Catholicism.org » Current Issues in the Church

Restore Communion On The Tongue Only

Brother André Marie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:56:43 +0000

Two priests, Fr. Andrew Wise and Fr. John Speekman, have started a petition effort on their blog called “Restore Communion On The Tongue Only.” They, and the 2484 (so far) signatories to their petition, are asking the Pope to restore the ancient and traditional Roman practice of reception of Holy Communion that was obligatory until ... ...Read More »

Christ’s Commission and Obama’s Mandate: A Teachable Moment

Brother André Marie — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:59:53 +0000

The big news in American Catholic circles is the Obama administration’s “contraceptive mandate.” This latest unethical intrusion of big governmnet stipulates that employers, including religious institutions, provide their employees with insurance coverage for contraceptives, sterilizations, and specific abortifacients such as Ella and Plan B.

Catholic Action League Executive Director C. J. Doyle summarized the situation: “If ... ...Read More »

Temporary Fruits of Ecumenical Reflection

Brother André Marie — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:28:35 +0000

From the Holy Father’s Address to the Participants of the Plenary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:

Also the study documents produced by the various ecumenical dialogues have great relevance. Such texts cannot be ignored, because they are an important, though temporary, fruit of the common reflection matured throughout the years. ... ...Read More »

Archbishop Dolan Says Obama Administration Treats Pregnancy As a Disease

Brian Kelly — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:27:01 +0000

CNA reports: With this [HHS] decision, the cardinal-designate wrote, “the Obama administration has failed to show the same respect for the consciences of Catholics and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease.”

Bishop Jenky Joins Zubic and Warns Catholics to Fight the Secularist Powers in Illinois

Brian Kelly — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:12:09 +0000

Bishop Jenky: There are certainly some in our state whose commitment to [atheistic] secularism is so intense that they may well try to restrict the Church’s role only to the sacristy and sanctuary.

Read more from the bishop’s Pastoral Letter of January 8 on secularism here.

Bishop Zubik Blasts Obama and Sebelius For Their ‘To Hell With You’ HHS Mandate

Brian Kelly — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:00:42 +0000

Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, and Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, Virginia are among the bishops urging Catholics to oppose the Obama administration’s mandate that requires religious agencies to offer contraceptive and sterilization coverage to their employees. Read more here.

60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll Reveals Apostasy of US Catholics

Brother André Marie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:35:37 +0000

This is Michael Voris at his best. Yes, I said “apostasy” in the headline. If 65% of US Catholics agree that the world is a better place because of “religious diversity,” when they could have said that Christianity should be the “one world religion,” we have that many Catholics who don’t believe in ... ...Read More »

Bishop Libasci Joins NH Catholic Institutions in Denouncing Obama Administration Mandate

Catholicism.org — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:45:16 +0000

Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, and other leaders of Catholic institutions in New Hampshire are denouncing the recent announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) intends to implement a rule that mandates that coverage for sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception be included in virtually all health plans, regardless ... ...Read More »

Lapsed Catholic Hospitals

The Philosopher — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:42:20 +0000

Catholic Hospitals are in worse condition than Catholic Universities, and that’s saying something.

From EastSideHunky: Following the secularization of the culture in general, yet another “catholic” hospital system, Catholic Healthcare West, has decided to ecumenize its mission and philosophy and become something for everyone. Rather than solidify and re-invigorate its once-Catholic identity.

530 Cloistered Convents in Italy Join Prayer Campaign for Church in China

Brian Kelly — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:27:21 +0000

AsiaNews: A “prayer campaign” for the Church in China, “which is at the most difficult and decisive crossroads in its recent history” is the request that the PIME father Piero Gheddo and Angelo Lazzarotto have made to 530 cloistered convents in Italy. In formulating their request, Fr Gheddo writes that the Chinese Church “today is ... ...Read More »