Catholic News

• Mary's motherhood is the essence of Guadalupe, Pope preaches at Mass (CNS)
  Pope Francis presided at an evening Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (video) and said that “the mystery of Guadalupe is to venerate her and to hear in our ears: ‘Am I not here, I who am your mother?’” “Mary’s motherhood is recorded on that cloak, that simple cloak,” the Pope preached. “Mary’s motherhood is shown in the beauty of the roses that the Indian finds and takes with him, and Mary’s motherhood performs the miracle of bringing faith to the somewhat incredulous hearts of prelates.” In his brief homily, delivered in Spanish, the Pontiff also warned that “ unfortunately many ideologies have sought to derive ideological benefit” from the message of Guadalupe.
• Cardinal Pizzaballa expects break in Gaza warfare (Vatican News)
  Cardinal Pierbattista Piazzaballa, the Latin Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem, says that he thinks the current warfare in the Holy Land will end soon. “I think that the peak of the war in Gaza is behind us,” the cardinal told a news conference hosted by Aid to the Church in Need. He predicted that “in the coming weeks or months we will arrive at some sort of compromise.” However, Cardinal Pizzaballa warned that an end to the latest round of warfare would not solve the problems that plague the region. “We can rebuild in the infrastructure,” he said, “but how can we rebuild relationships?” The cardinal concluded that real security will require more than a ceasefire accord, and that “there is no short-term solution.”
• Pope's demands restoration of just international order in Peace Day message (Vatican Press Office)
  In his message for the 58th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis calls for a reduction of world debt, an end to the death penalty, and a global fund to combat hunger. The World Day of Peace will be observed on January 1, 2025. The Pope’s message—on the theme, “Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace”—was released by the Vatican on December 12. “May 2025 be a year in which peace flourishes!” the Pontiff says near the conclusion of his message. Reminding readers that 2025 is a Jubilee Year, he recalls the Jewish tradition of jubilee as a time “to restore God’s justice in every aspect of life,” and proposes that we do the same today: I think, in particular, of all manner of disparities, the inhuman treatment meted out to migrants, environmental decay, the confusion willfully created by disinformation, the refusal to engage in any form of dialogue and the immense resources spent on the industry of war. Introducing his particular proposals for the year, the Pope says that “foreign debt has become a means of control whereby certain governments and private financial institutions of the richer countries unscrupulously and indiscriminately exploit the human and natural resources of poorer countries.” He adds that the problem is compounded by “the ‘ecological debt’ incurred by the more developed countries,” which he argues will fall most heavily on the poor nations. So he urges a reduction on the debt owed by the poor countries. The Pope’s next proposal is a call to respect life from conception until natural death. In that context he renews his call for an end to capital punishment. Finally the Pope suggests the development of a global fund—endowed with the money that is currently spent on armaments—to provide food for the poor.
• Cooperation among Christians is 'first instrument of evangelization,' Pope tells evangelical mission (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis welcomed representatives of the Evangelical Baptist Roma Mission as “children of the same Father and brothers in Christ” and said that “fraternal cooperation among Christians is in itself a sign, a witness, the first instrument of evangelization for the benefit of all.” After beginning the December 12 audience with a greeting to the Roma people, Pope Francis said, “I would like that, by welcoming this greeting, we renew the common certainty that nothing and no one can ever separate us from God’s love.” “And may this certainty make us credible witnesses through an industrious charity, through some shared experiences of prayer and service,” he added.
• Euthanasia among leading causes of death in Canada (CNA)
  The number of people in Canada choosing to end their lives through assisted suicide jumped by nearly 16% in 2023. Assisted suicide now accounts for almost 5% of all Canadian deaths. Government statistics show that almost 20,000 people filed a request for assisted suicide; 15,343 people were euthanized. Altogether 60,301 have died by euthanasia in Canada since the practice was legalized in 2016.
• Pope adds two women, two cardinals to Synod council (Vatican News)
  Pope Francis has named four people—two cardinals and two women—to the Ordinary Council of the Synod, the group charged with implementing the directives of the Synod on Synodality and planning the next Synod. The new members are Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who was relator general for the October meeting of the Synod; Cardinal Roberto Repole of Turin, who was raised to the College of Cardinals last week; Sister Simona Bramballa, the secretary of the Dicastery for Religious; and Maria Lia Zervino, the president of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations. Under new Vatican rules, the members of the Ordinary Council for the Synod of Bishops need not be bishops. The Ordinary Council consists of 17 members. The Synod elected 12 members, the Pope has appointed these four. The final member will be the prefect of the dicastery responsible for the issue to be discussed at the next Synod meeting; that issue—and thus the final member—has not yet been chosen.
