Catholic News
- Without mentioning Trump by name, Vatican statement expresses concern following assassination attempt (CWN)
The Vatican issued a brief statement in Italian on July 14 following the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump: - US bishops' president condemns political violence, calls for prayer following Trump rally shooting (USCCB)
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement following the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The perpetrator and one bystander were killed, and at least three were injured. The former president was shot in his upper right ear, taken to a hospital, and released shortly afterwards. “Together with my brother bishops, we condemn political violence, and we offer our prayers for President Trump, and those who were killed or injured,” the prelate said. “We also pray for our country and for an end to political violence, which is never a solution to political disagreements.” “We ask all people of goodwill to join us in praying for peace in our country,” he continued. “Mary, Mother of God and Patroness of the Americas, pray for us.” - Pope Francis: Communion, sobriety are 'indispensable values for a Church to be missionary' (Vatican Press Office)
Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the day (Mark 6:7-13), Pope Francis told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on July 14 that Christ sends “’two by two’ and recommends something important: to take with them only what is necessary.” “Let us pause a moment on this image: the disciples are sent together and must take with them only what is necessary,” the Pope said. “We do not proclaim the Gospel alone, no: it is proclaimed together, as a community, and to do this it is important to know how to preserve sobriety: to know how to be sober in the use of things, sharing resources, capacities and gifts, and doing without the superfluous.” Pope Francis encouraged the pilgrims to ask themselves three questions: “Do I taste the pleasure of proclaiming the Gospel, of bringing, where I live, the joy and light that come from an encounter with the Lord? And in order to do this, do I commit myself to walking together with others, sharing ideas and skills with them, with an open mind and with a generous heart? And finally: do I know how to cultivate a lifestyle that is sober, a lifestyle that is attentive to the needs of my brothers and sisters?” “May Mary, Queen of Apostles, help us to be true missionary disciples, in communion and sobriety of life,” he concluded. - Senior Russian Orthodox official meets with Pope, Curial officials, discusses Fiducia Supplicans (CNS)
Pope Francis received Metropolitan Anthony Sevryuk of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, in a July 11 audience. According to the Moscow Patriarchate, the parties discussed “issues of inter-church relations and joint efforts in the humanitarian sphere.” On the following day, Metropolitan Anthony met with officials of the Roman Curia. “He informed his interlocutors about the ongoing persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine,” according to the Patriarchate—a reference to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), one of the two major Orthodox churches in Ukraine. Metropolitan Anthony also “explained in detail the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to the document Fiducia Supplicans,” the Patriarchate added. In March, the Russian Orthodox Church condemned the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s document on blessings as a “significant departure from Christian moral teaching.” On July 12—the day on which Metropolitan Anthony was at the Vatican discussing the largest Orthodox church’s reservations about Fiducia—the Vatican newspaper published a defense of Fiducia. “Understanding the blessing as an affirmation of God’s power over the inconsistency of the sin of every man and woman is on a markedly different level from the meaning of a ritual blessing,” wrote Father Alessandro Clemenzia, a consultor to the Dicastery. “Performativity, permanence, redundancy: these are the elements that can help to better understand the deepest dynamism of the blessing.” - Venezuela's bishops call for end of political persecution of opposition (Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana)
In a statement for the upcoming presidential election, Venezuela’s bishops urged the faithful to vote and called for the cessation of “persecution and harassment” of opposition candidates. Stating that the nation is in a “serious crisis,” the bishops also said that “the country has experienced a constant deterioration in the educational, food, health, public services, citizen participation, [and] justice systems,” as well as in the “liberties specified in the National Constitution.” The bishops’ statement came less than two weeks after the Pope named three new archbishops in the South American nation. The 1964 concordat between the Holy See and Venezuela granted the nation’s president veto power over episcopal appointments. - Irish priest refuses Communion to pro-abortion politician (Irish Times)
An Irish priest refused to administer Communion to a government minister because of his support for legal abortion. Father Gabriel Burke explained why he declined to give Communion to Colm Burke, the Minister of State, at a funeral in Whitechurch: As a senator, Colm Burke voted for abortion after the 2018 referendum and he knows the teaching of the [Catholic] Church that any politician who voted abortion cannot receive communion – Archbishop Eamon Martin made that very clear before the vote on abortion. - New Zealand bishop orders traditionalist priests to leave diocese (Diocese of Christchurch)
Bishop Michael Gidelen of Christchurch, New Zealand, has withdrawn the priestly faculties of all members of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, and directed all members of the group to leave the diocese. Bishop Gielen said that he was taking these steps on a recommendation from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Religious, in response to an apostolic visitation of the traditionalst group led by the Australian Bishop Robert McGuckin. The bishop’s statement did not disclose what problems that investigation had uncovered. The bishop said that the diocese would make other arrangements for priests to provide the sacraments to members of the traditionalist Catholic community that the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer have been serving. - Holy See calls on wealthier nations to forgive debts of poor small island nations (Holy See Mission)
