Pope Francis on Feb 9 began what could be a key week for his reformist papacy starting with meetings with his hand-picked kitchen cabinet of nine senior cardinals who are developing plans to overhaul the Roman Curia the papal civil service that has been plagued with crisis and dysfunction The th

This is the eleventh entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles The first entry nbsp covered some of the major critical technical and background issues that will concern us as we read through and comment on the Acts The second post found here considered the prologu

America is pleased to offer short interviews with many of the church leaders who will be made cardinal during this weekend's upcoming consistory in Rome. Pope Francis continued to be the pope of surprises when his choices for cardinal-designates in January indicated a heightened attention to the

Christians are called to care for God's creation. That was the pope’s message at Mass this Monday morning at the Casa Santa Marta. The Holy Father also spoke about the "second creation," the one performed by Jesus that he "re-created" from what had been ruined by sin.Go

Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi nbsp 53 leads the Catholic Church in the Kingdom of Tonga 176 islands spread over 270 000 square miles in the South Pacific Ninety percent of the Kingdom rsquo s approximately 102 000 citizens are Christian of which 16 000 are Catholic Tonga is one of the most dev

Archbishop Francesco Montenegro 68 serves the Archdiocese of Agrigento on the southeastern coast of Sicily a population that includes some 449 000 Catholics and extends 130 miles into the Mediterranean Sea to the small island of Lampedusa Since 2011 over 300 000 refugees from wars in nearby Nort

Elected prosecutors have every incentive to remain tough on (falling) crime.

In recent weeks South Africans have once again witnessed xenophobic violence The violence broke out after a Somali shop owner in Soweto shot a 14-year old local dead The shop owner claims that the boy part of a gang of youths was trying to steal from him One of the youths dropped a gun in the p

So about a month ago I wrote up a piece about one of the new Cardinals-designate Archbishop Alberto Su rez-Inda for the America blog I rsquo ve been trying to keep up with the troubles going on in Mexico and the appointment of Su rez who has spoken out against the violence and corruption see

ldquo The accountability of bishops is a source of great concern rdquo to the 17 members of the Commission for the Protection of Minors established by Pope Francis in March 2014 Cardinal Sean O rsquo Malley the president of this body told reporters at a Vatican press briefing February 7 ldquo

Two new laws passed by the District of Columbia Council violate freedom of religion, speech and association, said members of several national and local groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a Feb. 5 letter to Congress.The letter urged Congress to protect religious freedom and

Assisted suicide bills working their way through states, courts

Hot showers, a soapy shave and spiffy haircuts are available for free for those whom the Vatican calls "our homeless pilgrims."Thanks to charitable contributions from Pope Francis and private donors, the Vatican has finished remodeling and expanding a public bathroom a few steps from Berni

Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs called for an end to financing terrorists and suggested that borders be closed when necessary to prevent their movement.The leaders also appealed for the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem, based on a long-standing proposal for a two-s

Sister Mary Ann Walsh say her experience of cancer “is like a living wake.”

Santa MartaFebruary 6, 2015At Mass on Friday Pope Francis called for people to remember the Martyrs of 2015, the men, women and children who are being massacred right now in hatred of the faith. The martyrdom of Christians is not a thing of the past, today too there are many victims of "people

The poem doesn rsquo t require explanation though some might be surprised to hear such a somber sound from Robert Frost I have been one acquainted with the night I have walked out in rain mdash and back in rain I have outwalked the furthest city light nbsp I have looked down the saddest city lane

Pope Francis made a cybersplash with his recent participation at a Google hangout where he live-chatted with young people from around the world In December he reached out directly to a different group of young people in Arizona volunteers for the Jesuit-sponsored Kino Border Initiative The group

Record snows strain roads and transit, but little political will to fund infrastructure