James Earl Jones attends the "The Gin Game" Broadway opening night after party at Sardi's on Oct. 14, 2015, in New York City. / Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

James Earl Jones, a distinguished actor of stage and screen who was a convert to the Catholic faith, died Monday at age 93. 

Known for lending his booming voice to such characters as Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” saga and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” Jones’ career spanned nearly seven decades. 

He was one of the few entertainers, male or female, to have earned the coveted “EGOT” slate of acting awards: an Emmy (for TV), Grammy (for music), Oscar (for movies), and Tony (for the stage).

Born in poverty in Mississippi, Jones overcame a stutter early in life in part by discovering a gift for poetry. He joined the military after graduating from college, moving to New York after serving to pursue acting full time. 

A prolific stage actor who became well known as a Shakespearean, Jones also entertained generations of moviegoers with dozens of roles. These included perhaps his most famous voice performances — the unimpeachable lion monarch Mufasa and the inimitable Sith menace Darth Vader — as well as memorable live-action appearances in “The Sandlot” and “Field of Dreams.”

Jones did not talk much about his Catholic faith but said in a 1987 interview that he converted to the faith during his time serving in the military. He said that while discerning whether to stay in the military or pursue his true passion — acting — the only things that he had in his life that were “not geared toward the art of killing” were his Catholic faith “and the complete works of Shakespeare.''

In 1985, he voiced Pharaoh in the first episode of Hanna-Barbera’s “The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible.” He also recorded an audio edition of the King James version of the New Testament.

Jones died Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, according to his agent.

Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California. / Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News

Quito, Ecuador, Sep 9, 2024 / 17:36 pm (CNA).

A moving experience at his father’s deathbed forever marked the Eucharistic devotion of Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California. 

In addition, he said, his own experience during difficult times in his priestly life makes it clear: The center of our faith is Jesus in the Eucharist and deepening our relationship with him.

In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, at the International Eucharistic Congress — which began Sunday in Quito, Ecuador — Cantú, the son of Mexican parents, explained that the importance of a Eucharistic congress is to integrate “theological formation with sacramental and devotional life.”

“This attracts more people of faith, it’s a true expression of faith,” continued the prelate, who is originally from Houston.

After having experienced the National Eucharistic Congress in the United States, which at the end of July brought together some 60,000 attendees in Indianapolis, Cantú said he considers it important for the Church in the United States to have “an idea of ​​how Eucharistic devotion is lived out worldwide.”

“I grew up in a Hispanic community in the United States, and I have seen how this devotion is lived out, how the processions touch the heart and are moving. But I am also interested in seeing what devotions come from other parts of the world,” he commented.

The bishop noted that the International Eucharistic Congress “is a clear opportunity to return to the core of our faith, which is Jesus in the Eucharist … This is what fulfills us as Christians, as Catholics.”

“It’s important to remember that Christ is already active in the hearts of those who are called. They don’t come to the Eucharist without Christ, in his word and grace, already being present in them. The Second Vatican Council speaks of the four presences of Christ in the Eucharist: in his people, in the celebrant, in the proclaimed word, and of course, in the Eucharistic elements,” explained Cantú, who also holds a doctorate in theology.

This encounter of the Christian with the Blessed Sacrament “is a path that the Holy Spirit guides us to follow, to encounter Christ, and Christ leads us to the Father,” he added.

“This congress is an opportunity to deepen that relationship with him and be nourished to bring that presence of Christ to our communities, to our homes, to our jobs,” he added.

Finally, he invited the faithful to, besides listening closely to the presentations and observing the faith and devotion of the Church during these days, “to take a few moments of silence, because that is where Christ wants to speak to us, in our conscience and in our heart.”

Cantú’s profound experience of Jesus in the Eucharist

During the interview, Cantú shared a personal reflection of his experience of Jesus in the Eucharist based on his 30 years as a priest and 16 as a bishop.

“Over the years, there have been times when I have felt worn out or overwhelmed by some crisis. Sometimes, as I sit in my chapel in the morning to talk to Jesus, I find myself at a loss for words. I know he is present, but sometimes I just sit and say to him, ‘Here I am.’ Even though I don’t always feel his presence intensely, something happens when I celebrate Mass, even in the privacy of my chapel. The words of the Eucharist and the prayers of the Church touch my heart, open it, and kindle the light of Christ,” he said.

Cantú is also quite sure that his relationship with the Eucharist has been a source of strength throughout his priestly and episcopal ministry.

“In those moments of tiredness or difficulty, the Eucharist is what fills me anew,” he said. “Through the celebration of Mass, I encounter Christ in a unique way, and I know that he is always there, giving me his light and his peace.”

A Eucharistic experience that marked his life

The prelate recalled a moving Eucharistic experience from his time as a priest that he considers miraculous, when his father, on his deathbed, managed to receive Jesus in Communion, a moment that left a deep impression on him.

“My father became paralyzed, and my mother took care of him at home. We, his eight children, whenever we could, helped with whatever was needed. For my father, as a Hispanic man, it was difficult not to be able to dress himself or do things for himself. He suffered greatly in his ego; he did not understand why, after having worked so hard during his life, in his old age he was going through this. He fell into a rather deep depression,” the bishop related.

“I remember one particular moment when I went to visit him. He wasn’t responding, he wasn’t talking to my mother or me. I talked to him, but I wasn’t getting a response. Finally, when my time to return to my parish was running out, I said to him: ‘Daddy, I brought the Eucharist, do you want to receive it?’ Immediately, he looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Yes. ’ He took my mother’s hand and we began to pray together. My father, the teacher, prayed all the prayers with us,” Cantú recounted.

“He listened, but he did not respond to his son or his wife. However, when I mentioned the presence of Christ, he responded with that hope of someone who is in the darkness… and sometimes, just mentioning Jesus Christ gives us hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” he concluded.

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

Jim Gaffigan attends SiriusXM's “Unfrosted” Town Hall at SiriusXM Studios on April 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. / Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 9, 2024 / 17:06 pm (CNA).

Six-time Grammy-nominated Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan will host the 2024 Al Smith Dinner on Oct. 17, an annual event organized by the Archdiocese of New York that the two major presidential candidates — former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris — are expected to attend.

Gaffigan posted a copy of an invitation on X that lists Trump and Harris as guests along with the stand-up comedian listed as master of ceremonies. In his post, Gaffigan joked that he was unfamiliar with the names of the two presidential candidates.

“I’m so honored to be MC-ing this year’s Al Smith Memorial Dinner on Oct. 17,” Gaffigan said. “Too bad I don’t recognize those two names in the middle of the invitation. Anyone ever heard of them?”

The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, first held in 1945, is organized to raise money for charitable causes in the archdiocese. In 2023, the archdiocese raised $7.1 million for people in need. The black-tie affair is named after the first Catholic to be nominated for president by a major party — four-term New York Gov. Al Smith, who was the Democratic Party’s 1928 presidential nominee.

Gaffigan, who has acted in dozens of movies and has performed numerous stand-up comedy specials, has been a staunch critic of Trump.

Gaffigan frequently references his Catholic faith in his stand-up comedy. For example, in the 2018 comedy special “Noble Ape,” he discusses saints and patronage.

“Of course, I’m talking about Catholic saints because I’m Catholic,” he says in the special. “I’m not a good Catholic. Like if there was a test for Catholics, I would fail. But then again, most Catholics would fail, which is probably why there’s not a test.”

In September 2015, Gaffigan performed at the Festival of Families in Philadelphia, which was attended by Pope Francis during his papal visit to the United States. In June of this year, he met the pontiff at the Vatican with 100 other comedians, including Stephen Colbert and Chris Rock. 

At The New Yorker Festival in 2015, Gaffigan spoke about a “fear of being associated with being Catholic” in the entertainment industry. 

“I’m Catholic,” he said. “98% of my friends are atheist or agnostic. I was an atheist until I met my wife. I was raised Catholic.”

