Today, Wednesday, Feb. 13, Bishop Barry C. Knestout released the names of 42 clergy who have served in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and against whom a credible and substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was made.

Racism can be ended in the United States, but the past has to be confronted first for that to happen, said a Harvard professor and author who participated in a panel discussion on racism Feb. 3 as part of the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington.

With a number of confirmation hearings coming up for Trump’s judicial picks, “I ask the committee to soundly reject any attempt to impose a religious test on nominees,” Archbishop Kurtz said. “The committee — and every senator — has a constitutional obligation to do so.”

“You could really tell that everyone was pushing everyone else to sainthood,” said one attendee. “That’s what World Youth Day was about.” 

The Mission Cooperative Program assigns mission parishes and other organizations to make an appeal at larger parishes to help support their operations. In 2018, $158,274 was distributed.

In 2004, Father Desbois founded a non-profit group dedicated to excavating the history of the “Holocaust by bullets.” The name Yahad-In Unum was chosen to reflect the commonality of purpose shared by two faiths —Judaism and Christianity — merging the words “Yahad,” meaning “together” in Hebrew and “In Unum,” meaning “in one” in Latin.  

Since its inception, the school’s Operation Smile Club has raised approximately $11,500, which has provided funds for up to 48 surgeries. Each fall, the club has a Soccer for Smiles fundraising event in which students in different grade levels compete in short matches of about 10 minutes each. The event culminates with a slightly longer match among faculty, staff, parents and alumni. Soccer for Smiles raised $1,000 in 2016, $2,000 in 2017 and $3,000 this school year. 

Bishop Knestout, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington and the Virginia Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s bishops on public policy matters, issued statements Jan. 31 about an abortion measure introduced by Del. Kathy Tran of Fairfax, which was tabled by a subcommittee of the House of Delegates in a 5-3 vote Jan. 28.

After expressing his gratitude to Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the country’s authorities for their welcome, the pope thanked the Catholic community “who animate the Christian presence in that land.”

McMurtry, Sandmann’s attorney, told the Lexington Herald Leader that he will be demanding retractions and apologies in addition to possible litigation and that not all the organizations who were sent letters will necessarily be sued.

“Evangelization is not a question of how many people, but how well it is done,” said Father Marques.

While noting that “some numerical content” is necessary, he continued, “Numbers don’t tell the whole story. We are looking for trajectory and change rather than a number.”

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Pope Francis told reporters he is more afraid of the consequences of not engaging in interreligious dialogue than he is of being manipulated by some Muslim leaders.

He told reporters flying back to Rome with him Feb. 5 from Abu Dhabi that people are always saying he's letting himself be used by someone, "including journalists, but it's part of the job."

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Meeting with tens of thousands of Catholics living in the United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis urged them to be meek, peaceful and express their Christian identity by loving others.

The UAE Catholic community, which numbers close to 1 million, includes foreign workers from roughly 100 nations, but particularly India and the Philippines. They filled the stadium at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City and the open spaces around the complex for Pope Francis' Mass Feb. 5.

Faggioli likened the contemporary abuse crisis to the severity of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century in that it exposed denial, cover-up and corruption in the Catholic Church and threatens its unity. 

RICHMOND (CNS) — Richmond Bishop Barry C. Knestout said the words "horrific, outrageous, vicious" were "in my heart" when he heard about a measure proposed in the Virginia Legislature to expand "the brutal practice of abortion."

On Wednesday, Jan. 16, Virginia Bishops Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington and Barry C. Knestout of Richmond signed the U.S. Catholic Climate Declaration, a document supporting the call to take prudent action to protect the global climate.

"We should not be legislating in favor of abortion, let alone third trimester abortions at all. All our actions and decisions should be life-giving." - Bishop Barry C. Knestout

NEW YORK (CNS) —New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan in a Sirius XM broadcast Jan. 29 criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his "stinging criticism of the Catholic Church" in singling out Catholics over the crisis surrounding the sexual abuse of minors."

Honeycutt’s faith has been a source of strength for him throughout his career.

COVINGTON, Ky. — You could literally hear a pin drop as the faculty, staff and student body of Covington Catholic High School waited in the gym Jan. 23 for the arrival of Covington Bishop Roger J. Foys.

The bishop was there to address the students about the events that took place Jan. 18, after the March for Life in Washington, where a student standing face-to-face with a Native American elder was captured on video and ignited a firestorm on social media — making headlines around the world.

NEW YORK (CNS) — Since Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed New York's new expansive abortion measure into law Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, some Catholics have called for the governor, who is Catholic, to be excommunicated.

