Catholic News
- At Mass for late Pontiff, Cardinal Sandri reflects on Pope Francis as a servant (Vatican Press Office (Italian))
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, celebrated the fifth of the novendiali Masses for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica on the evening of April 30 (booklet, video). Apart from the papal funeral Mass, it was the first of the novendiali Masses to be celebrated primarily in Latin; only the first reading, the Gospel, and the prayers of the faithful were in Italian. “In the most solemn celebrations we wear the tunicle under the chasuble, a reminder of our duty to always remain deacons, that is, servants,” said Cardinal Sandri, 81, as he reflected on the papal title of Servant of the Servants of God. “Pope Francis lived it, choosing different places of suffering and solitude to perform the washing of the feet during the Holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper, but also kneeling and kissing the feet of the leaders of South Sudan, imploring the gift of peace, with that same style considered scandalous by many, but strongly evangelical.” Cardinal Sandri concluded: Lord, we entrust to you your servant, Pope Francis, so that you may fill him now with joy in your presence, and we ask you for the grace to fulfill his vision for a Church that proclaims the mystery of Christ, Crucified and Risen! Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, intercede with your prayer for the one who so desired to fix your loving gaze, and now rests in the Basilica dedicated to you. So be it. - Over 10,000 in Rome for Jubilee of Workers (Iubilaeum.va (Italian))
Over 10,000 pilgrims from 90 nations are in Rome for the Jubilee of Workers, which is taking place from May 1-4 as part of the 2025 jubilee year. The Jubilee of Workers overlaps with the Jubilee of Entrepreneurs, scheduled for May 4-5. - Ukrainian Catholic leader pays tribute to late Pope, welcomes Trump-Zelensky meeting (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said that “His Holiness Pope Francis will go down in history as the Pope who prayed for Ukraine, who, as Christ’s vicar on earth and successor to the Apostle Peter, did everything in his power to stop this war.” “He consistently emphasized that whenever humanity starts a war, it always loses, because after every war, the world ends up worse than it was before,” the Major Archbishop continued. “We entrust Pope Francis to God’s infinite mercy.” The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church characterized the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in St. Peter’s Basilica as “a moving encounter at the tomb of the Apostle Peter.” Major Archbishop Shevchuk said, “We pray that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Christ, will inspire the minds and hearts of contemporary people and leaders of nations with the spirit of peace.” - Bishop Marini, former master of pontifical liturgical celebrations, recalls Pope Francis (DonGuido,it (Italian))
At a recent Mass for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul, Bishop Guido Marini recalled several themes and characteristics associated with Pope Francis and highlighted six: mercy, the joy of the Gospel, the Church that goes forth, synodality, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and peace. Now bishop of Tortona, Italy, Bishop Marini served as master of pontifical liturgical celebrations from 2007 to 2021, under Popes Benedict XVI and Francis. (His predecessor from 1987 to 2007, Archbishop Piero Marini, shared the same last name.) Interspersing anecdotes about Pope Francis into his recollections, Bishop Guido Marini added: We have loved, so much, this Pope. Now, we prepare to love, so much, the Pope that the Lord will give us, because men, with their names, pass, even pontiffs, but the papacy remains. This extraordinary gift of the Lord to his Church. We love the Pope, because he is the Pope, whatever his name. So, let us pray for the Pope who will come, let us pray for the path that awaits the Church in the near future. - Pope Francis denied absolution only once, Argentine journalist writes (CWN)
Silvina Premat, the reporter assigned by the Argentine newspaper La Nación to cover the future Pope Francis from 2005 to 2013, paid tribute to the late Pontiff in a Vatican newspaper article. - Vatican publishes list of ecumenical delegations at papal funeral (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Over 30 churches, ecclesial communities, and ecumenical organizations sent delegations to Pope Francis’s funeral. The Vatican newspaper published a list of the members of the delegations in its April 30 edition. At the top of the list were the member of the delegations of 14 Orthodox churches, seven Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East. The Assyrian Church of the East ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431); the Oriental Orthodox churches, following the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon (451). - Annual Swiss Guard swearing-in ceremony postponed (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The Pontifical Swiss Guard has announced that its swearing-in ceremony, which takes place annually on May 6, has been postponed until the fall. The ceremony takes place on May 6 in memory of the guards’ heroism during the Sack of Rome on May 6, 1527. The Vatican newspaper recalled that “189 Swiss Guards defended [Pope] Clement VII: they managed to bring him to safety in Castel Sant’Angelo, but only 42 survived the massacre.” - Cardinals confirm: more than 120 electors will take part in conclave (CWN)
In a statement issued on April 30, the Congregation of Cardinals discussed two procedural matters. - US study finds no clear benefits, serious risk to gender-altering treatment for children (HHS)
A new study from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds no evidence of medical benefits, and significant health risks, in gender-altering treatment of children. “The evidence for benefit of pediatric medical transition is very uncertain, while the evidence of harms is less uncertain,” concludes “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria,” a major study of available medical evidence. The evidence cited by proponents of “gender-affirming” treatment, the HHS finds, is “based entirely on subjective self-reports and behavioral observations, without any objective physical, imaging, or laboratory markers.” The treatments themselves “risk of significant harms including infertility/sterility, sexual dysfunction, impaired bone density accrual, adverse cognitive impacts, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, psychiatric disorders, surgical complications, and regret.” Examining the claim that “transgender” children may commit suicide if they are denied “gender-affirming” treatment, the HHS study concludes that there is no evidence the treatment reduces the incidence of suicide—“which remains, fortunately, very low.” Regarding claims that patients have a right to surgery they desire, HHS observes: “The principle of autonomy in medicine establishes a moral and legal right of competent patients to refuse any medical intervention. However, there is no corollary right to receive interventions that are not beneficial.” - Cardinals hear reports on Vatican's financial situation, discuss polarization, synodality (CWN)
On April 30, members of the College of Cardinals met in their seventh general congregation since Pope Francis’s death. 181 of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals—including 124 of the 133 cardinal electors—were in attendance, the Vatican newspaper reported. - At Mass for late Pontiff, Cardinal Gambetti asks: Are we a Church of goats or sheep? (Vatican Press Office)
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated the fourth of the novendiali Masses for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis (booklet, video). In his homily, Cardinal Gambetti contrasted sheep, “who do not rebel, are faithful, meek, care for the lambs and the weakest of the flock,” with goats, “who want independence, challenge the shepherds and the other animals with their horns, leap over the other goats as a sign of dominance, faced with danger think of themselves and not of the rest of the flock.” The goats, he said, “are destined for eternal fire. It is natural to wonder: at a personal and institutional level, which of the two styles do we embody?” After recalling a Holocaust survivor’s tribute to the humanity of Pope Francis, Cardinal Gambetti commented: “Christian humanity” makes the Church a home to everyone. How relevant are the words spoken by Francis in his discussion with the Jesuits in Lisbon in 2023: “Everyone, everyone, everyone is called to live in the Church: never forget it!” - China names two new bishops--without papal approval (AsiaNews)
Chinese authorities have announced the “election” of two new Catholic bishops, without waiting for papal approval. Under the terms of the secret Vatican accord with Beijing on the naming of bishops, as commonly understood, the government-backed Patriotic Catholic Association proposes candidates, to be approved by the Roman Pontiff. But in violation of that understanding, the Patriotic Association announced the election of Father Li Janlin as Bishop of Xinxiang, and Father Wu Jianlin as auxiliary bishop in Shanghai. In each case, AsiaNews reports, the newly elected bishop was the only candidate presented to the voters, who included religious lay people. The Chinese authorities’ disregard for the agreement with Rome could have an impact on the papal election, since Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, who has been a strong public defender of the accord, is regarded as a leading candidate to succeed Pope Francis. - At UN tribute, diplomats recall Pope Francis's advocacy for peace, the poor, and the unborn (CWN)
The United Nations paid tribute to the late Pope Francis at a ceremony on April 29 (video). - Ukrainian man recalls 80 letters, 25 meetings with Pope Francis (Vatican News (Italian))
Denys Koliada, a 30-year-old Ukrainian man, discussed his 25 meetings with the late Pontiff, as well as the approximately 80 letters they exchanged. “I heard some statements from the Pope on the war,” he recalled. “They hurt me.” Koliada said: I wrote him an honest, even harsh letter that ended like this: “Ukraine has Peter’s question for you: Simon son of John, do you love me?” I didn’t expect an answer. I didn’t hope for one. But the next day the Pope answered me. Simply, without diplomacy: “Come. I want you to tell me in person. I need to hear it from you.” During their initial meeting, “the Pope welcomed us and dedicated an hour and a half to us,” said Koliada. “But the most significant thing was not the time, it was the way he listened. Without defending himself. Without justifying himself.” Koliada added: He said a simple phrase, but very important to me: “Ukrainians have not only the right, but also the duty to defend themselves. Because those who do not defend themselves, are close to suicide.” On another occasion, the Pope told Koliada, “You can say that I am a sinner. And you will be right. But you have no right to say that I do not love Ukraine.” - Vatican newspaper draws attention to plight of Guaraní (CWN)
In a front-page article in its April 30 edition, L’Osservatore Romano drew attention to the plight of Guaraní people, whose way of life in Paso Yobai, Paraguay, is threatened by ecological damage from gold mining. - Papal conclave will begin May 7 (Vatican News)
The conclave that will elect a successor to Pope Francis will open on Wednesday, May 7. The opening of the conclave—following the traditional nine days of mourning for a deceased Pontiff—was officially set by the College of Cardinals, meeting in a general congregation on April 28. Almost 200 cardinals have now gathered in Rome to participate in the daily meetings leading up to the conclave. The conclave will open on May 7 with the celebration of a Mass Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice, followed by a procession into the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinal-electors will hear two meditations and take an oath to preserve the secrecy of the proceedings. If time allows, the cardinals may take their first vote on Wednesday afternoon. On any following days of the conclave, the schedule will allow for two votes in the morning, then two more in the afternoon session, until a candidate receives the two-thirds support required for election. - May 2025 papal prayer intention: for working conditions (Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network)
The May papal prayer intention, disseminated by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (formerly known as the Apostleship of Prayer), is “let us pray that through work, each person might find fulfilment, families might be sustained in dignity, and that society might be humanized.” Papal prayer intentions are customarily announced a year in advance and are retained by the new Pontiff following his predecessor’s death. - More...