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CNA Staff, Sep 18, 2024 / 16:50 pm (CNA).

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday amplified claims by several news outlets that a woman has died as the result of pro-life laws. But doctors say that the Georgia woman, Amber Thurman, died because of the abortion pill and medical malpractice. 

ProPublica's disputed report claimed that Georgia's restrictions on abortion delayed access to medical care, causing the death of a woman named Amber Nicole Thurman. Thurman died at age 28 in 2022 after being hospitalized due to an infection after she took abortion pills, according to the report.

Thurman received the abortion pills out of state in North Carolina because she was more than six weeks pregnant, the report says. Georgia law limits abortion after six weeks, but Thurman was about nine weeks pregnant when she procured the chemical abortion, according to the Washington Examiner. 

Harris blamed Thurman's death on Donald Trump on Tuesday, saying: "Women are bleeding out in parking lots, turned away from emergency rooms, losing their ability to ever have children again. Survivors of rape and incest are being told they cannot make decisions about what happens next to their bodies. And now women are dying. These are the consequences of Donald Trump's actions." 

Harris' campaign announced she will speak Friday about Thurman's death in Atlanta as well as that of another Georgia woman, Candi Miller, who died after not seeking medical help following severe complications due to a chemical abortion. 

What caused Amber Thurman's death?

Some news reports blamed pro-life limits on abortion for Thurman's death, but Georgia state law explicitly allows abortions when the mother's life or physical health is at risk. Thurman had a chemical abortion in South Carolina prior to her arrival in the emergency room, and when she arrived, her unborn twins had no heart activity.  

Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) and a board-certified OB-GYN who has practiced for two decades, said that Thurman's death "was caused by legal abortion drugs" as well as medical negligence. 

"Amber Thurman's tragic death, recently covered by multiple news organizations, was caused by side effects of legal abortion drugs and medical negligence, not pro-life laws," Francis said in a Tuesday statement.

Thurman went to the emergency room five days after she experienced complications from the abortion pill. Tissue from her deceased babies — unborn twins — remained in her uterus, causing an infection, according to ProPublica. As there was no cardiac activity in the fetuses when Thurman arrived at the hospital, her unborn babies were no longer alive. 

Doctors considered a dilation and curettage "D&C" procedure, which would have removed the twins' remains. The following day, her doctors did not perform the D&C, and by the time she went to the operating room, more serious problems had developed, including hemorrhaging. From her arrival, it took the doctors 20 hours to operate. She died on the operating table.

ProPublica interviewed Thurman's best friend, Ricaria Baker, who went with Thurman to obtain the abortion. According to Baker, Thurman missed her scheduled D&C abortion at the South Carolina clinic due to traffic and was told by an employee to have a chemical abortion using the drug regimen mifepristone and misoprostol. Baker notes that Thurman took the pills as she was directed.

"Despite taking the drugs as she was instructed and seeking timely care when she experienced complications, she still died," Francis commented. "Rather than highlighting the dangers of these drugs, which have caused numerous deaths, abortion proponents are instead trying to blame Georgia's laws in their push to protect induced abortion at all costs."

According to the FDA warning label for the abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol, between 2.9% and 4.6% of women will visit the emergency room after taking the drugs.

Abortion pills have four times as many complications as surgical abortions, according to a 2023 report by the Charlotte Lozier Institute. As many as 1 in 5 women will suffer complications after a chemical abortion and as many as 15% will experience hemorrhaging, while 2% will experience infection. 

ProPublica, which first reported on the woman's death, acknowledged in its initial report that "it is not clear from the record available why the doctors waited to provide a D&C" but cites Georgia's abortion limitations as the cause. 

A state committee of 10 doctors said that Thurman's death was preventable and the hospital's delay played a role in the fatal outcome. 

In Francis' opinion, it was the doctors' negligence and the abortion pill complications that killed Thurman — not the state's pro-life laws, which allow abortions and other lifesaving medical procedures in cases where the woman's physical health or life is at risk. 

Georgia state law also has other exceptions for abortions, including exceptions for rape and incest for up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. 

There were also no fetal heartbeats detected in the 9-week-old unborn twins, meaning it would not have been an abortion.

"Amber Thurman's state of Georgia clearly allows physicians to intervene in medical emergencies or when there is no detectable fetal heartbeat, both of which applied to her," Francis said. "Don't be misled by those who advocate for induced abortion over the health and safety of women."

"This woman did not have to die," said Dr. Susan Bane, another doctor with AAPLOG. "Based on the timeline and her symptoms, she should have had [the D&C procedure] done as soon as she could get to the hospital. It was medical negligence and had nothing to do with any sort of law in Georgia or elsewhere." 

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called the rhetoric around the deaths of Thurman and Miller "deadly misinformation."

"We mourn the senseless loss of Amber, Candi, and their unborn children. We agree their deaths were preventable. But let's be absolutely clear: Georgia's law and every pro-life state law calls on doctors to act in circumstances just like theirs," said Katie Daniel, SBA's state policy director. "If abortion advocates weren't spreading misinformation and confusion to score political points, it's possible the outcome would have been different."

Do pro-life states ban emergency medical care for pregnant women? 

