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https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/07/30/dementia-didnt-rob-me-my-mom-it-revealed-her-truest-self

Dementia didn’t rob me of my mom. It revealed her truest self.

Life took a turn for Joseph Creamer when his mother got dementia. People would constantly tell him how his mother is lost to the world and will never be able to enjoy it again, or that her identity was lost. His mother was always a very selfless person. She would always help those who needed it at Church, and just be there for those who had no one to be there for them. It was a defining part of her identity. When she got diagnosed with dementia, one thing that never changed was her love to help others. Even in the nursing home, she would help the fellow residents with their walkers or get in and out of chairs. Dementia has harsh effects on people, but it can never strip them of their defining characteristics.

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This week, Pope Frances traveled to Bulgaria where he ran a special Mass for 245 children. In this mass, they were delivered their first Communion and the Pope thanked the children, their parents and their grandparents because they made it possible for the younger generation to continue this tradition. Surprisingly, only 1% of Bulgaria's population is Catholic but in the city of Rakovski the majority of the population is. Pope Francis delivered his prepared homily and then recognized the first communicants that were dressed in white robes. The Pope had the children repeat lines that spoke of what the church stands for but his words had to be translated from Italian to Bulgarian. Later, the pope personally gave Communion to every child while the priests brought the Eucharist to the other 500 people in the church and the 10,000 gathered outside. This is the first time on a papal trip that the Pope had administered first Communion which is really cool.
https://cnstopstories.com/2019/05/06/after-offering-instruction-pope-gives-first-communion-to-245-children/

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Pope draws lessons from Mother Teresa in city of her birth
Pope Francis visited the tiny Balkan nation of North Macedonia to pay tribute to St. Teresa of Kolkata. He went to the memorial and museum built on the site of the church where she was baptized. There, he silently prayed before her relics and praised God for the gift of her life. Pope Francis drew people's attention to human hungers, the hunger for bread but also for truth, for God, and for love. The Pope explains that Christians must never be afraid to tell God about our hungers. We should not be afraid to tell him we are hungry "for an experience of eternity" and that we are hungry "encounters where your word can raise hope".
https://cnstopstories.com/2019/05/07/pope-draws-lessons-from-mother-teresa-in-city-of-her-birth/

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What Is a Charism? Understanding Our Holy Traditions

Some people define charism as a special power, some define it as a talent, and others say it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines them as “graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world." All religious orders honor God, but each has their own charisms, or special gifts that allow the orders to put their own spins on celebrating religion. As the older members of religious orders die out, the orders are in danger of losing their traditions and special charisms that make them and the way they worship. That is why it is very important today to understand the meaning of charisms.
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/what-is-a-charism-understanding-our-holy-traditions

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Held In God's Loving Embrace
This article deals with growing in a deeper relationship with Jesus and understanding God beyond our educational knowledge that we all learned in Catholic school. The author of this passionate article was written by a woman who actually died in child birth and came back to life after having a vision of heaven. She knew that in this is near death experience she had the choice to either stay in heaven or go back to earth, and she was also told in her vision that her child was disabled. She decided to return to her life and care for her family, which forever changed her life and outlook on God. Everyone has a different image of God in his or her head, which is perfectly okay and should never be perceived as incorrect. What is seen as important in this article is an intimate relationship with your good and loving Father. In order to do this, however, it is extremely important to overcome fer, and know that God will be with us through all of our tribulations. We must remain curious about our religion and continue to ask hard and strenuous question, because communication will bring us closer in our relationship with God. But most importantly in this journey to intimately know God, we must be open to expanding our horizons beyond what we already know, and find our shelter under the protection of God.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/spirituality/scripture-life/held-gods-loving-embrace

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholics-assist-those-impacted-by-cyclone-fani-in-india-bangladesh-88850
Catholics assist those impacted by Cyclone Fani in Inda, Bangladesh
A category four cyclone struck India's Odisha state Friday morning, but humanitarian groups and government forces are better prepared than in previous years. Cyclone Fani made landfall in Puri on May 3rd. So far, three deaths connected to the storm have been reported. Catholic Relief Services have distributed supplies to Cox's Bazaar refugee camp in Bangladesh, where almost 1 million Rohingya refugees reside. Quartz India reported that the government has taken tremendous strides in preparatory storm programs since a cyclose in 1999. Over 1 million people were evacuated before this cyclone struck.

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Pope Francis makes Donation to help Migrants Traveling Through Mexico
Pope Francis has donated $500,000 to assist migrants attempting to travel through Mexico, but who are increasingly being impeded by Mexican officials from reaching the U.S. border. Those migrants who travel the length of Mexico are also being impeded in their attempts to apply for asylum in the United States and remain in precarious conditions south of the border. The donation comes as the crush of migrants arriving at the U.S. border reaches levels not seen in more than a decade. Mexico's Catholic Church has helped the migrants with little cooperation from the various levels of government.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/04/29/pope-francis-makes-donation-help-migrants-traveling-through-mexico

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This tweet discusses the commercialization of first communion. This photo shows the race and want to get first communion photos as they embark upon their journey in Catholicism. Although the real question is why is it such a big deal to have first communion photos when the whole event should be based around God and the child's relationship with God's growth. First communion is a sacrament and is a landmark in catholic children's lives. Many would say it is over commercialized although looking at our media based world today everything in our lives is documented so in conclusion it is normal in comparison to the progress of our society.

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The photog above the crowd trying to take pics of their kids’ First Communion

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The photog above the crowd trying to take pics of their kids’ First Communion https://t.co/hpvZsTH7sp

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The photog above the crowd trying to take pics of their kids’ First Communion pic.twitter.com/hpvZsTH7sp
— Rhina Guidos (@rhina_guidos) May 5, 2019

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The photog above the crowd trying to take pics of their kids’ First Communion https://t.co/hpvZsTH7sp

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The photog above the crowd trying to take pics of their kids’ First Communion https://t.co/hpvZsTH7sp

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The photog above the crowd trying to take pics of their kids’ First Communion

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Who Gave Jesus His Halo?

Busted Halo: Faith Shared Joyfully

Mike Hayes

https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/who-gave-jesus-his-halo

The halo is an artist's rendering of holiness and nothing more. Halos usually symbolize sainthood in Catholic circles, but in Ancient Greece, they were drawn behind heroes to show more than natural light surrounding them. The first halo in Christian art was given to Jesus and used to represent Christ, rather than just holiness. Artists would frequently paint or depict Jesus prior to his baptism in Jordan without a halo, showing that the halo is a human way of recognizing God in our midst. After the baptism, Jesus was recognized as  the Messiah and therefore depicted with a halo. To make a long story short, the halo is a human invention, not a Godly one.

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Pope Francis urges Swiss Guard to witness to the joy of faith

“During your stay in Rome, you are called to witness to your faith with joy, so that the many people you meet, especially at the entrances to Vatican City, can be favorably impressed by the spirit in which you do your work", said the pope early on the fourth of may to the Swiss Guard. The pope made sure to mention this prior to the 6th of May which is when the 23 recruits of the Swiss guard will be swearing into their positions. The job is one of "faith and loyalty" which will require the guards to make sure to do their job with care and "experience the dedication, professionalism, and love with which [they] carry out their activity".

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-urges-swiss-guard-to-witness-to-the-joy-of-faith-71235

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"Anti-Muslim hate is driven by politics, not faith — and it’s preventable, study suggests"

The 2019 American Muslim polls has revealed quite a bit about the prevalence of anti-Muslim sentiment. These feelings, called Islamophobia, are sparked largely by media coverage of extremists, a very small percent of the Muslim population. This studies attempts to connect Islamophobia to various idealogical factors. Interestingly, one of the lowest correlations was that of religion. Some of the more closely connected factors were political beliefs, personal experience with Muslims, and knowledge about the religion. In general, Democrats and liberals had lower rates of Islamophobia.  Moreover, those who knew a Muslim personally, especially as a close friend, held a dramatically more positive view of Muslims.  Similarly, people who knew more about the religion, as well as those who were proponents of other minority groups like African Americans and Jews, both had a better opinion of the Muslim community.  Overall, the study shows that the people who have the strongest Islamophobia are usually the ones who know the least.

Source: America Magazine, Religious News Service, Aysha Khan
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2019/05/02/anti-muslim-hate-driven-politics-not-faith-and-its-preventable-study

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"Vietnamese community builds first church after 82 years"
Source: Union of Catholic Asian News, Catholic News Service
https://www.ucanews.com/news/vietnamese-community-builds-first-church-after-82-years/85089

On April 30, a special Mass was held in Yen Bai city to commence the construction of a church at Dong Lac subparish. The Hung Hoa Diocese to which this subparish belongs faces a lack of priests and churches to support the Catholics in their area. However, with local Catholics from Yen Bai city donating 1/4 of what the new church costs to build, these Catholics consider their new church "a special grace of Divine Mercy," for they "have had enormous difficulty in doing faith practices" in the past. During periods of famine and the Vietnam War in the 1960s, many Catholics moved out of the area, and it once took over 2 days to travel to the nearest church. However, Dong Lac subparish now serves about 230 Catholics, and they hope that their new church will be completed by 2022.

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https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/04/29/pope-francis-makes-donation-help-migrants-traveling-through-mexico

Pope Francis makes donation to help migrants traveling through Mexico

Mexican officials have been impeding migrants traveling through Mexico from reaching the United States border, so Pope Francis decided to take action. He has donated $500,000 to assist these migrants. The money will be distributed "among 27 projects in 16 dioceses and Mexican religious congregations that have asked for help to continue providing housing, food and basic necessities to these brothers and sisters" (Pence). These immigrant numbers are rising, and this donation puts pressure on the United States to figure out what they are going to do with migrants trying to seek asylum in the United States and those trying to get in at the border.

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Christian life Impossible without Holy Spirit, pope says
Christians must allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit if they expect to live a Christian life, Pope Francis said. Only through the Spirit can men and women "rise from our limitations, from our deaths," the pope said in his homily April 30 during morning Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. The pope centered his homily on the day's Gospel reading in which Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the need to be "born of the Spirit." Pope Francis encouraged Christians to heed Christ's words to his disciples after his resurrection and "receive the Holy Spirit" who will "be your companion in Christian life." "Let us ask the Lord," the pope said, "to give us this knowledge that we cannot be Christians without walking with the Holy Spirit, without acting with the Holy Spirit, without letting the Holy Spirit be the protagonist in our lives.

https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2019/christian-life-impossible-without-the-holy-spirit-pope-says.cfm

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Out of the ashes rises imagination
It is very hard for the church to see the Notre Dame Cathedral falling down in flames. No one could have imagined this catastrophe. Cathedrals have always been a representation of a space where God became present. They are mediated by the clergy who are teachers of the faith. Notre Dame embodied the beliefs of the Catholic Church like most other cathedrals through the structure and architecture. As we remember recent falling and burning of a large portion of the Notre Dame Cathedral, we also keep in mind that it could be a chance for a release of our religious imagination, so that we may be able to create a more beautiful cathedral and icon for the future.
https://www.globalsistersreport.org/column/contemplate/spirituality/out-ashes-rises-imagination-56121

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Philippine Independent Church prepares to consecrate first women bishop
Emelyn Dacuycuy, a part of an independent church in the Philippines, is preparing to become a bishop.  Her official consecration is to be held at Aglipay National Shrine in Batac, Ilocos Norte on May 5th. This is an important event for the "offshoot" of Christianity because of its forward-thinking regarding "gender inclusion". Several good wishes were sent towards Dacuycuy as she says, "any woman priest aspiring for the position of a bishop in a male-dominated council of bishops needs extra strength for the hard struggle".

https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/04/29/philippine-independent-church-prepares-to-consecrate-first-woman-bishop/

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Why Are There No Old Testament Readings During the Easter Season?

