Catholic News

• Pope Leo: St. Agatha recalls God's goodness (CWN)
  At the conclusion of his February 4 general audience, Pope Leo XIV recalled St. Agatha.
• Human fraternity is an urgent necessity, Pope writes in Zayed Award message (CWN)
  In a message for the International Day of Human Fraternity and the awarding of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to “what is most precious and universal in our humanity: our fraternity, that unbreakable bond which unites every human being, created in the image of God.”
• Pope Leo exhorts pilgrims to read Sacred Scripture (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV exhorted pilgrims present at his February 4 general audience in Paul VI Audience Hall to read Sacred Scripture.
• Vatican diplomat weighs in on bioengineering, transplants of animal organs into humans (Holy See Mission)
  Addressing the executive board of the World Health Organization, a Vatican diplomat discussed organ donation, xenotransplantation (the transplantation of organs from animals), and bioengineering. Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, praised organ donation after death but cautioned that “transplants must always be performed ethically, in a way that respects human dignity,” and never “as an object of trade.” Turning to xenotransplantation, Archbishop Balestrero said in his February 3 statement that “the transplant of procreative organs, or parts of the human brain, which are responsible for the personal identity, is morally unacceptable.” He added, “Any unnecessary suffering of animals must be prevented, and the biodiversity and the balance of species within the created order must be respected as research in this area is pursued.” Commenting on bioengineering, he said: While these technologies could indeed make a real impact in meeting the demand for organs, cells and tissues, it is essential that stem cells used in these processes are obtained through morally acceptable techniques. In this regard, the Holy See deems unacceptable and strongly condemns the use of pluripotent embryonic stem cells. This includes cells derived from embryos so-called “left over” following IVF procedures, or “manufactured” by IVF specifically for the purpose of obtaining stem cells. The Holy See also condemns the use of foetal cells and tissues derived from aborted fetuses.
• USCCB president: New START's expiration is 'simply unacceptable' (CWN)
  The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops described the expiration of New START, an arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States, as “simply unacceptable.”
• Amid Russian bombings, Ukrainian Catholic diocese houses families (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia, Ukraine, announced that he will house families affected by Russian bombings in diocesan offices. Father Wojciech Stasiewicz, director of the diocesan charitable organization Caritas-Spes, discussed the bishop’s decision in an interview with the Vatican newspaper and said that Russian bombing has left 70%-80% of Kharkiv’s residents without power, amid subzero temperatures. “Without electricity, there is no heating, and this makes life extremely difficult, especially in apartment buildings where there are no alternatives such as stoves or fireplaces,” said Father Stasiewicz. The priest expressed gratitude for donations of generators from the Polish government and Caritas Poland.
• Bishop Varden to preach Lenten retreat to Pope, Curia (CWN)
  The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced that Bishop Erik Varden, OCSO, of Trondheim, Norway, will preach the Lenten spiritual exercises to Pope Leo XIV and the Roman Curia.
• Talitha Kum leader describes meeting with Pontiff as 'sacred moment' (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  A delegation of 20 members of Talitha Kum, an international network of consecrated life against human trafficking, met with Pope Leo at his February 4 general audience. “Coming here from all continents, finding ourselves before the Pope to listen to his words, which from the very first day have invited us to live in peace with ourselves, in our country, in our society and in our community, was a sacred moment,” said Sister Abby Avelino, coordinator of Talitha Kum. “From Leo XIV, we received encouragement to continue the fight against the scourge of human trafficking, aware that peace will not be possible unless we truly respect human dignity.” February 8, the memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita, is the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Human Trafficking.
• Archbishop Weisenburger: ICE actions put America's soul at risk (Detroit Catholic)
  “Our nation’s immigration procedures” are “among the issues that keep me awake at night,” Archbishop Edward Weisenburger of Detroit wrote in a newspaper column. Commenting on recent actions by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Archbishop Weisenburger said that “I must admit that when I look at the totality of this situation, I am dumbfounded and deeply disturbed ... Increasingly, I find myself asking if our nation is losing its very soul.” The prelate added that “without substantial immigration reform that balances legitimately maintained borders with the mercy that has always been at the root of our nation, I fear we will continue to see 5-year-olds separated from mothers, American citizens killed while protesting or exercising their right to free speech and documented immigrants who arrived in this nation via the correct channels rounded up for deportation.”
