Catholic News 44246
Catholics invited to ‘adopt’ Synod on Synodality members in prayer
Rome Newsroom, Oct 12, 2024 / 12:30 pm (CNA).
Prayer groups are sponsoring an online platform through which you can “adopt” a Synod on Synodality member to pray for during the month of October.
After submitting an email address on the webpage oremusprosynodo.org, the name of one of the 368 voting members (also called delegates) of the 2024 meeting of the Synod on Synodality appears with the exhortation to pray for them.
The synod prayer campaign also sends a daily email with a guide for how to pray for the “adopted” synod delegate throughout the Vatican assembly Oct. 2–27.
The initiative is organized by synod leaders in collaboration with three Church-connected groups: The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Click to Pray, and The Church Is Listening.
The second session of the assembly of the Synod on Synodality is taking place at the Vatican this month. It marks the end of the discernment phase of the Catholic Church’s synodal process begun in 2021.
Throughout the October meeting, synod participants will pray together daily and attend prayer services and Masses.
During the first half of the monthlong gathering, synod members attended a retreat, a penitential liturgy, the synod opening Mass, and an ecumenical prayer vigil. They will also join in a Mass of canonization on Oct. 20 and participate in a mini-retreat on Oct. 21 before the synod’s concluding Mass on Oct. 27.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Widespread condemnation of Israeli airstrikes on UN in Lebanon
World leaders condemn attacks on United Nations peacekeepers by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, after a second incident within a two-day period.
By Nathan Morley
World leaders have condemned attacks on United Nations peacekeepers by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, after a second incident within a two-day period.
The head of UN peacekeeping operations says there is reason to believe that Israel fired directly at UN positions in southern Lebanon after incidents which wounded UN personnel.
In a joint declaration, the leaders of France, Italy and Spain said attacks were “unjustifiable”. At the same time, US President Joe Biden has asked Israel not to hit UN peacekeepers while conducting operations against Hezbollah.
Earlier, Lebanon’s prime minister claimed 22 people were killed in two Israeli attacks in central Beirut on Thursday.
The attacks came with no warning, and all the victims were reportedly civilians.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army says it has intercepted a number of launches from Lebanon, and earlier reported that two drones were detected from Lebanon and another from Syrian airspace.
Elsewhere, Gaza’s civil defence agency says 30 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry estimates at least 42,175 people in Gaza have been killed since 7 October last year.
Vatican shares Pope Francis’ schedule for December consistory to create cardinals
Vatican City, Oct 12, 2024 / 11:00 am (CNA).
The Vatican on Saturday published the schedule for Pope Francis’ consistory to create new cardinals, stating that the liturgy will take place on Dec. 7 — not Dec. 8, as previously announced.
Francis said Oct. 6 he will add 21 members to the College of Cardinals — 20 of whom are eligible to be cardinal-electors. The future cardinals come from every continent.
According to the liturgical schedule released by the Vatican’s master of ceremonies Oct. 12, the ceremony to create the new cardinals will be held in the afternoon on Dec. 7 in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The following day, on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, Francis and the entire College of Cardinals will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving together in the Vatican basilica.
While the pope typically goes to venerate a statue of the Virgin Mary close to the Spanish Steps early in the morning on the solemnity, this year he will visit the statue at 4 p.m. instead.
On Oct. 12, Pope Francis addressed the cardinals-designate in a short letter in which he called them each to be more of a “servant” than an “eminence.” He advised them to pray often, to love everyone, and to have mercy on the suffering.
The Vatican also published Saturday the dates of three other papal Masses to take place in St. Peter’s Basilica in November and early December.
On Nov. 17, the pope will preside at a Mass for the World Day of the Poor, and on Nov. 24, the solemnity of Christ the King, he will join a Mass also marking the World Day of Youth.
For the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12, Pope Francis will preside at a Mass in Spanish.
The Masses with Pope Francis are open to the public with the advance reservation of free tickets through the Prefecture of the Papal Household.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Ukraine’s President expresses hope for an end to the war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed hope that the war with Russia will end next year. He made the comments in Berlin, Germany’s capital, where he arrived after talks in the Vatican with Pope Francis. Yet the end of the armed conflict still seems far away, with new clashes reported on Saturday.
By Stefan J. Bos
Witnesses are in shock as flames have engulfed a Moscow-controlled terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea for more than four days after Ukraine unleashed at least two missiles.
A fresh explosion has triggered a tower of flames almost 200 feet (60 meters) high.
The Marine Oil Terminal in Feodosia, an essential fuel supplier for Russian forces, was reportedly targeted initially by Ukraine to coincide with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 72nd birthday on Tuesday. It has been burning ever since, but the explosions are getting worse.
Elsewhere on Saturday, officials said Ukrainian forces hit a fuel depot in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine on Saturday, causing a fire.
Yet Russia is striking back, saying its forces have captured the two frontline villages of in eastern Ukraine, the latest in a string of territorial gains for Moscow.
Covering the war is getting more dangerous for media personnel, however, with Ukraine announcing an investigation into the death of 27-year-old Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina.
Captured and detained
She was captured and detained by Russia while reporting on Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine in 2023.
Officials say she died September 19, just as the young woman was transferred for a prisoner exchange.
Despite these setbacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the war with Russia “would end” next year.
He spoke in Berlin during a visit to ask for sustained military support.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged that Germany and its European Union partners would send more defense equipment to Ukraine this year and German aid worth 4 billion euros, or some 4.4 billion dollars.
ACN ramping up its aid to Church in Lebanon
As the war between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate in Lebanon, the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) announces an emergency campaign to raise at least 1 million US dollars to help the Lebanese Church cope with the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.
By Lisa Zengarini
In response to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is stepping up its support to the Lebanese Church, offering food, medicine, education and other desperately-needed assistance for displaced families.
ACN’s emergency campaign to raise 1 million dollars
The Catholic charity dedicated to the pastoral and spiritual support of persecuted Christians across the world, has announced an emergency campaign to raise at least 1 million dollars to assist the Church in Lebanon as it strives to cope with the new challenges caused by the new escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
700,000 internally displaced people
According to UN sources, the fighting has caused a wave of nearly 700,000 internally displaced people in various parts of the country, with Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and Northern Lebanon bearing the brunt of the massive influx from the south.
In all these locations the Church has sprung into action, also opening its facilities to displaced families, regardless of religious or ethnic affiliation.
ACN, which has been funding around 200 projects in the country, has already reached out to the seven dioceses and five religious congregations that are most directly involved in relief efforts, and is now trying to raise the money required to address their needs, which in most cases include food, sanitary products, mattresses and covers, medication, and other essentials.
Christians directly affected by the fighting
Although the crisis is affecting the whole country, the worst areas are in the border regions between Israel and Lebanon where Christians make up a significant part of the population.
ACN has reported that on 9 October, a Melkite Greek Catholic church sheltering displaced people was hit in a missile attack killing at least eight people in Derdghaya, in the southern district of Tyre. According to local Church sources, another missile hit a priest’s house and a three-storey building housing parish offices, completely destroying them.
Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes, which in most cases leads to family separation, as the mother and children seek shelter in Church facilities or houses of relatives in safer areas, and the father remains in the family house, to prevent property theft, despite the danger. Christian villages in the south have been nearly emptied of their population.
In recent months the Catholic charity’s aid has included food parcels for thousands of families and medical help for 1,200 people who have stayed in southern Lebanon despite the risks.
Many of the Christians in this area are farmers, who have lost all source of income due to the destruction of their land and crops.
Catholic schools, most of which have opened for online classes, are likely to also require assistance as parents in the regions most affected by the war will find themselves unable to work and will struggle to pay tuition.
ACN standing by the Church in Lebanon
Regina Lynch, Executive President of ACN International said that the charity will continue to stand by the Lebanese Church at this new critical moment of need. “We will not abandon them now and are confident that our benefactors will understand the urgency of supporting the Church in Lebanon,” she said.
