April 28, 2023

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis’ new appointments to the Dicastery for Evangelization include several prominent American Catholics. They include Monsignor Eugene (Geno) Sylva of the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey. Pope Francis also appointed 14 consultors to advise the members of the dicastery. American layman Curtis Martin, founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), was named to this advisory group. Another new consultor for the dicastery is Petroc Willey, a theology professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville. For the complete list and to read interviews with the new consultors, visit catholic news agency dot com. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254185/pope-francis-names-several-americans-to-dicastery-for-evangelization The United States Catholic bishops are urging Congress to prioritize programs that feed needy families, support small-family farmers, and fund rural development in the 2023 Farm Bill, which legislative committees are currently crafting. The farm bill, which Congress renews every few years, is a comprehensive bill that normally includes farming subsidies, funding for food assistance programs, conservation initiatives, and rural development funding, among other things. The last farm bill passed in 2018 and many of its initiatives expire in 2023. For domestic food assistance programs, the USCCB urged lawmakers to strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by updating its calculations to reflect rising food prices. It also asked Congress to update medical deductions, increase benefits for households with young children, and end the cap on the Excess Shelter Deduction. The letter urged lawmakers to increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables at food banks and other programs. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254190/us-bishops-urge-pas