2016-05-08T13:22:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 8, 2016 at 1:22 pm   By

Vatican City, May 8, 2016 / 07:22 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis commemorated the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven by reminding the faithful of their duty to be witnesses of the Gospel every day of the week, in all areas of life – and not just on Sundays. “We must carry this witness every week: Christ is with us; Christ has gone up into Heaven, and is with us; Christ is alive!” the Pope said during his May 8 Regina Caeli address to the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square. Citing the words of Jesus in the day's Gospel taken from Luke, the pontiff explained how the Apostles were “witnesses” of Christ's death, resurrection, and now Ascension; indeed, they returned to Jerusalem and joyfully testified about the risen Christ, in whose name they would preach conversion and “repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.” The Pope said this witness – “made not only with words but also with daily life” – should go beyond Church on Sunday. Rather, it should extend throughout the entire week in our “homes, offices, schools, in places of entertainment, in hospitals, in prisons, in homes for the elderly, in places crowded with immigrants, in the city's peripheries.” Pope Francis centered his address on the Feast of the Ascension, which commemorates Jesus ascending into Heaven 40 days after his Resurrection from the dead. While this feast technically falls on a Thursday, many countries transfer the celebration to the following Sunday.   “We contemplate the mystery of Jesus who left our earthly space in order to enter in the fullness of God's glory, bringing with him our humanity,” the Pope said. The pontiff reflected on the reaction of the disciples, who had previously witnessed Jesus being rejected by Jerusalem, “Judas' betrayal, Peter's denial, the dispersal of the disciples and the violence of a power” which left them feeling threatened. “From that day, for the Apostles and for every disciple of Christ, it was possible to live in Jerusalem, and in every city of the world, even in those most troubled by injustice and violence,” he said. This is because every inhabitant of every city can turn their gaze upward "with hope.” “Jesus, God, is true man; with his human body he is in Heaven! And this is our hope, our anchor, and we are firm in this hope if we look to heaven.” “In this heaven lives that God who has revealed such closeness as to take the face of a man, Jesus of Nazereth,” the Pope continued. “And he remains always God-with-us” – that is, Emmanuel – “and he never leaves us alone!” “In the Ascension of Jesus, the Crucified and Risen One, there is the promise of our participation in the fullness of life with God.” Jesus assures the disciples that, in making this announcement and giving this testimony, we will be clothed in the Holy Spirit, the pontiff explained. “Here lies the secret of this mission: the presence among us of the Risen Lord, who with the gift of the Spirit continues to open our minds and our hearts, to proclaim his love and mercy even in the most resistant areas of our cities.” “The Holy Spirit is the real architect of the manifold testimony that the Church and every baptized make in the world.” For this reason, we should not neglect to gather together “in prayer to praise God and to invoke the gift of the Spirit.” After leading the crowds in the Regina Caeli prayer, Pope Francis extended his “cordial greetings” to all who work in communications, acknowledging this Sunday's 50th World Day of Social Communications. “I hope that the way we communicate in the Church always has a clear evangelical style, a style which combines truth and mercy,” he said. The pontiff greeted the tens of thousands of people who took part in this year's March for Life in Rome, many of whom had made their way to St. Peter's Square at the end of the morning march. Pope Francis then went on to acknowledge Mother's Day – celebrated this Sunday in many countries – and led the crowds in the Hail Mary for all mothers. “We remember with gratitude and affection all mothers – those who are today in [St. Peter's] Square, our mothers, those who are among us and those who have gone to heaven – entrusting them to Mary, the mother of Jesus.” Read more

2016-05-08T11:27:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 8, 2016 at 11:27 am   By

Florence, Italy, May 8, 2016 / 05:27 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, Adoration of the Magi, will soon be undergoing testing that could help digitally reconstruct the artist’s face and offer clues about his life and health. According to the U.K. outlet Sky News, researchers with California’s J Craig Venter Institute, the pioneer behind human genome sequencing, will be searching for hairs and flakes of skin on Da Vinci’s paintings and notebooks. Genetic analysis will be performed, and DNA will be compared to Da Vinci’s known living relatives, and that taken from his parents’ graves. Scientists hope to determine the eye color, hair color, skin tone, and face shape of the Renaissance master. These details could add to the evidence in existence about his appearance. Health information could also be discovered. Ultimately, Fox News reported, the hope is to evaluate the unproven claim of whether Da Vinci is actually buried in a chapel of the Château d’Amboise.   Read more