Pope Francis writes letter to new cardinals: You express the Church’s unity
Vatican City, Oct 12, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Pope Francis expressed in a letter Saturday a desire that each of the 21 new cardinals to be added in December will be more of a “servant” than an “eminence.”
The pope’s brief letter, published Oct. 12, also welcomed the cardinals-designate to membership in the “Roman clergy,” which Francis called “an expression of the Church’s unity and of the bond that unites all the Churches with this Church of Rome.”
The pontiff announced after the Angelus Oct. 6 that he will add 21 men — 19 bishops and three priests — to the College of Cardinals in a consistory later this year.
The future cardinals come from countries on every continent, and include archbishops from the countries of Iraq, Brazil, and Italy. They will be elevated to the College of Cardinals in a ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 7.
The pope will also offer a Mass of thanksgiving with the cardinals on Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
Pope Francis in his letter encouraged the men to pray often, to love everyone, and to have mercy on the suffering.
“I thank you for your generosity and I assure you of my prayers that the title of ‘servant’ (deacon) will increasing eclipse that of ‘eminence,’” the pope told the future cardinals.
He also asked them to embody three attitudes the Argentinian poet Francisco Luis Bernárdez once used to describe St. John of the Cross: “eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.”
“Eyes raised, because your service will require you to lengthen your gaze and broaden your heart, in order to see farther and to love more expansively and with greater fervor,” he said.
He quoted his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who said St. John of the Cross sat “at the school of his gaze,” which is “the pierced side of Christ.”
Another important attitude, Francis said, is hands joined in prayer for discernment, “because what the Church most needs — together with the preaching of the Gospel — is your prayer to be able to shepherd well the flock of Christ.”
He added that to have bare feet means to be close to the difficult realities faced by people around the world, including “the pain and suffering due to war, discrimination, persecution, hunger and many forms of poverty.”
“These will demand from you great compassion and mercy,” the pope said.
One of the cardinals-designate, retired apostolic nuncio Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, is already over the age of 80 and no longer eligible to vote in a future conclave.
Cardinal-designate Father Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., will turn 80 on Aug. 22 next year. Radcliffe is one of two spiritual leaders for the Synod on Synodality taking place this month in Rome
Among the 21 new cardinals, a total of nine are currently in Rome to participate in the second session of the synod Oct. 2-27.
The full list of new cardinals can be read here.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Ana Finat — aristocrat, influencer, and convert: Trusting in God gives immense freedom
Madrid, Spain, Oct 12, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).
The Spanish influencer and aristocrat Ana Finat, a descendant of St. Francis Borgia, has just published the story of her conversion where she describes how she went from worldliness and being afraid of God to regaining freedom by trusting in his mercy.
In the Spanish-language book “When I Met the God of Love: How the Love of Christ Freed Me from the Chains of the World,” Finat shares the story of her life, quite distinct from that of ordinary mortals because of her family environment — especially during her childhood — but, at the same time, very similar in terms of worldliness and alienation from the faith like the majority of her generation.
“When I grew up, I distanced myself from God, because it was bothersome to me and because I was rebellious,” she admitted in a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. During that time, she lived like so many young people of her generation: “I smoked my first cigarettes, I experienced my first joints, we went out drinking a lot, and I spent more time on the street playing hooky than at school,” she explains in the book.
She also did not live chastely, which led her to getting unexpectedly pregnant at age 20. In addition, she would later use assisted reproductive technologies that are contrary to the magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Fortunately, she didn’t yield to the temptation to abort her child: “I never considered having an abortion. The pregnancy made me anxious; I knew perfectly well that it wasn’t going to be easy, because our relationship [with her then-boyfriend] wasn’t good, but I was excited about the life that was coming. From the beginning, I welcomed [the child] with great enthusiasm. For me it was a gift, because I knew what was coming to me, to begin with, because I was also very immature,” she explained.
‘The only thing that makes you stop, because it truly fills you, is Christ’
That’s how things were until Finat attended a Life in the Spirit Seminar, a charismatic retreat organized by the Archdiocese of Toledo in Spain, after which she gave her social media to God (she currently has more than 30,000 followers on Instagram). In the book she says that, after that experience, “I was finally free.”
Finat explained that, after that encounter with the Holy Spirit, she understood that “abandoning all your worries, all your anxieties and trusting in God gives immense freedom. Knowing that there is someone greater, who is taking care of you, who loves you like a father, like the best father, who doesn’t separate himself from you. Abandon yourself also to the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit leads you… all that gives a lot of freedom.”
The influencer also felt liberated from the way she saw herself: “I was totally immersed in today’s world, in social media, with its vanity, its selfishness,” she said, and, separated from God, she recognized that “I did whatever I wanted. I didn’t care. I was very much all about myself. It’s me first and then everything else.”
However, this worldly lifestyle didn’t fulfill her deepest aspirations: “You think it has fulfilled you, but then you realize that it hasn’t. In the end, the only thing that makes you stop, because it truly fulfills you, is Christ,” she shared.
Writing her conversion story “was very scary,” she admitted, especially because of the implications for her husband and daughters and because it’s not easy “to tell things with sensitivity, without morbidity.” Fortunately, after receiving the offer from the publisher, Finat has also counted on the support of Father Santiago Arellano, a priest of the Archdiocese of Toledo, who is her spiritual director.
It wasn’t easy to change her life, either, because those closest to her “didn’t understand anything at all” and as a result “there were many clashes.” However, with the passage of time, things changed: “When they see that everything you’re experiencing is leading you to be better with them, to love them more, to do better for them, to live more for them, and the change is good, it’s absurd for them to fight, because it’s all for their own good. Now they’re all delighted,” she shared with a smile.
It was also difficult to change the direction of her social media, because she thought that if she started talking about God and not about the events she was invited to or about certain clothing and cosmetic brands, she would lose followers. So she considered leaving Instagram.
However, after giving her social media to God, she decided to continue despite the attacks she received, “especially when I posted things about abortion. People got really angry there,” or when she talked about euthanasia. She has also received support, to the point that “I have continued to grow in followers miraculously,” Finat happily commented.
‘We have the same struggles’ as St. Francis Borgia and St. Teresa of Ávila
Since her childhood, Finat had heard stories at home about her family ties to St. Francis Borgia, St. Teresa of Ávila, and St. Louis Gonzaga. Especially with Borgia, who was superior general of the Society of Jesus and whose eldest son, Juan, was the first count of Mayalde, a title held by Ana’s parents.
After her conversion, Ana delved into their stories and explained that “even in another era, they had the same struggles that I have.” In particular, she believes that St. Teresa would have been attracted by “the conversations and frivolities with the high society of Ávila” and St. Francis Borgia would have been tempted by “the power of the world.” Not without reason, he was viceroy of Catalonia in the service of Emperor Carlos I of Spain.
Ultimately, Finat said she feels “super-identified with them” and she commends herself to these saints in a special way. At the same time, it represents a challenge for her: “Having ancestors like that in the family sets the bar very high. On the one hand, you feel horrible, dwarfed, tiny… But on the other hand it also stirs up the desire to imitate them.”
Since her conversion, Finat, together with her sister Casilda, has been involved in two very specific apostolates in the Archdiocese of Toledo: Pueblo de Alabanza (People of Praise), which promotes prayers of praise along with the Life in the Spirit Seminars, and the Anawim Family, which seeks to minister to people in need.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Pope to Cardinals-elect: Keep your eyes raised, your hands joined, your feet bare
Ahead of the Consistory that will raise them to the dignity of the Cardinalate, Pope Francis writes to the new Cardinals-elect, inviting them to embody three attitudes that characterised Saint John of the Cross: eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.
By Christopher Wells
Pope Francis has written a personal letter to the 21 men – bishops and priests from around the world – whom he will raise to the Cardinalate at a consistory set for December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Noting that their elevation to the College of Cardinals will associate them with the Roman Clergy, the Bishop of Rome reminds them that membership in the College “is an expression of the Church’s unity and of the bond that unites all the Churches with this Church of Rome.”
‘Eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare’
In his letter, the Pope Francis invites the Cardinals-elect “to embody the three attitudes with which an Argentinian poet (Francisco Luis Bernárdez) once characterized Saint John of the Cross, and which are also applicable to us: ‘eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.’”
Explaining these three attitudes, the Holy Father tells the soon-to-be Cardinals that their new service within the Church will require them to “lengthen your gaze and broaden your heart” to see further and love more fervently.
They must keep their hands joined in prayer to enable them “to shepherd well the flock of Christ,” the Pope said, adding that prayer is “the realm of discernment” that helps discern God’s will and follow it.
Finally, the Pope said, they must keep their feet bare “because they touch the harsh realities of all those parts of the world overwhelmed by pain and suffering,” which will demand from the new Cardinals “great compassion and mercy.”
Concluding his letter, Pope Francis thanked the Cardinals-elect for their generosity and assured them of his prayers “that the title of ‘servant’ (deacon) will increasingly eclipse that of ‘eminence.’”
Pope to Cardinals-elect: Keep your eyes raised, your hands joined, your feet bare
Ahead of the Consistory that will raise them to the dignity of the Cardinalate, Pope Francis writes to the new Cardinals-elect, inviting them to embody three attitudes that characterised Saint John of the Cross: eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.
By Christopher Wells
Pope Francis has written a personal letter to the 21 men – bishops and priests from around the world – whom he will raise to the Cardinalate at a consistory set for December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Noting that their elevation to the College of Cardinals will associate them with the Roman Clergy, the Bishop of Rome reminds them that membership in the College “is an expression of the Church’s unity and of the bond that unites all the Churches with this Church of Rome.”
‘Eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare’
In his letter, the Pope Francis invites the Cardinals-elect “to embody the three attitudes with which an Argentinian poet (Francisco Luis Bernárdez) once characterized Saint John of the Cross, and which are also applicable to us: ‘eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.’”
Explaining these three attitudes, the Holy Father tells the soon-to-be Cardinals that their new service within the Church will require them to “lengthen your gaze and broaden your heart” to see further and love more fervently.
They must keep their hands joined in prayer to enable them “to shepherd well the flock of Christ,” the Pope said, adding that prayer is “the realm of discernment” that helps discern God’s will and follow it.
Finally, the Pope said, they must keep their feet bare “because they touch the harsh realities of all those parts of the world overwhelmed by pain and suffering,” which will demand from the new Cardinals “great compassion and mercy.”
Concluding his letter, Pope Francis thanked the Cardinals-elect for their generosity and assured them of his prayers “that the title of ‘servant’ (deacon) will increasingly eclipse that of ‘eminence.’”
Greenaccord’s global dialogue on climate challenges and solutions
The Greenaccord International Conference in Rome brings together journalists from around the world to address climate change challenges and emphasise the urgent need for a united vision to safeguard the environment for future generations.
By Francesca Merlo
Greenaccord’s Internation Conference on safeguarding the environment is coming do a close. Journalists from all over the world convened between 10-12 October in Rome to talk on the theme “Building Future Together”.
The whole world represented
They came together to discuss the state of our planet and explore what can still be done to mitigate the severe disasters caused by climate change. Some of these disasters were mentioned in Frascati, during Greenaccord’s 16th conference on safeguarding our planet: floods, desertification, severe droughts, and the growing crisis of climate migrants. The forum focused on finding a turning point to preserve hope for a livable planet for future generations.
Every part of the world faces a different reality, and these were all represented in Frascati.
At the international conference in Frascati, Greenaccord stressed the urgent need for a strategic, inclusive vision that puts people’s right to live in healthy, resilient environments, in harmony with nature at its core.
AI and the climate
Speaking on the threats and value of technology, Andrea Bertolini, associate professor at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, explained that “advanced digital technologies like artificial intelligence, while resource-intensive, can be key in expanding urban well-being—whether in healthcare, robotics, transportation, or renewable energy.”
Bertolini also highlighted that “AI poses significant legal, economic, and ethical challenges, but its complexity presents opportunities, with both pros and cons, that we must explore continuously.”
Warfare and the climate
What became clear from this conference, is that climate change is so much bigger than the effects we see with the changing of the seasons. Climate change means food insecurity, forced migration, displacement and more – like warfare, which Jean-Claude Mbede from Cameroon emphsized, does not have dissimilar consequences. Opening a refugee camp for victims of violence can immediately cause the spread of disease in no time. Flooding, as a consequence of a natural disaster, can do the same.
Hope, always
Each representative shared their story and experience but all of the speakers shared two main things: concern and hope. Yes, we are all concerned, worried and afraid as the images and the figures are frightening. But at the same time, as was expressed by Katian Murillo from Costa Rica. “We cannot, must not and will not lose hope.”
The real failure of the rich young ruler
Readings:
• Wis 7:7-11
• Psa 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
• Heb 4:12-13
• Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27
“This is the saddest story in the gospel,” wrote Fr. Wilfrid Harrington, O.P. about the story of the rich young man, “this story of the refusal of the one whom Jesus loved to answer his call.”
It is indeed a sad story. But it is also, in many ways, a misunderstood story. In looking at three ways this dramatic encounter is misinterpreted, we can also look more clearly and deeply into what it means to follow Jesus.
First, Jesus’ initial response—“Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone”—is sometimes interpreted (by non-Christians) as a denial of divinity, or (by some Christians) as an indication that Jesus was confused about his own identity.
But one thing evident about Jesus in Mark’s Gospel is that he understood his identity and mission. A man uncertain of himself would not forcefully declare he was going up to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again after three days (Mk 8:31-33), nor explain he would one day come again in glory with angels (Mk 8:38).
Jesus knew himself well; the person who is confused about his identity and purpose in life was the rich, young man. He recognized something “good” in Jesus—but what was it? The question put to him by Jesus was meant to elicit a deeper reflection, for the goodness of God far surpasses any good done by ordinary men. And Jesus knew the man’s heart better than the man himself, for the Son of Man is the lover of mankind, the Savior of souls: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, ‘You are lacking in one thing.’”
Which brings us to the second misunderstanding, the common belief that this story is primarily about riches. And, if that is the case, it surely doesn’t apply to those of us who aren’t rich!
Yet this is a faulty reading, not because the dangers of riches aren’t addressed, but because every one of us has “riches” that can tempt us to not answer Christ’s challenge to “come, follow me.”
Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar asks, “Who falls under the label ‘rich’ as far as Jesus is concerned? He would clings to his possessions, regardless how large or small those possessions might be.” Riches are relative, but discipleship is absolute. And these riches aren’t just material possessions, but might also be relationships and social status, as Jesus indicates (Mk 10:29-31).
The key word in all of this is “trust”: “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (10:24). In what do we trust? Who do we trust? And why?
Finally, I’ve sometimes heard it said or written that Peter and the other disciples were poor, so it was easy for them to leave everything and follow Jesus. But Peter, prior to following Jesus, was not destitute or homeless; in fact, he and several of the other disciples were small businessmen—professional fishermen—who had boats, homes, and families. They truly did sacrifice.
And this is significant since the Gospel of Mark often shows, with great frankness, the weaknesses, selfishness, and failures of the disciples. Yet, through it all, they continued to follow—not perfectly, but persistently. There is a dogged determination to the apostles that can be overlooked when it should be admired and emulated. They were flawed men, struggling with real doubts and fears, who were slowly transformed through grace, love, and obedience.
At the start of this story, Jesus “was setting out on a journey…” What journey? To Jerusalem, to his Passion, to the Cross. This is emphasized immediately after this passage, as Jesus led the disciples, who were both amazed and afraid, “up to Jerusalem” (Mk 10:32).
The rich young man was afraid of the call and the way, and he departed. And that is sad, for his riches could not save him. The disciples, however, were also afraid, but they followed, trusting in their Master and his promises.
(This “Opening the Word” column was originally published in Our Sunday Visitor newspaper on Oct. 12, 2012.)
