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CNA Newsroom, Sep 26, 2024 / 14:15 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis has elevated the Apostolic Administration of Estonia to the status of a diocese, creating the first Catholic diocese in the Baltic country.

The Vatican made the announcement on Sept. 26, coinciding with the start of the pope's apostolic journey to Luxembourg and Belgium.

The newly established Diocese of Tallinn encompasses the entire territory of Estonia and remains immediately subject to the Holy See. The pope appointed the current apostolic administrator, Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan, as the first bishop of the new diocese.

Jourdan, 64, a native of France, has led the Catholic community in Estonia since 2005. In a recent interview with Omnes, he discussed the historical context of the Catholic presence in Estonia.

"Although we are now celebrating 100 years of apostolic administration, this does not mean that Catholics arrived in 1924. We have had a Catholic presence in Estonia since the 13th century."

The official website of the Church in Estonia retells the historic roots of Christianity in the region: "At the beginning of the 13th century, Estonia was conquered by the German Teutonic Order during the Livonian Crusade and thus was one of the last territories in Europe to be Christianized."

According to the latest census in 2021, Catholics make up approximately 0.8% of the Estonian population. Jourdan noted the growth of the Catholic community in recent decades.

From "five [Estonian Catholics] in the 1970s, we have grown more than a thousandfold today. It has been a great grace of God."

The bishop also highlighted the challenges faced by Catholics during the Soviet occupation: "Many fled and others were killed or deported, like my predecessor [Archbishop] Eduard Profittlich, who died in prison. The Catholic Church survived, but with great suffering for more than 40 years."

Estonia, known as "Maarjamaa" or "Land of Mary," has retained this name despite its predominantly Lutheran history.

Jourdan explained: "For some reason, Our Lady has remained in the language even after the Reformation. I have researched the consecration of Estonia to Our Lady by Innocent III, and apparently we are the second country in the world consecrated to Our Lady."

The Holy See Press Office stated that the creation of the Diocese of Tallinn "testifies to the stability of the situation of the Catholic Church in Estonia and is also a recognition by the Catholic Church of the pastoral and organizational maturity of the Estonian Catholic community."

Marge-Marie Paas, communications director of the new Diocese of Tallinn, wrote in a contribution for Vatican News that the change "means that the local Catholic Church in Estonia has developed the human, material, and spiritual resources necessary to fully assume the responsibilities of a diocese."

Paas added that the elevation to a diocese "is also an acknowledgment of the growth and importance of the Estonian Catholic community in Estonia, while also strengthening its spiritual and missionary spirit among the people of God in the territory of the Estonian Republic."

The Apostolic Administration of Estonia was originally established by Pope Pius XI in 1924. At that time, the Catholic community numbered about 2,000 faithful. The elevation to a diocese comes as the Catholic Church in Estonia marks its centennial year as an independent ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 26, 2024 / 14:50 pm (CNA).

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has invited the faithful to participate in a day of prayer and fasting on Oct. 7, one year after Hamas launched its brutal surprise attack on Israel. 

"The month of October is approaching," Pizzaballa wrote in a Sept. 26 letter addressed to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, "and with it the realization that for the past year the Holy Land, and not only, has been plunged into a vortex of violence and hatred never seen or experienced before."

"The intensity and impact of the tragedies we have witnessed in the past 12 months have deeply lacerated our conscience and our sense of humanity," Pizzaballa added, noting how the conflict has "struck a profound blow" to the social and political consciousness of the region.

According to the latest reports, Hamas terrorists killed an estimated 1,200 Israelis during the attacks on Oct. 7, taking an additional 251 civilians hostage. 

The Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry estimates that a total of 40,005 Palestinians, and a further 623 in the West Bank, including Hamas militants, have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. 

Meanwhile, the situation between Lebanon and northern Israel has continued to escalate, with ongoing bombings and missile strikes launched on both sides since Oct. 7. 

In the latest Sept. 23 attack, Israel unleashed a series of bombs on Lebanon, which resulted in the deaths of at least 558 people, including 50 children and 94 women. A further 1,800 were also injured in the attacks. 

Israeli forces have since intercepted a Hezbollah ballistic missile fired at Tel Aviv on Sept. 25. It is believed to be the first ballistic missile launched by Hezbollah into Israel.

