Articles by Jonah McKeown
Catholic builds a shrine to St. Junipero Serra on the site of destroyed Sacramento statue
Jul 8, 2020 / 02:00 amAfter rioters pulled down a statue of St. Junipero Serra in Sacramento on July 4, a local Catholic told CNA that she felt compelled, after prayer and reflection, to clean the spot where the statue once stood, to pray there, and to defend the 18th-century missionary’s legacy.
Catholic military archbishop laments US Navy ban on 'off-base indoor religious services'
Jul 7, 2020 / 15:07 pmThe US Navy is reportedly loosening some restrictions on some sailors attending “off-base indoor religious services,” which it had promulgated in late June and which the archbishop for the military service had called “particularly odious to Catholics.”
Alleged David Haas sexual assault victim speaks out
Jul 2, 2020 / 14:12 pmA former music and youth minister, who alleges that Haas aggressively kissed and groped her when she was 19, spoke to CNA this week about her experience. And one expert told CNA that the allegations against Haas point to the difficulties of ensuring that laity working in Church contexts are trustworthy, and beyond reproach.
San Francisco Catholic archdiocese 'surprised' by order to cease indoor, public Masses
Jul 2, 2020 / 14:04 pmThe Archdiocese of San Francisco is pledging to comply with the city and county public health orders barring indoor public Masses and limiting outdoor services, including funerals, to 12 people.
‘I cannot remain silent’: Madison Catholic bishop condemns destruction of religious statues
Jun 24, 2020 / 15:08 pmAs rioters across the United States target statues depicting figures of various stripes, the bishop of Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday denounced the indiscriminate destruction and called for a nationwide education effort and a respectful discussion of how to commemorate historic people and events.
Catholic school superintendent aims to equip schools for special ed
Jun 23, 2020 / 15:40 pmAn educator with years of experience working in and studying best practices in special education was recently named superintendent of a Chicago-area Catholic diocese. He aims to ensure that all kids who want to go to Catholic school can.
Who is St. Junipero Serra, anyway?
Jun 22, 2020 / 14:20 pmWho is Junipero Serra, and why has he become such a lightning rod for controversy?
Atom and Eve
Jun 22, 2020 / 00:00 amDr. Francis Collins of the National Institutes of Health talks about the race to find a vaccine for COVID-19, and his Christian faith. Philosopher and author Christopher Kaczor explains why the myth that the Catholic Church opposes science is just that, a myth. Then, chemist Stacy Trasancos shares her conversion story.
Advocates appeal for Catholic schools amid closures nationwide
Jun 17, 2020 / 14:33 pmAt least 100 Catholic elementary and high schools across the United States will not reopen for the fall semester, with many suffering from low enrollment and decreased donations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
'We Shall Overcome'
Jun 15, 2020 / 00:00 amWe share the stories of two Black Catholics on the path to sainthood.
In trying times, how can Catholics stay hopeful?
Jun 13, 2020 / 02:37 amAmid the worldwide panic surrounding coronavirus and lockdowns, as well as protests and unrest in many parts of the country in recent weeks, it can be easy for people of any faith to ask: Where is God?
‘God chose to call us’: The story of two brothers ordained Catholic priests on the same day
Jun 11, 2020 / 23:02 pmPeyton and Connor Plessala are brothers from Mobile, Alabama. They’re 18 months— one school grade— apart.
‘God is inviting us to be part of the solution’- Black Catholic priests on racism and healing
Jun 10, 2020 / 02:00 amTwo black Catholic priests— one ordained six years, the other 42— shared their thoughts with CNA this week on the sin of racism, and the importance of praying, fasting, and advocating for healing.
Catholic nuns in Hawaii shaken but hopeful after robbery
Jun 8, 2020 / 17:01 pmA community of Dominican nuns in Hawaii is shaken but hopeful after a burglar broke into their convent last week and stole a minivan that the nuns use for their ministry.
“I can’t breathe”
Jun 8, 2020 / 00:00 amThis episode features the voices of a couple Black Catholics. They tell their own stories. They come from different parts of our country and different walks of life. They share their reactions to the death of George Floyd and offering their own reflections on how we as a Church, and we as a nation, can move forward.
George Floyd’s death shows need for ‘sanctity of life’ police training, researcher says
Jun 7, 2020 / 14:54 pmA researcher who studies policing best practices told CNA this week that George Floyd’s arrest and death in Minneapolis reaffirm the need for de-escalation training and, ultimately, a culture of policing that recognizes “the sanctity of all human life.”
Minneapolis archbishop, priests join in prayerful George Floyd protest
Jun 2, 2020 / 16:38 pmMinneapolis clergy, including Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul-Minneapolis, participated in a silent walking protest Tuesday afternoon to the spot where George Floyd died in police custody last week, stopping to pray at the memorial that had been set up for him.
‘Covert White Supremacy’ tweet does not reflect Church’s values, Chicago archdiocese says
Jun 1, 2020 / 14:10 pmA chart detailing “Covert White Supremacy”— which a Chicago archdiocese office shared online amid widespread protests against racism in the city and across the country— was shared without permission and does not reflect the Church’s values, the archdiocese told CNA Monday.
Paradigm Shift
Jun 1, 2020 / 00:00 amWe share stories about major life shifts— stories of people whose lives took a dramatic and unexpected turn from what they were before— and often became better than those people could ever have imagined.