News
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.
Democracy needs moral values shown by publicly lived faith, archbishop says
BALTIMORE (CNS) -- Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore held up statesman Sargent Shriver and other Catholics like him as "a living example of how faith enriches public life" June 21 at a standing-room-only Mass opening the second Fortnight for Freedom.
Knights sponsor vigil for religious freedom on feast of English martyrs
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A religious liberty prayer vigil held the evening of June 22 on the east lawn of the U.S. Capitol drew about 100 supporters, and was preceded by a Mass celebrated at St. Joseph's Church on Capitol Hill. The Mass was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus as part of a Fortnight for Freedom initiative.
Syrian priest killed during rebel attack on Franciscan convent
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A 49-year-old Syrian priest and hermit was killed June 23, apparently when a group of rebels attacked the Franciscan Convent of St. Anthony in Ghassanieh, a village in the north near the Turkish border.
N.Y. Catholics hail defeat of abortion plank in women’s equality bill
ALBANY, N.Y. (CNS) -- The New York State Senate rejected the abortion-related plank of a 10-point women's equality bill, prompting the New York State Catholic Conference to call the action a "remarkable victory for unborn children."
U.S. Reps. discuss ‘gross injustice’ of HHS mandate at forum
When does government regulation interfere with the constitutional right of freedom of religion? This question was at the heart of a forum titled “Religious Freedom and the HHS Mandates” held June 21 at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center in Philadelphia. Among the panelists were U.S. Congressmen Joe Pitts, Diane Black and Chris Smith. All three are strongly committed to the pro-life cause.
‘Don’t dumb down the faith,’ priest tells Denver convention crowd
DENVER (CNS) — The “dumbing down of the Catholic faith” that impacted catechesis in the mid-1960s “was a pastoral disaster of the first order,” Father Robert Barron told a crowd of about 500 people at the Catholic Media Conference in Denver June 19. “That’s why many people in my generation left the faith,” Father Barron […]
Archbishop urges U.S. support, resettlement of Syrian, other refugees
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez marked World Refugee Day June 20 by asking for U.S. support and resettlement of vulnerable refugee populations across the world, especially for Syrians fleeing the civil war in their country. “The conflict in Syria is worsening and it is time for the United States and the […]
Syrian refugees need stronger international support, CRS chairman says
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Syrian refugees fleeing their homeland’s civil war deserve support from the international community in the form of food, water, shelter and education, said Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, of Tucson, Ariz., chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services. In a nationwide webcast June 20, World Refugee Day, Bishop Kicanas also called upon […]