Ulrich Wastl shows copies of the abuse report for the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone at its presentation in Bolzano, Italy, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. The 635-page document, published in both Italian and German, details investigations into abuse cases spanning from 1964 to 2023. / Credit: Diocese of Bolzano/Jan Kusstatscher

CNA Newsroom, Jan 21, 2025 / 12:45 pm (CNA).

A pioneering probe into clerical abuse in northern Italy?s Bolzano-Bressanone Diocese has uncovered 67 cases involving 59 victims over a nearly 60-year period, according to a study released Monday.

The 635-page report examined cases from 1964 to 2023 in the northern Italian region of Alto Adige-Südtirol and identified 41 clergy members as alleged perpetrators.

However, researchers could definitively confirm allegations against only 29 of the accused, while claims against the remaining 12 clergy could not be verified with sufficient certainty.

In what researchers called a ?surprising? finding, more than 51% of the victims were female, while only 18% were definitively identified as male. This pattern marks a significant departure from similar studies in Germany, where male victims predominated, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner.

The study, conducted by Munich-based law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl, noted that the diocese?s handling of abuse cases has improved since 2010. Researchers particularly praised former Bishop Karl Golser (2008?2011) for establishing the diocese?s listening center ? described as ?an absolute novelty in Italy? ? though they noted that before 2010, diocesan leadership had ?mostly reacted inadequately or inappropriately.?

The report acknowledged sincere efforts by current leadership ? Bishop Ivo Muser since 2011 and Vicar General Eugen Runggaldier since 2018 ? to improve the diocese?s approach to abuse cases and support for victims. However, researchers identified 16 additional cases that remain unclear based on available documentation and witness statements.

?We want the Church to be a safe place, especially for children, young people, and vulnerable persons,? Muser said, according to ACI Stampa, CNA?s Italian-language news partner. 

?We need a change in mentality, a new culture of closeness. This is a first step in this journey.?

The bishop, who first viewed the report Monday alongside the public, added that every case was ?one too many,? acknowledging that the abuse of power had occurred ?at the expense of the victims.?

Muser announced he would provide a more detailed response to the findings on Friday.

A lamb is wreathed in flowers during a special Mass for the feast of St. Agnes at the Basilica of St. Agnes Outside the Wall on Jan. 21, 2014. / Credit: Paul Badde/CNA

CNA Staff, Jan 21, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

The stories surrounding St. Agnes? life and death are varied. We know the place of her burial, her approximate age, and the place where she was martyred. Much less is known about her life, though there are many stories passed down since her martyrdom in the fourth century.

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates her feast day every Jan. 21, the day of her death. She was only about 12 or 13 year old when she was martyred in A.D. 304, but she has been honored by the Church for more than 1,700 years.

Today, the saint?s skull resides in a side chapel of the church Sant?Agnese in Agone in the Piazza Navona, Rome. Her body was buried in what is now known as the catacomb of St. Agnes, and her bones are still preserved in the Church of St. Agnes Outside the Walls, which was built over the catacomb where she was originally buried.

St. Agnes? name means ?chaste? in Greek and ?lamb? in Latin. Both meanings foreshadowed her death as a virgin martyr who died because she defended her chastity and refused to give up her faith. 

St. Agnes was born to noble Christian parents in A.D. 291 in the Roman Empire. She lived during a time of Christian persecution under the reign of Emperor Diocletian.

In the year 302, the emperor resolved to wipe out Christianity. While Agnes was growing up, in 303, Diocletian along with his co-ruler Galerius called for the destruction of churches and the burning of books. Clergy and laity were imprisoned and tortured for refusing to worship the emperor. 

There are accounts of her life going back to the late fourth and early fifth century, including one by the Roman Christian poet Prudentius called ?The Passion of Agnes.? St. Ambrose and Pope Damasus wrote accounts of her martyrdom as well. Though there are small differences across all, the general story is quite similar.

An anonymous author popularized her story through a biography, ?The Life of St. Agnes of Rome: Virgin and Martyr,? written in French in the 1800s and translated to English soon after.

The story goes that as she was returning home one day, Procopius, the son of Roman prefect Symphronius, fell in love with her and sought to marry her. He brought her many gifts and offered her riches, but she refused, saying she was bound to her spouse ? Christ.

When Symphronius learned that she was a Christian, he put her on trial.

?My life belongs to him who has chosen me first,? she insisted in response to his threats, refusing to betray her vow to Christ.

Though the prefect at first offered her a chance to preserve her virginity by becoming a priestess of the goddess Vesta, she refused, and so he sent her to a brothel. When he ordered her stripped of her garments, the story goes that her hair unbraided and grew to cover her. As she was paraded through the streets, the onlookers are said to have looked away. 

When she reached the brothel, an angel of the Lord surrounded her with a bright light, obscuring her from the eyes of those who intended to rape her. Though many in the brothel fell down in worship, when the son of the prefect approached her, calling the others cowards, he died.

The prefect blamed her for the death of his son, but when she defended herself against his accusations of witchcraft, the prefect said he would believe if she asked the angel to bring him back. After she prostrated herself on the ground in prayer, the son came back to life.

In another version, the son was struck blind, not dead.

Priests and authority figures became concerned about the attention Agnes was getting and condemned her to death. The prefect abandoned her, and she was thrown into a fire in a public area.

But the flame, the story goes, divided in half and did not touch her. In another version, the stake she was tied to would not burn. She praised God and then was executed by beheading.

Because of the nature of her martyrdom, the Church honors St. Agnes as the patron saint of girls, chastity, virgins, and victims of rape.

On the day of her feast day, two lambs are blessed. The lambs are then shorn, and the wool is used to make palliums, liturgical vestments worn by archbishops.

This story was first published on Jan. 21, 2024, and has been updated.

The newly ordained Bishop Frederik Hansen is presented to the congregation at St. Olav?s Cathedral in Oslo, Norway, on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2024. / Credit: Diocese of Oslo/Katolsk.no/EWTN

Oslo, Norway, Jan 18, 2025 / 09:45 am (CNA).

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican?s Secretary of State, ordained a Norwegian prelate as the new bishop of Oslo at St. Olav?s Cathedral on Saturday.

Frederik Hansen, who selected ?Lex tua veritas? ? ?Your law is truth? ? as his episcopal motto, succeeds Bishop Bernt Ivar Eidsvig, CRSA, in leading the increasingly diverse Catholic community within predominantly Lutheran Norway. The 45-year-old served in the Vatican?s diplomatic service under Parolin until 2022.

?The first duty of a bishop?

In his sermon on Jan. 18, Parolin thanked Eidsvig, who had led the diocese for almost 20 years with his ?generous service.?

The cardinal emphasized that ?unceasing prayer and invocation of the Holy Spirit? constitute ?the first duty of a bishop.?

?We cannot fully comprehend the enormity of his transforming power, but we can experience it in some measure if, like the apostles, we remain open and docile to his action,? Parolin said.

Prelates from across northern Europe attended the ordination, including bishops from all Nordic countries, Germany, and the United Kingdom. EWTN streamed the ordination in several languages, including German and Polish.

From diplomat to diocesan leader

Born to Lutheran parents in Drammen, Norway, in 1979, Hansen converted to Catholicism at age 20 and was ordained a priest almost eight years later by Eidsvig.

The prelate?s path to the priesthood led him through studies in Rome and work in the diplomatic service of the Holy See before joining the Sulpician order in 2022.

Pope Francis appointed him as coadjutor and eventual successor to Eidsvig last year.

In an interview with the National Catholic Register, CNA?s sister news partner, in November 2024, Hansen said: ?The international reality of the Catholic Church is mirrored in the Catholic Church in Scandinavia, which is very multicultural and multilingual. Our cathedral parish in Oslo, for example, has Sunday Masses in 11 languages.?

?We are the world Church on a local level,? he explained, referencing the large groups of Polish, Lithuanian, Filipino, Vietnamese, African, and Latin American Catholics in the Nordic dioceses.

A multicultural Church

Speaking about the Church in Norway, Parolin emphasized how Catholics from more than 150 countries have enriched the local Church community.

?This diversity is both a challenge and a gift from God,? he said, noting how different cultural traditions contribute to creating ?a unique and singular Church.?

The cardinal praised the Church in Scandinavia?s commitment to charitable works and evangelization, particularly highlighting their welcome of refugees and immigrants. He also commended the ?fraternal love? demonstrated in ecumenical cooperation with Lutheran Christians.

Before the ordination, Parolin met with Norway?s King Harald V and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

?These were very cordial meetings,? the cardinal told EWTN News, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner. Parolin emphasized the importance of strengthening relationships with civil authorities.

Pilgrims of hope

Looking toward the future, Parolin highlighted the significance of the 2025 Jubilee Year, calling it an opportunity for ?returning to the heart of Jesus.?

He encouraged the faithful to become ?pilgrims of hope,? praying especially for regions affected by conflict, mentioning Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, and Sudan.

This story is an edited adaption of translations of twostories published by CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner.

Abbé Pierre, born Henri Marie Joseph Grouès in 1912, was a prominent French Catholic priest. He died in 2007. Allegations of sexual abuse were first publicly reported in 2024. / Credit: Studio Harcourt Paris/Wikimedia (CC BY 3.0)

CNA Newsroom, Jan 18, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The bishops of France on Friday formally requested prosecutors launch a criminal investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Abbé Pierre, a prominent priest who founded the poverty ministry Emmaus.

The move follows nine new accusations in a new report released on Jan. 13 against the French priest, who died in 2007 at age 94.

Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the French Bishops? Conference (CEF), announced the formal request on Jan. 17 during a radio interview, emphasizing the need to uncover any additional victims.

While the late Abbé Pierre can no longer be prosecuted, the Paris prosecutor?s office could still investigate potential accomplices or failures to report abuse and assault at the time.

Latest developments

Earlier this week, Emmaus International, Emmaus France, and the Abbé Pierre Foundation released their third and final collection of testimonies documenting nine new accounts of alleged sexual abuse. According to the organization, this brings the total number of testimonies to 33.

Allegations against the priest were first reported in 2023 when Emmaus France received a statement from a woman accusing Pierre of sexual assault. Further testimonies were released in July 2024 in an independent report commissioned by Emmaus. The documented allegations span multiple decades, from the 1950s through the 2000s, with victims including Emmaus employees, volunteers, and young women in Pierre?s social circle.

The French bishops opened files on Abbé Pierre in September 2023. These documents would normally have remained sealed at the National Center of Archives of the Church of France until 2082.

Background

Abbé Pierre founded the Emmaus Movement in Paris in 1949. Before these recent allegations, he was widely regarded as one of the Church of France?s most beloved and iconic figures. He was mainly known for assisting the homeless population in France and establishing the ?Trève Hivernale,? or ?Winter Truce? law in the 1950s, which still protects tenants from eviction during winter months.

The investigation into Pierre represents another significant chapter in the French Catholic Church?s broader reckoning with clerical abuse. In 2021, a landmark report by an independent commission on sexual abuse in the Church reported that an estimated 330,000 children were sexually abused over 70 years by clergy or Church-affiliated individuals.

Friar Paolo Benanti is president of Italy?s Commission for Artificial Intelligence. / Credit: Courtesy of Paul VI Foundation/Screenshot

Madrid, Spain, Jan 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Franciscan friar Paolo Benanti, an expert in artificial intelligence (AI), warned of its ethical risks during a colloquium organized by the Paul VI Foundation in Madrid, pointing out that ?the people who control this type of technology control reality.?

The Italian priest, president of the Italian government?s Commission for Artificial Intelligence, emphasized that ?the reality we are facing is different from that of 10 or 15 years ago and it?s a reality defined by software.?

?This starting point has an impact on the way in which we exercise the three classic rights connected with the ownership of a thing: use, abuse, and usufruct,? he explained. (The Cambridge Dictionary defines usufruct as ?the legalright to use someone else?s propertytemporarily and to keep any profit made from it.?)

This is especially true regarding usufruct, because ?the values ??that you produce with the use of these devices are not yours but go to the cloud,? Benanti noted.

?So who are those who do not have the usufruct of things? The slaves,? he explained. 

Therefore, he encouraged reflection on what it means to live in a reality defined by software. ?We have to have an ethical approach to technology? and in particular to those linked to artificial intelligence, he said, ?because they are the ones that shape the reality of our world, and the people who control this type of technology control reality.?

?We have to recognize that we live in a different reality. Software is not secondary but questions what reality is, what property is, what are the rights we have,? the Franciscan said.

Centralization and decentralization of power

Secondly, the Franciscan explained how the development of computer technology after the Second World War has produced different processes related to power, democracy, and privacy.

In the 1970s, decentralizing processes took place in the United States and Europe that led to the creation years later of personal computers that ?allowed everyone to have access to very simple things.?

In the 1990s, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the idea was that a more liberalized market ?would lead to greater well-being and promote the liberal democracy model in countries with other models. However, this policy ?made China richer, but not more democratic,? the AI expert continued.

Thus, Western democratic values ??entered into crisis when it was realized that ?you can be rich and have well-being without being democratic,? he observed.

In the so-called Arab Spring of 2011, the use of mobile phones showed the ?the power of personal computers.? But soon after, this power began to be suspected: ?Mobile phones were no longer the allies of democracy but the worst ally of fake news, polarization, post-truth, and all that kind of thing,? Benanti noted.

With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, ?we were able to adapt our lives thanks to the power of our personal computers? through the use of video calls or the development of applications for bank payments among other useful tools to substitute for doing things in person. 

?We realized that, silently, from 2012 to 2020, the smartphone had subsumed reality and now things that happened in reality were happening directly on the phone,? he recalled.

