Catholic News

Thank you for listening to Catholic News. In the United States, today, November 24, is observed as Thanksgiving Day. Because our staff will be taking time off to observe the holiday, there will not be a new Catholic News briefing until Monday, November 28. As always, you can visit catholicnewsagency.com for the latest. God bless you, and Happy Thanksgiving.

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 gave a shoutout to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the end of his weekly audience on Wednesday. Speaking to a crowd of people from around the world November 23, the pope expressed his hope the international soccer competition would foster fraternity and peace. Pope Francis added to his appeal for peace, asking for prayers for an end to all conflicts, especially the conflict in Ukraine. The choice of Qatar as host country for the men’s soccer tournament has been criticized due to conditions in the country, including the situation of Christians. Non-Islamic religions, including Christianity, which are strongly represented among migrant workers, are granted freedom only to a limited extent in the Middle Eastern nation.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252893/pope-francis-gives-a-shoutout-to-2022-fifa-world-cup

A major Catholic publishing house is pulling a book on Catholic princess saints, days after an illustrator took to social media saying that the company had published the book based on her ideas and illustrations. Ascension, a publisher of Catholic books and digital media, said it would no longer be selling the book “Catholic Princess Saint Stories, Volume I,” which was released earlier this month. Fabiola Garza, the illustrator who is at odds with Ascension, posted on social media that she had spent months talking with the publisher about plans for a book on princess saints. When those talks did not lead to a contract, she took her idea elsewhere, but says Ascension took her idea and produced similar illustrations. Ascension has denied any wrongdoing, but has agreed to pull the book from the shelves.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252890/ascension-catholic-publisher-pulls-book-on-princess-saints-illustrator-dispute

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Miguel Pro Juarez, a priest who witnessed to the faith during a time when the Church was driven underground in Mexico. He was executed by Mexican authorities, and shouted "Viva Cristo Rey!" - "Long live Christ the King!" as he was shot. 30,000 people attended his funeral procession. Father Miguel Pro was beatified on September 25, 1988 by Pope John Paul II.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-miguel-pro-juarez-397

The Church also celebrates the fourth Pope, Saint Clement I, a disciple of the apostles who inherited the authority of Saint Peter in the first century.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/pope-st-clement-i-689

Finally, an originator of Ireland's unique monastic tradition, who went on to serve as a missionary to continental Europe during the early Middle Ages, the abbot Saint Columbanus – also known as Saint Columban – is also honored by the Catholic Church on November 23.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-columbanus-716

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 parish in southern Wisconsin suffered a graffiti attack overnight on Sunday that saw a large tiled display of the Divine Mercy image defaced with green spray-painted letters. Run by the Stockbridge, Massachusetts-based Marian Fathers, Saint Peter Parish is located in Kenosha, on Lake Michigan north of Chicago near the Illinois border. A photo shared on social media by Father Donald Calloway shows green spray-painted graffiti on one of the exterior granite shrines near the entrance to the church. The shrine will need to be professionally cleaned with help from insurance money. The Kenosha Police Department said the department did receive the criminal complaint, but they do not yet have any leads in the case. The parish’s administrative assistant requested prayers for the perpetrator of the vandalism.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252880/divine-mercy-catholic-parish-in-kenosha-wisconsin-graffiti

Catholic bishops in Colorado have voiced their sympathies and prayers in the wake of a shooting over the weekend that killed five and injured 25 at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub. The alleged gunman entered Club Q just before midnight on Saturday and began shooting. Several people at the club overpowered the gunman and subdued him. “Let us pray that all our beloved deceased will know the fullness of life in heaven. Let us pray and work so that through our actions and attitudes, God may bring peace and healing to our world and to our local community,” Bishop James Golka of Colorado Springs said Monday afternoon. He cited Jesus Christ’s words to the faithful, that they will have trouble in this world, adding “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The shooter’s motives remain unclear.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252873/colorado-bishops-pray-shooting-at-lgbtq-nightclub

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Cecilia. Cecilia was an early Roman martyr, and is the patron of musicians and poets because according to tradition, she sang while being burned in an oven during her martyrdom.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-cecilia-61

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 Carmelite nuns in Cuba announced that thanks to the donations of wheat flour they have received in recent days, they will again be able to make the Communion hosts to supply the island’s churches. In a November 14 statement, the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of Havana expressed their joy for having “experienced once again that the barque of the Church is the Lord who leads it.” The Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites of Saint Teresa in the Cuban capital had informed all the dioceses November 2 that it could no longer produce any more hosts because it had run out of wheat flour, a product that has been in short supply for months in the island. Just days later, Father José Luis Pueyo of the Diocese of Villa Clara told the newspaper catorcemedio that they would have to break their remaining hosts into several pieces in order to provide for the faithful. The Carmelite sisters said that “the one who multiplied the loaves has shown his power with the multiplication of the flour.”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252844/the-church-in-cuba-will-once-again-have-communion-hosts-thanks-to-donations-of-flour

