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Denver, Colo., Apr 12, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

When Beverly Jacobson was five months pregnant, the doctors told her she should have an abortion.  Jacobson's daughter, Verity, had Edwards syndrome, a developmental condition that their specialist said was "incompatible with life."  

"He went on to say that if she survived, she would be a drain on the family mentally, emotionally, and financially," Jacobson said on Friday.

But he was wrong. On Friday, Verity joined her mom on the steps of the state capitol as Jacobson addressed the Colorado March for Life.

"She is a gift from God," Jacobson told the crowd of 3,500 pro-lifers gathered at the steps of the capitol building.

Jacobson has since founded a nonprofit called Mama Bear Care to support mothers and families who receive difficult pregnancy diagnoses.

The Colorado March for Life is one of 19 state marches run by the March for Life taking place this year. Colorado's was organized jointly by the March for Life and Pro-Life Colorado. 

Colorado — historically one of the most pro-abortion states in the country — just passed an abortion funding bill. If signed by the governor, $1.5 million in public funding would go to abortion annually for a program proponents say would save the government money by "averting births." 

During her speech, Tamra Axworthy, head of ACPC Life Services and Women's Clinic, called the bill "eugenics disguised as public policy."

Instead of supporting mothers and valuing life, "our lawmakers have decided that the cheaper option is to eliminate children before their first breath," she said. 

"That is not compassion. That is not justice."

Pam Behler, the head of local pregnancy resource center My Choice Resource Center, shared that two young women recently came straight to the clinic from Planned Parenthood thanks to local pro-life sidewalk counselors.

One had come all the way to Vail, a mountain town, to have the abortion, but when she found out she was 13 weeks pregnant she came to the center and got an ultrasound. 

"She was so happy," Behler recalled. 

Another young woman had been told she couldn't do an ultrasound at Planned Parenthood unless she had an abortion. 

"We're just praying, praying, praying for her to keep the baby," Behler said. 

Maria Carpenter, who now organizes abortion healing retreats at Deeper Still Pikes Peak, shared during her speech her experience healing from abortion and suicidal thoughts. 

Carpenter said she had been minutes away from dying by suicide when she heard the phone ring. A co-worker she hadn't heard from in years was calling to invite her to go to church with her. 

Carpenter remembers tears running down her cheeks as she accepted "God's invitation."  

"In my darkest hour, God saw me in my shame, my pain, and my lostness, and he pursued me," she told the crowd. "I regret my abortions, but I now have my voice back."  

The front of the march was led by several school groups, many dressed in their uniforms, all chanting various slogans. Among the signs: "We are the pro-life generation and we will abolish abortion" and "We love babies, yes, we do!" 

Several onlookers pulled out their phones to take photos of the large crowd making its way down Colfax.

Mark Baisley, a Republican state senator representing Colorado's 4th Senate district, also spoke at the event, encouraging people to turn their hearts toward God.

Madeline Lamb, a young mom who lives in Littleton, said she came to the March for Life because she believes the cause is "not just a political issue." 

"This is legitimately a moral issue that we should all band together and fight for," she told CNA.

Sister Mary Grace of the Sisters of Life — a well-known Catholic speaker who hails from Australia — reminded the audience of God's presence, saying "every second that your heart beats, God is bestowing life into you." 

"Every human life is the icon of the divine, breaking into a dark world," Sister Mary Grace said.

In 1967, Colorado became the first state to decriminalize abortion. Current state law allows abortion up until birth. Just last year, Coloradans passed an amendment enshrining a "right to abortion." Now, the abortion funding bill that passed in the House and Senate is in the hands of state Gov. Jared Polis.  

But Sister Mary Grace — and many other marchers — haven't lost hope.

"God is breaking in," Sister Mary Grace said. 

Jennie Bradley Lichter, the new president of the national March for Life, spoke on the importance of marching for life, urging attendees: "Despite the challenging landscape, don't be discouraged." 

"We know how this story ends. We know that life wins." 

Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez led a reflective closing prayer. 

"We want the world and Denver to hear the silent noise of a baby in his or her mother's womb, the newborn's whimper, the laugh of children; but also to hear the faith of the sick and the wisdom of the elderly," Rodriguez said. 

"Such a richness, Lord, comes from your mind, your heart, and your hands." 

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CNA Newsroom, Apr 12, 2025 / 05:34 am (CNA).

Pope Francis encouraged university students linked to Opus Dei to share "the Gospel of Jesus Christ, dead and risen" with everyone during this jubilee year in a message to participants of an international congress in Rome.

In a Spanish language letter released by the Holy See on Saturday, the pope greeted young people attending the International UNIV Congress 2025, which is taking place in Rome from April 12-20 during Holy Week.

"The International UNIV Congress that you are holding in Rome brings you together these days in the celebration of a double jubilee event: Holy Year 2025 and the centenary of the priestly ordination of St. Josemaría Escrivá," the pope wrote in the letter dated April 8.

The Holy Father noted these occasions offer "many reasons to give thanks to God and to continue walking with enthusiasm in faith, diligent in charity and persevering in hope."

The pope said he joins in the students' joy and accompanies them with his prayer, "asking the Lord that this time of pilgrimage and fraternal encounter may impel you to bring to everyone the Gospel of Jesus Christ, dead and risen, as an announcement of the hope that fulfills promises, leads to glory and, founded on love, does not disappoint."

He concluded by asking for prayers and imparting his blessing: "May Jesus bless you and Holy Virgin care for you. And I ask you, please, do not forget to pray for me."

The UNIV Congress began in 1968, inspired by St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei. According to information from the organization, Escrivá "dreamed of an international meeting of university students from five continents who would ask themselves big questions" to help improve the world.

Each year, students participate in this experience during Holy Week in Rome, where they can "listen to experts and join problem-solving forums, as well as attend the Easter Triduum ceremonies" and meet with the Prelate of Opus Dei, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz.

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Nottingham, England, Apr 12, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

A new project, the Restoring Pugin Project, aimed at restoring the original design of a popular English cathedral, is seeking to attract people to encounter "a representation of the glory of God." 

Nottingham's St. Barnabas Cathedral has been awarded a 1.69 million-pound (approximately $2.2 million) grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of its 2.3 million-pound (approximately $3 million) Restoring Pugin Project, which is a conservation program aimed at restoring Pugin's original decorative scheme in the cathedral.

Having previously received funding for the Restoring Pugin Project from the National Lottery, the latest substantial grant will enable significant work to be done on the project and to reach a far wider audience.

Augustus Pugin was known as the father of the Victorian Gothic Revival, an iconic style of medieval architecture. Pugin, who famously worked on iconic English buildings such as London's "Big Ben" and the Houses of Parliament, considered St. Barnabas Cathedral in Nottingham his masterpiece.

Built in 1841, the cathedral is ranked as a Grade II* listed building, which, according to Historic England, is one of three ranks given to "particularly important buildings of more than special interest." Around 5.8% of listed buildings are Grade II*.

The cathedral is a particularly important building of more than special interest to people in the U.K. and beyond.

There are hopes that the restoration work will help develop further the cathedral's profile within Nottingham as a place of welcome and fellowship. This was underlined by Bishop of Nottingham Patrick McKinney, who shared his desire for the project to "attract more and more people of all ages and backgrounds, especially local people" to the cathedral. McKinney also said he hopes Nottingham's "Catholic churches become ever more outward facing."

The project will also offer a number of opportunities for heritage training and skills development for people of all ages as the project aims to restore the cathedral's east end to its former glory. Creative ideas to engage people include an innovative video game, Pugin's Revival; new information panels; touch screens; audio visual materials; and a virtual reality experience.

Restoring Pugin Project Manager Jane Hellings spoke to CNA about the plans for the project to help the cathedral connect with local people and build faith.

"We call it soft evangelization," Hellings said. "It's definitely a place of living faith. It's very much a representation of the glory of God. We're working with refugees and migrants, pupils who have special educational needs and disabilities. The video game will be rolled out to schools as part of the careers pack, which includes ideas about how to pursue a career in heritage."

