Forty years ago the shocking assassination attempt on the life of John Paul II took place in Saint Peter's Square. It’s a day that entered our collective memory when love and prayer defeated hatred.

Pope Francis’ decision to institute the lay ministry of Catechist should hopefully bring about long-overdue recognition to an essential segment of the African Church often eclipsed by priests and religious sisters.

Cardinal Luis Ladaria, Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, writes to US Bishops urging them to preserve unity amid discussions on pro-life issues. He notes that it would be misleading if the impression were given that abortion and euthanasia alone constitute the only grave matters of Catholic moral and social teaching.

In his greetings to pilgrims present in the Courtyard of St Damasus for the weekly General Audience Pope Francis recalled the attack on St Pope John Paul II 40 years ago, the liturgical feast of Our Lady of Fatima and he invited the faithful to recite the Holy Rosary for the end of the pandemic.

Pope Francis continues his cycle of catechesis dedicated to Christian prayer during the weekly General Audience reflecting on how prayer is sometimes hard and on how many great Christian figures struggled to overcome discouragement and crisis in times of trial.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias explains how the Church's social arm and its healthcare sector are responding to the critical emergency of the nation under massive waves of Covid-19 cases and deaths.

The Pope’s decision to institute the lay ministry of catechist is the fruit of a journey intuited by Pius XII and sanctioned by the Second Vatican Council and by the Synods of Bishops, especially the Synod for Amazonia. It is a service that is always necessary for evangelisation.

Russian authorities say a young gunman has attacked a school in the Russian city of Kazan, killing eight people — seven eighth-grade students and a teacher. Some 21 others were hospitalized with wounds. President Vladimir Putin has expressed outrage about the bloodiest school attack in some time and ordered stricter weapons regulations.

In a letter to authorities, the Bishops of Britain and Scotland highlight some areas of concern in the UK’s New Plan for Immigration and encourage all to break down the walls that separate us in order to build bridges that foster a culture of encounter.

As violence continues to escalate in Jerusalem, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of the Holy City appeal for an intervention on the part of the International Community.