Pope Francis celebrates a Filipino Christmas tradition at the Vatican

casciatalbert

Vatican City, Dec 15, 2019 / 10:00 am (CNA).- On Gaudete Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated a Filipino Christmas tradition in St. Peter’s Basilica — the Simbang Gabi Christmas novena. “In the Philippines, for centuries, there has been a novena in preparation for Christmas called Simbang Gabi, 'Mass of the night'. During nine days the Filipino faithful gather at dawn in their parishes for a special Eucharistic celebration,” Pope Francis said Dec. 15. “Through this celebration we want to prepare ourselves for Christmas according to the spirit of the Word of…

Read More

Did ‘thousands’ of women die from illegal abortions before Roe v. Wade? WaPo says no

casciatalbert

Washington D.C., Dec 14, 2019 / 04:00 am (CNA).- In its 2019 roundup of the biggest lies of the year (dubbed the biggest ‘Pinocchios’), the Washington Post included a false but oft-repeated claim that “thousands” of women died while undergoing illegal abortions before the legalization of abortion in the United States. This statistic was frequently cited this year by Dr. Leana Wen, who was fired from her position as president of Planned Parenthood in July, just eight months after accepting the job. “We dug through the statistics and it turns…

Read More

Early Prenatal Anemia May Increase Risk of Autism, ADHD

casciatalbert

A new Swedish study suggests anemia early in pregnancy may increase the risk of autism, ADHD and intellectual disability in children. Anemia is a common condition in late pregnancy and researchers discovered anemia toward the end of pregnancy did not have the same correlation. The findings, published in JAMA Psychiatry, underscore the importance of early screening for iron status and nutrition counseling. An estimated 15-20% of pregnant women worldwide suffer from iron deficiency anemia — lower blood oxygen levels due to a lack of iron. By the third trimester, pregnant…

Read More

US bishops in Rome ask Pope Francis about McCarrick report

casciatalbert

Vatican City, Dec 13, 2019 / 09:56 am (CNA).- American bishops from the Midwest met with Pope Francis this week with questions about the outcome of the Vatican’s investigation of Theodore McCarrick. “I did ask about the McCarrick situation. That was something that all of us were very interested in knowing where this was going. And very glad to hear that a report is coming, and not sure when it will be, probably after the beginning of the new year,” Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing told EWTN Dec. 13. The…

Read More

Home Safety Tips for Kids with Special Needs

Emily Joswiak
Home Safety Tips for Kids with Special Needs

Homes can be dangerous for any child. Sharp objects, electrical outlets, open stoves, and physical challenges can prove to be hazardous. This risk becomes exacerbated when it involves children with special needs. Whether it’s a physical disability, such as a wheelchair, or a neurological disability, such as Autism, you should consider the risks your home poses. These home safety tips for kids with special needs will help protect your loved ones from harm. Safe-Proof Sharp/Dangerous Objects You should safe-proof all knives, sharp corners, open electrical outlets, and other dangerous items. While certain…

Read More

White House summit on family leave follows new House bill

casciatalbert

Washington D.C., Dec 12, 2019 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- The White House hosted a summit on paid leave Thursday, hours after the House passed a bill with 12 weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers,. “We’re here today to support the heroic calling of working moms and dads,” President Donald Trump said Dec. 12 at the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House. Attending the summit on paid leave and child care were members of Congress and business leaders. Trump called families the…

Read More

Young Moms May Be More Likely to Have Kids with ADHD

casciatalbert

A new study finds that young moms, particularly those under the age of 20, are more likely to have a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For the study, researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) explored the genetic relationship between female reproductive traits and key psychiatric disorders. They found that the genetic risk of ADHD in children was strongly associated with early maternal age at first birth, especially for women younger than 20. ADHD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder which affects a person’s ability to exert age-appropriate self-control.…

Read More

Pope Francis prays for Chile after plane disappears near Antarctica

casciatalbert

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2019 / 09:57 am (CNA).- Pope Francis is closely following the news of the Chilean military plane bound for Antarctica that went missing with 38 people aboard, the Vatican Secretary of State said Wednesday. The pope “prays to the Lord to give hope in this moment of uncertainty and to sustain the search work and all those who collaborate in it,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin said in a Dec. 11 telegram. The military transport plane has been missing since the evening of Dec. 9, when radio contact…

Read More

‘This is Francis:’ A Vatican photographer’s call from the pope

casciatalbert

Vatican City, Dec 10, 2019 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- Imagine that your cell phone rings, and the display says the call is from a “private number.” You expect it to be a telemarketer. But instead, when you answer, you hear a man with an Argentine accent say: “This is Francis. I received your letter.” That phone call happened to Daniel Ibanez, the CNA and EWTN News Vatican photographer, on an ordinary weekday morning in December 2018. “I effectively stayed frozen, because I was speaking with the pope,” Ibanez told CNA.…

Read More

German bishop accused of taking $140,000 from elderly woman’s account

casciatalbert

Aachen, Germany, Dec 9, 2019 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- A German bishop has been relieved of all his diocesan responsibilities after being charged by prosecutors with taking more than $140,000 from an elderly woman’s account. Bishop Johannes Bündgens "left all offices" in the Diocese of Aachen following charges by state authorities in Cologne. On Thursday, the diocese, where Bündgens has served as auxiliary bishop since his consecration in 2006, announced that prosecutors had filed charges in the district court of Kerpen on December 2. Msgr. Andreas Frick, vicar general of the diocese, released…

Read More