Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Bishop says ‘fundamental defects’ persist in health bill

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Reaction from religious groups is strongly negative By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act contains “many of the fundamental defects” that appeared in the House-passed American Health Care Act “and even further compounds them,” said the bishop who heads the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human […]

Richard Doerflinger: A myth of neutrality

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A MORE HUMAN SOCIETY Once upon a time, we were told to allow dissent from time-honored legal and moral norms in the name of “freedom of choice.” Politicians assured us they were “personally opposed” to abortion but couldn’t impose their values on others. Assisted suicide was advocated not as a way to demean the lives […]

Vatican statistics track church health indicators

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The health of the Catholic Church can be measured in many ways, and the Vatican has a special office just for that purpose. The Central Statistics Office, which operates under the Vatican Secretariat of State, conducts a variety of studies for the Roman Curia throughout the […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Uses for cellphones in church?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: Recently a reader complained about irreverent behavior in church prior to Mass, including cellphone use. As part of your response, you stated that cellphone use is always inappropriate. Judging behavior is also ugly behavior, at least as repugnant as irreverence. I use my cellphone prior to Mass while seated in church. I […]

Pope Francis: Eucharist is reminder of God’s love

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CORPUS-CHRISTI By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service ROME — The Eucharist is a tangible reminder of God’s love, and receiving Communion is a call to work to build the body of Christ by loving others and shunning all that sows division within a community, Pope Francis said. The Eucharist should “heal our ambition to lord […]

Unable to visit African country, pope sends major donation to charities

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By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — With a trip to South Sudan postponed indefinitely, Pope Francis is sending close to a half-million dollars to help two church-run hospitals, a teacher training center and farming projects for families as a way to show the people there his solidarity and support. Because a planned […]

Pope Francis: Dispel fear of refugees by getting to know them

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WORLD REFUGEE DAY By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Getting to know someone who is a refugee can wipe away fears and dismantle distorted ideologies, Pope Francis said. Highlighting World Refugee Day, which is marked June 20, the pope asked that “concrete attention go to the women, men and children fleeing from […]

At Fatima, cardinal consecrates Lebanon, Middle East to Mary

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By Catholic News Service FATIMA, Portugal — Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai consecrated Lebanon and all the Middle East to Mary in Fatima, praying for peace and stability. Thousands of faithful from the Middle East as well as Lebanese diaspora from around the world also made the pilgrimage for the “Lebanon Day in Fatima,” which began […]

Pope Francis: Help youth see the blessings of adulthood

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DIOCESAN CONVENTION By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service ROME — Instead of “pretending to be adolescents,” parents must help young people see the blessing of growing into adulthood, Pope Francis told priests, religious, catechists and parish council members from the Diocese of Rome. The belief that youthfulness is a model of success “is one […]