Good evening!
News from the Middle East has brought an overwhelming sense of ache to all of us, and, at times, not a little confusion. Amid the grim headlines, the worldwide protests, political positioning and travel alerts, we are fortunate to find reminders that people are praying; people are discerning how to help each other; people are, in large and small ways, doing the work of bringing light where they can, and the church shows itself as part of that effort, with the pope’s pleas for peace, the outreach of our missionary groups, the startling offer of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa to take the place of hostages, and the steady attention and prayers of the laity.
You can find more of our stories by following us on Facebook, X (aka Twitter) and Instagram, and we are always happy to hear your story ideas messaged to us on those platforms. Have a great weekend, and pray for peace.
Elizabeth Scalia
Culture Editor
Hundreds killed in Gaza hospital rocket strike on the day of prayer, fasting for peace
While Christian faithful across the globe prayed and fasted for peace in the Holy Land, a rocket struck the Christian hospital in Gaza where hundreds of people were being treated, but also where hundreds were taking shelter.
Illinois man who killed Palestinian boy, wounded mother is Catholic parishioner
An Illinois man accused of murdering a Palestinian boy and stabbing his mother because they were Muslim Oct. 14 is a member of a local Catholic parish. The Diocese of Joliet confirmed to OSV News that Czuba and his wife are members of St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Plainfield. Father Pat Mulcahy, the parish’s pastor, told OSV News that “our hearts are absolutely broken, and ache for the family and all those affected.”
Nicaragua expels a dozen priests, sends them to the Vatican, Ortega regime says
The 12 priests boarded a flight for Rome Oct. 18 after an agreement for their release was reached between Nicaragua and the Vatican, according to a statement from the Nicaraguan government.
Synod reveals how parish perpetual adoration chapels set hearts on fire
At an Oct. 12 press briefing for the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda, Cameroon, revealed “perpetual adoration is going on in all the parishes” and “every parish is building a chapel of perpetual adoration” as part of the archdiocese’s “Year of the Eucharist” celebration. Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, who is leading the National Eucharistic Revival in the U.S. agreed that adoration is invigorating faith among youth and young adults, and can “bring missionary fire to the whole parish.”
New Archdiocese of Las Vegas called sign of church’s ‘dynamism, vitality’ in southern Nevada
In a sign of the growing Catholic community of southern Nevada and the Western United States, the Archdiocese of Las Vegas has become the newest archdiocese in America. A solemn Mass Oct. 16 at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer in Las Vegas formally celebrated the designation of the archdiocese and the appointment of Archbishop George Leo Thomas by Pope Francis May 30.
Band of brothers: Franciscan friars unify nationwide, form Our Lady of Guadalupe province
Tracing their history to St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, the friars believe combining provinces paves the way for a renewal of Franciscan life, spirituality and fraternity by living the Gospel through service to the poor and people living on society’s margins.
Global days focus on food insecurity, poverty; bishop says Ethiopians are dying of hunger
On the day the world celebrates efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity, a bishop in Ethiopia was warning that his people were still dying of hunger, a year after a ceasefire ended a deadly conflict in the northern region of Tigray. Bishop Tesfasellassie Medhin of Adigrat said he wanted the world to know the situation in the region was still critical, and deaths were occurring due to serious food shortages and malnutrition.
Papal collaborators recall Polish pope as ‘a witness of inexhaustible faith’
Forty-five years since the day of his election, the “papal court” or St. John Paul II’s collaborators, still remember working with the pope from Poland with a lot of nostalgia. John Paul II brought the Slavic hospitality to the Vatican, changing many of the stiff Vatican rules, his collaborators said.
COMMENTARY: U.S. politics badly needs an infusion of decency and idealism via Aquinas
One needn’t be a big fan of Kevin McCarthy to see the California Republican’s ouster as Speaker of the House of Representatives as a significant low point in recent American politics. Unfortunately, there’s apparently more — much more — yet to come.
REVIEW: Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Concert film providing a lively recap of the titular singer-songwriter’s career over 17 years and 10 studio albums. Directed by Sam Wrench, the footage was compiled from concerts at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, outside Los Angeles, and showcases the performer’s gifts as a doyenne of breakup songs. A smattering of vulgar words aside, the production comes across as more glitzy than gritty.
