Catholic News Service

The COVID-19 pandemic not only caused a one-year delay in holding the World Meeting of Families, it also prompted a look at new ways to involve Catholic families from around the world and to ensure that they take the lead in ministering to each other.

After setting white flowers at a statue of Mary, Queen of Peace, Pope Francis prayed the rosary and asked Mary to intercede to bring peace to Ukraine and to every place in the world torn by violent conflict.

Of all the Catholic clergy who have made significant scientific contributions, more than half of them have been Jesuits. Br. Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory, gave a recent lecture in New York City that highlighted some of these standout figures.

As a "first choice," members of the Italian bishops' conference decided to focus their study of clerical sexual abuse in the country on cases reported to the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2000 to 2021.

As Italian bishops debated how to respond to calls for a nationwide investigation into clerical sexual abuse and the way accusations have been handled, U.S. Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley of Boston encouraged them to move forward.

Some U.S. bishops spoke out against the easy accessibility to guns in the country following a May 24 rampage that left at least 19 children and two of their elementary school teachers dead in Uvalde, Texas.

The president of the Polish bishops' conference criticized the Vatican's "naive and utopian" attitude to the war in Ukraine and urged Rome to show "greater maturity" in attitudes toward Russia.

In a 6-3 ruling May 23, the Supreme Court said two Arizona death-row inmates could not present new evidence of ineffective counsel they said they received in state trials during their federal appeals.

The  deadline on Title 42 came and went at the U.S.-Mexico border without any changes allowing migrants in, including asylum-seekers, after a federal judge blocked the government from lifting the health measure instituted during the pandemic.

After he led the recitation of the "Regina Coeli" prayer with visitors in St. Peter's Square May 22, the pope invited everyone to take part in "Laudato Si' Week," which runs May 22-29.

Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his spiritual closeness to Catholics in China, voicing hope that the church there operates in "freedom and tranquility,'' but making no mention of a 90-year-old cardinal who was recently arrested in Hong Kong.

San Francisco's archbishop declared May 20 that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is not "to be admitted" to Communion unless and until she publicly repudiates her position on legal abortion.

As the Catholic Church continues to reflect on synodality through a two-year process of listening and dialogue, a panel of six notable theologians and canonists discussed the nature of consultation and decision-making in a synodal church.

After reading Linda Sue Park's novel, A Long Walk to Water, and learning that clean and accessible water is a luxury to many residents of South Sudan, the seventh graders in Tess Veazey's honors reading class at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Slidell sprang into action and raised $400 for a nonprofit that drills water wells in that African country.

The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace praised a  statement announcing the lifting of restrictions against Cuba by the Biden administration, particularly those measures that will help family reunification.

Archbishop Heiner Koch of Berlin has asked forgiveness for the church's discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation.

Mass celebrated by Cardinal Sarah, was part of the closing celebration of the 200th anniversary of the dedication of the basilica, the first Catholic cathedral built in the United States.

Pope Francis praised the way people have faced the trials and losses in their lives with a firmness of faith in God's promises and love.

Poverty and inequality, which are major factors in child labor exploitation, must be addressed, Pope Francis said in a written message.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, encouraged men and women in the military to download a new app designed to connect them to the Catholic faith and provide the consolation of prayer in times of war and uncertainty.