Morning Briefing

On Monday, I told you this was a developing story: In February the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin, announced it was ending pension payments with lump-sum payouts. The rest of the story came yesterday: Wisconsin diocese calls off plan to rescind employee's pensions.

As Puerto Rico wrestles with blackouts across the island, Jubilee USA Network is warning that Congress's oversight board for Puerto Rico could pass a fiscal debt plan that is worse than the fiscal plan in place before Hurricanes Maria and Irma struck the island. Puerto Rico's Archbishop Gonzalez testified to the oversight board yesterday: Human lives must be focus of Puerto Rico fiscal plan.

NAACP joins environmental groups in calling for EPA chief Scott Pruitt's ouster

Church crackdown intensifies in China's Henan province An official notice posted outside a church in Henan says: "Religion must not interfere with life and social order."

Chicago -- San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy delivered an important talk at Loyola University Chicago. Here are two takes:

• McElroy blasts 'sickness of the soul' in US politics, calls for a moral solution
• McElroy: Politics should pursue common good, not special interests

For the first time since 1959, Cuba has a president not named Castro. Who is Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuba's handpicked president?

NCR and Global Sisters Report published this week a series of stories about Cuba and the church. Read them here:

• Cubans, US exiles connect to help rebuild Cuba's Catholic Church
• Encuentro Eclesial event unites Cuban Catholics, bridges US-Cuba division
• Where Cuban government can't provide, sisters and Catholic organizations fill the gaps

Sunday is Earth Day. How you mark it? Find some inspiration in these stories:

• Pope Francis' encyclical inspires the Laudato Si' Project in Wisconsin
• Environmental vulnerabilities are linked to every other problem in Haiti
• Access to clean water is a life issue that the church must defend

Did you ever consider a good road, a convenient bus line and rural access to the internet might help eradicate hunger? US infrastructure investment key to better jobs, less hunger, Bread for the World recommends

If Pope Francis' exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate ("Rejoice and Be Glad") has inspired you to join the journey of 'small holiness', NCR and Celebration have the resources to help you:

• Start your day inspired with daily Scripture reflections. Join NCR's sister publication, Celebration, for Daily Bread, a series of short reflections written by four authors who meet regularly to share the readings.
• Or reflect on Pencil Preaching by Pat Marrin. Every morning Pat Marrin breaks open the Word with a pencil sketch and a short meditation.