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A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Today, the Church celebrates Saint Conrad of Piacenza. Conrad was born into a noble family in northern Italy. Conrad was born into a noble family in northern Italy. He married the daughter of a nobleman, Euphrosyne. One day, while he was hunting, Conrad ordered his attendants to make a fire. The wind carried the flames, which set fire to nearby fields, forests, towns and villages. Upon seeing this, Conrad ran away in fear. Because he ran, an innocent man was convicted for spreading the fire and was condemned to death as punishment. Upon hearing of this, Conrad stepped forth to accept the blame, saving the innocent man's life. He paid for the damaged property and he and his wife gave everything they owned to the poor in recompense. Conrad then left to join a group of Franciscan hermits, and his wife joined the Poor Clares. Word eventually spread of Conrad's holiness, piety and gift of healing. When many visitors began to destroy his life of silence and solitude, he moved to Sicily where he lived and prayed as a hermit for 36 years. Legends say that when the Bishop of Syracuse visited him, the bishop asked Conrad if he had any food to offer guests. Conrad went to his cell and returned with newly made cakes, which the bishop accepted as a miracle. Conrad visited the bishop later to make a general confession to him. As he arrived, Conrad was surrounded by fluttering birds. Conrad died kneeling before a crucifix. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-conrad-of-piacenza-152

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The balcony floor of a Catholic church in the Philippines collapsed during Ash Wednesday Mass on February 14, leaving one woman dead and dozens injured. According to the Public Information Office (PIO) of the city of San José del Monte in the Philippine province of Bulacan, around 7 am local time the balcony of Saint Peter the Apostle Church collapsed, creating fear and chaos among the faithful attending the Mass on the first day of Lent. According to the PIO, witnesses heard a loud noise and then screams from the people who fell from the balcony and from some who were on the first floor, all participating in the Mass. According to the Philippine newspaper PhilStar, 52 people were injured and immediately taken to different local hospitals. So far, an 80-year-old woman died in the collapse. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256849/church-floor-in-philippines-collapses-on-ash-wednesday-killing-1-and-injuring-dozens The Vatican Press Office reported February 15 that Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán as bishop of the Diocese of David in Panama, two weeks after his yet-to-be-explained disappearance, and named Father Luis Enrique Saldaña Guerra as his successor. The appointment occurs a few days before Lacunza turns 80 on February 24, the day on which he will cease to be an elector in a possible conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor should he die or resign. On the morning of February 1, the Catholic Church in Panama reported that Lacunza had been missing since January 30. On February 4, the cardinal apologized for what had happened, although he did not explain what transpired. It is still not known precisely what happened to Lacunza or why the Catholic Church and civil authorities remain silent about it. Nor is it known what the cardinal's “prank” may have been, as he himself described what took place. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256848/pope-francis-accepts-resignation-of-panamanian-cardinal-who-went-missing The theme for the fourth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated on July 28, has been chosen by Pope Francis. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256843/world-day-for-grandparents-and-the-elderly-highlights-loneliness-throwaway-culture Bishop Peter Muhich of the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota, announced Wednesday he will be moving soon into hospice care amid treatment for esophogeal and lymphatic cancer. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256850/rapid-city-bishop-says-he-will-move-to-hospice-amid-cancer-fight Following a shooting in downtown Kansas City yesterday afternoon during a packed Super Bowl victory rally, nearly two dozen people were injured. The lone fatality was Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a local radio DJ and a parishioner at Sacred Heart-Guadalupe Parish in Kansas City. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256847/catholic-mother-killed-in-shooting-at-kansas-city-chiefs-victory-parade Today, the Church celebrates Saint Onesimus, a slave to Philemon, an influential man who had been converted by Saint Paul. Onesimus offended Philemon and fled in order to escape any sort of retribution. He then met Saint Paul while Paul was in a Roman prison. Shortly after, Onesimus was baptized and later was martyred. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-onesimus-149

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The unveiling process for the newly rebuilt spire of Paris' legendary Notre Dame Cathedral began this week, with the process expected to be completed in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics in July. The cathedral has been closed ever since a devastating fire April 15, 2019, saw the spire crash through the centuries-old timber roof. Deconstruction of the scaffolding surrounding the spire — which reaches 330 feet in height — will take several months. The spire's new cross was mounted on December 6, 2023, and on December 16 a golden rooster — a symbol of France — was blessed and added, replacing one that was destroyed in the fire. The spire was not original to the 800-year-old structure, having been added during a 19th-century renovation. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256836/notre-dame-cathedral-spire-to-be-unveiled-nearly-five-years-after-devastating-fire Nearly three dozen Christians have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war last October, a Christian aid group in the region said this week. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256828/nearly-3-dozen-christians-have-died-in-gaza-strip-amid-israel-hamas-war-aid-group-says Pope Francis will become the first pope to visit the prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition when he travels to the “city of canals” this spring. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256826/pope-francis-to-visit-prestigious-venice-biennale-art-exhibition A local police investigation into the vandalization of a Blessed Virgin Mary statue outside a Catholic charitable group's headquarters in Nebraska is currently listed as “inactive” after police were unable to identify the perpetrator, even though one of the building's security cameras caught the vandal on video. Katie Patrick, executive director of Catholic Social Services, told CNA that this was the first time an incident such as this had occurred on their campus. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256834/police-drop-investigation-into-vandalization-of-nebraska-blessed-mother-statue Today, the Church celebrates Saint Claude de la Colombière, the 17th century French Jesuit who authenticated and wrote about Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque's visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-claude-de-la-colombiere-148

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - After serving as a museum for more than 79 years, the Turkish government is proceeding with plans to make the Church of the Holy Savior in Istanbul a mosque. Mirroring the 2020 reversion of the Hagia Sophia, prayers and Islamic rites will be performed once again in the ancient church, according to Fides, the information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies. The Church of the Holy Savior, also known as Chora Church, is recognized as one of the most important Byzantine gems in the world and is adorned with many unique icons and frescoes. The museum-to-mosque conversion project began in 2020, with plans to implement it by October of that year. Restoration work delayed the project. Sitting in the northeast of Istanbul's historic center near Adrianople Byzantine Gate, the Church of the Holy Savior was built in the 12th century and restored in the early 14th century. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256813/another-byzantine-era-church-in-turkey-to-revert-to-mosque Major expansions are coming to the Benedictine-run Belmont Abbey College after the North Carolina school quickly hit its fundraising goal of $100 million two years ahead of schedule. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256821/major-expansions-coming-to-belmont-abbey-college-after-fundraising-feat Men and women who are married and who attend church regularly are among the happiest couples, according to data compiled by a prominent sociological professor. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256819/married-churchgoing-couples-among-the-happiest-data-says A religious freedom advocate from Hong Kong is warning that proposed legislation could further restrict religious liberty and lead to the persecution of the Catholic Church and other Christians. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256822/hong-kong-activist-proposed-law-could-worsen-religious-liberty-persecute-catholics Today, the Church celebrates Saints Cyril and Methodius, who are called the “Apostles of the Slavs” for their tireless work in spreading the Gospel throughout Eastern Europe in the ninth century. Such was their influence in Church history, through their evangelization efforts, that the late Pope John Paul II named the two brothers the patron saints of Europe along with fifth century monastic leader Saint Benedict. Cyril and Methodius' missionary work among the Slavs laid the essential foundation for the later Christianization of Ukraine and Russia in 988, when the Russian Prince Vladimir accepted Baptism. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-cyril-and-methodius-147 Today is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256786/how-to-honor-valentines-day-on-ash-wednesday

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Two missionary priests who were abducted from a parish rectory in Nigeria earlier this month have been released and admitted to the hospital for examination. Father Kenneth Kanwa and Father Jude Nwachukwu were taken from the rectory at St. Vincent de Paul Fier Parish in the Diocese of Pankshin in Plateau state on February 1. The two are members of the Congregation of Missionaries Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (CMF), also known as the Claretians. Nigeria has been battling a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs, whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping for ransom, and in some cases, killing. Insurgency by Boko Haram, a group that allegedly aims to turn Africa's most populous nation into an Islamic nation, has been a major challenge in the country since 2009. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256801/two-missionary-priests-who-were-kidnapped-in-nigeria-released Pope Francis met with Argentine President Javier Milei in a highly anticipated private audience on Monday morning, showcasing a possible improvement to their relationship after the South American politician voiced sharp criticisms of the pontiff last year. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256802/meeting-between-pope-francis-and-argentine-president-signals-possible-turn-in-relationship The Catholic prayer app Hallow aired its first-ever commercial during Super Bowl LVIII, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs win their second consecutive championship on February 11. Immediately following the airing of the ad, Hallow saw the biggest spike in downloads in its history, according to Alex Jones, CEO of Hallow. The 30-second ad was shown in 15 markets across the country. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256811/after-super-bowl-ad-catholic-prayer-app-hallow-sees-biggest-spike-in-its-history A Nobel-prize winning biochemist and researcher who helped develop the mRNA technology used to create the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines — Katalin Karikó — is one of the newest members of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life. Pope Francis announced the appointment of Karikó, who lectures at the University of Szeged in Hungary, in a news release on February 10. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256810/pope-names-biochemist-who-contributed-to-covid-vaccine-to-pontifical-academy-for-life Today, the Church celebrates Saint Catherine de Ricci. The Ricci are an ancient family in Tuscany. Catherine was born at Florence in 1522, and called at her baptism Alexandrina, but she took the name of Catherine at her religious profession. One of the miracles that was documented for her canonization was her appearance many hundreds of miles away from where she was physically located. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-catherine-de-ricci-146

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - A foundation dedicated to spreading devotion to Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, better known as Padre Pio, opened a chapel in rural Kansas this weekend that will permanently host a first-class relic of the saint. The plan is to inaugurate five chapels dedicated to the saint, each with a first-class relic, across the United States in the four cardinal directions so that they form the shape of a cross on a map, with the Kansas chapel forming the cross' center. The inaugural chapel, located inside Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Beloit, Kansas, opened February 11 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina. The plans for the four other chapels are still in the works. Padre Pio, born Francesco Forgione in 1887 in Italy, became a Franciscan priest around the turn of the 20th century. He took the new name Pio, a modernized Italian form of “Pius,” in honor of Saint Pius V. He is perhaps best known for receiving the stigmata — Christ's wounds present in his own flesh. He is remembered for his patient suffering in the face of pain and health issues, his fervent prayer, and compassionate spiritual guidance. He was declared a saint in 2002 after dying in 1968. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256782/chapel-housing-first-class-padre-pio-relic-to-open-in-kansas The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) published a document to explain its concerns about the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval and deregulation of a chemical abortion pill, which is the subject of an ongoing US Supreme Court case. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256793/chemical-abortion-pill-us-bishops-issue-guide-laying-out-dangers-and-concerns Catholic bishops in Nigeria's Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province (IEP) are alarmed by the recurrent and “pervasive” security challenges in the West African nation, which they compare to a battlefield characterized with hostility and killing. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256791/nigeria-fast-becoming-a-hostile-killing-field-say-catholic-bishops-in-ibadan-province Katalin Novák resigned as president of Hungary on Saturday amid protests over her decision to pardon a man last year who had been convicted of hiding a string of child sexual abuses in a state-run children's home. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256798/katalin-novak-resigns-as-president-of-hungary Today, the Church celebrates Saint Julian the Hospitaller, or "the Poor Man," who came from a wealthy, noble family in the early 4th century and is a popular saint in Western Europe. According to a legend, while Julian was a baby, he was cursed to one-day kill his own parents, which he did. He swore to devote the remainder of his life to good works. He and his wife then undertook a pilgrimage to a distant country where he established a hospital. The hospital was near a river that was frequently crossed by people prompted to travel by the Holy Crusades. People frequently drowned crossing this river so Julian took responsibility of ferrying travelers across and tending to the sick. Julian is considered the patron of ferrymen, innkeepers and circus performers. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-julian-the-hospitaller-145

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - In a February 7 ruling, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador decriminalized euthanasia in response to the lawsuit filed by Paola Roldán, a woman who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable degenerative disease. According to a pro-life leader, “this is a very hard blow against the human dignity and constitutional rights of Ecuadorians.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256777/ecuador-s-constitutional-court-decriminalizes-euthanasia The Catholic prayer app Hallow announced that its first-ever Super Bowl commercial will air during the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, February 11. He shared that the 30-second commercial is “just a simple invitation to pray together.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256778/catholic-prayer-app-hallow-to-air-commercial-during-super-bowl-lviii A religious community of 14 Discalced Carmelite nuns has moved from a busy street in Buffalo, New York, where their order has lived for more than a century, to the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida, in pursuit of “silence and solitude.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256779/carmelite-nuns-move-from-buffalo-to-florida-in-pursuit-of-silence-and-solitude Health and mental health ministers in three Canadian territories and five provinces were successful in getting Canada's government to indefinitely pause implementing medical assistance in dying (MAID). But the pause does not mean a permanent halt to the plan. Implementing the expansion of euthanasia for the mentally ill had been scheduled for March 17. However, Canada's health minister, Mark Holland, stated that there are not enough psychiatrists willing to sign off on requests by mentally ill people who seek MAID. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256763/euthanasia-for-canada-s-mentally-ill-still-on-the-table-despite-pause-on-implementation Today, the Church celebrates Saint Apollonia of Alexandria, a holy virgin who suffered martyrdom in Alexandria during a local uprising against the Christians in the early 3rd century. She is popularly invoked for toothaches because of the torments she had to endure. She is represented in art with pincers holding a tooth. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-apollonia-of-alexandria-142

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The House Foreign Affairs Committee has advanced a resolution to increase sanctions and pressure on the Nigerian government over the rampant persecution of Christians and other minorities in the country. Sponsored by Representative Chris Smith, the resolution would call on the Biden administration to designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern” (CPC), a designation that comes with additional sanctions. The resolution would also urge the administration to appoint a special US envoy to Nigeria to monitor and report on incidents of persecution. For years now Nigeria has been recognized by religious rights groups as one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian. Smith and other proponents of the bill, including Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF), maintain that adding Nigeria to the State Department's CPC blacklist would be an effective means to pressure the Nigerian government to address the persecution. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256765/house-advances-resolution-to-increase-sanctions-on-nigeria-over-persecution-of-christians Record rainfall in Southern California led to flooding and landslides this week, particularly in the Los Angeles area, where the local branch of Catholic Charities is soliciting donations to help with relief efforts. Alexandria Arnold, a spokeswoman for Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, told CNA that the geographic area they serve — which includes the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara — is facing flooding and mudslides expected to be some of the “largest and most significant in our counties' history.” She encouraged people of goodwill to donate to the Disaster Relief Fund of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles online. After years of serious drought, California endured an extremely wet 2023 that saw “atmospheric rivers” bring drenching rains and mudslides to parts of the state. After four straight days of heavy rain ended on Wednesday, some parts of the LA metro area had received more than a foot of rain. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256764/catholic-charities-seeks-donations-to-offer-help-amid-california-flooding-mudslides The bishops of Virginia condemned a bill advancing in the state Legislature that could legalize assisted suicide, warning that it “makes the most vulnerable even more vulnerable” and puts them at risk of “deadly harm.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256762/virginia-bishops-warn-of-deadly-harm-in-new-assisted-suicide-bill Today, the Church celebrates Saint Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. Josephine Bakhita was born in 1869, in a small village in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was kidnapped while working in the fields with her family and subsequently sold into slavery. She bore her suffering valiantly though she did not yet know Christ or the redemptive nature of suffering. When she was bought and freed in Italy, Josephine remained there and decided to enter Canossians in 1893. She made her profession in 1896 and was sent to Northern Italy, where she dedicated her life to assisting her community and teaching others to love God. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-josephine-bakhita-680

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - A religious missionary order in Nigeria is appealing for the safe release of two of its members who were abducted from a parish rectory on February 1. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256746/two-religious-priests-kidnapped-in-nigeria-order-appeals-for-their-safe-release Freedom of religion is “deteriorating” in Hong Kong, and the United States — along with other democracies — should use its influence to promote religious liberty in the region, a new report on communist Chinese persecution in the city said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256745/freedom-of-religion-is-deteriorating-in-hong-kong-new-report-says A group of 90 Catholic priests, scholars, and authors are asking bishops and cardinals to reject a Vatican declaration that approved the pastoral, nonliturgical blessings of same-sex couples and to refuse to implement it within their dioceses. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256752/90-catholic-priests-scholars-ask-church-leaders-to-oppose-same-sex-blessings The US Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter to Senate leaders Tuesday in which they expressed “serious concerns” about the Senate's new bipartisan border deal, urging them to reject portions of the bill that the bishops said would “restrict access to asylum” and further endanger migrants, especially women and children. “As shepherds committed to defending the sanctity of human life and upholding the God-given dignity of all, we implore you to reject those changes,” the letter said. After months of secret negotiations, the details of the border deal were finally released Sunday evening. Since being made public, the bill has been lambasted by progressives for being too restrictive and by conservatives for being too lax. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256749/senate-border-deal-criticized-by-bishops-other-catholics-from-all-directions Today, the Church celebrates Saint Richard. Richard was orphaned at a young age and eventually elected as bishop, and lived an ascetic lifestyle. Richard was the father of Saints Willibald, Winnebald, and Walburga. He was on a pilgrimage to Rome from his native Wessex, England, with his two sons when he was stricken and died at Lucca, Italy. Miracles were reported at his tomb and he became greatly venerated by the citizens of Lucca, who embellished accounts of his life by calling him "King of the English.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-richard-140

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster offered prayers for King Charles III after Buckingham Palace announced Monday that the king would step away from some public duties amid treatment for cancer. “I am saddened to learn that King Charles is now facing a time of treatment for cancer. On behalf of the entire Catholic Community in England and Wales, I offer His Majesty our warmest wishes and assurance of steadfast prayers for his full and speedy recovery. God bless the King,” Nichols, who heads the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said. King Charles, 75, underwent treatment recently for an enlarged prostate, and an unspecified cancer was discovered during that treatment, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. The king remains “wholly positive about his treatment,” which has already begun, the statement said. The statement did not say what kind of cancer or at what stage it is. King Charles ascended to the throne in 2022 following the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, and was crowned last spring. The English monarch is supreme governor of the Church of England, which broke away from the Catholic Church in 1534 under King Henry VIII. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256742/english-cardinal-offers-prayers-for-king-charles-iii-after-cancer-diagnosis Cardinal José Luis Lacunza, the bishop of the Diocese of David in Panama, apologized February 4 at the end of the Sunday Mass at Saint Joseph Cathedral in David after having been missing for two days but found safe and sound earlier in the week. Without offering details of what happened during the time he was reported missing, the cardinal commented: “It was a stupid prank.” “I thank you for all the love and all the prayers on my behalf. A thousand pardons and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your concern,” the cardinal concluded. Lacunza, originally from Pamplona, Spain, disappeared on January 30 and was found safe and sound on February 1. The Diocese of David reported his disappearance to the police and an investigation was launched by the prosecutor's office. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256736/panama-s-cardinal-lacunza-apologizes-for-his-disappearance-it-was-a-stupid-prank Today, the Church celebrates a group of 26 Christians — three native Jesuits, six foreign Franciscans, and several lay Catholics, including some children — who were crucified in 1597 in Nagasaki after first being death-marched for 600 miles. All 26 Christians reportedly held out courageously, even singing the hymn of praise “Te Deum” when they arrived at the hill where they would be crucified. The group is widely known collectively as the 26 Martyrs of Japan — also as Saint Paul Miki and Companions, named after a Japanese leader of the group who was training for the Jesuit priesthood and who publicly forgave his persecutors. The example of the 26 martyrs helped to inspire Christians in Japan to carry on, with many churches and seminaries continuing to be developed. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-paul-miki-and-companions-139

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - In a letter addressed to “my Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel” and released Saturday, Pope Francis lamented the “terrible increase in attacks against Jews around the world” that has taken place since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war last October. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256734/in-letter-to-jewish-brothers-and-sisters-pope-francis-laments-terrible-increase-in-attacks-against-jews The bishop of Lourdes, France, says that he has received a “pile of letters” from Catholics all over the world as he considers whether to remove the shrine's mosaics by alleged abuser Father Marko Rupnik. Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes told CNA that he hopes to make a decision by this spring. The bishop formed a special commission last year to determine the future of the Rupnik mosaics. “This occupies my mind, my prayer, and my heart every day, especially when I meet victims of abuse,” Micas said. In an interview at the bishop's residence in Lourdes, Micas acknowledged that, for him, this is a “very, very difficult decision to make.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256720/lourdes-bishop-says-he-s-received-a-pile-of-letters-regarding-rupnik-mosaics The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) released a note on Saturday on discerning the validity of the sacraments. The new document signed by Pope Francis and DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández is titled “Gestis Verbisque,” or “Deeds and Words.” Fernández wrote in his introduction to the text that the note on the sacraments was written “to help bishops in their task as promoters and custodians of the liturgical life of the particular Churches entrusted to them.” The 11-page text published only in Italian on February 3 reiterates that for all sacraments in the Catholic Church, the “observance of both matter and form has always been required for the validity of the celebration.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256732/vatican-doctrine-office-releases-note-on-the-validity-of-the-sacraments Today, the Church celebrates Saint Agatha. Although we have evidece that Agatha was venerated at least as far back as the sixth century, the only facts we have about her are that she was born in Sicily and died there a martyr. Because she was asked for help during the eruption of Mount Etna she is considered a protector against the outbreak of fire. She is also considered the patroness of bellmakers for an unknown reason -- though some speculate it may have something to do with the fact that bells were used as fire alarms. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-agatha-138

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Panamanian Episcopal Conference (CEP) announced that Cardinal José Luis Lacunza was found safe and sound today after being missing since January 30. The Archdiocese of Panama had called for prayers and expressed its concern over Lacunza's disappearance. The cardinal is a prominent figure in the Catholic Church in Panama. Ordained a priest in 1969 in Pamplona, Spain, for the Order of the Augustinian Recollects, he was named auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Panama in 1985, and Saint John Paul II subsequently appointed him bishop of Chitré on October 29, 1994. On August 28, 1999, he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of David, where he currently serves. In 2015, Pope Francis made him the first cardinal of the Catholic Church in Panama and of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256714/cardinal-lacunza-found-alive-in-panama https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256712/panama-cardinal-jose-luis-lacunza-missing-since-tuesday Several of France's Catholic leaders have expressed solidarity with the country's agricultural workers amid historic protests that have seen farmers block major roadways near Paris with their tractors to protest environmental regulations, taxes, and competition from cheap imports. Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of the Diocese of Tarbes-et-Lourdes, which is a largely rural diocese that includes the world-famous Marian shrine of Lourdes, said he wants to “express all my support to the farmers of the diocese.” He encouraged all the diocese's parishes and religious communities to pray for those involved in the protest. Falling food prices, high taxes, increased foreign competition, demographic factors, environmental regulations, and unforeseen circumstances such as recent adverse weather conditions have tightened pressures on the country's shrinking agricultural workforce. catholicnewsagency.com/news/256711/french-bishops-express-solidarity-with-striking-farmers Today, the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord. This feast commemorates Jesus' first appearance in the Temple more than Mary's purification. The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus' birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas. At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemass. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/presentation-of-the-lord-427

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The sole victim of Sunday's attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul was a Muslim man who regularly attended Mass, according to his relatives. Tuncer Murat Cihan, a 52-year-old Turkish man, was killed when two gunmen opened fire in Santa Maria Church in Istanbul's Sariyer district during Mass on January 28. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256691/victim-of-istanbul-attack-was-a-muslim-who-often-went-to-catholic-mass The Vatican announced on Wednesday the appointment of Father Peter Wu Yishun as the bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Shaowu (Minbei), the third appointment of a bishop in China in just a week. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256700/holy-see-appoints-third-chinese-bishop-in-less-than-a-week-signaling-shift-toward-beijing Half a dozen pro-life activists on Tuesday were found guilty of violating a federal law, the FACE Act, that forbids protesters from blocking the entrances to abortion clinics. The federal FACE Act prohibits “violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services.” It was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. The defendants had been charged with a blockade that occurred at the Carafem Health Center Clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, in 2021. The defendants will be sentenced on July 2. They “each face up to a maximum of 10 and a half years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $260,000,” the Department of Justice said. At least one of the defendants plans to appeal. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256692/six-pro-life-activists-convicted-of-federal-face-act-charges-face-over-a-decade-in-prison The US Supreme Court announced Monday that oral arguments in a high-stakes abortion pill case will be heard on March 26. The decision in the case could determine whether the abortion pill mifepristone can be prescribed by telemedicine or sent through the mail. The Biden administration is challenging a federal court ruling that found that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) did not follow proper testing and safety protocols when it approved the abortion drug in 2000. Over the years, other restrictions on the drug have been removed. In 2016, the FDA determined that the drug can be used when a woman is pregnant with a child at 70 days gestation. Before 2016, the gestational limit was seven weeks. The FDA also decided in 2016 that non-physicians could prescribe the pill. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256689/us-supreme-court-to-hear-major-abortion-pill-case-in-march Today, the Church celebrates Saint Brigid of Kildare, a monastic foundress who is – together with Saint Patrick and Saint Columcille – one of Ireland's three patron saints. Saint Brigid directly influenced several other future saints of Ireland, and her many religious communities helped to secure the country's conversion from paganism to the Catholic faith. Under Brigid's leadership, the abbey she founded at Kildare played a major role in the successful Christianization of Ireland. The abbess' influence was felt in the subsequent era of the Irish Church, a time when the country became known for its many monasteries and their intellectual achievements. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-brigid-of-ireland-134

