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An arrest has been made after an 18-year-old student in Kansas was allegedly attacked while knocking on doors to encourage citizens to vote for a pro-life amendment. 18-year-old Grace Hartsock from Austin, Texas, an incoming freshman at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, was canvassing for the amendment when a woman allegedly shoved her in the chest with both hands, began violently hitting her in the head with closed fists, and verbally assaulted her. Police said that a 37-year-old suspect was arrested and charged in Leawood Municipal Court with misdemeanor battery and released. Harstock was not injured, and said she will continue with her pro-life advocacy.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252002/kansas-woman-arrested-after-allegedly-striking-pro-life-teen-with-fists-to-the-head
A group of 500 young Catholics in Ireland have signed a letter saying they love the Church’s teaching, but that their voices had not been heard in the process leading up to the Synod on Synodality in Rome. The synodal process to prepare the synod started with consultations at the diocesan level in October 2021. Peadar Hand, one of the letter’s organizers, said, “among people who are actually practicing and trying their best to live their faith, there’s no desire for [a change in Church teaching].” They express concern that the synodal process underway might falsely give the impression that all Catholics in Ireland would like to see changes made in the areas of human sexuality, marriage and ordained ministry. CNA has reached out to the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference for comment.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252005/young-catholics-in-ireland-say-their-voices-have-not-been-heard-during-synodal-process
A lightning strike caused a roof fire Monday that severely damaged a historic Catholic church in Rockford, Illinois, and left three firefighters injured, authorities said. The Rockford Fire Department determined that lightning set the roof on fire, Mike Rotolo, the department's fire prevention coordinator, told CNA Tuesday. The damage to the church may exceed $3 million, he said. The church is located outside the Chicago metropolitan area in the far northern part of the state. No one was inside the church during the time of the fire and the pastor safely removed the Holy Eucharist from the building, the diocese said.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251999/historic-illinois-saint-james-catholic-church-roof-fire
Today, the Church celebrates Saint Lawrence, who was martyred on August 10, 258 during the persecution of the emperor Valerian along with many other members of the Roman clergy. He was the last of the seven deacons of Rome to die. After the pope, Sixtus II, was martyred on August 6, Lawrence became the principal authority of the Roman Church, having been the Church's treasurer. When he was summoned before the executioners he was ordered to bring all the wealth of the Church with him. According to tradition, he showed up with a handful of crippled, poor, and sick men, and when questioned, replied that "These are the true wealth of the Church." He was immediately sent to his death, being cooked alive on a gridiron.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-lawrence-563