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National Catholic Register, Mar 10, 2025 / 11:15 am (CNA).

Males who identify as transgender women shouldn't be allowed to play female sports and the Democratic Party should make room for pro-lifers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on a podcast Thursday.

Newsom, 57, governor of one of the most Democratic states in America and often lampooned by conservatives as an unhinged left-winger, made the comments during an 82-minute interview with an unlikely guest: conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk.

Newsom, widely considered a likely presidential candidate in 2028, is a strong supporter of legal and publicly funded abortion, despite being a baptized Catholic. As mayor of San Francisco in 2004, he ordered the clerk's office to issue same-sex civil marriage licenses, which was against state law at the time.

But his comments during his "This Is Gavin Newsom" podcast have drawn widespread attention.

Newsom's newsmaking statements came in response to Kirk's prodding, which was spurred on by Newsom's repeated pumping of Kirk for political advice.

"But what do you do? Seriously, Charlie Kirk, give us some advice," Newsom said at one point.

"Get better ideas, Governor," Kirk said. "… Like for example — you have an opportunity to, like, run to the middle and seize this mantle. Obviously you're talking to me about people. 

"You right now should come out and be like, 'You know what? The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen.' You as the governor should stay up and say, 'No.' Would you do something like that? Would you say, 'No men in female sports'?"

"Well, I think it's an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness. It's deeply unfair," Newsom said.

Kirk, the co-founder of the politically conservative advocacy organization Turning Point USA, noted that a recent poll found that 80% of Americans oppose males playing female sports. He said he could see Newsom wrestling with the issue.

"No, I'm not wrestling with it, the fairness issue. I totally agree with you," Newsom said.

Newsom also seemed to downplay the value of using alternative pronouns for people who identify as other than male or female, saying he has only seen it happen once during a meeting during his time as governor. He also said no one in his office has ever used the purportedly gender-neutral term "Latinx."

Again under Kirk's prodding, Newsom praised as "brilliant" a Trump campaign spot before the presidential election last fall saying that "Kamala is for they-them. President Trump is for you."

"Devastating. Devastating. Devastating. And she didn't even react to it, which was more devastating," Newsom said.

Kirk also raised the issue of abortion. He said the Democratic Party has what he called "an unhealthy purification process" that leaves the party "a bunch of people who are talking to each other."

"For example, if there's a pro-life Democrat, is there a place for a pro-life Democrat in the party?" Kirk asked.

"There should be," Newsom said. "That's principle. There should be. That's a deeply held personal point of view. God bless."

"And I say this as one of the biggest champions for reproductive freedom on the planet," Newsom said.

Newsom, who still identifies as a Catholic, praised Kirk "as a man of faith, and I deeply admire that about you."

Kirk occasionally chided Newsom for taking the Lord's name in vain, which he did several times during the interview.

At times, Newsom sounded as if he were doing what is known in politics as opposition research — but with the goal not of discrediting his opponent but rather learning from him.

"These things are important — and by the way, it's the reason we're having this conversation," Newsom said. "This is very illuminating and helpful to me, to understand sort of the animus. What is it about, you know, that animus?"

Newsom said his own 13-year-old son wanted to skip school on Thursday so he could meet Kirk, 31, who makes popular online videos based on his frequent visits to college campuses. Kirk often debates liberal students outside while inviting them to ask him anything.

Asked by Newsom how often he talks to President Donald Trump, Kirk said: "Once or twice a week."

The conversation between Newsom and Kirk was cordial, bordering on friendly, but the two clashed on certain issues, including whether what Kirk called "pornographic" books should be eliminated from elementary schools, which Newsom called "book banning."

On another matter, Kirk said teachers should be fired if they withhold a student's gender transitioning at school from the child's parents. Newsom responded: "There's so much extreme rhetoric in this space."

Kirk said Democrats will lose on that issue.

"Sometimes you lose on principle. It's one of those things; everything's not political, is the point," Newsom said.

Newsom said Kirk and Republicans are on the unpopular side on abortion and same-sex civil marriage, which Kirk acknowledged.

But Newsom said he agreed with Kirk that Democrats are hurt by their stance on gender-identity issues.

"I deeply am mindful of the politics of this, which are very unhelpful personally," Newsom said. "It's unhelpful more broadly, professionally [to] the Democratic Party and our brand and one of the reasons — to your point — the Democratic Party brand has just been crushed."

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 10, 2025 / 14:40 pm (CNA).

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, signed legislation late last week to bolster religious freedom from state-level rules and regulations.

The Wyoming Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which mirrors the federal law with the same name, prohibits the state government and local governments from enacting any policies that "substantially burden a person's right to the exercise of religion" in most cases. It also creates a framework for people to sue government entities that violate this policy.

With the adoption of this law, Wyoming becomes the 29th state to enact these protections at the state level. Most Republicans in the state Legislature supported the bill, and Democrats were split on the legislation.

Under the bill, which goes into effect July 1, a "burden" is defined as any action that directly or indirectly "constrains, inhibits, curtails, or denies the exercise of religion." A "burden" includes, but is not limited to, withholding benefits, assessing administrative penalties, exclusion from government programs, or the denial of access to government facilities.

This protection applies to all state and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and policies even if they are already in place. It applies to rules that are generally applicable to the public, which grants more assurances for religious freedom exemptions when universal rules could threaten a person's exercise of his or her religion.

According to the new law, the state or local governments could only substantially burden a person's exercise of religion if the rule is "essential to further a compelling government interest" and "the least restrictive means of furthering that … interest."

A person who believes his or her religious exercise has been substantially burdened or is likely to be substantially burdened can appeal to this law in administrative or judicial proceedings.

A spokesperson for the governor's office told CNA the legislation "is a process-related bill that ensures every Wyomingite receives a fair hearing when the question arises as to whether the government is seeking to force that person to violate his or her religious beliefs."

Greg Chafuen, senior counsel for the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement that the new law "provides a sensible balancing test for courts to use when reviewing government policies that infringe upon the religious freedom rights of Wyomingites." 

"The law doesn't determine who will win every disagreement, but it does ensure that every person — regardless of their religious creed or political power — receives a fair hearing when government action burdens a person's freedom to live out his or her religious beliefs," Chafuen said.

Chaufen praised the lawmakers who voted for the legislation and the governor for signing the bill, adding that "our laws should protect the freedom of every person to live and worship according to their faith."

In 1993, then-President Bill Clinton signed the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law, which established these protections at the federal level. However, the federal law does not apply to state or local rules because the United States Supreme Court ruled that enforcement of this law on state or local rules was outside of Congress' authority.

At the time, enacting the federal law was bipartisan. However, in recent years, Democrats in Congress have sought to scale back religious freedom exemptions, particularly when they apply to antidiscrimination laws regarding sexual orientation and transgenderism and health care laws when applied to abortion or transgender drugs and surgeries.

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Rome Newsroom, Mar 9, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday thanked volunteers for the closeness and tenderness they show others in need of their care.

As the Holy Father continues medical treatment at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican released his March 9 Sunday homily and Angelus message dedicated to the approximately 25,000 men and women participating in the March 8-9 Jubilee of the World of Volunteering. 

At the conclusion of his homily, the pope thanked volunteers associated with non-profit and non-governmental organizations for following Jesus by serving others.

"On the streets and in homes, in the company of the sick, the suffering and the imprisoned, with the young and the elderly, your generosity and commitment offer hope to our entire society," the pontiff shared in his prepared homily. 

"In the deserts of poverty and loneliness, all those small gestures are helping to make a new humanity blossom in the garden that is God's dream, always and everywhere, for all of us," he continued.

In his Angelus message, the 88-year-old pontiff said volunteers bear witness to the "primacy of gratuitousness, solidarity and service to those most in need." 

"In our societies, too enslaved to market logic, where everything risks being subject to the criterion of interest and the quest for profit, volunteering is prophecy and a sign of hope," the pope said.

"I express my gratitude to those who are engaged in this field: thank you for offering your time and abilities; thank you for the closeness and tenderness with which you care for others, reawakening hope in them!"

Calling those who care for the sick "a sign of Lord's presence," the Holy Father expressed particular gratitude towards the doctors and medical staff caring for him at Gemelli Hospital.   

"Brothers and sisters, during my prolonged hospitalization here, I too experience the thoughtfulness of service and the tenderness of care," he said. "We need this, the 'miracle of tenderness' which accompanies those who are in adversity, bringing a little light into the night of pain."

The pope on Sunday also thanked those who have and continue to pray for his health and healing since being admitted to hospital more than three weeks ago on Feb. 14: "Heartfelt thanks to you all! I pray for you too."

In a March 9 statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican said it will hold the Roman Curia's annual spiritual exercises from March 10-14 this year.  

"In accordance with tradition, this time of contemplation and prayer represents a moment of silence and discernment for the Holy Father's collaborators, who will gather in a spirit of reflection and listening to the Word of God, continuing to pray for his health," the Vatican statement said.

The pope said he will "join spiritually" those participating in this month's spiritual exercises, in his Angelus message.

