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A Nigerian government official said Thursday that the insurgent group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is suspected as the perpetrators of a massacre at a Catholic church last week that left dozens dead. In the June 5 attack, gunmen opened fire on Catholic worshipers attending Pentecost celebrations at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in southwestern Nigeria. Initial reports suggested that more than 50 people were killed, including children, and others injured. The official death toll for the attack currently stands at 40, with 61 injured people still in hospital. ISWAP is considered a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, another Islamic extremist terrorist group which has killed thousands of Christians and displaced millions of people in Nigeria and neighboring countries in recent years.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251507/nigeria-church-massacre-isis-affiliate-group-suspected-as-perpetrators-government-official-says
Pope Francis’ July trip to the African countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan has been postponed for health reasons, the Vatican said on Friday. Pope Francis was planning to spend July 2-5 in the Congolese cities of Kinshasa and Goma, and July 5-7 in the South Sudanese capital Juba. The 85-year-old pope has been suffering from a painful inflamed ligament in his knee, limiting his ability to walk. He has been using a wheelchair during public appearances since last month. He is still scheduled to visit Canada on July 24-29.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251510/pope-francis-postpones-trip-to-democratic-republic-of-congo-and-south-sudan
Washington DC authorities will allow a private pathologist to examine the remains of five babies the group claims it recovered from a DC abortion clinic. The pro-life group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising said this spring that they had obtained 115 aborted babies from a driver for a medical waste company to bury them in a dignified way. Five of those babies appeared to be of late-term gestation. DC officials said the city’s medical examiner would not perform autopsies on the five babies. Pro-life groups have expressed concern that the manner in which the babies died violated federal law.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251506/dc-aborted-babies-private-autopsy-ted-cruz-how-they-died
Today, the Church celebrates Blessed Edward Poppe. He was one of 11 children born to a modest, pious family in Belgium. He was drafted to the military in 1910 and served as a battlefield nurse during World War I. His prayers to St. Joseph during that time led to the miraculous freeing of several prisoners of war. He was ordained in 1916 at the age of 25 and served as associate pastor, focusing his ministry to the poor, children and the dying. He also taught catechism and founded Eucharistic associations.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/blessed-edward-poppe-503