Catholic News

As a neutral territory, Vatican City was largely spared from major bombing during World War II, while Rome was the target of raids by both Allied and Axis forces during Nazi Germany's occupation of the city.

Except for one autumn night, around 8 p.m. on Nov. 5, 1943, when an unidentified plane dropped five bombs on the Vatican — four of which detonated — one narrowly missing St. Peter's Basilica.

Luckily, no one was killed, but who dropped the bombs and why has it been shrouded in mystery ever since, with one historian offering a likely theory only in 2010?

What happened

Longtime Vatican archivist and World War II researcher Johan Ickx spoke to EWTN News about the event and other aspects of life at the Vatican during World War II.

Rome at the time was part of the Italian Social Republic, a German puppet state led by Benito Mussolini, and the Nazis had seized control of the capital nearly two months prior.

Ickx said it's difficult to know exactly what life was like in the Vatican during that period. There were certainly fewer personnel, who were all priests, in the Secretariat of State.

And we know, the war historian said, that at a certain point, Pope Pius XII ordered the buildings not to be heated anymore, "as a sign of solidarity with the people outside" of Vatican City.

"We know also that there were people hidden in the Vatican during the war, and not a few," he added. "These people were put at work in some way."

Earlier that year, after the first Allied attacks on the city of Rome, the pope had written to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to ask Allied forces to spare the city "further pain and devastation" and to keep its treasured sites "from irreparable ruin."

Roosevelt replied on June 16, 1943, saying: "Attacks against Italy are limited, to the extent humanly possible, to military objectives."

"In the event it should be found necessary for Allied planes to operate over Rome, our aviators are thoroughly informed as to the location of the Vatican and have been specifically instructed to prevent bombs from falling within Vatican City," the president wrote.

Despite this promise, heavy raids were carried out on Rome before it was captured by the Allies on June 4, 1944. Among these was the devastating bombing of July 19, 1943, in which thousands of civilians were killed.

The same day, after the raid ended, Pius XII and the future Pope Paul VI (then Secretariat of State Archbishop Giovanni Montini) traveled to the affected area, the San Lorenzo neighborhood, to hand out money to the victims gathered in front of the Church of San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura.

"A few days [before the bombs were dropped on the Vatican] bombs were dropped on Trastevere in Rome," Ickx recalled. "But the Vatican, that was something new. And it was also an international shock, really, because just until that day, one could say that the Vatican was saved from any military action."

The bombs hit the governatorate — the government offices of the city state — the mosaic laboratory, and offices of officials of the Roman Curia, causing considerable damage, as visible in video footage from the period.

The evening the bombs fell, Archbishop Domenico Tardini, at the time head of the Secretariat of State's section for relations with states, "was not in [his] office working and was just going up through the corridor to his office. Now, it was providential luck. If not, he would have been hurt," Ickx said.

Some people were injured, but it was fortunate no one was killed by the bombs, which weighed 150 kilograms (330 pounds) each, Ickx noted. One of them detonated close enough to the Vatican basilica to blow out one of its back windows.

Pope Pius XII, reacting privately after the bombing, said: "There was more respect in Cairo, as the religious center of Islam, than in Rome. And more concretely, we are struck by the need to recognize... that there no longer exists, I do not say Christian conscience, but even the minimum of human understanding and a sense of loyalty in acting that should be enough to leave the successor of St. Peter in the narrow strip of land that still remains."

Who did it

"The Vatican, of course, starts investigating immediately," said Ickx, director of the historical archives of the section for relations with states and international organizations of the Secretariat of State.

The Secretariat of State began interviewing people about what they saw and heard. On a fragment of one of the bombs, they could make out just the final three letters of a name, "lli," so one Vatican employee was tasked with making a list of all the arms and bomb producers that matched. But after making the list, there were still dozens that ended in "lli."

"The other part of the investigation," the historian noted, "is who did it? What plane was coming over? Was it a British one? Was it an American one, or was it an Italian or a German one? And the worst case would have been, of course, a German one … [because] Rome was in that moment … occupied by the Germans."

"The fear in the Vatican was very high that Germans could have entered also the Vatican to take over everything and to … take the pope away and bring him elsewhere," Ickx said.

The Secretariat of State questioned the United States, Britain, Italy, and Germany, who all denied involvement.

What followed was uncertainty, the historian explained.

"And the uncertainty is that what makes journalists happy," he said, because "they can create history, they can create news, they can create scoops."

He described one of the laughable "scoops" printed in an Italian newspaper a few days after the incident, with the headline "Stalin thanks Churchill for dropping the bombs in the Vatican."

