News

Msgr. Daniel Murray, former St. Charles Seminary rector and pastor, dies at 76

Archbishop Chaput will celebrate Msgr. Daniel A. Murray's funeral Mass at St. Rose of Lima Church, North Wales, on July 2. A parish Mass and viewing for St. Rose's pastor will be celebrated the night before.

Father James McLaughlin, former Navy chaplain, dies at age 70

The funeral Mass for Father James J. McLaughlin, a longtime teacher in archdiocesan high schools, will be celebrated Thursday, July 3 at Corpus Christi Church, Lansdale.

Three Israeli teens found dead, pope consoles families

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis expressed his participation in the "unspeakable suffering" of the families of three kidnapped Israeli teens whose bodies were found June 30 in Hebron, West Bank. After the boys' bodies were found, Israeli military launched what it described as "precision strikes" on 34 sites in the Gaza Strip.

Appeals court upholds legality of same-sex marriage in Utah

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that struck down Utah's same-sex marriage ban, opening the door for the issue to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sister Dorothy Epple dies at 86, was primarily a teacher

The Franciscan sister spent 30 years mostly in York Catholic High School plus schools in the Trenton Diocese and Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Sister Rose MacDermott, O.S.F., served in diverse ministries for 63 years

Born in Chestnut Hill, Franciscan Sister Rose earned two master's degrees and was a science teacher and spiritual director in ministries spanning four states.

U.S. bishops laud court’s Hobby Lobby ruling, but say fight continues

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Supreme Court's June 30 ruling that certain businesses, based on their religious objections, can be exempted from a government requirement to include contraceptives in their employee health insurance coverage means "justice has prevailed," said two U.S. archbishops.

Archbishop hopes court ruling will have ‘positive impact’ on archdiocese

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput issued a statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties cases on Monday, June 30.

Catholics work with other Christians to rebuild a neighborhood

A Habitat for Humanity project in West Philadelphia welcomed parishioners from St. Cornelius Parish, Chadds Ford, plus several other congregations and community groups to rehab old homes. It was a demonstration of ecumenical cooperation at its finest.

Iraqis returning home despite tough conditions, bishop says

A local archbishop said most of the 40,000 Christians who had fled left with just the clothes on their backs narrowly escaped after militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria laid siege to Christian villages outside of Mosul. Most of the families are now returning to their villages.