Catholic News

• Papal Angelus address: 'Let us live this Lent as a time of healing' (Vatican Press Office)
  In his Angelus address for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel reading of the day, the Parable of the Prodigal Son. “Jesus reveals the heart of God: He is always merciful towards all; he heals our wounds so that we can love each other as brothers,” the Pope said in his brief written reflection on the Gospel reading of the day. “Dearest friends, let us live this Lent as a time of healing, all the more as it is the Jubilee.” As he continues his recovery at his residence, the Pope is not delivering his Sunday Angelus address to the crowds in St. Peter’s Square; instead, the Vatican is releasing the text of the address.
• 'Be witnesses of hope': papal message to jubilee pilgrims (Vatican Press Office (Italian))
  In an Italian-language message to pilgrims from the Diocese of Rieti who were in Rome for the 2025 jubilee year, Pope Francis encouraged the pilgrims to “be witnesses of hope every day in the different ecclesial and existential environments in which you live,” and “to contribute to the building of a more fraternal and supportive world.” The Pope expressed hope that the pilgrimage “will strengthen your faith and help you to understand and welcome more and more the love of God, source and reason for true joy. We are called especially to bear witness to this love to the weakest and neediest people—a love which, like a living flame, gives strength to the journey of life.”
• Pope appeals for prayer for peace, laments 'appalling humanitarian catastrophe' in Sudan (Vatican News)
  At the conclusion of his March 30 Angelus address, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for prayer for peace in the war-torn areas of the world, welcomed an agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and appealed for dialogue to end conflicts in South Sudan and Sudan. “I urge the parties concerned in the conflict to put the safeguarding of the lives of their civilian brothers and sisters first; and I hope that new negotiations will begin as soon as possible, capable of securing a lasting solution to the crisis,” the Pope stated in reference to the
• Vatican prefect, newspaper pay tribute to Teilhard de Chardin; skirt views on race, eugenics (CWN)
  With one headline describing him as “a Moses of the 20th century,” L’Osservatore Romano devoted two pages of its March 27 edition to Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), the French Jesuit philosopher and paleontologist whose views on race and eugenics have come under increased scrutiny over the past decade.
• Cardinal Parolin encourages nations to 'choose path of negotiation' (Vatican News)
  In an address to COMECE (the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU), the Pope’s Secretary of State said that “war is always a defeat for humanity” and that “dialogue remains the only viable path.” “The Holy See has always championed dialogue as the most effective means of resolving disputes,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin. “We encourage all nations to choose the path of negotiation over confrontation.” “The European Union was built on the principles of solidarity, respect for human dignity, and justice,” he added. “These values must not be abandoned in times of difficulty but rather strengthened.”
• Arizona parents credit Cardinal Pell for child's 'miracle' healing (Daily Mail)
  An 18-month-old boy who fell into a swimming pool and did not breath for 52 minutes has recovered fully, after his parents prayed for the intercession of the late Cardinal George Pell. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney reported the inexplicable healing during an event at Campion College, inaugurating a new building dedicated to the cardinal. Archbishop Fisher relayed the news that the boy, named Vincent, had been sent home from a hospital in Arizona, showing no ill effects from the accident.
• 'Tell Congress to defund Planned Parenthood and affiliates,' pro-life action alert urges (Human Life Action)
  The National Committee for a Human Life Amendment (Human Life Action), which works closely with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on legislation, has urged Americans to “tell Congress to defund Planned Parenthood and affiliates.” “Please send a message to your representatives today and join those who are visiting members of Congress for Pro-Life Lobby Day, with the message that Planned Parenthood and affiliates should not be receiving hundreds of millions of our tax dollars to destroy life,” the action alert stated. “Another element of Planned Parenthood that is problematic is that they also distribute ‘gender-transition’ drugs—including to minors,” the alert added. “These drugs are experimental, dangerous and do serious harm to children’s bodies.”
• Vatican 'foreign minister' marks legacy of nuncio who aided Jews (Vatican News)
  Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, has begun a three-day visit to Hungary, where he will take part in an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the death of Archbishop Angelo Rotta, the apostolic nuncio to Hungary from 1930 to 1945. Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, has honored Archbishop Rotta for his efforts to save thousands of Jews from the Holocaust.
