Archbishop Gallagher: Gaza remains the home of the Palestinians

Despite the devastation and the “ruins that it is in”, Gaza “is home” to the Palestinians who for “generations… have been born and lived their lives there… who want to stay there and they want to rebuild their lives there”, says Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, in the first part of a long interview with Jesuit magazine America.

“I think we cannot just go against this”, the Archbishop told Gerard O’Connell in the interview, which took place last week, after the annual Munich Security Conference.

Responding to a question about US President Donald Trump's proposal to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip elsewhere, Archbishop Gallagher said, “The Holy See has always maintained a position regarding forced migration. We do not believe this to be the correct road to pursue in resolving any form of problem, whether it’s war or conflict or anything”.

He recalled that “many of today’s Palestinians or their closest ancestors were already forced to leave their properties from other parts of the Holy Land”.

“It’s not right to say they are a problem”, Archbishop Gallagher insisted. “They are people. They are human beings, and we have to try and act in a way that is respectful of them, of their dignity as human beings, and understand the tremendous suffering that they have been through and what they’re going through day in and day out”.

In the face of a such a proposal, the Archbishop said, “One is just lost for words”.

The two-state solution

The Holy See, he reiterated, continues to call for a two-state solution: one Israeli and one Palestinian. For a long time, and therefore even before “this most recent and horrible conflict, following on the atrocious events of the seventh of October [2023]” the Holy See has supported this principle within the international community and has done so even when many others were “discarding” it.

Looking at today, it is “quite obvious”, the secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations said, “that the possible realisation of this is in question because the situation in the West Bank is extremely serious as well”.

He added, “if there were to be the annexation of the West Bank by Israel, it’s very difficult to see how there would be any hope in the near future of bringing about a two-state solution”.

Archbishop Gallagher said the Holy See, continues to support “a full cease-fire… the release of all the hostages… the protection of civilians and full respect for international law… the reconstruction of Gaza… the stabilization of the situation in the West Bank and respect for the Palestinian people there.”

And then, he added, “moving forward, toward a solution of the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians”. But, he said, “we do believe that the resolution of the Palestinian question is at the heart of so many of the problems of the Middle East, whether it’s Syria, Lebanon or elsewhere in the region”.

One pastor for all

Asked about criticism from some Israeli and Jewish leaders about the Pope’s focus on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and his phone calls to the Catholic community in Gaza and its pastor, Archbishop Gallagher recalled that Pope Francis has always tried to “reach out to both sides of this terrible conflict”.

“It’s true, he tries to make this phone call every evening to the parish in Gaza, to speak to the priests and to get the news of the people there”, the Archbishop said. “And that’s been greatly appreciated, but he’s also received many of the families of the hostages. He’s also written a letter to his Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel, and another letter to Catholics of the Middle East.”

Archbishop Gallagher explained, “He’s tried to be a pastor to all of these people”.

The need for hope in our troubled world (Opinion)

Recently I chanced on an article I wrote back in 2013 in The Furrow journal – the year Pope Francis was elected pope. 

I called it ‘Disenchanted Evenings’ – a word-play on the old song, ‘Some Enchanted Evenings’, from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, and recorded by among others, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

I choose the title, ‘Disenchanted Evenings’, because it seemed to fit with the tenor of the article which dealt with the mood of disenchantment among Catholic clergy back in 2013 as the Catholic Church faced what seemed innumerable difficulties. It was a depressing time and the article, in truth, was a depressing read.

But, in my own defence, at the time it could hardly be otherwise. The Church was in a storm of afflictions: clerical child sexual abuse scandals; the haemorrhaging of our congregations; rising age levels of priests; vocations in free-fall; perception of an anti-Catholic media bias and, not least, the feeling that priests had become the subject of endless and disparaging news coverage.

However, the article ended on a hopeful note inspired by the election of Pope Francis and the breath of fresh air that his pontificate ushered in. 

This was the final paragraph:

Suddenly and unexpectedly, our Church (and the world) has received a huge lift with the election of Pope Francis. It is as if suddenly out of the shadows a great light has pointed out a familiar path, a road spurned by those who preferred the certainties of the nineteenth century to the challenges of the twenty-first.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, as the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the old man from Argentina could usher in a new Spring even as the last refugees of the Great Council take their reluctant leave? 

Who can explain it

Who can tell you why?

Fools give you reasons 

Wise men never try.

Twelve years on, Francis has announced that 2025 will be a Jubilee Year of Hope, a theme that encourages us to be pilgrims of hope in a troubled world. 

And while the appeal is principally to Catholics with the main events announced recently by the Irish Catholic bishops – including each diocese nominating a local pilgrimage site, commemorations to mark significant jubilees of Irish saints and martyrs, an event for teenagers in April, an ecumenical pilgrimage to Normandy in May, a youth pilgrimage to Rome in August – everyone is invited to participate.

Few would question the need for hope in our troubled world. Someone said once, ‘We can live without faith, and we can even live without love but we cannot live without hope’.

This is a time when climate change places a huge question mark over the very future of our planet; a time when what Pope Francis calls ‘a third world war’ is being fought ‘piecemeal’ around the world; a time when a new United States government is penalising the poor to support the rich and its president is instigating campaigns of attrition against institutions fundamental to the protection of the weak and vulnerable; and a time when bullying democratically elected and war-ravaged nations to concede territorial and financial resources is being lauded as a commendable policy.

In a world where it seems, to quote William Butler Yeats, ‘the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity’ – in that world, at this point in history hope was never more needed. Little wonder that Francis has called his new autobiography, ‘Hope’.

