News
Synod prays for families suffering because of war
Gathered with Pope Francis, members of the Synod of Bishops on the family issued a message of solidarity, support and prayers for all families suffering the impact of war and violence, especially in Iraq and Syria.
Married life is better with NFP, couples tell bishops
Catholic couples who ignore church teaching on contraception "don't know what they are missing," a Wisconsin couple said at the Synod of Bishops on the family in Rome. They called for new ways to share church teaching about the beauty of family life.
Merged parish sees new life in community outreach
The new Fatima Catholic Outreach Center opened Oct. 8 with a bishop’s blessing in service to the Bensalem, Bucks County, community and its many Latinos. The former Our Lady of Fatima Parish last summer closed and joined nearby St. Charles Borromeo Parish.
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.”
National shrine for St. John Paul II features artifacts and insights
In the heart of the national shrine dedicated to one of the most revered figures in church and world history, a new exhibit pays further homage to the man who embodied the Catholic Church for more than 25 years.
Family support for mental illness
St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in West Philadelphia will be hosting a National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Family Support Group on the third Saturday of each month starting Oct. 18.
Scarecrow Festival in Lansdale
Mater Dei Catholic School in Lansdale will celebrate autumn by hosting its first Scarecrow Festival Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Medical Mission Sisters celebrate 75 years in Philadelphia
Archbishop Chaput will celebrate a Mass Oct. 27 at the Medical Mission Sisters' headquarters in Fox Chase. The order was invited to minister in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Cardinal Dennis Dougherty in 1939.
Gospel is joyful path, not burdensome rules, Canadian archbishop says
The church needs to find better ways to show how the Gospel message is a way of life meant to bring great joy to couples and families, and is not a burdensome set of rules aimed at exclusion, one member of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family said.
Synod hears of positive, negative aspects of Catholic-Muslim marriages
When a Catholic and a Muslim marry, each brings a strong commitment to family life and their union can be a seedbed for teaching respect for other religions, but fundamentalist currents often create serious challenges for the Catholic spouse, said members of the Synod of Bishops.