News
Novena to pray for vocations set for April 25-May 3
Seminarians will lead prayers to support vocations for nine days as a new study indicates the leading factor influencing a man to consider priesthood is a personal invitation.
Sister Clarita Hackman, skilled in finance, dies at 86
The Medical Mission Sister was a Missouri native who studied bookkeeping in Philadelphia, served for many years in Ghana and Kenya as an X-ray tech, and held several financial positions in Philadelphia.
As Earth Day turns 50, ‘humanity is at critical crossroad,’ say activists
The Washington-based Catholic Climate Covenant is offering a free, one-hour educational program marking the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day and five years since Pope Francis' letter "Laudato Si'."
Ordinations, confirmations pushed back due to virus restrictions
The annual ordinations to priesthood and diaconate in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been rescheduled for June and confirmations in parishes will be celebrated in the fall.
Private funerals planned for 3 archdiocesan priests
Father Robert Feeney, Father James Mulligan and Msgr. Joseph Murray died in recent weeks but their funeral Masses were not public due to coronavirus restrictions.
Franciscan University to pay tuition costs for new students in fall
In response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university in Steubenville will waive tuition for new undergraduate students. "We think it's the right thing to do," said its president.
Creation is sacred gift deserving respect, care, pope says on Earth Day
Humanity has failed to take care of the earth and its inhabitants, sinning against God and his gift of creation, Pope Francis said April 22, reflecting on the human and Christian responsibility to care for the earth.
Families in hard times get diapers, food in church-city effort
As the coronavirus especially impacts families with babies, Nutritional Development Services and Catholic Social Services teamed with the city April 21 to begin offering much-needed goods twice a week at several locations.
At-risk youth keep clean, stay busy to cope with coronavirus
Staff at two group homes run by Catholic Social Services are working to provide safety, structure and inspiration to reassure teens during the pandemic.
Amid pandemic, politicians must put country over party, pope says
In his morning Mass, Pope Francis prayed "in this moment of pandemic" that all countries' political parties "may seek together the good of the country and not the good of their own party."