As it happens, in the same issue of The Furrow, Ned Pendergast has an article entitled, ‘Cutting the Ribbon of Hope’. Writing in 2013, the year of Francis, in a beautifully crafted elegiac piece of writing welcoming the reopening of a retreat house, in Killenard near Portarlington, Ned captured the positive mood that attended Francis’ election as pope:

Few can be unaware of the renewed sense of compassion in the air or of the gentle recall to the service of warming hearts and healing of people that is spreading out from the simple words and actions of the new pope in Rome.

There is a sense that while something has died, the open ground under our feet is crossing to something excitingly new. 

The need for healing remains. 

Perhaps it is the greatest need of all and Pope Francis’ recently expressed view of Church as a spiritual field hospital resonates here.

There is a hunger in each of us for a space to walk the road to Emmaus, to unburden ourselves of all that is happening in these last few days, to meet Christ in the breaking of bread, to have our eyes opened and our hearts burn within us and to turn our feet with renewed courage towards our proverbial Jerusalem.

Coincidentally too, in the same Furrow, there is a similar article by Peter Burke, a priest of the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, entitled ‘The Dawn of Hope’, which celebrates, in his words, ‘the arrival of a new shepherd of the flock marking a new chapter in our faith story, a moment of crossing over, a dawn of hope’. 

The ‘new shepherd’ (or bishop) in question was Fr Francis Duffy who in 2013 was ordained Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, and who was transferred to Tuam in 2022 before being ‘gifted’ with additional responsibilities for the diocese of Killala in 2024.

As Tuam and Killala merge into one diocese and Archbishop Francis Duffy becomes officially Bishop of Killala, Peter Burke’s words 13 years ago, slightly adapted, strike a note of hope: May you, like St Paul, find the energy and the courage to fan into flame that which we have been given on sacred trust. 

May you find the language to help increase our faith and hope by telling the story ever old and ever new so that the faith of St Mel, St Jarlath and Muredach may continue to have life and have it to the full. Welcome to this dawn of hope.

State Department terminates USCCB migration funds

The State Department canceled a contract with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Thursday, likely bringing to a halt a nationwide effort organized by the USCCB to provide resettlement services for refugees to the United States.

The cancellation leaves uncertain the status of a USCCB lawsuit aiming to recoup millions in back payments for resettlement services, with the federal government telling a judge that the USCCB should seek payment through “available administrative channels” outside the lawsuit.

In a Feb. 26 letter, U.S. State Department comptroller Joseph Kouba told the USCCB that its financial agreement for refugee resettlement “is immediately terminated as of Feb. 27, 2025,” because the grant “no longer effectuates agency priorities.”

“Effective immediately upon receipt of this Notice of Termination, the Recipient must stop all work on the program and not incur any new costs after the effective date cited above. Payment requests for legitimate costs incurred prior to this notification are allowable.”

The government’s decision came after the USCCB filed Feb. 18 a lawsuit which challenged a federal decision to suspend federal funding for refugee assistance programs administered by various Catholic Charities outlets across the country, with the USCCB distributing funds and serving as coordinator of the programs.

According to the lawsuit, the U.S. bishops had been awarded federal funds since 1980 to provide “vetted and approved” refugees with “transitional support” of housing and employment search assistance during their first 90 days in the U.S.

The bishops argued that refugees have a legally established right to federally-funded resettlement assistance, “which is essential to helping them establish a new home.”

Resettlement help “promotes the successful settlement of refugees in their communities, including by promoting gainful employment or connections to educational opportunities, thereby diminishing the likelihood that newly arriving refugees will be dependent on ongoing public support,” the conference argued.

The Trump Administration decision to freeze resettlement programs, the bishops said, was illegal, and should be overturned by a judge.

The bishops also argued that the federal government owed more than $20 million for services completed in recent months, and should be compelled to pay according to the terms of its contracts.

While the lawsuit was just getting underway, a federal judge last week denied a USCCB request that funding should be reinstated, including for back pay, while the lawsuit made its way through the court.

Judge Trevor McFadden ruled Feb. 20 that the conference had not shown that reinstating the funds during the lawsuit’s course was necessary to avoid "irreparable harm” to the bishops’ conference.

The USCCB has not responded to questions from The Pillar regarding the Feb. 27 of its agreements with the federal government.

It is not clear whether the federal government will formally move for McFadden to dismiss the USCCB’s lawsuit. But in its Feb. 27 filing, the government challenged the viability of the suit.

“The termination of the agreements leaves open only a question of unpaid money under the cooperative agreements, and, to the extent Plaintiff disputes any reimbursement, the dispute needs to be brought in the Court of Federal Claims.”

“Even could the Court have entertained injunctive relief under the Administrative Procedure Act to compel the State Department to take some action under the agreements during their lifetimes, any such jurisdiction is now clearly absent as there is no action the Court could compel—the parties’ agreements are no longer in force,” the government argued.

“Relatedly, Plaintiff can claim no irreparable harm absent an injunction as the only relief now available to Plaintiff is money damages should the parties be unable to resolve any payment disputes through any available administrative channels.”

The termination is likely to significantly curtail Catholic-led refugee resettlement programs across the country, which serve thousands of refugees annually, and lead to layoffs at the bishops’ conference and at Catholic Charities agencies.

In 2023, the USCCB received a total of $130 million in contracts for programs dealing with refugees and migrants, most of which was distributed to agencies, including Catholic Charities agencies, providing on-the-ground services.

From 2014 to 2023, the conference received $797 million in government funding and spent a total of $850 million on the programs.

On Feb. 7, the bishops’ conference laid off 50 people, roughly one-third of staff members in its migration and refugee services office, in response to the federal reimbursement freeze. The cancellation of future federal funds could see most of the remaining USCCB staffers working on resettlement programs laid off.

Outside Washington, Catholic Charities agencies have already begun laying off employees working in refugee resettlement — in one case, terminating 20% of its work force in response to the federal funding freeze.

Theologians discuss the Nicene Creed

A three-day international congress of theologians on the Council of Nicaea and the Christian creed adopted there began in Rome on Thursday. 

