Vatican City, May 18, 2016 / 08:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- If we don’t show mercy to others we shouldn’t expect to get it from God, Pope Francis has said, stressing that while turning a blind eye to the poor might make life on earth easier, th... Read more
Washington D.C., May 18, 2016 / 06:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Speaking in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Cardinal Robert Sarah enjoined Catholics to resist “ideological colonization” and the removal of God from society, in order to help the Church resist threats to the family and religious freedom around the world. Cardinal Sarah is a native of Guinea, in west Africa, and is prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship. “Nowhere is [religious persecution] clearer than in the threat that societies are visiting on the family through a demonic 'gender ideology,' a deadly impulse that is being experienced in a world increasingly cut off from God through ideological colonialism,” the cardinal said in his keynote address at the May 17 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R- Wis.) and Sister Constance Veit of the Little Sisters of the Poor also addressed the crowd before Cardinal Sarah’s talk. Cardinal Sarah emphasized that individualism and a desire to create what he called a “utopian paradise” without God has had a profound impact on societies. “Rapid social and economic development in the past half century has not been accompanied by an equally fervent spiritual progress, as we witness what Pope Francis calls ‘globalized indifference,’” he critiqued. This indifference to persons can be seen in “our closing our eyes and hearts to the poor and vulnerable, and, in a very despicable way, in how we discard the unborn and the elderly,” he continued. The greatest challenges, however, he said, are the challenges facing the family. Quoting Pope Francis, Cardinal Sarah reminded the crowd that proposing less than what the Church teaches on marriage proposes less than what Christ offers the human person. “This is why the Holy Father openly and vigorously defends Church teaching on contraception, abortion, homosexuality, reproductive technologies, the education of children and much more.” These and other injuries to the family, Cardinal Sarah elaborated, can turn the family from a place of flourishing and love into “a place where human beings can be humanly and spiritually wounded.” Protecting the family is also linked to the preservation of religious freedom, Cardinal Sarah said as he urged the Americans to protect their history of religious freedom. While many Christians across the world are suffering from violence due to persecution from governments or groups like Islamic State, “ violence against Christians is not just physical, it is also political, ideological and cultural,” the cardinal said. “This form of religious persecution is equally damaging, yet more hidden. It does not destroy physically but spiritually.” The 'violence' of cultural and ideological pressure seeks to separate the Christian from his or her conscience and blend them into society. The Church’s teachings on marriage, sexuality and the family are under extreme pressure, Cardinal Sarah said. “In the name of 'tolerance,' the Church’s teachings on marriage, sexuality and the human person are dismantled,” he said, citing the legalization of same-sex marriage, the contraception mandate, and a mandates that bathroom access be based on gender identity. In the face of such threats to the free exercise of religion and conscience, Cardinal Sarah called on Catholics to be prophetic, faithful, and prayerful. A prophetic approach requires careful discernment of how “in your lives, your homes, your workplaces – how, in your nation, God is being eroded, eclipsed, liquidated,” he said. Faithfulness requires Catholics to be courageous in speaking the truth. And prayer, he said, is essential to discerning God’s will and to avoid discouragement. “That is why I came to this prayer breakfast, to encourage you: be prophetic, be faithful, and above all, pray,” Cardinal Sarah told the crowd. “These three suggestions make present that the battle for the soul of America, and the soul of the world, is primarily spiritual. They show that the battle is fought firstly with our own conversion to God’s will every day.” He hoped that the response to the spiritual problems facing the United States would result in a “spiritual awakening,” and would help to stop problems spreading throughout the rest of the world, particularly those facing human life, the family, and religious freedom. “In the end, it is God or nothing,” Cardinal Sarah concluded. Read more
