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Rome, Italy, Oct 6, 2024 / 13:10 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis presided over a solemn rosary prayer in Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major on Sunday evening, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary for peace in the world amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East.

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, the pope implored Our Lady, Queen of Peace, to "dispel the dark clouds of evil."

"Mother, intercede for our world in danger, that it may protect life and reject war, care for the suffering, the poor, the defenseless, the sick, and the afflicted, and guard our common home," he prayed during the Oct. 6 service.

"We beg you to intercede for God's mercy, O Queen of Peace! Convert the souls of those who fuel hatred, silence the noise of weapons that give rise to death, extinguish the violence that broods in the heart of human beings, and inspire projects of peace in the deeds of those who govern nations."

Rome's largest Marian basilica was packed for the rosary prayer on Oct. 6 with bishops, cardinals, priests, religious sisters, and laypeople — many of whom are delegates in the Synod on Synodality assembly taking place at the Vatican this month. Foreign diplomats accredited to the Holy See could also be seen in the crowd praying for peace.

Two young people led the congregation in the glorious mysteries of the rosary with a choir singing a short Marian hymn between each mystery. 

Pope Francis sat in a white chair in front of the basilica near the chapel that contains the Marian icon "Salus Populi Romani," an icon he has visited more than 100 times since becoming pope.

The congregation sang the traditional "Salve Regina" prayer in Latin and the Litany of Loreto at the end of the rosary before the pope read out his prayer for peace.

"O Mary, our mother, once again we stand before you. You know the sorrows and difficulties  that burden our hearts in this hour. We lift our gaze to you, we focus on your eyes and entrust  ourselves to your heart," Francis said.

"You who are ready to embrace our sorrows, come to our aid in these times oppressed by injustice and devastated by wars, wipe away the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the death of their loved ones."

A small crowd stood outside the basilica praying the rosary in union with the pope inside.

At the end of the prayer, the 87-year-old pope was brought in his wheelchair to pray in silence before an icon of the Virgin Mary. Pope Francis has said that he wishes to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. 

A few hours earlier, the pope made an impassioned appeal for peace in the Middle East during his Angelus address in St. Peter's Square.

"Tomorrow marks one year since the terror attack on the population in Israel, to whom I once again express my closeness. Let us not forget that there are still many hostages in Gaza. I ask for them to be released immediately," Pope Francis said.

"Since that day, the Middle East has been plunged into a condition marked by increasing suffering, with destructive military actions continuing to strike the Palestinian people. The people are suffering very much in Gaza and other territories. Most of them are innocent civilians, all of them are people who must receive all necessary humanitarian aid. I call for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts, including Lebanon. Let us pray for the Lebanese, especially for those who live in the south, who are forced to leave their villages," he added.

Appealing to the international community to stop "the spiral of revenge" and to prevent attacks "like the one recently carried out by Iran," Pope Francis underlined the right of all nationals to exist in peace and security.

"In this situation, prayer is more necessary than ever," Francis said, reiterating his invitation for a global day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world on Oct. 7.

"Let us unite with the power of good against the diabolical plots of war," the pope said.

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Vatican City, Oct 6, 2024 / 07:41 am (CNA).

Pope Francis announced on Sunday that he will create 21 new cardinals, including the archbishops of Tehran, Tokyo, and Toronto, at a consistory on Dec. 8

The 87-year-old pope made the announcement from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square after reciting the Angelus prayer on Oct. 6.

This is the full list:

• Archbishop Frank Leo, metropolitan archbishop of Toronto (Canada)

• Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi, S.V.D., metropolitan archbishop of Tokyo (Japan)

• Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu, O.F.M. Conv., archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan (Belgian missionary bishop in Iran)

• Bishop Mykola Bycok, C.Ss.R., Eparch of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians (Ukrainian bishop in Australia)

• Father Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., theologian (United Kingdom)

• Father Fabio Baggio, C.S., undersecretary for the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development (Italy)

• Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad, official of the Secretariat of State and organizer of papal trips (India)

• Bishop Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the diocese of Rome (Italy)

• Archbishop Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, metropolitan archbishop of Lima (Peru)

• Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, O.F.M., bishop of Bogor (Indonesia)

• Archbishop Vicente Bokalic Iglic, archbishop of Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

• Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, O.F.M., metropolitan archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador)

• Archbishop Fernando Natalio Chomali Garib, metropolitan archbishop of Santiago de Chile (Chile)

• Bishop Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, bishop of Kalookan (Philippines)

• Archbishop Laszlo Nemet, S.V.D., metropolitan archbishop of Belgrade (Serbia)

• Archbishop Jaime Spengler, O.F.M., metropolitan archbishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil)

• Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo, metropolitan archbishop of Abidjian (Ivory Coast)

• Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P., metropolitan archbishop of Algiers (Algeria)

• Archbishop Roberto Repole, metropolitan archbishop of Turin (Italy)

• Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas, coadjutor archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Lithuania)

One of the cardinals-elect is already over 80:

• Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, apostolic nuncio emeritus (Italy)

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has created 142 cardinals from 70 countries at nine consistories.

The last consistory to create new cardinals took place on Sept. 30, 2023. The new cardinals included Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem; Cardinal Stephen Chow of Hong Kong; and Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. 

Fifteen members of the College of Cardinals have turned 80 since the last consistory, thus losing their chance to participate in a future papal election. 

After the December consistory, there will be 141 cardinal electors (barring the unexpected death of any of the cardinals) — 111 (79%) of whom have been appointed by Pope Francis.

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Vatican City, Oct 6, 2024 / 10:43 am (CNA).

"Be open to the gift of life," Pope Francis urged married couples in his Sunday Angelus address, in which the pope described a recent encounter with a father of eight children as "a great consolation."

Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace on Oct. 6, Pope Francis asked couples to reflect on whether their married life is fully open to the gift of children.

"For spouses, it's essential to be open to the gift of life, to the gift of children. They are the most beautiful fruit of love, the greatest blessing from God, a source of joy and hope for every home and all of society. Have children!" Pope Francis said.

"Dear brothers and sisters, love is demanding, yes, but it is beautiful, and the more we allow ourselves to be involved by it, the more we discover true happiness in it," he added.

The pope recounted how a member of the Vatican's Gendarmerie Corps brought his eight children to a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica that the pope presided over on Saturday. Pope Francis described seeing the family as "a great consolation." 

"It was beautiful to see them," he said. "Please, be open to life, to what God may send you."

Francis encouraged married Catholics to "ask themselves: How is my love? Is it faithful? Is it generous? Is it creative?" 

"How are our families?" Pope Francis added. "Are they open to life, to the gift of children?"

The Catholic Church teaches that all forms of artificial birth control are illicit and forbidden to married couples. This teaching was formalized in 1968 by St. Paul VI, who in his encyclical Humanae Vitae declared that "any action … specifically intended to prevent procreation" was "absolutely excluded" as a lawful means of regulating the number of children in a Catholic marriage.

However, recent data from the federally administered National Survey of Family Growth shows large majorities of Catholics in the United States report using at least one form of artificial contraception — with over 90% having used condoms and more than 60% having used the hormonal birth control pill. 

Pope Francis has expressed concern in recent years over Europe's "demographic winter" in which birth rates in countries such as Italy have reached historic lows.

In his Angelus address, the pope offered a reflection on Sunday's Gospel from the Gospel of Mark in which the Pharisees asked Jesus about whether the law permits divorce.

Pope Francis noted that the Lord's reply to the Pharisees reminded them of "the demands of love."

"He reminds them that woman and man were willed by the Creator as equal in dignity and complementary in diversity," the pope said.

Francis emphasized that the mutual gift of married love is "destined to last not 'as long as everything goes well' but forever, accepting each other and living united as 'one flesh.'"

"Of course, this is not easy," the pope added. "This requires fidelity, even in difficulties, it requires respect, honesty, simplicity. It requires being open to confrontation … when it is necessary, but also to be always ready to forgive and to be reconciled to the other."

At the end of his Gospel reflection, Pope Francis asked the Virgin Mary to intercede for Christian spouses, noting the upcoming feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

An appeal for peace in the Holy Land

Pope Francis noted that he will soon go to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray the rosary for peace on the vigil of the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.

"Tomorrow marks one year since the terror attack on the population in Israel, to whom I once again express my closeness. Let us not forget that there are still many hostages in Gaza. I ask for them to be released immediately," Pope Francis said.

