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Catholic News

The European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. / Credit: JLogan via Wikimedia/ Public DomainRome Newsroom, Mar 22, 2024 / 10:45 am (CNA).European bishops this week called on the institutions of the European Union to embrace greater state-church dialogue and on parliamentary candidates to include Christian principles in their political programs ahead of the bloc's elections in June. Stressing the importance of participatory democracy and the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process of European affairs, the statement bemoaned what it saw as the political and institutional marginalization of Christian voices. "We distinctly noticed that a large proportion of citizens, who confidently look at the European future through the prism of Christian values, now feel marginalized, as they do not have the opportunity to express their positions and opinions in an autonomous and distinct way," the bishops said in their March 20 statement."We also notice the exclusion o...

The European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. / Credit: JLogan via Wikimedia/ Public Domain

Rome Newsroom, Mar 22, 2024 / 10:45 am (CNA).

European bishops this week called on the institutions of the European Union to embrace greater state-church dialogue and on parliamentary candidates to include Christian principles in their political programs ahead of the bloc's elections in June. 

Stressing the importance of participatory democracy and the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process of European affairs, the statement bemoaned what it saw as the political and institutional marginalization of Christian voices. 

"We distinctly noticed that a large proportion of citizens, who confidently look at the European future through the prism of Christian values, now feel marginalized, as they do not have the opportunity to express their positions and opinions in an autonomous and distinct way," the bishops said in their March 20 statement.

"We also notice the exclusion of any appropriate reference to Christian values in relevant EU texts," the bishops said. 

The March 20 joint statement was signed by the Commission of Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), the Conference of European Churches, the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, and Together for Europe ahead of the European parliamentary elections that will take place from June 6–9.

The election, which is held every five years, will be an opportunity for citizens from the 27 EU member states to elect a total of 720 members of the European Parliament (MEPS), representing an estimated 448.4 million people. 

The statement from the bishops highlighted the myriad challenges that the bloc faces, ranging from an energy crisis, sluggish economic growth, and common security risks as well as the migrant crisis and Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine. 

??"These challenges," the statement continued, "are accompanied by a broader crisis of values in the European area, which calls into question democratic principles and institutions." 

The signatories called on parliamentary candidates to promote Christian values in their political manifestos and electoral campaigns. They also stressed the importance of the European Union institutions to "recognize Christian values as a main foundation of the European project" in line with the provisions outlined in Article 17 (3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

The bishops also raised concerns of political "polarization" and the "instrumentalization" of religious values to advance political objectives and "ethno-racial narratives," an apparent slight to right-wing leaders across Europe. 

"Insecurity and fear dominate a large part of citizens' views on the future of Europe and the world," the statement continued. That fear "motivates some of them to seek solutions and spiritual support in an objectified and instrumentalized version of tradition, sometimes disguised as an appeal to 'traditional values.'"

"In such cases, the concepts of 'homeland' and 'religion' are weaponized, and dubious historical figures are turned into heroes." 

The bishops in their March 20 letter argued that Christian values, which are "shared by a large part of European citizens," can serve as a firewall against the internal and external challenges of the European Union.

"Precisely in this preelection period, we, as Christians, express our willingness to ensure a substantial and in-depth political dialogue that would also be an opportunity to express our firm commitment to European values and the EU acquis," the statement said.

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Map of Congo. / ShutterstockACI Africa, Mar 22, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).The decision by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to lift a 2003 ban on the death penalty is retrogressive, the local ordinary of the country's Kinshasa Archdiocese, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, has said.In a statement issued March 13, DRC's justice minister, Rose Mutombo, announced the lifting of the two-decade-old moratorium on the death penalty in the Central African nation.Mutombo has been quoted as saying that "acts of treachery or espionage have taken a toll on the population and the Republic" and that the restoration of the death penalty is to "rid our country's army of traitors … and curb the upsurge in acts of terrorism and urban banditry resulting in death."In a March 17 interview with the French-language Catholic television channel KTO, Ambongo faulted the justice minister's pronouncements, saying he finds it "abnormal that a government that claims to be responsible could ...

Map of Congo. / Shutterstock

ACI Africa, Mar 22, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The decision by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to lift a 2003 ban on the death penalty is retrogressive, the local ordinary of the country's Kinshasa Archdiocese, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, has said.

In a statement issued March 13, DRC's justice minister, Rose Mutombo, announced the lifting of the two-decade-old moratorium on the death penalty in the Central African nation.

Mutombo has been quoted as saying that "acts of treachery or espionage have taken a toll on the population and the Republic" and that the restoration of the death penalty is to "rid our country's army of traitors … and curb the upsurge in acts of terrorism and urban banditry resulting in death."

