By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — On International Women’s Day, Pope Francis thanked women, “who in thousands of ways, witness to the Gospel and work in the church.” The pope’s comments March 8 preceded a five-hour celebration in the Vatican of the ways Christian women minister to …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Christian faith and a moral life are responses to God’s mercy and not the result of “titanic” human effort, Pope Francis said. In meetings and Masses March 7-8, the pope repeatedly returned to the theme of the church as an agent …

By Catholic News Service NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Knights of Columbus is providing $400,000 to relief programs sponsored by the Catholic Church in Ukraine. The violent conflict in Ukraine has created “an enormous humanitarian disaster in the freezing winter months,” the fraternal organization said in announcing the aid. Gifts …

By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON  — Two years after he was elected pope, Pope Francis’ popularity rating among U.S. Catholics is at 90 percent, surpassing Pope Benedict XVI’s best-ever popularity, and rivaling that of St. John Paul II. Pope Francis, who is scheduled to visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — Catholics need to reach out to “baptized non-Christians,” those who have forgotten or walked away from their faith, Pope Francis said. The pope met March 6 with about 7,000 members of the Neocatechumenal Way, which guides members in an itinerary of …

By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — “Joy” is not a word people usually associate with strict fasting and penance — unless they are Eastern-rite Catholics. In the Eastern church, the penitential period that prepares believers to celebrate Easter, is called “Great Lent,” and its prayers invite the …

By Catholic News Service NEW YORK — Cardinal Edward M. Egan, who retired as archbishop of New York in 2009, died March 5. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. He was 82. After collapsing at his residence that afternoon, he was taken to NYU Langone Medical Center, where doctors …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — When people trust in the world more than in God, their heart becomes numb and their eyes blind to those in need, Pope Francis said. “Worldliness transforms souls, it makes (people) lose touch with reality: They live in a fake world …

By Chaz Muth Catholic News Service NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Ryan Leahy of Chicago walked up to an employee on the snow-covered campus of the University of Notre Dame March 3 and asked her to take a photo of him and his family members in front of the school’s iconic …

  By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is expected to canonize Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, during the world Synod of Bishops on the family in October. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, leading …