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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 18, 2024 / 09:55 am (CNA).

Former president Donald Trump said he will consider reimplementing a ban on taxpayer funding for abortion overseas as well as establishing religious exemptions for any government program that requires health insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) during an Oct. 17 interview with EWTN's Raymond Arroyo.

The former president was interviewed on "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo" Thursday night ahead of the annual Al Smith dinner, organized by the Archdiocese of New York. During the interview, he made a direct appeal to Catholic voters, spoke fondly of the Church, and criticized his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, for not attending the dinner in person.

Arroyo asked Trump several questions about abortion and IVF, particularly whether the former president would reinstate the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits taxpayer funding being given to organizations that provide abortion overseas. The rule was first implemented during the Reagan administration and has been the policy of every Republican president since, including the prior Trump administration.

"We're going to be giving that a very good, serious look," Trump said without committing to reimplementing the policy.

Arroyo also pressed Trump for additional details on a plan he announced in August to impose a rule in which either the government or insurance companies pay for IVF. The Catholic Church opposes IVF because it separates procreation from the marital act and destroys millions of human embryonic lives. 

When asked whether he would support a religious exemption for those opposed to IVF, Trump said: "I haven't been asked that, but it sounds to me like a pretty good idea."

"It's a very popular thing, but certainly if there's a religious problem, I think people should go with that," the 2024 Republican presidential nominee said. "[I] really think they should be able to do that. But we will look at that."

Trump said religious liberty is "a stance that I've taken from the beginning and I'll keep it." He contrasted his approach with that of his opponent, saying: "I stand for really everything that you stand for and that the Church stands for. And she doesn't. She's a very different kind of a person. She's a Marxist. Her father was a Marxist and still is a Marxist. And they are not big into religion."

"I am totally in favor of religion and I also like the Catholic Church a lot," he emphasized, while expressing confidence that he comes up the winner for voters who apply the "lesser of two evils" measure Pope Francis last month urged voters to apply to their choice in the U.S. election. 

Trump pointedly criticized Harris for not attending the Al Smith dinner, which both major party candidates have attended during presidential election years for nearly four decades, saying the event is "honoring the Catholic Church" and that he has "been a longtime supporter."

"I'm surprised she's not here," Trump said. "I think she's the first one in many, many in decades, actually, to miss it as a candidate. It [has] always been a tradition. So I'm happy only that the Catholics are going to vote for Trump now. But no, look, I have a special relationship with the Catholic Church, and I think it was very important to be here."

Arroyo also inquired about Trump frequently playing "Ave Maria" at rallies and recently making social media posts honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Michael the Archangel. The former president said those posts do not reflect a spiritual journey but that he simply thinks they are "very beautiful." 

"It's just beautiful to me," Trump said. "I mean, I look at the whole thing, the words and the pictures. The pictures are so beautiful."

The country's Catholic vote will likely be competitive in November. According to a September Pew Research Center survey, about 52% of Catholics support Trump and 47% support Harris.

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Lima Newsroom, Oct 18, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Going out to find and recover Catholics not living according to their baptism is one of the great challenges of pastoral work, along with the evangelization of those who do not know Christ, said the bishop of Cúcuta, Colombia, José Libardo Garcés.

In a column published in the newspaper La Verdad ("The Truth"), the prelate recalled that Jesus has entrusted his disciples with taking the good news to the ends of the earth, a call that "must move us all to develop creativity to reach the different sectors of the parish."

This involves covering the three areas of parish pastoral care that, as Pope Francis explains in Evangelii Gaudium, consist of "igniting the hearts of the faithful who regularly frequent the community," going to "baptized persons who aren't living the demands of baptism, who don't have a warm relationship with the Church, and no longer experience the consolation of faith," and evangelizing "those who do not know Jesus Christ or have always rejected him."

Garcés pointed out that although in the diocese they have worked hard on the  first aspect, "we need to go out and look for those who are part of ??those who aren't living the demands of baptism, which is a large group."

"And much more neglected are those in the third area, those who don't know Jesus Christ or openly reject him," he said.

