The Diocese of Pittsburgh's Gismondi Job Training Program helps those in need. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of PittsburghWashington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2024 / 17:40 pm (CNA).Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh is expanding its social services offered to people who are homeless and those in poverty with a newly created "Compassion Corner" opening in August. The nonprofit charity group is renovating a former office building located in downtown Pittsburgh to provide health care services, mental health services, job training programs, a place for the homeless population to eat, and a variety of other resources. The nearly 45,000-square-foot building is located at 111 Boulevard of the Allies, next to The Red Door (run by the Catholic Divine Mercy Parish), which provides services such as food for people who are homeless."I believe this is all divinely led," Christopher Scoletti, a board member of Catholic Charities of the...
The Diocese of Pittsburgh's Gismondi Job Training Program helps those in need. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2024 / 17:40 pm (CNA).
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh is expanding its social services offered to people who are homeless and those in poverty with a newly created "Compassion Corner" opening in August.
The nonprofit charity group is renovating a former office building located in downtown Pittsburgh to provide health care services, mental health services, job training programs, a place for the homeless population to eat, and a variety of other resources. The nearly 45,000-square-foot building is located at 111 Boulevard of the Allies, next to The Red Door (run by the Catholic Divine Mercy Parish), which provides services such as food for people who are homeless.
"I believe this is all divinely led," Christopher Scoletti, a board member of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and previous president of the board, said during an official launch last week.
"I believe God is working and channeling the love that we all have for our communities, for our neighbors, for one another," Scoletti added. "I believe God is channeling the pride that we have for the City of Pittsburgh to enforce a powerful change for a better future."
Susan Rauscher, who serves as the charity's executive director, told CNA that the new building will allow Catholic Charities to provide more medical and dental care, which it offers to those in poverty for free. She said this expansion will allow for more dental chairs and more medical services, among other things.
"[We're] really excited about the increase in the number of people who can get health care services," Rauscher said.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh provides eye exams to its clients. Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
According to Rauscher, the added space will allow the nonprofit to provide mental wellness services, which will include anger management and therapy. The group will also provide job training services, which will include a free 12-week telecommunications course, and connect them with employers with whom the charity has existing relationships. The job programs will include training for five certifications.
"Moving into the new building gives us some additional space to move into new areas that help us bring holistic solutions to our clients," Rauscher added.
Because of the Compassion Corner's proximity to The Red Door, Catholic Charities will create a spot for people who are homeless to eat inside. Rauscher noted that those people will also receive access to these services.
"[Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh is] pushing toward not only providing that emergency assistance and those basic needs but also incorporating case management and that long-term stability," Rauscher said.
More than 100 elected officials, community leaders, and business leaders attended the official launch of the Compassion Corner, according to the diocesan Catholic Charities. This included Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, who praised the work of the nonprofit and said Christians "can't just read the Bible and teach the Bible" but need to show their faith in Christ through the "works and deeds that we do."
"That falls on all of us to do," Gainey said during a speech at the launch. "It doesn't just fall on government [and] nonprofit [organizations]. It falls on us."
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh has raised about $12 million in donations for its Campaign for Compassion Corner to provide these services, which is more than 70% of its goal of $17 million. The group is trying to raise $13 million for Catholic Charities and $4 million for its partner, Gift of Mary, an emergency women's shelter.
Rauscher told CNA that 100% of the staff at the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh has personally contributed to the fundraising effort. She praised the work of the staff, saying: "They can squeeze every penny out of every dollar that's entrusted to us and turn it into solutions for the people they serve."
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh serves about 20,000 people annually, according to Rauscher. She said the nonprofit served about 23,000 people last year.
null / Credit: ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2024 / 18:37 pm (CNA).Ryan Burge, a leading researcher on religion and politics, recently compiled data indicating that "cafeteria Catholicism" is rampant in the United States. Specifically, the country's Catholics express widespread disagreement with the Church's teaching on abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty.The term "cafeteria Catholic" refers to a Catholic who picks and chooses which Church teachings he or she affirms and adheres to. Washington, D.C., Cardinal Wilton Gregory recently used the term to describe President Joe Biden, who as president has advocated for unrestricted abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.Burge found that only 0.9% of Catholics agree with Church teaching on all three of the issues. His conclusions were based on 2022 data collected by the Global Social Survey (GSS) and compiled by the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA). Burge told CNA th...
null / Credit: Shutterstock
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2024 / 18:37 pm (CNA).
Ryan Burge, a leading researcher on religion and politics, recently compiled data indicating that "cafeteria Catholicism" is rampant in the United States. Specifically, the country's Catholics express widespread disagreement with the Church's teaching on abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty.
The term "cafeteria Catholic" refers to a Catholic who picks and chooses which Church teachings he or she affirms and adheres to. Washington, D.C., Cardinal Wilton Gregory recently used the term to describe President Joe Biden, who as president has advocated for unrestricted abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.
Burge found that only 0.9% of Catholics agree with Church teaching on all three of the issues. His conclusions were based on 2022 data collected by the Global Social Survey (GSS) and compiled by the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA). Burge told CNA that the 0.9% number is an all-time low since GSS started collecting data in 1972.
"It's not just many Catholics who disagree with the teachings of the Church — in fact, if you look at the data, it's nearly all of them," said Burge, who teaches political science at Eastern Illinois University.
