St. Ignatius, Baltimore, will celebrate its 150th Novena of Grace beginning March 4, with the traditional nine days of prayer to the Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier. Daily novena services will be held at the 7:25 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. Masses at the historic Calvert Street church. Missionary Francis Xavier – who was born 501...Read More

It was a good 90 days in Annapolis for the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC). At the April 11 close of the 2011 legislative session, the public-policy arm of the state’s Catholic bishops got much of what it wanted.Read More

SAN DIEGO – Uganda seems to emit a siren call to visitors, prompting them to stay or to return home and become activists for the people of that war-torn nation. Katie Bradel heard the call on a visit to Uganda in March 2005, during a planned three-month trip. Today, almost two years later, she remains...Read More

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Hundreds of Taiwanese Catholics, joined by immigrant Filipino workers, flocked to venerate a relic of St. John Bosco and followed the local custom of burning firecrackers to welcome its arrival.Read More

PHILADELPHIA – Men and women across the country who are members of a little-known community that is open to people with disabilities – as well as those without – are imitating the crucified Christ by drawing on their own suffering to minister to others. “Handicapped people are not worthless,” said Maria Burke, 53, a parishioner...Read More

TOWSON – As a composer, William Watson spends months, if not years, with a piece inside his head, wondering what it would sound like with a full orchestra and chorus.Read More

WASHINGTON – In January, as many of the world’s political movers and shakers met in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, thousands of would-be societal movers and shakers met in Nairobi, Kenya, for the seventh World Social Forum.Read More

VATICAN CITY – A Vatican-Jewish dialogue commission warned of a “moral crisis” in modern secular society, and said religions need to respond with prayer, charitable action and dialogue.Read More