VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Annunciation — the Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will bear God’s son — was such a tremendous, history-changing event that preaching about it is extremely difficult, Pope Francis said. So, when the Gospel reading for daily Mass Dec. 20 was St. Luke’s version of the Annunciation, the pope
The top ten stories of 2018 for the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa is marked with the joys and sorrows that we have experienced as a Church community – from the devastation of Super Typhoon Yutu and the passing of Bishop-Emeritus Tomas Camacho to the joy of 5 new permanent deacons and the gift of the
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With Christmas just over a week away, visitors came to St. Peter’s Square with their Baby Jesus figurines for a traditional blessing by the pope. Many children came with small figurines for their family Nativity scene, others held delicate sculptures, and one group set a giant statue of the Baby Jesus
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — No one should be afraid to turn to God with prayer, especially in times of great doubt, suffering and need, Pope Francis said. Jesus does not want people to become numb to life’s problems and “extinguish” those things that make them human when they pray, the pope said Dec. 12 during
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The death penalty is an inhumane form of punishment that ignores the primacy of mercy in the name of justice, Pope Francis said. Meeting a delegation from the International Commission against the Death Penalty Dec. 17, the pope set aside his prepared remarks and spoke off the cuff, the Vatican said.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — If the Holy Family lived in Rome and the baby Jesus had a cold or flu, Mary and Joseph certainly would bring him to the Vatican pediatric clinic for help, Pope Francis said. The Vatican’s St. Martha Dispensary was founded in 1922 and, staffed by volunteers, it provides medical care and
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Religious freedom is widely misunderstood, prone to being used only for political purposes and is identified by the public mostly with the Republican politicians. And its enshrinement in law requires constant vigilance on all sides. Those were some of the conclusions of a Dec. 13 panel sponsored by the Religious Freedom Center
MIAMI (CNS) — After spending a week with adults and Catholic school children in the hurricane-impacted Florida Panhandle, one mental health professional noted how the Christmas season is a mixed blessing for survivors of natural disasters. “Right now the holidays are working in two different ways — both as a distraction and an underlying stress
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As the celebration of Christmas draws near, the plight of the Holy Family calls to mind the sufferings of the many men, women and children escaping war and persecution, Pope Francis said. Meeting with organizers and artists participating in a benefit Christmas concert at the Vatican, the pope said the holy
WASHINGTON (CNS) — It has been 25 years and counting, but Father Michael Shields doesn’t have any plans to leave the mission of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska, in Magadan, Russia, at least any time soon. Father Shields, 69, loves his ministry in the Russian Far East city of 100,000. Magadan and Anchorage are sister
