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Vatican City, Dec 31, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday appointed Bishop Roberto Calara Mallari as the new bishop of the Diocese of Tarlac in the Philippines.

Mallari, 66, will succeed the late Bishop Enrique Macaraeg, who died in October 2023, to become the fourth bishop of the Tarlac Diocese. 

As bishop of Tarlac, he will oversee a diocese of 1.2 million Catholics spread across approximately 60 parishes located in the Philippines' central Luzon region.

After being ordained to the episcopate in 2006, Mallari has since served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga, from 2006 to 2012 and as bishop of San Jose Diocese, Antique, since 2012.

In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI also assigned Mallari the Italian titular see of Erdonia. 

Mallari was ordained a priest in 1982 and has since served several Catholic communities and parishes across the Philippine provinces of Pampanga and Antique — except for two years when he was appointed parish priest of Immaculate Conception in the Philippines' capital, Manila, from 1987–1989. 

In Pampanga, Mallari was appointed spiritual director of the Mother of Good Counsel Minor Seminary in San Fernando from 1983–1987 and 1989–1994, and was director of the Commission on Family and Life — connected to the Social Action Center of Pampanga — from 1994–1997.

According to CBCP News, the official news service of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, Mallari has also served as chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education and previously chaired the Office of Social Communications of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences.

Prior to his priestly ordination, Mallari attended San Carlos Seminary in Makati City and obtained a master's degree in spirituality at the Focolare Movement's Priest School for Asia in Tagaytay City. He concluded his studies at the Priestly School of Florence in Italy.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 31, 2024 / 15:30 pm (CNA).

Expelled last month by the Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, the bishop who serves as president of the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference thanked the Catholic Church in Guatemala for its support and called for prayers for the people of Nicaragua.

Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, OFM, of the Diocese of Jinotega made his appeal at the end of the opening Mass for the 2025 Jubilee, which was celebrated in the Archdiocese of Guatemala's cathedral.

"I welcome your prayers: Pray not only for me but for the people of Nicaragua, so that one day we can be together and see each other, as brothers, and take our place again, where we were also born. Thank you and I commend myself to your prayers," Herrera said. 

"I would like, in a very special way, to thank Gonzalo [de Villa y Vásquez], the archbishop of this diocese, for welcoming me, for his prayers, his words of encouragement, since a few days after arriving, crossing over from there, from Nicaragua, he came to visit me, to encourage me," Herrera said.

"Just like the Franciscan community [who took him in when he arrived], and you too, I know that when something happens concerning our Central American people, we are always attentive, praying," the Nicaraguan prelate added in his comments.

The bishop of Jinotega also thanked the local clergy for their prayers and for the assistance they give to the "pilgrims [migrants] who pass through here on their way north, to the different institutions or associations who provide a space, a time to help them to keep going, as happened to the Holy Family as well, who had to go through those difficult moments to be able to defend life."

"And since this is a year of hope, I hope that hope does not disappoint me. Through the faith that the Lord himself gives us, we always hope that the future will be better. Thank you all!" he concluded.

Herrera's expulsion from Nicaragua

The Ortega-Murillo dictatorship expelled Herrera from Nicaragua on Nov. 13, a few days after he had criticized the town mayor, Leónidas Centeno, an Ortega regime supporter, who interfered with a Sunday Mass by blasting loud music in front of the local cathedral.

The prelate was abducted by the police after participating in a meeting in the capital Managua with the other bishops of the Nicaraguan episcopate.

With the expulsion of Herrera and bishops Silvio Báez, Rolando Álvarez, and Isidoro Mora, only five out of Nicaragua's nine bishops now remain in the country.

The remaining bishops are Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, archbishop of Managua; Bishop Jorge Solórzano of the Diocese of Granada; Bishop Francisco José Tigerino of the Diocese of Bluefields; Bishop Socrates René Sándigo of the Diocese of León; and Bishop Marcial Humberto Guzmán of the Diocese of Juigalpa.

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, Dec 30, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday released a report estimating that nearly 772,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States at the beginning of 2024, the highest number recorded since data collection began in 2007.

HUD's figure, produced during an annual point-in-time count conducted in January 2024, represents an increase of 118,376 people and an 18% jump from the number of homeless people counted in 2023. About half of the people counted were in sheltered locations, such as homeless shelters or domestic violence houses, while half were in unsheltered locations.

More than half of people experiencing homelessness counted in the study were in one of the nation's 50 largest cities. Almost 20% of the homeless individuals overall were experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness, HUD said.

A major factor in the rising number of homeless people in 2024, HUD reported, was migrants and people seeking asylum. For example, New York City saw a 53% increase in homelessness between 2023 and 2024, and an estimated nine out of every 10 new homeless people are asylum seekers, the report says. Experts cited by NPR said there is reason to believe that the number of homeless asylum seekers has likely dropped since HUD made its count due to new border security measures implemented last summer under President Joe Biden.

HUD also cited as a reason for growing homelessness a number of natural disasters that displaced people from their homes in 2023, including the Maui wildfires, which led to an estimated 87% increase in total homelessness in Hawaii between 2023 and 2024.

In addition, rising rents and a lack of affordable housing in some communities, as well as the end of pandemic-era protections like the roughly 17-month national eviction moratorium that began in March 2020, have led to increases in unsheltered homelessness, HUD says. 

In 2024, more than 259,000 people in families with children were experiencing homelessness, the largest number since HUD's data collection began. Nine in 10 people experiencing homelessness as families were in a sheltered situation. 

At the same time, nearly 33,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness as of the count, six out of 10 of whom were sheltered while four out of 10 were unsheltered — a decrease in the unsheltered population in recent years.  

As "EWTN News In Depth" detailed in a report earlier this year, Catholics are involved in efforts across the country to care for the homeless, including projects to provide emergency shelter as well as long-term affordable housing. Catholic parishes also run food banks, soup kitchens, and provide case management, spiritual support, and access to showers and laundry facilities. In 2022, Catholic Charities served more than 30 million meals and found almost 40,000 permanent housing units for unhoused people.

The U.S. Supreme Court last summer ruled in a pivotal case related to homelessness, City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Gloria Johnson, that cities can arrest or fine homeless individuals for camping in public spaces. 

The decision reversed a circuit court ruling that had said fining and imprisoning homeless individuals for camping in public spaces qualified as cruel and unusual punishment for an involuntary condition, something prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.

Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Catholic bishops, Archbishop Borys Gudziak, head of the bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, said following the ruling that the court's decision amounts to "criminalizing" homelessness and will only worsen the crisis. The U.S. bishops had filed an amicus brief in the case, arguing against Grants Pass' ability to fine and imprison homeless individuals. 

"Instead of punishing the most vulnerable among us, [the] government should help provide shelter and economic and social programs that uphold and enhance the dignity of homeless persons," Gudziak said. "Such action would offer real opportunities for a better life and to remedy the deeper causes of homelessness."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 30, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

The College of St. Joseph the Worker, an Ohio-based Catholic college, received a $5 million grant from West Virginia to develop a construction company to employ students, provide job training and education opportunities, and create a pro-life public policy research center in the northern part of the state.

St. Joseph the Worker, which is based in Steubenville, Ohio, teaches construction trades to students while providing a bachelor's degree in Catholic studies. The campus is located near the border with West Virginia just across the Ohio River.

The grant was approved unanimously by the West Virginia Water Development Authority (WDA) in October. It was awarded through the state's Economic Enhancement Grant Fund, created in 2022 with funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

"The college is extremely grateful to the state of West Virginia for the recent award of an economic development grant," read a news release the College of St. Joseph the Worker provided to CNA.

The news release stated that the college intends to spend more than $10 million on the projects supported by the grants.

Nonprofit construction company employing students

More than $2.1 million of the grant will support the development of a nonprofit construction company in Weirton, West Virginia, located next to Steubenville in the narrow stretch of West Virginia territory that extends north between the borders of Ohio and Pennsylvania.

According to the grant proposal, obtained by the Parkersburg News and Sentinel through a Freedom of Information Act request, the construction company will employ students who are learning a trade and support revitalization in the Ohio Valley. The grant proposal vows that the economic and social impact of the company will exceed the state's investment.

"As a mission-driven educational organization, we will be able to take on construction and revitalization projects that other, exclusively for-profit organizations would not, such as work of historical and cultural significance in communities that might otherwise be unattractive to investors," the proposal states.

The proposal estimates the company will employ about 200 apprentice workers and between 50 and 100 construction workers. The offices, warehouses, and construction yard will be based in West Virginia and the company intends to purchase most of its material from other companies within the state.

"As a nonprofit, instructional institution committed to the common good, our projects will be selected based upon total positive impact on the local community and not on for-profit returns on investment," the news release from the college read.

Job training and Catholic education

More than $1.6 million of the grant will support education investments in West Virginia, according to the grant proposal. 

The proposal notes that the college will purchase training facilities in Weirton and move some training instruction to the city. The college offers instruction in several construction trades: heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC); carpentry; masonry; electrical; and plumbing.

According to the proposal, the college will also use these funds to develop partnerships with tradesmen and contractors in West Virginia to place apprentices after graduation. Its goal is that at least 20% of graduating students be from the state and move back there.

The college also intends to use the funds to support the recruitment of West Virginia students, to offer scholarships for West Virginia students, and to renovate student housing. 

Another $200,000 will support the exploration of a potential branch campus in West Virginia with the intention of evaluating Teays Valley, which is in the western part of the state, near the capital, Charleston.

A pro-life research center

About $1 million of the grant funds will support advocacy, which includes the development of a research center that supports "broadly life-affirming policy in West Virginia," according to the proposal. It will be called "The Center for the Common Good."

Those funds will also support the development of a bioethics certificate for continuing education in medicine and psychotherapy.

Some West Virginia Democrats were critical of the grant funding, particularly regarding this element.

Delegate Joey Garcia criticized using "taxpayer money to fund a partisan center for 'conservative public policy' and a construction trades program by an Ohio-based college when [West Virginia] colleges could use that money the same way" in a post on X that was reposted by the West Virginia Democratic Party. 

Garcia also accused the WDA of "evading statutory requirements" in the approval of the grant because WDA officials did not receive a written recommendation from the secretaries leading the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Commerce, or the Department of Tourism. State law requires a recommendation from one of those three officials when the WDA approves an economic development grant through the Economic Enhancement Grant Fund.

WDA Executive Director Marie L. Prezioso told CNA she "had a verbal commitment from a cabinet secretary, but not [a] written recommendation."

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CNA Staff, Dec 30, 2024 / 11:25 am (CNA).

The Diocese of Oakland is denying allegations that it poured tens of millions of dollars into a diocesan fund in order to avoid a payout to survivors of clergy sexual abuse. 

A Dec. 11 filing by attorneys on behalf of a committee of abuse survivors, lodged in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, claims the diocese "perpetrated a fraudulent scheme to funnel substantial assets away from what would soon become its bankruptcy estate" into the coffers of a "non-debtor alter ego," the Oakland Parochial Fund (OPF).

In the months leading up to its bankruptcy filings, the claim alleges, the diocese "entered into a series of synthetic management and services agreements" with the fund, after which it "transferred approximately $106 million in assets" to the fund before borrowing $35 million back from it. 

Prior to those transactions, the fund "held no cash or investments and conducted no business of any kind," the filing says. 

Diocese denies allegations

A spokeswoman for the Oakland Diocese denied the claims in a comment to CNA.

"The Roman Catholic bishop of Oakland (RCBO) rejects the committee's allegations which are the subject of litigation between RCBO and the committee in the chapter 11 case," spokeswoman Helen Osman said.

"The committee's allegations ... are not supported by the facts and RCBO is fully addressing the allegations in response to the litigation filed by the committee," she said.

The filing, which is heavily redacted at times, claims the money poured into the parochial fund "included approximately $92 million in cash and investments and $14 million in net loans receivable."

The transfers were "fraudulent under California state law," the filing alleges, claiming it is "beyond dispute that all corporate property of OPF is operated, supervised, or controlled by the diocese."

It further alleges that the diocese itself "is attempting to use its bankruptcy filing to obtain a litigation advantage over survivors of sexual abuse and to place the assets it owns and controls beyond the reach of those claimants." 

The document requests that the bankruptcy court either disallow the loan arrangement between the diocese and the fund or else subject the funds to the terms of the bankruptcy proceedings. 

The diocese said last month that it would pay up to $200 million to settle hundreds of abuse claims filed against it. 

A proposal filed by the diocese in bankruptcy court would create a survivors' trust "to provide compensation of between approximately $160 million and $198 million or more for approximately 345 claims."

Just over $100 million of those funds were projected to come from the diocese directly, the announcement said, while up to $81 million would come from property in the diocesan real estate portfolio.

This report was updated on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, at 10:15 a.m. with the statement from the Diocese of Oakland.

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Madrid, Spain, Dec 30, 2024 / 11:55 am (CNA).

After praying silently at King Baudouin's tomb during his recent trip to Belgium, Pope Francis announced the opening of the king's beatification process, news long awaited above all by those who knew him and witnessed a life dedicated to attaining holiness.

"He saw Jesus in people's faces. He looked at you as if you were unique in the world, he made you aware of your existence and gave you dignity," they said. This is the mark that King Baudouin left on those he crossed paths with, even if only for a moment. These are the words of one of the two relatives of Baudouin and of his wife, Fabiola de Mora y Aragón, who spoke to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, and whose names will not be revealed out of respect for the family's privacy.

