News
Mass at Cathedral offers prayers for papal election
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput will celebrate Mass this Sunday, March 3, at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia, for the election of a new pope. Confessions begin at 5:30 p.m. and Mass at 6:30. All priests are invited to concelebrate and all the faithful are welcome to attend. Guidelines have been provided to assist everyone in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia during this period of the papal transition to unite all in prayer with the Church and with one another. Archbishop Chaput will offer an additional Mass after the election of the new pope at a date yet to be determined.
Arkansas lawmakers override governor’s veto of fetal pain bill
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (CNS) -- Both houses of the Arkansas Legislature voted to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of a fetal pain bill, outlawing most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Medical evidence suggests that the unborn can feel pain beginning around 20 weeks of life.
Catholic agencies aid Japanese tsunami survivors in struggle to recover
Rosalinda Nakanome's home in a northeastern Japanese coastal town was washed away nearly two years by a tsunami caused by an earlier earthquake. Her whole family -- two small children, husband and in-laws -- were safe but today they continue to live in cramped quarters in temporary housing, like thousands of others. "If you visit places hit by the tsunami, you see nice buildings, and also kids going to school," said Divine Word Father Daisuke Narui, executive director of Caritas Japan. "They do their work, they do daily living. But their mental side ... they need help."
Ecumenical community in Va. told to make changes in Sunday liturgical practice
RICHMOND, Va. (CNS) -- Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond issued a directive to a Catholic-Episcopal community in his diocese saying it must make changes to its Sunday liturgy to conform with the Catholic Church's norms. But he assured members of the Church of the Holy Apostles community in Virginia Beach he has no plans to withdraw the diocese's support of the ecumenical community.
Three US cardinals discuss papal candidates, process of choosing pope
ROME (CNS) -- After Pope Benedict XVI left the Vatican and began the last hours of his papacy, Cardinals Sean O'Malley of Boston (pictured), Francis E. George of Chicago and Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston spoke with reporters about the qualities of certain cardinals and what kinds of pope they would make, along with other thoughts about the coming conclave to elect a new pope.
Father Gallagher, a PhD scholar, teacher and pastor, dies at 81
Father John P. Gallagher, 81, pastor emeritus of St. John Baptist Vianney Parish in Gladwyne, died Feb. 24. Born in Philadelphia the son of the late James J. and Ann (McLaughlin) Gallagher he attended St. William School and Northeast Catholic High before entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.
Neumann-Goretti boys take Catholic League crown, now look ahead to states
Junior Ja’Quan Newton scored 27 points to lead Neumann-Goretti to a 60-42 Catholic League championship victory over St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Monday night at the Palestra. The Saints, who also received 11 points and 11 rebounds from senior man-child John Davis, have now captured five straight league titles. The record for consecutive championships is six, a feat pulled off […]
Charity begins at the foul line, and ends with O’Hara girls taking CL title
A trivial three-point bomb from center court was way off the mark, and a sea of purple flooded onto center court. Cardinal O’Hara had defeated Archbishop Wood and captured the girls’ Catholic League championship, 31-25, before a boisterous crowd Monday night at a packed Palestra. But why was everyone wearing purple? O’Hara senior guard Mackenzie […]
The last flight of Pope Benedict XVI
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI's final trip as pope was a 15-minute helicopter ride from the Vatican to the papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo.
In farewell to cardinals, Pope Benedict pledges obedience to next pope
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Clementine Hall is traditionally the place where cardinals bid farewell to popes at the end of a pontificate, but usually when the pope in question is lying in state before his funeral. But on Feb. 28, hours before resigning from the papacy, Pope Benedict XVI briefly addressed the College of Cardinals, calling for unity and harmony among the men who will choose his successor and pledging his "unconditional reverence and obedience" to the next pope.