"Our community cannot be indifferent to modern slavery and human trafficking or our responsibility to eradicate it," Archbishop Fisher said.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice told Breed that "San Francisco’s treatment of places of worship raises serious concerns about religious freedom."

Saying that the pandemic is causing widespread economic challenges, the officials urged Congress and the White House to "put aside partisan politics and prioritize human life and the common good."

Village chief Luzviminda "Kap Ida" Dayanda and treasurer Albert Orlina were reportedly shot dead by gunmen in Guinobatan Sept. 21 while heading home after a meeting at the town hall.

The U.S. House in a nearly unanimous vote passed an act that would ban imports to the U.S. from China's Xinjiang region, the heartland of the Uighur Muslim people and where over 1 million Uighurs are reportedly living in forced labor camps.

Cardinal Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, was tested for the virus Sept. 7 before flying from Rome to Manila for the celebration of his mother’s 90th birthday. But arriving at the airport Sept. 10, he tested positive and was required to quarantine.

"There is no question that our nation's original sin of racism continues to destroy and harm the lives of persons of color and that racism extends through so many systems of our society ... educational, economic, religious, housing, criminal justice, voting and employment," Archbishop Kurtz said.

Auxiliary Bishop Mario Dorsonville, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration: “We are reminded that regardless of our background, we are all built in the image of God and should be treated as such.”

The social unrest and divisions in general Hong Kong society have carried over to the Catholic community, said Cardinal John Tong Hon, who encouraged Catholics instead to follow what Jesus taught in the beatitudes.

The pastoral, which is in English and Spanish, is titled "Transformed by Hope, Let Us Rebuild Our Tomorrow!" and addressed to all the people of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.