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The Vatican on March 16, 2024, determined that nothing prevents the opening of the cause for canonization of Niña Ruiz-Abad, a 13-year-old girl who died in 1993 in the Philippines and whose grave has become a place of pilgrimage. / Credit: Diocese of Laoag/Public Domain via Wikimedia CommonsACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 16:05 pm (CNA).The Vatican has determined that nothing prevents the opening of the cause for canonization of Niña Ruiz-Abad, a 13-year-old girl who died in 1993 in the Philippines and whose grave has become a place of pilgrimage.On March 16, the Vatican news agency Fides reported that the Vatican has granted the "nihil obstat" ("nothing stands in the way") for the cause of canonization to begin for Ruiz-Abad, who is now considered a "Servant of God," the first step toward sainthood. If the Filipina girl is declared a saint, she will be one of the youngest in history.The news was announced with a circular from the bishop of Laoag, Renato Mayugba, that was read...

The Vatican on March 16, 2024, determined that nothing prevents the opening of the cause for canonization of Niña Ruiz-Abad, a 13-year-old girl who died in 1993 in the Philippines and whose grave has become a place of pilgrimage. / Credit: Diocese of Laoag/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 16:05 pm (CNA).

The Vatican has determined that nothing prevents the opening of the cause for canonization of Niña Ruiz-Abad, a 13-year-old girl who died in 1993 in the Philippines and whose grave has become a place of pilgrimage.

On March 16, the Vatican news agency Fides reported that the Vatican has granted the "nihil obstat" ("nothing stands in the way") for the cause of canonization to begin for Ruiz-Abad, who is now considered a "Servant of God," the first step toward sainthood. If the Filipina girl is declared a saint, she will be one of the youngest in history.

The news was announced with a circular from the bishop of Laoag, Renato Mayugba, that was read in all the churches of the Ilocos Norte region, where Ruiz-Abad is originally from.

In July 2023, the bishops of the Philippines had already expressed their support for the opening of the cause, which will be formally opened on April 7, Divine Mercy Sunday, at St. William Cathedral in Laoag City, with the first session of the diocesan tribunal.

Who was Niña Ruiz-Abad?

Niña Ruiz-Abad was born Oct. 31, 1979, in Quezon City. Her parents were lawyers and her father died when she was only 3 years old.

Ruiz-Abad grew up in Quezon City on Luzon island along with her sister, Mary Anne. She attended school at the Child Study Center of the University of the Philippines and later at the Holy Angels Montessori School, both in Quezon City. 

Her mother, a devotee of divine mercy, moved with her daughters to Sarrat, 300 miles to the north of Quezon City, in April 1988 to work at the Department of Justice.

Ruiz-Abad started high school at Mariano Marcos State University High School in nearby Laoag CIty. She had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and from a very young age, she distributed rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, and holy cards in her neighborhood and at school.

When Father Danny Pajarillaga met Ruiz-Abad in 1993, he immediately noticed her great love for the Eucharist and that she prayed a lot. 

"She was a walking testimony of piety and religion. She was always dressed in white and with a rosary around her neck," those who knew her recalled.

Ruiz-Abad was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the age of 10 and lived with the disease for three years with great faith and joy. 

"Niña's life was one of prayer, adoration, and an intimate relationship with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Blessed Virgin Mary," Mayugba said.

On Aug. 16, 1993, she suffered cardiac arrest while she was at school and was immediately taken to the hospital, where she died. She was buried in a public cemetery in Sarrat and her grave is now a pilgrimage site.

"Today, children and young people are inspired by the life of Niña Ruiz-Abad to live a life rooted in prayer. Her story continues to reach the hearts of many people because it is an example of how with God obstacles can be overcome," the Philippine Bishops' Conference stated.