The risk to democracy in the computer age

During the second decade of the 21st century, ?we have artificial intelligence inside the smartphone? and, according to Benanti, classical liberal democracy is turning into ?a computer-based democracy.?

In it, ?we are using artificial intelligence to take away a person?s ability to use the computer on his own and take it to a centralized place that we call a data center? in such a way that a new ethical challenge appears: ?Now all the processes are centralized in the cloud again.?

The expert emphasized that these ?clouds? or data centers ?belong to five companies? that own ?all the data,? which represents not just a personal challenge but also a challenge ?for democratic processes.?

Regarding these challenges, the priest explained how artificial intelligence can also pose a threat to people?s freedom through its ability to make predictions about behavior.

?The suggestion you may be interested in is not only predicting what you can buy, but it is also producing the things you are going to buy,? he summarized.

This possibility poses ?a real problem? because the existence of this type of system in our pockets ?is capable of forcing and shaping the freedom of public spaces.?

These kinds of questions about the weaknesses, opportunities, strengths, and threats of artificial intelligence constitute the reason why ?we should have governance over these kinds of innovations.? 

Regarding the future, Benanti predicted artificial intelligence will have a major impact on access to information, medicine, and the labor market. Regarding the latter, he noted: ?If we do not regulate the impact that artificial intelligence can have on the labor market, we could destroy society as we now know it.?

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

Ordinandi lie prostrate during the Litany of Saints during an ordination Mass in St. Peter?s Basilica on Sept. 29, 2016. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 14, 2025 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Church in Italy generated fresh controversy last week when it published a new document on the formation of priests that some media and members of the clergy interpreted as an opening toward the ordination of homosexual men.

Bishop Stefano Manetti of Fiesole, Italy, president of the bishops? commission for the clergy and consecrated life, has subsequently sought to nip those interpretations in the bud by clarifying in Avvenire, the Italian Bishops Conference? newspaper, that ?this is not a correct reading? of the text titled ?The Formation of Priests in Italian Churches: Guidelines and Rules for Seminaries? and posted Jan. 9 on the website of the Dicastery for the Clergy.

The referenced norms were initially approved last November by the Italian bishops when they met in their general assembly in Assisi. Paragraph 44 of the text states among other things that ?the objective of the formation of the candidate for the priesthood in the affective-sexual sphere is the ability to accept as a gift, freely choose, and responsibly live chastity in celibacy.?

After the release of the original text, Father James Martin, a Jesuit and promoter of the LGBTQ Outreach apostolate, reacted in a post on X, providing his own translation of the Italian text: ?In the training process, when reference is made to homosexual tendencies, it is also appropriate not to reduce discernment only to this aspect but, as for every candidate, to grasp its meaning in the overall picture of the young person?s personality, so that, by getting to know each other and integrating the objectives inherent to the human and presbyteral vocation, reaches a general harmony.?

?This is the first time I?ve seen in a Vatican-approved document the suggestion that discernment about whether a gay man may enter the seminary cannot simply be determined by his sexual orientation,? Martin commented.

?My reading of this ? and it is only my reading ? is that if a gay man is able to lead a healthy chaste and celibate life, he may be considered for admission to the seminary. So, as I see it, this is something of a step forward,? the Jesuit priest concluded.

In a Jan. 10 article on the subject, the New York Times trumpeted that the ?Vatican allows Italian gay men to train to be priests, if they remain celibate? and that ?candidates for the seminary should not be disqualified based on sexual orientation, according to new Church guidelines in Italy.? 

According to Manetti, whose statements were also published on Jan. 10, this approach ?is not a correct reading because the paragraph reiterates the norms of the magisterium at the beginning.?

According to Avvenire, paragraph 44 ?reiterates, word for word, what is established in No. 199 of the document issued Dec. 8, 2016, by the then-Congregation for the Clergy titled ?The Gift of the Priestly Vocation: Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis,? which in turn takes up the content of the instruction published by the then-Congregation for Catholic Education in 2005.?

Both documents establish that persons with ?deep-seated? homosexual tendencies cannot be admitted to seminaries.

?The Gift of the Priestly Vocation? states that ?in relation to persons with homosexual tendencies who seek admission to seminary, or discover such a situation in the course of formation, consistent with her own magisterium, the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practise homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called ?gay culture.? Such persons, in fact, find themselves in a situation that gravely hinders them from relating correctly to men and women.?

Avvenire points out that what is new in the document is in the ?discernment? of candidates, especially in the first three years of formation.

?We intend to put the person first by helping candidates for the priesthood to clarify within themselves ... an accompaniment to self-knowledge that is often lacking in the younger generations and that does not exclude even the young men arriving at the seminaries,? Manetti explained to Avvenire.

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

The Amerigo Vespucci Italian naval ship. / Credit: Superchilum, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Jan 13, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

The Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian naval ship named after the 15th-century explorer that inspired the name ?America,? has been designated a 2025 Jubilee church.

Archbishop Santo Marcianò of the Military Ordinariate of Italy officially designated the ship as a jubilee church for 2025, according to a Jan. 9 statement from the ship?s press office.

He explained that the ship?s chaplain, Don Mauro Medaglini, ?will have the task of accompanying the sailors in this precious time of the jubilee. During its long navigation, the Vespucci has always had the presence of several chaplains who have alternated, silently but very effectively, accompanying the spiritual life of the crew, and they will do so in a particular way in this year of the Jubilee of Hope.?

The ship, which dates back to 1931, has been touring the world as a cultural ambassador for Italy since July 2023. During its journey, the Amerigo Vespucci has stopped in places including Los Angeles; Tokyo; Mumbai, India; Doha, Qatar; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, among others. 

Despite not having a designated chapel onboard, the ship?s chaplain is able to celebrate Mass on the quarterdeck, a structure raised above the deck, when weather permits, or in an atrium inside.

The statement said that the Amerigo Vespucci will be a jubilee site ?for sacred pilgrimages and for pious visits among its missions at sea.?

?The church that lives among the military also wants to establish signs during the jubilee year that express that hope that the church and the world await from God, and which God entrusts to the military world,? Marcianò said on the designation. ?These certainly include the sacred jubilee sites, through which our military can attain the spiritual benefits originating from the jubilee indulgence.?

One way Catholics can obtain a plenary indulgence during the jubilee year is by making a pilgrimage to their cathedral or to another church or shrine selected by the local bishop. Other ways include making a pilgrimage to Rome, praying in certain churches in Rome, performing works of mercy, fasting from social media, and volunteering.

The beatification cause of Sister Clare Crockett, an inspirational young Irish religious sister who died in 2016, formally opened Jan. 12, 2025, with a ceremony at the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares in Madrid, Spain. / Credit: Courtesy of Servants of the Home of the Mother

Vatican City, Jan 13, 2025 / 11:50 am (CNA).

The beatification cause of Sister Clare Crockett, an inspirational young Irish religious sister who died in 2016, formally opened Sunday with a ceremony at the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares in Madrid, Spain.

The ceremony marked the beginning of the diocesan phase of the process, in which an elected tribunal will investigate her life, virtues, and reputation for holiness. 

Crockett, who died in a 2016 earthquake in Ecuador at the age of 33, is now titled ?servant of God,? the first step in the Catholic Church?s path to sainthood.

More than 100 people traveled from her hometown of Derry, Northern Ireland, to attend the event, including Bishop Donal McKeown. South American Cardinal Fernando Chomalí Garib, the archbishop of Santiago de Chile, also attended.

In Derry, approximately 500 people gathered at a movie theater to watch the ceremony broadcast live.

?The people of Derry are so proud of her,? McKeown told The Irish News. Crockett?s story ?is a very striking example of someone who had a conversion experience and dedicated their life to Jesus.?

Crockett was born on Nov. 14, 1982, in Derry. As a charismatic and fun-loving teenager, she had a gift for acting and was contracted to present a television show on Channel 4 in the U.K., attracting interest from Nickelodeon. Already in her early teens she was frequently partying, drinking, and smoking.

But her life changed when she attended a Holy Week retreat in Spain at the age of 17 with the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, a community founded in 1982 with a focus on the Eucharist, Marian spirituality, and outreach to youth.

She recalled later in her personal testimony that when she arrived in Spain she was ?very superficial and a wild child.? But that began to change when she took part in the Good Friday adoration of the cross, kissing the feet of Jesus. 

?I do not know how to explain exactly what happened. I did not see the choirs of angels or a white dove come down from the ceiling and descend on me, but I had the certainty that the Lord was on the cross, for me,? she remembered. 

?And along with that conviction, I felt a great sorrow ? and prayed the Stations of the Cross. When I returned to my pew, I already had imprinted in me something that was not there before. I had to do something for him who had given his life for me.?

It was the start of a long journey of conversion and healing that led to her joining the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother.

Despite initial struggles to leave behind a life of ?superficiality and sin,? she entered religious life in 2001 in Spain, making her first vows in 2006 and her final vows in 2010. 

Known for her infectious joy and dedication to others, she served in Spain, the United States, and Ecuador.

Sister Clare died on April 16, 2016, when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the school in Playa Prieta, Ecuador, where she was teaching music. Five postulants also lost their lives in the collapse.

A documentary about her life, ?All or Nothing: Sister Clare Crockett,? has amassed over 4 million views on YouTube in Spanish and English, and her story continues to inspire vocations and deepen faith worldwide. 

In the years since her death, stories of graces and miracles attributed to Crockett have poured in from around the world, according to Sister Kristen Gardner, the postulator of her cause. 

?Desperate souls on the verge of suicide have regained hope, university students lost in vice have found strength to return to the Lord,? Gardner said during the ceremony on Jan. 12.

?There is a very characteristic common note in the messages received,? she said, ?and that is that many describe Sister Clare as their friend, even without having met her, she is their friend.?

Her family, present at the ceremony, expressed pride and gratitude for the recognition of Sister Clare?s life. 

?Never in a million years did we think she was going to be a nun, never mind make her way to sainthood,? Shauna Gill, Crockett?s sister, told BBC News in Northern Ireland.

More than 13,000 people had watched the livestream of the ceremony on YouTube within 24 hours of the event.  

The opening of the beatification process is the first step in what could be a long journey toward sainthood. Bishop Antonio Prieto Lucena of Alcalá de Henares, who presided over Sunday?s ceremony, noted that the process will examine Crockett?s heroic virtues and any graces or favors attributed to her intercession. 

According to Gardner, the sisters have received ?messages and mail from more than 50 countries? with testimonies of how Crockett?s story has inspired, including from young people who have decided to embrace religious life after learning more about her life. 

?Countless seminarians and religious have said that Sister Clare has saved their vocation, just when they were thinking that they had no other option but to turn their backs on God,? Gardner said.

The postulator added that Crockett?s overflowing joy and coherence of life has led many souls ?to discover that true happiness is found only in God.?

The opening of her cause ?is not motivated by human reasons but by the desire to give glory to God, which is manifested in the testimony of dedication to Christ that shines in the lives of his servants,? she said.

Pep Borrell, a popularizer of the truth and beauty of Catholic courtship and marriage. / Credit: Courtesy of Pep Borrell

Madrid, Spain, Jan 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Pep Borrell, born in Barcelona, ??Spain, in 1963, is a dentist by profession, but his passion is to know and spread profound countercultural truths about dating and marriage according to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

A married father of five children with five grandchildren, he has just published the Spanish-language book ?Novios 100%: Cómo tira la caña con acierto? (?All-in Couples: How To Do It Right?).

In this volume dedicated to courtship, Borrell addresses the main questions about this important stage of life with the goal of laying the foundation for a solid, happy marriage.

Using language that is familiar to young people, Borrell analyzes the phases of love, offers keys to choosing well, and takes a look at current issues such as meeting on the internet, fear of commitment, cohabitation, long-distance courtships, and the relationship with in-laws.

Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA?s Spanish-language news partner, Borrell said sentimentality threatens Catholic dating relationships and the fundamental thing about this stage is ?getting to know each other thoroughly? and that ?attraction and falling in love come effortlessly to you, but you have to work on loving.?

He also emphasized the ?supernatural meaning? of sexual relations in marriage and gave reasons for postponing this union during courtship while pointing out that ?there is only one union more intimate between two bodies than the sexual union of spouses: the Eucharist.?

ACI Prensa: What is the greatest or most dangerous threat to a holy courtship in our day?

Borrell: Without a doubt, discouragement and lack of joy, thinking that it?s not possible and that forever-love doesn?t exist. Letting oneself be carried away by the prevailing sentimentalism that makes it difficult to consider things involving a future and commitment.

In today?s culture, it?s very common to talk about being?a couple?as a formula that doesn?t necessarily imply a commitment. What essential commitments does a courtship entail?

I like to say that courtship is not a ?mini-marriage,? it?s a very different stage in which the fundamental thing is to get to know each other thoroughly to know if we are capable of sharing our life with the person we are dating.

It?s the most important choice of our life, for those of us who have a vocation to marriage, which is the vast majority, and too often it is made without much thought, only moved by feelings or by how much fun we have or by the things we share and we believe that with that person that we are dating things will go well for us for the rest of our lives. They enjoy the relationship, but they don?t know each other.

Although significant emotions are experienced, especially during courtship, you emphasize the importance of being rational in a love relationship. Why does being rational not mean that you?re ?killing?love, which is so often portrayed as passionate, a little crazy and emotional?

That?s the crux of the matter: knowing how to distinguish between feelings and the will to love. One thing is what you feel and a very different thing is what you decide to do. That?s why in the initial stages of dating we should always ask ourselves a question: Is this a good fit for me?

