By Catholic News Service BRUSSELS (CNS) — The Belgian bishops’ conference criticized an attack on its president, Archbishop Andre Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels, during which he was soaked with water by half-naked women. Four bare-breasted protesters from the international FEMEN movement disrupted the April 23 evening debate at the Free University …

By Adam and Margaret Shaw Catholic News Service  NEW YORK (CNS) — In the words of Catholic novelist J.R.R. Tolkien, there may be only “one ring to rule them all.” But there is certainly more than one videogame adaptation out there of director Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” …

By Catholic News Service  A glance around the nation and world in Catholic news. Marriage is not for government to ‘define or redefine,’ says bishop WILMINGTON, Del. (CNS) — Marriage “is a unique relationship between a man and a woman” and it’s not the government’s place to “define or redefine” …

By Catholic News Service  BOSTON (CNS) — The first name released of someone killed in the April 15 explosions at the Boston Marathon was that of 8-year-old Martin Richard, whose picture in newspapers showed him grinning broadly, apparently at his first Communion. Two bombs that exploded near the end of …

By Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis responded to the bombings in Boston by invoking peace for the souls of the departed, consolation for the suffering and strength for emergency and medical personnel. In a message sent to Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone …

Staff Report Just days after the Archdiocese of Boston celebrated the good news of hearing that Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley was named as one of eight close advisers to Pope Francis, tragedy struck in the form of a pair of bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday. A CNN report …

Staff Report A pair of explosions detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday around the four-hour mark of the race. Several news agencies reported a third explosion at Boston’s JFK library, but it was unknown if the blasts were related. Catholic Online reported that at least two …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis reaffirmed the Vatican’s call for reform of the U.S.-based Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, told the U.S.-based nuns’ group that he had “recently discussed the …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholics need to know that marrying someone from a different Christian community or, even more so, from a different religion will create extra challenges in their marriage, but church leaders also must learn how to help people in mixed marriages …

Staff Report UPDATE: The Vatican denied Wednesday that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI sufferers from any serious illness other than the problems associated with old age. A Newsmax report claims that Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi denied reports in a Spanish newspaper that the former pope was facing any specific illness. …