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Pope: ‘Aparecida’s message is about harmony’
Pope Francis sends a video message to the people of Brazil on the occasion feast of Our Lady of Aparecida, and encourages them to heed the Virgin’s message of harmony with humanity and creation.
By Lisa Zengarini
12 October marks the feast day of Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.
To mark the occasion, Pope Francis has greeted the Brazilian people with a video message sending his blessings.
“On the day of Our Lady of Aparecida, I wish to greet you and be close to you”, he said.
Go forward with the Virgin’s message of harmony
In the brief message, recorded by Brazilian Cardinal elect Jaime Spengler of Porto Alegre, the Pope encouraged the faithful “to go forward” with the Virgin’s message which, he said, “is all about harmony: harmony among all Christians, harmony with all of humanity, and harmony with the climate.” “We must take care of each other and take care of the climate,” he added.
Concluding the message, Pope Francis asked for Our Lady of Aparecida to bless them.
May she help you move forward and make you very joyful, for she is the Virgin of joy,” he said
Pope Francis and Aparecida
Pope Francis has visited the Marian shrine of Aparecida several times, the last of which was in July 2013, after his election, during World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
After praying at the feet of the Madonna, he said “I had the joy and the grace of entrusting my pontificate to her.”
Pope: ‘Aparecida’s message is about harmony’
Pope Francis sends a video message to the people of Brazil on the occasion feast of Our Lady of Aparecida, and encourages them to heed the Virgin’s message of harmony with humanity and creation.
By Lisa Zengarini
12 October marks the feast day of Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.
To mark the occasion, Pope Francis has greeted the Brazilian people with a video message sending his blessings.
“On the day of Our Lady of Aparecida, I wish to greet you and be close to you”, he said.
Go forward with the Virgin’s message of harmony
In the brief message, recorded by Brazilian Cardinal elect Jaime Spengler of Porto Alegre, the Pope encouraged the faithful “to go forward” with the Virgin’s message which, he said, “is all about harmony: harmony among all Christians, harmony with all of humanity, and harmony with the climate.” “We must take care of each other and take care of the climate,” he added.
Concluding the message, Pope Francis asked for Our Lady of Aparecida to bless them.
May she help you move forward and make you very joyful, for she is the Virgin of joy,” he said
Pope Francis and Aparecida
Pope Francis has visited the Marian shrine of Aparecida several times, the last of which was in July 2013, after his election, during World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
After praying at the feet of the Madonna, he said “I had the joy and the grace of entrusting my pontificate to her.”
Michigan’s Catholic bishops condemn Gov. Whitmer’s chip video as ‘mocking’ faithful
CNA Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 19:40 pm (CNA).
Michigan’s Catholic bishops on Friday condemned a video sketch of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a journalist for what some have called a “mocking” of the Eucharist.
The video, posted on Thursday and which quickly went viral, shows Whitmer feeding the journalist a Dorito chip.
The skit took place during “Chip Chat,” a session with Liz Plank, a Canadian author, journalist, and influencer with 610,000 followers on her Instagram page “feministabulous.”
The video has garnered criticism because Plank’s kneeling posture and the placement of the Dorito on the tongue appeared to mock reception of holy Communion to many viewers.
The caption of the video, which was edited, references the “CHIPS Act,” a 2022 Biden administration law known as the “Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act.”
An edited caption of Plank’s Instagram post read: “If he won’t, Gretchen Whitmer will. Chips aren’t just delicious, the CHIPS Act is a game-changer for U.S. tech and manufacturing, boosting domestic production of semiconductors to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers! Donald Trump would put that at risk.”
Defenders of Whitmer have said the move was part of a TikTok trend when a person is fed by another person.
Plank responded to the criticism in a post on X saying: “This is the trend weirdos chill out,” in reference to the “feeding someone trend” on TikTok.
But the sketch has led to controversy as many Catholics saw it as a mockery of the Eucharist.
“The skit goes further than the viral online trend that inspired it, specifically imitating the posture and gestures of Catholics receiving the Holy Eucharist, in which we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present,” said Paul Long, Michigan Catholic Conference president and CEO, in a statement on Friday.
“It is not just distasteful or ‘strange’; it is an all-too-familiar example of an elected official mocking religious persons and their practices,” Long continued. “While dialogue on this issue with the governor’s office is appreciated, whether or not insulting Catholics and the Eucharist was the intent, it has had an offensive impact.”
A spokesperson for Whitmer said in a statement to Fox News Digital that “the governor’s social media is well known for infusing her communications with pop culture.”
“This popular trend has been used by countless people, including Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner, and Stephen Colbert, and the fact that people are paying attention to a video promoting President Biden’s CHIPS Act proves it’s working,” the statement continued. “Republicans want to distract from the fact that Democrats have invested billions of dollars into local economies to create a record number of jobs and bring supply chains back from overseas, while Donald Trump’s policies would kill these jobs and send them back to China.”
Notably, the referenced trends do not usually involve someone kneeling before the other person.
The full video on Plank’s YouTube channel also included a discussion of abortion where Plank and Whitmer joke about “post-birth abortions,” in reference to Trump’s comment about the abortion bill signed into law by Minnesota Gov. and 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.
But the Michigan Catholic Conference’s Long is demanding that those in public office respect religious people.
“People of this state and across the country have grown tired of and continue to express their alarm at the bar of civility and respect toward people of faith lowering by the day,” Long said.
“Michigan is a religiously diverse state and includes thriving communities of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim believers,” Long continued. “The time is now for those in public office, their handlers, and strategists to return a level of respect, civility, and appreciation for those who have found peace and fulfillment in life by worshipping God and serving their neighbor.”
Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Israeli missile destroys Catholic church in Lebanon; at least 8 dead
ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 19:05 pm (CNA).
A church of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre, Lebanon, was hit by a missile from Israeli airstrikes in the country’s south Oct. 9, killing at least eight people, the British branch of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has reported.
Local sources told ACN that the church, located in the town of Derdghaya, was sheltering people displaced by the conflict. A priest’s house and a three-story building housing parish offices were also completely destroyed by another missile.
Pope Francis called for peace in the Middle East on X, stating that “all nations have the right to exist in peace and security: Their territories must not be attacked, their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through dialogue and peace.”
In an additional post on Oct. 11, the pontiff said: “I call for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts of the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon. Let us #PrayTogether for the Lebanese, especially for the inhabitants of the south forced to leave their villages, so that they can return as soon as possible and live in #peace.”
‘We will not give in to hate’
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, sent a letter to Pope Francis in which he conveyed the “most sincere gratitude” of Catholic leaders and all the faithful of the Holy Land for his closeness and compassion.
Published in the Oct. 11 edition of L’Osservatore Romano, the patriarch also noted that the Holy Father has been “the only world leader” to recognize “the human suffering of all” in the region.
Pizzaballa said the Church is responding with “weapons of love” to the mistrust that seems to be spreading more and more among all those involved in the conflict.
“In this context of deep-rooted hatred, there is a need for empathy, for gestures and words of love that, even if they do not change the course of events, bring comfort and consolation,” the patriarch said, as reported by Vatican News.
The cardinal was also emphatic in stating that we must not give in to the logic of evil and hatred. “We will not give in to the events that seem to drive us apart; rather we will always try to be builders thirsty for peace and justice,” he stressed.
For the patriarch, the testimony of many men and women in the Holy Land who, despite being affected even on a personal level by violence, have had the courage to forgive is of great relevance. This “small remnant,” he continued, might be a starting point for rebuilding relationships and trust that have been broken.
“From this difficult moment, we must learn to make our relationships even stronger and more sincere in the future, to build authentic and serious contexts of peace and respect,” he said.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Patron of artists, mystics, neurotics, and people who say rude things
October 12, 2024, is the 70th anniversary of the death of Caryll Houselander, a British laywoman with an unusual name and an unusual story. When writer and publisher Maisie Ward wrote Caryll’s biography in the early 1960s, Ward subtitled the book “Divine Eccentric,” an apt way to describe her longtime friend.
