Clericalization led to the separation of the clergy from the faithful in the church’s liturgy celebrated before the Second Vatican Council, said Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household.
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Memorial to modern Christian martyrs opens in Rome
The Community of Sant’Egidio, which cares for the basilica and the shrine, hosted an event March 23 to dedicate a new exposition space among the ruins in the crypt as a museum and memorial to the new martyrs of both the 20th and 21st centuries.
Human composting, alkaline hydrolysis not acceptable for burial, say U.S. bishops
Two new alternatives to burial and cremation fail to comply with the Catholic Church’s teaching on respect for the bodies of the dead, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine said.
Pope advances sainthood causes of six candidates
Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood causes of five women and a priest.
Retired Milwaukee priest barred from hearing confessions over support of Delaware ‘repeal of seal’ law
A retired Milwaukee priest has been barred from hearing confession and giving absolution, following an essay he wrote favoring legislation that would require priests to report child abuse they learn of during confession.
Suspect pleads not guilty in murder of LA Auxiliary Bishop O’Connell
The man suspected of killing Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell in his Hacienda Heights home pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing March 22.
Avoid polarizing debate, promote healthy scientific discussion, pope says
When presenting its moral teachings on bioethics, the church needs to avoid falling into the “extremist dynamics of polarization” seen in media debates, Pope Francis said.
CRS, USAID help Ethiopia ‘at a time of great need’ amid devastating drought
Catholic church leaders in Ethiopia are welcoming a U.S.-funded food security program that will benefit millions of people suffering from the drought in the Horn of Africa country.
A ‘nation of immigrants’ should identify with migrants’ plight and human dignity, says Boston cardinal
A political climate hostile to the needs and existence of immigrants is not only morally wrong, it also weakens the structures of democratic governments, said Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley of Boston.
Vatican envoy warns UN General Assembly racism mutating and ‘reemerging’ globally
The “distorted” thought that one person is better than another goes against Catholic teachings and flies in the face of universal principles laid out in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Holy See’s United Nations envoy told a U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.
‘We all need to do more’: House hearing demands action over Nicaragua regime’s anti-Catholic persecution
A U.S. House hearing March 22 examined what it called Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s anti-Catholic persecution and called for action, just days after the Vatican said it closed its embassy in Nicaragua.
Notre Dame Cathedral reopening date announced as reconstruction on its famous spire wraps up in eastern France
Four years after a devastating fire, the date of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has been set for Dec. 8, 2024, at 11:15 a.m., according to Philippe Villeneuve, the architect leading the reconstruction.