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WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the landmark Paris climate accord sends an unmistakable message to the world: America First can mean America Alone....
BERLIN (AP) -- Top European leaders pledged Thursday to keep fighting against global warming as U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was pulling out of the Paris climate accord, but they rejected his suggestion that the deal could later be renegotiated....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump declared Thursday he was pulling the U.S. from the landmark Paris climate agreement, striking a major blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming and distancing the country from its closest allies abroad. Framing his decision as "a reassertion of America's sovereignty," Trump said he was "elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris."...
IMAGE: CNS/L'Osservatore RomanoBy Carol GlatzVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Young people often are judged tooeasily, even though with their limitations they are still a much needed andvaluable part of the world, Pope Francis said.Do not forget how God often chose the smallest, becauseproclaiming the Gospel "is not based on the greatness of human strength,but rather on the willingness to let oneself be guided by the gift of theSpirit," he said June 1.The pope was speaking to members, consultants and otherswho took part in the Congregation for Clergy's plenary assembly, which was heldat the Vatican May 30-June 1.The assembly discussed the importance of priests who arethe living presence of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who dwells among his peopleand possesses a welcoming and compassionate heart, Cardinal Beniamino Stella,congregation prefect, told the pope in his opening remarks.Young priests in particular need special attention andaccompaniment by their bishops, fellow priests and church communi...
IMAGE: CNS/L'Osservatore Romano
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Young people often are judged too easily, even though with their limitations they are still a much needed and valuable part of the world, Pope Francis said.
Do not forget how God often chose the smallest, because proclaiming the Gospel "is not based on the greatness of human strength, but rather on the willingness to let oneself be guided by the gift of the Spirit," he said June 1.
The pope was speaking to members, consultants and others who took part in the Congregation for Clergy's plenary assembly, which was held at the Vatican May 30-June 1.
The assembly discussed the importance of priests who are the living presence of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who dwells among his people and possesses a welcoming and compassionate heart, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, congregation prefect, told the pope in his opening remarks.
Young priests in particular need special attention and accompaniment by their bishops, fellow priests and church communities because "the risk of spreading oneself too thin, exhaustion or seeking refuge in spiritual worldliness is high" in today's culture of indifference, individualism and secularism, the cardinal said.
Pope Francis said he wanted to tell the world's young priests, "You have been chosen; you are dear to the Lord!"
And, he said, God always watches over his children and will guide their steps.
"In his eyes, you are important and he has faith that you will be up to the mission he has called you to," Pope Francis continued, adding that bishops and priests must also emphasize the same message with young clergy.
Young priests are not just replacements "to fill empty posts," the pope said. "Never fill these posts with people who have not been called by the Lord. Don't take them from just anywhere."
Always examine the "authenticity" of each individual's vocation, he said, making sure a young man isn't just "seeking refuge."
"Receiving priests solely because we need them, my dear brother bishops, this is an encumbrance for the church," he said.
The pope also appealed to bishops to never let their priests feel cut off from them. When a bishop learns a priest wants to talk or meet, but the bishop's schedule is overbooked, he should call that day, that night or, at most, early the next day to talk and see how urgent the matter is, the pope said.
"The important thing is that that priest feels he has a father, a father who is near," he said. "You cannot govern a diocese without closeness, you cannot help a priest grow and be holy without the paternal closeness of the bishop."
Keeping fresh the enthusiasm, joy and proper kind of fear in young priests is critical for ensuring they do not become paralyzed by problems and worry, Pope Francis said, and for helping prevent their falling into the temptation of "rigidity," giving up or getting lost.
"One has to admit that often young people are judged a bit too superficially and they are labeled too easily as a 'wishy-washy' generation, lacking passion and ideals. Certainly, there are young people who are fragile, disoriented or infected by the culture of consumerism and individualism," he said.
"But this must not keep us from recognizing that youth are able to firmly take a chance in life and generously throw their hat into the ring," he said.
Their focus on the future is a good antidote to the resignation and hopelessness in society, the pope said. They are creative, imaginative and courageous when it comes to change, and they generously give of themselves for others and for ideals like justice and peace.
"With all of their limitations, they are always a resource," he said.
The pope asked young priests to always pray, always be journeying and always share God's tenderness with others.
Young priests have a great opportunity to reach out to their lay peers, "not as just another friend," he said, but as someone who really knows how to share, listen and guide.
