Synagogue visit is chapter in Rome’s unique Catholic-Jewish history
IMAGE: Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden ROME (CNS) — History and geography have combined to make Catholic-Jewish relations in Rome unique, both negatively and positively — a fact highlighted by modern papal visits to the city’s main synagogue just two miles from the Vatican. Pope Francis was scheduled to visit …
Pope to teens: Don’t fall for hate, fearmongers; find nice friends
By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Don’t fall for hate and fearmongering from others; make new friends instead and always help and show concern for others, Pope Francis told the world’s teens. “Be brave and go against the tide, be friends of Jesus, who is the prince of peace,” …
Throwback Thursday: Li’l Sisters keep kids in line
Catholic Schools Week is still a few weeks away, but the Throwback Thursday team couldn’t pass the opportunity to share this cartoon from a 1960s supplement to The Catholic Telegraph-Register. In the cartoon, a pair of young nuns serving in educational ministry discuss student discipline. “I haven’t had a bit …
El Paso Mass scrapped, but not papal Mass across border
By EL PASO, Texas (CNS) — The Diocese of El Paso has scrapped plans for a border Mass that would have taken place at the same time as the closing Mass of Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico in February. However, the Feb. 17 papal Mass at the fairgrounds in Ciudad …
Formed program attracts 145 parish registrations
When Pope Benedict XVI said the Catholic Church could not be credible in its evangelization efforts if it was not in cyberspace, he signaled a new approach for Catholic catechesis – the teaching of the catechism. And with a grant from Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, 145 of the 200 parishes …
Faithfulness in mercy is God’s way of being, pope says
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — God’s mercy is constant and limitless; he is faithful in his mercy for his children, even when they are unfaithful, Pope Francis said. The greatness and power of God unfolds in his “love for us, who are so small, …
Bishops urge more peace efforts to help displaced Iraqi Christians
IMAGE: CNS photo/Dale Gavlak By Dale Gavlak AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) — With crises in Syria and Iraq deepening, Catholic bishops on a solidarity visit with the “forgotten” Christians of the Middle East are urging stepped-up peace efforts to resolve conflicts tearing apart the troubled region. Highlighting the ongoing plight of …
Exorcist films should teach how God always conquers evil, exorcist says
IMAGE: CNS photo/Warner Bros. By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Movies depicting exorcisms could be an important medium for showing how God always triumphs over evil, but instead, they misrepresent the faith and exaggerate human and satanic powers over God, a leading exorcist wrote in the Vatican newspaper. Television …
Comedian, cardinal, inmate present Pope Francis book on mercy
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Arms flailing, the exuberant and perhaps hyperactive Italian actor and comedian Roberto Benigni described Pope Francis as a masterful minister of God’s mercy, which is always active and always on the move. Benigni brought the house down Jan. 12 during …
Athletic leaders at Catholic institutions react to Bengals-Steelers game
Fans of NFL football in southwestern Ohio tend to root for the Cincinnati Bengals, but an 18-16 playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 9 left many disappointed. Not only did Cincinnati lose for the fifth consecutive time in the first round of the playoffs, but cheap shots, poor …
