Indiana Catholic women’s college reverses transgender admission policy December 22, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Colleges, News, World News A Catholic women’s college has reversed its recently updated admissions policy on applicants who identify as transgender, following public pushback and the local bishop’s call to uphold Catholic teaching on the inherent connection between sex and gender.
U.S. bishops issue flurry of responses to Vatican blessings document December 22, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Vatican, World News Following the Dec. 18 release of the Holy See’s declaration permitting blessings of those in irregular relationships, and the ensuing reaction from media and Catholics around the country, U.S. bishops have been responding with their own statements supporting and/or clarifying the document, known as “Fiducia Supplicans.”
Pope tells Rome priests: Blessings don’t affect sacrament of marriage December 22, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Vatican, World News The Vatican’s recently published guidance on administering blessings to same-sex couples or other unmarried couples does not affect the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage, Pope Francis said.
Prague archbishop expresses ‘deep sorrow’ after mass shooting at university December 22, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Gun Violence, News, World News Fourteen people were killed and another 25 injured in a Dec. 21 shooting at a university in Prague.
Catholic climate activists concerned COP28’s modest steps will fall short December 22, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, World News Catholic climate advocates — responding to the urgent call of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudate Deum” (“Praise God”) for immediate and extraordinary changes to avert a climate crisis — are concerned that COP28’s outcomes, while promising, may become “too little, too late” if nations do not muster the resolve to implement them.
Despite difficult Christmas season in Bethlehem devoid of tourists, local Christians have hope December 21, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, World News Now, the streets of Bethlehem — normally filled with pilgrims at this time of the year — are empty, and many stores and restaurants dependent on tourism are closed.
Listening: It’s not a fast-paced game of ping pong, pope tells Curia December 21, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Officials of the Roman Curia must learn how to really listen to others, not treating a discussion as a game of “ping pong” where everything another says is met with a speedy and automatic response, Pope Francis said.
Good, hidden deeds are a service to the church, pope tells employees December 21, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Like God’s decision to be born in a manger tucked away from the world, good deeds done in silence can express God’s love wherever they are performed, Pope Francis said.
‘Beware of reading too much too quickly’ into same-sex blessings document, say global bishops December 21, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, World News While several Western European bishops praised the Dec. 18 declaration of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on blessing same-sex couples as “a major breakthrough in pastoral care,” reactions elsewhere have been mixed, with African bishops offering explainers for “confused” faithful or banning same-sex blessings.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul groups’ personal charity shows neighbors ‘this is Christmas’ December 20, 2023By Robert Alan Glover OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, World News A dedicated group of Catholic — and non-Catholic — volunteers is showing how the Christmas joy of helping the less fortunate lasts all year round.
In times of darkness, faith is all you have, says Cardinal Pizzaballa December 20, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News While faith cannot change anything in moments of great darkness such as the one Israelis and Palestinians are currently living through in the Israeli-Hamas war, it can, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said, create “a small light” which will give “orientation.”
Pope: Gifts and parties are OK, but don’t forget Jesus at Christmas December 20, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Exchanging Christmas gifts and organizing holiday parties are all well and good, but Christians should contemplate the scene of Jesus’ birth to recover what is truly important during the Christmas season, Pope Francis said.
