At least one person has died and one Catholic Church was destroyed by the latest of a series of earthquakes to rock Puerto Rico.
National News
Meeting of Church Heavy-Hitters Calls for ‘Adjustments’ to Priestly Formation
A major gathering of ecclesial heavy hitters focusing on the future of the priesthood concluded with a call for a reimagining of priestly formation – one that incorporates the laity and women in the process and better reflects the racial and cultural diversity within the U.S. Church.
Morality of Drone Warfare Questioned After Attack on Iranian General
The tweet early Jan. 3 from Bishop Richard F. Stika of Knoxville, Tennessee, asked for prayers. It wasn’t an unusual request from a church leader. Still, its significance stems from its context and its timing: a few hours after the overnight killing of Iran’s top military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad.
Texas Bishop Offers Care for Infant Slated for Removal From Life Support
As a battle rages over whether a Texas hospital can remove an 11-month old from life support, one Catholic bishop is offering assistance to the family.
Seeking Saints Helped U.S. Catholics Become More American
In recent years, the tug-of-war between the archdiocese of New York and the diocese of Peoria over the body of Fulton Sheen provided American Catholics a glimpse into the extreme lengths church leaders would go in order to influence the process of canonization.
‘Violence in the Name of God is Blasphemy,’ USCCB President Says
Decrying the acts of religious violence that have taken place during the Christmas season, the president of the U.S. bishops declared: “Violence in the name of God is blasphemy.”
Hero’s Salute for Fallen Officer
It was a rainy, solemn occasion as hundreds gathered in Jersey City, N.J., on Dec. 17 for the funeral of Jersey City Police Department Det. Joseph Seals, which was held at St. Aedan’s church, where police and family members paid their final respects to the slain officer, who was Catholic.
Death Penalty Continues to Decline in the U.S. According to New Report
For five years in a row, there have been fewer than 30 death penalty executions and fewer than 50 death sentences, according to a new report that chronicles a continued dramatic decline in the use of capital punishment in the United States.
Expert Reveals ‘Secret Sauce’ of Catholic Schools: Equality of Every Child Before God
A new report claims that values-based education offered by Catholic schools can serve as a model for all schools seeking to reform and to improve the long-term success of their students.
Six Killed in Jersey City Shootout, Catholic School Locked Down
A lengthy shootout in Jersey City, N.J., on Dec. 10 left six people dead, including one police officer, three civilians and two suspects.