Catholic organizations applauded the announcement of a new State Department program that allows groups of private individuals to directly support refugees resettling in the U.S.

Dolores R. Leckey, who was founding director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for the Laity in 1977 and at the time one of the highest ranking women in the U.S. Catholic Church, died peacefully of natural causes Jan. 17 in her home in Arlington. She was 89.

Christians must not “put pressure on others” to convert or induce in them “feelings of guilt,” but take a weight off their shoulders through joyfully sharing the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

The media and the field of communications need to exercise more kindness and share the truth with charity, Pope Francis said.

Montse Alvarado, vice president and executive director of Becket, the Washington-based religious liberty firm, has been named president and chief operating officer of EWTN News Inc., the EWTN Global Catholic Network announced Jan. 23.

Less than 48 hours after 11 people were killed and nine more injured at a dance hall Jan. 21 in Monterey Park, California, seven more people were shot and killed at two different landscaping nurseries Jan. 23 near Half Moon Bay, California, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York encouraged Catholics to find a silver lining as they confront declining religious observance, shuttered churches, dioceses in bankruptcy and diminished cultural clout.

The Dicastery for the Service of Charity, led by Polish Cardinal Krajewski, spent $2.2 million (2 million euros) in 2022 for humanitarian help in Ukraine.

Even though war seems to be an “invincible monster,” everyone is called to be a peacemaker, Pope Francis told a group of people severely wounded in the line of duty.

“Jesus ‘reaches out’ to tell us that God’s mercy is for everyone,” Pope Francis said in his homily during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 22, the church’s celebration of Sunday of the Word of God.