Local News
Catholic author taps fond memories of orphanage, now captures finest Christmas carols
Ron Clancy loves Christmas and most of all Christmas music, especially the fine old carols that have been passed down from generation to generation. You could call him a modern day Scrooge, who after seeing the light, “holds Christmas in his heart and tries to keep it all the year.” Except in this case, Ron was not an old man when he received his epiphany.
Msgr. Wendrychowicz, pastor of St. Agnes in Sellersville, dies
Msgr. John B. Wendrychowicz Msgr. John B. Wendrychowicz, pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Sellersville, died Dec. 20 at Villa St. Joseph, Darby. The reception of the body will be held at St Agnes Church on Wednesday, Dec. 26 at 4 p.m., followed by a viewing. A parish Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. […]
Parishes to join in moment of remembrance for victims of Sandy Hook tragedy
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has asked all 256 parishes in the five-county Archdiocese of Philadelphia to honor a day of mourning Dec. 21 in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School Dec. 14. Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy called for the day of mourning, and will observe a moment of silence followed […]
Annual Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit treats 400 needy children to fun party
“I’m never ready for Christmas until I do this,” said Douglas Dunn, who has played Santa Claus for the past 17 years at the Archbishop's Christmas Benefit for Children Dec. 18. “For me, it is just to see the joy and happiness of the children. I try to visit every child in the room.” That’s a tall order, considering there were 400 children at the party representing the 16,000 children who benefit during the year from residential and community-based programs offered by archdiocesan Catholic Social Services.
Mothers and daughters share tea, learn about fertility
The Blessed Mother must have been smiling as the special mother-daughter fertility appreciation program took place at Immaculate Conception Parish in Jenkintown on Nov. 11. The Mother-Daughter Tea drew more than 85 participants and was well-attended by girls between the ages of 10 to 14 in the company of their mothers, aunts, grandmothers and the special women in their lives.
Catholics walk, pray, celebrate love for Our Lady of Guadalupe on her feast
Spanish-speaking Catholics poured out their love for Our Lady of Guadalupe throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia this week. For the Tuesday, Dec. 11 vigil preceding our Lady’s feast on Dec. 12, hundreds of Latino pilgrims from Philadelphia parishes began to walk in a procession as early as 4 p.m. from their homes to the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in center city for a Mass and celebration.
Pa. won’t set up health insurance exchanges, might opt out of abortion in federal plan
UPDATE -- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced Dec. 12 that the state would not set up its own health insurance exchanges and instead join the federal exchange, which will cover elective abortions. Just how the decision will impact such issues as abortion is not totally clear.
Christmas concert at St. Charles Seminary draws capacity crowd
The 25th annual Christmas concert at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary was so successful that seminarians had to hustle to find folding chairs to accommodate an enthusiastic capacity audience. More than 600 people filled the seminary’s St. Martin’s Chapel Sunday night, Dec. 9, and were treated to an hour and a half of selections of sacred music and two traditional Christmas carols by the 25-voice seminarian choir.
Supreme sacrifice of Phila. priest chaplains recalled at Seminary
Call it a premonition or maybe just a fitting epitaph. “Courage is fear that has said its prayers and there is no greater prayer than squaring souls away for God.” That was written in the last letter to his family by Father Anthony Conway, chaplain in the U.S. Marines and a priest of Philadelphia, ordained May 22, 1937, and who died on a Guam beach July 23, 1944.
Archbishop Chaput recovers from knee surgery, expresses gratitude for people’s prayers
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M.Cap., successfully underwent knee replacement surgery Tuesday, Dec. 4. In the following statement released Dec. 7, he responds to the many expressions of prayerful support he received in the days before and since the surgery.