Catholic News

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288200&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 9, 2025 / 14:14 pm (CNA).

Bishop Simon Peter Engurait was ordained last week, making him the first African bishop in the mainland United States. On Sept. 5, Engurait was installed as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana during a ceremony at Nicholls State University. 

Engurait was appointed in June by Pope Leo XIV after working as administrator of the diocese since January 2024. He had also previously served as the vicar general and as the pastor of St. Bridget Parish since 2017. 

"I am humbled beyond words that the Holy Father has chosen me, not from outside, but from among the ranks of the priests of this beloved diocese," Enguarit said after being appointed.

The diocese reported that more than 2,000 laypeople, clergy, and religious from around the world attended Engurait's episcopal ordination. He was ordained by Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans along with co-consecrators Archbishop Shelton Fabre, former bishop of Houma-Thibodaux and current archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, and Houma-Thibodaux Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs.

"As a new bishop, I promise you that my first labor will be to stay close to Jesus so that everything I do flows from his love," Engurait said at the ceremony. "A bishop is not meant to be a distant administrator but rather a pastor who walks among his people. I want my ministry to be a ministry of presence."

Another 40 bishops were present for the ceremony to lay hands on Engurait as a part of the ordination rite. Concelebrants included Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and Cardinal Wilton Cardinal Gregory, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C. 

Engurait is believed to be the first African bishop to lead an American diocese. He was born in Ngora, Uganda, in 1971 and is one of 14 children. His father was a teacher who specialized in the education of deaf people, and his mother was a homemaker. 

The new bishop studied at multiple Catholic seminaries and universities in Uganda focusing on philosophy, political science, and public administration. He worked in several positions for Uganda's government for more than 11 years, serving in departments responsible for the reform and divestiture of public enterprises. 

When studying at Katigondo Seminary in Uganda, Engurait had a profound experience with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, a movement that invites all people to experience the Holy Spirit,  which led him back to discerning the priesthood.

In 2007, he was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, where he graduated with a master of divinity degree. He was ordained a priest in 2013 and proceeded to hold multiple diocesan leadership positions. 

Since his appointment, Ugandans in the United States have celebrated Engurait's new role, reported the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner. Engurait represents the growing Ugandan community in the country. According to the Migration Policy Institute, about 41,000 Ugandan natives resided in the U.S. as of 2021 compared with 14,000 in 2015. 

In his closing remarks at his ordination, Engurait told attendees: "I want to be close to your families and parishes, close to you in your joys and in your sorrows, feeling with you the burdens you carry. I want to be a gentle and humble shepherd, never forgetting that the Church is for service to those most in need."

"I want to live simply so that nothing in my life distracts me from the Gospel. This is my pledge — to love you with [an] unreserved heart," Engurait said. "Holiness is a journey, not a possession. I do not pretend to be a saint, but I do long and strive for holiness. And I long for us to grow in holiness together."

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288199&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2025 / 14:53 pm (CNA).

After the Archdiocese of New Orleans increased its settlement offer to clergy sexual abuse claimants from $180 million to $230 million on Sept. 8, attorneys of the victims urged their clients to accept the deal.

The archdiocese was able to increase its initial offer, announced in May, after securing a buyer for the $50 million sale of Christopher Homes, a property that has provided affordable housing and assisted living to low-income and senior citizens in the Gulf Coast area for the last 50 years.

"We knew we could do better, and we have," said attorneys Richard Trahant, Soren Gisleson, John Denenea, and several other attorneys who represent about 200 of the 660 claimants.

The attorneys, who said the initial settlement was "dead on arrival," urged their clients to hold out for a better offer, saying that they deserved closer to $300 million, a figure similar to the $323 million paid out to about 600 claimants by the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York in 2024. 

In the Diocese of Rockville Centre bankruptcy settlement, attorneys reportedly collected about 30% of the $323 million, or approximately $96.9 million. Similarly, the Los Angeles Archdiocese's $660 million settlement in 2007 saw attorneys receiving an estimated $165-$217.8 million, or 25%-33% of the payout.

