Court hears oral arguments in challenge to Texas abortion restrictions
IMAGE: CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in its first abortion case in nine years March 2 in a challenge by Texas abortion clinics to a 2013 state law that requires them to comply with standards of ambulatory surgical …
Priests can’t be forced to break seal of confession, La. judge rules
CNA/EWTN News — Louisiana law can’t force Catholic priests to violate the seal of the confessional, a judge in the state reaffirmed on Friday. State District Judge Mike Caldwell said in court Feb. 26 that a state law requiring clergy to report sex abuse of minors violated a priest’s religious freedom protections …
Get thee to a confessional: Pope goes and wants you to as well
IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano v By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Go to confession. Soon. For Pope Francis, the Year of Mercy is all about sharing the experience of God’s mercy with others. But first, he wants people to experience it themselves, in the confessional. Lent is the perfect …
Pope: A hardened heart can’t understand God’s mercy
By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — God’s mercy can be understood only by someone who has an open heart and recognizes his or her sins, Pope Francis said. Unfaithfulness to God “hardens the heart, it closes the heart,” the pope said March 3 during the Mass in the …
Throwback Thursday: Just keep slugging
Despite snow today in some parts of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, there are signs of spring on the horizon. Lent is in full swing en route to Easter, the weather is slowly beginning to warm, and baseball is back on the radar. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is home to the …
Pope tells corrupt benefactors that church doesn’t need ‘dirty money’
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Speaking out against exploitation and unfair wages for workers, Pope Francis told benefactors to forget about donating money to the church if their earnings came from mistreating others. “Please, take your check back and burn it,” he said to applause. …
Report: Priests abused hundreds of kids in Altoona-Johnstown Diocese
IMAGE: CNS/Nancy Wiechec By ALTOONA, Pa. (CNS) — Hundreds of children were sexually abused over at least 40 years by priests and other religious leaders in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, a statewide grand jury found. At least 50 priests or religious leaders were involved in the abuse and diocesan leaders …
Baltimore religious leaders seek unity in wake of violence, tension
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Leaders of faith communities in Baltimore, seeking healing and unity a year after the death of Freddie Gray, carried the pain and the hopes of their faithful to the Vatican, asking Pope Francis to bless their work. When Archbishop William E. Lori of …
Cardinal says he reported complaints, but did not know of sex abuse
By SYDNEY (CNS) — For a third consecutive day, a top Vatican official gave testimony to an Australian commission about what he knew of the church’s reassignment of abusive priests. The focus of Cardinal George Pell’s testimony to Australia’s Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse March 2 …
March edition features full lineup of stories
The March print edition of The Catholic Telegraph hit mailboxes last week with a full lineup of news, commentary and features. Among the highlights of the issue is the center spread. Two full pages of photos from Catholic Schools Week Masses in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati last month show the vibrant …
