The Vatican announced July 29 that Pope Francis has decided Msgr. John Kennedy, 56, the secretary of the dicastery’s disciplinary section, will be an archbishop and have the “titular see” of Ossero, an ancient diocese in Croatia that ceased functioning in the 19th century. 

In a historic day for the Diocese of Knoxville, Bishop Mark Beckman was ordained July 26 as the church in East Tennessee’s fourth shepherd.

Saints and blesseds whose relics were available for veneration in the chapel included the four patron saints of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage: the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Juan Diego, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Junipero Serra. The relic of Mary featured in the chapel was part of her veil.

Many elderly people risk feeling an increasingly unbearable sense of loneliness, especially during summer, Pope Francis said.

Edmonton Archbishop Richard W. Smith’s heart is with the people of Jasper, Alberta, and tourists forced to evacuate from the wildfire devastating the small alpine town and the neighboring famous Jasper National Park in the overnight hours of July 24 and 25.

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games — a sports festival aimed to unite all nations of the world — created shock and disbelief instead as Catholics around the world felt offended by the parody of the Last Supper, which was part of the opening ceremony.

Catholics and experts in policy who spoke with OSV News said that Harris’ record in public life — from California attorney general, to U.S. senator, to vice president — sheds some light on how she might approach some areas of interest to Catholics, citing her record on abortion in particular as being at odds with Catholic teaching, but her record on issues such as labor as being more closely aligned.

Catholic immigration and anti-trafficking advocates are expressing grave concern over alleged systemic sexual abuse of unaccompanied migrant children by staff of a private contractor for the U.S. government.

In recent weeks, Western states such as Arizona, California, Oregon and Nevada have all posted record-breaking heat — but in the East, North Carolina and Maryland have also shattered records.

One of Poland’s most influential prelates has been asked to stay on beyond retirement by Pope Francis, days after the Vatican suspended his orders dismissing a prominent pastor and naming an overseer of the finances of the prominent Wawel Cathedral chapter in a dispute with local Catholics.