Day: August 25, 2026

Chicago priest reinstated after being cleared in sex abuse investigation #Catholic Father Michael Pfleger, a priest known for his activism in Chicago, has been cleared by the archdiocese of an accusation of sex abuse.In July, the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew Pfleger — longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church — from ministry to review an allegation of sexual abuse. A woman claimed that Pfleger abused her when she was a child more than 30 years ago. This is the fifth of several accusations of sexual abuse against Pfleger, all of which the archdiocese has cleared him of.After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”The archdiocese announced that “there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation.”“The Independent Review Board, assisted by our Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, thoroughly reviewed the allegation,” Cupich’s letter, addressed to the St. Sabina Parish community, read.“An independent inquiry assures the public and the person making the accusation of a fair and impartial review of all matters related to such cases,” the letter continued. “It also protects the rights and interests of the accused cleric, especially if the board concludes there is no reason to believe the accused is guilty of the allegation. In that case, the cleric has the freedom to return to ministry without a cloud of suspicion over him.”“In short, no one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time,” the letter continued.“Thank you God,” Pfleger wrote in a Facebook post. “And thanks to all who have stood with me.”Cupich also wrote about suffering in his letter and thanked the parish for its “prayers and support” for Pfleger.“This coming weekend, Jesus tells us that being a disciple is about taking up our crosses and following him,” Cupich wrote. “Notice that Jesus redefines our sufferings in life. Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own,” Cupich pointed out.“He wants us to see discipleship as participating in the salvation of the world; discipleship involves joining our sufferings, our crosses to His on Calvary. Following Him, being a disciple, is then not a demanding chore, but a great gift. As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined,” Cupich continued.“It is in this spirit that I want to recognize the suffering you and Father Mike have endured, for I know his absence has been real and painful,” Cupich said.Pfleger has pastored the predominantly Black parish St. Sabina, located on the South Side of Chicago, since 1981. While most priest’s assignments last about seven years, Pfleger’s has lasted 45 years.Pfleger has a storied history in Chicago, leading fierce activism against drugs and guns along with outreach to prostitutes and drug dealers.Some of the priest’s words and actions have put him at the center of controversy. The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago suspended Pfleger in 2011 after the priest threatened to leave the priesthood if George reassigned him. The cardinal reinstated him as St. Sabina’s pastor after Pfleger apologized. In 2019, Cupich publicly denounced Pfleger’s decision to invite Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to speak at St. Sabina.“Remember your dignity as disciples, those who can claim that Jesus joins your sufferings to His for the salvation of the world,” Cupich concluded in his letter to the parish. “You will have my support and prayers as you continue to be a light in the community, a great witness that has distinguished St. Sabina’s for generations.”The parish will hold a press conference on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. Pfleger did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
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Chicago priest reinstated after being cleared in sex abuse investigation #Catholic Father Michael Pfleger, a priest known for his activism in Chicago, has been cleared by the archdiocese of an accusation of sex abuse.In July, the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew Pfleger — longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church — from ministry to review an allegation of sexual abuse. A woman claimed that Pfleger abused her when she was a child more than 30 years ago. This is the fifth of several accusations of sexual abuse against Pfleger, all of which the archdiocese has cleared him of.After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”The archdiocese announced that “there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation.”“The Independent Review Board, assisted by our Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, thoroughly reviewed the allegation,” Cupich’s letter, addressed to the St. Sabina Parish community, read.“An independent inquiry assures the public and the person making the accusation of a fair and impartial review of all matters related to such cases,” the letter continued. “It also protects the rights and interests of the accused cleric, especially if the board concludes there is no reason to believe the accused is guilty of the allegation. In that case, the cleric has the freedom to return to ministry without a cloud of suspicion over him.”“In short, no one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time,” the letter continued.“Thank you God,” Pfleger wrote in a Facebook post. “And thanks to all who have stood with me.”Cupich also wrote about suffering in his letter and thanked the parish for its “prayers and support” for Pfleger.“This coming weekend, Jesus tells us that being a disciple is about taking up our crosses and following him,” Cupich wrote. “Notice that Jesus redefines our sufferings in life. Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own,” Cupich pointed out.“He wants us to see discipleship as participating in the salvation of the world; discipleship involves joining our sufferings, our crosses to His on Calvary. Following Him, being a disciple, is then not a demanding chore, but a great gift. As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined,” Cupich continued.“It is in this spirit that I want to recognize the suffering you and Father Mike have endured, for I know his absence has been real and painful,” Cupich said.Pfleger has pastored the predominantly Black parish St. Sabina, located on the South Side of Chicago, since 1981. While most priest’s assignments last about seven years, Pfleger’s has lasted 45 years.Pfleger has a storied history in Chicago, leading fierce activism against drugs and guns along with outreach to prostitutes and drug dealers.Some of the priest’s words and actions have put him at the center of controversy. The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago suspended Pfleger in 2011 after the priest threatened to leave the priesthood if George reassigned him. The cardinal reinstated him as St. Sabina’s pastor after Pfleger apologized. In 2019, Cupich publicly denounced Pfleger’s decision to invite Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to speak at St. Sabina.“Remember your dignity as disciples, those who can claim that Jesus joins your sufferings to His for the salvation of the world,” Cupich concluded in his letter to the parish. “You will have my support and prayers as you continue to be a light in the community, a great witness that has distinguished St. Sabina’s for generations.”The parish will hold a press conference on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. Pfleger did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

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After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Father Michael Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 26 August 2026 – A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18 We instruct you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who walks in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. This greeting is in my own hand, Paul?s. This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.From the Gospel according to Matthew 23:27-32 Jesus said, ?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men?s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. ?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous,  and you say, ?If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets? blood.? Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!?The hearts of these people, of this small group, had hardened so much over time that it was impossible for them to listen to the Lord?s voice. And from being sinners, they had slipped further and become corrupt. It is very difficult for a corrupt person to change his ways. A sinner can, because the Lord is merciful and awaits us all. But the corrupt are set in their ways, and these people were corrupt. And that is why they justify themselves: because Jesus, with His simplicity, yet with the power of God, annoyed them. (?) They rejected the Lord?s love, and this rejection meant they were on a path that was not that of the dialectic of freedom offered by the Lord, but that of the logic of necessity, where there is no place for the Lord. In the dialectic of freedom there is the good Lord, who loves us, who loves us a great deal! Instead, in the logic of necessity there is no place for God: one must do, this, one must do that, one must? They have become mere creatures of habit. Men of good manners and bad habits. Jesus calls them ?whited sepulchres?. (?) Those who justify themselves understand neither mercy nor compassion. Instead, those people who loved Jesus so much needed mercy and compassion, so they went to the Lord to ask for them. (Pope Francis, Homily, Holy Mass for Italian Parliamentarians, 27 March 2014)

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A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians
3:6-10, 16-18

We instruct you, brothers and sisters,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to shun any brother
who walks in a disorderly way
and not according to the tradition they received from us.
For you know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked,
so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that
if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

May the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.

This greeting is in my own hand, Paul?s.
This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
23:27-32

Jesus said,
?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs,
which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men?s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous, 
and you say, ?If we had lived
in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them
in shedding the prophets? blood.?
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those
who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!?

The hearts of these people, of this small group, had hardened so much over time that it was impossible for them to listen to the Lord?s voice. And from being sinners, they had slipped further and become corrupt. It is very difficult for a corrupt person to change his ways. A sinner can, because the Lord is merciful and awaits us all. But the corrupt are set in their ways, and these people were corrupt. And that is why they justify themselves: because Jesus, with His simplicity, yet with the power of God, annoyed them. (?) They rejected the Lord?s love, and this rejection meant they were on a path that was not that of the dialectic of freedom offered by the Lord, but that of the logic of necessity, where there is no place for the Lord. In the dialectic of freedom there is the good Lord, who loves us, who loves us a great deal! Instead, in the logic of necessity there is no place for God: one must do, this, one must do that, one must? They have become mere creatures of habit. Men of good manners and bad habits. Jesus calls them ?whited sepulchres?. (?) Those who justify themselves understand neither mercy nor compassion. Instead, those people who loved Jesus so much needed mercy and compassion, so they went to the Lord to ask for them. (Pope Francis, Homily, Holy Mass for Italian Parliamentarians, 27 March 2014)

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Picture of the day Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns.
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Watchdog group flags safety concerns at Colorado abortion clinics after death of teenager #Catholic In Colorado, advocates for life are gathering to remember a young woman who died during a second-trimester abortion at a Planned Parenthood — and to call for better safety regulations.Alexis “Lexi” Arguello died of complications during an abortion at the Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins; her grandparents claimed the clinic waited too long to call 911.The three-day “Justice for Lexi” campaign, taking place Aug. 27–29, aims to draw attention to the “the tragic death of Lexi Arguello and the numerous abortion injuries sustained by other unprotected women in unregulated abortion clinics across the state,” according to Operation Rescue, a watchdog group working to end abortion in the U.S. In the 1980s and 1990s, the group organized peaceful sit-ins and blockades in front of abortion clinics, which sometimes led to arrests.A press conference on Aug. 28 will be held on the sidewalk in front of the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood, where 12 other women have been injured, according to the group. Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez-Novelo of the Archdiocese of Denver will speak at the prayer rally following the press conference.Dr. Catherine Wheeler, a former abortionist who now heads the Colorado Chapter of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a group that promotes patients’ rights for unborn babies and mothers, is set to speak at the event.“The tragic loss of Lexi’s life and at least 13 ambulances from Fort Collins since January 2025 witness to the dangers of later abortion, magnified by lack of oversight, transparency and accountability,” Wheeler stated in an Aug. 24 press release.“Women and Coloradans do not understand the dangers of abortion after the first trimester, and are not told the facilities are not regulated or inspected to be sure that anesthesia is safe, sterilization protocols are enforced, clinicians are adequately trained, or that the staff and facility are prepared, equipped and capable to manage emergencies like hemorrhage, uterine perforation or acute respiratory failure, known complications,” Wheeler continued.Dr. Tom Perille, who heads Democrats for Life of Colorado, insists that women’s safety must come first.“For two consecutive years, bills have been introduced in the Colorado Assembly to grant the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment the authority to license, regulate, and inspect second and third trimester abortion facilities like they do other high risk healthcare facilities,” Perille said in the release. “Both times, the bills were defeated along party lines at the bequest of the abortion industry.”“Putting the abortion industry’s financial interests above the health and safety of Colorado women must stop,” he said.Operation Rescue has been monitoring the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood since Arguello’s death last year, according to the press release.“Since Lexi’s tragic death, our team has documented at least 12 more women injured at this same Planned Parenthood,” Sarah Neely, COO of Operation Rescue, said in a statement. “Another late-term Planned Parenthood located in Denver has injured nine women. Not one incident has been investigated, not even the death of Lexi, when evidence and testimony suggested Planned Parenthood staff waited too long to call 911.”In one case on July 9, Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins called 911 for a “hemorrhaging” patient.Attorney Alexandra Snyder of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a pro-life nonprofit defending unborn children, called for more safety regulations for abortion.“The need for adequate regulations is most pronounced in facilities that perform second- and third-trimester abortions, like the one that treated Lexi before she died,” Snyder said. “Colorado’s legislature has twice rejected attempts to impose even basic safety requirements. We will continue to fight for laws that protect women in Colorado from this unconscionable neglect on the part of the Legislature.”“We hope that Lexi’s death will finally compel lawmakers to require abortion clinics to meet the same patient safety standards required of other medical facilities,” Snyder said.
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Watchdog group flags safety concerns at Colorado abortion clinics after death of teenager #Catholic In Colorado, advocates for life are gathering to remember a young woman who died during a second-trimester abortion at a Planned Parenthood — and to call for better safety regulations.Alexis “Lexi” Arguello died of complications during an abortion at the Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins; her grandparents claimed the clinic waited too long to call 911.The three-day “Justice for Lexi” campaign, taking place Aug. 27–29, aims to draw attention to the “the tragic death of Lexi Arguello and the numerous abortion injuries sustained by other unprotected women in unregulated abortion clinics across the state,” according to Operation Rescue, a watchdog group working to end abortion in the U.S. In the 1980s and 1990s, the group organized peaceful sit-ins and blockades in front of abortion clinics, which sometimes led to arrests.A press conference on Aug. 28 will be held on the sidewalk in front of the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood, where 12 other women have been injured, according to the group. Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez-Novelo of the Archdiocese of Denver will speak at the prayer rally following the press conference.Dr. Catherine Wheeler, a former abortionist who now heads the Colorado Chapter of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a group that promotes patients’ rights for unborn babies and mothers, is set to speak at the event.“The tragic loss of Lexi’s life and at least 13 ambulances from Fort Collins since January 2025 witness to the dangers of later abortion, magnified by lack of oversight, transparency and accountability,” Wheeler stated in an Aug. 24 press release.“Women and Coloradans do not understand the dangers of abortion after the first trimester, and are not told the facilities are not regulated or inspected to be sure that anesthesia is safe, sterilization protocols are enforced, clinicians are adequately trained, or that the staff and facility are prepared, equipped and capable to manage emergencies like hemorrhage, uterine perforation or acute respiratory failure, known complications,” Wheeler continued.Dr. Tom Perille, who heads Democrats for Life of Colorado, insists that women’s safety must come first.“For two consecutive years, bills have been introduced in the Colorado Assembly to grant the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment the authority to license, regulate, and inspect second and third trimester abortion facilities like they do other high risk healthcare facilities,” Perille said in the release. “Both times, the bills were defeated along party lines at the bequest of the abortion industry.”“Putting the abortion industry’s financial interests above the health and safety of Colorado women must stop,” he said.Operation Rescue has been monitoring the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood since Arguello’s death last year, according to the press release.“Since Lexi’s tragic death, our team has documented at least 12 more women injured at this same Planned Parenthood,” Sarah Neely, COO of Operation Rescue, said in a statement. “Another late-term Planned Parenthood located in Denver has injured nine women. Not one incident has been investigated, not even the death of Lexi, when evidence and testimony suggested Planned Parenthood staff waited too long to call 911.”In one case on July 9, Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins called 911 for a “hemorrhaging” patient.Attorney Alexandra Snyder of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a pro-life nonprofit defending unborn children, called for more safety regulations for abortion.“The need for adequate regulations is most pronounced in facilities that perform second- and third-trimester abortions, like the one that treated Lexi before she died,” Snyder said. “Colorado’s legislature has twice rejected attempts to impose even basic safety requirements. We will continue to fight for laws that protect women in Colorado from this unconscionable neglect on the part of the Legislature.”“We hope that Lexi’s death will finally compel lawmakers to require abortion clinics to meet the same patient safety standards required of other medical facilities,” Snyder said.

