St. John's Catholic Church

The Vatican on Oct. 22, 2024, announced it had accepted the request of Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, OFM, of Bogor, Indonesia (seen here in 2017), to not be made a cardinal at the Dec. 7 consistory as had been previously announced. The bishop’s request “was motivated by his desire to continue growing in priestly life and in service to the Church and the people of God,” the Holy See Press Office said. / Credit: Albertus Aditya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rome Newsroom, Oct 23, 2024 / 06:19 am (CNA).

The Vatican announced Tuesday evening that Pope Francis had accepted the request of Indonesian Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, OFM, not to be made a cardinal in a December consistory as had been previously announced.

The bishop’s request “was motivated by his desire to continue growing in priestly life and in service to the Church and the people of God,” a brief message from the Holy See Press Office said.

At the beginning of October, Pope Francis announced he would create 21 new cardinals, including Syukur, at a consistory to be held Dec. 7.

The 62-year-old Franciscan was consecrated bishop of Bogor, a diocese just south of Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta, in February 2014.

From 2001–2009, Syukur was the Franciscan provincial minister of Indonesia. In 2009, he became the general delegate for the Asia and Oceania region, which includes India, Pakistan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.

The bishop has also held leadership positions in the Indonesian bishops’ conference.

According to the liturgical schedule released by the Vatican’s master of ceremonies Oct. 12, the ceremony to create the new cardinals — 19 eligible to be cardinal-electors — will be held in the afternoon on Dec. 7 in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The following day, on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, Francis and the entire College of Cardinals will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving together in the Vatican Basilica.

With Syukur’s withdrawal, as of Dec. 7, the total number of eligible cardinal electors will be 140, 110 of whom were chosen by Pope Francis. This means the current pontiff has named 79% of the men who will one day elect his successor.

Pope Francis meets with other delegates of the Synod on Synodality at a roundtable discussion in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Oct. 17, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Newsroom, Oct 23, 2024 / 06:10 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church’s final session of the multiyear Synod on Synodality is in its final week. Here’s what’s happening during the last week of the gathering in Rome.

What you should know 

• Decoding the Synod on Synodality: CNA’s essential terminology guide

• Here’s what is new at the Synod on Synodality Part 2

The story so far 

Oct. 22: In EWTN Interview, Bishop Rhoades reflects on synod progress

In a wide-ranging conversation with EWTN News hosts Catherine Hadro and Matthew Bunson, Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop Kevin Rhoades reflects on the synod’s evolving dialogue, the role of women in the Church — and shares expectations as the assembly flows toward its culminating document this week.

Oct. 22: African bishops speak: How has the Synod on Synodality impacted the Church in Africa?

Father Don Bosco Onyalla, editor-in-chief of ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, tells CNA in an interview that the theological concept of synodality “where people come together” is a reality and tradition that is already lived among Catholics across the continent. And what are African prelates saying about the gathering in Rome? Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 21: Fernández: Diaconate ‘is not today’ the answer for promoting women in Church leadership

Cardinal Víctor Fernández reaffirms Pope Francis’ position against women’s access to the diaconate, an issue that will continue to be evaluated by a specialized commission while the Synod on Synodality continues to reflect on the role of women in the Church outside of ordained ministry. Almudena Martínez-Bordiú has more.

Oct. 21: Special coverage LIVE from the Vatican

Watch the EWTN News special from the Vatican covering the last week of the Synod on Synodality. Hosts Catherine Hadro; Father Thomas Petri, OP; and Matthew Bunson analyze the latest developments from the synod with special guests.

Oct. 20: Pope Francis presides at canonization Mass for 14 new saints

Pope Francis canonizes 14 new saints, including a father of eight and Franciscan friars killed in Syria for refusing to renounce their faith and convert to Islam.

Presiding over a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, the pope declares three 19th-century founders of religious orders and the 11 “Martyrs of Damascus” as saints to be venerated by the global Catholic Church, commending their lives of sacrifice, missionary zeal, and service to the Church. Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 20: Cardinal Fernández promises follow-up meeting after controversial absence

Sources confirm to CNA over the weekend that there is significant frustration among synod delegates over Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández’s absence from the Friday meeting about the study group on women’s roles in the Church. This includes questions surrounding the possibility of female deacons, notes AC Wimmer.

How the meeting was conducted caused outrage, too, as paper slips with an email address were reportedly distributed.

Oct. 19: Synod, Zen, and Sinicization: Vatican’s China deal sparks tensions 

Two prominent Catholics — Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong and American author George Weigel — level sharp criticisms at the Synod on Synodality, focusing particularly on the Vatican’s approach to China.

The synod takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing debate over the diplomatic relationship between the Holy See and Beijing, particularly the Sino-Vatican deal on bishop appointments, AC Wimmer writes.

Oct. 19: Here’s what’s happening during the last week of the Synod on Synodality

After two and a half weeks, the last of two assemblies for the Synod on Synodality is now in its final stretch before officially concluding on Oct. 27.

As conversations on the agenda set by the Instrumentum Laboris, or working document, wrapped up last week, the focus going forward is on the writing and editing of the Synod on Synodality’s final document. Hannah Brockhaus has more.

Oct. 18: Synod delegates urge young Catholics to learn how to listen to others in a polarized world

More than 30 students — most of whom were from the U.S. — from over 10 universities attend “The University Students in Dialogue with Synod Leaders,” an event organized by the General Secretariat of the Synod held in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. 

The event was moderated by four young staff members of the Synod on Synodality’s communications team who presented questions to four guest panelists participating in the second global synodal session at the Vatican. Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 17: Cardinal Bo calls for diocesan synods around the world

The head of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC), Cardinal Charles Bo of the Archdiocese of Yangon, Myanmar, said diocesan synods are an effective means to “build a vision and mission” for local Churches.

The high-ranking prelate from the country also known as Burma tells journalists that synodality on a diocesan level is not a new concept for the Catholic Church, reports Kristina Millare.

Meet the 14 people who will be canonized saints this weekend

The Catholic Church’s newest saints will include a priest whose intercession led to the miraculous healing of a man mauled by a jaguar, a woman who convinced a pope to call for a worldwide novena to the Holy Spirit, and 11 men killed in Syria for refusing to renounce their faith and convert to Islam. Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 16: Synod proposal to ‘decentralize’ doctrinal authority met with major pushback

Decentralizing doctrinal authority, or deciding certain doctrinal questions at local levels rather than universally, has been seen as a pivotal step for those aiming to make dramatic changes to Catholic teaching, writes Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 16: Dutch cardinal advocates Christ-centered reform over controversial issues

A Dutch cardinal cautions against misguided reform efforts within the Catholic Church, warning that regional solutions to contentious issues could undermine the Church’s credibility.

Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht, emphasizes the importance of maintaining unity with the universal Church: “We must walk a common path and not deviate from the world Church,” he said, reflecting Pope Francis’ 2019 letter to German Catholics. “If unity in proclamation is lost, the Church loses its credibility,” Eijk says.

Oct. 16: Australian archbishop: Synod on Synodality cannot ‘reinvent the Catholic faith’

We cannot “reinvent the Catholic faith” or “teach a different Catholicism in different countries,” Australian Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney and a delegate at the Synod on Synodality tells EWTN News.

