News & Commentary

People react in Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan 19, 2025, as they watch news coverage of the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three female hostages who have been held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, as part of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel. (OSV News photo/Shir Torem, Reuters) Editors: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE IN ISRAEL. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN ISRAEL

As ceasefire starts, first Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners return home

Starting at 4 p.m. on Jan. 19, crowds of Israelis arrived at what has become known as Hostages Square in the center of Tel Aviv to support the hostage families and watch the release screened on the giant screen in ...
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Vatican at COP26: Hearts, habits must change fast to care for creation

Even though Pope Francis will not attend the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in person, the Vatican delegation and the Catholic Church will be "everywhere" during the two-week summit—from the highest-level private negotiations to the sidelines with grassroots ...
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With numbers growing in U.S., more Hispanics involved in church, community

Catholic Church officials say they are not surprised by the 2020 U.S. census showing Hispanics accounted for 51.1% of the country's growth, rising to 18.7%, or about 62.1 million, of the U.S. population.
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Colin Powell is recalled for priority he put on education, hard work, goals

Colin Powell once visited a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Washington to encourage students there to appreciate the Catholic education they are receiving, to dream big and to work hard to achieve those dreams.
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Pope shares survivor’s letter pleading for clergy to face truth of abuse

An adult survivor of abuse by a priest appealed to the world's seminarians to become good priests and to make sure the "bitter truth" always prevails, not silence about scandals and their cover-up.
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Debate, vote on proposed eucharistic document will top U.S. bishops’ agenda

When the U.S. bishops gather for their fall assembly in Baltimore Nov. 15-18, it will be the first in-person meeting of the full body of bishops since November 2019.
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President Biden and Pope Francis scheduled to meet Oct. 29

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will have an audience with Pope Francis Oct. 29, the day before the G20 Leaders' Summit starts in Rome, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Oct. 14.
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