Richard J. Dowling, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, praised the Maryland General Assembly for passing legislation to establish a commission that will study the death penalty in Maryland.Read More

A Maryland Catholic Conference official says justice was served when a Hillendale man was convicted March 26 of murdering his unborn daughter – the first conviction in the state’s 2.5-year-old fetal homicide law.Read More

VATICAN CITY – While Pope Benedict XVI probably has not begun packing his bags for his April 15-20 trip to the United States, one big Vatican package was prepared just after Easter.Read More

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – When she was asked to choose a student to greet Pope Benedict XVI, Barbara Kavanagh, principal of Our Lady of Grace School in Howard Beach, said, “Kaitlin Karcher was the first student to pop into my head.”Read More

After serving two years as administrator of St. John the Evangelist in Frederick, Father Richard J. Murphy has been named pastor of the 4,200-family faith community. Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien made the appointment, effective immediately.Read More

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien has appointed Father Raymond D. Martin to St. John, Westminster, as associate pastor for pastoral care at Carroll Hospital Center and The Dove House Hospice in Westminster effective March 24.Read More

WASHINGTON – Pope Benedict XVI will find a spiritual nation when he visits the United States in April, according to a new national survey commissioned by the Knights of Columbus.Read More

NEW YORK – U.S. Cardinal John P. Foley, pro-grand master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, has been named the recipient of the Christopher Leadership Award by the Christophers.Read More