Trump Indicted for Payment to Silence Prostitute; Is First Former President Charged with a Crime

Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigation into his personal , political, and business dealings, the Yahoo News website reports today (March 31, 2023). 

The exact charges were unclear today because the indictment  -- the first against a former U.S. president -- remained under seal, but they stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital  sexual encounter with a prostitute. 

Prosecutors did not say whether they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that would not prevent Trump from seeking the presidency.  

Pope Francis Hospitalized with Lung Infection; Experienced Dificulty Breathing in Recent Days

 Pope Francis was hospitalized with a lung infection yesterday (March 29, 2023) after experiencing difficulty breathing in recent days, and will remain in the hospital for several days of treatment, the Los Angeles Times website reports. 

The 86-year-old pope doesn't have COVID-19, spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement yesterday.

The hospitalization was the first since Francis spent 10 days at the Gemelli in July 2021 to have 13 inches of his colon removed. 

US Retaliate Airstrikes Kill 19 People in Syria; After an Iranian Drone Killed a US Contractor

 American airstrikes killed a total  of 19 people in Syria this week , in retaliation for an Iranian drone attack that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops, the New American website reports today (Mar29, 2023). 

The Defense Department claims that the targets were affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). A human rights watch organization reports that the Pentagon's air attack in Syria killed three Syrian troops, 11 members of a pro-Syrian regime militia, and five non-Syrian soldiers. 

American F-15s reportedly carried out the "precision airstrikes," which in turn were answered by the Iranians, who fired 10 missiles aimed at a U.S. base in northeast Syria, but missed their intended target and hit a civilian house, injuring two women and two children, according to information issued by U. S. Central Command. 

Former Speaker Pelosi Blasts Her Calif. Bishop; Told Her Backing Abortion Violates Cath. Doctrine

 Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a rare public rebuke of her home bishop on March 23, voicing choice words for Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and other prelates during an interview about politics and her Catholic faith, the Religion News website reports today (March 29, 2023).

Her remarks came during an event at Georgetown University's Center on Faith and Justice as part of a "Higher Calling" series focused on the faith of politicians. 

Pelosi referenced  tensions  between herself and members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as a result of her public advocacy for abortion, which the Catholic Church condemns. 

Tenn. Police Respond to Shooting at Rel. School; At Least 3 Killed, Several Wounded, Shooter Killed

Authorities in Tennessee said today (March 27, 2023) that they were  responding to a shooting at a private religious school in Nashville, according to the NPR website. 

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said an "active shooter event" had occurred at the Covenant School, a private school associated with the Presbyterian church serving students from preschool through grade six. 

The shooter was confronted by officers and was killed, officials said. 

Pope Updates Rules to Investigate Abuse Claims; Leaders of Cath. Lay Assoc. Now Responsible Like Bishops

Pope Francis has updated the procedures for investigating sexual abuse allegations, specifying that leaders of international Catholic lay associations and movements have the same responsibilities over their members that bishops have over diocesan priests, the Catholic News website reports today (March 26, 2023). 

The updated version of Vos Ests Lux Mundi (You are the light of the world, published yesterday, also expanded the categories of victims covered by the  regulations to include vulnerable adults. 

The original text spoke of the crime of "sexual acts with a minor or a vulnerable person." The updated text reads "a crime against the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue committed with a minor, or with a person who habitually has an imperfect use of reason or with a vulnerable adult."  

Cath. Bishops Blast Mutilating Bodies of People; Prohibit Mutilating Human Body to Change Sex

It sets out clearly the prohibition on "manipulating" or mutilating  the bodies of people with the aim of changing sex, stating: "Catholic health  care services must not perform interventions , whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex or take part in the development of such procedures." the Catholic Herald website reports today (March 25, 2023). 

This is a welcome statement from bishops which should put to rest any suggestions that the Catholic church could support any such surgeries which are always harmful to the patient, the natural order, and the created order of God. 

The bishops explain that , "A  fundamental tenet of the Christian faith is that there is  an order in the natural world that was designed by the Creation and this created order is good."

Brazil Links Pastoral Ministry to Nation's Slums; Archdiocese of Rio IS Main Force behind Project

 The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil is promoting the formation  of a nation-wide Favelas and Housing Pastoral Ministry, the Crux website reports today (March 24, 2023).

The main force behind the project is the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro's Favelas Pastoral Commission, which was established in the 1970s and has been the only one in Brazil to specifically deal with slums. 

