Catholic News
- Vatican newspaper devotes page to Teilhard de Chardin in honor of 70th anniversary of his death (CWN)
L’Osservatore Romano devoted a full page in its April 9 edition to Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), the French Jesuit philosopher and paleontologist whose support for eugenics continued even after the Holocaust. - French dioceses welcoming surge of conversions (Aleteia (French))
The Catholic Church in France is preparing to welcome a record number of adult converts at the Easter Vigil this year, with nearly 18,000 people entering the Church. Across the country, the bishops’ conference reports a 30% jump in the number of converts over last year’s figure, which was already a record. The Archdiocese of Paris awaits the baptism of 670 catechumens, up from 522 last year; the Archdiocese of Lille reports 658, up from 456. More than 10% of the new converts had been Muslims. - Pope makes surprise visit to Vatican basilica (Vatican News)
Pope Francis made a surprise visit to St. Peter’s basilica on Thursday, shaking hands with pilgrims and restoration workers, and stopping to pray at the tomb of St. Pius X. The Pope’s visit was unannounced, and he spoke only a few words during his brief stay in the basilica. He was dressed in trousers, with no cassock, wrapped in a blanket, and with an oxygen tube under his nose. The Pope’s surprise appearance in public—only his second trip outside his own residence since he was released from Gemelli Hospital—will raise new speculation about what role he might play in the Holy Week liturgical ceremonies at the Vatican. - Illinois bishops drop opposition to restrictions on homeschooling (CWN)
The Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI), which represents the political interests of the state’s bishops (and, theoretically, of lay Catholics as well), has unexpectedly dropped its opposition to legislation that would impose onerous new legal regulations on homeschooling families. - Suspicious financial reports down in Vatican, watchdog finds (Pillar)
The Vatican’s Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (ASIF), established by Pope Benedict in 2010 to counter money laundering and terrorism, has published its 2024 annual report. On page 22 of its annual report, ASIF stated there were 79 suspicious activity reports in 2024, down from 123 the previous year, and the lowest number over the past five years. - Pope meets with Britain's King Charles (Vatican News)
Pope Francis met privately on April 9 with Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla. The meeting took place on the royal couple’s 20th wedding anniversary (the second marriage for both), and the Pontiff congratulated them on the occasion. King Charles wished the Pope a speedy recovery from his illness, and the Pope voiced the same wish for the king, who has undergone treatment for cancer. The British royal couple had announced early in March that they would meet with the Pope on April 7. Later in the month, Buckingham Palace reported that the visit had been postponed by mutual agreement because the Pope was under doctor’s orders to avoid meetings during his convalescence. - Contemplate Jesus on the Cross and persevere in prayer, Pope writes to Italian pilgrims (Vatican Press Office)
In a brief message to pilgrims from two Italian dioceses who are in Rome for 2025 jubilee, Pope Francis addressed “a special thought to those among you who are sick and elderly.” “Let us live this time of trial contemplating the Lord Jesus on the cross, source of consolation and salvation,” the Pope said in his message to pilgrims from the Dioceses of Grosseto and Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello. “Faced with the difficulties we see in the world and that we feel in our hearts, I urge you to persevere in prayer, bearing witness every day to that hope that makes us the salt of the earth.” The message, dated April 7, was released on April 9. - Peru's bishops: Cardinal Cipriani free to claim innocence (Pillar)
In a partial response to a complaint by Cardinal Juan Cipriani, the Peruvian bishops’ conference has conceded that the cardinal has not been found guilty of any canonical offense. The episcopal conference, in a public statement, said: “Cardinal Cipriani has every right to assert his innocence, since guilty is proven in a penal proceeding.” Cardinal Cipriani—who retired as Archbishop of Lima in 2019, having reached the age of 75—had objected to an earlier statement from the bishops’ conference saying that he had been restricted in his ministry because of a canonical offense. The cardinal said that he had accepted the restrictions, since he was already retired, but insisted on his innocence, pointing out that “there has been no trial, nor any evidence has been presented, nor has there been a defense, or witness, or anything.” - USCCB outlines 4 policy priorities in letter to Congress (USCCB)
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has written a letter to members of Congress outlining the USCCB’s policy priorities. The four priorities are “support and strengthen families,” “protect poor and vulnerable people at home and abroad,” “support an immigration system that furthers the common good,” and “defend religious liberty.” The letter, dated March 6, was posted on the USCCB website on April 8. - VP Vance planning trip to Rome? (The Times (London))
Vice President J.D. Vance is planning a visit to Rome over Easter weekend, the Italian foreign ministry reports. Vance is due to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while he is in Rome. There have been no reports as to whether the vice president, who is Catholic, will seek a meeting with Pope Francis. - Holy See calls for debt-free assistance to middle-income countries (Holy See Mission)
