The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago is planning to put its downtown headquarters up for sale. The dark, mid-century office building at 65 E. Huron St. not far from the city’s downtown landmarks and glittering Magnificent Mile, houses the offices of the bishop, Episcopal Charities and the staff of St. James Cathedral, which is next door. Read more
World
World’s first sign language Bible completed
Thursday, September 24th, 2020The fifteen year-long labor of love recently culminated with the public release of the final book of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in American Sign Language (ASL), making it the world’s first complete sign language Bible translation. “As far as we know, Jehovah’s Witnesses are the first organization or group of persons Read more
Boris Johnson’s new baby baptised at Westminster Cathedral
Thursday, September 24th, 2020Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds had their baby son Wilfrid Lawrie Nicholas baptised at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, 12 September, Downing Street said today. A spokesperson for the Diocese confirmed that baby Wilfred was baptised in a small private service on 12 September by Father Daniel Humphreys. Mr Johnson was himself Read more
Women priests: priest suspended, bishops scott free
Monday, September 21st, 2020
Being prepared to consider ordaining women – and saying so – has seen a priest continue to be suspended from ministry while more senior clergy are not even smacked on the wrist. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, recently admitted that he is “open” to the idea of ordaining women to the Catholic priesthood. “I am not Read more
Pope tells parents of LGBT+ children God loves their kids
Monday, September 21st, 2020
Pope Francis, Thursday, told a group of parents of LGBT+children “The Pope loves your children as they are because they are children of God.” The comments came in a meeting between the parents and Francis to discuss their concerns about the Church’s discriminatory stance on the LGBT+ community. The parents are members of an Italian Read more
Pope decries the injustice of pharmaceutical marginality
Monday, September 21st, 2020
Pope Francis is decrying the injustice of pharmaceutical marginality. Those who live in poverty are poor even in medicines, treatment and health, he says. He spoke on the subject to 300 representatives of the Italy-based Fondazione Banco Farmaceutico (Medicine Bank Foundation) on its 20th anniversary. Members collect medicines from donors and companies to deliver them Read more
Catholic front-runner for US Supreme Court nomination
Monday, September 21st, 2020
A Catholic mother of seven is the front-running candidate to replace US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday evening aged 87. Judge Amy Coney Barrett is reportedly the most likely presidential nominee for the role. Appointed a federal judge in 2017, Barrett was a professor at Notre Dame law school until her Read more
Vatican astronomer: God is bigger than we think
Monday, September 21st, 2020
The possible discovery of life on Venus has prompted the Vatican astronomer to caution against getting too speculative about it. If anything living exists on the planet, it doesn’t change the calculus in terms of God’s relationship with humanity, Brother Guy Consolmagno SJ says. “Life on another planet is no different than the existence of Read more
Iran sentenced three teenagers to have four fingers amputated
Monday, September 21st, 2020Iran has sentenced three teenagers to have four fingers amputated each as a punishment for stealing. Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Sharafian and Mehdi Shahivand, whose exact ages are not known, were handed the punishment on Thursday after a failed attempt to appeal. They were originally tried on November 2 last year on four counts of robbery Read more
Hackers continue cyberattacks against Vatican, Catholic orgs
Monday, September 21st, 2020The China-linked threat group RedDelta has continued to launch cyberattacks against Catholic institutions since May 2020 until as recently as last week. A state-sponsored threat group linked to China has been engaged in a five-month long cyberattack against the Vatican and other Catholic Church-related organizations. Attacks have come in the form of spear phishing emails Read more