In a March 17 interview with the French-language Catholic television channel KTO, Ambongo faulted the justice minister's pronouncements, saying he finds it "abnormal that a government that claims to be responsible could take such a decision."

"This is a step backwards! I don't think that a responsible government can raise such an option to punish people who are called traitors," he said. "First of all, on the notion of traitors, we must first agree on what that means. And when I look at the reality here in the Congo, the great traitors to the country are precisely those in power."

When those in power "don't serve the interests of the people, they are the ones we have to start considering as traitors, because they don't assume the roles for which they have been entrusted, that is, service to the population," Ambongo said.

"I wouldn't want us to take advantage of a vague notion of traitors to settle political scores," said the cardinal, who is also the president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).

With the lifting of the moratorium in DRC, the death penalty is to be carried out following any judicial conviction for offenses that include criminal conspiracy, treason, espionage, participation in armed gangs, participation in an uprising, crimes against humanity, military conspiracy, and rebellion, among others. 

In his March 17 interview, Ambongo also addressed a number of issues in his country including violence in the Eastern Province and the Church's stance on political and social issues.

"I always say the Catholic Church, and especially the cardinal, is not neutral. Jesus Christ was not neutral," he said. "The political class would like to see the Catholic Church, and especially the cardinal of the Congo, maintain an attitude of neutrality with regard to their actions."

The Congolese cardinal, who has been a member of Pope Francis' Council of Cardinals (C9) since his appointment in October 2020 and reappointment in March 2023, went on to clarify the position of the Church against oppressors, seeking justice for the oppressed and marginalized.

"But if the Catholic Church comes to this, it's because the Church has taken a stand for the powerful against the little ones. But we have taken up the option of accompanying our people in their quest for a little more dignity," he said. "Naturally, our words, our stance, irritate those who make the people suffer."

Reflecting on the violence in the eastern part of the country, Ambongo highlighted bad governance and the influence of western countries as some of the reasons behind the security challenge. 

"There's an internal cause; what we call bad governance on the part of the Congolese themselves, because we can ask ourselves why this is only happening in the Congo and not elsewhere," he said.

"From independence to the present day, we have the impression that the Congolese man, the Congolese human being, has never been at the heart of the concerns of our leaders," Ambongo added.

Another reason behind the violence in the eastern part of DRC, he said, "is a sort of combination of economic interests — big oil, forestry, and mining companies want to operate in the Congo, but they sometimes use neighboring countries, hence the current anger in the Congo towards Rwanda."

"The majority of the population is the victim of all this violence, and we have some absolutely terrible accounts of the violence taking place in the country," Ambongo lamented.

This article was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Rosa María Payá coordinates the pro-Cuba democracy platform Cuba Decide. She is the daughter of the revered late Catholic Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá. / Credit: Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty ImagesACI Prensa Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 17:05 pm (CNA).The Cuba Decides initiative, founded by Catholic opposition activist Rosa María Payá, is calling on the international community to side with the Cuban people and support the country's peaceful transition to democracy, a demand made by protesters in July 2021 as well as last weekend.Payá is the daughter of revered Catholic pro-democracy leader Oswaldo Payá, who was reportedly assassinated by the Castro regime in 2012.In an email sent to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, the democratic initiative referred to the protests that took place March 18 in cities such as Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo, in which numerous people took to the streets to demand a change in the system due to continuous power outages and food shortages on the isl...

Rosa María Payá coordinates the pro-Cuba democracy platform Cuba Decide. She is the daughter of the revered late Catholic Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá. / Credit: Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 17:05 pm (CNA).

The Cuba Decides initiative, founded by Catholic opposition activist Rosa María Payá, is calling on the international community to side with the Cuban people and support the country's peaceful transition to democracy, a demand made by protesters in July 2021 as well as last weekend.

Payá is the daughter of revered Catholic pro-democracy leader Oswaldo Payá, who was reportedly assassinated by the Castro regime in 2012.

In an email sent to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, the democratic initiative referred to the protests that took place March 18 in cities such as Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo, in which numerous people took to the streets to demand a change in the system due to continuous power outages and food shortages on the island.

"The situation is critical; the regime has plunged the Cuban people into a deep humanitarian crisis marked by hunger [and] systemic failures in practically all public services, from health to transportation and energy," the organization explained.

Furthermore, "the absolute ineptitude and negligence of the state [as well as] political repression and violence prevail. The regime holds more than 1,000 political prisoners as hostages in what amounts to torture. Opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer has been missing in prison since Nov. 28, 2023," Cuba Decides stated.

