A bishop and a priest exchange the sign of peace during Mass. / Credit: Father Lawrence Lew, OP; photo courtesy of Martin Beek via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 18, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).The director of the Chair of Theology of the Consecrated Life at San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University in Spain, Sister Carolina Blázquez Casado, OSA, explained that the rite of peace at Mass "is not a greeting or friendly gesture."The sister explained the meaning of the rite in a video posted by the university, which is under the Archdiocese of Madrid.The sign of peace, which takes place between the recitation of the Lord's Prayer and the Fraction (breaking) of the Host, "is a prior step to be able to approach Communion with the body of Christ in a dignified manner," the Augustinian sister explained.The sign of peace is exchanged in recollection of the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5:23-24, namely: "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your ...
A bishop and a priest exchange the sign of peace during Mass. / Credit: Father Lawrence Lew, OP; photo courtesy of Martin Beek via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 18, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The director of the Chair of Theology of the Consecrated Life at San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University in Spain, Sister Carolina Blázquez Casado, OSA, explained that the rite of peace at Mass "is not a greeting or friendly gesture."
The sister explained the meaning of the rite in a video posted by the university, which is under the Archdiocese of Madrid.
The sign of peace, which takes place between the recitation of the Lord's Prayer and the Fraction (breaking) of the Host, "is a prior step to be able to approach Communion with the body of Christ in a dignified manner," the Augustinian sister explained.
The sign of peace is exchanged in recollection of the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5:23-24, namely: "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift."
Blázquez noted that "Christians, from when they first began to celebrate the Eucharist, had these words of the Lord in their minds and hearts. And that is why the rite of peace has been present since very ancient times in the Eucharistic celebration."
Consequently, the sign of peace is not a simple polite gesture or a gesture of human love, but rather it expresses "the sincere desire to be reconciled among ourselves, to overcome all divisions between us, to be instruments of peace, to be truly members, one of another, of the one body of Christ."
The video posted by the San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University is part of a series titled "The Eucharist. Learn More" in which several teachers from the institution explain various aspects of the sacrament.
Abuses of the rite
In 2014, while Cardenal Antonio Cañizares was prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, a letter on the subject titled "The Ritual Meaning of the Gift of Peace in the Mass" was approved and confirmed by Pope Francis.
The letter addresses problems arising from some "exaggerated expressions" of the rite of peace, which led Pope Benedict XVI to consult the bishops' conferences on the possibility of the rite being modified or eliminated from the Roman Missal.
In the end, it was decided to keep it in place while offering a series of "practical provisions to better explain the content of the exchange of peace and to moderate excessive expressions that give rise to disarray in the liturgical assembly before Communion."
The letter emphasized that "if the faithful through their ritual gestures do not appreciate and do not show themselves to be living the authentic meaning of the rite of peace, the Christian concept of peace is weakened and their fruitful participation at the Eucharist is impaired."
Among the provisions, the letter stated that the rite of peace can be omitted "and sometimes ought to be omitted" if circumstances deem it advisable. The bishops' conferences should consider, "in those places where familiar and profane gestures of greeting were previously chosen," replacing them with "other more appropriate gestures."
Abuses to avoid include "the introduction of a 'song for peace,' which is nonexistent in the Roman Missal; the movement of the faithful from their places to exchange the sign of peace; the departure of the priest from the altar in order to offer the sign of peace to some of the faithful" or taking advantage of the occasion "for expressing congratulations, best wishes, or condolences among those present."
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
null / Credit: Jill Sauve/UnsplashWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 17, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).Arizona House Republicans blocked two attempts on Wednesday to repeal an 1864 law protecting life at conception.In a near party-line 30-30 vote on Wednesday, House Democrats failed to gain a majority of votes to suspend the Legislature's rules to fast-track a so-called "abortion ban repeal" bill that would have overturned the 1864 pro-life law. Dormant since being invalidated by Roe v. Wade in 1973, the 1864 law protects all unborn life from conception and imposes prison time for those who "provide, supply, or administer" an abortion. This temporarily stalls ongoing efforts to repeal the law, which is set to go into effect in the next 37 days.Debate on the House floor was tense just before the vote as Democrats called the pro-life law "abhorrent" and "archaic." Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez bashed Republicans, saying that "the fact that we will not even entertain a motion ...
Arizona House Republicans blocked two attempts on Wednesday to repeal an 1864 law protecting life at conception.
