Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week that she is not eligible to receive Holy Communion when attending Mass in the Archdiocese of San Francisco given her support for abortion rights. Cordileone notified Pelosi of his decision on May 19 and announced it to the public in two separate letters.
Read More(ANALYSIS) If there was ever a doubt that Americans are living in two, separate news universes, then the past two weeks certainly crystallized that reality even more than the polarizing presidential elections of 2016 and 2020. As a result, a major news story on pro-abortion rights protesters at churches was totally ignored by many mainstream news sites.
Read MoreThe humanitarian activist and religious freedom fighter Cardinal Zen, who had previously served as bishop of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2009, was detained, along with four others, in connection with his role as administrator of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which supported pro-democracy demonstrations by paying for the legal and medical fees of protesters.
Read MoreIn an interview with ReligionUnplugged.com, theoretical physicist and Templeton Prize winner Dr. Frank Wilczek said he was raised in New York City by parents with Italian and Polish backgrounds who wanted him educated in the Catholic tradition: “As a child, I took it very, very seriously and I think it had a residual influence in my later life in helping me to think big and look for the hidden meaning of things.”
Read MoreWeekend Plug-in features a reporter roundtable on this week’s bombshell news: the leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would reverse Roe v. Wade. Plus, as always, catch up on all the week’s best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On Tuesday, a preliminary draft Supreme Court opinion was leaked to Politico, revealing that the court — as of February — intended to overturn Roe v. Wade. What does the leak mean for the court and America, and how have faith voices responded?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Something akin to a Catholic “Trial of the Century” has gotten underway in Rome and there’s plenty of palace intrigue to go around. The trial involving corruption, bad real estate deals and financial wrongdoing has placed Pope Francis in the center of a controversy that for the first time doesn’t involve doctrine or theology.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It’s understandable that reviewers are entitled to their opinions. After all, that’s the job of a critic. But the coverage around “Father Stu,” however, has been framed in a certain way, offering up lopsided and negative takes among many mainstream news sites.
Read More(ANALYSIS) While Pope Francis was presiding over a ceremony at the Vatican to consecrate Ukraine and Russia, a group of high-ranking American bishops met in Chicago. The gathering, entitled “Pope Francis, Vatican II and the Way Forward,” aimed to create a dialogue between theologians and bishops.
Read MoreDuring Lent, many Catholic churches participate in fish fries, a meal containing battered or breaded fried fish. Served every Friday following Ash Wednesday, the meals served during the Christian season of repentance have become a mainstay for many Catholic churches who use them to raise money and build community.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law continues to get media coverage for two reasons: first, Disney’s involvement, and second, the larger notion that DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, is “engaging in a culture war.” This remains a political story, a business story and a pop culture story. Is it also a religion story?
Read More(OPINION) St. Peter’s crashed out of the NCAA Tournament following a defeat to No. 8 North Carolina — but they will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Cinderella teams at the men’s basketball tournament. The Catholic school had made history on Friday, downing Purdue to become the first No. 15 seed in tournament history to advance to the Elite 8.
Read MorePope Francis offered up a special prayer for Ukraine and Russia in connection with a Marian apparition that’s over 100 years old. The pope called on all bishops, priests and believers to join him in the consecration of Ukraine and Russia, an act triggered by a 1917 apocalyptic vision of Mary to three children in the Portuguese city of Fatima.
Read More(OPINION) A hero to the right and bogeyman to the left, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis has received plenty of mainstream news coverage because of his use of so-called culture war issues to push legislation. But while the Catholicism of President Joe Biden is lauded in some media circles and debated in others, DeSantis’ faith is hardly mentioned.
Read More(REVIEW) Since many Catholics — ones in America in particular — are so carnivorous throughout much of the year, a new cookbook out just in time for Lent focuses on the very dilemma of what to eat on Fridays this month. Scott Hahn’s book “The Lenten Cookbook” from Sophia Institute Press serves up easy-to-make meals this spring.
Read MoreMarch may be all about dressing in green and celebrating St. Patrick, but March Madness has been all about wearing blue and cheering on St. Peter’s in Jersey City. The small Jesuit school socked the field by reaching the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Read MorePope Francis — in a private video call on March 16 with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church — said religious leaders “must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus.” Francis’ remarks to Patriarch Kirill, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, were the latest in a series of moves to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Read MoreSt. Patrick’s Day is once again upon us. Most think they know what the holiday is all about — like the need to wear green so we do not get pinched. But there’s so much more to this very important holiday for millions of people in Ireland and around the world.
Read More(ANALYSIS) We interrupt your reading about the war in Ukraine with a very important post about the global Catholic Synod on Synodality. Synod on Synodality? Say that three times fast. For some Catholics, it’s kind of a Zen thing.
Read More(REVIEW) One of the most misunderstood biblical figures has to be Mary Magdalene. A new book tries to finally set the record straight with a full examination of her life. In fact, centuries of distortions and myths is what theologian and author Adriana Valero tries to uncover in order to paint a fuller, and truthful, representation of one of the most important women from the New Testament.
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