International News

News from outside of Canada.

Advice to royal parents: Pray, talk to the prince about Jesus

October 24, 2013

LONDON (CNS) - The leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion told the parents of the future British king to "make sure he knows who Jesus is."

Christians, Jews must fight discrimination together, pope says

October 24, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Christians and Jews must work together to fight all forms of discrimination and persecution, Pope Francis told a delegation from the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Pope authorizes leave of absence for German 'luxury bishop'

October 23, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has authorized a leave of absence for a German bishop at the centre of controversy over expenditures for his residence and diocesan centre.

Vatican official reaffirms teaching on divorced, remarried Catholics

October 22, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Amid rising expectations that the Catholic Church might make it easier for divorced and remarried members to receive Communion, the Vatican's highest doctrinal official reaffirmed Church teaching barring such persons from the sacrament without an annulment of their first, sacramental marriage.

Discovering the real John Paul I

October 22, 2013

VATICAN CITY - “May God forgive you for what you have done,” the newly elected pope told the cardinals who elevated him to the highest office in the Catholic Church. Later, he recounted the critical moments of voting in the Sistine Chapel: “As soon as the danger for me had begun, the two colleagues who were beside me whispered words of encouragement.”

Pope says Catholics, Lutherans must ask pardon for harming one another

October 21, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - As the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation approaches, "Catholics and Lutherans can ask forgiveness for the harm they have caused one another and for their offenses committed in the sight of God," Pope Francis said.

Pope meets German bishop at center of spending controversy

October 21, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - After giving a morning Mass homily on the virtue of poverty, Pope Francis held a private meeting Oct. 21 with a German bishop under fire for a massive building project that critics have denounced as extravagant.

Pope raises hopes of remarried Catholics

October 20, 2013

Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage according to Frank Sinatra, Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, but not according to canon law. Which may come as a surprise to some people.

Celluloid heaven: how popes took church, Gospel to the big screen

October 19, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - When Pope Benedict XVI joined Twitter in 2012 and Pope Francis appeared on Instagram the following year, media watchers may have thought they were witnessing a Vatican revolution. In both cases, however, the pontiffs were merely following in a long tradition.

Keeping with tradition, Colbert lobs good-natured barbs at Smith dinner

October 18, 2013

NEW YORK (CNS) - Laughingly describing himself as America's most famous Catholic who as an 11-year-old altar boy who put in his time "with the uppin' and the downin', the crissin' and the crossin'," Stephen Colbert headlined the 68th annual dinner of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation held Oct. 17 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.