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Last year, 18-year-old Lexi Arguello died after complications from a late-term abortion. Activists say staff waited too long to call 911 — and note that women continue to be injured at the clinic.

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Astronauts Anil Menon and Sophie Adenot on Spacewalk – From left, Expedition 75 flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA (partially obscured and wearing the spacesuit with a red stripe on the legs) and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) work together during a six‑hour and 23‑minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

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From left, Expedition 75 flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA (partially obscured and wearing the spacesuit with a red stripe on the legs) and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) work together during a six‑hour and 23‑minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

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French Council protects conscience rights for Catholics, pharmacists as euthanasia law takes effect – #Catholic – The official promulgation of France’s end-of-life law in the Journal Officiel on Aug. 19 came with a significant victory for religious and conscience freedom. Catholic hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes will not be forced to allow euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises, and pharmacists cannot be compelled to prepare or dispense the lethal substance. This conscience-clause win, secured by interpretive reservations by the Constitutional Council on Aug. 14, has received less attention than the law itself, adopted by the Parliament in July, and which the progressive government of President Emmanuel Macron had vigorously defended since 2023.In a press release on its ruling, the council — France’s highest constitutional authority — specified that the exemption applies when hosting assisted dying would be “manifestly contrary” to an institution’s statutory mission or project, and only if that opposition is formally written into its governing statutes or an ethical charter, and only if other establishments are able to meet local needs. For pharmacists, the council issued a separate reservation grounded in Article 10 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, ruling that preparing or dispensing the lethal substance “is liable to offend” personal convictions.As originally adopted, the text required that when a person is hospitalized or living in certain covered facilities, “the head of the establishment must allow the intervention of the professionals participating in the procedure” as well as access for anyone accompanying the person requesting to die — with no exception for an institution’s own objections.Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris welcomed the reservations in his Aug. 19 message to the faithful marking the law’s promulgation, calling them “an opportunity.” He expressed his hope that institutions built around care for the gravely ill and expertise in palliative care would “find in these reservations an encouragement to maintain their particular character, and to remain places where no one will be killed.”The Aug. 14 exemption followed formal submissions to the council from several Catholic and pro-life organizations, including the Fondation Jérôme Lejeune and the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), a Strasbourg-based advocacy group, which argued that forcing institutions to accommodate mobile euthanasia teams “constitutes a clear violation of their freedom.”While the bill was still moving through the French Parliament, Sister Agnès, a physician with the Little Sisters of the Poor, on March 3 spoke on behalf of French Catholic congregations that run hospitals and nursing homes during an interactive dialogue with the U.N. Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief in Geneva. She told the rapporteur the draft law would force those congregations to accept euthanasia on their premises or risk up to two years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine, warning they could be forced to “renege on Godʼs commandments” to keep operating.Legal scholars have noted the unusual character of this reversal and highlighted the weight of the advocacy of Catholic organizations. Roseline Letteron, a professor of public law who publishes the blog “Libertés, Libertés chéries,” wrote that the council built the institutions’ exemption on different legal ground than the pharmacists’ clause: not the individual right to conscience but the right to form an association and the right to run a business as one sees fit, combined with an older idea, borrowed from a 1959 law on religious schools, that an institution can have a distinct “character” worth protecting. French courts had rejected comparable institutional opt-outs before, for civil-status registrars who refused to perform same-sex marriages in 2013 and hospital department heads who objected to abortion in 2001. Letteron asked directly whether the council “wanted to give symbolic satisfaction to the Catholic lobby,” concluding that “the answer is yes.”Meanwhile, ECLJ Director Grégor Puppinck called the Aug. 14 decision “a great victory,” saying in a statement that the group would now “continue this fight in other countries that have already legalized euthanasia, in order to guarantee the freedom of faith-based institutions there as well.” A French constitutional ruling does not bind courts abroad, but the ECLJ — which has published its own comparative-law study of the question — intends to press the same argument through European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence on institutional autonomy, contending that freedom of religion protects “communities and institutions,” not only individuals, and that “the right to refuse to kill must be accepted completely” for both.The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune, whose own submission had focused especially on the law’s lack of protection for people with intellectual disabilities — a concern it says it had also raised repeatedly with the U.N. — called the council’s ruling “scandalously minimal” in an Aug. 14 statement. “The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune will never resign itself,” said its president, Jean-Marie Le Méné. “The fight is far from over.” The foundation said it would watch closely as the government drafts implementing decrees, continuing to press its demand for protections for people with intellectual disabilities.
