Catholic News

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Washington D.C., Jul 4, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Ahead of the celebration of Independence Day, Edward Furton, publications director for The National Catholic Bioethics Center, spoke in a lecture in the nation's capital about the country's founders and their desire for a republic open to all faiths but one in which no citizen would be compelled to profess any particular religious doctrine.

In a presentation titled "Natural Religion and the American Founding" at the Catholic Information Center, Furton referenced James J. Walsh's book "Scholasticism in the Colonial Colleges" to discuss church and state separation and how the Declaration of Independence is "the founding truth of the United States" and should be "at the center of American public life."

Furton, who received his doctoral degree in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., highlighted the founders' general, important distinction between two paths to religious truth: faith and reason.

"The truths of faith were indeed meant to be separated from public life," Furton said in reference to the consensus position of America's Founding Fathers, as "they were a cause of deep divisions," Furton said, referencing the religious establishment differences among and clashes within the 13 colonies.

On the other hand, Furton affirmed, "the truths of reason were not to be separated. They were to be the source of our national unity."

Among the colonial colleges, Furton said, the problem of sectarianism was largely solved by emphasizing "natural religion, a conviction that certain theological and moral truths can be known independently of supernatural revelation."

Ultimately, Furton said, each college-educated founder ended up adding "his own faith to what they had learned in the college without any contradiction to his own beliefs."

"Faith is added to reason just as grace is added to nature," Furton said. "So this distinction between faith and reason is the key to understanding the proper place of religion within American public life."

Furton continued: "Supernatural religion begins with faith … every proposition in Christian doctrine carries with it this note of belief in supernatural revealing, supernatural truth. Also, what is believed transcends rational understanding. So the various doctrines of the Trinity, for example, are taken on faith, and they transcend human reason."

In contrast, Furton said, "natural religion … begins with the world around us, as it's experienced by the senses, and seeks to understand nature on its own terms, independently of faith. Historically … the two approaches have been considered compatible and complementary."

The founders aimed to develop "a republic that would be open to all religious faiths, but one in which no citizen would be compelled to profess any particular religious doctrine."

"There would be complete freedom of religious expression among all sects, but unity would be forged under the rationally known truths of natural religion." People were free to "profess their doctrines in private lives, in their private life, in their homes, in their churches, but none was allowed to join these supernatural beliefs to the federal government."

"The Declaration of Independence was the first test of this approach, and it was successful. So the American founding rests on a commitment to religious truth that can be known by reason."

Concluding his presentation, Furton said "religious truths that are agreeable to reason cannot be ruled out preemptively. The argument that the First Amendment obliges to privatize these truths is based on a misunderstanding between the distinction of faith and reason."

"The same distinction between faith and reason tells us that the true line of separation today between church and state is: All religious claims that transcend reason must be separated from public life, but all those that are within the range of reason may remain," Furton asserted.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 4, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Here's a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Pope appoints Pizzaballa and Mathieu to Vatican's interreligious dialogue office

Pope Leo XIV on July 3 appointed two prominent cardinals, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Dominique Mathieu, archbishop of Tehran, Iran, to the Vatican's Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, according to ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner.

Their appointment comes amid a broad reshuffle that also brought in cardinals from Japan and Canada as well as bishops and experts with experience in fostering relations among faiths. The two newly named members are already active in Vatican circles: Pizzaballa also serves in the Eastern Churches and Christian unity offices, while Mathieu is part of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

Pope Leo turns attention to St. Augustine's Algerian roots

In a personal reflection on his Augustinian roots, Pope Leo XIV this week expressed his heartfelt desire to visit Algeria, homeland of St. Augustine of Hippo, whose writings profoundly shaped Christian thought, ACI MENA reported.

Speaking of Augustine as a spiritual father, the pope shone a spotlight on the saint's birthplace in Tagaste (modern-day Souk Ahras) and the historic church that bears his name in the coastal city of Annaba.

The Church of St. Augustine, completed in the early 20th century on a hill overlooking the ruins of ancient Hippo, remains a symbol of North Africa's rich Christian heritage. Recently restored with the help of the Algerian government and international partners, the church combines diverse architectural styles and houses a monastery, school, and library.

Palestinian churches urge global action against Israeli violations

Christian leaders in Palestine issued a strong call this week for churches worldwide to speak out against what they described as systematic violations by Israeli authorities against Palestinians, particularly Christians, ACI MENA reported.

