In what is the latest move to suppress the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, the government has rescinded the legal status and seized the assets of the nation’s Caritas branches and two Catholic universities, essentially shutting them down.
Author: John Lavenburg
Cardinal Gregory Reminds Catholics to ‘Intensify’ Prayers for Ukraine
More than a year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington is reminding Catholics that regardless of the amount of news coverage the war does or doesn’t receive, it’s important to draw inspiration from the affected Ukrainian civilians and children “to intensify our prayers and commitment to peace.”
Boston Prelate Grateful for Reappointment to Pope’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’
After finding out yesterday morning that he would remain a member of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals, Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston called the reappointment an honor, and commended the Holy Father for leading with a shepherd’s heart for the past decade.
Bishop O’Connell’s Legacy: ‘He Brought Us All Closer Together’
There was an instance at the March 2 memorial Mass for Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell that Gregory Warner realized wouldn’t have happened in years past: the Knights of Peter Claver and the Knights of Columbus came together as an honor guard for the casket.
Wilmington Diocese Insists That Confessional Secrecy is ‘Nonnegotiable’
After a Delaware state representative introduced a bill to abrogate priest and penitent privilege when child abuse or neglect is suspected, the Diocese of Wilmington has pushed back, insisting that the confidentiality of confession is “nonnegotiable.”
Bishop O’Connell Ministered Even ‘To The Margins’ on L.A.’s Skid Row
At a street corner outside San Julian Park in the heart of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles on March 2, homeless people line up outside a bright yellow food truck to receive what will likely be their only hot meal of the day.
Bishop O’Connell’s Work Is Not Done, Nephew Says At Funeral Mass
Speaking to more than 3,500 people gathered for the funeral Mass of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, his nephew, also David O’Connell, took the opportunity to urge everybody to “pick up where he left off and to carry the example that he set” of compassion and caring.
L.A. Singer Honors Her Friend, ‘Father Dave,’ In Song
“You were the light, peacemaker, and the joy of God.” That is how Catholic singer/songwriter Andrea Vicich remembers her good friend “Father Dave,” or as he’s more commonly known, Bishop David O’Connell, in a song she wrote and published in honor of the late Los Angeles auxiliary bishop.
L.A. Faithful Remember ‘Humble’ Bishop Who Was Pro-Life Advocate
If Catherine Contreras had the opportunity to have one more conversation with the late Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, she would thank him for his unwavering support of pro-life advocates and for being a father figure to so many.
As Artificial Intelligence Invades Culture, Church Voices Say It Shouldn’t Be Used Behind the Lectern
Famed 20th-century author G.K. Chesterton once invoked the task of “writing one’s own love letters or blowing one’s own nose” to say that there are certain things man should do for himself. According to Father David Mowry, that remains true for homily writing, as well.