The Council of 325 is regarded as the first ecumenical church assembly in history. The creed formulated there is still accepted today as binding across the boundaries of Christian denominations. 

The congress, which will be attended by scientists from four continents and several Christian churches, will initially take place at the Pontifical Gregorian University. It will continue on 17 October at the University of Münster.

Speakers on the first day included Münster's Professor of Ancient Church History, Alfons Fürst. 

He examined the various theological approaches that preceded the Creed of Nicaea in late antiquity. 

As a result, he criticised that the formula of faith found in Nicea about the equality of God and Jesus Christ was unbalanced. It had led to Christianity assuming for a long time that there was too wide a gap between God and his creation. 

A meeting between the participants and Pope Francis planned for Saturday at the end of the congress was cancelled due to the current illness of the head of the Church.

To mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council, an anniversary celebration is planned for May at the historic site, which is now located in Turkey.  

The head of honour of the Orthodox churches, Patriarch Bartholomew, and Pope Francis, among others, were due to attend. 

 Last week, there was a preparatory meeting with Vatican staff at the official residence of the honorary head of world Orthodoxy in Istanbul.

Trinitarian Order quietly helping persecuted Christians for 800 years

The Trinitarian Order was established in the Middle Ages to free Christian captives held by Muslims during the Crusades. 

Today, in a context of “modern crusades,” where Islamic fundamentalism continues to persecute Christians for their faith, the Trinitarians remain a beacon of hope for those who remain firm in their commitment to Christ.

“Ocho Siglos Después” (“Eight Centuries Later”) is a documentary that gives a voice to this suffering and puts a face on forgotten Christians in places like Syria, Nigeria, or northern India but who are not losing hope thanks to the “silent” help offered by Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT, by its Spanish acronym), a nongovernmental organization founded by the Trinitarian family 25 years ago.

The documentary by Fascina Producciones was screened Feb. 25 at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid by the vicar general of the order, Father Antonio Aurelio, and the film’s director, Alfredo Torrescalles. The event was moderated by Spanish television host Ana Rosa Quintana and was also attended by the apostolic nuncio to Spain, Archbishop Bernardito Auza.

Persecuted Christians in Syria, Nigeria, and India

The documentary captures the apocalyptic atmosphere that looms over the Syrian city of Aleppo, where a small group of Christians abandoned to their fate, most of them elderly, have been struggling every day to survive since the war broke out in 2011.

The support of the Trinitarians reaches every corner of these humble homes, located in desolate neighborhoods destroyed by bombs, thanks to the help of other “angels” who are on the ground, such as Father Hugo Alaniz of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.

A woman who has been bedridden for 13 years or a man who must raise his son with Down syndrome and who, clutching his little rosary, thanks God for his life, are some of those featured in the film, which first focuses on Syria.

In Nigeria, the devastating testimonies of the women who were able to escape the clutches of the terrorists of the jihadist group Boko Haram show how terror has been perpetuated in their communities and their hearts. These Christians find refuge and help in the midst of desperation thanks to the Catholic Church and the work of SIT.

From Africa, the documentary turns to northeastern India, where many young people are being forced to leave their homes as a result of clashes between the Hindu Meitei people and the Christian Kuki tribal people.

Trinitarians say the ethnic conflict has become a religious one and that the Christian community has no support from the government, which is determined to limit religious freedom and prohibit evangelization.

Aurelio emphasized that the documentary is not about the Trinitarians but about showing the reality faced by the people they help. “We are not altruists, we are Christians,” he said, noting that the Trinitarians are discreet and “work quietly.”

For Aurelio, “the help that can be given to persecuted Christians is very complex, because the problem these people have is not a matter of needing material aid but of their very existence. We want to inform people about their situation and their suffering, because what is not made known does not exist,” he emphasized.

“The message of this documentary is not for them, it is for us. They are Christians like us, why are they abandoned? Why aren’t we paying any attention to them? Why aren’t we helping them? Why aren’t we speaking publicly about this persecution? Why don’t we feel close to them? Our concrete objective as Trinitarians is for these people to not feel alone,” the vicar general of the Trinitarian Order underscored.

The documentary’s director, Alfredo Torrescalles, shared how much he was impacted by filming this documentary, especially in places like Syria. “I think the work that the Trinitarians do is essential, really shines, and is very necessary, but I fear that people will end up becoming desensitized to these tragedies. We have to make an effort to find a way to reach the population and touch their hearts,” he said.

Spanish bishops: Conditions for Pope Francis to resign are not met

The secretary-general and spokesman for the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym), Bishop Francisco César García Magán, expressed his conviction that the conditions for the resignation of Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized for 14 days due to health problems, have not been met.

Asked at the end of the meeting of the conference’s standing committee, García explained that the resignation of the pontiff is provided for in Canon 332.2 of the Code of Canon Law, with the only requirement that “it be free and be formally expressed.”

García also pointed out that it is public knowledge that in 2013, the year he became pope, Francis gave the then-Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, “a signed letter with his formal resignation in case of impediment.”

“I signed it and told him: ‘In case of impediment due to medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation. You already have it.’ I don't know who Cardinal Bertone gave it to, but I gave it to him when he was secretary of state,” the pontiff revealed to the Spanish newspaper ABC in 2022.

The CEE spokesman pointed out in this regard that “these conditions are not being met because the impediment to which the pope was referring was when it is linked to a mental limitation, a mental impediment. What the pope has now are illnesses typical of age.”

“As he has said on occasion, the Church is not governed with the knees but with the head, with the help of the Holy Spirit,” added the prelate, who, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, considered that, if Pope Francis made the same decision, “it would not be new.”

The bishops’ spokesman also stressed that “we are not in a pre-conclave period; far from it” and made an appeal to the people of God to “intensify prayer for the healing of this pope” and to do so “with affection and communion.”