Since the start of the conflict, Pizzaballa has tirelessly advocated for peace and a cease-fire in the region. In the letter, the Latin patriarch declared that the faithful must continue to call on leaders to recommit themselves to justice, freedom, dignity, and peace. 

"We too have a duty to commit ourselves to peace, first by preserving our hearts from all feelings of hatred, and instead cherishing the desire for good for everyone," he said. "By committing ourselves, each in our own community contexts and in the forms we can, we should support those in need, help those who are personally invested to alleviate the suffering of those affected by this war, and promote every action of peace, reconciliation, and encounter."

Pizzaballa also reminded his audience in the missive that the Church celebrates the feast of Mary, Queen of the Rosary, on Oct. 7. 

"May each of us, with the rosary or in whatever form he or she sees fit, personally but better again in community, find a moment to pause and pray, and bring to the 'merciful Father and God of all consolation' (2 Cor 1:3) our desire for peace and reconciliation," he concluded.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 26, 2024 / 15:20 pm (CNA).

The Culture Project International has announced the appointment of its new chief executive officer, Greg Schleppenbach, a veteran leader in the pro-life movement who held the position of executive director for the organization since 2022. Schleppenbach will spearhead the Catholic culture initiative as it further expands its reach to dioceses across the country.

Inspired by St. John Paul II's vision of love and human dignity, The Culture Project was founded in 2014 by Cristina (Barba) Whalen, the former CEO, to be a missionary organization that seeks to "restore culture through the experience of virtue." According to a press release, the organization has trained more than 100 young men and women who have spoken to more than 100,000 teens across the U.S.

"Under Mr. Schleppenbach's leadership, The Culture Project will continue to train young men and women as missionaries who share their personal stories, educate students on the value of human dignity, and provide a moral compass through a focus on sexual integrity," the nonprofit organization stated in a press release. 

Schleppenbach has worked for over 30 years in the pro-life movement, fighting what he described to CNA in an interview as "the supply side of abortion." His previous roles include associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and executive director of the Nebraska Catholic Conference. 

Schleppenbach told CNA he is excited to shift gears and "really focus on impacting young people's lives so we reduce the demand of abortion" and help young people live virtuously by educating them about the Church's teachings on human dignity, sexuality, and chastity, and living in the age of social media.

"I recognized that if we're going to change this culture and create a civilization of life and love," he said, "we have to focus on young people and making sure they fully understand who they are as children of God, that they understand the dignity of their lives and their sexuality, or we're fooling ourselves if we think we're going to change the culture."

"The genius of this mission," he said, "is that we are not only fundamentally helping to change how young people see themselves, their identity, and their purpose in life as children of God, but we're also investing significantly in the formation of our missionaries."

"I would say the most impacting part of this mission so far for me," Schleppenbach continued, "has been seeing these amazing, beautiful souls in the missionaries who are giving of themselves in a way that they recognize is going to change the culture."

The Culture Project, which currently serves the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio; the Diocese of Cleveland; the Archdiocese of Omaha; and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, also announced in the release that it will begin serving the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, this fall at the request of Archbishop Joseph Naumann. 

"[The archdiocese] reached out to me as a result of that announcement that I was leaving USCCB and going to The Culture Project to say, 'Hey, we'd like to talk about bringing The Culture Project to the Archdiocese of Kansas City,' because they had just had the defeat of the [abortion] ballot initiative around that same time," Schleppenbach said.

In his new role as CEO, Schleppenbach is working to further expand The Culture Project's recruiting efforts in order to reach more dioceses. The organization currently has about 25 missionaries spread across its five dioceses. Next year, Schleppenbach hopes to have about 40 more and to be able to serve in dioceses with financial difficulties.

"I am confident that Greg's vast experience and deep-rooted passion for our mission will enable The Culture Project to flourish in this next chapter," said Cristina Whalen, the project's founder and former CEO. "With increasing demand for our programs across the country, Greg is the ideal leader to guide us through this expansion while ensuring that we continue to inspire young people to live lives of virtue."

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ACI MENA, Sep 26, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On the afternoon of Sept. 17, Father Marwan Ghanem, the head of the Nusroto Al-Anashid Charity Association and Brotherhood of Prisons in Lebanon, was on his way to Beirut for a medical appointment. Before reaching his destination, he witnessed some of the pager explosions that rocked the country.

