2015-10-22T06:04:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 22, 2015 at 6:04 am   By

New York City, N.Y., Oct 22, 2015 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Citing Pope Francis' recent words on avoiding war and promoting peaceful coexistence between nations, the Holy See addressed the United Nations general assembly last Friday, urging them to ban nuclear weapons around the world and take more serious steps to promote peace programs. "As the twenty-first century unfolds, it is becoming ever clearer that war does not and cannot resolve conflict," stated Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Oct. 16. "Preventive means, mediation, peacekeeping, and peace building are the most useful tools in our hands. We must employ them much more fully than we presently do," he continued. Pope Francis made a similar appeal to the UN Sept. 25 during his trip to the United States, saying it was crucial for the UN to "work tirelessly to avoid war between nations and between peoples." Archbishop Auza echoed the Pope's comments, noting that civilian deaths are growing in numbers due to weapons of war. Cluster munitions and chemical weapons - although forbidden - have increased, giving cause for concern in modern-day combat around the globe. "The conflicts scarring landscapes and moving peoples from homes to perilous deserts and seas - indeed, to cemeteries - testify to the lack of political will to stamp out the gun culture that still stands as an obstacle to the peaceful development of peoples," Archbishop Auza stated, saying that governments should take more serious steps to reduce the production of and dependence on arms. The archbishop also challenged the UN to do more to promote preventive measures, saying the investment in weaponry and military far outweigh the United Nations' efforts towards peace and stability. "The resources spent on militarization and weapons development continue to rise, while the funding for all the United Nations programs for peace and development pales in comparison," he asserted. In addition to encouraging the growth of peace programs, the archbishop sadly noted the "parlous state of nuclear weapons negotiations," saying that "nuclear deterrence is an obstacle to real and lasting peace." When the UN met to discuss the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons at the NPT Ninth Review Conference last spring, a final document on the matter was never produced, delaying any action against the use of nuclear weaponry, according to Archbishop Auza. The archbishop went on to quote Pope Francis, who also expressed concern over the use of nuclear weapons during his address to the General Assembly, when he underscored the "urgent need to work for a world free of nuclear weapons" with "the goal of a complete prohibition of these weapons." Instead of giving way to destructive weapons, Archbishop Auza encouraged trust between nations, saying that confidence in peaceful negotiations – rather than combat – should take precedence. "True and lasting peace among nations cannot consist in possession of a matching supply of equally destructive armaments but only in mutual trust," he stated. "If we give negotiations, political goodwill and full verification a chance to work, the world will not be doomed to the proliferation of nuclear weapons," the archbishop stated. Archbishop Auza also echoed the words of Pope Francis who recently encouraged dialogue across the nations to ensure the total and complete prohibition of nuclear weapons. "The recent agreement reached on the nuclear question in a sensitive region of Asia and the Middle East is proof of the potential of political good will and of law, exercised with sincerity, patience and constancy," the archbishop reiterated, quoting the Holy Father. Archbishop Auza then voiced support of any efforts and resources used to expose the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and war, believing that the general public should be made aware of nuclear aftermath. "Let us listen to the overwhelming call of the international community for urgent progress towards the elimination of nuclear weapons," Archbishop Auza stated, "because the only guarantee that nuclear weapons are never used is their complete elimination."   Read more

2015-10-21T22:23:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 10:23 pm   By

