Catholic News

• Gang members murder 2 women religious in Haiti (Our Sunday Visitor)
  As Haiti plunges deeper into violence, gang members killed two religious sisters in Mirebalais, a city of 100,000. Sister Evanette Onezaire and Sister Jeanne Voltaire were members of the Little Sisters of St. Thérèse, a Haitian religious institute dedicated to serving the poor.
• Cardinal Re: At key moments, St. John Paul ignored views of Cardinals Wyszyński, Casaroli on Poland (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  In an address for the 20th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s death, the dean of the College of Cardinals said that the Pope ignored Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński’s assessment of the Solidarity movement and Cardinal Agostino Casaroli’s advice to tone down his advocacy for human rights in Poland during his 1983 apostolic journey there. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said that Cardinal Wyszyński, the Primate of Poland, feared that the Solidarity movement would provoke a Soviet invasion—but after the Pope disagreed with his assessment and backed it, he, too, became a supporter. Cardinal Re recalled that Cardinal Casaroli, then the Secretary of State, urged the Pope to tone down his call for human rights in Poland, fearing it would provoke a crackdown on the Church there. Cardinal Re, now 91, added: John Paul II listened attentively to Cardinal Casaroli, but did not allow himself to be convinced: he continued on the line he had taken until the end. When he returned to Rome I remember that at the working dinner the next day he confidentially said, “I am happy that I was able to say everything that seemed right to me” ... John Paul II knew the strength of the Church in Poland better than Cardinal Casaroli. But in the case concerning the beginnings of Solidarity, I think he was able to see further only because of the special assistance that came to him from above through his constant prayer.
• Sexual orientation, women's 'pastoral responsibility' come to fore in Italian synodal assembly (CWN)
  The Church in Italy concluded its second synodal assembly on April 3 with the publication of a message to the Pope, the approval of a motion, and the publication of participants’ priorities.
• Pope continues 'slight' improvement, Vatican reports (Vatican News)
  It the latest update on the recovery of Pope Francis from double pneumonia, the Vatican press office reported on April 4 that the Pope “has shown further slight respiratory, mobility, and voice-related improvements,” along with “a slight improvement in his pulmonary infection.” The “slight” improvements seemed to signal that the Pope would not return to normal activities soon. But the press office strongly hinted that some arrangements would be made to allow the Pontiff to make a public appearance this weekend. The update said: “On Sunday, the Angelus may take place in a different manner compared to previous Sundays.” The press office promised that more information on plans for the Sunday Angelus audience would be released on Saturday. The press office also said that the next briefing on the Pope’s recovery would be issued on Tuesday, April 8. However, in recent weeks, updates have frequently been released earlier than promised.
• Vatican marks 20th anniversary of St. John Paul's death with Mass, newspaper tributes (CWN)
  On April 2, the Vatican marked the 20th anniversary of the death of Pope St. John Paul II (1920-2005), who governed the Church from 1978 to 2005.
• Vatican 'foreign minister' and Russian counterpart talk about Ukraine (Vatican Press Office)
  Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’ Secretary for Relations with States, held a phone conversation on April 4 with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, to discuss prospects for peace in Ukraine. Archbishop Gallagher confirmed the Vatican’s readiness to continue humanitarian initiatives, particularly involving the exchange of prisoners.
• Kansas priest shot and killed; suspect arrested (Our Sunday Visitor)
  Father Raj Carasala was shot by an assailant in his rectory in Seneca, Kansas, on April 4, and died of his wounds at a local hospital. Police arrested an Oklahoma man, Gary Hermesch, and charged him with the crime.
• British pro-lifer sentenced for silent vigil (Reuters)
  A British court has sentenced a pro-life activist for standing silently outside an abortion clinic, in a case that has drawn criticism from the US State Department. Livia Tossici-Bolt was charged with violating an order against protests at the clinic. She had stood quietly holding a sign that read: “Here to talk if you want.” She was fined £20,000 ($26,000) and given a two-year suspended sentence. The State Department had a comment on the case: “We are concerned about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.”
• Cardinal Aveline elected president of French bishops' conference (CNA)
  Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille has been elected president of the French bishops’ conference. Pope Francis named him a cardinal in 2022, bypassing the new archbishop of Paris, and favored Marseille with a one-day apostolic journey in 2023.
• Papal greetings to Slovak Jubilee pilgrims (Vatican Press Office)
  In a message to participants in the Slovak national Jubilee pilgrimage, Pope Francis said that they should “bear witness joyfully to the hope that does not disappoint.” The Pope’s message was read to the Slovak pilgrims during an April 4 Mass at St. Peter’s basilica. Pope Francis told them that “I would very much have liked to be present with you,” but explained that his convalescence made that impossible.
• Eastern Catholic churches seen as bridge toward unity with Orthodox (CNS)
  At a Vatican conference on the theology of the Eastern Catholic churches, Archbishop Michel Jalakh said that Catholic attitudes toward the Eastern churches have evolved in recent years. At one time the Eastern Catholic churches were seen as an obstacle to ecumenical union with the Orthodox, said Archbishop Jalakh, the secretary of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches. Then they were recognized as an “anomaly.” But today, he said, the Eastern Catholic churches are seen as a potential bridge toward unity between Catholics and Orthodox.
