Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the 18th Annual Cultural Heritage Mass. This Mass celebrates the rich history and cultural diversity among the faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

It’s a simple fact: Raising a child with disabilities can be difficult.
The real choice in accepting or rejecting a child with special needs is never between some imaginary perfection and imperfection. None of us is perfect. No child is perfect.

The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 today announced the establishment of a comprehensive committee structure in advance of the World Meeting of Families Congress and historic visit of Pope Francis in September 2015. There will be 15 committees advising on myriad planning issues including liturgical development, combatting hunger and homelessness, and visitor experience among others.

Three chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gave strong support for the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2015. The Act would forbid the federal government, and any state receiving federal funds for child welfare services, from taking adverse action against a provider that, for religious or moral reasons, declines to provide a child welfare social service.

The Syrian refugee crisis ¬–now totaling nearly 4 million refugees– has reached a “tipping point,” in which countries in the region are no longer able to handle the flow of refugees across their borders, warned U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) officials who recently traveled to the Middle East.

Saint Martin de Porres Parish, which is located in the neighborhood where Philadelphia Police Officer Robert Wilson III was fatally shot in the line of duty, will remember his life and service in prayer.

I was deeply saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Cardinal Edward M. Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York.

The shooting death of Philadelphia Police Officer Robert Wilson III is senseless and devastating. I offer my prayerful condolences to his family, his fellow officers, and all those who mourn his loss.

Lent is a time for self-examination and repentance; a time for good spiritual reading and the Sacrament of Penance. It’s also a time for renewing our sense of solidarity with fellow Christians around the world. It’s a moment to remember the witness of so many Christians who’ve died simply because they were Christian.

Archdiocesan high schools and Catholic elementary schools in the City of Philadelphia will be closed tomorrow, Friday March 6, 2015 due to the conditions resulting from today’s storm.