"Since that day, the Middle East has been plunged into a condition marked by increasing suffering, with destructive military actions continuing to strike the Palestinian people. The people are suffering very much in Gaza and in other territories. Most of them are innocent civilians, all of them are people who must receive all necessary humanitarian aid. I call for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts, including Lebanon. Let us pray for the Lebanese, especially for those who live in the south, who are forced to leave their villages," he added.

Appealing to the international community to stop "the spiral of revenge" and to prevent attacks "like the one recently carried out by Iran," Pope Francis underlined the right of all nationals to exist in peace and security.

"In this situation, prayer is more necessary than ever," Francis said, reiterating his invitation for a global day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world on Oct. 7.

"Let us unite with the power of good against the diabolical plots of war," the pope said.

21 new cardinals announced

At the end of his Angelus address, Pope Francis surprised the crowd by announcing that he plans to create 21 new cardinals, including the archbishops of Tehran, Tokyo, and Toronto, in a consistory on Dec. 8. 

The pope noted that the cardinals-elect reflect "the universality of the Church that continues to announce God's merciful love to all people."

"Let us pray for the new cardinals, that in confirming their commitment to Christ, the merciful and faithful high priest, they may assist me in my ministry as the bishop of Rome for the good of the holy people of God."

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CNA Staff, Oct 6, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The U.S. bishops announced the second annual novena for mental health as part of a national campaign to promote mental health.

Launched in 2023, the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign aimed to address mental illness around the message that "everyone who needs help should receive help."

Beginning on World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) "will begin nine days of focused prayer, teaching, and actionable steps to engage more intentionally on mental health issues," according to the USCCB Sept. 23 press release. The novena will conclude on Oct. 18, the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the patron saint of health care.

The novena will be a tradition for future years to come, said Paul Jarzembowski, the USCCB associate director for the laity for the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth.

Jarzembowski told CNA that the Church is seeking "to follow the example of Jesus in responding to the needs of the people of God in real time."

"Today mental health is impacting the lives of so many people, which was amplified and raised to our consciousness by the global pandemic," he explained. "The U.S. bishops also took note of the growing epidemic of loneliness across the country, in particular among young people, the elderly, and marginalized populations."

"People are hurting all around us at this very moment, even if we cannot visibly see it," Jarzembowski said. "Through this nationwide campaign, the U.S. bishops are asking everyone to join them to respond with greater awareness and action as the mental health crisis unfolds before us every day."

Each day of the novena has a different theme and focuses on a different saint. For instance, Day 1 of the novena begins with St. Dymphna, the patron saint of those suffering from mental illness and of mental health professionals, and focuses on praying for removing stigmas around mental health.

The goal of the novena is to build up "a lasting way for all Catholics to prayerfully remember those who are most impacted by this crisis and to answer the call of Jesus to respond to those who struggle with tender care and pastoral action," Jarzembowski noted.

The hope is that the campaign and novena "will be integrated into our homes, our churches, and our work within society," according to Jarzembowski.

When asked what steps Catholics can take to better support people who struggle with mental health, Jarzembowski suggested becoming "more aware of potential mental health issues" and recognizing "that they can be hidden in plain sight." 

"Developing habits of being more compassionate and patient with one another, especially online, can go a long way to creating a culture of spiritual and mental wellness," he continued. "Be mindful of the signs of depression, suicidal ideation, loneliness, and anxiety, and accompany those people who struggle to seek out the help and support they may need." 

Each day of the novena includes actions that Catholics can take to help address the mental health crisis.

"In our Catholic parishes and dioceses, we can advocate for more mental health ministry," Jarzembowski added. "From developing mental health support groups to researching health care options in our local community to infusing a spirit of mental wellness into our existing pastoral ministries, especially for young people, families, and the elderly, there are many things Catholics can do to create a culture of responsiveness."

Resources for the mental health campaign, including the novena, can be found here.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 5, 2024 / 09:20 am (CNA).

Pennsylvania pro-life advocate Mark Houck joined panelists at the annual Pray Vote Stand Summit in Washington, D.C., on Friday to call attention to the Biden-Harris administration's attacks against the pro-life movement.