This coincides with an overall 12% decline in Church attendance among Catholics over the last two decades, as found by Gallup.
Abortion
Despite the Catholic Church's clear teaching that abortion is gravely immoral, Burge said, there is "clear majority support for elective abortion in almost every circumstance."
Over 50% of Catholics support abortion when the mother's health is at risk, the child is the result of rape, if there is a "strong chance of serious defect in the baby," and when the family or mother either does not want or cannot support another child.
Nearly 90% of Catholics support abortion in such cases in which the mother's health is at risk. Over 80% of Catholics support abortion in cases of rape, and close to 80% of Catholics support abortion for serious defects.
ARDA also reports that 17.7% of Catholics believe abortion should be illegal in all cases.
Euthanasia
Regarding euthanasia, which the Church teaches is morally unacceptable, and suicide, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls "contrary to love for the living God," most Catholics again are not in agreement with the Church's teaching.
According to the data, 70% of Catholics support euthanasia, defined in the survey as a person's ability to commit suicide in the case of an incurable disease. As pointed out by Burge, Catholics' support for euthanasia and assisted suicide has been growing since the 1980s.
Death penalty
In recent decades, the Church has been increasingly voicing its opposition to the death penalty. In 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was revised to reflect that opposition.
The catechism acknowledges that in the past "recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good."
"Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption," the catechism indicates.
The catechism goes on to quote Pope Francis in stating that "the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."
Despite this, ARDA found that 61% of Catholics are in favor of the death penalty for convicted murderers. Support for the death penalty among Catholics has waned in recent decades after reaching a high of 81% in 1990.
'A lot of work to do'
Monsignor Charles Pope, a Catholic author and pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Church in the Archdiocese of Washington, told CNA that the 0.9% number does not accurately represent Catholics' "buy-in" to the faith.
Pope called the study "very unfair" and said it is "bringing things together which need to be analyzed separately." He pointed out that the Church is clear in its teaching that abortion is intrinsically evil, while there is more leeway when it comes to the death penalty, which he described as a "prudential" rather than a "doctrinal" matter.
He agreed, however, that there is still a disconnect between Church teaching and what many Catholics believe. This, he thinks, is due to what he called "the politicization of moral issues."
"Politics, sadly, is driving the conversation more than faith, because we are very worldly in our outlook," he said. "So, if there's one positive thing to take from this study it's that we certainly have a lot of work to do to convince our own faithful of our teachings."
"We've got a lot of work to do, but it doesn't mean our teachings are wrong," he went on. "It's not the job of the Church to reflect the public opinion polls of our people, it's the job of the Church to say: 'Here's what Jesus says.'"
Pro-lifers march in Colombia on May 4, 2024, in the country's capital, Bogotá, and other cities and towns throughout the country. / Credit: Eduardo Berdejo/ACI PrensaACI Prensa Staff, May 6, 2024 / 15:45 pm (CNA).Under the theme "Colombia, With Life There Is Hope," tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets May 4 in more than 110 cities and towns during the South American country's 18th National March for Life, according to the United for Life platform, which organized the event.The marchers called on Colombia's Constitutional Court to annul its rulings that decriminalized and subsequently liberalized abortion.United for Life was also joined by multiple pro-life organizations, including 40 Days for Life, the Men's Rosary, and Rachel's Vineyard, as well as dioceses, nuns, priests, families, and numerous laypeople.The simultaneous pro-life demonstrations took place in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cúcuta, Montería, Pereira, Cumaral, and scores of other cities.In Bogotá, t...
Pro-lifers march in Colombia on May 4, 2024, in the country's capital, Bogotá, and other cities and towns throughout the country. / Credit: Eduardo Berdejo/ACI Prensa
ACI Prensa Staff, May 6, 2024 / 15:45 pm (CNA).
Under the theme "Colombia, With Life There Is Hope," tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets May 4 in more than 110 cities and towns during the South American country's 18th National March for Life, according to the United for Life platform, which organized the event.
The marchers called on Colombia's Constitutional Court to annul its rulings that decriminalized and subsequently liberalized abortion.
United for Life was also joined by multiple pro-life organizations, including 40 Days for Life, the Men's Rosary, and Rachel's Vineyard, as well as dioceses, nuns, priests, families, and numerous laypeople.
The simultaneous pro-life demonstrations took place in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cúcuta, Montería, Pereira, Cumaral, and scores of other cities.
In Bogotá, the marchers departed from the National Park and went down 7th Street until reaching Plaza Bolívar in the center of the Colombian capital.
In the country's capital city, pro-life Colombians march from the National Park to Plaza Bolívar on May 4, 2024. Credit: Eduardo Berdejo / ACI Prensa
In front of the thousands of people holding light blue flags and wearing blue neckerchiefs — the color of the pro-life movement — the president of United for Life, Jesús Magaña, read a manifesto in which he decried the "close to 20,000 abortions that have taken place in the city of Bogotá alone," which amounts to "20 times more than other causes of violent deaths."
Magaña also warned that the Constitutional Court intends to "say that abortion is a fundamental right, against the entire letter and spirit of our constitution, the feelings of the Colombian people, and signed international treaties."
"We are unwilling to remain silent and stand by in the face of the largest massacre in the country," he declared.
