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.
National News
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.
St. Petersburg Diocese Urges Catholics to ‘Take the Pledge’ in Videos
It was an elongated production schedule that would have rivaled any James Cameron epic, but the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida, has finally issued a pair of “Civilize It” videos with more than 30 Catholics in the diocese taking part in the civility pledge to have an open mind, open ears and a civil tongue this election season.
Don’t Turn Away From Suffering on Border, Urges Sister Norma Pimentel
In an opinion piece in The Washington Post daily newspaper, Sister Norma Pimentel, known for her work with migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border near Brownsville, Texas, made a public plea July 6 to keep an eye on the plight of asylum-seekers during the coronavirus pandemic.
From Brooklyn to Paterson: A New Bishop
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was ordained a Bishop and installed as the eighth leader of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.