Catholic News
- Background: World Day of Prayer for Vocations (CWN)
On April 21, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church commemorates the 61st World Day of Prayer for Vocations. - New motu proprio sets standards for Vatican tribunal judges (Vatican News)
Pope Francis has issued another motu proprio setting norms for the judges who serve on Vatican tribunals. The new norms set the retirement age for judges at 75, or 80 for those who are cardinals. The Pope may extend a judge’s term beyond that age at his own discretion. The motu proprio also gives the Pontiff the authority to remove judges who “due to proven incapacity, are unable to fulfill their duties, even temporarily.” The document also sets payment, benefits, and pension standards for the judges. - Dream big, build peace: Pope exhorts young students (Vatican News)
Pope Francis spoke on April 19 to children from the Schools for Peace National Network, and told them “you are called to be protagonists and not spectators of the future.” The Pontiff asked the young people to repeat his challenge, then to repeat it again—saying, “I can’t hear you!” He told them that they must be “committed to working in the building site of the future, overcoming the temptation of a life restricted merely to today, that risks losing the ability to dream big.” - Cardinal Dolan meets with Israeli, Palestinian leaders, speaks of local reactions to Pope (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, visiting the Holy Land in his role as president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Both leaders “expressed their appreciation for the role that Christian communities play in their civil societies,” Cardinal Dolan said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper. Cardinal Dolan said that the efforts of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to promote peace are widely respected in the area. “I was able to appreciate the hearing that the powerful voice of Pope Francis receives,” Cardinal Dolan added. “In both parties [Israeli and Palestinian], some find reasons to criticize him, but there is unanimous appreciation for his strong words in favor of dialogue and peace.” - 7 major Italian sees no longer led by a cardinal (Il Messaggero)
Seven major Italian sees—Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Turin, and Venice—are now no longer led by a cardinal, Vatican reporter Franca Giansoldati notes in an analysis for Il Messaggero. Pope Francis appointed archbishops of six of these sees: Archbishop Corrado Lorefice (Palermo) in 2015, Archbishop Mario Delpini (Milan) in 2017, Archbishops Domenico Battaglia (Naples) and Marco Tasca (Genoa) in 2020, Archbishop Roberto Repole (Turin) in 2022, and Archbishop-elect Gherardo Gambelli (Florence) in 2024. Patriarch Francesco Moraglia has led the Patriarchate of Venice since 2012. Pope Francis has named bishops of less prominent Italian dioceses as cardinals, including Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli (Ancona-Osimo), Archbishop Francesco Montenegro (Agrigento), Archbishop Giuseppe Petrocchi (L’Aquila), Archbishop Augusto Paolo Lojudice (Siena-Colle di Val d’Elsa-Montalcino), and Bishop Oscar Cantoni (Como). As has been customary, the Pontiff named the (now former) vicar general of Rome (Angelo De Donatis) and Archbishop Matteo Zuppi of Bologna as cardinals. - USCCB leadership meets with Pontiff (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Francis received the leadership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in an April 18 audience. Present at the meeting were Archbishop Timothy Broglio, USCCB president; Archbishop William Lori, vice president; Father Michael Fuller, general secretary; and Father Paul Hartmann, associate general secretary. “This is the third time I have participated with the USCCB Conference leadership for a private, hour-long audience with the Holy Father,” Father Hartmann tweeted. “It is always powerful to be in the Apostolic Palace and be able to share the good things happening in the Church in the United States.” - DC Knights call for Rupnik art removal (Pillar)
A Knights of Columbus council in Washington, DC, has called for the removal of Father Marko Rupnik’s mosaics from the St. John Paul II National Shrine. The shrine, located in Washington, is a major pastoral initiative of the Knights of Columbus. - Finnish lawmaker facing 3rd trial for citing Bible on homosexuality (ADF)
Päivi Räsänen, a member of Finland’s parliament and former cabinet member, is facing a third court trial on “hate speech” charges stemming from her quotation of Bible verses condemning homosexual acts. Räsänen won acquittal on the charges in a unanimous district-court decision, which was upheld by an appeals. Nevertheless prosecutors have confirmed that they are bringing the case before the country’s supreme court. - Papal encouragement for Global Christian Forum (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Francis has written a message of encouragement to participants in the fourth global gathering of the Global Christian Forum, an ecumenical organization founded a quarter century ago. “Throughout its history, the Global Christian Forum has contributed significantly to the promotion of this bond by providing a space in which members, especially those from different historical expressions of the Christian faith, grow in mutual respect and fraternity by encountering one another in Christ,” Pope Francis wrote to pariticipants in the gathering in Accra, Ghana. “May this gathering, on the forum’s silver anniversary, deepen your faith and revitalize your fraternal love as you pray together, exchange your personal stories and address the challenges facing the global Christian community,” the Pope added. - Ukraine court rejects bid for house arrest of Orthodox leader (UOC)
A Ukrainian judge has rejected a request by government authorities to place a leading Orthodox priest under house arrest as a “preventive measure” because he had allegedly “justified the Russian war against Ukraine and incited religious hatred.” Father Mikola Danylevych, who heads the external-affairs department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), has been at odds with government officials because of his public protests againt the government’s seizure of UOC churches. The UOC, which has traditionally been allied with the Patriarchate of Moscow, has been a target for government restrictions during the war, despite public statements in which the UOC leadership has distanced itself from Moscow’s support of the Russian offensive. - British court upholds school's ban on student prayer (Religion Clause)
A British court has ruled that one of Britian’s highest performing schools has the right to prevent Muslim students from saying ritual prayers during lunch. “The Claimant at the very least impliedly accepted, when she enrolled at the School, that she would be subject to restrictions on her ability to manifest her religion,” the court ruled. “She knew that the School is secular and her own evidence is that her mother wished her to go there because it was known to be strict.” Known for its high academic and behavioral standards, the Michaela Community School is akin to a public charter school in the United States. Its headmistress, Katharine Birbalsingh, delivered a keynote address at at the leading classical education conference in the United States last year. - Vatican cardinal reflects on vocational discernment (CNS)
Reflecting on vocational discernment, Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for Clergy, said that the “call to happiness” is the first vocation of all people. “The first road signs to follow are precisely our desires, what we sense in our hearts may be good for us and, through us, for the world around us,” he said. However, “our desires do not always correspond to the truth of who we are,” and sometimes “are dictated by a selfish search for our own well-being.” Emphasizing the importance of prayer for discernment, Cardinal You said that “a vocation is recognized when we bring our deep desires into dialogue with the work that God’s grace does within us.” “There is a need for a new mentality and new formation paths because often a priest is educated to be a solitary leader, a ‘one man in charge,’ and this is not good for him,” he added. “We are small and full of limitations, but we are disciples of the Master. Moved by him we can do many things. Not individually, but together, synodally.” - 'Climate change is splitting the world in two,' Vatican newspaper warns (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
With the headline “Deserts of Water, Rivers of Earth,” L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent front-page coverage in its April 18 edition to climate change. Warning that “between floods and droughts, climate change is splitting the world in two and weighing on economic development,” the newspaper reported on flooding in Dubai, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan, and drought in Colombia, Mexico, and Spain. Citing a study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the unsigned Vatican newspaper article stated that “because of the climate crisis, the world economy is destined to lose $38 trillion a year until 2050, with an average reduction in citizens’ income of 19%. The populations of Southern Asia and Africa will be most affected.” - Rupnik remains listed as Vatican liturgical consultant (CNA)
Although Father Marko Rupnik has been dismissed from the Society of Jesus, the new edition of the Vatican’s official yearbook listed him as both a Jesuit and a consultor to a Vatican dicastery. The Annuario Pontificio lists Rupnik—who has been charged with multiple counts of sexual an liturgical abuses—as a consultor to the Dicastery for Divine Worship. - Vatican puts Texas Carmelite convent under supervision of national association (Katholisch)
The Vatican has issued a decree placing a Carmelite convent in Texas under the jurisdiction of the national Carmelite Association, ending the mandate that had placed the convent under the rule of Bishop Michael Olsen of Fort Worth. The Monastery of the Holy Trinity has been locked in a battle with Bishop Olson, who removed the community’s superior, sought to dismiss her from the order, and ordered the convent closed to the public. The Carmelites appealed the bishop’s orders and claimed that he had overstepped his authority—prompting the bishop to say their stance was “scandalous and schismatic.” Last year the Vatican’s Dicastery for Religious gave Bishop Olson authority over the convent. The bishop said that the new order from Rome was made with his approval, “to help restore the Carmel of Arlington to health and unity with the local and universal Church.” - Pope Francis intends to visit Argentina this year, governor says after audience (@gustavovaldesok)
Pope Francis intends to visit his native Argentina this year, an Argentine governor said following an April 17 audience with the Pontiff. “He expressed to me his intention to visit Argentina this year, which would be a gesture in pursuit of unity and concord among Argentinians in difficult times for the country,” tweeted Governor Gustavo Valdés of Corrientes (map). Valdés began his series of tweets by saying that he had conveyed “the warm embrace of the people of Corrientes expressed in their unwavering faith in the Holy Patroness, Our Lady of Itatí.” Valdés said that he and the Pontiff discussed the current “political, economic, and social” situation of Argentina, as well as the “challenges faced by a society in permanent transformation.” He added, “We addressed two topics of great interest to him: education and ecology.” - Orthodox prelate in Russia convicted for criticizing Ukraine war (Forum 18)
Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov, an 87-year-old Orthodox prelate who is not allied with the Patriarchate of Moscow, has been found guilty of “discrediting” Russia’s armed forces, because of his opposition to the war in Ukraine. Archbishop Pivovarov has described the Russian offensive as “Satanic” and “cursed by both God and by people.” He was fined 150,00 rubles (about $1,600). The archbishop said authorities had already taken nearly that amount from his church during a raid last October. - Vatican clinic offers breast-cancer screening for homeless (Vatican News)
The Vatican has set up a mobile clinic in the colonnade of St. Peter’s Square, offering breast-cancer screening to the homeless women of Rome. The screening is a joint project of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity and the Italian Komen association. - Pope urges renewal for Discalced Carmelites (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Francis encouraged Discalced Carmelites to “discover new language, new ways and means to give greater impetus to the contemplative life that the Lord has called you to embrace.” The Pope was speaking on April 18 to an audience of delegates of the Discalced Carmelites, who have gathered in Rome to work on the revision of their constitutions. He remarked that they face a particular challenge “because your lives embody the tension between separation from the world and immersion in it.” - Parish priest who served as missionary named archbishop of Florence (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, 77, as archbishop of Florence, Italy, and has named Father Gherardo Gambelli, 54, a parish priest there, as his successor. The see of Florence is among the most prominent in Europe, with each archbishop over the past 130 years being named a cardinal. Until the appointment of Father Gambelli, every archbishop since 1888 was already a cardinal or bishop at the time of his appointment. Father Gambelli served as a missionary in the north-central African nation of Chad (map) from 2011 to 2022. In 2018, he became rector of the cathedral in N’Djaména, the nation’s capital; the following year, he was named vicar general of the Archdiocese of N’Djaména. - More...