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, has called for debt forgiveness for small island developing states (SIDS). These nations face “crippling debts, slow growth prospects, persistent food insecurity and malnutrition, extreme vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters,” he stated at a recent UN forum. “My delegation reiterates its call on wealthier nations to consider debt relief, or indeed, debt cancellation,” he continued. “Such radical but necessary action will liberate SIDS from the untenable choice between servicing mounting interest payments, or allocating resources to invest in health, education, social protection systems and infrastructure.” - Pope seeks Virgin Mary's intercession for peace (Vatican Press Office)
At the conclusion of his Sunday Angelus address on July 14, Pope Francis sought the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession for peace in war-torn areas. “May the Mother of God, whom we celebrate the day after tomorrow as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, comfort and obtain peace for all populations who are oppressed by the horror of war,” the Pope said. “Please, let us not forget tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, and Myanmar.” - Vatican official is 'very encouraged' by East African bishops' abuse-prevention efforts (Vatican News)
Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, the secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, told the bishops of East Africa that he is “very encouraged that as bishops you are already doing a lot of work in safeguarding and child protection in your countries.” Addressing the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa IAMECEA), Bishop Ali hailed “the visionary leadership in the AMECEA region supported by the Church’s structure” and said that it is “commendable that all AMECEA member episcopal conferences have safeguarding offices.” - Americans favor IVF, but also favor protection for fetus (PBS)
Most Americans favor legal access to vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a new AP/NORC poll. But at the same time, nearly half of those surveyed said that a human embryo deserves the same legal protections as any other person. Support for IVF was stronger among Democrats (75%) than Republicans (56%), but commanded a solid majority overall. However, although the survey found a clear majority in favor of legal abortion, nearly half of all Americans agree either “strongly” or “somewhat” to the statement that “human begins at conception, so a fertilized egg is a person with the same rights as a pregnant woman.” - Pope hopes for 'faithful' and 'creative' interpretation of Lord's intentions for women and ministry (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Pope Francis has written the preface to Donne e ministeri nella Chiesa sinodale [Women and Ministries in the Synodal Church], an anthology written by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, and the three women who addressed the Pope’s advisory Council of Cardinals on the topic in February. “Christian thought, in its theological, juridical, magisterial and cultural dimension, in its legitimate effort to transcend the contingency of the present, can never completely distance itself from the context in which it is formulated,” the Pope wrote. “Throughout the modern era, particularly marked by the fascination for ‘clear and distinct’ ideas, the Church has also fallen, at times, into the trap of considering fidelity to ideas more important than attention to reality.” “Reality, however, is always greater than the idea, and when our theology falls into the trap of clear and distinct ideas it inevitably transforms into a Procrustean bed, which sacrifices reality, or part of it, on the altar of idea,” he continued. “Listening to the suffering and joys of women is certainly a way to open ourselves to reality.” “Listening to them without judgment and without prejudice, we realize that in many places and in many situations they suffer precisely because of the lack of recognition of what they are and what they do and also of what they could do and be if only they had the space and the opportunity,” he added. “The women who suffer the most are often the closest, the most available, prepared and ready to serve God and his Kingdom.” Pope Francis concluded: I want to entrust the ongoing discernment on the theme of the ministry and ministries in the Synodal Church to the intercession of the saints who have seen, listened to, experienced firsthand the way of serving Jesus and have formed with him the ecclesial body in its original configuration: Mary, Peter, John, Magdalene, to name just a few, together with their companions whose stories and names we know and many other anonymous disciples, men and women missionaries of the Gospel, so that they may help us to be faithful and creative interpreters of the Lord’s intentions. - Pope Francis: 'Our world's problem is not the number of children born into it' (@Pontifex)
In a tweet for World Population Day, Pope Francis wrote that “our world’s problem is not the number of children born into it.” “The problem is selfishness, consumerism and individualism, which make people satiated, lonely and unhappy,” he added. The United Nations commemorates World Population Day on July 11, the day in 1987 in which the world’s population was estimated to have reached 5 billion. - Pope to celebrate Vespers at Santa Maria Maggiore (Vatican News)