Should bishops’ conferences “have the authority to teach a different Catholicism in different countries or to decide a different liturgy in different countries or different Mass for different countries? Do they bring their own local culture to questions in the area of morals, for instance?” Fisher says in his interview with “EWTN News Nightly” Associate Producer Bénédicte Cedergren.

Oct. 15: Cardinal from Amazon: ‘Many of our women are true deaconesses’

Cardinal Leonardo Steiner, the archbishop of Manaus in Brazil who is participating in the Synod on Synodality, said during a daily press briefing at the synod on Tuesday that “many of our women are true ‘deaconesses’” and pointed out that Pope Francis “has not closed the question” of the ordination of married men. Almudena Martínez-Bordiú has more.

The cardinal is known for being a defender of the poor, Indigenous people and is also considered “pro-LGBTQ.” In the past he has stated that “there will be a way” to end mandatory priestly celibacy.

Oct. 15: Warning against fatigue from Church leader at Synod on Synodality

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich asks participants to maintain energy levels at the gathering, reports EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser for “EWTN News Nightly,” as participants delve into the theme of “places,” exploring relationships between cultures and diverse Church needs worldwide.

Meanwhile, Bishop Robert Barron, in an exclusive interview with EWTN’s Colm Flynn, defined synodality as encompassing wider consultation, greater accountability, and transparency.

The synod’s universal nature is highlighted by the presence of Eastern Catholic Churches, with Archbishop Fülöp Kocsis sharing insights on the richness of diverse experiences. Jonathan Liedl, senior editor for the National Catholic Register, points to a significant discussion on decentralization: The proposal under consideration could potentially grant national bishops’ conferences more authority in doctrinal decision-making, marking a potential shift in the Church’s governance structure.

Oct. 15: How ‘special interest advocacy’ works at the Synod on Synodality

Don’t be surprised to see a fresh round of news stories about support for ordaining women at the Synod on Synodality. It’s a reasonable expectation — writes Jonathan Liedl in his analysis for the National Catholic Register — given an advocacy group blasted out an email, obtained by the Register, inviting synod delegates to join them at an event promoting the cause.

In so doing, they are following a familiar script that’s being used to influence the Synod on Synodality — or at least perceptions of it, he explains.

Oct. 15: ‘Synodality Tent’: A place to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Church

“The Synodality Tent” is the title of an initiative promoted by the Amerindia Network and the Latin American Observatory on Synodality whose objective is to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Catholic Church as well as to continue promoting the synodal process.

This place for encounter and dialogue, which also aims to offer an experience of faith, opened in Rome in the context of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, writes Almudena Martínez-Bordiú.

Oct. 12: Catholics invited to ‘adopt’ Synod on Synodality members

Prayer groups are sponsoring an online platform through which you can “adopt” a Synod on Synodality member to pray for during the month of October.

After submitting an email address on the webpage oremusprosynodo.org, the name of one of the 368 voting members of the 2024 meeting of the Synod on Synodality appears with the exhortation to pray for them. Hannah Brockhaus has more.

Should the Church be governed by gender-balanced synods?

At a theological forum held at the Jesuits’ world headquarters in Rome this week, an influential canon lawyer argues that the Catholic Church should be governed by synods balanced according to gender, among other factors, and empowered to make decisions, not merely recommendations. Jonathan Liedl reports for the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 11: Pope Francis, synod pray where first Christian martyrs of Rome were killed

Pope Francis and Synod on Synodality participants pray together at the site of the first Christian martyrdoms in Rome on Friday evening.

As attendees hold candles with drip protectors imprinted with an image of the 15th-century painting “Mater Ecclesiae” (“Mother of the Church”), Pope Francis leads those present in praying the Our Father but does not give the meditation prepared for the event, Hannah Brockhaus reports.

Oct. 11: What happens when a Chinese bishop takes the floor for the first time at the synod?

Synod sources tell EWTN News that Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of the Diocese of Hangzhou spoke to synod participants about the history of Chinese Catholicism, China’s agreement with the Vatican on the appointment of bishops, and cultural exchange. Andrea Gagliarducci has more.

Oct. 10: Pope Francis’ Brazilian pick for cardinal calls for ordaining married priests

Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM, at a briefing for the Synod on Synodality confirms plans for a trial run of an Amazonian rite of the Mass and urges “openness” to the idea of married priests to serve certain communities.

The 64-year-old prelate, a descendant of German immigrants, is a prominent figure in the Church in his home country and throughout South America, heading both the Catholic bishops’ conference of Brazil and the Latin American bishops’ conference (CELAM), writes Hannah Brockhaus.

Oct. 10: Why is ‘women’s ordination’ still dominating media coverage of the synod?

News media has a built-in tendency to downplay nuance and highlight novelty, and this is arguably accentuated at the Synod on Synodality, writes Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register. Two synod members say synod communications head Paolo Ruffini overstated the strength of calls for “women’s ordination.” Read the full analysis here.

Oct. 10: Non-Catholic delegates put Christian unity in focus at Synod on Synodality

Three fraternal delegates — non-Catholic representatives of Christian churches participating in this year’s session of the Synod on Synodality — take center stage at Thursday’s Synod on Synodality press briefing held at the Vatican’s Holy See Press Office.

Speaking about “the great importance of relationality” among Christian churches, Anglican Bishop Martin Warner of Chichester — co-chair of the English-Welsh Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee — speaks about the “sense of family” that has developed between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, particularly during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 9: Synod debates on bishops, laypeople opened to public at theology forums

Synod on Synodality events open to the public give a glimpse Wednesday evening into the private debates happening among delegates and theological experts on the issues of a bishop’s authority and his relationship to the laity in light of synodality.

Thomas Söding, vice president of the lay organization promoting the German Synodal Way, argued that bishops shouldn’t control or dictate discipleship but should encourage diverse expressions of faith.

Italian canonist Donata Horak criticized the Roman Catholic Church’s current structure as “monarchical” and out of step with democratic sensibilities. She suggested that the Latin Church adopt deliberative synods, as seen in Eastern Catholic churches, although she did not note that these do not allow lay voting, notes Hannah Brockhaus.

Oct. 9: Synod delegates look to St. John Henry Newman as theological guide

Australian Bishop Anthony Randazzo, a synod delegate and president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania, says St. John Henry Newman famously showed “that the Church would look foolish without the laity” and should help ease fears that collaboration with the laity is heterodoxical.

“I think that this way of thinking should liberate us in the Church from believing that any one group or vocation alone drives the bus,” the bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay, Australia, emphasizes. Randazzo made a powerful statement against pushes for so-called “women’s ordination,” explains Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register.

Oct.

Oct. 8: Catholic bishops from mainland China and Taiwan in dialogue at Synod on Synodality

In an interview with CNA, the first Indigenous bishop of Taiwan says he met with the two bishops from mainland China taking part in the synod and plans to meet with them again. “It’s very important to dialogue with them, to respect each other. I think it’s good … not only for the Chinese, for the whole Church,” Bishop Norbert Pu of Taiwan tells Courtney Mares.

Oct. 8: Who is in charge of drafting the final document of the Synod of Synodality?

Paolo Ruffini, the synod’s communications head, announces the 14 members of the Final Document Commission. The seven continental delegates are:

• Catherine Clifford, a theologian from St. Paul University in Ottawa, for North America

• Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, for Africa

• Father Clarence Davedassan of Malaysia is the pick from Asia

• Bishop Shane Mackinlay of Sandhurst, Australia, for Oceania

• Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio of Bogotá, Colombia, for Central and South America

• Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France, for Europe

• Bishop Mounir Khairallah, a Maronite prelate, for the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Middle East

The other members include three direct picks from Pope Francis and four automatic appointments, writes Jonathan Liedl.

