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 WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others."

"Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion," wrote Cardinal Dolan, a powerful and well-funded lobby holds "that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a 'war on women'." He said this trend was seen recently when President Obama and other Democratic leaders prevented passage of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, "a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement" of conscience laws.

"While this is disturbing," said Cardinal Dolan, "it is also an opportunity." Pro-life Americans should reach out to "the great majority of Americans" who are "open to hearing a message of reverence for life." He added that "we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being." He encouraged Catholics to take part, through prayer and action, in the upcoming "9 Days for Life" campaign, January 16-24. More information on the campaign is available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJwfcefUiU

He also cited the Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis as a time for women and men to find healing through the Church's Project Rachel post-abortion ministry.

The full text of Cardinal Dolan's message is available online.
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Keywords: Roe v. Wade, anniversary, Pro-Life, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9 Days for Life, USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Year of Mercy, Project Rachel, Pope Francis
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has just arrived in the Cuban capital Havana where he will have an historic first meeting with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. The Patriarch arrived in Cuba yesterday at the start of a three nation tour of Orthodox communities in Latin America, while Pope Francis is on his way to Mexico City, where he’s scheduled to land at around 7.30 this evening local time.

Cuban President Raul Castro was at Havana’s ‘José Martì’ International airport to meet the papal plane and to accompany Pope Francis to the room where the private encounter is taking place.

The two Church leaders are due to meet together for about two hours, accompanied by their translators and their top ecumenical experts, Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Metropolitan Hilarion, President of the Moscow Patriarch’s Department for External Church Relations.

The Pope and the Patriarch will then exchange gifts and sign a Common Declaration, expected to focus on the plight of Christians in the Middle East and other areas where Catholics and Orthodox can witness together to their common Christian values.

Both leaders will then hold a brief press conference to share their impressions and their hopes for the future of Catholic-Orthodox relations. 

You can watch the event live and hear our radio commentary in English on the Vatican YouTube channel.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is set to arrive in Mexico on Friday, the third Pope to visit the country. Vatican Radio’s Veronica Scarisbrick is awaiting the Pope in Mexico. She sends us this report:

Listen:

When Pope Francis sets foot on Mexican soil, it will be a moment of great ‘alegria’ or joy for the Mexican people. And the bells of the Cathedral in Mexico City will be rung by 800 volunteers for two hours.

I’m not sure if you ever get used to papal visits but Mexicans certainly have had their fair share of them, seven with that of Francis. But while he may be the third pope to visit after Saint John Paul II, who came here five times in the course of his pontificate, and Benedict XVI, now Pope Emeritus who came in 2012, for Mexicans he’s a pope with a difference.

To start with he’s a ‘Latino’ like them, speaks the same language… although, as I discovered, four million Mexicans have yet to learn Spanish, for in some areas they still speak indigenous languages. No doubt Pope Francis will give some of those languages a try. Mayan ones by the unpronounceable names, perhaps – his way of getting closer to the people.

And then, well, there’s something very deep he shares with the people. And not just Catholics who make up roughly 84 per cent of the population. It’s the devotion to ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe,’ spiritual heart of the nation. On Friday afternoon he’ll celebrate Holy Mass in the Basilica of the Shrine there.

Pope Francis is coming to walk through the peripheries with the people of this nation, which has the second largest Catholic population in the world. To start with he’ll be spending two days in Mexico City where he’s elected the Apostolic  Nunciature as his home for the next five nights.

As for the places, well Francis has made some very personal choices: that’s to travel where no Pope has ever been before. This means the southern state of Chiapas, with its majority indigenous population; the western diocese of Morelia, hotspot of the drug cartels; and his final stop, Ciudad Juarez, along the border with the United States, where he’ll celebrate Holy Mass on the heavily guarded Mexican-US border, the largest economic divide in the world .

Naturally there will be more intimate moments, for example when he visits a hospital for children who are terminally ill. And more official moments, for example at the ‘Palacio Nacional’ where on Friday morning he becomes the first Pope to be invited to the seat of the nation’s federal executive where President Enrique Pena Nieto has his office.

Although Pope Francis has said on more than one occasion that he’s not coming to Mexico to solve problems but rather to draw inspiration from the faith of the Guadalupe people, it will be difficult for him to avoid some of the nation’s key issues in his scheduled 15 speeches – questions that centre around economic justice, immigration and the rights of indigenous people in what is Latin America’s second largest economy where, for most, prosperity remains a dream; and where there is stupefying violence.

No surprise then that the  'Milenio'daily   features an eloquent cartoon with the Pope being warmly welcomed at the airport as he steps out on to a pool of blood instead of a red carpet.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has expressed his condolences after a deadly riot in a Mexican prison that left dozens of people dead.

In a telegram addressed to the Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera López, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said the Holy Father was “deeply saddened” by news of the incident, which occurred on the eve of the pontiff’s visit to the country.

