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ACI Africa, Mar 17, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

Tension is brewing in Ethiopia's northernmost territory, the Tigray region, a source has told ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, confirming media reports that "experts" from the Horn of Africa nation are warning of a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

"We have not yet received any official confirmation from Church leaders, but we have heard reports that the situation is unstable," the source said on March 15.

As an indication of the growing tension in Tigray, the source said "flights have been cancelled."

According to Reuters, there is "fresh instability" in Ethiopia's northernmost region, where a two-year civil war that ended with a November 2022 peace deal resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands.

In a Reuters report on March 13, Gen. Tsadkan Gebretensae, a vice president in the interim administration in the Tigray region, is quoted as telling the Africa-focused magazine The Africa Report that "at any moment, war between Ethiopia and Eritrea could break out." 

Fears of renewed violence are linked to the split in the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) — the party that fought against Ethiopia's federal army during the two-year war and runs Tigray's postwar interim administration.

During the war, Eritrean forces crossed the border into the Tigray region and fought in support of Ethiopia's federal army against TPLF forces. 

According to Reuters: "The peace deal signed in November 2022 drove a wedge between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which was not party to the negotiations."

"Fears of a new conflict are linked to the TPLF's split last year into a faction that now administers Tigray with the blessing of Ethiopia's federal government and another that opposes it," Reuters' March 13 report said. 

According to the same report, on March 11 a TPLF-dissident faction captured Adigrat, a northern Ethiopian town close to the border of Eritrea, accusing the leadership of Tigray of "selling out Tigrayan interests, while the interim administration accuses the dissidents of collaborating with Eritrea."

The seizing of Adigrat follows the capture of "key offices and a radio station in the regional capital, Mekelle," according to a March 14 BBC News report.

In a March 12 Reuters report, the head of Tigray's interim administration, Getachew Reda, is quoted as asking Ethiopian government support against the dissidents, who have since denied ties to Eritrea.

"There is clear antagonism between Ethiopia and Eritrea," Reda is quoted as telling journalists on March 10, adding that "what concerns me is that the Tigray people may once again become victims of a war they don't believe in."

"We have reason to believe external actors are involved," Reda said, adding his accusation that Eritrea was among those who think "they would benefit from turmoil in Tigray."

In its March 14 report, Reuters warned that "a conflict would signal the death blow to a historic rapprochement for which Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and risk creating another humanitarian disaster in the troubled Horn of Africa region."

Renewed violence in Ethiopia's Tigray region would "likely create another crisis in a region where aid cuts have complicated efforts to assist millions affected by internal conflicts in Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia," according to the March 13 Reuters report. 

On March 16, Modern Diplomacy reported that "a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea would ignite a regional firestorm, further destabilizing an already volatile landscape" considering the civil wars in Sudan and South Sudan.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Families whose children have disabilities and Catholics with disabilities were welcomed by the Diocese of Arlington March 15 to the fourth annual "From Inclusion to Belonging Conference" which focused on plans for the future as those with disabilities prepare for adult life out of high school.

"The Lord, for us, is one who will always be there to strengthen us, to heal us, and to help us," Bishop Michael Burbidge said in his opening remarks at the conference, held at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Virginia.

With more than 200 people in attendance, the diocesan conference featured an array of talks, in English and Spanish, about resources for children with intellectual, emotional, and physical disabilities. These included tips for life skills, faith formation, education, and employment, which were presented to parents, teachers, priests, and others.

The conference also provided talks for teenagers with disabilities, designed to help guide them on how to advocate for themselves. Those participants were brought to vendors who offered resources to connect them with opportunities.

"We are called to live the Gospel of life," Burbidge told CNA after giving his remarks. "In fact, it is a mandate to protect, to revere, to celebrate, to cherish, and to welcome all human life. …There are no exceptions."

Nearly 20 diocesan schools educate students with disabilities, including all four high schools. A few of the schools also have specialized programs for children who have disabilities.

Diane Elliott, an assistant superintendent for Arlington Diocese Catholic Schools, told CNA that it is important for Catholic schools to have the mindset that "we're going to serve all God's children."

She said it's "not only about the kids with disabilities," but it's also important for other children to learn "how to accept individual differences" and avoid stigmatizing people.

