Catholic News

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Vatican City, Oct 2, 2024 / 14:05 pm (CNA).

At the first meeting of the full assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis said 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.

That bishops, laymen and laywomen, priests, and religious are all synod delegates was an intentional choice, the pontiff said in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall on Oct. 2, and it "expresses a way of exercising the episcopal ministry consistent with the living tradition of the Church and with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council."

"Never can a bishop, or any other Christian, think of himself 'without others,'" he continued. "Just as no one is saved alone, the proclamation of salvation needs everyone and requires that everyone be heard."

"Differing forms of a 'collegial' and 'synodal' exercise of the episcopal ministry" in dioceses and in the universal Church, Francis said, "will need to be identified in due course, always respecting the deposit of faith and the living tradition, and always responding to what the Spirit asks of the Churches at this particular time and in the different contexts in which they live."

The Synod on Synodality reflects this "inclusive understanding" of a bishop's ministry, the pope underlined, adding that bishops and laypeople must learn how to better cooperate in the Church going forward.

Pope Francis in his speech addressed the more than 400 participants in the second session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops on the first day of the Oct. 2–27 Vatican gathering on synodality. The 2024 meeting has 368 voting members (delegates), 272 of whom are bishops and 96 of whom are not bishops. Among the 96 non-bishops, about half are women.

The first general gathering, or "congregation," as it is called, was dedicated to opening greetings by Pope Francis and Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes as well as introductory speeches from synod leaders Cardinal Mario Grech and Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ.

During the three-and-a-half-hour meeting, delegates also watched informational videos about the synod including videos presenting the 10 theological study groups and a canonical commission formed by Pope Francis.

In his remarks, the pontiff assured that the presence of non-bishop delegates at a Synod of Bishops does not diminish or put limitations on the authority of individual bishops and the college of bishops. "Rather, it points to the form that the exercise of episcopal authority is called to take in a Church that is conscious of being essentially relational and therefore synodal," he said.

"Harmony is essential," Francis emphasized, noting that there are two dangers to avoid: the danger of becoming too abstract and the danger of "pitting the hierarchy against the lay faithful."

Earlier in the day, Pope Francis became the first pope since 1974 to view a historic relic of the chair of St. Peter.

The wooden chair believed to have belonged to St. Peter, the first pope, is usually encased inside the massive chair monument created in the 17th century by sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini and located on the furthest back wall of the apse of the Vatican basilica over what is called the "Altar of the Chair."

The relic was last removed from the Bernini monument for study from 1968–1974. It has been removed now during restoration work.

The chair is a symbol of the primacy of the pope. Pope Francis was able to view the important relic in the Ottoboni sacristy of the basilica after Mass was celebrated in St. Peter's Square for the start of the second session of the Synod on Synodality on the morning of Oct. 2.

The October 2024 gathering is the last part of the discernment phase of the synodal process begun in 2021.

Recalling the focus of the monthlong meeting, which is to reflect on how to be a Church in mission, the pope added that the Church also needs to ponder how to be more merciful.

He also recommended synod delegates read Dante Alighieri's sonnet "Vita Nuova" to meditate on the virtue of humility.

"We cannot be humble apart from love," he said. "Christians ought to be like those women described by Dante Alighieri in one of his sonnets. They are women who grieve the loss of their friend Beatrice's father: 'You who bear humble semblance, with eyes downcast, showing sorrow.'"

"I encourage you to meditate on this fine spiritual text and to realize that the Church — 'semper reformanda' — cannot pursue her journey and let herself be renewed without the Holy Spirit and his surprises without letting herself be shaped by the hands of God the Creator, his son, Jesus Christ, and his Holy Spirit," Francis continued.

On Oct. 1, the eve of the synod, a two-day retreat for synod participants at the Vatican concluded with a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica.

At the prayer service, which more than 500 people attended, cardinals, bishops, religious, and laypeople shared testimonies and asked forgiveness on behalf of the Church for sins, including the sin of abuse or sins committed in war.

Pope Francis in his reflection said 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 it.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 2, 2024 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

The Diocese of Burlington filed for bankruptcy on Monday in an attempt to adequately resolve its fourth and largest wave of sex abuse lawsuits filed against it since the clergy sex scandal broke in 2002. 

"While my heart is heavy with the decision to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy, such weight pales in comparison to the pain suffered by victims of abuse," Bishop John McDermott said in a video statement released on Wednesday in which he addressed the decision to file and apologized to victims of clergy abuse. 

"This chapter in the Church's history is horrific, and the harm it has caused, immeasurable," McDermott said. "I know that the decision to file for reorganization may be challenging or even triggering for some survivors. For that and for every aspect of dealing with the crimes of these clergy, I sincerely apologize." 