According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, no pro-life states prevent emergency life-saving medical treatments for pregnant women, according to one research institute.

"Make no mistake: all state abortion bans currently in effect contain exceptions to 'prevent the death' or 'preserve the life' of the pregnant person,' according to KFF," Francis noted. KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation, is a leading health policy organization.

KFF outlines state laws on abortion and details what exceptions pro-life states have.

Amid reports that women have been barred from medical care due to pro-life abortion limits, the Charlotte Lozier Institute investigated the claim and found that all pro-life states allow doctors to treat women with pregnancy emergencies according to their medical judgment.

"All pro-life state laws allow doctors to exercise their medical judgment to treat women with pregnancy emergencies. No law requires 'imminence' or 'certainty' before a doctor can act to save the patient's life," read the Sept. 13 Charlotte Lozier Institute fact sheet by Tess Cox, Dr. Ingrid Skop, and Mary Harned.  

The institute found that all pro-life states allow emergency treatments during pregnancy-related emergencies, following reports of women allegedly not receiving the medical care they require in cases of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and other emergencies.

The institute found that all but five of these state laws included language allowing abortion when a woman's health was in serious jeopardy, while in states without this language, the law permits doctors to use "reasonable" medical judgment to determine if an abortion is necessary. 

"Every state with a strong pro-life law permits doctors to treat women suffering from spontaneous miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, and the treatment of these conditions is not considered an abortion under any law," the institute noted. 

"Doctors and hospitals who fail to provide patients with necessary treatment in emergency circumstances may be committing malpractice," the fact sheet noted. 

The institute cites recent cases that raise concerns that state laws may be preventing pregnant women from receiving necessary care. One woman was turned away from a hospital multiple times before an ectopic pregnancy ruptured her fallopian tube. Other articles report instances of hospitals turning away women who were suffering from ectopic pregnancies, incomplete miscarriages, premature rupture of membranes, and other circumstances.

"While it is not always easy to determine from a news article whether medical malpractice occurred, pro-life state laws are clear: Doctors can intervene in medical emergencies," the authors wrote.

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Rome Newsroom, Sep 18, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

On Sept. 17, overlooking Tuscany's Casentino Valley in Italy, Father Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General of the Franciscan Friars Minor and the 121st successor of St. Francis of Assisi, blessed the world with relics of the blood from the stigmata of St. Francis.  

The moment marked the conclusion of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata on this very spot on Sept. 17, 1224. After this profound experience, St. Francis, the first documented saint to receive the stigmata, wrote his Canticle of the Creatures while contemplating the natural beauty of this sacred place. 

Located in the Casentino Forests of Tuscany, La Verna is where St. Francis received the stigmata —some or all of the physical marks of Christ's crucifixion — during a time of deep prayer and contemplation.  

Brother Matteo Brena, Secretary for the 800th Anniversary Celebrations, highlighted the spiritual significance of the site and told EWTN News that "La Verna was a natural, untouched place in St. Francis' time, and it was here, in silence and solitude, that he came to reflect on the mystery of the cross." 

Brother Matteo explained that the natural features of the mountain, such as its rugged cliffs and splits in the rock, are believed to have formed at the moment of Christ's death, symbolizing the earth's participation in the Passion. St. Francis, deeply moved by the connection between nature and Christ's suffering, spent extended periods in prayer on the mountain, leading to the moment when he received the stigmata. 

The commemoration of the stigmata of St. Francis was marked by various spiritual events, including vigils, prayer services, and pastoral activities. The night before the final celebration, a pilgrimage took place involving a two-hour walk up the mountains in prayer, song, and reflection.  

The pilgrimage culminated in a vigil held at the sanctuary, where 200 young people gathered in prayer, led by Fusarelli. The vigil continued until dawn, offering the young people an opportunity to reflect on the wounds of Christ, seek spiritual renewal, and receive healing through confession, as they welcomed the first rays of the day — the day on which St. Francis received the stigmata. 

The culmination of the anniversary celebrations occurred on September 17, with a procession from the Basilica to the Chapel of the Stigmata. As is tradition, the faithful followed the path taken by St. Francis to the site where he received the wounds of Christ. At the chapel, the pilgrims prayed Pope Francis' prayer, invoking God's grace and mercy for all those suffering in the world today. 

Fusarelli reflected on the significance of the stigmata for the Franciscan community.  

"For us Franciscans, the stigmata are both a seal and a new beginning. They are a reminder that at the heart of Francis' life, and our lives, is Jesus Christ above all else," he said.  

St. Francis, through his intense devotion to Christ, was marked with the wounds of the crucified Jesus, a grace few have received in the history of the Church. These physical marks symbolized St. Francis' profound union with Christ's suffering and his deep humility. Brother Matteo emphasized that the stigmata are "a sign that a life spent for the Gospel, even in suffering, bears fruit." 

Hundreds of faithful, along with the bishops of Florence and Franciscan brothers and sisters, gathered for the occasion. Pilgrims came from places as far as Indonesia, Burundi, South Africa, and the United States. 

Among the many pilgrims were Marilyn and Peter Salibi from Ohio, who chose to spend their honeymoon at La Verna. Married just two days earlier on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, they came to seek healing.  