Gaffigan has deviated from Church teaching on at least one issue by promoting homosexual pride and civil marriages.

The comedian ventured into political discourse during the 2020 presidential election to criticize Trump. He Tweeted that Trump is “a traitor and a con man who doesn’t care about you” and called him “a liar and a criminal” in August 2020. Gaffigan also alleged that “Trump is not pro-life and obviously not Christian or a decent person” when a Twitter user asked Gaffigan whether he was still pro-life.

Both Trump and then-candidate Joe Biden attended the 2020 Al Smith Dinner, which was held a little more than a month before the election. Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both attended in 2016. At both events, following tradition, the two candidates delivered humorous remarks, skewering themselves and each other.

A priest gives Communion to children at the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. / Credit: Eduardo Berdejo/EWTN News

Quito, Ecuador, Sep 9, 2024 / 16:36 pm (CNA).

In an atmosphere of celebration, joy, and devotion, some 25,000 people, including 1,600 children in white robes and traditional costumes who received their first Communion, participated Sunday in the opening Mass of the 2024 International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador.

From the early hours of the morning of Sept. 8, a multitude of faithful began to congregate on the esplanade of Bicentennial Park in Quito accompanied by archbishops, priests, men and women religious, seminarians, deacons, and altar servers, among others. In total, 54 delegations from different countries participated.

Shortly after 10 a.m. local time, the Mass began on a huge stage featuring an image of the Virgin of El Quinche adorned with dozens of red and yellow flowers. The Mass was celebrated by the archbishop of Quito and primate of Ecuador, Alfredo José Espinoza Mateus, who during his homily told the children that this was “a day of celebration, a great day in their lives.”

“This memory will remain engraved in your hearts for life and you will be able to say with certainty that you are the ‘Eucharistic missionaries’ of our Church in Quito and grow knowing that you are called to build fraternity, starting in your own families,” said the prelate, alluding to the theme of the congress: “Fraternity to Heal the World.”

Espinoza told the children that “today we celebrate that Jesus, your best friend and that of all, is present in the Bread of Life.”

“Open your hearts, dear children, to receive him with joy, so that the encounter with him in the Eucharist that you are going to receive for the first time will lead you to know how to share, to dream, to be grateful, to trust and honor others,” he continued.

He also shared a message sent by Pope Francis to the children: “Making your first Communion means wanting to be closer to Jesus every day, to grow in friendship with him and that others can also enjoy the joy that he wants to give us. The Lord needs you to be able to work the miracle, that your joy may reach many of your family members and friends.”

Finally, referring to the passage from the Gospel according to St. Mark (7:31-37), he invited the community to ask the Lord “to do in our lives the same miracle that he did with the deaf man who could barely speak.”

“May our hearts always be open, but above all, our ears, to hear the cry of pain of the whole world, the cry of those who suffer and the cry of the poor, and may we, from the Eucharist, be authentic ‘missionaries of fraternity’ to heal and to work the miracle of all being one,” he concluded.

A day that changed many hearts

Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, former president of the board of the National Eucharistic Congress in the U.S., said the open-air Mass on Sunday deeply moved him, since he also found the love of Jesus in his first Communion.

“The way the archbishop explained the importance of first Communion was very beautiful, because it is fundamental for all of us. It’s important that we remember the importance of our first Communion and the privilege of being in union with Jesus,” he said.

Cozzens clearly remembers when he first received Christ, recalling how the priest at his school taught him to kneel, to genuflect, and explained to him how to revere the presence of Jesus. “I felt in my heart the desire to receive him.”

When he received Jesus in his first Communion, he felt a very strong peace, despite being so young. “That presence can deepen throughout our lives,” he said.

After Mass, Emilio Osorio, a child who received his first Communion, shared with ACI Prensa that he felt very happy to have Jesus in his heart: “This way I can unite myself more with him and speak with him in prayer.”

Emilio’s mother, Gabriela, said that as a family, they were very “happy to share this moment.” 

“Jesus is very important to us, because he is at the heart of the family. We always welcome him into our home and into our hearts with respect and humility, and we are attentive to the lessons he has left us,” she said.

Anahí Gutiérrez, a girl who was also present to receive Christ for the first time, shared her happiness and said that from that day on, “God will be my guide.” 

“Jesus will love me, he will have compassion for me. Knowing Jesus has made me a better daughter and to always respect my parents,” she said.

Ecuadorian priest Father Milton Paredes Arroba shared with ACI Prensa the “blessing” that came with attending a Mass of this magnitude for the first time in his life. 

“God has poured himself out on all those who have been present in this place … This means a renewal from above, because it is the Eucharist itself that blesses us, strengthens us, and unites us,” he commented.

Finally, the priest, who is a member of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, pointed out that the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress is truly “a time of healing, reconciliation, and fraternity to heal the world.”

“We bless the Holy Spirit for inspiring this in the Church and in Pope Francis,” he added.

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

Ian Church, head of the “Launching Experimental Philosophy of Religion” grant project and a professor of philosophy at Hillsdale College, welcomes attendees of the capstone conference at Hillsdale’s Blake Center for Faith and Freedom in Somers, Connecticut. / Credit: Rebecca Dorsey

CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2024 / 16:06 pm (CNA).

A $2.3 million research grant intended to kickstart a multidisciplinary field of study known as “experimental philosophy of religion” concluded at the end of August after three years of study.

The John Templeton Foundation in September 2021 granted the “Launching Experimental Philosophy of Religion” grant to Ian Church, a professor of philosophy at Hillsdale College, who headed a team of academics and six sub-grant projects.

“Experimental philosophy of religion has seen a flurry of activity in recent years and is quickly emerging as a new and exciting area of scholarly research,” Church told CNA.

Experimental philosophers use empirical data — often gathered through surveys — to research philosophical questions. The budding area of experimental philosophy of religion applies experimental philosophy, as well as psychology and cognitive sciences, to various questions within the philosophy of religion.

“In a sense, experimental philosophy of religion is both old and new,” Church noted. “Old, insofar as the kind of questions that experimental philosophers of religion are typically interested in have been a part of philosophy of religion since its very inception. But experimental philosophy of religion is also new insofar as experimental philosophy has really only been flourishing in the philosophical literature over the past 20 or so years, with experimental philosophy of religion being a latecomer to that literature.” 

In other words, philosophers are using a new method to answer old questions. 

The Templeton Foundation wanted to launch the new field of interdisciplinary research through funding initiatives. The foundation reached out to various research institutions and scholars for sub-grant proposals, resulting in in six sub-grant research projects with academics from top universities.

“Philosophers of religion frequently rely on empirical claims that can be either verified or disproven but without exploring whether they are,” the Templeton website reads. “And philosophers of religion frequently appeal to intuitions which may vary wildly according to education level, theological background, etc., without concern for whether or not the psychological mechanisms that underwrite those intuitions are broadly shared or reliable.”

Experimental philosophy of religion can be instrumental for gathering the data behind these appeals to intuition.

“Experimental philosophy of religion is the project of taking the tools and resources of the human sciences — perhaps especially psychology and cognitive science — and bringing them to bear on important issues within philosophy of religion toward philosophical ends,” Church said. 

“Where do our religious intuitions come from? And do we have a reason to think the cognitive origins of such intuitions are reliable? How might culture, ethnicity, gender, religious tradition, and more shape how we engage with seminal arguments within philosophy of religion? And where intuitions diverge, do we have a principled reason to prioritize our own intuitions over the intuitions of others?” he asked. “These are some of the core questions at the heart of this emerging field of research.”

The program featured a research team at Hillsdale College led by Church as well as Hillsdale philosophy professor Blake McAllister, honorary professor of theology and the sciences at the University of St. Andrews Justin Barrett, Arete Professorial Fellows Paul Rezkalla and Jim Spiegel, project administrator Cindy Hoard, and a team of undergraduate research assistants.

