Catholic News

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President Joe Biden reportedly received Communion during Mass, Saturday evening, in Rome. Biden met with Pope Francis on Friday. After the meeting, the president said the pope told him to continue receiving Communion, despite his views on abortion. The Vatican has not released any official details of Biden’s visit with the Pope. Biden is in Rome for the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit.

Four martyrs of the Spanish Civil War were beatified over the weekend. All of the martyrs were priests with the Fraternity of Diocesan Worker Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints presided over the beatification, in Catalonia. An estimated half million people died in Spain’s civil war, from 1936 to 1939. More than 2,000 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War have been beatified, and 11 have been canonized. The causes of 2,000 candidates are under consideration.

True happiness is found in following Jesus Christ, not in being young, wealthy or successful. Those were the words of Pope Francis today, in a special Angelus address for All Saints’ Day. The pope said the path to sainthood is illustrated in the Beatitudes. He said the poor in spirit find true happiness, because they live in the certainty of God’s loving gaze.

Today is the Solemnity of All Saints.

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Pope Francis met President Joe Biden today, at the Vatican. This was Biden’s first official visit to the Vatican since his inauguration. Biden is the second Catholic president in U-S history. He is in Rome to attend the G20 summit, this weekend.

A provision creating a national paid leave program will not be included in the social spending package being crafted by Congress. The “Build Back Better Act,” originally called for twelve weeks of paid family and medical leave. The length was negotiated down to four weeks, and then dropped entirely on Thursday. The United States is one of only eight countries with no national paid parental leave policy. It is only one of a few countries without a national medical leave policy.

Lawmakers in Illinois have voted to repeal parental notice requirements for abortion. The law required abortion providers to notify the parents of a minor seeking an abortion, at least 48 hours before the scheduled abortion. Catholics in Illinois have decried the repeal of the law.

Today, the Church honors Saint Narcissus. He was born toward the end of the first century. He was nearly 80 years old when he was named the bishop of Jerusalem. He was involved in the decree that Easter be kept always on a Sunday, and not continually with the Jewish Passover.

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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Catholics who visit a cemetery on any day in the month of November, to pray for the dead, can earn a plenary indulgence. Typically Catholics can earn this plenary indulgence for praying for the dead only during the first week of November, which is the week of the Solemnity of All Soul’s Day. Last year, the Vatican extended the indulgence to every day of November, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese authorities have reportedly kidnapped a Catholic bishop in eastern China. The 58-year-old bishop has been arrested several times since he was appointed to his diocese in 2016. Detentions of underground clergy in China are common. The Chinese government will pressure clergy to join the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

The pope has donated $170,000 to the Catholic Church in Syria, for its work with the poor. More than 350,000 people have been killed in Syria, since civil war broke out in 2011.

Pope Francis has appointed new archbishops of Seoul, South Korea, and Nairobi, Kenya. The new archbishop of Seoul is a member of the Discalced Carmelites. The new archbishop of Nairobi has been president of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops since 2015.

Today the Church remembers Saints Simon and Jude. Saint Jude was a brother of Saint James the Lesser, and a relative of Jesus. He was martyred in Persia. Little is known about the life of Saint Simon the Zealot, but it is believed that he preached in Egypt, and then joined Saint Jude in Persia.

Vatican City is now providing a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The vulnerable, and those over the age of 60, are being prioritized. Pope Francis and Benedict the Sixteenth may be among the first group to receive a third dose. The Vatican City State is requiring all employees, officials and visitors to show proof of vaccination or recent recovery from the coronavirus, or a recent negative COVID test.

Pope Francis is considering a visit to Canada. Canadian bishops invited the pope to visit Canada, to be a part of the Church’s process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. No date has been set for the visit. The pope will also meet in December with delegations of Indigenous tribes from Canada.

Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew the First met with U-S leaders in Washington this week, including President Joe Biden. The leaders discussed religious freedom and climate change. They also announced an interfaith initiative to encourage vaccination against COVID-19.

Does your spiritual life need a boost? Place yourself in front of Christ Crucified. That was the message of Pope Francis today, during his general audience in Rome. The pope encouraged Catholics to hold a Crucifix, and take some time in adoration, to reconnect with God. The pope’s words were a continuation of his reflections on Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

Today is the feast of Saint Frumentius, the patron of Ethiopia.

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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Catholics in India are speaking out against a proposed survey of Christian missionaries, and their places of worship. The state government of Karnataka, in southwest India, has proposed the survey. The state is considering passing an anti-conversion law. Catholics in India say the survey could lead to church workers being unfairly targeted. Eight of India’s 29 states have passed anti-conversion laws. The laws aim to prevent conversions from Hinduism to minority religions, including Christianity.

The president of an advocacy group for Christians in the Middle East has resigned, over his ties to illegal campaign contributions to a now-indicted congressman. Toufic Baaklini resigned on Sunday from leading the Washington-based group In Defense of Christians. Earlier this year, he admitted to personal involvement in illegal donations, to the re-election campaign of Nebraska Representative Jeff Fortenberry.