Attraction and falling in love come effortlessly to you, but you have to work on loving. Because falling in love is pure feeling, the feeling ?I feel wonderful? and love, wanting to love someone, is an act of will: ?I will go out of my way to make you happy.?

That?s why I can commit to loving, because it depends on me, but I can?t commit to feeling because feelings come and go, we don?t control them. But the most interesting thing, and this is the wonder of love, is that when you work on it, when you make an effort to want the good of the other person, to think more about the other person than about yourself, feelings come back and are even more powerful.

The problem is that at first it?s not easy because falling in love is a hormonal explosion that often blinds our intellect. That?s why it?s good to let the tsunami subside, to get to know one another thoroughly in order to make the right decision, which, let?s remember, is the most important one in your life.

Nor can we act exclusively motivated by reason and keep our distance by rationally analyzing any decision we make. We must be in love to marry but not be foolish about it.

What if I don?t like anything at all about the other person?

The important thing is to know that there are things about the other person that you don?t like. We all have virtues and defects. It?s very important to know the defects of your boyfriend or girlfriend: You must love him or her with his or her virtues and defects.

If you don?t like anything at all, you have to decide if it?s a matter of opinion, important, or serious. If it?s a matter of opinion, you must not only respect that, but you must make an effort to accept it. If it?s important, you must talk about it thoroughly and make a decision. If it?s serious... let the person go; don?t get into a big mess.

A common mistake is wanting to change your boyfriend or girlfriend or expecting them to change, but we can only change ourselves. You have to know what things the other person doesn?t like in order to, as far as possible, try to do better at avoiding them. But everyone has their virtues and their defects, you have to know them and accept them or know them and let that person go.

You say that ?courtship is not a nursery school.?Is there a lot of childish behavior at this stage? How can we remedy it?

There is a lot of laziness nowadays and I write the word with the masculine ending because there are more lazy men than women, although, as in everything, we?re getting to be more and more alike. Men who find it very difficult to make an effort, to commit, to sacrifice themselves, who are only gazing at their own navel, who only do what they feel like and when they feel like it.

It?s very difficult to maintain a relationship with this type of person, because a dating relationship requires effort, going all out, giving your very best. It should be a time of excitement, enthusiasm... If you see that your boyfriend lounges around on the couch a lot and is very inconsistent in managing his affairs, he?s not a good candidate to have a family with. Dating is not about being a nursemaid or a caregiver for anyone.

For Catholics, is whether a dating relationship brings you closer to God or draws you away from God the irrefutable proof to continue with the relationship or let it go?

Catholics should ask ourselves this question before making any decision in life, from the simplest to the most complicated: Does this bring me closer to God or draw me away from God? And obviously, when it comes to dating, which, I repeat, is the time when we will make the most important decision of our lives, of course we should ask ourselves this question, and if a dating relationship draws you away from God, you?ve got to let it go or find a solution.

A dating relationship should bring out the best version of yourself, it should not pull you from anyone, it should make you a better person, a better student or professional, a better friend to your friends, a better son or daughter. The best version of yourself.

Couples should help each other to achieve this. It?s a time when you should be all aglow, eager to take on the world. If, instead, a relationship draws you away from God, your family and friends, makes you more apathetic or takes away your peace, it?s not for you, let it go.

In the book you maintain that ?there is nothing safer than having sexual relations exclusively with the person you love, who is the one you decide to share your whole life with [in marriage].? Besides avoiding STDs, what other types of security are you referring to?

Sexuality is the language of love. We human beings need our bodies to say that we love each other. The greatest union between a man and a woman is to have sexual relations; it?s the height of intimacy. We give ourselves totally to each other, without conditions.

This surrender must be free, total, faithful, and fruitful and that can only happen in marriage. A relationship outside of marriage will be free, but it?s not total, because you haven?t given yourself body and soul to that person; it?s not faithful either, because you have not assured him or her that this relationship is forever, ?til death do us part; and for sure it won?t be fruitful because it won?t be open to life.

This doctrine of the Catholic Church is not designed to hassle people; it?s designed so that we can be happy on this earth and then be happy eternally in heaven.

It?s not a question of sin or prohibition, it?s a question of surrender and love, because if it?s not, what is in store for that one and only person with whom you are going to share your life and become one body?

Sexuality is a gift from God to human beings, only to us, because we are rational, we have intelligence and will to do things and we can enjoy it as we wish, collaborating with God in procreation and uniting our bodies as one flesh, image of the one and triune God, a community of love. Beautiful, God thought of us like this. How wonderful.

?In marriage, having sexual relations is praying.? How can we explain this truth revealed to the Catholic Church in a secularized society?

The supernatural meaning of sexual relations is something spectacular. God is love and the highest expression of love in marriage is the sexual union of spouses who become the image of God, two people who are joined together to form one flesh.

We express our love for God by loving our spouse; we use our body to express our love. A love that is the image of God?s love for the Church who is his spouse and which is also free, whole, faithful, and fruitful.

There is only one union more intimate between two bodies than the sexual union of spouses: the Eucharist. In communion we literally eat the body of Christ and become one with him, a miracle.

I know that it?s not easy for a nonbeliever to understand ? you have to experience it, you have to enjoy it ? living human love with this supernatural vision is taking it to a whole new level. 

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

Pope Francis lays his hands on Renato Tarantelli Baccari ? a gesture signifying the conferral of episcopal authority that traces back to apostolic times ? at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Jan. 4, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Jan 4, 2025 / 16:33 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis attended the episcopal ordination of Rome?s new auxiliary bishop and vicegerent at the Basilica of St. John Lateran Saturday afternoon.

Monsignor Renato Tarantelli Baccari, 48, who was appointed auxiliary bishop of Rome and vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome by the pontiff on Nov. 21, 2024, received his episcopal ordination from Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope?s vicar for Rome.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna, and Bishop Michele Di Tolve, auxiliary bishop of Rome, served as co-consecrators.

In his homily, Reina emphasized three fundamental actions that define a bishop?s vocation: ?to indicate, to follow, and to remain.? The cardinal explained that these actions outline both ?the vocation of pastors? and ?the mission entrusted to Don Renato.?

Tarantelli Baccari, who was ordained a priest by Pope Francis in 2018, will serve as auxiliary bishop for the southern sector of the Diocese of Rome. A canon lawyer by training, he joins four other auxiliary bishops currently serving the Diocese of Rome under Pope Francis, who serves as the diocese?s bishop.

Before the celebration?s conclusion, the newly ordained bishop thanked Pope Francis for ?coming here today to your cathedral, among the people of your beloved diocese, this beautiful Church of Rome.?

Tarantelli Baccari recalled the pope?s recommendations for every pastor and ?pilgrim of hope?: ?Pray always, never tire, always forgive, move forward with courage and don?t lose your smile, and above all, never lose your sense of humor.?

The Diocese of Rome may soon see another episcopal appointment. The diocese?s northern sector remains vacant following Bishop Daniele Salera?s transfer to lead the Diocese of Ivrea. The other sectors are currently assigned: the eastern sector to Bishop Paolo Ricciardi, the western sector to Reina, and the southern sector to the newly ordained Baccari.

Vatican sources indicate that the northern sector could be assigned to one of two auxiliary bishops who currently do not oversee a sector: Bishop Michele Di Tolve or Bishop Benoni Ambarus.

This article was first publishedby ACI Stampa, CNA?s Italian-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA. 

Auxiliary Bishop Andreas Laun. / Credit: Archdiocese of Salzburg

CNA Newsroom, Jan 4, 2025 / 08:19 am (CNA).

An Austrian bishop who played a pivotal role in shaping Catholic television in German-speaking countries died on New Year?s Eve at the age of 81.

Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Andreas Laun of Salzburg was ?closely connected with EWTN?s history from the beginning,? EWTN Germany Program Director Martin Rothweiler told CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner.

?We bid farewell to a man of faith whose commitment to the Church, life, and evangelizing leaves a lasting legacy.?

Foundational figure

?Bishop Andreas Laun was closely connected with EWTN?s history from the beginning,? Rothweiler recalled. ?As the first chairman of the program commission, he significantly shaped the development of the Catholic television broadcaster in Germany in its early days.?

The prelate created some of the first German-language productions at EWTN, including the foundational series ?In the Light of Faith,? which provided a comprehensive introduction to Catholic teaching.

Born on Oct. 13, 1942, Laun entered the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales after studying philosophy. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1967 and served in various pastoral roles. He earned his doctorate in moral theology in 1973 and completed his habilitation in 1981.

From 1995 until 2017, when he reached retirement age, Laun served as auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Salzburg.

Rothweiler noted Laun?s ?unwavering commitment to protecting unborn life? and described him as ?a prophetic voice? in defending Christian ethics, marriage, and family during times of social change. ?At the same time, he was always committed to interreligious dialogue and religious freedom.?

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.

The Catholic Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Minsk, Belarus. / Credit: nastya_krii/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 3, 2025 / 17:05 pm (CNA).

Father Henrykh Akalatovich was sentenced on Dec. 30 in Belarus to 11 years in prison for ?high treason,? a charge that President Alexander Lukashenko?s regime applies to political prisoners, a representative of a human rights organization reported.

The Viasna Human Rights Center stated on X that the 64-year-old Catholic priest has denied ?all charges.?

Viasna noted that the priest had already suffered a heart attack and had undergone surgery for cancer before his arrest in November 2023. ?He needs special care and treatment, but instead he has been thrown into harsh conditions on political charges,? the organization noted.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Viasna representative Pavel Sapelka said Akalatovich is the first Catholic priest since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 to be sentenced in Belarus ?on criminal charges that are leveled against political prisoners.?

?The harsh sentence is intended to intimidate and silence hundreds of other priests ahead of January?s presidential election,? Sapelka said.

In December 2024, The Tablet cited a statement from the Belarusian Catholic bishops calling on priests to limit their media appearances.

?Clerics and religious must remember they are called to preach Christ?s teaching, not their own opinions and views, especially those that could cause confusion, scandal, or division ? This includes abstaining from political statements and expressions,? the Tablet reported, quoting a statement from the bishops? conference.

The AP reported that Akalatovich?s conviction ?comes as Belarusian authorities have intensified their sweeping crackdown on dissent ahead of the Jan. 26 presidential election that is all but certain to give President Alexander Lukashenko a seventh term.?

Belarus declared independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991 and held its first free elections in 1994, which Lukashenko won.

However, the ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained in power by imposing an authoritarian regime. According to Viasna, there are more than 1,200 political prisoners in Belarus.

Religious freedom in Belarus

According to the 2023 Report on Religious Freedom by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Lukashenko declares himself to be an ?Orthodox atheist? and carries out authoritarian repression with ?devastating consequences for civil society and human rights, including religious freedom.?

The ACN report notes that Catholics make up 10%-12% of the population and that groups ?not within the Orthodox structures of the Belarusian Orthodox Church and Moscow Patriarchate? suffer restrictions such as, for example, ?arbitrary work permission denials to clerics other than those Moscow Orthodox Patriarchate-related.?

The report recalls the pressure exerted against the then-archbishop of Minsk and Mogilev, Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, for calling for an end to violence against protesters who claimed there was fraud in the 2020 elections that kept Lukashenko in power.

In addition, the report says, the regime monitors believers through the secret police and controls them through its Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs. ?Surveillance is extended to publications by censorship and internet publications by the penalization of users for content posted,? ACN notes.

?Most human rights, including religious freedom, are endangered due to the authoritarian nature of the government in Belarus,? the ACN report summarizes.

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

The Sacred Heart of Jesus. / Credit: Unidentified painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 3, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Spain?s bishops are speaking out after the host of a new year?s countdown on Spanish public television showed during the broadcast a picture with the face of the mascot of a well-known program in place of the face of Jesus on a traditional image of the Sacred Heart.

Laura Yustres Vélez, known as ?Lalachús,? is a Spanish actress and comedian who appears on the program ?La Revuelta? (?The Revolt?), a nighttime comedy show on Spanish public television characterized by its irreverent humor and asking the show?s guests about their sex life and financial worth.

Yustres starred on the New Year?s Eve episode along with David Broncano, host of ?La Revuelta,? in a segment from the Puerta del Sol, a large plaza in Madrid, as its famous clock chimed the last few moments of 2024.

At one point during the broadcast, Lalachús showed an image in which the face of a bull that is a character on ?El Gran Prix,? a well-known family entertainment show in Spain, was superimposed over where the face of Jesus would be in an image of the Sacred Heart.

The image includes a halo behind the character?s head, a Sacred Heart on the chest on which the left hand rests, and the right hand is raised with three fingers extended and two folded, symbolizing the Trinity.

?I always carry my little image of the Vaquilla [?the cute bull?] of the ?Gran Prix? with me,? said Yustres, showing it to the viewers as one of her amulets for the new year.

Spanish bishops react

The president of the Spanish Bishops? Conference, Archbishop Luis Argüello, said he was saddened by the controversial image. ?With the excuse of freedom of expression and the excesses of the festivities, TVE [Spanish public television] makes fun of the symbol of the heart so dear to all Catholics,? he said.

?The saddest thing is that those responsible are not aware of what they?re doing. Once again banality surrounds us,? he added.

The archbishop of Seville, José Ángel Saiz Meneses, also criticized the mockery and asked: ?How long will they take advantage of our patience??

The archbishop of Oviedo, Jesús Sanz Montes, emphasized that ?if she tried to do [the same thing] with [an image of] Mohammed, it wouldn?t be funny at all.?

The bishop of Vitoria, Juan Carlos Elizalde, pointed out that ?Catholics are not second-class citizens, and even less so in a country where the vast majority of citizens are baptized or are children of Catholics.?