The founder of The King's Men, a Catholic men's apostolate, was featured alongside Janet Durig and Catherine Herring as part of a panel titled "Kamala Harris' Attacks on Life and the Family" during the annual gathering of mostly evangelical Christian conservatives.

Durig is the executive director of Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, a Washington, D.C-based pro-life resource center that has recently faced repeated attacks of harassment and vandalism. 

The panel pointed out that Harris is known for making inflammatory statements against pro-life pregnancy centers, including offering words of encouragement to Democrat attorneys general nationwide for "taking on, rightly, the crisis pregnancy centers."

"We don't force anything on [pregnant women]," Durig said. "Of course, as a Christian pregnancy center, we would want them to choose life, but we don't force anything on them.

Houck spoke about his own horrifying arrest in which over 25 heavily armed federal agents, including two SWAT team members, raided his home during the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 2022.

Houck described the arrest — which he said took place without a warrant and was witnessed by his wife and children — as "a tyrannical overreach of government" and symbolic of "dictatorship." 

Looking ahead to the elections in November, Houck told those gathered at the summit that respect for the Constitution must be renewed among elected leaders in order for corrupt targeting of pro-life and pro-family advocates to cease.

"My Fourth Amendment rights ['the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures'] were violated the day [the FBI] came to my home," Houck said. "With any new administration, if there's going to be a change, we need to get rid of the current FBI director, and we need to get rid of the attorney general." 

Federal prosecutors charged Houck with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act after he was involved in an altercation with an abortion clinic escort who had been harassing his 12-year-old son. After just an hour of deliberation, a jury unanimously found him innocent of the alleged crime, for which he would have been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Following his arrest, Houck noted that he spent six hours handcuffed to a chair before anyone spoke to him. In total, he was detained for 10 hours before being released on his own recognizance, thereby signaling that he was never considered a true threat. 

"So why the heavy raid?" he asked. "Because they want to humiliate you, intimidate you, and instill fear in you, and make an example of you."

For her part, Herring shared the story of how she was able to save her daughter's life thanks to an abortion pill reversal after her husband poisoned her by dissolving chemical abortion pills in her drink.

Had the Biden-Harris administration kept in place previous distribution restrictions on chemical abortion drugs, she said, the incident would not have happened.

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CNA Newsroom, Oct 5, 2024 / 10:35 am (CNA).

A Lebanese bishop made an impassioned plea for peace and forgiveness at the Synod on Synodality's daily press briefing on Saturday, as the assembly's first week drew to a close.

Bishop Mounir Khairallah of Batroun shared his personal experience of violence and forgiveness, recounting how his parents were murdered when he was just five years old.

"A Lebanese Maronite nun came to our house, took us four children to her monastery, and in church invited us to kneel and pray," Bishop Khairallah recalled. "She said, 'Let us pray not so much for your parents, but rather for those who killed them, and seek to forgive.'"

The prelate emphasized that despite ongoing conflicts, the Lebanese people consistently reject hatred and vengeance. "We Lebanese have always condemned hatred, vengeance, violence. We want to build peace. We are capable of doing it," he said.

Bishop Khairallah insisted that the majority of people desire peace. He called for an end to cycles of retaliation: "Enough with this vengeance, with this hatred, with this war. Enough. Let us build peace at least for the children, for future generations who have the right to live in peace."

The bishop's plea resonated with the broader sentiments expressed during the synod. Participants on Saturday issued "an urgent appeal for peace in the name of the synod," coupled with a call for "all religions to condemn fundamentalism with one voice."

Interaction with study groups

Earlier in the press briefing, Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, provided an update on the synod's proceedings.

Ruffini reported that Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the synod, had proposed interaction between synod members and the study groups established by Pope Francis.

"This proposal was put to a vote and approved by a show of hands," Ruffini said. "On Friday, Oct. 18, the coordinators and other members of the groups will meet with assembly members who wish to speak with them on the subject of their group."

Ruffini also noted that the language groups had completed their work on the first module of the Instrumentum Laboris, submitting documents containing propositions they consider fundamental for drafting the final document.

The Synod on Synodality will start its second week of discussions on Monday, Oct. 7, the day Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace to mark the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel as violence continues to escalate throughout the region.