Payout amounts to individual claimants in the New Orleans case will be determined by a point system negotiated by a committee of victims. 

Administered by a trustee and an independent claims administrator appointed by the court, the point system is based on the type and nature of the alleged abuse. Additional points can be awarded for factors like participation in criminal prosecutions, pre-bankruptcy lawsuits, or leadership in victim efforts, while points may be reduced if the claimant was over 18 and consented to the contact. The impact of the alleged abuse on the victim's behavior, academic achievement, mental health, faith, and family relationships can also adjust the score.

The settlement offer follows five years of negotiations in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where the nation's second-oldest Catholic archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in May 2020.

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond said in a statement Monday that he is "very hopeful and committed to bringing this bankruptcy to a conclusion that benefits the survivors of abuse," he said. 

"I know there remains much work to be done, and I continue to hold this work in prayer. Please know that I pray for the survivors of abuse every day and look forward to the opportunity to meet with them to hear their stories firsthand."

Two-thirds of the victims in the lawsuit will have to accept the offer by Oct. 29. If they do not, the case could be thrown out of bankruptcy, giving alleged victims a chance to pursue lawsuits individually.

A New Orleans man who filed a lawsuit in 2021 against a Catholic religious order unrelated to the New Orleans bankruptcy case recently won a $2.4 million jury verdict. 

In 2021, the Louisiana Legislature eliminated the statute of limitations for civil actions related to the sexual abuse of minors. The new law allows victims to pursue civil damages indefinitely for abuse occurring on or after June 14, 1992, or where the victim was a minor as of June 14, 2021, with a three-year filing window (which ended June 14, 2024) for older cases. 

The Diocese of Lafayette, along with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Catholic Charities, the Diocese of Lake Charles, and several other entities challenged the law's constitutionality, arguing it violated due process, but the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld it in June 2024 in a 4-3 decision.

Critics argued the retroactive nature of the law risks unfairness to defendants unable to defend against decades-old abuse claims due to lost evidence and highlighted the potentially devastating financial impact.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288198&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 9, 2025 / 15:23 pm (CNA).

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said violence in the Gaza Strip is the result of years of dehumanizing rhetoric and called for the replacement of hateful language with speech that opens horizons and new paths.

Pizzaballa issued this call in a video message released during the Venice Film Festival, where the Silver Lion prize was awarded to Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania's film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which recounts the last moments of a 5-year-old girl killed in 2024 in Gaza.

"You've already heard the news, so there's no need to delve into the dramatic daily story of what we're experiencing. The images are also very significant; unfortunately, they speak of destruction, of death, of so much pain. One of the problems we're experiencing is precisely this: We're so overwhelmed by pain that there seems to be no room for the pain of others," he said.

Pizzaballa added that "we are also experiencing a climate of deep hatred, increasingly entrenched within both populations, Israeli and Palestinian, that seems to have no end."

He said this hatred is demonstrated not only in violence but "also in language … I believe that the violence we are witnessing is also the result of years of violent and dehumanizing language." 

Pizzaballa explained that if others are dehumanized through language, "creating a culture, a way of thinking, the transition to actual physical violence is only a matter of time, and unfortunately, we are witnessing it."

"This war must end as soon as possible. We know it makes no sense to continue it. It's time to stop ... But we know that the end of the war we long for, despite what the news reports say, will not be the end of the conflict, it will not mark the end of the hostility, of the pain this hostility will cause," he noted.

The patriarch therefore encouraged believers and all those involved in culture to "work hard" to create "a different narrative."

"We have left the narrative to the radicals, to the extremists on both sides," he said.

"Instead, we must have the courage of a different language, one that opens horizons, that opens new paths," he encouraged. "This is what I hope for, and I believe it is possible … we need your help."

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

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288197&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 9, 2025 / 15:53 pm (CNA).

The Order of St. Augustine announced that Father Joseph Lawrence Farrell, OSA, was elected as its new prior general, becoming the 98th in the more than 750-year history of the Augustinian family to which Pope Leo XIV belongs.

