News
Pope frames vision for church outreach at every level
We review the main points of Pope Francis' new 50,000 word blueprint for renewal of the Catholic Church.
Pope: Opposition to abortion isn’t ‘conservative,’ it’s result of faith
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Defending human dignity and protecting society's most vulnerable necessarily means protecting the unborn and defending their right to life, Pope Francis said in his apostolic exhortation, "Evangelii Gaudium" ("The Joy of the Gospel").
Vatican officials say pope’s document provides map for church’s future
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on sharing the joy of the Gospel is a call to faith-filled optimism, recognizing challenges but knowing that God's love and lordship will prevail, said Archbishop Rino Fisichella, introducing the text to the media.
In document, pope lays out his vision for an evangelical church
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In his first extensive piece of writing as pope, Pope Francis lays out a vision of the Catholic Church dedicated to evangelization in a positive key, with a focus on society's poorest and most vulnerable, including the aged and unborn. "Evangelii Gaudium" ("The Joy of the Gospel"), released by the Vatican Nov. 26, is an apostolic exhortation, one of the most authoritative categories of papal document.
U.N. climate change summit disappoints Catholic delegates
The summit, attended by delegates from 195 nations, failed to foster a "global consensus" or resolve a "disconnection" between U.N.-backed initiatives and national policies, said a representative of a Brussels-based alliance of 17 Catholic aid groups in attendance. The summit failed to achieve steps to limit rising temperatures to an average of two degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
Catholic college says HHS mandate makes it ‘second-class’ religious entity
BELMONT, N.C. (CNS) -- Belmont Abbey College filed a new lawsuit Nov. 20 in its long-running fight against a federal law requiring most employers to provide free contraceptives in their health insurance plans.
Faith forms bedrock of who they are, say Catholic youths at conference
Some 23,000 Catholic teenagers from across the country met in Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference Nov. 21-23 for three days of Mass, workshops, service opportunities, musical performances, eucharistic adoration and fun at a theme park inside the Indiana Convention Center.
Pope Francis, Russia’s Putin, discuss war in Syria
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Peace in the Middle East, particularly the ongoing war in Syria, topped the agenda Nov. 25 as the pope welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican.
Abington parish marks half-century of church built in Mary’s name
The 1,100 members of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formal dedication of their church on Dec. 8. Archbishop Charles Chaput will mark the joyful event by celebrating the anniversary Mass. The parish was the first to founded under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the 1953-1954 Marian Year.
Young people weary of ‘culture of death,’ says founder of Live Action
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CNS) -- Lila Rose, founder of the pro-life group Live Action, said the organization's mission is to protect those who can't protect themselves, but it's also to expose "a truth." The work of Live Action involves investigative journalism, and its videos have shed light on illegal and unethical practices in the abortion industry.