During the March 10-14 spiritual exercises, the Vatican said the recitation of the Holy Rosary for the Holy Father's health will be held at 5 p.m. local time inside the Paul VI Audience Hall, instead of 9 p.m. local time in St. Peter's Square.    

Since Feb. 24, cardinals of the Roman Curia have led daily prayer evenings, open to the public, in St. Peter's Square for the pope's recovery.

At the end of his Sunday Angelus message, the pope asked people to pray for the "gift of peace" for Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria.

"I entrust you all to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary," he said. "Happy Sunday, and arrivederci (goodbye)!"

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Rome Newsroom, Mar 9, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday said defeats are not definitive for those who believe in Jesus Christ and trust in God's love and forgiveness.

In his prepared March 9 homily for the first Sunday of Lent, the Holy Father said difficulties and trials do not "end in failure" for Christians who embrace their relationship with God our redeemer.

"In the face of temptation, we sometimes fall; we are all sinners," the papal text said. "Our defeat, however, is not definitive, because following our every fall, God lifts us up by his infinite love and forgiveness."

The Holy Father was unable to preside over the Holy Mass for the first Sunday of Lent, which coincided with the last day of the Jubilee for the World of Volunteering, due to ongoing medical treatment in Rome's Gemelli Hospital. 

In his place, Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect for the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, presided over the Sunday Mass, attended by thousands of uniformed volunteers belonging to non-profit and non-governmental organizations. 

"Let us consider three aspects of Jesus' temptation and of our own: its beginning, the way it takes place, and its result," Czerny said, reading the pope's homily. "In this way, we will find inspiration for our journey of conversion."

Reflecting on the different Gospel accounts of Jesus' temptations in the desert, the pope said Christians should not feel afraid or threatened by the "beginning" of temptation. 

"Whenever we ask God not to lead us into temptation (cf. Mt 6:13), we need to remember that he has already answered that prayer through Jesus, his incarnate Word, who remains with us always," the pope shared in his written homily. 

"The Lord is close to us and cares for us, especially in times of trial and uncertainty, when the tempter makes his voice heard," he continued. 

According to the Holy Father, "the way" the devil tries to tempt Jesus and his followers is to doubt and reject the "filial relationship" with God our father.

"In his perversion, the devil wants to destroy that bond," the pontiff explained. "Jesus' relationship with the Father is not something to be grasped at (cf. Phil 2:6), or boasted of, in order to achieve success and attract followers, but rather a gift that he shares with the world for our salvation."

"The devil whispers into our ear that God is not really our Father, that he has in fact abandoned us," the Holy Father said. "Yet just when the devil would have us believe that the Lord is far from us, and would tempt us to despair, God draws all the closer to us, giving his life for the redemption of the world."

For Christians, the pope stressed that the "result" of temptations — when faced with the help of Jesus the "Anointed One" — is the eventual defeat of Satan, "the tempter." 

"Our testing does not end in failure, because, in Christ, we are redeemed from evil," he said.  "Jesus himself opens up before us this new path of liberation and redemption." 

The 88-year-old pontiff concluded his Sunday homily by greeting Jubilee for the World of Volunteering participants and asking the Holy Spirit to sustain Christians throughout their Lenten journey towards Holy Week and Easter — "the central mystery of our faith" in Jesus' death and resurrection.

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Mexico City Newsroom, Mar 9, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The Church in Mexico warned this week about the "manifestations of death that have been taking place in our country," which, according to the bishops, "threaten human dignity, dehumanize our coexistence, and leave a deep wound in the conscience of our people."

In a statement issued on March 5, the Mexican Bishops' Conference specifically pointed out problems such as "the decriminalization and promotion of abortion, the scourge of uncontrolled violence, organized crime, and the scourge of drug trafficking, which has turned entire regions into war zones."

However, despite this panorama "marked by shadows of death and despair," the prelates reminded that "life is a sacred gift, which must be welcomed, protected, defended, and promoted with courage."

6 commitments for life

In this context, the bishops called for a commitment in favor of human dignity, calling for a Week for Life to be held March 24–28. As part of this initiative, they proposed various actions to strengthen the culture of life in the country.

The prelates called for the formation of a "conscience illuminated by the truth," emphasizing that "it is essential to educate the conscience in the light of the Gospel and the teaching of the Church to avoid falling into error and moral confusion."

They also insisted on the need to protect people in their most vulnerable stages, especially the unborn and the elderly, and warned that one should not "be silent in the face of unjust laws that violate human dignity."

The bishops stressed the urgency of "promoting the family and education in values," emphasizing that the home is the first space for learning and formation. "It is necessary to strengthen marriage, educat[e] in faith and Christian values ??so that the new generations grow in a culture of respect and solidarity," they added.

They also urged people to "combat violence with the peace of the Gospel," affirming that "we cannot resign ourselves to violence. Peace begins in the heart of each person and is built with justice."

The bishops further urged people to accompany the victims of violence, recalling that the faithful are "called to be Samaritans who heal the wounds of those who have suffered violence. Mercy is a concrete witness to Christian hope."

Finally, they emphasized the importance of strengthening evangelization and social commitment, emphasizing that "it is not enough to denounce evil, it is necessary to announce the good news of Christ. We must be present in all areas where consolation and accompaniment are needed."

'Witnesses and messengers of hope'

Although they recognized that "the situation we face in Mexico is challenging," the bishops expressed their certainty that "God walks with his people, and we are called to be witnesses and messengers of hope and life."

"We want to be messengers of hope and life, welcoming motherhood with love. Let us be messengers of hope and life, welcoming with love the sick, the weak, and the vulnerable," the bishops said.

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

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Vatican City, Mar 8, 2025 / 15:00 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:

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Vatican City, Mar 8, 2025 / 15:00 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:

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La Plata, Argentina, Mar 8, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).

The Vatican's Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has decreed the suppression of the Miles Christi religious order, founded in Argentina and the subject of a Vatican intervention in 2022.

"This decision was specifically approved by Pope Francis on Feb. 6, 2025," stated an official communication released by the AICA news agency.

Implementing the measure fell to Mauricio Landra, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Mercedes-Luján, as the papal delegate appointed by the Vatican dicastery.

"Given the delicacy and complexity of the situation, in order for everything to be carried out with justice and charity, in order to implement the decision taken by the Holy See, we entrust this time to Mary, Mother of the Church," Landra said when announcing the decision.

Miles Christi (Soldier of Christ) was a clerical religious order of diocesan right founded in 1994 in the Archdiocese of La Plata, Argentina.

In February 2020, its founder, Roberto Juan Yannuzzi, was expelled from the clerical state after having been found guilty "of crimes against the Sixth Commandment with adults, of absolution of the accomplice and of abuse of authority."

At the end of 2022, Pope Francis appointed Jorge García Cuerva, then the bishop of Río Gallegos and now archbishop of Buenos Aires, as pontifical commissioner of the order.

In December of the same year, the Archdiocese of La Plata — under the authority at that time of then-Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández — determined that the contract by which for 16 years the Miles Christi order had been in charge of the St. Louis Gonzaga Parish and the St. Francis School be rescinded.

The archdiocese then took over running the parish and the school.

A few days later, and after receiving questions from the order about the measures taken, the ecclesiastical tribunal of La Plata reported that there was "an investigation due to a sexual abuse complaint filed against a Miles Christi priest."

The complaint, the tribunal said, was submitted to the superior general of the religious order in the first semester, then forwarded to the archdiocese, expanded, and finally filed in the state courts.

In February 2023, García, as pontifical commissioner of the Miles Christi order, together with the Archdiocese of La Plata, communicated the decision to close the St. Ignatius center, which operated in the city of La Plata.

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

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CNA Staff, Mar 8, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

On March 8, International Women's Day is celebrated around the world. It is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women as well as advocate for continued equality.

The Catholic Church is filled with female saints who accomplished incredible feats for the Church and serve as role models for women around the world.

Here is a list of inspiring quotes from 10 female saints:

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein): "The world doesn't need what women have, it needs what women are."

St. Teresa of Ávila: "We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials."

St. Faustina: "In whatever state a soul may be, it ought to pray. A soul that is pure and beautiful must pray, or else it will lose its beauty; a soul that is striving after this purity must pray, or else it will never attain it; a soul that is newly converted must pray, or else it will fall again; a sinful soul, plunged in sins, must pray so that it might rise again. There is no soul that is not bound to pray, for every single grace comes to the soul through prayer."

St. Kateri Tekakwitha: "Look at this cross. Oh, how beautiful it is! It has been my whole happiness during my life, and I advise you also to make it yours."

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: "We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty."

St. Teresa of Calcutta: "It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home, for this is where our love for each other must start."

St. Joan of Arc: "I have a good master, that is God; it is to him I look in everything and to none other."

St. Rose of Lima: "The gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase."

St. Josephine Bakhita: "If I were to meet the slave-traders who kidnapped me and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands, for if that did not happen, I would not be a Christian and religious today."

St. Catherine of Siena: "You are rewarded not according to time or work but according to the measure of your love."

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Vatican City, Mar 8, 2025 / 05:00 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:

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