Elliott added, "the majority of what we do, it doesn't cost any money for inclusion," and spoke about the sensory Masses offered by the diocese. Those Masses are designed for people with sensory processing issues, and usually include dimmed lights, no organ music, and homilies that are very concise. Some people who benefit from those Masses include people with autism, downs syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease.

For efforts that do require financial resources, Burbidge told CNA that the inclusion of those with disabilities should still always be a priority, and that when resources are limited, priorities "must be reflected in how you use those resources."

Guadalupe Williamson, whose 14-year-old son Patrick has an intellectual disability caused by a malformation in the brain, told CNA she sends him to Saint Anthony of Padua School in Falls Church because she wanted all of her children to attend the same Catholic school.

Williamson said the inclusion efforts ensure Patrick has a "learning environment that also matches our values as a family — our Catholic values." She said he is also an altar server, and "just absolutely loves everything that the Church has to offer."

Roxanne Miller, a mother of 10 who lives in Huntley, sends her 18-year-old daughter Megan to St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly. She said her daughter, who has down syndrome, is "part of the fabric of the school" and referred to the inclusion efforts as "second to none." 

Miller told CNA she attended the conference while she is helping her daughter plan for her future with employment opportunities and possibly advocacy. She said Megan is in the high school's post-graduate transitional program for those with intellectual disabilities, which is helping them connect her with future opportunities.

Faith formation for those with special needs

The Diocese of Arlington also operates a Special Religious Development (SPRED) Program, which helps those with disabilities develop a faith community and have "access to prepare for and receive the sacraments," Burbidge told CNA.

"That's been a great work in our diocese," the bishop said.

Nancy Emanuel, the coordinator for Special Needs Ministries in the diocese, told CNA that the program provides special religious development designed for those "who don't fit into the typical religious education programs."

Emmanuel said about 150 adults and children participate in the program, which divides those who are enrolled by age. The program is inclusive of those with physical and mental disabilities, which includes people with autism and down syndrome.

For some Catholics with disabilities, Emmanuel said that accessing the sacraments can at times be "overwhelming" for them. She said the program uses a lot of visual and tactile learning. For a person's First Communion or for Confirmation, she said the instructors will practice those rituals with those children or adults to "make it so that it's a friendly experience." 

Charleen Katra, who serves on the board of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, gave a talk on the importance of ensuring Catholics with disabilities have access to the sacraments and the ways in which dioceses can accommodate their needs.

She said that dioceses must "meet the real needs" of each person. She noted that catechesis for a person affected by serious intellectual disabilities can sometimes be as simple as ensuring the person knows that the Eucharist is the literal Body and Blood of Christ before communion and ensuring the person knows he or she is receiving the Holy Spirit prior to confirmation.

"If there's anybody missing in the Body of Christ, we know it's not complete," Katra said.

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Vatican City, Mar 16, 2025 / 14:04 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis prays for victims of a nightclub fire which has left at least 59 people dead and an additional 155 people injured in the town of Kocani in North Macedonia. 

The Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin shared the Holy Father's condolences for fire victims and their families through a telegram addressed to the country's Bishop Kiro Stojanov of Skopje.  

"His Holiness assures remembrance in prayer for those who lost their lives, while invoking heavenly comfort for those who suffer the consequences of such a harsh trial," states the March 15 telegram. 

The Holy Father wanted the bishop of Skopje "to convey to the families of the dead, mostly young people, the expression of his deep condolence" along with "spiritual closeness to the wounded."  

The deadly blaze broke out early Sunday morning when indoor fireworks were lit during a concert by DNK, a local hip hop duo, at Pulse nightclub, according to Al Jazeera. 

North Macedonia's Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told journalists more than 1,000 young people were at the music establishment when the ceiling caught on fire and "rapidly spread across the whole discotheque, creating thick smoke." 

Kristina Serafimovska, head of Kocani Hospital, said most fire victims being treated are aged between 14 to 25 years old, many of whom suffered burns and carbon monoxide poisoning. 

On X, North Macedonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Timco Mucunski said the country is coordinating with institutions and "neighbors to ensure additional medical support if needed" for the fire's victims. 

Pope Francis is the first pontiff to visit the majority Eastern Orthodox nation in 2019. His historic visit to Skopje — the birthplace of St. Teresa of Calcutta — included a meeting with Catholic communities as well as an ecumenical and interreligious meeting with young people.

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Lima Newsroom, Mar 16, 2025 / 15:21 pm (CNA).

The Vatican has released the first photo of Pope Francis since he entered the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14.

"This morning, Pope Francis concelebrated Holy Mass in the chapel of the tenth-floor apartment at the Gemelli Polyclinic," according to a statement from the Vatican Press Office.

In the photo, the Holy Father can be seen seated before the altar of the chapel where he concelebrated the Eucharist, in what is the first image of the Pontiff since he was admitted to the hospital, first suffering from bronchitis and then pneumonia.

The Vatican also reported that "the Pope's condition remains stable" and after concelebrating Sunday Mass, "he is continuing with the prescribed therapies" including respiratory and physical therapy.

Pope Francis did not receive any visitors Sunday, instead dedicating the day to "prayer, rest, and some work."

The Vatican Press Office further indicated that tomorrow, Monday, "there will also be no medical bulletin. The Press Office will provide some general information to journalists in the afternoon."

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Vatican City, Mar 16, 2025 / 15:31 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:

First photo of Pope Francis since entering hospital

The Vatican has shared the first photo of Pope Francis since he entered the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14.

"This morning, Pope Francis concelebrated Holy Mass in the chapel of the tenth-floor apartment at the Gemelli Polyclinic," according to a statement from the Vatican Press Office.

In the photo, the Holy Father can be seen seated before the altar of the chapel where he concelebrated the Eucharist. The Vatican also reported that "the Pope's condition remains stable" and after concelebrating Sunday Mass, "he is continuing with the prescribed therapies", including respiratory and physical therapy.

Pope Francis did not receive any visitors Sunday, instead dedicating the day to "prayer, rest, and some work."

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Vatican City, Mar 16, 2025 / 09:43 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his gratitude for those who bring God's love into the world through their dedicated service to those who are sick.

"I would like to invite you, today, to join me in praising the Lord, who never abandons us and who, in times of sorrow, places people beside us who reflect a ray of his love," the Holy Father shared in his prepared Sunday Angelus message.

In his message, the Holy Father particularly thanked his medical team and all people who, through their dedicated work, shine the light of God's infinite life in hospitals and places of care.

"How much loving care illuminates the rooms, the corridors, the clinics, the places where the humblest services are performed!" he said in his March 16 message.

While "showing further, gradual improvements," the Holy Father still requires hospital care, stated the latest Vatican health update. He was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14.

Conveying his special closeness with those who are sick and fragile, the 88-year-old pontiff said they, too, can be witnesses of God's love for others. 

"I am sharing these thoughts with you while I am facing a period of trial," the Holy Father said. "Our bodies are weak but, even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope."

The pope also shared his gratitude to the many children who are praying for him and his health: "Thank you, dearest children! The pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you."

At the conclusion of his Angelus message, the Holy Father asked Catholics to pray for peace for countries "wounded by war," including Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"May the Virgin Mary keep you and help you to be, like her, bearers of Christ's light and peace," he said.

The pope also asked people to pray for the synodality assembly to take place in October 2028, which will mark the close of the implementation phase of the Synod on Synodality.  

"Let us also pray for the Church, required to translate into concrete choices the discernment made in the recent synodal assembly," the pope said. 

"I thank the general secretariat of the synod, which over the coming three years will accompany the local Churches in this undertaking," he added.

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Vatican City, Mar 15, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:

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CNA Newsroom, Mar 15, 2025 / 10:15 am (CNA).

The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Francis has approved a special ecclesial assembly for October 2028 to evaluate how Catholic communities worldwide have implemented the recently concluded Synod on Synodality recommendations.

Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the synod, detailed the plans in a letter to bishops worldwide, emphasizing that this gathering will not constitute a new synod but rather serve as the culmination of a structured three-year implementation process.

"The goal is not to add work upon work but to help Churches walk in a synodal style," Grech wrote.

The cardinal further said that local Churches would actively receive and apply the synod's final document, which Pope Francis directly approved following the conclusion of the synod in October 2024.

