January 13, 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 - Catholics in Argentina are being invited to celebrate “with joy and fervor” the 10th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the successor of Saint Peter. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, then archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pontiff on March 13, 2013, on the second day of the conclave following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Francis is the first Latin American pope and the first Jesuit to serve as pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. In a letter, the Argentine bishops, headed by Bishop Óscar Ojea, encouraged the dioceses of Argentina to join the celebrations from March 11–19, marking the 10th anniversary of the start of Pope Francis' Petrine ministry, in order to “renew along with our holy faithful People of God the affection” for the Holy Father. The prelates noted that “this profound affection” is not only shared by members of the Catholic Church but also “by a huge number of people, believers and nonbelievers, who value his leadership.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253335/church-in-argentina-to-celebrate-10th-anniversary-of-pope-francis-election-to-papacy Among the latest in an ongoing series of attacks on Catholic churches in the United States, Saint Mary Catholic Church in Escondido, California, has been vandalized three times since Christmas. Father Scott Herrera, the church’s pastor, told CNA Thursday that he believes the vandal, who was caught on security cameras in all three incidents, is the same person. Herrera said that police notified him that a suspect was apprehended in connection with the vandalism. The suspect’s identity, however, has not been revealed yet to the church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253339/california-church-vandalized-three-times-since-christmas-suspect-apprehended The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed