The Vatican has detailed laws, rituals and norms to transfer papal power if a pope dies or resigns. But none of them apply when he is sick or even unconscious.
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From the Chesapeake to the Carolina frontier: Catholic origins in the Upper South
Catholic life in the early Upper South developed unevenly, with bold promise in Maryland and little visible presence elsewhere.
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Catholicism in the Lower South: Thriving communities built on French and Spanish foundations
The Catholic story of the lower South reflects a long journey from mission to a mature presence.
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Intrepid missionaries and martyrs: The origins of Catholicism in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan
In this continuing series on the origins of Catholicism in the 50 states, we now turn our attention to the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
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A Quaker, a Bavarian monk and a Catholic king: Exploring Catholic history in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey
Catholic life throughout the region was often sustained quietly through family networks, informal gathering places, and the ministry of itinerant priests.
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Catholic growth in anti-Catholic colonies: The fledgling Church in New England
Catholics in colonial New England kept a low profile, and for long stretches there was effectively no public Catholic life at all.
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Jesuit missionaries and a log chapel: Exploring the Catholic history of Delaware
With construction of a log chapel, Delaware gained its first Catholic church, marking the transition from a scattered mission community to a visible and enduring center of Catholic life in the new state.
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Pope Leo’s first Extraordinary Consistory: What should we expect?
As of now, there are only speculations and rumors, particularly in the Italian media, about what’s on the agenda.
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Why is New Year’s Day a holy day of obligation?
Q: If the church’s new year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, then why is the secular New Year’s Day (Jan. 1) a holy day of obligation? A: You are correct that the church’s liturgical new year usually begins in late November with the first Sunday of Advent, and you are likewise correct that […]
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Explainer: Everything you need to know about the Vatican’s women deacons report
The question of the women’s diaconate now returns to Pope Leo for further discernment.