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - A retired Catholic priest with the Diocese of Orlando and his sister were among the four people killed in Sunday afternoon shootings in Palm Bay, Florida, according to a diocesan statement. Father Robert Hoeffner, who celebrated his 50th year in the priesthood last year, was allegedly killed by a 24-year-old man named Brandon Kapas on Sunday, January 28. In addition to Hoeffner and his sister, Sally, the suspected shooter also allegedly killed his grandfather, William Kapas, and one other person whose name has not yet been released. The shooting of Hoeffner and his sister took place at a different location than the shooting of Kapas' grandfather and the person who has not yet been identified. The motive for the shootings is still unclear. Police shot and killed the alleged gunman on Sunday after he shot at police and injured two officers, according to Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello, who addressed the incidents in a news conference. Both officers “are going to survive,” Augello said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256676/orlando-catholic-priest-among-four-killed-in-palm-bay-shooting Pope Francis confirmed that he will meet with the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, who will be attending the canonization of Blessed María Antonia of Saint Joseph — also known as Mama Antula — the first Argentine female saint, to be held Febuary 11 in Rome. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256678/argentine-president-javier-milei-pope-francis-to-meet The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on Monday revived a 2019 lawsuit brought by a number of abortion providers in the state that challenges, on discrimination grounds, a longtime state law barring public funding for most abortions. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256686/pennsylvania-supreme-court-opens-the-door-to-public-funding-for-abortion Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Nigeria shared details of the worsening persecution of Christians in Nigeria, accusing members of the government there of being complicit in what he called a Christian “genocide” and an erasure of the Christian presence from the country. Anagbe, who leads the Makurdi Diocese, warned that if greater action is not taken he believes the Christian population, which currently numbers over 86 million, roughly half of the total Nigerian populace, could disappear entirely in the next few decades. Though the Nigerian Christian population is massive and is known as having some of the most devoted faithful in the world, Anagbe said the Christian presence in Nigeria is “gradually and systematically” being reduced by radical Islamists through “killings, kidnappings, torture, and burning of churches.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256683/is-the-persecution-in-nigeria-a-christian-genocide-this-bishop-says-yes Today, the church celebrates Saint John Bosco (or “Don Bosco”), a 19th century Italian priest who reached out to young people to remedy their lack of education, opportunities, and faith. John Bosco was born in August of 1815 into a family of peasant farmers in Castelnuovo d'Asti – a place which would one day be renamed in the saint's honor as “Castelnuovo Don Bosco.” In 1841, John Bosco was ordained a priest. In the city of Turin, he began ministering to boys and young men who lived on the streets, many of whom were without work or education. The priest was determined to save as many young people as he could from a life of degradation. He established a group known as the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales, and became a kindly spiritual father to boys in need. The Salesians were helping 130,000 children in 250 houses by the end of Don Bosco's life. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-bosco-133

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Francis has created a “new” diocese in mainland China — a decision that tacitly recognizes diocesan borders drawn by Beijing. The pope has suppressed the former Apostolic Prefecture of Yiduxian, which had been a vacant see since 2008, and replaced it with the Diocese of Weifang, which takes its name from the prefecture-level city of more than 9 million people in China's central Shandong province. The Holy See Press Office said that Pope Francis established the diocese on April 20, 2023, “in the desire to promote the pastoral care of the Lord's flock and to attend more effectively to its spiritual good.” Diocesan borders have been an area of dispute between the Vatican and China in the decades since the Chinese Communist Party came to power and started to redraw diocesan lines. The Catholic Church has 147 ecclesiastical jurisdictions in China with 20 archdioceses, 97 dioceses, 28 apostolic prefectures, and two ecclesiastical administrations. However, the Chinese Communist Party government has claimed that only 104 dioceses exist in mainland China and has redrawn borders in a way that combines dioceses. The Vatican signed a provisional agreement with Beijing in 2018 on the appointment of bishops, which is up for renewal in October. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256669/pope-francis-creates-new-diocese-in-china-accepting-borders-drawn-by-beijing Pope Francis suggested that the opposition to the Vatican's approval of nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples mostly comes from “small ideological groups” with the exception of Africa, which he said is “a special case.” Regarding the bishops in Africa, who have expressed some of the strongest criticisms of such blessings, the pontiff said they are “a special case” because “for them, homosexuality is something ‘ugly' from a cultural point of view; they do not tolerate it.” The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith , led by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, published a declaration on December 18, 2023, titled Fiducia Supplicans, which prompted the backlash. The declaration permits “spontaneous” pastoral blessings for “same-sex couples” and other couples in “irregular situations” but does not allow liturgical blessings, recognition of civil unions, or any actions that would make the blessings appear like a marriage. Francis said that he trusts that “gradually, everyone will be reassured about the spirit of the declaration,” which he said “aims to include; not divide.” He added that the declaration “invites us to welcome and then entrust people, and to trust in God.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256671/pope-francis-small-ideological-groups-oppose-same-sex-blessings-africa-a-special-case Today, the church celebrates Saint Hyacintha of Mariscotti. Born of a noble family near Viterbo (Italy,) Hyacintha entered a local convent of sisters and lived comfortably until a spiritual director advised her to live more humbly. After hearing this, Hyacintha then disposed of her fine clothes and special foods. She eventually became very penitential in food and clothing, and was ready to do the most humble work in the convent. She developed a special devotion to the sufferings of Christ and by her penances became an inspiration to the sisters in her convent. The people loved her so much that her veil had to be replaced multiple times due to people clipping off pieces of it to keep for themselves. She was canonized in 1807. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-hyacintha-of-mariscotti-132

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul during Sunday Mass that left one man dead. Two suspects described as members of the Islamic State group have been arrested following the shooting on January 28 at Santa Maria Church in Istanbul's Sariyer district. Turkish Minister of the Interior Ali Yerlikaya announced late on Sunday night that police had conducted raids on 30 locations across Istanbul following the attack during which the arrests were made. The Turkish bishops' conference has asked for prayers for the victim and his family in a statement released on January 28. The Turkish bishops also urged people “not to spread the culture of hatred and religious discrimination.” Earlier this month, Turkish news outlet Anadolu Agency reported that 25 suspected Islamic State members were arrested in Turkey on January 3 under accusation that they were plotting attacks on churches and synagogues. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256667/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-attack-on-catholic-church-in-istanbul Six pro-life activists are on trial in Nashville, Tennessee, facing federal charges related to a 2021 blockade of a nearby abortion clinic. The blockade, documented in a March 5, 2021, video posted on Facebook, showed a large group of pro-life activists ranging from elderly to young children walking into an abortion clinic and blocking access to the door by sitting in front of it. The video shows pro-life activists singing Christian hymns and praying. Police can be seen demanding they leave the Carafem Health Center Clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, and while some do, others refuse. The federal government announced in October 2022 that it had charged 11 of the individuals under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256657/six-pro-lifers-face-face-act-charges-in-tennessee-could-see-11-years-in-jail Today, the church celebrates Saint Gildas the Wise. Gildas was probably born around 517 in the North of England or Wales. He is regarded as being one of the most influential figures of the early English Church. The influence of his writing was felt until well into the middle ages, particularly in the Celtic Church. He is also important to us today as the first British writer whose works have survived fairly intact. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-gildas-the-wise-131

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Religiously unaffiliated people, often referred to as “nones,” now make up the largest religious category in the US, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center. Pew's new report, released January 24, shows that nones now account for 28% of the total U.S. population, outstripping the next largest group, Catholics, who make up 20%. The recent data is consistent with a long-term trend of Americans rejecting religious affiliation in growing numbers, with the percentage nearly doubling from 16% in 2007. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256646/nones-now-largest-religious-category-in-us-new-report-says The six Haitian religious sisters who were abducted on the morning of January 19 in Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince were released Thursday morning. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256636/abducted-haitian-nuns-released-amid-ongoing-gang-violence Father Simon-Peter Engurait has been chosen as diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana following the unexpected death last week of Bishop Mario Dorsonville. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256647/ugandan-priest-named-diocesan-administrator-of-louisiana-diocese-following-death-of-bishop Father Thaddeus Wang Yuesheng was consecrated bishop of Zhengzhou, China, on Thursday, bringing an end to a 70-year-long vacancy. The Holy See Press Office announced on Thursday morning that Wang was appointed by Pope Francis as the bishop of Zhengzhou on December 16, 2023. The report noted that the decision took place “in the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256641/pope-appoints-new-bishop-in-china-bringing-a-70-year-vacancy-to-an-end Pope Francis signed a decree on January 24 allowing for the canonization of Canadian sister Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis, founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family. Born Virginie Alodie on May 12, 1840, in L'Acadie, Quebec, the future foundress was the only daughter in a family of six children. At the age of 14, she entered the Marianite convent in Saint-Laurent, Montreal, the female branch of the Congregation of Holy Cross. She spent several years teaching in and around Montreal. In 1862 she was sent to Saint Vincent de Paul's orphanage in New York for eight years. In 1870, Paradis moved to the community of the Holy Cross Sisters in Indiana. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256638/canadian-religious-sister-mother-marie-leonie-paradis-cleared-for-canonization Today, the Church celebrates Saints Timothy and Titus, close companions of the Apostle Paul and bishops of the Catholic Church in its earliest days. Both men received letters from Saint Paul, which are included in the New Testament. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-timothy-and-titus-128

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Residents of Massachusetts and New York are being urged by pro-life leaders and Catholic bishops to raise their voices against upcoming legislation that would legalize assisted suicide. In New York, the “Medical Aid in Dying Act” would allow a terminally ill patient to request medication that would put an end to their life. The New York State Catholic Conference, which opposed the bill the past two legislative sessions, put out a call to action following the start of the 2024 legislative session on January 3. New Yorkers can write to their state legislators through the New York State Catholic Conference web page. The Massachusetts “End of Life Options Act” says that “a terminally ill patient may voluntarily make an oral request for medical aid in dying and a prescription for medication” if the patient is a “mentally capable adult,” a resident of Massachusetts, and has been determined by a physician to be terminally ill. Massachusetts Citizens for Life (MCFL) in an email Wednesday urged supporters to voice their opinions against the bill by submitting testimony to state representatives and senators. The bishops of Massachusetts, who have opposed the bill since it was first introduced in 2021, again raised their voices against the legislation ahead of the hearing last year. A statement put out by the conference called the bills “deeply troubling” and added that “the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts stand united in our strong opposition to physician assisted suicide.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256631/catholics-in-massachusetts-and-new-york-urged-to-oppose-assisted-suicide-bills The US Supreme Court announced Monday that it will review the case of an Oklahoma man on death row who may have been wrongfully convicted, a decision the Oklahoma City archbishop says could help further respect for “the dignity of life” for all people. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256628/oklahoma-archbishop-supreme-court-review-of-execution-could-further-cause-of-abolition The leader of the US bishops' domestic justice committee this week praised a pending congressional plan for an enhanced child tax credit for taxpayers, calling it “exactly the sort of policy” on which lawmakers should be focused. The federal child tax credit allows parents and guardians to claim their dependent children on their tax forms, granting a tax break of up to $2,000. Up to $1,600 of that credit may be “refundable,” meaning taxpayers can receive cash payments for the credit. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256625/bishops-praise-bipartisan-deal-on-enhanced-child-tax-credit-proposal Today, the Church celebrates the Conversion of Saint Paul. Paul was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin who persecuted Christians until his miraculous conversion, when God chose him to be one of the principal instruments of God in the conversion of the world. The feast commemorating his conversion is mentioned in several calendars and missals of the eighth and ninth centuries. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/conversion-of-st-paul-127