Oct. 8: Synod participants donate for Gaza parish

In a video played for journalists at the Holy See Press Office on Oct. 8, Gaza parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli thanks synod participants for both prayers and financial help, because in Gaza, “everyone is in need of everything.”

The pope’s charity office announces that synod participants donated 32,000 euros (about $35,000) for the Catholic parish in Gaza from synod participants on Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.

The synod donations were combined with another 30,000 euros (about $33,000) from Pope Francis’ charity coffers and sent to Holy Family Parish, the only Roman Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip, which is sheltering hundreds of Palestinian Catholics.

Oct. 7: Pope invites prayer for the Middle East as participants from that region begin week 2 of the synod

Since the beginning of the Synod on Synodality, synod delegates and participants have echoed Pope Francis’ pleas for prayers and solidarity with communities across the war-ravaged region. As the second week of the synod gets underway, on the World Day of Prayer and Fasting held on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope Francis addressed Catholics in the Middle East on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. Kristina Millare has more.

Oct. 7: Women deacons off the table? Synod delegate claims ‘some women sense a call to priesthood’

While the topic of “women deacons” is not formally up for discussion at the Synod on Synodality assembly this month, the official Vatican press conference for the synod showcases a female delegate who spoke about women experiencing “a call to priesthood,” Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 6: Pope Francis and synod participants pray rosary for peace

Invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary for peace in the world amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Pope Francis presides over a rosary prayer in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major on Sunday evening, Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 5: A call for peace and an announcement of dialogue

A Lebanese bishop makes an impassioned plea for peace and forgiveness at the Synod on Synodality’s daily press briefing on Saturday as the assembly’s first week draws to a close.

Bishop Mounir Khairallah of Batroun shares his personal experience of violence and forgiveness, recounting how his parents were murdered when he was just 5 years old.

Meanwhile, a dialogue with study groups is announced for Oct. 18 after synod delegates vote for more interaction with the groups established by Pope Francis.

Oct. 4: What’s behind the viral photo of Pope Francis venerating a chair?

Pope Francis sits before the historic relic of St. Peter’s chair in the Ottoboni sacristy of St. Peter’s Basilica after celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the second session of the Synod on Synodality. What is behind this viral image? Madalaine Elhabbal explains.

Oct. 4: Participants put spotlight on world’s poor

Closing the first week of meetings, participants from different continents put a spotlight on the plight of the world’s poor and vulnerable on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Kristina Millare reports. 

The first week at the Synod on Synodality — revolution or much ado about nothing? 

Vaticanist Andrea Gagliarducci analyzes the first days of the gathering in Rome. He writes: “It seems clear that while the delegates may discuss many things over the next three weeks, nothing will be decided. There will be no doctrinal changes. No diminution of the role of the bishop. No rush to resolve the question of opening the diaconate to women.” 

Oct. 3: Many voices to be heard 

Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the synod, says at a press conference that “every believer, man or woman, and every group, association, movement, or community will be able to participate with their own contribution” via the synod’s 10 study groups.

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, tells journalists the work of participants in the second session of the Synod on Synodality is to find the “cohesive voice” that expresses the life of the Church.

Oct. 3: Cardinal Fernández rules out women deacons

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, on Oct. 3 shuts down speculation regarding further theological study into the possibility of women being ordained as deacons. Father Giacomo Costa, special secretary of the synod, says this month’s discussions held in the Vatican should serve as “laboratories of synodal life,” Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 3: Solving sexuality questions with ‘contextual fidelity’?

A study group appointed by Pope Francis to explore a synodal approach to the Church’s most debated issues — including sexual morality and life matters — proposes “contextual fidelity” and a “new paradigm” that downplays long-standing Church teaching, Jonathan Liedl notes. 

Oct. 2: Pope Francis calls for new ways for bishops to be ‘synodal’

At the first meeting of the full assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis says a bishop’s ministry should include cooperation with laypeople and that the synod will need to identify “differing forms” of the exercise of this ministry.

Oct. 2: Pope Francis opens synod, warns against personal ‘agendas’

Pope Francis opens the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, which is meant to deepen the missionary perspective of the Church, explains EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser.

“Let us be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed,” the pope says at the synod’s opening Mass on Oct. 2, Courtney Mares reports. The pontiff warns: “Ours is not a parliamentary assembly but rather a place of listening in communion.”

Oct. 2: Looming questions about role of German ‘synodality’ 

“More candor about the motivations of the German Synodal Path and its vision of the Catholic future would be helpful in determining what, if anything, it has to offer the world Church at Synod 2024,” comments George Weigel in the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 1: Penitential liturgy is held in St. Peter’s Basilica; more than 500 people attend

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church, Kristina Millare reports. 

Nine years ago, this papal speech set the ‘synodality’ machine in motion

Since Pope Francis’ 2015 speech, synodality has grown from a theological concept into a guiding principle of Church governance. Analysis from Jonathan Liedl in the National Catholic Register.

Pope Francis meets with other delegates of the Synod on Synodality at a roundtable discussion in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Oct. 17, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Newsroom, Oct 23, 2024 / 06:10 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church’s final session of the multiyear Synod on Synodality is in its final week. Here’s what’s happening during the last week of the gathering in Rome.

What you should know 

• Decoding the Synod on Synodality: CNA’s essential terminology guide

• Here’s what is new at the Synod on Synodality Part 2

The story so far 

Oct. 22: In EWTN Interview, Bishop Rhoades reflects on synod progress

In a wide-ranging conversation with EWTN News hosts Catherine Hadro and Matthew Bunson, Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop Kevin Rhoades reflects on the synod’s evolving dialogue, the role of women in the Church — and shares expectations as the assembly flows toward its culminating document this week.

Oct. 22: African bishops speak: How has the Synod on Synodality impacted the Church in Africa?

Father Don Bosco Onyalla, editor-in-chief of ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, tells CNA in an interview that the theological concept of synodality “where people come together” is a reality and tradition that is already lived among Catholics across the continent. And what are African prelates saying about the gathering in Rome? Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 21: Fernández: Diaconate ‘is not today’ the answer for promoting women in Church leadership

Cardinal Víctor Fernández reaffirms Pope Francis’ position against women’s access to the diaconate, an issue that will continue to be evaluated by a specialized commission while the Synod on Synodality continues to reflect on the role of women in the Church outside of ordained ministry. Almudena Martínez-Bordiú has more.

Oct. 21: Special coverage LIVE from the Vatican

Watch the EWTN News special from the Vatican covering the last week of the Synod on Synodality. Hosts Catherine Hadro; Father Thomas Petri, OP; and Matthew Bunson analyze the latest developments from the synod with special guests.

Oct. 20: Pope Francis presides at canonization Mass for 14 new saints

Pope Francis canonizes 14 new saints, including a father of eight and Franciscan friars killed in Syria for refusing to renounce their faith and convert to Islam.

Presiding over a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, the pope declares three 19th-century founders of religious orders and the 11 “Martyrs of Damascus” as saints to be venerated by the global Catholic Church, commending their lives of sacrifice, missionary zeal, and service to the Church. Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 20: Cardinal Fernández promises follow-up meeting after controversial absence

Sources confirm to CNA over the weekend that there is significant frustration among synod delegates over Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández’s absence from the Friday meeting about the study group on women’s roles in the Church. This includes questions surrounding the possibility of female deacons, notes AC Wimmer.