"We're here for the healing of our families, for our marriage, and for a holy life together," Peter shared, adding that they were also praying for Marilyn's recovery from Bell's palsy, diagnosed just before their wedding. 

For Marilyn, St. Francis has always held a special place in her heart. She grew close to the saint during her time at a Franciscan college, while Peter's devotion was rooted in a San Damiano cross his godmother had given him.  

When Peter shared the significance of his last name, which means "of the cross" in Arabic, Marilyn added that when she once considered becoming a religious sister after spending eight years in a community, she had asked for her name to include "of the cross." Although she was not called to religious life, meeting Peter felt like the fulfillment of that desire, as she now carries the name "of the cross" through their marriage.

Reflecting on their experience together, Peter said, "Marriage is full of beauty and joy, but also sacrifice. It's about bearing the cross together, for each other and for Christ." 

Brother Benoit from Burundi, a Franciscan studying in Rome, was also among the pilgrims. "For me, being here is something special," he said. "What happened 800 years ago feels divine, not human. The way we celebrated it touched many people, including me. It shows that the Gospel way of life St. Francis lived is still possible today." 

Raul from Mexico, walked 200 kilometers from Lausanne, Switzerland, to La Verna on foot. His journey took over 50 days, during which he faced many challenges, including physical exhaustion and wounds from the long trek. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to start fresh and be a new person," Raul shared. "Every day I woke up with strength to continue, despite my wounds. I received much more than I expected." 

Fusarelli also spoke about the current suffering in the Holy Land, a place long connected to Franciscan history.  

"Today, in the Holy Land, we witness ongoing violence and division," he said. "Yet, we as Franciscans remain present there, committed to the power of prayer and peace, even when it seems hopeless." He recounted his recent visit to Bethlehem and Jerusalem, where he saw firsthand the effects of war and conflict. "The silence in these places is profound, signaling the deep pain within the people. But we must continue to pray for peace, not only in the Holy Land but in every place where violence persists." 

The friar encouraged Christians to be "instruments of peace," following the example of St. Francis, who traveled to the Holy Land during the Crusades to seek dialogue and reconciliation. "Even when peace seems impossible, we must continue to be a voice for peace," he urged. 

La Verna is a pilgrimage site for those seeking a deeper connection with God. "This is where Franciscanism was born, and where Christianity was reborn," said Brother Matteo. Pilgrims are drawn to the mountain's quiet beauty, its historical significance, and the opportunity to reflect on the mystery of Christ's Passion. 

Though the anniversary celebrations have concluded, the spiritual journey continues for the faithful. The Holy Door at La Verna, opened for the jubilee year, will remain open until December 31, 2024, granting pilgrims a special plenary indulgence. 

Highlights of the 800th Anniversary Celebration at La Verna can be viewed in the following "EWTN News Nightly" segment:

Anthony Johnson contributed to this report.

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CNA Newsroom, Sep 18, 2024 / 11:52 am (CNA).

Severe flooding has ravaged large parts of Central Europe, claiming at least 20 lives as numerous Church institutions have suffered significant damage. 

Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Romania have been particularly hard hit. Authorities and volunteers are racing against time to fortify flood defenses.

In Austria, the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz in the Vienna Woods, one of the world's oldest continuously occupied Cistercian monasteries, was severely affected earlier this week. The stream on the monastery grounds burst its banks, flooding large parts of the area.

The Leopoldinum seminary, located on the same grounds and known for its role in priestly formation, also suffered massive damage.

"The damage is considerable," Martin Leitner, director of the seminary, told CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner, on Monday.

"All floors are destroyed, the cabinets in the refectory and breakfast room as well as all cabinets in the kitchen are soaked and need to be replaced." A complete ground-floor renovation is "unavoidable," Leitner added, noting that the full extent of the damage is still unknown.

Statue of Our Lady saved in Poland

In Poland, the historic Franciscan monastery in Klodzko was severely affected. The church interior and the entire ground floor of the baroque building were flooded. 

"It was just five steps away from reaching the first floor," monastery custodian Ignacy Szczytowski told OSV News in Polish, as reported by Domradio. He expressed gratitude that volunteers managed to save valuable items, including a baroque statue of the Virgin Mary, by moving them to higher floors.

The damage is expected to run to several million dollars.

The Polish city of Wroclaw is bracing for floodwaters that are expected to peak on Thursday. Volunteers and emergency personnel worked through the night, passing sandbags to fortify riverbanks and protect buildings.

Addressing a crisis meeting in Wroclaw, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: "A lot happened tonight. We will need urgent information from those places that received high water," Reuters reported.

In Hungary, authorities opened a dam in the northwest to channel water from the Lajta River into an emergency reservoir, protecting the city of Mosonmagyarovar, according to Reuters.

Pope Francis offers prayer for victims

Pope Francis addressed the "tragic hardships" caused by the floods during his weekly general audience on Wednesday in St. Peter's Square.

"I assure everyone of my closeness, praying especially for those who have lost their lives and their families," the pope said.

The Holy Father offered a prayer for the victims and encouraged local Catholic communities working to provide relief to those affected by the flooding.

Caritas has set up a nationwide flood hotline in Austria to provide swift assistance to those affected.

