Descendants challenge Jesuits on slave deal (The New York Times) Last month, the Jesuit conference of priests announced its plan to raise money to benefit the descendants of the enslaved people the order once owned and to promote racial reconciliation projects. The move, made in partnership with three descendant leaders, represents the largest effort by the Roman Catholic Church to make amends for the buying, selling and enslavement of Black people, church officials and historians said. But the news has been greeted with mixed emotions from descendants across the country…
Why anti-abortion Catholics should get vaccinated (The New York Times) America is rapidly approaching the point where demand, not supply, is the limiting factor of our vaccine rollout. Our job now is hearing out the worries of vaccine-hesitant friends and trying to assuage their concerns. My fellow Catholics are one group in need of assurance…
Top German bishop says Church must “evaluate homosexuality in a new way” (NCR) German Bishops’ Conference president Bishop Georg Bätzing said he favors an intense exchange of views concerning the desire of some same-sex couples to receive the Catholic Church’s blessing for their partnerships. “People in homosexual partnerships want the blessing of the church, one that is not concealed,” Bätzing, who also leads the Diocese of Limburg, told the German newspaper group RND. “They want the church to hold their life in such value that they are given the blessing of God and not denied it…”
Pope applauds beatification of monks who died protecting Eucharist (CNA) In his Regina Coeli address Sunday, Pope Francis applauded the beatification of six Cistercian monks who were martyred while trying to protect the Eucharist from desecration by French soldiers in 1799. Blessed Siméon Cardon and five other Cistercian monks were beatified on April 17 in the Italian abbey where they were martyred more than 200 years ago…
Chicago’s “Running Nun” talks about faith and sport (CNA) For Sister Stephanie Baliga, running now complements her faith and her vocation. “It’s a beautiful match for people trying to grow in holiness, in my opinion,” she said. “Running is a good way to help people pray and help people to grow in holiness, if you take it seriously and do it for others and not for yourself…”