"Now it makes us laugh, because all of a sudden the Russians are also involved in the case," Ickx said. "We see that is the normal war propaganda which is doing its work at that moment."

For the Vatican, the mystery was "never solved."

Only years later did a plausible theory emerge, proposed by the author Augusto Ferrara in his 2010 book "1943. Bombe sul Vaticano" ("1943. Bombs on the Vatican").

In that book, Ferrara's investigation uncovered that the bombs were probably dropped from a S.79 aircraft supplied by the Italian Social Republic, which had departed from the airport of Viterbo, about 50 miles north of Rome.

He also wrote that the attack was ordered by Roberto Farinacci, a fascist politician and adviser to Mussolini who wanted to destroy Vatican Radio, because he thought it was transmitting military information to the "enemy."

Ickx called that "a plausible explanation."

For four months, the Vatican was spared any major destruction, until March 1, 1944, when a British plane missed the objective of its bombardment and hit the Vatican wall.

This time, tragically, the incident did cause loss of life: a Vatican workman was killed and an Augustinian friar was injured. The blast also shattered the windows of the Palace of the Holy Office, the building housing the now-Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Full Article

At just 38 years of age, Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val assumed one of the most influential positions in the Church upon being appointed Vatican secretary of state by St. Pius X.

A brilliant diplomat born into an aristocratic family, the cardinal had an exceptional intellectual background, spoke several languages, ??and earned the pope's trust through his discreet loyalty and profound interior life.

Merry del Val was already working in the Curia during the pontificate of Leo XIII. Following the pope's death, he was appointed secretary of the 1903 conclave, an event marked by the historic veto exercised by the Austro-Hungarian emperor against Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro, who was considered a top favorite to succeed Leo XIII. That episode altered the course of the election and paved the way for Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto, the future St. Pius X, to become pope.

"When he was named pope, he went to the 'Chapel of Tears' to pray, and he even wept. It was a time of great persecution for the Church, and he felt that perhaps he was not up to the task, as the situation required someone of great fortitude," Father Álvaro Serrano Bayán explained to EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

Serrano is the author of the Spanish-language book "Growing in Humility: 7 Steps with Cardinal Merry del Val," published by Editorial Monte Carmelo, a work that highlights the rich spiritual life of the Spanish cardinal.

St. Pius X was fully aware of the complex situation the Church was facing at the beginning of the 20th century, and he doubted whether he possessed the strength required to take on such a mission. Amid this uncertainty, Merry del Val approached the newly elected pontiff to encourage him to accept the burden of the Petrine ministry. This gesture of reaching out left an indelible mark.

"It was at a most difficult, most intimate moment. He knew how to reach out, and the pope recognized him as someone he could trust," Serrano explained.

7 years researching the life of Merry del Val

An aerospace engineer who also holds degrees in history and communications, Serrano, who comes from a town in Extremadura, Spain, has spent seven years tracking down personal letters, homilies, spiritual direction, and scattered writings by the author of the renowned Litany of Humility. The result is a collection of 380 spiritual counsels accessible to the contemporary reader.

It all began almost by chance. While he was a seminarian, he came across the well-known litany attributed to Merry del Val. Those prayers sparked a curiosity that would eventually turn into an extensive investigation.

"The more I learned about Merry del Val, the more I grew to appreciate his writings — his homilies, his spiritual direction, and his letters to people, whether to those he directed or to other people he knew," the priest recounted.

That fascination led him to spend years exploring archives and publications, eventually transforming all that material into a meditation focused on one of the virtues most difficult to practice in our day: humility. Meanwhile, the cause for the canonization of Servant of God Rafael Merry del Val continues to proceed.

This year also marks 96 years since the death of one of the most significant figures in the Church during the 20th century. Last October, at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV received members of the Merry del Val study group, a meeting that took place in the context of the 160th anniversary of his birth in London in 1865.

The humus of humility

The book, which features a prologue by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the current secretary of state of the Holy See, proposes a seven-stage spiritual journey inspired by the Latin word "humus," meaning fertile soil. "That is where the word 'humility' comes from," Serrano explained.

Drawing on this image, the author develops an analogy between working the land and spiritual growth. Just as the soil must be tilled, watered, and sown before it can bear fruit, the soul must allow itself to be cultivated by God in order to attain the fullness of the Christian life.

The work can be read from beginning to end, used as a guide for personal prayer, or even "a go-to book to use when adoring the Blessed Sacrament," the priest explained.