The Old Testament has almost never been read during the Easter season. Rather than reading from the Old Testament, the Act of the Apostles are read from. This is for balance. At the Easter Vigil, there is a long look back at salvation history, so we focus more on looking forward to the Resurrection during the other masses throughout the Easter season. Because Acts of the Apostles is read almost continuously at weekday masses throughout the season, almost the whole book is finished by the end of the season. In addition, the Gospel readings are almost exclusively from John. All of this is to keep the focus during the Easter season on the Resurrection of Jesus.
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/why-are-there-no-old-testament-readings-during-the-easter-season

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This article begins with the overall question of "How did you get to be who you are?" It later goes into depth about what Jesus was like as a child. Unfortunately, the gospels do not really give that much information about Jesus' early childhood. However, in The Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus, it says that Jesus spoke when he was in his cradle. He apparently announced his divine nature to Mary. Also, it claims that Jesus' baby clothes and bathwater healed sick people. When Jesus grew older, he made clay animals and they would almost come alive and would fly, eat, and move. Also, he knew the Hebrew alphabet before anyone taught him. Even though, Jesus was very kind when he was older, he was known to get in trouble as a child. He withered a boy who angered him, dropped a playmate at a distance, and he blinded people that accused him. Luke clarifies that Jesus struggled as a child because he was way more advanced than the other children. However, even though Jesus did some bad things as a young boy, he quickly learned and became the virtuous man people know today.
http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201904/what-was-jesus-child-31698

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Why Are There No Old Testament Readings During the Easter Season?

Busted Halo

Mike Hayes

The Old Testament is (usually) never read at the Eucharist during the Easter season. This tradition was started by St. Augustine of Hippo in the fourth century based on earlier practices by Cyril of Jerusalem. Instead, the Hebrew Scriptures are replaced by the Acts of the Apostles. The logic is rooted in the practice of looking forward from the Resurrection. It balances the Easter Vigil's looking back on our salvation history. At the Easter Vigil, we draw out the history of our salvation in one night from creation through Abraham, Moses, etc. On weekdays in the Easter season, the Acts of Apostles are read in a pretty much continuous way, completing the whole book by the end of the season. The Second Readings on Sundays come from 1 Peter, 1 John, and Revelations during the years A, B, and C respectively. The Gospel readings are almost exclusively from John. All of the readings this way are done in order to center us on the celebration of the Resurrection and to keep us looking forward from that event into today's time.

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Every year the Sunday directly following after Easter Sunday is a dedicated feast day. This particular feast day is in honor of the Divine Mercy. The Divine Mercy is a day in which Catholics and Anglicans are to go to reconciliation. Here they are to confess their sins and truly to their penance in order to gain Gods mercy. On Divine Mercy day those practicing Catholics are to find Mercy in their God and for many reconciliation is needed for that so they are their real pure selves when receiving Gods gift of mercy.

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Today is the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. (CNS 2018 file photo/Paul Haring)

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Today is the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. (CNS 2018 file photo/Paul Haring) https://t.co/kIegMrgJc3

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Today is the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. (CNS 2018 file photo/Paul Haring) pic.twitter.com/kIegMrgJc3
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) April 28, 2019

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Today is the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. (CNS 2018 file photo/Paul Haring) https://t.co/kIegMrgJc3

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Today is the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. (CNS 2018 file photo/Paul Haring) https://t.co/kIegMrgJc3

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Today is the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. (CNS 2018 file photo/Paul Haring)

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"Easter is Not Over"
Although Easter Sunday has come and gone, the season of Easter is far from over.  In the Catholic Church, Easter lasts for 50 days, which end in the Ascension.  This year, the Easter reading from the Gospel of John recounts the story of Mary Magdalene encountering the empty tomb.  However, we must remember that this is not the end.  Jesus did not simply disappear mysteriously.  This is where the week immediately following Easter comes in, the Octave of Easter.  The readings during this period center around Jesus' appearances to his disciples, proving the reality of his Resurrection.  Jesus is literally risen from the dead, able to see, touch, and eat with his closest followers.  Overall, the story of Easter doesn't end with Jesus's disappearance from the grave, it carries on to Jesus' absolute triumph over death, providing hope to Catholics in their own lives.

Source: Caitlin Kennel Kim, Busted Halo
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/easter-is-not-over

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Repenting in the age of iPhones and instant gratification
Ash Wednesday is considered intense and raw, according to the Jesuit Review, because we are pleading for mercy for our wrongdoings. In this time, we have crossed a new threshold of technological advances and openness to the entire world. Due to social media platforms and the involvement of the press in virtually everything, society longs for approval and gratification from their followers, on and offline. This article encourages us to refrain from our cellphones this lent and focus on our relationship with God.

"It is the moment — or 40 days of them — for us to turn down the volume of our lives and, spending time daily in God’s presence, to beg him to make us whole again. And we can do this with absolute trust in his abiding love and his infinite mercy. In the Hebrew verse, the words for “steadfast love” (chesed) and “abundant mercy” (rachamim) occupy the center, radiating out to envelop each one of us as we pray for healing. It is a reassuring start to the weeks ahead"

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Mentors are Key in Program to get Civilly married couples back to the Church
The Verrets founded Witness to Love, a Catholic marriage prep renewal ministry, several years ago with the intent to give newly-engaged couples an older mentor couple of their choosing in the Church that could walk with them through marriage preparation and beyond. Now, they are launching a Witness to Love track specifically for couples who are seeking to have their civil marriages blessed y, or convalidated in, the Catholic Church. Couples seeking to convalidate their marriage in the Church make up a significant percentage of sacramental marriages in the Church each year - roughly 20 percent, Mary Rose said. In response to this growing need, the Verrets tweaked their marriage prep program to offer a track specifically fitted to couples seeking convalidations in the Church.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/mentors-are-key-in-program-to-get-civilly-married-couples-back-to-church-74992

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“I’ve lost my best friend in the world for all the adventures we shared and planned for the future. I, Lorraine’s family and friends are in a state of disbelief and grief for what has happened.” This is a quote from a family member of Lorraine Campbell, a victim of the brutal attacks in Sri Lanka that occurred on Easter Sunday 2019. Campbell was a British IT worker who lived in Dubai before the attacks. Two brothers by the name of Imsath Ibrahim, and Ilham Ibrahim, who were extremely rich members of a "political elite" family were the bombers who destroyed several churches. Updates are continuing to arise as the atrocities unfold.

https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/sri-lanka-easter-bombings-investigation-intl/index.html

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Hitler hated Judaism. But he loathed Christianity, too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/04/20/hitler-hated-judaism-he-loathed-christianity-too/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.599858d6bc86
At a young age, Hitler seemed to love Christianity. He even wanted to become a priest. However, during his teenage years his parents pulled him in so many different directions with religion that he lost interest. His mother was a devout Catholic, but his father viewed religion as a weakness. We can see which side Hitler decided to follow. He believed that Christianity was a religion only fit for slaves, and that its teachings are against the ideas of natural selection. Hitler enjoyed asking challenging questions to the religion teachers as to embarrass them and the religion itself. Hitler planned to "root out and destroy the influence of the Christian Churches", but he had to deal with the Jews first.

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"The Chaplain, the Cathedral Fire and the Race to Rescue Notre-Dame’s Relics"

Source: The New York Times, American newspaper, Elian Peltier
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/world/europe/statues-notre-dame-relics.html

As the Notre-Dame lit up in flames, Rev. Jean-Marc Fournier's job was to try and rescue as many of the ancient church's artwork, artifacts, and relics as possible. However, his main priority was to save the crown of thorns and a statue of Jesus. More than a hundred of the 500 firefighters who responded to the Notre-Dame fire were assigned to assist Father Fournier in his mission as they were all trained in saving its treasures in two exercises last year. Although salvaging the Notre-Dame's treasures was important, Father Fournier kept the safety of his fellow firefighters foremost in his mind as he said that "Artworks can be reproduced, while a human life can't." Father Fournier and his team were ultimately able to save the crown of thorns said to have been worn by Jesus himself, the tunic of Saint Louis, a piece of wood and a nail believed to have been a part of the cross used in Jesus' crucifixion, and various other artworks and icons.

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"It’s time to give the church back to the people—literally"

Source: U.S. Catholic, Catholic News Service, Daniel P. Rhodes
http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201902/its-time-give-church-back-people-literally-31640

Declining membership, estrangement of young people, weakening cultural importance, clergy shortages, and financial crises are just some of the major problems that the Church faces today. As a result, the Archdiocese of Chicago, which is the third largest archdiocese in the U.S., has launched plans to close at least 1/3 of the archdiocesan congregations and as many as 1/2 of its parish schools. These churches are scrambling to sell off its real estate in order to cover its debts, and the country as a whole is experiencing an affordable housing crisis. This gives the Church the opportunity to establish cooperative ownership companies with local residents at redeveloping, vacant, or underused church properties to be used as affordable housing units. This would not only benefit the people of Chicago, but it would establish an ecclesial friendship between the Church and local communities, reconnecting people back to the Church.

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Hope from the ashes: President, archbishop vow to rebuild Notre Dame
https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2019/hope-from-the-ashes-president-archbishop-vow-to-rebuild-notre-dame.cfm

ROME (CNS) -- The president of France and the archbishop of Paris have vowed to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire, continuing what a professor of architecture described as the natural lifecycle of a historic building.

Steven W. Semes, a professor and director of graduate studies in the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, said he was as shocked and pained as everyone watching on television as the building burned April 15.

"Like all historic monuments," he said, Notre Dame Cathedral is "the result of hundreds and hundreds of years of development" with an initial idea, a long and labor-intensive construction process, design changes, additions, demolitions and remodeling over and over again as fashions and usages change.

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Bishop Mulakkal was arrested Sept. 21 after a 48-year-old member of the Missionaries of Jesus, a diocesan congregation under the prelate, complained that he raped her multiple times between 2014 and 2016 while he was visiting her convent in Kerala. The bishop, who was in charge of the congregation, denied the allegations. On Sept. 24, the bishop was taken into judicial custody. The Vatican removed him from diocesan administrative duties, but he retained his title as its bishop. The Kerala High Court granted bail Oct. 15 on condition that the bishop, based in northern Jalandhar City, should not enter Kerala state other than to report once a fortnight to investigating police. A week later, Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, 67, considered a prime witness against the bishop, was found dead, with his family suspecting foul play. The nun's case led to an outcry from women religious, with more reporting cases of abuse. In November, the International Union of Superiors General called on women religious who have suffered abuse to come forward and report it to their congregations and church and state authorities.

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NEW DELHI (CNS) -- Indian police charged Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar with repeatedly raping a nun in her rural convent, with a charge sheet that is 2,000 pages long.

The bishop was charged April 9 with wrongful confinement, rape of a woman incapable of giving consent, causing grievous bodily harm during rape, unnatural offense and criminal intimidation. He was charged in the predominantly Catholic state of Kerala, where the nun's convent is based.

If found guilty, the bishop faces imprisonment of not less than 10 years or up to life in jail.

Ucanews.com reported the charge sheet also lists 83 witnesses, 40 of them Catholic leaders, including Cardinal George Alencherry, the major archbishop and head of the Syro-Malabar Church.

Three bishops -- Joseph Kallarangatt of Palai, Kurien Valiakandathil of Bhagalpur and Sebastian Vadakel of Ujjain -- and 25 Catholic nuns and 11 Catholic priests are also named as witnesses.

Bishop Mulakkal was arrested Sept. 21 after a 48-year-old member of the Missionaries of Jesus, a diocesan congregation under the prelate, complained that he raped her multiple times between 2014 and 2016 while he was visiting her convent in Kerala. The bishop, who was in charge of the congregation, denied the allegations.

The New York Times reported a statement from Save Our Sisters, a group of members of India's Roman Catholic Church, who said the filing of charges "enters the annals of history as a rarest of rare incident, when a bishop is going to face trial in a court based on the complaint of a nun who is a subordinate to him."

The victim first wrote to church authorities in January 2017, the apostolic nuncio in India in January 2018, and then to Pope Francis May 14, seeking church action against Bishop Mulakkal. She copied prefects of the congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith and for Bishops, and later sent reminders before going to the police.

On Sept. 24, the bishop was taken into judicial custody. The Vatican removed him from diocesan administrative duties, but he retained his title as its bishop.

