US & Canada

On Monday, 5 August, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, USA and appointed Bishop Richard Henning of Providence as his successor. The Capuchin Cardinal O'Malley was 80 in June this year. After having served in Florida, the US Virgin Islands, and Fall River since 1992, John Paul II appointed him on 1 July 2003 as Metropolitan Archbishop... Read More

Pope Francis has sent a message to Father James Martin SJ, for the start of the Outreach Conference for LGBTQ Catholics, which is taking place at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, on August 2-4. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, is due to celebrate Mass for participants. Fr Martin, who carries out his apostolate among the LGBTQ community, wrote to the Pope, asking if he wo... Read More

On the second anniversary of Pope Francis's penitential pilgrimage to Canada, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), has provided an update on the steps that the Catholic Church in Canada has taken to respond to the Holy Father's calls for a future of justice, healing, and reconciliation. It encourages Catholics across the country to continue to listen to and support residential schoo... Read More

In a new letter today, more than 200 church leaders from around the world have urged world powers to end complicity in the ongoing violence and atrocities being committed in the Holy Land. The letter calls for an immediate permanent ceasefire, work for the release of hostages and prisoners held without due process of law alike, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to civilians, and halting all w... Read More

Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech before Congress, Christian groups, led by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will gather to pray for an immediate end to the violence being committed in Gaza and for peace for the day ahead. Speakers will include several notable Christian leaders. Since October 7, CMEP has called for (1) a permanent bilateral ceasefire, (2) the allowance of ade... Read More

Fr Joseph Nangle OFM, Pax Christi USA 2023 Teacher of Peace, writes: A spectre lurked over the Republican National Convention this week and lurks over its entire presidential campaign. It is "in the shadows," so to speak, and not much spoken about publicly. But it exists. Drawn up by the hard right think tank the Heritage Foundation, it is called 'Project 2025' or formally 'The 2024 Presidential ... Read More

Matthew Howard, Leader for Digital Mission, Redemptorists Oceania, writes: Donald Trump has been formally nominated as the Republican presidential candidate for the 2024 election and has selected Ohio Senator James David (JD) Vance as his running mate. This announcement marks the beginning of the four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the party will officially nomin... Read More

The Franciscan Action Network deplores the heinous attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump, which resulted in the death of two people and wounding of two others, including the former president. We express our deep sorrow for the suffering caused by this horrific and inexcusable attack, and we offer our prayers for healing and our condolences to all those traumatized by it. We call for... Read More

Church leaders have expressed their concern and called for prayers after the shooting incident at Donald Trump's campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Mr Trump suffered a minor injury. Two people were killed and two remain in a critical condition. In a statement issued in the wake of the attack, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Timothy Broglio,... Read More

Maronite Bishop A Elias Zaidan, chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, has expressed his solidarity with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in condemning the Israeli forces targeting civilians in Gaza. The Latin Patriarchate released a statement expressing grave concern over news of raids that were launched at the Sacred Family School in G... Read More

A recent graduate in the Washington DC area (who chose to remain anonymous), writes: Sitting in the grass amid quickly erected tents at my alma mater's student protest encampment, I am reminded of Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." The students at the encampment have made the decision that they are willing to sacrifice something for peace - not fo... Read More

Franciscan Bishop John Stowe took part in a peace demonstration outside the White House on Friday, alongside a number of Catholic religious - calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urging US government to stop supplying Israel with weapons. After some opening prayers, music and addresses from other campaigners Bishop Stowe who leads the diocese of Lexington Kentucky and is president of Pax ... Read More

Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of San Diego, and Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, have joined more than 200 Catholic leaders in a letter to President Biden expressing their "grief and dismay over the horrors that have occurred in Israel/Palestine", calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and an end to the shipment of weapons to Israel. They also appeal for an e... Read More

The recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has left the city reeling with shock and grief. The tragedy has had a profound impact on the community, both emotionally and economically. As the city grapples with the aftermath, one local parish has emerged as a beacon of hope and support for those affected. Father Ako Trevor Walker, a Redemptorist missionary and pastor... Read More