A statue of St. John Paul II stands outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAVatican City, Mar 12, 2025 / 07:00 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:
A statue of St. John Paul II stands outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, Mar 12, 2025 / 07:00 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:
Family members of Oct. 7 Israeli hostages gather in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, Mar. 11, 2025 / Credit: Madalaine ElhabbalWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 12, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).Over a dozen family members of Israeli hostages shared the stories of their loved ones in Hamas captivity and asked for continued prayers during an emotional gathering that included several Christian groups in Washington D.C. on Tuesday. An intimate group of around 20 people attended the panel, including several representatives of the Philos Project, an ecumenical Christian nonprofit organization that advocates for pluralism and Israel's peaceful existence in the Middle East. Organized by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Defense Forces, the panel included family members of Oct. 7 hostages Matan Angrest, 24, Manny Godard, 73, Guy Ilouz, 26, Tamir Nimarodi, 20, Evyatar David, 24, Idan Shvtivi, 28, Rom Brasvlavski, 21, and Omri Miran, 47. "We are living for more than 1...
Family members of Oct. 7 Israeli hostages gather in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, Mar. 11, 2025 / Credit: Madalaine Elhabbal
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 12, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).
Over a dozen family members of Israeli hostages shared the stories of their loved ones in Hamas captivity and asked for continued prayers during an emotional gathering that included several Christian groups in Washington D.C. on Tuesday.
An intimate group of around 20 people attended the panel, including several representatives of the Philos Project, an ecumenical Christian nonprofit organization that advocates for pluralism and Israel's peaceful existence in the Middle East.
Organized by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Defense Forces, the panel included family members of Oct. 7 hostages Matan Angrest, 24, Manny Godard, 73, Guy Ilouz, 26, Tamir Nimarodi, 20, Evyatar David, 24, Idan Shvtivi, 28, Rom Brasvlavski, 21, and Omri Miran, 47.
"We are living for more than 16 months with a big hole in our heart," said Ilan Dalal, whose son Guy Gilboa-Dilal was taken from the Nova Music Festival by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 and is believed to be among the 24 remaining live hostages.
Thirty-five hostages in Gaza are presumed dead. "We are going from place to place, and I am trying to talk to everybody that's willing to listen and trying to achieve the goal that all the hostages will be free, and until then, we will not rest," Dalal said.
"Everything [has become] an issue of interest, a political interest, in this world," said Michel Ilouz, whose son Guy Ilouz is now known to have died in the tunnels under Gaza from injuries he sustained on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants shot and abducted him at the Nova festival.
"When I educated my oldest son, I always tried ... to educate him, to be in the right place, and to have the right values, and always try to stand behind the truth about what is right and what is wrong," Ilouz said, adding: "This is wrong."
During his testimony, Ilouz played a recording of the last phone call he had with his son on Oct. 7, which featured the sounds of machine gun bullets and his son repeating the phrase "Father, I love you," in Hebrew.
"I remember I told him, 'Guy don't dare you, don't dare you try to separate from us, please,'" Ilouz said. "And then everything finished."
Reports of Guy's death did not surface until January. Ilouz told the small gathering on Tuesday that he does not care if his son's body comes back last, so long as a negotiation for the release of all hostages is achieved somehow.
During his testimony, Eli Shvtivi stood from his seat on the panel and walked in front of the table as he spoke in a mixture of English and Hebrew of his son, Idam Shtivi, who he said had gone to the Nova Music Festival "for peace and love."
Shvtivi explained that his son did not have a gun, and was "a good person." He then held up his phone with a video depicting his son being shot in the head four times and killed by Hamas before he was dragged into the Gaza Strip.
"I don't know what to do now," Shvtivi said, sitting back down.
Naama Miran recounted the story of her brother Omri Miran's abduction from Nahal Oz, a kibbutz at the southern Israeli border, which took place in front of his wife and two young daughters. She said Omri's wife, Ishael, managed to tell him three things before he was taken away: "I love you, I'll take care of the girls, and don't be a hero."
"Every time that I fly with this group of families, I feel how strongly this family is connected," Naama said, describing the other family members as a "support group."
"But I can see also the suffering and the pain and how it gets harder each time, and every day," she added.
Each family member urged those in attendance to utilize any connections with elected officials or the Trump administration to advocate for their loved ones.
At the end of the panel, Philos Catholic Director Simone Rizkallah addressed each of the family members assuring them of prayers and support from the Catholic community.
Rizkallah, who is behind the launch of the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism, hosts the Beyond Rome podcast and is of Armenian-Egyptian descent.
"There's so much love and support for you from our community, and I wanted you to know that we're doing everything we can to educate so many Catholics who have no idea of our history, but they're open to learning and educating and spreading awareness," she said.
She noted the thousands of Catholics who signed up to pray novenas for Israel through the Avila Foundation and on the Hallow app.
"This is what we're praying for," she said, adding: "There's more people who are supporting you than you even are aware of, and certainly in the Catholic community."
A Planned Parenthood facility in Indianapolis. / Credit: Jonathan Weiss/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).Two Republican senators sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to demand answers about why the Planned Parenthood Federation of America received more than $100 million in COVID-19 relief funds, which the lawmakers allege was "unlawful."Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who chairs the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler to request documents and records related to Planned Parenthood's receipt of funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).According to the letter, Planned Parenthood affiliates received about $120 million in PPP loans in 2020 and 2021.Lawmakers have inquired about the funding for the past few years, though they reportedly did not receive t...
A Planned Parenthood facility in Indianapolis. / Credit: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Two Republican senators sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to demand answers about why the Planned Parenthood Federation of America received more than $100 million in COVID-19 relief funds, which the lawmakers allege was "unlawful."
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who chairs the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler to request documents and records related to Planned Parenthood's receipt of funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to the letter, Planned Parenthood affiliates received about $120 million in PPP loans in 2020 and 2021.
Lawmakers have inquired about the funding for the past few years, though they reportedly did not receive the information from the previous administration.
"The Biden administration obstructed our investigation of potentially illegal applications of PPP loans to Planned Parenthood entities, and we are confident the Trump administration will provide the transparency the American people deserve," Paul said in a statement provided to CNA.
Ernst said in a statement to CNA that the PPP loans were "designed to help Americans struggling during the pandemic, not to go to ineligible recipients fueling abortion on demand."
"The Biden administration stonewalled my oversight efforts at every turn and prevented the American people from learning how Planned Parenthood cashed in on COVID," she added.
"Now that Administrator Loeffler has ushered in a new era of transparency at the SBA, I look forward to working with her to uncover the truth and stop the flow of these funds."
The senators are requesting all records related to Planned Parenthood facilities requesting PPP funds, along with any communications with affiliates. They also asked for information about efforts to recover funds that were improperly given to Planned Parenthood and an explanation for why funding was approved.
According to the letter, the SBA under the first Trump administration told Planned Parenthood affiliates that they had wrongfully applied for 38 PPP loans totaling $80 million and informed them they needed to return the money.
However, in 2021 under the Biden administration, the SBA approved $40 million in additional funding and allowed at least 44 affiliates to have their loans forgiven.
"Borrowers who made incorrect or false eligibility certifications on their PPP application are subject to severe penalties," the senators' letter states.
The senators asked the SBA to investigate whether any Planned Parenthood affiliates "made a knowingly false certification on their applications" and to "pursue all appropriate penalties for any unlawful participation in the program."
Katie Glenn Daniel, the director of legal affairs and policy council at Susan B. Anthony Pro-life America, alleged in a statement provided to CNA that the Biden administration "illegally" gave Planned Parenthood forgivable loans for which they were not eligible, calling it "one of many lawless pro-abortion overreaches the Trump-Vance administration is now dismantling."
"We commend Sens. Ernst and Paul for demanding accountability, and we are optimistic that under this new administration of transparency and common sense, the American people will get the answers Biden refused to give, and hopefully, our money back," Daniel said.
Planned Parenthood did not respond to a request for comment.
Cardinal Robert McElroy gives his first homily as the shepherd of the Archdiocese of Washington, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on March 11, 2025. / Credit: Patrick Ruddy/CNAWashington D.C., Mar 11, 2025 / 20:25 pm (CNA).Cardinal Robert McElroy emphasized the importance of Christian hope, mercy, and respecting human dignity in a homily in the nation's capital during his solemn installation Mass in which he assumed the role as the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. More than 100 priests, bishops, dozens of religious sisters, and hundreds of Catholic laity attended the Mass on Tuesday afternoon at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The basilica sits adjacent to the campus of The Catholic University of America in the Brookland neighborhood of the city.Cardinal Robert McElroy (seated) looks on, as Cardinal Wilton Gregory and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States applau...
