South Carolina faces lawsuit for Christian license plates
Columbia, S.C, July 08 (CNA) - The state of South Carolina faces a federal lawsuit seeking to block its plans to issue license plates which feature a bright-yellow Christian cross on a multicolored stained glass window and the words “I Believe.”
Vatican says approval of Anglican women bishops presents ‘further obstacle’ to dialogue
Vatican City, July 08 (CNA) - The Church of England voted on Monday evening to move ahead with the ordination of women as bishops. The outcome of the vote prompted the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity to say that the decision is a “break with apostolic tradition” and a “further obstacle” to any efforts at dialogue between the two churches.
Pope reads the Bible on TV 'to reach hearts and minds of today,' Vatican official says
Vatican City, July 08 (CNA) - The president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, said this week that the marathon reading of the Bible in which Pope Benedict XVI will participate in October aims “to reach the hearts and minds of the men and women of today.”
Madonna House returns founder’s Order of Canada decoration after abortionist is honored
Ottawa, July 08 (CNA) - Madonna House, an Ontario Catholic organization founded by Servant of God Catherine Doherty, has returned its founder’s Order of Canada medal after the decoration was granted to the abortionist Dr. Henry Morgentaler. The move adds to the controversy over the honoring of Morgentaler, who played a key role in striking down Canadian abortion laws in 1988.
Presbyterian vote to eliminate standards of chastity and fidelity faces critics
San Jose, CA., July 08 (CNA) - Reaction continues to the decisions of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA), which took place between June 21 and June 28. The assembly nullified proscriptions against sexual behavior outside of marriage and called for a vote to delete the church’s constitutional standard requiring fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness. ...
LATEST NEWS
Officer sues LAPD alleging discrimination for off-duty Bible quotation
Los Angeles, July 08 (CNA) - A police sergeant who has served as an officer for nearly sixteen years has filed suit against the Los Angeles Police Department, alleging he was illegally demoted and repeatedly denied promotions for his off-duty remarks citing Scripture verses critical of homosexual acts.
Benedict XVI recalls his experience of the joy of God
Castelgandolfo, July 08 (CNA) - On Saturday morning at Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father received a group of pilgrims from Regensburg, Germany and spoke to them of how singing to God gave him an experience of God as joy.
Numbers for Australian Catholic Church released ahead of WYD
Vatican City, July 08 (CNA) - Coinciding with Pope Benedict’s upcoming visit to Sydney, the Central Statistical Office of the Church has released statistics on the presence of the Catholic Church in Australia.
Guatemalan cardinal concerned about EU measures to control immigration
Guatemala City, July 08 (CNA) - The Archbishop of Guatemala, Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruńo, said this week that the Catholic Church is concerned about the outbreak of racism in Europe towards Latin Americans. He also expressed doubts about the new European Union Immigration Directive.
Spanish government playing with dictionary on right to life issues, critiques expert
Madrid, July 08 (CNA) - Leopoldo Vives, the director of the Subcommittee on the Family and Life for the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, said this week that country’s government “is playing with the dictionary” by talking about the right to abortion and death with dignity.
Immediate and effective action is needed in response to food crisis, Holy See says
Vatican City, July 08 (CNA) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, spoke on the current food crisis last week at a meeting of the 2008 Economic and Social Council. The archbishop said that the council must do more than talk about what caused the crisis, and instead take “immediate and effective” action to help those who are starving. 
Pro-life group labels Obama 'The Abortion President'
Washington DC, July 08 (CNA) - The Christian Defense Coalition (CDC) has launched a campaign called “Barack Obama: The Abortion President” highlighting what it says is Sen. Barack Obama’s position that taxpayers should fund abortions.
Baltimore bishop to become next bishop of Wilmington, Delaware
Vatican City, July 07 (CNA) - Today Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop W. Francis Malooly to become the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington in the state of Delaware.
Pope grants indulgences for World Youth Day
Vatican City, July 07 (CNA) - Pilgrims at World Youth Day and those from around the world who pray for the ‘spiritual goals of this meeting and for its happy outcome," will be able to receive indulgences, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
Holy Father appoints new bishop to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands
Vatican City, July 07 (CNA) - This morning Pope Benedict appointed Msgr. Herbert A. Bevard from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as the bishop of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.  The bishop-elect said in a statement that he accepted the appointment “with eagerness and joy.” 
Bishops tell Venezuelans: 'reformist' group is not Catholic
Caracas, July 07 (CNA) - Archbishop Ubaldo Santana of Maracaibo and president of the Bishops’ Conference of Venezuela has called on the faithful “not to be fooled” by the self-proclaimed “Reformed Catholic Church,” which is not Catholic and seeks “to usurp the role, sacraments, organization and corresponding dress” of the one true Catholic Church.
Ten thousand New Zealanders join WYD in Sydney
Rome, July 07 (CNA) - More than ten thousand New Zealanders or, “kiwis,” as they call themselves, will participate in the next World Youth Day, which will take place July 15-20 in Sydney, Australia.
Proper of Seasons translation falls short of needed votes
Washington DC, July 07 (CNA) - Part of the new English translation of the prayers used by Catholics for celebrating the Mass failed to garner a two-thirds majority approval at the June general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Orlando.