• Imitate St. Lucy, Pope Francis urges people of Italian archdiocese (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis has issued a letter to Archbishop Francesco Lomanto of Syracuse, Italy, to mark the temporary transfer of the remains of St. Lucy to that city. In his message the Pontiff welcomes the celebration by the Church in Syracuse of a special year devoted to St. Lucy. He notes that the transfer of her body from Venice—“from the city that has enshrined her body for eight centuries to the one where her witness first shone, spreading light throughout the world.” The Pope goes on to encourage the Catholic faithful to follow the example of St. Lucy, being ready to move outside their comfort zones. “Taking the side of light,” he writes, “exposes us to martyrdom too. Perhaps no one will lay their hands on us, but choosing which side to take will take away some of our tranquility.”
• Vatican workers cite tensions, poor morale (Crux)
  The Association of Vatican Lay Workers issued a statement on December 11 warning of a “worrisome increase in the climate of tension and dissatisfaction among employees. The statement from the Vatican employees’ group came in response to an anonymous complaint, carried by the Italian journal Panorama, in which an unnamed Vatican employee said said that morale had plummeted because of internal conflicts. The Panorama interview alleged that two factions made life miserable for workers: the homosexual lobby and a “St. Martha faction”—a reference to the group surrounding Pope Francis. The Association of Lay Vatican Employees distanced itself from the interview, saying that the “very harsh tones” were unhelpful. But the group added in its own statement that workers’ morale was declining, saying: “In fact, the lack of transparency, above all on the matters of work and finances, is deleterious and leads to the hardening of hearts.”
• Be shepherds according to the Heart of Christ, Pope tells Spanish seminarians (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis received members of a Spanish seminary on December 12 and told them that the aim of priestly formation is “to become shepherds of the People of God, shepherds forged according to the measure of the Heart of Christ, humble and merciful.” “Do not be afraid to open your heart to the Lord and allow yourselves to be accompanied by Him, so that He may shape your lives,” the Pope said to seminarians from the St. James the Apostle Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Galicia (map). “Do not forget, moreover, that along the way you will meet many different people, some of whom may be going through difficult times, are wounded or do not know God,” the Pope continued. “Be witnesses of the joy of the Gospel for all of them, give them the Lord’s tenderness and consolation of the Lord so that he may heal their sores along the way.”
• Bishop appointed for troubled Argentine diocese (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis has named Auxiliary Bishop Ernesto Giobando, SJ, of Buenos Aires as bishop of Mar del Plata, Argentina—the third bishop appointed to the see in the past year. In November 2023, Pope Francis appointed Auxiliary Bishop José María Baliña of Buenos Aires as bishop of Mar del Plata, Argentina’s fifth-largest city. Bishop Baliña resigned three weeks later, citing retinal operations. In December 2023, Pope Francis appointed Auxiliary Bishop Gustavo Larrazabal, CMF of San Juan de Cuyo as the bishop of Mar del Plata. He, too, resigned a month later, and the Pontiff appointed Bishop Giobando as apostolic administrator. Also, in May 2024, Archbishop Gabriel Antonio Mestre—who was bishop of Mar del Plata from 2017 to 2023— resigned from his new position at the Pope’s request. Archbishop Mestre said that he resigned at the Pontiff’s request “after confronting some different perceptions with what happened in the Diocese of Mar del Plata from November 2023 to the present.”
• Vatican spokesman says popular piety is 'real motivation' for papal visit to Corsica (Vatican News)
  Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, said that the “real motivation” of the Pope’s nine-hour visit to Corsica, scheduled for December 15, is his devotion to popular piety. “The Pope’s attention to the theme of popular devotion and religiosity is well known, as demonstrated by the visits to so many shrines during his travels: in Latin America and in other parts of the world,” Matteo Bruni said at a December 12 press briefing. During his visit to the French island, Pope Francis will attend the conclusion of a conference on popular religiosity in the Mediterranean region.
• 'You do not look away' from plight of migrants: papal praise for Mediterranean rescuers (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis received a delegation from ResQ – People Saving People and praised the organization for rescuing migrants in danger of death in the Mediterranean Sea. “The action pursued by your organization aims to save lives: the lives of people fleeing from places where serious conflicts rage,” the Pope said in a December 11 audience. “Faced with the drama of forced migration, which at times becomes a tragedy, you did not remain indifferent, but asked yourselves: what can I, we, do?” “At the root of this attitude is the conviction that every human being is unique, and their dignity is inviolable, whatever their nationality, the color of their skin, or their political or religious opinion,” the Pope added. “Unfortunately, many times it does not happen this way, and many lives are exploited, rejected, abused, and reduced to slavery.”
• USCCB, American Jewish Committee publish Translate Hate to combat anti-Semitism (USCCB)
  The American Jewish Commitee and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs have published Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition. The American Jewish Commitee provided a “glossary of antisemitic terms, phrases, conspiracies, cartoons, themes, and memes” for the 63-page resource. The US bishops’ committee provided annotations. “It is more important than ever to renew our commitment to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters against all forms of anti-Semitism,” said Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, the chairman of the US bishops’ committee. “Sadly, we are currently witnessing a tragic rise in anti-Semitic incidents both globally and here in the United States, a painful reminder that our work is not done.”