In the interview, the relatives reflected on how King Baudouin's faith helped him to transmit values ??such as solidarity, respect for human dignity, and the defense of life in all circumstances, becoming a unifying figure in society.

He decided to take Mary as a mother

One of the moments that marked the life of the monarch was the early loss of his mother, Astrid of Sweden, in a car accident when Baudouin was 4 years old.

It was then that he decided to "take the Virgin as his mother," something he himself explained years later. "From then on, Mary probably protected him in a very special way and guided his spiritual life," one of his relatives said.

"He really had a very strong relationship with Mary. He used to say that he wanted to be like a fetus in her womb, to be unable to do anything without her and to live only through her, not even to breathe without her, to be totally dependent. He often called out to her and addressed her as mom," the relative added.

Both relatives highlighted other crucial events in the king's life, especially during his childhood and adolescence, such as his father's second marriage and the years of exile after the Nazi invasion during World War II. "It was a very difficult time and it was hard to go through it as a child," they explained.

Baudouin came to the throne at age 19, and the beginning of his reign was marked by a deep crisis known as the "Royal Question" related to the controversy over the decisions of his father, Leopold III, during World War II.

"He suffered a lot because of all this, but I know that it was his faith that helped him overcome it," one of the relatives said.

His upbringing was greatly affected by a Dominican priest from Switzerland who "had a great spiritual influence" during his youth. He was also guided by Cardinal Leo Jozef Suenens, whose meeting with him in the autumn of 1959 left a deep mark on him until the day of his death.

The cardinal, together with Veronica O'Brien, a Legion of Mary missionary to whom he was introduced in March 1960, were fundamental in King Baudouin's spiritual life.

He wanted to be a martyr

"He said that when he got to know Jesus, he wanted to be a martyr. He wanted to go to Africa, Asia, wherever, and die as a martyr. Of course, he couldn't do that because he knew that one day he would be a king and he had to serve his country. So, he decided to be a saint and a martyr in his own way, in his position," one of his relatives said.

"And he suffered a lot physically, emotionally, and spiritually. When he suffered, I remember he said: 'Thank you, Jesus.' He gave thanks because, through the suffering, he felt that he was helping him carry his cross," the relative added.

He saw Jesus in people's faces

One of the relatives remembers that "from a very early age, Baudouin had a personal and special relationship with God, dedicating his life to seeing in others the face of Christ and especially of the abandoned Jesus in those who suffered."

"The respect he had for each person he met was due to the fact that he saw Jesus in that person, regardless of religion; he respected that person as a child of God, seeing Jesus."

The relatives said the testimonies of those who knew him agree on the same thing: "He lived in the present moment, he looked at you as if you were unique in the world; he saw Jesus in everyone."

State visits ended in his private chapel

Baudouin's faith profoundly influenced his way of governing the country, impacting his official visits and the politicians he met in Belgium, even in very difficult situations.

"Many heads of state and personalities who came to meet him, in the end, regardless of their religion or beliefs, or whether they didn't believe in anything, ended up in the private chapel with the king. And they were praying together, or he prayed with them. Such an experience would undoubtedly have deeply touched the hearts of these people," his relatives told ACI Prensa.

They said these personalities accepted the king's invitation because "they knew there was something about this man. You felt love emanating from him. I think people felt there was something different about the way he treated them. Maybe they didn't understand it, but there was something supernatural about him, he was extraordinary; he was out of the ordinary. Even if you weren't a spiritual person or didn't believe in God, you knew this person was special."

"There have been people who have been so impacted by his gaze that even years later, they still have in their hearts the way he looked at them. He radiated love, the love of God radiated through his gaze."

They also pointed out that "he always promoted dialogue and peace, because he prayed a lot, he never stopped doing so, he always prayed before the Blessed Sacrament before receiving any personality."

They also pointed out that "he was very open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and was very humble; he was an instrument of peace and dialogue in this country, because he had the ability to unite people for the common good, something that is not always easy in a political situation or when forming a government with different parties."

"I think people never left an audience with the king the same — something changed in their hearts, and I am sure that it also influenced the political mentality. He left no one indifferent. Even though he was a king, in the end you felt at ease, although he was also zealous for his privacy and his spirituality, which he referred to as 'his secret garden.'"

'He told me about his love for God and that marked me forever'

One of the relatives got emotional when remembering how she felt drawn to him since she was a child. "I don't know how to explain it, but I always wanted to be by his side. And at 17 years old I understood it, because he told me about his love for God, and that marked me and changed my life forever."

