News/International

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis will visit Cuba in September before his trip to the United States.

Ethiopian bishops: Martyrs were migrants looking for better life

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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Ethiopia's Catholic bishops condemned "in unambiguous terms" the execution of 30 Ethiopian Christian migrants in Libya.

Church must remain vigilant in addressing abuse, USCCB president says

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WASHINGTON - The U.S. Catholic Church spent a total of $150.7 million on child protection efforts and to address allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors in dioceses and religious orders between July 2013 and June 2014.

Irish bishops consider options if same-sex referendum passes

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DUBLIN - Catholic bishops have not made any decision on whether priests should decline to perform civil aspects of weddings if a May 22 referendum on same-sex marriage is passed.

Parents of slain child oppose death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber

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BOSTON - The parents of Martin Richard, the youngest victim killed in the Boston Marathon bombings two years ago, are asking that the death penalty be taken "off the table" for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Greek Orthodox patriarch: World remains silent about missing bishops

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BEIRUT - Commemorating the second anniversary of the kidnapping of two Syrian bishops, the Greek Orthodox patriarch lamented the indifference of the international community about their fate.

Cardinal George, 78, dies after long fight with cancer

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CHICAGO - Cardinal Francis E. George, the retired archbishop of Chicago who was the first native Chicagoan to head the archdiocese, died April 17 at his residence after nearly 10 years battling cancer. He was 78.

Masters champion Spieth, product of Dallas Jesuit prep school, remains humble

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DALLAS - Even after becoming the toast of the sports world, golfer Jordan Spieth, a 21-year-old Dallas Jesuit graduate, remained humble and down-to-earth as he worked the crowds at Augusta, handled the media and bantered with morning and late night talk show hosts after his historic win.

Pope urges those guilty of brutality in Kenya to 'come to their senses'

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis mourned the deaths of all those killed in extremist and ethnic violence in Kenya, and admonished the perpetrators to "come to their senses and seek mercy."

Nigeria marks one year since Boko Haram kidnapped schoolgirls

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Nigerians staged ceremonies to remember the 219 schoolgirls abducted by the militant group Boko Haram in Chibok on April 14 one year ago.

In destroyed Israeli village, exiled residents unite at the church

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IQRIT, Israel - For the elders of Iqrit, their biggest regret in life is not having been able to raise their children together.