DC Think-tank Finds
Mixed Trends Regarding
American Culture, Family Life
WASHINGTON, DC, July 23, 2014-- (CWN) A new study by the Heritage Foundation finds hopeful trends in some American cultural indicators, but discouraging news on other fronts.

Franciscan University Professor
Uses CCG Book for Class
College Students Literally
Getting the Marriage Conversation Right
STEUBENVILLE, OH, July 22, 2014 -- Dr. Gregory Popcak, Franciscan University Sociology Professor, recently mentioned in a radio interview that he uses Getting the Marriage Conversation Right in his "Christianity and Society" class. He says the effect of the book on his students is profound. “I could see light bulbs go [on] over the kid’s heads and suddenly they understood that [protection of marriage] wasn’t about being mean. This is really about making sure children have a mother and a father and why that’s really important.”

Synod’s Working Document Cites
Need to Educate Faithful and Clergy
VATICAN, July 8, 2014 --The Synod of Bishops’ June 27 instrumentum laboris (working document) for the upcoming Synod on Marriage and the Family contained no doctrinal surprises, but it noted that neither the faithful nor the Church’s ministers are fully aware of the teaching of the Church.

Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
Offers Insights for Cultural Evangelists
VATICAN, July 20, 2014 -- Pope Francis reflected on the parable of wheat and the tares during his July 20 Sunday Angelus address.His catechesis offered a continuation of insights that are particularly important for those seeking to evangelize the culture for marriage and family.

Archbishop Cordileone to Priests:
Preaching About Reality of Marriage
Essential to Evangelization and Church's Future
HANCEVILLE, AL, July 11, 2014 -- Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone gave a stunning address admonishing priests to preach about marriage often. Unless the true understanding of marriage is restored, the concept of God as Father and the nuptial relationship between Christ and the Church will no longer make sense. It will make evangelization difficult if not impossible.

Blessed Peter To Rot:
Pray for the Protection of Marriage
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, July 16, 2014 -- The Papua New Guinean community in Sydney celebrated recently the feast day of Bl. Peter To Rot, himself a Papuan who was martyred during World War II for his defence of marriage.

Senate Rejects Bill To
End Employer Conscience Protections
WASHINGTON, DC, July 16, 2014  -- The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a bill that opponents warned would have stripped conscience protections for businesses, drawing a response of cautious relief.

Croatian Parliament
Gives Same-Sex Unions
Benefits of Marriage
ZABREB, CROATIA, July 16, 2014  -- Croatia’s parliament has approved legislation that would extend to same-sex unions the same legal rights as those of marriage, except the right to adopt children.

Pope Says
Economy Must Fight
'Throwaway Culture'
ROME, July 15, 2014 -- Pope Francis had lunch with participants in an international economics seminar on Saturday, saying their efforts to bring the human being to the very center of the economy avoids a “throwaway culture.”

Need to Fight Secularism
“Justice is the fruit of faith
... an evangelized culture
will be a just culture.”
                Pope Francis
LINCOLN, NE., July 15, 2014 -- Despite the recent Hobby Lobby court victory, Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Neb. stressed the need for Catholics to continue to evangelize and fight against the prevailing culture of secularism.

New Vatican
Theological Document
Explores Sensus Fidei
VATICAN, July 4, 2014 -- The International Theological Commission (ITC) has released a study on the Sensus Fidei in the Life of the Church, exploring the relationship between the sense of the faithful and the guidance of the teaching magisterium.

Show Joy of
Christian Family Life
Denver Archbishop Teaches
DENVER.CO, July 1, 2014 -- Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver has published a pastoral letter calling on Catholics to live their faith in their families and to renew the role of the family in broader culture.

'For the Sake of the Family'
Portland Archdiocese Consecrated
To Our Lady of Fatima
"This consecration is one especially for the sake of the family," said Archbishop Alexander Sample during his homily. "Marriage and family life are in a real crisis. We make this consecration to her to watch over our families and marriages. Families need Our Lady's love and protection."

Vatican Releases Outline for
October Synod on the Family
VATICAN, June 26, 2014  -- Divided into three parts, the Vatican's newly released outline that will drive discussion during the upcoming synod touches on the nature of families and current challenges they face.