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October 3, 2025
 
Overview: A government shutdown went into effect at midnight, October 1. Some members of Congress this week met in an effort to reach a bipartisan plan to reopen the government, and the Senate may pass a funding bill today, though the chances are slim. CCUSA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson lamented the effect of government shutdowns on the most vulnerable in society, and she urged leaders from both parties to end the shutdown. Read her comments here ([link removed]).
Economy: The Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly jobs report and figures for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims have not been released yet because of the government shutdown.
Jubilee of Migrants: The 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which usually falls on the last Sunday of September, will be celebrated this weekend, October 4-5, 2025, on the occasion of the Jubilee of Migrants ([link removed]). Pope Leo XIV has provided a message entitled 'Migrants, missionaries of hope ([link removed]).' In his message, the Holy Father reflects on the current context "sadly marked by wars, violence, injustice and extreme weather events, which force millions of people to leave their homelands in search of refuge elsewhere." The search for happiness is one of the causes of human mobility, and the link between migration and hope, which is well reflected in the Jubilee 2025 motto "Pilgrims of Hope," is often at the heart of many migration experiences. As the Pope explains in his Message, it is often migrants, refugees and displaced persons who are "privileged witnesses of hope.Indeed, they demonstrate this daily through their resilience and trust in God, as they face adversity while seeking a future in which they glimpse that integral human development and happiness are possible."
 
I ask every American to reflect on the value of every human life. I beg you to see Christ in every person, even those whose politics you oppose. Each of us should examine our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions and ask ourselves how we contribute to the polarization and animosity plaguing our nation. We should also put into practice those behaviors that can help us begin to heal the rifts between us. Consider performing a corporal work of mercy--feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Consider fasting from social media for one day a week or in the evening. Pray for your enemies. Listen and talk with those with whom you disagree--especially within your own family. Disagree, debate civilly, stand for your rights, but always remember in your heart that we are all children of God and deserve dignity and life. From a reflection on the fifth anniversary of Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis' encyclical letter on fraternity and social friendship, by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB
 
Q. Who was the sultan whom St. Francis of Assisi - whose feast day is October 4 - met in 1219?
Please send your answers to a right answer ([link removed]): Father of the Poor.
 
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