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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 13, 2025 / 17:35 pm (CNA).

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order barring transgender medical surgeries and interventions for individuals under the age of 19. 

The move comes after a group of seven families with transgender-identifying children filed a lawsuit challenging the executive order earlier this month.

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland Judge Brendan Hurson granted the plaintiffs a temporary restraining order on Thursday following a hearing for the case in a federal court in Baltimore.

According to the Washington Post, Hurson reportedly described young people who identify as transgender as "a population with an extremely higher rate for suicide, poverty, unemployment, [and] drug addiction" during the hearing and called the executive order's imperative to immediately end transgender medical interventions for them "horribly dangerous."

The temporary block will remain in effect for two weeks, though according to an NBC News report, the plaintiffs' attorneys are planning to ask for a preliminary injunction before the time is up on the restraining order.

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CNA Staff, Feb 13, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

In a recent letter to the U.S. bishops in which he expressed concern over President Donald Trump's "program of mass deportations," Pope Francis also appeared to criticize Vice President JD Vance's use of the Catholic term "ordo amoris" in the context of the present debate over immigration.

Vance, a Catholic, had in a late January interview invoked an "old school … Christian concept" he later identified as the "ordo amoris," which he said teaches that one's "compassion belongs first" to one's family and fellow citizens, "and then after that" to the rest of the world.

"[Y]ou love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then after that you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world," Vance said.

Writing to the U.S. bishops on the topic of migration, the pope wrote Feb. 10 that "an authentic rule of law is verified precisely in the dignified treatment that all people deserve, especially the poorest and most marginalized," which he said "does not impede the development of a policy that regulates orderly and legal migration."

However, "this development cannot come about through the privilege of some and the sacrifice of others," Pope Francis said. 

"Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups," the pope wrote. 

"In other words: The human person is not a mere individual, relatively expansive, with some philanthropic feelings! The human person is a subject with dignity who, through the constitutive relationship with all, especially with the poorest, can gradually mature in his identity and vocation," he continued. 

"The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the 'good Samaritan' (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception."

Francis in his letter proposed that a "rightly-formed conscience" would disagree with associating the illegal status of some migrants with criminality, while at the same time he affirmed a nation's right to defend itself from people who have committed violent or serious crimes.

"That said, the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution, or serious deterioration of the environment damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness," the pope continued.

"I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of goodwill, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters. With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all."

What is the 'ordo amoris'?

Ordo amoris, often rendered "rightly-ordered love," is a well-established principle considered evident through both revelation and reason, Dominican Father Pius Pietrzyk told CNA earlier this month. That said, while the concept is well established, its practical application can be complex, and there can be legitimate disagreement on specifics. 

St. Augustine first introduced the term, explaining that a person living a just and holy life is one who appropriately directs his or her affections: not loving what should not be loved, loving what ought to be loved, and ensuring the proper degree of love is given to each thing or person. 

St. Thomas Aquinas built upon Augustine's work centuries later, writing that there must be a specific "order in things loved out of charity." In this "ordo caritatis," according to Aquinas, God should be loved first and foremost, followed by oneself, and then one's neighbors, with a more intense affection for those more closely related, such as family.

While acknowledging that certain relationships carry more immediate obligations — for instance, a married person has a greater responsibility to care for their spouse and children before attending to the needs of others — Aquinas' approach requires taking into account certain situational difficulties and urgent needs, especially the greater need of an individual in the moment.

"[W]e ought in preference to bestow on each one such benefits as pertain to the matter in which, speaking simply, he is most closely connected with us," Aquinas writes in the "Summa Theologica."

"And yet this may vary according to the various requirements of time, place, or matter in hand: Because in certain cases one ought, for instance, to succor a stranger, in extreme necessity, rather than one's own father, if he is not in such urgent need."

'A closing of the heart'

Vance's mention of the "ordo amoris" as a defense of Trump's widely criticized immigration policies sparked a worldwide debate, with some Catholic figures criticizing the vice president's understanding and use of the concept and others, including several Catholic theologians and philosophers, expressing concurrence and appreciation.