2016-05-07T23:44:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 7, 2016 at 11:44 pm   By

New Haven, Conn., May 7, 2016 / 05:44 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The future of Christianity in the Middle East remains uncertain, and it is critical that the international community remain engaged, said a Melkite Catholic archbishop from Syria. Archbishop J... Read more

2016-05-07T12:04:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 7, 2016 at 12:04 pm   By

Gallup, N.M., May 7, 2016 / 06:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Merrick Kohn proudly recalls the day he had the idea to honor police officers and first responders with a special Mass. Kohn is a student at St. Joseph School in San Fidel, which is located near t... Read more

2016-05-06T20:57:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 6, 2016 at 8:57 pm   By

Vatican City, May 6, 2016 / 02:57 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Every year on the Anniversary of the 1527 Sack of Rome, the new recruits for the Pontifical Swiss Guard swear an oath to protect and defend the Pope, with their lives if necessary. This year 23 young men joined their peers and predecessors in making that oath. “You are witnesses of Christ – here in Rome, in your homeland of Switzerland and wherever you go,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, told the new guards May 6. Each year before their official swearing-in Cardinal Parolin celebrates an early-morning Mass for the new guards in St. Peter’s Basilica. He told the guards that in a world that desperately wants light but “often doesn't have the courage to welcome it,” their commitment is an example for their peers, “who are hungry for meaning and fullness.” Cardinal Parolin told to the guards that “you can tell them it's worth it to propose large and beautiful things, while behaving with commitment and dedication,” but stressed that this is always accompanied “by some fatigue.” He pointed to the May 6, 1527 battle that has come to be known as the Sack of Rome, and which was the most significant and deadly event in the history of the Swiss Guard. In the course of the battle, 147 guards lost their lives while fighting the army of the Holy Roman Empire in defense of Clement VII, who was able to escape through a secret passageway leading from the Vatican to Castel Sant’Angelo, which sits next to the Tiber River. Cardinal Parolin stressed that being faithful isn’t always easy, just as it wasn’t for the guards who lost their lives in the battle. However, he referred to them as heroes, and examples to follow without delay. “Dear guards, do not wait. Begin already today to bear witness – with your fidelity in the daily service of the Holy Father, with your brotherhood, and with the good relationships among you,” he said. By becoming an example in the faith, the guards can bear witness to the fact that “the Lord is alive, has compassion and is merciful, that he draws near to men, that he wants to give peace, joy and true fullness to heal every wound,” the cardinal continued. He urged them to always recognize and love God for his constant presence in their lives, and encouraged them to follow the example of their patron saints – St. Martin, St. Sebastian and St. Nicholas of Flue – at the moment of taking their oath. Cardinal Parolin prayed that the saints would always assist the guards in fulfilling the promise they make, adding that “their hearts were filled with the joy of the Lord, which no one can take away.” With a motto of “Courage and Loyalty,” the Pontifical Swiss Guard has just over 120 members, making it the smallest, though oldest army in the world. The official swearing in ceremony took place in the San Damasco courtyard of the apostolic palace. During the ceremony, each new recruit approaches the flag of the Swiss Guard when his name is called out. Firmly grasping the banner with his left hand, the new guard raises his right hand and opens three fingers as a sign of his faith in the Holy Trinity. As he holds up his fingers, the guard proclaims this oath: “I, N, swear diligently and faithfully to abide by all that has just been read out to me, so grand me God and so help me his saints.” In English, the full oath reads: “I swear I will faithfully, loyally and honorably serve the Supreme Pontiff Francis and his legitimate successors, and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the see is vacant. Furthermore I promise to the Commanding Captain and my other superiors respect, fidelity and obedience. This I swear! May God and our Holy Patrons assist me!” Read more

2016-05-06T16:52:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 6, 2016 at 4:52 pm   By

