Daily News

Morning must-reads

March 18

In his book, Pope defends gay blessings, civil unions

Maintains that 'doctrine of the Church is not questioned'

Hong Kong diocese: Law won’t affect seal of confession

National Security bill will prosecute 'failure to disclose'

Vatican issues annual message to world’s Muslims

Cites Pope Francis: 'No war is holy; only peace is holy'

Spain: Rural priests stretched thin among tiny villages

In many, parish life equals occasional Mass celebration

U.S. police professional named to papal commission

She formerly led USCCB's child-protection office

GMU prof: Marriage promotes ‘white supremacy’

But data shows marriage benefits kids of all backgrounds

March 15

Pope, in autobiography 'Life,' says no plans to resign

He has 'many projects to bring to fruition, God willing'

Experts to study 10 Synodality themes till June 2025

Pope lists theological issues requiring in-depth work

USCCB requires Good Friday note on antisemitism

Before all Passion narratives in worship aids & missals

Wis. high court: No tax exemption for Catholic charity

Its activities are not 'primarily' religious under state law

Indiana higher-ed law mandates intellectual diversity

Bans mandatory DEI statements, promotes free speech

N. Hawthorne’s daughter moves toward beatification

Rose founded congregation of Dominican sisters; d. 1926

March 14

South Africa: Priest shot dead in Holy Trinity Cathedral

In sacristy, as parishioners were arriving for Mass

Three Coptic Orthodox monks killed in South Africa

At monastery; a fourth alleged he was hit but fled

More lives ended by IVF than by abortion each year

In 2021 about 1.5-1.8M embryos were made, not born

As of now, 129 cardinals eligible to vote in conclave

94 were created by Pope Francis, 27 by BXVI, 8 by JPII

Judge: Christian org need not cover trans procedures

Lawyer: Unlawful mandate nixed rights of people of faith

Indiana priest sues Lafayette diocese for defamation

Odd, weak case surrounds 'grooming,' not sexual contact

March 13

Vatican Sec'y of State: Russia should cease fire first

Cdl. Parolin: 'Negotiating is not weakness but strength'

Judge blocks Tex. AG’s move to shut Catholic shelter

Paxton says it facilitates illegal entry, human smuggling

UK Nat'l Health Service ends puberty blockers for kids

'Not enough evidence of safety, clinical effectiveness'

State AGs threaten suit over Maine abortion/trans bill

Bill would 'impose' extreme views on 'rest of the country'

Pope’s defense of cover-up bishop garners scrutiny

As abuse scandal coverage gathers steam in Italy

Calif. reports on abortion-pill use at state universities

First six months of new law saw 427 chemical abortions

March 12

USCCB chair: IVF results in loss of life at massive scale

Millions of embryos have been killed or perm. frozen

With FS, the Pope blew up his own legacy with Copts

Efforts undone by his personal pastoral inclinations

Archbishop: Haiti is near complete security breakdown

'Gangs even come into churches to kidnap people there'

S. Sudan bishop: Our people ‘on brink of destitution'

COVID lockdowns led their fragile economy toward collapse

Asia, Oceania comprise 37% of world's arms importers

As India, Pakistan, Japan, Australia, S. Korea eye China

Argentina president: Abortion is aggravated homicide

Calls pro-aborts 'murderers with green neckerchiefs'

March 11

Coptic Orthodox halt theological dialogue with Rome

After Fiducia Supplicans; call blessing sin 'unacceptable'

Pope: Ukraine needs to have 'courage of the white flag'

Vatican clarifies he meant to negotiate, not to surrender

Cdl. Fernández: Human dignity document forthcoming

It contains 'strong criticism' of immoral societal trends

Vatican makes appeal for Aid to Holy Land collection

$7.19M collected in 2023 was down from $9.04M in '22

NY priest's status unclear after $270K parish theft

Appears to have faced no canonical sanctions for it

Irish voters keep motherhood, family in constitution

PM admits 'two wallops' to progressive political ideas

March 8

Pope: Aquinas is needed to answer today’s challenges

Event celebrates legacy of famed Italian Dominican friar

Procession with skull marks Aquinas' 750th d. anniv.