"It was the first time someone told me about his personal relationship with God; it was very impressive, at that moment I understood why I felt drawn to him and that was when I converted, because I knew that God existed, but I didn't know that I could have a relationship with him, and I understood that it was possible… He explained it to me and encouraged me to live this faith."

They emphasized that in the family "everyone was drawn to him" and that he always "tried to evangelize with respect, both with the different personalities and with our family. For us it was a privilege to know him," they added.

One of the most special places for King Baudouin was "Villa Astrida," his summer home in the town of Motril in Granada province, Spain, where he died on July 31, 1993, at the age of 62 from a sudden heart attack.

"There he always tried to evangelize by sharing his faith, especially during the summers, with his example, with what he said and with the prayer groups that he organized especially with the youngest members of the family."

Both relatives smiled as they recalled his joy: "He had a great sense of humor and always tried to make the family enjoy themselves. Motril was like a piece of joy; when people talk about Motril, they all say it was a paradise."

"What was also special was being able to go to Mass in the chapel every day and pray the rosary. There was a long corridor and we could put out all the chairs for those who wanted to come. The invitation was always freely given," they explained.

They emphasized that everyone in the family "was touched in some way" and that, in fact, several nephews and nieces, now priests or nuns, discovered their vocation thanks to him. "But many of us, with different vocations, were somehow transformed."

The 'extraordinary' marital union of the royals

Regarding the marriage of the royals, the relatives said their example was "extraordinary."

"They were a very close couple, above all because of their tenderness; they were not afraid to show it even with gestures of affection. They looked at each other with such tenderness, holding hands, by the arm."

They remembered that Baudouin "didn't mind hugging her in public and would give her a big kiss on the cheek and say things like, 'You are the life of my heart and the heart of my life.'"

"I have never seen anything like that. Never. They had a tenderness and a spiritual love, because they both wanted to serve Jesus and both saw Jesus in the other. They were very aware that they had the mission of bringing Jesus to others as a couple, in their position."

He 'asked Jesus to act through his hands'

During his audiences, official visits and meetings with the people, Baudoin would shake hands with a large number of people. He was aware of this and "asked Jesus to act through his hands."

"He wanted people to know Jesus when he greeted them, with the touch of his hands, so he prayed to be an instrument and to be able to transmit Jesus; especially when shaking hands, he asked to be a means to bring Christ to others."

Baudouin, according to his relatives, was aware of this, and that is why he said: "I use my hands, when the people touch me, so that I can transmit the Lord. And who knows, the Lord can use them in different ways, even to heal or convert."

"He was very specific about this. I don't know if we will ever know, but I think that many people were converted and were healed spiritually, emotionally, and who knows if physically, through his hands," one of them commented.

A shepherd to his people

The relatives remembered how people who were suffering attracted Baudouin "like a magnet," since he had "a special sensitivity toward them — he tried to transmit Jesus to them, to love them and make them see that they were children of God and immensely loved by him."

"I remember in particular how deeply he was affected by the victims of human trafficking. In the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child at the U.N., Baudouin was able to talk to people who explained to him the reality of this tragedy."

"He told us, and I know he did," the relative continued, "that he would go and see in private, without anyone knowing, people who were suffering from this. The king went to Antwerp and met in private with women who had been victims of prostitution and human trafficking. He went to see them to comfort them, listen to them, hug them, and cry with them."

It was one of them, a Filipina, who shared her testimony at the king's funeral. "However, she was unable to do so because she kept crying. She said she had lost a friend."

They pointed out that he also went to see people in palliative care, dying and sick people, without telling the press. "At home it was the same, I remember when I heard him say that he was going to see the cook's wife, who had cancer. He went to see her at night in the hospital."

"The same way in the government. A minister lost his son and he went to console his family, very discreetly. He was the shepherd of his people; everyone was important to him, as Cardinal Godfried Danneels described him in the homily at his funeral."

Beatification process

The relatives said the news of the opening of Baudouin's beatification process was received by the family "with great joy; we couldn't believe it, it's incredible." Pope Francis, one of them added, "could have made the decision on his own and so it happened. In the family we also understood that it was probably the best decision and that he really didn't do it randomly."

"How long will the process take? Who knows. That's not in our hands. But we can no longer turn back, that is certain," they said.

The day before the announcement, Sept. 28, was the "Global Day for Access to Legal and Safe Abortion," something that, they say, "probably gave Pope Francis the impetus."

