Morning Briefing

Phoenix -- Bishop Thomas Olmsted's chief adviser on medical ethics in the dispute with St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center resigned as parish pastor "for his own well-being and for the good of the parish." Remains a "priest with full faculties" in the Phoenix diocese.

Got religion? How churches, mosques and synagogues can bring young people back (With video)

Minneapolis -- Newly released records show the man who was second in charge to Archbishop John Nienstedt had urged him to step down during the investigation of sexual abuse in the church. Archdiocese Vicar General Peter Laird suggested resignation to Nienstedt on at least two occasions, and Laird himself resigned abruptly in October. (Watch Laird on speak on video.) For more details read: Laird’s deposition challenged Nienstedt’s account of the most serious abuse on his watch.

Chicago -- Cardinal George to be Deposed in McCormack Case

Holy gift-giving: What are Vatican guests giving Pope Francis?

Dhaka, Bangladesh -- South Asian heads of state meet: South Asian nations have big hopes from Modi

Goa, India -- State chief minister accuses Jesuit of spreading religious discontent

Have you been reading NCR's new website devoted to covering the mission and ministry of Catholic women religious? Check it (daily) at Global Sisters Report. Here's a great example of the work of GSR: Sisters launch 'Play for Life' in advance of major sports events in Brazil -- Sr. Joyce Meyer writes about human trafficking and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Marion County, Ky. -- Developers announce that work on the Bluegrass Pipeline had been suspended. Loretto sisters and religious community concerned about fracking help stop the project.

Sr. Joan Chittister says with a new Synod of Bishops comes a new chance to do things right

Robert McClory asks: LCWR and Vatican: Can these two ever get together?

Analysis of Holy Land Trip:
Pope Francis Threads Needle on Middle East Trip -- Israelis and Palestinians found themselves in a situation similar to conservative and liberal Catholics in the United States as they attempted to decipher the words and actions of Pope Francis, wondering if he has a side and which one he’s on.
Why did Pope Francis pray at the wall? "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," wrote Robert Frost. This something is someone now: Pope Francis.

Detroit archdiocese releases data of parish/community study. Archbishop Allen Vigneron says:
'We are a shrinking community' and 'need to change our culture" (Warning: Page opens with loud video ad.)
Youth ministry and a shortage of priests are the biggest concerns

The new bishop of Derry, Ireland, says the church can no longer try and offer "all possible services" in order to keep its "market share." Instead, focus should be on reorganizing itself in order to serve a population who are unaware of the Gospel.

Columbia, Mo. -- Female Catholic priest celebrates Mass at St. Francis House

Will priestly celibacy last much longer? Pope Francis has opened the debate within the Catholic church

This is from last week, but worth a read if you missed it: In an era of humble pope, earth shifts under Cardinal Dolan

Looking for a little inspiration to begin your day? NCR's sister publication, Celebration, gives you two options, both based on the Scripture readings of the day:

Pencil Preaching is a blog in which Celebration editor Pat Marrin combines Scripture and sketching to reflect on the Word.

Daily Bread is a series of short reflections written by four authors who meet regularly to share the readings. Daily Bread is intended to help daily preachers and others who pray from the assigned Scriptures each day to orient themselves to the Living Word addressed to the church in the world. It's a great way to begin the day.