Our Lady of Guadalupe is “the mother of all mothers — a loving bridge between worlds and peoples who unifies through her maternal embrace,” the U.S. bishops’ migration chairman said in a statement issued on the Dec. 12 Marian feast.
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Baltimore seminarians at Rome seminary see church’s universality
For seminarians attending the Pontifical North American College in Rome, the spiritual and secular collide whether they’re dodging Vespas and taxis en route to class or stopping off for a quick espresso and fellowship with their classmates.
Vatican offers further guidance on handling cremains
The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has upheld a rule mandating that the ashes of the deceased be preserved in a consecrated place, but it also said family members could request “a minimal part of the ashes” be kept in a sacred place “of significance for the history of the deceased person.”
Message of Guadalupe based in simplicity, not ideology, pope says
The iconic image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which has become a cultural and spiritual symbol for Latin America, cannot be used to promote any kind of ideology, but must maintain its message of simple love, Pope Francis said.
Judge orders protesters who block abortion clinics to abide by New York buffer zone
Red Rose Rescue, the small Michigan-based group that has conducted blockades of abortion clinics in Michigan, New York and Virginia since 2017, was ordered Dec. 8 to abide by a new restriction on clinic access covering 13 counties in New York.
Priest: Gaza Christians suffer much as Israeli strikes on strip continue but aren’t losing hope
As the humanitarian crisis escalates in Gaza — amid tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered near Gaza’s border with Egypt, attempting to flee, and a health care system on the verge of collapsing — a Gaza priest warned that Christians in Gaza are suffering a lot.
Council to ask pope to authorize studies on key synod topics
The council of the Synod of Bishops will ask Pope Francis to authorize studies on the need to update canon law, revise the rules for priestly formation, deepen a theological reflection on the diaconate — including the possibility of ordaining women deacons — and consider revising a document that provides norms for the relationship of a bishop with members of religious orders in his diocese.
Texas Supreme Court rules abortion petition failed to meet ban’s exception standards
The Texas Supreme Court on Dec. 11 overruled a district judge’s order allowing a pregnant mother to obtain an abortion under an exemption to the state’s abortion ban.
Plenary indulgence available for 800th anniversary of first Nativity scene
Catholics will have the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence from Dec. 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to Feb. 2, 2024, the feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple.
Special guests at dinner under Bernini’s colonnade — the homeless
For the first time in history, 150 homeless people had a festive meal, served by Italian journalists and their families, under the famous baroque Bernini’s colonnade in St. Peter’s Square.
Pregnant mother at heart of Texas abortion case flees state after high court’s stay
The Texas Supreme Court has temporarily stayed a district judge’s Dec. 7 ruling in favor of a pregnant mother who sued the state for an exemption to its abortion ban, after arguing her pregnancy would endanger her life and future fertility.
Kyiv parish enshrines St. John Paul II relics as sign of ‘strength to endure’ persecution
A Catholic church in Ukraine named for St. Nicholas marked its patron’s feast day by enshrining relics from St. John Paul II, who witnessed the power of faith over authoritarianism.