National Catholic Reporter | The Independent News Source

May 5, 2020

US bishops' guidelines for reopening Mass: groups of 10, sanitizer during Communion

May 4, 2020

Landlord LA Archdiocese of little help in neighborhood's long fight to close toxic oil wells for good

May 5, 2020

An oil drilling facility in a south-central Los Angeles neighborhood is on the verge of being permanently shut down, representing a long-sought victory for residents but one with virtually no assistance from the local archdiocese, which owns and leases the land.

Catholic colleges, strapped for cash during pandemic, struggle with reopening plans

by Katholische Nachrichten-Agentur

May 4, 2020

With classes moved online and dorm rooms emptied out, the COVID-19 pandemic has left Catholic colleges across the country strapped for cash, trying to figure out how to support their students and staff — or stay alive at all.

Poll: The 'Trump bump' is over, especially among white Christians

by Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service

May 4, 2020

A new poll released April 30 from PRRI shows Trump's approval has fallen on average by 6 percentage points and is now more in keeping with 2019 levels among most demographic groups.

Former Pope Benedict XVI sees church threatened by pseudo-humanism

May 4, 2020

The former Pope Benedict XVI said the Catholic Church is threatened by a "worldwide dictatorship of seemingly humanist ideologies."

Quick Reads

Former Pope Benedict XVI sees church threatened by pseudo-humanism

by Katholische Nachrichten-Agentur

May 4, 2020

Update: Archdiocese of New Orleans files Chapter 11 reorganization

by Peter Finney Jr., Catholic News Service

May 1, 2020

Pope makes promotions within the College of Cardinals

by Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

May 1, 2020

German Catholic Church agrees to rules for investigating abuse cases

by Catholic News Service

Apr 29, 2020

Knights of Malta grand master dies at 75

by Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

Apr 29, 2020

New Mexico diocese sues over limits on virus relief funds

by The Associated Press

Apr 29, 2020

Opinion

Blog | The Francis Chronicles

Francis, the comic strip

May 5, 2020

Francis, the comic strip: The Colonnade gets some additions to overlook St. Peter's Square.

Blog

Copy Desk Daily, May 5, 2020

by Teresa Malcolm

May 5, 2020

NCR Today: The Copy Desk Daily highlights the latest news and opinion that have crossed copy editors' desks, on the way to readers.

Column | Grace on the Margins

New Netflix documentary shows the sacramentality of same-sex relationships

by Jamie Manson

May 5, 2020

Column | Distinctly Catholic

Armed mobs: the grim apotheosis of libertarianism

May 4, 2020

Hope trails alongside: remembering Macrina Wiederkehr

by Judith Valente

May 4, 2020

Blog | NCR Today

Copy Desk Daily, May 4, 2020

by Tracy Abeln

May 4, 2020

Accountability

German Catholic Church agrees to rules for investigating abuse cases

by Catholic News Service

Apr 29, 2020

The Catholic Church has become Germany's first institution to agree to fixed and binding rules for investigating sexual abuse cases.

Louisiana priest convicted of molestation released on bond

by The Associated Press

Apr 29, 2020

A former Louisiana priest convicted of molesting an altar boy was released from jail on bond over coronavirus safety concerns.

Charlotte diocese faces 2 suits over alleged priest abuse

by Tom Foreman Jr. , The Associated Press

Apr 16, 2020

Australian cardinal links corruption to child abuse charges

by Rod McGuirk, The Associated Press

Apr 14, 2020

Pell ruling prompts mixed reaction from church leaders, victims' groups

Apr 8, 2020

After overturning of Pell's conviction, Francis prays for those suffering 'unjust sentences'

Apr 7, 2020

Politics

Distinctly Catholic

Links for 5/5/20

May 5, 2020

Michael Sean Winters rounds up news and commentary: Appealing to people's power angels; advice for the Joe Biden campaign; defend Sen. Doug Jones; what happened to Sen. Lindsey Graham?

Poll: The 'Trump bump' is over, especially among white Christians

by Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service

May 4, 2020

A new poll released April 30 from PRRI shows Trump's approval has fallen on average by 6 percentage points and is now more in keeping with 2019 levels among most demographic groups.

Armed mobs: the grim apotheosis of libertarianism

May 4, 2020

Catholic social justice leaders protest Cardinal Dolan's supportive words for Trump

May 1, 2020

Sr. Simone Campbell urges young people to live out the Gospel via political involvement

by Sarah Salvadore

May 1, 2020

Your thoughts on identity politics, LGBT treatment in the church, co-responsibility and more

by NCR Staff

May 1, 2020

Vatican

The Francis Chronicles

Francis, the comic strip

May 5, 2020

Francis, the comic strip: The Colonnade gets some additions to overlook St. Peter's Square.

