Catholic News

• Pope Francis dead at 88 [Developing] (CWN)
  Pope Francis died early in the morning of Easter Monday, April 21, the Vatican has disclosed.
• The Resurrection is the basis of our hope, Pope writes in Easter message (Vatican Press Office)
  In the last message of his pontificate—his Easter message Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world)—Pope Francis wrote that “the resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope.” An aide read the message to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, but the Pontiff himself imparted the Easter blessing (video, 1:59:40). “For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion,” the Pope wrote. “Thanks to Christ—crucified and risen from the dead—hope does not disappoint!” As is customary in Urbi et Orbi messages, the Pope prayed for peace in war-torn areas of the world. He also called for “freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others,” as he rued rising anti-Semitism. He also wrote: In his [God’s] eyes, every life is precious! The life of a child in the mother’s womb, as well as the lives of the elderly and the sick, who in more and more countries are looked upon as people to be discarded. What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of our world! How much violence we see, often even within families, directed at women and children! How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants!
• We must look for Christ, Pope emphasizes in Easter Sunday homily (Vatican Press Office)
  Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, presided at the Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square on April 20 (video). The 81-year-old prelate read aloud the Pope’s homily. Jesus, “in fact, has risen from the dead and therefore is no longer in the tomb,” Pope Francis wrote. “We must look for him elsewhere.” “We must take action, set out to look for him: look for him in life, look for him in the faces of our brothers and sisters, look for him in everyday business, look for him everywhere except in the tomb,” the Pope continued, adding: We must look for him without ceasing. Because if he has risen from the dead, then he is present everywhere, he dwells among us, he hides himself and reveals himself even today in the sisters and brothers we meet along the way, in the most ordinary and unpredictable situations of our lives. He is alive and is with us always, shedding the tears of those who suffer and adding to the beauty of life through the small acts of love carried out by each of us.
• Papal Easter Vigil homily: 'The risen Christ is the definitive turning point in human history' (Vatican Press Office)
  Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, presided at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 19 (video). The 91-year-old prelate read aloud the Pope’s homily. Pope Francis emphasized that “the risen Christ is the definitive turning point in human history,” but that “the Lord’s passage from death to life is not a spectacular event by which God shows his power and compels us to believe in him.” “For Jesus, it was not the end of an easy journey that bypassed Calvary,” the Pontiff explained. “Nor should we experience it as such, casually and unthinkingly. On the contrary, the Resurrection is like little seeds of light that slowly and silently come to take root in our hearts, at times still prey to darkness and unbelief.”
• Vice President Vance meets with Cardinal Parolin, greets Pope Francis (CNS)
  US Vice President JD Vance met on April 19 in the Apostolic Palace with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. According to a Vatican statement, the “common commitment” of the Holy See and the United States “to protect the right to freedom of religion and conscience was reiterated.” The statement continued: There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed. On the following morning, Easter Sunday, Pope Francis received the vice president at his residence. The two exchanged Easter greetings, and the Pope offered chocolate eggs and Rosaries to Vance’s children.
• 'Let us ask Jesus to re-enter our tombs,' Jerusalem Patriarch preaches at Easter Vigil (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
  Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, celebrated the Easter Vigil Mass at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre on Holy Saturday. “Everything here today seems to speak of death and failure, as that of Jesus,” he preached. “Perhaps we too are like the women in the Gospel, full of fears and with our faces bowed to the ground (Lk 24:5) and therefore unable to see beyond, caught up in so much pain and violence. We lose ourselves in so many analyses, evaluations and projections of the dramatic situation we are experiencing.” He continued: As long as we are trapped in our fears, we will be like the women in the Gospel and seek Jesus where he is not, namely in our graves. So let us ask Jesus to re-enter our tombs and bring us into the light, to give us back the life we thirst for, to give us a new heart that is able to trust and give.
• 'The Risen Christ is the hope of the Ukrainian people,' Major Archbishop says in Easter greeting (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
  Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, emphasized in his Easter greeting that “the Risen Christ is the hope of the Ukrainian people.” “Today, we especially envelop our heroes—Ukraine’s defenders on the front lines—with our prayers, support, and care,” he said. “We ask Christ to visit those in Russian captivity, just as He once shattered the chains of prisoners and opened prison doors.” He added: I wish you joy, peace, optimism, and light—all that each of us so desperately needs in these trying times. May the Risen Christ visit each of you, every grieving heart, every home touched by sorrow or wounded by loss ... Today we greet one another with this ancient apostolic proclamation: Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
• Jesus is a model of trust, papal preacher says in Good Friday homily (Vatican News)
  Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, presided at the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica on Good Friday (video). As is customary, the preacher of the papal household preached the homily. In his homily, Father Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap, upheld the suffering Christ as a model of trust. In venerating the Cross, “we choose to entrust ourselves to the way God has chosen to save the world. Not by removing suffering, but by walking through it with us.”
