Catholic News
- Cardinals discuss papal priorities in final pre-conclave meeting (Vatican News)
On May 6, at their final general congregation before the papal conclave, the members of the College of Cardinals continued their discussion of the challenges facing the universal Church and the priorities that the next Pontiff should face. Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican press office, reported that 26 cardinals had addressed the assembly. The previous day, the cardinals had held an extra afternoon session to accommodate all the prelates who wished to speak. Bruni identified the topics only in general terms, saying that the talks covered “the reforms of Pope Francis that need to be carried forward: legislation on abuse, economic issues, the Roman Curia, synodality, work for peace, and care for creation.” - Pontifical commission calls on cardinals to act against abuse, support rigorous disciplinary measures (Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors)
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has published a call to prayer for the cardinals of the Church. The commission prayed that the cardinals “give priority to the safeguarding and protection of the people of God and the importance of effective policies and procedures. May they contemplate their responsibility for the children, women and men who have been harmed in the life of the Church.” The commission added: Let no consideration for reputation impede our paramount responsibility to take action on behalf of those who have been abused. Inspire our cardinals to be leaders for protection and safeguarding, defenders of the innocent, and advocates for the abused. Inspire a conversion to safeguarding to accountability, transparency, and protection of the vulnerable. May they embrace the priority of accountability for rigorous policies and procedures and disciplinary measures. - Cardinals issue call for peace (Vatican News)
At their last general congregation before the opening of the papal conclave, the College of Cardinals issued an appeal for world peace. The statement issued from May 6 meeting noted “with regret that there has been no progress in advancing the peace processes in Ukraine, the Middle East and so many other parts of the world, and that on the contrary, attacks have intensified, especially against the civilian population.” The cardinals made a plea for a ceasefire “without preconditions of further delay,” and negotiations to resolve in both conflicts. - Conclave officials take secrecy oath (Vatican News)
Vatican officials who will assist the cardinals during the coming papal conclave took an oath of secrecy on May 6, following the procedures set forth by Pope John Paul II in Universi Dominici Gregis for the conduct of the conclave. The support staff—including those who will provide security, transportation, health care, and technical services for the cardinals, as well as confessors—each swore individually to maintain the secrecy of the proceedings in perpetuity, unless specifically released by a new Pope. - Ring and seal of Pope Francis ceremoniously destroyed (CNA)
At their May 6 meeting, the College of Cardinals witnessed the destruction of the papal ring worn by Pope Francis and the seal he used for official documents. The destruction of the papal ring and seal—the symbols of his authority—are among the last tasks carried out by the camerlengo after the death of a Pontiff. - 'Stir things up,' late Pope urged young people in video (Vatican News)
More than 100,000 people gathered in Mexico City for Vitae Fest, a youth festival. During the festival, the youth watched a video recorded by Pope Francis for the occasion. “You are not gathered to stay silent, but to stir things up, to create some movement, with joy, to receive a message and to share a message,” Pope Francis said. “There are many ugly things in the world, and we have to fix them.” - Trump administration to investigate state law challenging confessional seal (Department of Justice)
The Department of Justice has announced an investigation into a new law in the state of Washington that would require priests to divulge information about child abuse even if it was obtained in a sacramental confession. The Justice Department said that the legislation “appears on its face to violate the First Amendment” by infringing on religious freedom. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dillon added, “Worse Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals.” - Trump administration defends mail delivery of abortion pills (Politico)
The Trump administration is defending regulations set by the Biden administration that allow for online sales and mail distribution of the abortion pill mifepristone. Federal attorneys are defending the regulations against legal challenges brought by three states seeking to restrict distribution of the abortion pills. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump said that he would not restrict access to the pills, but would leave regulation up to the states. - New bishop withdraws opposition to New Jersey grand-jury probe (Philadelphia Inquirer)
The Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, has announced that it will no longer oppose a grand-jury investigation of the Church’s handling of sex-abuse complaints. Legal challenges by the Camden diocese have blocked a statewide investigation since 2021. Last month New Jersey’s top court heard arguments in the case, in which the diocese contended that the state lacks authority to investigate a religious body. But Bishop Joseph Williams, who was installed in March, has directed diocesan attorneys to withdraw the opposition. “We’re not going to block a grand jury,” he said. - AI image of Trump as pope was 'not good,' Cardinal Dolan tells reporters (CNS)
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said that an AI-generated image of President Donald Trump as pope, posted on presidential and White House social media accounts, was “not good.” “I hope he didn’t have anything to do with that,” said Cardinal Dolan. The New York State Catholic Conference tweeted: There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President. We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us. - Trump denies posting papal meme (New York Times)
President Trump has denied that he was personally involved in posting an image that showed him arrayed in papal vestments, which appeared on his social-media accounts. “I had nothing to do with it,” the President told reporters, saying that someone else had posted the image. Asked about people who were offended by the image, Trump replied: “They can’t take a joke.” He said that Catholics were not offended: “The Catholics loved it.” - 900 superiors general gather in Rome (UISG)
More than 900 superiors general of women’s religious institutes gathered at the Ergife Palace Hotel in Rome for their 23rd plenary assembly since the founding of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) in 1965. The assembly’s theme is “Consecrated life: A Hope That Transforms.” Sister Mary Barron, president of the UISG, “recalled the importance of a personal encounter with Christ, of authority as service, of vulnerability as a resource, the power of prayer, and the value of synodality,” according to the UISG. “When we planned this conference, we could not imagine that it would take place in this particular context, in which our dear Pope Francis has returned to the house of the Father, and in the week in which the cardinals will gather in the conclave,” Sister Barron told the Vatican newspaper. - Recalling late Pontiff, Cardinal Fernández Artime highlights consecrated life (CNA)
Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life from January until the Pontiff’s death in April, celebrated the eighth of the novendiali Masses for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis. The Mass took place in St. Peter’s Basilica on the evening of May 3 (booklet, video). During the Mass, celebrated almost entirely in Italian, the 64-year-old Spanish prelate recalled statements by St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis on the consecrated life. “What happened for the Lord’s first and privileged witnesses can and must become a program of life for all of us,” Cardinal Fernández Artime preached. Pope Francis, he continued, “asked us to be witnesses of the Lord like Peter and the apostles, even in the face of the misunderstanding of the Sanhedrin of yesteryear or the godless ‘areopagos’ of today.” - Pakistani bishops' spokesman fears war over Kashmir (Fides)
The executive secretary of the Social Communications Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Pakistan said that Indian and Pakistani leaders are “fueling violence and conflict” over the disputed region of Kashmir, thus increasing “the risk of a new war.” “That is why today we say emphatically: we need words of peace, we need dialogues based on reason and thinking about the good of the respective peoples,” said Father Qaisar Feroz, OFM Cap. Pakistani Christians “pray for de-escalation so that the threads of negotiations can be re-twisted.” Father Feroz warned that “the conflict has also led to a ‘water conflict,’ because the springs are located on Indian territory, and India has closed them to Pakistan. This will have an impact on the poor and civilian population, which is very bitter for us.” - Truck with papal humanitarian aid departs from Rome to Ukraine (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
A truck with papal humanitarian aid for Ukraine has departed from the Basilica of Santa Sophia in Rome. It was the 131st such shipment of aid donated by Pope Francis to Ukraine, Vatican News reported. The basilica described the papal gift as “the final expression of his love and support for the Ukrainian people.” Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, has coordinated the aid shipments. - Pope Francis's cousin, a nun, recalls his childhood Marian devotion, helpful temperament (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Salesian Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, a missionary in Thailand, spoke with the Vatican newspaper about the childhood of Pope Francis, her second cousin, while in Rome for his funeral. She said that her father, the late Pontiff’s great-uncle, “always said that he would become Pope.” She recalled the Marian devotion instilled in the family by “Grandma Rosa” and his childhood devotion to Our Lady, Help of Christians, whose feast is May 24. On the 24th of every month, family members visited the basilica dedicated to her, where Sister Ana Rosa and the future Pope were baptized. There, he “climbed the stairs that led to the statue of Mary, Help of Christians, sat there, and prayed alone.” “Jorge Mario went to live with the Salesians when his mother was ill,” she continued. “He asked Our Lady for everything and told people to pray to Mary, because Mary would act and help. He had Our Lady in his heart.” She added: He did not have a fiery character like young people today. He always tried to help others, whoever they were. He was always close to those who were suffering and he identified with the poor, the suffering, the sick. - Ukrainian bishop asks USCCB president to 'be on the side of the truth,' counter false narratives (USCCB)
In a show of solidarity for Ukraine, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops met with representatives of the Ukrainian Council of the Churches of Religious Organizations. “We really have felt the solidarity of the Church in the USA, and we never cease to pray for you,” said Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi, SDB, the Latin-rite bishop of Kyiv-Zhytomy. “Now we are asking the Church to be on the side of the truth, and not to allow a false narrative to prevail in the current political climate.” Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the US bishops’ conference, encouraged the Ukrainians “to speak the truth, even when not politically expedient, respect fundamental human rights and treat every human person with dignity, even Russian prisoners of war.” - Cardinals discuss continuance of Pope Francis's initiatives (CWN)
On May 3, members of the College of Cardinals met in their ninth general congregation since Pope Francis’s death. 177 of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals—including 127 of the 133 cardinal electors—were in attendance, the Vatican newspaper reported. - Vatican spokesman reflects on Pope as father (Vatican News)
Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, has published an editorial reflecting on the Pope as a spiritual father. “In the intense hours leading up to the beginning of the Conclave convened to elect the new Successor of the Apostle Peter, it is worthwhile to recall a fundamental aspect of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome—one particularly perceived by the People of God: fatherhood,” said Tornielli. “Millions of people, upon the unexpected announcement of the death of Pope Francis, felt orphaned—bereft of a father.” Tornielli devoted most of his editorial to reflections by Pope St. Paul VI on the spiritual fatherhood of the Pope. - All cardinal-electors now present in Rome (Vatican News)
As the College of Cardinals met on May 5 in its 10th general congregation since the death of Pope Francis, the Vatican press office reported that all 133 cardinal-electors were now present. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruno also reported that the Sistine Chapel has been prepared for the conclave that begins on May 7. Vatican security officials have swept the conclave for electronic listening devices and secured the area. At their Monday meeting, cardinals discussed a variety of issues related to the challenges facing the Church. The press office supplied only generic descriptions of the topics, without identifying the cardinals who addressed the assembly, but said that efforts were made to ensure that every cardinal had an opportunity to speak. - More...