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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 Louise de Marillac, a spiritual directee of Saint Vincent de Paul who founded the Daughters of Charity, a group of women dedicated to serving the sick, the poor and the neglected. She was declared patroness of social workers in 1960. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-louise-de-marillac-178

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 first hearing in what could be the most consequential abortion case since the overturning of Roe v. Wade is set for this Wednesday, March 15. The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM), along with several other medical organizations and doctors, is suing the Federal Drug Administration for its approval and expansion of the abortion drug mifepristone. On January 3, the FDA changed its policy to allow pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens, to sell mifepristone. Previously, the FDA only allowed certified doctors, clinics, and some mail-order pharmacies to dispense the drug. After the FDA's policy change, any patient with a prescription can obtain mifepristone from her local retail pharmacy. Represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), AHM is alleging that the FDA has been recklessly endangering women and young girls for decades by ignoring its own research and testing standards and continuing to expand its mifepristone approval. The case is being heard by U.S. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk for the Northern District of Texas. A high-stakes case, if Kacsmaryk rules against the FDA, the administration could be forced to rescind its approval of the drug, bringing its legal distribution to a halt across the country, even in states where abortion remains legal. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253858/case-that-could-stop-half-of-us-abortions-set-for-this-wednesday Police are searching for a man who burglarized and vandalized Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Gales Ferry, Connecticut, early Saturday. The Ledyard Police Department reported that the man broke into the church, smashing windows and attempting to break into rooms using a crowbar. The police reported that the man further vandalized the church by painting “hateful” messages on the floor of the church meeting hall with black paint and more “hateful speech” on a wall that displayed a large crucifix. Based on security camera footage from inside the church, police allege the man entered the building at about 1 am Saturday, March 11, and stayed in the building for about two and a half hours. The police believe the man first tried to enter the building by throwing bricks at the front door but was unsuccessful. The police believe the man then walked around the outside of the building and broke windows with bricks, rocks, and religious items before breaking into a window on the north side of the building and entering the church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253854/police-looking-for-man-who-vandalized-connecticut-catholic-church Today, the Church celebrates Saint Matilda, Queen of Germany and wife of King Henry I was the daughter of Count Dietrich of Westphalia and Reinhild of Denmark. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-matilda-177

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 asked for prayers as he spoke about the future of the Church and his pontificate so far in an interview published in the early hours of Sunday. Speaking to the Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano, Francis declined to evaluate his pontificate so far, saying the Lord will judge his life one day based on whether he practiced the Corporal Works of Mercy as taught by Jesus. “The Church is not a business, or an NGO, and the pope is not an administrator who has been commissioned to balance the numbers at the end of the year,” he said, according to an English transcript published on Il Fatto Quotidiano March 12. According to the pope, it's not easy to pay attention to God's will and put it into practice: “It's necessary to attune yourself with the Lord, not with the world.” Asked about his wish for the world, Pope Francis responded: “peace.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253848/not-an-easy-job-pope-francis-asks-for-prayers-on-10th-anniversary-as-pope The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, has ordered the closing of the Vatican embassy in Managua and the Nicaraguan embassy to the Holy See in Rome, according to Reuters. And according to the AP, Vatican sources confirmed there had been a request from Nicaragua to shut down the two embassies. The proposal to suspend relations between the Vatican and Nicaragua follows just days after Pope Francis likened Nicaragua's Sandinista government to Nazi Germany in an interview. He also called Ortega “unstable.” Ortega, who leads Nicaragua's socialist Sandinista National Liberation Front party, has governed Nicaragua continuously since 2007 along with his wife, Rosario Murillo, who is now the vice president. The regime has variously been accused of corruption, voter fraud, imprisoning critical dissenters and journalists, and committing violent human rights abuses against the people of Nicaragua. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253850/report-nicaragua-to-close-vatican-embassy-in-managua-nicaraguan-embassy-to-holy-see Today, the Church celebrates Saint Roderick, a priest in Cabra, Spain during the persecution of Christians by the Moors. Authorities accused Roderick of apostacy under Sharia Law and he was imprisoned. While in prison, he met a man named Solomon, also charged with apostasy. After a long imprisonment, they were both beheaded. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-roderick-176

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 - Saint Peter's Basilica will now host an hour of Eucharistic adoration on its front portico once a month. Beginning March 14, adoration will take place every second Tuesday from 8-9 pm on the parvise in front of the Vatican basilica leading to St. Peter's Square. The March 14 adoration will be led by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti who is the archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica. The prayer will be offered for Pope Francis in light of his 10th anniversary as pope. Saint Peter's Basilica is typically open every day from 7 am to 6:30 pm in the winter or 7 pm in the summer. The Eucharist is also exposed in Saint Peter's Basilica for adoration in the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament from approximately 9 am to 4:45 pm Monday through Saturday. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253828/vatican-basilica-to-hold-monthly-eucharistic-adoration-on-portico In a new blow to the Church in Nicaragua, the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega has ordered the legal status of several institutions to be revoked, including that of John Paul II Catholic University. The reason given for the decision was “noncompliance” with the obligations of the universities “according to the laws that regulate them.” The cancellation affects the students and campuses of the John Paul II Catholic University in Managua, Juigalpa Chontales, Matagalpa, and Granada, as well as UCAN and its locations in León, Chinandega, Estelí, Juigalpa Chontales, Masaya, and Matagalpa. The university responded by saying that "the Lord is the master of our history, and that in the most adverse moments He has supported us and will continue to do so." https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253829/dictatorship-in-nicaragua-dissolves-john-paul-ii-catholic-university Daniel Ortega has also dissolved Caritas Nicaragua and Caritas Jinotega, aid organizations of the Catholic Church that assist those most in need in the Central American country. Caritas Jinotega provided food for the country's poorest people, donations of crutches and prostheses, delivered medicines at low cost, among many other charitable works. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253831/ortega-dictatorship-dissolves-caritas-nicaragua-catholic The Vatican held a hearing Thursday to try three climate activists for criminal damage to a famous statue in the Vatican Museums. Guido Viero, 61, and Ester Goffi, 26, were ordered to appear before the Vatican City State's tribunal on March 9. Viero and Goffi superglued their hands to the marble base holding Laocoön and His Sons, an ancient marble sculpture on display in the Vatican Museums, on the morning of August 18, 2022. They are accused of damaging the base of the statue through the use of “particularly tough and corrosive synthetic adhesive.” The three are part of Ultima Generazione (“Last Generation”), an Italian group that encourages nonviolent civil disobedience to “raise the alarm on the climate emergency.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253824/vatican-takes-climate-activists-to-trial-for-damage-to-base-of-famous-statue-in-vatican-museums Today, the Church celebrates Saint Aurea, a young 11th century Spanish woman who lived a life of sacrifice in a convent before dying in her late 20s. The Church also celebrates Saint Sophronius, a courageous leader of the Jerusalem Church during the Islamic conquests of the seventh century, who is more commonly venerated among Eastern Catholics and within the Eastern Orthodox churches. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar/2022-3-11

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 met Wednesday with two young Nigerian girls who suffered horrendous violence at the hands of the Boko Haram terrorist group. Sixteen-year-old Maryamu Joseph, who escaped from the Boko Haram in July after being held against her will for nine years, greeted the pope with Janada Marcus, also a victim of Boko Haram kidnapping, at the end of his general audience on March 8. Both girls saw members of their families murdered by Boko Haram. The pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need arranged for the girls to meet the pope on International Women's Day. Pope Francis recently wrote a book preface in which he condemned violence against women. “We must find the cure to heal this plague and not leave women alone,” the pope said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253817/pope-francis-meets-with-two-nigerian-girls-who-were-kidnapped-by-boko-haram Oklahomans on Tuesday night overwhelmingly voted down a measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana, which the Catholic bishops of the state had urged voters to reject because of the physical and spiritual harms of drug use. State Question 820, which would have legalized the consumption of marijuana for adults 21 and over, was put before Oklahoma voters in a special election March 7. The final tally was 62% no to 38.3% yes, with a turnout of about 25% of registered voters, the Associated Press reported. The vote continues a recent trend of conservative-led states rejecting marijuana ballot measures, despite analyst predictions that marijuana legalization has, for the past decade or so, largely been a winning issue no matter what state it is introduced in. At the midterm elections in November 2022, voters in Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota rejected measures put before them to legalize recreational pot while Missouri and Maryland approved theirs. Catholic bishops in all of those states had urged voters to reject marijuana legalization. The Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, representing Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City and Bishop David Konderla of Tulsa, strongly urged voters to reject the measure, citing the well-documented harms to society, children, and the family associated with the proliferation of marijuana. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253821/oklahoma-voters-reject-marijuana-legalization Today, the Church celebrates Saint Frances of Rome, who from an early age felt called to religious life, but was forced into marriage at age thirteen. Despite her situation, Frances gave up all her wealth to the sick and poor, and began to go door to door raising money to aid the sick and poor. She eventually founded a charitable society of women to continue her work. She is the patron of widows and motorists, because according to legend, an angel always lit her path. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-frances-of-rome-415

