President Joe Biden officially raised the refugee admissions cap for the fiscal year that ends September 30 to 62,500, touting it as an essential — if currently unachievable — step for his administration to take.
International News
At Rosary, Pope Francis Prays Resources Move From Military to Pandemic Prevention
Under the gaze of a seventh-century icon of Mary, Pope Francis launched a monthlong, global recitation of the rosary, pleading for Mary’s intercession for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. And he prayed May 1 that Mary would move people’s consciences “so that the enormous amounts spent to increase and perfect weapons are instead used to promote research to prevent similar catastrophes in the future.”
Vatican Tackles Psychological Fallout From COVID Pandemic
The Vatican released a new document “Accompanying People in Psychological Distress in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Members of One Body, Loved by One Love,” which was summoned by Pope Francis to try to imagine a post-pandemic world.
The Tablet at the Border – Life In a ‘Colonia’: Neighbors, Local Parish Look Out for Each Other
In the northern part of Donna, Maria Hernandez lives with her five children in a yellow mobile home. One of its shattered windows is boarded up; an air conditioner, propped up by a wooden pole, hangs from another. Among the items sitting on the ground outside are a broken toilet, a toddler’s car seat, and a mop.
The Tablet at the Border: A Frustrating Journey To and From the Border For Hopeful Migrants
Last Thursday, about 25 families exited a bus near a U.S.-Mexico border bridge near downtown El Paso. They had been flown in from south Texas, where they were apprehended after attempting to enter the country. Now, they faced expulsion into Ciudad Juarez, 800 miles from where they initially crossed.
April 29 Marks Day of Polish Clergy Martyrdom During World War II
April 29 marks the day Polish Catholics solemnly remember when nearly 2,000 of the country’s 10,000 diocesan priests perished during the Nazi German occupation in World War II. The day coincides with the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp in Dachau, Germany.
Ukrainian Bishop Says Russian Troops Instilling Fear in Border Regions
A Catholic bishop from eastern Ukraine said tensions remain high despite an announced withdrawal of Russian forces.
Catholic Leaders Urge India to Deploy Military to Help With Pandemic
As COVID-19 continues to claim thousands of lives daily in India, some Catholic leaders have called on the federal government to deploy the military to deal with the crisis before it worsens.
Report Shows Higher-Than-Average COVID-19 Spread Among Immigrant Detainees
A recent analysis by The New York Times found evidence for what many Catholic organizations and other entities warned about at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States — the faster spread of the coronavirus among those detained in facilities for immigration violations.
The Tablet at the Border – Bishop Flores of Brownsville: We’re Here To Help the Families
Through early 2021, politicians have wrestled over whether the word “crisis” is warranted to describe the U.S.-Mexico border situation. Meanwhile, faith leaders and organizations have largely rejected the word as unwarranted, an oversimplification, a political tool, and an avenue for drastic solutions.