The diocese currently faces 31 lawsuits — with allegations dating back as far as the 1950s — after the state Legislature repealed the statute of limitations on filing civil claims in 2019 and 2021.

Previously, the diocese had spent approximately $2 million to settle its first nine cases in 2003. In 2010, it paid over $20 million to resolve 29 more cases and settled 11 cases for $6.75 million in 2013, according to the affidavit. 

To resolve these cases, the diocese utilized its unrestricted funds and liquidated most of its available assets, including its 32-acre Burlington Chancellery on Lake Champlain for $10 million in 2010 and its 26-acre Camp Holy Cross in Colchester for $4 million in 2012. 

The lawsuit will not affect the individual parishes and organizations that operate within the diocese, as their respective assets remain in separate trusts — a move the diocese made in 2006 to protect local parish community funding intended for their own religious and educational purposes from being siphoned into legal settlements. 

In his statement, and in the affidavit he filed on Monday, the bishop explained that filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy was found to be the only way for the diocese to fairly compensate victims of abuse in current lawsuits — and any who might come forward in the future — since the diocese has limited funds, depleted assets, and lacks insurance coverage.

"Through Chapter 11 reorganization, funds will be allocated among all those who have claims against the diocese while hopefully allowing the diocese to maintain its essential mission and ministries," McDermott stated.

McDermott further highlighted the diocese's efforts to address the scandal and prevent future abuse through its diocesan victims assistance coordinator and its office of safe environment programs.

According to the affidavit, the diocese released a list in 2019 of 40 of its credibly accused priests, which included information about who they were and where they had been assigned in the dioceses. The diocese removed all accused clergy from priestly ministry, 30 of whom are now deceased.

"Due to the diocese's efforts since 2002, there has only been one credible and substantiated claim of abuse," he stated in the affidavit, adding that no current clergy face allegations of sexual abuse.

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Vatican City, Oct 2, 2024 / 06:49 am (CNA).

Pope Francis has called for a global day of prayer and fasting on Oct. 7 to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel amid escalating violence in the region.

The pope's surprise announcement, made at the end of his homily at Mass in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, comes the morning after Iran launched hundreds of missiles toward Israel following the launch of the Israeli military's ground offensive in Lebanon.

Pope Francis said on Oct. 2 that the Church is always at the service of humanity, "especially in his dramatic hour of our history, as the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to ravage entire peoples and nations."

"I ask everyone to take part in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world," he said.

Pope Francis also revealed that he will personally go to Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major on Sunday to pray the rosary on the eve of the anniversary "to invoke the gift of peace through the intercession of Most Holy Mary."

The pope made his plea for peace during the opening Mass for the second assembly of the Synod on Synodality, which is taking place at the Vatican Oct. 2–27.

Speaking to the more than 400 priests, bishops, cardinals, and lay synod delegates gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Mass on the feast of the Guardian Angels, the pope invited the members of the synod to join him in the Marian basilica to pray the rosary for peace.

"Brothers and sisters, let us resume this ecclesial journey with an eye to the world, for the Christian community is always at the service of humanity, to proclaim the joy of the Gospel to all. We need it, especially in this dramatic hour of our history, as the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to ravage entire peoples and nations," he said.

"To invoke the gift of peace through the intercession of Most Holy Mary, on Sunday I will go to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where I will pray the holy rosary and address a heartfelt plea to the Virgin; if possible, I also ask you, members of the synod, to join me on that occasion."

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, has urged the importance of "prayer, fasting, and penance" for peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land. The cardinal published a prayer for peace, which he has asked Catholics to pray along with the rosary during the Marian month of October.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 2, 2024 / 09:15 am (CNA).

In their first and only vice presidential debate this election season, Republican Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday night clashed on whether abortion should be a federal or state issue and sparred over each other's records on abortion limits and protections for infants born alive from botched abortions.

During the Oct. 1 CBS debate, moderated by network anchors Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan, both candidates quarreled over abortion policy and about which presidential ticket has the best track record on handling illegal immigration and the economy.

Vance is an incumbent senator from Ohio running on former president Donald Trump's ticket, while Walz is the incumbent governor of Minnesota serving as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate. Vance is a convert to Catholicism and Walz was raised Catholic but now attends a Lutheran church. 

Much of the debate remained civil, with both candidates occasionally trading kind words with each other.

In some cases, Vance and Walz agreed on policy goals — such as reducing illegal immigration, lowering housing costs, and making child care more accessible — but feuded over whether Trump or Harris has the best plan and track record for achieving those goals.

Late-term abortion and infants born alive

The main dispute on abortion policy focused on whether it should be handled by the federal government or at the state level. Walz backed a federal law to legalize abortion nationally, which would overturn state-level pro-life laws. Alternatively, Vance advocated a state-by-state approach to regulating abortion.