According to CNA Deutsch, Vienna's telephone counseling service reported a significant increase in calls for help.

"Our staff are volunteering at the phones to be there as pastoral counselors for all those affected," director Carola Hochhauser explained.

The counseling service is provided by both the Catholic Church and the Lutheran community in Austria's capital.

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Rome Newsroom, Sep 18, 2024 / 12:50 pm (CNA).

After more than four decades of investigation into alleged Marian apparitions at Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the head of the Vatican's doctrine office will hold a press conference Thursday about the "spiritual experience" at the Marian site, the Vatican said.

The alleged visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medjugorje occurred to six children starting on June 24, 1981, originally on a hilltop near the town.

Since they began, the alleged events and messages from Mary have been a source of controversy and division, as fame of the phenomena spread despite declarations from local bishops and Vatican authorities that there was no confirmation of their authenticity.

Devotees continued to flock to the area, however, even while Church-organized pilgrimages were banned. They were later allowed after a papal envoy found evidence of spiritual fruits for those who visited.

More than 40 years since they first claimed to have been visited by Mary, the alleged visionaries say they continue to receive messages from Mary conveying a desire for peace for the world, a call to conversion, prayer, and fasting, and certain secrets surrounding events to be fulfilled in the future.

Below is a timeline of the Catholic Church's investigations into and decisions about Medjugorje.

April 10, 1991: After local bishops formed three different commissions to study the phenomena at Medjugorje starting in January 1982, the bishops' conference of what was then Yugoslavia rules that "on the basis of studies conducted so far, it cannot be affirmed that supernatural apparitions and revelations are occurring" at Medjugorje.

March 23, 1996: Affirming the indications of the Yugoslavia bishops, the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop (later Cardinal) Tarcisio Bertone, says in a response to a letter from a French bishop that official pilgrimages to Medjugorje as a site of authentic Marian apparitions, organized at the diocesan or parish level, are not permitted.

March 17, 2010: At the request of the bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pope Benedict XVI establishes a commission chaired by Cardinal Camillo Ruini to investigate the supernatural character of the events in Medjugorje. The commission includes approximately 20 cardinals, bishops, and experts.

Jan. 17, 2014: After nearly four years of investigations into the doctrinal and disciplinary aspects of the Medjugorje apparitions, the commission formed in 2010 completes its work and submits a document, the so-called "Ruini report," to the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

June 6, 2015: Pope Francis visits Bosnia and Herzegovina but declines to stop at Medjugorje. During the in-flight press conference on the papal plane returning to Rome, the pope says the Vatican's investigation into the apparitions is nearly complete.

Sometime in 2016: The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the leadership of Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, reads and discusses the findings of the "Ruini report." The opinions of the congregation's members are then sent to Pope Francis.

Feb. 11, 2017: Pope Francis appoints Polish Archbishop Henryk Hoser papal envoy to Medjugorje "with the aim of acquiring a deeper knowledge of the pastoral situation there and above all, of the needs of the faithful who go there on pilgrimage." A Vatican spokesman clarifies that the archbishop's mandate is pastoral, and not doctrinal, in nature.

Two months after his appointment as special envoy, Hoser tells members of the press that the site bears many genuine expressions of faith, and many vocations are found there. However, he clarifies that the final determination of the apparitions' authenticity remains to be seen.

May 13, 2017: Pope Francis speaks about the commission formed by Benedict XVI in 2010 and the so-called "Ruini report" during an in-flight press conference aboard the papal plane returning from Fátima, Portugal. He says he is personally "suspicious" of the apparitions since they appear to him to turn the Blessed Virgin Mary into a "telegraph operator" delivering daily messages.

May 17, 2017: A report in the "Vatican Insider" section of the Italian newspaper La Stampa says that the 2010–2014 commission's "Ruini report" found a difference between the first seven alleged apparitions of June 24–July 3, 1981, and those that followed. The vote on the first seven alleged visions gave a mostly favorable opinion of supernaturality.

According to La Stampa, the majority of commission members also expressed an opinion that the spiritual fruits of Medjugorje were positive or mostly positive. On the supernatural character of the later alleged visions, the majority of the commission's members said an opinion could not be expressed and two members voted against.

Dec. 7, 2017: Hoser tells Catholic media outlet Aleteia that while the pope will make a final decision on the authenticity of the alleged visions at Medjugorje, "today, dioceses and other institutions can organize official pilgrimages. It's no longer a problem." 

May 31, 2018: Pope Francis reappoints Hoser, retired archbishop of Warsaw-Prague, apostolic visitor to Medjugorje, tasked with overseeing the pastoral needs of the site for an undetermined length of time. This nomination follows the archbishop's earlier role as papal envoy.

May 12, 2019: Pope Francis formally authorizes Catholics to organize pilgrimages to Medjugorje in acknowledgment of the "abundant fruits of grace" that have come from visits to the shrine, though the Church had still not issued a verdict on the authenticity of the alleged apparitions.

Aug. 14, 2021: Hoser dies in a hospital in Warsaw, Poland, after a long and serious illness. He was 78.

Nov. 27, 2021: Pope Francis names Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, a longtime Vatican diplomat, as special apostolic visitor to the parish community of Medjugorje for an indefinite period following Hoser's death.

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Rome Newsroom, Sep 18, 2024 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova via video conference on Sept. 16 to highlight the need to safeguard international human rights conventions in the Russia-Ukraine war. 

According to a Sept. 18 Holy See Press Office statement, Parolin thanked Moskalkova for her role in securing the June 28 release of two Ukrainian Redemptorist priests, Father Ivan Levytsky and Father Bohdan Geleta, following their 18-month captivity by Russian forces in the occupied city of Berdyansk.

In a Religious Information Service of Ukraine report, the two priests chose to stay with, and minister to, the Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic communities they served in Berdyansk. On Nov. 22, 2022, both were arrested by Russian military forces on charges of weapons possession.  

Pope Francis had thanked God for the release of Levytsky and Geleta during his June 29 special Angelus address on the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul. "I give thanks to God for the freeing of the two Greek Catholic priests," the pope said. "May all the prisoners of this war soon return home."

In July, Parolin met with both priests, who belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, during his July 19–24 visit to Ukraine to meet with religious and civil leaders in Kyiv and Odesa.        

During the Monday meeting, Parolin and Moskalkova discussed the need to uphold "the fundamental human rights enshrined in the international conventions."

According to an Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report published in February, more than 10,500 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and approximately 20,000 others injured since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.  The true toll is "likely significantly higher," the report said.

Other matters discussed in the Sept. 16 meeting included humanitarian issues such as assistance to Ukrainian military prisoners in Russia and the mutual exchange of soldiers detained in Russia and Ukraine. 

OSV News reported that Geleta revealed in an hourlong interview with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church's television channel Zhyve TV that the two priests were psychologically and physically tortured in a prison alongside other prisoners of war.

"[We] could also hear screams from our cell in the corridors," Geleta said in the Zhyve TV interview. "Father Ivan was beaten so severely that he lost consciousness twice." 

After regaining their freedom both priests have the desire to share their story to encourage other people who have relatives of prisoners of war to not lose hope but to turn to God in prayer. 

"The Lord God knows that even through these sufferings he leads everyone to himself. We do not know this, it is a mystery. Otherwise, a person might not be able to bear it," Geleta told Zhyve TV.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 18, 2024 / 14:10 pm (CNA).

Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Danny Meagher is already talking up the preparations for the Australian city to host the next International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.

"The Eucharistic Congress is a unique opportunity for people's hearts to be touched and their minds opened to the richness of the Eucharist, and it is the Eucharist that invites us to be part of the mission of Christ," Meagher said in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.

Sydney's designation for the meeting also reflects the desire of the archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, and the local Catholic community to revitalize the life of the Church in their country.

"We need life in the Sydney Church to flourish. We hope that it will be a great occasion of grace for all those attending, so that they return home with a true sense of grace, formed and transformed by what they have learned," Meagher said.

Catholic Church in Australia faces similar challenges to West

Despite the rich history of the Catholic Church in Australia, which began as a small Irish convict community and grew with immigration, the country faces challenges similar to those of many other Western nations.

According to Meagher, modern culture, saturated by technology and distractions, makes it difficult for people to find their spiritual center and, consequently, their relationship with God.

"We're distracted by a million different things. It's hard to find our center because we're always looking at our phone ... it's hard to find our relationship with God," he explained.

"Currently, among Catholics in Australia, I think between 10% and 15%, depending on the diocese, attend Mass every week. So it's a pretty low percentage. At Christmas and Easter the numbers increase. Some people attend once a month, others irregularly. But it is difficult to attract people and make them see the importance of our spiritual health," he acknowledged.

Faced with this reality, the prelate pointed out that the International Eucharistic Congress not only seeks to be a celebration but also a space for formation and spiritual renewal.

"The success of the congress will be measured by how we get people to appreciate and value the Eucharist, change their lives, and become part of the mission of the Church," Meagher added.

An event for the world

The auxiliary bishop emphasized the multicultural character of the Australian capital.

"Sydney is a very multicultural community," he said. "We invite people from all over the world to be part of this occasion of grace."

In addition to the theological presentations and liturgical celebrations, Meagher mentioned that the congress will include elements that connect with the hearts and spirits of those attending.

"We want the entire process to involve people, with good training and elements that touch the heart, so that the entire community participates and recognizes that we are brothers and sisters," he said.

Meagher assured that the work of the Church "will be to organize a congress of the Eucharist of the highest quality, which offers the best possible formation and which touches and enriches the hearts of the participants with the grace of God." 

"On behalf of Archbishop Anthony Fisher, I would like to welcome all people from around the world to our International Eucharistic Congress in 2028," he concluded.

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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CNA Staff, Sep 17, 2024 / 18:45 pm (CNA).

After a string of controversies and disagreements with their local Fort Worth bishop, a group of Carmelite nuns in Arlington, Texas, announced on Saturday that they are associating with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist group that is not in full communion with the Catholic Church and has a canonically irregular status.

After making a "unanimous decision," the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington, Texas, said they have "completed the final steps necessary for our monastery to be associated with the Society of St. Pius X, who will henceforth assure our ongoing sacramental life and governance," according to a Sept. 14 announcement on their website. 