Vatican City, May 18, 2016 / 03:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a powerful speech Tuesday at the opening of the Italian bishops' general assembly, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa decried the civil unions bill passed in the nation's parliament last week, emphasizing that Pope Francis himself always advocates for the natural family. The president of the Italian bishops' conference peppered his May 17 speech with several lengthy quotes from the Roman Pontiff, and lamented that the Pope's affirmations of the family are so often ignored in the mainstream. The annual gathering of the Italian bishops is taking place May 16-19 on the topic of “renewal of the clergy.” Pope Francis had begun the assembly with a brief speech on the priesthood on Monday, followed by a closed door question-and-answer session with the bishops. Second to the meeting with the Pope, Cardinal Bagnasco's address will set the tone for the bishops' plenary, and his address focused on the civil unions bill which was passed May 11. Championed by prime minister Matteo Renzi, the bill passed the Chamber of Deputies by a 369-193 vote of confidence for Renzi. It had already passed the Senate in February, after being watered down “to win the backing of conservative and Catholic senators,” according to The Guardian. The bill affords couples in civil unions many of the rights of married couples, but its concession added to gain the support of some conservative senators is that parental rights are not granted to non-biological parents in a civil union. Senator Monica Cirinna, who sponsored the bill, said the watered down version which passed is a “hollow victory” and only “a first step,” according to the BBC. Cardinal Bagnasco decried the new law and said that it “certifies an equivalence” between civil unions and marriage, even “though the law affirms that civil unions and marriage are different things.” Such “differences are only tricks of terminology or juridical artifacts, which can be easily bypassed.” According to Cardinal Bagnasco, the law is just an intermediate step “on the path to the final strike, which will eventually include the approval of surrogate motherhood, a practice that exploits women, taking advantage of their poverty.” Surrogacy is currently illegal in Italy. Cardinal Bagnasco underscored that people “want the parliament to be committed” to tackling real issues, such as unemployment and poverty. “What are public institutions doing,” he asked rhetorically, to give a long-term response to these issues. He added that Catholic Relief Services in Italy had provided 12 million meals for the poor, and is in the frontlines assisting migrants who arrive, often illegally, on the nation's shores. “These are the real problems of the country, of the people. So, is is not understandable why (the Italian Parliament) spent so much emphasis and energy on causes that do not tackle these issues, and merely respond to ideological schemes,” the cardinal stressed. Cardinal Bagnasco also noted Pope Francis' repeated defences of the natural family. He quoted from the Pope's joint declaration with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, in which the bishops said that “the family is based on marriage, an act of freely given and faithful love between a man and a woman … We regret that other forms of cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this union, while the concept, consecrated in the biblical tradition, of paternity and maternity as the distinct vocation of man and woman in marriage is being banished from the public conscience.” The cardinal also recalled that Pope Francis called the family “the foundation of coexistence and a remedy against social fragmentation” in his speech to the community of Varginha in Rio de Janeiro on July 25, 2013. The Pope had also, Cardinal Bagnasco continued, stressed at colloquium held Nov. 17, 2014, that “complementarity lies at the foundation of marriage and the family,” and for this reason “children have a right to grow up in a family with a father and a mother capable of creating a suitable environment for the child's growth and emotional development.” Cardinal Bagnasco also recalled that the Pope has so often underscored that gender ideology is “a mistake of the human mind” and doubted whether gender is “an expression of frustration and resignation, which seeks to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it.” “It cannot be understood why these clear statements from Pope Francis, which the bishops often reiterate, are kept under silence, as if the Pope had never said or written them.” The bishops of Italy, Cardinal Bagnasco said, “underscore the Pope’s statements, so that they can turn into effective commitment.” Read more
Madrid, Spain, May 18, 2016 / 12:25 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Father Rodrigo Miranda is a priest from Chile. But it was in Syria, among the oppressed Christian community, that he learned what it really meant to be a priest. “They wake us up to the es... Read more
Warsaw, Poland, May 17, 2016 / 04:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Thousands of Polish pro-lifers have called on parliament to pass a bill that would further restrict abortion in the country. “Today we are calling on our state authorities to guarantee fu... Read more
Washington D.C., May 17, 2016 / 03:38 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- If you are a Christian, your life should not be a perpetual Lent – this was the message of the communications director for the Little Sisters of the Poor at a prayer breakfast on Tuesday.... Read more
