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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2024 / 17:50 pm (CNA).

Catholic Church leaders in the U.S., Rome, and the Middle East have expressed cautious "hope" that the new regime in Syria will respect Christian communities after a lightning offensive this past week by Islamist rebel groups toppled the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace issued a statement on Tuesday in which he called on the U.S. and the international community at large to support Syria as it "starts a new chapter in its rich history."

"In yet another dramatic development in the Middle East, after enduring more than a decade of bloody civil war, Syria is undergoing a national political transition that will surely impact the entire region," Zaidan said.

The 53-year reign of the Assad regime crumbled in little more than 10 days after a coalition of so-called "rebel" forces led by the jihadist Sunni Muslim group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept through the war-torn country's major cities of Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and finally Damascus on Dec. 8. HTS is notorious for its early roots in Al-Qaeda and has been designated as a terror group by the U.S. and the United Nations.

Al-Assad, successor to his father Hefez, has fled to Moscow with his wife and children, according to Russian and Iranian state media.

The radical turn of events has provoked reactions of both joy at the end of the oppressive regime and fear at the prospect of what an HTS-controlled Syria could mean for its citizens, especially minority Christian communities who fear persecution.

Zaidan further referenced comments made by the apostolic nuncio of Damascus, Cardinal Mario Zenari, who told Vatican News in a Dec. 8 interview that he was greatly relieved at what he described as a relatively peaceful transition thus far. 

"Thank God, this transition happened without bloodshed, without the carnage that was feared," Zenari said, adding: "Now the path ahead is steep — those who have taken power have promised to respect everyone and to build a new Syria. We hope they will keep these promises, but of course, the road ahead remains very difficult."  

According to Zenari, HTS rebel forces met with bishops in Aleppo "immediately" after capturing the city, "assuring them that they would respect the various religious denominations and Christians." 

In his statement, Zaidan said he agrees with Zenari that the "sentiments on the transition and aspirations of the Syrian people are clear."

"The people of Syria want a government in Damascus that will respect and defend human rights," Zaidan said, "especially the religious freedom of minorities, uphold the rule of law, and promote economic and civil society development throughout the country."

"As Syria starts a new chapter in its rich history, I urge the United States and the international community to keep the people of Syria in prayer and to closely monitor the situation so that all aid organizations are able to reach those most in need," he concluded.

The Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also addressed the developing situation in Syria at a meeting on interreligious dialogue between Muslims and Christians in Milan at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.

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Madrid, Spain, Dec 10, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) has called on the European Union (EU) to appoint a coordinator for the fight against anti-Christian hatred in the same way it already employs coordinators to combat hate directed against Jews and Muslims.

"The time is mature for the appointment of an EU coordinator on combating anti-Christian hatred in Europe," said Alessandro Calcagno, an adviser to the bishops on fundamental rights, during his speech at the European Prayer Breakfast held at the European Parliament last week.

"It is not a question of victimism but equal access to tools of protection," Calcagno said. 

COMECE is the body that officially represents the Catholic Church to the EU.

Calcagno explained that the right to freedom of religion, as well as provisions to fight against discrimination on the grounds of religion, should not be seen only through the prism of protecting faith communities that are religious minorities. 

"It is necessary to break the 'majorities vs. minorities' dynamic that underpins the approach of certain actors and policymakers," Calcagno stated.

Appointing a coordinator is one of the priorities that Calcagno, on behalf of the European bishops, outlined in relation to the exercise of religious freedom in the EU, among which is "need to ensure equal protection to all dimensions of this core fundamental right, including the institutional one," he highlighted.

"Too often, freedom of religion is depicted as a 'problematic' right, and its collective dimension, compared with its individual dimension, is neglected," the adviser said.

The need to protect places of worship and data of a religious nature as well as better integrate the defense of religious freedom into EU policies was also addressed during the event.

The European Prayer Breakfast, attended by some 450 participants from across the continent and beyond, was held in conjunction with a panel focused on current trends of rising religious intolerance in Europe.

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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ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 10, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Among the new crop of cardinals created by Pope Francis on Dec. 7, Cardinal Mykola Bychok, CSSR, stands out. He is the bishop of the Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, and at age 44, he has become the youngest cardinal in the world. 

The website of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia explains that the new cardinal belongs to an Eastern-rite church, so for the Dec. 7 occasion he wore "a purple robe according to the old Kyivan tradition" that was "adorned with embroidered images of Sts. Peter and Paul."

"On his head he wore a black koukoul [or koukoulion] in accordance with the Ukrainian monastic tradition, styled after the 17th-century Brest Union and trimmed with a thin red border." Bychok also wore on his chest a medallion with an image of the Virgin Mary.

During the ceremony, Pope Francis placed a red skullcap and biretta on the heads of all the other cardinals whereas on Bychok he placed the koukoulion.

