June 24, 2021

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 - After 72 hours in captivity, a Catholic priest and four other people who were kidnapped in the West African nation of Mali, have been released. The five kidnapping victims were dropped off on a roadside yesterday, and are reported to be in good health. Kidnappings have become common in Mali, especially since 2012, with militants seeking either to obtain ransom money or exert political pressure. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248118/kidnappers-free-catholic-priest-and-four-others-in-mali Leading U.S. bishops on Wednesday praised President Joe Biden for pledging 500 million COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries, and urged his administration to work with Catholic and other faith-based groups on vaccine distribution. Pope Francis, in his Easter message, called vaccines an “essential tool” to combat the pandemic, and asked the international community, “in a spirit of global responsibility,” to expedite vaccine distribution to poorer countries. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248111/leading-us-bishops-praise-bidens-global-vaccine-pledge Police in British Columbia, Canada are investigating two fires at Catholic Churches that happened earlier this week. Both churches served indigenous First Nations families, and there are concerns the fires could have been targeted attacks, either against the indigenous community, or against the Catholic Church itself. The local native chief said many Canadians are angry about recently discovered Mass graves outside a former Catholic-run residential school in the province. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248122/police-investigate-after-two-catholic-churches-burn-on-british-columbia-tribal-lands The Vatican’s new liturgy chief has recommended the practice of adoration to help increase awareness of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. Archbis