A New Mexico archbishop is renewing his call for Catholics to stop worshipping the skeleton folk saint known as La Santa Muerte, or "Our Lady of Holy Death," saying he fears some mistakenly believe the Grim Reaper-like figure is a Roman Catholic Church-sanctioned saint.
Through a plan called "Education Freedom Scholarships," being promoted by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, $5 billion would be offered in federal tax credits for voluntary donations to state-based scholarship programs. According to some analysts, this measure can be an opportunity for families (who otherwise couldn't afford it) to send their children to religious schools. Others view it as undermining public education.
A combination of a rapidly growing population, extreme poverty, unemployment and armed conflict push people to cross Nigeria’s porous borders in search of a better life.
Through prayer and acts of generosity, Catholics throughout the diocese of Omaha, Neb. are helping their neighbors and families deal with the historic floodwaters that have ravaged the state.