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Madrid, Spain, Feb 4, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The bishop of Orihuela-Alicante in Spain, José Ignacio Munilla, warned about the theories spread by Father Pablo d'Ors that suppose a "syncretistic conception of Christianity and Buddhism" and a "crazy interpretation of the Gospel."

At the request of a group of religion teachers, the Spanish prelate refuted the approach that the priest, founder of the Friends of the Desert association, presented at the first Ibero-American meeting for religion teachers held in Madrid in May 2022 titled  "Jesus of Nazareth, Teacher of Consciousness."

Munilla began by explaining the central idea of ??d'Ors' presentation: "We know Jesus through the Scriptures and from the tradition of the Church, but his thesis is that we have to forget all that, because this knowledge we have of Jesus confuses us more than it enlightens us: We have to deconstruct, like start from scratch, to know Jesus."

The prelate specifically noted that d'Ors advocates that "in the 30 years of hidden life, Jesus most likely did not remain in Nazareth but went to India or other countries where he learned Eastern wisdom" in such a way that he can be described as "a yogi."

For Munilla, this position constitutes "an assumption that arises from the projection of an ideology onto Jesus, or a syncretistic theory between Christianity and Buddhism, which, as it has no basis in the Gospels, has to force a crazy interpretation of the Gospel."

"To affirm that Jesus' wisdom comes from his stay in India or Tibet before beginning his public life at 30 years of age is a lack of respect for the Gospels and also hides other errors, for example an erroneous conception of Christology," he added.

In this regard, he pointed out that to affirm that "it doesn't seem reasonable to maintain that Jesus learned this wisdom directly from God his father" as d'Ors claimed, clashes head-on with the Scriptures, as in the Gospel according to St. John (5:19-20; 7:16-17, or 12:49).

For the prelate, the priest "projects onto Jesus his claim to fuse Christianity and Buddhism, and for that he needs it to be true that Jesus' wisdom does not come from the Father but from India or Tibet."

"In no way is there room to extract from the Gospels the nonsense that Jesus was a yogi. Because, in addition to being false, it represents a great Christological error," Munilla emphasized.

Secondly, with regard to d'Ors' statements, the prelate addressed the idea expressed by the priest in his bestseller "Biography of Silence" that "Jesus is a wise man who helps us to know ourselves and to discover that within us is all the truth, goodness, and beauty to which man aspires."

Munilla explained that "the Gospel does not record a word from Jesus that says 'whoever has seen me has seen himself.' The Gospel says: 'Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.' Jesus is the one who reveals the Father. Knowing God intimately is a supernatural knowledge that God reveals."

This error about revelation leads to a third affirmation that, according to the bishop, is contrary to Catholic doctrine.

D'Ors said that "we call this metaphor of the kingdom of God unitary consciousness. We are one. Let all be one as you in me and I in you, says Jesus. A non-dual unitary consciousness."

In response to this, Munilla recalled that "the Christian faith proclaims that our encounter with God is a personal encounter, one on one," which implies a duality.

"If it were unitary, we would be [entering into] Buddhism because there is no concept of a personal God with whom you speak, but rather everything is reduced to reaching a state of nirvana in which you encounter yourself and the entire universe," he explained.

For the prelate, the proposal to get beyond the biblical paradigm of the personal God, also defended by authors such as Jesuit Father Xavier Melloni, is equivalent to "denying the most specific aspect of the Judeo-Christian revelation," which involves the covenant of love with a personal God and tries to reinterpret Christianity in an effort "to fuse Christianity and Zen in the parameters of the New Age."

This claim, he added, "cannot be carried out without seriously betraying the uniqueness of Christianity, without emptying it of content, without turning one's back on the very ontology of Jesus Christ."

The bishop of Orihuela-Alicante encouraged people to delve deeper into these issues by reading the document from the Spanish Bishops' Conference "Theology and Secularization in Spain" as well as "Jesus Christ, Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the New Age," prepared by the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

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, Feb 4, 2025 / 11:10 am (CNA).

