VOLUME 2, ISSUE 19  •  NOVEMBER 5, 2016

Table of Contents

Copyright Notice

VATICAN NEWS

Pope prays for central Italy after second major earthquake

In joint declaration, Catholics and Lutherans emphasize unity

With God alone Christian unity is possible, Pope says in Sweden

Make unity a priority, Pope Francis says at Reformation anniversary

The saints stand out – because they’re happy, Pope Francis says

Pope Francis reiterates a strong ‘no’ to women priests

Full text: Pope Francis’ in-flight presser from Sweden

Pope Francis at cemetery: Christ gives us hope – even in death

What can Vatican-China relations learn from Vietnam?

Pope calls on religions to condemn acts of terrorism, violence

Prisoners to be Pope Francis’ special guests at Mass in St. Peter’s

Pope honors deceased bishops, says death unites us more fully in Christ

Anyone could be forced to migrate, Pope says in latest prayer video

WORLD NEWS

For Cardinal Kasper, ‘Amoris laetitia’ allows new pastoral practices

Want to end child soldiers? Stop fighting, Sudanese archbishop says

Basilica of St. Benedict destroyed in earthquake

What will ensure the survival of Middle East Christians?

In Albania, the Church honors martyrs of the communist era

U.S. NEWS

California bishops: Legalizing marijuana hurts kids, the poor

Election year got you down? Don’t despair, Minnesota bishop urges

What’s unpopular with voters? Taxpayer funding of abortion

Successor appointed for Guam archbishop accused of abuse

A victory for the seal of Confession in Louisiana

Why the reputed ‘Catholic Spring’ mentality worries black Christian leaders

How Justice Scalia suffered the ‘contempt of a sophisticated world’

Archbishop Gomez: Christian doctors face increasing threats

Assisted suicide approved by Washington, D.C. city council

In Iowa, prayers for police officers ambushed and killed

Why religious freedom could be at risk, regardless of who wins

Archbishop Gomez: Want to make America great? Be saints

The role of Catholics in rescuing health care

Boston Catholics are at the forefront of the fight against pot

Did a ‘Catholic Spring’ group intimidate Florida churches?

At ordination, Denver’s new bishop reminded to proclaim Christ

FEATURES

Have you heard of Saint Death? Don’t pray to her

Was the last ‘witch’ of Boston actually a Catholic martyr?

Three lessons for young Catholics

You’ve got questions (about death)? The Church has answers

Rediscovering the authentic Catholic vision of purgatory

Former Manchester United footballer to be a Dominican priest

Have souls in Purgatory visited people on earth?

Election 2016: A supremely important decision

Double review: ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Hacksaw Ridge’

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Sunday • November 6, 2016

Monday • November 7, 2016

Tuesday • November 8, 2016

Wednesday • November 9, 2016

Thursday • November 10, 2016

Friday • November 11, 2016

Saturday • November 12, 2016

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Volume 2, Issue 19 • November 5, 2016

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VATICAN NEWS

Pope prays for central Italy after second major earthquake

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • October 30, 2016

Pope Francis during the Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on October 2, 2013. (Elise Harris/CNA)

Vatican City — Sunday Pope Francis expressed his nearness to everyone affected by an earthquake which hit central Italy Sunday morning, asking for the Blessed Virgin Mary to watch over them.

“I express my closeness to the central Italy earthquake victims,” he said after the Angelus Oct. 30. “Even this morning there was a strong shock. I pray for the injured and for the families that have suffered major damage, as well as for the personnel involved in rescue and assistance.”

“The Risen Lord give them strength and Our Lady guard them,” he said.

The Pope’s prayer was made after an earthquake hit central Italy around 7:40 am local time Oct. 30. According to BBC News, the quake, which hit near the town of Norcia, had a magnitude of 6.6, larger than the 6.2-magnitude quake which hit near the towns of Norcia and Amatrice on Aug. 24.

At a depth of .9 miles, tremors were felt in the capital of Rome and as far north as Venice. A number of injuries have been reported, but so far there have been no deaths. Many locals were evacuated from Norcia after two smaller earthquakes occurred there Oct. 26.

Damage to buildings, however, has been extensive. The Basilica of St. Benedict in Norcia, which according to tradition is built over the site of the birthplace of Saints Benedict and Scholastica, has been destroyed, according to the Benedictine Monks who reside there.

Rome’s basilicas of St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Lawrence both experienced some minor damage, according to the Italian news agency, ANSA. St. Paul Outside the Walls is currently closed for inspection of the damage.

The Pope’s message for the Angelus centered on the day’s Gospel on the tax collector Zacchaeus, a “public sinner,” who cannot get close to Jesus and so instead climbs a tree in order to see him.

“When he gets close to that tree,” Pope Francis said,” Jesus looks up and tells him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’”

“We can imagine the astonishment of Zacchaeus!” But why does Jesus say he must stay at Zacchaeus’ house? What is his duty? the Pope asked.

The highest duty of Jesus, Pope Francis explained, is his death and resurrection, the fulfillment of the Father’s plan for humanity.

The salvation of humanity takes place through the Father’s mercy, the same salvation which is given to Zacchaeus, “a dishonest man,” who is “despised by all, and therefore in need of conversion,” the Pope noted.

But, “the gaze of Jesus goes beyond sins and prejudices,” he said. “He sees the person with the eyes of God, who does not stop at the bad past, but distinguishes a good future.”

“He is not resigned to closures, but opens up new areas of life; He does not stop at appearances, but looks at the heart,” Francis continued.

Sometimes we try to correct and convert sinners by scolding them for their mistakes, the Pope said. Instead, the attitude of Jesus and Zacchaeus shows us another way. The way of showing the sinner his or her value, “the value that God continues to see in spite of everything.”

“This may cause a positive surprise, which softens the heart and drives a person to bring out the good that he has within himself,” he said. “It is giving confidence to people that makes them grow and change.” This is how God treats all of us – overcoming our sin with his love.

After the Angelus, Pope Francis also asked pilgrims for prayers for his apostolic trip to Sweden for the commemoration of the Reformation, to take place Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. “I ask you all to pray that this trip is a new stage in the path of fraternity toward full communion,” he said.

“May the Virgin Mary help us to see the good that there is in the people we meet every day, so everyone is encouraged to bring out the image of God imprinted in their hearts,” Pope Francis said. “So we can rejoice in the surprises of God’s mercy!”

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VATICAN NEWS

In joint declaration, Catholics and Lutherans emphasize unity

by CNA/EWTN News • October 31, 2016

Candles burn at an Oct. 31, 2016 ecumenical prayer service in Lund, Sweden. (Lutheranworld.org)

Lund, Sweden — In a joint declaration signed for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Catholic and Lutheran leaders apologized for division in the Church and pledged to work for greater unity.

“Fifty years of sustained and fruitful ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans have helped us to overcome many differences, and have deepened our mutual understanding and trust,” the statement said.

“At the same time, we have drawn closer to one another through joint service to our neighbours – often in circumstances of suffering and persecution. Through dialogue and shared witness we are no longer strangers. Rather, we have learned that what unites us is greater than what divides us.”

The joint statement was signed on Oct. 31, 2016, during Pope Francis’ trip to Sweden to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

“While we are profoundly thankful for the spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation, we also confess and lament before Christ that Lutherans and Catholics have wounded the visible unity of the Church,” the religious leaders said in the document. “Theological differences were accompanied by prejudice and conflicts, and religion was instrumentalized for political ends”.

“While the past cannot be changed, what is remembered and how it is remembered can be transformed. We pray for the healing of our wounds and of the memories that cloud our view of one another.”

Rejecting hatred, violence and conflict, the religious leaders called for greater communion.

“(W)e commit ourselves to further growth in communion rooted in Baptism, as we seek to remove the remaining obstacles that hinder us from attaining full unity,” they said, noting Christ’s desire that all may be one.

“We invite our ecumenical partners to remind us of our commitments and to encourage us,” they added. “We ask them to continue to pray for us, to walk with us, to support us in living out the prayerful commitments we express today.”

The joint declaration also noted the pain of Catholic-Lutheran married couples who desire the share a common Eucharist but cannot.

“We acknowledge our joint pastoral responsibility to respond to the spiritual thirst and hunger of our people to be one in Christ,” the religious leaders said. “We long for this wound in the Body of Christ to be healed. This is the goal of our ecumenical endeavours, which we wish to advance, also by renewing our commitment to theological dialogue.”

The declaration voiced hope that Catholics and Lutherans would be able to jointly witness to the Gospel, as well as to work for justice, human dignity and peace.

The religious leaders also denounced greed and advocated a greater care for creation.

“Today in particular, we raise our voices for an end to the violence and extremism which affect so many countries and communities, and countless sisters and brothers in Christ,” they said. “We urge Lutherans and Catholics to work together to welcome the stranger, to come to the aid of those forced to flee because of war and persecution, and to defend the rights of refugees and those who seek asylum.”

The joint declaration concluded by calling on Catholics and Lutherans throughout the world to be “bold and creative, joyful and hopeful” in seeking unity, cooperation and solidarity.

“By drawing close in faith to Christ, by praying together, by listening to one another, by living Christ’s love in our relationships, we, Catholics and Lutherans, open ourselves to the power of the Triune God,” the document said. “Rooted in Christ and witnessing to him, we renew our determination to be faithful heralds of God’s boundless love for all humanity.”

The full text of the joint declaration is below:

JOINT STATEMENT on the occasion of the Joint Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration of the Reformation

Lund, 31 October 2016

“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me” (John 15:4).

With thankful hearts

With this Joint Statement, we express joyful gratitude to God for this moment of common prayer in the Cathedral of Lund, as we begin the year commemorating the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. Fifty years of sustained and fruitful ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans have helped us to overcome many differences, and have deepened our mutual understanding and trust. At the same time, we have drawn closer to one another through joint service to our neighbours – often in circumstances of suffering and persecution. Through dialogue and shared witness we are no longer strangers. Rather, we have learned that what unites us is greater than what divides us.

Moving from conflict to communion

While we are profoundly thankful for the spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation, we also confess and lament before Christ that Lutherans and Catholics have wounded the visible unity of the Church. Theological differences were accompanied by prejudice and conflicts, and religion was instrumentalized for political ends. Our common faith in Jesus Christ and our baptism demand of us a daily conversion, by which we cast off the historical disagreements and conflicts that impede the ministry of reconciliation. While the past cannot be changed, what is remembered and how it is remembered can be transformed. We pray for the healing of our wounds and of the memories that cloud our view of one another. We emphatically reject all hatred and violence, past and present, especially that expressed in the name of religion. Today, we hear God’s command to set aside all conflict. We recognize that we are freed by grace to move towards the communion to which God continually calls us.

Our commitment to common witness

As we move beyond those episodes in history that burden us, we pledge to witness together to God’s merciful grace, made visible in the crucified and risen Christ. Aware that the way we relate to one another shapes our witness to the Gospel, we commit ourselves to further growth in communion rooted in Baptism, as we seek to remove the remaining obstacles that hinder us from attaining full unity. Christ desires that we be one, so that the world may believe (cf. John 17:21).

Many members of our communities yearn to receive the Eucharist at one table, as the concrete expression of full unity. We experience the pain of those who share their whole lives, but cannot share God’s redeeming presence at the Eucharistic table. We acknowledge our joint pastoral responsibility to respond to the spiritual thirst and hunger of our people to be one in Christ. We long for this wound in the Body of Christ to be healed. This is the goal of our ecumenical endeavours, which we wish to advance, also by renewing our commitment to theological dialogue.

We pray to God that Catholics and Lutherans will be able to witness together to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, inviting humanity to hear and receive the good news of God’s redeeming action. We pray to God for inspiration, encouragement and strength so that we may stand together in service, upholding human dignity and rights, especially for the poor, working for justice, and rejecting all forms of violence. God summons us to be close to all those who yearn for dignity, justice, peace and reconciliation. Today in particular, we raise our voices for an end to the violence and extremism which affect so many countries and communities, and countless sisters and brothers in Christ. We urge Lutherans and Catholics to work together to welcome the stranger, to come to the aid of those forced to flee because of war and persecution, and to defend the rights of refugees and those who seek asylum.

More than ever before, we realize that our joint service in this world must extend to God’s creation, which suffers exploitation and the effects of insatiable greed. We recognize the right of future generations to enjoy God’s world in all its potential and beauty. We pray for a change of hearts and minds that leads to a loving and responsible way to care for creation.

One in Christ

On this auspicious occasion, we express our gratitude to our brothers and sisters representing the various Christian World Communions and Fellowships who are present and join us in prayer. As we recommit ourselves to move from conflict to communion, we do so as part of the one Body of Christ, into which we are incorporated through Baptism. We invite our ecumenical partners to remind us of our commitments and to encourage us. We ask them to continue to pray for us, to walk with us, to support us in living out the prayerful commitments we express today.

Calling upon Catholics and Lutherans worldwide

We call upon all Lutheran and Catholic parishes and communities to be bold and creative, joyful and hopeful in their commitment to continue the great journey ahead of us. Rather than conflicts of the past, God’s gift of unity among us shall guide cooperation and deepen our solidarity. By drawing close in faith to Christ, by praying together, by listening to one another, by living Christ’s love in our relationships, we, Catholics and Lutherans, open ourselves to the power of the Triune God. Rooted in Christ and witnessing to him, we renew our determination to be faithful heralds of God’s boundless love for all humanity.

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VATICAN NEWS

With God alone Christian unity is possible, Pope says in Sweden

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • October 31, 2016

Pope Francis embraces Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, President of the Lutheran World Federation, during a joint prayer service at the cathedral in Lund on Oct. 31, 2016. (L’Osservatore Romano)

Vatican City — Hours after landing in Sweden Pope Francis said that without God we can do nothing, but with him Catholics and Lutherans can work toward greater unity – not in order to forget the past, but to heal it so all Christians can be better witnesses of God’s mercy.

“Jesus reminds us: ‘Apart from me, you can do nothing.’ He is the one who sustains us and spurs us on to find ways to make our unity ever more visible,” the Pope said Oct. 31.

“Certainly, our separation has been an immense source of suffering and misunderstanding, yet it has also led us to recognize honestly that without him we can do nothing; in this way it has enabled us to understand better some aspects of our faith.”

The Pope’s homily was made jointly with a sermon by Rev. Martin Junge, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, during a common prayer service between Lutherans and Catholics at the Lund Cathedral in Sweden.

Pope Francis is in Sweden Oct. 31-Nov. 1 as part of a joint commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The event also marks 50 years of ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation.

It is the first time a Pope has traveled to Scandinavia since St. John Paul II’s 1989 visit. Though only two days, following the ecumenical prayer at Lund’s Lutheran cathedral, the trip will also include a larger, primary ecumenical event at the Malmö Arena in Malmö.

The two ecumenical events will be followed by an outdoor papal Mass the next day at the Swedbank Stadium in Malmö marking All Saints Day.

The common prayer service included religious songs, scripture readings and prayers by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and Pope Francis, alongside Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan, president of the Lutheran World Federation and Rev. Junge.

During the service Catholics and Lutherans also read out five joint ecumenical commitments, including the commitment to always begin from a perspective of unity. Pope Francis and Bishop Younan then signed a joint statement together.

The Pope’s sermon reflected on the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John, where it likens God the Father to the vine grower, “who tends and prunes the vine in order to make it bear more fruit.”

Both sermons spoke about the image of the vine as indicating Christ’s desire for unity among his people. Just as Jesus, the “true vine,” is one with the Father, in order to bear fruit we must also be one with him, Francis said.

“The Father is constantly concerned for our relationship with Jesus, to see if we are truly one with him,” Pope Francis said. “He watches over us, and his gaze of love inspires us to purify our past and to work in the present to bring about the future of unity that he so greatly desires.”

The words spoken by Jesus at the Last Supper, “abide in me as I abide in you,” allow us to “peer into the heart of Christ just before his ultimate sacrifice on the cross,” he said.

“We can feel his heart beating with love for us and his desire for the unity of all who believe in him. He watches over us, and his gaze of love inspires us to purify our past and to work in the present to bring about the future of unity that he so greatly desires.”

We must recognize, the Pope reminded, that the division existing between Catholics and Lutherans since the Reformation has been perpetuated throughout history by the powerful, while the intuition of the faithful is to yearn for unity.

“Certainly, there was a sincere will on the part of both sides to profess and uphold the true faith, but at the same time we realize that we closed in on ourselves out of fear or bias with regard to the faith which others profess with a different accent and language.”

Quoting St. John Paul II, Pope Francis said “we must not allow ourselves to be guided by the intention of setting ourselves up as judges of history but solely by the motive of understanding better what happened and of becoming messengers of truth.”

We shouldn’t be resigned to “division and distance,” but instead take this opportunity to mend a “critical moment” in Lutheran and Catholic history by moving beyond “controversies and disagreements,” he said.

“Jesus intercedes for us as our mediator before the Father; he asks him that his disciples may be one, ‘so that the world may believe.’”

“This is the testimony the world expects from us,” the Pope said. As Christians we can only be credible witnesses of mercy to the extent that “forgiveness, renewal and reconciliation are daily experienced in our midst.”

“This is what comforts us and inspires us to be one with Jesus, and thus to pray: ‘Grant us the gift of unity, so that the world may believe in the power of your mercy,’” he said.

“Together we can proclaim and manifest God’s mercy, concretely and joyfully, by upholding and promoting the dignity of every person. Without this service to the world and in the world, Christian faith is incomplete.”

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VATICAN NEWS

Make unity a priority, Pope Francis says at Reformation anniversary

by Elise Harris (CNA/EWTN News) • October 31, 2016

Pope Francis speaks during an ecumenical gathering at Malmo Arena in Lund, Sweden on Oct. 31, 2016. (L’Osservatore Romano)

Lund, Sweden — While in Sweden to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Pope Francis heard moving testimonies from both Lutherans and Catholics working to better society, giving thanks for their witness and praying for greater unity.

“We remember this anniversary with a renewed spirit and in the recognition that Christian unity is a priority, because we realize that much more unites us than separates us,” the Pope said at an ecumenical event in Malmo, Sweden Oct. 31. He explained that the journey toward unity taken so far is in itself “a great gift” from God.

The path of dialogue has helped the two Churches to grow in mutual understanding and has fostered greater trust between Catholics and Lutherans as they strive toward full communion, Francis said.

He pointed to common areas of cooperation as a concrete example of the steps taken.

In addition to the 1999 joint declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Holy See and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Catholic charity organization Caritas Internationalis and the Lutheran World Federation World Service will also sign a joint Oct. 31 “Declaration of Intent” aimed at “developing and strengthening a spirit of cooperation for the promotion of human dignity and social justice.”

Pope Francis is on an official Oct. 31-Nov. 1 visit to Sweden for a joint-commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. His visit marks the first time a Pope has traveled to Scandinavia since St. John Paul II’s 1989 visit.

After landing at the International Airport of Malmö, the Pope paid a courtesy visit to the Royal Family before joining an ecumenical moment of prayer at Lund’s Lutheran cathedral.

Following the prayer, Francis then headed to the Malmö Arena for the primary ecumenical event, during which he was greeted by Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, President of the LWF.

In his speech, Younan said “it brings me immense joy to be here today, bearing witness to the work of the Holy Spirit sowing unity among the followers of Jesus.”

The historic gathering, he said, sends a message to the entire world that strongly-held religious convictions “can lead toward peaceful reconciliation rather than always contributing more conflict to our already troubled world.”

“When religious people work for unity and reconciliation, religion can promote the flourishing of all human communities,” Younan said.

“As we meet here, Catholic and Lutheran, with many other ecumenical guests, we are challenged to move forward in the Holy Spirit, he concluded, adding that this meeting “is not the end of our dialogue, but a new beginning.”

“I am confident that our common purpose will be found not just in theological dialogue, but in the practical witness, the ‘martyria,’ of prophetic ‘diakonia.’”

Before their speeches, the Pope and Younan also listened to four testimonies from both Catholics and Lutherans working for the common good and the advancement of various sectors of society.

After hearing the testimony of Pranita Biswasi, a Lutheran woman from the district in Orissa, India speak about the effects of climate change on the poor and the need to take better care of the environment, the Pope noted that creation “is a sign of God’s boundless love for us.”

He thanked Biswasi, who was a delegate from the LWF to 2015’s COP21 climate summit in Paris, for her work, telling her that he shares her concerns for the “abuses” that harm the plant and cause “grave effects on the climate.”

“As you rightly mentioned, their greatest impact is on those who are most vulnerable and needy; they are forced to emigrate in order to escape the effects of climate change,” he said, adding that everyone, especially Christians, “are responsible for protecting creation. Our lifestyle and our actions must always be consistent with our faith.”

The Pope then turned to the testimony given by Msgr. Héctor Fabio Henao Gaviria of Colombia, who serves as director of Caritas and the National Secretariat of Social Pastoral Ministry.

After hearing the priest speak about the problem of violence in Colombia, the initiatives of Caritas and the need for peace in the country, Francis said “it is good to know that Christians are working together to initiate communitarian and social processes of common interest.”

“I ask you to pray in a special way for that great country, so that, through the cooperation of all, peace, so greatly desired and necessary for a worthy human coexistence, can finally be achieved,” he said.

Francis then pointed to the testimony of Marguerite Barankitse of Burundi. After receiving death threats for speaking out against conflict that erupted in the country last year, she has been a refugee in Rwanda.

Barankitse is Catholic and is the foundress of the Maison Shalom organization, which is a complex of schools, hospitals and a care network extending throughout Burundi focusing specifically on child welfare and ending ethnic discrimination.

Referring to the work Barankitse carries out, the Pope said that striving to achieve peace and help children who are victims of various atrocities “is both admirable and a summons to take seriously the countless situations of vulnerability experienced by so many persons who have no way to speak out.”

He noted how in her speech, Barankitse said many people called her “crazy” for her work with what she called her “strategy of love.”

This craziness, Francis said, “is the craziness of love for God and our neighbor. We need more of this craziness, illuminated by faith and confidence in God’s providence.”

“What you consider a mission has been a seed that has borne abundant fruit and today, thanks to that seed, thousands of children can study, grow and enjoy good health,” he said, voicing his gratitude that even in exile, she continues to spread a message of peace.

The Pope then pointed to the last testimony he listened to before his speech, which came from Rose Lokonyen, a refugee from South Sudan living in Kenya who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics as one of 10 members of the games’ first-ever refugee team.

Originally from South Sudan, Lokonyen fled with her family to Kenya when she was just 4 years old, where she lived in a refugee camp for 16 years before joining the Olympic team.

Pope Francis noted how Lokonyen was able to make use of the talent God had given her. Rather than “wasting her energy on adverse situations,” instead she “found fulfillment in a fruitful life,” he said.

“While I was listening to your story, I thought of the lives of so many young people who need to hear stories like yours. I would like everyone to know that they can discover how wonderful it is to be children of God and what privilege it is to be loved and cherished by him,” Francis said.

He thanked Lokonyen for her efforts and commitment to encouraging other young women to return to school, and also voiced his gratitude “for the fact that you pray daily for peace in the young state of South Sudan, which so greatly needs it.”

Francis then gave a shout-out to all governments that assist and welcome refugees, displaced and asylum speakers, calling their assistance “a great gesture of solidarity and a recognition of their dignity.”

“For us Christians, it is a priority to go out and meet the outcasts and the marginalized of our world, and to make felt the tender and merciful love of God, who rejects no one and accepts everyone.”

He then pointed to the situation of Chaldean Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo, who was also present at the event and gave his testimony after the Pope and Younan spoke.

In his comments about Bishop Audo’s situation, Francis noted that Aleppo is a city “brought to its knees by war, a place where even the most fundamental rights are treated with contempt and trampled underfoot.”

However, he also pointed to the “truly heroic” men and women who have remained in order to provide material and spiritual support to those in need.

