By Dennis Sadowski  Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Francis’ address to the U.N. General Assembly Sept. 25 will mark the fifth papal speech delivered directly to representatives of the world’s governments. His address will come almost 50 years to the day — Oct. 4, 1965 — when Blessed …

By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service KONSTANCIN-JEZIORNA, Poland (CNS) — Prominent Chinese Catholics have warned that a campaign to remove crosses from church buildings could signal wider restrictions on religious freedom, but cautioned Christians not to overreact. “Whatever those in power do, their first question now is how they can …

By Mark Pattison  Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — More must be done to help the beleaguered Christians of the Middle East, said speakers at a Sept. 11 dinner marking the end of the In Defense of Christians convention in Washington. Tactics they proposed, though, varied, in hope that some …

By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service MIAMI — More than 180 South Florida Catholics planned to travel to Havana once again for a historic papal visit to Cuba. The trip is the third Miami archdiocesan pilgrimage to Cuba for the three papal visits to the island nation, beginning with St. John …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ 10th foreign trip will be the longest of his pontificate and, with stops in Cuba, three U.S. cities and the United Nations, it also will be a “very complex trip,” the papal spokesman said. Briefing reporters about the trip, Jesuit …

Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s doctrinal congregation upheld a Spanish bishop’s refusal to allow a transsexual person to be a godparent. Bishop Rafael Zornoza Boy of Cadiz and Ceuta said in a written statement that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says godparents must be “firm believers, able …

CNA/EWTN News Just 357 priest working to evangelize 11.2 million people, along with 2,000 faithful who offer their homes where there are no church buildings – these are among the aspects that Pope Francis will encounter when he visits Cuba later this month. Pope Francis will be in Cuba Sept. …

By Mark Pattison  Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington called for solidarity with the persecuted Christians of the Middle East during a Sept. 9 prayer service at a Roman Catholic church on Capitol Hill. The prayer service was held in conjunction with the In Defense …

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service WASHINGTON -– Stephen Colbert, who took over Sept. 8 as host of CBS’ “Late Night” program, said in an interview for Canada’s Salt + Light Television that his “Colbert Report” character was intended to be a “well­-intentioned, poorly informed, high-­status idiot.” “I would say …

CNA/EWTN News Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles ordained three new auxiliary bishops on Tuesday, including the prominent internet evangelist Father Robert Barron. The archbishop encouraged the new bishops to bring the joy of God’s love to their flock. “As bishops, you are servants of hope. And you always …