The Kerala High Court granted bail Oct. 15 on condition that the bishop, based in northern Jalandhar City, should not enter Kerala state other than to report once a fortnight to investigating police.

A week later, Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, 67, considered a prime witness against the bishop, was found dead, with his family suspecting foul play.

The nun's case led to an outcry from women religious, with more reporting cases of abuse.

In November, the International Union of Superiors General called on women religious who have suffered abuse to come forward and report it to their congregations and church and state authorities.

"If the UISG receives a report of abuse, we will be a listening presence and help the person to have the courage to bring the complaint to the appropriate organizations," it added in a statement published on its website Nov. 23.

Global Sisters Report talked to five Missionaries of Jesus in India who complained of church repression for their support of their former superior general, who made the accusations.

"The Catholic Church leadership has been treating us as outcasts after we went public against Bishop Franco Mulakkal (of Jalandhar). Even the Vatican has not bothered to acknowledge our complaints," Sister Anupama Kelamangalathuveli, spokeswoman for five Missionaries of Jesus nuns, told Global Sisters Report earlier this year.

The five sisters were living with the victim in a convent in Kerala state, refusing orders to return to their own communities while the case was ongoing. Retired Auxiliary Bishop Agnelo Gracias of Mumbai, Jalandhar Diocese's administrator, supported their position, but the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council criticized the nuns for stirring up enemies of the church, reported Global Sisters Report.

- - -

Ucanews.com contributed to this story. Its original story can be found at www.ucanews.com/news/police-charge-indian-bishop-with-raping-nun/84939.

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Indian police charge bishop with repeatedly raping nun

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NEW DELHI (CNS) -- Indian police charged Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar with repeatedly raping a nun in her rural convent, with a charge sheet that is 2,000 pages long. The bishop was charged April 9 with wrongful confinement, rape of a woman incapable of giving consent, causing grievous bodily harm during rape, unnatural offense and criminal intimidation.

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'Worst has been avoided': Notre Dame Cathedral's structure is saved; French president vows to rebuild

At 6:30 April 15th the Notre Dame Cathedral was engulfed in flames. Smoke billowed high above the structure as one of the iconic spires on the building collapsed. Surviving for over 800 years, this centerpiece of French culture was severely damaged, however, was not destroyed. People nearby cried, several sang songs, and the community was devastated. As for how the fire began, arson was ruled out, as well as terrorism, but as for now the cause is thought to be related to the 6.8 million dollar renovations that were happening on the building.

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Blaze erupts at Paris' iconic Notre Dame Cathedral; cause unknown
On Monday, April 15th, at around 6:30 pm local time, a fire erupted at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The cause of the fire is not certain, however, authorities say it could be connected to the renovation work the cathedral is undergoing. The 850-year-old cathedral has survived world war, plagues, and political turmoils throughout France's history. It is said that the fire erupted in the attic hence why most of the roof was destroyed by the flames. The area around the cathedral was evacuated. It is a very devastating event and everyone is very emotional. The church remains hopeful in the rising of the Notre Dame Cathedral again and continues to keep Paris in its prayers.

https://www.catholicherald.com/News/National__cause_unknown/

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Women's Rights in the Catholic Church
"As a Catholic, I do not like the disenfranchisement of women in our church. We are still waiting on the “contentious” possibility of women deacons and, although I abhor that expression “not in my lifetime”, I am beginning to see the reasoning behind it and feel its negative and depressing weight on my shoulders. Now both the Pope and the hierarchy need to reach out to women and legitimize their much-needed accession to leadership roles. Until that happens the church will fall behind and below what many Catholic men, women and children justifiably expect from what should be a modern, all-embracing organisation and one that Christ would want as well." - Judith A Daniels. Judith wants the Catholic Church to let women into leader roles, such as deacons or priests. She thinks that if they do not, then the Catholic Church will fall behind on what it s supposed to stand for: an all-embracing organization.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/31/womens-rights-in-the-catholic-church

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A Catholic Guide to Holy Week Symbols

Busted Halo

Delores Smyth

https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/a-catholic-guide-to-holy-week-symbols

The author explains how when she was young, she was mystified by the purple veils draped over the normally uncovered statues and crosses. She goes on to study the symbolism in Holy Week

Palm branches - people used palms to praise Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, Palms are important symbols in Jewish history as victory over oppressors; we use palms on Palm Sunday to welcome Jesus at the beginning of Holy Week

Time entered- Jesus entered during Passover

Vehicle - Jesus road in on a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's promise of a peacemaking king for Israel

Purple veils- remind us that without Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, our faith wouldn't exist

Bread and wine- body and blood of Jesus

Holy oils - God's people used olive oil to anoint, consecrate, and heal. Catholic bishops bless three types of holy olive oils that are used during Easter and throughout the year in administration of sacraments

Towel - recalls the washing of the feet at the last supper

Crown of thorns - reminder of the crown of thorns placed on Jesus's head

The cross- originally a tool of torture and death, now a sign of salvation

Fire - Jesus is the light of the world, represents Jesus's power and light

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How can we turn our divided hearts to God?

Eventually, everyone you know will die. It is an inevitable fact of our world. Every action we perform will be nothing but a memory, and even those will fade out. Although death is a characteristic of our earthly life, Jesus offers us a way to live forever, to receive eternal life with him in heaven. However, this salvation must be earned. Only what we freely give back to God will be able to escape death. Total obedience does not come naturally to humans, so we must work hard to follow the example Jesus sets for us and ask for forgiveness when we sin. If we follow this example, we will receive the gift of salvation with God in heaven.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/03/22/how-can-we-turn-our-divided-hearts-god

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Last night right by the arch, the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis was damaged because of weather. As a storm rolled into Missouri the Basilica sustained damage leading to some cancellations. With Palm Sunday being today, April 14 all of the Cathedral Basilica's Palm Sundays masses were cancelled. The store in St. Louis could not have come at a worse time, the night before some important masses in the Catholic Church. This is a good example of how you never know what is going to happen but you just have to make the best of the situation.

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The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France sustained damage during last night’s storm that has forced the cancellation of all of today’s Palm Sunday services. Please look to nearby parishes including @cathedralstlmo for mass times.

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The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France sustained damage during last night’s storm that has forced the cancellation of all of today’s Palm Sunday services. Please look to nearby parishes including @cathedralstlmo for mass times. https://t.co/DAodQ3R51H

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The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France sustained damage during last night’s storm that has forced the cancellation of all of today’s Palm Sunday services. Please look to nearby parishes including @cathedralstlmo for mass times. pic.twitter.com/DAodQ3R51H
— Archdiocese of St. Louis (@archstl) April 14, 2019

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The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France sustained damage during last night’s storm that has forced the cancellation of all of today’s Palm Sunday services. Please look to nearby parishes including @cathedralstlmo for mass times. https://t.co/DAodQ3R51H

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The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France sustained damage during last night’s storm that has forced the cancellation of all of today’s Palm Sunday services. Please look to nearby parishes including @cathedralstlmo for mass times. https://t.co/DAodQ3R51H

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The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France sustained damage during last night’s storm that has forced the cancellation of all of today’s Palm Sunday services. Please look to nearby parishes including @cathedralstlmo for mass times.

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"Support for paid family leave gains support, but compromise needed"

In a recent poll taken on Capitol Hill, workers and employers expressed strong support for paid family leave policies. This includes leave for childbirth, adoption, personal illness, and caring for a sick family member. As of now, there are three bills that have been introduced in Congress in recent weeks. Two are Republican bills, which favor the use of Social Security to provide for leave. Those on leave would be able to access Social Security benefit for 3 months in return for a delay or reduction in retirement benefits. The Democratic bill proposes a small tax on employers and employees to fund leaves. Both call for a continuation during leave of a salary equal to or two-thirds of the existing. Although there are differing views on the process, both Republicans and Democrats have shown overwhelming support of the idea, a program that falls directly in line with Catholic social teaching of a family-centered life. Overall, the advancements and compromises to be made will be beneficial to all people and promote the importance of family.
Source: Catholic News Service, Angelus, Dennis Sadowski
https://angelusnews.com/news/dennis-sadowski/support-for-paid-family-leave-gains-support-but-compromise-needed

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Abortion takes center stage in state legislatures

states across the country have seen an increase in bills related to abortion, as pro-life advocates seek more success and abortion rights backers fear Supreme Court decisions. Laws limiting abortion as early as 15 weeks into pregnancy have passed in Mississippi and Louisiana. At least six states have approved or are seriously considering legislation barring abortion based on the detection of the baby’s heartbeat, six to eight weeks into pregnancy. “There’s a great deal of interest in laws that protect women from abortion’s harms and risks, and that protects babies in the womb." “For the first time in decades you do not have a majority on the Supreme Court that is committed to seeing abortion as a fundamental right. You have a pro-life majority.”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/abortion-takes-center-stage-in-state-legislatures-62246

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Indian Police Charge Bishop with Repeatedly Raping Nun
Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar was charged by the Indian police for repeatedly raping a nun who resided in a rural convent. Bishop Franco had been accused of repeated rape by another woman in 2014-2016. In the case so far, there are 83 witnesses. including a cardinal, 3 bishops, 11 priests, and 25 nuns. He was previously arrested on these charges in September 2018 on the 21st. The church has the back of the nun who was violated. This woman's coming forward inspired more women devoted to the faith to stand up for themselves and speak out when they have been sexually violated.
https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2019/indian-police-charge-bishop-with-repeatedly-raping-nun.cfm

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Cardinal Nichols Urges 'a sense of belonging' to Counter Knife Crime
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cardinal-nichols-urges-a-sense-of-belonging-to-counter-knife-crime-43089
At an ecumenical rally in London to call for an end to knife crime, the Archbishop of Westminster challenged the community to provide youths with positive alternatives to gangs. Cardinal Vincent Nichols spoke at eh Standing Together rally. He spoke of efforts being taken by the Catholic Church to discourage gang enrollment. The goal of this rally is to encourage the community to work against gang violence and support those who have been affected by it. In 2017 and 2018, 285 people have died in the UK from stabbings. Knife offenses in England have risen steadily since 2014. Speaking directly to the youth, the cardinal encouraged young people to remove themselves from gangs and throw out knives at anonymous deposit boxes throughout the city. Rather than carrying a knife, it is encouraged to seek out sincere friendships.

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https://cruxnow.com/church-in-oceania/2019/04/07/australia-sees-drop-in-catholic-population-of-2-7-between-2011-2016/

Australia sees drop in Catholic population of 2.7% between 2011-2016

CANBERRA, Australia - Australia’s Catholic population fell by 2.7% between 2011 and 2016, but Catholics are more likely to have a higher education, according to an analysis of census data by the National Center for Pastoral Research.

Analyzing statistics from the country’s 2016 census, the center reported April 4 in its “Social Profile of the Catholic Community in Australia” that members of the Church also were more likely to have been born overseas than five years earlier. The Australian Catholic Church is understanding that culture, social, and personal dimensions of religion is throughout the country. The catholic population was nearly 5.3 million in 2016 compared to 5.4 million in 2011. Catholics comprised 22.6% of the country’s total population in 2016, down from 25.3 percent five years earlier.

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Dumbo, a movie that was released March 28th, 2019, was aimed to be a "melancholy take on a classic", ended up being "insubstantial". The movie was said to include peril, and constant mistreatment of animals, much of which was too difficult for kids to understand. Although the film was supposed to portray the "coming of age story" for a neglected elephant, it was deemed to contain "characters in danger, and cruelty to animals". Because of this review, the CNS (Catholic News Service) rated the move "A-2", for adults and older teens.

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http://www.cnewa.org/blog.aspx?ID=4767&pagetypeID=35&sitecode=HQ
Picture of the Day: Carrying the Cross — and Carrying On a Family Traditio
For four decades, Mousa Kamar has carried the head of a wooden cross as a Good Friday symbol. He stands in a place where both his father and grandfather have stood before. Twenty men are needed to carry the cross, and the Kamars are the only original family that still carry the cross today. Others end up not volunteering overtime. Twenty men carrying something that Jesus had to carry all by himself shows just how strong our savior was. They carry this cross not only to symbolize what Jesus had gone through, but to become even closer to him spiritually.

