1. A Science Lesson for Justice Sotomayor, By Grazie Pozo Christie, Newsweek, December 6, 2021, 7:00 AM, Opinion During oral arguments, Justice Sotomayor displayed abysmal ignorance of the most basic scientific and medical facts about developing human life. … Our brief and others document the medical and scientific advances Mr. Stewart was referring to, in language easily accessible to lay people and rigorously sourced in the latest scientific journals and currently accepted medical practices. It’s there for anyone with eyes—or the will—to see. … The Court invites amicus briefs—and we submit them—so that parties with different competences can inform the Justices about developments in areas outside the purview of constitutional law. And that’s why it’s a shame that, in a landmark case involving whether human lives can be ended electively, a Supreme Court Justice would stick to outdated science and withered old misconceptions. Grazie Pozo Christie, M.D. is a Senior Fellow for The Catholic Association. https://www.newsweek.com/science-lesson-justice-sotomayor-opinion-1655850___________________________________________________________ 2. With North Korea’s Kim snubbing talks, Seoul kindles ‘long shot’ bid for Pope Francis to help, By Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Chico Harlan, The Washington Post, December 6, 2021, 5:00 AM With attempts to restart nuclear negotiations with North Korea going nowhere, the president of South Korea is looking anywhere for help as his term heads into its final stretch. His long-shot hope: that Pope Francis can step in. Allies of Moon Jae-in acknowledge that direct papal intervention is unlikely. Francis has said nothing about the notion of going to Pyongyang, but he was quoted by the Blue House — the South Korean presidential palace — as being willing to go, in the name of peace, “if he received an invitation” from Kim Jong Un’s government. During a Vatican visit last month, Moon urged the pontiff to visit North Korea to create a “momentum for peace.” It was the second such overture by Moon, a Roman Catholic, who first proposed the visit in 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/north-korea-kim-pope-francis/2021/12/04/126f552c-4a56-11ec-beca-3cc7103bd814_story.html___________________________________________________________ 3. Pope chides Europe, comforts migrants on return to Lesbos, By Nicole Winfield, Trisha Thomas And Derek Gatopoulos, Associated Press, December 6, 2021 Pope Francis returned Sunday to the Greek island of Lesbos to offer comfort to migrants at a refugee camp and blast what he said was Europe’s indifference and self-interest “that condemns to death those on the fringes.” “Please, let us stop this shipwreck of civilization!” Francis said at the Mavrovouni camp, a cluster of white U.N. containers on the edge of the sea lined by barbed wire fencing and draped with laundry drying in the air. https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-lesbos-greece-migrants-1da76bf969519f4cd3a0c9710c821a2b___________________________________________________________ 4. Hong Kong’s new Catholic bishop hopes to foster healing, By Associated Press, December 4, 2021, 6:28 AM The new head of Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese expressed hope Saturday that he could foster healing in a congregation and a city divided by the continuing fallout from massive anti-government protests in 2019. Bishop Stephen Chow spoke to the gathered after his ordination in the 19th-century Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Participants wore surgical masks to protect against COVID-19. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hong-kongs-new-catholic-bishop-hopes-to-foster-healing/2021/12/04/d75da160-54ea-11ec-83d2-d9dab0e23b7e_story.html___________________________________________________________ 5. In democracy’s birthplace, pope warns of populist threats, By Nicole Winfield and Derek Gatopoulos, Associated Press, December 4, 2021, 2:44 PM Pope Francis warned Saturday that the “easy answers” of populism and authoritarianism are threatening democracy in Europe and called for fresh dedication to promoting the common good rather than narrow, nationalist interests. Arriving in Greece, the birthplace of democracy, Francis used a speech to Greek political and cultural leaders to warn Europe at large about the threats facing the continent. He said only robust multilateralism can address the pressing issues of the day, from protecting the environment to fighting the pandemic and poverty. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-greece-pope-to-seek-deeper-ties-with-eastern-churches/2021/12/03/c7d8f6a8-54a0-11ec-83d2-d9dab0e23b7e_story.html___________________________________________________________ 6. Vatican takes in 12 migrants as pope denounces indifference, By Menelaos Hadjicostis and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, December 3, 2021, 11:53 AM Pope Francis on Friday denounced the “culture of indifference” that the West shows migrants as the Vatican confirmed that at least a dozen asylum-seekers would be transferred from Cyprus to Italy in a gesture of solidarity with European countries that have received a disproportionate share of would-be refugees. The transfer, formally announced on the second day of Francis’ visit to Cyprus, came on the eve of his scheduled arrival in Greece, from where he brought a dozen Syrian Muslim refugees home with him aboard the papal plane in 2016. The Vatican said the Rome-based Sant’Egidio Community, working with governments, had arranged to bring the asylum-seekers from Cyprus to Italy in the coming weeks. It said 12 people would be initially transferred. Earlier, the Cypriot Interior Ministry had thanked Francis and the Holy See for the initiative to relocate 50 people, saying it was a recognition of Cyprus’ inability to continue to absorb migrants and refugees. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/pope-to-meet-cyprus-orthodox-leader-to-strengthen-ties/2021/12/03/17418a30-53f6-11ec-83d2-d9dab0e23b7e_story.html___________________________________________________________ 7. US appeals court to rehear Tennessee abortion ban argument, By Kimberlee Kruesi and Travis Loller, Associated Press, December 3, 2021, 1:40 PM Just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court concluded historic arguments over abortion, a federal appeals court signaled it might be willing to allow yet another restrictive ban to go into effect. Earlier this year, a three-judge panel on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halted banning abortion in Tennessee once cardiac activity is detected in an embryo — at around six weeks. But late Wednesday, the appeals court said it would vacate that ruling and instead schedule a rehearing before the full court. While the state law will remain on pause because of a lower court ruling, the move marked yet another rapid turn in the ongoing battle over abortion access currently being fought inside the country’s judicial system. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/correction-us-abortion-tennessee-story/2021/12/03/2f069f12-5468-11ec-83d2-d9dab0e23b7e_story.html___________________________________________________________

TCA Media Monitoring provides a snapshot from national newspapers and major Catholic press outlets of coverage regarding significant Catholic Church news and current issues with which the Catholic Church is traditionally or prominently engaged. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of The Catholic Association.
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