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February 2015

February 1

Counting the costs of marriage

February 1, 2015

For most people marriage, a family — hearth and home — are the keys to a meaningful, successful life. But what if you can’t afford it? What if our economy, our society, is increasingly reserving marriage for a privileged few? What if the gap between rich and poor includes a marriage gap?

Ewan McGregor pulls off a convincing Jesus in ‘Last Days in the Desert’

February 1, 2015

PARK CITY, Utah - Publishers discovered a long time ago that Jesus sells magazines, so it should be no surprise that one of the hottest tickets here at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival was the premiere of “Last Days in the Desert,” directed by Rodrigo Garcia and starring Ewan McGregor as both Jesus and Satan.

Pope’s remark doesn’t rile large families

February 1, 2015

Moira McQueen, mother of eight and moral theologian, thought Pope Francis’ off-the-cuff remark about Catholics reproducing like rabbits was hilarious.

February 2

Pope to visit Balkan nation still scarred by ethnic divisions

February 2, 2015

VATICAN CITY - In an effort to help bolster a minority Catholic population and encourage dialogue and friendship among once-warring ethnic and religious communities, Pope Francis announced he would be visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Vatican to offer haircuts, shaves as well as showers to Rome’s homeless

February 2, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican will offer homeless people in Rome not only showers but also haircuts and shaves when new facilities open next month, the head of Pope Francis’ charity office said.

Chinese priest urges unity, sees government plan as way to divide church

February 2, 2015

MANILA, Philippines - The recent announcement of this year's working plans of the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs has driven a young priest from northern China to call church leaders to work for dialogue and reconciliation among Catholics in his country.

Chinese Bishop Shi, held in secret for years, dies at 94

February 2, 2015

HONG KONG - Bishop Cosmas Shi Enxiang of Yixian, 94, a member of the so-called underground Catholic Church who has not been seen since his arrest in 2001, has died, a relative said.

Nigerian cardinal: Candidates must focus on issues, not smear tactics

February 2, 2015

LAGOS, Nigeria - The retired archbishop of Lagos called on candidates in Nigeria's Feb. 14 elections to focus on issues of importance to voters rather than on character assassination and smear tactics.

Franciscan priest to appear on Oprah Winfrey's 'Super Soul Sunday'

February 2, 2015

WASHINGTON - If you think somebody's famous because they've written scads of books on spirituality, traveled the world speaking about God's love, and have 150,000 people on a daily email list for meditations, then brace yourself for when that person sits down for a televised face-to-face interview with Oprah Winfrey.

California bill would legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill

February 2, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO - California legislators have introduced assisted suicide legislation modeled on Oregon's assisted suicide law, energized by the heartbreaking story of Brittany Maynard, a young woman with brain cancer, who moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Oregon to end her own life Nov. 1.

February 3

Pope recognizes martyrdom of Archbishop Romero

February 3, 2015

VATICAN CITY - After decades of debate within the Church, Pope Francis formally recognized that Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero was killed "in hatred of the faith" and not for purely political reasons.

Polish-born Michaelite named auxiliary bishop in London

February 3, 2015

LONDON, ONT. - A Polish-born Michaelite Father has been named auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of London.

England mulls legalization of in vitro technique giving baby DNA of three parents

February 3, 2015

CANTERBURY, England - Members of Parliament voted Tuesday (Feb. 3) to allow the creation of human embryos from the DNA of three people to try to eradicate a type of genetic disease that has caused the deaths of thousands of babies.

Religious say helping victims will entail stopping traffickers, demand

February 3, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Bringing the light of hope to ending human trafficking means confronting the brutal "darkness" of evil that is driving those who exploit others, said a number of women religious helping victims.

February 4

Bishops in Mexico's South: Catholics must change views on migrants

February 4, 2015

MEXICO CITY - Bishops from Mexico's southernmost dioceses issued a statement calling for Catholics to stop acting indifferently toward the difficulties faced by undocumented migrants, who continue abandoning Central America and taking dangerous trips through Mexico in their attempts at reaching the United States.

'Three-continent endeavour' results in universities' joint Rome Center

February 4, 2015

WASHINGTON - What the president of The Catholic University of America called a "three-continent endeavour" has resulted in an agreement by the university in Washington and the Australian Catholic University to share a campus in Rome.

War in Ukraine, between Christians is a scandal, Pope says

February 4, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The only word worthy of being heard in the throes of war is "peace," and there is nothing more scandalous than a nation made up of Christians engaged in conflict, Pope Francis said.

Jordan's Christian churches condemn pilot's murder, offer prayers

February 4, 2015

AMMAN, Jordan - Christian churches in Jordan condemned the Islamic State militants' killing of First Lt. Muath al-Kasasbeh, a Jordanian pilot who had been held in captivity by the jihadist group.

Ontario sex ed curriculum threatens parents’ right to judge ‘immoral’ material

February 4, 2015

OTTAWA - Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast warned a proposed Ontario sexual education curriculum could threaten parental rights and force “immoral” teachings on Catholic school children.

February 31

Francis still a hit with adoring media

January 31, 2015

The news cycle is like a popularity contest — and Pope Francis is winning.