Cardinal Robert McElroy gives his first homily as the shepherd of the Archdiocese of Washington, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on March 11, 2025. / Credit: Patrick Ruddy/CNA
Washington D.C., Mar 11, 2025 / 20:25 pm (CNA).
Cardinal Robert McElroy emphasized the importance of Christian hope, mercy, and respecting human dignity in a homily in the nation's capital during his solemn installation Mass in which he assumed the role as the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Washington.
More than 100 priests, bishops, dozens of religious sisters, and hundreds of Catholic laity attended the Mass on Tuesday afternoon at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The basilica sits adjacent to the campus of The Catholic University of America in the Brookland neighborhood of the city.
McElroy is replacing Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who is retiring from his position at the age of 77.
"With jubilant hearts, we say 'welcome,'" Gregory said during a brief speech before the Mass began, which yielded a round of applause from Mass-goers.
McElroy devoted his first homily as the archbishop of Washington to highlight the need for Christian hope, which is the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year. He also spoke at length about the importance of mercy, compassion, and respect for human dignity.
The cardinal called on Catholics to be "pilgrims of hope in a wounded world" and pointed to the hope displayed by St. Mary Magdalene in Tuesday's Gospel reading. John 20: 11-18 recounts Magdalene's arrival to Christ's empty tomb, where she weeped when she saw his body was gone, but maintained hope in Christ before ultimately encountering the resurrected Christ.
"She realized that every presupposition that she had about her life, her mission, her purpose in the world, needed to be changed," McElroy said, and urged the faithful to "embrace the same risen Lord that Mary Magdalene encountered in the garden." McElroy referenced Francis' emphasis on mercy and compassion, saying the pontiff understands that "all of us are wounded, all of us are in pain, [and] all of us are sinners in need of mercy and forgiveness."
"Mercy and compassion must be our first impulse when confronted with sin and human failure," McElroy said.
"For hope arises when we confront ourselves as we truly are, understanding that the bountiful, merciful love of God is without limit, and undertake the call to live out the teachings of the church and be sacraments of mercy to others," he added. "We are a Church which believes that love and truth do meet. That is precisely our glory as the children of God."
The cardinal stressed the human dignity of every person, such as the unborn, migrants, and the poor.
"The search for genuine encounter and unity lie at the heart of God's vision for our world, alongside special care for those who are most vulnerable among us," he said. "What hope we could bring to our world as the Church of Washington if we could truly help our society to see others more as God sees them: beloved children, brothers and sisters."
The Mass was multilingual, including some prayers and readings in English and Spanish. The intercessions included several additional languages, including Haitian Creole, Tagalog, Igbo, and Chinese. The intercessions included prayers for Pope Francis, civil and political leaders, unborn children, migrants and refugees, and increased vocations.
At the end of the Mass, McElroy led the congregation in a decade of the rosary to pray for the continued recovery of Pope Francis, who has spent weeks in the hospital.
McElroy is taking charge of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. less than two months after President Donald Trump's inauguration for his second non-consecutive term. Days after his appointment in January, the cardinal wished Trump success in the White House but also criticized his plans for mass deportations of immigrants who entered the country illegally.
"We are called always to have a sense of the dignity of every human person," McElroy said on Jan. 6. "And thus, plans which have been talked about at some levels of having a wider indiscriminate massive deportation across the country would be something that would be incompatible with Catholic doctrine. So we'll have to see what emerges in the administration."
McElroy mostly avoided a discussion of politics during his homily, but spoke about concerns he has with division in the country.
"God is the Father of us all, and God sees us as equal in dignity and moral worth," he said in the homily. "How deeply that contrasts with the world that we have made. Divisions of race and gender and ideology and nationality flourish in the world of politics, religion, family life and education."
Pope Francis announced in early January that the 71-year-old McElroy would leave his post at the Archdiocese of San Diego to assume his new role in the Church. McElroy, who holds a doctorate of sacred theology and a doctorate of political science, was made a cardinal by Francis in 2022.
Other concelebrants included Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, and Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop emeritus of Washington. Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich were also in attendance.
Former Philippines president Rodrigo R. Duterte has been arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. / Credit: Ace Morandante, Wikipedia Public DomainCNA Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines who was rebuked by Catholic leaders for overseeing thousands of extrajudicial killings, has been arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. Duterte, 79, was detained shortly after landing at Manila's international airport on a flight from Hong Kong, NPR reported. The outspoken former mayor of the city of Davao won election to the presidency in 2016 in large part because of his pledge to be tough on crime, especially the illegal drug trade. As president, Duterte reportedly dispatched police "death squads" nationwide to carry out extrajudicial executions of suspected drug dealers and drug u...
Former Philippines president Rodrigo R. Duterte has been arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. / Credit: Ace Morandante, Wikipedia Public Domain
CNA Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines who was rebuked by Catholic leaders for overseeing thousands of extrajudicial killings, has been arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.
Duterte, 79, was detained shortly after landing at Manila's international airport on a flight from Hong Kong, NPR reported. The outspoken former mayor of the city of Davao won election to the presidency in 2016 in large part because of his pledge to be tough on crime, especially the illegal drug trade.
As president, Duterte reportedly dispatched police "death squads" nationwide to carry out extrajudicial executions of suspected drug dealers and drug users, which attracted worldwide attention and criticism.
The United Nations investigated Duterte's tactics during his drug war beginning in 2018 and concluded in 2020 that young men in poor and urban areas were being routinely gunned down in the street by police without any due process. Testimonies and reports gathered over the years suggest that the police were incentivized to carry out the extrajudicial killings with financial rewards.
Estimates vary widely, but the Philippine government has officially acknowledged just 6,248 deaths due to the anti-drug campaign. However, the ICC prosecutor has said the death toll could be as high as 30,000, Reuters reported.
Duterte in 2019 withdrew the Philippines from the treaty that created the ICC in order to avoid an investigation into the drug war, but the ICC has reiterated that it retains jurisdiction over crimes committed when the Philippines was still a member, AsiaNews reported.
The country's Catholic bishops had long been vocal in their opposition to Duterte, including his "war on drugs," and opposed his call in 2020 to reinstate the death penalty for illegal drug use and other crimes.
In a March 11 statement, Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, welcomed the developments in the ICC case against Duterte. The group appealed to Duterte's supporters and political allies to "set aside personal loyalty and choose to stand with the rule of law" over and above partisan interests.
"These killings were not random; they were part of a policy that violated the fundamental right to life," emphasized Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, vice president of Caritas Philippines.
"The families of the victims deserve truth, reparations, and justice. As a nation, we must ensure that such crimes never happen again."
Duterte was openly hostile to religion and to the Catholic Church — to which the vast majority of Filipinos belong — during his time in office. Just prior to his election as president, Duterte called Pope Francis a "son of a wh-re" after a papal visit caused increased traffic in Manila. Duterte later apologized to the pontiff in a letter.
In June 2018, Duterte called God "stupid" and a "son of a b-tch" during a speech. He also claimed that the majority of Philippine priests were homosexual.
Later that month, Duterte said he was willing to enter into a dialogue with the country's bishops' conference in an effort to repair relationships, and the president's spokesperson announced that a committee would be created to better collaborate and communicate with the Catholic hierarchy.
But then, later that same year, Duterte said citizens should "kill and steal" from Catholic bishops, stating that "this stupid bunch serves no purpose — all they do is criticize."
In a September 2021 pastoral message, the archbishops of Nueva Segovia, Lingayen-Dagupan, and Tuguegarao in northern Luzon lamented the spate of drug-related killings in the country and attacks on journalists, members of the political opposition, lawyers, activists, and priests. The bishops urged the faithful to resist the "culture of murder and plunder."
In 2020, four bishops and two priests were accused of attempting to overthrow Duterte, but the charges were dropped. And several Catholic priests and Catholic laypeople who were arrested under Duterte's administration for criticizing the drug war were later acquitted in 2023.
