Page 1766 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

Extolling the Maryland State Court of Appeals for upholding the state’s definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, the leader of the Maryland Catholic Conference said the high court “made a significant and wise judgment to protect the vital institution of marriage.”

Rome Dominicans surprised at Dutch proposal

VATICAN CITY – The general curia of the Dominicans expressed surprise over a booklet published by its order in the Netherlands recommending that laypeople be allowed to celebrate Mass when no ordained priests are available.

Nun: time in prison showed her difficulty of life behind bars

VILLA MARIA, Pa. – Serving a prison sentence in a federal penitentiary is something that Sister Sheila Salmon will never forget. But she learned some life lessons there that she will carry with her wherever she goes. Among them: that federal prisoners are treated as things, not as people; that many people in prisons should not be there; and that “being imprisoned was a special gift from God.” Sister Sheila, a Sister of the Humility of Mary, was back at her motherhouse in western Pennsylvania recently and was interviewed by the Catholic Exponent concerning her misdemeanor sentence in Florida for protesting at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the U.S. Army School of the Americas, in Fort Benning, Ga.

MCC statement on marriage decision

On September 18, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled on Conaway v. Deane, the lawsuit by homosexual couples for the right to marry in Maryland. The law suit said that the state’s law defining marriage as between one man and one woman is unconstitutional. However, the Court of Appeals overturned the lower court’s decision (which said it was unconstitutional) and upheld traditional marriage. The following is the statement from the Maryland Catholic Conference.

Pope: Northern Ireland is an example

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy – Pope Benedict XVI pointed to the Northern Ireland peace process as an example to “other troubled zones of our world” that all conflict can be overcome peacefully. After 30 years of conflict, peace in Northern Ireland was “achieved through widespread international support, determined political resolve on the part of both the Irish and the British governments, and the readiness of individuals and communities to embrace the sublime human capacity to forgive,” he said.

Volunteer keeps blog as resource for others

WASHINGTON – “You leave your family, you leave your friends, and you know that you’re going to be gone for two years,” said Patrick Furlong. “A lot changes. When I get back, I don’t know what it’s going to be like.”

Pope praises late Vietnamese cardinal

VATICAN CITY – As church officials prepared to open the sainthood cause for Cardinal Francois Nguyen Van Thuan, Pope Benedict XVI praised the late Vietnamese cardinal as a “singular prophet of Christian hope.”

DI coaches look at Patriot prospects

According to Anthony Macri, The John Carroll School, Bel Air, boys’ assistant basketball coach, the Patriots recently played host to 25 collegiate basketball coaches and staff during the first week of what is known as the “Open Period.” Sept. 9 marked the first date in the NCAA’s recruitment calendar that Division I schools have an opportunity to get off campus to make evaluations of potential prospects.

Fitness fuels the Lions’ success

Maryvale Preparatory School, Brooklandville’s head soccer coach, Billy Reinhardt, focuses on one thing to fuel the Lions’ success and that’s fitness. “When you’re physically fit, you think clearly and play clearly, especially under pressure,” said Reinhardt, who is entering his sixth season with the outdoor soccer team. The Lions compete in the IAAM B Conference and Reinhardt contends that this year’s team can confidently go toe-to-toe with teams from the A Conference.

Baltimore priest celebrates Mass for Jets players

Before the Baltimore Ravens faced the New York Jets Sept. 16, a Baltimore City priest celebrated Mass for the visiting team.

Second year of Why Catholic? begins

As the Archdiocese of Baltimore prepares to kick off its second year of Why Catholic? Sept. 30, coordinators for the evangelization and adult faith formation program held five regional training sessions last week and the nearly 50 participating parishes will hold Prayer Commitment Sunday Masses Sept. 23.

‘White Mass’ to be celebrated Oct. 21