"The journey culminates in the figure of Mary, presented as the Lord's fruit par excellence," he emphasized.

A virtue for times of self-centeredness

For Serrano, the message of Merry del Val is particularly relevant in a culture marked by constantly seeking attention and an unceasing search for approval.

"Humility is walking in the truth, being good, telling it like it is without making ourselves out to be more or less than who we really are," he said, recalling a well-known teaching of St. Teresa of Jesus.

In his view, one of the great contemporary errors is to equate humility with undervaluing oneself. He therefore emphasized that "humility doesn't mean saying 'I'm worthless'; rather, humility is valuing ourselves a great deal. God created us, everything comes from God, and we don't need constant recognition from others to know who we are."

The purpose of the book, he explained, is to share a spiritual treasure that transformed his own life: "Something that has helped me so much, something that l have enjoyed so much, something of great importance that can contribute to the edification of the soul."

When your job doesn't define you

Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of Merry del Val is precisely the consistency between his words and his way of life. It is relatively easy to practice humility when no one knows your name. What is truly difficult is doing so while holding one of the highest positions in the Church, Serrano noted.

"Merry del Val did not seek the position of secretary of state, nor did he build his identity around it. He knew that responsibilities come and go whereas the priesthood is a permanent reality. Positions come to an end; one's vocation remains," observed the priest, noting that this teaching remains as relevant as ever.

A person's worth, he continued, "doesn't depend on his job, his social standing, or his productivity, but rather on the dignity of being loved as a child of God."

Humility in the face of the 'me' culture

"Deliver me, O Lord, from the desire to be loved, esteemed, or preferred," Merry del Val prayed in one of the prayers that made him famous.

These words came from a man who, by human standards, had everything: noble birth, a solid education, command of several languages, and a brilliant ecclesiastical career. His message stands in stark contrast to an era dominated by social media and the need for constant recognition.

"A person who requires constant recognition from others — to begin with has low self-esteem. Furthermore, such a person is often quite arrogant," Serrano pointed out. In contrast to this mindset, Merry del Val suggested doing things out of love for God and for their inherent goodness, rather than for any social reward they might bring.

The position of being the second most powerful man in the Holy See might have fueled the vainglory of any man, the priest noted. Yet, for this illustrious servant of Christ and his Church, it was simply another opportunity to practice humility.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Full Article

Pope Leo XIV welcomed legendary American singer-songwriter and 2016 Nobel Prize in literature laureate Bob Dylan to the Vatican on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

During the meeting, for which Dylan wore a black-hooded jacket, the Holy Father presented him with a rosary, while the 85-year-old singer gifted the pontiff a copy of his autobiography, "Chronicles: Volume One," according to Vatican News.

Dylan is in Rome for a Thursday, Nov. 5, concert at the Palazzo dello Sport as part of his "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour, which also includes stops in Milan and Bologna.

Pope Leo XIV has quoted Dylan

In July, Pope Leo XIV quoted Dylan to criticize the arms race, which he described as something that "frightens and terrifies us today."

"As singer-songwriter and poet Bob Dylan wrote, figuratively addressing the atomic bomb, in one of his poetic compositions: 'I hate you cause yer man-made and man-owned an' man-handled,'" the pope wrote, referring to the song "Go Away You Bomb" (1963).

The quote appears in an unpublished text from the book "Unarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift," published by the Vatican Publishing House. It is the first anthology to collect various statements by Pope Leo XIV on the subject of peace, dating from his election on May 8, 2025.

A performance before St. John Paul II and a multitude of young people

Dylan's audience with Pope Leo XIV was not the first time the singer-songwriter had met a pope.

In September 1997, Dylan was invited to perform at the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress in Bologna, Italy, before St. John Paul II and a crowd of approximately 300,000 young people.

The singer performed some of his hits, such as "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" — a song also popularized by Guns N' Roses and Eric Clapton.

Although Dylan did not perform "Blowin' in the Wind," the song's theme was referenced by Pope John Paul II in his address to the gathering. In the song, the singer-songwriter asks, "How many roads must a man walk down before he can truly call himself a man?" — to which he himself provides the answer, in the song's title: "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind."

In his address, John Paul II revisited Dylan's question, gave it a masterful twist, and offered an answer imbued with Christian realism: "One of your representatives has said, on your behalf, that the answer to the questions in your life 'is blowin' in the wind.' That is true. But it is not the wind that scatters everything into the whirlpools of nothingness; rather, it is the wind that is the breath and voice of the Spirit."

