Catholic News

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CNA Staff, Sep 4, 2024 / 14:46 pm (CNA).

Morrissey, the mononymous frontman of the legendary '80s British rock band the Smiths, has sent Pope Francis a letter imploring the pontiff to condemn what the singer calls the "atrocity" of bullfighting and help bring an end to the violent sport.

Numerous activists have recently called on the pope to take a stand against bullfighting. The spectator sport has long been associated with Catholic observances in countries with Catholic majorities.

The town of Valladolid, Spain, for instance, hosts numerous bullfights as part of its annual San Pedro Regalado Fair, while the Feria de Pâques celebration in France includes bullfighting as part of its festivities.

Activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently disrupted Pope Francis' general audience with a protest against bullfighting. And Father Terry Martin, a Catholic priest from West Sussex, England, partnered this past summer with PETA in an advertisement for the Tablet denouncing bullfighting, with the priest calling for Francis to condemn it. 

In his recent letter to the pope, meanwhile, Morrissey urged the Holy Father to "condemn the sinful spectacle of bullfighting." 

"You chose the name of St. Francis — patron saint of animals and the environment — because you wish to make nature protection your legacy, but the torture, torment, and killing of bulls for sport flies in the face of his teachings and yours," Morrissey, who was raised Catholic, wrote to the pope. 

"You can never be a protector of animals while bullfighting and Catholicism are bedfellows," the singer argued.

Morrissey pointed to Pope Pius V's 1567 edict that prohibited bullfighting under the threat of excommunication. The ban was eventually relaxed, though Morrissey noted that bullfighting's popularity "has plummeted" in recent years, including in both Spain and Mexico.

Noting that the vast majority of young people are against bullfighting in Spain, the singer argued in his letter: "If the Church won't condemn this atrocity, it won't only be bulls slowly hemorrhaging but also Catholicism's relevance among young people."

Quoting his 2014 song "The Bullfighter Dies" in which he sang "We all want the bull to survive," Morrissey wrote to the pope: "Please show mercy and kindness to these animals and condemn bullfighting."

Though raised in the Church, Morrissey has described himself as a "seriously lapsed Catholic." He dressed up in mock priest attire for the music video of the 2004 song "I Have Forgiven You Jesus." In a 2018 interview, meanwhile, he argued that animal rights "must come before religion."

PETA U.K. promoted Morrissey's letter on its website, with the group saying it was "putting our faith in Pope Francis to condemn the despicable practice."

The group quoted Francis' influential 2015 environmental encyclical Laudato Si', in which the Holy Father observed that "every act of cruelty toward any creature" is "contrary to human dignity."

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Vatican City, Sep 4, 2024 / 15:16 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis praised the high birth rate of Indonesia during his first official meeting with the country's leaders on Wednesday, calling public attention to global demographics and sustainable growth policies in the Asian region.

Addressing Indonesian President Joko Widodo and civil leaders at the Istana Negara Presidential Palace Hall, the 87-year-old pontiff said the diverse nation's high fertility rate should be an example for other countries around the world. 

"Your nation has a high birth rate and please continue in this; you offer an example of this to other countries," he said candidly, deviating from his prepared speech.  

"This might make one laugh, but there are some families that seem to prefer to have a cat or dog, but this, this doesn't work," he added.

In May, Pope Francis repeated his particular concern for the "demographic winter" affecting Europe and other industrialized nations at the General State of the Birth Rate conference in Italy, warning politicians and business leaders that declining fertility rates will have dire consequences for the future.

While World Bank statistics show Indonesia's birth rates have also steadily declined from 5.5 births per woman in 1960 to 2.2 births in 2002 — reflecting the wider global trend of declining national birth rates — the Asian nation is still above the 2.1 replacement level rate of fertility required for a country to maintain its population.

Pope Francis' praise for Indonesian leaders' "work of craftsmanship" for the country's growth and development is similar to the esteem he expressed for Mongolian leaders one year ago during a visit to that country on his 43rd apostolic journey.

Last September, the pope commended the "political foresight" of Mongolian leaders to be "at the service of a common development" for the people of the country.

According to a 2015 Demographic Research article, Mongolia experienced a marked "historical fertility change" during the 1960s and 1970s due to the country's improved social and economic development and, in part, to strong pronatal government policies — which support motherhood and child health and education — implemented after World War II. 

World Bank data currently shows Mongolia has a birth rate of 2.8. Family-friendly policies, including the "Order of Maternal Glory" award that provides additional government support for mothers with four or more children, have been in effect in Mongolia since 1957. 

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has called on world leaders and policymakers to introduce laws that prioritize the needs of families, youth, and future generations.

Following his morning engagement with Indonesia's political leaders, Pope Francis attended a gathering with the young people of Scholas Occurrentes at the Centre of Graha Pemuda in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.   

