By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation from the College of Cardinals of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington, and has ordered him to maintain “a life of prayer and penance” until a canonical trial examines accusations that he sexually abused minors. …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Mike Blake, Reuters By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — In public and behind the scenes of a court order that immigrant families separated by the U.S. government be reunited by the end of July 26, the Catholic Church, from its leadership to its charitable and advocacy organizations, worked …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Vietnam News Agency via EPA By HANOI, Vietnam (CNS) — A prominent Catholic blogger and activist ended a two-week hunger strike in a Vietnamese prison after she met with visiting U.S. diplomats, local bloggers reported. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 39, stopped her strike after the visit July 23, …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Czar Dancel, Reuters By MANILIA, Philippines (CNS) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned the public during his third State of the Nation address July 23 that his two-year war on drugs would become even “more chilling” in the coming days. Earlier that day, a group of human rights …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Robert Duncan By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The last time a pope visited Ireland, the Constitution prohibited divorce, gay marriages were unthinkable, abortion was illegal and physical and sexual abuse at the hands of nuns and priests was a carefully hidden secret. That has all changed …

By Steve Larkin WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Francis has said that shepherds “should have the smell of the sheep.” For some bishops and their dioceses, that means going on Twitter. “Bishop (David A.) Zubik (of Pittsburgh) was very clear: If he can meet people in a particular way, he wants …

By BOSTON (CNS) — Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley called for “three specific actions” to immediately address allegations of sexual abuse of minors and “sexual improprieties” with seminarians made against Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, starting with “a fair and rapid adjudication of these accusations.” Second, there must be “an assessment …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Sebastian Silva, EPA By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Chilean prosecutor’s office has issued a subpoena to Cardinal Riccardo Ezzati of Santiago regarding his role in the alleged cover-up of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. In a statement released by the Archdiocese of …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Peter Finney Jr., Clarion Herald By Peter Finney Jr. NEW ORLEANS (CNS) — The core vocational work of permanent deacons is to evangelize and care for others, not to perform office duties, the apostolic nuncio to the United States said July 22 to more than 1,300 deacons attending …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Robert Duncan By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, head of the Vatican office for laity and family, said he was “shocked” when he heard allegations of years of sexual abuse and harassment by Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the man who ordained him a …