And he added: "You have asked me: 'How many paths must a man travel to be able to recognize himself as a man?' I answer you: one. There is only one path for man; it is Christ, who said: 'I am the way' (Jn 14:6). He is the way of truth, the way of life."

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Full Article

Democrats captured every major statewide office in Texas on Tuesday, ending more than three decades of Republican dominance in the Lone Star State. Catholics and other Christians are warning that the results threaten hard-won gains on the protection of unborn life and parental rights in education.

In a surprise defeat in the governor's race, former state legislator Gina Hinojosa defeated three-time incumbent Greg Abbott, who was first elected in 2014. In 2021, he signed into law the Texas Heartbeat Act, which banned abortions once fetal cardiac activity is detectable (around six weeks).

While both Hinojosa and Abbott are Catholic, Hinojosa is pro-abortion, voting against the Heartbeat Act and saying she would sign a bill repealing Texas' abortion law if it came to her desk, though she has expressed that would be unlikely due to the Republican-majority Legislature. Republicans retained the state Senate but lost their majority in the House.

She said in September that expanding abortion access will not be a priority for her as governor because it will take more than her election to get Texas out of the "deep hole" it's in regarding what she calls "reproductive rights."

Pro-life advocates warn of setbacks, see opportunities

John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life, a Christian pro-life advocacy group, told EWTN News the election results dealt a "devastating blow" to the pro-life movement in Texas, though he said it was not an "utter disaster" because Republicans, many of whom are pro-life, hung on to the state Senate. He said that will provide "a backstop to kill legislation that would move the pro-life movement backwards."

Seago said the major political change is an opportunity for those who defend life to explain "even more passionately and articulately" why it is so important to do so.

In a message to its supporters, the organization wrote: "We cannot simply focus on elections and expect our culture to change by itself. We must make the case for life in our churches, our communities, and our everyday conversations."

Seago said the Republican Party is to blame for the massive electoral shift, saying "the only discussion about abortion in Texas in this election came from [U.S. Senate candidate] James Talarico, who claimed God gave Mary the choice to abort Jesus and said the Bible is silent on abortion."

"Democrats appeared moderate, while Republicans stayed silent," he said. "That sent a message to pro-lifers that they had a choice between two equal candidates."

He said Texas Right to Life will now focus its efforts on making sure the Republican-majority state Senate blocks "bad" bills, emphasizing the group will be "vigilant" in working with senators.

He said even in the Democrat-controlled house, the organization will try to make progress on other pro-life issues where there is bipartisan support and "where the Democrats are usually right there with us," including protecting patients' rights, improving foster care and adoption services, and supporting nonprofits that help women.

Anthony Joseph, a history professor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, told EWTN News that Catholics "who've been buoyed by the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision are being painfully reminded yet again that the democratic process often morally misfires and creates innocent human casualties."

"Voters often are simply unaware of the harm they are doing," he said.

Joseph said "one consolation for pro-lifers is that Dobbs allowed states to protect unborn children, and the protective laws that resulted in some states will not easily be repealed."

"In Texas, the state Senate will likely continue to have a pro-life majority but Catholics must continue to urge these legislators to uphold current Texas law," he said.

Catholics in those states need "to double and triple their outreach" to state legislators to ensure that these laws stay on the books, he said.

Parental rights and education policy at risk

Hinojosa opposes Abbott's Texas Freedom of Education Act, which expanded school choice through vouchers parents can use at private schools, calling it a "payout for the privileged" because she says it takes money away from public schools and favors the rich.

Joseph said school vouchers encourage religious freedom and empower parents, who, as the Church teaches, bear the primary responsibility for the education of their children.

"Parents should have more say in where and how their children are educated," Joseph said, highlighting that low-income parents who live in neighborhoods with failing public schools especially benefit from the program.

Susan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas, agreed, telling EWTN News that Hinojosa's election is "a big loss for a key principle of Catholic social doctrine — the rights of parents over their children's education."

"The school voucher program frees parents from the stranglehold of the teacher's unions, which consistently oppose parental rights in education legislation. It will now be up to the Republicans in the state Senate to defend parental rights," Hanssen said.

"The Church urges Catholics to participate in civic life," Joseph noted, saying they should remain engaged between elections as much as during election seasons. "Our duty to seek the common good is not episodic but ongoing. It neither begins nor ends with voting, and continues whether our preferred party wins or not."

Full Article

Voters in Virginia adopted a referendum to enshrine a right to abortion in their state constitution, while voters in Missouri, Nevada, and Idaho await the final results for referendums that would change abortion policies.

