News
Supreme Court to hear cases of fired Catholic school religion teachers
The court agreed Dec. 18 to take up the combined cases of two California Catholic schools that were sued by teachers they had fired who claimed they had been victims of job discrimination.
Sister Beatrice Mary Keegan, S.S.J. dies at 89
A member of the Sisters of St. Joseph since her entrance into the order in 1947, the former Sister Joseph Beatrice ministered in the archdioceses of Philadelphia and Newark, and the Diocese of Trenton.
Sainthood sought for Catholic teacher of those with disabilities
Bishop Lawrence Persico Dec. 17 announced the opening of the canonization cause for Gertrude Barber of Erie, Pa., who dedicated her life to serving children and adults with intellectual disabilities/autism.
Sister Marie Natalie Sommer, S.S.J., dies at 88
The former Barbara Ann Grace Sommer, a grad of St. Athanasius Grade School and Little Flower High School in Philadelphia, entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1950 and ministered in the Philadelphia region.
Sister Kathryn Miller dies at 98; was congregational leader
A professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 79 years, the former Sister Lillian Francis would go on to earn a bachelor's and master's in education after entering religious life in 1937.
Mexican president: Leave church-state separation alone
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador disapproves of a proposal that would scrap some of the restrictions separating church and state, but also could have broken the seal of confession.
Sister Mary Breen, 86, dies after 67 years in ministry
The Sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia, formerly Sister Patrick Mary, was born in County Cork, Ireland. She ministered primarily in food services and as a licensed practical nurse.
Sister Barbara Cossaboon, I.H.M., dies at 77
The Sister Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with the religious name Sister Elizabeth Bertrand served for 54 years as a teacher and later as pastoral care minister at St. Martha Manor.
Sister Daniel O’Connor, an S.S.J. nun for 71 years, dies at 90
The former Margaret Mary O'Connor, a product of Transfiguration Parish and West Catholic Girls High School, was a Sister of St. Joseph serving in the Philadelphia Archdiocese and Baltimore, Camden and Trenton.
St. Joseph Sister Eileen Haggerty dies at 83
The former Sister James Naomi graduated from Little Flower High School and entered religious life in 1956, ministering in the Philadelphia Archdiocese plus Allentown and Camden.