A Catholic response to new philosophies 

When asked how Catholics should engage with new philosophies, Marshall Bierson, a philosophy professor with expertise in philosophy of religion at The Catholic University of America, noted that “Catholics should never be afraid to engage with any new discoveries.”

“Where there is truth, that truth is God's truth and it is something that we should embrace,” Bierson said. “Of course, there will be elements of any human philosophy that will be wrong. So just because we embrace truth does not mean we should embrace any new philosophy or methodology wholesale. But it does mean we should be eager to learn what truths we can.” 

Bierson explained that we should approach philosophies with both charity and discernment. 

“We should always approach views with charity. Concretely, what that means is that we should first and foremost be trying to figure out and embrace what is good and true in a new perspective. Only secondarily do we try to identify and reject what is false,” he noted. 

“That said, it is important to be discerning. It can always be tempting to adopt a new perspective because it seems new or cutting edge,” Bierson continued. “But mere newness itself does not count for anything. It is truth that we are after, and we need to remember that truth itself does not change (though of course, we can get better at discovering truths over time).” 

Experimental philosophy of religion is new, and it has its skeptics. Bierson himself is a skeptic, having “technical concerns” about the methodology of experimental philosophy as well as “broader skepticism” about how it applies to the realm of philosophy.

“The much greater source of skepticism from philosophers stems from the worry that [experimental philosophy] just does not tell us anything of philosophical interest,” he said. “For example, suppose that these studies show that most people cannot think of any good reason why God would allow this animal to suffer. Does that show that there is no good reason? It’s hard to see why maybe God has some reason we did not think of.”

But Church believes that experimental philosophy of religion can help us see past our blind spots to have better dialogue.

When asked why the study is important, Church said “it’s always good to reflect deeply on what can change our mind about important issues, to think about where we might be blind to evidence.”

“Looking into the cognitive mechanisms that underwrite our belief helps us to be reflective in this way and to better develop virtuous intellectual characters,” he explained.

“I think experimental philosophy of religion can help us better see where our perspective on the divine, purpose, evil, and humanity might be idiosyncratic,” Church continued. “This helps us dialogue across religious and cultural boundaries, and it also helps us to be more aware of our own presuppositions and biases. It helps us be more humble and modest.”

The Missouri Supreme Court building in Jefferson City. / Credit: Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock

St. Louis, Mo., Sep 9, 2024 / 14:40 pm (CNA).

A proposed constitutional amendment in Missouri that would dramatically expand abortion in the state could be removed from the Nov. 5 ballot after a judge’s ruling over the weekend teed up an expected Tuesday final decision by the Missouri Supreme Court. 

Missouri’s proposed Amendment 3, which qualified for the November ballot in August after garnering thousands of signatures, would mandate that the government “shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom.” 

It would “prohibit any regulation of abortion, including regulations designed to protect women undergoing abortions and prohibit any civil or criminal recourse against anyone who performs an abortion and hurts or kills the pregnant women,” according to the secretary of state’s office.

A judge in Cole County — which includes the state capital, Jefferson City — on Friday ruled that the full text of Amendment 3 fails to mention the specific laws to be repealed if voters approve the measure. By Missouri law, a ballot measure text must “include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.” 

A hearing before the Missouri Supreme Court is scheduled for Tuesday morning with a quick decision expected by the high court ahead of a 5 p.m. deadline for finalizing the state’s November ballot. 

Missouri law currently protects unborn babies throughout all of pregnancy with the only exception being cases of “medical emergency.” Missouri is currently one of 10 states that will vote on abortion-related measures in November. 

In his Sept. 6 ruling, Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh wrote that the pro-abortion groups proffering the amendment argued that the only way to know which laws the amendment would affect was through future litigation challenging the constitutionality of a particular statute. That theory, “of course, is not an exception” to the state’s ballot measure requirements, he wrote. 

