Catholic News Service

When Pope Francis came face to face with more than 2,000 Amazonian indigenous people in Peru in January 2018, he told them the place where they live is holy ground, and that they and the Amazon region are important to the Catholic Church and the entire world.

In a last-minute twist, a California bill that would have required priests to break the sacramental seal of confession was shelved by its sponsor amid a remarkable grassroots campaign mounted by the state's Catholics, members of other faith groups, and religious liberty advocates from across the country.

The Holy See has waived the diplomatic immunity of a Vatican diplomat who has been under investigation by authorities in Paris for allegedly sexually assaulting a city official.

Human trafficking survivors shared their experiences at a conference hosted by The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the District of Columbia Baptist Convention.

Federal authorities have yet to offer a full account of everyone that was arbitrarily separated at the border last year.

No quick "fixes" or organizational change will renew the Catholic Church in Germany, Pope Francis said; what is needed is a spiritual renewal and Gospel transparency.

Christians are called to follow the spirit of the beatitudes by comforting the poor and the oppressed, especially migrants and refugees who are rejected, exploited and left to die, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican July 4, and the two discussed the ongoing wars in Eastern Ukraine and in Syria, the Vatican said. Russia plays a major role in both conflicts.

The chairmen of two U.S. bishops' committees said July 3 they oppose a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that they say would lead to separation or housing instability for many families.

Trump's policies have spread fear among immigrant populations in the U.S., but Catholic organizations have responded with renewed efforts to help those groups, a survey says.

"Those who pay the price are always the little ones, the poor, the most vulnerable, who are prevented from sitting at the table and are left with the crumbs of the banquet."

The bishops' statement called the stalemate on immigration reform a "disappointing reality [that] continues to complicate efforts of law enforcement, sow discord in our communities and harm vulnerable people."

At Esperanza Immigrants' Rights Project, "we not only have the family separation cases, we have hundreds of other families seeking asylum that we are representing. This crisis hasn't stopped."

A judge ruled July 2 that Kentucky's death penalty regulations are unconstitutional because they fail to provide for an automatic stay of execution for intellectually disabled inmates.

Leadership of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in an op-ed cast blame on government policies for recent child deaths near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Pope Francis will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on July 8 with migrants, refugees and volunteer rescue teams, the Vatican said.

Three Irish newspapers have apologized and paid compensation to a former seminarian after admitting they falsely claimed he was expelled from formation after being found in bed with another seminarian.

When ordained ministry "becomes separated from the baptismal foundation" shared with all Catholics, Cardinal Cupich tells priests, then the holy orders "are replaced by some unholy disorders."

The Franciscan-run migrant shelter La 72 has welcomed a steady stream of migrants since opening its doors in 2011. It has also endured a steady stream of harassment — from politicians and police officers, immigration officials and even organized crime.

The Diocese of New Ulm has reached a $34 million settlement with 93 survivors of clergy sexual abuse.