Several prominent Catholic thinkers and policy experts are backing a new pro-family policy agenda on the future of technology.

Ethics and Public Policy Center President Ryan T. Anderson, author and University of Notre Dame professor Patrick Deneen, and Princeton University's Robert P. George are among the 28 signatories of the declaration on technology, "A Future for the Family: A New Technology Agenda for the Right."

Published in First Things magazine on Jan. 29, the declaration serves as a mission statement for a broader initiative, "A Future for the Family," sponsored by several prominent pro-family think tanks, including the Institute for Family Studies, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, the Foundation for American Innovation, and the Heritage Foundation.

"A new era of technological change is upon us. It threatens to supplant the human person and make the family functionally and biologically unnecessary. But this anti-human outcome is not inevitable," the statement reads. "We must enact policies that elevate the family to a primary constituency of technological advancement."

The statement offers 10 "guiding principles" for using technology to serve families instead of "military, bureaucratic, and corporate purposes." Among them are calls to "respect the natural cycle of mortality," to promote natural fertility methods, and to safeguard human sexuality from societal ills such as pornography, child sex abuse materials, and other AI-generated sexual content. 

The statement's authors also called for measures to combat addictive software on smart devices, especially for children, increased data protection in legislation, promotion of technologies "that enhanced human skill and improve worker satisfaction," and more projects that encourage "cultivation of the natural world." 

"To undermine the family is to undo the future," the statement concludes. "To strengthen the family is to fill the future with possibility, invention, and hope."

Additional signatories include Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, University of Notre Dame law professor and Ethics and Public Policy Center fellow O. Carter Snead, and First Things editor R.R. Reno.

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Baltimore, Md., Feb 4, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Opponents of assisted suicide in Delaware and the rest of the United States are mobilizing against the reconsideration of a bill in the First State that would legalize so-called "medical aid in dying" (MAID). Opponents warn that the proposed law would "corrupt [the medical] profession by encouraging doctors to be handmaidens to suicide."

House Bill 140 was narrowly passed by Delaware's legislature in 2024 but was vetoed by then-Gov. John Carney. However, his successor, Matt Meyer, voiced his support for the bill prior to his election as the state's new chief executive. The legislation now has its best chance to become law due to the shift in the governor's office.

Then-candidate Meyer voiced support for the bill on Facebook less than a week after Carney's veto: "Everyone deserves the right to a compassionate and humane end to life's journey when faced with a terminal illness. I stand with those who support medical autonomy and the right to die with dignity and, if elected, will make this law." The Democratic politician repeated his position after taking the oath of office on Jan. 21, saying: "There was a bill that went through the state House and state Senate last year that I do support."

Three days after Meyer took office, the Diocese of Wilmington posted an "Action Alert" stating: "Our opposition is rooted in the Church's belief in the sanctity of life and the dignity of the individual, both of which are objective and nonnegotiable truths and principles of our faith."

The statement added that the legislation, if passed, "would fundamentally change Delaware's legal approach to medical ethics, medical practice, and health care decision-making."

In an email to CNA, diocesan spokesman Robert Krebs indicated that the diocese is "disappointed that physician-assisted suicide is once again before the Delaware legislature. ... We invite Delawareans to contact their legislators and ask them to protect the most vulnerable in our community." 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church condemns euthanasia as "morally unacceptable" (No. 2277). Pope Francis reaffirmed the Catholic Church's condemnation of the practice in a message to an interfaith symposium on palliative care in May 2024: "I would point out that authentic palliative care is radically different from euthanasia, which is never a source of hope or genuine concern for the sick and dying."

Last week, both supporters and opponents testified before the House Health and Human Development Committee. Delaware Right to Life president Moira Sheridan participated in the Jan. 26 hearing and warned of the dire consequences that would follow passage: "Just mentioning death as an option, which is required by this law if you have a terminal diagnosis ... makes one feel unwanted and is itself a subtle form of coercion."

