Catholic News

• Pope's subject for weekly address: Zacchaeus meets Jesus (Vatican Press Office)
  In his weekly catechetical message for April 2, continuing his series of meditations on Christ’s encounters in the Gospel, Pope Francis focused on the story of Zacchaeus, saying that “It has a special place in my spiritual journey.” Zacchaeus was a short man, the Pope remarked, a reminder that we all “have limitations that we have to deal with.” In this case, Zacchaeus took the initiative to climb a tree so that he could see Jesus. Jesus not only sees him but comes to his home. There, “after listening to Jesus’ words of forgiveness, [Zacchaeus] stands up, as if he were arising from a condition of death.” The Pope’s catechetical address is ordinarily delivered during this Wednesday public audience. While the Pontiff recovers from pneumonia, and audiences are not taking place, the Vatican is releasing his prepared texts.
• Vatican releases Holy Week liturgical schedule without naming celebrants (Vatican Press Office)
  The Vatican has released a schedule of liturgical events for Holy Week and Easter, without naming the prelates who will act as celebrants. Still unsure whether Pope Francis will have recovered sufficiently to take part in public events, the Vatican listed the Palm Sunday Mass, the Chrism Mass, Good Friday devotions, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday Mass—including the urbi et orbi blessing—but did not name celebrants.
• Cardinal Parolin calls on mankind, Europe to turn to Christ, seek healing, peace (Vatican News (Italian))
  Preaching at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 1 for the second Italian synodal assembly, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, compared mankind and Europe to the paralytic in the day’s Gospel reading. Mankind, he said, is “in the grip of the madness of power on the one hand and heavily wounded by violence on the other.” He continued: Do you want to get well? Do you really want to free yourself from the illusory logic that paralyzes you? Because first of all you need to put your inner resources into motion. If so, then get up, take your stretcher and walk. That is, free yourself from everything that prevents you from walking towards healing and peace . Mankind can free itself through Jesus, “the source of gushing water,” Cardinal Parolin explained, since Christ is capable of “making everything he touches to flourish again.”
• Flashback 20 years ago: the death of Pope John Paul II (CWN)
  The CWN report that follows originally appeared on April 2, 2005.
• Italian synodal assembly, day 1: Dialogue with the world is essential, says Cardinal Zuppi (CWN)
  Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, delivered the opening address at the Church in Italy’s second synodal assembly, which is taking place at the Vatican, in Paul VI Audience Hall, from March 31 to April 3.
• Spain no longer a Catholic country, archbishop says (CNA)
  The president of the Spanish bishops’ conference has reminded his colleagues that it is wrong to assume that anyone Spanish is Catholic. Archbishop Luis Arguello, speaking at the opening of the meeting of the episcopal conference, said: “The has passed, settled for centuries, when we said: I’m Catholic because I was born in Spain.” Meanwhile, Catholic protesters held a demonstration outside the bishops’ headquarters to register their disapproval of the bishops’ decision to cooperate with a government plan to “resignify” the Valley of the Fallen. Built to honor the victims of the Spanish Civil War and to promote reconciliation, the memorial houses a basilica and a Benedictine monastery. The Socialist government wants to convert the memorial to secular purposes. The bishops’ conference is currently negotiating a compromise solution.
• Ecumenical group denounces Israeli displacement of Palestinians (Fides)
  An ecumenical group of Christian leaders has denounced Israeli military efforts against Palestinians, saying: “To expel the Palestinians from their homeland is not only an act of violence; it is a sacrilege.” The group, “A Jerusalem Voice for Justice,” reported that the Israeli military is now “carrying out the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank from their homes since 1967.” Their report charged that 40,000 Palestinians have been driven from their homes, and “the annexation of Palestinian territories by Israel may be imminent.” The group denounced as “misguided” the belief that “God wants Israel to annex our homeland.” The statement was signed by Archbishop Michel Sabbah, the retired Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem, and by Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan; Sawsan Bitar, coordinator of the Sabeel Ecumenical Center; Palestinian theologian John Munayer; Jesuit Father David Neuhaus; and Father Frans Bouwen of the Missionaries of Africa.
• Cardinal Nichols, in pastoral letter, denounces assisted-suicide bill (Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales)
  Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster has issued a pastoral letter encouraging Catholics in the United Kingdom to contact their representatives in Parliament, urging opposition to a bill that would make assisted-suicide legal. In the letter—which will be read as all parishes in the diocese this weekend—the cardinal makes a special point of saying that Parliament has moved hastily toward approval of a bill “which has not been properly scrutinized and which will bring about damaging consequences.” “It is sad reflection on Parliament’s priorities that the House of Commons spent far more time debating the ban on fox hunting than it is spending debating bringing in assisted suicide,” the cardinal writes.
• Report finds 111 attacks on Israeli Christians in 2024; most perpetrated by 'ultra-Orthodox' Jews (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  A new report by the Jerusalem-based Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue has found “111 cases of attacks or violence recorded in 2024” against Christians in Israel and Jerusalem, the Vatican newspaper reported. “In 35 cases there was also vandalism of churches, monasteries and public religious signs,” the report continued. “In almost all cases, the perpetrators identified are young ultra-Orthodox Jews belonging to the circles of nationalist-religious extremism.” The report added that “unfortunately, [their] growing influence in Israeli government policy has contributed to creating an environment of constant threat towards religious minorities and, in particular, Christians. The results are dire ... 48% of young Christians under 30 interviewed said they were considering leaving the region and migrating.”