"He decided to speak very forcefully about abortion, with very tough words, which really disturbed many people," the relatives said and praised the king for his brave stance on this issue.

"I remember an anecdote from years ago, when a friend of mine had the opportunity to give Pope Francis during a general audience the first book written about the king by Cardinal Suenens, ['Baudouin, King of the Belgians: The Hidden Life']. It was quite a few years ago, and when giving it to him, Pope Francis said to him: 'How long will it take to make him a saint?'"

They also pointed out that the Holy Father knew the life and testimony of King Baudouin because the well-known Queen Fabiola University Clinic was located in Córdoba, Argentina.

His opposition to abortion

One of the most significant moments of Baudouin's reign was when, on April 3, 1990, he found himself in the position of having to sign the law that decriminalized abortion in the country.

The relatives pointed out that, despite what the majority claims, he did not resign, but rather "the government devised a solution" in which the council of ministers noted the impossibility of reigning for reasons of [conflict of] conscience, which was addressed in Article 82 of the Constitution."

"After declaring the king's inability to reign, the law was ratified, and then the House of Representatives had to vote again if they considered that the inability to reign had ended," they explained. Therefore, they emphasized that "he made the decision anyway and assumed all the consequences," since he stopped reigning for 36 hours.

They remembered that "those days he suffered a lot, both [he and his wife] suffered a lot, because they were in a position where they didn't know what was going to happen, and also because he knew that not signing the abortion law could bring even greater division to the country."

He asked, they added, "that people support him by prayer in making a decision. But he was fully aware that he had made the decision with God and with his conscience, which was very impressive."

They recalled with emotion how in those days, a woman who worked at the palace of Laeken and who had an appointment with a doctor to have an abortion "cancelled the appointment when she heard what the king had done."

"When he heard what had happened, he said: 'Just for this, everything I have been through has been worth it.'"

Defender of the dignity of women

The relatives lamented that there are people who think that, in making this decision, the king did not take into account women's rights. "I think it is very important to establish the truth — the king had enormous respect for the dignity of women."

"I know this from all the women he went to see in difficult situations, but also because he held meetings with women from different fields, writers, scientists, politicians, etc. He was very aware of the suffering of women in certain situations. The episode about abortion was a decision made with God and his conscience to defend life."

As an example of his defense of women's dignity, they cited an initiative he took to organize a summit aimed at promoting rural women.

"He asked the secretary-general of the United Nations to organize it and brought together almost all the women heads of state and government from around the world in Geneva."

The relatives reiterated that he had "the mission of really helping women to be respected, to get out of poverty, to be able to climb the social ladder, to promote their work… He always defended women and their dignity."

A life of holiness

The decision not to sign the abortion law was certainly an episode that marked the king's life. However, they stressed: "It's not the only one that could be used to declare him a saint, because to take such a step, with all the consequences, means that you have to have led an incredibly deep spiritual life beforehand. It was his life of prayer, his spiritual maturity, and his love for God, which prepared him, without knowing it, to make such a decision. It was not something sudden."

They particularly highlighted his life of prayer: "He would spend hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament. We usually had Mass early in the morning and, if you arrived earlier, he would be sitting there in front of the Blessed Sacrament. And many times, during the night, he would wake up and simply go to the chapel to pray. And in Motril too, you would enter the chapel and he would be there. His whole life was a witness to the living Christ."

"As he said, what we have to aspire to is to be saints. So he really wanted that and he tried to live that holiness throughout his whole life," one of them added.

If he were to be recognized as a saint, they said, "we would like him to be remembered as the 'shepherd king,' for his simplicity and humility. And for him to be an example for all heads of government and heads of state, as Pope Francis said."

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

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Jerusalem, Dec 30, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

The entry of the jubilee cross into the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth on Dec. 29 marked the opening of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope in the Holy Land.

The event, celebrated on the feast of the Holy Family, was led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. As the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, he inaugurated the holy year in his diocese, which includes Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, and Cyprus.

The entrance occurred after the proclamation of the Gospel of John (14:1-7), in which Jesus declares: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The patriarch crossed the threshold of the basilica carrying the jubilee cross, accompanied by Archbishop Moussa Hage, Maronite archbishop of Haifa and the Holy Land, and Archbishop Youssef Matta, Greek Catholic (Melkite) archbishop of Acre, Haifa, Nazareth, and Galilee. Their presence underscored the unity among the diverse Catholic rites in the Holy Land.

A procession of 11 bishops and major superiors along with approximately 150 priests from across the diocese followed the patriarch into the basilica.

