News
Sri Lanka cardinal condemns army shooting of civilians in church
NEW DELHI (CNS) -- Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, Sri Lanka, expressed "shock and distress" in accusing the military of storming a Catholic church and firing on residents who had sought refuge there. The cardinal condemned the army's action in a strongly worded statement read Aug. 7 during the funeral for one of three people who died in the Aug. 1 incident at St. Anthony Parish in Weliweriya, a village just outside the capital.
Belarus church ‘deeply concerned’ about arrested priest
WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- Church spokesmen in Belarus said Catholics are "uneasy and disquieted" by the lack of information on the status of a parish priest arrested in early June for alleged spying. Father Vladislav Lazar, 46, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Borisov in central Belarus, remained in custody Aug. 8, weeks after he was taken into custody by the State Security Committee, or KBG.
Pope expands role, reach of Vatican Financial Intelligence Authority
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As part of the Vatican's ongoing efforts to ensure that all its financial activity complies with international standards, particularly those aimed at preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism, Pope Francis has expanded the role and the reach of the Vatican's Financial Intelligence Authority.
Hold extended on Wisconsin law requiring hospital admitting privileges
MADISON, Wis. (CNS) -- A federal judge in Madison has extended a preliminary injunction blocking part of a new Wisconsin law that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of an abortion clinic.
Pope’s compassion, love touches hearts all over world, says cardinal
SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley highlighted the new evangelization in the pontificate of Pope Francis in an Aug. 6 keynote address to the Knights of Columbus supreme convention in San Antonio.
Archbishop tells migrant workers to find strength in Holy Spirit, faith
GRESHAM, Ore. (CNS) -- They come to Oregon's fields with hope and faith. Each night, St. Anne Parish's pastoral associate Corina Carsner visits a community of itinerant workers who come from California and other agricultural areas to pick crops during harvest season. She invites the workers and their families to participate in formation classes, which she leads at the camps.
Year of Faith lecture to show compatibility of science, religion
Atheists contend that religious faith is not intellectual and therefore is not worth taking seriously. Professor Brad Gregory will tackle the topic head-on during his talk, “Science vs. Religion? The Compatibility of Catholicism and the Natural Sciences” on Thursday, Sept. 12 at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood. The talk is part of Archbishop Charles Chaput’s Year of Faith Lecture Series.
Newly merged Tacony parish welcomes new pastor, holds street procession
Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald (center) celebrates Mass for the installation of Father Joseph L. Farrell (left), pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in the city’s Tacony section Sunday, Aug. 4. Father Tomas J. Dunleavy, dean for the parishes in upper Northeast Philadelphia and lower bucks County (Deanery 11), also concelebrated the Mass. To the […]
Number of permanent deacons grows, but many reaching retirement age
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- While the number of permanent deacons keeps growing, those ordained to the permanent diaconate are steadily reaching retirement age, with a need to replenish their ranks, according to a study released Aug. 6 on the diaconate.
Bishop says joblessness, exploitation denying millions ‘honor, respect’
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Millions of workers are being denied the honor and respect they deserve because of a lack of jobs, underemployment, low wages and exploitation, according to the bishop who heads the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.