“Pope to Catholic Charities USA: No one is to be a ”leftover"", News.va

“No one is to be a “leftover.” No one is to be “excluded” from God’s love and from our care”. This was the heart of a video message sent by Pope Francis to participants in the annual meeting of the Catholic Charities USA, October 5–7 in North Carolina. (includes full text of his remarks.)

“Reward program helps diners feed the hungry”, The Boston Pilot

An innovative new Boston startup leverages the power of reward and customer loyalty programs against the problem of poverty-induced hunger, and gives those who participate a new way to help the hungry. Dan Napierski, founder of a local startup called Phfeast Inc., runs the company that makes free meals provided by local restaurants through customer loyalty programs available to families and young people who don’t always know where they will get their next meal.

“Life of newly beatified New Jersey sister called ‘recipe for holiness’”, Catholic News Service

More than 2,200 people packed the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark Oct. 4 to celebrate the first beatification liturgy in the United States. Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth from Bayonne, was given the title “blessed” in a joyful ceremony conducted in three languages – English, Latin and Slovak.

“Bishop John P. Boles passes to the Lord at age 84”, The Boston Pilot

Boston’s senior former auxiliary bishop, the Bishop John P. Boles died Oct. 9, 2014 at St. Patrick Manor in Framingham. He was 84 years old. In an Oct. 9 statement, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley said, “Over the course of nearly 60 years of priesthood and 22 years of service as a bishop, Bishop Boles was a beacon of warmth to all who met him as he showed pastoral care and concern for the Catholic faithful and the wider community. He brought a sense of joy, kindness and fidelity to the Church that inspired us and provided an example for others to follow.”

“Married life is better with NFP, say couples at synod”, Catholic News Service

Catholic couples who ignore church teaching on contraception “don’t know what they are missing,” said a U.S. couple invited to address the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family. Alice and Jeff Heinzen, family life leaders in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., spoke at the synod Oct. 7, urging efforts to find new ways to share its teaching about the beauty of family life.