Vatican envoy reminds U.S. bishops: No ruling on Medjugorje apparitions
The Vatican ambassador to the United States has reminded U.S. Catholics that the Vatican has not recognized alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, as authentic.
Keeping status quo for undocumented called ‘stain on soul of nation’
Passing comprehensive immigration reform is "a matter of great moral urgency that cannot wait any longer for action," New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan told House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a Nov. 7 letter.
Catholics pray for veterans, true freedom during annual ‘Red, White and Blue’ Mass
Catholics and others with connections to the military did their best to show both their patriotism and their gratitude for the faith and other American freedoms during the third annual Red, White and Blue Mass Nov. 3.
Archbishop: DOMA ruling, ENDA passage put marriage at ‘critical point’
The Supreme Court's ruling that rendered the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, and the Senate's passage Nov. 7 of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act put the legal defense of marriage "at a critical point in this country," said the archbishop who heads the U.S. bishops' Subcommittee on the Promotion and Defense of Marriage.
Desperate Filipinos add to challenging logistics of delivering aid
International and local groups were poised to get aid to the worst-hit areas of the typhoon-stricken central Philippines, but the challenges of getting help to communities growing desperate for food and water went beyond just making sure roads were clear.
Caritas Philippines leader calls typhoon devastation ‘unimaginable’
The devastation brought on by Super Typhoon Haiyan is on a scale so big it is "unimaginable," said Jesuit Father Edwin Gariguez, head of Caritas in the Philippines.
Confession renews grace of baptism, pope says at audience
With baptism, Christians are cleansed of sin, but the sacrament doesn't wash away human weakness nor the obligation to ask forgiveness when they make mistakes, Pope Francis said.
Local Catholics respond to crisis in Philippines in wake of typhoon
Just days after 200-mile-an-hour winds and the enormous storm surge of Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, Catholics in Arizona reached out to offer prayerful and financial support.
Pope says purported visions of Mary can lead people away from God
Purported visions of Mary, if taken in the wrong spirit, can sow confusion and distance people from the Gospel, Pope Francis said. Curiosities distance people "from the Gospel, from the Holy Spirit, from peace and hope, from God's glory and God's beauty," the pope said Nov. 14 during a homily at morning Mass in the Vatican guesthouse, where he lives.
As economic forecast improves, let us not forget to lift up the working poor
Experts predict that Arizona’s economy will grow at a steady, moderate pace throughout 2014 as it continues to grind its way through the lingering effects of the Great Recession. It is imperative we not leave anyone, particularly the working poor, behind.
