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

Feb. 4 Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Weekday

The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Jane (or Joan) de Valois (1464-1505), Queen of France, foundress of the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, renowned for her piety and special participation in the sufferings of the Cross. She was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

US Solicitor General backs Catholic parents and preschools in upcoming Supreme Court case (Becket Fund for Religious Liberty)

The Solicitor General of the United States filed a brief with the Supreme Court on behalf of Catholic preschools and families excluded from the State of Colorado’s “universal” preschool funding program.

“The Solicitor General’s filing in this case signals to the Court just how egregious, illegal, and dangerous Colorado’s discrimination is,” said Nick Reaves, lead attorney for the Catholic preschools and families, said of the impending case.

“The state is labeling a program ‘universal’ and then banning religious families and schools from it because of their faith,” Reaves added. “If that kind of exclusion is allowed to stand, no religious group is safe from being pushed out of public life.”

Consider the lessons of history, US bishops write in Black History Month statement (USCCB)

The chairmen of the US bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation and Subcommittee on African American Affairs issued a brief statement for Black History Month.

“We encourage the faithful to consider the lessons of history, honoring our heroes of the past and learning from the mistakes of the past,” said Bishop Daniel Garcia of Austin and Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell of Washington, DC. “Although we may at times encounter people or situations in our country that seek to erase ‘memory’ from our minds and books, it can never be erased from our hearts.”

“Let us be courageous witnesses to truth,” the bishops added. “Let us pray and work to honor the inherent dignity of every person and the sacred stories of every people.”

'He felt my pain': Irish abuse victim meets with Pope Leo (Vatican News)

David Ryan, a victim of sexual abuse at an Irish school operated by the Spiritan (Holy Ghost) Fathers, met yesterday with Pope Leo XIV.

“He was so sorry to hear of my pain, for my family’s pain and for the other survivors that haven’t come forward yet,” said Ryan. “I know it was genuine.”

Ryan also spoke of the Pope’s “sincerity, his empathy. He felt my pain, but he hadn’t experienced my pain, but he knows what pain I had gone through, and my family.”

Pope appoints 54-year-old as archbishop of Prague (CWN)

Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop Stanislav Přibyl, CSsR, of Litoměřice, Czech Republic, as the new archbishop of Prague, less than two years after his ordination as a bishop.

Portugal's president describes Pope Leo as 'intelligent,' 'rational' following meeting (CWN)

Portugal’s president described Pope Leo XIV as “superiorly intelligent” and “very rational” following a 25-minute audience on February 2.

Archbishop Gallagher concludes journey to Slovakia, hails Church-state relations (CWN)

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, concluded a three-day visit to Slovakia commemorating the 25th anniversary of the basic agreement, or concordat, between the Holy See and the central European nation.

Feb. 3 Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time; Opt Mem of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr; St. Ansgar, Bishop , Opt. Mem.

The Universal Calendar offers two saints, Blaise and Ansgar, for separate celebration as Optional Memorial. St. Blaise (or Blase) (d. 320) enjoyed widespread veneration in the Eastern and Western Churches due to many cures attributed to him. According to tradition, he was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia and was martyred under Licinius. On this day the Church gives a "Blessing of the Throats" in honor of St. Blaise. From the eighth century he has been invoked on behalf of the sick, especially those afflicted with illnesses of the throat. St. Blaise is included in the list of Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Cardinal Petrocchi named president of Vatican bank's Commission of Cardinals (Institute for the Works of Religion)

The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), colloquially known as the Vatican bank, announced yesterday that Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, 76, has become president of the Commission of Cardinals that oversees it.

Cardinal Petrocchi succeeds Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP, who has led the commission for 12 years while concurrently serving until last year as archbishop of Vienna.

Cardinal Schönborn paid tribute to the late Pope Francis “for his valuable, constant and enlightened support during the long and demanding process of reform of the IOR.” Cardinal Schönborn also thanked Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, the IOR’s president, who “has led and overseen a far-reaching transformation of the Institute, which has gained wide recognition and esteem within the international financial community.”