Catholic News 27401
Latvia & Estonia: Trepidation for future, hope for the present
By Mario Galgano – Tallinn, Estonia
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are often considered from the outside as very similar Baltic states. However, that perception is erroneous from the point-of-view of Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians.
Even in the religious sphere, fundamental differences arise among the three nations. Catholics in Estonia and Latvia are minorities, while Lithuania is predominately Catholic.
The German Bishops’ Conference has been supporting the Catholic minority in Northern Europe for several decades, as well as in the Baltic states after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
According to the managing director of the Bonifatiuswerk, Ingo Imenkämper, the German Church seeks to support local Catholics in the region and help them find hope for the future.
“This is also done together with the German Eastern European aid organization Renovabis for larger projects,” Imenkämper told Vatican News.
Small but growing flock
In Estonia, Catholic number around 6,000 among the 1.3 million inhabitants. The small minority lives in ten parishes, according to the Papal Yearbook of 2021.
“Ours is a small flock, but one that is growing step by step,” says Bishop Philippe Jourdan, the Apostolic Administrator of Estonia.
Since 2005, Estonia has had its own bishop for the first time in 70 years. His consecration was, after that of the martyr Archbishop Eduard Profittlich in 1936, the second Catholic episcopal consecration in Estonia since the Reformation and the first since World War II.
Similar concerns
The challenges and concerns of the Catholic minority are the same as their fellow citizens in each country.
“The repression in Ukraine is also a direct threat to us, since we border Russia,” says Archbishop Zbigņevs Stankevičs of Riga.
Latvia plans to reintroduce military service in 2023 in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Latvia had abolished compulsory military service in 2007.
In Latvia, a parliamentary resolution also requires that all objects glorifying totalitarian regimes be dismantled by 15 November.
The Soviet Victory Monument in Riga was already demolished at the end of August. Latvia holds its next parliamentary elections on 1 October. Nineteen parties are running for election.
Brazilians prepare to vote in Sunday’s presidential elections
By James Blears
The incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party, seeks to be re-elected for another four-year term as President, while Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, better known as Lula, of the Workers Party, is determined to make a comeback. Lula was President between 2003 and 2010.
The campaign has been polarizing with Bolsonaro, aged 67, who is a former Army Captain, accusing ex-metal worker and union leader the 76-year-old Lula of being a thief.
Lula spent nearly 2 years in prison, due to his 2018 conviction on corruption and money laundering charges.
The Supreme Court quashed that Conviction a year later.
Lula has retaliated by calling Jair vermin.
Pandemic recovery
Putting barbed rhetoric and election jibes aside, more than 700,000 Brazilians died due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while acute poverty has significantly increased and the economy is only slowly recovering.
De-forestation of the Amazon Rainforest is at fifteen year high, and whoever wins needs to invest heavily in social welfare programs.
Possible second round
There are also simultaneous elections for Congress, State Governors, and State Legislative Assemblies.
More than 156 million Brazilians are eligible to vote, using the electronic system which has been in place since 1996.
Bolsonaro has questioned its reliability already, but observers say it has not produced a false result yet.
Lula is ahead in most opinion polls, but a winner in round one would have to gain at least fifty percent of the votes.
If this threshold isn’t met or exceeded, then there will be a second-round runoff on 30 October.
The Seven Churches Pilgrimage: Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls
By Sr. Gini George, SSpS
Our next station is the Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls.
Rich in history and art, it is a unique place that implants a sense of peace and immanence.
After the apostles Peter and Paul, St. Lawrence is regarded as the most prominent of all the martyrs of Rome.
St. Lawrence was a Roman deacon under Pope Saint Sixtus II.
He suffered martyrdom in the year 258 during the persecution of Emperor Valerian.
As a deacon, Lawrence was charged with the responsibility for the material goods of the Church and the distribution of alms to the poor.
When Lawrence knew he would be arrested, he sought out the poor, widows, and orphans of Rome and gave them all the money he had on hand, selling even the sacred vessels of the altar to increase the sum.
According to tradition, he was roasted to death on a gridiron.
From oratorium to Basilica
The basilica dedicated to him began its existence as a small oratorium, built in the 4th century by the Emperor Constantine, on the spot where the saint was buried.
Towards the end of the 6th century, Pope Pelagius II had an actual church constructed at this site.
In the 13th century, it was Pope Honorius II who had a new church built, in front of the existing structure.
The two churches were later united into one structure and many other modifications were carried out through the following centuries.
The crypt contains the remains of St. Lawrence, St. Stephen, and St. Justin.
The pilgrimage to this basilica helps us to reflect on the fact that following Christ is not a sad journey full of suffering, but the discovery of real joy and true freedom.
St. Lawrence, St. Stephen, St. Justin, and the hundreds of martyrs have shown us the way.
The Seven Churches Pilgrimage: Basilica of Holy Cross in Jerusalem
By Sr. Gini George, SSpS
Our pilgrimage brings us to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem.
The basilica, initially built by Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena, is home to the most treasured relics of the passion of Christ.
It has been rebuilt and modified through the centuries, and its present appearance as a baroque church is the result of rebuilding between 1741 and 1744.
The façade is brought to life with a series of balusters and statues of the four Evangelists, St. Helena and Emperor Constantine.
According to the traditions, St. Helena traveled to the Holy Land around the year 326, and she destroyed the temples dedicated to Jupiter and Venus that Emperor Hadrian had built in the 2nd century on the site of Calvary and the Sepulchre.
She left part of the Cross in Jerusalem, sent a part to Constantinople, and brought the rest to Rome with other relics of the Passion.
Inside the church is a chapel which continues a collection of relics, including:
· A nail used in the Crucifixion;
· Two thorns from Christ’s Crown of Thorns;
· A finger that is said to have belonged to St. Thomas, who at first doubted the Resurrection, and then placed his finger in the risen Christ’s wounds;
· A fragment of the cross of the “Good Thief” who was crucified with Jesus;
· Three fragments from the True Cross;
· A reliquary containing small pieces of the Scourging Pillar; the Holy Sepulchre; and the crib of Jesus;
· The Title of the Cross: the inscription engraved on the Holy Cross shows the word “Nazarene” written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
St. Helena returned to Rome bringing not only the relics but also some soil from Calvary.
She sprinkled this earth on the floor of the first chapel, which bears her name.
The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem remains an important religious site for both Rome and the Universal Church.
On our pilgrimage, try spending a little longer in this church to reflect on the triumph of the Cross, which is our only banner as followers of Christ.
Archbishop Cordileone on CA’s Prop 1, abortion, Nancy Pelosi, pro-life work
Californians will go to the polls on November 8th to vote on Proposition 1, which would “amend the California Constitution to prohibit the state from denying or interfering with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives.” Current California law allows abortion up to the age of viability (set at about 24 weeks) and late-term abortion should a medical professional argue it is necessary to protect the life or health of the mother. Proposition 1 was placed on the ballot by the Democrat-dominated California legislature in response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the Roe v. Wade decision earlier this year.
The California Catholic Conference, which lobbies the state government on issues of importance to the state’s bishops, has urged a “no” vote on Proposition 1, stating the measure would “enshrine the explicit right to abortion in our state constitution, setting a nationwide precedent. It is the most egregious expansion of abortion this country has ever seen.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reiterated the Church’s condemnation of abortion, noting, “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law …” (2271) The rights of the unborn must be protected by civil legislation, the Catechism adds, citing the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith’s 1987 document Donum vitae: “The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority.” (2273)
San Francisco’s Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has long been a public advocate for the rights of the unborn. In 2021, he issued his first pastoral letter “Before I Formed You in the Womb I Knew You: A Pastoral Letter on the Human Dignity of the Unborn, Holy Communion and Catholics in Public Life.” On May 19, 2022, he announced that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who identifies herself as a devout Catholic and lobbies for legalized abortion, may no longer present herself for Holy Communion until she publicly repents of her pro-abortion views. On August 22, 2002, he penned a letter to his archdiocese asking its parishioners to vote “no” on Proposition 1, and support the California Catholic Conference’s efforts to defeat the measure, including participation in a novena to the Blessed Mother which began September 29.
