Dear Brothers and Sisters a Happy and Holy Easter The Church throughout the world echoes the angel rsquo s message to the women ldquo Do not be afraid I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified He is not here for he has been raised hellip Come see the place where he lay rdquo
Kevin Clarke
Kevin Clarke is America’s chief correspondent and the author of Oscar Romero: Love Must Win Out (Liturgical Press).
Posted inIn All Things
Easter Message from Holy Land Leaders
In an annual tradition Thirteen Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have issued the following hopeful Easter message this year highlighting the importance of peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land We the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem bring joyous greetings in the name
Posted inNews
Revelations Emerge from Senate C.I.A. Investigation: Torture was worse than admitted and ineffective in gathering intelligence
Leaks from an executive summary of a five-year Senate investigation into controversial CIA detention and interrogation techniques have called into further question the already controversial use of “enhanced interrogation techniques.” Revelations from the summary leaked so far suggest tha
Posted inSigns Of the Times
Higgins Visit Suggests Sea Change in Anglo-Irish Relations
State visits are usually occasions of pomp and circumstance signifying little. That was not true, however, of the recent formal introduction of President Michael Higgins of Ireland to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. During the president’s historic four-day visit, from April 8 to 12,
Posted inIn All Things
President Speaks on Anti-Semitism and Gun Violence
At this morning 39 s White House Easter prayer breakfast President Obama talked of yesterday 39 s shooting incidents in Kansas City this sudden example of the ferocity of anti-Semtitism and the necessity of Americans to be free of fear of such gun violence particulalry in places of worhsip He
Posted inIn All Things
SNAP: Not Impressed
Barbara Dorris Outreach Director of SNAP the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests remains skeptical of Pope Francis on the question of episcopal accountability for sex abuse crimes In a response to the pope 39 s apparently off-the-cuff comments in Rome words of contrition taking respons
Posted inIn All Things
Caritas Lebanon Leader Urges Int’l Role in Syria Relief
A new reminder of the precariousness of conditions in Lebanon because of the Syria crisis comes from the new president of Caritas Lebanon Maronite Father Paul Karam He urges the international community to step in to assume the responsibility of establishing and maintaining refugee camps for those
Posted inIn All Things
Taking Synods Seriously
Pope Francis offered more evidence today of his commitment to Vatican II era collegiality In a letter posted by the Vatican news service the pope announced today that he was elevating the position of the nbsp undersecretary of the synod secretariat to the episcopacy to demonstrate that quot we ca
Posted inNews
Lebanon Overwhelmed by Syria Crisis: Hosts more than 1 million refugees
The number of refugees fleeing from Syria into neighboring Lebanon passed the 1 million mark on April 3, according to U.N. officials, a bleak milestone exacerbated by rapidly depleting social resources and a host community stretched to the breaking point. Just over three years after Syria’s co
Posted inIn All Things
O’Brien Allegations Provoke Vatican Investigation
Over at National Catholic Reporter Josh McElwee is reporting that Pope Francis has asked the Vatican 39 s Congregation for Bishops to look into allegations of sexual misconduct against disgraced Scottish Cardinal Keith O 39 Brien The congregation according to the report has dispatched Maltese