In El Salvador, families say U.S. churchwomen’s work lives on
IMAGE: CNS photo/Jose Cabezas, Reuters By SANTIAGO NONUALCO, El Salvador (CNS) — North Americans and Salvadorans gathered Dec. 2 at the precise spot where four churchwomen were killed 35 years ago to emphasize that their work for the country’s poor remains alive. “It is important for us to remember that …
On climate issue, Catholics urged to ‘feel pain of the planet, the poor’
IMAGE: CNS photo/Tom Tracy By Tom Tracy MIAMI (CNS) — Pope Francis’ right-hand man on the environment and climate change issues urged Catholics attending a local academic conference to let Christian spirituality guide their thinking and actions toward preserving the full range of God’s creation. Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of …
Advent’s focus is waiting for Christmas but also includes lots of feasts
IMAGE: CNS photo/Lisa Johnston By Anita Draper WASHINGTON (CNS) — Although the four weeks of Advent focus on waiting for Christmas, the church does not just sit around and wait for the main event. It celebrates plenty of major feasts with lots of customs, traditions and even special foods during …
Action plan offers Catholics down-to-earth ideas to implement encyclical
IMAGE: Georgia Bulletin Photo By Michael Alexander By Francois Gloutnay CONYERS, Ga. (CNS) — Mimi Soileau goes nearly weekly to see what vegetables are ripe to be plucked from garden beds beside her parish church, St. Pius X. Time spent with her hands in the dirt is nothing new for …
Ministry in Aleppo is about keeping hope alive, priests say
IMAGE: CNS photo/Sedat Suna, EPA By Gaby Maniscalco VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Even in the midst of constant bombing, Jesuit and Salesian priests remain in war-torn Aleppo, Syria, trying to create a sense of normalcy for those unable to leave. Jesuit Father Sami Hallak has been keeping a crisis journal …
Use wealth, power for common good, not to exploit others, pope says
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Wealth and power are meant to serve the poor and the well-being of everyone, not to selfishly exploit others, Pope Francis said. When power loses that sense of service, it “turns into arrogance and becomes control and subjugation,” he said …
Death-row experience interweaves lives of priest, man he helped free
IMAGE: CNS photo/William Rieter By Jerri Donohue NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (CNS) — When Father Neil Kookoothe first met Joseph D’Ambrosio on Ohio’s death row in December 1998, he intended to describe the funeral of the condemned man’s mother. D’Ambrosio would not listen, however. Another inmate had told him the priest …
Homeless, poor get star treatment at Vatican movie premiere
IMAGE: CNS photo/TaodueFilm, distributed by Medusa By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The usual fanfare that comes with the world premiere of a movie is pretty standard: the lights and cameras, the celebrities walking down the red carpet and screaming fans trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite actors. At …
Immaculée Ilibagiza talk at Xavier part of Year of Mercy observance
Immaculée Ilibagiza, a survivor of 1994 Rwandan Genocide, spoke Monday at the Schiff Family Conference Center at Xavier University’s Cintas Center as one of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s events marking the Year of Mercy. Ilibagiza’s talk was entitled, “Show Mercy, How to Forgive.” Ilibagiza speaks across the nation about how she …
Missionary spirit means giving witness, not proselytizing, pope says
IMAGE: CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Missionary spirit is manifested by preaching love, humanity and faith through one’s witness and not through proselytism, Pope Francis said. Faith in Jesus Christ is shared first through “witness then with words,” the pope said Dec. 2 at his weekly …