November 7, 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 - Today, voters in the United States will be turning out for the off-year general elections. Check out Catholic News Agency dot com for the latest election news. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255925/stockton-cathedral-vandalized-with-paint-police-investigating-as-possible-hate-crime Pope Francis is continuing his efforts for peace in the Holy Land. As confirmed by the Holy See, on the afternoon of Sunday, November 5, the Holy Father had a conversation with the president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi. The Vatican has limited itself to confirming that the call took place at the request of Raisi, who, according to a statement from the Iranian president’s office, thanked the Holy Father for his calls for peace and said that it is duty of followers of all Abrahamic religions to "support the oppressed people of Palestine." Raisi asked the Holy Father to exert his influence in the West to end the attacks in Gaza, which he called “the greatest genocide of the century.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255926/pope-francis-speaks-with-president-of-iran-about-israel-hamas-war Pope Francis answered questions about war, the environment, and his daily life during an encounter with roughly 7,000 children from around the world on Monday. The pope had previously announced the event after praying the midday Angelus on October 1. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255924/in-special-meeting-pope-francis-talks-peace-war-climate-with-kids-from-around-the-world Today, the Church celebrates Saint Peter Ou, one of the Martyrs of China. He was born to a non-Christian family in 1768. As a young man, he was outspoken with had a deep understanding of justice, and would eventually come to the defense of the poor and oppressed. He married and ran his own business, which was a large hotel. He was one of the firs