News
Philadelphian among 19 sisters making first vows
Dominican Sister Jacinta Man, a former member of Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church in Philadelphia, was one of 19 young women who professed simple vows, or their first profession, July 28 in the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, Tenn. Sister Jacinta is the daughter of Hon-Wah Man and Emily Fung, also parishioners […]
Sister Regina Gertrude Reaney, I.H.M.
Sister Regina Gertrude, I.H.M., formerly Jane Marie Reaney, died in Paoli Hospital Aug. 27 in the 59th year of her religious life. She was 87. Born in Philadelphia, Sister Regina Gertrude entered the congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1953 from Most Blessed Sacrament Parish in Philadelphia and professed […]
Link between power, abuse in Church, examined by conference
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The “most tragic wound” of clerical sexual abuse will not heal without a response from the entire Catholic Church — hierarchy and laity together — said the chief Vatican investigator of abuse cases. “I think that slowly, slowly, slowly we are getting toward a response that is truly ecclesial — it’s […]
Family violence kills more than 80,000 Latin American children yearly
LIMA, Peru (CNS) — Ask Maykon Quispe what kind of violence he sees in his hometown of Huancavelica, in the Peruvian Andes, and he thinks of the markets, where kids his age or younger haul sacks and crates. “A lot of kids want to help out their families by earning a little money, but the […]
DNC forum explores: Can you be a Democrat and be pro-life?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CNS) — Buttons were available at the Democrats for Life of America forum Sept. 4 during the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. “Do We Count?” the button asks. The forum was an effort by pro-life Democrats to examine the question: “Can you be pro-life in a pro-choice party?” The answer to both […]
Charlotte Catholics offer eucharistic adoration during Democratic convention
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CNS) — In his homily during a “Vigil for Liberty” Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral Sept. 4, Charlotte Bishop Peter J. Jugis emphasized the importance of prayer to remaining strong as Catholics spread the message of the Gospel to the world. At the Mass during the first day of the Democratic National Convention […]
Democrat who brokered health law compromise calls HHS mandate illegal
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CNS) — The Department of Health and Human Services’ mandate that would force many religious institutions to provide free contraceptives against their consciences is illegal, former U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said Sept. 4 during a meeting of pro-life Democrats. During debate over the legislation that would become the 2010 Patient Protection and […]
New wheels: Renault gives pope 2 all-electric vans
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Thanks to a French automaker and an Italian utility, Pope Benedict XVI now has a pair of all-electric minivans and a series of recharging stations with which to power them. Two custom-made editions of Renault’s Kangoo Maxi Z.E. cars were delivered personally to the pope Sept. 5 at the papal summer […]
Prayer service and blessing of new Mater Dei Catholic School
On Thursday Sept. 6 Archbishop Charles Chaput led a prayer service and blessed the new Mater Dei Catholic School at 493 East Main Street, Lansdale PA. Mater Dei Catholic School is one of the new regional schools of the archdiocese. It is formed from the mergers of Saint Rose of LimaSchoolin North Wales, St Stanislaus School in Lansdale, and part of Saint Maria Goretti in Hatfield. Students processed from the new school to Saint Stanislaus Church let by 8th grade student Mary Katherine Burger carrying the new school banner. At the beginning of the service students dressed as Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Maria Goretti, Saint Stanislaus (from their respected parishes), and Mary placed roses before the Blessed Mother statue as a symbol of their merger. During his homily Archbishop Chaput invited five students up to help him explain the meaning of the new school and their motto.
Archbishop Chaput reflects on his first year in Philadelphia
After his installation as shepherd of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s almost 1.5 million Catholics a year ago, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput immediately began to put out fires of the crises he’d inherited. Many of them where unprecedented in the more than 200-year history of the archdiocese: a severely contracting Catholic school system, collapsing Church finances, parishes under threat of closure or consolidation. Add to that the ongoing fallout of the priest sexual abuse scandal that saw priests on trial in criminal court, priests whose ministerial status remained in limbo and priests who were overstretched and just plain demoralized. “I’d like to set fires rather than put them out,” said the archbishop, who sat for an interview with CatholicPhilly.com days before his Sept. 8 one-year anniversary as head of the Archdiocese. “The Lord has given me a lot of fires to put out, where my preference is to light fires.