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CNA Newsroom, Aug 16, 2024 / 09:57 am (CNA).

One year after violent mobs attacked Christian communities in Jaranwala, Pakistan, human rights organizations report that victims are still awaiting justice for the destruction of 26 churches and more than 200 homes belonging to Christian families.

The Aug. 16, 2023, riots were sparked by allegations that two Christian teenagers had desecrated the Quran. Christian leaders denied these claims, asserting that the accusations were unfounded.

However, Maria Lozano, head of press for Aid to the Church in Need, told CNA at the time that witnesses reported that "messages from mosques sent out on loudspeakers were calling on local people to 'go out and kill' Christians."

In the aftermath, authorities arrested more than 130 people, including members of the Islamist political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik.

'Double standard' in the legal system

Most of those detained have since been discharged or released on bail, with only about a dozen suspects still facing trial, Akmal Bhatti, chairman of the Minorities Alliance, told International Christian Concern (ICC).

The two Christian brothers initially accused of desecrating the Quran were acquitted earlier this year. A court in Faisalabad determined they had been falsely charged following a personal dispute.

However, in a controversial development, an anti-terrorism court in Sahiwal sentenced Ehsan Shan, a Christian man, to death in early July for allegedly inciting the riots. While Shan did not participate in the alleged Quranic desecration, he was found guilty of sharing "hateful content" on social media that allegedly blasphemed Islam. Shan's lawyer said he would appeal the verdict.

"There appears to be a double standard in the way the legal system responds to such incidents," Amnesty International said on Aug. 16.

'A climate of impunity'

Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws, which prohibit the desecration of the Quran, are often misused to target religious minorities, especially Christians.

Those accused of violating these laws face threats to their lives.

Amnesty International reported that more than 90% of the suspects in the Jaranwala attack are still at large, according to information obtained through a Right to Information Request filed at the Faisalabad City Police Office. The trials of those arrested have yet to begin, and about 40% of the affected Christian families are still waiting for government compensation.

"Despite the authorities' assurances of accountability, the grossly inadequate action has allowed a climate of impunity for the perpetrators of the Jaranwala violence," said Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International's deputy regional director for south Asia.

Amnesty International also highlighted the continued marginalization of the Christian community in Jaranwala. Many have lost their jobs due to heightened tensions, and some families have migrated to neighboring cities seeking security. Religious leaders who allegedly incited the mob still roam free and continue to exert influence in the area.

The human rights organization called on the Pakistani government to conduct a thorough, impartial, and independent investigation into the Jaranwala attacks and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted in fair trials. They also urged the repeal of blasphemy laws, describing them as a "legalized system of discrimination and violence."

Growing intolerance of Christians

Since the controversial blasphemy laws were introduced and increased in Pakistan, blasphemy accusations have been widely used against Christians to settle personal scores.

In May, Church officials strongly condemned another attack on Christians and expressed disappointment over growing intolerance in the Muslim-majority society.

Pakistan is home to about 4 million Christians, comprising only about 1.6% of the country's predominantly Muslim population of 241 million.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has designated Pakistan as a "country of particular concern" for severe violations of religious freedom since 2002.

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CNA Staff, Aug 16, 2024 / 10:57 am (CNA).

A New Jersey diocese and five immigrant priests are suing the U.S. Department of State over a federal rule they say will soon force the priests to leave the United States for want of immigrant visas. 

The priests from the Diocese of Paterson argue that the government's reorganization of the visa process last year will require them to return to their own countries and then subject them to lengthy delays when reapplying for visas to serve in the U.S.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court last week, argues that a March 2023 revision to U.S. immigrant visa law represented a "misinterpretation and misapplication" of federal regulations, one that has "directly harmed and will continue to irreparably harm" the priests who filed the complaint. 

The revision, which was enacted on May 1, 2023, reclassified immigrant EB-4 visa distribution for the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, the lawsuit says.

The rule change incorporated those countries into the broader pool of applicants, resulting in "significant retrogression of visa availability" for immigrants not from those countries. 

The priests in the suit are from Colombia and the Philippines; they reside in both Passaic and Morris counties in New Jersey and serve a variety of administrative and pastoral roles in the Paterson Diocese. 

The rule change will force the clergymen to "either violate the terms of their nonimmigrant visa or face imminent and abrupt departure from the United States without any knowledge as to when, or even if, [they] will return."