"We are from different religions but we only have one God," the pope said to the children before saying a prayer at the end of the meeting. "A blessing is always a universal gesture of love — God bless each one of you. Bless all your desires. Bless your families. And bless your present and also your future." 

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 4, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis delved into the perennially fraught issue of immigration policy last week when he criticized "those who systematically work by all means to drive away migrants," saying that "this, when done knowingly and deliberately, is a grave sin."

The Holy Father has often spoken out about the plight of millions of migrants across the globe. Though his most recent remarks specifically involved the migrant situation in the Mediterranean, his words were also seen as controversial in the U.S. because of their severity and because of their timing in the middle of an American presidential election in which the issue looms large.

CNA spoke with several of the country's leading Catholic immigration experts and advocates to get their reactions. Here's what they had to say.

The bottom line: 'We need to create legal pathways'

The pope said: "We can all agree on one thing: Migrants should not be in those seas and in those lethal deserts."

U.S. Catholic immigration experts and advocates on all sides of the political spectrum agree that the current legal landscape endangers both migrants and border communities. Experts also agree that the U.S. needs to prioritize fixing the situation by creating legal pathways for migrants hoping to enter the country.

"The crucial part of what the pope said is that we need to create lawful pathways so that people don't have to undertake these dangerous journeys, and with respect to that, I concur," Andrew Arthur, a former U.S. immigration judge, told CNA.

How to accomplish that goal is where the disagreement begins.

Arthur, currently a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, believes that "if the intention is to recognize the humanity in those people, but at the same time, in the course of doing so, to ameliorate the harm that they are suffering, simply opening the doors and letting them all in isn't the answer."

He noted that "as anybody who actually knows anything about the subject will tell you," the trek to arrive at the U.S. southern border, for example, is "deadly in every way you can imagine." 

"A majority of people who are smuggled to the southwest border are abused physically in some way; just fewer than a third of all women coming illegally are sexually abused," he said. "So, it's incumbent on governments, including this one, not to create an 'attractive nuisance' that encourages people to undertake a deadly trek to this country."

"Pope Francis here is really saying: If you attempt to repel these people, you're going to make them suffer, you're going to make it more likely that they're going to die. And there is logic to that argument," Arthur went on. "So together with our international or regional partners, it's incumbent upon the United States to craft a policy to ensure the people are safe but also to ensure that the laws are enforced."

"The United States has the right, as a sovereign nation, to put restrictions on the number of people and which people it allows in each year, and nobody would dispute that. And I don't think the pope and his statements are disputing them," Arthur said. 

Message to U.S. Border Patrol agents: 'You're doing good work'

In the view of Paul Hunker, a former ICE counsel turned immigration attorney in Dallas, the U.S. currently "does not allow enough legal immigration."

"One of the points Pope Francis has been making, and I totally agree with it, is that welcoming the stranger is not only something in justice and charity we should do, but it's good for our country," Hunker said.

"Our system needs a big reform of its immigration laws to facilitate a lot more legal immigration," Hunker told CNA.

"Our immigration laws can make it really hard for someone who may have a small immigration violation to get their green card, even if they've been married many years, even if they have a lot of kids. Sometimes they can't get it at all because of past illegal entrance or immigration problems," he explained.

However, Hunker said he did not think the pope was making "a categorical statement about border protection and border walls in general." 

"I would tell my friends in Border Patrol that you're doing good, noble work, and I don't think Pope Francis would say otherwise," he said. "I think what the pope is saying is something that I've written and talked about: We need a system that allows people to present their claims … This doesn't mean everyone should be let into the country, but we need to have a system to allow people to make those claims and claim protection."

The pope's message was a 'Gospel-based cry for humanity'

Dylan Corbett, executive director of an El-Paso-based Catholic nonprofit the Hope Border Institute, called the pope's message a "deep, Gospel-based cry for humanity and compassion for people who need to migrate."

"This is the voice of Peter, calling the world's attention to God present in those who are displaced because of poverty, war, and violence," Corbett said.

Corbett said he recently accompanied several bishops from North and Central America and the Caribbean to visit the Darien Gap, a key crossing point for migrants from Central America traveling northward.

"I was inspired by the commitment and moral urgency of the bishops, who were clearly transformed by the humanity and hope of people migrating there. These are people who have been completely abandoned by governments and the international community," Corbett said. 

"As a faith community, our response to migration in our day is part of how we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God who calls us to compassion, and to build a world worthy of his love for the poor," he said. "For those with the privilege and responsibility to vote, we bring the demands of the Gospel when we go to the voting booth, we bring the suffering of the poor, the needs of families and the unborn, and we bring our hopes and aspirations for a more just world."

Not so black and white

Edward Feser, a Catholic philosopher and professor at Pasadena City College, told CNA that the pope's comments "must be read in light of the long-standing teaching of the Church."

