by Judith Sudilovsky JERUSALEM (CNS) – As Easter approaches, it can be a daunting task to find a quiet moment of contemplation at any of Jerusalem’s holy sites, but it is especially so at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Throngs of pilgrim groups and tourists with cameras pack the church, posing for photos at […]
MEXICO CITY (CNS) – The Mexican Senate narrowly approved a constitutional provision providing “freedom of religion,” days after Pope Benedict XVI completed a visit to the country marked by an outpouring of enthusiasm and affection. The Senate approved changes to Article 24 of the Mexican Constitution, guaranteeing freedom of religion and making it possible to […]
by Wallice J. de la Vega SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba (CNS) – In many respects, the coordination of Pope Benedict XVI’s papal visit to Cuba relied on the experience from the 1998 visit of his predecessor, Blessed John Paul II. Blessed John Paul visited four cities in five days. Although Pope Benedict visited two cities […]
by Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – On the seventh anniversary of the death of Blessed John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI paid homage to one of his predecessor’s innovations: World Youth Day. Greeting an estimated 5,000 cheering young people from Spain April 2, Pope Benedict said they were “the protagonists and principal recipients of […]
by Bridget Kelly VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Vietnamese government revoked the visas of representatives of the Rome Diocese, including Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, postponing the delegation’s plans for a visit to the communist country. The delegation had planned to visit Vietnam March 23-April 9 to hear […]
Every week, more than 15 volunteers – among them, parishioners from Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Forest Hills – gather in the basement of St. John the Baptist church, Manhattan, to feed the hungry. St. John the Baptist’s highly organized Bread of Life Food Pantry is one of the oldest continuously functioning pantries in all […]
by Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) – Church leaders should take to heart reasons why Catholics have left the Church, according to a priest who has conducted an “exit poll” of former Catholics. Above all, their departure highlights how the Church must offer a “fresh explanation of the Eucharist,” said Jesuit Father William Byron, professor of […]