Caryll was a painter, woodcarver, letter writer, poet, and author. That is, she was one of those rare people who have such an abundance of creativity that it seems to flow through their veins, out of their bodies, and into every available artistic medium.
She began her career by painting homes, decorating household items, and crafting items such as artificial roses. Later, through wood carving and painting, she created works of art. She also had a way with words. Through her writing, she encouraged friends, expressed herself in poetry (which she called rhythms), and wrote magazine articles and books to support herself.
Of course, art is generally not a lucrative profession. As a young woman, Caryll entered a high-end shop and discovered that a lampshade she had painted was for sale. Although she had been paid only a few shillings to create it, it now had an expensive price tag.
Caryll eventually became a successful author, but she did not choose easy or cheery topics to write about. It was during 1941 when she wrote This War is the Passion, encouraging her countrymen to see the fear and horrors of World War II through the lens of the Passion of Christ. Although she had no professional training in theology, her works were profoundly and uniquely Christocentric.
Being a Catholic in early twentieth-century England was not an easy choice either. She had been baptized into the Church as a child, but she left the faith as a teenager and only returned at the age of twenty-four. But once she was back inside the Church, she made Catholic friends, who began to think of her as a mystic.
After all, Caryll did not simply create Christian art and write Catholic books. It was as if she was constantly looking for Jesus Christ and allowed the Holy Spirit to tell her which corner to turn so that she could discover him.
This pursuit of Christ probably began when she was only seventeen and was not really seeking him at all. She was walking through streets on an errand for her mother when she looked up and saw a large Russian-style icon of Jesus Christ filling the sky above her. Later that day, she learned in a newspaper that the Russian czar had been assassinated. The face of the czar in the newspaper photograph was the same face she had seen in the sky. That was not the last vision she received.
Caryll’s pursuit of Christ led her into a Catholic literary movement that was growing in England at the time. These intellectuals and Caryll’s other friends noted her deep prayer life, her astonishing humility, and her sensitivity to the needs of others. In fact, she was so sensitive—perhaps through some supernatural or extraordinary gift—that friends privately wondered if she could read their minds, even from a distance. Her comforting phone calls seemed to come at just the right moment. She could also make unnervingly accurate evaluations of someone’s character from that person’s handwriting.
Although she always lived as a laywoman—and dismissed the idea that she had a religious vocation—she fasted, prayed, and made personal sacrifices with the devotion of a vowed religious. However, one could argue that some of these practices might have been a result of her poverty.
Unlike most of the British, but like any true ascetic, Caryll delighted in the poverty of life that was inflicted upon her by World War II. Eating plain food, disregarding the class distinctions of polite society, and welcoming personal sacrifices due material shortages were exactly the sort of sacrifices she believed every Christian should joyfully accept. Caryll had already formed a group of friends who pooled their meager financial resources and anonymously gave the money to individuals in need in their community. She also worked grueling hours as a First Aid worker during the war—like many others in England at the time—and tried to bring the presence of Christ to her work and her coworkers.
Another unusual opportunity to help the needy was offered to Caryll during World War II. The prominent psychologist Dr. Eric Strauss realized that he did not seem to be making progress in helping some of his boy patients, particularly those had been deeply wounded by loss and grief. Dr. Strauss asked Caryll if she would try to help them. She agreed to meet with these children, and through art (such as woodcarving), music, and gentle listening, she was able to help many of these seemingly lost boys begin to heal. “She loved them back to life,” Dr. Strauss later said.1
Caryll was an artist and a mystic, but she was also neurotic, and it’s not difficult to understand why. She was sickly from birth, not considered particularly attractive, painfully shy, and extremely sensitive. In other words, she was the complete reverse of her outgoing, quirky father and her no-nonsense, athletic mother.
In an age when divorce was unheard of in British society, Caryll’s parents decided to divorce. Caryll’s contact with her father thereafter was limited, and her relationship with her mother was always difficult because of their personality differences. The bitterness of the nine-year-old girl’s broken home left a deep wound in her heart. After the divorce, she frequently suffered from panic attacks when she had to meet strangers.
Caryll fell in love only once in her life and then with the most unlikely of figures: Sidney Reilly, a Russian-born secret agent working for Scotland Yard who became a world-traveling master spy. Reilly was also married. Although the relationship was apparently chaste, Caryll’s heart was broken when Reilly left England. She offered up that loss and her other personal losses to Christ, and she incorporated those sufferings into her writing and in her efforts to comfort others.
Caryll had some habits that were common for the time. She smoked, and she drank. She also had a cat, close friends, and a love for practical jokes. And she often came home from social events chastising herself for saying exactly what she thought, which was generally perceived as bad mannered and rude.
Caryll Houselander is not currently even in the process of canonization. But if she is ever named a saint, she will be the perfect heavenly patron for those who feel painfully awkward in social situations; those who have been wounded by broken relationships; those who yearn to find Christ in their daily prayers and in their fussy neighbors; and those who are sometimes deeply moved by the power of beauty.
That just about covers all of us, which is why we should not be afraid of being considered at least a little eccentric, as she was, for God’s sake.
Endnote:
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Top Jesuit supports ‘LGBTQ Catholics’ event held at order’s headquarters in Rome
Madrid, Spain, Oct 11, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
Father Johan Verschueren, the general counsellor and delegate for the Interprovincial Houses and Works of the Society of Jesus in Rome, expressed his support for the “LGBTQ Catholics” event held recently at the general house of the Society of Jesus in the Eternal City.
Within the context of the Synod on Synodality, the Jesuits hosted an event Oct. 8 in which a group of LGBTQ-identifying people (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals, and queer) shared their testimonies and requested greater participation in the ecclesial community.
Verschueren expressed to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, his “moral support” for the event, although he said he did not attend it.
Referring to the members of this group, he said in a conversation with ACI Prensa that “their gender identity was not a moral choice” and claimed that “they were born that way.”
He also reiterated that “they are equally called and loved by Our Lord and Savior, and invited to follow him” and added that “it’s good to hear them give their witness.”
Panel titled ‘What Is the Experience of LGBTQ Catholics?’
The event, titled “What Is the Experience of LGBTQ Catholics?”, was organized by America Media and the pro-LGBT group Outreach, whose founder is Jesuit Father James Martin, who is participating in the Synod on Synodality by appointment of Pope Francis.
The event was opened by Father Antoine Kerhuel, secretary of the Society of Jesus, in the hall of the General Curia, located on the busy Borgo Santo Spirito street very close to the Vatican.
Moderated by Martin, the panel included other guests such as Christopher Vella from the LGBT Catholic organization Drachma in Malta. “Let us allow love to express itself,” Vella urged.
Also participating was Juan Carlos Cruz, a Chilean activist, abuse victim, and member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, who condemned the support that some Church leaders “have given to controversial laws that stigmatize LGBTQ people, especially in places like Uganda.”
Janet Obeney-Williams, a lesbian who lives with another woman in London and was married to her in a civil ceremony, also spoke.
A retired doctor, Obeney-Williams recounted her “conversion” to Catholicism following the welcoming words of Pope Francis.
Several prelates and cardinals also took part, including the Jesuit bishop of Hong Kong and delegate to the synod, Cardinal Stephen Chow, who led an opening prayer for the event, which read in part:
“O Holy Spirit, send us your guiding light of truth, so that our ignorance and prejudices can melt away through this synodal encounter, and a new morn marked by mutual respect and empathic understanding can take shape in our Church for our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers, as well as for ourselves and our Church as a whole,” the cardinal prayed.
Joanita Warry Ssenfuka, a lesbian Catholic from Uganda who heads the organization Freedom and Roam Uganda, said that Jesus’ message “was one of love” and urged Church leaders “to see LGBT Catholics as human beings and not as the sum of their sins.”
Ahead of the synod, both Martin and Father Timothy Radcliffe, OP, spiritual assistant at the synod and cardinal-designate, published personal reflections on pastoral approaches for Catholics who experience same-sex attraction.
Over the years, critics have accused Martin of rejecting Catholic teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual acts, but he has insisted that he does not reject Church teaching.
