Catholic News

• 'Take the road of mercy to God's heart,' Pope preaches at weekday Mass (Vatican News)
  Pope Francis preached on the calling of St. Matthew on September 21, the saint’s feast day.
• Major US Hispanic ministry gathering opens with papal message, prayers for abuse victims (CNS)
  Pope Francis sent a video message to the V National Encuentro, whose participants included 125 bishops and 3,200 Hispanic ministry leaders.
• Prelate encouraged by bipartisan efforts to address opioid crisis (USCCB)
  A recent Senate bill “is but a first step in addressing several aspects of the opioid crisis, including support for increases in research, treatment, education, and security and law enforcement,” said Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice (Florida), chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
• Holy See, China reach accord on appointment of bishops (CWN)
  The Vatican has signed an agreement with China, giving the Beijing government a role in the appointment of new bishops.
• Archbishop Chaput publishes critique of Synod working document (First Things)
  Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia has published a critique of the working document that will be the basis for discussion at the October meeting of the Synod of Bishop. The critique—prepared by a theologian whom the archbishop does not identify—says that the document is marred by a secular approach, giving short shrift to the teachings of the Church and the quest for holiness.
• Pope accepts resignations of 2 more Chilean bishops (Vatican Press Office)
  In May, all 31 active Chilean bishops joined in a mass resignation; in June, Pope Francis accepted the resignations of four bishops. The Pontiff has now accepted the resignations of Bishop Carlos Pellegrín, 60, and Bishop Cristián Contreras, 71.
• Cardinal Zen says Secretary of State should resign for 'betrayal' of Church in China (South China Morning Post)
  Cardinal Joseph Zen has accused Cardinal Pietro Parolin of an “incredible betrayal” of the Church in China, and said that the Vatican Secretary of State should resign. “They’re giving the flock into the mouths of wolves,” Cardinal Zen said, regarding a pending diplomatic agreement between the Vatican and Beijing. He voiced his concern that many Catholics of the “underground” Church would reject the agreement and “make rebellion.”
• Cardinal Tobin: will not attend October Synod (CNA)
  Cardinal Joseph Tobin on Newark has announced that he will not participate in the October meeting of the Synod of Bishops. Cardinal Tobin, who was chosen by Pope Francis as a Synod delegate, explained that because of the impact of the sex-abuse crisis on his archdiocese, “I could not see myself absent for a month.”
• Former judge appointed to investigate New York archdiocese on abuse issues (AP)
  New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan has appointed a former federal judge to investigate the handling of sex-abuse complaints by the archdiocese. The cardinal asked Judge Barbara Jones to “leave no stone unturned” in her investigation.
• Cardinal Parolin defends deal with China (Reuters)
  Cardinal Pietro Parolin has defended the Vatican against charges that a deal with China, allowing the Beijing regime to appoint bishops, is a “betrayal.” Without naming Cardinal Joseph Zen, who had made that charge, Cardinal Parolin said: “There is no need to be drastic in condemning and rejecting.” Cardinal Parolin said that the pact would be signed “in the not-too-distant future,” and Vatican sources told Reuters the signing could come next week. The terms of the agreement will not be made public.
• New papal document expands powers of Synod of Bishops (CWN)
  Pope Francis has released a new apostolic constitution, expanding the powers and authority of the Synod of Bishops.
• Wisconsin bishop retires from ministry, admits failure to report abuse (Fox)
  Bishop Robert Morneau, a retired auxiliary of the Green Bay diocese, has announced that he is withdrawing from public ministry, acknowledging that he failed to report a sex-abuse incident in 1979. Bishop Morneau, who retired in 2013 and is now 80 years old, says that he will live out his life in prayer, particularly for abuse victims.
• Chinese Catholics have no say in Vatican negotiations, priest reports (AsiaNews)
  As the Vatican nears an agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops, a priest in China reports to AsiaNews that the faithful in China have not been consulted in the negotiations.
• Work should not be equated with productivity, Pope tells injured workers (Vatican News)
  Pope Francis also discussed subsidiarity and solidarity in his address to members of the Italian Association for Injured Workers.
• In weekday Mass homily, Pope links 'doctors of the law,' scandal, persecution (Vatican News)
  The Pope preached that the “doctors of the law” “have an attitude that only the hypocrites use often: they are scandalized ... Now everyone has the right to enter into the church, even the divorced, everyone. But where are we? The scandal of the hypocrites ... And the Church, when it journeys through history, is persecuted by hypocrites: hypocrites within and without.”
• US bishops unveil new plans on abuse--without Vatican OK for apostolic visitation (CWN)
  The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has announced a series of new responses to the sex-abuse scandal. But the USCCB request to Pope Francis for an apostolic visitation of the American Church has apparently been rejected.
• Create good soil where God's call can take root, Pope tells Italian religious community (Vatican News)
  The Figli di Santa Maria Immacolata (Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate) were founded by Venerable Giuseppe Frassinetti (1804-1868).
• Hundreds of Chinese Christian leaders sign join statement on religious freedom (St. Charles Institute)
  Since February, “the state has enforced a dramatic tightening of controls over religious matters,” the Protestant pastors said. “A fresh wave of attacks on religious gatherings, places of worship, and individuals has since erupted.”
• EU court orders pro-life activist to stop comparing abortion to Holocaust (AP)
  The European Court of Human Rights issued a unanimous decision in the case.
• Background on Rome hospital as center of Papal Foundation dispute (Crux)
  The Crux news site provides a thorough backgrounder on the Immaculata Dermatological Institute, the hospital in Rome that became the focus of controversy when, at the prompting of Pope Francis, the Papal Foundation offered $25 million in funding for the troubled institution, despite objections by lay donors.
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