Stories Archived for Two Months

There's an 'app' for that: iPhone applications devised for Catholics
WASHINGTON (CNS) – In a world that boasts continual technological change, the iPhone by Apple has gained near-iconic status. Even Apple boasts there are more than 140,000 applications – or "apps," in Apple-speak – that users can obtain for their phones.

Anglicans' formal bid to join Catholic Church seen as 'starting point'
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Although leaders of the Anglican Church in America have formally sought to join the Catholic Church, "we still have a number of questions" about how it would work, said the traditionalist denomination's spokesman.

Archbishop Pilarczyk honored for using media to spread Gospel
DAYTON, Ohio (CNS) – Retired Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk of Cincinnati has been honored by the University of Dayton's Institute for Pastoral Initiatives for outstanding dedication to using various forms of media to communicate Gospel values.

Different laws on same-sex marriage bring different church responses
WASHINGTON (CNS) – When San Francisco passed an ordinance more than 13 years ago requiring agencies that contract with the city to provide spousal benefits to employees' domestic partners, then-Archbishop William J. Levada asked for a religious exemption, arguing that it imposed "an unconstitutional condition" on religiously affiliated organizations like Catholic Charities.

Spanish religious art exhibit portrays Mary, Christ, saints in detail
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The expression "the devil is in the details" is turned on its head in the exhibit "The Sacred Made Real" at Washington's National Gallery of Art where 22 sculptures and paintings from 17th-century Spain portray Jesus, Mary and a few saints with intensely precise detail.

Kansas bill would revoke sales tax exemption for religious nonprofits
MERRIAM, Kan. (CNS) – A proposal in the Kansas Legislature that would repeal the sales tax exemption for churches and religious nonprofit organizations is bad public policy, shortsighted and probably unconstitutional, according to the Kansas Catholic Conference.

Brooklyn bishop says economy, reduced revenue force changes in diocese
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (CNS) – Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio March 1 called for the renewal of church life in the diocese by addressing changes he said are needed in parishes, schools and diocesan structures.

Bishops support extension of trade protections for Haitian garments
WASHINGTON (CNS) – U.S. bishops have called on the Senate to support the extension of favorable trade status for Haitian-made garments.

Rockville Centre Diocese enacts plan to ensure its 'financial health'
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (CNS) – To "ensure the financial health" of the Rockville Centre Diocese for the future, the diocese has put in place a strategy to meet a number of fiscal challenges, said Bishop William F. Murphy.

Caution urged after study on brain activity by 'vegetative' patients
WASHINGTON (CNS) – New evidence of brain activity in patients judged to be in a persistent vegetative state should make physicians and neurologists more cautious in arriving at such judgments in the future, according to a Catholic ethicist.

Bishops, other Catholics urge bipartisan action on health care reform
WASHINGTON (CNS) – As Democratic and Republican leaders gathered in Washington for a health care summit convened by President Barack Obama, the U.S. bishops and other Catholic leaders urged all parties to commit themselves to health care reform that is affordable, accessible and protects the life and dignity of every person.

CARA commissioned to conduct landmark study of US Catholic parishes
BALTIMORE (CNS) – Hilbert Dennis Stanley, former executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress and a prominent educator, died Feb. 12 of complications from dementia at a retirement community in suburban Baltimore. He was 78.

Former executive director of National Black Catholic Congress dies
BALTIMORE (CNS) – Hilbert Dennis Stanley, former executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress and a prominent educator, died Feb. 12 of complications from dementia at a retirement community in suburban Baltimore. He was 78.

Catholic leaders urge bipartisan health reform, differ on time frame
PROVO, Utah (CNS) – Catholics and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must continue to stand together as a "vital bulwark" against those in American society who want to "reduce religion to a purely private reality," the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told a historic gathering at Brigham Young University in Provo.