New York City, N.Y., Oct 21, 2015 / 04:23 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy See’s delegation to the United Nations reminded policymakers on Monday to listen to indigenous peoples’ concerns in efforts to protect the environment and achieve sustainable development. “Their input in the decision-making process is vital, because the very survival of their identity and heritage could be at stake,” Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the apostolic nuncio heading the Holy See’s permanent observer mission to the United Nations, said Oct. 19. The archbishop addressed a UN agenda item on the rights of indigenous peoples. He stressed their right to develop in a way that is as much as possible coherent and harmonious with their values. “This can only be assured if the indigenous peoples themselves have a say in their own development,” he added. Archbishop Auza said the Holy See backed increased efforts to promote and protect the human rights, identity, culture, and tradition of indigenous peoples. He also encouraged efforts to take into account indigenous peoples’ wisdom and experience in finding approaches that foster their wellbeing and promote their interests. Success in achieving sustainable development, he said, requires “an authentic sense of fraternity and collective responsibility for the wellbeing of our fellow human beings and for the world in which we live.” The archbishop said that indigenous peoples can teach others about how to care for and love “our common home.” “They are unique in their respect for the environment and for their attention to the needs of their community. Their tradition that spans millennia is characterized by a profound respect for nature as a gift and as a good common to all,” he said. “For them, it is not simply a matter of moral obligation but common sense to consider future generations when taking from the land or when engaging with national governments for their own development.” Archbishop Auza characterized indigenous communities as a counterexample to practices, habits, and trends that are “often expressions of selfish consumerism and are detrimental to our environment.” The nuncio stressed the Holy See’s commitment to indigenous peoples’ integral development. The delegation called on policymakers at all levels to respect their rights to their homelands and natural resources. The archbishop stressed the importance of just laws that regulate the relationship between indigenous peoples and extractive industries operating in their ancestral lands. These lands in many cases have “great spiritual, cultural, and environmental significance.” He cited several parts of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato si'. The Pope similarly stressed the need for special care for indigenous communities and their cultural traditions. “They are not merely one minority among others, but should be the principal dialogue partners,” the Pope said, adding, “for them, land is not a commodity but rather a gift from God and from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space with which they need to interact if they are to maintain their identity and values.” The Pope’s encyclical said that indigenous people care for their own land best when they remain on it. He noted pressure on these peoples to abandon their homeland because of agricultural or mining projects “undertaken without regard for the degradation of nature and culture.”   Read more

2015-10-21T19:29:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 7:29 pm   By

Vatican City, Oct 21, 2015 / 01:29 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Catholic Church needs “a new missionary confidence and courage” that draws on Church unity and the recognition of God’s unwavering vision for the family, Archbishop Jose H. G... Read more

2015-10-21T16:17:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 4:17 pm   By

