May 24, 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 - Cardinal Joseph Zen appeared in court in Hong Kong on Tuesday, a date which is marked as the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. The 90-year-old former Catholic bishop of Hong Kong was charged in court on May 24 with four other prominent democracy advocates who were all trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which helped pro-democracy protesters to pay their legal fees. All five entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of failing to register the humanitarian fund with the police, and for a first conviction, this charge can reportedly incur a fine of up to $1,274, but likely will not fall under Hong Kong’s national security law. The date set for Cardinal Zen’s trial is Sept. 19. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251342/cardinal-zen-appears-in-court-in-hong-kong A three-year-old boy was killed last week by gang members who opened fire inside a church in Fresnillo in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Their intended target was a young man they were pursuing who fled into the church. The boy was attending Mass with his mother and was killed in the hail of bullets unleashed by the gunmen. “We once again call on everyone to lay down their arms and put an end to all forms of violence, because all of us can be builders of peace. No one has the right to attack the life of his brother and there is nothing that justifies such violence," the bishops of Mexico said in response. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251335/bishops-call-for-peace-prayer-after-gunmen-kill-boy-in-mexican-church San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone on Monday responded to criticism that he is “politicizing” the Eucharist by denying Nancy Pelosi Holy Communion, saying he would prefer the Democratic House Speaker remain in office “and become an advocate for life in the womb." “I've been very clear al