How the meeting was conducted caused outrage, too, as paper slips with an email address were reportedly distributed.

Oct. 19: Synod, Zen, and Sinicization: Vatican’s China deal sparks tensions 

Two prominent Catholics — Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong and American author George Weigel — level sharp criticisms at the Synod on Synodality, focusing particularly on the Vatican’s approach to China.

The synod takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing debate over the diplomatic relationship between the Holy See and Beijing, particularly the Sino-Vatican deal on bishop appointments, AC Wimmer writes.

Oct. 19: Here’s what’s happening during the last week of the Synod on Synodality

After two and a half weeks, the last of two assemblies for the Synod on Synodality is now in its final stretch before officially concluding on Oct. 27.

As conversations on the agenda set by the Instrumentum Laboris, or working document, wrapped up last week, the focus going forward is on the writing and editing of the Synod on Synodality’s final document. Hannah Brockhaus has more.

Oct. 18: Synod delegates urge young Catholics to learn how to listen to others in a polarized world

More than 30 students — most of whom were from the U.S. — from over 10 universities attend “The University Students in Dialogue with Synod Leaders,” an event organized by the General Secretariat of the Synod held in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. 

The event was moderated by four young staff members of the Synod on Synodality’s communications team who presented questions to four guest panelists participating in the second global synodal session at the Vatican. Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 17: Cardinal Bo calls for diocesan synods around the world

The head of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC), Cardinal Charles Bo of the Archdiocese of Yangon, Myanmar, said diocesan synods are an effective means to “build a vision and mission” for local Churches.

The high-ranking prelate from the country also known as Burma tells journalists that synodality on a diocesan level is not a new concept for the Catholic Church, reports Kristina Millare.

Meet the 14 people who will be canonized saints this weekend

The Catholic Church’s newest saints will include a priest whose intercession led to the miraculous healing of a man mauled by a jaguar, a woman who convinced a pope to call for a worldwide novena to the Holy Spirit, and 11 men killed in Syria for refusing to renounce their faith and convert to Islam. Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 16: Synod proposal to ‘decentralize’ doctrinal authority met with major pushback

Decentralizing doctrinal authority, or deciding certain doctrinal questions at local levels rather than universally, has been seen as a pivotal step for those aiming to make dramatic changes to Catholic teaching, writes Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 16: Dutch cardinal advocates Christ-centered reform over controversial issues

A Dutch cardinal cautions against misguided reform efforts within the Catholic Church, warning that regional solutions to contentious issues could undermine the Church’s credibility.

Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht, emphasizes the importance of maintaining unity with the universal Church: “We must walk a common path and not deviate from the world Church,” he said, reflecting Pope Francis’ 2019 letter to German Catholics. “If unity in proclamation is lost, the Church loses its credibility,” Eijk says.

Oct. 16: Australian archbishop: Synod on Synodality cannot ‘reinvent the Catholic faith’

We cannot “reinvent the Catholic faith” or “teach a different Catholicism in different countries,” Australian Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney and a delegate at the Synod on Synodality tells EWTN News.

Should bishops’ conferences “have the authority to teach a different Catholicism in different countries or to decide a different liturgy in different countries or different Mass for different countries? Do they bring their own local culture to questions in the area of morals, for instance?” Fisher says in his interview with “EWTN News Nightly” Associate Producer Bénédicte Cedergren.

Oct. 15: Cardinal from Amazon: ‘Many of our women are true deaconesses’

Cardinal Leonardo Steiner, the archbishop of Manaus in Brazil who is participating in the Synod on Synodality, said during a daily press briefing at the synod on Tuesday that “many of our women are true ‘deaconesses’” and pointed out that Pope Francis “has not closed the question” of the ordination of married men. Almudena Martínez-Bordiú has more.

The cardinal is known for being a defender of the poor, Indigenous people and is also considered “pro-LGBTQ.” In the past he has stated that “there will be a way” to end mandatory priestly celibacy.

Oct. 15: Warning against fatigue from Church leader at Synod on Synodality

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich asks participants to maintain energy levels at the gathering, reports EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser for “EWTN News Nightly,” as participants delve into the theme of “places,” exploring relationships between cultures and diverse Church needs worldwide.

Meanwhile, Bishop Robert Barron, in an exclusive interview with EWTN’s Colm Flynn, defined synodality as encompassing wider consultation, greater accountability, and transparency.

The synod’s universal nature is highlighted by the presence of Eastern Catholic Churches, with Archbishop Fülöp Kocsis sharing insights on the richness of diverse experiences. Jonathan Liedl, senior editor for the National Catholic Register, points to a significant discussion on decentralization: The proposal under consideration could potentially grant national bishops’ conferences more authority in doctrinal decision-making, marking a potential shift in the Church’s governance structure.

Oct. 15: How ‘special interest advocacy’ works at the Synod on Synodality

Don’t be surprised to see a fresh round of news stories about support for ordaining women at the Synod on Synodality. It’s a reasonable expectation — writes Jonathan Liedl in his analysis for the National Catholic Register — given an advocacy group blasted out an email, obtained by the Register, inviting synod delegates to join them at an event promoting the cause.

In so doing, they are following a familiar script that’s being used to influence the Synod on Synodality — or at least perceptions of it, he explains.

Oct. 15: ‘Synodality Tent’: A place to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Church

“The Synodality Tent” is the title of an initiative promoted by the Amerindia Network and the Latin American Observatory on Synodality whose objective is to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Catholic Church as well as to continue promoting the synodal process.

This place for encounter and dialogue, which also aims to offer an experience of faith, opened in Rome in the context of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, writes Almudena Martínez-Bordiú.

Oct. 12: Catholics invited to ‘adopt’ Synod on Synodality members

Prayer groups are sponsoring an online platform through which you can “adopt” a Synod on Synodality member to pray for during the month of October.

After submitting an email address on the webpage oremusprosynodo.org, the name of one of the 368 voting members of the 2024 meeting of the Synod on Synodality appears with the exhortation to pray for them. Hannah Brockhaus has more.

Should the Church be governed by gender-balanced synods?

At a theological forum held at the Jesuits’ world headquarters in Rome this week, an influential canon lawyer argues that the Catholic Church should be governed by synods balanced according to gender, among other factors, and empowered to make decisions, not merely recommendations. Jonathan Liedl reports for the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 11: Pope Francis, synod pray where first Christian martyrs of Rome were killed

Pope Francis and Synod on Synodality participants pray together at the site of the first Christian martyrdoms in Rome on Friday evening.

As attendees hold candles with drip protectors imprinted with an image of the 15th-century painting “Mater Ecclesiae” (“Mother of the Church”), Pope Francis leads those present in praying the Our Father but does not give the meditation prepared for the event, Hannah Brockhaus reports.

Oct. 11: What happens when a Chinese bishop takes the floor for the first time at the synod?

Synod sources tell EWTN News that Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of the Diocese of Hangzhou spoke to synod participants about the history of Chinese Catholicism, China’s agreement with the Vatican on the appointment of bishops, and cultural exchange. Andrea Gagliarducci has more.

