[No Web Browser Title property found for national-news-sidebar-widget]

Adding St. Joseph's name to Mass texts, popes share their devotion

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:56:21 -0500

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis and retired Pope Benedict XVI have a special devotion to St. Joseph and have assured that devotion regularly will be shared at Mass by Catholics around the world.

Pope, Anglican leader meet, pledge to continue search for unity

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:58:55 -0500

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis and Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, pledged to support each other with their prayers and to continue the search for full unity between their communities.

Addressing U.S., global child malnutrition a top priority for advocates

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:38:39 -0500

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In 2008, the community dedicated to ending hunger globally was rocked when the prestigious medical journal The Lancet published its first series on maternal and childhood nutrition, showing that more than a third of child deaths and 11 percent of the rate of disease worldwide was the result of mothers and children being malnourished.

Catholic, Greek Orthodox join effort offers resource for parents to help children navigate online

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:57:18 -0500

WASHINGTON—The Communications Department of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) have launched www.faithandsafety.org, a resource for adults to help children safely navigate online.

Colorado wildfire destroys homes, land, forces thousands to flee

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:08:43 -0500

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CNS) -- For the second year in a row, a wildfire got out of hand on a hot and windy afternoon in Colorado Springs June 12, leaving thousands of people fleeing for safety and thousands of others reliving a nightmare.

Theologians say Pope Francis gives 'new traction' to Catholic teachings

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:37:42 -0500

MIAMI (CNS) -- The new papacy of Francis has thus far been inspiring, challenging and accessible and is giving "new traction" to Catholic social teachings, according to a cross section of distinguished scholars on hand for a convention of theologians.

At the Vatican, a missionary serves the world's displaced

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:58:59 -0500

ROME (CNS) -- Father Frans Thoolen has traveled to Sierra Leone to collect testimony from child soldiers, and to South Africa to help make peace between the African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party. He once went on a two-week hunger strike in support of Moroccan immigrants seeking legal documentation in the Netherlands.

Bill has hurdles to pass, but plans begin for immigrant legalization

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 11:33:44 -0500

ARLINGTON, Va. (CNS) -- Comprehensive immigration reform legislation barely cleared its first hurdle in Congress in May with the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., known as CLINIC, is already gearing up to help a potential pool of 11 million people apply for legalization.

Pope's Sunday focuses on need for peace, gift of Eucharist

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:56:54 -0500

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The horror of war, the valor of peacemaking and the gift of the Eucharist were on Pope Francis' mind June 2, the day Italy celebrates its establishment as a republic and the day most dioceses around the world celebrated the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Competing on game show 'good witness' of joy of giving life to Christ

Wed, 29 May 2013 14:20:01 -0500

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- "The right earlobe, right thumb and right big toe," answered Sister Peter Joseph.

Florida bishops say use of death penalty 'sanctions revenge'

Wed, 29 May 2013 11:59:40 -0500

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CNS) -- Using capital punishment to show that killing is wrong "sanctions revenge," Florida's seven Catholic bishops said in a letter to Gov. Rick Scott.

New leader of Friars Minor says pope has energized Franciscans

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:38:14 -0500

ROME (CNS) -- The new minister general of the Order of Friars Minor said the Franciscans are united, energized and challenged by the ministry of the new pope, whose name honors their founder, St. Francis of Assisi.

Impact of sequestration felt outside of Washington political arena

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:04:46 -0500

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (CNS) -- When Misael Santamaria thinks about how well the Head Start program at St. James Catholic Church prepared his older child for the West Virginia public school system, he thanks God it was available for his younger daughter before sequestration cuts eliminates spots for eligible preschoolers.

Pope: Satan tricks people into being selfish, leaving them loveless

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:34:57 -0500

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Payback with Satan is rotten as he pushes people to be loveless and selfish, finally leaving them with nothing and alone, Pope Francis said.

Rural life advocates hope for congressional action soon on farm bill

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:25:20 -0500

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Rural life advocates see a good chance for a delayed farm bill to finally go through Congress before the month of May is over.

USCCB says Administration mandate violates First Amendment freedoms of Religious Orders and others

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:01:06 -0500

WASHINGTON— The general counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops states that the current proposed revisions of the Obama Administration’s contraceptive mandate are “an unprecedented …violation of religious liberty by the federal government” and must be changed.

The Catholic Relief Services Collection helps 'Jesus In Disguise'

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:41:53 -0600

WASHINGTON— The Catholic Relief Services Collection will take place the weekend of March 9-10. This year's collection theme: "Jesus in Disguise: How will you help?" invites Catholics to influence the lives of more than 100 million people at home and abroad, particularly families affected by persecution, war and natural disasters.

Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI highlighted his pastoral, scholarly, holy life, says Cardinal Dolan

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:44:07 -0600

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued this statement moments after learning of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013

Archbishop Jose H. Gomez calls Senate immigration framework important first step

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:26:28 -0600

WASHINGTON—Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration, welcomed principles set forth by a group of eight U.S. Senators as a blueprint for reform of our nation's immigration system.

Bishop Soto announces half a million dollars to victims of Hurricane Sandy

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:16:14 -0600

WASHINGTON—The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. bishops, has approved a grant of half a million dollars to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy along the East Coast of the United States. CCHD will also launch a national strategic grant program to address poverty-related issues across the country.

Bishop Blaire, Bishop Pates Urge Congress to protect the poor, future generations

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:35:48 -0600

WASHINGTON—Congress should avoid measures that harm at-risk students, low-income families and people currently benefiting from poverty-focused international assistance, according to a letter from the bishops who oversee the justice and peace efforts of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Report finds Catholics active in social media, room to grow for Church�s online presence

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:18:02 -0600

BALTIMORE—Sixty-two percent of adult U.S. Catholics, representing an estimated 36.2 million people, have a profile on Facebook; 58 percent of Catholics age 30 and under share content such as pictures, articles and comments at least once a week on social media; and nearly a third of all surveyed said they would like their pastors and bishops to blog, according to a newly-released study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University.

Bishops' Defense of Marriage chair calls for prayer, renewed culture of marriage

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 11:43:47 -0600

WASHINGTON—In response to the November 6 statewide referenda results in Washington State, Minnesota, Maryland, and Maine regarding marriage, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, called for renewed efforts to strengthen and protect marriage and family life and expressed gratitude to marriage protection supporters.

Cardinal Dolan congratulates President Obama on re-election

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:17:51 -0600

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, congratulated President Barack Obama, November 7, the day after his re-election as President of the United States.

USCCB Evangelization and Cathechesis offers 'Ten American Saints for the Year of Faith'

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:55:39 -0500

To honor the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting October 11 and ending November 24, 2013, meant to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their example.

New Poverty USA website offers statistics, stories, resources to Catholics

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:33:44 -0500

WASHINGTON—Catholics can learn about the state of poverty in the United States and concrete ways they can make a difference at a new website from the the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Bishops welcome inclusion of conscience provisions in House Appropriations Bill

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 08:05:10 -0500

WASHINGTON— The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor/HHS "took a first, urgently needed step toward upholding rights of conscience and religious freedom in our health care system," by including two key provisions in its appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013, according to the chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).