OSV News

"Members of the German bishops' conference and Central Committee of German Catholics have adopted a guide for pastoral workers on blessing couples not married in church — they've recommended diocesan bishops proceed in accordance with its spirit," explained Matthias Kopp, spokesman for the German bishops.

Since it was created in 1980, more than 3 million refugees have been welcomed to America through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, known as USRAP. That changed on Jan. 20 of this year when President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled, "Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program."

Every corner bears the marks of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe: gaunt faces of children, long lines at makeshift aid points, and parents who have nothing left to give but words of comfort and prayer.

A Canadian court has ruled a Canadian diocesan priest can continue his civil suit against fellow Basilian Fr. Thomas Rosica and the Basilian Fathers of Toronto, with the plaintiff, Fr. Michael Bechard, seeking damages for alleged sexual abuse by Rosica.

Before the service, a new bell donated by U.S. Catholics rang out for the first time in one of the two bell towers of Urakami Cathedral, replacing a bell that had been destroyed in the bombing.

In this Jubilee Year, the CCCB deems it appropriate for creditors to cancel debts "that oppress and hold back integral human development."

The pontiff is viewed more favorably across party lines, although "consistent with the ideological differences in his ratings, he is liked better by Democrats than Republicans."

While comparison has been made to the 2019 fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Cordoba's Mayor José María Bellido said on television that "the monument is saved."

The Archdiocese of Newark has settled two claims of sexual abuse against retired Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, dating back more than 50 years — when he was a priest in Jersey City — the lawyer for the plaintiffs announced on Aug. 6.

As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Catholic Church must renew its commitment to nonviolence, disarmament and lasting peace, said U.S. prelates attending commemoration events in Japan.

Ahead of his third "Pilgrimage of Peace" to Japan to mark the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, Archbishop John Wester spoke with OSV News about the current state of nuclear risk, and efforts to disarm the world of nuclear weapons.

Bishop Mark E. Brennan urged people of his state to "affirm the humanity of all immigrants." He also called on every person to "pray for the courage to do the right thing," including those tasked with carrying out the nation's laws.

A Catholic monastery built in Nagasaki by a future martyr and saint survived and to this day brings a Franciscan message of peace to a place that could easily plunge into hatred and despair.

Burch, who lives in a Chicago suburb, is a co-founder of CatholicVote, a political organization that backed Trump for president.

"The Nicaraguan Church, even amidst adversities, has stood by those who suffer the most: the poor, the exiled, and those who have been victims of injustice," Bishop Silvio Jose Báez Ortega said.

The court order resolved a misdemeanor battery charge that was brought against Fr. Carlos Martins, following an incident during a relic exposition held in November 2024 at a parish in Joliet, Illinois.

Catholic Relief Services and its on-the-ground partners have managed to deliver aid to 1.7 million people in Gaza since 2023, according to new data.

As violence and starvation deepen in Gaza, the pastor of the area's only Catholic Church told a pontifical charity, "We remain in the hands of the Lord."

The platform allows both individuals and groups to offset some of their carbon footprint, encouraging lifestyle changes among members.