Archbishop Cordileone spoke earlier today with Catholic World Report about Proposition 1.
CWR: Proposition 1 says that the state may not deny or interfere with an individual’s “fundamental right to choose to have an abortion.” There is no specific time period within pregnancy designated during which an abortion is allowed; do you think the courts will interpret that to mean any woman in this state may have an abortion up until the time of birth?
Archbishop Cordileone: It could certainly be interpreted that way and would become the law in California unless it were to conflict with federal legislation. Not only that, reproductive freedom can involve a lot of other things, such as surrogacy. But the proposition, as written, would seem to allow abortion in all nine months of pregnancy up to birth. But it ignores that once conception has taken place, reproduction has already happened.
CWR: This could allow for late-term abortions, which a majority of Californians oppose.
Archbishop Cordileone: Yes. Our challenge it to get voters to realize that a “no” vote would keep the abortion laws as they are, which are already quite liberal. There is no regulation allowed in the first six months of pregnancy, and during the last trimester, abortion is allowed if there is a threat to the life or health of the mother. This is some limit, but Proposition 1 would lift even that.
I think the public is conflicted on this issue. Many realize abortion kills an innocent human life, but cannot imagine a situation where this option is not allowed. We need to help people envision a world without abortion, where every baby is welcomed.
CWR: The California Catholic Conference worries that California’s leadership is trying to make California into an “abortion sanctuary,” allocating $200 million in the state budget to pay for abortions not only for Californians, but out-of-state residents. Do you share this concern?
Archbishop Cordileone: Absolutely. California’s political leadership is already taking steps in that direction and using that terminology. The irony is that a sanctuary is designed to protect life, whereas these measures harm it. I believe we could see the situation where pregnant women from out-of-state are being brought into California for abortions, with the California taxpayer paying all their expenses, including housing, meals, transportation, childcare if they have other children, and the like. I don’t think many taxpayers would like this.
CWR: How else do you think Proposition 1 might adversely affect the State of California?
Archbishop Cordileone: I’m more worried about how it will affect other states, bringing in women from these places for abortions. It furthers the mentality that pregnancy is an inconvenience and that abortion is the only option a woman has. We don’t think about adoption any more, as it is more complicated, but ends up in the happy choice of life.
All the focus is on abortion. We have plenty of money to pay for abortions, but no money for crisis pregnancy centers, which can help a woman to have her child. In fact, we’re seeing some of these privately funded clinics being the target of vandalism. Why not fund these crisis pregnancy centers, which truly offer women a choice?
CWR: What was your reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade?
Archbishop Cordileone: I wasn’t sure what to expect beforehand, and I may have been a bit surprised by the decision. I thought they might come up with a “middle-of-the-road” decision that kept Roe in place; but in reality, Dobbs was a middle-of-the-road decision. It did not “take away the right to abortion” that some allege, but restored the right of states to make their own laws about abortion. The court reaffirmed a basic democratic principle, that the people have the right to decide what the law should be themselves.
CWR: Proposition 1 also says that the state may not interfere with an individual’s “fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives.” Although Church teaching prohibits married couples from using artificial contraceptives, I am not aware of any movement seeking to outlaw them. Why do you suppose this is part of the proposition?
Archbishop Cordileone: That’s a good question. We heard alarm bells going off from those who claim that Dobbs would lead the court to rescind other decisions it had made, so perhaps it was in reaction to that.
CWR: Every January you have the West Coast Walk for Life event, with thousands gathering and walking in opposition to abortion through the streets of San Francisco. When you’ve talked to participants, what does it tell you about the state of the pro-life movement in the U.S.?
Archbishop Cordileone: It is very strong. We got to this point of the Dobbs decision by the court through a lot of activism in different arenas, including by political activity from those who have that calling. We’ve also seen a growth in crisis pregnancy clinics that offer women choices other than abortion. And, I think we’ve changed the cultural mindset a bit, making people realize how violent abortion is. The public is conflicted, as I have said, they don’t like abortion.
I’ve also observed a vibrancy at the Walk for Life. It is dominated by young people, and I believe the momentum is with us.
CWR: Earlier this year, you announced that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would not be admitted to Holy Communion because of her pro-abortion advocacy while identifying herself as a devout Catholic. What reaction has this decision drawn, and do you still believe it was the right one to make?
Archbishop Cordileone: I’ve received a lot of positive reaction from people who have expressed their gratitude and support. There has also been some negative criticism, but most of the response that directed to me has been supportive.
I am absolutely certain I made the right decision. I struggled with it a long time, prayed about it, fasted about it, and consulted Church leaders who I respect and who offered different viewpoints. It got to the point that it was clear in my head it was something I had to do.
CWR: For Catholics not well aware of the moral teachings of the Church, what is Catholic teaching on abortion? Is it ever permissible for Catholics to have abortions or assist those who do?
Archbishop Cordileone: It is Catholic teaching that it is an intrinsic evil to intentionally take an innocent human life. Intrinsic means it is always wrong.
The question of when human life begins, however, is not a matter of religious teaching but of science. If it were merely a matter of religious belief, then necessarily one person’s religious belief would have to be imposed on the whole country. But when life begins is a matter of scientific fact. At the moment of fertilization, a new life is created with a unique set of DNA, so it can never be right to procure an abortion, just as it would never be right to kill a newborn baby.
Those pushing hard for abortion have to ask themselves, “Why are you limiting a woman’s rights?” If it is okay to have an abortion a day before a baby is born, why not the day after? Why not a month later, or six months or a year? Why can’t a young mother, after having a baby and raising that child for six months say, “I can’t do this. It is too hard,” and be allowed to kill that child?
I think we’d have to say it would be because people have an emotional revulsion to killing a newborn baby—which is a positive thing that we’re showing a bit of conscience—but is really a flimsy basis for law. Rather than our emotions, laws need to be grounded in sound reasoning, that human life begins at conception and must be protected.
CWR: What would you like Catholics to do? You’ve asked people to join in a novena, which began September 29.
Archbishop Cordileone: Yes. We want them to do the novena prayer to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary to Defeat Proposition 1. We also invite them to pray, fast, advocate, and speak to their family and friends about it. Put a sign in front of your house, speak to a co-worker or neighbor. Don’t be afraid to share your views.
CWR: In Ephesians 6:12, St. Paul says, “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Do you see the fight over abortion as both a spiritual and political battle?
Archbishop Cordileone: Absolutely. This is fundamentally a spiritual battle of the forces of light versus the forces of darkness. We see in Scripture that the ancient Israelites were tempted to align themselves with their pagan neighbors, which included worshiping their false gods. This included sacrificing their children to Molech. Psalm 106 mentions this [“They worshipped those nation’s false gods, till they found themselves entrapped, and sacrificed their own sons and their daughters to demons.” — Psa 106: 36-37] There was a clear prohibition against this practice in Leviticus [“You shall not give any of your children to devote them by fire to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.”— Lev 18:21].
In a biblical mentality, an idol is the same as a demon, so they would be sacrificing their children to demons. So, yes, abortion is something demonic. I couldn’t help but notice that a Satanic temple was among the first to challenge Texas’ 2021 anti-abortion law.
CWR: Do you have any other comments?
Archbishop Cordileone: To be truly pro-life is to provide the measures needed to build a culture of life. I am proud of the Catholics and other Christians who run crisis pregnancy clinics, which are privately funded and staffed primarily by volunteers. They provide real love and support to women during a period of crisis, when they may feel isolated and pressured to get abortions. These clinics give them all the help they need, medical and otherwise. This may include diapers, formula, baby clothes and blankets, or information about adoption or finding a job. They surround the expectant mother with love and support, and this is a culture of love that we need to build.
We are anti-abortion, but we are also truly pro-life.
