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LAFAYETTE, La., November 29, 2009--Sacred Heart Apostolate, a global movement for renewing societies by centering families on the love of God incarnated in the Heart of Christ, will be hosting a family fun day and a concert for teens in Lafayette, Louisiana in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. The event, which reaches out to Catholics of all ages, will benefit the DesOrmeaux Foundation Maternity Home.read more »

VATICAN, Nov. 23, 2009-- On Saturday at 5 p.m., Pope Benedict will preside over the celebration of first Vespers at the Vatican Basilica for the beginning of Advent.

Also this month, the Holy Father's itinerary follows:

- Tuesday 8. Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. At 4 p.m. in Piazza di Spagna, veneration of the Virgin.

- Thursday 24. Solemnity of the Lord's Nativity. At 10 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica the Pope will celebrate Midnight Mass.read more »

Washington D.C., November 29, 2009--The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has created an Advent and Christmas website with suggestions for daily prayers, readings, reflection and action. A collection of Lessons and Carols is also provided for live listening or download.read more »

ANTIGONISH, Canada, November 23, 2009--Benedict XVI named Auxiliary Bishop Brian Dunn of Sault Ste-Marie in Ontario, as the new bishop of Antigonish in Nova Scotia.

Bishop Dunn succeeds Bishop Raymond Lahey, 69, who retired in September.

Brian Dunn was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1955 and ordained to the priesthood in 1980.

He has a doctorate from St. Paul University in Ottowa, and from 2005-2008 served as the Dean of Studies at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario.

In 2008, Bishop Dunn was named auxiliary bishop of Sault Ste-Marie.read more »

MANILA, Nov. 30, 2009—There is a strong demand among bishops in the provinces for President Arroyo to drop her plan to run for Pampanga’s second district in the 2010 elections.

Of the 11 bishops reached by CBCPNews, majority of them openly said Arroyo should not run for the sake of decency.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, outgoing president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said Arroyo should retire from politics and give others a chance to lead Pampanga.read more »

VATICAN, Nov. 22, 2009-- From the Vatican, Benedict XVI is joining in the celebration of the Holy Land Christians who attended the beatification ceremony of Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas today in Nazareth.

In an address before praying the midday Angelus today, the Pope noted that "Mother Ghattas" has "the merit" of having founded "a congregation formed solely of women of the region, with the purpose of religious instruction, to overcome illiteracy and improve the conditions of the women of that time in the land where Jesus himself exalted their dignity."read more »

MANILA, Dec 1, 2009—With the exception of two former presidents, all the others failed to provide excellent leadership in the country.

By his standards, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said the two leaders with ‘outstanding qualities’ were Presidents Ramon Magsaysay and Corazon Aquino.

The two, he said, made the church’s standards, especially their “humility and simple ways of life.”

“Twice upon a time, God gave us examples of what a good leader should have,” Rosales told CBCPNews at his residence in Arzobispado in Intramuros, Manila.read more »

HONG KONG, November 24, 2009--Retired bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, has published a guide for Chinese Catholics to further explain Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral letter to them in 2007.

Five hundred copies of the 22-page booklet in Chinese will be distributed to all parishes here before the Sunday of Nov. 29. The text is also expected to be available soon on the diocese's website.

The guide highlights several main points of the papal letter and provides remarks and explanations by the 77-year-old cardinal.read more »

SYDNEY, Nov. 24, 2009-- Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, is in Australia this week to speak about the importance of the Church's works of charity.

A communiqué sent Monday by the council, which is responsible for the direction of Catholic aid agencies, confirmed that the cardinal was invited by the bishops of Australia to address the plenary assembly of the episcopal conference, which is being held this week in Sydney.read more »