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CNA Staff, Feb 24, 2025 / 15:05 pm (CNA).

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem spoke about the dire situation for Palestinian Christians at a showing of the film "Via Dolorosa" at the United Nations on Feb. 18.

The film depicts the Christian presence in Palestine and is narrated through the eyes of its Christians, capturing important moments that have shaped their history, resilience, and identity.

"We proudly commend this blessed work as well as the granted auspices of the World Council of Churches and the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine, as well as all the other international organizations that lent their name and support," the patriarch said, according to the World Council of Churches.

The patriarch also touched on the dire economic situation there, saying: "The economic situation continues to deteriorate because of the lack of pilgrims, the scarcity of jobs, and the unstable security situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem."

Filmmaker Amira Hanania spoke to those in attendance before the showing and said this is the first documentary to tell the history of Palestinian Christianity through the eyes of the Christians themselves.

"It tells their story as they have lived it — free from distortion, free from erasure. It is a living testament to the role of Palestinian Christians in the struggle for justice and a powerful rebuttal to those who seek to erase their identity from the national and international arena," she said.

Hanania added: "In the face of attempts to erase our history and displace our people, we stand here to declare that this land is not just a relic of the past but a living identity that will never be silenced nor erased."

Father Ibrahim Faltas, vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, said at the event: "This documentary is Via Dolorosa for every Christian person in Palestine. Living in Palestine is a part of sorrow. I have been living in Palestine for 36 years."

He shared that during his time living in Palestine he witnessed the first and second intifadas and the siege of the Church of the Nativity. Now, he is witnessing Christians leaving their homes in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth amid mounting challenges and difficulties. 

Theophilos said in an interview after the screening that Christians have "a moral obligation to raise our voice and to show to the people that we are very much concerned about the Holy Land, and the holy city of Jerusalem, and its Christian character."

"Jerusalem is the only place that keeps and guards the values of the Bible," he said.

The documentary can be viewed here.

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Rome Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 15:35 pm (CNA).

Feb. 24 marks three years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a major escalation of a war that began in 2014, and it was marked with a day of prayer announced and organized by the Ukrainian embassy to the Holy See in Rome, according to Vatican News.

The Pan-Ukrainian Day of Prayer included a Mass for peace at St. John Lateran Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope's vicar for the Diocese of Rome, and included Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches and former nuncio to Ukraine.

During the Mass, the prayers of the faithful were read by the ambassadors of Chile, Poland, Lithuania, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Hungary, while the dean of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Ambassador George Poulides of Cyprus, read the first reading from the Book of Sirach.

Thanks to mediation by the Holy See, two Redemptorist priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — Father Bohdan Geleta and Father Ivan Levytsky, who were arrested on Nov. 16, 2022, by Russian forces — were released on June 28, 2024.

In a meeting organized with the participation of Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, Geleta said he was able to endure the pain thanks to his faith in God and the offering of his suffering to "save his enemies" — although he admitted that this resolution was "very difficult in an environment of brutal contempt for the human person, where one has the constant feeling of being in a place of death." 

Geleta said that God helped him to resist, adding that he was "very tormented by the fact that other prisoners who did not know God could not bear everything and there were cases of suicide and other painful things."

"All this will remain in my memory and I will never forget those groans, those agonies, every type of mistreatment," he said. "But I also dedicate it for the salvation of others, to testify that only God can sanctify us if we take a step from darkness to light."

The two priests were the only civilians among 1,800 prisoners in the war prison. Geleta said he was able to hear confessions and even able to hold short prayers in the mornings and evenings. 

Kulbokas said these are signs of humanity in a terrible situation and that "this dialogue here between us is a dialogue of prayer." 

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CNA Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 07:32 am (CNA).

The Vatican announced Monday that cardinals will lead a nightly rosary in St. Peter's Square for Pope Francis' recovery, with the first prayer service scheduled for 9 p.m. Rome time on Monday evening.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will preside over the inaugural gathering, which will be broadcast live across EWTN's television networks and digital platforms.

