U.S.

National pro-life essay contest opens for middle and high school students

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Middle and high school students across the United States are invited to submit an essay sharing their thoughts on protecting the sanctity of human life for the 2022 Pro-Life Essay Contest sponsored by American Life League’s Culture of Life Studies Program. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, the essay contest has categories for fifth grade through eighth grade and ninth grade through 12th grade. A writing prompt is given for each category along with other guidelines for the contest at www.prolifeessay.com. Essays are due by Monday, Nov. 7. The essay contest was launched soon after a group of homeschool moms and educators, including American Life League president Judie Brown, founded the Culture of Life Studies Program in 2014. Last held in 2019, the contest was reinstated this year following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade, returning the issue of abortion to the states. “We have read many amazing essays over the years, which have helped us gear our lessons and social media posts to help students and parents understand the sanctity of life, the value of all human beings, and the importance of treating others with respect,” said Susan Ciancio, executive editor of the Culture of Life Studies Program.

Abp. Lori says Biden is ‘gravely wrong’ in pledge to codify Roe

WASHINGTON — Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore said President Joe Biden was “gravely wrong” in his recent comments pledging to make it a top priority to codify a national right to abortion. The archbishop, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said the president’s remarks, given during an Oct. 18 speech hosted by the Democratic National Committee, demonstrated how he continues “to seek every possible avenue to facilitate abortion, instead of using his power to increase support and care to mothers in challenging situations. This single-minded extremism must end,” Archbishop Lori said in an Oct. 25 statement, adding that the U.S. bishops “implore President Biden to recognize the humanity in preborn children and the genuine life-giving care needed by women in this country.” The archbishop pointed out that Catholic Church leaders want to continue in their work with government leaders “to protect the right to life of every human being and to ensure that pregnant and parenting mothers are fully supported in the care of their children before and after birth.”

Bishop of Trenton, N.J., issues catechetical series on the Eucharist

TRENTON, N.J. — Trenton Bishop David M. O’Connell has written a new catechetical series on the Eucharist as a resource for the eucharistic revival taking place in the U.S. over the next three years. In the preface to the five-part series, he said his purpose was to “re-present the Catholic Church’s understanding of the Holy Eucharist as the Lord Jesus Christ’s own Body and Blood.” The series is available in text, video and as a podcast. The first installment was released Oct. 18, the Feast of St. Luke. Each new installment will drop weekly through Nov. 15. All released content will be available at DioceseofTrenton.org/eucharist-series and the entire series will be published in The Monitor Magazine’s November issue. The bishop said it is his hope that the series “will help catechize the faithful and dispel recently and widely advertised misunderstandings about the Eucharist.” He said it could be useful in parish or school programs, especially during the National Eucharistic Revival, the three-year initiative to inspire people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.

WORLD

Commission starts planning global report on child protection efforts

VATICAN CITY — With a renewed membership, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors met at the Vatican in late October and laid the groundwork for devising an annual report on child protection efforts by the Catholic Church globally. Oblate Father Andrew Small, commission secretary, told reporters Oct. 28 that members also looked at the commission’s new relationship to the disciplinary section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and continued their efforts to promote greater transparency and fuller reporting to victims about the outcome of their cases. “In our engagement with victim survivors, the acknowledgement of the wrong that was done to them is primary, being listened to, being believed,” Father Small said. “There’s nothing that takes the place of being believed and heard.” But, he said, “seeing the wrongdoer continue to flourish at times or to appear without sanction is also very painful,” so victims are understandably confused or upset when they are not informed about actions taken by the Church against an accused offender.

Hong Kong cardinal, others, return to court; defense presents case

HONG KONG — Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and five other activists returned to court Oct. 26 to face charges of failing to register a legal fund meant to help those involved in anti-government protests. Prosecutors said the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund should have been registered with police due to its “massive” size and “systematic” mode of operation, according to the South China Morning Post. In September, the West Kowloon Court found that defendants had a case to answer over their alleged failure to register the fund within a specified period. The case involves the Societies Ordinance, which says “any club, company, partnership or association of persons, whatever the nature or objects, to which the provisions of (the) ordinance apply,” must register with the police commissioner or ask for an exemption. Cardinal Zen, 90, is being prosecuted as a fund trustee along with former lawmakers Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and Cyd Ho Sau-lan, singer Denise Ho Wan-see and Hui Po-keung, a former university professor. Sze Ching-wee was charged as the organization’s secretary. Offenders can be fined HK$10,000 (US$1,274). The court will hear submissions from the defense Oct. 31.

— Catholic News Service