by John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) – A referendum in Italy has spotlighted an emerging social justice issue for the Catholic Church: access to safe water as a basic human right. Italians went to the polls June 12-13 and voted overwhelmingly to revoke a decree that imposed the privatization of water resources. The issue stirred […]
WASHINGTON (CNS) – More than 60 U.S. bishops, including Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano, plan to join the 25,000 U.S. World Youth Day pilgrims expected to be part of an estimated one million-plus young people who will attend at least one of the events in Madrid Aug. 16-21. A morning Mass […]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CNS) – The Catholic Charities agencies in the Illinois dioceses of Peoria, Springfield and Joliet have filed suit seeking legal clarification of whether they can continue to place foster children with only married couples and single non-cohabiting individuals now that the state’s civil unions law has taken effect. Signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Vatican said bishops’ ordinations that are not authorized by the pope generally bring the penalty of automatic excommunication, but there can be mitigating circumstances – including fear of reprisal, necessity or serious inconvenience. In China, the most recent ordinations have involved bishops loyal to the Vatican, who were said to […]
Daniel O’Keefe, vice principal and academic dean at Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, Elmhurst, has been appointed principal of Cardinal Spellman H.S., the Bronx. He replaces Sister Veronica Wood, O.S.F., interim principal, as head of the 1,400-student Catholic, co-educational college preparatory high school as of Aug. 1. Cathedral Prep has named Richie Diaz, ’96, assistant dean and […]
by John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI entrusted the cause of world peace to the martyrs of World War II concentration camps, including a German priest executed for his hostility to the Nazi regime. Speaking to pilgrims at his noon blessing June 12, the pope noted that the church was about to […]
By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) – NATO’s military campaign against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is giving rise to concerns that the effort’s goals remain unclear and will likely lead to a lengthy standoff between the longtime autocrat and rebel forces with innocent civilians caught in the middle. The concerns revolve around whether the campaign is […]
By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI prayed that the world’s Gypsies no longer be subjected to prejudice, oppression and rejection. Gypsies should always uphold “justice, legality, reconciliation and strive to never be the cause of someone else’s suffering,” he said in a festive meeting with nearly 2,000 Gypsies, Roma, Sinti and […]
by Nancy Frazier O’Brien WASHINGTON (CNS) – As seven Republican candidates for president prepared for a June 13 debate in New Hampshire and others waited in the wings, there were signs that religion will play as big a role in the 2012 election as it has in other recent campaigns. Many of the declared or […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CNS) – A plan to allow for the reading of the Quran from the pulpit during a Mass at St. Peter Church in Charlotte June 26 has been canceled, with an interfaith dialogue planned for October instead. St. Peter parish had agreed to take part in an event called Faith Shared, in which […]