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“Faith does not quench desire, but inflames it.”
Readings:
• Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4
• Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
• 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14
• Lk 17:5-10
“Lord, I would seek you, calling upon you—and calling upon you is an act of believing in you.”
These words of St. Augustine, found in the opening sentences of his Confessions, express a simple, profound truth: any and all turning toward God—whether in sorrow, pain, or need—is an act of faith. And faith is always a gift. “My faith, Lord, calls upon you,” Augustine continues, “It is your gift to me. You breathed it into me by the humanity of your Son…”
The apostles, of course, had the gift of faith. They had responded to Jesus’ call to follow him; they had walked away from careers and had placed their trust in a man whose claims about himself and his mission were accompanied by startling actions and miracles. Yet the Gospels only occasionally depict Jesus commending his disciples for their faith. On the contrary, they were often rebuked for a lack of faith. When Jesus calmed the raging storm on the Sea of Galilee, which threatened to capsize the boat they were using to cross the water, he said to them, “Where is your faith?” (Lk. 8:25).
And there was his very pointed question: “Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk. 18:8).
Yet Jesus did recognize and commend others for their faith, as when the paralyzed man was lowered down to him through a roof (Lk. 5:20), when the Roman centurion asked for the healing of his servant (Lk. 7:9), and when the woman with a hemorrhage touched his garment in faith (Lk. 8:48).
In fact, it almost seems as if Jesus purposefully avoided praising the faith of the disciples while praising the faith of others in their presence. And this Sunday’s Gospel reading suggests this is a fair understanding of the approach taken by Jesus regarding the faith of the apostles. The question, of course, is, “Why?” Shouldn’t a teacher and a master be always encouraging, positive, and upbeat, never negative and critical?
I suppose that if Jesus intended to write a self-help book and go on “Oprah” to talk about “self-actualization,” that might be the case. But Jesus had a particular task and a difficult mission for the apostles, and so he made demands of them that were, well, very demanding! It was clear that as Jesus and the apostles journeyed toward Jerusalem and the Cross, there was still much to be learned and understood. Quite revealingly, the apostles themselves recognized this fact. “Increase our faith,” they said to the Lord, a frank admission to their awareness of a profound lack, a pressing need on their part.
At first glance, it might appear that Jesus’ reply was unduly critical, as if he had suggested they really had almost no faith at all. But there is, I think, a positive element to the Lord’s response that is clear-eyed and, yes, encouraging. He did not say to them, “You must, at this very moment, be giants of faith!” He knew their weakness, but he also knew they did have faith—and he wanted them to understand that even a little faith goes a long way.
Faith begets faith. Or, as St. Thomas Aquinas noted, “Faith does not quench desire, but inflames it.” True faith is like a small snowball poised at the top of a long slope, waiting to be pushed so it might then grow as it picks up speed.
But that snowball is always first formed and moved by God. Faith begins to roll, so to speak, when we respond in obedience to God and his gift. It is fundamental, foundational, and formative. “Men and women can accomplish no more important act in their lives than the act of faith,” wrote Pope John Paul II in Fides et ratio, “it is here that freedom reaches the certainty of truth and chooses to live in that truth.” (par. 13).
Faith is life, as the prophet Habakkuk learned: “The just one, because of his faith, shall live.”
(This “Opening the Word” column originally appeared in the October 3, 2010, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)
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Catholics converge on DC for a week of prayer and fasting
Denver, Colo., Sep 30, 2022 / 18:00 pm (CNA).
On Saturday, Oct. 1, Catholics from around the world will once again kick off a week of prayer and fasting at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
Prayer and fasting are needed now more than ever, Maureen Flynn, founder of The International Week of Prayer and Fasting (IWOPF) told CNA.
“It seems to be a real battle between the forces of darkness and the forces of light,” she said.
The IWOPF is a grassroots movement made up of churches, schools, communities, and clergy who come together to pray and fast. In 2022, for the 30th IWOPF, Catholics everywhere are invited to pray for five intentions: the conversion of all peoples, to build a culture of life, defend the sanctity of marriage, for God’s mercy, and for all priests and vocations.
The week of prayer and fasting will culminate in the National Rosary Rally at the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 9. The events cap a 54-day rosary novena prayed by Catholics around the country, which begins each year on Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and ends on Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Speakers at this year’s event include Bishop Joseph Coffey, who will offer the opening Mass on Oct. 1. Also speaking are Father Francis Peffley; Dave and Joan Maroney, founders of MOMM, a Divine Mercy apostolate; Father Robert Altier; and Ted and Maureen Flynn, the founders of IWOPF, and several others.
In an interview with CNA, Maureen Flynn talked about the moment she decided to take action and get others to join in prayer and fasting. She recalled that in 1989 she was reading a newspaper article about some grandmothers who said they were for abortion.
“I was appalled,” she said. Soon after, she called a good friend and brought up the idea of starting a day of prayer.
“Because this is ridiculous. These are grandmothers and they’re thinking it’s fine to kill children,” she remembers telling him.
However, instead of a single day of prayer, he suggested an entire week. The following year, the first conference was held in front of the U.S. Capitol. Approximately 500 people attended.
In 1997, the event was moved to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. That was also the year Mother Teresa was scheduled to be the keynote speaker. The event would be held on Oct. 5, 1997. However, Mother Teresa would not be in attendance. The now-saint died one month before, on Sept. 5.
Flynn recalled that Mother Teresa had been very enthusiastic about the project.
“I remember at one point, she said, ‘My daughter, you must do this. God wants this. Prayer is the answer to the world’s problems.’ I’ll never forget what she said. So I think that gave us encouragement,” she said.
St. John Paul II also gave the organization two apostolic blessings, one in 1997 and the other in 2001. Pope Francis also gave his apostolic blessing to participants at the 22nd conference.
EWTN’s foundress, Mother Angelica, was the keynote speaker in 2000 and gave a talk on the Lord in the Eucharist. Jim Caviezel joined the conference in 2003 as the keynote speaker after finishing the filming of “The Passion of the Christ.”
Flynn told CNA that she is encouraged by how much more receptive Catholics are to prayer and fasting now.
“Years ago it was like pulling teeth to try to get people to see the importance of the rosary and fasting. Now I hear people saying, ‘Tell me how to fast, and could you recommend some good books on fasting,’” she said.
Flynn feels optimistic about other aspects of the Church as well.
“There are prayer networks everywhere now, compared with 30 years ago. The prayer networks are amazing. They give me great hope,” she added.
“There’s a lot of great ministries out there compared with 30 years ago; there are many Marian groups, many pro-life groups, a lot of publishers; there are just tremendous ministries out there now that weren’t there before,” she said. “So although the battle seems to be intensifying, you see the great goodness going on.”
This year’s conference will also be held virtually in addition to in person. The week’s events will be live-streamed on the IWOPF website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel beginning Oct. 1.
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LGBT organizations in Spain are pressuring the government to pass the ‘trans law’
Denver Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
Three LGBT organizations have met with the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), the main party of the governing coalition in Spain, seeking the passage of the “trans law” before the close of the legislature at the end of next year.
The State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersexuals, and more (FELTBI+); the Triangle Foundation; and the Chrysallis association, made up of families of minors who have declared themselves transgender, have put pressure on the PSOE due to the division in the socialist ranks on the proposed law.
LGBT organizations fear that the debate between the feminists inside and outside the PSOE — those who deny that any man can define himself as a woman by his own volition and those who think it’s possible — will end up scuttling the law.
There are also members of Podemos, the party of the governing coalition, who oppose the law.
These members point out that they reached an agreement with the government on this law, “so there is no possibility that its going through the legislative process will be delayed or drawn out” as pro-family organizations have requested through a campaign.
Changing one’s sex in the Civil Registry
The Council of Ministers approved June 29 the bill titled “For the Real and Effective Equality of Trans People and for the Guarantee of LGTBI Rights,” known as the “trans law,” promoted by the Ministry of Equality. The council’s approval has allowed the bill to go through the legislative process, which has now begun.
