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Pope Francis returned to the Vatican today, after spending eleven days in a Rome hospital to recover from colon surgery. The pope stopped to pray at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on his way to the Vatican. He arrived at his residence shortly before noon Rome time. 

The Catholic archbishop of Tokyo has asked visiting Olympic athletes and coaches to refrain from attending local Catholic churches, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The city of Tokyo has already enforced a state of emergency two weeks ahead of the Olympic Games, which are scheduled to begin on July 23. Spectators have also been banned from the Olympic sporting events to curb the spread of COVID-19. A dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Masses is still in place in the Tokyo archdiocese, which serves around 100,000 Catholics out of a total population of almost 20 million.

More than 220,000 people left the Catholic Church in Germany in 2020, according to official figures released on Wednesday. The number is almost 19% lower than in 2019, when some 272,000 people left the Catholic Church. 

Pro-abortion protestors blocked a pro-life procession in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday morning. Brooklyn’s Witness for Life day of prayer takes place the second Saturday of each month. It includes a rosary procession to the local Planned Parenthood clinic. Brooklyn’s bishop said the attempts to silence the procession were very disturbing and disheartening. 

Today, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha. She was the first Native American to be canonized. Known as the "Lily of the Mohawks," Kateri lived a life of holiness and virtue, despite obstacles and opposition within her tribe.

July 14, 2021

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