Facing an imminent expansion of Canada’s assisted suicide law to make people suffering from mental illness eligible, the nation’s Catholic bishops are calling on health care providers to invest more in mental health resources to get people the help they need.
Author: John Lavenburg
‘Trinity’ Archbishop Protests Cuts in Funding for Nuclear Test Victims
In a year in which the legacy of the world’s first nuclear test has been thrust back into the spotlight due to the success of the Oscar-contending movie “Oppenheimer,” New Mexico’s Catholic archbishop is protesting a recent congressional move to cut long-standing compensation for victims of nuclear testing and uranium mining from a defense bill.
Steubenville, Columbus Dioceses to Resume Merger Talks
About a year after the former bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, publicly announced that a merger with the neighboring Diocese of Columbus was being discussed, generating swift backlash from local priests and laity, the two dioceses have announced that merger talks have resumed.
Black, Hispanic Catholic Choirs in Baltimore Promote ‘Unity and Joy’
When Joseph Oden performs in parish choirs, he says he lets the spirit move him — sometimes he’ll cry, sometimes he’ll dance. Other times, like at the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Black Catholic Mass choir debut last week, he’s just filled with “a lot of joy.”
Bishops Pray for Healing, Consolation After Latest US Mass Shootings
After three people were killed and another critically injured in a shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Dec. 6, Archbishop George Leo Thomas of Las Vegas has said his “thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and survivors of this tragedy.”
Holy Cross Priest, Expert on Africa to Take the Helm at Notre Dame
In an era where more and more Catholic universities are turning to lay leadership, the University of Notre Dame will stick with its tradition of appointing a priest-president from the Congregation of the Holy Cross, the religious order to which the university’s founder belonged.
Puerto Rico Prelate Honored for Leadership After Disasters
Archbishop Roberto González Nieves of San Juan, Puerto Rico, has received an award for his leadership in guiding Puerto Rico through rebuilding efforts after the nation was decimated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, and a series of earthquakes in the years since.
Catholics Call on UN Climate Conference to Hear the ‘Cry of the Earth’ and the ‘Cry of the Poor’
As the United Nations annual climate meeting kicks off Nov. 30, American Catholic leaders are calling for cooperation between global leaders to further transition the world to clean energy and for them to foremost consider the needs of the poor and vulnerable.
Laicized Priest Files FOIA Request on FBI Targeting of Traditionalist Catholics
Almost a year after the FBI’s targeting of traditional Catholics came to light, a conservative Catholic organization, led by a laicized priest, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to find out just how far the FBI’s investigation went.
Burlington Catholic Leader ‘Shocked’ by Shooting of Palestinian College Students
After three college students of Palestinian descent were shot in Burlington, Vermont, over the weekend in a potential hate crime, the interim head of the local diocese condemned the act and reminded Catholics that they are called to “become peacemakers in our cities, state, and in our world.”
