Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
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Crux
Taybeh parish priest warns of ‘violent attacks’ on Christians
By Crux Now Staff, November 5, 2026
During a visit to the UK, a parish priest in the last remaining Christian village in the West Bank warned about the “violent attacks” on his community by settlers. Father Bashar Fawadleh, a Latin Patriarch Catholic priest at Christ the Redeemer parish in Taybeh, described to journalists and later UK parliamentarians what the “radical settlers” were doing to drive Christians from their homes. “16 families have left Taybeh; that means between 70 to 75 persons in the last 3 years … If this place will be empty [of] Christians, you will lose your roots from the land, because we are the roots of the Christians.” Fawadleh said, “I was … so afraid, but I [went] with the people with the tractor to the small tank for water to extinguish the fire … The settlers came back with drones and phones to film … we are facing also the Bedouins who are still stealing our land, stealing our olive groves, and they’re picking the olives without any permission … and the Palestinian government, they do nothing,”
Zeale News
Voter ID passes in Nevada, North Carolina, and Ohio
By David Uebbing, November 5, 2026
Oklahoma voters approved a similar measure in August, as states write identification requirements into their constitutions. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a backer of the amendment, wrote online that voters “have enshrined commonsense voter ID protections in our state constitution.” Ohio’s Issue 3 passed with 65.33% of the electorate, or about 1.4 million votes, according to the secretary of state’s unofficial results. The amendment adds the state’s existing photo ID requirement to the constitution, so any future change would need voter approval. In North Carolina, voters approved an amendment extending the constitution’s photo ID requirement to mail-in voting, 59.6% to 40.4%, a margin of almost 800,000 votes, the State Board of Elections’ unofficial results show. Nevada’s Question 7 passed with 62.34% of the vote, with all 17 counties reporting, according to the secretary of state’s unofficial results as of Nov. 5.
OSV News
Vatican upholds excommunication of former deacon
By Gina Christian, November 6, 2026
The Vatican has upheld the excommunication of Scott Peyton, a former permanent deacon in Louisiana, who formally left the Church and joined an Anglican congregation for a period of time after his son was sexually abused by a priest. The Vatican response comes as Father Michael Guidry, convicted in 2019 of molesting Peyton’s then-teenaged son, is set to be released from prison Nov. 14 after serving a seven-year sentence. Shortly after joining the Anglican congregation, Peyton and his family moved to a nondenominational church. The former deacon appealed Bishop Deshotel's excommunication, prompting a Vatican response. Bishop Deshotel had issued a March 2024 decree of excommunication following Peyton’s December 2023 email stating his intention to resign from the diaconate and leave the Catholic Church.
Aleteia
California governor commutes all 548 state’s death sentences
By Joanne McPortland, November 6, 2026
California had the largest Death Row in the Western Hemisphere, with 548 prisoners under sentence of death. On Thursday, November 5, California’s outgoing governor Gavin Newsom exercised his prerogative to commute all death sentences to sentences of life without the possibility of parole. Such commutations, at both the state and federal level, are not uncommon, but are usually granted in smaller numbers and upon individual review. Newsom, a prominent foe of capital punishment, said he chose not to apply commutation differently based on different crimes. In an open letter to Californians, he cited his personal moral beliefs, as well as the dubious efficacy and fairness of applying the death penalty, in making the decision. Newsom's decision may also be driven by his expected try for a Democratic presidential run in 2028. It is not the first time Newsom, who describes himself as a Catholic, has attempted to halt the death sentence in California.
Related: Catholic group praises California for ‘largest commutation in history’ as hundreds spared execution, EWTN News, By Daniel Payne, November 5, 2026
National Catholic Register
Kansas City Catholics bet big on marriage
By Zelda Caldwell, November 5, 2026
A photo of a young couple gazing adoringly into each other's eyes, mugs of beer raised in a toast, splashed across the second page of their weekly bulletins for parishioners at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Shawnee, Kansas. It also included an invitation to married couples in the parish to join a “Couples & Cocktails Kick Off” featuring “fellowship, food, and fun with hors d’oeuvres and drinks provided.” And the kicker: Childcare would be provided. The response was overwhelming. “We had 242 people attend that first event,” Emily Dumler, director of parish life, told the Register. “There was a lot of buzz and excitement because these couples had felt a lack of opportunities at our parish to do things together.” That gathering was a bold experiment aimed at revitalizing marriages in the Archdiocese of Kansas City. It drew couples usually reluctant to participate in what became the first of many events planned for the parish’s new marriage ministry.