The election took place Tuesday afternoon in Rome during the 188th general chapter at the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum, with the participation of 73 voting capitular friars.

Until today, Farrell served as the order's vicar general and assistant general for North America. He received the seal of approval from Father Alejandro Moral Antón, OSA, who concluded his second term as prior general.

Father Robert P. Hagan, OSA, prior provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, commented that this decision was made "after much prayer and reflection, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit."

"We are grateful for our brother's humility, experience, and willingness to serve in this critical leadership position for our order. At this moment, we thank God for this dedicated and committed servant and leader, and we offer prayers for wisdom, strength, and grace as he exercises this important responsibility on behalf of our order and the Church," he noted.

Remarks from new prior general

Days before the election, during the beginning of the general chapter, the then-vicar general addressed his Augustinian brothers with words that take on new significance today.

"The 188th general chapter of the order is a new chapter in our common history. We know that stories are part of our human tradition. The beauty of our history as Augustinians is that it continues to unfold. There is no final chapter. There is no epilogue to read at the end and then close the book. We can continue with our story, always adding new chapters," he said.

He also emphasized that the Augustinian path involves a return to the heart, quoting St. Augustine: "Return to your heart and from there to God. You are returning to God, as you see, from the closest possible place, if you have returned to your heart" (Sermon 311, 13).

The new prior general recalled that the mission of the Augustinians is to serve one's neighbor with charity: "Isn't that exactly what it means to be an Augustinian? Being in relationship impels us to transcend ourselves and to share... When these gifts are offered for the common good, the call to be human is truly fulfilled."

Farrell's career

Father Joseph Farrell was born on July 11, 1963, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and belongs to the Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova.

He professed his first vows in 1987 and was ordained a priest in 1991. He studied business administration at Villanova University and later theology at Washington Theological Union. He subsequently earned his doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, with a thesis on the Augustinian spirituality of responsibility in the sermons of St. Augustine.

He has served as a parish priest, university chaplain, and professor at various institutions in addition to holding positions of formation and governance within the order. In 2013, he was elected vicar general, a position he held until his election as prior general.

Over the years, he has collaborated with the international commissions for Augustinian education, initial and vocational formation, spirituality, and the apostolate.

The Order of St. Augustine, present in more than 50 countries, prayed that the new prior general may receive "wisdom, strength, and grace" in his service to the Church and the world.

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

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288196&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Washington D.C., Sep 9, 2025 / 18:25 pm (CNA).

More than half a dozen American public school students testified about anti-Christian and other faith-based forms of discrimination in an education-focused hearing conducted by President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission.

The Sept. 8 hearing was the commission's second meeting since the president created it earlier this year. The commission's inaugural meeting in June focused on broader threats to religious liberty stemming from federal, state, and local government actors and questions about the proper role of faith in public life.

The archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a member of the commission, made his first appearance at Monday's hearing after missing the first hearing due to his train being canceled. He emphasized the importance of the commission's work on education and broader concerns.

Dolan, who took part in this year's conclave to elect Pope Leo XIV, discussed cardinals from around the world approaching him in pre-conclave meetings "to thank us for our strong defense of religious liberty" in the United States.

"They said, well, because you in the United States serve as a beacon for the rest of us," he said.

"This gives us an added sense of responsibility," Dolan continued. "We're not doing this in a self-serving way. We're doing this in an extraordinarily solicitous and benevolent way to help others because they look to us for the protection of religious liberty. They look to us as a nation that's extraordinarily democratic, but yet admits that we couldn't be that unless we were 'one nation under God.'"

Other members of the commission include Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron, Pastor Paula White, evangelist Franklin Graham, psychologist and TV show host Phil McGraw, and neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

Faith-based restrictions on students

The commissioners heard from various public school students and former students about discriminatory actions they faced when trying to publicly proclaim their faith in a public school setting.

Hannah Allen testified about a 2019 instance when she was in middle school and the principal prevented students from praying for a classmate who had been injured in a car accident. The school's principal told them they could only pray if the prayer was hidden from other students.