Writing at the National Catholic Register, commentator Father Raymond de Souza opined that Pope Francis, far from advocating open borders, rather condemns "a closing of the heart to immigrants, a denigration of their dignity and the political exploitation of their plight."

"[T]he conflict between the Holy Father and Vance is likely more about language than theology. It is difficult to hear in the Trump-Vance rhetoric love for the immigrant, whether properly ordered or not. Francis insists that even those refused entry, or returned, are to be treated with dignity and fit within the ordo amoris," de Souza wrote.

"The decision to address the Vance comments is likely due to his remarkably hostile accusation that the U.S. bishops' refugee programs — under contract with the U.S. government — are motivated by a desire to pad 'the bottom line.' Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York called those remarks 'scurrilous' and 'very nasty.' They also were not true," de Souza continued.

"The Holy Father likely felt it necessary to express solidarity with the American bishops."

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CNA Staff, Feb 12, 2025 / 16:30 pm (CNA).

Though not yet near pre-pandemic levels, Mass attendance numbers are on the rise in England and Wales, according to figures from the national bishops' conference. 

In 2023, an estimated nearly 555,000 people attended Sunday Mass in England and Wales, a roughly 50,000-person increase over 2022, a spokesman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales told CNA via email. 

The spokesman described the figure as "not a full return to pre-COVID levels, but it is an improvement on recent years." He also noted that the figure may be a "slight underestimation as some parishes may not have given their figures when their diocese requested them."

Stephen Bullivant, director of the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society at St. Mary's University in Twickenham, London, told CNA he is "tentatively hopeful that this trend for modest (re)growth will continue in subsequent years."

He pointed to a 2024 article he wrote for the Tablet in which he noted that while Mass attendance in the U.K. has significantly decreased over the past several decades — leading to projections of a near-extinction of Catttholicism — such dire projections seem unlikely due to signs of growth in some areas of U.K. Catholic life. 

That said, Mass attendance stood at roughly 829,000 across England, Wales and Scotland on a "typical Sunday" in 2019, Bullivant wrote, meaning attendance still has a long way to climb before it reaches pre-pandemic levels, if ever. 

In addition, a late 2024 study showed that the sexual abuse crisis deeply affected Catholics in Britain, with a third of Mass-goers saying they have reduced their Mass attendance because of concerns about the child sexual abuse crisis.

In his article, however, Bullivant pointed to signs of renewed vigor and new growth in some areas in the Church in the U.K., such as anecdotal reports of increased attendance at Easter services and relatively large numbers of adult converts, thriving university chaplaincies, and vibrant diasporic and immigrant communities, suggesting that while secularization has deeply impacted the Church, it is unlikely to result in complete disappearance. 

"To put it frankly, rumours of the Church's death – albeit four decades hence – have been very greatly exaggerated. There's a big difference between 'not dying out' and 'bursting with new life,' however," Bullivant wrote. "British Catholicism might be the former, but that needn't mean it's anything close to the latter."

The news from the U.K. comes following recent estimates suggesting that Mass attendance numbers in the United States have recovered fully following the pandemic's disruptions — though U.S. weekly attendance still stands at only 24%. 

The new analysis by the U.S.-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) used national surveys and Google Trends data to estimate attendance, which also revealed that attendance for important holy days like Easter and Christmas has recovered from the COVID crisis.

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Derry, Northern Ireland, Feb 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On the recent feast day of St. Brigid in Ireland, thousands of people walked the streets together in a joyful celebration of prayer that has attracted global interest. The Come Follow Me Procession on the feast of one of Ireland's patron saints was organized by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) and a group of lay Catholics.

"We want to bring Our Lord Jesus to people who no longer go to church, those who are lost or those who have no hope. There is a lot of darkness here, and when we lift Jesus high, we know that hearts are changed," said Father Antonio Maria Diez de Medina, CFR, who has encouraged an active interest in Eucharistic processions in Ireland. 