The Church’s consistent teaching on homosexuality is outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Nos. 2357 and 2358, which state that while people with homosexual tendencies must be welcomed “with respect, compassion, and sensitivity,” homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and “under no circumstances can they be approved.”
Who is Father Johan Verschueren, SJ?
Verschueren studied botany at the Catholic University of Louvain and later philosophy in Paris. He taught for two years at the Centre for Research and Promotion of the Peasantry in Peru.
He also studied theology at the Catholic University of Louvain from 1991 to 1995 and was superior of the Jesuits in the European Region of the Netherlands.
Since February 2020, he has been general counsellor and delegate for the Interprovincial Houses and Works of the Society of Jesus in Rome.
Verschueren was also the superior of Father Marko Rupnik, a well-known Jesuit accused of committing sexual abuse and whose case is being investigated by the Vatican.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Florida pro-abortion amendment poised to fail
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 11, 2024 / 16:30 pm (CNA).
Here’s a roundup of abortion-related developments that took place across the country this week.
New poll suggests Florida abortion amendment will fail
A new survey published this week by The New York Times and Siena College found that only 46% of Florida voters support a ballot measure amendment that would legalize full-term abortion. This is well below the 60% threshold required for the amendment to pass.
If the Florida amendment — which is set to appear on the ballot this Election Day — fails, it will become the first pro-abortion amendment to be defeated at the polls.
Titled the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion” or simply “Amendment 4,” the measure would invalidate both Florida’s six-week and 15-week pro-life protections for the unborn.
The amendment would also allow abortion past the point of viability through all nine months of pregnancy if determined by a health care provider to be necessary for the health of the mother.
Though the poll found that only 38% of voters oppose the amendment, the measure will still fail by 14 points if the New York Times/Siena poll is accurate. According to the poll, 16% of Florida voters are still undecided.
The amendment is supported by 68% of registered Democrats and 46% of independents. Meanwhile, 58% of registered Republicans oppose the measure.
A poll taken in August by Mainstreet Research and Florida Atlantic University found that 56% of Floridians supported the amendment, 21% were opposed, and 23% were undecided.
This comes after a slate of broad abortion amendments in California, Ohio, Michigan, and Vermont passed by wide margins. There are nine other states with abortion amendments on the ballot this November.
Several pro-life leaders have told CNA that defeating the Florida abortion amendment could help to reverse the momentum in the national abortion fight.
Congressional health plans illegally fund abortion
More than two dozen Republican members of the House and Senate are raising the alarm that most congressional health plans are illegally subsidizing abortion.
Four senators and 22 House members sent a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Wednesday warning the agency that it must stop illegally funding abortion.
According to the letter, OPM, which oversees health plans for members of Congress and their staff, is violating the Smith Amendment, which for decades has prohibited any congressional health plans from either directly or indirectly funding abortion.
Further, the letter said that with the planned withdrawal of an Aetna health plan in 2025, there are only two remaining health plans not subsidizing abortion that “may” be available to members of Congress and staffers.
The letter said that “the situation has now deteriorated to the point that members of Congress and their designated staff have only two plans available to them in 2025.”
“The law is specific,” the letter stated. “Under the Smith Amendment, OPM is prohibited from engaging in administrative activity in connection with any plan that subsidizes elective abortion, let alone almost all of them.”
The members of Congress are demanding that OPM cease administering health plans that illegally fund abortion and instead direct the D.C. Health Link, the health insurance marketplace that covers the District of Columbia, to provide Smith-compliant health plans for Congress.
“The severity of OPM’s specious implementation of — or perhaps malicious disregard for — the law must be finally and permanently remedied and brought into compliance with congressional intent,” the members of Congress said.
The Smith Amendment was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and has been consecutively renewed by Congress over the last several decades.
Montana Supreme Court upholds temporary block on pro-life laws
The Montana Supreme Court issued two rulings on Wednesday to uphold temporary blocks on several measures protecting unborn life. The measures prohibited dilation-and-evacuation surgical abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, telehealth chemical abortions, and restricted the use of tax-dollar Medicaid funds for abortion.
The rulings center on several pro-life laws passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor in 2023. This means the laws will remain blocked as the cases against them progress through the courts.
The state has been blocked from enforcing the laws since a May 2023 ruling by the Lewis and Clark County District Court that enjoined them shortly after passage.
In both rulings, the majority of the five-person state Supreme Court said the laws likely violate the right to privacy. Both rulings said the lower court was correct to enjoin the laws because the abortion providers suing the laws are “likely to succeed on the merits, would be irreparably harmed absent an injunction … and the injunction is in the public interest.”
Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte issued a response Wednesday in which he said he is “deeply disappointed” in the court’s ruling against the law banning taxpayer funding for abortion.
“I believe all life is precious and must be protected,” Gianforte said. “This extreme ruling means Montana taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for elective abortions.”
Poll finds abortion is top issue for women under 30
A new poll by the left-leaning health news source KFF found that abortion has surpassed inflation as the top issue for women voters under 30.
According to the poll, inflation continues to be the top issue for women. However, there was a slight increase from the summer — 10% to 13% — in the level of women of all ages who said abortion is their top issue.
Meanwhile, the most recent poll found that among women under 30, 4 out of 10 — 39% — say that abortion is their top concern. This well surpasses the percentage of women under 30 (28%) who say inflation is their top concern.
The poll also registered an increase in the percentage of women who say they are motivated to vote. According to KFF, 64% of women said they are more motivated to vote than usual compared with 45% when the question was asked in June when President Joe Biden was the Democratic candidate.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
PHOTOS: Pope Francis, synod pray where first Christian martyrs of Rome were killed
Vatican City, Oct 11, 2024 / 16:00 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis and Synod on Synodality participants, including non-Catholic delegates, prayed together Friday evening at the site of the first Christian martyrdoms in Rome.
The ecumenical prayer vigil Oct. 11 was held in Roman Protomartyrs Square inside Vatican City. The square is believed to be at the site where St. Peter and other first Christian martyrs of Rome were killed under the order of Emperor Nero. A plaque in the pavement marks the spot where St. Peter was crucified.
During the 45-minute ecumenical service, which included sung chants, prayers, and litanies, attendees held candles with drip protectors imprinted with an image of the 15th-century painting “Mater Ecclesiae” (“Mother of the Church”).
Music at the prayer vigil was led by a small choir accompanied by several instruments, including a guitar, flute, and clarinet. The hymns came from the ecumenical Taizé Community and included “Laudate Omnes Gentes” and “Bless the Lord, My Soul.”
Pope Francis led those present in praying the Our Father at the conclusion of the service. He did not give a meditation on Christian unity as originally planned, but the prepared text was afterward published on the Vatican website.
In the reflection, the pope quoted John 17:22, which says: “The glory that you have given me I have given them.”
“These words from Jesus’ prayer before his passion can be applied above all to the martyrs, who received glory for the witness they bore to Christ,” he wrote.
“In this place, we remember the first martyrs of the Church of Rome. This basilica was built on the site where their blood was shed; the Church was built upon their blood. May these martyrs strengthen our certainty that, in drawing closer to Christ, we draw closer to one another, sustained by the prayers of all the saints of our churches, now perfectly one by their sharing in the paschal mystery,” he prayed.
Francis also said Christian unity and synodality are connected: “In both processes, it is not so much a matter of creating something as it is of welcoming and making fruitful the gift we have already received.”
“And what does the gift of unity look like?” he said. “The synod experience is helping us to discover some aspects of this gift.”
Calling division among Christians a “scandal,” Pope Francis added that the synod is an opportunity “to overcome the walls that still exist between us.”
“Let us focus,” he continued, “on the common ground of our shared baptism, which prompts us to become missionary disciples of Christ, with a common mission. The world needs our common witness; the world needs us to be faithful to our common mission.”
There are 16 fraternal delegates, representatives of non-Catholic Christian faiths, participating in the synod meeting this month — four more than in 2023.
The 2024 additions are representatives of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all of Africa, the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Lutheran World Federation, and the World Mennonite Conference.
