News
Pope meets Putin; two leaders talk about Ukraine, Syria, Venezuela
Pope Francis welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican July 4, and the two discussed the ongoing wars in Eastern Ukraine and in Syria, the Vatican said. Russia plays a major role in both conflicts.
Anthem Live: Summer Edition coming to Center City
Cut through the noise and find space to hear God speak. Join us Thursday night, July 18 at St. Patrick's Church near Rittenhouse Square for a night of adoration, confession and worship music.
Celebrate America’s blessings, Ukrainian archbishop says
Philadelphia's Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Borys Gudziak, in an Independence Day message, prayed Americans would "continue upholding the welcome, the generosity, the willingness to help, that this country stands for."
Government must account for families separated at border by October
President Trump and a federal judge ended the family separation policy in June 2018, but it continues to be used by officials "when they feel like it," said a migration advocate. The flow of asylum-seekers hit a seven-year high in May.
EITC, non-public school programs get big boost in new Pa. budget
The state program that allows businesses to direct tax credits to scholarship organizations like BLOCS, which gave $42 million in aid to students of Catholic and other schools last year, received a $25 million funding increase.
Retreats show how God shines through ‘perfectly imperfect’ people
The annual gatherings, organized by archdiocesan Catholic Social Services in May, brought hope, healing and an awareness of God's life-changing love to more than 120 homeless and at-risk men and women.
Chicago woman’s healing is miracle in Cardinal Newman’s sainthood cause
A few prayers to Blessed John Henry Newman became a "constant dialogue" and then a desperate response to an emergency for Melissa Villalobos of Chicago. Her healing was accepted as the miracle needed for the 19th-century British cardinal's canonization.
Washington state bishops call for ‘comprehensive immigration reform’
In a June 28 statement, the bishops called the current stalemate on immigration reform a "disappointing reality (that) continues to complicate efforts of law enforcement, sow discord in our communities and harm vulnerable people."
Catholic aid groups say crisis wrought by family separations far from over
In Los Angeles, 18 attorneys at a Catholic immigration project are still processing and awaiting court dates on the cases of families separated last year under the government's "zero tolerance" immigration policy.
World becoming more elitist, cruel toward the excluded, pope says
Lamenting the exploitation of natural and human resources for the privileged few, Pope Francis said the church must seek "those who have fallen away," especially the vulnerable who "are left with the crumbs at the banquet."