A man crashed his van through the doors of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Ocala, Florida, early in the morning July 11 and once inside, the church’s pastor said, the man set the interior of the church ablaze and drove off.
National News
Priest Donates Kidney to Help Mom Lead Life She Imagines for Her Family
Like many parents, Rebeca Barcenas had this one overwhelming prayer that she continually shared with God.
Cardinal Dolan Blesses Ashes of Mexican Nationals Who Died of COVID-19
Inside New York’s iconic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, some 250 Mexican nationals were hailed as anonymous heroes July 11, after dying of COVID-19, which they likely contracted as they kept the city moving when it was experiencing the peak of the pandemic earlier this year.
Fire Ravages Historic California Mission, But Community Vows to Rebuild
The fire that ravaged Mission San Gabriel Arcangel church in the predawn hours of July 11 left behind a haunting scene. In a matter of minutes, the mission’s 230-year-old roof was nearly gone.
Authorities Investigate Attacks on Catholic Churches, Statues
The vandalizing of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary outside Cathedral Prep School and Seminary was just one of several shocking and disturbing attacks on Catholic institutions in the U.S. in recent days.
Archbishop Coakley: Loans Keep ‘Essential Ministries’ Going During National Emergency
The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ domestic policy committee said the federal emergency “bridge loans” that dioceses, parishes and other Catholic entities applied for provided a lifeline, allowing “our essential ministries to continue to function in a time of national emergency.”
Decline in Confession Called Harmful to Church’s Mission to Spread Gospel
With COVID restrictions lifting, pastors looking to welcome faithful back should rethink their confession schedules — and start talking more about the sacrament in the pulpit.
Mississippi Bishops Aim to Follow Thea Bowman’s Lead on Racism
Pointing to the late Sister Thea Bowman as an “icon of hope,” the bishops of both Mississippi dioceses have pledged to “liberate the Church from the evil of racism that severely compromises our mission.”
What Father Tolton Might Say About Today’s Racial Injustices
Father Augustus Tolton, the first identified Black priest ordained for the United States, would likely be disappointed by what he sees going on in the United States today, said Father David Jones, pastor of St. Benedict the African Parish in Chicago.
Court Rules in Favor of Employer Exemptions to Contraceptive Coverage
In a 7-2 ruling July 8, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump administration rules that give employers more ability to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage in their health plans.