Other fraternal delegates include Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, the Eastern Orthodox co-president of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church; and Anglican Bishop Martin Warner of Chichester, co-chair of the English-Welsh Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee.
Fraternal delegates participate but do not vote in the synodal assembly.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
New translations of texts used for Eucharistic adoration to go into effect in December
CNA Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
The U.S. bishops have approved a new translation of texts used during Eucharistic adoration and Communion outside of Mass.
The texts from the ritual book “The Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Outside Mass” serve as a liturgical resource for Eucharistic worship.
The Vatican approved the new translation on March 7, 2023, more than a year after the U.S. bishops approved it in November 2021.
Though the translation received Vatican approval earlier this year, parishes were granted the option to use the new translation on Sept. 14. The translation will be required beginning Dec. 1.
The ritual book includes prayers and guidelines to be used when the Eucharist is distributed outside of Mass, which can happen in certain circumstances such as when a Catholic is ill or nearing death. These rituals are known as the Order of Distributing Holy Communion Outside Mass and the giving of Communion and Viaticum to the sick by an extraordinary minister.
A person may receive the Eucharist as viaticum when nearing death, in addition to the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. Receiving the sacrament as viaticum is considered “the last sacrament of the Christian,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Nos. 1524–1525).
The new translation of the ritual book also affects any other distribution of Communion outside of Mass, which may take place when there are pastoral needs, such as when someone is unable to attend Mass for health reasons. A Eucharistic minister may carry the Eucharist in a pyx, a small round container for the Eucharist, and carry it in a small burse, a cloth or leather bag around the minister’s neck to bring Communion directly to the person in need.
The ritual book also includes instructions on Communion services not offered by a priest in which a deacon may offer Communion when no priest is available. If no deacon is present, an acolyte — a lay Catholic authorized to give Communion as a special minister — may do so in certain circumstances.
The new translation of the ritual book also affects prayers sung or said at Benediction, such as the hymns “O Salutaris Hostia” and “Tantum Ergo.” The translation of “O Salutaris Hostia” is the first to become standardized in English, while in past years translations have had slight variances. The hymns may still be sung in Latin if desired.
The previous translation of the ritual book from the Latin text was approved by the U.S. bishops in 1976.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Synod debates on bishops, laypeople opened to public at theology forums
Vatican City, Oct 11, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).
Synod on Synodality events open to the public gave a glimpse Wednesday evening into the private debates happening among delegates and theological experts on the issues of a bishop’s authority and his relationship to the laity in light of synodality.
At the Oct. 9 forum on “The Role and Authority of the Bishop in a Synodal Church,” hosted in a conference hall near the Vatican, four theologians and a canon lawyer gave presentations on finding and following the correct interpretation of the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on episcopal authority, with frequent citations of the council’s dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium.
Speakers claimed an important part of synodality is implementing the proper understanding of a bishop’s authority in his diocese, which demands cooperation with laypeople.
Italian canonist Father Matteo Visioli pointed out that “What power of governance can be entrusted to laymen and women?” is one of the questions being asked by the synod that, he said, still needs further theological exploration.
“The problem is, which offices require the sacred orders and which don’t?” he asked in response to a question about changes Pope Francis has made to permit laypeople to hold positions formerly reserved to priests or bishops.
The canonist noted that while Pope Francis has drawn practical lines in the sand in some instances, including in the newest constitution governing the Roman Curia, Praedicate Evangelium, “if he entered into the theoretical line, he would have gotten stuck.”
In his remarks, Italian theologian Roberto Repole, archbishop of Turin and bishop of Susa, cited paragraphs 38-39 of the 2024 Instrumentum Laboris, which says that a bishop’s powers and ministry do “not imply his separation from the portion of the people of God entrusted to him” and “is not the justification for an episcopal ministry that is ‘monarchical …’”
In light of what is written in the Instrumentum Laboris, Repole, who will be made a cardinal in December, said there are different ways to interpret Lumen Gentium’s teaching that bishops have the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders.
He argued that a “synodal” interpretation of the bishop’s ministry — one in which he serves in full cooperation with priests and laypeople — could “dissolve” some of the isolation and stress faced by bishops around the world and prevent a “monarchical”-style rule.
A prominent theologian from Argentina, Father Carlos María Galli, argued in his lecture that the bishop is the servant of the Lord, not a “lord” of the Church, and said a “novelty” of Vatican II was viewing the people of God as equal in dignity to the Church’s hierarchy.
The second chapter of Lumen Gentium, on the people of God, was a “big revolution” in Church ecclesiology, he said. “These theological foundations should move us to a change of mentality, of mindset.”
In his contribution, Father Gilles Routhier, a French Canadian and theological consultant to the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, described the bishop’s relationship to the laity using imagery from the Mass.
Just as the celebration of the Mass includes the organic participation of all the parts (priest and laity), so, too, the bishop should view his communion and cooperation in running a diocese, he said.
Routhier also criticized the Church’s use of the prepositions “of,” “for,” or “at” to describe a bishop instead of the words “in” and “within.” As written in Lumen Gentium, the priest and bishops, he said, are part of and within the same assembly of the people of God.
“We can’t speak of the autonomy of the pastor from the rest of the assembly,” the theologian and Vatican II expert claimed.
Sister Gloria Liliana Franco Echeverri, ODN, addressed bishops directly in her contribution to the forum, exhorting them to be servant leaders and to combat abuse.
During a question-and-answer session, Cistercian abbot general Father Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori responded to the religious sister’s speech, saying that if he were a bishop it would have left him feeling “depressed.” Lepori stressed that bishops cannot be “supermen” and added that lay Catholics should help their bishops help others.
The theological conference, held at the Pontifical Patristic Institute “Augustinianum” and moderated by U.K.-based theologian Anna Rowlands, was well attended by cardinals, bishops, and priests, with a small number of laypeople also present. Most of the attendees appeared to be Synod on Synodality participants.
While not synod delegates, Routhier, Galli, and Repole are three of the seven members of a study group formed to provide a deeper theological perspective on “the synodal missionary face of the local Church.”
Sister Franco was the only presenter who is also a synod delegate; Galli is one of the synod’s theological “experts”; and Visioli, a canonist, is a member of the study group on “the synodal method.”
At the evening’s other event, a forum hosted by the Jesuit Curia on “The People of God as Subject of Mission,” theological experts shared insights on Church governance and synodality.
Thomas Söding, vice president of the lay organization promoting the German Synodal Way, argued that bishops shouldn’t control or dictate discipleship but should encourage diverse expressions of faith. Australian theologian Father Ormond Rush warned against reducing synodal reform to majority-rule voting or mere consultation, stressing the need to balance the Church’s divine and human aspects.
Italian canonist Donata Horak criticized the Roman Catholic Church’s current structure as “monarchical” and out of step with democratic sensibilities. She suggested that the Latin Church adopt deliberative synods, as seen in Eastern Catholic churches, although she did not note that these do not allow lay voting.
During questions and answers following the panelists’ presentation, an attendee raised concerns that the people of God image can be overtly sociological, while a teacher from Germany suggested that the reason the faith is struggling in her home country isn’t because of a lack of participatory structures but because Church leaders are ashamed of being Catholic.
Bishop Lúcio Muandula of Xai Xai, Mozambique, also gave a presentation at the conference, which was moderated by the Austria-based theologian Klara Csiszar.
On Oct. 16 there will be an additional two forums, running simultaneously, on the topics “The Mutual Relationship Local Church-Universal Church” and “The Exercise of the Primacy and the Synod of Bishops.”
Jonathan Liedl contributed to this report.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Pope Francis: Christian Unity is a journey of synodality and witness
Christian leaders of different denominations join Pope Francis on Friday evening in the Vatican’s Protomartyrs Square to celebrate an ecumenical vigil together with thousands of believers from around the world, marking the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the start of a new ecumenical era.
