Samantha Power, US President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the United States’ international aid agency, is a pro-choice Catholic who comes from Ireland. If confirmed, Ms Power would head up the US Agency for International Development, a position which Mr Biden has announced he’s elevating to the National Security Council. Speaking to the U.S. Catholic,…
In one day, the Catholic Church on two continents lost two leaders to Covid-19. Both men were outspoken defenders of the church. Brazilian Cardinal Eusebio Scheid, 88, died in the interior of São Paulo state January 13, after only a few days in the hospital with Covid-19. Scotland Across the Atlantic, in Scotland, Archbishop Philip…
An Irish priest working in Kenya has paid tribute to Sr Colombiere Kelly IBVM, who died last week after spending decades changing culture and educating girls. Fr Conor Donnelly, who is based in Nairobi, said Sr Kelly went to East Africa and became principal of a Catholic school in 1952 during very challenging times. “There were…
Three North Dakota state legislators introduced a bill this week that would oblige Catholic priests to violate the seal of Confession in cases of confirmed or suspected child abuse, on penalty of imprisonment or heavy fines. The bill was introduced January 12 by a number of Republican and Democrat state senators and state representatives. The…
Fr Mike Schmitz’s podcast, The Bible in a Year, which walks listeners through the Bible in 365 days has soared to the top of Apple’s chart after its launch on New Year’s Day. Nearly three weeks after launch, the podcast remains in the top spot. It climbed above podcasts in every other category to achieve…
An English bishop expressed solidarity with the family of a man on feeding tubes who appealed to a court for him to be kept alive. Bishop Mark O’Toole of Plymouth said in a statement sent to Catholic News Service that the English court’s decision “to allow for the withdrawal of hydration and nutrition is very…
Celebrating a livestreamed Mass for the community of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington January 13, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory noted how sometimes the readings of the day “fit our lives so perfectly”. They “somehow almost mystically describe where we are at this moment”, he said. Washington’s archbishop then pointed out how that day’s Gospel…
Vatican modifies distribution of ashes for Ash Wednesday The Congregation for Divine Worship announced that the ashes will be “sprinkled” rather than applied as a paste and the priest will “say nothing” while doing so. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published the note ahead of the beginning of Lent,…
Bishops urge French Catholics to pray and fast as bioethics bill returns to Senate French bishops asked Catholics on Wednesday January 13 to pray and fast for the next four Fridays for respect for human life from conception in response to new legislation. The bishops of France called on “all Catholics, as well as men…
Unity requires prayer, love and fighting the devil, who always sows division, Pope Francis said.
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones