Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Over 600 churches and landmarks around the world, including the seat of the European Parliament, are being illuminated in red during “Red Week” (November 15-23), an Aid to the Church in Need initiative that highlights the plight of persecuted Christians.

“413 million Christians live in countries where religious freedom is severely violated—of these, approximately 220 million are directly exposed to persecution,” according to the charity’s Religious Freedom in the World Report.

In his most recent weekly message, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, deplored corruption.

“Our law enforcement agencies have uncovered a criminal corruption scheme that was destroying Ukraine’s energy system,” he said. “We share the pain of our society and, fulfilling the prophetic role of the Church, we consistently denounce and condemn the phenomenon we call corruption.”

Ukrainian officials face accusations of embezzling $100 million from the nation’s state-owned energy companies.

In a message for a conference marking the 70th anniversary of the death of Father Antonio Casamassa, Pope Leo XIV hailed the scholar as “among the most learned patrologists and historians of the Church of the 20th century.”

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, wrote in the message that Pope Leo “hopes that the remembrance of this esteemed spiritual son of Saint Augustine will inspire renewed commitment to the study of the Fathers and knowledge of the past, necessary to reinvigorate the Church’s awareness of herself and her mission.”

At a recent meeting, the bishops of Sudan and South Sudan said they were “deeply disturbed by the ongoing devastating conflicts and the dishonored peace agreements in both nations.”

“Selfish interests have unleashed violence, aggravating humanitarian crises, community-based hatred, widespread displacement, the misappropriation of public funds, hunger, and the looming threat of famine,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sudan and South Sudan said in its statement. “We are witnessing unprecedented ethnic and tribal divisions in the name of politics.”

South Sudan, a nation of 12.7 million (map), is 61% Christian (39% Catholic), 32% ethnic religionist, and 6% Muslim. In 2011, it gained independence from Sudan (map); the nation of 50.5 million is 92% Muslim and 4% Christian, with 3% adhering to ethnic religions.

cna

cna

The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Mechtilde (1241-1298), who was born to a noble family in Heifta, Saxony, and was placed in a Benedictine convent at age seven. Mechtilde was a mystic, and aided St. Gertrude with her Book of Special Graces or The Revelation of St. Mechtilde.

cna

cna

cna