By Lise Alves Catholic News Service SAO PAULO (CNS) — Cardinal-designate Arlindo Gomes Furtado, whose diocese is part of an archipelago 400 miles off the coast of West Africa, said the challenges to the church in Cape Verde mirror those found elsewhere. “We are trying to make the church more open, welcoming … more dynamic ...read more

Last week, we began looking at sin and the difference between venial and mortal sin. Even though we`ve all been cleansed from Original Sin at Baptism, we are all still wounded by Original Sin. Because of this, we still suffer the effects of Original Sin, which is why we have a tendency to sin. This tendency ...read more

Here’s what’s been making headlines across the country: The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that doctors can help people commit suicide. Reaction has been swift. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops issued this statement. Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton had this to say. On a lighter note, one Saskatchewan sister is playing an important role ...read more

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Spain’s newest cardinal-designate is known as an outspoken champion of peace and reconciliation — a common trait among some of the men chosen by Pope Francis to join the College of Cardinals in February. Cardinal-designate Ricardo Blazquez Perez, who has been archbishop of Valladolid since ...read more

By Catholic News Service YANGON, Myanmar (CNS) — Cardinal-designate Charles Bo’s appointment as Myanmar’s first cardinal is seen as support for his efforts to push national reconciliation, peace, justice and freedom as his people struggle with religious and ethnic tensions and other problems. The new position draws attention to Cardinal-designate Bo’s country, formerly Burma, which ...read more

On this week’s Vatican Connections, we look at the long-awaited beatification decree for Archbishop Oscar Romero. We talk to Father Frank Desiderio, a Paulist priest who worked with the producer of the 1989 film about the martyr, and we look at the reaction of Salvadoreans who have long referred to their slain archbishop as “el ...read more

Statement on Physician-Assisted Suicide by the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Catholics are called by their faith to assist all those in need, particularly the poor, the suffering and the dying. Comforting the dying and accompanying them in love and solidarity has been considered by the Church since ...read more

By Peter Grace Catholic News Service WELLINGTON, New Zealand (CNS) — Cardinal-designate John Dew of Wellington has appealed for a more pastoral approach for some of the family issues facing New Zealand Catholics. At the 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist, he called on church leaders to discuss a “pastoral approach” to ending “the ...read more

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Instead of accepting the letter of resignation that the archbishop of Ancona-Osimo, Italy, submitted in October, Pope Francis named him a cardinal. Cardinal-designate Edoardo Menichelli is 75 — the age church law requires bishops to submit their resignations — but he still kicks a soccer ...read more

Photo: Three of the four participants on the closing panel of the 2015 De Mazenod Conference were Canadians.  From left to right: Fr. Thomas Rosica, Sebastian Gomes, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller and Fr. Ronald Rolheiser discuss the Francis effect on the Catholic Church. (S+L: Feb. 1, 2015) This past weekend I had the privilege of addressing ...read more