Pencil Preaching for Thursday, September 24, 2020

The social unrest and divisions in general Hong Kong society have carried over to the Catholic community, said Cardinal John Tong Hon, who encouraged Catholics instead to follow what Jesus taught in the beatitudes.

President Donald Trump appeared at the conservative-run National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, held virtually Sept. 23, where he announced he was signing an executive order to protect all infants born alive.

Just hours before the sixth federal execution took place this year, and two days before the next one was scheduled, two U.S. bishops' committee chairmen called on the government to end this practice.

1.4 million refugees in Uganda are facing hunger because of aid disruption, loss of income and rising food prices linked to the COVID-19 crisis. The U.N. Refugee Agency warns that unless urgent action is taken to address the situation, levels of acute malnutrition, stunting and anemia are expected to rise, especially among children.

The world will not overcome the current crisis if only big businesses, financial institutions and the powerful have a voice, Pope Francis said.

I hate that old saying about how if you want to feed a poor person forever, teach them to fish. The problem, as I've witnessed around the world, is that the rich may fence off the fishing grounds.

Odio el viejo dicho de que si quieres alimentar a un pobre para siempre, enséñale a pescar. El problema, como he visto en todo el mundo, es que los ricos pueden obstaculizar el ingreso a las zonas de pesca.

Following the canonical visitation in June, a five-page report enumerates concerns about financial management and community life at the Benedictine monastery founded by Prior Mark Daniel Kirby in Ireland.

Commentary: Vote Common Good recently commissioned a poll in six swing states to try and define character issues and their importance to voters.