Pope Francis is offering prayers for the eternal rest of those who died in the violence, the Cardinal said. In addition, he assured the families of the victims of the Pope’s “heartfelt condolences and spiritual closeness,” together with his prayers for “a speedy and full recovery” for those who were injured.

“With these sentiments,” the telegram concluded, “the Holy Father, while invoking the loving protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe, imparts with affection the comforting Apostolic Blessing as a sign of consolation and hope in this time of sadness.”

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By Junno Arocho Esteves

MEXICO CITY (CNS) -- With anticipation growing in the streets of Mexico City for Pope Francis' visit, a group of local pilgrims found time to thank their "mother" and prayed that it would give their country a spiritual awakening.

Final preparations were underway at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe Feb. 11 as workers installed scaffolding and chairs for the thousands of people expected to attend the papal Mass Feb. 13.

Although countless security measures have made traveling to the basilica difficult, before the pope's arrival, pilgrims from across the country continued to come to try to catch a glimpse and pray in front of the mantle bearing the miraculous image of Mary.

A group of local farmers from the village of Nuestro Senor de las Maravillas were one of the countless groups waiting to enter the basilica's Holy Door.

Jose Gomez, one of the pilgrims in the group, explained that the pilgrimage was a tradition carried out by the farmers of his village for more than half a century. 

"We make this pilgrimage to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for everything that has gone well and to pray that it continues to go well," Gomez told Catholic News Service.

Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531, is a cornerstone of Mexican faith. Often referring to Mary as "madre" (mother), the pilgrims noted that the pope shares their filial devotion.

For Gomez, the pope's visit to the basilica is a touching honor. 

"It means a lot for us that he's coming because he doesn't go to just any country he wants. We're really happy he's coming," he said.

Jose Montier, whose grandfather was one of the first farmers to travel on the annual pilgrimage to the basilica, continues the tradition. To spend a few minutes walking to the basilica, he said, "is nothing compared to all that our mother gives us."

Montier noted that although the pope is "closer to (Mary) " and "knows a lot more things compared to us indigenous people," he still "considers her a mother just like we do."

"For me, the devotion he has to the image of the Blessed Mother makes me really happy," he told CNS. "I'm very happy that he can come and give us his blessing, the people who believe in her."

Carrying a banner embroidered with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Maria Concepcion said she was grateful to God for the pope's visit. She also hoped that it would provoke a change for the better in her country, which has suffered greatly due to violence, drug trafficking and political corruption.

"We hope that he'll reflect on what is wrong in our country and we're also hoping for, at least, a spiritual change here," she said.

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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @Arochoju.

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By Carol Glatz

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A talk given to new bishops during a Vatican-sponsored course does not represent new guidelines on the church's response to abuse against minors by religious, a Vatican spokesman said.

A 44-page report authored by French Msgr. Tony Anatrella and just published by the Vatican publishing house "is not in any way -- as someone erroneously interpreted -- a new Vatican document or a new instruction or new guidelines for bishops," Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said in a written statement released late Feb. 11.

The talk was part of a conference of experts given in September and was "published together with other (talks) on different subjects," Father Lombardi wrote.

Msgr. Anatrella's talk addressed emotional maturity and deviant behaviors in the priesthood as well as church procedures for dealing with accusations of the abuse of children by clergy.

The monsignor, a psychoanalyst and a consultant to the pontifical councils for the family and for health care ministry, "does not say anything new or different from what has been said up until now by relevant church institutions," Father Lombardi said.

The Vatican recently released the speeches, homilies and reflections from last year's course in a book, "Witnesses of the Risen One." The texts were published only in the original language in which they were delivered. Since 2001, all newly ordained bishops serving in dioceses that report to the Congregation for Bishops have been obliged to come to Rome in September for an eight- or nine-day course for new bishops.

Some media outlets reported that Msgr. Anatrella's talk, written in French, said bishops are not obligated to report accusations of abuse to authorities.

The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith mandated in a 2011 letter that in every nation and region, bishops should have clear and coordinated procedures for protecting children, assisting victims of abuse, dealing with accused priests, training clergy and cooperating with civil authorities.

Describing sexual abuse of minors as "a crime prosecuted by civil law," the doctrinal congregation said bishops should follow local laws that require reporting cases of sexual abuse to police. Not all countries mandate the reporting of abuse cases to police, however.

The U.S. bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" -- first adopted in 2002 and revised in 2005 and 2011 -- outlined how the church leaders would provide a safe environment for children and young people in church-sponsored activities. It established uniform procedures for handling sex-abuse allegations and adopted a "zero tolerance" policy. It also required background checks and training in child protection for church employees and required dioceses facing allegations made about priests or other church workers to alert authorities, conduct an investigation and remove the accused person from duty.

