Catholic News

• Pope rips both US presidential candidates (AP)
  Pope Francis denounced both of the leading candidates in the US presidential race, and said that voters would be forced to choose “the lesser of two evils,” during a question-and-answer session with reporters on the plane as he returned to Rome after a 12-day foreign voyage. “Both are against life,” the Pope said of the US campaign. “Who is the lesser evil, the woman or the man? I don’t know.” Without mentioning either candidate by name, the Pope said that both candidates are anti-life, “be it the one who kicks out migrants or be it the one who kills babies.” Making no distinction between immigration policy and abortion advocacy, the Pope said: “Sending migrants away, not letting them develop, not letting them have life, is a bad and nasty thing. Sending a baby away from its mother’s breast is a murder because there is life. On these things, we must speak plainly.” In response to other questions from reporters, the Pope said: He is pleased with the progress in relations with China—“a promise and a hope”—and still hopes to visit that country. He will not attend the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris on December 8, contrary to some published reports. He hopes to travel to the Canary Islands, to draw more attention to the plight of migrants. He has no immediate plans to visit Argentina. “There are various things to resolve first,” he told reporters. The Pontiff has not traveled to his native land since his election in 2013. Pope Francis arrived in Rome on Friday evening, ending the longest trip of his pontificate.
• All faiths lead to God, Pope tells youth in Singapore (Vatican News)
  “All religions are paths to reach God,” Pope Francis told a gathering of young people in Singapore on September 13. “They are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for everyone,” the Pontiff said, having set aside a prepared text to speak extemporaneously. “Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.” “If you start to fight—‘My religion is more important than your’s; mine is true and your’s isn’t’—then where will that lead us?” the Pope continued. Making an argument that seemed clearly in conflict with the constant teaching of the Catholic Church—as expressed most recently in Dominus Jesus in its warning against religious indifferentism—Pope Francis said: “There is only one God, and each of us has a language to reach God. Some are Sikh, some Muslim, Hindu, Christian. And they are all paths to God.”
• Pope ends 12-day voyage, returns to Rome (Vatican News)
  Pope Francis ended his 12-day trip to Asia and Oceania on September 13, boarding a flight from Singapore at midday (local time), which would arrive in Rome early Friday evening. On the final day of his voyage the Pontiff met with priests and religious, visited a home for the elderly, and spoke to an inter-religious gathering of young people before heading to the airport for his return flight.
• Vatican approves 'Mass for the Holy Year' (USCCB)
  The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has approved a Missa pro Anno Sancto (Mass for the Holy Year) for use during the 2025 jubilee. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has made the Mass texts available online in Latin, English, and Spanish. The Vatican approved the texts in May; the USCCB published them online in September.
• Bells restored to Notre Dame as reopening approaches (AP)
  Truckers delivered eight massive bells to Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on September 13. The bells, having been restored after being damage in the fire that devastated the basilica in 2019, will be hung once again in the rebuilt towers. Restoration workers are now removing the scaffolding that was used in the restoration process. Notre Dame will be reopened on December 8.
• French bishops open archive on Abbé Pierre (Radio France Internationale)
  The French bishops’ conference has opened its archives on Abbé Pierre (1912-2007) to historians and journalists, following serious new charges of sexual abuse. Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims, the president of the episcopal conference, said that French cardinals “took note of the behavior” of the priest and sent him to Switzerland in the 1950s for a “psychiatric stay.” Ordained to the priesthood in 1938, Abbé Pierre took part in the French resistance against the Nazis during World War II and was a member of the French parliament from 1945 to 1951. Known for his ministry to the poor and homeless, he became a beloved figure in France. He was also a critic of Catholic teaching on sexual morality.
• Few American Catholics understand 'synodality,' survey shows (Catholic World Report)
  A survey of American Catholics conducted by Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal found a thorough lack of understanding about the work of the Synod on Synodality. In a survey of 537 people, only 38 said that they understood what the term “synodality” means; only 18 could give any explanation of the process leading up to the October session of the Synod on Synodality.
