March 16, 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 said Wednesday that everyone in the Church is equal in dignity, thus a focus on hierarchical advancement is “pure paganism.” “Within the framework of the unity of the mission, the diversity of charisms and ministries must not give rise, within the ecclesial body, to privileged categories,” the pope said at his March 15 general audience in Saint Peter’s Square.“There is no promotion here, and when you conceive of the Christian life as an advancement, that the one above commands others, because he has succeeded in climbing, that is not Christianity,” he said. “That is pure paganism.” At his weekly meeting with the public, Francis reflected on the call to apostleship as part of the larger theme of evangelization. The pope said if you see someone in a “high” position in the Church who is vain, you should pray for “the poor guy,” because he has not understood his vocation. “Listening, humbling one’s self, being at the service of others: This is serving,” he continued. “This is being Christian. This is being apostle.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253867/pope-francis-a-christian-life-based-on-achieving-higher-positions-is-pure-paganism Recent terrorist raids in Benue, a predominantly Catholic state in north-central Nigeria, are getting scant mention in the country’s news. Six counties in the Middle Belt state have seen deadly attacks by Fulani militants since the election, according to Mike Uba, the county chairman of Guma, adjacent to the state capital of Makurdi. The affected counties are both in the north and southern borders of the state. One of the most recent attacks, on March 7, left at least 20 residents dead in the village of Tse Jor after about 40 attackers with machetes arrived on motorbikes and slashed defenseless men, women, and children for at least two hours, Helen T