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Father Federico Lombardi to bid farewell to Vatican Radio

February 23, 2016 World News Comments Off on Father Federico Lombardi to bid farewell to Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Father Federico Lombardi is to bid farewell to Vatican Radio at the end of the month. Father Federico Lombardi SJ will leave “the Pope’s Radio” after 26 years of extraordinary service, initially as Director of Programmes, and since 2005, as General Director. He will continue to serve as Director of the Press Office of the Holy See. This is not the only change Vatican Radio is facing at this time in history following the implementation of a major overhaul of the Vatican’s media sector, as signaled by Pope Francis last June when he established the Secretariat for Communications. Another figure of reference due to leave Vatican Radio on February 29 is Alberto Gasbarri, Director of Administration. Gasbarri, however,…Continue Reading

The real surprise in Pope Francis’ Zika virus remarks

February 20, 2016 World News Comments Off on The real surprise in Pope Francis’ Zika virus remarks

(RNS) No, it wasn’t what he said about contraception. Actually, it isn’t clear exactly what he said about contraception. Catholic theology in this area is complex, and Pope Francis was speaking in generalities, off the cuff, as he often does during his papal plane press interviews. He seemed to imply Thursday (Feb. 18) that using contraception could, if trying to stop the spread of Zika, be the lesser of two evils. As an apparent analogy, he cited Pope Paul VI’s views on the use of contraception by African nuns who were victims of sexual violence. But “use of contraception” isn’t precise enough to know what the pope meant — at least not from the perspective of Catholic moral theology. The…Continue Reading

Catholic teaching on contraception cannot be changed by Pope Francis

February 20, 2016 World News Comments Off on Catholic teaching on contraception cannot be changed by Pope Francis

“There are times that lay Catholics have to step forward to say what we as priests cannot.” These were the words spoken to me during a time in my life that I felt called as a Catholic to defend my Catholic Church from an assault from within. That time has come again this week. To do so is never easy. For nearly three years now Catholics have defended Pope Francis as being “taken out of context” or “misunderstood” by the media. We have watched and cringed at what has come out of the Vatican, been ignored by the Vatican, and been arranged by the Vatican all under the watchful eye of Pope Francis. This line of defense has worn itself…Continue Reading

St. Louis archbishop urges cutting ties with Girl Scouts

February 20, 2016 World News Comments Off on St. Louis archbishop urges cutting ties with Girl Scouts

St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson has issued a letter calling on parishes to seek alternatives to Girl Scouts, arguing that the program and related organizations conflict with Roman Catholic teaching. The Archdiocese of St. Louis isn’t directly kicking Girl Scout troops and activities off church properties, but is suggesting they and their cookies may no longer be welcome in the fold. “Girl Scouts is exhibiting a troubling pattern of behavior and it is clear to me that as they move in the ways of the world it is becoming increasingly incompatible with our Catholic values,” Carlson wrote in a letter dated Thursday. “We must

In historic statement, Pope and Russian Patriarch speak for persecuted Christians, defense of family

February 14, 2016 World News Comments Off on In historic statement, Pope and Russian Patriarch speak for persecuted Christians, defense of family

“We are not competitors but brothers,” Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill declared in a joint statement that punctuated their historic meeting on February 12. After a lengthy private conversation—the first meeting ever between a Roman Pontiff and a Russian Patriarch—the two leading prelates of the Christian world issued a statement that stressed the suffering of persecuted Christians in the Middle East. The Pope and the Patriarch also called for a strong defense of religious freedom in the Western world, as well as defense of human dignity, marriage, and the family. “Finally!” Pope Francis said as he met Patriarch Kirill in the Havana airport. Their face-to-face meeting was the product of lengthy negotiations, breaking down barriers of hostility and…Continue Reading

Trump: Pope Francis ‘doesn’t understand’ America’s problems

February 12, 2016 World News Comments Off on Trump: Pope Francis ‘doesn’t understand’ America’s problems

Donald Trump dismissed Pope Francis’s upcoming visit to the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday, arguing the Catholic leader is in the dark on America’s border crisis. “I think that the Pope is a very political person,” he said on Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Co.” “I think he doesn’t understand the problems that our country has,” the GOP presidential front-runner continued. “I don’t think he understands the danger of the open border that we have with Mexico. I think Mexico got him to do it because they want to keep the border just the way it is. They’re making a fortune and we’re losing.”

Washington state Republicans join Democrats to uphold transgender bathroom bill

February 12, 2016 World News Comments Off on Washington state Republicans join Democrats to uphold transgender bathroom bill

OLYMPIA, Washington, February 11, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – A bill to reverse a public accommodations law that allows transgender people to use opposite-sex bathrooms and locker rooms was blocked in the state Senate – in part thanks to three Republicans who voted with the minority Democrats. The law took effect earlier this year and drew a backlash from Republicans concerned about men pretending to be transgender in order to harass and assault women. The GOP has a slim majority in the state Senate, but the three Republicans gave Democrats a 25-24 victory. The sponsor of the repeal bill, Sen. Doug Ericksen, told his colleagues that business owners are helpless under the existing law to protect

‘Justice has been served’ – Bishop Conley on why he invited Bishop Finn to Lincoln

February 6, 2016 World News Comments Off on ‘Justice has been served’ – Bishop Conley on why he invited Bishop Finn to Lincoln

Lincoln, Neb., Feb 5, 2016 / 11:29 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln defended his decision to allow Bishop Robert Finn, former bishop of Kansas City, Mo., to take a position as chaplain of a community of religious sisters in the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb. saying that justice for his past negligence “has been served.” “The Church in Lincoln is committed to serving and protecting our people,” Bishop Conley said in a Feb. 4 column in the Lincoln Journal-Star. “We will do that without further punishing those who have already met the demands of justice.”

Marco Rubio, David Daleiden; Chi-Town priest ‘outs’ himself

February 4, 2016 World News Comments Off on Marco Rubio, David Daleiden; Chi-Town priest ‘outs’ himself

The young investigative journalist and pro-life activist David Daleiden – whom GOP presidential hopeful Marco Rubio recently defended – will present himself before Judge Brock Thomas in Houston on February 4. Peter Breen, special counsel for the Thomas More Society, has issued the following statement: ‘The charges against David Daleiden are legally and factually baseless. David used standard undercover journalism techniques to catch Planned Parenthood staff agreeing to alter abortion procedures to get more intact organs and tissue from aborted babies, presumably without telling their patients. David also caught Planned

Catholic Italy mobilises as conservatives mount last stand against same-sex unions

January 31, 2016 World News Comments Off on Catholic Italy mobilises as conservatives mount last stand against same-sex unions

It has been 2,000 years since Romans gathered at the Circus Maximus to watch chariots roar around the racetrack, but a new battle was brought to the ancient site on Saturday . Clutching banners reading “We defend our children” and “The family is founded on marriage between a man and a woman”, hundreds of thousands of people gathered for a “Family Day” to protest against a proposed bill to legalise same-sex unions. “We have a lot of grandchildren; their future is ruined if marriage is destroyed,” said protester Ida. “Children have a right to have a mother and a father. To grow up healthy, they need a male and a female figure.” The law, currently facing fierce debate