Catholic News

• The Spirit opens borders in our hearts, Pope Leo preaches on Pentecost Sunday (CWN)
  Citing a Pentecost homily by Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Leo emphasized in his own Pentecost Sunday homily on June 8 that the Holy Spirit “opens borders, first of all, in our hearts.”
• The Holy Spirit gives us one synodal evangelizing mission, Pope tells ecclesial movements (CWN)
  Preaching during a Pentecost vigil to an estimated 70,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV told members of ecclesial movements that “at Pentecost, Mary, the Apostles, and the disciples with them received a Spirit of unity, which forever grounded in the one Lord Jesus Christ all their diversity.”
• Leo XIV reflects on faith of Nicaea, date of Easter (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Leo XIV address participants in a conference on the Council of Nicaea organized by the International Orthodox Theological Association and the Angelicum’s Institute for Ecumenical Studies. The Pontiff reflected on three themes of the conference: the faith of Nicaea, synodality, and the date of Easter. “The Council of Nicaea is not merely an event of the past but a compass that must continue to guide us towards the full visible unity of Christians,” he said in his June 7 address, adding: I am convinced that by returning to the Council of Nicaea and drawing together from this common source, we will be able to see in a different light the points that still separate us. Through theological dialogue and with the help of God, we will gain a better understanding of the mystery that unites us. By celebrating together this Nicene faith and by proclaiming it together, we will also advance towards the restoration of full communion among us.
• Pontiff to visit Argentina, president's office says after Milei meets with Pope (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV received President Javier Milei of Argentina in a June 7 audience.
• Renewed papal prayer for peace in Regina Caeli address (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Leo XIV concluded his Pentecost Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square with a brief Regina Caeli address. After thanking those present at the Mass and noting the end of the school year in many places, the Pope said: Now, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us ask from the Holy Spirit the gift of peace. First of all, peace in our hearts, for only a peaceful heart can spread peace in the family, society and international relations. May the Spirit of the risen Christ open paths of reconciliation wherever there is war; may he enlighten those who govern and give them the courage to make gestures of de-escalation and dialogue.
• German bishop who refused involvement in Synodal Committee resigns at 70 (CWN)
  Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke, OSB, from the office of bishop of Eichstätt. The prelate is 70, five years younger than the customary retirement age for bishops.
• Take action on VP's impeachment, Philippine prelate urges Senate (CBCP News)
  In February, the Philippine House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte on culpable violation of the Constitution and other charges. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines, said that the impeachment trial in the Senate “must no longer be delayed. We call on our leaders to act with the highest sense of urgency.” The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines also urged the Senate to proceed with the trial.
• South African bishops' official disputes President Trump's white genocide claim (Crux)
  Mike Pothier, program manager of the Southern Africa Bishops’ Conference’s Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, disputed President Donald Trump’s recent claims about a white genocide in South Africa. The president made the claims made during a recent bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. “I was struck firstly by the rudeness and opportunism of Trump in surprising Ramaphosa with these videos and photos,” said Pothier. “It was soon clear that much of what Trump put forward as ‘facts’ concerning the murder of white farmers in South Africa was either completely false or highly exaggerated.”
• Speak about God and communicate Christian hope, Vatican cardinals tell leaders of lay movements (CWN)
  Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, addressed the leaders of the of 115 recognized lay associations and movements, who have gathered in Rome for their annual meeting with officials of the dicastery.
• Pope welcomes lay movements, different charisms (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Leo XIV met on June 6 with leaders of lay movements, who were gathered in Rome for a conference organized by the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life. The Pope said that the Church welcomes lay organizations, which present opportunities for Christians to work together. “The desire to work together for a common purpose reflects an essential reality: no one is Christian alone!” he said. The Pope went on to note the wide variety of charisms that guide the movements, showing the diversity of the Church. He urged them, however, to act as “leaven of unity.”