Oct. 10: Pope Francis’ Brazilian pick for cardinal calls for ordaining married priests

Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM, at a briefing for the Synod on Synodality confirms plans for a trial run of an Amazonian rite of the Mass and urges “openness” to the idea of married priests to serve certain communities.

The 64-year-old prelate, a descendant of German immigrants, is a prominent figure in the Church in his home country and throughout South America, heading both the Catholic bishops’ conference of Brazil and the Latin American bishops’ conference (CELAM), writes Hannah Brockhaus.

Oct. 10: Why is ‘women’s ordination’ still dominating media coverage of the synod?

News media has a built-in tendency to downplay nuance and highlight novelty, and this is arguably accentuated at the Synod on Synodality, writes Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register. Two synod members say synod communications head Paolo Ruffini overstated the strength of calls for “women’s ordination.” Read the full analysis here.

Oct. 10: Non-Catholic delegates put Christian unity in focus at Synod on Synodality

Three fraternal delegates — non-Catholic representatives of Christian churches participating in this year’s session of the Synod on Synodality — take center stage at Thursday’s Synod on Synodality press briefing held at the Vatican’s Holy See Press Office.

Speaking about “the great importance of relationality” among Christian churches, Anglican Bishop Martin Warner of Chichester — co-chair of the English-Welsh Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee — speaks about the “sense of family” that has developed between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, particularly during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 9: Synod debates on bishops, laypeople opened to public at theology forums

Synod on Synodality events open to the public give a glimpse Wednesday evening into the private debates happening among delegates and theological experts on the issues of a bishop’s authority and his relationship to the laity in light of synodality.

Thomas Söding, vice president of the lay organization promoting the German Synodal Way, argued that bishops shouldn’t control or dictate discipleship but should encourage diverse expressions of faith.

Italian canonist Donata Horak criticized the Roman Catholic Church’s current structure as “monarchical” and out of step with democratic sensibilities. She suggested that the Latin Church adopt deliberative synods, as seen in Eastern Catholic churches, although she did not note that these do not allow lay voting, notes Hannah Brockhaus.

Oct. 9: Synod delegates look to St. John Henry Newman as theological guide

Australian Bishop Anthony Randazzo, a synod delegate and president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania, says St. John Henry Newman famously showed “that the Church would look foolish without the laity” and should help ease fears that collaboration with the laity is heterodoxical.

“I think that this way of thinking should liberate us in the Church from believing that any one group or vocation alone drives the bus,” the bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay, Australia, emphasizes. Randazzo made a powerful statement against pushes for so-called “women’s ordination,” explains Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register.

Oct.

Oct. 8: Catholic bishops from mainland China and Taiwan in dialogue at Synod on Synodality

In an interview with CNA, the first Indigenous bishop of Taiwan says he met with the two bishops from mainland China taking part in the synod and plans to meet with them again. “It’s very important to dialogue with them, to respect each other. I think it’s good … not only for the Chinese, for the whole Church,” Bishop Norbert Pu of Taiwan tells Courtney Mares.

Oct. 8: Who is in charge of drafting the final document of the Synod of Synodality?

Paolo Ruffini, the synod’s communications head, announces the 14 members of the Final Document Commission. The seven continental delegates are:

• Catherine Clifford, a theologian from St. Paul University in Ottawa, for North America

• Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, for Africa

• Father Clarence Davedassan of Malaysia is the pick from Asia

• Bishop Shane Mackinlay of Sandhurst, Australia, for Oceania

• Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio of Bogotá, Colombia, for Central and South America

• Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France, for Europe

• Bishop Mounir Khairallah, a Maronite prelate, for the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Middle East

The other members include three direct picks from Pope Francis and four automatic appointments, writes Jonathan Liedl.

Oct. 8: Synod participants donate for Gaza parish

In a video played for journalists at the Holy See Press Office on Oct. 8, Gaza parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli thanks synod participants for both prayers and financial help, because in Gaza, “everyone is in need of everything.”

The pope’s charity office announces that synod participants donated 32,000 euros (about $35,000) for the Catholic parish in Gaza from synod participants on Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.

The synod donations were combined with another 30,000 euros (about $33,000) from Pope Francis’ charity coffers and sent to Holy Family Parish, the only Roman Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip, which is sheltering hundreds of Palestinian Catholics.

Oct. 7: Pope invites prayer for the Middle East as participants from that region begin week 2 of the synod

Since the beginning of the Synod on Synodality, synod delegates and participants have echoed Pope Francis’ pleas for prayers and solidarity with communities across the war-ravaged region. As the second week of the synod gets underway, on the World Day of Prayer and Fasting held on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope Francis addressed Catholics in the Middle East on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. Kristina Millare has more.

Oct. 7: Women deacons off the table? Synod delegate claims ‘some women sense a call to priesthood’

While the topic of “women deacons” is not formally up for discussion at the Synod on Synodality assembly this month, the official Vatican press conference for the synod showcases a female delegate who spoke about women experiencing “a call to priesthood,” Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 6: Pope Francis and synod participants pray rosary for peace

Invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary for peace in the world amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Pope Francis presides over a rosary prayer in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major on Sunday evening, Courtney Mares reports.

Oct. 5: A call for peace and an announcement of dialogue

A Lebanese bishop makes an impassioned plea for peace and forgiveness at the Synod on Synodality’s daily press briefing on Saturday as the assembly’s first week draws to a close.

Bishop Mounir Khairallah of Batroun shares his personal experience of violence and forgiveness, recounting how his parents were murdered when he was just 5 years old.

Meanwhile, a dialogue with study groups is announced for Oct. 18 after synod delegates vote for more interaction with the groups established by Pope Francis.

Oct. 4: What’s behind the viral photo of Pope Francis venerating a chair?

Pope Francis sits before the historic relic of St. Peter’s chair in the Ottoboni sacristy of St. Peter’s Basilica after celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the second session of the Synod on Synodality. What is behind this viral image? Madalaine Elhabbal explains.

Oct. 4: Participants put spotlight on world’s poor

Closing the first week of meetings, participants from different continents put a spotlight on the plight of the world’s poor and vulnerable on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Kristina Millare reports. 

The first week at the Synod on Synodality — revolution or much ado about nothing? 

Vaticanist Andrea Gagliarducci analyzes the first days of the gathering in Rome. He writes: “It seems clear that while the delegates may discuss many things over the next three weeks, nothing will be decided. There will be no doctrinal changes. No diminution of the role of the bishop. No rush to resolve the question of opening the diaconate to women.” 

Oct. 3: Many voices to be heard 

Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the synod, says at a press conference that “every believer, man or woman, and every group, association, movement, or community will be able to participate with their own contribution” via the synod’s 10 study groups.

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, tells journalists the work of participants in the second session of the Synod on Synodality is to find the “cohesive voice” that expresses the life of the Church.

Oct. 3: Cardinal Fernández rules out women deacons

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, on Oct. 3 shuts down speculation regarding further theological study into the possibility of women being ordained as deacons. Father Giacomo Costa, special secretary of the synod, says this month’s discussions held in the Vatican should serve as “laboratories of synodal life,” Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 3: Solving sexuality questions with ‘contextual fidelity’?

A study group appointed by Pope Francis to explore a synodal approach to the Church’s most debated issues — including sexual morality and life matters — proposes “contextual fidelity” and a “new paradigm” that downplays long-standing Church teaching, Jonathan Liedl notes. 