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - In the Diocese of Honolulu, Hawaii, the local phase concluded Sunday for the cause of canonization of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, a companion of Saint Damien of Molokai and layman who lived among and served those suffering with leprosy. Evidence from the local phase, which included 2,000 pages of investigation, will now be sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome for review. During a Mass on Sunday in celebration of the next phase toward Dutton's potential canonization, Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva said that Dutton “exiled himself” to the remote part of Molokai island where lepers were forcibly segregated “so that he could do penance for his own wayward life.” Dutton, a Civil War veteran for the Union from Wisconsin, was married after the war but pursued a divorce after his wife was unfaithful and left him after one year. After he stopped drinking, he began studying Catholicism and officially became Catholic in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1883 when he turned 40. Dutton went to the remote part of the island with those suffering from leprosy, now known as Hansen's disease, “so that he could change course completely from thinking about himself and his own needs to unselfish service of others in extreme need.” He became an expert in caring for the sick and continued his work after Damien died in 1889 from leprosy. Dutton himself inherited responsibility of an orphanage for boys and young men in 1895 and served there for the following 35 years. He died in 1931 at the age of 87 at Saint Francis Hospital in Honolulu. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256612/servant-of-god-joseph-dutton-s-cause-for-canonization-sent-to-vatican An international group of bishops is calling for “universal, verifiable nuclear disarmament” on the third anniversary of a key global nuclear disarmament treaty. The bishops of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Seattle as well as those of the Japanese Archdiocese of Nagasaki and the Diocese of Hiroshima issued the letter on Monday on the third anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons going into effect. That treaty, adopted by the United Nations in 2017 and entered into force in January 2021, includes “a comprehensive set of prohibitions on participating in any nuclear weapon activities,” including directives “not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use, or threaten to use nuclear weapons.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256611/bishops-call-for-universal-nuclear-disarmament-on-anniversary-of-treaty The Catholic Polytechnic University (CPU) in Los Angeles announced that it will welcome its first inaugural class of students in fall 2024 after receiving its license from California at the end of 2023. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256617/a-founder-with-a-vision-tech-based-catholic-university-in-los-angeles-to-open-this-fall Today, the Church celebrates Saint Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers and Christian unity whose role as a priest and bishop helped bring thousands of Protestants back to the Catholic Church. In the late 16th and early 17th century, Saint Frances de Sales conducted spiritual direction both in person and in written correspondence. This inspired his famous work “Introduction to the Devout Life.” During his ministry in Switzerland, he wrote and distributed religious tracts that made inroads among Protestants and helped between 40,000 and 70,000 return to the Catholic faith. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-francis-de-sales-126

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The pro-life organization Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA) said in a press conference ahead of the March for Life that a main feature of its 2024 political plan to serve moms and save babies will be to focus on the work of pro-life pregnancy centers and maternity homes. The first type of state legislation SBA is promoting is financial support for mothers spanning from the beginning of their pregnancy to after the child's birth. The group is also pushing for bills that offer “more child care solutions.” SBA supports expanding access to child care by promoting a tax credit for businesses that begin offering daycare services for employees. SBA is also supporting policies related to adoption services “for establishing a package of services and support for birth moms, and for establishing protections from online scams that target birth mothers and hopeful adoptive parents.” Fourth, the organization will promote “safe haven baby box legislation” along with funding to make the public aware of baby boxes. A baby box is a system in which a mother can leave her newborn baby in a box, typically found in a hospital or fire house, if for some reason she cannot take care of the child. Lastly, SBA will be promoting legislation that funds pro-life pregnancy centers and will advocate expanding tax credits for individuals and businesses that donate to the institutions. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256604/leading-pro-life-organization-lays-out-political-strategy-for-2024 British politician Lord David Alton of Liverpool has called on the UK government to urgently address persecution in Nigeria, starting with last year's Christmas attacks that left more than 200 Christians in Nigeria's Plateau state dead. Alton, who serves on Westminster's Joint Committee on Human Rights, demanded urgent action to identify and bring to trial the perpetrators of the attacks that started on December 23, 2023, and continuing through Christmas, as well as other extremist atrocities in the West African country. The Catholic politician demanded that the 2022 Pentecost Sunday church massacre that left more than 50 Christians dead in Nigeria's Ondo state also be looked into. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256606/british-catholic-politician-demands-justice-for-christians-killed-in-nigeria-at-christmas Today, the Church celebrates Saint Ildephonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, who died 23 January, 667. Ildephonsus had a strong devotion to the Blessd Mother, and it is said that one day he was praying before the relics of Saint Leocadia, when the martyr arose from her tomb and thanked the saint for the devotion he showed towards the Mother of God. It was also related that on another occasion the Blessed Virgin appeared to him in person and presented him with a priestly vestment, to reward him for his zeal in honoring her. The literary work of Ildephonsus is more widely known than the details of his life, and merits for him a distinguished place in the role of Spanish writers. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-ildephonsus-125

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Bishop Mario Dorsonville of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in southeastern Louisiana, whose ecclesial career spanned nearly four decades, died unexpectedly on Friday evening after serving as bishop of the diocese for less than a year. He was 63. He was born on Oct. 30, 1960, in Bogotá, Colombia, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1985. Dorsonville was a tireless advocate for migrants and immigration reform. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256595/bishop-of-houma-thibodaux-in-louisiana-dies-unexpectedly-at-63 Pope Francis announced the start of a Year of Prayer on Sunday in preparation for the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee Year. In his Angelus address, the pope said that a Year of Prayer starting on January 21 will be “a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one's personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256598/pope-francis-announces-year-of-prayer-to-prepare-for-2025-jubilee Pope Francis called for the release of six religious sisters who have been kidnapped in Haiti in his Angelus address on Sunday. Armed gunmen took the religious sisters hostage in Port-au-Prince on Friday during a bus hijacking, according to Vatican News. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256599/pope-francis-calls-for-release-of-6-religious-sisters-taken-hostage-in-haiti Today, the Church celebrates Saint Vincent, a Deacon of Saragossa, and a martyr under Diocletian in 304. This most renowned martyr of Spain is represented in the dalmatic of a deacon, and has as emblems a cross, a raven, a grate, or a fire-pile. He is honored as patron in Valencia, Saragossa and Portugal. Very little can be confirmed about his life. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-vincent-124 Today is also the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, which the Church in the US celebrates each year on January 22. The USCCB includes information about this day on its website, saying that the day is to be observed as “a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256582/its-not-too-late-to-join-this-pro-life-novena

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Today, Friday the nineteenth, is the March for Life in Washington DC. With tens of thousands of pro-life Americans will be gathering to demonstrate against abortion and for the sanctity of life. EWTN will be providing live coverage of the event, featuring expert guests and in-depth analysis. For more information about how to watch or participate in the March, visit Catholic News Agency dot com. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256561/how-to-watch-the-march-for-life-ewtn-s-complete-coverage-schedule About two-thirds of Americans support some level of government restrictions on abortion, according to a recent poll released by the Knights of Columbus. The poll, which the Knights conducted with Marist Institute for Public Opinion at Marist College, found that 66% of Americans believe that “limits should be placed on when abortion is allowed” and only 33% believe that “abortion should be allowed without any limits” when given the two options. Respondents who labeled themselves pro-life were more likely to support limits on abortion, with 91% choosing that answer. Among respondents who said they were pro-choice, 48% still believed there should be some limits on abortion. About 84% of Republicans supported some limits on abortion, as did 49% of Democrats and 66% of independents. Since the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, more than 20 states have imposed abortion restrictions, which includes more than a dozen states prohibiting abortion in almost all circumstances. Several other states, meanwhile, have moved to expand access to abortion in the wake of Roe's repeal. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256572/knights-of-columbus-poll-two-thirds-of-americans-support-some-abortion-restrictions After nearly 20 years without a cathedral, the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, announced on Wednesday that the Holy See approved one of its parishes to become a new cathedral site. Bishop Donald Hying selected a local parish, Saint Bernard, to be the future cathedral parish of the Diocese of Madison. An arson fire destroyed the diocese's cathedral, Saint Raphael Cathedral Parish, in March 2005. Saint Raphael was designated a cathedral when Madison was made a diocese in 1946, with the cornerstone of the parish having been laid in 1854. Since the arson, local parishes have taken turns hosting important events. With Saint Bernard's as the newly established cathedral, the diocese will be able to host priestly ordinations, the annual chrism Mass, and other events. Saint Bernard Church is currently being renovated before its elevation to cathedral status. The diocese expects the remodeled cathedral parish to be ready by late summer or early fall of 2025. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256569/vatican-approves-new-cathedral-for-diocese-of-madison Today, the Church celebrates Saint Canutus, King of Denmark, who succeeded his elder brother Harold on the throne of Denmark in the year 1080. Amid the glory of his victories he humbly prostrated himself at the foot of the crucifix, laying there his diadem, and offering himself and his kingdom to the King of kings. The justice of Saint Canutus as sovereign was well known. His charity and tenderness towards his subjects made him study all possible ways to make them a happy people. During a rebellion in his kingdom, the king was surprised at church by the rebels. He confessed his sins and received Holy Communion. Stretching out his arms before the altar, he was struck down on his knees by the enemies of his Christian reign. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-canutus-king-of-denmark-121

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Seventeen-year-old high school senior Susan Lutzke may have successfully saved her childhood Catholic elementary school from closing after raising more than $400,000 to address the institution's financial difficulties. The principals of Saint Bede School in Ingleside, Illinois, announced on December 13, 2023, that if the money wasn't raised by January 26, the school could face closure. Loving her experience at Saint Bede, Lutzke immediately sprung into action. The crowdfunding campaign almost instantly began generating funds, with almost 900 donations ranging from $10 to $50,000. In an updated statement on the GoFundMe, Susan Lutzke wrote on Sunday: “We're thrilled to announce that we have officially surpassed our initial goal of $400,000 with 12 days left until the deadline.” A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Chicago's Catholic Schools Office told ABC7Chicago earlier this month that decreased funding from the state has made it challenging for some Catholic schools to stay open. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256563/teen-hits-major-fundraising-feat-in-attempt-to-save-her-childhood-catholic-school A bill under consideration in Congress would preemptively disallow the White House's to strip federal funding from some crisis pregnancy centers throughout the US. The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act was introduced in the House of Representatives this month. The bill if passed would “prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from restricting funding for pregnancy centers.” The bill, which is scheduled to be considered on Thursday, is meant to counteract the Biden administration's efforts to restrict crisis pregnancy centers around the country from participating in a major federal welfare program. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256557/house-to-consider-bill-to-halt-biden-administration-s-defunding-of-crisis-pregnancy-centers The celebration of Mass at a southern California parish was interrupted by an armed police pursuit of a suspected gunman on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred during the 8:30 am Mass on Tuesday at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Placentia, Orange County, California. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256559/mass-at-california-catholic-church-parish-interrupted-by-armed-police-pursuit The 51st national March for Life — the largest annual pro-life event in the world — is just around the corner, on Friday, January 19. For more information ahead of the March, visit Catholic News Agency dot com. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256554/some-snow-predicted-for-2024-march-for-life-plus-everything-else-you-need-to-know https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256561/how-to-watch-the-march-for-life-ewtn-s-complete-coverage-schedule Today, the Church celebrates Saint Charles of Sezze. Saint Charles was born John Charles Marchioni in Sezze, Italy on October 19, 1613. He was known for his holiness, simplicity, and charity. He was generous to travelers and sought out spiritual advice. In 1656 he worked tirelessly with victims of the plague. He also wrote several mystical works including his autobiography entitled "The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God.” Tradition states he was called to the bedside of the dying Pope Clement IX for a blessing. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-charles-of-sezze-416

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - In a continuation of his catechetical series on vice and virtue, Pope Francis on Wednesday dedicated his general audience to highlighting the difference between love and lust, arguing that “in Christianity, there is no condemnation of the sexual instinct.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256552/pope-francis-in-christianity-there-is-no-condemnation-of-the-sexual-instinct More than 2.7 million people gathered in the city of Barquisimeto in Lara state, Venezuela, on Sunday, January 14, to accompany the image of the Divine Shepherdess Virgin in a procession, reported state governor Adolfo Pereira. Pereira commented that there was a very positive atmosphere at the gathering, “where peace, calm, and the religiosity of the people reigned.” The devotion traces back to 1703 in Seville, Spain, when a Capuchin friar saw the Virgin Mary dressed as a shepherdess holding a shepherd's crook. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256549/divine-shepherdess-procession-in-venezuela-draws-27-million Finnish prosecutors are asking the country's Supreme Court to hear a “hate speech” case against a member of Parliament and Lutheran bishop for comments made about Christian teachings related to marriage and homosexuality. The charges brought against member of Finnish Parliament Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola for their speech were already dismissed twice — once by a lower district court and again by an appellate court. Yet prosecutors are advancing their case to Finland's highest court in an effort to fine both Christians hundreds of thousands of euros and censor their speech. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256548/exonerated-finnish-politician-and-bishop-to-return-to-court-over-biblical-hate-speech US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Payton Gendron, the then-18-year-old man who in 2022 killed nearly a dozen Black shoppers at a Tops Friendly Market grocery store in Buffalo, New York. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256544/biden-administration-seeks-the-death-penalty-for-buffalo-supermarket-shooter Today, the Church celebrates Saint Anthony of Egypt, the founder of Christian monasticism whose radical approach to discipleship permanently impacted the Church. In the course of his remarkable and extraordinarily long life, Anthony would live to see the Emperor Constantine's establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire. Anthony himself, however, would establish something more lasting – by becoming the spiritual father of the monastic communities that have existed throughout the subsequent history of the Church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-anthony-of-egypt-119

