Mission comes before maintaining institutions

Pope: Mission comes before maintaining institutions 

Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

"In an evangelical vision, avoid weighing yourselves down with a pastoral plan for preservation, which blocks openness to the perennial newness of the Holy Spirit," Pope Francis told Italian bishops on May 16.  READ MORE

Vatican will study women deacons, pope says  Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

Pope Francis said he would set up a commission to study the New Testament deaconesses and also insisted more can and should be done to involve lay and consecrated women in church decision-making.  READ MORE

Pope: 'Not even the devil' can take our dignity away  Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

Pope Francis said the father's embrace in the parable of the prodigal son is a reminder that we never ought to despair, because nothing and no one can take away our dignity as children of God.   READ MORE

What did the pope actually say about female diaconate? Elise Harris, CNA/EWTN News

Pope Francis declared his openness to establishing a commission to study the female diaconate on May 12, but a careful look at his full response is less of a shocker.   READ MORE

STATE, NATION, WORLD & VATICAN

San Diego bishop announces marriage, family synod Catholic New Service

Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego, in a pastoral message to Catholics of the diocese, announced he would convoke a synod in October on marriage and family life.  READ MORE

Remains of Spanish explorer's cross believed discovered Aprille Hanson, Catholic News Service

The first Catholic liturgy is believed to have occurred in Arkansas 475 years ago, but archaeologists are working to authenticate physical proof of that celebration near the St. Francis River, about 40 miles from the Mississippi.  READ MORE

Canadians make plea to drop assisted-suicide bill Catholic News Service

As the Canadian Parliament considered a bill legalizing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, thousands gathered May 12 for the annual National March for Life. -  READ MORE

Ethiopian drought drives alarming rise in hunger Bronwen Dachs, Catholic News Service

Alarming levels of hunger caused by the worst drought in about half a century has left some 10 million Ethiopians  in need of food aid said Msgr. John Kozar, president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Assocation on May 11.  READ MORE

COMMENTARY

Election fatigue and the Year of Mercy Judy Barrett for the California Catholic Conference  ... "Now for an antidote for election fatigue: Practice mercy. As important as voting is to affect our civil society, much of the hard work of being good citizens and shaping our culture for the better takes place beyond the voting booth." ... READ MORE

Daniel Berrigan and non-violence Bishop Robert Barron  ... "Even as we hold to the legitimacy of violence under prescribed circumstances, so we hold to the legitimacy of non-violent forms of resistance, again, under the right circumstances." ... READ MORE

Youth today: Who are they really? Father Ron Rolheiser  ... "We see the surface and, seen there, our youth can appear more self-interested than generous, more shallow than deep, more blasé than morally sensitive, and more religiously indifferent than faith-filled." ...  READ MORE

Biblical teaching and healing the culture George Weigel  "There is far too little biblically-based catechetical preaching, at which the Fathers of the Church in the first millennium excelled, today." ... READ MORE

Embryos and the '14-day Rule' Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk  ... "Historically speaking, the 14-day rule arose largely as a mechanism for justifying what had previously been considered immoral, even unthinkable, research." ... READ MORE

Call yourself a 'saint-in-training' Tony Rossi, The Christophers  ... "If you can't say you're a saint, you can say, 'I'm a saint-in-training. I'm a good person, and I'm trying to get better."  ...  READ MORE