The 1596 Union of Brest (or Brzesc) united Orthodox Christians in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the Holy See, leading to what is now the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Eastern rites and the Ukrainian rite

The website of Ukrainian Catholics in Australia explains that "the Ukrainian Catholic Church (UCC) is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Apostolic See."

"With more than 5.5 million faithful, it is the largest of all 23 Eastern Churches in the global Catholic community, second in number after the Latin (Roman Catholic) Church. The UCC is headed by the major archbishop of Kyiv and Halych, His Beatitude Sviatoslav [Shevchuk]," the site notes.

This church has "its own rite, which originates in the Constantinopolitan tradition, and preserves its liturgical, theological, spiritual, and disciplinary heritage in the cultural and historical circumstances of its people."

The majority of Catholics in the Western world belong to the Latin rite.

'Ukraine is in my heart'

"We have a special title in the Church, but we must remember who we are: human beings, dependent on God," said the new cardinal following Saturday's consistory, according to Vatican News.

After saying that he has not forgotten his native country, now ravaged by war, the 44-year-old cardinal said: "I am a bishop in Australia, a cardinal of the universal Church, but Ukraine is in my heart," and he asked for prayers for Ukrainians.

Bychok was born on Feb. 13, 1980, in Ternopil, Ukraine. He was ordained a priest in 2005.

In 2020, he was appointed bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne. On June 7, 2020, the feast of Pentecost according to the Julian calendar, he was consecrated bishop in St. George's Cathedral in Lviv, Ukraine.

His episcopal motto is ????????? ??????????, ????? ??? ("Holy Mother of God, save us"). St. Sophia on Via Boccea was designated yesterday as his titular church as a cardinal.

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, Dec 10, 2024 / 09:30 am (CNA).

The healing of a British World War I soldier at the Marian shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France has been proclaimed as the 71st miracle attributed to the pilgrimage site.

Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool in England declared the miraculous healing of John Traynor, a soldier of the British Royal Navy, on Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception and the 81st anniversary of his death.

The Church has not recognized a miraculous event at Lourdes since 2018.

The news comes after the president of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, commissioned a review of Traynor's case last year, which was undertaken by an English doctor and member of the International Medical Committee at Lourdes, Kieran Moriarty.

Moriarty's investigations uncovered numerous files in the archives at Lourdes that included the testimonies of the three doctors who examined Traynor before and after his cure, along with other supporting evidence.

McMahon concluded during a canonical commission that based on the evidence assembled by Moriarty, Traynor's healing was indeed miraculous.

"Given the weight of medical evidence, the testimony to the faith of John Traynor and his devotion to Our Blessed Lady, it is with great joy that I declare that the cure of John Traynor, from multiple serious medical conditions, is to be recognized as a miracle wrought by the power of God through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes," the archbishop stated.

"I hope that in February 2025, during the jubilee year, we will have a fitting celebration at the metropolitan cathedral to mark this significant moment in the history of our archdiocese, helping us all to respond to the jubilee call to be 'pilgrims of hope,'" McMahon added.

Traynor was born in Liverpool, England, in 1883. Though his Irish mother passed away when he was young, Traynor's personal testimony featured on the shrine's website states that "her devotion to Mass and holy Communion and her trust in the Blessed Mother stayed with him as a memory and fruitful example." Traynor described his mother in the testimony as a "daily Communicant when few people were."

A member of the Royal Navy Reserve, Traynor was mobilized at the outset of the war in 1914. During the battle at Antwerp, he was hit in the head by shrapnel while attempting to carry an officer off the field. He quickly recovered and returned to service.

On April 25, 1915, Traynor took part in an amphibious landing on the shores of Gallipoli as a part of an unsuccessful attempt by British and French troops to capture the peninsula in the Ottoman-occupied Turkey. Traynor was one of the few soldiers to reach the shore during that first day, having prevailed through the onslaught of machine-gun fire by the Turkish forces who were poised atop the steep banks of the beach.

For over a week, Traynor remained unscathed as he attempted to lead the small coalition that survived the landing up the sandhill.

However, on May 8, Traynor caught a spray of machine gun bullets to the head, chest, and arm during a bayonet charge. The wounds he sustained from the battle left him paralyzed in his right arm and regularly susceptible to epileptic attacks. Doctors attempted numerous surgeries to repair the damaged nerves in his arm and to treat the head wounds believed to have been the source of his epilepsy, but to no avail.

Eight years after the battle that left him "completely and incurably incapacitated," Traynor was slated to be admitted to a hospital for incurables. Instead he went to Lourdes.

A long journey to Lourdes

Against the pleas of his wife, doctors, and several priests, Traynor insisted upon joining a parish-led pilgrimage to Lourdes from Liverpool from July 22–27, 1923.

Traynor wrote in his testimony that he "succeeded in being bathed nine times in the water from the grotto spring," despite being desperately ill in the first three days of the trip and facing much resistance from his caretakers.

On the second day of the trip, Traynor recalled suffering a severe epileptic fit while being wheeled to the baths. "Blood flowed from my mouth and the doctors were very much alarmed," he said. When the doctors attempted to bring him back to his lodgings, Traynor refused, pulling the brakes on his wheelchair with his good hand.

