News
Canada’s bishops issue ‘call to action’ on environment
OTTAWA, Ontario (CNS) -- The Canadian Catholic bishops' justice and peace commission is encouraging reflection and action on recent church teaching on the environment. "Having an overarching vision of God's purpose in creation and the rightful place of human beings in creation allows us to see the interconnectedness between different moral questions," said Bishop Donald Bolen of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a member of the commission.
Archbishop hopes release of abuse records help victims, families heal
ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (CNS) -- The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced April 3 that it will publicly release approximately 3,000 pages of documents that contain details about clergy sexual abuse and will post them to the archdiocesan website by July 1.
Bishops offer prayers after death of Britain’s Margaret Thatcher
LIVERPOOL, England (CNS) -- The Catholic bishops of England and Wales offered prayers for the soul of Margaret Thatcher, the former British prime minister who died at age 87 following a stroke. Baroness Thatcher, who led Britain from 1979 to 1990, died "peacefully" the morning of April 8, according to her family.
New Fargo bishop has Philadelphia ties; Iowa archbishop retires
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jerome G. Hanus of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and named Bishop Michael O. Jackels of Wichita, Kan., as his successor. The pope also appointed Msgr. John Folda, a seminary rector in Nebraska and formerly a student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, to be the bishop of Fargo, N.D. He succeeds Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, who was named to head the Denver Archdiocese in May 2012.
Strategic plan for Chicago’s Catholic schools stresses new funding
CHICAGO (CNS) -- The Archdiocese of Chicago's strategic plan to keep its Catholic schools vital and viable emphasizes new management strategies, the need to find new funding and a strong focus on Catholic identity and excellent academics. The plan also reorganizes the Office of Catholic Schools by creating new senior management positions in the areas of Catholic identity, academics, operations and finance.
Archbishop deems three suspended priests unsuitable for ministry
Three suspended priests of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been deemed unsuitable to return to ministry, the Archdiocese announced Sunday, April 7. Fathers Joseph J. Gallagher and Mark S. Gaspar had been placed on administrative leave by the Archdiocese since in 2011 after being named in the Philadelphia grand jury report on sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, opens four state-of-the-art operating rooms
St. Mary Medical Center, a Catholic hospital in Langhorne, opened the doors April 5 to its recent expansion featuring four new operating rooms to support its growing number of patients in orthopedics, neurosurgery and robotic-assisted surgery, plus all general surgeries. (Watch a video of the opening of the new facility at St. Mary.) The state-of-the-art […]
Through pope’s embrace, 8-year-old Rhode Island boy touches the world
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (CNS) -- By Easter Monday, it would be the shot seen around the world. But a day earlier, Christiana Gondreau could not have imagined that a chance encounter she and her 8-year-old son, Dominic, had with Pope Francis in the middle of St. Peter's Square following his first Easter Mass would touch the hearts of so many around the globe.
Religious join bishops in urging states to opt for Medicaid expansion
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Bishops and men and women religious are urging governors and state legislators in a handful of states, including Pennsylvania, to opt for Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. The action comes in states where no final decision has been made on whether to expand Medicaid or let the federal government step […]
Catholic Charismatics set for all-day celebration of joy April 6
If you need a theme for a Charismatic conference, “The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength,” certainly encapsulates the movement. Approximately 400 area Catholic Charismatics will converge on St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Media, on April 6 and it’s a guarantee, they will be joyful.