Author Archive
Supreme Court seems to lean toward church in Lutheran playground case
By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — Supreme Court justices seemed to side with the church in a separation of church and state case argued April 19 about a Missouri Lutheran preschool barred from receiving state funds for playground resurfacing using recycled tires because it is a church property. In his …
Georgetown University, Jesuits apologize for roles in sale of slaves
IMAGE: CNS photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann, Catholic Standard By WASHINGTON (CNS) — Georgetown University and the Society of Jesus’ Maryland province apologized April 18 for their roles in the 1838 sale of 272 enslaved individuals for the university’s benefit. More than 100 descendants attended a morning “Liturgy of Remembrance, Contrition and Hope” …
Al-Azhar peace conference invites Christian leaders of East, West
By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople was scheduled to attend a peace conference in Cairo with Pope Francis and Sheik Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University. While Patriarch Bartholomew’s office did not release a detailed schedule of events he would be attending …
Closed hearts unable to be surprised by the Resurrection, pope says
By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christian faith is a grace and can be perceived only in the hearts of those willing to be surprised by the joy of the Resurrection, Pope Francis said. “A closed heart, a rationalistic heart” is incapable of understanding the Christian message which …
Not just another ‘trade meeting,’ convocation seeks to unify U.S. church
IMAGE: CNS/Nancy Wiechec By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — This summer’s Convocation of Catholic Leaders comes at a time when the U.S. Catholic Church is seeking how best to respond to a changing social landscape while bringing Pope Francis’ vision for a church that offers mercy and joy to the …
How the church determines a true Marian apparition
IMAGE: CNS/Reuters By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When it comes to Marian apparitions, the Catholic Church takes a prudent approach that focuses more on the message than the miracle. Supernatural phenomena, like the alleged miracle of the sun in Fatima, Portugal, nearly 100 years ago, are not …
Pope Benedict celebrates birthday with Bavarian guests, beer, pretzels
IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A bit of Bavaria, including German beer and pretzels, came to the Vatican to help celebrate retired Pope Benedict XVI’s 90th birthday. “Thank you for bringing Bavaria here,” he told his guests, commenting on the beauty of gathering together …
At ‘mother of all vigils,’ U.S. church welcomes thousands of new Catholics
IMAGE: CNS photo/Octavio Duran By WASHINGTON (CNS) — During what the Roman Missal describes as the “mother of all vigils,” the U.S. Catholic Church welcomed thousands of new Catholics at the Easter Vigil April 15 in churches big and small across the country. About 60 of the nearly 200 dioceses …
Immigrants aren’t getting health care, so parish brings it to them
IMAGE: CNS photo/Sarah Webb, CatholicPhilly By Gina Christian NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CNS) — For immigrants in the country without legal permission, a routine doctor’s visit can be an occasion for panic. Without papers, immigrants fear deportation when they enter the waiting room. Unwilling to take such a risk, they avoid seeking …
New Assisi shrine is reminder to shed attachment to money, pope says
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Like St. Francis of Assisi did, the Catholic Church and individual Christians must follow Christ by imitating his willingness to give up everything for the sake of others, Pope Francis said. “Unfortunately, 2,000 years after the proclamation of the Gospel and eight centuries …