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

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Stephen Colbert and Pope Francis. / Credit: Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Vatican MediaWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).The Catholic late-night talk show host and comedian Stephen Colbert is one of the narrators for the English audiobook version of Pope Francis' upcoming autobiography, which comes out on Tuesday, March 19.Francis' book, titled "Life: My Story Through History," documents the most significant moments of the pontiff's life from his childhood until the present day. The publisher, HarperCollins, lists "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" host, along with Franciscan Father John Quigley, as the narrators for the English-language audiobook version of the autobiography.The book discusses Francis' upbringing, his time in the seminary, and his service as a priest, bishop, and ultimately pope. It does not shy away from the controversial elements of his papacy but rather addresses his detractors and defends his efforts t...

Stephen Colbert and Pope Francis. / Credit: Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Vatican Media

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

The Catholic late-night talk show host and comedian Stephen Colbert is one of the narrators for the English audiobook version of Pope Francis' upcoming autobiography, which comes out on Tuesday, March 19.

Francis' book, titled "Life: My Story Through History," documents the most significant moments of the pontiff's life from his childhood until the present day. The publisher, HarperCollins, lists "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" host, along with Franciscan Father John Quigley, as the narrators for the English-language audiobook version of the autobiography.

The book discusses Francis' upbringing, his time in the seminary, and his service as a priest, bishop, and ultimately pope. It does not shy away from the controversial elements of his papacy but rather addresses his detractors and defends his efforts to make the Church more pastoral.

Colbert, who has been outspoken about his Catholic faith throughout his career, has frequently expressed his affinity for Francis' papacy, such as saying on his show in 2015 that he is "a total Francis fanboy." When the pontiff visited the United States that year, Colbert dedicated a small portion of his show to discussing papal infallibility, the Second Vatican Council, and apostolic succession.

Despite his Catholic faith, Colbert has diverged from Church teaching on some issues, such as homosexuality and abortion.

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Pope Francis on March 18, 2024, accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Benito Ángeles Fernández of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. / Credit: Archdiocese of Santo DomingoACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of an auxiliary bishop of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Ramón Benito Ángeles Fernández, who turned 75 on March 17. In February the archdiocese denied that he was under investigation for the alleged abuse of a minor in 1994, as the Infovaticana website had reported."The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of the position of auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) presented by H.E. Ramón Benito Ángeles Fernández, titular bishop of Febiana," the Vatican Press Office reported March 18 without giving further details about Pope Francis' decision.The pontiff accepted the prelate's resignation just one day after his 75th birthday, the age at which bishops present their lette...

Pope Francis on March 18, 2024, accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Benito Ángeles Fernández of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. / Credit: Archdiocese of Santo Domingo

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

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of an auxiliary bishop of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Ramón Benito Ángeles Fernández, who turned 75 on March 17. In February the archdiocese denied that he was under investigation for the alleged abuse of a minor in 1994, as the Infovaticana website had reported.

"The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of the position of auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) presented by H.E. Ramón Benito Ángeles Fernández, titular bishop of Febiana," the Vatican Press Office reported March 18 without giving further details about Pope Francis' decision.

The pontiff accepted the prelate's resignation just one day after his 75th birthday, the age at which bishops present their letter of resignation, after which the pope decides whether to accept it or not, in accordance with the provisions of Canon 401 of the Code of Canon Law.

The Archdiocese of Santo Domingo stated in a brief announcement on Facebook that "in the Code of Canon Law every bishop is asked to present his resignation from the office entrusted to him upon reaching 75 years of age."

In an article published March 18, Infovaticana noted that the pope accepted the resignation "as was foreseeable," having been "given only one day's extension."

In its Feb. 16 statement, the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo said: "We have no evidence about the alleged investigation, originally published by a digital media outlet in Spain, which does not belong to any ecclesial body."

"We understand that the aforementioned publication seeks to damage the reputation of Bishop Benito Ángeles and our Church," the archdiocese noted.

Consulted that same day by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, the apostolic nunciature in the Dominican Republic said that the current nuncio, Archbishop Piergiorgio Bertoldi, who has held the position since mid-2023, "does not have information" on the issue and that the inquiry should be directed to the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, whose statement has been the only response to the Infovaticana claim.

