CDA kicks off this weekend with $10 mil goal

As the 2010 Charity and Development Appeal gets underway this weekend in the diocese, organizers are praying that Catholics realize just how crucial their contributions are to the work of the local Church.

Men’s retreat to offer a more ‘masculine’ approach to faith

There’s a stereotype that men just don’t care about religion, that it’s the realm of women and children.

St. Vincent de Paul, St. Catherine of Siena schools mark milestones

Two diocesan schools are celebrating at least half a century of providing Catholic education to working class families.

Scouts celebrate century of faith-filled service, adventures

The link between Catholic youth ministry and Scouting is almost as old as Scouting itself.

Dominican sisters work, pray to renew Catholic education

It’s 5 a.m. and across the Valley, most people are still sound asleep. Not the five Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, who live in the convent at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.

Couple travel to Gibraltar to share beauty of Natural Family Planning

Ernie and Meghan Baillargeon have been teaching Natural Family Planning to couples across the Valley for a while, but this past fall they traveled a little farther than usual.

More local news

NATION/WORLD

Bishops call charges against USCCB official false, ridiculous

WASHINGTON — Bishops who work closely with John Carr, who oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, say new claims against him and the agency are false and “totally ridiculous.”

Abstinence programs get nod from study but still set to lose funding

WASHINGTON — A new study about the effectiveness of abstinence education is good news for those who teach the topic, but it also could be too little, too late.

MEDIA/REVIEWS

BOOKS: Finding meaning by answering the bigger questions in life

What is my purpose on earth? That question, perhaps, is the quickest distillation of the impetus behind Katrina Zeno’s new book, “Discovering the Feminine Genius: Every Woman’s Journey.”

FILMS: Well over the 'Edge'

“Edge of Darkness” goes well over the edge and sinks into a dark world where violence and revenge are deemed viable solutions. In this dark world, a compelling, well-constructed story unfolds — though the dim moral message is a huge strike against it.

BOOKS: Encounters with refugees challenge faith, transform sister’s life

Most Catholics have fleeting, abstract interactions with refugees.