Pope Calls for Rediscovery of Rosary's Ability to Evangelize Church

 Pope Francis has called for a rediscovery of the Rosary's ability to evangelize the Church, in his letter commemorating 150 years since the painting of Our Lady of the Rosary arrived at the Italian Shrine of Pompeii, the Cath. News website reports today (Nov.10, 2024).

"The Rosary, a simple tool accessible to everyone, can support the renewed evangelization to which the Church  is called today," Pope Francis wrote in his message to Pompeii Archbishop Tommaso Caputo,the papal delegate for the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The ecclesial community in Pompeii is preparing to celebrate a Jubilee Year with various pastoral initiatives to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the revered image of Our Lady of the Rosary. 

Pope Francis began his message noting he spiritually unites with all those who will celebrate this significant occasion and will pause in prayerful recollection  at the Marian temple of Pompeii,to find comfort and hope in the sweet face of the Heavenly Mother. 

"It is wonderful," the pope said, "to rediscover the Rosary in this perspective, to assimilate the mysteries of the life  of the Savior, contemplating them with the eyes of Mary."

How Trump's Presidency May Affect the US Economy

 President--elect  Donald Trump's plans for higher tariffs, lower taxes, and more curbs on immigration are expected to reignite inflation, but economic forecasters are divided over whether they'll weaken or boost the U.S. economy, the USA Today website reports today (Nov. 9, 2024). 

Eventually, Trump's signature economic policies may cancel out the benefits of his plans for lower taxes. That could weaken growth overall, but would stop short of triggering a recession, economists say. 

Americans are living in the moment, optimistic that Trump can ease the pain of high inflation over the past four years. Election polls consistently showed the economy and inflation were top of mind. 

"I voted for Donald Trump because four years ago, the economy was way better than it is right now and I trust that he will fix the economy again," said Charles Maleski of Chalfont, Penn. 

Trump, a Republican and the 45th president, won election over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris . Control of the U.S. Senate flipped to Republicans , while as of yesterday afternoon, the House remained up for grabs. 

"There is a great deal of speculation in the market, because the policies of a Trump Presidency with a Republican Congress will be starkly different than those of  the Biden Administration," Michael O'Rourke , chief market strategist at Jones Trading, said in an email. 

Trump has threatened to impose tariffs of 10% or 20% on all imports, and up to 60% on Chinese shipments. 

Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, said, "While President Trump's policies will diminish the economy, they will not undermine it, as the President will likely moderate his policies and even pivot if it looks like they are doing significant economic damage."

Justice Dept.: 3 Charged in Iranian Plot to KIll President--Elect Trump

 The Justice Deprt. announced today (Nov. 8, 2024) that three men were charged in a murder--for--hire plot to kill President--elect Donald Trump in revenge for the death of a top Iranian military commander, the USA Today website reports. 

Farhad Shakeri, 51, of Iran, and Carlisle Rivera,49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, of New York were named in the indictment. 

Rivera and Loadholt were each arrested yesterday in New York and were ordered held pending trial during an initial court appearance.Shakeri remains at large and is believed to be in Iran.

The charges allege Iran has been targeting U.S. citizens to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of Qasem Soleimani, commandewr of the Qods Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who was killed by a drone strike in Baghad on Trump.s orders. 

Iran has targeted Trump personally with assassination plots and his campaign through hacking attempts as it sought to disrupt the 2024 presidential race, officials say. 

"There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran's assassination plots against its targets, including President--elect Donald Trump." 

Shakeri is an Iranian Republican Guard asset who lives in Tehran, Iran, according to prosecutors. Shakeri had immigrated to the U.S. as a child and was deported in about 2008 after serving 14 years in prison  for a robbery conviction. 

In recent months, Shakeri has used a network of criminal associates he met in prison to supply the Iranian Republican Guard with operatives to conduct surveillance and assassinations . Two members of Shakeri's network are his co--defendants , Rivera and Loadholt. 

"We will not stand for the Iranian regime's attempts to endanger the American people and America's national security," Aty. Gen. Garland said. 

