The year 2021 was an outlier in many respects. Much of the year was characterised by halting steps to return to something resembling normality following the global health emergency declared in 2020 over the coronavirus pandemic. There was a recession that started before COVID-19 throttled the United States and much of the world, but that Read more
Posts Tagged ‘United States’
Washington Cardinal will allow Biden Holy Communion
Thursday, November 26th, 2020
Cardinal-designate Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, says he wants to collaborate where possible with the Biden administration. At the same time, he says he’ll also respectfully point out situations where President-elect Joe Biden’s policies diverge from Catholic teaching. “I have always seen myself as someone who is charged with being in dialogue and in conversation, Read more
COVID causes epidemic of school closures
Monday, June 22nd, 2020
In what is being described as an epidemic of Catholic schools’ closures, the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has hit Catholic education hard. To date, more than 100 US elementary and high schools have announced they are closing down. The Catholic schools’ closures are affecting parish schools and those run by religious orders. “It’s not a pretty Read more
Riot is the language of the unheard
Monday, June 8th, 2020
Last year I was knocked to the ground and pinned down by an assailant who held his hand over my mouth. I cried out, “I can’t breathe!” About 30 long seconds later he finally let me go. As I reflect on the heartbreaking deadly scene of a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into George Read more
Child sex abuse ‘serious and pervasive’ throughout all US society
Monday, February 18th, 2019
Child sexual abuse in the United States is at epidemic levels. More than 60,000 children are reported to have been abused every year, outnumbering those killed by guns or cars. Those who survive are often left not only with physical wounds, but also with psychological wounds that may never heal. These wounds exact both a Read more
Anti-Semitic incidents increasing before shooting
Thursday, November 1st, 2018Anti-Semitic incidents have been increasing for some time in the US – and the recent shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue is an example of an ongoing problem. It surfaces often in the research conducted by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks various U.S. hate groups, including neo-Nazis, white nationalists, skinheads and others. “They’re all Read more
Pope’s popularity faces rising conservative opposition
Monday, March 12th, 2018
The Pope’s popularity is dropping in the United States while conservative opposition to his papacy is rising, according to a Pew Research Centre survey. The January survey canvassed 1,503 Americans. Twenty percent of those surveyed are Catholic. The survey found a third of respondents think Pope Francis is “too liberal” while one-quarter considered him “too Read more
America’s newest cathedral dedicated
Thursday, March 8th, 2018America’s newest cathedral, the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, was dedicated last Saturday. Over 1,000 parishioners joined five cardinals, 21 bishops, more than 100 priests, 58 deacons and 39 men and women religious at the dedication Mass. Read more
Mike Pence responds to mockery of his faith is ‘mental illness’
Monday, February 19th, 2018
US vice president Mike Pence has responded to public mockery of his faith in Christ as a “mental illness”. His sanity as a believer was initially called into question by Omarosa Manigault-Newman, a disgruntled ex-staffer of President Trump. She used her status as a “Celebrity Big Brother” contestant to insinuate Pence suffers from mental illness. Read more
North America’s largest Catholic church finished: 100 years later
Monday, December 11th, 2017
North America’s largest Catholic church is now complete. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC took 100 years from the first turn of the spade until the dome was complete. After the Crypt Church was finished in 1931, construction on the Upper Church began. This halted during the Great Depression Read more