By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Meeting Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Pope Francis asked God’s forgiveness for the failures of the Catholic Church during the 1994 Rwanda genocide and for the hatred and violence perpetrated by some priests and religious. “He implored anew God’s forgiveness for the sins and …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy of the Archdiocese of San Salvador By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — Jesuit Father Rutilio Grande has been credited with inspiring Blessed Oscar Romero, archbishop of San Salvador, El Salvador, toward a journey of defending the poor that led to his martyrdom in 1980.  But now, Father …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A few hours after urging priests to be generously available for the sacrament of penance, Pope Francis went to confession, then offered the sacrament to seven Catholics. Presiding over the annual Lenten penance service March 17 in St. Peter’s Basilica, …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Michael Alexander, Georgia Bulletin By Andrew Nelson JACKSON, Ga. (CNS) — As a kid, Richard McPhee played the clarinet. But when his firefighter father asked for “Amazing Grace” at his funeral with the skirl of the pipes, McPhee pledged to his father, he’d take care of it. Now …

IMAGE: CNS/Evandro Inetti, pool By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Hear confession every time someone asks, Pope Francis said, and don’t ever put limited hours on the sacrament of reconciliation. “Please, let there never be those signs that say, ‘Confessions: Mondays and Wednesdays from this time to that time,’” …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Chaz Muth By Chaz Muth WASHINGTON (CNS) — Almsgiving is a Lenten tradition and Washington resident Ron Van Bellen says his volunteer work feeding the homeless honors his Catholic faith as he prepares for Easter. The real estate agent and parishioner at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz By ARMAGH, Northern Ireland (CNS) — The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has urged Irish people and those of Irish descent celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to remember the plight of migrants. Archbishop Eamon Martin — St. Patrick’s modern-day successor as archbishop of Armagh …

By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians who trust in themselves rather than God eventually become unsympathetic to those in need and slide down the slippery path of corruption, Pope Francis said. People who place their trust in their own vanity, pride and riches lose their sense of …

IMAGE: CNS illustration/courtesy Baylor By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — Amir Hussain wants Americans to know that Muslims have always been a part of the history of the United States, starting long before the country gained its independence from Great Britain. “There’s never been an America without Muslims,” said Hussain, …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Recent exchanges in the media between the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and a former member of a papal advisory commission have highlighted a lack of clarity and transparency when it comes to finding better ways to make …