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The president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) this week said he was hoping for a quick reopening of border access to Gaza and deployment of aid to stricken civilians in the war-torn area. CRS on Wednesday repeated its call for “an end to all violence and immediate humanitarian access to Gaza,” with the group and partner aid workers “mobilized and standing ready to meet the immediate needs of displaced families.” CRS president and CEO Sean Callahan told CNA on Thursday that the group was waiting for aid access to the embattled region. There are about 3,000 tons of supplies in humanitarian aid awaiting entry to Gaza from the Egyptian side of the border, according to the UN. Israel agreed to the aid being transferred to the Palestinian people as long as it goes only to civilians and not Hamas.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255755/catholic-relief-president-on-aid-to-gaza-let-s-get-it-going-take-care-of-these-people
Three Catholic nuns, a seminarian, and their driver who were abducted from Nigeria’s Abakaliki Diocese on October 5 have been released. Vicar General Sister Gloria Nnabuchi of the Missionary Daughters of Mater Ecclesiae said a ransom of 1 million Naira, or 1,305 US dollars, had been paid for their release. The five were on their way to a burial in Nigeria’s Imo State when they came in contact with their abductors. Nigeria has been experiencing insecurity since 2009 when Boko Haram insurgency began with the aim of turning the country into an Islamic state. Since then, the group, one of largest Islamist groups in Africa, has been orchestrating indiscriminate terrorist attacks on various targets, including religious and political groups as well as civilians. The insecurity situation in the country has further been complicated by the involvement of the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255748/religious-congregation-grateful-after-release-of-abducted-nuns-seminarian-in-nigeria
The Nicaraguan dictatorship reported that it has released 12 priests it had imprisoned and sent them to the Vatican after an agreement was reached with the authorities of the Catholic Church. Bishop Rolando Álvarez of the Diocese of Matagalpa was not among those released. Álvarez was sentenced on February 10 to 26 years and four months in prison. A day before the sentence, the prelate refused to be part of the group of 222 deportees who were sent to the United States and who were then stripped of their nationality and property in Nicaragua by the oppressive dictatorship of Daniel Ortega. The Ortega regime announced that the release of the 12 priests took place “after fruitful conversations with the Holy See.” The priests, the release said, are headed to the Vatican and “traveled to Rome, Italy, this afternoon.” The Vatican did not confirm whether the Holy See was involved in arranging for the release of the priests.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255740/government-of-nicaragua-claims-that-it-freed-12-priests-after-an-agreement-with-the-vatican
Today the Church celebrates Saint Irene, a Portuguese nun who was martyred in defense of her chastity in the year 653. Saint Irene’s body was miraculously recovered after being thrown into the river. She was canonized in part because of the great amount of miracles that occured at her tomb.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-irene-26
The Church also honors Saint Bertilla Boscardin, a sister and nurse who cared for Italian soldiers during World War One.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-bertilla-boscardin-630