2025 is a significant year, as it marks 175 years since Nottingham's large Catholic church designed by Pugin was elevated to cathedral status. 

Hellings, who is hoping to engage over 20,000 people in the project, outlined her hopes for people to access faith in a unique way. She said: "A lot of those [visitors] will be coming in to light a candle, [to be] peaceful for a little minute. And others are coming to see what's on in the cathedral and what has happened, and why [Catholics] do things a certain way — why people bend their knees and bow their heads. Just actually sitting quietly in a separate space helps people to think."

The Diocese of Nottingham and the cathedral community have been enthused by the National Lottery grant.

"This grant will enable Nottingham's cathedral to become ever more engaged with the wider population of this city," McKinney said, adding his hope that visitors will experience a "living faith and peace in the midst of the city and also as a sign of hope in these difficult times we are living through."

The Friends of Nottingham Cathedral, whose mission involves promoting the mission and ministry of the cathedral in the diocese and in the wider community, encouraged people to visit Pugin's "masterpiece."

"The cathedral is one of Nottingham's best-kept secrets, and Pugin regarded it as his masterpiece," said Ron Lynch, chair of the Friends of Nottingham Cathedral.

"We'd like more people to come along and find out more about the heritage of this fantastic building, but also to share in the tranquillity that it offers in a busy city center," he said.

Sophie Andreae, architectural historian and vice chair of the Patrimony Committee of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, paid tribute to the achievement of the Diocese of Nottingham in securing the grant. 

"This is the first major National Lottery Heritage Fund award for a Catholic cathedral in recent years," Andreae noted in a statement. "The conservation program to restore Pugin's original decorative scheme will be transformational. Both the Heritage Fund and the Diocese of Nottingham are to be congratulated for their vision and determination to take this project forward."

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Puebla, Mexico, Apr 11, 2025 / 15:20 pm (CNA).

Mexico's Yucatán state Congress has approved the decriminalization of abortion up to 12 weeks of gestation, amending the penal code, although the state constitution continues to protect life from the moment of fertilization.

The April 9 legislative action passed with 22 votes in favor and 13 against. According to a statement from the local congress, the deputies approved "the right of women and pregnant persons to decide up to 12 weeks."

In addition, the penalties for a forced abortion were increased from three to eight years in prison to five and 10 years, and in the case of forced abortion with violence, the penalties increased from six to nine years to nine to 15 years in prison.

Nonetheless, the protection of life remains in force in the Yucatán Constitution, which "recognizes, protects, and guarantees the right to life of every human being, expressly stating that from the moment of fertilization, the person enters under the protection of the law and is deemed to have been born for all corresponding legal purposes."

Regarding this issue, legislators attempted to amend the constitution, but the proposal was not approved by a qualified majority. With 22 votes in favor and 13 against, the ruling of the Constitutional Affairs Committee failed to be ratified, so it will be referred back to the committee for analysis.

Abortion in Mexico

With its action, Yucatán became the 22nd Mexican state to have pro-abortion legislation.

Since Claudia Sheinbaum assumed the country's  presidency in October 2024, with majority control by her MORENA party, various local congresses have approved similar measures. During the first seven months of her term, the states of Jalisco, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, the state of Mexico, Chiapas, Nayarit, Chihuahua, and Campeche have all decriminalized abortion.

Meanwhile, Yucatán Archbishop Gustavo Rodríguez Vega expressed his disagreement with the legislators' decision.

In statements to the media, he recalled that "God created us to care for our lives and the lives of all others, and within all others is the human being who lives in the mother's womb from the first moment."

Furthermore, Rodríguez Vega called for us to be "servants of life, of the barely conceived, but of human life as long as the human being lives until his or her final moment of natural death."

He also asked pregnant women in vulnerable situations "not to despair." The prelate emphasized that "a decision about her body, about her person," as is often repeated in these cases, does not involve the "human being who already lives in her womb."