The law provides that one can change one’s name and sex in the Civil Registry by submitting a statement, without providing medical reports, having started cross-sex hormonal treatments, or needing judicial authorization.
In the case of minors, a judge’s approval would be mandatory from the age of 12 and parental permission is required between the ages of 14 and 16. Those over 16 years but not yet 18 are considered to have reached the age of majority — the age when one is considered an adult as recognized by law — so they would be able to make the change upon request.
The General Council of the Judiciary, the governing body of judges, questioned various aspects of the law. On the registry issue, it issued a report that calls for the limit to claim a change of sex in the Civil Registry upon request to be raised to at least 18 years of age.
Thus, the procedure requiring the approval of a judge who has to determine at least level of maturity or the stability of the person’s will in order to proceed with the change of sex in the Civil Registry would be extended until the age of majority, which is 18 in Spain.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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Catholic organizations in Colombia call Bogotá cathedral attack by militants ‘terrorism’
Denver Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 16:00 pm (CNA).
Catholic organizations joined the chorus of condemnation of the Wednesday night attack by abortion militants on the Bogotá cathedral and demanded that the Colombian authorities arrest those involved in this act of “terrorism.”
The night of Sept. 28, a group of feminists with their faces covered tried to burn down the main doors of the Bogotá cathedral while others tagged the wall with pro-abortion graffiti to the astonishment of passers-by and the inaction of the officials present from the Bogotá Mayor’s Office.
The attackers were part of demonstration for the Day for the Decriminalization and Legalization of Abortion. In their speeches, the feminists demanded that “legal and safe” abortion be allowed in Colombia.
Abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy was decriminalized by the Constitutional Court in February.
In a Sept. 29 statement, the Archdiocese of Bogotá said: “We reject all forms of violence in actions and words, we demand civility on the part of the promoters and participants of marches and protests, we ask the authorities to guarantee the life, honor, and property of citizens.”
The newly formed Pro-Life Caucus of the Colombian Congress stated Sept. 29: “We reject the acts of violence and intolerance that occurred yesterday by a group of marchers in defense of abortion. The attacks against believers and the attempted incineration of the doors of the Primatial Cathedral of Colombia are unacceptable.”
The citizen platform United for Life and the Catholic Solidarity Movement joined pro-life members of Congress and the Archdiocese of Bogotá in condemning the arson and vandalism.
In a statement issued Sept. 29, the Catholic Solidarity Movement accused the mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López, of having “dismantled the reaction capacity of the police,” which allowed the attack to take place.
“When a crime such as murder by abortion, which is in the Penal Code, is legitimized, these young women believe that they can commit any other crime,” the group said in reference to the feminists.
The president of the Catholic Solidarity Movement, Samuel Ángel, announced that they will file a complain against “these terrorists” so that they take responsibility “for the alleged crimes of damage to the property of others, rioting, damage to the public good, disrespect for beliefs, vandalism, terrorism, attempted murder, [and] conspiracy to commit a crime.”
The United for Life platform demanded that the National Prosecutor’s Office locate and capture “this group of abortionists.”
“We demand disciplinary sanctions from the mayor’s office of the city of Bogotá for the officers of the peace who did nothing to prevent this aggression by the abortionist advocates,” the organization stated.
United for Life said “it is not possible for the homicidal violence of the abortion movement to turn into terrorist actions that attack churches and people and institutions that do not want to be part of the genocidal crime of abortion.”
Not only have abortion proponents worked for “the decriminalization of abortion by prevaricating judges of the Constitutional Court, but now these abortion advocates intend to terrorize anyone who doesn’t actively cooperate to carry out this crime against Colombian unborn babies and their parents,” the platform said.
The people’s ombudsman, Carlos Camargo Assis, also condemned the attack and pointed out that “freedom of expression or the right to peaceful public demonstration cannot be understood as letters of marque to attack the exercise of worship by citizens” or to destroy the religious heritage, “which is considered sacred by millions of people.”
Camargo noted in an official statement posted online that freedom of worship is a fundamental right recognized by the Constitution and Statutory Law 133 of 1994, which impose on the authorities the obligation to guarantee it.
The ombudsman called for investigations to be conducted “that allow punishing, if appropriate, those who may have committed crimes against this fundamental right.”
The director of the National Police, General Henry Sanabria, told a local radio station that four women involved in this incident have been taken into custody.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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Caritas Algeria closes at government’s behest
Denver Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 15:00 pm (CNA).
The Church in Algeria announced Sunday that the country has ordered the Church’s aid organization Caritas Algeria to cease its operations.
“The Catholic Church in Algeria regrets to announce the complete and definitive closure of its service called ‘Caritas Algeria,’ from 1 October 2022, in conformity with the request of the public authorities,” read a Sept. 25 letter signed by Archbishop Paul Desfarges, archbishop emeritus of Algiers and president of the Diocesan Association of Algeria, and by Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has in recent years recommended that the State Department put Algeria on its “special watch list” for “engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.”
AFP reported that a 2012 law “required all registered nonprofits to submit new documentation.”
Vesco told the French news agency that the public authorities had judged Caritas Algeria “an unauthorized organization.”
In their letter, Desfarges and Vesco wrote that “naturally, the Catholic Church remains faithful to its charitable mission in the service of brotherhood, in partnership with all people of goodwill.”
They quoted from the 2019 document on human fraternity signed by Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of al-Azhar, which says, “believers are called to express this human fraternity by safeguarding creation and the entire universe and supporting all persons, especially the poorest and those most in need.”
The bishops concluded their letter: “The Catholic Church would like to thank all those who, over the years and in different ways, have contributed to the realization of this work at the service of the most vulnerable and the Algerian people.”
Agenzia Fides, a news service of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reported that “Caritas was probably the subject of these restrictive measures because it is considered a foreign nongovernmental organization.”
It added that “representatives of the local Catholic community rule out that the measures imposed by the Algerian authorities are fueled by feelings of hostility towards the Catholic Church and its presence in the country. Rather, they see a connection with the general policy of restrictions that have recently been imposed on foreign and multinational NGOs.”
Caritas Algeria was founded in June 1962, days before Algeria gained independence from France.
In June 2021 USCIRF’s chair, Nadine Maenza, commented that “recent decisions by Algerian courts to sentence Christians accused of blasphemy and proselytizing to multiyear prison sentences and to seal Protestant churches that have been forcibly closed demonstrates the country is headed in the wrong direction.”
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Catholic bishops’ pro-life chair supports 15-week abortion ban nationwide
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore is expressing support for a nationwide abortion ban aimed at protecting unborn babies after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
As chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Lori recently thanked Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey — both Republicans — for introducing the “Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act.”
“Although we will never cease working for laws that protect human life from its beginning and supporting mothers in need, we think that this proposed legislation is a place to begin uniting Americans regardless of their views on abortion,” Lori wrote in a Sept. 19 letter. “Further, we strongly agree that there is a federal role for protecting unborn human life.”
The legislation, proposed by Graham in the Senate and Smith in the House on Sept. 13, would ban abortion after 15 weeks, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.
“I support your efforts with the ‘Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act’ to protect the right to life of unborn babies from 15 weeks’ gestation,” Lori said. “All elected officials, including federally elected members of Congress, now have the opportunity to protect unborn human life and should rise to the occasion.”
He added: “It is long past time to end the barbaric practice of abortion and to provide life-affirming alternatives that support and protect both mother and child.”
The new legislation follows the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June with the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. That decision found that the constitution does not grant a right to abortion and leaves abortion up to the people and their elected represenatives.
Earlier this month, in anticipation of Respect Life Month in October, Lori called the Supreme Court’s decision an “answer to prayer” — and an opportunity to build a culture of life by practicing “radical solidarity and unconditional love.”
Recent research has revealed much that was previously unknown about babies in the womb, Lori said.