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Women's rights in the Catholic church
In traditional societies in Africa, a girl’s reproductive capacity was “owned” by her birth family, and there were recognized customs to enforce damages for “seduction”, which to some extent protected young girls. These protections have vanished with modernity, and organisations such as Cafod can provide in-depth information about the attrition of girls in school past puberty, which puts a question mark over every attempt at social development (we are talking about girls as young as 11). Of course African leaders, including bishops, would rather not talk about this. But a demographic disaster is unfolding in southern Africa, and silencing talk about it will not make it go away.

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Women's rights in the Catholic church | Letters

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Letters: Jenny Tillyard addresses the issue of unwanted pregnancy and a 'demographic disaster' in Africa, while Judith A Daniels says the church needs to legitimise women's much-needed accession to leadership roles

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Locals welcome new Washington archbishop as much-needed 'new face'
The appointment of Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory as the new head of the Archdiocese of Washington was no surprise. It was no secret, however it was still welcome news in the region because they were looking for a new path. A new path and fresh face was needed in the Church after revelations of decades of old sex abuse allegations. He is known for being a pastor "who can build bridges" and for being honest and humble. He was set to become Washington's first black archbishop and has served in metropolitan and ethnically diverse areas like Chicago and Atlanta. He also helped implement the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," which is a document that outlines procedures for efforts for child protection and victim assistance in the U.S Church. The Church and locals are very excited for a "new face" that will be able to calm the community.
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/04/07/locals-welcome-new-washington-archbishop-as-much-needed-new-face/

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Anger
God tells us that it's okay to be angry, and that being angry is not a sin. It's our reaction to our anger that determines whether or not we sin. Feeling angry sometimes is natural. However, there can come a point where you go to far and seek to destroy or seek vengeance. When anger keeps us away from our faith life or our family and friends, it can become very problematic. When we act in our anger without regard to justice, we fall into sin. Although we are all going to feel angry at some time in our lives, we need to learn how to handle it and balance our angry feelings with goodness, happiness, and charity. The biggest thing is being able to forgive, and not to harbor angry feelings against others. It's alright to be angry, but we need to be sure to handle it right.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2019/04/anger/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=April2019

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"Is it OK to leave Mass after communion?"

This article explores the question as to whether or not it is acceptable to leave Mass following communion.  According to the author, the answer is most certainly not.  Mass can be compared to Thanksgiving dinner in many ways.  The point of coming together for the holiday is not just to eat food; you are there to be with the people you love and celebrate tradition.  We would not simply get up and leave before dessert!  In a similar way, going to Mass is not just about us.  We do not simply receive our salvation through the physical consumption of the Eucharist, but we have to join together with the greater Church community.  God doesn't want us to be casual observers in regards to our faith, but active participants who are mindful and serving to others.  By missing the end of Mass, we miss our call to action, our duty to "Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by you life."

Source: US Catholic, Victoria M Tufano
http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201804/it-ok-leave-mass-after-communion-31358

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As time goes on Senior's obsession with the future becomes a very stressful topic. And often as seniors it often boils down to trying to get into a better college thinking that will create some sort of magic job security. Speaking of the recent drama and college admissions scandal light has truly been shed about the efforts and danger people will put themselves in for the slightest change at elite colleges and further more at some guarantee for a great future. Not only has anxiety and stress greatly increased school tuition have greatly increased causing more stress on teens knowing they are headed into a lifetime of debt if they want a degree from a great college. Overall stress levels have increased and have caused serious fraud issues in our country for the desire to win the "game of life" we all seem to be apart of.

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As 3.6 million high school seniors in the United States prepare to receive their diplomas in the coming months, research tells us that nearly 70 percent of them will be enrolled in college in the fall. Of those, it is safe to say that a significant number experienced some version of existential angst over the past few months about what schools they will get into, how much aid they will receive and how much debt they will need to take on to get a degree. It has become a national rite of passage of sorts for high school seniors.

That annual ritual took a salacious turn last month. Reports about college admissions fraud involving 33 parents-including highly successful people in the fields of business and entertainment-revealed the extent to which some will allegedly go to get their children admitted to elite colleges like Yale, Stanford and Georgetown. Understandably, the story has been covered widely and has inspired a good deal of social media chatter. But it would be a waste if all we took away from this is water cooler gossip about how-in real life-Aunt Becky of "Full House" (Lori Loughlin) and Lynette of "Desperate Housewives" (Felicity Huffman) are just over-indulged Hollywood stars. The truth is, this episode tells us far more about who we are and where we are heading as a culture.

As the co-author of The Freshman Survival Guide, a book about students making the transition from high school to college, I have focused on approaches to college life that deal with the whole student-mind, body and spirit. I have looked at a lot of research over the years about the increasing levels of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among college students who are desperate to achieve. But something about this college admissions fraud felt dark and different. It seemed as if those rising levels of stress and anxiety had breached the campus walls and were now spilling over and infecting parents in strange and disturbing ways as well.

The American dream of upward mobility-once an article of faith for many-has become far more selective in terms of its beneficiaries.

"It's easy to tell ourselves that this corruption is just about rich people and has nothing to do with us, but I think there's a broader context," my friend Robert Anthony Siegel, a writer and professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington, told me. Mr. Siegel believes that parents and students alike are all too aware that the middle class in the United States is eroding and that deep anxiety about the future is leading families to develop "an almost mystical faith in name-brand universities as a ticket to security. It's a response to a world that is increasingly uncertain and scary-a winner-take-all kind of world. It is a sign of desperation."

At dinner event a few days later, a Villanova professor put this economic anxiety in stark relief, commenting that it was painful to see how tense students were about the future and how they were anxious that their college degree would not necessarily put them on the "right side" of the blue collar/white collar divide. I found it interesting that students would frame the issue in terms of their perceptions of class. It struck me that perhaps they are allergic to whatever it is that makes people-to their mind-poor because they have been raised in a culture that blames poverty on the poor themselves? Their own perceived arrival in that class would deeply complicate that narrative.

Their economic fears are not unfounded given that middle-class incomes over the past 50 years have remained relatively stagnant while the top quintile of Americans have seen a staggering 95 percent income growth over the same period. According to Pew Research, nearly 60 percent of Americans believe that children today will be worse off than their parents. The actual economic data is more troubling. According to researchers at Harvard, 90 percent of children born in 1940 grew up to experience higher incomes than their parents; that proportion shrinks to 50 percent among those born in the 1980s. The American dream of upward mobility-once an article of faith for many-has become far more selective in terms of its beneficiaries.

"Most parents probably have done something they're not proud of to help their precious darling have an easier time in this unnecessarily cruel and competitive world."

Those beneficiaries have helped create an educational consulting industry that boasted $1.9 billion in revenues in 2018 and employed nearly 40,000 people. It should come as no surprise that the admission industrial complex favors middle- and upper-class kids and that students from minority and economically challenged backgrounds are disproportionately left out in this mad dash for admissions and access.

"America watched this scandal unfold with a queasy blend of schadenfreude and envy," said NPR education correspondentAnya Kamenetz. "The truth is that most parents probably have done something they're not proud of in order to help their precious darling have an easier time in this unnecessarily cruel and competitive world."

It goes without saying that parents want what is best for their children, but it is sobering-and humbling-when the ethical and moral traps inherent in that desire only become apparent after you are already ensnared in them.

"Cheating to get your kid into college is egregious," said Ms. Kamenetz, "but most of the privileged and well-meaning folks I know think nothing of purchasing their child access to a private school education, special tutoring and test prep, fancy extracurriculars or an expensive house in a 'nice' school district, instead of working hard to lift all boats."

Ms. Kamenetz's book lays out an alternative, more egalitarian vision of college that explores the ways innovative ideas, institutions and technologies are transforming the experience for the 80 percent of Americans who do not attend elite schools.

"Admission to any one school or any tier of schools is not worth jeopardizing a young person's emotional or physical well-being."

Another ambitious-if more conventional-idea comes out of the Making Caring Common project at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. M.C.C. was born out of the school's survey of 10,000 middle and high school students that revealed what researchers described as the "rhetoric/reality gap." What they discovered was a huge disconnect between what parents tell their kids they should value versus the actual messages they send through their own behavior. They found that while 96 percent of parents say they want to raise ethical, caring children and claim that moral character is "very important, if not essential," 80 percent of the students surveyed reported that their parents "are more concerned about achievement or happiness than caring for others."

"This [project] is about who we are as human beings and who we are in community together," said Brennan Barnard, M.C.C.'s college admissions program manager. The project's research was so on point that they moved up the publication of their latest report, "Turning the Tide II: How Parents and High Schools Can Cultivate Ethical Character and Reduce Distress in the College Admissions Process," so it was released just after the college admissions scandal was made public.

The report makes the case that an intense focus on academic achievement has replaced serious concern for ethical character in many high schools and families, especially in middle- and upper-income communities. This narrow focus has resulted in parents neglecting the development of their children's critical cognitive, social and ethical capacities that are "at the heart of both doing good and doing well in college and beyond."

M.C.C. is working with college admission offices, high school educators and families on three main initiatives: reducing achievement pressure, encouraging ethical engagement and leveling the playing field of college admissions. Mr. Barnard says they have already seen concrete changes to the application process being made at schools like M.I.T. and Bowdoin College to alleviate some of the admissions stress. A number of elite schools have also adopted a more "holistic admissions" process that goes beyond empirical scores and tries to take into account the whole person and how they will contribute to campus life.

Changes to longstanding policies might help assuage some of the problems, but college admissions has become a deeply complex cultural phenomenon that will not be easily dismantled. The fruits of our obsession are all around us in the form of stress and excessive pressure that block students' abilities to grow in terms of empathy and true engagement. It has also contributed to "a growing mental health crisis on many college campuses with levels of anxiety and depression at record highs," said Mr. Barnard. "I would argue that admission to any one school or any tier of schools is not worth jeopardizing a young person's emotional or physical well-being."

Now, if we could just get American parents to agree.
[Want to discuss politics with other America readers? Join our Facebook discussion group, moderated by America's writers and editors.]

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We're sacrificing our kids' mental health to the college admission industrial complex

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For high school seniors, existential angst about what schools they will get into, how much aid they will receive and how much debt they will need to take on to get a degree has become a national rite of passage.

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After Cyclone Disaster, Church Organization Mobilize To Help Devastated Africans
When Cyclone Idai struck Southeast Africa last week, it devastated the land. It swept away everything in its path, including churches, schools, and homes in the Mozambican port city of Beira and beyond. Last week, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said the number of deaths in his country could reach 1,000. The International Federation of the Red Cross has cited increased concerns over disease outbreak while citing new cases of cholera and malaria in Beira, Mozambique. In Malawi, church aid agency officials say survivors are being housed in churches, mosques and schools after the storm left hundreds of thousands homeless in the Lowershire Valley and Southern districts.
https://religionnews.com/2019/03/25/after-cyclone-disaster-church-organizations-mobilize-to-help-devastated-africans/

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Why Do We Ask for Mary's Intercession?

Busted Halo

By Fr. Dave Dwyer

https://bustedhalo.com/podcasts/ask-marys-intercession

Father Dave explains that Christian people have been devoted to Mary since the first couple of decades after Jesus's resurrection, and that devotion persists today. Father Dave says that the Bible is filled with stories of those who intercede to God on behalf of ordinary people. We pray directly to God and talk to God ourselves, but it is also a very common practice to pray for a saint or angel to intercede and petition God with us. People were able to experience a miracle of Jesus because of Mary, and for many people, the accessibility of Mary helps people to grow closer to God.

