Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 13, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of St. Paul-Minneapolis urged lawmakers to continue allowing unauthorized immigrants access to a state-funded health care program.
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 13, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of St. Paul-Minneapolis urged lawmakers to continue allowing unauthorized immigrants access to a state-funded health care program.
Pope Leo XIV speaks to the College of Cardinals in Rome on Saturday, May 10, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).In addition to being a natural-born American citizen, Pope Leo XIV is also a naturalized citizen of Peru, having ministered there for decades.
Pope Leo XIV speaks to the College of Cardinals in Rome on Saturday, May 10, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
In addition to being a natural-born American citizen, Pope Leo XIV is also a naturalized citizen of Peru, having ministered there for decades.
Pope Leo XIV speaks to participants in the Jubilee of Eastern Churches on May 14, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media Vatican City, May 14, 2025 / 11:29 am (CNA)."I thank God for those Christians — Eastern and Latin alike — who, above all in the Middle East, persevere and remain in their homelands," Leo said May 14.
Pope Leo XIV speaks to participants in the Jubilee of Eastern Churches on May 14, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media
Vatican City, May 14, 2025 / 11:29 am (CNA).
"I thank God for those Christians — Eastern and Latin alike — who, above all in the Middle East, persevere and remain in their homelands," Leo said May 14.
A cropped version of the official portrait of Pope Leo XIV, published by the Vatican on May 10, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 14, 2025 / 12:12 pm (CNA).Prior to his elevation to the papacy, Leo XIV stayed out of the spotlight on certain reforms backed by his predecessor but maintained a close relationship with Pope Francis.
A cropped version of the official portrait of Pope Leo XIV, published by the Vatican on May 10, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 14, 2025 / 12:12 pm (CNA).
Prior to his elevation to the papacy, Leo XIV stayed out of the spotlight on certain reforms backed by his predecessor but maintained a close relationship with Pope Francis.
Pope Leo XIV gives the homily at Mass with the cardinale electors in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media ACI Prensa Staff, May 14, 2025 / 14:18 pm (CNA).The Dicastery for Communication said "Leo XIV inherits the X @Pontifex accounts used by Pope Francis and previously by Benedict XVI."
Pope Leo XIV gives the homily at Mass with the cardinale electors in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
ACI Prensa Staff, May 14, 2025 / 14:18 pm (CNA).
The Dicastery for Communication said "Leo XIV inherits the X @Pontifex accounts used by Pope Francis and previously by Benedict XVI."
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage passes southwest of Omaha, Nebraska, on June 21, 2024. / Credit: Kate Quiñones/CNA CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 15:56 pm (CNA).Pilgrims preparing to take part in the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage spoke at a press conference about their preparation for the pilgrimage, set to kick off on Sunday.
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage passes southwest of Omaha, Nebraska, on June 21, 2024. / Credit: Kate Quiñones/CNA
CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 15:56 pm (CNA).
Pilgrims preparing to take part in the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage spoke at a press conference about their preparation for the pilgrimage, set to kick off on Sunday.
A Planned Parenthood facility in Minneapolis. / Credit: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 17:29 pm (CNA).In a recently released report, Charlotte Lozier Institute found that life-affirming women's health centers outnumber Planned Parenthood locations 15 to 1.
A Planned Parenthood facility in Minneapolis. / Credit: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock
CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 17:29 pm (CNA).
In a recently released report, Charlotte Lozier Institute found that life-affirming women's health centers outnumber Planned Parenthood locations 15 to 1.
Candlelight procession at Fatima on May 12, 2025. / Credit: Courtesy of Shrine of Fatima/EWTN ACI Prensa Staff, May 14, 2025 / 17:59 pm (CNA).Approximately 470,000 pilgrims gathered in Fátima, Portugal, on May 12–13 to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Candlelight procession at Fatima on May 12, 2025. / Credit: Courtesy of Shrine of Fatima/EWTN
ACI Prensa Staff, May 14, 2025 / 17:59 pm (CNA).
Approximately 470,000 pilgrims gathered in Fátima, Portugal, on May 12–13 to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pope Leo XIV meets with Italian tennis star Jannick Sinner on May 14, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican MediaCNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 14:48 pm (CNA).Pope Leo XIV met Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner at the Vatican on Wednesday. Photos shared by Vatican News show the newly elected pope, who has described himself as "quite the amateur tennis player," warmly greeting the 23-year-old Italian and his family as well as the president of the Italian Tennis Federation, Alberto Binaghi.Sinner, who is ranked No. 1 in the world, is from a predominantly German-speaking region in Italy's far north. He became the first Italian man to win a major tennis title since 1976 when he bested Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open in 2024, earning kudos from the late Pope Francis. Sinner is currently competing in the 2025 Italian Open, taking place in Rome. Greeting the pope in a room off the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall, Sinner presented Pope Leo with a tennis racket and bal...
