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Church confirms apparitions in Argentina as 'supernatural'

Veronica Engler
August 15, 2016

Gladys Motta, now in her 80s, says she began seeing apparitions after she saw rosaries glowing in homes. She prayed to the Virgin Mary, who appeared to her carrying the infant Jesus and wearing a blue gown and veil. Since 1983, Motta says she has received more than 1,800 visitations from Mary and another 68 from Jesus.

Under heavy security, Catholic pilgrims visit Lourdes shrine

Associated Press
August 15, 2016

Pilgrims, many sick or disabled, converged Monday in the French shrine of Lourdes under heavy security after recent terrorist attacks — notably one July 26 in northwest France, in which extremists claiming loyalty to the Islamic State stormed a Mass, slit an elderly priest’s throat and took nuns and parishioners hostage.

Diocese says government is violating Court's contraception order

Catholic News Agency
August 15, 2016

Despite a Supreme Court order seeming to protect its religious freedom, the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh says the federal government continues exerting an “extremely aggressive” interpretation of the order to force contraceptives into its health care plans.

Brazil's African faiths beat back attempt to exclude them from Olympics

Janet Tappin Coelho
August 15, 2016

The International Olympic Committee chose five “official” religions for an interfaith center, meaning Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism, based on research showing most athletes follow those faiths. But the IOC found itself facing heavy criticism for failing to consider the possibility that some Brazilian competitors could be Candomble and Umbanda adherents and in need of pastoral support too.

Gymnastics champ always keeps mom's rosary close

Catholic News Service
August 15, 2016

U.S. Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Simone Biles, who won the women’s all-around competition Aug. 11, says when she travels she sometimes takes with her a statue of St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, and she also carries a rosary her mother gave her.

Prelate who fought for victims of anti-Christian violence dead at 81

Nirmala Carvalho
August 14, 2016

Indian archbishop Raphael Cheenath, a champion of the oppressed and of victims of anti-Christian persecution, died Sunday at 81, praised by his successor as “fearless”. Just 12 days ago, India’s Supreme Court upheld his petition for more compensation for victims of a 2008 anti-Christian pogrom.

Pope treats Rome's homeless to swim at beach, then a pizza

Associated Press
August 14, 2016

If you’re homeless in Rome this summer, you can get a trip to the beach and a pizza courtesy of Pope Francis, whose personal almsgiver drives roughly ten people at a time out to the beach on Sunday afternoons — complete with swimsuits and beach towels, all on the pontiff.

Memo to Pope Francis: For God's sake, take a break!

John L. Allen Jr.
August 13, 2016

Pope Francis has a prodigious, and deeply admirable, work ethic, but there are three good reasons why this Energizer Bunny of a pope might want to consider following the Italian lead for ferragosto and taking a break in mid-August.

Memo to Pope Francis: For God’s sake, take a break!

August 13, 2016

By John L. Allen Jr.

Pope meets victims of prostitution racket

August 12, 2016

Pope Francis met 20 women from six countries who have been freed from prostitution as part of his Holy Year “Fridays of Mercy” innitiative.

By Inés San Martín

Pope treats Rome’s homeless to swim at beach, then a pizza

August 14, 2016

By Associated Press

Holy days of obligation shouldn’t be like hop, skip and jump

August 13, 2016

The Church raises certain feast days to the status of a solemnity, meaning a high feast day, to teach the believer that certain events and truths are central to the Christian way of life — and figuring out which days are actually obligatory shouldn’t be like hop, skip and jump.

By Father Jeffrey F. Kirby

Mother Teresa not only Eastern European in India up for a halo

August 13, 2016

Jesuit Father Ante Gabrić, a Croatian missionary who left for India at the age of 23 and spent fifty years there before he died in 1988, is today a candidate for sainthood. He fed the starving, clothed the naked and saved lives, both during natural disasters, which were an annual phenomenon, and at other times.

By Nirmala Carvalho

The case for animal welfare as a matter of faith

August 6, 2016

An official with the Faith Outreach Program at the Humane Society of the United States believes that, “When we do something to protect animals, it has significance beyond just helping that animal. It’s part of a larger restorative effort that mends our relationships with one another and God as well.”

By Charles C. Camosy