In her email Payá encouraged democratic countries to create "a coalition of nations" that condemn "the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime" and support the people in their effort to regain their sovereignty.

"We, the Cuban people, are prepared to transition to democracy," she affirmed.

Steps to achieve transition

The Cuba Decides initiative, which brings together Cubans on the island and abroad along with international friends, proposes a four-stage roadmap for the country to transition from the dictatorship established in 1959 to a democratic system.

The first step is to recognize and guarantee the protection of human rights for all Cubans, including freedom of speech, assembly, association, and civil liberties.

The second step is to hold "a binding plebiscite implementing electoral and transparency guarantees so that the people can express themselves and sovereignly decide on the change toward a democratic and multiparty system."

The third stage, according to Cuba Decides, is to "initiate a transition process that establishes democratic institutions, guarantees the rule of law, and ensures a peaceful and orderly transfer of power."

This is to be followed by "free and multiparty elections." Citing Oswaldo Payá, the founder of the Christian Liberation Movement, the text urges people to stand "on the side of the Cuban people, of all Cubans, and this means supporting respect for all their rights, so that our people can make their voices heard through the ballot box."

In addition to these steps, Cuba Decides calls on the international community, especially the European Union and the Organization of American States, "to impose individual political, financial, and diplomatic sanctions on the leaders of the regime" and all those "involved in serious violations of human rights." 

It is necessary, the organization points out, "to use all available tools to influence those who have the ability to make the necessary decisions to accept the people's call for a transition toward democracy."

Cuba Decides is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and pluralistic organization dedicated to achieving the peaceful change of Cuba's political system and the rule of law.

According to its website, Cuba Decides consists of "Cubans on the island and around the world along with international friends who together work tirelessly to achieve a peaceful change. The threats made by the regime will not paralyze us. Fear does not dominate us. We fight for a democratic Cuba and we are closer than ever to achieving that goal."

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

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Pope Francis venerates the Salus Populi Romani icon in the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Dec. 8, 2023. / Vatican MediaRome Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).Pope Francis on Wednesday issued new regulations for the administration of the papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, placing new emphasis on spiritual work and pastoral care and appointing a coadjutor archpriest of the West's oldest Marian shrine. In the March 20 chirograph, or papal decree, the Holy Father explained that he sought to "free" the "canons," (members of the group or "chapter" of clergy he designates to serve the basilica) "from all economic and administrative duties, so that they may dedicate themselves, fully and with renewed vigor, to the spiritual and pastoral accompaniment" of pilgrims.In December 2021 Pope Francis appointed Lithuanian-born Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas as the extraordinary commissioner to undertake the commissioning process "for the reorganization of the life of the chapter and the...

Pope Francis venerates the Salus Populi Romani icon in the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Dec. 8, 2023. / Vatican Media

Rome Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis on Wednesday issued new regulations for the administration of the papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, placing new emphasis on spiritual work and pastoral care and appointing a coadjutor archpriest of the West's oldest Marian shrine. 

In the March 20 chirograph, or papal decree, the Holy Father explained that he sought to "free" the "canons," (members of the group or "chapter" of clergy he designates to serve the basilica) "from all economic and administrative duties, so that they may dedicate themselves, fully and with renewed vigor, to the spiritual and pastoral accompaniment" of pilgrims.

In December 2021 Pope Francis appointed Lithuanian-born Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas as the extraordinary commissioner to undertake the commissioning process "for the reorganization of the life of the chapter and the basilica, for the greater good of the people of God." 

This process, led by an extraordinary commissioner and assisted by a special commission, looked at the administrative functioning of the basilica, including a study of the basilica's financial situation. 

The Basilica of St. Mary Major, also known as the Liberian Basilica, is one of the four papal basilicas of Rome and home to the relic of the Holy Cradle and the icon of Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine icon attributed to St. Luke depicting the Madonna and Child Jesus holding a Gospel book.

The basilica has been an important place for Pope Francis, who prays there before the icon before and after all his apostolic journeys. 

In December 2023, in an interview with Mexican television program "N+", the pope expressed his desire to be buried in the basilica, not in the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica. 

In his chirograph, the pope appointed Makrickas as the coadjutor archpriest of St. Mary Major, with the right to succeed 78-year-old Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, who has served as archpriest since 2016. 

The archpriest is traditionally a cardinal who serves a five-year renewable term, exercising "executive power of government for the activities of the basilica itself and for the administration of the chapter's assets," and is the legal representative of the basilica. 

