TOKYO (AP) — During Pope Francis’ recent visit to Japan, Harumi Suzuki stood where his motorcade passed by holding a sign that read: “I am a survivor.” Katsumi Takenaka stood at another spot, on another day, holding up his banner that read, “Catholic child sexual abuse in...
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was to mark his 50th anniversary as a priest Friday by paying homage to his spiritual father, a fellow Argentine Jesuit whose teachings on popular piety and discernment have had an enormous influence on the papacy. Francis is scheduled to attend the book launch for a...
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A former Roman Catholic Church deacon in New Orleans was indicted Thursday on a charge that he raped an altar boy nearly 40 years ago. George Brignac, 84, was charged by a grand jury Thursday with one count of aggravated rape. He was arrested in September. The victim in the case came...
BUXTON, Maine (AP) — Christmas toys donated to a Maine church where a meth lab was discovered in the playroom have been contaminated and cannot be given out to children in need, the church's pastor said. Buxton community members donated two large boxes of toys, but for safety sake, the Buxton United...
In an unusual public spat, the Roman Catholic diocese of Peoria, Illinois, is accusing the Rochester, New York, diocese of trying to “sabotage” the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen. Sheen, who before his death in 1979 was famous for his radio and TV preaching, had been scheduled to be...
MAZAIKEWALE, Pakistan (AP) — Sold by her family as a bride to a Chinese man, Samiya David spent only two months in China. When she returned to Pakistan, the once robust woman was nearly unrecognizable: malnourished, too weak to walk, her speech confused and disjointed. “Don’t ask me about...
EASTVIEW, Ky. (AP) — Congregants entered two Kentucky churches Sunday morning to find their houses of God in disarray, with items missing or destroyed. Bibles, church records and numerous sacred items like crosses were stolen from the Needham Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Smith Chapel United...
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Luke Putney’s prayers are simple these days. He prays for healing in his left hand so he can play guitar and bass again. He asks God to strengthen his body so he can be a blessing to other people. And he gives thanks for being able to use the bathroom. “Praise God...
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's Armenian community on Wednesday voted in Bishop Sahak Masalyan as its new patriarch, in an election that critics say was overshadowed by Turkish government intervention. Delegates elected Masalyan, 57, as the 85th patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Christians in Turkey, the...
WASHINGTON (AP) — A man attacked two guards at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday morning, authorities said. A domestic dispute was apparently behind the attack at what's believed to be the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, assistant police Chief...