News
Pope Francis calls careerism a ‘leprosy’ on the priesthood
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Using especially strong language on one of his favorite themes, Pope Francis decried a plague of careerism among priests and urged them to renounce their personal ambitions for service to the church — warning that failure to do so would make them look “ridiculous.” “Careerism is a leprosy, a leprosy,” the […]
Pa. Senate passes abortion opt-out for federal health care exchanges
The Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill June 5 that prohibits taxpayer funding of abortions in the federal health care exchanges. Without a state health care exchange under the federal health care law, Pennsylvanians would choose from the federal exchanges, which include abortion coverage. The law allowed for state legislation to ban abortion funding in the federal exchanges for residents of the state, which the new bill accomplished. Gov. Tom Corbett has promised to sign the bill.
Archbishop Chaput, Vatican official, offer prayers in wake of city building collapse
The collapse of two buildings in center city Philadelphia June 5 that left six people dead and more than a dozen injured drew the attention of Catholic leaders, including those at the Vatican. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, wrote a letter June 6 to Archbishop Charles Chaput expressing sympathy for the victims and pledging prayers.
Tornadoes wreck homes but bond communities in Kansas
CORNING, Kan. (CNS) -- As winds roared, trees toppled, grain bins crashed, hail pounded and walls ripped apart overhead, seven members of the Becker family added their own voices to the storm. Huddled in a shower stall in their basement near Corning the afternoon of May 28 with a comforter over their heads, they prayed the rosary.
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 […]