• Vatican UN envoy wants interest-free loans to 'middle-income' countries (Vatican News)
  In an address to a UN meeting on middle-income countries, the Vatican’s representative has suggested that these countries should receive interest-free loans, to help them escape their debt burdens. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia said: “Many middle-income countries already face high debt burdens, and financing that generates further debt risks deepening their financial distress.” He said that the countries need foreign investment to stimulate their economic growth, but cannot afford to increase their current debt burdens.
• Kentucky lawmakers defy court decision, order return of Ten Commandments monument to capitol (Religion Clause)
  Defying a 2002 court decision, Kentucky lawmakers have passed a resolution ordering the return of a Ten Commandments monument to the state capitol. The resolution took effect after Gov. Andy Beshear neither signed nor vetoed the measure. The Ten Commandments monument, donated to the state capitol in 1971, was removed in 2002 following a federal court decision. The new resolution states that the legal justification for the 2002 court decision “has been abandoned by the United States Supreme Court, and is no longer good law.”
• Vatican investigator warns: Institute of the Incarnate Word resisting reform (Pillar)
  A Vatican investigator appointed to supervise reforms in the Institute of the Incarnate Word has complained that he is “encountering strong resistance,” and issued a clear warning: “It would be a pity if the resistance to recognize mistakes were to spoil the great good that has been done.” Bishop José Satué said that the Institute, founded in 1984 in Argentina, must “recognize the harm caused by some of its members and certain dynamics...that do not reflect the style of Jesus Christ.” The group has been the target of inquiries since its founder, Father Carlos Buela, was found guilty of inappropriate conduct with adults and ordered by the Vatican to leave the group and live in isolation in Italy.
• Syracuse abuse victims back $100M bankruptcy plan (Syracuse Post-Standard)
  324 people who allege they suffered clerical sexual abuse in the Diocese of Syracuse have voted to approve a bankruptcy plan that would establish a $100-million fund for victims. The upstate New York diocese declared bankruptcy in 2020. “Bishop Douglas Lucia previously said the diocese would cover half of the $100 million fund, with the rest paid by parishes, schools, missions and Catholic Charities,” the Syracuse Post-Standard reported. “If split evenly among the parishes, each would face an average bill of nearly $400,000.”
• Church in Bahrain takes further root with introduction of child missionary society (Fides)
  Bishop Aldo Berardi, the apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, has inaugurated the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood in Bahrain, just four years after the dedication of the cathedral there. During a Mass on March 28, 46 children pledged to be “child missionaries, to become friends of Jesus, and to serve [other] children,” the Fides news agency reported. The nation of 1.6 million, located in the Persian Gulf (map), is 78% Muslim, 12% Christian (10% Catholic), and 9% Hindu. Islam is the state religion, with religious freedom respected to a markedly greater degree than in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey there in 2022.
• Supreme Court grills Wisconsin attorney on Catholic Charities case (New York Times)
  In March 31 oral arguments in the case of Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin, US Supreme Court justices seemed likely to rule against a state determination that Catholic Charities does not qualify as a religious organization. Wisconsin courts had affirmed the judgment of the state’s Labor and Industry Review Commission that Catholic Charities did not qualify for a religious exemption from unemployment taxes because the bureau did not “attempt to imbue program participants with the Catholic faith.” Several Supreme Court justices questioned the logic of that ruling. Justice Elena Kagan observed that some religions require proselytism, while others do not. “Why are we treating some religions better than others on that element of religious doctrine,” she asked. Justice Amy Coney Barrett—who often differs with Justice Kagan—agreed: “Judaism does not have that as part of its religion. So does that mean that Judaism is completely disqualified from getting the exemption when they’re running these sorts of organizations?”
• Breaking: Mystery vandals cut top from Vatican obelisk (CWN)
  The tip of the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square has been reported missing, leaving Vatican officials unable to explain its disappearance.
• Vatican update on papal health (Vatican News)
  In an April 1 update on the health of Pope Francis, the Vatican press office has disclosed that the Pontiff’s recovery is continuing, but still has not determined whether the Pope will be able to participate in public liturgical events of Holy Week. The Pope’s blood work is normal, and an X-ray has shown “an improvement in his lungs,” reported Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican press office. Doctors treating the Pope have been able to decrease the use of supplemental oxygen, providing high-flow oxygen “mainly at night and as necessary.” Pope Francis is working at his desk each day, but has not resumed meetings, except with “health personnel, as well as his closest collaborators.” He continues physical therapy, and has shown improvement in “motor skills, breathing, and the use of his voice.”
• Catholic woman named Syria's labor minister (AsiaNews)
  A Catholic woman, Hind Kabawat, has been named Syria’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. She is the only woman in the cabinet led by Syria’s president, the militant Islamist Ahmed al-Sharaa. Kabawat has worked as director of interfaith peacebuilding at George Mason University’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution. In February, she was the only Christian appointed to the seven-member committee drafting the nation’s new constitution.
• Trump administration withholding some Planned Parenthood funding (Politico)
  The Trump administration is withholding funding from Planned Parenthood offices, which are suspected of violating new federal policies “including prohibitions on promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion.” Nine state affiliates of Planned Parenthood have been notified of the temporary block on fund from the Title X family-planning program.
• 'Everything comes from the Spirit,' Pope tells Italian bishops' synodal assembly (CWN)
  Pope Francis has sent a message to the second synodal assembly of Italy’s dioceses, which is taking place at the Vatican, in Paul VI Audience Hall, from March 31 to April 3.
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