Local
Living the Faith: Del and Cindy Furbish
By Donis Tracy
Pilot Correspondent
BELMONT -- Watertown resident Del Furbish credits his involvement in his parish -- St. Luke’s in Belmont -- with a simple walk.
Nation
Legal experts disagree on impact of California same-sex marriage law
By Chaz Muth Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Though legal experts on a July 10 panel disagreed about how the California same-sex marriage law will impact the freedom to express religious beliefs, they all agreed it will ultimately change the definition of marriage.
World
Pope says he will apologize to Australian victims of clergy sex abuse
By Cindy Wooden
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said he would apologize to Australian victims of clerical sex abuse and would talk to the world's young Catholics about the moral obligation to safeguard the environment.
World
Former Colombian hostage makes pilgrimage to Lourdes sanctuaries
By Catholic News Service
LOURDES, France (CNS) -- Accompanied by her mother, sister and children, former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt made a pilgrimage to the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes less than two weeks after she was freed from years in captivity.
Nation
Pro-life lawmakers urge end to federal funds to abortion providers
By Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., led other pro-life lawmakers in the House in calling for Congress to end federal funds for Planned Parenthood and other family planning organizations that provide abortions.
Nation
USCCB introduces study guide that examines torture as moral issue
By Dennis Sadowski
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The dignity and respect of the human person is the cornerstone of the U.S. bishops' new study guide on torture as a moral issue.
Nation
California Catholic bishops affirm sanctity of marriage
By Catholic News Service
SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) -- Less than a week after couples of the same sex began marrying under California law, Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco released a statement explaining that church teaching about marriage stresses its "unique place in God's creation."
Nation
Thompson opens convention with criticism of Obama, Supreme Court
By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
ARLINGTON, Va. (CNS) -- Actor and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson opened the annual convention of the National Right to Life Committee July 3 with a speech highly critical of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama and of some recent Supreme Court decisions.
Nation
Newspaper looks at report alleging Catholic hospitals’ ethical lapses
By Catholic News Service
HUNTINGTON, Ind. (CNS) -- A national Catholic newspaper said a report alleging that thousands of sterilizations, and possibly some abortions, took place in 23 Texas Catholic hospitals from 2000 to 2003 has prompted Catholic hospital officials in the state to scrutinize their records and stirred intense discussions among hospital officials, directors of the facilities' parent health systems and local bishops.
Nation
Bishop apologizes for ’tragedy’ of abortion aided by Charities’ staff
By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond, Va., expressed his "profound apology for the loss of the life of one of the most vulnerable among us" after employees of a Catholic Charities office in his diocese helped a refugee minor obtain an abortion last January.
Nation
Bishops to reconsider liturgy translation rejected in mail balloting
By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- After mail balloting of bishops who did not vote at the spring meeting in Orlando, Fla., a 700-page translation of one section of the Roman Missal failed to get approval from the required two-thirds of the members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
World
Pope opens year of St. Paul, says apostle should serve as model
By John Thavis
ROME (CNS) -- Joined by other Christian leaders, Pope Benedict XVI opened the year of St. Paul and said the apostle's courageous witness to the faith should serve as a model for contemporary Christians.
World
Pope gives palliums to archbishops, says church’s mission is to unite
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The mission of the Catholic Church is to overcome the divisions of the world and bring God's healing power, love and peace to all people, Pope Benedict XVI told new archbishops from more than 30 countries.
World
Traditionalists say they’ve met Vatican’s deadline for reconciliation
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X said it met the Vatican's deadline to respond to a memo outlining preliminary conditions for full reconciliation with the rest of the Catholic Church.
World
Vatican regrets Church of England’s move toward women bishops
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has expressed its disappointment with a July 7 decision by the Church of England, the mother church of the Anglican Communion, to move ahead with plans to allow the ordination of women bishops.
World
Pope urges Group of Eight to put needs of poor at forefront of summit
By Catholic News Service
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI urged world leaders from the Group of Eight to put the needs of the poor and weak at the forefront of their discussions.
World
Study reveals perils of cohabitation
By Father John Flynn, LC
ROME (ZENIT) -- Living together before marriage is a very common practice for couples in many countries. Many defend it on the basis that it enables the future husband and wife to get to know each other better.
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Local
Archdiocese releases annual financial report
By Meghan Noé
BRAINTREE -- The annual financial report released on July 10 for fiscal year 2007 shows an increase in parish donations and donations to the annual Catholic Appeal, a fully funded pension fund for more than 6,500 retired lay employees, and realistic plans to balance the budget by 2010. This is a drastic change from five years ago -- when Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley was sent to lead the Archdiocese of Boston in 2003, he described the financial situation of the archdiocese as dire. Still in the midst of the clergy sexual abuse crisis, finances quickly took a turn for the worse in order to settle with victims and begin to heal as an archdiocese. At that time, financial health seemed a distant illusion, but now there is promising news.
Local
Notes From the Hill
The Legislature Seeks to Repeal the 1913
Marriage Residency Law
On Tuesday, July 15, the Massachusetts Senate approved a bill, Senate 800, that would export same-sex marriage to other states. The Senate acted by voice vote, allowing the senators to avoid putting their individual positions on record in an election year. The bill is on a fast track, and if it has not already been voted on in the House by the time this report is published, readers are urged to contact their state representatives as soon as possible to oppose its passage.
Local
New vicars will assist
cardinal and regional
bishops and regional vicar
Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap. has announced the appointments of vicars forane, also called deans, of the 20 vicariates of the archdiocese; four in each of the five pastoral regions. This assignment is in addition to each priest’s present assignments, and is for a period of three years beginning July 1, 2008.
Local
Religious brothers celebrate anniversaries
By Sister Marian Batho, CSJ
On Saturday, June 28, Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap. celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Religious Brothers of the archdiocese who are celebrating anniversaries in 2008.
Opinion
Stepping beyond sympathy to help the poor
Tiziana C. Dearing
I was moved by the number of people who commiserated after my last column about finding grace through a kitchen renovation. Many understood the misery of redoing a kitchen. Even more people understood the terrible feeling that comes with realizing you just set a lousy example for your children.
Opinion
Catching up
Clark Booth
Here’s a little of this and a bit of that as we endeavor to catch up after a two-week sabbatical on the beach.
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