News

Suspect arrested, charged with felonies in crash, fire at Florida church

A 24-year-old man was apprehended by police after a chase. After crashing his van through the church doors, video shows him in the foyer pouring gasoline and hurling a lit shoe onto it.

Sister Susan Immaculate Platt, I.H.M., dies at 75

The native of Philadelphia, raised in Secane, served most of her 57 years of ministry in Delaware County and Philadelphia Catholic schools, teaching thousands of students.

Sister Julia Burkart, a Ph.D. sociologist, dies at 92

The Medical Mission Sister taught sociology at the college level for a dozen years, preceded and followed by varied ministries abroad and across the United States.

Born into mission work, Sister Patrice McSweeney dies at 88

The Medical Mission Sister was born in Colombia, as a child lived in Venezuela and later served there as a sister for some 40 years. She earned a nursing degree at Penn.

Medical Mission Sister Jacinta Conlon dies at 97

Her long mission of service around the world included caring for her order's foundress, Mother Anna Dengel, until her death. Sister Jacinta battled health issues until succumbing to Covid-19.

Sister Aletta Dorothy Donahue dies at 97

The Trenton native was a Franciscan sister for 71 years. Between quarter-century teaching assignments in two dioceses, she cared for family members until their deaths.

Franciscan Sister Annette Marie Lucchese dies at 78

The Sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia earned degrees at Seton Hall and Fordham universities. She served primarily in New Jersey and Brooklyn, and in leadership of her congregation.

Sister Frances Marie Devinney, longtime teacher, dies at 83

The Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary taught Catholic elementary school students in grades five through eight for 36 years.

Pope ‘saddened’ by Turkish ruling to turn Hagia Sophia into mosque

The world's largest cathedral at its dedication in 537, Hagia Sophia served as a mosque since from the 1453 Ottoman conquest until 1935, when it became a museum.

Fire ravages historic California mission, but community vows to rebuild

Mission San Gabriel, described as "the spiritual heart of the church in Los Angeles," was damaged in a fire July 11. Many of its artworks had been removed prior to renovation.