When U.S. Catholic bishops hold their next national meeting in June, they’ll be deciding whether to send a tougher-than-ever message to President Joe Biden and other Catholic politicians: Don’t receive Communion if you persist in public advocacy of abortion rights. Biden First Catholic President to Support Abortion Rights At issue...
GOP Attacks Harris Amid Battle for Catholic Voters’ Support
WASHINGTON — Soon after Joe Biden tapped Kamala Harris as his running mate, some conservatives began trying to portray her as anti-Catholic — a line of attack that President Donald Trump’s campaign continues to amplify as Democrats court Roman Catholic voters. The charge stems in part from questions Harris posed...
New Head of School Named for San Joaquin Memorial
After a national search, an award-winning and veteran Catholic school administrator is the new head of school at San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno. Michael C. Burke, who has spent more than 35 years as a Catholic school administrator, teacher, and coach, most recently worked as president of Melbourne...
Bill to Report Confessed Abuse by Priests Put on Hold
SACRAMENTO — A bill that would require California religious leaders to report their co-workers' confessions of child abuse or neglect has been put on hold amid opposition from the Catholic church. California law already requires clergy to report knowledge of child abuse and neglect. But they can keep it a...
Springsteen, Scorsese Talk Catholicism, Films and Creativity
LOS ANGELES — With a friendship going back to a fateful meeting at The Roxy in 1975, Bruce Springsteen and Martin Scorsese shared the stage in Los Angeles Sunday night for a wide-ranging conversation about everything from their Catholic upbringings and maturing faith to Flannery O'Connor, concert documentaries and the...
Cardinal Pell Sent to Prison for Abusing 2 Boys in Australia
MELBOURNE, Australia — The most senior Catholic convicted of child sex abuse was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison for molesting two choirboys in an Australian cathedral in a crime the judge said showed "staggering arrogance." Cardinal George Pell must serve a minimum of 3 years and 8 months...
Catholic Student Says He Didn’t Disrespect Native American
PARK HILLS, Ky. — A Catholic high school student whose close encounter with a Native American activist and a black religious sect was captured on video in Washington, D.C. says he has nothing to apologize for. Nick Sandmann told NBC's "Today" show on Wednesday that he had every right to...
Pope: Priestly Abuse Scandals Driving Catholic Faithful Away
TALLINN, Estonia — Pope Francis acknowledged Tuesday that priestly sex abuse scandals are outraging the Catholic faithful and driving them away, and said the church must change its ways if it wants to keep future generations. Francis referred directly to the crisis convulsing his papacy on the fourth and final...
What Will Pope Do About Revelations of Sex Abuse by Cardinal?
VATICAN CITY — Revelations that one of the most respected U.S. cardinals repeatedly sexually abused both boys and adult seminarians have raised questions about who in the Catholic Church hierarchy knew — and what Pope Francis is going to do about it. If the accusations against Cardinal Theodore McCarrick bear...