Morning Briefing

Lots of must reads on the NCR website today: 

• Disgraced Vatican nuncio Wesolowski died, awaiting trial for sex abuse
• Read Fr. Thomas Reese's fourth installment of columns about Laudato Si': Integral ecology, everything is connected
• Column by Colman McCarthy: Francis needs to go beyond his play-it-safe verbiage
• Groups seek to broaden input on issues for family synod
• Despite poll, Catholic climate leader is optimistic Laudato Si' is spreading
• Young Voices: Welcome to parenthood. Try not to screw it up too badly.

If you aren't already checking out NCR's sister site, Global Sisters Report, do it now: 

• Sisters preserve ethnic groups' cultures by collecting ancient artifacts
• Notes from the Field: Coming home from volunteering. Working with the Catholic Volunteer Network, GSR enlisted four young women working in ministries of Catholic sisters around the world – Honduras, Thailand, Ethiopia and the United States – to blog about their experiences. Read the whole series here.

Some national news from around the web: 

• Obama to seek unity with Francis on issues during White House visit
• Biden will push Iran deal during Miami Jewish meeting
• Philly preps blessed beer and other edible swag to greet Pope Francis
• The real Muslim-American threat is against Muslims
• Editorial: When Orthodox and Evangelicals align, what it means for the rest of us
• Greenwich, Conn., shop tapped to help make chair for papal visit
• The Catholic church is as big as any company in America. Bankruptcy cases have shed some light on its finances and their mismanagement
• California Catholic hospital agrees to sterilization after lawsuit
• Texas family sues Catholic school over special needs accommodations
• Substitute teacher-priest seeks OK to wear religious habit in West Virginia classroom
• Michigan priest accused of stealing $573k from parish​
• "The Boatman" chronicles life in New Orleans 10 years after Hurricane Katrina

International news from around the web: 

• 35 of Pope Francis' most prophetic statements
• Francis embraces the mystical side of the Catholic church
• China arrests Christians who opposed removal of crosses
• After scandals, Ireland is no longer the "most Catholic country in the world"
• Argentine mom hopes pope will help her her son off death row
• Where Pope Francis learned humility
• Sex abuse victim given two hour audience with Scottish archbishop
• Palestinians could raise flag at U.N. headquarters before Francis arrives