National News
Catholic chaplain accompanies anguished circus workers on final tour
The Ringling circus was nearing the end of its 145-year run and the workers, including frontline performers, were in a quandary about their future. They learned Jan. 14 that the circus was closing.
Terror groups seen as ‘entities of concern’ on religious freedom
Islamic State, the Taliban and the Somali group al-Shabaab made it into a U.S. commission's report thanks to a new law. The Jesuit priest in charge called IS "one of the most egregious violators of religious freedom."
St. Padre Pio relics to tour U.S. marking 130th anniversary of his birth
Relics of St. Padre Pio, a Capuchin priest who bore the stigmata of Jesus, will be on public display in several U.S. dioceses and archdioceses in May and again in the fall.
Oregon anti-Catholic preacher said to feel helpless in modern world
Eight men who in January hurled a fiery message outside of a Spanish Mass in Portland do not represent a new phenomenon of the Trump era. Instead, they are part of a long tradition of Christian splinter groups that react virulently to change and see themselves as prophets.
Court’s death penalty vote will impact current stayed executions
When the Arkansas Supreme Court stayed the executions of two of the eight men slated for April executions, it said it was awaiting guidance from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McWilliams v. Dunn, the case it heard April 24.
Kentucky farm rooted in mission of Dominican Sisters of Peace
Grass-fed, free roaming cattle, along with orchards and beehives, are helping business boom at the 650-acre farm, which "embraces sustainable practices ... to preserve and care for the land."
Seminarians learn ministry extends beyond ‘office hours’
"Don't prepare yourselves to be administrative people, to say 'I work from 8 to 6 and after that, it's finished' No, you are full time," the apostolic nuncio to the United States told students at the nation's only Vatican-affiliated seminary.
New food truck to help stem senior hunger in Diocese of Oakland
A year in the making, the Mercy Brown Bag Program has expanded, with the truck visiting several locales and offering assistance to seniors faced with the high cost of rent and medication.
Florida clergy coalition creates interfaith bonds to counter hate crimes
Members of the Clergy Coalition of Coral Springs and Parkland have been meeting in an effort to strengthen clergy bonds and better respond to hate crimes and ease anxieties affecting faith communities.
Catholic educators get new ideas at annual NCEA convention
More than 8,000 Catholic educators attended the National Catholic Educational Association Convention, including six awardees among the contingent of teachers from the Philadelphia Archdiocese.