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French Council protects conscience rights for Catholics, pharmacists as euthanasia law takes effect – #Catholic – The official promulgation of France’s end-of-life law in the Journal Officiel on Aug. 19 came with a significant victory for religious and conscience freedom. Catholic hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes will not be forced to allow euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises, and pharmacists cannot be compelled to prepare or dispense the lethal substance. This conscience-clause win, secured by interpretive reservations by the Constitutional Council on Aug. 14, has received less attention than the law itself, adopted by the Parliament in July, and which the progressive government of President Emmanuel Macron had vigorously defended since 2023.In a press release on its ruling, the council — France’s highest constitutional authority — specified that the exemption applies when hosting assisted dying would be “manifestly contrary” to an institution’s statutory mission or project, and only if that opposition is formally written into its governing statutes or an ethical charter, and only if other establishments are able to meet local needs. For pharmacists, the council issued a separate reservation grounded in Article 10 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, ruling that preparing or dispensing the lethal substance “is liable to offend” personal convictions.As originally adopted, the text required that when a person is hospitalized or living in certain covered facilities, “the head of the establishment must allow the intervention of the professionals participating in the procedure” as well as access for anyone accompanying the person requesting to die — with no exception for an institution’s own objections.Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris welcomed the reservations in his Aug. 19 message to the faithful marking the law’s promulgation, calling them “an opportunity.” He expressed his hope that institutions built around care for the gravely ill and expertise in palliative care would “find in these reservations an encouragement to maintain their particular character, and to remain places where no one will be killed.”The Aug. 14 exemption followed formal submissions to the council from several Catholic and pro-life organizations, including the Fondation Jérôme Lejeune and the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), a Strasbourg-based advocacy group, which argued that forcing institutions to accommodate mobile euthanasia teams “constitutes a clear violation of their freedom.”While the bill was still moving through the French Parliament, Sister Agnès, a physician with the Little Sisters of the Poor, on March 3 spoke on behalf of French Catholic congregations that run hospitals and nursing homes during an interactive dialogue with the U.N. Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief in Geneva. She told the rapporteur the draft law would force those congregations to accept euthanasia on their premises or risk up to two years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine, warning they could be forced to “renege on Godʼs commandments” to keep operating.Legal scholars have noted the unusual character of this reversal and highlighted the weight of the advocacy of Catholic organizations. Roseline Letteron, a professor of public law who publishes the blog “Libertés, Libertés chéries,” wrote that the council built the institutions’ exemption on different legal ground than the pharmacists’ clause: not the individual right to conscience but the right to form an association and the right to run a business as one sees fit, combined with an older idea, borrowed from a 1959 law on religious schools, that an institution can have a distinct “character” worth protecting. French courts had rejected comparable institutional opt-outs before, for civil-status registrars who refused to perform same-sex marriages in 2013 and hospital department heads who objected to abortion in 2001. Letteron asked directly whether the council “wanted to give symbolic satisfaction to the Catholic lobby,” concluding that “the answer is yes.”Meanwhile, ECLJ Director Grégor Puppinck called the Aug. 14 decision “a great victory,” saying in a statement that the group would now “continue this fight in other countries that have already legalized euthanasia, in order to guarantee the freedom of faith-based institutions there as well.” A French constitutional ruling does not bind courts abroad, but the ECLJ — which has published its own comparative-law study of the question — intends to press the same argument through European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence on institutional autonomy, contending that freedom of religion protects “communities and institutions,” not only individuals, and that “the right to refuse to kill must be accepted completely” for both.The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune, whose own submission had focused especially on the law’s lack of protection for people with intellectual disabilities — a concern it says it had also raised repeatedly with the U.N. — called the council’s ruling “scandalously minimal” in an Aug. 14 statement. “The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune will never resign itself,” said its president, Jean-Marie Le Méné. “The fight is far from over.” The foundation said it would watch closely as the government drafts implementing decrees, continuing to press its demand for protections for people with intellectual disabilities.

