Catholic News

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Bishops in the Netherlands have canceled Christmas Midnight Masses again this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The bishops said they want to prevent large crowds, and that it is difficult to maintain good ventilation with multiple Masses in one evening. There have reportedly been cases of the new variant in the Netherlands.

Former vice president Mike Pence has called on the U-S Supreme Court to overturn legalized abortion nationwide. The court heard oral arguments today in a case that challenges two landmark abortion decisions: Roe v Wade, and Planned Parenthood v Casey. The case, out of Mississippi, would restrict most abortions after 15 weeks.

Pope Francis is praying for catechists during the month of December. In a video accompanying the announcement of his intention, Pope Francis prayed that catechists would witness to the Gospel with courage and creativity. Earlier this year, the pope created a new ministry of catechist, for lay people who have a particular call to serve as a teacher of the faith.

Today is the feast of the sixth-century French saint, Eligius. He is the patron saint of metalworkers, horses and veterinarians.

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A new survey of American priests suggests a more pessimistic view of the Catholic Church today, as compared to 2002. Priests were also significantly more likely to describe themselves as conservative, as compared to 2002. The new survey reused questions from a 2002 poll of Catholic priests, and a couple questions from a survey of priests from 1970.

The Archdiocese of Paris will present its plans next week to restore the interior of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The cathedral was badly damaged by a fire in 2019. The restoration plans have faced criticism for allegedly turning the cathedral into a kind of theme park. The archdiocese has denied these allegations.

The Church’s message about vaccination is clear, vaccination is an act of love. Those were the words of the Vatican’s Secretary of State, in a recent interview. The cardinal was responding to waves of protests across Italy, against the country’s vaccine rules. One Italian priest reportedly blessed a crowd of anti-vaccination protestors in Verona. Italian authorities plan to release a new pass, that will prevent unvaccinated people from dining indoors at restaurants, going to the gym, visiting museums or other tourists sites, or attending weddings or other public ceremonies until mid-January.

Today, Catholics celebrate the feast of Saint Andrew, the apostle and martyr. Andrew is said to have spread Christianity in Russia and Asia minor after Pentecost, in the first century.

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The U-S Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Wednesday, in a case that has the potential to overturn legalized abortion nationwide. The case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, concerns Mississippi’s ban on most abortions after 15 weeks. The court will consider whether all bans on pre-viability abortions are unconstitutional.

Pope Francis has canceled public acts of veneration in Rome for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Traditionally, the public gathers at the Spanish Steps on December 8th, to venerate a statue of the Immaculate Conception. This is the second year the tradition has been canceled, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawmakers in the Channel Island of Jersey, near the coast of France, have voted to approve assisted suicide. If the island changes its laws, Jersey will be the first place in the British Isles to allow assisted suicide.

Do you want to live a joyful life? You must pray. That was the message of Pope Francis on Sunday, during his Angelus address in Rome. The pope reflected that prayer is the fuel, that keeps the lamp of the heart burning. He said prayer awakens the soul from sleep, and helps the soul focus on what truly matters.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of ‘All the Saints of the Seraphic Order.’ The feast honors the many Franciscan saints who followed in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi.

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A former Catholic priest has filed a lawsuit against former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and the Archdiocese of Newark. The lawsuit alleges that McCarrick sexually abused him when he was a seminarian.

Catholic bishops in Austria have tightened rules for attending Mass, following a full national lockdown this week. Catholics are now required to wear a mask at indoor, and outdoor Masses. Priests and liturgical ministers will be required to show proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative COVID test. The bishops encouraged Catholics to postpone sacraments, including baptism and marriage, during the lockdown, which is expected to last at least two weeks.

Saint Joseph continues to protect the Church today, just like he protected the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. That was the reflection of Pope Francis today, during his general audience in Rome. The Gospel of Luke depicts Saint Joseph as a guardian of Jesus and Mary. Pope Francis said Joseph is also the guardian of the Church. The pope closed his audience with a prayer to Saint Joseph, to help anyone who is struggling to find meaningful human bonds in their life.

Today, the Church honors a group of 117 martyrs who died in Vietnam during the nineteenth century. The majority of the martyrs were Vietnamese, though some were Spanish and French. Eight of the martyrs were bishops.

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The pope is praying for those affected by the SUV incident last weekend, at a Christmas parade in Wisconsin. A papal message was sent to the archbishop of Milwaukee. In the message, the pope asked God to bestow upon everyone the spiritual strength that triumphs over violence, and overcomes evil with good. Five people died, and nearly 50 were injured, when an SUV drove through a Christmas parade.

The Diocese of Charleston has barred confirmation, and the anointing of the sick, in Latin. The diocese will also limit the use of the Traditional Latin Mass. The new policy is a response to the pope’s recent restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass. The policy will go into effect on Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent.

The archbishop of San Francisco has encouraged students at a local Catholic high school to reject the lies of the abortion industry, and become courageous advocates for life. The archbishop met with student leaders at the high school earlier this month, following a boycott of a pro-life assembly at the school.