Cuomo fully backed the Reproductive Health Act as it made its way through the Legislature. It expands access to abortion, allows late-term abortions and lets nondoctors perform abortions.

The following essay was the winning entry in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest co-sponosred by Diocese of Richmond’s Office of Catholic Schools and Office for Black Catholics. It was written by Alessandra Paras, a 10th grader at Roanoke Catholic School.

Statistics and achievements of Catholic schools provided as the Diocese of Richmond celebrates Catholic Schools Week, January 27 to February 2

PANAMA CITY — Young men and women in the Church can bring the joy of the Gospel to the world by showing that God's love extends to all people and excludes no one, Pope Francis said.

"By your actions and your approach, your way of looking at things, your desires and above all your sensitivity, you discredit and defuse the kind of talk that is intent on sowing division, on excluding or rejecting those who are not 'like us,'" the pope said Jan. 24 during the official ceremony welcoming him to World Youth Day in Panama.

Comboni Missionary Sister Inma Cuesta, who had been director of the Office of Hispanic Ministries since 2011, has been appointed as the director of the Office of Ethnic Ministries. Deacon Charles Williams Jr. will continue as interim director of the Office for Black Catholics.  

WASHINGTON — Days after the now-famous exchange took place between Covington Catholic High School students and a Native American tribal leader in Washington, the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, announced it would begin a third-party investigation into what happened at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial following the annual March for Life Jan. 18.

Many of the things St. Paul VI predicted “if society came to accept the idea that the unitive and procreative ends of marriage could be separated” have come to pass, Bishop Knestout said.

The bishop included among them “the general lowering of morals in society,” “the objectification and attacks on the dignity of women,” “widespread pornography, and addiction to it,” and “coercion by the state in matters of reproduction and family life.”

New York state "has become a more dangerous one for women and their unborn babies" with the passage of a bill to expand abortion called the Reproductive Health Act and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signing it into law, said the New York State Catholic Conference.

Faith runs deep in Barron County. The story of Jayme Closs’s abduction and escape is one of hope and courage, but it is also a story of faith, prayer and triumph over evil.

On Jan. 20 at St. Peter Catholic Church in Cameron, family, friends, parish members and the wider community gathered to praise God for Jayme’s safe return.

The ecumenical service brought a sense of closure and catharsis to the community, whose members have wept and prayed together since the October murder of Jim and Denise Closs and the abduction of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, but the joy was muted by remembrance of their deaths and acknowledgement of a young girl’s immeasurable

Bishop Barry C. Knestout quoted from Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien to make a pro-life point during his homily at the Friday, Jan. 18 Mass that closed the Vigil for Life.

On Wednesday, Jan. 16, Virginia Bishops Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington and Barry C. Knestout of Richmond signed the U.S. Catholic Climate Declaration, a document supporting the call to take prudent action to protect the global climate, which Pope Francis noted was “a common good, belonging to all and meant for all” (Laudato Si’, no. 23).   

Two federal judges temporarily blocked the government from putting into effect new rules that would expand the exemption to the federal contraceptive mandate to the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious employers.

The decisions came in cases filed in federal courts in Pennsylvania and California that challenged the expansion, arguing that allowing some employers to not offer contraceptive coverage in health insurance plans violated provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Enter the calm, cream-colored pup who wears an official hospital ID badge, knows the command “snuggle” and loves children.

“We are seeking to be fully aware of what’s happening so that we know what is possible” in the rapidly advancing world of “cognitive machines” and to highlight the ethical, social, cultural and economic impact these tools may have.

Father Morey gave the homily during a Mass of remembrance honoring Father Merton Dec. 10 at the Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Louisville. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville presided.

The priest said the support of a community is essential in finding Christ and most of Father Merton’s writings show how important community was to him.

St. Peter, in the Diocese of Superior, is where Jayme attended religious education classes and Mass with her parents, James and Denise, who were murdered Oct. 15, 2018. Their funeral Mass was celebrated at the church Oct. 27.

Plastics are broken down into small particles that can make their way into drinking water, seafood and salt, Archbishop Suharyo said, thus posing a threat to both nature and local populations.

“We must remember that Article VI of the U.S. Constitution forbids a religious test for public office, and the First Amendment guarantees our free exercise of religion, freedom of association and freedom of speech. Any suggestion that the order’s adherence to the beliefs of the Catholic Church makes a brother Knight unfit for public office blatantly violates those constitutional guarantees.”