Washington DC
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Author: Christians need ‘some distance’ between them, ‘chaotic mainstream’
By JULIE ASHER, Catholic News Service
Published April 6, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Author Rod Dreher’s critics call him an “alarmist” for proposing that Christians today “put some distance” between themselves and “the chaotic mainstream,” or Christianity will not survive. Those critics are right, he said. “I am alarmist about the state of our culture and of our civilization and the condition of the church within it,” […] Full Story
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Almsgiving: Lenten practice gives chance to ‘be generous with the poor’
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Service
Published April 6, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Although the word almsgiving does not come up much in regular conversation, Catholics hear it plenty during Lent since it is one of the three pillars of the church’s Lenten practices along with prayer and fasting. Although the three practices work together, almsgiving can sometimes get the short shrift because people might be more […] Full Story
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Four-year ‘encuentro’ process begins in the U.S.
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published April 6, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—In Spanish, the word “encuentro” means encounter and in the modern church in the U.S., it refers to a series of meetings that will take place over the next four years aimed at getting to know Latinos and producing more involvement in the church of its second largest and fastest growing community. “The intent […] Full Story
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U.S. Catholics asked ‘to accompany’ migrants, refugees seeking better life
By JULIE ASHER, Catholic News Service
Published March 27, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—The U.S. bishops in a pastoral reflection released March 22 called all Catholics to do what each of them can “to accompany migrants and refugees who seek a better life in the United States.” Titled “Living as a People of God in Unsettled Times,” the reflection was issued “in solidarity with those who have […] Full Story | En Español
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Fasting: Lent’s spiritual practice creates space for prayer
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Services
Published March 24, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—There is no getting around fasting during Lent. Not only is it one of the three pillars of spiritual practice along with prayer and almsgiving, but it also bookends the period of preparation for Easter. Fasting and abstinence is required of adult Catholics, ages 18-59, at the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday and […] Full Story
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Beatification date announced for Oklahoma priest
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published March 24, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City announced that one of its native sons, Father Stanley Rother, a North American priest who worked in Guatemala and was brutally murdered there in 1981, will be beatified Sept. 23 in Oklahoma. “It’s official! Praised be Jesus Christ! Archbishop Coakley received official word this morning from Rome that Servant […] Full Story
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Reaction to refugee ban ranges from concern to opposition
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published March 10, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Within hours of President Donald Trump’s new executive order March 6 banning arrivals from six majority-Muslim nations, Catholic and other religious groups joined secular leaders in questioning the wisdom of such a move, with others vowing to oppose it outright. Bill O’Keefe, vice president for advocacy and government relations at Catholic Relief Services, said […] Full Story
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Lent: 40 days of prayer, fasting, almsgiving to ‘jump-start’ one’s faith
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Service
Published March 9, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Lent, the 40-day period before Easter, is often viewed as a time to give up something and go without meat on Fridays. But a glance at almost any Catholic parish bulletin during Lent will reveal that a lot is more going on during this time with increased opportunities for prayer, confession, Stations of the […] Full Story | En Español
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Administration announces wide-ranging immigration guidelines
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published February 24, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—In two memos published Feb. 20, the Department of Homeland Security outlined guidelines that White House officials said would enhance enforcement of immigration laws inside the country as well as prevent further unauthorized immigration into the U.S. In a Feb. 21 news briefing, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the guidelines include hiring […] Full Story
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Unusual detentions, raids raise questions as Trump announces ‘crackdown’
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published February 24, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—People had been on edge for a while. You could feel the tension rise in immigrant neighborhoods in the U.S. as news of the first immigration raids under the Trump administration began in early February. Then news of unusual detentions, some involving battered women and students who had been protected under previous policies, set […] Full Story | En Español
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‘Life is winning again in America,’ vice president tells March for Life
By KURT JENSEN and JULIE ASHER, Catholic News Service
Published February 9, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—The leaders of the pro-life movement are used to having the ear of the president, as they had with Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. During their respective administrations, they addressed the March for Life via telephone, but this year the event marking the Roe v. Wade anniversary had the highest-ranking […] Full Story
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Action banning refugees brings outcry from U.S. church leaders
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published February 9, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—President Donald Trump’s executive memorandum intended to restrict the entry of terrorists coming to the United States brought an outcry from Catholic leaders across the U.S. Church leaders used phrases such as “devastating,” “chaotic” and “cruel” to describe the Jan. 27 action that left already-approved refugees and immigrants stranded at U.S. airports and led […] Full Story
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Clergy differ on bill to repeal the Johnson Amendment
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published February 9, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—People of goodwill can disagree on matters of public policy—even if they’re ordained clergy, and the public policy under debate has the potential to affect the way they conduct their ministry. The issue is the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 rider inserted by then-Sen. Lyndon Johnson into that year’s version of the tax code banning […] Full Story
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Judge Neil Gorsuch nominated to fill Supreme Court vacancy
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published February 9, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—President Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the seat on the U.S. Supreme Court that has been empty since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last February. Gorsuch is a man the country needs, Trump said in announcing his nominee the evening of Jan. 31. He added that his pick for the […] Full Story
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Louisiana Bishop Herzog retires; Coadjutor Bishop Talley succeeds him
By Catholic News Service
Published February 2, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of Alexandria, Louisiana. Coadjutor Bishop David P. Talley of Alexandria succeeds him. The changes were announced in Washington Feb. 2 by Archbishop Christopher Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Bishop Herzog, 74, had headed the 11,108-square-mile diocese in central Louisiana since 2005. […] Full Story
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President, vice president of U.S. Catholic bishops defend refugees of all faiths
Published January 30, 2017
WASHINGTON—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Texas, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the USCCB, issued the following joint statement Jan. 30 regarding the new refugee policy announced by President Trump in an executive order Jan. 27. The executive order suspends the […] Full Story | En Español
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Trump executive memorandum reinstates ‘Mexico City Policy’ on abortion
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published January 27, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—President Donald J. Trump issued an executive memorandum Jan. 23 reinstating the “Mexico City Policy,” which bans all foreign nongovernmental organizations receiving U.S. funds from performing or promoting abortion as a method of family planning in other countries. The action was hailed by pro-life leaders. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of […] Full Story
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Trump presidency receives words of hope, prayers for civility
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published January 27, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Words of congratulations as well as caution emerged from political and religious leaders as President Donald J. Trump was inaugurated Jan. 20. Pope Francis sent best wishes and prayers to incoming President Trump shortly after he took the oath of office. “I offer you my cordial good wishes and the assurance of my prayers […] Full Story
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Group marches for rights of ‘pre-born women,’ women exploited by abortion
By JULIE ASHER, Catholic News Service
Published January 27, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—College senior Colleen McCrum stood with fellow pro-lifers in front of the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court early Jan. 21 holding a sign that said, “PROLIFE, PROWOMAN, PROTRUMP.” McCrum, 21, who attends Christendom College, a Catholic school in Front Royal, Virginia, joined a group organized by Students for Life of America to participate […] Full Story
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U.S. bishops say that prayer, local dialogue key to bringing peace
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Service
Published January 26, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—The Catholic Church has a “tremendous responsibility to bring people together in prayer and dialogue, to begin anew the vital work of fostering healing and lasting peace,” said a report by a U.S. bishops’ task force released Jan. 5 in the wake of last year’s incidents of violence and racial tensions. The work to […] Full Story