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

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Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, of San Antonio. / Credit: Veronicamarkland, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 18:00 pm (CNA).San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller has restricted a local priest and a ministry known as the Mission of Divine Mercy (MDM) for disobedience and for spreading "false teachings," presented as prophecies, against Pope Francis. The apostolate and priest who was sanctioned, meanwhile, are defying the archbishop's disciplinary measures and have held at least one unsanctioned Mass. Garcia-Siller's disciplinary action follows MDM's publication of several messages on its website in which the group claimed "God the Father" told one of its members that the pope is a "usurper" and an "enemy of the Church." In response, García-Siller said in a March 15 statement that the group's "status as a Catholic apostolate of the Archdiocese of San Antonio has been suppressed and revoked by official decre...

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, of San Antonio. / Credit: Veronicamarkland, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 18:00 pm (CNA).

San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller has restricted a local priest and a ministry known as the Mission of Divine Mercy (MDM) for disobedience and for spreading "false teachings," presented as prophecies, against Pope Francis. 

The apostolate and priest who was sanctioned, meanwhile, are defying the archbishop's disciplinary measures and have held at least one unsanctioned Mass. 

Garcia-Siller's disciplinary action follows MDM's publication of several messages on its website in which the group claimed "God the Father" told one of its members that the pope is a "usurper" and an "enemy of the Church." 

In response, García-Siller said in a March 15 statement that the group's "status as a Catholic apostolate of the Archdiocese of San Antonio has been suppressed and revoked by official decree."

According to the archbishop's statement, MDM's founder, Father John Mary Foster, refused to remove the messages from the group's website despite repeated admonitions, thus breaking his vow of obedience and necessitating that he be barred from publicly practicing his priestly faculties.

Despite the archbishop's ban, a representative for MDM told CNA that the apostolate plans to continue operating and that Foster celebrated Mass on Sunday.

What did the 'prophetic messages' say?

Based in New Braunfels, a town in the Texas Hill Country, MDM has operated as an approved Catholic retreat house and ministry devoted to promoting prayer and contemplating God's will since 2010. According to García-Siller, the ministry has enjoyed good relations with the archdiocese until now.

Then in February, MDM began posting a series of supposed "prophetic messages" conveyed by "God the Father" to a member of the ministry, identified as "Sister Amapola."

MDM claimed in one of its website statements that God had a message for priests in which he said: "You have not only let the smoke of Satan infiltrate into My Sanctuary; but you have allowed a whole army of demons to take your places. And you have allowed the usurper to sit on the chair of My Peter — he who is carrying out the Great Treason that will leave My Church desolate." 

Several other similar messages were posted to the apostolate's website claiming that the Church was filled with "demons" and "imposters." 

Foster endorsed the messages, saying in a video that the Church is facing an "extreme crisis," which he said justifies his disobedience to the archbishop. He pointed to the controversial Vatican document Fiducia Supplicans, which approved blessings for same-sex couples, as an example of "confusion and harm" being sown by Francis.

"From this statement and others of a similar nature that we've received, the terrible conclusion seems clear: Bergoglio [Pope Francis] is exercising illegitimate authority and acting as the enemy of Christ and his Church," Foster said. "Given this extreme crisis, we are obeying God in publishing these messages, even without our archbishop's permission."

Archbishop bans MDM

García-Siller issued three official decrees on March 15, barring MDM as an apostolate, removing Foster as the group's leader, and barring Foster from exercising priestly faculties.

"Whereas the activities of the Reverend FOSTER and the Mission of Divine Mercy have led to confusion and division and have caused grave scandal to the faithful … I WITHDRAW my approval of the 'Mission of Divine Mercy' as a Catholic apostolate," one decree reads.

In so doing, the archbishop restricted the Christian faithful from associating with MDM and ordered that the apostolate not "use the name Catholic or call themselves a Catholic association."