"As St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas taught, though we have duties to all our fellow human beings, our strongest and most immediate obligations are to those who are closest to us, such as our own families and countrymen," he said. "Hence, when nations enforce their immigration laws, there is nothing in this that is necessarily at odds with Catholic teaching. On the contrary, the catechism backs them up on this."

Feser explained that the catechism states that nations are obliged to take in immigrants "to the extent they are able" and that nations may put "juridical conditions" on immigration. 

However, Feser said there are sometimes "cases where a nation should forgo its right to deport those who enter it illegally," such as in cases that would break up families or return migrants to dangerous conditions in their home countries.

"Governments should take account of this when formulating and enforcing policy," he said. "But that doesn't mean that deportation as such is wrong, but only that governments must be careful about the manner in which it is carried out.

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Budapest, Hungary, Sep 4, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The historic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer, in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, was ravaged by arson on the night of Sept. 2.

The suspect, a multi-recidivist who has attempted to set fire to numerous places of worship in the past, was apprehended a few hours after the blaze was brought under control.

According to local authorities, the fire started at around 4 a.m. It then spread to the side and central aisles, then to the roof and bell tower, which rapidly collapsed. The fire was contained by 7:15 a.m. thanks to the efforts of 120 firefighters.

While no injuries were reported, some 60 local residents living near the building were evacuated as a precaution.

The initial investigation revealed that a 39-year-old individual allegedly broke into the premises, smashing a stained-glass window. Arrested and taken into police custody on the evening of Sept. 2, the suspect, identified as Joël Vigoureux, is said to have been convicted on numerous occasions of similar acts of destruction by fire in recent years.

While the images released by the media showed only the metal skeleton of the church steeple and the exact extent of the damage has yet to be determined, the intervention of the parish priest, Father Sébastien Roussel, enabled the rescue of the Blessed Sacrament and some 20 other religious artifacts, including the reliquary bust of St. Corneille.

"With the authorization and under the supervision of the firefighters, I was able to enter the church when the fire was under control to take what is most important, namely the ciborium in the tabernacle at first, then several statues and elements of the liturgical furniture," he told CNA. 

In another interview, Roussel added that "the stained-glass windows, particularly the beautiful ones in the choir, dedicated to Mary, are not too damaged."

Of neo-Gothic inspiration, the church was completed in 1859 and was completely renovated by the municipality in 2018 at a cost of 5 million euros. 

Quoted in Le Figaro, the president of the Hauts de France region, Xavier Bertrand, assured that his administration "will be at the side of the town of Saint-Omer for the reconstruction, to see this heritage brought back to life."

The French outlet also reported that a meeting was held Tuesday at the town hall and attended by the architect who coordinated the renovation and prefectural officials to rapidly envisage the reconstruction, which is nevertheless expected to take several years.

A time of prayer in front of the church will be held Wednesday followed by a Mass celebrated by the bishop of Arras, Olivier Leborgne, at the Basilica of Notre-Dame-des-Miracles in Saint-Omer.

The images of the flames devouring the roof and steeple of the monument that has turned into an open-air church continue to generate anger and consternation on social media, not least because of their over-familiarity.

In recent years numerous iconic Catholic structures in France — including Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris — have been severely damaged by fire. On July 11, the spire of Rouen Cathedral also caught fire, with firefighters quickly bringing the blaze under control.

On July 12, the Observatoire du Patrimoine Religieux, an association working to preserve and promote France's religious heritage, told AFP that 27 churches had been burnt down in 2023 and 12 in the first six months of 2024. Attacks on religious monuments in recent years account for approximately 90% of the 1,000 or so anti-Christian acts recorded annually by the country's Ministry of Interior.

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Jakarta, Indonesia, Sep 4, 2024 / 09:37 am (CNA).

Pope Francis met with Indonesian bishops, priests, and members of the Catholic community on Wednesday at Jakarta's Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, urging them always to share "the joy of encountering Christ" with respect for the country's great ethnic and cultural diversity.

"Proclaiming the Gospel does not mean imposing our faith or placing it in opposition to that of others … but giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone," the pope said on Sept. 4.

"I invite you always to keep yourselves open and friendly to all … 'hand-in-hand' as … prophets of communion, in a world where the tendency to divide, impose, and provoke each other seems to be constantly increasing."

Pope Francis expressed hope that more of the teachings of the Catholic Church will be translated into Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia, to "make them accessible to as many people as possible."

Hundreds of religious sisters packed inside the cathedral joyfully cheered as Pope Francis arrived inside. Sister Aurelia, who entered religious life five years ago in Indonesia with the Sisters of Notre Dame congregation, told CNA that she could die happy if she got the chance to meet the pope.

"I'm very excited. … I want to cry actually," the sister said. "If I meet him … Jesus, you can call me now."

In the cathedral, a priest, a nun, and two catechists shared testimonies with the pope, reflecting on the joys and difficulties of serving in a diverse country where Catholics represent only a small minority.

Sister Rina Rosalina spoke to the pope about the challenge of ministering in a country where more than 700 languages are spoken. 

"Unfortunately, due to distance and language barriers, sometimes we have difficulties studying the documents issued from Rome. Despite the efforts of our bishops, translations can take a long time and even when they are completed, approval for those translations take their time in Rome," the sister said.

"We bring this to your attention, Holy Father, so that we in this distant country can be more perfectly united and in harmony with the universal Church."

The 87-year-old pope appeared full of energy as he joyfully joked and responded to each of the testimonies on his first day of public appearances in his 11-day tour of four countries across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

"The long journey must have been tiring, but we are joyful that you are here with us," Bishop Antonius Franciskus Subianto Bunyamin, president of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference, told the pope.

"Your presence brings hope not only for the Indonesian Catholic community … but also for the diverse Indonesian nation consisting of approximately 1,300 ethnic groups and peoples."

In his speech, Pope Francis praised the local Church's charitable efforts and spoke about the importance of having compassion for one's neighbors.

"Compassion does not cloud the true vision of life. On the contrary, it makes us see things better, in the light of love," he said.

The Sisters of Notre Dame congregation, which runs schools, hospitals, and orphanages across Indonesia's many islands, brought more than 100 members to Jakarta to see the pope.

As eager Catholics stood outside the cathedral waiting for hours to greet the pope, the sound of the Muslim call to prayer could be heard issuing from the Istiqlal Mosque located across the street, where Pope Francis will take part in an interfaith meeting with the Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar on Thursday in the country that is home to 242 million Muslims.

Baso Darmawan, a Catholic from Bogor, Indonesia, told CNA that living alongside his Muslim neighbors can also be an everyday reminder of faith.

"With the Muslims praying five times a day, sometimes I use their prayer call as a reminder for me to pray the Angelus or the Office of the Hours because the time is similar to our times to pray," Darmawan said.

The Catholic Church in Indonesia, while a minority representing about 3% of the population, still has 8.3 million members. According to the latest Vatican statistics, the Church is supported by 5,903 priests, 50 bishops, 9,658 religious sisters, and 14,724 lay missionaries. Additionally, the Church is nurturing its future leaders, with 4,024 major seminarians and 3,945 minor seminarians currently in training.

Father Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, deputy secretary for the Archdiocese of Jakarta, described the Catholic Church in Indonesia as vibrant.

"If you come and visit Indonesia's Catholic churches on Sunday, the Church is packed. People are coming to the Church not only on Sunday," he said, but also are very involved in religious activities in their parishes.

Pope Francis' meeting at the cathedral concluded with a prayer of the Hail Mary followed by the pope imparting his blessing on the congregation. Before leaving, Pope Francis briefly visited the square adjacent to the cathedral, where he offered a blessing to the faithful gathered there.

As his day in Jakarta comes to a close, the 87-year-old pope will also take time to meet with young people involved in Scholas Occurrentes before returning to the Apostolic Nunciature to rest.

"Dear brothers and sisters, I would like to conclude these reflections by repeating what St. John Paul II said when addressing bishops, clergy, and religious during his visit here several decades ago," Pope Francis told the local Catholics.

Francis noted how John Paul II had quoted Psalm 96, "Let the many islands rejoice," during his 1989 visit and invited Indonesian Catholics to put it into practice by "'bearing witness to the joy of the Resurrection and in giving your life so that even the most distant islands may 'rejoice' at hearing the Gospel, of which you are authentic preachers, teachers, and witnesses.'"

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 4, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis delved into the perennially fraught issue of immigration policy last week when he criticized "those who systematically work by all means to drive away migrants," saying that "this when done knowingly and deliberately, is a grave sin."  

The Holy Father has often spoken out about the plight of millions of migrants across the globe. Though his most recent remarks specifically involved the migrant situation in the Mediterranean, his words were also seen as controversial in the U.S. because of their severity and because of their timing in the middle of an American presidential election in which the issue looms large.

CNA spoke with several of the country's leading Catholic immigration experts and advocates to get their reactions. Here's what they had to say.

The bottom line: 'We need to create legal pathways'

The pope said: "We can all agree on one thing: Migrants should not be in those seas and in those lethal deserts."

U.S. Catholic immigration experts and advocates on all sides of the political spectrum agree that the current legal landscape endangers both migrants and border communities. Experts also agree that the U.S. needs to prioritize fixing the situation by creating legal pathways for migrants hoping to enter the country.

"The crucial part of what the pope said is that we need to create lawful pathways so that people don't have to undertake these dangerous journeys and with respect to that, I concur," Andrew Arthur, a former U.S. immigration judge, told CNA.

