National News
New Hampshire bishop supports state bill to repeal death penalty
CONCORD, N.H. (CNS) — Bishop Peter A. Libasci of Manchester declared his support of a bill in the state Legislature that would repeal the death penalty in New Hampshire. “What we must call for in a civilized society is not retribution but restitution,” Bishop Libasci said at an Oct. 24 press conference in Concord, the […]
Five Catholics acquitted of disorderly conduct at N.Y. drone base
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Five Catholics protesting U.S. drone warfare policies said they were stunned but relieved to be found not guilty of disorderly conduct for their roles in an Ash Wednesday demonstration at an upstate New York air base. "We were like, really?" said defendant Ellen Grady, a Catholic Worker from Ithaca, N.Y.
Religious leaders ask Obama to move faster on normalizing Cuba ties
A letter to President Barack Obama called for a three-point plan to normalize relations between the United States and Cuba, including initiating high-level dialogue with the Cuban government; removing Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism; and lifting all restrictions on "people-to-people" travel between the U.S. and Cuba.
World War II vet says time as POW of Nazis deepened his Catholic faith
DUNDALK, Md. (CNS) -- U.S. Army Air Corps Cpl. Leo Wojciechowski had just unloaded bombs targeting the Blechhammer synthetic oil refinery on the Nazi-occupied Czech-Polish border when he felt his B-24 shudder. Anti-aircraft fire had struck the nose gunner's plane during the Aug. 7, 1944, mission, causing it to lose speed and altitude as gasoline flooded the rear of the compromised aircraft.
First U.S. edition of missal in Spanish may be on the horizon
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Anyone who’s familiar with the arduous, years-long process of getting English-language liturgical texts into use might be a bit surprised to learn that there is no comparable system for single-source Spanish translations of missals and other liturgical books. In the United States, priests celebrating daily or weekly Mass, a wedding or other […]
Catholic college mourns death of alumna slain at her school
WORCESTER, Mass. (CNS) -- Assumption College planned to hold a noon prayer service Oct. 25 in the school's Chapel of the Holy Spirit to remember Colleen Ritzer, a 2011 graduate found dead early in the morning Oct. 23.
Biotechnology must consider ethics, compassion, says Cardinal Turkson
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNS) -- He came to engage in conversations about hunger. Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, came to Des Moines for the World Food Prize. He talked with scientists, researchers, policymakers and students. He also made time to talk with those who have concerns about genetically modified food and family farms.
Growing Hispanic presence in U.S. church seen as blessing and challenge
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (CNS) -- The fact that Spanish-speaking and Latino Catholics are fast becoming a major segment -- already about one-third -- of the Catholic population in the U.S. wasn't lost on a range of Catholic Hispanic leadership gathered Oct. 17-20 for a regional encounter.
Cardinal Maida dedicates mosaic of late pope at national shrine
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Polish-Americans, including Cornell University senior Adrian Poniatowski, filled the Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa to honor the Catholic Church's first Polish pontiff, who encouraged people throughout the world to be active members of the church.
Thomas Foley dies at 84; was House speaker for nearly six years
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The nation lost "a true American statesman" with the passing of Thomas S. Foley, former speaker of the House, said the president of his alma mater, Jesuit-run Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash.