St. Mary Our Lady of the Rosary

Speakers present at the briefing presenting the report “Attacks on Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem” by the Rossing Center on March 27, 2025. From left to right: Hana Bendcowsky, director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations at the Rossing Center; Bernard Sabella, a retired professor of sociology; Federica Sasso (Rossing Center)), moderator, Hussam Elias, executive director of the project; and Jesuit Father David Neuhaus. / Credit: Marinella Bandini

Jerusalem, Mar 29, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

On March 27 in Jerusalem, the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue presented findings from its annual report, “Attacks on Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem,” and from a survey conducted in December 2024 with 300 Palestinian/Arab Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem providing insight into their perceptions of various aspects of life.

The briefing was held at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center. A panel of experts who shed light on the challenges and anxieties facing the local Christian population included Hana Bendcowsky, director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations at the Rossing Center; Hussam Elias, executive director of the project; Jesuit Father David Neuhaus; and Bernard Sabella, a retired professor of sociology.

The report documents a rise in incidents of intimidation and aggression targeting Christian communities throughout 2024. Currently, there are approximately 180,000 Christians living in Israel (about 1.8% of the Israeli population), and 78.8 % of them are Arab.

Physical attacks emerged as the most prevalent category among the 111 documented cases, with the majority targeting clergy, easily identifiable by their religious attire. Spitting was identified as a common form of physical harassment. Vandalism and desecration targeting Christian churches, including graffiti, stone-throwing, and arson, were also documented. 

According to the report, the perpetrators in all known cases were identified as Jewish individuals, primarily young men from ultra-Orthodox and national-religious circles, driven by a mixture of nationalist fervor and religious extremism.

These events cause Christians to feel threatened and unwelcome in their own homeland. That’s even more clear in the survey, which revealed mixed feelings regarding acceptance by Israeli Jewish society. While 30.8% of Christians feel accepted as part of Israeli society, 34% do not, with a higher feeling of nonacceptance (56%) among the 18-29 age group.

After the approval of the basic law “Israel the Nation State of the Jewish People” in 2018, 64.8% of the respondents believe it confirms Christians as second-class citizens. A significant portion (36%) are considering emigration, with a higher percentage in Haifa (48%). Security reasons (44%) and the socio-political situation (33%) were identified as key motivational factors. 

Regarding religious freedom, a majority (58.5%) feel comfortable wearing visible religious symbols in mixed or predominantly Israeli-Jewish areas, though discomfort is higher in East Jerusalem (42%).

Very significant is the theme of identity: 34% of the respondents identified themselves as Arab Christian, 23% as Israeli Christian, and 13% as Palestinian Christian, indicating a complex interplay of religious and national affiliations.

Interviewed by CNA after the briefing, Sabella noted the feeling among Christians as being “in the middle.”

“After the Iranian revolution in 1979 there was a transformation across the region,” he explained. “Palestinians and Arabs started identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims. As a reaction, Palestinian Christians and Israeli Arab Christians started identifying themselves as Christians.”

Sabella cautioned against an overemphasis on religious identity at the expense of a broader, inclusive identity tied to the place.

“The risk is of making society not an inclusive society but a society divided along religious and ethnic creeds or differences. Therefore you lose that inclusive and comprehensive identity that ties you to the place irrespective of the nation or irrespective of the religion,” he said.

“If you become more entrenched in your religious identity,” Sabella continued, “there is a danger of losing the larger identity to which you belong. As Christians, we need to find a shared space with all others.”

Bendcowsky highlighted a worsening political and social climate, especially after Oct. 7, 2023 — the report devotes considerable space to analyzing the context — characterized by increased extremism, polarization, and a lack of tolerance toward minorities. 

She emphasized a growing willingness of churches and Christians to report and denounce attacks as well as an increased presence of law enforcement — although there is often a lack of real dialogue and involvement of authorities in understanding and responding to the needs of the Christian communities.

The situation on Mount Zion, where Jewish and Christian religious traditions converge in a compact space, was presented as a case study of a complicated place facing neglect and negative elements leading to attacks on visitors. In recent years the number of incidents increased, resulting in vandalism to Christian religious buildings and cemeteries, in addition to physical harassment of Christian clergy and tourists.

The Rossing Center report points out that “the targeting of Christianity is not part of the political agenda” but is more linked to “a socio-political climate” and “a growing sense of nationalism, and the emphasis on Israel primarily as a state for the Jewish population.”

Challenges that churches face in dealing with authorities include visas for clergy, permits for religious holidays, the tax status of churches, and attempts to expropriate some land. “Christians are simply not a priority and they do not care,” Bendcowsky told CNA at the end of the meeting. “They are not purposely attacking Christians, but it is on purpose to not care about them.”

The briefing highlighted a complex and concerning situation for Christian communities in Israel and East Jerusalem. While there are positive developments in reporting and public awareness, significant efforts are needed to ensure the security, religious freedom, and continued presence of Christian communities in the Holy Land.

That’s also why the report includes “recommendations” for all the stakeholders. The focal point is to work on mutual understanding and dialogue. The Rossing Center encourages the development of greater awareness of these issues at the political and diplomatic levels as well as actions by those affected to condemn them on the part of the authorities.

Mural of Archbishop Oscar Romero, / Credit: Douglas Radamez Barahona, Giovani Ascencio Ardón and Raul Lemus- Grupo Cinteupiltzin CENAR El Salvador (CC BY-SA 3.0).

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 29, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The apostolic nunciature in El Salvador issued a correction for the irregularities that occurred March 24 during a Mass marking the 45th anniversary of the assassination of St. Oscar Romero, who served as archbishop of San Salvador during that country’s civil war.

The Mass, held in the chapel where Romero was assassinated while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980, included the unauthorized presence of a female Anglican bishop at the altar and banners in opposition to proposed gold mining, violating Catholic liturgical norms.

In several photos released by Salvadoran media, a female Anglican bishop can be seen behind the altar along with the bishop of the Salvadoran Old Catholic Church and anti-mining activist Neftalí Ruiz; the celebrating bishop, Oswaldo Estefano Escobar Aguilar; and Raúl Vera, bishop emeritus of Saltillo, Mexico.

In some of the photos, banners can also be seen in front of the altar with slogans such as “Every mine pollutes. No to mining, yes to life” and “Freedom for environmental defenders.” 

Statement of nunciature in El Salvador

In a statement released after the Mass on the same day, March 24, the apostolic nunciature in El Salvador reminded that “ecumenical celebrations shared with members of non-Catholic churches include only the Liturgy of the Word and its commentary, along with prayers of the faithful and the prayer that Our Lord taught us: the Our Father.”

Furthermore, and according to liturgical norms, the text continues, “it must be taken into account that the altar is reserved solely for the Eucharistic celebration.”

“What happened this morning in the Chapel of the Hospitalito should not have taken place because it is prohibited by ecclesiastical law,” the statement concludes.

Sources from the Archdiocese of San Salvador who asked not to be identified told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that the banners were unauthorized and that they were placed at the end of the Mass. Regarding the presence of the Anglican “female bishop” and anti-mining activist Ruiz, the archdiocese emphasized that the nunciature had already issued a statement on the matter.

ACI Prensa contacted the office of the archbishop of San Salvador, José Luis Escobar, the following day on March 25 to inquire about the irregularities at the March 24 Mass. In an email, his secretary responded that “unfortunately, the archbishop had more commitments than he had planned and will be out of town, so we apologize for not being able to assist with the request.”

Canon 908 of the Code of Canon Law, the law that regulates the universal Church, states that “Catholic priests are forbidden to concelebrate the Eucharist with priests or ministers of churches or ecclesial communities which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church.”

Additionally, Canon 844 emphasizes that “Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone, who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone.”

In February, a female Anglican minister “concelebrated” a Mass for the installation of the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chapecó in Brazil. 

Tensions between Church, Bukele over mining 

The controversy that arose during the commemorative Mass for the 45th anniversary of the assassination of St. Oscar Romero reflects current tensions in El Salvador, particularly around the metal mining law promoted by President Nayib Bukele.

The presence of anti-mining banners and non-Catholic religious figures at the altar during the celebration served to highlight opposition to the government initiative.

On March 19, the bishops of El Salvador presented a letter to the Legislative Assembly, supported by 150,000 signatures, seeking the repeal of the Metallic Mining Law. Mining had been banned in the country since 2017 but approved in December 2024 with the support of Bukele.

In December 2024, Bukele called the ban absurd, because the wealth given by God “can be used responsibly” to achieve high economic and social development.

The president said on his X account that “studies carried out in only 4% of the potential area identified 50 million ounces of gold, valued today at $131.565 billion. This is equivalent to 380% of El Salvador's GDP.”

However, the bishops fear that these activities will increase “water and air pollution ... irreversibly causing death and illness,” especially among the poor.

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

Bishop Christian Carlassare (center), President Salva Kiir (left), and Dr. Riek Machar (right). / Credit: Catholic Diocese of Rumbek/Office of the President - Republic of South Sudan

ACI Africa, Mar 29, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

A Catholic bishop in the Africa’s youngest country has directed the people under his care to participate in daily prayers for peace amid testimonies of rising tension in South Sudan and reports of the arrest of the country’s first vice president, Dr. Riek Machar.

“First vice president” is a position that was created in 2015 as part of a coalition agreement. Five more such positions were created in 2020. They are temporary positions to assist during a transition period.

“As we witness rising tensions in South Sudan, I invite our parishes to pray every day for peace,” Bishop Christian Carlassare wrote in a March 26 note obtained by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa.

The local ordinary of the Bentiu Diocese in South Sudan, who also serves as the apostolic administrator of the country’s Diocese of Rumbek, directed that “the prayer for peace in South Sudan” be said “at the end of the Mass” and that there be in parishes “a weekly initiative for peace — either Eucharistic adoration or the Way of the Cross.”

Hours after Carlassare’s directive on daily prayers for peace in South Sudan, reports emerged of the arrest of Machar.

“South Sudanese security forces placed first vice president and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar under house arrest in Juba on Wednesday night amid escalating political tensions, raising fears of a return to civil war,” Radio Tamazuj, an independent daily news service covering current affairs in Sudan and South Sudan, reported on March 26.

According to a March 26 Reuters report, Machar’s party, the South Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), is “trying to locate him after the defense minister and chief of national security ‘forcefully entered’ his residence and delivered an arrest warrant.”

The Reuters report cites a statement from Machar’s SPLM-IO party condemning “a blatant violation of the constitution and the Revitalized Peace Agreement,” which refers to the September 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan that ended a 2013–2018 civil war between armed forces loyal to Machar and those aligned to South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir.

“The house arrest of Dr. Riek Machar is widely seen as jeopardizing the peace agreement,” Radio Tamazuj reported. The news service quoted Reath Muoch Tang, the acting chairperson of the SPLM-IO’s Committee on Foreign Relations, sharing details of Machar’s house arrest. 

“The security forces came and chased everyone away from the compound, and the minister of defense left, but many security vehicles remained in the compound,” Muoch Tang is quoted as telling Radio Tamazuj, adding: “Technically, Dr. Machar is under house arrest, but the security officials initially tried to take him away.”

In a statement obtained by ACI Africa, the official spokesperson of SPLM-IO, Pal Mai Deng, confirmed “with grave concern” that Machar “has been placed under house arrest.”

“This is an unfortunate move, and this violates the revitalized peace agreement,” Mai Deng said.

“For the sake of South Sudan’s future nationhood and nation-building, the physical security of Dr. Riek Machar is paramount,” said the SPLM-IO spokesperson, who serves as South Sudan’s minister of water and irrigation under the power-sharing agreement. “The region and the international community have the obligation to ensure his safety.”

According to Reuters, foreign governments have cautioned against a renewed civil war in South Sudan “following weeks of escalating tensions that originated in fighting between government troops and a militia that has historically been close to Machar’s forces.”

Earlier, in a media briefing on March 24, the special representative of the secretary-general for South Sudan and head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, described the security situation in South Sudan as “dire.”

According to him, efforts to realize lasting peace in the east-central African nation can only succeed if the country’s president and its first vice president, Machar, have the will to engage and especially to “put the interests of their people ahead of their own.”

Meanwhile, in his directive on daily prayers for peace in South Sudan, Carlassare is considering the possibility of having more public prayer for peace.

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

Launched in March 2025, St. Claret Maternity Center in the Nyabwina village serves the local region in the Sheema/Mbarara District of Uganda. / Credit: MaterCare International

CNA Staff, Mar 29, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

It all began with Pope John Paul II. 

In the 1980s, the late pope encouraged Dr. Robert Walley, a Catholic obstetrician and gynecologist who died in 2020, to provide life-affirming health care to women in need. Walley went on to found MaterCare International (MCI), which is now celebrating 30 years of supporting ethical maternal health care in developing regions around the globe.

“MaterCare International is vital for women’s health because it provides lifesaving maternal care to some of the world’s most underserved regions while maintaining an ethical approach that values both the mother and the unborn child,” Jennifer Derwey Deane, communications director at MCI, told CNA. 

MCI provides emergency obstetric care, remote transportation for rural communities to hospitals, and training for midwives and health care providers. The organization also prioritizes research into maternal health solutions. 

“Since its founding, MCI has worked to provide essential medical services, create sustainable models of maternal care, and advocate for ethical practices in maternal care, all while empowering local health care providers, like midwives and traditional birth attendants, through training and sustainable practices,” Deane said. 

MCI has established branches in Canada, Poland, Australia, and previously in the United States and Ireland. Its Canada branch has developed outreach projects all throughout the world, including in Rwanda, Haiti, Kenya, and Ghana. MCI’s model involves working in partnership with local communities in order to design sustainable models in various developing areas.

The organization operates solely on charitable donations and takes no assistance from government agencies. It also welcomes health care professionals who are faithful to MCI’s mission to join project initiatives as volunteers.

Bringing care to underserved rural communities in Uganda

This month, MCI opened a maternity center in Nyabwina, Uganda. A team of MCI Catholic health professionals, working with local Church leaders, launched the St. Claret Maternity Center in the Nyabwina village, which serves the local region in the Sheema/Mbarara District of Uganda.

Archbishop Lambert Bainnomugisha of Mbarara blessed the facility on its opening day, March 6.

The project began when the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes reached out to MCI, explaining the local community’s need for improved maternal health.

In addition to poor roads and flash flooding during the rainy season, the region faces many challenges to maternal health, with a high maternal death rate due to infection, lack of postnatal care, and malnutrition.

MCI worked with the local religious sisters to develop outreach centers in remote villages as well as to develop a maternity unit with proper staffing and equipment.

A Catholic perspective on health 

Deane noted that many international maternal health programs “are influenced by policies that promote abortion and contraception as primary solutions, often neglecting basic fundamental maternal health care needs.” MCI combats that by providing “life-affirming” health care for women. 

“We recognize that motherhood is a sacred vocation, and our work reflects this belief by ensuring that expectant mothers receive the care and respect they deserve,” Deane said.

The organization prioritizes what Deane calls “the vocation of medicine.”

“The practice of medicine without vocation is a purely technical or transactional approach to health care, devoid of deeper moral, ethical, or compassionate commitment,” she said. 

“When medicine is practiced without vocation, it risks becoming impersonal and utilitarian, focusing solely on procedures, efficiency, and outcomes without genuine care for the dignity and well-being of the patient.”

MCI brings faith and medicine together. “It combines faith and practice in a meaningful way that builds up the practitioner, the patient, and the community that surrounds them both,” Deane explained.

MCI also prioritizes following the teachings of the Catholic Church in its care practices.

“We not only offer high-quality maternal health services but also focus on the moral and ethical implications of care, following the rich teachings of the Catholic Church,” Deane said. “This makes MCI a voice for life and an advocate for a comprehensive approach to maternal health care that respects both medical needs and advancements as well as the sanctity of human life.”

Founding and future 

Deane explained that MCI is devoted to its founding mission. 

“The idea for MaterCare was inspired by Pope John Paul II, who personally asked Dr. Walley to create an organization that would address the growing crisis of maternal mortality and health care inequities, particularly in areas where Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life were not being adequately respected in medical practices,” she said. 

