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Struggling families should feel embrace of the church, observers say
Catholic leaders in the United States saw Pope Francis' new document on the family as a "love letter to families" as well as a "raw appreciation for how bad the situation can be on the ground."
Cardinal Schonborn: Family doc doesn’t change doctrine
Pope Francis' new document on the family is an "organic development" of church teaching with "true innovations, but no break" in tradition, said a participant in recent synods of bishops that dealt with the topic.
Music director hits the high notes at Glenside Catholic school
St. Joseph the Protector School has a music program that is producing top musicians in the archdiocese, thanks to band director Alex Schmauk, who sees the value of teaching children over a four-year period.
Archbishop Chaput: Thankful for pope’s thoughts on marriage, family
The archbishop called "Amoris Laetitia" ("The Joy of Love") "a serious and extensive reflection on Christian marriage," and he echoes Pope Francis' advice to read the unusually long document with patience. In English and en Espanol.
Papal document digs into the nitty gritty of family life
In "Amoris Laetitia," Pope Francis writes of the passion and devotion of family life, but also heartache and sweat. Commitment to another person "involves a bold gamble," he wrote. But the payoff is huge.
Spirituality is essential in family life, pope says
Simple gestures such as a kind look or a morning kiss and family prayer can strengthen couples in living out their vocation to marriage, Pope Francis said in "'Amoris Laetitia' (The Joy of Love).
Agencies scramble to curb explosion in U.S. opiate use
Four in five new heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers, and three times as many people are addicted to them than heroin, resulting in more opiate overdose deaths than heroin.
Show mercy to all families, the strong and the struggling, pope urges
"No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed," Pope Francis wrote in his highly anticipated document on the family released today. He urged greater sensitivity in the church for marriages in crisis and for gay people.
For Catholic astronauts, flying to space doesn’t mean giving up the faith
Under a special arrangement, a rookie astronaut carried a pyx with six consecrated hosts broken into four pieces, enough for him to take Communion once a week for the 24 weeks he was aboard the space station.
Catholics and Methodists can learn from one another, pope says
Pope Francis met Methodist leaders in Rome and applauded the "growing closeness" between the two churches and the desire to "overcome all that stands in the way of our full communion."