International News

WARSAW, Poland -- The president of the Polish bishops' conference condemned attacks on clergy and places of worship in the traditionally Catholic country as the church countered media accusations of inciting violence against LGBTQ groups.

VATICAN CITY -- While deceased Jesuit Father Renato Poblete Barth was known publicly as a champion of the poor in Chile, an internal investigation funded by the Jesuits revealed that the famed clergyman abused more than a dozen women over a span of nearly 50 years.

METUCHEN, N.J. -- New Jersey's new law allowing assisted suicide, effective Aug. 1, "points to an "utter failure" on the part of government and indeed all society, said Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen.

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge July 26 dismissed a $250 million lawsuit against The Washington Post by a Kentucky Catholic high school student, ruling the newspaper's articles and tweets about the student's actions after the annual March for Life in January were protected by the First Amendment.

MANILA, Philippines -- A Catholic bishop in the northernmost island of the Philippines has appealed for prayers and help for victims of twin earthquakes that rocked Batanes province July 27.

WASHINGTON -- As the Archdiocese of St. Louis released a list of names of archdiocesan clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor July 26, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson acknowledged that seeing the names "will be painful" and publishing them "will not change the past."

WASHINGTON -- More than 180 faith leaders in Texas, including 18 Catholics, signed a statement sent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice July 23 asking the agency to change its policy banning prison chaplains from execution chambers.

WASHINGTON -- The July 25 announcement by the Justice Department that it is reinstating the federal death penalty for the first time in 16 years was unwelcome news for Catholic leaders who have advocated against capital punishment.

CLARA, Ireland -- After Mass-goers’ prayers for golfer Shane Lowry were answered, there was “tremendous excitement” in his rural parish, said Fr. Joe Deegan, the local priest.

WARSAW, Poland -- A Polish archbishop has condemned attacks on a gay pride rally by protesters claiming to be defending his cathedral.