‘An ocean of mercy transcends human misery’ – Pope God’s mercy transcends the misery that so often marks human experience, Pope Francis has said.  “A torrent of misery, swollen by sin, seems to contradict the fullness of time brought by Christ”, he said in a homily at St Peter’s Basilica on January 1, asking, “how can the fullness of time have come when…

The coffin of Gisela Mota, mayor of Temixco, Mexico, is carried from her home. Ms Mota was killed on January 2, one day after taking her oath of office. Cuernavaca’s Bishop Ramon Castro Castro said the murder had clearly been intended to send the message “if you don’t cooperate with organised crime, look at what’s…

Church leaders have denounced a double-headed suicide attack on Christian-owned restaurants in Qamishli, Syria, that left 20 people dead and more than 40 injured. “It was a sinister message the terrorists wanted to send to the Christians of this city, sowing death and tears,” Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan said, describing the massacre,…

The state of Utah can end its contract with Planned Parenthood, which is paid for with federal funds, a judge has ruled. US  District Judge Clark Waddoups, who previously blocked an effort by Utah governor Gary Herbert to defund the Utah affiliate of Planned Parenthood, has ruled that “these are the types of decisions that…

The leading US Democratic candidate has said she believes ISIS’ campaign against Christians constitutes genocide. Hillary Clinton was asked at a New Hampshire meeting whether she would join faith and secular leaders from across the political divide “in calling what is happening by its proper name, genocide”. She replied that she would do so “because…

A case brought before a court in the US state of Milwaukee against Pope Benedict and the Holy See for alleged cover-ups of abuse there has been withdrawn. The case, which had garnered much publicity for the naming of the current Pontiff in relation to his duties at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the…

The Vatican has rejected allegations of corruption in its awarding of contracts which were made by a leading cleric who is now papal nuncio to the United States. The move comes in response to the publishing, in the Italian press, of two letters penned in 2011 by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, at the time the…

Delegates from over 100 countries are meeting in Rome to ensure a global Church response to abuse. Michael Kelly reports.   If bishops around the world courageously embrace robust child safeguarding policies, the Church can lead the way the Rome conference on abuse has been told. While the Church has failed dramatically to respond properly…

  Critics of Catholicism often ignore the vital role of the Church’s humanitarian work, writes Greg Daly   It’s rare that I lose my temper, but I got indignant a few weeks ago when a friend declared that the Catholic Church has nothing to offer today’s world. Normally, I’d dismiss such nonsense with a shrug,…

  The Pope visits Cuba in March. Paul Keenan examines the island nation’s recent record.   What to believe about Cuba? Since the ‘retirement’ of Fidel Castro, the island nation’s leader of 47 years in favour of baby brother Raul in 2008, it was tempting to believe that the change of regime — albeit kept…