High Court Allows Virginia to Remove Non--Citizens from Voter Rolls

 The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with Virginia, reversing a lower court ruling preventing the state from removing non--citizens from its voter rolls pending the outcome of ongoing litigation, the Christian Post website reports today (Oct. 31, 2024). 

In an order released yesterday, the Supreme Court announced that it had granted a request from the state of Virginia to stay an Oct.25 decision from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruling that the state had violated federal law by removing voters believed to be non--citizens from the voter rolls within 90 days of the 2024 presidential election. 

The stay will remain in effect until a panel of judges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Court issues a ruling on the appeal of the district court decision or if  the Supreme Court grants a writ of certiorari to hear the case.

First Global Day of Prayer for Media Is "a Remarkable Success"

 The first --ever Global Day of Prayer for Media is being hailed as "a remarkable success" and "a powerful 24--hour live prayer experience" after thousands of Christians around the world engaged in the event on Sunday (Oct. 27),  the Christian Today website reports today (Oct. 30, 2024). 

More than 2,000 people joined in the live--streamed prayer marathon, logging on from over 25 countries -- with the Philippines registering the highest viewership. 

More than 180 women and men involved in media took part in the event, explaining  their role and setting out their passion to share the Christian gospel  through media in all its forms. Each led prayers with many  contributing Bible verses of encouragement. 

Christians in media from countries including the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina took turns to pray for the media landscape. 

There were more than 14,000 page hits on the event website, www.pray for media.com, during the event. 

A spokesperson for Christians in Media UK said the event was "a remarkable success, creating a powerful  24--hour live prayer experience that united viewers and believers from around the world." 

Five Teens Killed by Guns in NYC in Five Days

 Tea'Arion Mungo loved to dance and sing and write and tell stories , but a gunman's bullet ended all that, the New York Daily News website reports today (Oct.29, 2024). 

In fact, the shooting deaths of five teenagers in five days has shaken New York City, and families mourning their children's unfulfilled promise and shattered dreams. 

Mungo "wanted to work as an electrician," his grandmother Elizabeth Mungo said. 

"It's unbelievable. It's heartbreaking. " said Tenille House, 48, after her neighbor,Clarence Jones, 16, died following an early--morning shooting Oct. 24 on a Harlem street corner. 

"It's just too much as a parent. Nobody wants to get that phone call. No parent should have to bury their child . Anytime your phone rings at 1,2,3 in the morning it's never good news." That call came after young Clarence died that Thursday.

On Friday, a 15--year--old boy was shot and killed in Brooklyn. On Saturday, a 16--year--old Brooklyn boy suffered the same fate. 

On Sunday, a 15--year--old boy was killed with a gun in Brooklyn. And on Monday, an 18--year--old Bronx boy was shot to death. 

The violence that has gripped the city recently has left residents, community leaders, and police scrambling for answers and solutions. 

Food Recalls Have Americans Wondering: Is Our Food Safe?

 McDonald's burgers, eggs, green onions, frozen wafffles. The list of recalled food products in recent  weeks has American consumers worried about the safety of their food, the USA Today website reports today (Oct.28, 2024). 

The products have  been recalled because of concerns over harmful bacteria that may be present. In some cases, the recalls were precautionary, but illnesses and even deaths have been linked to the outbreaks. 

Since a massive recall of Boar's Head deli  meat revealed serious violations of health and safety regulations at one of its plants, new recalls seem to be in the headlines every day.  But experts have said people should not be overly concerned. 

"Although it's always a tragedy when an outbreak causes illness and death, the U.S. food supply is still very safe" , said Martin Bucknavage, a food safety specialist at the Pennsylvania State University Department of Food Science. 

"Certainly, when these issues come up, we all get worried about our food supply, but our food supply is generally safe across the board," Bucknavage told USA Today.

The most extreme case is a deadly listeria outbreak in Boar's Head deli meat linked to a Virginia plant that was first reported in July.  As of late September, 59 people have been hospitalized  and at least 10 have died in cases linked to Boar's Head. 

