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ACI MENA, Mar 1, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

Marking 10 years since ISIS swept into Mosul and the towns of the Nineveh Plain, EWTN News, in collaboration with its sister agency covering the Middle East and North Africa, ACI MENA, has released a documentary delving into the roots of Christianity in Iraq, its history dating back nearly 2,000 years, and how Christians there have survived despite attempts to erase their presence.

The documentary, "Persecuted Christians in Iraq: An EWTN News Special," premiered Feb. 28 at 8 p.m.

Through a dialogue with Father Mazin Mattoka, president of the Monastery of the Martyrs Mar Behnam and Marth Sarah, a Syriac Catholic monastery in northern Iraq, the documentary showcases some of the monastery's history, dating back to the fourth century A.D., including its sculptures and historical murals, many of which were destroyed by ISIS, especially the crosses.

In the documentary, Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil highlights what he calls the ongoing "dialogue of life" between Christians and Muslims since the late seventh century with the arrival of the conqueror, and the role Christians played in enriching the Arab civilization by translating texts of philosophy, mathematics, medicine, and other Greek sciences, first into Syriac and then into Arabic.

The archbishop discusses the choices ISIS put before Christians: Convert to Islam, pay the jizya (protection tax), or leave, noting that while paying the jizya might have been acceptable in the eighth century, it is no longer the case in the 21st century.

Archbishop Benedictus Younan Hano of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul highlights the suffering of Christians from forced displacement and their deep pain from feeling marginalized in their country, without a place of refuge, unprotected, feeling betrayed and let down as they lose their towns, homes, and churches, becoming refugees in their own nation.

In the film, Hano clarifies that ISIS' targeting was not limited to Christians but affected all components of Iraq — everyone was at risk and subject to persecution.

Several Christians from the Nineveh Plain provide testimonies in the film of their painful experiences during ISIS' occupation and during the series of events that followed the 2003 incidents, which created a political, social, and religious vacuum that allowed armed groups with extremist ideologies to occupy that space, as explained by former member of the Iraqi Parliament Khalis Esho.  

Several young volunteers who served the displaced in Ankawa-Erbil during the crisis share their experiences and lessons in the film as well.

Father Raed Adel, head of the Syriac Catholic Churches in Mosul, recalls Pope Francis' courageous historic visit to the city in 2021, attributing the active reconstruction movement to that visit.

For his part, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, the Chaldean patriarch, expresses the relief and great hope that Pope Francis' visit instilled in all Iraqis, noting: "It was three days free from attacks and problems, and everyone followed the visit with joy."

In the documentary, Sako also emphasizes the importance of solidifying the state of citizenship to enhance trust in the future and ensure human rights, justice, and equality.

The new documentary briefly covers some of the scars left by the events of 2014, still deeply etched in the Christian villages and towns, but according to witnesses and leaders in the film, these places remain vibrant with life and filled with the remaining Christians who are rooted in their faith and homeland, proud of their heritage, steadfast and clinging to the land of their ancestors, determined to rebuild, develop, and continue to be beacons of light in the darkness.

"Persecuted Christians in Iraq: An EWTN News Special" can be viewed below:

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CNA Newsroom, Mar 1, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis' clinical condition remains stable after Friday's bronchospasm episode that caused vomiting and sudden respiratory deterioration, according to a Holy See Press Office statement released Saturday evening.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been alternating between noninvasive mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, the Vatican communiqué stated.

Medical updates indicate the Holy Father remains fever-free with no signs of infection in his blood work. His vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate, continue to be stable. The statement also highlighted that Pope Francis has maintained a healthy appetite and is actively participating in breathing exercises prescribed by his medical team.

Vatican officials confirmed the pope has not experienced further bronchospasm episodes. He remains "alert and oriented" and received the Eucharist Saturday afternoon, after which he dedicated time to prayer.

The statement concluded by noting that "the prognosis remains reserved," suggesting doctors are still cautious about the pope's recovery timeline.

The Holy See Press Office confirmed earlier today that, as with the previous two Sundays, the text of the Angelus will be distributed in written form tomorrow rather than delivered by the pope in person.

According to Vatican sources, the pontiff's breathing is improving, though his overall condition remains complex. The situation regarding his pneumonia is described as stable.

Francis prayed for approximately 20 minutes in the chapel near his room on the 10th floor of Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he is receiving treatment. The pope reportedly remains in good spirits and has been informed of the many prayers being offered for him.

Further medical details may become available tomorrow, Vatican sources indicated.

Marco Mancini contributed to this report.

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Vatican City, Mar 1, 2025 / 13:50 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis spent another restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

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CNA Newsroom, Mar 1, 2025 / 09:20 am (CNA).