How to accomplish that goal is where the disagreement begins.

Arthur, currently a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, believes that "if the intention is to recognize the humanity in those people, but at the same time, in the course of doing so, to ameliorate the harm that they are suffering, simply opening the doors and letting them all in isn't the answer."

He noted that "as anybody who actually knows anything about the subject will tell you" the trek to arrive at the U.S. southern border, for example, is "deadly in every way you can imagine." 

"A majority of people who are smuggled to the southwest border are abused physically in some way, just fewer than a third of all women coming illegally are sexually abused," he said. "So, it's incumbent on governments, including this one, not to create an 'attractive nuisance' that encourages people to undertake a deadly trek to this country."

"Pope Francis here is really saying: If you attempt to repel these people, you're going to make them suffer, you're going to make it more likely that they're going to die. And there is logic to that argument," Arthur went on. "So together with our international or regional partners, it's incumbent upon the United States to craft a policy to ensure the people are safe, but also to ensure that the laws are enforced."

"The United States has the right, as a sovereign nation, to put restrictions on the number of people and which people it allows in each year, and nobody would dispute that. And I don't think the pope and his statements are disputing them," said Arthur. 

Message to U.S. Border Patrol agents: 'You're doing good work'

In the view of Paul Hunker, a former ICE counsel turned immigration attorney in Dallas, the U.S. currently "does not allow enough legal immigration."

"One of the points Pope Francis has been making, and I totally agree with it, is that welcoming the stranger is not only something in justice and charity we should do, but it's good for our country," Hunker said. "Our system needs a big reform of its immigration laws to facilitate a lot more legal immigration," Hunker told CNA.

"Our immigration laws can make it really hard for someone who may have a small immigration violation to get their green card, even if they've been married many years, even if they have a lot of kids. Sometimes they can't get it at all because of past illegal entrance or immigration problems," he explained. 

However, Hunker said he did not think the pope was making "a categorical statement about border protection and border walls in general."  

"I would tell my friends in Border Patrol that you're doing good, noble work, and I don't think Pope Francis would say otherwise," he said. "I think what the pope is saying is something that I've written and talked about: We need a system that allows people to present their claims … This doesn't mean everyone should be let into the country, but we need to have a system to allow people to make those claims and claim protection."

The pope's message was a 'Gospel-based cry for humanity'

Dylan Corbett, executive director of an El-Paso-based Catholic nonprofit the Hope Border Institute, called the pope's message a "deep, Gospel-based cry for humanity and compassion for people who need to migrate."

"This is the voice of Peter, calling the world's attention to God present in those who are displaced because of poverty, war, and violence," Corbett said.

Corbett said he recently accompanied several bishops from North and Central America and the Caribbean to visit the Darien Gap, a key crossing point for migrants from Central America traveling northward.  

"I was inspired by the commitment and moral urgency of the bishops, who were clearly transformed by the humanity and hope of people migrating there. These are people who have been completely abandoned by governments and the international community," said Corbett. 

"As a faith community, our response to migration in our day is part of how we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God who calls us to compassion, and to build a world worthy of his love for the poor," he said. "For those with the privilege and responsibility to vote, we bring the demands of the Gospel when we go to the voting booth, we bring the suffering of the poor, the needs of families and the unborn, and we bring our hopes and aspirations for a more just world." 

Not so black and white

Edward Feser, a Catholic philosopher and professor at Pasadena City College, told CNA that the pope's comments "must be read in light of the longstanding teaching of the Church."  

"As St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas taught, though we have duties to all our fellow human beings, our strongest and most immediate obligations are to those who are closest to us, such as our own families and countrymen," he said. "Hence, when nations enforce their immigration laws, there is nothing in this that is necessarily at odds with Catholic teaching. On the contrary, the Catechism backs them up on this."

Feser explained that the Catechism states that nations are obliged to take in immigrants "to the extent they are able" and that nations may put "juridical conditions" on immigration. 

However, Feser said that there are sometimes "cases where a nation should forgo its right to deport those who enter it illegally," such as in cases that would break up families or return migrants to dangerous conditions in their home countries. 

"Governments should take account of this when formulating and enforcing policy," he said. "But that doesn't mean that deportation as such is wrong, but only that governments must be careful about the manner in which it is carried out.

Full Article

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Budapest, Hungary, Sep 4, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The historic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer, in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, was ravaged by arson on the night of September 2.

The suspect, a multi-recidivist who has attempted to set fire to numerous places of worship in the past, was apprehended a few hours after the blaze was brought under control.

According to local authorities, the fire started at around 4:00 a.m., It then spread to the side and central aisles, then to the roof and bell tower, which rapidly collapsed. The fire was contained by 7:15 a.m., thanks to the efforts of 120 firefighters. 

