Catholic News

• Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican (Vatican News)
  Born in 1940, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was installed in 1991 as Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch. He holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox churches.
• Vatican 'foreign minister' calls for increase in peaceful use of nuclear energy (Vatican News)
  Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, made almost identical remarks in his addresses to the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2017 and 2018.
• Vatican to try 2 priests for alleged abuse of altar boys in St. Peter's Basilica (Crux)
  Father Gabriele Martinelli has been charged with sexual abuse; Father Enrico Radice, a minor seminary rector, has been charged with aiding and abetting the abuse, according to the Vatican press office.
• Zimbabwe's bishops denounce government oppression, violence (Fides)
  The southern African nation of 14 million (map) is 75% Protestant and 7% Catholic.
• Nicaraguan prelates decry Ortega regime's denial of entry to OAS commission (Fides)
  The Organization of American States (OAS) is a regional organization of 35 North and South American nations. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega barred members of an OAS peace commission from entering the country.
• Compassion is God's language, Pope preaches at weekday Mass (Vatican News)
  At a Mass celebrated in the chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae on September 17, Pope Francis preached on Luke 7:11-17, the Gospel reading of the day.
• Scientists create a device that can mass produce human 'embryoids' (NPR)
  The “embryoids,” described in an article in Nature, are synthetic entities “made by coaxing human stem cells to form structures found in very early human embryos.” (The teahcing Church has issued a number of documents on stem cell research that distinguish immoral research that involves the destruction of human embryos from morally licit research that involves adult stem cells.)
• Visiting Vatican, 2 US bishops comment on Pope's 'Americans are attacking me' comment (Crux)
  The bishops are visiting the Vatican to discuss their V National Encuentro of Hispanic Latino Ministry.
• Religion plays 'valuable role' in forming culture of peace, says leading Vatican diplomat (CNS)
  Archbishop Bernardito Auza is apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.
• Arizona Supreme Court backs artists who declined to design invitations to same-sex wedding (Religion Clause)
  The court, in its majority opinion, noted that the artists “are Christians. Based on their faith, they do not believe they can do anything, either in their business or personal lives, that ‘violates their religious beliefs or dishonors God.’”
• Massachusetts bishops issue statement on climate change (BostonCatholic.org)
  “With this immense threat, we may feel inclined to despair, but we are people of faith,” the state’s bishops said in their statement. “Action is needed at all levels of government to encourage replacement of fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy while ensuring that the most vulnerable in society are protected from harm during this transition.”
• Cincinnati archbishop anticipates Vatican investigation into handling of abuse case (CNA)
  Archbishop Dennis Schnurr removed Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Binzer from his position as Director of Priest Personnel after Bishop Binzer failed to share complaints about a priest.
• Bologna's cardinal-designate helped broker Mozambique peace deal (CNS)
  During his recent apostolic journey to Africa, Pope Francis noted that Archbishop Matteo Zuppi, as a priest of the Community of Sant’Egidio, played a key role in negotiating the end of the Mozambican Civil War.
• Promoting human dignity in Brussels is priority, says new EU bishops' official (Vatican News)
  Father Manuel Barrios is the new general secretary of COMECE, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU.
• English bishops call for support for justice and peace in the Holy Land (Catholic Universe)
  “For more than 50 years the scandal of occupation has violated the dignity of both Palestinians and Israelis,” said a spokesman for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. “For the good of all, there is a need to intensify efforts and initiatives aimed at creating the conditions for a stable peace based on justice, on the recognition of the rights of every individual, and on mutual security.”
• It is illogical to divide peoples or deny hospitality, Pope says in peace message (Community of Sant'Egidio)
  Pope Francis called for prayer and dialogue for peace in a message to Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra of Madrid and other participants in a conference marking the 33rd anniversary of the 1986 world day of prayer for peace in Assisi.
• Cardinal Marx: German bishops will proceed with synod despite Vatican warning (National Catholic Register)
  Cardinal Reinhard Marx has indicated that the German bishops’ conference will go ahead with plans to make “binding” decisions on controversial Church teachings, despite a Vatican warning that the proposed German synod would be “not ecclesiologically valid.” Cardinal Marx wrote, “I cannot see why questions about which the magisterium has made determinations should be withdrawn from any debate.”
• Cardinal Pell appeals to Australia's top court (The Australian)
  Cardinal George Pell has appealed to Australia’s High Court to overturn his sex-abuse conviction. The cardinal’s lawyers argue that an appeals court wrongly reduced the burden of proof, requiring the cardinal to prove his innocence rather than forcing the prosecution to establish his guilt.
• Pray for people in government and political leaders, Pope preaches at weekday Mass (Vatican News)
  At a Mass celebrated in the chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae on September 16, Pope Francis preached on 1 Timothy 2:1-8, the first reading of the day.
• In China, pilgrims flock to save Marian shrine from destruction (AsiaNews)
  The shrine of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows is located in Shanxi Province (map).
• More...