IMAGE: CNS photo/James Ramos, Texas Cat By James Ramos HOUSTON (CNS) — When Nick Guarisco landed at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Ash Wednesday morning, he planned to catch a late afternoon Mass in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to get his ashes, but Father Charles Samperi had a different …

IMAGE: CNS photo/James Ramos, Texas Cat By James Ramos HOUSTON (CNS) — When Nick Guarisco landed at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Ash Wednesday morning, he planned to catch a late afternoon Mass in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to get his ashes, but Father Charles Samperi had a different …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Here is Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week and Easter: — March 5-10: Lenten retreat with officials from the Roman Curia in Ariccia, outside Rome. — March 17: Penitential liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica. — March 25: Pastoral visit to Milan where he …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Here is Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week and Easter: — March 5-10: Lenten retreat with officials from the Roman Curia in Ariccia, outside Rome. — March 17: Penitential liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica. — March 25: Pastoral visit to Milan where he …

By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — There is no getting around fasting during Lent. Not only is it one of the three pillars of spiritual practice along with prayer and almsgiving, but it also bookends the period of preparation for Easter. Fasting and abstinence is required of adult Catholics, ages …

By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — There is no getting around fasting during Lent. Not only is it one of the three pillars of spiritual practice along with prayer and almsgiving, but it also bookends the period of preparation for Easter. Fasting and abstinence is required of adult Catholics, ages …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Jamal Nasrallah, EPA By Dale Gavlak AL-UM-KUNDUN, Jordan (CNS) — Catholic leaders have expressed concern for tens of thousands of Iraqi Christian refugees sheltering in Jordan as access to international aid tightens with crises deepening in the Middle East and elsewhere. “The situation of Iraqi Christians refugees is …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Jamal Nasrallah, EPA By Dale Gavlak AL-UM-KUNDUN, Jordan (CNS) — Catholic leaders have expressed concern for tens of thousands of Iraqi Christian refugees sheltering in Jordan as access to international aid tightens with crises deepening in the Middle East and elsewhere. “The situation of Iraqi Christians refugees is …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy of Salesians By BANGALORE, India (CNS) — The Salesians have organized a special prayer meeting to mark the one-year anniversary of the kidnapping of Indian Salesian Father Tom Uzhunnalil. The priest was kidnapped in Aden, Yemen, March 4, 2016, in an attack in which four Missionaries of …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy of Salesians By BANGALORE, India (CNS) — The Salesians have organized a special prayer meeting to mark the one-year anniversary of the kidnapping of Indian Salesian Father Tom Uzhunnalil. The priest was kidnapped in Aden, Yemen, March 4, 2016, in an attack in which four Missionaries of …