"Young people do not need an expert in the sacred or a hero who, from on high and the outside, answers their questions," the pope said. "Rather, they are attracted to those who know how to sincerely be interested in their life, being by their side with respect and listening to them with love. It's about having a heart overflowing with passion and compassion, especially toward young people."
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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
By Carol ZimmermannWASHINGTON (CNS) -- A leaked draft rule from the Departmentof Health and Human Services exempting religious groups from the contraceptivemandate of the Affordable Care Act was welcomed by church officials andattorneys representing the Little Sisters of the Poor, one of the groups thatchallenged the mandate at the U.S. Supreme Court.ArchbishopWilliam E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Ad Hoc Committeefor Religious Liberty, said in a June 1 statement that the leaked draft has "yet to be formally issuedand will require close study upon publication," but it provides encouraging news."Relief like this is years overdue andwould be most welcomed," he said.The archbishop noted that if the ruling is issued it would "lift thegovernment-imposed burden on our ministries to violate their own teachingswithin their very own institutions." He also said the draft of the HHS regulations reflects common sense and a long-held practice of thefederal government to pro...
By Carol Zimmermann
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A leaked draft rule from the Department of Health and Human Services exempting religious groups from the contraceptive mandate of the Affordable Care Act was welcomed by church officials and attorneys representing the Little Sisters of the Poor, one of the groups that challenged the mandate at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, said in a June 1 statement that the leaked draft has "yet to be formally issued and will require close study upon publication," but it provides encouraging news.
"Relief like this is years overdue and would be most welcomed," he said.
The archbishop noted that if the ruling is issued it would "lift the government-imposed burden on our ministries to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions."
He also said the draft of the HHS regulations reflects common sense and a long-held practice of the federal government to provide strong conscience protection in the area of health care.
"Better late than never," said Mark Rienzi, senior counsel with Becket, the law firm representing the Little Sisters of the Poor. "At long last the United States government acknowledges that people can get contraceptives without forcing nuns to provide them. That is sensible, fair and in keeping with the Supreme Court's order and the president's promise to the Little Sisters and other religious groups serving the poor."
The 125-page document leaked to the press May 31 -- and under final review by the White House Office of Management and Budget -- details objections to the Affordable Care Act's requirement that employers cover contraceptives in their employee health plans despite their moral objections to such coverage.
It would leave in place the religious accommodation created by President Barack Obama's administration for nonprofit religious entities such as church-run colleges and social service agencies that are morally opposed to contraceptive coverage and can file a form or notify HHS that they will not provide it. The draft rule also would broaden this exemption to cover employers with religious or moral objections to providing coverage for some abortifacients. The new rule also makes it clear that insurers may issue separate policies to women whose employers are exempt from the mandate.
The draft rule says it is attempting to "better balance the interests in preventive services coverage to the extent imposed through the ACA along with the interests throughout federal law to protect individuals and organizations with religious beliefs and moral convictions."
It points out that the final rules are effective on an unnamed date and that written comments on these final rules will be invited and must be received 60 days after the rule is published in the federal register.
The
communications office at HHS did not respond to a Catholic News
Service June 1 request for comment.
Before signing an executive order on religious freedom May 4 at a White House ceremony, President Donald Trump told some of the Little Sisters of the Poor in the crowd: "Your long ordeal will soon be over."
Last year the Supreme Court sent the cases including the Little Sisters' back to the lower courts, expressed hope that both sides might be able to work out a compromise. The ruling cleared the slate from their previous court rulings where five appeals courts had ruled in favor of the contraceptive mandate and one ruled against it.
Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who met with the president just prior to the ceremony where he signed the executive order, said the order "begins the process of alleviating the serious burden of the HHS mandate," but he also stressed that the U.S. bishops will "have to review the details of any regulatory proposals."
Since the HHS rule was leaked May 31, a number of organizations announced that they will fight it in court.
The Becket statement also noted more work will need to be done if the HHS rule goes into effect, pointing out that "further legal action will still be necessary to wrap up the challenges to the prior version of the mandate."
Archbishop Lori similarly noted that the U.S. bishops "look forward to the final version of the regulations with hope that they will remain strong."
"At that time, we will analyze those
regulations more carefully and comment on them more formally," he said, stressing that the church's goal is to "protect both the conscience of individuals and our
mission of sharing the Gospel and serving the poor and vulnerable through our
ministries."
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Follow
Zimmermann on Twitter: @carolmaczim.
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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
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