While no injuries were reported, some sixty local residents living near the building were evacuated as a precaution.

The initial investigation revealed that a 39-year-old individual allegedly broke into the premises, smashing a stained-glass window. Arrested and taken into police custody on the evening of September 2, the suspect, identified as Joël Vigoureux, is said to have been convicted on numerous occasions of similar acts of destruction by fire in recent years. 

While the images released by the media showed only the metal skeleton of the church steeple, and the exact extent of the damage has yet to be determined, the intervention of the parish priest, Father Sébastien Roussel, enabled the rescue of the Blessed Sacrament and some twenty other religious artifacts, including the reliquary bust of Saint Corneille. 

"With the authorization and under the supervision of the firefighters, I was able to enter the church when the fire was under control to take what is most important, namely the ciborium in the tabernacle at first, then several statues and elements of the liturgical furniture," he told CNA. 

In another interview, Father Roussel added that "the stained-glass windows, particularly the beautiful ones in the choir, dedicated to Mary, are not too damaged".

Of neo-Gothic inspiration, the church was completed in 1859 and was completely renovated by the municipality in 2018, at a cost of five million euros. 

Quoted in Le Figaro, the president of the Hauts de France region, Xavier Bertrand, assured that his administration "will be at the side of the town of Saint-Omer for the reconstruction, to see this heritage brought back to life."

The French outlet also reports that a meeting was held Tuesday at the town hall, attended by the architect who coordinated the renovation and prefectural officials, to rapidly envisage the reconstruction, which is nevertheless expected to take several years.

A time of prayer in front of the church will be held Wednesday, followed by a Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Arras, Olivier Leborgne, at the Basilica of Notre-Dame-des-Miracles in Saint-Omer.

The images of the flames devouring the roof and steeple of the monument that has turned into an open-air church continue to generate anger and consternation on social media, not least because of their over-familiarity.

In recent years numerous iconic Catholic structures in France — including Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris — have been severely damaged by fire. On July 11, the spire of Rouen Cathedral also caught fire, with firefighters quickly bringing the blaze under control.

On July 12, the Observatoire du Patrimoine Religieux, an association working to preserve and promote France's religious heritage, told AFP that 27 churches had been burnt down in 2023 and 12 in the first six months of 2024. Attacks on religious monuments in recent years account for around 90% of the 1,000 or so anti-Christian acts recorded annually by the country's Ministry of Interior.

Full Article

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Jakarta, Indonesia, Sep 4, 2024 / 02:00 am (CNA).

On Pope Francis' first full day of public appearances in Indonesia on Wednesday, the pope called upon the political leaders of the world's largest Muslim country to protect the country's delicate balance of many cultures and religions by respecting the human rights of all, including minorities.

"In order to foster a peaceful and fruitful harmony that ensures peace and unites efforts to remove the imbalances and suffering that still persist in some areas of the country, the Church desires to increase interreligious dialogue," Pope Francis said in his opening speech on Sept. 4.

The pope was welcomed to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta by a grand ceremony at the Merdeka Palace, official residence of the Indonesian president. The ceremony marked the start of the pope's highly anticipated 11-day visit to four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Children waved flags and cheered as the pope's car approached the palace. The 87-year-old pope was then pushed in a wheelchair to the palace entrance, where he was received by President Joko Widodo and saluted by an honor guard dressed in red and white.

The first visit by a pope to Indonesia in three decades comes at a pivotal moment for the Southeast Asian country, which is home to the world's largest Muslim population. Pope Paul VI visited Indonesia in 1970, and Pope John Paul II in 1989.

Pope Francis and President Widodo met privately on the veranda of the presidential palace after the welcome ceremony.

Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who assumes office on Oct. 20, was also present to welcome the pope.

Since Prabowo's election earlier this year, concerns have arisen regarding his human rights record and the future of Indonesia's democracy.

In the pope's speech to roughly 300 local authorities, civil society representatives, and members of the diplomatic corps gathered at the palace, Francis commended Indonesia's efforts to maintain religious harmony in such a diverse society and underlined the need for the preservation of human rights for all.

"Your national motto Bhinneka tunggal ika (United in Diversity, literally Many but One) captures well this multifaceted reality of diverse peoples firmly united in one nation," Pope Francis said.

With approximately 229 million Muslims — constituting 87 percent of the population — Indonesia presents Pope Francis with the opportunity to strengthen Muslim-Catholic relations.

The Indonesian government officially recognizes six religions: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Pope Francis' trip is seen as a reaffirmation of the Catholic Church's commitment to interfaith dialogue and promoting religious harmony.

"It is a work of craftsmanship — I repeat, craftsmanship — entrusted to everyone, but in a special way to those in political life, who should strive toward harmony, equity, respect for the fundamental rights of human beings, sustainable development, solidarity  and the pursuit of peace, both within society and with other peoples and nations," Francis said.