In a near party-line 30-30 vote on Wednesday, House Democrats failed to gain a majority of votes to suspend the Legislature's rules to fast-track a so-called "abortion ban repeal" bill that would have overturned the 1864 pro-life law.
Dormant since being invalidated by Roe v. Wade in 1973, the 1864 law protects all unborn life from conception and imposes prison time for those who "provide, supply, or administer" an abortion.
This temporarily stalls ongoing efforts to repeal the law, which is set to go into effect in the next 37 days.
Debate on the House floor was tense just before the vote as Democrats called the pro-life law "abhorrent" and "archaic."
Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez bashed Republicans, saying that "the fact that we will not even entertain a motion to allow those who have been raped or pregnant by incest to be able to have an abortion is extremely, extremely disappointing."
Republican Rep. Ben Toma, meanwhile, said: "I understand that we have deeply held beliefs [about abortion], and I would ask everyone in this chamber to respect the fact that some of us believe that abortion is in fact the murder of children."
Abortion is currently legal in Arizona until the 15th week of pregnancy. If the 1864 law takes effect, however, all abortion will be illegal, except in cases in which the mother's life is in danger.
Outrage from abortion advocates erupted last week when the Arizona Supreme Court issued an April 9 ruling that cleared the way for the law to go back into effect. The court ruled that since the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, there were no legal reasons to keep the law from being enforced.
Planned Parenthood is continuing abortions in Arizona for the time being. The abortion organization holds that a separate ruling by the Maricopa County Superior Court keeps the 1864 law from being enforced until 45 days after the high court's ruling.
After the state Supreme Court's ruling, Democrats in the Arizona House moved quickly to repeal the law, demanding a vote on the measure on April 10. That attempt was also blocked by Republicans. After their efforts to repeal the law were blocked, Democrats began shouting "shame" and "blood on your hands" at their Republican colleagues on the House floor.
This comes as Arizona will likely be one of several states considering an abortion-until-birth amendment on the ballot this November. If passed, the amendment would enshrine a "right" to abortion in the state constitution, strike down virtually all of Arizona's pro-life protections, and legalize abortion until viability and through all nine months of pregnancy for physical or mental health reasons.
The group advocating for the amendment, Arizona for Abortion Access PAC, has surpassed the required number of signatures and already filed language with the state to include the proposal on the November ballot.
The Arizona secretary of state's office has yet to verify the signatures, which must happen before the initiative will officially be on the ballot.
The Arizona Catholic Conference, which consists of the state's four bishops, has spoken out against the ballot initiative, saying that it would "remove most safeguards for girls and women" and "allow for painful late-term abortions of viable preborn babies."
"We do not believe that this extreme initiative is what Arizona wants or needs, and we continue to pray that it does not succeed," the Arizona bishops said in a statement published April 9.
Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Wednesday general audience on April 17, 2024, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican MediaRome Newsroom, Apr 17, 2024 / 09:14 am (CNA).Pope Francis on Wednesday presented the fourth and final cardinal virtue of temperance in his ongoing catechetical series of vices and virtues by noting that temperance itself is crucial for living a happy, balanced life."The gift of the temperate person is therefore balance, a quality as precious as it is rare. Indeed, everything in our world pushes to excess. Instead, temperance combines well with Gospel values such as smallness, discretion, modesty, meekness," the pope said to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. "In a world where many people boast about saying what they think, the temperate person instead prefers to think about what he says," the pope said. "He does not make empty promises but makes commitments to the extent that he can fulfill them."...
Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Wednesday general audience on April 17, 2024, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media
Rome Newsroom, Apr 17, 2024 / 09:14 am (CNA).
Pope Francis on Wednesday presented the fourth and final cardinal virtue of temperance in his ongoing catechetical series of vices and virtues by noting that temperance itself is crucial for living a happy, balanced life.
"The gift of the temperate person is therefore balance, a quality as precious as it is rare. Indeed, everything in our world pushes to excess. Instead, temperance combines well with Gospel values such as smallness, discretion, modesty, meekness," the pope said to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday.
"In a world where many people boast about saying what they think, the temperate person instead prefers to think about what he says," the pope said. "He does not make empty promises but makes commitments to the extent that he can fulfill them."
Pope Francis greets young people gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Wednesday general audience on April 17, 2024, at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican Media
The pope noted that "the temperate person succeeds in holding extremes together: He affirms absolute principles, asserts nonnegotiable values, but also knows how to understand people and shows empathy for them."