Sheridan later decried that committee's move to squeeze public comments into the final 15 minutes of its two-hour hearing. Fewer than 10 people were able to testify.

The committee cleared H.B. 140 by an 8-1 vote after the hearing. The bill now moves on to consideration by the full House, which will likely approve the legislation. During the last session, the chamber passed it by a mostly partisan 21-16 vote.

Jessica Rodgers of the Patients Rights Action Fund decried the committee's move, stating that "it is deeply disappointing that committee members chose to ignore disability rights activists and medical professionals who warned them of the dangers we see in states with assisted suicide policy."

Past failures to legalize 'medical aid in dying'

Since 2019, Delaware's General Assembly has considered the controversial legislation four straight times. The measure would allow "a terminally ill individual who is an adult resident of Delaware to request and self-administer medication to end the individual's life in a humane and dignified manner" under certain conditions. 

Each time, Democratic members of the Delaware General Assembly have introduced the bill without any Republican co-sponsors. Following its approval by the House last year, the state Senate conducted two votes on the proposed law. The chamber deadlocked on the first vote. However, a week later, the Senate passed the bill by the narrowest of margins — 11-10. 

The legislation took another two months to reach the governor's office. Last September, then-outgoing chief executive Carney vetoed H.B. 140. At the time, Carney underscored that he has "consistently opposed a state law that would allow physician-assisted suicide. ... I am fundamentally and morally opposed to ... enabling someone, even under tragic and painful circumstances, to take their own life."

Currently, 10 states — California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington — along with the District of Columbia have MAID laws that allow physician-assisted suicide. So far this year, similar bills have been introduced in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire (which, like Delaware, rejected it in 2024), and New York.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 3, 2025 / 18:10 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Church's service to migrants and refugees has come under scrutiny after Vice President JD Vance criticized the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in a televised interview as the administration continues to crack down on illegal immigration.

"I think that the [USCCB] needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million [from the federal government] to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns or are they actually worried about their bottom line?" Vance asked rhetorically in a Jan. 26 interview on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Without directly referencing Vance, the USCCB issued a statement that same day defending its partnership with the federal government on resettling refugees, noting that the people they serve through the refugee resettlement program are "vetted and approved … by the federal government while outside of the United States."

"In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs," the statement read. "Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church."

In light of this debate, here's an explainer to shed light on the USCCB's efforts to serve migrants and its partnership with the federal government.

How much taxpayer money does the USCCB receive?

In recent years, the USCCB has received more than $100 million annually from the federal government to support migration and refugee services. 

A large portion of funding comes from grants through the federal U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) to help resettle refugees who have been vetted by the federal government. This is the program the bishops referenced in their statement. 

The USCCB also gets federal funding through other programs. These include the Refugee and Entrant Assistance program, which is meant to support migrants and help them attain self-sufficiency. The bishops' conference also receives federal money from the Unaccompanied Alien Children program, which is meant to support migrant children who enter the United States without a parent or guardian or are separated from their parents or guardians. 

The amount of money the USCCB receives fluctuates from year to year and from administration to administration, but the conference has partnered with the federal government on the issue for four and a half decades.

According to the USCCB's audited financial statements, federal funding covered more than 95% of what the conference spent on refugee and migrant programs in recent years. The USCCB has spent slightly more on these services than what is covered by federal funding, according to the financial statements.

In 2023, the most recent year reported, the USCCB spent more than $134.2 million on these services with federal grants covering more than $129.6 million of the spending. In 2022, the USCCB spent nearly $127.4 million after getting nearly $123 million from the government.

Federal funding in those two years was much higher than it was in President Joe Biden's first year in office and throughout most of President Donald Trump's first term. 

The USCCB received just over $67.5 million in federal funds in 2021, about $47.8 million in 2020, slightly more than $52.7 million in 2019, and a little under $48.5 million in 2018. Each year, the conference spent about $5 million more than what was covered by the grants. During Trump's first year in 2017, the grant funding was higher — at just over $72.3 million — and the USCCB spending on these services was more than $82.2 million.

During President Barack Obama's tenure, federal grant funding for the USCCB's programs that support refugees and migrants fluctuated from below $70 million to above $95 million.

Where does the money go? 

The USCCB directs the bulk of its federal grant funding to affiliate organizations that provide migration and refugee services, such as Catholic Charities. 

According to the USCCB Committee on Migration, the Catholic refugee resettlement network includes more than 65 affiliate offices throughout the United States. The bishops self-report that the USCCB and its Migration and Refugee Services help resettle about 18% of refugees who enter the country every year.

Numerous affiliates are located near the border with Mexico, where many people seeking legal refugee status cross into the United States. The committee's website states, however, "there is no evidence or research to support the claim that … services provided by Catholic organizations incentivize unlawful migration."

Some of the services provided through the funding include food, clothing, shelter, employment, and assistance in assimilating to their new community, including lessons in English as a second language. Some organizations also offer legal services to migrants to provide free assistance with legal issues related to immigration status and travel for refugees accepted into USRAP.

Apart from refugee resettlement, the USCCB also uses federal grants to assist unaccompanied refugee minors through work with its affiliates. This includes foster care services for migrant children and family reunification programs that work to reunite children who are separated from their families during migration. 

The USCCB also operates several programs with the help of its affiliates that are intended to combat the human trafficking of migrants, which includes initiatives focused on preventing forced labor and sexual exploitation.

Although a significant portion of this work is supported by federal grants, the committee website emphasizes the USCCB "does not profit from its participation" in these programs, noting that the conference spends more money on these initiatives than it receives from the government. Both the USCCB and Catholic Charities are nonprofit organizations.

Policy disputes and federal funding

Enhancing border security and deporting immigrants who entered the country illegally are two of the top issues on which the newly inaugurated President Donald Trump focused his campaign and presidency.

Officials in the new administration have not only focused on changing federal immigration policy but have also criticized nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that provide migrant services, which include Catholic nonprofits affiliated with the USCCB.

One of Trump's first-day executive orders was to suspend refugee admission through USRAP. The following week, the White House ordered the heads of federal departments and agencies to halt federal funding to NGOs that could be implicated by the executive orders.

Although it is still unclear to what extent this will affect funding for Catholic NGOs, Catholic Charities USA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson issued a statement that urged the president to reconsider the freeze.

"The millions of Americans who rely on this life-giving support will suffer due to the unprecedented effort to freeze federal aid supporting these programs," Robinson said. "The people who will lose access to crucial care are our neighbors and family members. They live in every corner of the country and represent all races, religions, and political affiliations."

Patrick Raglow, the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, told "EWTN News In Depth" on Friday that "our approach is to be present to those that come our way, so we are [supportive of] the individual that finds their way to Catholic Charities."

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CNA Staff, Feb 3, 2025 / 12:50 pm (CNA).

Several hospitals have suspended child transgender programs after the Trump administration moved to restrict what the White House describes as the "chemical and surgical mutilation" of young people. 

President Donald Trump last week issued an executive order restricting transgender surgeries and drugs for youth, with the president vowing that the United States "will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support" the controversial procedures.

Among other measures, the order directs that every federal agency that offers "research or educational grants" to medical institutions must ensure that those institutions are not administering transgender drugs to, or performing transgender procedures on, youth.

On Thursday the Associated Press reported that multiple major hospitals throughout the U.S. have paused some of those medical practices following the White House's order. 

Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., "paused prescriptions of puberty blockers and hormone therapy" for transgender-identifying youth there in response to the directive, the news wire reported. The hospital "already did not perform gender-affirming surgery on minors."

Farther south, the health system at Virginia Commonwealth University and the Children's Hospital of Richmond both paused medication and surgeries for minors who believe they are the opposite sex. 

Denver Health in Colorado has likewise paused "gender-affirming surgeries," the wire said. 

Some other hospitals indicated to AP that they would continue offering those procedures for now. Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital said after Trump's order it was "assessing any potential impact to the clinical services we offer to our patient families."

The White House order last week also moved to end the use of what it calls "junk science" promoted by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). 

That organization has come under fire for endorsing what critics have called the "pseudoscience" of transgenderism, with an internal leak last year revealing its members admitting that children are too young to fully understand the consequences of such procedures. 

The president last week also issued an order to end "radical gender ideology" in the military, reversing former President Joe Biden's directive that allowed soldiers who identify as transgender to serve in the armed forces.

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Bangalore, India, Feb 3, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has expressed condolences over the tragic death of at least 30 Hindu pilgrims and over 60 injured in a stampede Jan. 29 at the city of Prayagraj (Allahabad) in the northern Uttar Pradesh state.

"Kumbhmela" (meaning "festival of the sacred pitcher") is the largest single gathering in India. Occurring once every 12 years, it sees millions flock to Prayagraj for prayers and a holy dip at the confluence spot of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and the mythologized Saraswati River, all considered sacred in Hinduism.

According to organizers, this year's six-week-long festival that began in mid-January is estimated to draw 400 million Hindus to Prayagraj, 340 miles south of New Delhi.

"It is heartbreaking to witness such a calamity during a sacred event that draws millions in devotion," said CCBI President Cardinal Filipe Neri at the Jan. 30 opening session of the bishops' assembly. The Catholic event is attended by 204 prelates from 132 Latin-rite dioceses in India.

"In this time of mourning, we, the bishops of India, unite in prayer for the departed souls and their loved ones. May God grant strength to the grieving families, healing to the injured, and eternal rest to those who have passed away," Neri said.

This is not the first deadly stampede at the Kumbhmela. Over 800 pilgrims were trampled or drowned in 1954, while 42 people were killed in a stampede at the Allahabad railway station in 2013. 

Earlier on Jan. 30 during a morning Mass, Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad requested a special Mass intention for the stampede victims.

The annual CCBI assembly is being held for the first time in the eastern Odisha state at the Jesuit Xavier University at Bhubaneswar, the state capital.

Local diocese assists police responding to crisis

Father Babu Francis, the social services director of the Diocese of Allahabad where the deadly incident took place, told CNA that responding to a request from the government, the diocese opened its four educational institutions around the "holy dip" confluence area for the police to rest.

"Many of the police on duty have been brought from distant places and they cannot afford to go and return to this crowded area. So, we have obliged the government request," Francis told CNA.

Meanwhile, the CCBI assembly also observed the "Martyrs' Day" on Jan. 30 with Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the apostolic nuncio to India, garlanding a statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion.

The "Martyrs' Day" observance in India marks the day Mahatma Gandhi — known as "Father of the Nation" — was assassinated in 1948.

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Lima Newsroom, Feb 3, 2025 / 13:50 pm (CNA).

A recent article published by the Spanish newspaper El País reported an accusation of alleged sexual abuse against Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani that supposedly occurred in 1983 when he was a priest incardinated in Opus Dei. The cardinal has denied the accusation.

Born in Lima in 1943, Cipriani was ordained a priest of Opus Dei in August 1977. He was incardinated in the prelature until May 1988, when he was named by St. John Paul II as auxiliary bishop of Ayacucho, a diocese that was then at the epicenter of terrorism by the Shining Path maoist guerilla group.

In May 1995, he was named archbishop of that ecclesiastical see and in January 1999 he was named archbishop of Lima. In February 2001 he was created a cardinal, becoming the first cardinal formed in the Opus Dei apostolate.

In January 2019, Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Lima when he turned 75. Following his resignation, Cipriani withdrew from the Peruvian public scene, in which he had been active since his years as a bishop.

However, last week his name turned up in the media again due to the article in El País. Below is a chronology of the case involving the Peruvian archbishop.

