News
U.S. bishops learn how conflict affects lives of displaced Ukrainians
Olexiy Kondratenko, a scout with the Ukrainian army, is wondering if he will ever be able to travel to the United States. The 31-year-old soldier lost his left hand in firefight with pro-Russian separatists in the eastern city of Luhansk weeks ago. He needs specialized surgery followed by a period of rehabilitation.
Wedding day transforms anniversary of near-death experience
May 22 is a day Andres "Chico" Gonzalez Jr., will never forget. That day, nine years ago, he was a young New Orleans police officer on duty with his partner, and they made what people who don't wear a badge call a "routine" traffic stop.
More seminaries offering courses on faith, environment, study finds
In a report released June 22 to coincide with Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home," the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development noted that at least 162 courses on faith and the environment were offered at 52 seminaries and religious colleges in the United States and Canada between 2007 and 2014.
Ecuadoreans expect pope will address care for creation during July visit
When Pope Francis lands in Ecuador July 5, he will be returning to a country where he has long-standing bonds of ministry and friendship.
Court upholds health care subsidies in states with federal exchanges
UPDATED - Writing that "Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them," a 6-3 majority of the Supreme Court June 25 upheld tax subsidies for participants in health care exchanges run by the federal government in states that refused to create them.
Extension’s Flat Francis image helps build excitement for pope’s visit
Pope Francis isn't going to be visiting the United States until September, but that hasn't kept the pope from going all around the nation, if only as a simple piece of paper for the time being.
Street evangelists make pamphlets, rosary beads available to passers-by
David Brandt, a parishioner at St. Joseph Church in Pinole, is the leader of the Berkeley area evangelists, who are part of a network of 190 teams nationwide. He and his handful of fellow evangelists -- he's recruiting more -- have brought their pamphlets and rosary beads to some places that have a lot of questions.
In upholding state abortion restrictions, court exempts one clinic
Abortion supporters claimed the law placed an "undue burden" on women in the Rio Grande Valley, including undocumented women, who are seeking an abortion, because they will be forced to drive hundreds of miles to clinics in Houston or San Antonio.
Mother says sidewalk counselor at abortion clinic ‘saved my son’s life’
Linda was 24, pregnant and unmarried. "I was afraid of what my family would think, what everyone would think," she said. "So I decided that I would terminate my pregnancy."
Ukraine church building projects attract interest from USCCB visitors
A delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops got to see for themselves the progress that Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Greek Catholic communities were making during a fact-finding trip June 20-24.