Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – A church dedicated to carrying out acts of mercy can help heal countries in the Americas torn by war, economic struggles and cultural and political divisions, Quebec Cardinal Gerald Lacroix said at the conclusion of a regional gathering of church leaders in Colombia.

MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic bishop in the southern Philippines is backing a military campaign against Abu Sayyaf militants, who claim to have links with the Islamic State group.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A California judge ruled Aug. 26 that he will not put the state's new assisted-suicide law on hold while a group of doctors are challenging it, but he also ruled that their challenge could continue.

BAGHDAD – Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad called for a united and strong stance – by Muslims and non-Muslims alike – to stop the spread of the "cancer" of Islamic State and other terrorist groups.

ACCRA, Ghana – Ghana's church leaders have committed to continue raising public awareness about land-grabbing, in hopes of protecting and restoring the livelihoods of rural people, protecting the environment and saving communities from unnecessary strife.

WASHINGTON – Is there a Catholic vote? Well, yes. Kind of.

DAMASCUS, Syria – Christian patriarchs residing in Damascus urged the international community to "stop the siege of the Syrian people" and to lift international sanctions, which they say are deepening the suffering.

BATON ROUGE, La. – The line of destruction caused by historic flooding in southern Louisiana stretches for 25 miles, and according to Red Cross officials, it is the worst natural disaster in the United States since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Catholic bishops of New Mexico said they oppose Republican Gov. Susana Martinez's plan to reinstate the death penalty and called on the Legislature to reject it.

SEOUL, South Korea – Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, visiting the South Korean capital of Seoul, urged the international community to end the wars raging in the Middle East "fueled by foreign countries."