US bishops receive Blessed Carlo Acutis relic
by Katie Yoder Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 9, 2022 / 06:00 am The U.S. bishops recently welcomed a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis. It is the teenager’s pericardium, or the sac that protected his heart. “I now bring to you the relic of the pericardium, which is the membrane that …
How to obtain a plenary indulgence during Holy Week
by CNA Staff CNA Staff, Mar 31, 2021 / 12:43 am MT (CNA).- A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ, Mary and all the saints to remove the temporal punishment due to sin. The indulgence applies to sins already forgiven. …
April 8: St. Julie Billiart
St. Julie Billiart, co-foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, came to her religious vocation late in life, at the age of 51. She was born in 1751, the fifth of seven children. As a child, she developed a great love for Jesus in the …
April 7: St. John Baptist de la Salle
St. John Baptist de la Salle is known for promoting and reforming Christian education, especially amongst the poor. He is also the founder of the Institute of the Brothers of Christian Schools, which now teaches around the world. The French priest was one of the first pedagogues to emphasize classroom …
UPDATE: Pro-life group says it obtained remains of 115 aborted babies discarded by DC clinic
by Jonah McKeown, Katie Yoder Washington D.C., Apr 5, 2022 / 10:51 am Anti-abortion activists said Tuesday that they obtained 115 aborted babies from a driver for a medical waste company in late March, with the intention of giving the unborn children a dignified funeral and burial. Five of those babies …
Bishop asks Catholic middle school to take down gay pride, Black Lives Matter flags
by Joe Bukuras Worcester, Mass., Apr 5, 2022 / 08:43 am A Jesuit-run middle school in Massachusetts could lose its Catholic designation if it ignores the local bishop’s call to stop flying Black Lives Matter and gay pride rainbow flags outside its building. The Nativity School of Worcester, in Worcester, …
Dayton native celebrates her 80th jubilee as an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph
A Dayton native who served as a music instructor for nearly 50 years is celebrating a significant anniversary of religious life this year. Sister Marie Julie Fecher is celebrating 80 years as an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph (Maple Mount, Ky.). She is the daughter of the late Constantine …
Pope Francis: Visit to Kyiv is ‘on the table’
by Courtney Mares Aboard the papal plane, Apr 2, 2022 / 06:52 am Pope Francis on Saturday said a papal visit to Kyiv is “on the table,” raising the possibility of a dramatic escalation of the Holy See’s diplomatic and spiritual efforts to bring about an end to the fighting …
April 5: St. Vincent Ferrer
Roman Catholics celebrate the missionary efforts of St. Vincent Ferrer on April 5. The Dominican preacher brought thousands of Europeans into the Catholic Church during a period of political and spiritual crisis in Western Europe. Vincent Ferrer was born in Valencia, Spain, during 1357. His parents raised him to care …
Cincinnati’s Father Earl K. Fernandes Appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, announced today that Father Earl K. Fernandes, of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, has been appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio. Bishop-elect Fernandes will be the 13th bishop of the Diocese of Columbus. The diocese has been under the governance of a diocesan …
