Posts tagged Roman Catholicism
Catholic contributions to U.S. independence not a revolutionary notion

(REVIEW) The book offers readers a detailed history of Catholic thinkers, statesman and military leaders who helped the colonists during the American Revolution. Over the course of 12 chapters, author Dan LeRoy delves into what the fight for freedom would have been like without these figures and, almost more importantly, why they felt the need to help.

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Will U.S. Catholics split their vote this year?

(OPINION) Trying to gauge voter enthusiasm is difficult. While Trump voters do seem generally more energized — especially among evangelicals and church-going Catholics — compared to Biden supporters, the events of the past few weeks in Washington may have shifted priorities.

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Catholics could be energized for Trump should he nominate Barrett to SCOTUS

(ANALYSIS) The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has prompted President Donald Trump to pledge a nominee this week. Frontrunner Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, has a record of being anti-abortion and will certainly inflame those on the political left who fear an overturning of Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion.

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New thriller 'The Order' makes fiction from Catholicism's doctrinal friction

(REVIEW) Traditionalists versus progressives is the major plot of a new novel called The Order by writer Daniel Silva, who puts these sinister inner workings that highlight this modern-day Vatican political power struggle — albeit a fictional account in this case — into greater focus.

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Biden's faith becomes a campaign issue as anti-Catholic attacks rise

(OPINION) During this time of cultural reckoning, some have tried to lump Catholic saints like St. Damien into the same category as treasonous Confederate generals. That has forced Republicans to come out as defenders of traditional Christian values, while Democrats get dangerously closer to socialism.

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How female power throughout history influenced the papacy

A new book looks at a variety of female personalities who exerted influence over the centuries. The Vatican may be a male-dominated system, but Lynda Telford’s account has enough history and sleaze in it to make for a gripping Netflix series. What this book does very well is shift the spotlight away from men and places it on the women and their oft-ignored influence on the papacy and Christianity as a whole throughout Europe.  

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‘I am Patrick’ shatters myths to highlight the true ministry of Ireland’s beloved saint

(REVIEW) Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated with beer and parades, often neglecting the true meaning of the day. For Ireland and its largely Catholic population, Patrick is their patron saint. He is a man many people think they know. This new docudrama tries to get to the true story of a man who converted an entire country to Christianity.

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Can Catholics eat plant-based 'meat' during Lent?

Plant-based products have unleashed a meaty debate in church pews and on message boards over whether products like the Impossible Burger can or can’t be eaten during Lent and if doing so is ultimately a sin.

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Why Pope Francis ruled against married priests in the Amazon

(OPINION) Pope Francis — a week after the dust settled from his decision not to create an Amazonian rite that would have allowed married men to serve as priests and women as deacons — continues to garner news coverage as Catholic progressives and traditionalists debate what it all means.

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Examining Rudy Giuliani's complicated Catholicism

(OPINION) President Donald Trump’s impeachment is underway in the U.S. Senate, something that has dominated news coverage in recent days and will continue to do so. While Trump is at the center of the Senate trial, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is a key figure in all of this as well.

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Catholicism and clergy sex abuse: The legal saga continues

(OPINION) It’s been 17 years since The Boston Globe published its groundbreaking series on clergy sex abuse. Some two decades later, a political shift in state legislative bodies and fallout from the #MeToo movement have all collided to bring what many warn is a financial reckoning that could cripple the Catholic church in America.

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New poll looks at Catholic voting trends ahead of the 2020 presidential election

With less than a year before the 2020 presidential election, a new poll puts the spotlight on American Catholics and what candidates and issues matter to them most.

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Cheering for Notre Dame football still matters to American Catholics

(OPINION) College football is celebrating its 150th season this fall. As a result, there have been many retrospectives looking back at some of NCAA’s best teams and players. You can’t look back at the last century and a half without mentioning Notre Dame.

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Pilgrimage: Inside New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral

New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral is considered one of the most visible symbols of Roman Catholicism in the United States. It takes up an entire block in the center of the city and at the heart of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

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9 Catholic Traditions That Highlight The Christmas Season

Christmas is more than just Santa Claus, bright lights and presents. For Christians, the season, marked by the start of Advent, begins a period that culminates with the birth of Jesus. While Christians of many denominations observe this period, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the four weeks preceding Christmas with many special observances in order to prepare for the coming of Christ.

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