Fernando Prado, the bishop of Bilbao, invited people to protest the incident by choosing other television options next year.

Christian Lawyers Foundation files complaint

The Spanish Christian Lawyers Foundation filed a complaint against the president of Spanish Radio Television, José Pablo López, and Yustres for an alleged hate crime under Article 510 of the Spanish Penal Code and another complaint in violation of religious sentiments under the code?s Article 525.

In addition, the complaint points out that López posted on his social media the image of Yustres holding the altered holy card, together with other images from the program, stating he is ?happy to work with people who take risks.?

For the lawyers, ?this message on social media shows that the mockery of Christians had, at the very least, his approval or was even orchestrated by him.?

The organization also charged ?that attacks on Christians are being used to create controversy and thus increase viewership, something that already happened with the opening gala of the Olympic Games? and that ?the use of the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the [bull] on the ?Gran Prix? denotes clear contempt and mockery toward the rites and symbols of Catholicism and constitutes an affront, an insult, and an outrage toward religious sentiments and Catholic beliefs.?

Eliminating crimes against religious sentiments

Last July, the Spanish government announced it would address the issue of eliminating the crime against religious sentiments from the penal code, which has been criticized by different entities and personalities, including the president of the Spanish Bishops? Conference.

The announcement became official last September when the measure was included in the so-called Action Plan for Democracy.

Argüello noted on X that ?feelings have been elevated to a category in the law, for example, to be able to change one?s sex; more and more expressions are considered hate crimes. In this environment of paying tribute to emotions in the law, religious sentiments cease to be a protected good in the law.?

The government?s intention has also been opposed by Christian denominations other than the Catholic Church as well as by the Jewish and Muslim communities.

In a recent joint statement they stressed that ?as citizens and believers, we also claim the right of our faithful to be able to live their faith in a climate of respect for religious sentiments, protected by other rights also protected by the constitution, such as the right to religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and the right to one?s dignity and moral standing.?

This measure would remove Spain from the majority of the countries in the European Union that protect religious freedom, since 21 of the 27 member states provide penalties for actions against religious sentiments.

The minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with Parliament, Félix Bolaños, reacted to the complaint by Christian Lawyers with a message on X stating that their complaint represents an ?attempt by the right-wing opposition to intimidate? in which he reiterated the government?s intention to repeal the crime of offending religious sentiments.

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

St. Peter?s Basilica. / Credit: Thoom/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 1, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On foot, by bicycle, and even on horseback, throngs of pilgrims arrive each day at the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican, the goal of a journey undertaken by many as an act of faith. There are a number of routes that pilgrims can take on their journey to Rome, and one of the most iconic is the Romea Strata, a historic road that has guided travelers from Central and Eastern Europe to Rome.

Before becoming a pilgrimage route, it was used for multiple purposes, including trade, and was traveled by historical figures such as Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo Galilei as well as other figures who spread Christianity.

For the Jubilee Year 2025, the experience of arriving in the Eternal City will take on a new direction thanks to the fact that the last stage of the journey has been completely reconfigured with the reconditioning of a disused stretch of railway and a permanent reception center at the entrance to the basilica.

Rome is preparing to welcome more than 30 million pilgrims from all over the world during the jubilee year. But what steps should pilgrims take when arriving in the Eternal City? The Romea Strata project provides an answer.

Volunteers will assist the pilgrims

First of all, those who wish to make visiting the tomb of St. Peter the high point of their pilgrimage can go to the reception and assistance service located on one of the sides of the basilica, next to ?Angels Unawares,? a large sculpture depicting migrants and refugees.

There, volunteers from the Romea Strata initiative, promoted by the Fabric of St. Peter (responsible for conserving and maintaining the basilica and for visitors) and the Homo Viator-San Teobaldo Foundation of the Diocese of Vicenza, will guide the pilgrims to exclusive access to the basilica during the celebration of the daily pilgrim Mass, thus avoiding the long lines of tourists.

In addition, a system for digitizing and systematizing travelers? data has been implemented, and those who have traveled at least 60 miles will be able to obtain the ?Testimonium,? a certificate on parchment with the images of St. Peter and St. Paul.

This service to pilgrims, which began last May, will be maintained permanently during the jubilee. According to the Fabric of St. Peter, 3,700 Testimonia were issued between June and October 2024.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter?s Basilica and president of the Fabric of St. Peter, noted that this ?attention [to needs] and outreach allows them to feel more welcomed and received at this unique place, beloved by all the faithful of the world.?

?In this way, recollection and the time of interiority that come about during the silence of the long journey of faith are encouraged,? he emphasized.

The new route

One of the most significant innovations of the project is the change made to the last stretch of the route that bypasses the Via Trionfale for a new, simpler, safer, and more pleasant journey.

According to the Fabric of St. Peter, this way allows a new entrance to the basilica, significantly improving the experience and offering an incomparable view of the city.

?This new access will not only improve security but will offer a unique experience, allowing us to intensely experience the spirituality that characterizes our journey toward the New Jerusalem,? said Father Raimondo Sinibaldi, president of the Homo Viator Foundation.

The RFI (Italian Railway Network) and the city government are working to recondition a disused stretch of the railway, including the Monte Ciocci tunnel, closed for almost a decade. This project not only aims to enhance the landscape but also to create an appropriate atmosphere for the arrival at St. Peter?s.

The presentation of the new Romea Strata guide will be announced soon. It will include a detailed description of over 600 miles of the route, highlighting not only its historical significance but also points of sociocultural interest and the landscape. It will be an essential tool for all pilgrims, offering practical and narrative details.

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

?What we have to aspire to is to be saints,? the relatives of the late Belgian King Baudouin recall him urging. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Baudouin family

Madrid, Spain, Dec 30, 2024 / 11:55 am (CNA).

After praying silently at King Baudouin?s tomb during his recent trip to Belgium, Pope Francis announced the opening of the king?s beatification process, news long awaited above all by those who knew him and witnessed a life dedicated to attaining holiness.

?He saw Jesus in people?s faces. He looked at you as if you were unique in the world, he made you aware of your existence and gave you dignity,? they said. This is the mark that King Baudouin left on those he crossed paths with, even if only for a moment. These are the words of one of the two relatives of Baudouin and of his wife, Fabiola de Mora y Aragón, who spoke to ACI Prensa, CNA?s Spanish-language news partner, and whose names will not be revealed out of respect for the family?s privacy.

In the interview, the relatives reflected on how King Baudouin?s faith helped him to transmit values ??such as solidarity, respect for human dignity, and the defense of life in all circumstances, becoming a unifying figure in society.

He decided to take Mary as a mother

One of the moments that marked the life of the monarch was the early loss of his mother, Astrid of Sweden, in a car accident when Baudouin was 4 years old.

It was then that he decided to ?take the Virgin as his mother,? something he himself explained years later. ?From then on, Mary probably protected him in a very special way and guided his spiritual life,? one of his relatives said.

?He really had a very strong relationship with Mary. He used to say that he wanted to be like a fetus in her womb, to be unable to do anything without her and to live only through her, not even to breathe without her, to be totally dependent. He often called out to her and addressed her as mom,? the relative added.

Both relatives highlighted other crucial events in the king?s life, especially during his childhood and adolescence, such as his father?s second marriage and the years of exile after the Nazi invasion during World War II. ?It was a very difficult time and it was hard to go through it as a child,? they explained.

Baudouin came to the throne at age 19, and the beginning of his reign was marked by a deep crisis known as the ?Royal Question? related to the controversy over the decisions of his father, Leopold III, during World War II.

?He suffered a lot because of all this, but I know that it was his faith that helped him overcome it,? one of the relatives said.

His upbringing was greatly affected by a Dominican priest from Switzerland who ?had a great spiritual influence? during his youth. He was also guided by Cardinal Leo Jozef Suenens, whose meeting with him in the autumn of 1959 left a deep mark on him until the day of his death.

The cardinal, together with Veronica O?Brien, a Legion of Mary missionary to whom he was introduced in March 1960, were fundamental in King Baudouin?s spiritual life.

He wanted to be a martyr

?He said that when he got to know Jesus, he wanted to be a martyr. He wanted to go to Africa, Asia, wherever, and die as a martyr. Of course, he couldn?t do that because he knew that one day he would be a king and he had to serve his country. So, he decided to be a saint and a martyr in his own way, in his position,? one of his relatives said.

?And he suffered a lot physically, emotionally, and spiritually. When he suffered, I remember he said: ?Thank you, Jesus.? He gave thanks because, through the suffering, he felt that he was helping him carry his cross,? the relative added.

He saw Jesus in people?s faces

One of the relatives remembers that ?from a very early age, Baudouin had a personal and special relationship with God, dedicating his life to seeing in others the face of Christ and especially of the abandoned Jesus in those who suffered.?

?The respect he had for each person he met was due to the fact that he saw Jesus in that person, regardless of religion; he respected that person as a child of God, seeing Jesus.?

The relatives said the testimonies of those who knew him agree on the same thing: ?He lived in the present moment, he looked at you as if you were unique in the world; he saw Jesus in everyone.?

State visits ended in his private chapel

Baudouin?s faith profoundly influenced his way of governing the country, impacting his official visits and the politicians he met in Belgium, even in very difficult situations.

?Many heads of state and personalities who came to meet him, in the end, regardless of their religion or beliefs, or whether they didn?t believe in anything, ended up in the private chapel with the king. And they were praying together, or he prayed with them. Such an experience would undoubtedly have deeply touched the hearts of these people,? his relatives told ACI Prensa.

They said these personalities accepted the king?s invitation because ?they knew there was something about this man. You felt love emanating from him. I think people felt there was something different about the way he treated them. Maybe they didn?t understand it, but there was something supernatural about him, he was extraordinary; he was out of the ordinary. Even if you weren?t a spiritual person or didn?t believe in God, you knew this person was special.?

?There have been people who have been so impacted by his gaze that even years later, they still have in their hearts the way he looked at them. He radiated love, the love of God radiated through his gaze.?

They also pointed out that ?he always promoted dialogue and peace, because he prayed a lot, he never stopped doing so, he always prayed before the Blessed Sacrament before receiving any personality.?

They also pointed out that ?he was very open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and was very humble; he was an instrument of peace and dialogue in this country, because he had the ability to unite people for the common good, something that is not always easy in a political situation or when forming a government with different parties.?

?I think people never left an audience with the king the same ? something changed in their hearts, and I am sure that it also influenced the political mentality. He left no one indifferent. Even though he was a king, in the end you felt at ease, although he was also zealous for his privacy and his spirituality, which he referred to as ?his secret garden.??

?He told me about his love for God and that marked me forever?

One of the relatives got emotional when remembering how she felt drawn to him since she was a child. ?I don?t know how to explain it, but I always wanted to be by his side. And at 17 years old I understood it, because he told me about his love for God, and that marked me and changed my life forever.?

?It was the first time someone told me about his personal relationship with God; it was very impressive, at that moment I understood why I felt drawn to him and that was when I converted, because I knew that God existed, but I didn?t know that I could have a relationship with him, and I understood that it was possible? He explained it to me and encouraged me to live this faith.?

They emphasized that in the family ?everyone was drawn to him? and that he always ?tried to evangelize with respect, both with the different personalities and with our family. For us it was a privilege to know him,? they added.

One of the most special places for King Baudouin was ?Villa Astrida,? his summer home in the town of Motril in Granada province, Spain, where he died on July 31, 1993, at the age of 62 from a sudden heart attack.

?There he always tried to evangelize by sharing his faith, especially during the summers, with his example, with what he said and with the prayer groups that he organized especially with the youngest members of the family.?

Both relatives smiled as they recalled his joy: ?He had a great sense of humor and always tried to make the family enjoy themselves. Motril was like a piece of joy; when people talk about Motril, they all say it was a paradise.?

?What was also special was being able to go to Mass in the chapel every day and pray the rosary. There was a long corridor and we could put out all the chairs for those who wanted to come. The invitation was always freely given,? they explained.

They emphasized that everyone in the family ?was touched in some way? and that, in fact, several nephews and nieces, now priests or nuns, discovered their vocation thanks to him. ?But many of us, with different vocations, were somehow transformed.?

The ?extraordinary? marital union of the royals

Regarding the marriage of the royals, the relatives said their example was ?extraordinary.?

?They were a very close couple, above all because of their tenderness; they were not afraid to show it even with gestures of affection. They looked at each other with such tenderness, holding hands, by the arm.?

They remembered that Baudouin ?didn?t mind hugging her in public and would give her a big kiss on the cheek and say things like, ?You are the life of my heart and the heart of my life.??

?I have never seen anything like that. Never. They had a tenderness and a spiritual love, because they both wanted to serve Jesus and both saw Jesus in the other. They were very aware that they had the mission of bringing Jesus to others as a couple, in their position.?

He ?asked Jesus to act through his hands?

During his audiences, official visits and meetings with the people, Baudoin would shake hands with a large number of people. He was aware of this and ?asked Jesus to act through his hands.?

?He wanted people to know Jesus when he greeted them, with the touch of his hands, so he prayed to be an instrument and to be able to transmit Jesus; especially when shaking hands, he asked to be a means to bring Christ to others.?

Baudouin, according to his relatives, was aware of this, and that is why he said: ?I use my hands, when the people touch me, so that I can transmit the Lord. And who knows, the Lord can use them in different ways, even to heal or convert.?

?He was very specific about this. I don?t know if we will ever know, but I think that many people were converted and were healed spiritually, emotionally, and who knows if physically, through his hands,? one of them commented.

