By Cindy Wooden ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT TO COLOMBIA (CNS) — Flying to Colombia, with a flight plan changed to avoid Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean Sea, Pope Francis told reporters that Colombia and its neighbor, Venezuela, were in his prayers. The Sept. 6-10 visit to Colombia “is a bit …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters By Kurt Jensen WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic church leaders, immigration officials and university presidents were swift and unanimous in their condemnation of President Donald Trump’s Sept. 5 decision to phase out Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals known as DACA. “In the past, the president stated …

By Editors: We have posted a graphic on severe food emergencies under the graphics tab of our photos/graphics section. The graphic is being translated into Spanish for posting at a later date. – – – Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Catholic Charities By SAN ANTONIO (CNS) — Catholic Charities USA presented a $2 million check Sept. 4 representing donations received to date for immediate emergency assistance for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey and its catastrophic flooding. One hundred percent of the funds raised will go directly to …

By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Sept. 5 that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is “being rescinded” by President Donald Trump, leaving some 800,000 youth, brought illegally to the U.S. as minors, in peril of deportation and of losing permits that allow them …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Henry Romero, Reuters By David Agren BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS) — Milena Cardenas was 6 years old when rebels of the M-19 guerrilla group seized the Colombian Supreme Court in 1985. The army counterattacked and more than 100 lives were lost, including 12 of the 25 judges. Eleven cafeteria …

By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Colombia’s transition to a just and lasting peace requires a commitment on behalf of all the nation’s people to taking the first step toward reconciliation, Pope Francis said in a video message. “‘Let’s take the first step’ is the motto of this trip,” …

IMAGE: CNS photo/James Ramos, Texas Catholic Herald By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After leading thousands of pilgrims in praying the Angelus, Pope Francis offered prayers for flood victims in Texas and Louisiana following a devastating hurricane that caused massive flooding. He also prayed for flood victims in …

By Mitch Finley VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Although prisoners must pay a price for their crimes, incarceration must not be used as a method of torture but rather an opportunity to become contributing members of society, Pope Francis said. Punishment can be fruitful only when inmates are helped to look …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — By virtue of its very definition, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, Pope Francis said in a new book-length interview. “We cannot change it. This is the nature of things,” not just in the church, but in human history, …