In Italy; a second skull in Toulouse is claimed to be his

Rome court clears way for S. Bannon's political institute

Politically-driven case was due to his closeness to Trump

Euthanasia deaths in Belgium reach record high

3,423 killed by lethal injection in 2023; 1,807 in 2013

Ronald Reagan rued legalizing abortion in Calif. in 1967

Judie Brown: He 'publicly repented' amid pro-life group

Vietnam: Orchestra for orphans launches at MC home

Mother Teresa's sisters facilitate effort in Ho Chi Minh City

March 7

Respiratory & mobility problems take toll on Pope

He's unable to climb into popemobile after 3/6 audience

Haiti: Gangs try to seize airport after 2 prison breaks

Religious, priests, other innocents have been kidnapped

Canadian Anglican theologian: FS is the ‘fall of Rome’

H. Boersma: It 'signals the Church’s implosion in the West'

Orthodox and Catholic prelates in Russia skewer FS

Scripture 'cannot justify this new practice in any way'

Pope puts retired judge on Canadian cardinal case

To investigate abuse charge, part of class action lawsuit

Dean: Elite-level students are intellectually restricted

'The telling of truth isn’t prioritized,' isn't seen as 'safe'

March 6

Pontif. academy opposes French abortion amendment

States, "There cannot be a ‘right’ to take a human life"

16 AGs warn YouTube on misleading abortion videos

'Blatant misinformation campaign' puts women at risk

Leaked files reveal international trans org's ideology

WPATH guides 'care' standards but is not a medical org

Belgian bishops face hard questions at abuse inquiry

Antwerp bishop defends efforts, expresses frustration

French canonist questions mandatory concelebration

Canon 902 affirms priest's right to celebrate private Mass

PP breaks law to sell aborted baby parts to UCSD

'Proprietary material' sent for 'valuable consideration'

March 5

Lapsed Italian Catholics turn to paganism, the occult

Three million per year consult with 160,000 sorcerers

French gov't enshrines abortion in nation’s constitution

Bishops join call by Catholic movements to fast & pray

Theologian: ‘Non-liturgical’ blessings do not exist

Bux: Vatican News article is 'a shameless falsification'

Pro-life students need police protection at UK univ.

As hostile mob of 250 surrounds entrance to meeting

U.S. military makes abortion provision permanent

VA authorized to perform them, even where it's illegal

Univ. presidents think all is well on their campuses

Vast majority satisfied, see problems only elsewhere

March 4

Walgreens and CVS to begin selling abortion pills

Rollout in MA, NY, PA, CA, IL where abortion is unlimited

Pope issues 70th motu proprio of his pontificate

Modifies law of Apostolic Signatura, Church’s high court

U.S. bishops oppose federal-level IVF access bill

IVF creates countless frozen or discarded embryos

Conference shows Synod still dogged by ambiguity

Bishop Rhoades urges precision in use of synod terms

Ethicists warn about eroding ‘brain death’ standards

Advise making advance directives, no organ donation

Jerusalem Patriarchs, heads of Churches call for peace

After IDF opened fire on civilians surrounding aid convoy

March 1

Vatican repeats call for return of hostages by Hamas

Parolin says the only path to this is through cease-fire

U.S. bishops announce opposition to repro tech bill

Which may force health care providers to violate beliefs

Alabama House passes bill protecting IVF providers

Says no suit shall be brought against any such entity

Ala. court did not prohibit IVF; clinics seek exemption

Politicians are siding against parents & with lousy clinic

Vatican diplomat to UN: Address religious freedom

Rel. freedom is violated in nearly one-third of all countries

Cordileone wants emphasis on martyrs of Communism

Heroic souls oppose regimes in Nicaragua and China

February 29

Pseudonymous cardinal writes ‘profile of next pope’

Defines seven priorities of next conclave to repair crisis

NY archdiocese arts center cancels ‘kinky’ workshops

Dodgy group tried to rent space at the Sheen Center

Parolin: EU troops in Ukraine is 'frightening scenario'

Would bring about the escalation we have tried to avoid

Spain: Two men celebrate 'marriage' in private chapel

Archdiocese anticipates deconsecrating it as a result

Alabama IVF case exposes 'wild west' of repro tech

$8B baby-making industry is in state of lawlessness

Pro-lifers rally against satanic statue at U. of Houston

18-ft golden idol was transported from NYC park to TX

February 28

Bishop: Freemasonry is incompatible with Catholicism

Pontif. Acad. of Theology president attended their event

UK cardinal bans traditional Easter Triduum services

Nichols 'disappoints' to 'keep the wider picture in view'

Finnish study disputes claim about trans kids & suicide

'Gender-affirming' treatment doesn't alter suicide rate

Prosecutor vows to try 92-year-old Louisiana priest

For rape, despite his lawyers' claims he's too sick

Does ‘Fiducia’ hobble Vatican diplomacy with Russia?

FS 'shocked' Orthodox, which fortifies wall around Putin

Church historian proposes conclave-voting reform

To reduce daily ballots cast to one and slow the pace