News
Vatican: Abortion, attempted suicide always obstacles to ordination
The sacredness of human life is so absolute that performing or helping procure an abortion or attempting suicide is an obstacle to ordination as a Catholic priest, even if the man was not Catholic at the time the events occurred, said a new Vatican ruling.
At Blue Mass, archbishop prays trust will grow in divided communities
Archbishop Wilton Gregory called for prayers for both law enforcement personnel, who in some areas of the country have become the targets of shooters, and for communities where questionable use of police force has resulted in the death of people of color.
Anger, distrust with candidates may find voters snubbing presidential ballot
Campaign 2016 is shaping up to be one where voters are not so much supporting one candidate or another as casting a ballot against a candidate they find intolerable.
Papal diplomats celebrate jubilee, attend talks on gender, Islam
As part of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis designated a jubilee Sept. 15-17 for all 108 apostolic nuncios who -- stationed across the globe -- work as permanent diplomatic representatives of the Holy See.
Changing canon law, pope brings Latin and Eastern practices closer
After more than 15 years of study and worldwide consultation, the conflicting rules were resolved by adopting the Eastern code's formulations for the Latin church as well, said Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta.
Philippine bishops’ head issues strong ‘no’ on restoring death penalty
The head of the Philippine bishops' conference set "ethical guidelines" against proposals to reinstate the death penalty as the country's war on drugs continues, with body counts increasing daily.
Orphaned world can find a mother in Mary, pope says
As she watched her son crucified and in agony, Mary "gave birth to us in that moment with so much pain; it is truly a martyrdom," the pope said Sept. 15 during a morning Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
Papal advisers on sexual abuse expand reach, influence in Vatican
Though it has no real power, the committee that Pope Franics formed two years ago on protecting children from abuse has become the go-to team for educating church leaders worldwide on the issue.
Study puts dollar value of organized religion in the U.S. at $1.2 trillion
Brian Grim, of the Religious Liberty Project at Georgetown University, unveiled on Sept. 14 findings of a study which analyzed the economic impact of 344,000 religious congregations around the country.
Catholics urged to reject partisan views on migration, heed Gospel message
Instead, Catholics must focus "on the moral teachings of the church that will help us build a vibrant public square," said Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo of Seattle.