The accusation published by El País

On Jan. 24, the Spanish newspaper published an article claiming that Pope Francis had forced Cipriani to resign as head of the Archdiocese of Lima due to an accusation of inappropriate touching that he allegedly committed in 1983 with a teenager who is now 58 years old.

According to the newspaper, ecclesiastical sources in Lima stated that the alleged victim wrote a letter to Pope Francis in 2018. In addition, this person claims that he reported the abuse to Opus Dei when it happened but that the prelature did nothing.

Cipriani's first defense

On Jan. 25, Cipriani published a letter responding to El País in which he denied the accusations, saying that "it is a serious matter that information should be published in a partial manner that appears to come from confidential documentation held by the Holy See that I do not even have in my possession."

The cardinal said that in August 2018 he was informed of a complaint but that it was never handed to him. He also claimed that in December 2019, without any proceedings being opened against him, "the apostolic nuncio verbally informed me that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had imposed a series of penalties on me limiting my priestly ministry." In addition, he was asked to live outside of Peru and remain silent on the matter.

The archbishop emeritus also related that in February 2020 he had an audience with Pope Francis and, he said, the pope allowed him to resume his pastoral duties.

Opus Dei in Peru issues a statement

Likewise on Jan. 25, the regional vicar of Opus Dei in Peru, Father Ángel Gómez-Hortigüela, reported in a statement that "there is no record of any formal process during the years in which, as a priest, Father Juan Luis Cipriani was incardinated in Opus Dei."

However, he admitted that in 2018 he did not accept a request to meet with the complainant because "he knew that he could not interfere with a formal accusation already initiated with the Holy See, which is the appropriate course when it comes to a cardinal." He also noted that he reacted "thinking that this meeting might not be positive."

"Today I realize that I could have offered him a personal, human, and spiritual reception, which I do know he did receive from other people in Opus Dei," he added.

The Vatican confirms the measures against Cipriani

On Jan. 26, the director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed that after resigning as archbishop of Lima, Cipriani received "a penal precept with certain disciplinary measures regarding his public activity, place of residence, and use of insignia."

"Although on specific occasions certain permissions were granted to respond to requests due to the age and family situation of the cardinal, at present, this precept remains in force," Bruni said.

Statements by archbishop of Lima, Peruvian bishops 

In the context of these events, the archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Carlos Castillo, and the president's office of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference (CEC, by its Spanish acronym) each published a statement on Jan. 28.

"In response to the statements" by Bruni, the archbishop published his Letter to the People of God to affirm his solidarity with the victims of abuse and to highlight the work of Pope Francis to punish these crimes.

In his letter, the prelate does not mention Cipriani's name but asks "to recognize the truth of the facts" in light of investigations carried out in recent months and thanks the "journalists who have been collaborating in protecting the victims."

For its part, the CEC president's office published a statement stating that the measures were applied to the cardinal "once the veracity of the facts was ascertained."

"We regret the pain suffered by the victim of abuse," it added.

Cipriani's second defense

From Madrid, where he resides, on Jan. 29 Cipriani released a second letter in which he reaffirmed that he has not committed any crime or sexual abuse "neither in 1983, nor before, nor after."

"I am obliged to clarify," he added, "that when the nuncio in Peru transmitted to me the precept with which the congregation limited some of my faculties, I signed it, declaring in writing at the same time that the accusation was absolutely false."

Cipriani also reiterated that he has not been able to defend himself against the accusation and charged that he is the object of a "campaign of attempted harassment and destruction" of his dignity and honor.

At the time of publication of this article, the Vatican has not officially reported whether any criminal proceedings have been carried out against the Peruvian cardinal. 

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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Vatican City, Feb 3, 2025 / 14:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis said Monday that Blessed Carlo Acutis shows young people that "the fullness of life" in today's world is found in following Jesus.

Speaking to Catholic pilgrims from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland on Feb. 3, the pope shared a special message for young people, pointing to the soon-to-be canonized Acutis as an example of joyful discipleship.