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 - Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, whose spire and roof were destroyed by an April 15, 2019, fire, is expected be rebuilt within the five-year deadline set by the French government. As confirmed by the head of the construction site, French Army General Jean-Louis Georgelin, in an interview with the Associated Press, the faithful and tourists should have access to the site again by the end of 2024. Reconstruction work only began some 24 months after the tragic incident occurred, with the first phase consisting of cleaning and securing the site, involving more than 200 different companies. Although the beloved cathedral will not be ready for the Olympic Games to be held in the French capital in July and August 2024, it should have regained its former shape by then, with the reconstruction phase of its emblematic spire to begin in April. The wood that will be used to rebuild the frame was blessed by the rector of the cathedral, Bishop Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, on December 15, 2022. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253809/reopening-of-notre-dame-cathedral-confirmed-for-late-2024 A human rights group active in China is reporting that religious believers in a populous Chinese province are now required to register on a government app in order to attend worship services. ChinaAid, a U.S.-based Christian charity, reported March 6 that the religious department of the provincial government of Henan is rolling out a system whereby all believers must make online reservations before they can attend services in churches, mosques, or Buddhist temples. The reservations are to be made through an app called “Smart Religion” developed by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Henan Province. According to ChinaAid, applicants must fill in personal information, including their name, phone number, government ID number, permanent residence, occupation, and date of birth before they can make a reservation. Henan, located in the east-central part of the country, has one of the largest Christian populations in China — as much as 6% — according to a 2012 government survey. The communist government of China is officially secular. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253810/chinese-province-rolls-out-reservation-app-for-religious-believers Britain's House of Commons approved legislation Tuesday to create “buffer zones” around abortion facilities that would prohibit a wide range of behavior, including silent prayer. An amendment to exempt prayer and consensual conversation was voted down by lawmakers, who added the buffer zones to the Public Order Bill. The final vote came the day after a pro-life woman was arrested in Birmingham for the second time for praying silently in an alleged violation of a local buffer zone law. Opponents of the legislation decried the bill's passage as a strike against individual liberty in the United Kingdom. The bill would create a buffer zone of 150 meters, about 492 feet, outside abortion facilities in England and Wales. It bars intimidation, harassment, or interference toward those seeking or providing abortions. Violation would be punished with a fine, a change from a previously proposed penalty that called for a prison sentence. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253814/uk-parliament-bans-pro-life-outreach-and-prayer-near-abortion-facilities Today, the Church celebrates Saint John of God. Born in Portugal in 1495, John lived through decades of sin and suffering before a profound conversion that led him to embrace poverty, humility and charity. Saint John of God was canonized in 1690, and has become the patron of hospitals and the dying. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-of-god-confessor-171

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 group of Catholic bishops will visit San Quentin Prison's death row inmates on Tuesday as inmates await transfer to other facilities in light of California's moratorium on executions. In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions and ordered the closure of the execution chamber at San Quentin Prison, the Marin County facility near San Francisco that dates back to the 19th century. The state of California aims to move 671 death row inmates, 21 of whom are women, to high-security units at other prisons. After Newsom announced the death penalty moratorium, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco issued a statement on behalf of the California Catholic Conference encouraging the governor to “use well the time of the moratorium to promote civil dialogue on alternatives to the death penalty, including giving more needed attention and care to the victims of violence and their families.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253806/california-bishops-to-visit-death-row-inmates-at-san-quentin Father Jacques Mourad, a Syrian Catholic monk who was kidnapped in Syria by Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in 2015 and managed to escape after five months in captivity, was consecrated as the new archbishop of Homs, Syria. At the March 3 Mass for the episcopal consecration, Bishop Flavien Rami Al-Kabalan, procurator of the Syrian Patriarchate of Antioch to the Holy See, noted that the new archbishop “has placed his life in the hands of the Lord.” Al-Kabalan stressed that God chose the new archbishop “to be the spiritual father who sanctifies souls with the sacraments of salvation and guides everyone in prayer and fasting, the patient and loving brother, the wise and understanding teacher.” In May 2015, masked Islamic State militants broke into the Mar Elian Monastery in Syria and kidnapped Mourad. On several occasions during his captivity, a masked man threatened him with a knife to his throat. During the more than five months that he was held captive, Mourad could have easily been set free; all he had to do was renounce Christianity. However, in each and every one of the days of captivity, he chose to remain steadfastly faithful to Christ. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253803/syrian-catholic-monk-once-kidnapped-by-isis-consecrated-archbishop Vandals smashed the windows of a pro-life pregnancy center in Minneapolis and spray-painted it with graffiti in the middle of the night March 3, in the latest incident in a wave of attacks against crisis pregnancy centers. Video surveillance shows two masked individuals at about 1 am tagging the clinic with graffiti and breaking the windows with a hammer. A group called Jane's Revenge has claimed responsibility for similar attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers in a wave of attacks since Roe v. Wade was overturned. A group called Jane's Revenge has claimed responsibility for similar attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers in a wave of attacks since Roe v Wade was overturned. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253802/abortion-activists-smash-windows-at-minnesota-pregnancy-clinic-that-provides-free-diapers Today, the Church celebrates Saints Perpetua and Felicity, young martyrs who died for the faith around the year 203. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-perpetua-and-felicity-and-their-companions-169

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 gathered Friday for the funeral of slain Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell, who was remembered as “a friend of Jesus Christ” and the poor. Archbishop José Gomez presided over the funeral Mass, held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Speaking briefly at the conclusion of the liturgy, Gomez said “Bishop Dave,” as O'Connell was affectionately known, would be sorely missed, but “we know that he's in heaven.” O'Connell, 69, a popular Irish-born priest who worked on myriad social causes in South LA for the past 45 years, died February 18 after being shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home, according to District Attorney George Gascón. Carlos Medina, the husband of O'Connell's housekeeper, has admitted to murdering the bishop, Gascón said in a February 22 press conference. Earlier in the week, both Pope Francis and President Joe Biden issued condolences to O'Connell's family and all those grieving his death. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253792/we-know-that-he-s-in-heaven-thousands-gather-for-funeral-of-bishop-david-o-connell-in-los-angeles Dozens of people reportedly were murdered in post-election attacks on villages in Nigeria's Benue State Wednesday, according to a diocesan official. During the attacks, Fulani men armed with military gear descended on the Benue State capital, Makurdi, the official said. International observers are linking the attacks to the outcome of the recently announced presidential results of Nigeria's general elections, in which an all-Muslim presidential ticket was declared the winner. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253794/wave-of-murders-after-elections-in-nigeria-forces-catholic-diocese-staff-to-evacuate The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) expressed its concern for the situation of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua and for Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who was sentenced on February 9 to 26 years and four months in prison by the Daniel Ortega dictatorship. One of the latest low points in the Nicaraguan dictatorship's persecution of the Church was the recent sentencing of Álvarez to 26 years and four months in prison as a “traitor to the homeland” convicted of “undermining national security and sovereignty” and “spreading fake news.” The bishop was also stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253788/aid-to-the-church-in-need-greatly-concerned-about-nicaraguan-bishop-sentenced-to-prison Today, the Church celebrates Saint Colette, the founder of the Colettine Poor Clares (Clarisses). https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-colette-413

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 Katharine Drexel, a Philadelphia heiress who abandoned her family's fortune to found an order of sisters dedicated to serving the impoverished African American and Native American populations of the United States. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-katharine-drexel-166

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 Angela of the Cross, the Foundress of the Institute of the Sisters of the Company of the Cross. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-angela-of-the-cross-165 The Church also celebrates Saint Agnes of Prague, a relative of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. She entered the Order of Saint Clare in the monastery of Saint Saviour at Prague, which she herself had erected. She was elected abbess of the monastery, and through this office became a model of Christian virtue and religious observance for all. God favored her with the gift of miracles, and she predicted the victory of her brother Wenceslaus over the Duke of Austria. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-agnes-of-prague-170 Finally, the Church celebrates Blessed Charles the Good, a twelfth-century king of Denmark. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-charles-the-good-412

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 - This week a federal Texas judge could stop over half of the abortions happening in the country in what may be the most consequential abortion ruling since the reversal of Roe v Wade. US Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk for the Northern District of Texas is set to issue a decision in the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine's (AHM) suit against the Federal Drug Administration that alleges the agency ignored its own research and testing standards when approving the abortion drug mifepristone. Mifepristone is the first of two drugs used in chemical abortions, which account for 53% of all abortions in the country. If Kacsmaryk rules against the FDA, the administration could be forced to rescind its approval of the drug, bringing its legal distribution to a halt across the country, even in states where abortion remains legal. Though a ruling against the FDA could block the legal distribution of mifepristone, that result might only be temporary. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253763/here-s-how-half-of-us-abortions-could-be-stopped-this-week The Nicaraguan dictatorship led by Daniel Ortega has prohibited holding the Stations of the Cross in the streets the same week that the dictator accused the Church of being a “mafia.” Local media reported February 23 and 24 that the government had banned the Stations of the Cross, a traditional practice during Lent and Holy Week. Hundreds of faithful participated in the Stations of the Cross that took place around the Managua Cathedral on Friday, February 24. Ortega's government has in recent years detained, imprisoned, and likely tortured numerous Catholic leaders, including at least one bishop and several priests. His government has also taken action to repress Catholic radio and television stations, and driven Catholic religious orders, including the Missionaries of Charity, from the country. The regime also expelled Archbishop Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, the former apostolic nuncio in Nicaragua, from the country, a move the Vatican called “incomprehensible.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253760/dictatorship-in-nicaragua-bans-stations-of-the-cross-in-the-streets Today, the Church celebrates Saint David of Wales. David is the patron of the Welsh people, remembered as a missionary bishop and the founder of many monasteries during the sixth century. David was a popular namesake for churches in Wales prior to the Anglican schism, and his feast day is still an important religious and civic observance. Twelve monasteries have their founding ascribed to David, who developed a reputation for strict asceticism. His monks modeled their lives on the earliest desert hermits – combining hard manual labor, silence, long hours of prayer, and a diet that completely excluded meat and alcohol. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-david-of-wales-163

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 - Former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, 92, filed a motion in a Massachusetts court claiming he is “legally incompetent” to stand trial for sex abuse charges, citing “significant, worsening, and irreversible dementia.” McCarrick, laicized by Pope Francis in 2019, held one of the highest offices in the Catholic Church and has been accused of serially abusing his priestly authority by sexually abusing minors and seminarians. McCarrick is charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14. The state of Massachusetts told CNA that it wants an opportunity to examine McCarrick's competency to stand trial. It would be a violation of McCarrick's 14th Amendment right in the Constitution and Article XII of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights if he were to stand trial with his dementia, his lawyers maintain in a court document. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253756/ex-cardinal-mccarrick-asks-for-dismissal-of-sex-abuse-case-against-him-citing-dementia The Diocese of Albany, New York, has at least temporarily banned the Traditional Latin Mass at two parishes to comply with an order issued by the Vatican last week. Effective immediately, parish churches in the diocese are prohibited from celebrating the Latin Mass in accordance with the “Missale Romanum” of 1962, according to a statement from the diocese. In 2021, Pope Francis issued a motu proprio titled Traditionis custodes, which directed bishops to designate locations for the celebration of the Latin Mass but added that those locations not be within parish churches. Many bishops offered dispensations for parishes that already had thriving Latin Mass communities. On Feb. 21, Cardinal Arthur Roche, who serves as the prefect for the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, clarified that all dispensations must be approved by the Vatican and ordered any bishop who had already issued dispensations to inform the dicastery, which will evaluate individual cases. The effect of Cardinal Roche's rescript is still unclear, as many bishops have yet to clearly indicate what they will do next. However, some bishops have already sought and received Vatican approval for dispensations. These dispensations, however, are not permanent but instead only granted for a limited period of time. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253757/albany-diocese-bans-latin-masses-following-new-guidance-from-the-vatican Today, the Church celebrates Blessed Villana de'Botti, a wife and a Third Order Dominican. After reforming her apparently lazy and world ways, she became a Dominican tertiary, concentrated on her vocation of married life, and spent her free time praying and reading Scripture and the lives of the saints. She was given to religious ecstasies at Mass, visions of Our Lady and the saints, and had the gift of prophecy. She died in 1361 of natural causes at the age of 30. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-villana-debotti-161

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 Saturday that Pope Francis will visit Hungary for the second time, from April 28-30. According to today's announcement, the three-day papal trip to Budapest will include meetings with Hungary President Katalin Novák, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a private visit with children at the Blessed László Batthyány-Strattmann Institute, and meetings with poor people and migrants, young people, clergy, academics, and members of the Society of Jesus. Pope Francis met Orbán during his 2021 visit to Hungary and in the Vatican in 2022. Novák, who was elected president of Hungary in March 2022, met Pope Francis at the Vatican last August. A Christian wife and mother, Novák was formerly Hungary's family minister. Pope Francis is returning to the central European country after a short visit in 2021 for the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253745/pope-francis-to-visit-hungary-in-april Pope Francis and leaders of the Church in Italy expressed their pain and sent their prayers for the eternal rest of at least 59 migrants who died in a shipwreck this Sunday off the southern coast of Italy. The boat that was transporting them crashed into the rocks a few meters from the coast of the village of Steccato di Cutro in Calabria. Italian authorities continue to search with boats for dozens still missing at sea. According to some witnesses, the ship carried about 250 people on board. Some 80 migrants have been rescued so far. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed on February 26 “her deep regret for the numerous human lives cut short by human traffickers.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253749/shipwreck-leaves-more-than-50-migrants-dead-in-italy-the-church-expresses-pain Pope Francis said a spontaneous prayer for peace during a Vatican event for the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Friday. After saying a few words about the war in Ukraine, the pope invited those present to pray with him. “Holy Father, who art in heaven, look at our miseries, look at our wounds, look our pain. Look also at our selfishness, our petty interests, and the capacity we have to destroy ourselves,” he prayed. “Heal us. Heal our hearts, heal our minds, heal our eyes that they may see the beauty that you have made and not destroy it in selfishness. Sow in us the seed of peace. Amen.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253747/this-was-pope-francis-spontaneous-prayer-for-ukraine-on-anniversary-of-war Today, the Church celebrates Blessed Maria Caridad Brader, Despite her mother's opinion, Maria entered a Franciscan convent in 1880. She made her final vows two years later and began teaching at the convent school. At the end of the 19th century, it became permissible for cloistered nuns to work as missionaries. Maria volunteered to be one of the first of six sisters to work in Ecuador. Maria served as a teacher and catechist in Ecuador. In 1893, she was transferred to Colombia to attend to the sick and rejected. In response to an urgent need for missionaries, Maria founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate in 1893 in Colombia. Maria served as the congregation's superior general until 1919 and again from 1928 to 1940. Maria urged her sisters to combine contemplation and action with great care. Her congregation also emphasized good education for both the sisters and their students. Maria died in 1943 in Colombia and her grave immediately became a popular pilgrimage site. She was beatified by St. John Paul II in 2003. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-maria-caridad-brader-160

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 Thursday, Pope Francis approved a miracle to advance the cause of canonization of Venerable Servant of God Elisabetta Martinez, an Italian nun and founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Santa Maria di Leuca. The miracle involved the healing of an unborn baby girl in Rimini, Italy. Ultrasound imagery in 2017 revealed to the child's mother that her baby was suffering from several severe life-limiting and potentially life-ending conditions. A family friend informed the Daughters of Santa Maria di Leuca, whose various congregations began praying novenas for a miraculous healing through the intercession of their founder Elisabetta Martinez. In January 2018 new ultrasound imagery shocked doctors by revealing regular quantities of amniotic fluid and regular fetal flowmetry, both major improvements to the baby's condition. Yet, the baby girl was still found to be suffering from at least two serious conditions. On March 19, 2018, the baby girl was born completely healthy. A February 23 decree by Pope Francis authorized the advancement of Martinez's canonization cause based on the baby girl's miraculous healing. The Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints will now advance Martinez to the status of “blessed,” one step away from being declared a saint in the Catholic Church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253723/pope-francis-approves-miracle-involving-unborn-baby-that-paves-way-to-beatification-of-elisabetta-martinez Carlos Medina, the husband of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell's housekeeper, has admitted to murdering the bishop, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said in a press conference Wednesday. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253727/suspect-confesses-to-the-murder-of-bishop-david-o-connell Nigeria will hold presidential elections on Saturday, February 25. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253730/nigerians-head-to-the-polls-to-choose-a-new-president-and-brace-for-post-election-violence The Holy See and Oman have established full diplomatic relations, leaving only six countries worldwide without any diplomatic connection to the Vatican. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253722/holy-see-and-the-sultanate-of-oman-establish-diplomatic-ties Today, the Church celebrates Blessed Thomas Maria Fusco, who founded the Congregation of the “Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood.” He entered the seminary in 1847 and was ordained a priest in 1855. He was completely dedicated to his priestly ministry, preaching spiritual retreats and missions, teaching catechism to youth and organizing prayer for young people and adults at his parish. He worked to build a strong devotion to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus among the people he served. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-thomas-maria-fusco-157

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 - Carlos Medina, the suspect in the murder of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell, was arraigned in state court Wednesday and formally charged with one count of murder and a special allegation that he personally used a firearm. O'Connell was found dead with “at least” one gunshot wound to his upper body on February 18 in his bedroom at his Hacienda Heights home, Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said in a Monday press conference. News of O'Connell's death shocked the nation and rocked the local and international Catholic community. Offering remarks at Monday's press conference, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez broke into tears and struggled to complete his brief comments on Bishop O'Connell. “Out of his love for God, he served this city for more than 40 years,” Gomez said. “Every day he worked to show compassion to the poor, to the homeless, to the immigrant, and to all those living on society's margins. He was a good priest and a good bishop and a man of peace, and we are very sad to lose him,” Gomez said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253716/housekeeper-s-husband-officially-charged-in-murder-of-la-auxiliary-bishop-o-connell Today, the Church celebrates Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, a disciple of the apostle and evangelist St. John. Polycarp is celebrated on the same date by Eastern Orthodox Christians, who also honor him as a Saint. According to tradition, Polycarp was martyred by Roman authorities by being stabbed to death, but only after no flames touched his body during an attempt to burn him alive. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-polycarp-of-smyrna-156

On "EWTN News Nightly" tonight: President Joe Biden told members of the B9 in Warsaw, Poland today, “And you know better than anyone what's at stake in this conflict not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world.” Record numbers of migrants continue to cross the border. Lawmakers from both parties are pushing for immigration reform but they can't agree what that looks like. The priest accused of breaking the law for praying outside an abortion clinic in the UK says he was proud to be a voice for the unborn. Fr. Goff joins to share whether he was doing anything beyond praying at this abortion clinic. Starting today, Catholics in the Confessional will hear things differently. The order of the prayer of absolution has changed just a little to more closely match the original Latin form of the prayer. EWTN Employee Chaplain, Fr. John Paul Mary, explains this change and why it's happening. And the Church where Pope Francis celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass today has a history dating back centuries. Senior Correspondent at Catholic News Agency, Hannah Brockhaus, has more. Finally this evening, this Lent, the Norbertine priests at St. Michael's Abbey will host a virtual Lenten retreat uniting the faithful in common prayer. Norbertine Priest at St. Michael's Abbey, Fr. Ambrose Criste, joins to explain why Ash Wednesday is one of the year's most attended Mass days. Don't miss out on the latest news and analysis from a Catholic perspective. Get EWTN News Nightly delivered to your email: https://ewtn.com/enn

