Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Death penalty is ‘contrary to the Gospel,’ pope says

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The death penalty, no matter how it is carried out, “is, in itself, contrary to the Gospel,” Pope Francis said. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church at the Vatican Oct. 11, Pope Francis said the catechism’s discussion of the death penalty, […]

Eliminating differences between sexes ‘not right,’ Pope Francis says

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By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — While societies must find a way to overcome the subjugation of women, pretending there are no differences between men and women or even using technology to change a person’s sex is not the answer, Pope Francis said. Using science “to radically eliminate any difference between […]

Devotion to Padre Pio seen in thousands who came to venerate relics

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By Joyce Duriga Catholic News Service CHICAGO — When the relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina — commonly known as Padre Pio — stopped at two Chicago churches, more than 19,000 people turned out to venerate them, organizers said. The relics, which included a lock of Padre Pio’s hair, blood from his wounds, a glove […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: People leaving right after Communion

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QUESTION CORNER Q: I am surprised by the number of people who regularly leave church immediately after receiving the Eucharist. In the diary of St. Faustina, Jesus says how sad he is that people treat him as a dead object and busy themselves with other things. It is distracting and disruptive of my own personal […]

Effie Caldarola: Father Edward Flanagan’s legacy

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FOR THE JOURNEY The tall, good-looking priest had the craggy profile prompting the comment, “He had the map of Ireland written all over his face.” Father Edward Flanagan was the founder of Boys Town, an innovative village for runaway and orphaned boys near Omaha, Nebraska, a landmark that revolutionized the treatment of neglected kids. Although […]

Bishops praise administration’s expansion of exemptions on contraceptive mandate

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  By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Oct. 6 issued interim rules expanding the exemption to the contraceptive mandate for religious employers, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, who object on moral grounds to covering contraceptive and abortion-inducing drugs and devices in their employee health insurance. Leaders of […]

Sainthood cause advanced for Francisan martyrs

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By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of nine men and women, including a Franciscan priest who championed the land rights of farmers in Guatemala. During an Oct. 10 audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, the pope recognized the martyrdom […]