Saint Damasus was born in Rome at the beginning of the fourth century. His father, a widower, had received Holy Orders there and served as parish priest in the church of St. Laurence. Damasus was archdeacon of the Roman Church in 355 when the Pope, Saint Liberius, was banished to …

by Katie Yoder Washington D.C., Dec 8, 2021 / 11:21 am Security-camera footage shows a man attacking a statue of Our Lady of Fatima by cutting off her hands and hammering at her face, according to a statement by the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in …

by Joe Bukuras New York City, N.Y., Dec 8, 2021 / 17:05 pm The Archdiocese of New York is awaiting formal notification of the city’s mandate that private school teachers be vaccinated against COVID-19 before determining its response to the directive. “We are aware of Mayor de Blasio’s announcement regarding …

by Christine Rousselle South Bend, Ind., Dec 8, 2021 / 15:01 pm The University of Notre Dame will require all its students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster in order to attend classes on or off campus, the school announced on Monday, Dec. 6. Students received an email announcing the …

by CNA Staff Barcelona, Spain, Dec 8, 2021 / 12:00 pm Pope Francis said that a star lit up for the first time on Wednesday atop Sagrada Família Basilica shines for the poor, ill, elderly, and young people of Barcelona. The 12-pointed star at the peak of the basilica’s soaring …

On Dec. 9, Roman Catholics celebrate St. Juan Diego, the indigenous Mexican Catholic convert whose encounter with the Virgin Mary began the Church’s devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1474, 50 years before receiving the name Juan Diego at his baptism, a boy named Cuauhtlatoatzin — “singing eagle” — …

by Joe Bukuras Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 8, 2021 / 06:01 am Inspired by Pope Francis’ declaration of the Year of St. Joseph, the Knights of Columbus have released a documentary on the Head of the Holy Family, which can now be accessed for free on their website.  The 60-minute documentary …

by Joe Bukuras Washington D.C., Dec 8, 2021 / 10:37 am The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Located in Washington D.C., the Minor basilica is one of the ten largest churches in the world. Here are …

by CNA Staff Vatican City, Dec 8, 2021 / 05:45 am Pope Francis highlighted “the beauty of Mary’s heart” in his Angelus address on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The pope said on Dec. 8 that the Blessed Virgin Mary’s encounter with the Angel Gabriel, described in St. Luke’s Gospel, revealed …

by CNA Staff Athens, Greece, Dec 6, 2021 / 04:20 am Pope Francis urged young people in Athens on Monday not to be “prisoners of the cell phone,” but to truly share their lives with others. Speaking in a school sports hall in a suburb of the Greek capital on …