In a recent statement at a UN meeting, a leading Vatican diplomat called for increased development assistance to middle-income countries. “The success of middle-income countries also depends on the scaling up development finance,” said Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations. “Investment is key if middle-income countries are to realize their full potential and achieve sustainable development.” “However, many middle-income countries already face high debt burdens, and financing that generates further debt risks deepening their financial distress,” he continued. “The Holy See therefore calls for an increase in accessible, debt-free development financial assistance to ensure that these countries can invest in their future, without fear of being trapped in repayment cycles.” - Ethiopia: ransom paid, but no news of kidnapped priest (Fides)
Church leaders in Ethiopia have expressed fear about the fate of a priest who was kidnapped in March, and has not been freed although a ransom was paid. “We cry out [to God] on behalf of our beloved priest Rev. Abba Habtewold, who is missing,” said Bishop Merhakristos Getachew Yilma of Awasa. Bishop Angelo Pagano of Harar added that kidnappers had not contacted his diocese or any of his priests. One report, from the Father Habtewold’s nephew, suggested that the kidnappers, reached by phone, had said that the priest is “already buried.” - Papal encouragement for Vatican cardinal on mission in Ukraine (Vatican News)
Pope Francis has called Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, to lend support to his charitable mission in Ukraine. “It was a surprise call from the Holy Father,” the prelate said. “He wanted to know how the mission in Ukraine was going. He told me to greet everyone and gave his blessing. I replied that it’s very cold here, and he, in his cheerful mood, added, ‘You know how to keep warm.’” - Pope sends condolences after Santo Domingo nightclub disaster (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Francis has sent a message of sympathy, expressing “his heartfelt concern and his wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured,” in the wake of a disaster that occurred when a roof collapsed at a nightclub in Santo Domingo. - Cardinal Parolin seen as an unlikely conclave choice (Diakonos (scroll down for English))
Veteran Vatican journalist Sandro Magister writes that Cardinal Pietro Parolin has become the main focus of speculation about who might succeed Pope Francis. But the Vatican Secretary of State is actually not a strong candidate, Magister argues. Pope Francis has never relied heavily on Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican-watcher writes, and the cardinal “also not seem capable of gathering among the cardinals the widespread trust that is necessary for election.” He notes that Cardinal Parolin’s most noteworthy diplomatic achievement, the Vatican’s secret accord with China, does not weigh in his favor. - Free your heart, Pope urges in catechetical message (Vatican News)
In his catechetical message for April 9, Pope Francis discussed Christ’s meeting with the rich young man, recounted in St. Mark’s Gospel. The Pope’s catechetical messages are ordinarily delivered during his regular weekly public audiences on Wednesday. During his hospitalization, and continuing during his convalescence, the Vatican has issued a text of the papal message, although the audiences have been cancelled. In the April 9 message, the Pope remarked that the rich young man could not answer Christ’s invitation because he was attached to his possession. The Pope told the faithful that “we must ‘sell everything that weighs us down, in order to free our hearts.” - Former Jerusalem Patriarch, other Christians fear imminent Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories (Society of Jesus)
A group of Christians in Jerusalem whose most prominent member is Patriarch Michel Sabbah, the retired Latin Patriarch, has published “Out of the depths I cry to you,” a statement on the current situation in the Holy Land. “Recently, the United States President, Donald Trump, has declared that in a few weeks he will make vital announcements about the future of our homeland,” they wrote. “We fear that the annexation of Palestinian territories by Israel may be imminent.” “To those Jews and Christians who have been led to believe that God wants Israel to annex our homeland: we want to state clearly that you have been misguided,” they added. “All, Palestinians and Israelis, are created in the image and likeness of God. They are all equal in dignity and rights ... To expel the Palestinians from their homeland is not only an act of violence; it is sacrilege.” - Trump's nominee as ambassador to Vatican faces Senate confirmation hearings (Our Sunday Visitor)
Brian Burch, President Trump’s choice to become US ambassador to the Vatican, faced questioning on the administration’s budget cuts and on the relationship between the Holy See and China during Senate confirmation hearings on April 8. Burch, who worked for Trump’s election as president of CatholicVote, defended the administration’s cuts to the US AID budget. On China, he said that as ambassador he would urge the Vatican to “resist the idea that a foreign government has any role whatsoever in choosing the leadership of a private religious institution.” - Vatican newspaper highlights papal opposition to death penalty as 'total' reversal in direction (CWN)
In two articles in its April 8 edition, the Vatican newspaper lamented the extent of capital punishment in the world today and highlighted papal opposition to the practice in recent decades. - Ukrainian Catholic leader links nation's fight, future of democracy worldwide (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, received the Canadian ambassador and thanked Canada for its support for Ukraine. The Major Archbishop said, “While global trends are shifting in another direction, Ukrainians are going against the current, saying: ‘No to colonization! No to totalitarianism!’ And despite everything, they continue to fight. It happened in 1991, 2014, and 2022.” “Today, many countries hope Ukraine will endure this struggle—only then can democracy prevail,” the prelate added. “That’s why Canada so strongly hopes Ukraine will survive—and with it, democracy in Canada.” - More...