A shepherd to his people

The relatives remembered how people who were suffering attracted Baudouin ?like a magnet,? since he had ?a special sensitivity toward them ? he tried to transmit Jesus to them, to love them and make them see that they were children of God and immensely loved by him.?

?I remember in particular how deeply he was affected by the victims of human trafficking. In the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child at the U.N., Baudouin was able to talk to people who explained to him the reality of this tragedy.?

?He told us, and I know he did,? the relative continued, ?that he would go and see in private, without anyone knowing, people who were suffering from this. The king went to Antwerp and met in private with women who had been victims of prostitution and human trafficking. He went to see them to comfort them, listen to them, hug them, and cry with them.?

It was one of them, a Filipina, who shared her testimony at the king?s funeral. ?However, she was unable to do so because she kept crying. She said she had lost a friend.?

They pointed out that he also went to see people in palliative care, dying and sick people, without telling the press. ?At home it was the same, I remember when I heard him say that he was going to see the cook?s wife, who had cancer. He went to see her at night in the hospital.?

?The same way in the government. A minister lost his son and he went to console his family, very discreetly. He was the shepherd of his people; everyone was important to him, as Cardinal Godfried Danneels described him in the homily at his funeral.?

Beatification process

The relatives said the news of the opening of Baudouin?s beatification process was received by the family ?with great joy; we couldn?t believe it, it?s incredible.? Pope Francis, one of them added, ?could have made the decision on his own and so it happened. In the family we also understood that it was probably the best decision and that he really didn?t do it randomly.?

?How long will the process take? Who knows. That?s not in our hands. But we can no longer turn back, that is certain,? they said.

The day before the announcement, Sept. 28, was the ?Global Day for Access to Legal and Safe Abortion,? something that, they say, ?probably gave Pope Francis the impetus.?

?He decided to speak very forcefully about abortion, with very tough words, which really disturbed many people,? the relatives said and praised the king for his brave stance on this issue.

?I remember an anecdote from years ago, when a friend of mine had the opportunity to give Pope Francis during a general audience the first book written about the king by Cardinal Suenens, [?Baudouin, King of the Belgians: The Hidden Life?]. It was quite a few years ago, and when giving it to him, Pope Francis said to him: ?How long will it take to make him a saint???

They also pointed out that the Holy Father knew the life and testimony of King Baudouin because the well-known Queen Fabiola University Clinic was located in Córdoba, Argentina.

His opposition to abortion

One of the most significant moments of Baudouin?s reign was when, on April 3, 1990, he found himself in the position of having to sign the law that decriminalized abortion in the country.

The relatives pointed out that, despite what the majority claims, he did not resign, but rather ?the government devised a solution? in which the council of ministers noted the impossibility of reigning for reasons of [conflict of] conscience, which was addressed in Article 82 of the Constitution.?

?After declaring the king?s inability to reign, the law was ratified, and then the House of Representatives had to vote again if they considered that the inability to reign had ended,? they explained. Therefore, they emphasized that ?he made the decision anyway and assumed all the consequences,? since he stopped reigning for 36 hours.

They remembered that ?those days he suffered a lot, both [he and his wife] suffered a lot, because they were in a position where they didn?t know what was going to happen, and also because he knew that not signing the abortion law could bring even greater division to the country.?

He asked, they added, ?that people support him by prayer in making a decision. But he was fully aware that he had made the decision with God and with his conscience, which was very impressive.?

They recalled with emotion how in those days, a woman who worked at the palace of Laeken and who had an appointment with a doctor to have an abortion ?cancelled the appointment when she heard what the king had done.?

?When he heard what had happened, he said: ?Just for this, everything I have been through has been worth it.??

Defender of the dignity of women

The relatives lamented that there are people who think that, in making this decision, the king did not take into account women?s rights. ?I think it is very important to establish the truth ? the king had enormous respect for the dignity of women.?

?I know this from all the women he went to see in difficult situations, but also because he held meetings with women from different fields, writers, scientists, politicians, etc. He was very aware of the suffering of women in certain situations. The episode about abortion was a decision made with God and his conscience to defend life.?

As an example of his defense of women?s dignity, they cited an initiative he took to organize a summit aimed at promoting rural women.

?He asked the secretary-general of the United Nations to organize it and brought together almost all the women heads of state and government from around the world in Geneva.?

The relatives reiterated that he had ?the mission of really helping women to be respected, to get out of poverty, to be able to climb the social ladder, to promote their work? He always defended women and their dignity.?

A life of holiness

The decision not to sign the abortion law was certainly an episode that marked the king?s life. However, they stressed: ?It?s not the only one that could be used to declare him a saint, because to take such a step, with all the consequences, means that you have to have led an incredibly deep spiritual life beforehand. It was his life of prayer, his spiritual maturity, and his love for God, which prepared him, without knowing it, to make such a decision. It was not something sudden.?

They particularly highlighted his life of prayer: ?He would spend hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament. We usually had Mass early in the morning and, if you arrived earlier, he would be sitting there in front of the Blessed Sacrament. And many times, during the night, he would wake up and simply go to the chapel to pray. And in Motril too, you would enter the chapel and he would be there. His whole life was a witness to the living Christ.?

?As he said, what we have to aspire to is to be saints. So he really wanted that and he tried to live that holiness throughout his whole life,? one of them added.

If he were to be recognized as a saint, they said, ?we would like him to be remembered as the ?shepherd king,? for his simplicity and humility. And for him to be an example for all heads of government and heads of state, as Pope Francis said.?

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

Blessing of a plane at Dublin Airport. / Credit: Dublin Airport Authority (DAA)

Dublin, Ireland, Dec 30, 2024 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Dublin Airport?s tradition of blessing aircraft entered a new chapter in 2024 with the appointment of a Nigerian-born priest as chaplain, ensuring the continuation of a custom that dates back 77 years.

The ceremony, which was moved from its traditional Christmas Day timing to earlier in December this year, maintains its role as a significant moment in the airport?s calendar. The arrival of Father Justin Obijuru made this possible after a six-month vacancy following the departure of longtime chaplain Father Des Doyle.

?I?m quite excited to take up this particular role as chaplain,? said Obijuru, who is currently pursuing a master?s degree at Maynooth Pontifical University.

?When the appointment came, I was really happy; it gave me a sense of belonging.?

Earlier concerns about new aviation security protocols threatening the ceremony?s future were resolved in April when the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) confirmed its continuation. The DAA emphasized the inclusive nature of this year?s ceremony by inviting representatives from various faiths.

Doyle, who served as chaplain for 16 years, recalled conducting the blessings each year after the final Christmas Mass.

?It always had a tremendous positive reaction,? he said. He noted how the ceremony has adapted to reflect changes in modern Irish society while maintaining its core purpose.

The blessing?s rich history is documented in Ireland?s national archives.

RTÉ, the national broadcaster, preserves notable footage from May 1967 showing a guard of honor formed by Aer Lingus flight and ground crews lining the tarmac. The silent newsreel captures the local parish priest, Father Daniel Barrett, performing the blessing alongside Father John Fenelon, the airport chaplain. A choir appears, singing as a litany of Irish saints is recited. The depicted May ceremony would be the last of its kind, as the blessing would move to Christmas Day later that year.

The Irish Film Institute?s archives include additional historical documentation, notably a 1962 Radharc Series documentary about Catholic saints and the Aer Lingus fleet.

Obijuru?s appointment and the ceremony?s adaptation to current airport operations demonstrate the continued evolution of this distinctive Dublin Airport tradition, which began in 1947 with the blessing of a single Aer Lingus aircraft.

Councillor Robert Rigby will become a knight of St. Gregory in 2025. The news came as a shock to the lord mayor, who told CNA: ?It?s a wonderful honor. I?m rather blown over by the whole thing. I didn?t ever expect anything like this.? / Credit: Photo courtesy of Westminster City Council

London, England, Dec 28, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The lord mayor of Westminster in London said he is ?blown over? after being chosen to become a papal knight ? the highest honor a lay Catholic can receive from the Vatican.

Councillor Robert Rigby will become a knight of St. Gregory sometime in 2025. 

The news came as a shock to the lord mayor, who told CNA: ?It?s a wonderful honor. I?m rather blown over by the whole thing. I didn?t ever expect anything like this. It?s a great honor for me.?

Rigby, 63, has been vocal about how his faith impacts his role as lord mayor, pointing to the impact of his Benedictine education at Ampleforth College in Yorkshire. 

?I was educated by the Benedictines so there are two key strands to my life: listening and humility. I have taken them through to my public life,? he said.

?Listening to others and being humble, keeping my feet on level ground and respecting others, I think it?s important. Everyone talks about serving others, but I really do think it?s important that you recognize others and help where you can.?

Papal knighthoods are bestowed in recognition of an individual?s service to their faith, community, or the work of the Holy See on a local, national, or international level. 

Elected lord mayor in May, Rigby immediately spoke publicly about his faith during interviews for Catholic media. As a former chair of the Catholic Union and a member of the Catenians (a Catholic men?s association), he has strived to tackle the issue of homelessness in London by serving lunch to homeless people at the Central London Catholic Churches homeless lunch service.

Rigby nominated the Cardinal Hume Centre as one of his named charities to support. The center, which is named after Benedictine Cardinal Basil Hume (1923?1999), a former archbishop of Westminster, supports homeless people and looks after teenagers who have drifted from their families. The Cardinal Hume Centre also looks out for people who have arrived in the U.K. with no support.

?I?m concerned about the state of homelessness, of people coming to this country and not having a safety net,? Rigby said. ?The Cardinal Hume Centre does great work in reaching out to those people. I also have a personal connection because I was educated by the Benedictines. The Cardinal Hume Centre is a good way to be able to promote my faith.?

Another example of his faith informing his public life came after the recent devastating floods in Valencia, Spain. 

The lord mayor reached out to London?s Spanish community by attending a special requiem Mass held at St. James? Spanish Place Church. Also present was the apostolic nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, and José Pascual Marco, Spanish ambassador to the U.K. 

?I wanted to be there to stress the city stands with Valencia during this traumatic time and the loss of life has been felt deeply here,? Rigby said.

Reflecting on his appointment, Rigby spoke of his connections with ?remarkable Catholics? he has worked alongside. ?As lord mayor, it has been my privilege to meet some remarkable Catholics who demonstrate their faith in action in a range of ways. I hope to keep doing the same, and this award really is a crowning accolade for me as a public and private person.?

Dedicating the award ?to all those who I serve, whether that?s in public or private life,? Rigby defined his Catholic faith as a ?guide? in his role as lord mayor of Westminster. 

?As lord mayor you are the first citizen for 210,000 people from a whole range of backgrounds, cultures, and faith,? he said.

?For me it was important to demonstrate how my own faith guides what I do, and why I think it is so important to be able to talk about my Catholic faith in public life.?

Rigby expects to be presented with the papal honor at a ceremony next year. 

?It will be a fantastic day and one that I?ll remember for the rest of my life,? he said.

Pope Francis and Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk. / Credit: Mazur/cbcew.org.uk/????????? ?????? via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

CNA Newsroom, Dec 27, 2024 / 11:25 am (CNA).

Media reports about Pope Francis potentially visiting Ukraine have raised hopes the Holy Father could accept an invitation to visit the war-torn country in 2025.

According to a report by Ukrainska Pravda, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said in a recent interview that while no visit was confirmed, ?Pope Francis sometimes likes to make surprises.?

The prospect of a papal visit to Ukraine has been discussed multiple times since Russia?s full-scale invasion began.

In June 2022, speaking to children during the ?Children?s Train? initiative in Rome, Pope Francis explained his approach to such a visit: ?I would like to go to Ukraine. But, I have to wait for the right time to do it, because it is not easy to make a decision that could do more harm to the whole world than good.?

The new speculation about a potential visit follows the pope?s Christmas message on Dec. 25 in which he specifically mentioned the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, calling for its end and for negotiations toward a just peace.

?May the sound of weapons be silenced in Ukraine,? the pope urged on Christmas Day. ?May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter.?

Shevchuk has long advocated for a papal visit to Ukraine. 

In April 2022, following Pope Francis? comments during an in-flight press conference returning from Malta, the Ukrainian Catholic leader said he hoped the pope would visit Kyiv ?as soon as possible.? 

At that time, Shevchuk noted that the local Catholic Church and government officials were ?working to ensure that the Holy Father?s visit to Ukraine takes place.?

In his latest interview, the Ukrainian Church leader reportedly expressed hope for peace in the coming year. ?We enter this new year with hope, with the hope that a just peace will eventually prevail in Ukraine,? he said.

Bishop Erik Varden, OCSO, of the Catholic Territorial Prelature of Trondheim, Norway, at the vespers at Santa Maria dell?Anima in Rome. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Dec 27, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway, has announced a new collaboration with EWTN and Exodus 90 to produce ?The Desert Fathers in a Year,? a podcast series launching Jan. 1, 2025, that aims to bring the wisdom of early Christian monasticism to modern audiences.

The series, with the first episodes recorded at the Cistercian monastery of Nový Dv?r in the Czech Republic, will explore the teachings of the desert fathers and mothers ? the first Christian monks and nuns who retreated to the desert in the fourth century to seek God through prayer and asceticism.

?We live in a desert of distractions,? Varden told CNA. ?The desert fathers show us how to find true joy and meaning through the love of Christ. They learned to master distractions and temptations through prayer and silence, and this can inspire us to find direction in life.?

The podcast?s launch coincides with the Catholic Church?s 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, which Varden sees as particularly significant.

?St. Benedict wrote: ?Never lose faith in God?s grace.? This is a pillar for us as we navigate through challenges. By placing the love of Christ at the center, we can find strength and hope, even in difficult times,? the bishop said.