Limbaugh said his “opinion does not suggest that every initiative petition should speculate as to every single constitutional provision or statute that it could affect.” But, he said, the defendants’ failure to “include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent, is in blatant violation of” state law. 

The Thomas More Society, a Catholic public interest law firm based in Chicago, had filed the lawsuit challenging the pro-abortion amendment language in August on behalf of Missouri state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, pro-life advocate Kathy Forck, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, and Peggy Forrest, president and CEO of Our Lady’s Inn, a St. Louis pro-life pregnancy center. 

“We are confident the reviewing court will also hold that Missouri voters have a right to know what they are voting on and to vote on one matter at a time … We will not allow Missourians to be deceived into signing away dozens of current laws that protect the unborn, pregnant women, parents, and children,” Mary Catherine Martin, Thomas More Society’s senior counsel, said in a statement.

Missouri’s seven-member Supreme Court is made up of five Republican appointees and two Democratic appointees. The hearing on the abortion amendment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.

The Missouri Catholic Conference, which advocates policy on behalf of the state’s Catholic bishops, has called the proposed ballot measure “an extreme constitutional amendment that legalizes abortion at any stage of pregnancy with no protections for the preborn child, even when the child is capable of feeling pain.” Pro-life leaders are leading a “vote no” campaign to counter the measure if it makes it to the ballot. 

Pro-abortion amendment efforts in other states, most recently Ohio, have demonstrated that the broad language of “reproductive freedom” can encompass far more than abortion, with advocates warning that the Missouri amendment could enshrine a “right” for minors to seek permanent gender-transition procedures.

null / Credit: Bigbubblebee99/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2024 / 14:10 pm (CNA).

In a letter to the director-general of UNESCO on Monday on the occasion of International Literacy Day 2024, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, conveyed a message from the Holy Father to all those involved in the event.

“The Holy See gladly renews its appreciation of the contribution made by UNESCO in promoting linguistic and cultural diversity, and indeed multilingualism,” Parolin said in his letter. 

International Literacy Day 2024 is being celebrated in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Sept. 9–10. The global event is sponsored by UNESCO in cooperation with the government of Cameroon and has been celebrated yearly since 1967 to help combat illiteracy and encourage all those who promote literacy and education. 

Much of Parolin’s letter was dedicated to the increasingly important role multilingualism plays in “expanding knowledge and fostering openness to other peoples and different cultures, but also by encouraging dialogue, listening, and mediation.”

“Polyglots are often in demand precisely because, in addition to their ability to understand and speak several languages, they tend to have finer analytical abilities, better communication and social skills, and a greater aptitude for discernment. In this sense, they are better equipped to appreciate the richness of other cultures, including those far removed from their own,” the letter said.

Parolin relayed in the letter the Holy Father’s call to “political decision-makers, educators, and the general public to appreciate more deeply the vital role played by literacy in the building of a more educated, fraternal, supportive, and peaceful society.”

The cardinal also sent “prayerful good wishes” on behalf of the pope “upon you and your co-workers, and upon all the members of the networks involved in promoting literacy, intercultural dialogue, and mutual understanding between peoples.”

The letter was sent while the Holy Father continues his 12-day trip in Southeast Asia and Oceania, where he is visiting four countries.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. / Credit: Jonah McKeown/CNA

CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2024 / 12:28 pm (CNA).

Catholic bishops in New York state are warning ahead of the November election that an “equal rights amendment” proposal on the ballot this year could have “dangerous consequences” if it is approved by voters. 

The state constitutional amendment would establish broad rights to “reproductive health care” by prohibiting any discrimination based on “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive health care and autonomy.”

It would also prohibit discrimination based on a person’s sex, sexual orientation, “gender identity,” and “gender expression.”

In a statement from the New York State Catholic Conference last week, the New York bishops — including New York archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan as well as the state’s auxiliary and emeritus bishops — argued that the proposal was “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” The statement was emailed to 35,000 mailing list subscribers and sent to parishes and diocesan media outlets for distribution.