Oct. 2: Pope Francis calls for new ways for bishops to be ‘synodal’

At the first meeting of the full assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis says a bishop’s ministry should include cooperation with laypeople and that the synod will need to identify “differing forms” of the exercise of this ministry.

Oct. 2: Pope Francis opens synod, warns against personal ‘agendas’

Pope Francis opens the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, which is meant to deepen the missionary perspective of the Church, explains EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser.

“Let us be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed,” the pope says at the synod’s opening Mass on Oct. 2, Courtney Mares reports. The pontiff warns: “Ours is not a parliamentary assembly but rather a place of listening in communion.”

Oct. 2: Looming questions about role of German ‘synodality’ 

“More candor about the motivations of the German Synodal Path and its vision of the Catholic future would be helpful in determining what, if anything, it has to offer the world Church at Synod 2024,” comments George Weigel in the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 1: Penitential liturgy is held in St. Peter’s Basilica; more than 500 people attend

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church, Kristina Millare reports. 

Nine years ago, this papal speech set the ‘synodality’ machine in motion

Since Pope Francis’ 2015 speech, synodality has grown from a theological concept into a guiding principle of Church governance. Analysis from Jonathan Liedl in the National Catholic Register.

The Human Exploration Rover Challenge team at St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Diocese of Richmond. / Credit: Peter Tlusty

CNA Staff, Oct 23, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A Catholic middle school in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, is one of just two middle schools in the world chosen to compete in a prominent NASA engineering challenge. 

NASA announced earlier this month the teams of students it had picked to participate in this year’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC). Middle schoolers at St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Richmond Diocese were selected to participate; the other is Jesco von Puttkamer School in Leipzig, Germany.

The program “aims to put competitors in the mindset of NASA’s Artemis campaign as they pitch an engineering design for a lunar terrain vehicle which simulates astronauts piloting a vehicle, exploring the lunar surface while overcoming various obstacles,” according to NASA. The Artemis program will in 2026 put human beings back on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. 

All told, students from 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools were chosen by NASA; the teams hail from “20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 other nations from around the world,” NASA said. 

Among the other competitors is Pontifical Catholic University in Lima, Peru, as well as the Catholic University of Bolivia and the Catholic University of Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo.

This is the 31st annual HERC program and the first time the challenge has been open to middle schoolers. The program has historically consisted of students crafting full-scale operational mock-ups of rovers; this year, for the first time, NASA introduced a remote-controlled division.

Both middle schools are competing in the remote division, as are several high school and college teams. The remote teams will “work to solve complex scientific tasks with a purpose-built vehicle,” NASA said.

Peter Tlusty, an IB MYP design and technology teacher at the Richmond school, said the 28 students in the program will have to engage in numerous problem-solving and logistical challenges as part of the program in addition to designing the rover itself. 

“They have to come up with a budget. They have to do fundraisings. They have to have a media presence — Facebook and stuff like that,” he said. 

Students will eventually take their rover down to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to test it out on an obstacle course that mimics both the lunar and Martian surfaces. 

Tlusty said the team will rigorously test the rover on a series of makeshift environments in Richmond before traveling to Alabama. 

“We’re going to reach out to a couple of the landscaping places around Richmond and see if they’ll let us bring our rover out to their sand piles,” he said. The team may also seek donations from local landscaping outfits to create a mock-up course on campus. 

The competition can contribute greatly to a student’s academic success, Tlusty said. 

“One of the first things kids ask is, ‘What do we get if we win?’” Tlusty said with a laugh. “Well, for one, it looks great on your résumé.” 

“I tell the kids: This puts you a notch above in competitions for scholarships,” he said. “And it looks good on a college application too.”

Tlusty said it’s a considerable distinction to be chosen for the program. 

“Last year the number of HERC applications was a record,” he said. “And this year the applications were up 40%. This is a competitive challenge people apply for.” 

“It’s amazing to be included,” he continued. “When I saw they only picked two middle school teams, I was astonished. It’s quite the honor.”

Father Gustavo Gutierrez Merino, OP, who is regarded as the father of liberation theology. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Notre Dame/Matt Cashore

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 23, 2024 / 04:35 am (CNA).

Gustavo Gutiérrez Merino, the Peruvian Dominican priest considered the ”father” of liberation theology, died Oct. 22 at the age of 96.

The Dominican Province of St. John the Baptist of Peru announced the death of Gutiérrez, noting he was the author of the influential 1971 book “A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation.”

“We ask for your prayers to accompany our dear brother so that he may enjoy eternal life,” stated the announcement signed by Father Rómulo Vásquez Gavidia, OP, the provincial prior.

The Dominicans indicated that Gutiérrez’s remains would lie in state at the Santo Domingo convent in Lima’s historic center.

The Vatican and liberation theology

The theology of liberation is a school of thought that explored dimensions of liberation from the standpoint of Catholic social teaching. In some of its radical expressions, in particular in Latin America, liberation theology embraced many elements of Marxist theory and advocated for social change through various forms of revolution. At times, it also cast Christ as a form of revolutionary figure.

Its more extreme dimensions emphasized a closeness with the poor and the suffering and called for authentic liberation in Christ.

In a January 2017 interview with Spanish newspaper El País, Pope Francis said: “Liberation theology was a positive thing in Latin America. The Vatican condemned the part that opted for Marxist analysis of reality. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger [the later Pope Benedict XVI] issued two instructions when he was prefect of the [then-Congregation for the] Doctrine of the Faith: One very clear about the Marxist analysis of reality, and the second taking up positive aspects.”

During St. John Paul II’s papacy, the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith conducted an investigation that resulted in two documents: “The Instruction on Certain Aspects of the ‘Theology of Liberation,’” Libertatis Nuntius (1984), and the “Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation,” Libertatis Conscientia (1986). 

Over many years, the Vatican examined Gutiérrez’s writings. In 2006, the Peruvian bishops’ conference reported that the Vatican had “concluded the path of clarification of problematic points contained in some works of the author” in 2004, with a revised second version of Gutiérrez’s article “Ecclesial Koinonia.”

Life and writings

Born on June 8, 1928, Gutiérrez was ordained a priest in 1959 and joined the Dominican order in 2001. He studied medicine and literature at the National University of San Marcos while participating in Catholic Action. He later studied theology at the University of Louvain in Belgium and the Institut Catholique of Lyon in France.

Gutiérrez served as the John Cardinal O’Hara Endowed professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. His books have been translated into multiple languages.

John Cavadini, the former head of Notre Dame’s theology department, recruited Gutiérrez to his post.

“Unlike a number of liberation theologians, Father Gustavo was concerned to remain with the boundaries of orthodox Catholic faith and ecclesial discipline. As a result, he expanded ecclesial sensibilities in ways that permanently affected, you could say, developed, Catholic social teaching and beyond that, into its theological presuppositions,” Cavadini told the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, on Wednesday.

“Father Gustavo practiced what he preached,” Cavadini added. “He always worked with the poor, offering catechesis and connection with the Fathers of the Church and Thomas Aquinas (among others), adapted for their educational level whatever it might be. May he rest in peace!”

One of Gutiérrez’s last international appearances was in Rome in October 2019 at a congress held at the Jesuit General Curia. There, at the invitation of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (CAL), he delivered a lecture on “The Preferential Option for the Poor.”

