Bishops: attacks on Catholic sites are “acts of hate” and must stop (CNS) The Oct. 10 vandalization of Denver’s cathedral basilica that resulted in satanic and other “hateful graffiti” being scrawled on its doors and at least one statue brought to 100 the number of incidents of arson, vandalism and other destruction that have taken place at Catholic sites across the United States since May 2020. That month the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty began tracking such incidents, according to an Oct. 14 USCCB news release. “These incidents of vandalism have ranged from the tragic to the obscene, from the transparent to the inexplicable,” the chairmen of the USCCB’s religious liberty and domestic policy committees said in a joint statement included in the release…
Pope to meet with poor in Assisi (Vatican News) The meeting in Assisi, St. Francis’ hometown, will be a private one during which Pope Francis will share moments of listening and prayer with about 500 people from all over Europe in preparation for the World Day of the Poor on 14 November. That World Day was wanted by the Pope to raise awareness and call on all men and women to listen to the cry of the poor. The theme of this year’s celebration is from the Gospel of Mark: “The poor you will always have with you…”
Catholic high school investigates racial slurs (AP) A Catholic high school in Massachusetts has suspended football activities pending an investigation into reports that at least one of its players directed racial slurs at opposing players during a game last weekend. Players for Boston-based Cathedral High School told their coaches that one or more players for St. John Paul II School were using the epithets during Saturday’s game, according to a statement on St. John Paul II’s website…
Pope: Catholic social teaching gives Gospel concrete form (CNS) Pope Francis said he knows “it often annoys people” when he promotes Catholic teaching on social issues like poverty, migration and ecology, but he is going to keep doing so because the Gospel demands it…
Religious apps removed from Apple sites in China (CNA) Under pressure from Chinese law, a digital Bible company has removed its app from Apple’s app store offerings in China while Apple itself has removed a Quran app from its China store at the request of Chinese officials. “Olive Tree Bible Software was informed during the App Store review process that we are required to provide a permit demonstrating our authorization to distribute an app with book or magazine content in mainland China,” the company told BBC News…
