Cardinal Angelo Becciu called the four Blesseds “models of Christian life." The example of Bishop Angelelli, he said, “teaches today's pastors to exercise their ministry with burning charity, remaining strong in faith."

A motorcycle-riding gunman shot rights worker and parish leader Bernardino ‘Toto’ Patigas, Sr., Easter Monday. "In sadness, we all are crying out: End the Killings!" Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos said, "These barbaric and calculated assassinations must end! We should not tolerate this kind of crime."

The aid is intended to assist the more than 75,000 people who arrived in Mexico in 2018, in six migrant caravans. “All these people were stranded, unable to enter the United States, without a home or livelihood," the statement reads. “The Catholic Church hosts thousands of them in hotels within the dioceses or religious congregations, providing basic necessities, from housing to clothing."

On Mother's Day, often there is no mention of spiritual motherhood, but there are many single women and religious sisters who provide nurturance in an unseen manner. Perhaps spiritual motherhood needs to be drawn out into the light.

Pope Francis has called on women religious to "be mothers, as a figure of Mary ... and of mother church. It is impossible to understand Mary without her motherhood; it is impossible to understand the church apart from her motherhood and you are icons of Mary and the church." Sister Constance Veit of the Little Sisters of the Poor has answered the pope's call and embraced the role of spiritual mother.

It took me decades to realize that women stayed at the foot of the cross when almost all the men fled -- or that women were the first to discover the Resurrection in every Gospel. I mean that I missed it everywhere: The truth that women's work and witness are too often overlooked and unseen.

After bothering his teacher, Eli, three times, the wise man realizes it is the Lord who is calling. "If you are called," said Eli, "reply, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'" The story reveals a lot about listening for God. When Samuel finally listens, the Lord begins a lifetime of revelation for Samuel.

“I think that basic human urges are fairly constant from one generation to another," Catholic University of America president John Garvey said. "But technology can change our stimuli and the way we respond. That's happening here."

“In order to act well, I recognize that I am in need of what I might call ‘co-agents’ -- others who help me by thinking and acting along with me,” Archbishop Vigneron said. These 'co-agents' take the form of both members of the clergy and laity, he explained, and could even include non-Catholics.

India’s Latin-rite Church has pledged its closeness and solidarity with the victims of the terrorist bomb attacks in Sri Lanka on Sunday, dedicating Divine Mercy Sunday on April 28 as a day of prayer and solidarity with the Church and people of the island nation. Meanwhile, police have been able to identify eight out of nine attackers - one of whom was a woman - with no foreigners among them. Most were "well educated" and "middle class," and one studied in the U.K. and in Australia before returning to Sri Lanka.

In O'Connell's account, one talk by Cardinal Bergoglio seemed to mark a shift in the pre-conclave discussions; it was the moment the cardinal electors seemed inclined to set aside concerns about electing a 76-year-old in an attempt to elect a "man of God" with a clear vision for the church, including how to move forward with a reform of the Roman Curia.

"The current context isn't easy, especially due to the painful and complex issue of abuse committed by members of the church," the pope said. "Still, I would like to tell you once again that it isn't more difficult than in other eras of the church: It is only different."

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis will head to the Eastern periphery of Europe May 5-7, visiting Bulgaria and North Macedonia, both predominantly Orthodox countries with a small, but active Catholic minority.

WASHINGTON - In a unanimous ruling April 19, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the long-standing requirement of the House of Representatives that it open each day it is in session with a prayer. An atheist had sued, saying denying him the opportunity to give a "secular prayer" as a guest chaplain was unconstitutional.

The new outreach in the northern Virginia suburbs hard hit by the opioid crisis includes clinical help for addicts and their families, prayer teams to intercede on behalf of addicts and parish resource committees to support families.

"I don't know what to say to them. I try. I tried to go to their funerals and I tried to embrace them and tell them I am with them, but I have no words to say. I am suffering with them,'" Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith told Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Radio as the death toll from attacks continued to rise. By April 24, more than 350 people -- including 45 children -- were confirmed dead and 500 others injured.

Proposed reforms for the Vatican bureaucracy emphasize the missionary role of all the baptized, not just the ordained or consecrated. "The Roman Curia will never be the same anymore," a cardinal working on the plan said.

Understandably, those who work with them are very concerned by the numbers and are engaged in conversations about what can be done to stem the tide of those departing, and to bring back those who have left. These two books are a welcome contribution to that conversation.

Today is designated "Sunday of Divine Mercy." We could also call it "Sunday of Jesus' Presence in the Church." Because he is so present, we who live centuries after his resurrection can encounter him, receive his forgiveness and healing, and be strengthened to meet our difficulties in the power of his Spirit.

Christians must forgive and love others even beyond what is due to stop the cycle of evil and to start things anew, he told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square, which was still decorated with bright yellow, red and other colorful flowers from his Easter celebrations.