Given the low level of participation by American Catholics in the process leading up to the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, the leader of the U.S. bishops says that efforts to involve a greater share of the laity in the next stage — dubbed the “implementation phase” — will be crucial to success or failure.
Catholic voters are among the key constituencies that candidates are seeking to win in 2024, as surveys and analysts indicate they are on track to be closely divided at the polls.
This holiday’s roots stretch back to the 4th century when Christians sought to solemnly venerate Roman martyrs some 300 years after the resurrection of Christ. In that period, persecution against Christians
came in “waves,” said Father Michael Bruno, dean of seminarians and professor of church history at St. Joseph Seminary and College at Dunwoodie, Yonkers.
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, there are over three million black American Catholics in the U.S., 250 priests, 437 deacons, and 50 men of African descent in seminary formation for the priesthood in the United States.
A Holy Year, or jubilee, is a “great religious event” in the Catholic tradition, according to the Vatican. The Holy See describes it as one of “forgiveness of sins and also punishment due to sin … reconciliation between adversaries, of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters.”
It’s one of the most divisive issues of the 2024 U.S. presidential election: immigration.
The archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico, Archbishop Roberto O. González Nieves, has written an open letter to former President Donald Trump, demanding the Republican presidential nominee personally apologize for racist remarks directed at Puerto Rico and others, that took place at his Oct. 27 rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
After Vice President Kamala Harris said she does not think “concessions” should be made on codifying abortion protections, some pro-life activists expressed concern that a potential Harris administration would not implement religious exemptions to abortion policy.
The head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says Pope Francis’ new encyclical offers a “simple and powerful” cure to many problems that plague modern society.
Back in November 2007, when the body of Catholic bishops in the United States approved a new voting guide for Catholics, Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, then-head of the bishops’ conference, said it was a “good teaching document” that was important given the complexities of the current political situation. In 2024, a complex political situation remains, as neither major political party candidate fully aligns with the Church on the central issues. Pope Francis even recently opined that while U.S. Catholics “have to vote” this election, they are choosing “the lesser evil.”