Remaining unlawfully in the U.S. would require the priests to incur "administrative sanctions that will preclude future qualification for lawful permanent residence in the United States," the lawsuit says. 

Leaving, on the other hand, would force the clergy to "abandon thousands of Roman Catholics that each [priest] spiritually guides, and wait years, if not decades, outside of the United States before having any ability to seek readmission."

In publishing the rule, meanwhile, the federal government allegedly "failed to provide the appropriate notice and public comment period for a substantive rule published in the Federal Register" under the federal Administrative Procedures Act (APA). 

The suit asks the court to afford the Paterson Diocese "immediate access to immigration benefits afforded to nonreligious employers." It further asks the court to block the March 2023 order until it complies with the APA. 

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNA on Friday. But the department acknowledged to the Bergen Record this week that the rule revisions resulted in "significantly longer worldwide waits" for the visas in question. 

The department told the paper that "only Congress has the ability to address the imbalance between the limited supply of EB-4 visas and the increasing demand."

"We recognize the importance of religious ministers and workers as well as their U.S. employers who lead faith-based institutions, and we share your concern about the long wait times for EB-4 visas," the department said. 

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CNA Staff, Aug 16, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The top organization that provides medical guidance to U.S. plastic surgeons released a statement calling for more evidence-based studies on the efficacy of "gender-affirming" surgery for adolescents, according to Manhattan Institute fellow and pediatric gender medicine expert Leor Sapir.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which represents 92% of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the U.S., has come out saying there is "considerable uncertainty" surrounding these surgical treatments.

"ASPS currently understands that there is considerable uncertainty as to the long-term efficacy for the use of chest and genital surgical interventions for the treatment of adolescents with gender dysphoria," ASPS said in a statement posted on X by Sapir.

ASPS' statement represents a break from the perceived medical consensus, as most major U.S. medical organizations such as the World Professional Association for Transgender Health support hormone treatment and surgery for "transgender" youths.

Several U.S. medical groups and physicians including the American College of Pediatricians and the Catholic Medical Association have banded together to oppose social and medical transition for children experiencing gender dysphoria by signing a "Doctors Protecting Children" declaration, which recommended instead addressing underlying psychological and neurodivergent causes of gender dysphoria.

The ASPS noted that "the existing evidence base is viewed as low quality/low certainty" and that "this patient population requires specific considerations."

ASPS said it "is reviewing and prioritizing several initiatives that best support evidence-based gender surgical care to provide guidance to plastic surgeons."

"ASPS has not endorsed any organization's practice recommendations for the treatment of adolescents with gender dysphoria," the statement noted.

"As members of the multidisciplinary care team, plastic surgeons have a responsibility to provide comprehensive patient education and maintain a robust and evidence-based informed consent process, so patients and their families can set realistic expectations in the shared decision-making context," the statement read.

ASPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

A four-year review by England's National Health Service, the Cass Review, released earlier this year, similarly questioned the normalized treatment of prescribing puberty blockers for transgender youths. England and Scotland have since banned puberty blockers for minors.

In a post on X, Sapir noted that in calling for evidence-based studies to support the need for surgery, ASPS is breaking from what seemed to be a consensus in favor of the procedures among the major medical groups.

"In the U.S., the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries to help kids who feel distressed about their developing bodies has depended on a perceived consensus of medical groups," Sapir said.

"Critics argue that the consensus is manufactured and enforced through suppression of alternative viewpoints and of evidence reviews," he added.

At least seven ASPS members are being sued by detransitioners, according to Sapir.

Kayla Lovdahl, 18, sued an ASPS doctor last year for allegedly pressuring her into sex-change surgeries when she was a child. ASPS member Winnie Tong and two other doctors performed a double mastectomy on Lovdahl when she was 13 years old and gave her puberty blockers when she was 12, according to her legal complaint. Lovdahl "detransitioned" shortly after, at age 17, and received psychotherapy treatment for her mental health symptoms. 

While many countries in Europe have cracked down on "transgender" surgeries and puberty blockers due to health and consent concerns, the U.S. remains largely permissive, even as lawsuits by detransitioners are accumulating. A July statement from the Biden administration voiced support for sex-change surgeries for minors.

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CNA Staff, Aug 16, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

After the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAFL) last month issued a booklet summarizing the Church's teaching on a number of bioethical issues, the section on "artificial nutrition and hydration" (ANH) has some observers concerned about what they see as a departure from previous Church teaching. 

The Pontifical Academy for Life was founded in 1994 by St. John Paul II to study and provide formation on bioethical issues for the promotion and defense of life. Published only in Italian on July 2, the PAFL's new booklet says it has "the aim of clearing up confusion" about the Church's teaching on a number of bioethical issues. 

In the English-speaking world, however, the booklet has garnered scrutiny for appearing to soften the Church's stance on the importance of providing food and water to patients in a vegetative state. 

The Church's teaching on this issue was recently in the news in the United States because of the ongoing case of Margo Naranjo, a disabled Texas woman whose parents, who are Catholic, announced last month that they had decided to allow Margo to die by starvation in hospice. They were prevented from doing so after a judge intervened. 

What has the Church taught about withdrawing food and water?

Over the years, Church leaders at the Vatican and in the U.S. have specifically addressed the question of denying food and water to a patient who is in a vegetative state. 

In a 2004 address, St. John Paul II clarified the Church's teaching that "the administration of water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act."

"Even our brothers and sisters who find themselves in the clinical condition of a 'vegetative state' retain their human dignity in all its fullness. The loving gaze of God the Father continues to fall upon them, acknowledging them as his sons and daughters especially in need of help," the saint noted. 

The pope explained that "waning hopes" that a person in a vegetative state will recover "cannot ethically justify the cessation or interruption of minimal care for the patient, including nutrition and hydration."

"Death by starvation or dehydration is, in fact, the only possible outcome as a result of their withdrawal. In this sense it ends up becoming, if done knowingly and willingly, true and proper euthanasia by omission," John Paul II said.

A 2007 set of responses from the Vatican's Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith addressed two questions from the U.S. bishops about whether a patient in a "vegetative state" can ever be denied food and water. 

The congregation, under Pope Benedict XVI, clearly affirmed that a person in a vegetative state must be supplied with food and water even if he or she seems to have no chance of recovery. The dicastery left open the possibility that the only exceptions would be instances where food and water "cannot be assimilated by the patient's body or cannot be administered to the patient without causing significant physical discomfort."

Those responses helped the U.S. bishops craft a 2009 revision to their "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services," which states in Directive 58 that "there is an obligation to provide patients with food and water" at Catholic hospitals, an obligation that "extends to patients in chronic and presumably irreversible conditions."

The directives leave room for the patient to choose to reject extraordinary means, however. 

"Medically assisted nutrition and hydration become morally optional when they cannot reasonably be expected to prolong life or when they would be 'excessively burdensome for the patient or [would] cause significant physical discomfort, for example resulting from complications in the use of the means employed,'" Directive 58 continues.

"For instance, as a patient draws close to inevitable death from an underlying progressive and fatal condition, certain measures to provide nutrition and hydration may become excessively burdensome and therefore not obligatory in light of their very limited ability to prolong life or provide comfort."

What does the Pontifical Academy's new document say?

While reiterating the Church's long-standing teaching against euthanasia and assisted suicide in several sections, the July booklet has garnered the most attention for its section on "Artificial Nutrition and Hydration," Section 13. (An official English translation of the booklet is not yet available, so excerpts here come from an unofficial translation generated by Google.) 

Catholic teaching allows for the possibility of stopping "burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate" medical care — such as removing ventilators from patients who are unable to breathe on their own and allowing them to die naturally — and this is not the same as euthanasia.

In Section 13, the PAFL affirmed that for those in a permanent vegetative state — i.e., not actively dying — suspending food and water is different from removing a ventilator because "death is not caused by the disease that continues its course but rather by the action of those who suspend them." 

"Upon closer inspection, however, this topic is the victim of a reductive conception of the disease, which is understood as an alteration of a particular function of the organism, losing sight of the totality of the person," the document continues. 

"This reductive way of interpreting the disease then leads to an equally reductive conception of treatment, which ends up focusing on individual functions of the organism rather than on the overall good of the person. The individual functions of the organism, including nutrition — especially if affected in a stable and irreversible way — must be considered in the overall picture of the person[.]"

The PAFL continued by saying that because a person in a vegetative state has to consume food that is "prepared in the laboratory and administered through technical devices," such interventions are "not simple health care procedures." 

"[T]he doctor is required to respect the will of the patient who refuses them with a conscious and informed decision, also expressed in advance in anticipation of the possible loss of the ability to express himself and choose," the PAFL wrote. 

The PAFL noted that Pope Francis has emphasized the importance of considering the whole person, not just individual bodily functions, when making medical decisions. 

A departure from previous teachings?

Father Tad Pacholczyk, senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, told CNA that in his reading, the PAFL document "does not significantly depart" from what the Church has said on the topic of ANH in the past. 

The Church has traditionally taught that "medically assisted nutrition and hydration become morally 'extraordinary' if they cannot reasonably be expected to prolong life or would cause significant physical discomfort or complications in the use of the means employed," he said. 

In light of this, the text emphasizes the "perennial need for careful assessment and discernment in terms of the benefits and burdens that may be associated with the administration of artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) to each particular patient."

Further, he said, the text seems to imply that such careful assessment and discernment does not always happen, but that some people rely on problematic generalizations like "ANH is always required" or "ANH is always aggressive therapy" — both of which, he said, are incorrect.

"The circumstances and particulars will be important, so that in some instances, here or there, ANH may indeed be able to be categorized as 'aggressive therapy,' while in many others, it clearly cannot, but must instead be understood as a proportionate, and thus an obligatory means of caring for our loved ones," Pacholczyk said.

Taking a different view in an Aug. 13 commentary at The Pillar, Catholic ethicist Charlie Camosy warned that the PAFL's statements could be misunderstood in the context of what Pope Francis calls a "throwaway culture" — a culture in which numerous jurisdictions around the world allow, and even promote, euthanasia and assisted suicide and which "tries to hide the value of disabled people with consciousness disorders[,] making it easier to aim at their deaths."

"[T]he pontifical academy's new text appears to suggest that, because the food and hydration given to disabled, so-called 'vegetative' patients is prepared in a laboratory and administered through technology, offering them to such patients does not amount to 'simple care procedures.' It could therefore be thought of as a medical treatment which could, in principle, be withdrawn, rather than the kind of basic care which can never be withheld," Camosy wrote. 

"From a bioethical perspective, this would strike many ethicists as an odd framing of the issue, to say the least," he continued.

"The nutrition given to such disabled human beings is no more made in a laboratory than a protein shake powder. And feeding tubes are extremely simple devices that don't require any machine or other special technology. Many Catholic bioethicists would see feeding a disabled person through a tube as little different from feeding them with a spoon."

An ongoing case

Section 13 of the PAFL's document is germane to an ongoing bioethical case in the U.S., that of Margo Naranjo. 

Naranjo, 28, suffered severe brain damage in a 2020 car accident. Though not technically on "life support" and able to breathe without the use of a ventilator, she is today profoundly disabled and not able to speak, eat, or drink on her own.

Naranjo's parents, Mike and Cathy, are Catholic and have frequently called for prayers for Margo's healing and their family since the car accident. But in a now-deleted Facebook livestream, Cathy announced on July 7 that she and Mike — in accordance with what they believe to be Margo's pre-accident wishes — had decided to allow Margo to die by starvation in hospice.

Court records show that a Denton County Probate Court judge appointed a temporary guardian for Margo and issued a temporary restraining order against her parents on July 19, precluding them from stopping her food and water. 

Naranjo's situation has drawn comparisons to that of Terri Schiavo, a Florida woman who was left severely brain-damaged from oxygen deprivation after suffering a heart attack and lived for a decade and a half in a persistent vegetative state. In 2005, Schiavo died of starvation after her husband insisted he was complying with her wishes by removing her feeding tube, despite a protracted and very public court battle and the pleading of her family.

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

Here's a roundup of pro-life-related developments in the U.S. this week. 

Arizona approves term 'unborn human' on abortion amendment explainer

The Arizona Supreme Court has approved the use of the term "unborn human being" in a state explainer on the broad abortion amendment on the ballot this November.

The ruling reverses a July decision by the lower Maricopa County Superior Court that struck the term "unborn human being" from a state explainer on the proposed abortion amendment. The superior court's ruling claimed the term was misleading and "inherently political."

The Arizona Supreme Court, however, said in its Wednesday ruling that the Maricopa court erred in its decision and that the phrase "unborn human being," which is used in the state's existing law, "substantially complies" with the impartiality requirement. 

The term will now be included in a pamphlet that explains all the amendment proposals on the ballot. The pamphlet will be sent to voters before the election.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has verified enough signatures to add the abortion amendment proposal to the ballot, meaning voters will decide whether to enshrine a broad right to abortion in the state constitution this November.

If the amendment is successful, it would invalidate the state's law protecting unborn life at 15 weeks as well as most of the state's pro-life laws.

Majority of American women support legal abortion

Three out of four American women of reproductive age believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a new study released Wednesday by the research group the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). KFF defined reproductive age as 18 through 49.

Roughly four out of 10 women (45%) correctly described the legal status of abortion in their state and nearly a third (32%) indicated that they did not know whether abortion was legal in their state. Similarly, 67% of women said that they did not know whether their state allowed chemical abortion.

The study also demonstrates the state of fear surrounding abortion with six out of 10 (63%) of women indicating that they are concerned they or someone close to them would not be able to get an abortion if it was needed to preserve their life or health. Currently, every state with an abortion restriction allows exceptions for abortion in cases in which the mother's life is in danger, according to data gathered by Americans United for Life.

Meanwhile, only 26% of American women of reproductive age believe abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

According to KFF, 70% of reproductive-age women support a federal law guaranteeing a right to abortion, while 63% of women oppose a law protecting unborn life at 15 weeks.

Finally, the study found that 74% of women of reproductive age oppose a policy of leaving abortion up to the states.

Abortion amendment officially on Missouri ballot

Missouri Secretary of State John Ashcroft has certified enough signatures to officially add the "Right to Reproductive Freedom" amendment to the state ballot this November.

This means that Missouri voters will decide whether to enshrine a "fundamental right" to abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

If successful, the amendment would invalidate the state's current law protecting life at conception as well as most other pro-life measures on the books.

It would allow certain regulations on abortion after viability but only if they do not "deny, interfere with, delay, or otherwise restrict an abortion that in the good faith judgment of a treating health care professional is needed to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person."

Wisconsin Capitol Police decline to investigate abortion leak

Citing a conflict of interest, the Wisconsin Capitol Police have refused to investigate the recent leak of a state supreme court draft order concerning abortion.

According to the Wisconsin Watch, the state capitol police are part of the administration of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who is an outspoken abortion supporter. Wisconsin Watch reported that Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback said there was a "clear conflict" considering the governor's "significant concern about the outcome of the court's decisions."

The leaked order concerned a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood and several other pro-abortion groups that seeks to invalidate the state's law protecting life at conception. The law is not currently being enforced after Dane County Circuit Judge Diane Schlipper ruled in the abortion industry's favor last year.

The leak, which was first reported on by Wisconsin Watch on June 26, prematurely revealed the Wisconsin Supreme Court's plans to take up an appeal in the case. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has since officially taken up the case. 

After the leak, Chief Justice Annette Ziegler said that the court was "united behind this investigation to identify the source of the apparent leak" and that all seven justices on the court "condemn this breach," according to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press reported that after the Wisconsin Capitol Police declined to investigate the leak, Ziegler said she would "pursue other means in an effort to get to the bottom of this leak."

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Vatican City, Aug 15, 2024 / 09:31 am (CNA).

During his Angelus address on the solemnity of the Assumption, Pope Francis reminded Catholics that the Blessed Virgin Mary always "goes before us on the journey."

Reflecting on the first chapter of the Gospel St. Luke, which recounts the encounter between the Virgin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, the pope reminded pilgrims in St. Peter's Square that the Mother of God is not a "motionless wax statue" but a "woman on the move following Jesus as a disciple of the kingdom."

"In her we can see a sister with worn-out sandals and with so much weariness in her veins for having followed the Lord and meeting brothers and sisters, concluding her journey in the glory of heaven," the Holy Father contemplated.

The pope said Mary, the young woman from Nazareth, is an example for all Christians who share her same desire to announce the joy of Jesus Christ with those around us.

"This expression of the Gospel is beautiful: "Mary set out and went (Lk 1:39). It means that Mary does not consider the news that she received from the angel as a privilege but, on the contrary, she leaves home and sets out with haste," he said.    

