Catholic News Service

As many Catholics try to understand what Pope Francis might mean by a "synodal church," he highlighted humility and trust. 

Just as the Magi were guided by a shining star, Christians can rest assured that the light of Christ will guide them to a happy and meaningful life, Pope Francis said on the feast of the Epiphany.

The attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, 2021, "represented a direct blow to the heart of American democracy," the Vatican newspaper said.

In response to the current spike in COVID-19 cases across the United States due to the omicron variant, many colleges and universities have changed plans for the spring semester, making much of January a back-to-virtual learning experience.

Biden administration officials announced Jan. 3 additional legal help for migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. who are being forced to stay in Mexico under a Trump-era policy that has been difficult to revoke.

As the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph is an example of the need for loving fathers and mothers in "an age of notorious orphanhood," Pope Francis said.

After a life in Paraguay working in the poorest neighborhoods and training several generations of young leaders, Jesuit Father Francisco de Paula Oliva died Jan. 3 in Asunción. He was 93.

Interfaith Worker Justice announced Dec. 31 that it was shutting down at the end of that day.

To discriminate against or persecute those who profess their faith is an intolerable act that threatens the fraternal bonds shared by humanity, Pope Francis said.

 In mid-January, the law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl is scheduled to publish a report into the handling of clerical sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.

On Dec. 29, Catholics in Kayah's Hpruso Township held a funeral for 35 civilians — all Catholic — killed by troops and their bodies set on fire Christmas Eve in Mo So village.

"Patients are always more important than their diseases, and for this reason, no therapeutic approach can disregard listening to the patient, his or her history, anxieties and fears," the pope wrote.

Proceedings before a criminal trial involving former Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick will continue March 3 in Massachusetts, where he faces three counts of sexually assaulting a teenager in the 1970s. 

After a year at the head of the Archdiocese of Dublin, Archbishop Dermot Farrell said, "Radical change is coming in the church," which will see a renewal of energy and new forms of ministry.

As Catholics begin a new year contemplating the motherhood of Mary, they should be inspired not to let problems weaken their faith or prevent them from helping others grow, Pope Francis said.

Christians can rest assured that even when they feel unworthy, God is a good shepherd who goes in search of them, Pope Francis said.

A second diocese in Sicily, where the Mafia has had a significant presence for decades, announced a temporary ban on the naming of godparents for baptisms and confirmations.

The Taizé community's annual end-of-year ecumenical prayer gathering, which moved online Dec. 28-31 and was supported by prayers and messages from Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and other leaders.

In situations of extreme poverty, war or civil tensions, 22 Catholic church workers were murdered in 2021.

 Pope Francis this year invited Catholics both in the mainstream of church life and on the margins to express their dreams, ideas and concerns in preparation for the Synod of Bishops in 2023.