December 12, 2023

Catholic News

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 on Monday received the prefects of the Italian Republic in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace and expressed his concern about the low birth rate in the country, lamenting that many times “dogs take the place of children.” Pope Francis reflected on the environmental issue and the “emergencies that are now frequent and involve everyone; linked to atmospheric phenomena that should be unusual and extraordinary, they have become common due to climate change.” He also highlighted his concern about the low birth rate in Italy, “a country that lacks children and the migrants come.” “I am concerned about the problem of the low birth rate here in Italy. They’re not having children,” the Holy Father pointed out. Finally, he invited the prefects to think about the responsibility “that Italians have to have children to raise them and also to welcome immigrants as sons and daughters.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256242/pope-francis-expresses-concern-about-italy-s-low-birth-rate The bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, California, announced on Saturday that “after careful consideration and consultation” the diocese will be filing for bankruptcy amid a slate of over 250 clergy abuse lawsuits. Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto said in a Saturday statement that Chapter 11 bankruptcy is the “only respectful, transparent, and fair way to address the substantial number of claims” and “sustain the sanctifying, teaching, and charitable work” of the diocese. The diocese, which has 102 parishes serving over 1 million faithful, will likely file for bankruptcy in March 2024, according to the bishop. Without bankruptcy, he said the diocese would likely not be able to give all the abuse survivors filing lawsuits “fair consideration of their claim.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256241/diocese-of-sacramento-to-file-for-bankruptcy-amid-over-250-clergy-abuse-lawsuits A Catholic priest in Nebraska died Sunday after being stabbed at a parish rectory, the Archdiocese of Omaha said. Police identified a suspect in the case late on Sunday. The sheriff’s office named the suspect as 43-year-old Sioux City, Iowa, resident Kierre Williams. No motive was given in the press release, though the sheriff’s office said the incident involved an “attempted break-in.” The priest grew up in Omaha and attended the College of Saint Thomas — now the University of Saint Thomas — and Saint Paul Seminary; he was ordained in 1984. In 2007, Gutgsell pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $100,000 from Saint Patrick Catholic Church in South Omaha. He received five years of probation in connection with that case. He returned to priestly ministries later that same year. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256239/nebraska-priest-dies-after-stabbing-in-parish-rectory-suspect-arrested Today, the Church celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe. In the 1530s, a Native man named Juan Diego, at Mary’s direction, found roses growing on a hill near Mexico City, even though it was winter. He gathered them into his cloak, or tilma. When he unfurled the cloak in the presence of the bishop to show him the roses, a miraculous image of Mary was on the tilma. It wasn’t until the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared that the native people began to accept Christianity on a large scale. Today, the image forms an inextricable part of the history of Mexico, and facilitated the evangelization of an entire people. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/our-lady-of-guadalupe-82