National News
Woman’s suicide called tragedy, symbol of ‘culture of death’ in U.S.
Brittany Maynard, a young California woman who was suffering from terminal brain cancer and gained national attention for her plan to use Oregon's assisted suicide law, ended her life Nov. 1. She was 29 years old.
Creighton criticized for giving benefits to same-sex spouses of workers
Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha said he was disappointed that Creighton University's president said the Jesuit-run institution will extend health care benefits to the same-sex spouses of employees in 2015.
Maronite bishop urges ‘profound defiance’ in face of persecution
Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of Brooklyn, New York, spoke to Belmont University students Oct. 22 about the need for all Christians to respond to persecution with "profound defiance," which is markedly different from vengeful retaliation or submissive inaction.
Panelists examine role of religion in Supreme Court justices’ ruling
The influence of religion on U.S. Supreme Court justices has grown more prominent in the last 50 years, according to five panelists who convened Oct. 27 to examine how the religious beliefs of the current justices affect their interpretation of the Constitution.
Young and old pray rosary together for peace over 4 weeks
How often do you see approximately 150 men, women and children attending a parish rosary devotion, at least in this day and age? That’s what happened at St. Christopher Parish in Northeast Philadelphia on the four Tuesday evenings in October.
Chicago Archdiocese will close or merge 14 Catholic schools
Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago said the archdiocese cannot afford to continue giving $18 million annually in aid to the parish grade schools, as their operating costs continue to rise. The archdiocese and its parishes have given $165 million to the schools over the past five years.
Panel addresses psychological evaluations in seminary admissions
A priest working in the vocation field told a group of Catholic psychotherapists that "we have to be careful not to hold our standards so high that nobody can get in." A dysfunctional family background and sense of entitlement should also be noted, along with a candidate's college debt.
Ave Maria U. gets temporary relief from HHS mandate
A federal judge in Florida has granted Ave Maria University's request to keep the Catholic university from being forced to follow the latest procedures to opt out of the contraceptive mandate. Without the ruling, the school faced fines of $1,000 per employee per day beginning Nov. 1.
‘Don’t give up hope’: Archbishop responds to woman’s suicide plan
As a young California woman gained national attention for her plan to use Oregon's assisted suicide law, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland issued a statement saying the Oregon law puts forward illusion and confusion.
Veterans find help to heal their emotional wounds at Franciscan center
David Campbell believes he has died twice in his lifetime. He was not breathing at birth. Then, as a young soldier, he was hit by an exploding grenade and resuscitation efforts nearly failed.