News
Religious order urges action to stem chaos in Central African Republic
OXFORD, England (CNS) — A Catholic religious order has urged international action to stem “uncontrolled lawlessness” in the Central African Republic, after one of its Italian missionaries was threatened with death by rebel soldiers. “Let us pray that peace may return in this country torn apart by different factions,” the Sacred Heart of Jesus of […]
Duty to protect defenseless is not a license for war, archbishop says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — An international obligation to intervene in situations of war or widespread violations of human rights does not mean a country or group of countries can decide to take military action in another nation, said the Vatican’s foreign minister. “The responsibility to protect,” a concept espoused by the United Nations, is not […]
Interfaith hospital on Turkish border helps Syrians save themselves
KILIS, Turkey (CNS) — Ali Ahmad was walking with his young son one evening after dark. It was after they had fled Aleppo, Syria, and begun their lives as refugees in southern Turkey. It was a clear, starry night. “He looks up at the stars and he says, ‘Dada, are they coming to bomb us?’ […]
Syria’s Armenians risk a winter without food, shelter in ancestral home
YEREVAN, Armenia (CNS) — Thousands of previously middle-class Syrians now stranded in Armenia are rapidly running out of resources and could soon have no shelter, food or medicine, said an international aid group official. “There is a big need on the humanitarian side: food, shelter, medical needs,” said Walter Hajek, head of international disaster management […]
Children make up half the Syrian refugee population
KILIS, Turkey (CNS) — Fifteen-year-old Abdullah Haji Mustafa wants to fight. He has been living in a refugee camp in Turkey for a year, since his family fled Tall Rifat, an embattled Syrian town just north of Aleppo. “Who wants not to go back?” he asks, standing between the gates of the camp and a […]
Players say concussions a concern, but joy of game outweighs risk
LAUREL, Md. (CNS) -- St. Vincent Pallotti High School senior Rudolfo Garcia said, despite having two concussions back-to-back, he never thinks about the possibility of becoming injured before stepping out on the football field to play. "You don't think of being scared," Garcia, 17, said. "If one man is going 100 percent and you're going only 50 percent, you're probably going to get hurt."
Cardinal sees religion’s soul, head, heart embodied in three popes
RYE, N.Y. (CNS) — The three most recent popes exemplify the soul, head and heart of religion, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York told an interfaith group Sept. 29. “All religions come to look to the pope for spiritual guidance and example,” he said. “Every religion, faith, church, organization, family needs a soul, a […]
Eucharistic congress celebrates ‘youth, vitality’ of Knoxville Diocese
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) — The Diocese of Knoxville celebrated its 25th anniversary in grand fashion by holding its first eucharistic congress, which drew about 5,000 Catholics from throughout Tennessee and around the country to gather in prayer and song, fellowship and worship. “My wife, Karen, and I attended this conference and were just blown away […]
Newly resigned U.S. surgeon general takes public health chair at Xavier
NEW ORLEANS (CNS) — Sister Grace Mary Flickinger has been a teacher at Xavier University of Louisiana for “only 46 years,” but she fought back tears as one of her former students, Dr. Regina Benjamin, the 18th U.S. surgeon general, returned home to run the university’s newly created Department of Public Health Sciences. “I’m fighting […]
Priest chef to show value of family meals in Pennsburg parish visit
Father Leo Patalinghug, host of EWTN’s “Savoring Our Faith” program and winner of the steak fajita “Throwdown! with Bobby Flay” on Food Network, will visit St. Philip Neri Church in Pennsburg Sunday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. to promote his nationwide movement “Grace Before Meals.” Father Leo will speak about the importance of family dinners […]