Bishop Michael Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth had offered to reinstate sacramental life at the monastery if the sisters agreed to disassociate themselves from Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano`, a controversial figure whom the Catholic Church excommunicated this summer for schism following his refusal to submit to the pope or the communion of the Church. 

Olson also offered to provide a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) — a group in communion with the Church that is dedicated to the Latin Mass — to offer sacraments for the sisters, provided they also acknowledge Mother Marie of the Incarnation, the prioress of the Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity, as their superior and recognize Olson as their bishop, and remove controversial content from the monastery website.  

Mother Marie is the president of the Association of Christ the King in the United States — an association of Carmelite monasteries that the Vatican tasked with overseeing the monastery in 2023 amid the feud.

Mother Marie of the Incarnation explained in a Sept. 7 statement released by the diocese that she "extended … Bishop Olson's offer of a renewed sacramental life, according to their preferred liturgical form, but with deepest sorrow I report today that none of the sisters have made any response, either to me or to their bishop."

Olson made the offer in a July 26 letter, which Mother Marie said she shared with the sisters the following day.

"Over the past six weeks since they received this offer, the nuns have given no indication that they desire the gift of the sacraments, nor have they shown openness to any dialogue with us," Mother Marie wrote. "In addition to that, they have elected to maintain upon their website certain links and statements which manifest contempt for their bishop and which obscure their claim to being in union with Rome."

Mother Marie asked the faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth "to redouble your prayer and sacrifice for our beloved sisters of the Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity."

In a statement released on Sept. 17, Olson called the nun's rejection of leadership "scandalous," saying it "is permeated with the odor of schism."  

The monastery also announced that the nuns have reelected Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach as prioress for a three-year term. Olson had dismissed Gerlach from religious life after she was investigated for alleged sexual misconduct with a priest. 

"Sadly, the deliberate and contumacious actions of Mother Teresa Agnes and the other members of the community have taken them further down the path of disobedience to and disunity with the Church and with their own religious order that they began to embark on so many months ago," Olson said. 

Olson has since clarified that "the attempted elections were illicit and invalid" because they did not follow ecclesiastical law and the constitutions of the Order of Discalced Carmelites.  

Olson has since instructed Catholics not attend the daily Latin Mass at the monastery or offer the nuns any financial support.

"As your bishop I must plead with you … for the good of your souls you do not participate in any sacraments that may be offered at the monastery as such participation will associate you with the scandalous disobedience and disunity of the members of the Arlington Carmel," Olson said.

The sisters said in their statement that in the past few years they have found "much joy and spiritual renewal in the rediscovery of the riches of the immemorial liturgical tradition of the Church," a reference to the Latin Mass, the Roman liturgy that was used prior to the New Order of the Mass promulgated by Vatican II.

"The motto of Pope St. Pius X was: To Restore All Things in Christ," the statement continued. "Such is the case for our community as well, which has prayerfully, over a period of many years, sought to return to the fullness of our Catholic tradition and to restore all things in Christ, in both our liturgical life and in the way we live our Carmelite vocation."

"We share an affinity with the Society of St. Pius X in its emphasis on training holy, dedicated priests, willing to sacrifice all for Christ, which coincides with our own vocation of prayer and sacrifice at the heart of the Church, pouring out our lives for the Church and especially for priests," the nuns continued. 

The late French archbishop Marcel-François Lefebvre formed the SSPX in the 1970s to promote the Latin Mass, but in 1988, he illicitly ordained four bishops without the permission of Pope John Paul II, leading to his excommunication along with the four bishops. Pope Benedict XVI lifted this excommunication in 2009 in the hopes of eventually bringing SSPX back into full communion with the Church, though he explained in a letter that SSPX does not have canonical status and therefore "its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church."

SSPX takes issue with the Second Vatican Council, according to its website, which reads: "[SSPX] is governed by the magisterium of the Church, which found its expression in the councils and teaching of the popes, and in light of which the Second Vatican Council and its subsequent popes must be judged, since what was true until 1965 cannot suddenly become wrong."

Several Vatican statements in past years have cautioned Catholics against attending SSPX Masses except in serious circumstances, including 1995 and 1998 letters by Monsignor Camille Perl, then-secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. 

"The Masses they [SSPX] celebrate are also valid, but it is considered morally illicit for the faithful to participate in these Masses unless they are physically or morally impeded from participating in a Mass celebrated by a Catholic priest in good standing," read the 1995 letter by Perl. 

A 1998 letter by Perl reiterates: "It is precisely because of this schismatic mentality that this pontifical commission has consistently discouraged the faithful from attending Masses celebrated under the aegis of the Society of St. Pius X."

The nuns in April defied a Vatican decree by asking a judge for a restraining order against the parties that the Vatican had tasked with overseeing the monastery, an association of Carmelite monasteries and Olson. The April decree had entrusted the monastery to the Association of Christ the King in the U.S. and its president, Mother Marie. The Vatican instructed the nuns to accept Olson's authority, as they made a statement earlier this year rejecting his authority.

The tensions with Olson followed investigations into the monastery. Olson investigated the Reverend Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach over alleged sexual misconduct with a priest and she was dismissed from religious life by the bishop. Gerlach allegedly admitted to inappropriate sexual conduct occurring via phone and video chats but later recanted the confession saying she was recovering from surgery and medically unfit at the time she was questioned.