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 suspect has been arrested in connection with the February 18 shooting homicide of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) said Monday. In a press conference Monday, Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna announced that charges would be brought against 65-year-old Carlos Medina, the husband of O'Connell's housekeeper. Prior to the arrest, there was a standoff between the subject and law enforcement in the city of Torrance, about a 45-minute drive southwest from Hacienda Heights, where O'Connell was found dead. Police discovered O'Connell with “at least” one gunshot wound to his upper body while in his bedroom, Luna said. Luna said there was no evidence of a “forced entry” or “burglary” and added that no firearm was found at the scene. A native of Ireland, O'Connell was named a bishop by Pope Francis in 2015. He ministered to immigrants, the poor, and victims of gang violence for 45 years in the South Los Angeles area. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253690/breaking-arrest-made-in-murder-of-bishop-david-o-connell Wisconsin voters are set to head to the polls today to vote for a new state Supreme Court justice in a nonpartisan primary. Though turnout in Wisconsin judicial elections is generally low, pro-life advocates say this election will play a major role in determining whether unborn children will continue to receive protection in Wisconsin, a state that currently has a near-total ban on abortion in place. Pro-choice groups within and outside Wisconsin have identified the state Supreme Court race as a key one in their attempts to get the state's abortion ban overturned. Wisconsin's governor and Attorney General announced a lawsuit last year to attempt to overturn the law, arguing that it has been superseded by subsequent legislation and cannot be enforced. Pro-life advocates worry that should the state Supreme Court obtain a pro-choice majority, the state's pre-Roe ban could be thrown out, as happened last year in neighboring Michigan. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253691/wisconsin-judicial-elections-could-affect-future-of-state-abortion-ban-pro-lifers-say Today, the Church celebrates Saint Peter Damian, a Benedictine monk who strove to purify the Church during the early years of its second millennium. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-peter-damian-154 The Church also celebrates Saint Robert Southwell, SJ an English Roman Catholic Jesuit priest and one of the 40 martyrs of England & Wales murdered during the English anti-Catholic Reformation. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-robert-southwell-739

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 shooting death of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell Saturday is being investigated as a homicide, authorities have confirmed. The shooting happened around 1 pm local time Saturday inside a home in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County, the sheriff's department said. Sheriff deputies called to the scene for a medical emergency found O'Connell suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the LASD said. A native of Ireland, O'Connell, 69, ministered to immigrants, the poor, and victims of gang violence for 45 years in the South Los Angeles area. Pope Francis made him a bishop in 2015. O'Connell's friends and fellow bishops reacted with shock and sadness to the news of his death. “He dedicated his priesthood to serving the poor. I can honestly say that he was one of the most Christ-like men I've known. May he rest in peace,” Bishop Robert Barron said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253687/tk Today, the Church celebrates Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the youngest non-martyrs to be canonized in the history of the Church. The brother and sister, who tended to their families' sheep with their cousin Lucia Santo in the fields of Fatima, Portugal, witnessed the apparitions of Mary, now commonly known as Our Lady of Fatima. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-francisco-and-jacinta-marto-153

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 addressed once again the question of whether he will resign the papacy in two conversations with Jesuit priests in Africa this month, saying he believes a Pope's ministry is for life. The pope, repeating information he had revealed in a prior interview, said that he signed a resignation letter two months after his election as pope in case he should become incapacitated. He mentioned again the letter he signed in case his health should deteriorate to a point he could not resign and pointed to the resignation letter Venerable Pope Pius XII prepared in case he should be kidnapped by Hitler. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253663/pope-francis-i-believe-that-the-pope-s-ministry-is-for-life Two UK Catholics, one of whom is a priest, were acquitted Thursday of all charges against them after they were accused of breaking the law for praying in front of an abortion clinic. Both Father Sean Gough — a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham — and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, co-director of March for Life UK, were charged with violating a local Public Spaces Protection Order that censors speech in the area around a Birmingham abortion clinic. Gough said he stood near a closed abortion clinic on Station Road in Birmingham with a sign that said “praying for free speech.” Officials criminally charged him with “intimidating service users” of the abortion clinic. He faced a second charge related to an “unborn lives matter” sticker on his parked car. The charges against both Gough and Vaughan-Spruce were eventually dropped because of insufficient evidence against them. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253665/two-uk-catholics-acquitted-after-being-charged-for-praying-in-front-of-abortion-clinic Today, the Church celebrates the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites. These seven men were born in Florence, Italy and led lives as hermits on Monte Senario. They had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. On Friday, April 13, 1240, the hermits received a vision of Our Lady, who told them to found a new order. They accepted the wisdom of Our Lady, wrote a Rule based on Saint Augustine and the Dominican Constitutions, adopted the black habit of an Augustinian monk, and lived as mendicant friars. The men founded the Order of Servites which in 1304 received the approval of the Holy See. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/seven-founders-of-the-order-of-servites-150

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 US bishops on Tuesday opened registration to attend the first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years. The National Eucharistic Congress will take place in Indianapolis July 17-21, 2024, and will be “a defining moment in our generation,” according to the website for the event. A five-day event of prayers, speakers, and liturgical celebrations, the congress will be the capstone of the bishops' three-year National Eucharistic Revival campaign, which began June 19, 2022. The congress is expected to have a festival-like atmosphere, similar to World Youth Day, and will likely draw a crowd of 80,000 faithful. The decision to undertake the initiative followed a 2019 Pew survey that revealed that only 31% of Catholics believe that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly, really, and substantially present in the Eucharist. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253654/bishops-open-registration-for-first-national-eucharistic-congress-in-83-years Michigan Catholics sought solace and support one day after three students were killed in a shooting on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Two of the victims of Monday night's shooting had ties to Detroit-area Catholic parishes. The three were killed after a 43-year-old gunman opened fire on campus, injuring five others before apparently taking his own life. The gunman had no known ties to the university, according to the newspaper, and a motive for the attack was still unknown. A Mass was offered Tuesday night at St. John Church and Student Center on MSU's campus — about two blocks north of the February 13 incident — for the repose of the souls of those who died. In his homily, Father Peter Ludwig reminded the students gathered of God's love for them in the midst of tragedy. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253653/understand-that-he-still-loves-you-catholics-mourn-victims-of-michigan-state-shooting 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. Later, as Saint Jerome and other fathers testify, he became an ardent preacher of the Gospel and succeeded Saint Timothy as bishop of Ephesus. His martyrdom occurred under Domitian in the year 90. 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 Vatican is joining the Italian government and NGOs in sending help to the suffering people of Turkey and Syria. According to Vatican News, Pope Francis has provided 10,000 thermal shirts for people who do not have adequate shelter in Turkey and Syria. The pope has also sent financial aid to Syria through the country's apostolic nunciature, Vatican almoner Cardinal Konrad Krajewski told Vatican News. Boxes of thermal shirts took sail from the port of Naples, Italy, on the morning of February 15, together with other aid from NGOs and the Italian government. The shirts were brought to the southern port city on the evening of February 14 by Krajewski. The shirts and other supplies are expected to arrive in Turkey's port city of Iskenderun in two days. The small city was one of those heavily damaged by the February 6 earthquakes believed to have killed more than 41,000 people in the region — a death toll that rises daily as rescuers continue to search through building rubble. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253650/pope-francis-contributes-to-earthquake-relief-efforts-in-syria-and-turkey The beatification date has been announced for Józef and Wiktoria Ulma and their seven children, who were killed by the Nazis for hiding a Jewish family in their home in Poland. The Archdiocese of Przemyska announced Tuesday that the entire Ulma family — including one unborn child — will be beatified on September 10. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, will preside over the beatification ceremony in Markowa, the village in southeast Poland where the Ulma family was executed in 1944. Pope Francis recognized the martyrdom of the couple and their children in a decree signed in December. The World Holocaust Remembrance Center has honored the Ulmas as Righteous Among the Nations for the sacrifice of their lives. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253649/beatification-date-announced-for-married-couple-with-seven-children-martyred-by-nazis Airline workers and travelers flying through the busiest airport in the world can now spend time in the real presence of Christ thanks to the efforts of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's chaplains and the cooperation of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Located in the international terminal, the eucharistic chapel will be a permanent fixture at the airport and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After receiving approval from the archbishop, the tabernacle was installed in November of last year. But because only travelers and airline workers can get past security to access the chapel, the archbishop was not able to officially bless it until this Monday, shortly before his flight departed. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253646/atlanta-airport-gets-a-247-eucharistic-chapel Today, the Church celebrates Saint Claude de la Colombiere, 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 - The Diocese of San Juan de Los Lagos in Jalisco state, Mexico, mourned the February 10 shooting death of one of its priests, Father Juan Angulo Fonseca. According to the Mexican newspaper El Financiero, the 53-year-old priest was shot from behind with two blasts of a shotgun. The homicide occurred in the Atotonilco el Alto district of the state of Jalisco. According to the initial investigation, the murder was apparently due to a dispute over land. The priest had been working since 2017 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in the town of Valle de Guadalupe. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253627/priest-shot-to-death-in-mexico The chief law enforcement officers from 20 states signed a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland condemning a since-retracted “anti-Catholic” leaked internal memorandum produced by the FBI's Richmond field office. Published February 8, the memo discusses launching an investigation into “radical-traditionalist” Catholics because of possible ties to “the far-right white nationalist movement.” The FBI confirmed to CNA on February 9 that the document came from its Richmond field office and issued a statement retracting it. The signers of the letter expressed their concerns with the agency's expressed intention to initiate investigations within churches that offer the Latin Mass and within “radical-traditionalist” Catholic online communities, as stated in the memo. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253631/20-state-ags-call-for-investigation-into-fbis-anti-catholic-memo Today, the Church celebrates Saints Cyril and Methodius. Together they are the patron saints of Europe. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-cyril-and-methodius-147 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-valentine-738