Organizers of the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis have announced plans for a major pilgrimage to the event — and a big budget cut. The Congress, which is the culmination of the National Eucharistic Revival — a three-year initiative by the U.S. bishops to inspire Eucharist belief — is expected to draw some 80,000 people. Despite the budget being cut almost in half from an original $28 million estimate, the congress itself isn’t being scaled down, a staff member working on the initiative told CNA. Pilgrims will depart from four different locations, he said: one in the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas; in the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, at the site of the tomb of Blessed Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus; in San Francisco at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption; and a fourth site in Crookston.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252848/organizers-of-national-eucharistic-congress-announce-pilgrimage-plans-major-budget-cut

The spiritual leader of the world’s Eastern Orthodox Christians has confirmed his support for finding a common date to celebrate Easter, meaning Catholics and Orthodox could one day be celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at the same time. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said this week that conversations are underway between Church representatives to come to an agreement. The Catholic president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch, has supported the suggestion that Catholics and Orthodox work to agree on a common date to celebrate Easter. The eastern patriarch has said he supports a common date for Easter to be set for the year 2025.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252851/why-catholics-and-orthodox-might-once-again-celebrate-easter-on-the-same-date

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne. From the young age of eight, Rose had a desire to evangelize in the Americas, sparked by hearing a Jesuit missionary speak of his work there. She received a basic education at home from tutors, and religious education from her mother. Despite the opposition of her family, in 1804 she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart, which sent her to the United States in 1818. From the convent and school she founded at Saint Charles, Missouri, later moved to Florissant, Missouri, she traveled over a wide area, founding schools for girls, doing charitable work, and finally ministering to Native Americans.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-rose-philippine-duchesne-57

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 has expressed his condolences for the victims of a deadly bombing on a busy pedestrian street in Istanbul over the weekend. The Vatican published a message on November 15 that expressed the pope’s spiritual closeness to the injured and those who mourn the loss of their loved ones who died in the explosion in Turkey’s capital. “His Holiness prays that no act of violence will discourage the efforts of the people of Türkiye to build a society based on the values of fraternity, justice and peace,” it said. The explosion on Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue, a popular shopping street, on November 13 killed six people and led around 80 others to be hospitalized, according to the Associated Press. Among the victims were two girls, ages 9 and 15. Funerals were held for the victims on Monday.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252816/pope-francis-prays-for-turkey-after-deadly-istanbul-bombing

Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, was elected Tuesday to head the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for the next three years in a vote of 138-99. Broglio will be taking the role after serving for three years as secretary of the conference. Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was elected vice president by a vote of 143-96. The new president serves a three-year term. Already, several known, high-profile challenges await Broglio. These include the first session of the sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome October 4–29, 2023; a national eucharistic congress in Indianapolis in June 2024; the synod’s concluding session in October 2024; and the US presidential election in November 2024.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252817/archbishop-timothy-broglio-elected-usccb-president

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Joseph Moscati, the first modern medical doctor to be canonized.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-joseph-moscati-55

The Church also celebrates Saint Margaret, Queen of Scotland. Margaret worked tirelessly to bring justice and relief to the poor of Scotland. She also built churches and encouraged practices of religious devotion. In her private life, she exhibited great prayerfulness and piety. Her influence was seen not only in her husband's life, but throughout all of Scotland.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-margaret-of-scotland-657

Finally, the Church celebrates Saint Gertrude the Great, a distinguished medieval nun and writer in the Benedictine monastic tradition. One of the most esteemed woman saints of the Christian West, she was a notable early devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-gertrude-the-great-715

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 Archdiocese of Washington, DC., announced that its annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life, which both typically take place in conjunction with the national March for Life in Washington DC, have been canceled. The reason given is that many US dioceses are now focusing on their state level pro-life rallies. The announcement comes about five months following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade, the 1973 landmark case that legalized abortion nationwide. The annual March for Life, which is now in its 50th year, began in opposition to Roe. The Youth Rally and Mass for Life had been held for over 25 years, and aims to “encourage the youth participating in the national March for Life in their witness as disciples of Christ and promoters of the Gospel of Life.” However, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has decided to continue its National Prayer Vigil for Life. The vigil has taken place on the eve of the annual March for Life since 1979.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252813/archdiocese-of-washington-cancels-youth-rally-mass-for-life-held-at-march-for-life-events

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252806/national-prayer-vigil-for-life-to-continue-post-roe

The bishops of the United States are set to vote this week to create a new book of prayers for the comfort and healing of the sick specifically designed for laypeople to use. The hope is that the potential new prayer book will be helpful for laypeople who want to minister to the sick, especially when a priest is unavailable. Only priests are allowed to perform the sacrament of anointing of the sick, which can be administered whether or not the sick person is in danger of death with the hoped-for effect of physical and spiritual healing. But there are several liturgical books — including the book used for the anointing of the sick — that include material that is specifically designed to be used by laypeople when a priest isn’t available. The book that the bishops are voting to create will be a compilation of those prayers, drawn from multiple sources traditionally used in ministry to the sick. Assuming the book is approved by two-thirds of the bishops, it may be a couple of years before the book makes it into the hands of lay Catholics. After the vote this week, the Vatican will need to approve it.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252797/a-new-book-of-prayers-for-lay-people-ministering-to-the-sick-could-be-on-its-way