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The dictatorship of Daniel Ortega on Sunday released and sent to the Vatican two imprisoned Nicaraguan bishops along with 15 priests and seminarians. Nicaraguan media outlets La Prensa and Confidencial first reported on the release, indicating that among those released was Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa and Bishop Isidoro Mora of Siuna. Auxiliary Bishop Silvio José Báez of Managua, exiled due to persecution by the Ortega dictatorship, confirmed the news of the release of the bishops, priests, and seminarians in tears: “Our pastors are free.” The released clerics arrived in Rome on Sunday afternoon and were welcomed as "guests of the Holy See," according to Vatican News. In August 2022, Bishop Álvarez of Matagalpa, a well-known defender of human rights and critic of the Ortega regime, was forced to remain in his official residence along with several priests, seminarians, and a layman. Two weeks later, having almost run out of food, the Nicaraguan police broke into the house, kidnapped Álvarez, and took him to Managua, the country's capital, where he was placed under house arrest. On February 10, 2023, the dictatorship proceeded to sentence the bishop of Matagalpa to more than 26 years in prison, accusing him of being a “traitor to the homeland.” Since then, he has been held in the prison known as “La Modelo,” where political prisoners of the regime are held. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256540/nicaraguan-dictatorship-releases-bishop-alvarez-brother-bishop-and-priests After a year of renewed attacks on churches and religious centers, the US bishops said in a new report released today that attacks on houses of worship constitute the “largest threat to religious liberty in 2024” and could threaten “the very lives of people of faith.” The report said that while the committee “was founded in response to increasing legal threats to the free exercise of religion,” the bishops felt “compelled to decry foreseeable threats to the very lives of people of faith here in the United States.” According to the bishops' report, “recent years have seen an alarming rate of vandalism, arson, and other property destruction at Catholic sites.” All this is compounded with, the bishops said, a “general failure” on the part of the “federal government to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of such attacks.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256532/religious-americans-lives-possibly-at-risk-in-2024-new-report-by-us-bishops-says Pope Francis appeared on Italy's most popular prime-time talk show on Sunday night where the pontiff shared how he hopes that hell is “empty.” Three million people in Italy tuned in to watch the nearly hourlong television interview with Pope Francis on January 14 in which the pope responded to resistance to the recent Vatican declaration on same-sex blessings, previewed prospective papal trips to Polynesia and Argentina, and spoke of his fear of nuclear armageddon. The 87-year-old pope began his appearance on the television show “Che Tempo Che Fa” by joking that he is “still alive” and has no plans to resign. When asked by the interviewer, Fabio Fazio, how he “imagines hell,” Pope Francis gave a short response. “What I am going to say is not a dogma of faith but my own personal view: I like to think of hell as empty; I hope it is,” Pope Francis said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256542/pope-francis-i-like-to-think-of-hell-as-empty Today, the Church celebrates Pope Saint Marcellus, who became Pope at the end of the persecutions of Diocletian in aound 308-309. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-marcellus-pope-118

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Vatican announced on Thursday that the soaring baldacchino over the main altar of Saint Peter's Basilica designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 400 years ago will undergo a major restoration. The ambitious restoration and conservation project, expected to be completed just before the start of the Catholic Church's jubilee year in December, will require scaffolding to be set up around the canopy of the basilica's main altar for nearly a year. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica, has assured that papal liturgies will still be able to take place in the basilica amid the restoration work. The 700,000 euro (about $768,000) restoration is being funded by the Knights of Columbus and will be carried out by the Vatican Museums' expert art restorers. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256515/vatican-announces-major-restoration-project-in-st-peter-s-basilica The Dominican Church of Our Lady of the Hour, one of the most emblematic in Mosul, northern Iraq, has been completely restored after the destruction carried out by Islamic State terrorists 10 years ago. The church was rebuilt with the collaboration of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256504/church-destroyed-by-isis-in-iraq-completely-restored-10-years-later In the midst of war and suffering, the Catholic faithful of Holy Family Parish in northern Gaza continue to walk in the light of faith. Eight children received their first holy Communion this past Sunday in the church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256510/walking-in-faith-eight-children-receive-first-communion-in-northern-gaza The bishops of Ecuador published a statement titled “Violence will not prevail” following recent disturbances that occurred in the country including the takeover of a television station in the city of Guayaquil in the midst of a state of emergency that began on January 8. The bishops encouraged Ecuadorans not to fall “either into the fruitless panic that the game played by the violent [perpetrators] creates by giving credence to any alarmist image shared on social media, nor into the naivete of standing idly by believing that this fight is only for those who govern us.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256502/ecuador-gang-violence-will-not-prevail-bishops-say The criminal sexual assault case against former cardinal Theodore McCarrick in Wisconsin has been suspended after a psychologist hired by the court found that McCarrick is not competent to stand trial. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256505/breaking-mccarrick-found-incompetent-to-stand-trial-in-wisconsin-case-suspended Today, the Church celebrates Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, who not only founded a religious congregation, but was also instrumental in establishing the Canadian city of Montreal. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-marguerite-bourgeoys-114

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis next month will preside over the canonization Mass of the woman set to become Argentina's first female saint, the Vatican said this week. The pope will preside over the Mass for Blessed María Antonia of Saint Joseph on February 11 in Saint Peter's Basilica, the Vatican revealed in its release of the pope's liturgical schedule for January and February. María Antonia was proclaimed “Venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 and was later beatified by Pope Francis in 2016. In October, Pope Francis met with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, to give his authorization for the the promulgation of a miracle attributed to the Argentinian religious sister, paving her way to become the country's first female saint. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256494/pope-francis-to-preside-over-canonization-mass-of-argentina-s-first-female-saint Throughout 2023, more than 130 Catholic priests and religious were either arrested, kidnapped, or murdered, according to a new report on Catholic persecution published by Aid to the Church in Need. The report published by the Catholic charity found at least 132 instances of arrests, kidnappings, and/or murders, which is slightly higher than the report from the previous year, which found 124. The uptick was mostly driven by arrests from authoritarian governments, which went up from 55 in 2022 to 86 in 2023. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256498/report-over-130-catholic-priests-and-religious-arrested-kidnapped-or-murdered-in-2023 Located in Pittsburgh's suburban neighborhood of Beechview sits a unique Catholic spiritual center that is the only one of its kind in the world, according to the bishop who opened it last month. The Saint Sharbel Spiritual Life Center is “the only one of its kind in the world,” Mansour said, explaining that the institution offers retreats, courses on spirituality, daily sacraments, Eucharistic adoration, Scripture studies, prayer, reading, and several other opportunities for growth. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256501/one-of-a-kind-saint-charbel-spiritual-center-opens-in-pittsburgh Today, the Church celebrates Saint Theodosius Abbot. Born to a pious family in 423 AD, Theodosius began his studies at an early age, and became a lector while still an adolescent. The example of Abraham led him to leave home in order to properly follow God. Dreading the vanity that comes from the esteem of men and unable to live in solitude with the multitude of admirers, he retired to a cave in the desert of Judah where he led a hermit's life. catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-theodosius-abbot-113

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Thousands of Christians rallied this week in front of the governor's office in Nigeria's Plateau state to demand action after more than 200 were killed in a series of Christmas massacres. The attacks, which targeted Christian villages beginning December 23 and continuing through Christmas day, left Christian communities in Nigeria's Plateau state reeling. Photos obtained by CNA after the attack showed villagers burying their slain relatives and loved ones in mass graves. According to an evangelical leader who helped to organize the rally, the attacks also left 15,000 people displaced without homes. Among the demands being made by the protestors, they asked for an “urgent humanitarian relief material response by the state and federal government” and for the arrest of the perpetrators of the Christmas massacre, which he called a “genocidal,” “terrorist” attack. The attack marks the latest instance of terrorists targeting Christian Nigerians on significant Christian feast days. Due to continued attacks, Nigeria is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian, according to a 2023 report by the advocacy group International Christian Concern. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256487/thousands-of-christians-in-nigeria-rally-to-demand-action-after-christmas-massacres The Black Nazarene procession in the Philippines, one of the largest religious devotions in the world, returned this year to its traditional size for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, attracting millions of devotees. The procession, known locally as “Traslacion,” sees devotees carry across Manila a replica of a famous life-size statue of Jesus carrying a black wooden cross. Taking place each year in January, this year's event marked a return to the traditional procession after three years of drastic downsizing due to the threat of COVID-19. In 2020, 2021, and 2022 the procession was essentially canceled entirely. In 2023, an estimated 103,277 faithful participated, far fewer than in past years. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256485/black-nazarene-procession-in-the-philippines-draws-millions-after-returning-from-covid The attorney general of Michigan on Monday released the second of seven expected reports of alleged clergy abuse in the state, part of a multiyear investigation into abuse allegations — many of them decades old — against Church officials there. Attorney General Dana Nessel's office announced the release of the report on the office's website. The office said the report involves “allegations of abuse that took place in the Diocese of Gaylord.” The Michigan attorney general is conducting investigations of abuse allegations in each of the seven Catholic dioceses in the state. ​​In a press conference on Monday following the report's release, Gaylord Bishop Jeffrey Walsh said there is no priest or deacon in active public ministry in the Diocese of Gaylord who has a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse or misconduct against a minor. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256484/michigan-attorney-general-releases-second-report-of-clergy-abuse-in-state Today, the Church celebrates Saint Gregory of Nyssa. In 379 he assisted at the Council of Antioch, which had been summoned because of the Meletian schism. He also asserted the faith of Nicaea, and tried to put an end to Arianism and Pneumatism in the East. It is very probable that Gregory was present at another council, the Council of Constantinople in 383. Between 385 and 386 he disappears from history, but not without leaving a significant number of theological writings. He made significant contributions to the doctrine of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-gregory-of-nyssa-112

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Adrian of Canterbury. The famous Abbot of Saint Augustine's in Canterbury, was likely born in Libya Cyrenaica, North Africa. Adrian decided to become a monk early in life and eventually abbot of Nerida, not far from Naples. Adrian became a valuable advisor to the pontiff and, three years later, was offered the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. He declined the papal appointment, but was persuaded to accompany Theodore to England as a trusted counselor. After spending time in France, he arrived in Britain and immediately succeeded Benedict Biscop as Abbot of Saint Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury. He established a flourishing monastic school, where many future bishops and abbots were educated in Latin, Greek, scripture, theology, Roman law and arithmetic. Saint Adrain died on January 9 at Canterbury, Kent. Several hundred years after his death, Adrian's body was discovered in an incorrupt state. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-adrian-of-canterbury-111

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis called surrogacy “deplorable” and called for a global ban on the exploitative practice of “so-called surrogate motherhood” in a speech to all of the world's ambassadors to the Vatican on Monday. “The path to peace calls for respect for life, for every human life, starting with the life of the unborn child in the mother's womb, which cannot be suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking,” Pope Francis said January 8. “In this regard, I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother's material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract.” Pope Francis' strong condemnation of surrogacy came during his annual foreign policy speech to all of the ambassadors accredited to the Holy See. The pope's annual speech to diplomats has been called his “state of the world” address because it is one of a handful of times that the pope addresses global crises and specific conflicts happening around the world all at once. For more from Pope Francis' wide-ranging 45 minute speech, visit catholic news agency dot com. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256468/pope-francis-calls-surrogacy-deplorable-calls-for-global-ban-in-speech-to-ambassadors Pope Francis said Sunday that if you do not know the date of your baptism, you need to look it up so that you can celebrate the anniversary of becoming a child of God and heir to the kingdom of heaven. The pope spoke on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which commemorates Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River by Saint John the Baptist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes baptism as the “basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit ... and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.” He also encouraged Catholics to thank God for their parents who brought them to the baptismal font and gave them the gift of the sacrament. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256466/pope-francis-if-you-don-t-know-the-date-of-your-baptism-look-it-up Today, the Church celebrates Saint Apollinaris, one of the first great martyrs of the Church. He was made Bishop of Ravenna by Saint Peter. The miracles he conducted in Ravenna soon attracted official attention, for they and his preaching won many converts to the faith. However, at the same time, his words and works brought upon the fury of the pagan people who beat Apollinaris cruelly on several occasions. When Emperor Vespasian issued a decree of banishment against the Christians, Apollinaris was kept hidden for some time, but as he was leaving, passing through the gates of the city, he was attacked and savagely beaten. He lived for seven days, foretelling that the persecutions would increase, but that the Church would ultimately triumph. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-apollinaris-110