The Colombian bishop explained that in order to cover these latter two groups of people "we must call upon those we have in the first area of ??pastoral care so that they commit themselves to the joyful announcement of the message of Jesus Christ in all environments."

In his text, Garcés noted that "catholic" means "universal" and that universality "has to be in the mind of the evangelizer, to reach everywhere with the power of the Gospel."

He also encouraged his flock to not be afraid of going into certain sectors of society and not to be discouraged if they are rejected at first, because it is Christ who leads the mission. "He himself has told us in the Gospel: "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age," Garcés recalled.

"This means having fervor for evangelization, which is strongly felt in the missionary when he is in God's grace. A priest, a missionary in God's grace, is capable of leaving his usual comfort zone and giving his life for Jesus Christ."

Make use of the means of grace

However, he clarified, "it is not possible to be a fervent missionary while being in a permanent state of sin. We are all sinners, but what is expected of a priest, of a missionary, is that he doesn't remain in a state of sin for a long time," and for this he has the sacrament of confession, he said, with which he will receive forgiveness and be able to continue announcing God's mercy everywhere.

The bishop of Cúcuta concluded by again quoting Pope Francis, who points out in his apostolic exhortation that "missionary activity still represents the greatest challenge for the Church today and the missionary cause must be the first."

"May the Blessed Virgin Mary, star of evangelization, and the glorious patriarch St. Joseph, faithful guardian of the faith, obtain from Our Lord Jesus Christ the pastoral fervor to always be in missionary outreach," the prelate prayed in conclusion.

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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Vatican City, Oct 17, 2024 / 11:55 am (CNA).

Cardinal Leonardo Steiner, the archbishop of Manaus in Brazil who is participating in the Synod on Synodality, said during a daily press briefing at the synod on Tuesday that "many of our women are true 'deaconesses'" and pointed out that Pope Francis "has not closed the question" of the ordination of married men.

The cardinal is known for being a defender of the poor, Indigenous people and is also considered "pro-LGBTQ." In the past he has stated that "there will be a way" to end mandatory priestly celibacy.

At the 2019 Synod on the Amazon, the Brazilian cardinal also emerged as a staunch defender of the ordination of married men, an issue on which Pope Francis has not given a definitive word, according to what the prelate said Oct. 15. 

During the briefing held at the Holy See Press Office, the 74-year-old cardinal said that during that day's session, corresponding to the third module of the Instrumentum Laboris (working document), the participants of the synod reflected on "the places of the Church."

The cardinal also commented that the Church must be open "to listening to cultures and religions" so that the Gospel can be "inculturated."

In Manaus there are nearly 2.3 million people, of which 71,713 (3%) are Indigenous. In total there are 753,357 Indigenous people in the whole Amazon, according to official data from Brazil.

Taking these figures as an example to highlight the cultural differences between the West and the inhabitants of his diocese, the cardinal said that despite the fact that for "more than a hundred years there has been no priests" in the communities, they have organized themselves and continued to pray "with different ways of praying."

Steiner emphasized that "women participate a lot" and that they are in turn "leaders of our communities."

'Why not restore the ordained female diaconate?'

The Brazilian cardinal emphasized that he wishes "that some more distant communities could celebrate some sacraments, for example baptism, without the presence of a priest."

He continued by saying that "many of our women are true 'deaconesses' without this being official." He also stressed that they would like to call them "deaconesses," since they are "for all purposes," although he preferred not to use this term "so as not to create confusion with the ordained ministry."

For the cardinal, "unfortunately we do not have an adequate word" for their role, but "what they do and their responsibility within our Church is admirable."

"There are many women who lead the community, who make the word of God known, who gather the community in a moment of prayer and who are active, for example, in prison ministry, in catechesis, in Caritas activities. They are the ones who carry out this activity, they are active alongside street people, they are the ones who represent our Church in many places," he said.

Steiner emphasized his position in favor of the ordination of women to the diaconate and pointed out the existence of a commission that is "charged with studying this issue." 

"Why not restore the ordained female diaconate? We have already had a Church like this, with this face," he said, referring to deacons.

