National News

Timeline of key events in life and ministry of Blessed Juniper Serra

Pope Francis is scheduled to canonize the Franciscan friar Sept. 23 during his visit to Washington.

Cardinal Dolan denounces Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric

In an op-ed piece in the New York Daily News, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York took issue with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump without explicitly naming him.

Catholic Appalachian group asks bishops to be strident on ‘Laudato Si”

The Catholic Committee of Appalachia urged 26 bishops to engage Catholics in the pews, the mining industry and elected officials on the pope's encyclical on the environment.

Federal judge orders release of detained immigrant families

Advocates for the thousands of families being held in compounds hailed the July 24 ruling and said it should mean the stop to locking up families while they pursue legal protection from deportation.

Congress limits number allowed to hear papal address

House members voted July 28 to limit the number of people allowed in the House Chamber Sept. 24 when Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of Congress.

New Gallup poll shows pope’s favorability drops among Americans

A new Gallup poll shows that the favorability rating for the pontiff among U.S. respondents is now about 59 percent, down from 76 percent in early 2014 and close to the 58 percent rating Americans gave him when he was elected pope in March 2013.

Catholic officials, others react to Boy Scouts’ decision to allow openly gay leaders

The Boy Scouts' decision does not affect decisions about leaders made by local troops and councils and also permits religiously chartered Scout troops to choose leaders whose values are consistent with those of the sponsoring faith.

Blessed Serra described as missionary ‘on fire’ heeding Christ’s call

To Andrew Galvan, Blessed Junipero Serra is a stalwart of faith and mission worthy of the title "saint."

Appellate panel reverses decision that favored pro-life pharmacists

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals July 23 reversed a lower court ruling that had granted some pro-life pharmacists at a Ralph's grocery store pharmacy in Washington state the right on religious grounds to refuse to stock emergency contraception or fill such prescriptions.

Reauthorization of education law said to put ‘needs of children first’

In reauthorizing the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the House and Senate have made "significant improvements for providing equitable services for students and teachers in religious, private and independent schools," said a U.S. archbishop.