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A former Catholic priest has filed a lawsuit against former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and the Archdiocese of Newark. The lawsuit alleges that McCarrick sexually abused him when he was a seminarian.
Catholic bishops in Austria have tightened rules for attending Mass, following a full national lockdown this week. Catholics are now required to wear a mask at indoor, and outdoor Masses. Priests and liturgical ministers will be required to show proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative COVID test. The bishops encouraged Catholics to postpone sacraments, including baptism and marriage, during the lockdown, which is expected to last at least two weeks.
Saint Joseph continues to protect the Church today, just like he protected the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. That was the reflection of Pope Francis today, during his general audience in Rome. The Gospel of Luke depicts Saint Joseph as a guardian of Jesus and Mary. Pope Francis said Joseph is also the guardian of the Church. The pope closed his audience with a prayer to Saint Joseph, to help anyone who is struggling to find meaningful human bonds in their life.
Today, the Church honors a group of 117 martyrs who died in Vietnam during the nineteenth century. The majority of the martyrs were Vietnamese, though some were Spanish and French. Eight of the martyrs were bishops.