Amarillo disavows statements by Father Pavone (CNA) The Diocese of Amarillo has spoken out about election-related comments from Fr. Frank Pavone, the national director of the pro-life group Priests for Life, and asked prayers for the priest. In a Sept. 16 statement, the diocese noted that Pavone, in videos posted online, had condemned the act of “voting for candidates of a particular political party” and had reportedly suggested he might need to refuse absolution if such votes were confessed with contrition. According to the diocese, Pavone also used “scandalous words not becoming of a Catholic priest…”

Priest says Catholics demanding Communion on tongue are a threat to health (The Irish Times) A Waterford priest has criticized as selfish the behavior of Catholics who demand Communion on the tongue despite Covid-19 restrictions. Fr Liam Power, former communications officer with the diocese of Waterford and Lismore, said such people did not seem to “respect the danger this represented to others” and were a cause of “very serious embarrassment for priests, many of whom are elderly”…

There were 5 priests in Aleppo; two died of COVID (Crux) Four out of the five Franciscan friars working in the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo tested positive for COVID-19, with two of them dying from the disease. The information was sent to Crux by Father Ibrahim Alsabagh, the parish priest of the Latin Parish in Aleppo. He claimed the high percentage of cases – four out of five – was similar throughout the parish, although Crux could not independently verify these numbers…

Chicago deacons hold sunrise service, praying for end to violence (Chicago Catholic) For the last 10 years, the Black deacons of Chicago have led sunrise services near around the start of the school year to pray for an end to gun violence in the city. They gathered again and continued praying on Sept. 12, this time not on Oakwood Beach but in the parking lot of St. Katharine Drexel Church, 9015 S. Harper Ave., because of social distancing.  People took part in the service from their cars or in chairs spaced apart for safety…

Pope thanks elderly, sick priests for their witness (Vatican News) In the message addressed to “brother priests,” the Pope thanks the Episcopal Conference of Lombardy, which for six years has organized the Day of Prayer and Fraternity with elderly and sick clergy.“It is beautiful,” Pope Francis says, the attention that is shown to those priests who are physically more fragile…

I read The New York Times and The Washington Post so you don’t have to.

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