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ACI Africa, Sep 12, 2024 / 11:00 am (CNA).

The Diocese of Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria is appealing for prayers and humanitarian assistance for thousands of people displaced by floods that intensified Sept. 10.

In a Facebook post, the diocese announced that the flooding in Maiduguri, a city in Borno Estate, is the worst the region has experienced in decades.

Images circulated on social media platforms show St. Patrick's Cathedral submerged under water and a few visible rooftops of buildings in the surrounding areas of the city known for Boko Haram activity.

The catastrophic event is believed to be the result of damage to the Alau Dam, located several miles from Maiduguri city.

Explaining the nature of the devastation in the Facebook post, the diocese said: "Maiduguri city experienced the worst flooding in over 30 years… Thousands have been rendered homeless and no one knows the number of fatalities yet."

"Please pray for us," the diocese representative requested in the post, adding that the diocese has been working on reaching out for support to help those affected.

"Kindly give what you can to assist; help spread this message… and pray for us."

The diocese said that there is no food, shelter, or sanitation facilities for those displaced by the floods, adding: "Government has reopened the IDP [internally displaced person] camps, but these are overwhelmed by the number of those seeking refuge."

In further attempts to describe the nature of the catastrophe, the diocese said the raging waters had broken the confines of a zoo, allowing dangerous animals to roam freely.

"There are also news reports of a prison break," the post noted.

Meanwhile, the pontifical charity foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International has launched an urgent appeal for prayer and support for the affected community of Maiduguri.

In a statement on Sept. 11, ACN said it had contacted the Diocese of Maiduguri to determine the extent of the damage, its impact on the community, and the immediate needs of those affected.

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

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CNA Staff, Sep 12, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On Sept. 12, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast was officially instituted by Pope Innocent XI, and the celebration dates back to the early 1500s when Catholics in Spain began commemorating Mary's special graces, intercession, and mediation.

Over the centuries, the Blessed Mother has been graced with a plethora of different titles such as Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Queen of Peace, and many others. 

Here are seven of the Virgin Mary's most popular titles:

Our Lady of Fátima

The Blessed Mother received this title when she appeared to three shepherd children in the small village of Fátima, Portugal, in 1917. Against the backdrop of World War I, the Virgin Mary appeared six times to Lucia Dos Santos and Jacinta and Francisco Marto where she instructed them to pray the rosary daily, showed them a vision of hell, and warned them of the trials that would afflict the world by means of war, starvation, and the persecution of the Church. In her last apparition to the children, she called herself "the Lady of the Rosary."

Our Lady of Lourdes

On a cold day in February 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to 13-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. Over the course of 18 apparitions, the Blessed Mother told the young girl to pray the rosary, to pray for the conversion of sinners, and that a chapel needed to be built on that spot. This spot continues to be the home of the healing waters millions of pilgrims visit each year at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The most popular Marian title in Latin American countries, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to a humble Native American, Juan Diego, on a hill in what is now Mexico City in 1531. She made a request that a church be built on the site and left an image on Juan Diego's tilma that still shows no signs of decay almost 500 years later. Between 18 million to 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe yearly.0

Our Lady of the Rosary

The Blessed Virgin Mary received the title of Our Lady of the Rosary in the 16th century from Pope Pius V after he attributed a naval victory that secured Europe against Turkish invasion to the intercession of the Blessed Mother. Crew members on more than 200 ships prayed the rosary in preparation for the battle, as did Christians throughout Europe, who were encouraged by the pope. When the pope was informed of the day's events — that all but 13 of the nearly 300 Turkish ships had been captured or sunk — he understood the significance. He was moved to institute the feast now celebrated universally as Our Lady of the Rosary.

Our Lady of Sorrows

The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is nearly 1,000 years old and encourages the faithful to reflect on the seven sorrows of Mary, which begin with St. Simeon's prophecy told to the Blessed Mother and culminate in the events of the passion and death of Christ. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots

One of the many devotions Pope Francis has promoted during his pontificate is the devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. A painting of the Blessed Mother, which was completed around the year 1700, shows her untying knots from a long ribbon. The image was inspired by the painter's grandparents, who years before avoided a divorce after meeting with their priest, who took a ribbon from the marriage ritual and asked for the intercession of the Virgin Mary to untie the knots of their marital difficulties. 

Queen of Peace

The title of Queen of Peace, or Our Lady of Peace, dates back to the 16th century when Jean de Joyeuse presented a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary to his bride, Françoise e Voisins, on their wedding day. The statue, named Notre Dame de Paix, or Our Lady of Peace, depicted Mary holding an olive branch in her right hand and the Prince of Peace, Jesus, seated in her left arm. The statue became a family heirloom and was passed down to their grandson, Henri Joyeuse, who joined the Capuchins in Paris. The statue remained with the Capuchins for the next 200 years and on July 9, 1906, in the name of St. Pius X, the archbishop of Paris ceremonially crowned the Our Lady of Peace statue, thus becoming Our Lady, Queen of Peace.

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Jerusalem, Sep 12, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

On Aug. 31, exactly 100 years after its dedication, the Church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant was reopened for worship on the hill of Kiryat Yearim, nine miles from Jerusalem. 

The church, which was closed for four years for restoration work, stands atop the hill overlooking the (Muslim) village of Abu Gosh. From the top, visitors can see Jerusalem.

The place, mentioned in the Bible as "Kiriath-Jearim," has held an important role in the history of the Jewish people as it was here that the Ark of the Covenant rested after being recovered from the Philistines (see 1 Samuel 6). 

The ark contained the two stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments — God's covenant with the Jewish people — were inscribed and was the sign of God's presence among his people.

According to the Bible, it was hosted in the house of Abinadab, where it remained for about 20 years (see 1 Samuel 7:1-2) until King David brought it to Jerusalem.

For this reason, even today, the site is visited by many groups of Jews.

A Byzantine basilica was built on the top hill around the fifth century. The current church, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1920, stands on the remains of that building. It was consecrated in 1924 by the then-Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Luigi Barlassina, and dedicated to Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the current Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, recently came to the basilica to dedicate its new altar on the occasion of the reopening of the church. 

"This reopening is a moment of trust in the future, a desire to start anew, and this is what we need most at this time, when everything around us speaks of death and endings," he told CNA after the celebration on Aug. 31.

"Climbing this mountain, blessed by the presence of the Lord," he added, "invites us to have a broad and farsighted perspective on events and not to close ourselves off in the dramatic present moment."

Hosting the event were the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, a French congregation founded in 1832 by Mother Emilie De Vialar, which owns and operates the church and surrounding property.

The complete details of how the land came to be acquired by the sisters are lost to history, but it centers on one of the order's sisters who died in 1927. Sister Josephine Rumèbe, who is buried in the church, was reportedly endowed with special mystical gifts and managed to acquire the land on behalf of the sisters. The story goes that she had 5,000 francs at her disposal and sought the help of a clergyman for the purchase. To prevent a competing buyer from acquiring it, the cleric secured the entire hill for 20,372 francs. Miraculously, when Sister Josephine counted the gold coins hidden in her room, the amount matched exactly what she needed.

The dedication of the new altar in the basilica took place after the recitation of the creed and chanting of the litanies. The cardinal placed relics in the altar, including that of Mother Emilie De Vialar, who was canonized a saint in 1951. This was followed by the anointing of the altar with chrism oil, the incensing of the altar, the covering of the altar, and the lighting of the altar.

"The covenant of God with his people finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is no longer just the sign of God's presence but God himself among us. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant because she carried Christ himself in her womb," said the cardinal in his homily, inviting the faithful, following the example of the Virgin Mary, to renew their trust in God as the Lord of history and active within history.

Upon entering the church — whose iconographic elements were created by artists from the Ave Center of the Focolare Movement — the eye is drawn to the golden flame emanating from the center of the apse.

A special decoration that, on one hand, evokes the biblical significance of fire, symbolizing the presence of God, and on the other, is connected to the history of this place and particularly to Sister Josephine's vision of a "mountain of fire," holds significance here.

When she was still a young postulant in France, during Eucharistic adoration, Sister Josephine had a vision of flames forming a mountain with Jesus above them instead of the host. The vision then vanished, and only 50 years later, at the time of laying the foundation stone of the church, it was revealed to her that the "mountain of fire" was indeed Kiryat Yearim, which she used to call "the Holy Mountain."

Sister Valentina Sala, the current provincial of the congregation for the Holy Land, immediately felt a strong connection to this place. She recounted to CNA: "The first time I came here for a few weeks, a sister took me to Kiryat Yearim. I knelt at Sister Josephine's tomb and prayed to return if that was God's will."

On the centenary of the church's dedication, Sister Valentina also emphasized the significance of this place for her congregation, whose charism is to serve the needs of people through works of charity. 

"What is charity work? What people need today is not just health care or education; there is a hunger and thirst for God. We must be able to recognize this need, helping those who come here to listen to his voice. We need places where people can pause and rest with God," she said.

When the construction of the church was nearly complete, Sister Josephine had a vision of the Virgin Mary, at the top of the church, facing Jerusalem with outstretched arms in a gesture of dispensing grace. A statue now stands above the church to recall that vision, facing away from those entering and directed toward Jerusalem. 

"This place, which evokes the covenant, invites us to realign ourselves with God and to be under this blessing," Sister Valentina concluded.

This is also the meaning of the words she addressed to those present — the vast majority of local faithful from Jerusalem as well as from Galilee — at the end of the Mass.

"Sister Josephine had already seen you in various visions: 'I saw a crowd rushing toward the basilica. I saw priests, sisters of our order, and then men and women of the world who were even more pleasing to God than all the others, holy souls shining like stars.'"

She continued: "And what if we are that vision? What if we are that future? Of course, we are! From now on, you will be the ones to bring life to this hill, to this covenant between God and his people. Come, rush, stay, feel at home. There is not only a newly renovated church to see but a Presence to discover: Take the time to dwell with the Lord. What could be more beautiful... Many graces await to be dispensed from here!"

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Quito, Ecuador, Sep 11, 2024 / 16:41 pm (CNA).

Visibly affected and on the verge of tears, Leyden Rovelo spoke about the suffering of tens of thousands of recently arrived immigrant children in the United States during her talk Sept. 9 at the 2024 International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador.

Rovelo referenced official reports that indicate that federal agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have failed to account for between 30,000 and 85,000 of these minors.

"They don't know where our children are," she said.

The Catholic Church and the migration drama

"The Catholic Church unequivocally recognizes the legitimate authority of sovereign nations to regulate their borders and manage migratory flows," she said.

However, this position of the Church "does not constitute an endorsement of draconian measures or inhumane practices," said Rovelo, director of Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri.

"Rather, it underlines the imperative to defend human dignity throughout the process of [immigration] control," said Rovelo, who is also a member of the Hispanic Advisory Group of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development.

She also referenced a message from the USCCB in 1983 in which the bishops affirmed "that the Hispanic-Latino presence in the American Church is a blessing from God for the Church and for the entire country."

Rovelo continued her presentation by pointing out that since 1565, when the first Mass was celebrated in St. Augustine, Florida, "we have witnessed how Hispanic immigrants have revitalized parish life throughout the country, many of them in parishes whose population was aging," although she noted that this "has not been without difficulties or wounds."

Regarding the tragedies experienced by young Latin American migrants, Rovelo shared the story of a woman she had to assist who told her that her 5-year-old daughter died during the trip to the United States and she doesn't even remember in which country she had to bury her.

"This delicate balance between national sovereignty and human rights is the basis and approach of the Catholic Church in the face of the dilemma of migration," she emphasized.

The mystery of God in a time of migration

Rovelo elaborated on the fact that migrants are bearers of the Gospel and of the image of God, created in his image and likeness. Migrants are pilgrims on earth who seek — like everyone else — their final destiny in heaven, she said.

In addition, she asked people to see migrants for their human identity, "restoring our hearts and minds," and not to see them through political labels, their legal status, or by making value judgments.

"We are all in flight. Migrants on the way home. Just as Christ is the bridge between us and the Father, we are also the bridge between migrants and a better place," Rovelo said.

Finally, she highlighted the efforts of the American bishops to mitigate the suffering inherent in migration processes, calling on countries of origin to "address the root causes of migration," while increasingly promoting and strengthening their support services for migrants and refugees.

"The Church has chosen to focus on the intention of 'rendering to Caesar what is Caesar's and rendering to God what is God's' by advocating sustainable development, democratic institutions, and policies that respect human rights and human dignity in the countries of origin," she commented.

"The Church seeks to create an environment where people can thrive in their countries of origin, thereby reducing the compulsion to undertake dangerous journeys," Rovelo added.

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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CNA Staff, Sep 11, 2024 / 17:25 pm (CNA).

A rampant wildfire on Saturday destroyed The Holy Spirit Catholic Mission in Washoe Valley, Nevada, which held the only Latin Mass in northern Nevada.

Several other homes and structures in the area along U.S. Highway 395 New Washoe were destroyed by the Davis Fire, according to local news reports.

The church, built in 1978, was completely destroyed, along with the tabernacle and almost all of the church's official documents, though a statue of Mary survived, along with other sacred objects.

Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg of Reno offered his encouragement and support following the fire in a Sept. 8 pastoral letter. Mueggenborg said that he rushed to the mission on Saturday night when he heard that it had been destroyed, as did many parishioners, "in the hopes of recovering the Blessed Sacrament." 

While first responders prevented access into Washoe Valley due to the dangers of the ongoing fires, he and other community members returned the following morning. 

"Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw when we arrived at the mission," he wrote. "We were saddened beyond words at the smoldering debris that was once the house of God."

"As an immediate sign of hope, we saw the undamaged statue of the Blessed Mother standing in watchful attention over the site of the former mission chapel," Mueggenborg continued. "The Blessed Mother is particularly close to her adopted children in Christ when they suffer affliction and distress."

Mueggenborg said that the situation developed "so quickly that none of us could have anticipated the magnitude of the devastation which would result."

The bishop explained that he and some volunteers arrived in the hopes of recovering the Blessed Sacrament but found that the tabernacle had been completely destroyed.

"The heat was so intense that it actually fused metallic pieces together," he said. "As such, nothing remained of the Blessed Sacrament."

"Upon arriving at the site, we were all saddened and couldn't believe when we saw that the entire building had collapsed and there was still smoke on the ground," Father Arlon Vergara, pastor of the parish, said in a letter shared with CNA. "But what caught my attention was the statue of Mary, with no damage and still immaculately white, standing as if protecting the holy ground."

The Church also lost its sacramental records, which are necessary for people who seek further sacraments in the Church such as confirmation or marriage. The diocese is working on reconstructing the records and requesting local Catholics to submit any copies of baptism, confirmation, or marriage certificates that they have.

"This unfortunate event taught us a lesson to ensure that our buildings and important documents are more secured," Vergara said of the records, which had been stored in a safe. "Perhaps all our parishes can adapt to technology of moving our records to digital records. This process can protect our records during extreme and difficult circumstances."

The parish was also able to salvage a monstrance, two chalices, and a dry seal mark of the mission as well as a holy water container, holy oil container, and some small sacred medals.

"I believe that we can get through all this," Vergara said. "The structure has been destroyed, but the Church, which is the people, is alive and steadfast in faith and resilient in times of trials and difficulties."

"We will move forward and will continue to minister to our flock with dedication and commitment to walk with them," he said.

The parish will celebrate Mass at Bishop Manogue High School for the near future at the invitation of the recently appointed superintendent of Catholic schools for the diocese, Brother Christopher Hall. The high school's chapel will host the congregation for Sunday worship. The bishop expressed his hope that this "will help your community to preserve its unity as you plan your future."

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Quito, Ecuador, Sep 11, 2024 / 09:50 am (CNA).

The secret of the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the midst of the ongoing war with Russia comes "from union with God" and from the Eucharist, affirmed the auxiliary bishop of Sambir in Ukraine, Hryhoriy Komar, during a Sept. 9 address to the International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador.

"We have parishes where they have not stopped praying in the church for almost three years. People have their turn to pray day and night. Our strength is the Eucharist. The Eucharist is an invitation to communicate and forge communion with others. That is, to be with the people in the most difficult moments and to give one's life for the people," the prelate said in his remarks about the war that began on Feb. 24, 2022, with the Russian invasion.

At the Congress, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic prelate said "the Eucharist is an invitation to participate in the suffering and resurrection of Christ… It is an encounter with the risen Christ, conqueror of death, with the One who gives life. Only he can heal shattered families, broken lives, and change death into life."

At the beginning of his talk, Komar thanked the organizers of the Quito 2024 International Eucharistic Congress for the opportunity to "bear witness to the pain and tragedy."

"The life of our people is divided into two parts: before and after that date [Feb. 24, 2022]. And now we know very well that our life will never be the same as before."

According to data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 10 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since the invasion began. Of the total, more than 6.4 million are refugees abroad.

Komar spoke of the magnitude of the suffering his people are experiencing. "It is difficult to find words to describe all the horrors of the war in Ukraine. For many people in the world, war is something abstract, but for us it is a terrible reality that we live every day, experiencing the danger of losing our own lives or the lives of our relatives," he said.

The prelate also underlined the mission of the Church to proclaim the truth and rejected any kind of malicious or manipulated narrative regarding the origin of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

"Some tell us that Ukraine provoked Russia to start this war. That is like saying something similar to a woman who has been raped. It's unfair to describe the genocide that Russia is carrying out in Ukraine with the word crisis. It's a lie. It's false witness," he emphasized.

'Our priests are heroes'

Faced with this reality, the Church has had to reinvent itself to offer spiritual and material support in the midst of chaos. "Our churches are not only a place of prayer but also a place where one can find advice or take shelter during bombings," Komar said.

He also recognized the heroic work of priests in his country: "I admire the fervor and sacrifice of our priests. They are heroes because with their prayers and daily deeds they support their people."

Despite the immense suffering, the Ukrainian bishop said he maintains a firm hope in the prayer of Catholics around the world. "To overcome evil, we need a prayer for the conversion of all of us. In Ukraine, in Europe, in Ecuador, in the world," he said.

He also called on the international community not to forget the pain of his people: "The war in Ukraine is not only Ukraine's problem."

Komar concluded his talk by asking the world to pray for Ukraine and to continue searching for the truth.

"May the world be stronger" thanks to solidarity with his country, he said, imploring: "Lord, king of peace and the universe, protect our people and Ukraine."

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

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Nearly 3,000 names are engraved in bronze at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. But 10 of the victims in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are different: They have no names. Instead, each is remembered as an "unborn child." 

Among those memorialized this way are "Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas and her unborn child."

On Sept. 11, Jack Grandcolas lost the two people he held most dear: his wife, Lauren, and their unborn child. His pregnant 38-year-old wife died on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after the passengers fought back against hijackers redirecting the flight to Washington, D.C. Grandcolas recounts his loss and search for hope in a memoir called "Like a River to the Sea: Heartbreak and Hope in the Wake of United 93."

The book was published by Rare Bird on Sept. 6, 2022, and opens with a dedication to his lost child.

"Dear Son … or Daughter," he begins. "I am writing this book at the advice of my therapist. She felt it would be helpful to share a little bit about your mom and dad, and why you will always have your place in history."

Today, that child would be 22 years old. Her name would be Grace, if a girl — Gavin, if a boy.

Lauren was three months pregnant, Grandcolas recalls, when she flew from their home in California to New Jersey for her grandmother's funeral. At her insistence, he stayed behind to care for their sick cat.

"We were giddy at the thought of becoming parents, having spent the previous decade trying to get pregnant," he writes. "There had been plenty of heartbreak along the way, including a miscarriage in 1999, when Lauren was 36. Two years later, we had pretty much resigned ourselves to raising only cats ... and then a miracle happened."

Lauren and their "miracle" were supposed to return to California on Sept. 11, 2001.

That morning, Grandcolas woke up to the sound of the answering machine. He fell back asleep, only to wake up again and spot what he calls the "shape of an angel." 

Had someone he knew recently died?

It must be Lauren's grandmother, he thought. Then he realized it was Lauren.

When he checked the answering machine, he heard a message that would change his life forever. 

"Honey, are you there? Jack? Pick up, sweetie," he heard Lauren's voice say. "Okay, well, I just want to tell you I love you. We're having a little problem on the plane. I'm fine and comfortable and I'm okay for now. I just love you more than anything, just know that. It's just a little problem, so I, I'll … Honey, I just love you. Please tell my family I love them, too. Bye, honey."

"In that moment I knew Lauren and our baby were gone," he writes of his college sweetheart and their little one. 

His wife's funeral was held at a Catholic church in Houston. Lauren, he says, was not a religious person. But in the months before her death, she began attending a weekly Bible study.

"One evening she came home and said, 'I finally get it,'" he remembers. When he prodded her by asking, "Get what?" she responded: "The meaning of it all."

While raised Catholic, Grandcolas struggled with his faith. 

"What kind of merciful God would take my sweet Lauren and our child?" he asked. He later concluded that it was not God but human ideology.

He encountered God again after a conversation with Bono, the lead vocalist of the famous rock band U2. Bono performed "One Tree Hill" — Lauren's favorite U2 song — in her memory at a 2005 concert at the Oakland Coliseum. Afterward, Grandcolas opened up to the singer.

"Being brought up Catholic, you're given all this guilt about things that you didn't do right," he told Bono. "I worry that I may have screwed up in this life and mortgaged my opportunity to see Lauren again."

"You'll see her again. I know it. We all screw up in life," he says Bono reassured him. "That's why God grants us forgiveness. It's his most powerful gift."

Bono's words changed him and his faith, he says. 

"Ever since 9/11, I had questioned God and his plan for me," he writes. "The night was a tribute to her but in a very important way it set me free, allowing me to be more forgiving of myself and rekindle my belief in God's mercy."

Grandcolas introduces readers to Lauren as a woman with a beautiful smile, radiant personality, and even a mischievous streak. They married after meeting in college and stayed together as he progressed with a career in the newspaper industry and she took charge as a marketing manager.

After losing her and their baby, he struggled with depression, PTSI (post-traumatic stress injury), heavy drinking, fear of abandonment, and survivor's guilt. With the help of EMDR psychotherapy, he said, he discovered that "for all these years I had been mourning Lauren without fully grieving for the baby we lost."

"Over the years that child grew up in my mind, growing older every year," he writes. "I knew I would not be able to move on until saying goodbye to the baby I never got to hold."

Today, the memory of Lauren and their unborn baby lives on at memorials across the country, through the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation, and, now, his book.

"[A]s I continue to reflect on the highs and lows of the last two decades, I've come to realize that I am very lucky indeed," he says. "I found true love, twice. I've endured a pair of horrific tragedies but still have a resilient spirit and zest for life. I'll always carry the emotional scars of losing Lauren and our child, just as I'll always have the physical scars from my burns, but all of my wounds continue to heal."

"We all suffer loss. We all endure heartbreak. It's how you respond to these cataclysms that define you," he concludes. "Sometimes the most beautiful things grow out of our hardest moments."

This article was first published on Sept. 11, 2022, and has been updated.

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St. Louis, Mo., Sep 10, 2024 / 16:20 pm (CNA).

The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a proposed constitutional amendment to dramatically expand abortion in the state will remain on the Nov. 5 ballot after a circuit judge blocked the measure earlier this week.  

The ruling dealt a blow to pro-life activists in the state, who had argued that the final proposed language not only violates state law by failing to list which laws it would repeal but also misleads voters about the scope and gravity of what they will be voting for. A Catholic law firm led the legal effort to get the proposed amendment struck from the ballot. 

Missouri's proposed Amendment 3, which originally qualified for the November ballot in August after garnering thousands of signatures, would mandate that the government "shall not deny or infringe upon a person's fundamental right to reproductive freedom," including "prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions."

Missouri law currently protects unborn babies throughout all of pregnancy with the only exception being cases of "medical emergency." With the Tuesday ruling, Missouri remains one of 10 states that will vote on abortion-related measures in November. 

In a brief order issued in the early afternoon Sept. 10 — just hours before the state deadline for finalizing the November ballot — the Missouri Supreme Court overruled a lower court's opinion that held that the proposed amendment violates state law by failing to mention the specific laws to be repealed if voters approve the measure. The court, under Chief Justice Mary Russell, said opinions would follow. 

The Thomas More Society, a Catholic public interest law firm based in Chicago, had filed the lawsuit challenging the pro-abortion amendment language in August on behalf of Missouri state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, pro-life advocate Kathy Forck, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, and Peggy Forrest, president and CEO of Our Lady's Inn, a St. Louis pro-life pregnancy center. 

The Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) had urged Catholics to pray and fast for the amendment's removal from the ballot. 

In a statement to CNA, MCC executive director Jamie Morris expressed disappointment with the court's ruling.

"Missourians should have the right to know what laws will be overturned when they are asked to sign an initiative petition. The Missouri Catholic Conference will continue to educate the public on the dangers this amendment poses to women's health by removing even basic safeguards currently in law," Morris said.

"We encourage the faithful to continue to pray for a conversion of hearts and minds so that the pro-abortion Amendment 3 is defeated."

In his Sept. 6 ruling, Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh wrote that the defendants' failure to "include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent, is in blatant violation of" state law. 

Ahead of the Supreme Court's Tuesday ruling, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft had on Monday decertified Amendment 3 from the November ballot, citing the lower court's ruling. Following the Supreme Court's opinion, Ashcroft will be required to recertify the proposed amendment. 

A hearing before the Missouri Supreme Court took place this morning at 8:30 a.m.

During the oral arguments before the Missouri Supreme Court, Charles Hatfield of Stinson LLP in Jefferson City, arguing for the pro-amendment side, said Article 3, Section 49 of the Missouri Constitution reserves to the people the right to propose amendments through an initiative process — a right that he said ought to be upheld.

Mary Catherine Martin of the Thomas More Society countered by arguing that voters need to be fully informed to exercise their rights properly and argued that the amendment's failure to disclose significant impacts misleads voters.

Martin said in a statement following the ruling that the decision "is a failure to protect voters by not upholding state laws that ensure voters are fully informed going into the ballot box."

"Missouri's Amendment 3 will have far-reaching implications on the state's abortion laws and well beyond, repealing dozens of laws that protect the unborn, pregnant women, parents, and children — a reality that the initiative campaign intentionally hid from voters. We implore Missourians to research and study the text and effects of Amendment 3 before going to the voting booth," Martin said.

This is a developing story. 

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Toronto, Canada, Sep 10, 2024 / 17:08 pm (CNA).

More than 2,200 people gathered for the annual EWTN Family Celebration held this year in Toronto.

This year's gathering, which took place on Sept. 7, featured various EWTN personalities, including network commentator and contributor Father Raymond de Souza; Father Chris Alar, MIC, host of "Living Divine Mercy"; "Women of Grace" host Johnnette Williams; EWTN Chairman of the Board and CEO Michael Warsaw; and EWTN News President and COO Montse Alvarado. 

Cardinal Thomas Collins, archbishop emeritus of Toronto, was the principal celebrant of the event's closing Mass.

Faith before politics 

The morning program featured a talk by de Souza, known for his regular columns at the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, as well as his EWTN feature presentation "The Seven Last Words of Christ."

De Souza highlighted the importance of putting faith before politics, offering an examination of conscience of sorts for political action.

"Paul instructs us clearly not to delight in sin. That includes not delighting in the sins of others because they will suffer bad effects from it," de Souza reflected. "Should I be pleased if a political candidate, a performer, or prelate suffers a scandal because it benefits my preferred political candidate, performer, or a prelate? We know we shouldn't, but the temptation is strong. We need to resist it."

De Souza also reflected on 1 Corinthians 13 as it relates to the mission of communicators.

"All of us journalists desire to get the story right and to get the story fast. That's our business. The two things have always been in tension," he said. "In the digital age, getting the story fast often means getting it wrong. This applies not only to professional journalists, my colleagues at EWTN, but to everyone who uses social media." 

"Doing all things in love means a measure of patience in an age that is very, very impatient," de Souza continued. "Speaking in haste risks not speaking in charity."

He also reflected on speech in regard to politics, following the standard of love offered in 1 Corinthians 13.

"Is our speech kind, even as we remain firm in the faith? Do we boast because we have been given the gift of faith, because we have a greater insight? Are we arrogant? Are we rude? Do we call other people names? Do we belittle them or demean them? Do we insult others?" he reflected. "The tide of arrogant, unkind, insulting, rude speech is a tsunami that overwhelms us. It is very hard not not to get swept up in it."

De Souza said we should pursue Cardinal John Henry Newman's definition of the manners of a "true gentleman." 

"From a long-sighted prudence, [a gentleman] observes the maxim of the ancient sage that we should ever conduct ourselves toward our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend," de Souza concluded.

'Family Talk'

Later in the day, a "Family Talk" session was held to discuss Mother Angelica's legacy, share stories, and reflect on the unique mission of EWTN. The panel included Warsaw and Alvarado as well as Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word Fathers Joseph Mary Wolfe and Leonard Mary. 

"In 2001, [Mother Angelica] and I were sitting one afternoon when I asked her, 'What's the witness of EWTN? What is the story?'" Warsaw recalled. "And she didn't hesitate for a minute. She said, 'It's not how many television satellites we're on. It's not how many radio stations. It's about how we've done what we've done, which is by relying completely and totally upon God's providence.' And that was her witness to all of us."

Alvarado shared her profound admiration for how Mother Angelica "invested so much time in prayer."

"She invested so much more time in prayer than she did 'doing things,' the way the world would define productivity," Alvarado continued. "So we have to take that model. And I always loved that in her witness."

"[She] makes herself available to us in the legacy of the network but also in the virtue of these prayers," Alvarado said. "She understood the power of generational prayers and the investment that is made in adoration and how those graces fill your life."

Any young woman who looks at the Church and loves the Blessed Mother and encounters Mother Angelica sees her "feminine genius," Alvarado added. 

Joy in the face of challenges

Cardinal Collins, a vocal opponent of physician-assisted suicide in Canada, said that Catholics should respond to the issue by engaging with the faith and living a life of joy. 

The cardinal noted that people have a "coldness in the soul" and "a hopelessness" that stems from a "lack of meaning" in their own lives. 

"We don't have meaning in life if we let go of the reality of the faith that gives us guidance," he said.

He recalled how physician-assisted suicide became accepted in Canada. "It started out with extreme cases, and that's how they got it through the Supreme Court and through Parliament, but now it spreads, it spreads, it spreads," he said. 

"It also has resulted in the increase in what we strangely call 'medical assistance in dying.' I mean, that's not what it is. Medical assistance in dying is when you're helping people who are dying: You help them medically, not cause them to die."

In spite of the prevalence of assisted suicide, Collins still sees hope. 

"When you chase after nothingness, you find nothing. This is where I think it's a bad thing, certainly," he said. "But it's a good thing in the sense that it shows a hunger of people for meaning and direction — and that they can find in Our Lord Jesus."

It was an energetic and lively crowd, clapping in excitement throughout the speeches, whooping at some parts, and murmuring "awww" when Canada's beloved Cardinal Collins had to leave the stage.

One couple in attendance, Paul Le and Anne Hoang, married for 38 years, shared their excitement about the event. 

"Actually, COVID is what brought me close to the Catholic Church," said Le, who started listening to Collins and Bishop Robert Barron's homilies during COVID "almost every day." Since then, Le said, he understands the meaning of Catholicism more deeply. 

He said the global Catholic network's Family Celebration is an "extension of my learning process." 

When asked about his takeaways, Le said there were "many wonderful things," including a discussion of the meaning of freedom, which Le said is "very crucial."

"What is the meaning of freedom? And why is society in trouble now?" he said. "People say, 'Don't tell me what to do.' And eventually, what they find is trouble and misery."

"I think it will pull a lot of people back, an event like this, because I think people are hungry for something, something," Hoang said. "And this can satisfy it."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 10, 2024 / 17:38 pm (CNA).

The "spiritual darkness" that Mother Teresa describes in her writings can be difficult to comprehend, but this feeling of emptiness was not caused by either depression or a loss of faith, according to a lecturer at an academic conference organized by the Mother Teresa Institute.

St. Teresa of Calcutta's "dark night of the soul" was a distinct charism that helped her build her faith and serve others rather than a mere chemical imbalance that induces depression or an abandonment of the Catholic faith, said Loyola University Maryland philosophy professor Derek McAllister at a Sept. 6 symposium held at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., one day after the saint's feast day. 

"If it's a mental emotional problem, they do not of themselves promote virtue or increase depth of relationship with God," McAllister said. "Whereas we know with the dark night, the nights do of themselves greatly increase love, humility, patience, and the like. And they decidedly prepare one for deeper prayer."

The lecture focused on some of Mother Teresa's letters, which describe an emptiness and a spiritual darkness — essentially an inability to feel the presence of God. St. Teresa, who founded the Missionaries of Charity, was an Albanian sister who spent most of her life serving the poor in Calcutta, India. She was canonized in 2016.

"The darkness is so dark, and I am alone," St. Teresa wrote. "Unwanted, forsaken. The loneliness of the heart that wants love is unbearable. Where is my faith? Even deep down, there is nothing but emptiness and darkness. My God, how painful is this unknown pain? It pains without ceasing."

St. Teresa wrote that "the place of God in my soul is blank, there is no God in me" and "I just long and long for God and then it is that I feel he does not want me — he is not there."

McAllister noted that other saints have had such feelings and referenced St. John of the Cross' 16th-century poem "Dark Night of the Soul" and his subsequent commentaries on that poem. It describes the Spanish mystic's crisis of faith and an inability to feel the presence of God even though God was truly present and guiding the experience.

"In darkness and secure, by the secret ladder, disguised — oh, happy chance! — in darkness and in concealment, my house being now at rest," St. John's poem reads.

McAllister cited St. John's descriptions of his experience, noting that "he identifies, by name, melancholy and says that's not what I'm talking about." McAllister argued that an "affective condition that overwhelms people" does not accurately describe those experiences, but rather that the experience actively pushed St. John to grow closer to God.

"While you may experience desolation of God's felt presence of the senses, you're being purgated and drawn closer to God, but you don't feel that you are while you're experiencing that," McAllister explained.

In the case of Mother Teresa, McAllister compared and contrasted the symptoms described in her writing with the criteria used to diagnose major depressive disorder.

According to McAllister, depression often includes an unhealthy introspection and a lack of realism, which he said "advice does little to remedy." Further, someone who has clinical depression, he noted, will often experience chronic fatigue, insomnia, and a depressive affect. He also argued that depression does not promote virtue in and of itself: "That's why it's called a disorder."

He cited her writing to show that she was seeking answers to her spiritual darkness, as when she said to her confessor: "Each time your yes or no [to a question] has satisfied me as the will of God." He also said that she did not experience the other symptoms that commonly accompany depression or depressive affect in everyday activities. The fruits of her experience, he noted, also do not point to a disorder such as depression. 

"What's this [spiritual darkness] for in and of itself?" McAllister asked rhetorically. "Does it bring about humility, charity, kindness, and growth in Christ? And just look at what happened. Yes, absolutely [it did]."

The conference was attended by numerous sisters in the Missionaries of Charity along with lay members of the order, some priests, and a few professors and graduate students.

It was held a short walk from the St. John Paul II National Shrine, which is displaying a Mother Teresa exhibit until Nov. 11. The exhibit contains a first-class relic of St. Teresa and many of her personal items. 

Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, the president of the Mother Teresa Institute, told CNA that the organization functions as "the academic arm of the Mother Teresa Center" that focuses on her writings and her words. He said there is "a lot more depth to Mother Teresa's holiness" than many realize. 

"I think she has a message for the Church," Kolodiejchuk said. "She was one of the great figures of the last century."

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