By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — In the first nine and a half months of Pope Francis‘ pontificate, more than 6.6 million people participated in papal events at the Vatican, including weekly general audiences, group audiences, liturgies and recitations of the Angelus and “Regina Coeli” on …

By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In the midst of their New Year’s Eve celebration with low-income elderly residents, the Baltimore-based Little Sisters of the Poor learned that the Supreme Court issued an injunction temporarily protecting them from the Affordable Care Act‘s contraceptive mandate.

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — A new year always brings the opportunity for a fresh start. Resolutions can be a tricky thing because they force us to consider altering long-held behavior patterns, and then make an affirmative choice for the change in behavior when the situation …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The world famous Nativity scenes of Naples never follow just the biblical account of Jesus’ birth; for one thing, the figures usually are dressed in 18th-century costumes, but also it’s not unusual for a modern-day politician or even pope to enter …

By Charmaine Barranco Catholic News Service BROOKS, Minn. — Christmas this year is special for Mickala Morinville, who is back with her family after a lengthy illness and a Christmas spent a year ago at the Mayo Clinic. One of the last things 17-year-old Mickala remembers clearly is reciting a …

By Catholic News Service NEW YORK — A spokesman for the New York Archdiocese said the archdiocese “welcomes and applauds” a Dec. 13 ruling by a federal judge granting Catholic organizations in the archdiocese and the neighboring Diocese of Rockville Centre a permanent injunction on having to comply with the …

By Eileen Connelly, OSU The Catholic Telegraph In the century since St. Anthony of Padua Parish was founded, there have been many changes in the surrounding East Dayton neighborhood. What has remained constant is the parish’s reason for being — spreading the Gospel of Jesus, administering the sacraments and exercising …

Staff & CNS Reports From the moment he stepped onto the balcony following the words “Habemus Papam,” Pope Francis has captured the attention of the world. Acknowledging that impact, TIME magazine has named the Holy Father as its 2013 Person of the Year. Pope Francis earned the nod by beating …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — People must stand united against the scandal of hunger while avoiding food waste and irresponsible use of the world’s resources, Pope Francis said. People should “stop thinking that our daily actions do not have an impact on the lives of those …

By John Mulderig Catholic News Service NEW YORK — The time has come, it seems, to return to Panem, the dystopian North American nation that provides the setting for the satisfying action sequel “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” (Lionsgate), just as it did for the 2012 first installment in the …