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CNA Staff, Oct 4, 2024 / 14:15 pm (CNA).

Toronto Archbishop Francis Leo told EWTN News this week that Catholics "must keep firm in our faith, proclaiming the gospel of life and a civilization of love" as assisted suicide grows in popularity around the world.

Physician-assisted suicide was legalized in Canada under the "Medical Aid in Dying" (MAID) program in June 2016. In the U.S. assisted suicide is legal in 10 states including Oregon, Washington, and Colorado as well as Washington, D.C.

"It is a travesty, honestly, that euthanasia is going strong," Leo told EWTN News President and COO Montse Alvarado on "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly" on Thursday. 

"Unfortunately, in different parts of the country more than others, [it is] not only legalized but being promoted," the prelate said.

MAID is the fifth-leading cause of death in Canada, tied with cerebrovascular diseases, and the program is expanding. It is "the world's fastest-growing assisted-dying program," according to August research by the Christian think tank Cardus. This summer a Canadian nonprofit filed a legal challenge to allow physician-assisted suicide for those suffering from mental illness.  

But Leo said that assisted suicide and euthanasia are "not the answer." 

"Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not kill, starting with yourself," he said. "And we worship the Lord of life, and he is the Lord of life and death." 

"'The Lord has come that we might have life, and life in abundance,'" the archbishop said, citing John 10:10, which he described as "one of my favorite passages." 

The prelate stressed the need "to live life abundantly here while we journey on earth and then enter into eternal life, the abundant life in heaven."

"But as we are here, amidst the temptations that are around us, we must keep firm in our faith, proclaiming the gospel of life and a civilization of love, which is both at the beginning of life in the womb and the end of life, when people are so vulnerable and are tempted to suicide," Leo continued. 

When asked how the Church is countering the physician-assisted suicide movement, Leo said that Canadian bishops are promoting palliative care and the sacredness of life. 

"Assisted suicide, euthanasia, medical aid and dying: It's a travesty, [it] should never have taken place," Leo continued. "We fought tooth and nail — the conference of Catholic bishops — and what we're doing right now is we are helping people to realize that the only alternative is palliative care."

The Canadian bishops promote Horizons of Hope, a toolkit for Catholic parishes on palliative care, which is a medical caregiving approach that strives to improve quality of life and mitigate suffering for people with serious or terminal illnesses.

"We're encouraging our communities to set up groups in the parish to help people understand the evils of euthanasia and assisted suicide and the benefits of palliative care within an even larger context of life and the gift of life," Leo explained. 

Leo admitted that the mission to promote life is a challenge.

"It's always a challenge because the culture is not very welcoming to that — but that doesn't scare us at all," he said. 

"But it is a challenge, and one to which we are engaged in, and with the strength of the insights of the Holy Spirit, I think we will definitely do our best," he said.

"I've already heard stories of people who, because someone went to their deathbed and someone spoke to them about faith and about the love of God, they changed their mind — that's what we're called to do to be ministers of the Lord, of the new covenant and of life."

"Just this past summer, we had the conference of bishops in the Archdiocese of Toronto, in conjunction with the Pontifical Academy for Life, [put on] a wonderful international interfaith symposium on palliative care," Leo continued.

"We're looking forward to the fruits of that: How to strengthen the Church's proclamation of the gospel of life and encourage people to understand the giftedness of life, the sacredness of life given by God," he said.

"And so the challenge is there," Leo said. "But we're up to it."

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ACI Africa, Oct 4, 2024 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

A Catholic journalist in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is being remembered as a man of peace after he was murdered on Sept. 27 in the Ndosho district of Goma. Edmond Bahati Mbarushimana was shot at close range on his way home from work.

During the Oct. 1 funeral Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral for the late Radio Maria Goma journalist, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele of the Goma Diocese said: "I came to know Edmond through Radio Maria as a man of peace, a self-effacing man and a faithful servant, committed and conscientious in everything he did."

"It's hard to understand why such a man would be murdered," Ngumbi said. "I don't think the most important thing today is to look for answers to all the questions we ask ourselves, but I think the most important thing is to turn to the Lord in communion with all those who mourn Edmond."