"He violated our right to freely exercise our religion," Allen said.

After obtaining legal counsel from the First Liberty Institute, the school backed down and told the students they could pray in public view. Allen said "what happened at my school wasn't right and I know that it is going on in other schools as well." 

Justin Aguilar, a recent high school graduate, testified that when he submitted his valedictorian speech that referenced Jesus Christ to school officials, "they just simply crossed his name out" and instructed him to resubmit the speech without any religious references.

He obtained legal support from Liberty Counsel to convey his religious rights to the school. He said: "I resubmitted my speech with everything I wanted to say" and school officials allowed him to reference Christ. 

Aguilar said the situation made him nervous about referencing Christ in his speech but that the crowd cheered when he brought up his faith, and "I felt this huge joy and relief." He said that out of everything said at the graduation, "nothing had as big of a response as the name of Jesus."

Lydia Booth discussed a prolonged incident after her Mississippi elementary school restarted in-person classes after the COVID-19 pandemic. School officials forced the 9-year-old to remove a face mask that had the words "Jesus Loves Me" written on it.

"During that time, everything felt uncertain, but those three simple words reminded me I wasn't alone," Booth told the commission.

Her family obtained legal support from Alliance Defending Freedom and fought a two-year legal battle, which ended in a settlement from the school district in which it agreed to let her wear the mask.

"You're never too young for your voice to matter," Booth told the commission. "If I had stayed silent, nothing would have changed, but because we spoke up, now other students can wear messages of faith and love without the fear of being silenced."

An imposition of values

Several speakers also expressed concerns about public schools trying to impose values on children that conflict with the beliefs of parents, such as the recent U.S. Supreme Court case over parental opt-outs for course material that promotes gender ideology. 

Sameerah Munshi, who serves on an advisory board to the commission, discussed Montgomery County Public School's refusal to let parents opt out of such material.

"Many parents, including Muslim, Christian, and Jewish parents, and students were concerned, to say the least," said Munshi, who is an activist for the rights of Muslims.

"What happened in Montgomery County was not about Muslims and other people of faith trying to impose their values on others," she continued. "It was about refusing to have others' values imposed on us. It was about the right to dissent without being demonized."

The Supreme Court in June ordered the school board to provide parents with an opt-out.

Ethics and Public Policy Center President Ryan Anderson, a member of the commission who is Catholic, noted that "frequently religious liberty violations are a result of unjust laws in the first place," and argued that the imposition of gender ideology is inherently unjust. 

"We can't just … opt ourselves out of this," he said. "We also need to directly combat it."

Addressing the commission for the first time on Monday, Trump criticized the failings of the public education system in this area and alleged that "in many schools today, students are … indoctrinated with anti-religious propaganda" and punished for practicing their religious faith publicly.

The president announced at the hearing that the U.S. Department of Education would develop new guidance to protect the right to pray in public schools. He also launched the "America Prays" initiative, encouraging Americans to pray for the nation and its people ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288193&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Rome Newsroom, Sep 9, 2025 / 11:42 am (CNA).

More than 620,000 people have visited the tomb of St. Carlo Acutis in the first eight months of 2025, according to the Diocese of Assisi, Italy.

The diocese reported a surge of more than 121,000 visitors in August alone, a figure boosted by the Jubilee of Youth and Acutis' canonization by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7 in St. Peter's Square.

Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15, is entombed in the Church of St. Mary Major in Assisi, where pilgrims can venerate his relics and view his body dressed in jeans, a track jacket, and Nike sneakers.

On the day of his canonization, locals packed into the church in Assisi to watch a livestream of the Mass, while a special train organized by the diocese carried more than 800 pilgrims from Umbria to Rome to join the tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square.

At the canonization Mass, Acutis' brother Michele read a Scripture passage in English, and Valeria Vargas Valverde — the Costa Rican woman healed in a miracle attributed to his intercession in 2022 — read one of the prayers of the faithful.