“It is admirable too, that you, dear brother, continue working amid such danger in order to tell us of the tragic situation of the Syrian people. Every one of them is in our hearts and prayers,” he said, and prayed for the grace “of heartfelt conversion for those responsible for the fate of that region.”

Francis closed his address by encouraging those present not to get discouraged in the face of adversity, but to allow the testimonies of others to “give us new impetus to work ever more closely together.”

“When we return home, may we bring with us a commitment to make daily gestures of peace and reconciliation, to be valiant and faithful witnesses of Christian hope … as we know, hope never deludes us.”

The ecumenical event was Pope Francis’ last event of the day. Before departing tomorrow, Nov. 1, the Pope will hold an outdoor Mass at the Swedbank Stadium in Malmö, marking All Saints Day.

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VATICAN NEWS

The saints stand out – because they’re happy, Pope Francis says

by Elise Harris (CNA/EWTN News) • November 1, 2016

Pope Francis at the Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on June 24, 2015. (Daniel Ibanez/CNA)

Lund, Sweden — The saints of the Church have many different qualities, but one thing that unites them all is a sense of joy, Pope Francis said in his All Saints Day Mass in Sweden.

“If there is one thing typical of the saints, it is that they are genuinely happy,” the Pope said in his homily Nov. 1, All Saints Day.

The saints, he said, “found the secret of authentic happiness, which lies deep within the soul and has its source in the love of God. That is why we call the saints blessed.”

He then pointed to the Beatitudes, explaining that they are both the path saints take as well as their final goal: “the Beatitudes are the way of life that the Lord teaches us, so that we can follow in his footsteps.”

Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Swedbank Stadium in Malmö on the last day of his Oct. 31-Nov. 1 visit to Sweden for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

He participated in a joint prayer service and ecumenical encounter to commemorate the Reformation on the day of his arrival. The event also serves as a recognition of 50 years of ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation.

After celebrating Mass, Pope Francis will have an official farewell ceremony and board the plane back to Rome.

In his homily, the Pope said that the celebration of All Saints Day in the Church is “a celebration of holiness” seen not so much in great gestures or events, but rather “in daily fidelity to the demands of our baptism.”

This holiness “consists in the love of God and the love of our brothers and sisters. A love that remains faithful to the point of self-renunciation and complete devotion to others,” he said, and pointed to the many sacrifices mothers and fathers make for their children, as an example.

Francis then pointed to the Beatitudes, saying they are the image of Christ and consequently “of each Christian.”

Referring specifically to the Beatitude “Blessed are the Meek,” the Pope said this “spiritual portrait” shows us the abundance of God’s love. Meekness, he said, “is a way of living and acting that draws us close to Jesus and to one another.”

“It enables us to set aside everything that divides and estranges us, and to find ever new ways to advance along the path of unity,” he said, and mentioned St. Mary Hasselblad and St. Bridget of Vadesta as examples of people who “worked to create bonds of unity and fellowship” among Christians.

Pope Francis also noted now the joint commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation is taking place in Sweden, a country marked by the coexistence of people from different religions and cultures.

The saints, he said, “bring about change through meekness of heart. With that meekness, we come to understand the grandeur of God and worship him with sincere hearts.”

He said the Beatitudes “are in some sense the Christian’s identity card,” because they identify us as followers of Jesus.

“We are called to be blessed, to be followers of Jesus, to confront the troubles and anxieties of our age with the spirit and love of Jesus. Thus we ought to be able to recognize and respond to new situations with fresh spiritual energy.”

Francis closed his homily saying that the saints “spur us on by their lives and their intercession before God,” and stressed that each of us needs one another if we are also to become saints.

“Together let us implore the grace to accept this call with joy and to join in bringing it to fulfillment,” he said, and entrusted to Mary, Queen of All Saints, “our intentions and the dialogue aimed at the full communion of all Christians, so that we may be blessed in our efforts and may attain holiness in unity.”

After Mass Pope Francis was greeted by Bishop Anders Arborelius, OCD of Stockholm before leading pilgrims in praying the Angelus.

In his brief address before the prayer, the Pope thanked all who helped to organize and plan his visit, specifically the Lutheran World Federation and greeted the different ecumenical delegations present.

“I thank God that I was able to visit this land and to meet with you, many of whom have come from all over the world,” he said, explaining that as Catholics, “we are part of a great family and are sustained in the same communion.”

He encouraged them to live their faith in prayer and the sacraments, as well as in service to those who are suffering and needy.

“I urge you to be salt and light, wherever you find yourselves, through the way you live and act as followers of Jesus, and to show great respect and solidarity with our brothers and sisters of other churches and Christian communities, and with all people of good will,” he said.

Pope Francis then turned to Mary and asked for her protection. He also asked Mass attendees to pray for him, saying, “I keep you all very present in my own.”

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VATICAN NEWS

Pope Francis reiterates a strong ‘no’ to women priests

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • November 1, 2016

Pope Francis at the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on April 13, 2016. (Daniel Ibanez/CNA)

Aboard the papal plane — During a press conference Tuesday aboard the papal plane from Sweden to Rome, Pope Francis said the issue of women priests has been clearly decided, while also clarifying the essential role of women in the Catholic Church.

“On the ordination of women in the Catholic Church, the final word is clear, it was said by St. John Paul II and this remains,” Pope Francis told journalists Nov. 1.

The question concerning women priests in the Catholic Church was asked during the flight back to Rome after the Pope’s Oct. 31-Nov. 1 trip to Sweden to participate in a joint Lutheran-Catholic commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

While there, the Pope participated in ecumenical events alongside Swedish Lutheran and Catholic leaders, including the first female Lutheran archbishop in Sweden, Antje Jackelén. She is the head of the Church of Sweden, the largest denomination of Lutheranism in Europe.

After stating that the issue of female ordination is closed, the Pope added that women are very important to the Church, specifically from a “Marian dimension.”

“In Catholic ecclesiology there are two dimensions to think about,” he said. “The Petrine dimension, which is from the Apostle Peter, and the Apostolic College, which is the pastoral activity of the bishops, as well as the Marian dimension, which is the feminine dimension of the Church.”

Pointing out that the Holy Mother Church “is a woman,” Francis said that the “spousal mystery” of the Church as the spouse of Christ can help us to understand these two dimensions.

“I ask myself: who is most important in theology and in the mysticism of the Church: the apostles or Mary on the day of Pentecost? It’s Mary!” he said.

The Church “doesn’t exist” without this feminine dimension, or “maternity,” the Pope said, because the Church herself is feminine.

Pope Francis did express that he thinks women “can do so many things better than men, even in the dogmatic field,” but he clarified how it is still a separate dimension from that of priests and bishops in the Petrine dimension.

From the beginning of his papacy, Francis has been clear on the issue of women priests, while still emphasizing the unique and important role of women in the Church.

In a press conference returning from Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 5, 2013, he answered the same question: “with reference to the ordination of women, the Church has spoken and says, ‘No.’ John Paul II said it, but with a definitive formulation. That is closed, that door.”

He said that on the theology of woman he felt there was a “lack of a theological development,” which could be developed better. “You cannot be limited to the fact of being an altar server or the president of Caritas, the catechist … No! It must be more, but profoundly more, also mystically more.”

On his return flight from Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families Sept. 28, 2015, the Pope again said that women priests “cannot be done,” and reiterated that a theology of women needs to “move ahead.”

“Pope St. John Paul II after long, long intense discussions, long reflection said so clearly,” that female ordination is not possible, he said.

Among concerns surrounding the Pope’s trip to Sweden, and the hope for continued progress on the path to communion between Lutherans and Catholics, was the issue of female ordination.

This is alongside other social and ethical issues, such as homosexuality and abortion, which are points of division not only between Catholics and Lutherans, but also within the global Lutheran community.

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VATICAN NEWS

Full text: Pope Francis’ in-flight presser from Sweden

by CNA/EWTN News • November 1, 2016

Pope Francis aboard the papal plane during his Oct. 31-Nov. 1 trip to Sweden. (Edward Pentin/National Catholic Register)

Aboard the papal plane — During his flight from Sweden to Rome on Tuesday, Pope Francis gave a press conference to the journalists assembled aboard the papal plane. He reflected on refugees, the ordination of women, ecumenism, and the crisis in Venezuela.

He also addressed secularization, human trafficking, and his possible international trips in the coming year.

Please find below the full text of the Nov. 1 press conference, translated by Catholic News Agency:

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holy Father. Welcome. We have … you spoke a lot of walking together, this when we speak of different religions … . We also have walked a bit of a path together, some for the first time. We have Swedish journalists. I think that it’s been a bit of time that Swedes haven’t come. Let’s begin with them. Elen Swedenmark, from the Swedish Agency, TT.

Pope Francis: Above all, I’d like to greet you and thank you for the work you’ve done and the cold you’ve taken on, but we left in time because they say that this evening it will go down another five degrees. We got out in time. Thanks so much … thanks for the company and for your work.

Ellen Svedenmark: Thanks. Hello. Yesterday, Holy Father, you spoke of the revolution of tenderness and at the same time, we see ever more people from nations like Syria or Iraq are seeking refuge in European nations but some react with fear or there are even people who think that the arrival of these refugees might threaten the culture of Christianity and Europe. What is the message for the people who fear this development of the situation? And what is your message to Sweden, which after a long tradition of receiving refugees is now beginning to close its borders?

Pope Francis: First of all, I as an Argentine and a South American thank Sweden so much for this hospitality … because so many Argentines, Chileans, Uruguayans, in the time of the military dictatorships were welcomed in Sweden. Sweden has a long tradition of welcoming … not only receiving, but integrating, immediately seeking a home, school, work, integrating a people. I’ve been given the statistic, maybe I’m wrong, I’m not sure … what I remember, but I could be wrong … how many inhabitants does Sweden have? 9 million … of these 9 million, they’ve told me … 850,000 would be the “new Swedes,” that is, immigrants or refugees and their children. This is the first.

Secondly, one must distinguish between migrant and refugee. The migrant must be treated with certain rules, because to emigrate is a right, but it is a very regulated right. On the other hand, being a refugee, one comes from a situation of war, of anguish, of hunger … from a terrible situation. And the status of the refugee needs more care, more work … and also in this, Sweden has always provided an example in settling, in teaching the language and the culture, also integrating into the culture. In this (issue) of integration of culture, we shouldn’t be afraid, eh! Because Europe was made with a continuous integration of culture, so many cultures, no? I believe that - I don’t say this in an offensive way, no no no, (but) as a curiosity - the fact that today in Iceland, practically in the Icelandic language of today, they can read their classics from 1,000 years ago without difficulty means that it is a nation with little migration or few waves, as Europe has had.

Europe was made from migrations and … Then, what do I think of the countries that close their borders? I think that theoretically, one cannot close their heart to a refugee. But also the prudence of those who administrate must be very open to receiving them, but also to making calculations as to how to settle them, because not only must a refugee be received, but he must be integrated. And, if a country has a “living capacity” - let’s call it that - of integration, but do it up to that limit … and if there’s anything more? Do more! But always with an open heart, it’s not human to close doors! It’s not human to close the heart!

And on the long term, one pays for this. Here, we pay politically, no? Just as also one can pay politically for an imprudence in calculations, in receiving more of those who can be integrated … because what is the danger when a refugee, a migrant (this counts for both of them) isn’t integrated, is not integrated, (when) - I permit myself the word, it’s perhaps a neologism - one is “ghettoed,” enters into a ghetto.

It’s a culture that doesn’t develop in relationship with the other culture. This is dangerous. I think that the worst counselor for the countries that tend to close their borders is fear. And the best counselor is prudence. I spoke with an official of the Swedish government in these days and they told me of some difficulties in this moment - and this goes for your last question - some difficulties because so many come that there isn’t time to sort them out and find school, home, work, learn the language. Prudence must do something. But, Sweden … I don’t believe that Sweden is, if it diminishes its capacity to welcome, may it do it for egoism because it has lost that capacity. If there is something of the sort, it’s for the latter that I said: that so many today look to Sweden because they know how to welcome, but there isn’t the necessary time to sort out everyone. I don’t know if I answered.

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holy Father. Now, a question from the Swedish nation, in the same row, Christina Kaplan.

Christina Kaplan: Good morning. The Sweden that hosted this important ecumenical encounter has a woman as head of it’s own Church. What do you think: is it realistic to think of women priests also in the Catholic Church in the coming decades? And if not, why are Catholic priests afraid of competition?

Pope Francis: Reading the history a bit in the area where we were, I saw that there was a queen who was widowed three times. And I said: but, this woman is strong, and they told me: Swedish women are very strong, very good. And because of this some Swedish man looks for a woman from another nationality … I don’t know if it’s true, but … on the ordination of women in the Catholic Church, the final word is clear, it was said by St. John Paul II and this remains. On competition, I don’t know …

Cristina Kaplan: (inaudible)

Pope Francis: If we read well the declaration made by St. John Paul II, it goes along this line, yes.

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holy Father.

Pope Francis: But women can do so many things better than men, even in the dogmatic field: to clarify, to perhaps give some clarity, not to say only a reference to a document. In Catholic ecclesiology there are two dimensions to think about. The Petrine dimension, which is from the Apostle Peter, and the Apostolic College, which is the pastoral activity of the bishops, as well as the Marian dimension, which is the feminine dimension of the Church, and this I have said more than one. I ask myself: who is most important in theology and in the mystic of the Church: the apostles or Mary on the day of Pentecost? It’s Mary! … the Church is a woman! It’s “la Chiesa” (in Italian), not “il Chiesa”… it’s “la Chiesa” and the Church is the spouse of Christ. It’s a spousal mystery. And in light of this mystery you will understand the reason for these two dimensions. The Petrine dimension, which is the bishops, and the Marian dimension, which is the maternity of the Church … but in the most profound sense. A Church doesn’t exist without this feminine dimension, because she herself is feminine.

Austen Ivereigh, Crux: Thank you very much, Holy Father this fall has been very rich in ecumenical encounters with the traditional churches; the Orthodox, the Anglican and now the Lutheran, but the majority of Protestants in the world today are from the Evangelical, Pentecostal, tradition. I have understood that on the vigil of Pentecost this coming year, there will be an event in Circus Maximus celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Charismatic Renewal. You have had many initiatives, perhaps for the first time as Pope with the evangelical leaders. What do you think of these initiatives, and what do you hope to achieve from the meeting next year? Thank you.

Pope Francis: With these initiatives, I would say that I had two, two types of initiatives, one when I went to Caserta to the charismatic church and also along this same line when in Turin I went to the Waldensian church. An initiative of reparation and of forgiveness because Catholics, part of the Catholic Church, didn’t behave well with them and had to apologize and heal a wound. The other initiative was dialogue, already since Buenos Aires. In Buenos Aires for example we had three encounters in the Luna Park in Buenos Aires that had the capacity for 7,000 people, three encounters of evangelical and Catholic faithful in the line of the charismatic renewal, but also open. And the encounter was for the whole day. A pastor and an evangelical bishop preached and a Catholic priest and a Catholic bishop preached, or two and two, they were varied. In two of these encounters, if not in all three, but in two for sure, Fr. Cantalamessa, Preacher for the Papal Household spoke. The thing already comes from previous Popes since I was in Buenos Aires and it did us well, and we also had two three-day spiritual retreats of pastors and priests together. Pastors and priests, and a bishop, preached together and this helped a lot with dialogue, understanding the approach [to each other], to work and above all to work with the most needy together and to respect, great respect. These are with respect to the initiatives which come from Buenos Aires and already here in Rome, I have had some meetings with two pastors, with three already, some who come from the United States and from here in Europe, and what you mentioned is the celebration organized by the ICCRS, the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the charismatic renewal, which was born ecumenical and for this reason it will be ecumenical in that sense and it will be at Circus Maximus.

I have planned, if God gives me life to go, to give a talk there. I think that it will last for two days, but it is still not organized. I know that they are going to do the vigil of Pentecost and I am going to give a talk in that moment. With respect to the charismatic renewal and with respect to the pentecostals, the word pentecostal, the pentecostal renewal: today, it is confused because it mentions many things, many associations and many ecclesial communities that aren’t equal, they are even opposite, so we need to specify further. They have been universalized so much that it is a misleading term. In Brazil, it’s typical, the charismatic renewal has proliferated a lot. It was born and one of the first opponents that it had in Argentina is what you were speaking about, because I was provincial of the Jesuits at the time when this began, and I forbid the Jesuits to get involved in it and I publicly said that when they were going to have a liturgical celebration, it had to be a liturgical celebration and not a school of Samba. I said this. And, today, I think the opposite when it is well done, more so in Buenos Aires. Every year, once per year, we had Mass of the ovement of the charismatic renewal in the cathedral where everyone came, and I also suffered a process of recognizing the good that the renewal had given to the Church and here we cannot forget the great figure of Cardinal Suenens, who had that prophetic and ecumenical vision.

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holy Father. And now Eva Fernandez from COPE, the Spanish radio.

Eva Fernandez: You recently met with Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela. What sensation did this meeting give you, and what is your opinion on the beginning of the conversations?

Pope Francis: The president of Venezuela asked for an interview, and appointment because he came from the Middle East, from Qatar, the Emirates, and he made a technical stop in Rome. He asked for an interview first, he came in 2013, then he asked for another appointment, but he got sick and couldn’t come, and then he asked for this meeting. If the president asks, I receive him. What’s more, he was in Rome for a stop. I listened to him for half an hour, an appointment, I listened, I asked him some questions and I heard his opinion. It’s always good to listen to all areas, no? I listened to his opinion. In reference to the second, dialogue. It’s the only path for all conflicts, eh … for all conflicts … there is no other. I with my heart put it on dialogue, and I believe that one must go forward on this path. I don’t know how it will end, I don’t know because it’s very complex … but the people who are in dialogue have important political stature … Zapatero, who was twice president of the Spanish government … and the other, Restrepo … (Editor’s note: he probably refers to Martin Erasto Torrijos Espino, another mediator for the Venezuelan crisis) asked the Holy See to be present in the dialogue, on both sides. And the Holy See assigned the nuncio to Argentina, Archbishop Celli, who I think is on the flight of the negotiations. But dialogue that favors negotiation is the only path to go out of conflicts. There is no other. If this had been done in the Middle East, how many lives would have been spared.

Mathilde Imberti: Holiness, we’re returning from Sweden, where secularization is very strong … it’s a phenomenon that touches Europe in general. In a country like France, they even estimate that in the coming years, a majority of citizens will be without religion. In your view, is secularization fate? Who are those responsible? Lay governments or the Church that might be too timid?

Pope Francis: Fate, no. I don’t believe in fate. Who is responsible? I wouldn’t know how to say, “You are responsible.” I don’t know. It is a process of … but before this, I’d like to say something: Pope Benedict XVI spoke of this a lot and clearly, and when the faith becomes tepid it’s because, as you say, the Church is weakened … the most secularized times … but let’s think to France: the times of the “worldliness” of the court, the times when the priests were the abbots of the court … it’s a clerical functionalism … the strength of evangelization was lacking, the strength of the Gospel. Whenever there is secularization, we can say that there is something of weakness in the evangelization, a big one. It really is.

But, there is another process, a cultural process, a process of - I think that I spoke of it once - of the second form of “inculturation,” when man receives the world from God and to make culture, to make it grow, dominate it … at a certain point man feels such an owner of that culture, let’s think to the myth of the Tower of Babel, such an owner of that culture that he begins to make himself the creator of another culture, but his own, and occupies the place of God the Creator, no? And in secularization, I believe that sooner or later one arrives to the sin against God the Creator. It is sufficient … it’s not a problem of secularism , because you need a healthy secularism , the autonomy of things, the healthy autonomy of things, the healthy autonomy of the sciences, of thought, of politics, a healthy secularism is needed.

Another thing is a laicism like what illuminism left us in inheritance, no? I think that there are these two things: a little the self-importance of the man creator of culture, but who goes beyond the limits and feels himself God is also a weakness in evangelization, it becomes tepid, and Christians are tepid, no? There, it’s saves us a bit to take up again the healthy autonomy of the development of culture and the sciences also with the dependence of being a creature, not God, no? And also taking up again the strength of evangelization. Today, I think that this secularization is very strong in certain cultures and also very strong in different forms of worldliness. Spiritual worldliness. When it enters into the Church, spiritual worldliness is the worst.

They are not my words, this that I say now, they are words of Cardinal de Lubac, one of the great theologians of the Council, eh! He says that when spiritual worldliness enters into the Church - this is a way - it is the worst that can happen to it, even worse than that which happened in the age of the corrupt Popes. And he says some forms of corruption of the Pope, I don’t remember well, but so many, eh … worldliness … and this is dangerous … and I’m risking that this sound like a sermon, but it is … a homily … but I’ll say this: Jesus when he prays for all of us in the Last Supper, he asks one thing for all of us to the Father, of not taking us from the world, but defending us from the world of worldliness. [Worldliness] is extremely dangerous. It is a secularization with a bit of make-up, a bit disguised, a bit ‘pret-a-porter’ in the life of the Church I don’t know if I’ve answered something of …

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holiness. Now from the German television, ZDF, Jurgen Erbacher and we are at 35 minutes, one more …

Pope Francis: Yes, for them, for lunch …

Jurgen Erbacher, ZDF: Holiness, a few days ago you met with the Santa Martha Group that works in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking, topics that I think are very close to your heart … but not only as Pope, but already in Buenos Aires you took up these topics. Why? Is there a special or possibly also personal experience [behind it]? And then as a German at the beginning of the year of commemoration of the Reformation, I must also ask if you are coming to that country where the Reformation began 500 years ago, perhaps during this year …

Pope Francis: I’ll begin with the second: the schedule of trips for next year isn’t finished, yes, we’re only almost sure that I will go to India and Bangladesh, but that isn’t done, it’s a hypothesis. I continue to the first question. Yes, I, from my time in Buenos Aires, but since I was a priest, have always had this restlessness of the flesh of Christ, no? The fact that Christ continues to suffer and Christ is crucified continuously in his weakest brothers … it has always moved me! I worked as a priest, little things with the poor, but not exclusively, I also worked with university students and … then as bishop of Buenos Aires, we also (worked) together with non-Catholic and non-believing groups against slave labor, especially Latin American migrants who arrive in Argentina, they take their passport and make them do slave labor in the industries, but closed up (inside).

But once one burned down and they had the children on the rooftop, all dead, and also someone from there who wasn’t able to escape. Truly slaves, slaves … this moved me! The trafficking of persons … and I even worked with two congregations of sisters who were working with prostitutes, or, women enslaved in prostitution … I don’t like to say ‘prostitutes’ … slaves of prostitution! Then once a year all these slaves of the system had a Mass in Constitution Square, which is one of the terminals, one of the railways, like Termini, I think of Termini … and they had a Mass there with everyone and to this Mass came all the organizations, the sisters who worked and even groups of non-believers but who worked together. And here you work the same. But here in Italy there are many volunteer groups who work against every form of slavery, whether it’s work, women … some months ago I visited one of these organizations and the people … Here in Italy they do well in volunteer work, I never thought that it happened like this. It’s a beautiful thing that Italy has, no? Volunteer work is due to pastors or parish priests … the oratory and volunteering are two things that were born from the apostolic zeal of Italian parish priest. But I don’t know if I have responded … Maybe I don’t know well how …

Greg Burke: Thank you, Holiness. They say that if we want to eat we must go … this is what my boss says.

Pope Francis: I thank you again for the questions, thank you very much! Thanks a lot and pray for me! Have a good lunch!

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VATICAN NEWS

Pope Francis at cemetery: Christ gives us hope – even in death

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • November 2, 2016

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Prima Porta cemetery on the Feast of All Souls Day on Oct. 2, 2016. (L’Osservatore Romano)

Vatican City — While it’s sad to think about our own death or that of a loved one, we can never be truly hopeless because of Christ’s resurrection, Pope Francis said on All Souls day at a cemetery outside of Rome.

