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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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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 10, 2025 / 16:30 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) are urging lawmakers in the House of Representatives to approve tens of billions of dollars in international humanitarian assistance in an upcoming appropriations bill.

CRS Executive Vice President Bill O'Keefe provided testimony to the House Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs earlier this month to present lawmakers with "a Catholic pro-life vision of international assistance that drives to the common good."

Congress allocated nearly $70 billion in total foreign aid funding in the last fiscal year, although President Donald Trump's administration froze most of those funds for a three-month period in January. The administration intends to restore some funds, but it's unclear which organizations will continue to receive federal money.

CRS receives more federal funding through international aid than any other nongovernmental organization. Between fiscal years 2013 and 2022, CRS received more than $4.6 billion in funds, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

However, Trump's freeze in funding, O'Keefe told the subcommittee, forced CRS to eliminate 74 programs that serve 20 million people abroad. If federal funding is not restored, CRS will have to cut about 50% of its staff this year alone, according to an internal email that was reported on by the National Catholic Reporter.

Yet O'Keefe took a conciliatory tone toward the Republican majority in the House, thanking them for "your leadership amid a realignment of U.S. international assistance aimed to make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous."

O'Keefe said he hoped to bring "a Catholic perspective to this realignment," which focuses on an adherence to three principles: "inherent human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity."

"Both Church institutions and states have a shared responsibility to promote human life and dignity," O'Keefe told the lawmakers.

"The Catholic Church has a moral [duty] to respond to our neighbors in need, whether near or far," he said. "… This work alone cannot be left to the Church and other civil society groups. Church teaching has long asserted that governments must actively pursue the common good, not just for our own citizens but for all members of the global family."

CRS and the bishops encouraged Congress to appropriate more than $10 billion for global health programs that are designed to address maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV and AIDS, and life-threatening diseases. They also requested nearly $4.8 billion for international disaster assistance programs.

The two organizations also urged Congress to provide nearly $4 billion for each of the following: developmental assistance, migration and refugee assistance, and the Economic Support Fund. 

The request also suggested another $1.38 billion to the International Development Association.

Other programs for which the groups recommended less than $1 billion each include the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Millennium Challenge Account, the Green Climate Fund, emergency refugee and migration assistance, and the Complex Crises Fund.

O'Keefe said Congress ought to prioritize human dignity by "investing in lifesaving responses" such as emergency food assistance and programs to help promote farming and education in other parts of the world.

To conform its priorities to solidarity, O'Keefe stressed "authentic partnerships" that facilitate "a society-to-society approach, not just a government to government approach." Aligning with the principle of subsidiarity, he encouraged "investing in local community organizations who are closest to the ground and have the best understanding of what to do."

On Trump's first day in office, he signed an executive order to pause nonemergency foreign aid payments for 90 days. That directive expires later this month on April 20. 

The order stated that prior foreign aid policies were "not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values" and not aligned with Trump's agenda.

Under President Joe Biden's administration, some of the foreign aid goals were designed to advance gender ideology in other parts of the world. This included direct funds for projects supporting transgenderism and homosexuality and leveraging foreign aid to pressure nations into adopting laws and policies on gender that aligned with Biden's goals on those issues.

The sweeping pause, however, prompted lawsuits from organizations that receive funding. A federal judge in March ordered the Trump administration to pay organizations for completed work and ordered him to spend the foreign aid money allocated by Congress but offered him discretion on restructuring the funding to align with his agenda.

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CNA Staff, Apr 10, 2025 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news:

Illinois upholds free speech for pro-life ministries

A federal district court has struck down a law forcing pro-life ministries to promote abortion while upholding a law requiring physicians to refer patients to abortion providers. 

In a split decision issued on Friday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that a law compelling pregnancy centers to promote the medical "benefits" of abortions violated freedom of speech protections.

U.S. District Court Judge Iain Johnston ruled that part of the law violated free speech. But the court upheld that its abortion referral requirement "doesn't compel speech" but "merely regulates professional conduct." 

In 2016, Illinois amended the state Health Care Right of Conscience Act to require health care providers to share benefits of abortions and refer clients to abortionists on request.

Pro-life groups quickly took legal action, and in 2017 a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to temporarily pause enforcement of the law. 

Thomas More Society Executive Vice President Thomas Olp in a Monday statement welcomed the decision's ruling in favor of First Amendment rights, though he added the group was "greatly concerned that the court did not fully protect conscience rights, leaving our clients forced to compromise their deepest beliefs."

Illinois House passes bill to protecting abortion pills even if FDA finds them unsafe

Also in Illinois, the state House of Representatives this week passed a bill that will maintain access to the abortion pill even if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determines it to be unsafe. 

The bill passed 67-39 in the House on Monday and is now moving through the state Senate. 

The measure states that "a drug's status as not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration shall not cause it to be deemed a misbranded drug in violation of this act if it is recommended for use by the World Health Organization."