"As part of this year's events, on 27 April we will celebrate the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis," Francis said. "This young saint of and for our times shows you, and all of us, how possible it is in today's world for young people to follow Jesus, share his teachings with others, and so find the fullness of life in joy, freedom, and holiness."

The pope then urged young Catholics to embrace their role in the Church, quoting his apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit: "May the Holy Spirit urge you on … The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them!" 

The papal audience with the pilgrimage group organized by the Nordic bishops' conference is one of many such audiences for the 88-year-old pope this year as pilgrims travel to Rome from across the globe for the 2025 Jubilee Year.

Reflecting on the theme of the jubilee — "Pilgrims of Hope" — Pope Francis encouraged the Scandinavian Catholics to be strengthened in their faith.

"It is my prayer, then, that your hope will be strengthened during these days," he said. "You are surely already aware of signs of hope in your home countries, for the Church in your lands, while small, is growing in numbers."

Despite a high level of secularization, the Catholic Church in the Nordic countries continues to expand, experiencing an annual 2% growth due to immigration, conversions, and flourishing communities, according to the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner. 

The pope attributed this increase to God's providence. 

"It always grows," he said. "We can thank Almighty God that the seeds of faith planted and watered there by generations of persevering pastors and people are bearing fruit. Nor should this surprise us, because God is always faithful to his promises!"

The pope also reminded the pilgrims that their journey did not end in Rome but was part of a lifelong commitment to discipleship and evangelization.

"As you visit the various holy sites in the Eternal City, especially the tombs of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, I also pray that your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your awareness of belonging to him and to one another in the communion of the Church, will be nourished and deepened," he said.

He urged the pilgrims to bring the spirit of their journey back home, emphasizing that faith is meant to be shared with others.

"A pilgrimage does not end but shifts its focus to the daily 'pilgrimage of discipleship' and the call to persevere in the task of evangelization," he said. "In this regard, I would encourage your vibrant Catholic communities to cooperate with your fellow Christians, for in these challenging times, scarred by war in Europe and around the world, how much our human family needs a unified witness to the reconciliation, healing, and peace that can come only from God."

"There can be no greater 'work' than transmitting the saving message of the Gospel to others, and we are called to do this especially for those on the margins," Pope Francis said.

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Rome Newsroom, Feb 3, 2025 / 11:50 am (CNA).

After a U.S abuse watchdog slammed the Philippines' bishops for not taking action against clergy accused of sexual abuse, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David urged Filipino Catholics to report priests accused of misconduct to both Church and civil authorities.

Days after BishopsAccountability.org on Jan. 29 launched its Philippines database, which lists 82 priests and brothers publicly accused of abusing minors, David insisted the country's Catholics must report "erring priests." 

"Please don't hesitate to file complaints against abusive clerics whether in the civil or Church forums," David insisted in a Jan. 31 statement. "[Pope Francis] has been insistent on putting up structures of check and balance and accountability to prevent past mistakes from happening again."

David conceded the Church is "not always successful" in keeping accused clergy accountable and needs "the help and participation of our laypeople, including our professional journalists" to protect minors and vulnerable adults from abuse. 

The database also includes allegations about Filipino priests who served in the U.S. and priests from other countries — the United States, Ireland, and Australia — who served in the Philippines.

Regarding U.S. priests, David said the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is "at a loss" on how to take appropriate action against suspended clergy attempting to engage in active ministry or who may be in hiding in the country.

"It's important that the local bishops to whom they are incardinated in the States should inform us bishops in the Philippines about such cases," the cardinal said. 

The Philippine Daily Inquirer on Jan. 31 reported two bishops from the Visayas region issued separate statements addressing accusations leveled against clergy belonging to their dioceses.

Archbishop Jose Palma said most of the men mentioned by BishopsAccountability.org linked to the Archdiocese of Cebu had been dismissed from service or were dead. He noted three clergy had been reintegrated into the archdiocese after the required legal and canonical processes, reported the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said two priests called out by the U.S. abuse watchdog connected to the Diocese of San Carlos "are still under ecclesiastical review" by the diocesan safeguarding office.