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Albert the Great, a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of scientists. The native German joined the newly formed Dominican order in the early 13th century. He earned a doctorate from the University of Paris and taught theology there and in Cologne, Germany. Albert became known as “Great” because of his intellectual abilities; he was a respected philosopher, scientist, theologian and teacher, and was well-versed in Arabic culture. One of his students, who later became a great friend and built upon his Scholastic method, was Thomas Aquinas.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-albert-the-great-656

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 leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church last week met Pope Francis as well as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and other dicastery heads. In Rome for the first time since the war in Ukraine began, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk also celebrated the Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica. On November 12, the major archbishop met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State. Shevchuk said they spoke in detail about “the efforts of pontifical diplomacy in favor of peace, and above all of the efforts to assist the Ukrainian people.” According to the major archbishop, “the Russian people must realize that the Ukraine exists, admit the Ukrainian state’s right to resistance, and reconcile with the reality that the Ukrainian people have their history, language, and culture.” Check out Catholic News Agency dot com for the full interview with Major Archbishop Shevchuk.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252803/major-archbishop-shevchuk-denounces-genocidal-war-in-ukraine

The US Catholic bishops are preparing to vote on whether to advance the causes for sainthood for three American women: a mother and Catholic convert considered to be a mystic, a young campus missionary who struggled with cancer, and a religious sister who ministered to the poor and the African American community. The three potential new saints are Cora Evans, Michelle Duppong, and Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy. Cora Evans was a former Mormon who converted to Catholicism in 1935, and who is considered to have had the ability to bilocate — to appear in two places at once — and to have suffered from the stigmata, Christ’s wounds on the cross present in her own flesh. Michelle Duppong dedicated her life to God, serving as a Catholic campus missionary for six years before becoming the director of adult faith formation for the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota. She died of cancer in 2015 at the age of 31. Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy founded the first order of women religious in Texas in 1893: the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate. She began the order after spending years as a laywoman ministering to the poor, African Americans, and Mexican Americans. By the time of her death, the order had grown to 15 sisters and two postulants. She died in 1907 at age 74.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252793/meet-the-3-women-us-bishops-are-considering-for-sainthood

An 18-year-old New Jersey resident has been arrested in connection with threats to synagogues and Jewish centers after he shared a document on social media taking credit for an attack that he said was motivated by “hatred toward Jews.” Omar Alkattoul of Sayreville was arrested Thursday morning by federal authorities and charged with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce. If convicted, Alkattoul could serve up to five years in prison and could be fined up to $250,000. The case is being prosecuted in Newark federal court.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252796/18-year-old-arrested-after-threats-to-new-jersey-synagogues

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Lawrence O'Toole, bishop of Dublin in the 12th century. Saint Lawrence was most widely known for his piety, charity, and prudence, and was respected as a negotiator.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-lawrence-otoole-53

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

-

As pro-abortion measures won on state ballots and pro-life measures faced defeat, Catholic bishops responded to election results with profound disappointment. They professed resolve to continue to work to defend unborn human life and support pregnant women in need. Some called for prayer and fasting and emphasized that millions of lives are at stake. On Election Day about 56.7% of Michigan voters, more than 2.4 million, voted for Proposal 3 to add a broad right to abortion into the state constitution. It removes a longtime ban on abortion from state law that has not been enforced since 1973. In California, the strong pro-abortion-rights constitutional amendment Proposition 1 was projected to win. As of Thursday evening, it had 65% of the vote, with more than 3.5 million individual votes in favor. In Montana, voters rejected Legislative Referendum 131, which aimed to provide state protections and medical care for babies who are born alive after attempted abortions. As of Thursday, 77% of Vermont voters had backed a measure to create a constitutional right to reproductive autonomy. The Catholic bishops of Kentucky said they were “disappointed” by the rejection of Kentucky’s Amendment 2, which would have declared that there is no right to abortion in the state constitution.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252790/catholic-bishops-reaction-to-abortion-state-ballot-defeats

An arrest has been made after a two-day vandalism spree in October that included an attack on Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s residence at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Juan Velez was arrested by the New York Police Department’s Warrant Squad, police said Wednesday. In that announcement, police said Velez is being charged with 15 incidents of criminal mischief that occurred in Manhattan. Three of those incidents were attacks on churches, one of which was on St. Patrick’s Cathedral, police said. A video of the attack on St. Patrick’s Cathedral that circulated in the media shows a man approach the historic church and throw an object at its glass doors. He then can be seen fleeing the scene. On Nov. 2, police said they identified the attacker as Velez.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252789/arrest-made-in-vandalism-of-cardinal-dolan-s-residence-at-st-patrick-s-cathedral-in-nyc

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Martin of Tours, who left his post in the Roman army to become a “soldier of Christ” as a monk and later bishop.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-martin-of-tours-50

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 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