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Pope Francis has declined the resignation of the influential German Cardinal, Reinhard Marx. Marx sent his resignation to the pope last month, over the German Church’s handling of clerical sex abuse. The pope asked Marx to continue as archbishop of Munich and Freising. The 67-year-old cardinal is also a member of the pope’s Council of Cardinals, and the coordinator of the Vatican Council for the Economy. Until last year, he served as the chairman of the German bishops’ conference.
The number of Canadians who ended their lives by euthanasia and assisted suicide, increased by 17% in 2020, the country’s health department announced on Monday. A total of 7,595 people received “medically assisted deaths” last year, a figure which amounts to 2.5% of all deaths in Canada for the year. Euthanasia was legalized in Canada in 2016.
The website of the University of Notre Dame has a feature post celebrating Pride month, on its diversity and inclusion page. The university’s media relations staff did not reply to CNA’s multiple requests for comment. The university’s campus ministry office told CNA, that it was not aware of any plans for an initiative honoring the Sacred Heart in the month of June.
Three lay Catholics in Germany have asked the Vatican if the Church in Germany is in schism, through a process called a “dubium.” A dubium, from the Latin word meaning “doubt,” is a question addressed to the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation, that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.” One of the Catholics told CNA he is concerned about demands in Germany for the ordination of women, blessings of same-sex couples, and lay people preaching at Masses.
Today, the Church celebrates Blessed Edward Poppe, a priest from Belgium who died in 1924, at the age of 33. Poppe is remembered for his priestly ministry to the poor and dying. He spent the last years of his life studying, praying, and producing thousands of writings against Marxism and secularism.