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"Maryknoll lay missioner in Salvador works to address root causes of emigration"

Source: America Magazine, Catholic News Service, Meinrad Scherer-Emunds
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2019/04/04/maryknoll-lay-missioner-salvador-works-address-root-causes-emigration

Although El Salvador's murder rate has decreased since 2015-2016, disappearances have increased, and the murder rate still remains high. Larry Parr, with the help of other Maryknoll Lay Missioners, has developed a youth program in Las Delicias, El Salvador, that encourages education and provides a safe space for young people in an attempt to keep them out of gangs and turn them into leaders and role models for their community. Their motto is "'First, God. Second, studies. Third, sports.'" Larry Parr and the Maryknoll Lay Missionaries are trying to combat the statistic of only 40% of Salvadorans graduating from high school and fewer than 10% from college. Although public education is free in El Salvador, most families are often too poor to pay for books or bus fare. Parr said he is concerned about the U.S. plan to cut off aid to El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, for he believes the "U.S. aid is crucial to help the Northern Triangle reach their goals of making their countries more safe."

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This tweet discusses people and how they are often looked at for physical appearance and are never noticed for their inner beauty and strength. it includes a metaphor stating that they are used to being watched although they are not really seen. This shows that they are fine with people looking at them and admiring them from a distance without knowing their true stories. although when people begin to try and get to know them and try to dig deeper into their personalities they get nervous and do not know what to do. This is ironic because there is nothing you know better than yourself yet it can be easier for us to show off our skills or our physical appearances rather than are true personalities and the essence that makes us our unique selves.

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At @HomeboyInd, the homies say ‘we don’t save you, we see you.’ Most homies are used to being watched. They’re not used to being seen. — @FrGregBoyle.

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At @HomeboyInd, the homies say ‘we don’t save you, we see you.’ Most homies are used to being watched. They’re not used to being seen. — @FrGregBoyle.

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At @HomeboyInd, the homies say ‘we don’t save you, we see you.’ Most homies are used to being watched. They’re not used to being seen. — @FrGregBoyle.
— America Magazine (@americamag) April 3, 2019

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At @HomeboyInd, the homies say ‘we don’t save you, we see you.’ Most homies are used to being watched. They’re not used to being seen. — @FrGregBoyle.

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At @HomeboyInd, the homies say ‘we don’t save you, we see you.’ Most homies are used to being watched. They’re not used to being seen. — @FrGregBoyle.

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At @HomeboyInd, the homies say ‘we don’t save you, we see you.’ Most homies are used to being watched. They’re not used to being seen. — @FrGregBoyle.

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pro-life-health-care-network-gets-a-boost-from-federal-hhs-grant-46446

Pro-life health care network gets a boost from federal HHS grant

Low-income individuals and families in California will be able to receive taxpayer-funded services from a Catholic-backed pro-life health care network, thanks to a federal grant from the Department of Health and Human Services and the end of a rule that required grantees to give abortion counseling. The $1.7 million grant for 2019 will be used to expand services to low income individuals and families in four California counties. The grant could total up to $5.1 million through 2022, provided funds are available, the grantee complies with standards, and the project shows progress.The HHS also announced multiple three-year Tile X grants to seven Planned Parenthood affiliates, with the total running at least $16 million, according to HHS grant listings. The department is cutting grants to some Planned Parenthood affiliates. Four affiliates in Hawaii, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin and Virginia, lost funding. These serve about 40,000 people in their regions.

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Women's Rights in the Catholic Church
A women named Cherie Blair was accused of reinforcing stereotypes about African women.  She mentioned the problem of forced pregnancy among young schoolgirls in Africa. Catholics are currently struggling with the problem of unwanted pregnancy's and women's rights. African traditions to some extent protect young girls but these protections have vanished with modernity.  Many Catholics agree that women are somewhat  deprived from some rights in the Church, for example the possibility to be a deacons. However, the Church is beginning to now recognize of the things that women believe they have been deprived of.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/31/womens-rights-in-the-catholic-church

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Quebec bill would bar religious symbols for government employees
A bill introduced recently in Quebec would prevent government workers from expressing their religion through religious symbols during office hours. The bill would ban religious symbols belonging to all faiths including Muslim headscarves, Jewish yarmulkes, and crucifixes. The intent behind the legislation is "to assert the secularity of the state and to specify the requirements that flow from it," said Simon Jolin-Barrette. The bill has sparked controversy as many claimed its an act of discrimination and an "affront to religious freedom." Bills like this have been declared unconstitutional in the past by some governments and constitutional by others. These symbols are extremely important to the faithful and should not be banned.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/quebec-bill-would-bar-religious-symbols-for-government-employees-42789

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What do Muslims think of Jesus?
This article talks about what Muslims today think of Jesus. They look at the Quran which mentions Jesus, also called Isa, about 25 times but in a different way. This sacred scripture reveals that Jesus is the son of the virgin Mary and is honored in this world and the next. Jesus also appears to go by different names like ruh min Allah (“Spirit from God”), mushia bi’l baraka (“the Messiah” or “someone blessed by God”), kalimah min Allah (“Word from/of God”), and rasul (prophet or messenger). The article states that Muslims believe that Jesus was prophet who was given a message, that established what was taught in the Torah and that it also predicted the coming of the prophet Muhammed. Clearly, this plays a vital role in the Muslim faith. Although, they believe Jesus is a prophet they do not believe that he is divine of that he is the son of God. The Quran explains that the miracles done by Jesus is a sign of God’s mercy. Muslims also do not believe in original sin so there is no need for a savior. They also believe that Jesus went to heaven before he died because he was God’s chosen one and God wanted to save him the pain of death. Overall, there are both similarities and differences of Jesus in the two faiths.

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Taste and see the many ways of being Christian

The coming of Lent conjures a complicated set of awakenings in my consciousness that rivals the coming of spring itself. Almost all of them involve food.Our family begins Lent before Ash Wednesday with a sort of Polish Mardi Gras: Pączki Day. Pączki are balls of risen dough, deep-fried in lard (yes, lard) and filled with jelly or cream very much like a Bismarck. They more than put the “fat” into Fat Tuesday.When I married into an Italian family, I discovered the pizzagaina that ends the Lenten season. Pizzagaina is a pie filled with cheeses and salty meats baked into a crust (along with a clipping of a palm from Palm Sunday for good measure). It demands a lengthy preparation that consumes much of Triduum. We eat it after returning home from the Easter Vigil, a slice of pizzagaina with a glass of red wine. The experience gives flesh to the spirit of Easter joy.

https://uscatholic.org/articles/201903/taste-and-see-many-ways-being-christian-31671

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Praying With Your Eyes: How to Get Started With Visio Divina

Visio Divina is a form of prayer based off the well known Lectio Divina. Visio Divina is Latin for "divine seeing." To pray using it, you slowly contemplate a photo, piece of artwork, or anything else that visually invites God to speak to us on a deeper level. This type of prayer can be practiced alone or with a group. Just find some inspiration, pay attention to your thoughts and feelings, listen for God’s voice, and respond to Visio Divina. Using this as a tool for praying can create a unique spiritual experience.
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/praying-with-your-eyes-how-to-get-started-with-visio-divina

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Arizona home helps women rebuild lives after prison
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/arizona-home-helps-women-rebuild-lives-after-prison-43714
Women who are released from prison face numerous challenges. Some including finding housing, finding employment despite a criminal record, and repairing relationships. In Flagstaff, Arizona, Juniper House is a women's home that helps former inmates with getting back on their feet. The home is run by Catholic Charities and has been very successful. Since opening in 2016, the Juniper House has helped 55 women re-enter society. The Juniper House is a sober environment with manageable rent and resources to get back on track. Residents receive free rent for the first month, followed by a discounted rent. The Women who go through the program set goals, complete their education, and reunite with family in the house. Unlike other halfway homes, the Juniper House allows residents a significant amount of freedom. The women are able to move at their won pace. The Diocese of Phoenix now wants to use the Juniper House as a model for similar homes across the state of Arizona.

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Are Those in Mourning Obligated to Lenten Rules?

Busted Halo
By Fr. Dave Dwyer

https://bustedhalo.com/podcasts/are-those-in-mourning-obligated-to-lenten-rules

Lenten rules are not as strict as they were in the medieval times, but they can still be difficult to observe. However, are there exceptions to Lenten rules. For example, if a family is in mourning and they order meat on a Friday, they may be too overcome with grief to remember the 'no meat on Friday' rule. Father Dave says, “Grief does a lot of things to us, not the least of which is making us forget things like giving up meat for Lent.” It is important to be mindful of individual needs and emotions of the people practicing the religion. It is best to be sensitive to a person's needs while also ensuring the requirements of the Church are met. While everyone should show compassion, understanding, and kindness to the mourners, ministers must make the right choices according to Catholic teaching.

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https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/whether-church-or-neverland-what-do-we-do-memories
Whether church or 'Neverland,' what do we do with the memories?
Jesse Remedios was a man who loved Michael Jackson. His music took him to another place, and Michael is present in some of his greatest memories. With the release of "Leaving Neverland", Jesse is confused as to what to do with his memories. He realized that this is the same for the Church with accusations coming out monthly about priests whom have taken advantage of children. There is no easy answer, though. People may never look at the Church, or Michael Jackson, the same way they used to.

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Gregory to be named archbishop of Washington
Wilton D. Gregory, the Archbishop of Atlanta was recently announced to be the new Archbishop of Washington, D.C. After Cardinal Donald Wuerl resigned last year after "decades of abuse and cover ups" were made public, Gregory is to fulfill the position in the coming weeks. Hopefully future Archbishop Gregory is able to help to remedy the challenges that the church has faced due to the sexual assault charges and claims that have appeared in recent years.

https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/catholic-news-agency-gregory-named-archbishop-washington/Zt7xlaGEyCN8pCJPONKwIN/

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"Pope Francis heads to Muslim-majority Morocco ‘as a pilgrim of peace’"
This weekend, March 30 and 31, Pope Francis will make a trip to Morocco, a predominantly Muslim country.  He is only the second pope to venture to this area, the first of which being John Paul II.  In Morocco, of the 35 million people, there are only about 23,000 Catholics, mostly migrants from other countries, with 46 priests, 178 women religious, and two bishops.  Conversion from Islam to Christianity is strictly forbidden and punishable by time in prison.  It is Pope Francis' goal through this visit to support both the Catholic and Muslim populations.  Throughout his visit, the pope will meet with people from all over the country, preaching a message of hope and unity, especially to the Catholics in a country where they are so isolated.  Francis will also speak with the Muslim populations, emphasizing their similarities and coming as a "pilgrim of peace and fraternity."  As his eighth visit to a predominantly Muslim country, Pope Francis continues his mission of preaching unity and solidarity.

Source: America - The Jesuit Review, Gerard O'Connell
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/03/28/pope-francis-heads-muslim-majority-morocco-pilgrim-peace

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Does Prayer Change God's Mind?
Well, first, what is prayer? Prayer is a gift from God and we need humility to use it properly. Second, prayer expresses our covenant relationship with God, affirmed by our heart’s true participation when praying. Covenants are deep, binding promises that require all involved to sacrifice and offer themselves fully to strengthen the bond. Third, true prayer honors our communion and unity with God. So does God answer our prayers? Yes. And, with much evidence, it’s safe to say that through prayer certain courses of events are averted or redirected.
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/summer-school-2013-june-12

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"The self-revelation that makes us new again"
Source: National Catholic Reporter, Catholic News Service, Joan Chittister
https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/where-i-stand/self-revelation-makes-us-new-again

Mystic Julian of Norwich once said that "God does not punish sin, sin punishes sin," for the secrets that we keep can eat us alive. With the many scandals in our world right now, such as the Russian interference in the United States' 2016 presidential election, the college admissions scandal, or the sexual abuse in the Church, St. Benedict of Nursia's fifth degree of humility is a much needed principle. He teaches that "we [should] not conceal our sinful thoughts or any wrongs committed in secret ... but confess them humbly." Going through life lying to ourselves and pretending to be something we are not is a suffocating burden. St. Benedict shows us the importance of self-revelation, for it is the beginning of freedom. We should admit our wrongdoings and be honest before the weight of our lies and secrets become too much to bear.

