Strasbourg, France, Mar 13, 2020 / 02:12 pm (CNA).- The European Court of Human Rights has declined to hear the case of two Swedish nurses denied midwife jobs because of their refusal to perform abortions. “We are very disappointed by the Court’s decision not to take up the cases of Ms. Grimmark and Ms. Steen.

Vatican City, Mar 13, 2020 / 01:47 pm (CNA).- Less than one day after the Diocese of Rome closed all Roman churches to the public, the cardinal who oversees the diocese reversed himself, saying he would leave that decision to parish pastors. Both announcements came amid deliberations between Pope Francis and Cardinal Angelo De Donatis,

Washington D.C., Mar 13, 2020 / 12:32 pm (CNA).- The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception announced Friday afternoon it will suspend the public celebration of Mass and the hearing of confessions until further notice, just hours after the shrine said it would keep to its public Mass and confession schedule unless

Washington D.C., Mar 13, 2020 / 11:30 am (CNA).- Catholic bishops in the United States offered prayers and encouragement as Congress considers a relief package for the Coronavirus. Conference president Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles released a statement Friday invoking Our Lady of Guadalupe and encouraging Catholics to pray. “God does not abandon us,” Gomez said.

Washington D.C., Mar 13, 2020 / 10:50 am (CNA).- This story is developing and will be regularly updated. Last updated: 2:15 PM MT. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, bishops across the country have taken steps to curtail the spread of the illness, and many dioceses have announced restrictions on public Mass and other liturgies. 

Seattle, Wash., Mar 12, 2020 / 01:20 pm (CNA).- The Archdiocese of Seattle has suspended public Masses and closed some Catholic schools, but priests in the archdiocese have been encouraged to keep churches open for prayer, to continue celebrating Mass privately, and to find ways to offer the sacrament of penance. In a letter to

Rome, Italy, Mar 12, 2020 / 01:15 pm (CNA).- The vicar general of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, announced Thursday the closure of all churches in the diocese through April 3. Since March 9 public Masses have been canceled throughout the diocese, but churches had remained open for personal prayer, and some had held Eucharistic

New York City, N.Y., Mar 12, 2020 / 11:55 am (CNA).- Places of worship in a New York City suburb are facing unprecedented measures to fend off the spread of coronavirus after the governor on Tuesday announced the creation of a 1-mile radius “containment zone” to limit the virus’ spread. Under the rules of the

Washington D.C., Mar 12, 2020 / 10:10 am (CNA).- A Ukrainian Catholic bishop has urged Christians not to forget their suffering brethren in that country. With global attention focused on the coronavirus outbreak, Bishop Stepan Sus said Christians in Ukraine are still enduring a years-long war with no end in sight. “Very often Ukraine is

Washington D.C., Mar 12, 2020 / 08:00 am (CNA).- This week the Israeli government announced that, from March 12, any foreign tourist who enters the country will be placed in a 14-day quarantine to halt the spread of COVID-19. The announcement affected thousands would-be pilgrims planning to visit the Holy Land, and resulted in changed