Federal Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias gets underway

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks on the U.S. opioid crisis at the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 23, 2025. / Credit: SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty ImagesWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 23, 2025 / 17:26 pm (CNA).The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) hosted the inaugural meeting this week of a new task force to counter anti-Christian bias in federal government policies, regulations, and practices."Protecting Christians from bias is not favoritism," Attorney General Pam Bondi said ahead of the meeting. "It's upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the constitutional promise [in the First Amendment]."The task force's first meeting on Tuesday was closed to the public and the media but included the heads of multiple federal departments and agencies along with witnesses who provided testimony on anti-Christian bias within the federal government.President Donald Trump formally established the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias on Feb. 6 by e...

Diocese of Buffalo will pay $150 million in sex abuse settlement

Assets sold to help pay a massive clergy sex abuse settlement in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, include the diocese's former headquarters, pictured here, in downtown Buffalo. / Credit: Warren LeMay/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0CNA Staff, Apr 23, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).The Diocese of Buffalo, New York, will pay out a massive $150 million sum as part of a settlement with victims of clergy sexual abuse there. The diocese said in a press release that the diocese itself, along with parishes and affiliates, would provide the payment "to survivors of sexual abuse for acts perpetrated against them by clergy, religious, lay employees, and volunteers." The settlement amount was still set to be voted on by abuse victims and approved by U.S. bankruptcy court, but the proposal has been accepted by the committee of abuse survivors in the suit, the diocese said. The settlement "represents an essential milestone on this protracted and arduous journey, and importantly, enables us to fina...

German bishops: Blessings of same-sex couples should be done with 'appreciation'

German bishops gather in Rome on Nov. 17, 2022. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNACNA Staff, Apr 23, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).The German Catholic bishops have published a handout that offers guidance to pastors on blessings for couples in "irregular" situations such as same-sex relationships, urging clergy to use the blessings to "express appreciation" for individuals seeking the recognition from Catholic priests. The handout, "Blessings for Couples Who Love Each Other," was distributed earlier this month by the joint conference of members of the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK).The guidance cites Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican document published in 2023 that was approved by Pope Francis. The German document allows for "blessings" of homosexual couples and other extramarital arrangements. It was first reported on by CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner. "Non-church married couples, divorced and remarried couples, a...

PHOTOS: Pope Francis is brought to St. Peter's Basilica

Pope Francis's body lies in state at St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, Apr 23, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).Pope Francis was brought in solemn procession to St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday morning, where the late pontiff will lie in state for three days for mourners to pay their final respects and say goodbye.The Rite of Translation began in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where Francis lived for the 12 years of his pontificate, and ended with the Holy Father's body before the Altar of Confession in the soaring basilica at the center of Christendom.Cardinals pray before Pope Francis' body in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Francis' body is blessed in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Francis' body processes toward St. Peter's Basilica, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaCardinals, bishops, and ...

Handing out ice cream, visiting the poor: Charity of Pope Francis on his patron saint's day

Youngsters surrounding Pope Francis in the popemobile. / Credit: Vatican MediaACI Prensa Staff, Apr 23, 2025 / 12:55 pm (CNA).Pope Francis, baptized as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, celebrated his patron saint's feast day every April 23. The patron saint's day of the pope is a holiday at the Vatican and Pope Francis usually celebrated it with acts of charity toward people in need.The patron saint of the late pontiff, St. George, is credited with protecting the papacy and is also known as an intercessor in the fight against evil.Pope Francis was known to take every opportunity to celebrate special occasions with the poorest, as was also the case on his birthday, when he often invited hundreds of them to dine with him at the Vatican.In 2018, the Holy Father surprised the world with his unusual gesture of distributing ice cream to the poor of Rome to celebrate St. George's feast day.On that occasion, with the help of the apostolic almoner, nearly 3,000 servings of ice cream were distribu...

LIVE UPDATES: Thousands bid farewell to Pope Francis as Vatican looks to extend viewing hours

Thousands of Catholics said their last goodbyes and paid their respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, as the late pope lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAVatican City, Apr 23, 2025 / 14:22 pm (CNA).Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 years.Follow here for live updates of the latest news and information on the papal transition:

Catholics bid final farewell as Pope Francis lies in state at St. Peter's Basilica

Long lines of mourners, many waiting more than four hours under the hot Roman sun, wound around St. Peter's Square on the first day of viewing for Pope Francis on April 23, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNAVatican City, Apr 23, 2025 / 14:37 pm (CNA).Thousands of Catholics said their last goodbyes and paid their respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday as the late pope lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica.Long lines of mourners, many waiting more than four hours under the hot Roman sun, wound around St. Peter's Square on the first day of viewing on April 23. Vatican officials indicated that they might need to extend the basilica's hours past midnight to accommodate the large turnout. Thousands of Catholics wait in line to say their final goodbyes and pay their respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, as the late pope lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNAMany in attendance had initially come to Rome to celebrate Easter ...

Who are the many popes not buried in the Vatican?

The Salus Populi Romani icon is displayed in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNARome Newsroom, Apr 23, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).Pope Francis ordered that upon his death he would be buried in the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of St. Mary Major). This basilica was very dear to him. Francis, however, will not be the only pope to be buried outside of the Vatican City State.In the history of the Catholic Church, there have been 266 popes, and only about 30 of them have been buried outside of Rome. About 90 popes are buried in St. Peter's Basilica (21 in the Vatican grottoes), 22 in St. John the Lateran, seven in Santa Maria Maggiore, five in Santa Maria sopra Minerva (St. Mary of Minerva), five at the Basilica San Lorenzo fuori le mura (St. Lawrence Outside the Walls), three at St. Paul Outside the Walls, and one in the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles. Various factors are at play when it comes to the decision of a burial place. T...

Massimiliano Strappetti: The last man Pope Francis saw and thanked before his death

Pope Francis blesses the faithful at the Jubilee of the Sick in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, on April 6, 2025, as his personal nurse, Massimo Strappetti, assists him in the wheelchair. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAVatican City, Apr 23, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).Having cared for the aging Pope Francis as his personal nurse since 2022, Italian nurse Massimiliano Strappetti was among the few people who saw the Holy Father moments before his death on Easter Monday.Before being appointed Pope Francis' personal nurse in August 2022, Strappetti was the nursing coordinator for the Vatican's health department. He started working in the Vatican in 2002 after having worked eight years in the intensive care unit of Rome's Gemelli Hospital.Pope Francis is seen with his personal nurse, Massimo Strappetti, at the Jubilee of the Sick in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Sunday, April 6, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAStrappetti's appointment came very soon after he accompanied the Holy Fat...

LIVE UPDATES: Thousands pray the rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square

Thousands of faithful, including many religious sisters, gather in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday evening, April 22, 2025, to pray the Rosary for the repose of Pope Francis's soul. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAVatican City, Apr 23, 2025 / 01:12 am (CNA).Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 years.Follow here for live updates of the latest news and information on the papal transition: