Catholic News

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279164&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Rome Newsroom, Sep 21, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The second Vatican assembly for the global Synod on Synodality will kick off on Oct. 2, bringing together clerics and laity alike for nearly one month of discussions. Here is what you need to know:

What is the Synod on Synodality?

The Synod on Synodality, initiated by Pope Francis in October 2021, is a multiyear, worldwide undertaking during which Catholics were asked to submit feedback to their local dioceses on the question "What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our 'journeying together?'"

The Catholic Church's massive synodal process has already undergone diocesan, national, and continental stages as well as the first global assembly at the Vatican in October 2023. The upcoming October 2024 session will be the second and final global assembly, culminating the discernment phase of the synod.

What does synodality mean?

Synodality was defined in the 2023 summary report as "the walk of Christians with Christ and toward the kingdom, together with all humanity." It involves "coming together in assembly at the different ecclesial levels of life, listening to one another, dialogue, communal discernment, consensus-building as an expression of Christ's making himself present alive in the Spirit, and decision-making in differentiated co-responsibility."

Pope Francis has said that he envisions the Synod on Synodality as "a journey in accordance with the Spirit, not a parliament for demanding rights and claiming needs in accordance with the agenda of the world, nor an occasion for following wherever the wind is blowing, but the opportunity to be docile to the breath of the Holy Spirit."

What are the main questions and themes for the 2024 synod assembly?

The 2024 Instrumentum Laboris, building on the results of the 2023 session, outlines three overarching questions:

1. How can we be more fully a sign and instrument of union with God and of the unity of all humanity?

2. How can we better share gifts and tasks in the service of the Gospel?

3. What processes, structures, and institutions are needed in a missionary synodal Church?

The document focuses on "how the synodal Church is on mission" and proposes concrete ways to implement a more synodal approach in Church governance, theology, mission, and discernment of doctrine.

What are some of the topics that could be addressed in the synod assembly?

The 2024 Instrumentum Laboris has avoided emphasizing some controversial topics already discussed in the 2023 session. Instead of directly addressing issues like LGBTQ demands, these topics have been delegated to specialized study groups for further examination.

The document also proposes what it describes as new ways of approaching "controversial" issues within the Church. It suggests promoting "initiatives that allow for shared discernment on doctrinal, pastoral, and ethical issues" and proposes confidential meetings of experts, possibly including those directly affected by these issues.

How does the Synod on Synodality differ from past synods of bishops?

A synod is a meeting of bishops gathered to discuss a topic of theological or pastoral significance in order to prepare a document of advice or counsel to the pope.

For the first time, the Synod of Bishops in 2023 included voting delegates who are not bishops. Nearly a third of the 364 voting delegates were chosen directly by the pope, including laypeople, priests, consecrated women, and deacons. Fifty-four voting members are women.

Who are the participants?

The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops has reported that the initial diocesan listening phase concluded with the participation of 112 out of 114 of the world's Catholic bishops' conferences.

According to a report from the U.S. bishops' conference, about 700,000 people participated in the diocesan phase of the synod in the U.S. out of 66.8 million Catholics in the country, or about 1%.

The October assembly will include 368 voting members and 96 nonvoting participants. 

Who are the key organizers of the Synod on Synodality?

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the 66-year-old archbishop of Luxembourg, remains one of the leading organizers of the Synod on Synodality as the relator general. The Jesuit cardinal is a member of Pope Francis' council of cardinal advisers. In a March 2023 interview, Hollerich expressed openness to the possibility of women priests in the future and described the part of Church teaching calling homosexuality "intrinsically disordered" as "a bit dubious."

Cardinal Mario Grech continues to serve as the secretary general for the Synod of Bishops. The former bishop of Gozo, Malta, Grech was one of two authors of the Maltese bishops' controversial pastoral guidelines on Amoris Laetitia, which stated that divorced and remarried Catholics, in certain cases and after "honest discernment," could receive Communion. In 2022, Grech decried the public criticism of the German "Synodal Way" as "denunciation."

What happens after the synod?

The October 2024 assembly marks the end of the discernment phase. The next phase will focus on implementation. Fifteen study groups, formed to address topics from the 2023 session, will continue their work through June 2025. So while they will provide progress updates at the beginning of the October session, their work extends past the October synod.

The Instrumentum Laboris asserts that "without tangible changes, the vision of a synodal Church will not be credible."

Is there a prayer for the Synod on Synodality?

The following "Prayer of Invocation to the Holy Spirit" was published by the organizers:

"We stand before you, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in your name. With you alone to guide us, make yourself at home in our hearts; teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it. We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in you our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right. All this we ask of you, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen."

This article was updated on Sept. 20, 2024.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279155&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

CNA Staff, Sep 20, 2024 / 14:10 pm (CNA).

The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, released guidelines on Sept.12 affirming that diocesan schools and institutes must practice the Church's teaching on sexuality and gender while being compassionate toward those struggling with gender dysphoria. 

Bishop Kevin Rhoades notes in the policy that all diocesan institutes must use pronouns that align with a student's biological sex. The policy does not permit the use of "'preferred pronouns" in any capacity.

It further requires that students use the uniforms and bathrooms that match their biological "God-given sexual identity" and attend single-sex sports and programs that match their biological sex as well. 

The 11-page document, approved earlier this month by Rhoades, also prohibits "public advocacy for, or celebration of, sexual behavior or ideologies contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church."

"Active, hostile, and public defiance of these teachings is prohibited since it is harmful to the institution's Catholic identity and mission," Rhoades writes. 

Regarding the treatment of people struggling with gender dysphoria, Rhoades recommends a compassionate response that does not involve life-altering surgeries or sterilizing drugs. 

Diocesan institutions may not cooperate in "transgender" surgical or chemical interventions such as puberty blockers or surgery on diocesan property, the guidelines say. 

"While we strongly support efforts to alleviate the suffering of those who struggle with their sexual identity, we cannot support interventions which we believe ultimately harm them," Rhoades notes. "We support pastoral and counseling services to alleviate their suffering and assist them in accepting the God-given gift of their sexual identity."

Rhoades highlights the importance of chastity for all people. Single people must live chastity in continence, while married couples must live "conjugal chastity."

"One of the greatest challenges today is the criticism and rejection by many of the Catholic Christian anthropology," he writes. "In particular, the truths we uphold regarding sexual identity, sexuality, and marriage have become increasingly unpopular after decades of a cultural shift away from a previous consensus on these matters." 

Rhoades' diocese has faced challenges in this area in recent years. The bishop last year spoke out against the all-female Catholic St. Mary's College, accepting any students who "identify" as women. The college has since reversed the policy.

In the diocesan guidelines, Rhoades highlights the importance of "compassion and sensitivity" toward all those who struggle with gender dysphoria and same-sex attraction. 

The diocese expects all who work with young people to uphold Church teaching while affirming people's "God-given dignity and worth, and to treat them with the love and compassion of Christ." 

"Ministers have a special responsibility to assist those who are hurting or struggling, including those dealing with confusion about their sexual identity or with same-sex attraction," Rhoades writes. "Ministers must not tolerate any ridiculing, bullying, or hostile speech or behavior directed against them."

The bishop provided guidance on pastoral accompaniment of those struggling with gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction. 

"It is important, through listening, to gain an understanding of the needs, difficulties, and challenges experienced by the young people regarding their sexual identity or regarding their same-sex attraction," Rhoades notes. "These are often complicated realities."

Rhoades notes that when talking to young people who may be distressed about this, it is important to "be attentive to their pain, to listen to their voicing of their pain with a compassionate ear and heart, to assure them that they are not alone in their suffering."

"The dialogue and conversation should proceed according to the needs of each individual young person, their questions, and their personal struggles," he writes. 

Rhoades notes that in some cases, it may be helpful or necessary to provide referrals to mental health counselors or psychologists "who are faithful to authentic Catholic Christian anthropology."

"It is also good to help them to bring their needs to God in prayer, to rest in his love, and to have recourse to the Lord's grace and healing in the sacraments, especially reconciliation and the holy Eucharist," Rhoades adds. 

"It is a special challenge for us to educate and guide our young people according to the Church's teachings on sexuality and chastity," Rhoades notes. "It is important that we present these teachings as a path of love, a way to human flourishing, happiness, holiness, and true freedom." 

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279153&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Madrid, Spain, Sep 20, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

For the first time, a sculptor and native of Japan will be awarded the Ratzinger Prize.

His name is Etsuro Sotoo, born in 1953 in Fukuoka, Japan, and a graduate of Kyoto University.

A 1978 visit to Spain changed the course of his life forever. 