Cardinal De Donatis will preside Ash Wednesday liturgy on Aventine Hill

The Holy See Press Office announced on Friday that Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Major Penitentiary of Apostolic Penitentiary, will preside at the traditional celebration of the Ash Wednesday liturgy on the Aventine Hill, which will take place on 5 March.

Maintaining an ancient Roman tradition revived by St. John XXIII, the Pope usually begins the Ash Wednesday “stational” liturgy at the church of Sant’Anselmo before leading a penitential procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill, where he celebrates Mass. 

Since Pope Francis is in Rome's Gemelli Hospital to receive treatment for bilateral pneumonia, he has delegated the Cardinal to preside in his place for this year's ceremony.

According to a message from Archbishop Giovanni Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, the Ash Wednesday celebration begins with the 'stational liturgy' at 4:30 PM in Sant’Anselmo, followed by the procession to Santa Sabina.

The procession will include Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, the Benedictine Monks of Sant’Anselmo, the Dominican Fathers of Santa Sabina, and some of the faithful.

At the end of the procession, in the Basilica of Santa Sabina, the Eucharistic Celebration will take place, including the rite of blessing and the imposition of ashes.

The Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Benedictine Monks, and Dominican Fathers who wish to participate in the celebration, Archbishop Ravelli said, are requested to be at the Church of Sant’Anselmo by 4 PM, wearing their proper choir attire.

Diocese that covers part of Co. Leitrim could be set for amalgamation

Ireland's four archbishops are set to meet in Rome to discuss plans to merge more Irish dioceses.

A diocese that covers part of Co Leitrim could be set for amalgamation with another diocese. 

The Dioceses of Kilmore and Clogher could be set for amalgamation.

Kilmore covers several parishes in Co Leitrim, including Ballinamore, Drumreilly and Carrigallen.

Rio's Christ the Redeemer lit up with messages of support for Pope

The iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro displayed a projection of images of Pope Francis along with supportive messages in various languages.

The Vatican announced that Pope Francis, who is 88 and has been hospitalised with bilateral pneumonia for 14 days, is improving but still requires oxygen and additional days of clinical stability.

This initiative, organised by the Archdiocese of Rio aimed to strengthen spirituality and foster global solidarity in support of the Pope.

Pope Francis, who has been Pope since 2013, is originally from Argentina and is the first Catholic pontiff from the Americas.

Bishop Dyer a factor in my resignation, says Rector

“I RESENT being made a pawn in church politics,” a rector has said after resigning from her charge in the diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney. She described the situation in the diocese as “untenable”.

The Rector of St Thomas’s, Aboyne, and St Kentigern’s, Ballater, Canon Vittoria Hancock, wrote to members of the congregation on 9 February to inform them of her resignation. 

She identified the “lack of pastoral care and understanding” of the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, the Rt Revd Anne Dyer, as “contributory factors” in her decision.

Last autumn, Bishop Dyer’s suspension came to an end after disciplinary proceedings against her were dropped by the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Procurator, Paul Reid KC, despite his saying that there had been a “realistic prospect of conviction”.

Days after the decision was announced, four of the other five bishops in the Church publicly urged Bishop Dyer to consider her position, saying that the response to the ending of disciplinary proceedings suggested that “deep divisions will remain” if she stayed in post.

Bishop Dyer responded publicly, saying that her episcopal colleagues had chosen to “threaten” her in an “unprofessional and un-Christian manner”.

Canon Hancock’s decision to resign was reported in The Times, which quoted her letter. “The situation in the diocese over the last five years has been a source of stress and tension,” she wrote. “This has not improved over the last few months, and both sides have become increasingly entrenched in their positions, with neither willing to compromise.”

Bishop Dyer has been in post since 2018, but was suspended for two years while allegations against her were investigated.

On 15 February, a notice from Canon Hancock was posted on the public Facebook page of St Kentigern’s, Ballater, in which she said that media coverage of her decision was “deeply damaging to the church and to relationships within the diocese.

“I resent being made a pawn in church politics,” she wrote, after reiterating several of the points made in her letter, including her perception that the “level of stress and tension” she felt had been “exacerbated by my role in helping to provide pastoral care for clergy and readers over the last two years, and especially since the Bishop’s reinstatement.

“This has started to affect me spiritually, emotionally and physically. While my vestries and congregations have been hugely supportive of me, the situation in the diocese has become untenable.”

Canon Hancock also referred to the oath “to support and obey the Bishop” which she had taken at her installation, and which would “usually” be renewed at a chrism mass for clergy in Holy Week. “I feel I cannot with good conscience do this,” she wrote.

In the letter, she had gone into more detail, writing: “While I am happy to vow canonical obedience, I cannot with honesty and integrity vow to support and obey Bishop Anne personally.”

There is no chrism mass planned for Aberdeen & Orkney this year, but clergy in the diocese are gathering at the diocesan synod today (1 March). 

The Church Times understands that Bishop Dyer plans to attend, and that clergy and lay members of the Synod will be invited to reaffirm their baptismal vows.

A spokesperson for the SEC said: “There is no requirement in the Scottish Episcopal Church for a priest to renew vows to the bishop every year.”

Mexican state decriminalizes abortion; Catholics who support it excommunicated, bishop says

Following the Feb. 25 decriminalization of abortion for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy in the Mexican state of Campeche, Bishop José Francisco González of the Diocese of Campeche warned that those who promote and facilitate the practice — including women, doctors, and legislators — will be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

The abortion decriminalization measure, promoted by Campeche state’s Human Rights Commission, was passed Feb. 24 in a closed session of the state congress. According to the organic law of the unicameral legislature, lawmakers are prohibited from revealing how they voted.