EWTN News
First-ever Catholic military conference: ‘Living & Serving Justly’
By Amira Abuzeid, November 6, 2026
Catholic members of the U.S. military and their families will gather in northern Virginia Nov. 9–11 for the first conference of its kind hosted by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, head of the archdiocese, spoke about the inaugural Catholic Military Conference in an interview with “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo. He said the event, themed “Living and Serving Justly,” is intended to bring together the faithful of the archdiocese, one of the most geographically widespread in the world. “‘Justly,’” he said, “means to live in accordance with the law of God, which is a basic tenet of our faith. It means allowing our conscience to dictate how we respond to the situations that we’re called to face.” He said a central topic will be just war theory and its ramifications today.
Religion News Service
Nithya Raman, a practicing Hindu, elected mayor of Los Angeles
By Trisha Mukherjee, November 6, 2026
Nithya Raman, a Hindu and Democratic Socialist, will become the next mayor of Los Angeles. Incumbent Karen Bass conceded the race Thursday morning. Both candidates ran as Democrats, but Raman, a 45-year-old City Council member, painted the 73-year-old mayor as an establishment politician. Raman is a practicing Hindu who hosted Diwali celebrations in City Hall while serving on the Los Angeles City Council. She is the city’s first Indian-American and Hindu mayor and the second woman elected to the position. She won just over 52% of the vote. Growing up in Massachusetts, she was bullied for her South Asian identity, she told Vanity Fair. An urban planner, she completed a bachelor’s degree at Harvard and a master’s at MIT. While she is a DSA member, she has been criticized for opposing the Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement, which urges complete economic divestment from Israel.
Catholic News of Australia
Every Catholic archdiocese in Australia and NZ sees ‘Red’
By ACN Staff, via CathNews, November 6, 2026
For the first time, every Catholic archdiocese in Australia and New Zealand will unite in support of Aid to the Church in Need’s Red November campaign, marking a historic show of solidarity with millions of Christians worldwide who face persecution because of their faith. The milestone comes as 32 dioceses across Australia and New Zealand, including every archdiocese and four of the Eastern Catholic eparchies, have confirmed their participation this year. Diocesan participation has more than tripled since 2023, reflecting the growing resonance of this important cause and a desire to respond through prayer, solidarity and practical action. Red November is a global initiative of ACN, a pontifical foundation supporting suffering and persecuted Christians worldwide. Each November, the campaign unites Catholics worldwide in prayer and solidarity, shining a light on Christian persecution and inspiring practical action to support those suffering for their faith.
Keep informed - 11/6/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from Big Pulpit, EWTN, & the Loop
Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic site: November 6, 2026
The Big Pulpit website aggregates quality insights and analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide.
The Ancient Image of Maria Advocata - Counted amongst the oldest depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary known - Shawn Tribe - Liturgical Arts Journal
Marian Theologians Renew Appeal to Card. Fernández Over Vatican Doctrinal Note – criticisms remain unanswered - Edward Pentin’s Substack
Midterm Election Results: The World Preferred Darkness – David L. Gray, Th.M., at The Gray Report
Right in Their Own Eyes: Why Protestantism is Incoherent & Unbiblical – Protestantism doesn’t work - Eternal Christendom
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — November 6, 2026
EWTN News provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the Holy Father's words and the Holy See.
Pope Leo XIV appoints 2 new undersecretaries to Synod office - By Victoria Cardiel - Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa and Salesian Sister Elena Massimi take on leadership roles following the departure of Sister Nathalie Becquart, who had served as undersecretary since February 2021.
Texas bishops congratulate Democratic winners, reaffirm pro-life and family agenda - By Amira Abuzeid - The bishops reiterated their legislative priorities in a previously finalized agenda: “As we look ahead to the 90th Texas Legislative Session, the principles of Catholic social and moral teaching that guide our work remain unchanged.”
Pope Leo XIV praises Chinese Catholics for unity 100 years after consecration of their first bishops - By Ishmael Adibuah - In his message, Leo noted Chinese Catholics’ long history of fidelity to the papacy, quoting Pope Benedict XVI, who said that they have always had “legitimate pastors who have preserved intact apostolic succession.”
