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis’ in-flight news conferences are arguably less newsy than when his pontificate began, mostly because he has been insisting the past few years that most of the questions refer to the trip that is concluding.

An oil field near Kirkuk, Iraq, is seen Oct. 17, 2017. Faced with a climate emergency, the world must act immediately to mitigate global warming and avoid committing "a brutal act of injustice" on the poor and future generations, Pope Francis told a group of energy and oil executives and global investors June 14 at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Mitigate global warming, spare further injustice to poor

VATICAN CITY -- Faced with a climate emergency, the world must act immediately to mitigate global warming and avoid committing "a brutal act of injustice" on the poor and future generations, Pope Francis told a group of energy and oil executives and global investors.

Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert E. Barron speaks on the first day of the spring general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore June 11, 2019.

Bishops vote to revise U.S. catechism's capital punishment section

BALTIMORE -- The U.S. bishops voted June 13 to revise what the U.S. church teaches its adult members about the death penalty in a passage on the issue in the U.S. Catechism for Adults.

Pope Francis greets Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, during a meeting with nuncios from around the world at the Vatican June 13, 2019.

Pope Francis to nuncios: Be men of God, not luxury-seeking diplomats

VATICAN CITY -- Apostolic nuncios are called to be men of faith focused on proclaiming the Gospel and shunning the power and corruption that can come from the luxurious trappings of their diplomatic status, Pope Francis said.

Ivan Toro makes his promise of obedience to Bishop John O. Barres of Rockville Centre, N.Y., during his ordination to the permanent diaconate June 1, 2019, at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre.

U.S. bishops approve update of texts of rites for clergy ordinations

BALTIMORE -- The U.S. bishops voted to update texts last changed in 2003 for the ordination of clergy.

In this 2016 file photo in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu, right, during a meeting with nuncios, who represent the pope around the world.

Nuncios' first mission is to love, says Vatican secretary of state

VATICAN CITY -- Whether the Catholic Church is operating in full freedom or under severe restrictions, no one can prevent its ministers and members from following the supreme law of Christ, which is to love others, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

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