IMAGE: CNS photo/Massimiliano Migliorato, Catholic Press Photo By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The story of how an Albanian priest endured decades of imprisonment, torture and forced labor during his country’s communist crackdown against the church brought Pope Francis to tears. During the pope’s 2014 visit to Tirana, Cardinal-designate …

By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic Charities agencies joined emergency response efforts in coastal communities in four Southeastern states as residents and parish staffers began returning to assess the damage Hurricane Matthew left behind. Some evacuation orders remained in effect in South Carolina, where the storm came ashore Oct. …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Reuters By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — Emergency aid slowly began to reach some of the thousands of Haitians displaced by Hurricane Matthew in the country’s picturesque southwest as reports of casualties slowly trickled in from communities cut off by the storm. The number of …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Bob Nichols, Catholic Moment By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Choosing new members of the College of Cardinals, Pope Francis once again looked to countries and particularly to dioceses that were not and never had been represented in the body that advises the pope and bears responsibility …

By John Woods NEW YORK (CNS) — The Archdiocese of New York has initiated a voluntary Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program to promote healing and serve as a “tangible sign of the church’s outreach and reparation” by providing compensation to victim-survivors of sexual abuse as minors by clergy of the …

By Mark Pattison WASHINGTON (CNS) — Most people who keep an eye on life issues know the shorthand about the Hyde Amendment — that it bars the federal government from funding abortions through Medicaid. But the amendment does more than that — although not everything pro-lifers may wish it could …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Ettore Ferrari, EPA By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Wherever public policy, communities and even religions may have failed, sports and recreation are ready and set to lift wounded spirits and build cooperation and peace in the world, said a number of speakers at a Vatican conference. …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Giorgio Onorati, EPA By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — Typically, the Facebook page for the Diocese of Providence Office of Vocations in Rhode Island gets anywhere from 3 to 40 likes on their posts — most which celebrate seminarians, priests and their ministry. But it took an actor …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Malteser International By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — Haitian first responders and nongovernmental aid workers were assessing the damage from Hurricane Matthew even as they scrambled to deliver food, water and shelter materials to communities isolated by washed-out bridges and blocked roads. The storm left southwestern Haiti …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec By Nancy Wiechec PHOENIX (CNS) — A popular Alaskan retreat has been designated a national shrine by the U.S. bishops. Bishop Edward J. Burns of Juneau, Alaska, announced the news on the Oct. 1 feast of St. Therese Lisieux, the patroness of Alaska after whom the …