The pope opened his reflection on temperance by looking to Aristotle's "The Nicomachean Ethics," an ethical treatise on the art of living. Francis noted that according to the Greek philosopher, man's flourishing and the ability to live a happy life is realizable only by "the capacity for self-mastery, the art of not letting oneself be overcome by rebellious passions."
This reflection on Artistolean ethics sets the foundation for an understanding of virtue present in the Church's teaching. "Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods," the pope said, quoting from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
For the pope, temperance, as expressed in ancient thought and in the Church, can be summarized as "the virtue of the right measure," a point he made by contrasting it with those who are "moved by impulse or exuberance," which makes them "ultimately unreliable."
Pope Francis greets young people gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Wednesday general audience on April 17, 2024, at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican Media
Francis explained that being temperate does not always require one to be "peaceful" or with a "smiling face." Instead, in certain situations, "it is necessary to be indignant, but always in the right way."
"A word of rebuke is at times healthier than a sour, rancorous silence. The temperate person knows that nothing is more uncomfortable than correcting another person, but he also knows that it is necessary; otherwise, one offers free reign to evil," the pope observed.
Following the blessing at the end of the general audience, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine and in Gaza, imploring that "prisoners of war" and the "tortured" be freed.
"The torture of prisoners is a very bad thing; it is not humane," the pope said. "Let us think of the many tortures that harm the dignity of the person and of the many tortured people."
null / Credit: Elisa Finocchiaro via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)ACI Africa, Apr 17, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Members of the Africa Christian Professionals Forum (ACPF) have expressed their solidarity with the people of Rwanda as the landlocked central African country marks 30 years since the Rwandan genocide in which an estimated 800,000 people were murdered."The Africa Christian Professionals Forum (ACPF), dedicated to promoting and protecting the sanctity of Life, Family Values, and good governance, extends its solidarity to Rwanda as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the genocide," officials of the organization said in their Sunday, April 7, statement.ACPF members join "Rwanda's government, her citizens, African Union member states, and the global community in remembering the tragic loss of innocent lives," the statement continued.Recalling the events of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which lasted approximately 100 days, ACPF officials said: "Thirty years ago, humanity witnessed uns...
null / Credit: Elisa Finocchiaro via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
ACI Africa, Apr 17, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Members of the Africa Christian Professionals Forum (ACPF) have expressed their solidarity with the people of Rwanda as the landlocked central African country marks 30 years since the Rwandan genocide in which an estimated 800,000 people were murdered.
"The Africa Christian Professionals Forum (ACPF), dedicated to promoting and protecting the sanctity of Life, Family Values, and good governance, extends its solidarity to Rwanda as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the genocide," officials of the organization said in their Sunday, April 7, statement.
ACPF members join "Rwanda's government, her citizens, African Union member states, and the global community in remembering the tragic loss of innocent lives," the statement continued.
Recalling the events of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which lasted approximately 100 days, ACPF officials said: "Thirty years ago, humanity witnessed unspeakable violence, resulting in countless innocent deaths."
"Today, we pause to reflect on the immense suffering endured by victims and their families, offering our deepest condolences to all affected," they added.
??The ACPF said the 30th anniversary of the genocide needs to inspire humanity to commit to seeking lasting peace.
"As we mark this solemn anniversary, let us recommit to creating a world where such atrocities never recur," they said. "May the memories of the victims inspire us to tirelessly pursue peace, tolerance, and understanding."
ACPF officials also called on the international community "to reaffirm its commitment to preventing genocide and mass atrocities, promoting justice, human rights, and dignity for all."
In the April 7 statement, the Christian leaders in Africa said they "commend Rwanda's resilience and determination in rebuilding, fostering unity, and reconciliation, offering hope to all."
The 1994 Rwandan genocide was reportedly triggered by the deaths on April 6, 1994, of the country's president, Juvenal Habyarimana, alongside his counterpart in Burundi, President Cyprien Ntaryamira. The two presidents, both Hutu, were returning from peace talks between the Hutu and the Tutsi when their plane was shot down as it prepared to land in Kigali, killing everyone on board.
In May 2023, Pope Francis dismissed from clerical duties a Rwandan Catholic priest considered to be a mastermind in the genocide.
Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, who was serving in France's Diocese of Evreux, was accused of playing an active role in the genocide in different parts of Kigali while he was pastor of Holy Family Parish in theArchdiocese of Kigali.
In November 2006, a military tribunal in Rwanda found Munyeshyaka guilty of rape and involvement in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi and sentenced him in absentia to life imprisonment, KTpress reported.
The Court of Federal Appeals (Lewis F. Powell Courthouse) and the skyline of Richmond, Virginia, from the foot of the Virginia Capitol grounds, Richmond, Virginia. / Credit: Acroterion|Wikipedia|CC BY-SA 3.0Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 16, 2024 / 17:55 pm (CNA).A federal appeals court has blocked a West Virginia law titled the "Save Women's Sports Act" that prohibits biological males from competing in female sports in the state.The 2-1 decision was issued by a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. The decision extends an already existing block on the law and sends the case back to a lower court for further consideration.This is the latest development in B.P.J v. West Virginia State Board of Education, a case in which a 13-year-old child who identifies as a girl is alleging that the West Virginia law violates Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination.The 13-year-old, who is a biological male named Becky Pepper-Jackson, is being represented by the AC...
The Court of Federal Appeals (Lewis F. Powell Courthouse) and the skyline of Richmond, Virginia, from the foot of the Virginia Capitol grounds, Richmond, Virginia. / Credit: Acroterion|Wikipedia|CC BY-SA 3.0
A federal appeals court has blocked a West Virginia law titled the "Save Women's Sports Act" that prohibits biological males from competing in female sports in the state.
The 2-1 decision was issued by a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. The decision extends an already existing block on the law and sends the case back to a lower court for further consideration.
This is the latest development in B.P.J v. West Virginia State Board of Education, a case in which a 13-year-old child who identifies as a girl is alleging that the West Virginia law violates Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination.
The 13-year-old, who is a biological male named Becky Pepper-Jackson, is being represented by the ACLU of West Virginia. Pepper-Jackson is seeking to compete in a school track and cross country program.
The Fourth Circuit Court said that the lower court, which had upheld the West Virginia law in a January ruling, erred by ruling to allow the law to go into effect.
The law, signed by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in April 2021, declares that "athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex" because "there are inherent differences between biological males and biological females."
The law states that allowing biological males in competitive female sports would "displace" female athletes from those spaces.
The circuit court's Tuesday ruling said that Pepper-Jackson has demonstrated that if implemented the law "would treat her worse than people to whom she is similarly situated, deprive her of any meaningful athletic opportunities, and do so on the basis of sex."
Based on this, the panel ruled that the case be "remanded with instructions to enter summary judgment for B.P.J. on her Title IX claims and for further proceedings (including remedial proceedings) consistent with this opinion."
Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz told CNA that his monumental Stations of the Cross to be installed on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida, is the fruit of nearly constant work over the last three years and is expected to draw thousands of visitors once completed this fall. / Credit: Timothy SchmalzAnn Arbor, Michigan, Apr 16, 2024 / 14:45 pm (CNA).Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz told CNA that his monumental Stations of the Cross to be installed on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida, is the fruit of nearly constant work over the last three years and is expected to draw thousands of visitors once completed this fall.The 2,000-seat shrine is the closest Catholic church to Disney World in Orlando and is already well known for its striking works of sacred art. In addition, the church's 17-acre tract features a spacious esplanade and rosary garden.&...
Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz told CNA that his monumental Stations of the Cross to be installed on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida, is the fruit of nearly constant work over the last three years and is expected to draw thousands of visitors once completed this fall. / Credit: Timothy Schmalz
Ann Arbor, Michigan, Apr 16, 2024 / 14:45 pm (CNA).
Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz told CNA that his monumental Stations of the Cross to be installed on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida, is the fruit of nearly constant work over the last three years and is expected to draw thousands of visitors once completed this fall.
The 2,000-seat shrine is the closest Catholic church to Disney World in Orlando and is already well known for its striking works of sacred art. In addition, the church's 17-acre tract features a spacious esplanade and rosary garden.
To all of this will be added a Gospel Garden that will feature massive bronze Stations of the Cross sculpted by Schmalz. Some of the stations are slated to be 30 feet wide and as high as 14 feet tall, weighing thousands of pounds. Inauguration of the project is expected to take place around November, although a precise date has yet to be determined.
"Some of Christ's parables are embedded in the sculptures. In the foreground of each station is the principal scene, but in the background are the teachings of Jesus as well as symbols," Schmalz told CNA. "It is an unusual version of the stations in the sense that it is filled with the New Testament. For instance, station 13 has more than 100 saints. It is unlike any other sculpture I have ever created."
Schmalz explained that the 14 stations will be his most complex sculpture yet, second only to his acclaimed Angels Unawares that is now in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican and at Catholic University of America.
Now that his creative clay sculpting for the project is complete, Schmalz said that casting the final sculptures in bronze remains to be done by a specialized foundry. Initial installation of the bronzes should begin this autumn in Orlando.
Orlando may be an especially fruitful locale for this work of evangelization, given that more than 58 million people throng each year to Disney World alone.
Speaking to the importance of visual arts, especially sculpture, Schmalz said that unlike film, "sculpture placed in a city center is like a film running 24/7 year after year. When I do a sculpture, I am conscious of the fact that it is frozen theater being performed and has to be right."
"I wanted it to be called the Gospel Garden rather than Stations of the Cross because when speaking of the stations, you are bringing your ideas of what they are. For some, it might be a boring experience. In many churches, the stations were made without much care. I wanted to make stations that are more intense than what is seen on film; so intense, that if you are not Catholic, you would want to become Catholic. You would want to learn more," Schmalz said.
Because so many children come to nearby Disney World, Schmalz also made certain that plenty of children appear in the work and see themselves in it. Saying that a sculpture such as the immense Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, may make viewers disconnected from its theme, he said: "When I started making the stations, I wanted them to be life-size. I wanted people to touch the hands of Jesus who is reaching out after falling with the cross."
Reflecting on the challenges faced by artists working on religious themes, he said: "Unless you do something spectacular, it's going to be invisible. That's how we are today. We have a society today where the Catholic Church is competing with mainstream culture. We have to be tough and strong. Even though we are dealing with the Gospels, with eternal truths, the execution often falls short."
"When I was growing up, I heard the famous quote attributed to Michaelangelo that the sculpture is in the stone and the artist's job is to release it. I believe that in some Platonic sphere or paradise there are great masterpieces, so it's my job as a sculptor to pull them to earth for people to see," Schmalz said.
Schmalz recounted that at age 19, he dropped out of a prestigious art school in Canada. "Pope John Paul II spoke of the culture of death. If you really want to see that, go to an art school. It is nihilism on acid."
Rather than clash with his instructors, Schmalz left for schooling on his own but with traditional masterworks as his guide to create Christian art.
"I was the most radical artist in Canada," he said, "because what I was doing with representing Jesus and the Virgin Mary was the only thing that was not allowed in an art gallery. There they wouldn't even call it art."
"Just like the Impressionists of the 1800s, who weren't accepted in the salons of the day, Christian art is not wanted in today's salons," Schmalz noted.
Schmalz came to world attention with his Homeless Jesus statue, which was first installed at Regis College in Toronto in 2013. The bronze depicts a human figure reclining on a park bench, which has been mistaken at times for a living person. Upon close inspection, viewers can see the marks of the crucifixion on its feet. Copies have since been installed in Capernaum, Israel; Fátima, Portugal; as well as many cities, including Detroit and Pope Francis' native Buenos Aires, Argentina. Schmalz's works are found in churches, universities, and public places in cities around the world.
Among Schmalz's other projects, he is also working on making sculptural representations of Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical Laudato Si', which laments consumerism, global warming, and environmental degradation. He also has a project in the works depicting the holy Eucharist and Blessed Carlo Acutis, the Italian teen who documented Marian apparitions and Eucharistic miracles.
Schmalz is also the official sculptor for the coming National Eucharistic Congress to be held this July 17–21 in Indianapolis.
The popular chocolate Ferrero Rocher actually honors Our Lady of Lourdes. / Canva Stock ImagesCNA Staff, Apr 16, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Many know Ferrero Rocher for its popular hazelnut chocolates, but the company's tie to Our Lady of Lourdes is lesser known.Michele Ferrero, the company's founder and a devout Catholic, had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and wanted to honor her through his work. It is reported that he named his company "Rocher" after the rock grotto, the Rocher de Massabielle, which marks the location where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France.In fact, "rocher" means "rock" in French. With this in mind, many point to the chocolate's crunchy coating and uneven gold wrapping as Ferrero's attempt to resemble this rock formation at Lourdes, which had a special meaning to the chocolatier. At the 50th anniversary of the founding of the company, Ferrero said: "The success of Ferrero we owe to Our Lady of Lourdes; without her we ...