The monastery filed a civil lawsuit in May 2023 against the bishop that was eventually dismissed by a judge. The bishop banned daily Mass and regular confessions at the monastery, which led to the nuns to issue a statement that appeared to reject his authority in governing the monastery. 

The Vatican's letter required the monastery to accept Olson's authority and thanked Olson for his service to the Church. In June 2023, the diocese released two photographs purported to show cannabis products inside the monastery. The monastery attorney denied the allegations, calling them "ridiculous." 

"I invite the faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth to join me in prayer and sacrifice for the nuns, for the restoration of order at the Arlington Carmel, and for the return to sober obedience and union with the Church by the members of the community," Olson said in his Sept. 17 statement.

This story was updated Sept. 18, 2024, at 11:17 a.m. ET with information on the Sept. 17 statement from Bishop Olson.

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Vatican City, Sep 18, 2024 / 08:54 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Wednesday said the Catholic Church is "more alive" outside of Europe as he reflected back on his recent apostolic journey to Southeast Asia.

"A first reflection that comes spontaneously after this trip is that in thinking about the Church we are still too Eurocentric, or, as they say, 'Western,'" the pope said in St. Peter's Square on Sept. 18.

"But in reality, the Church is much bigger, much bigger than Rome and Europe … and may I say much more alive in these countries," he added.

In his first general audience since returning from the longest international trip of his pontificate, the pope expressed gratitude to God for his experiences in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore Sept. 2–13.

"I thank the Lord who allowed me to do as an elderly pope what I would have liked to do as a young Jesuit," Francis said.

The pope, who turns 88 in December, expressed his enthusiasm for the "missionary, outgoing Church" he encountered on his visit to the four island nations in Asia and Oceania.

In Indonesia, where only 3% of the Muslim-majority country's population is Catholic, Pope Francis said that he encountered "a lively, dynamic Church, capable of living and transmitting the Gospel."

The pope recalled his visit to the grounds of the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, where he signed a joint declaration with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar condemning religious-based violence and promoting religious harmony. 

"There, I saw that fraternity is the future, it is the answer to anti-civilization, to the diabolical plots of hatred, war, and also sectarianism," he said.

Pope Francis commented that the missionaries and catechists were the "protagonists" of his visit to Papua New Guinea, where the pope was welcomed by the beating drums of some of the country's Indigenous tribes who have accepted the Catholic faith.

"I rejoiced to be able to stay a while with the missionaries and catechists of today; and I was moved to listen to the young people's songs and music: In them, I saw a new future, without tribal violence, without dependency, without economic or ideological colonialism; a future of fraternity and care for the wondrous natural environment," Francis said.

The pope added that he has "a beautiful memory" from traveling to the remote coastal town of Vanimo, a jungle outpost where he said Argentine missionaries "go into the jungle in search of the most hidden tribes."

Pope Francis said that he experienced the "air of springtime" in East Timor, a small Catholic country that gained its independence from Indonesia in 2002.

He praised the Catholic country for its many large families and many religious vocations.

"I will never forget the smiles of the children," he said. "In East Timor, I saw the youthfulness of the Church: families, children, young people, many seminarians and aspirants to consecrated life."

Frequently throughout his trip, Pope Francis commended the high birth rates found not only in East Timor but also in Indonesia, saying that such high fertility rates should be an example for other countries around the world. 

On his return flight to Rome, the pope praised East Timor's "culture of life," adding that wealthier countries, including Singapore, could learn from the small country that "children are the future."

Looking back on his final stop in Singapore, the pope remarked that the modern city-state was very different from other countries he visited during his apostolic journey.

"Even in wealthy Singapore there are the 'little ones,' who follow the Gospel and become salt and light, witnesses to a hope greater than what economic gains can guarantee," he added.

Pope Francis reflected on his journey to the four tropical islands on a cloudy fall morning in Rome. The pope was quite animated as he spoke about his travels, frequently making extra comments off the cuff to the crowd. 

He underlined to the crowd that an "apostolic journey" is much different than tourism because "it is a journey to bring the Word of God, to make the Lord known, and also to know the soul of the people."

At the end of the audience, the pope offered a prayer for the victims of the recent severe flooding in Europe and encouraged the local Catholic communities who are working to provide relief to the flooding caused by Storm Boris.

"In these days, heavy torrential rains have hit Central and Eastern Europe causing victims, missing persons, and extensive damage in Austria, Romania, Czech Republic, and Poland, who have to cope with tragic inconveniences caused by the floods. I assure everyone of my closeness, praying for those who have lost their lives and their families," he said.

Pope Francis commented that there were many newly married couples who came to the general audience to receive his blessing for their marriages, with the Holy Father giving a shoutout to two Vatican employees who will be married in Vatican City this weekend.

The pope asked the Virgin Mary's intercession for the newlyweds to have the grace "to accept work and daily crosses as opportunities for growth and purification of your love."

Francis also prayed for the sick, elderly, and disabled present at the general audience.

"May Our Lady of Sorrows, whom we recalled a few days ago in the liturgy, help you, dear sick and elderly people, to grasp in suffering and difficulties the call to make of your existence a mission for the salvation of your brothers and sisters," he said.

