St. Columba Catholic Church

CNA Newsroom, Nov 27, 2024 / 09:45 am (CNA).

Pope Francis called on Italian children to pray for their Ukrainian peers facing a harsh winter amid ongoing war at his general audience on Wednesday.

“Think of the Ukrainian children and young people who suffer at this time without heating in a very harsh winter,” the pope said on Nov. 27, addressing youngsters gathered around him in St. Peter’s Square at the start of the weekly event.

The pontiff broadened his appeal for peace: “Let us not forget the tormented Ukrainian people, who suffer so much,” he urged. “And let’s also pray for peace in the Holy Land, Palestine, Israel, where people are also suffering so much.”

The joy of the Holy Spirit

In his continuing catechesis on the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, Pope Francis reflected on the fruits of the Spirit listed by St. Paul in his Letter to the Galatians: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).

Francis explained the distinction between the fruits of the Spirit, which require cooperation between grace and human freedom, and charisms, which are bestowed directly by the Spirit for the good of the Church.

“The fruits always express the creativity of the person, in which’ faith works through love,’ sometimes in a surprising and joyful way,” he said.

While not everyone receives the call to be apostles or prophets, the pontiff reminded the faithful that all Christians are called to be “charitable, patient, humble workers for peace.”

Pope Francis gave particular attention to joy among these fruits, describing it as “a feeling of fullness and fulfillment.”

He emphasized its unique renewal through a personal encounter with God’s love: “The joy of the Gospel, unlike any other joy, can be renewed every day and become contagious.”

Drawing on the example of St. Philip Neri, known as the “saint of joy,” Pope Francis spoke of the 16th-century priest’s profound love for God, which at times seemed so overwhelming it “might burst in his chest.” St. Philip’s joy, the pope noted, was “a fruit of the Spirit in the fullest sense.”

Francis recalled the saint’s words to the children of his oratory: “My children, be cheerful; I do not want qualms or melancholy; it is enough for me that you do not sin.”

“The word ‘Gospel’ means glad tidings,” the pope explained, adding that it “cannot be communicated with a long face and somber countenance, but with the joy of those who have found the hidden treasure and the precious pearl.”

He concluded by quoting St. Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near” (Phil 4:4-5).

CNA Newsroom, Nov 27, 2024 / 09:25 am (CNA).

Starting next week, Chinese will be added as the ninth official language at papal general audiences, Pope Francis announced Wednesday.

“Next week, with Advent, the Chinese translation will also begin here publicly,” the pope said on Nov. 27 during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

The addition marks a significant expansion of the languages used at the weekly papal events, where key portions — including Scripture readings, summaries of the pope’s address, and greetings — are delivered in eight languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and Arabic.

The translations make papal teachings accessible to pilgrims from around the world. They are traditionally delivered by staff members of the Vatican Secretariat of State or Vatican News.

World's most spoken language

Mandarin Chinese is considered the world's most spoken language, with nearly one billion speakers, ahead of Spanish and English. 

Varieties of Chinese — including Mandarin, Wu, Hakka, and others — collectively are used by more than 1.3 billion people worldwide.

The papal move to embrace Mandarin Chinese comes at a complex moment in Vatican-China relations. 

Just last month, the Holy See renewed its controversial agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops for another four years.

The renewal followed growing concerns about religious freedom in China, corroborated by recent reports. Some studies also indicate the Christian population has stopped growing after decades of expansion in the 1980s and 1990s.

Chad Pregracke of East Moline, Illinois, established Living Lands & Waters, an environmental organization, in 1998 in his hometown along the Mississippi River. He and his staff host river cleanups, watershed conservation initiatives, workshops and tree plantings, among other conservation efforts. 

Puebla, Mexico, Nov 27, 2024 / 06:30 am (CNA).

The life of Carlo Acutis, who is slated to be canonized next year as the first millennial saint, inspires thousands of people around the world. Among them is 9-year-old Alex Espinosa in Mexico, who both considers Acutis a “friend” and enthusiastically expresses that he wants to be like him when he grows up.

On Nov. 20, Pope Francis announced that Carlo Acutis will be proclaimed a saint during the Jubilee of Teenagers, which will take place in Rome April 25-27, 2025. Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, of the Diocese of Assisi, specified that the ceremony will take place the morning of Sunday, April 27, in St. Peter’s Square.