Aiding three wounded

In an exclusive interview with ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, Ghanem recounted his experience. He was driving in the Ghobeiry district toward his appointment when he stopped to ask a motorcyclist for directions. Suddenly, he heard a faint popping sound, and the motorcyclist fell toward Ghanem's car, bleeding from the stomach. Ghanem's shirt was also stained with blood.

Shortly after that, another motorcycle collided with the rear of Ghanem's car, and the injured rider fell to the ground. Ghanem was shocked, as he had not heard any sounds of an airstrike or shelling in the area. All he could see were people falling around him and lying in pools of blood. At that moment, a large number of pager devices owned by Hezbollah members had exploded.

Wearing his black clergy robe, Ghanem lent a helping hand, carrying three wounded individuals to cars heading to nearby hospitals. Afterward, he drove on and saw dozens of injured people making their way to the Sahel Hospital in Ghobeiry, suffering from wounds to their stomachs, hands, faces, and eyes. 

Another car collided with the rear of Ghanem's vehicle due to the widespread panic. The rear and rear-left windows of his car were damaged, and in Ghanem's eyes, the scene was a river of blood.

The face of Christ in the wounded

Ghanem explained that when he got out to help the three wounded people, he did not consider whether they were Muslim or Christian. Instead, he recognized "the face of the wounded Christ on the road." In such dire circumstances, he said, there is no distinction between a Christian and a Muslim, but rather everyone is human, created in the image of God.

The Maronite priest added that he had fulfilled God's will by helping the wounded. Even if he only could get them to the hospital, he managed to help instead of leaving them to bleed on the road. He said he considers it a sin to not help the injured. He also noted that by getting out of his car, fear didn't exist anymore — courage compelled him to help.

A miraculous escape

Ghanem also revealed that after the incident, he wondered what God wanted from him, as he had miraculously escaped the explosions. The doctor he was visiting had a pager in his office that had exploded, but the doctor was unharmed because he was in the next room with Ghanem. In an adjacent office, someone was injured and died. Ghanem believed that if he had been in the doctor's office, he would have been injured as well. He thanked God for the long drive that delayed his arrival and said that he felt God's grace had protected him, wanting him to continue his work in prisons and other humanitarian activities.

Ghanem said he considers all parties involved in the war to be losers. He reassured anxious Lebanese people and asked them to review their relationship with God, who does not abandon anyone.

How did the pagers explode?

The explosions of Hezbollah's pagers killed 12 people and injured nearly 2,800 others, according to the Lebanese acting health minister, Firas Abiad. 

Two analyses emerged regarding the cause of the explosions: One suggests that Israel had booby-trapped Hezbollah's pagers before they were imported; the other hints at wave interference and battery heating.

The day following these device explosions, walkie-talkies also belonging to members of Hezbollah exploded throughout Lebanon.

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

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CNA Staff, Sep 26, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The Word on Fire Institute, founded by Bishop Robert Barron, launched a program earlier this month designed to support young men amid a national mental health crisis.

Amid a crisis of loneliness and mental health, especially for young men, the ministry "Redemption" is a resource for young men struggling with depression, suicidal ideation, or other mental health issues. Redemption also seeks to address "the existential crisis of meaning that is gripping young men," Barron told Fox News Digital. 

When asked about the timeliness of the ministry, Word on Fire CEO Father Steve Grunow told CNA: "Alarming studies indicate that large numbers of men in our culture are in crisis and that help and support that is specific to their needs and concerns is not in proportion to the problems they face."

He added: "I do think this outreach is of particular importance now, not just because there is a real crisis that is having a devastating impact on men, but also because this kind of work is essential to the mission of the Church, particularly the mission of evangelization, which is, for me, a search-and-rescue mission."

Mental health and meaning crisis among men 

Men often are often underdiagnosed for mental health issues. Nearly 1 in 10 men experience some form of depression and anxiety, but fewer than half seek treatment, according to the Anxiety and Depression Society of America (ADAA). 

Men also die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women but are diagnosed with depression and mood disorders at far lower rates, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). When they do seek help, men are more likely to go underdiagnosed for depression.