Drawing from ancient wisdom

The desert fathers and mothers were ?a laboratory for Christian faith and practice,? according to Varden. Through simple and down-to-earth advice, they developed practical approaches to overcoming temptations and finding freedom in Christ.

Varden emphasized the relevance of these ancient teachings for modern Christians. ?My first advice is always this: Start by clearing some space in your life. It?s not a myth that modern life can be less hectic than we think. We don?t always have to be trapped in busyness,? he said.

The bishop recommended beginning with a fundamental practice from the desert fathers: ?Don?t give voice to every thought that enters your mind. Weigh it first. This can help us become more aware and present in our daily walk with God.?

Modern application

The podcast series aims to help contemporary listeners find stillness and balance in their daily lives. Each week?s episode will guide listeners through the desert fathers? insights into prayer, asceticism, and community.

Varden noted how the teachings of the desert fathers have already inspired modern spiritual initiatives. ?The founders of Exodus 90 [a 90-day challenge for men leading up to Easter Sunday] were captivated by the richness of the Church?s ascetic tradition. They saw that this wisdom was relevant to the times, and the response has shown that they were right,? he said.

?My role is simply to convey treasures I myself have received,? Varden added. Through the podcast, he hopes to demonstrate how the desert fathers provide practical tools for living a life in Christ. ?They went out into the desert to learn what it means to live in Christ. That?s what it?s all about, and it?s just as relevant to us today.?

?The Desert Fathers in a Year? will be available on the Hallow app, YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms. Additional resources will be available at desertfathers.com.

Who were the desert fathers?

The desert fathers and mothers emerged in the fourth century as Christianity?s first monks and nuns. They established communities in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria, dedicating themselves to lives of prayer, asceticism, and spiritual growth. Their teachings and practices have profoundly influenced Christian monasticism and spirituality for nearly two millennia.

The Silent Night Memorial Chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, in December 2024. The building stands on the rubble of the original St. Nicholas Church, where ?Silent Night? was first performed in 1818. / Credit: Rudolf Gehrig/EWTN News

Salzburg, Austria, Dec 24, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

As the Advent evening turns cold and dark, a young couple lingers atop a dike dividing two nations, their mulled wine steaming in the chill. One holds a phone, the other a cup, capturing a final selfie before heading to the train station. Recently married, they chose Europe for their honeymoon to experience a ?real Christmas market? ? a dream that led them to Salzburg and, now, to the tiny town of Oberndorf.

?We love the song ?Silent Night,? and since we were already in the area?? the bride explains, laughing as her husband snaps the photo. The train waits, but the allure of Oberndorf, the birthplace of the carol, holds them a little longer.

A Christmas pilgrimage

Oberndorf, nestled along the Salzach River, is about 30 minutes from Salzburg by car. Its famed Christmas market gleams with lights and fires. 

Here, on Christmas Eve in 1818, Father Joseph Mohr first strummed ?Silent Night? on his guitar, accompanied by a melody composed by teacher Franz Xaver Gruber. More than 200 years later, the carol is sung in over 300 languages and was even praised by Pope Francis as his favorite Christmas song.

The song transcends the ordinary for visitors like Johannes Zeinler, a musician and organist at Klosterneuburg Monastery. ?It?s almost like a hymn, something very special that brings people together,? he reflected. Zeinler noted the song?s ?lullaby character? conveys a sense of security, drawing even those who struggle with its wide vocal range to church during Christmas.

The birthplace of ?Silent Night?

Oberndorf embraces its heritage. The Silent Night Museum, Peace Path, and Christmas market are all built around the Silent Night Chapel, a modest octagonal building that replaced the original St. Nicholas Church demolished after floods in 1910. 

Josef Bruckmoser, vice president of the Silent Night Society, recounted how Mohr turned to Gruber for a melody after discovering the church organ was unplayable.

?It probably wasn?t first sung during midnight Mass but later at the Nativity scene,? Bruckmoser explained. The guitar, frowned upon as secular in 1818, became an instrument of sacred resonance through this carol.

A song of peace

Every Christmas Eve, thousands gather at the Silent Night Chapel to sing the carol in six languages, celebrating a melody that has endured centuries and conflicts. During World War I, the song united soldiers on opposing sides, marking brief moments of peace amid chaos. Bruckmoser believes it will hold special significance in today?s troubled times, especially in places like Ukraine.

?This longing for peace is universal,? reflected Father Nikolaus Erber, Oberndorf?s pastor. ?It begins with each of us, this reconciliation Jesus brings.?

Watch the story of Pope Francis? favorite Christmas carol on ?EWTN News In Depth? below.

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Deacon Nathan Ledoux and his friend Michael Figura at the National Art Gallery in London on Dec. 27, 2023. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Deacon Nathan Ledoux

Rome Newsroom, Dec 23, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

Christmas abroad for American seminarians studying in Rome can offer a chance to travel, serve Mass with the pope, or spend more time with their fellow students.

During the first three years of formation at the Pontifical North American College (NAC) on Rome?s Janiculum Hill, seminarians stay in Europe for the Christmas holiday and break from studies. During their last year as students, as ordained transitional deacons, they can go home.

Here?s what five NAC seminarians from the United States are doing this Christmas, what they?ve done in the past, and a little bit about their favorite Christmas hymns and traditions ? including which traditional Italian Christmas sweet they prefer: pandoro or panettone.

Deacon Will Robbins, Diocese of Beaumont, Texas (fourth year at NAC)

Christmas this year: It?ll be a great joy to be able to go home this year after spending three Christmases away. I know I?ll be in my home parish, St. Ann Parish, for the about two weeks that I?m home, and the priest back home has already let me know I?ll be preaching and helping with Masses. So I?m just really looking forward to being able to one, be able to celebrate Christmas at home again, but also to be able to exercise diaconal ministry. It?ll be a great blessing to be able to be a deacon at home with my people that have supported me all these years and my faith community. I?m really looking forward to it.

Christmases past: I?ve done a whole mix of stuff. My first year was still COVID time, so it was not as easy to do stuff. That year I stayed in Rome itself for Christmas. We went to the Christmas Mass at 7 p.m. with the Holy Father, which turns out was his last full Mass to celebrate before he went into the wheelchair. So for me, that was a real grace to be able to be at that Mass and liturgy with him. We cooked ourselves a big breakfast dinner in the middle of the night afterward. And then that year, my family was supposed to come over for New Year, but because of COVID and all the testing, it got canceled at the last second. So a couple of us, we just found some stuff to do and visited some little towns around Rome and really got to make the city our own. During that time there weren?t as many pilgrims and travelers, so you could easily do things. It was a really great way to make Rome feel like home. 

Favorite Christmas tradition: As a kid, we would go to church on Christmas Eve, and then we?d come back and watch ?National Lampoon?s Christmas Vacation? while eating chicken and sausage gumbo. I?m from the Cajun part of Texas, down on the coast next to Louisiana, so you got these fun traditions thrown in. I tried to kind of bring it here [to the NAC] a little, so when we decorate our hallways for Christmas every year, I make a big pot of chicken and sausage gumbo to bring down to the hallway to have as we put the Christmas trees up and the lights, and just to bring that little bit of home to Rome.

Favorite Christmas song: At Christmas Mass, my favorite is ?Adeste Fidelis.? It?s just such a grand hymn, and it?s so joyful. And they usually pull out all the stops on the organ. There?s just something about it that just lifts my soul up and kind of fills you deep inside with a lot of joy.

Pandoro vs. panettone: Pandoro, any day of the week. I am not a huge panettone fan, but I love a pandoro because you can dip it in your coffee.

Nathan Ledoux of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island (third year at NAC)

Christmas this year: I?m going to Derry, Northern Ireland, to a parish that I served in my first summer [at the NAC]. I knew a priest in the Diocese of Derry, so he connected me and I was able to serve in their cathedral parish for a summer. So I?m going back to visit these folks for Christmas ? which is a really great gift to me ? and to see a bit of culture and learn about my own family. So it?ll be nice to reconnect with some folks at Christmas.

I?m getting petitions from home right now, so I?m going to bundle all those up and bring them to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock. And I?m also planning to go to Fatima as well, to spend some time there in prayer and do a little kind of retreat in Portugal.

Christmases past: My first year I went to Paris with a couple of guys from [the NAC] and we knew a seminarian from the Foreign Mission Society of Paris who was serving in a parish, so we went to his parish Masses on Christmas Eve, which was just a wonderful time. They actually have a meal in between the Vigil Mass and the Mass during the Night for family or people who don?t have any family, who would not have a meal with somebody on Christmas. So we spent our Christmastime with these folks having a Christmas meal between our Masses in the evening. Last year I was actually in Rome, and I got to serve at Mass for the Holy Father, which was really great.

Favorite Christmas tradition: Something from home that we also continue here at the NAC is decorating. So actually our hallways [at the college] are decorated already for Christmas. But I think decorating, even when I did that as a kid, I knew something was coming. And even though I didn?t have a good understanding of what we were preparing for, the idea of putting up Christmas lights, the tree, having an Advent wreath and putting out little dolls and the Nativity scene and a little Christmas village, there was something really enjoyable about that, and I knew something important was coming.

Favorite Christmas song: ?In the Bleak Midwinter? has always been a favorite. It?s talking about Christ?s humility in coming to Earth and this kind of quiet way that he enters into life as a man. And I think there?s something really kind of austere and reserved about that hymn that allows me to enter into the mystery that is God becoming a man and dwelling among us.

Pandoro vs. panettone: Pandoro is nice, but panettone is great! And as soon as the 25th goes by, it?s really inexpensive to buy. So we just stock it up and you have that for weeks on end. It?s amazing. It also comes in so many flavors. I mean, you can get it covered in pistachio and other things.

Deacon Bryce Baumann, Diocese of Dallas (fourth year at NAC)

Christmas this year: I?m going back to the United States like the other deacons. My sister just had her first baby, so I?m going to go back and baptize my niece. 

Christmases past: The year before that, my whole family came to Rome: parents, sister, and brother-in-law. We were going to go to the Christmas Eve Mass with Pope Francis, which was great, but as soon as my parents arrived, they realized my dad?s luggage didn?t come, so then they had to fill out a ticket to be able to get that worked out. And it was getting so late, we didn?t think we?d be able to make the Mass, which would have been so sad. As we told our taxi driver, ?just drive to the Vatican.? We all met at St. Peter?s Basilica. We said, OK, we?ll try to get in ? it was only a half hour before Mass and it?s a very packed Mass ? so we were one of the last ones to be let in. It was the first time for my family in Europe, so that was really special.

Favorite Christmas tradition: My favorite tradition at home is my family going to midnight Mass. That?s what we always went to. And I would always serve at it. I would hold the thurible, with the incense. And my dad would often be a lector, and then my sister would be an usher. So it was kind of a family affair to help out with midnight Mass.

Favorite Christmas song: I?ll say ?Angels We Have Heard on High.? I like to think about the choirs of angels adoring Our Lord as an example for us to also adore him. It?s beautiful.

Pandoro vs. panettone: So panettone is as good as fruitcake, which is bad, in my opinion. I think pandoro is absolutely superior.

Deacon Nicholas (Nico) Stellpflug, Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin (fourth year at NAC)

Christmas this year: I will be going back home to see my family and be in the Diocese of Green Bay for two weeks. I?m looking forward to being a deacon in the diocese, something that you don?t get the opportunity to do unless just a little bit before ordination, and to see my family, especially my niece and nephew, who are 4 and 2. I?ll be at my home parish for all three of the Christmas Masses that we have. And then I?ll be at other parishes in the diocese.

Christmases past: My first year I stayed [in Rome] and I went to the Holy Father?s Mass on Christmas Eve, and then a friend of mine from seminary back in the States visited. Then the other two years, I?ve been to a couple different places. Probably my favorite was being in Paris, which was beautiful because it was Paris, but also because my godparents lived there for seven years and my cousins were there, their sons were born there. My younger cousin is a twin, but his twin sister died before childbirth and she?s buried there, so I was able to go and visit her grave for the first time on Christmas Day two years ago.

Favorite Christmas tradition: My favorite Christmas tradition from back home is making Christmas candies with my sister and my mom, something we always do together. It was fun to make the sweets and eat them, but also just to spend time together was something that we look forward to every year.

Favorite Christmas song: The thing that comes to mind is Mannheim Steamroller?s ?Christmas Celebration? album. I just remember very clearly listening to that album with my family around Christmastime, and especially driving back from my grandma and grandpa?s house on Christmas Eve, we would always listen to that.

Pandoro vs. panettone: I think I would say a good panettone. I like ?Tre Maria,? that?s a good one.

Andrew Chase, Archdiocese of Baltimore (third year at NAC)

Christmas this year: This year I am going up to northeast Italy to explore the area around Trieste, which I have heard a great deal about from Italians that I have met in Rome who have highly recommended it. One of the plans is to go to the ancient Christian basilica of Aquileia, which has a number of tremendous mosaics that show what perhaps the ancient Church imagined as they were contemplating the faith. Later on, I am planning on heading further east to Hungary. One of my hopes is to make it to the Greek Catholic Marian shrine of Mariapocs in the Northeast of the country.

Christmases past: In my first year, I went to Slovakia for a little over a week, going across the country trying to find any records about my great-grandmother. Not much in my family was known about her except that she came from Slovakia, and so since I couldn?t be in person with my family for Christmas, I figured it might be nice if I could see if I could find something about this missing piece of my family history to share with my grandpa, mom, and aunts and uncles. I ended up meeting many incredible Slovaks during that journey, including a number of priests and religious who, while helping me look at the baptismal registries, gave me a great deal of encouragement, not only in finding her record but in life in general. By the end of the trip, I believe that I ended up finding her record of baptism in the town of Humenné, where the registry would seem to indicate her original last name before it was anglicized.

