Two months after Pope Francis’s condemnation of the death penalty as “contrary to the Gospel,” the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) announced that executions were at a near historic low in the United States.
National News
Cardinal Law, Whose Legacy Was Marred by Sex Abuse Scandal, Dies
Cardinal Bernard F. Law, who had been one of the United States’ most powerful and respected bishops until his legacy was blemished by the devastating sexual abuse of minors by priests in his Archdiocese of Boston, died early Dec. 20 in Rome at the age of 86.
Christmas Ad Thrown Off Bus
The Archdiocese of Washington was weighing its options after a federal judge denied a request for an emergency injunction over the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) advertising guidelines.
Franciscans Involved in Making ‘Sultan and Saint’ Documentary
A moment in time that has been captured in art has now been captured on film.
Pearl Harbor Chaplain Honored Posthumously for Heroism
Relatives of the first chaplain to die in World War II accepted the Silver Star on his behalf 76 years to the day after he died saving 12 sailors during the Pearl Harbor attack.
The Eyes Have It at DC Shrine Dome Dedication
The overflowing congregation at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception hardly needed reminding to raise their “eyes to the heavens” during a dedication of the Trinity Dome Mosaic Dec. 8.
Gregorian Chant Called Seminarian to Catholicism
As Gabe Bouck observes Advent, a season in which Catholics are urged to answer God’s call for conversion, the seminarian is reminded of the melodic voice that inspired him to become Catholic.
US Bishops Share the Journey with DREAMers
In a one-two punch, Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines visited detained immigrants in Iowa’s Polk County Jail, Dec. 7, and immediately afterwards, publicly called on Congress to pass the DREAM Act to grant residency to qualified immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors.
US Bishops: Tax Proposal Is Fundamentally Flawed
Congress must “fix the fundamental flaws” in both the Senate and House versions of the tax reform proposal as lawmakers try to reach an agreement on a final bill, said the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
Virgin of Guadalupe Listens to Worries, Relieves Stress
A study out of the University of Alabama exploring the link between faith and health demonstrated that those with a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe had fewer negative health issues related to stress.