Philadelphia, Pa., May 6, 2016 / 10:52 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament will sell the Pennsylvania estate that hosts their motherhouse and the tomb of their founder, St. Katharine Drexel. “We know the time is right to make this decision,” the order’s president Sister Donna Breslin said May 4. She said the sisters reached the decision “after prayer, study and reflection.” “It is leaving home,” she told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It's not easy. But we believe this is what God is asking of us.” The properties are too large for their current and future needs and for their financial resources, she said. The estate in Bensalem, 18 miles northeast of Philadelphia, hosts the National Shrine of Saint Katharine Drexel and her tomb. The national shrine will remain open for visitors through 2017. After the announcement, the local bishop praised the sisters for their service to others. “The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament are a gift to the Church. I pray for the success of their efforts and thank them for their selfless and dedicated service to others in the name of the Lord,” Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia said May 3. Mother Katharine Drexel came from a prominent Philadelphia family. Her congregation especially focused on ministry to African-Americans and Native Americans. Between 1891 and 1935 she led her order in the founding and maintenance of almost 60 schools and missions, including New Orleans’ Xavier University. She died in 1955. St. John Paul II canonized her in October 2000. She was the second American-born saint to be canonized. In 1891 St. Katharine Drexel purchased a 44-acre property in Bensalem, Pa. for her new congregation’s motherhouse, which is now up for sale. The congregation will also sell more than 2,200 acres near Powhatan, Va. The property is the former site of two schools for black students: St. Francis de Sales for girls and St. Emma Military Academy for boys. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament will celebrate their 125th anniversary in July. Their numbers peaked at over 600. At present there are only 104 sisters, more than half of whom are retired. The estate property has ten buildings with close to 229,000 square feet of living and workspace. According to the sisters, the decision to sell these properties will help advance the mission of St. Katharine Drexel. Sr. Breslin said the order will rededicate its resources to “our mission serving some of the most vulnerable people in the United States, Haiti and Jamaica.” “We also will use proceeds from the sales to challenge, in new ways, all forms of racism as well as the other deeply rooted injustices in the world,” she said. The congregation’s administrative offices will move, and the community’s retired sisters will also benefit from the sale of the property. The sisters have contracted with a firm to relocate the approximately 50 sisters now living at the Motherhouse, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s and in nursing care. St. Katharine Drexel’s corpse will be moved to Philadelphia’s Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul and placed near the altar that already honors her. The archdiocese will take control of many of the archives of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. “The sisters have gone through much careful discernment and study prior to this decision,” Archbishop Chaput said. “I applaud their careful forethought and efforts to ensure that they can carry on the mission and vision established by Saint Katharine Drexel.” “When the time is right to do so, the remains of Saint Katharine Drexel will be transferred to the care of the Archdiocese and entombed in an appropriate location in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul,” he said. “It is both an honor and a blessing to accept this responsibility.” Sr. Breslin said that the relocation of the saint’s remains will be like a return “to her second home.” “The cathedral is where her family worshipped, and it's where she formed her faith,” she told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Read more

2016-05-06T12:18:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 6, 2016 at 12:18 pm   By

Vatican City, May 6, 2016 / 06:18 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As he received the prestigious Charlemagne Prize Friday, Pope Francis laid out his vision for a renewed European continent in what could easily be his own version of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.&rsqu... Read more

2016-05-06T12:08:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 6, 2016 at 12:08 pm   By

