News
LCWR leaders say they hope for continued dialogue on Vatican assessment
ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious announced Aug. 19 at the close of their assembly in Orlando that they were pleased with dialogue they had with Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle, appointed by the Vatican doctrinal congregation last year to oversee a reform of LCWR. The religious sisters said they hoped for "continued conversations of this depth."
Canonization date for John Paul II, John XXIII to be known in September
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will host a meeting of cardinals Sept. 30 to formally approve the canonization of Blesseds John Paul II and John XXIII; the date for the canonization will be announced at that time, said Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes.
Parishes make new friends, evangelize through Facebook, Twitter
The Catholic Church sees the imperative of employing every technology, especially social media sites, to reach out to the young and the young at heart. Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish in North Wales is just one parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to take advantage of new ways of reaching out to people with the Gospel message.
New Pew study shows most Americans view abortion as moral issue
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A new study shows that most Americans view abortion as a moral issue but do not feel as strongly about stem-cell research or in vitro fertilization as moral issues. According to the study, released Aug. 15 by the Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project, 49 percent of adults consider it morally wrong to have an abortion; 22 percent consider embryonic stem-cell research morally wrong; and 12 percent view the use of in vitro fertilization as morally wrong.
LCWR leader hopes assembly a contemplative experience for attendees
ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- The president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious said organizers of this year's assembly hope attendees would find it to be a contemplative experience because "it is imperative to view religious life within the context of our faith and in an evolving world." "We have included an hour and a half of contemplative prayer at all meetings to determine what the signs of today are calling us to and we hope that the entire experience of this assembly will be an act of contemplation," said Franciscan Sister Florence Deacon.
Christians in Egypt targeted by Muslim extremists
CAIRO (CNS) -- Attacks on Christian churches and institutions in Egypt appeared to be the result of Islamist extremists' anger over what they perceived as Christian support for the ouster of former President Mohammed Morsi.
Catholic, Orthodox leaders in Egypt say army is fighting terrorism
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Speaking on behalf of Catholics in Egypt, Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak said the violence and unrest in his country are "not a political struggle between different factions, but a war against terrorism."
Text of Egypt’s Coptic Catholic patriarch on recent events in country
CAIRO (CNS) -- Here is the English text of the Aug. 18 statement by Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak on recent events in Egypt.
Jerusalem, shared ‘security blanket,’ key to Israeli-Palestinian peace
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Coveted as a spiritual and political capital by both Israelis and Palestinians, the status of the city of Jerusalem has stood out as one of the pivotal topics in their ongoing peace negotiations. Yet, because of its perceived sensitivity, the topic has always been left for the final status discussions and has yet to be broached directly in the negotiations, which resumed Aug. 14 in Jerusalem.
Catholic lawmaker in Missouri legislature files suit over HHS mandate
Missouri state Rep. Paul Wieland and his wife, Teresa, said they are suing because the mandate violates their religious liberty, free speech and parental rights, as it requires them to be enrolled in group insurance coverage for their family that includes contraceptives, abortion-inducing drugs and sterilizations. The case presents an unusual twist in the fight against the HHS mandate, as it is among the first to involve an employee filing suit against the mandate. Currently there are 67 lawsuits challenging the mandate, many of them involving individual employers.