A year earlier, in June 2018, Pope Francis sent Gutiérrez a letter for his 90th birthday, thanking him “for what you have contributed to the Church and humanity through your theological service and your preferential love for the poor and the discarded of society.”

Jonathan Liedl of the National Catholic Register contributed to this report.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

St. John Capistrano and St. Bernardine of Siena. Museum of Fine Arts of Granada. Painting, oil on canvas, by Alonso Cano (1653-1657) for an altarpiece of the disappeared Franciscan convent of San Antonio and San Diego, Granada. / Credit: Jl FilpoC, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Oct 23, 2024 / 04:00 am (CNA).

On Oct. 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the life of St. John of Capistrano, a Franciscan priest whose life included a political career, extensive missionary journeys, efforts to reunite separated Eastern Christians with Rome, and a historically important turn at military leadership.

Invoked as a patron of military chaplains, St. John of Capistrano was praised by St. John Paul II — whose feast day was yesterday, Oct. 22 — in a 2002 general audience for his “glorious evangelical witness” and as a priest who “gave himself with great generosity for the salvation of souls.”

Born in Italy in 1385, John lost his father — a French or possibly German knight who had settled in Capistrano — at a young age. John’s mother took care to have him educated, and after learning Latin he went on to study both civil law and Church law in Perugia. An outstanding student, he soon became a prominent public figure and was appointed governor of the city at age 26.

John showed high standards of integrity in his civic career, and in 1416 he labored to end a war that had erupted between Perugia and the prominent House of Malatesta. But when the nobles had John imprisoned, he began to question his life’s direction. Encountering St. Francis of Assisi in a dream, he resolved to embrace poverty, chastity, and obedience with the Franciscans.

Abandoning his possessions and social status, John joined the religious order in October 1416. He found a mentor in St. Bernardine of Siena, known for his bold preaching and his method of prayer focused on the invocation of the name of Jesus. Taking after his teacher in these respects, John began preaching as a deacon in 1420 and was ordained a priest in 1425.

John successfully defended his mentor from a charge of heresy made against his way of devotion, though he found less success in his efforts to resolve internal controversy among the followers of St. Francis. A succession of popes entrusted important matters to John, including the effort to reunite Eastern and Western Christendom at the Ecumenical Council of Florence.

Drawing immense crowds in his missionary travels throughout Italy, John also found success as a preacher in Central Europe, where he opposed the Hussites’ error regarding the nature and administration of the Eucharist. After Constantinople fell to Turkish invaders in 1453, Pope Nicholas V sent John on a mission to rally other European leaders in defense of their lands.

Nicholas’ successor Pope Callixtus III was even more eager to see the Christian world defend itself against the invading forces. When Sultan Mehmet II sought to extend his territorial gains into Serbia and Hungary, John joined the celebrated general Janos Hunyadi in his defense of Belgrade. The priest personally led a section of the army in its historic victory on Aug. 6, 1456.

Neither John nor the general, however, would survive long past the battle.

Weakened by the campaign against the Turks, Hunyadi became sick and died soon after the victory at Belgrade. John survived to preach Hunyadi’s funeral sermon, but his own extraordinary life came to an end after a painful illness on Oct. 23, 1456. St. John of Capistrano was canonized in 1724.

This story was first published on Oct. 21, 2012, and has been updated.

The archbishop of Valencia and president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, Jesús González de Zárate, and the apostolic nuncio in Venezuela, Archbishop Alberto Ortega Martín. / Credit: Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference

Caracas, Venezuela, Oct 22, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

At the conclusion of the 45th Extraordinary Plenary Assembly of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference (CEV, by its Spanish acronym), the bishops published a statement that included an analysis of the current state of the country along with a demand that the government release thousands of detainees, including minors, who were arrested in the demonstrations following that country’s July 28 presidential election.

The assembly, which concluded Oct. 17 in Caracas, was led by Jesús González de Zárate, archbishop of Valencia and president of the CEV.

Extraordinary assemblies are convened when circumstances require it. The last one was held two years ago on April 26, 2022, when the protocol for the prevention of abuse in the Church was approved.

This year, the meeting aimed to analyze the situation in Venezuela and make pastoral decisions that respond to the emerging needs of the ecclesial community.

The bishops met with representatives of ecclesiastical, educational, and social institutions “to reflect on the national reality within a methodology that involves dialogue and discernment,” according to the CEV.

Under the title “The Truth Will Set You Free” (cf. Jn 8:31), the bishops reiterated their call to the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE, by its Spanish acronym) “so that, in accordance with what is established in the constitution and the laws, it publishes in detail the results of the electoral process carried out on July 28 in which the will of the Venezuelan people for change was evident.”

Since the presidential election in which the CNE declared Nicolás Maduro president-elect, despite numerous irregularities and accusations of fraud by the opposition and numerous actors in the international community, the bishops have published up to five messages addressed to the country in which they emphasized that “the truth, even if sought to be hidden, or reduced to the opinion of a few, prevails” (cf. Mk 4:22).

“The presentation of the results is an essential step to maintain the citizens’ confidence in the vote and to recover the true meaning of politics. Only in this way can we move forward together toward the construction of a democratic Venezuela in peace,” the bishops’ statement adds.

The prelates sharply criticized the repression by the state security agencies against peaceful demonstrations as well as “arbitrary arrests and violations of human rights that occurred after the elections” and demanded the release of those detained, “among whom are minors.”

The country’s bishops say they feel challenged by the cry of the people and renewed their commitment to all those who suffer, accompanying them in prayer and the services provided by the Catholic Church through its different agencies. “We reaffirm our commitment to be at their side in these difficult times,” they said.

Finally, they called on people not to lose hope, looking to Jesus and promoting different prayer initiatives “to pray for peace and the well-being of Venezuela.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Doctors announce the Women’s Health Declaration at a press conference on Oct. 22, 2024, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Migi Fabara/EWTN

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 22, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

A coalition of doctors has launched a petition calling for medical professionals, leaders, associations, and agencies across the political spectrum to unite in promoting a life-affirming “program of dignified health care for women” as debates over abortion misinformation continue to intensify around the United States.

Christina Francis, the CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) announced the Women’s Health Declaration at a press conference on Oct. 22 in Washington, D.C., stating: “Women and their preborn children deserve the best health care possible, and they deserve accurate information about their health care as well as the laws that impact that care. All of us can agree on that.”

The declaration seeks to address two particular concerns — the increased use of chemical abortion drugs following the FDA’s controversial move to deregulate those drugs, and the spread of misinformation about crisis pregnancies among health care professionals and their patients.

In its call to action, the text urges legislators to enact laws that protect women from the risks posed by abortions, both surgical and chemical, and to ensure accurate data collection and reporting about related casualties.

It also calls on medical professionals to provide accurate information about crisis pregnancies and abortions, and for hospitals to educate their staff on state laws and to hold them accountable in providing treatment for patients who present with miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, or other life-threatening conditions.

“Life-affirming women’s health care is defined as care that considers the health care needs of both of our patients — maternal and fetal,” the declaration reads. 

“Pregnant women need to be able to trust that their doctors will recommend what is best for both them and their preborn children, regardless of current political or cultural trends.”

During the press conference, Francis pointed out that despite having higher risks of complications, the majority of abortions in the U.S. are now induced through drugs such as mifepristone.

In addition, she noted, despite claims that women are being denied treatment on account of pro-life laws, no laws in any state prevent doctors from treating patients experiencing crisis-pregnancy-related emergencies. 

