Catholic News
- Fraternity is essential to Christianity, Pope tells audience (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV emphasized the theme of universal fraternity in his remarks at his public audience on November 12. Christ’s Sacrifice “encourages us to invest in goodness,” the Pope said. The Christian is inspired to recognize all men as brothers. Without that sense of fraternity, Pope Leo said, “The ‘other’ is reduced to someone from whom we can take, without ever being truly willing to give, to offer ourselves.” The sense of fraternity, the Pope continued, is “an essential feature of Christianity.” He recalled that St. Francis of Assisi addressed everyone as “Omnes Fratres,” and Pope Francis set the example, with his encyclical Fratelli Tutti. - AI poses risk of human extinction: Cardinal Parolin (Vatican News)
In a message to a Rome conference on artificial intelligence (AI), Cardinal Pietro Parolin issued a stern warning that if AI is developed without due respect for human dignity, the future of mankind will be imperiled. “Are we standing at the threshold of a new era, or will human beings sooner or later bring about their own extinction through the introduction of artificial forms of life?” the Vatican Secretary of State asked. - US bishops elect new president, VP (USCCB)
At their fall plenary assembly in Baltimore (texts, videos), the US bishops elected Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City and Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, as the conference’s president and vice president. The bishops also affirmed the advancement of the cause of beatification and canonization of Father Richard Thomas, SJ (1928-2006). OSV News and The Pillar have been providing extensive coverage of the November 10-13 gathering. - Vatican tribunal rules against listing 'credibly accused' priests (Pillar)
The Vatican’s top canonical court has reportedly ruled that the release of lists of priests who have been “credibly accused” of sexual abuse can be a violation of the priests’ rights. According to a report in the Italian daily La Repubblica, the Roman Rota ruled in favor of an American priest who sued a religious order for publishing his name on a list of “credibly accused” priests. Such a decision, which could be subject to appeal, could challenge to policies of the many dioceses and religious orders that have released “credibly accused” lists. The Vatican has not confirmed the report of the Roman Rota’s decision. The case reportedly was brought by a priest who said that the listing of his name damaged his reputation without providing him an opportunity to defend his good name. Last September, the Vatican Dicastery for Legislative Texts issued a caution on the release of “credibly accused” lists, emphasizing the right of those accused to the presumption of innocence. The dicastery acknowledged that a listing could be justified in order “to avoid any danger or threat to individuals or to the community,” but argued forcefully against posting such lists “for alleged reasons of transparency.” - US bishops to consecrate nation to Sacred Heart (USCCB)
At their general assembly meeting this week, the members of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The formal consecration will be made in June 2026, as a part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the nation. - Put Christ at the center, Pope preaches to Benedictines of Sant'Anselmo (Dicastery for Communication (Italian))
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at Sant’Anselmo all’Aventino, the church of the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine order, and preached that “we too will be able to respond to the demands of the vocation received only by putting Christ at the center of our existence and our mission.” “We are called to seek him and to him we are called to bring all those we meet, grateful for the gifts he has bestowed on us, and above all for the love with which he has gone before us,” the Pope said at the conclusion of yesterday evening’s homily for the 125th anniversary of the church’s dedication. “This temple will then also become more and more a place of joy, where one experiences the beauty of sharing with others what one has freely received.” - Vatican denies supernatural source of reported French apparitions (Vatican News)
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has concluded that reported apparitions of Jesus in the town of Dozulé, France, in the 1970s were “not supernatural in origin.” The decision confirms a judgment made by the local bishop years ago. A local woman, Madeleine Aumont, had claimed that Jesus gave instructions for the construction of an enormous cross, through which people could receive forgiveness of their sins. In 1983, Bishop Jean-Marie-Clément Badré of Bayeux-Lisieux discouraged fundraising for the project, saying that “in no case can the construction of a monumental cross undertaken in Dozulé (...) be an authentic sign of the manifestation of the Spirit of God.” The cross was never built. - 'Jesus calls you to be witnesses of communion,' Pope tells Slovak youth (Dicastery for Communication)
In a video message to youth gathered outside the cathedral in Košice, Slovakia, Pope Leo XIV said, “Jesus calls you to be witnesses of communion, builders of bridges and sowers of trust in a world often marked by division and suspicion.” “Do not be afraid, then, to show that you are Christians, to live the Gospel with enthusiasm, and to share the joy that springs from encountering the Lord,” Pope Leo continued. “Bring the light of Christ into your families, schools, universities, workplaces and communities.” - Pontifical academy president welcomes 'dismantling' of term Co-Redemptrix (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology welcomed Mater Populi Fidelis, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s new doctrinal note on some Marian titles (CWN coverage). “The document, with surgical precision, dismantles the title [of Co-Redemptrix] not because Mary does not cooperate, but because the term constructs a misleading image,” Bishop Antonio Staglianò wrote in an article for the Vatican newspaper. “Abandoning ‘Co-Redemptrix’ is not a loss, but a gain in depth.” “Mary ceases to be a ‘quasi-Christ’ in a dangerous salvific parallelism,” he added. “Instead, she becomes the icon of creaturely dissimilarity before God.” - New Orleans parishes to join in bankruptcy (WDSU)
More 100 parishes and charitable agencies in the New Orleans archdiocese will file for bankruptcy protection, as part of the overall plan to resolve the bankruptcy of the archdiocese. The archdiocese is nearing a settlement that will allow its emergence from bankruptcy. The bankruptcy filings of individual parishes and agencies will ensure that those entities, too, are shielded from future suits brought by abuse victims. The parishes and agencies are then expected to emerge from bankruptcy along with the archdiocese. - Syrian Christians return to village after 14 years (Custody of the Holy Land)
Syrian Christians returned to their village of Ghassanieh (Al-Ghassaniyah, Idlib), 14 years after their displacement at the beginning of the Syrian Civil War. “Ghassanieh has returned, hope is alive, faith has triumphed,” said Father Raimondo Girgis, a native of the village. - Papal praise for missionary cooperation between Europe, Africa (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV received members of the Fondation Internationale Religions et Sociétés and praised them for their commitment to support education in Africa. “I encourage your engagement, which is not limited to Catholic education, but which extends equally to missionary cooperation between North and South,” Pope Leo said, as he praised the foundation for its “decision to create an International Center for Missiology and North-South Pastoral Care. It is my hope that this institution will come into being.” - Priests less frequently called to emergencies (National Catholic Register)
Catholic priests today are less likely than in the past to be called to minister to people in emergencies, writes Matthew McDonald in the National Catholic Register. Questioning both parish priests and emergency personnel, McDonald asked whether a priest would typically be called to the scene of a life-threatening accident. “For the most part, the answer is No,” he reported. - Spanish bishop under Vatican investigation over historical abuse claim (Catholic Herald)
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is investigating a claim that Bishop Rafael Zornoza Boy of Cádiz y Ceuta, Spain, abused a seminarian over a period of several years in the 1990s. The prelate denies the allegation. - Retired Vatican cardinal writes book on synod on synodality (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, 88, the president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts from 2007 to 2018, has written a book for parish priests and parish councils on the synod on synodality’s Final Document. In his foreword, Cardinal Mario Grech, the Secretary General of the Synod, praised the book for “revisiting and illustrating the salient passages of that document so that it can be accessed by a wide audience.” “I also appreciate the critical remarks he occasionally makes about the Final Document, for example, pointing out certain general statements or repetitions,” Cardinal Grech added. “It must be kept in mind that the text was drafted under considerable time pressure, and, ultimately, it is almost surprising that, in such a context, a final draft of such quality was achieved.” - South African president, Pontiff discuss poverty (@CyrilRamaphosa)
Following a recent papal audience, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said that he was deeply moved by the Pontiff’s empathy for the poor and that he had invited the Pontiff to visit South Africa. The nation of 60.4 million is 81% Christian (7% Catholic), 7% ethnic religionist, and 2% Hindu. - Vatican newspaper warns of climate change's effects on children (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent article in its November 11 edition to the effects of climate change on children. In “Vite in pericolo” [Lives in danger], the Vatican newspaper referred to the United Nations Children’s Fund and the UN Climate Change Conference as it cited “UNICEF’s warning at COP30 in Belém: approximately one billion children live in areas at ‘very high risk’ due to climate change.” The data “should shock consciences,” wrote Vatican media’s Valerio Palombaro. “Extreme climate events are the second leading cause of malnutrition after war.” “The combined effects of extreme weather events, widespread poverty, and fragile basic services have fueled a long-lasting nutritional crisis: today, 40% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition, and nearly 12 million people live in conditions of acute food insecurity,” Palombaro concluded. - Pope plans special consistory of cardinals in January (National Catholic Register)
Pope Leo XIV plans a special consistory of cardinals, to take place on January 7-8. The Vatican Secretariat of State sent a message to all the world’s cardinals on November 6, telling them to expect a summons to the consistory. A special consistory is an unusual event, ordinarily called to discuss an important event. At the last such consistory, in August 2022, the cardinals discussed the reorganization of the Roman Curia. The topic of the January meeting has not been disclosed. However, at meeting leading up to the conclave that elected Pope Leo, several cardinals suggested more frequent meetings, noting their responsibilities as advisers to the Pontiff. For several years, under Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals had not met as a body except at consistories for the elevation of new cardinals. - Strip away non-essential structures, Pope tells Italian religious superiors (Dicastery for Communication)
Addressing participants in the general assembly of the Italian Conference of Major Superiors, Pope Leo XIV called for “a continuous stripping away of structures and attachments that are non-essential or even harmful to the full realization today of the original mission inspired by the founders.” “To this end I would like to recall, in particular, the importance of encouraging, in the forms of governance, a fruitful alternation in responsibilities and offices, avoiding static situations that risk favoring rigidity and sclerosis,” Pope Leo said. The Pope also cited “three important attitudes” listed in the synod on synodality’s final document: “ecclesial discernment, care in decision-making processes, and a commitment to accountability and evaluation of one’s actions and their results and methods.” - Cardinal Fernandez explains Vatican approach to apparitions, revelations (Vatican News)
Speaking at a conference on mysticism, being held at the Pontifical Urban University, Cardinal Victor Fernandez said that while recognizing the “freedom of the Spirit” to act in many different ways, the Church is slow to give official recognition to supernatural phenomena because the messages associated with them might be misunderstood as “revealed Word.” Cardinal Fernandez pointed out that in the past 50 years, the Vatican has approved about 3,500 beatifications and canonizations, usually involving the recognition of a miraculous event in support of each cause. Yet over the same period of time, he added, the Church has only given full formal approval to the three or four cases involving supernatural events. Even in the cases when the Church does give formal approval to reported revelations or apparitions, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith remarked, they remain matters of “private devotion,” not required belief. More typically, he said, the Vatican will issue a statement expressing no obstacle to devotion, without giving a final verdict on the authenticity of the revelations. - More...