The archbishop further prohibited Foster from publicly exercising his priestly ministry on MDM grounds and ordered him to enter a "time of spiritual retreat" for six months. The decree said that if Foster violated the prohibition, he could face a total ban on publicly exercising his priestly ministry in the archdiocese.

The archdiocese declined to comment further on the matter, directing CNA to the archbishop's decrees and statement.

According to the decrees, Foster and MDM have 10 days to appeal the archbishop's decision.

MDM continues to defy archbishop

Emily Jebbia, a representative for MDM, told CNA that despite the archbishop's ban, Foster celebrated Mass at the New Braunfels retreat center on Sunday. According to Jebbia, the Mass was attended by about 450 people, which she said is more than double the amount at a normal Sunday service. 

Jordan McMorrough, a representative for the archdiocese, confirmed with CNA that the Mass was in violation of the bishop's decree. 

Jebbia said that though MDM has yet to confer with canon lawyers since the archbishop's decree, apostolate staff plan to continue their ministry.

Jebbia said that MDM has previously had a "cordial" relationship with García-Siller and that they take the archbishop's statement seriously. Nevertheless, she said that "given that we think this is an unprecedented situation in the Church, we have to act in an unprecedented way in obedience to what we believe God has asked us to do."

Asked if MDM hopes to reconcile with the archbishop, Jebbia said "yes," but she qualified her response by saying: "We hope that the [arch]bishop will be open to what is happening here at the mission."

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Katie Mahoney, Rev. Pat Mahoney, Peggy Nienaber of Faith and Liberty, and Mark Lee Dickson of Right to Life East Texas pray in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on April 21, 2023, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesCNA Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 12:55 pm (CNA).The U.S. bishops are calling for a nationwide prayer campaign ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's hearing next week that could affect the availability of the abortion pill mifepristone.The court last year said it would review a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling decided in August 2023 that imposed restrictions on the abortion pill based on safety concerns. The Supreme Court's ultimate decision could curtail the shipping of the drug through the mail. The hearing is scheduled for March 26. In a letter this month, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) president Archbishop Timothy Broglio and USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities chairman Archbishop Michael Burbidge said they we...

Katie Mahoney, Rev. Pat Mahoney, Peggy Nienaber of Faith and Liberty, and Mark Lee Dickson of Right to Life East Texas pray in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on April 21, 2023, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

CNA Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 12:55 pm (CNA).

The U.S. bishops are calling for a nationwide prayer campaign ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's hearing next week that could affect the availability of the abortion pill mifepristone.

The court last year said it would review a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling decided in August 2023 that imposed restrictions on the abortion pill based on safety concerns. The Supreme Court's ultimate decision could curtail the shipping of the drug through the mail. 

The hearing is scheduled for March 26. In a letter this month, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) president Archbishop Timothy Broglio and USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities chairman Archbishop Michael Burbidge said they were "inviting Catholics to join a focused effort of prayer" for "the end of abortion and the protection of women and preborn children" starting on March 25. 

The bishops said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through its allowance of mailed abortion pills, "has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry and turned neighborhood pharmacies into chemical abortion providers." 

Those pills "are now the most common form of abortion in the United States," the bishops pointed out. 

The Supreme Court's ultimate decision on the matter, the bishops noted, "has the potential to make a major impact in the widespread accessibility of chemical abortion."

"While the Supreme Court case is not about ending chemical abortion, it can restore limitations that the FDA has overridden," they wrote. 

The prayer campaign — which will begin on the anniversary of St. John Paul II's pro-life encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) — will invoke the intercession of St. Joseph under his title "Defender of Life."

"We ask Catholics to offer this prayer daily, from March 25 through June, when a decision is expected," the bishops wrote. 

The FDA's regulation of abortion pills was subject to a whipsaw series of court decisions last year. In 2022, several pro-life groups and individuals, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), sued the FDA arguing that the administration failed to use the proper channels and hurriedly approved the drug in 2000 without weighing its severe risks to women.