"The permanent diaconate for men can go forward with that of women. I think we must reflect a lot on these questions, we must go deeper and we must remember the essential and fundamental role of women in the Church."

He also stated that "the door should not be opened to a question of gender" but rather that it is "a question of vocations in the Church. The vocation of women within the Church and within our community."

Responding to one of the journalists present at the press conference, the cardinal pointed out that the Synod on the Amazon "opened the possibility" of holding the Synod on Synodality.

Regarding this "process," he commented that "a path has been opened from which there is no turning back" since "there is no point of return."

"It is essential that we all enter into the interior of a movement that is the Church" and to feel the responsibility of the mission through baptism and the grace of God, he said.

The Holy Father 'has not closed the question' of ordaining married men

Asked about the ordination of married men, an issue that has "disappeared" from the study groups of this second and last session, the cardinal emphasized that after the Synod on the Amazon "there was disappointment on this subject."

He nevertheless emphasized that "the Holy Father has not closed the issue" and assured that "in some circumstances it would not be a difficulty."

He also expressed his hope that Pope Francis "has the capacity to move forward" while indicating that he has not wanted to do so yet due to "his great sensitivity."

Steiner reiterated that "we must continue to talk" about this issue and that "we must go deeper into the ministerial role," since "sufficient steps" have not yet been taken.

"In some cultures celibacy is a great difficulty. That's what I feel," he explained.

Speaking last Saturday at Fátima, Steiner said he "lays hands" on all those women who exercise the ministry of baptism or other sacraments.

"These are very tense issues in the Church. We must not stop discussing and reflecting. And if at some time we come to the conclusion that in the past there was a female diaconate, why not reintroduce it as the permanent diaconate was reintroduced?" the cardinal reiterated.

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, Oct 17, 2024 / 13:05 pm (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced a massive $880 million clergy abuse settlement on Wednesday, a record payout that Archbishop José Gomez expressed hope would "provide some measure of healing" for abuse victims.

Lawyers for both victims and the archdiocese said in a joint press release that the near-$1 billion settlement would address 1,353 childhood sexual abuse claims filed against the California archbishopric.

The mediation process, conducted under retired California Judge Daniel Buckley, took roughly a year.

Abuse survivors filed the claims against the archdiocese following the state's enactment of Assembly Bill 218, which offered victims a three-year window to file civil abuse claims that had otherwise gone beyond the statute of limitations. 

Gomez in a statement on Wednesday said the settlement — the largest ever for a U.S. diocese or archdiocese — would "provide just compensation to the survivor-victims of these past abuses."

It would also allow the archdiocese "to continue to carry out our ministries to the faithful and our social programs serving the poor and vulnerable in our communities."

"I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart," the prelate said. "My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for what these men and women have suffered."

The archdiocese indicated that the full amount paid out in recent settlements was higher than the $880 million figure. The settlement announced on Wednesday was "in addition to claims the archdiocese settled with individual plaintiffs over the past 10 months," the archdiocese said on its website. 

Archdiocesan administrative offices will take "primary financial responsibility" for the settlement, though the process of dividing the settlement among the survivors will not involve the archdiocese. 

An earlier "global settlement" of claims in 2007 resulted in a relinquishment of insurance coverage for abuse claims, the archdiocese said. The settlement will be funded by "accumulated reserves and investment holdings, bank financing, and other archdiocesan assets, in addition to payments by certain religious orders and others named in the litigation."

Officials will conduct an "overall evaluation of all programs and ministries of the archdiocese" in order to "allocate funds responsibly and appropriately."

The archdiocese will also use the AB 218 claims to update its clergy abuse files. 

Gomez expressed hope that "all who suffer find hope and healing in Jesus Christ" and that "the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Angels, be a mother to us all."

The landmark $880 million settlement is higher than the previous L.A. Archdiocese settlement of $660 million awarded in 2007. Last month, the New York Diocese of Rockville Centre set a U.S. diocesan settlement record with its $323 million payout to abuse victims.

AB 218's window for filing abuse claims expired in 2022. The archdiocese said that the law resulted in "approximately 4,000 claims of childhood sexual abuse against Catholic dioceses in California" including Los Angeles. 

