Catholic News Service

Hypocrisy is the leaven that causes men and women to be self-centered and indifferent to the world around them, Pope Francis said.

Vietnam has freed a well-known Catholic blogger and rights activist jailed two years ago for posting anti-government material on social media and forced her into exile in the United States.

The church needs to further integrate women into ecclesial life to confront the problems of clericalism and an exaggerated sense of masculinity, a Vatican official told the Synod of Bishops.

A report from two leading faith-based agencies serving immigrants entering the United States from Mexico and Central America called on the federal government to end a policy that led to family separations earlier this year.

The importance of helping young people become ethical, active citizens who are unafraid of taking part in politics was a topic brought up by two members of the Synod of Bishops Oct. 16.

Pope Francis, at a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said he is willing to visit North Korea.

The Vatican is still planning to interfere in affairs of the Catholic Church in China, a provincial religious affairs official told local Catholic representatives at a government seminar.

Catholics need to help the church along a path of "deep spiritual renewal," Pope Francis told Jesuits from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Improved religious education and a stronger sense of belonging to a community were some of the topics touched upon as the Synod of Bishops moved into its final round of speeches.

Hurling insults and being indifferent to other people's lives is the first step along the winding path that leads to killing them, at least figuratively, Pope Francis said.

Bishop Joseph Cistone of Saginaw, 69, died in his home during the night, according to a diocesan statement Oct. 16. The cause of death has not been determined.

The Archdiocese of Washington has voluntarily released the names of abusive priests and stated that there have been no credible claims of abuse made against archdiocesan priests in almost 20 years.

Catholic clergy and laypeople have been expelled from Myanmar's northern Shan state by a China-backed ethnic minority army.

At a time of technological and scientific progress, "we ought to feel shame" for not having advanced in "humanity and solidarity" enough to feed the world's poor, Pope Francis said.

Healing of the church can be brought about by all faithfully living their God-given vocations, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore told Catholics in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston during a visit to the statewide diocese in early October.

The apostolic administrator of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia told Catholics he would cooperate with a Pennsylvania grand jury's continuing inquiry into clergy sexual abuse.

Religions, which are meant to build bridges, contradict their very nature if they stop pursuing the path of peace, Pope Francis said.

Near the end of his homily at a Mass just prior to St. Oscar Romero's canonization, Jesuit Fr. Jose Maria Tojeira yelled to the crowd outside the Metropolitan Cathedral: "Viva Monsenor Romero!" [Long live Bishop Romero!]

Eleven children of parents who are in the United States under Temporary Protected Status traveled to Rome to meet Pope Francis ahead of the canonization of St. Oscar Romero.

The Catholic bishops of Washington state Oct. 11 applauded the unanimous decision of the state Supreme Court striking down the death penalty as unconstitutional.