“The commemoration of the dead has a dual meaning,” Francis said Nov. 2. “Sadness mixes with hope, and this is what we all feel today in this celebration. The memory of our loved ones, in front of their remains, and hope.”

“But we also feel that this hope helps, because we too have to make this journey! All of us will make this journey. Sooner or later, but everyone. With pain, some more some less, but all. But with the flower of hope, with that strong thread of hope that is anchored in the hereafter.”

Traditionally, popes have gone to Rome’s 19th century Campo Verano cemetery to celebrate Mass for the Feast of All Souls, however this year Pope Francis celebrated the Mass at the Prima Porta Cemetery on the northern outskirts of Rome.

Cemeteries are often sad places because they remind us of our loved ones who are gone, the Pope noted: “But in this sadness we bring flowers as a sign of hope, and also, I dare to say, of celebration – not now, but in the future.”

He explained that the reason for this hope is the Resurrection, that “Jesus is the one who made this journey first.”

“We are walking the path that he walked, and he brings us through the door that he himself opened. With his cross, he opened the door of hope. He opened the door so that we can enter into where we will contemplate God.”

After the Mass, Pope Francis went to the grottoes beneath the Vatican for a moment of private prayer for the deceased popes.

Also known as Prima Porta cemetery, Flaminio Cemetery was consecrated in 1941 and is considered to be a masterpiece of contemporary architecture.

Over 345 acres in size, it is the largest cemetery in Italy, and contains sections dedicated to the Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish and Islamic faiths. The Catholic church in the cemetery is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel.

The Jewish Temple and Polish Chapel were both erected by Poles living in Italy and St. John Paul II consecrated them on Nov. 1, 1991.

Many famous Italians choose to be buried there, including people from the worlds of art, entertainment, sports and politics. Inside, there is also an archaeological site of a Roman villa from 25 BC.

The Pope concluded his homily by reminding those present that the hope of the Resurrection “doesn’t delude” and that even Job, in his moment of anguish, expresses hope through the words: “I know that my Redeemer lives.”

“Let us go home today with this dual memory: the memory of the past, of those who have gone, and the memory of the future, the path on which we will go with the certainty, the security of the words that came from the lips of Jesus: I will raise him up on the last day.”

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VATICAN NEWS

What can Vatican-China relations learn from Vietnam?

by Andrea Gagliarducci (CNA/EWTN News) • November 3, 2016

(FreshStock via Shutterstock)

Vatican City — Amid reports of a possible agreement concerning the appointment of Chinese bishops, it is useful to look at the Church’s relations with Vietnam as a possible model for the development of relations between China and the Holy See.

The agreement will likely be based on Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s model implemented in Vietnam back in 1996: the Holy See proposes a set of three bishops to the Hanoi government, and Hanoi makes its choice.

This way has some problems: the Vietnam administration often delays its approval, leaving dioceses vacant for years. Then, when they make the choice, they usually prefer a pro-government candidate.

Cardinal Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, told nuncios gathered in Rome Sept. 16-18 that the talks with China deal with the appointment of bishops, and do not deal with any possibility of establishing diplomatic ties.

His remarks are the signal that the Holy See is putting into action a step by step approach in relations with China.

Holy See policy with China has become a major focus of discussion.

Cardinal Joseph Zen, archbishop emeritus of Hong Kong, has criticized the possible agreement about the appointment of bishops. He has remarked in an open letter in August, and in other interventions, that the agreement would change nothing in terms of religious freedom in China. For him, that is the main problem.

He also expressed concern that the agreement would harm the situation of all the Catholics in China who went underground to defend the Holy See’s independence to appoint bishops. They have always been faithful to the Church. But in his view, a possible agreement on government involvement in bishops appointments would mean their effort to preserve the Church’s autonomy has been useless.

Cardinal John Tong, who is Cardinal Zen’s successor as Archbishop of Hong Kong, insisted that the final choice on a bishop’s appointment will always be the Pope’s.

“When the Pope freely appoints bishops,” Cardinal Tong wrote Aug. 4, “he will seek the opinion of people within the Church and choose the most suitable person from a list of candidates.”

The cardinal stressed that many people are to be consulted on bishops’ appointments: bishops of neighboring dioceses, the national bishops’ conference, the current or previous bishop of the diocese, and the pontifical legate. Nuncios also seek the opinion of the local Church, including lay people with “outstanding wisdom.”

For Cardinal Tong, these principles “may be adjusted according to what is feasible in the local situation.”

The Archbishop of Hong Kong himself mentioned the “Vietnam model” which the Holy See tailored to suit the situation of the Vietnamese Church.

Concerning bishops’ appointments in China, he said the apostolic see has “the right to set up special provisions to target the specific circumstances faced by the Church in China.”

“This does not violate the principles of faith nor destroy the communion and unity of the Church,” he said.

An agreement on appointment of bishops could pave the way to establish a China-Holy See joint committee and start bilateral meetings.

Cardinal Parolin has long advocated of the Vietnam model. In 2005 he told U.S. diplomats that the appointment of bishops in China should not be “a major problem,” citing the Holy See’s modus vivendi with Vietnam.

The Vietnam model is “not ideal, but it is a way to take a step forward and increase our engagement,” he said, according a May 18, 2005 U.S. State Department cable from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See that was leaked and published on Wikileaks. The future cardinal was then serving in the Vatican foreign ministry as Undersecretary for Relations with States.

This approach to Vietnam was dropped under Benedict XVI’s pontificate but revived when Cardinal Parolin was appointed Secretariat of State under Pope Francis.

Like China, Vietnam lacks formal diplomatic ties to the Vatican. In 2011 it accepted a “non-resident representative” of the Holy See. However, this position itself implies a diplomatic role.

Vietnam is engaged in bilateral meetings with the Holy See. The sixth of these meetings took place Oct. 24-26 at the Vatican. The center of discussions was the recent reform of the religious freedom bill in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s representatives underscored the efforts made to improve a religious freedom bill, while the Holy See showed appreciation for these efforts and reiterated the Church’s freedom to carry forward its mission.

The issue of religious freedom has always been crucial in the Vietnam-Holy See relations, as it has been for China.

Vietnam’s religious freedom law has been under discussion since 2013, when the Vietnamese constitution was revised. The law guaranteed freedom of belief to people, and formally guarantees religious freedom.

However, Catholic communities have experienced several limitations under the communist regime that took power in 1976.

At the same time, Vietnam cares very much about relations with the Vatican. Six million of its 89 million people are Catholic, though the population is predominantly Buddhist.

According to Eglise d’Asie, a news agency run by the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris, the revision of the law on religious freedom would simplify the procedures to allow religious activities. A whole section of the new law concerns the state’s responsibility to guarantee religious freedom.

The new law would establish for the first time freedom of belief for foreign residents in Vietnam, who might have the right to exercise religious activities and to study in religious institutions.

Not by chance, following the Oct. 24-26 meetings between Vietnam and the Holy See, the delegations stressed mutual agreement that the Catholic Church in Vietnam will continue to be inspired by the Magisterium of the Church regarding the practice of “living the gospel in the nation” and being, at the same time, “good Catholics and good citizens.” The sentence was aimed to show that the Holy See was not interested in any conspiracy or plot against the government, but merely in guaranteeing freedom and rights to the Catholic community.

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VATICAN NEWS

Pope calls on religions to condemn acts of terrorism, violence

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • November 3, 2016

Pope Francis. (Daniel Ibáñez/CNA)

Vatican City — Pope Francis spoke to representatives of different religions Thursday, telling them that acts of terrorism and violence must be very clearly condemned, while love and mercy – the heart of authentic religion – must be promoted.

“Sadly, not a day passes that we do not hear of acts of violence, conflict, kidnapping, terrorist attacks, killings and destruction,” Pope Francis said, adding that “it is horrible that at times, to justify such barbarism, the name of a religion or the name of God himself is invoked.”

“May there be clear condemnation of these iniquitous attitudes that profane the name of God and sully the religious quest of mankind.”

Instead, he asked that “the aimless paths of disagreement and closed-mindedness” be rejected, and replaced with the path of a “peaceful encounter” among believers.

As part of the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis met with around 200 members of different religions at the Vatican Nov. 3. The representatives included Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and others, who all work in fields related to charity and mercy.

In his speech, the Pope lamented the many attacks against religious freedom, saying that mercy can’t be proclaimed in words alone, but must be manifested in action, and above all, “by a truly merciful way of life marked by disinterested love, fraternal service and sincere sharing.”

“The Church increasingly desires to adopt this way of life,” he said. “The religions are likewise called to this way of life, in order to be, particularly in our own day, messengers of peace and builders of communion.”

Warning against the error of religious syncretism, which blends different religions together, Francis urged unity through dialogue and encounter as a way to combat division and intolerance around the world.

“This is pleasing to God and constitutes an urgent task, responding not only to today’s needs but above all to the summons to love which is the soul of all authentic religion,” he said.

Emphasizing that compassion is the “authentic spirit” of religion, the Pope said we must “draw near to all those living in situations that call for our concern, such as sickness, disability, poverty, injustice and the aftermath of conflicts and migrations.”

“This is a summons rising from the heart of every genuine religious tradition.”

Pope Francis recalled the verse in Isaiah: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even though she may forget, yet I will never forget you,” saying that often we forget and distance ourselves from God, from our neighbor and from history.

“This is the drama of evil, the grim depths to which our freedom can plunge when tempted by evil, ever-present, waiting to strike and bring us down.”

Yet here is where we also find the most amazing aspect of merciful love, he pointed out. The love that does not forget us, but draws near like a mother draws near her child. This is the mercy we thirst for, he said.

The Pope explained how for Catholics, among the most meaningful rites of the Jubilee of Mercy is going through the Holy Door, becoming “fully reconciled” by the mercy of God.

But this also requires that we forgive others, because we receive God’s forgiveness in order to share it. “Forgiveness is surely the greatest gift we can give to others, because it is the most costly,” he explained, yet “it is what makes us most like God.”

In closing he urged those present to reject disagreement and closemindedness, praying that religions may never again, “because of the conduct of some of their followers,” convey a “distorted message, out of tune with that of mercy.”

“May there instead be fostered everywhere the peaceful encounter of believers and genuine religious freedom,” he said. “Here, our responsibility before God, humanity and the future is great; it calls for unremitting effort, without dissimulation.”

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VATICAN NEWS

Prisoners to be Pope Francis’ special guests at Mass in St. Peter’s

by Elise Harris (CNA/EWTN News) • November 3, 2016

Pope Francis visits the Rebibbia prison in Rome on April 2, 2015. (L’Osservatore Romano)

Vatican City — On Nov. 6 a special Jubilee for Prisoners will be celebrated at the Vatican, drawing detainees and their families from around Italy and beyond to St. Peter’s Basilica for Mass with Pope Francis and a special reception after.

”For the first time it will be possible for a large number of detainees from different parts of Italy and other countries to be present in St. Peter’s Basilica to live the Jubilee with Pope Francis,” Archbishop Rino Fisichella said Nov. 3.

“We know that the Pope takes great care of detained persons,” he said, noting how in each of his trips abroad Francis “has repeatedly wanted to visit prisoners and leave the detained a message of closeness and hope.”

Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, spoke to journalists at the presentation of the Jubilee for Prisoners, as well as that of the Nov. 13 Jubilee for the Socially Marginalized, set to coincide with the close of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the end of the Jubilee of Mercy.

The Jubilee of Prisoners, intended above all for prisoners and their families, penitentiary employees, prison chaplains and various associations that assist both inside and outside of the prison system, will take place Nov. 5-6 in Rome and is part of Pope Francis’ wider Jubilee of Mercy.

Currently 4,000 people have signed up for the Jubilee, of which 1,000 are prisoners from 12 countries around the world including England, Italy, Latvia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain the United States, South Africa, Sweden and Portugal.

Although the majority of prisoners attending come from Italy, there will be a Lutheran delegation present from Sweden. Around 50 prisoners and ex-prisoners will be coming from the U.S., including a group of 22 from Cincinnati.

Inmates of all types will be included among the crowds, including minors, people on house arrest, and with varying sentences for an event that offers “a future and hope other than condemnation and the length of the sentence,” Fisichella said.

Though Pope Francis has repeatedly called for an end to the death penalty, including during his 2015 visit to the U.S., and has in the past taken a special interest in individual cases of death row inmates, there will be none present during the Jubilee event.

Celebrations for the Jubilee of Prisoners will begin Saturday, Nov. 5, with Eucharistic Adoration and Confessions in the Roman churches of S. Salvatore in Lauro, S. Maria in Vallicella (Chiesa Nuova), S. Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini. The day will conclude with pilgrimages to the Holy Door.

On Sunday, Nov. 6, St. Peter’s Basilica will open at 7:30a.m., and beginning at 9a.m., testimonies will be given by various participants in the event.

The testimonies will include a prisoner who will share their experience of conversion and will speak alongside their victim, with whom they have reconciled; the brother of someone who was murdered who will talk about mercy and forgiveness; a young man currently serving a sentence and an agent of the Penitentiary Police, who is in daily contact with the prisoners.

All tickets for the Mass are, as usual, completely free of cost, and there will be no ticket required for the “Reception Celebrating Mercy” in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall after.

An exhibit of various products and items made inside prisons is also being planned, and will be located at Castel Sant’Angelo, which sits at the end of the large street leading up to the Vatican, called Via della Conciliazione.

During Mass, it will be the prisoners themselves who conduct the liturgy. The hosts used during Communion were also made by prisoners of the Opera maximum security prison in Milan as part of “The Meaning of Bread” project organized for the Jubilee of Mercy.

In his comments to journalists, Archbishop Fisichella said the prisoners coming were chosen by the bishops conferences and prison chaplains. Participating in the Jubilee for Prisoners was proposed to them by the Vatican, he said, explaining that by attending, they have “responded to the invitation of the Pope.”

He said no special security measures are being taken given the special nature of the Jubilee, but that the event will move forward “like normal.”

When it comes to transporting prisoners from around Italy and other countries, the archbishop said that each country has their own laws and regulations for how it will be done.

The Jubilee for the Socially Marginalized, on the other hand, will take place Nov. 13 and is intended for people who, “for different reasons, from economic precariousness to various diseases, from loneliness to a lack of family ties, have difficulties inserting themselves into the fabric of society and often end up on the margins of society, without a home or a place to live.”

Nearly 6,000 people have signed up from countries around the world including France, Germany, Portugal, England, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia and Switzerland.

Celebrations will begin Friday, Nov. 11, with an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, during which the Pope will listen to testimonies and speak with them. Testimonies will also be given in various parishes around Rome throughout the day.

On Saturday, Nov. 12, a vigil will be held at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wall, during which attendees can pass through the basilica’s Holy Door. A concert will also be held that night in the Paul VI Hall.

The event will close Sunday, Nov. 13, with a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis. On the same day, the Holy Doors in the papal three major basilicas of Rome – St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Wall and St. John Lateran – and those in dioceses throughout the world will be closed, marking the coming end of the Jubilee of Mercy. The Holy Door in St. Peter’s will be closed at the Nov. 20 conclusion of the Holy Year.

In his comments to journalists, Archbishop Fisichella said that to close the Holy Doors “does not exhaust the commitment of the Church, but in the light of the Jubilee experience, strengthens her witness.”

Referring to the Jubilee for Prisoners and Marginalized persons, he said “we are certain that these two Jubilee events will be lived with the same intensity and experience of prayer with which we have seen the entire Jubilee (of Mercy) be celebrated.”

The two events, he said, are “a meaningful horizon of the jubilee program which looks forward to Nov. 20 with serenity and trust.”

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VATICAN NEWS

Pope honors deceased bishops, says death unites us more fully in Christ

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • November 4, 2016

Pope Francis celebrates Mass for deceased cardinals and bishops in St. Peter’s Basilica on Nov. 4, 2016. (Daniel Ibañez/CNA)

Vatican City — Reflecting on the faithful work of the bishops and cardinals who have died in the past 12 months, Pope Francis said Friday that death does not separate us, but in fact unites us more closely in the Body of Christ.

“In the light of the Paschal Mystery of Christ, their death is, in fact, the entry into the fullness of life. In this light of faith, we feel even closer to our deceased brothers: death has apparently separated us, but the power of Christ and his Spirit unites us in an even deeper manner,” he said.

Pope Francis offered Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Nov. 4 for the souls of the 126 cardinals and bishops who passed away in 2016.

In his homily, he spoke about the passage from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans which asks, “What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?”

The bishops and cardinals “knew that our earthly pilgrimage ends at the house of the heavenly Father, and only there is the finish line, rest and peace,” he said. “At the house we are lead to the Lord Jesus, our way, truth and life.”

The beginning of our journey to the Father’s house begins at our baptism, Francis said. For priests and bishops, another important step in this journey takes place during their priestly ordination, when they pronounce the words, “Here I am!”

“From that time we are united to Christ in a special way, associated with his ministerial priesthood,” the Pope said, adding that “in the hour of death, we pronounce the final ‘here I am,’ united with that of Jesus, who died entrusting his spirit into the Father’s hands.”

There were five cardinals who died this year: Cardinal Georges-Marie-Martin Cotter, Emeritus of the Prefecture of the Papal Household; Cardinal Giovanni Coppa, Nuncio Emeritus to the Czech Republic; Cardinal Loris Francesco Capovilla, Archbishop-Prelate Emeritus of Loreto and longtime secretary to St. John XXIII; Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli, Archbishop Emeritus of Florence; and Cardinal Granciszek Macharski, Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow.

Among those who died were also Archbishop Francis Thomas Hurley, Archbishop Emeritus of Anchorage; Archbishop Henry Sebastian D’Souza, Archbishop Emeritus of Kolkata; and Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop Emeritus of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.

“The cardinals and bishops who today we remember in prayer for their entire life, especially after having been consecrated to God, were dedicated to testify and give to others the love of Jesus,” the Pope said. “By word and example, they urged the faithful to do the same.”

In imitation of Christ and as shepherds of his flock, they sacrificed for the salvation of those entrusted to them, he said.

“They sanctified through the sacraments and guided people on the way of salvation; full of the Holy Spirit’s power they proclaimed the Gospel; with fatherly love they have striven to love everyone, especially the poor, the vulnerable and those in need of help.”

Pope Francis recalled how some of those being remembered were called to undergo heavy trials, thus bearing witness to the Gospel in a heroic manner. Therefore, in this Mass, he said, we praise God for all the good that he has done through these men both “for us and for his Church.”

“In the name of the God of mercy and forgiveness, their hands have blessed and absolved, their words have comforted and dried tears, their presence testified eloquently that the goodness of God is inexhaustible and his mercy is infinite,” he said.

“We will continue to feel them next to us in the communion of saints. Fed the Bread of Life, we too, together with those who have gone before us, await with firm hope the day we will meet, face-to-face, with the bright and merciful face of the Father.”

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VATICAN NEWS

Anyone could be forced to migrate, Pope says in latest prayer video

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • November 4, 2016

Pope Francis washes the feet of migrants and refugees during Holy Thursday Mass on March 24, 2016. (L’Osservatore Romano)

Vatican City — In his most recent prayer video, Pope Francis focuses on migrants, refugees and countries who assist them, stressing that it’s possible for anyone to be placed in a situation forcing them to leave home.

The video, released Nov. 4, shows men and women refugees, law enforcement, media and a doctor walking through a revolving door as the Pope asks the question, “can one country alone manage the problems of forced migration?”

“We must move away from indifference and the fear of accepting others,” he says in the video. “Because that other could be you. Or me …”

“Join me in this prayer request,” Pope Francis says, “that the countries which take in a great number of displaced persons and refugees may find support for their efforts which show solidarity.”

An initiative of the Jesuit-run global prayer network Apostleship of Prayer, the Pope’s prayer videos are filmed in collaboration with the Vatican Television Center and mark the first time the Roman Pontiff’s monthly prayer intentions have been featured on video.

This month’s intention reflects a topic the Pope has spoken about frequently. In April he brought several Syrian families to Rome with him after his day-trip to Lesbos, Greece, and has also supported the ecumenical project “Humanitarian Corridors” to help bring other refugees legally and safely into Italy.

In a news conference aboard the papal plane returning from Sweden Nov. 1, the Pope said that “the prudence of those who administrate must be very open” to receiving refugees, as well as in “making calculations as to how to settle them, because not only must a refugee be received, but he must be integrated.”

“And, if a country has a ‘living capacity’ – let’s call it that – of integration,” Pope Francis said, “do it up to that limit … and if there’s anything more? Do more! But always with an open heart, it’s not human to close doors! It’s not human to close the heart!”

The Apostleship of Prayer, which produces the monthly videos on the Pope’s intentions, was founded by Jesuit seminarians in France in 1884 to encourage Christians to serve God and others through prayer, particularly for the needs of the Church.

Since the late 1800s, the organization has received a monthly, “universal” intention from the Pope. In 1929, an additional missionary intention was added by the Holy Father, aimed at the faithful in particular.

While there are two intentions, the prayer videos are centered on the first, universal intention.

The Pope’s evangelization intention for November, according to the Apostleship of Prayer is for the “Collaboration of Priests and Laity.”

“That within parishes, priests and lay people may collaborate in service to the community without giving in to the temptation of discouragement.”

His intentions this year have so far focused on themes the Pontiff speaks out about frequently, such as interreligious dialogue, care for creation, families in hardship, the elderly and marginalized, and respect for women.

Francis’ prayer intentions for the rest of the year are listed on the organization’s website and center on other themes close to Francis’ heart, such as prayers for an end to child-soldiers.

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WORLD NEWS

For Cardinal Kasper, ‘Amoris laetitia’ allows new pastoral practices

by CNA/EWTN News • October 28, 2016

Cardinal Walter Kasper, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, at the Vatican in April 2015. (Bohumil Petrik/CNA)

Munich, Germany — In a recent article for a German journal, Cardinal Walter Kasper – a protagonist for the admission of the divorced-and-remarried to Holy Communion – has written that Amoris laetitia marks a “paradigm shift” that allows for a “changed pastoral practice.”

“There is leeway in the concrete elaboration of the dogmatic principles’ practical pastoral consequences,” the president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity wrote in his article for the November 2016 edition of Stimmen der Zeit, a monthly journal on Christian culture.

Cardinal Kasper began by examining the range of interpretations of the apostolic exhortation issued by Pope Francis in March. He dismissed Cardinal Raymond Burke’s denial that it is magisterially binding, saying this “formally contradicts the character of an apostolic exhortation as well as its content.”

The cardinal complained that most commentaries focus on the document’s controversial eighth chapter, saying this “does not do justice in any way to the rich biblical and pastoral content of the exhortation.”

On the conservative side, he cited Robert Spaemann’s view that Amoris laetitia is a breach with the Church’s teaching tradition; Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s that it has not changed the Church’s “teaching position”; and Rocco Buttiglione’s that it is a “progression” which “lies on the line sketched out” by St. John Paul II.

Turning to the progressive side, Cardinal Kasper pointed to those who see “a cautious progression” and those who, like Norbert Lüdecke, “see the door open for a new pastoral praxis, which allows civilly remarried divorces to decide themselves in their own conscience, whether they can partake in Communion.”

For his own part, Cardinal Kasper said he “fundamentally associates” with the “centrist conservatives (or also centrist progressives)”, such as Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and Fr. Antonio Spadaro, whose interpretation he said “essentially concurs” with Buttiglione’s position.

He charged that “alleged anxiety” about the document comes from a group “which has alienated itself from a sense of faith and the life of the people of God.”

Amoris laetitia has “a new, fresh and honestly liberating tone,” Cardinal Kasper maintained. “It speaks not from an abstract image of the family thought out at a desk, but a realistic one of the joys as well as the difficulties in family life today. It does not want to criticize or moralize or indoctrinate, but it addresses sexuality and eroticism openly and in a relaxed manner expressing understanding and appreciation for the good that can also be found in situations that are not or not fully conforming to church teaching and ordinance.”

He emphasized the encouragement and joy of the exhortation, pointing out that the fourth chapter, an exegesis on St. Paul’s hymn to charity, is what Pope Francis has called its “heart”. From this exegesis comes a pastoral conception “not characterized by the raised finger but the outstretched helping hand. Listening, appreciating, accompanying and integrating are decisive for this pastoral care.”

According to Cardinal Kasper, behind this pastoral tone is a “thoroughly thought-out theological position,” demonstrated by the “many references” to St. Thomas Aquinas on the passions: “One could say cum grano salis that Amoris laetitia refrains from a predominantly negative, Augustinian view of sexuality and turns toward the creation-affirming Thomistic view.”

He also emphasizes the central place of the concept of the journey of life in Francis’ thought, in which he said “the law always applies” as the final cause which “orients every single step towards the goal” and “is not a distant ideal.”

“Usually people – and we are all such people - cannot do the optimum, but only the best possible in one’s situation; often we must choose the lesser evil. In a lived life, there are not only black and white, but also very different nuances and shades,” Cardinal Kasper wrote.

He added that Amoris laetitia can be understood only “if the paradigm shift that this exhortation undertakes is comprehended.”

“A paradigm shift does not change the previous teaching; it moves the teaching nonetheless into a larger context. So Amoris laetitia does not change an iota in the Church’s teaching, and yet it still changes everything. The paradigm shift entails Amoris laetitia taking the step from a legal morality towards the virtue ethics of Thomas Aquinas. Hence the exhortation stands in the best tradition. The new is, in reality, the proven old.”

The cardinal cited Aquinas as a support for his understanding of the exhortation, and hearkened back to his February 2014 address to the consistory of cardinals in which he suggested that a “smaller segment” of the divorced-and-remarried might be admitted to Communion. He emphasized the virtue of prudence and concluded that “the norm is not applied in the same mechanical manner to every situation. For its appropriate application, it needs the visual judgment of prudence and the eye of love and mercy.”

Prudence, Cardinal Kasper wrote, “does not rescind the words of the Gospel on adultery but applies them. So the statement of John Paul II is also irrevocably valid, according to which a civil marriage during the continuity of the first valid sacramental marriage stands in objective contradiction to the indissoluble sacramental bond of the first marriage. That is immovable Catholic tradition, which is not contradicted in Amoris laetitia, but affirmed.”

As a consequence, he acknowledged that “a civil marriage during the continuity of the first sacramental marriage cannot be a sacramental marriage.”

He also traced different ways that the tradition has regarded the divorced-and-remarried, saying that Benedict XVI “adhered to the decision of John Paul II to not allow divorced-and-remarried persons to Communion; he did this while he spoke of an encouragement of civilly divorced-and-remarried persons to an abstinent life. With this, he focused on a process of maturity and spiritual growth.”

“In this dynamic way of thinking, Pope Francis now goes a step further, in which he places the problem in the process of a comprehensive pastoral care of gradual integration.”

According to Cardinal Kasper, St. John Paul II “had already opened the door a little bit” by allowing the divorced-and-remarried to receive absolution if they take on the duty to live in complete continence.

“This clause is basically an admission,” the cardinal wrote. “For the abstinence belongs to the realm of intimacy and it does not rescind the objective contradiction between the continuous marital bond of the first sacramental marriage and the legal public marriage … It shows that there is leeway in the concrete elaboration of the dogmatic principles’ practical pastoral consequences.”

For Cardinal Kasper, Amoris laetitia gets to the root of this leeway by its use of Aquinas’ “distinction between the objective deadly sins and their subjective culpable apportionment,” with Pope Francis choosing to emphasize the subjective aspect of sin and the role of conscience.

He noted that the exhortation does not draw “any clear practical consequences,” but it does adopt premises by which “a changed pastoral practice is allowed in justified individual cases.”

“It leaves open the concrete question of admittance to absolution and Communion,” Cardinal Kasper wrote.

“On this question, the Pope has followed the way of the preserved tradition of the teaching to not force contentious questions but to leave it open for the unity of the Church. That does not mean, as some think, that the teaching office is abolished; leaving a question open is itself a momentous decision of the teaching office.”

He said that “The direction in which Pope Francis wants to go seems clear,” while adding that it is much more important that step-by-step integration of the divorced-and-remarried be “oriented according to its essence towards admittance to the Eucharist as a full form of participation in the life of the Church.”

This interpretation “agrees with valid canon law without any difficulties,” according to Cardinal Kasper.

“With what right may the Church deny Christians the help of a means of grace that they, moved by grace, strive with their best powers towards a Christian life through prayer, the Christian raising of children, service to the parish, and charitable and social dedication?” he asked.

“Can it be that the Spirit of God proves to be presently effective, but the Church – like Pilate – washes her hands in innocence and is sorry to not be able to do anything? Does it not also pertain to the Church in certain situations to be merciful like our Father?”

Concluding, Cardinal Kasper maintained that Amoris laetitia “does not give up one iota of the traditional teaching of the Church. Indeed, this exhortation changes everything insofar as it places the traditional teaching in a new perspective. This apostolic exhortation is no breach of tradition, rather the renewal of a great tradition. It is about continuity in the reform as Benedict XVI – following John Henry Newman – described.”

He said local Churches now “face the question of how they can concretely pursue the pastoral way that Amoris laetitia basically established,” and that this should be not focused solely on the divorced-and-remarried, but includes marriage prep and accompaniment.

Regarding the divorced-and-remarried, he said the exhortation “does not lead us on the comfortable way of patent formulas, which cannot exist in reality … that presents bishops, priests, and pastoral ministers, but most especially confessors, with great challenges.”

“Spiritual discernment demands spiritual competence,” he maintained. “It is a gift of the Holy Spirit as well as a fruit of spiritual experience and of learning from the great masters of the spiritual life. This matter must be strongly accounted for in the formation and continuing education of clerics and pastoral ministers going forward.”

Cardinal Kasper finished, saying, “Everything will need time: time to rethink and time to implement. We can absolutely not forget the synod. There remains much to be done. The synod has passed. The fierce debates will also hopefully pass soon. The concrete work begins now. We must make Amoris laetitia an awakening of family pastoral ministry. Marriage and family must be the central theme in pastoral care because the family is the way of the Church.”

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WORLD NEWS

Want to end child soldiers? Stop fighting, Sudanese archbishop says

by Elise Harris (CNA/EWTN News) • October 29, 2016

(Goran Bogicevic via Shutterstock)

Rome, Italy — Archbishop Paulino Luduku Loro of Jubo, South Sudan has said that when it comes to the dramatic and widespread phenomena of child soldiers in his country’s conflict, the only way to stop it is to end the fighting and focus on talking about the issues.

“The only solution we have been saying is stop fighting, stop war, so that we fight in dialogue. Because there are reasons why these people, these child soldiers are fighting,” Archbishop Paulino Luduku Loro told CNA Oct. 27.

Many children, he noted, “are maybe not simply caught by the government,” but choose to fight on their own.

“It’s because they feel the problem, they are grieved, they feel that there is an injustice in the administration of the government and here you have young boys, young children, by themselves. They are not even recruited by anybody,” he said.

Recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan is among the worst in the world with an estimated 16,000 child soldiers fighting since the conflict intensified in December 2013.

A primary concern regarding the phenomena of child soldiers is what violence does to a young person’s psyche, particularly as they transition into adulthood.

Since many soldiers recruited by the government don’t want to fight, the government has resorted to the use of more militia-type fighters, or forces children to fight for them, the archbishop explained.

However, it’s also children and young boys who “simply go by themselves” to fight against the government, he said, stressing that the only solution “is to stop fighting and talk peace. This is what we are working on together.”

Archbishop Loro heads the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba in South Sudan, and traveled to Rome alongside Rev. Daniel Deng Bul Yak, Archbishop of the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan, and Rev. Peter Gai Lual Marrow, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan.

The three of them met with Pope Francis Oct. 27 to discuss the desperate situation of their country with the Pope, both highlighting their joint collaboration and inviting him to visit.

The meeting was arranged by Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, currently President of the Vatican’s Council for Justice and Peace and president-elect of the new mega-dicastery dedicated to Integral Human Development, which will go into effect as of Jan. 1, 2017, and which will absorb the Councils for Migrants, Justice and Peace, Charity and Healthcare.

According to an Oct. 27 Vatican communique on the meeting, discussion focused on current tensions dividing Sudanese people “to the detriment of coexistence in the country.”

Mention was made of the “good and fruitful collaboration” among differing Christian Churches, “who wish primarily to offer their contribution to promoting the common good, protecting the dignity of the person, protecting the helpless and implementing initiatives for dialogue and reconciliation.”

In his comments to CNA, Archbishop Loro said that from a religious point of view, “the three of us as different religions, all are Christian religions and we are perfectly together.”

Different Christian communities have always spoken about the situation of the country together, he said, explaining that it’s “perfectly in place” that the three of them would come to the Vatican together to voice concerns surrounding the state of their country.

“We are together and we are really speaking one voice and one language” to raise awareness of the humanitarian, political and social crisis of the country both locally and internationally.

In light of the ongoing Jubilee of Mercy, the necessity for forgiveness and acceptance of others was underlined as a key path to building peace and fostering human development, according to the communique.

The three Christian leaders stressed their commitment to working together “a spirit of communion and unity, to service to the population, promoting the spread of a culture of encounter and sharing.”

Sudan has been the scene of nearly continuous civil war since it gained independence in 1956. Many of the initial problems were caused by corruption in the government, which led to the political, economic, and religious marginalization of the country’s peripheries.

South Sudan became an independent country in 2011 but it has been torn by a civil war since December 2013, between the state forces – the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – and opposition forces, as well as sectarian conflict.

A peace agreement was signed but it was broken by violence earlier this summer, which prompted the South Sudan Council of Churches to publicly condemn the violence and pray for peace. A ceasefire was then ordered by President Kiir and then-Vice President Machar in July.

Machar, the former rebel leader, ended up fleeing the country, but despite this, some fighting has continued in the country.

Although South Sudan is now independent from Sudan, the two countries share an episcopal conference. South Sudan also shares a common apostolic nuncio with Kenya, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo.

This point was also brought up during their meeting with Pope Francis, Archbishop Loro said, explaining that when the Pope asked how it was working out to have a shared nuncio between the two countries, he requested that South Sudan have its own.

The three Christian leaders extended an official invitation to Pope Francis to visit the country, particularly as a sign of solidarity and peace.

Francis said he would like to go if possible, Archbishop Loro said, explaining that he Pope’s visit “would be the visit of a religious leader to the country.”

Given this fact, the visit “would have a great impact and would be very welcome by us and by civil society, and it would be a great help for us. This is why we came to the Pope,” he said.

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Basilica of St. Benedict destroyed in earthquake

by CNA/EWTN News • October 30, 2016

The Basilica of St. Benedict in the main square of Norcia, before the earthquake. (CNA)

Amatrice, Italy — A large earthquake struck the central Italian town of Norcia this morning, leveling the Basilica of St. Benedict and several other buildings in the town.

The earthquake, which occurred around 7:40 a.m. local time, had a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter scale, making it larger than the 6.2-magnitude quake which hit near the towns of Norcia and Amatrice on Aug. 24.

The Basilica of St. Benedict, built between 1290 and 1338 was located on what is traditionally held as the birthplace of St. Benedict and his twin sister, St. Scholastica. A bell tower built in the 14th century was damaged in an earthquake in 1703 and replaced by a smaller tower. The church had undergone a complete renovation in the 18th century, and contained many valuable paintings and frescos.

Born in Norcia to upper-class parents during the year 480, St. Benedict became the founder of the Benedictine rule and is known as the “Father of Western Monasticism.” He is also one of the co-patron saints of Europe.

The Benedictine Monks of Norcia, the caretakers of the Basilica, reported on Twitter that the monks were safe and were searching for those who may be in need of last rites, but the Basilica was destroyed.

Several injuries but no fatalities have been reported thus far, as many locals including the monks were evacuated from the town after previous earthquakes in August and October.

The aftershocks of the earthquake were felt in the capital of Rome and as far north as Venice.

Pope Francis prayed for all those affected by the earthquake after his Angelus address Sunday morning, asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to watch over the victims.

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What will ensure the survival of Middle East Christians?

by CNA/EWTN News • October 31, 2016

A Christian refugee family of eight living in a construction site in Erbil, Iraq. (International Christian Concern)

New York City, N.Y. — Christianity is at a crossroads in the Middle East, and only a dedicated campaign of aid and activism can help Christians survive as a merciful, forgiving leaven in the region.

“Either Christianity will survive and offer a witness of forgiveness, charity and mercy, or it will disappear, impoverishing the region religiously, ethnically and culturally,” Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight and CEO of the Knights of Columbus, said Oct. 12.

His remarks came at the awards banquet for the Path to Peace Award.

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the apostolic nuncio heading the Holy See’s permanent observer mission to the U.N., conferred the award in recognition of the Knights of Columbus’ work in the Middle East and their humanitarian work throughout the world. The award is granted by the Path to Peace Foundation, which supports the Holy See’s U.N. mission.

Anderson outlined three steps to aid the Christians of the Middle East.

“The first step on the path to peace in this region has been taken,” he said. “Christians have forgiven their persecutors. The second step must be a level of government funding directed to those communities that have faced genocide, so that they, and their witness, can survive. The third step must be the creation of real equality regardless of religious belief.”

“If we take these steps, we will not only have saved the faith of a people, we will have ensured that their witness of mercy and reconciliation – which is the only authentic path to peace – continues to be a leaven in this region.”

The Knights’ support campaign began in 2014, raising millions of dollars for Christians and other minorities suffering from war or persecution in the Middle East, especially Iraq and Syria. The organization was a leader in the successful effort to persuade Congress to recognize the persecution of Christians as genocide. The designation triggered additional protections and programs under U.S. law.

Anderson stressed the need to preserve religious pluralism in general and Christianity specifically.

“The Christian witness of mercy and forgiveness is the true path to peace in the Middle East,” Anderson said, noting Christianity’s ancient roots there.

He cited Melkite Catholic Archbishop Jean-Celement Jeanbart of Aleppo’s frequent reminder that St. Paul did not baptize Syrian Christians. Rather, they baptized St. Paul.

“And I would add this. They had to forgive him before they baptized him,” Anderson said. “When asked to visit Paul, (the) Syrian Christian Ananias’ first reaction was to remind the Lord that Paul had persecuted Christians. Ananias had to forgive, then embrace his former persecutor.”

Anderson said Christians have lived “heroically” in the Middle East for two thousand years.

“This is the history of Christians indigenous to the Middle East. They forgive, and by doing so they open the path to peace,” the Supreme Knight continued. “Today, they have given up everything but their faith, for their faith. But even having lost so much, they have given a great gift, to their fellow citizens and to the world. The gift they have given is the example of forgiveness and mercy – the fundamental building blocks of peace.”

He cited the example a young girl severely burned by members of the Islamic State group in Mosul who was dying of her injuries in a hospital. Before she died, she told her mother to forgive them

Another girl told ABC’s 20/20 News she also forgives the Islamic State group.

“Jesus said ‘forgive each other, love each other the way I love you,’ that is what we need to learn. Forgiveness,” she said.

A Chaldean Catholic Iraqi priest, Father Douglas Bazi, was captured by terrorists for nine days. They tortured him, knocked out his teeth, and broke his back with a hammer.

During the torture, the priest prayed the rosary, using the chain links on his shackles as beads. He still tried to minister to his torturers, telling one that if they crossed paths again “I will buy you a cup of tea.”

“This Christian witness of mercy and forgiveness is having an effect,” Anderson said, citing a Yazidi family who told a Knights of Columbus team that almost all the assistance they have received have come from Christians.

Anderson continued to stress the vital role of Christians in the region.

“A true path to peace in the region requires the presence of Christians within a pluralistic society in which they are full and equal citizens. This means they must survive, and they must be treated equally,” he said.

The Supreme Knight called for direct funding to communities who are victims of genocide. U.S. and U.N. officials in Iraq have said they prioritize aid to individuals in the most need, but do nothing for groups as such even if the groups have been targeted for genocide.

“Victims and survivors of genocide should be prioritized,” Anderson said, adding that communities facing extinction should not be ignored.

Aid channels have failed and government delivery systems are unreliable, he reported, advocating that financial aid be delivered directly to threatened communities through new channels and new partnerships with religious organizations.

“If it is not done, the genocide begun by ISIS will likely succeed by our own inaction,” Anderson warned.

He suggested that given the vast amounts of foreign aid to the region from the U.S. and other countries gives leverage to secure real equality and human rights for threatened minorities.

“We must insist that Christians and other non-majority communities are no longer marginalized,” he said.

Anderson invoked the Knights of Columbus’ long history of humanitarian relief, advocacy and public awareness work.

The Knights aided persecuted Christians in Armenia and the Middle East in the early 20th century and supported persecuted Mexican Catholics around the same time. The organization advocated for Jews in Germany before World War II and for religious freedom in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

Previous recipients of the Path to Peace Award include U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former President Corazon C. Aquino of the Philippines, and former President Lech Walesa of Poland.

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternity, has about 1.9 million members worldwide. The Knights’ relief fund for Middle East Christians and other minorities is accepting donations through its webpage at kofc.org/iraq.

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In Albania, the Church honors martyrs of the communist era

by Mónica Zorita de la Morena (Aid to the Church in Need) • November 2, 2016

Banners of the Albanian and Vatican flags in Tirana in preparation for Pope Francis’ Sept. 21, 2014 visit. (Daniel Ibanez/CNA)

Shkodër, Albania — During 40 years of communist rule in Albania – which in 1967 declared itself the first completely atheist country in the world – praying, making the sign of the cross, wearing a crucifix around one’s neck, or any other evidence of being a believer in God were treated as crimes.

Churches, mosques and other places of worship were used as shopping centers, sports halls, or theaters. That too was the fate of the cathedral of Shkodër, which was turned into a sports arena. But on Nov. 5, it will the site of the beatification of 38 Albanian martyrs.

“Before they were tortured and executed by firing squad, they all said: ‘Long live Christ the King, long live Albania. We forgive those who kill us’,” Archbishop Angelo Massafra of Shkodër told international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need. Among the martyrs were a number of bishops, priests, and ordinary faithful, including one woman, María Tuci.

María was a teacher and she was condemned to die for the crime of reminding students of the presence of Christ. Her death was excruciating, after she had already been arrested and tortured countless times. She was finally put in a sack along with a cat. The torturers repeatedly hit the cat with a stick and their victim later died of the injuries inflicted by the terrified animal.

Father Lazer Shantoja was tortured so severely in the environs of Tirana that his own mother begged that he be shot to death to finally put an end to his suffering.

Ndre Zadeja was the first to be executed by firing squad; he was the first martyr of the Albanian communist dictatorship that finally collapsed in 1991. He died in Shkoder.

Archbishop Massafra, who serves as president of the Albanian bishops’ conference, said that all who were murdered in that city were forced to walk along a particular route that ended at the cemetery wall. There they were “tortured, spat upon, and finally executed by shooting.” The route led them past the cathedral.

“This was done on purpose. It was to remind them that they were suffering because of their love for Christ,” the bishop said.

“The beatification ceremony will be a joyous festival. Thousands of Albanians all over the world will be following” the proceedings, Archbishop Massafra said. “This small, but great Church has given the world Church countless martyrs,” he added.

The martyrs’ beatification process was begun in 2002 and was completed in 2010. Pope Francis signed a decree that authorized the beatification to take place Nov. 5.

Muslims, who account for as much as 70 percent of the population of Albania, were not spared either. Thousands of people lived in concentration camps or languished in prisons because they believed in God “or in Allah,” the bishop said.

There have been notable survivors of the reign of terror, including Father Ernest Simoni, who spent 28 years in a labor camp and whom Pope Francis has just made a cardinal. Then there is Sister Marije Kaleta. Both met the Pope during his recent visit to the country, leaving the Pontiff visibly moved.

Bishop Massafra spoke of them as ranking among the “secret consolers of the other prisoners.” Father Simoni was able to secretly say Mass during his years of captivity.

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California bishops: Legalizing marijuana hurts kids, the poor

by CNA/EWTN News • October 29, 2016

(Mr. Green via Shutterstock)

San Francisco, CA — When it comes to legalizing marijuana in California, the risks to children, teens and the poor are just too great, said four Bay Area bishops ahead of the November ballot.

Discussing the state’s ballot initiative Proposition 64, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco warned that legalization suggests to children that drug use is acceptable.

“If you don’t think teens will take up marijuana, look at the history of tobacco. It was ‘cool’ to smoke until the dangers became all too apparent,” he said. “It then took decades for the smoking rate to reach today’s low levels. Will legalized marijuana follow that same pattern?”

Cordileone noted that unlike alcohol, there is no reliable standard to measure the effect of marijuana on a driver. He noted his own arrest for driving under the influence in 2012, saying that drivers will wrongly deem themselves safe to drive and take chances.

“The cost in lives is unacceptable. The parallels with other substances like tobacco are too striking. And the impact on our young people too uncertain,” he said.

California’s Proposition 64, on the ballot this November, would decriminalize marijuana for adults in the state age 21 and older. It would license and regulate sellers, and tax sale and cultivation.

Cardinal William Levada, Archbishop emeritus of San Francisco, also criticized the proposal.

“Experimenting with the health and welfare of our children, the potential impact on road safety, not to mention the medical and legal implications that are far from resolved, seem to me to take us in a dangerous and unwise direction,” he said.

“Even a cursory examination of data on marijuana legalization reveals that too little is known about the impact on the health and education of our children, the increased danger on our highways, the impact on economically challenged neighborhoods and black market expansion of cannabis-related commerce.”

Bishop Michael C. Barber of Oakland and San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop William J. Justice each joined Archbishop Cordileone and Cardinal Levada in writing separate statements opposing Prop. 64.

The bishops cited the results of legalization in other states.

In Colorado, there have been increased emergency room visits and poison control hotline calls due to children ingesting cannabis products that are made to appear like candy. The state has also seen increased marijuana-related traffic deaths and its drug products have appeared in other states. The homeless population has increased sharply, with a 40 percent increase in homeless shelter population in one region. People migrate to the state to use the drug cheaply and legally, even though they have no job or housing plans.

Washington state has shown growing marijuana use among high school seniors, with the percentage of users now at 27 percent, say studies from the American Psychological Association. A study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that traffic deaths doubled in the state after legalization.

“Abuses and excess of any kind, be it with food, alcohol, tobacco or medicine diminish and rob us of our capacity to live a dignified life,” Cardinal Levada said. Given the advances in public health that have reduced tobacco use, raised awareness about the dangers of driving, and promoted exercise and nutrition, he asked why California would want “to encourage a practice that could lead to addiction and unhealthy side effects?”

Auxiliary Bishop Justice said the measure is likely to worsen poverty, especially for people in poorer neighborhoods, “where residents have less power to protect their own interests.” He said legalized marijuana would increase challenges on communities with high unemployment and reduced educational opportunities.

In Colorado, he noted, marijuana operations buy cheap real estate and lock out other buyers in low-income neighborhoods.

“As usage increases, poor communities – as well as other economic groups – will also experience more failed drug tests, missed days at work or school, and even loss of employment,” Bishop Justice said. “Those with the financial strength to weather what is hopefully a temporary setback, will do so. Those with fewer resources have a much tougher time overcoming the financial ramification of even a temporary loss of income.”

For his part, Bishop Barber warned that children would be exposed to “positive, alluring marijuana advertising” under the ballot proposal. The proposition’s language bars the direct marketing and advertising of marijuana directly to minors. But it offers broad allowances for mixed adult and child audiences – for example, it would be legal to advertise marijuana even when a quarter of a television show’s audience consists of children.

“How many children will fail to achieve their potential because of this law?” Bishop Barber asked.

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Election year got you down? Don’t despair, Minnesota bishop urges

by CNA/EWTN News • October 31, 2016

(Jiri Hera via Shutterstock)

Minneapolis, MN — When Bishop Andrew Cozzens was recently filling up his gas tank, a stranger approached him and said, “Father, I hope you are praying for this country!”

