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National & World News
Religious freedom deteriorating, but don’t despair, official says
CNA/EWTN News Although religious freedom conditions around the globe are worsening, Americans should see this fact as a cause for motivation rather than despair, said a leading scholar on the issue. “I wish that I could say there has been some improvement in the conditions of religious freedom in the …
Pope Francis calls for abolishing death penalty and life imprisonment
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis called for abolition of the death penalty as well as life imprisonment, and denounced what he called a “penal populism” that promises to solve society’s problems by punishing crime instead of pursuing social justice.
Liturgical items top agenda at USCCB general meeting in Baltimore
By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Liturgical matters will take center stage on the agenda of action items at the fall general meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, to be held Nov. 10-13 in Baltimore. There will be five liturgical items up for consideration. All are …
Synod ends by affirming tradition, leaving controversial questions open
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — After several days of animated debate over its official midterm report, the Synod of Bishops on the family agreed on a final document more clearly grounded in traditional Catholic teaching. Yet the assembly failed to reach consensus on especially controversial …
Pope beatifies Blessed Paul VI, the ‘great helmsman’ of Vatican II
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY —Beatifying Blessed Paul VI at the concluding Mass of the Synod of Bishops on the family, Pope Francis praised the late pope as the “great helmsman” of the Second Vatican Council and founder of the synod, as well as a “humble …
Synod working groups emphasize beauty of marriage, church teaching
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family must put greater focus on the beauty of the Christian vision of marriage and not let an approach of “welcoming” and mercy override the church’s duty to call people to turn away from …
African cardinal: Pressure groups behind push to change Church teaching
CNA/EWTN News VATICAN — Innacurate media reports about Church teaching on homosexuality published after the synod’s midterm relatio are an attempt to pressure the Church to change its perennial teaching, a cardinal who is also a synod father has affirmed. Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, …
Anglican, Lutheran delegates say synod’s concerns are theirs, too
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Upholding the Christian ideal of marriage and family life while also reaching out to those whose lives do not reflect that ideal is a pastoral challenge faced by all Christian communities, said the Anglican representative to the Synod of Bishops. Anglican …
How an incorrect translation of the synod report created chaos
CNA/EWTN News VATICAN CITY — An incorrect translation into English of the original midterm report of the Synod on the Family may have spurred controversial interpretations of the document itself. The document’s original version was written in Italian, which Pope Francis directed to be used as the official language of …