• South Korean bishops call for reconciliation after president's impeachment (Fides)
  After South Korea’s highest court unanimously upheld the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol and removed him from office, the country’s Catholic bishops exhorted Korean leaders to “make every effort to regain the people’s trust and establish harmony.” With new presidential elections to be scheduled within 60 days, the bishops called for the process to “be conducted in a democratic and mature manner.”
• Vatican spokesman emphasizes importance of Council of Nicaea (Vatican News)
  As the International Theological Commission published a document for the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, a leading Vatican spokesman highlighted the council’s significance. Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, said that “returning to Nicaea”—whose creed is a point of unity for Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants—“means coming together, as brothers and sisters, around what is truly essential, because what unites us is stronger than what divides.” Tornielli added that the council remains “topical” today because of a “new Arianism,” against which the future Pope Benedict warned in the late 1990s, as well as “another risk, the exact opposite and mirror of the first: namely, a difficulty in admitting the full humanity of Christ.”
• Pope encourages charismatics to share experience (Vatican Press Office)
  In a message of encouragement to participants in a Jubilee pilgrimage of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service, Pope Francis told that their spiritual experience “is not meant for you alone. It is for everyone!” The Pope said that “just just as the beating heart pumps blood throughout the entire body, you desire to dedicate yourselves not only to the Church but also open yourselves to her universal dimensions, making your own the intentions of the Holy Father, especially for peace and reconciliation.”
• New rules to restrict religious activities by foreigners in China (AsiaNews)
  The Chinese Communist Party has issued new regulations, which will take effect May 4, strictly regulating the religious activities of foreigners in China. The new rules require foreigners to seek permission from government officials before participating in any religious activity, and require obedience to the rules set forth by the Communist Party. In practice the rules mean that foreigners in China can worship only in places and in ways sanctioned by the government. The regulations would, for instance, make it illegal for a visitor to join in worship with the “underground” Catholic Church.
• Pope, in message, praises La Civiltà Cattolica for 'rigorous respect for truth' (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  In a message for the 175th anniversary of La Civiltà Cattolica, Pope Francis praised the influential Jesuit journal that “has accompanied so many generations, like a friendly presence, offering useful indications for interpreting the events of the world in the light of faith.” “I would like to express my deep appreciation for the intelligent service that you render to the Holy See and to the Church, in carrying out a journalistic activity that favors rigorous respect for the truth, giving space to debate and dialogue,” the Pope added in his message to Father Nuno da Silva Gonçalves, SJ, the journal’s current editor. Cardinal Pietro Parolin and other leading Vatican officials attended an event marking the anniversary, as did Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
• 'Look less at screens, and look each other in the eyes more,' Pope urges in video (The Pope Video)
  In a video for his April prayer intention (proper use of new technologies), Pope Francis exclaimed, “How I would like for us to look less at screens and look each other in the eyes more!” “Something’s wrong if we spend more time on our cell phones than with people,” he said in the video. “The screen makes us forget that there are real people behind it who breathe, laugh, and cry.” “It’s true, technology is the fruit of the intelligence God gave us,” he added. “But we need to use it well”: “to help the poor, to improve the lives of the sick and persons with different abilities,” and “to care for our common home, to connect as brothers and sisters.” The monthly videos typically include excerpts from a papal interview that had been recorded live; there are no such excerpts in this video. Instead, the video features a recorded commentary from the Pope—and the recorded voice is strong, suggesting that his convalescence is proceeding well.
• New Vatican statement underlines achievement of Council of Nicea (Vatican News)
  Looking forward to ecumenical celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, the International Theological Commission (ITC) has issued a statement: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” The ITC statement expresses hope that the anniversary observances will give “new impetus to the journey toward Christian unity.” In particular the document mentions the “hope for an agreement on a common date for the celebration of Easter.” The Nicene Creed, the document states, along with the Council itself, “bear witness to the same event of Jesus Christ, whose irruption into history offers unprecedented access to God and introduces a transformation of human thought.” The full ITC document, in the original Italian, is posted on the web site of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. An English translation is not yet available.
• Vatican hosts screening of The Chosen: Last Supper (Vatican News (Italian))
  The Vatican Film Library hosted a special screening of The Chosen: Last Supper. Msgr. Lucio Adrian Ruiz. secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, and Elizabeth Tabish, the actress who plays Mary Magdalene, took part in the event. “The Chosen is one of the most watched series in the world, with over 280 million viewers, 900 million views of individual episodes (translated into 50 languages), and more than 17 million followers on social media,” Vatican News reported.
• Ukrainian Catholic leader links St. John Paul's legacy, nation's struggle for freedom (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
  Speaking at a conference in Poland, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, spoke on Ukraine and the legacy of Pope St. John Paul II. “John Paul II is not merely a historical figure for us Ukrainians,” he said. “His message and charisma remain deeply relevant today, reflecting both our present reality and our calling to true freedom in the future—a freedom we must defend, even at the cost of our own blood.” The Major Archbishop added: John Paul II had the courage to stand for life from its natural beginning to its natural end. He once addressed the oligarchs of Ukraine, saying: ‘Take care not of your own profit and financial gain, but of the dignity of human life.’ He reminded Ukrainians of the words of Volodymyr Monomakh: ‘Do not let the strong destroy the weak’—words that now resonate prophetically in our hearts. He admonished politicians, especially those in whose hands the fate of entire nations rests.
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