Texas judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a controversial ruling on April 7, 2023, that suspended the FDA's approval of mifepristone on the grounds that the agency had "acquiesced on its legitimate safety concerns" and approved the drug "based on plainly unsound reasoning and studies that did not support its conclusions."

The Biden administration immediately issued an emergency appeal to block the ruling, first to a three-judge panel in the 5th Circuit and then to the Supreme Court. 

In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked Kacsmaryk's ruling and returned the case to the 5th Circuit for full review, leading to the ruling in August, which will be the subject of the Supreme Court's March hearing. 

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null / Credit: Vadim Sadovski/ShutterstockACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).Two priests and cosmologists from the Vatican Observatory have made further progress in developing a new mathematical method to understand the Big Bang theory, which describes the first moments of the universe.In a 2022 article published in the prestigious journal Physical Review D, Fathers Gabriele Gionti, SJ, and Matteo Galaverni introduced the new and promising mathematical tool. They have recently published a new article in the European Physical Journal C, a publication that presents novel research results in theoretical physics and experimental physics."It really is fascinating to try to understand the physical laws in the early moments of the universe. The search for new physical laws and the effort to fully understand them is a process that fills our minds and hearts with great joy," the priests said in a Vatican Observatory publication released March 14.The observatory's statement ...

null / Credit: Vadim Sadovski/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Two priests and cosmologists from the Vatican Observatory have made further progress in developing a new mathematical method to understand the Big Bang theory, which describes the first moments of the universe.

In a 2022 article published in the prestigious journal Physical Review D, Fathers Gabriele Gionti, SJ, and Matteo Galaverni introduced the new and promising mathematical tool. They have recently published a new article in the European Physical Journal C, a publication that presents novel research results in theoretical physics and experimental physics.

"It really is fascinating to try to understand the physical laws in the early moments of the universe. The search for new physical laws and the effort to fully understand them is a process that fills our minds and hearts with great joy," the priests said in a Vatican Observatory publication released March 14.

The observatory's statement points out that Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, which postulates that gravity is the curvature of space-time rather than a force as proposed by Isaac Newton's theory of gravity, remains the best physical theory "for understanding the large-scale structure of the universe today." However, there are still unresolved questions about the laws of physics during the first moments of the universe and about how gravity works on extremely small scales, which can be studied using quantum mechanics.

Currently, there are alternative or modified theories of gravity that suggest that gravity might behave differently than general relativity predicts, even with respect to the large-scale structure of the universe.

In their new article, "On the canonical equivalence between the Jordan and Einstein frames," Gionti and Galaverni demonstrate how they can "map" the solution to a physical problem from an alternative theory of gravity to general relativity through a mathematical trick. This trick consists of analyzing the problem through two different mathematical frames, known as the "Jordan" and "Einstein" frames, which are different approaches to describing the geometry of space-time in general relativity, each with its own advantages and specific applications.

For Gionti and Galaverni, this work is "a way to contribute, together with the entire scientific community, to answering some fundamental questions: "Who are we? Where do we come from? What is our origin?"

"Furthermore, for a person of faith, it is a wonderful possibility to interpret one's research as a discovery of new traces or signs of God's beauty and elegance in the creation of the universe, despite our extremely limited knowledge!" the priest-scientists concluded.

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

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St. Joseph's altar at St. Mary's Assumption Church in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. / Credit: William A. Morgan/ShutterstockACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 11:00 am (CNA).In the book "Dining with the Saints" there is a special recipe for making delicious "St. Joseph's Bread." Below you can find the ingredients and how to make it, perhaps as a special treat for the saint's feast day, March 19.According to the National Catholic Register, the book "Dining with the Saints" features a variety of foods and drinks in honor of famous and not-so-known saints. In addition, there's a wide variety of dishes according to the liturgical season.The book was written by chef and EWTN host Father Leo Patalinghug and drinks expert Michael Foley. At the end of each recipe you can even find a box titled "Food for Thought" with messages about faith or advice from a saint.The introduction explains that "Dining with the Saints" offers you the resources you need for a healthy and uplifting...