Alex Espinosa is the eldest son of María and Alejandro Espinosa. Alex’s mother says her family’s devotion to Carlo Acutis began in 2020, the year Acutis was proclaimed a blessed.

Although he was only four years old at the time, Alex, seeing the interest shown by his parents, was curious about the life of Carlos. 

After learning about Acutis' story and understanding how he lived “an ordinary life, in an extraordinary way,” the little boy was deeply impacted. That same afternoon, he took some suitcases and said to his mother: “We have to be ready for heaven, Mom. We have to have our suitcases ready,” María recalled.

Subsequently on All Saints' Day, Alex dressed up as the soon-to-be saint, who is also known as “God's influencer.” As the boy’s affection for Acutis grew, his mother began to share moments of family life on Instagram, drawing admiration from Catholics around the world for the devotion her son showed towards the young saint.

Thanks to this devotion, the family received relics of Carlo Acutis, which according to María, has been key in Alex's spiritual growth. The mother commented that her son was also encouraged to “help the poor, as Carlo did, wanting to imitate his life in a small way.”

In December of 2023, the boy expressed his desire to make his First Communion “like Carlo Acutis, at the age of seven.”

According to the Code of Canon Law of the Church, “the administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.”

Thus, Alex received his First Communion two days before his eighth birthday. His mother recalled that “it was something very special for him to say ‘I did it just like Carlo Acutis, when he was seven years old. ’”

Alex’s devotion has been reflected even in small details of his daily life. He celebrated a recent birthday with the image of Carlo Acutis and his mother says he has shared the story of the blessed with other children.

Reflecting on the impact Alex’s words and example have on his classmates, María said “I don’t know how much sticks with them, but in the end, it’s an important testimony of faith at that age.”

A healing attributed to Carlo Acutis

In March 2024, Alex's father, Alejandro, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in one of his lungs. 

While they were waiting for treatment, a close friend offered Alejandro a relic of Carlo Acutis. One evening, Alex expressed his concern: “I'm worried that he’s in pain, I don't like my dad being in pain.” Following his mother's advice, the boy asked Carlo Acutis to intercede with Jesus for his father's health.

That same evening, María placed the relic on her husband's chest as she stayed next to him in the hospital. The next morning, her husband's health improved markedly. Doctors confirmed that the swelling had dramatically decreased, allowing surgery to be scheduled earlier than planned.

María said with certitude that what happened was “a miracle, something inexplicable,” attributing the improvement to the intercession of Carlo Acutis and her son’s prayers. The healing, she says, “was a response to a sincere, pure prayer, from a pure heart.”

Budding friendship and advice for other parents

During a trip to Assisi, Alex’s parents brought him a book that tells the story of Acutis in detail. According to his mother, this allowed the little boy to perceive the blessed in a “closer and more real” way. The boy commented that “he’s my friend, and yes, I pray to him. He likes soccer, Nutella and video games.”

Based on her experience with her five children, María shared some advice on how to bring up children in the faith. She firmly believes that the best way to transmit spiritual values ​​is “by example, that’s important.”

In her experience, children learn by observing how parents treat others, how they express themselves and in this case, “they see how we conduct ourselves in our faith, how we are at Mass, how we pray. I think that has a lot to do with it.”

She and her husband have made faith an integral part of family life, without imposing it, so that the experience of faith is natural, including prayer before meals and when leaving the house. In addition, they try to teach their children to be thankful for small blessings, from “bread with Nutella to having a house.”

The most important thing, according to María, is never to force children, but to make faith a part of their lives “in a natural and fun way,” always showing them that “God loves you very much and you have to thank him.”

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

CNA Staff, Nov 27, 2024 / 05:30 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life related policy developments in the United States.

Lawmakers ask for investigation into abortion funding

More than 100 members of Congress asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the amount of federal funding given to abortion providers nationally and internationally over the past three years, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates.  

One hundred and twelve members of Congress signed the Nov. 22 letter spearheaded by House Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY). Eighty-one House members and 31 Senators signed the letter, including top leaders such as House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD).

A 2023 GAO report found that from 2019-2021, the U.S .government provided $1.89 billion in federal funding to abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America and MSI Reproductive Choices. 

Republican congressmen seek to stop expansion of IVF for military 

Two Republican representatives urged the House and Senate Armed Services committees to not expand health insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for military personnel, citing high costs and ethical concerns.

