Pope Francis has named Bishop Donald J. Hying of Gary, Ind., as the new bishop of Madison, Wis. The Church is ‘forever young’, new bishop says
The new bishop of Madison told the congregation at his installation Mass last week that the Catholic Church “is forever young” and this is “our moment” to proclaim the good news of Christ.
“In God’s time, 2,000 years is merely the blink of an eye,” Bishop Donald Hying said in his homily. “So the Church is always just an hour after dawn, the sun has just come up, Christ has risen from the dead, and Mary Magdalene is running down the path to tell the Apostles that the tomb is empty.
“This is our moment to boldly proclaim Christ, to live the faith, and to move forward the mission of the church with joyful confidence in the Holy Spirit.”
Notre-Dame blaze wasn’t intentional, investigation finds
An initial investigation into the devastating fire that consumed much of Notre-Dame cathedral in April has found no signs of criminal action behind the blaze, French officials have said.
Chief Prosecutor of Paris Remy Heitz said in a statement that the investigations so far have not been able to pinpoint a cause of the fire but have found no evidence that it was deliberate, the BBC reported. “Deeper investigations” will be carried out, he said.
Officials conducted 100 witness hearings in the initial stage of their investigation, according to CNN. They will now consider the possibility of negligence – including electrical malfunction or a poorly extinguished cigarette – as a cause for the fire.
Nicaraguan cardinal prays for peace in country
The Archbishop of Managua has encouraged the faithful to pray so that peace in Nicaragua be the fruit of justice.
“Let us pray together so that in Nicaragua peace be the fruit of justice, that the restoration of trust be cemented in lasting and respected agreements based on the truth of the facts, reparation and reintegration of the victims and their families,” Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes Solorzano said in a video posted last week by the Archdiocese of Managua.
Earlier this month, Cardinal Brenes said the results of a law granting amnesty to both anti-government activists and security forces will determine whether the legislation is good for the country.
Abortion top concern for US voters – poll
A new poll has shown that abortion is a top consideration among a large section of US voters, indicating the issue may be a crucial policy battleground in the upcoming 2020 elections.
The study, conducted by Monmouth University, surveyed 751 people from June 12 to 17. More than a third of respondents rated abortion as either the “most important” or a “very important” issue for the presidential election. An additional 30% of respondents said that the issue was “somewhat important.”
The poll found that Democrats were the most likely to rate abortion as the “most” or a “very” important issue for 2020, ahead of both Republicans or independents.
New French program threat to religious liberty
France’s soon-to-be mandatory Universal National Service program for teens has drawn serious religious freedom concerns, with critics noting that the program prohibits religious symbols, does not allow conscripts to leave for religious services, and fails to accommodate religious dietary restrictions.
Marc Guidoni, a veteran trainer for the Values of the Republic and Secularism Plan, told the French Catholic newspaper La Vie that the program rules appear to be more extensive than French law requires or allows. He suggested that abstaining from any show of belief is usually required only for civil servants and public servants.
“Applying this to conscripted teens, he said, is “a strong obstacle to liberty.”