Two Vatican cardinals test positive for COVID-19; one hospitalized December 22, 2020By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, News, Vatican, World News Two top Vatican officials — Cardinal Konrad Krajewski and Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello — have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, Italian media reported, and a Vatican source confirmed.
Nativity light-sound show projected on U.S. cathedral called joyful, hopeful December 22, 2020By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, World News The gentle and hopeful show came as the nation grapples with COVID-19, stark political divisions and racial tensions brought by the death of George Floyd.
Vatican: Without alternatives, current COVID-19 vaccines are morally acceptable December 21, 2020By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Vatican’s doctrinal office said that when alternative vaccines are not available, it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines developed or tested using cell lines originating from aborted fetuses.
Frankincense’s future: Ancient gift endangered, risks depletion December 18, 2020By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A study published last year in the journal, Nature Sustainability, predicted frankincense resin production will be halved in the next 20 years.
Christmas is sign of God’s preferential love for the poor, cardinal says December 18, 2020By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Reaching out to and helping the poor “is to imitate God; it is to make oneself small out of love in order to raise up the other,” the preacher of the papal household told Pope Francis, officials of the Roman Curia and Vatican employees.
Death penalty hits historic low in U.S. ‘despite federal execution spree,’ says report December 17, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News A new report Dec. 16 by the Death Penalty Information Center said the use of capital punishment reached a historic low this year in the United States even with the return of federal executions by the Trump administration.
Netflix to release series illustrating pope’s call for ‘alliance’ of young, old December 17, 2020By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Netflix has announced that in 2021 it will release a documentary series based on “Sharing the Wisdom of Time,” a book in which Pope Francis called for creating “an alliance between the young and old people” by sharing their stories.
Away with the manger? Nativity scene at Vatican generates controversy December 16, 2020By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Christmas, Feature, News, Video, World News The human figures in the Nativity scene are made of rings of ceramic stacked on top of each other. They are cylindrical, not curvy like a natural human form. And the presence of an astronaut and a knight carries the whole thing to another level of untraditional.
In Nigeria, nun cares for abandoned children labeled as witches December 15, 2020By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, World News Throughout Africa, a witch is culturally understood to be the epitome of evil and the cause of misfortune, disease and death. Consequently, the witch is the most hated person in African society and subject to punishment, torture and even death.
Washington Archdiocese sues over D.C.’s 50-person cap on church attendance December 15, 2020By Mark Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News The Archdiocese of Washington has petitioned the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to lift the 50-person cap on indoor religious gatherings in D.C.
After shipwreck, bishops denounce treatment of Venezuelan refugees December 15, 2020By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News After a boat carrying refugees was allegedly denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago and subsequently shipwrecked, Venezuelan bishops said the treatment of migrants fleeing the country constitutes a serious human rights violation.
Doctrine committee sets standards for evaluating, improving church hymns December 14, 2020By Greg Erlandson Catholic News Service Filed Under: Divine Worship, Eucharist, Feature, News, World News Expressing concern for the doctrinal soundness of some of the lyrics of Catholic hymns now available for use in Catholic liturgies, the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee in a forthcoming report suggests guidelines for bishops in evaluating hymn lyrics and for selecting hymnals being considered for use in churches.
