Stories for week of February 07, 2021

Ordered from most to least recent.

Released Friday, Feb. 12

 Canadian health officials seek permission to arrest Christians resisting lockdown
 Cardinal asks international court to probe church bombings in Sir Lanka
 Pope’s message for Lent: focus on theological virtues
 California county renews ban on indoor worship despite Supreme Court ruling
 Archbishop Cordileone, in op-ed, says state ban on worship is unscientific
 Supreme Court rules condemned prisoner has right to final prayer with cleric
 Scottish Christian leaders unite in questioning hate-crime legislation
 Hong Kong’s religious leaders issue joint message for lunar new year
 Cardinal Turkson: Vatican is preparing document on Covid’s effects on mental health
 Raft of assisted suicide laws introduced in states
 English bishops welcome government’s ‘leave them certain’ organ donation initiative
 Victims’ attorneys allege New York bishops engaged in financial ‘shell game’
 Belgian Catholic schools file suit against new government-mandated curriculum
 Missionary priest nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
 Canada’s Supreme Court sides with abuse survivor against Ontario diocese
 ‘Words can’t describe how happy we are’: Catholics in city liberated from ISIS rule await Pope’s visit
 Bishop speaks out against anti-Chinese sentiments in England
 USCCB, Methodists publish ‘Catholics and United Methodists Together’
 State Dept. funds Brazilian Catholic center for refugees fleeing Venezuela
 Pakistani cardinal retires; new Karachi archbishop named
 Arabian bishop assesses impact of Document on Human Fraternity

Released Thursday, Feb. 11

 Bankrupt Minnesota diocese reaches agreement with creditors
 Aid to the Church in Need reveals charges against founder
 Ecuador’s bishops call on divided electorate to maintain peace
 South Sudanese bishop asks government to allow reopening of churches
 Federal appeals court dismisses pro-life protesters’ challenge to Alabama city ordinance
 Judge blocks Gov. Cuomo’s Covid restrictions
 Statues vandalized at El Paso parish
 Catholic leaders urge TPS, foreign aid for Central American countries
 Pro-democracy Catholic Jimmy Lai denied bail in Hong Kong
 Haiti’s bishops warn of catastrophe
 Bill would block taxpayer funding of abortion, make Hyde Amendment permanent
 Papal prayer for Indian flood victims, greetings for lunar new year
 Canada’s bishops issue decree on revised conclusion of Collect prayer at Mass
 Iraqi Christians see stolen homes and lands returned
 Widespread vaccination, supported by Pope, faces myriad obstacles
 Background: World Day of the Sick

Released Wednesday, Feb. 10

 Myanmar: bishops drop order against religious involvement in protests
 Corrected translation will change Collect prayers
 South Sudan orders churches closed as Covid measure
 Bose community founder leaves monastery, months after Vatican order
 Vatican diplomat weighs in on UN action plan for world’s poorest nations
 Theme of Pope’s general audience: Praying in daily life
 Former Navy captain named Supreme Knight of Knights of Columbus
 Archbishop Gomez: Make religious commitment clear when addressing lawmakers
 7th Circuit upholds constitutionality of Nativity scene In Christmas display
 Maronite Patriarch calls on international community to ‘help save Lebanon’
 Church enjoys ‘great credibility and respect’ in Albania, prelate says
 Vatican announces change of location for Pope’s Ash Wednesday Mass
 Virginia legislature passes bills on abortion insurance coverage, marijuana
 Argentine bishop says attempted transsexual marriage in Church was unauthorized
 Cardinal Turkson discusses the ‘Great Reset,’ collaboration with secular organizations
 Bishops of Japan, Korea criticize Fukushima radioactivity clean-up plans
 Latin American, Caribbean prelates launch campaign against human trafficking
 Archbishop Vigneron: general dispensation from Mass obligation ends March 13
 San Francisco parish closes after 3 priests test positive for Covid

Released Tuesday, Feb. 9

 Catholic University pro-life group pressured to cancel Abby Johnson speech
 Pontifical Academy for Life sees ‘massacre’ of elderly in Covid epidemic
 At European Parliament, lawmakers blast Poland’s abortion ban
 Swiss bishop resigns after calling for discussion of women priests
 Myanmar bishops caution clergy, religious on involvement in democracy protests
 Vatican Radio marks 90th anniversary
 Turn to faith to defeat extremism, President Biden says at National Prayer Breakfast
 British Columbia extends worship, social gathering ban indefinitely
 Faith-based groups cheer, share hopes for Biden’s family reunification task force
 Court: Fired Catholic principal can’t use ‘whistleblower’ claim to sidestep Church’s 1st Amendment lawsuit shield
 US bishops’ education chairman applauds bipartisan resolution honoring Catholic schools
 California bishops welcome Supreme Court ruling easing worship restrictions
 Kansas bishop under investigation for alleged sexual abuse of minor
 Dioceses dispute conclusions, methods of AP report on pandemic funding
 South African Jesuits warn: xenophobia, corruption threaten fair Covid vaccine distribution
 Catholic schools in US hit by unprecedented enrollment drop
 Pope Francis calls for an economy without human trafficking
 Vatican announces Pope’s prayer intentions for 2022

Released Monday, Feb. 8

 World is ‘seriously ill,’ Pope tells diplomats
 Vatican releases details of papal trip to Iraq in March
 Pontifical Foundation funding promotion of gender ideology
 Lebanese prelate seeks international conference on nation’s impasse
 ‘To have, to hold, to honor’ is theme of US bishops’ National Marriage Week
 ‘Born-alive’ amendment fails again in the Senate
 Supreme Court, in 6-3 ruling, blocks California’s ban on indoor worship services
 Vatican cardinals urge UN Security Council to distribute vaccines to poorer nations
 International Day of Prayer Against Human Trafficking marked with online prayer marathon
 Myanmar’s bishops declare day of prayer, fasting, and adoration
 Priest, religious sister appointed as undersecretaries of Synod of Bishops
 Following coup, Pope urges Myanmar’s leaders to serve the common good
 Papal appeals for unaccompanied migrant minors, end of human trafficking
 Caring for the sick is not optional, Pope tells pilgrims
 Citing ‘the primary good of life,’ Pope Francis laments Italy’s demographic winter
 Post-founder period, crises, spirituality: papal address to Focolare members
 Damascus archbishop appeals to Syrians to return home

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Advent

December 24, Christmas Eve

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Christmas Eve marks the end of Advent. The liturgical texts express wholehearted confidence in the imminent coming of the Redeemer. There is much joyous expectation. Most families…

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