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France’s highest constitutional authority has carved out conscience protections for Catholic institutions and pharmacists, which was welcomed by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris.

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Chicago Bears announce donation to Catholic Charities for Midwest storm relief – #Catholic – The Chicago Bears announced Aug. 22 a donation of 0,000 to Catholic Charities’ work to support those impacted by severe storms and flooding across the southern suburbs of Chicago and northwest Indiana.Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, will each receive 0,000 to aid in their efforts to help address immediate and ongoing needs in the affected communities including food, clothing, housing assistance, and other resources to help in recovery while many families are still without power, displaced from their homes, and begin to consider rebuilding plans.On Aug. 11, high winds, heavy rain, and tornado activity swept through northwest Indiana and east Chicago causing severe damage to homes and other buildings. Gary, Indiana, was reported as being the hardest-hit city.NIPSCO, one of Indiana’s largest natural gas and electric companies, reported nearly 400,000 outages after the storm. The company described the storm as the most destructive ever to strike its service area, causing historic damage to the electric system and producing its largest power outage ever.As of Aug. 24, roughly 10,000 individuals remain without power in Gary.“We are very grateful for this generous gift from the Bears, which will immediately benefit many people in need who have been impacted by recent storms and provide for ongoing recovery efforts,” Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Diocese of Gary said in a statement.“Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has been responding to local needs from day one. The support from the Bears and many other partners will help elevate efforts to reach the most vulnerable in our communities,” he added. “I encourage everyone to continue to pray, reach out to our neighbors who are suffering, and support efforts by Catholic Charities and others to assist those in need.”Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary Executive Director Terry Seljan said: "The devastating impact of the storms across northwest Indiana has turned lives upside down for thousands of families, leaving them to face unexpected challenges and uncertainty.”He explained that currently their focus "is on helping our neighbors access the support and resources they need to stabilize so they can begin to recover and move forward.”He added: “We are incredibly grateful to the Chicago Bears organization for their generous support and for the care and concern they have shown for our Northwest Indiana community. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of what can happen when people come together to help their neighbors in times of need. We hope others who are able will join them in supporting the Storm Relief Fund and helping bring relief, hope, and healing to families across our region."Sally Blount, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, also expressed her gratitude."We deeply value and respect the long-standing philanthropic leadership of the Chicago Bears organization. As one of our regionʼs largest human services providers, we are honored to be entrusted with distributing this critical funding,” she said. “An unexpected expense of even a few hundred dollars can amount to a crisis for an individual or family already living on a very limited budget. This funding will make a big difference to families affected by the storm," she said.
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Chicago Bears announce donation to Catholic Charities for Midwest storm relief – #Catholic – The Chicago Bears announced Aug. 22 a donation of $200,000 to Catholic Charities’ work to support those impacted by severe storms and flooding across the southern suburbs of Chicago and northwest Indiana.Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, will each receive $100,000 to aid in their efforts to help address immediate and ongoing needs in the affected communities including food, clothing, housing assistance, and other resources to help in recovery while many families are still without power, displaced from their homes, and begin to consider rebuilding plans.On Aug. 11, high winds, heavy rain, and tornado activity swept through northwest Indiana and east Chicago causing severe damage to homes and other buildings. Gary, Indiana, was reported as being the hardest-hit city.NIPSCO, one of Indiana’s largest natural gas and electric companies, reported nearly 400,000 outages after the storm. The company described the storm as the most destructive ever to strike its service area, causing historic damage to the electric system and producing its largest power outage ever.As of Aug. 24, roughly 10,000 individuals remain without power in Gary.“We are very grateful for this generous gift from the Bears, which will immediately benefit many people in need who have been impacted by recent storms and provide for ongoing recovery efforts,” Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Diocese of Gary said in a statement.“Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has been responding to local needs from day one. The support from the Bears and many other partners will help elevate efforts to reach the most vulnerable in our communities,” he added. “I encourage everyone to continue to pray, reach out to our neighbors who are suffering, and support efforts by Catholic Charities and others to assist those in need.”Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary Executive Director Terry Seljan said: "The devastating impact of the storms across northwest Indiana has turned lives upside down for thousands of families, leaving them to face unexpected challenges and uncertainty.”He explained that currently their focus "is on helping our neighbors access the support and resources they need to stabilize so they can begin to recover and move forward.”He added: “We are incredibly grateful to the Chicago Bears organization for their generous support and for the care and concern they have shown for our Northwest Indiana community. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of what can happen when people come together to help their neighbors in times of need. We hope others who are able will join them in supporting the Storm Relief Fund and helping bring relief, hope, and healing to families across our region."Sally Blount, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, also expressed her gratitude."We deeply value and respect the long-standing philanthropic leadership of the Chicago Bears organization. As one of our regionʼs largest human services providers, we are honored to be entrusted with distributing this critical funding,” she said. “An unexpected expense of even a few hundred dollars can amount to a crisis for an individual or family already living on a very limited budget. This funding will make a big difference to families affected by the storm," she said.

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Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Gary will each receive $100,000 to aid in their efforts for Midwest storm relief.

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The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 24: Iapetus at eastern elongation Charles Messier’s famous list of non-cometary objects largely contains star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies — faint fuzzies it could be easy to confuse for a cometary nucleus in a telescope of the type the comet-hunter wasContinue reading “The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73”

The post The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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