The Francis Chronicles

Pope prays families find creative ways to keep the peace under quarantine

by Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

May 4, 2020

Praying for families around the world who have been restricted to their homes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis included mention of victims of domestic violence.

Pope makes promotions within the College of Cardinals

by Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

May 1, 2020

On St. Joseph feast day, pope prays for workers, employers

by Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

May 1, 2020

Pope prays for anonymous victims of coronavirus

by Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

Apr 30, 2020

Love the church, care for society, pope says at audience

by Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

Apr 29, 2020

Parish

Liturgical federation proposes temporary ban on Communion on the tongue

May 5, 2020

Days after the U.S. bishops' conference forwarded a set of suggestions for how Catholic prelates might restart the public celebration of the Mass during the coronavirus pandemic, the national organization of diocesan liturgical officials has published its own separate set of recommendations.

Catholic ministries step in as food insecurity skyrockets across US

by Sophie Vodvarka

May 5, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity as historic unemployment rates overwhelm people in need. "The demand is in places it's never been before," says one Catholic leader in California.

US bishops' guidelines for reopening Mass: groups of 10, sanitizer during Communion

May 4, 2020

Lovers of the Holy Cross help sustain church in remote area of Cambodia

'God makes a way': African American parishes respond to COVID-19 disparity

by Heidi Schlumpf

Apr 29, 2020

US bishops wrestle with whether or how to open churches

by Peter Feuerherd

Apr 27, 2020

World

As lockdowns ease, some countries report new infection peaks

by Frances D'Emilio, Pablo Gorondi, Danica Kirka, The Associated Press

May 4, 2020

While millions of people took advantage of easing coronavirus lockdowns to enjoy the outdoors, some of the world's most populous countries reported worrisome new peaks in infections May 3, including India, which saw its biggest single-day jump yet.

Nigerian bishop, rejected by former diocese, installed at new diocese

by Patrick Egwu

May 2, 2020

Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke was installed April 29 as bishop of the new Ekwulobia Diocese, after being rejected in the Ahiara Diocese during a yearslong crisis that engulfed the church in the region.

An Australian bishop speaks about a national church 'fraught with division'

May 1, 2020

Cardinal Pell's release stokes concerns about Australia's plenary council

May 1, 2020

German Catholic Church agrees to rules for investigating abuse cases

by Catholic News Service

Apr 29, 2020

Catholics work to meet needs of Latin America's poor amid pandemic

by Eduardo Campos Lima

Apr 28, 2020

Justice

Reform advocates push for early release for non-violent prisoners during pandemic

by Robert Alan Glover

May 2, 2020

Since the coronavirus pandemic has reached the nation's local jails and state prisons, with inmates testing positive in the thousands, Catholic prison ministers are arguing for early release for non-violent and vulnerable offenders.

Sr. Simone Campbell urges young people to live out the Gospel via political involvement

by Sarah Salvadore

May 1, 2020

Calling Catholics to be more engaged in politics, by showing up to town halls, discussing with neighbors and comparing candidates, Sr. Simone Campbell said that "politics is where our Gospel lives in society."

On COVID-19 and the economy, First Things gets the last things wrong

May 1, 2020

Lay Maryknoller lawyer rings alarm on detained migrants' COVID-19 risk

by Meinrad Scherer Emunds

May 1, 2020

Louisiana priest convicted of molestation released on bond

by The Associated Press

Apr 29, 2020

Federal relief leaves out DACA students

by Rhina Guidos, Catholic News Service

Apr 23, 2020

EarthBeat

Landlord LA Archdiocese of little help in neighborhood's long fight to close toxic oil wells for good

May 5, 2020

An elderly woman wears a protective face mask as she walks with shopping bags during the COVID-19 pandemic in Barcelona, Spain, April 1, 2020. (CNS photo/Nacho Doce, Reuters)

EarthBeat Weekly: Throwaway plastics strike back amid the pandemic

May 1, 2020

EarthBeat Weekly: Concerns about spreading the coronavirus has led restaurants and grocery stores to turn to disposable items over reusable alternatives.