Rome, Italy, May 17, 2016 / 01:39 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- With millions of youth set to arrive in Krakow for World Youth Day in just a few weeks, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz said that “there is no danger” and urged those still on the fence to not miss the opportunity out of fear. “Come to Krakow, we’re waiting for you, don’t be afraid!” the cardinal said in a May 30 message to young people around the world. “I say clearly to the youth: do not be afraid.” Cardinal Dziwisz, who served as St. John Paul II’s personal secretary for 12 years in Krakow as well as throughout the entirety of his 27-year pontificate, is the current Archbishop of Krakow and is heading the majority of preparations for the July 26-31 World Youth Day (WYD) gathering, which his diocese is hosting. He spoke to a delegation of journalists and communications experts gathered in Krakow to help prep for the encounter. The cardinal's plea to the youth of “don't be afraid” is something John Paul II, who instituted WYD, frequently repeated to youth, encouraging them to form a relationship with Jesus Christ and to not allow anything to get in the way. The WYD event in Krakow, Cardinal Dziwisz said, will be a “celebration of faith, not simply having fun.” He stressed that the theme “is always Jesus Christ, so you must deepen, pray, be together and rejoice in being Christian together with the Pope. In this sense ministry to youth is vital.” Preparations on the ground are moving forward quickly, and everyone is awaiting the millions of youth expected to come to Krakow, he said. Groups from 182 countries have already registered for the event, and the number is expected to rise as the date gets closer. Recent attacks from Islamic extremists in Europe, such as the November 2015 attacks in Paris and the March 22 attack on a Brussels airport and subway, have aroused fears in some that the large crowd garnered by WYD would be placing a big target on the map for another such incident. However, Cardinal Dziwisz stressed that while “the situation in Europe is delicate,” Poland itself “is calm. There is no danger, (and) the security services are doing everything to ensure that there will not be any problems.” World Youth Day “will be a fantastic event, we can already feel the atmosphere,” he said. While the youth who come do so to meet both their peers and Pope Francis, in Krakow they will also get to know the great Polish Pope, St. John Paul II, much better. “They want to come to Krakow to get to know John Paul II better,” he said, adding that the saint’s memory “has remained and the youth want to know it.” Noting how the theme for this year’s global gathering, “Blessed are the Merciful,” fits seamlessly into Pope Francis’ Jubilee of Mercy, the cardinal expressed his hope that the youth who come “will find a personal and communitarian peace, and will bring this message of peace to the world.” “Europe and the world need peace, and through these events we can contribute to changing the atmosphere of the world and of our own countries.” Part of building peace, he said, is being open and choosing not to be fearful in the face of incoming migrants and refugees. He stressed that Poland itself is open to welcoming them, “but with prudence and responsibility.” Responsibility is needed on the part of those who do the welcoming, “because it’s not enough to open the doors, we must also ensure life, education (and) work.” “We are open because in history even the Poles were forced to flee,” he said, and noted how many Western countries are “creating walls and barriers” in order keep refugees out. “(But) we in Poland still have not built walls – and we hope we never will.” Read more
Rome, Italy, May 17, 2016 / 01:39 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- With millions of youth set to arrive in Krakow for World Youth Day in just a few weeks, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz said that “there is no danger” and urged those still on the fence to not miss the opportunity out of fear. “Come to Krakow, we’re waiting for you, don’t be afraid!” the cardinal said in a May 30 message to young people around the world. “I say clearly to the youth: do not be afraid.” Cardinal Dziwisz, who served as St. John Paul II’s personal secretary for 12 years in Krakow as well as throughout the entirety of his 27-year pontificate, is the current Archbishop of Krakow and is heading the majority of preparations for the July 26-31 World Youth Day (WYD) gathering, which his diocese is hosting. He spoke to a delegation of journalists and communications experts gathered in Krakow to help prep for the encounter. The cardinal's plea to the youth of “don't be afraid” is something John Paul II, who instituted WYD, frequently repeated to youth, encouraging them to form a relationship with Jesus Christ and to not allow anything to get in the way. The WYD event in Krakow, Cardinal Dziwisz said, will be a “celebration of faith, not simply having fun.” He stressed that the theme “is always Jesus Christ, so you must deepen, pray, be together and rejoice in being Christian together with the Pope. In this sense ministry to youth is vital.” Preparations on the ground are moving forward quickly, and everyone is awaiting the millions of youth expected to come to Krakow, he said. Groups from 182 countries have already