Music touches the hearts of young ‘prisoners of anxiety,’ pope says January 2, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Song and music are gifts capable of touching the hearts of young people, drawing them out of spirals of anxiety and bringing them closer to God, Pope Francis said.
Pope: Diversity in the church must be embraced, not feared January 2, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Different ways of living out the Catholic faith, including different liturgical rites, should not be seen as threats to the unity of the Catholic Church but embraced as expressions of the body of Christ, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis prays for those affected by earthquake in Japan January 2, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis prayed for all those affected by a devastating earthquake in Japan, offering encouragement to emergency crews who were assisting victims and searching for survivors under the rubble.
Exiled Nicaraguan bishop asks world’s bishops ‘not to abandon us’ as wave of priest arrests ends year in dictator-run country January 2, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News Since Christmas, Nicaraguan police and paramilitaries have detained more than a dozen priests, including an archdiocesan vicar, as the Sandinista regime escalates a campaign of terror against the Catholic Church — an institution it has struggled to subdue.
Church and world must ‘respect, defend, esteem’ women, pope says January 2, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The world and the Catholic Church must respect and defend women and foster a motherly care for others to end dehumanizing cycles of violence, Pope Francis said.
Clergy renew calls to support Ukraine after massive Russian attack on civilians January 2, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News Sorrow, anger and renewed calls to support Ukraine have been issued by Ukrainian Catholic and other Ukrainian clergy, following a massive Dec. 29 attack on that nation by Russia.
Bring Mary’s gratitude and hope into the new year, pope says January 2, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis encouraged Christians to look to the example of Mary who, after giving birth to Jesus, had a mother’s gratitude in her heart for bearing the child of God.
Christian persecution on the rise globally, but overlooked, says expert January 2, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News Data shows that Christian persecution is on the rise globally — but that repression remains largely overlooked in the news cycle, one expert told OSV News.
Unions racked up major 2023 wins for family-wage jobs in multiple sectors, setting stage for 2024 January 1, 2024By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, World News In the past 12 months, an extraordinary level of nationwide activity — organizing, strikes, negotiations and new contracts — has signaled increased influence for American labor unions, which once counted 21 million U.S. workers among their ranks.
First woman named to key Philadelphia archdiocesan post inspired by faith of other women January 1, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, World News Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia announced Dec. 1 the appointment of Heather Huot as that archdiocese’s secretary for Catholic Human Services, overseeing three agencies — Catholic Social Services, Catholic Housing and Community Services and Nutritional Development Services — that combine to form the largest faith-based human services provider in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Papal calendar for 2024: Not full, but puts spotlight on major events January 1, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News As the new year begins, Pope Francis will be the oldest reigning pope since the early 1900s and the third oldest in history.
Desperation of war, tragic loss of life marks ‘sad’ 2023 on the global stage December 31, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News From Ukraine to Nigeria, and from Nicaragua to the Holy Land, 2023 was full of tragic situations that deeply affected the church and faithful. OSV News revisited four places clinging to hope that the new year will bring an improvement in the lives of people living in societies torn by conflict and persecution.