Vatican City, Oct 21, 2015 / 10:17 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Despite pastoral challenges posed by divorced-and-civilly-remarried Catholics, many synod fathers are in favor of current Church teaching and practice according to a new round of small group reports. “The majority without full consensus affirmed the current teaching and practice of the Church regarding the participation in the Eucharist of those who are divorced and civilly remarried,” reads a new report from group “A” of the four English-speaking synod circles. “We acknowledged that this pathway may be difficult, and pastors should accompany them with understanding, always ready to extend God’s mercy to them anew when they stand in need of it.” The vast majority of the group's members affirmed the current pastoral practice regarding the reception of communion by divorced-and-civilly-remarried individuals. Members also stressed that the decision as to whether or not persons in such circumstances should be allowed access to the sacrament “ought not to be left to individual episcopal conferences,” as has been suggested by some. “To do so would risk harm to the unity of the Catholic Church, the understanding of her sacramental order, and the visible witness of the life of the faithful.” Published Oct. 21, the prelates' observations came in the third set of small group reports released during this year's synod of bishops on the family. There are 13 languages groups, which include English, Spanish, Italian, French and German. The strongest advocates of Church teaching and current pastoral practice were found among the Italian and English-speaking groups. Spanish-speaking groups were unclear, and the German group voiced support for change. Although the topic came up within the French-speaking groups, it was not a major point of discussion – rather than focus on access to communion, they touched on the Pope's revamped annulment process. Pope Francis officially opened the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops Sunday, Oct. 4, with the event closing Oct. 25. The gathering is divided into three parts, with each week dedicated to one of the three sections of the instrumentum. So far the bishops have spent the first two weeks discussing the document’s first section, “Listening to the challenges of the family, and the second, titled “Discernment of the family vocation.” In the final week participants have turned to the third part, “The mission of the family today,” which has been the most widely discussed section so far. In the report for the English speaking group  “C,” participants noted that there was general agreement among them that a “more effective pastoral accompaniment” was needed for divorced and civilly remarried persons. However, the group said there was “little enthusiasm” when it came to the penitential path proposed by the meeting’s guiding document, called the “Instrumentum Laboris.” When the group cast a vote on whether further study on the question would be possible in order to see if the Church could move in that direction, “the vote was evenly divided.” In the end the group said they voted to replace paragraphs 122-125 of the Instrumentum Laboris “with an affirmation of the Church’s current discipline”   in terms of the reception of communion, and they recommended “the forms of participation mentioned in Familiaris Consortio, 84.” Paragraph 84 of St. John Paul II's 1981 Apostolic Exhortation is dedicated entirely to the situation of divorced and remarried persons, and was mentioned by several of small groups as a text that ought to be have greater reference in the final report. Group “D” of the English language circles relayed that they had “a long exchange” on pastoral approaches to divorced persons, whether civilly remarried without an annulment or not remarried. Members expressed “significant concern” that no matter what is decided, it “should not lead to greater confusion among our people.” It was noted that one bishop in the group said the topic of opening access for divorced and remarried persons without an annulment to the Eucharist was a matter of such serious doctrinal substance that “it could only be handled at an ecumenical council and not at a synod.” Distinction was also made on the expressions used when referring to people in such difficult marital situations, with some synod fathers stressing the need to say these persons must “abstain” from receiving the Eucharist, rather than saying they are “excluded” from it. The word “abstain,” they said, “is more accurate and not as negative.” Group “D” emphasized that life in the Church can’t be reduced to just receiving communion, and cited catechumens – those preparing to enter the Church – as one example of the “huge segments” of faithful who throughout the history of the Church did not receive the sacrament,   yet were “clearly considered” full members. A call was made within the group for a special commission that would study the issue of admittance to communion for the divorced and remarried “over a longer period of time with greater theological precision.” A suggestion was also made for a more thorough study of the idea of spiritual communion – the desire to seek spiritual union with Christ in the Eucharist. Likewise, the English speaking group “B” suggested that during the upcoming Jubilee for Mercy, a special commission be established to do an in-depth study of “the ways in which the disciplines of the Church which flow from the indissolubility of marriage apply to the situation of people in irregular unions.” On the topic of spiritual communion, the group said noted that there are likely many situations in which people living in irregular unions and who are therefore living “in contradiction with the full meaning of the Eucharist” are not necessarily living in a continuous state of sin. These people “may thereby rightly have a loving desire for Eucharistic union with Christ,” they said, observing that while “their objective state may prevent them from receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, they may properly develop the practice of Spiritual Communion, and thereby become more open to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and union in the Church.” On the pastoral care of divorced and civilly remarried individuals, group “B” proposed a path of discernment and “reverential listening” that begins by listening to those in search of support. “The first purpose of this attentive accompaniment would be to foster deeper discipleship with Christ based on the enduring bond of baptism, rather than addressing the question of admission to the sacraments of penance and Holy Communion,” they said. Certain points involved in such a process, they explained, would include listening to the story of the first marriage and its possible invalidity, attending to the wounds caused by divorce to all individuals, taking into account the stability and responsibility of the second marriage and a focus on spiritual formation and growth. A big discussion point for most groups was the topic of pastoral care for families with homosexual members as well as homosexual individuals themselves. While some groups opted to remove any references to homosexuality from the final report, the “C” group said this solution “won little support” for them. They asked that the section of the report dedicated to homosexuality be briefer, and that “a clear statement of Church teaching that same-sex unions are in no way equivalent to marriage.” Other groups felt that the topic of pastoral care for persons with homosexual tendencies and their families deserved an entire synod meeting on its own. Group “A” asked specifically that the synod “affirm and propose anew the entirety of Church teaching on love and chastity,” and encouraged parents and families to be confident in the teaching as they walk with each other “in responding to the Gospel’s call to chaste living.” Many groups also addressed the topic of the gifts and challenges mixed marriages present, and stressed the need to have a more complete, comprehensive marriage preparation with couples playing a greater role in forming other couples. Read more

2015-10-21T14:34:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 2:34 pm   By