With this reform, articles 155, 157, 158, and 159 of the Penal Code of Campeche are modified, allowing the “interruption of pregnancy” within the first 12 weeks and establishing more severe penalties for those who force a woman to have an abortion.

Campeche is now the 21st Mexican state to decriminalize abortion. Since Oct. 1, 2024, when Claudia Sheinbaum became president of Mexico and with her MORENA Party having majority control, eight state legislatures have followed the same route. 

During the first 148 days of Sheinbaum’s term in office, Jalisco, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Mexico, Chiapas, Nayarit, and Chihuahua states have decriminalized abortion for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Altogether, two-thirds of the country’s states have legalized abortion.

Decriminalization means state laws against abortion remain in effect but it is unpunishable for the period of time specified. 

‘Those who support abortion’ are excommunicated

During a Feb. 26 press conference, González described the decision as “incomprehensible” from a legal and social point of view, given that the vote was held “behind closed doors” and in the middle of Carnival, one of the most important festivals in the state.

The prelate pointed out that the Code of Canon Law establishes that those who support abortion “are as a matter of practice outside of communion with the Church. That is, those who promote it, those who carry it out, and those who collaborate cannot participate in the sacraments.”

He specifically warned that those who promoted this law who are Catholics and who support abortion “should not participate in the sacraments.” The prelate invited them to “reconsider and to rediscover their Catholic faith.”

Abortion, a ‘particularly serious and ignominious’ crime

The bishop reiterated that “among all the crimes that man can commit against life, procured abortion presents characteristics that make it particularly serious and ignominious.” He therefore called for the formation of a pro-life front, since life “should not be protected only by the mother, who carries [the child] in her womb, or by the father, who has procreated it, but by the whole society.”

González warned that if abortion is justified on the grounds that the unborn child is unwanted, “later on, society — and we are not far away — will propose doing something similar with children already born who do not behave well, or who are sickly, or who are facing a disability” as well as with the sick and elderly. “Finally, no life will be respected, for whatever reason it can be cut short,” he added. 

“Are there really concrete actions and policies to support pregnant women who want to become mothers? Is there support for elderly women who suffer from loneliness and illness? Is there support for mothers who suffer from the effects of alcoholism in one of their children or husbands? And what help do women with cancer or dialysis have? Is there help for women to get training and make their way in the challenging situations of modern life?” the prelate asked.

Finally, González said the Church will work on various actions to counteract the legalization of abortion in the state, reaffirming its commitment to the protection of life from conception.

US Diocese of Columbus sees number of seminarians double

At his episcopal ordination in May 2022, Bishop Earl Fernandes quipped that there were more bishops being ordained that year than priests in the Diocese of Columbus.

The congregation laughed, but Bishop Fernandes’ remark reflected the gravity of the situation.

“At that time there were no newly ordained priests in the diocese, and I was faced with two challenges to start with: evangelization and efforts to increase priestly vocations,” Bishop Fernandes told Vatican News.

The Bishop of Columbus was visiting Rome at the end of February, the month in which Pope Francis has asked the Church to pray for vocations.

Vocational discernment programme

After his ordination, Bishop Fernandes immediately put in place a vocational discernment programme that brought the number of seminarians up from 17 to 40 in two and a half years.

Five new priests were ordained last year. “This means that the faithful have easier access to the Sacraments,” noted Bishop Fernandes.

The Diocese owes the increase in vocations to consistent work and prayer, he noted.

“We have a very effective vocation director, who has undertaken the Melchizedek Project, i.e. regular days of vocational discernment for young people,” said the Bishop. “We moreover organise vocation weekends at the Pontifical College Josephinum, the local seminary.”

Bishop Fernandes said his diocese hosts “Andrew Dinners” four times a year where he has supper with young men discerning a vocation to the priesthood.

“During these meals, I answer questions, while the seminarians share their testimonies,” he said, adding that it gives the young men regular contact with the Bishop and student priests.

It also gives them a chance to see first-hand what priestly life entails.

Filled with love for the Pope and the Church

The Bishop puts a premium on the formation of priests and seminarians, pointing out that well-educated priests are needed to have an effective dialogue with lay people.

His Diocese has also been able to send priests and seminarians to study in Rome.

Two seminarians from the Diocese of Columbus and five priests are currently studying in the Eternal City.

Bishop Fernandes said their time in Rome gives them the opportunity to be closer to the Holy Father, to be exposed to the universal Church, and to acquire educational qualifications to teach at the diocesan seminary.

“They will be filled here with love for the universal Church and the Holy Father,” concluded Bishop Earl, “and they will bring that love back to our diocese.”

Saskatchewan church allegedly torched

Prince Albert RCMP are characterizing the fire that destroyed Sts. Peter and Paul Church in the the Claytonville district of the rural municipality of Garden River, Sask., late Feb. 21 as “suspicious.”

But others within the community have no doubt on what is to blame for the church's destruction.

Ryan Scragg, the reeve of Garden River, told local media that the fire, which locals first noticed at 10:30 p.m., was “100-per-cent” arson.

“There’s no power out there. There’s no natural cause that could have done it … no lightning in February,” said Scragg.

Volunteer firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:30 p.m. when it was clear that no part of the church was salvageable.

“To think that someone would indiscriminately destroy this piece of our heritage is beyond frustrating,” said Scragg. “Whether you had a personal connection to the church or simply appreciated it as part of our landscape, its loss is deeply felt. If anyone has information about what happened, I encourage you to come forward.”

Prince Albert Bishop Stephen Hero reacted to the fire and shed light on the decommissioned house of worship’s heritage value in a statement to The Catholic Register.

“The Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert was saddened to learn about the burning of the Sts. Peter and Paul Church at Claytonville,” wrote Hero. “The parish began as a mission to the people of Polish descent in the area. The Church building was constructed in 1918 to minister to local residents. 