"Starting this evening, the cardinals residing in Rome, along with all collaborators of the Roman Curia and the Diocese of Rome, responding to the sentiments of the people of God, will gather in St. Peter's Square at 9 p.m. to recite the holy rosary for the health of the Holy Father," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

The prayer initiative comes as the 88-year-old pontiff continues his recovery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he was admitted on Feb. 14 for what the Vatican then described as a mild flu condition.

During his Sunday Angelus message, which was read on his behalf, the pope expressed gratitude for the "closeness and prayers" he has received during his hospitalization.

The Vatican reported Monday that Pope Francis had a "peaceful night" at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he continues to receive medical treatment.

While Vatican sources said the pope was "in good spirits" and following his prescribed therapies, his condition remains critical, with the Holy Father receiving supplemental oxygen through nasal tubes and being monitored for mild early-stage kidney insufficiency.

The pope has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 and experienced a concerning respiratory episode on Saturday that required a blood transfusion due to anemia. The Vatican said both conditions are currently under control, with an additional medical update expected Monday evening.

The rosary will be available on EWTN's television channels worldwide and through the network's digital platforms, including its mobile app and YouTube channel.

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Vatican City, Feb 24, 2025 / 07:34 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion. 

Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:

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ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 24, 2025 / 10:40 am (CNA).

The Salesian Congregation is in the midst of its 29th General Chapter, during which it will elect the successor of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as rector major. The cardinal has had to resign in order to take up his new duties in the Vatican Curia at the request of Pope Francis.

The proceedings began Feb. 16 in Turin, Italy, and are scheduled to conclude on April 12. Participating in the chapter are 227 representatives of the more than 14,000 Salesians present in 136 countries.

The assembly is usually held every six years, but on this occasion the time frame was shortened by one year due to the appointment of Fernández Artime, their superior general, as cardinal in September 2023 and his episcopal ordination in April 2024.

On Aug. 16, 2024, the Spanish cardinal resigned from his position as superior of the Salesians, who were placed under the authority of his vicar, Don Stefano Martoglio.

The theme of the Salesians' general chapter is "Passionate About Jesus Christ, Dedicated to Young People" and aims to develop its work around three areas of reflection: caring for vocational life, the joint work of the Salesians with young people, and the reorganization of the government of the congregation.

The person chosen as rector major will become the 11th successor of St. John Bosco and will have a new general council.

The meeting is taking place in Valdocco, the Turin district where the mother house of the congregation is located and where Don Bosco first began his ministry to youth. Cardinal Roberto Repole, archbishop of Turin, offered the opening Mass held in Mary Help of Christians Basilica in the Piedmontese capital.

In his homily, the prelate invited participants to have "God's way of looking at the world, at society," pointing out that there are "great challenges, but they must be faced in an evangelical way, trusting in Christ, in his strength, in his presence."

In the opening ceremony, the vicar of the rector major emphasized that the mission of the chapter assembly is to "rethink the governance of the congregation at all levels" with an attitude of "allowing ourselves to be challenged, not being passive, and offering responses both personally and institutionally. This is the path of the whole Church, guided by Pope Francis."

Sister Simona Brambilla, prefect of the Vatican Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, also spoke. Referring to the Gospel passage on the road to Emmaus, she said: "The journey takes us far from Jerusalem, from the painful experience of the cross. But after the encounter with Jesus, [the disciples] start heading back, even in the night, but without fear, toward the community and life."

The superior general of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sister Chiara Cazzuola, said that "this is an event of grace and synodality. It can radiate its strength into the daily life of the new generations and assure them a better future."

Antonio Boccia, world coordinator of the Salesian cooperators, invited participants to "strengthen their interior life and discover reasons for improvement. Your duty is to keep alive the flame of Don Bosco's charism, which is rooted in the spiritual community formed by the entire Salesian family."