The new implementation timeline begins in May with the publication of detailed guidelines, followed by a "Jubilee of Synodal Teams" in October.

Throughout 2027, evaluation assemblies will take place at diocesan, national, and international levels, with continental gatherings scheduled for early 2028.

Grech highlighted the essential role of local "synodal teams" composed of "priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and laypeople" working alongside their bishops. These teams, he noted, should be "valued" and, where necessary, "renewed, reactivated, and appropriately integrated."

"This process does not diminish the role of each Church in receiving and applying the fruits of the synod in its own unique way," the cardinal wrote. "Rather, it encourages a great co-responsibility that values local Churches while associating the episcopal college with the pope's ministry."

Grech concluded his letter with an invitation for prayers for Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since Feb. 14.

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CNA Staff, Mar 15, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is backing an Oklahoma Catholic school's bid before the U.S. Supreme Court to become the first religious charter school in the country. 

St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School has been battling since 2023 to receive official status as a charter school in Oklahoma.

A charter school is a free, privately managed institution that receives public funding like standard public schools. The school's opponents, led by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, have argued that the state's funding of a religious school would violate both Oklahoma statutory and constitutional law regarding the separation of church and state.

The school last year was dealt a blow when the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled against its establishment, claiming the school constituted "a governmental entity and a state actor." The institution, a joint project between the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case. 

In an amicus brief this week, the USCCB argued that private schools "have long performed the function of educating students" in the United States and that St. Isidore's participation in the state charter program would "not make it a state actor."

The bishops argued that charter schools "are not operating state-run schools" and are thus excluded from the state Supreme Court's "narrowly defined" concept of what constitutes a state actor.

The bishops further pointed to the Supreme Court's 2020 ruling in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which ruled against a Montana constitutional provision that barred public funding of religious institutions. That rule "plainly exclude[d] schools from government aid solely because of religious status," Chief Justice John Roberts said at the time.

A state "cannot disqualify some private schools" from being subsidized "solely because they are religious," the U.S. bishops wrote, citing the Espinoza ruling. 

"This case presents the question whether states may constitutionally exclude religious schools from charter-school programs open to secular private schools," the bishops wrote. "The answer to that question is 'no.'"

Notre Dame Law School's Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic said this week that fully two dozen amicus briefs were filed at the Supreme Court in support of the Catholic charter school, including from the U.S. Solicitor General's Office and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

Also backing the school were a dozen states including Ohio, Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas, who argued in a brief that they have "a compelling interest in expanding educational opportunities for their citizens."

Oral arguments over the case will be heard at the Supreme Court on April 30.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 15, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

Former president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Carolyn Woo is speaking out in defense of the aid organization amid Trump administration funding cuts to its services internationally. 

"International aid was started at first for the benefit of the U.S. even though the aid goes overseas," Woo said during an appearance on "EWTN News In Depth" Friday evening, arguing that international aid to organizations like CRS is important "for two major reasons": security and prosperity. 

Woo led CRS from 2012 to 2016. The organization's current president and CEO is Sean Callahan. 

"Security is achieved when countries are working well," she said. "There are not as many incidences of conflicts or terrorism. In addition to that, it also allows us to have understanding and intelligence from that area."

In terms of prosperity, Woo argued that most economic and population growth occurs in developing countries, which she predicted "will become very important markets for the United States," for exports, precious minerals, food, and other goods. "When we invest in these other countries, we're actually investing in the base that allows all of us to grow," she said. 

Addressing President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Woo argued for the restoration of federal aid to CRS, stating: "It's the best investment you could make in the United States in terms of security, in terms of prosperity, but most important in terms of trust. And trust is a very important capital that we don't have." 

Woo's statements come after the U.S. bishops issued a "very urgent" appeal earlier this week for Catholics to contribute to this year's annual CRS collection. 

"Each year the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) comforts and assists people worldwide who suffer from war, natural disasters, violent persecution, or extreme poverty," the bishops said in a Monday statement.

"That work is possible because of contributions to the Catholic Relief Services Collection," they said. 

CRS has been scrambling for funding since the Trump administration in January ordered major cuts to foreign aid and refugee programs. The USCCB previously urged Catholics to take action by asking members of Congress to halt the cuts.

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