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Welcome to Friday. NCR's editorial says the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters is the culmination of what this presidency has been about since the beginning — and more than a few Catholics have cheered it along. Nigeria, with an underfunded health care system, carries the largest malaria burden globally, a situation made worse during the coronavirus pandemic.
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** Editorial: Catholics need to confess their complicity in the failed coup ([link removed])
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There is plenty of blame to go around after the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by a right-wing mob trying to stop the formal counting of the Electoral College vote for the legally elected next president of the United States, we write in our latest editorial
Clearly, the current resident of the White House who for months has repeatedly and deliberately lied about nonexistent election fraud, and who, even as Confederate-flag wielding thugs strolled throughout the Capitol, is guilty of inciting violence. And the more than 100 House Republicans and more than a dozen GOP senators who had planned to object to the Electoral College results will be remembered for laying the fire that eventually burst in flames.
"But also among those with some culpability for yesterday's failed insurrection are more than a few leaders in our church," we write. "Catholic apologists for Trump have blood on their hands."
"This is the culmination of what this presidency has been about from the beginning — and some Catholics have remained silent, or worse, cheered it along, including some bishops, priests, a few sisters, right-wing Catholic media and too many people in the pro-life movement."
Read more of our editorial here ([link removed]) .
More background:
* As the U.S. Capitol was taken over by insurrectionists on Jan. 6 seeking to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College votes to formally declare Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election, a number of Catholic bishops took to Twitter to call for prayer and peace ([link removed]) .
* NCR political columnist Michael Sean Winters reminds us ([link removed]) that Trump has been inciting violence for weeks and his supporters were obviously listening.
* Churches were some of the first to offer pushback ([link removed]) to Trump supporters Jan. 6. But those who gathered to support Trump and repeat disproven claims of election fraud appeared undeterred by theological critiques.
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** Malaria, coronavirus: Nigeria struggles to battle twin pandemics ([link removed])
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In Nigeria, 53 million people — 25% of the population — suffer from malaria annually, according to data from the National Malaria Elimination Program, the federal government agency coordinating malaria response in Nigeria.
This means Nigeria carries the largest malaria burden globally. The country accounts for 27% of malaria cases and 23% of malaria deaths across the world, according to the World Malaria Report 2020.
The situation has been made worse during the coronavirus pandemic, as Nigeria's underfunded health care system has struggled to address both crises. In April, the World Health Organization warned that the number of deaths caused by malaria across the African continent could double during the pandemic.
At the center of the fight against Nigeria's malaria burden is Catholic Relief Services, which has been leading efforts to ensure that people are treated and that as many persons as possible are protected from infection.
You can read more of the story here ([link removed]) .
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** Building a Common Future ([link removed])
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This week, we began our series, Building a Common Future ([link removed]) , in which we asked Catholic politicians, activists and scholars to offer advice to President-elect Joe Biden.
"Building our common future: It's what the United States, indeed, the entire world needs right now," we wrote in an editorial ([link removed]) introducing the series.
Today's commentary ([link removed]) comes from Tia Noelle Pratt and focuses on systemic racism in our society. "Systemic racism cannot be dismantled with one-off gestures that only placate those who benefit from systemic oppression in the United States," she writes. "Such actions do not end systemic racism and their placating nature are at the foundation of what we saw on Jan. 6."
You can read Monday's commentary from Sen. Tim Kaine on immigration here ([link removed]) . Tuesday's commentary from Dwayne David Paul on community policing can be found here ([link removed]) . Wednesday's commentary from Marie Dennis on U.S. foreign policy and national security can be read here ([link removed]) . Thursday's commentary from Social Service Sr. Simone Campbell on fair wages, just tax policies and support for labor organizations can be found here ([link removed]) .
Read the rest of Pratt's commentary here ([link removed]) .
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** More headlines
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* In the U.S., 2021 will mean a new president making up for four years of environmental deregulation under Trump ([link removed]) . Globally, it means making up for missed Paris Agreement deadlines delayed by the pandemic.
* ICYMI: Jesuit Fr. Leo O'Donovan, former president of Georgetown University, confirmed to NCR that he had accepted the invitation to offer the prayer ([link removed]) at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
* ICYMI: At a U.S. bishops' national forum on young adult ministry ([link removed]) , a youth ministry coordinator said that ministers and leaders should be empowering young adults to work towards dismantling systemic racism.
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** Final thoughts
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Every Friday, we pull together letters to the editor from readers like yourself. This week, we are publishing responses ([link removed]) to an article about why some Catholics support President Donald Trump. You can join in the conversation by following the guidelines here ([link removed]) .
Until Monday,
Stephanie Yeagle
NCR Production/Online Editor
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected])
Twitter: @ncrSLY ([link removed])
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