Chelsea and I talk about more recent victories over Molech.First, we look at the recent leaked document from the FBI targeting "traditional Catholics" as potential "terrorists."Then, we see four cases in the UK in which police punish pro-life people for their "silent prayer" activity in a censorship zone:Isabel Vaughn-SpruceAdam Smith-ConnorSean GoghLivia Tossici-BoltAll four are challenging the charges and seeking to be cleared in a court. We believe their cooperative but steadfast battles are victories over Molech. they reveal how absurd the Public Space Protection Orders are to try to shield abortion clinics from people who must be asked "Were you praying silently in your head?"Scriptures Referenced:Matthew 6:5-6; 5:10-162 Chronicles 32:7Sources Consulted:Ewan Palmer, "FBI Under Pressure for Targeting Catholics in Leaked Document," Newsweek, February 10, 2023.Caroline Downey, "Charges Dropped against British Woman Arrested for Praying outside Abortion Clinic," National Review, February 3, 2023.Kevin J. Jones, "Second Bystander Ensnared By English Ban On Prayer Outside Abortion Facilities," EWTN, January 22, 2023.Steven Ertelt, "Police Arrest Catholic Priest for Silently Praying Outside Abortion Clinic," Life News, February 9, 2023.Madeleine Teahan, "UK woman praying in public asked to ‘move on' by local authorities," Catholic News Agency, November 25, 2022.*** Castle Rock Women's Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***We value your feedback!Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

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 prayed Sunday for the people of Turkey and Syria who are suffering after devastating earthquakes killed more than 28,000 people. “Dear brothers and sisters, let us continue to be close with prayer and concrete support to the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey,” the pope said in his Angelus address on February 12. Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis described how he was moved by the images of pain and suffering from the catastrophe that he saw on television and urged people to “pray and think of what we can do for them.” The pope spoke as rescue efforts continued over the weekend with rescuers pulling more than a dozen survivors out of the rubble on Saturday. Catholic charities are working to respond to the disaster by providing shelter, food, and other humanitarian aid. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253621/pope-francis-urges-support-for-earthquake-victims-in-turkey-and-syria Pope Francis entrusted Nicaragua to the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary on Sunday after Bishop Rolando Álvarez was sentenced to 26 years in prison by Daniel Ortega's dictatorship. “The news from Nicaragua has grieved me a great deal, and I cannot but remember with concern Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, whom I care about deeply,” the pope said on February 12. Speaking at the end of his Angelus address, Pope Francis said that he was also praying for the 222 Nicaraguan political prisoners who were deported to the United States and “for all those who are suffering in that dear nation.” Bishop Álvarez, an outspoken critic of Ortega's regime, was charged with being a “traitor of the homeland” on February 10. Ortega's government has in recent years detained, imprisoned, and likely tortured numerous Catholic leaders, including at least one bishop and several priests. His government has also taken action to repress Catholic radio and television stations, and driven Catholic religious orders, including the Missionaries of Charity, from the country. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253622/pope-francis-asks-virgin-mary-to-intercede-for-nicaragua-after-bishop-sentenced-to-26-years-in-prison Today, the Church celebrates Saint Catherine de Ricci. Born to an ancient Tuscan family, she received the religious veil in the convent of Dominicanesses at Prat, in Tuscany in the year 1535 at fourteen years of age. She experienced the sufferings of Christ's passion for about two years. Her reputation for extraordinary sanctity and prudence drew her many visits from a great number of bishops, princes, and cardinals. She was canonized in 1746. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-catherine-de-ricci-146

Chelsea and I talk about more recent victories over Molech. First, we look at the recent leaked document from the FBI targeting "traditional Catholics" as potential "terrorists." Then, we see four cases in the UK in which police punish pro-life people for their "silent prayer" activity in a censorship zone: Isabel Vaughn-Spruce Adam Smith-Connor Sean Gogh Livia Tossici-Bolt All four are challenging the charges and seeking to be cleared in a court. We believe their cooperative but steadfast battles are victories over Molech. they reveal how absurd the Public Space Protection Orders are to try to shield abortion clinics from people who must be asked "Were you praying silently in your head?" Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 6:5-6; 5:10-16 2 Chronicles 32:7 Sources Consulted: Ewan Palmer, "FBI Under Pressure for Targeting Catholics in Leaked Document," Newsweek, February 10, 2023. Caroline Downey, "Charges Dropped against British Woman Arrested for Praying outside Abortion Clinic," National Review, February 3, 2023. Kevin J. Jones, "Second Bystander Ensnared By English Ban On Prayer Outside Abortion Facilities," EWTN, January 22, 2023. Steven Ertelt, "Police Arrest Catholic Priest for Silently Praying Outside Abortion Clinic," Life News, February 9, 2023. Madeleine Teahan, "UK woman praying in public asked to ‘move on' by local authorities," Catholic News Agency, November 25, 2022. *** Castle Rock Women's Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. *** We value your feedback! Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

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 little more than a third of Catholic parents say it is extremely or very important for their children to grow up to have religious beliefs similar to their own, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. In the study released last month and expounded further in a February 6 article, 35% of Catholic parents with children under 18 said it is extremely or very important for their children to grow up to share their religious beliefs. A crucial note to the study is that parents who attend services weekly or more were more than three times as likely to say having their children share their beliefs is important, 76% versus 21%, Pew said. In total, 65% of Catholics said it was either extremely, very, or somewhat important for their children to hold their Catholic beliefs as adults. Thirty-four percent of Catholics said it was not too important or not important at all. Hispanic Catholics answered with slightly more enthusiasm with 39% saying it was extremely or very important that their children grow up to share their religious beliefs, while white and non-Hispanic Catholics registered at 29%. Catholics recorded among the lowest enthusiasm for passing their religion to their children of any Christian denomination in the survey. An even lower 29% of white non-evangelical Protestants said it is extremely or very important for their children to share their religious beliefs. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253602/1-in-3-catholic-parents-strongly-believe-their-children-should-be-catholic-survey-finds Today, the Church celebrates Saint Scholastica, a nun who was the twin sister of Saint Benedict, the "father of monasticism" in Western Europe. The siblings were born around 480 to a Roman noble family in Nursia, Italy. Scholastica seems to have devoted herself to God from her earliest youth, as the account of Benedict's life by Pope Gregory the Great mentions that his sister was "dedicated from her infancy to Our Lord." https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-scholastica-143

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 little more than a third of Catholic parents say it is extremely or very important for their children to grow up to have religious beliefs similar to their own, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. In the study released last month and expounded further in a February 6 article, 35% of Catholic parents with children under 18 said it is extremely or very important for their children to grow up to share their religious beliefs. A crucial note to the study is that parents who attend services weekly or more were more than three times as likely to say having their children share their beliefs is important, 76% versus 21%, Pew said. In total, 65% of Catholics said it was either extremely, very, or somewhat important for their children to hold their Catholic beliefs as adults. Thirty-four percent of Catholics said it was not too important or not important at all. Hispanic Catholics answered with slightly more enthusiasm with 39% saying it was extremely or very important that their children grow up to share their religious beliefs, while white and non-Hispanic Catholics registered at 29%. Catholics recorded among the lowest enthusiasm for passing their religion to their children of any Christian denomination in the survey. An even lower 29% of white non-evangelical Protestants said it is extremely or very important for their children to share their religious beliefs. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253602/1-in-3-catholic-parents-strongly-believe-their-children-should-be-catholic-survey-finds Today, the Church celebrates Saint Scholastica, a nun who was the twin sister of Saint Benedict, the "father of monasticism" in Western Europe. The siblings were born around 480 to a Roman noble family in Nursia, Italy. Scholastica seems to have devoted herself to God from her earliest youth, as the account of Benedict's life by Pope Gregory the Great mentions that his sister was "dedicated from her infancy to Our Lord." https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-scholastica-143