This month, the Tree House Foods company issued a voluntary recall of its frozen waffles and pancakes after discovering potential listeria contamination, although no reports of illness have been linked to the products. 

McDonald's Quarter Pounder sold in 10 states have been linked to an outbreak of another bacteria, E.coli. One person died and dozens were reported sick, sometimes requiring hospitalization. 

"Just because we have the ability to see disease, that doesn't mean that this disease doesn't happen in other countries.We are just further along in that technological ability to find and track and identify these types of issues compared to other places," Bucknavage said. 

Pope: Church Must Be a Missionary Church

 Pope Francs said yesterda,y, "The Church cannot risk becoming 'static' but  must continue as a missionary Church that walks with her Lord through the streets of the world," the Cath. News website reports today (Oct. 27, 2024). 

"We cannot remain inert before the questions raised by the women and men today, before the challenges of our time, the urgency of evangelization, and the many wounds that afflict humanity." the pope said in his homily during the closing  Mass for the Synod of Bishops in St. Peter's Basilica yesterday. 

"A sedentary Church , that inadvertently withdraws  from life and confines itself to the margins of reality , is a Church that risks remaining blind and becoming comfortable with its own unease," he said.On Oct. 25, the pope received the final document of the Synod on Synodality approved by more than 350 members of the Synod. The document called for the increased participation  of lay men and women in all levels of Church life, including parishes, dioceses, and in seminaries. 

In his homily, the pope called on the Church not to remain in a state of "blindness" on the issues in the Church and the world, a blindness that can take the form of embracing worldliness, placing a premium on comfort or having a closed heart. 

"We do not need a sedentary and defeatist Church," he said, "but a Church that hears the cry of the world and a Church that gets its hands dirty to serve the Lord."

First Global Day of Prayer for Media Set for Oct. 27

The first--ever Global Day of Prayer for the Media will take place this Sunday, Oct. 27, the Christian Today website reports today (Oct. 26, 2024). 

Christians who work in and with media in all forms will be joining in an international live--streamed event to be shown on www.prayfor media.com, and on You Tube. 

The event is the brainchild of Co--operation between Christians in Media UK, Christian Media and Art Australia, the Christian Broadcasting Association of New Zealand, and the Hollywood Prayer Network in the U.S. 

In a joint declaration, they say: "Individually, we are organizations passionate about supporting those called to serve in the religious  and secular media, arts and entertainment industries. As Christians of all denominations, we feel called to stand for truth, integrity, and justice in a world crying out for God's love, grace, and compassion." 

Having Friends Is Rare Now in U.S.

 A recent survey shows that friendship has declined significantly in the U.S. in recent years, The Christian Post website reports today (Oct. 25, 2024). 

The Survey Center on American Life  reports that in 1990, almost 70% of men had five or more close friends. By 2021, just 40% reprted having that many. And the number who said they had no close friends quintupled.  Women haven't fared well, either, although their friend groups haven't shrunk as rapidly. 

Part of the challenge is that time together is the oxygen of friendship. Deprive it of that, and friendship tends to die or at least become more distant. And today, perhaps due to a faster pace of life and more "stuff" piled into our schedules, spending time with friends requires more effort and intentionality than in decades past. Research shows that Americans now spend half as much time with their friends (three hours a  week) as they did just a decade ago. 

The typical American, it seems, tests a bunch of people. "We should get together" before watching Tik Tok alone on the couch and then passing out.  That is, Americans have friends. We  just never see them.

It would be easy to lecture people to get off  their phones and go reconnect with someone over cofee. But Khazan doesn't think loneliness is entirely the fault of lazy or screen--addicted individuals. Instead, she blamed our rapidly growing isolation on the fact that we have so few regular opportunities to meet or spend time with our friends. 

Khazan pointed to the collapse of "unions, civic clubs, and religious congregations" as a major reason why people see less of each  other. These so--called "third spaces" (distinct from home and work) tend to "regularize contact" as one researcher told her. Showing up at the same time and place weekly or monthly with a lot of like--minded people makes it much more likely to form and maintain friendships. 

