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Catholic parishes, schools and other institutions in Illinois are called on to ring their bells for four minutes at 2:15 p.m. April 9 in honor of the 150th anniversary of the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army in Appomattox County, Virginia.The Catholic bishops of Illinois aske

The appointment of a controversial bishop in Chile was made after a careful review found no "objective reasons" to prevent Bishop Juan Barros from taking over the Diocese of Osorno, the Vatican press office said.The bishop had been accused of covering up for a priest who was known to have

‘Taking a human life is wrong; a slap in the face of hope’

The number of Catholic marriages in the United States is at its lowest point since 1965.Georgetown University's Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate keeps records of Catholic Church statistics going back to 1965, tracking such things as the total number of priests, the Catholic populati

Pope Francis came out squarely against the death penalty once again, calling it "unacceptable" regardless of the seriousness of the crime of the condemned.Pope Francis met with a three-person delegation of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty March 20, and issued a letter

Pope Francis accepted Scotland Cardinal Keith O'Brien's decision to renounce all "duties and privileges" associated with being a cardinal.The former archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, who resigned in 2013 after admitting to sexual misconduct, will no longer exercise the role

The bishops of Nebraska called for repeal of the state's death penalty and reform of the criminal justice system.Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln and Bishop William J. Dendinger of Grand Island said in March 17 statement that while Catholic teaching allows c

Ten Senate Democrats voted March 17 to filibuster the Justice for Victims of Sex Trafficking Act over inclusion of Hyde Amendment provisions, which forbids federal funding for most abortions or abortion-related care."I know there are some Democrats who care deeply about the victims of human tra

Organizing for the World Meeting of Families and the visit by Pope Francis to Philadelphia in September has taken a major step forward with the announcement of the 15 committees and leadership charged with spearheading operations in hospitality, liturgy, volunteers and more.Executives for the events

Budgets call for cuts in social services, increases in military spending.