“The most massive failure of the Catholic community at all levels in the past 20 years has been to address the question of our ongoing involvement in the Middle East,” Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego said on March 7. • The Netherlands-based group Open Doors International urged on March 9 better protection for Christian refugees in Germany after church officials said many face abuse in Muslim-dominated refugee camps and reception centers. • Pope Francis will visit the former Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau during a visit to Poland on July 27-31 for the celebration of World Youth Day, Polish bishops announced on March 12. • West Virginia became the third state to outlaw second-trimester abortion by dismemberment after its legislature voted on March 10 to override a veto by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. • Press reports on March 10 suggest that French-born Archbishop Christophe Pierre appears to be on track to become the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, nine years after his appointment as nuncio to Mexico.
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The six-day certification course aims to teach ‘how to honor deserving candidates and expedite their path to sainthood in the Vatican,’ according to the center’s website.
History's first American pope reaffirmed Wednesday that the primary role of bishops is to forge unity in his diocese among clergy and to be close to his flock in word and deed.
“Dear friends, a Bishop is a witness to hope by his example of a life firmly grounded in God and completely devoted to the service of the Church. This will be the case only insofar as he is conformed to Christ in his personal life and in his apostolic ministry.”
Aware of the deep concern this new act of violence has caused among Christians in this part of the world, Pope Leo offered these words of assurance: “I say to the Christians of the Middle East: I am close to you! The whole church is close to you!”