“Science continues to reveal the amazing development and characteristics of babies in utero, such as their ability to respond to music, to their mother’s voice, and to other stimuli,” he wrote. “Furthermore, there is significant scientific evidence that babies can feel pain as early as 12 weeks’ gestation.”
He cited the study, “Reconsidering Fetal Pain,” published by J Med Ethics in 2020.
In his Sept. 19 letter, Lori stressed that abortion puts mothers at risk.
“Finally,” he added, “not only does abortion end the life of the unborn child, but it is frequently harmful to the mother, emotionally and physically.”
Citing additional sources, he urged: “Late-term abortions, such as those performed when the unborn child is 15 weeks or older, pose significant physical, and potential fatal, risks to the mother.”
The Catholic Church, he said, is committed to accompanying moms in need and providing life-affirming alternatives to abortion.
“The Catholic Church remains clear and consistent in asserting that true justice demands the right to life, the most basic human and civil right, for every child, from conception onward,” Lori wrote. “No person or government has the right to take the life of any innocent human being, regardless of its stage of development.”
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Catholic Charities helps to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ian
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 13:00 pm (CNA).
Local and national Catholic Charities agencies are working to assess needs and provide aid after Hurricane Ian devastated Florida’s Gulf Coast this week, leading to what will likely be billions of dollars in damage and several confirmed deaths.
In an interview with EWTN News Nightly, Eddie Gloria, CEO of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Venice, said that it was still too early to assess the extent of the hurricane’s damage but that “the diocese was hit hard and directly.”
“It’s safe to say that the recovery effort will be extensive,” Gloria said.
CEO of @CC_DOV, Eddie Gloria, joins to share how he is doing and how everyone in the Diocese of Venice is doing with Hurricane Ian. Gloria tells us how the churches and church properties are doing and whether there is much damage. pic.twitter.com/g35tf8rAnW
— EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) September 30, 2022
Catholic Charities has deployed teams on the ground to assess the damage and where their efforts are most needed. Most of the diocese, which includes the cities of Cape Coral and Fort Myers, is still without power — across the state, some 1.9 million customers remain without power.
The Diocese of Venice’s pastoral center was closed Friday and is expected to reopen Oct. 3. Bishop Frank Dewane posted a statement on the diocesan Facebook page Sept. 30.
“Thank you for your continued prayers for the Diocese of Venice and all those affected by Hurricane Ian. Damage is still being assessed, but it is clear that the devastation in the diocese is widespread,” Dewane wrote.
“There are several crews already at work throughout the diocese, and Catholic Charities is putting their local team into action. We are grateful for all those who have helped, and continue to help, during this difficult time.”
Gloria, the Catholic Charities CEO, said that communication was still a big challenge due to cell phone towers being downed in the storm. Various parts of the diocese, such as DeSoto County, Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, and Naples, have been completely cut off due to roads and bridges being submerged under water.
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) has launched a dedicated disaster donation page with 100 percent of the funds raised going to support people impacted by Hurricane Ian and served by their local Catholic Charities agencies. Funds raised through CCUSA will be used for basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter. The Florida Catholic Conference urged donations to CCUSA in a Friday tweet.
Gloria said Catholic Charities set up several relief sites before the storm, which they plan to activate soon based on their assessments of the sites. They plan to continue to work together with the diocese and parishes to reach people in need of basic necessities like emergency housing, food, and water.
“We’re walking through this cautiously and carefully … wherever we allocate our resources, that is where we are having the greatest impact,” Gloria said.
He also urged prayers to help them through the process.
Hurricane Ian made landfall on Wednesday as a Category 4 storm, pummeling Florida’s Gulf Coast with storm surges and heavy wind. Central Florida received 17 inches of rain as Ian passed overhead. Hurricane Ian has continued on and is expected to slam the South Carolina coast imminently.
A handful of Catholic parishes in the Fort Myers area have announced online that they have reopened. St. Cecilia parish in Fort Myers has power and Wi-Fi, but no water, according to a Thursday Facebook post. As of Thursday, there will be regularly scheduled Masses at St. Cecilia Catholic Community, the post says.
St. John XXIII Catholic Church in Fort Myers said in a Facebook post that its high school youth group will be gathering at the parish for Mass at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday and then going out into the community to try to help people in need.
“If you have power at your house… offer to launder someone’s salt water-drenched clothes and linens before the mold sets in. If you are strong… offer to pull out drenched carpet and baseboards in someone’s house. If you are in an area where there is no flooding… go bag up debris and save homes from future floods to clear the drains. Kids, let’s get to work and help our neighbor… it is exactly what Jesus would do,” the Sept. 30 post from the church reads.
All Saints Byzantine Church in southwest Florida set up a separate webpage where the parish has been monitoring conditions and updating parishioners. As of the most recent update on Sept. 30, all services at the church had been canceled and the parish priest, Father Steven Galuschik, had evacuated. The church has asked for parishioners to contact the parish office with their safety status and to request any needs in the aftermath of the storm.
All Saints was not immediately available for a comment.
Ave Maria University, which is located south of where the direct path of the storm hit, issued an update on Thursday evening saying that power and air conditioning had fully been restored to the university and town.
Ave Maria is not in the floodplain zone but received small amounts of damage and power outages that were quickly resolved by generators. The university said that classes would resume today, Friday, Sept. 30, with an online option. Classes will resume fully in-person by Monday and campus Masses have fully resumed.
Ave Maria is engaging in various volunteer efforts to support relief for storm victims, including hosting families of first responders in the area because the school is considered a “shelter-in-place” location.
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UK doctor investigated for praying with patients calls on Christians to ‘stand up and fight’
CNA Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 10:00 am (CNA).
A Christian doctor from Kent, United Kingdom, has appealed to Christians in professional life to “stand up and fight” after he faced investigation for offering his patients “spiritual care.”
A tribunal between the National Health Service (NHS) England and Dr. Richard Scott, who is based at the Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate, Kent, was canceled earlier this week after it was agreed that Scott would instead attend a one-day course on “professional boundaries” because a number of patients had complained about him offering spiritual support.
Scott told CNA that he agreed to the course as a “goodwill gesture” and that it was crucial for him that it was understood that there was “no guilt attached” on the grounds that he had been acting within the guidelines of the General Medical Council and according to the European Convention on Human Rights and religious expression.
Following the resolution, Scott said that he was pleased with the outcome, which held “huge significance” for religious freedom, and added: “I want Christians to toughen up in this country because prayer is hugely beneficial and makes a huge difference to people’s health, and it shouldn’t be controversial. We need to stand up and fight.”
He went on to say that Christians were increasingly being “marginalized for their faith.”
“I fought this case because I want to encourage other Christians to share their faith in the workplace when it is relevant and not to be cowed by professional organizations. We have good news that we should be able to speak into, which is in line with the GMC guidelines and the ECHR Articles 9 and 10, to manifest your religion.”
Scott went on to say that the complaints about his approach had come after patients had consented to a conversation about faith and that he always followed an established process, ensuring that patients consented first to discussions concerning spiritual care.
A spokesperson for NHS England in the South East told ITV News: “NHS England has reached an agreement with Scott for his appeal to be withdrawn without an admission of liability. Any spiritual care in Scott’s consultations must be in accordance with GMC guidance, and Dr. Scott has agreed to attend a one-day Professional Boundaries Course within three months.”
When asked if he would continue to offer his patients spiritual care, Scott told CNA that he would.
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Pope Francis writes preface for book marking Vatican II anniversary
By Linda Bordoni
Entitled “John XXIII. Vatican II a Council for the world” by Fr. Ettore Malnati and Marco Roncalli, the book – in the words of Pope Francis who wrote the preface – reviews the history of the Council in light of the ecumenical developments it triggered and of the current synodal process.
The Pope says he is honoured to have been asked to present this book for a number of reasons.
“The main reason is the Holy Pontiff John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council – which were so decisive for the Church, for its development and its approach to the contemporary world, for its ecumenical journey” he writes.
