Catholic News

  • Background: World Day of Migrants and Refugees (CWN)
    On September 24, the Church observes the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, a commemoration instituted by St. Pius X. Pope Francis’s message for the day, issued on May 9, is entitled “Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay.”
  • In Marseille, Pope raps 'fanaticism of indifference' toward migrants (AP)
    Pope Francis condemned the “fanaticism of indifference” toward the plight of migrants as he arrived in Marseille, France, on September 22. Migration was the main topic on the agenda as the Pope began his two-day visit to Marseille: the 44th foreign trip of his pontificate. Debate on the topic has been sharpened this week, as a burst of over 7,000 migrants—more than the local population—overwhelmed the Italian island of Lampedusa. Pope Francis said that it is “a duty of humanity” for Europeans to save the thousands of migrants from northern African who are crossing the Mediterranean in flimsy crafts. He said that “this beautiful sea has become a huge cemetery.”
  • Cardinal Parolin previews papal journey to Marseille (Vatican News)
    As has become customary, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, granted an interview to Vatican News on the eve of the Pope’s apostolic journey to Marseille (September 22-23). The Pontiff is taking part in the conclusion of the Rencontres Méditerranéennes [Mediterranean Meetings], a gathering of mayors and bishops that previously took place in Bari and Florence. The meeting “is about reawakening hope and doing so—at a time when a climate of great intolerance and indifference is being perceived—together, and by converging on fundamental issues,” said Cardinal Parolin. He explained, “I am thinking, precisely, of the migration phenomenon, but also of the challenges of peace, climate change, the fight against hunger.”
  • Cardinal Sako appeals for Vatican support as he seeks to regain formal recognition in Iraq (Our Sunday Visitor)
    Two months after Iraq’s president revoked his recognition of Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako as Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, the prelate expressed disappointment that the Vatican has not done more to support him. “I want the Vatican also to take a strong position,” Cardinal Sako said. “Honestly, I’m very sad and disappointed about the Church.” “I’m expecting moral support,” he continued. “We don’t have a militia or army to defend us. Even a letter or a declaration [from the Vatican] to say that this [declaration by Iraq’s president] is not right, this is not true.”
  • European court rules that Greek Orthodox prelate's comments about homosexuals are not protected free expression (Religion Clause)
    In the case Lenis v. Greece, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that a Greek Orthodox bishop’s comments on homosexuals are not protected by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression. Metropolitan Amvrosios (Ambrose) Lenis of Kalavryta, who once served as chief secretary of the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church, wrote a 2015 blog post on homosexuals entitled “The Scum of Society Have Reared Their Heads! Let’s Be Honest! Spit on Them.” In 2019, he was sentenced to seven months in prison for his remarks.
  • Archbishop of Milan issues pastoral guidance for same-sex unions (National Catholic Register)
    Archbishop Mario Deplini of Milan has issued a set of pastoral guidelines that urge care for those in same-sex relationships. The archbishop’s pastoral plan states that “particularly delicate attention given modern-day sensibilities must be devoted to accompanying and understanding the experience of love and the different nuances of attraction, both to people of different genders and to people of the same gender.” This guidance, setting policy for Europe’s largest archdiocese, was released just in advance of the October meeting of the Synod on Synodality, which is expected to take up the question of same-sex relationships. From the beginning of the 20th century up to the present, every Archbishop of Milan (including two future Roman Pontiffs) has been named a cardinal soon after his installation—if he was not a cardinal already. Archbishop Delpini, who took office in 2007, has not yet received a red hat.
  • Cardinal Dolan: Are Sunday Masses just too long? (Our Sunday Visitor)
    Recalling comments about Sunday Mass attendance in New York’s synod discussions, Cardinal Timothy Dolan wrote that Sunday Masses that regularly take 90 minutes are too long. He wrote, “Apart from the predictable carping from both fringes — the far left claiming that the only way to increase Mass attendance was to drop all liturgical guidelines and go back to the “do-your-own-thing” hootenannies of the ’70’s, or the alt-right urging turning the altar around and getting the fiddlebacks out of mothballs — the largest majority replied that the top reasons people were no longer coming to Sunday Mass were — are you ready for this? — one, because they couldn’t understand the priest; two, their parish had been closed; and, three, Mass was too long!”
  • Synod schedule: Holy See releases program for Oct. 4-29 event (Aleteia)
    In addition to releasing an updated list of Synod participants (CWN coverage), the Vatican on September 21 also released the schedule of the event.
  • Vatican archbishop pushes for universal health care (Vatican Press Office)
    Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States, urged more work to provide universal health-care coverage, in a conference on that topic sponsored by the UN. The archbishop remarked that “healthcare costs have caused half a billion people to experience or fall deeper into extreme poverty.”
  • VP Kamala Harris launches pro-abortion tour on college campuses (Human Life Review)
    Vice President Kamala Harris has launched a “fight for our freedoms” college tour in support of “reproductive freedom,” “LGBTQ+ equality,” and other issues, the White House announced earlier this month.
  • Russian invasion aims for 'elimination of the Ukrainian Catholic Church,' archbishop warns (America)
    Archbishop Borys Gudziak, the Ukrainian Catholic archbishop of Philadelphia, told the Jesuit journal America that the “Russian invasion is the elimination of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. That happened in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, and it’s happening now.” “Our Catholic communion means the world to us, and the Holy Father is a representative of that communion,” he said. “It is also the reason why, when there’s ambiguity in a time of great suffering, that people in Ukraine are knocked off balance. It’s not a theoretical question: People are being killed, people are dying, and they’re dying because of an imperialist ideology.”
  • Kidnapped Nigerian priest regains freedom (Punch (Nigeria))
    Father Marcellinus Okide, who was kidnapped on September 17 as he returned to his parish in Enugu State, has been released, according to local media reports.
  • Ratzinger students to hold first meeting since his death (ACIStampa (Italian))
    The Ratzinger Schuelerkreis—the annual meeting of former students of the late Pope Benedict XVI—will take place in Rome on September 23. Although this will be the first meeting of the group since the Pontiff’s death, Pope Benedict had not taken part in the symposia since his resignation from the papacy. The topic chosen for this year’s session is: “Bringing Benedict XVI’s rich legacy into the future.” Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the former private secretary to Pope Benedict, will join the group for an afternoon discussion. This will be the archbishop’s first visit back to Rome since Pope Francis ordered him to leave the city and return to his native Germany.
  • Argentine bishops object to government accord with 'sex workers' (CNA)
    The Catholic bishops of Argentina have urged the country’s government to reconsider an agreement between a government agency and an association of ‘sex workers.’ The agreement, providing for research on the methods of ‘sex workers,’ violates the country’s commitment to the abolition of prostitution, the bishops observed.
  • Attorney General Garland: 'Catholics are not extremists, no' (Daily Wire)
    Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee on September 20. Pressed by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) about the January FBI memo that warned against “radical traditionalist Catholic ideology,” Garland said that he was “appalled” by the memo. He added, “Catholics are not extremists, no.”
  • In UN speech, Archbishop Gallagher condemns Russian invasion of Ukraine (Vatican Press Office)
    In the strongest Vatican condemnation to date of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Archbishop Paul Gallagher told a meeting of the UN Security Council: “It is undeniable that the Russian attack on Ukraine has jeopardizes the entire global order which arose after World War II. The Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States said that the “cruel and senseless war” forced Ukraine into “defining its sovereignty and the inviolability of its internationally recognized borders.” He said that other nations should support that defense of international law. Meanwhile, the archbishop said, “those paying the highest price are civilians, simple people, and above all, children, youth, and the elderly.” “Aggression can only generation new aggression,” the Vatican “foreign minister” said. “If this war is not stopped and peace is not sought at every turn, the whole world risks plunging into even deeper crises.”
  • Vatican newspaper calls for renewed international commitment to peace (L'Osservatore Romano)
    With the headline “Nel mondo 170 conflitti. E la pace?” [“In the world 170 conflicts. And peace?], the Vatican newspaper devoted the prominent front-page article in its September 21 edition to a plea for renewed commitment to peace. Isabella Piro began, “Is today, September 21, really the International Day of Peace? Is this anniversary established by the UN in 1981 really celebrated today? Because if you look around you wouldn’t think so at all.” “Today, the UN has asked for the observance of 24 hours of nonviolence and ceasefire, because ‘our world has never needed peace more,’” she continued. “Will anyone grant this request?”
  • Australian premier appeals to Vatican for copy of canonical investigation into Bishop Saunders (The West Australian)
    Government officials in Australia expressed anger that the evidence contained in the canonical investigation into Bishop Christopher Saunders had not been turned over to civil authorities. “We want the Vatican to give the information they have to WA [Western Australian] police so they can take their inquires forward,” said Premier Roger Cook, whose office is akin to that of an American governor. “Following yesterday’s request from the Western Australia Police, the Church is taking immediate steps to provide them a copy of the Vatican-initiated report into Bishop Christopher Saunders,” said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The report from the canonical investigation, leaked to Australian media, found that Bishop Saunders, now 73 years old, “likely sexually assaulted four youths while potentially grooming another 67.”
  • Catholic peace entity condemns rampant sexual enslavement of Mozambican Christians (ACI Africa)
    A brutal Islamist insurgency began in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province in 2017. “We have confirmed from the people in Cabo Delgado that indeed, it is true; the fighters are turning Christian women into sex objects and forcing them to convert to Islam,” said Johan Viljoen, director of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute.
  • Two Chinese bishops, Archbishop Paglia added as Synod participants (CNA)
    Pope Francis has added new names to the list of participants in the October meeting of the Synod of Bishops, including two bishops from mainland China as well as Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the controversial head of the Pontifical Academy for Life. The final list of Synod participants, released by the Vatican on September 21, included Bishop Giuseppe Yang Yongqiang of Zhoucun and Bishop Antonio Yao Shun of Jining. The Vatican also disclosed that Cartinal Luis Ladaria, who recently stepped down as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, has withdrawn from participation at his own request.
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