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, more than 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. Yesterday the Associated Press reported that in central Gaza Strip, eight people were killed in a strike on a building in Nuseirat refugee camp, and on Tuesday, at least five people, including a baby, were killed and several injured in an airstrike on the Red Crescent headquarters in the city of Khan Yunis. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they have launched an investigation. Gaza-based journalist Akram Al Satarri spoke with “EWTN News Nightly” from Khan Yunis about the state of the Gaza Strip as bombs went off in the background. In terms of the conflict escalating, Al Satarri believes it is “inevitable.” The killing of a senior Hamas leader in Beirut by a suspected Israeli air strike, followed by more than 85 people killed in Tehran at a ceremony marking the four-year anniversary of General Qasem Soleimani's assassination, are the latest indications of a widening conflict. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256442/gaza-journalist-says-escalation-of-war-is-inevitable A federal judge heard testimony this week in a trial that will decide whether the state of Colorado can exclude Catholic schools from participating in its universal preschool program. The Archdiocese of Denver, along with two Catholic preschools, is taking legal action against the state, contending that the program is unconstitutional as it discriminates against Catholic schools by preventing them from participating. The suit, which began on Tuesday, was filed in the US District Court for the District of Colorado in August 2023. Colorado's universal preschool program, created in 2022, offers eligible families at least 15 hours per week of free preschool for every participating child, according to the program website. The lawsuit maintains that the program rules are unconstitutional and objects to the exclusion of Catholic schools but not the preschool programs of other private schools. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256440/colorado-catholic-preschools-argue-in-court-that-state-program-discriminates-against-them Today, the Church celebrates Saint John Nepomucene Neumann. Neumann was born on March 28, 1811, in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, and was ordained a priest in the United States and sent to Buffalo. Father John established himself in a small log parish house. He hardly ever lit a fire and often lived on only bread and water. He joined the Redemptorist order and continued his missionary work until he was appointed bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. As bishop, Neumann built 50 churches and began the constuction of a cathedral. He opened almost 100 schools, and the number of parochial school students grew from 500 to 9,000. He died suddenly on January 5, 1860 and became the first American bishop to be beatified. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-nepomucene-neumann-106

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - A record number of college-age students, priests, bishops, religious brothers, sisters, and more are attending this week's SEEK24 conference in downtown Saint Louis with anticipation already building for 2025's conference, set to be held in Salt Lake City. The conference, which is being held by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) for a second straight year in Saint Louis, has attracted nearly 20,000 young people for presentations and talks related to the Catholic faith from world-renowned speakers as well as opportunities for Mass, confession, and Eucharistic adoration. As of Tuesday evening, the conference had 19,707 paid attendees registered, a 28% increase over last year. The keynote address Tuesday evening, presented in the former NFL stadium attached to the convention center, was delivered by Monsignor James Shea and Sister Mary Grace, SV. The conference continues all this week, wrapping up with a closing Mass on Friday morning. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256438/seek24-continues-in-st-louis-with-an-eye-to-salt-lake-city-in-2025 The Vatican's doctrine office issued a response on Thursday to “clarify the reception of Fiducia Supplicans” amid widespread international backlash to the Vatican's recent declaration on same-sex blessings. Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), published a five-page press release on January 4 that refers to Fiducia Supplicans as “perennial doctrine” and underlines that pastoral blessings of couples in irregular situations should not be “an endorsement of the life led by those who request them.” Fernández said that the responses he has received from bishops' conferences around the world to the declaration highlight “the need for a more extended period of pastoral reflection” and that what is expressed in these bishops' statements “cannot be interpreted as doctrinal opposition because the document is clear and definitive about marriage and sexuality.” The clarification was published two and a half weeks after the December 18 publication of Fiducia Supplicans, which prompted strong backlash from bishops in several African and Eastern European countries as well as confusion and division from other parts of the world. Some bishops have welcomed the declaration, some are approaching it with caution, and others are refusing to implement it. The press release did not mention anything about cases in which priests have already violated the terms stipulated in the Fiducia Supplicans declaration, which requires that blessings be spontaneous and cannot be a “blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256439/vatican-responds-to-widespread-backlash-on-same-sex-blessing-directive Today, the Church celebrates Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, foundress and first superior of the Sisters of Charity in the United States. Elizabeth Ann Seton was beatified in 1963 and she was canonized on September 14, 1975. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-elizabeth-ann-seton-105

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Each month Pope Francis shares a prayer intention as part of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network. The monthly prayer intentions express the Holy Father's concerns for humanity and the mission of the Catholic Church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256420/these-are-pope-francis-prayer-intentions-for-2024 Pope Francis was “deeply saddened” to learn of a devastating earthquake that struck western Japan on New Year's Day, the Vatican said on Tuesday, with the pontiff extending his prayers and condolences to the country after dozens of deaths were reported. The reported 7.6-magnitude quake struck Ishikawa Prefecture in the western part of the country. More than 50 people were reported dead as of Tuesday morning, with reports of tens of thousands of homes having been destroyed in the tremor. In a telegram sent on behalf of Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Vatican, said the Holy Father “was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake.” The pope “assures everyone affected by this disaster of his heartfelt solidarity and spiritual closeness, and prays especially for the dead, those who mourn their loss, and for the rescue of any persons still missing,” the telegram said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256418/pope-sends-message-of-condolence-to-victims-of-deadly-earthquake-in-japan The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) SEEK24 conference is underway this week in St. Louis with the attendance of more than 19,000 mostly young people from around the country and the world. The event, which is taking place at the former NFL stadium attached to the America's Center Convention complex, aims to galvanize young people to deepen and share their Catholic faith. This year's SEEK conference is bigger than 2023's by almost every metric, according to organizers. The conference currently has 19,707 paid attendees registered, a 28% increase over last year. The conference continues all this week, wrapping up with a closing Mass on Friday morning. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256423/massive-attendance-enthusiasm-at-fellowship-of-catholic-university-students-conference Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of The Most Holy Name of Jesus.

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Friends, scholars, and former colleagues of Pope Benedict XVI gathered in the Campo Santo Teutonico in Vatican City from December. 30–31 for a two-day conference to reflect on the late pope's life and rich theological legacy on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of his death. Touching upon a wide range of themes, from his early life to his extensive theological corpus that covered the virtues of hope and love, the liturgy, and the life of Christ, the common thread uniting his work and life was a deep Christocentrism, which was made tangible in the Eucharist. On the morning of Sunday, December 31, Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the longtime personal secretary of Pope Benedict, at the Altar of the Chair of Saint Peter. During his emotional and intimate homily, the archbishop noted that Benedict's life was characterized by rich prayer and a deep love of the Eucharist. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256417/conference-on-pope-benedict-s-death-legacy-defined-by-love-of-christ-the-eucharist Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong Catholic democracy activist, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to all charges leveled against him in his national security trial there. Lai, the Chinese-born founder of the anti-government newspaper Apple Daily, entered a not-guilty plea to the charges of conspiring to collude with a foreign power. The 76-year-old Lai was originally arrested in August 2020 under that year's controversial national security law, which was passed by China's communist-controlled government. He has been imprisoned by Chinese authorities since his arrest. Lai's trial in Hong Kong began last month, launching what is expected to be a protracted legal exhibition capping several years of imprisonment for the embattled pro-democracy advocate. Lai faces life in prison over the charges. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256416/jimmy-lai-pleads-not-guilty-in-hong-kong-national-security-trial Today, the Church celebrates Saint Basil the Great, one of the most distinguished Doctors of the Church and Bishop of Caesarea. He ranks after Athanasius as a defender of the Oriental Church against the heresies of the fourth century, especially Arianism, which denied the divine nature of Jesus Christ. He was a strong supporter of the Nicene Creed. Seventy-two years after his death, the Council of Chalcedon described him as “the great Basil, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-basil-the-great-103 The Church also celebrates Saint Gregory Nazianzen, a Doctor of the Church, born at Arianzus in Asia Minor, probably in 325, and died in 389. After his baptism at age 30, Gregory joined his friend Basil in a newly founded monastery. It was in Constantinople, where he tried to bring back Christians from Aryanism, where he began giving the great sermons on the Trinity for which he is famous. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-gregory-nazianzen-107

Thank you for being a Catholic News listener. Due to the Christmas holiday, there will be no new news briefing on this channel until January 1st. We would like to thank you for listening to this podcast, and we hope you and your family are richly blessed this Christmas. From all of us at Catholic News Agency, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This podcast will return in 2024, so be sure to listen in. As always, the latest news will still be available at catholicnewsagency.com.

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - On Sunday, mother and daughter Nahida and Samar Anton, who were killed at Holy Family Parish in Gaza, were laid to rest in the small cemetery located within the parish compound. A statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem released the evening of their deaths, December 16, reported that they were killed by an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sniper, though the IDF has denied responsibility. On the same Saturday, rockets were reportedly fired from an IDF tank and hit the convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, the Missionaries of Charity, on the parish compound, rendering the home uninhabitable, according to the Latin Patriarchate. The images of the attack on the convent, taken on cellphones by eyewitnesses and sent to Father Gabriel Romanelli of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, pastor of Holy Family Parish, depict a massive column of smoke rising from the building within the parish compound. The photos show that inside the convent, the flames darkened walls and destroyed large areas of the building. All the guests of the house “are unharmed and have been relocated to another area within the compound, but their conditions are very precarious. Some of them, requiring respirators, are at risk of not surviving for long,” the priest said. Unable to move the elderly and disabled or to evacuate safely to the south at the beginning of the war, the sisters chose to remain by the side of those they serve. In Holy Family Parish, prayers and liturgies continue without interruption. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256328/missionaries-of-charity-convent-in-gaza-unhabitable-after-taking-fire-residents-take-refuge-in-parish-church Bishops in Malawi have prohibited the implementation of the Vatican declaration on the blessing of “same-sex couples” and couples in other “irregular situations,” which came out this week. In a statement dated December 19, members of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi stated that they prohibit the practice of such blessings in the southern African nation. The bishops said they offered the clarifications “having noted certain erroneous interpretations of this declaration that have generated interest, fears, and worries among Catholics and people who look up to the Catholic Church for moral, spiritual, and doctrinal guidance.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256327/bishops-in-malawi-declare-blessings-for-same-sex-unions-of-any-kind-are-not-permitted Today, the Church celebrates Saint Peter Canisius, an important figure in the Catholic counter-reformation that responded to the 16th century spread of Protestantism, a priest and a Doctor of the Church. His efforts as a preacher, author, and religious educator strengthened the Catholic faith in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Central Europe during a period of doctrinal confusion. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-peter-canisius-91

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Several American Catholic dioceses have already issued statements on how they intend to implement new Vatican guidelines that permit nonliturgical pastoral blessings of homosexual couples, but it's still unclear what this will look like in most of the country. The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a declaration on Monday titled Fiducia Supplicans, which allows “spontaneous” pastoral blessings for “same-sex couples” and other couples in “irregular situations.” The document still prohibits any sort of liturgical blessing of homosexual couples because such a blessing would “offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra-marital sexual practice.” The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith's document has led to some controversy among the Catholic faithful and some confusion about what the Vatican is actually calling on bishops and priests to do. The implementation of the new guidelines could differ from diocese to diocese, as various bishops appear to be emphasizing different parts of the document. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256321/us-dioceses-respond-to-vatican-declaration-on-same-sex-couple-blessings More than 40 laymen and laywomen in the Diocese of Clogher in the north of Ireland will soon begin presiding over funeral liturgies amid a shortage of priests. A major vocation crisis could result in fewer than 10 active priests in the diocese in less than 20 years, according to the local ordinary, Bishop Larry Duffy. Duffy said that the diocese is “far too dependent” on priests for pastoral care, administration, property maintenance, planning, and parish governance. In 2021, a survey by the Association of Catholic Priests found that only about 30% of Catholics in Ireland attend Mass weekly — a significant drop from 91% in 1975. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256318/irish-diocese-to-rely-on-laity-to-preside-over-funerals-amid-shortage-of-priests A religious freedom watchdog group is urging the Biden administration to add the government of India to a list of the world's worst violators of religious freedom. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said this month in a press release that it was “alarmed by India's increased transnational targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.” The commission this month said Indian authorities “have used spyware and online harassment campaigns to target and intimidate journalists and activists abroad advocating on behalf of religious minorities.” Commissioner Stephen Schneck said in the release that the indications of religious persecution are “deeply troubling and represent a severe escalation of India's efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders both within its country and abroad.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256317/us-religious-freedom-watchdog-urges-white-house-to-list-india-as-country-of-concern Today, the Church celebrates Saint Dominic of Silos, a Spanish monk who in the eleventh century renewed the spirit of the monastery of San Sebastian in Silos, reforming its structure, its finances, and its works of charity. Dominic was known for miracles of healing, which he obtained through prayer, and for his work of ransoming Christian prisoners from the moors. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-dominic-of-silos-90