The Ward and Kathy Fitzgerald Franciscan University Homeland Mission (FUHM) officially opened Feb. 28 in Washington, D.C., to be "the spiritual home away from home for Franciscan students," according to Stephen Catanzarite, executive director of Franciscan University Encounter. The initiative of Franciscan University of Steubenville (FUS) seeks to "leverage the university's academic, administrative, and evangelizing resources to extend its mission and impact far beyond its Steubenville, Ohio, campus."

The event at the FUHM facility was held for students, alumni, and guests to hear from speakers about the program's mission and receive a tour of the center.

Opening remarks were presented by Catanzarite, who said: "The programs and the events that we will offer here are really meant to challenge and prepare our students, alumni, and others to work for and to help promote systematic change in our federal government."

FUHM will house groups of students in D.C. who travel from the university in Steubenville.  The facility has bedrooms for students, a faculty wing, multiple kitchens, a common area to gather, and an on-site chapel. 

Ambassador Andrew Bremberg, a graduate of FUS who worked for the first Trump administration, said the "initiative is not just an expansion of Franciscan University. It is a bold step forward, informing faithful Catholic leaders who will serve our country and the Church in a time of great need."

"Now, so many more students will have an opportunity to take the Franciscan formation that we cherish and bring it into the heart of our nation's capital. Because we are not meant to keep the light of Christ hidden under a basket. We are called, as St. John Paul II often reminded us, to bring the Gospel into every aspect of public life."

"We are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. It is not just a program. It is a launch for faithful Catholics to serve in government, law, media, public policy, every sphere where our presence is needed," Bremberg said. 

Presenters clarified that FUHM is not just an initiative for those studying political science but an opportunity for all Franciscan students.

Student speaker Amelia Abdalla said the Homeland Mission is for "students of any major, of any aspiration, nation, to have a home in this historic city, hopefully inspiring them to bring their gifts here to serve the common good in a very real and tangible way. And Washington needs what we have to offer."

"Please know that not only is the gift of this beautiful property, valued with appreciation, but we understand it also to be a call to action, an invitation to leave one hill empowered to serve another."

Catanzarite said the program will begin to bring students to D.C. "the week after next."

He explained: "We're going to have a group of engineering students that are going to come … to learn about how to go up to Capitol Hill to advocate for funding for science, and then they will get meetings on Capitol Hill as part of that stay."

"It's very important to know, again, that this is an interdisciplinary endeavor," Catanzarite said.

Ward Fitzgerald, CEO of ExCorde Capital, and his wife, Kathy, are the main benefactors of the mission and gave $10 million to build FUHM.

"It's really a gift for us to be able to give to a place like Franciscan," Fitzgerald said. He explained that he wanted to create FUHM for young students to "seek the truth" because "we are innately built to seek the truth by our nature and to seek, ultimately, God."

Fitzgerald highlighted the amount of "charitable works" students will be able to do now that FUHM is offering them a place in D.C.

"If you build a house in El Salvador and you're a young person, they have one house," he said. "If you come to Washington, you can create a policy to help the poor to build 10,000 houses."

The presentation concluded with remarks from FUS president Father Dave Pivonka, TOR. 

"Obviously, one particular hill has not been hidden, but it's time for the rest of the world to hear a little bit more about the city of the hill that we live in Steubenville," he said. "There are other larger Catholic universities. There are other larger universities much more well known than us. And yet, for one reason or another, Franciscan University is the one who's being called at this time, at this place, for this purpose."

"We're probably not the most powerful, but we are the ones who are willing and brave enough to step up," he concluded.

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Vatican City, Mar 1, 2025 / 03:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis spent another restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

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CNA Staff, Mar 1, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

After a public outcry this month from disability advocacy groups and constituents, a group of state attorneys general has walked back plans to push a judge to declare unconstitutional a key federal rule that protects students with disabilities from discrimination.

The coalition of 17 state attorneys general, led by Texas, had in September asked a district court judge to declare unconstitutional Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which has for decades prohibited discrimination against otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Among other things, the rule requires equal access and accommodations for people with Down syndrome in various settings where funds are coming from the federal government, such as education, employment, and health care.

At issue for the attorneys general is a new provision finalized by the Biden administration in May 2024 that stated — based on a 2021 appeals court ruling — that "gender dysphoria" may be treated as a disability under Section 504, based on "individualized determinations" of how the condition affects a person physically or mentally.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is leading the lawsuit, contends that the rule requires all recipients of federal funding to "allow bathroom usage, pronoun usage, and dress codes to be based on 'gender identity' rather than biological sex."

The lawsuit had originally requested that the courts declare the entirety of Section 504 unconstitutional and issue permanent injunctive relief against its enforcement.

However, after outcry from groups such as the National Down Syndrome Society, the attorneys general on Feb. 19 clarified that they did not intend to challenge the constitutionality of the entirety of Section 504 — only the "gender dysphoria" provision, in light of President Donald Trump's recent executive action ordering the removal of all gender ideology guidance, communication, policies, and forms from governmental agencies. That portion of the lawsuit challenging the gender dysphoria provision will continue.