"We began our work trying to identify the Catholic groups  that already had connection with the struggle for housing in different parts of Brazil. We invited all of them to join us,"  explained Father Luiz Antonio Pereira Lopes, who heads Rio's Favelas Pastoral commission.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Judge Voids Lawsuit by 36 Meth. Churches; Churches Tried to End Ties to Denomination

A North Carolina Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed last year by 36 United Methodist churches demanding to sever their ties to the denomination, the Religion News website reports today (March 23, 2023). 

Judge Richard Doughton issued an oral ruling on March 20 dismissing  the suit brought against the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, its board of trustees, and Bishop Kenneth Carter Jr. 

The conference's motion to dismiss had argued that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits civil courts from becoming entangled in church debates that require an examination of religious doctrine and practice. 

Vatican Is Not Concerned with Xi-Putin Meeting; Pope Francis Seems Less Interested in Politics

 As President Xi Jinping of China  continues his journey of friendship to Moscow to cement ties with President Vladimir Putin, the meeting is setting off alarms in Western capitals, where officials are worried that Beijing's tacit for Russia's war in Ukraine might turn overt, the Crux website reports today (March 22,  2023). 

Yet there was one traditionally Western center of power that seemed immune to the anxiety: The Vatican under Pope Francis. 

Increasingly, the Vatican is a "Western" institution only in the limited sense that it is physically located in western Europe. In terms of geopolitical orientation  under history's first pope from the developing world, however, the Vatican seems more and more like the capital of a global institution positioning itself to function in a multipolar era.

Syria Seeks Permanent Russian Military Presence; In Return Syria Backs Russia in War with Ukraine

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said he would "welcome a permanent Russian military presence" in his  country and supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine,

Assad, who met Russian President  Vladimir Putin this week in Moscow, told reporters that he awaits Russian proposals to set up new military bases and boost troop numbers in Syria. 

Moscow ensured the autocratic Syrian leader's survival despite Western demands that he be toppled. In return, Assad stressed that Syeia stood beside Russia on the issue of Ukraine. 

                                        

Vatican Opens Its Own Mall Next to St. Peter's Sq.; Space was Previously a Coffee Bar and Cafeteria

 The Vatican opened its very own shopping mall on March 16, located adjacent to St. Peter's Square, the Crux website reports today (March 20, 2023). 

The mall is located in a space associated with the last great jubilee. It occupies the fifth and top floor of a massive parking garage on Rome's Janiculum Hill built for the Jubilee Year 2000, and has been in the works since 2020.The space was previously devoted to a coffee bar and cafeteria for the busloads of tourists and pilgrims who arrive in the parking structure. 

Though it may seem ironic  that the Vatican should be launching its own shopping mall under a pope who's a stern critic of the excesses of capitalism, there are some distinctive "Pope Francis" touches, including an emphasis on sustainability and solidarity.  

Today the Church Comes to Middle of Lent ;Calls Today (March 19) Laetare or "Rejoice" Sunday

 In the darkness of the purgative way, God reorients the soul, according to the Crux website. 

Our feelings, which usually want to follow our passions, are spiritualized and channeled to a deeper  love of God and neighbor. 

Today (March 19, 2023) the Catholic Church comes to the middle of Lent. She marks the occasion by calling for a small pre-Easter celebration of joy. Today is called Laetare Sunday in Latin, with laetare meaning "rejoice." So today is "Rejoice Sunday." 

Biden Admin. Resumes Deportations to Russia; Reverses Position Taken after Ukraine Attack

 The Biden administration has quietly resumed deportations to Russia, an apparent reversal of the position adopted after Russia invaded Ukraine just over a year ago when such removals were suspended, the Guardian website reports today (March 18, 2023). 

Immigration  advocates were taken by surprise when a young Russian man , who came to the U.S. fleeing Vladimir Putin's efforts to mobilize citizens to fight in Ukraine,  was abruptly deported at the weekend from the U.S. back to Russia. 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remains committed to enforcing immigration laws humanely, effectively, and professsionally.

ICC Calls for Arrest Warrant for Pres. Putin; For Crimes Taking Children from Ukraine to Russia

 The Interrnational Criminal Court says it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin for war crimes  because of his alleged involvement in abductions of children from Ukraine to Russia, the Euro News website reports today (March 17, 2023).

The court said that Putin"is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) to Russia."

A Kremlin spokesperson called the arrest warrant "outrageous and unacceptable" and labeled the ICC's decisions as "legally void."

Some Catholics Believe that Pope Is too Liberal; Others Claim that Pope Is Not Liberal Enough

In Pope Francis's 10 years as pontiff, he took control of an ideologically divided church that has opposed the world's Roman Catholics, saying he took control of an ideological church that has opposed him from the right for going too far, and criticized him from the left for not going far enough, the New York Times website reports today (March 16, 202.