"Some indicators of this crisis are the numbers of boys and young men who are failing to thrive in schools and universities, suffering elevated rates of addiction, lacking in mentors or friends, and drifting without meaning and purpose for their lives," Grunow continued. "Perhaps most troubling [is] that men between the ages of 25 and 50 represent the largest group prone to take their own lives."

"This is all compounded by the perception that men are expendable, are pilloried by the culture as being either toxic or buffoons, and if they find themselves in crisis or in trouble that have few resources or opportunities available to help them to set their lives right," Grunow added.

The Redemption program seeks to help men struggling with mental health issues while also addressing the cultural crisis of meaning. The program will hold weekly meetings led by the Word on Fire Institute and the Capuchin Franciscan Friars.

The program will feature spiritual counseling as well as virtual meetings and other digital resources for men around the world. 

Shia LaBeouf's role 

Redemption was launched because of a request from actor Shia LaBeouf, who joined the Catholic Church after his on-screen portrayal of Padre Pio in a 2022 film led him to a love of the Catholic faith. 

"Shia Labeouf asked Bishop Barron if Word on Fire could provide help to men who, like himself, are alone and in crisis," Grunow said.

LaBeouf had stayed with a monastic community of Capuchin friars to prepare for the role of Padre Pio, but he "found in the Capuchin friars mentors and friends who were willing to let him into their community despite the fact that he was, in his own words, 'on fire, radioactive,'" Grunow explained. 

"[Labeouf] asked if Bishop Barron, through the auspices of Word on Fire, could facilitate, with the help of Capuchin friars, an outreach to men who were at a limit and had run out of options," Grunow explained. "The Word on Fire Institute Redemption community emerged from Shia's request and the Capuchin friars' willingness to help."

Loneliness and cancel culture 

Grunow noted that cancel culture has a "devastating" effect on young men. 

"It seems to me there is the shattering impact of a culture that insists that everything is permitted while at the same time nothing is forgiven," Grunow noted. "The impact of this on men has been particularly devastating as it means there is no opportunity for another chance. The result is that far too many men have become pariahs or outcasts — throwaway people who are the product of a throwaway culture." 

Having a faith community and support can be "very important" to an individual recovering from mental health issues, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA). 

"From a public-health perspective, faith community leaders are gatekeepers or 'first responders' when individuals and families face mental health or substance use problems," read an APA Mental Health Guide for Faith Leaders. "In that role they can help dispel misunderstandings, reduce stigma associated with mental illness and treatment, and facilitate access to treatment for those in need."

"It is spiritually decadent for Catholics to virtue-signal regarding Christ's offer of undeserved mercy and grace rather than to practice it through offering to others the mercy and grace that we ourselves have received from the Lord," Grunow noted. 

"The loneliness epidemic" has hit men hard. A 2023 study by Equimundo found that two-thirds of men surveyed said "no one really knows me." Additionally, men's social circles are shrinking, according to a study by the American Survey Center. The number of men who report having no close friends has quintupled since the 1990s, and while more than half of men in the 1990s reported having at least six close friends, that number has been cut in half as of 2021.

"Bishop Barron has often said that grace and mercy grows in proportion for us in our willingness to give grace and mercy to others. We imitate Christ when the grace and mercy we give away is given to those who the world deems as unworthy of the gesture," Grunow said.

"In the midst of a culture that has facilitated the destruction of so many lives in its brutal insistence that 'everything is permitted, but nothing is forgiven,' the Church needs to offer those in need the grace and mercy of forgiveness and another chance — redemption is possible, and it is not just a prize for the perfect but a gift for all," Grunow said. 

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 25, 2024 / 17:10 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Timothy Dolan said on Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris' decision to skip the Al Smith dinner, a prominent Catholic charity event in New York, wasn't a wise political move.

While Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Harris' decision to skip the dinner reveals her "anti-Catholic" sentiments, Dolan, who leads the Archdiocese of New York, blamed bad advice.

"Different people are reading motives into it; I don't know the motives," he said, speaking on his podcast. "She simply said she's got to use it for campaigning. This isn't a campaign event, but it certainly is good visibility, you know, I mean it's a national audience and everybody covers it; now the news is that she's not there. So, I don't know who's advising her but she's not getting good advice."

The $5,000-a-plate charity event taking place on Oct. 17 is hosted by the Archdiocese of New York; the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner has been attended by nearly every major presidential candidate since 1960. 