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Vatican has issued new guidance on the topic of blessings of same-sex attracted people, stating that Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples as an expression of pastoral closeness without condoning their sexual relations. The ruling, which also applies to Catholics civilly remarried without having received an annulment as well as to couples in other “irregular situations,” underscored that such blessings cannot be offered in a way that would cause any confusion about the nature of marriage, which the document affirms is the only “context that sexual relations find their natural, proper, and fully human meaning.” The declaration emphasizes that blessings may only be given “spontaneously” and not in the context of a formal liturgical rite. For more information about this new declaration from the Vatican, visit catholic news agency dot com. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256308/vatican-says-priests-can-bless-same-sex-couples-without-condoning-their-lifestyles The US bishops over the weekend renewed their call for peace in the Holy Land amid reports on Saturday that two Christian women were killed by sniper fire from Israeli forces at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said on Saturday morning that “around noon” on December 16, a sniper of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, where the majority of Christian families has taken refuge since the start of the war.” Several others were also shot, the statement said. The IDF has denied culpability for the deaths. In a statement on Saturday, meanwhile, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, head of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for “an immediate cessation of all hostilities, the release of hostages, and for earnest negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of this conflict.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256307/us-bishops-renew-call-for-peace-after-christian-women-reportedly-killed-in-gaza-church Today, the Church celebrates Blessed Pope Urban V. He is perhaps best known for his decision to return the papacy to Rome and end the Avignon exile of the popes. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-pope-urban-v-89

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis celebrated his 87th birthday on Sunday morning ahead of his weekly Angelus by meeting with children and families who are assisted by a Vatican pediatric clinic. It has been the custom of the Argentine pontiff since becoming pope in 2013 to eschew more formal celebrations on his birthday and instead spend time with Rome's poor and underprivileged. As the 266th successor of St. Peter to the papacy, Francis will be the oldest bishop of Rome since Pope Leo XIII, the oldest pope in history, who served until his death in 1903 at the age of 93. Fewer than 10 popes have served at the age of 87. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256305/pope-francis-celebrates-87th-birthday-with-children-who-receive-aid-from-vatican-clinic https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256300/pope-francis-turns-87-one-of-the-oldest-popes-in-church-history Judges delivered verdicts in the Vatican's financial corruption trial on Saturday, sentencing Cardinal Angelo Becciu to more than five years in prison and convicting five other defendants to similar jail sentences for financial crimes. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256302/vatican-court-convicts-cardinal-becciu-sentences-him-to-5-years-in-jail-for-embezzling-funds In the latest sign of escalating strain between the Holy See and Israel over the mounting civilian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis after his Angelus address on Sunday sharply condemned the reported killing of two women outside a Catholic church in Gaza City, allegedly by an Israeli sniper. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256303/pope-francis-comments-on-attack-on-catholic-church-in-gaza Today, the Church celebrates Saint Gatian of Tours. Not much is known about the life of Saint Gatian, but we do know that he was the first bishop of Tours in France, and is said to be a disciple of Saint Denis of Paris. Arriving in Gaul, a pagan land, completely untouched by the Good News, Gatian scattered the first seeds of the faith in the region of Tours, laying the foundations of the Church in the city of the great Saint Martin. Saint Gatian died in 337. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-gatian-of-tours-88

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Vatican has decided to shut down the religious community of sisters co-founded by accused abuser Father Marko Rupnik, the Slovenian Archdiocese of Ljubljana announced Friday. Sisters from the Loyola Community were presented with a decree on December 14 from the Vatican Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on the dissolution of their community “due to serious problems concerning the exercise of authority and the way of living together,” the archdiocese said. According to the December 15 statement, the dissolution of the community must take place within one year. The Vatican decree ordering the dissolution of the Loyola Community was issued on October 20. Rupnik co-founded the Loyola Community with Sister Ivanka Hosta in Ljubljana, Slovenia, more than three decades ago. The priest and mosaic artist was removed from the Jesuits in June after having been accused of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse of religious sisters. Since then, the Vatican has announced that Rupnik will face a canonical process over the abuse allegations after Pope Francis decided to waive the statute of limitations on the claims. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256290/breaking-vatican-closing-down-loyola-community-co-founded-by-rupnik The Vatican's doctrine office published a letter on Thursday confirming that single mothers can receive Communion after going to confession and urging the need for further “pastoral work” in parts of the world where single mothers might still face harsh judgment. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256278/vatican-doctrine-office-encourages-single-mothers-to-receive-communion-after-confession Pope Francis on Thursday urged global leaders to adopt an international treaty to regulate the development and use of artificial intelligence, saying technological research must be directed toward “the pursuit of peace and the common good.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256279/pope-francis-calls-for-global-regulation-of-ai-for-peace-and-common-good More than two dozen human rights advocates are urging Congress to call on the State Department to put Nigeria back on a list of the world's worst violators of religious freedom. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256276/human-rights-leaders-call-for-nigeria-to-be-redesignated-as-religious-freedom-violator Today, the Church celebrates Saint Virginia Centurione Bracelli. She founded a refuge center in Genoa in 1625, which soon became overrun with the needy, and she rented an empty convent in 1631 where she cared for the sick with the help of other women, and she instructed the women in the faith in addition to their work. She constructed a church dedicated to Our Lady of Refuge, and soon the women who worked with her in the hospital were formed into two congregations: the Sisters of Our Lady of Refuge in Mount Calvary, and the Daughters of Our Lady on Mount Calvary. Victoria retired from the administration of the orders, and performed manual labour and begged for alms, but was called back to administrative duties soon after. She was canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II on May 18, 2003. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-virginia-centurione-bracelli-85

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis celebrated 54 years as a priest yesterday. On December 13, 1969, just four days before his 33rd birthday, Jorge Mario Bergoglio — who today is Pope Francis — was ordained a priest by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano, archbishop emeritus of Córdoba, Argentina. Bergoglio continued his Jesuit formation from 1970 to 1971 in Spain. On April 22, 1973, he made his perpetual profession in the Society of Jesus. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253064/pope-francis-celebrates-53-years-as-a-priest Pope Francis has said that he wants to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome because of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He said that a “place is already prepared” for his burial in one of the oldest and most important Marian shrines in the West. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256261/pope-francis-says-that-he-wants-to-be-buried-in-marian-basilica-in-new-interview The US Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it will once again consider a high-stakes abortion pill case that could impose new national limits on abortion. The Supreme Court will be reviewing a lower court's August ruling that reimposed restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone. The Biden Justice Department and the abortion drug manufacturer Danco Laboratories appealed the decision in September. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256262/breaking-supreme-court-to-review-high-stakes-abortion-case The bishops who lead the dioceses of Columbus and Steubenville in Ohio could present a merger plan to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops as early as June 2024, according to the bishops of both dioceses. It could take about three or four months to determine whether a merger is feasible, Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus and Bishop Paul Bradley of Steubenville said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256268/local-bishops-steubenville-columbus-diocesan-merger-back-in-play Today, the Church celebrates Saint John of the Cross, a 16th century Carmelite priest best known for reforming his order together with Saint Teresa of Avila, and for writing the classic spiritual treatise “The Dark Night of the Soul.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-of-the-cross-84

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Under certain circumstances, it may be permissible for a Catholic to keep a small portion of a deceased loved one's ashes in a personal place of significance if some conditions are met, according to the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256253/vatican-small-part-of-cremated-ashes-can-be-kept-in-personal-place-in-certain-cases Illinois has agreed to halt its enforcement of a law that restricts the speech and advertising of pro-life crisis pregnancy centers following a lawsuit that challenged its constitutionality on First Amendment and other grounds. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256256/illinois-agrees-to-halt-speech-restrictions-on-pro-life-pregnancy-centers-amid-lawsuit A new gene-editing therapy called Casgevy, which is designed to help treat patients suffering from sickle cell disease, has been endorsed by the National Catholic Bioethics Center and its president, Doctor Joseph Meaney. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256248/groundbreaking-gene-editing-therapy-receive-ethical-thumbs-up Today, the Church celebrates Saint Lucy, a third century consecrated virgin who was brutally tortured and martyred by the local governor. Owing to a miracle related to her eyes, she is the patroness of the blind, eye trouble, and other eye ailments. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-lucy-83

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis on Monday received the prefects of the Italian Republic in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace and expressed his concern about the low birth rate in the country, lamenting that many times “dogs take the place of children.” Pope Francis reflected on the environmental issue and the “emergencies that are now frequent and involve everyone; linked to atmospheric phenomena that should be unusual and extraordinary, they have become common due to climate change.” He also highlighted his concern about the low birth rate in Italy, “a country that lacks children and the migrants come.” “I am concerned about the problem of the low birth rate here in Italy. They're not having children,” the Holy Father pointed out. Finally, he invited the prefects to think about the responsibility “that Italians have to have children to raise them and also to welcome immigrants as sons and daughters.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256242/pope-francis-expresses-concern-about-italy-s-low-birth-rate The bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, California, announced on Saturday that “after careful consideration and consultation” the diocese will be filing for bankruptcy amid a slate of over 250 clergy abuse lawsuits. Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto said in a Saturday statement that Chapter 11 bankruptcy is the “only respectful, transparent, and fair way to address the substantial number of claims” and “sustain the sanctifying, teaching, and charitable work” of the diocese. The diocese, which has 102 parishes serving over 1 million faithful, will likely file for bankruptcy in March 2024, according to the bishop. Without bankruptcy, he said the diocese would likely not be able to give all the abuse survivors filing lawsuits “fair consideration of their claim.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256241/diocese-of-sacramento-to-file-for-bankruptcy-amid-over-250-clergy-abuse-lawsuits A Catholic priest in Nebraska died Sunday after being stabbed at a parish rectory, the Archdiocese of Omaha said. Police identified a suspect in the case late on Sunday. The sheriff's office named the suspect as 43-year-old Sioux City, Iowa, resident Kierre Williams. No motive was given in the press release, though the sheriff's office said the incident involved an “attempted break-in.” The priest grew up in Omaha and attended the College of Saint Thomas — now the University of Saint Thomas — and Saint Paul Seminary; he was ordained in 1984. In 2007, Gutgsell pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $100,000 from Saint Patrick Catholic Church in South Omaha. He received five years of probation in connection with that case. He returned to priestly ministries later that same year. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256239/nebraska-priest-dies-after-stabbing-in-parish-rectory-suspect-arrested Today, the Church celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe. In the 1530s, a Native man named Juan Diego, at Mary's direction, found roses growing on a hill near Mexico City, even though it was winter. He gathered them into his cloak, or tilma. When he unfurled the cloak in the presence of the bishop to show him the roses, a miraculous image of Mary was on the tilma. It wasn't until the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared that the native people began to accept Christianity on a large scale. Today, the image forms an inextricable part of the history of Mexico, and facilitated the evangelization of an entire people. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/our-lady-of-guadalupe-82

