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Stories for June 2020

Ordered from most to least recent.

Released Tuesday, Jun. 30

 Italian financier defends dealings with Vatican
 Pope to US Catholic journalists: serve diversity & common good
 Italy eases restrictions on distribution of Communion
 Vatican prosecutor seizes financial documents at St. Peter’s basilica
 Supreme Court victory for religious schools, educational choice
 Polish group seeks Pope’s action against sex abuse, cover-up
 China cuts Uighur births with IUDs, abortion, sterilization
 Papal electric bicycle donation aids charity auction
 Scientists confirm Italian crucifix is oldest wooden statue in Europe
 Archbishop Cordileone performs exorcism where St. Junípero Serra’s statue was toppled
 150 organizations call for emergency federal aid for Catholic, other private schools
 Brother Alois of Taizé meets with Pope
 Pandemic is worsening Venezuela’s economic crisis, bishop says
 ‘Angered’ at Pope Francis, former Irish leader says Catholic teaching on homosexuality is ‘evil’
 Arson attempt against Marian column in Prague
 Catholic advocates denounce Supreme Court’s rejection of federal death penalty appeal
 In Egypt, 2 men sentenced to prison for ‘spreading and promoting’ Shi’a Islam
 ‘He chose to build his life on Jesus’: Pope Francis reflects on St. Peter
 Bishops decry Supreme Court abortion decision

Released Monday, Jun. 29

 Italian financier sues Vatican on London real-estate deal
 Supreme Court strikes down Louisiana abortion restrictions
 Pope sends greetings to Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople
 Pope blesses pallia: sign of unity for metropolitan archbishops
 Uruguay: bishops oppose effort to legalize euthanasia
 Cardinal Dolan warns against destruction of historical memory
 ‘In almost every instance we failed this courageous man,’ prelate says of victim of abuse by former bishop
 Thai officials to reopen case of murdered Karen Christian activist
 The Syro-Malabar Church: Vibrant and targeted
 Cardinal to dedicate North Korean diocese to Our Lady of Fatima
 In Germany, Church sees record drop in membership
 Catholic University of America faces shortfall of at least $25M
 Detroit archdiocese fires parish music director in same-sex marriage
 Pope moves against Polish bishop accused of hiding predators
 Quadriplegic CO19 patient starved by Texas doctor because of his disability
 Leading German bishop says Pope appreciates ‘synodal way’
 Victorian MP urges inquiry into Cardinal Pell investigation
 Protesters clash over statue of St. Louis’ namesake
 Papal prayer for Yemen, Ukraine
 Papal peace appeal for war-ravaged Syria
 ‘There is no true love without the cross,’ Pope tells pilgrims

Released Friday, Jun. 26

 Catholic Charities leader says Church is racist
 Church in Colombia near bankruptcy, archbishop warns
 New York court overturns tight restrictions on religious services
 Irish archbishop presses government on re-opening churches
 Argentine archbishop sees crises of relativism, secularization
 Exclusive: Archbishop Vigano answers criticism
 Global divide on homosexuality persists
 In Pakistan, police beat, torture Christian who gives food to the poor
 Holy See diplomat deplores racism
 Vatican spokesman defends Vatican II document on religious liberty
 Archbishop Paglia: Healthcare systems must be rethought and reformed
 Pope prays for victims of earthquake in Mexico
 Strong opposition by Catholic Charities to Trump administration’s asylum changes
 President of German Catholic Women’s Federation confirms support for Planned Parenthood
 Vandals deface image of Poland’s Black Madonna in Dutch city
 Pro-life laws advance in Iowa, Mississippi, Tennessee
 Seoul’s cardinal calls for forgiveness, peace on Korean War anniversary
 Papal donation of needed CO19 test kits to Gaza Strip
 Abuse scandal cost another $323M in 2019
 Executive order encourages state cooperation with faith-based child welfare agencies

