News
Widespread vaccination, supported by pope, faces myriad obstacles
The hurdles to achieving a fair, global distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine are economic, technical, political and moral. "What we need," said a Vatican official, "is an urgent innovation for the common good."
Racial healing to come by prayer, Spirit-led action, speaker says
Danielle Brown led a Zoom talk in Philadelphia in which she called on Catholics to follow the model of the early church "to resist racism because it is a block to salvation, not because it is a trendy issue."
Local outreach offers sex trafficking victims new hope
For more than a decade, Sister Kathleen Coll and the team at Dawn's Place have worked to heal exploited women and "honor their human dignity."
Naming posts for synod, Pope Francis gives a woman a vote
Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart will not be the first woman undersecretary of a major Vatican office, but she will be the first woman with a right to vote at a meeting of the Synod of Bishops, the pope announced Feb. 6.
Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq still on; Vatican releases schedule
Pope Francis said his upcoming trip to Iraq, March 5-8, would be an important sign of his concern for the region's Christians and an important opportunity to build fraternity through interreligious dialogue.
In Iraq, pope hopes to encourage Christians, build bridges to Muslims
On his historic visit to Iraq in March, Pope Francis hopes to encourage his Christian flock, badly bruised by sectarian conflict and brutal Islamic State attacks, while building further bridges to Muslims by extending fraternal peace.
Pope: Markets need regulation to promote justice, not special interests
An economy without exploited persons will require "planning that does not look always and only at the very short-term gains, but at the medium- and long-term fruits and, above all, at people," he said Feb. 8 on the Day of prayer against human trafficking.
SEEK21 speakers share own faith experiences, say Christ has all the answers
The annual national conference of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students drew over 27,000 participants for its virtual events Feb. 4-7 and included college students, missionaries, parishioners, young adults, clergy, religious and others.
To overcome economic disparities, turn to papal encyclicals, panelists say
A trio of speakers on economic disparities in light of the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and poverty pointed to Pope Francis' calls for greater solidarity and sharing the goods produced from the earth rather than competing for limited resources.
Rice Bowl is ‘simple genius’ of the Gospel, says bishop
At the Feb. 4 launch of the annual Lenten initiative, Philadelphia Auxiliary Bishop John McIntyre said the program of prayer, fasting and almsgiving sums up "everything that the Lord Jesus has done for us,” and invites faithful to "do as he has done."