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January 2019

January 27

Pope Francis denounces Philippine church bombing, calls for peace in Venezuela

January 27, 2019

PANAMA CITY – Pope Francis prayed that a peaceful solution may be found in Venezuela as uncertainty and political instability grip the country.

January 28

As WYD Panama closes, Pope urges volunteers to keep serving

January 28, 2019

PANAMA CITY – Just before leaving the physical and human warmth of Panama Jan. 27, Pope Francis stopped to thank the thousands of official volunteers, young and old, gathered at the capital city's Rommel Fernandez Stadium to tell them that they had just participated in an event similar to one that took place early in Christianity.

Philippine church attack 'heinous and evil' terrorism, church leaders say

January 28, 2019

MANILA, Philippines – Church leaders condemned bomb explosions that killed at least 20 people and injured about 100 others inside a Catholic church in the southern Philippines Jan. 27. They called the attack a "heinous and evil" act of terrorism.

Vatican affirms support of universal health care

January 28, 2019

GENEVA – The Vatican supports efforts to build stronger and sustainable essential health care services on the way toward achieving universal health coverage, a Vatican official said.

Bishops must realize seriousness of abuse crisis, Pope says aboard flight from Panama

January 28, 2019

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM PANAMA – The primary goal of the Vatican's February summit on clerical sexual abuse and child protection is to help bishops understand the urgency of the crisis, Pope Francis said.

Real Catholic media don't look for heretics everywhere, Vatican official says

January 28, 2019

VATICAN – The rise of media that call themselves Catholic but seem to exist only to judge others is less about criticizing Pope Francis and more about the misguided notion that to affirm one's own orthodoxy, one must find someone to label a heretic, said a Vatican communications official.

Shona Mass is a little bit of home for Zimbabweans in Edmonton

January 28, 2019

EDMONTON – On a wintry Sunday morning in an Edmonton church, Eve Masenda ties a blue chitenge — an African sarong-like garment — around her daughter’s waist before Mass begins.

Philippine bishops break silence on 'disturbing issues', 'culture of violence'

January 28, 2019

MANILA, Philippines – Catholic bishops in the Philippines broke what they described as their "collective silence" over "many disturbing issues" that have confronted the country in recent months.

Halfway through three-year plan, Green Churches Network aims to expand its national footprint

January 28, 2019

It surprises Gregory Lynch when he fields calls at the Green Churches Network from churches looking for ways to lessen their carbon footprint.

Papal academy examining the future of ‘robo-ethics’

January 28, 2019

VATICAN – Even though today’s modern tools and technologies are hardly human, the Pontifical Academy for Life is zeroing in on the world of robots and machines powered by artificial intelligence.

Glen Argan: Contemplation a path to bridging cultures

January 28, 2019

The cover headline on the December issue of Sojourners magazine caught my eye — “Decolonizing the Spiritual Life: Contemplation, healing, and activism centred on people of colour.” It pointed to an article inside the U.S. magazine, an interview with Teresa Mateus of the Mystic Soul Project.

Church on the Street: Taking a driving lesson from Natalie

January 28, 2019

It was one of those nights when I was challenged by Pope Francis’ insightful observation in The Joy of the Gospel: “The Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and their pleas.”

Letters to the Editor: January 27, 2019

January 28, 2019

End all persecution Re: Persecution hits close to home (Jan. 13): Bob Brehl states “we can go on and on about the persecutions of Christians around the world,” then abruptly switches to a story from The New York Times which discusses the homosexual individual from a Catholic San Diego parish who was harassed. Am I the only one who sees a disconnect?

Robert Brehl: Woodward’s advice for our ‘dicey times’

January 28, 2019

Shortly after U.S. president Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace, the Washington Post’s two young reporters who played such a pivotal role in uncovering Watergate received a personal letter from their gutsy publisher Katharine Graham.

Peter Stockland: Retreat combines worlds of art, faith

January 28, 2019

Changing the current toxic cultural narrative around and about the Church consumes enormous Christian energy through a range of means and methods.

UK doctors head for vote on assisted suicide

January 28, 2019

Britain’s Royal College of Physicians has adopted a neutral position on assisted suicide until they hear back from British doctors on whether they favour changing United Kingdom laws against doctors helping their patients commit suicide.

Some call for Cardinal Dolan to excommunicate Cuomo for supporting abortion

January 28, 2019

NEW YORK – Since Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed New York's new expansive abortion measure into law Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, some Catholics have called for the governor, who is Catholic, to be excommunicated.

January 29

Pakistan Supreme Court upholds Asia Bibi's blasphemy acquittal

January 29, 2019

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan's Supreme Court upheld its acquittal of a Pakistani Catholic woman sentenced to hang for blasphemy.

Marriage, priesthood requires fidelity and unity, Pope Francis says

January 29, 2019

VATICAN – Unity and fidelity are indispensable cornerstones of Christian marriage, Pope Francis said.

Vatican doctrinal official steps down over sexual advances to nun

January 29, 2019

VATICAN – An Austrian priest under canonical investigation stepped down as an official at the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in an effort "to limit the damage already done to the congregation and to his community," the doctrinal office said.