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

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 11, 2025 / 15:52 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Jubilee USA Network this week sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to pursue global debt relief initiatives that will economically serve both developing countries and the United States. 

In the letter, Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan, the chairman of the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Eric LeCompte, the executive director at Jubilee USA Network, argued that "building on the successes" of relief initiatives introduced by Trump during his first term could lower global debt. 

Jubilee USA Network on its website describes itself as "a coalition of religious, development, and advocacy groups" and "works on debt, tax, trade, and transparency policies that help end poverty."

The letter stated the president previously "expanded and introduced new global debt relief initiatives … while also leading the world in creating crisis response policies that ameliorated the suffering of billions of people in the United States and around the world."

"As you know, debt relief and restructuring make effective economic and security policies, strengthening our country's global moral leadership," the leaders wrote. "These policies, which cost us little, contribute significantly to the stability of our trading partners, reduce food and fuel prices here at home, and support American jobs and exports."

The statement follows the start of Turn Debt into Hope, a campaign initiated at the beginning of 2025 by Jubilee USA and international aid organizations with the aim of continuing St. John Paul II's 2000 Jubilee mission of debt relief for the world's poorest countries. 

Zaidan and LeCompte quoted Pope Francis, who in December wrote that he "urge[d] the international community to work toward forgiving foreign [debt] existing between the North and South of this world. This is an appeal for solidarity, but above all for justice."

The letter reported that developing nations spend on average more than 40% of their revenue on debt payments. The leaders also highlighted that nearly 800 million people worldwide face hunger and 700 million live in "extreme poverty." 

In order to help find a solution, Zaidan and LeCompte said their organizations "stand ready to work" with the president on the central priorities of U.S. policy: "debt crises, ensuring global market stability, and fostering efforts to strengthen our country's trade access, safety, and prosperity."

Zaidan and LeCompte said with the president's help they "can maximize global trade dynamics that will benefit U.S. businesses and workers by restructuring global debt … by creating the debt reduction processes that Pope Francis is promoting for Jubilee 2025." 

They said this process "can cut debts to sustainable levels and thus allow developing countries to reduce poverty."

"To effectively do this, developing countries' debt payments should be suspended while debt reduction schemes are developed," they said, arguing that the move would not only benefit "the 73 poorest countries" but also "middle income countries," including America's trading partners, allies, and U.S. product consumers.

The statement said these efforts will "cost the U.S. taxpayer very little yet maximize global American leadership."

"Simply stated, the world needs strong American leadership on debt relief and financial architecture reform."

"This will foster the global stability that enhances America's trade partnerships — bolstering U.S. imports and exports in the developing world, protecting our taxpayers, pension savings, and consumers, and making America safer, wealthier, and stronger," the leaders said.

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CNA Staff, Apr 11, 2025 / 16:23 pm (CNA).

A federal bill proposed this week would affirm that nonprofits and charities are not receiving federal "financial assistance" simply by being granted a tax-exempt status.

The Safeguarding Charity Act, introduced by Florida Rep. Greg Steube, would order that the term "federal financial assistance" in the U.S. code "shall not include any exemption from federal income tax.''

The two-page bill would further direct that the government could not retroactively deem nonprofit groups as having received federal "assistance" prior to the bill's passage.

Steube in a press release said the measure "is about protecting churches, religious schools, and charities from federal overreach."

Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate on Thursday. Lankford argued that tax-exempt organizations "should not live in fear of federal control every day because courts want to redefine the meaning of tax-exempt status."

"We should be focused on enabling the work of these organizations — not burdening them with unnecessary and costly federal requirements," he said.

The bill was previously introduced last year, though it ultimately stalled without passage.

Greg Baylor, a lawyer with the religious liberty law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, pointed to two recent district court rulings — Buettner-Hartsoe v. Baltimore Lutheran High School and E.H. v. Valley Christian Academy — that held that private schools were subject to federal Title IX regulations because of their tax-exempt status.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ultimately overturned the ruling in the Lutheran school case. "Incorporating the plain meaning of that phrase, does tax-exempt status constitute accepting federal financial aid, help, or support? We think not," the court ruled at the time.