Released Thursday, Jun. 25

 Bishop questions deaths of Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia
 Wisconsin bishop condemns destruction of statues
 Hindu militants install idol inside Indian church
 Vatican issues new Directory for Catechesis
 Abuse allegations against late Massachusetts bishop ‘unequivocally credible,’ investigation finds
 Mali cardinal discusses jihadist violence
 At Catholic college, Dominican friars’ graves defaced with swastikas
 New Jersey bishop: Racism is an evil ‘more dangerous’ than CO19
 ‘I salute the fight against racism,’ leading Congo bishop says
 South Sudan’s Christian leaders rue upsurge in violence
 In Burkina Faso, security situation is ‘more worrying than ever,’ bishops say
 Pope writes letter of support to Alex Zanardi after horrific crash
 John the Baptist teaches us to bear witness to Jesus, Pope says on feast day
 US bishops call for better police formation and accountability

Released Wednesday, Jun. 24

 Protests and church services must be treated equally, Justice Department warns New York
 Vatican reminds US bishops: diocesan bankruptcy requires approval
 Virginia targets religious services for violations of emergency orders
 Hong Kong prelate: not worried by strict new Chinese law
 Vatican denies appeal of Virginia pastor removed from office
 Philippines: government official brands nun as terrorist supporter
 Abuse investigation focus on deceased Massachusetts bishop
 Accused priest became university’s assistant campus ministry director
 Vatican confirms suspension of actively homosexual Dutch priest; new bishop hopes he will return to ministry
 Pope at audience: We are never alone if we bring our lives to God in prayer
 Head of Planned Parenthood’s largest affiliate ousted following complaints of abusive behavior, racism, financial mismanagement
 Catholic Health Association urges President Trump to reconsider WHO withdrawal decision
 Bishops in Kenya ‘totally opposed’ to comprehensive sexuality education, abortion bill
 Influential Jesuit journal warns against religious nationalism
 Prosecutor to reconsider pressing charges against retired Wyoming bishop
 This is a moment to raise our voices against work on Sunday, English bishop preaches
 President Trump talks statues, Archbishop Viganò in EWTN News interview
 Justice Dept. sues Virginia county over restrictions on creating Muslim cemetery
 USCCB action alert to US Senate: Please protect DACA recipients
 Holy See advocates for responsible freedom of expression
 California bishops defend St. Junípero Serra following toppling of statues

Released Tuesday, Jun. 23

 Christian man murdered in Jharkand on account of his faith
 Church group seeks probe into Kerala nun’s unnatural death
 Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Putin celebrate 75th anniversary of victory over Nazis
 No word on McCarrick report as 2nd anniversary of his removal passes quietly
 Black Catholics: Words not enough as Church decries racism
 Federal appeals court dismisses church’s challenge to CO19 order as moot
 ‘Religious freedom is under stress throughout the world,’ prelate notes
 Holy Orders, Baptism, Confirmation: sacramental guidelines help dioceses navigate CO19
 ‘The Holy Land is in fire, in a situation of war,’ former Patriarch warns
 Vatican spokesman defends development of doctrine as ‘fidelity in newness’
 Nicaragua and El Salvador bishops push back against government-backed critics
 ‘Take courageous decisions to safeguard the refugees,’ Caritas urges world leaders
 Papal donation of 2 ventilators to CO19-stricken Ecuador
 Prelates in war-torn lands see missed opportunity for global peace in time of pandemic
 Pope appeals for care for refugees and for creation

Released Monday, Jun. 22

 Chinese bishop re-arrested
 China recognizes another ‘underground’ bishop
 President of German Catholic women’s group also works with pro-abortion lobby
 Irish College in Rome halts training of seminarians
 Syracuse diocese files for bankruptcy
 Benedict returns to Vatican
 Colombia’s bishops welcome freeing of hostages by ELN
 Pope adds 3 invocations to the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 5 beatification causes advance
 Pope Francis at Angelus address: Be fearless witnesses of Christ
 Catholics in US urged to pray, reflect, act to safeguard religious freedom
 ‘Enter through the back door’: secret church services in Mexico and Brazil defy CO19 rules
 San Francisco archbishop criticizes toppling of saint’s statue
 Cardinal Pell to publish prison diary musing on case, Church
 Renewed papal plea for refugees
 Retired Pope visits former home, parents’ grave in Germany
 Bernice King: The Pope and my father are united in the same dream
 US, European bishops offer prayers for US-Russia arms control meeting
 Pope thanks Italian doctors, health care workers for heroic service during pandemic

