MARIAZELL, Austria – Inspired by a small wooden statue of Mary and the child Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI appealed on behalf of the world’s suffering children, including the poor, the orphaned and those forced to fight in wars. The pope spoke during Mass Sept. 8 for some 30,000 pilgrims at the Austrian shrine of Mariazell,...Read More

WASHINGTON – In more than half of the states, Catholic officials have been living for years with mandates that health insurance plans must cover FDA-approved contraceptives in their prescription drug plans.Read More

VIENNA, Austria – Before an audience of Austrian political leaders and international diplomats, Pope Benedict XVI urged Europe to not to jettison its Christian values – especially when it comes to the rights of the unborn and the dying. The pope made the remarks Sept. 7 in an ornate reception hall of Vienna’s Hofburg Palace,...Read More

WASHINGTON - The head of a foundation encouraging Catholics to have a deeper devotion to Mary said that having a relationship with the mother of God “is more than just a bonus.”Read More

APPLETON, Wis. – A Catholic schoolteacher who claimed she was illegally fired in 2004 for undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments dropped her discrimination suit Aug. 27 following a settlement in which the terms were not disclosed.Read More

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - When Danielle Doty, Miss Texas Teen USA, arrived in the Bahamas to compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant, she surrendered to God’s plan for her life, the Harlingen native said.Read More

If you see a giant nun looming in front of you, you’re not having flashbacks to your Catholic school days. The larger-than-life photographic cutouts of the Sisters of Mercy, posted on street corners by Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, are helping hospital visitors find their way to the Saratoga Street parking garage.Read More

NEW DELHI – A rally by Christians and Muslims demanding equal rights for their dalit members blocked traffic in the main streets of the capital for several hours July 28.Read More