Pope Invokes Sacred Heart as Remedy to "Fanaticism"

 Pope Francis in a new encyclical stressed the social dimension of God's love, saying the ancient devotion to the heart of Jesus must translate into care of others. and is a remedy to "outdated" church structures and various forms of "fanaticism," the Crux website reports today (Oct. 24, 2024). 

"In a world where everything is bought and sold, people's sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money," the pope said in his newest encyclical, published today. 

As a society, "We are constantly being pushed to keep buying, consuming, and distracting ourselves held captive to a demeaning system that prevents us from looking beyond our immediate and petty needs," he said. 

Christ's love, he said, "has no place in this perverse mechanism. Christ's love can give a heart to our world and revive love wherever  we think that the ability to love has been definitively lost." 

Likewise, Francis said the church is also in need of this love, "lest the love of Christ be replaced with  outdated structures and concerns, excessive attachments to our own ideas and opinions . and fanaticism in any number of forms. "

Francis said, "The acknowledgement of the human and divine aspects of Christ's love is a summons to a personal relationship of encounter and dialogue," which he said become more meaningful when Christ is contemplated in both His divinity and humanity.

Report: Global Persecution of Christians Worsens

 A new report shows that the persecution of Christians worldwide has "significantly worsened" in the last year, the Christian Today website reports today (Oct. 23, 2024). 

In the report published this week, Aid to the Church in Need said that Christians are living under an increased threat of violence, discrimination, and other human rights abuses. 

The report analyzed data across 18 countries of particular concern between summer 2022 and summer 2024. Key findings include a shift in the epicenter of militant Islamist violence from the Middle East to Africa, with  Christians being "terrorized" by "extreme violence" for their faith in places like Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Mozambique.

Christian children, especially girls, are living at increased risk of abduction, sexual violence, forced marriage, and forced conversion.

Christians are being imprisoned in several countries for their faith, including Eritrea, where around 400 have been imprisoned without a trial. In Iran, Christians detained for their faith rose from 59 in 2021 to 166 in 2023. The number of Christians estimated to be imprisoned in China ranges from the low thousands to around 10,000. 

In India, there has been an increase in recorded attacks and other instances of persecution against Christians, rising from 599 in 2022 to 720 in 2023

In Myanmar, the military has been accused of destroying 85 churches. 

Synod Spritual Adviser Urges Members to Be at Peace with Results

 The spiritual adviser to the Snod on Synodalirty said that even if some members of the Synod end up feeling disappointed by its results, "God's providence is at work in this assembly," the Cath. News website reports today (Oct. 22, 2024).

"The triumph of good cannot be frustrated," and "we may be at peace whatever the result" of the Synod's month--long second session, Cardinal-- designate Timothy Radcliffe said on Oct. 20 in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall before members began reading , discussing, amending, and voting on the final document to be presented to Pope Francis on Oct. 26. 

The document will need to be read as something seeking rto bring deep renewal of the Church, not "through dramatic decisions, but by evoking  new ways of being a Church in which we relate to each other much more profoundly in Christ and to Christ much more profoundly with each other," he said at the afternoon briefing. 

Chicago Has More Rats Than Any US City

 For the 10th consecutive year, a popular pest control company has crowned Chicago the "rattiest city" in the  U..S., the USA Today website reports today(Oct. 22, 2024).  Orkin, an American pest control company  founded in 1901, announced the honor yesterday. 

"The streets of Chicago are a playground for rats. They chew constantly to explore new resources, contaminate  food, and damage property," John Kane, Orkin's national accounts entomologist  and quality manager, said  in a news release. "If we don't act, they'll keep growing in numbers. causing  bigger problems." 

Chicago beat out Los Angeles (second place) and New York (third place), according to Orkin.All three cities have faced "consistent rodent problems," and all have ranked in the top three since 2017, the company said. 

As colder weather approaches, Orkin warns that rats will search to find warm places to take shelter. 

How Long Does COVID--19 Last?

 A mild case of COVID--19 usually resolves in one to two weeks. It may take up to six wees or more to resolve for a severe case. Some people may experience lasting symptoms, called long--COVID , which may include damage to the brain, heart , kidneys, and lungs, the Health website reports today (Oct. 20, 2024).