Released Friday, Jun. 19

 YouTube Censors Heritage Foundation Video on Gender Dysphoria
 Egypt: provincial officials encourage Christian pilgrimages
 Catholic priest protests requirement for Islamic study in universities
 Tennessee legislature passes fetal heartbeat bill, ban on abortions for Down syndrome
 Vatican spokesman defends Nostra Aetate
 Black Catholic leaders say more integration in the Church is possible
 War continues between US and UN over abortion promotion in CO19 response
 Turkey’s Catholic bishops won’t contest plan to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque
 ‘We are with you’: US bishops welcome Supreme Court DACA decision, urge president to uphold the program
 Cathedral loses land as China pushes small businesses
 Battle rages over India’s 1st Catholic TV channel
 Caritas calls on Europe to welcome people seeking protection
 Philippine bishops ask government to help private schools
 Nigerian bishop warns of threat of hunger
 ‘Contemplate with gratitude the great gift Jesus has given us,’ prelate advises priests
 Holy See to sign accord limiting hydrofluorocarbons
 Vatican announces new document, ‘Journeying for the care of the common home’

Released Thursday, Jun. 18

 College chaplain ousted for questioning ‘racist’ claims
 Benedict flies to Germany to visit failing brother
 USCCB invites faithful to take practical steps to eradicate racism
 Supreme Court LGBT decision puts pressure on religious employers, employees
 CO19 is killing Catholic schools and hurting the minorities who attend them, columnist writes
 Islamic extremists attack 3 towns in Nigeria
 Pope Francis: Discover the riches hidden in the Sacred Heart of Jesus
 Study lists highest, lowest CO19 rates by diocese
 New US sanctions against Syria are a ‘diabolical act,’ archbishop says
 Vatican financial authority, auditor general pledge to increase cooperation
 Zambian bishops renew calls for withdrawal of controversial bill
 Russian court sentences Jehovah’s Witness to jail for ‘building world theocratic state’
 Federal appeals court upholds Illinois CO19 restrictions on worship services
 Affirming the dignity of others is just as important as feeding them, Caritas leader says
 Pakistan: in prison on blasphemy charges, Christian man sees appeal hearing postponed nearly 70 times
 In video message, Pope offers encouragement to maritime workers

Released Wednesday, Jun. 17

 Supreme Court stays Texas execution, denial of chaplain at issue
 Pope honors WWII diplomat who saved Jewish lives
 Trappist nuns: The Syrian people are starving as a result of ‘unsustainable’ international sanctions
 Dutch physician says killing of dementia patient ‘was tremendously difficult, but for the best’
 Pope reflects on Moses’ intercessory prayer
 Catholics fearful about looming Chinese restrictions on Hong Kong
 In Colombia, the Church has fed more than 1.5 million people during pandemic
 Over 70 US bishops have issued statements on death of George Floyd
 ‘Huge disappointment’ as UK House of Lords backs Northern Ireland abortion regulations
 After 22 years, Cardinal Schönborn steps down as Austrian bishops’ conference president
 Church leaders urge scientists to develop ethical CO19 vaccine
 In Pakistan, Church officials protest discriminatory job advertisement
 Vatican frees broker as details emerge of costly London deal
 6th Circuit ‘right-to-public-education’ appeal dismissed
 1st church built on state-owned land in Havana is almost a reality

Released Tuesday, Jun. 16

 Another New York diocese weighs bankruptcy option
 Members appointed to new pontifical commission on health care
 Attempted arson against Rennes Cathedral
 ‘Feel the pain,’ Lebanese cardinal-patriarch tells government as poverty rises
 Indian bishop seeks approval to enter life of prayer as a hermit
 ‘A Church without martyrs would be like a tree without fruit,’ Chaldean archbishop says
 Leading Australian prelate weighs in on leaked Church governance report
 Cardinal Nichols, Anglican leader oppose annexation of West Bank territory
 Vatican cardinal gives masks, medicine, gloves to 600 in itinerants’ camp
 Pandemic highlights need for new solutions to counter corruption, Vatican diplomat says
 Pope appeals for peace in Libya, praises blood donors
 The violence in Nigeria could end in genocide, Anglican leader warns
 Chinese Communists’ nod for bishop deepens division
 CO19 has brought us back to the core of our faith, Jerusalem archbishop says
 USCCB president rues Supreme Court decision on ‘sexual orientation’ and transgender status

