National News
Portland Archdiocese cancels Masses through Easter
Portland Archbishop Alexander K. Sample announced March 16 that all Masses -- including those for Holy Week and Easter -- are canceled through April 14. Oregon has banned all gatherings of more than 25 people for four weeks.
Forty years after his martyrdom, St. Romero influences U.S. church
Since his martyrdom March 24, 1980, St. Oscar Romero's example and legacy of solidarity with the poor has remained a mission for the the Catholic Church in the U.S.
In choosing the poor, St. Romero followed church teaching
St. Oscar Romero, canonized in 2018, has become a model for those championing social justice and highlighting the role of the Catholic Church in defending human rights.
Ease up on news viewing, set prayer routine, archbishop advises
Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz offered 14 suggestions for those confined to their homes during the coronavirus pandemic. "We are at our best when we pray for one another," he said.
New Orleans cathedral hauntingly quiet during private Mass
Inside the historic St. Louis Cathedral, where Mass has been celebrated since 1718, the Eucharist was being celebrated without a single person sitting inside the 950-seat narthex.
Priest hears drive-through confessions in church parking lot
Cars have become confessionals at one Maryland parish, where a seminarian directs cars one by one to the pastor. If people want anonymous confession, the priest dons a blindfold.
Following virus recommendations, national shrine closes
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington has closed its doors to the public to minimize the spread of COVID-19," the disease caused by the coronavirus. The Sunday noon Mass will be streamed live.
CDC head ‘not shy about his Catholic faith,’ says Baltimore pastor
When Msgr. Richard Woy sees Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on television these days flanked by medical experts issuing the latest guidance on the novel coronavirus he doesn't just see one of the top health officials in the U.S., he sees one of the faithful.
Masses on TV, social media provide alternatives to closed church doors
In pandemic-unnerved America, we're all shut-ins now. There are many ways to watch Mass in communities where public Masses have been halted in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Summit held to address church’s ‘twin crises’ of abuse, leadership failure
The Catholic Partnership Summit drew 260 Catholic leaders from 63 U.S. dioceses, including bishops, diocesan staff, university presidents, corporate leaders, abuse survivors and more than 30 young adults.