Nation/World

“The right to life is a fundamental — the most fundamental — human right, and Catholics do not oppose fundamental human rights,” the archbishop said in a July 22 statement.

Restarting local economies with a focus on providing adequate food for all the world’s people means governments must involve and listen to small farmers and farming families, Pope Francis said in a message read July 26 to a United Nations meeting on food security.

In the solidarity trip, the U.S. visitors learned about conditions that fuel northward migration.

The Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, known by its Italian initials APSA, released its budget synthesis July 24, and its president, Bishop Nunzio Galantino, described it as “a step forward in the direction of transparency and sharing.”

In the spotlight: Tokyo Olympics, western wildfires, prayers in Mexico

Older people are not “leftovers” to be discarded; rather, they continue to be precious nourishment for families, young people and communities, Pope Francis said in the homily he wrote for the Mass marking the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Venezuela’s president has accused Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, of unduly meddling in national affairs after the cardinal sent a letter to private business leaders, calling for serious negotiations to resolve the ongoing crisis in the South American country.

Releasing both reports July 24, the Vatican said the coronavirus pandemic had a serious negative impact on the Vatican’s financial situation, including the 66.3 million euros ($78 million) deficit in the consolidated budget report for 2020.