registered for the event, and the number is expected to rise as the date gets closer. Recent attacks from Islamic extremists in Europe, such as the November 2015 attacks in Paris and the March 22 attack on a Brussels airport and subway, have aroused fears in some that the large crowd garnered by WYD would be placing a big target on the map for another such incident. However, Cardinal Dziwisz stressed that while “the situation in Europe is delicate,” Poland itself “is calm. There is no danger, (and) the security services are doing everything to ensure that there will not be any problems.” World Youth Day “will be a fantastic event, we can already feel the atmosphere,” he said. While the youth who come do so to meet both their peers and Pope Francis, in Krakow they will also get to know the great Polish Pope, St. John Paul II, much better. “They want to come to Krakow to get to know John Paul II better,” he said, adding that the saint’s memory “has remained and the youth want to know it.” Noting how the theme for this year’s global gathering, “Blessed are the Merciful,” fits seamlessly into Pope Francis’ Jubilee of Mercy, the cardinal expressed his hope that the youth who come “will find a personal and communitarian peace, and will bring this message of peace to the world.” “Europe and the world need peace, and through these events we can contribute to changing the atmosphere of the world and of our own countries.” Part of building peace, he said, is being open and choosing not to be fearful in the face of incoming migrants and refugees. He stressed that Poland itself is open to welcoming them, “but with prudence and responsibility.” Responsibility is needed on the part of those who do the welcoming, “because it’s not enough to open the doors, we must also ensure life, education (and) work.” “We are open because in history even the Poles were forced to flee,” he said, and noted how many Western countries are “creating walls and barriers” in order keep refugees out. “(But) we in Poland still have not built walls – and we hope we never will.” Read more
Vatican City, May 17, 2016 / 09:59 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a new interview focused heavily on migration and dialogue with Islam, Pope Francis touched on growing concerns surrounding the hot-button topic of religious freedom. While he admitted that sec... Read more
Santiago, Chile, May 17, 2016 / 06:04 am (CNA).- With a Mass celebrated in the chapel where he used to pray, former soccer star Chase Hilgenbrinck was reunited recently with the faithful, friends and fans – not as a soccer star, but as a priest. An American, Chase Hilgenbrinck was a successful pro soccer player who spent four seasons in Chile before returning to the U.S. He played for the New England Revolution before experiencing a call to the priesthood and leaving behind his soccer career to enter seminary. In 2014, he was ordained a priest in the diocese of Peoria, Illinois, where he currently serves. After being away from Chile for nine years, Father Chase returned to the city of Chillán in the southern part of the country, where he played on first division teams for three years. He thanked the more than 600 faithful who attended the Eucharist he celebrated on May 7 in Santa Ana chapel, “especially the Chillán community that supported me before and who feel part of my soccer experience, and also now that I am a priest.” After the Mass, Father Chase spoke with the community and fans of Ñublense, the Chillán team where the former left back had been key to achieving first division in 2006. “Everything I learned in sports – such as the sacrifice of training hard, solidarity, working as a team – are things I also have to do in the Christian life. What I experienced in soccer helped me a lot to have all the virtues to lead a good Christian life,” Father Chase told the daily Crónica Chillán after Mass was over. “When we make a commitment to something important in life everything is going to change. When you get married, life changes. The change isn't bad, it's something natural; if we're not committed, life has no joy or sacrifice to it,” he said. In response to the media frenzy caused by the news of his visit to Chile, the priest made it clear that “I didn't come to make news, but I thank the journalists who like the story of what God has created in my life.” “Hopefully on a national level this will be a beautiful story for the history of the Church and of God,” he added. Father Luis Rocha, pastor of San Juan de Dios parish, where the Santa Ana chapel is located, told CNA that “although a lot of years have gone by, the people still remember Chase with a lot of affection.” “The community welcomed him with a lot of joy and gratitude because they had already known him as a lay person, and he actively participated in the Liturgy of the Word at the Sunday Masses,” he said. During his brief visit to Chile, which Chase described as a “tour to say thanks,” he was accompanied by his parents Mike and Kim, who had educated him in the Catholic faith since he was a child. The priest said he hopes to return to Chile for the 100th anniversary of the Ñublense team in August this year. Read more
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