Key Papal Aide: Vatican Will Seek Dialogue with Trump

 Despite conflicts with Pope Francis on matters ranging from immigration and climate change to China and the Middle East during Donald Trump's last stint in the White House, a senior Vatican official has said that during his new term , Rome intends to "seek dialogue," the Crux website reports today (Nov. 7, 2024). 

Italian Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, under--secretary of the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and a close advisor to Pope Francis, spoke yesterday in interviews with Italian news agencies. 

Dialogue is needed, Spadaro said, first of all, "for a better American society, where it's obvious that many people don't feel at home, where they don't feel recognized and protected, and there's a cry to be heard." 

"Catholics don't have homogenous party affiliations or political convictions in the United States or anywhere else," he said. "It has held the compass of values steady, but without taking sides, precisely to avoid a spurious mixing of religion with politics."

"Dialogue and diplomacy are useful precisely for building bridges and knocking down walls,"  Spadaro said. 

Christians in Spain Call for Prayer Following Flooding Disaster; Flooding Caused Deaths of at Least 205 People

Evangelical Christians in Valencia on the eastern coast of Spain have called for prayer support in the aftermath of last week's catastrophic flooding that caused the deaths of at least 205 people, the Worthy News website reports today (Nov. 6, 2024). 

The disaster began on the evening of October 29 when a meteorological phenomenon known as isolated Depression at High Altitudes triggered torrential rains in around the city. 

Reporting from Valencia, Joel Forster of the Protestante Digital media outlet said:"We've been hit by water like the sea.We have a huge flood. The ravine has overflowed, carrying away bridges, and has reached our neighborhood, which is far away."

Acording to the Christian Daily International (CDI), the catastrophe has seen Evangelical churches rush to assist victims and to help with organizing humanitarian aid, and collaborating in assistance networks. 

"Amid the adversity, Christian leaders have highlighted the importance of providing spiritual support to those affected. We must unite and pray for our community and our brothers in Christ," they emphasized, "calling on the entire Evangelical community to come together in prayer and support," CDI stated in its report. 

NY to Phase out Regents Exams for High School Grads by 2027

NY state education officials announced today (Nov. 4, 2024) that the high school class of 2027 will be the last in New York who need to pass Regents exams to earn a high school diploma, the NY Daily News website reports. 

The projected timeline is part of a five--year plan presented to the board of Regents to rework graduation measures, including to drop high stakes tests as a requirement. Other changes would consolidate three types of diplomas into one , adjust credit requirements , and broaden the skills and knowledge students need to graduate. 

For a standard diploma, current students must pass at least four Regents exams and a state--approved assessment,and meet certain credit requirements. Research has found that requiring students to pass standardized tests to graduate provides little evidence of the tests' efficacy.

College Tuition Is Now Dropping

 The full cost of attending a public college is falling, rather than rising, after you adjust it for inflation, the USA Today website reports today (Nov. 1, 2024). 

The average net price in tuition and fees for an in--state student at a four--year public college has plummeted by 40% in a decade, after inflation, from $4,140 in 2014 --15 --to an estimated $2,480 in 2024--25,according to the College Board. 

The figures represent the average net price of college tuition and fees for a first--time student, after you deduct grants, scholarships, and other discounts and account for inflation. 

The full cost of attending public college is falling, too, although not so swiftly. The net cost of of in--state attendance , including room and board and other expenses, has declined from $23,050 in 2014 to $20,780 in 2024, after factoring in grants and inflation, the College Board found. 

"State governments have been reinvesting in higher education over the last decade,"ater a round of dramatic cuts in the Great Recession era, said Nicholas Hillman, a professor and expert on higher education finance at the University of Wisconsin --Madison. 

Tuition costs also vary widely from state to state. The least expensive state is Florida, the College Board reports, with average tuition and fees of $6,360 for in--state students. The most expensive is Vermont, with an average of $17,490.Nearly every state charges less in 2024 than it did in 2019, after inflation.