At Notre Dame, Clarence Thomas criticizes judges who veer into politics (AP) Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Thursday criticized some in the judiciary for veering into the role of legislators and politicians, saying it is not the role of judges to make policy or to base decisions on their personal feelings or religious beliefs. Speaking at the University of Notre Dame, Thomas said judges “venturing into areas we should not have entered into” is part of why the nomination process, particularly for federal judges with lifetime appointments like himself, is so contentious…

Italian priest under house arrest for sale, import of “rape drug” (Crux) On Tuesday police in the Tuscan city of Prato announced that they had placed Italian Father Francesco Spagnesi under house arrest for the sale and import of drugs, including cocaine and GBL, a date rape drug. Spagnesi, 40, until Sept. 1 was pastor of Annunciation parish in Prato. He was relieved of his duties as pastor and ordered to take a year sabbatical by his bishop, Giovanni Nerbini, who claims to have been partially aware of Spagnesi’s struggles but did not know the full extent of the situation…

Pew: Catholics are most vaccinated religious group for COVID (CNA) Catholics are the religious group most vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United States, according to a new national survey by the Pew Research Center.  The survey of 10,349 U.S. adults found that 82% of self-identified Catholics had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 75% of religiously unaffiliated adults and 73% of White Protestants. Hispanic Catholics were slightly more likely than White Catholics to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine…

Wichita prepares to welcome home remains of Father Kapaun (CNS) The flag-draped casket was empty during a memorial Mass in Wichita for Father Emil J. Kapaun July 29, 1953. The casket at Father Kapaun’s funeral Mass Sept. 29, won’t be vacant. He is coming home. The memorial Mass in 1953 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was celebrated a little over two weeks after word of Father Kapaun’s death reached Bishop Mark K. Carroll July 12, 1953. He was notified the U.S. Army chaplain had died in a North Korean prisoner of war camp May 23, 1951…