IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By David Agren BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS) — Pope Francis arrived in Colombia Sept. 6 for a five-day visit to promote reconciliation in a deeply Catholic country scarred and reticent to offer forgiveness after decades of war. The pope was greeted was welcomed by Colombian President Juan …

By WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and 32 other organizations have signed a joint letter of support for the Conscience Protection Act of 2017. The bill, which has House and Senate versions, is intended to close loopholes that ignore the conscience rights of medical professionals on …

IMAGE: CNS photo/David Agren By David Agren VILLAVICENCIO, Colombia (CNS) — People in need in this city set in the heart of Colombia’s cattle country line up outside the Pope Francis food bank, a warehouse built with a donation from the pontiff. Father Carlos Ricardo, director of social ministries for …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Congregation of Holy Cross By David Agren WASHINGTON (CNS) — U.S. Catholic parishes and schools located in the 70-mile-wide path of the total solar eclipse Aug. 21 plan to take part in this rare event with everything from providing parking spaces or viewing sites to offering overnight …

By Cindy Wooden ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT TO COLOMBIA (CNS) — Flying to Colombia, with a flight plan changed to avoid Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean Sea, Pope Francis told reporters that Colombia and its neighbor, Venezuela, were in his prayers. The Sept. 6-10 visit to Colombia “is a bit …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters By Kurt Jensen WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic church leaders, immigration officials and university presidents were swift and unanimous in their condemnation of President Donald Trump’s Sept. 5 decision to phase out Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals known as DACA. “In the past, the president stated …

By Editors: We have posted a graphic on severe food emergencies under the graphics tab of our photos/graphics section. The graphic is being translated into Spanish for posting at a later date. – – – Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Catholic Charities By SAN ANTONIO (CNS) — Catholic Charities USA presented a $2 million check Sept. 4 representing donations received to date for immediate emergency assistance for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey and its catastrophic flooding. One hundred percent of the funds raised will go directly to …

By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Sept. 5 that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is “being rescinded” by President Donald Trump, leaving some 800,000 youth, brought illegally to the U.S. as minors, in peril of deportation and of losing permits that allow them …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Henry Romero, Reuters By David Agren BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS) — Milena Cardenas was 6 years old when rebels of the M-19 guerrilla group seized the Colombian Supreme Court in 1985. The army counterattacked and more than 100 lives were lost, including 12 of the 25 judges. Eleven cafeteria …