After three years of serving the parishioners of Church of the Crucifixion, Glen Burnie, first as associate pastor and then as pastor, Father Erik Arnold has been reassigned as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ellicott City, effective Aug. 1.Read More

Sociologists of religion Robert Putman and David Campbell recently shared with me some initial findings about Latinos and the Catholic Church from their massive study of religion in the United States still in progress. Their closing remark was: “Just as financial observers often speak of ‘leading indicators’ to gauge the state of the economy, we...Read More

A funeral Mass for Margaret Dempsey McManus, an alumna of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, was offered Oct. 19 at Our Lady of Grace in Parkton. McManus died Oct. 15 at her Monkton residence. She was 89.Read More

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has issued a set of “Ten Commandments” for drivers, saying motor vehicles can be an “occasion of sin.” A document titled “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road” said driving can unleash road rage and other immoral behavior, including excess speed, reckless passing, cursing and just plain rudeness.Read More

ARLINGTON, Va. – Mary Karen Read, a 19-year-old victim of the shootings at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, aspired to be a teacher. Now she is posthumously teaching a lesson of forgiveness in the aftermath of the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history.Read More

The Gala of Hope 2009, which benefits the educational needs of school-age children in Haiti, will be held Oct. 24 at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn, from 6:30 to 11 p.m.Read More

PHILADELPHIA – How prevalent is addiction? Can people overcome addictions through willpower alone? How important are prayer and the sacraments for overcoming addictions?Read More

ROME – U.S. President George W. Bush praised the Catholic lay Community of Sant’Egidio for being part of an “international army of compassion” that helps the poor.Read More