The process of discernment and election of the new rector major and the general council will take place March 23–29, and the chapter members will travel to Rome April 11–12 to conclude their work and make a pilgrimage to St. Peter's in this jubilee year.

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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Rome Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The retirement on Jan. 25 of Cardinal Oswald Gracias as archbishop of Bombay and the end of the 30-year "reign" of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn as archbishop of Vienna have triggered a vast generational turnover in the Roman Curia and around the world.

The sweeping changes involve the cardinal residential bishops, with seven of them reaching 75 years of age in 2025; in the Roman Curia, there will be eight cardinal heads of dicasteries who will exceed or have already exceeded the limit of 75 years of age during 2025. 

There is additionally a very special case in the Diocese of Rome. On Jan. 28, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Paolo Ricciardi, auxiliary bishop of Rome, to be bishop of the small Italian Diocese of Jesi. His departure marked the next step in what has been nearly a complete overhaul of the diocese. 

Diocese of Rome  

Pope Francis has changed the entire leadership of the Diocese of Rome. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope's vicar for the Diocese of Rome, is currently left with only three auxiliary bishops: Renato Tarantelli Baccari, whom the pope has also appointed vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome; Benoni Ambarus; and Michele Di Tolve.

Baccari is the only territorial auxiliary covering Rome's southern sector. Ambarus is auxiliary with a delegation for Charity, Migrants, Roma, and Sinti (a nomadic people primarily living in Central Europe), while Di Tolve is an auxiliary with a special delegation for seminaries. 

Therefore, two of the four sectors into which the territory of the Diocese of Rome is divided remain vacant: the eastern sector — until now entrusted to Ricciardi — and the north, entrusted to Bishop Daniele Salera. Baccari leads the southern sector, and the western sector is led by Reina.  

In the last year, Rome has lost five auxiliaries, including Reina himself, who had been transferred to Italy or the Vatican to take on other roles. 

In addition to Ricciardi, the auxiliaries who have been reassigned are: Bishop Riccardo Lamba, appointed archbishop of Udine; Bishop Daniele Libanori, appointed pope's assessor for consecrated life; Bishop Dario Gervasi, appointed adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life; and Salera, appointed bishop of Ivrea. 

The reorganization of the Diocese of Rome began in 2024 with the transfer of the cardinal vicar of Rome, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, to the far less influential office of major penitentiary. The Office of the Penitentiary is the office of the most ancient tribunal of the Roman Curia. It is one of the three ordinary tribunals of the Holy See, and it is a tribunal of mercy. The penitentiary mostly deals with issues related to the forgiveness of sins. As important as it is for the Catholic Church, it is certainly a less influential post than the vicar of the Diocese of Rome, who administers the pope's diocese in the most important Italian city.

The latest cardinal successions 

In 2025, there have already been three cardinal archiepiscopal sees that have seen successions: the Archdiocese of Washington, which will be entrusted to Cardinal Robert McElroy; the Archdiocese of Vienna, for now entrusted to an apostolic administrator sede vacante; and the Archdiocese of Mumbai (Bombay), which will be led by John Rodrigues, who was appointed just two months after he was nominated coadjutor and just two days after taking possession of his new post. 

Gracias, who turned 80 in December, would as a result typically lose his position on the Council of Cardinals. Nothing, however, has been said about this. Pope Francis may wait until spring when Cardinal Fernando Vérgez, president of the Vatican City State administration, will also turn 80. At that point, the pope could reshuffle the Council of Cardinals, replacing Vergez, Gracias, and Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston (who also turned 80 last year). Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, England, meanwhile, will turn 80 in November.

The residential cardinals 

Meanwhile, the new year brings a group of prominent cardinals turning 75, the age at which they are required to submit their letters of resignation to the Holy Father. The pope, of course, has the option of whether and when to accept their retirements. 