They lamented in a statement the increasing attacks on Christian clergy and property, citing incidents such as vandalism, harassment, and denial of worship permits during Easter. The statement also drew attention to recent strikes on sacred sites in Gaza and threats to church assets in Jerusalem over disputed tax claims. "What Christians here are facing is no longer an exception but a growing pattern of targeted oppression," the committee warned, calling on global churches to exercise moral leadership and uphold human dignity.

Parish in DRC closed after tabernacle desecrated, hosts burned 

St. Francis of Assisi Luano Parish in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been closed down after a June 30 incident in which vandals broke into the building, desecrated the altar, and set all of the consecrated hosts on fire, according to a report by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa.

The vandals also "emptied the cupboard, taking liturgical vestments, the altar cross, the processional cross, the altar cloth, the mixer, drums, microphones, [and] liturgical books," according to Father Emmanuel Mumba, vicar general of the Congolese Metropolitan See. "Prayer can no longer be organized in an environment or in a church that has been desecrated. It is the archbishop, who must come to celebrate the Mass here, in order to open the church for worship," he added.

Togo bishops condemn police brutality after 7 killed in protest against government 

The Episcopal Conference of Togo (CET) issued a condemnation of police brutality after seven people were killed during a protest against the country's President Faure Gnassingbé following constitutional changes that could extend his rule indefinitely. 

"Having followed with deep concern, distress, and sadness the painful events that marked the days of June 26, 27, and 28, in light of acts of unprecedented gravity, we strongly condemn these unacceptable and intolerable acts of violence, regardless of their origin, perpetrators, or justification," they said in the statement shared with ACI Africa on July 2.

Head of Swiss abbey resigns in connection with abuse report

Abbot Jean César Scarcella, CRA, has resigned as abbot of the territorial abbey of Saint-Maurice in Switzerland in connection with an abuse report, according to CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner. The Holy See confirmed that Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation.

Scarcella's resignation came after the publication of a sexual abuse report that documented at least 67 cases of sexualized violence in the period from 1960 to 2024. Scarcella had previously resigned temporarily in November 2023 after sexual harassment allegations were made against him, but the Vatican never found any proof of misconduct.

German Catholics protest against 'child protection congress' 

Approximately 900 people demonstrated in Hanover, Germany, against a "child protection congress" of the AfD (Alternative for Germany) party in the Lower Saxony state Parliament — including representatives of the Catholic Church, according to CNA Deutsch. At the event, the right-wing AfD party called for the protection of children from "early sexualization" and from unilateral "gender propaganda."

"Hanover is colorful, diverse, democratic, and open. We want to preserve this for our children. We do not allow so-called 'concerned citizens' to pursue their right-wing extremist goals under the guise of the alleged care for our children," the Catholic Church in Hanover said in a statement.

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CNA Staff, Jul 3, 2025 / 18:38 pm (CNA).

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" on Thursday, just in time for President Donald Trump to schedule his signing into law of the controversial bill on the Fourth of July.

Following the bill's passage, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a statement lamenting "the great harm the bill will cause to many of the most vulnerable in society."

Specifically, Broglio faulted the legislation for including "unconscionable cuts to health care and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God's creation."

Broglio also expressed disappointment over several "positive aspects" of the bill in the final version approved on Thursday that were either reduced or removed. In particular, he cited the reduction of federal funds to Planned Parenthood from 10 years to only one, the weakening of educational parental choice provisions, and the elimination of restrictions on the use of federal dollars for so-called "gender transition" medical procedures.

In the face of this situation, Broglio affirmed that "the Catholic Church's teaching to uphold human dignity and the common good compels us to redouble our efforts and offer concrete help to those who will be in greater need and continue to advocate for legislative efforts that will provide better possibilities in the future for those in need."

In the run-up to the passage of the measure in the U.S. House and Senate, the USCCB had delineated concerns over numerous aspects of the bill, including its tax provisions, increased immigration enforcement, the reduction of federal safety net programs, and the reduction of green energy and environmental programs.

The measure also raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion.

Defunding Planned Parenthood

Meanwhile, following the bill's passage, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, told CNA that "the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' delivers a historic win on a critical priority: stopping forced taxpayer funding of the abortion industry."

The bill halts for one year taxpayer funding through Medicaid of abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood. Even though the original bill proposed a 10-year stop to funding, Dannenfelser called the one-year pause "the greatest pro-life victory since the Dobbs decision."

"This will save lives and strip over $500 million from Big Abortion's coffers," she continued. "Combined with last week's Supreme Court decision empowering states to do the same, this represents tremendous progress toward achieving a decades-long goal that has long proved elusive."

"Women are far better served at federally qualified health centers, which outnumber Planned Parenthood locations 15 to 1 nationwide and provide comprehensive, accessible care to Medicaid recipients and families in need," Dannenfelser affirmed.

Administration aims to deport 1 million people per year

The Trump administration is now touting its plan to deport 1 million unauthorized immigrants per year as a result of the bill's more than $150 billion in funding for border security and deportation efforts, which include expanding ICE detention capacity by 100,000 beds, the hiring of over 10,000 new ICE agents, and the completion of construction of a border wall.

In an interview with CNN just prior to the bill's passage, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., Cardinal Robert McElroy, called the Trump administration's mass deportation policies "morally repugnant" and "inhumane."

While he acknowledged the government's right to deport those convicted of serious crimes, he said the bigger issue is the U.S. political system's failure to reform immigration laws. 

McElroy said the administration's removal of protections against arrests in sensitive areas like churches has instilled fear, with some immigrants avoiding worship services. 

Paul Hunker, a former head lawyer for ICE in Dallas who is now a private immigration attorney, told CNA that he has seen the Trump administration deport a lot of hardworking people with no criminal history and expects to see more of that now that the bill has passed.

"This is bad for those deported and for society as well," Hunker said.

Following the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles last month, Archbishop Jose H. Gómez of Los Angeles said: "We all agree that we don't want undocumented immigrants who are known terrorists or violent criminals in our communities. But there is no need for the government to carry out enforcement actions in a way that provokes fear and anxiety among ordinary, hardworking immigrants and their families."

According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, 64% of voters say they prefer giving most undocumented immigrants in the United States a pathway to legal status, while 31% say they prefer deporting most undocumented immigrants in the United States.

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CNA Staff, Jul 3, 2025 / 11:48 am (CNA).

A federal appeals court has revived a Catholic worker's lawsuit against the Federal Reserve Bank of New York over the bank's having fired her for refusing to take a COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in its Wednesday ruling partially reversed the findings of a district court, which had dismissed former Federal Reserve executive assistant Jeanette Diaz's lawsuit against the bank over her 2022 dismissal. 

Diaz had argued that the bank's policy requiring vaccination against COVID-19 would violate her Catholic faith, citing her opposition to vaccines "created using human cell lines derived from abortion." 

The worker had asked her pastor in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, to sign a letter on her behalf affirming her refusal on religious grounds, though her pastor "refused" to do so, citing Church teaching. The Vatican in 2020 said that it is "morally acceptable" to receive COVID-19 vaccines produced using cell lines from aborted fetuses when no alternative is available.

Diaz nevertheless sought an exemption as a Catholic on grounds of an objection of conscience. Yet the district court ruled against her, claiming that she had failed to show her objection "was based in sincerely held religious beliefs" and pointing to alleged evidence that her opposition was motivated by secular and not religious concerns.

The court had also held that Diaz at times acted inconsistently in her religious belief, such as in taking medication in other cases without first affirming that it was made without using aborted fetal cells.

In reversing the lower court's order, the appeals court said a jury could infer that Diaz "has both secular and religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccines." Such distinctions should be made by a jury and not a court, the appeals ruling said.

Regarding Diaz's alleged inconsistency, the appeals court cited precedent holding that "a sincere religious believer doesn't forfeit his religious rights merely because he is not scrupulous in his observance." The court again stipulated that a jury should be allowed to determine the plaintiff's motivations.

The evidence the lower court relied on "at best" calls into question Diaz's credibility without ultimately determining it, the appeals court said.

The ruling vacated the lower court's order regarding Diaz and remanded it for further proceedings.

Though the appeals court found in Diaz's favor, it upheld another ruling against former Federal Reserve employee Lori Gardner-Alfred.

Gardener-Alfred had cited her decades-long membership in the Temple of the Healing Spirit. But she "could give almost no details" about her participation in that temple, the appeals court noted, and much of the information she gave was "often contradicted" by other elements of her testimony.

The "evidence of Gardner-Alfred's religious beliefs is so wholly contradictory, incomplete, and incredible that no reasonable jury could accept her professed beliefs as sincerely held," the appeals court held.

Though it ruled in Diaz's favor, the appeals court ruling upheld the lower court's order imposing sanctions on both women for "discovery misconduct."

