Sisters’ billboards bring pope’s environmental message to Iowa caucuses
IMAGE: CNS photo/Sister Carol Hoverman By Cindy Wooden DUBUQUE, Iowa (CNS) — As the eyes of the nation focused on the Iowa caucuses Feb. 1, the 13 congregations of Catholic Sisters of the Upper Mississippi River Valley wanted to capture the attention of participants to call for an end to …
Vatican updates papal itinerary for Cuba, Mexico visit
IMAGE: CNS photo/Henry Romero, Reuters By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis is scheduled to have more than two hours alone with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow in Cuba in addition to signing a declaration with the patriarch before flying on to Mexico for a Feb. 12-17 …
Vatican downplays film promo, says pope will not have movie debut
By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis will not be an actor in a proposed movie based on the Gospels, a Vatican spokesman said. While details about how the pope may or may not be involved in the movie project are not yet known, it was clear the pope was …
Pope says he goes to Mexico as a ‘missionary of mercy, peace’
IMAGE: CNS photo/Jose Luis Gonzalez, Reuters By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis said his reasons for going to Mexico are “easy and simple.” “I want to come as a missionary of mercy and peace,” the pope said in a video message to the Mexican people released …
Number joining the church at Easter increases for first time since 2013
This year 880 adults and children will enter the Roman Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, beginning Sunday Feb. 14 with the Rite of Election and the Call to Continuing Conversion. For the first time since 2013, the number of those preparing to enter the church at Easter is …
Comboni Missionary becomes chaplain moderator for Hispanic community
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Hispanic community has a newly appointed chaplain moderator in the person of Father Rodolfo Coaquira Hilaje, a Peruvian Comboni Missionary. He was ordained in 1992 in his home country and spent 15 years in pastoral ministry to the people of Zambia, Africa. He also did missionary work …
Open God’s heart with prayer, pope tells Padre Pio Prayer Groups
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Praying is not like taking an aspirin, something one does just to feel a little better, Pope Francis told thousands of members of Padre Pio Prayer Groups from around the world. Prayer is not a business negotiation with God, either, …
Advisory-week ahead for Feb. 5, 2016
IMAGE: CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Although the number is not high, it is no longer “exceptional” to have priests turn down an appointment as bishop, said Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. Speaking Feb. 1 about the annual course his office …
Italy: ‘Family Day’ rally draws hundreds of thousands
By Joseph McAleer ROME (CNS) — Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Rome’s Circus Maximus to protest against a proposed bill that would grant legal recognition to nonmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples and give them the right to adopt children. Although not officially sponsored by the Catholic Church or …
Mission dioceses welcome the stranger, disenfranchised
IMAGE: CNS photo/Chaz Muth By Chaz Muth RALEIGH, N.C. (CNS) — When Aida Sarkisian and her family left their home in Iraq for the U.S., it wasn’t because they wanted to. It was because their survival depended on it. The refugees received death threats as far back as 2006 in …