Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Hope, pain, prayer: Religious leaders react to Trump win

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By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Lay and religious leaders of all stripes reacted to news of Donald J. Trump’s upset win in the Nov. 8 presidential election. Most expressed hope that Trump would pay attention to their agenda, while others were more decidedly downbeat and still others counseled prayer. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of […]

Mercy Fridays give pope a year of stories, tears, hugs

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Tears, prayers, caresses — but most of all, listening — were the hallmarks of Pope Francis’ “Mercy Friday” visits during the Year of Mercy. As the jubilee began last December, Pope Francis said he would ditch the media one Friday afternoon each month and personally try […]

Pope, Lutherans begin Reformation commemoration with prayer

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service LUND, Sweden — Urging Catholics and Lutherans to take decisive steps toward unity, Pope Francis nevertheless offered no new openings to the idea of sharing Communion before full unity is achieved. “We Christians will be credible witnesses of mercy to the extent that forgiveness, renewal and reconciliation are daily […]

U.S. Catholics urged to weigh issues carefully as they vote

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  By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — In the weeks leading up to the hotly contested Nov. 8 election, many Catholic bishops have written columns, issued statements or preached homilies encouraging their people to weigh the issues carefully as they enter the voting booth. Many of the statements draw on “Faithful Citizenship” (http://tinyurl.com/je63w8h), the quadrennial […]

Papal summer residence opens to the public for the first time

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By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Francis is throwing open the doors to the papal apartment — including the bedroom where popes have slept — in the Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo. The palace was for centuries the summer residence of the Roman pontiffs, but Pope Francis has decided […]

Effie Caldarola: Need and gift matched

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FOR THE JOURNEY Not too long ago, a 15-year-old refugee from Eritrea was found walking along the side of a road in Hampton, England. Just another statistic, perhaps, representing a microcosm of an enormous problem, a worldwide conundrum encompassing millions and millions of people who have been displaced by war, famine, tyranny. It’s a refugee […]