News/International

As Lebanon is engulfed in a massive protest movement, the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon gathered for its annual meeting Nov. 11-15, 2019, at Bkerke, the Maronite Catholic patriarchate north of Beirut. The meeting was led by Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, second from left, and included other heads of religious orders.

Lebanon's Catholic leaders urge protesters to remain peaceful, civilized

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BEIRUT -- While Lebanon continues to be engulfed in a massive protest movement, the country's Catholic leaders called on demonstrators to be peaceful and civilized.

A painting at the Museum of the Central American University in San Salvador, El Salvador, commemorates the six Jesuit priests who were killed during El Salvador’s 1980-92 civil war.

Murders of six Jesuits continue to inspire mission of defending the poor

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WASHINGTON -- No one can deny that the act was horrific. Six priests found face down on a lawn with bullet holes through various parts of their bodies. One was in his bathrobe.

Police in Santiago, Chile, clash with a demonstrator Nov. 14, 2019, during a protest against Chile's government. Chile's bishops Nov. 9 called for national dialogue and an end to the violence that has wracked the country for a month.

Chile bishops urge talks to end protests

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LIMA, Peru -- Chile's bishops called for national dialogue and an end to the violence that has wracked the country for the past month.

An anti-government protester is detained by riot police in Hong Kong, China Oct. 27, 2019. As protests pitting pro-government groups against pro-democracy protesters continue, a bishop urged Catholics to pray for the realization that all are humans and not "cockroaches or dogs."

Hong Kong protesters arrested in Catholic church

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HONG KONG, China  (CNA) -- Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have continued to escalate into violence, with many apparent incidents of forceful police tactics, including at a Catholic church, caught on camera and uploaded to social media.

The likeness of St. Irenaeus is seen at the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate in Guelph, Ontario. The U.S. bishops Nov. 12, the second day of their fall general assembly in Baltimore, added their assent to a call to have the saint declared a doctor of the church.

U.S. bishops call to have St. Irenaeus declared Doctor of the Church

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BALTIMORE -- The U.S. bishops added their assent to a call to have St. Irenaeus declared a doctor of the church.

Australian Cardinal George Pell is surrounded by police as he leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court in Australia, Oct. 6, 2017.

Australian High Court to hear arguments in Cardinal Pell's case

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SYDNEY -- The High Court of Australia has decided to give Cardinal George Pell, 78, a final chance to argue against his conviction on five counts of child sexual abuse.

People in Hong Kong run from riot police tear gas Nov. 11, 2019.

Hong Kong bishop urges independent inquiry into student's death

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HONG KONG -- A bishop is calling on the Hong Kong government to set up an independent inquiry into the death of a student during the latest pro-democracy riots.

People in La Paz, Bolivia, shout slogans Nov. 9, 2019, during a protest against Bolivia's President Evo Morales. Morales resigned Nov. 10 after nearly 14 years in office.

Bolivian bishops say Morales' resignation was not a coup

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MEXICO CITY -- Bolivia's bishops called for calm after the country's president resigned suddenly in the face of swelling street protests over accusations of electoral fraud. They also insisted the departure of President Evo Morales "is not a coup," even though the military had urged him to step aside.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster is seen in a screen grab talking to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse Nov. 7, 2019. He said the English and Welsh bishops would reject any attempts to compel priests to report Catholics who confess to committing sexual abuse.

Priests would die rather than break seal of confession, says English Cardinal

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MANCHESTER -- Catholic priests would die rather than break the seal of confession to report child abusers to the police, said an English cardinal.

DACA recipients demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington Oct. 2, 2019. On Nov. 12, the court will hear arguments in a challenge to the Trump administration's termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The case will affect the lives of more than 700,000 young people who were brought to the U.S. as minors without documentation.

Catholic groups align to defend DACA Dreamers

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WASHINGTON -- Catholic leaders joined more than 35 other groups that have filed  briefs urging the U.S. Supreme Court to support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, known as DACA.

A Yanomami Indian stands near an illegal gold mine during a Brazilian government operation against illegal gold mining on Indigenous land in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

‘Hear the cry of the Earth’

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Canadian Josianne Gauthier is General Secretary of CIDSE, an international network  of Catholic social justice organizations, and was one of the delegates to last month’s Synod on Pan-Amazon Region. Here is what she told the Synod in an address:

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