According to Dolan, President Joe Biden had committed to attending the dinner earlier this year before dropping out of the race. Harris' campaign team, however, reportedly notified the archdiocese on Saturday that she would not be attending the event. 

Instead of attending the event, Harris' team has said she will use the time to campaign in critical swing states, according to the New York Post. 

Dolan pointed out on his podcast after the news broke that the last candidate who refused an invitation to the dinner, Walter Mondale in 1984, lost his election in a massive blowout. 

"I don't want to say its cause and effect," Dolan quipped, "[but] Walter Mondale went on to lose 49 states." 

On a more serious note, the cardinal noted that he is "doubly disappointed" by Harris' decision. 

As head of the Archdiocese of New York, Dolan typically sits between the two presidential candidates on the main dais atop the stage. Dolan said he was looking forward to presiding over an evening in which both candidates got to put aside their differences in the interest of charity.

"We were looking forward to giving both candidates an enthusiastic welcome, which we always do," Dolan said. "It's not supposed to be a campaign, it's kind of an evening of patriotism, joy, friendship, and unity. Well, those are values she's been talking about, and this evening is supposed to showcase that, so we're kind of doubly disappointed that she's not coming."

Despite this, Dolan noted that he still hopes Harris will change her mind "when she becomes aware of how important this is."

He said that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, both Democrats and regular attendees of the dinner, have been "pestering her, saying, 'You got to come.'"

"They [Hochul and Schumer] say there still might be a chance because this may have just been her handlers saying, 'No, no we can't,'" Dolan said.

Trump will still attend

Trump, meanwhile, has confirmed that he will be attending the dinner. 

Dolan praised Trump's commitment to the event, saying he has been "extraordinarily good," participating in the event every election year since 2016.

Trump made headlines at the 2016 Al Smith dinner because of jokes he made about then-Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, which some said went too far and broke with the friendly spirit of the event. In 2020, both Trump and Biden sent recorded video messages for the event, which took place online due to COVID-19.

Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan, who is scheduled to serve as the dinner's master of ceremonies, confirmed with the Daily Beast that he will still be headlining the event.  

A missed opportunity

Brian Browne, an adjunct professor of political science at St. John's University in Queens, New York, told CNA that while Harris' decision likely won't make much of a difference to the average Catholic voter, more engaged Catholic voters "could perceive this as a misstep or insult."

He said that "a modest investment of a few hours" at the dinner would provide an opportunity to demonstrate "bipartisan camaraderie and an ability to present humor, humility, and a human touch."

"It is a missed opportunity to appear at a historic, traditional, and overwhelmingly enjoyable event that raises much-needed funds for Catholic Charities," Browne said. "At a minimum, it exposes the Harris campaign as not completely understanding or appreciating the history of one of the friendlier traditions of presidential elections. It fuels the ongoing criticisms that Vice President Harris is scripted, risk-averse, and not ready for prime time."

Browne, who has attended the dinner several times, described it as "a classic and special New York City experience that showcases and celebrates just how far Catholics have come in the United States."

Maybe the right decision for Harris?

John White, a professor of politics at The Catholic University of America, told CNA he believes the reaction to Harris' decision is being blown out of proportion.

"It's perfectly understandable that Harris would want to spend the remaining days of the campaign in the swing states," he said. "Moreover, it's important to remember what happened at the last live Smith dinner in 2016. Trump did not adhere to the spirit of light banter and humor and delved into personal attacks against Hillary Clinton. Undoubtedly, he would do the same again."

White said: "I don't think this matters much to Catholics."

"Frankly, I think the Smith dinner is losing its salience in terms of a political benefit," he added. "And while Cardinal Dolan likes to recite history, saying Walter Mondale didn't show up in 1984 and lost 49 states, Richard Nixon did not appear in 1972 — sending Vice President [Spiro] Agnew instead — and he won 49 states."

Meanwhile, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, told CNA that the dinner plays to Trump's strengths and Harris' weaknesses, creating what he called a "lose-lose situation" for the vice president.

"It seems obvious that her handlers, who are ever so cautious about her public comments, are afraid she might stumble, and therefore come to regret going," he said. "But playing it safe is like playing not to lose in sports — it is not a surefire way to win. No matter, the lack of confidence her handlers have in her ability to think quickly and succinctly is not unfounded."

