With the year-end announcement that Jesuit Father Pat Conroy would be retiring as chaplain of the House of Representatives, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that for the first time, a woman will take over the post.
National News
Only in Print: Merry Christmas, Mary! Songs That Celebrate the Blessed Mother
This year, more than ever, we may want to turn to holiday sing-along favorites such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Sleigh Bells,” “Deck the Halls” and “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” to help put us in the spirit of the season.
New Jersey Parishes Find Creative New Ways to Engage Catholics This Christmas
Tickets for Masses, virtual holiday concerts, video Christmas cards, and drive-by Nativity scenes: It’s beginning to look a lot like a different sort of Christmas.
Want to Help Someone Else This Christmas? Here Are Some Giving Ideas
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, forest fires, hurricanes, wars and other events this year have hit the world’s economies hard, leaving many unemployed and unable to pay for rent and even food.
A Christmas Music Miracle: Sacred Hymns Are Finding a New Audience During This Unusual Holiday Season
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing families to stay home during this Christmas season, many folks are turning to sacred music as a means to help relieve stress and find meaning in classical hymns of faith and devotion.
Eviction Moratorium Only Delaying the Inevitable, Says Catholic Charities Head
The president of Catholic Charities USA fears an extended eviction moratorium just delays the inevitable loss of homes for millions of Americans during the global pandemic and diminished job market.
Lots of Money, and Hard Work, Bring Pandemic Aid Bill to Finish Line
What had been separate Democratic and Republican coronavirus relief bills became a bipartisan effort thanks to Congress’ Problem Solvers Caucus, according to a lobbyist for Network, a Catholic social justice lobby.
Mary on the Mantel Dolls Fly Off the Shelf
Children often look high and low to spot their Elf on Shelf dolls during this time of year, but one entrepreneur took the concept to the next level. Erica Campbell, owner and designer of the “Be a Heart” brand and mother to an 11-month-old girl, created Mary on the Mantel to provide comfort to kids and teach them about their faith.
HHS Acts on Violations of Conscience Protection by California, Vermont Hospital
Two U.S. bishop’s committee said Dec. 17 they “strongly commend” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services taking “corrective action” against a Vermont medical center and the state of California for violating federal conscience protection laws when it comes to abortion.
Death Penalty Hits Historic Low in U.S. ‘Despite Federal Execution Spree,’ Says Report
A new report Dec. 16 by the Death Penalty Information Center said the use of capital punishment reached a historic low this year in the United States even with the return of federal executions by the Trump administration.