"They took me into the bath and bathed me in the usual way. I never had an epileptic fit after that," he said in his testimony.

The next day, Traynor went again to the baths — while he was bathing, he recalled his legs becoming "violently agitated" and feeling as though he had regained use of them. Since he was due to return for a Eucharistic procession, Traynor's caretakers — who believed he was having another fit — rushed him to Rosary Church.

When the archbishop of Rheims passed him by with the Blessed Sacrament, Traynor's arm too became "violently agitated," and he broke through his bandages and made the sign of the cross for the first time in eight years.

The next morning, Traynor leapt from his bed and ran to the grotto. 

"My mother had always taught me that when you ask a favor from Our Lady or wish to show her some special veneration you should make a sacrifice," Traynor recalled. "I had no money to offer, as I had spent my last few shillings on rosaries and medals for my wife and children, but kneeling there before the Blessed Mother, I made the only sacrifice I could think of: I resolved to give up cigarettes." 

On the morning of July 27, Traynor was examined by three doctors who found he had regained his ability to walk perfectly, as well as full use and function of his right arm and legs. The sores on his body had healed completely and his fits had ceased. Remarkably, an opening in his skull that was created during one of his surgeries had also "diminished considerably." 

One of the official reports issued by the Medical Bureau at Lourdes on Oct. 2, 1926 — later discovered by Moriarty — states that Traynor's "extraordinary cure is absolutely beyond and above the powers of nature." 

Traynor went on to have three children after receiving his cure, one of whom is called Bernadette. He is believed to be the first British Catholic to be cured at Lourdes, according to the shrine's website.

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Calgary, Canada, Dec 9, 2024 / 15:50 pm (CNA).

Known for his boldness in taking a stance on controversial issues, Bishop Emeritus Frederick Bernard Henry, who led the Diocese of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from 1998 to 2017, died on Dec. 3 at Calgary's Rockyview General Hospital. He was 81.

Throughout his career, Henry was unafraid to challenge mainstream narratives, often drawing national attention for his positions on topics such as same-sex marriage, euthanasia, gender identity, and residential schools. His episcopal motto, "Dabo Vobis Pastores" ("I will give you pastors"), reflected his dedication to shepherding the faithful while holding firmly to Catholic teachings.

Born in London, Ontario, on April 11, 1943, Henry was the eldest of five sons in the family of Leo and Noreen Bishop Henry. He entered St. Peter's Seminary in London after high school and was ordained a priest on May 25, 1968, by Cardinal G. Emmett Carter.

Henry's ministry combined academic achievement and pastoral leadership. He earned a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 1971 and a licentiate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome in 1973. His academic career included roles as associate professor, dean, and rector at St. Peter's Seminary before his episcopal appointment.

As bishop of Calgary, Henry tackled controversial issues. In 2007, he banned gambling-based fundraising in Catholic schools, prompting a transition to ethical funding practices that spread across Alberta. He defended religious freedom during contentious debates on same-sex marriage and faced a human rights complaint in 2005 after issuing a pastoral letter defending traditional marriage. In his letter, he articulated the Catholic Church's teachings on marriage as a union between one man and one woman, emphasizing its sacramental nature and moral significance.

The letter was published in a newspaper, which led to complaints being filed with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, alleging that his statements constituted hate speech against the LGBTQ+ community. The complaints were dismissed after mediation.

Henry stood firm, using the opportunity to argue that defending Catholic doctrine should not be mischaracterized as hateful or discriminatory. He saw the complaints as an example of government overreach into religious freedom and the public expression of faith.

More recently, Henry's skepticism regarding the unverified claims of mass graves at former residential schools made him a polarizing figure. He questioned the lack of evidence supporting the allegations and called for transparent investigations, saying: "No truth. No reconciliation." Despite criticism, he maintained that seeking factual clarity was essential for justice and healing.

His willingness to engage with controversial topics extended to the public square. In a 2018 interview, Henry urged clergy not to shy away from tough questions about the Church's role in society, including the sexual abuse crisis. "We ought to be talking to the press," he said. "If they don't like it, that's OK. They can ask tough questions, but we've got the tough answers too."

Henry resigned in 2017 due to severe chronic pain from an autoimmune disease that affected his spine, making movement increasingly difficult. In his resignation letter to Pope Francis, he wrote: "I believe that someone younger with more energy, stamina, and pastoral vision should take over." He was replaced by Bishop William McGrattan.

Throughout his nearly two decades as bishop of Calgary, Henry remained committed to Catholic education, social justice, and evangelization. At the time of his retirement, Vancouver Archbishop J. Michael Miller described him as "a hardworking, dedicated bishop who was never afraid to take a tough stand on a controversial issue."

Henry's funeral is being held Dec. 10 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Calgary.

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and is reprinted with permission.

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CNA Staff, Dec 9, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

In his first sit-down broadcast network interview since the election, President-elect Donald Trump said that in his first 100 days in office, he would focus on immigration as well as enacting tax cuts and tariffs.

During the interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press" Sunday, the president-elect reaffirmed his support of in vitro fertilization (IVF), a fertility procedure opposed by the Catholic Church because it destroys embryonic life and separates conception from marriage. Trump also said he would "probably" not restrict the abortion pill, though he refused to commit to that, noting that "things do change." 

Immigration 

Trump pledged that the first thing he would do is address the border issue, beginning with criminals who are in the U.S. illegally. He told NBC he would begin "rapidly" with criminals who are here illegally such as Venezuelan gang members and MS-13.

"We're starting with the criminals, and we gotta do it," he said. "And then we're starting with others and we're going to see how it goes." 

When asked about deporting everyone who has been living in the country illegally for years, he said: "Well, I think you have to do it."

"It's a very tough thing to do, but you have to have rules, regulations, laws; they came in illegally," Trump said. 

He noted that this is unfair for people waiting to come into the country legally. 

"We're going to make it very easy for people to come in, in terms of, they have to pass the test," Trump said. "They have to be able to tell you what the Statue of Liberty is. They have to tell you a little bit about our country. They have to love our country."

When asked about families with mixed immigration status, Trump said he wouldn't split up families, saying the families could be deported together if they choose.

"I don't want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back," he said. 

"We have to do our job," Trump continued. "You have to have a series of standards and a series of laws." 

Trump also pledged to end birthright citizenship for children of immigrants.

When asked whether his plan violates the 14th Amendment's guarantee that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside," Trump said that he may have to turn to "the people," but "we have to end it." 

Trump also pledged to "work with the Democrats on a plan" to help Dreamers (immigrants who came into the country illegally as children) stay in the country, noting that Republicans are "very open" to doing so.

The U.S. bishops in November urged the American government to reform the immigration system with "fair and humane treatment" of immigrants. The statement called for a system that "provides permanent relief for childhood arrivals, helps families stay together, and welcomes refugees," while also "keep[ing] our borders safe and secure." 

In vitro fertilization

During his campaign, Trump promised free in vitro fertilization (IVF), either through the government or insurance mandates. In the interview, Trump reaffirmed his support for the treatment, calling himself "the father of IVF in a certain way."

Trump cited his involvement in the Alabama IVF controversy earlier this year in which he voiced support for IVF. After the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in February that frozen human embryos constitute children under state statute, the Republican governor of Alabama, Kay Ivey, signed legislation granting clinics immunity when they "damage" or cause the "death" of human embryonic life in the process of providing in vitro fertilization (IVF) fertility treatments to women.

Trump noted that in response to the court decision he issued "a statement from the Republican party that we are all for IVF." 

"The Alabama Legislature met the following day and passed it," he said. "It was a beautiful thing to see." 

But when asked where IVF was on his list of priorities, Trump noted that "we have a lot of other things."  

"We're going to be talking about it," he said of IVF. "We'll be submitting in either the first or second package to Congress the extension of the tax cuts. So that might very well be in there, or it'll come sometime after that." 

The Catholic Church has long opposed IVF as "morally unacceptable" because of the rejection of the natural procreative act of husband and wife, the commodification of the human child, and the destruction of embryonic human life, which is very common in the procedure. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that though "research aimed at reducing human sterility is to be encouraged" (No. 2375), practices such as IVF "disassociate the sexual act from the procreative act" and the act "entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors and biologists" (No. 2377). 

Abortion pills 

Trump reaffirmed that he would not restrict abortion pills, though he refused to commit to the position, noting that things sometimes change.

When asked if he would restrict abortion pills, Trump said: "I'll probably stay with exactly what I've been saying for the last two years, and the answer is no." 

When asked if he committed to that statement, Trump noted that "things do change, but I don't think it's going to change at all." 

Medical or chemical abortions — abortions procured via a two-pill regimen — made up 70% of abortions in the U.S. in 2022, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

During the presidential campaign, Trump was criticized by pro-life advocates for his position that abortion law should be left for the states to decide. In June he said he agreed with the Supreme Court's ruling on the abortion pill saying: "I agree with their decision to have done that, and I will not block it."

The Catholic Church teaches that abortion is "gravely contrary to the moral law" and that "life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception" (CCC, No. 2271). 

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ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 9, 2024 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

The archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, on Dec. 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated the first Mass during which the altar of the restored cathedral was consecrated following the fire that ravaged the church in April 2019.

At the Eucharist, which was attended by the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, some 170 bishops from the country and from around the world concelebrated with Ulrich as well as one priest from each of the 106 parishes of the Archdiocese of Paris and one priest from each of the seven Eastern-rite Catholic churches.

The clergy wore chasubles designed by Jean-Charles Castelbajac, the 74-year-old Frenchman who was entrusted with the task and who has designed clothing for such celebrities as Madonna, Beyoncé, and Rihanna.