• Interim Lebanese leader meets with Pontiff (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis met on December 13 with Najib Mikati, the interim president of Lebanon’s Council of Ministers. During the meeting the Pope welcomed the ceasefire that has stopped active fighting in the south of Lebanon, and voiced his hope for a return to the country’s tradition of coexistence among different religious groups. He also expressed his concern about the prolonged failure of Lebanon’s political leaders to select a new president.
• Catholic school director named an archbishop (Vatican Press Office)
  In an unusually meteoric rise, a priest who directs a Catholic school in Milan has been named the head of an Italian archdiocese. Pope Francis appointed Father Alberto Torriani, 53, as archbishop of Crotone-San Severino, located over 700 miles away from Milan. Father Torriani has been rector of the Collegio San Carlo, a primary and secondary school, since 2017. Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan said that “the moment of communication and the diocese of destination surprised Don Alberto and also me.”
• Britain bans puberty blockers for children (Washington Post)
  The British government has banned the use of puberty blockers for minors, citing research that shows the dangers of using these drugs. The ban—which will be reconsidered in 2027 on the basis of any new medical evidence that becomes available—makes it illegal to treat children with drugs that suppress the onset of puberty. The policy is intended to allow young people more time to form a mature opinion about their options.
• Palestinian leader in 'cordial' talks with Pontiff (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis met on December 12 with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for talks that the Vatican described as “cordial” lasting about 30 minutes. The Vatican announced that the conversation centered on “good bilateral relations” between the Palestinian authority and the Holy See, and “the very serious humanitarian situation in Gaza, where it is hoped that there will be a ceasefire and the release of all hostages as soon as possible.” The Vatican reported that the talks also included a “condemnation of all forms of terrorism” and a reiteration of the Vatican’s commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, “ensuring that Jerusalem, protected by a special status, can be a place of encounter and friendship between the three great monotheistic religions.”
• On Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, US bishops condemn racism, xenophobia (USCCB)
  In a statement for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the chairmen of four US bishops’ committees issued a statement lamenting racism and xenophobia. “At this time, when some of our brothers and sisters are experiencing fear and anxiety, we are reminded of the abiding words of Our Lady to Saint Juan Diego: ‘Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain,’” the bishops stated. “Throughout the life of our nation, we have seen at times unacceptable demonstrations of prejudice and hatred, including in recent days mass communications targeting people of color and disparaging comments about immigrant communities.” The prelates—who chair the Committees on Migration and Pro-Life Activities, the Subcommittee on the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, and Travelers, and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism—added: Throughout the life of our nation, we have seen at times unacceptable demonstrations of prejudice and hatred, including in recent days mass communications targeting people of color and disparaging comments about immigrant communities. With one clear voice, we reaffirm our unwavering and unqualified recognition of the fact that each and every human life is sacred, that all persons are imbued by God with an inviolable dignity, which no earthly power can deny. The sinful ideologies of racism and xenophobia are antithetical to these core teachings of our Christian faith. No person formed by and committed to the Gospel of Life can harbor such views in good conscience. Bishops Mark Seitz, Daniel Thomas, Eusebio Elizondo, and Joseph Perry concluded their statement with a prayer to the Blessed Mother.
• Former arms dealer backs Pontiff's plea for peace (Vatican Press Office)
  At a Vatican press conference on December 12 introducing the World Day of Peace message by Pope Francis (see today’s separate CWN news brief), a former arms dealer explained how he had chosen to abandon that business and work for peace. “When I was an arms manufacturer, I thought war was inherent with the human soul,” said Vito Alfieri Fontana. But eventually “something jams the mechanism,” and questions from children, along with public protests against the use of land mines, led him to reconsider his work. For years now, Fontana has worked to remove the land mines that he once manufactured. Fontana said, echoing Pope Francis, that “the peace consciousness of ordinary people is being torn apart by lies, unnecessary inequality, fear, and lack of livelihood by playing into the hands of the tiny minority that manages and fuels conflicts of all kinds for its own purposes.”
• Spain's religious leaders oppose repeal of law banning anti-religious insults (Exaudi)
  Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim leaders in Spain have issued a joint statement in opposition to a Spanish cabinet member’s proposal to repeal Article 525. The law impose a fine of up to a year’s salary on those who deride the “dogmas, beliefs, rituals, or ceremonies” of any religion, as well as those who deride persons who do not profess any religion. “While we understand and respect the right to freedom of expression as a fundamental right, recognized constitutionally, it is important to emphasize that this right should not prevail over other equally essential rights, such as religious freedom, freedom of conscience and the dignity of people,” the religious leaders stated, adding: The normalization of insults, stereotypes and ridicule against religious beliefs can have serious consequences, such as encouraging violent and aggressive behavior against believers and places of worship, something that has already been seen in various European countries. The repeal of Article 525 could therefore put these fundamental rights at risk and, consequently, harmony and respect in society.
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