Catholic News

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The pope is praying for the victims of New York City’s deadliest fire in decades. Nineteen people, including nine children, died Sunday in an apartment fire in the Bronx. The fire is believed to have been caused by a malfunctioning space heater.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has granted bail to a Christian accused of blasphemy. The man was arrested and imprisoned in 2017, after a property dispute. He was charged with insulting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, a crime that is punishable by death in Pakistan. The man’s supporters believe he was falsely accused.

Pope Francis baptized sixteen babies in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday. This was the first time the annual event has taken place since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Today is the feast of Saint Gregory of Nyssa. Gregory made significant contributions to the doctrine of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed.

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.

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Three Kings parades were held at more than 600 locations across Poland on Thursday.

The annual processions, in which actors portray the Magi who traveled to Bethlehem to see the newborn Jesus, took place on Jan. 6, the Solemnity of the Epiphany.

Organizers believe that the annual parade, known in Polish as Orszak Trzech Króli, is typically the largest street nativity play in the world.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250038/photos-three-kings-parades-held-at-more-than-600-locations-across-poland

March for Life Chicago — which calls itself “the largest pro-life event in the Midwest” — is expecting more than 10,000 pro-life Americans at its 2022 march in downtown Chicago on Jan. 8. One-hundred-fifty people attended the 2013 march. Just seven years later, in 2020, it attracted 9,000 marchers.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250042/march-for-life-chicago-learn-about-the-midwest-s-largest-pro-life-event

The Spanish bishops conference has said that a news report which said that priests not vaccinated against COVID-19 would be barred from ministry was a hoax. The report appeared on December 28, a day that is observed in Spain much like April Fools’ Day.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250041/spanish-bishops-report-that-only-vaccinated-priests-may-minister-a-prank

Today, the Church honors Saint Raymond of Penafort, a twelfth-century Dominican priest who worked to aid Christian captives during the era of the Crusades and also helped organize the Church’s legal code.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-raymond-of-penafort-109

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.

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Pope Francis said on Wednesday that it is a loss to civilization when dogs and cats replace children in society, encouraging couples to “take the risk” to become parents. The Pope said during his Wednesday audience, quote, “Yes, dogs and cats take the place of children. Yes, it’s funny, I understand, but it is the reality, and this denial of fatherhood and motherhood diminishes us, takes away humanity.” The Pope also prayed and asked St. Joseph to intercede for couples who wish to have a child.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250016/pope-francis-general-audience-society-loses-when-dogs-and-cats-take-the-place-of-children

For the second year in a row, authorities in the Philippines have canceled the country’s “Black Nazarene” procession, an annual event where millions of Catholics accompany a revered statue of Jesus through the streets of Manila. For centuries, the Black Nazarene, a statue of a dark life-size Jesus carrying his cross, has symbolized passion, struggle, and faith for Filipino Catholics. The faithful usually carry a replica of the statue through Manila on January 9, but the festival was halted for a second year due to COVID-19 concerns.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250026/black-nazarene-philippines-covid

Following a fire in a Philadelphia apartment building that killed at least 13 on Wednesday, the city's archbishop offered condolences and prayed for those who died. The fire occurred at a public housing block owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. There are believed to have been 26 people in the building when the fire started around 6 am, and seven children are known to be among the dead.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250023/archbishop-offer-condolences-to-those-mourning-after-philadelphia-fire

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek epiphainen, a verb that means "to shine upon," "to manifest," or “to make known.” The visit of the Magi to the child Jesus is emphasized on Epiphany Day.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/the-epiphany-of-our-lord-672

Today the Church also celebrates St. Andre Bessette. Born Alfred Bessette to a poor Quebec family in 1845, he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal and performed the most humble jobs and daily tasks as a porter. For 25 years, he welcomed many sick and heartbroken visitors to a chapel that he built, inviting them to pray to St. Joseph.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-andre-bessette-732

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.

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A recent New York Times investigation found that some prenatal blood tests have alarmingly high false positive results for genetic disorders that frequently result in the abortion of unborn children, and pro-life leaders say they are deeply disturbed. The Times found that among five common DNA tests performed on fetuses, positive results are wrong around 85% of the time, yet a positive test result can amount to a death sentence for an unborn child. While the Times report does not delve deeper into screening for Down syndrome, pro-life advocates stressed that those tests, too, can be unreliable.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250012/prenatal-tests-wrong-times-abortion

The Missionaries of Charity, founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta, have begun to ration their distribution of food and other items to the poor in the wake of the Indian government’s decision that they and other non-profits are no longer eligible to receive donations from abroad. The missionaries normally help some 600 people at their Kolkata motherhouse and their children’s orphanage Shishu Bhavan. While foreign donations are not allowed at the moment, donations from within India help some work continue. A spokeswoman for the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata said last week that funding for the missionaries’ work would not be affected immediately due to local support.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250015/in-india-missionaries-of-charity-ration-food-after-government-blocks-foreign-funds

French officials introduced a plan January 1st to offer free contraception to women under 25 years of age. French officials said that the change would apply to three million young women out of a population of 67.4 million people. Contraception is already free for girls under 18. Along with Sweden, France has the highest total fertility rate of the 27 member states of the European Union, with 1.84 live births per woman, which is still below replacement level.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250010/ireland-to-follow-france-in-offering-free-contraception-to-women-under-25

Today, the Church honors St. John Neumann, a native of Bohemia who emigrated to New York to serve Catholics in America. Neumann continued his missionary work until he was elected bishop of Philadelphia in 1852, and later became the first American bishop to be beatified.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-nepomucene-neumann-106

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts.

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The archbishop of Denver has opened an emergency fund to help the victims of a historic wildfire, which burned over a thousand homes last week.

The Marshall Fire, fanned by high winds, burned more than 6,000 acres of the towns of Superior and Louis-ville, near Boulder, starting on December 30.

Archbishop Samuel Aquila said local Catholic parishes have been opened to receive displaced families, and that funds collected will be distributed through parishes in the affected region.

Visit catholicnewsagency.com to find the donation link.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250001/archbishop-aquila-open-parishes-launches-emergency-fund-for-victims-of-colorado-wildfires

Fr. Luke Mewhenu Adeleke, a priest of the Diocese of Abeokuta in Nigeria, was shot dead on Christmas Eve while returning home after celebrating Mass . He was shot in his car by unknown gunmen.

The murder and kidnapping of Christians in Nigeria have multiplied in recent years, a situation that has prompted Church leaders to express serious concern about the security of their members, and to call on the government to prioritize the security of its citizens.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249998/nigerian-priest-shot-dead-on-christmas-eve

For the first month of 2022, Pope Francis has asked Catholics to pray for those facing religious discrimination and persecution.

In a video appeal released Jan. 4, the pope called religious persecution “inhuman” and “insane.”

Overall, an estimated 340 million Christians worldwide face persecution, according to one report, an increase of 30 million from the previous year.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250011/this-is-pope-francis-prayer-intention-for-january-2022

Today, the Church honors Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first person born in the United States to be declared a saint. A convert from Episcopalianism, Elizabeth was the foundress and first superior of the Sisters of Charity in the United States.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-elizabeth-ann-seton-105

Merry Christmas from Catholic News. New episodes Jan. 4.

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

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The president of The Catholic University of America in Washington, has apologized for a painting at the school, that has caused controversy and confusion. The painting features the Blessed Virgin Mary holding a male figure. Many have interpreted the male figure as a divinized depiction of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed in police custody in May of 2020. The painting was stolen in November. A replica of the painting was also stolen earlier this month. The university’s president said the man was meant to generally depict Christ in the most distressed among us.

A German court has ruled against one city’s restrictions on a pro-life prayer vigil outside of a center that advises women to have abortions. A prayer group with 40 Days for Life registered to hold a 40-day prayer vigil outside the center. But city authorities set limits on when and where the vigil could take place. A Frankfurt court ruled the limits violated the prayer group’s right to free assembly.

Pope Francis has named a new bishop for the Diocese of Gaylord, in Michigan. Father Jeffrey Walsh is a priest of the Diocese of Scranton, in Pennsylvania. Bishop-elect Walsh will be ordained on March 4th. The Diocese of Gaylord has been without a bishop for more than a year and a half.

Today the Church honors Saint Peter Canisius. Peter was an important figure in the Catholic counter-reformation. He is a Doctor of the Church.

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

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The Vatican has issued further guidelines regarding the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass . In a document released Saturday, the Vatican banned confirmations and ordinations celebrated according to pre-Vatican 2 Roman Missals. A Vatican official said the new restrictions aim to foster greater communion in the Church.

The state of New Jersey will now allow for non-doctors to perform abortions. The state will also allow for abortions past the 14th week of pregnancy, in an office setting. The State Board of Medical Examiners unanimously passed the new policies in October. They went into effect this month. The policies allow for physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, and advanced practice nurses to perform first trimester abortions.