One of the bishops in attendance was the archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who was also present at the Dec. 7 opening ceremony.

In a post on X, Dolan said he was grateful to participate in the first Mass in the cathedral and highlighted the generosity of the many Americans who contributed to the restoration of the emblematic cathedral.

Before proceeding to the consecration of the altar, the relics of five saints — three women and two men — "whose history is linked to the Church of Paris: St. Marie Eugenie Milleret, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, St. Catherine Labouré, St. Charles de Foucauld, and Blessed Vladimir Ghika" were placed in a recess in it, according to the archdiocesan website.

The Parisian prelate then read the prayers for the consecration of the altar and anointed the entire altar with chrism (blessed oil), which he spread with his hands as the ritual requires. Five small containers holding lit coals were set on the corners and center of the altar and the archbishop then placed incense on them, releasing the fragrant smoke heavenward.  

After the containers were removed, deacons wiped off the excess chrism from the altar with towels and placed the altar cloth on the altar. Finally, altar servers placed six candles on the steps to one side of the altar and a priest placed one candle and a plain hammered metal cross on the altar itself.

In his homily, the archbishop of Paris proclaimed: "This morning, the pain of April 15, 2019, is taken away," adding that "in a certain way, and even if the shock caused by the fire has been lasting, the pain was already overcome when prayer rose from the banks of the [River] Seine and from hundreds of millions of hearts throughout the world."

After stating that he would soon consecrate the altar so that it may be "the table of Christ's sacrifice, the place where he gives his life for all," Ulrich noted that "the material chosen by the artist [for the altar], bronze, enters into a frank dialogue with the stone building."

"And this altar block," he continued, "as if taken from the earth for the sacrifice, is prepared as a fraternal table for the Lord's supper."

The prelate then encouraged all the faithful present to not be simply "dazzled by the rediscovered beauty of the stones, but let yourselves be led to the greatest joys, to the most beautiful gift that God gives you and gives us of his loving presence, of his closeness to the poorest, of his transforming power in the sacraments."

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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Rome Newsroom, Dec 8, 2024 / 18:36 pm (CNA).

A record 140 cardinals may attend an eventual conclave in the Sistine Chapel. There would have been 141, but Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot's death on November 25 reduced the number by one. In all, the Sacred College now has 255 members.

The number of cardinal electors is the most critical data point to emerge from this weekend's consistory. Of the 140 cardinal electors, 110 have been created by Pope Francis, 24 by Benedict XVI, and six by St. John Paul II. At the end of the year, on December 24, Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, created cardinal by Benedict XVI in 2007, will reach 80 years of age and will, therefore, no longer be able to participate in a conclave.

Another 14 cardinals will turn 80 in 2025. They are Cardinals Christoph Schoenborn, Fernando Vergez Alzaga, Celestino Aos Braco, George Alencherry, Carlos Osoro Sierra, Robert Sarah, Stanislaw Rylko, Joseph Coutts, Vinko Pulhic, Antonio Canizares Llovera, Vincent Nichols, Jean-Pierre Kutwa, Nakellentuba Ouédraogo and Timothy Radcliffe.

Two of these were created by St. John Paul II, four by Benedict XVI and eight by Pope Francis.

However, it will be necessary to wait until May 2026 to return to the figure of 120 cardinal electors established by St. Paul VI and never abrogated.

Pope Francis's choices

For the first time, there is now a cardinal in Iran, Archbishop Dominique Matthieu of Tehran-Ispahan, a Belgian missionary. It is also the first time there is a cardinal in Serbia, with Archbishop Ladislav Nemet of Belgrade receiving the red hat.

Pope Francis has created cardinals from 72 different nations, and 24 of those nations have never had a cardinal before.

Pope Francis has also shown that he does not choose based on the traditional seats of cardinals. For example, there are no cardinals to lead the two historic European patriarchates of Lisbon and Venice, nor in Milan, Florence, or Paris.

There are exceptions, however. In this consistory, Pope Francis created cardinals in the archbishops of Turin, Naples, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Toronto, and the vicar general of the Diocese of Rome.

Naples entered the list somewhat surprisingly, with the pope's decision communicated in a statement from the Holy See Press Office on November 4. Archbishop Battaglia of Naples replaced Bishop Bruno Syukur of Bogor, Indonesia, who had asked Pope Francis to remove him from the list of new cardinals for unspecified personal reasons.

The geographical balance of the College of Cardinals

The pope did not decide to replace a possible Indonesian cardinal with another cardinal from Asia.

Meanwhile, the percentage of Italian cardinals in the College of Cardinals is the lowest ever, at least in modern times. Only during the so-called Avignon Captivity (1309-1377) was the percentage of Italian cardinals so low.

