News

10 years after his death, many pray for ‘Father Chuck’

Father Charles Pfeffer, former youth office director and campus minister, can still pack the faithful into a church, as they did for his memorial Mass at Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Darby Dec. 14.

‘Happy’ about warming of U.S.-Cuba relations, pope praises diplomacy

Pope Francis expressed his joy over the historic turning point in U.S.-Cuba relations as the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic ties after half a century.

Cardinal cuts ties with Priests for Life, says reforms in group needed

New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said he wants "nothing further to do" with Priests for Life, which has its headquarters on Staten Island, which is in the New York Archdiocese.

Cubans see it’s ‘time to move on,’ says local Cuba-born Catholic

Jorge Fernandez of Bucks County, who escaped Cuba at age 9, knows most Cubans support normalizing relations with the U.S. He credits Pope Francis, with whom he lived for a week last year, for the breakthrough.

Christians can’t ignore differences on life issues, pope says

Christianity has something to say about human dignity, and "it would be a shame" if differing positions on the sanctity of all human life or on marriage were to increase the divisions among Christian churches and communities, Pope Francis said.

Christmas is a sign that God works in history to save people, pope says

God acts in history to save his people, at times even testing them, rather than simply making them in a petri dish and saving them "aseptically, in a laboratory," Pope Francis said.

Today’s teaching on the family

See the daily excerpt from the preparatory catechesis for the 2015 World Meeting of Families, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”

Church leaders pleased that U.S.-Cuba will rebuild relations

Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami described the news as a "game changer" and welcomed the work of Pope Francis in encouraging the two countries together to settle their long-standing differences. "Pope Francis did what popes are supposed to do: build bridges and promote peace," he said.

Pope Francis credited for urging U.S., Cuba to normalize relations

The pope's actions were part of a major diplomatic effort by the Vatican, which hosted direct talks between American and Cuban officials. A letter by the pope "gave greater impetus and momentum for us to move forward," an Obama administration official said.

Bishop Shanahan to host Christmas Concert and Art Exhibit

All are invited by the Downingtown high school's Fine Arts Department to enjoy music by bands and choruses as well as mixed media art works at the school on Dec. 19.