With the tragic death of British Catholic politician Sir David Amess, Dr. Grazie Christie goes across the pond to get the latest in London with TV host and author Kevin Turley. Turley also offers insights into the recent conversion of prominent former Anglican bishop Michael Nazir-Ali. TCA colleague Leigh Snead joins Grazie as we also welcome author and Professor Jessica Hooten Wilson calling us to renew our “Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints.” Father Roger Landry also offers an inspiring homily for this Sunday’s Gospel. Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

https://thecatholicassociation.org/podcast/ep-131-remembering-sir-david-amess-the-scandal-of-holiness-with-jessica-hooten-wilson/
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1. Are Internet Services as Good as Church?, They open the door to more congregants but provide an attenuated worship experience., By Paul Glader and John Semakula, The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2021, Pg. A15, Opinion

Although Pew Research found in April 2020 that a quarter of U.S. adults said their faith had become stronger because of the pandemic, some pastors are skeptical about the long-run effects of online worship. “People tend to try to multitask when they are watching online. The result is that they are not focused on God or the worship at times,” says Mr. O’Sullivan, a pastor of the Shelter Rock campus in Syosset, N.Y. “We are trying to keep them engaged.”

The Infinity Concepts report also found that many American evangelicals used the pandemic lockdowns to “digitally visit” new churches—another cause for concern among some pastors. “One has to wonder whether this will ultimately lead to church nomads, who surf the internet for new church experiences rather than putting down roots and becoming part of a church community,” Ron Sellers, president of Grey Matter, says.

…

Data from Gallup show in-person church attendance, after hitting a low in May 2020, steadily rose for the next year. But many religious leaders are still unsure about when they should turn off the webcams and streaming channels—or if they ever should.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/internet-services-as-good-as-church-livestream-in-person-11634848177?
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2. Catholic, Anglican, and Jewish leaders urge UK Parliament to reject assisted suicide bill, By Catholic News Agency, October 22, 2021, 6:35 PM

Catholic, Anglican, and Jewish leaders have issued a joint appeal to U.K. lawmakers to reject a bill that would legalize assisted suicide.

In a statement issued on Oct. 19, they expressed “profound disquiet” over the Assisted Dying Bill, which has its second reading in the upper house of Parliament on Friday.

The private members’ bill, introduced in the House of Lords in May by Molly Meacher, seeks to “enable adults who are terminally ill to be provided at their request with specified assistance to end their own life.”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249366/catholic-anglican-and-jewish-leaders-urge-uk-parliament-to-reject-assisted-suicide-bill
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3. Vatican census shows Catholicism growing everywhere but Europe, By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service, October 21, 2021, 1:33 PM

A Vatican census released ahead of World Mission Day reveals growing numbers of Catholics in what Pope Francis often refers to as “the global peripheries,” even as the number of believers continues to diminish in Europe.

The number of Catholics in the world grew by more than 15 million from 2018 to 2019, according to a census by the Vatican news agency Fides published on Thursday (Oct. 21). “The increase applies to all continents, except Europe,” which saw the number of Catholic faithful decrease by almost 300,000, the survey found.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/vatican-census-shows-catholicism-growing-everywhere-but-europe/2021/10/21/130be898-3295-11ec-8036-7db255bff176_story.html
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4. Vatican cardinal says Europe now becoming a ‘mission territory’, By Inés San Martín, Crux, October 21, 2021

The Vatican’s point-man on missionary outreach, and also one of Asia’s most important Church figures, says Europe is becoming a “mission territory.”

“The faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit,” said Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on Thursday. “We are really concerned, not only for Europe, but for all the world, regarding evangelization.”

However, he insisted quoting St. Paul, “no one can see Jesus, no one can profess faith in Jesus, without the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit also works through witnesses.”

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2021/10/vatican-cardinal-says-europe-now-becoming-a-mission-territory/
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