Pope to give Knock Shrine new status (CNA) Pope Francis will officially designate Knock Shrine in Ireland as an international Marian and Eucharistic shrine on the feast of St. Joseph next week. The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference announced March 11 that the pope will give Knock Shrine official recognition and send a video message to the shrine on the night of March 19…
Survey: One third of German Catholics may leave the Church (CNA) A third of all German Catholics are considering leaving the Church, according to a new survey published on Thursday. The representative study, unveiled March 11, was conducted by the Erfurt-based opinion research institute INSA Consulere on behalf of the Catholic weekly newspaper Die Tagespost and the Protestant news agency Idea. It confirms a previous survey’s findings that indicated similar numbers…
Vatican: General absolution still permissible during pandemic (CNS) Offering general absolution to the faithful without having them personally confess their sins first may still be done in places seeing serious or increasing levels of coronavirus infections, a Vatican official said. While “individual confession remains the ordinary way of celebrating this sacrament,” serious situations caused by the pandemic can be considered cases of “grave necessity,” which allow for other solutions, said Msgr. Krzysztof Nykiel, regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican court dealing with matters of conscience. Collective absolution, without prior individual confession, cannot be imparted except where there is an imminent danger of death or a grave necessity, according to the Code of Canon Law…
Deacon Stephen Hopkins dies, P.O.W. during Korean War (The Philadelphia Inquirer) Stephen Hopkins Sr., 89, of Philadelphia, a retired permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a proud and active veteran, and a prisoner of war during the Korean War, died Monday, Feb. 15, of sepsis at home. Mr. Hopkins was spiritual and patriotic all his life, and his Catholic faith was put to the test early when he was captured during the Korean War and spent nearly three years as a POW. It was then, his family said, that Mr. Hopkins found strength to endure by repeating the Angel of God and Hail Mary prayers…