With more than 87% of the vote counted in Virginia as of 11 p.m. ET, 61.5% of people voted for the referendum and 38.5% voted against it.

The people of Missouri are voting on a pro-life referendum to repeal a state constitutional right to abortion. The outcome is too early to call with more than 85% of the vote counted, but the referendum is currently losing, with 55.5% of people voting against it and 44.5% in favor.

Votes have yet to be counted in Nevada or Idaho, where polls closed later.

Catholic bishops in all four states were heavily involved throughout the races, emphasizing the Church's teaching on the sanctity of life and asking the faithful to cast pro-life votes on the state referendums.

The state referendums

The referendum in Virginia will establish a "fundamental right to reproductive freedom" in the state constitution, which includes "abortion care." The amendment extends this right to "every individual," rather than restricting it to just adults.

Although the amendment allows abortion restrictions in the third trimester, it does not allow any restrictions when necessary to protect "the life or physical or mental health" of the mother at any point in the pregnancy. It does not define what constitutes a threat to one's "mental health" but rather leaves this up to the discretion of the treating physician, who is often the abortionist.

The referendum in Missouri would repeal the state constitutional right to abortion and it would allow state lawmakers to restrict abortion. If it fails, the constitution will continue to maintain a "fundamental right to reproductive freedom," which includes "abortion care."

Missouri's constitution allows lawmakers to restrict abortions after fetal viability, which is when the unborn child can survive outside the womb. However, lawmakers cannot restrict abortion at any point in the pregnancy when necessary to "protect the life or physical or mental health" of the mother. Fetal viability and whether the mother's health is at risk is determined by the treating physician, who is often the abortionist.

The referendum in Nevada, if it passes, would establish "a fundamental right to abortion" in the state constitution. It would allow lawmakers to impose restrictions after the point of fetal viability, which are determined by the "treating health care practitioner," which is often the abortionist.

The right would extend through the entire pregnancy when needed to "protect the life or health" of the mother, but "health" is not defined. The right would extend to all individuals, not just adults.

Idaho's referendum would not amend the state constitution, but it would change state law to establish a right to "reproductive freedom," which includes "abortion." It would supersede the current state law, which prohibits abortion except to prevent the death of the mother and, in the first trimester, in reported cases of rape or incest.

The referendum would allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at the point of fetal viability, but this would be determined by the treating physician, who is often the abortionist. It would not allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at any point in the pregnancy when there is a medical emergency. The right would be extended to all individuals, not just adults.

Full Article

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Martial Bernard as the new bishop of Soissons in France. At 48 years of age, he will become the youngest bishop in France on Dec. 20, when he receives his episcopal consecration.

According to the website Catholic-Hierarchy, which specializes in information about bishops worldwide, the previous youngest bishop in France was Étienne Guillet, bishop of Saint-Denis, a 50-year-old prelate who was also 48 when he was appointed bishop.

"I accept this appointment with confidence. I have always trusted the Church, and so I say that if it calls me to this mission, I respond 'yes' with confidence," the bishop-designate stated in an interview with KTO.

Bernard shared that over the last eight years as vicar general he has had the "joy of accompanying his brother priests," and he expressed his desire to get to know and to "journey together," guided by the Gospel with "the people of God who have been entrusted to me."

Bernard will receive episcopal consecration and take possession of the Diocese of Soissons on Dec. 20 at 3 p.m. local time at Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais Cathedral in Soissons.

Who is the youngest bishop in France?

Bernard was born on Jan. 26, 1978, in Bourg-la-Reine in the Diocese of Nanterre. According to an Oct. 31 statement from the Vatican Press Office, he studied at the Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Issy-lès-Moulineaux and completed an internship at the Municipal Conservatory of Viry-Châtillon.

After studying at the Saint-Paul Seminary in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, he earned a licentiate degree in theology, specializing in catechetical and practical theology at the Catholic Institute of Paris. He was ordained a priest on June 25, 2005, for the Diocese of Évry-Corbeil-Essonnes.

Within that particular Church, he held several positions, including: diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of altar servers (2005–2009); "parochus in solidum" (sharing responsibility for more than one parish) in the deanery of Brétigny (2006–2008); and diocesan delegate for vocations, as well as a member of the Council for the Protection of Catholic Education (2008–2011).

He also served as parish priest and dean of Brétigny (2009–2014); "parochus in solidum" and dean of Évry-Corbeil-Essonnes, as well as rector of the cathedral of Évry (2014–2018); and episcopal vicar for Catholic education and diocesan delegate for the formation of seminarians (2015–2018).

