Catholic News
- The Church has human and divine dimensions, Pope says in audience on Vatican II (CWN)
Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV devoted his March 4 audience to the Church as a visible and spiritual reality. - Cardinal Parolin condemns killing of civilians, decries preventive war (Vatican News)
Commenting on the Iran war, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, condemned the killing of civilians, decried the concept of preventive war, and called for respect for international law and multilateral diplomacy. “The Holy See forcefully reiterates its condemnation of every form of involvement of civilians and civilian structures—such as homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship—in military operations, and asks that the principle of the inviolability of human dignity and the sacredness of life always be protected,” Cardinal Parolin said in an interview with Vatican News. “If states were to be recognized as having a right to ‘preventive war,’ according to their own criteria and without a supranational legal framework, the whole world would risk being set ablaze,” he added. “This erosion of international law is truly worrying: justice has given way to force; the force of law has been replaced by the law of force, with the conviction that peace can arise only after the enemy has been annihilated.” - International Theological Commission ponders meaning of man in 'posthuman' age (CWN)
The International Theological Commission, the papally-appointed advisory body of theologians under the purview of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, has published “Quo vadis, humanitas? Reflecting on Christian anthropology in light of certain future scenarios for humanity.” - Religious sisters call for prayer, fasting, action for peace (International Union of Superiors General)
The International Union of Superiors General, which represents 1,900 women’s religious institutes, issued a call for “prayer, fasting, and action for an unarmed and disarming peace.” “As consecrated women religious, present in the most fragile contexts of society and close to those who suffer, we cannot remain silent in the face of a spiral of destruction that undermines human dignity and jeopardizes the future of new generations,” said Sister Roxanne Schares, SSND, the body’s executive secretary. - Bishop of Arab states calls for ceasefire, asks all Christians to pray for peace (Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia)
The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia—who ministers to the faithful in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—called for a ceasefire in the Iran war and asked all Christians to pray for peace. In a statement dated March 4 and released today, Bishop Aldo Berardi, OSST, urged “all Christians to pray unceasingly and not grow weary in prayer. As Christians, we proclaim that Christ is our Peace, the principle of reconciliation, and the source of communion.” - Pope 'cannot comment' on Jimmy Lai's imprisonment (EWTN News)
In a brief exchange with reporters on the evening of March 3, Pope Leo XIV said he “cannot comment” on Jimmy Lai. The Catholic democracy advocate who was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong. - Bishops condemn massacre of civilians in South Sudan (ACI Africa)
The bishops of Sudan and South Sudan issued a statement deploring the massacre of over 170 civilians in South Sudan. “We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, these heinous and senseless killings,” the bishops said. “There can be no justification whatsoever for the murder of innocent civilians. Such acts are an offence against God, the Author of Life, and a grave sin against humanity.” In its reporting on the massacre, BBC attributed the violence to “a group of unidentified men.” - Hindu mob vandalizes, desecrates Catholic church in Odisha (Catholic Connect)
A Hindu mob vandalized and desecrated a Catholic church in Dengaswargi, a village in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, according to Catholic Connect, a website of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India. Odisha (Orissa) (map) was the site of a 2008 anti-Christian pogrom in which an estimated 100 Christians were murdered, and 50,000 fled their homes. - Jerusalem abbot describes missile attacks, reflects on war (Vatican News)
The abbot of the Abbey of the Dormition recounted his experience of the attacks on Jerusalem in the Iran war, including hiding in a bunker with pilgrims visiting the abbey. The “power of the Psalms” is perceptible “where human words fail,” said Abbot Nikodemus Schnabel, who added: War strips away your mask. You stand there very exposed, and all the armor you put on in everyday life shatters. Then you stand there with your longings, your fears, your worries. That is when I realized that our primary vocation right now is simply to be there as monks: to listen, to offer comfort, to pray with people. - Fire destroys Nigerian cathedral (The Sun)
Fire destroyed the cathedral of the Diocese of Wukari in Nigeria, a Lagos-based newspaper reported. The cause of the fire is unknown. - Church in Singapore reports largest number of converts in a decade (Licas.news)
1,250 converts are expected to be received into the Church in Singapore this Easter—the highest number since 2016. The Southeast Asian nation of 6.1 million (map) is 22% Christian, 15% Muslim, 15% Buddhist, and 5% Hindu, with 36% adhering to Chinese folk religion. - Rhode Island attorney general issues abuse report (RI Office of the Attorney General)
Rhode Island’s attorney general released a report on clerical sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence, the state’s sole diocese. The attorney general “identified 75 credibly accused clergy, including 61 Diocesan priests and deacons, 13 religious order members, and one extern priest, who reportedly abused over 300 victims from 1950 to 2011,” according to the report. “Particularly under Bishops Russell McVinney and Louis Gelineau, accused priests were repeatedly returned to ministry, in positions where they had access to, and sexually abused, more children.” Bishop McVinney was diocesan bishop from 1948 to 1971; Bishop Gelineau, from 1971 to 1997, when he resigned at the age of 69. - Pope pays tribute to St. Casimir's Marian devotion (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to St. Casimir during his March 4 general audience. - Synod releases study-group reports on online engagement, revisions to priestly formation (CWN)
The General Secretariat of the Synod, led by Cardinal Mario Grech, released the first two of 15 final reports of the study groups established by Pope Francis during the synod on synodality. - Cardinal Cupich, Orthodox prelate meet with Pontiff (@CardinalBCupich)
Pope Leo XIV received Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and his Greek Orthodox counterpart, Metropolitan Nathanael Symeonides, on March 4. “This visit reflects a shared commitment to the ongoing work of Christian unity as we commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea,” Cardinal Cupich said in a social media post. - 'Missiles are flying over our heads': bishops describe Israeli invasion of Lebanon (CWN)
As the Iran conflict widened, Israel invaded Lebanon in retaliation for attacks by Hezbollah forces that are based in southern Lebanon. - Caribbean bishops lament US fuel blockade's effects on Cuban people (Antilles Episcopal Conference)
The Antilles Episcopal Conference issued a statement expressing “profound pastoral concern” for the people of Cuba in their “grave humanitarian hardships.” Without referring to the US fuel blockade of Cuba by name, the Caribbean bishops said that “recent developments in the region have resulted in acute shortages of fuel and essential supplies, causing widespread power cuts, disruptions to hospital and water systems, and serious threats to food security and basic public services in Cuba.” “While Cuba stands in need of renewal and positive change, it does not need more pain,” the bishops added. “The Church cannot remain silent when dignity is threatened and access to food, healthcare, and basic necessities becomes uncertain.” - Pope, in comments to reporters, renews peace appeal (Vatican News)
In brief comments to reporters last evening, Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace. As he left Castel Gandolfo, where he spends his Tuesdays, Pope Leo told reporters, “Pray for peace, work for peace, less hatred. Hatred in the world is constantly increasing.” “Truly strive to promote dialogue,” he added. “Seek solutions without weapons to resolve problems.” - Asia's bishops call for Middle East ceasefire, warn of 'incalculable' human consequences (FABC)
The Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences expressed “deep anguish and grave concern over the renewed escalation of violence in the Middle East.” “The recent cycles of bombardment and retaliation, involving major global and regional powers, risk plunging the region and the world into a conflict of incalculable human and economic consequences,” the bishops warned in their March 3 statement, as they called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities and for all parties to exercise moral responsibility, resisting the spiral of escalation that leads only to deeper suffering and irreversible loss.” “We invite all our local Churches across Asia in this season of Lent to intensify prayer, fasting, and concrete acts of solidarity for peace,” the bishops added. - Cardinal Parolin says military chaplains should help form consciences (Vatican News)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, said that the military chaplain is called to be a “companion who enlightens conscience, so that obedience does not become irresponsibility and discipline does not turn into moral automatism.” “Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a person, where he or she is alone with God,” the prelate preached at a March 3 Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls marking the 100th anniversary of Italy’s Military Ordinariate. The Church’s task, said Cardinal Parolin, is “to safeguard and enlighten” conscience, “this inviolable space of the human person.” - More...