However, to Italy's 17 must be added Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who is included in the quota of Asia, and Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, ordinary of Mongolia, also in Asia.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu is instead considered a non-elector, but this status is still being determined. Pope Francis had asked him to renounce his prerogatives as a cardinal but has continued to invite him to consistories and Masses, where he has always sat among the cardinals. If a decision is not made before then, the College of Cardinals, with a majority vote, will decide whether or not Cardinal Becciu will be admitted to the conclave.

Regional distribution

The balance crucially stays the same. Europe has received three more cardinals, in addition to the four Italians with the right to vote: Archbishop Ladislav Nemet of Belgrade (58 years old), Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas (52), coadjutor archpriest of the papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore since March, and Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe (79). Europe now has 55 cardinals.

Latin America has received five new cardinals. The purple has arrived in dioceses that have received it several times — with Archbishop Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio (74) in Lima and Archbishop Fernando N. Chomali Garib (67) in Santiago de Chile — or only once — with Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera (69) in Guayaquil, Ecuador and Archbishop Jaime Spengler (64, who is also president of CELAM) in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The red birretta to Archbishop Vicente Bokalic Iglic (72) of Santiago del Estero is also a first. However, in this case, the ground had already been prepared by the recent decision to move the title of primate of Argentina from Buenos Aires to this seat. Overall, Latin America now has 24 cardinals (including Cardinal Celestino Aos Braco, emeritus of Santiago de Chile, born in Spain).

Asia has received four new cardinals. The pope gave the red hat to Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, 66, and to the bishops of two dioceses that have never had a cardinal at the helm: Bishop Pablo Vigilio Siongo David, 65, of Kalookan in the Philippines and Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu, 61, of Tehran.

Africa has received two new cardinals, bringing the continent's total to 18. The two new ones are Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, 62, in Algiers, and Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo, 63, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

North America now has 14 electors, with the addition of Toronto Archbishop Francis Leo (53). Oceania has four electors, with the creation of Bishop Mykola Bychok of the eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne of the Ukrainians as cardinal. At 44, he has become the youngest member of the College of Cardinals.

National representation

Italy remains the most represented nation in the conclave, with 17 electors (plus two more in Asia). The United States has 10 cardinal electors, and Spain has 7 (with another 3 in Morocco, Chile, and France).

Brazil has increased to 7 electors, and India to 6 electors. France remains at 5 electors, to which Archbishop Vesco in North Africa has been added. Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, bishop of Ajaccio, is anagraphically Spanish although naturalized French.

Argentina and Canada join Poland and Portugal with four cardinal electors, while Germany is tied with the Philippines and Great Britain with three.

The weight of cardinal electors engaged in the Curia, in other Roman roles or the nunciatures, has decreased, like that of the Italians. They will be 34 out of 140, a historic low.

Of the 21 new cardinals, 10 (all electors) belong to religious orders and congregations, another record. The number of religious electors in the Sacred College has risen from 27 to 35. The Friars Minor joined the Salesians at five and surpassed the Jesuits, who remain at 4. The Franciscan family grows to 10 electors (5 Minors, 3 Conventuals, and 2 Capuchins). The Lazarists and Redemptorists rise to 2.

What would a possible conclave be like?

As of December 8, Pope Francis has created 78% of the cardinals who can vote in a conclave. This means that the cardinals created by Pope Francis far exceed the two-thirds majority needed to elect a pope.

This does not necessarily mean that the conclave will be "Francis-like." Not only do the new cardinals all have very different profiles, but they have yet to have much opportunity to get to know each other. Popes have also used consistories to bring together cardinals to discuss issues of general interest.

Pope Francis had done so only three times: in 2014, when the family was discussed; in 2015, when the topic was the reform of the Curia; and in 2022, when the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, or the reform of the Curia now defined and promulgated, was discussed.

In this last meeting, the cardinals were divided into linguistic groups, with fewer opportunities to speak in the assembly together. This scenario makes the vote very uncertain.

Another fact that should be noted is that until St. John Paul II's election, the cardinals gathered in the conclave were housed in makeshift accommodations in the Apostolic Palace near the Sistine Chapel. John Paul II had the Domus Sanctae Marthae (St. Martha House) renovated precisely to guarantee the cardinals who would elect his successor more adequate accommodations.

Today, however, Pope Francis lives in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. This means that, upon the pope's death, at least the floor where the pontiff lives must be sealed, as the papal apartment is sealed. Sealing a floor of the Domus also means losing a considerable number of rooms. And with such a high number of voters, it also means risking not having enough rooms to accommodate all the cardinals.

The electors could be placed in vacant apartments within Vatican City State. This, however, would make them even more isolated. In practice, there is a risk that, during the conclave, the cardinals would not always be able to be together to discuss the election.

For these reasons, although Pope Francis has created more than two-thirds of the cardinal electors, it is by no means certain that the pope chosen in a future conclave will have the same profile as Pope Francis.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 8, 2024 / 10:00 am (CNA).

Many monasteries and communities of religious brothers and sisters depend on proceeds from the sale of their products to sustain their lives of prayer and service. These days, most have online gift shops that will ship your purchases to arrive before Christmas.

