NEWS

Debris is seen in Im Al-Zinar Church that was damaged during clashes between Syrian rebels and the Syrian regime near Homs.

Arab Knights aid Syrian Christians

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TORONTO - Three years ago, Rami Kaai took his family from Toronto to visit relatives in his Syrian birthplace of Al Hamidiya in the city of Homs.

The first eucharistic prayer is seen on a page from a copy of the new Roman Missal in English published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In a survey, 59 per cent of responding priests said they disliked the new English translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal.

Majority of U.S. priests dislike new Missal translation, survey finds

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WASHINGTON - A majority of U.S. priests said they dislike the translation of the Roman Missal introduced at Advent 2011, a new survey found.

Destroyed buildings are seen in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria, April 29.

CCC urges Harper to "respond robustly" to Mideast crises

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OTTAWA - Canada's Catholic bishops have joined with leaders from the 23 other members of the Canadian Council of Churches in writing the Prime Minister to express concerns about the "humanitarian tragedy" in Syria and other Mideast issues.

Pope Francis and President Mauricio Funes Cartagena of El Salvador look at a reliquary containing a blood-stained piece of the vestment of Archbishop Oscar Romero during a private audience in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican May 23. Archbishop Romero was wearing the vestment when he was assassinated while celebrating Mass in 1980. President Funes presented the reliquary as a gift.

El Salvador's leader gives Pope bloodstained Romero relic

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis received a bloodstained relic of slain Archbishop Oscar Romero as a gift from El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes Cartagena.

Cardinal Thomas Collins and Catholic Charities executive director Michael Fullan honour, from left, Marion Barszczyk, Desire Paiva and Jo-Anne Sheehy for their combined 77 years of service.

Catholic Charities celebrates 100 years of caring, sharing

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TORONTO - Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto officially turned 100 at a May 16 banquet that was a celebration of a century of helping the needy through its many agencies and volunteers.

Oklahoma National Guard soldiers and rescue workers dig through the rubble of Plaza Tower Elementary school May 21 after a devastating tornado ripped through Moore, Okla., the previous day. The tornado touched down outside Oklahoma City leaving a 20-mile path of death and destruction.

Tornadoes exact deadly toll; region needs 'a lot of prayers right now'

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Even after the initial death toll was cut by more than half, the human and material devastation of a string of tornadoes that buffeted areas of the archdiocese of Oklahoma City May 19-20 was incalculable.

Visitors were evacuated from Notre Dame Cathedral after Dominique Venner, a conservative who was a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage, committed suicide in the 850-year-old church.

Police evacuate Notre Dame Cathedral after man commits suicide

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PARIS - Visitors were evacuated from Notre Dame Cathedral after a man committed suicide in the 850-year-old church, police said.

More than 400 people marched on the Quebec Legislature May 18 to show their opposition to plans to legalize euthanasia in Quebec.

Protesters take opposition to euthanasia to Quebec legislature

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QUEBEC CITY - More than 400 people, including Archbishops Gérald Lacroix of Quebec City and Christian Lépine of Montreal, marched peacefully to the Quebec National Assembly on May 18 to oppose government plans to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide.

People gather around the ruins of the burned Bama Market in Maiduguri, Nigeria, April 29, after it was destroyed by gunmen. Nigerian bishops have expressed hope that government actions in the country's northeast will result in a more normal, less violent situation for people.

Nigerian bishops hope crackdown against insurgents restores normalcy

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LAGOS, Nigeria - Nigerian bishops said they hoped the government's declaration of a state of emergency would help restore some normalcy, and one bishop said President Goodluck Jonathan was just fulfilling his constitutional duties.

A massive tornado approaches the town of Moore, Okla., May 20. The mile-wide tornado touched down near Oklahoma City, killing at least 91 people, including 20 children, destroying homes, businesses and a pair of elementary schools in the suburb of Moore.

Pope prays for victims of Oklahoma tornado

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VATICAN CITY - As the death toll rose from the massive tornado that struck near Oklahoma City May 20, Pope Francis offered a special prayer for the victims during his early morning Mass May 21 and later offered his condolences through his Twitter account.

Residents gather at the site of a car bomb attack in Baghdad May 20. The patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church denounced a recent series of car bombings and shootings in Iraqi cities that left at least 54 people dead and dozens more injured.

Mideast Christians in dire straits

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JERUSALEM - Extremism in Syria and Iraq is growing and could jeopardize the safety of all Christians, warned Church leaders in the region.

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