“His sentiment captured what many of us feel about our country, especially regarding the upcoming election. For conscientious Christians, many of us find our nation in a state of crisis,” Bishop Cozzens of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota said in an Oct. 27 column for Catholic Spirit.

“But fear and discouragement ultimately are not real options for us as Christians,” he said, urging his community to trust in the ultimate power of God.

The Minnesota bishop shared his struggles with the upcoming Nov. 8 election, saying that “I find myself in a moral quandary greater than I ever have before.”

But Bishop Cozzens is not alone in this sentiment – many other Catholic bishops have spoken out in this election, including Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, who called both major party candidates “problematic.”

Bishop Cozzens laid out his top priorities for a presidential candidate, saying that he wanted to vote for a leader who respected life in all stages, who would protect religious freedom, who would respect immigrants, and ultimately, who could be considered trustworthy.

“Though I do not expect elected officials to agree with me on every issue, I should at least be able to expect that they have the character to serve in the best interest of our nation’s people,” Bishop Cozzens said.

“Unfortunately, I do not believe either of the two major candidates for president can be trusted to do so.”

Despite a challenging election year, Bishop Cozzens encouraged voters and Catholics to not despair, but remain in the call to be “people of hope,” grounded in the faith that Christ Jesus has “the greatest power in the universe.”

“History has taught us that even when society goes astray from that love, Jesus Christ and his Church always remain.”

Bishop Cozzens pointed to voting guidelines published by the Minnesota Catholic Conference for discerning Catholics who are looking to both the Catholic Church and their own consciences to lead them in the election.

For the Minnesota bishop, voting could come down to the disappointing decision of choosing between the lesser of evils, which he said includes casting a vote for a third-party candidate or even refraining from the presidential vote, which he called “a legitimate way to exercise one’s vote.”

Bishop Cozzens encouraged Catholics in the moral obligation to vote, urging them especially to keep Catholic values at the forefront in local elections.

“Please don’t let your discouragement about the presidential race prevent you from voting in the many other important local elections. Much good can still be done right here in Minnesota to promote life, liberty and the common good by electing legislators who share our values.”

Moving forward, Bishop Cozzens encouraged an attitude of trust and hope, urging everyone to pray for the United States of America, particularly through a pre-election novena.

“Given where our country is today, I fully expect that more suffering will come to those who seek to sincerely practice their Catholic faith,” the Minnesota bishop said.

“But this suffering has always been part of the life of the Church. And we know that, united with Christ’s death on the cross, the sufferings we endure as part of the body of Christ can bear great fruit.”

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What’s unpopular with voters? Taxpayer funding of abortion

by CNA/EWTN News • October 31, 2016

(CristinaMuraca via Shutterstock)

Washington D.C. — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has backed an end to the Hyde Amendment, which bans most federally-funded Medicaid payments for abortion.

However, only about 36 percent of likely voters want an end to the ban on taxpayer-funded abortion, Politico reports.

About 57 percent of Clinton voters backed an end to the Hyde Amendment. But among likely Trump voters, 77 percent support the Hyde Amendment policy, while only 19 percent are opposed.

The amendment, named for the late U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, has been added to spending bills in Congress annually for forty years.

The poll, conducted for Politico by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, surveyed 1,492 likely voters Sept. 14-21.

Any changes to federal policy could depend on the outcome of congressional elections this November. Efforts to end the Hyde Amendment are likely to face broad opposition in Congress, including from some Democratic legislators.

Federal funding for Planned Parenthood is more popular.

Despite video reports appearing to show Planned Parenthood clinics engaged in the illegal sale of fetal tissue, about 58 percent of Americans support funding for the abortion provider while only 37 percent are opposed.

Likely Trump voters are split, with 48 percent wanting an end to Planned Parenthood funding while 47 percent in support. Likely Clinton voters favor Planned Parenthood funding by a 70-26 margin.

Republicans rank abortion as a top health care concern, but behind other issues such as the future of the 2010 health care law known as Obamacare, the government’s role in slowing the rise of health costs, and Medicare. For Democrats, abortion ranked seventh in importance, with Medicare ranked first.

About 25 percent of likely voters said abortion is extremely important to their choice for president. Women were much more likely than men to say abortion policies are extremely or very important.

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Successor appointed for Guam archbishop accused of abuse

by CNA/EWTN News • October 31, 2016

Bishop Michael Byrnes, who was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Hagatna on Oct. 31, 2016. (Archdiocese of Detroit)

Hagatna, Guam — Pope Francis on Monday appointed Bishop Michael Byrnes as the successor to Guam’s archbishop, who has been accused of sexual abuse of minors.

Bishop Byrnes has until now served as an auxiliary bishop in Detroit. His apointment as coadjutor comes with special faculties.

As Coadjutor Archbishop of Agaña, Bishop Byrnes possesses the right of succession and will automatically be appointed Archbishop of Agaña when it’s current ordinary, Archbishop Anthony Apuron, retires.

Though he is still formally archbishop, Apuron was relieved of his pastoral and administrative authority in June. Since then, the Agaña archdiocese has been cared for by an apostolic administrator, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai.

“I am humbled by the Holy Father’s decision to entrust the Archdiocese of Agaña to my pastoral care,” Bishop Byrnes said upon his Oct. 31 appointment. “The great spiritual writer, Blessed Columba Marmion, wrote, ‘The task of the priest is to give Jesus to the world.’ That is what I have endeavored to do as an auxiliary bishop here in Detroit, and I look forward to giving Jesus to the thousands of people who live in the island of Guam.”

The Archdiocese of Agaña serves Catholics in Guam, a U.S. island territory in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Bishop Byrnes commented that “I have learned that the Catholic faith has long been embraced on the island, and the faith of the people is rooted in a rich history of devotion to Jesus and to His Blessed Mother.”

“At the same time, there are always challenges to face,” he added. “With my brother priests and deacons, with the catechists and other pastoral workers, and above all with the spiritual gifts of the People of God, I trust we will persevere in faith, hope and love, and will exercise the ‘wisdom from above’ to meet these challenges.”

Bishop Byrnes was born in Detroit in 1958, and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996. He earned a doctorate in sacred theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and served as a pastor and as vice rector of Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

He was consecrated a bishop and appointed auxiliary bishop of Detroit in 2011. As an auxiliary bishop, he has had oversight of the northeast region of the archdiocese and has directed its evangelization initiative and synod.

“Archbishop Byrnes has given exemplary pastoral service,” reflected Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit. “Now God has chosen him for a challenging mission almost a half-a-world away. Pope Francis, in sending Archbishop Byrnes to Guam, has recognized that he possesses not only the talents, but above all the deep faith in Jesus Christ that make him suitable for this apostolic work. He goes with our love and our prayers.”

In Guam, allegations against Archbishop Apuron, 70, surfaced in May with accusations from a former altar boy, who said that he was molested at age 12 when he spent the night at a rectory with then-Father Apuron. Other allegations have since surfaced, all of which Archbishop Apuron has denied.

Archbishop Apuron has also been accused of failing to implement strong policies on the handling of clerical sex abuse.

Guam’s legislature is considering a bill which would strike down the current two-year statute of limitations for civil claims involving the sexual abuse of minors.

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A victory for the seal of Confession in Louisiana

by Matt Hadro (CNA/EWTN News) • November 1, 2016

(Pleuntje via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)

Baton Rouge, LA — Catholic priests do not have to break the seal of Confession to report the alleged abuse of minors, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled on Friday.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge, at the center of the case, responded that they were “very pleased” with the court’s Oct. 28 opinion, “which affirms the sanctity of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.”

The case of Fr. Jeff Bayhi, a priest of the Baton Rouge diocese, made national news after he was sued for not reporting the alleged sexual abuse of a child to authorities. The woman who said she was abused, Rebecca Mayeux, claimed that in 2008, when she was a minor, she told Fr. Bayhi during Confession that she had been abused by someone at his parish.

In 2009, she sued the now-deceased parishioner, the diocese, as well as Fr. Bayhi for allegedly knowing about the abuse but not reporting it under the state’s mandatory reporting law.

Fr. Bayhi said he could not testify as to whether the conversation he had with Mayeux even took place, because of the seal of Confession. Priests may not reveal the contents of a sacramental confession or even say whether the confession even took place.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1467 states regarding the Sacrament of Confession:

“Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents’ lives.”

According to the Code of Canon Law, “a confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; one who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the delict.”

Louisiana has a mandatory reporting law that an adult, if told of a possible case of sexual abuse of a minor, must report the case to the authorities, even if the adult is a member of the clergy. However, an exemption in the law does exist in cases of “confidential communication.”

The court had earlier said it had not resolved the question of whether Fr. Bayhi met the exemption or was a “mandatory reporter” under the state’s law. It decided on the former last Friday.

Their opinion stated that in cases of alleged abuse of a minor, “priests are not mandatory reporters of information acquired”, so long as their “communication is confidential communication” as described in the state’s law, “the priest in the course of the discipline or practice of that church, denomination, or organization, is authorized or accustomed to hearing the confidential communication,” and if he “under the discipline or tenets of the church, denomination, or organization has a duty to keep such communication confidential.”

“Accordingly, any communication made to a priest privately in the sacrament of confession for the purpose of confession, repentance, and absolution is a confidential communication,” the court added, “and the priest is exempt from mandatory reporter status in such circumstances by operation of La. Child. Code art. 603, because ‘under the … tenets of the [Roman Catholic] church’ he has an inviolable ‘duty to keep such communications confidential.’”

The inviolability of the seal had also been affirmed by a state appeals court in August.

The diocese praised the decision to respect the religious exemption to the reporting law, saying it “protects religious freedom, while leaving in place our state’s rigorous reporting requirements which serve to protect our children from harm.”

Earlier this year, Bishop Robert Muench of Baton Rouge offered prayers for the victim in the case and for all victims of abuse:

“I extend my compassion and offer prayer not only for the plaintiff who may have been harmed by the actions of a man who was not an employee of the church, but also for all who have been abused by anyone.”

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Why the reputed ‘Catholic Spring’ mentality worries black Christian leaders

by CNA/EWTN News • November 1, 2016

(Mrmohock via Shutterstock)

Washington D.C. — Several black Christian leaders suggested the “Catholic Spring” leaked emails showed “open contempt for religious freedom” and asked Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton whether their own communities would be safe.

“The black church has served the poor for over two centuries; our response to Christ’s call to care for all people has strengthened the black community and contributed to civil society in important ways. Freedom to do all this must be guaranteed to the Black Church,” more than two dozen leading black clergy, activists and intellectuals said.

The leaders from Pentecostal-Charismatic Christian denominations signed the Oct. 30 letter, “An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton Regarding Religious Freedom for Black America.”

For the signers of the open letter, several hacked emails published on Wikileaks indicated an effort “to subvert Catholic teaching on sexuality by planting externally funded groups in the church to advance a politically correct agenda.”

The February 2012 emails exchanged between Clinton’s present campaign manager, John Podesta, and progressive leader Sandy Newman questioned whether a controversy over mandated contraceptive coverage could be an opportunity to “plant the seeds of revolution” among Catholics against their bishops, in Newman’s words. The emails invoked the imagery of the “Arab Spring” revolts.

Podesta indicated Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and Catholics United had been created for this purpose, but lacked leadership. He suggested former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend be consulted.

The emails troubled the signers of the open letter, who stressed the value of black churchs’ freedom to serve their neighbors and communities in accordance with their faith.

“Will black pastors and intellectuals be free to lead and guide our communities in accordance with our widely accepted faith-based knowledge tradition?” they asked. “How will your policies encourage or discourage our authority to lead?”

They requested a meeting with Clinton during her first 100 days in office to discuss critical issues in the black community such as education and employment, religious freedom, violence, and “justice for the unborn.”

According to the letter, about 80 percent of 41 million American blacks are members of historically black churches.

The letter’s signers said that where religious freedom and conscience is at stake, “we are prepared, for the sake of the gospel, to suffer the consequences of standing on our convictions.”

“We must resist what Pope Francis has called the ideological colonization of people of faith,” they added. “We do not organize to suppress the freedom of other groups. We do, however, insist upon having freedom to fulfill our call to righteous living and service to humankind.”

“A well-financed war is now being waged by the gay and lesbian community in the U.S. and abroad on the faith of our ancestors,” they charged. The letter questioned “the drive to normalize immoral sexual behavior.”

“Their argument that religious freedom laws are historically and existentially equivalent to Jim Crow laws rests on false assertions. Partisans who make these arguments have declared war on the truth of the black experience as well as on the freedom of faithful Americans to follow their consciences.”

The letter’s signers said a fundamental concern is their right as religious leaders to minister to their congregants and to the black poor regardless of religious belief “in a manner consistent with their faith convictions.”

The open letter to Clinton also voiced a Christian view against abortion.

“The vast majority of black churches hold biblical teaching, which is eternal, as authoritative for doctrine and practice,” the letter said. “Abortion is the deliberate destruction of a human life in its most vulnerable state … For the same reasons that we as black Christian leaders oppose racism, unjust wars, capital punishment and euthanasia, we oppose the violent denial of life to the unborn through abortion.”

The letter’s signers said abortion has had a “catastrophic impact” in the black community, with 365 black babies aborted for every 1,000 born. In 2013, more black babies were aborted in New York City than were born.

“How do you justify your unconscionable silence in the face of such destruction of innocent black life?” they asked Clinton. “Don’t black lives matter? What policies would you pursue as president to reverse the soaring abortion rates among black women?”

The letter called for justice in cases of “egregious behavior” by police officers, citing the death of the New York man Eric Garner, who died when police officers attempted to detain him and appeared to use a prohibited chokehold. It voiced an urgent concern about police violence against blacks that appears to go unpunished. It also lamented the high murder rate among black men.

The open letter cited concern about unemployment, especially among young black men, whose unemployment rate is as high as 33 percent.

The letter also cited overseas religious freedom problems, including the displacement of millions of Christians from their homes in the Middle East.

The letter’s signatories include Pentecostal Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake of the Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles; Jacqueline C. Rivers, executive director of the Boston-based Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies; Bishop Frank Reid III, chairman of the Social Justice Committee of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston, vice chairman of the general assembly of the Church of God in Christ; and Prof. Frederick L. Ware of Howard School of Divinity.

The letter was also critical of Clinton’s April 2015 remarks before the National Organization of Women. That speech discussed girls’ education, women’s mortality rate, and access to safe childbirth and “reproductive health care,” a common euphemism for abortion.

Clinton said rights must be put into practice and “deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.”

The open letter construed this as a denial of religious freedom.

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How Justice Scalia suffered the ‘contempt of a sophisticated world’

by Adelaide Mena (CNA/EWTN News) • November 1, 2016

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. (Levan Ramishvili via Flickr, public domain)

Washington D.C. — Catholics in Washington, D.C. recently paid tribute to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia – both for his life of faith, and how he stood firm in his beliefs amid criticism from the cultural elite.

“Antonin Scalia was a man of faith and reason,” said Ed Whelan in the keynote address Oct. 26. Whelan is the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a former clerk for Justice Scalia.

“May we all be inspired by his example to live Catholic lives of integrity. May we see not with the eyes of men but with the eyes of faith. May we be wise in Christ,” Whelan said.

“And may we, too, have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.”

Scalia was honored with the John Paul II New Evangelization Award at a dinner given by the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C. The center is a nonprofit affiliate of the Archdiocese of Washington, and serves as a bookstore as well as a host for cultural and intellectual events for Catholics in the D.C. area.

Justice Scalia died Feb. 13 at a resort ranch in West Texas at the age of 79. He was the longest-serving justice on the Supreme Court, having served since 1986.

A lifelong Catholic, Scalia attended the Jesuit-run Xavier High School in New York City and then Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. for undergraduate studies.

Also speaking at the recent tribute event were the Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who gave the invocation, and Princeton professor Robert P. George, who served as the master of ceremonies.

George commented that his late friend was not afraid to stand up to cultural and legal forces that threatened to push religion out of the public sphere. Legal decisions that condemn religious expression in public places, George said, have “become such a normal and accepted position in our society that we forget what Justice Scalia’s great predecessors, the jurists and statesmen, had to say about the good place of faith in our public life.”

He lauded Scalia’s recognition that “our welfare, our very survival as a nation, depended upon us being a nation under God, that recognizes God’s sovereignty and realizes that we are under God’s judgment.”

Whelan also praised Scalia’s robust defense of the role of religion in public life in his time on the court.

Quoting from one of the justice’s minority opinions, Whelan stated that religion is not “some purely personal avocation that can be indulged entirely in secret, like pornography, in the privacy of one’s room. For most believers it is not that, and has never been.”

Whelan also praised the justice’s opposition to the decisions that denied the right to protect the unborn in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, as well as more recent rulings that challenged the understanding of marriage as an institution between a man and a woman.

But Justice Scalia, Whelan added, “would dismiss the idea that he deserves any special thanks for his positions on these issues. As a matter of constitutional law, these questions were easy, he would say, and he was just doing his duty of interpreting the Constitution impartially.” Whelan also recounted Scalia’s bristling at being called a “Catholic Judge,” quoting Scalia’s assertion that “There are good judges and bad judges. The only article of faith that plays any part in my judging is the commandment, ‘Thou Shalt Not Lie.’”

However, Scalia’s life did bear out his Catholic witness, Whelan offered, sharing a story of the late justice nudging a young Whelan to attend Mass on a Holy Day and a speech Scalia often used at Catholic gatherings contrasting “The Two Thomases” – Thomas Jefferson and St. Thomas More.

Thomas Jefferson, Scalia would point out, created a highly edited version of the Bible, cutting out miracles and the resurrection itself as being irrational. “What is irrational, it seems to me,” Scalia would say, “is to reject a priori, with no investigation, the possibility of miracles in general, and of Jesus Christ’s resurrection in particular – which is, of course, precisely what the worldly wise do.”

On the other hand, St. Thomas More died for a reason that was “silly” – at least in the eyes of his peers. “In what he did, More was unsupported by intelligent society, by his friends, even by his own wife,” Scalia said. “But of course More was not seeing with the eyes of men, but with the eyes of faith.”

Whelan quoted Scalia, saying: “For the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world for these seeming failings of ours, we lawyers and intellectuals – who do not like to be regarded as unsophisticated – can have no greater model than St. Thomas More.”

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Archbishop Gomez: Christian doctors face increasing threats

by CNA/EWTN News • November 2, 2016

(BillionPhotos.com via Shutterstock)

Los Angeles, CA — Faithful Catholics need to be aware of the ever-increasing serious threats to Christians living their faith in the field of medicine, warned Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles.

Noting the annual White Mass for health care professionals in the archdiocese, which was held at the cathedral Oct. 23, the archbishop reflected in his weekly column on the history of Christians in medicine.

“Before Christianity, the healing arts were practiced by self-taught individuals who traveled from town to town,” he said. “Christians invented the hospital and were the first to establish medicine as a profession, with standards for training and care and a commitment to medical research.”

From the very beginning, Archbishop Gomez said, Christian doctors served all patients that came to them, including those of different religions, social statuses and people with highly contagious diseases.

Some doctors even died from the diseases they contracted from their patients, he said. “Historians tell us that Christians were the only ones who cared for the sick and dying during the plagues and epidemics that afflicted the late Roman Empire.”

“Something else distinguished early Christian doctors,” the archbishop continued, “from the beginning they refused to take part in abortion, infanticide, birth control, assisted suicide or castration, all of which they considered bad medical practice and contrary to the truths of the Gospel.”

But while these basic commitments by Catholic doctors and nurses remain, the surrounding world of health care has greatly changed, he said.

Archbishop Gomez pointed to current challenges ranging from the rise of insurance costs to new pressure on doctors to treat patients in a certain way.

Particularly troubling, he said, is the rise of assisted suicide measures, which are being considered this fall in several states.

California legalized the practice of assisted suicide earlier this year. In the months that followed, abuses have already been seen, including a terminally ill woman being denied insurance coverage for a doctor-recommended chemotherapy treatment, but being told that her insurance would cover drugs for suicide.

“We must continue to oppose assisted suicide as an unjust and dangerous public policy,” Archbishop Gomez said. “It gives ‘end of life options’ to those who already have the privilege of good health care. But for the poor, it will make suicide by prescription the ‘recommended’ or only option. In fact, this year’s California budget includes $2.3 million to subsidize giving lethal drugs to the poor through the Medi-Cal system.”

“Assisted suicide is not only being promoted for the poor, but also for the mentally ill,” the archbishop added. “State officials have already published disturbing new regulations to require doctors who work in state institutions for the mentally ill to help their patients kill themselves if they request it.”

And coercion of doctors is making the situation worse for Christian health care professionals, Archbishop Gomez said.

He pointed to the medical journal Practical Ethics, which recently published a statement by prominent bioethicists making the argument that doctors should have no ability to make a medical judgment call against performing any legally permitted procedure.

Any doctor who declines to perform a requested procedure, the bioethicists said, should face a tribunal and be made “to compensate society and the health system for their failure to fulfill their professional obligations.”

“Writing in the influential international journal, Bioethics, another group of leading bioethicists titled their article: ‘Doctors have no right to refuse medical assistance in dying, abortion or contraception’,” the archbishop said.

Other areas of coercion in medicine nationwide include efforts to remove longstanding conscience protections and force doctors and nurses to perform abortions, sterilizations, and sex reassignment surgeries, he added.

Responding to these ongoing concerns, Archbishop Gomez highlighted efforts in the archdiocese to promote a culture of life and freedom of conscience.

The area’s Catholic hospitals and religious sisters offer care to the whole person and provide care for the elderly and dying. In addition, the archdiocesan Office of Life, Justice and Peace is offering guidance on end-of-life issues.

The archdiocese is also home to Dr. Ira Byock, founder of the Providence Institute for Human Caring and one of the leading global authorities on end-of-life care.

Archbishop Gomez concluded his reflections by emphasizing the importance of prayer, encouraging the faithful to “ask our Blessed Mother Mary, the Health of the Sick, to help us build a new culture of conscience, compassion and care.”

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Assisted suicide approved by Washington, D.C. city council

by Matt Hadro (CNA/EWTN News) • November 2, 2016

(Andy Dean Photography via Shutterstock)

Washington D.C. — Representatives of the nation’s capital voted Tuesday to approve physician-assisted suicide, despite strong opposition from religious, legal and medical leaders.

“Since the time of the Hippocratic oath – which long predated Christianity – the medical community saw the profound incompatibility of efforts to end life being facilitated by a healing profession,” said Dr. Lucia Silecchia, a law professor at The Catholic University of America and a Washington, D.C. resident.

“Thus, while the Catholic and Christian understanding of the dignity of human persons, made in the image and likeness of God undergirds the moral critique of such statutes, the medical opposition long predates Christ, and the legal objections should compel anyone who observes how easily disregard for the life of one spreads,” she continued.

Silecchia had talked to CNA on Oct. 17, when the assisted suicide bill was originally being considered.

The D.C. city council voted 11-2 to pass the “Death With Dignity” bill, which would allow two doctors, who both determine that a patient will die within sixth months, to prescribe a fatal dose of medication for the patient if requested.

The bill is expected to become law. Although Mayor Muriel Bowser has not publicly confirmed she would sign it and the city council still has to hold a final vote later this month, the bill for now has a veto-proof majority.

If it goes through, Washington. D.C. will join a handful of other states in allowing for physician-assisted suicide. Legislatures in Oregon, Washington, California, and Vermont have legalized the practice, as has the Montana Supreme Court.

Legislation to permit assisted suicide is currently being considered in New Jersey, and Colorado voters will consider a ballot measure to legalize the practice on Nov. 8.

The D.C. bill was advertised as expanding the end-of-life options for terminally-ill patients, but opponents insisted that it could become a poison pill where the poor and disabled would be pressured to end their lives rather than burden others with high medical costs.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington has spoken out repeatedly against the bill as a false sense of mercy.

“A truly compassionate and merciful response to the sick and vulnerable is not to confirm these impulses by offering them a lethal drug,” he insisted in an Oct. 5 statement.

“Whether it is a terminally ill person or a young person suffering from depression, our response should be to draw them away from the edge, to help the vulnerable among us – regardless of their condition or circumstances – with genuine compassion and give them hope.”

In addition to the immorality of suicide, the bill poses other serious ethical concerns for its opponents.

Not all terminal diagnoses are correct, as patients can outlive their life expectancy by years. Thus, some patients who would otherwise long outlive their diagnosis might instead opt for an early death.

However, under the legislative measure, doctors could write a lethal prescription for a patient they barely know but deem to be terminally-ill, and if a patient’s long-time physician refuses to write them a prescription, the patient could simply look around for a doctor who will.

Also, one of the witnesses to the patient’s decision to end their life could be an interested party, which means they could benefit financially from the patient’s death.

States that have legalized assisted suicide have run into problems, such as one case in California where a terminally ill woman was told that her doctor-recommended chemotherapy treatment would not be covered by insurance, but pills for suicide would be covered.

Also of concern is evidence that many patients suffer from anxiety or depression when they receive a terminal diagnosis, and their desire to end their lives disappears when they are treated for these conditions.

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In Iowa, prayers for police officers ambushed and killed

by CNA/EWTN News • November 2, 2016

Police officers secure the crime scene where a Des Moines police officer was shot and killed in his squad car overnight on Nov. 2, 2016. (Steve Pope/Getty Images)

Des Moines, IA — In the wake of fatal shootings of two Iowa police officers in apparent ambushes, Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines offered prayers for the victims’ families and colleagues.

After the shootings, Bishop Pates said the Catholic community “extends heartfelt prayer and sympathy to the families and friends of the two police officers who were killed in the line of duty this morning.”

Bishop Pates voiced condolences to the police chiefs and police forces of Des Moines and Urbandale.

“We stand in solidarity with you,” he said Nov. 2.

Two police officers in the Des Moines area were shot and killed in separate incidents early Wednesday, the Des Moines Register reports. It appeared they were taken by surprise and had no chance to defend themselves.

Urbandale Officer Justin Martin and Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony Beminio were named as the gunman’s victims.

The gunman appeared to have walked up to Martin’s patrol car and fired 15 to 30 shots into the driver’s side of the car just after 1 a.m., killing the officer. Less than 30 minutes later and two miles away, Beminio was shot while responding to the scene of Martin’s shooting. Beminio later passed away at a hospital.

One man, Scott Michael Greene, 46, has been arrested on suspicion of the killings. He was arrested about 35 miles from the shootings after he flagged a state employee and asked the employee to call 911.

Bishop Pates described the shootings as a “painful moment” that calls for a full investigation, a just response, and a continuing conversation among the entire community about resolving conflict.

“Among the concerns, one that has been highlighted by police and those protecting us as needing to be firmly addressed, is the widespread proliferation of guns which makes such violence possible in the first place,” he said.

“May all of us working together find the courage to move forward in a manner that brings peace to our beloved community,” he said.

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Why religious freedom could be at risk, regardless of who wins

by Matt Hadro (CNA/EWTN News) • November 3, 2016

Donald Trump shakes hands with Hillary Clinton during the town hall debate at Washington University on October 9, 2016. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Washington D.C. — Religious liberty is a pressing issue in this election, advocates say – but both major presidential candidates have shown serious deficiencies when it comes to protecting freedom of religion.

“What the friends of religious freedom need in the White House is a real, well-informed, energetic defender of religious freedom. And I don’t see one leading either party at the moment,” Dr. Matthew Franck, director of the William E. and Carol G. Simon Center on Religion and the Constitution, told CNA.

The next president may directly affect the outcome of religious freedom conflicts, either through their administration’s policies or their appointments to the judiciary.

Hillary Clinton’s support for broad anti-discrimination protections have concerned faith leaders that churches and religious charities will be forced to perform services that violate their religious mission, or be punished by the government for alleged discrimination.

For example, Catholic adoption agencies in several states have been forced to close rather than obey state mandates to place children with same-sex couples, against their religious beliefs.

Franck predicted there “could be a national push for this” under a Clinton presidency, and the Clinton campaign’s website says that “[Hillary] will end discriminatory treatment of LGBT families in adoptions.”

Another policy Clinton supports is the Equality Act, a proposed bill supported by most Democrats in Congress. Experts say it would force citizens and organizations to approve of acts they consider immoral.

Under the bill, “traditional orthodox Christian views about marriage and so forth are really expressions of bigotry, and not to be publicly tolerated,” V. Bradley Lewis, professor of philosophy at The Catholic University of America, explained to CNA.

Clinton has been a long-time promoter of access to contraceptives and abortions for women, and has promoted this agenda both domestically and internationally.

In her keynote address at the 2015 Women in the World summit, Clinton maintained that “far too many women are denied access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth, and laws don’t count for much if they’re not enforced.” She added that “laws have to be backed up with resources and political will, and deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed.”

Clinton would probably continue the HHS birth control mandate, which forces all employers to include in their employee health plans contraceptives, sterilizations, and drugs that can cause abortions. This could mean continued litigation against objecting religious non-profits until the cases are resolved by the Supreme Court.

And the appointment of a Supreme Court justice is another concern for religious freedom advocates after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in February created a vacancy that will be filled by the next president’s appointee. This justice could be the deciding swing vote in a 5-4 religious freedom case.

Clinton has said she would appoint justices who would uphold the right to abortion and same-sex marriage. A major case involving the birth control mandate, Zubik v. Burwell, is still being litigated and resolved at the federal court level after the Supreme Court sent the case back to the circuit courts.

The Little Sisters of the Poor and other charitable organizations stood to win their case at the Supreme Court if the late Justice Antonin Scalia were on the bench, Franck noted, but under a justice appointed by Clinton if she were to be president, “they’re probably losers.”

Clinton also would support the transgender mandate, the Obama administration’s rule that would force doctors and physicians around the country to perform gender transition services if asked, even if they thought it harmful to the patient’s health.

Franck called it a “serious attack on physician freedom, including religious freedom,” and added, “I think that Hillary would keep that in place” and “might even expand on it.”

Earlier this year, the state of California mandated that pro-life crisis pregnancy centers had to inform patients on where and how they could procure abortions. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillary Clinton wanted to make that [law] national, if she could,” Franck said.

Another concern is that the Department of Education, with direct oversight of college accrediting bodies, could demand that these bodies withhold accreditation of religious schools until they support same-sex marriage.

And that’s just the domestic policy agenda. Internationally, Clinton could continue the State Department’s recent promotion of LGBT rights abroad as a “main” pillar of their diplomacy while focusing “very little” on religious freedom, Lewis noted.

Also of note are the recent release of past emails of Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta, published by the website WikiLeaks.

Podesta, in a 2012 email thread about the Catholic bishops’ opposition to the Obama administration’s birth control mandate, was asked about the possibility of a “Catholic spring” to generate popular Catholic opposition to the bishops and bring about “the end of a middle ages dictatorship and the beginning of a little democracy and respect for gender equality in the Catholic church.”

He responded that Catholic groups like Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good had been created for “a moment like this.”

The “moment” Podesta is referring to could be “the eruption of a conflict between the Catholic Church and the liberal state,” Franck said, a “pseudo-Catholic front for generating dissent inside the Catholic Church when it comes into conflict with the government in order to weaken that side in the conflict.”

That it comes from the campaign chair of a major presidential candidate is all the more troubling, Franck insisted.

“That’s straight from somebody who is linked, for his whole career,” he said, “with the Clintons, and would be an important figure in a new Clinton administration.”

“I think what we can expect to see out of a Hillary Clinton administration is a continuation of the trajectory we’ve already seen in the two terms of the Obama administration,” Franck said, adding that “I would have serious, serious doubts that it would be better” or that Clinton’s administration would be “persuaded to moderate or retreat from any of the Obama initiatives that have been damaging to religious freedom.”

Trump, meanwhile, caused a stir last year when, after November’s Paris terror attacks and purportedly for national security reasons, he advocated “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”

Lewis called that policy, singling out a religious group, “in and of itself problematic on religious freedom grounds.”

Trump presented an “expansion” of that plan this summer, a ban on immigration from countries and territories that have been “compromised” by terrorism. His running mate Mike Pence said that Christians and Jews from such countries would also be included under such a ban.

Meanwhile, Trump’s rhetoric on other religious freedom issues shows that he lacks a presidential command of the topic, advocates say.

Although Trump could be “marginally better” than Clinton on religious freedom in that he would hire staff members who did not promote radical secularism, “I don’t really see Mr. Trump mounting much of a challenge to the agenda of the sexual revolution on same-sex marriage and transgender issues,” Franck said.

“On a generous reading of his statements, one might imagine that Trump simply doesn’t care about religious freedom, and perhaps doesn’t understand what is at stake,” Rachel Lu, a professor of philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, wrote for the Religious Freedom Institute.

For instance, Trump “waffled on North Carolina’s transgendered bathroom law, but his immediate impulse was to criticize the state for infringing on the rights of the transgendered,” she wrote.

Trump was asked about religious freedom by EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo on “The World Over” last Thursday.

He responded by championing the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits clergy from endorsing political candidates from the pulpit, and as Trump put it, stops faith leaders from endorsing him as a candidate.

“I think it’s one of the most important things that I’ll be doing for the evangelicals and for religion,” he said. “So, I think it’s very, very important.”

However, while repealing the amendment is a good step, it is “way, way down the list [of importance] for every religious leader I talked to,” Franck said.

Furthermore, some say Trump’s rhetoric toward ethnic and religious minorities has inflamed social tensions and could spell trouble for them if he is elected president.

In a piece published by the Religious Freedom Institute, two representatives of the Ahmadyyia Muslim community harshly criticized Trump for his rhetoric and policy proposals for religious minorities, saying the policies are a “sharp departure from anything that we have seen in decades.”

In addition to his proposed Muslim ban, Trump had advocated the “surveillance of certain mosques” as a national security measure in the wake of the Paris attacks.

“It has become apparent that Trump responds emotionally to current events and does not always think his proposals through and whether or not they violate the principles of the constitution,” Rasheed Reno and Qasim Rashid wrote. “They are often inspired by fear and anger which is a dangerous and irresponsible use of a leadership position.”

This volatile behavior by a presidential candidate could spell danger for religious minorities under his administration, they insisted.

“When a president shows willingness to violate the civil liberties of its citizens,” like through a Muslim ban, “it sets a dangerous example which leads to violence and unrest against religious minorities,” they added.

“This has already been demonstrated in the short period of Trump’s candidacy, where violence against Muslims and other minorities has increased significantly.”

When he was asked by a Muslim-American about this uptick in violence during the second presidential debate, instead of explaining how he would protect the religious freedom of U.S. Muslims, Trump immediately pivoted to the need for Muslims to report suspicious activity in their own communities, they pointed out.

What can Catholics do when religious freedom is under attack, and may continue to be under attack in the next presidential administration? Church leaders must continue publicly defending it, Lewis maintained, pointing to initiatives like the U.S. bishops’ Fortnight for Freedom campaign.

Also, though the eyes of the nation are on the presidential race, there are plenty of key congressional races, Lewis added. “We have to know what the views of candidates for Congress are on these questions as well,” he said, as “it’s in their hands to approve legislation” like the First Amendment Defense Act, which would establish religious freedom protections.

The Church must also tell its story if religious charities are to gain a sympathetic ear from the public, he said, as the freedom of religious charities is threatened by laws like the birth control mandate and state laws preventing churches from serving undocumented immigrants.

“It’s important to continue to articulate the fact that those institutions do their work as part of their apostolic commissions,” Lewis said. “It’s not the case that the Church just runs charitable organizations just to run charitable organizations.”

“There’s no separating what they do from the very heart of the Christian mission.”

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Archbishop Gomez: Want to make America great? Be saints

by CNA/EWTN News • November 3, 2016

Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, California. (Daniel Ibanez/CNA)

Los Angeles, CA — With recent polls showing an increasingly tight presidential race, it’s still unpredictable as to who will come out next week as the next president of the United States.

But for Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, that’s okay. For him, knowing that “Jesus Christ is still King” is what really matters.

“Politicians come and go; nations rise and fall; empires fade away – what remains and what continues is the Church that Jesus established on the rock of St. Peter,” Archbishop Gomez stated during the Red Mass Dinner in Houston, TX on Nov. 2.

“No matter who wins next Tuesday and no matter who loses, we are called to follow Jesus Christ as children of God and missionary disciples. To be faithful to Christ and to build God’s Kingdom here on earth,” he continued.

Archbishop Gomez spoke to a group of public officials after the celebration of a Red Mass at the co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas, which is a tradition dating back to the 11th century in which attendees specifically include members of the judiciary and legal professions.

Throughout his speech, Archbishop Gomez outlined two “signs of the times,” which he believes are helpful in reflecting on the reality in the United States. He first pointed to the signs of a post-Christian America, noting the increasing secularism in American society and the resistance towards religious freedom.

“I think all of us can agree that the elites who govern and shape the direction of our societies are deeply secularized and hostile to religion, to religious values and to traditional culture,” Archbishop Gomez stated.

Secondly, he underscored the “crisis of the human person,” saying that “society has lost the sense of the human person.” The California archbishop mentioned gender ideology and same-sex marriage as part of the false humanism promoted in American culture, leading down the dangerous road of “false humanism.”

He also highlighted the poor treatment of the marginalized in society, including migrants, the homeless, and refugees, saying that society has become indifferent and unable to empathize with the people around them.

“We are becoming a society with no mercy – and again, it is because we know longer see the sanctity and the great dignity of the human person.”

However, the next president isn’t going to change the way society treats religion or the human person, Archbishop Gomez stated. Instead, he believes that individuals will impact the future more than a political party.

“No matter who is President, no matter what party is in power – we are not going to restore religious values ‘from above,’” he said, noting that every person’s identity is founded in Christ – not their political affiliation.

“If we want America to be greater, then we need men and women like you and me who are committed to serving God and living their faith in every aspect of their lives,” also noting that “if we want to live in a society that promotes virtue and justice and human dignity – if we want leaders who reflect these values – then we need to become leaders and role models in our society.”

On this point, Archbishop Gomez said that only one thing can change the world: the call to be a saint.

“This the reason we are here – to follow Jesus Christ and to become more and more like him, through the grace of sacraments and through our desire for holiness. This is the beautiful truth about who we are as children of God,” he said, emphasizing the need for saints in every aspect of human life.

His comments came only a day after All Saint’s Day, in which the Catholic Church recognizes and celebrates the lives of the saints. Archbishop Gomez noted the timely feast, encouraging the faithful to emulate the example of these saints who were in “the middle of the world” and yet remained untouched by its lures.

“That’s another way to answer the questions we have about this election and the issues we face in our culture and our society. God wants saints everywhere!”

Instead of despairing at the voting booth, Archbishop Gomez encouraged the building of morality and spirituality among individuals, saying that personal renewal will impact a cultural renewal, no matter who wins the presidential nomination.

He laid out concrete examples of ways to pursue renewal: strengthen personal prayer and relationship with God, build up communal relationships in marriages and families, and be witnesses to the Church through compassion and mercy.

“Our country and our world will be renewed – not by politics, but by saints. And that means you and that means me. If we want a greater America, we need to become, by the grace of God, greater saints,” Archbishop Gomez said.

“No matter who is President, Jesus Christ is still the King. And we are still called to be saints and to renew this world in the image of his Kingdom.”

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The role of Catholics in rescuing health care

by Matt Hadro (CNA/EWTN News) • November 4, 2016

(Alexkich via Shutterstock)

Washington D.C. — Serious problems loom for the future of health care in the U.S. – and Catholics must help resolve them, experts say.

“We believe that the Catholic Church has the opportunity to provide the guidance necessary to enact meaningful health care policies that could uphold the sanctity of life from conception until natural death, as well as the common good, and to do it in financially-sustainable fashion,” Dr. Lester Ruppersberger, president of the Catholic Medical Association, said at a press conference on health care Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

“Caring individuals are called to reflect upon the opportunity and the responsibility that we have to bring the message of healing and mercy given to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the public square and to build a culture of life in health care,” he added.

The panel event, “The Changing Face of Health Care and the 2016 Election,” was held at the Catholic Information Center and featured Christian health care experts in policy, primary care, and health sharing ministries.

It explored current developments in health policy, the challenges they pose for both the consciences and the pocketbooks of average American families, and what Catholics could do to address these challenges.

A primary problem with today’s health care has been a “loss of the common understanding, both within and without the medical profession, of the sanctity and inviolability of each human life and the dignity of the person,” Ruppersberger said.

This is seen through a health care system that treats people like numbers and statistics rather than as persons, he said, and through government mandates that trample the religious freedom of health care providers.

The average premium on the state health exchanges will reportedly increase 23 percent in 2017, Dr. Ruppersberger said. And prices are going up in part due to coercive government mandates that drugs and procedures that many Christians find morally objectionable have to be included in employee health plans.

The Affordable Care Act mandated preventive coverage in all health plans. After the law was passed, the Obama administration clarified that such preventive care would include coverage for birth control, sterilizations, and drugs that can cause abortions – the very “birth control mandate” that was challenged in court by hundreds of employers, states and individuals nationwide.

The result of purported “cost-free” coverage like this without copays or deductibles is that the cost is still passed on to the health care system as a whole, Ruppersberger insisted.

“Someone must pay for this service, which is why premiums are expected to increase in some states, like in Pennsylvania where I live, over 50 percent in 2017,” he said, “with an average of 23 percent increase” nationwide. Providers like Aetna are already leaving the health exchanges, he noted.

Religious freedom concerns are also spurring many to look for a health care alternative to large insurers or the exchanges, as Christians don’t want to subsidize abortions, contraceptives, and sterilizations in their health plans.

The Government Accountability Office found in 2014 that in several states there were no plan options on the health exchanges that excluded abortion coverage, and that in some cases federal subsidies were paying for abortion coverage.

Families must have the option of purchasing health care plans that respect their freedom of conscience, Ruppersberger insisted.

“This will serve the principle of subsidiarity, confirming right and the ability of the worker to dispose of his or her wages to serve his or her own basic needs and that of their families while mitigating barriers that interfere with the physician-patient relationship,” he added.

The next presidential administration and the next Congress will probably make interpretations of religious freedom law that could affect the health care system in decisive fashion, Louis Brown of the Christ Medicus Foundation said.

“We are losing our religious freedom, particularly within our culture of health care, within the industry of health care, at amazing speed,” Brown said.

In addition to the next president nominating at least one Supreme Court justice – and the effect that could have on religious freedom jurisprudence – Congress could re-define the Weldon Amendment, which historically protected the religious freedom of health care institutions.

Regarding the amendment, the current head of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services has already said that pro-life crisis pregnancy centers in California are not protected under the amendment from having to tell patients about their abortion options.

Congress might also vote on the Conscience Protection Act “which would codify much of the need to protect religious freedom in health care, the right of conscience,” Brown added.

However, the next presidential administration will make some crucial decisions, he said, since the precedent has already been set that “a lot of these things can be done or undone without Congressional action.” An example of this would be the transgender mandate from the Obama administration, mandating that doctors perform gender-transition services when requested, even if they believe such procedures would be harmful to patients.

Thus, health care alternatives must exist to allow families the freedom to obtain health care on their own terms, the panel insisted.

Such care would consist of smaller providers like health sharing ministries, direct primary care practices, and even experiments in insurance through dioceses and a national Catholic health plan.

Such “smaller” providers are actually what many people are looking for, Brown insisted, noting that there are over an estimated 10,000 direct primary care practices around the country.

Brown, who represents the Christian health-sharing ministry CMF CURO, explained that “health sharing is very similar” to and can be “particularly effective” for low-income households, as the average premiums for healthy families in the ministry can be much lower than in employer-provided or exchange plans.

“This trend towards localism” and “towards community” is actually what young people want, he noted, pointing to a revival in urban neighborhoods where younger residents want the ability to walk to stores, bars, and churches. Local primary care practices and health-sharing ministries could provide this, he added.

“The message is that there’s another way, and it’s a better way,” he said. “We have a little bit of a holy revolution in health care going on here.”

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Boston Catholics are at the forefront of the fight against pot

by Mary Rezac (CNA/EWTN News) • November 4, 2016

(Wollertz via Shutterstock)

Boston, MA — The Church in Boston is asking voters in Massachusetts to reject the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state next week.

Question 4 is a ballot initiative that would allow individuals at least 21 years of age to use, grow, and possess recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana has been legal in Massachusetts since 2012.

Last week, the Archdiocese of Boston donated $850,000 to oppose Question 4. According to a report from The Atlantic, the Church’s donation increased the opposition effort’s funding by roughly 40 percent – the other major donor was Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas billionaire who gave $1,000,000 to the opposition last month. The Knights of Columbus also gave $150,000 to fight the initiative.

Archdiocesan spokesman Terrence Donilon told CNA that the donation “was made from unrestricted Central Ministry funds. It does not come from parish collections or the Catholic Appeal nor funds designated for parish support.”

It does, however, show “the fact that the Archdiocese holds this matter as among its highest priorities, with recognition that if passed, this proposed law would have a significant detrimental impact on our social service outreach and ministries,” he said.

Of particular concern is the impact of marijuana on youth.

“We educate nearly 40,000 students in our schools and have a presence in 144 cities and towns through our 289 parishes,” Donilon said in an e-mail.

“We hold our responsibility for the safety and well-being of children and families as paramount in all that we do. Numerous highly credentialed research studies have established the very serious damage to the physical, intellectual and emotional health of youth that is caused by marijuana use and that legalization leads. We feel an obligation to do all that we can to prevent this from occurring,” he added.

In a series of videos on the subject, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the Archbishop of Boston, explains various reasons why he opposes the legalization of marijuana.

Working as a priest in the inner cities in Washington for 20 years and in the West Indies for 10 years, Cardinal O’Malley said he has witnessed firsthand the negative impact marijuana can have on a community.

“I saw people’s lives destroyed by this drug,” he said. “So often a person’s first experience of a high is from marijuana, and then they’re often looking for a higher high, so then they’ll go on to heroin or cocaine or some other drug.”

“I saw what devastating effects it had on people’s lives. And the marijuana today is 10 times stronger, more potent,” he added in another video.

Earlier this month, all of the Roman Catholic bishops of Massachusetts signed a joint statement opposing the legalization of recreational marijuana.

“One only has to examine the devastating impact felt in Colorado since 2013, when recreational use of marijuana was legalized, to fully grasp what would be in store in Massachusetts. A comprehensive report issued last month by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area states that, since marijuana has been legalized, traffic deaths have increased by 48 percent.

Recent statistics show that of all traffic deaths in Colorado, 21 percent of those individuals killed tested positive for marijuana. Marijuana related hospitalizations in Colorado have doubled from 2011 to 2014,” the bishops wrote.

“Marijuana use and abuse by the youth of Colorado has increased by 20 percent since legalization. Young people in Colorado rank first in the nation for marijuana use – an illegal activity for anyone under the age of 21. Strikingly, this has negatively affected their family life, social life and school performance where expulsions and drop-out rates have spiked significantly. Do we really want to bring these issues to Massachusetts?” they added.

Father Richard McGowan, a Jesuit priest who studies drug and tobacco legalization at Boston College, told The Atlantic that the legalization of marijuana is going to make it “that much more difficult” for the Church to go about one of its primary tasks – alleviating poverty and building up families.

The Knights of Columbus, also donors in the campaign against legalization, told The Atlantic, “The focus of the state of Massachusetts should be on helping people, not giving them easier access to the false hope inherent in drug use, which does not solve problems but compounds them.”

In his videos, Cardinal O’Malley added that the Catholic Church is not the only institution opposed to the legalization of marijuana. He said he met with other denominations who also “see the consequences of this and are very very opposed to it.”