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 Claretian Missionaries' Independent Delegation for the Antilles reported that on February 7 one of its priests was kidnapped in Haiti. Father Antoine Macaire Christian Noah was abducted in the morning when he was going to his missionary community in Kazal, about 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince, the country's capital. The kidnappers have contacted “the superior of his missionary community asking for money in exchange for his release,” according to the Claretians. Macaire is originally from Cameroon and has been the parochial vicar at Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Kazal for one year. In recent months, armed gangs have gained significant control over the country in Haiti and also are attacking Catholic schools and hospitals. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253591/priest-kidnapped-in-haiti-captors-demand-ransom Three prominent Christian leaders in Syria issued a joint letter Tuesday calling for an end to sanctions against Syria, which they say are unjustly preventing vital aid from reaching the people most affected by the devastating earthquake that struck the region earlier this week. The February 7 letter was signed by the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Youssef the first, the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem the second, and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch John the tenth. They wrote: “We, the three patriarchs with the heads of churches in Syria, demand from the United Nations and the countries imposing sanctions on Syria to lift the embargo and unjust sanctions imposed on the Syrian people, and to take exceptional measures and immediate initiatives to secure the delivery of the much-needed relief and humanitarian aid.” According to the latest available estimates as of midday Wednesday, the 7.8-magnitude quake ​​has left at least 11,600 people dead in Turkey and Syria. Many international Catholic aid agencies, such as Caritas, Catholic Relief Services, and Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) are soliciting donations, mobilizing resources, and coordinating relief efforts. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253590/christian-leaders-in-syria-call-for-an-end-to-unjust-sanctions-that-they-say-hamper-aid-to-the-needy The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) announced Monday that it is switching its fixed-date religious celebrations to match the Gregorian calendar used by the Church in the West. Ukrainian Catholics have been among the few remaining sects under the papacy to celebrate holidays according to the Julian calendar, which celebrates Christmas on January 7 and Epiphany on January 19. The Russian Orthodox Church and other Eastern Churches under the Patriarchate of Moscow follow the Julian calendar. Now, Catholics in Ukraine will celebrate feasts on the same dates as Catholics in the US and other Western nations, meaning Christmas will be observed on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6. The change will take place at the beginning of the Ukrainian Catholic Church's liturgical year, September 1, 2023. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253587/ukrainian-catholics-will-now-celebrate-christmas-on-dec-25 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. 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 - During his 2023 State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Joe Biden called on Congress to codify Roe v Wade and pass legislation banning discrimination based on a person's sexual orientation and gender identity. Codifying Roe v Wade would establish federal abortion laws that mirror the standards that were set under the now obsolete Roe v Wade decision. Such a law would prohibit states from banning abortion and would prevent certain state-level abortion restrictions. Although Biden is the nation's second Catholic president, he remains at odds with American Catholic bishops and Catholic Church teaching. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253582/biden-calls-to-codify-roe-pass-equality-act-in-sotu-speech Pope Francis concluded his public audience on Wednesday with a prayer for the intercession of the Virgin Mary for the thousands of victims of a deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria. “Let's pray together so that these brothers and sisters can move forward from this tragedy. And we pray that Our Lady will protect them,” the pope said in the Vatican's Paul the sixth Hall on February 8. He then led pilgrims at the event in praying a Hail Mary for all those affected. A series of large earthquakes in parts of Turkey and Syria February 6 created massive destruction and killed an estimated 9,600 people, according to the latest available estimates reported by Reuters early Wednesday morning. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253581/pope-francis-leads-hail-mary-for-victims-of-earthquake-in-turkey-and-syria Today, the Church celebrates Saint Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. 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 - Pope Francis and local Church leaders on Monday reacted with dismay and calls for prayer following a devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. According to Reuters, the series of earthquakes — up to 7.8 magnitude — killed about 5,400 people and injured thousands more, with many people still trapped under the rubble. A “deeply saddened” Pope Francis sent “heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss” in telegrams addressed to the apostolic nuncios of Turkey and Syria. Among the many victims, the body of Father Imad Daher, a priest of the Greek Melkite Catholic Parish of Our Lady, was found under the rubble — after many hours of searching for the priest. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253564/pope-francis-syriac-patriarch-call-for-prayers-after-devastating-earthquakes-in-turkey-and-syria A crowd of military veterans, their families, and Boy Scouts filled a New Jersey parish church on Sunday to honor the “Four Chaplains” — a band of men of different faiths who all sacrificed their lives to save others on the torpedoed USAT Dorchester 80 years ago. The Four Chaplains — Father John P Washington, a Catholic priest; Reverend George L Fox, a Methodist minister; Rabbi Alexander D Goode; and Reverend Clark V Poling, a Reformed Church in America minister — gave their life jackets to save others when their ship was torpedoed in the frigid North Atlantic in 1943. The Mass commemorating the 80th anniversary of the chaplains' sacrifice took place at St. Stephen's Church in Kearney, New Jersey — the last parish where Washington served before being dispatched for war. Washington, Fox, Goode, and Poling, all first lieutenants, met in 1942, having been inspired to sign up as military chaplains after Pearl Harbor. Their vessel, the Dorchester, a troop ship bound for a US military base in Greenland, was struck by a U-boat torpedo in the early morning hours of February 3, 1943. Washington had celebrated Mass just hours before the hit and began to offer absolution. The chaplains calmly assisted and encouraged numerous civilians and soldiers, offering them their own life jackets as the terrified crowd sped to the lifeboats. In 1944, all four men posthumously received the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253569/the-four-chaplains-selfless-heroes-of-wwii-honored-for-sacrifice-80-years-ago Today, the Church celebrates Saint Richard, the father of Saints Willibald, Winnebald, and Walburga. 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 - Pope Francis was greeted by cheers on Saturday as he arrived at a meeting with roughly 2,500 South Sudanese refugees. The meeting with internally displaced persons (IDPs) took place at Freedom Hall in South Sudan's capital of Juba, where Pope Francis is undertaking a pilgrimage of peace from February 3-5. “You, from all your different ethnic groups, you who have suffered and are still suffering, you who do not want to respond to evil with more evil. You, who choose fraternity and forgiveness, are even now cultivating a better tomorrow,” he encouraged those present. South Sudan has the largest refugee crisis in Africa, with 2 million IDPs due to conflict, insecurity, and environmental challenges, the UN Refugee Agency reports. There are also more than 2 million South Sudanese refugees living in neighboring countries. On Sunday, Pope Francis urged Christians in the war-torn African country to make “a decisive contribution to changing history” by refusing to repay evil with evil. More than 100,000 people attended the papal Mass in Juba held on the grounds of a mausoleum commemorating John Garang, a liberation leader known as the “father of South Sudan,” though he died in a helicopter crash before the newest African country gained its independence in 2011 and plunged into a brutal civil war two years later. Pope Francis underlined that South Sudan's Christians are called to be “light that shines in the darkness” by living out the Beatitudes. In his homily, Pope Francis said that Christians are called to be “people capable of building good human relationships as a way of curbing the corruption of evil, the disease of division, the filth of fraudulent business dealings and the plague of injustice.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253556/pope-francis-meets-2500-refugees-in-south-sudan Congress will begin investigating what Republicans call the “weaponization” of the federal government against pro-life advocates and Christians next Thursday, according to announcements from leading House members. A primary focus of the investigation will be the Biden administration's targeting of pro-lifers through the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. In 2022 the Biden Justice Department prosecuted a record 26 pro-life advocates under the FACE Act. Meanwhile, last year saw nearly 100 attacks against pregnancy resource centers and churches that went largely unpunished. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253555/investigation-into-fbi-fed-agencies-targeting-of-pro-lifers-parents-to-begin-next-week Today, the Church celebrates the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki, a group of native Japanese Catholics and foreign missionaries who suffered death for their faith in the year 1597. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-paul-miki-and-companions-139

My wife Chelsea is back with me to talk about recent victories over Molech.First, we explain the Biblical background of the pagan practice of sacrificing children to Molech. We see Satanic temples today claiming that abortion bans violate their "religious freedom" as abortions are literally a sacrament for them. The "NOW" statue at the New York supreme court looks like an idol to celebrate Ruth Bader Ginsburg's fight for abortion "rights."Mark Houck, a pro-life volunteer at a pregnancy center, was recently acquitted of charges that he violated the FACE Act that could have landed him in prison for up to 11 years. Chelsea and I look at the media's narrative on his story and how they ignore all the important details.We walk through Houck's story to see the lies and intimidation from the pro-abortion side. Houck shows us how standing up for truth ultimately leads to victory over Molech.Sources Consulted:Micaiah Bilger, "Artist Confirms She Created Satanic Statue to Support Killing Babies in Abortions," Life News, January 30, 2023.Micaiah Bilger, "Satanic Temple Sues to Stop Abortion Bans, Claims Killing Babies is a Religious Right," Life News, January 6, 2023.Micaiah Bilger, "Satanic Temple Opens New Abortion Clinic to Kill Babies in Ritualistic Abortions," Life News, February 1, 2023.Charisma Madarang, "Anti-Abortion Activist Accused of Pushing 72-Year-Old Volunteer Found Not Guilty," Rolling Stone, January 30, 2023.George Parry, "The Story of Mark Houck: Killing the Monkey to Scare the Chickens," The American Spectator, February 3, 2023.Samantha Kamman, "Mark Houck jury deadlocked, to resume Monday as pro-lifer faces up to 11 years in prison," The Christian Post, January 27, 2023.Joe Bukuras, "UPDATE: Mark Houck cleared of FACE Act charges in rebuke to Justice Department's aggressive prosecution," Catholic News Agency, January 30, 2023.*** Castle Rock Women's Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***We value your feedback!Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

My wife Chelsea is back with me to talk about recent victories over Molech. First, we explain the Biblical background of the pagan practice of sacrificing children to Molech. We see Satanic temples today claiming that abortion bans violate their "religious freedom" as abortions are literally a sacrament for them. The "NOW" statue at the New York supreme court looks like an idol to celebrate Ruth Bader Ginsburg's fight for abortion "rights." Mark Houck, a pro-life volunteer at a pregnancy center, was recently acquitted of charges that he violated the FACE Act that could have landed him in prison for up to 11 years. Chelsea and I look at the media's narrative on his story and how they ignore all the important details. We walk through Houck's story to see the lies and intimidation from the pro-abortion side. Houck shows us how standing up for truth ultimately leads to victory over Molech. Sources Consulted: Micaiah Bilger, "Artist Confirms She Created Satanic Statue to Support Killing Babies in Abortions," Life News, January 30, 2023. Micaiah Bilger, "Satanic Temple Sues to Stop Abortion Bans, Claims Killing Babies is a Religious Right," Life News, January 6, 2023. Micaiah Bilger, "Satanic Temple Opens New Abortion Clinic to Kill Babies in Ritualistic Abortions," Life News, February 1, 2023. Charisma Madarang, "Anti-Abortion Activist Accused of Pushing 72-Year-Old Volunteer Found Not Guilty," Rolling Stone, January 30, 2023. George Parry, "The Story of Mark Houck: Killing the Monkey to Scare the Chickens," The American Spectator, February 3, 2023. Samantha Kamman, "Mark Houck jury deadlocked, to resume Monday as pro-lifer faces up to 11 years in prison," The Christian Post, January 27, 2023. Joe Bukuras, "UPDATE: Mark Houck cleared of FACE Act charges in rebuke to Justice Department's aggressive prosecution," Catholic News Agency, January 30, 2023. *** Castle Rock Women's Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. *** We value your feedback! Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

