Morning Briefing

a purple banner reading "Ordain Women" was placed on the Sant'Angelo bridge

In celebration of the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux, a purple banner reading "Ordain Women" was placed on the Sant'Angelo bridge just in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome Oct. 1.

According to the Women's Ordination Conference: "St. Therese, who herself longed to be a priest, is one of countless women whose vocations continue to be rejected and dismissed.

A 19th century French Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church, St. Therese wrote in her journals and confided in her sister Celine of her deep desire to be a priest. St. Therese's priestly vocation is too often written out of her story. Today we honor her not-so little impact as a courageous voice for women and her fierce love for God. Women are called to priesthood and it is our work to amplify their voices and, quite simply, keep them in the frame."

President John Kennedy captured the gist of the matter 53 years ago, when he spoke about a "nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, capable of being cut at any moment by accident, or miscalculation, or by madness." That sword still hangs -- and we still live in a world of accidents and miscalculations, a world still capable of madness.

I just finished reading this book, Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America, and I highly recommend it. Read Michael Sean Winters' review here: Meet the godfather of libertarianism in 'Democracy in Chains'

Speaking of Michael Sean Winters, he and Vatican correspondent Joshua McElwee are at Boston College attending a conference on Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on family life, Amoris Laetitia. Read their reports here:

Las Vegas -- Authorities still not clear on who Stephen Paddock was

Global Sisters Report Correspondent Soli Salgado has been working on this series of stories: La Iglesia Hispana

Eucharist in the convent basement by Francine Dempsey, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Albany, N.Y., for 60 years.

On A Nun's Life podcasts, sisters discuss the protocols of praying — how to include others, whether that's appropriate and how to focus on your relationship with God.

South Sudan's future is bound up with fear, something on vivid and visceral display at the large United Nations camps outside of the capital of Juba. Ethnic minorities in South Sudan's camps face insecurity in warring nation


DailyBreadBanner.jpgStart your day inspired with daily scripture reflections. Join NCR's sister publication, Celebration, for Daily Bread, a series of short reflections written by four authors who meet regularly to share the readings.

Or reflect on Pencil Preaching.jpgPencil Preaching by Pat Marrin. Every morning Pat Marrin breaks open the Word with a pencil sketch and a short meditation.


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