On Sept. 30, authorities arrested 35 individuals in connection with the murder. Among those detained were the alleged killers. The suspects were presented to the mayor of Goma on the same day.

"Mr. Mayor, we present the results of the investigation conducted by the intelligence service of the 34th military region immediately following the murder of the Radio Maria journalist. Our forces have identified the perpetrators, including both the primary and accomplice, who now stand before you," said Lt. Col. Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko, spokesman for the Armed Forces of DRC (FARDC) in North Kivu.

One of the suspects admitted to the press that he was paid $5 to carry out the journalist's murder.

In his homily, Ngumbi called on the local authorities to shed more light on the case, urging the faithful not to harbor feelings of hatred.

"We must pray for the conversion of the murderers. We must not harbor feelings of hatred toward them. Hatred must never win our hearts. Nor any feeling of revenge," said Ngumbi, a member of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers).

He added: "We can only pray for their conversion, that they learn to be responsible men, committed to building a world of peace, justice, and brotherhood."

In his eulogy during the Mass, the editor-in-chief of Radio Maria Goma, Father Adeodatus Muhigi, said: "It's painful and unacceptable to lose a dynamic agent, concerned and full of initiatives for the development of our radio and the well-being of his colleagues and volunteers."

"We call on the political and military authorities to take their responsibility seriously and ensure the safety of the population. Otherwise, we risk dying like animals being led to the slaughterhouse," Muhigi added.

"For his dignity and the eternal rest we sincerely wish for him, we are doing our utmost to ensure that his name is not associated with any form of political exploitation."

Muhigi described Bahati as a man dedicated to his faith and the mission of the radio station. 

"We must therefore honor his beliefs and commitment, which have always distinguished him as a voice for the Virgin Mary," the Congolese priest said.

Bahati was laid to rest in his hometown, Rutshuru, on Wednesday. He leaves behind a wife and three children, the youngest only 10 days old.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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London, England, Oct 4, 2024 / 15:15 pm (CNA).

U.K. church and pro-life leaders have warned Prime Minister Keir Starmer that plans to introduce assisted suicide will put vulnerable people at risk.

Labour Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater is proposing a bill that would give terminally ill people in England and Wales the right to end their life. The issue was last voted on in 2015, when members of Parliament roundly rejected assisted suicide. This time they will vote on the bill Oct. 16.

Bishop John Sherrington, head of life issues for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, pointed to places where euthanasia has been legalized, such as Canada and Oregon, as a warning sign.

"The legalization of assisted suicide undermines the sanctity and dignity of human life. There is also now ample evidence across the world that the legalization of assisted suicide puts the most vulnerable members of society at risk," he said.

"I wish to reaffirm that the Catholic Church has always been opposed to assisted suicide in every circumstance."

Sherrington praised the work of "hospices and other health care institutions" that play a key role in "helping the terminally ill and dying to leave this world whilst preserving their dignity. They truly provide assistance to those who are dying."

In the 2015 vote, a proposed bill to enable terminally ill people to take their own lives was defeated, with 118 votes for and 330 against. The prime minister, who personally supports a change in the law, was one of the 118 to vote for the bill. He has previously said he would give members of Parliament a free vote on the issue, but Catholic peer David Alton of Liverpool warned of the "floodgates opening" if the law is passed.

Alton issued a stark warning to those supporting the new bill and encouraged the government to put more resources into palliative care. 

Warning against rushing the legislation through, Alton said: "Before the U.K. Parliament opens the euthanasia floodgates, it should first dispassionately consider outcomes in jurisdictions that have ditched protection of the vulnerable with ineffective safeguards. [Members of Parliament] should put their energy into better palliative care."

Alton was referring to Holland, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002. Twenty-four confirmed cases of euthanasia have taken place where the individuals concerned were diagnosed with autism or having a learning disability.

Alton also referred to Canada, where euthanasia was first legalized in 2016 through its medical aid in dying (MAID) legislation. In 2021, Canada repealed the requirement that the natural death of those applying for MAID should be "reasonably foreseeable." In December 2022, the government announced its intention to allow it for those suffering from mental illness. This is expected to be introduced in 2027.

Figures have shown that the number of people making use of assisted suicide or euthanasia has markedly increased. Alton said: "MAID has led to premature deaths, an increase in discrimination and stigma towards disabled people in Canada. Yet this is a law many campaigners in the U.K. support?"

