“Except in the narrowest circumstances, no one should be forced to choose between living out his or her faith and complying with the law,” the guidance states. “Therefore, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law, religious observance and practice should be reasonably accommodated.”

Father Ryan McCandless, 44, was ordained to the priesthood in 2017.

“While the Church does not prescribe any particular tax model, she teaches that every system of taxation must serve the common good, be guided by justice and equity, and take into account each person’s ability to contribute,” the bishops of the state’s four dioceses said. “Tax systems that rely heavily on regressive forms of taxation, such as sales taxes, should be approached with prudence because they can place a disproportionate burden on those with lower incomes.”

While conceding that the amendment’s supporters have “legitimate considerations,” the bishops said that such considerations ‘should be weighed alongside the potential effects on those who are most vulnerable.”

“Ciudad Juárez [the state’s largest city] holds the record for victims of enforced disappearance in the state of Chihuahua,” the newspaper reported, as it cited data from a report published by the Mexican Institute of Human Rights and Democracy. “For many families, searching for their missing loved ones on their own is the only way to keep hope alive.”

The unsigned article concluded:

Consequently, caminatas de búsqueda (search walks) have become a widespread practice in Mexico, reflecting the sheer scale of the disappearance crisis. In most instances, the initiative originates with the family members themselves, as official investigations are perceived as too slow or inadequate. When authorities take part, these are referred to as acompañadas (accompanied) searches, or searches coordinated with the State.

Twenty-two percent of bishops in the United States are “comfortable ordaining a man who experiences deep-seated same-sex attraction, provided he is firmly committed to celibacy,” according to survey data that appeared in a newly published report.

Entrusting the president to the intercession of the nation’s patron saints, the Pontiff thanked him for his “constant attention” to Italy’s “ecclesial and social life.”

The bishops wrote, “In recent days, many people have approached us asking: ‘Where is God in the midst of such anguish?’ To this question, which runs through the history of humanity, we respond: God is precisely in and with the victims; they are the favored ones of the Lord Jesus, the true Good Samaritan ... Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, we are all called to be compassionate Samaritans.”

“We must reject the manipulation of those who, driven by superstition and fundamentalism, have claimed that earthquakes are a punishment from God, a kind of divine vengeance,” the bishops added. “This interpretation was refuted by Jesus Christ himself (cf. Lk 13:4-5).”

The bishops also issued a pointed remark about past government “corruption and indifference”:

Reconstruction also requires us to echo the indignation of the earthquake victims who were neglected by public institutions. As previously stated, natural disasters are unpredictable; however, it is the obligation of State authorities to be prepared to face them.

Moving forward, we must all ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated during reconstruction efforts; otherwise, the most vulnerable will once again suffer the consequences of corruption and indifference.

Catholic Connect, a website of the bishops’ conference, reported that the commission described the day of prayer as “neither political nor partisan,” but rather as “the compassionate and prayerful response of a Church that loves her young people, shares their hopes and anxieties, and walks with them in their journey.”

“What struck and moved me most was the courage of the people, their determination, and also their faith in God the Father,” Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said after returning from a visit to Ukraine. “There is a firm resolve to live as normal a life as possible: to continue working, to care for their children, to look after the elderly, and to foster solidarity with those who have suffered under bombardment.”

“I was deeply impressed by their nobility of spirit and by their determination to preserve their freedom and independence,” Archbishop Gallagher added,

During Archbishop Gallagher’s visit to Ukraine, the Russian military launched a missile and drone attack that struck the neighborhood of the apostolic nunciature, where the prelate was staying.

“Nearly every priest that I had, you know, I grew up in the Church, was credibly accused of child sexual abuse,” said Rep. Patrick Burke, 42. “Many friends of mine were victims of child sexual abuse.”