"Which is why," he said, "as citizens of Colombia who love, respect, and defend life, we have mobilized in 114 cities throughout the country to fill the streets and squares and proclaim firmly, loudly, and clearly that life is sacred, that it must be respected and cared for from the moment of fertilization until natural death."
In addition to abortion, the pro-life leader pointed out that Colombia's survival is in danger from "euthanasia, suicide, and structural conditions that deny life."
The United for Life manifesto demanded that the Constitutional Court annul its pro-abortion rulings C-355 of 2006 and C-055 of 2022, "which are producing a terrible holocaust." In addition, the organization urged the Legislature to shelve "euthanasia bills" and pass "laws that protect life," pregnancy, motherhood, and the family.
The manifesto also demanded the Legislature "defeat bill 270 of 2024 that prohibits parents from choosing the best psychological treatment for their children according to their convictions, values, and principles."
The text also called for forceful action against child sexual exploitation and support for "women with crisis or unexpected pregnancies through well-funded public policies."
Marchers prayed for pregnant mothers and the victims of abortion. Credit: Eduardo Berdejo / ACI Prensa
'The only lord of life is God'
Among those who addressed the participants was Father Laureano Barón, a priest of the Archdiocese of Bogotá who emphasized that "the only lord of life is God, from natural conception to natural death."
"Let everyone know that Colombia is a pro-life country," he said, encouraging prayers for the conversion of "all those who try to implement and carry forward projects that cause the death of the innocent."
"We wish evil on no one. We ask that God touch their hearts," Barón said.
United for Life noted that in 2023 alone, "according to figures, 52,000 elective abortions occurred in Colombia."
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), pictured in 1938-1939. / Credit: Public DomainRome Newsroom, May 6, 2024 / 11:12 am (CNA).Edith Stein could be declared a doctor of the Church with the title "doctor veritatis," or "doctor of truth," following a petition from the Discalced Carmelites.Pope Francis received an official request from the superior general of the Discalced Carmelites, Father Miguel Márquez Calle, on April 18 in a private audience at the Vatican to recognize the theological legacy of the saint who was martyred in Auschwitz.If accepted, Stein, also known by her religious name St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, could become the fifth woman to be declared a doctor of the Church, a title that recognizes a substantial contribution to the Church's theology and moral life.With the petition, the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints can officially begin the required process to grant Stein the title.The Carmelites first launched an international commission to g...
Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), pictured in 1938-1939. / Credit: Public Domain
Rome Newsroom, May 6, 2024 / 11:12 am (CNA).
Edith Stein could be declared a doctor of the Church with the title "doctor veritatis," or "doctor of truth," following a petition from the Discalced Carmelites.
Pope Francis received an official request from the superior general of the Discalced Carmelites, Father Miguel Márquez Calle, on April 18 in a private audience at the Vatican to recognize the theological legacy of the saint who was martyred in Auschwitz.
If accepted, Stein, also known by her religious name St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, could become the fifth woman to be declared a doctor of the Church, a title that recognizes a substantial contribution to the Church's theology and moral life.
With the petition, the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints can officially begin the required process to grant Stein the title.
The Carmelites first launched an international commission to gather the necessary documentation required by the Vatican in 2022, a year that marked both the 100th anniversary of Stein's baptism and the 80th anniversary of her martyrdom.
A title that was proposed for her at the time was "doctor veritatis" because of her relentless intellectual pursuit of truth, which after her conversion she recognized in the person of Jesus Christ.
Stein was born in 1891 into a Jewish family in what is now Wroclaw, southwestern Poland. The city was then known as Breslau and located in the German Empire.
After declaring herself to be an atheist at the age of 20, she went on to earn a doctorate in philosophy.
She decided to convert to Catholicism after spending a night reading the autobiography of the 16th-century Carmelite nun St. Teresa of Avila while staying at a friend's house in 1921.
"When I had finished the book," she later recalled, "I said to myself: This is the truth."
Stein was baptized on Jan. 1, 1922, at the age of 30. She took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross when she became a novice Carmelite nun 12 years later.
Ten years after Stein entered the Carmelite convent, she was arrested along with her sister Rosa, who had also become a Catholic, and the members of her religious community.
She had just finished writing a study of St. John of the Cross titled "The Science of the Cross."
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross died in the Auschwitz concentration camp on Aug. 9, 1942. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 1998 and proclaimed her a co-patroness of Europe the following year.
"God is truth," Stein wrote after her conversion. "Anyone who seeks truth seeks God, whether or not he is aware of it."
Solar panels on the affordable housing Bishop Valero Residence in Astoria, Queens. / Credit: Catholic Charities Brooklyn and QueensCNA Staff, May 6, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Catholic dioceses around the U.S. are setting ambitious goals and launching environmental programs inspired in part by the Pope Francis-led effort to make ecological care a priority for the global Church.The Holy Father has made environmentalism a major focus of his pontificate. His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si' was heralded at the time of its publication as a revolutionary papal document for its emphasis on Catholic ecological responsibility and for its call for "swift and unified global action" in the "care for our common home."In October of last year, Francis published a new apostolic exhortation titled Laudate Deum, meant as a further call to address what he called the "global social issue" of climate change. The pope said that in the eight years since Laudato Si' was published, "our responses have not been ...
