Pope: Sense of the Faithful Does Not Mean Majority Vote

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said the Church must pay attention to the “sense of the faithful” (“sensus fidelium”) when exercising its teaching authority but never confuse that sense with popular opinion on matters of faith. The pope made his comments in an address to members of the International Theological Commission, a Vatican advisory […]

Bishop Seals Approval Of Astoria Renovations

by Ed Wilkinson The first parish established in Queens is now the first church in the diocese to house a stained-glass window honoring Pope Francis and one depicting Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s coat of arms. Bishop DiMarzio dedicated the colorful new windows at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Astoria, Dec. 7, as part of a […]

Pope Advances 13 Sainthood Causes

by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of 13 candidates, including the “father of Puerto Rican public education” and the Canadian founder of a religious order dedicated to helping unwed mothers. During a meeting Dec. 9 with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, the […]

Msgr. Brown Receives National Recognition

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Msgr. John Brown, Walgreens drugstores and the New York Mets have been awarded the 2013 Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience, recognizing their contributions to their communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Msgr. Brown, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas parish, Flatlands, was the pastor of St. […]

Mandela Touched The Heart of a Fellow Prisoner

JOHANNESBURG (CNS) – Former South African President Nelson Mandela looked down on the tens of thousands of people gathered at his memorial service in Johannesburg and smiled as he watched them celebrate his legacy, said Andrew Mokete Mlangeni, a Catholic who was imprisoned for decades with the late anti-apartheid icon. The first to address the […]

Mandela – Religious Leaders Recall Struggle for Peace and Equality in South Africa

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Pope Francis joined Church and government leaders from around the world in crediting Nelson Mandela for a steadfast commitment to promoting human rights and upholding the dignity of all people in response to the death Dec. 5 of the former president of South Africa. In a message to South Africa President Jacob […]

Newsmaking Pontiff

Pope Francis, seen here arriving in St. Peter’s Square for a recent general audience, continues to make news as he: chatted this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu, https://thetablet.org/israel-at-vatican-pope-and-netanyahu-discuss-peace-in-middle-east-and-popes-impending-visit/; continued his efforts to “purify” the Church, https://thetablet.org/pope-purify-church-by-looking-within/; and stirred up a controversy with his remarks about economic issues, https://thetablet.org/pope-stirs-controversy-with-words-on-economy/.

US Bishops Applaud Deal With Iran

WASHINGTON (CNS) – The interim multilateral accord that could put the brakes on Iran’s nuclear development program is a steppingstone for a long-range deal that “enhances genuine peace in the region,” according to Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace. In a letter […]