Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Martin Scorsese on the set of his new series on the life of the saints. The show premieres Sunday, Nov, 17, 2024, on Fox Nation. / Credit: Slobodan Pikula/Fox Nation

National Catholic Register, Nov 16, 2024 / 10:00 am (CNA).

On the heels of his announcement that he will make a film about the life of Jesus, controversial film director Martin Scorsese has now completed a docudrama series for Fox Nation called “The Saints.”

Discussing the project during a private screening in New York City on Nov. 14, Scorsese said this project is the fruition of an idea he’s been ruminating on for years. 

“I grew up practically living in St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral downtown and contemplating, meditating on those statues, of those saints, different saints — and wondering about their stories: What is a saint? This is something superhuman? Can they achieve something easier than we can, because we’re human beings? And of course, I realize, no. The point is that they’re human and that there are aspects of them that we can have as a good example to follow or to inspire us.” 

Produced as an eight-part series, the Oscar-winning director’s project focuses on the lives of St. Joan of Arc, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John the Baptist, St. Thomas Becket, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Moses the Black, St. Sebastian, and St. Maximilian Kolbe.  

Created by Matti Leshem, who co-founded a production company specializing in Jewish history and Judeo-Christian dialogue, and directed by Elizabeth Chomko, who was raised Catholic, “Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints” was written by Kent Jones, who has known the director for years. Scorsese developed the series but also narrates the stories in a didactic way, attempting to tell the true story of each saint, with vivid details and historical context.  

Most of Scorsese’s movies have either dealt with Catholic themes directly or touch on issues surrounding virtue and vice, darkness and forgiveness. Upon seeing the series’ trailer alone, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone broached a question to his social media followers: “Wow. Martin Scorsese … coming home?” 

But the theme of Catholicism has always been a constant for Scorsese, as he told the series’ writer in 2019 on the topic of forgiveness: “The profound impression of Catholicism at a very early age is something that I’ve always related back to,” he told Jones. 

“One may read or become interested in many different ways. … I’m interested in how people perceive God or perceive the world of the intangible — all people, everywhere. But my way has always been through Catholicism.”

The National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, was able to watch two of the episodes at Fox Nation’s special screening in Manhattan, followed by a panel discussion where Scorsese discussed the Catholic faith, his motivations, and why the lives of saints are important. 

Here are 11 things Catholics should know about this new series:   

1. Martin Scorsese has long desired to bring a series on the saints to life, even before the ever-controversial “The Last Temptation of Christ” or his most recent faith film, “Silence.” But the long-awaited project finally panned out this year. Scorsese explained: “Maybe the fact that there are saints, were saints, and still are saints is something that’s lost on our newest generation. Because we don’t live with them. So we thought this was a good attempt to try and understand what that is and what faith is, really.” 

2. Scorsese visited the Irish Dominican Order at San Clemente in Rome in 2023 to research matters of faith for this series as well as religious films he has in the pipeline. “The Saints” production took seven years in entirety to conceive and complete.  

3. The cinematic series also features historical footage and photos of the era in which the saint lived, especially the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Video shows the priest leaving his home and what life was like during the Nazi invasion of Poland during World War II.

4. Due to the content and context of the stories, including graphic violence and gory details of war, the series is suitable for an adult audience; it is not meant for children. The life of St. Maximilian Kolbe also shows nudity related to his imprisonment at Auschwitz. 

5. Each episode ends with a panel discussion with controversial priest Jesuit Father James Martin, known for his pro-LGBTQ activism within the Catholic Church, alongside poet and author Mary Karr and Georgetown fellow Paul Elie.  

6. The series shows accurate depictions of how many saints are called as children to their vocations. In the opening sequence about St. Kolbe, he is shown as a child praying while the Blessed Mother appears to him showing her one hand of white and one hand of red, representing martyrdom. 

7. In the episode on Joan of Arc, reference is made to her virginity, and twice viewers are shown the process of checking her virtue that may be considered graphic by some. Given the over-sexualized nature of many of Scorsese’s movies, the references are shown in a subtle and tasteful way. Historically, such assessments did occur.  

8. The portrayal of Joan of Arc requesting a guard to make a cross for her before being burned at the stake is accurate. However, Scorsese omits the famed line: “Lift high the cross so I may see it through the flames.”

9. During the Nov. 14 panel, Scorsese spoke about Dorothy Day, who is currently being considered for sainthood, recalling a time when he was in the servant of God’s presence. “She was at our little youth center; Father Frank Principe had her come and talk. He pointed to her and said, ‘See that person; she’s really good.’ I grew up way downtown. Now, it’s a very chic area, but when I was there, it was a very down place. The Catholic Worker was the only place that I recall in terms of helping these men, some women that were dying in the streets.” 

