News/International

The Conference of the Catholic Patriarchs of the East gathered for its annual meeting Nov. 26-30 in Baghdad under the theme “Youth is a Sign of Hope in the Middle East Countries.

'We stand by you', remain steadfast, Middle East Catholic leaders say to youth

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SAN DIEGO – Catholic leaders of the Middle East cautioned that the very existence of Christians in the region is threatened, but their faithful continue “to bear witness to the Lord Jesus amid a turbulent world interrupted by mighty waves.”

Former U.S. President George W. Bush pauses as he speaks at the state funeral for his father, former President George H.W. Bush, Dec. 5 at the Episcopal Church's Washington National Cathedral.

America's 43rd president remembers his late father as a 'great and noble man'

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WASHINGTON – In the days since the Nov. 30 death of former President George H.W. Bush, several news outlets reported that some years ago he told family members that he doubted any one would come to his memorial when he died.
Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide, Australia, leaves the Newcastle Local Court in mid-August. An Australian judge overturned the conviction of Archbishop Wilson for failing to report allegations of child sexual abuse by a priest.

Australian judge overturns former Adelaide archbishop's child sex abuse conviction

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NEWCASTLE, Australia – An Australian judge overturned the conviction of Archbishop Philip Wilson, whom a lower court found guilty of failing to report allegations of child sexual abuse by a priest.
Pope Francis shakes hands with Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi. The Pope will "participate in the International Interfaith Meeting on 'Human Fraternity'" after receiving an invitation by the crown prince.

Pope Francis to make historic visit to United Arab Emirates in February

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VATICAN – Pope Francis will visit the United Arab Emirates next year, becoming the first Pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula, the Vatican announced.
Harvard Law School professor Mary Ann Glendon, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, speaks during a Dec. 4 presentation marking the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the United Nations in New York City. The event was co-hosted by the Vatican's Permanent Observer Mission to the U.N. and ADF International.

As U.N. declaration turns 70, speakers warn about recognition of 'deeply troubling rights'

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UNITED NATIONS – Seventy years after its adoption, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was lauded Dec. 4 as a seminal, yet imperfect achievement of the nascent United Nations.
Sr. Norita Espena with the Sisters Adorers in Calgary, signs her first vows. Her recent application for permanent residence in Canada was denied.

Foreign nuns, priests run up against new rules that have denied some residency in Canada

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Sr. Vicky Nguyen was ready to profess her final vows this year and enter fully into the life of the Congregation of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, but one obstacle stood in her way. Her application for Canadian permanent residence was rejected. 

Dominican Sister Luma Khudher of Iraq is pictured in an early October photo in Chester, England. At a Dec. 4 ecumenical service at Westminster Abbey, Britain's Prince Charles spoke of how he was deeply moved by the testimony of Sister Luma, who fled Islamic State militants but has returned to the Ninevah Plain to help re-establish the Christian presence.

Iraqi Dominican sister's story shows 'power of faith' in Middle East, Prince Charles says

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LONDON – The heir to the British throne spoke of how he was deeply moved by the testimony of an Iraqi sister who fled Islamic State militants but has returned to the Ninevah Plain to help re-establish the Christian presence.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush stand at the flag-draped casket of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda Dec. 4 in Washington. George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, died in his Houston home Nov. 30 at age 94.

Pope Francis expresses condolences for death of former President Bush

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VATICAN – Pope Francis expressed his condolences for the death of the 41st president of the United States, George H.W. Bush.
A statue of Christ and a sign are seen in late August at the entrance to the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania.

Names in redacted grand jury report on abuse can't be released, Pennsylvania high court says

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – In a 6-1 decision Dec. 3, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said the identities of some clergy accused of abuse that were redacted from a grand jury report issued in mid-August must remain permanently blocked from release.
Pope Francis autographs a Lamborghini Huracan coupe presented by representatives of the Italian automaker at the Vatican in this 2017 file photo. The custom-built 2018 Lamborghini is back on the block, this time with an online fundraising platform, not at an elite European auction house.

Papal Lamborghini up for raffle; winner gets trip to Rome

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VATICAN – A custom-built 2018 Lamborghini Huracan coupe autographed by Pope Francis is back on the block, but, this time with an online fundraising platform, not at an elite European auction house.
Scientist He Jiankui shows "The Human Genome," a book he edited, at his company. Direct Genomics, in Shenzhen, China, Aug.4, 2016. An ethicist calls Jiankui's gene editing on a human embryo "a train wreck of a thing to do."

Gene-editing human embryos 'a train wreck of a thing to do', ethicist says

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WASHINGTON – The revelation in late November that a Chinese researcher had edited genes in human embryos and then implanted them in a woman was "a train wreck of a thing to do," said an ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.
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