Catholic New York

Vatican Workers Sanitize St. Peter’s Basilica

In preparation for the May 18 resumption of public liturgies in Italy and a morning Mass with Pope Francis at the tomb of St. John Paul II, Vatican workers cleaned and sanitized the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica May 15. more

By CAROL GLATZ | 5/15/20

Pope Joins Interreligious Prayer, Begging God to End Pandemic

At a time of global “tragedy and suffering” because of the coronavirus, and in view of the long-term impact it will have, believers of every religion should beg mercy from the one God and Father of all, Pope Francis said. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 5/15/20

Community members plant sisal on sand dunes to stabilize them and keep them from blowing and moving onto the farm land near the village of Anjongo, Madagascar, March 22, 2019. As acute hunger is expected to double in vulnerable populations because of the coronavirus pandemic, CRS launched an advocacy campaign on May 14 of this year to raise awareness about the world’s hungriest people.

CRS Unveils Hunger Awareness Campaign As Coronavirus Crisis Hinders Access to Food

As tens of millions more people are at risk of acute hunger because of the global coronavirus pandemic, Catholic Relief Services is embarking on a campaign to raise awareness, advocate and raise funds to head off the brewing crisis. more

By DENNIS SADOWSKI | 5/14/20

Pope Francis leads his general audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican May 13. The pope greeted Portuguese speakers during the livestreamed audience as he commemorated the 103rd anniversary of the first Marian apparition in Fatima, Portugal.

Prayer Establishes Trusting Relationship With God, Pope Says

Prayer is more than just a physical, emotional or intellectual act; it is an inner desire to encounter God, Pope Francis said. Continuing his new series of talks on prayer during his weekly general audience May 13, the pope said that the longing expressed through prayer “is more than a need, more than a necessity.” more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/13/20

SS. Maximilian Kolbe and Edith Stein are pictured in a combination photo.

Catholic Priests, Nuns Were Among Those Killed By Nazis

The Nazis’ systematic persecution and genocide led to the deaths of 6 million Jews in Europe, but Catholic priests and nuns were also among their victims. more

By JONATHAN LUXMOORE | 5/12/20

Pope Francis celebrates Mass May 12 in the chapel of his Vatican residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

Amid Pandemic, Nurses Have Given Heroic Example, Pope Says

Marking International Nurses Day May 12, Pope Francis offered his early morning Mass for nurses who “carry out this profession which is more than a profession; it is a vocation, a commitment.” more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/12/20

Nurses wearing face masks take part in an event held to mark International Nurses Day, at Wuhan Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China, May 12 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pope to Nurses, Midwives: ‘Thank You for Your Service to Humanity’

The coronavirus pandemic has drawn well-deserved attention to nurses and midwives, who are among “the saints next door,” dedicated to helping people in some of the most joyful or painful moments of their lives, Pope Francis said. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 5/12/20

Pope Hopes for COVID Vaccine, Supports Interreligious Prayer Initiative on May 14

Expressing his hopes for a vaccine against the coronavirus, Pope Francis also gave his support to an interreligious day of prayer and fasting for an end to the pandemic. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/11/20

The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. is seen in this 2017 file photo. The court heard oral arguments by teleconference on the Little Sisters of Poor case on May 6 of this year, examining exemption challenges to the contraceptive mandate of the Affordable Care Act. A decision is expected by late June.

Divided Court Reexamines Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives

The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court seemed divided May 6 over Trump administration rules that give employers more ability to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage in their health plans. more

By CAROL ZIMMERMANN | 5/11/20

Pope Francis waves as he looks out on an empty St. Peter’s Square after leading the “Regina Coeli” prayer from his library in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican May 10. The Sunday prayer took place without the physical presence of the faithful due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trust Jesus; Know Heaven Is Your Destiny, Pope Says

Just as Jesus told the disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” He says the same thing to His followers today amid “the dramas of life,” Pope Francis said. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 5/11/20

At Morning Mass, Pope Offers Prayers for Unemployed

As countries continue to reel from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis offered prayers for the men and women who have been unable to work. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/11/20

Church Wasn’t Prepared, Either, for Pandemic, Nuncio to U.S. Says

Just like billions of people throughout the world, “the Church was not prepared” for the coronavirus pandemic, said Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican nuncio to the United States, in a May 6 interview with Catholic News Service. more

By MARK PATTISON | 5/6/20

Pope Encourages People to Rediscover the Need for Prayer

The coronavirus pandemic is a “favorable time to rediscover the need for prayer in our lives; let us open the doors of our hearts to the love of God our Father, who will listen to us,” Pope Francis said. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 5/6/20

Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski of Poland is pictured in an undated photo. The Vatican announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several beatifications scheduled for May and June will be postponed, including the beatification of Cardinal Wyszynski, mentor and friend of St. John Paul II.

Beatifications for May, June Postponed Due to Pandemic

The Vatican announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic, several beatifications scheduled for May and June will be postponed, including the beatification of a mentor and friend of St. John Paul II. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/6/20

Pope Advances Sainthood Cause of Italian Millennial

Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of one woman and four men, including an Italian millennial who dedicated his brief life to spreading faith and happiness to his peers. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/6/20

Pope Prays for Media, Journalists Covering Coronavirus Pandemic

Pope Francis offered his early morning Mass for journalists and members of the media who, despite the risks, work tirelessly to inform the public of the ongoing pandemic. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 5/6/20

Shattering The Illusion

Most people like either having control or being in control. It gives us a sense of comfort or assurance that everything is in order or that there is a plan in place that we are following. This idea … more

By FATHER CHRISTOPHER ARGANO | 5/6/20

Online Activities

Theology of the BodyVirtual Conference May 8-10 The Theology of the Body Institute will host the Theology of the Body Virtual Conference Friday, May 8, to Sunday, May 10. Prominent speakers … more

5/6/20

Stories Make the Difference in Award-Winning Christophers Books

The Christopher Awards, normally presented each spring, are being delayed until October. The Christophers did recently announce the winners in the book category of the awards, which recognize … more

5/6/20

Work Attitudes Post-Coronavirus

After COVID-19, will we employees who worked remotely want to return to our previous environment or will we prefer to continue working from home? More importantly, does our attitude toward work draw … more

By FATHER BOB PAGLIARI, C.Ss.R., Ph.D. | 4/27/20