The plaintiffs "acted intentionally and in bad faith when they repeatedly flouted the district court's orders, neglected their discovery obligations under the federal rules, and withheld relevant documents that were potentially damaging to their case," the appeals court noted.

In November 2024 a jury awarded a Catholic Michigan woman $12.7 million after Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan refused to give her a religious exemption from the company's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and fired her.

The Vatican repeatedly affirmed its support for the COVID vaccines amid the height of the COVID-19 crisis. In 2024 Pope Francis named biochemist Katalin Karikó to the Pontifical Academy for Life; the scientist helped develop the mRNA technology used to create the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

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Vatican City, Jul 3, 2025 / 12:18 pm (CNA).

The Vatican on Thursday presented new Mass prayers and biblical readings to be used to support the Church's appreciation for God's creation.

The "Mass for the Care of Creation," inspired by Pope Francis' environmental encyclical Laudato Si', has prayers and Mass readings designed "to ask God for the ability to care for creation," Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, said at a July 3 presentation.

"With this Mass, the Church is offering liturgical, spiritual, and communal support for the care we all need to exercise of nature, our common home. Such service is indeed a great act of faith, hope, and charity," the cardinal added.

The "Mass for the Care of Creation" is part of the Catholic Church's Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions. It can be celebrated on a weekday when other liturgical celebrations do not take precedence.

The Vatican published the "formulary" of the Mass, which includes options for biblical readings and the formulas of prayers recited by the priest: the entrance antiphon, collect, prayer over the offerings, Communion antiphon, and prayer after Communion.

Czerny said Pope Leo XIV will celebrate a private Mass using the new prayer formulas in Castel Gandolfo on July 9. The Mass will be for employees of the Borgo Laudato Si' initiative, which aims to put into practice the principles for integral development outlined in Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'.

The formulary of the "Mass of Care for Creation" is part of a group of Masses that can be said for various civil needs, such as for the country, for the blessing of human labor, for planting and for harvest time, in time of war, and after a natural disaster.

According to Bishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, OFM, secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, bishops' conferences can indicate a day for the Mass to be celebrated if they wish.

Viola also noted that "the theme of creation is already present in the liturgy," but the Mass for the Care of Creation helps emphasize what Pope Francis wrote in paragraph 66 of Laudato Si', that "human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor, and with the earth itself."

The Vatican's liturgy dicastery was responsible for the new Mass formulary, requested by Francis and approved by Leo, but Czerny said the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity were also happy to collaborate on the project.

"Sacred Scripture exhorts humankind to contemplate the mystery of creation and to give endless thanks to the Holy Trinity for this sign of his benevolence, which, like a precious treasure, is to be loved, cherished, and simultaneously advanced as well as handed down from generation to generation," the divine worship dicastery's decree states.

"At this time it is evident that the work of creation is seriously threatened because of the irresponsible use and abuse of the goods God has endowed to our care," it continues. "This is why it is considered appropriate to add a Mass formulary 'pro custodia creationis'" to the Roman Missal.

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Vatican City, Jul 3, 2025 / 13:02 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said Thursday that judges have been selected to hear the trial of Father Marko Rupnik, a former Jesuit accused of sexual abuse against women.

The cardinal told journalists that the judges chosen are "independent and external" to the dicastery but did not indicate when the Slovenian priest's trial is set to take place in the Vatican.

"The idea was, if possible, to eliminate the idea that the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith or the Holy See had any interest or were subjected to pressure," he said.

Rupnik, whose religious artworks can be found in shrines and churches around the world, has been accused by at least a dozen women, mostly former nuns, of sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuse that reportedly occurred over the past three decades.

In May 2019, the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith launched a criminal administrative process against Rupnik after the Society of Jesus reported credible complaints of abuse by the priest to the Vatican.

One year later, the congregation declared Rupnik to be in a state of "latae sententiae" excommunication in May 2020. His excommunication lasted only two weeks.

The Society of Jesus subsequently expelled Rupnik from the religious congregation in June 2023 for his "stubborn refusal to observe the vow of obedience."

Since allegations of abuse against Rupnik first became public in 2018, several Church leaders and Catholic groups around the world have increasingly called for the removal of sacred art created by the former Jesuit.

On March 31, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France announced its decision to cover Rupnik mosaics found at the entrances to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.   

The Dicastery for Communication, meanwhile, removed digital images of Rupnik's art from its Vatican News website on June 9. 

The changes came days after Pope Leo met with members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors on June 5.

