Catholic News Service

Priests must give hope to men and women seeking forgiveness, encouraging them in their struggle away from the slippery slope of sin, Pope Francis said.

Feeling ashamed of one's sins does not mean wallowing in guilt, but is the gateway all men and women can use to experience firsthand God's tender mercy and forgiveness, Pope Francis said.

The Catholic Church wants to listen to young people and know where they are coming from, but young Catholics must be ready to listen to Jesus and discover where he wants to lead them, Pope Francis said.

Few people would suspect that the order of Capuchin monks, famous for their humble imitation of St. Francis, are special guardians entrusted with the duty of caring for Austria's imperial crypt.

In rural Paraguay in 2002, a newborn who spent 20 minutes without signs of life after the umbilical cord was cut was declared dead after attempts to revive him failed. 

The recent kidnapping of a Congolese priest illustrates some of the problems the Catholic Church has faced during the prolonged conflict.

During a brief ceremony in the Vatican Gardens, Pope Francis blessed a new statue of a 10th-century Armenian monk he had declared a "doctor of the church" in 2015.

The Catholic bishops of Quebec have discussed the possibility of ordaining married men to priesthood, said Auxiliary Bishop Marc Pelchat of Quebec.

Assisted suicide, abortion restrictions, health insurance coverage of abortion, financial aid for nonpublic schools and some tax relief for low-income families are among the issues being tackled by state legislatures across the country.

A Mexican diocese has apologized and asked for forgiveness for failing to stop a priest from sexually abusing Catholic school children. At the time, the priest had been banned from his priestly duties in a neighboring archdiocese.

Chen Zongrong, former deputy director of China's Religious Affairs Bureau, said preventing the Vatican from having full control of bishop appointments did not hinder freedom of religion.

Fifty years after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. -- he was gunned down April 4, 1968 -- the great civil rights advocate continues to be an outstanding example of how to live the Gospel message, according to Catholic clergy and others.

Friends and fans called him a "gentle giant," a faithful "prayer warrior" and a Clark Kent whose superman power was helping people grow in holiness and faith. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard oral arguments March 26 in the Archdiocese of Washington's suit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for rejecting an ad that promoted the archdiocese's annual initiative for the Advent season.

The final words at Mass — "Go in peace" — are an invitation to Christians to proclaim God's blessings through their lives, not an opportunity to go speak ill of others, Pope Francis said.

A refugee's life is one of constant uncertainty and confusion.  Yet in their faith the refugees have found strength and refuge, said Father Rafic Nahra, priest of the St. James Vicariate, which ministers to the asylum seekers and migrant worker community in Israel.

A caravan of Central American migrants traveling through Mexico was stopped after its push to the U.S. border set off a barrage of criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas Curry, 75, as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of a dignified life for all men and women regardless of color or creed continues to live on in the teachings of one his most influential admirers, Pope Francis, a Vatican representative said.

As the 20th anniversary of the historic Good Friday Agreement approaches, at least one Irish bishop worries that the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union could complicate life for Ireland.