Furthermore, he has served as vicar general and moderator of the Évry curia; as a member of the Diocesan Council for Financial Affairs, the Parish Mutual Aid Fund, the Board of Directors, the General Assembly, and the Association of Friends of the Cathedral (since 2018); as coordinator of pastoral sector leaders (since 2021); and as head of the Fidei Donum program for foreign priests (2021–2022).

Until now he was responsible for the permanent diaconate, children's catechesis, ecumenism, pilgrimages, relations with Judaism, and prison and hospital chaplaincies.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Full Article

Ten years after the publication of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', the Vatican has launched a new digital atlas to advance his ecological vision.

The Laudato Si' Platform launched the Atlas of Laudato Si' at a press conference Wednesday at the Holy See Press Office in Rome. The organization also presented its fifth annual report at the conference, highlighting 13,600 participants since 2021 and new tools to implement integral ecology within the Church.

Presenters included Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Bishop Allwyn D'Silva, auxiliary bishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Bombay, India.

Care for creation is not optional

Among the themes discussed at the conference was the need to continue concrete actions toward care for the environment.

In her presentation, Smerilli said Catholic commitment to caring for creation is "not optional."

"Living our vocation as guardians of God's work is 'not something optional nor a secondary aspect of Christian experience,'" Smerilli said. "Caring for creation and caring for humanity are one and the same task."

Participants also reflected on the impact of Laudato Si' since its publication.

"The seeds sown by Laudato Si' have borne much fruit in different parts of the world," D'Silva said.

A new digital Catholic atlas

The press conference also presented a new digital atlas to demonstrate the Church's commitment to integral ecology worldwide. The atlas uses data from the Leonum Institute of the Catholic University of America and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.

The Atlas of Laudato Si' will allow users to explore ecological initiatives by institutions and dioceses, and also access data on natural disasters.

Molly Burhans, an American cartographer who pioneered the data collection and curation for the project, explained the importance of atlases and defended the integral ecology's importance for Catholics.

"If you want to make environmental action, you should understand the environment," Burhans told EWTN News. "And the best way to understand the environment is maps."

"We are here to care for the garden. That's in Genesis. If someone believes there's a political agenda behind caring for the environment, I think they should go back and read the Bible."

Full Article

Pro-abortion advocates prevailed in three of four ballot referendums, while Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in the Nov. 3 elections, prompting responses from some U.S. Catholic bishops and pro-life groups.

Voters in Virginia and Nevada adopted amendments to their state constitutions to create a legal right to abortion, with more than 62% support in both states. Voters in Missouri easily defeated a pro-life referendum that would have repealed their state constitution's legal right to abortion, with 55.5% voting against it.

Alternatively, voters in Idaho decisively rejected a referendum that would have changed state law to create a legal right to abortion, with 56% of voters casting their ballots for "no."

The balance of power in Congress shifted significantly. Democrats have flipped at least seven Republican Senate seats (two Republican-held seats are still too close to call). Democrats won control of the House and are on pace to have more than a 70-seat majority.

Reactions to abortion referendums

Catholic bishops were heavily involved in the four abortion referendum battles, seeking to rally the faithful behind the Church's teaching about the sanctity of life and cast their ballots in line with the pro-life causes.

After a resounding 25-point victory for abortion in Virginia, the bishops in both Catholic dioceses in the commonwealth called the results "profoundly tragic."

"Unless a court intervenes, this decision will embed virtually limitless abortion into the constitution," Diocese of Richmond Bishop Barry C. Knestout and Diocese of Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge said in a joint statement.

"It will put women's health and safety at severe risk and leave parents out of life-altering and irreversible decisions involving their minor daughters," they said. "Most fundamentally, this extreme, radical, dangerous and deadly constitutional amendment is a complete rejection of the immeasurable value of human life, created in God's image and likeness."

Olivia Gans Turner, president of Virginia Society for Human Life, expressed concern about how far-reaching the referendum would go and said: "The winners of this vote will be abortion businesses who will be able to operate unregulated and without any serious accountability in the commonwealth. The losers of tonight's vote are the women and unborn children who will now be without any legal protections going forward."

The Nevada Catholic Conference — which represents the state's two dioceses, the Diocese of Reno and the Archdiocese of Las Vegas — also issued a statement following the 26-point win for abortion rights in their state.

"A vote can change Nevada's constitution, but it cannot change the dignity and value of every human life," the statement read. "We are deeply disappointed by the passage of Question 6. However, this election does not end our responsibility to the unborn or to mothers who need our help."