Despite this, Donohue noted that Harris "should know that if she were to attend the Al Smith dinner, New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan would ensure that she was treated with respect" despite her policy record, he said, "most of which is inimical to Catholic values."

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CNA Staff, Sep 25, 2024 / 17:40 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar and Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego will lead the inauguration of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence on Sept. 29 in Rome at the Istituto Maria Santissima Bambina, a convent just outside St. Peter's Square.

The institute's goal is to deepen "Catholic understanding of and commitment to the practice of Gospel nonviolence," according to a Sept. 25 press release.

Sister Teresia Wachira of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary and renowned author and researcher Maria Stephan will lead the inauguration alongside the two cardinals.

The Institute is "aimed at facilitating nonviolence research, resources, and experiences for Catholic Church leaders, communities, and institutions" and has a 21-member advisory council featuring nonviolence scholars, researchers, and Church leaders.  

The council will focus on several areas of research including "Gospel nonviolence," which relates to understanding nonviolence as a "way of life." It will focus on "how the Church can integrate Gospel nonviolence throughout its life and work" as well as highlighting how the Church can work with other religions to spread the practice of nonviolence.

There will also be a concentration in "nonviolent practices and strategic power," which will investigate nonviolent strategies for real-world problems. The third concentration, "contextual experiences of nonviolence," will connect those who have lived out nonviolence and will emphasize "case studies of nonviolent practice."

Next month, the institute will contribute to the 2024 Synod on Synodality by offering seminars on questions of nonviolence and legitimate self-defense as well as discussing formation in nonviolent conflict management.

The advisory council includes Maria Clara Bingemer, a professor of theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Archbishop Peter Chong of Suva, Fiji; and Erica Chenoweth, dean and professor at Harvard University known for her work on nonviolence. 

The inauguration takes place amid debates over what constitutes a just war according to Catholic just war theory. McElroy recently said in a Sept. 23 interview with Vatican News that "just war theories are a secondary element in Catholic teaching; the first is that we should not engage in warfare at all." 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that all citizens and governments "are obliged to work for the avoidance of war," though "governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed" (CCC, 2308, 2309).

The institute originates from Pax Christi International's Catholic Nonviolence Initiative. Pax Christi is a Catholic nonviolence movement that seeks to address the root causes of violent conflict. 

The event will take place on the same day as the Pax Christi International Peace Award ceremony, which has been awarded to men and women who have stood up for nonviolence since 1992. This year's recipient is Sister Gladys Montesinos, a Peruvian Carmelite missionary who works with Indigenous peoples in the Bolivian Amazon. 

Pax Christi International will stream the inauguration on its YouTube channel.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 25, 2024 / 18:25 pm (CNA).

The large-scale bombings Israel unleashed this week against Hezbollah in Lebanon are affecting all of Lebanon's residents, including Christians, according to the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

ACN's project coordinator in Lebanon, Marielle Boutros, indicated that many Christian families residing in the bombed areas have been affected.

"Some have lost their homes and are now moving from the south to other places in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the north to find safety," she said.

Boutros explained that even Beirut, the country's capital, has been the target of attacks mainly confined to the areas with the largest Muslim population, where Hezbollah has most of its support.

"But Beirut is not a big city, so if a part of Beirut is targeted, all of Beirut will feel it, and all day people hear the sound of military aircraft or drones," she said.

"I am 37 years old and I have lived through more than five wars in Lebanon. It is not easy to live in a country where one day you are OK and the next you are hiding from missiles. It's not the kind of life young people like to live. The trauma that people are experiencing now, and the trauma of having yet another war, will not be easily forgotten," Boutros added.

Boutros said that despite the bombing, projects carried out by the Catholic Church through ACN have not stopped and that "they are now more necessary than ever."

"People are now living in church halls so they will need food, sanitary products, mattresses, blankets, and if it continues we will need heating for the winter, though of course we hope it won't last that long," said Boutros, who also called on all believers to pray for peace in Lebanon and the entire region.

'No one wants war'

Another prominent Catholic voice who is speaking out about the situation is the Maronite archbishop of Tyre, Charbel Abdallah, who stated in an interview with Vatican News that the Lebanese are worried and "fearful for the future."

