An international obligation to intervene in situations of war or widespread violations of human rights does not mean a country or group of countries can decide to take military action inside another nation, said the Vatican’s foreign minister. “The responsibility to protect” is not

A Catholic religious order has urged international action to stem “uncontrolled lawlessness” in the Central African Republic after one of its Italian missionaries was threatened with death by rebel soldiers. “Let us pray that peace may return in this country torn apart by different

Around the country thousands of organizations were digging into reserves to keep Head Start programs open or provide nutrition and other services for children after the federal government shutdown on Oct. 1. In Kansas, shelters for homeless families and for battered women and children, a foster gran

On Sept. 30 Pope Francis announced he would declare his two predecessors Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II saints at a single ceremony on April 27. • In the largest donation in Georgetown University's history, the alumnus Frank H. McCourt Jr. has contributed $100 million to create the McC

In 2011 only 163,775 marriages were celebrated in U.S. Catholic churches.

A Dutch Jesuit in the besieged Syrian city of Homs said those who remain are facing shortages of food and fuel. “Disease has captured some of us and is knocking on the door of others,” Frans van der Lugt, S.J., wrote in a letter released by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need

The global number of child laborers has fallen by a third since 2000.

Dozens of events around the country took place Oct. 5 as part of the March for Immigrant Dignity and Respect. Labor unions, churches and other social justice organizations have scheduled events to rally supporters of comprehensive immigration reform as a lead-in to a day-long rally and concert in Wa

Mary Jurgensmeier, a member of St. Peter Catholic Church in Greeley, Colo., said she knows people in her community who have lost everything. “We still have the Lord,” said Jurgensmeier. “We will never lose him.” Jurgensmeier is one of thousands of Colorado residents who have

On Sept. 16, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl celebrated a Mass for consolation and healing, praying for the victims of the rampage at the Washington Navy Yard and asking God to “heal the wounds in our society so that we can prevent tragedies such as we have just witnessed.” • Sister Angél