10. The episode on St. Maximilian Kolbe references controversial content regarding the priest’s alleged antisemitism, referencing a small sect that many at the time believed to be factual, but Jedrzej Giertych, author of “Libel Against a Saint,” defends Maximilian saying: “Father Kolbe was certainly not an enemy of the Jews as such, and in particular was anything but a ‘racial’ or ‘zoological’ anti-Semite. He saw in the Jews souls created by God, for which he prayed continually and whom he sought to help when they were in need.”

11. In an interview with The New York Times this week, Scorsese was asked about what his faith life looks like right now, and he said: “At times I’m a practicing Catholic. At this point, my relationship with it is a dialogue that I have with certain clerics and priests.”  

Scorsese is considering several faith-based and personal projects, as he turns 82 on Sunday, including “A Life of Jesus.” Speaking to The Los Angeles Times in January upon the script’s completion, Scorsese said the inspiration for the film came last year after he met Pope Francis at the “Global Aesthetics of the Catholic Imagination,” a conference that brought together artists and creatives from across the world. After this meeting, Scorsese said: “I have responded to the pope’s appeal to artists in the only way I know how: by imagining and writing a screenplay for a film about Jesus.” 

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

Pope Francis greets members of Italy’s National Youth Council at the Vatican on Nov. 16, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Newsroom, Nov 16, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Saturday warned of a “worrying and complex” rise in youth mental health challenges, including self-harm and suicide, while calling for a new “educational alliance” to address what he described as not just a cultural but an “anthropological metamorphosis” in society.

Speaking to members of Italy’s National Youth Council at the Vatican on Nov. 16, the pope emphasized the need for comprehensive support structures amid what he called an “epochal change” affecting young people.

“As we know — even from recent news — the challenges that concern you are many: the dignity of work, family, education, civic engagement, care for creation, and new technologies,” the pope said.

“The increase in acts of violence and self-harm, up to the most extreme gesture of taking one’s life, are signs of a worrying and complex distress,” Francis warned.

The pontiff’s remarks came as the youth council marked its 20th anniversary. Francis noted with approval their “Quarta Rilevazione dell’Indice di Fiducia” (“Fourth Trust Index Survey”), showing that hope remained the predominant “inner attitude” among Italian youth.

“We often meet disillusioned people because they look to the future with skepticism and pessimism,” Francis observed. “It is important therefore to know that Italian young people can be artisans of hope because they are capable of dreaming.”

Calling for what he termed a “village of education,” the pope urged creating networks of “human and open relationships” that place the person at the center while investing in the formation of those who will serve the community.

The pope connected his message to the upcoming 2025 jubilee year, which he noted he had announced with the words “La speranza non delude!” (“Hope does not disappoint!”).

In addressing the youth representatives serving as a consultative body at local, national, and European levels, Francis emphasized their role in giving voice “to all, especially those who have no voice.”

He highlighted challenges, including dignity of work, family life, education, civic engagement, environmental care, and new technologies.

The pope concluded by referencing Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, asking the youth leaders if they knew of him and encouraging them to learn from “his consistency and his courage.”

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, born April 6, 1901, to a prominent Italian family, died July 4, 1925, at age 24.

The young Third Order Dominican could be declared a saint during the Catholic Church’s 2025 jubilee year, according to recent statements by the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

St. John Paul II, who declared Frassati a patron for World Youth Days, called him “the man of the beatitudes” for exemplifying these blessings in his daily life. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Frassati has become “a significant global patron for youth and young adults,” with a special significance for young Catholics in the United States.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at St. Mary’s Parish in Franklin, Massachusetts, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. / Credit: Franklin Fire Department

CNA Staff, Nov 16, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is recommending that houses of worship exercise “increased vigilance” and adopt new security measures amid a series of recent arson incidents against churches.

The ATF said it “urges all religious institutions to take enhanced security measures to protect their congregations and facilities” after several acts of arson directed against churches in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

In a Nov. 8 statement, the bureau said there were “no specific threats” against churches but that authorities “recommend vigilance and proactive steps to prevent potential incidents.”

The federal agency cited several fire incidents at churches in New England in recent months, including a fire at a Catholic parish in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Investigators deemed an October fire at St. Mary Church in Franklin as an act of arson. The church in the Archdiocese of Boston was temporarily shuttered after the fire; the parish has been holding Mass in its chapel while raising funds to restore the main worship space. 

The ATF in its statement suggested churches should employ several methods of enhanced security, including video cameras, restricted facility access, and updated emergency plans. 

The bureau also said houses of worship should “maintain open communication with local police and ATF, report any suspicious activity immediately, and explore options for regular patrols in the area.”

The ATF is committed to “providing support to religious institutions to enhance their security,” the agency said. 

Catholic churches take hits

Several other Catholic churches in the U.S. have recently suffered fires. An early-morning fire on Oct. 18 severely damaged St. Anthony of Padua Church in Casa Grande, Arizona.

A Catholic church in Florida, meanwhile, has suffered multiple fires in just 16 months, with the most recent fire currently being investigated as arson.

Beyond fires, Catholic churches throughout the U.S. have seen repeated acts of vandalism in recent months and years. 

A parish in Arkansas was struck by three vandalism incidents in recent months, including the destruction of a statue of Mary on the parish grounds. 

St. Francis de Sales Parish in Sherman Oaks, California, meanwhile, was attacked multiple times over the summer, including graffiti and arson attacks on four occasions, beginning in August and continuing through September.

In March, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio called on the government to protect Catholic churches from attacks, citing a tracker that found more than 400 attacks against Catholic churches since May 2020.

Father Rafael Capó (third from left) with young adults (from left) Alan Angelis, Arturo Zayas, Dylan Francisco, Rosanne Sherman, Cecilia Seiglie, Father Hilary Nwainya, Isabelle Seiglie, and Maria Vazquez at the National Eucharistic Congress outside of the Indianapolis Convention Center July 17, 2024. / Credit: Antonio Dejesus

Miami, Fla., Nov 16, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Rafael Capó has traveled far and wide, from his native Ponce, Puerto Rico, to the center of Catholicism in Rome — and yet in the case of Catholic Hispanic education and ministry, all his roads lead to Miami.

As vice president for mission and ministry and dean of the school of theology at St. Thomas University in Miami, Capó has been immersed in Hispanic ministry for years. 

Since his ordination in 1996, he has worn many hats: pontifical missionary of mercy under Pope Francis; participant in the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Fifth Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral; adviser to the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana — and the list goes on. From his vast experience, Capó believes that our contemporary times present unique opportunities for Hispanics in the U.S.

“I’m really excited about the moment we’re living in and the reality of calling Hispanic Latinos to positions of leadership in the Church and society at this moment,” Capó said in an interview with CNA. “We’re at the moment where it’s not that the Church needs to serve and minister to young Hispanics, but we need to realize that we need to empower them. They are now being called to serve the wider Church.”

Through his ministry to young adults in Miami and beyond, Capó seeks to enable young Hispanics to live out their call. Before that, however, he was a teenager struggling with his vocation and in need of guidance — and perhaps a few miracles. 

Losing bags and gaining graces 

Capó’s journey toward becoming a Catholic educator began in the classroom in Puerto Rico. Capó received a Catholic education from elementary through high school. Seeing the example of the priests who were his teachers made him feel drawn to priesthood, despite himself. 

“I was always kind of scared of the possibility that I was being called and was trying to run away from any possibility of being invited to a retreat or anything, because I didn’t even want to consider it,” he said.  

In high school, he had big aspirations to obtain a medical degree from an Ivy League school. He even had a girlfriend at the time. But then came an opportunity that changed his life forever: the first World Youth Day in 1985.

“I was at first really excited because my girlfriend was going,” he said. “But there in Rome, John Paul II was calling young people to open wide the doors to Christ. I was rattled by all those words of John Paul II. Things started to move a bit, deep inside of me.”

During the pilgrimage, his school group decided to tour various shrines around Rome. Disaster struck when one of the teacher’s bags was stolen. While the leaders tried to resolve the problem, Capó decided to strike a deal with God.

“I was by myself there in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and looking at the image of the Blessed Mother there,” Capó recalled. “The words of John Paul II started to come back. And I kind of started asking God, give me a sign if you’re really calling me to be a priest. If they find the bag, I’ll know that you’re calling me to be a priest. But then as we left the church, I was really scared that they might find the bag!” 

The bag was lost for good, though, and the pilgrims returned home. Even so, Capó couldn’t escape the invitation he kept hearing in his heart. After speaking with a priest, he understood that he didn’t have to go the way of the lost bag. 

“The sign was not looking for a bag. It was like the Lord had found me a long time ago,” he said. 

Capó let go of the “baggage” paralyzing him, turned down his acceptance to Yale University, and entered the Piarist Fathers Seminary. The decision caused a 10-year rift between him and his father.

As a seminarian in Rome, Capó approached Pope John Paul II for his intercession on behalf of his broken relationship with his father. 

“Lo and behold, two weeks after that, I got a phone call from my dad accepting my vocation,” Capó said. “He came to Rome for my ordination to the diaconate. I think it was a miracle.” 

