world news
Catholic parish sues over its right to hire staff who uphold church tenets
A Catholic parish in the Diocese of Lansing has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to protect its right to hire parish employees and staff for its grade school who uphold the tenets of the Catholic faith.
Like 5th Circuit, 8th Circuit strikes down Biden’s transgender mandate
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis Dec. 9 permanently blocked a transgender mandate the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had implemented as a revision to the Affordable Care Act.
Violence worries church leaders, but tourists buoy Bethlehem residents
Despite an uptick in violence between the Israeli army and Palestinians in the northern West Bank, the pre-Christmas atmosphere in Bethlehem was festive and optimistic and, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethlehem hotels reported near full capacity during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Pope praises firefighters’ service, dedication
Pope Francis offered a little prayer for firefighters: “Lord, let them not have work.”
Physical vulnerability can be a resource for society, the church, pope says
Christians working with people who have a physical disability must be motivated by a sense of solidarity, not pity, and they should promote people’s active participation, not their passive reception of assistance, Pope Francis said.
Pope: Antisemitism shows need for Christian-Jewish understanding
Decrying what he described as “hostile times” when antisemitism and violence against Christians are on the rise, Pope Francis said a renewed commitment to Catholic-Jewish dialogue is needed.
Pope is asking governments to grant clemency to prisoners at Christmas
Pope Francis is writing to all the heads of state around the world, asking them to consider granting some prisoners clemency at Christmas.
Pope asks seminarians to be joyful, but realistic
Preparing for the priesthood, seminarians must remember both the joy of being called by God and the real sacrifices they will be called to make, Pope Francis told young men preparing for the priesthood at the seminary of Barcelona, Spain.
Doubt can be a step toward deeper faith, pope says
Even the most fervent believers go through moments of doubt and questioning about God, and it is a good thing, Pope Francis said, because it helps one see that God does not fit into the little box people make for him.
Mother shares her story of finding God after tragic Sandy Hook shooting
It was after receiving a Bible in the mail that Jennifer Hubbard began to understand her own purpose, grace and healing.