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will celebrate Vespers on August 5 at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore). August 5 is the anniversary of the basilica’s dedication. The celebration of Vespers helps fill in a sparse calendar in which no public papal liturgies were scheduled between July 7 (his pastoral visit to Trieste) and September 2-13 (his apostolic journey to Southeast Asia). The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has held a special place in the Pope’s affections: he typically visits the basilica for prayer before and after his foreign trips, and last year he announced his plans to be buried there. - Holy See calls for shared international commitment to help African nations 'build resilience' (Holy See Mission)
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, told a UN forum that African nations, as well as the least developed countries (LDCs) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), face “significant challenges, including substantial debt burdens, limited economic growth, persistent food insecurity and malnutrition, vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters.” “In the light of the inherent vulnerabilities of these countries, a comprehensive and multifaceted approach is required to build resilience,” the prelate continued. “In order to achieve this, it is necessary to implement measures to strengthen healthcare systems, improve and expand access to education, foster economic diversification, and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.” “The Holy See calls for a renewed affirmation of the shared commitment to the sustainable development of countries in special situations through tangible action and enhanced cooperation,” he concluded. “It is only through collective efforts and shared responsibility that a sustainable future for African countries, LDCs, LLDCs, and, by extension, for our entire family of nations, can be built.” - Philippines: bishops caution against accepting divorce (AsiaNews)
“We are the last country in the world that has not yet legalized divorce. Should we therefore join the bandwagon?” Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Caloocan wrote in a pastoral statement, urging caution on a proposal to accept divorce. The bishop wrote: We know that our stubborn assertion that a genuine marriage cannot be dissolved is not necessarily shared by all religions, and we respect that. But still, should we not ask ourselves, based on research and statistics, whether the legalization of divorce around the world has actually helped protect the common good and the well-being of the family? - Sostituto makes official visit to Honduras, a week after admitting he approved false invoice (@TerzaLoggia)
The Vatican’s Secretariat of State has announced that Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra is making a two-day official visit to Honduras, during which he will meet with the nation’s president, attend a ceremony for the reopening of the nunciature, and concelebrate Mass with the nation’s bishops. As the Sostituto (officially, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State), Archbishop Peña Parra coordinates the internal affairs of the Roman Curia and reports to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State. The prelate has also opened nunciatures in Armenia, the United Arab Emirates, and Timor-Leste (East Timor)—an atypical role for a prelate who is not responsible for the Holy See’s foreign relations, but one that has raised his profile internationally. The powerful prelate’s July 12-13 visit to Honduras comes a week after he testified in a London courtroom that he knowingly approved a false invoice in a bid to extract the Vatican from a London real-estate deal. In 2023, Archbishop Peña Parra testified before a Vatican City court that he “ordered unsanctioned electronic spying on the phone of the director general of the IOR” [Vatican bank], The Pillar reported. In 2019, Archbishop Peña Parra intervened in the Zanchetta affair, providing a document that swayed a judge to permit the Argentine bishop, later convicted of sexually abusing seminarians, to leave his native country over a prosecutor’s objections. - Vatican newspaper rues Europe's demographic winter (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Noting that world population growth is centered in Africa and Asia, while Europe faces a demographic winter, the Vatican newspaper warned that the future “cannot fail to have children as its priority, the new generations that invite us to row against the evils of our time and who are [the] hope for the future of our planet.” L’Osservatore Romano included these editorial remarks in the most prominent front-page article in its July 11 edition, an article that drew attention to Pope Francis’s remarks for World Population Day. “The Pope uses [his] words with precision: the consumerism so widespread in Western society makes people satiated, the prevailing individualism ultimately makes people lonely, and selfishness can only bring unhappiness to the human soul,” the unsigned article stated. “The evils of our times pervade society and are even capable of overshadowing the joy linked to new births.” - Uzbek law would punish parents for religious education of children (Forum 18)
Lawmakers in Uzbekistan have approved draft legislation that would punish parents who provided “illegal” religious education to their children. The proposal—which the government says is necessary to curb the influence of terrorists—would “further strengthen the rights of children” by assessing fines and possible jail terms on parents or guardians who gave “illegal” religious instruction to children under the age of 18. - Vatican completes podcast series on Pius XII and the Holocaust (Apple)
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication has completed a four-part, Italian-language podcast series, “Pius XII and the Shoah,” hosted by historian Matteo Luigi Napolitano and Andrea Tornielli, the dicastery’s editorial director. “We must be very careful not to create, as a counterbalance to the black legend about Pius XII, a pink legend,” said Tornielli. “The theme must be seen, with the documents, in all its complexity.” “But Pacelli had a very clear idea about where the good lay and where the evil lay,” Tornielli continued. “The good for him lay in the democracies or in those who fought Nazi-fascism. He was deeply anti-Communist, but aware that of the two evils the first, the most urgent, to be beaten was Nazi-fascism.” - More...