• May we be a Eucharistic people, Cardinal Gambetti preaches at Holy Thursday evening Mass (Vatican News)
  Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper in St. Peter’s Basilica on Holy Thursday. Cardinal Gambetti called on the faithful “to be broken and shared, like Him” [Christ] and “to become the very thing we receive.” The prelate added, “Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to us each day in the humble form of bread and wine. Make us Eucharist, too.” Earlier in the day, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, the retired president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, celebrated the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and read aloud the Pope’s homily. The Pope did not prepare a homily for the evening Mass.
• Pope's Good Friday meditations emphasize God's promises (Vatican News)
  “The Stations of the Cross is the prayer of people on the move,” wrote Pope Francis in the meditations that he prepared for the Good Friday observance in the Roman Coliseum. “It disrupts our usual routine.” The Pope explained that mankind is ordinarily caught up in worldly concerns, and “this world calculates everything.” But on Good Friday, following the Lord’s suffering, the Church insists on the incalculable love that God shows for mankind, and the price that Jesus pays for our salvation. In praying the Stations of the Cross, the Pope said, the faithful recognize the need for “a change of course and a change of pace—a conversion that restores joy and brings us home.” The Stations of the Cross were led by Cardinal Baldo Reina, the vicar general of Rome, in the Pope’s absence.
• Vatican forbids removal of names from baptismal registers (Vatican News)
  The Dicastery for Legislative Texts has published an Italian-language note forbidding the removal or alteration of names in baptismal registers, “except to correct transcription errors.” Canon 535 of the Code of Canon Law requires parishes to maintain such registers. The register is “the objective verification of sacramental actions or events related to the sacraments historically carried out by the Church,” the dicastery stated. “The sacraments received and the entries made do not in any way limit the free will of Christian faithful who, by an act of that same will, choose to leave the Church.” “Even though the data contained in the Church’s registers cannot be deleted, in light of the interest of the person involved and all other relevant parties, it is permitted—at the simple request of the person concerned—to record their expression of will to leave the Church in the context of a formal hearing,” the dicastery added.
• Vatican informed of allegations against Abbé Pierre in 1955, French journalists find (France 24)
  The Vatican was informed of allegations against the famed French priest Abbé Pierre (1912-2007) in 1955, according to two French journalists’ Vatican archival research, published in a new book. “A priest had written to the Holy See in October 1955 to say Abbé Pierre had done ‘immoral things’ while visiting the United States,” France 24 reported. “The Vatican requested the bishop of Versailles to conduct an investigation, but none was launched.” (The bishop at the time was the future Cardinal Alexandre Renard.) In addition, according to Vatican archival material from 1957, “two US and Canadian cardinals had alerted the Vatican in 1955 and detailed allegations against the French religious figure from 1955 to 1957,” France 24 reported. Ordained to the priesthood in 1938, Abbé Pierre took part in the French resistance against the Nazis during World War II and was a member of the French parliament from 1945 to 1951. Known for his ministry to the poor and homeless, he became a beloved figure in France; he was also a critic of Catholic teaching on sexual morality. The Paris prosecutor’s office, citing the statute of limitations, has declined to investigate allegations against him.
• Cardinal Parolin speaks on Ukraine, Gaza, and Trump (Vatican News)
  In an extensive interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica, Cardinal Pietro Parolin spoke about the goals of Vatican diplomacy regarding the warfare in Ukraine and in Gaza, and the relations between the Holy See and the US. On Ukraine, the Vatican Secretary of State said that escalation is a serious concern, but “it would be inhumane to deny Ukrainians the right to defend themselves.” The solution must be found through negotiation, he said, and “it is up to the Ukrainians themselves to decide what they are willing to negotiate or potentially concede from this perspective.” Regarding Gaza, Cardinal Parolin said that the suffering caused by the war is “humanly horrific and morally unacceptable.” Referring to the Israeli campaign, he said: “Self-defense is legitimate, but it can never involve the total or partial annihilation of another people or the denial of their right to live in their own land.” Questioned about relations with the US, the cardinal said that the approach of the Trump administration is “very different from what we are used to.” He said that “many vulnerable people are suffering... due to cuts in humanitarian aid.” The Secretary of State strongly hinted at disapproval of unilateral American action. The Vatican, he said, “consistently supports a multilateral approach, and believes that international law and the consensus of states must always be encouraged.” Cardinal Parolin is due to meet on April 19 with American Vice President J.D. Vance, who is in Rome for Easter weekend. Vatican-watchers will be anxious to see whether the American leader also meets with Pope Francis—who has made time this week to meet with doctors from Gemelli Hospital and inmates at Rome’s Regina Coeli prison.
