Past News -

Lent 2024: Stations of the Cross

Join Archbishop Gustavo for Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent: February 16 – March 22, 2024, 7:30 a.m. at San Fernando Cathedral.
Prohibition against the use of Sanctus Ranch
Unidos Construyendo El Futuro con los Migrantes
Pope adds married couples, Church movement reps to Vatican’s laity and family office

Pope Francis has added 11 new members to the Vatican office that focuses on the lay apostolate and family life, with two married couples and four figures affiliated with ecclesial movements highlighting the selections. The Vatican announced the pope’s picks to the Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life on November 25. New members include…
Catholic Relief Services calls for ‘immediate cessation of violence’ in Gaza to allow aid

An executive with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) recently called for an “immediate cessation of violence” in the Gaza Strip so that the humanitarian organization and other groups can deliver direly needed supplies to civilians in the region. Bill O’Keefe, CRS executive vice president for mission and mobilization, told “EWTN News Nightly” host Tracy Sabol that the…
Polish New Left party pushes pro-abortion bills in new coalition government

Polish lawmakers in the New Left political party introduced two bills that would liberalize the country’s abortion laws after the 2023 elections pushed the major right-wing party into the minority. One bill would legalize elective abortions up to 12 weeks after pregnancy and the other would abolish laws that criminally punish people who assist in…
Pope Francis: ‘The fullness of love’ is the ‘path of holiness’

Pope Francis recently addressed participants of the study conference “Community Dimension of Holiness,” which had gathered in Rome from Nov. 13–16 at the Augustinian Patristic Pontifical Institute to reflect on the theme of universal holiness. The Holy Father divided the notion of universal holiness into three main components: “Holiness that unites, family holiness, and martyrdom holiness.”…
Is a cloistered nun still ‘useful’ today? The life of Sister Belén de la Cruz

The Catholic Association of Propagandists hosted a conference Nov. 15 titled “What’s the use of a cloistered nun in the 21st century?” According to its statutes, the Spanish group is “a private association of lay faithful who want to respond to their vocation to holiness through the evangelization of public life and the organization of…
Oklahoma Supreme Court says superintendent can’t intervene in Catholic charter school suit

The Oklahoma Supreme Court denied a request by the state superintendent of schools to intervene in a lawsuit involving the nation’s first religious charter school, a possible setback for the school as the lawsuit potentially threatens its plans for opening next year. State Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a lawsuit last month against the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual…
Synod’s next steps? U.S. bishops look to Rome for guidance, say priests and poor need a voice

U.S. bishops are hoping for further guidance from the Vatican before they formulate concrete plans to prepare for the final stage of the Synod on Synodality next fall. At the conclusion of the synod’s first assembly that took place at the Vatican between Oct. 4–29, delegates approved a 42-page synthesis document titled “A Synodal Church in Mission”…
Pope Francis’ nuncio to USCCB assembly: ‘Eucharistic revival and synodality go together’

The U.S. Catholic Church’s two major undertakings of the past year — a national Eucharistic revival and the Synod on Synodality — aren’t separate initiatives with distinct goals, rather “they belong together by their very nature, and they shed light on one another,” Pope Francis’ ambassador to the United States said Tuesday. “Eucharistic revival and synodality go together. Or…
U.S. bishops vote to advance canonization cause of American priest Isaac Hecker

The U.S. bishops voted November 14 to advance the cause of beatification and canonization of Servant of God Isaac Thomas Hecker, a 19th-century American priest who founded the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle, today known as the Paulist Fathers. Hecker’s cause for canonization was formally opened in 2008, at which time he received…
Archbishop Gustavo statement on Fiducia Supplicans (FS)
Catholic Relief Services warns of disease, ‘long-term’ hunger amid devastating Ghana flood

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is warning of a potential humanitarian crisis in Ghana after a “devastating” flood in the southeastern part of the country. The flooding occurred last month when the Akosombo and Kpong dams were subject to a controlled spillage that “caused a devastating flood” in Lake Volta, CRS said in a press release. Daniel…
American Medical Association retains opposition to assisted suicide

