Page 1647 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

WASHINGTON – A spate of public appearances by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who until February was pastor of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ, is drawing unprecedented attention to the black church as a whole, in addition to the specific congregation where Sen. Barack Obama is a member.

Costs of papal visit to U.S. hard to pin down but total millions

WASHINGTON – Pope Benedict XVI’s recent U.S. visit has been credited with improving his image among Americans, sparking greater interest about him and spurring much-needed evangelization efforts in the country. But those benefits came with a price tag of at least $12.5 million and perhaps much more.

Sister, families paved path for inclusion

Jesus said that “the meek will inherit the earth.” Years ago, a woman I knew cynically responded, “The meek will inherit the earth when the bold are finished with it!” Her cynical comment may indeed be closer to the ‘truth’ as the way the world operates. Arrogance, power and wealth do indeed seem to run the world.

Baltimore faith community encourages others through Operation Faith Lift

A diverse group of more than 40 parishioners from St. Anthony of Padua/Most Precious Blood parishes in East Baltimore gathered April 26 to take part in Operation Faith Lift. Operation Faith Lift is an annual event sponsored by the archdiocese’s Office of African American Catholic Ministries, and is promoted as a neighborhood evangelical outreach effort where parishioners join together in door-to-door visitations.

Second collection benefits seminarians

The annual collection to benefit seminarians in the Archdiocese of Baltimore will take place May 3-4 in parishes. This is the only collection throughout the year that supports the archdiocese’s effort to form and educate men to become priests. All proceeds directly support the educational costs related to seminary formation. Each seminarian is formed pastorally, humanly, intellectually and spiritually to serve the people of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It costs some $30,000 annually to educate one seminarian. The Archdiocese of Baltimore has 27 seminarians, bringing total educational costs to close to $1 million.

Second-oldest U.S. Catholic college marks 200th with new postal card

WASHINGTON – More than 1,000 stamp collectors, alumni, faculty and students flocked to Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., April 26 to celebrate as the U.S. Postal Service issued a new 27-cent stamped postal card that pays tribute to the bicentennial of the second-oldest Catholic university in the country.

Political turnaround: Democrats are the ones talking about religion

WASHINGTON – The Rev. Jim Wallis finds it unexpected and refreshing that the majority of “God talk” in this presidential election season has been among and about Democratic candidates and that the dialogue takes a broad view of what’s important to religiously motivated voters.

75 percent of Americans surveyed read Bible passage in last year

VATICAN CITY – In a survey conducted in nine countries in anticipation of the October world Synod of Bishops on the Bible, 75 percent of U.S. residents interviewed said they read a Bible passage in the previous 12 months.

‘Cool, Man, Real Cool …’ Preaching about Jesus offers opportunity to reach youths

Several years ago, when I was Archbishop for the Military Archdiocese, I experienced an unexpected, but very memorable, encounter during a long midnight layover in Anchorage on a pastoral visit to our bases in the Far East.

Tennis pro instills confidence in Spalding team

The Archbishop Spalding High School boys’ tennis team, as successful as it is, has an interesting team makeup this season: a volleyball player, a receiver from the football team and a new coach from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Gibbons makes mark on A Conference

The Cardinal Gibbons School, home of Babe Ruth, has been turning heads this season in the MIAA A Conference baseball league.

President George W. Bush delivers remarks during the White House summit on inner-city education at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington April 24. (CNS photo/Chris Greenberg

Dr. Valenti sees benefits for proposed grant