The title of “equal rights amendment,” the bishops argued, “suggests a noble cause, as all children of God should be treated equally under the law.” 

“However, this proposed amendment to the state constitution is broadly written and could have dangerous consequences if enacted, which is why we oppose it and urge you to vote no,” the prelates said.  

The bishops noted that the amendment would effectively “permanently legalize abortion without restriction and up until the moment of birth in New York.” 

The state has already “stripped away all abortion limitations,” they pointed out, but the proposed amendment “would render impossible any change to the law if the hearts and minds of New Yorkers were ever to shift toward protecting the child in the womb.”

Furthermore, the amendment would forbid discrimination based on “age,” which the bishops said “could also lead to parents’ rights being stripped away.” 

“Courts could decide that parents have no authority over their minor children on important matters and permit children to make destructive and permanent decisions on their own, which they could well live to regret, including but not limited to so-called ‘gender affirming’ treatments and surgeries,” they said. 

The bishops said the measure “could lead to darkness for many New York families.” 

Catholics in the state “should consider these consequences and vote no” on the proposal, they said. 

A court in the state had earlier this year blocked the amendment from appearing on the November ballot after a judge ruled that lawmakers did not follow proper procedures for putting it before voters. 

An appeals court subsequently ruled that the measure could appear on the ballot, arguing that the statute of limitations to challenge the measure had passed.

New York is one of about a dozen states considering pro-abortion measures in the 2024 election.

Pope Francis arrives in East Timor on Sept. 9, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Dili, East Timor, Sep 9, 2024 / 11:06 am (CNA).

Upon his arrival in the Catholic island of East Timor on Monday, Pope Francis entrusted the new country to the Blessed Virgin Mary,

“I entrust East Timor and all its people to the protection of the Immaculate Conception, heavenly patroness invoked under the title of ‘Virgem de Aitara,’” Pope Francis said at the welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Dili on Sept. 9.

“May she accompany you and help you always in your mission to build a free, democratic, and united country where no one feels excluded and everyone can live in peace and dignity.”

Pope Francis is the first pope to visit East Timor since it gained its independence from Indonesia in 2002, becoming the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. Francis follows in the footsteps of John Paul II, who made an apostolic visit to East Timor in 1989 when it was still an Indonesian province.

The country is overwhelmingly Catholic, with Catholics making up 98% of East Timor’s 1.3 million people.

East Timor’s President José Manuel Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a prominent figure in East Timor’s struggle for independence, describes his country as “the second most Catholic country after Vatican City.”

Pope Francis’ visit to East Timor marks the 25th anniversary of its independence in which the Catholic Church played an important role in advocating for human rights.

Huge crowds lined the streets of Dili for miles for the pope’s arrival, waving Vatican flags and standing under special yellow-and-white Vatican-themed umbrellas for relief from the midday sun.

At the official welcome ceremony at the presidential palace, Pope Francis received a 21-gun salute and an honor guard before 29 children in traditional clothes offered the pope flowers and placed a traditional Timorese Tais cloth on his shoulders. Many women at the papal welcome wore Catholic chapel veils with some wiping away tears at the sight of the pope as the young country’s national anthem played.

The pope encouraged the new country, which has struggled since gaining independence, to follow Catholic social teaching and invest in education as it continues to develop.

“You are a young people. I am not referring to your culture and history, which are rather ancient, but to the fact that about 65% of East Timor’s population is under the age of 30,” Francis commented.

“This statistic tells us that the first area for you to invest in is education, in the family, and in schools,” he added.

In the years after East Timor gained its independence, the country had one of the highest fertility rates in the world with nearly seven births per mother.

Pope Francis’ visit to Timor East comes at a time when the young country is reckoning with a sexual abuse scandal. Timorese Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, a national hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner, was sanctioned by the Vatican in response to allegations that the prelate had abused boys for decades. The Vatican placed disciplinary restrictions on Belo in 2020, limiting his movement and banning him from contact with minors.

Speaking to East Timorese officials and dignitaries Pope Francis in his address inside the presidential palace alluded to the scandal by underlining the importance of safeguarding young people to protect them.