Here's a guide to some of our favorite handmade gifts to give and receive.

Fudge and candy

Trappistine Candy, Mount St. Mary's Abbey: The nuns of Mount St. Mary's Abbey in Wrentham, Massachusetts, have boxes of handmade fudge, chocolate, and almond brittle in stock, ready to send to your loved ones this Christmas. Each 1-pound box is $13, and for an extra 50 cents, the sisters will include a festive red bow.

Monk Bakery Gifts, Monastery of the Holy Spirit: Monks in Conyers, Georgia, make their famous fudge with premium chocolate and real butter. Try a 12-ounce gift box for $15. And for a taste of Georgia, try their Southern Touch fudge, "made with real peach morsels, pecans, and a touch of peach brandy."

Monastery Candy, Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey: These contemplative nuns in Dubuque, Iowa, are known for their delicious caramels, which they make by hand to support their way of life. A 9-ounce box of chocolate-covered caramels sells for $15.55.

Monastery Creamed Honey, Holy Cross Abbey: The monks at Our Lady of the Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, Virginia, support themselves financially through their own labor, a characteristic of the Cistercian Order's way of life. Their 100% natural Monastery Creamed Honey, locally sourced in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, makes a great gift. A set of four 10-ounce tubs includes natural-, cinnamon-, almond-, and brandy-flavored honey and sells for $34.95. Add some delicious chocolate truffles to the order for a sure-to-be-appreciated Christmas gift.

Cookies

Clarisa Cookies, Capuchin Poor Clare Sisters: The Capuchin Poor Clare nuns make their famous butter cookies from their monastery in Denver. The "Clarisas" come in a beautiful gift box featuring an image of St. Clare and sell for $18 for a 1.5-pound box.

Monks' Biscotti, Abbey of the Genesee: The Trappist monks of the Abbey of the Genesee have been baking from their monastery in western New York since 1953. As their website explains: "The bakery supports the monastery's primary mission, which is to pray for the world." The twice-baked biscotti is a popular item, which makes a great gift basket when combined with monk-made coffee and a mug. A bundle of four boxes of biscotti in a variety of flavors sells for $33.99. 

Springerele Christmas cookies, Sisters of St. Benedict: The Benedictine religious sisters are known for their Springerele cookies, a traditional German treat with an "Old World" charm. A package of six cookies, each bearing a different, intricate design, sells for $10. 

Coffee

Mystic Monk Coffee, Carmelites Monks of Wyoming Monastery: The Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel live a cloistered life in the Rocky Mountains in the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming. They help support themselves through Mystic Monk Coffee, which they roast in small batches. The website CoffeeReview.com ranks their coffee among the highest of the coffees it reviews. A 12-ounce bag of their most popular flavor, Jingle Bell Java, sells for $12.95 at the EWTN Religious Catalogue. Visit their website for more coffee selections.

Fruitcake

Brandy-dipped fruitcake, New Camaldoli Hermitage: With all due respect to your grandmother, this is not your grandmother's fruitcake. The monks of New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, California, offer a fruitcake soaked in brandy and aged for three months. It "has converted many a fruitcake 'atheist,'" according to its creators. Order a 1-pound fruitcake for $27.98.

Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake, Monks of the Abbey of Gethsemani: At their monastery in New Haven, Kentucky, Trappist monks offer a 20-ounce Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake along with a jar of Trappist Apricot-Pineapple preserves and a jar of Trappist Quince Jelly, which makes a lovely Christmas gift for $33.50.

Beer

Birra Nursia, Benedictine Monks of Norcia: In 2012, a community of Benedictine monks revived the order's ancient beer-making tradition at their 16th-century monastery in Nursia, the birthplace of St. Benedict. Tragically, four years later, a devastating earthquake struck, seriously damaging their monastery and threatening their way of life. Today, their monastery is open again thanks to money raised in part from the beer they make and sell and export to the United States and elsewhere. Beer in 750-milliliter (25-ounce) bottles is available at their U.S. online store for $15.99 each.

Handmade Christmas-themed gifts

Christmas Boutique, Monastery of Bethlehem: The contemplative Sisters of the Monastery of Bethlehem in Livingston Manor, New York, support themselves by offering their hand-painted chinaware and other unique gifts for sale. This Christmas their online shop features several Christmas-related items that would make wonderful gifts. 

A beautiful hand-carved Nativity, made in the sisters' monastery in Mougères, France, includes Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus, and a wooden manger, and sells for $110. This is a great value for a keepsake that is sure to be passed down from generation to generation. Or why not come bearing the gift of myrrh this Christmas with an attractive tin of imported incense ($56)? Also available: a pack of five Christmas greeting cards, hand-calligraphed by the sisters and duplicated on fine paper. Each card features a mystery of the lives of Jesus and Mary.