Medical professionals as well as “the law enforcement community, the mayors, the governor, they all stand with us,” he said, as well as many within the business community who are concerned about addiction to marijuana.

“It’s not just the Church. We’re joining with many other people who are very concerned about this in the commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

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Did a ‘Catholic Spring’ group intimidate Florida churches?

by Kevin Jones (CNA/EWTN News) • November 4, 2016

(Minutius Hora via Shutterstock)

Tallahassee, FL — A group that has been tied to the idea of a “Catholic Spring” revolution in leaked emails may have tried to intimidate pastors at Catholic Churches in Florida during the last presidential election.

Ahead of the 2012 elections, the group Catholics United sent a letter to Florida pastors saying it was monitoring for reputed illegal political activity in Catholic churches – which state Catholic leaders saw as an effort to silence the Church.

An internal message to Catholic pastors from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops said the letter was inaccurate and appeared to be “an attempt to silence pastors on issues that are of concern to the Church this election season.”

James Salt, then-executive director of the group Catholics United, had sent the Oct. 22, 2012 letter to priests in Florida, claiming to have recruited “a network of local volunteers to monitor parishes and document the nature of all partisan activity taking place there.”

Catholics United is back in the news with the publication of a February 2012 email exchange involving John Podesta, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s present campaign manager.

Podesta indicated that the groups Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good had been created for moments of controversy involving Catholic bishops, like the religious freedom controversy over federally mandated contraceptive coverage in health plans. He said the two groups lacked leadership for such a role.

Using a phrase of his interlocutor, progressive leader Sandy Newman, Podesta suggested a “Catholic Spring” could be organized within the Church. The phrase invokes the imagery of the so-called Arab Spring uprisings.

Salt’s letter later that year claimed there had been “numerous IRS violations” in Florida Catholic parishes such as partisan references during homilies, political endorsements printed in church bulletins, and the distribution of partisan literature in church parking lots. He told pastors that Catholics United had retained a law firm to help protect them and their parish community from losing tax exempt status.

Catholics United had previously tussled with the group Priests for Life in the 2008 elections, claiming the group was partisan and had trained thousands of activists to place political literature on churchgoing Catholics’ cars.

Salt invoked the U.S. bishops, telling pastors, “As you know, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has a very clear prohibition against any sort of partisan activity taking place within Catholic parishes.”

The Florida Catholic bishops’ conference, however, responded that activities to “raise awareness of issues and promote political responsibility” do not jeopardize tax exempt status. It referred to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Election and Political Activities Guide for guidance.

Chris Hale, who became executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good in December 2013, told CNA he respected his predecessors’ work, but he suggested his group’s perspective has changed.

“I think that the previous leadership of Catholics United was looking to the signs of the time and figuring out how to best protect parishioners in the pews and make sure they heard a message that was consistent with the social teaching of the Church,” he said Nov. 2.

“That being said, I don’t think that message that was taken in 2012 should be crafted in 2016,” he added. “I’m of the opinion that pastors should speak freely, priests should speak freely from the pulpit about the issues pertaining to Catholics in this election.”

Hale voiced hope priests would do so “in a way that would represent the totality of the Church’s social teaching,” adding “no pastor should feel threatened in any capacity that their First Amendment rights should be infringed.”

According to Hale, Catholics in Alliance and Catholics United effectively merged in 2015.

James Salt is currently a board member of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. He previously served in faith outreach for the Kansas Democratic Party, did messaging work under then-Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, and served on the 2012 Democratic Party Platform Committee.

Salt’s 2012 letter asked Florida pastors to “protect your parish from losing its tax-exempt status” by taking a pledge, titled “Keep Politics Out of Our Pulpits.” He said this would demonstrate pastors’ commitment and help ensure their parish is free from “any illegal political activity.”

The reputed pledge solicited the pastor’s name and house of worship. It asked that pledges be sent to the Catholics United Education Fund in Washington, D.C. The education fund, whose Pennsylvania affiliate Keystone Catholics is now an arm of Catholics in Alliance, was the 501c3 arm of Catholics United.

For its part, the Florida Catholic bishops’ conference recommended that pastors not sign the pledge.

The response to the Catholics United letter and pledge was written by Michele M. Taylor, who at the time was the state Catholic conference’s associate director for communications. The internal response was published on the website of the Diocese of Orlando without the knowledge of the Catholic conference.

Taylor recounted the situation to CNA in October 2012.

“Our pastors had received faxes from Catholics United telling them that their activities would jeopardize 501c3 status,” Taylor said. “We disagree with that. As long as their activities are within the guidelines that we put out from this office, they’re fine.”

In an Oct. 30, 2012 press release, Catholics United misidentified the source of the Catholic response, wrongly claiming it came from the Diocese of Orlando. The group portrayed the diocese as refusing “to keep partisan politics out of its pulpits.”

“In this election year, and especially in a swing state like Florida, lay Catholics have been inundated with nasty political attacks,” Salt said, claiming that the Orlando diocese was encouraging “political games.”

“This request was apparently out of line for the diocese. It’s a shame Orlando Catholics have to endure this type of politicking in their churches,” he added.

The issue of Catholic messaging was on the mind of politico John Podesta, according to other emails posted to WikiLeaks and attributed to his email account.

In a Nov. 4, 2012 email, one Jon Schnur wrote Podesta that he was concerned about many Catholic churches that “may be giving highly problematic messages to parishioners/voters today.” In the email, written the Sunday before Election Day, Schnur said he was especially concerned about churches in the states of Ohio, Wisconsin, Colorado and Pennsylvania.

Schnur, whose wife is Catholic, said he thought the parish he attended in New Orleans that weekend was “over the top.” He worried this messaging could be well-organized in the Catholic Church, “even if they would argue somehow doesn’t cross political lines.”

He asked Podesta whether there was any sense of this in the Obama campaign.

“Anything can be done about it? In terms of respected Catholic validators, microtargeting, etc. in key heavily Catholic areas in swing communities?”

Podesta replied Nov. 5, 2012:

“I think the campaign is dealing with it as best they can. Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good have also done a bunch of work in relevant places. For the people who I sit with in the pews, it kind of goes in one ear and out the other.”

Schnur was not identified, though a man of the same name is a past education adviser to president Obama and now heads an education policy consultancy. CNA contacted him for comment but did not receive a response by deadline.

Hale told CNA he thought letters like Salt’s were particular to Florida. He suggested that the Podesta email referred to work like the Catholics in Alliance 2012 voting guide. The group did some organizing in Ohio and worked to ensure Catholic voting access.

After the 2012 elections, on Nov. 21, Salt again criticized the bishops.

“It’s a shame that rather than being pastors to their flock, many bishops have decided to engage in divisive political games,” he said. “Hopefully, this election is a wake-up call for the bishops, and a strong reminder to cut their partisan ties and get back to serving the Gospel mandate of helping the poorest and most vulnerable.”

According to Hale, skeptics of Catholics in Alliance’s past should look at its current work.

“I would say that time and again we’ve shown ourselves to be solid practitioners of the gospel in public life and we do it in a way that challenges everyone without exception,” he said. “I can tell you since I’ve been in charge in December 2013 that we’ve promoted the social mission of the Church, without exception.”

Hale’s group has drawn criticism for its avoidance of criticizing Hillary Clinton by name. However, he maintained, “We get criticism all the time from the left and the right for not falling in line.” He pointed to the group’s support of the Hyde Amendment when it was opposed by the Democratic Party platform.

Last year, the group also criticized Planned Parenthood in the wake of undercover videos appearing to show its staff and leaders engaged in the illegal sale of aborted babies’ body parts and tissues. Its actions drew a critical response from Catholics for Choice, a pro-abortion rights front group.

Though Catholics United no longer exists in name, its influence is still remembered in 2016.

After the Podesta emails became public, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia recounted his 2008 encounter with two unnamed leaders in Catholics United.

“Both men were obvious flacks for the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party – creatures of a political machine, not men of the Church; less concerned with Catholic teaching than with its influence,” he said Oct. 13. “They hoped my brother bishops and I would resist identifying the Church with single-issue and partisan (read: abortion) politics.”

“Thanks to their work, and activists like them, American Catholics helped to elect an administration that has been the most stubbornly unfriendly to religious believers, institutions, concerns and liberty in generations,” the archbishop said.

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At ordination, Denver’s new bishop reminded to proclaim Christ

by CNA/EWTN News • November 4, 2016

Bishop Jorge Rodriguez. (Andrew Wright/Denver Catholic)

Denver, CO — The reality of evil and the tender mercy of Jesus Christ were on the mind of Denver’s new auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez at his ordination Mass.

“Let the words of Jesus penetrate your own heart,” Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver said at the Nov. 4 Mass. “Jesus’ words are full of tenderness. They are full of compassion. His deepest desire is to reveal the Father to the world.”

“May you proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ boldly, in season and out of season, and invite others to his mercy and into the very heart of the Trinity,” he told the new bishop.

Pope Francis named Bishop Rodriguez, 61, to be ordained the next auxiliary bishop of Denver. He has served as a priest in the archdiocese for more than 10 years.

Archbishop Aquila consecrated Bishop Rodriguez at Denver’s Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, emeritus Archbishop of Denver, and Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles were co-consecrators.

Over 200 priests, 10 bishops and one abbot processed into the cathedral for the start of the Mass.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, read Pope Francis’ official apostolic letter appointing the bishop to Denver.

In his homily, Archbishop Aquila reflected upon Bishop Rodriguez’s chosen motto, from the Virgin Mary’s Magnificat: “Mercy from Generation to Generation.”

“Learn from our beloved Mother: make a home in your heart for her,” the archbishop exhorted. “She was one who understood her unworthiness. She was one who saw herself as a lowly servant. But she was one who had great trust and confidence in God.”

Every disciple of Jesus is called to that trust and confidence in God and to proclaim his mercy, the archbishop said. He cited St. Paul’s counsel to be fervent in spirit, to persevere in prayer, to rejoice in hope and to exercise hospitality.

“As Jesus continues to pray for us, he prays ‘keep them from the evil one’,” the archbishop told Bishop Rodriguez.

He said it is important “to understand that evil is real,” remembering that Pope Francis speaks frequently about the devil and temptations and “how the evil one works.”

“The media certainly does not like the fact that he speaks of evil and the devil, and they mock it and tend to ignore it,” Archbishop Aquila said. “But when one looks at the confusion in the world today, when one looks at the advance of the culture of death, of the ‘throwaway society’ that Pope Francis speaks of, underlining it all is the evil one. He is the one who brings chaos, he is the one who brings confusion, and he is the one who hates the truth.”

“The words of Jesus ring true: you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” he continued. “That truth is a person: Jesus, who identifies himself as the way, the truth and the life.”

“You my beloved brother are entrusted as a bishop to invite others to encounter the truth of Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Aquila told Bishop Rodriguez.

The new auxiliary bishop was born March 22, 1955 in Mérida, Mexico, in the state of Yucatán, where his family still resides.

Archbishop Aquila said that the new Bishop Rodriguez would be “a tremendous blessing” to the Hispanic community in northern Colorado. More than half of the Catholics in the Archdiocese of Denver are Hispanic. Sixty of the archdiocese’s 115 parishes have Mass in Spanish.

At the same time, the archbishop acknowledged the cultural diversity in the archdiocese and the unity of the faith.

“The beauty of the Church is that she is one in Christ, no matter what he culture, no matter what nationality one may be … it is Christ who binds us all together and makes us brothers and sisters to one another,” he said.

Bishop Rodriguez has served as pastor at Holy Cross Parish in Thornton, Colo. since 2014. He is a former professor and vice-rector of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver.

The future bishop joined the Legionaries of Christ after high school. He was ordained a priest Dec. 24, 1987. He has been a theology professor and dean of the theology department of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome.

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Have you heard of Saint Death? Don’t pray to her

by Mary Rezac (CNA/EWTN News) • October 30, 2016

A statue of Santa Muerte. (Toni Francois)

Brownsville, TX — They call her Santa Muerte (‘Holy Death’ or ‘Saint Death’), but she’s no saint.

Literally.

The skeletal female figure has a growing devotion in Mexico, Central America, and some places in the United States, but don’t be fooled by the Mary-like veil or the holy-sounding name.

She’s not a recognized saint by the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, in 2013, a Vatican official condemned devotion to her, equating it to “the celebration of devastation and of hell.”

“It’s not every day that a folk saint is actually condemned at the highest levels of the Vatican,” Andrew Chesnut, a Santa Muerte expert who has been studying the devotion for eight years, told CNA.

Chesnut is the Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University and author of “Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint,” the only English academic book to date on the subject.

Despite her condemnation from on high, Santa Muerte remains increasingly popular among criminals, drug lords and those on the fringe of society, as well as cultural Catholics who maybe don’t know (or care) that she is condemned by the Church.

“She’s basically the poster girl of narco-satanic spirituality,” Chesnut said.

According to Chesnut’s estimates, Santa Muerte is the fastest growing religious movement in the Americas - and it’s all happened within the past 10-15 years.

“She was unknown to 99 percent of Mexicans before 2001, when she went public. Now I estimate there’s some 10-12 million devotees, mostly in Mexico, but also significant numbers in the United States and Central America,” he said.

The roots of Santa Muerte

Although she has recently exploded in popularity, Santa Muerte has been referenced in Mexican culture since Spanish colonial times, when Catholic colonizers, looking to evangelize the native people of Mexico, brought over female Grim Reaper figures as a representation of death, Chesnut said.

But the Mayan and Aztec cultures already had death deities, and so the female skeletal figure became adopted into the culture as a kind of hybrid death saint.

She’s also mentioned twice in the historical records of the Inquisition, when Spanish Catholic inquisitors found and destroyed a shrine to Santa Muerte in Central Mexico. After that, Santa Muerte disappeared from historical records for more than a century, only to resurface, in a relatively minor way, in the 1940s.

“From the 1940s to 1980s, researchers exclusively report Santa Muerte (being invoked) for love miracles,” Chesnut said, such as women asking the folk saint to bring back their cheating husbands.

She then faded into obscurity for a few more decades, until the drug wars brought her roaring back.

What’s the appeal of a saint of death?

Part of the attraction to Santa Muerte, as several sources familiar with the devotion explained, is that she is seen as a non-judgemental saint that can be invoked for some not-so-holy petitions.

“If somebody is going to be doing something illegal, and they want to be protected from the law enforcement, they feel awkward asking God to protect them,” explained Fr. Andres Gutierrez, the pastor of St. Helen parish in Rio Hondo, Texas.

“So they promise something to Santa Muerte in exchange for being protected from the law.”

Devotees also feel comfortable going to her for favors of vengeance - something they would never ask of God or a canonized saint, Chesnut said.

“I think this non-judgmental saint who’s going to accept me as I am is appealing,” Chesnut said, particularly to criminals or to people who don’t feel completely accepted within the Mexican Catholic or Evangelical churches.

The cultural Catholicism of Mexico and the drug wars of the past decade also made for the perfect storm for Santa Muerte to catch on, Chesnut explained. Even Mexicans who didn’t grow up going to Mass every Sunday still have a basic idea of what Catholicism entails - Mass and Saints and prayers like the rosary, all things that have been hi-jacked and adapted by the Santa Muerte movement.

“You can almost see some of it as kind of an extreme heretical form of folk Catholicism,” he said. “In fact, I can say Santa Muerte could only have arisen from a Catholic environment.”

This, coupled with the fact that Mexican Catholics are suddenly much more familiar with death, with the recent drug wars having left anywhere from 60,000 - 120,000 Mexicans dead - makes a saint of death that much more intriguing.

“Paradoxically, a lot of devotees who feel like death could be just around the corner - maybe they’re narcos, maybe they work in the street, maybe they’re security guards who might be gunned down - they ask Santa Muerte for protection.”

Why she’s no saint

Her familiarity and appeal is actually part of the danger of this devotion, Fr. Gutierrez said.

“(Santa Muerte) is literally a demon with another name,” he said. “That’s what it is.”

In his own ministry, Fr. Gutierrez said he has witnessed people who “suffer greatly” following a devotion to the folk saint.

Fr. Gary Thomas, a Vatican-trained exorcist for the Diocese of San Jose, told CNA that he has also prayed with people who have had demonic trouble after praying to Santa Muerte.

“I have had a number of people who have come to me as users of this practice and found themselves tied to a demon or demonic tribe,” he said.

Fr. Gutierrez noted that while Catholics who attend Mass and the sacraments on a regular basis tend to understand this about Santa Muerte, those in danger are the cultural Catholics who aren’t intentionally engaging in something harmful, but could be opening the door to spiritual harm nonetheless.

Elizabeth Beltran is the parish secretary at Cristo Rey Church, a predominantly Latino Catholic parish in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Beltran, who grew up in Mexico and whose family is still in Mexico, said she started noticing Santa Muerte about 15-20 years ago, but she hasn’t yet noticed the presence of the devotion in the United States.

Besides narcos and criminals, the folk saint also appeals to poor, cultural Mexican Catholics or those who are simply looking for something to believe in, Beltran said.

“People who don’t know their faith very well, it’s very easy to convince them” to pray to Santa Muerte, she said. It’s common practice in Mexico for people to mix superstitious practices with Catholic prayers like the Our Father or the Hail Mary, in order to gain trust in the Catholic culture.

Besides her demonic ties, she’s also a perversion of what the practice of praying to saints is all about, said Fr. Ryan Kaup, a priest with Cristo Rey parish.

“What we venerate as saints are real people who have chosen this life to follow the will of our Lord and have done great things with their lives, and now they’re in heaven forever, and so that’s why we ask for their intercession,” Fr. Kaup said.

“So taking this devotion and this practice that we have of asking for this saint’s intercession and twisting it in such a way as to invoke this glorified image of death is really a distortion of what we believe is true intercession and truly the power of the saints.”

Because of her growing popularity in the United States, Fr. Gutierrez said he is hoping that bishops and Catholic leaders in the U.S. become more aware of the danger of the Santa Muerte devotion and start condemning it publically.

“I would love to hear something on a national level, from the U.S. conference of Catholic bishops or from local bishops speaking about it publicly,” he said. “I think that would be one way to really call it to attention.”

Fr. Thomas added that honoring a saint of death is a corruption and distortion of what Christians belief about Jesus, who came to give us eternal life.

“‘Saint Death’ is an oxymoron. God is a God of the living, not the dead.”

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Was the last ‘witch’ of Boston actually a Catholic martyr?

by Mary Rezac (CNA/EWTN News) • October 31, 2016

Representation of the Salem witch trials in a lithograph from 1892. (Library of Congress)

Boston, MA — The last person hanged for witchcraft in Boston could be considered a Catholic martyr.

In the 1650s, Ann Glover and her family, along with some 50,000 other native Irish people, were enslaved by Englishman Oliver Cromwell during the occupation of Ireland and shipped to the island of Barbados, where they were sold as indentured servants.

What is known of her history is sporadic at best, though she was definitely Irish and definitely Catholic. According to an article in the Boston Globe, even Ann’s real name remains a mystery, as indentured servants were often forced to take the names of their masters.

While in Barbados, Ann’s husband was reportedly killed for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith. By 1680, Ann and her daughter had moved to Boston where Ann worked as a “goodwife” (a housekeeper and nanny) for the John Goodwin family.

Father Robert O’Grady, director of the Boston Catholic Directory for the Archdiocese of Boston, said that after working for the Goodwins for a few years, Ann Glover became sick, and the illness spread to four of the five Goodwin children.

“She was, unsurprisingly, not well-educated, and in working with the family, apparently she got sick at some point and the kids for whom she was primarily responsible caught whatever it was,” Fr. O’Grady told CNA.

A doctor allegedly concluded that “nothing but a hellish Witchcraft could be the origin of these maladies,” and one of the daughters confirmed the claim, saying she fell ill after an argument with Ann.

The infamous Reverend Cotton Mather, a Harvard graduate and one of the main perpetrators of witch trial hysteria at the time, insisted Ann Glover was a witch and brought her to what would be the last witch trial in Boston in 1688.

In the courtroom, Ann refused to speak English and instead answered questions in her native Irish Gaelic. In order to prove she was not a witch, Mather asked Ann to recite the Our Father, which she did, in a mix of Irish Gaelic and Latin because of her lack of education.

“Cotton Mather would have recognized some of it, because of course that would have been part of your studies in those days, you studied classical languages when you were preparing to be a minister, especially Latin and Greek,” Father O’Grady said.

“But because it was kind of mixed in with Irish Gaelic, it was then considered proof that she was possessed because she was mangling the Latin.”

Allegedly, Boston merchant Robert Calef, who knew Ann when she was alive, said she “was a despised, crazy, poor old woman, an Irish Catholic who was tried for afflicting the Goodwin children. Her behavior at her trial was like that of one distracted. They did her cruel. The proof against her was wholly deficient. The jury brought her guilty. She was hung. She died a Catholic.”

Mather convicted Ann of being an “idolatrous Roman Catholick” and a witch, and she hung on Boston Common on November 16, 1688. Today, just a 15 minute walk away, the parish of Our Lady of Victories holds a plaque commemorating her martyrdom, which reads:

“Not far from here on 16 November 1688, Goodwife Ann Glover an elderly Irish widow, was hanged as a witch because she had refused to renounce her Catholic faith. Having been deported from her native Ireland to the Barbados with her husband, who died there because of his own loyalty to the Catholic faith, she came to Boston where she was living for at least six years before she was unjustly condemned to death. This memorial is erected to commemorate “Goody” Glover as the first Catholic martyr in Massachusetts.”

The plaque was placed at the Church on the tercentennial anniversary of her death in 1988 by the Order of Alhambra, a Catholic fraternity whose mission includes commemorating Catholic historical persons, places and events. The Boston City Council also declared November 16 as “Goody Glover Day”, in order to condemn the injustice brought against her.

Ann Glover has not yet been officially declared a martyr by a pope, nor has her cause for canonization been opened to date, partly because her story has faded into obscurity over time, Fr. O’Grady said.

“Part of the dilemma here (too) is that when she was hanged, Catholics were a tiny, minuscule, minority in Boston, so picking up her ‘cause’ was not easy or ‘on top of the list,’” he said.

Ann Glover’s trial also set the tone for the infamous Salem Witch Trials in 1692, during which 19 men and women were hanged for witchcraft, and in which Reverend Cotton Mather and his anti-Catholic prejudices played a major role.

This article was originally published on CNA Oct. 31, 2014.

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Three lessons for young Catholics

by Bishop Robert Barron • November 1, 2016

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking to around nine thousand middle school and high school students from the Catholic schools of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. They were gathered in the cavernous Galen Center at the University of Southern California, and the atmosphere in the room was electric. There was a good deal of upbeat music and games, but when Archbishop Gomez processed into the arena carrying the Blessed Sacrament for Benediction, you could hear a pin drop. There is just something uniquely moving about seeing nine thousand energetic kids suddenly falling to their knees in silent adoration.

At the very end of the morning, I came on stage to address the crowd. My first move was to ask all of the young people to scream as loudly as they could. What ensued could be compared to about ten jet airplanes taking off at the same time, or perhaps, to a Beatles concert circa 1964. When they finally settled down, I said, “I want you to remember that sound, because if we could harness that energy for the purposes of Christ, we could transform this entire city overnight.” I do indeed believe that Vatican II’s universal call to holiness is a largely unrealized dream. Most Catholics still don’t get that their vocation is to carry their faith into the marketplace, into schools, into office buildings, into the corridors of government, into sports stadiums, and into the streets. I wanted those kids at USC at least to start thinking about this great mission.

