News
Catholic jazz pianist Dave Brubeck dies; known for ‘Take Five’
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Dave Brubeck, the influential and prolific pianist whose composition "Take Five" became a standard in the annals of jazz, died of heart failure Dec. 5 at age 91, one day before his 92nd birthday. Brubeck played his "cool" brand of West Coast jazz before Blessed John Paul II and eight presidents. He became a Catholic in 1980 after completing a commission from Our Sunday Visitor -- a Mass titled "To Hope." Brubeck said in a PBS biographical profile, "I didn't convert to Catholicism, because I wasn't anything to convert from. I just joined the Catholic Church."
Six seminarians return to alma mater Shanahan for liturgy
Deacon John Stokely (back row, third from right) recently returned to his alma mater, Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown, to preach at the school’s Thanksgiving Mass Nov. 21. It was Deacon Stokely’s first homily given at the school since his diaconate ordination last May. He was joined by fellow St. Charles Borromeo seminarians and […]
Advent is time to renew faith, bring God’s love to others, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Advent's liturgical preparation for Christmas calls Christians to renew their faith in the reality of God's great love and to make a commitment to bringing his love to the world today, Pope Benedict XVI said. Advent, he said, "places before us the bright mystery of the coming of God's son, the great plan of God's goodness through which he desires to draw us to himself to let us live in full communion, joy and peace with him."
Reform must respect immigrants’ human rights, dignity, says archbishop
ATLANTA (CNS) — Some 200 national immigration leaders surveyed the landscape of immigration reform at the federal and state level during a three-day Catholic conference in Atlanta Dec. 3-5. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta told the leaders that while the federal government recently acted to offer young people brought into the country as children […]
Thousands rally in Ireland to block abortion bill
DUBLIN (CNS) — Thousands of pro-life demonstrators held a candlelight vigil outside the Irish parliament Dec. 4, calling on the government not to introduce abortion legislation. An estimated crowd of 8,000 people braved bitterly cold weather to hear speakers from a coalition of pro-life organizations call on Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to keep a […]
Use of Louisiana state funds for school vouchers ruled unconstitutional
BATON ROUGE, La. (CNS) -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called it "wrong-headed" and a "travesty" that a state judge ruled Nov. 30 that a voucher program passed by the Legislature last spring is unconstitutional. State District Judge Tim Kelley said the state cannot use funds set aside for public education to pay for children in failing schools to attend nonpublic schools.
Papal events, Vatican webcam feeds streamed live with new ‘Pope App’
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican is offering a new app that provides live streaming of papal events and video feeds from the Vatican’s six webcams. “The Pope App” also will send out alerts and links to top stories coming out of the Vatican’s news outlets, said Gustavo Entrala, founder and CEO of the Spanish […]
Deacon Eichman, of St. Kevin Parish, laid to rest
Deacon Thomas E. Eichman, 84, a retired permanent deacon at St. Kevin Parish in Springfield, died Nov. 27. Born in Philadelphia the son of the late Edward A. and Frances (Liebert) Eichman, he was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, Villanova University and Villanova School of Law. He was a veteran of the Korean […]
Lecture series for Year of Faith begins Dec. 13
A year-long lecture series sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Family, Life and Laity will launch Thursday, Dec. 13 with a talk by nationally renowned speaker Dr. Timothy Gray on the topic of “Advent, a Season of Hope.”
Under the big top, traditional values thrive, are shared, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Circuses, street musicians, clowns, magicians and other itinerant performers not only bring people joy, but their traditional lifestyle is an example of hard work, sacrifice, strong families and real respect between people of different generations, Pope Benedict XVI said. "You are called to give witness to the values that are part of your tradition: love for the family, tenderness toward children, attention to those with disabilities, care for the sick and the valuing of the aged with their wealth of experience," the pope told an estimated 8,000 performers and carnival workers.