The House of Delegates of the American Medical Association (AMA) has rebuffed an effort to change the organization’s current stance in opposition to physician-assisted suicide, a development that drew praise from members of the Catholic Medical Association, which advocated against the change. According to the CMA, a resolution supporting physician-assisted suicide was proposed at an AMA House of…
Vatican unveils Nativity honoring St. Francis of Assisi

The Vatican unveiled its annual Nativity scene on December 9, paying special tribute to the origins of the beloved tradition on its 800th anniversary. The scene in St. Peter’s Square depicts not only Mary and Joseph standing beside the manger but also St. Francis of Assisi, who organized the first Nativity scene in a cave…
Fifth Annual Veronica’s Journey 5K

In loving memory… The Fifth Annual Veronica’s Journey 5K took place at the Shavano Park Pavillion on September 24 to benefit the Veronica Nicole Finnie Endowment at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, which supports Veronica’s Boutique at the Guadalupe Community Center. Proceeds will also support Gabriella’s Smile Foundation – a local children’s…
Support and resources for families in need

President’s Corner Support and resources for families in need By J. Antonio Fernández, president/CEO of Catholic Charities of Archdiocese of San Antonio Whether it’s a new mother struggling to provide for her baby or a family trying to navigate the challenges that come with raising young children, Guadalupe Community Center’s Veronica’s Boutique is here to…
Mexican bishops respond to pro-abortion ruling by Supreme Court: Every life has worth

The Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM) spoke out about the recent pro-abortion ruling of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), insisting that “all human life, from conception to natural death, has worth regardless of its conditions and eventualities.” In a statement posted Sept. 7 on X, the bishops addressed the Sept. 6 ruling…
Ukrainian Catholic leader offers Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica

The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church presided over a Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday where he prayed for peace in the Ukraine war at the tomb of the first pope. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said on Sept. 10 that he wanted to express gratitude to the pope and Catholics around…
New pro-life group prepares to administer Kansas’ $2 million abortion-alternative program

A recently formed pro-life network is preparing to administer the inaugural $2 million budget of Kansas’ newly created state-backed “Alternatives to Abortion” program. The state treasurer’s office said in a press release last week that “a Kansas-based nonprofit has been selected to administer the Alternatives to Abortion program” enacted by the state Legislature earlier in the…
Statue of Korea’s patron saint permanently installed at St. Peter’s Basilica

The Vatican dedicated a new statue of the patron saint of Korea, St. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, at St. Peter’s Basilica on September 16. Born in 1821, Kim was the first native Korean priest and one of the country’s earliest martyrs. The statue of the Korean martyr was proposed by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, a Korean…
Floods in Libya reportedly kill up to 10,000; pope ‘deeply saddened,’ offers prayers

Catastrophic flooding in Libya resulted in what officials estimated was up to 10,000 deaths there in the wake of multiple dam failures amid torrential downpours. The Vatican, meanwhile, said in a telegram that Pope Francis was “deeply saddened” by the national tragedy, offering prayers to the country as it works to address the disaster and…
Michigan township can’t ban Catholic group’s Stations of the Cross, court rules

A federal appeals court panel has unanimously ruled in favor of a Catholic group that said a local government in Michigan violated federal religious freedom law when it blocked the use of the group’s 40-acre property for a Stations of the Cross trail. “Now this 40-acre rural property can be used again for religious worship…
Bishop warns about ‘hard times’ Argentina is going through

The auxiliary bishop of Santiago del Estero in Argentina, Enrique Martínez Ossola, recently spoke about the “difficult times” the country is going through, the current political situation, and the problems of drug trafficking and addiction in an interview with the local television program “Libertad de Opinión.” “Drugs kill and poison the family,” the prelate said,…
There are now 4 shrines dedicated to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians

On the eve of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a leading advocate for the persecuted Church said that awareness of religious persecution in the Western world is growing, thanks to the emergence of four new shrines dedicated to persecuted Christians in the last five years. In an email interview with CNA on Sept.…
U.S. bishops call for opening of corridor to allow aid to Armenian Christians

The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ international peace committee on Thursday called for an end to the blockade of humanitarian supplies in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, warning of a looming “catastrophe” if the conflict continues and aid workers aren’t permitted to bring supplies to those within it. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a press…
UK home secretary tells police that ‘silent prayer’ is not a crime

A senior British official has warned police officers in the country that the mere act of silently praying — a seemingly direct reference to recent pro-life demonstrations outside abortion clinics — is “not unlawful,” a declaration that comes amid an ongoing and controversial debate about that practice in the United Kingdom. U.K. Home Secretary Suella…
Why did dozens of religious sisters show up at this rural Michigan ice cream stand?

