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Cardinal Joseph Zen appeared in court in Hong Kong on Tuesday, a date which is marked as the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. The 90-year-old former Catholic bishop of Hong Kong was charged in court on May 24 with four other prominent democracy advocates who were all trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which helped pro-democracy protesters to pay their legal fees. All five entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of failing to register the humanitarian fund with the police, and for a first conviction, this charge can reportedly incur a fine of up to $1,274, but likely will not fall under Hong Kong’s national security law. The date set for Cardinal Zen’s trial is Sept. 19.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251342/cardinal-zen-appears-in-court-in-hong-kong
A three-year-old boy was killed last week by gang members who opened fire inside a church in Fresnillo in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Their intended target was a young man they were pursuing who fled into the church. The boy was attending Mass with his mother and was killed in the hail of bullets unleashed by the gunmen. “We once again call on everyone to lay down their arms and put an end to all forms of violence, because all of us can be builders of peace. No one has the right to attack the life of his brother and there is nothing that justifies such violence," the bishops of Mexico said in response.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251335/bishops-call-for-peace-prayer-after-gunmen-kill-boy-in-mexican-church
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone on Monday responded to criticism that he is “politicizing” the Eucharist by denying Nancy Pelosi Holy Communion, saying he would prefer the Democratic House Speaker remain in office “and become an advocate for life in the womb." “I've been very clear all along, my purpose is pastoral, not political,” he added. “I am not campaigning for anyone for office. As a matter of fact, my preference would be for Speaker Pelosi to remain in office and become an advocate for life in the womb." On Friday, Cordileone announced that he had notified Pelosi, who describes herself as a devout Catholic, that until she publicly repudiates her support for abortion, she should not be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, her home diocese, nor should she present herself for Communion. Cordileone said he has not received any response from Pelosi so far.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251341/archbishop-cordileone-responds-to-criticism-that-hes-politicizing-the-eucharist
Today, the Church celebrates Saints Donatian and Rogatian, brothers who were martyred for their faith in the third century.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/feast-of-the-ascension-244
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-donatian-and-rogatian-465