“Services diminished in the early 1970’s,” continued Hero. “The church was decommissioned on June 29, 2018, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. The church building was sold in 2019 to a group of local residents. It is always unfortunate when events like this take place. Our condolences go out to those who have lost this significant piece of their heritage.” 

The blog Prairie Past, which specializes in photographing and documenting abandoned sites throughout Saskatchewan, wrote about how the Polish parishioners would fete the June 29 feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul.

“They had a procession outside and around the church,” stated the Prairie Past. “The celebration included banners, music, singing, flowers and the blessed sacrament. They would decorate an outdoor altar and after Mass, they would have a picnic and play games. It was a celebration that was anticipated for weeks.”

During the parish’s heyday before the 1970s, this church would routinely host socials, picnics, plays, carolling and a fowl supper. Local ladies would clean the interior of the building while the men took care of the outdoor work.

Prairie Past wrote that the development of better cars and roads paved the parish’s pathway to inactivity. People in the area began opting to travel 25 minutes southwest to attend Mass in Prince Albert. For a time, the people in the area committed to holding an annual celebration a year after regular services ceased.  

Even though it had long been inactive, locals revered Sts. Peter and Paul because it represented a visual link to the community's settler origins. 

If it is proven to be arson, it will be the latest in more than 100 attacks on Christian places of worship, mostly Catholic churches, since the May 2021 reports of unmarked graves being discovered at the former Kamloops Residential School in B.C. 

(No graves have been discovered there or at any other residential schools). 

The Canadian Civil Rights League of Canada has been documenting incidents of vandalism at Canadian churches and posting them to its Church Attacks Database.

Pope Francis, slowly improving, will not lead Ash Wednesday service

Pope Francis is showing improvement as he battles double pneumonia, the Vatican said on Friday, but he will not lead an annual Church service next week to open the Christian season of Lent.

Francis, 88, has now spent two weeks in Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he was admitted on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that triggered other complications.

The Vatican has not said how long the pope will remain in hospital, but it announced on Friday that Francis would not lead the traditional Ash Wednesday service on March 5, signaling his hospitalization may continue into next week.

The service, which starts the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, was instead entrusted to a senior Vatican official.

In a medical update on Thursday, the Vatican said the pontiff's condition "continued to show improvement" but his prognosis remained guarded due to the complexity of his infection.

A Vatican official, who did not wish to be named because he was not authorised to discuss the pope's health, noted that Thursday's statement was the second consecutive one that did not describe the pope's condition as "critical".

"Maybe we can say he has passed the most critical phase," said the official.

The Vatican's next medical update was expected on Friday evening.

Francis, who has been pontiff since 2013 and is often described as working himself to exhaustion, has continued leading the Vatican from the hospital. Staff appointments requiring his approval are announced daily.

On Friday, the Vatican released a papal letter to participants in a Church training course in Rome, which was signed by Francis with a note to say it was sent "from Gemelli hospital".

Cardinal Michael Czerny, head of the Vatican's development office, said in an interview with Italy's La Stampa newspaper that Francis was getting better, albeit "slower than what we would like".

Francis has suffered several bouts of ill health over the past two years. He is prone to lung infections because he developed pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.

Double pneumonia is a serious infection of both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe. 

The Vatican said Francis suffered a "prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis" on Saturday, but there have been no repeats.

Advocacy group calls on Spiritans to implement redress scheme

The advocacy group Restore Together, which represents many of the survivors of child sex abuse suffered at schools run by the Spiritan Order, has called on the Spiritans to implement a redress scheme no later than June for those who suffered child sex abuse.

The Spiritan schools involved are Blackrock College and Willow Park, Rockwell College, St. Mary's College, St. Michael’s College and Templeogue College.

While Restore Together has welcomed that the Spiritan Order has made payments as part of legal claims made by victims (52 of 58 individual claims have been settled by the Order since 2022), it said no survivor should have to issue legal proceedings in order to obtain justice.

In a statement, it said that child welfare and trauma experts have agreed bringing legal proceedings to seek justice adds to the suffering of victims, many of whom are very vulnerable.

"It is not acceptable that the Spiritan Order is treating victims/survivors who issue legal proceedings against them with greater urgency than the many who wish, in good faith and for good reason, to obtain financial recognition for the harm done to them through a redress scheme that the Order has agreed to in principle," it said.

Since May 2021, Restore Together has been advocating for the implementation of a victim-centred, trauma-informed and non-adversarial redress scheme.

It said that financial awards under the redress scheme should be at the same value that a court would award to a successful claimant.

The group acknowledged that Spiritan Order had agreed to a redress scheme in principle - as one of five pillars of its Restorative Justice Programme - and that there has been detailed discussions over that time with the Spiritans and lawyers about its structure, nature and implementation.

However, it added that the Spiritan Order in Ireland "has very significant assets which it has valued at €160m in its accounts".

It said this was multiple times the amount that would be needed to fully implement a redress scheme.

"While it may take longer to finance the full extent of funds needed, the Spiritans have the necessary resources to commence the urgently needed redress scheme no later than 1st June this year. Further delay in the activation of a redress scheme and payment of compensation of their victims/survivors is totally unacceptable," it stated.

It pointed out that every week that goes by without a redress scheme being in place "prolongs the suffering, and in some cases despair, of victims/survivors who have come forward in good faith having carried their burden for decades through their lives".

The ongoing delay repeats and continues the sense of betrayal and abandonment first felt by victims as innocent children, according to Restore Together.

"Many victims/survivors are now in the later stage of life and should not have to wait any longer for proper recognition by the Spiritans of their failure to protect the children in their care or wait for the justice to which they are entitled."

It accused the Spiritans of failing to respect the frustration that the pain of survivors was not being respected by the Order, due to its continued "lack of urgency" in implementing all aspects of their own Restorative Justice Programme.