The Holy Father also met with Cardinal Seán O'Malley, president of the Vatican body commissioned with safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, within the first week of his pontificate on May 14.

In June 2024, O'Malley sent a letter to the dicasteries of the Roman Curia expressing hope that "pastoral prudence would prevent displaying artwork in a way that could imply either exoneration or a subtle defense" of those accused of abuse.

"We must avoid sending a message that the Holy See is oblivious to the psychological distress that so many are suffering," O'Malley wrote in a letter to Curia leaders last year.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 3, 2025 / 13:32 pm (CNA).

Siena Heights University will close at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 academic year following an assessment of the school's "financial situation, operational challenges, and long-term sustainability," the school said this week.

The small Catholic institution of about 2,300 students located in Adrian, Michigan, reported that "despite the dedication of our board, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters, continuing operations beyond the coming academic year is no longer feasible."

In a June 30 announcement, the university's president, Douglas Palmer, said the school "has been a beacon of light in a world sometimes cast in darkness."

"The spirit of Siena Heights will continue long after the institution itself closes its doors because it lives in every graduate, faculty member, and staff person who has been on campus — whether in person or online," he said.

Siena Heights is a Catholic liberal arts school offering undergraduate and graduate programs. It was founded in 1919 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, following the Dominican intellectual tradition of "truth and social responsibility."

The university reported the closure has the "full support of the board of trustees and general council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters."

Originally the institution was a college for women studying to be teachers. By the 1950s it was recognized as one of the nation's 10 best liberal arts colleges for women. It broadened its offering over the years and eventually welcomed men as well.

Ahead of its closure, the school said that its "top priority will be its students' academic progress and working with partner institutions to establish transfer pathways that allow as little disruption as possible. Faculty and staff will be supported with transition assistance."

The school year will start for the last time this upcoming fall, and "the intent is to have as full and vibrant an academic year as possible, including academics, athletics, support services, and extracurriculars."

"We are deeply grateful to the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have worked hard decade after decade to make Siena Heights an incredibly special place," Palmer said. "We look ahead to the next academic year planning all the activities one would normally get including athletics, residential life, and great events that we share with our alumni and entire community."

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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 3, 2025 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV visited the Paul VI Hall on Thursday to meet with about 310 children and adolescents participating in the "Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano" (summer camp for kids at the Vatican).

In addition, another 300 children and adolescents from Ukraine, hosted by Caritas Italy during the summer, participated in the encounter with Pope Leo XIV.

This is the sixth edition of this summer camp for the children of employees of the Holy See. The theme this year is "When the Other Person Is Everything."

On July 3, shortly before noon, at the end of the audiences, the Holy Father continued with the tradition of visiting these little ones. He was received by the summer camp volunteers and later he spoke with the children, responding to some questions.

As he spoke with them, the pope shared some memories from his childhood, such as attending Mass, where he met other children and friends, but above all "the best friend of all, Jesus," the Holy See said in a statement.

The pontiff also spoke about diversity and acceptance, and offered a few words of welcome in English to the Ukrainian children, emphasizing that "it's important to respect one another, look beyond differences, to build bridges, create friendship; we can all be friends, brothers, sisters."

Responding to a question about war, he explained that even from a young age, it is necessary to learn to be builders of peace and friendship, to not get into wars or conflicts, and to never promote hatred or envy.

He noted that "Jesus calls us all to be friends" and advised the children to "learn from a young age to have mutual respect, to see the other person as someone like myself."

The children and adolescents offered the Holy Father some gifts they had made during the summer camp as well as drawings and artwork made by the Ukrainian children and adolescents.

At the end of the encounter, after taking group photos with them, Pope Leo XIV invited them to pray the Hail Mary together and gave his blessing to all those present.

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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Vatican City, Jul 3, 2025 / 09:15 am (CNA).

A Vatican spokesman has played down the significance of recently leaked Vatican documents that appear to cast doubt on Pope Francis' rationale for restricting the Latin Mass, calling the documents "partial and incomplete."

The documents appear to show that bishops had a more favorable outlook on the Traditional Latin Mass than Pope Francis suggested when he issued controversial restrictions on its celebration in 2021.

Vatican journalist Diane Montagna published two excerpts from an internal Vatican report on the global consultation of bishops in a Substack newsletter July 1. The publication of the texts has sparked renewed controversy over Francis' decision to restrict the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass at a time when some liturgical traditionalists are voicing hopes that Pope Leo will reverse or moderate his predecessor's action.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said July 3 the leaked information "presumably concerns part of one of the documents on which the decision [to restrict the Latin Mass] is based."

