News
China’s ‘apple Catholics’ add spiritual activities to daily routine
BEIJING (CNS) -- Many rural villages in Shaanxi do not have a Catholic parish, and some with churches struggle with sparse attendance. But the village of Fufengxian, near the town of Baoji, has a population that is more than 80 percent baptized Catholics. When villagers are not tending to their apple orchards, they can be found attending Mass or praying at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
Pope asks pontifical academies to help fight human trafficking
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At the request of Pope Francis, scholars and researchers belonging to two pontifical academies and representatives of the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations will begin focusing on the phenomenon of human trafficking and ways to fight it.
Canadian nun: Egyptian Muslims protected church buildings after threats
CAIRO (CNS) -- Churches and other Christian properties around Egypt had already been looted, so when Catholics in Berba were tipped off that their southern village could be next, they acted fast. They and other Christian leaders got on their phones and called their Muslim friends, neighbors and colleagues who all had the same message:
Poverty, ‘ignorance’ blamed in destruction of Egypt Christian churches
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Two Egyptian-born Christian clergy, in separate telephone interviews with Catholic News Service, each blamed both poverty and "ignorance" for the attacks on Christian churches in Egypt. Through Aug. 20, 38 Christian churches were known to have been destroyed, with attacks on another 23 houses of worship, according to statistics compiled by a Coptic Christian group in Egypt called the Maspero Youth Union.
West Chester woman takes vows as Franciscan sister in Aston
Sister Sara Marks professed her first vows as a Sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia Aug. 11. The profession took place during a Mass at Our Lady of Angels Convent, the congregation’s motherhouse in Aston.
St. Mary Medical Center celebrates 40 years, welcomes Indian archbishop
St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special Mass of Thanksgiving Aug. 13 led by Archbishop Soosa Pakiam of Kerala, India. Above, Archbishop Pakiam (right) with Deacon John Hynes blesses the hands of pastoral care workers at St. Mary. At center in background is Msgr. John C. Marine, pastor of nearby […]
St. Francis-St. Joseph Homes’ alums plan anniversary party
Alumni of St. Francis-St. Joseph Homes for Children will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of what were then separate institutions on Sunday, Sept. 8, rain or shine, at the main campus, Route 13 and Street Road, Bensalem. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. followed by a picnic. St. Francis was founded in […]
Franciscan Father Lynch, 96, dies in New Jersey
Father Robert B. Lynch, O.F.M., 96, a professed Franciscan friar for 75 years and a priest for 70 years, died Aug. 13 at Holy Name Friary, Ringwood, N.J. Father Lynch was born in Philadelphia to Francis and Kathryn (nee Duffy) Lynch and baptized at St. Carthage Church in Philadelphia. He attended St. Joseph Preparatory School […]
Vatican orders slight change in text for baptism
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To emphasis that the sacrament of baptism formally brings a person into the church of God and not just into a local Christian community, the Vatican has ordered a slight change of wording in the baptismal rite.
Officials dubious of retired pope’s extraordinary ‘mystical experience’
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation in February, he made it very clear that he had done so only after intense prayer and that he intended to live the rest of his life praying and studying.