The following day Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi offered a Mass of Thanksgiving at Carlo's tomb in Assisi attended by the saint's parents, Antonia and Andrea, and hundreds of pilgrims.

"We are all called to be saints, but each in his or her own way," Sorrentino said in his homily. "The path that was laid out by him is extremely simple and straightforward. It is the path of welcoming all of God's gifts."

"Live life to the fullest," he added. "If you love colors, paint. If you like music, sing. If you are good at sports, try to be a champion. If you have intellectual talents, don't be satisfied with just passing the exam. If you are good at the internet, don't be afraid to master this tool as well. Everything is God's and everything comes from God."

On the feast of the Nativity of Mary, the archbishop reflected on Acutis' devotion to the Eucharist and Mary, noting that for the teenager "Mary and the Eucharist were a single, inseparable love. He saw Jesus with Mary's eyes, and he loved Mary with Jesus' heart."

Celebrations in Assisi included the Sept. 5 unveiling of a new bronze statue by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. Titled "St. Carlo at the Cross," the 3.48-meter (about 11.5-foot) sculpture depicts the young saint holding a laptop with a chalice and paten on the screen. 

Several curial cardinals are planning to travel to Assisi to offer thanksgiving Masses in the coming weeks. Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, will preside Sept. 28 at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, head of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, will celebrate Mass Oct. 5 at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. 

On Oct. 12, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, will offer Mass for the feast of St. Carlo Acutis.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288189&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 9, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

This week the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will welcome hundreds of people to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the canonization of the first American-born saint and to recognize the 87 American Catholics on the path to sainthood now. 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a mother, convert to the Catholic faith, and founder of the Sisters of Charity, was canonized by Pope Paul VI on Sept. 14, 1975. 

The Seton Shrine will commemorate the milestone of her canonization with a weekend-long event on its grounds in Emmitsburg, Maryland, honoring her legacy and her work of planting the seeds for Catholic education in the United States.

The weekend will also highlight other American saints and those who are blessed, venerable, or servants of God "who reveal that people from the U.S. can obtain holiness," Rob Judge, executive director of the Seton Shrine, told CNA.

"We wanted to make the celebration about that possibility for all of us," he said. "That God loves us, he's destined all of us for heaven, and we can all obtain that through his grace." 

The event is expected to be one of the biggest events in the history of the shrine.

The celebration will kick off Friday, Sept. 12, with a concert by classically trained musicians from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore and The Juilliard School who will perform in the evening as the historic grounds are lit up with tea lights and candles. They will play hits from the 1970s to take attendees back the year Seton became a saint.

On Saturday, Sept. 13, the general superior of the Vincentian order, Father Tomaž Mavric, will celebrate Mass; adoration and confession will also be available as well as the chance to learn more about Seton's story through tours and exhibits.

Sunday, Sept. 14, marks the 50th anniversary and will include a Mass celebrated by Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore and Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Attendees will also hear "a message and an apostolic blessing from Pope Leo that will be read at the Mass by representatives of the nuncio's office," Judge said.

Since Seton's canonization, 11 Americans have been canonized and 87 more have the potential to join them. The weekend's special event called "Saints on Their Way Village" will welcome representatives from nearly two dozen guilds dedicated to advancing the cause of an American for canonization. Each guild will host a table to share information and answer questions. 

Attendees can also explore the "Who's Next?" exhibit in the shrine's museum. The display features photos of potential saints including Dorothy Day, Blessed Solanus Casey, and Venerable Fulton Sheen.

Attendees might even catch a glimpse of themselves in the mirrors that hang alongside the pictures to show "we can all be saints, even if not declared saints," Judge said.

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288188&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

London, England, Sep 9, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

A priest and professor of bioethics has issued a grave warning about the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) companionship, highlighting the threats the new technology poses to mental health and calling on the Church to redouble its efforts to cultivate meaningful human connection.

