Catholic New York

People applaud as Pope Francis leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Aug. 7.

Be Vigilant to God’s Presence in Life, Pope Says

Christians should not only face life’s challenges without fear but also not be overcome by the temptation to remain idle to the Lord’s presence in those moments, Pope Francis said. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 8/8/22

Archbishop Decries President Biden Executive Order, ‘Continued Promotion of Abortion’

Decrying President Joe Biden’s new executive order on abortion, the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee said Aug. 5 that “continued promotion of abortion takes lives and irreparably harms vulnerable pregnant mothers, their families and society.” more

8/5/22

Pope Francis is seated next to an unidentified bishop as he leads an audience with young people participating in a summer camp program sponsored by Alpha International, at the Vatican Aug. 5.

Be Authentic, Not Self-Centered, Pope Tells Young People

When united with Christ, young men and women can live a meaningful life devoid of the egotistical and narcissistic nature of today’s culture, Pope Francis said. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 8/5/22

A member of the Mexican army stands guard outside a church in the parish community of Cerocahui June 22. Jesuit Fathers Javier Campos Morales and Joaquín César Mora Salazar were murdered at the parish June 20 as they offered refuge to a tour guide seeking protection.

24 Members of Congress Write President Biden About Jesuit Murders, Mexico Violence

U.S. members of Congress have sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to “work closely with the Mexican government to ensure there is full accountability for the murders” of two Jesuits in their parish and a tour guide they were protecting. more

By DAVID AGREN | 8/5/22

Teresian Sister Dolores Aviles speaks to children attending Camp I-CAN in Uvalde, Texas, July 25. Sponsored by Catholic Extension, the July 25-28 camp offered survivors of the Robb Elementary School mass shooting a safe space to heal, have fun and gently reintegrate into a school-like setting around their peers. “I-CAN” stands for inner strength, commitment, awareness and networking.

Catholic Extension Launches Program for Uvalde Children in Wake of Shooting

Chicago-based Catholic Extension launched the first of many initiatives it has planned over the next 18 months to support Uvalde, Texas, following the devastation of the Robb Elementary mass shooting. more

8/4/22

Vatican Publishes Schedule for Papal Trip to Kazakhstan

Pope Francis’ September visit to Kazakhstan will mostly focus on a gathering of religious leaders from around the world, but it will also include a Mass and meeting with Catholics in this Muslim-majority nation. more

By CAROL GLATZ | 8/3/22

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives for his general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Aug. 3.

At Audience, Pope Reflects on ‘Penitential Pilgrimage’ to Canada

The remembrance, reconciliation and healing from the Catholic Church’s past sins committed against Indigenous populations is a reminder that Christians can find hope amid their sins and failures, Pope Francis said. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 8/3/22

A boy reaches to touch floral arrangements outside Santa Ana Ixtlahuatzingo Catholic Church in Tenancingo, Mexico, July 26, during a celebration on the feast of the church’s patron saint, St. Anne, grandmother of Jesus.

A Feast Day of Flowers

The preparation took weeks, but finally all the elaborate floral arrangements were in place. more

8/2/22

Nuns hold a Ukrainian flag as Pope Francis leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican July 31.

Stop the War in Ukraine and Negotiate, Pope Says

The only reasonable way to address the suffering of Ukrainians is to stop fighting and negotiate, Pope Francis said. more

8/1/22

Minors from Honduras are picked up by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent in Eagle Pass, Texas, July 25.

Archdiocesan Catholic Charities Calls Out ‘Chaotic’ Dispersal of Asylum-Seekers

New York’s Catholic Charities has spoken out against what it called a “chaotic approach” to dealing with asylum-seekers coming into the country who are being sent from Texas officials by bus to cities around the nation. more

By RHINA GUIDOS | 7/31/22

An Indigenous woman displays a cradleboard as Pope Francis meets with a delegation of Indigenous peoples in the archbishop’s residence in Quebec City July 29. Indigenous leaders want Pope Francis to help them get information about the more than 4,000 children who died at Canada’s residential schools and the thousands of others who never returned home from the schools.