Last June, Pope Francis also approved new procedures for the Vatican's doctrinal office to investigate and judge claims of "abuse of office" by bishops who allegedly failed to protect minors and vulnerable adults from sex abuse.

In the portion of his talk on a bishop's responsibility concerning abuse accusations against one of his priests, Msgr. Anatrella reiterated directives requiring bishops to open a canonical investigation as soon as possible into alleged abuses in order to "establish the truth of the facts."

After spelling out mandated church procedures concerning such crimes, he also underlined the church's call to bishops to follow local laws.

The monsignor said that in countries where reporting was mandatory, it was "not necessarily up to" the bishop to report to civil authorities as soon as he has learned of an accusation, but up to the alleged victim and/or the family.

Nevertheless, the monsignor wrote, the bishop always possesses "the faculty" of reporting "in good conscience" the abuse if necessary to civil authorities based on how serious the situation is.

Given the new powers of the Vatican's doctrinal office to investigate and penalize bishops for failing to protect minors, the monsignor added that bishops have to be able to prove they acted upon learning of alleged abuse, investigated allegations and sanctioned those found guilty according to church laws.

"The bishops must be able to prove that he has tried something without being lax in order to neutralize the acts of the abuser" with canonical procedures, he wrote. The bishop will be disciplined -- not because of how the investigation turned out -- but for a failure to act to protect victims from assault by someone under his authority, he wrote.

In an interview Feb. 12 with the French news agency iMedia, Msgr. Anatrella said: "For the church, it is obvious that there must be cooperation between church tribunals and police and judicial authorities" concerning the crime of abuse.

He also clarified his remark about the obligation falling first to victims and families -- not necessarily bishops -- to report abuse in countries where reporting is mandatory.

"I said in this paragraph that the bishop or his representative will first encourage the minor-victim and his or her family to file a complaint with the police. If they do not, then it is up to the church authority to make a report," he told the news agency.

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IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring

By Cindy Wooden

HAVANA (CNS) -- At long last, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow embraced, kissing each other three times.

"Finally," the pope told the patriarch Feb. 12 as they met in a lounge at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport. "We are brothers," he told the patriarch.

Amid the clicking of cameras and multiple flashes, Patriarch Kirill was overheard telling the pope, "Things are easier now."

"It is clearer that this is God's will," Pope Francis told him.

A flight of almost 12 hours capped months of intense negotiations and more than two decades of Vatican overtures to bring a pope and a Russian patriarch together for the first time.

Cuban President Raul Castro played host to the pope and patriarch, who was on a visit to Russian Orthodox communities on the island-nation. Pope Francis had a pastoral visit to Mexico planned for months; the stop in Havana was announced only a week before the meeting.

The addition of a stopover in Cuba was widely seen as a sign of Pope Francis' willingness to go the extra mile to reach out a hand in friendship. At the same time, observers said, it gave those Russian Orthodox opposed to ecumenism a sense that their church is special and that it bowed to no one in agreeing to the meeting.

In a commentary distributed Feb. 11, Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Borys Gudziak of Paris said: "The pope is demonstrating humility; he is going to the territory of the other. In the eyes of nostalgic Russians, Cuba is almost home territory, a last outpost of a lost Soviet Empire."

For decades, the Russian Orthodox told the Vatican that a meeting between the patriarch and pope was impossible because of the activities of Latin-rite Catholics in Russia and, especially, the Eastern-rite Catholics in Ukraine.

The Moscow Patriarchate had said that while those problems still exist with the Catholic communities, they take a backseat to the urgency of defending together the rights and very existence of persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

The harsh persecution of Christians and other minorities in Syria, Iraq and other parts of the region has been a cause Pope Francis has pleaded before world leaders and for which he has rallied the prayers of Christians across the globe.

He speaks often of the "ecumenism of blood," the fact that Christians are killed for believing in Christ with the persecutors not knowing or caring what denomination or church they belong to. Christians are fully united in that suffering and, the pope has said, those who die for their faith are in full communion with each other and with centuries of martyrs now in the presence of God.

But the fate of persecuted Christians was not the pope's primary motive for meeting Patriarch Kirill. Simply meeting him was the point.

Metropolitan Hilarion Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's external affairs department, told reporters a week earlier that Patriarch Kirill chose Havana in the "New World" because Europe, the "Old World," was the birthplace of Christian division.

Ukrainians, Catholic or not, have expressed concerns about Pope Francis' meeting with Patriarch Kirill given the patriarch's apparently close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin at a time of ongoing fighting in Eastern Ukraine.

"The topics of discussion will not be explicitly political ones," Bishop Gudziak wrote. "The gist of the rendezvous will be the encounter of church leaders representing very different experiences, agendas, styles and spiritualities of ecclesial leadership. One can hardly expect revolutionary results. Yet, it is through encounter that spiritual change occurs. Let us pray for good spiritual fruit."

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Follow Wooden on Twitter: @Cindy_Wooden.

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