“Mary believed that nothing is impossible with God,” Wuerl said in his homily. “She is the supreme model of what it means to believe.”

The former disc jockey-turned-pastor founded Creation Festival in 1979 after he had a vision of “thousands of kids on a hillside,” he told RNS as the festival celebrated its 25th anniversary. It grew from attracting 5,000 people to a park in Lancaster, Pa., that first year, to annual, multi-day events in both Pennsylvania and Washington state.

12-08-2017

During his time as administrator, Pruitt has met with several oil, gas, and other corporate entities in what he refers to as meeting with “stakeholders.” But many environmental leaders do not see his relationship with these corporations as innocent meeting, they believe he is interested in gaining their approval rather than dealing with environmental issues that many of these companies cause. 

David F. Potter 12-08-2017

God of wholeness,
come and fill our hearts and minds,
and our bodies
with deep abiding love.

the Web Editors 12-08-2017

Since the U.N. mission in Congo launched in 1999, almost 300 peacekeepers have been killed, with the presence of rebel groups becoming commonplace. 

the Web Editors 12-08-2017

1. The Problem With “Silence Breakers” as TIME’s Person of the Year

I decided to search for two words on the article’s web page: “patriarchy” or “misogyny.” Zero results.

2. WATCH: Tracee Ellis Ross’ Children’s Book for Handsy Men

“It’s kinda like a children’s book … for men ... that is going to make this really simple.” Actress Tracee Ellis Ross reads her funny-but-oh-so-direct new book, The Handsy Man, on Jimmy Kimmel.

Stephen Mattson 12-08-2017

But Jesus said, if you would be perfect, go, and stop pretending racism doesn’t exist, stop supporting political leaders who lie and manipulate, stop being co-opted by political agendas, and stop slandering people who are different from you.

President Trump and the Republican National Committee, on the other hand, are supporting an accused child molester for the U.S. Senate. It is as if the Catholic bishops were promoting a child abuser for bishop.

Juliet Vedral 12-07-2017

The Darkest Hour raises uncomfortable questions about the nature of war and what justifies military action. We see the sacrifice of 4,000 British soldiers at Calais in order to rescue the 300,000 British Expeditionary Forces at Dunkirk. It is an agonizing moment, a devastating sacrifice. In May of 1940, none of those leaders and soldiers had any idea that those casualties were not a complete waste of human life, that were it not for Britain’s refusal to surrender and agree to terms with Hitler that world events could have taken an even darker turn.

the Web Editors 12-07-2017

On April 15, 2015, Slager tased and shot Scott five times in the back. A video from witness Feiden Santana surfaced, showing the fatal shooting.