Heavy rain prevented the planned outdoor procession from the nearby Church of St. Joseph, where the Holy Family's home is venerated, but the celebration proceeded with reverence inside the basilica.

The first part of the liturgy took place in the lower section of the basilica near the Grotto of the Annunciation, where the patriarch paused briefly in prayer.

Excerpts from the jubilee proclamation bull were read in English and Arabic, and the jubilee indulgence, which can be obtained by following the guidelines of the Apostolic Penitentiary, was announced to the people.

"The holy year is the favorable time to place ourselves before God," the patriarch said. "Before him, we discover that we are sinners in need of forgiveness. During the jubilee, we have the privilege of receiving from God the complete remission of sins, but indulgence is not something we can buy; it is a grace obtained only through true conversion."

The patriarch then sprinkled the congregation with holy water, a reminder of their baptismal commitment. The jubilee cross and the Gospel then led the procession to the upper part of the basilica, where the congregation of the faithful had gathered and the second part of the Eucharistic celebration took place.

The jubilee cross, especially created for the occasion by iconographer Maria Ruiz, was placed near the altar. The cross will remain in the basilica throughout the jubilee year as a sign of Christ's presence and salvation.

Replicas of the jubilee cross will also be placed in the Nativity Basilica in Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarchate Church in Jerusalem, the baptism site in Jordan (al-Maghtas), and St. Mary of Grace Church in Larnaca, Cyprus, where a jubilee celebration was also held.

The ceremony concluded with the distribution of small reproductions of the jubilee cross to members of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (ACOHL), which includes bishops, exarchs, and eparchs from across the region.

 The jubilee year opening ceremony saw active participation from the faithful, who traveled from nearby towns as well as from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

In light of this, the Catholic ordinaries of the Holy Land issued a special message to local Christians encouraging them to embark on pilgrimages to the jubilee sites in the region. These sacred places, deeply rooted in the faith and history of the Holy Land, are often overlooked by local believers.

The Latin Patriarchate has emphasized the importance of reviving pilgrimages to these holy sites, particularly given the current decrease in international pilgrims. The initiative aims to sustain the rich traditions and spiritual heritage of the Holy Land while fostering a renewed connection among local Christians.

Parishes, associations, and faith groups are being mobilized to participate in this effort, ensuring that the jubilee year becomes an opportunity for the faithful to deepen their faith and rediscover the profound significance of the holy places.

"In order to live the experience of the jubilee in its fullness, as an experience of reconciliation and indulgence ... we Christians of the Holy Land are offered a pilgrimage to three special places. Throughout the year, let us try to be ourselves pilgrims to these places, as a community, as families, and also in a personal way," the message from the ordinaries of the Holy Land reads.

In his homily, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa focused on the virtue of hope, which lies at the heart of the jubilee year. This virtue is particularly significant in the context of the Holy Land, a region long marked by conflict and, for the past 15 months, enduring its longest modern-day war.

It is a virtue "that seems to be most affected at this difficult time in the life of the world, because of the wars, hatred, and, in general, so much violence around us," the patriarch observed.

"We really need a jubilee year," the patriarch emphasized. "We are all prisoners of this war and its aftermath in one way or another. We are imprisoned, trapped in our fears, which prevent us from having trusting views and, therefore, from having hope in others or in the future."

"We truly need a jubilee year so that God can cancel our debts, lift the unbearable burden of our sins and fears from our shoulders and hearts, and bring light back into our eyes," he continued. "For this is the meaning of the indulgence we can obtain this year: to receive forgiveness from God so that he may reopen our hearts again to trust and hope. We need this spiritual renewal that will restore confidence in God's work in our homes and communities, bringing with it the hope that one day we may attain the peace we all desire."

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CNA Staff, Dec 30, 2024 / 15:05 pm (CNA).

A Wisconsin judge last week ordered that a sexual assault case against disgraced former cardinal Theodore McCarrick will remain paused until the laicized clergyman dies. 

The criminal case against McCarrick in Wisconsin was suspended in January after a psychologist hired by the court found that the former prelate was not competent to stand trial. 

The misdemeanor sexual assault charges in the case relate to an incident that allegedly occurred in April 1977 near a house by Geneva Lake near Elkhorn.

Court records indicate that Walworth County Circuit Court Judge David Reddy on Dec. 27 said the trial will not resume before the 94-year-old passes away. McCarrick is reportedly suffering from dementia. 

Prosecutors told the court they were "not ready to dismiss this matter" and asked that the trial remain "in suspended status." McCarrick's attorney Jerome Buting countered that McCarrick's "extreme deterioration" should lead the court to dismiss the case outright. 