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Wang Yi and more than 100 members of his congregation were detained in China's Sichuan province in early December. Some were released the next day, but then put under house arrest. Wang, his wife, and nearly 10 others remain in detention, charged with inciting subversion. Wang is pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, which has now been closed. Some members of the ecclesial community are in hiding, some have been effectively exiled from the Sichuanese capital, and others are under surveillance. In all, more than 300 members of the community have been arrested, according to the church.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/this-protestant-pastor-has-been-detained-in-china-since-december-61145

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Did Jesus have brothers and sisters?
Usually, the only child has a stereotype of being self-centered and selfish but they also have a lot of great qualities too. Many people believe Jesus was an only child but there are many times in the gospels where his siblings are mentions. For example,  in Mark it describes him as "the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon.” Also, in Luke it mentions how Jesus' mother and his brothers are waiting for him. Even though the bible shares this evidence, scholars have been debating it for thousand of years. They argue that the siblings mentions in the Bible could be cousins or close friends. The first debate was between St. Jerome and Helvidius. St. Jerome believed she was a virgin for life and that the people mentioned were Jesus' cousins. Epiphanius, who was a bishop, believed that they were step-siblings and that they were the children of Josephs' previous marriage. These three ideas are still argued today and the only fact that is clear is that Jesus has a complicated family tree.
http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201312/did-jesus-have-brothers-and-sisters-28224

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How can we trust others in our fallen world?

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/03/20/how-can-we-trust-others-our-fallen-world
A lot of things in our present time are negative. Whether it is the effects of social media, people, or the news, everything seems to be going downhill. So how can we trust others? Some of the most reliable people we know, priests, are even being called out for lying. Is there anyone we can trust? Though there are so many negatives, we need to look on the brighter side. There are givers in this world if we look. There are honest people if we look. There are good things in this world if we look for them. Instead, we decide to focus on the negatives and let them go viral. Instead of noticing all of the poor things occurring around us, try to bring the good to light so that we can show attention to that and it would be cool to be good.

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What does God take delight in? Our trust.

Obedience—how it goes against the human grain. We no sooner construct a set of rules or guidelines for the common good than we invent ways to circumvent or break them. Speed limits, tax codes, children’s bedtimes, hospital protocols, all are subject to our disobedience. How much more so, then, do we find ways around fulfilling our promises to God? Some of us take the path of outright effrontery and completely sever ourselves from church-going and faith practices alike. Others do just enough to convince observers that we are people of faith, becoming CINO (Christians In Name Only). And then there are those of us who faithfully attend Sunday worship services and present our offerings while closing our ears and shutting our hearts to God’s true commands.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/03/25/what-does-god-take-delight-our-trust

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Catholic hospital group sued for refusing transgender hysterectomy
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-hospital-group-sued-for-refusing-transgender-hysterectomy-85873
A group of five Catholic hospitals in California is being sued by a transgender man, Oliver Knight, after one of its locations, St. Joseph Hospital, Eureka, refused to perform a hysterectomy. He was refused the surgery because of his "gender orientation." Knight's lawsuit claims that by denying the surgery, St. Joseph Health caused "severe anxiety and emotional turmoil." St. Joseph Health said in a statement on March 25 that hysterectomies are only performed at their facilities when they have been deemed "medically necessary." A 2016 letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services signed by the general counsel for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, together with other groups, affirmed that the denial of surgery to someone seeking to change their gender would not be discriminatory, noting that in such cases there would be nothing medically wrong with otherwise healthy organs to be removed.

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Why pray if God knows what you’re going to say?

Some might answer that question by pointing to God’s omniscience. God knows something we don’t know, or God sees a bigger picture. But I don’t find that answer satisfactory; in my experience in ministry and friendship, it is not comforting to those who suffer or who feel their prayer has not been answered. God does not wave a magic wand and make everything turn out alright. The person who has cancer still dies. The car accident cannot be undone. The person who breaks your heart doesn’t come back. Prayer is about participating in the relationship God offers us. We pray because part of being in relationship is sharing the things that are weighing heaviest on our hearts. Friends or family may already know what I am going through, but I still want to talk about it. They listen and are present to my experience. The same is true of God in prayer.

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The movie Shadowlands is the story of C. S. Lewis and his wife Joy. At one point in the film, after finding out Joy's cancer has gone into remission, one of Lewis' friends says to him, "I know how hard you have been praying, and now God is answering your prayer." Lewis, brilliantly played by Anthony Hopkins, replies, "That's not why I pray, Harry. I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me."

Lewis is speaking of petitionary prayer, which requests something from God. He points out that we don't pray to change God's mind. God doesn't grant prayer because we pray or because of how hard we pray; such a God would be either arbitrary or cruel. Why would God grant one person's heartfelt prayer and not another's?

Some might answer that question by pointing to God's omniscience. God knows something we don't know, or God sees a bigger picture. But I don't find that answer satisfactory; in my experience in ministry and friendship, it is not comforting to those who suffer or who feel their prayer has not been answered. God does not wave a magic wand and make everything turn out alright. The person who has cancer still dies. The car accident cannot be undone. The person who breaks your heart doesn't come back.

Prayer is about participating in the relationship God offers us. We pray because part of being in relationship is sharing the things that are weighing heaviest on our hearts. Friends or family may already know what I am going through, but I still want to talk about it. They listen and are present to my experience. The same is true of God in prayer.

Returning to Lewis' quote in Shadowlands, prayer neither changes what God knows, nor does it change what God does. Instead, prayer changes us. Prayer is about being in relationship with God and pouring out our hearts to God. Prayer is about God receiving all that is in our hearts in love. Prayer is about not being alone. Prayer is about God Emmanuel, God who is with us in our darkest and hardest moments. Prayer is about Jesus crying out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" God is with us in those moments of feeling abandoned. As Lewis says later in the movie, "We pray to know we are not alone." We pray because God created us to be in relationship, and relationship requires communication and communion. We pray to be with God.

This article also appears in the February 2018 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 83, No. 2, page 49).

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Why pray if God knows what you're going to say?

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The movie Shadowlands is the story of C. S. Lewis and his wife Joy. At one point in the film, after finding out Joy's cancer has gone into remission, one of Lewis' friends says to him, "I know how hard you have been praying, and now God is answering your prayer."

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Adam Kampia an elementary schools assistant principal embarked some wisdom on the students in a few short phrases. He emphasized the mission of our generation and how we are all here to help stop hate throughout the world. He also reminded the kids that although we may not be able to help the entire world we can start in our own communities. The more communities that try and stop the spread of hatred the more love will spread and bring everyone together to rise completely above hate throughout the world.

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“We can’t fix the world, but we can fix our community,” the school’s assistant principal, Adam Kampia, told the elementary school students, reminding them: “It’s our duty to stop hate.”
https://t.co/8lAkBKWV55

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“We can’t fix the world, but we can fix our community,” the school’s assistant principal, Adam Kampia, told the elementary school students, reminding them: “It’s our duty to stop hate.”
https://t.co/8lAkBKWV55

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https://t.co/qQ2dubiDpS Catholic school students pray for mosque shooting victims, peace https://t.co/uDnK9VRG73

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“We can’t fix the world, but we can fix our community,” the school’s assistant principal, Adam Kampia, told the elementary school students, reminding them: “It’s our duty to stop hate.”https://t.co/8lAkBKWV55
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) March 26, 2019

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“We can’t fix the world, but we can fix our community,” the school’s assistant principal, Adam Kampia, told the elementary school students, reminding them: “It’s our duty to stop hate.”
https://t.co/8lAkBKWV55

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https://t.co/qQ2dubiDpS Catholic school students pray for mosque shooting victims, peace https://t.co/uDnK9VRG73

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
“We can’t fix the world, but we can fix our community,” the school’s assistant principal, Adam Kampia, told the elementary school students, reminding them: “It’s our duty to stop hate.”
https://t.co/8lAkBKWV55

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
“We can’t fix the world, but we can fix our community,” the school’s assistant principal, Adam Kampia, told the elementary school students, reminding them: “It’s our duty to stop hate.”
https://t.co/8lAkBKWV55

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].text
https://t.co/qQ2dubiDpS Catholic school students pray for mosque shooting victims, peace https://t.co/uDnK9VRG73

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What Is The Meaning of Penance?

Everyone sins at some time in their life. It's part of being human, as we have a natural tendency to rebel. However, as Christians, we see the need to apologize to God for actions we are truly sorry for and make up for these wrongdoings. Penance is often referred to as making little sacrifices for God. One way penance is put into action is during confession, where it is used to lead you on the path of earning forgiveness from God. Although sin has eternal consequences, God tells us that we can be forgiven by him if we are truly sorry. God's mercy is a great gift to us, and penance is a great way to achieve forgiveness.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/coffeeandcrucifix/2018/06/what-is-the-meaning-of-penance/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=March2019

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After cyclone disaster, church organizations mobilize to help devastated Africans
Last week Cyclone Idai struck the Southeast Africa coast. It took everything in its path including homes, churches, and schools. By Sunday, it was confirmed that there were over 700 death, and that number continued to rise. Many Christian relief organizations rushed to help out the three countries who were most affected. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi says the number of deaths in his country could reach up to 1,000. People are still trapped under homes by the floods in more rural areas. Many survivors are being housed in churches, mosques, and schools after thy were left homeless by the storm. Faith based organizations are also still trying to recover. The church calls for our prayers and support.
https://religionnews.com/2019/03/25/after-cyclone-disaster-church-organizations-mobilize-to-help-devastated-africans/

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Can a Baby Be Baptized During Lent

Busted Halo

By Fr. Dave Dwyer

https://bustedhalo.com/podcasts/can-baby-baptized-lent

It's not that priests can't baptize babies during lent, but they shouldn't. Lent is considered the desert time leading up to the waters of Baptism at Easter, so as they build up to Easter, priests tend to keep baptism at bay. He compares it to the way that when a couple is preparing from marriage, they abstain from performing the marital act. There are exceptions, though, because Lent is about six weeks long, and there is a great importance placed on baptizing babies in the Catholic church. While baptism isn't forbidden during Lent, it can run contrary to the narrative of Lent.

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The "Catholic Bee", a test devised to determine the knowledge of religion in younger schools, is being used in Rock Hill South Carolina. Students in third through eighth grade participate in the Bee as a "celebration of catholic schools week." The Bee is an opportunity for the students to "grow their catholic identity" and "check in and see how well they" understand their religion (for the students who are catholic). Recently the idea of expanding the test was developed in order to quiz students on their faith knowledge and hopefully help them understand "parts of the mass, holy days and feast days, the sacraments, saints, and church history"

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/03/24/in-south-carolina-statewide-catholic-bee-tests-religious-knowledge/

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The Devil You Cannot See
Think of some sin that you now truly regret. Would you have ever chosen it if you had been urged to do so by some hideous creature appearing before you? There is a reason the fallen angels seldom take that approach, and the same applies to angels of light and grace. If they were to fully manifest themselves—at least as fully as you can receive—would there be anything left for you to decide? All of the ambiguity, which is the very atmosphere of human life, would be drained away. You fell into sin because of the dividedness of your heart, because the native strength of your intellect was darkened. You considered your course and action and saw, to some extent, what you should do. But then a counter-argument, an opposing story, entered your mind. The most dangerous devil is temptation.