Solar panels on the affordable housing Bishop Valero Residence in Astoria, Queens. / Credit: Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens
CNA Staff, May 6, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Catholic dioceses around the U.S. are setting ambitious goals and launching environmental programs inspired in part by the Pope Francis-led effort to make ecological care a priority for the global Church.
The Holy Father has made environmentalism a major focus of his pontificate. His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si' was heralded at the time of its publication as a revolutionary papal document for its emphasis on Catholic ecological responsibility and for its call for "swift and unified global action" in the "care for our common home."
In October of last year, Francis published a new apostolic exhortation titled Laudate Deum, meant as a further call to address what he called the "global social issue" of climate change. The pope said that in the eight years since Laudato Si' was published, "our responses have not been adequate" to address ongoing ecological concerns.
'Our brothers and sisters around the world are impacted by this'
In the Diocese of San Diego, the diocese's Creation Care program says it seeks to "spread the Catholic teaching" concerning "our duty to be good stewards of our common home."
Christina Slentz, the director of the program, told CNA that the diocese launched Creation Care in 2022 using the pastoral guidelines of "See, Discern, Act" to guide its undertakings.
Slentz said the San Diego program has offered workshops on the film and also offers twice-yearly workshops that present "the ecclesial context, the science, and the eco-spirituality of Laudato Si'."
The diocese further gives "Laudato Si' Action Planning Hands-On" workshops at which "parishes, schools, families, businesses, and universities" are guided through "the Vatican's online platform for taking action to lessen your impact" on the earth.
Slentz said the diocese also hosts an annual Feast of St. Francis Tree Festival at which saplings are distributed for planting. "I think we planted 730 acorns last year," Slentz told CNA with a laugh. She noted that the overall program is "not about just some abstract love for trees."
"This is love of neighbor at a global scale," she said. "Our brothers and sisters around the world are impacted by this so much more seriously than any of us."
'Excited and encouraged by Laudato Si''
Laudato Si' has had a major effect on Catholic environmental awareness around the world and in the U.S. The Archdiocese of Seattle, for instance, last month announced the launch of a new Care for Creation Ministry that will be based on the Vatican's Laudato Si' action platform.
That initiative, launched by the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, promotes seven goals that "provide guidance on urgent and immediate actions each one of us can take in the care of our common home." Among those goals is the "adoption of sustainable lifestyles," the promotion of "ecological spirituality," and a "response to the cry of the poor."
Terri Nelson, the director of the Seattle Archdiocese's Integral Human Development and the new leader of the creation ministry, said last month that the archdiocese would "use the foundation of the Laudato Si' action platform … so that our parishes, schools, and the people of God can learn more about this urgent crisis and take action."
The initiative will "develop and execute a strategic plan to educate and inspire people to act — at home, in their communities, workplaces, parishes, and more."
'Not just environmentally sound but financially so'
In New York, meanwhile, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens is using its affordable housing portfolio to develop green energy infrastructure in line with the Church's environmental goals.
The diocese said the effort works to reduce carbon footprints and provide affordable and energy-efficient homes to low-income seniors and families.
Tim McManus, the senior vice president of the charity's Progress of Peoples Development Corporation, which oversees the affordable housing program, told CNA that several years ago the charity "created a sustainable nonprofit entity [the Laudato Si' Corporation] that is under the housing arm, from which we are launching and leading the sustainable initiatives."
David Downs, the director of the Laudato Si' Corporation, told CNA that the mission-aligned sustainability program is currently "utilizing our existing portfolio of affordable multifamily housing in Brooklyn and Queens by leveraging public financing resources to create new forms of renewable energy for our residents and New York City as a whole."
About 75% of the charity's portfolio is senior housing, typically subsidized voucher programs that assist elderly residents with rent. The charity also offers supportive housing for individuals coming from facilities such as shelters; the portfolio also includes traditional family housing.
McManus said he and Downs "had always been looking at figuring out how to work [environmental care] into the affordable housing work we do."
The developers said making more of their properties environmentally friendly also coincided with increased green requirements in New York City itself. "We were trying to identify strategies and get ahead of new building requirements," McManus said.
Much of the effort, Downs said, is "really focusing on retrofit work on existing buildings."
"We're thinking about solar," he said. "We're also really excited about exploring adding battery or backup power options with those solar arrays. That's something we've not done to this point."
"The goal here is producing income, credits from the solar itself — that money and those proceeds help to keep self-investing in the project as it grows," he said.
Then-Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said in 2021 that the affordable housing initiative "rests upon the Church's teaching and reflects the dignity of the human person and the value of the family," while the new environmental initiative "reflects our commitment to the planet and our future."
McManus said it was clear when the program launched that the newest green energy measures were not just environmentally sound but financially so. "From a bottom line perspective, some of these technologies started to really pencil out across our portfolio," he said.
The Church's new vigorous devotion to the environment underscores the sustainability work, McManus said.
"We were very excited and encouraged by Laudato Si', to see the pope and the Catholic Church recognize and acknowledge the importance of bringing sustainability efforts to the people we serve," he said.
