What is the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, and who’s their new executive director? How has a childhood miraculous cure through the intercession of St. Kateri Tekakwitha shaped the faith of a young doctor? What’s the history of World Youth Day and, even more importantly, how has it impacted the Church? OSV News covered these and more this week — find a sampling of stories picked up by client publications below, and on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
Megan Marley
Digital Editor
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‘Closing of the American heart’? Record number of US 40-year-olds never married
“More and more Americans are headed toward a kinless future, without either a spouse or children of their own,” said W. Bradford Wilcox, a sociologist at the University of Virginia and director of the National Marriage Project. “This particular statistic … is just one more manifestation of the fact that fewer adults are putting a ring on it.”
Eucharistic Congress a way for African Catholics to bridge continents, cultures
The African National Eucharistic Congress allows Africa-born Catholics in the diaspora to do something that would have been nearly impossible to do in their homelands: to meet their fellow African Catholics and learn about their cultures while growing in the Lord’s love.
Misil ruso destruye altar de Catedral de la Transfiguración en Odesa
Un ataque ruso contra una importante ciudad portuaria ucraniana ha destruido parcialmente una histórica catedral ortodoxa, considerada Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO, lo que ha provocado la indignación internacional y el compromiso de reconstruirla.
Global synod faces challenge of getting pastoral care to divorced Catholics in parishes
For divorced Catholics, the trauma of separation can often be twofold: In addition to a collapsed marriage, which stress-measuring “life change index scales” rate as second only to the death of a spouse or child, they may feel abandoned by their own church, with little more initial guidance or accompaniment than an annulment petition form.
Beirut organization cares for elderly in need
They have survived life’s multiple hardships, including Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. Now the elderly in Lebanon have been thrown into poverty amid the country’s crippling economic crisis. In response, a French-born priest founded an organization to provide hot meals, food packages, medicine and human support.
Sinéad O’Connor, iconic Irish singer and victim of child abuse, dies at 56
The July 26 death of acclaimed Irish singer and songwriter Sinéad O’Connor, who was 56, has seen an outpouring of tributes from all walks of Irish life.
Pittsburgh bishop meets with LGBTQ+ Catholics after ‘Pride Mass’ cancellation, aims to ‘pave path’ to greater welcome in church
The meetings, confirmed in a July 21 statement from the Pittsburgh Diocese to OSV News, followed the bishop’s calls to scuttle a planned June 11 liturgy for people who identify as LGBTQ+ held at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on the campus of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
Liturgy of the Hours 101
FAITH FORMATION: The Liturgy of the Hours is a repeating four-week cycle of psalms, biblical canticles, prayers and Scripture readings that has been part of the Church’s public prayer — in one form or another — almost from the beginning.
‘SABBATH’ invites us to reclaim a countercultural good
INTERVIEW: “At its core, Sabbath is countercultural. The dominant message in the culture is that if you are going to compete you need to constantly work. Sabbath invites us to work hard but also take a regular weekly rest.” — Martin Doblmeier, Journey Films
Biden administration sues Texas over anti-migrant buoys in the Rio Grande
The lawsuit argues the approximately 1,000-foot line of buoys, each 4 to 6 feet in diameter and strung together, was unlawfully installed, and raises diplomatic, humanitarian and environmental concerns.
“Haunted Mansion” (Disney)
MOVIE REVIEW: Those who enter “Haunted Mansion” (Disney) in search of laughs will likely come away from it more satisfied than those who go in seeking eerie chills. As for the film’s appropriate audience, it’s a project best suited to grown-ups, though mature teens will probably be equipped to take it on as well.