Articles by Courtney Mares
Church must convert from cultural, ecological sins, Amazon synod concludes
Oct 26, 2019 / 14:45 pmThe Amazon synod final document, published Saturday, laid out the need to define “ecological sins” while calling the Church to walk new paths of “integral conversion.”
‘Our faith is stronger than their bombs’: A Sri Lankan priest in Rome
Oct 24, 2019 / 10:00 amAs the pastor of a parish in which many families lost a mother, father, or child in a bombing on Easter Sunday, Fr. Jude Raj Fernando has seen how healing from loss can be a long, difficult journey of faith.
Pope Francis: Synodality brought pagans to 'reject idolatry'
Oct 23, 2019 / 03:30 amPope Francis said Wednesday that the first Christian evangelization of the pagans opened up “a very lively controversy” as the early Church discerned how to absorb new members from outside the people of Israel.
Venerable Stefan Wyszynski to be beatified in June
Oct 22, 2019 / 10:22 amVenerable Stefan Wyszyński, Archbishop of Gniezno and Warsaw from 1948 to 1981, will be beatified in Warsaw June 7, 2020, the city's archbishop announced Monday.
Cardinal Turkson says ordination of married men may get further study
Oct 22, 2019 / 08:05 amCardinal Peter Turkson said Monday that the ordination of married men will likely be the subject of further study for the universal Church after the Amazon synod.
Pope Francis at Ethnological Museum: 'Beauty unites us'
Oct 19, 2019 / 05:25 amPope Francis paid a visit Friday to the renovated wing of the Vatican Ethnological Museum, which he praised for being “a place where everyone can feel represented.”
Amazon synod discussion groups support married priests, female deacons
Oct 18, 2019 / 09:26 amAt least four of the 12 language groups at the Amazon synod overtly propose the ordination of married men to the priesthood in summary reports published by the Vatican Friday, with the majority of the discussion groups expressing openness to the idea.
Bishops in Middle East urge prayer for northern Syria
Oct 17, 2019 / 10:36 amBishops in Syria and Iraq have called for worldwide prayer as fighting between Turkish and Kurdish forces further destabilizes northern Syria.
Catholic snakebite clinic in India saves thousands of lives each year
Oct 16, 2019 / 16:01 pmIn most religious orders’ novitiate year, prospective sisters study and pray. Sister Crescencia Sun, however, had another habit to acquire: killing venomous snakes.
Vatican promotes 'smart rosary,' selling for $109
Oct 15, 2019 / 08:44 amThe Vatican promoted the launch of a ‘smart rosary’ bracelet Tuesday compatible with an iOS and Android app, which costs over $100.
Indian archbishop, parish priest killed in California car accident
Oct 15, 2019 / 03:30 amArchbishop Dominic Jala of Shillong, India and Fr. Mathew Vellankal died in a car crash Oct. 10 during a visit to the Diocese of Oakland.
Amazon Synod bishop: The Gospel brings new concepts to cultures, like forgiveness
Oct 14, 2019 / 11:00 amWhile the Vatican’s Synod of Bishop on the Amazon discusses the idea of “inculturating” the Gospel’s proclamation with local culture, one bishop shared that the Gospel called one tribe in southern Venezuela to a difficult cultural concept: forgiveness.
‘Newman converts’ come home to Rome for canonization
Oct 13, 2019 / 11:00 amThe canonization of St. John Henry Newman Sunday drew “Newman converts” to Rome from across the English-speaking world, all of whom followed Newman’s writings across the Tiber River and into the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis prays for ‘beloved and tormented’ Syria
Oct 13, 2019 / 05:10 amAs Turkish-led forces began the fifth day of their move against Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria Sunday, Pope Francis appealed for dialogue, especially as families in the region are forced to flee from warfare.
'Lead, kindly light' - Pope Francis names Newman a saint
Oct 13, 2019 / 02:20 amNearly two centuries ago, John Henry Newman was England’s most well-known Anglican priest, until he risked everything to become a Catholic. Today he has become a saint.
These are the four women being canonized with John Henry Newman
Oct 11, 2019 / 02:01 amPope Francis will canonize four women alongside John Henry Newman this Sunday. These women -- a stigmatist, a mystic, a Roman orphan, and Nobel Peace prize nominee -- also proclaimed Christ through their lives and their miracles in a unique way.
The Church has fought infanticide, Amazon synod bishops say
Oct 10, 2019 / 10:10 amBishop Wilmar Santin of Itabituba, Brazil said Thursday that the Church has worked to eradicate the practice of tribal infanticide in the Amazon, and compared the practice to the moral evil of abortion.
'Every page was an act of prayer': New manuscript reveals devotion of St. John Paul II
Oct 9, 2019 / 07:05 amNewly published manuscripts belonging to Karol Wojtyła have offered a glimpse into the future pope and saint’s deep devotion and prayer throughout his writing process.
Pope Francis appoints North Dakota priest to lead Diocese of Helena
Oct 8, 2019 / 04:17 amPope Francis appointed Tuesday Fr. Austin A. Vetter as the next bishop of Helena, Montana.
Pope Francis urges new cardinals to imitate Christ’s compassionate heart
Oct 5, 2019 / 09:15 amPope Francis created 13 new cardinals Saturday, encouraging each of them to ask for the grace to have a compassionate heart like Christ.