National News
Pope Francis reaffirms Vatican’s call for reform of U.S. nuns’ group
Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, told the U.S.-based Leadership Conference of Women Religious that he had "recently discussed the doctrinal assessment with Pope Francis, who reaffirmed the findings of the assessment and the program of reform for this conference of major superiors." The doctrinal congregation met April 15 with the LCWR leadership and Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, who had been assigned by the Vatican to oversee the reform of the pontifically recognized leadership group.
Rally shows range of issues central to immigration reform
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- At a massive rally on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol April 10, the underlying demand -- comprehensive immigration reform -- came with different primary interests for different people. A look at the range of issues underlying the effort to produce a bill that can pass in both the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-controlled House helps explain why it's taking so long for a bipartisan Senate panel to produce a bill, reported to be 1,500 pages long.
‘Shepherd in combat boots’ awarded Medal of Honor for Korean service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A Catholic Korean War chaplain who selflessly pulled wounded men from enemy fire and helped his fellow prisoners of war keep a sense of hope was honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor, in an April 11 White House ceremony.
Chaplain deserves ‘three or four’ Medals of Honor, say Korean War veterans
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor April 11 to famed Korean War chaplain Father Emil Kapaun, presenting it to the priest's nephew, Ray Kapaun, nearly 22,604 days after his uncle's death in a prisoner of war camp. "By his very presence, somehow, he could turn a stinking, louse-ridden mud hut, for a little while, into a cathedral," wrote Mike Dowe, a fellow soldier of Father Kapaun. Yet, he added, there was nothing "ethereal about him, nothing soft or unctuous or holier-than-thou."
Curbing gun violence ‘builds a culture of life,’ bishop tells senators
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Days before the Senate began debate over gun-control legislation, Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif., urged senators to support a bill that "builds a culture of life by promoting policies that reduce gun violence and saves people's lives in homes and communities." On April 10, the day before debate began, Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Patrick Toomey and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin announced a compromise deal on the background-checks provision of the bill that they believe will win bipartisan support.
Immigration rally cries out to Congress to fix range of problems
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- From across the country, by bus, plane and train, tens of thousands of people calling for comprehensive immigration reform covered the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol April 10, in one of more than a dozen similar events taking place around the United States.
Colorado tuition bill means ‘bright future’ for immigrant students, says lawmaker
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CNS) -- Saying it will improve the lives of future generations, Catholics lauded state lawmakers' approval of a measure to allow undocumented immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at Colorado's public colleges and universities if they meet several criteria. Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow, or ASSET, was passed with Republican backing for the first time. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper was expected to sign it into law soon.
HHS lawsuits aim to ‘secure religious freedom,’ bishop says
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, said he has "deep gratitude" and "solidarity and appreciation" for those who have challenged the contraceptive mandate of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that forces employers to pay for contraceptive services.
Archbishop hopes release of abuse records help victims, families heal
ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (CNS) -- The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced April 3 that it will publicly release approximately 3,000 pages of documents that contain details about clergy sexual abuse and will post them to the archdiocesan website by July 1.
New Fargo bishop has Philadelphia ties; Iowa archbishop retires
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jerome G. Hanus of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and named Bishop Michael O. Jackels of Wichita, Kan., as his successor. The pope also appointed Msgr. John Folda, a seminary rector in Nebraska and formerly a student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, to be the bishop of Fargo, N.D. He succeeds Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, who was named to head the Denver Archdiocese in May 2012.