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Why pray if God knows what you’re going to say?
This article begins with an excerpt from Shadowlands, a movie about the story of author C.S. Lewis and his wife Joy.  At one point, after finding out that his wife's cancer had gone into remission, a friend of Lewis commented that God must have answered all of his prayers.  However, Lewis responds by explaining that this is not why he prays.  Petitionary prayer, prayer in which we ask God for something, is not meant to change the God's mind.  It will not prevent the inevitable or alter the course of events.  So why would we pray?  Prayer is a demonstration and exercise of our relationship with God.  A part of any good relationship is sharing struggles and worries with the other person.  By voicing our concerns to God, we remind ourselves that he is always present and is a caring God.  He wants to be in a relationship with each one of us, and through pouring out our hearts in prayer, we show God that we do to.  Prayer might not change God, but it changes us.
Source: US Catholic Heidi Russel
http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201802/why-pray-if-god-knows-what-youre-going-say-31300

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"CRS, humanitarian agencies urge Congress to protect international aid"

Source: Angelus, Catholic News Service
https://angelusnews.com/news/catholic-news-service/crs-humanitarian-agencies-urge-congress-to-protect-international-aid

On March 11, President Donald Trump proposed to Congress a 24% cut in foreign assistance for the United States' 2020 budget. A day later, Bill O'Keefe, a senior Catholic Relief Services official, urged Congress that "Now was not the time to slash effective, life-saving programs that help create a safer and more secure world." He called for at least $60 billion in foreign humanitarian and development aid due to a time of mass displacement and crises around the world. For example, there are over 68 million people around the world who have been displaced by natural or man-made disasters, including the 3 million Venezuelans who have fled their country. O'Keefe argues that foreign assistance is vital in the United States maintaining its leadership role in responding to global needs. Such global needs include AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, international disasters, migration and refugee crises, etc., which the United States has programs for, and these programs only constitute for 1% of federal spending. Among the Catholic Relief Services' outcry for the United States to maintain/slightly increase their international affairs budget, many other humanitarian organizations and agencies have agreed to this belief as well.

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Abandon that which distracts from the real. Our phones, one of the most distracting devices we posses can be difficult to stray from. However during this time of lent, separating ourselves form such devices could prove to strengthen our relationship with God. "Father Robert McCabe of St. Mary’s Church" said that he "hopes parishioners will make a permanent lifestyle change" by giving up that which they hold so dear. Everyone struggles with this says Father Robert McCabe. He says everyone from Parishioners, Cardinals, and even the Pope struggle with staying off of their phones. It is the hope that during Lent we will able to separate ourselves from our distracting phones and engage in the moment. ^^^This is a picture of a woman who was looking at the pope as he went by in his automobile.

https://cnstopstories.com/2019/03/13/for-lent-irish-catholics-urged-to-abandon-weapons-of-mass-distraction/

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Why do Catholics Eat Fish on Fridays?

Busted Halo

By Mike Hayes

https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/did-catholics-only-eat-fish-on-friday-because-they-had-an-agreement-with-fisheries

Catholics are required to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and each Friday in Lent. Fish is often used as a substitute for meat. Historically, since about the second century of Christianity, Christians abstained from eating meat on every Friday as a kind of sacrifice and reminder that acknowledged Jesus's sacrifice. Vatican II simplified many Catholic customs and laws. There was too much of an emphasis on sin and sacrifice and some of the practices were rather involved. Many believed that breaking Friday abstinence was a sin so serious it could damn you to hell. The bishops preserved fasting on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent to help take care of this problem. Some have said the bishops were in cahoots with the fishing industry, but there is little to no evidence to claim that as the truth.

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/heartbeat-abortion-bans-move-forward-in-tennessee-georgia-96081

Lawmakers in Georgia and Tennessee have advanced bills that would ban most abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy. Should they become law, both are expected to face legal challenges, as courts have historically ruled similar laws unconstitutional. The bill includes exceptions for pregnancies that are the result of rape or incest— which would be demonstrated by a police report filed by the woman— as well as when a pregnancy is deemed to threaten the life of the mother or to be “medically futile.” Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion chain, has already said they will file suit against Tennessee if the heartbeat bill becomes law. The American Civil Liberties Union has also vowed to challenge heartbeat bills in court in several states.

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This article is about how the church is having a difficult time addressing and helping with mental illness. Deacon Tom Lambert wants to improve the church’s position and is upset that there are not any resources available in the church to help with this. He first realized this issue when he was trying to find help for his daughter who has been diagnosed with one. After searching he found the Chicago Archdiocesan Commission on Mental Illness, and now twenty-five years later he is doing everything in his power to eliminate the gap between mental illness and the church. He serves on boards, does workshops for deacons and parishes, advocates for mental health resources within religious communities, and organizes an annual mass in Chicago celebrating people and their families who have mental illness. He says that the church really needs to work on helping people with this issue and they need to start preaching that it is ok to have a mental illness.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201903/catholics-must-do-more-accompany-people-mental-illness-says-deacon-31665

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Catholic missionaries, aid workers among victims of Ethiopian plane crash

This past Sunday, March 10th, an Ethiopian plane crashed. The crash killed all 157 passengers that included people from 35 different countries. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed only minutes after departing from an airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Four members of the Catholic relief service died in this crash. Its very unfortunate that such a tragedy occurred. The Church is praying for the victims of this crash and the Catholic Relief service is ready to aid in this situation.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-missionaries-aid-workers-among-victims-of-ethiopian-plane-crash-83324

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Utah school apologizes after student forced to remove Lenten ashes:

A school district in Utah has issued an apology after a fourth-grade student was told by a teacher that he must remove the cross from his forehead on Ash Wednesday. William McLeod, a student at Valley View Elementary School in Bountiful, Utah, arrived at school with ashes on his forehead in the shape of a cross, a custom for Catholics at the beginning of the Lenten season.

He told Fox 13 that he was the only pupil with ashes at the school. Other students were curious about them, he said, and he explained the Ash Wednesday custom when they asked. The school has released a statement of apology, saying that the matter is being taken very seriously. Patterson has been placed on administrative leave, and additional disciplinary action is being considered.

“The actions were unacceptable,” district spokesman Chris Williams said, according to the Associated Press. “No student should ever be asked or required to remove an ash cross from his or her forehead.”
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/utah-school-apologizes-after-student-forced-to-remove-lenten-ashes-92683

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Pope Francis appoints bishops of Memphis, Fresno, names new auxiliary for LA

In the announcement, made March 5, Francis named Bishop David Prescott Talley, 68, to head the Diocese of Memphis, which has been vacant since October of last year. Talley has served in the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana since November 2016, first as coadjutor bishop and then as bishop after the retirement of Bishop Ronald Herzog in February 2017. Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1950, Talley was raised as a Southern Baptist, but converted to Catholicism at the age of 24 while studying at Auburn University. He became a priest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 1989 and was appointed to serve as an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese in 2013. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. The Memphis diocese was the subject of a Vatican investigation - called an apostolic visitation -  in June 2018. The visitation was prompted by criticism of Holley’s 2017 decision to reassign up to two-thirds of the 60 active priests in the diocese, and his appointment of a Canadian priest, Fr. Clement Machado, as vicar general, moderator of the curia, and chancellor of the Diocese of Memphis.

He had denied he had mismanaged the diocese, and suggested Cardinal Donald Wuerl had played a part in engineering his removal. Holley had previously served as auxiliary bishop to Wuerl in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

The March 5 Vatican announcement also named Bishop Joseph Brennan, 64, as the new head of the Diocese of Fresno.

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.- Pope Francis appointed new bishops Tuesday to lead the dioceses of Memphis and Fresno, also naming a new auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.

In the announcement, made March 5, Francis named Bishop David Prescott Talley, 68, to head the Diocese of Memphis, which has been vacant since October of last year.

Talley has served in the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana since November 2016, first as coadjutor bishop and then as bishop after the retirement of Bishop Ronald Herzog in February 2017.

Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1950, Talley was raised as a Southern Baptist, but converted to Catholicism at the age of 24 while studying at Auburn University.

He became a priest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 1989 and was appointed to serve as an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese in 2013. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

The Tennessee diocese has been under the care of Louisville Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, whom the pope appointed to serve as apostolic administrator in October following the controversial departure of Bishop Martin D. Holley for what then-Vatican spokesman Greg Burke termed "mismanagement of the diocese."

The Memphis diocese was the subject of a Vatican investigation - called an apostolic visitation - in June 2018. The visitation was prompted by criticism of Holley's 2017 decision to reassign up to two-thirds of the 60 active priests in the diocese, and his appointment of a Canadian priest, Fr. Clement Machado, as vicar general, moderator of the curia, and chancellor of the Diocese of Memphis.

Holley afterward denied he had mismanaged the diocese, and suggested Cardinal Donald Wuerl had played a part in engineering his removal. Holley had previously served as auxiliary bishop to Wuerl in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

The March 5 Vatican announcement also named Bishop Joseph Brennan, 64, as the new head of the Diocese of Fresno.

Brennan will replace Bishop Armando Xavier Ochoa, who submitted his resignation last April as he turned 75, the ordinary age of retirement for a bishop.

Brennan, a native of Los Angeles and the ninth of 10 children, was ordained a priest in 1980. From 2013 to 2016 he served as vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He was made an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese in 2015 and speaks fluent Spanish.

Brennan's appointment coincides with the naming of Fr. Alejandro D. Aclan, Los Angeles' vicar for clergy, to replace him as auxiliary of LA.

A Filipino, Aclan studied medical technology at the University of St. Thomas in Manila and pursued a career in electronic data processing before immigrating to California with his family in 1982, where he eventually discerned a call to the priesthood.

After studying at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, Aclan was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1993. He also served as vice vicar for clergy from 2012 to 2015 and as vicar for clergy from 2015 to 2017.

"Bishop-elect Aclan is a man of prayer and he has a true heart for Jesus - and a deep concern for the people he is called to serve," LA Archbishop Jose H. Gomez said in a statement March 5. "And I know he will be a voice for Filipino Catholics, who are a beautiful sign of growth and renewal in our Church here in Los Angeles and throughout the country."

Aclan will serve the Archdiocese of Los Angeles under Archbishop Gomez, joining LA auxiliary bishops Edward Clark, David O'Connell, Robert Barron, and Marc Trudeau.

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Pope Francis appoints bishops of Memphis, Fresno, names new auxiliary for LA

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Pope Francis appointed new bishops Tuesday to lead the dioceses of Memphis and Fresno, also naming a new auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles. In the announcement, made March 5, Francis named Bishop David Prescott Talley, 68, to head the Diocese of Memphis, which has been vacant since October of last year.

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This article honors Saint Alexius U Se-yong. He was raised in a noble family and was very different from others in his position. He was also the third son to run away from a noble family and get baptized and later also confirmed. Alexius later returned to his family as a thriving spiritual person and instructed them to follow in his path. His lifestyle change inspired and family and friends to get more in touch with their religion and spirituality. As a result of his strong leadership actions his entire family began their religious journeys with baptism along with many other friends and neighbors. For all of these reasons the Sunday Visitor nominated Saint Alexius U Se-Yong as Saint of the day on March 11, 2019.

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St Alexius U Se-yŏng was the third son in a noble family who ran away at to be baptized and confirmed. Later, Alexius returned and instructed his father and many others! As a result, his whole family and many neighbors were baptized.

#saintoftheday #koreanmartyrs

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St Alexius U Se-yŏng was the third son in a noble family who ran away at to be baptized and confirmed. Later, Alexius returned and instructed his father and many others! As a result, his whole family and many neighbors were baptized.

#saintoftheday #koreanmartyrs https://t.co/AnLO0qUqEe

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St Alexius U Se-yŏng was the third son in a noble family who ran away at to be baptized and confirmed. Later, Alexius returned and instructed his father and many others! As a result, his whole family and many neighbors were baptized.#saintoftheday #koreanmartyrs pic.twitter.com/AnLO0qUqEe
— Our Sunday Visitor (@OSV) March 11, 2019

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St Alexius U Se-yŏng was the third son in a noble family who ran away at to be baptized and confirmed. Later, Alexius returned and instructed his father and many others! As a result, his whole family and many neighbors were baptized.

#saintoftheday #koreanmartyrs https://t.co/AnLO0qUqEe

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St Alexius U Se-yŏng was the third son in a noble family who ran away at to be baptized and confirmed. Later, Alexius returned and instructed his father and many others! As a result, his whole family and many neighbors were baptized.

#saintoftheday #koreanmartyrs https://t.co/AnLO0qUqEe

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St Alexius U Se-yŏng was the third son in a noble family who ran away at to be baptized and confirmed. Later, Alexius returned and instructed his father and many others! As a result, his whole family and many neighbors were baptized.

