News
CatholicPhilly.com wins two national Catholic awards
CatholicPhilly.com won two awards from the Catholic Press Association at a presentation June 21, part of the annual Catholic Media Convention in Denver, Colo. The official news website of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and digital successor to The Catholic Standard and Times won third place for “Best General Publisher Website.” The award citation noted CatholicPhilly.com’s […]
U.S. Supreme Court overturns key provision of Voting Rights Act
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Supreme Court June 25 overturned the part of the Voting Rights Act used to determine that 15 states have had to comply with the law’s protections for minority voters. The 5-4 decision said: “Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional; its formula can no longer be used as a […]
Court kicks back college quotas case; takes clinic protests, visa cases
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Supreme Court June 24 kicked back a university affirmative action case to a lower court and took cases for the next term dealing with buffer zones for protests at abortion clinics and whether the children of immigrants lose their place in line for visas when they turn 21. Remaining cases to […]
Salt+Light uses Internet to send Chinese programming to mainland
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Salt+Light TV, the Toronto-based Catholic television programmer, is using the Internet to send its Chinese-language programming to mainland China. And, unlike some of the North American giants of online services, Salt+Light's programming is not getting blocked by Chinese censors.
Environment advocates consider Obama climate plan a good step forward
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholics working for environmental justice welcomed President Barack Obama's plan to address climate change, saying it is an ambitious proposal that deserves watching to ensure that it is carried out. The primary concern identified by the faith-based environment advocates revolves around how the plan will affect low-income communities around the world and workers who may be displaced because of the shift toward renewable energy sources.
Roe raised more questions about abortion than it resolved, says speaker
NOTRE DAME, Ind. (CNS) — In 1973, many people thought the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision would resolve the abortion debate, but “in fact, it was no resolution at all,” said the associate director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. “Abortion itself remains perhaps the most unresolved of all modern public […]
Pope creates commission to study activities, mission of Vatican bank
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has created a five-person commission to review the activities and mission of the Vatican bank. The new pontifical commission, which includes two U.S. members, reflects the pope’s desire to ensure the bank’s activities are in harmony with the mission of the universal church and the Apostolic See, said a […]
‘All of us’ are equally important in the church, pope says at audience
Read the full text of the Pope’s speech VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The stability of the church requires that it be built on Jesus, but its beauty and strength also rely on the contributions of each and every Christian, Pope Francis said. “If someone tells you, ‘Go home, you’re not needed,’ that’s not true,” the […]
Parishioners, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart celebrate 100 years of faith in Ottsville
The centennial celebration of service to St. John the Baptist Parish, Ottsville, by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart culminated with a 2.5 mile procession through the Bucks County town and nine days of special liturgies, including a closing Mass on June 23 celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Timothy C. Senior.
Philadelphia’s immigration lessons: How fear and hatred led to 19th century riots
During sectarian riots, two Catholic churches were burned to the ground, another was saved only by military intervention. Virtually every Catholic church in Philadelphia County was threatened. Scores of houses were destroyed and dozens of people were killed. It happened in Philadelphia 169 years ago, but it still has lessons for today. Kenneth W. Milano, a Kensington historian who recently wrote “The Philadelphia Nativist Riots: Irish Kensington Erupts” (History Press, $19.99), gave a lecture on the riots at St. Michael Church (which was rebuilt two years after the riots) on June 20.