By Andrea Gagliarducci CNA/EWTN News VATICAN CITY — The first woman ever to be appointed a member of a Vatican congregation explains that “women still have much to give to the Church with their personal charisma.” Sister Luzia Premoli, superior general of the Combonian Missionary Sisters, was appointed a member …

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has placed a laicized papal ambassador under house arrest as he awaits a criminal trial for sexually abusing young boys. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, released a statement Sept. 23 regarding the case of former Archbishop …

By Beth Griffin Catholic News Service  NEW YORK — Peace is never achieved once and for all, but is the fruit of a daily quest for greater justice and respect for one another, the new papal nuncio to the United Nations said Sept. 15. For believers, it is not merely …

 Catholic News Agency ROME — The first “selfie” of retired pontiff Benedict XVI is making the rounds on social networks.

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — The Vatican called on Muslim leaders to condemn the “barbarity” and “unspeakable criminal acts” of Islamic State militants in Iraq, saying a failure to do so would jeopardize the future of interreligious dialogue.

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The sign of peace at Mass has not always led to serenity among liturgists or within the congregations gathered each Sunday in Catholic churches around the world.

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 Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Church law has procedures and penalties for effectively dealing with allegations of clerical sexual abuse, but the Vatican is working to revise a section of the Code of Canon Law to make those norms and procedures clearer and, therefore, more effective, …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Blessed John XXIII struggled to shake off many formalities that came with the papacy and often conspired with his valet to sneak out of the Vatican. One covert road trip in the Alban Hills outside of Rome got Guido Gusso, the pope’s valet, in …

  By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis received U.S. President Barack Obama at the Vatican March 27. In what was their first encounter, the two leaders spoke in private for more than 50 minutes, an extraordinarily long time for such a meeting.