Throughout the past decade, Francis, now 86, has visited far-flung countries and travelled across the international stage as a major figure willing to use his moral capital on the major issues of the day. 

He has  made the College of Cardinals, which will pick his successor, much more global and has opened to debate in the church, seeking to make a torn institution more collegial, unified, and less centralized in Rome. 

US Bank Shock of Past Week Now Appears Calm; Credit Suisse Shares Drop by 10.5% to New Low

Hyperventilating world markets have finally caught their breath as the U.S. bank shock of  the past week appeared to calm  somewhat and gyrating interest rates found a level, the Reuters website reports. 

Volatility is likely to persist as easing financial system tensions re-introduce rate hike risks the U.S. inflation readings seem to warrant. 

Credit Suisse shares slid again today (March 15, 2023), dropping by as much as 10.5% to a new record low. 

Pope Views "Gender Ideology" as Dangerous; Dilutes Differences between Men and Women

 Pope Francis said in an interview published March 10, 2023 that "gender ideology" is among the "most dangerous ideological colonizations" today, according to La Nacian, an Argentine media outlet, the WND website reports. 

The pope has made waves recently  with some of his comments on LGBTQ issues, such as that homosexuality, while a sin, should not be criminalized. 

Francis also says "gender ideology" is dangerous because it blurs differences and the value of men and women. "The question of gender is diluting the differences and making the world the same, all dull, all alike, and that is contrary to human vocation."

Biden Promises Two Closed Down Banks Are Safe; Says His Admin. Will Hold Banks "Accountable"

President Joe Biden  addressed the closures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank today (March 13, 2023), telling Americans to "have confidence" in the banking system because the administration is taking steps to hold those responsible "accountable."

The president promised that the banks' customers will "have access to their money" today and that taxpayers will not be forced to bail out the banks. 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) took control of the New York -based Signature Bank on March 12, after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB).

Italy's Coast Guard, Navy Save 100s of Migrants; Take Many Migrants to Sicily's Augusta Port

 Italian coast guard and navy vessels yesterday (March 11, 2023) rescued migrants toward shore , while elsewhere in the Mediterranean Sea thousands of migrants overflowed from a shelter on a tiny tourist island, the Reddit website reports.

A 94-meter-long coast guard vessel took 584 migrants aboard , while two smaller coast guard motorboats took on 379 and then transferred them to an Italian naval vessel , which was headed to Augusta, a port in eastern Sicily, as migrant shelters in Calabria quickly filled up. 

Eighty passengers survived the shipwreck, but many more were reported missing and are presumed dead. 

Pope Francis Interviewed on 10 Yrs. as Pope; Touches on Death, Nicaragua, Other Topics

 Ahead of the tenth anniversary of his election, Pope Francis has given a new, wide-ranging interview to a Spanish-language paper in which he touches on several key topics, including homosexuality and priestly celibacy, as well as politics in Latin America, and his own feelings about death, the Crux website reports today (March 11, 2023).

In the interview, conducted by journalist Daniel Hadad and published yesterday in the Spanish-language newspaper "Infobae," the pope said he does not fear death.

Pope Francis also reflected on the conclave in which he was elected nearly 10 years ago, and spoke of several of his pastoral decisions, criticisms he's received, the situation in Nicaragua, and politics in Argentina. 

Cath. Group Spent Millions Tracking Gay Priests; Shared Mobile App Tracking Data with US Bishops

 A group of conservative Colorado Catholics has spent millions of dollars to buy mobile app tracking data that identified priests who used gay dating and hookup apps and then shared it with bishops around the country, the Washington Post website reports exclusively today (March 10, 2023). 

The secretive effort was the work of a Denver nonprofit called Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal, whose trustees and philanthropists Mark Bauman, John Martin, and Tim Reichert, according to public records, an audio recording of the nonprofit's president discussing its mission and other documents. 

The project's aim, according to tax records, is to "empower the church to carry out its mission" by giving bishops "evidence-based resources" with which to identify weaknesses in how to train priests. 

House Speaker May Reject Zelensky's Invitation; McCarthy Mulls US Economy Besides Ukraine Aid

 Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has invited U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Kiev, in a bid to "help him with his position" on military aid to the country. While McCarthy has promised not to authorize "blank checks" to Kiev, he backed a multibillion dollar arms package last year, the RT website reports today (March 9, 2023). 

"Mr. McCarthy, he has to come here to see how we work, what's happening here, what war caused us, which people are fighting now, who are fighting now. And then after that, make your assumptions ," Zelensky said yesterday. 

