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Does a ‘Catholic voting bloc’ still exist?
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Columnist E.J. Dionne is fond of saying, “there’s no such thing as ‘the Catholic vote’ and it’s going to decide the election.”
Synod proposes evangelization strategies
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Members of the Synod of Bishops recommended the Vatican establish a commission to monitor religious freedom, develop guidelines for training evangelizers and ensure there is a church in every diocese where confession is always available.
Lawyer: ‘Casket cartel’ is over in Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (CNS) — A federal appeals court ruling in favor of Benedictine monks who had been blocked from selling their handmade caskets by Louisiana’s state funeral board “is a victory for the monks as well as for free enterprise and entrepreneurs” in the state, their lawyer said.
New document to explore infusing Christian life into preaching
WASHINGTON (CNS) — “My dad used to say, ‘I know what happened 2,000 years ago. I need to know how to live my life today.’”
Charter school enrollment up, challenging Catholic schools
WASHINGTON (CNS) — For the first time, more children are enrolled in charter schools than in Catholic schools, reported the Lexington Institute, a think tank in Arlington, Va., that focuses on the role of federal government in education reform, tax reform and national security.
Christians left in Syria struggling to survive, bishop says
LONDON (CNS) — The Chaldean Catholic bishop of Aleppo said Syria’s second-largest city, which he “loves so much,” has been left in ruins by months of fighting, and Christians there are struggling to survive.
U.S. Archbishop Harvey among new cardinals named by pope
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI surprised pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 24 by announcing he would create six new cardinals, including 63-year-old U.S. Archbishop James M. Harvey, prefect of the papal household, in late November.
To live sacramentally is to connect the sacraments to all of life
Sometimes we put bookends on our celebration of the sacraments — we define it during a specified period of time instead of expanding it to touch all stages and important moments of the Christian life. (Understanding our Church, Seeds of Faith)
Who is your favorite saint and why?
“St. Anthony is my favorite saint because he is the patron saint of lost things. I always pray to him when I lose things like my …” (Youthspeak, Seeds of Faith)
Church teachings give ‘true freedom’ to women, essayists say
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Helen Alvare, former U.S. bishops’ pro-life spokeswoman, is the co-author and editor of a new book, “Breaking Through, Catholic Women Speak for Themselves,” the idea for which came about, she said, from pages of notes she’s been jotting down for the past 15 years.