Gifts from the Holy Land

Holy Land gifts, Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America: The Franciscan friars based at their monastery in Washington, D.C., are dedicated to supporting and protecting the sacred sites and people of the Holy Land. They sell products made by artisans in the Holy Land to help their businesses so they can continue to live in the land of their forefathers. Among the gifts at the Holy Land gift shop are hand-painted ceramic candle holders made by a young artist in Bethlehem; olive wood Nativity sets, crosses, and rosaries; and olive oil soap. Visit the Holy Land Gift Shop here. 

Soaps and candles

Cloister Shoppe, Summit Dominicans: The nuns from the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, New Jersey, live a life of prayer through Eucharistic adoration and dedication to the rosary. To support this way of life they create handmade candles and skin-care products, which they sell at their Cloister Shoppe. Create your own Christmas gift bag of two bars of soap, a hand cream, a jar candle, a face moisturizer, and a handmade rosary made from olive wood beads from the Holy Land for $50. 

Throw in a pair of Bayberry Christmas Eve Tapers for $18 to give your holiday table a festive glow. 

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CNA Newsroom, Dec 7, 2024 / 20:15 pm (CNA).

The doors of the newly restored Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral were officially reopened to the public during a ceremony Saturday evening just over five years after a blaze ravaged the iconic structure's roof, frame, and spire.

The celebration, which began at around 7:20 p.m. local time, was attended by some 1,500 people, including around 40 heads of state, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai of Antioch were among the 170 bishops from France and around the world who attended the ceremony, which featured a message from Pope Francis, who did not travel for the occasion.

Authorities mobilized a massive security force of some 6,000 police and gendarmes for the event, citing a "very high level of terrorist threat." Space was provided for up to 40,000 people outside the cathedral.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was initially scheduled to speak on the cathedral's forecourt to respect the law of separation between the Church and the state, wound up speaking inside the building due to inclement weather, as previously announced in a press release from the Archdiocese of Paris.

Expressing "the gratitude of the French nation" to the cathedral's rebuilders during his address, Macron asserted that Notre Dame "tells us how much meaning and transcendence help us to live in this world."

Breaking five years of silence, the bell of Notre-Dame, known as the bourdon, rang out across Paris. This was the first step in the reopening office, initiated by three knocks on the cathedral's central portal, the Portal of the Last Judgement, by the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich. The opening of the doors was set to the music of the polyphonic piece Totus Tuss, composed in 1987 by Henryk Gorecki during John Paul II's visit to Poland, and sung by the 150 young members of the Maîtrise de Notre Dame.

"May the rebirth of this admirable Church be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France," Pope Francis said in a letter read by the apostolic nuncio of France, Monsignor Celestino Migliore, after a tribute to the firefighters who saved the 800-year-old cathedral from the flames and the French president's speech. "I invite all the baptized who will joyfully enter this cathedral to feel a legitimate pride and reclaim their faith heritage," he added.

There followed the awakening and blessing of the great organ, a three-century-old instrument whose pipes had remained clogged with lead dust following the 2019 fire.

"Notre-Dame has known darkness, now it is back in the light. It has known silence, and now it rediscovers the joy of our chants," said Archbishop Ulrich, who took possession of the Paris cathedral for the first time, two years after his nomination as head of the Paris archdiocese, succeeding Archbishop Michel Aupetit.

In his brief homily, Ulrich emphasized that "it is not only princes, chiefs and notables who have their place in the Church," but that "the door is open to all," including foreigners and non-believers.

After singing the Magnificat and reciting the Our Father, the ceremony concluded with a final blessing and the singing of the Te Deum.

At the end of the religious ceremony, a concert organized and broadcast by France Télévisions and Radio France featured internationally renowned artists including Chinese pianist Lang Lang, South African soprano Pretty Yende, and Franco-Swiss tenor Benjamin Bernheim.

The consecration Mass for the cathedral's new main altar was scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 a.m. local time, again in the presence of the French President and religious leaders. The cathedral itself was not desecrated by the blaze, as Archbishop Aupetit celebrated a mass there two months later.

Celebrations surrounding the reopening of Notre-Dame will continue until Dec. 16, with each day devoted to welcoming different communities and groups, including firefighters and patrons. At the end of this octave, the cathedral will return to its usual schedule. 

The fire, the causes of which have yet to be determined, has sparked a wave of emotion around the world, including in the United States, which has the largest number of foreign contributors to the restoration and reconstruction work, amounting to almost 700 million euros ($740 million.) Michel Picaud, president of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, saidin a recent interview that American donors accounted for 90% of 50,000 euros worth of international donations received by the charitable association. The five years of work involved a total of 250 companies and hundreds of craftsmen.

With almost half of the French population already planning to visit the breathtaking and now-immaculate cathedral, rebuilt in the style of the one designed by 19th-century architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, extended opening hours will be offered until next Pentecost, with a new free online booking system.

At a press conference in Paris, Nov. 13, the cathedral's rector Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas announced that some 15 million visitors would now be expected to visit the cathedral each year, compared with around 12 million before the fire. "Now is the time to return to Notre-Dame!" he declared.

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