Bringing young Hispanics to God 

Ordained in 1996, Capó was immersed in Hispanic ministry early on. Beginning in 2000, he participated in Pastoral Juvenil’s ministry in the Archdiocese of New York. In 2011, he was installed as executive director of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Southeast Regional Office for Hispanic Ministry (SEPI) in Miami.

SEPI was established in the late 1970s, created by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and spearheaded by Father Mario Vizcaino. The organization serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. SEPI’s outreach and educational opportunities to Hispanics has been instrumental in U.S. Catholic ministry. 

As Capó picked up the reins at SEPI, he also initiated what he calls his “unofficial social media ministry.”  

“I began very informally on social media platforms, just sharing my ministry and my priestly life and what I do, and my interests in fitness and spirituality,” he explained.  

The goal is to teach young adults the importance of exercising body, mind, and spirit. Using hashtags like #FitfortheKingdom, Capó promotes a “calling to strong spirituality for our young people.” The unofficial ministry has taken off, and Capó is an in-demand speaker at young adult groups.

“His mission to inspire others to be strong in body, mind, and spirit has changed my personal and professional life forever,” said Thomas Lahart, a young adult entrepreneur. “I would not be where I am today without his support and inspiration to be fit for the kingdom. I’m so grateful for his dear friendship and guidance as a young man pursuing the faith. It is amazing to see so many people around the world be set on fire by his message and example.”  

As vice president for mission and ministry and dean of the school of theology at St. Thomas University, Capó strives to help Hispanic students realize their potential.  

“I’m trying to help them explore the possibility of leadership and theological studies, and to go through leadership training,” Capó explained. “To help those that have the abilities, talents, and a special calling to realize that they might be called to serve their diocese, Catholic organizations, and society as well — and be faithful Catholic leaders for the whole Church, not just for the Latino community.” 

One of Capó’s proudest moments was witnessing one of the young adults he has mentored, Isabelle Seiglie, represent the United States at the Vatican’s International Congress of Youth Ministry earlier this year. A doctorate student, Sieglie is a Cuban American and director of ministry programs at St. Thomas University. 

“I was so proud and so honored to see her having the opportunity of meeting the pope and taking part in those conversations,” Capó said. “It was very moving for me.” 

Expanding beyond the Hispanic community 

At the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM) conference in Miami Oct. 8–11, Capó shared the importance of incorporating young Hispanics into the life of the Church.  

“It’s about including them in conversations, having them sit at the decision table, making them part of all the processes — not just events, but the planning as well,” he said. “Don’t plan for the young people, plan with the young people and include and mentor them so that they’re part of the process.”  

Armando García, Hispanic ministry coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida, shared the impact of this mentality on his own life: “Father Capó’s trust in me and in young people in the Church was evident when he entrusted me with La Voz del SEPI, a radio program at the Southeast Pastoral Institute in Miami, reflecting his belief in our potential to lead and serve.” 

Reacting to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ updated 2023 National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, Capó highlighted Miami’s unique vantage point on Hispanic ministry and how it impacts the entire Church. 

“We see progress being made with the apostolic movements in implementing the conclusions of the pastoral plan in all they’re doing with young adult groups,” Capó said. “The young adult groups have built bridges between the Hispanic young adult groups and the mainstream groups, including them in formation. There are many fruits that we can see at the local level here in Miami and that we’re very proud of.” 

Capó gave the example of the Encuentros Juveniles youth movement in Miami.  

“It was born really as a Cuban community youth movement in the Archdiocese of Miami,” he explained. “Through their involvement in the Fifth Encuentro process and being empowered and knowing this reality of the Church in this moment, they are now serving not just the Cuban American community but also the wider youth community.” 

“We don’t have an office for Hispanic ministry in the Archdiocese of Miami because we’re way past that,” he said. “All offices work for the Hispanic community, and Hispanic Latinos in every office work for the wider community. So bridges have been built. That takes time, and that takes generations, and it takes empowering Latino leaders to be able to serve the wider Church.”

The Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania launched a parent education program designed to provide support and resources for local families. Four of the six parent educators from left to right: Mineyris Novas, parent educator; Dagmar Frias Montolio, program supervisor; Montie Ford, lead parent educator; and Mara Portoreal, parent educator. / Credit: Diocese of Scranton

CNA Staff, Nov 16, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania launched a parent education program this fall designed to provide support and resources for local families. 

The “Parents As Teachers” program offers support, resources, and formation for parents raising young children. This includes home visits from educators, workshops on parenting, and other educational resources, according to the diocese. The program, which began serving its initial group of nine families in September, celebrated a large kickoff event on Nov. 9.

