Catholic News Service

The liturgy is not a spectacle to be observed but a prayerful event where Christians encounter Christ's presence in their lives, Pope Francis said.

Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez asked the country to pray "for liberation from Satan" Feb. 1 after violence erupted following a political rally late Jan. 31 in the capital, San Salvador. At least two people died and several were injured.

Established almost 500 years ago, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is no longer "the Inquisition" — rather, its main focus is handing down the teachings of the apostles, said the office's prefect.

Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego warned against the "weaponization of Eucharist" as a way to get Catholic elected officials, President Joe Biden among them, to adhere to the church's stance on abortion.

"We must not look the other way. Let us pray for women who are victims of violence, that they may be protected by society and have their sufferings considered and heeded by all," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis announced the establishment of a World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly as a reminder of the important role they play as a link between generations.

Pope Francis said that unless there is a serious new wave of COVID-19 infections in Iraq, he has every intention of visiting the country in early March. "I am the pastor of people who are suffering," Pope Francis told Catholic News Service Feb. 1.

"The Eucharist unites and strengthens us in our efforts to secure justice for the unborn, and to create a culture wherein every human life is cherished, nurtured and protected from the moment of conception until natural death," said Archbishop Lori, chairman-elect of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

"In Spain, there is a saying, 'Por la plata baila el mono' — 'Monkeys will dance for money.' It is a saying that is clear," Pope Francis told the Roman Rota, a tribunal handling mostly marriage cases, Jan. 29.

Cardinal Louis Sako said Pope Francis' March trip to Iraq is still on and that the pope plans to meet personally with Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, leader of the country's Shiite Muslim majority.

A new national protocol for responding to historical child sexual abuse and any new allegations in the Catholic Church in Australia will be more compassionate and just, said Archbishop Mark Coleridge, head of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference.

The World Food Program released a statement saying executive director David M. Beasley "voiced specific fears about famine looming in several countries at the same time as COVID-19 is ravaging communities around the globe."

Stating that Brazil's federal government denied the pandemic and appeared to sabotage public health, 380 Brazilian Christian leaders filed an impeachment request against President Jair Bolsonaro.

Praying with Scripture is not meant to be a mindless repetition of biblical quotes but instead is a gift that is meant to be accepted in people's hearts, Pope Francis said.

As a journalist, Franciscan Fr. Jack Wintz covered stories that explored human nature and inspired Catholics nationwide.

Thousands attended the 17th Annual Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco Jan. 23 despite the pandemic.

Indian Jesuit Fr. Stan Swamy marked 100 days in prison with a letter highlighting the cases of poor people languishing in jail who begin their trials without even knowing their criminal charges.

“No Catholic in good conscience can favor abortion," San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said Jan. 21 in response to comments by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, during a Jan. 18 episode of a podcast hosted by Hillary Clinton.

The chairman of the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee called it "deeply disturbing and tragic" that any U.S. president would mark the Jan. 22 anniversary of the Roe decision that legalized abortion by praising it and committing to codifying it in law.

In his written homily for the Sunday of the Word of God, the pope underlined the importance of making time each day for reading even just a brief passage of the Bible, particularly the Gospels, where God's Word continues to say, "Do not be afraid, I am with you. I am at your side and I will always be there."