Arriving in the city of Barcelona, he was impressed by the construction of the Sagrada Familia basilica and asked to work there as a sculptor.

Following instructions left by Antoni Gaudí, the renowned Spanish architect of the monument, still under construction, Sotoo began his work on the basilica's Nativity façade.

During his stay in Barcelona, ?Sotoo converted to Catholicism and received the sacrament of baptism. 

Sotoo is an enthusiastic advocate of the cause of canonization of Gaudí, known as "God's architect."

Sotoo's handiwork is found in various parts of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia and in other places in Spain as well as in Japan and Italy, in the Cathedral of Florence.

Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the Sagrada Familia basilica during a trip to Barcelona in 2010, expressing his great appreciation for the figure and art of Gaudí. 

Cyril O'Regan

Irish theologian Cyril O'Regan is also a winner of the 2024 Ratzinger Prize.

Since 1999, he has been a professor of systematic theology in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

He studied philosophy in Ireland and earned a doctorate, also earning another doctorate in theology at Yale University in Connecticut. 

O'Regan is the author of numerous articles and several books, including "The Heterodox Hegel" (1994), "Gnostic Return in Modernity" (2001), "Theology and the Spaces of Apocalyptic" (2009), "Anatomy of Misremembering" (2014), and "Newman and Ratzinger" (publication in progress).

His lectures are highly appreciated by his students, and he has dedicated several relevant articles to the figure and teachings of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).

"I am delighted and also feel incredibly honored given the caliber of scholars and thinkers who have received it before me," O'Regan said of the recognition.

Nov. 22 award ceremony and Mass

On Friday, Nov. 22, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, is scheduled to present the prize to both O'Regan and Sotoo. 

The ceremony will take place in the Sala Regia of the Apostolic Palace. That same morning, a Mass will be celebrated in memory of Pope Benedict XVI at his tomb in the Vatican Grottoes. The two winners will be received by Pope Francis.

What is the Ratzinger Prize?

The Ratzinger Prize was started in 2011 to recognize scholars whose work demonstrates a significant contribution to theology in the spirit of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Bavarian theologian who became Pope Benedict XVI.

The awardees are chosen by Pope Francis based on the recommendations of a committee made up of five cardinals who are members of the Roman Curia.

It is currently made up of Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; Cardinal Luis Ladaria, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization; and Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg, president of the Pope Benedict XVI Institute.

With the 2024 edition, the total number of Ratzinger Prize winners ascends to 30. These are mainly eminent personalities in the studies of dogmatic or fundamental theology, sacred Scripture, patristics, philosophy, law, sociology, or in artistic activity such as music, architecture, and now sculpture. 

The winners, who hail from 18 different countries on five continents, are not only Catholics but also belong to other faith traditions, such as Anglicanism, Lutheranism, and Judaism.

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

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279145&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 19, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Former President Donald Trump is no longer planning to attend an event with Polish President Andrzej Duda at a Catholic Marian shrine in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22.

The campaign's scheduled stop at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown has been canceled. The reason for the change in Trump's schedule is unclear.

On Sunday afternoon, the Polish-American Smolensk Disaster Commemoration Committee will unveil a monument at the shrine's cemetery to commemorate the Polish solidarity movement and its fight for independence against the Soviet-backed communist regime of the 1940s through the 1980s.

A spokesperson for the shrine could not be reached for comment. 

The shrine pays homage to the historic Black Madonna icon in the southern Polish city of Czestochowa. According to legend, the original icon in Poland was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop that was built by Jesus Christ when he was a carpenter. The existence and veneration of the icon in Poland are well documented as early as the 1300s.

The eastern Pennsylvania shrine was constructed in 1955 and underwent renovations in the 1960s. The icon of the Black Madonna in Doylestown is a copy of the Polish icon and was blessed by St. John XXIII, according to the shrine's website.

Bucks County is an important battleground in the swing state of Pennsylvania. President Joe Biden won the county by less than 4.4 percentage points in 2020 and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the county by about three-quarters of a percentage point in 2016.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279141&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Vatican City, Sep 19, 2024 / 11:36 am (CNA).

The Vatican is cooperating with Italian prosecutors on an investigation into the leaking of financial information related to the Vatican's major finance trial that ended last year.

Italian media report that two men are being investigated for having gained unauthorized access hundreds of times to a database of suspicious financial activity shared with Italy by banks, which includes potentially compromising information on Italian politicians and defendants in the Vatican trial.

