News
St. Jerome CYO gives back to NE Philadelphia community
Children in grades three to eight collected canned goods for Aid For Friends, raked leaves at homes in the neighborhood and delivered flowers to shut-ins Nov. 23-24.
Teens make a Joyful Noise, drawing young people to parish church
A high school senior and member of Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Plymouth Meeting did not see many people her age, or joyful people, at Mass. She thought the music was alien to her culture, so she started a group to change that. Now many are joining her and enlivening the parish. “Vibrant music is the key," said one young man. "Young people want to come here.”
Pope, cardinal council begin work on reorganizing Roman Curia
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis and the eight members of his international Council of Cardinals have begun their discussions on specific ways to reorganize the Roman Curia, looking first at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, the Vatican spokesman said.
Archbishop: HHS mandate aims to drive wedge between church’s faith, worship
NEW ALBANY, Ind. (CNS) -- Defending the religious rights of the Catholic Church against the government's contraceptive mandate is tied to the church's ministry to those in need, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori said Nov. 29. The church's worship life and its faith-driven ministries to the poor and others cannot be separated from one another, he said.
Iran nuclear deal lauded by key U.S. bishop
Some in Congress, wary of making a deal with Iran, have advocated increasing sanctions. Although current sanctions would remain in effect, Iran will get an estimated $6 billion in temporary sanctions relief for signing the interim agreement Nov. 24.
Pope Francis will help launch worldwide prayers against hunger
The global "wave of prayer," supported by a video from the pope, will begin at noon Dec. 10 on the South Pacific island of Samoa and head west across the world's time zones. Local churches will pray for an end to hunger and malnutrition as well as to act on a local, national or global level against food waste. Nearly 1 billion people -- or about one in eight people -- experienced chronic hunger or undernourishment during 2010-2012, according to the international Catholic organizer of the event.
High court to hear two cases on HHS mandate; declines employer case
On Dec. 2, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it had declined to hear the appeal of Liberty University of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the Christian university must adhere to the health care law's employer mandate. When the Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of parts of the health care law in 2012, it didn't address the employer mandate to provide coverage.
Warrington school students celebrate Thanksgiving
Dressed as pilgrims and Native Americans, the kindergarten students of St. Joseph/St. Robert School in Warrington celebrated their first Thanksgiving together in the school Nov. 27. The students recited poems and sang songs of Thanksgiving for invited guests. Meanwhile, older students of the school decorated more than 100 holiday shopping bags to bring cheer […]
Sister Mary Conahan, 95, dies; served in Phoenixville mental hospital
Sister Mary earned her B.S. degree from Chestnut Hill College before entering the Medical Mission Sisters in 1941. She worked in publicity for the order for 16 years before teaching in Rome and Pakistan, then serving in the Philadelphia region for many years.
Ukrainian church leaders condemn police violence against protesters
KIEV, Ukraine (CNS) — The head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and other Catholic leaders condemned police violence against “peaceful demonstrations” after President Viktor Yanukovich’s decision not to seek closer ties with the European Union. Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, of Kiev-Halych, major archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, also spoke of preventing an “escalation of violence, […]