News/International

Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, signs a joint statement Oct. 26 at the Vatican's Sala Marconi calling on the international community to take immediate action against climate change. Also pictured in the signing are Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi of Lubango, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, left, Cardinal Jose Luis Lacunza Maestrojuan of David, Panama, president of Latin American bishops' council's economic committee, Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich, president of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, right.

Bishops sign document calling for action against climate change

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VATICAN – Six bishops representing episcopal conferences on five continents issued a joint statement calling on the international community to take immediate action against climate change.
Bishops attend a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 23.

'Synodality' a chance for bishops, faithful to be involved in Church governance

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VATICAN – Synodality is about more than just bishops participating in the governance of the church; it encourages the involvement of all the faithful in a spirit of collaboration, said Archbishop Hector Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of Trujillo, Peru.
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, retired bishop of Hong Kong, speaks to members of the media during a news conference in Hong Kong Sept. 26 concerning Pope Francis' landmark agreement with China over bishop nominations.

Vatican-China deal will lead to 'annihilation' of Church in China, Cardinal Zen says in NYT op-ed

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HONG KONG – The recent agreement between the Vatican and China is a step towards the “annihilation” of the Catholic Church in China, Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong, wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Wednesday.
Pope Francis greets Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia before a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 16.

Synod missed chance to apologize for sex abuse, Archbishop Chaput says

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VATICAN – The more than 250 Catholic bishops from around the world meeting at the Vatican in October missed an opportunity to confront the global sex abuse crisis, said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia.
Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Anchorage, Alaska, is pictured at the Pontifical North American College in Rome during a reception after a Vatican Mass marking the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul June 29, 2019.

New abuse commission to review personnel files of Anchorage clergy, sisters

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Anchorage has appointed an independent commission to review all personnel files of clerics and religious men and women who have served in the Archdiocese of Anchorage since its canonical establishment in 1966.
Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul, South Korea, poses with a guest during a reception for new cardinals in Paul VI hall at the Vatican 2014.

Iranian student who became Catholic in South Korea granted refugee status

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SEOUL, South Korea – An Iranian student who converted to Catholicism in South Korea has obtained refugee status through the efforts of Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul and the man's classmates.
Sebastian Duhau, a synod observer from Australia, and Emilie Callan, a synod observer from Canada, participate in a pilgrimage hike from the Monte Mario nature reserve in Rome to St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 25. Participants in the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment, and young people from Rome parishes took part in the hike.

Bishops, young people walk the Francigena Way to St. Peter's on pilgrimage of faith

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VATICAN – Following the Francigena Way, an ancient pilgrims' path, a group of about 300 synod participants and young people from Rome parishes headed to St. Peter's Basilica to pray at the apostle's tomb.
Bishop Fuanya of Cameroon speaking at the synod conference Oct. 24.

Youth fill Cameroon churches because traditional values passed down 'uncontaminated', bishop says

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VATICAN – While European bishops discuss how to bring young people back to the Church at the 2018 Synod of Bishops, one bishop from Cameroon said that he has the opposite problem.
Then-Archbishop Oscar Romero is pictured in an undated photo in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Judge orders arrest of longtime suspect in St. Romero's 1980 assassination

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WASHINGTON – Days after the Catholic Church declared Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero a saint, a judge in El Salvador issued a capture order for a former military captain suspected of killing the religious leader in 1980 as he celebrated Mass.
Indonesian synod observer Anastasia Indrawan talks with an unidentified synod observer before a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 23.

Final synod document to focus on all young adults, not just in the West, participants say

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VATICAN – The synod's final document will seek to address issues concerning all young people and not just those issues facing young men and women living in Western countries, said members participating in the Synod of Bishops.
Rape in Nepal has increased dramatically in the last decade. The Nepali Times stated that there were 1,131 reported rapes in 2016-2017, a nearly 300 percent increase from the fewer that 400 accounts of reported rape in 2008.

Nepal bans pornography to curb high rate of sex assault

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KATHMANDU, Nepal – Nepal has introduced a ban on pornography as part of a government initiative to stem the country’s high rate of sexual assault.
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