VATICAN (CNS): “Care for water sources and water basins is an urgent imperative,” Pope Francis said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1, an observance begun by the Orthodox Church and now celebrated by many Christians.
 
The pope drew special attention to the more than 600 million people who do not have regular access to clean drinking water.
 

VIENNA (CNS) “This criticism comes from circles in the Church who want to get rid of this pope as soon as possible.”  Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, Austria, wrote in a column on September 7 in the weekly newspaper, Heute, as bishops in Germany and Austria united to support Pope Francis in response to Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, former papal nuncio to the United States, calling on the pope to resign for allegedly ignoring sanctions Pope Benedict XVI had placed on then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick for sexual misconduct.
 

“No, I do not see a pope who wants to overturn Church teaching nor do I see a pope who wants to hush anything up or to establish an old boys’ network. I see a pope who resolutely wants to pursue a path of renewal and one who is neither liberal nor conservative,” wrote Bishop Stefan Oster, the conservative-minded head of the Diocese of Passau on the Bavarian-Austrian border, in Germany.
 

ROME (CNS): The blind pursuit of profit cannot guarantee a company’s viability, which depends on the fair treatment of workers and a vast array of other ethical and social factors, Pope Francis told Italy’s top financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore in an interview with published on September 7.
 
“People are the most important resource of every company, (as it) works toward building the common good, being attentive toward the poor,” he said. 
 

WASHINGTON (CNS): Bishops from Spain, Argentina and Peru s issued letters supporting Pope Francis in late August following fallout from allegations made by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former apostolic nuncio to the United States claiming that the pope and others knew about abuse allegations involving Archbishop Theodore McCarrick (Sunday Examiner, September 2).
 

VATICAN (SE): “I read the statement this morning and, sincerely, I must say this to you and anyone interested: Read that statement attentively and make your own judgment,” Pope Francis told reporters aboard the papal flight from Dublin on August 26, in response to Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s 11-page document calling on him to resign.
 

VATICAN (CNS): The issue of clerical sexual abuse and other crimes and mistreatment of minors and vulnerable adults by Catholic priests and religious and the attempts by bishops and superiors to cover up the facts dominated the news coverage of the Pope Francis’ August 25 to 26 trip to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families. 
 

DUBLIN (CNS):  “We ask forgiveness for the abuse in Ireland, abuse of power and of conscience, sexual abuse” Pope Francis prayed before celebrating the concluding Mass of the World Meeting of Families Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland, on August 26. 
 
“In a special way, we ask forgiveness for all the abuse committed in the different institutions run by religious men and religious women and other members of the Church.”
 

MANILA (UCAN): Philippine senator, Bam Aquino, asked Pope Francis to pray for the he country, especially for poor Filipinos who suffer the brunt of drug-related killings. The legislator met with the pope on the sidelines of the 9th annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, held from August 23 to 26, in Rome.
 
“Holy Father, I have some letters from our religious leaders in the Philippines. Our country needs your prayers,” Aquino told the pope during a private audience at the Vatican.