Dagmar Frias Montolio, the program supervisor, told CNA that the diocese launched the program “in response to a growing recognition of the need to support parents as their children’s first and most influential teachers.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that parents “have the first responsibility for the education of their children” and encourages parents to educate their children in virtue (No. 2223). But parental mental health is at a low, with stress levels increasing over the past decade, suggesting parents need more support. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy cited parental stress as a public health challenge in an advisory this summer. 

“The initiative was likely inspired by several factors: the challenges many families face in raising children amidst changing societal pressures, the desire to strengthen family bonds, and the Church’s mission to foster moral and educational growth within the community,” Montolio explained. 

“By focusing on early childhood education, the program aims to equip parents with knowledge and resources to support their children’s development from birth through the early school years,” Montolio continued.

The program is personalized to each family’s needs and involves a one-year minimum commitment. It focuses on parenting strategies as well as marking developmental milestones and early literacy. 

There are currently six caseworkers involved in the program. Caseworkers visit once or twice a month, depending on the child’s needs. 

When asked where the need was for the program, Montolio cited socioeconomic issues.  

“In Luzerne County, there is a specific need for programs that bolster parenting skills and support family stability, particularly for families facing economic challenges or lacking access to early childhood education resources,” she explained. 

In Luzerne County, about 15% of the population is considered to be living in poverty. 

“Socioeconomic issues like poverty and low parent education levels are reflected in our current truancy rates and continuous education challenges children are facing,” Montolio continued. “We want to help break the generational cycles and barriers so many of our families are struggling with.”

The program is available to any families and does not have an income requirement. 

Montolio noted that the program is not directly faith-based but is rooted in Catholic teaching. 

“Although it is not a faith-based program, ‘Parents As Teachers’ does align with the vision and mission statement of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton: Bringing dignity to families,” she said. 

“Catholic social teaching emphasizes the importance of dignity, solidarity, and compassion; all values that are integral to the ‘Parents As Teachers’ approach,” Montolio explained. 

Catholic social teaching, based on a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents, highlights various themes and priorities for Catholics in society such as “life and dignity of the human person,” “solidarity,” and the “call to family, community, and participation.” 

“The program draws on the Catholic teachings which outline the family as the cornerstone of society and the Church’s role in nurturing strong, faith-filled communities,” Montolio said.

Image of Father Pedro Arrupe, SJ, beside sealed boxes of documents compiled during the diocesan phase of his canonization cause. / Crédito: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Rome Newsroom, Nov 15, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

Nov. 14 marked the closing of the diocesan phase of the cause for the beatification of Father Pedro Arrupe, the 28th superior general of the Society of Jesus.

After more than five years of exhaustive research into the life, virtues, and reputation for holiness of the renowned Spanish Jesuit, mentor, and “spiritual father” of Pope Francis, the diocesan phase of the process was concluded at the Lateran Palace in Rome.

Arrupe served as the 28th superior general of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1983. In the 1970s, he emphasized social justice as one of the main focal points of Jesuit apostolic work.

Since February 2019, more than 70 witnesses from Spain, Rome, and Japan — where he lived for 27 years as a missionary — have been questioned by the tribunal of the vicariate of Rome. 

Arrupe survived the atomic bomb that fell on Hiroshima in 1945 and devoted himself to caring for the injured in a field hospital set up in the novitiate.

Now the documents and minutes collected by the historical commission will be handed over to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which will evaluate a possible miracle attributed to his intercession, a crucial step toward his prospective beatification.

The ceremony, which was held on the day that would have marked the 117th anniversary of Arrupe’s birth, was presided over by Cardinal-elect Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome.

Also present at this solemn ceremony were members of the Society of Jesus such as superior general Father Arturo Sosa Abascal and the postulator of the cause, Father Pascual Cebollada, who took an oath to have faithfully fulfilled his mission and emphasized Arrupe’s preference “for the poor and the fight for justice” as a result of his fervent prayer.

Notary Marcello Terramani was also present, as were members of the diocesan tribunal; Monsignor Giuseppe D’Alonzo, episcopal delegate; and Father Giorgio Ciucci, promoter of justice.

Reina praised the Jesuit leader, emphasizing his efforts to put the Second Vatican Council into practice as well as his profound obedience and fidelity to the Church and the popes.

He also highlighted his evangelizing mission and his “preferential option” for the poor and needy, resulting in the Jesuit Refugee Service that he founded in 1980.

Sosa referred to the long hours that Arrupe spent in prayer every day. When the priest was asked where he found the time to do so, he usually replied that “it’s simply a matter of priorities.”