“Let us also not forget that these children and adolescents have their dignity violated — the phenomenon is emerging all over the world. In response, we are all called to do everything possible to prevent every kind of abuse and guarantee a healthy and peaceful childhood for all young people,” Francis said.

The pope also expressed his concern over the “scourge” of gang violence, describing how fights between rival martial arts clubs have led to deaths and injuries. A national ban on martial arts training in East Timor was among the government’s tightened security protocols implemented for the papal visit.

“These gang members are trained in martial arts, but instead of using this knowledge in the service of the defenseless, they use it as an opportunity to showcase the fleeting and harmful power of violence,” the pope said.

East Timor is one of the least-visited countries in the world. The two official languages are Tetum and Portuguese, a legacy of Portugal’s centuries of colonial rule of the island.

The small country, which is roughly the same size as Connecticut, uses the U.S. dollar as its currency. It is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia with more than 40% of the population living below the national poverty line.

East Timor is the third stop on the pope’s Sept. 2–13 trip to four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania. While in East Timor, the pope will meet with youth, address the island’s clergy in one of the largest cathedrals in Southeast Asia, and preside over a massive outdoor Mass, which hundreds of thousands are expected to attend.

Pope Francis greets the crowd at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Sep 9, 2024 / 10:14 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was joined by more than 10,000 people for a youth festival held at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby on the final day of his apostolic visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), reminding people of the need to speak the “common language of the heart” that unites people amid diversity.

Acknowledging the beauty and diversity of the peoples of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the pope on Monday emphasized that “the language of love, the language of closeness, the language of service” is what can unite people in a region in which more than 800 dialects are spoken. 

“Scripture tells us that after the flood, Noah’s descendants dispersed to different islands, each with their own language, by their families, without removing their differences,” the pope said. “And who could tell me what is this language that unites us? What is this language that we need? Who can tell us that?” 

“Love!” cried out the crowds present at the meeting in the open-air stadium, many of whom were waving miniature Vatican flags and displaying banners representing Catholic associations to which they belong. 

During the meeting, Pope Francis said indifference — a “fruit of hatred” — is even uglier than hatred itself and urged his listeners to take care of others and to form friendships amongst themselves. 

“You know that indifference is a very bad thing, because you leave others on the street, you are not interested in helping others. Indifference has the roots of selfishness,” he said. 

Through a musical dance performance based on the PNG papal visit’s motto and theme “Teach Us How to Pray” (cf. Luke 11:1), youth representatives — from groups including the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Professionals Society of PNG — shared with the Holy Father their concerns about family life, the environment, education, and their tradition as well as their fears about the future.

Bernadette, a youth member of the Legion of Mary, told Pope Francis that many young people encounter several difficulties in trying to live their faith and feel helpless when confronted with the realities of poverty, crime, and violence.

“Some of our struggles are caused by young people, but we do not know how to face them and their consequences,” she shared with the pope and the crowds. 

“Poverty is one reason why young people are not completing their studies or pursuing their dreams and desires. It causes them to turn to illegal things, to find ways to earn money by selling drugs and stealing.”  

Moved by testimonies shared by youth representatives, the pope reiterated the need for young people to not lose hope and build a future together by helping one another to rise again after theirs and others’ falls or mistakes.

“In life we ​​can all fall, all of us!” the pope said. “But what is more important? Not staying fallen.” 

“And if you see a friend, a classmate, a girlfriend, a classmate your age who has fallen, what should you do? Laugh at him? You have to look at him and help him get up,” the pope urged. 

Throughout the 90-minute meeting, the pope repeated the gesture of lifting up a person from the ground and asking everyone to imitate him in living out the “challenge” of helping others to get up again after a fall.

Pope Francis concluded the youth meeting by blessing the people of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and praying the Our Father with them in English.

“Don’t forget to pray for me, because this job is not easy,” he said. “Thank you very much for your presence. Thank you very much for your hope!”