California’s rising assisted suicide rate alarms Catholics September 10, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News When California in 2021 relaxed its physician-assisted death rules — easing access to the lethal means for residents to take their own lives — several lawmakers behind the change cited a desire to aid the terminally ill, invoking a sort of legislative altruism.
With evictions growing, housing situation for many Americans seen growing more precarious September 7, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, World News With coronavirus-era eviction protections expiring across the country and rent payment waivers not far behind, the already-precarious situation of many low-income Americans is about to get worse.
‘Oppenheimer’ gives Catholics opportunity to explain injustice of nuclear weapons August 18, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Movie & Television Reviews, News, World News The recently released cinema biopic “Oppenheimer” dramatizes the progressive development, assembly, testing and detonation of the world’s first atomic bomb which then led to the dropping of two such bombs over Japan in the twilight days of World War II.
Ordinariate Solemn Mass honors Newman’s legacy at national shrine in Washington August 8, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Saints, World News Clouds of incense billowed throughout the crypt as the priests in golden vestments celebrated Solemn Mass, according to “Divine Worship: The Missal”, which provides the form of the Mass for the Catholic Church’s personal ordinariates for the Anglican tradition.
As record heat scorches the globe, climate advocates urge Catholics to take action August 5, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, World News How do thermometer-bursting digits relate to wider concerns about climate change, a warming earth, and the call to action of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si'” — and can individual Catholics make a difference?
Global synod faces challenge of getting pastoral care to divorced Catholics in parishes July 28, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, World News The forthcoming 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops — otherwise known as the Synod on Synodality, which Pope Francis convenes in Rome this October — will examine ways to accompany divorced and remarried Catholics.
Catholics in states affected by ever-shrinking Colorado River draw on ‘Laudato Si” to help avert water crisis June 20, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, World News Catholics in some of the affected states are complementing the government’s effort to prevent disaster with principles of Pope Francis’ landmark 2015 environmental encyclical “Laudato Si'” firmly in mind.
Economists, educators, Catholic leaders discuss what’s at stake in debt limit resolution for those most in need May 30, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: News, U.S. Congress, World News Details are still forthcoming and must be formalized into legislation for a Congressional vote — however, the prospect of a national default on the debts the nation has already incurred is potentially averted for the moment.
New ‘Mary, Explained’ video series helps Catholics discover, embrace Jesus’ mother as the ‘model disciple’ May 30, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Feature, News, World News “Mary, Explained”, a new, seven-part video series from the Diocese of Arlington, Va., tackles this catechetical gap, offering an engaging refresher course in who the Blessed Mother is, what the church teaches about her, and why all Catholics should be close to her.
Dioceses wake up to youth mental health crisis, helping parents, teachers and pastors take action May 29, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, News, World News, Youth Ministry According to Catholic mental health professionals and diocesan executives, young people face considerable mental health challenges — and the adults in their lives need to listen.
Experts hail U.S. surgeon general’s social media warning for youth mental health May 28, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, News, World News, Youth Ministry U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy had a warning May 23: “We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis — one that we must urgently address.”
Survey reveals majority of Americans ‘seldom’ or ‘never’ attend religious services May 24, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A new report from the Public Religion Research Institute titled “Religion and Congregations in a Time of Social and Political Upheaval” casts a shadow of doubt on the fervor of Americans, only 16 percent of whom reported to PRRI that religion is the most important thing in their lives.