Pope Leo XIV meets with Italian tennis star Jannick Sinner on May 14, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media
CNA Staff, May 14, 2025 / 14:48 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV met Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner at the Vatican on Wednesday.
Photos shared by Vatican News show the newly elected pope, who has described himself as "quite the amateur tennis player," warmly greeting the 23-year-old Italian and his family as well as the president of the Italian Tennis Federation, Alberto Binaghi.
Sinner, who is ranked No. 1 in the world, is from a predominantly German-speaking region in Italy's far north. He became the first Italian man to win a major tennis title since 1976 when he bested Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open in 2024, earning kudos from the late Pope Francis.
Sinner is currently competing in the 2025 Italian Open, taking place in Rome.
Greeting the pope in a room off the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall, Sinner presented Pope Leo with a tennis racket and ball and asked the pope in Italian if he wanted to play.
The pope responded: "Here we'll break something. Best not to!"
Leo also joked that "Wimbledon would let" him compete in his white cassock, a reference to the famous rule at the All England Club tennis tournament that players must wear white.
The pope had previously been asked by journalists about whether he would like to play tennis again — perhaps a charity match — and "seemed game" but quipped that "we can't invite Sinner," in an apparent pun on the English meaning of Sinner's last name, the AP reported Monday.
When asked about the pope's comment, Sinner genially responded that it's "a good thing for us tennis players" that Leo likes the sport and expressed openness to hitting with the pontiff in the future.
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and MinneapolisWashington, D.C. Newsroom, May 13, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and other Catholics on Monday spoke at the Minnesota Capitol, where they urged lawmakers to continue allowing illegal immigrants access to MinnesotaCare, a state-funded program that provides health care to low-income families.Kenney told CNA that illegal immigrants "are brothers and sisters, and we need to care for all people. Basic health care is an important feature of who we are as Christians, as Catholics ... We're not advocating for free health care for undocumented but simply access to it."The Minnesota Catholic Conference lobbied for the establishment of MinnesotaCare, which in 1992 began providing coverage for low-income working families who earn above the Medicaid threshold (known as Medical Ass...
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 13, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and other Catholics on Monday spoke at the Minnesota Capitol, where they urged lawmakers to continue allowing illegal immigrants access to MinnesotaCare, a state-funded program that provides health care to low-income families.
Kenney told CNA that illegal immigrants "are brothers and sisters, and we need to care for all people. Basic health care is an important feature of who we are as Christians, as Catholics ... We're not advocating for free health care for undocumented but simply access to it."
The Minnesota Catholic Conference lobbied for the establishment of MinnesotaCare, which in 1992 began providing coverage for low-income working families who earn above the Medicaid threshold (known as Medical Assistance in Minnesota).
In 2023, the social safety net was expanded to include illegal immigrants. Some Republicans are advocating for their removal from the program, however, to reduce costs and deter migration to the state now that enrollment has exceeded projections.
Minnesota Republican Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen posted a statement on the state's Senate Republican Caucus website on Monday calling for "a commonsense amendment" that allocates taxpayer dollars toward nursing homes rather than health coverage for migrants who are in the country illegally.
"The cost to taxpayers so far is $134 million, and it's rising fast," Gruenhagen said. "At this rate, we'll soon be spending over $600 million on this program, with zero federal match. Every dollar is coming directly from you, the taxpayers of Minnesota."
As of April 24, data from the state Department of Human Services shows 20,187 illegal immigrants enrolled in the program, which operates on a fee-for-service model, according to a local Minnesota Reformer report. "DHS says it has received 4,306 claims for service, costing Minnesota $3.9 million," the report states, noting the figure is almost $1 million over the state's projected cost for the program by that date.
Kenney acknowledged Republican lawmakers' concerns but said "[we can] work this out so that it's not an additional expense on the state of Minnesota as they're trying to cut their budget, as a way of caring for people ... who can't afford health care."
The Minnesota House of Representatives is evenly split 67-67. The state's lawmakers are working to pass the budget before June 30 to avoid a July 1 government shutdown.
In addition, the U.S. House of Representatives will debate a bill in committee this week that, among other changes, would penalize states that provide health care to illegal immigrants.
Kenney noted that bill but stressed that "we can't make decisions out of fear of repercussions, we need to make them out of love for our fellow men and women, our fellow brothers and sisters … I'm hoping that the Holy Spirit touches some hearts."