Dozens of Democrats and Republicans have made the journey to Kiev in the year since Russia's military operation in Ukraine began. President Joe Biden visited the Ukrainian capital last month, while McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi , met with Zelensky in Kiev last May.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley Praises Pope's 10 Yrs.; Glad Pope Re-appoints Him to "Kitchen Cabinet"

 After finding out yesterday that he would remain a member of Pope Francis's Council of Cardinal Advisors. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston called the reappointment an honor, the Crux website reports today (March 8, 2023). 

The Vatican announced Pope Francis had renewed his nine-member Council of Cardinal Advisors on March 7. 

Informally  dubbed his "kitchen cabinet," the council was created by Francis after his election on March 13, 2013 to advise him on matters concerning the life of the universal Church. 

Two Kidnapped Americans in Mexico Found Dead; Two Others Found Alive, Sought to Buy Medicine

 Two of four U.S. citizens who went missing after a violent kidnapping in Mexico last week have been found dead and two are alive, the CBS News website reports today (March 7, 2023). 

Tamaulipas Gov. Americo Villarreal said one of the surviving U.S. citizens was wounded and the other was not

All four Americans had driven from Brownsville, Texas to Mexico on March 3 to purchase medicine and found themselves caught in a crossfire between two groups of armed individuals. 

Ukraine Rabbi Rips Russian -Iranian Mil. Pact; Hits Russia Claims Ukraine Run by "Neo-Nazis"

 Ukraine's chief rabbi today (March 6, 2023) issued a blistering attack against Russia's ongoing claims that the purpose of its invasion is to "denazify" its southern border, the Algemeiner website reports. 

Rabbi Moshe Reuven Azman insisted that Ukraine was "a normal country where all nationalities are treated with respect." 

Russian propaganda has often charged that Ukraine's democratic government is run by "neo-Nazis," Azman said. 

UN OKs Treaty to Protect Biodiversity in Oceans; Seen as a Crucial Move to Protect Biodiversity

 For the first time, United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty to protect biodiversity in the high seas, a move aimed at countering threats to marine biodiversity, the Euro News website reports today (March 5, 2023). 

Yesterday, delegates finalized the test that will be adopted at a later date after it has been legally vetted and translated. 

Supporters of the treaty have hailed it as a landmark move to protect biodiversity. 

Alec Baldwin Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter; Shot an Actor Who Died in Filming Movie "Rust"

 Actor Alec Baldwin on March 2, 2023 pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges relating to the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of the movie "Rust," the CNN website reports.

Baldwin is released on personal recognizance  as long as he doesn't own a gun, abstains from alcohol, and doesn't speak with other witnesses of the shooting, court documents state. 

He was originally expected to appear in court on March 3, but is no longer required, as he waived his first appearance. 

Pope Has 10th Anniv. of Papacy This Month; Papacy Underlined by Helping Poor, Minorities

 Pope Francis is about to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his papacy on March 13, 2023, which he began in 2013 with an emphasis on helping the poor, the Crux website reports today (March 3, 2023). 

From his simple white attire to the humble Flat he buzzes around in, from his decision to pay his own hotel bill after his election to prioritizing women, migrants, the mentally disabled, and prisoners, a spirit of poverty has underlined his papacy's  10 years. 

One consistent reaction throughout Pope Francis's ten years in office has been his open criticism of free market capitalism, and his advocacy for a more just global system that centers less on profit and more on equitable distribution of resources in service to the common good, and which benefits the poor.

At Least 40 Dead,72 Injured in Greek Train Crash; Passenger Train Meets Oncoming Freight Train

 A passenger train carrying hundreds of people collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train in a fiery wreck in northern Greece, killing at least 40 and injuring 72, the Euro News website reports today (March 1, 2023). 

Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the collision near the town of Tempe on Feb. 28 just before midnight. 

Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn as they searched through the twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Sacramento Diocese Mulls Bankruptcy on Abuse; 200 Lawsuits Claim Clergy Sex Abuse of Minors

 Bishop Jaime Soto announced Feb. 26, 2023 that the Diocese of Sacramento faces  more than 200 lawsuits alleging the sexual abuse of minors by clergy, and options being explored to address the claims include bankruptcy, the Crux website reports today (March 1). 

Soto explains that while bankruptcy is a costly and lengthy process, "it does provide a framework to bring all parties together under the supervision of the bankruptcy court to resolve  claims with the resources available." 

The bishop noted  in the context of bankruptcy, victims of clergy sexual abuse would be represented in the proceedings, and a fund would be established to be distributed as fairly as possible.