Pew survey looks at Catholic views on Biden and Communion (Pew Research) Among U.S. Catholic adults overall, 67% say Biden should be allowed to receive Communion during Mass, while 29% say the country’s second Catholic president should not be allowed to do this. However, among Catholics who identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, a slim majority (55%) say Biden’s abortion stance should disqualify him from receiving Communion, compared with just 11% of Catholic Democrats and Democratic leaners who say the same…
Brooklyn’s Bishop DiMarzio recalls life of first U.S. priest to die of COVID (CNS) Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay of Brooklyn, the first U.S. priest to die from complications of COVID-19, was recalled as “a good and saintly priest” by his bishop during a bilingual Mass marking the first anniversary of his death. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio recalled the life of Father Ortiz-Garay, 49, pastor of St. Brigid Church in Brooklyn, describing the native of Mexico as a man dedicated to serving God and the faithful. He assured the people attending the Mass March 27 at St. Brigid Church that Father Ortiz-Garay is with God. Father Carlos Velasquez, St. Brigid pastor, called the anniversary “a sad day in the life of our parish,” reported The Tablet, the diocesan newspaper. The pandemic caused “deep pain” in the community, he said. There were 80 to 90 other deaths in the parish from the coronavirus…
Archbishop condemns violence against Asian-Americans (Catholic San Francisco) Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone issued the following statement March 30 in response to a wave of attacks against Asian Americans in the Bay Area and across the country. “The rise in violence against Asian people across the country is alarming and horrific to all people of right reason. Even their elders, among the most respected individuals in Asian society, have been targeted and attacked. All the more disturbing are the brutal assaults that have been perpetrated against Asian-Americans here in San Francisco in recent days. This is not San Francisco! On the contrary, our city has always been an epicenter of Asian-American culture, with recurring waves of Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, South Asian, and other immigrants overcoming discrimination and hardship to contribute to the rich tapestry of this city’s life…”
Pope sends personal letter to WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange (Crux) On Palm Sunday, Julian Assange, the Australian founder of WikiLeaks who made headlines in 2010 for publishing thousands of confidential US diplomatic documents, received a personal letter from Pope Francis. In a March 28 tweet, Assange’s partner Stella Moris said that “after a hard night, Julian woke up this morning to a kind, personal message from Pope Francis @pontifex delivered to his cell door by the prison priest.” “Our family wishes to express our gratitude to the many Catholics and other Christians campaigning for his freedom,” Moris said…