Walz defended a 2023 Minnesota bill he signed establishing that every person in the state has a right to "obtain an abortion" and prevents local governments from limiting that right. The bill does not include any restrictions on abortion at any point in pregnancy and state law permits elective abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy for any reason.

"What we did was restore Roe v. Wade," Walz said. "We made sure that we put women in charge of their health care. … How can we as a nation say that your life and your rights — as basic as the right to control your own body —  is determined [by] geography?" 

When asked by O'Donnell whether Walz supports abortion "in the ninth month," the governor said "that's not what the bill says." He did not say whether he would support any restrictions on late-term abortions but said, "We trust women [and] we trust doctors."

Vance pressed Walz on another bill he signed as governor that removed language that had previously required doctors to "preserve the life and health of the born-alive infant" after a failed abortion. The new standard only requires doctors to "care for the infant who is born alive" but does not expressly require them to take lifesaving measures.

"[This law] says that a doctor who presides over an abortion, where the baby survives, the doctor is under no obligation to provide lifesaving care to a baby who survives a botched late-term abortion," Vance argued. "That is … fundamentally barbaric."

Walz interrupted to say "that's not true" and accused Vance of "trying to distort the way a law is written to try and make a point." The governor did not further explain his understanding of the law but claimed, "That's not what the law says."

Vance also questioned Walz on whether he would "want to force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions against their will," which the governor did not directly answer. 

"We can be a big and diverse country where we respect people's freedom of conscience and make the country more pro-baby and pro-family," Vance said. 

When asked about abortion, Vance said a Trump administration would seek to "be pro-family in the fullest sense of the word" by supporting "fertility treatments" and making it easier for parents to afford to have children by expanding the child tax credit and reducing housing costs. 

"We've got to do so much better of a job at earning the American people's trust back on this issue where they frankly just don't trust us," Vance said.

"The proper way to handle this — as messy as democracy sometimes is — is to let voters make these decisions," the senator added. "Let the individual state make their abortion policy."

Vance further noted that Ohio voters adopted a referendum to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution, which was "against my position." He also said he "never supported a national ban."

Illegal immigration and the economy

Both candidates agreed that lawmakers need to work to reduce illegal immigration, but the two argued over whether Trump or Harris is more qualified to solve the problem. 

"A lot of fentanyl is coming into our country," Vance said. "I have a mother who struggled with opioid addiction and has gotten clean. I don't want people who are struggling with addiction to be deprived of their second chance because Kamala Harris let in fentanyl into our community at record levels."

Vance said the federal government should build a wall on the American border with Mexico and re-implement mass deportations of immigrants who entered the country illegally, beginning with those who have committed additional crimes after coming into the country. 

Walz criticized the Trump administration, saying "less than 2% of that wall got built and Mexico didn't pay a dime." He argued that Harris would be better on illegal immigration and chided Republican lawmakers for sinking a border bill earlier this year. 

"[Harris] is the only person in this race who prosecuted transnational gangs for human trafficking and drug interventions," Walz said, referencing the vice president's work as a prosecutor in California.

Vance also argued that illegal immigration under the Biden-Harris administration is one of the causes of the higher cost of housing because migrants compete for homes. He said a Trump administration would also lower the cost of housing by using federal land to build homes and driving down energy costs.

"We have a lot of land that could be used," Vance said. "We have a lot of Americans that need homes. We should be kicking out illegal immigrants who are competing for those homes and we should be building more homes for the American citizens who deserve to be here."

Walz promoted Harris' plan to provide assistance for down payments on houses, impose price controls on certain products, and expand small business tax credits. 

"We'll just ask the wealthiest to pay their fair share," Walz said. "When you do that, our system works best, more people are participating in it and folks have the things that they need."

Both candidates expressed their intent to make child care more accessible and expand the child tax credit.

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Vatican City, Oct 2, 2024 / 06:49 am (CNA).

Pope Francis has called for a global day of prayer and fasting on Oct. 7 to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel amid escalating violence in the region.

The pope's surprise announcement, made at the end of his homily at Mass in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, comes the morning after Iran launched hundreds of missiles towards Israel following the launch of the Israeli military's ground offensive in Lebanon.

Pope Francis said on Oct. 2 that the Church is always at the service of humanity "especially in his dramatic hour of our history, as the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to ravage entire peoples and nations."

"I ask everyone to take part in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world," he said.

Pope Francis also revealed that he will personally go to Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major on Sunday to pray the rosary on the eve of the anniversary "to invoke the gift of peace through the intercession of Most Holy Mary."

The pope made his plea for peace during the opening Mass for the second assembly of the Synod on Synodality, which is taking place at the Vatican Oct. 2-27. 

Speaking to the more than 400 priests, bishops, cardinals, and lay Synod delegates gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Mass on the feast of the Guardian Angels, the pope invited the members of the Synod to join him in the Marian basilica to pray the rosary for peace.

