A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
-
Pope Francis at the end of his general audience on Wednesday morning announced another day of prayer and fasting for an end to the Israel-Hamas war, on October 27th. It will be “a day of penance to which I invite sisters and brothers of the various Christian denominations, those belonging to other religions, and all those who have at heart the cause of peace in the world, to join in as they see fit,” the Holy Father continued. The Holy Father’s announcement comes after the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, called for a global day of prayer and fasting, which was held on October 17, “to deliver to God the Father our thirst for peace, justice, and reconciliation.” The Holy Father’s announcement was preceded by his renewed appeal for peace in the Holy Land.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255729/pope-francis-announces-prayer-vigil-day-of-fasting-for-peace-in-israel-hamas-war
As the fighting between Hamas and the Israeli army continues in the Holy Land, the Catholic Church in Gaza is doing everything in its power to alleviate the burden of war on its affected members. The bloodshed and displacement have not spared the civilians in Gaza, who have borne the brunt of the raging war in a region that has not known safety and stability for about 75 years. At least 20 homes of Christian civilians have been completely destroyed as a result of Israeli bombing as well as homes that were partially damaged. Holy Family Church is the only Roman Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip and is located in the northern part of Gaza City. Israel’s military had ordered the Palestinian civilians to evacuate south last week, but the church today still has several hundred people taking refuge in its buildings. Despite the siege and the harshness of war, the church continues to open its doors to worshippers daily, fulfilling its spiritual duties toward them, including the baptism of a baby.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255735/we-lack-food-and-medicine-catholics-in-gaza-take-refuge-in-only-parish-church
Today, the Church celebrates Saint Paul of the Cross. After receiving a vision, and while still a layman, he founded the Barefoot Clerks of the Cross and the Passion (Passionists) in 1721 to preach about Jesus Crucified. He became a preacher of such power that even hardened soldiers and bandits were seen to weep. At one point all the brothers in the order deserted him, but in 1741 his rule was approved by Pope Benedict XIV, and the community began to grow again. Numerous miracles, in addition those special ones brought forward at his beatification and canonization, attested the favor he enjoyed with God.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-paul-of-the-cross-24
The Church also celebrates the eight North American martyrs, also known as the Candian Martyrs, the Jesuit Martyrs of North America or the Martyrs of France, which included six priests and two lay brothers. They were heroic members of the Society of Jesus who were martyred in North America in order to bring the Faith that is necessary for salvation to the Huron, the Iroquois and the Mohawks. Five of the eight North American martyrs were put to death in what is now Canada, and three of them in New York State. There is a shrine to the United States' martyrs at Auriesville in New York, and there is a shrine to the Canadian martyrs at Fort Saint Mary near Midland, Ontario.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/the-north-american-martyrs-25