December 14, 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 - Pope Francis celebrated 54 years as a priest yesterday. On December 13, 1969, just four days before his 33rd birthday, Jorge Mario Bergoglio — who today is Pope Francis — was ordained a priest by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano, archbishop emeritus of Córdoba, Argentina. Bergoglio continued his Jesuit formation from 1970 to 1971 in Spain. On April 22, 1973, he made his perpetual profession in the Society of Jesus. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253064/pope-francis-celebrates-53-years-as-a-priest Pope Francis has said that he wants to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome because of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He said that a “place is already prepared” for his burial in one of the oldest and most important Marian shrines in the West. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256261/pope-francis-says-that-he-wants-to-be-buried-in-marian-basilica-in-new-interview The US Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it will once again consider a high-stakes abortion pill case that could impose new national limits on abortion. The Supreme Court will be reviewing a lower court’s August ruling that reimposed restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone. The Biden Justice Department and the abortion drug manufacturer Danco Laboratories appealed the decision in September. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256262/breaking-supreme-court-to-review-high-stakes-abortion-case The bishops who lead the dioceses of Columbus and Steubenville in Ohio could present a merger plan to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops as early as June 2024, according to the bishops of both dioceses. It could take about three or four months to determine whether a merger is feasible, Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus and Bishop Paul Bradley of Steubenville said. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256268/local-bishops-steubenville-columbus-diocesan-merger-back-in-play Today, the Church celebrates Saint John of the Cross, a 16th century Carmelite priest best known for reforming his order together with Saint Teresa of Avila, and for writing the classic spiritual treatise “The Dark Night of the Soul.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-john-of-the-cross-84