By Linda Bordoni
The date, 11 October, is far from random as it is framed in the memory of the Second Vatican Council that was solemnly opened on this same day 62 years ago. In the words of the Synod’s Secretary General, that Council “inaugurated a new ecumenical era of which the Synod is an expression and witness in its active desire to help the whole Church advance along the path of full unity.”
Unity and martyrdom
In his homily prepared for an ecumenical vigil marking that anniversary and with the participation of Synodal Fathers, Pope Francis reflected on Christian unity and martyrdom, centring his thoughts on the words of Jesus: “The glory that you have given me I have given them” (Jn 17:22).
These words, the Pope explained, apply especially to the martyrs, whose witness to Christ brought them the glory of God.
At the vigil in Protomartyrs Square nestled up against St. Peter’s Basilica, where tradition holds St. Peter was martyred, and celebrating a liturgy in which many of the texts and prayers were drawn from some of Vatican II’s main documents and teachings, he emphasized that “the Church was built upon their blood,” which, he added, remains a testament to the enduring call for unity among Christians.
Ecumenical prayer vigil in the Vatican
Unitatis Redintegratio
The Holy Father recalled the teachings of the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, reminding us that “the closer Christians are to Christ, the closer they are to one another”.
This deep connection, he said, is sustained by the prayers of saints and martyrs, who continue to accompany the Church on its ecumenical journey.
And addressing the fraternal delegates and leaders of other Christian Churches gathered for the occasion, Pope Francis echoed the words of Saint John XXIII, who, at the opening of the Council, expressed his longing “to work and suffer for the dawn of the day when Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper will be fulfilled for all”.
Unity and Synodality: A common path
Pope Francis explained that Christian unity and synodality are deeply intertwined and described synodality as the path God expects of the Church in the third millennium.
Underlining the ecumenical dimension of the synodal approach, he said it is a path to be travelled by all Christians: “The journey of synodality… is and must be ecumenical”.
This journey, the Pope affirmed, is not about creating something new but about welcoming the gift of unity already given to us by the Holy Spirit.
“Unity is a grace,” he said, explaining that the Synod is a process of discovery and that “we do not know beforehand what the outcome of the Synod will be,” just as we cannot predict how the unity we are called to will fully manifest.
Ecumenical prayer vigil in the Vatican
A journey toward harmony, not uniformity
Reflecting on the lessons learned from the synodal process, the Pope reminded the faithful that Christian unity is not uniformity, but harmony.
He said that “unity is harmony among the diversity of charisms”, brought to life by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of all Christians. This harmony, he explained, does not come from human efforts but from the Spirit, whom Saint Basil described as “harmony itself.”
Urging Christians to move forward in love and service, confident that difficulties will not stop the journey toward unity, Pope Francis appealed: “Let us trust the Holy Spirit, who draws us to unity in the harmony of a multi-faceted diversity.”
Unity for the sake of mission
Turning his attention to Christian witness, the Holy Father stressed that Christian unity is essential for mission.
Quoting the Gospel of John, he said, “That they may all be one… so that the world may believe” (Jn 17:21), highlighting the Council Fathers’ conviction that division among Christians “scandalizes the world” and harms the Church’s mission to preach the Gospel.
He pointed to the “ecumenism of blood,” exemplified by the Roman protomartyrs and by Christians of various traditions who, in many parts of the world today, lay down their lives together for their faith.
“Their witness speaks more powerfully than any words,” he said, reminding the faithful that unity is born of the Cross of Christ.
The ecumenical prayer vigil in the Vatican
A call to overcome division
In conclusion, Pope Francis expressed his hope that the ongoing Synod would provide an opportunity for Christians to overcome the divisions that continue to hinder their common witness.
“The world needs our common witness,” he said, “and we are called to be faithful to our common mission as missionary disciples of Christ.”
Reflecting on the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who received his mission before an image of the Crucified Christ, Pope Francis prayed that the Cross of Christ would guide Christians in their daily journey toward full unity and harmony with one another and with all creation.
California priest pleads no contest in child pornography case
CNA Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 13:55 pm (CNA).
A priest in California has pleaded no contest to charges of possessing hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material, with his conviction coming just over a year after his arrest.
The Ventura County district attorney’s office said in a press release on Thursday that Father Rodolfo Martinez-Guevara “pled no contest to one felony count of possession of child sexual abuse material.” He had been associated with several churches, including Our Lady of Guadalupe in Oxnard, California.
As part of that plea, the 39-year-old priest also admitted that he possessed “over 600 images of child sexual abuse material, including images and videos of prepubescent minors under the age of 12.”
Martinez-Guevara was arrested in September 2023. In announcing the priest’s plea this week, District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said Martinez-Guevara “betrayed the law and the trust placed in him as a religious leader.”
“Child sexual abuse material preys on the most vulnerable members of our society, and we will continue to ensure that anyone who engages in such heinous crimes is held accountable, no matter their position or title,” the prosecutor said.
The priest is a member of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit. The religious congregation said in a statement following Martinez-Guevara’s plea that his crimes “[do] not reflect the values of our congregation, and we are deeply saddened by his actions.”
“Our hearts go out to all the victims who were hurt and whose lives were harmed in this horrendous way,” the institute said.
Martinez-Guevara’s “canonical process of loss of clerical state will move forward” following the guilty plea, the group said.
Investigations into Martinez-Guevara were initiated in April 2023 after reports were made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A task force of multiple law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation.
The priest is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9 in Ventura County.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles told media last year that Martinez-Guevara was “not a priest of [the archdiocese]” but had possessed “faculties to minister” there. After his arrest he was “removed from ministry by the archdiocese and his order,” the statement said.
“The archdiocese stands against any sexual misconduct and is resolute in our support for victim-survivors of any misconduct,” the statement added.
The Missionaries of the Holy Spirit currently have members in several dozen communities in multiple countries, though the majority are in Mexico. Priests with the group are also located in Italy, Colombia, and Spain.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Virginia bishop urges caution on gambling amid push for new casino
CNA Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 13:25 pm (CNA).
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, recently urged Catholics to treat gambling with caution, reminding the faithful that the Church opposes any gambling that puts a person’s financial stability at risk.
The impetus for Burbidge’s remarks, made on the Arlington Diocese’s “Walk Humbly” podcast, is an effort by some lawmakers to allow residents of Northern Virginia to vote to create a new casino in Fairfax County near Washington, D.C.
The plan has proved contentious — in part because of fears of decreased property values and increased crime around the casino — and a vote is not expected to happen until 2025 if at all.
“Addiction is a threat to our freedom … I don’t see the need for casinos in Northern Virginia. But that’s up to the community and elected officials to decide,” Burbidge said on the Oct. 7 podcast.
“We all like good fun, and we like to enjoy ourselves, and things like that. That’s fine,” the bishop acknowledged.
“But never when we’re using the resources God has given us, our hard-earned money, [in] places that could put ourselves and family in great need. So just be vigilant, everyone. Just be prayerful.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “games of chance,” such as card games and wagers, are not “in themselves contrary to justice” (No. 2413).
Gambling becomes morally unacceptable, however, when it deprives a person of “what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others.”
“The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement,” the catechism notes, adding that cheating at games and making unfair wagers constitute “grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.”
Burbidge advised Virginia lawmakers to carefully consider whether a new casino will “cultivate virtue” in the commonwealth.
“Lawmakers, please don’t forget this — all legislation should make liberty the priority, understood as the freedom of all persons to pursue what is good and virtuous,” the bishop said.
“So let’s pray on this. Let’s think about it and how we might always work towards progress in virtue and improving our communities.”
The Virginia controversy over the casino comes amid a push in recent years to expand gambling options, particularly sports betting, in numerous states. Made easy and accessible online and on smartphone apps, sports betting has exploded in popularity since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling opened the door to states legalizing it.
Americans spent nearly $120 billion on sports betting in 2023, up 27.5% from 2022 and a new record, according to the American Gaming Association’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. The sports-betting industry has been widely criticized for its deleterious effects on those who take part, especially the young.
Notably, Missouri is poised to become the 39th state to legalize sports betting if its citizens approve the practice in the November general election.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
