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A divided Supreme Court has declined a petition to block a new heartbeat law in Texas, allowing the law to stand for now. The law prohibits abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy. The law is enforced by allowing private lawsuits in cases of illegal abortions. The court denied the petition by a 5 to 4 decision.
The leaders of several traditional Catholic institutions in France, have appealed to the country’s bishops, to discuss the pope’s recent restrictions on the traditional liturgy. The institutions have asked to create a mediator to address the challenges of the new restrictions. France is one of the world’s leading centers of Catholic traditionalism. French bishops have said they respect communities that celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.
A historically Black Catholic parish in Denver was robbed this week. Thieves stole vessels used for Mass, a laptop used for live streaming Masses, and a soundboard used to connect the church’s microphones. They also stole the tabernacle and several consecrated hosts. The parish has no leads on the robbery. This is the first break-in the church has had. The thieves also damaged the church’s furnace, and flooded the church basement.
Scientists may have identified the relics of three of Korea’s oldest Catholic martyrs, using DNA testing. Blessed Paul Yun Ji-chung and two of his companions were among the first of thousands of Catholics to be tortured and executed under the 500-year rule of the Choson dynasty. Their remains were discovered during renovations of a historic Catholic site in South Korea.
Today, the Catholic Church remembers the September Martyrs, a group of 191 Christians martyred during the French Revolution.