Cardinal: Catholics, Mormons must defend religious freedom together
PROVO, Utah (CNS) – Catholics and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must continue to stand together as a "vital bulwark" against those in American society who want to "reduce religion to a purely private reality," the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told a historic gathering at Brigham Young University in Provo.

Kansas bill to end death penalty fails; senators praised for debate
TOPEKA, Kan. (CNS) – The Kansas Catholic Conference praised the state's senators for their "impassioned and thoughtful" debate on the death penalty even though they failed to pass a measure to abolish it.

Catholic agency ends foster, adoption services in District of Columbia
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington closed its 80-year-old foster care and public adoption program in the District of Columbia so the agency would not have to violate church teaching by licensing same-sex couples as foster or adoptive parents.

Upstate New York church may be saved by relocation to Georgia
NORCROSS, Ga. (CNS) – Marble block by marble block, parishioners at Mary Our Queen Parish in Norcross hope to move a historic, basilica-style church from Buffalo, N.Y., to the Atlanta suburbs.

Haig, a Catholic who served as US secretary of state, dies at age 85
BALTIMORE (CNS) – Alexander M. Haig Jr., former U.S. secretary of state and retired four-star general who served as a top adviser to three presidents, died Feb. 20 of complications from an infection. He was 85.

New missal not here yet, but Catholics urged to start talking about it
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The new English translation of the Roman Missal might not be in U.S. parishes for as long as two years, but Father Rick Hilgartner hopes Catholics are talking about it now.

Several factors govern date of implementation for new Roman Missal
WASHINGTON (CNS) – When liturgists in the English-speaking world talk about when the new Roman Missal might go into use in Catholic parishes, the date most often mentioned is Nov. 27, 2011, the start of Advent and the beginning of the church's liturgical year.

Archbishop says Saints' win another sign of hope city is rebuilding
NEW ORLEANS (CNS) – New Orleans Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond said the New Orleans Saints' win in Super Bowl XLIV win was "not just a football victory."

Scott Roeder convicted of murdering Kansas abortion doctor
WICHITA, Kan. (CNS) – A Kansas jury deliberated just under 40 minutes before convicting a man of first-degree murder for killing an abortion provider.

New law allows US taxpayers to take 2009 deduction for Haiti relief
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Under a new U.S. tax law, people who have donated to charities providing relief to Haitians since the Jan. 12 earthquake can take a tax deduction for the contribution on their 2009 tax return instead of their 2010 return.

Image of Scott Brown as pro-life Catholic is inaccurate
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The positive views expressed by some Catholics and pro-life advocates following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate led many to believe that Brown is a Catholic who takes a 100 percent pro-life stand.

Catholic agency in Miami helps Haitians apply for protected status
MIAMI (CNS) – Massenat Pierre, 56, was thankful that Catholic Legal Services in the Miami Archdiocese helped her apply for temporary protected status to stay in the United States.

Bishops to Congress: Set aside partisanship for genuine health reform
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Three leading U.S. bishops called on members of Congress Jan. 26 to "set aside partisan divisions and special-interest pressures" to achieve genuine health reform.

San Francisco 'Walk for Life,' other events mark Roe anniversary
SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) – A group of marchers estimated by organizers to number 35,000 took to the streets of San Francisco Jan. 23 to take part in the sixth annual Walk for Life West Coast.

Earthquake draws attention to Haiti's strong Catholic presence
WASHINGTON (CNS) – One image that has emerged from the devastating rubble of Haiti's Jan. 12 earthquake is the resilient faith of the Haitian people.

CRS rep in Haiti says aid distribution is going as quickly as possible
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Aid distribution under military escort is proceeding as quickly as possible around Port-au-Prince, given that many roads remain blocked by debris and thousands of people are pressing aid agencies for assistance, said the head of operations for Catholic Relief Services in Haiti.

Participants at annual March for Life urged to keep up their efforts
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Despite overcast skies, the mood at the Jan. 22 annual March for Life in Washington was decidedly upbeat as speaker after speaker urged the crowd to keep up their efforts in the pro-life arena.

