News
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.
Dallas marks JFK assassination anniversary with prayers and solemnity
DALLAS (CNS) -- Under cloudy skies and blustery winds, thousands of people gathered Nov. 22 at the spot where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated 50 years ago to the day, a tribute to his legacy and a ceremony many local officials also hoped would finally wipe the stain away from Dallas' darkest day.
San Francisco archbishop criticizes Illinois legalizing same-sex marriage
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said the action by the Illinois Legislature and Gov. Pat Quinn to legalize same-sex marriage "does not alter the natural reality that marriage is and can only be the union of one man and one woman."
Retired pastor of Abington parish laid to rest
Father Joseph D. Bowen, 83, pastor emeritus of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Abington, died Nov. 17. “As a man of charity, his works were often unheralded," said a longtime parishioner. "He was welcomed into our homes, and indeed into our hearts.”
SJ Prep takes city championship, District AAAA title, by a whisker
St. Joseph's Prep scored 10 first-half points then hunkered down with a stingy all-around defensive effort to hold off a late comeback by Frankford High, which it defeated 10-7 for the PIAA District 12 Class AAAA victory Nov. 16.
Archbishop Wood gracious in lopsided District football win
For the sixth consecutive year, the Vikings seized the PIAA District 12 Class AAA title Saturday afternoon at Northeast High School. Although the Vikings said all the politically correct things afterward, this one was a thorough shellacking, a 52-8 victory over Public League champion Martin Luther King, that began immediately after the opening kickoff.
Christian churches on front lines, fighting climate-change damage
WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- When representatives of Catholic development organizations arrived in Warsaw to lobby for action at an intergovernmental conference on climate change, many also urged greater involvement by their own church. But Christians worldwide are already at the forefront in combating climate-change damage, which is being felt by many local church communities.
Asking God ‘why’ attracts his fatherly love, pope tells Filipinos
Referring to the death and destruction Super Typhoon Haiyan caused in the central Philippines in early November, Pope Francis told members of Rome's Philippine community, "Why do these things happen? It can't be explained. There are many things that we cannot understand."
Pope: Social doctrine keeps finance from falling prey to idol of profit
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a world where profit reigns over human dignity, solidarity has become a "dirty word" and risks being removed from the dictionary, Pope Francis said via a video message for a meeting on Catholic social teaching.