Every case is different, but research has given experts a good idea of how long COVID--19 lasts. 

You can expect to recover within 10 days to two weeks if you have mild COVID--19 symptoms. It may take months to feel better for more severe cases.  Some people with severe symptoms may require hospitalization. 

Other people with severe underlying health conditions --  like diabetes or heart or lung disease -- may be at risk for severe COVID--19 complications.COVID --19 complications include: Acute respiratory distress syndrom (ARDS),Lung abscess, and Pneumonia. You may be contagious if you feel better but test positive within 10 days after your symptoms satart. In that case, the CDC advises that you wear a high--quality mask. 

People with severe COVID--19 symptoms or weak immune systems may need more time for the virus to clear. The CDC advises consulting a healthcare provider before ending your isolation.

Los Angeles Cath. Church Covered up Molesting Priests for Decades; Archdiocese Paid out $1.5 Billion

The Los Angeles Catholic Church covered up molesting priests for decades, which cost the L.A. Archdiocese $1.5 billion, the Los Angeles Times website reports today (Oct. 19, 2024).

The payout reflects its rank as the largest archdiocese in  the nation, with more than four million members, and a California law that gave accusers more time to file suit. 

It also underscores the failure of church leaders to identify molesting priests and prevent them from committing more crimes.  

Clergy sex abuse scandals have rocked Catholic churches across the world, but few places have seen the financial toll of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. 

With a record of $880--million settlement with victims announced this week, the Los Angeles Archdiocese has now paid out more than $6.5 billion. 

Some of those priests, after undergoing treatment at residential centers, were shuffled to new parishes, often in immigrant neighborhoods where the abuse would continue. 

The number of people alleging abuse now stands at nearly 2,500. 

The list of abusers within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles includes more tan 500 names, according to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. 

Worst Foods for High Cholesterol

 Nearly 1 in 3 adult Americans suffers from high cholesterol, the Nutrition USA website reports today (Oct. 18, 2024).

Although common, high cholesterol levels over time can take a toll on your body, putting it at risk of some major outcomes , like stroke and heart  disease.  

The saying. "You are what you eat" is true when it comes to raising or lowering cholesterol levels. Although genetics play a huge role in your cholesterol levels, dietary and lifestyle choices can also have a significant impact. 

Irt's important to note that no food is off--limits 365 days a year, and that an occasional doughnut or cheeseburger won't make or break your health. However, in general, some foods should only make their appearance on your table in moderation.

Margarine, once considered a healthy alternative to butter, is one of the worst foods for cholesterol. Butter contains a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Store--bought baked goods -- such as cakes, cookies, and muffins -- combine artery--clogging ingredients like flour, sugar, and butter, making them some of the worst foods for high cholesterol. 

Popcorn is a snack that can be either good or bad for your health, depending how you prepare it. Microwaveable options loaded with salt, oil, and butter are not a healthy choice and are one of the worst foods for high cholesterol.

Isreal Kills Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza

 Israeli forces  in  Gaza killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of  last year's attack on Israel on Oct. 7  that sparked the war, the AP website reports today (Oct.17,2024).

Israeli leaders celebrated his killing as a settling of scores just over a year after Hamas --led militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others in an attack that stunned the country. They also presented it as a turning point in the campaign to destroy Hamas, urging the group to surrender and release some 100 hostages still in Gaza. 

"Hamas will no longer rule Gaza. This is the start of the day after Hamas," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. 

U.S. officials expressed hopes for a cease--fire with Sinwar out of the picture. But eliminating him may not end the devastating war, during which Israel has destroyed much of the Gaza Strip and killed more than 42,000 Palestinians. More than half of those killed were women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. 

Over 6,000 Univ. of Mississippi Students Praise Jesus at Unite U.S. Event

 Thousands of students  from the University of Mississippi lifted their voices in worship and praise to Jesus and made public declarations of faith during a massive campus event, the CBN website reports today (Oct. 16, 2024). 