Lima, Peru, May 6, 2016 / 06:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A number of Latin American pro-life leaders haver criticized a recent statement by the head of the Organization of American States, who is encouraging abortion access for pregnant women infected with the Zika virus. The abortion push demonstrates the “eugenics mentality” of the international organization, according to one commentator. In an April 26 statement the secretary general of the OAS, Luis Almagro, described the Zika outbreak in various Latin American countries as “an opportunity for equal rights” and stated that in cases of infected  pregnant women, “the legal interruption of pregnancy would be justifiable.” This justification, Almagro explained, is based on “the risk to the life of the mother from the perspective of her dignity, the material conditions of her life and existence, but above all, her ability to make autonomous decisions about her life and health and the future of her offspring and the nuclear family.” The OAS is an organization of all 35 independent states o the Americas which aims to promote democracy, human rights, security, and development. The first case of the Zika virus in the Americas was recorded in Brazil in May 2015. Since then, the virus has spread across Latin America and into the United States. The Zika virus is most often transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Infection does not usually cause serious illness, but it is widely agreed that the virus is linked to microcephaly, a disorder in which children are born with abnormally small heads, and often delayed brain development. The infection appears to be passed from a pregnant mother to her unborn child. Speaking to CNA,  Jesús Magaña of the Colombian citizen platform United for Life, said in response to the OAS secretary general's statement that “we're again witnessing the resurgence of a eugenics mentality.” For Magaña, the OAS wants to take advantage of the Zika epidemic “not with a view to the health of the most defenseless and vulnerable populations, of the poorest women, but rather to destroy the children of the poor, to get rid of poverty through destruction, by aborting the poor.” And Luis Losada Pescador, director of campaigns for the international pro-life platform CitizenGo, also criticized that the OAS “in its statement talks about 'taking advantage of the opportunity' for what they call 'equal rights.' That is to say, they recognize that it's a matter of an excuse to promote abortion in the region.” “Where is the right to life recognized in Article IV of the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights? Do the (member) states agree that this international organization can bypass the mandates, to follow an ideological agenda?” he questioned. Marcos León, vice president of the Pro-Life Generation in Paraguay, called “a complete disgrace” the fact that the OAS secretary general is demonstrating adherence with those promoting “the abortion culture, and even more so, while he heads up an organization whose main objective is to defend people's fundamental rights.” “It's intolerable that in face of a problem like Zika, whose the real solution is found in prevention policies and eliminating the vector mosquito based on educating the citizenry and raising their awareness, that the voluntary elimination of human beings again be proposed as a 'solution or palliation' of the evils caused by this illness,” he stated. “You can't talk about the right to kill a human being just because it's temporarily in the mother's womb, who is so defenseless that it can't defend itself and needs us adults,” said Karla Martínez del Rosal de Rodríguez, of the Pro-Life Pastoral Ministry of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Guatemala. For the Guatemalan pro-life leader, “ you can't talk about equality if your right to life is decided upon in an arbitrary fashion; life is the most fundamental of rights, recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ratified by the Pact of San José [of the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights].” Julia Regina de Cardenal, of the El Salvador Yes to Life Foundation, pointed out that the real figures disprove that the cases of microcephaly connected to Zika are numerous. According to the BBC, it is estimated that one percent of women who had Zina during pregnancy will have a child with microcephaly. Brazilian doctors, however, “have told the BBC that as many as 20% of Zika-affected pregnancies will result in a range of other forms of brain damage to the baby in the womb.” Regina de Cardenal charged that “The pro-abortion lobby is exploiting this health crisis to legalize the abortion industry,” and recalled that “the unborn baby has the right to life, even when it may have an illness or birth defects.” Sara Larín, president of the VIDA SV movement in El Salvador, said that this “is not the first time the OAS is using fear tactics in order to  impose abortion in Latin American countries.” “They did it with the overpopulation issue, and now with a great deal of opportunism they're using the health crisis surrounding Zika to instill fear concerning pregnant women,” she said. The president of the pro-life platform ArgentinosAlerta, Martín Patrito, warned that “we're dealing with bad policy, a lot of ideology, and a little science on the part of international organizations like the OAS and the World Health Organization.” “Microcephaly has numerous causes, there are a lot of other viruses that can cause it and the impact of a lot of pesticides has still not been studied. And in any case, you have to fight the mosquito, not the children.” The Zika outbreak has also led to debate in the US over the Helms Amendment, which bars US government aid from funding abortions when given to overseas groups working with reproductive health. A vaccine for Zika has yet to be developed, but there are suggestions that infecting mosquitos with a bacterium could help prevent them from spreading Zika. Read more

2016-05-06T09:36:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 6, 2016 at 9:36 am   By