Favorite Christmas tradition: My grandma?s birthday is the 23rd, so we always do my grandma?s birthday party on Dec. 23, and then we have Christmas Eve with everyone on my dad?s side with Christmas Eve Mass, and we gather at my grandma?s house. Then on Christmas Day, we always wake up, and we would oftentimes go to Christmas Day Mass all together and then we just hang out as my grandfather on my mom?s side and my mom?s family would come over. It was just this whole set of three days that?s just a very intense time to hang out with family.

Favorite Christmas song: ?O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.? It?s more of an Advent song, but that?s my favorite song by far, because I always find it exhilarating waiting for Christmas and for Christ to come.

Pandoro vs. panettone: I?ve come to really like panettone, with raisins, or when they add in a lot of chocolate or other candied fruits. 

Editor?s note: A previous version of this article misspelled Deacon Bryce Baumann?s name and misidentified Nathan Ledoux as a deacon. It has been corrected.

Cathedral of Christ the King in Reykjavik, Iceland. / Credit: Wirthi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Newsroom, Dec 23, 2024 / 04:00 am (CNA).

The Scandinavian island nation of Iceland celebrates its national patron, St. Thorlak Thorhallsson, on Dec. 23.

Although Iceland?s national assembly declared him a saint in 1198, only five years after his death, this ?unofficial? canonization did not become an official part of the Church?s liturgical calendar until Pope John Paul II confirmed him as the country?s patron in January 1984.

Thorlak was born in 1133, less than two centuries after German and Norwegian missionaries began the first effective evangelization of Iceland. The pagan nation?s conversion had involved a dramatic national struggle, as many Icelanders clung fiercely to their ancestral religion despite its customs of idol worship and infanticide.

The Catholic Church in Iceland had solidly established its presence by the time of Thorlak?s birth. However, it had fallen into some disarray, particularly due to local clergy disregarding the rule of clerical celibacy, selling Church positions for personal gain, and engaging in other breaches of discipline.

Thorlak?s parents, barely able to earn a living as farmers, took note of their son?s talents and made sure he received extensive religious instruction from a local priest. His gifts must have attracted wider notice, since Thorlak received ordination as a deacon before the age of 15 and became a priest at age 18.

Afterward, he left Iceland for a period of time to study theology in France and England. During this time he committed himself to living by the monastic rule of St. Augustine, an important part of the Western Church?s tradition. This rule committed a priest not only to celibacy but also to a life in community without personal possessions, after the manner of the apostles in the Church?s earliest days.

Inspired by this vision of radical discipleship, he held fast to the discipline of clerical celibacy, even after returning to Iceland and being pressured to marry a wealthy widow. Instead, he ended up founding a monastery according to the Augustinian rule, which became renowned as a place of prayer and study.

Ten years after the founding of the monastery, the Norwegian Archbishop Augustine Erlendsson, another follower of the ancient Augustinian rule of life, called on Thorlak to become bishop of the Icelandic diocese of Skalholt. Although he was deeply attached to his monastic way of life, Thorlak recognized the pressing need for reform and guidance among the clergy.

As a bishop, he was deeply dedicated to implementing the reforms of the Western Church that Pope Gregory VII had begun during the past century, which envisioned not only a strict discipline of clerical celibacy but also the independence of the Church against intrusion by secular authorities.

Thorlak also sought to improve public morality and dared to confront even the most popular and powerful chieftain in Iceland, who was said to have had an extramarital affair with the bishop?s own sister. Understandably, he often longed to put aside these kinds of burdens and return to the monastic life.

Before he could do so, however, he died on Dec. 23, 1193.

St. Thorlak was undoubtedly Iceland?s most popular native saint during the country?s Catholic period. More than 50 churches were dedicated to his memory before Iceland became officially Lutheran during the 16th century. 

Today, St. Thorlak?s former diocese of Skalholt is a part of the Diocese of Reykjavik, which was only established in its present form in 1968.

Although the Catholic Church no longer has a large presence in Iceland, the celebration of St. Thorlak?s feast has persisted as a widespread national custom. Icelanders celebrate on Dec. 23 as the final day of preparation before Christmas and have maintained the custom of gathering to eat cured fish.

This story was first published on Dec. 19, 2010, and has been updated.

Bishop Gerhard Feige of Magdeburg in Germany. / Credit: Magdeburg Diocese

CNA Newsroom, Dec 21, 2024 / 07:30 am (CNA).

The president of the German Bishops? Conference and the local bishop of Magdeburg have expressed their shock and offered prayers after a car attack at a Christmas market in eastern Germany on Friday left five people dead and more than 200 injured.

The ?attack in Magdeburg leaves us speechless. The horror, grief, and sympathy are felt today by many people throughout Germany and worldwide,? Bishop Georg Bätzing said, CNA Deutsch reported.

?Our thoughts and prayers are in Magdeburg during these hours. As churches, we mourn with the relatives of the victims of this terrible attack and pray for the injured and the deceased, as well as for their relatives who now fear for their loved ones.?

Bishop Gerhard Feige of Magdeburg issued a statement immediately after the attack on Friday evening local time: ?I think of those affected, their relatives, and the emergency services and include them in my prayers.?

The local bishop added: ?Especially in these days and before a feast where the message of God?s love, human dignity, and the longing for a healed world particularly move us, such an act is all the more frightening and abysmal.?

Feige also emphasized that the attack presented ?a challenge for our society to counter any extremism even more decisively and to work even more for peaceful coexistence.?

In his joint statement with the Lutheran organization EKD, Bätzing expressed gratitude to the ?committed emergency services who have been caring for the injured since yesterday and are working under high pressure to clarify what happened, as well as to the emergency chaplains who are standing by the people in this moment and accompanying the traumatized.?

Suspect came from Saudi Arabia

The attack took place shortly after 7 p.m. on Friday when a 50-year-old man from Saudi Arabia drove a black rental car into crowds at a Christmas market in the heart of Magdeburg, a city of 240,000 people about two hours west of Berlin by car.

The suspect, identified as Taleb A., came to Germany in 2006 and had at one time worked as a psychotherapist, according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. He had been granted indefinite leave to remain in Germany after applying for asylum, citing threats in his home country.

In a 2019 interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau, the suspect had described himself as an ?ex-Muslim.?

German media on Saturday reported that the man had acted increasingly erratically on social media in recent months, threatening bloodshed and ?war? on German authorities.

The Diocese of Magdeburg announced that St. Sebastian?s Cathedral would be open for prayer and reflection on Saturday. A memorial service will be held at Magdeburg Cathedral on Saturday at 7 p.m., local broadcaster MDR reported.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser visited the city earlier in the day to meet with local officials and pay their respects at the site of the attack.

Exiled Bishop Rolando Álvarez speaks at a Mass in Seville, Spain, on Dec. 19, 2024. / Credit: Padre Erick Díaz

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 20, 2024 / 18:00 pm (CNA).

In his first public Mass, celebrated in Seville province, Spain, Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who has been living in exile in Rome since January, prayed for his ?beloved Nicaragua? and offered his pectoral cross to Our Lady of Sorrows.

?For me it is a pleasure, a joy, and above all a blessing to be celebrating among you this holy Eucharist in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows, in the memory of Our Lady of Hope, Our Expecting Lady, of sweet waiting, and I must also say, on the eve of the 100 years of the canonical foundation of my blessed and beloved Diocese of Matagalpa in Nicaragua,? the prelate said in his homily.

The Diocese of Matagalpa was founded on Dec. 19, 1924, during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI.

?We pray for you in this beautiful town of wonderful people and for our beloved Nicaragua,? added the bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí, as seen in a video by 100% Noticias Nicaragua.

In Our Lady of the Orchards Parish in the town of Puebla de Los Infantes in Seville province, the Nicaraguan bishop recalled in his homily some passages from Pope Francis? letter earlier this month to the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, which is suffering tenacious persecution by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and ?co-president,? Rosario Murillo.

?Don?t forget the loving providence of the Lord that accompanies us and is the only central guide, precisely in the most difficult moments when it becomes humanly impossible to understand what God wants from us, we are called not to forget his care and mercy,? the Holy Father said in the text read by Álvarez.

?Be certain that faith and hope perform miracles. Let us turn our gaze to the Immaculate Virgin: She is the shining witness of this trust; you have always experienced her eternal protection in all your needs and you have shown your gratitude with a very beautiful and spiritually rich religiosity,? the pontiff added in the cited text.

Álvarez also read a passage from the 2020 letter Patris Corde, which Pope Francis wrote for the Year of St. Joseph: ?In every situation, Joseph declared his own ?fiat,? like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. ? The Gospel tells us that God always manages to save what is important, on the condition that we have the same creative courage as the carpenter of Nazareth, who knew how to transform a problem into an opportunity, always putting his trust in providence first.?

To conclude his homily, the bishop prayed that ?Mary, Our Lady of Hope, Our Lady of Sorrows, would keep us expectant for the imminent coming of her son. Amen.?

The pectoral cross for Our Lady of Sorrows

At the end of the Mass, Álvarez offered his pectoral cross, one of the distinctive symbols of the bishops of the Catholic Church, to Our Lady of Sorrows as represented by her image in the church.

?I want to make this gesture of love, leaving the Sorrowful Virgin my pectoral cross, and I would like all my faithful from Matagalpa, from the countryside, and the city to be able to contemplate this, telling them that from La Puebla de los Infantes I am praying for them,? the prelate said.

?And I am making this gesture of love for them, for the Lord, for the Church, for the Most Holy Virgin. I hope that the Brotherhood of Our Lady will keep this pectoral cross in her hands, in a place where you believe it is appropriate, on this date that is memorable for us, very memorable,? he emphasized.

Who is Bishop Rolando Álvarez?

Beginning on Aug. 4, 2022, Álvarez was confined to his residence by Nicaraguan riot police. He was accompanied by several priests, seminarians, and a layman.

Two weeks later, when they had almost run out of food, the police broke into the house and abducted Álvarez, taking him to Managua, the country?s capital.

In the midst of a controversial trial, the dictatorship sentenced him on Feb. 10, 2023, to 26 years and four months in prison, accusing him of being a ?traitor to the country.? He was held in La Modelo prison where political prisoners are sent.

One day before being sentenced, Álvarez had refused the chance to board a plane carrying more than 200 political prisoners to be deported to the United States.

The bishop was finally deported to Rome on Jan. 14 through Vatican mediation, along with the bishop of Siuna, Isidoro Mora, other priests, and seminarians.

By decision of Pope Francis, Álvarez was one of the members of the Synod of Synodality held in October in the Vatican.

More detailed information on the life and struggles of the bishop can be found here.

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

French artist Claire Tabouret poses following a press conference after winning with The Atelier Simon-Marq, the selection to create new stained-glass windows in six chapels of the south aisle of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris on Dec. 18, 2024. / Credit: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 20, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

Designs for six new stained-glass windows at Notre Dame have been revealed for the first time, two weeks after the historic cathedral reopened following a devastating fire in April 2019.

The windows in six chapels on the southern side of the cathedral will be replaced with new windows designed by modern French painter Claire Tabouret. According to a report from RTE, the French state is paying $4 million to install the windows, which will be made by French stained-glass maker Simon-Marq.

The original windows, created in the 19th century by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, had escaped the fire without damage. Several historic preservation groups have protested President Emmanuel Macron?s decision to replace them, including Sites et Monuments and Tribune de l?art, whose site manager launched a petition against the new windows that has garnered 244,833 signatures.

Born in France in 1981, Tabouret graduated from École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 2006. Her paintings and sculptures have been featured in museums across the globe in France, Hong Kong, and Venice. She has also collaborated with luxury designers such as Dior. Tabouret currently lives and works in Los Angeles, according to her website. 

Tabouret?s turquoise, pink, yellow, and red windows feature images of people from various cultural backgrounds celebrating Pentecost. 

In response to debates surrounding modernist updates to the historic Catholic cathedral, Tabouret stated during a press conference at the cathedral: ?I?ve read about different opinions of people because I want to understand their arguments and also to take an approach that is open and two-way.? 

?I find it a fascinating debate,? she said. ?We need to remain in movement, we need to be confident in our era and show confidence in contemporary artists.? 

The doors of the newly restored Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral were officially reopened to the public during a ceremony on Dec. 7, just over five years after a blaze ravaged the iconic structure?s roof, frame, and spire.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai of Antioch were among the 170 bishops from France and around the world who attended the ceremony, which featured a message from Pope Francis, who did not travel for the occasion.

The rector of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Friday blessed the Nativity scene at the historic French landmark church ahead of the first Christmas celebrations since its restoration. 

?You know, for the past 10 days, we?ve been feeling very joyful,? stated Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas during the ceremony. ?My greatest joy is to see people happy because they have a cathedral again, not only because they see these stones again but also because it?s a place for prayer that they got back.?

The windows are expected to be installed in 2026. 

Police and ambulances stand next to a Christmas market where a car crashed into a crowd injuring between 60 and 80 people, according to a spokesman for the local rescue service, on Dec. 20, 2024, in Magdeburg, eastern Germany. / Credit: NEWS5/NEWS5/AFP via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Dec 20, 2024 / 15:55 pm (CNA).

A car driven by a Saudi Arabian immigrant rammed into a crowd at a Christmas market Friday evening in the central German city of Magdeburg, killing at least two people, according to media reports.