Answering a question from CNA during a press conference on another topic, Bruni called published reports "a very partial and incomplete reconstruction of the decision-making process." At the same time, he refused to confirm the documents' authenticity.

The spokesman added that "other documentation, other reports, also the result of further consultations" were also taken into consideration with regard to restrictions on the Latin Mass.

An official at the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the department responsible for the application of Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis' July 2021 decree restricting the Mass, told CNA on July 3 that the dicastery "has nothing further to add" to Bruni's response.

The leaked texts, which summarize consultation results and selected quotations from bishops, have been hailed by critics of Traditionis Custodes as evidence that Pope Francis was misleading when stating his reasons for placing strict restrictions on the celebration of the Latin Mass.

Francis' decree revoked the permissions granted by Pope Benedict XVI in his 2007 decree Summorum Pontificum.

"The claim that a majority of bishops around the world wanted restrictions on the ancient Mass [Traditional Latin Mass] was always dubious, but this document shows for all to see that it is completely false," Joseph Shaw, president of the Latin Mass federation Una Voce International, wrote in a newsletter on July 2.

Shaw said the leaked documents show "only the views of the minority of bishops who really disliked the TLM were being acted upon. The majority view was ignored."

Traditionis Custodes placed significant restrictions on the celebration of the Mass according to missals from before the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. In the decree, Pope Francis said he had taken into consideration "the wishes expressed by the episcopate" and "the opinion of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith."

Pope Francis explained in a letter accompanying the decree that in 2020 he had asked the now-Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to carry out a survey of bishops around the world about the results of the implementation of the 2007 norms on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.

"The responses reveal a situation that preoccupies and saddens me, and persuades me of the need to intervene," Francis wrote in the letter. He added that the intention of his predecessors, to foster unity among Catholics with diverse liturgical sensibilities, "has often been seriously disregarded" and the opportunity "exploited to widen the gaps, reinforce the divergences, and encourage disagreements that injure the Church, block her path, and expose her to the peril of division."

According to one of the leaked documents, a five-page "overall assessment" that according to Montagna was part of a never-published report more than 200 pages long on the results of the 2020 questionnaire, the consultation found "the majority of bishops who responded … and who have generously and intelligently implemented the MP [motu proprio] Summorum Pontificum, ultimately express satisfaction with it." But "some bishops state that the MP Summorum Pontificum has failed in its aim of fostering reconciliation and therefore request its suppression."

The leaked assessment said some bishops stated they would prefer to return to the pre-2007 rules for the Traditional Latin Mass, when its celebration required permission from the local bishop, "in order to have greater control and management of the situation."

"However," the text continued, "the majority of bishops who responded to the questionnaire state that making legislative changes to the MP Summorum Pontificum would cause more harm than good."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 3, 2025 / 09:45 am (CNA).

During its recently concluded fifth annual Religious Liberty Summit, Notre Dame Law School recognized two scholars for their contributions to the promotion and protection of religious liberty around the world.

The Notre Dame Prize for Religious Liberty, which is awarded to one person each year for his or her achievements in preserving religious liberty, was presented at last week's summit to former federal judge and constitutional scholar Professor Michael McConnell of Stanford Law School. 

Meanwhile, professor and author Dr. Russell Hittinger of The Catholic University of America (CUA) received the Religious Liberty Scholarship Award, which is given annually to an individual for accomplishments in advancing the understanding of how law protects freedom of religion. 

Hittinger is executive director of CUA's Institute for Human Ecology and a research professor in the School of Philosophy. He has also taught at Princeton, Fordham, and the University of Chicago and has been a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

McConnell sees welcome course correction

"When I look back, things are so much better now… in constitutional law, freedom of religion, we're doing a whole lot better today than we were before," McConnell said at the event.

McConnell is director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School and teaches courses on constitutional law, constitutional history, the First Amendment, and interpretive theory. 

From 2002 to 2009, he served as a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. As an author, his most recent work, co-authored with Nathan Chapman, is "Agreeing to Disagree: How the Establishment Clause Protects Religious Diversity and Freedom of Conscience."

For his part, Hittinger has published more than 100 articles and books, including "Political Pluralism and Religious Liberty: The Teaching of Dignitatis Humanae" and his 2024 book "On the Dignity of Society: Catholic Social Teaching and Natural Law."

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