By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Within two years of becoming pope, Pope Francis now has an effect named after him. This “Francis effect” provides both comfort and challenges to Catholics, according to a panel of U.S. Catholic leaders speaking during a March 10 teleconference organized by Faith …

  By Edgardo Ayala Catholic News Service SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero will be beatified in San Salvador May 23, said Italian Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the postulator or chief promoter of the archbishop’s sainthood cause. The ceremony, which moves the murdered archbishop a step closer to …

By Beth Griffin Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) — At his funeral Mass March 10 in New York’s splendid St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Cardinal Edward M. Egan was remembered as a churchman whose faith in Jesus Christ outshone even his considerable temporal qualities. Cardinal Egan died March 5 at age …

  By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Don’t pack it in or shift into cruise control, Pope Francis told his fellow seniors. Today’s frenetic world, especially young people and families, needs the older generation’s prayers, wisdom and gifts to give them the encouragement, hope and faith they …

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CNS) — The Port-au-Prince Archdiocese continues to rebuild its ministries since the country’s 2010 earthquake, with dozens of programs underway and the construction of a transitional cathedral viewed as a major accomplishment. Archbishop Guire Poulard of Port-au-Prince said that while progress has …

By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — A small, inconspicuous cemetery inside the Vatican walls made headlines recently with the burial of a Belgian homeless man, Willy Herteleer. “The pilgrims’ tomb” is a common grave, just a few yards from the tombs of bishops, royalty and intelligentsia. Herteleer …

By Catholic News Service SELMA, Ala. (CNS) — The message of the civil rights movement has always been that all people are created in the image and likeness of God and that the dignity of all must be respected, said Mobile Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi. He was the main celebrant …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — Opening one’s heart to God’s forgiveness means also being willing to forgive others, Pope Francis said. “If I am not capable of forgiving, I’m not capable of being forgiven,” he said March 10 in the homily at his early morning Mass …

By Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court March 9 ordered the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its previous ruling and review — in light of the June Hobby Lobby decision — whether the University of Notre Dame must pay for coverage of contraceptives …

By Natalie Hoefer Catholic News Service NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (CNS) — In the dark of night over the Mediterranean Sea, the F-4 fighter jet was having problems. “We didn’t know if we could get the aircraft back to the carrier,” recalled Thomas “Wulf” Beckenbauer, who was riding in the rear seat …