The Unite U.S. tour hit "Ole Miss" during its latest campus stop on its mission to share the Gospel with students across the country. 

The Pavilion was packed with 6,600 college students hungry for something more. God is on the move in this generation!

The ministry reports some 6,600 students packed out the Sandy and John Black Pavilion Oct. 10 to worship, pray, and to hear the Gospel. "Students from one of the top party schools showed up last night to represent Christ and get freed," wrote Christian music artist Forrest Frank, who shared footage of the baptisms. "Can't wait to see what God does next!"

The night ended with hundreds of students making a public declaration to Jesus Christ, and some took part in water baptisms in the back of a pickup truck.

Many Children Lost in Huricane Helene aftermath

 Despite floodwaters risaing 27 feet above the Asheville, North Carolina road, a plant preserved, its leaves now soaking up the bright sun, the USA Today website eports today (Oct. 15, 2024). 

A smattering of plants and at least one tree also remained standing when the waters receded after Tropical Storm Helene. But it was the trio of roses that Megan Drye took solace in on a Sunday afternoon in mid--October. 

She believes they are a sign  from her parents and young son who perished when the family's home collapsed into the Swannanoa River on Sept. 27. Megan, 39, was the sole survivor of the flood , which killed 7--year--old Micah Drye and Nora and Michael Drye, both 73. 

Micah was just one of the children lost in the storm. Nine--year--old Felix Wisely and his 7--year--old brother , Lucas, also died. At least one other student from Buncombe County Schools is confirmed dead, and about 20 remained unaccounted for today. In Buncombe County, home to Asheville, North Carolina, at least 72 have died, the largest share of western North Carolina's 124 confirmed deaths so far. 

Pope Calls for UN Forces in Lebanon to Be "Respected"

As Israel faces mounting international pressure over its assaults on a UN peacekeeping unit in Lebanon, Pope Francis has joined the chorus, using his noontime Sunday Angelus address to issue a direct appeal that "the forces of peace of the United Natiions  be respected," the Crux website reports today (Oct. 14, 2024). 

"I continue to follow with concern what's happening in the Middle East, and I ask once again for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts.," the pope said. "Let's follow the paths of diplomacy and dialogue to obtain peace."   

I'm close to all the populations involved, in Palestine, in Israel, and in Lebanon," the pope said, "where I ask that the forces of peace of the United Nations be respected. I pray for all the victims , the displaced persons, the hostages whom I hope will soon be released, and I hope that this great and useless suffering, generated by hate and vendetta, wiill soon end." 

Franklin Graham: Americans Must Help Each Other Amid Storm Devastation, Trust in God's Goodness

 Samaritan's Purse CEO Franklin Graham told the Christian Post that God is faithful amid suffering and that Americans must rely on each other after the recent hurricane devastation in the southeastern United States that afflicted his hometown, the Christian Post website reports today(Oct. 13, 2024). 

He also advised Americans against waiting for the government to save them in the wake of the damage from Hurricane Helene, which tore through a corridor extending from the Florida panhandle into Appalachia last week .

The storm left wide swaths of death and destruction, especially in Graham's native western North Carolina, where his nonprofit Samaritan's Purse is based in Boone. The relief organization has been using helicopters to carry food, water,and medical kits to some of the state's remote western counties, Graham said. 

Graham noted the fact that Samaritan's Purse, which ministers to devastated populations around the world, is now helping people in its own neighborhood. He said his own house in Boone continues to be without electricity. 

"A  lot of people, when there's a crisis like this, ask why,," he said. "Why did God allow it? He's a God of love: Why did God allow this? We know from the Bible that God loves us, and He cares for us. 

Graham added, "We are going to have storms in life, and the Bible tells us that if we put our faith and trust in Christ, that not only will He get us through this life, He will take us all the way to Heaven to be with Him one day. 