• Restoration work begins on Michelangelo's Last Judgment (Vatican Museums)
  The Vatican Museums announced the beginning of three months of restoration work on The Last Judgment, during which “Michelangelo’s supreme masterpiece will undergo a cleaning procedure.” The Sistine Chapel will remain open as the restoration work takes place.
• Brazilian bishop transferred to smaller diocese (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV has transferred a Brazilian bishop to a smaller diocese.
• Events announced for World Day of the Sick in Chiclayo, Peru (Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development)
  The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has announced the schedule for the principal commemoration of the 2026 World Day of the Sick (background). The commemoration will take place at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru. Bishop Robert Prevost, the future Pontiff, was bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, is his special envoy to the commemoration.
• Do not neglect Scripture's human dimension or divine origin, Pope says at audience on Vatican II (CWN)
  Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV reflected today on Sacred Scripture as “the Word of God in human words.”
• Pope appeals for prayer for Ukraine, continuance of expiring Russia-US arms treaty (CWN)
  At the conclusion of today’s general audience, Pope Leo XIV appealed for prayer for Ukraine and for the continuation of New START, an arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States that expires tomorrow.
• Pope Francis's secret decrees in spotlight in Vatican's 'trial of the century' (AP)
  At a February 3 appellate hearing in the Vatican’s “trial of the century,” a defense attorney argued that four secret decrees issued by Pope Francis granted “surreal carte blanche” to prosecutors and that the decrees’ secrecy was reminiscent of a fascist state. “According to the defendants, those papal decrees undermined the rule of law in the Vatican City state because they were tailored to the individuals involved in the London investment,” RNS reported. Defense attorneys also “reiterated long-standing objections that evidence collected during the investigation was not fully disclosed.”
• Pope Leo encourages India's bishops to promote unity, brotherhood (Catholic Bishops' Conference of India)
  Pope Leo sent a message to the Latin-rite Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CBCI) as it held a one-day meeting on February 3. Pope Leo “said the Latin Church in India is called to remain a living sign of Christian love,” according to the CBCI’s summary of the message. “Such love, he noted, breaks down barriers, brings people closer, unites strangers and reconciles enemies.”
• Vatican spokesman says talks with SSPX continue amid planned bishop consecrations (National Catholic Register)
  Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, told the National Catholic Register that “contacts between the Society of Saint Pius X and the Holy See are ongoing, with the aim of avoiding rifts or unilateral solutions to the issues that have arisen.” Bruni made his statement on February 3, the day after the Society announced its plans to ordain new bishops on July 1 without Vatican approval.
• St. John Henry Newman added to General Roman Calendar as optional memorial (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV has “decreed that Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church, be inscribed in the General Roman Calendar, and that his Optional Memorial be celebrated by all on 9 October,” according to a curial decree made public on February 3.
• Cardinal McElroy warns that 'the order of nature is eclipsing the order of grace' (Catholic Standard)
  In his homily at the annual meeting of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington warned, “I fear we as a nation are experiencing a moment in which the order of nature is eclipsing the order of grace.” “As a society we have allowed a Hobbesian conception of the world to dominate vital elements of our policymaking and public conversation,” Cardinal Robert McElroy preached on January 31. “Principles of human dignity and compassion are discarded in favor of a calculus that values the acquisition of wealth, military power and the stoking of racial, ethnic and economic divisions.” “Solutions rooted in the order of grace cannot countenance the vilification of the undocumented or the indiscriminate deportation of millions of undocumented men and women and families who have lived productively and peacefully in our land for decades and who contribute to our society so many of the values that we are desperately in need of,” he continued. The prelate added: The order of grace cannot tolerate the richest nation in the world, decimating the less than one percent of our federal budget that our nation gives to international humanitarian aid ... Even on the issue of abortion, this new rejection of the order of grace has brought us to a point where neither political party is willing to support critically important actions necessary to protect the unborn children of our country. And Jesus weeps.
• Consider the lessons of history, US bishops write in Black History Month statement (USCCB)
  The chairmen of the US bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation and Subcommittee on African American Affairs issued a brief statement for Black History Month. “We encourage the faithful to consider the lessons of history, honoring our heroes of the past and learning from the mistakes of the past,” said Bishop Daniel Garcia of Austin and Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell of Washington, DC. “Although we may at times encounter people or situations in our country that seek to erase ‘memory’ from our minds and books, it can never be erased from our hearts.” “Let us be courageous witnesses to truth,” the bishops added. “Let us pray and work to honor the inherent dignity of every person and the sacred stories of every people.”
• More...