For some people, a refreshing ice cream treat on a scorching summer day is like a taste of heaven. All the more so perhaps if it’s in the company of dozens of joyful Catholic nuns. On Aug. 16, Merrill Dairy Bar — affectionately known as the Merrill Whippy Dip — in Merrill, Michigan, had the…
New film ‘Mother Teresa and Me’ aims to inspire ‘acts of kindness’

A new movie weaves together the lives of two women experiencing self-doubt, but, in the end, both women meet the challenge of their vocations despite their personal struggles. “Mother Teresa and Me” tells the story of Kavita, a young woman who finds herself with an unexpected pregnancy. Battling whether or not to get an abortion, she…
Catholic charity resumes bringing meals and hope to war-torn Tigray

A Catholic charity providing thousands of free meals daily to schoolchildren in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, recently resumed operations after a brutal civil war precluded it from its mission for almost three years. Since 2017, Mary’s Meals has worked with the Daughters of Charity in Tigray to bring food to schoolchildren there. Pre-2020 they fed an estimated 24,000…
Pope Francis thanks Cardinal Ladaria for years heading Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith

Pope Francis met with Cardinal Luis Ladaria on September 5 to thank him for his six years as head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The pope visited the dicastery shortly after 9 a.m. on Sept. 5, the Vatican said in a brief statement. Francis also greeted other officials of the dicastery…
Data shows mothers with young children leading female labor market resurgence

Mothers with young children are helping to lead a spike in female participation in the labor force, according to a new study from a D.C.-based think tank. The Hamilton Project, an economic policy initiative of the Brookings Institution, said this month that a recent analysis of labor force participation showed the “[labor participation] rate for prime-age women”…
Group behind abortion initiative sues Ohio over use of ‘unborn child’ in ballot language

A group that is leading a ballot initiative to establish abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution sued state officials this week after a board finalized ballot language that uses the term “unborn child” rather than the group’s preference to use the term “fetus.” Although the pro-abortion ballot initiative, titled Issue 1, is guaranteed to appear…
In front of the tomb of St. Óscar Romero, bishops pledge to care for migrants

At a press conference held in the crypt of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Divine Savior of the World in El Salvador, where the remains of St. Óscar Arnulfo Romero are interred, Catholic bishops pledged to “defend the dignity and rights of all human beings regardless of their origin or immigration status.” Meeting in El…
Pope Francis to publish apostolic letter on St. Thérèse of Lisieux Oct. 15

On board the plane taking him to Mongolia, Pope Francis announced Aug. 31 that he is preparing an apostolic letter on St. Thérèse of Lisieux to be published Oct. 15. The pontiff made his statement while greeting the 70 journalists who are accompanying him for a four-day visit to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, including…
Pope Francis speaks about Synod on Synodality

In his in-flight press conference returning from Mongolia on September 4, Pope Francis outlined his vision for the upcoming synodal assembly in October, which he said should be a prayerful exercise in dialogue free from ideology, not full of “political chatter” like a television talk show. Pope Francis was peppered with multiple questions about the…
UTSA honors San Antonio education and community leaders Dr. Manuel Berriozábal and María Berroszábal

The University of Texas at San Antonio honored Dr. Manuel P. Berriozábal and María Antonietta Berriozábal for their more than 40 years of leadership in creating opportunities for minorities of all backgrounds in San Antonio in a ceremony at the UTSA Downtown Campus on June 20. The Berriozábals’ work has increased students’ access to higher…
Close to 100 Spanish youths to walk almost 800 miles to World Youth Day in Lisbon