"Everyone seeks peace. Nobody wants war," he reiterated. "If the situation worsens, the war would not only affect the south, but it is all of Lebanon that is affected by the war. In October, children and young people will start school. We spent an entire year without school, and if schools do not open this year, we risk losing a lot, because people and families will be forced to leave the region."

Finally, the archbishop highlighted that the Catholics of Lebanon have made the decision to pray fervently for an end to the conflict.

"All the priests in the parishes have taken steps to pray. The rosary is prayed every day. There is an hour of worship with the people, and we always try to encourage the spirit in prayer to ask for the peace of the Lord," he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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St. Louis, Mo., Sep 25, 2024 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

Missouri executed Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams on Tuesday evening for the brutal murder of a St. Louis journalist in 1998 despite significant local and national outcry from Catholics and others who begged state authorities not to carry out the execution, citing opposition to the death penalty and doubts about Williams' guilt.

Williams, 55, died by lethal injection just after 6 p.m. local time. Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who has never granted clemency to a death row inmate during his governorship, declined to do so in Williams' case, and the U.S. Supreme Court also rejected a plea brought by Williams' attorneys. 

Felicia "Lisha" Gayle, a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was found brutally stabbed dozens of times in her home in the St. Louis suburb of University City in 1998. 

Circumstantial evidence, including the discovery of several of Gayle's personal belongings in Williams' car, tied him to the break-in and murder, though none of his DNA was ever found on the murder weapon. Williams allegedly confessed to the murder to his girlfriend and a fellow inmate, but critics have questioned the veracity of those witnesses.

Williams, who was already serving jail time for two unrelated robberies, was charged with Gayle's murder in 1999 and convicted in 2001. St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Hilton upheld Williams' conviction earlier this month.

Attorneys for Wiliams had argued before the state Supreme Court on Monday that Williams did not receive a fair criminal trial in part because of the racial makeup of the jury and the fact that the trial prosecutor struck at least one juror in part because the juror and Williams, who is Black, "looked like brothers."

The Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty, even for those who have committed heinous crimes, constitutes an attack on human life and dignity. The Missouri Catholic Conference, which advocates for public policy on behalf of the state's bishops, had encouraged Catholics to contact Parson to express their opposition to Williams' execution. 

Led by the St. Louis Archdiocese's Office of Peace and Justice, about 25 people protested the scheduled execution on Tuesday afternoon in downtown St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch reported. Outside the prison where the execution took place, about an hour south of St. Louis, more than 90 protesters gathered. 

Williams' attorneys had recently pushed for his release after new DNA testing revealed at least two other people's DNA on the knife used in the murder, although it later came to light that the DNA belonged to law enforcement professionals who had handled the knife without gloves.

Williams, a Muslim, had his imam with him during the execution. His final statement reportedly read, "All Praise Be To Allah In Every Situation!!!"

Missouri is among the most prolific of all U.S. states when it comes to the death penalty; it was one of only five states to carry out executions in 2023, carrying out four that year. In April, Parson denied a death row inmate's clemency request despite protests from Catholics and others, clearing the way for the state's first execution of 2024.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, reflecting an update promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018, describes the death penalty as "inadmissible" and an "attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person" (CCC, No. 2267). 

The change reflects a development of Catholic doctrine in recent years. St. John Paul II, calling the death penalty "cruel and unnecessary," encouraged Christians to be "unconditionally pro-life" and said that "the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil."

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Vatican City, Sep 25, 2024 / 09:50 am (CNA).

Pope Francis said Wednesday he is praying for the dozens of victims of a deadly coal mine explosion in Tabas, Iran, that happened last Saturday.

The Sept. 21 incident in the South Khorasan Province killed at least 51 people and injured another 20, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The explosion was caused by a methane gas leak.

In a message of condolences signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed his sorrow for those affected and sent "the assurance of his prayers for those who died and for their grieving families."

"Likewise expressing his spiritual solidarity with the wounded, His Holiness invokes upon all affected by this tragedy the Almighty's blessings of strength, consolation, and peace," the short telegram to victims concluded.

A similar coal mine explosion in Iran in 2017 killed 42 people and injured at least 75 others.

The mine in Tabas, located about 340 miles from Tehran, is owned and operated by Madanjoo Company. There were 69 workers inside the coal mine at the time of the explosion at 9 p.m. local time.

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