People gather on a flooded street after a powerful storm struck the city of Bahia Blanca, 373 miles south of Argentina's capital, on March 7, 2025. / Credit: PABLO PRESTI/AFP via Getty ImagesACI Prensa Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 13:45 pm (CNA).Pope Francis and the Catholic Church in Argentina expressed their solidarity with flood victims in the city of Bahía Blanca located in Buenos Aires province.In addition to prayers, the Catholic Church in Argentina has sent material aid to Bahía Blanca, which suffered severe flooding on Friday after 16 inches of rain fell in just a few hours. So far, 16 fatalities have been reported, more than 900 people have been evacuated, and significant damage has been reported.In a Monday telegram, Pope Francis sent a message of hope and solidarity to the hard-hit community through Archbishop Carlos Azpiroz Costa, OP, of Bahía Blanca."Saddened to learn of the natural disaster that is affecting the region of Bahía Blanca, which has [resulted in] so many vic...
People gather on a flooded street after a powerful storm struck the city of Bahia Blanca, 373 miles south of Argentina's capital, on March 7, 2025. / Credit: PABLO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images
ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 13:45 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis and the Catholic Church in Argentina expressed their solidarity with flood victims in the city of Bahía Blanca located in Buenos Aires province.
In addition to prayers, the Catholic Church in Argentina has sent material aid to Bahía Blanca, which suffered severe flooding on Friday after 16 inches of rain fell in just a few hours. So far, 16 fatalities have been reported, more than 900 people have been evacuated, and significant damage has been reported.
In a Monday telegram, Pope Francis sent a message of hope and solidarity to the hard-hit community through Archbishop Carlos Azpiroz Costa, OP, of Bahía Blanca.
"Saddened to learn of the natural disaster that is affecting the region of Bahía Blanca, which has [resulted in] so many victims and material damage, I offer fervent prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased," the Holy Father said in his message.
He also assured his spiritual closeness to the population, beseeching the Lord "to grant comfort to the bereaved and to all those who are suffering in these moments of pain and uncertainty" and prayed that the Lord would also "sustain with his grace" all those committed to searching for the missing and undertaking "the arduous process of rebuilding the devastated areas."
Finally, Pope Francis assured his prayers to Our Lady of Mercy, that she may intercede for those affected, and sent his apostolic blessing.
The executive committee of the Argentine Bishops' Conference said it shared "the pain and uncertainty of our brothers and sisters from Bahía Blanca, asking the Lord to alleviate the anguish of those who have been affected in different ways."
They also prayed that the Lord would "strengthen the volunteers in their dedication to care for the lives of their brothers and sisters" and prayed for the intercession of Our Lady of Mercy, patroness of the Archdiocese of Bahía Blanca.
Azpiroz and his auxiliary bishop, Pedro Fournau, addressed the people "in these hours of anguish" that the city is going through.
"We want to be at the side of those who are suffering the most from the consequences of the storm: to assure our prayers for each of the victims of this flood and to be close to those who have lost a loved one, those who still cannot find the whereabouts of a family member, or those who have seen their homes flooded and have had to evacuate," they said.
The bishops asked God to grant comfort and "sustain everyone's spirit to stay afloat together" and encouraged the population to trust in the Lord and offer him "all the pain, uncertainty, fear, or helplessness" in their hearts.
They also urged "mutual compassionate help" at this time. "In the midst of the storm, we want to say with you: We are not alone, God walks with us and never abandons us!" they exclaimed.
Caritas Argentina immediately launched a campaign to address the emergency. A donation can be made at this link.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Border Patrol vehicle patrols the fence of the international border between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. / Credit: Sherry V Smith/ShutterstockCNA Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 14:15 pm (CNA).Two more Catholic Charities agencies have announced layoffs in the wake of the Trump administration's 90-day federal funding freeze.Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump issued a directive to pause foreign aid for a 90-day review as well as a domestic funding pause designed to prevent federally-funded incentives for illegal immigration. The directive has led to a freeze on federal funding for Catholic Charities programs across the U.S., most predominately affecting their migrant and refugee service programs.This week, Catholic Charities in San Diego and Fort Wayne, Indiana, cut employees amid federal funding cuts to migrant resettlement programs, according to news reports. San Diego Catholic Charities of San Diego has ceased...
Border Patrol vehicle patrols the fence of the international border between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. / Credit: Sherry V Smith/Shutterstock
CNA Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 14:15 pm (CNA).