"Brothers and sisters, let us resume this ecclesial journey with an eye to the world, for the Christian community is always at the service of humanity, to proclaim the joy of the Gospel to all. We need it, especially in this dramatic hour of our history, as the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to ravage entire peoples and nations," he said.

"To invoke the gift of peace through the intercession of Most Holy Mary, on Sunday I will go to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where I will pray the Holy Rosary and address a heartfelt plea to the Virgin; if possible, I also ask you, members of the Synod, to join me on that occasion."

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has urged the importance of "prayer, fasting and penance" for peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land. The cardinal published a prayer for peace which he has asked Catholics to pray along with the rosary during the Marian month of October.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

The Catholic bishops of Georgia have called a court's ruling that a law protecting life beginning at six weeks is unconstitutional a "terrible step backwards" and have asked the faithful to respond through "prayer and action."

The ruling, issued in the state Superior Court for Fulton County on Monday, blocks enforcement of the state's pro-life law, which was enacted in 2022 following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The law, titled the LIFE Act, prohibits abortion after an unborn baby's heartbeat is detectable. The court's ruling means that abortion is now legal in Georgia until 22 weeks of pregnancy.

In a statement shared with CNA on Tuesday, Georgia's five bishops said that "yesterday's ruling to overturn Georgia's abortion ban represents a terrible step backwards in our never-ending efforts to recognize and respect the inherent dignity of every life."

Lamenting the decision, the bishops asked: "How many tiny lives will be extinguished while lawyers appeal and lawmakers debate?"

What did the ruling say?

In the 26-page ruling, Judge Robert McBurney said the six-week law and any pre-viability abortion restriction is arbitrary and unconstitutional.

McBurney was originally appointed by former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal to fill a vacancy in the Fulton County Superior Court in 2012. He was reelected to the court in 2022. 

He said the state could restrict abortion only after viability, which is typically measured at around 23 or 24 weeks. Restrictions before then, McBurney said, violate a pregnant woman's right to liberty and privacy.

McBurney wrote that the definition of liberty includes "the power of a woman to control her own body, to decide what happens to it and in it, and to reject state interference with her health care choices."

Though McBurney said the state may intervene with abortion after viability, he said that "an arbitrary six-week ban is inconsistent with these rights and the proper balance that a viability rule establishes between a woman's rights of liberty and privacy and society's interest in protecting and caring for unborn infants."

"When a fetus growing inside a woman reaches viability, when society can assume care and responsibility for that separate life, then — and only then — may society intervene," he said.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr will be appealing the decision to higher courts, according to CNN. Kara Murray, a representative for Carr, told CNN on Monday that "we believe Georgia's LIFE Act is fully constitutional, and we will immediately appeal the lower court's decision."

Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's office responded to the news: "Once again, the will of Georgians and their representatives has been overruled by the personal beliefs of one judge. Protecting the lives of the most vulnerable among us is one of our most sacred responsibilities," his spokesperson said, according to The Hill.

The LIFE Act, which was passed in 2019, was blocked by McBurney that same year because it violated the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the Georgia Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed the law to take effect in 2022.

LIFE Act takes center stage in election

As Election Day approaches, the LIFE Act has taken center stage in the national debate over restrictions on abortion.

The pro-life law has been the target of criticism from Democrats in recent weeks after the left-leaning news outlet ProPublica published several stories blaming the law for the deaths of two women, Amber Thurman, 28, and Candi Miller, 41. The two women died from infections caused by complications after taking abortion pills.

ProPublica reported that Georgia's pro-life law caused medical providers to delay giving Thurman the care necessary to save her life. In Miller's case, ProPublica said she opted not to visit a medical provider "due to the current legislation on pregnancies and abortions."

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris also blamed the law for the deaths of Thurman and Miller, saying in a televised town hall in Atlanta that former president Donald Trump and Republicans were causing a national maternal "health care crisis."

Several doctors, experts, and lawmakers, however, have debunked the idea that the Georgia pro-life law was to blame by pointing out that the law explicitly allows exceptions for abortion in cases in which the mother's life is in danger. This means that Miller and Thurman could have legally been given the care they needed promptly.

Georgia is one of the swing states that will be critical in deciding the outcome of this year's presidential election. Harris has largely focused her pitch to Georgia voters on expanding abortion access in the state and across the country. Trump, meanwhile, has focused his rhetoric on other issues such as the economy and the border.

Bishops call for action

Following Monday's ruling, the Georgia bishops, representing the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah, said that "even as abortion laws are challenged and changed, we will not stand idle."

"We remain committed to helping mothers and fathers facing crisis pregnancies as well as their precious babies. We will advocate for laws to protect those in the margins. We can foster a culture of life in our families and communities. We can demonstrate how sacred each life is in the eyes of God," the bishops said. 