The Loop
Zeale is CatholicVote, hosting the LOOP
Over half a million people receive the LOOP news rundown six days a week. Zeale is the LOOP's new home. Zeale is a project of CatholicVote, America’s top Catholic advocacy organization leading the fight for faith, family, and freedom.
‘A MASSIVE VICTORY’: IDAHO REJECTS ABORTION MEASURE - Stanton Healthcare celebrated Idaho voters’ rejection of Proposition 1, which would have established a statutory right to abortion, and pledged continued care for women facing unexpected pregnancies.
ANALYSIS: UNDERSTANDING POLAND’S CURRENT CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former official of the European Union with close ties to Brussels, has been accused of committing a coup after using riot police to install his preferred picks on Poland’s top constitutional court. What precipitated this unlawful judicial takeover?
THE SCHOOL CHOICE LANDSCAPE AFTER THE MIDTERMS - New Mexico’s outgoing Democratic governor announced plans to join the federal scholarship tax credit program Nov. 4, bringing the number of states publicly committed to participating to 32. Meanwhile, Democratic election gains have raised uncertainty for state-funded school choice programs in Texas and North Carolina, where families could face new fights over scholarship funding.
November 6, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Catholic365
Where has the Virtue of Hope gone?
By Ralph Hathaway, November 5, 2026
None of us would believe that hope has disappeared until we see the news of murders and suicide on the news recently. A 42-year-old depressed man threw his two children off the top floor of a parking garage in Mt. Lebanon, PA, then jumped off himself, killing all three. There will be some, perhaps many, who will call for God to send this father to hell. Of course God sends no one to hell, and we must accept the truth that those in hell put themselves there by rejecting God. Of the three Theological Virtues, Hope promises a look into a future not yet upon us. This man lost his job in August 2026 and was supposed to see a specialist on Wednesday, November 4th. Why he chose to include his two children in this action, we may never know, but deep depression in many people can cause untold mysteries that are known only to them and God.
Aleteia
Before Bob met Leo, there was Patti
By V. M. Traverso - Daniel Esparza, November 6, 2026
Some even hailed it as a first: a pope reaching across the cultural divide to embrace the Bob Dylan, the voice of the counterculture. But the bridge between rock and Rome had already been under construction for years, quietly and persistently. Among those building that bridge is another American artist who had known Dylan since the beginning: Patti Smith. Smith, who turns 80 in December 2026, is probably still best known as the “Godmother of Punk” — the fierce poet-rocker whose 1975 debut album Horses sits at number 26 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. This year, she was awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts, marking 50 years since her first concert in Spain at the dawn of that country’s democracy. Smith came to poetry and music the way Dylan had: through words pushed to their edges. By 1995, they were touring together.
National Catholic Reporter
Midterms Democratic rout could shift US bishops’ priorities
By Brian Fraga, November 4, 2026
The U.S. Catholic bishops will be operating in a new political reality when they convene later this month for their fall plenary assembly in Baltimore. The political landscape moving forward will also challenge the bishops, who will have to shift gears and find a way to work with a new generation of Democrats if they hope to maintain any influence and relevance on Capitol Hill, several analysts told National Catholic Reporter. The bishops will meet Nov. 16-19. "Just as the midterms unraveled the Republican electoral coalition and possibly forged a new Democratic one, they represented a dead end for the culture warrior approach to Catholic politics favored by the [U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops] since the late 1990s," said Daniel Rober, a Catholic studies professor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Bishop Barron
Carefully examine our spiritual condition
By Bishop Robert Barron, November 6, 2026
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus praises a steward who cheats his master. What do we make of this? It seems so peculiar, especially in Luke’s Gospel, where Jesus has been teaching the radical message of detachment from worldly goods. But here he is giving his approval to a man who clings to wealth in an immoral way. Well, what gives? Jesus wants us to see that this steward takes a hard look at his situation and decides to do something about it. Now, the Lord is not telling us to imitate his immorality. But what Jesus admires is his resolve. He knows his own weaknesses, he assesses himself honestly, and then he decides to act. The Lord told the parable to urge us to carefully examine our spiritual condition. His desire is that we choose to renew our relationship with him. He wants us to take stock of our weaknesses and make a firm resolution to acquire necessary strengths to fix them.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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