Nigeria’s Diocese of Maiduguri appeals for aid as floods strike former Boko Haram epicenter September 20, 2024By Frederick Nzwili OSV News Filed Under: Disaster Relief, News, World News Catholic leaders in northeastern Nigeria appealed for prayers and humanitarian support as devastating floods engulfed Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, known as the epicenter of the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram’s insurgency.
U.S. lawmakers from Baltimore join call on China to free Hong Kong Catholic, democracy advocate Jimmy Lai September 20, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers gathered Sept. 18 to call for the immediate release from prison of prominent Hong Kong Catholic, philanthropist and media mogul Jimmy Lai, who is facing a trial on what they called bogus charges.
Western New York diocese plans to halve its 160 parishes by June 2025 September 19, 2024By Simone Orendain OSV News Filed Under: News, World News The Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y., plans to reduce the total number of its 160 parishes by 51 percent following a Sept. 10 announcement of final decisions on closures and mergers.
Sister Maria Natividad Aponte, who served SSND for 70 years, dies at 99 September 19, 2024By Catholic Review Staff Catholic Review Filed Under: Local News, News, Obituaries A funeral Mass was offered Sept. 10 for School Sister of Notre Dame Maria Natividad Aponte at Villa Assumpta in Towson. She died Sept. 2 at 99 after serving more than 70 years in Maryland, Pennsylvania and her native Puerto Rico.
Vatican sees spiritual value of Medjugorje, doesn’t judge it supernatural September 19, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News With some prudence, Catholics can benefit spiritually from the messages and spiritual practices associated with the alleged apparitions of Mary in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, said the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Church leaders have been studying Medjugorje phenomenon for decades September 19, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Six young people, aged 10 to 16, said Mary began appearing to them in June 1981 in Medjugorje, a town in what was then Yugoslavia and is now Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Colorado voters to decide fate of blocked marriage amendment at the ballot box September 19, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: 2024 Election, News, World News Among the ballot measures voters will consider in November, Colorado voters will decide whether to keep a provision in their state constitution banning same-sex marriage that was rendered moot by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision legalizing such unions nationwide.
Mexican priest considered protector of the unborn beatified September 19, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, Saints, World News Father Moisés Lira Serafin has been beatified in a ceremony at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in his native Mexico, where he is beloved as a protector of life from conception and is credited with the miracle of saving an unborn child’s life.
French bishops urge the Vatican, broader society to help investigate Abbé Pierre September 19, 2024By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, Vatican, World News As the Emmaus Community for the poor investigates accusations of sexual abuse against its once-iconic, now disgraced, founder Abbé Pierre, the case made international headlines as Pope Francis commented on it while on his return voyage to Rome from Asia last week.
Lebanese cardinal condemns pager attacks as second wave terrorizes the country September 19, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Catholic church leaders in the Middle East condemned a second wave of explosions of hand-held devices across Lebanon and in the capital, Beirut, apparently targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Packed with punch: Clergy reflect on what goes into good preaching September 18, 2024By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: deacons, Feature, Local News, News, Vocations Priests and deacons throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore take a wide variety of approaches to packing punch in their homilies. Some, including Father Murphy, sprinkle pop culture references into their messages. Others place the readings into historical context or explain how doctrinal or moral teachings apply in an increasingly secularized culture.
Report: Americans less polarized on faith, politics than generally thought September 18, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: 2024 Election, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, World News A new report identifies what researchers call “three big myths” about faith and politics in the U.S., concluding that the nation is less polarized around such issues than popularly believed — and that faith leaders are key to healing division in American society.
