Catholic News 2
PLAINWELL, Mich. (AP) -- A gun shop owner says the man charged in the Kalamazoo shootings came into his store hours before the rampage and bought a jacket with an inside pocket designed for a handgun....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate will take no action on anyone President Barack Obama nominates to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday as nearly all Republicans rallied behind his calls to leave the seat vacant for the next president to fill....
BEIRUT (AP) -- The Latest on the conflict in Syria and the provisional cease-fire proposed by the U.S. and Russia (all times local):...
BEIRUT (AP) -- After five years of carnage, the Syrian civil war can seem poised to go on indefinitely. But the "cessation of hostilities" engineered by the U.S. and Russia may actually stand a chance, in part because of the weakness of the mainstream rebels fighting President Bashar Assad....
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Ted Cruz is fighting to keep from spiraling out of contention....
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.""Even as Americans rema...
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others."
"Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion," wrote Cardinal Dolan, a powerful and well-funded lobby holds "that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a 'war on women'." He said this trend was seen recently when President Obama and other Democratic leaders prevented passage of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, "a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement" of conscience laws.
"While this is disturbing," said Cardinal Dolan, "it is also an opportunity." Pro-life Americans should reach out to "the great majority of Americans" who are "open to hearing a message of reverence for life." He added that "we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being." He encouraged Catholics to take part, through prayer and action, in the upcoming "9 Days for Life" campaign, January 16-24. More information on the campaign is available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJwfcefUiU
He also cited the Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis as a time for women and men to find healing through the Church's Project Rachel post-abortion ministry.
The full text of Cardinal Dolan's message is available online.
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Keywords: Roe v. Wade, anniversary, Pro-Life, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9 Days for Life, USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Year of Mercy, Project Rachel, Pope Francis
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MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
WASHINGTON-The Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, February 1, on behalf of USCCB, the Texas Catholic Conference and several Christian partners in support of a Texas law mandating health and safety standards protecting women who undergo abortions. Other groups joining the brief include the National Association of Evangelicals, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The case is Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court."There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."The brief noted that some abortion clinics have decla...
"There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."
The brief noted that some abortion clinics have declared the standards too strict, although the standards are similar to those issued by the abortion industry. It added that abortion providers "should not be allowed to rely upon their own failure to comply with health and safety laws" as a reason to strike such laws down. The brief said the providers' resistance to such regulations is not in the best interests of women's health and safety. It also noted that over 40 years of precedent, including the Court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirms that states may regulate abortion to protect maternal life and health.
Full text of the brief is available online: www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/Whole-Woman-s-Health-v-Hellerstedt.pdf
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Keywords: General Counsel, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Texas law abortion, amicus curia, National Association of Evangelicals, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, U.S. Supreme Court
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WASHINGTON-The annual Catholic Relief Services Collection will be held in most parishes on March 6, Laetare Sunday. The collection supports Catholic organizations that carry out international relief and solidarity efforts and continues to help those suffering at home and across the globe who are all Jesus in disguise. Programs supported by the collection include relief and resettlement for victims of persecution, war, and natural disasters; development projects to improve living conditions for the poor; legal, pastoral and support services for immigrants; peace and reconciliation work for people suffering from violence; and advocacy efforts."In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, especially during Lent, we are called to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are suffering and share with them the healing love of Christ," said Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, Alabama, chairman of the Committee on National Collections that promotes the collection to U.S. dioceses. "What better way to s...
WASHINGTON-The annual Catholic Relief Services Collection will be held in most parishes on March 6, Laetare Sunday. The collection supports Catholic organizations that carry out international relief and solidarity efforts and continues to help those suffering at home and across the globe who are all Jesus in disguise.
Programs supported by the collection include relief and resettlement for victims of persecution, war, and natural disasters; development projects to improve living conditions for the poor; legal, pastoral and support services for immigrants; peace and reconciliation work for people suffering from violence; and advocacy efforts.
"In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, especially during Lent, we are called to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are suffering and share with them the healing love of Christ," said Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, Alabama, chairman of the Committee on National Collections that promotes the collection to U.S. dioceses. "What better way to share the salvific mercy God has shown us than to show that mercy to others. Through participation in this collection we can all share the mercy of God in a concrete way."
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Administrative Committee is responsible for grant-making from this national collection. Entities within the USCCB that receive support include: the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, and the Department of Justice Peace and Human Development and the Department of Migration and Refugee Services. Other Catholic Church organizations that receive funds are: Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., and the Holy Father's Relief Fund.
More information on The Catholic Relief Services Collection and the projects it funds is available at: www.usccb.org/catholic-relief. Shareable resources for the collection can be found at: www.usccb.org/catholic-giving/opportunities-for-giving/catholic-relief-services-collection/collection/index.cfm.