Swiss Guard cadets prepare their armor in the guards' barracks at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. / Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNAVatican City, May 5, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).For the newest class of 34 Swiss Guards who will be sworn in on Monday, their service is based on faith and a love for the Church and the pope, as storied as the uniform itself. "For me it was something, first and foremost, to give something to the Church, because the Catholic Church gave us a lot when I was a child and with this service, I can give something back," explained Nicolas Hirt, one of the new guards who hails from the Swiss canton of Fribourg. The cadets, joined by their instructors, gathered for a media event on April 30 in the courtyard behind the barracks adjacent to the Sant'Anna entrance, which was adorned with the flags from each of the Swiss cantons. The Swiss Guard's annual swea...
Swiss Guard cadets prepare their armor in the guards' barracks at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. / Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNA
Vatican City, May 5, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
For the newest class of 34 Swiss Guards who will be sworn in on Monday, their service is based on faith and a love for the Church and the pope, as storied as the uniform itself.
"For me it was something, first and foremost, to give something to the Church, because the Catholic Church gave us a lot when I was a child and with this service, I can give something back," explained Nicolas Hirt, one of the new guards who hails from the Swiss canton of Fribourg.
The cadets, joined by their instructors, gathered for a media event on April 30 in the courtyard behind the barracks adjacent to the Sant'Anna entrance, which was adorned with the flags from each of the Swiss cantons.
The Swiss Guard's annual swearing-in ceremony will take place on Monday, May 6, in the San Damaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace. There, the new guards will solemnly raise their right hands, with three fingers extended, representing the Holy Trinity, and proclaim their oath: "I swear I will faithfully, loyally, and honorably serve the Supreme Pontiff and his legitimate successors and I dedicate myself to them with all my strength. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the Apostolic See is vacant."
Swiss Guard cadets drill at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNA
There was a palpable sense of pride, perhaps even a hint of nervousness, as the young men marched last week in the storied corridors, perfecting the ancient rites ahead of a day that will mark a milestone in their lives.
Renato Peter, who comes from a small village near St. Gallen (the first from his village to enter the guards), said he first developed a desire to enter into the service of the papal guards after a trip to Rome in 2012 with his diocese.
"When you work in the Vatican, you have to feel like you go back in history because a lot of European history has been made here," said Peter, who is mindful that those who wear the iconic tricolor uniform bear a great responsibility and represent a connection to the history of the Church.
"We are the smallest military in the world," Peter continued, emphasizing that service in the Swiss Guards is like no other. "But, we are not training to make war. We are like the military, yes, but we're for the security of the Pope."
The Swiss Guard is indeed the smallest standing army in the world, numbering only 135 members (Pope Francis increased its ranks from 110 in 2018), protecting not only the smallest sovereign territory in the world, Vatican City State, but also acting as the personal security force of the Holy Father.
This year the Swiss Guard celebrated 518 years of service to the Apostolic See. Its history dates back to Jan. 22, 1506, when 150 Swiss mercenaries, led by Captain Kasper von Silenen from the central Swiss canton of Uri, arrived in Rome at the request of Pope Julius II.
But the swearing-in ceremony takes place on May 6, marking the anniversary of the Sack of Rome in 1527 by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V when 147 guards died protecting Pope Clement VII.
The Swiss Guards form an integral part of the history of the papacy, and a core component of the security apparatus of the Vatican, but they also occupy a special palace in the popular imagination, one underscored by a profound spirituality.
"It's another world, another culture, and above all doing a fairly unique job, that is to say, there is the protection of the Holy Father," said Vice-Corporal Eliah Cinotti, spokesman for the guards.
"I don't think there are many of us who are lucky enough to have the opportunity to serve the Holy Father in that way, therefore the Swiss Guard is a quite unique institution."
Cinotti observed that for many of the pilgrims coming to Rome, which is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the guards act as a point of encounter between the people and the Church, shedding light on an evangelical dimension of their mission.
"Since we are Swiss Guards and represent the pope, we are also there to be Christians, to listen to these people. There is no specific training for this because it already comes from our Christian character to help others."
Service in the Swiss Guards is both physically and psychologically demanding, and the entry requirements are strict, even though the guards do not face deployment to active war zones, like conventional soldiers.
A prospective guard must hold Swiss citizenship, be Catholic, single, and male (after five years in service the guards are allowed to marry), and be at least 1.74 meters tall (approximately 5'8"). They are required to have completed secondary school (or the equivalent) and have completed mandatory military service.
Despite what some may consider prohibitive entry restrictions, Cinotti noted, during the annual call for applications there are anywhere from 45-50 applicants, and there has not been a problem with recruitment.
During the first round, prospective candidates go through a preliminary screening and, if selected, they will sit with a recruitment officer in Switzerland for an initial interview, which generally lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. Candidates also have to undergo an intensive psychological test, to assess whether they can withstand the demands of the job.
Should their candidacy proceed, they are then sent to Rome where, for the first two months, they are exposed to the working environment of the Vatican, and around 56 hours of intensive instruction in Italian. Their instruction also includes an emphasis on their cultural and spiritual formation.
Swiss Guard cadets inspect their armor in their barracks at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNA
The cadets are then sent to the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in Switzerland, where they are instructed in self-defense and the use of firearms by local police. While the guards carry medieval halberds — an ax blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft — during official papal events, each is equipped with a 9mm GLOCK 19 Gen4 pistol, taser, and pepper spray.
There is also a two-year minimum service requirement after which they can decide to remain, or return to Switzerland.