The popular chocolate Ferrero Rocher actually honors Our Lady of Lourdes. / Canva Stock Images
CNA Staff, Apr 16, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Many know Ferrero Rocher for its popular hazelnut chocolates, but the company's tie to Our Lady of Lourdes is lesser known.
Michele Ferrero, the company's founder and a devout Catholic, had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and wanted to honor her through his work. It is reported that he named his company "Rocher" after the rock grotto, the Rocher de Massabielle, which marks the location where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France.
In fact, "rocher" means "rock" in French. With this in mind, many point to the chocolate's crunchy coating and uneven gold wrapping as Ferrero's attempt to resemble this rock formation at Lourdes, which had a special meaning to the chocolatier.
At the 50th anniversary of the founding of the company, Ferrero said: "The success of Ferrero we owe to Our Lady of Lourdes; without her we can do little."
In an interview with CNA's Spanish-language news partner, ACI Prensa, in 2023, Father Mauricio Elias, a chaplain at the Sanctuary of Lourdes, said: "Mr. Ferrero had a lot of devotion to the Virgin of Lourdes; he came a lot to Lourdes and was a benefactor."
"He was a man who always came here, he had a lot of devotion to the Virgin, he confessed, he led a Christian life," Elias added.
It was said that Ferrero made annual pilgrimages to Lourdes and also organized a visit for his employees. He also had a statue of the Virgin Mary in each of his company's 14 production facilities around the world.
Ferrero passed away on Feb. 14, 2015, at the age of 89. Shortly before his death, a flood damaged the sanctuary at Lourdes. Ferrero promised "a great donation to recover what was lost," Elias shared. After his death, his children kept their father's promise and helped with the repairs.
The family-run business continues its tradition with Michele's son, Giovanni Ferrero, running the company today. Founded in 1946 in Alba, Italy, by Pietro Ferrero, Michele's father, today Ferrero Rocher is the third-largest chocolate producer in the world. Since its launch in other European countries in 1982, the company has expanded to include other brands such as Nutella, Tic Tac, and Kinder, among others.
"I'm proud to defend Idaho's law that ensures children are not subjected to these life-altering drugs and procedures," said Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador in reaction to the decision. / CRedit: AP Photo/Kyle Green, FileWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 15, 2024 / 18:45 pm (CNA).The United States Supreme Court awarded Idaho emergency relief that will allow the state to enforce its ban on doctors performing sex-change operations on children and providing them with sex-change drugs.In a 6-3 decision on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that the lower appellate court had gone too far when it blocked Idaho from enforcing the law altogether. The decision, however, does not settle the question of whether the law is constitutional. The lower court had blocked the state from enforcing any part of the law in response to a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the rules. The lawsuit is still ongoing, but the order had been preventing the law from going into effe...
"I'm proud to defend Idaho's law that ensures children are not subjected to these life-altering drugs and procedures," said Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador in reaction to the decision. / CRedit: AP Photo/Kyle Green, File
The United States Supreme Court awarded Idaho emergency relief that will allow the state to enforce its ban on doctors performing sex-change operations on children and providing them with sex-change drugs.
In a 6-3 decision on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that the lower appellate court had gone too far when it blocked Idaho from enforcing the law altogether. The decision, however, does not settle the question of whether the law is constitutional.
The lower court had blocked the state from enforcing any part of the law in response to a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the rules. The lawsuit is still ongoing, but the order had been preventing the law from going into effect while both sides litigated the constitutionality of the law in court.
Per the Supreme Court's decision, Idaho can broadly enforce the law and is only blocked from enforcing it against the plaintiffs who are named in the lawsuit until the litigation is settled.
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, a Republican, praised the Supreme Court's decision in a statement Monday.
"I've witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of drugs and procedures used on children with gender dysphoria," Labrador said. "And it's a preventable tragedy."
"The state has a duty to protect and support all children, and that's why I'm proud to defend Idaho's law that ensures children are not subjected to these life-altering drugs and procedures," the attorney general continued. "Those suffering from gender dysphoria deserve love, support, and medical care rooted in biological reality. Denying the basic truth that boys and girls are biologically different hurts our kids. No one has the right to harm children, and I'm grateful that we, as the state, have the power — and duty — to protect them."
The American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement that noted the constitutionality of the law has not yet been settled but called the ruling "an awful result for transgender youth and their families across the state."
