By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Given the “grave situation in Iraq,” Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Fernando Filoni to travel to the region to meet church and government officials, but especially to meet Christians chased from their homes by militants of the Islamic State.

By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead Catholic News Service  NORTHVILLE, Mich. — When St. John Paul II canonized 103 Korean martyrs in 1984 in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Alexius Hong was there to attend the canonization Mass. “This will be the second pope who visits Korea,” said Hong of Pope Francis’ plans …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals continue to study the most effective and efficient way to organize the Roman Curia, a large bureaucracy with a long history of expansions and a few, short-term, attempts at consolidation.

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Taking the chef completely by surprise, Pope Francis unexpectedly showed up to eat with the Vatican’s blue collar workers at their cafeteria in the tiny city-state’s “industrial park.”

By Catholic News Service NEW YORK — New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said it would be an “extraordinary moment for our city and an extraordinary honor” if Pope Francis visited the Big Apple in September 2015, when the World Meeting of Families takes place in Philadelphia.

Staff Report Subscribers to The Catholic Telegraph’s print edition (and remember you can sign up here for a subscription at no cost to you) will begin receiving their August editions of the newspaper around Tuesday, July 29.

From CNS Blog VATICAN CITY — The curiously apt World Cup final match between Argentina and Germany (plus a slowish news day) means Twitter is aflitter with funny memes and hashtags for #PopeCupSunday. (READ MORE HERE) Posted July 10, 2014

Staff Report Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr met briefly with Pope Francis during a June 25, General Audience in Rome. During the brief meeting, Archbishop Schnurr spoke Italian. The archbishop introduced himself to the Holy Father and extended greetings and prayers from the faithful of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Responding in …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Asking for forgiveness, Pope Francis told abuse survivors that “despicable actions” caused by clergy have been hidden for too long and had been “camouflaged with a complicity that cannot be explained.”

Press Release Pope Francis has awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal to retiring Assistant Superintendent Sister of Mercy Helen Lucille Habig. The medal was presented to Sister Helen Lucille during a retirement celebration June 11. Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice translates as “For Church and Pope.”