"Their own principles and Christian teachings require the Spiritans to show true repentance and to fully atone for what they as a congregation did to these vulnerable children.

"Until they have done so and this enormous wrong has been fully righted by the Spiritans, without equivocation or further delay, it casts a fundamental question over their other missions and moral authority," it concluded.

How Pope Benedict changed the Catholic Church with his resignation

The world was stunned on February 28, 2013, when Benedict XVI resigned from the papacy, becoming the first one to do so in 600 years. 

Announcing the decision during a routine gathering of cardinals, he uttered “ingravescente aetate”, the Latin term for advancing age.

“I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise” of leading the world’s one billion Roman Catholics, stated The New York Times quoting Pope Benedict.

It was in 2013 that the world came to a near standstill after Benedict XVI, the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, resigned from the papacy.

The German-born pontiff was presiding over a pro-forma meeting of cardinals to set dates for three upcoming canonisations on February 11. 

While others rose to leave the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace after the ceremony, Benedict remained seated, retrieved a single sheet of paper and commenced reading. 

In his German-laced Latin, he stated that his “strengths, due to advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”

His resignation took effect at 8:00 pm Vatican time on February 28, at which point he ceased to be pope and assumed the title “Pope Emeritus.” 

He departed the Vatican and initially stayed at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence, before retiring to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery within Vatican City. 

At the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, he vowed to devote his life to meditation and prayer.

Before Benedict, Pope Gregory XII was the last pontiff to have resigned from the post in 1415 driven by the need to quell the Great Western Schism, a leadership crisis in which three individuals were vying for the position of pope.

South African Bishops resolve to establish church-wide network of Safe Church Officers

The Synod of Bishops has resolved that every parish in the Province should appoint safeguarding officials dedicated to keeping people safe from abuse, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has announced.

In a statement released after the February meeting of the Synod of Bishops, the Archbishop said: “The bishops unanimously approved a set of recommendations I made for immediate action to improve safeguarding in the church. Each bishop has also individually committed to take action in his or her diocese.

“Every congregation will appoint Safe Church Officers, whose names will be published in Sunday church service bulletins, or on church noticeboards in congregations which don’t produce leaflets.

“The bishops also adopted procedures aimed at preventing members accused of abuse from moving to other churches without the churches to which they move being warned. They also agreed that clergy licenses should be reviewed to ensure that the conditions under which they were granted met modern safeguarding standards.”

The Synod, which met in Gauteng, includes bishops from 25 dioceses in South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and the island of St Helena.

The Archbishop proposed a set of measures after a panel of inquiry comprising Justice Ian Farlam, formerly of the Supreme Court of Appeal, and Dr Mamphela Ramphele, the civil society activist and former university vice-chancellor, criticised the slow pace of efforts to improve keeping members safe from abuse.

The inquiry was appointed after the church’s failure to pass on a 2013 warning about the presence in Cape Town of John Smyth, a British expatriate who abused dozens of boys and young men in Britain and Zimbabwe in the 1980s and 1990s.

The synod also supported a proposal that the liaison body for church schools, the Anglican Board of Education (ABESA), convene a meeting of the principals and councils of the schools to discuss the state of safeguarding at the schools.

“ABESA has already begun work on this,” Archbishop Makgoba said, “and has approached all the bishops asking for access to their schools and institutions.”

Judge Farlam and Dr Ramphele found that “over the years, including in the most recent time, instances of serious physical and sexual abuse involving learners have continued to present themselves” in schools.

One of the panel of inquiry’s major criticisms was the delay in appointing a Safe and Inclusive Church Commission, a body approved by Provincial Synod in 2019 which should include bishops, church lawyers and psychologists or specialists involved in counselling, spiritual guidance or support in cases of abuse.

The Archbishop reported to the bishops that the commission has now been formally established, although some members still need to be appointed.

“The team which has taken on safeguarding in the interim will provide advice, resources and training to the church-wide network of local safeguarding officers and the commission,” he said.

“The commission will provide training and guidance to local officers but will also have the capacity to receive complaints directly from those who do not wish to report abuse through local church officers.”

In an address to the synod, Dr Ramphele told the bishops that society was “in the grip of an epidemic of gender-based violence that affects the majority of families in every community.”

Citing the statistics on the prevalence of abuse, she noted that one in four women reported experiencing violence at the hands of an intimate partner.

She called for institutional change in the church, for clear policies regarding harassment and assault, whether sexual, racial or physical, and for the church to “clarify our role and responsibilities for the ministry related to Anglican Church schools.”

In another appeal, she urged: “We need to move beyond a ‘policing’ approach to a ‘caring’ approach to help guide the people of God on the complexity of multi-generational traumas and the healing journeys we all must undertake to enable us to become wounded healers.”

The recommendations proposed by the Archbishop, and endorsed by the Synod of Bishops, follow:

“Each Bishop should require every local parish in the church to nominate one or more members for training as Safe Church Officers;

“That the Safe and Inclusive Church Commission expands its programme of training sessions for Safe Church Officers;

“That the contact details of each Safe Church Officer should be listed in each congregation’s Sunday parish leaflet, or where leaflets are not published, they should be posted to the church noticeboard;

“That each Bishop should make inquiries in his or her Diocese as to (1) whether anyone previously accused of abuse, even before the Bishop took office, currently holds a licence in the Diocese, (2) whether the conditions under which they were granted a licence meet current standards of safeguarding, and (3) that each Bishop provide a full written report on each such case to the Provincial Executive Officer and the Safe Church Commission.

