News
Indian church joins relief efforts as floods wreak havoc in Kerala
All 41 Catholic dioceses in the southern state have opened schools and other institutions to accommodate flood victims and are cooperating to send food, clothes and other relief materials to affected areas.
Abuse victims say they felt hurt by ordinary Catholics’ lack of compassion
Sexual assault victims say they were hurt not only by individual priests, but by church officials and ordinary Catholics who treated them with intolerance and indifference.
‘We didn’t have food,’ say Venezuelan families at Colombian shelter
With the International Monetary Fund predicting the inflation rate will top 1 million percent this year, the monthly minimum wage will not buy enough flour for a batch of arepas, the corn bread that is a Venezuelan staple.
Eucharist is a taste of heaven on earth, pope says
By receiving the Eucharist at Mass, Christians are given Christ's same spirit and a taste of eternal life, Pope Francis said Aug. 19 during the Angelus.
Sister Elizabeth Mercer, serving in 7 dioceses, dies at 91
The Delaware County native and graduate of Notre Dame High School in Moylan entered the Sisters of St. Joseph Chestnut Hill in September 1945, serving almost 73 years in religious life.
Msgr. James Shields, former teacher, pastor, dies at 82
After serving at Roman Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty High Schools, he was pastor of St. Anselm Parish in Philadelphia served in retirement at Mary Mother of the Redeemer, North Wales.
Sexual harassment claims at St. Charles Seminary under investigation
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Office for Investigations is looking into allegations of sexual harassment from a former student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary dating to 2010-2011.
Rage among ‘righteous’ reactions to abuse, leading bishops say
Archbishop Charles Chaput and Chicago Cardinal Blaise Cupich were among many American Catholic bishops reacting to the latest abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. See links to the statements.
Pennsylvania prelate says bishops who hid abuse should resign
Bishop Lawrence T. Persico said the only way to regain the trust of the laity after decades-long claims of sexual abuse by priests and others at six Pennsylvania dioceses is by deeds and one of those deeds may mean getting rid of bishops who hid abusers.
Indiana bishop announces he’ll release list of accused abusers in diocese
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades said that in response to the release of the grand jury report on abuse claims in six Pennsylvania dioceses, he will collect and release a list of the names of priests in the diocese he currently heads who committed similar offenses.