BEIRUT (CNS)–As Lebanon’s Catholic leaders appealed for help for their country, international and U.S. organizations appealed for donations for Beirut, capital of a country already suffering from a severe economic downturn.

ATLANTA—Archdiocesan schools will open soon for classroom instruction but will be providing flexibility for families to allow distance learning for up to eight weeks.

ATLANTA—Beth Enz saw her rising third grader do fine academically in March when her classmates suddenly were only visible on a computer screen.

WASHINGTON—Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following statement in solidarity with Lebanon after the explosion in the Port of Beirut.

CUMMING—Jennifer and Greg Willits were busy celebrating an anniversary—marking nearly 20 years of their ministry, and 15 years of their podcast.

MARIETTA–In the afternoon heat at St. Ann Church, Kathy Gist inspected rows of yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes. Not too much water, not too little.

ATLANTA–Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., has extended the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass through Sunday, Aug 30.

ATLANTA–Two prominent leaders of the civil rights movement, the Rev. Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, died Friday, July 17.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Pope Francis said he was saddened after a Turkish court ruled to revert the iconic Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque.

ATLANTA—The Georgia Bulletin, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, earned eight Catholic Press awards at this year’s Catholic Media Conference.

ATLANTA (CNS)–The head of a leading national pro-life organization said she was disappointed “the will of the people is being thwarted” in a federal judge’s permanent block to keep Georgia’s “heartbeat bill” from ever taking effect.

HARTFORD, Conn.—Father Thomas A. Reilly, MS, 76, a Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette, died July 12 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut.

ATLANTA—The 10th annual Holy Cross Summer Blood Drive took place on June 12 and June 13.

August 6 and 9 mark the 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first, and one hopes the last, times that atomic weapons are employed in war.

ATLANTA—The dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation will continue through Sunday, Aug. 2 in the Archdiocese of Atlanta due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

ATHENS—Mainstays of the Catholic community in Athens have moved on to new ministries.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Pope Francis has appointed Father Stephen Parkes, a priest of the Diocese of Orlando, as the Bishop of Savannah.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Some people always will want to destroy unity and stifle prophets, Pope Francis said on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

WASHINGTON (CNS)–Many of the country’s leading pro-life advocates said the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29 ruling striking down a Louisiana abortion law puts women’s health in danger.

ATLANTA–Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., ordained three men to serve as the newest priests in north and central Georgia.