#saintoftheday #koreanmartyrs

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So , You Want to Go to Confession?
Most no one ever really wants to go to confession. A lot of us make up excuses not to go. We don't have the courage to confess all of our wrongdoings. In order to build this courage, we must first do an examination of conscience. As humans, we have excellent judgement and have the ability to judge ourselves based on our lifestyles. We must next make a list in order to remember all that we want to say to the priest. We all know we don't have the ability to memorize everything we do, so it is better to go in prepared. Lastly, we should go in without any nerves. We should remember that our priest and God is there to help us through our lives and to give us great advice so that we may improve. We should always know that confession is good for the soul and works as a way to grow closer to God as well as to clear our minds.
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/so-you-want-to-go-to-confession

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What does the Bible say about family?

Although many of us have grown up with fairy tales and bedtime stories depicting the perfect life of getting married and having kids, the Bible says that family life is more than the perfect couple, their 2 kids, and the family dog. Not all people have to have kids or even be married to find happiness in life. Scripture provides a definition of family that is much broader; it includes siblings as well as cousins and even other disciples of Jesus. Through the women in the Bible who are barren, we see that although having children is a blessing, there is nothing wrong with not having any. The Bible doesn't portray infertility as a shortcoming, unlike many people in society today. Scripture serves as an important reminder that not all fairy tale endings have to come from a picture-perfect classic family life.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201803/what-does-bible-say-about-family-31340

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The most dangerous Devil is the one you cannot see

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/03/06/most-dangerous-devil-one-you-cannot-see
Everyone knows the famous story in Luke when Jesus was in the desert, and the Devil showed up. The Devil wanted Jesus to worship him, and Jesus was being tempted to do so. However, Jesus was able to overcome this temptation and do what is right, which is to worship God. In this story, though, the devil and Jesus are talking to one another, and the Devil is actually "present". In other words, when people visualize this scenario, Jesus is there, but the Devil is too, in all of his hell-like clothing with horns and everything. This physical presence of the Devil makes it easier for Jesus to overcome his temptation. Often times, temptation is confusion. People have to make major decisions all the time filled with confusion, and one option may lead to a sin. This is the devil confronting and tempting us! What makes it so much harder to resist is the fact that the Devil is not a physical being right there with us to defeat. Instead, he is inside of us. God's truth is also inside of us, however, and we have the power to turn away from sin and follow and worship his ways.

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"Utah teacher forces student to wash off Ash Wednesday cross"

Recently, a story came out about a 9-year-old boy named William McLeod who was forced to remove his ashes by his teacher. William lives in Utah, a a predominantly Mormon State, with almost two thirds of the population being members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is actually based in Salt Lake City. On the morning of Ash Wednesday, William went to Mass to receive ashes and proceeded to school. There, his teacher deemed the marking "inappropriate" and forced him to wipe them off in front of his class, despite his explanation of their significance. The boy ran off crying to the school psychologist and Fisher, who William lives with, confronted the teacher about the issue. She was apologetic and offered to reapply the ashes.  Because this would not be a valid option, the Catholic director of education, who happened to be a deacon reapplied the ashes for him.  William's teacher has been placed on administrative leave, but her story acts as a lesson to all of us: be sensitive to differences and learn about other religions, races, and cultures before making judgements.

Source: Joseph Gideon, AP News
https://apnews.com/bf38649028f44f60a32b264e8a5e9a75

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Pope Francis appoints bishops of Memphis, Fresno
Pope Francis appointed new bishops Tuesday to lead the dioceses of Memphis and Fresno, also naming a new auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles. In the announcement, made March 5, Francis named Bishop David Prescott Talley, 68, to head the Diocese of Memphis, which has been vacant since October of last year. Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1950, Talley was raised as a Southern Baptist, but converted to Catholicism at the age of 24 while studying at Auburn University. He became a priest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 1989 and was appointed to serve as an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese in 2013.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-appoints-bishops-of-memphis-fresno-names-new-auxiliary-for-la-89445

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"As Trudeau fights to survive, resignation of A.G. distresses Indigenous people"

Source: America Magazine, Catholic News Service, Dean Dettloff
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2019/03/06/trudeau-fights-survive-resignation-ag-distresses-indigenous-people

The scandal involving the Quebec-based multinational engineering firm SNC-Lavalin has caused former Attorney General Ms. Wilson-Raybould to resign from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet. SNC-Lavalin is accused of paying $48 million in bribes to Libyan public officials as well as defrauding various Libyan companies out of almost $130 million. The company hoped to negotiate a hefty fine with the Canadian government as a settlement; however, Ms. Wilson-Raybould wanted to take them to trial. She said she felt pressured to go easy on them, thus, resigning. Catholic deacon Rennie Nahanee of the Squamish Nation spoke up about Ms. Wilson-Raybould's resignation, saying that "Doing the right thing involves sacrifice, loss of status, maybe some shame or blame depending on who you speak to. Jody did the right thing, which honors not only her integrity, but the integrity of Indigenous people in Canada.” Ms. Wilson-Raybould, belonging to the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation, was the sole Indigenous member of Trudeau's cabinet. Indigenous people and organizations have already showed their solidarity with Ms. Wilson-Raybould since she offered her testimony and are angered by the Canadian government's treatment of her. Indigenous peoples all over Canada are now urging for the appointment of more Indigenous people in positions of authority.

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Holy See issues statement on conviction, appeal of Cardinal Pell
The Vatican press office has issued a statement on the recently announced conviction of Cardinal George Pell on charges of the sexual abuse of minors.
The decision of the County Court of Victoria was reached on December 11, 2018, but not widely reported, following the imposition of a sweeping gag order by the court in June of last year. Pell was convicted on five counts of child sexual abuse against two former choristers in Melbourne Cathedral in 1996. The statement confirms that Pell has been barred from public ministry and from contact with minors during the course of the legal process, and will remain so during his appeal. The lifting of the court imposed gag order followed the decision by local prosecutors to drop further charges related to Pell’s time as a priest in the 1970s. With the proposed second trial cancelled, Chief Judge Peter Kidd lifted the reporting restrictions. The church released this statement: “In the meantime, we pray for all those who have been abused and their loved ones, and we commit ourselves anew to doing everything possible to ensure that the Church is a safe place for all, especially the young and the vulnerable." Abuse in the church is an ever-growing problem that will hopefully be overcome soon.

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.- The Vatican press office has issued a statement on the recently announced conviction of Cardinal George Pell on charges of the sexual abuse of minors.

The decision of the County Court of Victoria was reached on December 11, 2018, but not widely reported until this week, following the imposition of a sweeping gag order by the court in June of last year. Pell was convicted on five counts of child sexual abuse against two former choristers in Melbourne Cathedral in 1996.

The statement from the Holy See press office, issued Feb. 26, acknowledges the "painful" news which has "shocked many people."

"As already expressed on other occasions, we have the utmost respect for the Australian judicial authorities," the statement said.

"Out of this respect, we await the outcome of the appeals process, recalling that Cardinal Pell maintains his innocence and has the right to defend himself until the last stage of appeal."

The statement confirms that Pell has been barred from public ministry and from contact with minors during the course of the legal process, and will remain so during his appeal.

"In order to ensure the course of justice, the Holy Father has confirmed the precautionary measures which had been imposed by the local Ordinary on Cardinal George Pell when he returned to Australia. That is, while awaiting the definitive assessment of the facts, as is the norm, Cardinal George Pell is prohibited from exercising public ministry and from having any voluntary contact whatsoever with minors."

The lifting of the court imposed gag order followed the decision by local prosecutors to drop further charges related to Pell's time as a priest in the 1970s. With the proposed second trial cancelled, Chief Judge Peter Kidd lifted the reporting restrictions.

Pell is expected to be sentenced on Wednesday and is appealing the conviction.

The Vatican statement followed a similar release by Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Melbourne, president of the Australian Bishops' Conference.

"The bishops [of Australia] agree that everyone should be equal under the law, and we respect the Australian legal system. The same legal system that delivered the verdict will consider the appeal that the Cardinal's legal team has lodged. Our hope, at all times, is that through this process, justice will be served," Coleridge wrote.

"In the meantime, we pray for all those who have been abused and their loved ones, and we commit ourselves anew to doing everything possible to ensure that the Church is a safe place for all, especially the young and the vulnerable."

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Holy See issues statement on conviction, appeal of Cardinal Pell

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The Vatican press office has issued a statement on the recently announced conviction of Cardinal George Pell on charges of the sexual abuse of minors. The decision of the County Court of Victoria was reached on December 11, 2018, but not widely reported until this week, following the imposition of a sweeping gag order by the court in June of last year.

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http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201703/ash-wednesday-makes-its-mark-30946
Ash Wednesday makes its mark
Ash Wednesday has become a very popular holy day. Some may say it has gotten even bigger than Holy Days of Obligation. Ashes have always been symbolically important in history. For example, the Aztecs believed that people were made from ash. They act as a sign of mortality, mourning, and penance. The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are from palms on Palm Sunday, and they are then blessed and sprinkled with holy water. A reason why a lot of people come to Ash Wednesday mass is because there are "strength in numbers". People feel more comfortable with a larger crowd. Also, seeing other people throughout the day with ashes on is a cool way to relate to someone because you share the same beliefs.

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Should fears about climate come before kids?
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/should-fears-about-climate-come-before-kids-54218
Catholic academics have said that concerns about climate change should not discourage millennials from having children. The discussion of millennial concerns began after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested that younger people might not have children because fears about climate change. Her statement was "And so, it's basically like, there is a scientific consensus that the lives of children are going to be very difficult and does lead, I think, young people, to have a legitimate question. You know, should--is it okay to still have children?" Academics have suggested that her comments misunderstand why couples decide to have children. Professors from the Catholic University of America told CNA that while the concept of bringing a child into the world is always daunting, environmental factors should not be enough to dissuade someone from having children altogether. Having children is an expression of both love and faith, and that includes "faith in each other, faith in the goodness of God, faith in His creation."

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Repenting in the age of iPhones and instant gratification
Ash Wednesday is considered intense and raw, according to the Jesuit Review, because we are pleading for mercy for our wrongdoings. In this time, we have crossed a new threshold of technological advances and openness to the entire world. Due to social media platforms and the involvement of the press in virtually everything, society longs for approval and gratification from their followers, on and offline. This article encourages us to refrain from our cellphones this lent and focus on our relationship with God.

"It is the moment — or 40 days of them — for us to turn down the volume of our lives and, spending time daily in God’s presence, to beg him to make us whole again. And we can do this with absolute trust in his abiding love and his infinite mercy. In the Hebrew verse, the words for “steadfast love” (chesed) and “abundant mercy” (rachamim) occupy the center, radiating out to envelop each one of us as we pray for healing. It is a reassuring start to the weeks ahead"

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Pope Francis appoints bishops of Memphis, Fresno, names new auxiliary for LA

The pope appointed new bishops to the dioceses of Memphis and Fresno and a new auxiliary bishop to Los Angeles. The former bishop of Memphis, Bishop Martin D. Holley was controversial in how he handled Tennessee. Bishop Martin D Holley had reassigned around two thirds of the Memphis priests which was not received well by the community. Bishop Joseph Brennan was named the new head of the diocese of Fresno. Bishop Joseph Brennan is replacing Bishop Armando Xavier Ochoa who retired last April at the age of 75. Fr. Alejandro D. Aclan is the new auxiliary bishop. He is a Filipino Catholic so he brings a new perspective and serves as a voice for this group of people in the Church.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-appoints-bishops-of-memphis-fresno-names-new-auxiliary-for-la-89445

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Ghanaian bishops seek prayer as nation celebrates independence, Lent

https://angelusnews.com/news/damian-avevor/ghanaian-bishops-seek-prayer-as-nation-celebrates-independence-lent

This year's Lent has special significance because Ash Wednesday, March 6, marks the celebration of Ghana's 62nd anniversary of independence, said the Ghana Bishops' Conference. "We consider this occurrence not just as a mere coincidence or accident of history, but a special moment of grace intended by God as an occasion for sober reflection on our lives as Christians and our contributions to Ghana as citizens of this dear nation of ours," the bishops said.

It is also "a true moment of grace for our church and our nation to pray together in gratitude to God and to seek God's blessings in the days ahead," the bishops said in a Lenten message issued March 2.