News/International

Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X, claimed that top Vatican officials told him not to be discouraged by official statements from the Vatican, because they did not reflect Pope Benedict XVI's true feelings

Calling Jews 'enemies' is 'unacceptable,' Vatican spokesman says

By

Updated 01/10/13

VATICAN CITY - The Catholic Church remains committed to deepening its relations with Jews and finds it "absolutely unacceptable" to consider the Jewish people as enemies, the Vatican spokesman said.

A notice on the Vatican Museums' website informs patrons that they will be unable to pay using credit and debit cards beginning Jan. 1. The Vatican's point of sale agreement was terminated amid unofficial reports of regulatory concerns by Italian financ ial authorities. The Vatican said the no-plastic policy was expected to be short-lived.

Vatican suspends acceptance of credit cards amid tension with regulator

By

VATICAN CITY -- Vatican City State vendors, including the Vatican Museums and supermarket, stopped accepting credit- and debit-card payments Jan. 1, citing technical difficulties amid unofficial reports of regulatory concerns by Italian financial authorities.

Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd as he arrives to lead his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in this Sept. 26, 2012, file photo. More than 2.3 million pilgrims and visitors joined the pope for an audience, liturgy or prayer at the V atican or Castel Gandolfo in 2012.

Vatican says 2.3 million people joined pope for Vatican events in 2012

By

VATICAN CITY - More than 2.3 million pilgrims and visitors joined Pope Benedict XVI for an audience, liturgy or prayer at the Vatican or Castel Gandolfo in 2012, the Vatican said.

French Bishop Jacques Gaillot speaks Jan. 3 with people in solidarity with illegal immigrants workers who have been on a hunger strike for 63 days in Lille, France. Illegal immigrants who occupied the Vatican’s embassy in Paris to support the Lille str ikers have called on the Catholic Church to support their struggle for better treatment.

Illegals who occupied Paris embassy ask Church backing for cause

By

PARIS - Illegal immigrants who occupied the Vatican's embassy in Paris have called on the Catholic Church to support their struggle for better treatment.

"I've invited Catholics and everyone else with something to say on this matter to demonstrate," said president of the bishops' conference Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois.

French bishops back plans for rally against same-sex marriage bill

By

PARIS - France's Catholic bishops are backing plans for a national demonstration against same-sex marriage legislation, which is expected to be approved by lawmakers later in January.

Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas, Venezuela, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are pictured in a 2006 file photo. Cardinal Urosa asked Venezuelans to pray for President Chavez as he battles cancer.

Caracas cardinal asks Venezuelans to pray for ailing president

By

CARACAS, Venezuela - Caracas Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino asked Venezuelans to pray for President Hugo Chavez as he battles cancer.

The casket of Jessica Rekos is placed in a hearse following her funeral Mass at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 18. Mourners packed back-to-back services at the church that day for Jessica and James Mattioli, two of the 20 young victims o f the Newtown shooting massacre.

Newtown pastor tells mourners child victims were gift from the start

By

RYE, N.Y. - Addressing mourners at the first two funerals for young victims of the Dec. 14 school shooting in Connecticut, Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown asked, "Where else but the church could we bring this unspeakable act?"

The Irish government has announced plans to legalize abortion in limited circumstances

Irish government announces plans to legalize abortion, with limits 

By

DUBLIN - The Irish government has announced plans to legalize abortion in limited circumstances, but Minister for Health James Reilly insisted his plans will take "full account of the equal right to life of the unborn child."

Msgr. Robert Weiss speaks to young women inside St. Rose of Lima Church during a vigil service the evening the day's tragic events unfolded Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn. At least eight of the children killed in the shooting rampage at nearby Sandy Hook Eleme ntary were to be buried from St. Rose, a parish of 3,200 families and the only Catholic church in Newtown.

'Sacramental sense' of priest's response after shooting called powerful

By

RYE, N.Y. - The "sacramental sense" of a Catholic pastor's outreach after the horrific violence

Mothers with their newborns wait for checkups at Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila, Philippines, in August. Legislation that would promote artificial contraception as a family planning method in the nation passed in the country's House of Represen tatives Dec. 13. The reproductive health bill faced fierce opposition from Catholic bishops and religious groups.

Philippine bishops consider Supreme Court appeal for reproductive law

By

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Catholic leaders said they would appeal to the Supreme Court

Undated photos from various memorial websites show the victims of the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newton, Conn. Pictured, starting on the top row, from left to right, are Ana Marquez-Greene, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Emilie Parker, and Noah Pozner; Jesse Lewis, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Charlotte Bacon and Chase Kowalski; Daniel Barden, Jack Pinto, Catherine Hubbard, Dylan Hockley and Benjamin Wheeler; Grace McDonnell, James Mattioli, Avielle Richman, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy; Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach, Victoria Soto, Dawn Hochsprung and Nancy Lanza.

'No words' can describe shock, sadness after shooting, says priest

By

NEWTOWN, Conn. - Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, was at Sandy Hook Elementary School

Page 535 of 651