Pope Francis says he is close to ‘the dear Cuban people’ after largest protests in decades

by CNA Staff Vatican City, Jul 18, 2021 / 05:30 am Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his closeness to “the dear Cuban people” after the largest protests in decades in the communist country. In his first Angelus address at the Vatican since undergoing colon surgery, the pope said that Cubans …
Cuba protests: Seminarian released by police

by ACI Prensa Matanzas, Cuba, Jul 17, 2021 / 06:01 am Rafael Cruz Dévora, a seminarian who was arrested on Monday after participating in protests of Cuba’s communist government, was released Thursday. Protests took place across Cuba July 11-12. Protesters cited concerns about inflation, shortages of food and medicine, and …
Pope Francis to Friars Minor: Seek renewal amid declining numbers

By CNA Staff Vatican City, Jul 17, 2021 / 05:00 am Pope Francis urged members of the Order of Friars Minor on Saturday to seek renewal as they face “the challenges of declining numbers and aging.” In a message to participants of the order’s general chapter in Rome on July …
Tulsa bishop: Eucharistic coherence is about helping people grow in communion with Christ

Tulsa, Okla., Jul 16, 2021 / 16:35 pm The controversy over reception of Communion by supporters of abortion is ordered to helping all Catholics to grow in communion with Christ, the Bishop of Tulsa wrote to the faithful of his diocese on Friday. “The failure to recognize Jesus as Lord …
Question of Faith: Holy Water at Home?

When I was young, we kept holy water in a small font at the entrance to our bedrooms. What is the origin of the practice? Can we still use holy water in our homes? When entering a church building, we reflexively sign ourselves with holy water. In doing so, we …
July 17: St. Leo IV

The universal Church celebrates the life of St. Leo IV on July 17. Both a Roman and the son of Radoald, Leo was unanimously elected to succeed Sergius II as Pope. At the time of his election, there was an alarming attack of the Saracens on Rome in 846, which …
Breaking: Pope Francis issues restrictions on extraordinary form Masses in new motu proprio

by CNA Staff Vatican City, Jul 16, 2021 / 04:45 am Pope Francis issued a motu proprio on Friday restricting Masses celebrated in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. In the motu proprio, issued July 16, the pope made sweeping changes to his predecessor Benedict XVI’s 2007 apostolic letter …
Seminarian jailed amid Cuba protests

by Eduardo Berdejo Matanzas, Cuba, Jul 15, 2021 / 16:19 pm Rafael Cruz Dévora, a seminarian, was arrested on Monday after participating in protests of Cuba’s communist government. Protests took place across Cuba July 11-12. Protesters cited concerns about inflation, shortages of food and medicine, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Some …
Polish Catholics arrive in Rome after 17-day cycling pilgrimage

By CNA Staff Rome, Italy, Jul 15, 2021 / 13:00 pm Three Polish Catholic priests and a layman arrived at the Vatican on Wednesday after a grueling cycling pilgrimage from northern Poland. The group, from the diocese of Pelplin, set out on the 1,400-mile trip on June 28, carrying with …
Knights of Columbus disappointed by advancement of funding bill without Hyde Amendment

by CNA Staff Hartford, Conn., Jul 15, 2021 / 18:19 pm The Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus on Thursday registered his sorrow at the advancement by the appropriations committee of the US House of Representatives of a funding bill without including the usual prohibitions on abortion funding. According …