France increases security around Lourdes for national pilgrimage
IMAGE: CNS photo/Caroline Blumberg, EPA By LOURDES, France (CNS) — French police and military officials have launched a special security operation for the country’s national pilgrimage to Lourdes, following the killing of a Catholic parish priest in a spate of terrorist attacks. Up to 30,000 Catholics are expected to join …
Gymnast keeps rosary — a gift from her mom — close when she competes
IMAGE: CNS photo/Mike Blake, Reuters By RIO DE JANEIRO (CNS) — U.S. Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Simone Biles says when she travels, she sometimes takes with her a statue of St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, and she also carries a rosary her mother gave her. Biles, who …
Mission foundation seeks funds for school in Ghana
Father John Amankwah had a vision – a library for the educationally starved children of his native Ghana. Father Amankwah, currently associate pastor at St. William parish in Price Hill, is also an educator, teaching communications at Mount St. Joseph University. But it was in his capacity as chaplain for …
Bishop urges people to listen, learn, pray, act to foster racial harmony
IMAGE: CNS photo/Theresa Orozco, St. Louis Review) By Joseph Kenny ST. LOUIS (CNS) — Bishop Edward K. Braxton of Belleville, Illinois, said his background is as an academic, with writings on theological and pastoral topics, and not as an expert in a field related to racial matters. But he has …
Faith, family lighten load for triathlete who travels with a lot of gear
IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy ITU via Catholic Review By Paul McMullen BALTIMORE (CNS) — World-class triathlete Katie Hursey Zaferes travels with a custom bicycle and enough workout gear to outfit an entire aerobics class. How does she lighten her load? With liberal doses of faith and family. When Zaferes, 27, competes …
Checking in: Pope invites Syrian refugees to lunch
IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — At a luncheon that was part reunion and part progress report, Pope Francis invited 21 Syrian refugees to join him at the Vatican Aug. 11. The pope’s lunch guests included the 12 refugees — three married couples …
Unlocking forgiveness: Vatican tribunal promotes pardon
IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Apostolic Penitentiary has nothing to do with a jail cell and everything to do with ensuring repentant sinners experience God’s mercy. Established in the 12th century when penitential pilgrimages to Rome began to bring thousands of …
The Hickey Sacerdotal Family
There are several instances of biological brothers becoming priests for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, but in the late 19th century, an extraordinary instance came from the family of Patrick and Johanna Hickey. Five of their sons became priests for the Archdiocese and one daughter became a Sister of Notre Dame …
U.N. Refugee Olympic team: ‘The victory scream of all refugees’
IMAGE: CNS photo/Toru Hanai, Reuters By Lise Alves RIO DE JANEIRO (CNS) — Glued to the improvised screen set up on the patio of the Caritas house, the refugees yelled and they cried. But most of all, they cheered. They cheered for their two Congolese colleagues, Popole Misenga, 24, and …
Pope pays ‘private’ visit to convents outside Rome
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis “snuck” out of the Vatican Aug. 9 for a drive, a walk in the woods and lunch with an Italian bishop at a small convent. Long after the pope had returned to the Vatican from two small towns near Rieti — …