Bishop removes pastor over COVID refusal (Catholic World Report) In a letter to parishioners of Holy Family Parish in Springfield, Vermont, Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington announced that their pastor is being removed from his position over his continued refusal to be tested regularly for COVID-19 and to wear a mask while ministering, as the bishop had directed. The bishop also noted that he has invited Father Peter Williams to reside with him, so they “can pray, dialogue and worship together to hopefully change the bad opinion he has of me as his bishop…”
Vatican secretary of state speaks with Russian foreign minister (CNS) In a telephone call with Russia’s foreign minister, the Vatican secretary of state “conveyed Pope Francis’ deep concern about the ongoing war in Ukraine,” the Vatican said. The statement from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s office about the phone call March 8, said that Lavrov addressed Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s concerns about the war by outlining “the principled Russian position regarding the causes and goals of the special military operation being carried out in Ukraine…”
Canadian cardinal coordinates relief efforts in Ukraine (Crux) Speaking from Hungary, from where he hopes to reach Ukraine, Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is the interim head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development, told Crux that the preparation for his trip began “soon after the crisis broke.” Czerny was appointed a papal envoy to Ukraine during the crisis by Pope Francis. “The most important part was that the Migrants and Refugees section [of the dicastery] facilitated a meeting of the major Catholic actors who were going to be involved in responding,” said the Czechoslovakian-born Canadian. The cardinal headed the section until late last year, when he was appointed interim head of the entire dicastery…
Biden promotes abortion policies on International Women’s Day (CNA) Abortion figured prominently in President Joe Biden’s statement Tuesday in observance of International Women’s Day, again underscoring how his policies toward the unborn conflict with Catholic teaching on the right to life. “Every person deserves the chance to live up to their full God-given potential, without regard for gender or other factors,” Biden, a Catholic, said in his March 8 statement. “Ensuring that every woman and girl has that chance isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s also a strategic imperative that advances the prosperity, stability, and security of our nation and the world…”
Meet the nun reshaping the role of women in the Vatican (The New York Times) Sister Nathalie Becquart, 53, a French Roman Catholic nun, was named to serve as under secretary of the Synod of Bishops, a summit of 250 bishops from around the world that will meet in Rome in 2023. She will become the first woman with a right to vote at such a high-level Vatican gathering…