In conclusion, the bishops asked the faithful and "all people of goodwill" to "take this to prayer and action."

"Pray for mothers, fathers, and the unborn. Pray that our leaders will have a change of heart," the bishops said.

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Vatican City, Oct 1, 2024 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis said on Tuesday that 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. 

"Sin is always a wound in relationships; our relationship with God, our relationships with our brothers and sisters," the Holy Father said during a penitential liturgy held in St. Peter's Basilica. More than 500 people were in attendance.

"How could we be credible in mission if we do not recognize and acknowledge our mistakes and bend down to heal the wounds we have caused by our sins?" the pope asked.

During the evening penitential celebration, confessions and testimonies were shared by bishops, religious, and laypeople who have been impacted by sins committed against minors, migrants, victims of war and poverty, the environment, Indigenous people, women, and synodality.        

Following each of the 10 confessions and testimonies read aloud during the liturgy was a prayerful petition for forgiveness.

'Sins against peace' 

"I ask forgiveness to God the Father, feeling shame for the lack of courage necessary to seek peace among peoples and nations in recognition of every human life in all its phases," shared Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, India.

"To make peace, it takes courage," Gracias continued. "Say 'yes' to the encounter [and] 'no' to the clash; 'yes' to the respective agreements and 'no' to provocations."

Sister Dima Fayad also shared her testimony of sins against peace she has witnessed in her homeland Syria.

"Indeed war often manages to bring out the worst side of us. It brings selfishness, violence, and greed to light," she said.

"However, it can also bring out the best in us — the ability to resist, to unite in solidarity, and to not give in to hatred." 

'Sins of abuse' 

Laurence, a South African layman who suffered sexual abuse as a child, said a lack of transparency and accountability by Church authorities had broken the trust of survivors and made his and their journey of healing more difficult.

"For decades, accusations were ignored, covered up or handled internally rather than reported to authorities," he said.

"This lack of accountability has not only allowed abusers to continue their behavior but has also eroded the trust that so many once placed in this institution."

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, former head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, asked forgiveness for those who "used the condition of ordained ministry and consecrated life" to commit sins against children.

"How much shame and pain I feel when considering sexual abuse of minors and of vulnerable persons," he said. "Abuses that have stolen the innocence and profaned the sacredness of those who are weak and helpless."

'Sins against migrants' 

Sara Vatteroni, who works with La Fondazione Migrantes in Tuscany, Italy, stood beside Solange, a migrant from the Ivory Coast, as she shared her testimony before the pope in St. Peter's Basilica. 

"The Mediterranean is considered the most dangerous migration route in the world because an average of six people lose their lives every day," she said.

"It all seems like a brutal game of fate of which we are all spectators because all we can do is wait on the shore for those who survive."

'Sins against creation, against Indigenous populations'

Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, asked forgiveness for sins against the environment and Indigenous populations.

"I ask forgiveness and feel shame for what we, too, the faithful have done to transform creation from a garden into a desert," he stated.

"I ask forgiveness and feel shame for when we have not recognized the right and dignity of every human person, discriminating and exploiting it," he continued.

"I am thinking in particular of the Indigenous peoples and for when we were accomplices in systems that favored slavery and colonialism." 

'Sins against women, family, youth'

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life asked for forgiveness from God on behalf of all people in the Church who failed to recognize or defend the dignity of women who have been exploited and left "mute or subservient."

Farrell also asked forgiveness on behalf of the Church for the times it has judged and condemned the "frailties and wounds of the family" and "stolen hope and love from younger generations" by not supporting their growth and talents.   

'Sins against poverty'

Cardinal Archbishop Cristóbal López Romero of Rabat, Morocco, expressed shame for when members of the Church have turned away from the poor, particularly clerics who "adorn ourselves at the altar with guilty valuables that steal bread from the hungry."

"I ask forgiveness, feeling shame for the inertia that keeps us from accepting the call to be a poor Church of the poor," he said.

'Sins of using doctrine as stones to be hurled'

"I beg forgiveness, feeling shame for all the times we have given doctrinal justification to inhumane treatment," confessed Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

According to Fernández, many pastors "who are entrusted with the task of confirming brothers and sisters in the faith have not been able to guard and propose the Gospel as a living source of eternal newness."

'Sins against synodality; lack of listening, communion, and participation of all'

In light of the wide diversity found within the Catholic Church, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, Austria, lamented the obstacles that prevent "the building of a truly syondal and symphonic Church."

"I ask forgiveness, feeling shame for when we have transformed authority into power, suffocating plurality, not listening to the people, making it difficult for brothers and sisters to participate in the mission of the Church," he said.