Released Monday, Jun. 15

 Priests join suit against New York officials for selective enforcement of lockdown
 Accused bishop resumes work at Vatican financial office
 New official appointed to APSA, Vatican financial office
 National Shrine rector cleared of abuse charges
 Composer David Haas faces multiple abuse complaints
 Jerusalem Patriarchate selling property to address budget deficit
 Russian court rules against return to church to Catholic faithful
 Irish bishops discuss CO19, racism, and Pontifical Irish College
 Women appointed to leadership positions at Vatican library, financial authority
 UK man dies after court approved his starvation while in coma after surgery
 Argentine bishops strongly condemn illegal espionage against clerics, others
 God gave us the Bible and the book of creation, NIH director says
 Colombian bishops concerned about threats against social leaders
 Detroit archbishop denounces ‘racist and derogatory speech’ about Archbishop Gregory
 No criminal sex abuse charges for former Wyoming bishop, but successor praises ‘courageous’ victims
 ‘Stretch forth your hand to the poor,’ papal message urges
 St. Paul highlights the Eucharist’s mystical and communal effects, Pope tells pilgrims
 The Mass heals our memory, Pope preaches at Corpus Christi Mass
 Federal court upholds Nevada CO19 restrictions on worship services
 US bishops applaud HHS rule on ‘gender identity,’ ‘termination of pregnancy,’ and sex discrimination

Released Friday, Jun. 12

 China among worst offenders of religious freedom, US State Dept. says
 Most Turks favor making Hagia Sophia a mosque again
 NLRB reduces its jurisdiction over religious colleges
 Vatican to collaborate with new video-streaming platform
 Alleged McCarrick victim says he is helping fact-check Vatican abuse dossier
 In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Catholic wounds need healing as radical Islam is on the rise
 Catholics grapple with racism and witness amid volatile demonstrations
 Bishops in Middle East, Nigeria applaud Trump’s religious liberty executive order
 Geneticist Francis Collins awarded Templeton Prize
 Vatican office examines Catholic assistance to migrants during pandemic
 CO19: Pope calls Brazilian archbishop to express solidarity
 Ecumenical Patriarch discusses how he spends his days in quarantine
 Record number of abortions in England, Wales in 2019
 Burkina Faso shaken by jihadist conflicts
 In Colombia, government has abandoned region to violence, bishop charges
 Archbishop Gomez appoints 4 new members of National Review Board

Released Thursday, Jun. 11

 Suspect in Vatican scandal was subject of prior criminal probes
 US spokesman fears post-epidemic restrictions on religious minorities
 China formally recognizes ‘underground’ Catholic bishop
 Dozens of Nigerian Christians killed in terror attack
 President Trump says he’s ‘honored by Archbishop Viganò’s incredible letter to me’
 Accuser says retired Wyoming bishop won’t face sexual abuse charges
 Christians in Laos shunned for believing in ‘America’s God’
 Christian unity concerns all the faithful, Vatican official says
 Pennsylvania Catholic Conference appeals diversion of CO19 relief from private schools
 Oklahoma bishops call for Medicaid expansion
 Black Catholics call for listening, reflection following George Floyd killing
 Cardinal Turkson encourages pastors to minister to victims of CO19 stigma
 African Orthodox, Protestant communities condemn injustice, racism in the United States
 Leading Ghana prelate laments persistence of government corruption
 EU and African bishops call for a just, people-centered intercontinental partnership
 We are all responsible for the scourge of child labor, Pope says
 Federal judge rejects challenge to Trump administration’s ‘protect life’ Title X rule
 Washington court upholds ban on child sex offender attending church services