"The Nevada Catholic Conference remains committed to protecting human life and supporting women and families," it added. "We will keep speaking up for the unborn and all human life from conception to natural death."

The Missouri Catholic Conference also issued a statement — signed by the bishops of all four dioceses — which said it is "profoundly saddened" voters rejected the pro-life amendment.

"This result, however, does not mark the end of our work," the statement read. "The Catholic Church in Missouri will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the dignity of every person, protect the most vulnerable among us, and provide compassionate support to those in need, as she has always done."

"We remain steadfast in our commitment to accompany mothers and fathers facing hardship in their pregnancies and to offer hope and healing to those who have been wounded by the scourge of abortion," the bishops added.

Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, said the pro-life defeat "will continue to open the door to abortion throughout pregnancy" but that "tonight's results are a setback, but it's not the final word."

"An election cannot diminish the humanity of an unborn child or end our responsibility to speak for those whose lives are at risk," Tobias said.

The Diocese of Boise, the only Catholic diocese in Idaho, has not yet issued a statement on the pro-life victory in the state. The diocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Bishop Peter Christensen had been encouraging priests to emphasize the teaching on the sanctity of human life at every Mass leading up to the vote.

Emily Naugle, president of Right to Life of Idaho, said in a statement that "Idaho voters saw through a campaign designed to pit women against their unborn babies and recognized that our current laws protect both."

"Pro-Life advocates came together and fought as though lives depended on it, because they do. They worked tirelessly to expose the truth about Proposition 1," Naugle said. "We are relishing this victory and are proud to stand among the many voices who spoke up for the most vulnerable in our society this election."

Reaction to election results

There have not been many reactions from bishops about the congressional results, although the Colorado Catholic Conference — which represents all of the state's bishops — put out a statement congratulating all winners and urging them to support the common good.

"We call upon our elected leaders to implement policies that defend and uplift the most vulnerable members of our human family," the statement read, according to the Denver Catholic.

"We also urge you to firmly protect the religious liberty of all individuals and faith-based organizations, safeguarding their right to serve the community according to their convictions," it added. "May your governance be guided by a steadfast commitment to justice, peace and the flourishing of our entire state."

Some pro-life organizations have expressed concern about the Democrats' congressional wins due to the pro-abortion stances of the bulk of the party's candidates.

Tobias said in a statement that many pro-life politicians were "replaced with rabidly anti-life candidates" but noted "we've faced difficult times before — and we're still here."

"We will continue to push for laws that protect babies and help their moms, while looking for new and innovative ways to love them both," she said. "We will work to make sure that every pregnant woman knows she is not alone. And we will continue to promote the value of innocent human life so that, even if abortion is legal, no woman will want one."

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser asserted in a statement that Republican turnout was low because the Republican Party has watered down its pro-life stances.

"Republican consultants got the campaign they wanted — and the defeat they earned," she said. "You cannot spend years telling your base to sit down and shut up, then act surprised when they don't stand up for you on Election Day. Republicans must stop running from the pro-life fight and start giving voters a reason to fight for them."

A poll released by the Pew Research Center in October found that 43% of Republicans listed abortion as a "very important" factor in their vote. However, 82% listed the economy as "very important" and many other issues surpassed abortion in terms of importance for Republican voters, such as immigration, foreign policy, and violent crime.

Full Article

Voters in Virginia adopted a referendum to enshrine a right to abortion in their state constitution, while voters in Missouri, Nevada, and Idaho await the final results for referendums that would change abortion policies.

With more than 87% of the vote counted in Virginia as of 11 p.m. ET, 61.5% of people voted for the referendum and 38.5% voted against it.

The people of Missouri are voting on a pro-life referendum to repeal a state constitutional right to abortion. The outcome is too early to call with more than 85% of the vote counted, but the referendum is currently losing, with 55.5% of people voting against it and 44.5% in favor.

Votes have yet to be counted in Nevada or Idaho, where polls closed later.

Catholic bishops in all four states were heavily involved throughout the races, emphasizing the Church's teaching on the sanctity of life and asking the faithful to cast pro-life votes on the state referendums.

The state referendums

The referendum in Virginia will establish a "fundamental right to reproductive freedom" in the state constitution, which includes "abortion care." The amendment extends this right to "every individual," rather than restricting it to just adults.

Although the amendment allows abortion restrictions in the third trimester, it does not allow any restrictions when necessary to protect "the life or physical or mental health" of the mother at any point in the pregnancy. It does not define what constitutes a threat to one's "mental health" but rather leaves this up to the discretion of the treating physician, who is often the abortionist.