Nearly 100 young people from the parishes of St. Matthew and St. Raphael in the Guineueta neighborhood of Barcelona, Spain, will walk 1,276 kilometers (790 miles) over 40 days to reach Lisbon, the site of the 2023 World Youth Day. The Archdiocese of Barcelona said in a statement posted on its website that “the pilgrimage…
Mexican bishops demand respect for religious freedom, secular state in Nativity scene case

Given the possibility that the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) may prohibit Nativity scenes on public property, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM) issued a statement calling for the free exercise of religious liberty whether individually or collectively. In 2020, the Yucatán civil association Kanan Human Rights sought to prohibit the placement of…
Newest American archbishop receives pallium in special Mass at Vatican

Archbishop George Leo Thomas of the newly created Archdiocese of Las Vegas formally received his pallium, a vestment symbolizing his authority in the Church, from Pope Francis in a solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on June 29. Thomas, 73, received the pallium alongside 29 other new metropolitan archbishops on the solemnity of Sts. Peter…
Mother Mary Lange, founder of first African American religious congregation, declared venerable

Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood cause of Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, a Black religious sister who founded the country’s first African American religious congregation in Baltimore in 1829. The recognition of Lange’s heroic virtue and the advancement of her cause from servant of God to venerable was announced by the Vatican in a decree…
Report vindicates Cuba movement’s claim that Castro regime murdered their leader

The national coordinator of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) in Cuba, Eduardo Cardet, said that the report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on the deaths of Oswaldo Payá (who founded the MCL) and Harold Cepero is “duly documented” and supports the accusations that both “were victims of a state assassination,” as the…
Argentine archdiocese to study statue of the Sorrowful Virgin that allegedly shed tears

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe in Argentina announced that it will study the case of a statue of the Sorrowful Virgin that, according to parishioners at St. Jerome Church in the town of Coronda, shed tears. The website Aire de Santa Fe reported that the alleged event happened on the evening of June 9 after…
U.S. bishops urge Congress to make housing affordable

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging Congress to support affordable housing measures as high rates of inflation continue to cause increasing housing and rent costs for American families. Archbishop Borys Gudziak, who serves as the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, sent a letter to House…
Franciscans return to Walter Reed after contract controversy resolved

Franciscan priests will again serve as chaplains and ministers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland after their contract went unrenewed in favor of a private defense contractor, provoking an outcry from prominent Catholics. “Of course, it is a source of great joy that the Franciscans have returned to the medical center and…
Pope Francis out of surgery, recovering in hospital

The Vatican said he evening of June 7 that Pope Francis is out of surgery and that the abdominal operation he underwent “took place without complications.” The 86-year-old pope will remain in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for several days to recover after the surgery, according to the Vatican’s spokesman. In a surgery lasting three hours, Pope…
Post office in Kansas receives new name in honor of Father Emil J. Kapaun

After several years in the making, the United States Post Office in Herington, Kansas, changed its name to the Captain Emil J. Kapaun Post Office Building on May 30. This endeavor was first introduced in 2021 through a bill written by U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, who wished to honor the life of the great Kansan and American…
Two elderly pro-life activists beaten outside of Baltimore Planned Parenthood

Baltimore police are searching for a man who is accused of attacking and beating two elderly pro-life activists who were praying outside of a Baltimore Planned Parenthood abortion clinic on May 26. According to witnesses cited in the police report, the unidentified suspect attacked a 73-year-old man and an 80-year-old man after engaging in a…
Pope Francis praises Matteo Ricci for proclaiming the Gospel in China

Pope Francis dedicated his entire general audience on May 31 to sharing the life of Venerable Matteo Ricci, a 16th-century Jesuit missionary in China. The pope, who has mentioned China at every Wednesday general audience in the past three weeks, praised Ricci’s “missionary spirit” in witnessing to the Gospel in the heart of the Imperial…
Official clergy assignments for 2023

The following is a list of changes in assignments for priests in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, effective July 1, 2023, unless otherwise noted. RETIREMENT PASTORS ADMINISTRATORS PAROCHIAL VICARS SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT
Caritas Internationalis elects Alistair Dutton as its new secretary general