During his address, Pope Francis also emphasized the reality that each person's life on earth is a continuous journey toward the final encounter with God, in which we are not alone but accompanied by the Mother of God, who ended her earthly pilgrimage with her Assumption into heaven, where "together with her Son, she enjoys the joy of eternal life forever."

"The Blessed Virgin is she who goes before us on the journey, reminding us all that our life is also a continuous journey toward the horizon of the final encounter with the Lord," he said. 

"For this reason, the Blessed Virgin can help us on our journey toward the Lord," the pope added.

After praying the Angelus in Latin together with groups of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis prayed for people suffering violence throughout the world, particularly for those in Ukraine, the Middle East, Palestine, Israel, Sudan, and Myanmar.

The Holy Father again renewed his call for world leaders to pursue the path of peace in negotiations and immediately end conflicts causing so much destruction and hardship for vulnerable communities. 

"I continue to follow with concern the very serious humanitarian situation in Gaza, and I call once again for a cease-fire on all fronts, for the release of hostages, and for aid to the exhausted population," the pope insisted.

"I encourage everyone to make every effort to ensure that the conflict does not escalate and to pursue paths of negotiation so that this tragedy ends soon!" 

The Holy Father also expressed his particular closeness to the victims of wildfires in Greece on the feast of the Assumption and prayed for the solidarity of the affected communities to support one another during this time of tragedy.

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CNA Staff, Aug 15, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On Aug. 15, 1483, Pope Sixtus IV consecrated the Sistine Chapel to Our Lady of the Assumption. Today, as we celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, let's take a closer look at this historic chapel.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel is known for its magnificently frescoed ceilings, but it also serves an important function as the place where the cardinals meet to elect a new pope.

Here are five things to know:

1. Where did the chapel get its name?

The chapel derives its name from the man who consecrated it: Pope Sixtus IV, who served as the Roman pontiff from 1471 to 1484. He commissioned the restoration of the Cappella Magna, the chapel that stood where the Sistine Chapel stands today.

2. Who painted the frescoes?

The artist most famously connected with the Sistine Chapel is Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. However, it wasn't until several years after a team of artists began work on the chapel that Pope Julius II commissioned work from Michelangelo. 

Between 1481 and 1482, four artists — Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Cosimo Rosselli — worked on the chapel's frescoes. These artists were assisted by their shops in painting the walls with false drapes, the stories of Moses and Christ, as well as portraits of the popes. 

Michelangelo painted the chapel ceiling and the lunettes on the upper part of the walls. Perhaps the most famous fresco in the chapel is his "Creation of Adam," which portrays God in the form of a man surrounded by angels and wrapped in a mantle, reaching toward Adam, while Adam reaches back up to God. 

3. Michelangelo was telling a story.

The "Creation of Adam," although a focal point of the ceiling, is part of nine frescoes depicting different stories from the Book of Genesis. The stories are separated into groups of three. 

4. Pope John Paul II, the Sistine Chapel, and theology of the body

Walking into the Sistine Chapel, one might be surprised to see the many nude figures in the frescoes. During Mass in the Sistine Chapel on April 8, 1994, Pope John Paul II called the chapel a "sanctuary of the theology of the human body."

The late pope and now saint said in his homily: "It seems that Michelangelo, in his own way, allowed himself to be guided by the evocative words of the Book of Genesis which, as regards the creation of the human being, male and female, reveals: 'The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.'"

"The Sistine Chapel is precisely — if one may say so — the sanctuary of the theology of the human body," he added. "In witnessing to the beauty of man created by God as male and female, it also expresses in a certain way the hope of a world transfigured, the world inaugurated by the risen Christ, and even before by Christ on Mount Tabor."

5. One can take a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel.

It's possible to visit the Sistine Chapel without leaving the house. The website for the Vatican Museums allows one to virtually stroll through the chapel and zoom in on the details of each fresco.

The experience is not quite the same as being physically present, but visitors can take their time examining the frescoes without the usual crowds.

Bonus fact: 

There is a spray-painted replica of the Sistine Chapel in the United States. Located in Waterloo, Iowa, at 622 Commercial St., Cappella Magna can be rented out for functions. 

"Welcome to Capella Magna, Iowa's newly imagined premiere destination venue!" the organization's description says. "Experience the only replica of the Sistine Chapel in the world. Host your corporate event, office party, wedding, or anniversary in the splendor and elegance of Michelangelo's masterpiece reimagined by Waterloo's own, Paco Rosic."