Two more Catholic Charities agencies have announced layoffs in the wake of the Trump administration's 90-day federal funding freeze.
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump issued a directive to pause foreign aid for a 90-day review as well as a domestic funding pause designed to prevent federally-funded incentives for illegal immigration.
The directive has led to a freeze on federal funding for Catholic Charities programs across the U.S., most predominately affecting their migrant and refugee service programs.
This week, Catholic Charities in San Diego and Fort Wayne, Indiana, cut employees amid federal funding cuts to migrant resettlement programs, according to news reports.
Catholic Charities of San Diego has ceased bringing in asylum-seeking migrants to its Mission Valley Shelter amid funding cuts, according to a local report by NBC. The charity group is laying off more than 70 employees working in its migrant programs, which include a refugee services program and a migrant shelter.
The charity's CEO, Vino Pajanor, said released employees are being offered other opportunities in the company at programs in the agency that have openings. The company will lay off 42 people in San Diego and 31 in Imperial County at the end of April.
Headquartered less than two dozen miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, Catholic Charities of San Diego began operating migrant shelters in April 2021 amid a surge of illegal immigration to the U.S.
Over four years, Catholic Charities of San Diego aided 405,000 migrants from 146 countries. The group received about $9 million of its $46 million budget from the federal government at the peak of the migrant surge, Pajanor told NBC.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is letting go of 17 employees following funding cuts, according to a local report. The layoffs followed the federal government's termination of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Last year, the Indiana-based agency resettled 380 refugees in northeast Indiana. The agency received $3 million for the refugee service in 2024. The agency's reception and placement contract was cut this year, one of nearly 10,000 contracts that were cut.
The agency's CEO, Dan Florin, told a local news service that aid to newly arriving migrants will be on pause "for the foreseeable future."
In recent weeks, Catholic Charities organizations have laid off staff and shut down programs following the 90-day federal funding freeze.
Local Catholic Charities agencies in Dallas; Syracuse, New York; and Santa Rosa, California, scaled back program operations and laid off employees on account of the freeze. Catholic Charities in Jacksonville, Florida; the panhandle of Texas; and southwest Kansas have also been impacted by the funding freeze.
Soon after the Trump administration paused the funding, Catholic Charities USA urged the administration to reconsider the freeze, citing the "crucial care" the funding helps provide.
Last month, the U.S. bishops sued the Trump administration, arguing the suspension of the funding for refugee programs was unlawful.
null / Credit: Drop of Light/ShutterstockLondon, England, Mar 11, 2025 / 14:45 pm (CNA).Leading pro-life campaigners in England and Wales have expressed alarm following reports that Westminster's proposed "assisted dying" process might be outsourced to private companies.Following a report in The Times that the U.K. government is considering contracting out assisted death to the private sector, should it become legal, a spokesperson for Right to Life UK said the plans were "a disaster waiting to happen."Members of Parliament (MPs) voted in favor of an assisted dying bill in November 2024 at its second reading, and the bill is now under the scrutiny of a parliamentary committee, which is examining how "assisted dying" might work in England and Wales.The report in The Times stated that resorting to an arrangement with the private sector would be a means of easing pressure on the taxpayer-funded National Health Service (NHS), which has notoriously long waiting lists.However, Cather...
null / Credit: Drop of Light/Shutterstock
London, England, Mar 11, 2025 / 14:45 pm (CNA).
Leading pro-life campaigners in England and Wales have expressed alarm following reports that Westminster's proposed "assisted dying" process might be outsourced to private companies.
Following a report in The Times that the U.K. government is considering contracting out assisted death to the private sector, should it become legal, a spokesperson for Right to Life UK said the plans were "a disaster waiting to happen."
Members of Parliament (MPs) voted in favor of an assisted dying bill in November 2024 at its second reading, and the bill is now under the scrutiny of a parliamentary committee, which is examining how "assisted dying" might work in England and Wales.
The report in The Times stated that resorting to an arrangement with the private sector would be a means of easing pressure on the taxpayer-funded National Health Service (NHS), which has notoriously long waiting lists.
However, Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right to Life UK, said the move would be a mistake. "Introducing assisted suicide to the U.K. would be a disaster waiting to happen, made potentially even worse if outsourced to the private sector," she said.
