News
Deacon Harper of St. Athanasius Parish dies at 67, known for spirituality, service
Deacon Sidney M. Harper, 67, a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, died June 29. Born in Philadelphia the son of William and Edna Harper, he attended St. Elizabeth School, Holy Child School and Cardinal Dougherty High School and Cheney University. “Our parents weren’t Catholic, but we went to Catholic school and were raised Catholic,” said his sister, Beverly Harper. “My parents insisted we go to Mass every Sunday, and every morning, before anyone else was awake, Sidney and my mother would pray together.”
Site of decisive Civil War battle called ‘a shrine and a sanctuary’
GETTYSBURG, Pa. (CNS) -- Celebrating Mass just a few miles from the hallowed grounds of its Civil War battlefields, New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan called Gettysburg "a shrine and a sanctuary" to which pilgrims journey with "a deep sense of honor, awe, reverence, patriotism and gratitude." Cardinal Dolan, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, celebrated the outdoor Mass July 6 on the grounds of Xavier Center, home to the parish center and parochial school of St. Francis Xavier Parish in the Diocese of Harrisburg.
Sister Frances, Catholic school teacher since 1942, dies at 93
Sister M. Frances Cabrini, formerly Elda Anna Berardocco, died June 24 in Camilla Hall, Immaculata. She was 93 and in her 72nd year of religious life. Born in Philadelphia, Sister Frances entered the congregation in 1941 from St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Philadelphia and professed her first vows in 1943. From 1942 until 1958 she […]
In Timbuktu, majority Muslims, minority Christians reject extremists
TIMBUKTU, Mali (CNS) -- In this ancient city that has become synonymous with the ends of the earth, the recent terrorism of Islamist extremists belies long years of peaceful Muslim-Christian coexistence. "This city is 99 percent Muslim, but all of us are tolerant. We preach tolerance. Islam teaches us to respect all religions," Abdrahamane Ben Essayouti, the chief imam of the fabled desert city, told Catholic News Service.
Educators say interest hike puts college out of reach for more students
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Lawmakers in Congress failed to reach a consensus on federal student loan rates before a July 1 deadline, resulting in the interest rate doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. "Shame on Congress for imposing its dysfunction on some of the most vulnerable people in America, low-income college students -- many of whom are single parents trying to get an education to improve the lives of their children and families," said Patricia McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University. "This is not the way to run a country."
In new Wisconsin law, judge freezes mandate that abortion doctors have hospital privileges
MADISON, Wis. (CNS) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker July 5 signed into law a bill that requires women who want an abortion to get an ultrasound of their unborn child and doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of an abortion clinic.
Drawn to inner-city ministry, priest becomes Archdiocese’s youngest pastor at 32
In late May Father Dan Kredensor, a theology teacher at Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor for the past two years, started planning activities with students on the ministry team for the upcoming school year. It’s been said that when you make plans, God laughs. This certainly seems to have happened with Father Kredensor, 32, who is now the youngest priest to be named a pastor in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. On July 1 he began serving as pastor of the recently merged St. Ignatius and Our Mother of Sorrows Parishes in West Philadelphia.
Doylestown shrine hosts 1,300 for national Bible conference
More than 1,300 people learned about the word of God during the National Catholic Bible Conference held June 21-22 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown. It was the second consecutive year the conference was held in the Philadelphia region. Renowned speakers Jeff Cavins and Scott Hahn (shown at right) joined nine […]
News of canonizations has ‘gladdened hearts’ of faithful, cardinal says
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The two popes whose canonizations received final clearance July 5 “each had a profound impact on the church and the world,” as New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan put it. Pope Francis signed a decree clearing the way for Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII to be canonized, possibly later […]
Egypt’s Catholic leaders welcome Morsi’s ouster, hope for democracy
OXFORD, England (CNS) -- Egypt's Catholic leaders welcomed the military overthrow of the country's Islamist president and voiced confidence that Christians and Muslims can work together to build a "real democracy."