• New bishop named for English diocese, after predecessor's ordination cancelled (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Philip Moger of Southwark, England, as the new bishop of Plymouth. The February episcopal ordination of Canon Christopher Whitehead, his predecessor as bishop-elect, was cancelled when the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales announced that a “canonical process was underway.” Canon Whitehead was later cleared of the charges and resumed his ministry as a parish priest in the Diocese of Clifton. The see of Plymouth has been vacant since April 2022, when Bishop Mark O’Toole was appointed archbishop of one Welsh archdiocese (Cardiff) and, concurrently, head of a second Welsh diocese (Menevia).
• Benedictine abbots gather to elect Abbot Primate (Order of St. Benedict)
  Some 215 abbots, priors, and other superiors of Benedictine monasteries have gathered at the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’Anselmo in Rome to elect the 11th abbot primate of the Order of St. Benedict. Pope Leo XIII created the office of Abbot Primate in 1893 to help bring unity to the various Benedictine congregations. The Abbot Primate, however, has little authority compared to the superiors-general of most religious institutes. Since 2016, Abbot Gregory Polan of Conception Abbey (Missouri) has served as Abbot Primate. The abbey is responsible for the Abbey Psalms and Canticles, which will be incorporated into the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours and will offer a more accurate translation than the Grail Psalter, used in the Liturgy of the Hours since the 1970s. Previous Abbot Primates include the future Cardinal Benno Gut, who became prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship; the future Archbishop Rembert Weakland, who become infamous for his $450,000 settlement with an erstwhile male lover and his negligence in addressing sexual abuse; and Abbot Notker Wolf, known for his books and his playing of the electric guitar.
• Pope warns Singapore against excesses of pragmatism (Vatican News)
  In a September 12 address to political leaders in Singapore, Pope Francis paid tribute to the country as “a commercial crossroads of primary importance and a place where different peoples meet.” The Pope also praised Singapore for its efforts to improve the lives of its people, saying that those efforts should continue “until all Singaporeans are able to benefit from them fully.” He added that Singapore deserves thanks for its commitment to protection of the environment.” However the Pontiff cautioned against an approach that would value “pragmatism or merit about all things.” He stressed the need to protect the poor and the marginalized, to make room for immigrants, and to honor the elderly.
• Pope merges 2 Welsh dioceses (Vatican Press Office)
  Pope Francis has united the Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Diocese of Menevia in Wales, creating the new Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia. At the time of the merger, the Archdiocese of Cardiff had 59 parishes, 66 priests, and one seminarian, and the Diocese of Menevia had 53 parishes, 44 priests, and two seminarians. Archbishop Mark O’Toole has led both dioceses concurrently since 2022. The Archdiocese of Cardiff once had 157 priests (1957) and 102 parishes (1980). The Diocese of Menevia, which lost territory to the Diocese of Wexham in 1987, once had 59 parishes and 62 priests (1990).
• Theatines mark 500th anniversary of founding (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  On September 14, the Congregation of Clerics Regular (Theatines) marks the 500th anniversary of its founding by St. Cajetan and three others, including the future Pope Paul IV. The order, founded with an emphasis on clerical asceticism, apostolic work, and poverty, grew to 1,400 members by 1700 and has produced 250 bishops. The order entered a period of significant decline with the anticlerical revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the Vatican newspaper, 133 Theatine priests (as of 2014) minister in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.
• Pope accepts resignation of German bishop accused of covering up abuse (ANSA)
  Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Heinz-Günter Bongartz, 69, from the office of auxiliary bishop of Hildesheim, Germany. After a 2017 report found that he mishandled abuse cases, the prelate apologized and offered to resign. A subsequent report, published in 2021, offered additional evidence that Bishop Bongartz, a former diocesan personnel director and vicar general, mishandled abuse cases.
• Power of love is theme for papal homily in Singapore (Vatican News)
  Pope Francis presided at Mass for a congregation of about 50,000 at the national sports stadium in Singapore on September 12. Although he was not the principal celebrant, the Pope delivered the homily, in which he described the Catholic Church in Singapore as “vibrant, growing and engaged in constructive dialogue with the various other Confessions and Religions with which it shares this wonderful land.” The main theme of the Pope’s homily was the power of love as a creative force. He said that “while people may think that they are primarily about money, techniques or even engineering ability, which are certainly useful, very useful, what we really find is love, precisely the love that builds up.”
