By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Following Jesus and doing the right thing gives believers a sense of peace, but sometimes “it comes wrapped in the cross,” Pope Francis told a group of teenagers and young adults. Asked Aug. 7 what his greatest challenge was as a Jesuit, Pope Francis responded …

IMAGE: By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The martyrdom of Blessed Oscar Romero did not end with his death because he continued to be slandered even by his fellow priests and bishops, Pope Francis said. Speaking off-the-cuff to a group of pilgrims from El Salvador Oct. 30, the …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — God has compassion for everyone, which is why he sent his only son to heal and renew humanity, Pope Francis said in a homily. There is a difference between compassion and pity, he said at the Mass in the chapel of his residence …

By HIROSHIMA, Japan (CNS) — For a long minute on a sunny morning, silence fell over the memorial park that commemorates the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing of the city. A gong sounded repeatedly as local residents and visitors from around the world stopped to remember a similarly sunny morning …

As November begins, here are a few family activities for the first few weeks in November. All Saints Day Sunday November 1st:  Take a large piece of paper, or poster size paper and write a “Family Litany of Saints.” You may want to do just the immediate family or the …

Staff Report Roughly 160 students and their chaperones made the walk from St. Francis Seraph Catholic School in Over-the-Rhine to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati central offices building in downtown Cincinnati for some trick-or-treating in a safe environment on Oct. 30. The students started on the eighth floor and worked their …

Staff Report For many teams, this is it. Week 10 marks the end of the regular season but not everyone is going home after the lights shut off this weekend. Here’s a look at the playoff and league championship situations for Catholic high school football teams heading into the final …

By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The world continues to be silent in the face of widespread persecution of Christians and other religious minorities, Pope Francis said. One year after Islamic State militants drove thousands of Iraqi Christians and Yezidis out of the country, Pope Francis prayed that people around the …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In one thick volume, Vatican offices and departments tell their own stories. The 2014 edition of the “Activity of the Holy See,” released in July, runs more than 1,600 pages. Some offices submitted exhaustive reports, including every …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Chaz Muth By Chaz Muth MOSCOW, Pa. (CNS) — Bob Simon fell in love with two things at the age of 5 — the Catholic Church and building with Lego. Now, as a 51-year-old priest, Father Simon has discovered a way to merge both of these passions.  The …