"Today's ruling allows the state to shut down the care that thousands of families rely on while sowing further confusion and disruption," the statement read. "Nonetheless, today's result only leaves us all the more determined to defeat this law in the courts entirely, making Idaho a safer state to raise every family."
Nearly half of the states in the country have enacted restrictions on doctor's performing sex-change operations on children or providing children with drugs to facilitate a gender transition.
null / Quisquilia/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 15, 2024 / 15:45 pm (CNA).A Catholic priest who serves at St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Amarillo, Texas, was pepper-sprayed while hearing confessions last week, according to a statement from the parish. The parish said in a statement on Facebook that "someone dealing with mental health issues" sprayed rector Father Tony Neusch with the irritant while he was hearing confessions.Police are investigating the incident. It's unclear whether officers have identified a suspect at this time."I am okay and do not require medical attention," Neusch said in the statement.The cathedral has temporarily suspended its twice-a-week regular confessions, with priests only hearing confessions by appointment for the time being.Regular confessions will resume after the cathedral installs security cameras in the chapel, according to the statement. "I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but the safety of our confesso...
A Catholic priest who serves at St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Amarillo, Texas, was pepper-sprayed while hearing confessions last week, according to a statement from the parish.
The parish said in a statement on Facebook that "someone dealing with mental health issues" sprayed rector Father Tony Neusch with the irritant while he was hearing confessions.
Police are investigating the incident. It's unclear whether officers have identified a suspect at this time.
"I am okay and do not require medical attention," Neusch said in the statement.
The cathedral has temporarily suspended its twice-a-week regular confessions, with priests only hearing confessions by appointment for the time being.
Regular confessions will resume after the cathedral installs security cameras in the chapel, according to the statement.
"I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but the safety of our confessors and those waiting to receive the sacrament needs to be preserved," Neusch said in the statement.
The priest declined comment when reached by CNA on Monday.
The Amarillo Police Department, meanwhile, did not immediately provide the police report to CNA and declined to comment on the incident.
Seminarians chat as they walk along the promenade in front of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Starting in the fall semester of 2024, first-year seminarians at Sacred Heart and seminaries across the country will undertake a "propaedeutic" year focused on personal, spiritual, and relationship growth, limiting the use of technology while spending more time in prayer and communion with others. / Credit: Photos by Marek Dziekonski | Special to Detroit CatholicDetroit, Mich., Apr 14, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).Starting in the fall, seminarians at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit are going to have more prayer time and less screen time.The sixth edition of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Program of Priestly Formation, or PPF, which began to be implemented last year in seminaries across the country, mandates a "propaedeutic" (pro-pih-DOO-tic) year for all men first entering into seminary.Following this guidance, Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit will imp...
Seminarians chat as they walk along the promenade in front of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Starting in the fall semester of 2024, first-year seminarians at Sacred Heart and seminaries across the country will undertake a "propaedeutic" year focused on personal, spiritual, and relationship growth, limiting the use of technology while spending more time in prayer and communion with others. / Credit: Photos by Marek Dziekonski | Special to Detroit Catholic
Detroit, Mich., Apr 14, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).
Starting in the fall, seminarians at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit are going to have more prayer time and less screen time.
The sixth edition of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Program of Priestly Formation, or PPF, which began to be implemented last year in seminaries across the country, mandates a "propaedeutic" (pro-pih-DOO-tic) year for all men first entering into seminary.
Following this guidance, Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit will implement a year of preparation for first-year seminarians starting in the fall of 2024, when men discerning the priesthood will focus on personal and spiritual growth, and less on academic work.
A key feature of the propaedeutic year — "propaedeutic" meaning preparatory or preliminary — will be limited screen and device time and more time dedicated to forming a sense of collegiality among seminarians, helping them to develop a spiritual life rooted in prayer as they discern the vocation to which God is calling them, said Father Stephen Pullis, director of graduate pastoral formation at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, who will lead the propaedeutic year program at the seminary.
"We started it in a small phase this year for those who came out of high school, but for next year, it will go into effect for all new seminarians," Pullis told Detroit Catholic. "It's a new year at the beginning that focuses more on human and spiritual formation. It has fewer classes, a different rhythm of life to help them adjust to growing in their human formation and growing spiritually as well."
The first year of seminary formation will be about becoming accustomed to seminary life, forming good prayer habits and growing in virtue and friendship with fellow seminarians and with God, Pullis said. To achieve this, seminarians will be asked to limit the time they spend with technology, including smartphone usage, to be more present in their surroundings.