The Los Angeles Archdiocese said this week its settlement did not include a bankruptcy filing. As in many states, multiple California dioceses have filed for bankruptcy amid those abuse claims, including San Francisco, Sacramento, and Oakland.

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CNA Staff, Oct 17, 2024 / 13:35 pm (CNA).

A Catholic church in Florida has suffered multiple fires in the span of just 16 months, with officials confirming that the second fire, which again shuttered the parish this week, is currently being investigated as arson.

Incarnation Catholic Church in Orlando, Florida, was first hit by a fire last June, causing severe damage to the inside of the building.

Masses were moved into the parish hall while the church pursues an extensive rebuilding project. This week, however, another fire broke out in the parish's temporary church. 

On Thursday morning the parish said on its website that "on Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, a fire was started on and around the temporary altar at Incarnation." 

The church confirmed that the incident "is being investigated as arson."

Jesse Canales, a spokeswoman for the Orlando Fire Department, told CNA via email that firefighters "responded to a building fire at 1515 Edgewater Drive" on Wednesday. 

"Upon arrival, crews began to vent the building as the sprinkler system extinguished the fire already," she said. "The building suffered minor damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation."

Regarding last year's fire, Canales said: "The case is still under investigation and the cause of the fire is undetermined." 

"As of now, this is being investigated as a criminal case so nothing is missed," she said. "At this time, this case is deemed undetermined and remains open pending any new evidence being developed or brought forward."

"We are unable to rule out if an accelerant was used as part of this fire and no suspect(s) have been uncovered to date," she added.

The parish did not return a phone call on Thursday morning seeking comment on the blaze. On its website, the church said that "all Masses, appointments, events, and gatherings are currently canceled" through Saturday. 

"In order for our team to assess damage and restoration needs, we ask that you not travel to Incarnation for the remainder of this week," the website advised parishioners. 

Last year's fire occurred on June 24, the first anniversary of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Despite the 2023 fire being concentrated in the sanctuary, with both the altar and the tabernacle being incinerated, a sole Eucharistic host, covered under the ash, survived the blaze. 

Eucharistic adoration with the same host — and the scorched luna holding it — is now held in the parish hall. 

On its website, the parish says it will rebuild its church by enlarging it by nearly 4,000 square feet. The project is expected to cost $5.7 million. 

Construction on the new building is expected to begin in the spring of 2025.

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Brussels, Belgium, Oct 17, 2024 / 14:05 pm (CNA).

More than 500 Belgians have demanded to be removed from the baptismal registry ("débaptisation") in reaction to controversial statements by Pope Francis during his apostolic journey to Luxembourg and Belgium about abortion and the role of women in the Church.

After the pope's visit to both countries in late September, 524 people have signed a declaration published Oct. 16 in Brussels, according to local media.

In their open letter addressed to the apostolic nuncio in Brussels, Franco Coppola; Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels Luc Terlinden, the primate of the Catholic Church in Belgium; and the seven Catholic dioceses in the country, the signers condemned certain comments made by the pope and called for themselves to be removed from the baptismal registry.

While in Belgium, Pope Francis described the partial decriminalization of voluntary abortion in Belgium as a "murderous law." On the return flight from Brussels to Rome on Sept. 29, he also called doctors who perform abortions "contract killers." 

The pope's trip to Belgium marked the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University in Leuven. During his visit to the French-speaking branch of the university in Louvain-la-Neuve, he used the terms "fertile welcome, care, vital devotion" to describe women, which the Vatican's official English version of the speech translated as "fruitful welcome, nurturing, and life-giving dedication." 

The pope's words were rejected by the university, which criticized them as betraying a "deterministic and reductive attitude." 

Referring to his comments, some Belgian organizations called for people to join a "de-baptism" movement in order to express rejection of the pope's comments. To date, three weeks later, 524 people have responded. 

A historically Catholic country, since the 1950s Belgium has seen a significant decline in the number of its practicing Christians. A European Commission poll in 2021 found that 44% of the country, which has a population of more than 11.5 million, identifies as Catholic, down from 72% of the population in 1981.

A 2023 study by the Catholic university KU Leuven estimates the number of Catholics in Belgium to be slightly higher, at 50% of the population, but with just 9% attending Mass at least once a month.

In their appeal to the Catholic Church authorities on Wednesday for removal from the official baptism registry, the 524 applicants denounced not only the pope's statements in Belgium but also a "lukewarm reaction to the violence committed by clergymen close to the pope" against children and women. The leaders of this protest also claim there has been a lack of concrete measures to support and compensate these victims.

However, during his public appearances in Belgium, Pope Francis repeatedly commented on allegations of abuse, asked for forgiveness, and instructed the Belgian bishops to take tougher measures. He also met with 15 representatives from the circle of abuse victims for a personal discussion.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Florida's Catholic bishops are urging residents to vote no on a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in the Sunshine State as activists on both sides continue to funnel millions of dollars into the record-breaking campaign.

Amendment 3, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older, is the most expensive cannabis-focused campaign in United States history. 

As of late September, supporters of the initiative have spent more than $90 million to encourage a yes vote and opponents have spent more than $14 million to urge Floridians to vote no, according to Ballotpedia. 

The initiative would change Article X of the state constitution, which already has provisions for the medicinal use of marijuana. A yes vote would add a subsection for "personal use," which states that a person would no longer need to be "a qualifying patient" to obtain marijuana. 

Any adult 21 years old or older would be allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana.

To adopt a constitutional amendment via ballot referendum, supporters need to obtain a yes vote from 60% of voters. Some polls have shown supporters meeting that mark, but other polls have shown the referendum falling short of that threshold.

Bishops warn of increased use of marijuana, risks

One staunch opponent of the referendum is the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB), along with the various Catholic dioceses around the state.

"Legalizing marijuana makes it more accessible, removes the criminal penalties and stigma attributable to it, and creates the impression that it is safe to use," a statement issued by the FCCB reads. 

"Taken together, these factors ultimately lead to increased use of the drug — by as much as 20% in adults," it adds, citing a 2023 study published in Sage Journals.

The bishops cautioned that some marijuana products have higher levels of THC — the psychoactive component in marijuana that produces the "high" — than products in previous decades. 

This, the bishops warn, can exacerbate the effects of consuming the drug, such as the loss of coordination, impaired decision-making, and diminished brain function while under the influence. 

They also express concern about the long-term effects on developing brains and the dangers posed to unborn children if pregnant women consume marijuana.

The statement also references the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that "the use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life" and calls drug usage outside of therapeutic treatments "a grave offense" (No. 2291). 

The Florida bishops also reference a quote from Pope Francis in which the pontiff calls drugs "evil" and says "there can be no yielding or compromise," urging "no to every type of drug use."

A spokesperson for the FCCB told CNA that the bishops have shared their statement with pastors and parishes and have made themselves available for presentations.

Neither the bishops' conference nor the dioceses are financially contributing to the "no" campaign, the spokesperson said.

Unusual political alliances on the ground

The campaign for and against the referendum has not fit neatly along political lines, with some Republicans backing the measure and some Democrats opposing it. Both campaigns are highlighting their respective bipartisan alliances.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis launched the "Florida Freedom Fund PAC" to work on defeating the amendment, but the party's presidential nominee, former president Donald Trump, has said he will vote to adopt the amendment. Trump's primary residence is in Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party officially supports the amendment, but former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, who served under Bill Clinton, is urging residents to vote no on the initiative.

One advertisement created by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), which opposes legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, includes clips of DeSantis, former Democratic President Barack Obama, and other officials speaking against marijuana legalization.

Luke Niforatos, the executive vice president of SAM Action, told CNA that "the commercialization of marijuana has had adverse effects on physical and mental health, public safety, young people, and communities of color."

"THC use reduces IQ and is medically and scientifically associated with psychosis, depression, suicidality, schizophrenia, and motor impairment," Niforatos said. 

"Full-scale commercialization of marijuana and THC drugs also has not curbed the illicit market — in fact states are now seeing an influx of foreign drug cartels that are using the 'legal' marketplace to sell illicit drugs and prey on vulnerable populations."

Alternatively, Smart and Safe Florida, which is spearheading the ballot initiative effort, is running advertisements that show Trump indicating his support for the amendment and speaking about legalizing recreational marijuana for adults. The advertisement asks voters to "join President Donald Trump" with a yes vote.

The campaign is also funding billboards that show a quote from Trump saying he will vote for the referendum.

CNA reached out to Smart and Safe Florida for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

In addition to the marijuana referendum, Floridians will also vote on a proposed amendment to enshrine a legal right to abortion in the state constitution. This also requires 60% support. Some polls have shown the effort reaching that benchmark, while others have shown the effort failing.

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Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oct 17, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

"With Teresa, Pilgrims of Hope" was the theme that drew more than 50,000 young Chileans to the shrine of St. Teresa of the Andes last weekend in the town of Auco, Chile.

Pilgrims from different parts of the country and from greater Santiago walked 17 miles between old Chacabuco hill and the shrine, where the archbishop of Santiago, Fernando Chomali, offered the Eucharist.

The Oct. 13 pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Teresa of the Andes is a tradition in Chile. It takes place on the second Sunday of October and is organized by the Youth Vicariate with the aim of giving thanks for the blessings the saint has obtained for them as well as to leave their intentions and their hopes with her, with faith placed in her intercession.

In the Mass, concelebrated by the auxiliary bishops of Santiago and by Father Rodrigo Segura, rector of the shrine, and Father Jonathan Muñoz, vicar of the Esperanza Joven, Chomali began his homily with a message asking for forgiveness from the young people: "Forgive us for the world that we have left you."

"Forgive us because we have not been able to stop the war that kills and does not build. I ask for your forgiveness because we have not been able to stop the corruption that harms us so much. … I also ask for your forgiveness for the abuses of all kinds, even within the Church, that pains us so much," he said.

In addition, he called on young people to make a journey of prayer, because "those who do not pray have nothing to say to the world."

"We as a Church cannot allow ourselves to be superficial. Let's not tolerate being anesthetized. Let us undertake the adventure of a full life dedicated to others. I invite you to reflect, so that we might take life seriously," he urged.

For his part, Muñoz thanked the communities for their great participation: "We are grateful that today you are leaving renewed in hope, to become hope for the world and for the whole Church."

Finally, he emphasized: "It is hope that impels us to not believe that our journey ends here" and to be able to say "with Teresa, we are pilgrims of hope."

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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Rome Newsroom, Oct 17, 2024 / 09:10 am (CNA).

The Italian Senate of the Republic on Wednesday passed a bill making it possible to prosecute surrogacy sought even outside Italy, with violators potentially facing both prison time and a fine as high as 1 million euros (more than $1 million).

Surrogacy has been illegal in Italy since 2004. The prohibition is contained within the country's Law 40, which regulates medically assisted procreation.

With the Oct. 16 vote, Italy will amend Law 40 to extend its jurisdiction to criminalize even surrogacy "committed abroad," now referring to it as "universal crime" in Italian law.

The current article 12, paragraph 6 of Law 40 states that "anyone who, in any form, carries out, organizes, or publicizes the commercialization" of maternal surrogacy will be punished by up to two years in prison and a fine of 600,000 euros to 1 million euros (approximately $652,000 to $1.09 million).

With the amendment, a paragraph will be added to the law stating: "If the facts referred to in the previous clause, with reference to maternal surrogacy, are committed abroad, the Italian citizen shall be punished according to Italian law."

The bill, which passed 84 to 58 with no abstentions, was hotly debated in the Senate hall before being put to vote. The topic of surrogacy and its criminalization has been a source of political and social contention in the majority-Catholic country for a number of years. 

Surrogacy's criminalization is strongly supported by Italy's current, right-leaning government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2024 / 10:50 am (CNA).

In an Instagram post announcing his conversion to the Catholic faith, former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward captioned a photo of himself in Rome's Cathedral of St. Sebastian with the Latin phrase "Nunc Coepi," or "Now I begin."  

And what a beginning it was for the former Celtics player, who received the sacraments of initiation and first Communion from Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

In the church named for the patron of soldiers and athletes, Hayward "crossed the Tiber," literally and figuratively, to join the Church of his wife, Robin, and their children.

This week, the former Celtics forward shared his story with EWTN News, revealing what ultimately led him to Rome.

Hayward told CNA in an interview that the idea of having his confirmation in Rome had initially come about as a joke between him and the priest with whom he went through RCIA, Father Marcel Tallion, who is also the interim director of vocations for the Military Archdiocese.

"We were just talking about it and joking, like how cool would it be to do your confirmation in Rome?" Hayward recalled.

"He was like, 'Well, I'm going to be there at the end of September, early October if you wanted to go.' My family and I, we jumped on that opportunity and decided to do it," Hayward explained.

Tallion arranged the logistics for his trip to Rome and confirmation with Broglio, who has been there for the past month due to the ongoing Synod on Synodality taking place at the Vatican. Tallion was also the childhood priest of Hayward's former coach, Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics. 

Receiving the sacraments in a private Mass at the Church of St. Sebastian in Rome was a memorable experience for Hayward.

"They closed it off for us," he told CNA. "That was something that was really cool."

In addition to the tomb of St. Sebastian, the Church of St. Sebastian also houses a stone that is believed to have the footprints of Christ imprinted on it from the "Domine Quo Vadis?" scene in the Gospel of John (see John 13:36).

Seminarians from the North American College in Rome also provided sacred music for the reception Mass, which Tallion concelebrated alongside the archbishop and several seminarians who are prospective U.S. military chaplains. 

"The Eucharist is the biggest deal," Hayward told CNA while discussing his reasons for pursuing the Catholic faith. Hayward and his wife, Robin, have been married for 10 years, and he has been attending Catholic Mass since the two met. 

"I just never partook in the Eucharist and would just stand in the back as they were all going up," said Hayward, who grew up Lutheran. "Out of respect for the whole thing, I was told at a young age, you can't partake in the Eucharist if you're not Catholic. And so I just never did." 

The former Celtics player also appeared last week on "EWTN News Nightly," where he told host Tracy Sabol that it was through conversations with family members, including his wife's brother, Max, that he eventually came to know the Church's teachings on the Eucharist. 

"After learning about [the Eucharist], it was like, man, I've been missing out my whole life," he later said in the interview with CNA.  

Apart from the Eucharist, Hayward told CNA that discussions on how Catholics pray "through" the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints rather than "to" them were also significant to his conversion, having grown up in a Protestant background with "misconceptions" about the Church's teachings. 

Hayward also noted that discussions of his concerns about corruption and abuse of power within the Church were also pivotal for him. Ultimately, he said, learning that the Catholic Church's teachings have remained the same throughout history, despite having been governed by scandalous figures, "really resonated with me."

Hayward, 34, announced his retirement from professional basketball via social media in August after 14 seasons playing for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The forward had suffered numerous injuries for the last seven years of his career.

Writing about the decision in his Instagram post, Hayward attributed his success to God: "God has blessed me with an amazing journey, one that has taken turns that I couldn't have expected or dreamed of as a kid in Brownsburg, Indiana."

The announcement came after a season with Oklahoma City Thunder, which Hayward had spent largely on the bench, according to reports. 

He also noted in the retirement post that he was looking forward to the future, which included "spend[ing] more time with my family as a father and husband."

Hayward and his wife have four children — three daughters and one son. Hayward's two eldest daughters came to Rome, he told CNA, adding: "I think that was really cool and special for them to see me become Catholic. We made it a big deal."

Reflecting on how his conversion has influenced the way he views fatherhood and marriage, Hayward told CNA that receiving the sacrament of reconciliation was something that "made me want to be a better spiritual leader in our family." 

Upon their return from Rome, Hayward said he attended Mass with his wife and children at their local church: "And for all of us to go up and partake in the Eucharist and receive the host — that was pretty cool." 

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