By Winston Pierre Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — The head of a Michigan-based tour company that leads trips to the Holy Land said the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas so far has not had an impact on pilgrimages he and his associates lead.

By Eileen Connelly, OSU The Catholic Telegraph  Imagine living on the same land for more than 175 years, land passed down from generation to generation, providing your family’s livelihood and a place to call home in what is truly God’s country. Such is the case with Urban and Mary Louise …

The following letter was released by the Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati, on July 28, 2014. My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati host a wide array of social events. From picnics to festivals, there’s plenty in common and many parishes take advantage of a shared love throughout southwestern Ohio — Cincinnati Reds baseball.

By Cherie Spino & Angela Kessler Catholic News Service  TOLEDO — Retired Auxiliary Bishop Robert W. Donnelly of Toledo, Ohio died July 21 at his home in Toledo at age 83. Afternoon visitation was scheduled for July 28, to be followed by an evening vigil at Our Lady, Queen of the …

By Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — To end the U.S.-Mexico border crisis, the United States must address the flow of illegal drugs and arms and the harmful economic policies forcing children and families to leave Central America for the U.S., said the chairman of the U.S. bishops‘ Committee on International …

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — Syriac Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan, in Washington to meet with federal government representatives and members of Congress, decried the “mass cleansing” of Christians from Mosul, Iraq, by what he called “a bed of criminals.”

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Taking the chef completely by surprise, Pope Francis unexpectedly showed up to eat with the Vatican’s blue collar workers at their cafeteria in the tiny city-state’s “industrial park.”

By Nancy Wiechec Catholic News Service  UPDATE: Despite Chaput’s confirmation, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia published the following tweet on July 25. No official confirmation from Vatican re: @Pontifex attending #WMF2015 +Chaput remarks raise hope Pope will join http://t.co/lxjXyulKGz — Archdiocese Phila. (@ArchPhilly) July 25, 2014     FARGO, N.D. — …

By Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has filed a brief with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver indicating it plans to develop an alternative for Catholic and other religious nonprofit employers to opt out of providing federally mandated contraceptives they object to including in …