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis highlighted the importance of listening to God by embracing the example of John the Baptist, “the voice of one crying in the desert,” during his Angelus message on the second Sunday of Advent. Noting that the image of the barren desert as a place of preaching may “seem like two contradictory images,” they are in fact reconciled through the figure of John the Baptist as his voice “is linked to the genuineness of his experience and the clarity of his heart.” The pope also noted that the desert is a “place of silence and essentials, where someone cannot afford to dwell on useless things but needs to concentrate on what is indispensable in order to live.” Following the recitation of the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father commemorated the anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. The pope also took a moment to draw attention to a recent prisoner exchange between the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256237/pope-angelus-through-silence-and-prayer-we-make-space-for-jesus The Vatican unveiled its annual Nativity scene on December 9, paying special tribute to the origins of the beloved tradition on its 800th anniversary. The scene in Saint Peter's Square depicts not only Mary and Joseph standing beside the manger but also Saint Francis of Assisi, who organized the first Nativity scene in a cave in the Italian village of Greccio on Christmas Eve in 1223. Over a thousand people gathered in the square for the event, which included moments of catechesis, an explanation of how the scene was put together, and the signing of seasonal hymns. The Vatican's Greccio-inspired Nativity scene does not include live animals and people as Saint Francis' original did, but it does feature life-sized terracotta figures, crafted by renowned Neapolitan sculptor Antonio Cantone. At the center of the scene is the now-empty manger, where a figure of the newborn savior will be placed on Christmas Eve. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256236/vatican-unveils-nativity-scene-honoring-st-francis-of-assisi-and-devotion-s-800-year-old-origin Today, the Church celebrates Pope Saint Damasus. Throughout his papacy, Damasus spoke out against major heresies in the church and encouraged production of the Vulgate Bible with his support for Saint Jerome. He helped reconcile the relations between the Church of Rome and the Church of Antioch, and encouraged the veneration of martyrs. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-damasus-pope-81

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis had seven meetings Thursday morning where he read out three speeches unassisted for the first time in nearly two weeks. The pope, who has been recovering from a bout of bronchitis, said that he was feeling “much better” on Wednesday but opted to have an aide read his general audience catechesis, explaining to the crowd that he still had difficulties if he “talks too much.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256201/pope-francis-reads-speeches-unassisted-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-weeks Pope Francis on Thursday accepted the resignation of Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, based in India, commending his faithfulness after decades of leadership in that Church. Canon law dictates that bishops must submit their resignations to the pope at age 75. Alencherry turned 78 this year. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256204/pope-francis-accepts-resignation-of-head-of-syro-malabar-church-cardinal-alencherry The US House and Senate reached a compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday in which they dropped House amendments banning military spending on abortion and sex change surgeries. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256214/congress-drops-amendment-banning-military-spending-on-abortion-and-sex-change-surgeries A Wisconsin circuit court judge has affirmed her earlier ruling that an 1840s law protecting unborn children does not outlaw abortion. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256211/wisconsin-court-rules-that-pro-life-law-doesn-t-apply-to-abortion Today, the Church celebrates The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which recognizes the long-held belief of the Church that Mary was conceived free from original sin. Mary was granted this extraordinary privilege because of her unique role in history as the Mother of God. Even though Mary is unique in all humanity for being born without sin, she is held up by the Church as a model for all humanity for her holiness and her purity in her willingness to accept the Plan of God for her. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/solemnity-of-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-77

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of Holy Family Parish, the only Roman Catholic church in Gaza, gave an update December 1 on the plight of the Christians in northern Gaza as the Israeli-Hamas war continues and spoke about the significance of Gaza to Christianity in the Holy Land. Since the conflict began, hundreds of Christians and other Gazan civilians have taken refuge in the parish, which is on the northern end of the Gaza Strip. Romanelli said that though there is “great shock and sadness” among the Christians of Gaza, “they have great trust in God's divine protection.” Though a small minority in Gaza, the Christian community has been greatly impacted by the war. Despite the suffering, Romanelli said that the faith of the Roman Catholic community in Gaza, which numbers about 135 and includes several priests and religious, has only strengthened. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256192/these-are-very-hard-times-pastor-of-gaza-catholic-church-gives-update-on-christian-s-plight Months after former cardinal Theodore McCarrick was ruled not competent to stand trial on criminal sexual abuse charges in Massachusetts, similar charges against him in Wisconsin now hang in the balance after a competency exam ordered by the court was filed in November. McCarrick is facing misdemeanor sexual assault charges in Wisconsin related to an incident that allegedly occurred in April 1977 near a house by Geneva Lake. The results of the competency exam are not yet available to the public and lawyers in the case could not comment on its contents. The next hearing is on January 10, 2024, at the Walworth County Judicial Center. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256191/theodore-mccarrick-case-in-wisconsin-hangs-in-the-balance-after-new-competency-exam Today, the Church celebrates Saint Ambrose, the brilliant Bishop of Milan who influenced Saint Augustine's conversion and was named a Doctor of the Church. Like Augustine himself, the older Ambrose, born around 340, was a highly educated man who sought to harmonize Greek and Roman intellectual culture with the Catholic faith. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-ambrose-76

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - A priest from the Diocese of Okigwe in Nigeria was kidnapped November 30 while traveling to administer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick to a parishioner. The diocese announced December 1 that Father Kingsley Eze, who serves as the parish priest of Saint Michael's Umuekebi Catholic Church in Nigeria's Imo state, was kidnapped at approximately 8 pm and his whereabouts are unknown. The bandits are said to have first robbed the street vendors, shooting indiscriminately and wounding a passerby, and then forced the priest and his companion to follow them. Saint Michael's Parish serves parts of Imo state in southern Nigeria, which has been the center of massive attacks that mostly target Christians. From January 2021 to May of this year, security forces and “allied militias” killed 900 unarmed citizens, wounded 700, and arrested 3,500 people, most of them innocent Christians in Imo state. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256179/parish-priest-in-nigeria-abducted-while-answering-sick-call The beatification cause for Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect known as “God's architect” and designer of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, Spain, just completed an important step on the path to officially declaring him a saint in the Catholic Church. Gaudí's cause for beatification has been transferred from a civil association to an ecclesial association and has entered its “final process,” according to the Archdiocese of Barcelona. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256178/canonization-cause-advances-for-god-s-architect-antoni-gaudi The board of trustees of the University of Notre Dame has elected as the university's new president Father Robert Dowd, a Congregation of Holy Cross priest and associate professor of political science who serves as a current vice president. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256181/notre-dame-board-elects-father-robert-a-dowd-as-new-university-president Today, the Church celebrates Saint Nicholas of Myra. A bishop in the early church who was known for generosity and love of children, Nicholas was born in Lycia in Asia Minor around the late third or fourth century. One of the most famous stories of the generosity of Nicholas says that he threw bags of gold through an open window in the house of a poor man to serve as dowry for the man's daughters, who otherwise would have been forced into prostitution. The gold is said to have landed in the family's shoes, which were drying near the fire. This is why children leave their shoes out by the door, or hang their stockings by the fireplace in the hopes of receiving a gift on the eve of his feast. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-nicholas-of-myra-75

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - In preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year, two of the massive entry doors at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, have been sealed. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, blessed and sealed the two doors, which are scheduled to be reopened on Christmas Eve next year as a Holy Door for pilgrims. The ceremony took place on the first Sunday of Advent — a little more than one year before the start of the 2025 Jubilee Year, which will center on the theological virtue of hope. Broglio said the jubilee theme “Pilgrims of Hope” indicates that “we are on a journey and not pessimistic travelers,” highlighting the need for a message of hope amid ongoing crises around the world. Holy Doors, which are traditionally sealed prior to jubilee years, provide special graces for pilgrims who walk through them. A pilgrimage through a Holy Door also permits one to receive a plenary indulgence when the other normal conditions for such an indulgence are met. The 2025 Jubilee Year begins on December 24, 2024 (Christmas Eve), and concludes on January 6, 2026 — slightly more than one calendar year. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256174/holy-doors-sealed-at-nation-s-largest-catholic-church Climate activists in Italy over the weekend disrupted a Mass celebrated by Turin Archbishop Roberto Repole, with the demonstrators reading from Pope Francis' works on the environment during the incident. Activists with the climate group Extinction Rebellion appeared at the Turin Cathedral on Sunday during the archbishop's Mass there, according to the Italian newspaper la Republicca. The incident reportedly took place “in the moments before the homily,” the paper said, in which “activists stood up one at a time and read aloud the two writings.” The paper said the demonstrators quoted in part from Laudato Si' by repeating Francis' call for “a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256172/climate-activists-disrupt-archbishop-s-mass-in-turin The bishop of Saltillo in the Mexican border state of Coahuila, Hilario González García, has announced the automatic excommunication (“latae sententiae”) of the one or more thieves who broke into a Catholic church and stole and desecrated the Eucharist. The incident occurred the morning of November 25 at Sacred Heart of Jesus chapel, part of Our Lady of Schoenstatt Parish located on the outskirts of the city. “For the very serious offense committed against Our Lord,” González invited all the faithful to join in prayer, “performing acts of reparation and promoting love for Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.” For now, he explained, Mass will not be possible until reparation is made for the offense. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256176/mexican-bishop-states-thief-who-stole-eucharist-is-excommunicated Today, the Church celebrates Saint Gerald, an English monk, and the bishop of Mayo in Ireland. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-gerald-bishop-of-mayo-74 The Church also celebrates Blessed Phillip Rinaldi, a 19th-century Salesian who served as Salesian provincial superior in Spain, where he opened many new houses and then served as vicar-general of the Salesians before becoming the Rector Major in 1922, Don Bosco's third successor. His humble and quiet leadership of the order combined with his tremendous saintly virtue and apostolic zeal, and a healing miracle attributed to him at the end of the Second World War, prompted his cause for canonization. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-phillip-rinaldi-408

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis called the destruction of the environment “an offense against God” in a message given to the participants in the UN climate summit on Saturday. The keynote address that the pope had intended to give in person at the COP28 conference was distributed to the attendees in Dubai, where Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin read a shortened version of the pope's speech to the assembly on December 2. Pope Francis, who turns 87 in two weeks, canceled his scheduled trip to the United Arab Emirates days before the climate summit at the request of his doctors after coming down with a flu infection that left him with breathing difficulties and acute bronchitis. Care for creation has been an important theme in Francis' pontificate. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256165/pope-francis-to-cop28-environmental-destruction-is-an-offense-against-god Pope Francis for the second consecutive Sunday was assisted by an aide in praying the Angelus as he continues to recover from an acute bronchial infection. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256167/pope-francis-on-first-sunday-of-advent-im-improving-but-my-voice-still-doesnt-work At least three people were killed and others injured Sunday morning in an explosion during a Mass held in a university gymnasium in the southern Philippines. Authorities are investigating whether pro-Islamic State militants were responsible for the blast, which set off a panic on the campus of Mindanao State University in Marawi on the island of Mindanao. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256166/philippine-catholic-mass-explosion-three-killed Today, the Church celebrates Saint John of Damascus. Eastern Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics, whose tradition has been particularly shaped by his insights, celebrate the saint's feast on the same day as the Roman Catholic Church. Among Eastern Christians, John is best known for his defense of Christian sacred art, particularly in the form of icons. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-of-damascus-407

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Holy See's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, will head the Vatican's delegation to the COP28 climate conference in place of Pope Francis, who continues to recover from an acute bronchial infection. The Vatican announced on Tuesday that it was canceling the 86-year-old pontiff's trip to Dubai at the behest of his doctors. The pope has been struggling since last week with both a mild flu and lingering symptoms from that illness. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256154/cardinal-parolin-will-represent-pope-francis-at-climate-conference Pope Francis' prayer intention for the month of December is for people with disabilities. The Holy Father urged civil institutions to “support their projects through access to education, employment, and places where they can express their creativity.” The pope encouraged individuals to change “our mentality a little” and open “ourselves to the abilities and talents of these people who are differently abled, both in society as well as in the life of the Church.” He concluded with a prayer: “Let us pray that people with disabilities may be at the center of attention in society, and that institutions offer inclusion programs that enhance their active participation.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256134/this-is-pope-francis-prayer-intention-for-the-month-of-december In what it called its “best and final” offer to survivors of abuse, the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York on Monday proposed a plan that offers $200 million to approximately 600 survivors of abuse, the largest-ever settlement offer made in diocesan bankruptcy history. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256151/new-york-diocese-offers-200-dollars-million-to-abuse-victims-in-largest-ever-settlement-offer Today, the Church celebrates Saint Edmund Campion. He was born in London on January 25, 1540. He joined the Jesuits and won many Catholic converts in England during a time when the faith was highly persecuted. On July 17, 1581, he was betrayed by one of the faithful who knew his whereabouts, and was thrown into prison. The queen offered him all manner of riches if he would forsake his loyalty to the Pope, but he refused. After spending some time in the Tower of London, he was sentenced to death by hanging, drawing and quartering. His martyrom in Tyburn on December 1, 1581 sparked off a wave of conversions to Catholicism. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-edmund-campion-404 The Church also celebrates Saint Eligius, a seventh-century bishop of Noyon-Tournai in France and Belgium. Eligius is the patron of goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and all metal workers. Taxi drivers have also put themselves under his protection. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-eligius-70