Today, the Church remembers Blessed Miguel Pro Juarez. Miguel was a Mexican Jesuit priest, who was martyred in the 1920s.

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A Catholic priest, parishioners and Catholic schoolchildren were injured on Sunday, when an SUV drove into a crowd, during a Christmas parade in a suburb of Milwaukee. At least five people died in the incident, and another forty were injured. Police have a person of interest in custody. The local Catholic community will hold a live streamed prayer service today.

The last Trappist monk, who survived the abbey massacre in Algeria in 1996, died Sunday, at the age of 97. Father Jean Pierre Schumacher was one of two monks who survived an attack on his abbey in 1996, during the Algerian Civil War. Seven monks from his community were kidnapped and beheaded. The seven martyred monks were beatified in 2018.

Christ is not like other kings, because He is a King for others. That was the message of Pope Francis on Sunday, in his Angelus address for the feast of Christ the King. The pope reflected that Jesus is free from the desire for earthly fame and glory. He encouraged Catholics to reflect on our own lives, and how we can imitate Jesus in his detachment from earthly fame and glory.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Cecilia. Cecilia was a martyr, and is the patron of musicians and poets.

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Oklahoma’s governor commuted the death sentence of Julius Jones on Thursday, just hours before his scheduled execution. The archbishop of Oklahoma City praised the decision, and the governor’s tremendous courage to grant clemency in the case. Jones will now serve life in prison, without the possibility of parole.

U-S bishops decided this week to change the name of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults— or R-C-I-A. It will now be known as Order of Christian Initiation for Adults— or O-C-I-A. The name change applies to both the process by which one enters the Church, and the book that contains the ritual text and prayers for those steps. The decision reflects greater fidelity to the original Latin.

A Christian florist who was sued after declining to create floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding ceremony, will pay a small settlement and retire. The 77-year-old florist, said she was not interested in seeking another hearing at the U-S Supreme Court, regarding her case. The U-S Supreme Court considered the case in 2018.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Raphael Kalinowski. Raphael lived in the mid-19th century, in Lithuania.

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In a near unanimous vote, U-S bishops approved a new document on the Eucharist yesterday, during their fall meeting in Baltimore. The document highlights the indispensable role of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. It does not reference whether bishops and priests ought to deny the Eucharist to public figures, at odds with Catholic teaching on abortion and other moral issues.

Indianapolis will host the first national Eucharisic congress in decades, in July 2024. The congress will mark the culmination of a three-year Eucharist revival campaign by U-S bishops, that will begin next summer. The last national Eucharistic congress was in 1976.

U-S bishops voted to advance the sainthood causes of two men and one young woman. Charlene Marie Richard was diagnosed with cancer at the age of twelve. She offered up her suffering to God. Auguste Robert Pelafigue had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart, and Joseph Ira Dutton was a Civil War veteran, who joined Saint Damian of Molokai in his ministry to lepers.

Today the Church honors Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne. The French saint entered the convent at 19, against her parent’s wishes. She came to the United States in 1818 to serve as a missionary.

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For the first time in history, several Orthodox bishops are attending the U-S bishops’ fall meeting, taking place this week in Baltimore. The head of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States addressed Catholic bishops on Tuesday. The Orthodox archbishop spoke about a dialogue of love between the two faiths, and the potential for increased unity.

The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, will donate more than five million dollars, to help Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria. The funds will help establish a project to support young newlywed couples in Syria, who are starting families after ten years of war. Cathedrals and monuments around the world are illuminated in red this week, to build awareness about the plight of persecuted Christians.

Pope Francis reflected on the witness of Saint Joseph, during his general audience today in Rome. The pope said Saint Joseph teaches us to see and care for the people who are overlooked by the world today. He said Saint Joseph reminds us that what is truly important does not attract our attention, but requires patient discernment to be discovered and appreciated. The Year of Saint Joseph will end on December 8.

Today, the Church remembers Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. Elizabeth was a medieval noblewoman. She responded to personal tragedy by embracing the Franciscan spiritualities of poverty and service. She is a patron of secular Franciscans.

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The Archdiocese of New Orleans will pay more than $1 million, in a settlement related to allegations of fraud, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The Department of Justice received allegations that the archdiocese, and two historically black universities, improperly applied for, and received, millions of dollars in federal funds after Hurricane Katrina. The archdiocese declined to comment about the settlement, but has in the past denied any wrongdoing.

A district court judge in Rhode Island entered “no plea” this week on behalf of Father James Jackson, FSSP. The Providence-based priest is facing state and federal child pornography charges.

Some 200 men and boys from across the United States met in Baltimore this week for a pro-life march. The march began in front of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, and ended outside the hotel where U-S bishops are meeting this week. The bishops are slated to vote on a document on the Eucharist. The document grew out of discussions over communion for pro-abortion Catholic politicians, though a draft of the document does not include any criteria for denying the sacrament in such cases.

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