Posts In Category
National & World News
Pope prays for people in financial difficulty because of pandemic
IMAGE: CNS photo/Vatican Media By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis offered prayers for everyone, particularly families, facing financial difficulties because of the pandemic. "Let us pray today for people who are beginning to experience economic problems because they cannot work due to the pandemic, and all of …
Pope Francis: As humanity trembles from pandemic, let us unite in prayer
By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Mar 22, 2020 / 07:05 am (CNA).- Pope Francis has asked Christians around the world to unite in praying the Our Father prayer at noon on March 25 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “In these days of trial, while humanity trembles at the threat …
Coronavirus in the Holy Land: How Catholics in the Jerusalem patriarchate are coping
By Andrea Gagliarducci Jerusalem, Mar 20, 2020 / 11:30 am (CNA).- As Easter is approaching, the Holy Land is enduring tough times: the sacred sites are shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, and pilgrimages have come to an end. These events “meaningfully impact our religious communities, especially for the …
Pope announces extraordinary ‘urbi et orbi’ blessing March 27
IMAGE: CNS photo/Alberto Lingria, Reuters By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis said he will give an extraordinary blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27. The formal blessing — usually given …
Two Roman convents isolated as 59 religious sisters test positive for coronavirus
By Hannah Brockhaus Rome, Italy, Mar 20, 2020 / 11:53 am (CNA).- Two convents, one in Rome and one in a town nearby the capital city, have been isolated as the majority of religious sisters in the communities tested positive for COVID-19. According to Italian news agency ANSA, 59 sisters …
A Franciscan friar is DC’s first known coronavirus fatality
By Jonah McKeown Washington D.C., Mar 21, 2020 / 04:07 pm (CNA).- A Franciscan friar is the first person known to have died as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the District of Columbia. Br. John-Sebastian Laird-Hammond, OFM, was hospitalized with the virus last week, and died Friday, the Washington …
Vatican issues decree for Holy Week liturgies with pandemic restrictions
IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — While conferences and meetings can be postponed for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter cannot, with the exception of the chrism Mass, said the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. "By …
Parents share ideas on how to make sudden onset of home schooling work
IMAGE: CNS photo/Melissa Moon, Detroit Catholic By Dennis Sadowski CLEVELAND (CNS) — With kids at home because schools are closed and online education on tap for at least several weeks, parents are wondering how to ensure that learning continues. For Catholic home-schooling families though, having kids learn at home is …
Vatican says general absolution may be permissible during pandemic
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In places particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and with severe limits on people leaving their homes, conditions may exist to grant general absolution to the faithful without them personally confessing their sins first, the Vatican said. The Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican …
If you can’t go to confession, take your sorrow directly to God, pope says
IMAGE: REUTERS By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — People who cannot get to confession because of the coronavirus lockdown or another serious reason can go to God directly, be specific about their sins, request pardon and experience God’s loving forgiveness, Pope Francis said. "This is the right time, the …