The statue also created two new positions: the delegate for pastoral care, who is the archpriest's first collaborator for the activities of the canons and the basilica and works in close collaboration with the master of ceremonies and the delegate for administration, who oversees the administrative tasks of the basilica. 

Makrickas will continue to cover the duties of these two roles until those positions are appointed.

The new statute also established a new administrative council, which will be tasked with administration of the chapter's assets. According to Article 48 of the new statutes, the administrative council is composed of the archpriest, the two delegates, a representative of the governorate of the Vatican City State, and a representative of the Administration of the Heritage of the Apostolic See (APSA).

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Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, urges the Supreme Court to restore abortion pill restrictions at a Capitol Hill press conference hosted by Reps. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and August Pfluger, R-Texas, Mar. 21, 2024. / Credit: Peter Pinedo/CNAWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 18:00 pm (CNA).With the Supreme Court set to hear arguments in a high-stakes abortion case next week, pro-life House members are urging the court to restore what they believe are necessary restrictions on the abortion drug known as mifepristone.Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference on Thursday, lawmakers and activists said it was crucial that the court rule in favor of the pro-life groups in the case Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration (AHM v. FDA), which is set to be heard by the Supreme Court on March 26.Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, said at the press conference that in loosening restrictions on mifepristone, the Biden administration is "endangerin...

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, urges the Supreme Court to restore abortion pill restrictions at a Capitol Hill press conference hosted by Reps. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and August Pfluger, R-Texas, Mar. 21, 2024. / Credit: Peter Pinedo/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 18:00 pm (CNA).

With the Supreme Court set to hear arguments in a high-stakes abortion case next week, pro-life House members are urging the court to restore what they believe are necessary restrictions on the abortion drug known as mifepristone.

Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference on Thursday, lawmakers and activists said it was crucial that the court rule in favor of the pro-life groups in the case Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration (AHM v. FDA), which is set to be heard by the Supreme Court on March 26.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, said at the press conference that in loosening restrictions on mifepristone, the Biden administration is "endangering lives."

"I'm praying for the justices as they hear these oral arguments next week for all women and unborn children who have suffered from these drugs," she said. "I'm praying that the right decision will be made."

"Women should be outraged that other women are put in danger like this," she continued. "This just is not right, and women deserve better than this."

What's at stake?

Represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), several pro-life groups sued the FDA in 2022 to restore abortion drug restrictions, most notably requiring in-person doctor's visits and prohibiting obtaining mifepristone by mail.

The Fifth Circuit Court ruled in 2023 that the FDA had to restore those restrictions but the Biden administration quickly appealed, leaving the ultimate decision with the Supreme Court.

On March 26 the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case before deciding whether to restore the mifepristone restrictions.

What is mifepristone? 

Mifepristone is the drug most used in chemical abortions, which now accounts for 63% of all U.S. abortions. Mifepristone works by cutting off the nutrients necessary for an unborn baby to continue growing, essentially starving the baby to death.

In 2021 the FDA under the Biden administration loosened mifepristone restrictions allowing the pill to be mailed to women and taken without any in-person examination by a doctor. The administration also issued new guidance allowing retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone, which allowed CVS and Walgreens to begin selling the drug in certain states this month.

Lawmakers and leaders speak up 

In November 2023, over 100 members of Congress signed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the pro-life groups in AHM v. FDA. On Thursday, several of those lawmakers spoke in front of the U.S. Capitol, continuing to press the Supreme Court to restore mifepristone restrictions.

"This is about protecting the safety of Americans from a politicized FDA," said Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas.

"The FDA's disregard for federal law and patient safeguards is appalling, and it's unacceptable," he continued. "We cannot allow politics to dictate health care decisions, especially when it comes to matters as critical as the health and safety of women."

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tennessee, said that "the White House should be ashamed" and that "this is about profit, this is about a predatory industry that preys upon young girls."

Also present at the press conference were several pro-life leaders including Dr. Christina Francis, an OB-GYN and CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

"As an OB-GYN," Francis said, "it is appalling to me that the FDA would leave women to perform their own chemical abortions at home, alone, without even one in-person visit to the doctor."

"What's even more shocking is that the FDA removed its safeguard despite its own label, stating that roughly 1 in 25 women who take these drugs will end up in the emergency room," she said.

According to Francis, in-person doctor's visits are especially vital to check for ectopic pregnancies and to verify the unborn baby's level of development. Without knowing this information, Francis said, the likelihood of serious complications increases dramatically.

Abortion groups plan protest

Several lawmakers at the press conference mentioned that this case would not ban mifepristone and expressed hopes that increasing protections would be a unifying factor. Several pro-abortion groups, nevertheless, are vehemently opposed to any restrictions on mifepristone.