"The Catholic Church is at the service of the common good and wishes to strengthen cooperation with public institutions and other actors in civil society, but never proselytizing, always in respect for others, therefore I encourage the formation of a more balanced social fabric and ensure a more efficient and equitable distribution of social assistance," he added.

Praise for Indonesia's Demographics and Family Values

The pope also commended the country's high birth rate, joking that in the West, some families "prefer to have only a cat or a little dog" to children. "In this, you offer an example to other countries," he said.

As President Widodo approaches the end of his second and final term, the meeting also served as a moment for reflection on Indonesia's trajectory in fostering religious tolerance.

Indonesia emerged from more than 350 years of Dutch colonial rule to declare independence in 1945. Since then, the country has navigated the complexities of religious pluralism, sometimes facing challenges in upholding the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. Instances of religious intolerance, bureaucratic hurdles for minority religions, and corruption are reminders of the ongoing work required to fulfill the country's vision of "unity in diversity."

Pope Francis said: "Sometimes violent tensions arise within countries because those in power want to make everything uniform, imposing their vision even in matters that should be left to the autonomy of individuals or associated groups."

"In this regard, I make my own the words of Saint John Paul II during his 1989 visit to this very palace," Francis added.

"Among other things, he said: 'In acknowledging the presence of legitimate diversity, in respecting the human and political rights of all citizens, and in encouraging the growth of national unity based on tolerance and respect for others, you lay the foundations for that just and peaceful society which all Indonesians wish for themselves and long to bequeath to their children.'"

After the formal meetings, Pope Francis returned to the Apostolic Nunciature for a private meeting with Jesuits from the region.

In the afternoon, Pope Francis will visit Indonesia's bishops and the local Catholic community in Jakarta's Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which is located across the street from the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, where the pope will take part in an interfaith meeting on Sept. 5.

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CNA Staff, Sep 3, 2024 / 12:08 pm (CNA).

Arthur James Gregg, a convert to the Catholic faith who held the distinction of being the first black American to achieve the rank of lieutenant general in the U.S. Army, died last month at 96. 

According to an obituary published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Gregg died on Aug. 22 in Richmond, Virginia.

Born in South Carolina in 1928, Gregg enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946 and served in a variety of roles both at home and overseas, including in Germany and Vietnam, until 1981.

During his tenure, he received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. 

A convert to the Catholic faith, Gregg joined the Church at age 15 after being raised Methodist. He attended St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College) in Atchison, Kansas. 

In 2023 he told the Leaven, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, that Catholicism "helped me to live my life better."

"It's a very practical religion," he said "It does not appeal a lot to the emotions, but to practical life experience."

"I've enjoyed my Catholic experience," he added.

Late in his life Gregg gained further distinction when the U.S. Naming Commission opted to rename Fort Lee in Virginia after him in 2023. The base was originally named for Confederate leader Robert E. Lee. 

Fort Gregg-Adams was also renamed after Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley, the highest ranking black woman to serve as an officer in World War II. The Virginia fort is the first American military base to be named after African Americans. 

Until his death, meanwhile, Gregg was the only living person with a U.S. military base named after him.

Gregg and his wife Charlene McDaniel were married for 56 years until she died in 2006; they had two daughters together and Gregg had another daughter from a previous relationship. 

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CNA Staff, Sep 3, 2024 / 13:16 pm (CNA).

St. Anthony's Catholic Parish in rural Michigan is expanding its Catholic ministry for Hillsdale College students by more than doubling the space for students to gather and pray at a place called The Grotto. 

The Grotto, an off-campus home and chapel owned and operated by St. Anthony's, is often overflowing with students who visit for Mass, prayer, speakers, and community events. Twelve years after its founding, heads of the ministry have decided it's time to expand. 

"It is so long overdue," said Ben Hufford, director of campus ministry for St. Anthony's. "The Grotto as a ministry functions very well with the weekly events and open hours that we currently have, but we just don't have the space for everyone who wants to come to those events."

"I hear regularly from students that they'd like to be able to come to Mass, Convivium, or adoration, but they just feel that there won't be enough space for them to sit, or even to stand," Hufford noted.  

Hillsdale College has a vibrant Catholic community of students, and St. Anthony's, a neighboring parish to the college, has welcomed about 15-20 college students into full communion with the Catholic Church every Easter in recent years.

Hillsdale is a non-sectarian Christian liberal arts college featuring many active faith groups on campus including "Catholic Society." This year, it was ranked as the #1 most religious college student body by the Princeton Review.

"Faith is a serious concern at the college," Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, told CNA. "Our Catholic students are a blessing to us, and Protestant students are a blessing to us, and their cooperation makes a larger blessing."

"Because the College stands for civil and religious freedom alongside the Christian faith, this cooperation places us in a position to make that point more strongly," he continued. "I have always seen that as a major advantage. I see it more now than ever." 