Nearly 130 Catholics martyred during the Spanish Civil War were beatified this month in Spain. The group was largely made up of Catholic priests, but included several seminarians and religious, and nearly 40 lay people. Nearly all of them were imprisoned before their martyrdom.

Today, the Church remembers its sixth pope - Saint Evaristus. He is traditionally considered a martyr. It is believed he was martyred at the same time as Saint Ignatius of Antioch. He is buried in the Vatican, near Saint Peter.

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 made an appeal for migrants Sunday, calling on the international community to stop deporting migrants to unsafe countries.

Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope asked the Catholic pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray in silence for migrants, many of whom he said had been subjected to “inhumane violence.”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249387/pope-francis-appeals-that-migrants-not-be-sent-back-to-unsafe-countries

On Monday, Pope Francis appointed economist Jeffrey Sachs to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Sachs, the director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University in New York, has been a frequent visitor to the Vatican in recent years.

Sachs has in the past advocated for a reduction in fertility rates in developing countries through the dissemination of contraception, a view at odds with Catholic teaching.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249389/pope-francis-names-jeffrey-sachs-to-pontifical-academy

Catholics are praying following the execution of Willie B. Smith III on Thursday evening, the first execution in Alabama since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith was sentenced to death in 1992 for the murder of a 22-year-old woman. His attorneys have argued that Smith was borderline intellectually disabled.

The Catholic Mobilizing Network said they were praying for the repose of Willie Smith’s soul, and the diocese of Birmingham stated that, quote, “capital punishment devalues human life and contributes to a climate of violence in our communities."

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249376/catholics-pray-after-alabama-executes-death-row-inmate

After seven hours of debate and notable opposition in the House of Lords on Friday, the sponsor of a bill that would legalize assisted suicide in England and Wales chose not to take the bill to a vote. The bill would have permitted assisted suicide for terminally ill adults with fewer than six months to live, subject to the approval of two doctors and a high court judge.

The Catholic bishops of England and Wales, as well as a number of other religious leaders, have strongly opposed the idea of legalizing assisted suicide.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249373/english-assisted-suicide-bill-not-put-to-vote-in-house-of-lords

Today, the Church celebrates Saints Chrysanthus and Daria, third century martyrs and spouses who converted dozens of people before their martyrdom.

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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Catholic, Anglican, and Jewish leaders in the United Kingdom have expressed opposition to a parliamentary bill that would legalize assisted suicide.

The bill would allow for assisted suicide for terminally ill patients, a practice which is currently illegal in the UK.

The religious leaders who signed the letter said that their opposition to the bill was rooted in a conviction that every human life is sacred. The bill is also facing opposition from medical professionals.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249366/catholic-anglican-and-jewish-leaders-urge-uk-parliament-to-reject-assisted-suicide-bill

A U.K. lawmaker has proposed adding an amendment to a bill going through Parliament, ensuring that Catholic priests can administer the last rites at crime scenes.

The push comes after Sir David Amess, a Catholic and pro-life member of parliament, was stabbed to death last week during a meeting with contituents.

A priest reportedly tried to enter the crime scene to give Amess last rites, but was denied entry.

The “Amess amendment” would seek to protect the right of Catholic priests and other ministers of religion to pray alongside the dying.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249360/sir-david-amess-death-uk-lawmaker-proposes-adding-amess-amendment-on-last-rites-to-bill

The number of Catholics in Asia and Africa continued to grow in 2019, according to newly released statistics.

The world population grew by 81.3 million in 2019, while members of the Catholic Church increased by 15.4 million, for a total of 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.

The new statistics compare 2019, the last year for which data is available, with 2018 and therefore do not reflect the effects of the global coronavirus outbreak in 2020.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249354/number-of-catholics-in-asia-and-africa-continues-to-rise

Today, the Church celebrates Pope St. John Paul II. Born Karol Józef Wojtyla in Poland in 1920, he was the first non-Italian Pope in more than 400 years.

John Paul II is remembered for, among many other things, his deep prayer life, extensive travels, dialogue with other religions, and prolific writings during his 27-year papacy. In 2019, the Polish bishops’ conference called for the Polish pope to be granted the title of Doctor of the Church.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/pope-saint-john-paul-ii-713

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 Vaduz, Liechtenstein, announced this week that his archdiocese won’t take part in the Synod on Synodality, saying that it would run “the risk of becoming ideological.” Vaduz is one of the smallest archdioceses in the world, with fewer than 40,000 Catholics. The archbishop said his archdiocese is small enough that, quote, “All those who wish to do so can enter into dialogue with one another, listen to one another, and maintain personal communication about suggestions, wishes, and ideas in everyday Church life.” The Synod on Synodality is a two-year, worldwide consultative process that Pope Francis launched this month, and in which all dioceses in the world have been asked to participate.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249340/catholic-leader-says-his-archdiocese-won-t-take-part-in-synodal-process-citing-ideological-risk

Pope Francis has shared a letter written by a clerical sexual abuse survivor with candidates preparing for the Catholic priesthood. The anonymous abuse victim wrote that she was sharing her story because she would like to see “loving truth” win out. The letter reads, in part, “God has called you to be his instrument among men. You have a GREAT RESPONSIBILITY! A responsibility that is not a burden, but a GIFT! Please treat it according to the example of Jesus... with HUMILITY and LOVE!”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249339/pope-francis-wants-seminarians-to-read-this-letter-from-a-clerical-abuse-survivor

