Thursday, January 23, 2020

Will Pope Francis retire Cardinal Sarah at 75?

Will Pope Francis retire Cardinal Sarah at 75?: One of many possible shakeups
Strong response to anniversary of Roe v Wade: President Trump declares Sanctity of Life Day; Californians for Life outlines its goals for 2020
Women in Puerto Vallarta used as petri dishes: Artificial insemination, then abortion

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

More non-evangelicals are calling themselves born again

Iowa pastor says running for office is a test of faith
Religion News Service: In an era where the Republican Party often dominates conversations about faith and politics, the pastor is one of several Democratic candidates quietly mustering religion-conscious campaigns to take down powerful Republicans in 2020.

A church allegedly asked older members to leave. Leaders say that didn't actually happen.*
Washington Post: A United Methodist church in Minnesota has put the spotlight on widespread generational challenges across the county, with many leaders trying to attract younger people without alienating the elderly members who are the backbone of their dwindling congregations.

Welsh parents lose opt-out for sex, relationship and religious education
The Guardian: Government confirms pupils will no longer be able to be withdrawn from classes.

Our problem isn't just loneliness -- it's species loneliness
Christian Century: How human isolation from the rest of the world keeps us from thriving.

More non-evangelicals are calling themselves born again
Christianity Today: A growing share of mainline Protestants and Catholics have taken on the once-distinctive label over the past three decades.

Is it ethical to show Holocaust images?

Supreme Court considers religious schools case
NPR

Most Americans want abortion to remain legal, but back some state restrictions
The Washington Post *

Abortion policy activism heats up for Roe v. Wade anniversary
Roll Call

Democrats’ challenge: Courting evangelicals in the Trump era
The Associated Press

BYU will allow same-sex couples to ballroom dance
The Salt Lake Tribune *

Iowa pastor says running for office is a test of faith
Religion News Service

A church allegedly asked older members to leave. Leaders say that didn’t actually happen
The Washington Post *

Jewish life in New York: ‘You’ve got to watch your back’
Deutsche Welle

International Headlines

Pope Francis tells the powerful at Davos to focus on humanity, not power, profit
Religion News Service

Leaders are gathering in Jerusalem for the Auschwitz anniversary. Poland’s president won’t be there
CNN

Polish art project marks sites of vanished Jewish cemeteries
Reuters

German court may reject appeal to remove anti-Semitic relic
The Associated Press

How Helene, a Jewish Holocaust survivor, became Leila, the matriarch of a Palestinian Muslim clan
The Washington Post *

Rohingya refugees pray for justice as court to rule in genocide case
Reuters

Biggest swimming pool in Russia’s Muslim south bans women, causing outcry
Reuters

Analysis & Commentary

How India ended up in turmoil over citizenship
The Associated Press

‘Hymn for the 81%’: A conversation with Daniel Deitrich
Religion News Service

I was an abortionist. The abortion industry isn’t willing to prioritize patient safety
USA Today

Sure, let’s protect Roe v. Wade. But as abortion rights erode, we must do much more
USA Today

On both sides of abortion debate, Catholics largely fall short
National Catholic Reporter

Is it ethical to show Holocaust images?
The Conversation

Word of God Sunday

Word of God Sunday

With the motu proprio Aperuit Illis, Pope Francis has instituted this Sunday as “Word of God Sunday” as a way to “enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world” (Aperuit Illis, 2).

In devoting a Sunday to the Word of God, we are reminded that as Christians, the scriptures are part of our identity. We often want an encounter with Christ, and hear His voice, yet Christ Jesus speaks to us in the words of Scripture. “If we hear his voice and open the doors of our minds and hearts,” Pope Francis writes, “then he will enter our lives and remain ever with us” (Aperuit Illis, 9).

Pope Francis invites us to consider how we celebrate, study, and disseminate the Word of God. We celebrate the liturgy of the Word at Mass thanks to our excellent lectors, who are truly ministers of the Word, and with deep faith and confident voice announce God’s saving word to us.

We have a couple of groups at the parish who meet on a regular basis and together read and study scripture, such as Men in Christ, and the Young Professionals. I am grateful to Michel Ramirez for his leadership of the Men in Christ, and Fr. Philip Yang, OSA for his leadership of the Young Professionals.

Fr. Phil has been training a core group of leaders, who will lead new groups of Bible study for adults of any age and gender. He has called the program Amici, and I am told that it will start soon. If you are interested and want to be placed in a group, please e-mail him at associate@stpatsd.org

God bless, Fr. Carlos, OS