Released Wednesday, Jun. 10

 Sen. McConnell decries double standard that restricts churches
 Vatican blocks plan for massive downsizing of German diocese
 Italian bishops question law to punish ‘homophobia’
 Church and mosque demolition in Egypt raises tensions
 Papal encouragement for Lazare Association
 ‘We cannot pretend to be healthy in a world that is sick,’ Pope writes on World Environment Day
 UK bishops urge changes to government’s immigration bill
 Nicaraguan prelate appeals for voluntary quarantine
 Anarchists vandalize Mexican cathedral
 Churches reopen in Africa’s most populous nation
 Botswana bishop pays tribute to his friend, George Floyd
 Wrestling with God is a metaphor for prayer, Pope says at audience
 In Florida, former diocesan official indicted on kickback scheme charges
 In Finland, lawmaker faces new criminal investigation for booklet on homosexuality
 Court rules that Minnesota Amish must install septic tanks
 Judge sentences 80-year-old Catholic activist for breaking into nuclear submarine base
 Pope establishes fund to help Romans who have lost their livelihoods because of pandemic

Released Tuesday, Jun. 9

 Vatican negotiator says China deal should be renewed for 1-2 years
 Vatican prelate involved in London deal pins scandal on Italian layman
 Public Mass resumes in Washington, tightly restricted
 Archbishop Gregory invited to JPII Shrine Trump event days before public statement
 Archbishop Gomez asks parishes to toll bells for 8 minutes in memory of George Floyd
 Cardinal Ranjith calls on Sri Lanka’s government to permit resumption of public Masses
 Bishops, religious join Washington ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests
 Zambia’s bishops lament chemical gas attacks
 Burundi’s bishops distance themselves from effort to overturn presidential election
 As Quebec nuns die of CO19, government offers financial help
 Court allows slow-motion euthanasia in the UK
 In Jharkand, village mob threatens Christian families every night for nearly 3 weeks
 Amid destruction near Minneapolis parish, business owners keep the faith
 Irish prime minister confirms public Mass can begin from June 29
 80% of Lebanon’s Catholic schools to close in 2020-21
 Suspects in 1989 assassination of Jesuits in El Salvador go on trial in Spain
 Pope encourages devotion to Sacred Heart of Jesus
 ‘Appalling’: Canadian bishops condemn racism

Released Monday, Jun. 8

 English cardinal welcomes government permission to open churches for prayer
 Filipino Church leaders worried by new anti-terror law
 Wisconsin county eases restrictions after diocese threatens suit
 Vatican bank reports increased profit
 Catholic Action calls for 1 minute of prayer for peace with Pope
 Young Christian boy brutally murdered in Orissa
 Kerala government allows churches to reopen, but bans Holy Communion, anointing
 UK government doubles down on Northern Ireland abortion regulations
 No active CO19 cases among Vatican employees
 Do not celebrate victory over CO19 too soon, Pope cautions
 Pope Francis: The Most Holy Trinity is ‘Love, all in the service of the world’
 Vatican cardinal leads prayer vigil for peaceful coexistence in US
 Archbishop Gregory, US bishops’ official, EWTN host discuss racism
 Federal appellate court agrees with district judge in striking down KY abortion law
 Federal court upholds NY law barring retaliation against employees over abortion, contraception
 ‘Gratuitousness, meaning, and beauty’: Pope addresses students, teachers via video
 Prelate urges passage of legislation to protect Dreamers and TPS holders

Released Friday, Jun. 5

 New York: archdiocesan spokesman protests unequal treatment
 Hong Kong: thousands defy order to mark Tiananmen anniversary
 Chinese churches must preach patriotism to reopen
 Livestream audience provides ‘biggest pilgrimage season so far’ for English shrine
 Church cannot return to pre-pandemic pastoral practices, Vatican official says
 4 Iranian Christians ordered to begin prison sentences
 Pennsylvania becomes 3rd state to ban marriage under 18
 Cardinal Turkson calls for justice, nonviolence in response to George Floyd’s death
 With lockdown lifted in China, crackdowns on churches Iitensify
 Following lawsuit threat, Delaware lifts controversial rules for reopening churches
 After ‘taking a knee,’ El Paso bishop gets a call from the Pope
 Video released for Pope’s June prayer intention
 US blocks UN agreement over pro-life concerns
 CO19 in Brazil: 117 priests infected, 14 have died
 Cardinal Tobin: ‘We witness the asphyxiation of our country’
 Nothing matters as much as human life: El Salvador’s bishops issue CO19 statement
 Brooklyn bishop accused by 2nd man of sex abuse in the 1970s
 National Black Catholic Congress: ‘We have witnessed, in graphic video detail, racism on display’