Reddy said the court "cannot dismiss the matter" under state law, but the court "will not set any further reviews on this matter and it will remain in suspended status until the defendant passes away," court records say. 

McCarrick was not present for the hearing. 

Local Wisconsin news outlet WLUK broke the news on Monday. 

A Vatican investigation in 2019 found McCarrick guilty of numerous instances of sexual abuse, leading to the disgraced clergyman being laicized in February of that year. 

In August 2023, a district court judge in Massachusetts dismissed similar criminal sex abuse charges against McCarrick after two psychological evaluations determined he was too cognitively impaired to actively participate in his defense.

In 2020 the Vatican published a lengthy report on McCarrick examining the "institutional knowledge and decision-making" regarding the former cardinal, who rose through the ranks of the American Church throughout the mid- to late-20th century and headed the archdioceses of both Newark, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. 

In 2019 McCarrick told Slate that he was "not as bad as they paint me." 

"I do not believe that I did the things that they accused me of," the former cardinal said. 

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

Dublin Airport's tradition of blessing aircraft entered a new chapter in 2024 with the appointment of a Nigerian-born priest as chaplain, ensuring the continuation of a custom that dates back 77 years.

The ceremony, which was moved from its traditional Christmas Day timing to earlier in December this year, maintains its role as a significant moment in the airport's calendar. The arrival of Father Justin Obijuru made this possible after a six-month vacancy following the departure of longtime chaplain Father Des Doyle.

"I'm quite excited to take up this particular role as chaplain," said Obijuru, who is currently pursuing a master's degree at Maynooth Pontifical University.

"When the appointment came, I was really happy; it gave me a sense of belonging."

Earlier concerns about new aviation security protocols threatening the ceremony's future were resolved in April when the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) confirmed its continuation. The DAA emphasized the inclusive nature of this year's ceremony by inviting representatives from various faiths.

Doyle, who served as chaplain for 16 years, recalled conducting the blessings each year after the final Christmas Mass.

"It always had a tremendous positive reaction," he said. He noted how the ceremony has adapted to reflect changes in modern Irish society while maintaining its core purpose.

The blessing's rich history is documented in Ireland's national archives.

RTÉ, the national broadcaster, preserves notable footage from May 1967 showing a guard of honor formed by Aer Lingus flight and ground crews lining the tarmac. The silent newsreel captures the local parish priest, Father Daniel Barrett, performing the blessing alongside Father John Fenelon, the airport chaplain. A choir appears, singing as a litany of Irish saints is recited. The depicted May ceremony would be the last of its kind, as the blessing would move to Christmas Day later that year.

The Irish Film Institute's archives include additional historical documentation, notably a 1962 Radharc Series documentary about Catholic saints and the Aer Lingus fleet.

Obijuru's appointment and the ceremony's adaptation to current airport operations demonstrate the continued evolution of this distinctive Dublin Airport tradition, which began in 1947 with the blessing of a single Aer Lingus aircraft.

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CNA Newsroom, Dec 30, 2024 / 10:25 am (CNA).

Pope Francis praised former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's "firm commitment" to peace and reconciliation in a message of condolence following Carter's death at age 100 on Sunday.

The pontiff's message was published as a telegram by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Dec. 30. It highlighted Carter's "deep Christian faith" that motivated his dedication to humanitarian causes.

"Recalling President Carter's firm commitment, motivated by deep Christian faith, to the cause of reconciliation and peace between peoples, the defense of human rights, and the welfare of the poor and those in need, the Holy Father commends him to the infinite mercies of Almighty God," the papal telegram stated.

Carter, a lifelong Baptist who died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, made history as the first U.S. president to welcome a pope to the White House when he hosted St. John Paul II in 1979 during the pontiff's first papal visit to the United States.

Despite theological differences with Catholic teaching on several social issues, Carter maintained respectful dialogue with the Vatican throughout his presidency and subsequent humanitarian work.

In their historic 1979 meeting, Carter and John Paul II spoke "not as diplomats but as Christian brothers," according to National Archives records.

Throughout his post-presidency, Carter frequently emphasized Christian unity on core beliefs while acknowledging denominational differences. 

In his 2005 book "Our Endangered Values," he noted that "most of the rudiments of my faith in Christ as Savior and the Son of God are still shared without serious question by Protestants, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Copts, Seventh-day Adventists, and many other religious people."

The former president died on Dec. 29 at age 100 after entering hospice care in February 2023. He was the longest-lived American president in history.

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