ADF had last year filed a brief in support of the school, arguing that defining tax exemption as federal assistance would have "significant ramifications for private nonprofit institutions across the country."

"If tax-exempt status itself constituted federal financial assistance, then churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, and other houses of worship across the country would automatically be swept into a host of new regulatory obligations because of their tax-exempt status, whether or not they request that status," ADF said in its briefing.

Baylor pointed out that "no federal agency has ever attempted to force an organization to comply with a statute triggered by the receipt of federal financial assistance on the ground that it was tax exempt."

Still, he said, if the "financial assistance" interpretation were widely embraced, "hundreds of thousands of tax-exempt organizations will be unexpectedly subject to burdensome federal statutes and regulations."

These organizations would "incur substantial compliance costs and could potentially lose their tax-exempt status if they are found to have violated any of the relevant statutes," he said.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 11, 2025 / 16:58 pm (CNA).

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation announced that Catholic human rights activist and political prisoner Jimmy Lai will be an honorary recipient of a 2025 Bradley Prize for being an "inspiration to all who value freedom."

Lai is the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and a human rights activist who chose to stay in Hong Kong and risk imprisonment to fight for freedom against the Chinese Communist Party.

The foundation said Lai "is a courageous advocate for democracy and freedom of the press, whose powerful criticisms of Beijing's control over Hong Kong have made him a target of Chinese authorities."

"He is currently in prison, where he has spent more than four years in solitary confinement. He faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted under the draconian national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020," the foundation's announcement said.

Rick Graber, president of the Bradley Foundation, said in a statement: "Jimmy's extraordinary courage and deeply held beliefs in journalistic integrity, human dignity, and democracy are an inspiration to all who value freedom."

"His advocacy against oppressive, authoritarian rule put him at risk," Graber continued. "Yet instead of fleeing Hong Kong under increasing pressure by the Chinese communist regime to silence his views, he stayed and continued to advocate for truth and transparency."

"His sacrifice serves as a beacon of hope for those fighting against tyranny, and we are proud to award him with an honorary Bradley Prize." 

The foundation stated that the prize is given "to individuals whose extraordinary work exemplifies the foundation's mission to restore, strengthen, and protect the principles and institutions of American exceptionalism and honors the ideals of the Western tradition."

Jimmy Lai's son Sebastien Lai will receive the award on his behalf at the Bradley Prizes ceremony on May 29 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

In a statement to the foundation, Sebastien Lai said: "Our family is deeply grateful for this honor of my father from the Bradley Foundation. He is to us most importantly a husband, father, and grandfather, but he has earned his place as a hero in the hearts of many around the world."

"The Bradley Prize is a testament to his commitment to truth and freedom, made evident in his tremendous self-sacrifice," Sebastien continued. "From a tiny prison cell in Hong Kong, he continues to stand strong against the world's largest and most powerful totalitarian regime." 

"Thank you for reminding the world that his cause is not lost — good people must now fight for his freedom as he fought for theirs," Sebastien concluded.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 11, 2025 / 17:46 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news that you might have missed this week:

Traffickers pose as Christian missionaries to entrap victims, Thai-Phillippine law enforcement says

Human traffickers have begun posing as Christian missionaries or pilgrims in order to pass airport controls, Philippine and Thai police reported after a recent investigation, according to a report from Agenzia Fides on Wednesday. 

Law enforcement recently stopped two young women, 23 and 25 years old, from being trafficked to Thailand by an older woman who claimed they were Christian missionaries. After noticing inconsistencies in their documents, airport officials detained the women, who said they were  "volunteers belonging to the Catholic Church for missionary work in Thailand."

Upon investigation, they discovered the older woman to be an organizer of a trafficking network that smuggles women to Thailand. The young women accompanying her had been allegedly "seduced" by the prospect of a teaching job, then pulled into a criminal network of prostitution. 