On Jan. 9, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, archbishop of Mexico City, was the first residential cardinal in 2025 to turn 75. Pope Francis has chosen to defer his retirement indefinitely. 

On Feb. 6, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, reached retirement age, and on Feb. 28, Cardinal Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, made a cardinal only in the last consistory, will do the same. 

On June 23, Cardinal Orani Joao Tempesta, who leads the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, will have to present his resignation due to age limits, and on July 9 it will be the turn of Cardinal Ignatius Suharjo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Jakarta. On Sept. 1, Cardinal Oscar Cantoni, bishop of Como, Italy, turns 75, and Cardinal Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, archbishop of Manaus, reaches retirement age on Nov. 6. 

They are joined by two cardinals who are already retired and who will turn 75 in 2025: Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop emeritus of Warsaw, Poland, and Philippe Barbarin, archbishop emeritus of Lyon, France. 

There is also a large group of residential cardinals who turned 75 over the last few years. They include: Cardinal Alvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, 77, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala; Cardinal Albert Ranjith Patabendige Don, 77; Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez, 76, of Havana, Cuba; Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, CM, 76, of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, 75; Cardinal James Michael Harvey, 75, archpriest of St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica; Nichols, 79, archbishop of Westminster; and Cardinal Juan Josè Omella Omella, 78, archbishop of Barcelona.

The Roman Curia 

Aside from Cardinal Fernando Vergez, there are several heads of dicasteries in the Roman Curia who are approaching 80 or who have also passed the age of 75 and so could be replaced. They include Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, who will turn 80 in July and is expected to be succeeded by recently created Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, currently coadjutor archpriest; Cardinal Michael Czerny, the 78-year-old prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who is expected to serve at least until he turns 80; Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, who is 77; and Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, who is also 77. 

There are three top positions in the Roman Curia whose holders will reach the age of 75 and could thus be replaced. On March 6, Cardinal Arthur Roche turns 75, having been prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments since 2021.  

On March 15, Cardinal Kurt Koch will turn 75. Koch has led since 2010 the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity — called the Pontifical Council until the reform of the Curia in 2022. On March 24, Archbishop Vincenzo Zani will also reach retirement age: He has been archivist and librarian of the Holy See since 2022. 

Finally, two cardinals who serve as nuncios, Cardinal Mario Zenari, nuncio to Syria, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, nuncio to the United States, are both 79 but are expected to remain at their diplomatic posts until they turn 80.   

The College of Cardinals 

In 2025, 14 cardinals will leave the list of cardinal electors, while in 2024, there were 13. This is a substantial generational turnover, which could also change the composition of the conclave. 

It should not be forgotten that this January the five-year term of office of the dean and sub-dean of the College of Cardinals expires. These are Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 90, and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81. There are no precedents because it is the first time that the heads of the College of Cardinals have been appointed to five-year terms. It is, therefore, impossible to predict how long it will take for the successions. 

Feb. 14 marked 10 years since the second consistory of Pope Francis. As known, cardinals are divided in three ranks: cardinals bishops, cardinals priests, and cardinals deacons. These three ranks mirror the ancient division of a cardinal's duty. Cardinal bishops are entrusted with the ancient suburbicarian Diocese of Rome — though Pope Francis expanded the order in 2018, including some personal appointments. Cardinals priests were in Church of Rome churches, and cardinal deacons were in charge of the administration of the six offices of the Roman Palace and of the seven departments of the Diocese of Rome.

After 10 years, in fact, cardinal deacons can opt to pass to the order of cardinal presbyters, as established by the Code of Canon Law, in Canon 350, paragraphs 5 and 6.

This means that at the first consistory, the French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, should leave the office of cardinal protodeacon to Zenari, apostolic nuncio to Syria. The cardinal protodeacon is the one who announces the "habemus papam."