For his part, Paxton argued Feb. 18 that "no funding for existing disability programs or any person's rights covered under existing plans under the Rehabilitation Act will be reduced by the lawsuit" but rather would prevent the federal government from pulling Texas funding for "disability programs, Medicaid, or public-school funding just because Texas doesn't allow men in women's restrooms."

"Despite a misinformation campaign, Texans should know that from the very beginning, this lawsuit has not sought to take away the protections for anyone currently covered under the Rehabilitation Act but to protect them from federal attempts to strip their funding due to any refusal by Texas to abide by a 'gender-identity' mandate," Paxton said.

'Encouraged to welcome'

Sister Dale McDonald, PBVM, vice president of public policy at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), told CNA that although Catholic schools in the U.S. are generally not direct recipients of federal financial assistance, they are expected to make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities that don't create undue financial strain or fundamentally alter the curriculum.

"504 does not provide any funds to any school or agency. Public and private schools must use their own resources to make accommodations. Public schools are required to use their state and federal funds to make need accommodations," she explained.

McDonald also clarified that requirements under Section 504 are distinct from federal programs to assist students with disabilities such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), both of which do not provide direct aid to schools; instead, program funds are distributed to the local public school district and private schools will negotiate with the district about what services they will provide for the private school students or teachers. Very few Catholic school students receive IDEA support, McDonald said, because the funding "is too little to serve very many."

NCEA data shows that at least three-quarters of U.S. Catholic schools report having students with a diagnosed disability, McDonald continued.

"Given our mission and understanding of Gospel values to include Chrisitan hospitality, Catholic schools are encouraged to welcome students with disabilities who could access the curriculum with some accommodations," she stated.

Leo Zanchettin, chairman of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD), told CNA in an email that the NCPD is continuing to research the implications of the lawsuit and plans to "respond more fully at a later time." The NCPD recently released an online series on welcoming and serving people with disabilities in Catholic schools.

The NCPD is, "of course, opposed to any action that would revoke protections for persons with disabilities as protected under Section 504," Zanchettin noted.

"We do object, however, to including gender dysphoria as a protected disability under the provisions of Section 504. Such an inclusion would place on those who serve the young — especially the young with disabilities — unjust obligations to violate their deeply-held religious beliefs regarding the truth of the human person," he said.

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Vatican City, Feb 28, 2025 / 03:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis spent another restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:

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Vatican City, Feb 28, 2025 / 03:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis spent another restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:

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Madrid, Spain, Feb 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Trinitarian Order was established in the Middle Ages to free Christian captives held by Muslims during the Crusades. Today, in a context of "modern crusades," where Islamic fundamentalism continues to persecute Christians for their faith, the Trinitarians remain a beacon of hope for those who remain firm in their commitment to Christ.

"Ocho Siglos Después" ("Eight Centuries Later") is a documentary that gives a voice to this suffering and puts a face on forgotten Christians in places like Syria, Nigeria, or northern India but who are not losing hope thanks to the "silent" help offered by Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT, by its Spanish acronym), a nongovernmental organization founded by the Trinitarian family 25 years ago.

The documentary by Fascina Producciones was screened Feb. 25 at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid by the vicar general of the order, Father Antonio Aurelio, and the film's director, Alfredo Torrescalles. The event was moderated by Spanish television host Ana Rosa Quintana and was also attended by the apostolic nuncio to Spain, Archbishop Bernardito Auza.

Persecuted Christians in Syria, Nigeria, and India

The documentary captures the apocalyptic atmosphere that looms over the Syrian city of Aleppo, where a small group of Christians abandoned to their fate, most of them elderly, have been struggling every day to survive since the war broke out in 2011.

The support of the Trinitarians reaches every corner of these humble homes, located in desolate neighborhoods destroyed by bombs, thanks to the help of other "angels" who are on the ground, such as Father Hugo Alaniz of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.

A woman who has been bedridden for 13 years or a man who must raise his son with Down syndrome and who, clutching his little rosary, thanks God for his life, are some of those featured in the film, which first focuses on Syria.

In Nigeria, the devastating testimonies of the women who were able to escape the clutches of the terrorists of the jihadist group Boko Haram show how terror has been perpetuated in their communities and their hearts. These Christians find refuge and help in the midst of desperation thanks to the Catholic Church and the work of SIT.

From Africa, the documentary turns to northeastern India, where many young people are being forced to leave their homes as a result of clashes between the Hindu Meitei people and the Christian Kuki tribal people.

Trinitarians say the ethnic conflict has become a religious one and that the Christian community has no support from the government, which is determined to limit religious freedom and prohibit evangelization.