The ceremony held in Rome also reflected on his charism and good relationship with those who didn’t belong to the Catholic Church. Arrupe’s efforts to get laypeople to assume responsibilities were also highlighted, as well as his welcoming nature.

After reviewing the documents from the diocesan phase, the Vatican dicastery will study the possibility of declaring Arrupe “venerable,” a title that Pope Francis can bestow upon him if it is determined that he lived a holy and virtuous life.

If this occurs, the next step would be beatification, which would grant him the title of “blessed.” This requires that at least one miracle be attributed to his intercession. For canonization and for him to be proclaimed a saint, a second miracle must be confirmed.

During his private meeting with priests of the Society of Jesus on his trip to Singapore last September, Pope Francis expressed his desire to have the Spanish Jesuit declared a saint.

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

Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane, Washington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, speaks to CNA during the USCCB’s fall plenary assembly on Nov. 13, 2024. / Credit: Jack Haskins/EWTN News

Baltimore, Md., Nov 15, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

U.S. bishops gathering in Baltimore this week discussed their plans to put into practice the mission articulated in Dignitas Infinita, the Vatican’s 2024 declaration on Catholic doctrine on human dignity. 

Dignitas Infinita, issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in April, addresses growing concerns such as gender theory, sex changes, surrogacy, and euthanasia in addition to abortion, poverty, human trafficking, and war. It states that the Church addresses these concerns in the realm of human dignity “with hope, confident of the power that flows from the risen Christ, who has fully revealed the integral dignity of every man and woman.”

Bishop Robert Barron, head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, in his opening remarks said the teachings in Dignitas Infinita could serve as an antidote to the societal ills experienced in the United States today. 

“As we all know, cultural and political divisions continue to polarize our American society without any one way to approach the apparent disparate injustices that deepened those divisions.”

“If one faction emphasizes a certain set of ills, another faction invariably counters with another set, seemingly in competition with the first,” he observed, adding: “One of the major contributions of Dignitas Infinita, following the lead of Pope Francis, is his identification of human dignity as the common value that’s violated in all of these cases of injustice.”

Barron specifically underscored how “a radical emphasis on individual autonomy at the expense of relationship” in the U.S. has characterized the ways in which we have seen a “widespread violation of human dignity.”

Bishop Thomas Daly, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Catholic Education, and Bishop Michael Burbidge, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, joined Barron in presenting their plans to apply the document on behalf of their committees. 

For his part, Barron revealed that his Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth is now sharing information on how the Church calls its members to approach sex and gender issues through the scope of Dignitas Infinita on its website lovemeansmore.org, part of the Love Means More initiative to share the foundational principles of Church teaching about love in such a way that Catholics and non-Catholics alike can understand. 

The website “addresses a wide array of topics revolving around the nature of love and the human person,” Barron said. 

“Motivated by this declaration, Love Means More is publishing tool kits addressing gender theory as well as other subjects for pastors, parents, educators, and other groups,” he continued.

Speaking on the document’s relevance to Catholic education, Daly, the bishop of Spokane, Washington, called for a reexamination of Catholic school curriculum and advocated for a pedagogical approach that guides students to an enriched understanding of human dignity. 

“There’s studies showing that young people are leaving the faith because they think science and faith are incompatible,” Daly told CNA in an interview ahead of his presentation. “We need to look at our curriculum, our pedagogy, and how we are addressing these issues so that our young people come to know themselves as beloved sons and daughters of God, created in [his] image and likeness.” 

Daly told CNA that “too often, our schools become oriented towards producing, teaching, and testing skills” without providing any concrete instruction on the “Catholic imagination” or the proper scope through which students might view reality according to the faith. 

“In many ways, it’s what’s being captured in classical Catholic schools,” Daly told CNA. “But that’s just one way to do it.” Schools have to “look” at what their curriculum is doing, he said. “Catholic schools are not about producing literate people — they’re about producing and graduating educated people.” 

In an increasingly technological age, Daly explained to CNA, students who are plugged into the internet, be it through social media platforms such as TikTok or otherwise, are continuously exposed to content that promotes issues such as transgenderism. 

“That wasn’t an issue when I taught from 1992 to 2011,” he said. “We’re just trying to, I think, address this explosion of stuff that’s coming from social media.” 

Regarding the document, Daly emphasized its central thrust — that “there is so much in our society that is complex, that is up for grabs, that is dehumanizing.” 

But Dignitas Infinita ultimately seeks to address these issues and say “certain things are right and certain things are wrong,” Daly said. “And we need to guide young people to see that.” 

Applying Dignitas Infinita to schools’ curriculum, promoting lessons on Scripture, prayer, social justice, and moral theology, Daly said, opens up the possibility for young people to follow Christ. 