The referendum in Missouri would repeal the state constitutional right to abortion and it would allow state lawmakers to restrict abortion. If it fails, the constitution will continue to maintain a "fundamental right to reproductive freedom," which includes "abortion care."

Missouri's constitution allows lawmakers to restrict abortions after fetal viability, which is when the unborn child can survive outside the womb. However, lawmakers cannot restrict abortion at any point in the pregnancy when necessary to "protect the life or physical or mental health" of the mother. Fetal viability and whether the mother's health is at risk is determined by the treating physician, who is often the abortionist.

The referendum in Nevada, if it passes, would establish "a fundamental right to abortion" in the state constitution. It would allow lawmakers to impose restrictions after the point of fetal viability, which are determined by the "treating health care practitioner," which is often the abortionist.

The right would extend through the entire pregnancy when needed to "protect the life or health" of the mother, but "health" is not defined. The right would extend to all individuals, not just adults.

Idaho's referendum would not amend the state constitution, but it would change state law to establish a right to "reproductive freedom," which includes "abortion." It would supersede the current state law, which prohibits abortion except to prevent the death of the mother and, in the first trimester, in reported cases of rape or incest.

The referendum would allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at the point of fetal viability, but this would be determined by the treating physician, who is often the abortionist. It would not allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at any point in the pregnancy when there is a medical emergency. The right would be extended to all individuals, not just adults.

Full Article

VATICAN CITY — During Wednesday's general audience, the last before his trip to South America Nov. 6–17, Pope Leo XIV pointed to the "threat to world peace" posed by the imbalances of an unjust economic system.

"The council fathers highlight, first of all, the threat to world peace deriving from the imbalances linked to an economic development that is neither equitable nor respectful of creation. This is a farsighted vision, which was unfortunately borne out towards the end of the last century and which we see even more clearly today," the pontiff said, continuing his series of lessons on the Second Vatican Council's pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes.

He noted that technical solutions alone are not enough to address these problems. Citing the conciliar text, he recalled that "many reforms in the socioeconomic realm and a change of mentality and attitude are required of all."

The pope also underscored the continuing relevance of the Church's calls to "commit to eliminating discrimination against the most vulnerable social groups and migrants."

The pontiff stressed that the social dimension is an integral part not only "of our faith in Christ Jesus" but is also "the precious legacy we receive from the incarnation of the Son of God."

'The heart of the economy is work'

One of the central themes of the catechesis was the dignity of human work. Leo XIV said that "the heart of the economy is work," which "must never be distorted to the detriment of people, the common good, or creation."

He also warned that work must never become a source of exploitation or harm to people. "Unemployment, exploitation, and working conditions that endanger health and life itself are unacceptable," he emphasized.

The pope also defended the principle that "workers have the right and the duty to participate in decisions affecting their work" and to resolve conflicts through "dialogue and nonviolent action."

An economy at the service of all

In his catechesis, the Holy Father said the Second Vatican Council recalls that one of the fundamental principles of the Church's social teaching is the "universal destination of earthly goods."

According to the pope, this principle also applies "to the financial sphere." He said that those responsible for investments and planning the economy, "whether they be individuals or groups of public authorities," are bound "to recognize their serious obligation of watching, on the one hand, that provision be made for the necessities required for a decent life both of individuals and of the whole community."

The economy, the pope insisted, must always be "at the service of humankind and under human control," echoing the vision of integral development later developed by St. Paul VI in the encyclical Populorum Progressio.

Politics as service to the common good

Addressing the political dimension, Leo XIV said that political authority must always be directed toward the common good, taking into account local and historical circumstances while keeping "the good of the entire human family at heart."

He also recalled the teaching of Gaudium et Spes on relations between the Church and the state, noting that both institutions are autonomous in their respective spheres but can cooperate in order to serve people more effectively.

"The Church and the political community in their own fields are autonomous and independent from each other. Yet both, under different titles, are devoted to the personal and social vocation of the same men. The more that both foster sounder cooperation between themselves with due consideration for the circumstances of time and place, the more effective will their service be exercised for the good of all," he quoted.

Peace is built through economics and politics

Recalling a statement by his predecessor, Pope Francis, he reiterated that "war is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil."

In contrast, he called for a form of politics that "tends to the wounds of peoples and of those who suffer injustice" and offers "grounds for hope for the future of humanity."

Finally, he encouraged young people to "follow the example of those men and women who have borne faithful witness" in public life and renewed his appeal to Christian communities to "revive formation in the social doctrine of the Church."

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Full Article