"About 80% return to Switzerland and 20% stay," Cinotti said. "And the 80% who return to Switzerland go to the police or the army or return to their basic profession or go to study at university."
He also noted there have been some years where a guard will discern a vocation to the priesthood. "And we also had a certain point, people who entered the seminary at the time, one per year more or less."
He added: "We haven't had anyone for two years, but I think they will arrive, or rather it's a question of vocations."
Swiss Guards stand in the middle of Paul VI Hall during Pope Francis' general audience on Jan. 10, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media
Cinotti spoke on the myriad security challenges that a guard will have to face in his day-to-day work, which can last anywhere from six to 12 hours of continuous duty, noting that there has been an uptick in the number of people coming to the Vatican for help.
Cinotti also noted that for all of the guards, there has been the additional learning curve of adapting to Pope Francis' pastoral style, which has brought him in close proximity to the faithful during his audiences in Rome and his travels abroad.
"Pope Francis is like every pope," Cinotti remarked. "He has his own style, and we must adapt to the pope."
"If he wants to go to contact the people of God, we must guarantee that, of course, everything is fine, but we cannot prevent it. He does what he wants, he is the pope," he added.
While this can raise some logistical problems, Cinotti reassured that the guards have been trained to respond to possible threats. He said they have developed a symbiotic, and always professional, relationship with Francis.
"He transmits a certain serenity and a certain awareness that we are there next to him, we are there, like the gendarmerie, which allows us to operate in complete tranquility on the ground without being disturbed," he said.
"He likes to change plans and will change plans throughout the day," Cinotti added, "but it suits us very well because we adapt to him and we do this service and for us, it is still important to guarantee his safety."
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. / Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesACI Prensa Staff, May 5, 2024 / 14:00 pm (CNA).Bishop Brendan Cahill of Victoria, Texas, is inviting Catholics throughout the United States to join the May 22 "National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Sailors and People of the Sea," which this year will include a special prayer in memory of those affected by the catastrophic March 26 Baltimore bridge collapse. "Each year, we pray for those who work on the high seas and the ports. In a special way this year, we remember those who have been impacted by the collapse of the Key Bridge, particularly the six construction workers who perished in the bridge collapse, and for their families as they mourn the loss of their loved ones," Cahill said.On March 26, the container ship Dali suffered a power failure and collided with one of the bridge...
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. / Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
ACI Prensa Staff, May 5, 2024 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
Bishop Brendan Cahill of Victoria, Texas, is inviting Catholics throughout the United States to join the May 22 "National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Sailors and People of the Sea," which this year will include a special prayer in memory of those affected by the catastrophic March 26 Baltimore bridge collapse.
"Each year, we pray for those who work on the high seas and the ports. In a special way this year, we remember those who have been impacted by the collapse of the Key Bridge, particularly the six construction workers who perished in the bridge collapse, and for their families as they mourn the loss of their loved ones," Cahill said.
On March 26, the container ship Dali suffered a power failure and collided with one of the bridge pillars, causing the collapse of most of the bridge while a group of eight construction workers were doing maintenance work on the structure. The six fatalities were immigrants to the United States from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
Immediately following the tragedy, the Stella Maris network of port chaplains and volunteers mobilized to provide pastoral care and support to crew members of the Dali and for crew members of other vessels in the Port of Baltimore.
Cahill, who is also the bishop promoter of the Apostleship of the Sea "Stella Maris," solicited prayers "for the captain and crew of the cargo ship and for the countless people who have been working in the aftermath of the tragedy." He also remembered the longshoremen and those who depend on the Port of Baltimore to make a living.
Around the world, Cahill noted, "there are countless men and women who labor on the high seas for their livelihood. Let us seek the intercession of Our Lady, Stella Maris, that she protect and guide us," he emphasized.
As part of this commemoration, a Mass will be celebrated on May 18 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., at 12:10 p.m. local time.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
The "Holy Fire" is passed from inside Christ's tomb to pilgrims gathered inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jersusalem on May 4, 2024, for the annual Orthodox Christian ceremony, held on the day before Easter, according to the Julian calendar. / Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNAJerusalem, May 5, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).Pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem on Saturday for the annual "Holy Fire" ceremony at the revered site of Jesus' burial and resurrection, an ancient custom considered by many believers to be a miraculous event that takes place the day before the Orthodox Christian celebration of Easter.For safety reasons, attendance at the May 4 event was capped at 4,200 people inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, though the crowds were more manageable and somewhat subdued this year because of a lack of pilgrims from the Palestinian territories and abroad due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.Israeli police man a checkpoint inside the Old City of Jerusalem duri...
The "Holy Fire" is passed from inside Christ's tomb to pilgrims gathered inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jersusalem on May 4, 2024, for the annual Orthodox Christian ceremony, held on the day before Easter, according to the Julian calendar. / Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNA
Jerusalem, May 5, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem on Saturday for the annual "Holy Fire" ceremony at the revered site of Jesus' burial and resurrection, an ancient custom considered by many believers to be a miraculous event that takes place the day before the Orthodox Christian celebration of Easter.
