The faithful will have an opportunity the weekend of Dec. 7-8 to support the more than 20,000 elderly religious sisters, brothers and religious order priests who have devoted their lives to service in the Catholic Church through an annual collection benefiting retired religious across the United States.
Hegseth controversy compounds Vatican institution’s concerns over religious symbols’ misuse
Amid controversy over religious-themed tattoos sported by President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary Pete Hegseth, a U.S. office of a Vatican lay institution for the church in the Holy Land has expressed concern regarding the misuse of its historic insignia beyond strictly religious purposes.
Bishops decry move to add ‘right’ to abortion, same-sex marriage to Virginia constitution
Virginia’s Catholic bishops decried a move by a Virginia House of Delegates’ committee Nov. 13 to advance proposed constitutional amendments that would add a right to abortion in the state’s constitution and repeal a constitutional provision that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
More than 2,400 anti-Christian hate crimes occurred in Europe in 2023, report finds
With new reports by human rights organizations in Europe, it is clear that anti-Christian discrimination is a hot-button issue on the old continent, and on the rise.
No white smoke, lay voters and say of king — how Anglican leader is elected
There will be no white smoke nor a first blessing from the balcony. The election of the new leader of the world’s 85 million Anglicans won’t be similar to the Roman Catholic conclave, but King Charles III will have his say.
Retired Archbishop Keleher of Kansas City, Kan., dies at age 93
Retired Archbishop James P. Keleher of Kansas City died of natural causes in his home at the Santa Marta Retirement Community in Olathe Nov. 9. He was 93.
Ousted Texas bishop attacks Pope Francis, accuses U.S. bishops of silence amid ‘false messages’
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, whom Pope Francis removed from pastoral governance of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, in 2023, read an open letter Nov. 13 in Baltimore asking “what it will take for more than a few bishops to finally speak up against the false messages constantly flowing from the Vatican under the leadership of Pope Francis?”
U.S. bishops approve new ‘mission directive’ to guide conference work
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted Nov. 13 in Baltimore to approve a new “mission directive” for 2025-28, a new way that the conference is presenting its strategic vision for the next four years.
U.S. bishops to consider creating task force for synodal implementation
The discussion on the floor in Baltimore followed reflections on the recent Synod of Bishops on synodality held in Rome offered by Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, two of the bishop-delegates from the United States.
U.S. bishops elect Archbishop Hebda as treasurer-elect, five new committee chairs
Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis was elected treasurer of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 12 in Baltimore, bringing valuable experience from his own archdiocese to the conference post.
Head of Anglican Communion resigns over failures in dealing with ‘abhorrent’ abuse case
Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican Communion, resigned Nov. 12 due to failures in dealing with a British abuse case.
Nuncio, USCCB president reflect on Eucharistic congress, synodality, duty to proclaim Gospel
The public session of the fall plenary assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opened Nov. 12 with remarks from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, USCCB president, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S.