Alabama put James Barber to death July 20 in its first execution since a pause on capital punishment in the state was lifted in February.
National News
Catholic Groups Condemn Texas Report of Alleged ‘Inhumane’ Treatment of Migrants, Including Denying Water
Catholic migrant advocates condemned a report alleging inhumane treatment of migrants seeking to cross the border into Texas, including an allegation that the state directed its personnel to withhold water from migrants despite extreme heat.
With Capital Punishment Pause Lifted, Alabama Resumes Executions
Alabama was set to put James Barber to death July 20 in its first execution since a pause on capital punishment in the state was lifted in February.
‘God Isn’t Finished’: After Retirement, Older Catholics Still Have Much to Give
When Barbara Lee retired as a U.S. magistrate judge, she didn’t start playing bingo and she definitely didn’t get bored. The former judge and attorney, who lives in Manhattan, spent the first 16 years of her retirement teaching English primarily to Chinese immigrants at Cabrini Immigration Services, currently in Washington Heights.
U.S. Bishops Back Bill to Help Immigrant Children, and Religious Workers
A bill to help immigrant children achieve permanent legal status has received the support of the U.S. bishops conference for how it would accelerate the visa process for vulnerable children, but also because it could free up more visas for foreign-born religious workers.
Sex Abuse Lawsuits Force Upstate NY Diocese To File For Bankruptcy
The Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 17, as it faces more than 100 lawsuits alleging clergy sexual abuse from decades ago.
Biden, Papal Envoy Meet for Two Hours on Ukraine, Focus on Humanitarian Aid
During a meeting with Pope Francis’s special envoy for Ukraine on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden shared his wishes for the pontiff’s “continued ministry and global leadership,” according to a brief White House statement, but the two men apparently did not identify any specific new pathways to peace.
Catholic Gardeners Raise and Grow Vegetables & Their Faith
Mercy Sister Leslie Porreca has been gardening all her life — from working in her family garden to setting up gardens in each of the religious communities where she has lived — using available space from patio container pots to farm acres.
Pope’s Ukraine Envoy To Meet Biden In Wake of Cluster Bombs Decision
Italian Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Pope Francis’s personal envoy for the Ukraine-Russia war, will meet with President Joe Biden on July 18 as part of his current trip to Washington to promote peace and discuss solutions to the conflict, the White House has announced.
A Strong Advocate for Immigrant Rights, Retired Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Manz Passes At 77
Retired Auxiliary Bishop John R. Manz of Chicago died unexpectedly July 15. No cause of death was released. He was 77.