Released Thursday, Jun. 4

 Major drug company drops vaccine derived from fetal-cells
 Cardinal Zen: Hong Kong needs a miracle
 Madison diocese prepared to challenge restrictions on parishes
 German bishops’ president says universal Church should weigh ‘synodal path’
 Italian bishops, government agree on mode of distributing Communion
 Philippine religious superiors voice concern about anti-terror bill
 Scotland’s bishops finalize plans to reopen churches
 Catholic schools in Spain call for respect for educational freedom
 Vatican’s pediatric dispensary reopens as lockdown eases
 Detroit archdiocese to shift to ‘family of parishes’
 Pope’s education foundation holds ‘celebration of sense’ on World Environment Day
 ‘Deplorable’: EU bishops join Ukrainian hierarchy in decrying surrogacy
 In Rome, Cardinal Farrell to lead prayer for ‘peaceful coexistence in the United States’
 Parish offers sanctuary amid Minneapolis riots
 Catholic responses to the killing of George Floyd
 Ugandans celebrate low-key Martyrs’ Day
 African bishops plead for aid for the poor, cancellation of debts
 Zambia receives papal donation of ventilators
 US bishops receive call of encouragement, assurances of prayer from Pope Francis
 For Christians in Pakistan, pandemic lockdown spells hunger, hardship

Released Wednesday, Jun. 3

 Vatican did not profit from Knight of Malta takeover: Cardinal Parolin
 Churches in 6 states damaged by violent protests
 After an attack on their Chicago Catholic bookstore, nuns pray for the looters
 Church suffering violence in Ethiopia, Eritrea
 USCCB issues action alert on further CO19 relief actions
 Pope, in general audience, reflects on Abraham’s prayer
 In symbolic vote, assembly rejects Parliament’s legalization of abortion in Northern Ireland
 Philippine bishops warn against online predators
 Minnesota archbishop joins area police chief, faith leaders in march against racism
 Vatican sports charity initiative to benefit hard-hit northern Italian hospitals
 President Trump calls for support for international religious freedom in new executive order
 Bishops express sorrow over Floyd killing, racism
 ‘Systemic racism must end,’ US Franciscan provincials say
 St. John Paul II Shrine defends President Trump’s visit
 ‘We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism’: Pope prays for George Floyd, criticizes violence

Released Tuesday, Jun. 2

 Bosnian Church leaders defend Mass for victims of Communist massacre
 Filipino priest celebrates Mass on pickup truck
 Leading Orthodox Patriarch: state cannot make rules of Eucharist
 Political group challenges church openings during epidemic
 Milwaukee archdiocese reopens churches despite city order
 Archbishop Gregory decries Trump’s visit to Catholic shrine
 New attacks on Christians in Pakistan
 Attorneys in Cardinal Pell’s trial discuss their work
 Maine diocese suspends priest who ‘inflamed’ events leading to woman’s murder
 Supreme Court won’t put inmate’s transgender surgery on hold
 ‘Here I am, send me’: Vatican releases papal message for World Mission Day
 Papal prayer for poor and vulnerable of Amazonia
 Pope returns to St. Peter’s Square for Regina Caeli address
 Make your lives a reflection of the Church, virgin and bride, Pope tells consecrated virgins
 Vatican ambulance to care for Rome’s homeless
 Cardinal Turkson links Laudato Si’, protests over George Floyd’s death
 Two Canadian dioceses merged
 Federal court upholds California city’s zoning ban on storefront churches
 In West Java, Christian family attacked while worshiping at home
 Chaldean Patriarch urges Iraqis to stay home
 Female theologians back Cardinal Ouellet, say seminaries need women involved in formation

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