"The diocese is steadfastly committed to cooperating with civil authorities and the Philippine courts to ensure a fair and just process," Alminaza said in a statement last week.

Under Pope Francis, the Vatican has set up institutional processes and structures, including the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, to accompany and assist local Churches' safeguarding ministries.

Following Rome's mandate, the CBCP established the Office on the Protection of Minors, headed by Archbishop Florentino Lavarias. Each Philippine diocese is required to have a diocesan safeguarding office supervised by the local bishop.

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CNA Staff, Feb 3, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Catholics in Kansas last week drove a truckload of supplies more than 1,600 miles to Los Angeles to bring some relief to the faithful there who have been devastated by recent wildfires. 

Deacon Greg Trum and his wife, Barb, told CNA they were moved to help residents of Los Angeles while putting Christmas decorations away in the storage space of their Leawood, Kansas, home. 

"Barb said, 'Hey, if something's been in the storage area for a year and we haven't needed it, it needs to go,'" Trum said, adding that his wife further expressed that she wished they could get some of their belongings to victims of the Los Angeles fires. 

Trum's response? "We could probably load up a truck and do something."

The Trums asked their pastor, Father Brian Schieber at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, if they could organize the parish to donate supplies. They contacted Paul Escala, the superintendent of Catholic schools in Los Angeles, to determine what parishioners in that city might need. The effort ultimately focused on students and others at St. Elizabeth Catholic School in Altadena.

They put the word out to the St. Michael community. "The response was overwhelming," the deacon said. "Immediately people started bringing things in."

The effort began at the St. Michael the Archangel parish school. Trum said the principal told the several hundred children of the school: "If you woke up and had nothing, what would you need? Bring that to these kids." 

"We got a ton of school supplies, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and bedding," Trum said. "It was originally somewhat focused on the school. But once we knew we were going to overwhelm the school [in Los Angeles] with the supplies, we opened it to family needs."

Organizers quickly saw that the volume of goods being donated by the parish would require a truck to transport it. Trum was able to secure transportation at a bargain rate. 

"I was in the commercial tire business," he said. "One of my customers was Penske Truck." 

"I didn't want to get gouged," Trum said with a laugh. "I called them up and told them about it and said, will you give us a deal?"

According to the deacon, the company responded: "We'll give you a really good deal — we'll give you a truck!" All it cost the church was gas, Trum said. 

A fellow parishioner, Mike Pollock, oversaw the logistics of boxing up and organizing the supplies. The deacon ultimately rode out with another friend and fellow Catholic, Mike Klover. 

On the way out, they stopped at a Catholic parish in Topeka that had heard about the effort and wanted to add supplies to the truck. The city was directly on the route to Los Angeles, so the drivers stopped and loaded up more donations. 

After that, "the only room we had on our truck was our two suitcases," the deacon said. "Mother Mary was definitely in charge, making sure things went well."

Both the St. Elizabeth church and school survived, but many members of the parish and school lost their homes in the surrounding area.

The duo traveled a total of 1,653 miles to get to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Pasadena, where the supplies would be dropped off for the nearby St. Elizabeth Parish. 

"We had a 3:30 appointment, and we were there at 3:15," Trum said. Many members of the community turned out to help unload the truck, including Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Brian Nunes.

Trum and Klover stayed overnight two nights with the religious sisters at the Sacred Heart Retreat House in Alhambra before heading back to Kansas. 

For Barb Trum, the experience was the fruit of a dedication to Christ and the Virgin Mary. "We have a very deep devotion to the Blessed Mother," she told CNA. "You have to stay very close to the sacraments every day, whether it's daily Mass, the Eucharist, reconciliation, or adoration."

She urged the faithful to "have an open heart to do God's work and build up the kingdom of God." She pointed to the Gospel directive in which the faithful are told "if you have two things you're supposed to give one to someone who needs it." 

"When Jesus calls, we respond," she said. "That's what we did."

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