Ethel Kennedy, Wife of Sen. Robert Kennedy, Dies at 96

 Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and a mainstay in American politics for decades, died yesterday (Oct. 10) at the age of 96, the National Catholic Register website reports today (Oct. 11, 2024). Kennedy passed away in her sleep yesterday morning due to "complications related to a stroke she suffered last week," according to a statement on behalf of the Kennedy family posted on X by her grandson Joe Kennedy III

"She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant," the statement reads, adding : "We are comforted in  knowing she is reunited with her love of her life, our father, Robert  F. Kennedy;  her children,David and Michael; her daughter--in--law, Mary; her grandchildren, Maeve and Saoirse; and her great--grandchildren Gideon and Josie."

Kennedy's husband, Robert, campaigned for and won a seat in the U.S. Senate representing New York state in 1964. He was assassinated on June 6, 1968, less than 24 hours after announcing that he had won the presidential primaries in California and South Dakota. 

Ethel Kennedy, who was by Robert's side as he died, gave birth to their 11th and last child six months later. 

After her husband's death in 1968, she founded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center , dedicated to continuing his work  in the human rights and journalistic spheres. She was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Synod View: All Catholics Must Play Bigger Role in Spreading the Gospel

 The pope, bishops, and prests cannot fully awaken the missionary spirit of the Catholic Church alone, so all Catholics must play a more central role in spreading the Gospel, according to participants in the Synod on Synodality, the Catholic News website reports today (Oct. 10, 2024). 

In today's Church, where "theological competence is not only a privilege of priests and bishops" and where the lay faithful "demand participation and transparency," synodality must empower all Catholics to actively participate in the Church's mission, said Thomas Soding , a theology professor at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany and a theological expert at the Synod. 

Speaking at a theological and pastoral forum in Rome, organized by the General Secretariat of the Synod, Prof. Soding said that the model of the people of God as active participants in the Church's mission  is  rooted in the New Testament.

In the apostolic era, "we see the slow emergence of a canon of writings that interpret Jesus, that interpret the Gospel in diverse ways, but in ways that all the churches sense are in fidelity to the truth of Jesus Chrst," said Fr. Ormond Rush, a professor at Australian Cathoic University and another theological expert at the Synod. 

Fr. Rush noted that the faithful must be careful to avoid conceiving of the Church as an "ethereal subject floating through time," unaffected by worldly circumstance, but must also recognize it as something beyond a purely human institution. 

Synod participants look at how all Catholics can serve the Church's mission. 

Tornadoes Join Hurricane Milton in Slamming Florida

 Hurricane Milton continued its path toward one of Florida's most densely populated areas as a "catastrophic" behemoth that is expected to make landfill tonight (Oct. 9, 2024), the USA Today website reports. 

Milton has grown in size, making its potential damage more widespread. "Hisatoric, catastrophic, life--threatening-- all these words summarize the situation," said Austen Flannery, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. Tornadic supercells -- dangerous thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes --  were beginning to sweep across Florida, the weather service said. The weather service in Miami said it had" up to 4 visually confirmed tornadoes today," with unofficial reports of others. 

Milton slammed into a Florida region still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which caused heavy damage to beach communities with storm surge and killed a dozen people in seaside Pinellas County alone. 

At a news conference in Tallahassee, Gov. Ron  DeSantis described deployment of a wide range of resources, including 9,000 National Guard members from Florida and other states; over 50,000 utility workers from as far as California; and highway patrol cars with sirens to escort gasoline tankers to replenish supplies so people could fill up their tanks before evacuating. 

"Unfortunately, there will be fatalities, I don't think there's any way around that," De Santis saids. 

New Study: U.S Orthodox Churches Boomed during Pandemic

Most American churches navigated the patchwork of COVID--19 restrictions on public gatherings by periodically closing their doors and broadcasting services online instead, the Christian Today website reports today (Oct. 8, 2024). 

But for almost half of U.S. Orthodox Christians , liturgical services continuewd for anyone wanting to attend in person, according to a new study of how the denomination weathered the pandemic. 

The new study finds that Orthodox churches overall were reluctant to embrace virtual worship  compared to all religious congregations. By spring 2023, 75% of all U.S. congregations  provided remote options compared to only 53% of Orthodox churches. 

At the same time, Orthodox churches overall have seen a drop in volunteer participation, from 40% in 2020 to 25% in 2023, compared to 40% and 35% in all U.S. congregations. 

