LONDON – The criminal offense of blasphemy against Christianity has been abolished in England and Wales. The House of Lords voted to support a government amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill to scrap the act, which dates back more than 300 years.Read More

PHILADELPHIA – The church’s great communications challenge today is to “keep the interest of people who have so many places to turn,” Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., told the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management.Read More

Any pastoral agent working among Spanish speakers quickly encounters a phenomenon very distinctive of Hispanic religious practice – popular religiosity. Included in this broad category would be processions, novenas, religious plays and even dance.Read More

ANNAPOLIS – Arguing that nonpublic schools in Maryland face dire increases in tuition that are forcing the closure of schools, a leader of the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) urged state lawmakers to pass a bill rewarding businesses for supporting both public and nonpublic schools.Read More

Last week I met with more than 200 of our lay people at the end of their full-day conference, “Co-Workers in the Vineyard.” These dedicated people, many of whom are employed at some level of Archdiocesan and parish administration, were called together to discuss the December 2005 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document, “Co-Workers in...Read More

It’s been difficult not to reminisce over the last few weeks for Father James D. Proffitt.Read More

WASHINGTON – The U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations has set up a Web site to mark the Year for Priests, a worldwide celebration from June 19 of this year to June 19, 2010.Read More

As Father James P. Kiesel walks into the Gold’s Gym in east Towson, the staff members call him by name and offer encouragement for his tri-weekly workout. “Looking good, Father Jim,” one of the men says as the 51-year-old pastor of St. Dominic, Hamilton, heads toward the cardio-exercise equipment. “Keep up the good work.”Read More