Wealth obscures power of God’s word, free gift of salvation, pope says
A church that is rich and lacking in praise for the Lord is an old, lifeless church that neglects the true treasure of God's free gift of grace and salvation, Pope Francis said in a morning homily.
Jesuit criticizes Western support of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
A priest who directs the Jesuit Cultural Center in Alexandria, Egypt, blasted Western support of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt during a visit to Parliament Hill.
For Mother Dolores Hart, it’s time for her close-up — again
Don't look now, but Dolores Hart is about to become a star again, 50 years after her last movie. Hart -- that's Mother Dolores, the prioress of a Benedictine women's monastery in Bethlehem, Conn. -- has just had her memoir published a year after a documentary featuring her life in as a cloistered nun picked up an Oscar nomination for best documentary short subject.
Religious freedom gets more lip service than guarantees, pope says
Religious freedom is talked about more than it is protected, Pope Francis said. "The serious violations inflicted on this basic right are causes of serious concern," and the world's nations must act together to uphold "the intangible dignity of the human person against every attack," he said.
Pope Francis decides not to spend summer at Castel Gandolfo
Unlike many of his predecessors since the early 1600s, Pope Francis has decided not to spend the summer months at the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo south of Rome, although he will observe a reduced schedule in July and August.
Vatican says Catholics have obligation to aid, defend refugees
Catholic laity have an obligation to root out traces of xenophobia in their hearts and recognize refugees as their brothers and sisters -- children of God whose dignity must be protected, said a new Vatican document.
The suffering deserve our prayers, not our analysis, pope says
Those who suffer are brothers and sisters Catholics must pray for, not cases to be analyzed or examples to be used in debates, Pope Francis said in a morning homily.
New York bishops oppose effort to ‘codify’ Roe v. Wade into state law
New York's bishops, led by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, said they would oppose a portion of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Women's Equality Act that preserves abortion rights.
Tornadoes scatter belongings, bond communities in northern Kansas
As winds roared, trees toppled, grain bins crashed, hail pounded and walls ripped apart overhead, seven members of the Becker family added their own voices to the storm.
Bill has hurdles to pass, but plans begin for immigrant legalization
Comprehensive immigration reform legislation barely cleared its first hurdle in Congress in May with the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., known as CLINIC, is already gearing up to help a potential pool of 11 million people apply for legalization.