The Women's March is one such group and has organized a demonstration outside the Supreme Court on the day of the hearing.

In a statement obtained by CNA, Women's March executive director Rachel O'Leary Carmona said that "with the 2024 election approaching, and the GOP's attack on women's bodily autonomy growing disturbingly stronger every day — it's crucial to shine a national spotlight on access to mifepristone and for Americans to understand what is at stake for women."

"The reality of a nationwide abortion ban and limited access to reproductive health care is not a hypothetical — it's happening right in front of us for all Americans to see," Carmona said. 

'I have never worked on a case like this'

In an exclusive interview with CNA, Erik Baptist, the lead ADF attorney on the case, said that the FDA's decision to drop the mifepristone restrictions was "unprecedented" and based on "reckless" politics instead of science.  

"I have never worked on a case like this where a federal agency tasked with securing the safety of the general public, in particular here, women, has callously disregarded health without basis," he said. "That is unprecedented what the FDA did here."

With the hearing fast approaching, Baptist, who is Catholic, said he is grateful for the U.S. bishops' recent national call for prayer for the case.

"It would be great to have millions of Catholics across this country in union saying a prayer for the outcome of this case, for women's health, for their protection, and for everybody involved in this case on the issue of chemical abortion in general," he said.

Baptist said that he expects the Supreme Court will not issue a final ruling until the end of its 2024 term in June.

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null / Carl Ballou / ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 18:30 pm (CNA).A New Hampshire man was charged with the murder of a pregnant woman and her unborn child, which is the first time the state's fetal homicide law has ever been invoked.William Kelly, 38, was charged with second-degree murder on allegations that he recklessly caused the death of 33-year-old Christine Falzone. He also faced another count of second-degree murder on allegations that he recklessly caused the death of her unborn child. The indictment from the Carroll County Grand Jury was announced on March 15. According to the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Falzone was somewhere between 35 and 37 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, which means she was only a few weeks away from giving birth. Authorities have not disclosed a suspected motive for the alleged murder but noted that Falzone and Kelly lived together. The double murder charges present a first-of-its-kind case ...

null / Carl Ballou / Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

A New Hampshire man was charged with the murder of a pregnant woman and her unborn child, which is the first time the state's fetal homicide law has ever been invoked.

William Kelly, 38, was charged with second-degree murder on allegations that he recklessly caused the death of 33-year-old Christine Falzone. He also faced another count of second-degree murder on allegations that he recklessly caused the death of her unborn child. 

The indictment from the Carroll County Grand Jury was announced on March 15. 

According to the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Falzone was somewhere between 35 and 37 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, which means she was only a few weeks away from giving birth. Authorities have not disclosed a suspected motive for the alleged murder but noted that Falzone and Kelly lived together. 

The double murder charges present a first-of-its-kind case in New Hampshire. This is the first time any person has been charged under the fetal homicide law enacted in 2018, which allows homicide prosecutions when a third party commits a violent criminal act that causes the death of a preborn child of a woman who is more than 20 weeks pregnant.

In most situations, New Hampshire law does not recognize the rights of preborn children — the state allows abortions through the 24th week of pregnancy. The fetal homicide law only applies when there is a violent criminal action taken by a third party that causes the preborn child's death — not when a woman procures an abortion or takes an action that causes the death of her preborn child.

According to National Right to Life, 38 states have laws that allow homicide prosecutions when a violent criminal act causes the death of a preborn child. In 30 of those states, this applies at every stage of pregnancy. The other eight, including New Hampshire, only apply in the later stages of pregnancy. 

Falzone was found dead on Dec. 17, 2023, after authorities received a phone call about a woman who was unconscious and not breathing, according to the state's Department of Justice. An autopsy found that the cause of death was a homicide caused by multiple blunt force injuries. Kelly, who was the immediate suspect in the homicide, was taken into custody.

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The St. Mary's mens basketball team wins the West Coast Conference, earning themselves a spot in the NCAA tournament. / Credit: Ryan BarnettCNA Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 12:30 pm (CNA).The St. Mary's Gaels men's basketball team made history this season by winning the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles on March 12, earning them an automatic bid for the NCAA men's tournament.It's the third time in program history that the team has won both titles in the same season. This is their fifth tournament title. Their previous tournament title wins came in 1997, 2010, 2012, and 2019.Since the beginning of the calendar year, the Gaels have only lost one game, winning 17 out of 18 games and ended the regular season 26-7 overall. The Gaels going into the tournament as the No. 5 seed in the West Region. St. Mary's will now face No. 12 Grand Canyon Antelopes in their first-round game at 10:05 p.m. ET on Friday, March 22.St. Mary's College, located in Moraga, Calif...