If you’re in a bad mood, or experiencing self-pity, try serving others. That was the message of Pope Francis on Sunday during his Angelus address in Rome. The pope said that we can help ourselves rise up from difficulties when we help others. He suggested looking for ways to make small acts of kindness for others, like calling somebody who is sick and homebound.

The pope had a belated celebration of his birthday on Sunday. Children and families served by the Vatican’s charitable pediatric clinic, gathered at the Vatican for cake, songs and skits. Pope Francis turned 85 years old on December 17th.

Today is the feast of Saint Dominic of Silos. Dominic was born in the year 1000 in Spain. He was a Benedictine monk, known for his miracles of healing.

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

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Twelve Christian missionaries were released by a Haitian gang on Thursday, exactly two months to the day after they were kidnapped while working at an orphanage.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249906/final-12-kidnapped-missionaries-released-by-haitian-gang

A Nigerian Catholic bishop has challenged the United States Secretary of State to justify his decision to remove Nigeria from a persecution watchlist, saying that he has witnessed firsthand the brutal ongoing persecution against Christians. Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza of the Diocese of Yola said in an interview released yesterday, quote, "As far as we are concerned, here in Nigeria the persecution is more intense now than ever.” In Nigeria as a whole, at least 60,000 Christians have been killed in the past two decades. An estimated 3,462 Christians were killed in Nigeria in the first 200 days of 2021, or 17 per day, according to a new study.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249904/christian-persecution-in-nigeria-is-more-intense-now-than-ever-says-a-leading-nigerian-catholic-bishop

On Thursday, The Food and Drug Administration lifted restrictions on mifepristone, a drug approved for use in medical abortions. Doctors will now be allowed to prescribe abortion pills online and send them through the mail, allowing women to perform abortions up to ten weeks of gestation at home. The FDA's move drew strong criticism from Catholic leaders and pro-life groups, who pointed out that it will lead to more lives lost through abortion, as well as increased danger for mothers.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249915/breaking-fda-allows-women-to-get-abortion-pills-by-mail

A new survey of U.S. adults has found that just over half of Catholics pray every day, down from 59% from 2014, and only 26% of Catholics report attending religious services at least once a week. A little less than 10% of Catholics attend religious services once or twice a month. That leaves the far majority of Catholics, 65%, only attending religious services a few times a year or less. While the majority are infrequent attendees, only 14% of Catholics said they “never” attend. In the same survey, 61% of Protestants reported praying every day, while 22% say they pray weekly or monthly. Only 10% of Protestants seldom or never pray.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249916/pew-survey-half-of-us-catholics-pray-every-day-and-the-number-is-dropping

The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill on Thursday, banning goods made with forced labor in the Chinese region of Xinjiang from entering the United States. This comes after the U.S. accused China of committing genocide against the Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. The bill now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249917/senate-sends-uyghur-forced-labor-bill-targeting-china-to-biden-s-desk

The blood of St. Januarius liquefied on Thursday after a day of intense prayer in the Italian city of Naples. During the miracle, the dried, red-colored mass confined to one side of a reliquary becomes blood that covers the entire glass. In local lore, the failure of the blood to liquefy signals war, famine, disease, or other disaster. The reputed miracle is locally known and accepted, though it is yet to receive official Church recognition.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249909/san-gennaro-s-blood-liquefies-for-third-time-in-2021

Today the Church honors St. Olympias, a fourth-century disciple of St. John Chrysostom who made numerous generous donations to the early Church and to the poor.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-olympias-87

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

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The former archbishop of Paris plans to sue a French magazine for defamation. The magazine Paris Match published photos of the archbishop taken with a telephoto lens. The photos show the former archbishop having lunch with a 46-year-old consecrated virgin, followed by a walk. The woman is reportedly also considering legal action.

New statistics suggest forty-five priests and four bishops have died from COVID-19 in Venezuela, since the start of the pandemic. A little more than twenty percent of priests were infected with the virus.

A prayer movement is making its way across Europe, and the world. The initiative began last week in Austria, in response to a new wave of the coronavirus. More than a thousand people prayed the rosary together, at several hundred locations across the country. The prayer movement is spreading to Germany, Switzerland, and even the United States.

The oldest known nativity scene figurines are on display in Rome. The marble statues were sculpted by an Italian architect in the late 13th century. They were commissioned by Pope Nicholas the Fourth, the first Franciscan pope.

Today is the feast of Saint Adelaide. Adelaide was born in 931 in France.