Holding the procession on the feast of St. Brigid was no accident, Diez de Medina explained to CNA. "There is a tendency to make her into a New Age saint or a goddess and part of it was to correct that," he said.

"We need to carry Our Lord Jesus in our hearts, and I really believe there is a new fire, a new hope, and a new song," he said.

Roisin Doherty, another organizer, said: "We are looking today to see Jesus come alive on the streets in public witness so that people will come to know Jesus Christ the King and his Eucharistic heart beating on the streets. This today is a breakthrough; Jesus is here, and Ireland is coming back to God."

Worshippers of all ages took part in the Eucharistic procession, singing and bearing religious statues, banners, and flags with images of Jesus, St. Brigid, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Derry's own Sister Clare Crockett.

The procession halted for adoration in Guildhall Square, a moving and powerful setting that was the scene of many past Catholic civil rights protests.

Prayer intentions included an end to abortion, euthanasia, and war; the healing of families from sin, division, addictions, and suicide; and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

"There can be a fear of expressing your faith, of hiding your Catholic identity, so we bring him to those who are lost, those who have given up on the Church, those who no longer go to church," Diez de Medina said. "Really, we become his hands and feet when we bring him out onto the streets and venerate him."

The Eucharistic procession was featured in a segment on "EWTN News Nightly," which can be viewed below.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 12, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The first Vatican Summit on Longevity will take place on March 24, bringing together experts and world leaders to explore the most advanced scientific discoveries and reflect on the fundamental ethical values ??that guide research in this field.

The summit will take place in the context of the 2025 Jubilee in the auditorium of the Augustinianum Conference Center in Rome in a meeting that will bring together scientists, Nobel laureates, and world leaders to address one of the crucial challenges of our time: promoting healthy, sustainable, and integral aging.

The idea for the meeting came from Alberto Carrara, president of the International Institute of Neurobioethics, and Viviana Kasam, president of BrainCircle Italy, who passed away in October 2024. The event is sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life, whose president, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, will open the event.

The Vatican Longevity Summit will not be an isolated event but the first step of an ambitious global project led by the Vatican in collaboration with international scientific and academic institutions.

According to a statement from the Pontifical Academy for Life, this project aims to promote a model of longevity that does not simply increase lifespan but enriches it in terms of quality, dignity, and sustainability, integrating science, ethics, and spirituality.

Furthermore, in line with shared ethical and anthropological principles, the International Institute of Neurobioethics aims to develop an interdisciplinary platform to foster dialogue between scientists, philosophers, bioethicists, and policymakers.

Integral human longevity will be the central theme of future activities, the statement said, with the aim of building a society that values ??all stages of life and promotes intergenerational solidarity.

"This summit represents not only a scientific reflection but [also] a call to consider aging as an ethical responsibility and an extraordinary opportunity for innovation for the common good," the statement said.

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, Feb 11, 2025 / 18:44 pm (CNA).

The president of the U.S. bishops' conference has responded to Pope Francis' letter to the bishops regarding the country's latest drive to deport unauthorized immigrants, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding human dignity and the goal of building a humane system of immigration.  

Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) thanked Pope Francis for his "prayerful support" and asked for the Holy Father to pray for the U.S. to improve its immigration system, protect communities, and safeguard human dignity.  

"Boldly I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all," Broglio wrote. 

The letter was in response to Pope Francis' Feb. 10 letter in which the Holy Father urged the U.S. to evaluate the justness of its policies in the light of human dignity and highlighted the inherent dignity of migrants. 

Broglio, in turn, highlighted the importance of centering the issue on Christ. 

"As successor to St. Peter, you call not only every Catholic but every Christian to what unites us in faith — offering the hope of Jesus Christ to every person, citizen and immigrant alike," Broglio wrote on behalf of all the country's bishops. "In these times of fear and confusion, we must be ready to answer our Savior's question, 'What have you done for the least of these?'"