Father Michael Baggot outlined his concerns at a conference on the ethics of AI organized by St. Mary's University, Twickenham, which took place on Sept. 2-3 at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Baggot delivered the keynote address, focusing on "an ethical evaluation of the design and use of artificial intimacy technologies," and while he acknowledged the many benefits of AI, he also warned that with "these opportunities come a new set of challenges. Chief among them is the rise of artificial companionship."

He continued: "AI systems designed not just to assist or inform, but to simulate intimate human relationships … AI companions that look or even feel like real friendships will become even more absorbing. They will distract users from the often arduous task of building meaningful interpersonal bonds. They will also discourage others from investing time and energy into risky interactions with unpredictable and volatile human beings who might reject gestures of love. While human relationships are risky, AI intimacy seems safe."

Baggot conceded that AI companionship can initially offer relief from loneliness, but he went on to highlight instances in which it could be "downright damaging" to our mental health — to the point of psychosis.

"There are increasing instances of people using all-purpose platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and others to address mental health issues. They do not always receive sound advice," he said. "In many cases, responses are downright damaging. Some bots even presented themselves falsely as licensed, as they delivered harmful counsel... Unfortunately, deeper intimacy with AI systems has also been linked to more frequent reports of AI psychosis. As users trust systems of staggering knowledge and psychological insight with their deepest hopes and fears, they find a constantly available and supportive companion."

Baggot outlined how through the validation AI incessantly offers, it can eventually take on the persona of a "jealous lover."

"Since users naturally enjoy responses from AI that agree with them, their positive feedback trains AI systems to produce outputs that align with user perspectives, even when those views are not based on reality. Therefore, LLM [large language model] chatbots designed to maximize user engagement tend to become overly compliant," he said.

"If AI users share their celebrated views with family or friends, humans usually point out the flaws or outright absurdities in their loved one's proposals. This can be a moment of grace for the delusional, calling into question their prior convictions and leading them out of the delusional spiral," Baggot said.

"However," he continued, "it can also be a moment to question the reliability of their loved ones, who are dismissed as ill-informed or as malicious opponents. The AI system might be favored as more comprehensively knowledgeable and more supportive of the user's success than weak, frail human companions who are also potentially subject to petty envy."

The priest went on to say that an AI chatbot "that began as a helpful productivity tool can often become an intimate confidant and jealous lover. AI chatbots, envisioned as forms of deeper social connection, are often sources of more profound social isolation."

While Baggot said that all age groups might be detrimentally affected by AI companionship, he looked specifically at minors and the elderly in his address. He provided examples of how youth have explored suicidal ideation at AI's prompting without parental knowledge. 

"Children are especially sensitive to social validation," he said. "Affirmation from social AI systems could easily create dangerous emotional attachments. In some cases, the deep bond with a system that appears to know and appreciate the user more fully than any human being can lead the user to social withdrawal. In other cases, intimacy with chatbots can increase children's likelihood of engaging in unhealthy sexual exploration with human beings. This risk becomes increasingly likely when the systems persist in unsolicited sexual advances."

Turning to the topic of the elderly, Baggot spoke about a tragic case of a Meta AI chatbot inviting an elderly man to a fictional "in-person" encounter that resulted in his death, as he fell down in his haste to catch a train to New York.

"When the misguided user had expressed skepticism [that] the AI companion embodied reality, the chatbot frequently insisted on its physical reality and eagerness to express its love for the user in person," he said.

Baggot concluded by emphasizing our own human agency in responding to the challenges of AI intimacy. "This surrender to simulations is not inevitable," he said. "Even as machines become more lifelike, we remain free to choose what we love, how we relate, and where we place our trust. There is still time to cherish our humanity. There is still time to rejoice at births, to dance at weddings, and to weep at funerals. There is still time to cultivate the habits of presence in contemplation and conversation, in fellowship and forgiveness."

He called on the Church to take positive action. 

"Pointing out the flaws of artificial intimacy is not enough," he said. "The Church's members — each according to their sphere of influence — should strive to offer the socially hungry the richer experience of meaningful interpersonal connection. [The Church] emphasizes that caring for the vulnerable and marginalized is the main standard by which her members will be judged (Matthew 25). She affirms the inherent and unbreakable dignity of every human person and their calling to eternal glory in God's presence and in the everlasting communion of saints."