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 Friday became the first pope to visit South Sudan — fulfilling a yearslong hope to carry out an ecumenical trip to the war-torn country. Pope Francis had spoken about the possibility of the trip as early as 2017, fewer than four years after the outbreak of civil war in 2013. He has personally intervened to send aid to the country and to encourage South Sudan's leaders to reach a real and lasting peace agreement — including inviting President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his former rival Vice President Riek Machar for a retreat at the Vatican. The pope has called his February 3-5 visit to Juba, South Sudan's capital, a “pilgrimage of peace.” His Anglican counterpart, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, along with the moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, are visiting the newest African nation together. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253542/pope-francis-lands-in-south-sudan-fulfilling-yearslong-dream-of-visit-to-war-torn-country As CVS and Walgreens continue to seek federal approval to sell an abortion drug, 20 attorneys general whose states restrict abortion warned the pharmacy chains against fulfilling mail orders within their states. Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale of mifepristone through pharmacies if the companies receive FDA certification. Walgreens and CVS are both seeking certification to sell the drug but have not yet received approval or begun to sell it. A coalition of 20 attorneys general sent letters to the companies, warning them they cannot sell the drug in their states. Explaining their concern, the state officials cite research published in 2015 that found that abortion-inducing drugs are nearly six times more likely to cause complications for women than surgical abortions. They also note that abortions performed away from medical professionals carry an added risk. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253538/20-attorneys-general-warn-cvs-walgreens-against-abortion-pills-in-their-states Winona-Rochester Bishop Robert Barron called a newly passed Minnesota abortion bill that enshrines abortion rights into law “the worst kind of barbarism.” The bill, titled the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act, enshrines a constitutional right to “reproductive freedom,” ensuring the right to abortion in Minnesota up to birth for any reason, as well as the right to contraception and sterilization. Pro-life advocates fiercely opposed the bill, as it gained national attention and underwent several hours of debate in the state Senate. The pro-life advocacy organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called the legislation “the most extreme bill in the country.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253535/bishop-barron-says-minnesota-s-new-abortion-law-is-the-worst-kind-of-barbarism Today, the Church celebrates Saint Blaise, a hard-working bishop dedicated to encouraging the spiritual and physical health of his people in Sebastea, Armenia. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-blaise-136

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 - To bring about peace, “prayer is the most powerful weapon there is,” Pope Francis told thousands of young adults and catechism teachers in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday. The meeting in Martyrs' Stadium in Kinshasa, the capital city of the DRC, took place on February 2, the third day of the pope's visit to the central African country. On February 3, Francis will fly to Juba, South Sudan, for the second leg of his peace pilgrimage. Pope Francis on Thursday interacted with an enthusiastic crowd of around 65,000 young people and adults, some of whom traveled days to be present for the papal visit. During the second half of his speech, the pope was repeatedly drowned out by the energetic audience, which broke out in cheering, singing, and dancing despite the hot weather. The pope invited those present in the stadium to open and close their hands while meditating on whether they wanted to choose peace or violence. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253529/pope-francis-to-congolese-youth-prayer-is-your-secret-weapon-for-peace President Joe Biden is wrong on taxpayer funding of abortion and wrong on Pope Francis's view of it, the president of the US bishops conference said Wednesday. The president suggested Tuesday that neither the pope nor all Catholic bishops oppose public funding for abortion in the United States. Biden, a Catholic who supports legal and publicly funded abortion, made that assertion in a brief exchange with EWTN's White House correspondent, Owen Jensen, on the White House lawn. On Wednesday, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), released a statement contradicting Biden's comments. “As we are taught by Jesus, human life is sacred. God calls us to defend and nurture life from the moment a new human being is conceived. The Catholic Church has been clear and consistent in this teaching,” Broglio said. “The Catholic bishops of the United States are united in our commitment to life and will continue to work as one body in Christ to make abortion unthinkable.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253528/head-of-us-bishops-conference-contradicts-biden-s-claims-about-taxpayer-funded-abortions Today, the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord in the Jewish temple. 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 - Pope Francis visited the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on Monday to entrust his upcoming trip to Africa to the Blessed Virgin Mary. And before departing on his flight to Africa on Tuesday morning, the pope met with a group of refugees and migrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan at the Vatican. Pope Francis landed Tuesday morning in the capital city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country home to more than 52 million Catholics. It will be the first papal trip to Congo in 37 years, since John Paul II visited Kinshasa in 1985 when it was the capital of Zaire. Pope Francis will visit Kinshasa Jan 31-February 3 before traveling to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, February 3-5. Francis has called his visit to South Sudan “an ecumenical pilgrimage of peace.” The pope will travel together with the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields.Pope Francis will be the first pope to visit South Sudan, the world's newest country, which declared independence from the Republic of the Sudan in 2011. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253503/pope-francis-meets-with-refugees-from-congo-and-south-sudan-before-flight-to-africa https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253498/pope-francis-entrusts-trip-to-congo-and-south-sudan-to-blessed-virgin-mary Pro-life activist Mark Houck was found not guilty Monday on federal assault charges stemming from a shoving incident outside a Philadelphia abortion clinic. Supporters of the Catholic father of seven children cried and hugged one another after the verdict was read in US District Court in Philadelphia. The fourty-eight year old Houck acknowledged that he twice pushed a volunteer escort outside a Planned Parenthood facility on October 13, 2021, though Houck maintained he did so because the clinic volunteer was verbally harassing Houck's 12-year-old son. After local authorities declined to press charges, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) stepped in, dispatching a team of FBI agents to arrest Houck at gunpoint in front of his terrified wife and children. The morning raid on September 23, 2022, at the family's home sparked outrage within pro-life circles and swift condemnation from many federal lawmakers, who blasted the FBI's heavy-handed tactics and the Justice Department's use of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Though the 1993 federal law, known as the FACE Act, was written to also prosecute crimes at pro-life pregnancy facilities and places of worship, it has been used almost exclusively against pro-life activists. Houck was charged with two counts of violating the act and faced 11 years in federal prison if convicted. The verdict is a victory for pro-life advocates who rallied to Houck's defense and a rebuke to the Biden administration's Justice Department, which has pledged to aggressively enforce the FACE Act in the wake of last year's US Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252380/fbi-raids-home-of-pro-life-leader-on-questionable-charges Today, the Church celebrates Saint John Bosco, a 19th century Italian priest who reached out to young people to remedy their lack of education, opportunities, and faith. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-bosco-133

Today I open with an example of why American Civics needs to be taught to a much better degree than it has over the last couple of decades. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) tweeted his belief that there is a Constitutional requirement to raise the debt ceiling. Let me cut to the chase, there is no such requirement. And, for fun, I responded to Representative Raskin to please share the exact section of the Constitution mandating an automatic raising of the debt ceiling. To my delight, a liberal sycophant tried to be cute and snarky by adding a link to the 14th Amendment saying, "Here, I Googled it for you." So, ladies and gentlemen, before diving into the primary subject today, I needed to give an old fashioned School House Rockin' to the uneducated simpletons. Enjoy both a nostalgic look back to the days of Saturday morning cartoons and how we learned how bills become laws and the difference between the two. It's sad to see how few seem to really understand the basics of our government, yet feel empowered to pontificate their ignorance to others. And, I am okay with that! I think freedom of speech includes the freedom to look like a stellar moron in front of your peers (and your betters). How else can I demonstrate just how unqualified Rep. Jamie Raskin is to be in Congress if he were kept from illustrating this fact on a near daily basis? Which brings me to my main topic. A few days ago, thanks to the undercover journalism revealing the schemes of Pfizer, I started thinking about one particular phrase – the revolving door. The Pfizer executive commented how the defense industry has had a revolving door with their friends in the public sector and so, too, does Big Pharma. My thought...is that what's happening today with Big Tech? According to a line of research, it seems the Federal government has been grooming this kind of environment since at least 2016. People in the public sector work hand-in-hand with these private tech firms and then go to work for them after leaving public office or position. Perhaps we should seriously consider a law, putting a 10 year moratorium in place for any public sector employee moving into a related private sector position? As we close out, I hit two more subjects. First, Joe Biden believes the Catholic church in the United States wants taxpayer funds to pay for abortions. This is of course the exact opposite of what is being reported by the Catholic News Agency. Biden's truth always seems to be the opposite of what he says aloud. Second, a liberal wanna-be influencer accidentally beclowned herself by posting a video walking toward her camera person, saying how empowering it is for a liberal woman to walk in a red state with conservatives staring. This must be news for her, but, yes, red states are generally cleaner, safer and nicer and anyone, liberal or not, can walk care free anytime they want. Maybe the blue states can learn something from her after all! Take a moment to rate and review the show and then share the episode on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, GETTR and TRUTH Social by searching for The Alan Sanders Show. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page!