The second and last session of the global discernment phase of the Synod of Synodality will commence on Wednesday morning, Oct. 2, with the celebration of Mass with Pope Francis.

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ACI MENA, Oct 1, 2024 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

An ongoing military escalation between Hezbollah and Israel has resulted in a massive displacement crisis. The situation is dire, affecting many regions in Lebanon.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs), primarily from the south and the southern suburbs of Beirut, are facing numerous challenges. There are "as many as a million people," according to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

This humanitarian crisis has overwhelmed the state's capacity to help so local and international aid organizations are stepping up to assist displaced people who have moved to shelters across the country. Among these organizations is Caritas Lebanon, which is mobilizing aid on multiple fronts.

In an interview with ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, Father Michel Abboud, president of the Caritas Lebanon Association, explained how Caritas provides help.

"Our organization is addressing the displacement crisis through a comprehensive emergency response strategy in its various regions of operations," he said. "Through coordinating efforts with local and international organizations and relying on a network of volunteers and administrators across different regions, Caritas provides humanitarian support and meets the needs of the displaced as much as possible."

Abboud said Caritas had prepared a response for the potential crisis in advance, but recent events exceeded everyone's projections. "Therefore, we are doing our part to preserve the lives of these displaced people," Abboud said.

Regarding the aid provided by Caritas in the shelters, the priest said: "We provide a wide range of services, including hot and canned food, drinking water, and primary health care services. We have also started providing psychological support. Psychologists are entering the shelters and listening to people's needs. We are also working to provide a safe environment for children by organizing recreational programs."

When asked about the sustainability of services in the event of a prolonged escalation, Abboud said: "Caritas is working to strengthen its relief capacity through cooperation with its local and international partners to ensure the essential commodities to address the crisis. However, sustaining our capabilities depends on continued support and donations. If the escalation prolongs, we will face significant challenges, but we are constantly developing alternative emergency plans, increasing our stocks, and securing the necessary funds to meet the needs of the most vulnerable for as long as possible."

"In all our work, we rely on divine providence in our journey and mission," Abboud said, "and he never leaves us… Caritas relies on God in its efforts to meet the needs of his people."

This story was first published by ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted for CNA.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 30, 2024 / 17:53 pm (CNA).

The Vatican has announced it will carry out an apostolic visitation to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), an institution whose priests celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and which is in full communion with the Catholic Church.

The FSSP should not be confused with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist group that is not in full communion with the Catholic Church and which has an irregular canonical status.

The Sept. 30 statement from the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life says that "it has called for an apostolic visitation to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter … in order to deepen the understanding of this society of apostolic life of pontifical right and to offer the most appropriate support to its journey of following Christ."

The apostolic visit, says the text signed by the prefect of the dicastery, Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, and Sister Simona Brambilla, the dicastery's secretary, is taking place "in the context of the process of accompanying the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life that were previously established by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei and which Pope Francis' motu proprio Traditionis Custodes has placed under the jurisdiction of this dicastery."

In a statement published by the FSSP on Sept. 26, the institution specified that "as the prefect of this dicastery himself made clear to the superior general and his assistants during a meeting in Rome, this visit does not originate in any problems of the fraternity but is intended to enable the dicastery to know who we are, how we are doing, and how we live so as to provide us with any help we may need."

"The last ordinary apostolic visit of the fraternity was undertaken in 2014 by the Ecclesia Dei commission," the statement added.

What is the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter?

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter states on its website that it is a society of apostolic life of pontifical right whose priests "work together for a common mission in the Catholic Church, under the authority of the Holy See."

In its apostolate and mission, the FSSP uses "the liturgical books in force in 1962," meaning it celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, "as specified in its decree of erection of 1988, confirmed by decree of Pope Francis dated Feb. 11, 2022."

In February 2022 the Holy Father authorized the FSSP to continue celebrating the TLM, but he also encouraged them to reflect on what is established in Traditionis Custodes. The authorization was then confirmed by the Holy Father himself in March of this year.

The general house of the FSSP is in Fribourg, Switzerland, and has about 368 priests and 201 seminarians. The society has eight members in Mexico, 10 in Chile, 13 in Spain, and a group of 25 in Canada.

What is the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei?

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei was created by Pope John Paul II in 1988 to dialogue with the Lefebvrists and to facilitate full communion with the Catholic Church for those "linked in various ways to the society founded by Archbishop [Marcel] Lefebvre" (the SSPX).

The Vatican further noted that "the pontifical commission exercises the authority of the Holy See over the various religious institutes and communities erected by it, which have as their own rite the 'extraordinary form' of the Roman rite [TLM] and preserve the preceding traditions of religious life."

Pope Francis' motu proprio Traditionis Custodes

The Vatican published Pope Francis' motu proprio Traditionis Custodes on July 16, 2021. The text severely limits the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (extraordinary form), or Tridentine Mass, i.e. celebrated with the 1962 missal.