The St. Mary's mens basketball team wins the West Coast Conference, earning themselves a spot in the NCAA tournament. / Credit: Ryan Barnett

CNA Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

The St. Mary's Gaels men's basketball team made history this season by winning the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles on March 12, earning them an automatic bid for the NCAA men's tournament.

It's the third time in program history that the team has won both titles in the same season. This is their fifth tournament title. Their previous tournament title wins came in 1997, 2010, 2012, and 2019.

Since the beginning of the calendar year, the Gaels have only lost one game, winning 17 out of 18 games and ended the regular season 26-7 overall. The Gaels going into the tournament as the No. 5 seed in the West Region. 

St. Mary's will now face No. 12 Grand Canyon Antelopes in their first-round game at 10:05 p.m. ET on Friday, March 22.

St. Mary's College, located in Moraga, California, was founded in 1863 by Father Joseph Sadoc Alemany, OP, who became the first archbishop of San Francisco. In 1868 the college was handed over to the De La Salle Christian Brothers, who still administer the school. The private Catholic liberal arts college has a student body of approximately 4,000 students. 

Several other Catholic colleges will be joining St. Mary's in the "Big Dance," including Creighton University, Gonzaga University, Marquette University, St. Peter's University, and the University of Dayton. There are also eight Catholic universities that made it to the NCAA women's tournament — University of Notre Dame, University of Portland, Gonzaga University, Creighton University, Fairfield University, Sacred Heart University, College of the Holy Cross, and Marquette University.

Denny Bulcao, a St. Mary's alum and former play-by-play announcer for the Gaels, told CNA that he believes the team has a "good chance of getting to the Sweet 16, possibly farther."

"This would be our first Sweet 16 since 2010," he said. "We've come pretty close about two or three times since. The last two seasons we lost in the round of 32."

Bulcao was in attendance at the Gaels West Coast Conference Tournament championship game at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, where the team beat Gonzaga 69-60.

"??The energy and atmosphere in Las Vegas is always electric, especially the semifinal and final games because so many Gonzaga fans attend," Bulcao shared. "This year there were more St. Mary's fans than I'd ever seen, which was excellent!"

St. Mary's "won the semifinal game against Santa Clara pretty easily," he added, "and the final was a hard-fought win over Gonzaga, a team that usually wins the conference and tournament championship." 

"St. Mary's winning the regular season championship and the tournament championship is a really big deal, and it's also especially fun to see St. Mary's alumni and people that I worked with in the athletics department at the games."

The former announcer highlighted the team's defense and solid rebounding as its strengths.

"These are things that our head coach, Randy Bennett, has always stressed," he explained. "We have a few talented shooters in guard Aidan Mahaney and forward Alex Ducas. Our 'bigs,' Mitchell Saxen and Mason Forbes, are usually solid. We also usually don't make stupid mistakes or commit too many turnovers."

Despite having a rocky start to their season, Bulcao said, "I think the team finally figured out who the true five starters would be and how they could play well together. Our point guard Augustas Marciulionis really stepped up and became the leader of the team, something we didn't have and desperately needed for the first 10 games."

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null / Credit: Billion Photos/ShutterstockCNA Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).Following three years of modest growth, enrollment in Catholic education has remained stable since 2023, according to new data made public Wednesday by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).  The NCEA, which gathers statistics on Catholic school enrollment in the United States each year, reported that enrollment remained steady with a 0.0% change in enrollment from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024.Following two straight years of notable growth, Catholic school enrollment had again risen slightly nationwide in 2022-2023."Although the national enrollment decline since 2013-2014 school year has been 281,251, a 14.2% loss of the student population, enrollment in more recent years has stabilized," the report read. Of the 5,905 Catholic schools in the U.S., enrollment in the southeast region of the U.S. has experienced the highest enrollment growth since the 2019-2020 school year, a...

null / Credit: Billion Photos/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

Following three years of modest growth, enrollment in Catholic education has remained stable since 2023, according to new data made public Wednesday by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).  

The NCEA, which gathers statistics on Catholic school enrollment in the United States each year, reported that enrollment remained steady with a 0.0% change in enrollment from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024.

Following two straight years of notable growth, Catholic school enrollment had again risen slightly nationwide in 2022-2023.

"Although the national enrollment decline since 2013-2014 school year has been 281,251, a 14.2% loss of the student population, enrollment in more recent years has stabilized," the report read. 