Washington D.C., May 6, 2016 / 03:36 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A coalition of scientists and faith leaders has called on President Barack Obama to take “meaningful” steps to reduce the threat of “nuclear catastrophe” in light of his likely upcoming trip to Japan. “Nuclear weapons remain a real and urgent threat to humanity and our planet. If there is even a limited nuclear exchange, millions – if not billions – of people could perish; large swaths of the planet could be contaminated; and the global economy could collapse,” a May 4 letter stated. The statement was released by Bishop Oscar Cantú, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' committee on International Justice and Peace; Ken Kimmell, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists; Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; and Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. The group cited President Obama’s 2009 Prague address, during which he said the United States had a responsibility to lead the world in reducing nuclear arms. Now is the time, they urged, for Obama “to take meaningful, practical nuclear risk-reduction steps” during his expected visit to Hiroshima for the G7 summit later this month. “Heightened tensions between the United States and Russia, and the growing risk of nuclear use worldwide, are all the more reason for the president to take these meaningful steps to strengthen national and international security,” the letter said. Instead of adding to the number of nuclear weapons in the world, the group suggested that Obama end his proposal to spend upwards of $1 trillion on modernizing the U.S.’s nuclear weapons arsenal over the next several years. Such a proposal is “inconsistent with the vision the president outlined in the Prague speech” and could “lead to a dangerous and costly arms race,” they said. “Spending money we don't have on weapons we don't need won't make us safer.” Rather, they suggested that the U.S. reduce its nuclear weapons store by a third – a level that the Pentagon “agrees is adequate to maintain security.” Russia and the U.S. should also take the hundreds of nuclear weapons they have ready for action off of “hair-trigger” status, a practice that “makes the risk of an accidental, mistaken or unauthorized launch unacceptably high.” “Faith and science leaders understand human frailty,” they stated. “Over the last several decades, there have been numerous near misses when human or technical errors – combined with a short amount of time in which to respond – increased the risk of a nuclear catastrophe.” In their view, carrying out these steps would help the U.S. fulfill its obligations to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted by the National Security Council in September 2009. “As faith and science leaders, we stand ready to support these steps toward a safer world. We call on all Americans to join us,” they said. Throughout the world, nine countries – Pakistan, India, Israel, North Korea, China, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Russia – are known or suspected to have nuclear weapons, while 30 others have the technology to acquire them quickly, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.Photo credit: Romanova Natali via www.shutterstock.com. Read more

2016-05-06T06:33:00+00:00

Last updated on: May 6, 2016 at 6:33 am   By

Madrid, Spain, May 6, 2016 / 12:33 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Feminist Party of Spain has filed a complaint in court over an upcoming surrogate motherhood “fair” as constituting an illegal practice in the country by promoting human trafficking. The Surrofair will take place in Madrid May 7-8. The fair will provide information and the different ways to contract with a surrogate mother. Organized by Babygest, “the leading magazine on surrogate pregnancy,” the event will have various presentations and information on the legal aspects of this practice, especially in Russia, Greece and Ukraine, in which it is legal under certain conditions. The Feminist Party has condemned the fair, which it considers to be promoting human trafficking. “The state of necessity of women who turn to renting their womb, for a price, is not unlike sexual exploitation,” the party said in its complaint. Marta Nogueroles, a professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, agrees. According to the daily El Mundo, she said that hiring a surrogate mother is not much different than prostitution because “it's trading in human beings, they're selling children.” Nogueroles, who has ties to the Feminist Party, maintained that this practice “takes advantage of the precarious situation these women are in” to produce a child that later they will have to give up. She also noted that in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, “in none of its 30 points is the right to have children found” and encouraged “if nature has not given you the means, you can adopt.” There are currently some 17,000 children in Spanish orphanages because they do not have a family. More than 30,000 families have been approved as adoptive parents and are waiting to adopt a child. However, adoption proceedings have been halted due to the current political situation in Spain, where a government has still not been formed following the Dec. 20 elections. Additionally, accredited international adoption agencies report that there is no authority that specifically deals with adoption proceedings. This situation will likely continue until a government in constituted in Spain, which is unlikely to happen before September.  Surrogacy has increasingly raised eyebrows amid complaints that it preys on vulnerable women. Last year, India announced that it wanted to end its practice of allowing foreigners to contract surrogate pregnancies. Criticism of the surrogacy industry includes charges of a lack of transparency, with many of the participating women being poor and illiterate, often not understanding the contract they are signing. Other complications arising from surrogacy include forced abortions and increased health risks for the child as well as the surrogate mother.   Read more

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