• Montreal archdiocese: redevelop church properties to ease housing crisis (CTV)
  The Archdiocese of Montreal has announced plans to form a real-estate program that will devote unused church properties to “pressing community needs.” The Roman Catholic Real Estate Corp. of Montreal, a non-profit enterprise, will work with government and community organizations to “leverage real-estate development as a tool for community benefit.” Housing experts note that many churches that are no longer open for worship are located centrally, and could be sold for modest prices that would allow for new development of affordable housing.
• Vatican newspaper article describes Deneen as most 'interesting of Trump's intellectuals' (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  In an article written for the international news section of L’Osservatore Romano, Lorenzo Castellani described Professor Patrick Deneen of the University of Notre Dame as “undoubtedly the most rigorous and interesting of Trump’s intellectuals.” Castellani, a research fellow at Luiss University in Rome, discussed Deneen’s 2023 book, Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future. Castellani concluded by describing it as “an important book for understanding what mentality, what values, what objectives are shared by at least some of those who surround Donald Trump in the White House today.”
• Kentucky lawmakers overturn ban on 'conversion therapy' (Religion Clause)
  Kentucky lawmakers have overturned Gov. Andy Beshear’s 2024 executive order banning “conversion therapy” for minors. The executive order defined conversion therapy as “any practice, treatment, or intervention that seeks or purports to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.” The governor vetoed the legislation overturning his executive order; lawmakers, in turn, overrode his veto, by margins of 78-20 in the state house and 31-6 in the state senate.
• Ivory Coast bishops rue exclusion of candidates from presidential ballot (Fides)
  Following the exclusion of three leading opposition candidates from the provisional presidential ballot, the bishops of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) called on authorities “to ensure a peaceful climate and an electoral process without the exclusion of any candidate,” the Fides news agency reported. “Ivory Coast is at a crucial turning point in its history,” said Bishop Marcellin Yao Kouadio, president of the bishops’ conference. “We therefore call for strengthening its ethical foundations and democratic legitimacy by deciding to politically include all candidates for a fair, transparent, and peaceful presidential election.” The West African nation of 30 million (map) is 39% Christian (23% Catholic), 36% Muslim, and 25% ethnic religionist.
• Polish president meets with Cardinal Parolin (Vatican News)
  With Pope Francis not holding meetings as he recovers from double pneumonia, Cardinal Pietro Parolin met on March 28 with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who was in Rome for a Jubilee pilgrimage. The conversation centered on international affairs, “with a particular focus on the war in Ukraine, as well as security and pace in Europe,” the Vatican disclosed. The meeting took place on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. President Duda prayed at the tomb of the late Pontiff on Thursday before his meeting with the Secretary of State.
• Father Spadaro calls for 'rapid theology' (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  In an interview with the Vatican newspaper, Father Antonio Spadaro, SJ, called for a “rapid theology.” “If society moves in tumultuous and rapid waters, theology is called to enter without delay,” said the undersecretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. “Rapid theology does not mean hasty or superficial theology, but rather a reflection that accompanies the flow of history in real time, without waiting to speak after the fact.” “Rapid theology is demanding but not impossible: it is a matter of exercising timely discernment—even communal and synodal—enlightened by grace, so as not to lose the pace of the Gospel in the flow of events,” he added. “It is not a question of despising Tradition, but of avoiding reducing it to a sterile exercise in restoration.”
• New Vatican document calls on every diocese to develop pro-life plan (CWN)
  The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has published a 40-page document calling for organized pro-life initiatives in every diocese.
• Pope was near death, doctor confirms (Vatican News)
  Dr. Sergio Alfieri, who headed the medical team treating Pope Francis during his stay at Gemelli Hospital, has confirmed that the Pontiff was near death on February 28, when he experienced two respiratory crises. In fact, Dr. Alfieri told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, reported that the Pope and the medical team seriously considered stopping treatment. He recalled: We had to decide whether to stop and let him go or to push forward with all possible medications and therapies, despite the high risk of damaging other organs. In the end, we chose to fight. Pope Francis himself made the decision to continue treatment, the doctor said. Dr. Alfieri said that Pope Francis will now require medication “for a long time” to complete his recovery, and doctors have advised him to avoid meetings until further notice. He will be given round-the-clock medical care at his Vatican residence, including the continued administration of high-flow oxygen, as well as physical therapy to restore muscles that were weakened by his long hospitalization.
• Pope returns to residence after 5-week hospitalization (CWN)
  Pope Francis returned to his residence on March 23 following a 38-day stay in Gemelli Hospital.
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