The database is used by anti-mafia prosecutors and judges in cases of money laundering and terrorism financing.

A brief note to journalists from the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday said Vatican prosecutor Alessandro Diddi and the commander of the Vatican gendarmes, Gianluca Gauzzi, met Sept. 17 with the public prosecutor and deputy public prosecutor of Perugia, Italy.

The public prosecutor of Perugia has jurisdiction over the investigation of crimes committed by magistrates and public prosecutors in Rome.

During the meeting, the two judicial offices agreed to collaborate on an ongoing investigation into "unauthorized access to a computer or telematic system," a crime in Italian law, for the clandestine collection of information on individuals. In common Italian parlance, the action is often called "dossieraggio."

It has not been publicly reported for what purpose the information was gathered and if it was done on behalf of anyone.

The Perugia prosecutor is going after a lieutenant of Italy's financial police, Pasquale Striano, who was working at the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Bureau, as well as one of the bureau's public prosecutors, Antonio Laudati, for having allegedly accessed nonpublic information on possibly up to 172 Italian politicians and other media figures.

Striano is also accused of being the source of reports published by two journalists from the Italian daily Domani, who are also under investigation for allegedly reporting protected information, Italian newspaper Il Giornale reported.

Striano and Laudati have both publicly denied the accusations.

According to the press office's note, Vatican prosecutor Diddi has also opened his own case on the "alleged illegal accesses [to information] made during the course of investigations in the well-known inquiry concerning the purchase of the London building."

Il Giornale also reported last March on accusations that in 2019, Striano was allegedly asked by some unknown person, possibly someone inside the Vatican, to get information on at least five people, all of whom were later charged and convicted in the Vatican's major finance trial that concluded in December 2023: Cardinal Angelo Becciu, Cecilia Marogna, Raffaele Mincione, Fabrizio Tirabassi, and Gianluigi Torzi.

In 2019, the Vatican's prosecutor's office was in the early stages of the investigation into the Secretariat of State's London investment, gathering its case against the 10 individuals later charged with crimes including financial fraud.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279140&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

London, England, Sep 19, 2024 / 12:06 pm (CNA).

The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have condemned legislation relating to prayer outside abortion clinics, claiming that the proposal represents a step backward for civic and religious freedom.

Bishop John Sherrington, auxliary bishop of Westminster and spokesperson for the bishops' conference on issues relating to life, said in a Sept. 18 statement that the Public Order Act "constitutes discrimination and disproportionately affects people of faith."

"Religious freedom is the foundational freedom of any free and democratic society, essential for the flourishing and realization of dignity of every human person. Religious freedom includes the right to manifest one's private beliefs in public through witness, prayer, and charitable outreach, including outside abortion facilities," Sherrington said.

"As well as being unnecessary and disproportionate, we have deep concerns around the practical effectiveness of this legislation, particularly given the lack of clarity in relation to the practice of private prayer and offers of help within 'safe access zones,'" he continued.

The passage of the Public Order Act means that starting Oct. 31, buffer zones will be introduced around abortion facilities across England and Wales, constituting a distance of 150 meters (almost 500 feet) of "any part of an abortion clinic or any access point to any building or site that contains an abortion clinic."

A statement from the Home Office published Sept. 18 read: "Safe access buffer zones will make it illegal for anyone to do anything that intentionally or recklessly influences someone's decision to use abortion services, obstructs them, or causes harassment or distress to someone using or working at these premises. The law will apply within a 150-meter radius of the abortion service provider. Anyone found guilty of breaking the law will face an unlimited fine."

The College of Policing and Crown Prosecution Service are due to publish guidance on what exactly will constitute illegal activity in the weeks to come. There remains confusion among pro-life campaigners as to whether silent prayer will constitute "illegal activity" under the new legislation.

This controversial question made headline news after charity worker Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was searched and arrested twice for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in November 2022 and February 2023. However, she was eventually compensated by West Midlands police with an apology and a £13,000 (about $17,000) payout, which raises questions about how far the new legislation will go.

In a statement released Sept. 18, Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right to Life U.K., said: "Hundreds of women have been helped outside abortion clinics by pro-life volunteers who have provided them with practical support, which made it clear to them that they had another option other than going through with the abortion."

"The implementation of buffer zones next month will mean that vital practical support provided by volunteers outside abortion clinics, which helps to provide a genuine choice and offers help to women who may be undergoing coercion, will be removed for women and many more lives will likely be lost to abortion," she stated.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279139&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 19, 2024 / 14:47 pm (CNA).

Although interreligious dialogue among the Holy Land's Jews, Muslims, and Christians has suffered as a result of the intensification of armed conflict in the region, a Benedictine abbot in Jerusalem said the situation has also led to tighter bonds among the Christians of different backgrounds who remain there.

"Our enemies have a more ecumenical thinking than we because they don't divide us by denomination, they hate us because we're Christians," said Father Nikodemus Schnabel, abbot of the Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem, who has frequently been the target of spitting attacks by Orthodox Jews in the area.

Schnabel, a German citizen who was told by the German government to leave Israel because of the insecurity there, has not only decided to stay but also has begun to organize weekly Sunday lunches for members of different Christian rites and communities in Jerusalem, including Catholics, Armenians, Syrian Orthodox, Anglicans, and others.

The gatherings provide a time for Jerusalem's diverse Christian community to share their struggles and encourage one another to persevere. In the words of Schnabel, the persecution Christians suffer serves as "a call to us to say, 'OK, if we are attacked because of our common baptism, maybe we should also live this common baptism, this common vocation as Christians, more authentic.'"

"We stay voluntarily in this ocean of suffering as islands of hope," Schnabel told EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser in an interview, aired below on "EWTN News Nightly."

Data released by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics in December 2023 reported 187,900 Christians living in Israel, and the number has likely declined even further since then.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279134&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

CNA Staff, Sep 19, 2024 / 07:50 am (CNA).

A group of nuns and other religious groups with charitable missions are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block a New York state mandate that would force them to cover abortions in their employee health insurance plans.

"New York's abortion mandate is so extreme that not even Jesus, Mother Teresa, or Mahatma Gandhi would qualify for an exemption," said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, the nonprofit religious liberty law firm that is arguing on behalf of the nuns. "The justices should exempt religious organizations once and for all so they can focus on caring for the most vulnerable." 

The religious groups challenging the abortion mandate include a group of Carmelite sisters, the First Bible Baptist Church, the Sisterhood of St. Mary, an Anglican Episcopal monastic order of contemplative religious sisters, and Catholic Charities, which provide adoption and maternity services. 

The New York abortion mandate "imposes immense burdens on countless religious entities opposed to abortion as a matter of deep-seated religious conviction," reads the Sept. 18 petition to the Supreme Court.

The petition notes that permitting some religious conduct for preferred subsets of religious groups but forbidding others "is a particularly pernicious form of discrimination under the First Amendment."

The September petition follows a series of legal issues beginning in 2017, when a group of Anglican and Catholic nuns, Catholic dioceses, Christian churches, and other faith-based ministries sued over the mandate, which prohibited insurance policies from excluding coverage for abortions. The lower courts initially ruled against them, but Supreme Court justices reversed the lower court rulings in 2021 and told them to reconsider in light of Fulton v. Philadelphia, which brought up similar free exercise issues. The state courts ruled against the religious organizations again, so the religious groups have returned to the Supreme Court.

"Religious groups in New York should not be required to provide insurance coverage that violates their deeply held religious beliefs," said Noel J. Francisco, partner-in-charge of Jones Day's Washington office, which is also arguing on behalf of the nuns. "We are asking the court to protect religious freedom and make clear that the mandate cannot be applied to this diverse group of religious organizations."

Initially, the proposed abortion mandate allowed all employers with religious objections to receive an exemption. However, New York redefined the exemption to include only religious groups that primarily teach religion and organizations that primarily serve and hire those who share their faith. Ministries such as the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, which runs a nursing home, do not qualify for the exemption because they serve those in need regardless of religious affiliation. 

"It thus places special burdens on religious traditions holding service of others to be a religious command," the lawsuit noted.

In addition to the Carmelite sisters, Lutheran, Episcopalian, and Baptist groups are also "deemed insufficiently religious to qualify for a religious exemption — and so are forced to cover abortions in their employee health plans."

The court will consider whether it will hear the case later this fall. 

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279133&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Rome Newsroom, Sep 19, 2024 / 09:23 am (CNA).

In a highly anticipated report on the alleged decadeslong apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, the Vatican's doctrinal office on Thursday endorsed prudent devotion to Mary at the popular pilgrimage site in Bosnia and Herzegovina yet withheld any declaration on whether the alleged visions are supernatural in origin.

