Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Francis tops 40M followers on Twitter

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By Matthew Fowler Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ @Pontifex Twitter accounts reached more than 40 million followers just a few months before the fifth anniversary of when Pope Benedict XVI launched the initiative. The papal Twitter accounts, in nine different languages, have grown by over 9 million followers in the past 12 […]

Canadian canon law experts consider baptism possible for transgender people

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By Philippe Vaillancourt Catholic News Service MONTREAL — If the possibility of becoming a godfather or godmother remains mostly out of reach for a transgender person, what about receiving baptism? In this respect, there seems to be more flexibility. “Any unbaptized person may be baptized. The church has not spoken further than that, whether the […]

‘Share the journey,’ embrace migrants, refugees, pope says

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Christ calls believers to welcome migrants and refugees “with arms wide open, ready to give a sincere, affectionate, enveloping embrace,” Pope Francis said, launching the “Share the Journey” campaign of Catholic charities around the world. Christians’ embrace of people fleeing war or poverty should be “a […]

USCCB president, pope call for prayers after ‘unspeakable terror’ in Las Vegas

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By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The nation has experienced “yet another night filled with unspeakable terror,” and “we need to pray and to take care of those who are suffering,” said the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington. In Las Vegas, a gunman identified by law enforcement officials as Stephen […]

Blessed Rother ‘an authentic light’ for the world

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By Catholic News Service OKLAHOMA CITY — If the martyrdom of Blessed Stanley Francis Rother “fills us with sadness,” it also “gives us the joy of admiring the kindness, generosity and courage of a great man of faith,” Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, said Sept. 23 in Oklahoma City. The […]

Father Kenneth Doyle What are the duties of a pastor?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: Can you please explain what a pastor’s duties are and whether he has anyone overseeing him? Does he report directly to the bishop? Does the bishop ever meet or check with the pastor to see how things are going? (Syracuse, New York) A: A pastor, as the word itself signifies, is essentially […]

Effie Caldarola: The Father Martin controversy

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FOR THE JOURNEY The Theological College in Washington, the national seminary of The Catholic University of America, recently canceled a lecture by Jesuit Father James Martin. Father Martin was to speak on his popular book, “Jesus: A Pilgrimage.” But the college announced that “in the interest of avoiding distraction and controversy” about his more recent […]

Fatima as important today as 100 years ago, says bishop

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By Julie Asher Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Our Lady of Fatima’s message about prayer, conversion and peace that she imparted to three shepherd children in a field in Portugal “is as important now as it has ever been since” she appeared a century ago, a Connecticut bishop told Massgoers Sept. 23 in Washington. “We […]

Effie Caldarola: Become the body of Christ

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ON THE JOURNEY When I lived in Alaska, I was an extraordinary minister of holy Communion to the homebound. Looking back, I’m rather amazed that I volunteered for this task, which often took me on ice-clogged roads that meandered haphazardly into the snowy hillsides of Anchorage. The years have turned me into a much more […]