In a unanimous ruling, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has upheld the long-standing requirement of the House of Representatives that it open each day it is in session with a prayer. The decision from Judges David Tatel, Douglas Ginsburg and Harry Edwards also confirmed that…
Dioceses across the US welcomed thousands of people into the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil Masses on the evening of April 20. As the culmination of the Easter Triduum, the Vigil celebrates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While people can become Catholic at any time of the year, the Easter Vigil is…
A man who tried to walk through St Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan close to 8pm local time on April 17 had gas cans, lighter fluid and igniters and claimed he was just cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue where he had left his car, which he said had run out of…
The Archbishop of Newark has said that the language used by the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe homosexual acts is “very unfortunate”, adding that he hopes the Catechism will use different language in its discussion of homosexuality. “The Church, I think, is having its own conversation about what our faith has us do…
Rwanda’s Catholic bishops have apologised for urging the release of some prisoners convicted for roles in the 1994 genocide, saying they realised by the reaction that they had caused much hurt. The statement followed criticism of a pastoral letter that called for the release of old and ill convicts serving sentences for the mass killings.…
The president of Peru’s conference of bishops has called for calm after two-time former Peruvian President Alan Garcia died on April 17 after shooting himself in the head as authorities prepared to arrest him. “A sad end for this person, who was also important, independently from political and financial situations,” Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of…
Priests must be among the ‘crowds’ Pope urges clergy Just as Jesus always sought to be with the people to serve, teach and heal them, so too must priests always be in the midst of God’s people, “pouring ourselves out” for them, Pope Francis said. Being with the people “is the most beautiful place” to be, he told priests during the Chrism Mass…
Dennis Sadowski More than 90% of Catholics said they believe that Catholic organisations should invest church funds in ways that are consistent with Church teaching and values, according to results of a new survey. In addition, about 31% of respondents to the survey conducted by Boston-based Catholic Investment Services said that news of clergy…
The scales of justice cannot solve everything, especially when it comes to stopping a cycle of evil vengeance, Pope Francis said. “Evil knows revenge and if it is not halted, it risks spreading, suffocating the whole world,” he said on April 24 during his weekly general audience. Christians must forgive and love others even beyond…
Pope Francis has said he was “very saddened” by the destruction of the Notre Dame Cathedral, but was grateful the bravery of shown in extinguishing the flames. While greeting a group of French pilgrims at the weekly general audience, the Pope expressed his “affection and closeness” to the people of France following the devastating April…