Catholic News
- Pope Leo expresses 'profound closeness' to Palestinian people in Gaza, renews peace appeal (Dicastery for Communication)
At the conclusion of his September 24 general audience, Pope Leo XIV expressed his “profound closeness to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and to survive in unacceptable conditions, forcibly displaced—once again—from their own lands.” “Before God Almighty, who commanded ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ and in the sight of all of human history, every person always has an inviolable dignity, to be respected and upheld,” Pope Leo told pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. “I renew my appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a negotiated diplomatic solution, fully respecting international humanitarian law.” The Pope also invited the pilgrims to “join in my heartfelt prayer that a dawn of peace and justice may soon arise.” - Ukrainian Catholic leader deplores Russian destruction of parishes in Donetsk (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
In his weekly video address, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church drew attention to the plight of the faithful in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, most of which has been occupied by Russian forces. “Our Donetsk Exarchate has suffered the most in this war: more than half of our parishes and churches located in the occupied territory have been virtually destroyed,” he said. “Religious life of our Church is forbidden there.” - Peruvian prelate resigns at 51 following Vatican investigation (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop Ciro Quispe López, a 51-year-old Peruvian bishop who has led the Territorial Prelature of Juli since 2018. - Australian bishop returns to ministry after abuse claim 'not sustained' (Pillar)
Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers of Sydney, Australia, returned to ministry after an abuse allegation was “not sustained.” “The report from the independent investigator highlighted information given by the complainant that was inconsistent with other evidence obtained and therefore, the investigator could not be satisfied that the alleged conduct occurred,” Father Samuel Lynch, the archdiocesan vicar general, wrote in an email. - Bethlehem mayor meets with Pontiff, discusses plight of Christians there (Vatican News)
Maher Canawati, the mayor of Bethlehem, discussed the plight of the West Bank city’s Christians during a September 24 meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Referring to Christians as living stones, Maher Canawati, himself a Christian, said that he told Pope Leo “how important it is to intervene in what’s happening in Palestine, in Gaza, in Bethlehem, and to preserve the living stones of the Holy Land, because the Holy Land without the living stones is just a mere museum.” - Cardinal Parolin: Padre Pio has 'great importance' in history of Christian spirituality (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, celebrated an evening Mass at San Salvatore in Lauro on September 23, the memorial of Padre Pio. The Roman parish, which houses a shrine to the beloved saint, was filled to overflowing, with people filling the square in front of the church despite the rain. In his homily, Cardinal Parolin highlighted Padre Pio’s suffering, prayer, and mystical phenomena. “It is no exaggeration to say that Padre Pio occupies a place of great importance among the great men of prayer in Christian spirituality,” he said. - Commission: Protecting religious freedom can help prevent genocide (USCIRF)
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has published a report exploring the relationship between religious freedom violations and acts of genocide. “Promoting religious freedom is a crucial tool in preventing atrocities, including genocide, and rebuilding societies in their aftermath,” the commission concluded. “Countries with dismal religious freedom records are often at risk for mass atrocities, presenting some of the greatest national security challenges to the United States.” - Leading Italian prelates appeal for peace in Holy Land (CEI (Italian))
The permanent council of the Italian Episcopal Conference issued an appeal for peace in the Holy Land. “We strongly demand that all forms of unacceptable violence against an entire people in Gaza cease and that the hostages be released,” the prelates stated on September 24. “International humanitarian law must be respected, putting an end to the forced exile of the Palestinian population, attacked by the offensive of the Israeli army and pressured by Hamas.” - Vatican newspaper highlights Myanmar's 'forgotten people' (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
With the headline “Myanmar: La solitudine di un popolo dimenticato” [Myanmar: The solitude of a forgotten people], L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent article in its September 24 edition to the Southeast Asian nation, which is experiencing civil war and suffered a deadly earthquake. “The world seems largely unaware of the conflict in Myanmar,” wrote staff journalist Guglielmo Gallone. “In August alone, over 200,000 people were displaced from their homes by either fighting or floods. The efforts of the local Church and humanitarian agencies are enormous, even though 6.3 million people in the areas affected by last March’s earthquake are in need of immediate assistance.” - US bishops mark National Migration Week (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is marking the last week in September as National Migration Week. In announcing the week, the USCCB spoke of “the courage and resilience of migrants and refugees who bear daily witness to hope despite hardship.” The USCCB also spoke of the bishops’ “solidarity with immigrants amid the fear and anxiety prompted by current immigration enforcement efforts. The bishops have called for, and continue to press for, ‘a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all.’” - In Gaza, 'dialogue is broken,' Pope laments (Vatican News)
Speaking with reporters at Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday evening, September 23, Pope Leo XIV reported that the Catholic parish in Gaza “is fine, although the incursions are getting closer and closer.” He said that he had spoke to the parish that afternoon. Questioned as to whether the recognition of the Palestinian state by European countries might advance the cause of peace, the Pontiff replied: “It could help, but right now there is no real willingness to listen on the part of the other side; dialogue is broken.” - Holy See deplores production, use of cluster munitions (Holy See Mission)
Addressing a UN meeting on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a Vatican diplomat said that the Holy See “deplores the fact that cluster munitions, with their extended destructive consequences on victims and land, continue to be produced, stockpiled, transferred and even used in armed conflicts.” Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, said that “from a broader perspective, the vast proportion of human and economic resources allocated to armaments—with global military expenditure skyrocketing to over $2.7 trillion last year—is a matter of grave imbalance and even scandal.” Over 100 nations have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a 2008 treaty. - Pope, at audience, speaks on 'mystery of Holy Saturday' (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV continued his reflection on Holy Saturday at his weekly public audience on September 24, speaking about Christ’s visit to “the realm of the dead.” That visit, the Pope said, “represents the most profound and radical gesture of God’s love for humanity.” He cited St. Peter’s remark (1 Pt. 3:19) that Jesus brought the good news of salvation even “to the spirits in prison.” The Holy Father continued that Jesus “does not return to life alone, but carries all humanity with him.” - In address to brother bishops, leading Italian prelate emphasizes need for peace (CEI (Italian))
Addressing his confrères, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, emphasized the need for peace. “Peace is not a utopia for the naïve, but is the vocation of Italy, of Europe, and of every human society worthy of the name,” Cardinal Zuppi said at the opening of a three-day meeting of leaders of the episcopal conference. “Educating for peace today means forming people who know how to get out of the walls of polarization, who understand that Christianity asks for fidelity to the commandment of love. “ - New secretary of Vatican dicastery says much needs to be done to combat abuse in religious life (Vatican News (Italian))
Sister Tiziana Merletti, FSP, appointed by Pope Leo XIV as secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said in an interview that “much remains to be done” to combat abuse in religious life. A Franciscan Sister of the Poor with degrees in civil and canon law, Sister Merletti said she was referring not only to sexual abuse, but also to abuse of power and authority, spiritual abuse, abuse of conscience, and economic abuse. She spoke of “the need to find a home and meaning for what we experience: suffering, dismay, scandal, powerlessness, injustice, purification, forgiveness, starting over, but often defeat.” Sister Merletti described her dicastery—which has a woman religious as prefect, a cardinal as pro-prefect, and herself as secretary—as an “absolute novelty within the Roman Curia” and as a “a notable and promising fruit of the increasingly significant participation of women in the exercise of leadership within the Church.” - Pray Rosary for peace during October, Pope asks (Vatican News)
Pope Leo has called upon the faithful to pray the Rosary daily—“personally, in the family, and in the community—during the month of October for the cause of peace. The Pope invited Vatican employees to join each evening at 7 pm in St. Peter’s basilica to pray the Rosary together. - Texas governor signs ban on mail-order abortion drugs (Religion Clause)
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a new Texas law that bans the manufacture and sale of abortion-inducing drugs in the nation’s second-most populous state, and also cracks down on out-of-state mail-order abortion drugs. Drug-induced abortions account for 63% of abortions in the United States, according to the Guttmacher Institute. - Only 35% of Poles say they trust the Church (Our Sunday Visitor)
An annual survey conducted by the Polish Institute for Market and Social Research Foundation found that 35% of Poles say that they trust the Church, down from 58% in 2016. On the other hand, 47% of Poles now say that they distrust the Church, up from 24% in 2016. “The blame for the significant decline in trust in the Church lies solely with the bishops,” wrote Tomasz Krzyżak, editor of Rzeczpospolita, as he referred to the “three p’s: polityka, pedofilia, pieniądze“ [politics, pedophilia, money]. - Vatican cardinal, Philippine bishops speak out against government corruption (Fides)
Bishops are actively supporting the widespread anti-corruption protests in the Philippines. “We felt called to stand alongside vulnerable people, those who have been betrayed, and those deprived of their fundamental rights,” said Bishop Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan. Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan said that “we need a revolt not just against a corrupt system, but a revolt against the corrupt hearts and souls within us that allow the corrupt to thrive.” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization, traveled to his former Archdiocese of Manila and said that government officials “are not owners of the nation’s wealth, but administrators who must manage public funds honestly and responsibly.” - 'Bullet-dodging bishop' ministers in 'hijacked' Mexican state (Aid to the Church in Need)
Bishop José de Jesus González of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, described by Aid to the Church in Need as a “bullet-dodging bishop,” spoke about his ministry in the Mexican state of Guerrero, which he said has been “hijacked” by organized crime. The Church is “the only voice that can speak for the people,” he said. “If we are not brave, the people cry, and God weeps.” “If [Jesus] died for the love of me, then I must be willing to die for the love of others,” the prelate added. “Prayer makes us brave to enter the fray.” - More...