• Pope, in phone call, urges Putin to make peace (Vatican News)
  Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with Vladimir Putin on June 4, urging the Russian leader to “make a gesture that would favor peace” in Ukraine, the Vatican has disclosed. The Pope discussed the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine with Putin, emphasizing the need to allow aid to afflicted communities. He stressed “the importance of dialogue to create positive contacts between the parties and seek solutions to the conflict.” The Pontiff and Putin also talked about the mission of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who was appointed by Pope Francis to facilitate the exchange of war prisoners.
• Neocatechumenal Way founder, leaders meet with Pontiff (Neocatechumenal Way)
  Pope Leo XIV received Kiko Argüello, founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, in a June 5 audience, along with other leaders of the lay movement. The movement stated that the Pontiff offered Argüello and the other leaders his encouragement: Pope Leo XIV also marveled at the large number of families who, grateful to the Lord for the new life offered to them, have made themselves available to help the Church’s mission in the poorest and most difficult areas of the world. He was also struck by the presence of the Way in 138 countries and the number of Redemptoris Mater seminaries currently open in more than 100 dioceses on five continents, as well as the many seminarians preparing to become diocesan missionary priests.
• Cardinal Parolin tells Pope that Secretariat of State's 246 employees are mosaic of faith and love (CWN)
  Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, delivered a greeting to Pope Leo XIV during the June 5 papal audience with superiors and officials of the Secretariat of State.
• USCCB welcomes Supreme Court decision on Catholic Charities (CWN)
  The chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Religious Liberty.welcomed the US Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission (CWN coverage).
• Washington archdiocese plans heavy budget cuts (Pillar)
  Facing “crippling economic challenges,” the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, will cut back sharply on spending, merging departments and eliminating 30 staff positions at the archdiocesan pastoral center. Cardinal Robert McElroy said with regret that “a number of dedicated, hard-working employees will lose their jobs.” But he saw no alternative, he said, when faced with a $10-million annual budget deficit.
• Ukrainian Catholic leader, French ambassador discuss worsening humanitarian crisis (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
  Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, recently received Gaël Veyssière, France’s ambassador to Ukraine, at the latter’s request. The ambassador praised the Eastern Catholic church for its “role in conveying the truth about Ukraine to the international community, particularly to the Apostolic See, and in supporting the efforts of Pope Leo XIV to end the war,” according to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC). For his part, the Major Archbishop “emphasized that the humanitarian crises are worsening and spoke about the UGCC’s initiatives to address the urgent needs of the population. He also thanked the French side for its fruitful cooperation and continued support.”
• Cardinal, Orthodox metropolitan address international conference on Council of Nicaea (CWN)
  The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.is sponsoring a four-day ecumenical conference, organized by the International Orthodox Theological Association and the Angelicum’s Institute for Ecumenical Studies, on the 1700th anniversary the First Council of Nicaea, the first of the 21 ecumenical councils recognized by the Catholic Church.
• Italian president meets with Pope (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Leo XIV met on June 6 with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Their conversation touched on church-state relations and on international affairs, “with particular attention to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East,” the Vatican reported
• Vatican prosecutor investigating publicist Chaouqui? (Silere Non Possum (English))
  Alessandro Diddi, the Vatican’s chief prosecutor, is reportedly investigating charges of witness-tampering and influence-peddling against Francesca Chaouqui, a flamboyant figure in recent Vatican scandals. Chaouqui was convicted in 2013 of leaking confidential Vatican documents, and declared persona non grata at the Vatican. But the public-relations expert continued to involve herself with Vatican affairs. Earlier this year it emerged that she had exchanged dozens of text messages with Msgr. Alberto Perlasca, a key figure in the Vatican’s “trial of the century.” Those messages strongly suggested that she had inside information about the prosecutor’s plans, and that she tried to frame Msgr. Perlasca’s testimony to fit her own purposes—at one point reminding him that “you owe me a favor.”
• Vatican 'foreign minister' visits Cuba (Vatican News)
  Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, has visited Cuba to mark the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations. At a Mass in Havana’s cathedral, the prelate “highlighted peace, justice and truth as foundational principles of both the Church’s missionary work and Vatican diplomacy,” Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, reported. He also “highlighted the long-standing closeness of the Holy See to the Cuban people through the work of apostolic nuncios and the visits of Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.”
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