St. Joseph's altar at St. Mary's Assumption Church in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. / Credit: William A. Morgan/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2024 / 11:00 am (CNA).

In the book "Dining with the Saints" there is a special recipe for making delicious "St. Joseph's Bread." Below you can find the ingredients and how to make it, perhaps as a special treat for the saint's feast day, March 19.

According to the National Catholic Register, the book "Dining with the Saints" features a variety of foods and drinks in honor of famous and not-so-known saints. In addition, there's a wide variety of dishes according to the liturgical season.

The book was written by chef and EWTN host Father Leo Patalinghug and drinks expert Michael Foley. At the end of each recipe you can even find a box titled "Food for Thought" with messages about faith or advice from a saint.

The introduction explains that "Dining with the Saints" offers you the resources you need for a healthy and uplifting family meal, a memorable couples' night-in, or a fun dinner.

In honor of St. Joseph, a prudent and just man, the book offers the following recipe for a sweet bread for four people:

St. Joseph's Bread

Serves 4

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (110 degrees Fahrenheit)

2 packages active dry yeast

6 cups bread flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons melted butter, at room temperature

5 large eggs, divided

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon anise seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Combine lukewarm milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir together and rest for 10 minutes until yeast blooms.

2. Add melted butter, sugar, and 1 cup of the flour and beat with the regular paddle attachment of the mixer for about 2 minutes.

3. Add 4 of the eggs, the anise seeds, and 1 more cup of flour and beat for 2 more minutes.

4. Switch out the regular paddle attachment on the mixer for the dough hook and add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough starts to tighten up. (Depending on the size of the eggs, you may not need all the flour.) Continue to knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with a cloth towel, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

6. Punch the dough and divide it into 3 equal pieces.

7. Roll each piece of dough into the shape of a thick noodle, about 1/2- to 1-inch thick and 20-22 inches long. Braid the dough together loosely and tuck the ends of the braids under the dough. Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

9. Combine the water and the remaining egg to make an egg wash, and use it to brush the loaf.

10. Generously sprinkle the top of the dough with sesame seeds.

11. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

12. Transfer dough to a wire rack and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

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

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Bishop Erik Varden, OCSO, a Trappist monk and spiritual writer, has served as bishop of Trondheim in Norway since 2020. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNACNA Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 11:30 am (CNA).A Norwegian bishop and monk has hailed the publication of Norway's first official Bible for Catholics as a breakthrough."The publication of a Bible presented and packaged as 'The Catholic Canon' by the Norwegian Bible Society is a major ecumenical event," Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim told CNA in an email."It invites us afresh to engage with the entirety of Scripture, to read each book as part of a whole, attentive to the symphony of voices that join in proclaiming a single, undying and saving Word. It is my hope that many Catholics will discover the immense fascination of the scriptural text, learning to love and revere it, letting their lives be renewed by it."Varden, 49, is a Trappist monk and spiritual writer. He was consecrated bishop of Trondheim, in central Norway, in 2020. Pu...

Bishop Erik Varden, OCSO, a Trappist monk and spiritual writer, has served as bishop of Trondheim in Norway since 2020. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Mar 18, 2024 / 11:30 am (CNA).

A Norwegian bishop and monk has hailed the publication of Norway's first official Bible for Catholics as a breakthrough.

"The publication of a Bible presented and packaged as 'The Catholic Canon' by the Norwegian Bible Society is a major ecumenical event," Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim told CNA in an email.

"It invites us afresh to engage with the entirety of Scripture, to read each book as part of a whole, attentive to the symphony of voices that join in proclaiming a single, undying and saving Word. It is my hope that many Catholics will discover the immense fascination of the scriptural text, learning to love and revere it, letting their lives be renewed by it."

Varden, 49, is a Trappist monk and spiritual writer. He was consecrated bishop of Trondheim, in central Norway, in 2020

Published March 15, this Norwegian edition is notable not only for its inclusivity toward the Scandinavian nation's Catholic minority, Catholic editor Heidi Haugros Øyma told CNA. The project saw linguists and Scripture experts collaborating with poets and other literary authors, including Nobel laureate Jon Fosse.

