News
NFL kicker’s friendship with teammate strengthens faith
While still at Georgia Tech, Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs was Christian "in name only," until he met fellow teammate Grant Aasen, who had rediscovered his own faith after a near-fatal football injury.
Smith, USCIRF welcome State Department report on religious persecution
Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom applauded the State Department's Dec. 20 redesignation of nine nations as "countries of particular concern" for "systematic, ongoing, egregious violations" against various faiths.
Trump rule separates billing for elective abortion from health coverage
The move requires health insurers to invoice customers for coverage of an elective abortion, apart from their premium for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The head of the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee commended the administration "for enforcing the law."
Santa, priest and police ‘raise a holiday ruckus’ for archdiocesan agency
More than 30 Philadelphia Police officers and their families, led by Oblate Father Steven Wetzel and a jolly man in red, spread Christmas cheer on Dec. 19 to kids at a Catholic Social Services center in the city's northeast section.
Christmas came early for St. Eleanor’s CYO girls’ volleyball
For the second consecutive season, the team captured the state CYO championship, defeating Pittsburgh’s Louise de Marillac in two sets Nov. 24 at St. John Paul II High School in Royersford.
Amid ‘supercharged’ politics, faithful urged to look to good news of Christmas
The Ukrainian Catholic bishops of the United States said in their Christmas message that Jesus himself "came into a world that was far from neat, peaceful or welcoming." They added that God "will never abandon us as we seek to live in holiness, dignity, and mutual love."
Grenade blast outside Philippine cathedral might have targeted military
A Dec. 22 explosion outside the Catholic cathedral in the city of Cotabato wounded at least 12 people, including eight soldiers on patrol. Attacks in nearby towns that wounded at least eight people may be related, although no group has yet claimed responsibility.
Catholic leaders in Holy Land pray Christmas season will bring justice
In a joint message, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem affirmed the "hope and life" brought by Jesus' birth, even amid inequality and war. A separate message condemned the Dec. 21 burning of public Christmas trees in two villages in Galilee.
Latino tradition is a ‘dress rehearsal’ for Christmas
"Las Posadas," which reenact Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem over nine evenings, keep area faithful focused on the true meaning of the holiday through song, Scripture and homemade snacks.
Legionaries report ‘chain of abuse’ as victims went on to abuse others
In a Dec. 21 analysis, the Rome-based order stated that the order's deceased founder, Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, sexually abused at least 60 minors and that at least another 51 youngsters were abused in connection with his actions.