• White Catholics lean toward Trump, poll says (Pew Forum)
  Among white Catholic voters, Donald Trump holds a substantial edge in 2024 presidential race, according to Pew Survey results. Trump is favored by 61% of white Catholics, while 65% of Hispanic Catholic voters favor Kamala Harris. Pew reported: “Support for Trump is also marginally higher among White Catholics who attend Mass at least monthly than among White Catholics who attend Mass less often.” (The Pew survey was completed before this week’s presidential debate.)
• US sends commandos, aircraft to West Africa to counter spread of Islamist terrorism (Wall Street Journal)
  Jihadists in West Africa have killed 38,000 people since 2017—leading the United States to send aircraft and commandos “in an urgent effort to try to stop the march of al Qaeda and Islamic State militants,” The Wall Street Journal reported. During his September 1 Angelus address, Pope Francis condemned the jihadist massacre of hundreds of villagers in Burkina Faso. “In condemning these heinous attacks against human life, I express my closeness to the nation as a whole, and my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims,” he said. “May the Virgin Mary help the beloved people of Burkina Faso to regain peace and security.”
• Papal praise for Fr. Arrupe in meeting with Singapore Jesuits (Vatican News)
  During a September 12 gathering with Jesuits in Singapore, Pope Francis encouraged “prayer following the model of Father Pedro Arrupe,” who was superior general of the Jesuit order from 1965 until a severe stroke prompted his resignation in 1983. Father Antonio Spadaro, who provided a report on the meeting for Vatican News, said that the Pope was spiritually close to the late Father Arrupe, who is revered by liberal Jesuits. He said that the Pontiff is hoping for the late superior’s canonization.
• Leading Vatican diplomat renews appeal for peace, call for respect for religious freedom (Holy See Mission)
  A leading Vatican diplomat delivered a wide-ranging address on September 11 at a session of the UN Human Rights Council. Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, said that “as conflicts appear to be escalating, especially in Ukraine and Gaza, the Holy See strongly reiterates that war is always a defeat for all and benefits no one, and once more calls for dialogue to facilitate peaceful and just solutions” said that the international community needs to acknowledge refugees who have fled their homes because of religious persecution, “at a time when discrimination, harassment and violence are on the rise and many faith communities, especially Christians, are targeted” described religious freedom as “the source and synthesis of all human rights” and said that nations have an obligation to “foster an environment that promotes freedom of religion, belief and conscience, the fruits of which are greater peace and stability for all” called for more “safe and regular pathways for refugees and migrants” called for joining “forces and resources to fight the real battles of civilization together: the fight against hunger and thirst, the fight against disease and epidemics; the fight against poverty and modern-day slavery” exhorted powerful nations not to “impose ideas and agendas at the expense of poorer and less powerful countries”
• New nuncio in South Africa expresses hope for 'continued authentic democracy' (SACBC)
  Archbishop Henryk Jagodziński, the new apostolic nuncio to South Africa, presented his credentials to Acting President Paul Mashatile, three months after a seismic national election in which the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority after 30 years. Archbishop Jagodziński expressed hope that the nation will “continue to exemplify what authentic democracy could do, authentic democracy which is [a] source of good life for everyone.” “The Holy See stands beside all citizens of the country as [they] continue to strive to ensure that all are given a voice, especially the weak and marginalized,” he added. Archbishop Jagodziński’s hope for “continued authentic democracy” could be interpreted as a statement of concern that South Africa could potentially follow the path of other African nations where democracy is in decline, whether from violent, corrupt elections or from military coups.
• Iraqi Christians of different churches join in preparations for feast of the Holy Cross (Vatican News)
  For the first time, the faithful of the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, and the Assyrian Church of the East have joined together in Iraqi Kurdistan in public processions prior to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. “Churches used to celebrate this commemoration separately every year,” said Archbishop Bashar Warda, the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Erbil. “But this year is wonderfully different.” The Assyrian Church of the East ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431). The Syriac Orthodox Church is an Oriental Orthodox church that ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon (451).
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