The Sept. 19 note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), signed by prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and approved by Pope Francis in an Aug. 28 audience, grants a "nihil obstat" to the spiritual experience at Medjugorje. The authoritative judgment means that pilgrims may continue to visit and pray at the site, as some 40 million people from around the world have done since the apparitions allegedly first began 43 years ago. 

Six children, who are now middle-aged, first reported experiencing visions of the Blessed Mother, originally on a hilltop near the rural village of Medjugorje, on June 24, 1981. The Vatican's report notes that the remote site, formerly part of Yugoslavia, is now widely "perceived as a space of great peace, recollection, and a piety that is sincere, deep, and easily shared."

While it offers no definitive judgment on the supernatural authenticity of the alleged apparitions, the Vatican's report highlights the abundant good fruits that have come from Medjugorje.

"The positive fruits are most evident in the promotion of a healthy practice of a life of faith, in accordance with the tradition of the Church," the report states. 

It points to "abundant conversions, a frequent return to the sacraments (particularly, the Eucharist and reconciliation), many vocations to priestly, religious, and married life, a deepening of the life of faith, a more intense practice of prayer, many reconciliations between spouses, and the renewal of marriage and family life." 

"It should be noted," the report emphasizes, "that such experiences occur above all in the context of pilgrimages to the places associated with the original events rather than in meetings with the 'visionaries' to be present for the alleged apparitions."

Fernández presented the report in a two-hour-long press conference at the Holy See Press Office on Sept. 19.

The prelate quoted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's 1985 statement that emphasized separating the question of supernatural origin from spiritual fruits.

Fernández pointed out that Ratzinger said even if modern critical thinking might question some aspects, "this doesn't detract from the fact that those pilgrimages were fruitful, useful, important for the life of the Christian people."

On this view, he added, Pope Francis said there was "no magic wand" to determine the authenticity of the phenomena, but "the spiritual pastoral fact cannot be denied."

Spirituality of the messages

A significant portion of the document is a summary of the central points and spirituality of the numerous alleged messages received by the alleged visionaries, identifying "Queen of Peace" as the "most original title in the alleged messages," though Mary most frequently refers to herself as "Mother."

The predominant themes of those communications — which the Vatican stresses should be referred to as "alleged messages" — are calls for conversion, peace, reconciliation, and a return to the sacraments, along with a "constant call to abandon a worldly lifestyle and excessive attachment to worldly goods." 

"One of the prevailing characteristics of the spirituality that emerges from the messages is that of trust in God through a total trust in Mary, in order to become instruments of peace in the world," the Vatican's document says.

The note quotes from some of the messages to illustrate that in the missives, "Our Lady does not place herself at the center but shows herself to be fully directed toward our union with God."

The spirituality of the messages is also one of communion with the pope and with the whole Church, it said, and the spirituality of Medjugorje is overall "joyful, celebratory, and includes a call to live the joy of following Christ."

During Thursday's press conference, Fernández quoted from several of the alleged messages he found to be edifying.

"Most of the messages have a beautiful content that can stimulate the faithful to conversion, to grow in their encounter with Christ, to be peacemakers in the world," he said.

'Misleading messages'

The report also notes that as in other spiritual experiences and alleged supernatural phenomena, "positive and edifying elements are mixed with other elements that are to be ignored," adding: "But this fact should not lead one to spurn the richness and the good of the Medjugorje proposal as a whole."

The report draws attention to a number of "misleading messages" from Mary, particularly when she reprimands or makes threats, or when she insists strongly on listening to her messages: "This risks creating a dependence and an excessive expectation on the part of the faithful, which could ultimately obscure the central importance of the revealed word."

The note said this becomes "even more problematic" when the messages give orders about specific dates, places, and practical decisions "unlikely to be of supernatural origin."

"Although messages of this type are infrequent in Medjugorje, we can find some of them that are explained solely from the personal desires of the alleged visionaries," the note said. "It is reasonable for the faithful, using prudence and common sense, not to take these details seriously nor heed them."

The dicastery also said "those messages that attribute to Our Lady the expressions 'my plan' or 'my project' also show a certain problematic aspect," and these expressions "might create some confusion" because "in reality, everything Mary accomplishes is always at the service of the Lord's plan and his divine plan of salvation."

Another term requiring special attention is "the possible misuse of the word 'mediatrix' in reference to Mary" in the messages.

