Washington DC
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Cardinal Dolan to read from Book of Wisdom at inauguration
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, Catholic News Service
Published January 19, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said the Scripture passage he chose to read at the Jan. 20 inauguration of Donald J. Trump as president—Wisdom chapter 9 in which King Solomon prays for wisdom to lead Israel according to God’s will—was an easy one to make. “I pray it all the time,” he told […] Full Story
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On eve of Trump inauguration, Catholic communities will pray for immigrants
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published January 19, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Acknowledging the fear some immigrants have expressed as Donald Trump becomes president, Jesuit parishes, schools and other communities plan to pray for those who fear him and his proposals on the eve of his Jan. 20 inauguration as the country’s 45th president. At least one community said it will declare sanctuary status for itself […] Full Story | En Español
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Bishops still have hope Congress will pass immigration reform
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published January 19, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—Despite the apprehension over policies that could be enacted by a Republican-led Congress acting in accord with a Republican president in Donald Trump, the U.S. Catholic bishops remain hopeful that Congress will pass an immigration reform bill. “This is a new moment with a new Congress, a new administration. We should up our expectations […] Full Story | En Español
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Abortion foes buoyed by prospects for abortion limits under a Trump presidency
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, Catholic News Service
Published January 12, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—President-elect Donald Trump’s commitments to nominate pro-life justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and support legislative efforts to limit abortion are invigorating abortion foes. Leaders in organizations such as the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, National Right to Life, Americans United for Life and Susan B. Anthony List told Catholic News Service that […] Full Story
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How will U.S. policy affect Middle East’s Christians in 2017?
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published January 12, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—A wide variety of issues, both domestic and foreign, have been raised during the presidential transition. One that hasn’t received much notice is the situation of the beleaguered Christian community in the Middle East. Given the interest in, and media coverage of, those other issues, it’s an open question as to just what the […] Full Story
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After a year of setbacks, uncertainty looms for immigrants in 2017
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published January 12, 2017WASHINGTON (CNS)—At a Mass packed mostly with immigrants, Washington Auxiliary Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville tried to get the crowd to focus on the plight of the Holy Family. They had no home, he said. Many closed their doors to them when they were seeking shelter and running from persecution, he said. But he reminded them […] Full Story
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Mideast Christians, especially those displaced, face mounting challenges
By DALE GAVLAK, Catholic News Service
Published December 12, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—As Christians in the Middle East look back on 2016, they wonder if there will be much to celebrate amid mounting challenges, particularly for those displaced by conflicts in Iraq and Syria. “As much as we are pleased that our homelands from which thousands of Christians were forced to flee from the extremists have […] Full Story
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Upcoming U.N. talks to abolish nuclear weapons face uncertain future
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, Catholic News Service
Published December 1, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—The United Nations is preparing to embark on talks to ban nuclear weapons. Negotiations are set to begin in March and are expected to take an indefinite time to complete. The end result is uncertain, but the 123 nations that voted Oct. 27 for a resolution within the U.N. General Assembly committee that deals […] Full Story
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Pope, Miami archbishop express condolences over Fidel Castro’s death
Published December 1, 2016
WASHINGTON (CNS)—In a video message, Cuban President Raul Castro announced the Nov. 25 death of his 90-year-old brother and longtime Cuban leader and Communist icon whom many in Latin America know by just one name: Fidel. “It is with great sorrow that I come before you to inform our people, friends of our America and […] Full Story
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Christian persecution called ‘purposeful’ destruction of a culture, faith
By RICHARD SZCZEPANOWSKI, Catholic News Service
Published December 1, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—Declaring that the persecution of Catholics and other Christians in Iraq and the Middle East is genocide must be followed by action, said Bishop Francis Y. Kalabat of the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, based in the northern Detroit suburb of Southfield. “We need to proclaim, ‘This is genocide,’ and then do something […] Full Story
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Catholics’ post-election to-do list: work for unity, healing
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Service
Published November 17, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—All the distrust, vitriol and rancor stirred up during the 2016 presidential election campaign did not go away when votes were tallied. The Nov. 8 election’s outcome, for many, only added more layers of frustration, anger and fear, prompting dozens of protests across the country. Political leaders, including President Barack Obama, President-elect Donald Trump […] Full Story
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Leaders react to Trump win in presidential election
Published November 17, 2016
WASHINGTON (CNS)—Lay and religious leaders of all stripes reacted to news of Donald J. Trump’s upset win in the Nov. 8 presidential election. Most expressed hope that Trump would pay attention to their agenda, while others were more decidedly downbeat and still others counseled prayer. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the […] Full Story
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Pro-life groups using national bus tour to rally support
By RHINA GUIDOS, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—A group of pro-life advocates from around the country gathered Sept. 28 in front of the steps of Supreme Court of the United States to announce the start of a national bus tour to rally others to support their cause. The tour will end Nov. 6. The organization 40 Days for Life said its […] Full Story
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Kurtz: Political discourse that demeans women, religion ‘must change’
By Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—Too much of the political discourse during this election year “has demeaned women and marginalized people of faith,” the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Oct. 14. “This must change,” said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky. “True to the best hopes of our Founding Fathers, we are confident that […] Full Story
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What role are life issues playing in this year’s presidential election?
By KURT JENSON, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—Back in June, Kristan Hawkins, who heads Students for Life, got a firsthand look at how this presidential election differs from all others when she participated in Donald Trump’s outreach meeting with evangelicals, which had only a few Catholics present. She said the Republican nominee for president appeared to be unfamiliar with the pro-life […] Full Story
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Refugee crisis another hot-button issue in a campaign full of them
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—If the world’s “displaced” people—both refugees and internally displaced people—were counted as one country, those 65 million people would place 22nd on the world rankings, between France and the United Kingdom. What then does a country without refugees do about those countries where refugees have fled because of war, economics, natural disasters, terror, religious […] Full Story
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Poverty solutions almost absent as a presidential campaign issue
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—America has 46.7 million people living in poverty, but there’s been little talk on the presidential campaign trail about the needs of poor people. No doubt, poverty is a tough sell in a campaign where middle class votes—both blue collar and white collar—are important to success come Election Day Nov. 8. But economic difficulties […] Full Story
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Health care might not be top election issue but is still voter priority
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—Health care got plenty of attention during previous presidential election campaigns, but this time around it is almost like a kid craning to see what is going on while other issues take the front seat. A Pew Research Center poll this summer placed health care behind the economy, terrorism and foreign policy among voters’ […] Full Story
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Candidates, party platforms differ on need to act on climate change
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—August’s torrential rains that caused catastrophic flooding in southern Louisiana have convinced Robert Gorman that it’s time to think about being ready the next time the floods hit. Gorman, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, has been discussing with his wife pre-emptive steps to take before the water rises. […] Full Story
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Parties front and center on economy, but what is the best path forward?
By MARK PATTISON, Catholic News Service
Published October 20, 2016WASHINGTON (CNS)—Both the Democrats and the Republicans put economic issues in the opening pages of their respective parties’ platforms—an indication of how seriously they take economic policy in its potential appeal to voters. The U.S. bishops did so 30 years ago in their pastoral letter “Economic Justice for All,” outlining a series of “urgent problems […] Full Story