World has 'historic' opportunity for green tech boost, says global watchdog

by Matthew Green, Reuters

May 1, 2020

Laudato Si' at five: Some progress noted as anniversary goes digital

by Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service

Apr 29, 2020

Lessons from a new teacher

by Lindy Brasher

Apr 29, 2020

If we're reimagining church, let's take it outside

by Jana Riess, Religion News Service

Apr 28, 2020

Books

Jenkins' book shows people of faith led great US progressive achievements

by Timothy Kelly

Apr 29, 2020

Review: Jack Jenkins' ultimate interest is the role that the religious left plays in electoral politics, especially at the national level. He finds much to be encouraged about on this front. He concludes that progressive faith communities will influence the political arena for a long time to come.

Ecological theology meets theological response to suffering in Edwards' book

by Marian Ronan

Apr 22, 2020

Review: Denis Edwards draws on the insights of five contemporary theologians — Niels Gregersen, Elizabeth Johnson, Celia Deane Drummond, Christopher Southgate and Richard Bauckham — to propose a contemporary theory of deep incarnation in which the cross is the "sacrament of God's redemptive suffering with creatures."

US Christian nationalism is far from Christianity, authors argue

by Dennis McDaniel

Apr 15, 2020

Schenk's biography of Mercy Sr. Theresa Kane a detailed account of visionary's path

by Mary E. Hunt

Apr 8, 2020

'Unbelievers' is an engaging historical treatment of doubt, disbelief

by Bill Tammeus

Apr 1, 2020

On Flannery O'Connor's birthday, two books to celebrate her life, work

by Dana Greene

Mar 25, 2020

People

Landlord LA Archdiocese of little help in neighborhood's long fight to close toxic oil wells for good

May 5, 2020

Grace on the Margins

New Netflix documentary shows the sacramentality of same-sex relationships

by Jamie Manson

May 5, 2020

Grace on the Margins: While another bishop fires another teacher for being in a same-sex marriage, a new documentary from Netflix shows that LGBTQ couples can be signs of holiness.

Catholic ministries step in as food insecurity skyrockets across US

by Sophie Vodvarka

May 5, 2020

Catholic colleges, strapped for cash during pandemic, struggle with reopening plans

May 4, 2020

Lovers of the Holy Cross help sustain church in remote area of Cambodia

Hope trails alongside: remembering Macrina Wiederkehr

by Judith Valente

May 4, 2020

Spirituality

Pencil Preaching

Left in suspense

May 4, 2020

Pencil Preaching for Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Benedictine Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr on a walk with the writer (Judith Valente)

Hope trails alongside: remembering Macrina Wiederkehr

by Judith Valente

May 4, 2020

There are people we encounter who transform our lives. We meet them by a grace that we neither expect nor deserve. For me, Benedictine Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, who died April 24 at age 80, was one of those people.

Good shepherds

May 3, 2020

Jesus the Gate

May 2, 2020

Digital pilgrimages allow the faithful to travel the world from their couches

by Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service

May 2, 2020

Fourth Sunday of Easter: Get caught up

by Mary M. McGlone

May 2, 2020

Theology

Blog

Your thoughts on women's roles in the church

by NCR Staff

Apr 24, 2020

Your thoughts: On April 8, Pope Francis announced he had created a new commission to study the ordaining of women as deacons in the Catholic Church. This is the second commission on the topic under Francis, however several members of this new commission seem to be opposed to women deacons.

Book Review

Ecological theology meets theological response to suffering in Edwards' book

by Marian Ronan

Apr 22, 2020

Earth Day 50 years on: It's all about the questions

by Luke Henkel

Apr 21, 2020

An Easter without Eucharist cannot keep Christ from being among us

by Xavier M. Montecel

Apr 18, 2020

Second Sunday of Easter: Honest Thomas

by Mary M. McGlone

Apr 18, 2020

Confession by Zoom? Pandemic revives conversation about reconciling from afar

Apr 17, 2020

Media

A man passes by a boarded-up restaurant in New York City April 29 with a sign suggesting it will reopen for business once it's safe in the coronavirus pandemic climate. (CNS/Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Distinctly Catholic

On COVID-19 and the economy, First Things gets the last things wrong

May 1, 2020

Distinctly Catholic: We Catholics admit there is a hierarchy of values and the protection of human life is at the top of that hierarchy, especially when the arguments opposite are principally about economics.

Distinctly Catholic

Review: Cathleen Kaveny's book 'Ethics at the Edges of Law,' Part 2

Apr 27, 2020

Distinctly Catholic: I would have trouble thinking of another contemporary scholar who is so completely versed in two distinct fields of study that a work like this can succeed as this book does succeed.

Review: Cathleen Kaveny's book 'Ethics at the Edges of Law,' Part 1

Apr 24, 2020

Links for 4/23/20