Vatican City, Oct 21, 2015 / 08:34 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Wednesday said that contrary to modern notions, fidelity in marriage does not rob us of personal freedom but instead is a fundamental attribute of all human relationships based on love. “Freedom and fidelity are not opposed to each other,” the Pope said in his latest catechesis on the family, delivered during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square Oct 21.   The strength and beauty of love, including in the context of friendship, come from the fact that the persons involved are connected without loss of freedom, he said. “Without freedom there is no friendship; without freedom, there is no love; without freedom, there is no marriage.” Pope Francis observed that the sense of “honor” in being faithful appears to be undermined in modern times. He attributed this to the “misunderstood right to seek ones own satisfaction at all costs and in any relationship, which is exulted as a non-negotiable principle of freedom.” Rather, he said, “Fidelity to promises is a true masterpiece of humanity! No loving relationship – no friendship, no form of love, no happiness in the common good – arrives at the height of our desire and hope” without “this miracle of the soul.” The Pope also appealed for prayers for the bishops participating in the Synod on the Family, which is in its third and final week in the Vatican. “May the Lord bless their work, conducted with faithful creativity,” with faith that the “Lord is faithful to his promises,” he said. This year's Synod on the Family, which runs from Oct. 4-25, is the second and larger of two such gatherings to take place in the course of a year. Like its 2014 precursor, the focus of the 2015 Synod of Bishops will be the family, this time with the theme: “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the modern world.” In his Oct. 21 address, Pope Francis recalled how last week's catechesis on the family centered on the importance of promises parents make to their children, whereas this week's reflection centers on man and woman's fidelity to each other. The entire family is founded upon a promise, the Pope said. The fidelity between husband and wife brings with it the responsibility to love and educate children, to care for elderly parents, and to protect and care for the “weakest members of the family.” “The marital promise broadens to share the joys and sufferings with all fathers, mothers, and children, with generous openness toward human coexistence and the common good.” In contrast, the Pope said, “a family that is closed in on itself,” is a “contradiction” of that same promise. Fidelity is a self-fulfilling promise, a faith which “wants to be truly shared, and a hope which wants to be nurtured together.” Honor and fidelity “cannot be bought or sold,” he said. “No other school can teach the school of love if the family cannot. No law can impose the beauty and heritage of this treasure of human dignity, if the personal connection between love and generation is not written on our flesh.” Pope Francis appealed for fidelity in love to be seen as honorable in society once again. “This principle of fidelity to the promise of love and generations is written in God's creation as a perennial blessing, which is entrusted to the world.” The Pope reflected on the family in the context of Saint Paul's words on the union between Christ and his Church. “Love for the human family, in good times and bad, is a point of honor for the Church!” Read more

2015-10-21T11:27:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 11:27 am   By

Vatican City, Oct 21, 2015 / 05:27 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The director of the Holy See press office has denied reports in the Italian press that Pope Francis is suffering from a brain tumor, and denounced its dissemination as “gravely irresponsible.” Wednesday's statement by Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., came in response to an Oct 21 report by Italian agency Quotidiano Nazionale alleging that the Pope had been diagnosed with a small but curable brain tumor. “The dissemination of totally unfounded news regarding the Holy Father's health by an Italian press agency is gravely irresponsible and unworthy of attention,” reads the Oct. 21 statement. Fr. Lombardi also pointed out that Pope Francis' busy schedule has continued without issue. “Moreover, as everyone can see, the Pope is carrying out his very intense activity without interruption in a way that is absolutely normal.” Pope Francis is taking part in the Synod on the Family currently underway in the Vatican. Over the course of his pontificate he has cancelled few meetings and visits, maintaining an intense schedule including pastoral visits, presiding over major Vatican events, and papal trips, the latest of which was to the United States and Cuba. Fr. Lombardi reconfirmed the Italian news agency's article as false at a Vatican press briefing later the same day, saying the details of the report had been verified as having never taken place. He added that the publication of the report was unjustifiable.   The director of the Holy See press office also confirmed at Wednesday's briefing that "the Pope enjoys good health," as evidenced by his presence at the weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. The Pope has some difficulties with his leg, but "his head, it seems to me, is absolutely perfect," he said. Read more

2015-10-21T09:05:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 9:05 am   By

Washington D.C., Oct 21, 2015 / 03:05 am (CNA).- The National Association of Evangelicals has issued an expanded statement on the death penalty that for the first time recognizes Christian opposition to state execution of criminals. “A growing... Read more

2015-10-21T06:08:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 6:08 am   By

