Catholic News Service

Australian Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, a longtime Vatican diplomat and former president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, died April 10 at the age of 96 in Newcastle, Australia.

Like the disciples, who experienced Jesus' divine mercy after the resurrection, all Christians are called to become missionaries, sharing the Gospel of God's love and mercy with others, Pope Francis said.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster led Catholics of England and Wales in mourning the death of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Catholic bishop of Belfast urged politicians to be more careful about their language as the city was engulfed in nightly violence.

An interfaith coalition is urging the Biden administration to hasten family reunification to remedy Trump's "zero tolerance" policy that separated roughly 5,500 immigrant children from their families.

Church groups in Colombia are mobilizing to support thousands of Venezuelan refugees who recently fled a military offensive and are stuck in a remote Colombian border town.

The podcasts are available on several platforms and they feature one of the pope's own Jesuit astronomers speaking with a notable figure in the world of space exploration or science.

An independent investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Catholic composer David Haas in the years he held summer music programs at St. Catherine University in St. Paul shows that some members of Haas' Music Ministry Alive team found his conduct uncomfortable, or were aware of "general comments" about his behavior.

Pope Francis hopes that by bringing together people from "various fields in order to share research, clinical and pastoral experiences and best practices, the symposium will contribute to a greater awareness of the gravity and the extent of child sexual abuse and promote more effective cooperation at every level of society in eradicating this profound evil."

Faith is a gift that is never imposed on anyone but must be accepted with an open heart, Pope Francis wrote to young people.

On World Health Day, April 7, a new group of 31 U.S. Catholic organizations encouraged people to get the COVID-19 vaccine as an act of charity and solidarity with others.

German and Swiss bishops who knew and worked with Fr. Hans Küng described him as a man who loved the Catholic Church, even though the theologian sometimes went beyond the limits of Catholic doctrine.

Christians are never alone in prayer but instead are accompanied by myriad saints who protect them and seek God's intercession, Pope Francis said.

"Hundreds have been killed. A bloodbath has flown on our sacred land. Young and old and even children have been mercilessly killed," said Cardinal Bo at an April 3 Easter Vigil.

Bishop Cepeda's brief foray into electoral politics captured enormous attention, especially after he said at a news conference, "I'm tired of the idiots governing us. ... All politicians are scoundrels, and all of them steal something. I expect to rob nothing."

The church is helping families in El Salvador who lost loved ones 40 years ago during the civil war. Fr. Manuel Acosta, is head of the Commission to Search for Persons Disappeared in the Context of the Armed Conflict.

Catholic bishops in Uganda are mourning Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga of Kampala, who was found dead in his room April 3. His death shocked the East African nation, where the archbishop had come to be known as a defender of the rights of the poor and the downtrodden. The cause of death was not released immediately.

Even in his old age, Cardinal Christian Tumi, the retired archbishop of Douala, Cameroon, was a force for peace and reconciliation in his country, Pope Francis said after the 90-year-old cardinal died April 2.

Cardinal Parolin said he believes part of the problem "stems from the fact that the pope puts a lot of emphasis on the reform of the church," but too many people do not understand the difference between teachings and practices that must remain unchanged and those that can and must be updated and renewed.