News

‘Requiem’ at cathedral not just a concert, but a Mass

The music of renowned 20th century French composer Maurice Duruflé will be the setting for a Saturday Mass on Nov. 2 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, to which all are invited.

St. Ephrem School pleases parents, expands early childhood program

A new pre-Kindergarten program for 3-year-olds helps to accommodate moms and dads in the Bensalem area, and offers lifelong early-learning benefits to the young students.

Vatican publishes updated schedule for papal trip to Thailand, Japan

The updated schedule adds no new events but provides specific times for most of the activities on the pope's itinerary.

Vatican’s U.N. rep pushes for world action to eliminate nuclear weapons

In a series of addresses to two U.N. committees, Archbishop Bernardito Auza said nations must step up to prevent a new nuclear arms race from emerging and work to reduce growing threats to peace.

Advocate: Turkish forces doing ‘soft’ ethnic cleansing in northeast Syria

Despite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly assuring U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that his forces would not persecute religious minorities in northeastern Syria, people on the ground say minorities are being targeted.

Religious from Latin America train to serve in U.S. mission dioceses

A group of 38 religious sisters from Latin America just completed a weeklong training program at the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio to prepare them for five years of ministry in mission dioceses of the United States.

Jewish, Christian, Muslim leaders sign declaration against euthanasia

Representatives from the Catholic and Orthodox churches and the Muslim and Jewish faiths signed a joint declaration at the Vatican reaffirming each religion's clear opposition to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

Persecution of Christians worsening in Asia, Mideast

Christianity is disappearing from towns and cities in parts of the Middle East, warns a new report. It said in Asia, "Christianity is seen as not only alien but as an agent of unwanted Western influence."

With new decree, pope makes Vatican Secret Archives no longer ‘secret’

Citing the negative misinterpretations that the word "secret" implies, Pope Francis has changed the name of the Vatican Secret Archives to the Vatican Apostolic Archives.

Pope: Church cannot remain indifferent to cry of the poor

"The cry of the poor, together with that of the earth, came to us from the Amazon," the pope said during his Sunday Angelus address. "After these three weeks, we cannot pretend that we have not heard it."