Copy Desk Daily, July 31, 2020

It was built as the world's largest church in 537, then became a mosque in 1523, before it became a museum in 1934 under a secularlizing government. Now, Christians are cautious as Turkey's Hagia Sophia becomes a mosque again. Criticism calling the move divisive has been widespread, though some Christians are advising patience — the change may not be as damaging as feared. "It's necessary to wait till the consequences of this decision become clearer," says a spokesman for the Turkish bishops' conference.

Franciscan Sisters give NCR $1.5 million to help 'wake up the world': The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration were one of the early supporters of EarthBeat, and this new donation establishes NCR's Laudato Si' Fund for environmental coverage in the spirit of Pope Francis' encyclical "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home."

Marianist Sr. Gabrielle Bibeau celebrates a milestone for one of her fellow Horizons columnists at GSR — Sr. Tracy Kemme made her perpetual vows as a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati in a livestreamed ceremony. Despite everything, we are still saying yes to God's call.

Executive editor Heidi Schlumpf's recent Connections column on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has drawn a lot of response, and the Letters to the Editor this week are readers' thoughts on AOC as the future of the Catholic Church.

Columnist Michael Sean Winters takes some of the more vituperative attacks on the Connections column as a jumping-off point to make a plea to all weighing in on abortion: Discuss, don't debate.

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