Six months after Pope Francis dismissed its top administrators, Caritas Internationalis’ new leadership team elected Alistair Dutton, who also serves on the board of Stop Climate Chaos and Jesuit Refugee Services, as its new secretary general Monday night. Dutton is the chief executive of Caritas Scotland, which works to build “a green and just world”…
France’s Catholic clergy to carry ID cards proving they are in good standing

Catholic clergy in France will soon carry a standardized identification card linked to a national database that shows whether they are currently in good standing and can celebrate Mass and hear confessions. “It aims to prevent impostors [false priests or deacons] from continuing to act to the detriment of the faithful and the sacraments,” the…
Spanish bishops: Abortion as a right makes the unborn child ‘a true undocumented person’

The Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE) criticized the May 9 ruling by the country’s constitutional court (TC) that upheld abortion as a right, thus, it said, making the human person developing in the womb “a true undocumented person.” The executive commission of the CEE said in a statement that it deplores that the TC affirmed “that…
What it’s like for the Church in Venezuela, a country in social and economic crisis

Luis Vildoso, project manager for the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Venezuela, shared the current situation in the country and in the Catholic Church — and how the Church is maintaining itself in the midst of the social and economic crisis. The aid worker, who recently visited 11 jurisdictions in…
Pope Francis adds Coptic Orthodox martyrs to liturgical book of saints

Pope Francis said May 11 that the Coptic Orthodox martyrs killed by ISIS in 2015 will be added to the Catholic Church’s official list of saints. He also received a relic of the martyrs’ blood as a gift.“I am glad to announce today that, with the consent of Your Holiness, these 21 martyrs will be…
Our Lady of Fatima statue to tour Newark Archdiocese throughout May

By Joe Bukuras Boston, Mass., May 1, 2023 / 12:45 pm One of the replicas of the original Our Lady of Fatima statue will be touring the Archdiocese of Newark from April 28 to May 31. It was crafted using detailed instructions from Servant of God Sister Lucia Dos Santos, one of the three Fatima seers. One…
For centuries this Catholic family has orchestrated Britain’s most Anglican royal events

By Lucien de Guise London, England, May 4, 2023 / 09:00 am The Earl Marshal of England is little known and rarely seen, but he oversees the world’s biggest spectacles. Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last year is reported to have attracted more than 4 billion viewers, making it perhaps the most-watched event in history. This was the…
Arrest made in firebombing of pro-life organization thanks to DNA found on burrito

A Wisconsin man was arrested and charged with violating federal law in connection with the May 2022 firebombing of a pro-life organization’s Madison office. The case was solved thanks to DNA evidence taken from a half-eaten burrito out of a trash can, the Department of Justice said. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, was arrested in Boston…
Archbishop Broglio offers prayers for nine soldiers who died in Blackhawk helicopter accident in Kentucky

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and archbishop for the Military Services, USA, offered prayers for the nine American soldiers who died in a tragic accident during a helicopter training exercise in Kentucky on Wednesday evening. “The tragic helicopter crash in Kentucky is a grim reminder of the risks…
Pope Francis visits pediatric oncology ward at hospital, baptizes newborn baby

While staying at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he is undergoing treatment for bronchitis, Pope Francis paid a visit Friday to the pediatric oncology ward and baptized a newborn patient. The Holy See reported that the Holy Father spent about half an hour in the ward, where he distributed “rosaries, chocolate eggs, and copies of the…
Social media apostolate brings the beauty of Rome’s historic churches to Instagram

While many people choose to give up social media for Lent, one Catholic man is uploading new videos online every day to share the stories of the early Christian martyrs and Rome’s most ancient churches. Jacob Stein is visiting a church in Rome each day of Lent this year, retracing the pilgrimage routes Catholics have…
Pope Francis to bless satellite set to launch his words into space

Pope Francis on Wednesday will bless a satellite that will launch his words into space on June 10. The “Spes Satelles,” Latin for “Satellites of Hope,” will be launched on a rocket taking off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. According to the Vatican, the miniaturized satellite will hold a copy of a…
Pope Francis, Mississippi bishop offer prayers for victims of deadly tornado