Pope Francis thus modified the provisions given by Pope Benedict XVI in his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, which in 2007 had liberalized the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.

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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Aboard the papal plane, Sep 29, 2024 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

Aboard the papal plane to Rome on Sunday, Pope Francis responded to criticism of remarks he made about women during a Sept. 28 visit to a Catholic university in Louvain, Belgium, saying it is an "obtuse mind" that intentionally misunderstands his position.

In a meeting with students of the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Francis reflected at length on the role of women in the Church, saying: "What characterizes women, that which is truly feminine, is not stipulated by consensus or ideologies, just as dignity itself is ensured not by laws written on paper, but by an original law written on our hearts."

"Womanhood speaks to us of fruitful welcome, nurturing and life-giving dedication. For this reason, a woman is more important than a man, but it is terrible when a woman wants to be a man: No, she is a woman, and this is 'heavy' and important," he said. 

"Let us be more attentive to the many daily expressions of this love," the pontiff continued, "from friendship to the workplace, from studies to the exercise of responsibility in the Church and society, from marriage to motherhood, or from virginity to the service of others and the building up of the kingdom of God."

In a press release issued just moments after the pope's speech, UCLouvain criticized Francis' remarks on women as "conservative" and "deterministic and reductive."

The university said it "expresses its incomprehension and disapproval of the position expressed by Pope Francis regarding the role of women in the Church and in society."

The university took particular issue with the pontiff's comment that "woman is a fertile welcome, care, vital devotion," which the Vatican's official English version of the speech translated as "fruitful welcome, nurturing, and life-giving dedication."

"UCLouvain is an inclusive university and committed to the fight against sexist and sexual violence," the release stated. "It reaffirms its desire for everyone to flourish within it and in society, whatever their origins, gender, or sexual orientation. It calls on the Church to follow the same path, without any form of discrimination."

During the in-flight press conference returning from Belgium, Italian journalist Annachiara Valle of the magazine Famiglia Cristiana asked for the pope's response to the university's criticisms.

Pope Francis called the press release "premade" and "not moral" for having been written "in the moment in which I spoke."

"I always talk about the dignity of women," he said. "I said something that I cannot say about men: The Church is woman, she is the bride of Jesus. To masculinize women is not human. Women, I always say, are more important than men, because the Church is the bride of Jesus."

He said if this seems "conservative" to some people, it is because they do not understand, or "there is an obtuse mind that does not want to hear about this."

Reiterating his many past statements on the Marian and Petrine theological principles defining the different roles of men and women in the Church, Francis also praised "the mysticism of woman [as] greater than" ordained ministries such as priests or deacons.

Abuse

In the press conference, journalist Andrea Vreede of the Dutch NOS TV asked Pope Francis about abuse and how the Vatican might better respond to the needs and requests of victims. 

Pope Francis pointed out that an institution already exists within the Vatican on this issue, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and recalled that he has many times personally received abuse victims, listening to them and wishing them well.

"I give them strength so that they can go forward," he said. "We have a responsibility to help the abused and to take care of them. … and to punish the abusers."

"We must take care of people who have been abused and punish the abusers, because abuse is not a sin of today that perhaps tomorrow will not exist," the pope said. "It's a trend; it's a psychiatric illness, and for this reason, we must offer them treatment and monitor them."

"You cannot leave an abuser free like that in normal life with responsibility in the parishes, in the schools," he said.

The pontiff also said he told the Belgian bishops to not be afraid but to keep moving forward after their past failures to properly punish abuse. 

The pope's comments come on the heels of his decision to laicize former Bruges Bishop Roger Vangheluwe many years after the former prelate admitted to repeatedly sexually abusing his nephews. A previous archbishop of Brussels, the late Cardinal Godfried Danneels, reportedly encouraged a victim of Vangheluwe's abuse to remain silent.

The Catholic Church in Belgium is facing a significant decline in public trust. Only 50% of Belgians identified as Catholic in 2022, a drop of 16% from a decade earlier, with only 8.9% attending Mass at least once a month.

According to a recent report, the number of Catholics requesting to have their names removed from baptismal registers rose to 1,270 in 2023.

The visit by Pope Francis follows a series of scandals that have plagued the Belgian Church, culminating in a devastating report released in 2010 that revealed that more than 500 individuals had come forward with allegations of abuse by priests. The fallout from these revelations has led to significant scrutiny of Church leadership and practices, with many calling for a more transparent approach to handling abuse allegations.

A recent documentary, "Godvergeten" ("Godforsaken"), aired on Belgian television showcasing victims sharing their harrowing stories, further fueling public outrage and prompting investigations into the Church's practices.

