Catholic school sues Michigan to drop ‘unreasonable’ mask mandate (MLive.com) Michigan’s mask mandate in schools prevents students from getting a Catholic education, a Lansing elementary school argues in a new lawsuit against the state. Resurrection School – a Catholic school in Lansing – is suing Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon for his mandate requiring mask wearing in schools all day because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents of students at Resurrection are also plaintiffs in the lawsuit…
New terror attacks leave France embattled at home and abroad (The New York Times) A terror attack that killed three people in Nice on Thursday left France increasingly embattled at home and abroad, as the government called for toughening measures against Islamist extremism, amid rising tensions with Muslim nations…
Italian cardinal has COVID (CNA) Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, the president of the Italian bishops’ conference, has tested positive for COVID-19. Bassetti, the archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve, is 78 years old. His condition is being closely monitored, according to a statement released by the bishops’ conference Oct. 28…
Former priest sues diocese over unsubstantiated abuse claims (Mahoning Matters) The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown is facing another defamation suit from a former Youngstown priest. The diocese in October 2018 published former St. Edward Parish priest William Smaltz’s name in a list of diocesan clergy who have been accused of sexually abusing a minor. The diocese in May removed Smaltz’s name from the list, after it received new information and followed up on the claims against him, and found them to be unsubstantiated. But Smaltz’s lawsuit, filed Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, claims the damage to his reputation had already been done…
Pope to resume live broadcasts of his General Audience from library (Vatican News) Pope Francis’ General Audiences will once again be broadcast live from the Library of the Apostolic Palace, beginning next Wednesday, 4 November. The news came in a statement released on Thursday by the Holy See Press Office. In the statement, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, explains that the decision was made after receiving reports of a positive case of Covid-19 during the General Audience on Wednesday 21 October, as well as “in order to avoid any possible future risk to the health of the participants…”