Less than three months after the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, reached an agreement in its yearslong Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, Archbishop John Wester has published an open letter to sexual abuse claimants saying that he is “ashamed” of what happened to them.
Author: John Lavenburg
Mercy Nun Serving Disabled Children Wins American Catholic Honor
Sister Rosemary Connelly, a lifelong advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities, will receive the 2023 Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame, one of the oldest and most prestigious honors given to American Catholics.
Texas Bishop Appointed to Synod Planning Committee
About seven months ahead of the first session of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, the Vatican has announced a small planning committee for the gathering that includes Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas.
Caritas, Catholic Universities in Nicaragua Shut Down by Ortega Regime
In what is the latest move to suppress the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, the government has rescinded the legal status and seized the assets of the nation’s Caritas branches and two Catholic universities, essentially shutting them down.
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.