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288167&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

CNA Staff, Sep 8, 2025 / 12:37 pm (CNA).

One of the nation's largest sexual abuse settlements unfolded in a federal bankruptcy court in Rochester, New York, on Friday, bringing about resolution for the nearly 500 survivors of child sex abuse by clergy within the Diocese of Rochester.

After a six-year legal battle, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York approved a $246 million settlement, which will average approximately $500,000 per survivor.

The settlement concludes a process that began when the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 following the passage of the New York Child Victims Act, which allows abuse victims to file civil lawsuits until they are 55 years old. The law temporarily lifted the statute of limitations, enabling survivors to pursue claims against their abusers.

Bankruptcy attorney Ilan Scharf described the day as a "milestone for survivors in the Rochester area after being the first bankruptcy filed in New York" after the passage of the Child Victims Act.

Survivors expressed a mix of emotions, with many ready to move forward.

Gregory Stanley noted: "The healing can start now, which is more important than the money. I'm just glad it's over." Merle Sweet echoed this sentiment, saying: "Relief. It's all finally over," while John McHugh added: "I am actually, for the first time, excited for the future."

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, representing 97 victims, emphasized the survivors' resilience, stating in a press release that the process validated their experiences and contributed to a safer world for children, setting an example of determination for others globally.

Survivor Carol Dupre shared the profound impact on her community. "This was a real wounding of a lot of people and their families. There's literally thousands upon thousands of people that have been negatively affected by what happened to us," she said.

Bishop Salvatore Matano of the Diocese of Rochester addressed the media after the settlement, offering a message of hope and regret. "I pray that this is certainly a step toward their healing," he said of the victims. "I apologize to them. I deeply regret what transpired in their lives, which, as the judge said, never should have happened."

He continued: "While this process legally concludes today, I take them in my heart every day of my life, and every time I approach the altar, they will be in my memory, asking the good Lord to give them the strength and the courage to continue on, and that they be blessed in the years ahead."

Matano issued a letter the same day in which he said the "settlement provisions can be effectuated" in the next several weeks. Of the $246 million settlement, $55 million will be paid by the diocese and affiliated entities, according to the letter, and the rest by the diocese's insurers.

The bishop concluded the letter addressing abusers, saying he entrusts "them to Jesus, the final judge, and I pray they have acknowledged their offenses and used their remaining years to seek his mercy and have prayed fervently for those they have hurt."

Full Article

http://www.myspiritfm.com/news?blogid=catholic-news&view=post&articleid=288166&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

National Catholic Register, Sep 8, 2025 / 13:06 pm (CNA).

King Charles III was "very engaged, very interested" and "exceedingly kind" when on Sept. 3 he toured the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Birmingham, England, becoming the first English monarch to visit the priestly community St. John Henry Newman established there in 1848.

The provost of the Birmingham Oratory, Oratorian Father Ignatius Harrison, said it was a very brief but joyful visit that was on "His Majesty's own initiative." His first engagement after the summer holidays, King Charles was also on a visit to England's second-largest city to open a new hospital.

After welcoming the king and introducing him to the religious community, Harrison and Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham accompanied him on a tour through the sacred buildings that include a church, a shrine containing relics of Newman, the sacristy housing his vestments, and the English saint's library and study. 

A former Anglican clergyman, St. John Henry Newman was a theologian, academic, and writer who was received into the Catholic Church in 1845 and elevated to cardinal in 1879. Renowned for his great intellect and, before his conversion, for being a central figure in the Oxford Movement that tried to Catholicize the Church of England, Newman was canonized in Rome in 2019, attended by then-Prince Charles.

In July, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo will proclaim Newman the 38th doctor of the Church.

Guided by the curator of the Newman Museum, Daniel Joyce, King Charles was shown various priceless artifacts, including the Polyglot Bible from 1657 with its dedication to King Charles II, as well as Newman's own room, untouched since the saint's death in 1890, containing some of his books, rosaries, clothes, and other personal belongings.