Italy to welcome 700 Afghan refugees forced to flee after disastrous 2021 U.S. pullout 

Seven hundred Afghan refugees will soon be welcomed in Italy after an agreement was forged between Italy's Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs and various associations including the Community of Sant'Egido, according to a Vatican News report. 

"For Afghans, who were forced to flee their country in great distress after the mass exodus from Kabul in August 2021 and who have been forgotten by the international community while waiting to be resettled, this is finally a sign of hope," the community's president, Marco Impagliazzo, stated in a press release announcing the agreement, which came about as part of its "humanitarian corridors" initiative. 

New German coalition government retains crucial religious freedom initiative 

Germany's new coalition government has opted to preserve a crucial religious freedom initiative in its foreign policy.

The Union-SPD coalition confirmed this week that the Federal Government Commissioner for Worldwide Religious Freedom would remain a viable position within its government, despite earlier calls to eliminate it, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner.

President Dirk Bingener of the Catholic aid organization Missio welcomed the news, describing it as "a positive signal for persecuted Christians and members of other religions whose human rights to freely practice their faith are violated."

Catholic community in Bahrain takes up prayer and fasting together

As Easter approaches, the Catholic community in Bahrain is actively engaging in a spiritually enriching Lenten season filled with prayer and fasting, according to ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner. 

Father Charbel Rizk, a key figure for the Arabic-speaking Catholic community, has been explaining the intricate details of the Mass to deepen the faithful's understanding and spirituality. In collaboration with the parish in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, a series of lectures titled "Fasting and Hope" was organized, featuring prominent clergy such as Father Majid Moussa and Father George Abi Saad.

The sessions, available on Facebook and Zoom, encourage participation in the sacrament of reconciliation and include home-based evangelical nights, culminating in the blessings of the Eucharist.

Annual feast honoring St. Quryaqos in Iraq revives community spirit

The ruins of Mar Quryaqos Monastery in Baghdeda (Qaraqosh), Iraq, hosted celebrations for its feast during the sixth Sunday of Lent. Local Christians, dressed in traditional attire, gathered to honor St. Quryaqos, the spiritual protector of Baghdeda, with prayers, candle lighting, and the sharing of traditional foods, ACI MENA reported. 

The event, known locally as "Shira Mar Qarayaqos," marked a vibrant revival of community spirit and religious heritage, notably attended by expatriates reconnecting with their roots after decades abroad.

Uganda bishops praise 'significant drop' in HIV infections and related deaths

Members of the Uganda Episcopal Conference are lauding the recent drop in HIV infections and related deaths, attributing the positive trend to success of treatment and prevention centers, according to ACI Africa.

"We are cognizant of the significant drop in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in the country in the past decade, partly attributed to the extensive rollout of HIV treatment and prevention services," the bishops stated.

Although latest numbers are much lower, they continued, the situation remains concerning, with approximately 1,292,407 Ugandans currently living with HIV and about 730 new infections occurring per week. "As a Church, we are committed to creating awareness and providing health services for our people through our pastoral work," the bishops said.

Catholic activists urge Kenya Red Cross to proceed with conference on family values amid backlash 

Catholic activists with CitizenGo Africa have issued an urgent plea to Kenya's Red Cross to ignore calls to cancel its five-day Pan African conference on family values, which is set to take place in Nairobi starting May 12. 

The event, "Promoting and Protecting Family Values in Challenging Times," faced backlash from members of the LGBTQ community within the Red Cross, according to a report from ACI Africa on Thursday.

"The real goal of these foreign-funded activist groups is to impose LGBTQ and gender ideologies on Africa," the petition states, adding: "This conference is a space for Africans to affirm what we know to be true: that faithful, committed, monogamous relationships are the best model for raising children and building strong communities. And we have the right to speak, gather, and defend these values without fear or shame."

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Vatican City, Apr 11, 2025 / 09:38 am (CNA).

A day after Pope Francis surprised pilgrims by appearing inside St. Peter's Basilica in a wheelchair, draped in a blanket and wearing a white undershirt and black pants instead of his usual white cassock and zucchetto, the Vatican on Friday offered a brief update on the 88-year-old pontiff's ongoing recovery.

