Colombian coroner offers free burials to destitute Venezuelan migrants
IMAGE: CNS photo/Manuel Rueda By Manuel Rueda RIOHACHA, Colombia (CNS) — It’s midafternoon and the cemetery known as People Like Us is eerily quiet. As the corpse of Eduardo Sanchez is removed from a white funeral car and placed in a coffin, his daughter starts to sob and gets close …
Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Michael Bransfield; Archbishop Lori Instructed to Conduct Investigation into Allegations of Sexual Harassment

September 13: WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Michael Bransfield from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia. Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop William E. Lori as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. He will remain Archbishop of Baltimore. The Holy Father has additionally …
U.S. bishops tell pope abuse scandal ‘lacerated’ the church
By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The leaders of the U.S. bishops’ conference said they shared with Pope Francis how the church in the United States has been “lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse.” “He listened very deeply from the heart,” said a statement released after the meeting Sept. 13. …
President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Issues Statement Following Meeting with Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY, September 13, 2018 — Following a private audience with Pope Francis this morning in Vatican City, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement regarding the recent moral crisis in the American Catholic Church. “We are …
‘Elitist, clericalist’ church allows abuse to thrive, pope says
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Sexual and physical abuse by priests and religious and the scandal of its cover-up by church authorities thrive in countries where the Catholic Church is “elitist and clericalist,” Pope Francis told Jesuits in Ireland in August. “There is something I have understood with …
Supreme Court petition next step in effort to stop natural gas pipeline
By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — A Pennsylvania religious congregation planned to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether their religious freedom rights are being violated by the construction and pending use of a natural gas pipeline on its land. The Adorers of the Blood of Christ are rooting …
Love breaks chains of slavery to sin, pope says
IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Only true love for God and neighbor can destroy the chains of greed, lust, anger and envy that enslave humankind, Pope Francis said. “True love is true freedom: It detaches from possession, rebuilds relationships, it knows how to …
Wuerl to meet with Pope Francis to discuss resignation

Washington D.C., Sep 11, 2018 (CNA).- The Archbishop of Washington told priests Tuesday that he intends to meet with Pope Francis soon to discuss his resignation from office. In a letter sent to priests of the Archdiocese of Washington Sept. 11, Cardinal Donald Wuerl wrote that a decision about his …
Cardinal DiNardo and USCCB officials to meet with Pope Francis

Washington D.C., Sep 11, 2018 (CNA).- The director of the Vatican’s press office has confirmed that Pope Francis will meet with the president of the U.S. bishops’ conference Thursday, along with the conference’s vice-president, general secretary, and the president of the pope’s commission on child protection. The meeting is expected …
Pope to convene world meeting on abuse prevention with bishops’ leaders
IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis is calling the presidents of every Catholic bishops’ conference in the world to Rome Feb. 21-24 to discuss the prevention of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. The Vatican made the announcement Sept. 12 after the …