Using survey data from 2020 through 2023, the study found 44% of Orthodox churches remained open during  the pandemic , compared to just 12% of all U.S. congregations. 

There is no single Orthodox Church in the U.S. Instead, several jurisdictions -- the largest are the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Orthodox Church in America (Russian), and the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese -- are administered independently of one another and exist side by side, sharing the same teachings and in full communion with one another. 

Today Marks First Anniv. of Hamas Attack on Israel

 Israel today (Oct. 7, 2024) marked the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on the Jewish state that killed more than 1,200 people and took some 250 hostages as the Israeli military continued its massive air strikes on Beirut and its incursion in southern Lebanon that aims to destroy the Iran--allied Hezbollah military group, the Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty website reports. 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog led a national moment of silence at 6:29 a.m. , the time the attack started, at Kibbutz Reim, the site of the Nova music festival where hundreds of mostly young revelers were killed by gunmen from Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and the European Union.

In Washington, President Joe Biden  and Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Hamas on the anniversary, while also stating again the U.S. administration's commitment to reaching cease--fire agreements to end fighting in both Gaza and Lebanon. 

"On this solemn anniversary, let us bear witness to the unspeakable brutality of the October 7 attacks, but also to the beauty of the lives that were stolen that day," Biden said in a statement. 

In Jerusalem, relatives of some 100 hostages still n Hamas captivity gathered outside the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and stood in silence as a siren wailed in a gesture of protest against what relatives say is the failure of the government to secure their loved ones' release. 

Following the Oct. 7 attack, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians , according to Gaza's Health Ministry. 

The conflict in Gaza is still raging, while Israel is now fighting a second front in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. 

Israel has bombed Beirut's suburbs for days, and killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sept. 27.

Milton Is New Hurricane to Hit Florida; Helene Is Still Having Its Impact

 Milton became a hurricane this afternoon (Oct. 6, 2024) with a "steady and rapid strengthening" forecast over the next few days, the USA Today website reports. 

It rolled through the Gulf of Mexico on a track that imperils areas of the Florida Peninsula, still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

Milton's winds reached 80 mph with "steady and rapid strengthening" forecast over the next few days, the National Hurricane Center said. A major hurricane means a Category 3 storm, which drives winds of 111 to 129 mph. 

Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis today expanded a state of emergency to 16 more counties, meaning 51 of Florida's 67 counties are now part of the directive. 

The first inundation estimates for Milton show a likely storm surge in locations along Florida's west coast from south of Cedar Key to Everglades City. 

Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist for Weather Tiger, says Helene and Milton are likely to go down as among the most devastating one--two punches ever to hit  Florida. 

Post Helene Tragedies Continue in North Carolina

 A week after the remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through the western part of North Carolina, Monsignor Patrick Winslow said everyone leading the Diocese of Charlotte's response and recovery efforts is still trying to understand the full extent of the damage, the Crux website reports today (Oct. 5, 2024). 

Winsalow, the diocese's chancellor and vicar general, said every day that communication capabilities are restored, more information and images trickle in about families whose homes were destroyed or people in a particular region who are in need. 

He said he has seen a western North Carolina that is unrecognizable. "It  is heartbreaking to see these scenes," Winslow told Crux. 

The Diocese of Charlotte constitutes 46 counties in western North Carolina. More than half of those have been declared federal disaster areas. That region includes 44 of the diocese's 92 churches, which for the most part sustained minor damage. 

More than 200 people in six states have died due to the storm. At least 100 of those deaths are in North Carolina, and search and rescue in the state continue. 

Pope, Holy Land Leaders Call for Oct. 7 to Be a Day of Prayer, Fasting for Peace

 With the war in Gaza morphing into a full--blown regional conflict as the first anniversary of hostilities approaches, the Church's leading voice  in the Holy Land has called on believers to observe an Oct. 7 day of prayer and fasting for peace, the Crux website reports today (Oct. 4, 2024). 

