CDA to meet Monday

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas will be having their monthly meeting on Monday in Carlin Hall following the Monday evening Mass (6:15 p.m.). Come to gather for a meeting, current information, and fellowship. There will be a guest speaker from the New Horizon Crisis Center.

Vikings’ CJ Ham, wife Stephanie, to give FCA presentation April 3 at SMSU

Minnesota Vikings fullback CJ Ham and his wife Stephanie will give a presentation, “Faith & Football,” at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 3, in the PE Gym at Southwest Minnesota State University.

The two are former student-athletes at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, where Ham played football and ran track, and Stephanie played soccer. He recently completed his fifth season with the Vikings.

Their appearance is the first major event for the newly-formed Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at SMSU.

The event is free and open to all students and community members.

Vatican replaces Puerto Rico bishop who alleges persecution

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The bishop of the Arecibo diocese in Puerto Rico said Wednesday that the Vatican dismissed him against his wishes, a rare move for the Holy See.

The announcement comes nearly a year after Monsignor Daniel Fernández declined to sign a decree issued by the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference declaring that unvaccinated parishioners would be separated from vaccinated ones during activities including the presentation of bread and wine at the altar.

The Episcopal Conference also suggested that unvaccinated parishioners avoid other in-person church activities until further notice.

“We’re taking this measure for your own safety, and for that of priests, religious people and also relatives and parishioners,” the Aug. 24, 2021, decree stated.

Days before the decree was signed, Fernández issued a statement noting, among other things, that “it is legitimate for a faithful Catholic to have doubts about the safety and efficacy of a vaccine.”

Pope Francis has been a vigorous champion of vaccines, describing them as a way to protect others as well as oneself against COVID-19.

Fernández did not specify the reason for his substitution in a lengthy statement but said that he felt “blessed to suffer persecution and slander,” adding that “God is my judge.”

Missouri House OKs guns on buses, in churches

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s GOP-led House on Wednesday passed a bill that would allow guns in churches and on public transportation.

The House voted 101-40 in favor of the measure, which now goes before the Republican-led Senate for approval.

Currently, people need permission from religious leaders to bring firearms into churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of religious worship in Missouri.

The pending bill would allow people with concealed carry permits to bring guns into worship sites without permission.

The measure also would allow people with concealed carry permits to bring firearms on buses and other public transportation. Guns would still be banned on Amtrak trains.

Yet another part of the bill would allow 18-year-olds to get concealed carry permits, which currently are only available to people at least 19 years old or 18-year-olds in the military.

The bill also would make it a misdemeanor crime to fire a gun in city limits, with a number of exceptions.