OSV News

A Pennsylvania diocese has asked police to investigate after parish staff — overseen by a beloved pastor — possibly concealed a now-former employee's criminal record, which includes a recent arrest on charges involving sexual offenses against a minor, as well as charges dating back to 2001-2002 for lewdness, indecent exposure and drug possession.

Bishop Joseph V. Brennan said in a May 28 open letter that the Diocese of Fresno would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization "to address the substantial number of claims brought forth by victims collectively."

Growth, undeniable tensions and "a deep desire to rebuild and strengthen" the body of Christ have emerged as key themes in the latest synod report for the Catholic Church in the U.S. released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops May 28.

A recent decision by officials in El Salvador to remove a painting of St. Óscar Romero from a prominent location in the nation's main airport and move it to a more secluded area, generated backlash from Catholics and opinion leaders.

Archbishop Gabriel Mestre of La Plata has resigned unexpectedly after only eight months in the Argentine archdiocese previously headed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, provoking a crisis in church governance in the South American country.

"Our partners on-the-ground in Papua New Guinea are currently conducting a rapid needs assessment in the affected villages to determine the most urgent priorities," Caritas Australia stated on its website May 28.

A group of Ukrainian youth have made a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, asking Mary to bring peace as Russia doubles down on its 11-year war in Ukraine and brutally targets civilians.

Father Fidel Rodriguez, the 66-year-old parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in St. Cloud, Florida, was questioned by police following an altercation during Pentecost Sunday Mass May 19.

Thomas Aquinas College in California announced recently that it had gained energy independence from the California power grid, marking a landmark in the use of alternative energy resources in higher education.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore revealed the final plan May 22 for parish planning in Baltimore City, with 23 parishes at 30 worship sites, about half the current number of churches available for Sunday Mass.

Scholars, tech experts, and business leaders gathered at the Vatican for a two-day conference to discuss artificial intelligence, integrating emerging technologies and advancing the good of humanity.

After a two-year planning process christened "Growing Disciples," Bishop Louis Tylka announced the diocese's 156 parishes will become 75 parishes with 129 "worship sites." Twelve parishes will merge into neighboring parishes, while another 107 parishes will merge to create 38 new ones.

Leaders of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate have deplored an information blackout surrounding the arrest of two of their priests in Belarus.

In a first, 46 victims signed a letter about allegations of negligence Polish Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda — the first such large joint initiative of survivors of abuse in Poland that has been in a time of crisis since 2019.

Lawmakers on the House and Senate agriculture committees released differing frameworks for the 2024 farm bill, with one version praised by a Catholic aid group.

Bishops in Mexico's southern Chiapas state have warned that conditions for holding elections are lacking after the May 12 massacre of 11 people — including two catechists — as drug cartels dispute territories and continue killing candidates ahead of the June 2 vote.

The pope spoke with CBS journalist Norah O'Donnell April 24 at his residence, Casa Santa Marta. A roughly 13-minute portion of the interview aired May 19 on the newsmagazine "60 Minutes," with the balance of the session being broadcast in a one-hour primetime special May 20.

Pope Francis will send Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as his special envoy to the U.S. Catholic Church's 10th National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21 in Indianapolis, and the cardinal will celebrate the congress's closing Mass.