“That each Bishop should require each parish to report in writing to the Diocese, on a confidential basis, any concerns of abuse or conduct which potentially contravenes the Pastoral Standards; further that if someone suspected of such conduct is thought to have moved to another congregation, that details of that congregation should be included in the report. In addition, should the person of concern move to a congregation outside the Anglican Church, the parish should canvass with their Bishop whether the matter should be reported on an explicitly confidential basis to the appropriate authority in that other worshipping entity. These steps to be regarded as reporting protocols, to be followed in addition to any disciplinary or legal action taken to address abuse.

“That should such a concern be based on information reasonably indicating that abuse or impermissible conduct may have occurred, and not simply on mere rumour, the Bishop should lodge a written notification of the concern with the Provincial Executive Officer and the Safe Church Commission. Again, this step to be taken in addition to any disciplinary or legal action necessary.

“That all our parishes should ensure that the protocols requiring new members transferring from other Anglican parishes to provide letters of referral or commendation are fully implemented.

“That each Bishop give particular attention to ensuring proper filing and retrieval of information in their Diocesan office.

“In addition, I propose to request the Anglican Board of Education to convene a meeting of the Principals and Councils of Anglican chools to discuss the state of safeguarding at the schools, and to report on their discussions to the Synod of Bishops, the annual meeting of Provincial Standing Committee and Provincial Synod.”

Spain's church announces compensation system for sexual abuse victims is now operational

The Spanish Catholic Church, criticized for years for its inaction regarding sexual assaults committed by clergy, announced that it has put in place its compensation mechanism.

“The comprehensive reparation plan for victims of abuse is operational (...) Cases presented by congregations, dioceses, or directly by victims are already being handled,” declared Auxiliary Bishop Francisco García Magán of Toledo, secretary general of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), during a February 27 press conference.

However, he did not specify how long the mechanism has been operational and said he did not know how much compensation has already been granted, as the commission responsible for awarding them "operates autonomously."

The prelate concluded that after it has been in existence for a year, “this commission will report on its work, and until then, there will be no further information.”

According to the Spanish press, the commission began its work at the end of last year.

Negotiations over the creation of a state fund

Under pressure from Spain’s left-wing government and the ombudsman, who coordinated the first investigation into sexual assaults against minors committed by clergy, the Catholic Church approved the creation of a mechanism to compensate victims last July.

Several victim support associations denounced that the church had excluded them while developing its reparation plan.

Furthermore, the prelate indicated that the church is continuing negotiations with the government over the creation of a state fund to compensate victims, a proposal already included in a plan approved by the executive in April 2024.

However, the CEE refused to participate in the fund unless it is open to all victims of child sexual abuse in the country, not just victims of the church.

After years of denial, the Spanish Catholic Church finally agreed in 2022 to investigate sexual abuse within its ranks.

A report by the ombudsman, commissioned by the Spanish Parliament, estimated that 200,000 minors had been victims of sexual assaults by Catholic clergy in Spain since 1940—a figure that rose to 400,000 when including assaults committed by laypeople working for the church.

Questioning these numbers, the CEE commissioned an audit from a law firm, which reported 1,057 "registered cases" across its various dioceses, but only 358 were deemed "proven" or "credible."

'Thou shalt not steal' painting stolen from church

A church warden said it was "ironic" that thieves stole a painting of the Ten Commandments, including text reading "thou shalt not steal", from a church.

Three pictures were taken from St Andrew's Church in Main Road, Little Steeping sometime before 23 February, Lincolnshire Police said.

The paintings, in heavy wooden frames, also include the text of The Lord's Prayer.

Church warden Basil Harwood said: "It is a random crime. Obviously it doesn't make you feel good that some items have been stolen."

Investigators said the value of the stolen artworks was unknown, but they "have sentimental value to the church and its members".

Mr Harwood said he believed the thieves had secured a door from inside the church during the day and entered through it later. There was no damage to the building.

He added they would be more "vigilant and more aware" but would still keep their doors open to members of the public.

The force is appealing for anyone with information about the incident to get in touch.

Two church figures arrested in plot to blow up Russian priest known as Putin’s confessor

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claims to have thwarted a Ukrainian plot to assassinate a prominent priest with close ties to President Vladimir Putin.

Two church figures have been arrested in connection with the alleged scheme, which the FSB says was orchestrated by a Ukrainian spy agency.

The intended target, 66-year-old Tikhon Shevkunov, is widely reported in Russian media as Putin’s “confessor.” 

While the Kremlin has confirmed a long-standing acquaintance between the two men, dating back to the late 1990s, the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear.

The Kremlin has strongly condemned the alleged assassination plot. There has been no immediate response from Kyiv regarding the accusations.

“It is clear that the Kyiv regime does not shrink from anything,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “In this case, nothing is sacred. This is once again confirmed.”

In 2023, Shevkunov was appointed to the senior church rank of metropolitan of Crimea, the peninsula which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

In a statement, the FSB said it had detained two men it said had been recruited by Ukrainian military intelligence on the Telegram messenger service in mid-2024. The FSB said it seized an improvised explosive device and two fake Ukrainian passports.

One of the men, Nikita Ivankovich, is a Russian cleric at a church in Moscow. The other, Denis Popovich, a Ukrainian born in the western city of Chernivtsi, worked as Shevkunov’s assistant.

The authorities released videos of both men confessing to the plot. They spoke hesitantly and it was not clear under what circumstances the confessions had been obtained.

Popovich said he had been recruited to monitor Shevkunov’s movements and threatened with the murder of his relatives unless he complied. He said he was then tasked with finding an accomplice in order to “eliminate” Shevkunov.

He said the plan was to plant a bomb in a residential building of the 14th-century Sretensky Monastery in Moscow, where Shevkunov was superior until 2018.

Ivankovich, in his confession, said the men had been supplied with a home-made bomb to carry out the attack. 

The video showed investigators recovering a box and fake passports from a hiding place in a wood.

Ukraine has taken responsibility for a number of assassinations in Russia since the start of the war - most recently for the killing of Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, in December.