National News
New York Archdiocese to close two high schools, 22 grade schools
NEW YORK (CNS) -- This June, the New York Archdiocese will close two high schools and 22 out of 26 elementary schools labeled "at risk."
Faithful urged to preach pro-life in and out of season like St. Paul
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As thousands of Catholics prepared to brave freezing temperatures to participate in the 40th annual March for Life, Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallas asked them to imitate the example of St. Paul, who preached "in season and out of season." St. Paul "was not afraid to stand in the center of Athens and preach the word of God to politicians and intellectuals," Bishop Farrell said in his homily Jan. 25
Judge dismisses Erie Diocese’s HHS lawsuit, says not ‘ripe’ for review
ERIE, Pa. (CNS) — Erie Bishop Lawrence T. Persico said he was disappointed a federal judge dismissed the diocese’s case against the federal contraceptive mandate as premature but also said he found encouragement in the decision. “I was obviously hoping that the court would find our case ripe for adjudication,” Bishop Persico said in […]
Enthusiasm buoys Vigil for Life as cardinal urges adoption alternative
At a Jan. 24 vigil Mass the night before the March for Life, Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley called upon Catholics to work to change society's negative perception of adoption so that it is seen as a better option than abortion for women, especially those facing a crisis pregnancy.
Los Angeles bishops apologize to abuse victims as lawsuit files go public
LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- As the Archdiocese of Los Angeles released church records on clergy sexual abuse, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony again apologized to abuse victims, saying he was naive about its impact on their lives.
Prayers at morning service, swearing-in ceremony mark Inauguration Day
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- President Barack Obama's second Inauguration Day Jan. 21 started with a private prayer service at St. John's Episcopal Church and centered on a swearing-in ceremony bracketed by prayers and highlighted by an inaugural address dotted with references to God-given societal rights and obligations.
Faith groups begin to muster their members in support of gun controls
WASHINGTON (CNS) — If Vincent DeMarco is right — and he’s got a whole bunch of faith leaders and their organizations lined up to work with him — ending easy access to the kinds of high-power guns used in mass shootings can be accomplished with a tried-and-true strategy. DeMarco, national coordinator of Faiths United to […]
Abortion in America
The number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. hit a high point in 1988 and has been on a decline since.
Deacon: Rev. King’s civil rights advocacy marked by faith, hope, love
GARY, Ind. (CNS) -- The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. may have been a reluctant leader, "but he was willing to put himself out there," said Deacon Melvin R. Tardy Jr. He was "the right person for the moment" in the civil rights movement, said the deacon, an academic adviser at the University of Notre Dame. What separated Rev. King from other contemporaries was faith, hope, and love, he added.
Priest urges Catholics to regain ‘ardor’ for risen Christ to evangelize
SALT LAKE CITY (CNS) — To evangelize in today’s world, Catholics “need to recover their sense of ardor for Jesus risen from the dead,” a Chicago priest told attendees at the national Cathedral Ministry Conference in Salt Lake City. Father Robert Barron, a Chicago archdiocesan priest long involved in media ministry, also told his listeners […]