Lord we pray "Help me to continually increase parish vitality and reflect the presence of Christ in the world."

Browsing News Entries

Browsing News Entries

USCCB launches America 250 video series (USCCB)

The United States Conference of Catholic launched a video series devoted to the 250th anniversary of the American founding.

In the first episode, Dr. Michael Breidenbach, a history professor at Ave Maria University, discussed Catholics and the founding.

Does a new survey show potential for a Confession revival? (OSV News)

A survey conducted by the Vinea Research Group found that 67% of Catholics who have not been to Confession in the past year are open to going to Confession again.

Father Josh Johnson, coauthor of the Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, said:

Anybody can do the Bible study. Anybody can facilitate a retreat. Anybody can work in the food pantry. I think we [priests] should do all those things, but I think we ought to always prioritize, above everything else, the sacraments ...

Sometimes what keeps people away is the practical thing of it’s not available. And if we make it more available, people will begin to come. If you add confession times, I guarantee you, people are going to start coming.

Technology should not replace the family, Vatican diplomat says at UN meeting (Holy See Mission)

Addressing a UN meeting devoted to “Population, technology and research in the context of sustainable development,” a Vatican diplomat said that “particular vigilance is required to ensure that technology complements authentic human encounters rather than substituting them.”

“Care, education and the transmission of values cannot be fully delegated to digital technology,” said Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. “They are rooted in presence, responsibility and love.”

Msgr. Murphy added:

These realities are most fully expressed within the family, which remains the primary place of care, education and solidarity, even as technology evolves. Therefore, efforts should be made to ensure that technology complements, rather than replaces, the family and authentic human relationships.

Journalist explores shift to 'conversation in the Spirit' at January consistory of cardinals (Diane Montagna's Substack)

In an article on the extraordinary consistory of cardinals in January, Vatican journalist Diane Montagna explored the unexplained shift from the expected traditional format—in which each cardinal can speak freely to the whole group at some length—to the “conversation in the Spirit” format, in which cardinals sat at 20 separate tables.

“What is not widely known is that Pope Leo XIV’s first extraordinary consistory was initially planned to follow the classical format,” Montagna reported. “But it was later reconfigured under somewhat mysterious circumstances, with no official explanation as to why the format changed, who was involved in the decision, or who ultimately organized the meeting.”

Papal message to Italian Church officials: Respect freedom to prevent abuse (CWN)

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a message in Pope Leo’s name to a meeting of Italian Church officials devoted to abuse prevention.

Pope meets with several Muslim leaders in Cameroon (Vatican News)

The director of the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Leo XIV met with twelve Muslim leaders at the apostolic nunciature in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, on the evening of April 16. The leaders have collaborated with the nation’s bishops in assisting the poor.

The Pope “encouraged those present to continue along this path of dialogue and to bring the same message and dream to others, to Muslims, and to all those who do not understand but can learn to see the beauty of fraternity, bringing great benefit to all of Cameroon,” according to Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

The central African nation of 31.8 million (map) is 58% Christian (28% Catholic), 22% Muslim, and 19% ethnic religionist.

'Bring the bread of life to your neighbors,' Pope preaches in Cameroon's largest city (CWN)

Pope Leo XIV traveled today from Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé (video) to its largest city, Douala (video), where he celebrated Mass in Japoma Stadium.

Apr. 17 Friday of the Second Week of Easter, Weekday

The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Robert Molesme (1027-1110), traditionally considered to be the founder of the Cistercians, the reform that developed at Citeaux, France.

Vatican halts Father Ciszek's sainthood cause (The Shenandoah Sentinel)

The Vatican informed the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, that it has ended the sainthood cause of Father Walter Ciszek, S.J., a missionary who was tortured by the Soviet secret police and imprisoned in Russia from 1941 to 1963.

After his release in a prisoner exchange, Father Ciszek, a Pennsylvania native, returned to the United States and wrote With God in Russia and He Leadeth Me.

Canadian bishops' conference weighs in on just war, image of President Trump as Christ figure (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops)

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) today reiterated “several principles of Catholic teaching that remain especially relevant in times of war and international tension.”

“Catholic teaching holds that war is subject to strict conditions of moral legitimacy,” the episcopal conference’s Communications Service stated. “The use of force cannot be presumed to be just a priori; it must satisfy grave and demanding criteria, and may be considered only as a last resort.”

“Even where force is judged permissible, the protection of civilians remains a fundamental obligation,” the CCCB continued. “The destruction of essential civilian infrastructure and the resulting suffering of non-combatants are to be avoided.”

In an implicit but clear reference to President Donald Trump’s decision to post an AI-generated image of himself that appeared to depict him as Jesus, the CCCB stated:

It is also important to recall that imagery or rhetoric presenting political leaders in terms that belong uniquely to Christ and His saving work is wholly unfitting. In addition to being disrespectful, such representations blur the proper distinction between faith and political power, distorting the meaning of both.