Catholic News
- English bishops issue updated statement on Covid vaccine (CBCEW)
“Each of us has a duty to protect others from infection with its danger of serious illness, and for some, death,” the bishops said in their December 3 statement. “A vaccine is the most effective way to achieve this unless one decides to self-isolate.” After distinguishing between various vaccines, the bishops concluded that “Catholics may in good conscience receive any of these vaccines for the good of others and themselves. In good conscience, one may refuse a particular vaccine but continues to have a duty to protect others from infection.” - Pope establishes Worldwide Prayer Network as Vatican entity (Vatican News)
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) disseminates the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions. The papal document establishing the Network as a Vatican entity was accompanied by a Vatican press office statement and the publication of Italian-language statutes. - French bishops welcome 'realistic' new measures for public Masses (CNA)
The bishops issued their statement after the top French court blocked a 30-person limit on religious worship. - Alberta, Northwest Territories bishops: It is morally permissible to receive Covid vaccine derived from abortion (Catholic Bishops of Alberta and NWT)
“With respect to someone simply receiving the vaccine, the degree of connection with the original evil act is so remote that, when there also exists a proportionately grave reason for vaccination, such as the current, urgent need to halt the COVID-19 pandemic, then the Church assures us that it is morally permissible for Catholics to receive it for the good of personal and public health,” the bishops wrote in their letter to the faithful. “It remains imperative that Catholics make clear their moral objection to vaccine development derived from abortion, and to advocate with their governments for ethically produced vaccines.” - Pope calls on Church in Argentina to promote social friendship (Vatican News)
Pope Francis made his remarks in a Spanish-language message (video). - Supreme Court orders reconsideration of California ban on indoor religious services (AP)
The US Supreme Court has ordered a federal court in California to reconsider the state’s emergency regulations that bar indoor worship services, in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling blocking enforcement of similar restrictions in New York. - US government aid supports Sant'Egidio community, International Union of Superiors General (Vatican News)
Andrea Riccardi founded the Community of Sant’Egidio in 1968; the international lay association is devoted to prayer, the service of the poor, and peace. The International Union of Superiors General is the canonical organization for superiors of women’s religious institutes. - Haiti's bishops declare 3 days of prayer and fasting (Fides)
“Today more than ever, our dear Haiti needs salvation, redemption, peace and profound change: a change in mentalities, structures, ways of governing and doing politics,” the bishops said. “Today we are witnessing a poisoning of social life due to a proliferation of acts of kidnapping, banditry, rape, murder, and barbarism.” - Justice Dept. files suit against NY village over zoning restrictions that target Orthodox Jews (US Department of Justice)
“Targeting Orthodox Jewish individuals for the purpose of excluding them from a community is both illegal and a direct assault on this Nation’s fundamental values,” the Justice Department stated on December 2. “This unlawful anti-Semitic conduct is wholly unacceptable in the United States of America.” - Indonesian president, Catholic groups deplore jihadist attack on Christians (Fides)
Four Salvation Army Christians were murdered and dismembered on Sulawesi, an Indonesian island province that has seen repeated acts of violence by Islamic militants against Christians. - Malaysian bishops decry violence against women and children (Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur)
Islam is the official religion of the Southeast Asian nation (map). 56% of its 32.2 million people are Muslim, 9% are Christian, 6% are Buddhist, and 5% are Hindu, with 18% adhering to Chinese folk religions and 3% to ethnic religions. - Diocese of Pittsburgh pays $19.2M to settle 224 clergy abuse claims (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Bishop David Zubik “stressed that the funds did not come from parishes, schools, the [diocesan] Church Alive campaign or the sale of parish assets, but rather from insurance and a fund from the sale of historic assets that has grown over time,” according to the report. - In year-end message, leading South African bishop discusses corruption, Covid fatigue (SACBC)
“At the root of the practice of gathering in groups and partying by the young people and thus posing the danger of Covid-19 transmission is the prevailing hedonistic culture that propagates pursuance of pleasure at all cost, even if that means inconveniencing and endangering others,” said Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha, president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference. - Former DeSales University priest indicted on child pornography offenses (US Attorney's Office)
Father William McCandless was an advisor to Monaco’s royal family, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. - Papal condolences following death of Archbishop Tessier (Vatican News)
Born in 1929, Archbishop Henri Tessier was bishop of Oran (1973-80), coadjutor archbishop of Algiers (1980-88), and archbishop of Algiers (1988-2008). Algeria, a North African nation of 42.3 million (map), is 98% Muslim (predominantly Sunni), and Islam is the official religion. - Include disabled people in society, Pope insists (Vatican News)
Christian concern for disabled people should be “not only to care for them, but also to ensure their active participation in the civil and ecclesial community,” Pope Francis said in his message for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The Pope said that inclusion of the disabled—and rejection of a “throwaway culture”—should goals as society emerges from the Covid lockdown. - Australian bishops establish Catholic Safeguarding Limited (Australian Catholic Bishops Conference)
“The work of safeguarding and professional standards is constantly evolving, including through important and necessary state regulation and oversight,” said Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the bishops’ conference. “We in the Church knew we had to evolve as well, which has brought us to this point and to this new agency.” - 'They are an example to all of us': papal tribute to missionaries slain in El Salvador in 1980 (Vatican News)
Referring to three American religious sisters and a lay missionary slain in El Salvador on December 2, 1980, the Pope recalled that “they were kidnapped, raped and killed by a group of paramilitary forces. They were offering their services during the civil war and they were bringing food and medicine to those who had to flee, especially to the families that were the poorest. These women lived their faith with great generosity. They are an example for all of us to become faithful missionary disciples.” In El Salvador, prelates and others also remembered the missionaries. - English court: teen lacks mature judgment to make gender transition (Christian Post)
An English court has ruled in favor of a young woman who said that she was harmed by treatments at a gender-transition clinic. The court ruled that a child under the age of 16 is not able to give informed consent to gender-reassignment treatments. - Most Americans oppose special treatment for churches in Covid lockdown (Pew Forum)
Nearly four of five Americans think that houses of worship should abide by the same Covid restrictions, according to a new Pew survey; only 19% of respondents said that churches should be granted greater freedom. Most of those polled said that their own churches are now open, with special measures in place. But 23% of Catholics said their churches were still closed. Respondents were roughly twice as likely (63-32%) to have watched services online as to have attended in person. - More...