Catholic News

• Pope reflects on Jesus' words on wisdom and humility of heart (Vatican Press Office)
  At his Sunday Angelus address on July 5, Pope Francis reflected on Matthew 11:25-30, the Gospel reading of the day (video).
• Pope renews call for 'global and immediate ceasefire' (Vatican News)
  “This week the United Nations Security Council adopted a Resolution which proposes some measures to deal with the devastating consequences of the Covid-19 virus, particularly for areas in conflict zones,” Pope Francis said on July 5, following the praying of the Angelus. “The request for a global and immediate ceasefire, which would allow that peace and security necessary to provide the needed humanitarian assistance, is commendable.”
• In Kenya, bishops, pro-abortion lobbyists clash over reproductive health law (Capital FM (Nairobi))
  The East African nation of 49.1 million (map) is 61% Protestant, 21% Catholic, 8% Muslim, and 8% ethnic religionist. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey there in 2015.
• Lourdes shrine faces $9M deficit (Crux)
  On March 17, the French Marian shrine closed for the first time in its history. It reopened on May 16.
• Protesters tear down statue of St. Junípero Serra in Sacramento's Capitol Park (Sacramento Bee)
  “The group’s actions may have been meant to draw attention to the sorrowful, angry memories over California’s past, but this act of vandalism does little to build the future,” said Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento. “While Fr. Serra worked under this colonial system, he denounced its evils and worked to protect the dignity of native peoples.”
• Papal praise for cooperatives in promoting renewable energy (Vatican News)
  Pope Francis tweeted his comments on July 4, the International Day of Cooperatives.
• In Assam, government closes Catholic hospital after 12 nuns test positive for CO19 (The Northeast Today)
  The northeastern Indian state (map) is 61% Hindu, 34% Muslim, and 4% Christian.
• Proposed UK abortion changes could violate conscience rights, bioethics center says (Crux)
  One amendment to a domestic abuse bill would enshrine home abortions in law; the second, according to the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, would be “a staging post to the repeal of all protections for the unborn child at all stages of pregnancy.”
• Illinois governor's CO19 order can favor religious gatherings over political ones, federal court rules (Religion Clause)
  In rejecting arguments by Republican organizations that “the governor’s COVID Order placing more restrictions on political party gatherings than religious gatherings violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments,” a district court ruled that “the Constitution does not accord a political party the same express protections as it provides to religion.”
• Cardinal Dolan: Stop demonizing the NYPD (New York Post)
  “Our valiant police officers have one of the most perilous, stressful duties around, and from what I have seen in my nearly dozen years here, they do it with care, compassion and competence,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York wrote in an op-ed. “Now we have added to their load with continual, at times exaggerated, rash and inaccurate criticism, combined with rocks, Molotov cocktails and taunts.”
• Vatican cardinal encourages work of Couples for Christ (Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life)
  Cardinal Kevin Farrell is prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life; Couples for Christ is an international lay movement founded in the Philippines in 1981.
• EU cardinal laments persecution of Christians in Nigeria (COMECE)
  Nigerian Christians are “living a situation of continuous attacks by terrorists, insurgents and militias, that in some cases reaches levels of genuine criminal persecution,” said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ, president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU.
• Dioceses in 3 African nations receive emergency Vatican CO19 aid (Fides)
  Pope Francis established the fund in April under the auspices of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
• In Mexico, bishop deplores massacre at drug rehabilitation center (Fides)
  In Irapuato, a city of 380,000 in Guanajuato (map), at least 26 were killed in the attack, the Associated Press reported.
• Texas bishop criticizes Planned Parenthood for anti-Mexican ethnic slur (National Catholic Register)
  “While not surprised that Planned Parenthood would attack State Senator Eddie Lucio’s pro-life record, I am deeply discouraged that Texas Freedom Network and others would join in this malicious kind of attack, using such derogatory language to disparage him and his family,” Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville said of criticism of pro-life Democratic State Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr.
• Vatican watchdog skips scandals in annual report (CWN)
  In his annual report, made public on July 3, the president of the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority (AIF) does not mention the October 1 police raid on the AIF offices, nor the abrupt departure of the agency’s top two officials.
• Hong Kong cardinal appeals for unity of the Church (Vatican News)
  Cardinal John Tong Hon was Hong Kong’s bishop from 2009 until his retirement in 2017, and is currently apostolic administrator following the death of his successor, Bishop Michael Yeung. In recent weeks, Cardinal Tong and his predecessor, Cardinal Joseph Zen, have expressed contrasting views about new Chinese security legislation.
• Turkish high court puts Hagia Sophia's future in Erdogan's hands (Fides)
  Dedicated in 537, Hagia Sophia has been the cathedral of the Patriarch of Constantinople (until 1453), a mosque (until 1931), and a museum (since 1935).
• Vatican CO19 commission official backs debt reduction, ceasefires, universal basic income (Our Sunday Visitor)
  Father Augusto Zampini, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development’s adjunct secretary is playing a leading role in the Vatican’s new CO19 commission.
• San Francisco archdiocese 'surprised' by order to cease indoor, public Masses (Catholic San Francisco)
  The City of San Francisco ordered the archdiocese to halt Masses that fail to comply with CO19 regulations.
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