News/International
Jewish extremist poses threat to Holy Land Christians, church body says
By Michele Chabin, Religion News ServiceJERUSALEM - The church body authorized by the Vatican to oversee the Catholic Church’s property in Israel has asked Israel’s attorney general to indict a Jewish extremist who, it says, recently incited violence against Israel’s Christian churches.
Pope declares Sept. 1 ‘World Day of Prayer’ for environment
By Rosie Scammell, Religion News ServiceVATICAN - The Vatican announced a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the latest move by Pope Francis to push environmental issues up the global agenda Aug. 10.
Forgiveness at heart of healing after Ferguson violence, says archbishop
By Dave Luecking, Catholic News ServiceST. LOUIS - Forgiveness. Such a simple word, a mere 11 letters but it's at the heart of the Catholic faith, along with love, peace and justice, said the archbishop of St. Louis.
For abortion foes, it’s now more ‘SHOCK!’ and less ‘Awwwww’
By David Gibson, Religion News ServiceIn recent years, up-and-coming leaders in the U.S. anti-abortion movement have been pushing for a kinder, gentler strategy for their “pro-life” campaign — an effort to win hearts and minds with an upbeat message and affecting ultrasound photos.
Pope Francis on the anniversary of the bomb: ‘A lasting warning to humanity’
By Rosie Scammell, Religion News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Seventy years after the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, Pope Francis on Aug. 9 described the bomb as a “lasting warning to humanity.”
Dozens of Christians feared to be among 230 kidnapped in Syria
By Dale Gavlak, Catholic News ServiceAMMAN, Jordan - Dozens of Christians are feared to be among the 230 people abducted by Islamic State after the extremist group's militants captured a central Syrian town in early August.
For some churches, food trucks are a vehicle for serving the poor
By Sarah Angle, Religion News ServiceFORT WORTH, Texas - Allen Lutes wipes his brow as he prepares another plate of food. The culinary school-trained chef is serving grilled chicken, fresh vegetables and rice pilaf.
Choreographer, Broadway actor help Catholic school perform 'Lion King'
By Cori Fugere Urban, Catholic News ServiceBENNINGTON, Vt. - Though the budget was clearly lower, the cast definitely had less experience, the costumes were much simpler and the audiences were far smaller, there was something that the production of "The Lion King Jr." at a Catholic school in the Burlington Diocese had in common with the Broadway production of "The Lion king": Enrique Segura.
Missionaries of Charity care for the dying in Nepal’s holiest temple
By Anto Akkara, Catholic News ServiceKATHMANDU, Nepal - Every Saturday morning businessman Rajan Silwal rushes to the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu to see a few friends.
Ethnic minorities in Myanmar struggle on many fronts, U.S. bishop says
By Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News ServiceWASHINGTON - Displaced members of Myanmar's Kachin ethnic minority are struggling with being away from their homes and the limited services available in a Catholic-run camp near the Myanmar-China border, said the chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Migration.
French, British bishops urge solution to migrant crisis in channel port
By Jonathan Luxmoore, Catholic News ServiceOXFORD, England - French and British Catholic bishops urged their governments to settle a growing refugee crisis around the port of Calais, where highways have been blocked and migrants from Africa and the Middle East have died attempting illegal crossings of the Channel Tunnel, or Chunnel.