On his first night in Belgium, Pope Francis spent two hours in individual conversations with 17 victims of sexual abuse by priests.

According to the Holy See Press Office, the participants in the meeting shared with Pope Francis "their stories and their sorrows and expressed their expectations regarding the Church's commitment against abuse."

The pope "expressed gratitude for their courage and the feeling of shame for what they suffered as children because of the priests to whom they were entrusted."

Earlier in the day, Francis had addressed the Catholic Church's long-standing clerical abuse crisis in Belgium during a meeting with around 300 dignitaries, including King Philippe and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, at Laeken Castle.

He declared that "the Church should be ashamed" and must seek forgiveness for its failures. Child abuse is "a scourge that the Church is tackling resolutely and firmly, listening to and accompanying the wounded and implementing a widespread prevention program throughout the world," he added.

The pope also addressed the topic of abuse at Mass in Belgium's national stadium in Brussels on Sunday.

He urged the Belgian bishops to bring the evil of abuse to light and not to cover up abuse. "Let the abuser be judged — whether a laywoman, layman, priest, or bishops, let him be judged," he said in his homily on Sept. 29.

Abortion 

On the flight, Francis also responded to a question from journalist Valerie Dupont of Radio Télévision Belge about abortion, who said people in Belgium were astonished by his words at the tomb of King Baudouin.

"You know that astonishment is the beginning of philosophy," the pope quipped in response.

The pontiff had called laws legalizing abortion "murderous" and "criminal" during a visit Sept. 28 to the tomb of the Belgian King Baudouin in the royal crypt of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels.

King Baudouin chose to temporarily abdicate the throne rather than sign a law legalizing abortion in 1990. His cause is currently open and the pope announced after Mass on Sept. 29 he would speed up the beatification process for the king who ruled from 1951 until his death in 1993 at the age of 63.

Dupont said some people saw the pope's comments at the former king's tomb as "a political interference in the democratic life of Belgium."

She also asked about the sainthood cause of the king and "how can we make the right to life and the right of women to have a life without suffering coincide?"

In his response, Pope Francis repeated that the choice of King Baudouin to abdicate for three days in order not to sign a "law of death" was "courageous" and exceptional, adding that the Catholic king was able to do this because he was holy. "The process of beatification will go forward because they gave me proof of this," he said.

"Women have a right to life, to their life, and to the life of their children. Let's not forget to say this," the pontiff continued on the papal plane. "An abortion is a homicide. … it kills a human being. The doctors who carry this out are hitmen … And on this there is no debate."

"Women have the right to protect life," he said, adding that contraceptives "are another thing. Do not confuse them. I speak only about abortion and you cannot debate this. I'm sorry but it's the truth."

Pope Francis' comments on abortion come as Belgium discusses whether to extend the country's legal limit of abortion, which is up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

Notably, however, he did not bring up during his trip a different pro-life issue — euthanasia and assisted suicide — despite Belgium having some of the most liberal euthanasia laws in the world.

Papal trip

Pope Francis' comments on the flight back to Rome came at the end of a four-day visit to the small European countries of Luxembourg and Belgium, where he greeted royal leaders, prime ministers, professors and students, and Catholics in some of the countries' historic palaces, cathedrals, and universities.

During a one-day stop in the tiny but wealthy Luxembourg on Sept. 26, the pope met with local leaders, including the Catholic Grand Duke Henri and his wife, Grand Duchess María Teresa, and with government authorities and politicians.

The pontiff also held an audience with Catholics in the Gothic 17th-century Notre-Dame Cathedral, in which he emphasized the historically Catholic country's need to evangelize Europe in the face of rapidly growing secularization.

He told journalists aboard the papal plane Sept. 29 that he was not very familiar with Luxembourg before visiting but the country "impressed" him as a "balanced society with well measured laws and high culture."

From there, Pope Francis took a 55-minute flight to neighboring Belgium, where he visited three cities Sept. 26–29 to mark the 600th anniversary of the Catholic universities of Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve.

In Belgium, besides official meetings with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, with political leaders, and with Catholic clergy, the pope also made a number of off-program stops.

On Friday, he went to St. Joseph Care Home, a residence for elderly facing economic difficulties run by the Little Sisters of Charity.

On the morning of Sept. 28, he had breakfast with a group of 10 homeless people and migrants at the St. Giles Parish, had a private meeting with local Jesuits, and prayed in front of the tomb of the Catholic Belgian King Baudouin, who temporarily abdicated his throne in 1990 rather than sign a law legalizing abortion.

He also made a surprise visit Saturday evening to a gathering of young people. The event "Hope Happening" was organized during the weekend of the papal visit.

In brief off-the-cuff remarks, Pope Francis encouraged the over 5,000 teens and young adults in attendance at the youth encounter to pray, to "make noise," to not be lazy, and to help others.

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