The description says the venue seats 68 people in the main hall and 50 people in another area of the venue. Photos can be seen on the venue's Facebook page.

This article was previously published on Aug. 14, 2023, and has been updated.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 14, 2024 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

Luis Fernando Figari Rodrigo, founder of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (Sodality of Christian Life) and accused of committing sexual abuse, has been expelled from the organization by decision of the Vatican, the Peruvian Bishops' Conference announced.

In an Aug. 14 statement posted on its website, the conference said that the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has announced, in a decree, that Figari, 77, has been expelled from the sodality "in accordance with Canon 746 of the Code of Canon Law." 

The decree explains that Figari has been expelled based on the "results obtained and the certainties acquired" in the investigation carried out by Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith following their visit to Peru in July 2023 on behalf of Pope Francis.

At the time, the Holy Father entrusted both prelates with clarifying the accusations against the founder of the sodality and "other members" for sexual abuse and the abuse of power.

Following the results, on Aug. 6 Pope Francis delegated to the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life the task of ordering the expulsion of Luis Fernando Figari "in order to restore justice which had been violated … and to protect in the future the individual good of the faithful and of the Church."

Sodality of Christian Life: Figari is no longer part of our community

In a statement, the superior general of the Sodality of Christian Life, José David Correa González, called Pope Francis' decision "a gesture of pastoral charity, justice, and reconciliation within our community" and with all of Figari's victims. Correa underscored that Figari "no longer has ties with our community" as a result of the measure taken by the pontiff.

Correa also referenced previous actions taken by the sodality against its founder, including the disciplinary measures imposed on him in 2014 "after receiving testimonies of abuse" and his being declared a "persona non grata" in 2016. In addition, he stated that following the sanctions by the Holy See in 2017, as superior general, he asked the Vatican in 2019 to expel Figari from the society of apostolic life.

"As we have stated previously, Luis Fernando Figari is the historical founder of the Sodality of Christian Life, but he is not a spiritual role model for our community or for the Sodality family," the superior general explained.

The statement concluded by renewing the sodality's commitment to continue its process of renewal and reiterating its request for forgiveness and its solidarity with the victims.

"We reaffirm our readiness to continue with efforts to guarantee a safe environment in all our communities and apostolic works," Correa emphasized.

Who is Luis Fernando Figari?

Figari founded the Sodalitium in Peru in 1971. The society of apostolic life is currently present in several countries in the Americas and in Italy.

However, in 2015, journalists Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz published the book "Mitad monjes, mitad soldados" ("Half Monks, Half Soldiers"), in which they accused Figari and other members of the sodality of sexual abuse and abuse of power.

The following year, the Vatican appointed Cardinal Joseph Tobin, then-archbishop of Indianapolis, as delegate to the sodality. Among his duties was to help make decisions "about the accusations made against the founder."

In February 2017, the Holy See sanctioned Figari, among other things prohibiting him from returning to Peru and having contact with any member of the organization he founded. The Vatican indicated that it had determined that while he was superior general, the founder of the sodality was authoritarian and committed "acts contrary to the Sixth Commandment."

Days later, the sodality presented its report, which identified Figari, Germán Doig (vicar general who died in 2001), and others as alleged abusers.

Regarding the criminal proceedings against him in Peru, the Vatican stated in June 2018 that Figari "has never been covered up, hidden away, or protected in any way by the Apostolic See" and is therefore not prevented from "defending himself or responding to the accusations made against him in Peru."

Figari currently resides in Italy.

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, Aug 14, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

In a letter to his brothers and sisters in Christ, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, appealed for peace in the Holy Land and included a prayer to Our Lady on the feast of her Assumption to be recited by all Christians on Aug. 15.

Pizzaballa said that "these days seem to be important" in order to change the course of the war in Gaza, "whose impact on the lives of our people is greater and more painful than ever before."

The patriarch noted that "It is becoming increasingly difficult to find people and institutions with whom a dialogue about the future and peaceful relations is possible" and thus invited all Catholic faithful to pray to the Blessed Virgin for peace in the region on the solemnity of her Assumption into heaven.

"On this day, before or after the celebration of the Eucharist or at another suitable time, I invite everyone to a moment of intercession for peace to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I hope that the parishes, the contemplative and apostolic religious communities, and even the few pilgrims who are among us will unite in the common desire for peace that we entrust to the Blessed Virgin," Pizzaballa requested.