The Bible is now available in both official written languages of the country, Bokmål and Nynorsk. 

Pål Johannes Nes, co-founder of EWTN Norway, told CNA: "This is also a very important element in the re-evangelization of Norway toward 2030 through Mission 2030, which EWTN Norway together with the Diocese of Trondheim are working on."

"It is also a great joy for me to be able to read the Bible to my children in Norwegian," he added.

What makes this Norwegian Bible Catholic?

The distinction between Catholic and Protestant versions of the Bible in Norway hinges on the inclusion of several additional texts in the Catholic Old Testament. Specifically, the Catholic canon incorporates seven extra books: Tobit, Judith, the First and Second Books of Maccabees, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (also referred to as Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch. 

Furthermore, it contains extended passages in the books of Esther and Daniel. These additional books and passages, known collectively as the Deuterocanonical books, are recognized and revered within the Catholic tradition but are not included in the Protestant version of the Old Testament.

Øyma, who was deeply involved in the project, told CNA: "The inclusion of the Deuterocanonical books represents a move toward a more inclusive, ecumenical approach to Scripture in Norway." 

"It is a way of saying that we belong here, we are a part of the cultural and Christian landscape."

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Pope Francis waves to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square during his Sunday Angelus on March 17, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, Mar 17, 2024 / 09:07 am (CNA).Pope Francis said Sunday that God's glory and our true happiness are not found in success, fame, or popularity but in loving and forgiving others.In his Angelus address on March 17, the pope asked: How it is possible that God's glory is manifest in the humiliation of the cross?"One would think it happened in the Resurrection, not on the cross, which is a defeat, a failure," he said. "Instead, today, talking about his passion, Jesus says: 'The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified' (Jn 12: 23). What does he mean?" The pope explained that "for God, glory is to love to the point of giving one's life.""Glorification, for him, means giving himself, making himself accessible, offering his love," he said."And this reached its culmination on the cross, where Jesus outspread God's love to the maximum...

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square during his Sunday Angelus on March 17, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Mar 17, 2024 / 09:07 am (CNA).

Pope Francis said Sunday that God's glory and our true happiness are not found in success, fame, or popularity but in loving and forgiving others.

In his Angelus address on March 17, the pope asked: How it is possible that God's glory is manifest in the humiliation of the cross?

"One would think it happened in the Resurrection, not on the cross, which is a defeat, a failure," he said. "Instead, today, talking about his passion, Jesus says: 'The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified' (Jn 12: 23). What does he mean?" 

The pope explained that "for God, glory is to love to the point of giving one's life."

"Glorification, for him, means giving himself, making himself accessible, offering his love," he said.

"And this reached its culmination on the cross, where Jesus outspread God's love to the maximum, fully revealing the face of mercy, giving us life and forgiving his executioners."

Pope Francis underlined that giving and forgiveness "are very different criteria to what we see around us, and also within us, when we think of glory."

Yet while worldly glory fades, this Christian way of life brings lasting happiness, he explained.

"And so, we can ask ourselves: What is the glory I desire for myself, for my life, that I dream of for my future?" Francis asked.

"That of impressing others with my prowess, my abilities, or the things I possess? Or the path of giving and forgiveness, that of the crucified Jesus, the way of those who never tire of loving, confident that this bears witness to God in the world and makes the beauty of life shine? What glory do I want for myself?"

"Indeed, let us remember that when we give and forgive, God's glory shines in us," Pope Francis said.

After praying the Angelus prayer in Latin from the window of the Apostolic Palace with the crowd gathered below in St. Peter's Square, the pope asked people to pray for war-torn populations in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, and Syria.

Pope Francis expressed his relief at the release of some of the religious brothers kidnapped three weeks ago in Haiti as he made an appeal for the "beloved country tried by so much violence."

