Articles by Mary Farrow
Why priests can’t break the seal of confession, despite UK lawyers’ recommendation
Nov 27, 2017 / 16:50 pmLawyers in the United Kingdom have recommended that mandatory reporting laws apply to priests in the confessional, in order to curb incidents of child sexual abuse. The recommendation came during an investigation of Benedictine abbeys and their associated schools, after numerous victims came forward alleging clergy at the schools had committed acts of child sexual abuse.
Missionary says Haiti unprepared to accept thousands returning from US
Nov 22, 2017 / 07:08 amThe Trump administration announced Monday it will be ending protected legal residency for an estimated 60,000 Haitians living in the United States, giving them until July 2019 to return to their country.
Faithful from near and far gather to celebrate Fr. Solanus, friend and healer
Nov 19, 2017 / 12:31 pmUsually, when Detroit’s Ford Field is filled with people, it’s because football fans are watching the Lions play another NFL team.
Friendship and from-scratch food served up at Fr. Solanus’ soup kitchen
Nov 18, 2017 / 12:17 pmIt’s a Franciscan custom to give food - even if that’s just a simple sandwich - to anyone who comes to the door hungry.
Those close to the cause of Fr. Solanus Casey recall a humble, holy friar
Nov 17, 2017 / 17:15 pmBefore a potential saint is beatified, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
Cardinal DiNardo: Amid division, we must look to the God who unites
Nov 13, 2017 / 12:45 pmWitnessing to the Gospel is the simple but fundamental call for people of faith who live in trying times, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo said in his keynote address to the U.S. bishops on Monday.
What's the most convincing argument against porn? Science.
Nov 12, 2017 / 16:02 pmIn 2013, Beyonce Knowles topped GQ’s list of “The 100 Hottest Women of the 21st Century.”
Is the Benedict Option the only option?
Nov 12, 2017 / 03:46 amWhen Josh and Laura Martin, both converts to the faith, moved their growing family of six from the city of Dallas, Texas to the hills of Oklahoma, they didn’t necessarily know that they were participating in the “Benedict Option.”
How to evangelize like Bishop Barron
Nov 9, 2017 / 15:24 pmFacebook headquarters might be a surprising place to find a Catholic bishop giving a talk.
US bishops' new child protection program aims to create culture of mindfulness
Nov 7, 2017 / 03:04 amAfter years of research, the U.S. bishops are rolling out a new training program that takes some of the best risk-management practices from other industries and applies them to child protection in the Church.
How the Church can help victims of sexual assault
Nov 5, 2017 / 14:12 pmIt’s been a month since the New York Times first published an investigative report on Harvey Weinstein, a Hollywood film producer and studio executive who has been accused of sexually assaulting numerous women in the entertainment industry since the 1990s.
Despite reports, Pope Francis isn’t opening the door to all married priests
Nov 5, 2017 / 11:00 amPope Francis has reportedly said he will allow for debate as to whether married men could be ordained to the priesthood in the region during a 2019 Synod of Bishops focusing on the Church in the Amazon basin.
Have you heard of Saint Death? Don’t pray to her.
Nov 4, 2017 / 14:02 pmThey call her Santa Muerte (‘Holy Death’ or ‘Saint Death’), but she’s no saint.
Updated: What society can learn from the Catholic Church regarding child protection
Nov 1, 2017 / 23:02 pmOne month after an avalanche of sexual assault accusations were lobbed against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, another Hollywood scandal broke.
Memento mori - How religious orders remember death
Oct 30, 2017 / 16:00 pmThere’s an old Latin phrase that’s suddenly new again - at least in the realm of Catholic Twitter™. The resurgence of the the Latin phrase “memento mori” (remember your death) is thanks in large part to tweeting nun Sr. Teresa Aletheia, a “media nun” with the Daughters of St. Paul, who has been recording, via tweets, what it’s like to have a (plastic) skull sitting on her desk
What caused the Reformation? A Catholic explainer
Oct 30, 2017 / 15:36 pmOne fated Halloween, 500 years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle in a dramatic act of defiance against the Catholic Church.
Was the last 'witch' of Boston actually a Catholic martyr?
Oct 29, 2017 / 14:32 pmThe last person hanged for witchcraft in Boston could be considered a Catholic martyr.
Why your 'sexy nun' Halloween costume isn't funny
Oct 23, 2017 / 02:53 amIn 2015, the president of the University of Louisville issued an official apology, after a photo depicting him dressed in Mexican stereotypes for Halloween was criticized as insensitive and derogatory.
Pope invites prisoners to lunch, they break free instead
Oct 17, 2017 / 02:01 amThey were supposed to be having lunch with Pope Francis.
Bishop Vasa on California fires: 'Our diocese has been hit hard'
Oct 12, 2017 / 02:01 amWhile firefighters in northern California are currently battling 17 wildfires in five counties, Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, one of the hardest hit areas, is typing updates and messages of support from his car, in between visits to evacuation centers.