Francis and AAPLOG are among the pro-life doctors and organizations named in the recently rejected Supreme Court bid to reinstate the original FDA safety precautions on the abortion drug mifepristone. 

As CNA reported this week, three states have since moved to revive the case in a lower court after the Supreme Court determined the original plaintiffs lacked standing. 

“The women I have cared for who experienced complications like heavy bleeding, infection, and retained tissue deserved better, and they deserved to know about these risks,” Francis said. 

“Women and physicians across this country also need to know that every state in the country allows physicians like me to intervene immediately to treat miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, post-abortion complications, and other potentially life-threatening pregnancy complications at any point in pregnancy.”

Emergency medicine physician Cortney Draper also echoed this sentiment at the press event, stating that “treatment of pregnant women with medical emergencies should not be falsely equated with the desire to expand access for induced elective abortion.”

“For example,” she noted, “just last week, I treated a woman who unfortunately had a tubal ectopic pregnancy. There was no legal question about my ability to appropriately treat her emergency. In fact, this treatment is not legally restricted by any state’s law.” 

The declaration is co-sponsored by 11 other organizations in addition to AAPLOG, including the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the American Academy of Medical Ethics, the American Association of Christian Counselors, the American College of Family Medicine, and several other groups.

Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prays during a roundtable discussion with Latino community leaders at Trump National Doral Miami resort in Miami on Oct. 22, 2024. / Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 22, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Former president Donald Trump continued courting Catholic and other Christian voters at a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, accusing Vice President Kamala Harris of being “destructive to Christianity” and alleging Catholics are “treated worse than anybody.”

The Monday evening “11th Hour Faith Leaders Meeting” rally came 15 days before Election Day in the important battleground state that Trump won in 2016 and 2020. Polls show Trump with a slight edge in the Tar Heel State, with Harris polling just one-half of a percentage point behind the former president — well within the margin of error.

“[Harris is] very destructive to Christianity and very destructive to evangelicals and to the Catholic Church,” Trump told rally-goers. “… She is your worst nightmare. Much worse, much worse than [President Joe] Biden, and he wasn’t so hot.”

Trump referenced a leaked Richmond FBI memo, which outlined plans to investigate a supposed link between so-called “radical traditionalist Catholics” and “the far-right white nationalist movement.” The document, which was later retracted, suggested developing sources within Catholic churches that offer the Traditional Latin Mass and within traditionalist Catholic online communities.

“The FBI would send spies into Catholic churches [if Harris wins],” Trump asserted. “I don’t know how many Catholics are here, but if you’re Catholic, there is no way you can be voting for these people. These people are a nightmare. I don’t know what they have against Catholics, but Catholics are treated worse than anybody.”

After the memo was leaked to the public and retracted, the FBI asserted that it was the product of “one FBI field office” and “did not meet the exacting standards of the FBI.” A House Judiciary Committee investigation, however, claimed that multiple FBI field offices collaborated to facilitate an investigation of Catholics. An internal review by the FBI and a report from the Biden-Harris Department of Justice claimed there was “no malicious intent” on the part of FBI officials.

Trump also criticized Harris for an incident that occurred at one of her campaign rallies in which two college students said they were asked to leave after shouting “Jesus is Lord.” A video shows that other protesters also yelled “Lies!” and “Liar!” at Harris before she responded by saying, “You guys are at the wrong rally.”

“She heard shouting from the background: Jesus is Lord; Jesus is Lord,” Trump said. “Kamala Harris ridiculed them, mocked them, and told them they were … at the wrong rally. She basically said ‘get out.’”

At the rally, Trump promised to sign an executive order to ban “transgender insanity” in public schools and to impose a national ban on transgender surgeries on minors, which he called “child sexual mutilation.” He also said he would “keep men out of women’s sports.” 

“I will take historic action to defeat the toxic poison of gender ideology and reaffirm that God created two genders, male and female,” Trump said. 

Trump also said he would prevent the IRS from using the Johnson Amendment to punish churches and pastors who speak out on political issues. He said during his first term he protected “the religious freedom of doctors, nurses, teachers, and faith groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor.” 

“On Nov. 5, Christian voters need to turn out in the largest numbers ever,” Trump said at the rally. “... I hope that we’re going to get numbers like we haven’t seen.”

In the final stretch of the campaign, Trump has also pursued Latino Christians in his home state of Florida. On Tuesday, he attended an event with Latinos for Trump in Miami. Among the attendees were Goya Foods CEO Bob Unanue and Catholic actor Eduardo Verástegui.

At the end of the meeting, a group of Christians, including several Catholics, prayed over Trump, asking God to strengthen the former president and help him “make America godly again.”

Harris also sought to court Christian voters as the election nears by speaking at two Protestant churches in the Atlanta area with predominantly Black congregations last weekend. Trump holds a narrow lead on Harris in Georgia, according to recent polls, but that lead is within the margin of error. 

A report from Arizona Christian University earlier this month found that more than 100 million Americans who identify with a religious faith do not plan to vote. This includes 46 million people who attend Protestant church services and 19 million Catholics who attend Mass.

The “EWTN News Nightly” and “EWTN News In Depth” team at the Washington, D.C., studios of EWTN. / Credit: EWTN News

CNA Staff, Oct 22, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

EWTN News is preparing to offer extensive coverage on the night of the 2024 U.S. general election, and viewers can expect balanced reporting rooted in Catholic teaching amid a divisive political climate. 

The EWTN network — the largest Catholic media network in the world — will provide live election results and other coverage across its television, radio, and online news platforms during and after election night. 

On Nov. 5, when Americans head to the polls, EWTN’s live television coverage will begin with a one-hour show at 6 p.m. ET, with another one-hour show airing at 9 p.m. that evening. The next day, Nov. 6, live coverage will begin again at 10 a.m. ET.

The broadcast will include live reports from battleground states as well as expert guests to discuss the election results as they come in. Viewers can tune in online or listen on EWTN radio.

From now until Election Day, Catholics can make use of EWTN News’ resource page for voters, which includes news articles and videos, extensive polling of Catholics conducted by EWTN, a Catholic voter guide, an interactive map of state ballot measures related to abortion, and more.     

As always, EWTN’s online news sources at Catholic News Agency and the National Catholic Register will provide up-to-the-minute coverage before, during, and after Election Day.

According to EWTN News President and COO Montse Alvarado, the network aims to strike a balance in its coverage, recognizing the presence and need for diverse perspectives while upholding Catholic teaching and values. 

“Everyone’s unhappy with the division in the country. So we’re particularly called, as Catholics and Christians, to step into this moment and speak truth into it,” Alvarado said.

Alvarado continued by emphasizing that EWTN News seeks to present the truth, even when it challenges prevailing narratives or political positions. She also highlighted the importance of prayer and discernment, especially in the face of difficult decisions.

She said she sees the highly consequential election as an opportunity to encourage Catholics to be active and engaged citizens, with a foundation of prayer as the starting point for their political action.

“This is a time that we need to double down in prayer … This is not the moment to stand aside and let someone else make those decisions for us,” Alvarado continued.

“We don’t tell anyone how to vote, but it is a Christian responsibility to be active in civil society. And we’re pillars of that civil society.”

Catholics wanting to browse and follow EWTN News’ coverage of the election can find everything at www.ewtnnews.com/election.