July 5, 2022

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 has expressed shock and sadness over the mass shooting that led to the death of at least six people and wounded some 30 others at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park on Monday. The pope said he joined “the entire community in praying that Almighty God will grant eternal rest to the dead and healing and consolation to the injured and bereaved.” “With unwavering faith that the grace of God is able to convert even the hardest of hearts, making it possible to depart from evil and do good,” the message continued, and Pope Francis prayed “that every member of society will reject violence in all of its forms and respect life in all of its stages.” In a statement, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago said he was praying for the victims and first responders. He also spoke out strongly against the scourge of gun violence. A 22-year-old from Highland Park was apprehended late Monday in connection with the shooting. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251717/pope-francis-condemns-senseless-shooting-calls-for-end-of-violence-after-july-fourth-parade-attack Pope Francis has said he has no plans to resign soon and that his knee injury is healing. Reports of Francis resigning began to spread last month in light of three events to happen in late August, including the creation of new cardinals and a day trip to the Italian city of L’Aquila, which Benedict XVI visited in 2009, four years before announcing his own resignation. The pope did say, as in the past, that he would consider resigning one day if he could no longer run the Church due to poor health, but only “God will say” when that might be. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251711/for-the-moment-no-really-pope-francis-dismisses-resignation-rumors-says-health-is-improving Father Mike Schmitz, the voice behind th