A primer on where pope stands on gays, divorce, abortion
Francis has launched an agenda of reform in the Vatican and in the global Church, counseling a more merciful message and prioritizing different issues -- issues he could raise when he visits Cuba and...
View ArticlePhilly archbishop assails Trump over birthright citizenship repeal
Archbishop Charles Chaput said Trump's idea to end automatic citizenship for children born to immigrants living illegally in the US "plays on our worst fears and resentments."
View ArticleJournaling as a spiritual tool
Don’t worry about prose, spelling, grammar, sentence structure. Worry instead about a deep dive, thinking hard and truthfully about who you are behind the self you offer the world.
View ArticleDid you hear the one about the pope?
A new "Joke with the Pope" digital campaign encourages people to "donate" a joke to support one of three causes before Pope Francis' historic US visit.
View ArticleThe pope has released a radical movement of mercy
Only when we touch the heart of suffering can we generate mercy. When we do, we have the power to truly and deeply heal.
View ArticleCrux, Georgetown to host an economic forum on the family
Amid all the controversial issues being discussed in the lead-up to the Synod of Bishops in October, there's another affecting millions of families: How to get by in times of economic uncertainty.
View ArticleArchbishop Cupich, Bishop Kicanas greet Pope Francis in Rome ahead of US visit
For those curious about who’s briefing Pope Francis ahead of his US visit, here’s a clue: Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich was in Rome Wednesday.
View ArticleMost US Catholics are fine with nontraditional families
A new poll shows that most Catholics, no matter what their family structure, are comfortable with a wide variety of family arrangements. And many think the Church should be more open to them as well.
View Article‘Antidisestablishmentarianism’ isn’t in the dictionary. Let’s change that!
As Merriam-Webster explains, to be in the dictionary a word must be in widespread use and have a meaning. To date, that hasn't happened.
View ArticleImmigrants, refugees to receive papal blessing in NYC
Pope Francis will offer a special blessing to a group of immigrants and refugees in New York, including those who are undocumented, highlighting two contentious issues in American politics.
View ArticleTwo papal parades announced, more passes available after Philadelphia ticket...
After an outcry over plans to keep most of Pope Francis' audience at his biggest Philadelphia events several blocks away, organizers announced the pontiff will parade through downtown twice.
View ArticleCardinal: Britons cry for a more generous response to migrants
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster said shocking images of bodies washed up on beaches in the Mediterranean — including one of a drowned Syrian boy — are revealing “the human face of this suffering.”
View ArticleSeeking forgiveness for abortion — or not
Not all Catholic women who have had an abortion feel shame or the need to seek forgiveness from a priest. Surely some have long been reconciled, in prayer and sorrow, with a merciful, forgiving,...
View ArticleRevisiting Elm Street: Wes Craven’s first ‘Nightmare’
Wes Craven's "Nightmare on Elm Street," which subverts slasher tropes in various ways, deepens rather than subverts the genre’s moral leanings.
View ArticleAre you a fallen RC, Catholic-connected, or a cultural Catholic?
A new Pew Research survey goes beyond the standard tally of how many people say their religious identity is Catholic, asking many original questions that Pew has not studied before.
View ArticleColoring books for grown-ups: Calming — but a spiritual practice?
While adult coloring is mostly being marketed as a balm for the stress of modern life, many fans also describe it in spiritual terms. But can coloring seriously be considered a spiritual practice?
View ArticleDebate over poverty highlights talk of economics and the family
Sparks flew between a labor leader and a free-market advocate about the best way to fight poverty during a discussion about the economy and families at Georgetown University Wednesday night.
View ArticleI’m unmarried, but want to have kids. Is there a moral way to do it in the...
As you say, Catholic teaching and tradition will be of little help here -- especially if your true desire is to have a child through pregnancy and childbirth.
View ArticleFaster annulments: Building a raft out of the wreckage
Thanks, Pope Francis! A more streamlined legal procedure for annulments is going to make my job as a parish priest easier.
View ArticleCatholic heritage sites in Pope Francis’ host cities: NYC, DC, Philly
For travelers with an interest in sacred places, here are some of the top Catholic heritage sites — including several on the pope's itinerary — in those cities.
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