Five Things To Remember On Aug. 14

1. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged President Obama to answer the call of Pope Francis for the international community “to do all that it can to stop and to prevent further systematic violence against ethnic and religious minorities” in Iraq. Archbishop Kurtz made the appeal in an August 13 letter, in which he assured President Obama of the prayers and support of the U.S. bishops in these efforts.

2. Violent acts against Christians and Christian sites across the world are a mounting concern to leaders of Catholic and Jewish communities in the United States, according to a joint statement issued August 14 by the Jewish-Catholic Dialogue sponsored by the National Council of Synagogues and the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

3. Pope Francis spoke to South Korean authorities in English and you can watch that speech starting at the 40 minute mark.

4. Today, we say goodbye to Sister Mary Ann Walsh, our media relations director, who is leaving to become U.S. Church Correspondent for America Magazine. Sister is a visionary in Catholic media, a friend to so many of us and an incredible mentor. We will miss her dearly. Thank you, Sister, and remember...

5. God loves you.