March 25, 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 will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary this evening, entrusting the nations to Mary’s help and protection amid the ongoing conflict there. The pope has asked everyone in the world to join him. The consecration itself will take the form of a prayer that Pope Francis will recite during a penitential service in Rome. If you want to join the pope at the beginning of the penitential service, the service will start at 5 pm Rome time. EWTN will broadcast the service on cable and online. If you want to join in praying with Pope Francis at the exact moment he is praying the prayer of consecration, that will likely happen closer to 6:30 pm Rome time, according to the pope. Your diocese or parish is likely organizing a gathering to pray it together. The text of the prayer can be found at our website, catholic news agency dot com. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250786/what-time-is-the-consecration-of-russia-and-ukraine-find-out-here In an 8-to-1 ruling on Thursday, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of an inmate who requested that his pastor pray aloud and “lay hands” on him during his execution. The prisoner,who identifies as Christian, asked for his pastor to be present during his execution, originally scheduled for September 2021. The court’s majority ruled that the prisoner was likely to prevail in his case under the RLUIPA, a law which provides that the government not impose “a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person residing in or confined to an institution.”The single dissenter, Justice Clarence Thomas, called the prisoner’s claim “insincere.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250784/supreme-court-inmate-pastor-during-execution The Archdiocese of Denver has investigated a reported miracle, and has determined that a statue of S