New Mexico forum highlights Catholic views on nuclear disarmament, deterrence
(Alejandra Molina. National Catholic Report)
Tina Cordova has made it her life’s work to shed light on the negative health effects plaguing the people of New Mexico after the U.S. military detonated the world’s first atomic bomb at the Trinity test site July 16, 1945. To grasp the severity of the radiation exposure, Cordova says, “it’s important to understand our way of life.”
Pope Francis’ Singapore Mass fuels hopes for future papal visits to China, Vietnam
(Christopher White. National Catholic Report)
As Pope Francis on Sept. 12 celebrated a Mass in one of Asia’s thriving metropolises — encouraging the small Singaporean Christian community in its “constructive dialogue” with other traditions — the closely watched papal visit here is fueling hopes he might continue to break down barriers in other places on the continent where Catholicism has been met with resistance
Q&A with Sr. Josée Ngalula, first African woman appointed to Vatican theological commission
(Sarah Mac Donald. National Catholic Reporter)
A Sister of St. Andrew, Josée Ngalula is the first African woman appointed to the International Theological Commission, the church’s premiere advisory body on theology and the church’s magisterium, notably the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. She is one of just five women theologians on the 28-member pontifical commission
Catholic activists mobilize as Democrats ignore abolition of death penalty
(Camillo Barone. National Catholic Reporter)
The Democrats’ once-strong stance on the need to end capital punishment in the U.S. weakened considerably when the party’s 2024 platform, approved by delegates at their convention in Chicago, omitted any mention of the death penalty for the first time since 2004
A letter from Mother Teresa explains her definition of charity
(Joel Rothschild. National Catholic Reporter)
Author’s note: Sept. 5 is the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death and her feast day. In the Catholic Church, a feast day is set aside to honor a particular saint. The church celebrates this day to remember and reflect on her life, teachings and work.
A ‘Nuevo Momento’ for Hispanic Catholic organizations is emerging
(Luis Donaldo González. National Catholic Reporter)
Almost 45% of Catholics in the United States self-identify as Hispanic — a number that will continue growing in the coming decades. This means the Catholic Church in America will become increasingly Hispanic. Undoubtedly, this is the time to step into a “Nuevo Momento” (“new moment”) to serve the Hispanic community in this country.
Indonesian activists say offer of money to families of the disappeared is ploy by president-elect
(OSV News. National Catholic Reporter)
Indonesian human rights activists criticized a move to offer money to families of victims who disappeared in the 1990s as a ploy to clean up a tainted image of President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who takes office in October.
Phil Donahue gave support to clergy sex abuse survivors like us
(David Clohessy. National Catholic Reporter)
Phil Donahue was to talk show hosts as Fr. Andrew Greeley was to priests and Jason Berry is to print journalists: the first in his field to credibly address the Catholic Church’s then virtually unspoken problem of pedophile priests.
Questions on abuse claims remain after bankruptcy judge rules against survivor
(Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola. National Catholic Reporter)
When a New Mexico bankruptcy judge ruled against a clergy sex abuse claimant earlier this summer in her legal dispute with the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, he may have issued more than a routine legal opinion and order.
No challenge to ruling upholding Catholic school’s firing of gay teacher
(Brian Fraga. National Catholic Reporter)
A Washington, D.C. law firm that specializes in First Amendment religion cases is declaring victory after the American Civil Liberties Union did not challenge a federal appeals court ruling that upheld a North Carolina Catholic school’s decision to fire a teacher who had announced on social media that he was going to marry his same-sex partner.
Olympic bell will ring inside newly rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral during every Mass
(Caroline de Sury. National Catholic Reporter)
During the Paris Olympic Games, track and field champions rang the bronze bell located close to the finish line at Saint-Denis’ Stade de France. In December, that same bell will ring in the newly reopened Notre Dame Cathedral during the most sacred part of the Mass.
UK’s faith leaders call for end to anti-Muslim violence amid country’s protests
(Patrick Egwu. National Catholic Reporter)
The Catholic community and other faith groups are banding together to condemn the ongoing riots taking place across England and Northern Ireland.
Catholic bishops ask Kenya’s government to pay mission hospital debts
(Daniel Sitole. National Catholic Reporter)
Catholic hospitals in Kenya have long been sources of quality medical care for the poor and disadvantaged as government-run facilities lack medicine, and are mismanaged.
Guatemala genocide trial exposes effort to destroy Mayan and Catholic cultures
(Mary Jo McConahay. National Catholic Reporter)
No matter what you knew about the genocide case against Gen. Benedicto Lucas García at the beginning of the trial here in April, the enormity of what happened — the murders and destruction — hits home only after hearing nearly a hundred accounts by survivors, psychologists, and forensic scientists who disinter remains from mass graves.
Frustrated by limited opportunities for women in the church, these women got to work
(Jean Molesky-Poz. National Catholic Reporter)
“I am just at the edge of leaving the church,” I have heard some Catholic women say. Perhaps they had too long anticipated the inclusion of women’s leadership, gifts and ministries in the church. Others have already left.
Frustrated by limited opportunities for women in the church, these women got to work
(Jean Molesky-Poz, Nationalm. Catholic Reorter)
“I am just at the edge of leaving the church,” I have heard some Catholic women say. Perhaps they had too long anticipated the inclusion of women’s leadership, gifts and ministries in the church. Others have already left.
The Vatican synod agenda calls for transparency. But on women deacons, it’s lacking
(Christopher White. National Catholic Reporter)
One of the clarion calls included on the agenda for October’s Synod of Bishops is for the church to consider how to build a greater culture of transparency and accountability
Catholic boarding school study in Montana finds no unmarked graves, documents 113 student deaths
(Katie Collins Scott. National Catholic Reporter)
After the remains of hundreds of children were discovered on the grounds of former residential schools in Canada in 2021, leadership at a Catholic boarding school for Native youths in southeastern Montana wondered whether unmarked graves might exist on its properties serving the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations.
Has the synodal church stopped listening?
(Daryl Grigsby. National Catholic Reporter)
As the official synodal process enters its fourth year, the Vatican recently released the document, the instrumentum laboris, to guide discussions for the October 2024 synod.
Bangladesh bishop urges Catholic lay organizations to promote Christ’s values
(Stephan Uttom Rozario. National Catholic Reporter)
The newly installed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Bishop Subroto Boniface Gomes, has urged lay Catholic organizations to work to promote the values and words of Christ.