Catholic News Service

The pope met in the Paul VI audience hall April 8 with members of the high council, which regulates Italy's ordinary justice system, seeking to ensure the autonomy and independence of criminal and civil judges.

The Legionaries' 2021 'Annual Report: Truth, Justice and Healing' was released April 6 with updates to their ongoing effort to 'give an account of their commitments to the victims of sexual abuse since the publication three years ago (December 2019) of all cases from their history.' They received four new allegations of sexual abuse against members of the congregation between March 2021 and March 2022.

Elected just five years after Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation by publicly posting his 95 Theses, Pope Adrian "above all sought reconciliation in the church and in the world," Pope Francis said.

Present and past colleagues of Jesuit Father Drew Christiansen paid tribute to the Middle East and foreign policy scholar and former magazine editor who died April 6.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said it appeared Ukraine could keep Pope Francis safe if he made a wartime trip to Kyiv, but the pope's safety was not the Vatican's only concern.

Representatives of Catholic organizations called upon parishioners to address climate change through actions in their lives and advocacy with political leaders following a United Nations report that warned that the earth's temperatures continue to rise, putting human lives in danger.

In a 53-47 vote, the U.S. Senate April 7 confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to serve on the country's highest court.

Pope Francis met with the leaders of the Spanish bishops' conference and was briefed on the independent commission established by the bishops to investigate clerical sexual abuse in the country.

Andrii Yurash, Ukraine's ambassador to the Holy See, presented his credentials to Pope Francis April 7. He also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri's apparent reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine came during a homily April 5 at a Mass in Orvieto with officers and cadets of Italy's Finance Police.

In a memo sent to prosecutors April 4, Biden administration officials have instructed lawyers for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus on prosecuting cases involving immigrants who pose a public safety, national or border security threat.

Jesuit Fr. Drew Christiansen, a professor at Georgetown University and formerly head of the U.S. bishops' Office of International Justice and Peace, died early April 6 in Washington. He was 77.

Pope Francis once again pleaded for an end to the bloodshed and violence in Ukraine after images of innocent civilians apparently executed in Bucha sparked outrage and horror around the world.

Two weeks after meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican and inviting him again to visit Lebanon, President Michel Aoun tweeted that the visit could take place as early as June.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court moved forward April 4 after a 53-47 Senate procedural vote to bring her nomination before the full Senate likely before April 8.

Ukrainian Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych said disturbing images from Ukraine after Russian retreat are evidence that "the struggle of Ukraine is a spiritual struggle against evil."

Police in England have produced national guidelines to allow priests to give last rites to Catholics dying at crime scenes. The change follows the outcry by Catholics at the denial of permission to administer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick to Sir David Amess, a Catholic politician, after he was stabbed repeatedly in an attack Oct. 15.

Nicaragua has approved a law increasing government control over educational institutions and stripping funds from Jesuit-run Central American University, which has been at odds with the government.

The Biden administration has confirmed it will lift a public health measure in May that was put in place at the start of the coronavirus pandemic that has kept asylum-seekers out.

A local Catholic college founded by Ukrainian women religious has teamed up with 15 other schools to confer honorary doctorates on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.