"It could easily create a perverse incentive to push assisted suicide on patients where, in a specialized Dignitas-like service, an assisted suicide business seeks to assist in ending the lives of their clients as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to maximize profits," she added.
Robinson continued: "Under such a system, the existing checks and safeguards will likely be increasingly viewed as an inconvenience and a barrier to business. The welfare of vulnerable patients will be especially at risk due to the profit motive."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference for England and Wales said: "We have consistently opposed the bill to legalize assisted suicide in principle. We encourage all Catholics in England and Wales to make their voices heard and contact their MPs to ask them to vote against it at third reading."
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is expected to reach its next stage, known as the report stage, later in the spring and then MPs will be given a chance to vote again on the bill at third reading, having assessed the committee's recommendations on the bill.
If it passes, the bill will then have to progress through the House of Lords before it can receive royal assent and become law.
The government health secretary, Wes Streeting, has made no secret of his concern that legalizing "assisted dying" would place too much pressure on the NHS.
"There would be resource implications for doing it. And those choices would come at the expense of other choices," he told Times Radio in November 2024.
Members of security forces loyal to the interim Syrian government hold up their firearms as they stand by the Mediterranean sea coast in Syria's western city of Latakia on March 9, 2025. Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, called for national unity and peace on March 9 amid growing international backlash following the killing of civilians along the country's coast in the worst violence since the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad in the heartland of the Alawite minority, to which the latter belongs. / Credit: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty ImagesACI MENA, Mar 11, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).The Syrian coast in the western part of the country has become a theater for unprecedented unrest since the onset of the Syrian crisis in 2011. This past weekend, at least 745 Alawite civilians lost their lives in what the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights described as ethnic cleansing. The clashes have reportedly killed at least 1,000 people. The incidents unfolded as armed Ala...
Members of security forces loyal to the interim Syrian government hold up their firearms as they stand by the Mediterranean sea coast in Syria's western city of Latakia on March 9, 2025. Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, called for national unity and peace on March 9 amid growing international backlash following the killing of civilians along the country's coast in the worst violence since the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad in the heartland of the Alawite minority, to which the latter belongs. / Credit: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images
ACI MENA, Mar 11, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).
The Syrian coast in the western part of the country has become a theater for unprecedented unrest since the onset of the Syrian crisis in 2011. This past weekend, at least 745 Alawite civilians lost their lives in what the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights described as ethnic cleansing. The clashes have reportedly killed at least 1,000 people.
The incidents unfolded as armed Alawites, opposing the new authorities in the country, killed members of the general security forces. Subsequently, government authorities sent reinforcements to the region and clashes erupted between the two groups. The violence escalated to include looting, random acts of vandalism, and targeting civilians based on sectarian grounds.
Christians, while not targeted specifically for their religious affiliations, were not spared. Some lost their lives simply for living in the region — among them Jihad Bechara, the father of a priest in the coastal city of Banias.
The Latin bishop of Aleppo, Hanna Jallouf, issued a statement on March 7 "supporting the Syrian state" against those who seek to destabilize the country and do her ill, a reference to the Assad loyalists, according to the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner.
In a joint statement issued the next day on March 8, the patriarchs of Syria condemned acts that threaten civil peace and denounced the "massacres targeting innocent civilians," emphasizing the "urgent need to put an end to these horrific actions that contradict human and moral values."
The patriarchs' statement underscored the importance of Syrian territorial unity and firmly rejected any attempts at division. It also called for "swift measures to create favorable conditions for achieving national reconciliation among the Syrian people and fostering an environment that enables a transition to a state that respects all its citizens, builds a society founded on equal citizenship and genuine partnership, and moves away from notions of revenge and exclusion."
In his sermon at the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East John X (Yazigi) expressed support for the establishment of a fact-finding committee to hold accountable those responsible for civilian bloodshed and public security violations.
His call was echoed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which, in its own statement, strongly condemned "the atrocities committed against civilians on sectarian grounds."
Addressing President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Yazigi remarked: "The sanctity and dignity of individuals have been violated. The chants and slogans being used fuel division, foster sectarianism, and undermine civil peace. Numerous towns and villages have had their homes burned and their possessions looted. The targeted areas are predominantly inhabited by Alawites and Christians, many of whom have fallen victim to these tragic killings."
