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Pope Francis has decided to give the Greek Orthodox archbishop of Athens three fragments of Parthenon sculptures that have been kept in the Vatican Museums for centuries.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253091/pope-francis-gives-greek-orthodox-archbishop-fragments-of-parthenon-sculptures-from-vatican-museums
After a five-day journey meeting with Church hierarchy and government officials in Poland and Ukraine, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly of the Knights of Columbus said American Catholics must continue to stand in solidarity with the suffering Ukrainian people this winter. Kelly emphasized that Ukraine is headed toward a difficult trial with the coming winter cold, as the country is already suffering from major power outages nationwide, something that he experienced himself when visiting the war-torn nation. Knights of Columbus Charity Convoys have produced and delivered more than 100,000 care packages from Poland to people in need in Ukraine. Thirty-five thousand more care packages of all kinds of food are currently being prepared. More aid from the Knights is provided by its Ukraine Solidarity Fund, which has now raised nearly $20 million. The fund supports humanitarian relief for those affected by the war.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253086/kofc-supreme-knight-to-american-catholics-remember-our-brothers-and-sisters-in-christ-in-ukraine-this-winter
In testimony to a U.S. congressional human rights commission, two prominent human rights experts decried the ongoing repression of the Catholic Church by Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega and urged additional action by the U.S. to oppose Ortega’s regime. Ortega’s government has in recent years detained, imprisoned, and likely tortured numerous Catholic leaders, including at least one bishop and several priests. His government has also taken action to repress Catholic radio and television stations, and driven Catholic religious orders, including the Missionaries of Charity, from the country. The regime also expelled Archbishop Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, the former apostolic nuncio in Nicaragua, from the country, a move the Vatican called “incomprehensible.” The experts speaking Dec. 15 to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) called on Pope Francis to explicitly condemn Ortega’s actions. In August, Pope Francis called for “peaceful coexistence” between people and institutions in Nicaragua, drawing ire from Ortega.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253088/us-vatican-urged-to-counter-nicaraguan-regime-in-congressional-testimony
Today, the Church celebrates Saint Adelaide, wife of King Otho the Great of Germany, In the tenth century, she used her power as the effective empress to increase evangelization efforts, especially in northern Europe, and built many monasteries and churches, and also gave much aid the poor.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-adelaide-86