The pope, who has been largely absent from public life since being released from Rome's Gemelli Hospital nearly three weeks ago, was seen in the basilica Thursday with nasal tubes delivering oxygen, escorted by his personal nurse and health aides.

A Vatican spokesman told journalists Friday morning that the pope had simply wanted to get some air and then spontaneously decided to extend his time outside of his Vatican residence by going to the basilica "as he was" to pray at the tomb of Pope Pius X and before the Chair of St. Peter.

The Holy See Press Office confirmed that Francis continues to receive supplemental oxygen, especially at night, but that he is now able to go for "prolonged periods" without it.

The appearance marked the third unexpected move by the pope this week, following the release of photographs from a private audience with Britain's King Charles III on Wednesday and a brief greeting to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Vatican's Jubilee of the Sick on Sunday.

According to the Vatican, the pope's convalescence is progressing steadily. Pope Francis is undergoing respiratory and motor physiotherapy and is using oxygen "therapeutically" but with decreasing frequency. 

The pope has also begun receiving visitors again, including senior Vatican officials such as Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the sostituto for the Secretariat of State; Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the secretary for relations with states; and Monsignor Luciano Russo, who oversees diplomatic personnel.

Still, questions remain about the full extent of the pope's condition. Though tests reportedly show gradual improvement, the underlying infection has not been completely resolved. The Vatican described Pope Francis as under "constant" medical supervision at his residence in Casa Santa Marta.

According to officials, the pope showed "slight improvements in voice and mobility" this week and continues to concelebrate daily Mass privately. 

As Holy Week approaches, uncertainty still surrounds the pope's potential participation in the liturgies. 

Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, is set to preside over Palm Sunday Mass as Pope Francis' delegate. 

Vatican officials have indicated that a decision about the pope's role in the Easter Triduum will be made at the last minute with an update expected early next week.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 10, 2025 / 16:00 pm (CNA).

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made a splash at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York, during a speech last week when he called for a painting of Jesus to be brought up from the flood-prone basement of a building on academy grounds, where it has been held since the Biden administration.

Midshipmen broke out into loud and prolonged applause after Duffy, a practicing Catholic, in his April 3 speech called for the beloved painting to be restored, saying: "Can we bring Jesus up from the basement? Let's not put Jesus in the basement! Let's get him out! Let's bring him up!"

The enthusiastic response prompted a surprised reaction from Duffy, who remarked: "You want Jesus up from the basement? All right, great!" 

"That was the loudest applause we got," he added. 

Painted in 1944 by U.S. Maritime Service Lt. Hunter Wood, "Christ on the Water" depicts Jesus walking on water and merchant seamen floating adrift in a lifeboat after their ship is torpedoed. According to the USMMA website, Wood used sail canvas, marine paints, and spar varnish to paint the artwork, also known as "Jesus and Lifeboat." 

A white curtain was hung in front of the 10-by-19-foot painting in January 2023 after the founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), Michael Weinstein, demanded that USMMA superintendent Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan remove the "massive sectarian painting illustrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ" from its place in a frequently-used meeting room in an administrative building at the academy, according to a report from the Christian Post. 

"The outrageousness of that Jesus painting's display is only further exacerbated by the fact that this room is also used regularly for USMMA honor code violation boards, where midshipmen are literally fighting for their careers, and, often even more, as they face the shameful ignominy of potential expulsion with prejudice if found guilty of USMMA honor code violations," Weinstein added. 

The painting was later moved to the basement of the academy's chapel, which Fox Digital reported was "prone to flooding." 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana; and others sent letters and petitions at the time to Nunan to protest the move. 

"Under the Supreme Court's standard for long-standing government displays, the painting is perfectly in keeping with the establishment clause [of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution]," Cruz wrote in a statement on Feb. 21, 2023.

He continued: "Your decision to move it, and to discontinue use of the conference room it presently is located in, is regrettable and suggests you believe a painting that tens of thousands of midshipmen, faculty, staff, and visitors have viewed for more than half a century is now suddenly unconstitutional."

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