He added: "Mr. President, the icon of the Virgin Mary — honored by Muslims and Christians alike — has been desecrated and destroyed. This is not the Syria you envision in the aftermath of the revolution. We call upon you to exercise your wisdom and efforts to immediately stop these massacres and restore security and stability for all Syrians, regardless of their backgrounds."
This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
U.S. Supreme Court. / Credit: PT Hamilton/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 10, 2025 / 18:15 pm (CNA).The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit that challenges Colorado's ban on "conversion therapy" for minors who have gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction and will consider religious freedom and free speech concerns about the prohibition.Justices announced on Monday, March 10, that they would hear a legal challenge to a Colorado law that expressly prohibits licensed psychologists and therapists from engaging in what it calls "conversion therapy." This ban does not apply to actions or statements from parents, clergy members, or others.State law defines "conversion therapy" as "any practice or treatment" that attempts to change a person's "sexual orientation or gender identity," such as efforts to change a person's "behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward...
U.S. Supreme Court. / Credit: PT Hamilton/Shutterstock
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 10, 2025 / 18:15 pm (CNA).
The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit that challenges Colorado's ban on "conversion therapy" for minors who have gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction and will consider religious freedom and free speech concerns about the prohibition.
Justices announced on Monday, March 10, that they would hear a legal challenge to a Colorado law that expressly prohibits licensed psychologists and therapists from engaging in what it calls "conversion therapy." This ban does not apply to actions or statements from parents, clergy members, or others.
State law defines "conversion therapy" as "any practice or treatment" that attempts to change a person's "sexual orientation or gender identity," such as efforts to change a person's "behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward individuals of the same sex."
The law states that permitted therapy includes treatments that provide "acceptance, support, and understanding" to help facilitate a person's "coping, social support, and identity exploration, and development."
A Christian counselor named Kaley Chiles filed a lawsuit to challenge the law in 2022, arguing that her clients come to her for faith-based counseling, and some are referred by churches or word of mouth. The lawsuit asserts that the law constitutes viewpoint discrimination because it expressly permits therapy that is supportive of gender transitions but prohibits therapy that is rooted in "a religious viewpoint that aligns with her religious beliefs and those of her clients."
"Chiles' clients voluntarily and specifically seek her counsel because they want the help her viewpoint provides," the lawsuit states. "Yet Colorado's law forbids her from speaking, treating her professional license as a license for government censorship."
According to the lawsuit, Chiles does not impose her beliefs on her clients. Rather, it states she discusses her client's objectives and goals and his or her religious and spiritual values to better formulate a unique plan for her client.
The lawsuit states that some clients wish to discuss issues that "implicate Christian values about human sexuality and the treatment of their own body." It adds that some of her clients are living lifestyles inconsistent with their faith that cause "internal conflict, depression, and anxiety" and desire Christian-based counseling to change their behaviors or eliminate unwanted urges.
Chiles is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is a Christian legal group that has won religious freedom victories at the Supreme Court level in the past. This includes a 2023 Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Christian web designer who refused to design websites for same-sex civil weddings.
ADF President Kristen Waggoner said in a statement that the Colorado government "has no business censoring private conversations between clients and counselors, nor should a counselor be used as a tool to impose the government's biased views on her clients."
"There is a growing consensus around the world that adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria need love and an opportunity to talk through their struggles and feelings," she continued. "Colorado's law prohibits what's best for these children and sends a clear message: The only option for children struggling with these issues is to give them dangerous and experimental drugs and surgery that will make them lifelong patients."
The lawsuit argues that the Colorado law violates Chiles' First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion.
"We are eager to defend Kaley [Chiles'] First Amendment rights and ensure that government officials may not impose their ideology on private conversations between counselors and clients," Waggoner said.
In the past, the Supreme Court has declined to take up lawsuits related to "conversion therapy" bans. In December 2023, the court decided 6-3 to refuse to hear a challenge to a Washington law that is nearly identical to Colorado's law.
More than 20 states either restrict or outright ban this form of therapy. The Supreme Court's decision could set nationwide precedent on whether states can restrict or ban so-called "conversion therapy."