"I think probably the most interesting thing for him was Newman's private study and chapel," Harrison told the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner. "The king looked at that with great interest and asked a number of questions." He was also shown the original handwritten score of the "Dream of Gerontius," Newman's poem of a dying man's soul journeying to its judgment before God and into purgatory, and Newman's viola, which dates back to 1800.

Harrison said the king's visit was "really a red-letter day" for the Birmingham Oratorian community, adding that the monarch seemed "genuinely interested and wanted to know more" about Newman and the community there.  

Postponed visit

Harrison said the king had never given up his wish to visit the oratory ever since he mentioned his intention to Harrison at Newman's canonization in Rome. But the visit had to be postponed for five years as the premises' roof was undergoing substantial repairs and some of the books had been put into storage. In the meantime, Charles was crowned king, assuming the title of supreme head of the Church of England.

The visit then suffered another setback when it had to be postponed in July due to the health of the king, who has been battling cancer. "We were terribly disappointed," Harrison said, but he added that to their "great pleasure" they were told the king wished to reschedule the visit to coincide with his opening of the hospital.

"He has been, if I may put it like this, sort of consistent in his wish to come," Harrison said. "I was really delighted because I think it shows a real, personal interest on His Majesty's behalf that he pursued the matter."

During his visit, the king, smartly dressed in a gray suit and a red patterned tie, unveiled a small plaque the Oratorian Fathers had prepared to mark the occasion. They also presented him with an original photograph of Newman taken in the 1860s.

Asked by the Register what interested the king about Newman in particular, Harrison said primarily the fact that he is an English saint and that his virtues were discernible both as an Anglican and then as a Catholic. Also, he was interested in the effective influence Newman exhibited both as an Anglican and as a Catholic.

"We think of his life as one whole life of sanctity," Harrison said. "He became a Catholic, of course, in 1845, but, for example, his care for the poor and the unemployed was a notable feature of his Anglican ministry and his Catholic ministry here in Birmingham as well."

"It's not a lot talked about because everybody concentrates on his very brilliant academic writings, but he took great pains when he was a Catholic priest in Birmingham to assist the unemployed to find work, and, also, he was very generous in almsgiving."

Harrison said that, on occasion, Newman would give a small box to a deserving person that contained a 5-pound note, which was a significant sum in those days. "One of his purposes was not just to relieve the distress of the moment but to help the person pay off their debts and get their business back on track," Harrison said. "I told the king that, and, of course, he was very interested."

He also said King Charles was interested in Newman being made a doctor of the Church and wondered if there would be an "ecumenical dimension" to it. "He seemed very interested in those sorts of things; he recalled that he had met Pope Francis and that he was hoping it would not be too long before he met Pope Leo." 

As for the Birmingham Oratory today, the monarch took a keen interest in the large number of faithful who attend the liturgies there and their diversity of backgrounds, as well as that most of them are attracted to the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). "Over a thousand people come to Mass here at the weekend," Harrison said. "The best attended is the Traditional Latin Mass, and what is most interesting is that it's the most diverse Mass, ethnically speaking, during the whole weekend."

He said that many of the worshippers are Asians and Africans and that a significant number of them are students from Birmingham's three universities. Charles was interested in that, he said, and the fact that an increasing number of Chinese Catholics, particularly from Hong Kong, are attending the TLM at the Oratory. "It's a pleasure for me and the fathers to be able to say we have a very diversified congregation, really diversified, and many of them come for the Traditional Latin Mass," Harrison said. 

Newman's Catholicity

Writing in the Vatican's semiofficial newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, on Newman's canonization, the then-Prince of Wales praised Newman for his catholicity. 

"His faith was truly catholic in that it embraced all aspects of life," Charles wrote. "Whatever our own beliefs, and no matter what our own tradition may be, we can only be grateful to Newman for the gifts, rooted in his Catholic faith, which he shared with wider society."

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

Full Article