Pope Francis in his letter proposed that a "rightly formed conscience" would disagree with associating the illegal status of some migrants with criminality, while at the same time he affirmed a nation's right to defend itself from people who have committed violent or serious crimes. Additionally, the Holy Father weighed in on the Catholic concept of "ordo amoris" — "rightly ordered love" — which was recently invoked by Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, in the ongoing debate over the country's refugee and immigration policies.

Broglio also directly addressed ongoing concerns around the U.S. government's role in charitable aid. Noting the recent funding pause by the U.S. government, Broglio urged the U.S. and the faithful to support Catholic charity and relief organizations. 

"We all turn to the Lord in prayer that families suffering from the sudden withdrawal of aid may find the strength to endure," Broglio continued. "With you, we pray that the U.S. government keep its prior commitments to help those in desperate need."

Under the Trump-Vance administration, the U.S. has paused its funding to most national and international charities. This includes Catholic organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities, which have since urged the administration to resume funding. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. bishops' conference last week laid off 50 staff members in its migration and refugee services office, citing a delay in reimbursements from the federal government.

"We also turn to the people of God to ask their mercy and generosity in supporting the Catholic Relief Services national collection this Lent as well as the 'on the ground' work of local Catholic Charities organizations so that the void might be filled with the efforts of all," Broglio wrote. 

Broglio concluded by highlighting the importance of fraternity, especially in the jubilee year.  

"As we struggle to continue our care for the needy in our midst and the desire to improve the situation in those places from which immigrants come to our shores, we are ever mindful that in them we see the face of Christ," Broglio wrote. "In this jubilee year, may we build bridges of reconciliation, inclusion, and fraternity."

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Vatican City, Feb 11, 2025 / 10:35 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed Father Anthony Gerard Percy as a new auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney and as bishop of the titular see of Appiaria, Bulgaria.

Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, welcomed the news of Percy's appointment, saying: "I'm grateful to the Holy Father for choosing another good and faith-filled priest to serve as a bishop in our archdiocese and to work alongside me in the vineyard of Sydney."

A parish priest of St. Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan since 2023, Percy, 62, was born in Cooma, southern New South Wales, and ordained a priest in 1990 for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. 

Since his priestly ordination, he has ministered to Catholics in six parishes: St. Mary's Parish in Young; St. Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan; Our Lady Help of Christians in Ardlethan; Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ariah Park; St. Therese Parish in Barellan; and Mary Queen of Apostles in Goulburn.   

From 1999–2003 Percy studied at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was awarded a doctorate specializing in marriage from the university's Pontifical John Paul II Institute. 

The bishop-elect was appointed rector of the Good Shepherd Seminary in Sydney from 2009–2014 by the late Cardinal George Pell and afterward made vicar general of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn from 2014–2023.

In a Tuesday interview with The Catholic Weekly, Percy said Pell had "placed a lot of trust in me and in the formation team" at the seminary, adding: "We had a great seminary and we had some really great young students who then became great priests." 

Percy also shared with The Catholic Weekly his anticipation for the 54th International Eucharistic Congress set to take place in Sydney in 2028. 

"The love you have for the Eucharist drives you to want to go out and serve people who are less fortunate than we are. One would hope that the Eucharistic Congress will really release that sort of grace in the Church once again."

Percy's episcopal consecration will take place at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on May 2.

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CNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

On Feb. 11, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. In Lourdes, France, in 1858, 13-year-old Bernadette Soubirous was collecting pieces of wood as part of her daily chores when she noticed a startling wind and rustling sound. The noise came from a nearby grotto. When Bernadette looked toward it, she saw it filled with a golden light and a beautiful lady.

It was at this grotto that the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette 18 times and where millions of Catholic pilgrims visit the healing waters at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Records have been kept from the exchanges between Bernadette and our Blessed Mother. Here are five of the most fascinating facts about the apparitions that took place at the grotto:

1. Paralysis 

When Bernadette first saw the beautiful lady in the grotto during the first apparition, on Feb. 11, 1858, it is said that she immediately smiled at Bernadette and signaled to her to come closer, in the same way a mother motions to her child. Bernadette took out her rosary and knelt before the Lady, who also had a rosary on her right arm. When Bernadette tried to begin saying the rosary by making the sign of the cross, her arm was paralyzed. It was only after the Lady made the sign of the cross herself that Bernadette was able to do the same. The Lady remained silent as Bernadette prayed the rosary, but the beads of her rosary passed between her fingers. 

2. The secret prayer

During the fifth apparition, which took place on Feb. 20, 1858, the Lady taught Bernadette a prayer, which she recited every day for the rest of her life. She never revealed the prayer to anyone, but she did say she was told to always bring a blessed candle with her. This is why candles perpetually burn at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. 

3. The Lady shares her name

At the 16th apparition, on March 25, 1858, the feast of the Annunciation, the Lady revealed her identity to Bernadette, calling herself the "Immaculate Conception."

4. The burn of fire

Bernadette never forgot to bring a lighted candle to the grotto since she was told to do so by the Lady. During the 17th apparition, on April 7, 1858, Bernadette unconsciously placed one of her hands over the burning flame. Witnesses saw the flame burning through her fingers, and yet she was able to pray for 15 minutes with the flame burning her hand. As she emerged from her prayer, she was unscathed and didn't even notice cries of horror from the people in the crowd. Dr. Pierre Romaine Dozous, a well-known physician from Lourdes, took another lit candle and, without warning, placed the flame to her hand. Bernadette immediately cried out in pain.

5. The miracle of Bernadette's body

After the apparitions ended, Bernadette went on to become a Sister of Charity. She died at age 34 on April 16, 1879. She was buried on the convent grounds in Nevers, France. Thirty years later, on Sept. 22, 1909, her body was exhumed and found completely intact. A second exhumation took place on April 3, 1919. The body was found in the exact same state as it had been 10 years earlier. Bernadette was canonized a saint on Dec. 8, 1933, by Pope Pius XI.

This story was first published on Feb. 11, 2022, and has been updated.

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Madrid, Spain, Feb 11, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Father Zvonimir Pavicic, OFM, the pastor of the parish church at the Marian shrine of Medjugorje, welcomed the recent Vatican recognition of the spiritual phenomenon there as a call to make this recognition more widely known. To skeptics, he says: "We never argue about Medjugorje, but I tell everyone: Come and see."

The Franciscan was in Spain last week for the 15th Ibero-American Congress on the Queen of Peace organized by the Medjugorje Center Foundation with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope Guided by the Queen of Peace." 

During a brief break from the event's busy schedule, the priest took some time to speak to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.

ACI Prensa: What does it mean to be a priest and pastor of Medjugorje and what is the particular grace that you have found there?

Pavicic: Being a parish priest at Medjugorje is very demanding, because you are at the same time the pastor, the rector, and the guardian. Because the three duties are not yet separated and the pastor is the one who does everything.

As a pastor, I take care of the parishioners and everything that parish life entails. But the pastor is also responsible for all the pilgrims who come. Although it is a very difficult and demanding task, at the same time it is very beautiful, because you meet people who come to encounter God and who want to live with Mary, and that makes your work easier. And I have to emphasize that I am not alone there, but the Franciscan brothers are there and they make all my work easier.

The grace that I discovered in Medjugorje is precisely the grace of the priestly vocation. What the priest means to the Church, how much people need priests, how much they seek him and, in reality through him, they seek the grace of God. And I discover this more and more in Medjugorje every day.

What has Rome's recognition of Medjugorje as a place of extraordinary grace meant and what does it bring to the Church?

Before the recognition of the "nihil obstat" ("nothing stands in the way"), Medjugorje brought a lot to the Church. It brought people to conversion, the faithful to conversion. And these people, in turn, prayed for others, converted others, moved people to prayer in their cities. So Medjugorje is a gift to the Church. And the Church has recognized this.

And the "nihil obstat" has opened the doors to Medjugorje and also to all those who want to go to Medjugorje. It has recognized the spirituality of Medjugorje as sound and that it can help the Church in today's world. And that is why the declaration states that this spirituality must be proclaimed in the Church, so that the greatest number of people will hear about this spirituality and that, by the grace of God, the greatest possible number of people will be converted. And I would conclude that Medjugorje was, is, and will be a gift for the Church.

You are a Franciscan. St. Francis was commissioned by the Lord to restore the Church in Porziuncola. What fruits has Medjugorje been bearing in these 44 years for the restoration and edification of the Church?

It's the same task. How did St. Francis renew the Church? With a holy life. With prayer. Living in the Church. Not criticizing the pope, the bishops, or the priests. And at that time he had reason to criticize them!

But he loved the Church and lived in it. And that is the true reform of the Church. And that is what Medjugorje does today. We have always been within the Church and for the Church. We have been waiting for the "nihil obstat" and we continue to serve the Church humbly, because we have not created ourselves. We say that God has granted us this grace and we only collaborate with it: for the Church and in the Church.

Many priests experience a profound renewal of their ministry when they go to Medjugorje. What do you think the experience brings to priests?

It's the grace of God. It can't be described simply. It can't be described, because it would not be divine if it could be described. But God acts in Medjugorje. And this is very visible in every priest and in every member of the faithful who goes to Medjugorje. I think it's not necessary to describe it but to live it.

And not only in Medjugorje but in any other parish. Medjugorje is only an image and a model of what any other parish should be like. Any parish should offer God to men. And the opportunity to go to confession, to pray the rosary, the Eucharist, adoration, and many other devotions. Everything is very simple and God acts in all of this. And this is what priests discover in Medjugorje. In reality, they discover that God is hidden in simplicity.

What do you say to those who are hesitant, who even look with suspicion at the phenomenon of Medjugorje, who do not feel called to that place?

I wouldn't say anything to them. I never argue with people about Medjugorje. Those who believe, should continue to believe. Those who do not believe, should live with it. God reaches out to each person in different ways. He has touched millions through Medjugorje through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Others have been touched through something else.

The Spirit blows where he wants and how he wants. We never argue about Medjugorje. But I tell everyone: Come and see. Only those who come to Medjugorje and participate in the evening program in the parish will reach a conclusion and make a judgment about Medjugorje.

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 Newsroom, Feb 10, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

A prominent Vatican cardinal said on Monday that people are being "terrorized" by the U.S. government's "crackdown" on immigration and freeze of Catholic-run aid programs.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, told the Associated Press in an interview published Feb. 10 that U.S. measures affecting both migration policy and international aid programs are causing serious harm to vulnerable populations.

"A crackdown is a terrible way to administer affairs and much less to administer justice," the Czech-born Canadian Jesuit said. "I'm very sorry that many people are being hurt and indeed terrorized by the measures."

The cardinal's comments coincided with a sharp rebuke from Caritas Internationalis, which on Monday strongly condemned what it called "the reckless decision by the U.S. administration to abruptly close USAID funded programs and offices worldwide."

Caritas warned: "Stopping USAID will jeopardize essential services for hundreds of millions of people, undermine decades of progress in humanitarian and development assistance, destabilize regions that rely on this critical support, and condemn millions to dehumanizing poverty or even death."

Catholic Relief Services — the U.S. Catholic Church's primary aid agency and one of USAID's recipients — has already raised concerns about the impact. 

Czerny noted that smaller Catholic programs are also affected.

The Vatican official emphasized Pope Francis' teaching that caring for migrants and vulnerable people is a fundamental Christian duty.

"What the Church teaches is very well summed up by Pope Francis, who says that our obligation, not only as Christians but as human beings, is to welcome people, to protect them, to promote them, and to integrate them," Czerny said.

The Jesuit cardinal is the latest of several prelates to weigh in on U.S. immigration policy changes, which numerous Catholic leaders, including Pope Francis, have criticized as unjust.

On Feb. 7, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, noted that "the Church does not have the authority or the responsibility to determine the legal status of those living in the United States" but does have "an obligation to care for every person with respect and love, no matter their citizenship status."

At the same time, the Kansas archbishop offered a full-throated endorsement of prioritizing public safety threats in immigration enforcement.

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