VATICAN CITY – A bishop can turn to Catholic lay movements not only when he needs an organized group to implement his pastoral plans, but also when he needs to care for his own soul, Pope Benedict XVI said. When a movement gathers its “bishop-friends” together, it helps them experience “a more intense communion of...Read More

As Catholic Relief Services’ former director for the Middle East, Christine H. Tucker saw firsthand the conflict-ridden borders of Palestine and Israel. This February, the St. Louis, Clarksville, parishioner is bringing the issue home, via Howard County television. Ms. Tucker, who serves as the Mid-Atlantic regional director for CRS, shares her knowledge of the escalating...Read More

When Debbie Collins’ wedding ceremony at Sacred Heart of Mary, Graceland Park, concludes June 23, the 26-year-old Dundalk resident plans to toast her nuptials with a sip of champagne. Though she knows that excessive alcohol consumption can be harmful to the liver, the soon-to-be bride isn’t concerned about the effects of the mouthful of sparkling...Read More

More parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore are turning to a relatively new way of encouraging parishioners to donate to their church: electronic giving. Instead of using weekly envelopes, parishioners agree to have a set amount of money transferred automatically from their checking or savings account to their parish. Some donors choose to have their...Read More

Joy Black used to shop so frequently at Talbot’s Outlet that she knew the sales staff by name. For her, the thrill of shopping was in the sheer delight of finding a great bargain. “I liked getting 75 percent off,” said Mrs. Black, 47. “Even if I didn’t need it, I’d have to buy it.”...Read More

The recent article, "Death penalty ban gains momentum" (CR, Feb. 1), states that Sen. Lisa Gladden and Del. Sandy Rosenberg, Democrats, introduced legislation which would change the death penalty to life without parole. As a pro-lifer, that is certainly something I support.Read More

VATICAN CITY – From the earliest days of Christianity, the faith was nourished and the church grew thanks to the commitment of believing married couples, Pope Benedict XVI said. Continuing what he described as a verbal “portrait gallery” of important figures in the early church, the pope focused his Feb. 7 general audience remarks on...Read More

IMMACULATA, Pa. – The Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore and three Immaculate Heart of Mary congregations have publicly pledged to fight racism, acknowledging “that the dynamics of racism influenced our beginnings and impacted the unfolding of our four histories.” “Racism led to barriers of separation among us for over a century,” they said in...Read More