WASHINGTON – The emphasis on Jesus’ centrality to the Catholic faith in Pope Benedict XVI’s first book as pope is likely to permeate his papacy, panelists told a Washington audience during a book launch event for “Jesus of Nazareth” May 15. Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., and Vatican analysts George Weigel and John...Read More

WARSAW, Poland – Polish Catholics have criticized plans by authorities in the southern city of Czestochowa to impose a tax on visitors to the Jasna Gora national shrine.Read More

The Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland’s A Conference lacrosse finals took place May 13 at Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore. Under sunny skies and with a packed house, the late afternoon match-up pitted The John Carroll School in Bel Air against Severn School. Both teams upset top-ranked contenders to get into the finals, and it...Read More

Francisco “Paco” Lobo got up from a seat near Tio Pepe’s bar to walk back to his station in the Mount Vernon restaurant. The longtime maitre d’ was stopped by a customer who came through the doors just as it opened.Read More

SAO PAULO, Brazil – Pope Benedict XVI canonized Brazil’s first native-born saint, an 18th-century Franciscan friar renowned for his charity to the poor and his legacy of miraculous healings. At an outdoor Mass May 11, the pope read a decree proclaiming sainthood for Father Antonio Galvao, prompting a surge of applause among the hundreds of...Read More

ROCKVILLE – The sounds of joyful singing fill the first floor of the suburban Washington home of Irma and Celia Nissen.Read More

Catholic colleges in the archdiocese have secured an archbishop, a magazine editor, and a seminary president as commencement speakers for this year's graduation ceremonies in May. Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, will give the commencement address at Mount St. Mary's University's 199th commencement exercises May 20...Read More

With all the homicides in Baltimore, one has to question whether the media are contributors. The reporting of the Ravens/Steelers conflict and other sports coverage often includes terms of “killing” the other team, “annihilating,” “crushing.” It is a game when you boil it down, and of course spirited competition. Rooting for the home team is...Read More