Four of the six religious from the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Institute who were kidnapped in Port-au-Prince on Feb. 23 have been freed, along with a teacher. The pope called for the release of the two remaining kidnapped religious and all other people who have suffered at the hands of kidnappers in Haiti.

The pope called on all political leaders and social actors in Haiti to "abandon all special interests and to engage in a spirit of solidarity in the pursuit of the common good" while supporting "a peaceful transition to a country … that is equipped with solid institutions capable of restoring order and tranquility among its citizens."

Before waving goodbye to the crowd, the pope gave a shoutout to the athletes who ran in the Rome marathon on Sunday morning, especially the volunteers and runners from the Vatican's own sports club, Athletica Vaticana.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Faced with decades of rising secularism, the Catholic Church must invest in families and in strengthening other forms of community to transmit the faith, Pope Francis said. "The big issue before us is to understand how to overcome the rupture that has been established in the transmission of faith," the pope told members of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization March 15. "To that end there is an urgent need to recover an effective relationship with families and formation centers." Developing faith in Christ "requires a meaningful experience lived in the family and in the Christian community as a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ in order to be transmitted," he wrote in his message to members of the dicastery during their plenary assembly. "Without this real and existential encounter, one will always be subject to the temptation to make faith a theory and not a testimony of life." Pope Francis poses for a photo with members of...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Faced with decades of rising secularism, the Catholic Church must invest in families and in strengthening other forms of community to transmit the faith, Pope Francis said. 

"The big issue before us is to understand how to overcome the rupture that has been established in the transmission of faith," the pope told members of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization March 15. "To that end there is an urgent need to recover an effective relationship with families and formation centers." 

Developing faith in Christ "requires a meaningful experience lived in the family and in the Christian community as a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ in order to be transmitted," he wrote in his message to members of the dicastery during their plenary assembly. "Without this real and existential encounter, one will always be subject to the temptation to make faith a theory and not a testimony of life."

Pope Francis poses for a photo with members of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
Pope Francis poses for a photo with members of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization during a meeting for their plenary assembly at the Vatican March 15, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

As he has done at several meetings in past weeks, the pope had an aide, Msgr. Filippo Ciamanelli, read his speech to the group. 

In his message, the pope wrote that the secularism of recent decades "has created enormous difficulties" for the church, "from the loss of a sense of belonging to the Christian community to the indifference regarding the faith and its contents." 

As a result, he wrote, it is time for the church to "understand what effective response we are called to give to young generations so that they may recover the meaning of life."

He noted that lure of personal autonomy, "promoted as one of the pretenses of secularism, cannot be thought of as independence from God, because it is God himself who grants the personal freedom to act."

And while technological advances offer many ways for humanity to progress, including through developments in medicine and methods of protecting the environment, they also can create a "problematic" vision of humanity that fails to satisfy "the need for truth that dwells in every person," he wrote.

Pope Francis greets a member of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
Pope Francis poses for a photo with members of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization during a meeting for their plenary assembly at the Vatican March 15, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Francis urged members of the dicastery to develop a "spirituality of mercy" as the foundation of their work in evangelization. People are more receptive to evangelization when done with a "style of mercy," he wrote. By communicating mercy, he added, "the heart opens more readily to conversion." 

The pope thanked the dicastery for its work in developing resources for catechists, referencing the latest "Directory for Catechesis" published by the dicastery in 2020, and praised the support they have given to those who serve as catechists. 

"I hope that bishops will know how to nurture and accompany vocations to this ministry especially among young people," he wrote, "so that the gap between generations and may be reduced and the transmission of the faith may not appear to be a task entrusted only to older people."

The pope also discussed plans for the Holy Year 2025, which he has asked the dicastery to organize. The theme for the holy year is "Pilgrims of Hope."

"This theological virtue has been seen poetically as the 'little sister' of the other two, faith and charity, but without it these two do not move forward, they do not express the best of themselves," he wrote. "The holy people of God has such a great need" for hope. 

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