National News
Smithsonian inquiring about drawings made by children at Catholic center
The Smithsonian Museum of American History is looking at the possibility of acquiring for its collection drawings made by children ages 10 and 11 at a Catholic Charities center in Texas, which may depict their stay at federal detention centers for immigrants near the border.
Monastery connects U.S. Catholics to Holy Land, events in Christ’s life
The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America features scaled replicas of the Tomb of Jesus, the Tomb of Mary, the Chapel of the Ascension, the Lourdes Grotto, the Anointing Stone, Calvary, the Gethsemane Grotto, and others.
West Virginia woman shares her story of addiction and recovery
With a population of less than 400, Kermit, W. Va., became the epicenter of the nation's opioid crisis more than 10 years ago when painkillers -- 3 million pills in 10 months -- flooded the town through a local pharmacy.
Catholic schools in Memphis to reopen as charter schools this fall
Students were allowed to take home religious materials that would no longer be allowed in the school when Our Lady of Sorrows and other Jubilee Catholic Schools become charter schools in the fall.
New commission to review role of human rights in U.S. foreign policy
Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard Law School professor, will chair the Commission on Unalienable Rights, which is expected to elevate concerns about abortion and religious freedom.
$28 million distributed to religious orders to care for aging members
Orders of women and men religious received, collectively, $28 million in financial help from the National Religious Retirement Office, the umbrella group that coordinates the annual Retirement Fund for Religious campaign in parishes and dioceses nationwide.
‘Dangerous’ bill on seal of confession withdrawn before key hearing
In a last-minute twist, a California bill that would have required priests to break the sacramental seal of confession was shelved by its sponsor amid a remarkable grassroots campaign mounted by the state's Catholics, members of other faith groups, and religious liberty advocates from across the country.
Small West Virginia town of Kermit is where U.S. opioid crisis began
Sister Therese Carew moved to Kermit 10 years ago, just a few months after the now infamous FBI shutdown of a town pharmacy through which 3 million pills were funneled into the community in 10 months. She has been executive director of Christian Help for four years.
Opioid crisis reaches all corners of West Virginia, leaving few untouched
West Virginia leads the nation in drug overdose death rates. With an average of 57.8 deaths per 100,000 residents, the state's drug fatality rate was nearly three times higher than the national average of 21.7 deaths.
With miracle confirmed in Sheen cause, plans for beatification can begin
Now that the miracle has been confirmed by Pope Francis, the Diocese of Peoria can formally begin planning for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen, which will take place in Peoria.