WASHINGTON – Catholics nationwide are invited to pray “9 Days for Life,” an annual Respect Life novena starting Tuesday, January 16. In the Catholic Church, a ‘novena’ consists of prayers over nine successive days, and this particular novena is an opportunity for prayer and reparation in observance of the annual Day of Prayer for the…
WASHINGTON – In response to the Holy Father’s remarks today to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See where he made specific mention of surrogacy, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered the following statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi, executive director of public affairs. “As Pope Francis stated, with surrogacy, an unborn…
Reading I Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. a bruised reed…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In the Sistine Chapel, where popes are elected, Pope Francis baptized 16 infants, who, he said, “give us the witness of how to receive the faith: with innocence and with an open heart.” Celebrating the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jan. 7, the pope baptized seven girls and nine…
Reading I Is 60:1-6 Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance.…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Instead of splitting into ideological groups, members of the Catholic Church need to put God front and center, not their own personal ideas and plans, Pope Francis said. “We need to let go of ecclesiastical ideologies in order to find the meaning of the Holy Mother Church” and to support its…