Lastly, Burbidge, the bishop of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, spoke about the Committee on Pro-Life Activities’ efforts to develop resources based on the wisdom of Dignitas Infinita.

The bishop began by acknowledging the recent pro-life ballot initiative victories this past election. However, he noted that “we still have so much work to do in protecting the unborn, safeguarding the sacredness of all human life, and the dignity that belongs to every person as a child of God.”

“Regarding the sacredness of life and the protection of the unborn, Pope Francis and Dignitas Infinita remind us that unborn children are the most defenseless and innocent among us,” Burbidge told the assembly.

The bishop then revealed that his committee has developed an abbreviated compendium of its teachings on life issues, along with a study guide and short bulletin inserts designed to “encourage Catholics to live out the gospel of life in their own lives.”

“Our work is not only to change laws,” he continued, “but to change hearts, to change minds, to inspire, and to inform.” 

Burbidge also noted that the resources cover not only abortion but also end-of-life issues, offering clarity for members of the Church on teachings about assisted suicide, palliative care, and hospice as well as guidance on how to care for those who are approaching death. 

“The clarity of teaching and the pastoral approach [to] the dignity of every human person and every human being is so welcome,” Burbidge said of the document.

Bishop Carlos Herrera is president of the Bishops’ Conference of Nicaragua. / Credit: Bishops Conference of Nicaragua

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 15, 2024 / 15:25 pm (CNA).

The dictatorship of Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega has expelled Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez of Jinotega, president of the country’s bishops’ conference. The prelate recently criticized a pro-Ortega mayor who interfered with a Mass by blasting loud music in front of the local cathedral.

The Latin American Bishops’ Council (CELAM, by its Spanish acronym), expressed its closeness following the expulsion of Herrera in a letter published on its website and addressed to Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, archbishop of Managua and vice president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference.

The Latin American bishops expressed their solidarity with Herrera and said they pray “that this situation will be resolved soon and that he can return to his homeland.”

They also expressed their pain over “the events that afflict the pilgrim Church in Nicaragua” and encouraged the bishops and the faithful of the country to continue being “a testimony of fidelity to the Lord that shines forth on the entire continent.”

Exiled to Guatemala

According to the Nicaraguan newspaper Mosaico CSI, Herrera was exiled to Guatemala on Wednesday, Nov. 13, and is staying at a residence of the Order of Friars Minor to which he belongs.

ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, has not been able to independently determine which Franciscan residence in Guatemala Herrera is reportedly staying at.

The prelate was abducted by the police Nov. 13 after participating in a meeting in Managua with the other Nicaraguan bishops.

At the start of Sunday Mass on Nov. 10, the bishop of Jinotega criticized from the altar the pro-Ortega mayor of that city, Leonidas Centeno, for interfering with Mass by playing loud music outside the cathedral.

“Before beginning this Eucharist, we ask the Lord for forgiveness for our faults and also for those who do not respect worship. This is a sacrilege — what the mayor and all the municipal authorities are doing — and I am going to tell them so because they know the time of the Mass,” Herrara said that day.

The Mass was broadcast live on the diocesan Facebook page but it was taken down shortly before the president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference was expelled from the country.

“Bishop Herrera has historically been one of the bishops’ most committed to justice and Christian solidarity toward those who have no voice, a true example of steadfastness and integrity,” said Félix Maradiaga, former presidential candidate and president of the Freedom for Nicaragua Foundation, Nov. 13 on X.

Maradiaga, who was deported by the regime in February 2023 after serving 611 days as a political prisoner, said that the expulsion of Herrera and the Diocese of Jinotega’s social media being shut down by the government in reprisal constitute “another attack against religious freedom and human dignity in Nicaragua and demands international attention and condemnation.”

Catacomb-level persecution

Speaking to the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News, Maradiaga said “the Church in Nicaragua is subjected to a persecution that has practically turned it into a Church of catacombs; the few priests who can still exercise their ministry with some freedom are those who have accepted the conditions imposed by the dictatorship, which demands total silence on any issue in the national state of affairs.”

Arturo McFields, former Nicaraguan ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), said in a Nov. 14 post on X that the “crime” of the president of the bishops’ conference was “demanding respect for the religious service [in progress] and stopping the sacrilege. Religious freedom is a human right. Sending dozens of religious into exile is a crime against humanity.”

“Another Nicaraguan diocese is left without its bishop. So far, there are already four dioceses that are without their pastor. Let us continue praying for the Nicaraguan Church in the face of this situation of persecution that it is experiencing,” Nicaraguan priest Erick Díaz, who lives in exile in Chicago, lamented on Facebook.

