Catholic News

• After 'taking a knee,' El Paso bishop gets a call from the Pope (CNS)
  Holding a Black Lives Matter sign, Bishop Mark Seitz and other El Paso priests knelt in a park for eight minutes on June 1—an action Bishop Seitz discussed in this National Catholic Reporter column.
• Church cannot return to pre-pandemic pastoral practices, Vatican official says (Synod of Bishops)
  In 2019, Pope Francis appointed Maltese Bishop Mario Grech as Pro-Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops.
• Following lawsuit threat, Delaware lifts controversial rules for reopening churches (National Catholic Register)
  “Special services, such as baptisms, initiations, weddings, and funerals are permitted, but pose significant health threats if strict social distancing, hygiene and other measures are not taken to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” according to the updated guidance.
• Chinese churches must preach patriotism to reopen (UCANews)
  Chinese Catholic priests have been informed by government officials that if they wish to reopen their churches after the CO19 lockdown, they must agree to “preach on patriotism.”
• Nothing matters as much as human life: El Salvador's bishops issue CO19 statement (CEDES (Spanish))
  The Fides news agency has published an English-language summary of the statement. The Central American nation of 6.2 million (map) is 66% Catholic and 30% Protestant.
• New York: archdiocesan spokesman protests unequal treatment (New York archdiocese)
  New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio said that demonstrations would be allowed, despite emergency lockdown regulations, but those regulations would still apply to religious services. A spokesman for the New York archdiocese observed: “Amidst it all, we have once again been given proof that religious liberty is a second-class right.”
• With lockdown lifted in China, crackdowns on churches Iitensify (Bitter Winter)
  This article discusses a crackdown on some congregations affiliated with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement—China’s official Protestant body.
• 4 Iranian Christians ordered to begin prison sentences (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)
  The four Christians, arrested in 2019 during police raids on house churches, have been sentenced to five years in prison for “endangering state security” and “promoting Zionism.”
• US blocks UN agreement over pro-life concerns (C-FAM)
  “The United States rejects any interpretation of international human rights to require any State Party to provide access to abortion,” the US mission to the United Nations said in a statement. “In short, there is no international right to abortion, nor is there any duty on the part of States to finance or facilitate abortion.”
• Hong Kong: thousands defy order to mark Tiananmen anniversary (CNA)
  Thousands of demonstrators gathered in defiance of a government ban in Hong Kong to observe the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. The protest against Chinese repression comes during a period of heightened tension in Hong Kong, after China moved to curb the autonomy of the province. The AsiaNews service provides video footage of the demonstrations.
• Cardinal Turkson calls for justice, nonviolence in response to George Floyd's death (Vatican News)
  “I would add to the call of nonviolence also the call to forgiveness,” the Ghana-born prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said in an interview. “This, I think, is the way we can dignify the memory of George Floyd … All people could be brought together to pray. The one thing that George Floyd needs at this moment is prayer.”
• Livestream audience provides 'biggest pilgrimage season so far' for English shrine (CNA)
  Msgr. John Armitage, recor of England’s Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady in Walsingham, contends that the shrine has record-breaking season of pilgrimages despite CO19 restrictions—not because people have visited the shrine, but because many thousands have watched livestream services from Walshingham.
• Brooklyn bishop accused by 2nd man of sex abuse in the 1970s (AP)
  “There is absolutely no truth to this allegation,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. “This is clearly another attempt to destroy my name and discredit what I have accomplished in my service to God and His people.”
• Cardinal Tobin: 'We witness the asphyxiation of our country' (Redemptorists International)
  “No one comes to Jesus with the lame request of wanting to feel better,” said Cardinal Joseph Tobin, CSSR, of Newark. “They name the evil and ask for relief. We need to turn to the Lord of the Universe, for the malice we name cannot be eradicated by our unaided efforts.”
• National Black Catholic Congress: 'We have witnessed, in graphic video detail, racism on display' (Catholic Standard)
  The National Black Catholic Congress was founded in 1889.
• US bishops receive call of encouragement, assurances of prayer from Pope Francis (USCCB)
  The Pope also discussed the death of George Floyd and unrest in the United States during his June 3 general audience.
• Pennsylvania becomes 3rd state to ban marriage under 18 (CBS News)
  Since 2014, more than 2,300 people between the ages of 15 and 17 were married in Pennsylvania. In a 1996 article, canon lawyer Edward Peters examined the history of the minimum canonical age for sacramental marriage.
• CO19 in Brazil: 117 priests infected, 14 have died (Fides)
  Priest in the states of Pará (map) and Amapá (map) have been most affected.
• Italian bishops, government agree on mode of distributing Communion (Edward Pentin)
  The Catholic bishops of Italy have reached an agreement with the country’s government that requires priests to wear masks and disposable gloves when distributing Communion. The agreement seems to be at odds with the Church’s liturgical guidelines.
• Madison diocese prepared to challenge restrictions on parishes (CNA)
  The Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, has warned local officials that it will file suit if Catholic parishes are held to standards more rigorous than those applied to retail stores during the CO19 lockdown.
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