In a recent statement, Cardinal Pierbarttista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, noted that "for the past year the Holy Land , and not only, has been plunged into a vortex of violence and hatred never seen or  experienced before."

"The intensity and impact of the tragedies we have witnessed in the past 12 months have deeply lacerated our conscience and our sense of humanity, " he said. 

In light of this, as the first anniversary approaches of the Oct. 7,

 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which prompted a retaliatory offensive that has since spun into an escalating regional conflict, Pizzaballa invited faithful to observe Oct. 7 "a day of prayer, fasting, and penance." 

Last year on Oct. 7, Hamas militants attacked various locations throughout Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. 

Israel in response launched a retaliatory ground and air offensive in Gaza with the aim of eradicating Hamas that has left more than 41,000 people in Gaza dead. 

Pope Francis echoed Pizzaballa's call for a day of prayer and fasting on Oct.  7, asking everyone "to take part in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world" on Oct. 7.

Synod of Bishops on Synodality Rejects Women Becoming Deacons; Women Becoming Deacons Violates Catholic Doctrine

 On the first day of the final session of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, a study group responsible for evaluating the female diaconate has said that, while still exploring other forms of women's involvement in the Church, they will not become deacons, the Crux website reports today (Oct. 3, 2024). 

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the  Doctrine of the Faith, made the announcement during the synod's afternoon session Oct. 2, the first official working day of the Oct. 2--27 synod. 

On the women's diaconate, he said, "We would like to share from the outset that, based on the analysis conducted so far -- which also takes into account the work done by the two Commissions established by Pope Francis on the female diaconate -- the dicastory judges that there is no room for a positive decision by the Magisterium regarding the access of women to the diaconate, understood as a degree of the Sacrament of Holy Orders." 

"The Holy Father himself recently confirmed this consideration publicly. In any event, the Dicastery judges that the opportunity to continue the work of in--depth study remains open," he said. 

Feds Arrest Thousands of Violent Fugitives in Huge Operation

 The U.S.Marshals Service said yesterday a months--long nationwide mission to capture violent fugitives has resulted in the arrests of more than 3,400  suspects wanted on murder, rape, and robbery charges, The Washington Times website reports today (Oct. 2, 2024). 

The U.S. Marshals Service's Operation North Star saw 216 homicide suspects, as well as 803 suspects wanted for assault, and 482 people wanted on weapons offenses, taken into custody during the sprawling mission that covered the metropolitan areas in the Midwest, Southwest, and Southeast. 

Notable arrests include Michael Moldovan, who was nabbed in Sterling, Virginia in August after he fled North CXarolina on statutory rape charges. . 

"We first launched Operation North Star in 2022 to identify and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders ," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in  a statement. 

The Marshals said the operation, which lasted from May 10 to Sept. 13, ended with 534 firearms seized, more than $508,000 in currency reclaimed, and the confiscation of 456 kilograms of illegal narcotics, including 138 pounds and more that 550,000 pills of deadly fentanyl.

Synod of Bishops on Synodality Begins

 After three years of discussion, debate and, at times, division, the concluding act of Pope Francis' Synod of Bishops on synodality began yesterday, with the opening of a two--day spiritual retreat before the 368 participants in the second , and final, Roman assembly start their conversations, the Crux website reports today (Oct. 1, 2024). 

As during the first session of the synod last year, the retreat will be led by Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe and Benedictine Mother Ignazia Angelini, organized into four "meditations" over the two days. The retreat will also feature a Mass tonight in St. Peter's Basilica, and a penitential liturgy tomorrow evening in the presence of the pope, in which victims of abuse, of war, and indifferenc to migrants will offer testimony. 

Forgiveness will be asked for a litany of sins, including abuse, "using doctrine as stones to be hurled," and war and violence, as well as offenses against creation, indigenous populations, migrants, women, families, and youth. 

Of the 368 participants, 272 are bishops and the rest are priests. deacons, male and female religious, and laity. 

October 2 marks the official opening of the synod itself, with a Mass in St. Peter's Square at 9:30 a.m. Rome time, and the first working session that afternoon at 4 p.m., which will begin with a greeting from Pope Francis.