News
New York bishops oppose effort to ‘codify’ Roe v. Wade into state law
ALBANY, N.Y. (CNS) — New York’s bishops, led by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, said they would oppose a portion of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Women’s Equality Act that preserves abortion rights. The bill, introduced June 4, “would ease restrictions in state law on late-term abortion and runs the serious risk of […]
West Virginia priest sides with miners in coal company’s bankruptcy
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Until May 21, Father Andrew Switzer had a clean record. Then he got himself arrested. It happened in St. Louis during a rally by the United Mine Workers of America protesting the actions of Peabody Energy, the world's largest coal producer. Father Switzer, 33, said his arrest with 11 others was one way to live out the social teachings of the church and be in solidarity with more than 26,000 current and retired mine workers faced with the loss of salary and reduced pensions and health care coverage through no fault of their own.
Help Syria, pope says; ‘where there is suffering, Christ is present’
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians must help the people of Syria because “where there is suffering, Christ is present,” Pope Francis told representatives of Catholic aid agencies working in Syria and with Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. “How much suffering, how much poverty, how much pain; and it’s Jesus who suffers, who is poor, who […]
Pope says ‘throwaway culture’ harms environment and human life
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis blamed widespread degradation of the natural environment and disregard for human life on an increasingly common “throwaway culture” that places no value on the needs of others. “We are living through a moment of crisis,” the pope said June 5. “We see it in the environment, but above all […]
In Venezuela, shortages include bread for Communion, sacramental wine
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CNS) — In his small parish outside of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, Father Maximo Mateos is filling his chalice with less than half the amount of wine he formerly used. The priests at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Caracas are precariously close to running out of sacramental wine. And for […]
Meeting on sex abuse expands reach, promoting global approach
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Once representing only English-speaking countries, the Anglophone Conference on the Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults is going global. For the past several years, growing numbers of delegates from the church in Latin America, Asia and Africa have been attending the annual gathering. Begun in 1996, the conference was […]
Same-sex marriage bill fails in Illinois House
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The failure of members of the Illinois House to vote on a bill legalizing same-sex marriage before the legislative session ended shows that “marriage redefinition — even in the face of intense political pressure — is not inevitable,” said Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco. It “reflects a failure to have […]
Czech cardinal welcomes plan to pay billions to churches for property
WARSAW, Poland (CNS) — A Czech cardinal welcomed final court approval of government plans to pay billions of dollars to churches in compensation for their losses under communist rule. On June 3, the Constitutional Court cleared the way for the implementation of a 2012 law that says 56 percent of assets, valued at $3.8 billion, […]
Tornado victims receiving ‘overwhelming’ outpouring of prayer, support
OKLAHOMA CITY (CNS) -- As communities across central Oklahoma continued to recover from the "powerful and deadly tornadoes" rated EF5 of May 19 and 20, they have experienced an "overwhelming" outpouring of "prayer, love and support from across our great state and from around the nation," said Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul S. Coakley. On May 31, the western suburbs of Oklahoma City were hit by an EF3 tornado area. Thirteen people were killed, including two children.
Parishes asked to raise money for Oklahoma tornado victims
Archbishop Charles Chaput has requested all parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to take up a special collection during June to support relief efforts for people affected by the tornadoes that devastated Oklahoma last month. The collection is part of a national initiative led by New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, president of the United […]