The introduction to the book also features a reflection by Brother Alois, the Prior of the Ecumenical Community of Taizé, and Pope Francis says he is grateful for the work that is the fruit of sharing.
And he expresses admiration and gratitude to the theological and pastoral gifts of the authors, Father Ettore Malnati whom, he says, continues to live his priesthood in the service of the laity and of culture divulging “the teachings of the Pontiffs”, and of Marco Roncalli, historian, journalist and great-grandson of Pope John XXIII (Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli).
Roncalli is the author amongst other works, of several books written in collaboration with late Cardinal Luis Capovilla, personal secretary of John XXIII.
“Marco Roncalli was still a young boy when he came to Taizé for the first time, accompanying his grandfather Giuseppe”, the Pope recalls.
At a time in which the world was turning away from Christianity “and manifesting, indifference rather than aversion,” he continues, the Council was born from the question “how can we speak of Jesus to the men and women of today?”
Since then, he notes, we have come a long way, which has not been without difficulties and disappointments. Even today, he warns, we risk falling into the temptation of discouragement and pessimism when we fix our gaze on the evils afflicting the world instead of looking at the world with the eyes of Jesus.
Reviewing the history of the Council, and especially living the present in the spirit of the Synod, with an open and free heart, the Pope says, is the way to avoid becoming discouraged and to make room for God.
“From the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council we have received much,” Pope Francis says, pointing to an increased awareness of the people of God, “a central category in the Council texts, that is recalled no less than one hundred and eighty-four times.”
This, he explains, helps us understand the fact that the Church is not an élite of priests and consecrated persons and that each baptised person is an active subject of evangelisation.
“One would not understand the Council, nor the current synodal path, if evangelisation were not placed at the centre of everything”, he writes.
The book, “Giovanni XXIII. Il Vaticano II un Concilio per il mondo”, in Italian, published by Bolis Edizioni, is scheduled to be in bookshops on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council which took place on 11 October 1962.
Pope: May sport be home for all, open and welcoming
By Thaddeus Jones
Greeting athletes, managers and officials participating in the International Summit on sport, Pope Francis on Friday afternoon praised the noble goal that inspires them: “promoting the notion of sport as something for everyone; sports that are “cohesive”, “accessible” and “fit for every person”.
He addressed them in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican as the meeting “Sport for all. Cohesive, Accessible and Tailored to each Person” came to its conclusion. The event was organized and promoted by the Dicasteries for the Laity, Family and Life, and Culture and Education in collaboration with the John Paul II Foundation.
Leaders and delegates from various sporting institutions, organizations, and athletes – amateur and professional – met over Thursday and Friday at the Vatican-sponsored meeting, representing 40 countries and people of various faiths. Refugees, former detainees, people with physical and intellectual challenges made up the great diversity of participants, all united in the importance of sport for building personal character and maturity, uniting peoples and building peace.
Final Declaration
Pope Francis handed a delegation of the participants the final Declaration on sport that was signed during the meeting and that outlines the common goals they wish to achieve and the tasks and responsibilities needed to go forward in this task.
To achieve these “lofty” goals, the Pope said we need to “play as a team, to work together” in unity. And the Church is very interested here as it also aims to create environments and activities that become places of personal encounter for people and offer “a formation in virtue and fraternity.” Church schools, parishes and youth centres aim to offer this formation through participation in sports as well, he added.
A sense of participation
Placing the human person at the centre of sports is key, the Pope said, if sports are to generate a sense of participation, sharing, belonging, and community, especially for the very young. Sport, he added, “gives joy, fosters sociability and engenders friendships, while also being formative.”
Athletes as role models
Addressing athletes, the Pope recalled how they can be positive role models for younger people, especially uplifting the marginalized through sports which can “become a way of personal and social redemption, a way to recover dignity.”
The Pope warned of challenges in the sports world when it becomes a “machine” only for business, profit, and showmanship, thereby threatening its positive and wholesome role as an “educational and social good.”
Everyone can participate
He said it is important that sports remain accessible to all, by helping people overcome the physical, social, cultural or economic barriers that can hinder access to them.
Accessibility goes together with acceptance, the Pope added, saying it is important for people to find welcome, a helping hand, and an open heart ” to give everyone the opportunity to challenge themselves by playing sports, to measure their limitations and put their potential to good use.”
Developing talents
In finding the right sport, people can develop their talents no matter what the context or physical and psychological challenges they may be experiencing. Athletes know this well, the Pope remarked, as no one is a superman or superwoman, we all have limitations but do our best. And this requires personal asceticism and discipline for character and abilities to flourish. He added, “at the root of this quest is the yearning for that beauty and fullness of life that God dreams of for each of his creatures.”
A home for all
The Pope encouraged everyone “to strive to make sport a home for everyone, something open and welcoming,” saying he is close to them in this mission and the Church supports them in these efforts.
Let your beauty shine, Pope Francis tells young people
CNA Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Pope Francis on Friday told young people to let their true beauty shine, the beauty that is a reflection of divine beauty.
In a message to participants in the Ursuline Global Education Compact, the pope said Sept. 30 that one could not educate “without leading a person to beauty, without leading the heart to beauty.”
“The beauty we are talking about is not turned in on itself like that of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image and drowned in the lake in which he saw himself mirrored.”
Instead, Pope Francis told students he was speaking of the beauty that never fades because it is a reflection of divine beauty.
“The beauty that Jesus revealed to us is a splendor that communicates itself through action; a beauty that is embodied in order to be shared; a beauty that is not afraid of getting its hands dirty, of becoming disfigured in order to be faithful to the love of which it is made.”
Pope Francis told the students he wished them “a healthy restlessness” to be open and courageous like St. Ursula, the “little bear,” who dared to embark on a long journey with her companions and fearlessly faced attacks to the point of martyrdom.
Finally, Pope Francis said he hoped to see participants at next year’s World Youth Day in Lisbon, “which promises to be a great sign of hope and beauty for all the young people of the world.”
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Russian president annexes four regions of Ukraine
By Stefan J. Bos
The Golden Doors opened in the St. George’s Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, where Russian President Putin walked in to make his long-awaited announcement.
He told the Russian deputies and other dignitaries that four occupied territories in Ukraine are now part of Russia.
Friday’s elaborate ceremony came after his forces suffered massive defeats on the battlefields of Ukraine. He even asked for a minute of silence for fallen soldiers.
Putin told those gathered that Russia includes four territories that he suggested represent Russian culture and values. And he lashed out at the West for not sharing his views.
Soon after, he signed the document officially annexing the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhiathe regions into Russia. It echoed Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula in 2014, following a discredited referendum.
The ceremony came shortly after authorities said nearly two dozen people were killed when a suspected Russian rocket strike hit a civilian convoy.
Fleeing territories
The cars headed to pick up relatives trying to flee Russian-occupied territories annexed by Moscow on Friday. The strike happened near the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is still under Ukrainian control.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the area, which hosts Europe’s largest nuclear power plant controlled by Russian forces.
A massive crater beside a row of vehicles testified to the violence of the attack.
Footage posted on social media showed a horrific scene with dead and injured people lying on the road on the south-eastern outskirts of the city.
In one video, taken from inside a nearby building, a woman can be heard sobbing, repeatedly saying: “Dead people are lying there.”
And with Putin annexing more territories and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of men to defend them, many more people are expected to die in Europe’s most significant armed conflict since the Second World War.
Prosecution calls witnesses as Vatican finance trial resumes
Rome Newsroom, Sep 30, 2022 / 08:37 am (CNA).
After a break of over two months, the Vatican trial on financial corruption in the Secretariat of State continued this week with the interrogation of witnesses for the prosecution.
The court reconvened Sept. 28, 29, and 30, to begin the questioning of the first of what the prosecution expects to be a total of 41 witnesses it will call.
The witness list includes Vatican gendarme Stefano De Santis, who assisted the Vatican’s now chief Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi during the trial’s preliminary investigation; he is expected to testify at the next scheduled hearing on October 12.