The bill would also protect medical providers who lose their licenses in other states if the conduct was legal in Illinois. 

The proposed legislation takes place amid ongoing debate and investigation of the safety of abortion pills. 

A chemical abortion takes place via a two-pill regimen. The first pill, mifepristone, kills an unborn child by blocking the hormone progesterone, cutting off the child's supply of oxygen and nutrients. The second pill, misoprostol, is taken between 24 to 48 hours after mifepristone to induce contractions and expel the child's body.

Texas sues San Antonio for abortion travel fund

The Texas attorney general sued the city of San Antonio last week for allegedly using public money to fund abortion travel out of state. 

San Antonio had set aside $100,000 for a "Reproductive Justice Fund" designed to pay for out-of-state travel for mothers to abort their unborn children.

Attorney General Ken Paxton requested a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief to stop the fund, maintaining that it violates the Texas Constitution's gift clause.

In a recent statement, Paxton said the city was "blatantly defying Texas law" in an "attack on the pro-life values of our state."  

"I will not stand by while rogue cities use tax dollars to circumvent state law and take the innocent lives of unborn children," Paxton said. 

Paxton sued the city of Austin in September 2024 for a similar program allocating $400,000 of public funds for abortion travel. 

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CNA Staff, Apr 10, 2025 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

Organizers of the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage shared details today about the planned 3,340-mile trek that will see Jesus in the Eucharist carried across 10 U.S. states by a cadre of young Catholics, with members of the public invited to join in walking and special events along the way, beginning May 18.

The pilgrimage, dubbed the Drexel Route, will open with a Mass of Thanksgiving in Indianapolis on Sunday, May 18. The route then heads northwest through Illinois to Iowa before turning to the southwest and descending through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. 

From Texas the route continues roughly west through New Mexico, Arizona, and finally California, culminating in a Mass, Eucharistic procession, and festival on June 22 in Los Angeles. 

As with last year's groundbreaking four simultaneous Eucharistic pilgrimages, which started at the edges of the country and eventually converged in Indianapolis for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in July 2024, a small group of young adult "Perpetual Pilgrims" will accompany the Eucharist the entire way, while any person wishing to join for small portions of the route will be able to sign up to do so for free.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, who is spearheading the U.S. bishops' multiyear National Eucharistic Revival, said at a Thursday press conference that Catholics who participate in any part the pilgrimage this year have the opportunity to obtain an indulgence — a grace granted by the Catholic Church, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to remit from a person the temporal punishment they face for past sins that have already been forgiven.

Cozzens thanked Pope Francis for granting the "very special grace" of the indulgence and said the official decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary announcing the indulgence will be shared "as soon as possible." The Apostolic Penitentiary made a similar decree for last year's pilgrimages. 

The goal of the pilgrimages is to bear public witness to the truth that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist. Organizers say that an estimated 250,000 total people participated in the four national pilgrimages last year. 

Numerous meaningful stops, events planned

The 36-day Drexel Route, named for St. Katharine Drexel (1858–1955), will take the procession through 10 states — including the country's two most populous, California and Texas — as well as through 20 Catholic dioceses and four Eastern Catholic eparchies.

Masses at stops along the way, which include numerous shrines and cathedrals, will be offered in various languages and liturgical styles, including the Traditional Latin Mass, Gospel choir, praise and worship, Vietnamese, and Spanish, representing five different rites of the Church.

In keeping with the ongoing Jubilee Year of Hope in the worldwide Catholic Church, the focus of the Drexel Route is on "hope and healing," with visits planned not only to churches but also to "prisons and nursing homes and places where people need hope," Cozzens noted.

Service projects and encounters with the poor and those in need are planned, including opportunities to serve the homeless, visit hospice facilities, and participate in a service project with Catholic Charities.

Special Masses and prayers will be offered for the Wichita, Kansas, plane crash victims; at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial; at the southern border; and in areas impacted by wildfires in Los Angeles. Numerous holy men and women have ties to planned stops, such as the tomb of Venerable Fulton Sheen in Illinois and the Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother in Oklahoma City.

Organizers also highlighted the planned pilgrimage stop at St. Monica's Catholic Church and School in Kansas City, Missouri, a parish with historical ties to St. Katherine Drexel and a vibrant Black Catholic community.

The schedule of public events for each diocese along the Drexel Route is now officially available on the National Eucharistic Congress website. Prayer intentions for the Perpetual Pilgrims to carry with them on their journey can be submitted here.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 10, 2025 / 18:00 pm (CNA).

The Kansas House and Senate voted successfully to override Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a bill that will protect the religious liberty of adoptive parents and foster parents on issues related to gender identity and sexual orientation.

House lawmakers voted 87-38 and Senate lawmakers voted 31-9, which exceeds the two-thirds supermajority needed to override a veto. Although the governor is a Democrat, the Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers of the state's Legislature.

The new law, which takes effect immediately, prohibits the Kansas Department for Children and Families from enacting any policies that would force an adoptive parent or foster parent to affirm support for gender ideology or homosexuality to obtain a license to adopt or foster children.

Under this law, a person cannot be denied a license based on his or her "sincerely held religious or moral beliefs" on those subjects and the department cannot refuse to select them to foster or adopt children.

The state can still consider an adoptive or foster parent's beliefs on those topics when deciding where to place a specific minor who identifies as transgender or has same-sex attraction, but it cannot impose a blanket ban on people with those beliefs fostering or adopting children.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel Greg Chafuen praised the lawmakers for the veto override, saying in a statement that "every child deserves a loving home that can provide them stability and opportunities to grow."

"This is a critical step to prioritize the well-being of kids by prohibiting state and local government officials from discriminating against adoption and foster care providers and parents simply because of their religious beliefs and moral convictions," Chafuen said.

ADF currently represents families in Vermont and a mother in Oregon who are fighting lawsuits against policies in those states that require prospective foster and adoptive parents to first affirm an adherence to gender ideology before they can foster or adopt children.

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CNA Staff, Apr 10, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

More than a dozen parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, have received a temporary reprieve from the Vatican regarding planned mergers as the churches petition the Holy See to halt parts of the diocese's renewal plan. 

Bishop Michael Fisher announced in May 2024 that the diocese would be merging over a third of its 160 parishes, calling the move an effort to "reinvigorate the Catholic faith in western New York." In September the diocese said it would see a total of 118 worship sites remain open, down from 196. 

Multiple parishes in the diocese appealed the decision to the Vatican, asking the Dicastery for the Clergy to review Fisher's proposal. Local media reported this week that 14 parishes received letters from the dicastery confirming that their respective mergers would be suspended while the Vatican reviews the plans. 

The request for the suspension "is hereby granted, for the duration of the recourse," dicastery prefect Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik wrote in the letters. 

The dicastery "has placed itself in correspondence with Bishop Fisher and will communicate with you again when his response has been studied," the parishes were told.

The letters were dated to last month. They were also signed by Archbishop Andrés Gabriel Ferrada Moreira, the secretary for the dicastery.

The Buffalo Diocese's mergers come amid efforts by other U.S. dioceses to shore up Church finances and operations in response to declining attendance and funding shortages. 

The Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, said last year it would halve the number of parishes there by 2026 as part of a pastoral planning effort focused on helping the diocese "be more intentional in cultivating disciples."

Around the same time, the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced that it would merge 61 parishes in the episcopate's titular city into 21 parishes. 

The Archdiocese of Seattle last February, meanwhile, said it would combine 170 parishes into 60 "parish families" as part of its major diocesan renewal plan.

Parishes and local Catholics have regularly mounted challenges to diocesan merger plans, sometimes successfully.

Last June the clergy dicastery rejected an appeal and upheld a decision by Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis to close a parish as part of the archdiocesan renewal plan, but earlier in the year the dicastery upheld two other appeals from parishes in the archdiocese.

In Buffalo, meanwhile, Ellen and Tim Zelasko — parishioners of Infant of Prague in Cheektowaga, New York — told local news station WKBW that the order from the dicastery was "a bit of a reprieve," though Ellen Zelasko noted that it was "just for now."

Still, Tim Zelasko told the network: "We're very, very happy right now."

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Vatican City, Apr 10, 2025 / 11:12 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Thursday offered prayers for the victims of a deadly nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic that killed at least 200 people.

As of Thursday morning, a reported 218 people have been killed and more than 200 others injured after the ceiling of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed early Tuesday morning local time during a merengue concert, media reported.

The Holy Father said he was "deeply saddened" by the tragic events in the Dominican Republic's capital city and offered his "prayers for the eternal repose of the deceased" in an April 10 telegram addressed to Archbishop Francisco Ozoria Acosta of Santo Domingo.

"His Holiness also extends his heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased, together with his expressions of consolation, his heartfelt concern and his wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured," the telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin read.

While blessing the efforts of hospital and emergency crews caring for the injured and recovering the bodies of the dead from the rubble, the pope also invoked the help of the Mother of God for those mourning the loss of loved ones. 

The pope granted "through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, consoler of the afflicted, the comforting apostolic blessing as a sign of hope in the risen Lord."

On Wednesday, the archbishop of Santo Domingo called for solidarity with the families affected by the tragedy in a video message: "We pledge our prayers for those who have died and we also want to join in with all the collaboration of many brothers and sisters, especially by assisting, donating blood, and trying to remedy this situation for the injured," the prelate said.

Dominican Republic authorities stated Wednesday evening that it is too early to determine the cause for the iconic nightclub's roof collapse and they will launch an investigation once the recovery of bodies has concluded, the Associated Press reported.

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