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Caracas, Venezuela, Sep 17, 2024 / 17:20 pm (CNA).

"I believe his visit has revived the faith of our people. His visit has caused many of our Catholics to work together," said Cardinal William Goh, archbishop of Singapore, in an interview with Vatican News about Pope Francis' recent visit to the country.

"It's a very rare occasion when all Catholics come together to work side by side. All of them have been very enthusiastic and have felt that it is a great privilege to be part of this entire organizing committee, to plan and work for the success of the papal visit," he added.

For the cardinal, the papal trip will inspire the intention to "build ourselves as one Church," to unite around the figure of the bishop of Rome, and to further promote the message of the Gospel among those who need it most.

It is precisely the quest to bring the good news to all humanity that prompted the pope to visit Asia, Goh explained. An effort to make the Catholic Church "truly a sacrament of the mercy and compassion of Jesus toward others."

"I think that these types of messages, such as reaching out to the marginalized, to the poor, to those who suffer, to the vulnerable, and respecting other religions, the dignity of life, the protection of the family, and young people, respecting young people and encouraging young people to be bold, without forgetting the elderly either, all these messages that the Holy Father constantly speaks about resonate throughout the world, even for us Singaporeans," the cardinal reflected.

Furthermore, he said the country's Catholics are grateful because the pope "has rejuvenated" their faith, which in the long term will imply "a more dynamic and lively desire" for fraternity and to lead others to Jesus.

Importance of the papal trip for all of Asia

"The visit of the Holy Father, not only to Asia, but to the countries with a Catholic majority, has been very important for non-Catholics, so that the world understands the beauty of the Catholic faith," Goh emphasized.

Likewise, he said the Catholic Church is willing to welcome and respect nonbelievers and that the pope seeks to promote "the issue of dialogue, of mutual respect," especially with Asian governments that distrust the Church. This is an attitude that, the cardinal commented, helps them understand that the Church's only mission is to be "ambassadors of the mercy and love of Christ, and that we are here to help people grow" and seek the common good.

"We want peace, we want harmony, and we want people to work together and care about each other," he said.

Finally, Goh indicated that Asia "has much to contribute to the universal Church" through popular piety that "has to be guided by the Church" to purify it, lead it to a greater knowledge of its faith, and finally facilitate that people fall in love with Jesus.

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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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 17, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

A virtual campaign event designed to organize Catholic support for Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential candidacy is set to take place on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 18. 

The "Catholics for Harris-Walz National Organizing Call," which is open to the public, will be held Wednesday evening from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m. The campaign originally planned to hold the event prior to last month's Democratic National Convention, but it was abruptly canceled. Organizers at the time cited a scheduling conflict as the reason for its cancellation.

"The call will be an opportunity to hear directly from the campaign about our vision, next steps, and how you can get involved and take part in this historic moment," the event's description reads. "We will be joined by special guests and community leaders to discuss the deciding role the Catholic vote will play in the upcoming election."

A coalition of advocacy groups, including Catholics Vote Common Good, is organizing the call in tandem with the campaign. The group is part of the broader Vote Common Good nonprofit, which mobilizes various faith groups in support of progressive candidates.

Catholics Vote Common Good has already been organizing weekly phone banking on behalf of Harris' presidential campaign.

The nonprofit, along with Catholic Democrats, has also relaunched the "Catholics4Kamala" website, which briefly went offline after the original event was canceled. The website does not directly address Harris' strong support for abortion but instead states that "even on the life issue, there is an eerie silence among conservatives about the rise in abortion numbers nationally since the Dobbs decision reversing Roe v. Wade" on its "about" page.

Harris supports codifying the abortion standards set in Roe v. Wade, which would prevent states from passing laws that protect unborn life prior to fetal viability. In the Sept. 12 debate with former president Donald Trump, Harris refused to say whether she supports late-term abortion in the seventh, eighth, and ninth months of pregnancy.

More than 9,000 late-term abortions are performed in the United States annually after the 21st week of pregnancy.

The website states that a Harris presidency "looks forward to the promise of an America that embraces and celebrates our diversity among people of many races, beliefs, and genders — an America that is caring and uplifting for all, seeks to provide the opportunity for everyone to achieve their God-given potential, and brings joy back to our politics."

"Catholics are coming together to support the Harris-Walz ticket because of the threat that a second Trump presidency poses to reverse the progress against global warming, to explode the deficit with more tax cuts, to transform the Justice Department into an instrument for vindictiveness, to abandon Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty, and to hamstring our economy through a massive race-centered deportation operation," the website adds. 

Harris has advocated other positions that are contrary to Catholic teaching, such as gender ideology. As a senator, Harris also pointedly scrutinized judicial nominees for their membership in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization.

The Trump-Vance campaign launched its Catholics for Trump coalition earlier this month, which emphasizes the defense of religious liberty, traditional values, and the sanctity of human life as priorities.

A Pew poll released last week showed that a slim majority of Catholics supported Trump over Harris with the former president receiving 52% support and the vice president getting 47%. An EWTN News/RealClear poll earlier this month showed Harris with a slight lead among Catholics at 50% of the vote compared with Trump's 43%.

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