I then shared three spiritual truths that I invited them to internalize. First, I said, if they want to be happy, they have to play an emptying game rather than a filling game. The secular culture, in a thousand ways, tells them that the key to happiness is filling up their lives with the goods of the world, more specifically, with money, sensual pleasure, power, and fame. Watch, I told them, practically any movie, listen to practically any popular song, attend to practically any pop star, and you’ll hear this message over and over again, repeated ad nauseam. But precisely because we have all been wired for God, which is to say, for an infinite happiness, none of these finite goods will ever satisfy the longing of the heart. Indeed, the more relentlessly we seek them, the less satisfying and more addictive they become. The game, instead, should be contriving a way to make your life a gift. The formula behind this resolution, I explained, is rather straightforward. Since God alone fills up the emptiness of the heart, and since God is love, then only a life of radical love will actually fulfill us and make us happy. Though it conforms to the strictest logic, this message has always been hard to take in. It has always appeared as counter-cultural.

The second lesson I shared was this: don’t settle for spiritual mediocrity! Quite appropriately, we strive for excellence in every arena of life: business, sports, medicine, the arts, etc. But somehow we think it’s alright to ignore the spiritual life or, if we think of it at all, to give it a modicum of our time and attention. But compared to worldly activities, the spiritual endeavor is infinitely more important, for it has, literally, eternal implications. When the young Fr. Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) took young people on camping and kayaking excursions in the forests around Krakow in the mid-twentieth century, he was instilling in them a sense of the high adventure of life with Christ. At a time when the Communist government of Poland was endeavoring to stamp out the Catholic faith, Wojtyla was summoning his young charges to be saints. And when those kids came of age, they were the great Catholic business leaders, great Catholic writers, great Catholic scientists and politicians who spearheaded the revolution that eventually led to the breakdown of the Soviet Empire. They weren’t satisfied being lukewarm Catholics, and neither, I told the young people at the Galen Center, should you.

The third spiritual lesson that I shared was this: be rebels! We worship the crucified Jesus, someone who stood so thoroughly athwart the religious, cultural, and political powers of his time that they saw fit to put him to death. Every one of Jesus’ apostles, with the exception of St. John, died a martyr’s death. Every single bishop of Rome, for the first century of the Church’s life, was put to death for his faith. And if you think the age of martyrs is over, I informed the young people, think again. The twentieth century had more who witnessed to the faith with their lives than all of the previous centuries combined. We Christians are a rebellious lot — and this should appeal to the idealism and contrary spirit of the young. And don’t tell me that the rebels are singers and pop stars! Such people, obsessed with wealth, pleasure, fame, and power, are absolutely mainstream, run of the mill, ordinary as dirt. If you want to see a real rebel, I said, take a good hard look at the recently-canonized St. Jose Sanchez del Rio, the fourteen-year-old boy killed during the Cristero uprising in the early twentieth century. Tortured, mocked, forced to march on lacerated feet, shot on the edge of his own grave, he never renounced his Catholic faith. Stand, I said, with the great rebels in the company of Christ.

What a joy it was to see so many of our young people gathered together in fellowship and enthusiasm for the Lord Jesus. May their tribe increase!

Bishop Robert Barron is an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries (wordonfire.org). He is the creator of two award-winning documentary series, Catholicism and Catholicism: The New Evangelization.

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You’ve got questions (about death)? The Church has answers

by Mary Rezac (CNA/EWTN News) • November 2, 2016

Death of St. Joseph by Paolo de Matteis. (Jose Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro CC BY-SA 4.0)

London, England — In the 14th century, approximately one third of the population of Europe - or anywhere from 75 million to 200 million people - was wiped out due to what became known as the Black Death.

Characterized by and named for the black, bulbous sores that oozed pus and blood, the affliction typically killed its victims within two to seven days.

The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, understandably shook the faith of the people of Europe at the time. It was shortly after its reign of terror that an anonymous Dominican friar wrote “Ars moriendi”, or “The Art of Dying,” a six-chapter work explaining the Church’s perspective on a good death.

It included catechesis on why death was not to be feared, how the soul could prepare itself for death, and proper prayers to for the individual and loved ones to say at the time of death. A shorter version translated the book into 11 woodcuts illustrating the work.

Now, more than 600 years later, “The Art of Dying” got a facelift, thanks to the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The teachings have been translated onto a website, complete with animations, video interviews with experts and priests, and explanations of various aspects of preparing well for death as a Catholic. The new resource was debuted today, a day before All Souls’ feast day, where the Church remembers and prays for the dead.

“Most people have an instinctive fear of death, but many also have a conviction that something lies beyond, that death does not have the last word,” the website explains.

“The Catholic faith is rooted in the belief that God made us to enjoy eternal life with him.”

The Art of Dying website is split into five categories - What is dying well?, Talking about death, Facing death personally, Losing a loved one, and Caring for the dying.

It also explains the various means of spiritual support available through the Church for a dying person, including the Anointing of the Sick, and final reception of the sacraments of confession and communion.

It also addresses the big questions people often have at the end of their lives the meaning of life, suffering, and the goodness of God.

“Sometimes people wonder, when confronted by tragedy or suffering, why God lets it happen. When we are tempted to echo those words, we need to remember that God is now and forever at the heart of any human suffering,” Fr. Peter Harries, the Catholic chaplain at University College London Hospital, told The Art of Dying.

“The Christ who was cruelly tortured and crucified on Calvary suffers still whenever there is pain, suffering or death, among those he now identifies with. If we ask ‘where was God in all this?’, the answer has to be ‘There, wherever there are human beings’.”

But The Art of Dying is not just for Catholics, the creators of the website explain in their ‘About’ section.

“There is a shared interest in discussing how we can make death more peaceful and meaningful. It is likely that you will share the Church’s concern that sometimes, particularly in hospital, dying patients are subjected to unnecessary medical interventions that prolong suffering,” they said.

“You will probably agree with the Church that they should be kept as comfortable as possible and given appropriate pain relief. You will probably want to know more about what you can do to achieve a good death for you and your loved ones.”

In an age where physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, both of which the Catholic Church strongly opposes, have become increasingly popular, the updated Art of Dying could serve as a valuable resource for Catholics and people everywhere who are looking for answers to their questions about how to die a good death.

“After centuries of ministering to the dying, the Catholic Church has a fund of experience to share in what was traditionally called the art of dying well,” the website explains.

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Rediscovering the authentic Catholic vision of purgatory

by Msgr. M. Francis Mannion • November 2, 2016

On November 2, the Church throughout the world celebrates the Commemoration of All Souls, a day which, though popular in days gone by, has been neglected in recent decades. This neglect may be a reaction to an overly negative view of purgatory and a severe notion of divine judgment.

The concept of purgatory is, however, essential to Catholic theology and practice. Granted, the concept of purgatory was often badly preached. Many people thought of purgatory, as Hungarian theologian Ladislaus Boros pointed out, as “a gigantic city of torment, a cosmic concentration camp, in which wailing, groaning, and moaning creatures are punished by God.”

Perhaps the most profound truth embodied in the doctrine of purgatory is that we are not frozen, so to speak, in the moral and human condition that obtains at the moment of death. If we arrive at death’s door as imperfect and incomplete Christians, far from the holiness of the saints, we are not condemned forever to that state.

God still reaches out to us and calls us to himself, to a completion of our life-long journey into Christ. Purgatory should be seen as a process of dynamic transformation and sanctification, a completion of what began in us at baptism.

Anglican theologian John Macquarrie expresses this well when he says that purgatory is one aspect of the process of sanctification whereby we are conformed to Christ. It is the completion of the process of putting on the mind and attitude of Christ.

In the twelfth century, William of Auvergne described purgatory as the fulfillment of our earthly penance. If penance is understood as a process of conversion and transformation, we will come to see purgatory not as a fearsome reality, but as the consummation of the whole movement of Christian life to salvation.

But what about the fire of purgatory? The early fathers of the Church saw the fire of purgatory as a creative fire that cleansed and purified. The fire of purgatory is the living fire of the Holy Spirit, not the fire of destruction and desolation. St. Catherine of Genoa spoke of “the purgatory of God’s burning love.” We can link this with the mystical tradition which spoke of union with God as entry into a divine fire, into what St. John of the Cross called “the living flame of love.”

The pain of purgatory, then, is not the pain of divine punishment and wrath, but the pain of growth and transformation, the pain of breaking out of the old self into the new. Purgatorial suffering, according to John Macquarrie, comes from “the painful surrender of the ego-centered self” so that the God-centered self may emerge.

It is vital that prayer for the dead not be seen as bleak bargaining with a harsh God who casts imperfect souls into a ferocious, if temporary, pit. It must rather be conceived of and practiced as a warm and generous outpouring of love for those who have gone before us. It is an act of solidarity by which we accompany the dead on their pilgrimage to final perfection and happiness. It is a testament on our part to the worth and goodness of the departed, offered to a God who wills our salvation.

We would do well, then, to celebrate All Souls’ Day by making our own the kind of spirituality – by no means my invention – that I have set out here. Attending Mass on All Souls’ Day and remembering our own deceased relatives and friends – indeed all souls who ever lived – throughout the month of November are practices that need to be recovered and pastorally promoted.

Msgr. Mannion is pastor emeritus of St. Vincent de Paul parish in Salt Lake City. He holds a Ph.D. in sacramental theology from The Catholic University of America. He was founding president of The Society for Catholic Liturgy in 1995 and the founding editor of the Society’s journal, Antiphon. At the invitation of Cardinal Francis George of Chicago he founded the Mundelein Liturgical Institute in 2000.

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Former Manchester United footballer to be a Dominican priest

by CNA/EWTN News • November 3, 2016

Philip Mulryne. (Dominicans.ie)

London, England — You might have heard of Phil Mulryne, a Manchester United footballer who’s shared the field with David Beckham and brought fame to Ireland with 27 caps – international appearances – in his athletic career.

But now, Mulryne is setting aside his jersey to pursue the vocation of a Catholic Dominican priest.

“This for me was one of the major reasons that attracted me to the religious life,” Mulryne said in a video interview posted by the Daily Mail.

“To give oneself completely to God through the profession of the evangelical councils, to take him as our example and despite our weakness and our defects, trust in Him that he will transform us by his grace, and thus being transformed, communicate the joy in knowing him to everyone we meet – this for me is the ideal of Dominican life and one of the major reasons of what attracted me to the order.”

Mulryne, a 38-year old Irishman, began his career in football as a kid in 1994 when he attended the Manchester United youth academy, and eventually joined the Norwich league in 1999.

His teammates were among the many of his surprised acquaintances to find out that he gave up his global fame and £500,000 in career earnings to pursue the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a Catholic priest.

“It was a complete shock that he felt this was his calling,” fellow footballer Paul McVeigh said, according to the Daily News.

After a series of major injuries at the end of his career in 2008, Mulryne was faced with the future: how would he spend his post-footballing days?

According to McVeigh, Mulryne began turning “his life around and was doing a lot of charitable work and helping the homeless on a weekly basis.” The Catholic Herald reported that Bishop Noel Treanor of Down and Connor became an influential figure during Mulryne’s conversion, eventually inviting him to enter the seminary.

“I know for a fact that this is not something he took lightly as the training to be ordained as a Catholic priest consists of a two-year philosophy degree, followed by a four-year theology degree and only after that will he finally be qualified as a priest,” McVeigh said.

In 2009, the Irish native entered the Irish Pontifical College in Rome, where he has been pursuing the priesthood through studies in philosophy and theology.

Last week on Oct. 30, he was ordained a deacon in Belfast by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, and is set for priestly ordination in 2017.

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Have souls in Purgatory visited people on earth?

by Hannah Brockhaus (CNA/EWTN News) • November 4, 2016

(Everything I Do via Shutterstock)

Vatican City — Nestled in Rome just outside the Vatican, a small unassuming museum dedicated to the souls in Purgatory displays simple items such as prayer books and clothing.

Nothing too unusual, until you realize that each allegedly show the marks of the deceased – such as inexplicably burned fingerprints – when they appeared to loved ones asking for prayers from Purgatory.

The Museum of the Souls in Purgatory is located inside of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Prati, near Castel Sant’Angelo, and contains around 15 of these testimonies and artifacts, collected from around Europe by a French priest Victor Jouët.

In many of the cases, it is held that the marks were left as proof that the deceased had really appeared, asking for prayers or for Masses to be said for their souls.

One artifact in the museum is the fingerprint of Sr. Mary of St. Luigi Gonzaga, left on a pillowcase when she appeared to Sr. Margherita of the Sacred Heart on the night after she died in 1894.

The appearance was recorded in the archives of the monastery of St. Clare of the Child Jesus in Bastia, Italy. According to the records, Sr. Mary told Sr. Margherita that she was in Purgatory as expiation of her lack of patience in accepting God’s will.

Another is the prayer book of Maria Zaganti which shows three fingerprints left by her deceased friend Palmira Rastelli on March 5, 1871. The sister of the parish priest, she asked appeared to her friend to ask for Masses to be said by her brother Fr. Sante Rastelli.

A mark of fiery fingerprints were also left on the German prayer book of George Schitz by his brother Joseph on Dec. 21, 1838. He asked for prayer in expiation of his lack of piety during his life.

The Museum of the Souls in Purgatory was created by Fr. Victor Jouët in 1897. A Missionary of the Sacred Heart, Fr. Jouët founded in Rome the Association of the Sacred Heart of the Suffrage of the Souls of Purgatory. The chapel the Association used from 1896-1914 was located at the place where the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is now.

In 1897 the chapel caught on fire. When Fr. Jouët rushed into the chapel, he saw the image of a human face, looking sad and melancholy, impressed upon the wall behind the altar. He believed it to be from the soul of a deceased man trying to contact those on earth.

After this occurrence, the priest decided to create a museum dedicated to the artifacts of other appearances of souls in Purgatory. He traveled around Europe and Italy collecting the items and testimonies.

Each piece in the museum was collected by Fr. Jouët from the same person who experienced the vision. The image of the man from the chapel can also be found there.

While he travelled around, Fr. Jouët also asked for money to build a church on the site of the chapel, which he had received a message to build in a dream.

Other artifacts in the museum include the print of a hand and a cross left on a the wooden table of Venerable Clara Isabel Fornari, abbess of the Poor Clares of the Monastery of St. Francis in Todi, Italy, by the deceased Fr. Panzini, on Nov. 1, 1731.

There is also a copy of an Italian 10 lira banknote, one of 30 notes left at the Monastery of St. Leonardo in Montefalco by a deceased priest between Aug. 18 and Nov. 9, 1919.

Catholic teaching on the afterlife is that there are three places for a soul to go after death: Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, those who go to Heaven are “(t)hose who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ.”

Those souls that go to Hell are those who have freely chosen through mortal sin “exclusion from communion with God and the blessed.”

Purgatory is a place where the souls go who die in friendship with God but are still imperfectly purified. Purgatory is where “after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” These souls are ensured eventual entrance into Heaven, once they are purified.

The Church teaches that souls in Purgatory rely on the prayers of souls still on Earth to relieve some of their temporal suffering and speed their journey to Heaven. In return, the souls in Purgatory can also pray for those on earth.

On Nov. 2, the Feast of All Souls, Pope Francis offered Mass for all the departed in Flaminio Cemetery in Rome. Speaking about the sadness of losing a loved one, the Pope said that “in this sadness we bring flowers as a sign of hope, and also, I dare to say, of celebration – not now, but in the future.”

“All of us will make this journey,” he said. “Sooner or later, but everyone. With pain, some more some less, but all. But with the flower of hope, with that strong thread of hope that is anchored in the hereafter.”

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Election 2016: A supremely important decision

by Michael Warsaw, Chairman and CEO of EWTN • November 4, 2016

Michael Warsaw, Chairman and CEO of EWTN. (EWTN)

Irondale, AL — Among the first acts of the next president of the United States will be the appointment of a new justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, comprised currently of eight members since the February death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.

In the short term, the new president will appoint Scalia’s successor — someone who will be a deciding factor in whether Catholic entities like EWTN and the Little Sisters of the Poor should be forced by the federal government to violate their religious beliefs by providing contraception and abortifacient drugs in their health insurance plans. The new justice will also help decide whether or not a Virginia girl, who now identifies as a boy, should be allowed access to the restroom that corresponds with her self-chosen sexual identity.

We have already witnessed the Supreme Court redefine marriage. With another liberal activist on board, we will witness the court redefine discrimination to include sexual identity. No doubt, we will also see the court continue down the path of further chipping away at our constitutional rights to religious liberty, freedom of expression and so much more.

In the long term, there perhaps will be no other more important decision made by our next president than who will be nominated to the Supreme Court. A new president with a pro-life commitment will be able to shape the future of a court that will help the United States avoid the disaster of this culture of narcissism and death and move toward one that more resembles what the Founding Fathers established. On the other hand, a new president with the opposite agenda will continue to perilously lead the United States along a path that cheapens life and demeans and threatens people of faith.

In the last of the presidential debates, both candidates made it abundantly clear where they stand on the issue of respect for life.

As we step into the voting booth on Tuesday, we are faced with a supremely important decision. Let us be clear in making that decision — there is no issue more important than respect for the dignity of human life.

May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

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Double review: ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Hacksaw Ridge’

by Carl Kozlowski • November 4, 2016

Not to get all trippy on everyone, but I love to find the connections between things, whether as a fan (if not necessarily a believer) of conspiracy theories, a student of human nature, or as a film critic. When I get the chance to see more than one big movie a week, it’s fun to see if there’s a way in which even the most disparate films come together.

This week’s movies, the Marvel superhero head-trip “Doctor Strange” and the straightforward yet emotionally powerful true-life epic “Hacksaw Ridge,” are two films that seems worlds apart on the surface yet share the same pacifist heart underneath.

“Strange” stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character, Dr. Stephen Strange, a mega-genius master surgeon who has a cocky attitude about every aspect of his life, expressed through withering sarcasm. When he suffers a horrific car crash while offering surgical advice while speeding on a winding road, he wakes up to find that his hands are shattered and he may never conduct his work again.

His frustration and anger drives away Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), a fellow doctor and former paramour who tries to convince him there are other ways to serve the world. Hearing about another shattered man who was mysteriously made whole again after visiting a guru in Nepal, Dr. Strange spends his last dime to get there, and enters a weird school of mystic arts and Eastern spiritualism under the tutelage of a guru known as The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and her sidekick, Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

Dr. Strange soon learns that a former student of his guru, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), got greedy in his quest for the knowledge needed to become immortal. He stole a key spell from her private library that enables him to both pass through time loops between different eras of Hong Kong, London and New York, wreaking havoc on his own as well as preparing the way for an evil being from another universe to come and destroy mankind – and of course, Dr. Strange and his mystical masters have to learn how to save the day.

“Strange” is an effects-filled wonder to behold, creating a universe that follows the playbook of “The Matrix” and Matt Damon’s trippy yet flawed “The Adjustment Bureau” in creating a unique world where characters could be on Mount Everest in one moment and the heart of a desert in the next. It also emulates those movies in having something deeper to say about the meaning of life and our perceptions of it – a factor which was born of the 1960s hippie-dippie era in which the original comic was created. Underlying it all is a reluctant hero who feels that killing anyone, even an evil henchman of the villain, is a violation of his sworn oath as a physician to do no harm to others, to save lives rather than take them.

Co-writer/director Scott Derrickson was an interesting choice to helm this movie, since he’s built a successful career as a master of horror films, such as “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” that have a strong spiritual underpinning. He’s clearly thought deeply about these matters, and the extra depth that brings – alongside the terrific cast of offbeat actors including Cumberbatch, Swinton and Ejiofor, who normally eschew easy popcorn fare – makes “Strange” a particularly odd and exciting time at the movies.

There is hardly any foul language or profanity in “Strange,” no sex or nudity, and the violence is largely standard action-movie level and definitely bloodless. The main issue for discerning Catholic viewers lies in the fact that Doctor Strange is learning magic and Eastern mysticism, which are of course in direct contradiction with the Christian perspective on the world we live in. For adults and older teenagers, it is easy enough to distinguish this as fantasy and keep the film’s influence in properly limited perspective, but for children younger than the age suggested by its PG-13 rating, the movie could lead to confusion and build an interest in occultism.

“Hacksaw,” meanwhile, also features an intriguing choice of director, as Mel Gibson uses the film to mark his return to the director’s chair after a decade of being shamed by Hollywood for a drunken rant filled with anti-Semitic slurs. He’s got Oscar-winning chops, as evidenced by his Best Director win for “Braveheart,” and movingly tells the story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a Seventh-Day Adventist who put himself in a precarious position during World War II by enlisting to become a medic and running afoul of his leaders and peers by refusing to touch a gun since it was against his religion to kill anyone under any circumstances.

The story of how this simple yet affable man stood tall behind his convictions and ultimately became one of America’s greatest war heroes by saving 75 men on the battlefield at Okinawa is alternately grim and inspiring. Gibson adds to his career canon of violent films that show the consequences and meaninglessness of that violence, serving up gruesome imagery of shattered soldiers while focusing on their inner driving spirit and indomitable will to live.

It’s an impressive comeback from an apparently conflicted talent, even though it has some hokey moments in the first half, and he also helps Garfield get another shot at leading-man status after two mediocre “Amazing Spider-Man” movies nearly killed his career. Together, they’ve created a film that serves as a stirring reminder of the true costs of war in a world that’s far too filled with them.

“Hacksaw Ridge” also has barely any foul language, and the filmmakers along the way agreed to edit a greater amount of obscenities from the film since both Gibson and his subject are deeply religious men, and it makes sense to reach out to an audience of believers. The romantic aspects of the story, following Doss’ romance and early days of marriage to his wife, a nurse, are portrayed tastefully with only kissing and then implied sex about to happen on their wedding night.

The war violence, however, is intense and many of the wounds are stomach-churningly gruesome. But considering the topic, that war is such hell it can drive a man to seek pacifism as an ideal at all costs, such footage is necessary.

Carl Kozlowski has been a professional film critic and essayist for the past five years at Pasadena Weekly, in addition to the Christian movie site Movieguide.org, the conservative pop culture site Breitbart.com Big Hollywood, the Christian pop culture magazine Relevant, and New City newspaper in Chicago. He also writes in-depth celebrity interviews for Esquire.com and The Progressive. He is owner of the podcasting site radiotitans.com, which was named one of the Frontier Fifty in 2013 as one of the 50 best talk-radio outlets in the nation by talkers.com and will be re-launching it in January 2014 after a five-month sabbatical. He lives in Los Angeles.

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SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 6, 2016

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading (2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14; NRSVCE)

It happened also that seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king, under torture with whips and thongs, to partake of unlawful swine’s flesh. One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, “What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”

When he was at his last breath, he said, “You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.”

After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands, and said nobly, “I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again.” As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man’s spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. When he was near death, he said, “One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!”

Second Reading (2 Thes 2:16-3:5; NRSVCE)

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Gospel Reading (Lk 20:27-38; NRSVCE)

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”

Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”

MONDAY • NOVEMBER 7, 2016

Monday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading (Ti 1:1-9; NRSVCE)

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began — in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,

To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: someone who is blameless, married only once, whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

Gospel Reading (Lk 17:1-6; NRSVCE)

Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

TUESDAY • NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Tuesday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading (Ti 2:1-8, 11-14; NRSVCE)

But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.

Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Gospel Reading (Lk 17:7-10; NRSVCE)

Jesus said to his disciples, “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

First Reading (Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; NRSVCE)

The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and the water was coming out on the south side.

He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

Second Reading (1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17; NRSVCE)

You are God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Gospel Reading (Jn 2:13-22; NRSVCE)

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

THURSDAY • NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great

First Reading (Phlm 7-20; NRSVCE)

I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love — and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother — especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.

Gospel Reading (Lk 17:20-25; NRSVCE)

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.”

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 11, 2016

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours

First Reading (2 Jn 4-9; NRSVCE)

I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning — you must walk in it.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Gospel Reading (Lk 17:26-37; NRSVCE)

Jesus said to his disciples, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them — it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 12, 2016

Memorial of Saint Josaphat

First Reading (3 Jn 5-8; NRSVCE)

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends, even though they are strangers to you; they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God; for they began their journey for the sake of Christ, accepting no support from non-believers. Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become co-workers with the truth.

Gospel Reading (Lk 18:1-8; NRSVCE)

Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”