Pope Entrusts New Relationship With Indigenous to Three Holy Women

Meeting Indigenous survivors of residential schools in Canada, Pope Francis entrusted them and the journey of truth, healing and reconciliation to three women: St. Anne, Mary and St. Kateri Tekakwitha. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 7/31/22

Pope Francis looks on as he answers questions from journalists aboard his flight from Iqaluit, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, to Rome July 29.

Pope Says Residential-School Policy Was Part of ‘Genocide’ Plan

The planned destruction of the families, languages, cultures and traditions of the Indigenous communities of Canada through the residential school system was “genocide,” Pope Francis said. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 7/31/22

Pope Francis, right, greets the crowd before celebrating Mass at the National Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in Quebec July 28.

Church Cannot Flee Failures, But Must Reconcile With Indigenous, Pope Says

In the face of sin and failure, the temptation to wallow in despair and do nothing comes from the devil, Pope Francis said. more

7/28/22

This is an infographic for “Earth Overshoot Day,” the day when resource consumption goes into “debt” because the annual demand on nature exceeds what the earth can regenerate in that year. That day fell on July 28 this year.

Pope Ups Calls for Care as Global Consumption Keeps Outpacing Resources

Among the many environmental issues Pope Francis is concerned about, the one that “has shocked me the most,” he once said, is the way resources are increasingly being consumed faster than they can be regenerated. more

By CAROL GLATZ | 7/28/22

Cameroonians who fled deadly intercommunal violence between Arab Choa herders and Mousgoum and Massa farming communities line up to receive food at a temporary refugee camp on the outskirts of Ndjamena, Chad, in this Dec. 13, 2021, file photo.

Pope Launches Video Campaign to Highlight Dialogue With Migrants, Refugees

As the Church prepares to commemorate the World Day of Migrants and Refugees in September, Pope Francis launched a video campaign meant to highlight the spiritual and cultural contributions that migrants bring to people’s lives. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 7/28/22

Pope Francis visits the lake as he participates in the Lac Ste. Anne pilgrimage and Liturgy of the Word in Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta, July 26.

Pope Joins Indigenous Pilgrims at Lake Known for Its Healing Waters

Pope Francis joined Indigenous pilgrims at a lake known for miraculous healings and encouraged them to lay their burdens on the shore. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 7/27/22

As the meeting with Pope Francis begins in Maskwacis, Alberta, July 25, Indigenous pilgrims carry a long red banner through the crowd. The banner bears the names of 4,120 Indigenous children and the residential school where they died.

‘I Am Sorry’: Canadian Indigenous React to Papal Apology

The words “I am sorry” are powerful. more

By MICHAEL SWAN | 7/26/22

Pope Francis waves during a meeting with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities at Maskwacis, Alberta, July 25.

Returning Moccasins, Pope Apologizes for Church Role in Residential Schools

The first step of Pope Francis’ “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada involved him returning two pairs of children’s moccasins. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 7/25/22

This is the cover of a document released by the Investment Committee of the Holy See July 19 with new statutes and policies governing Vatican investments. The document calls for investments in line with Catholic teaching and for them to be financially responsible.

Vatican Investments Must Follow Catholic Social Teaching, New Policy Says

The Vatican released a new policy consolidating the investment portfolios of all offices and keeping all current and future investments in line with the social doctrine of the Catholic Church. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 7/19/22

Relatives and friends carry the coffin containing the body of Pascual Melvin Guachiac, 13, during his funeral in the small village of Tzucubal in Nahuala, Guatemala, July 16. The teen died June 27 when he suffocated while being smuggled in a semitrailer in San Antonio. He was one of 53 migrants found dead in the truck’s cargo area.

Texas Bishops Call for Immigration Reform After Migrant Deaths in Trailer

The Texas Catholic bishops urged immigration reform, saying it is necessary to prevent what happened to 53 migrants discovered dead and dying inside a trailer June 27 from happening again. more

By RHINA GUIDOS | 7/19/22