IMAGE: CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court stepped into some contentious waters March 2 when it heard oral arguments on abortion for the first time in nearly a decade and almost 25 years since it issued a major ruling on abortion. But …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Max Rossi, Reuters By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Exercise a little courage and go to confession, turn away from selfishness and sin and back to God during the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis urged people at a Lenten penance service. “When our desire to be healed …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Jorge Cabrera, Reuters By David Agren MEXICO CITY (CNS) — An outspoken environmental activist in Honduras was murdered in her own home, sparking outrage and offering another example of the impunity and violence in the Central American country. Berta Caceres, who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize — …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz ROME (CNS) — Australian Cardinal George Pell promised to work with a group of abuse survivors to help prevent suicide among victims and support healing and protection programs. “One suicide is too many. And there have been many such tragic suicides. I commit myself …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Mike Nelson, EPA By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, published several commentaries reflecting on the possibility of allowing laypeople, including women, to preach at Mass. Women already guide retreats, lead conferences and preach in some circumstances, wrote French Dominican Sister Catherine Aubin.  …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec By WASHINGTON (CNS) — A Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse of hundreds of children over several decades and an Oscar win for “Spotlight,” about the Boston abuse scandal, “brought painful, but important, reminders that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect …

By HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (CNS) — Bishop Mark L. Bartchak of Altoona-Johnstown committed the Pennsylvania diocese to be transparent in its efforts related to the sexual abuse of minors by clergy and to make public the names of all priests found to have a credible allegation of abuse against them and …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in its first abortion case in nine years March 2 in a challenge by Texas abortion clinics to a 2013 state law that requires them to comply with standards of ambulatory surgical …

CNA/EWTN News — Louisiana law can’t force Catholic priests to violate the seal of the confessional, a judge in the state reaffirmed on Friday. State District Judge Mike Caldwell said in court Feb. 26 that a state law requiring clergy to report sex abuse of minors violated a priest’s religious freedom protections …

IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano v By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Go to confession. Soon. For Pope Francis, the Year of Mercy is all about sharing the experience of God’s mercy with others. But first, he wants people to experience it themselves, in the confessional. Lent is the perfect …