When the messages say "I am the mediatrix between you and God" (July 17, 1986) and "I desire to be the link between you and the Heavenly Father, your mediatrix" (March 18 2012), they "fail to express adequately the fact that, as St. John Paul II explained, Mary's mediatory cooperation is 'subordinate' to the mediation of Christ," the note explained. 

The DDF said Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, special apostolic visitor to the parish community of Medjugorje, will continue the duties already entrusted to him and will be responsible for authorizing the publication of any future messages.

The dicastery advised people who may visit Medjugorje that pilgrimages should not be made to meet with alleged visionaries but to have an encounter with Mary, Queen of Peace and with her son, Jesus Christ, through participation in the sacraments.

Some of the alleged messages of Mary the Vatican found problematic were those containing explicit and repeated exhortations to the parishioners of the local church, St. James, the Vatican said.

Those messages are "an understandable expression of the alleged visionaries' intense love for their parish community," the note said. "However, Our Lady's messages cannot replace the ordinary role of the parish priest, the pastoral council, and the synodal work of the community regarding decisions that are the subject of communal discernment, through which the parish matures in prudence, fraternal listening, respect for others, and dialogue."

'Nihil obstat'

In accordance with new norms on the discernment of "alleged supernatural phenomena," the local bishop must consult and receive final approval from the Vatican after investigating and judging alleged apparitions and connected devotions.

According to the May 17 norms, a "nihil obstat" judgment means: "Without expressing any certainty about the supernatural authenticity of the phenomenon itself, many signs of the action of the Holy Spirit are acknowledged 'in the midst' of a given spiritual experience, and no aspects that are particularly critical or risky have been detected, at least so far."

In its Sept. 19 note, the DDF explained that "through the 'nihil obstat' about a spiritual event, the faithful 'are authorized to give it their adherence in a prudent manner' (Norms, art. 22, §1; cf. Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, par. 14)."

"While this does not imply a declaration of the supernatural character of the phenomenon in question (cf. Norms, art. 22, §2) — and recalling that the faithful are not obliged to believe in it — the nihil obstat indicates that the faithful can receive a positive encouragement for their Christian life through this spiritual proposal, and it authorizes public acts of devotion," the dicastery continued.

"Such a determination is possible," it said, "insofar as many positive fruits have been noted in the midst of a spiritual experience, while negative and dangerous effects have not spread among the people of God."

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=279132&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Rome Newsroom, Sep 19, 2024 / 10:40 am (CNA).

The blood of St. Januarius liquefied on Thursday before a Mass in Naples, Italy, where the archbishop said that the blood of the fourth-century martyr is a powerful reminder that "love is stronger than death."

Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples held up an ampoule containing the relic of the saint's blood in the Naples cathedral on his feast day, revealing the liquefaction to shouts and cheers from the people who had waited in the cathedral since early in the morning. 

"Every drop of this blood speaks to us of the love of God," Battaglia said in his homily. "This blood is a sign of the blood of Christ, of his passion."

The archbishop recalled that Sept. 19 marks the anniversary of St. Januarius' martyrdom more than 1,700 years ago in which the saint chose death in "fidelity to the Gospel" to show that the love of God is "stronger than death, violence, or any power."

Hundreds of people gathered in Naples' Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary for the feast of St. Januarius, known as San Gennaro in Italian. The saint was a Catholic bishop believed to have been martyred during the Christian persecution of Emperor Diocletian.

In Neapolitan lore, the failure of the blood to liquefy signals war, famine, disease, or other disasters. The reputed miracle usually occurs up to three times a year: Sept. 19, the saint's feast day; the first Saturday of May, the day his remains were transferred to Naples; and Dec. 16, the anniversary of the 1631 eruption of the nearby Mount Vesuvius.

In his homily, the archbishop of Naples cautioned against reducing the veneration of the city's saint to mere superstition.

"We do not have to worry if the blood of this relic does not liquefy, but we do have to worry if it is the blood of the downtrodden, the marginalized, and the poor that flows through our streets," he said.

Prince Carlo of the House of Bourbon and Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy were present in the Naples cathedral and exchanged an embrace at the news of the relic's liquefaction, according to Italian media.

The Mass was the culmination of two days of celebrations for the southern Italian city's patron saint. 

St. Januarius "reminds each of us today that the Gospel of Jesus provides the compass we need to live, to live fully, facing head-on and with courage the challenges that each age brings," Battaglia said.

Full Article