Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Pope’s year: Pandemic, prayer, online meetings, hopes for change

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Like everyone else, Pope Francis’ 2020 was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns, livestreamed Masses, video messages and even something akin to Zoom meetings became a regular part of his life, just like for millions of people around the world. But when he walked alone into […]

Away with the manger? Vatican creche generates controversy

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Especially in a year when the COVID-19 pandemic will rule out many people’s favorite Christmas traditions, they have a right to express their dislike of the decidedly untraditional Nativity scene on display in the center of St. Peter’s Square, said a priest who specializes in catechesis […]

Frankincense’s future: Ancient gift endangered, risks depletion

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By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Gospel of Matthew never details how many Magi came from “the East,” but it makes it clear they traveled to pay homage to “the newborn king of the Jews” and “offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Beyond their great monetary value, scholars […]

Pope to celebrate early Eve due to COVID curfew

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will celebrate the Vatican’s traditional Christmas “Mass during the Night” Dec. 24, but will begin the liturgy at 7:30 p.m. local time so that the few people invited to attend can get home in time to observe Italy’s 10 p.m. curfew. The curfew is […]

‘Make space at the table’: In his new book, Pope Francis urges the valuing, welcoming of all human life

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis admits he is not an economist, but he is a pastor. And as a pastor, he has seen how the global economy has cast aside many members of his flock, and he knows that the Gospel and Catholic social teaching call for a different […]

Use of COVID-19 vaccines morally acceptable, say bishops

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By Julie Asher Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — While confusion has arisen in recent days in the media over “the moral permissibility” of using the COVID-19 vaccines just announced by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna, it is not “immoral to be vaccinated with them,” the chairmen of the U.S. bishops’ doctrine and pro-life committees said Nov. […]

The Holy Father’s life-changing ‘lockdowns’

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — While the coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions have interrupted people’s lives and brought suffering on a global scale, every individual — including the pope — has or will experience traumatic interruptions in their lives, Pope Francis said in a new book. “Illness, the failure of a marriage […]

Laura Kelly Fanucci: A Christmas without?

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FAITH AT HOME Flip back through photos and you’ll see how different Christmas will look this year. No Nativity pageant at church. No Christmas concert at school. No company parties. No visits to Santa. No family reunions. With five kids at home, I’ve been hearing a lot of wishing for last year or hoping for […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Why is the pope approving of civil unions? Should I have my hands raised in prayer?

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QUESTION CORNER Q: Why is the pope approving of civil unions for homosexuals? Isn’t this still one of the deadly sins? (Lexington, Indiana) A: First, to clarify: I have never seen homosexuality mentioned as one of the seven deadly sins. In fact, many people with a homosexual orientation are celibate. The seven deadly sins are […]