The propaedeutic year has been installed in other seminaries around the country and has yielded positive results for seminarians who appreciate the time to unplug from the outside world and reconnect with the people and community in front of them, Father Stephen Pullis said. Credit: Photos by Marek Dziekonski | Special to Detroit Catholic
The change of schedule comes after recommendations from the Holy See on what seminarian formation needs to encompass to form priests centered in prayer, Pullis said.
"One of the challenges men coming into the seminary often have is they used to be very busy," Pullis said. "We are used to a life on devices, social media, email, lots of noise, and that can be a difficult adjustment to listening to the Lord's voice."
The propaedeutic year doesn't replace anything in seminary formation, meaning overall priestly formation will take an extra year, but it shouldn't cause extra burdens. The goal isn't to shun technology, Pullis said, but to place technology and worldly needs in their rightful place.
"It's about forming the habits of a man whom the people of God can turn to as a priest," Pullis explained. "These include habits around the use of technology, the use of free time and relating to each other in good, healthy ways, especially in a world with such an emphasis on technology where it has gone from being a tool to something that dominates us."
Exact rules and technology limitations for first-year seminarians in the propaedeutic year are still being worked out, but the overall goal is to help men better hear God's voice as they get used to life in the seminary.
"We look at seminary as someone would look at dating or engagement before marriage," Pullis said. "It's a time to say, 'Is this where God is calling me to be?' Of course, any man who has decided to enter the seminary has already prayed, but our relationship with the Lord will still need to continue and grow."
Pope Benedict XVI declared priests need to become experts in the spiritual life, Pullis pointed out. But to do that, a man first needs to make his life quieter to more easily hear the Lord's voice.
"The challenges for a man who enters seminary this year are different than when I entered seminary," Pullis said. "A lot of it is technology and anxiety and the speed of things in the world. Some of that is good — it puts us in contact with people we wouldn't know otherwise. But so much of that can be a distraction or a temptation to trust in ourselves over the Lord. The propaedeutic year, while a mouthful of a word to say, is especially needed for men entering seminary out of the world now."
The propaedeutic year has been installed in other seminaries around the country and has yielded positive results for seminarians who appreciate the time to unplug from the outside world and reconnect with the people and community in front of them, Pullis said.
A seminarian spends time in prayer in the chapel of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Withdrawing from the world to focus on prayer and relationship with God and others isn't a new concept, Father Stephen Pullis said, but in a world dominated by technology, building healthy habits will contribute to forming better priests. Credit: Photos by Marek Dziekonski | Special to Detroit Catholic
Withdrawing from the public to go and pray in private is a practice that's been around since the Old Testament. The Church has always seen a wisdom in decompressing in order to better discern the word of God.
Still, seminarians going through the propaedeutic year aren't going to become monks or hermits; they'll still live in community, visit family and their home parish, but it will allow them to break from the constant stream of tagging, sharing, retweeting, and reposting, Pullis said.
"I've seen both in potential seminarians and young people in general and in my own life, the way social media can lead to tremendous unrest and a sense of measuring myself against what other people are doing; it can lead to an idea that my life has to be perfect. It's an 'Instagram-ification' of my life that shows the coolest vacation, the most exotic food, that I'm having the best time of my life, and of course that doesn't correspond to reality," Pullis said. "But it also becomes a real distraction from where God has put me."
Unlike a book or a movie, with a beginning, middle, and end, one can always refresh social media, creating a generation that is constantly checking one's notifications.
"It creates an appetite that doesn't have a finite end and doesn't fulfill us," Pullis explained. "You see that on the scientific side, how it can change our brains, it makes us less attentive to the people who are in front of us."
Pullis added that first-year seminarians will find plenty of opportunities to fill that social media void: pursuing hobbies such as movies and sports, having conversations, or even scheduling the increasingly rare downtime people crave in the 21st century: just being for the sake of being.
For the faithful in the pews, having priests more attuned to the present can only be a good thing, Pullis said.
"The Church asks, 'How can we help the people of God have the best priests possible?' Because we live in the world, that's going to depend on the gifts and challenges of the world. What are the potential pitfalls?" he said. "The Church wants you and your family to have the best priests possible."
A bishop and a priest exchange the sign of peace during Mass. / Credit: Father Lawrence Lew, OP; photo courtesy of Martin Beek via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