Cebu, Philippines, Oct 21, 2015 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the Philippines prepare to host the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in January, the country's Catholics are preparing by praying over the gathering's theme, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The Eucharistic Congress will be hosted by the Archdiocese of Cebu Jan. 24-30, 2016. “We feel privileged, and thank the Lord for the opportunity to host the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, because our country had hosted the same congress back in 1937,” said Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu. “The theme, ‘Christ in you our hope of glory’, is centered on Jesus who is with us, because he is the fulfillment of the Father’s plan,” the archbishop told CNA. The Eucharistic Congress will be an opportunity for catechesis and fostering a Eucharistic ecclesiology. Archbishop Palma noted Filipinos' enthusiasm for the faith, coupled with their challenges, including economic poverty. “We may be poor in many aspects of life, but I believe, as Pope Francis has said, 'We are happy in faith.'” The archbishop added that Catholics in the Philippines have something to offer those who will visit Cebu for the Eucharistic Congress. “We believe that when the participants come, they will also share our own way of thanking the Lord, and will experience other dimensions of the faith, such as our Filipino popular religiosity, devotions, the way we pray, and our joyful fellowship. They will have an insight into the faith life of the Filipino people.” The International Eucharistic Congress is expected to draw to Cebu more than 15,000 participants from over 90 countries around the world. More than 1,000 local families have agreed to open their homes to delegates. Archbishop Palma reflected that the Filipino bishops are preparing for the congress by focusing on families as “Eucharistic disciples.” Speakers at the Eucharistic Congress include Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York; Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles; Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja; and Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay. Other speakers include Fr. Mark Francis, CSV; Fr. Francis Moloney, SDB; Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP; Archbishop Piero Marini, president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses; and Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila. Read more

2015-10-21T04:19:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 21, 2015 at 4:19 am   By

Bridgeport, Conn., Oct 20, 2015 / 10:19 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis’ visit to the United States has given a boost to Americans’ stated support for the pro-life cause, the results of a survey conducted this month suggest. About 62 percent of Americans voiced support for life at every stage of its development, including the unborn, according to a Marist Poll conducted this month. The survey shows an increase of six percentage points since August. Among practicing Catholics, about 81 percent agreed, an increase from 76 percent. Americans’ support for religious freedom appeared to increase by seven percentage points to 85 percent, with practicing Catholics’ support increasing seven percentage points to 87 percent. Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, said Pope Francis’ presentation of Catholic values “resonated in the minds and hearts of the American people.” “His ability to generate so much consensus on such a diverse number of issues, some of which are seen as very complicated here, speaks to his ability to preach Gospel values convincingly, in our country and in our time,” Anderson said Oct. 19. The Knights of Columbus sponsored the Marist Poll survey of 1,095 U.S. adult residents Oct. 1-9. It follows Pope Francis’ stops in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City during his Sept. 22-27 visit. The results indicate Americans’ support for marriage as a union of one man and one woman increased four percentage points, to 55 percent. About 60 percent of practicing Catholics believe the Church's teaching about marriage, an increase of seven percentage points. About 84 percent of respondents agreed with the need for more respect for the earth and the environment, with 81 percent of practicing Catholic respondents in agreement – an increase of ten percentage points since the papal visit. The papal trip appears to have given Americans clarity about the Pope’s vision for the Church. In April, only 43 percent of Americans and 73 percent of practicing Catholics said they were clear about the Pope’s vision. After his trip, 55 percent of Americans and 88 percent of practicing Catholics said the same. About 74 percent of respondents said they view the Pope favorably, an increase from 58 percent in August. About 90 percent of practicing Catholics view the Pope favorably, an increase of seven percentage points. Fewer than 24 percent of Americans saw the papal visit as political. Most agreed that it was “mostly about values,” the Knights of Columbus said. Most Americans said they followed media coverage of the papal visit in some way, as did 96 percent of practicing Catholics. Seventy percent of practicing Catholics said they followed the coverage “a great deal” or “a good amount.” Over half of Americans feel better about their own faith because of the papal visit, as do 86 percent of Catholics. Poll respondents said they were more likely to engage in charitable activity as a result of the trip. Americans do appear to diverge with Pope Francis on the death penalty. Only 41 percent of respondents opposed the death penalty, though opposition appeared to slightly increase after the papal visit. The Marist Poll claims a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points for the sample of all U.S. respondents and a margin of error of plus or minus 7.7 percentage points for Catholic respondents. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal charitable organization with more than 1.9 million members worldwide. Read more

2015-10-20T22:50:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 20, 2015 at 10:50 pm   By

Washington D.C., Oct 20, 2015 / 04:50 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- President Barack Obama on Friday signed a bill reauthorizing the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, ending a period of speculation about the future of the religious freedom wat... Read more

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