Of the 5,905 Catholic schools in the U.S., enrollment in the southeast region of the U.S. has experienced the highest enrollment growth since the 2019-2020 school year, at a 3.6% increase, while the Great Lakes, West, and Far West regions account for almost half of the Catholic school population.

Catholic schools have had "the lowest number of closures in years," at 55 over the past school year. Meanwhile, 20 new Catholic schools have opened, and 38% of Catholic schools have a waiting list. 

Following record expansion of state "school choice" programs in 2023, the NCEA found that 13.7% of Catholic school students use school choice programs to help them attend Catholic school. 

In four states — Ohio, Florida, Indiana, and Arizona — more than half of Catholic school students are using a school choice program.

Those programs "offer families the ability to choose Catholic schools" by helping parents finance tuition and other educational expenses through programs including state educational savings accounts, tax credit scholarships, and private school vouchers.

"Catholic schools should advocate for the expansion of these programs, enhance awareness among families, and tailor their educational offerings to attract and retain students benefiting from school choice, ensuring access to Catholic education for a broader demographic," the report noted. 

The NCEA also found an increase in the amount of students with diagnosed disabilities to 7.8%, from the previous year's 6.9%, which "reflects a growing recognition and accommodation within Catholic schools."

"The inclusion and support of students with disabilities are indicative of the Catholic education system's commitment to serving all children," the report noted. 

Catholic schools in the southeast had the highest percentage of students with diagnosed disabilities, at more than 11%, the NCEA found.

In addition to disability accommodations, 129 Catholic schools featured dual-language immersion programs designed to teach students in both their native and second languages in order to promote bilingual students.

Nineteen percent of Catholic school students are Hispanic or Latino, which the NCEA noted "reflects broader demographic shifts in the United States and the Catholic education system's response to these changes."

The NCEA also found an increasing trend of non-Catholic students enrolling in Catholic schools, making up 21% of Catholic school students, which, the report noted, presents both "opportunities and challenges." 

Meanwhile, 16% of faculty are non-Catholic, and 12% have not reported a religious affiliation.

While the majority of elementary schools remain parish-sponsored, the NCEA found "notable growth" in elementary diocesan schools, from 2.4% in 1990 to 18% in 2023, "signaling a trend towards consolidation and centralized management within dioceses."

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Carissa Carroll, pictured with her son Jack, founded the nonprofit organization Jack's Basket to celebrate babies with Down syndrome / Credit: Screenshot/EWTN Pro-Life WeeklyWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).As many countries celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, a panel of pro-life leaders and scholars is calling attention to the threat that prenatal testing poses to preborn children who are diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb."[The mother] often faces tremendous internal and external pressure to undergo an abortion," said J.D. Flynn, who moderated the panel at the Catholic University of America's Institute for Human Ecology and is himself the father of two children with Down syndrome. Prenatal screening within the first 11 through 14 weeks of pregnancy can determine whether a preborn child has a higher likelihood of having Down syndrome, but a follow-up diagnostic test can confirm whether the child has the condition. Although eff...

Carissa Carroll, pictured with her son Jack, founded the nonprofit organization Jack's Basket to celebrate babies with Down syndrome / Credit: Screenshot/EWTN Pro-Life Weekly

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 21, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).

As many countries celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, a panel of pro-life leaders and scholars is calling attention to the threat that prenatal testing poses to preborn children who are diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb.

"[The mother] often faces tremendous internal and external pressure to undergo an abortion," said J.D. Flynn, who moderated the panel at the Catholic University of America's Institute for Human Ecology and is himself the father of two children with Down syndrome. 

Prenatal screening within the first 11 through 14 weeks of pregnancy can determine whether a preborn child has a higher likelihood of having Down syndrome, but a follow-up diagnostic test can confirm whether the child has the condition. Although efforts to destigmatize the condition have had some success, the likelihood that a mother will abort her child increases dramatically after such a diagnosis. 

A 2012 study that compiled data from 24 studies between 1995 and 2011 found that more than two-thirds of preborn children who were diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb were killed via abortion. Rates throughout Europe are even higher — more than 90%. In Iceland, nearly all preborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted and only about two or three children with Down syndrome are born every year.

Mary O'Callaghan, a visiting fellow at Notre Dame University's McGrath Institute for Church Life, noted a disconnect between the "more positive" attitude the public expresses about people with Down syndrome and the "more aggressive targeting" of abortion for preborn children with Down syndrome.

"Those with Down syndrome are increasingly showing us their ability to flourish," said O'Callaghan, who also has a child with Down syndrome. In spite of this, she said, "we're in a much worse place in respect to abortion and Down syndrome."

