Q. In the Book of Revelation (9:20), I read this: "The rest of the human race, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, to give up the worship of demons and idols made from gold, silver, bronze and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk." Why, then, do Catho...
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The only name Pope Francis wants divided Christians to call each other is "brother" or "sister." "When one walks in the presence of God, this brotherhood results," the pope told evangelical and Pentecostal Christians July 28 in Caserta. The pope himself acknowledged that some...
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The godfather who stands up for a child's baptism one day and spends the rest of the week running a brutal crime ring unfortunately is not the stuff of movies. In southern Italy, the Mafia, the 'Ndrangheta and other organized criminal gangs still cloak themselves in symbols of...
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- People don't seem to count gains and setbacks on the death penalty issue with quite the same intensity as they do with other issues. Even so, slowly but surely, gains are being made -- and more gains than setbacks. Even the setbacks can, ironically, be counted as gains. One nota...
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Q. My question is related to our Holy Father, in light of my admiration for him and for the new direction he is leading the church. Is Pope Francis still bound by the religious vows he professed as a Jesuit? I would imagine that Ignatian spirituality still plays a large role in his daily life, but...
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  VATICAN CITY (CNS) – A papal astronomer has won recognition for his ability to communicate accurately and clearly the discoveries of planetary science to the general public. U.S. Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, a planetary scientist and meteorite expert at the Vatican Observatory, rece...
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Even in the dog days of summer, the realization that the school year is just around the corner keeps creeping up like pockets of sprouting weeds in a garden. By mid-July, for example, stores had already begun replacing pool and patio items with school supplies and backpacks. But...
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When Pope Francis visits South Korea Aug. 14-18, he will find a Catholic Church that exemplifies much of what he hopes for the church around the world, including a highly active laity, extensive efforts to help the needy and strong relations with non-Christian communities. So...
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- More than a meeting and homily, Pope Francis laid out a clear road map for the church when he celebrated Mass and welcomed abuse survivors to the Vatican. The morning he dedicated to six men and women who had been abused by clergy was a powerful combination of upholding the im...
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Supreme Court's ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby was barely out of the clerk's box June 30 before pundits, partisans and parties to related lawsuits were staking out claims about what the decision means. About 50 cases already before various federal courts hinge on how the r...
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