‘Split’ Catholic voters try to find dialogue amid rancor (CNS) “We see, basically, Catholics are split like Solomon’s baby between the two parties,” said Emma Green, a reporter for The Atlantic magazine and one of several panelists participating in an Oct. 20 dialogue on “Faithful Citizenship: Moral and Political Choices for Catholics in the 2020 Election.” The livestreamed panel, sponsored by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University in Washington, was seeking to foster dialogue and understanding days before the culmination of one of the country’s most rancorous elections anyone alive remembers. “It’s interesting how all of this could exist in one Catholic Church under a roof of people who share a faith, certain principles and teachings,” said Green, who writes about religion…
Pope’s remarks on same-sex unions were cut from 2019 interview (The New York Times) Pope Francis was an hour into a sprawling interview with a Mexican journalist at his Vatican residence in 2019 when he was asked if he had changed since his time as archbishop of Argentina, when he staunchly opposed gay marriage. Francis responded that he had always defended the church’s teaching on marriage, then began to delve into the question of legalizing same-sex relationships when suddenly the video skipped forward. “One changes in life,” he said. The words that went missing — expressing support for same-sex civil unions — surfaced only this week in a new documentary, stoking the hopes of gay Catholics and the fury of conservatives. But the clip also became the subject of sudden intrigue over when and where the pope made the remarks, and why they were only now being made public…
Indian bishop demands justice after Catholic cemetery is desecrated (Crux) A bishop in India is calling for justice after Hindu radicals desecrated a Catholic cemetery in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Eight people have been arrested over the vandalism, which took place in the town of Udayarpatti during the night between Oct. 17-18…
Planned Parenthood getting more funding (CNA) Recent annual reports show that federal funding to Planned Parenthood has increased, despite efforts by the Trump administration to eliminate federal funding for the abortion provider over the last four years. One healthcare funding expert told CNA that without congressional action, new avenues of federal funding for abortion providers could soon be made available by pro-choice policy makers…
Nuns raised in Buddhist Vietnam describe their conversions and vocations (CNS) Catholicism is seen as a foreign religion in Vietnam, with 52,000 followers among the population of 1.3 million in Thua Thien Hue province, according to church statistics. There are about 7 million Catholics in Vietnam, which has a population of about 98 million. Three sisters who have their origins in other religions recently talked with Global Sisters Report about their admiration for what sisters have done for them and others. They tell why they were inspired to convert to Catholicism, pursue religious vocations and commit to people in need…