In a Nov. 21 letter, Reps. Matt Rosendale (MT) and Josh Brecheen (OK) asked committee leaders in both chambers to not include provisions that expand access to the method of fertility treatment that involves artificially creating many embryos, most of which are never born.

In the letter, Rosendale and Brecheen noted, “There are no limits under current law on how many embryos can be created in an IVF cycle.” The two said that the Centers for Disease Control could not provide “basic information” such as how many embryos are screened for sex selection or genetic abnormalities, or how many embryos are destroyed each year.

The representatives noted that in 2021 there were “4.1 million embryonic children created through IVF, but only 97,128 of those children were born,” meaning only 2.3% of embryonic children are ever born, according to numbers from the CDC and the Family Research Council.  The representatives called on Congress to “protect the most vulnerable and reject any provision that leads to the destruction of innocent human life.” 

When it comes to IVF, lawmakers hold opposing views. Proponents tout the technology as pro-family, while opponents point to the loss of unborn life that is an inherent part of the process. Rosendale, a Catholic who is retiring from Congress, shares these latter, moral and ethical concerns. 

The Catholic Church teaches that IVF is not a moral method of fertility treatment because it separates conception from the marital act and because multiple embryos are created only to be discarded. 

Texas bill could reclassify abortion pills as controlled substances

A bill has been introduced in the Texas legislature to reclassify abortion pills as Schedule IV substances, meaning the drugs would be considered controlled substances. The drugs are used in abortions, as well as for miscarriage care and other uses. The first pill in the regimen, mifepristone, deprives the unborn child of necessary nutrients, while the second pill, misoprostol, induces the delivery of the deceased child. 

Pat Curry, Republican from Waco, filed HB 1339 Nov. 14. If passed, the bill would take effect Sept. 1, 2025. It would also designate the muscle relaxant carisoprodol as a controlled substance, in addition to the two abortion drugs. The Texas Controlled Substance Act dictates that possession of a fraudulent prescription is punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 or 180 days in jail. 

The measure follows the state of Louisiana's abortion pill reclassification earlier this year.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 27, 2024 / 05:00 am (CNA).

The U.S. bishops are calling on faithful Catholics across the country to join them in person or virtually at their National Prayer Vigil for Life in Washington D.C., which takes place every year on the eve of the March for Life. 

Co-hosted by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), The Catholic University of America’s Office of Campus Ministry, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., the vigil will take place from the evening of Thursday, Jan. 23 to the morning of Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. 

“I enthusiastically invite Catholics from all around the country to join me in-person or virtually, in praying for an end to abortion and building up a culture of life,” stated Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, in a press release. 

“Together, we must pray to change hearts and build a culture of life as we advocate for the most vulnerable. I look forward to opening our Vigil with Holy Mass together with many other bishops, hundreds of priests, consecrated religious, seminarians, and many thousands of pilgrims,” he added. 

The event will kick off with an opening Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas in the main sanctuary at the Basilica of the National Shrine on Thursday evening. Mass will be followed by a Eucharistic procession and Holy Hour, which will include a Rosary and the Benediction. 

The vigil will conclude on Friday morning before the March for Life with an 8 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn. 

U.S. Catholics may participate in the vigil via livestream on the Basilica’s website, or view EWTN’s live television broadcasts on Thursday from 5-8 p.m. and Friday from 8-9 a.m.

Full schedule: 

Thursday, January 23:

4:45 p.m.      Chaplet of Divine Mercy

5:00 p.m.    Opening Mass with Bishop Thomas

7:00 p.m.    Holy Hour for Life

Friday, January 24:

8:00 a.m.    Closing Mass with Bishop Brennan

The March for Life will begin with a pre-rally at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24. Professional surfer and EveryLife founder Bethany Hamilton will be the keynote speaker at this year’s event, for which the theme is “Every Life: Why We March.”

After a brutal election that sometimes felt like a civil war, this Thanksgiving may be harder for some more than others. For us Catholics, however, there is one thing that may help us.

The church depends on donations from nations whose better off have been educated on the baptismal equality of all persons.

In this NCR news report originally published Nov. 24, 1989, readers learn about the shocking massacre of Jesuit priests at the Central American University in San Salvador, which had occurred eight days earlier. 

"Wicked (Part 1)" provides an immersive sensory experience and a story of just how much the marginalized have to teach us, hailing solidarity as our greatest hope for overcoming oppressive powers.