Pope Francis’ Prayer Intentions NOVEMBER Dialogue and Reconciliation in the Near East That a spirit of dialogue, encounter, and reconciliation emerge in the Near East, where diverse religious communities share their lives together.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — As Christians in the Middle East look back on 2016, they wonder if there will be much to celebrate amid mounting challenges, particularly for those displaced by conflicts in Iraq and Syria. “As much as we are pleased that our homelands from which thousands of Christians were …

WASHINGTON—The chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committees on Migration, Religious Liberty and International Justice and Peace, along with the board of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) issued a joint statement expressing solidarity with Christians and all those who suffer in the Middle East. The full statement follows: …

By Doreen Abi Raad BEIRUT (CNS) — Mideast Catholic leaders are urging people to put aside ideology and blame and work to rebuild the city of Aleppo, Syria. “The world is divided. Each one is accusing the other,” said Syrian-born Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham. “Between the superpowers bickering, a …

By Mark Pattison  Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington called for solidarity with the persecuted Christians of the Middle East during a Sept. 9 prayer service at a Roman Catholic church on Capitol Hill. The prayer service was held in conjunction with the In Defense …

Catholic News Service JERUSALEM  — Christians in the Middle East are facing difficulties ranging from “bad” to “less bad,” said Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem. While describing the condition of the Palestinians in the West Bank as “bad,” he said their situation is better than the challenges faced by …