Aurelio emphasized that the documentary is not about the Trinitarians but about showing the reality faced by the people they help. "We are not altruists, we are Christians," he said, noting that the Trinitarians are discreet and "work quietly."

For Aurelio, "the help that can be given to persecuted Christians is very complex, because the problem these people have is not a matter of needing material aid but of their very existence. We want to inform people about their situation and their suffering, because what is not made known does not exist," he emphasized.

"The message of this documentary is not for them, it is for us. They are Christians like us, why are they abandoned? Why aren't we paying any attention to them? Why aren't we helping them? Why aren't we speaking publicly about this persecution? Why don't we feel close to them? Our concrete objective as Trinitarians is for these people to not feel alone," the vicar general of the Trinitarian Order underscored.

The documentary's director, Alfredo Torrescalles, shared how much he was impacted by filming this documentary, especially in places like Syria. "I think the work that the Trinitarians do is essential, really shines, and is very necessary, but I fear that people will end up becoming desensitized to these tragedies. We have to make an effort to find a way to reach the population and touch their hearts," he said.

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, Feb 27, 2025 / 17:20 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

New Jersey governor to bring abortionists to state

The New Jersey governor's new budget proposal includes $52 million to fund abortion, reproductive health, and family planning, including a $2 million incentive program designed to bring "reproductive health care providers" to the state. 

In his remarks for the 2026 budget on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy made clear the initiative was designed to bring abortionists and others from pro-life states. He said the program would attract reproductive health care providers "targeted by politicians elsewhere." 

Murphy also pledged to stockpile abortion pills during his State of the State address in January.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey applauded the budget, praising the governor for his continued funding of reproductive health services that "are vital for empowering individuals to make informed choices about their bodies and futures." 

But New Jersey Right to Life Executive Director Marie Tasy condemned the abortion funding, saying that "the lives of 59,700 future New Jersey citizens extinguished in just one year weighs heavy on our hearts, as does every single abortion." 

Iowa bill would inform women about abortion pill reversal 

Iowa legislators proposed an informed-consent bill on abortion pills that requires clinics to inform women that chemical abortions are reversible.

The bill would require clinics to inform women — via both signage and a consent form — that medication abortion is reversible and that it's not always effective in ending a pregnancy. Women would also need to be informed of the common risks associated with medication abortion. Clinics would need written consent before administering a medical abortion, except in medical emergencies. 

A chemical abortion takes place via a two-pill regimen. The first pill, mifepristone, kills an unborn child by blocking the hormone progesterone, cutting off the child's supply of oxygen and nutrients. The second pill, misoprostol, is taken between 24 to 48 hours after mifepristone to induce contractions and expel the child's body.

Progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone, can be used to reverse the effects of the first pill, mifepristone, if taken shortly after. 

Proponents of the bill maintain that women deserve to know the various risks of chemical abortion, including hemorrhage, infection, ongoing pregnancy, and missed ectopic pregnancy, while opponents say that medication abortion is safe and has low mortality and complication rates. 

Iowa also introduced a second bill, which would make it unlawful to manufacture or dispense abortion pills. 

Chemical abortions account for nearly three-quarters of abortions in Iowa. 

Delaware bishop to march against physician-assisted suicide

The bishop of Wilmington, Delaware, is leading the opposition against a physician-assisted suicide bill that is back in the Delaware Legislature by heading a march on the state capital. 

The legislation would legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill adults that doctors have determined have six months or fewer left to live, allowing them to "request and self-administer medication to end the individual's life" provided that attending health practitioners "believe the individual has decision-making capacity, is making an informed decision, and is acting voluntarily." 

Delaware's former governor John Carney, a consistent opponent of assisted suicide, vetoed the physician-assisted suicide bill last September. But the state's new governor, Matt Meyer, quickly promised to sign a physician-assisted suicide bill if it reaches his desk.  

In response, Bishop William Koenig is inviting Catholics to march against the bill when legislation sessions resume. Koenig and others will march on the Legislative Hall in the state capital on March 11 after celebrating Mass at 8 a.m. at Church of the Holy Cross in Dover. 

Koenig has asked Catholics to call on their state lawmakers to vote against the bill. The diocese, which spans Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland, has asked Catholics to oppose assisted suicide laws in both states.

While Maryland has other Catholic lobbies, Koenig noted that in Delaware "we are the only Catholic voice to lobby our legislators."

In an action alert urging Catholics to contact their legislators, the Diocese of Wilmington called the bill "a slippery slope" that could target "vulnerable individuals — such as the elderly, disabled, or those experiencing depression."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder" and "gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and the respect due to the living God, his Creator" (No. 2324). This teaching was reaffirmed in the 2020 Vatican document Samaritanus Bonus. Pope Francis has spoken frequently against euthanasia and assisted suicide and in favor of palliative care.

Delaware's General Assembly has considered the legislation four times since 2019.

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