News

Kidney donation leads to deacon’s ordination and fast friendship

Joe Murphy and Jack Pfeifer both were studying to become deacons. When Jack went on dialysis, Joe donated a kidney, and was there when Jack was ordained last Saturday.

Pope names members for renewed Pontifical Academy for Life

After broadening the scope of and issuing new statutes for the Pontifical Academy of Life, Pope Francis appointed new members to the advisory body and included scientists, professors and experts in medicine and ethics from both religious and secular backgrounds.

Former attorney professes first vows as cloistered Dominican nun

Tara Clemens was an Anchorage, Alaska, attorney, and an evangelical Christian who joined the Catholic Church during her last months of law school.

Chaldean Catholic bishop calls ICE raid, arrests ‘painful’ for community

Dozens of Chaldean Christians were arrested by federal immigration officials over the weekend of June 10 and 11 in the Detroit metropolitan area, which members of the local church community said left them feeling sad and frustrated.

In model of Jesus, new deacons come to serve the church

Twelve men were ordained to the permanent diaconate for the Philadelphia Archdiocese on Saturday, June 10 by Archbishop Charles Chaput, who explained the roots of deacons in the Bible.

Death of prelate illustrates complicated situation of bishops in China

According to the Chinese government, which does not recognize papal authority over a bishop's appointment, a Catholic bishop must be produced through an election. The result then must be approved by the bishops' conference, which is not recognized by the Vatican.

Catholic social thought leaders join dicastery to promote human dignity

Leaders in the Vatican's new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development are seeking to tap the rich heritage of Catholic social thought emerging from U.S. Catholic higher education to help shape global development so that human dignity remains at the center.

Poverty requires action, not empty words, pope says

People cannot sit back and be indifferent or unresponsive to growing poverty in the world as a privileged minority accumulates "ostentatious wealth," Pope Francis said.

Displaced near South Sudanese border live on mangoes, sweet potatoes

Families here were displaced in late 2016 and early 2017 as fighting between government soldiers and rebels escalated.

Brzezinski recalled as brilliant strategist committed to faith, family

Brzezinski, 89, died May 26 at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia. The cause of death was not reported.