March 6, 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 - Thousands gathered Friday for the funeral of slain Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, who was remembered as “a friend of Jesus Christ” and the poor. Archbishop José Gomez presided over the funeral Mass, held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Speaking briefly at the conclusion of the liturgy, Gomez said “Bishop Dave,” as O’Connell was affectionately known, would be sorely missed, but “we know that he’s in heaven.” O’Connell, 69, a popular Irish-born priest who worked on myriad social causes in South LA for the past 45 years, died February 18 after being shot multiple times in his Hacienda Heights home, according to District Attorney George Gascón. Carlos Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper, has admitted to murdering the bishop, Gascón said in a February 22 press conference. Earlier in the week, both Pope Francis and President Joe Biden issued condolences to O’Connell’s family and all those grieving his death. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253792/we-know-that-he-s-in-heaven-thousands-gather-for-funeral-of-bishop-david-o-connell-in-los-angeles Dozens of people reportedly were murdered in post-election attacks on villages in Nigeria’s Benue State Wednesday, according to a diocesan official. During the attacks, Fulani men armed with military gear descended on the Benue State capital, Makurdi, the official said. International observers are linking the attacks to the outcome of the recently announced presidential results of Nigeria’s general elections, in which an all-Muslim presidential ticket was declared the winner. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253794/wave-of-murders-after-elections-in-nigeria-forces-catholic-diocese-staff-to-evacuate The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) expressed its concern for the situation of