For safety reasons, attendance at the May 4 event was capped at 4,200 people inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, though the crowds were more manageable and somewhat subdued this year because of a lack of pilgrims from the Palestinian territories and abroad due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Israeli police man a checkpoint inside the Old City of Jerusalem during the "Holy Fire" ceremony held at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher on May 4, 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNA
Access to the Old City where the basilica is located was restricted beginning on Friday night amid a heavy police presence. Numerous medical personnel and firefighters were present inside the basilica.
Though its authenticity is disputed by some, the "Holy Fire" or "Holy Light" refers to a fire of purported divine origin that ignites inside Jesus' tomb while only the Greek Orthodox patriarch is present. Pilgrims then light their candles by extending them through a small opening in the tomb, producing a dramatic scene of flickering flames and joyous celebration.
The Orthodox Christian ceremony, which is attended by Catholics and other Christians as well, has been held continuously since at least 1106, though accounts dating to the fourth century relate that the apostle Peter saw the holy light himself inside the tomb.
Pilgrims carry candles lit from the "Holy Fire" inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on May 4, 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNA
The doors of the Holy Sepulcher were opened at 9 a.m. by Greek Orthodox representatives and again at 9:30 a.m. by representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church — the two Orthodox communities that serve with Catholic Franciscans as the custodians of the site. Only then did the faithful begin to enter the basilica.
Around 11 a.m., those present began to sing traditional hymns in the loudest voice possible. These chants date back to the Turkish occupation of Jerusalem in the 13th century when Christians were not allowed to chant anywhere but in the churches.
The heart of the ceremony was between 1 and 2 p.m. After the solemn entrances of the other Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox patriarch, Theophilos III, entered the basilica.
Previously, the doors of the edicule (the small shrine that houses the tomb of Jesus Christ) had been sealed with a large wax seal — signifying that the tomb had been inspected and that nothing was present that could be used to start a fire. Shortly before the arrival of the Greek patriarch, the seal was removed, and a large oil lamp was carried into the tomb.
After completing three rounds around the edicule, leading a procession of monks and priests, Patriarch Theophilos III entered the edicule, followed by a delegate of the Armenian patriarch (who could not attend due to an internal dispute) and several bishops from various denominations.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III exits the edicule of the Holy Sepulcher on May 4, 2024, in Jerusalem, showing the faithful the two candles just lit from the oil lamp that is believed to have been miraculously ignited inside Jesus' tomb. Credit: Studio Sami Jerusalem
Only the Greek Orthodox patriarch is allowed to enter the chamber that houses the tomb of Jesus, while all the others remain in the Chapel of the Angel, a sort of antechamber that commemorates the appearance of a heavenly messenger to the women at the tomb announcing Jesus' resurrection.
Before entering the tomb, the Greek patriarch was inspected by Israeli authorities to prove that he didn't carry any technical means to light the fire.
All the lights and lamps in the basilica were extinguished, especially those inside the edicule, which was left in darkness.
What believers attest to be a miracle takes place after a brief time of prayer: A holy fire is said to descend from heaven and ignite an oil lamp inside the tomb.
Pilgrims inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher hold their candles aloft after the "Holy Fire" was ignited inside Jesus' tomb on May 4, 2024, the day before the Orthodox Christian celebration of Easter. Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNA
On Saturday, after the lamp was lit the Greek Orthodox patriarch emerged from the tomb and lit bundles of 33 candles (a number representing the age of Christ at the time of his crucifixion and resurrection). Meanwhile, pilgrims lit their candles also from the small round windows on the sides of the edicule, creating a dramatic scene outside the tomb. It is said that the fire does not burn anything (or anyone) for the first 33 minutes after being lit.
For Orthodox believers, the lighting of the fire is a genuine miraculous event, although voices within the Orthodox world itself have repeatedly questioned the authenticity of the miracle, attributing the spontaneous lighting of the lamp to tricks or chemical methods.
A lamp used to transport the "Holy Fire" from the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem to Bethlehem is carried at the lighting ceremony on May 4, 2024. By longstanding tradition, the flames from the purported miraculous fire are brought to the main Orthodox churches in the Holy Land and sent to the main Orthodox churches around the world via specially arranged flights. Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNA
In solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and the victims of the war, the Orthodox Christians have chosen a more subdued celebration this year. To that end, the Holy Fire was not passed hand to hand through the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, as is the custom, but was brought directly into the homes of the faithful.
Special lanterns transport flames from the tomb to the main Orthodox churches in the Holy Land and around the world (via specially arranged flights). The arrival of the flames from Jerusalem will mark the beginning of the Easter celebrations.
Pope Francis greets the crowd gathered at St. Peter's Square on May 5, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, May 5, 2024 / 09:30 am (CNA).Pope Francis asked for a moment of silence as he spoke from the window of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday for people to thank the Lord for their friends. The pope reflected on the gift of friendship during his Regina Caeli address on May 5."Since childhood, we learn how beautiful this experience is: We offer friends our toys and the most beautiful gifts; then, growing up, as teenagers, we confide our first secrets to them; as young people we offer loyalty; as adults, we share satisfactions and worries; as seniors, the memories, considerations, and silences of long days," the 87-year-old pope said."The word of God, in the Book of Proverbs, tells us that 'Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel' (Prv 27:9). Let us think a moment of our friends and thank the Lord for them."S...
Pope Francis greets the crowd gathered at St. Peter's Square on May 5, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media
Vatican City, May 5, 2024 / 09:30 am (CNA).
Pope Francis asked for a moment of silence as he spoke from the window of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday for people to thank the Lord for their friends.
The pope reflected on the gift of friendship during his Regina Caeli address on May 5.
"Since childhood, we learn how beautiful this experience is: We offer friends our toys and the most beautiful gifts; then, growing up, as teenagers, we confide our first secrets to them; as young people we offer loyalty; as adults, we share satisfactions and worries; as seniors, the memories, considerations, and silences of long days," the 87-year-old pope said.
"The word of God, in the Book of Proverbs, tells us that 'Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel' (Prv 27:9). Let us think a moment of our friends and thank the Lord for them."
Speaking to the crowd gathered below in St. Peter's Square on a sunny Sunday in Rome, the pope remarked that Jesus desires to share in this great gift of friendship with us.
"Today the Gospel tells us about Jesus' words to the apostles: 'I do not call you servants any longer, but friends,'" he said.
"And today Jesus, in the Bible, tells us that for him we are precisely this, friends: dear people beyond all merit and expectation, to whom he extends his hand and offers his love, his grace, his Word; with whom he shares what is dearest to him, all that he has heard from the Father (cf. Jn 15:15)," he added.
Pope Francis asked people to reflect on whether they feel loved by the Lord as a beloved friend or if Jesus seems like more of a stranger.
"May Mary help us to grow in friendship with her Son and to spread it around us," the pope said as he began to pray the Regina Caeli prayer in Latin.
The faithful gather in St. Peter's Square on May 5, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media
At the end of his address, the pope prayed for peace in Ukraine and the Holy Land and offered his solidarity to people affected by the heavy flooding in southern Brazil that has killed at least 60 people.
Pope Francis gave a shoutout to pilgrims visiting Rome from Texas, Chicago, Berlin, and Paris, as well as to the Pontifical Swiss Guards, who will celebrate their swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
The pope also wished a happy Easter to Orthodox Christians and Eastern-rite Catholics who are celebrating Easter this weekend according to the Julian calendar.
"May the risen Lord fill all communities with joy and peace and comfort those who are in trial," Pope Francis said.
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola's Archdiocese of Luanda. / Credit: Radio EcclesiaACI Africa, May 5, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola's Archdiocese of Luanda has asked the people of God under his pastoral care to dedicate the last Sunday of the month to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as part of the preparations for the Church's 2025 Jubilee Year. Pope Francis on Jan. 21 announced the start of a Year of Prayer in preparation for the Church's 2025 Jubilee Year, the second in his pontificate after the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015."Following the Holy Father's call, as an archdiocese, we will be holding adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the last Sunday of each month in all parishes and, in alternate months, a meditation on the importance of prayer in the life of the Church," the archbishop said in his April 18 message.Eucharistic adoration, he said, facilitates "a true encounter with Chri...
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola's Archdiocese of Luanda. / Credit: Radio Ecclesia
ACI Africa, May 5, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola'sArchdiocese of Luanda has asked the people of God under his pastoral care to dedicate the last Sunday of the month to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as part of the preparations for theChurch's 2025 Jubilee Year.
Pope Francis on Jan. 21 announced the start of a Year of Prayer in preparation for the Church's 2025 Jubilee Year, the second in his pontificate after the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015.
"Following the Holy Father's call, as an archdiocese, we will be holding adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the last Sunday of each month in all parishes and, in alternate months, a meditation on the importance of prayer in the life of the Church," the archbishop said in his April 18 message.
Eucharistic adoration, he said, facilitates "a true encounter with Christ."
The archbishop highlighted the link between prayer and holiness as important, saying: "Just as there is no true encounter with Christ that does not give rise to holiness, so there is no holiness without a deep life of prayer."
Prayer provides "the space in which holiness takes shape," Dias further said. "Holiness is the journey of discovering God's beauty and truth in every man and woman of all times."
"Holiness is fulfilled in the silent openness of one's life to the totality of God's love," he added.
Referring to Pope Francis' February 2022 letter to the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Archbishop Salvatore Rino Fisichella, Dias highlighted aspects of prayer that he considers essential as monthly Eucharistic adoration in all parishes is set to begin.
He encouraged "prayer, above all else, to renew our desire to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to him and to adore him. Prayer, moreover, to thank God for the many gifts of his love for us and to praise his work in creation, which summons everyone to respect it and to take concrete and responsible steps to protect it."
Referring more to the Holy Father's letter, Dias encouraged "prayer as the expression of a single heart and soul, which then translates into solidarity and the sharing of our daily bread."
He also called for "prayer that makes it possible for every man and woman in this world to turn to the one God and to reveal to him what lies hidden in the depths of their heart."
He went on to describe prayer as "the royal road to holiness, which enables us to be contemplative even in the midst of activity."
"In a word, may it be an intense year of prayer in which hearts are opened to receive the outpouring of God's grace and to make the 'Our Father,' the prayer Jesus taught us, the life program of each of his disciples," he said.
"Let us, therefore, entrust ourselves to the intercession of Mama Muxima ['Mother Heart'], the beloved mother, who taught us through her life that prayer, as the silent gaze of the soul toward God, is the first fruit of faith and the place in which Christians learn to keep the precious things of God in the sacred place of the heart, to meditate on them daily," he said.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh's Gismondi Job Training Program helps those in need. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