The cardinal said that the patriarchate has done everything possible "to help and be close to everyone," but in the face of words of hatred and the continuation of the war, "we would like to offer our prayer, which consists of words of reconciliation and peace."

"Let us pray that in this long night that we are living through, the intercession of the most holy Mary will open a glimpse of light for all of us and for the whole world," Pizzaballa concluded.

Friar Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, joined Pizzaballa's request and in a letter addressed to all the Franciscans of the Custody also asked them to pray for peace.

"I seem to see a hopeful sign in the fact that the parties involved have agreed to resume talks for the cease-fire in Gaza, the liberation of the hostages and that of political prisoners on the very day in which we celebrate Mary assumed into heaven in body and soul, a sign of sure hope and consolation for us pilgrims on earth," Patton told the friars. 

The Franciscan Custody will dedicate the celebrations for the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary "to prayer for peace in the Holy Land and throughout the world."

"All those who can, on the 14th and 15th August, should participate in the celebrations at Gethsemane according to the programme sent by the Custodial Secretariat; the others should value the celebrations in fraternity and include the appropriate "Supplication for peace to the B.V. Mary Assumed into heaven," the custos of the Holy Land concluded.

Supplication for peace to Our Lady assumed into heaven

O most glorious Mother of God,

raised above the choirs of angels,

pray for us with St. Michael the Archangel

and with all the angelic powers of heaven

and with all the saints,

to your most holy

and beloved Son, Our Lord and master.

Obtain for this Holy Land,

for all his children

and for all humanity

the gift of reconciliation and peace.

May your prophecy be fulfilled: 

the proud are scattered

in the imaginations of their hearts;

the mighty are overthrown from their thrones,

and finally, the humble are raised;

Let the hungry be filled with good things,

the peaceful be recognized as children of God

and that the meek may receive the earth as a gift.

May Jesus Christ, your Son, grant us this,

He who exalted you today

above the choirs of angels,

who crowned you with the diadem of the kingdom,

and has placed you on the throne of eternal splendor

To him be honor and glory forever. Amen.

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 Newsroom, Aug 14, 2024 / 10:32 am (CNA).

An Australian archbishop is urging the government to maintain existing religious freedom protections after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he would not proceed with expected religious discrimination legislation this term.

Melbourne Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli expressed disappointment over the news, saying in a statement: "It is regrettable that such important legislation is not proceeding. However, I trust that the prime minister will be true to his word that protections for people of faith will not go backwards under his leadership."

The archbishop emphasized that in the absence of new protections, existing safeguards should remain intact. Monica Doumit, Sydney Archdiocese's director of public affairs and engagement, echoed this statement, according to the Catholic Weekly. 

Albanese, speaking at a press conference in Perth on Friday, cited a lack of bipartisan support as the reason for not moving forward with the bill. "The last thing that Australia needs is any divisive debate relating to religion and people's faith," Albanese told reporters.

The decision has been criticized as a broken election promise, with opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash accusing the prime minister of letting "Australians of faith down," the Australian reported.

Other religious leaders have also voiced their concerns. Rateb Jneid, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, urged all political parties to intensify efforts to find common ground and advance "necessary" reforms.

The apparent shelving of the legislation comes amid broader concerns from Catholic leaders about threats to religious liberty in Australia.

In June, Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher warned of an "incremental erosion of religious freedom" occurring in health care, education, and society at large.

"If we consider life issues, recent years have seen the complete decriminalization of abortion, with some states requiring medical professionals with a conscientious objection to nonetheless refer a patient to an abortion provider," the prelate told CNA.

The Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference had engaged in discussions about the draft religious discrimination bills over many months, providing both the government and opposition with detailed suggestions.

Christian Schools Australia noted that a broad range of faith leaders had provided the government with detailed line-by-line amendments to the draft reforms three months ago, arguing it was too soon to give up on "long overdue protections."

With legislative protections now unlikely in the near term, Fisher has called on Catholics "to be serious about being saints for our time, committing ourselves to prayer, service, and the sacramental life" as a way to safeguard religious freedom.

The government's decision leaves the future of religious discrimination legislation uncertain, with faith leaders and opposition politicians calling for continued efforts to protect religious freedoms in Australia.

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