News

Archbishop Chaput invites all U.S. bishops for World Meeting of Families

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput made the following remarks today to fellow bishops -- who he invited to Philadelphia along with the families of their dioceses -- gathered in New Orleans for the spring meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In Rio, a light and sound display welcomes World Cup

SAO PAULO (CNS) -- Hours before the kickoff of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil welcomed the 32 teams competing in the global soccer event with a special program and a reminder of Pope Francis' advice about sports.

Pope blasts arms merchants and human traffickers, decries child labor

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis denounced those responsible for human trafficking, slave labor and arms manufacturing, and called on everyone, especially families, to do all they could to safeguard "the healthy upbringing" of all children so they could look to the future with hope.

Christians among 500,000 fleeing Mosul after Islamist forces seize city

BEIRUT (CNS) -- Church leaders in northern Iraq struggled to find shelter for Christians who were among hundreds of thousands who fled Mosul, the country's second-largest city, after Islamist forces took over much of the town, a Chaldean Catholic archbishop said.

Couples from different churches say they are models for Christian unity

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (CNS) -- "None of us set out to do this: We fell in love," and had to figure out how each could be true to who they were while loving and respecting the other, said a Catholic man who along with his Anglican wife spoke at a conference on ecumenism.

Inspiring and supporting families, like her own

As the new programming director for next year’s World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, Mary Beth Yount brings long experience as teacher, wife and mother to developing the topics that visitors to the event will be discussing.

Bishop Shanahan HS graduates 294 seniors

Archbishop Chaput presided over the graduation ceremonies last Friday for the Downingtown Catholic high school, which garnered many distinctions this year.

St. Francis de Sales School wins in state computer fair

Seventh graders of the Aston, Delaware County, Catholic school had two third-place awards in the state finals of a computer project fair for middle schoolers.

New leader of global Christian Brothers is native Philadelphian

Brother Robert Schieler, F.S.C., grew up in West Philadelphia and taught in schools in the archdiocese before his election last month as the superior general of the order of religious men founded by St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Marriage annulments now free in Cleveland Diocese

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Cleveland Bishop Richard G. Lennon announced June 4 that all fees in marriage annulment cases were eliminated. He hoped the change will encourage people in irregular marriages, especially those who have been divorced and remarried, to participate more in church life.