News
‘Mass mob’ packs long-empty pews of inner city churches
The movement to invite thousands of people to fill beautiful, once-vibrant churches for Mass with has hit Detroit in spectacular fashion, as it has in Philadelphia and other cities from its beginnings in Buffalo, N.Y.
Archbishop Chaput hears of suffering in Syria first hand
The Catholic archbishop of Damascus wrote a letter to Philadelphia’s archbishop detailing violence in Syria and an upswing in religious vocations among the young, despite persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
Pope asks prayers after great nephews, their mother die in car crash
Pope Francis asked people to join him in prayer Aug. 19 after he learned that two of his little great nephews and their mother had died in a car crash in Argentina and his nephew was in critical condition.
U.S. Dominicans praying, ‘agonizing’ for Iraqi Dominicans, villagers
Dominican Sister Attracta Kelly in Adrian, Michigan, has been able to speak a few times with the superior of a group of Iraqi Dominicans and knows how desperate their situation is since they escaped Islamicists in northern Iraq.
Federal court says accommodation process on HHS mandate ‘a subterfuge’
A U.S. District Court Aug. 13 ruled in favor of a Baptist-run college in its fight against the federal contraceptive mandate and the directive that nonprofit employers who are not exempt from the mandate but who object to it must authorize a third party to provide contraceptive coverage to employees.
Special U.S. collection urged to help those suffering in Middle East
The president of the U.S. bishops' conference Aug. 19 asked Catholic bishops across the country to take up a special collection for humanitarian needs and pastoral support for Christians and other victims of violence in the Middle East.
Pope talks of airstrikes in Iraq, and possible Philadelphia visit
On the plane back to Rome from his trip to Korea, Pope Francis said force can be justified to stop "unjust aggressors" such as Islamic State militants in northeastern Iraq, but he declined to endorse U.S. military airstrikes against the militants. He also said he would travel to Iraq if necessary -- and he spoke at length about other travel plans including possibly to Philadelphia next year.
Prelates call for international action to liberate Iraq
Pope Francis' personal envoy to the suffering people of Iraq joined the Chaldean Catholic patriarch in launching an appeal to the international community Aug. 18, pleading for help to liberate villages controlled by the Islamic State terrorists and to provide the displaced with international protection.
Iraqi Christians arrive in Jordan with tearful tales of desperation
The first Iraqi Christians fleeing Islamic State militants reached the safety of Jordan, helped by King Abdullah II and Catholic aid groups.
‘We need actions, not words’ to stop militants, says Chaldean leader
As the heart-rending images of Christians and Yezidis fleeing for their lives continue to pour in from Iraq, the Vatican called on Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbarity" and "unspeakable criminal acts" of Islamic State militants in Iraq.