Pope Francis on Sunday offered prayers for the victims of a deadly tornado that struck parts of Mississippi and Alabama Friday night. Cutting a swath of ruin across the impoverished Mississippi Delta, the tornado killed at least 26 people and left twisted piles of debris where homes, businesses, and neighborhoods once stood. The death toll…
‘Christ is our future’: Vatican announces theme, schedule for Pope Francis’ Budapest trip

Pope Francis will travel to Budapest, Hungary, in just over a month for an April 28–30 visit to the capital of the central European country. The theme of the papal trip is “Christ is our future.” The logo is a stylized drawing of Budapest’s Chain Bridge, the oldest Hungarian bridge over the River Danube. According…
Pope Francis: The differences of others are an occasion to love better

We should treat the physical and social differences of others as a chance to love, not as an inconvenience, Pope Francis said in his Angelus address on March 19. The pope’s weekly message focused on the day’s Gospel reading, which recounts Jesus’ miraculous healing of the blind man. Pope Francis pointed out the reactions of…
Pope Francis hears confessions at Roman parish: God lifts us up when we hit ‘rock bottom’

Pope Francis hears confessions at Roman parish: God lifts us up when we hit ‘rock bottom’ Pope Francis heard confessions at a parish in Rome on March 17 and encouraged people to remember that God “holds out his hand and lifts us up whenever we realize that we are ‘hitting rock bottom.’” In the presence…
Police looking for man who vandalized Connecticut Catholic church

Police are searching for a man who burglarized and vandalized Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Gales Ferry, Conn., early March 11. The Ledyard Police Department reported that the man broke into the church, smashing windows and attempting to break into rooms using a crowbar. The police reported that the man further vandalized the church…
China’s new ‘Smart Religion’ app requires faithful to register to attend worship services

A human rights group active in China is reporting that religious believers in a populous Chinese province are now required to register on a government app in order to attend worship services. ChinaAid, a U.S.-based Christian charity, reported March 6 that the religious department of the provincial government of Henan is rolling out a system whereby all…
Notre Dame cathedral to open in December 2024

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, whose spire and roof were destroyed by an April 15, 2019, fire, is expected be rebuilt within the five-year deadline set by the French government. As confirmed by the head of the construction site, French Army Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, in an interview with the Associated Press, the faithful and tourists should have…
‘God really intervened’: How a Catholic priest escaped from his kidnappers in Haiti

Father Antoine Macaire Christian Noah, a Claretian priest from Cameroon, escaped unharmed from a crime gang that had kidnapped him in Haiti last month and has been taken to another country for his safety. On March 2, Father Fausto Cruz Rosa, major superior of the Antilles Delegation of the Claretian Missionaries, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s…
Pope names new auxiliary bishop for Diocese of El Paso

Pope Francis has announced the appointment of a new auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of El Paso, Father Anthony C. Celino. Bishop-elect Celino is the current pastor of St. Raphael Parish in East El Paso and judicial vicar for the diocese. Pope Francis announced the appointment at Roman noon on February 8. The appointment of…
Mexico priest recounts ‘amazing’ confession of accident victim he stopped to help

After getting into a bad car accident on a highway in Mexico, a young man was approached by a Catholic priest at the scene and made a surprising request: “I want to confess.” Father Salvador Nuño, a Legionary of Christ priest who serves in Monterrey, Mexico, shared the story on Facebook Jan. 27. “Today I…
Woman arrested at Fargo cathedral for smashing ‘Christ in Death’ statue

A woman was arrested after allegedly causing serious damage to a statue of Jesus at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo, North Dakota, on Monday evening, possibly while she was under the influence of drugs. “We were saddened to see the damage done to a very old statue at our cathedral, and we hope the person…
Pro-life college students to protest ‘life-ending’ abortion drugs at Walgreens, CVS

With the Biden administration’s expansion of abortion pill distribution to neighborhood pharmacies, pro-life college students and other anti-abortion advocates are organizing campaigns against CVS, Walgreens, and other companies that have announced that they will dispense the drugs. “Our purpose of having these protests is so that we can let ‘Big Pharma’ companies know that it’s…
Minnesota bishops decry bill that would make abortion a right

