June 4, 2021

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 and President Joe Biden could meet for the first time since Biden's election, as early as June 15, according to sources in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. Biden and Pope Francis spoke on the phone several days after Biden’s election. Although the in-person meeting has not been confirmed, another source from the Vatican Secretary of State said that the meeting “is likely to occur.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247883/pope-francis-and-president-biden-may-meet-on-june-15-sources-say For the second year in a row, Chinese authorities have forbidden people in Hong Kong from gathering at a candlelight vigil on the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Last year, thousands of people in Hong Kong defied the ban and gathered for a vigil, remembering the thousands of people who died in the 1989 massacre. An auxiliary bishop celebrated a memorial Mass in Hong Kong last year, and this year churches across the island will be celebrating Masses for the dead. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247891/hong-kong-advocacy-organization-condemns-chinas-refusal-to-allow-commemoration-of-tiananmen-square-protests Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising in Germany, has offered his resignation to Pope Francis. The influential cardinal said he is resigning in part because of mistakes he made in handling the abuse crisis in Germany. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247895/cardinal-marx-offers-resignation-to-pope-francis Pope Francis has hinted at new regulations regarding the celebration of the Mass in the extraordinary form, although he has not yet spoken about the matter in detail. A source at the Congregation for Divine worship told CNA this week that the pope may soon issue a document on the matter. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247884/p