News

Opening Mass set to begin Year of Mercy

Archbishop Chaput will open the Jubilee Holy Door and celebrate the solemn opening Mass for the holy year on Sunday, Dec. 13 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

Teens make a strong showing at annual pro-life event

Among the crowd of 1,200 veteran pro-lifers were 300 high school students at the 33rd annual Stand Up for Life dinner Nov. 22. It honored individuals making a public witness for life and featured speaker Damon Owens.

Malvern Retreat chief steps down, but not out of Catholic life

A longtime teacher and educational leader, and former seminarian, James Fitzsimmons reflects on retirement from the oldest and largest Catholic retreat center in the country.

Catholic groups, undeterred by Paris attacks, to attend climate summit

"As far as I know, everyone who was planning to go is going. It is such an important issue, at such a critical moment, that we have all been working toward," said Chloe Schwabe, director of the faith-economy-ecology project at the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns.

Vatican orders five to stand trial in ‘VatiLeaks’ case

A Spanish monsignor working in the Vatican's finance office and two journalists who wrote books exposing alleged financial misdeeds, will be tried in a Vatican court with the leaking and publishing documents about Vatican finances.

Sainthood cause for local priest approved by U.S. bishops

After Archbishop Chaput presented the cause for canonization of Augustinian Father William Atkinson of Delaware County -- the first quadriplegic Catholic priest -- the nation's bishops moved the cause forward, along with two others.

Syriac patriarch says Western nations have betrayed Mideast Christians

The head of the Syriac Catholic Church has accused Western governments of betraying Christians in the Middle East and said it was "a big lie" to suggest Islamic State could be defeated with airstrikes.

Pope condemns Mali attacks, calls for acts of kindness in broken world

The pope's words came the same day he had a telegram sent to the people of Mali, expressing his condolences and spiritual closeness to those affected by the latest deadly attacks there.

Upon parenthood, people’s political views grow more similar, study finds

Liberals and conservatives view the social meaning of marriage differently, but "the way liberals and conservatives actually experience marriage is quite similar," said a new study by the American Family Survey.

Church must not worship ‘St. Payola,’ but God alone, pope says

Pope Francis decried the temptation for the church and individuals to become loyal to money and power, from which comes "a bit of fun" but no joy. "The battle inside each one of us" is to be "always with Jesus, always hanging on his words."