Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga describes Caritas Internationalis as more than a nongovernmental organization. “Caritas is a sign of the love of God for all humanity. It is a love that knows no bounds or boundaries.” said the Honduran prelate of Tegucigalpa at the organization’s general assembly held this week in Rome. At the assembly, Cardinal ...read more

Two months before his death in 1979, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen met Pope John Paul II in New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The two embraced, and the now Blessed John Paul II said to the legendary Catholic writer and broadcaster: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a loyal ...read more

The phrase “the calling of the twelve” took a whole new meaning this past weekend when Pope Benedict XVI connected with 12 astronauts on the International Space Station. Catholic News Service takes a look at the conversation. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

A Filet-o-Fish billboard? I couldn’t help but notice that this Lent there was a bit of a ad blitz for McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish sandwich. Coincidence? Or a marketing strategy aimed at Christians who may be turning to their aquatic friends during the penitential season. It’s interesting to note that the sandwich was first introduced for Lent ...read more

Credit card bill due on Monday? No problem, the world’s going to end on Saturday! At least that’s according to some people. In this week’s Catholic News Service Vatican Report, Rome correspondent Carol Glatz and Rome Bureau Chief John Thavis look at what the Church has to say about the end of the world. To ...read more

A major study has been released today examining the causes and context of clergy sexual abuse in the United States. The study, begun in 2006, was conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and initiated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. USCCB president Archbishop Timoty ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI is calling on the faithful to pray for China. Speaking at today’s General Audience, the Holy Father says because of restrictions and pressures on the Church by China’s communist government “Christ is living his passion” there. He says that Chinese Catholics want unity with the universal Church, and with the Successor of ...read more

The Vatican released a document today calling on bishops’ conferences around the world to implement “clear and coordinated procedures” for dealing with clergy sex abuse. Catholic News Service’s Rome correspondent Carol Glatz reports the bishops have one year to adopt the measures. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

A couple of years ago, New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan commented that there isn’t a crisis in priestly vocations, but a crisis in marriage. If we work to create stability in marriage and the family, then vocations will naturally flow from that. Families fostering vocations to the religious and priestly life is one of the ...read more

The Son of God came into this world, and good carpenter that he became under Joseph’s training, he gathered together the most rickety and knotty pieces of wood that he could find, and  he built a ship that is still afloat after 2,000 years. That’s from the Scottish Catholic writer Bruce Marshall. Papal household preacher ...read more