The Catholic bishops of Minnesota urged lawmakers to vote down a bill that would codify the right to abortion, proposing instead a slate of pro-family measures that they say will reduce demand for abortions. Minnesota’s H.F. 1, which has a companion bill in the state Senate, passed the House Jan. 19 by a narrow 69-65 vote. Abortion already…
‘I lost a dad’: Pope Francis speaks about losing Benedict XVI

In a new interview published January 25, Pope Francis said the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI meant he had lost a “good companion” and a father figure. “I lost a dad,” Pope Francis told the Associated Press, praising his predecessor — who died on Dec. 31, 2022, at the age of 95 — as a…
Killough named next UIW head football coach

SAN ANTONIO –The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) has announced thatClint Killough, a former UIW student-athlete and current associate head coach, has been promoted to the position of UIW head football coach. The announcement was made by UIW President Dr. Thomas M. Evans and Athletic Director Richard Duran on December 15 and a press-conference…
Pope Francis: Jesus is ‘the unsurpassed model of evangelization’

Pope Francis invited Christians on January 18 to pray for the grace to have a “pastoral heart” like Jesus that “suffers and takes risks” out of love for others. At his weekly public audience, the pope said that Jesus provides “the unsurpassed model of evangelization.” “Christ not only has the words of life, but he…
Pray to protect human life

9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. Source: 9 Days for Life: January 19-27, 2023 (respectlife.org)
Supreme Court hear case of postal worker who refused to work Sundays

The Supreme Court of the United States decided on January 13 to hear the case of Gerald Groff, a Christian former postal worker in rural Pennsylvania who was reprimanded and threatened with being fired for refusing to work on Sundays. Arguing that he was wrongfully targeted because of his religious convictions, Groff filed a lawsuit…
Church in Argentina celebrate 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ election to papacy

(CNA) — The executive committee of the Argentine Bishops’ Conference invited the country’s faithful to celebrate “with joy and fervor” the 10th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the successor of St. Peter. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, then archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pontiff on March 13, 2013, on the second day of…
St. Mary’s University appoints the Hon. Nelson Wolff

St. Mary’s University announced on January 6 that it has welcomed the Hon. Nelson W. Wolff (B.B.A. ’66, J.D. ’66) to lead its community in dialogue and civic engagement discussions as a University Distinguished Service Professor. Wolff will lecture in undergraduate, graduate and law classes and hold public conversations for students and community members about…
St. Mary’s University receives $5.5M in federal funding for Innovation Center

St. Mary’s University will receive more than $5.5 million in federal appropriations, secured by Congressman Joaquin Castro, who represents U.S. House District 20, to help fund the construction of the Blank Sheppard Innovation Center. This funding was signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations law, which also included more than…
Gibbons Literary Club celebrates 111 years

The Gibbons Literary Club recently celebrated its 111th anniversary at its annual Christmas luncheon at Club Giraud with a Mass celebrated by their moderator Father Dennis Arechiga, pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist Church. The inspiration for this Literary Club came as a direct result of a visit from James Cardinal Gibbons to San Antonio…
Criminal Justice Ministry appreciates current volunteers, seeks additional ones

By Deacon Adrian Cepeda Criminal Justice Ministry director The Criminal Justice Ministry in the archdiocese, with all the 2022 post-COVID challenges, managed to flourish throughout the year. This is due to dedicated volunteers from Kolbe Ministries and area parishes. As state prisons and county jails re-opened, volunteers moved into action. It has been a blessing…
Catholic Charities deploys volunteers to visit isolated seniors

Catholic Charities deployed volunteers to visit and care for isolated seniors as part of the Adopt-A-Senior program on January 7. Volunteers met and picked up food and care packages for seniors at Guadalupe Community Center before visiting seniors. Volunteers assembled care packages including food, hygiene items, cleaning products, blankets, activities, and other items as Adopt-A-Senior…
Solemn images of the closing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s coffin