A British-Italian architect, Luciano Capaldo, has been called to testify by the prosecution the same week. Capaldo was the registered director of the holding company London 60 SA Ltd, through which the Secretariat of State controlled the London property after its purchase.
The building at 60 Sloane Avenue in London is at the center of the Vatican’s historic corruption trial, which began at the end of July 2021.
The Vatican has charged 10 people with crimes, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the former second-ranking official at the Secretariat of State. Becciu was questioned in May.
The London investment property was purchased by the secretariat in stages over several years for a reported £350 million pounds.
In July, the Vatican confirmed the London building had been sold to Bain Capital for £186 million ($223.6 million).
The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) reported that the losses from the sale were absorbed by the savings of the Secretariat of State and therefore did not touch the pope’s charitable fund, Peter’s Pence.
The hearing on Wednesday consisted of the second half of the questioning of defendant Fabrizio Tirabassi, a former official at the Secretariat of State.
Thursday’s audience opened with the questioning of defendant Nicola Squillace, the lawyer of businessman and fellow defendant Gianluigi Torzi.
In the course of the trial, the only defendants who have not taken the stand are Gianluigi Torzi and Cecilia Marogna.
The Sept. 29 hearing then continued with the first witness, Roberto Lolato, who was called to testify for the prosecution as an expert witness.
Prosecutors asked Lolato to examine the financial operations carried out by the Secretariat of State in relation to the purchase of the London building as a technical consultant.
On Friday, the Vatican’s auditor general, Alessandro Cassinis Righini, testified.
Righini had been acting auditor general since June 2017 and full auditor since May 2021.
He succeeded Libero Milone, who served as auditor general from 2015 until he was dismissed in 2017, just two years into a five-year mandate.
Milone was hired as the Vatican’s first auditor general in a move to introduce more financial transparency in the Vatican City State.
Three months after stepping down, Milone claimed that he was “threatened” into resignation by an “old guard” opposed to his work and accused Cardinal Becciu of targeting him after he launched an investigation into a possible conflict of interest.
A Sept. 30 statement from Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, claimed the suspension of the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit in April 2016 “was not an autonomous choice of the then-sostituto Monsignor Becciu, but a position taken by the Secretariat of State.”
Righini was questioned Sept. 30 about the external audit ordered by Cardinal George Pell, then prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, and reportedly opposed by Becciu.
He also answered questions about meetings he took part in with secretariat officials regarding financial investments.
Righini said he was surprised that the Secretariat of State considered making an investment in an oil company in Angola given its evident conflict with the teachings of Pope Francis in his environmental encyclical Laudato si (the investment eventually fell through).
Funds originally earmarked for the Angola investment were reportedly rerouted into the London building purchase.
The auditor general said Pope Francis did not know anything about the London investment. But later, under additional questioning, he revised his statement to say he could not be 100% certain the pope knew nothing.
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Deadly school blast kills students in Afghanistan
By Nathan Morley
A deadly suicide bombing in Kabul has left at least 23 people dead and dozens more injured.
The attack took place early this morning inside the Kaaj Training Centre west of Kabul. The bombing claimed the lives of dozens of teenagers and seriously injured many others.
The victims were preparing to sit a university entrance exam.
As it stands, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
‘Horrific attack’
In a statement, UNICEF said it was appalled by the horrific incident, adding that children and adolescents should not, and must never be, the target of violence.
The organization said violence in or near educational institutions was never acceptable and such places should be havens of peace where children can learn, be with friends and feel safe while building skills for their future.
UNICEF also reminded all parties in Afghanistan to adhere to and respect human rights and to ensure the safety and protection of all children and youth.
Long list of violence
This atrocity is the latest in a series of violent incidents since the Taliban took power in 2021 after the hasty US-led pullout from the country.
Earlier this month, two employees of the Russian diplomatic service were among six people killed in a suicide blast near the Russian Embassy.
In 2020, teenage students were among a group of people killed in an attack claimed by the so-called Islamic State at an education centre in the Afghan capital.
Pope to Ursuline Global Education Compact: ‘Allow your beauty to shine!’
By Benedict Mayaki, SJ
Pope Francis, on Friday, sent a message to participants at the Ursuline Global Education Compact during the closing session of their meetings.
Addressing the students, he encouraged them to carry out their projects with enthusiasm, while recalling that he considers his school experiences as both a student and as a teacher to be among the most beautiful and important periods of his own life.
Pope Francis acknowledged the initiatives implemented, as well as those in the pipeline, concerning the protection of the environment, sustainability, human fraternity and attention to the poor and vulnerable.
He credits these initiatives to the young people who, he says “are awake rather than asleep”, adding that they are active participants in the Global Education Compact which he launched 3 years ago as “an alliance open to all and aimed at educating ourselves and others in universal fraternity.”
Being and doing
Pope Francis went on to hold up two important aspects to the young students: being and doing, taking a cue from “a beautiful girl” named Ursula – a woman of exceptional beauty, admired by princes and knights and many young people – including St. Angela Merici, who, together with her companions, began her work in education under the name “Ursulines.”
Allow your beauty to shine
“The first thing I wish to tell you, dear young people, is allow your beauty to shine!” urged the Pope, inviting them to embrace true beauty – not like that of worldly fashion. He encouraged the students to “show forth that beauty which has always belonged to us, from the first moment of creation, when God made mankind in his own image and saw that it was very good.”
He explained that this beauty must both be shared and defended, for if it is true that beauty will save the world – as Prince Myshkin said in Dostoyevsky’s short story The Idiot – then we must be vigilant so that the world also saves beauty.
To achieve this, he invited the young people to embrace a “global beauty compact” for “there is no education without beauty”.
The Pope then warned against a beauty turned in on itself like that of Narcissus who fell in love with his own image and drowned in a lake in which he saw himself mirrored, or the beauty that “come to terms with evil” like Dorian Gray who, when the spell ended, found him with a disfigured face.
Instead, noted the Pope, “we are speaking of the beauty that never fades because it is a reflection of divine beauty. Indeed, our God is inseparably good, true and beautiful. And beauty is one of the privileged ways of finding him.”
Doing
On the second aspect – doing – Pope Francis highlighted that the beauty Jesus revealed to us is a splendour that communicates itself through action. It is “a beauty that is embodied in order to be shared; a beauty that is not afraid of getting its hands dirty, of becoming disfigured in order to be faithful to the love of which it is made.”
In this regard, he exhorted the students not to become “sleeping beauty” in the woods, highlighting they are called to act and to do something, because “true beauty is always fruitful, it pushes us outwards and gets us moving.”
A healthy restlessness
Pope Francis then expressed his wishes for “a healthy restlessness” in their desires and projects, which pushes them to keep on walking and never have the sense of having “arrived.” He also urged them not to cut themselves off from the world, by refusing to grow up or by being afraid to face the world.
Like St. Ursula, the “little bear” who was “open and courageous,” and who fearlessly faced attacks to the point of martyrdom, Pope Francis prayed that they too may be like “little bears” who never shy away from their responsibilities.
Defend the beauty of the marginalized, creation
To the young people who are willing to change the world but ask “how?” Pope Francis offered some recommendations. He encouraged them to defend the “scarred beauty of so many outcasts of our world” by welcoming the most vulnerable and marginalized and looking at those who are different as a treasure and not as a threat.
He further urged them to defend the wounded beauty of creation, but protecting and common home and adopting environmentally friendly lifestyles. In this regard, he invited them to read the message that he addressed to the young people in Prague for the “EU Youth Conference” in July this year.
Concluding, Pope Francis expressed hope to see the participants at the Ursuline Education Compact at the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon and prayed that God might bless them, their teachers and their endeavours through the intercession of Saint Ursula.
Reconciliation with indigenous a priority for Canada’s Bishops
By Christopher Wells
In a year that saw Pope Francis’ historic “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada, the nation’s Bishops have renewed their commitment to working with indigenous peoples on the path of reconciliation and healing.
