Mass is a time of silence and prayer, not idle chitchat, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Mass is the highest form of prayer and not an appropriate moment for small talk, Pope Francis said. At church, Catholics should spend their time in silence before Mass, preparing "to meet with Jesus" instead of engaging in "chitchat," the pope said Nov. 15 d...
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Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Bishops to elect secretary, new committee chairs at assembly

WASHINGTON (CNS) – During their Nov. 13-14 general assembly in Baltimore, U.S. bishops are scheduled to elect the next secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a religious liberty committee chairman and chairmen-elect for five committees, and hear an update from the bishops' work...
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Wednesday, November 08, 2017
Through example, saints shine God's light in darkness, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Like stained glass windows, the saints allow the light of God to permeate the darkness of sin in the world, Pope Francis said on the feast of All Saints. Just as light enters a church through multi-colored windows, the lives of saints shine forth "according...
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Thursday, November 02, 2017
Pope condemns 'murderous folly' of terrorism after attacks

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis prayed for victims of the terrorist attack in New York, as well as victims of other terror attacks, and condemned the murder of innocent men and women in the name of God. After praying the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square Nov. 1, the p...
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Thursday, November 02, 2017
Concern rises over impact of expected tax cuts on programs for the poor

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Tax policy is not a simple matter. It almost never has been and may not ever be. Still, Congress is trying to simplify the tax code to deliver on President Donald Trump's campaign promise to cut taxes for the middle class. Working under the "U...
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Thursday, November 02, 2017
Facebook bot lets you chat with the Pope
An initiative from the Vatican is inviting people to virtually connect with Pope Francis and learn more about Church missions and how to support them. “MissioBot” is an automatic chat system on Facebook Messenger, which helps guide users through a chat experience with words from...
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Thursday, October 26, 2017
Death penalty is 'contrary to the Gospel,' pope says

The death penalty, no matter how it is carried out, "is, in itself, contrary to the Gospel," Pope Francis said. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church at the Vatican Oct. 11, Pope Francis said the catechism's discussion of the death penalty, already f...
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Thursday, October 12, 2017
Religious liberty for me but not for thee: how laws affect freedom
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- It may come as no surprise that, when nations confer official status to a certain religion, Islam is the faith that more nations choose to designate as such. But it may be a surprise that, when nations don't enshrine a particular religion in their constitution...
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Thursday, October 12, 2017
'Share the Journey' urges connecting with migrants

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Supporting refugees and migrants can take many forms, and Pope Francis is hoping Catholics around the world will act over the next two years to encounter people on the move. In the U.S., the Church's leading...
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Thursday, October 05, 2017
'Be Not Afraid' is theme for Respect Life Sunday and 2017-18 program

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Respect Life Month is observed every October by the church in the United States, beginning with Respect Life Sunday, which takes place this year on Oct. 1. These events kick off the 2017-18 Respect Life Program. ...
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Thursday, September 28, 2017