News
Study: Climate change could fry key crops for Central American farmers
WASHINGTON (CNS) — A small plot of land provides a single mother in Honduras with the corn and beans her family needs to eat, but as a result of recent droughts, she’s left peeling back the husk of her shrinking cornstalks asking, “What can I do?” Paul Hicks, regional coordinator for Global Water Initiative, an […]
South Sudan seminary limits students as it confronts challenges
JUBA, South Sudan (CNS) — Already facing a shortage of priests, the Catholic Church in the world’s newest nation has closed a portion of its seminary, leaving dozens of young men stranded on the road to the priesthood. When classes start at the end of October at St. Paul’s Major Seminary in Juba, only 64 […]
Evangelization must flow from experience, Anglican leader tells synod
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Evangelization is not a project, but the natural “overflow” of an experience of Christ and his church that transforms lives, giving them meaning and joy, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion told Pope Benedict XVI and the Synod of Bishops. “Those who know little and care even less about the […]
Georgia’s Catholic archdiocese, diocese file suit against HHS mandate
ATLANTA (CNS) — The Archdiocese of Atlanta, the Diocese of Savannah and other Catholic entities in Georgia, including Catholic Charities and Christ the King School in Atlanta, filed a federal lawsuit Oct. 5 challenging the Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Atlanta. Defendants are the […]
At anniversary Mass, pope recalls ‘authentic spirit’ of Vatican II
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Marking the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the start of a special Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI called on Catholics to revive the "authentic spirit" of Vatican II by re-proposing the church's ancient teachings to an increasingly Godless modern world. The pope spoke at a special Mass in St. Peter's Square Oct. 11, half a century to the day after the opening ceremonies of Vatican II. About 400 bishops from around the world, including 15 of the 70 surviving members of the 1962-65 council, attended. Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury attended as special guests.
Head of Legion of Christ, Regnum Christi hands powers to vicar general
ROME (CNS) — Citing health concerns, the head of the Legionaries of Christ handed over his governing powers to the order’s second highest official for an indefinite period of time. Legionary Father Alvaro Corcuera made the announcement in an Oct. 9 letter posted on the congregation’s website. “I do not have the health and energy […]
Archbishop Chaput consecrates new bishop of Erie
ERIE, Pa. (CNS) — Live television coverage of the ordination of Bishop Lawrence T. Persico revealed a humanity that is already endearing him to the northwest Pennsylvania flock he will now shepherd as Erie’s 10th bishop. The microphone he was wearing picked up private comments he made during the nearly three-hour-long ceremony, which required a […]
Knights of Columbus to honor pro-life leaders
The Philadelphia Chapter of the Knights of Columbus will honor two local leaders in the pro-life movement at their annual Columbus Day Dinner, to be held this year on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2 p.m. at Twining Hall, 4900 Street Road, Trevose. To be honored as Man of the Year is Bill Miller, a former president […]
US bishops, at synod, talk of spirit and practice of evangelization
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Charitable works, rites of passage and the cultural mixing produced by globalization all offer opportunities for bringing lapsed Catholics back into the fold, but success in such efforts depends on personal repentance and collective inspiration, U.S. bishops told a Vatican gathering Oct. 9. On the second working day of the world […]
Dozens of parishes studying trends, plans for mergers
As part of the ongoing strategic planning process for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, 59 parishes mostly in eight of the 44 Pastoral Planning Areas (PPAs) will undergo study over the next several months, with the purpose of deciding how best to utilize their collective gifts in living out the mission of the Church at both the parish and the archdiocesan level.