The formation of seminarians, the Catholic Church as a welcoming home for all, migration and ecumenism arose as common themes of discussion among participants of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops Oct. 6, the Vatican said.

While recent incidents of spitting on Christians outraged the community in the Holy Land, Israeli officials openly condemned the attacks this time, with the foreign minister of the country personally calling the Vatican’s top diplomat.

For the duration of the assembly Oct. 4-29 all the heads of Vatican dicasteries and hundreds of cardinals, archbishops, bishops, religious superiors, professors, students and parents were scheduled to be away from their homes and their desks.

Before he became Florida’s sixth inmate to be executed in the state this year, convicted murderer Michael Duane Zack concluded his final statement Oct. 3 with a message: “To Governor DeSantis and the Clemency Board: I love you. I forgive you. I pray for you.” Zack, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m. by lethal […]

Pope Francis’ latest plea to urgently address global warming and climate change is being hailed by Catholic ecological advocates as “a great call to action.”

The 364 members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops and the 85 experts, facilitators and ecumenical delegates accompanying them began their work in earnest Oct. 5, meeting, sharing and praying in small groups.

Former Vice President Mike Pence Oct. 3 called himself “deeply disappointed” by California Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster as speaker of the House of Representatives that same day, after eight House Republicans joined with Democrats to remove McCarthy from the role, the first such move in the history of the U.S. House.

Through a “narrow focus on pregnancy prevention” and the promotion of abortion, many international organizations too often view motherhood as a liability to the advancement of women, the Vatican said.

Over 3,000 pilgrims from across the United States filled the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington Sept. 30, drawn by a shared love of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the rosary.

Pope Francis opened the work of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops asking members to meditate on ancient theological texts about the Holy Spirit, have the courage to be honest about their disagreements and focus much more on listening than on sharing their opinions.