By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Jan 5, 2023 / 08:14 am The Vatican on Thursday shared the first photos of the private ritual for the closing of Benedict XVI’s coffin. The casket was closed in St. Peter’s Basilica on the evening of Jan. 4 after three days of public visitation to the late pope’s body. Before…
Memorial Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at San Fernando Cathedral
Catholic Charities hosts New Year’s luncheon for migrants

Catholic Charities hosted a New Year’s luncheon for migrants at the MRC Centro de Bienvenida on January 1. Prior to the lunch a Mass was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Michael Pfeiffer of the Diocese of San Angelo in the Interfaith Prayer Room. Bishop Pfeiffer celebrated Mass on site with a message of hope and healing…
Shalom World joins with Catholic Television of San Antonio to bring more souls to Christ

Shalom World has partnered with Catholic Television of San Antonio to bring quality Christian programs to a wider audience, as this collaboration will provide additional inspirational, vibrant, and faith-based entertainment for residents of South Texas. Shalom World North America programming will air on CTSA from noon to 5 p.m. each day, except Sunday. Shalom World…
Pope Benedict XVI

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, will remember in a special way Pope Benedict XVI at the 8 a.m. Spanish and 10 a.m. English liturgies on Sunday, New Year’s Day, January 1, at San Fernando Cathedral. The Masses will be televised live on Catholic Television of San Antonio – Spectrum Channel 15 – on Facebook at @catholictvsa…
Posada celebrated and how they originated

La Gran Posada conducted by San Fernando Cathedral took place downtown on a chilly Sunday evening December 18, with Mary and Joseph preceded by a retinue to angels and shepherds comprised of religious education students from the cathedral. The crowd made its way through Market Square to Mi Terra and La Margarita restaurants, and processed…
Catholics and Jews again celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights

Catholics and Jews recently gathered together for their 21st annual special joint Hanukkah celebration that has become a unique San Antonio tradition. About 350 members of both faiths filled the tables at the San Fernando Cathedral Hall on December 15, welcomed by San Fernando’s rector, Father Carlos Velazquez, and Lauren Stanley, Board chair of the…
May peace and happiness reach us all through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A midnight Mass at San Fernando Cathedral on December 12 in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe attracted a standing room only sanctuary, with the faithful extending out into the Plaza de la Cruz as well as Main Plaza, reminiscent of the liturgy prior to the pandemic. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, was celebrant at the…
St. Mary’s University Christmas tree lighting ceremony

The St. Mary’s University Christmas tree lighting ceremony and alumni Christmas social on November 30 featured caroling around the Nativity scene and Christmas tree, 35,000 pounds of shaved-ice snow creating a children’s wonderland, and the projection of Blessed Virgin Mary and Christ Child on historic St. Louis Hall. Members of the St. Mary’s community gathered…
Veneration of relics of heroes of the Christian faith

Treasures of the Church, a ministry of evangelization directed by Father Carlos Martins, recently visited several parishes in the archdiocese. The purpose of the ministry is to give people an experience of the living God through an encounter with the relics of his saints in the form of an exposition. Each exposition began with a multi-media…
Encountering God in sacred Scripture and sacred space

The St. Mary’s University Center for Catholic Studies recently presented the Escobedo Saint John’s Bible Lecture Series, themed, “Between the Throne and the Cross: Divine Encounter and Prophetic Mediation in the Saint John’s Bible.” The event, held November 17 in the University Center, explored how and where we encounter God and in what ways does…
UIW awarded major grant to support first-generation and Hispanic students

Grant will be used to establish the ‘Somos Unidos — One Word Project’ SAN ANTONIO –The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) has announced that it has been awarded a grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for a Student Success Acceleration Program in the amount of $180,000. The grant will be used…
Building a Synodal Church — unity, communion, and fraternity: St. Thomas More Parish-COPS/Metro Assembly

More than 400 St. Thomas More parishioners and community members participated in the St. Thomas More Parish Assembly on December 4 to grow parish leadership and respond to the needs of the community. The event organized with COPS/Metro was part of a worldwide call from Pope Francis to “journey together” through a synod process. Participants…

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