The Grotto is traditionally staffed by a husband and wife alumni duo, who welcome students into the first floor of their home during open hours and events throughout the day. They work with St. Anthony's to host frequent daily Mass and confession at The Grotto, and coordinate with the student leadership of the "Catholic Society" — Hillsdale College's Catholic student group — to host dinners, small groups, and talks.

"For many years, The Grotto has been a place for students to gather and grow in faith," Arnn noted. "Its growth will be a blessing to our campus."

Father David Reamsnyder, pastor of St. Anthony's, which supports and coordinates the ministry, says he is grateful for the "problem" of too many students and too little space. 

"It is a blessing to witness the flourishing of our campus ministry at a time when many young adults are losing their faith," he said in an Aug. 27 press release by St. Anthony's. 

"Living in The Grotto is really special, it's such a grace to us to have the Blessed Sacrament present downstairs in our house!"  said Hufford, who currently lives in The Grotto with his wife, Shelby — both alumni of Hillsdale College. "It's also great to get to see all the students who come through our door every day and to get to know the new faces at the beginning of the year."  

"College is the time when many students are making their faith 'their own,' and deepening their relationship with Christ and his church," Hufford added. "St. Anthony's and The Grotto give students the sacramental opportunities and community that they need to grow in their faith."

"The Grotto has become a home for Catholic students at Hillsdale, a place where they can grow spiritually and build lasting friendships with one another — and even more so with Our Eucharistic Lord, present in the tabernacle," Reamsnyder noted. "However, we must expand to ensure that we can serve every student who wishes to attend our events and pray before the Lord."

St. Anthony's parish is fundraising with a goal of $1.2 million for the project, with a "significant lead gift" that has already been pledged. Ministry leaders hope to build additional gathering spaces for events, including a larger chapel for Mass and adoration, more meeting areas for students, and an expanded kitchen. A donor is matching all gifts by the dollar up to $150,000 until Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

Kelly Cole, a St. Anthony's parishioner and fundraising volunteer for The Grotto, says that a larger space is "the only answer." 

"Students are missing out on sacraments and formation opportunities because if they don't get there early enough, there won't be a place to sit or even stand," Cole said. "We've had students standing outside of open windows to hear talks. Students are kneeling all throughout the first floor of The Grotto to attend Mass — two living rooms, kitchen, dining room, entry way."

The only private space available for confession is the kitchen, which has access to the bathroom — so while confessions are underway, there's no bathroom to use, Cole explained.  

The new renovation is set to include 1,500 additional square feet of gathering space for lectures, events, and overflow seating for Mass, a small chapel to fit up to 75 comfortably, and private areas for confession, spiritual direction, and small groups. The new Grotto will also feature an expanded kitchen for preparing meals for more than 150 students, as well as a partial basement for game nights and social events and even a large foyer for coats, shoes, and backpacks.

The ministry house is essentially comparable to a Newman Center, "even though we're not associated with any national organization," Cole noted. 

Cole, who joined the Catholic Church in the early 2000s when she was a senior at Hillsdale, says that The Grotto has "always been crowded since its earliest days."

"The building is simply an old, family home with a downstairs bedroom serving as a chapel," she noted.  

But the humble structure is a beloved part of Hillsdale's Catholic community. 

"The year I entered the church, there were three of us college students and the parish was so excited to have three of us," she said. "Now we've been having 15-20 regularly for several years."

Cole also praised the culture at Hillsdale's non-sectarian Christian campus.

"The way that Protestants and Catholics come together in all sorts of ways at the college — staff and students — is such a testament to the college's emphasis on freedom of religion while also upholding the importance of Christendom and our Judeo Christian heritage," she noted.  

"Hillsdale is amazing for having so many devout Christians who do much to inspire one another whatever the denomination, but when you see other Catholics making an effort to get to daily Mass or pray the Rosary daily or talking about their spiritual growth through adoration, it does so much to encourage you in your own Catholic life," Cole added.  

More than 15 Hillsdale alumni have become fully professed religious, while almost a dozen are in formation for religious life. 

"I received so much from St. Anthony's. I received so much from Hillsdale College," said Father Michael DiPietro, a Los Angeles archdiocese priest who graduated from Hillsdale in 2014. "Hillsdale was where my vocation was discerned. Hillsdale was where that vocation was fostered in a lot of ways. Don't underestimate the value of the college ministry or of the parish in helping to cultivate that."

Hufford says that the project won't change the character of The Grotto — just increase its accessibility. 

"We aren't really trying to dramatically change what The Grotto is, instead we're just trying to have enough space for the students who want to attend the events that are already happening," he explained. 

To read more about The Grotto expansion project, visit here. For more visuals on The Grotto's future growth, visit here.

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