"Euthanasia is a one-way ticket with no return. The challenge is to provide more palliative care, more hospice care at home, and an ethos which upholds human dignity and the sanctity of life."

The issue of assisted suicide has come to the fore in the U.K. after popular journalist and television presenter Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, called for a vote on assisted suicide earlier this year.

Leadbeater said "now is the time" to vote on the issue, but pro-life group Right to Life UK dismissed the plans to introduce assisted suicide as a "disaster in waiting" — again referring to the effect of the legislation on vulnerable people. 

Right to Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said: "Making assisted suicide legal poses an acute threat to vulnerable people, especially in the context of a struggling health care system."

"Every suicide is a tragedy, and this remains the case for those suffering at the end of their life. In such cases, vulnerable people may feel pressured to end their lives prematurely. This would be an extremely poor indictment of our health care system and society as a whole. The U.K. needs properly funded high-quality palliative care for those at the end of their life, not assisted suicide."

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CNA Newsroom, Oct 4, 2024 / 10:15 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church's Synod on Synodality has entered its final phase. Bishops, lay experts, and even non-Catholic observers from around the world have gathered in Rome this October for a monthlong assembly that could reshape the Church, its governance, and itsteaching. Pope Francis, opening the session, urged participants to listen to the Holy Spirit rather than pursue personal agendas.

Here's what you should know

The October 2024 session's focus is on "How to Be a Missionary Synodal Church" as the synod's 368 voting members consider proposals related to the roles of women, decentralizing Church teaching authority, and enhancing the laity's input in decision-making. 

• Decoding the Synod on Synodality: CNA's essential terminology guide

• Here's what will be new at the Synod on Synodality Part 2

Key developments

Oct. 3: Synod rules out women deacons

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, shuts down speculation regarding further theological study into the possibility of women being ordained as deacons. Father Giacomo Costa, special secretary of the synod, says this month's discussions held in the Vatican should serve as "laboratories of synodal life," Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 3: Solving sexuality questions with 'contextual fidelity'?

A study group appointed by Pope Francis to explore a synodal approach to the Church's most debated issues — including sexual morality and life matters — proposes "contextual fidelity" and a "new paradigm" that downplays long-standing Church teaching, Jonathan Liedl notes. 

The story so far 

The first week at the Synod on Synodality — revolution or much ado about nothing? 

Vaticanist Andrea Gagliarducci analyzes the first days of the gathering in Rome. He writes: "It seems clear that while the delegates may discuss many things over the next three weeks, nothing will be decided. There will be no doctrinal changes. No diminution of the role of the bishop. No rush to resolve the question of opening the diaconate to women." 

Oct. 3: Many voices to be heard 

Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the synod, says at a press conference that "every believer, man or woman, and every group, association, movement, or community will be able to participate with their own contribution" via the synod's 10 study groups.

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, tells journalists the work of participants in the second session of the Synod on Synodality is to find the "cohesive voice" that expresses the life of the Church.

Oct. 2: Pope Francis calls for new ways for bishops to be 'synodal'

At the first meeting of the full assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis says a bishop's ministry should include cooperation with laypeople and that the synod will need to identify "differing forms" of the exercise of this ministry.

Oct. 2: Pope Francis opens synod, warns against personal 'agendas'

Pope Francis opens the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, which is meant to deepen the missionary perspective of the Church, explains EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser.

"Let us be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed," the pope says at the synod's opening Mass on Oct. 2, Courtney Mares reports. The pontiff warns: "Ours is not a parliamentary assembly but rather a place of listening in communion."

Oct. 2: Looming questions about role of German 'synodality' 

"More candor about the motivations of the German Synodal Path and its vision of the Catholic future would be helpful in determining what, if anything, it has to offer the world Church at Synod 2024," comments George Weigel in the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 1: Penitential liturgy is held in St. Peter's Basilica; more than 500 people attend

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church, Kristina Millare reports. 

9 years ago, this papal speech set the 'synodality' machine in motion

Since Pope Francis' 2015 speech, synodality has grown from a theological concept into a guiding principle of Church governance. Analysis from Jonathan Liedl in the National Catholic Register.

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