• Judge bars enforcement of Biden-era regulations against diocese, employer (Religion Clause)
  A federal judge has permanently halted the enforcement of 2024 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations against the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota, and the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA). Judge Daniel Traynor, a Trump appointee, barred the EEOC from enforcing the regulations “in a manner that would require them [the diocese and the CBA] to speak or communicate in favor of abortion, fertility treatments, or gender transition when such is contrary to the Catholic faith; refrain from speaking or communicating against the same when such is contrary to the Catholic faith, use pronouns inconsistent with a person’s biological sex; or allow persons to use private spaces reserved for the opposite sex.”
• Over 2,000 to be baptized in Malaysia on Easter Vigil (Fides)
  Over 2,000 people in Malaysia will enter the Church during the Easter Vigil: “1,047 newly baptized in Peninsular Malaysia and an equivalent number in Malaysian Borneo” (map), the Fides news agency reported. Islam is the official religion of the Southeast Asian nation. 55% of its 34.6 million people are Muslim, 10% are Christian, 7% are Hindu, and 5% are Buddhist, with 19% adhering to Chinese folk religions and 4% to ethnic religions.
• Jerusalem's Christian leaders issue Easter message (Custody of the Holy Land)
  The Patriarchs and other heads of churches in Jerusalem have released their 2025 Easter message. “From the midst of the present darkness that engulfs our region, We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, nevertheless boldly proclaim to the world a message of life and hope,” the Christian leaders stated. “It is the same message first announced to the women who had come to mourn at Christ’s tomb ... The Lord had risen indeed!” The leaders called on “Christians and others of goodwill from around the world to recommit themselves to working and praying for the relief of the afflicted, the release of all captives, and an end to the wars and assaults that have led to immeasurable human suffering, death, and destruction throughout our beloved Holy Land ... Most of all, we call upon them to join us in working for a just and lasting peace.”
• USCCB publishes Q and A on immigrant registration (USCCB)
  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has published a two-page document, in question-and-answer format, on an immigrant registration policy that went into effect on April 11. The document addresses four questions: “What is immigrant registration?”, “What are the registration requirements? “, “What are the penalties for failing to register?”, and “Have there been any legal challenges brought against this?” The Department of Homeland Security “announced that the Trump Administration would fully enforce certain provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act requiring noncitizens aged 14 years or older who are residing in the United States for at least 30 days to register with the federal government,” the USCCB explained. “All noncitizens who are registered must always carry their registration with them. Noncitizens who fail to register or produce proof of registration face potential criminal consequences that include jail time and fines.”
• Texas House passes $1B school-choice legislation backed by bishops (Wall Street Journal)
  The Texas House has passed legislation establishing a $1-billion education savings account program that will allow 100,000 students to receive $10,000 scholarships to attend independent schools. The Senate has approved the measure, and the governor is expected to sign it. The $10,000 in funding for educational savings accounts is approximately 85% of government per-student funding for public schools. The Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops supported the measure, which also provides $2,000 education savings accounts for homeschooled students.
• In Easter encyclical, Ecumenical Patriarch recalls Nicaea anniversary (Orthodox Times)
  In his 2025 Easter encyclical, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox churches, recalled the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. “The Lord’s raising from the dead constitutes the nucleus of the Gospel, the stable point of reference for all the books of the New Testament, as well as for the liturgical life and devotion of the Orthodox Christians,” he wrote. “Indeed, the words ‘Christ is Risen!’ summarize the theology of the Church.” The Ecumenical Patriarch—born in 1940, and enthroned in 1991—added: For the Holy Great Church of Christ, one source of such resurrectional joy is also found this year in the common celebration of Easter by the entire Christian world, along with the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, which condemned the heresy of Arius ... The Council of Nicaea inaugurates a new age in the conciliar history of the Church, the transition from the local to the ecumenical synodal level ... The “spirit of Nicaea” exists unspoiled in the life of the Church, whose unity is associated with the correct understanding and development of its conciliar identity. Discussion on the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea reminds us of the common Christian archetypes and the meaning behind the struggle against the perversion of our spotless faith, encouraging us to turn toward the depth and essence of Church tradition.
• Once-secret records show how San Francisco archdiocese handled abuse allegations (San Francisco Chronicle)
  A federal bankruptcy judge ordered the release of the minutes of the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Independent Review Board, which addresses clergy abuse allegations. “At least three priests who by the Church’s definition faced credible accusations of sexually abusing minors stayed on the San Francisco Archdiocese’s list of clergy members with full status for years, including one, David Ghiorso, who faced five credible abuse accusations and remains on the good standing list,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The archdiocese released a statement following the bankruptcy judge’s order, noting: The Archdiocese will continue to work diligently toward constructive transparency and a timely resolution in collaboration with the other parties involved in this bankruptcy process. At the same time, the Archdiocese remains focused on its mission to help parishes serve the spiritual needs of the faithful, celebrating Mass, offering the Sacraments, and providing religious education.
• More...