Catholic leaders offered a supporting presence to families and emergency personnel in the spate of major fires that beleaguered Baltimore in December.Read More

BETHLEHEM, West Bank – Traditional ceramic and wood Nativity scenes from Spain share center stage along with miniature wooden box reproductions from Mexico, an almond-eyed baby Jesus from Thailand and a hanbok-clad Holy Family from Korea at the newly reopened International Nativity Museum.Read More

Tony Magliano (CR, Dec. 12) writes of the failure of Catholics to impact society in the areas of abortion, poverty and war. He observes that Vatican II’s document “Gaudium et Spes” and the call, in his words, “to embrace the Gospel of love, justice and peace”, has not moved people or governments in 45 years.Read More

VATICAN CITY – In response to the “unimaginable” scandal of clerical sex abuse against minors, the church must reflect, repent, and do everything possible to rectify the injustices suffered by victims as it works to prevent such abuse from ever happening again, said Pope Benedict XVI.Read More

FREDERICK – Beloved traditions can evolve or fall away.Read More

WASHINGTON – Citing “ongoing communication and attempts to rectify the situation,” Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted extended from Dec. 17 to Dec. 21 a deadline he had set for a local Catholic hospital to comply with three demands related to the church’s ethical directives for health care.Read More

Two curators of a national exhibition highlighting Pope John Paul II’s relationship with Jews recently honored Cardinal William H. Keeler, a longtime advocate of interfaith understanding.Read More

VATICAN CITY – An Italian company is offering an electronic rosary with the voice of Pope John Paul II leading the prayers.Read More