News
Vatican official tells bishops to be ‘witnesses to the Risen One’
"This assembly and this country is in a time of transition, which is rarely something easy. We are supposed to be witnesses -- yes, even martyrs sometimes -- of our crucified and risen Lord Jesus so our life and ministry may make the Resurrection more credible," Cardinal Ouellet said.
Bishops approve moving forward four possible saints’ causes
The four candidates are Julia Greeley, a former slave who lived in Colorado; Sister Blandina Segale, a Sister of Charity who served on the frontier; Father Patrick Ryan, who ministered to those suffering yellow fever; and Msgr. Bernard Quinn, who fought bigotry and established a black church and orphanage in Brooklyn, New York.
D.C. City Council approves assisted suicide measure in second vote
The vote does not mean legalized assisted suicide is now the law in the district. The measure moves to Mayor Muriel Bowser for approval or veto. If it is approved, the law would be subject to congressional review.
South Korean Catholics seek president’s resignation over scandal
The church in South Korea has been vocal in its calls for Park to resign after news broke that her friend, Choi Soon-sil, allegedly manipulated the president to gain access to secret documents and purportedly embezzle funds through nonprofit foundations.
Admonish sin without putting on airs or being hypocrite, pope says
Pope Francis reflected on two verses in the Gospel of St. Luke (6:41-42) in which Jesus warns against the hypocrisy of noticing "the splinter in your brother's eye," but not perceiving "the wooden beam in your own."
NCCW records a million-plus works of mercy during jubilee year
The National Council of Catholic Women's "Million Works of Mercy" initiative, proposed by supporting member Jane Carter, asked NCCW members to tally their works of mercy, performed either individually or as a council affiliate.
U.S. bishops urged to bring wider attention to Christian persecution
Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour said he hoped that the new four-year strategic plan adopted by the conference earlier in the day would incorporate a robust advocacy for religious freedom in the rest of the world.
Bishops make Africa subcommittee permanent, OK two staff positions for it
The bishops in a later vote also approved another 10-year extension for its most popular national collection, the Retirement Fund for Religious collection, which is taken up in most U.S. dioceses in early December.
Report commissioned by bishops finds diversity abounds in U.S. church
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of San Antonio called the study "groundbreaking" because he said it combined, for the first time all available data from Catholic and non-Catholic sources and mapped the multicultural and ethnic diversity of the church nationwide.
USCCB president-elect stresses need to listen, continue dialogue
The bishops "intend to be attentive," said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston hours after his Nov. 15 election to a three-year term that begins at the close of the bishops' fall assembly in Baltimore.