Catholic News
- Pope Francis solemnly proclaims 2025 jubilee year, issues bull 'Hope Does Not Disappoint' (CWN)
Pope Francis solemnly proclaimed the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica on the evening of May 9, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (video, booklet). - Pope mourns victims of attack on displaced persons in DR Congo (Vatican News)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, has sent a telegram of condolence in the Pope’s name to Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M Afr of Goma, DR Congo, following bomb attacks on two camps for displaced persons. The Pope, said Cardinal Parolin, is close to those “affected by this act of blind hatred which has not spared many children,“ and “supports the injured and the grieving families with his prayers, and prays for the repose of all those who lost their lives.“ The Pope also condemned “any act of violence to resolve conflicts, violence of which the poorest and most deprived are always the first victims.” - Papal aid for flood-stricken Brazilians (Vatican News)
Pope Francis has sent €100,000 ($107,800) in aid to the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops to assist victims of massive flooding in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (map). Over 160,000 people have been displaced by the flooding, and 230 have been killed or are missing. - USCCB releases updated list of catechetical resources deemed in conformity with Catechism (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on the Catechism has released an updated list of catechetical resources that have been deemed in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. A new methodology “permits the evaluation and use of digital materials,” the subcommittee stated on May 9, with its current conformity review process remaining in effect. - New York State files suit against pro-life pregnancy centers to end abortion-pill reversals (New York State Attorney General)
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed suit against Heartbeat International and 11 pro-life pregnancy centers to end the practice of abortion-pill reversals, which she described as “unproven” and “potentially unsafe.” Heartbeat International, in turn, filed suit against the attorney general, alleging “egregious violations of fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, free exercise of religion, equal protection under the law, and civil rights violations.” In March, the US bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities explained that “chemical abortion uses two drugs. First, mifepristone (also called by the brand name, Mifeprex, or RU-486) is taken to damage a woman’s uterine lining, cutting off nutrition and oxygen to her pre-born child, causing starvation and suffocation. Then, one to two days later, misoprostol is taken to push the baby’s remains from the womb.” “Fortunately, if a woman changes her mind before taking the second drug, the child may be saved about two-thirds of the time through an abortion pill reversal process involving the hormone progesterone,” the USCCB office added. - Charity coordinator examines 'remarkable increase' of Protestantism in Honduras (Aid to the Church in Need)
In an interview, the project coordinator for Central America of Aid to the Church in Need discussed the challenges facing the Church in Honduras (map) and examined why self-identified Protestants now outnumber self-identified Catholics there. In a 2020 survey, only 34% of Hondurans described themselves as Catholic. “The few priests there are already have a very heavy workload,” said Veronica Katz. “Honduras has the highest percentage of Protestants of any country in Latin America. There has been a remarkable increase in the number of evangelical churches.” “Many of these Protestant sects are funded by groups in the United States, and their pastors go to places that are underserved by Catholic priests,” she continued. “Catholics are drawn to those sects basically out of habit, rather than conviction. The Church is making a big effort to educate its faithful, so they can better resist this invasion of other denominations and sects.” - Ghanian bishop calls on political candidates to emphasize environmental protection (Fides)
Lamenting illegal mining, plastic waste, and the contamination of drinking water with mercury and arsenic, a bishop has called on Ghana’s political candidates to make environmental protection a priority. “Campaigns have started,” said Bishop Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agyekum of Koforidua. “If I have the opportunity, I will quiz them on what their sustainable environmental policies are.” Ghana’s general election will be held on December 7. The West African nation of 33.9 million (map) is 74% Christian (16% Catholic), 18% Muslim, and 8% ethnic religionist. - Pope urges parish priests to become missionaries of synodality (Vatican Press Office)
The Vatican has published Pope Francis’s mandate to the parish priests who were present at the recent international meeting on synodality. “I ask you today to become missionaries of synodality with your brother parish priests, once you return home: inspiring reflection on the renewal of the ministry of the parish priest in a synodal and missionary light, promoting moments of conversation in the Spirit among parish priests, in person or online, making the most of the opportunity of meetings that are already organized, or organizing one for the purpose,” the Pontiff wrote. “And then, I ask you to inform the Secretariat of the Synod of the fruits of these meetings, following the directions that will be given to you,” he continued. Pope Francis entrusted the mandate to the priests on May 2, the day on which he wrote a separate letter to the world’s parish priests. - Texas attorney general files injunction against Catholic agency for migrants (CNA)
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an injunction to halt what he calls “systematic criminal conduct” by a Catholic agency involved with migrants. Paxton argues that Annunciation House in El Paso has been facilitated illegal border crossings and has shielded illegal immigrants from law-enforcement detection. Earlier this year he had sought unsuccessfully to revoke the agency’s non-profit status. Annunciation House has decried the attorney general’s campaign as “illegal, immoral, and anti-faith.” Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso said that Catholic institutions bring relief to migrants as a necessary response to “federal neglect to provide a safe, orderly and humane response to migration at our southern border.” - Cardinal Zuppi, leading EU bishop pen letter to 'dearest European Union' (COMECE)
Bishop Mariano Crociata, the president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, have written a five-page letter, distinctive in genre and style, to “dearest European Union.” Using the word “dearest” eight times, the prelate expressed their deep affection for the personified EU. They also expressed concern for its well-being. “Dearest European Union, you are a living body, so perhaps the time has come for new institutional reforms in order to allow you taking up today’s challenges,” they wrote. “You cannot just be a bureaucracy ... You need a soul!” “We find in you so much care for the dignity of the person, which the Gospel of Christ has sown in our hearts and in your culture,” they added. “Therefore, we suffer while seeing that you are afraid of life, do not know how to defend it and welcome it from its beginning to its end, and do not always encourage the growth of population.” The prelates released their letter on May 8 for Europe Day. - Blood is 'flowing everywhere' in Ethiopia, prelate says (Fides)
The secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia lamented the intensification of civil conflict in the East African nation. “We were once considered a people of faith and humility, but today this is being challenged by the daily and ongoing conflicts and wars that continue to result in a state of general insecurity and extreme poverty,” said Bishop Teshome Fikre Woldetensae. “Blood is flowing everywhere.” ”By remaining neutral, free from ethnic sectarianism and political influence, religious leaders can play an important role as mediators and in building a culture of peace and reconciliation,” he added. The nation of 116 million (map)—the 12th most populous in the world—is 60% Christian (41% Orthodox, 16% Protestant), 34% Muslim, and 5% ethnic religionist. - Peruvian bishops decry euthanasia (Conferencia Episcopal Peruana)
The bishops of Peru renewed their condemnation of euthanasia following the first instance of euthanasia in the nation’s history. A 47-year-old woman who suffered from polymyositis sought and obtained authorization from the nation’s Supreme Court to be killed. “No authority can legitimize or allow” euthanasia, the bishops said in their statement. “The human being, created in the image and likeness of God, possesses an intrinsic dignity that no one can deny or detract from ... There is no situation ... that justifies the killing of a human being.” - City of Rome bracing for Jubilee Year pilgrims (AP)
On May 9, as Pope Francis officially reads the papal bull proclaiming 2025 as a Jubilee Year, the City of Rome is struggling to complete dozens of public-works projects to prepare for the arrival of an expected 30 million pilgrims. The city expects to spend €4 billion ($4.3 billion) in repairs and new construction before the Jubilee Year. But because of delays caused by political turmoil, only 2 of a proposed 231 projects have been completed, while more than 100 have not yet begun. Both public officials and Church leaders profess confidence that the city will be ready for the Jubilee, however. Archbishop Renato Fisichella, the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, says: “Rome will become an even more beautiful city, because it will be ever more at the service of its people, pilgrims and tourists who will come.” - Pope recalls Our Lady of Luján, Pompeii (Vatican Press Office (Spanish, Italian))
At the conclusion of his May 8 general audience, Pope Francis recalled Our Lady of Luján and Our Lady of Pompeii, both commemorated on that day. “Today in my homeland, in Argentina, the solemnity of Our Lady of Luján is celebrated, whose image is present here,” he said. “Let us pray for Argentina, that the Lord help it on its path.” The Pontiff placed flowers at the feet of Our Lady’s statue. “Today the Church raises the prayer of Supplication to the Madonna of the Rosary of Pompeii,” the Pope added. Bishop Giuseppe Favale of Conversano-Monopoli was the principal celebrant at Mass on May 8 at the Marian shrine. - Vatican removes block on gay-friendly university dean (New Ways Ministry)
The Vatican has quietly removed its veto on the appointment of a controversial theologian to become dean of the Philosophical-Theological University of Brixen/Bressanone, Italy. Father Martin Lintner had been elected as dean in 2022, but his appointment was blocked by the Vatican because of his support for same-sex unions. The Vatican has now set aside that opposition and allowed the appointment, reports New Ways Ministry. - Chile's bishops, president discuss security, migrants (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The leaders of Chile’s episcopal conference met recently with Gabriel Boric, the nation’s left-wing president. The parties discussed “the migration issue, the current situation of growing violence against the security forces, and the role of religions in building the common good,” according to the Vatican newspaper. The meeting followed the brutal killing of three police officers—an incident the bishops discussed with Boric. - Cause moves forward for beatification of Communion and Liberation founder (Aleteia)
The Archdiocese of Milan has opened the “testimonial phase” of the cause for beatification of Luigi Giussani, the founder of the Communion and Liberation movement. - Papua New Guinea indigenous leader, Pope discuss defense of creation (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Francis received Mundiya Kepanga, an indigenous Leader in Papua New Guinea, on May 8 The Pontiff and the tribal chief discussed the defense of creation and deforestation, according to a tweet reposted by Kepanga on his X (Twitter) account. The Pontiff is scheduled to visit Papua New Guinea and three other nations in September. - Killings of Christians continue in Nigeria (Aid to the Church in Need)
Dozens of Christians have been killed in Nigeria since the end of March, according to Aid to the Church in Need. The Christians were victims of raids by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State (map), where at least 39 were killed, and Benue State (map), where at least 38 were killed. More than 500 Nigerian Christians were killed in 2023, and 67 attacks have left at least 239 dead in 2024, according to the report. The nation of 231 million (map), the most populous in Africa and sixth most populous in the world, is 47% Muslim, 46% Christian (11% Catholic), and 7% ethnic religionist. - Catholic broadcasters challenge FCC rule on collecting employee data (CNA)
Two Catholic radio stations have protested a new ruling by the Federal Communications Commission that will require all broadcasters to report the race and gender of all employees. Ave Maria Radio, Armor of God Catholic Radio, and La Promesa Foundation contend that the requirement is designed to “advance the interests of the LGBTQ lobby and would chill the religious freedoms” of religious broadcasters. The National Religious Broadcasters Association and American Family Association have also announced plans to challenge the new rule. - More...