Likewise, Zenari could opt for the order of cardinal presbyters in November 2026, the 10th anniversary of the pope's third consistory. It will then eventually be Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life and cardinal camerlengo, who will have the title of cardinal protodeacon.

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CNA Staff, Feb 24, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Millions of Catholics from around the world are converging on Rome this year for the Jubilee Year of Hope. During this special year, Catholics have the opportunity to gain indulgences by making pilgrimages, prayerfully visiting specific churches, or practicing works of mercy. 

Can't make it all the way to Rome but still want to participate as a pilgrim? The good news is that according to the Vatican, pilgrims anywhere in the world who undertake "a pious pilgrimage to any sacred jubilee site" and devoutly participate in holy Mass can obtain the indulgence. 

In addition, the faithful can also obtain the jubilee indulgence if they devoutly visit any jubilee site individually or in a group. While there, they should engage in Eucharistic adoration and meditation for a suitable period and conclude with the Our Father, the profession of faith, and invocations to Mary, Mother of God.

In the U.S., bishops across the country have announced special designated jubilee pilgrimage sites throughout their dioceses, including cathedrals, basilicas, parish churches, local and national shrines, monasteries, and more.

Here is an interactive map that shows many of the pilgrimage sites that have been designated across the U.S. There is a search bar (opened by clicking the magnifying glass) where you can search for a specific location; or you can put in your home diocese and it will be highlighted for you, so you can see which designated sites are close by.

By clicking the colored dots in the map legend, you can filter the locations by type. The map is also zoomable.

What does it mean to get an indulgence?

An indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remit from a person the "temporal" punishment they face for past sins that have already been forgiven. 

The Church teaches that every sin, no matter how small, entails "an unhealthy attachment to creatures," which must be purified either here on earth or after death in purgatory. That purification frees a person — who has already gone to confession and obtained forgiveness — from what is known as the "temporal punishment" of sin, which is contrasted with the "eternal" punishment of hell that is a consequence of dying in a state of grave sin, i.e., separation from God. 

Since Christ gave his Church the power to "bind and loose" sins, the Church is able, through offering an indulgence, to open "the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins." (Contrary to popular belief, there is no monetary cost associated with indulgences.)

Indulgences can be "partial" or they can be "plenary" (meaning they remove all temporal punishment). Indulgences are offered not only to help Catholics but also to "spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity," the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in No. 1478.

Plenary indulgences obtained during the jubilee year can also be applied to souls in purgatory, with the possibility of obtaining two plenary indulgences for the deceased in one day, according to the Apostolic Penitentiary.

To obtain an indulgence, a Catholic must meet the "usual conditions": be truly repentant and free from any attachment to sin, go to the sacrament of confession, receive holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the pope.

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Vatican City, Feb 24, 2025 / 03:34 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion. 

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Vatican City, Feb 23, 2025 / 06:59 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion. 

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CNA Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 14:10 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis' condition "remains critical," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued Sunday evening Rome time. However, it said, he experienced "no further respiratory crisis" since Saturday.

The statement also said the Holy Father "continues to be alert and well oriented" and is still receiving oxygen therapy "at high flows" through his nose. Since his situation is "complex," the statement said, the pope's prognosis "remains reserved."

His blood platelet count remained stable, the statement continued, but some blood tests showed "initial, mild, renal [kidney] failure" that was presently under control.

This morning the pope participated in Mass together with those caring for him at his 10th floor apartment set up at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the statement said.

Also on Sunday, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the cardinal vicar of the Diocese of Rome, celebrated a Mass for Pope Francis at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. The faithful prayed that the Lord would sustain the pope with his grace and fill him with strength to face his health crisis.

Earlier in the day, Archbishop Rino Fisichella delivered Pope Francis' prepared homily to over 4,000 permanent deacons gathered for a special jubilee Mass at St. Peter's Basilica. He also delivered from his hospital room his Sunday Angelus address, where he thanked hospital staff as well as called for peace in Ukraine.

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