Police in Magdeburg, a city of 240,000 about two hours west of Berlin by car, have not yet released official details about whether the incident was a terrorist attack. The regional governor, Reiner Haseloff, told the media that the suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian citizen who has worked in Germany as a doctor since 2006.

German news sources reported that the driver of the car was taken into custody. AFP News Agency, citing emergency services, said that between 60 to 80 people were injured.

Magdeburg Police said on social media simply that ?extensive police operations are currently taking place? at the market and ?further reports will be made.?

Magdeburg is known as the city where St. Norbert ? whose legacy lives on through the worldwide Norbertine (or Premonstratensian) order ? served as archbishop until his death in 1134. 

A German official had in November called for ?vigilance? at Christmas markets this year amid a heightened security situation more broadly, though no concrete threats were identified at that time. Germany?s BfV domestic security agency said Christmas markets could be targeted due to their ?symbolism? related to ?Christian values? and as an ?embodiment of Western culture and way of life.?

The incident in Magdeburg took place almost exactly eight years after more than a dozen people were killed when a truck driven by an Islamic extremist rammed into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market. That attacker fled and was later killed in a shootout with police in Italy.

In November 2023, two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, were arrested in Germany on suspicion of terrorism. They reportedly sympathized with the Islamic State and were believed to have planned a Christmas market attack using a vehicle, CNA Deutsch, CNA?s German-language news partner, reported earlier this year.

And in April, German authorities reported the arrest of four suspects allegedly planning terror attacks to target Christians attending church services and police stations with knives and Molotov cocktails.

This story was updated Dec. 20, 2024, at 5:35 p.m. ET with information about the driver of the car.

Archpriest of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas blesses a Nativity scene in the recently reopened cathedral on Dec. 20, 2024, in Paris. / Credit: Kiran Ridley/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 20, 2024 / 14:05 pm (CNA).

The rector of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has blessed the Nativity scene at the historic French landmark church ahead of the first Christmas celebrations since its restoration after a devastating 2019 fire.

?You know, for the past 10 days, we?ve been feeling very joyful,? said Notre Dame rector Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas during the ceremony. ?My greatest joy is to see people happy because they have a cathedral again, not only because they see these stones again but also because it?s a place for prayer that they got back.?

During the ceremonial blessing of the 17th-century-style creche, Dumas shook an olive branch soaked in holy water over the Nativity scene, while those of the faithful in attendance prayed and sang hymns. 

?I am the rector of a cathedral that had burnt down,? Dumas said, adding: ?and I am now the happy rector of a cathedral that has reopened to welcome all of those who will enter it: pilgrims, visitors, and believers.? 

Notre Dame Cathedral underwent five years of renovation after a fire in April 2019 broke out across its roof and spire, causing significant damage to the beloved cathedral and monument of French culture. 

The archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, celebrated the first Mass at the cathedral on Dec. 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The altar of the restored cathedral was consecrated during the liturgy, and celebrants wore vibrant chasubles designed by Jean-Charles Castelbajac, a 74-year-old designer who has dressed the likes of Madonna, Beyonce, Rihanna, and St. John Paul II. 

At the Mass, which was attended by the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, some 170 bishops from the country and around the world concelebrated with Ulrich as well as one priest from each of the 106 parishes of the Archdiocese of Paris and one priest from each of the seven Eastern-rite Catholic churches.

Macron, initially scheduled to speak on the cathedral?s forecourt to respect the law of separation between the church and the state, wound up speaking inside the building due to inclement weather, as previously announced in a press release from the Archdiocese of Paris.

Expressing ?the gratitude of the French nation? to the cathedral?s rebuilders during his address, Macron asserted that Notre Dame ?tells us how much meaning and transcendence help us to live in this world.?

Pope Francis also sent his regards in a message read by the apostolic nuncio to France, Archbishop Celestino Migliore.

?May the rebirth of this admirable church be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France,? the pontiff said. ?I invite all the baptized who will joyfully enter this cathedral to feel a legitimate pride and reclaim their faith heritage.?

Christmas lights line a street in Rome, Italy, Dec. 17, 2024. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Dec 20, 2024 / 13:35 pm (CNA).

Rome during the Christmas season is a feast for the senses. Twinkling lights drape over the city?s cobblestone streets, towering Christmas trees adorn piazzas, and Nativity scenes beckon from churches and storefronts alike.

Against this dazzling backdrop, the first pilgrims for the Catholic Church?s 2025 Jubilee, which begins on Christmas Eve, have the unique opportunity to enjoy the Eternal City?s many Christmas traditions. 

Pope Francis will open five jubilee Holy Doors in the Christmas season between Dec. 24 and Jan. 6.

And 38-year-old Immaculate Atieno, a jubilee pilgrim from Nairobi, Kenya, is hoping to witness all of the solemn door openings with the pope.

?It?s worth it,? Atieno told CNA. ?This is a once-in-every-25-years thing to do. So why not give it your all??

Atieno brought with her a long list of prayer intentions from family and friends in Africa in addition to her desire to pray for the needs of the world as she receives her jubilee indulgence.

?We are at a time where the world really needs lots of prayers,? she explained. ?That is why we put forth our prayers, also praying for the intentions of the Holy Father in this time and remembering others.?

Jubilee pilgrims spending the Christmas season in Rome will also get to enjoy the Italian capital?s many culinary delights, including the ubiquitous Christmas bread, panettone.

Panettone, the egg-rich, butter-laden Italian bread speckled with candied fruit, is everywhere ? stacked in brightly wrapped boxes in grocery stores, showcased in bakery windows, and served in slices at cafes. Some bakeries have taken things up a notch, crafting edible Nativity scenes out of panettone and chocolate.

And while many Italian families will sit down to elaborate seafood feasts on Christmas Eve, pilgrims and locals alike enjoy wandering through the city?s streets, soaking in the holiday atmosphere.

A group of Catholic sisters from Indonesia took in the lights of Via del Corso and snapped photos at the Spanish Steps, where a modern Christmas tree sparkled against the historic landmark.

?Every store, every church has also prepared really wonderful decorations to welcome in Christmas,? Sister Angela of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary told CNA.

?I?m really excited to be welcoming the jubilee here. I?m also feeling so lucky because this year will be the opening of the holy doors.?

Her companion, Sister Tarcisia, shared that she is praying for all of the jubilee pilgrims who will be coming to Rome during the Christmas season as well as for people in the world to experience peace and justice.

This year, large Christmas trees are displayed in Rome?s Piazza di Popolo, the Spanish Steps, and St. Peter?s Square.

Pilgrims strolling through Piazza Navona can browse Rome?s small-scale Christmas market, where vendors sell Nativity figurines, ornaments, and Befana dolls ? Italy?s traditional Christmas witch. 

Over in St. Peter?s Square, visitors marvel at the Vatican?s grand Nativity scene, which this year features a replica of the lagoon of Grado, a picturesque Italian town on the Adriatic Sea.

Under Bernini?s colonnade, the Vatican?s ?100 Nativity Scenes? exhibit draws visitors with its international collection, including Nativities made from coral, pine cones, papier-mâché, and even pasta.

Nearby the Basilica of Sant?Andrea della Valle also showcases an array of Nativity scenes and the Basilica of Saints Cosma and Damiano features a monumental display of historic Neapolitan figurines.

At the Basilica of St. Mary Major, pilgrims can venerate a relic of Christ?s manger and pray at the site where St. Cajetan had a vision of the Virgin Mary handing him the infant Jesus. 

For those willing to venture beyond Rome, Assisi is illuminated during the Christmas season with light displays of Giotto?s famous frescoes, while the nearby town of Greccio is the site of the first Nativity scene created by St. Francis.

For Atieno, the spiritual aspect of the season is central to her pilgrimage. She said her favorite Christmas tradition is the great homilies that she looks forward to every Advent and Christmas. 

?It?s a time when we have to remember peace, joy, and prepare ourselves to welcome Our Lord,? she said.

Pope Francis, who celebrated his 88th birthday on Dec. 17, has a packed liturgical schedule for the first few weeks of the jubilee. 

On Christmas Eve, he will preside over the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter?s Basilica at 7 p.m. followed by the Christmas ?Mass during the Night.?

Pilgrims unable to secure tickets for the Christmas Eve Mass told CNA that they plan to gather in St. Peter?s Square, hoping to witness the historic opening of the Holy Door from outside.

The following day, Francis will deliver his ?urbi et orbi? blessing to the city and the world from the basilica?s central balcony.

The pope?s jubilee itinerary also includes opening the Holy Door at Rome?s Rebibbia prison on  the Dec. 26 feast of St. Stephen; at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran on the Dec. 29 feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; at St. Mary Major on the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; and at St. Paul Outside the Walls on Jan. 5.

Pope Francis asked pilgrims to spiritually prepare for Christmas in his last general audience before the start of the jubilee.

?Christmas is now here and I?d like to think that there is a Nativity scene in your homes,? the pope said. ?This important element of our spirituality and culture is a wonderful, wonderful way to remember Jesus who came to dwell among us.?

Praying alongside pilgrims crowded inside the Vatican hall, Pope Francis asked the ?Prince of Peace? for his grace and peace to fill the world.

null / Credit: pim pic/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 20, 2024 / 12:15 pm (CNA).

Many women who undergo chemical abortions experience more pain than they were prepared for and more than 40% go through ?severe? pain, according to a peer-reviewed study of British women conducted by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS).

The study, published in the BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health online journal, notes that women who seek out chemical abortions are often advised that the pain from chemical abortions will be similar to ?period pain,? but the researchers note that the pain experienced can vary widely and be much more severe.

?Many felt unprepared for the level of pain they experienced,? the study notes, adding that in many cases, there is ?a lack of detailed, realistic anticipatory pain counseling.?

The survey found that 48.5% of respondents experienced more pain than they expected. About 92% of the women who underwent chemical abortions rated their pain level at least ?4? on a scale of 1 to 10, with 41.5% rating their pain as ?8? or higher, which designates ?severe? pain.

According to the study, some women told researchers that the pain described in consultations or information leaflets was ?washed over,? ?downplayed,? or ?sugarcoated.? 

?The pain was intense and constant, in my lower back,? one of the women explained. ?It hurt so much that it made me throw up several times. I felt shaky and faint at points.?

?Pain was so much stronger than period pain,? another woman described. ?It was like having contractions in labor. I?ve given birth three times and the pain really wasn?t too much different from that pain, the cramping contraction pain.?

Another woman surveyed told researchers ?the pain was really a lot worse than I expected, perhaps because it was compared to bad period pain and my periods have always been fairly pain-free.?

?Pain was so severe, and yet everything I read or heard, and what little there was about the pain on the internet was [that] it was slight cramping, like a bad period ? [which] couldn?t be further from the truth,? she continued. 

?? The amount of pain you could go through is completely played down. ? I understand they probably don?t want to scare many women, but I?d rather know how bad the pain can get.?

The researchers wrote in the study that ?setting realistic expectations? about pain levels is needed for women to support ?informed? decisions.

?Benchmarking against period pain has long been used as a way to describe the pain associated with medical abortion, despite the wide variability of period pain experienced,? Hannah McCulloch, the lead author of the study, said in a statement.

?For many respondents, using period pain as a reference point for what to expect was not helpful for managing expectations, or in line with their experiences,? she added.

Nearly 1,600 women who underwent chemical abortions in England and Wales responded to the survey. Chemical abortions are prescribed for British women up to 10 weeks? gestation, which is the same standard approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

At 10 weeks? gestation, an unborn child has a fetal heartbeat, early brain activity, and partially developed eyes, lips, and nostrils. The abortion pill mifepristone kills the child by blocking the hormone progesterone, which cuts off the supply of oxygen and nutrients. A second pill, misoprostol, expels the child?s body from the mother, essentially inducing labor.

Pro-life pregnancy resource centers often offer abortion pill reversal (APR) medicine, which is meant to reverse the effects of mifepristone by increasing progesterone levels.

St. Januarius and the miracle of the liquefaction of his blood contained in a relic. / Credit: Louis Finson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Photo2023, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 18, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

The faithful of the city of Naples in Italy experienced profound relief when they witnessed the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius, the miracle that kept the city in suspense during the day on Dec. 16.

The extraordinary event, which did not occur in the morning as usual, finally happened at 5:40 p.m. (local time) in the Naples cathedral.

Since 9 a.m., the reliquary containing the blood of the saint had been exposed to the faithful by Father Gregorio Vincenzo, but it remained solid until the afternoon. 

After the miracle, the liquefied blood of the patron saint of the city was taken to the Treasury Chapel of the cathedral, where a Mass was celebrated.

The miracle consists of the mass of blood adhering to one side of the ampoule turning into completely liquid blood, covering the entire glass.

This extraordinary event has occurred since 1389 on three occasions: every Sept. 19, the feast day of the saint; on Dec. 16, the anniversary of his intervention to prevent the effects of an eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano in 1631; and on the Saturday before the first Sunday in May, in memory of the transfer of his remains to Naples.

Tradition has it that on Dec. 16, 1631, the faithful of Naples carried the relics of their patron saint in a procession to prevent the eruption of Mount Vesuvius volcano from destroying the city. During the procession, the lava miraculously stopped. Since then, this event has been known as the ?laypeople?s miracle.?

The liquefaction process sometimes takes hours or even days, and sometimes it doesn?t happen at all, which Neapolitans interpret as a bad omen, as happened in 1939 before the outbreak of World War II.

The Catholic Church believes that the miracle, without scientific explanation, happens thanks to the dedication and prayers of the faithful.

With the exclamation ?The miracle has happened!?, the faithful go to the altar to kiss the relic and sing the Te Deum in thanksgiving after the archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, has walked around the church holding the relic.

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