A Kansas City-area Baptist megachurch has reached a $150,000 settlement with the county over coronavirus restrictions. Abundant Life Baptist Church filed a lawsuit against Jackson County, Missouri over a year ago, arguing that the county’s coronavirus restrictions treated places of worship more harshly than secular institutions such as retail stores. Since the lawsuit was filed, several Supreme Court decisions related to coronavirus restrictions on worship have been handed down that make it likely that the church would have won the case. Under the terms of the settlement, Jackson County vowed that in exchange for the church dropping the lawsuit, it would ensure that future enforcement measures would not impose stricter requirements on religious organizations than their secular counterparts.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249350/missouri-christian-church-wins-settlement-over-coronavirus-restrictions-on-worship

The Bishop of Buea, Cameroon, has condemned both the Thursday shooting death of a five-year-old girl at a police checkpoint in the city, and the lynching death of the officer responsible. The girl was shot to death when the driver of the car in which she was travelling to school refused to stop at a police checkpoint. A crowd soon gathered at the site, capturing the officer and beating him to death. The Cameroonian bishop urged prayers for the dead.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249349/bishop-in-cameroon-shocked-by-shooting-death-of-young-girl-lynching-of-policeman

Today, the Church honors Saint Ursula and the Virgins of Cologne, who fled England during the fourth century Saxon invasion and were martyred on the European continent. Saint Ursula is the patroness of Catholic education, especially the education of girls; Cologne Germany, educators, holy death, schoolchildren, students, and teachers.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-ursula-and-the-virgins-of-cologne-27

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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Pope Benedict XVI said in a letter this month that he looks forward to joining his friends in heaven. The 94-year-old retired pope sent a condolence message following the death of Cistercian priest Father Gerhard Winkler, and wrote, quote, “Now he has arrived in the next world, where I am sure many friends are already waiting for him. I hope that I can join them soon.”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249327/i-hope-that-i-can-join-them-soon-benedict-xvi-sends-condolence-message-after-friend-s-death

The Vatican has launched a new prayer website and smartphone app to help Catholics pray for the success of the synod on synodality. At prayforthesynod.va, Catholics can find information in English, Spanish, and other languages about how to support the synod through prayer. During the two-year synod process, which Pope Francis launched earlier this month, Catholics around the world will be encouraged to submit feedback to their local dioceses.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249337/vatican-launches-prayer-website-to-accompany-synod-on-synodality

In the wake of last week’s stabbing of a Catholic lawmaker in England, a bishop has called for a greater recognition of last rites as an “emergency service.” Police reportedly turned away a priest who sought to administer the last rites to Sir David Amess, who was attacked and killed last Friday while meeting with constituents. Last Rites help to prepare Catholics for death by offering them the sacraments of reconciliation, the anointing of the sick, and Holy Communion.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249325/sir-david-amess-death-catholic-bishop-calls-for-last-rites-to-be-recognized-as-emergency-service

The gang responsible for the kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries in Haiti is demanding a $17 million ransom for their safe release. Christian Aid Ministries, the group that sent the missionaries to Haiti, is requesting prayers for their safety. The Haitian gang responsible for the most recent kidnapping is the same criminal gang behind the kidnapping of Catholic priests and religious in April. All of those kidnapped in April were released within several weeks, and ransom was paid for just two of the kidnapped priests.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249332/christian-aid-group-requests-prayers-for-kidnapped-missionaries-in-haiti

The Italian archdiocese of Catania will have no new godfathers for the next three years. Archbishop Salvatore Gristina has said that he decided to temporarily suspend the naming of godparents and Confirmation sponsors because the tradition had become, quote, a “social custom in which the dimension of faith is hardly visible.” The role of a godparent is to help “the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism,” and the law does not stipulate that godparents are required for the sacrament.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249338/godfather-ban-sicilian-catholic-diocese-suspends-naming-of-godparents-at-baptism-for-3-years

Today, the Church honors Saint Peter of Alcántara, a Spanish Franciscan friar who founded several convents and became known for his constant vigilance in prayer and meditation. He is the patron saint of night watchmen and guards.

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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Scotland’s national shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes was the target of an arson attack last weekend. The fire damaged several memorials at the shrine. Parishioners built the shrine by hand in 1922. The shrine welcomed more than 70,000 pilgrims a year, before the pandemic. Police are investigating the fire.

A digital Bible app, and a Quran app are no longer available in China, at the request of Chinese officials. The Bible app was removed by the company that created it, due to permit requirements. The Quran app was removed by Apple itself. Permit requirements have also tripped up Audible, the audiobook and podcast service owned by Amazon. Audible removed its app from the mainland China Apple store last month.

The Vatican has released new regulations for postulators. Postulators help guide the process behind the declaration of a saint in the Catholic Church. The new regulations clarify tasks and procedures. They aim to prevent conflicts of interest. Postulators can be clergy, religious men or women, or lay people.

Today is the feast of the Italian mystic, Saint Paul of the Cross.