Bridget Brown, a 36-year-old woman with Down syndrome who serves on the National Catholic Partnership on Disability Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, expressed the same concern. 

Noting the trends in countries such as Iceland, Brown said she may be from the last generation of people with Down syndrome: "The world may never again benefit from our gifts."

"This is genocide — the systematic killing of a whole people," Brown added, citing a letter she wrote to Pope Francis about the situation in Iceland before meeting the pontiff in 2017.

Bridget Brown meets with Pope Francis in Vatican City on Oct. 21, 2017. Credit:  L'Osservatore Romano.
Bridget Brown meets with Pope Francis in Vatican City on Oct. 21, 2017. Credit: L'Osservatore Romano.

According to Tracy Winsor, who co-founded an organization to support couples who carry their children to term after a prenatal diagnosis called Be Not Afraid, many women consider abortion after a diagnosis because receiving the news is a "traumatic event" for most couples and is presented as a "worst-case scenario." 

Winsor noted that doctors will present a lot of information, which "can be overwhelming" at the moment. She advises parents to immediately connect with parents who have children living with Down syndrome and to advocates for individuals with Down syndrome.

O'Callaghan agreed: "Meeting with other parents around this time is very helpful [in reducing abortion]." Prenatal testing, she noted, should be oriented toward preparing for their child.

"They need to think about prenatal testing oriented toward the health of their child," O'Callaghan said.

Brown similarly noted that like everyone else, her "life is filled with hopes and possibilities" and encouraged couples who receive a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis for their preborn child to approach the situation positively. 

"Make plans based on dreams and not on fears," Brown said. "Believe in yourself and your child."

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null / ShutterstockCNA Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 11:35 am (CNA).The Montana Supreme Court this week gave the green light to a pro-abortion amendment to the state's constitution that may appear before voters in November. In a 6-1 decision issued on Monday, the court held that state Attorney General Austin Knudsen had "erred" when his office determined that the proposed pro-abortion ballot measure was "legally insufficient" to be placed on the ballot in this year's election. The measure as described on the Montana secretary of state's website would "[prohibit] the government from denying or burdening the right to abortion before fetal viability" and would further forbid any restrictions on abortion "when it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient's life or health."State Deputy Solicitor General Brent Mead said in a Jan. 16 letter that the measure fails the state's "separate-vote requirement," which mandates that multiple state ballot measures b...

null / Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 21, 2024 / 11:35 am (CNA).

The Montana Supreme Court this week gave the green light to a pro-abortion amendment to the state's constitution that may appear before voters in November. 

In a 6-1 decision issued on Monday, the court held that state Attorney General Austin Knudsen had "erred" when his office determined that the proposed pro-abortion ballot measure was "legally insufficient" to be placed on the ballot in this year's election. 

The measure as described on the Montana secretary of state's website would "[prohibit] the government from denying or burdening the right to abortion before fetal viability" and would further forbid any restrictions on abortion "when it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient's life or health."

State Deputy Solicitor General Brent Mead said in a Jan. 16 letter that the measure fails the state's "separate-vote requirement," which mandates that multiple state ballot measures be prepared and submitted separately so that voters can distinguish between them. 

The measure would change Montana state law in numerous ways, Mead argued, including rules regarding fetal viability and medical regulations; the measure as it was written "creates an express right to abortion but denies voters the ability to express their views on the nuance of the right," he argued. 

In their ruling, the justices disagreed with Mead's assessment, arguing that the ballot proposal "effects a single change to the Montana Constitution on a single subject," namely the right to abortion.

"If [the measure] is placed on the ballot, voters may ultimately agree or disagree with the proposed change that [it] offers," the justices wrote, "but they will be able to understand what they are being asked to vote upon."

The court ordered that Knudsen "prepare a ballot statement consistent with the applicable statutory requirements" and that his office "forward the statement to the Montana secretary of state within five days."

In his dissent, Justice Jim Rice argued that the attorney general "properly determined that the initiative, in its totality, is legally insufficient." 

He wrote that the measure makes "two or more changes to the constitution that are substantive in nature" and that it is "virtually impossible … for a voter to fully comprehend the effects of its multiple provisions."

Abortion supporters and pro-life advocates have been battling at the ballot box in the nearly two years since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 repeal of Roe v. Wade. 

Voters in seven other states around the country — California, Vermont, Michigan, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, and Ohio — have voted in favor of abortion since Roe's repeal with residents either voting to expand abortion access or else voting down pro-life measures at the ballot box. 

Nearly a dozen other states, meanwhile, are considering various abortion measures, both pro-life and pro-abortion, in November. 

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