U.S. Pentecostal promotes what pope calls ‘walking ecumenism’
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Joe Tosini believes that on the last day Jesus will judge people on whether they fed the hungry, clothed the naked and, especially, whether they loved one another, not on whether they were baptized with a sprinkling of water as …
Faithful Citizen Alert: Event at Good Shepherd Parish Monday

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati and The Community of the Good Shepherd in Montgomery are sponsoring a special evening titled “A Teachable Moment – Faithful Citizenship and Pope Francis: Integrating Faith and Politics” with national speaker John Carr, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at Good Shepherd. Carr is the …
Christians who reject all refugees are ‘hypocrites,’ pope says
IMAGE: CNS photo/Giorgio Onorati, EPA By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Meeting a pilgrimage of Catholics and Lutherans from Germany, Pope Francis said he does not like “the contradiction of those who want to defend Christianity in the West, and, on the other hand, are against refugees and other …
Franciscan focuses on education, community building in Jamaica

As a child, Franciscan Father Jim Bok said he “never” considered become a missionary. “Like many little boys back then, I used to ‘play priest’ with Necco Wafers. We had mission carnivals at school to raise money, but being a missionary was never in my hopes and dreams. I thought …
Letter asks Obama, Congress to disavow bias claim in commission report
IMAGE: CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn By Mark Pattison WASHINGTON (CNS) — A letter to President Barack Obama and congressional leaders asks them to “renounce publicly” a contentious sentence in the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ report that equates religious freedom with discrimination. The letter, dated Oct. 7 and released Oct. 12, …
As outrage over lewd comments piles up, Trump struggles among Catholics
IMAGE: CNS photo/Jim Young, Reuters By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — Hours before the Oct. 9 presidential debate began, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani invoked St. Augustine of Hippo on a Sunday morning political news show to defend the man he was supporting for president. “Ever read ‘The Confessions’ …
Latino Catechists enrich local church

By Sister Tracy Kemme, SC Ever Reynoso struggled to find a Catholic parish that would welcome Latino immigrants, when he arrived in Cincinnati in 2004 after an arduous journey from Guatemala. Twelve years later, he is studying to be a catechist in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Dina Beach, the Assistant …
Pope: Simple gestures, not superpowers, needed to start a revolution
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — All it takes is just one person carrying out one simple, loving act of mercy every day to start a revolution and stamp out the “virus of indifference,” Pope Francis said. Sharing God’s mercy is not about expending a huge …
End ‘inhumane’ hostilities now, rescue civilians in Syria, pope pleads
IMAGE: CNS photo/Bassam Khabieh, Reuters By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In the wake of intensified attacks in Syria, Pope Francis called for an immediate cease-fire — even if temporary — so that civilians, especially children, could be rescued from the ruins. Emphasizing that his thoughts and prayers are …
Cardinal-designate Tobin made news defending church aid to refugees

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) — Last December, Cardinal-designate Joseph W. Tobin of Indianapolis made national news by defending the decision of his archdiocese to resettle a Syrian refugee family through the archdiocese’s Catholic Charities agency — a decision that went against Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s ban on resettling Syrian refugees in the …