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 appealed for peace in the Holy Land on Sunday, calling the recent spike in Israeli-Palestinian violence a “spiral of death” that accomplishes nothing. In his Sunday Angelus address on January 29, the pope expressed “great sorrow” for the death of Palestinians killed in an Israeli military raid as well as seven Israelis killed in a shooting outside of a synagogue in east Jerusalem. The pope spoke following a wave of violence in Israel and Palestine this week. On Friday night, seven Israelis were killed and three wounded in a shooting outside of a synagogue in east Jerusalem on the Jewish Sabbath, the deadliest attack on Israelis in 15 years, according to the Associated Press. The synagogue shooting occurred the day after an Israeli military raid in the West Bank killed nine Palestinians and another Palestinian man was shot by Israeli forces in al-Ram, north of Jerusalem. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253494/pope-francis-expresses-sorrow-over-spiral-of-death-in-the-holy-land A compilation of new data by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University shows that Nigeria and Kenya have the highest proportion of Catholics who attend Mass weekly or more, with Nigeria as the clear leader. Ninety-four percent of Catholics in Nigeria say they attend Mass at least weekly. In Kenya, the figure was 73%, and in Lebanon it was 69%. The level of attendance in Nigeria is notably high given the high number of violent attacks against Christians across the country in recent years. But in 29 of the 36 countries examined, fewer than half of self-identified Catholics attend Sunday Mass. Countries with a higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita had lower levels of Mass attendance and vice versa. The researchers acknowledged that the use of self-reported Mass attendance numbers could inflate the figures slightly, meaning actual attendance numbers could be, in reality, slightly lower across the board. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253488/where-is-mass-attendance-highest-one-country-is-the-clear-leader Today, the Church celebrates Saint Hyacintha of Mariscotti. Born of a noble family near Viterbo (Italy,) Hyacintha entered a local convent of sisters who followed the Third Order Rule. 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 - A sacristan was killed and a priest wounded during a suspected terrorist attack Wednesday on two Catholic churches in Spain. According to police sources, the sacristan of the Church of Our Lady of La Palma was murdered and the pastor of St. Isidore Church was wounded. Both churches are in the city of Algeciras near the far southern end of the Iberian peninsula across the strait of Gibraltar from Morocco. The National Court has initiated the investigation as an alleged jihadist terror attack. In wake of the attacks, the mayor of Algeciras, José Ignacio Landaluce, decreed a day of official mourning, with flags at half staff on municipal buildings, and announced that a rally will be held in front of the city's largest church. Various Spanish bishops condemned the attack and offered their condolences to the victims and their families. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253471/sacristan-killed-priest-wounded-in-terrorist-attacks-in-spain-bishops-condemn-violence The Catholic bishops of Minnesota urged lawmakers to vote down a bill that would codify the right to abortion, proposing instead a slate of pro-family measures that they say will reduce demand for abortions. Minnesota's HF 1, which has a companion bill in the state Senate, passed the House Jan. 19 by a narrow 69-65 vote. Abortion already is available in Minnesota throughout pregnancy for most reasons. The present bill — known as the Protect Reproductive Options Act — would codify into law a constitutional right to “reproductive freedom,” ensuring the right to abortion in Minnesota up to birth for any reason. Separate bills under consideration in Minnesota would remove parental notification requirements for minors procuring abortions as well as remove state protections for babies born alive after an abortion. The midwestern state's Catholic bishops lamented the haste with which the bills were being advanced and implored lawmakers to “pause” and consider the broader implications. “When contemplating policy on any issue, we must consider all those who will be affected. In this case, that includes the mother, father, and most especially, the unborn child whose life is being taken,” Minnesota's bishops said in a January 26 statement. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253469/minnesota-bishops-decry-bill-that-would-make-abortion-a-right Today, the Church celebrates Saint Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursuline Sisters. She gathered around her a group of women who looked toward Angela as an inspirational leader and as a model of apostolic charity. In 1535, the Institute of Saint Ursula was formally recognized by the Pope and Angela was accorded the title of foundress. Angela Merici died on January 27, 1540, and was canonized in 1807. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-angela-merici-129

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 Department of Justice on Tuesday indicted two suspects accused of vandalizing three pro-life pregnancy centers in Florida in June 2022, in the wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v Wade. Pro-life pregnancy centers, also known as crisis pregnancy centers, provide free services and resources to pregnant women, including alternatives to abortion.The indictment against the two Floridians accuses them of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which is also known as the FACE Act. The indictment alleges that their actions amount to a conspiracy to prevent the employees from providing services. They could face up to 12 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and up to $350,000 in fines. CNA has independently tracked and confirmed nearly 60 attacks nationwide on pro-life pregnancy centers since May 2022. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253464/two-florida-residents-indicted-for-vandalizing-pro-life-pregnancy-centers Pope Francis has offered his condolences after 11 people were killed in a shooting at a Los Angeles dance hall, one of two deadly mass shootings in California this week. The pope sent a condolence telegram to Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles on January 25 expressing his sadness and assuring his spiritual closeness to “those affected by this tragedy.” A gunman opened fire at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, California, on Saturday night amid celebrations of the Lunar New Year. It was the worst massacre in Los Angeles county history, according to the Associated Press. “His Holiness joins the entire community in commending the souls of those who died to almighty God's loving mercy and he implores the divine gifts of healing and consolation upon the injured and bereaved,” the papal telegram said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253458/pope-francis-offers-condolences-for-monterey-park-shooting For the first time, Pope Francis has commented publicly about the scandal surrounding Father Marko Rupnik, denying that he intervened to help the famous Jesuit artist avoid punishment for the alleged sexual abuse of women in a religious community in Slovenia. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253454/pope-francis-i-had-nothing-to-do-with-father-marko-rupnik-case Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently warned that Japan's birthrate — one of the lowest in the world — is not sustainable and that the ongoing population decline in the country poses an urgent risk to Japanese society. “Japan is standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society,” Kishida said in Monday's speech before the newly opened session of Parliament. Kishida, who took office in 2021, said he intends to launch a new government agency in April to support children and families. Kishida said he wants the government to double its spending on child-related programs. The prime minister noted that only 800,000 births were recorded in the country last year, a low figure that Japan was previously not projected to reach until 2030. It's also the lowest figure recorded since Japan began compiling statistics on births in 1899. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253460/japanese-prime-minister-vows-to-take-action-on-declining-birthrate Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of 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 - A Catholic priest who blocked access to a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic could face up to one year in prison after being found guilty Monday of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, also known as the FACE Act. On the morning of July 7, 2022, Father Fidelis Moscinski, 52, a priest of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, effectively shut down the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York clinic in Hempstead for about two hours using padlocks, chains, and his own body, according to the DOJ. On Monday, the court delivered a guilty verdict from the bench. Sentencing is scheduled for April 24. Moscinski has garnered media attention in recent years for his prayerful protests in the face of pro-abortion opposition and his work with the group Red Rose Rescue. Some members of the pro-life community commended Moscinski for his actions at the abortion clinic and criticized those who would put him behind bars. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253450/priest-found-guilty-of-blocking-entrance-to-abortion-clinic-faces-one-year-in-prison In the wake of yet another mass shooting in California, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone released a statement Monday reminding people of the frailty of human life. “The recent shootings in Monterey Park and now in Half Moon Bay remind us of how fragile human life is, but also how precious human life is,” the archbishop said in the statement posted on the archdiocese's website. “We must never take human life for granted. We must never take out our aggressions and our frustrations on others, especially in any form of violence.” Seven farmworkers were killed and one was critically injured after a gunman opened fire Monday afternoon at two separate nurseries in Half Moon Bay, California, about 30 miles south of San Francisco. The 67-year-old suspect, Chunli Zhao, is thought to have worked at one of the farms and is believed to have acted alone, NBC Bay Area news reported. He was taken into custody without incident later that afternoon. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253445/never-take-human-life-for-granted-archbishop-cordileone-says-after-second-mass-shooting Today, the Church commemorates the conversion of St. Paul. 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 - Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez on Sunday offered prayers for victims of a Saturday shooting at a Monterey Park, California, ballroom dance studio. “We pray for those killed and injured in this shooting, we ask that God stay close to their families and loved ones,” the archbishop said in a statement released Sunday. “We pray for the wounded to be healed, and we ask that God give strength and guidance to the doctors and nurses who are caring for them.” Ten people were killed and at least 10 more were wounded after a gunman opened fire late Saturday night at Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park. Twenty minutes after the shooting, the 72-year-old suspect entered another nearby dance studio but was disarmed by two community members, the Los Angeles Times reported. The suspect then fled in a white cargo van. The shooting, one of the worst in Los Angeles County history, took place in the midst of a two-day Lunar New Year festival that attracted tens of thousands of participants to what is considered a core of the Southern California Chinese community, according to the Times. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253430/los-angeles-archbishop-prays-for-peace-in-our-hearts-after-shooting-at-dance-studio The parliament of Pakistan moved this week to tighten its already far-reaching blasphemy laws, under which numerous Christians and other minorities have been prosecuted and subjected to mob violence, often for dubious charges of blasphemy against beliefs or figures associated with Islam. Insulting the Prophet Muhammad is already, at least on paper, a capital offense in Pakistan. Under the newest legal changes, those convicted of insulting the Prophet Muhammad's wives, companions, or close relatives will now face 10 years in prison, a sentence that can be extended to life, along with a fine of 1 million rupees, or roughly $4,500, reported the New York Times. It also makes the charge of blasphemy an offense for which bail is not possible. Islam is the state religion of Pakistan, and blasphemy laws have been on the books in the country for more than a century, even before it became an independent nation. A notable escalation of the country's blasphemy laws occurred in 1987 when the death sentence was made mandatory for some violations. One of the most famous cases in recent years was that of Asia Bibi, a Catholic woman who spent nearly a decade on death row after being accused of disparaging Islam. Numerous world leaders called for her immediate release, including Popes Benedict XVI and Francis. In October 2018, the Pakistani Supreme Court overturned her blasphemy conviction. She subsequently fled the country and reportedly still receives death threats. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253436/pakistan-tightens-its-already-far-reaching-blasphemy-laws 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. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-francis-de-sales-126