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Keywords: Catholic Relief Services Collection, Laetare Sunday, Migration and Refugee Services, Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, Department of Justice Peace and Human Development, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Holy Father's Relief Fund, immigration, peace and reconciliation, international relief, U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops, stewardship, Jubilee of Mercy
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Norma Montenegro Flynn
O: 202-541-3202
WASHINGTON-The 40th meeting of the Bishops of the Catholic Church in America will take place in Tampa, Florida, February 22-25, bringing together representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM). This gathering with discuss the theme "Jesus Christ, the face of the Father's Mercy" with Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' and the 2007 Aparecida document of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean as foundational documents. Then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires was the principal writer of the Aparecida document. More than 20 delegates will participate in the Tampa meeting. Representing the USCCB are members of the Executive Committee, including Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, USCCB president; Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans, USCCB secretary; and Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, who also serves as chair...
WASHINGTON-The 40th meeting of the Bishops of the Catholic Church in America will take place in Tampa, Florida, February 22-25, bringing together representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM). This gathering with discuss the theme "Jesus Christ, the face of the Father's Mercy" with Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' and the 2007 Aparecida document of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean as foundational documents. Then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires was the principal writer of the Aparecida document.
More than 20 delegates will participate in the Tampa meeting. Representing the USCCB are members of the Executive Committee, including Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, USCCB president; Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans, USCCB secretary; and Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, who also serves as chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.
The meeting is part of a series of informal gatherings previously known as the Interamerican Meeting of Bishops, held every few years since 1967, and called the Meeting of the Bishops of the Church in America, to emphasize the unity of the Church in the Western hemisphere, since the year 2000. This year's meeting is organized by the CCCB. Recent meetings have discussed debt cancellation of the poorest country, immigration, globalization of the economy and cultures, the family, secularism, evangelization, humanitarian efforts for Haiti and communications.
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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, CCCB, Latin American Episcopal Conference, CELAM, Pope Francis, Year of Mercy, Laudato Si', Aparecida
MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
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(VIS) On Tuesday morning, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, along with Mehriban Aliyeva, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation (HAF), Azerbaijan, presented the results of the restoration of the Roman catacombs of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter "ad duas lauros", entirely funded by the HAF.On the basis of an agreement signed in 2012, the Foundation presided over by Aliyev has funded the restoration of the paintings of the cubicle of Susanna and the fossor, the niche of Daniel, the arcosolium of Orpheus, the cubicle of Our Lady with two Magi, and the cubicle of the praying matron. The most advanced conservation techniques, especially laser-based cleaning, have enabled the removal of a tenacious black patina that had provided resistant to all traditional cleaning methods. The last procedure, recently completed, involved the cubicle of the "praying matron", in an advanced...
(VIS) On Tuesday morning, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, along with Mehriban Aliyeva, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation (HAF), Azerbaijan, presented the results of the restoration of the Roman catacombs of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter "ad duas lauros", entirely funded by the HAF.
On the basis of an agreement signed in 2012, the Foundation presided over by Aliyev has funded the restoration of the paintings of the cubicle of Susanna and the fossor, the niche of Daniel, the arcosolium of Orpheus, the cubicle of Our Lady with two Magi, and the cubicle of the praying matron. The most advanced conservation techniques, especially laser-based cleaning, have enabled the removal of a tenacious black patina that had provided resistant to all traditional cleaning methods. The last procedure, recently completed, involved the cubicle of the "praying matron", in an advanced state of deterioration.
The newly-revealed frescoes consist of a central medallion with the Good Shepherd surrounded by the Biblical episodes of Jonah, Daniel among the lions and Noah in the Ark. In the corners there are praying male figures and birds. On the walls there is a rich decorative pattern with floral, plant-based and fantasy elements. On the wall of the entrance there is the notable figure of a praying woman, which although only just recognisable before restoration, now makes a strong visual impact. The figure, framed by two slender trees, may represent the deceased entombed in the cubicle.
During the presentation, which took place at the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Ravasi and the president of the HAF announced that their collaboration will continue and its next objective will be the restoration of the monumental complex of St. Sebastian Outside-the-Walls on the Via Appia Antica, currently only partially open to the public. The agreement relates to an extraordinary collection of sarcophagi, some situation in the perimeter of the Basilica of St. Sebastian (Museum of Sculptures and Epigraphic Museum), others "in situ" in their mausoleums. The Pontifical Commission for Religious Art has proposed to the HAF a conservation programme for the restoration of around fifteen sarcophagi. Aliyeva expressed her appreciation of the proposal on behalf of the Foundation, and a new agreement will be signed for the financing of the restoration works to render the complex accessible to the public.
