Press Releases

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul Unveils Banner, Hosts Events to Welcome Pope Francis

July 28th, 2015

The banner unveiling will be one of a series of events hosted by the Cathedral in celebration of the upcoming World Meeting of Families and the Papal Visit. Additional initiatives are outlined below.

John Cooke Named President of Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast High School

July 27th, 2015

The Office of Catholic Education (OCE) and Faith in the Future are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. John Cooke as President of Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast High School, effective August 10, 2015.

President of John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School Named a 2015 Brava Award Winner

July 23rd, 2015

Ms. Denise Kassekert, President of John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School, was recently selected as a Philadelphia Brava Award winner by SmartCEO Magazine. 

World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 & the Greater Philadelphia Film Office Announce the World Meeting of Families Film Festival

July 22nd, 2015

The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 and Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO) today formally announced the World Meeting of Families Film Festival, which will open Tuesday, September 22 and close on the evening of Friday, September 25, 2015, just before Pope Francis’ arrival in Philadelphia.

World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 & IBM Launch “Go Philadelphia!” App

July 22nd, 2015

As the City of Philadelphia prepares to host the 2015 World Meeting of Families and the Papal visit, the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new mobile app “Go Philadelphia!” to help hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents navigate the city during this landmark event.

Archbishop Chaput’s Weekly Column: Two Months and Counting

July 22nd, 2015

When Pope John Paul II chose Denver for World Youth Day 1993, skeptics were aghast. Colorado was an empty square in the middle of nowhere. A second-tier city with a Ku Klux Klan legacy, Denver was planted in the most “unchurched” region of the United States. It was more than 1,000 miles from any historic center of Catholic life. It had all the warning signs of a disaster.

USCCB: Subcommittee on Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe Awards $5 Million in Grants

July 20th, 2015

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee on Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe approved 177 grants totaling more than $5.2 million in aid to finance pastoral, educational, and construction projects in Central and Eastern Europe.

Statement of Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Regarding Planned Parenthood Videos

July 16th, 2015

No one should be shocked by this video. This is who Planned Parenthood is and what it does.

USCCB: Bishop Cantú Welcomes Iran Nuclear Deal, Urges Congress To Endorse Result Of Negotiations

July 14th, 2015

The “momentous agreement” reached between the United States and its partners with Iran over Iran’s nuclear program is a “significant achievement” that Congress should support, said the bishop who chairs the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Statement of Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Regarding Waldron Mercy Academy

July 13th, 2015

“Schools describing themselves as Catholic take on the responsibility of teaching and witnessing the Catholic faith in a manner true to Catholic belief. There’s nothing complicated or controversial in this. It’s a simple matter of honesty.