Catholic leaders see hope for health reform even after Brown election
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The election of Republican Scott Brown to fill the U.S. Senate seat held since 1962 by Democrat Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts does not mean Catholic leaders will abandon efforts to achieve much-needed health reform.

U.S. eases ways Haitians may stay in country; flow of orphans expected
WASHINGTON (CNS) – With Haitians who survived the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake beginning to look for new places to live, the U.S. is easing immigration restrictions for some Haitians, including those who were here illegally before the quake, and orphans.

Agencies boost effort to help Haitians injured, left homeless by quake
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Facing a growing humanitarian crisis after the largest earthquake in Haiti in two centuries, Catholic aid agencies and world governments were boosting efforts to respond to the needs of hundreds of thousands of injured and homeless.

First American Indian prelate, Bishop Donald Pelotte, dies at age 64
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Retired Bishop Donald E. Pelotte of Gallup, N.M., the first American Indian bishop in the United States, died Jan. 7 at a Florida hospital. He was 64.

White House protest new to March for Life activities, Roe anniversary
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Pro-life activists flocking to the nation's capital for the 37th March for Life Jan. 22 will be buoyed by recent polls that say they are among the majority of Americans who identify themselves as pro-life.

Migration week brings legislative push, prayers, a walk to Washington
WASHINGTON (CNS) – As the Catholic Church observed National Migration Week Jan. 3-9, support for legislative efforts took the forefront amid various other steps to bring attention to the concerns of migrants and refugees.

Terror, war, politics dominate headlines over decade
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Terrorist actions that left physical scars on many world cities and psychological scars on those affected dominated much of the headlines over the first decade of the third millennium, as did the wars fought in the name of quashing terrorism.

Extension Society commits $3 million to seminarian education
CHICAGO (CNS) – The Catholic Church Extension Society has awarded more than $3 million in grants to educate 509 seminarians from the most under-funded dioceses in the United States during the 2010 fiscal year.

Religion, politics meet head-on in 2009 over abortion, other issues
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Religion and politics met head-on this year, with abortion often at the center of the debate, but church-state tensions also arose over public displays of religious symbols, threats to the free exercise of religion and concerns about protecting the conscience rights of health care providers.

'Not a shred of disagreement' between CHA, bishops on health reform
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Despite a New York Times report to the contrary, the Catholic Health Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are working together to achieve health reform legislation that does not expand federal funding of abortion, according to the CHA president and CEO.

Senate health reform bill remains 'deficient,' USCCB chairmen say
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Senate should not approve its current health reform bill "without incorporating essential changes to ensure" that it "truly protects the life, dignity, consciences and health of all," the chairmen of three committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said.

Mercy nuns who are siblings celebrate life, decades of ministry
PITTSBURGH (CNS) -- They grew up with each other in Pittsburgh. They played and prayed together. They even got into the same line of work.

Chaplain in Afghanistan reminds troops they carry Christ with them
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (CNS) -- On the fourth Sunday of Advent, in a small plywood chapel with two-by-four benches, Father Ulysses L. Ubalde reminded an overflow crowd of military personnel that they, like Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, were vessels of holiness.

Archbishop Schnurr succeeds Archbishop Pilarczyk in Cincinnati
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, 75, as head of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, 61.

Famed televangelist Oral Roberts dies at age 91
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (CNS) – Televangelist Oral Roberts, founder of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., died Dec. 15 at age 91 in Newport Beach from complications of pneumonia, according to his spokeswoman, Melany Ethridge.

Rockville Centre priest accused of abuse cleared, restored to ministry
NEW YORK (CNS) -- A Vatican congregation has cleared Msgr. Alan J. Placa, a Rockville Centre diocesan priest who worked closely with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, of any wrongdoing related to sexual abuse accusations in 2002.