“2022 has been a historic year for listening, learning, and working to rebuild longstanding relationships that have been profoundly damaged by the legacy of residential schools,” said Bishop Raymond Poisson, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).
Healing and reconciliation
In a statement issued by the CCCB following their annual Plenary Assembly – their first in-person meeting since 2019 – Bishop Poisson noted the Pope’s apology “on behalf of the Church for the sins of her children”, in which the Holy Father “acknowledged the catastrophic impact of the residential school system.”
During his visit to Canada in late July, Pope Francis called on the local Church “to promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples and to favour processes of healing and reconciliation.”
At the Plenary Assembly, the Canadian Bishops pledged to continue in their commitment to foster healing and reconciliation, especially through concrete actions.
These include supporting the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund, aimed at raising 30 million Canadian dollars over the course of five years; fostering greater understanding of Indigenous cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions and values; and providing documentation or records that will assist residential school survivors in finding truth.
Committed to transparency
During their four-day Plenary Assembly, which took place from September 26-29, the Bishops of Canada also discussed the upcoming Synod on Synodality ahead of the “continental phase” of the synodal process, which will culminate in Rome with the Synod of Bishops in 2023.
The Bishops also received an update “regarding the launch of the Canadian Reporting System for Sexual Abuse or Cover-up by a Catholic Bishop.” This latter initiative, the Bishops say, “demonstrated a commitment by the bishops to responsibility, accountability, and transparency in matters of clergy sexual abuse.”
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A religious sister in Myanmar: ‘Remaining with my people’
By Sr Rosalind Arokiaswami, IJS
This is my first experience in a foreign country, one which in these last years has suffered through the Covid pandemic and the military coup of 1 February 2021, which in May resulted in the outbreak of a civil war that is still ongoing today.
This last event led to rather widespread demonstrations, protests and disorder in many parts of the country, while many people are fleeing into the jungle to save their lives.
Many religious congregations living and working in Myanmar have openly expressed their protest at the situation. One needs but to remember Sr Ann Rose Twant and her courageous gesture of kneeling in front of a soldier brandishing a rifle.
Regarding my first experience, I had contrasting feelings. On the one hand, being from another country, I was indebted to the authorities for giving me permission to work here. I was aware that my visa could be revoked and that I thus risked being sent to my country of origin. At the same time, I was fully aware that I had to be very prudent in my manner of speaking, due to the danger of being reported to the authorities.
After living through the effort of integrating into this new reality and learning a language I didn’t know at all, here was more trial: God challenged me to be ready to suffer with my people, whom he himself had entrusted to me.
I must say with humility that I had, and still have, moments of doubt and anxiety. Sometimes I asked myself if I had the patience and above all the faith to trust in God who will not disappoint us. This situation was a tried and true test of my faith. Blessed Barré [1] said: “Even when everything seems to be against every hope, continue to hope in him”. The question is whether or not I am ready to trust these words of my founder.
Slowly but inexorably, in a way unknown to me, I realised how God places me in situations in which he wants me to prove my fidelity to him. Facing situations I had never faced before and doing everything alone, I realised that “God’s excess of love” was, and is, our only certainty. This was the decisive moment on my journey of faith to discover that “there was no going back”. From that moment, I decided to be ready to give my life for the people, especially for the poor. With this awareness (epiphany, I would say), in an inexplicable and providential way, I felt inside me a certain peace and calm which I had never experienced before.
So, looking at the situation in Myanmar, there is no guarantee that my life is safe. Unable to stop the civil disobedience and the people’s protest marches, the military began shooting into the demonstrating crowds. Many young people lost their lives. Many young women were killed and raped mercilessly. A great number of people is still fleeing and many of their homes were set on fire.
In this context, there is no guarantee that my life can be spared. I could die in a bomb explosion or be killed by a single bullet. It could seem scary, but this is the reality we are facing. If it is God’s will for me, I am prepared: just as Jesus gave his life for his sheep, so am I ready to give my life for the people with whom I live.
Due to the military repression, many people have lost their jobs and are unable to support their families. Merchants, without scruples, have taken advantage of the situation and raised food prices. The vast majority of the population is on the brink of starvation. If this situation continues, the result will be evermore disastrous, and the poor will be those hardest hit. It is painful and heartbreaking to see so many people starve to death for lack of food.
In light of this situation, the vast majority of the population considers the religious sisters’ presence a blessing. They appreciate our presence and support. They know that there is someone to whom they can turn at any time, to vent about their worries, their anxieties, their frustration and their mental unease. We are unable to support them financially, and they know it. Nevertheless, seeing us and our presence is in itself a blessing. In Asian culture, this aspect is very present among Buddhists, Catholics and even Hindus. It is here that I understood Blessed Barré’s prophetic insight when he asked his teachers to live with and among the poor, and to immerse themselves in their situation. “To be with them”. This is all that is expected of us. At the same time, I realised that we are being evangelised by the people with whom we live. Often, they are the best teachers for us, and I can learn a lot from them.
This became a reality when, at the end of June 2021, I went to Yangon to renew my visa and passport. I wasn’t sure whether or not my visa could be renewed. Before leaving for Yangon, I told my people to keep me in their prayers. Their spontaneous response melted my heart. They told me: “Don’t worry, sister; everything will be alright and you will get your visa. God will not disappoint you. He wants you to continue to be with us. He knows our hearts”. I realised that they were teaching me faith. Although they are poor, humble and uneducated, their faith was stronger than mine. I understand now that if God wants me to continue to serve his people, he will do what is necessary. I have nothing to worry about, only to constantly call on him to increase my faith.
[1] Editor’s Note: The Institute of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus was founded by Fr Nicholas Barré, a religious Minim (1621-1686).
Holy See denounces increasing anti-religious bias and anti-Christian sentiment
By Linda Bordoni
Referring to the findings of a just-published report by the OCSE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Monsignor Janusz Urbańczyk warned that intolerance and discrimination motivated by anti-Semitism and bias against Muslims, Christians and members of other religions are on the rise across the globe.
Addressing the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference in Vienna, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OCSE) said the report shows the “most recent hate crime data reveals that 51% of all incidents reported to the Office were anti-religious hate crimes.”
Increasingly hostile atmosphere against Christians
In particular, he noted, “the challenge of intolerance and discrimination against Christians is an increasing challenge due to a growingly hostile atmosphere against Christians.”
Msgr. Urbańczyk said that Christians are increasingly targeted also in countries where they represent the majority, contradicting the erroneous assumption that only ‘minorities’ can become victims of intolerance and discrimination.
He explained that most of these despicable acts of violence are motivated by anti-Semitism and by anti-religious bias.
“Attacks on places of worship,” the Holy See Observer said, quoting from the report, “go against both the letter and spirit of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.”
Digital era
Msgr. Urbańczyk said that anti-Semitism or intolerance against Christians, Muslims and members of other religions “existed well before the digital era, but the Internet and especially the widespread use of social networks has led to its dramatic increase and a fundamental shift in the way it is carried out.”
He reflected on the sense of insecurity caused by these phenomena, which, he said, “have a negative impact on the daily lives of Christians and members of other religions, as well as on their enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
He called for a recognition of these challenges and of the fact that they are of mutual concern.
In fact, Msgr. Urbańczyk continued, “Whenever any religious community is persecuted and marginalized because of its religious beliefs, the well-being of society as a whole is endangered and each person’s exercise of rights is diminished.”
Appeal
Finally, he said the Holy See highlights “a glaring omission” on the part of participating States in fulfilling what they agreed to undertake at a landmark OCSE Ministerial Meeting in 2014.
During that Meeting in Basel, OCSE political bodies pledged to develop a comprehensive action plan to combat racism, xenophobia, discrimination on all grounds, hate crimes and other forms of intolerance.
This tasking, he concluded, despite the efforts of some Delegations to re-interpret the existing commitment, remains an obligation incumbent on us all, in order to enhance “our efforts to combat intolerance and discrimination, including against Muslims, Christians and members of other religions.”