Herrera is the third Nicaraguan bishop expelled by the Ortega dictatorship this year. In January, Bishop Rolando Álvarez Lagos of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí, and Bishop Isidoro Mora of the Diocese of Siuna were exiled to the Vatican along with other priests. Prior to being deported, Álvarez had served 11 months of a 26-year sentence for treason.

In 2019, Silvio Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua and a critic of the Ortega dictatorship, was forced to go into exile because of the credible death threats he received.

According to Mosaico CSI, to date, 44 priests have been expelled from Nicaragua by the dictatorship with no letup in sight of its fierce persecution of the Catholic Church.

One of the latest actions of the regime of Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, has been to prevent priests from entering hospitals and thus from administering the sacrament of anointing of the sick.

With the expulsion of Herrera, only five out of nine bishops remain in the country: Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, archbishop of Managua; Bishop Jorge Solórzano of Granada; Francisco José Tigerino of Bluefields; Sócrates René Sándigo of León; and Marcial Humberto Guzmán of Juigalpa.

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

null / Credit: Dan Henson/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Nov 15, 2024 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

A bookkeeper at a Florida Catholic parish has been sentenced to more than two years of federal prison after stealing nearly $900,000 from the church at which she managed financial records. 

Heather Darrey will spend 27 months in prison on a wire fraud conviction over her $875,323 theft from Christ the King Parish in south Tampa, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. 

The prosecutor’s office did not name the parish, but the Tampa Bay Times identified the church in question as Christ the King.

Darrey worked as the records and finance manager at the parish, the U.S. attorney’s office said. 

She “abused her position of trust by engaging in a scheme in which she created false and fraudulent bank checks drawn against [the church’s] business bank account and made them payable to her own account,” the prosecutor’s office said. 

Checks were also made payable to her mortgage company and other creditors.

Prosecutors said Darrey would draft legitimate checks to parish vendors and have them signed, after which she would destroy those checks and make out fraudulent ones for herself.

Darrey also “input false and fraudulent data” into the parish’s accounting software system. 

The money was “largely spent on mortgage payments, car and boat loans, and credit card bills for clothing, restaurants, vacations, and concert tickets,” the prosecutor said. 

The bookkeeper had reportedly attempted to minimize the amount she had stolen from the parish when officials looked into the funding discrepancies there. She also reportedly asked the church not to report the matter to law enforcement. 

Darrey had previously pleaded guilty on June 6. The court also entered an “order of forfeiture” for the bookkeeper to repay the proceeds of her crime. 

The theft “financially hobbled” Christ the King Church, the Tampa Bay Times reported, with the stolen funds “muddling a $7 million building project and damaging the congregation’s trust.”

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Angelus address on Nov. 10, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Nov 15, 2024 / 12:45 pm (CNA).

As Rome’s temperatures drop and the jubilee year approaches, Pope Francis has asked the city’s priests and religious to open any vacant facilities on their property to the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

Noting the housing issues that could be caused by the large influx of pilgrims expected for the jubilee in 2025, the pope asked for “a courageous gesture of love” in a letter published Nov. 15.

“I want all diocesan realities that own real estate to offer their contribution to stem the housing emergency,” he said, “with signs of charity and solidarity to generate hope in the thousands of people in the city of Rome who are in a condition of housing precariousness.”

The pontiff asked all Church realities, including movements, religious orders, and diocesan churches, to offer any vacant apartments or guesthouses to those who may need them.

He recalled the jubilee year’s theme of hope, which he said “comes from love and from feeling loved,” and said the Church’s social teaching makes clear everyone’s right to land, a home, and work.

“In view of the jubilee, I have asked my diocese to give a tangible sign of attention to housing issues so that, alongside the welcome given to all the pilgrims who will be coming, forms of protection will be activated for those who do not have a home or who are in danger of losing it,” Francis said.

The jubilee, or holy year, which will formally open on Dec. 24, has impacted the ever-growing number of tourist and short-term rentals in Rome, leading to a housing shortage for Rome’s residents, according to experts.

According to some estimates, since 2018, the number of short-term apartment rentals, such as Airbnb, has grown from 17,000 to 30,000.

“Rome’s real estate market is going through a period of increasing pressure due to the scarcity of residential housing and the increase in tourist rentals,” Rome real estate expert Silvia Dri told the financial journal Milano Finanza in October.

“This situation creates difficulties for families and students, who are forced to look for solutions increasingly far from the center or to share living spaces,” she added. 

In October, Pope Francis reconfigured the prefectures of the Diocese of Rome due to the exodus of residents from the historic center.

The high influx of tourists has also had an impact on the pastoral needs of the area, which now has only 35 Catholic parishes, many with few parishioners, he wrote.