House kicks off push to move comprehensive immigration bill forward
WASHINGTON (CNS) – In a packed House hearing room Dec. 15, nearly two dozen members of Congress, flanked by dozens of kids wearing T-shirts reading "Future Voter" opened the push for a new comprehensive immigration reform bill.

"Scenes From a Parish," Dec. 29, PBS
NEW YORK (CNS) – Although it was once a thriving industrial center, Lawrence, Mass., is today, by some measures at least, the Bay State's poorest city. Lawrence also is home to St. Patrick Catholic Church and its young, Harvard-educated pastor, Father Paul O'Brien.

U.S. bishops again urge ban on abortion coverage in health reform
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. bishops again have urged U.S. senators to put Hyde amendment language into proposed health care reform legislation to prohibit federal funds from being used for elective abortion coverage.

Growing Latino Catholic population said to challenge, energize church
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The rapid growth and cultural diversity of Latino Catholics makes tremendous demands on the Catholic Church at the same time it enriches and revitalizes the church community, according to speakers at a forum on "Becoming Latino: The Transformation of U.S. Catholicism."

Campaign aims to increase number of Hispanics in Catholic schools
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (CNS) -- A national task force commissioned by the University of Notre Dame launched a campaign Dec. 12 that seeks to enroll 1 million Hispanic students in Catholic schools by 2020.

Obama at Notre Dame fuels debate over schools' Catholic identity
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- An ongoing debate about U.S. Catholic institutions of higher education maintaining their Catholic identity escalated in 2009 when the University of Notre Dame in Indiana invited President Barack Obama to deliver the commencement address.

Study of Latino youths sees optimism, hope amid struggles
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A major study of the values, circumstances and aspirations of Latino youths paints a portrait of optimism and enthusiasm in the face of significant struggles, including inadequate education, problems with their immigration status and high rates of poverty.

Senate vote on abortion in health reform called 'a grave mistake'
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. Senate's rejection of a bipartisan abortion amendment to its version of health care reform legislation was "a grave mistake and a serious blow to genuine health reform," according to the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Catholic influence seen in House health bill, but what about Senate?
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Although the ultimate fate of health reform legislation in the U.S. Congress remained up in the air as the end of 2009 neared, one thing is certain: With their unequivocal call to keep the legislation abortion-neutral, the U.S. bishops had a strong influence on the debate.

Senators reject health reform abortion provision called 'essential'
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. Senate rejected a bipartisan abortion amendment to its version of health care reform legislation Dec. 8, after three leading U.S. bishops called the change "essential."

First U.S. ambassador to Vatican dies at age 95
CARMEL, Calif. (CNS) – The first U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, William A. Wilson, died Dec. 5 at his home in Carmel. He was 95 and had been ill with cancer, his family reported.

Recession helping couples to value marriage more, expert says
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The economic recession may have a "silver lining" in terms of its effect on U.S. marriages, according to a leading marriage expert.

San Francisco Archdiocese to appeal ruling on property transfer taxes
SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) – The San Francisco Archdiocese said it was confident a civil court would rule in its favor over a determination by a city tax appeals board that the archdiocese owes millions of dollars in unpaid property transfer taxes.

Ambassador's anti-human trafficking efforts guided by Vatican II call
WASHINGTON (CNS) – A bit of the Second Vatican Council is influencing at least one segment of the Washington government scene these days.

Bishops approve revised directives on withdrawal of food, water
BALTIMORE (CNS) – The U.S. bishops overwhelmingly approved a revision to the directives that guide Catholic health care facilities, clarifying that patients with chronic conditions who are not imminently dying should receive food and water by "medically assisted" means if they cannot take them normally.

Catholics hopeful, dejected by Obama plan to add troops in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Catholic groups with a stake in matters of war and peace were alternately hopeful and dejected by President Barack Obama's plan to add 30,000 troops to the war effort in Afghanistan.