Articles by Adelaide Mena
The strange tale of 5,000 relics finding a home in a Pittsburgh chapel
Oct 30, 2021 / 08:47 amNestled in a sleepy neighborhood in the hills rising over Pittsburgh lies a small chapel. Inside St. Anthony’s Chapel lies a piece from the Crown of Thorns, a tooth of St. Anthony of Padua, and more than 5,000 other verified relics, or remains, of saints from around the world.
Death in the modern age – and how to prepare as a Catholic
Nov 2, 2020 / 12:03 pmDeath. It’s a subject seen as sad, morbid and fearful, something that people would rather not think about, and certainly not discuss.
Rebuilt from the ashes: The story of an American basilica
Jul 4, 2020 / 02:41 amAn immigrant parish, burnt down, with only the crucifix remaining. A parish rebuilt, transformed and a key part in giving back to the community. In a sense, one parish’s story of struggle, pressure and rebirth is metaphor for the American Catholic experience.
How 5,000 relics found a home in a Pittsburgh chapel
Apr 10, 2020 / 08:00 amNestled in a sleepy neighborhood in the hills rising over Pittsburgh lies a small chapel. Inside St. Anthony’s Chapel lies a piece from the Crown of Thorns, a tooth of St. Anthony of Padua, and more than 5,000 other verified relics, or remains, of saints from around the world.
This Sunday, where will the millions of palms come from?
Apr 13, 2019 / 15:53 pmWith the arrival of Palm Sunday, Catholics across the globe will soon be handed spiky leaves as they walk into church. Some might fold them into elaborate little crosses. Kids will poke each other with them. But it's safe to say most won't know where they came from.
A bloody secret still haunts the diamond industry
Feb 14, 2019 / 03:26 amImagine being woken up in the middle of the night by a dark figure in your room. He presses a gun to your head and demands that you get up. You and your family are dragged out of bed and led to a mining field, where you are forced to dig for hours on end.
The brutal, powerful 9/11 stories of Catholic priests
Sep 11, 2018 / 02:20 amOn the clear, sunny morning of Sept. 11, 2011, Fr. Kevin Madigan heard an explosion overhead.
How knowing your fertility can catch diseases early
Jul 1, 2018 / 15:04 pmWhen Maggie was in high school, she stayed after class to talk to ask a teacher what to do about a very personal concern she felt her physician was not taking seriously. What she learned led to the discovery of a brain tumor, and treatment for the growth which had been affecting the teen for years. The tools she needed to find and treat this growth came from an awareness of her fertility and natural cycles.
How to watch the Super Bowl with a clean conscience
Jan 30, 2018 / 00:07 amSuper Bowl Sunday. It's as American as apple pie, but in recent years, controversy has erupted over the beloved American pastime and – considering the risk it poses – whether or not the game of football is even worth it.
Meet the spiritual powerhouses of the pro-life movement
Jan 16, 2018 / 02:01 amWalk along in the March for Life or Walk for Life and you will see them: a swarm of women – many of them young – dressed in long blue habits, white veils blowing in the breeze.
One of the largest collections of Ethiopian religious texts is in DC
Dec 31, 2017 / 03:01 amWith a recent gift of more than 600 handmade leather manuscripts, the Catholic University of America is now home to one of the most important collections of Ethiopian religious manuscripts in the United States.
Saving ancient Christian cultures…one story at a time
Dec 29, 2017 / 12:12 pmAncient artifacts. Centuries-old legends. Prayers dating back to the time of Christ. An enemy seeking to destroy it all. And a team of dedicated scholars trying to save the memories before it’s too late.
The horror of Ukraine's forgotten famine still casts a shadow
Dec 22, 2017 / 12:02 pmParents forced to choose which of their children will eat dinner that day. Children watching as their parents succumb to the gruesome effects of starvation. Farmers having their crops snatched up and taken away while neighbors lie emaciated on the roads, too exhausted to move.
Why this bishop thinks memes may just be the tool for evangelization today
Dec 20, 2017 / 03:01 amBetween the Harambe memes and quick explanations of Catholic doctrine on his Twitter page, Richard Umbers, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney, says that online humor is about more than just the laughs.
Faith served straight up: how alcohol shapes cultural and religious identity
Dec 18, 2017 / 12:02 pmFrom a glass of beer at dinner to the wine transubstantiated at the Last Supper, sharing a drink has held a profoundly important place in shaping people’s lives through the ages.
Former priest to serve life for 1960 murder in Texas
Dec 13, 2017 / 17:02 pmNearly 60 years after Irene Garza disappeared after going to confession in her Texas hometown, the last person who saw her – who was a priest at the time – has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Court rejects Washington archdiocese's Advent metro ad
Dec 11, 2017 / 11:23 amA federal court has denied relief to the Archdiocese of Washington, in its request for an injunction that would have allowed it to run bus ads encouraging riders to discover the true meaning of Christmas.
'Crown Jewel' of nation's basilica blessed in DC
Dec 8, 2017 / 17:01 pmWith the blessing of its final mosaic, America’s Basilica – The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. – is finally complete after nearly a century of construction and adornment.
Pope's trip to Burma comes amid 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing'
Nov 24, 2017 / 15:42 pmWhen Pope Francis visits Burma, also known as Myanmar, this November, his visit will come at one of the most contentious periods of the country’s history.
Greek Orthodox patriarch: Christians are not strangers in Middle East
Oct 27, 2017 / 14:58 pmMiddle Eastern patriarchs reaffirmed the deep history of Christianity in the Middle East and called for its perseverance into the future at this week's In Defense of Christians summit in Washington, D.C.