This idea, Deane said, “was first introduced at a plenary meeting of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in 1982.” It took more than 10 years of planning and support among health care workers worldwide before the organization took shape and was formally established in 1995 in Canada.

Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae, in which he called on health care professionals to promote a culture of life, was “the final inspiration” for the organization’s founding, Deane said. The encyclical was published in 1995, the year of MCI’s founding. 

The future goals of the organization are twofold. 

“Looking to the future, our goals include expanding our reach to even more regions where women still lack access to essential maternal health care,” Deane said. “We aim to continue providing training for health care professionals in underserved areas, building strong partnerships with local groups and religious orders, and advocating for policies that respect the dignity of life and prioritize maternal health.” 

MCI also aims to develop the realm of ethical maternal health care. 

“Our vision also includes increasing awareness about the importance of ethical maternal health care and advocating for global recognition of the Catholic approach to maternal health,” Deane said.

For its 30-year anniversary, the organization announced the MaterCare International Rome Conference — an event to commemorate the founding and a call to action to develop maternal health care around the world. It will bring together faith leaders, health care professionals, and pro-life advocates to promote care for mothers in need. 

“Catholic health care professionals of the next generation are relying on us to provide them with the space to study, learn, grow, and practice,” Deane said.

St. Paul’s Chaldean Catholic Cathedral in Mosul, Iraq. / Credit: France Yousif

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 28, 2025 / 17:35 pm (CNA).

Here are some of the major stories about the Church from around the world that you may have missed this week:

Cardinal calls on Iraqi Christians to vote for fellow Christians in upcoming elections

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, patriarch of the Chaldean Church, is urging Iraqi Christians to actively participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, emphasizing the importance of updating electoral records and obtaining voter cards, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported. 

Sako stressed that the five parliamentary seats that are designated for Christians be confined to Christians alone to ensure accurate representation and underscored the crucial role that each individual can play in shaping Iraq’s future. 

Latin patriarch of Jerusalem promotes interfaith dialogue during historic visit to Bahrain 

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, was received as an official guest of the Kingdom of Bahrain last week, marking a historic moment for the Catholic community in the Gulf country, with whom he expressed the Holy Land Church’s “spiritual ties,” ACI MENA reported. 

The cardinal met with Archbishop Aldo Berardi, the second apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, along with various other religious leaders, parishioners, and representatives for the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence. He also presided over a pontifical Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, the largest Catholic church in the Arabian Peninsula.

During the homily, he emphasised the importance of coexistence, tolerance, and mutual respect in light of the various challenges facing the Middle East and called for prayers for the Christian community and harmony among religions. 

Cameroon diocese suspends ‘all forms of worship’ for chapel after Blessed Sacrament stolen

The bishop of the Diocese of Bafang in Cameroon has directed that St. Augustine Famkeu Chapel remain closed after it was desecrated and thieves stole a ciborium containing consecrated hosts and other items, ACI Africa reported. 

“This place can no longer host Christian worship until reparation has been made for this offense against God,” Bishop Abraham Kome said in a statement. “Therefore, the chapel will remain closed until further notice for the necessary time of reparation.” 

Excavation reveals further evidence of Armenian Christians in Jerusalem

Excavations this week in the Musrara neighborhood of Jerusalem uncovered four ancient Armenian inscriptions dating back to the sixth and seventh centuries, according to the Jerusalem Post. 

The inscriptions were discovered on a mosaic floor, tombstones, and a large pottery bowl. One inscription, discovered in the center of the “reception room,” is a dedication by an Armenian priest that reads: “I Ewstat the priest laid this mosaic. You who enter this house, remember me and my brother Luke to Christ.” 

Ethiopian bishop: Northern region could be ‘engulfed in a very bloody confrontation’

Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin of the Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has issued a warning of rising tensions between Ethiopia and its northern bordering neighbor, Eritrea, ACI Africa reported. 

“Instability in our region continues to persist, tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are increasing, and the country could be engulfed in a very bloody confrontation. God forbid that the factions involved start a new war in Tigray, which has already suffered enormously,” the bishop said Tuesday in a statement to Agenzia Fides. He noted that political instability and violence in the region, coupled with the “sudden interruption of USAID funding, is severely penalizing millions of people.” 

Pakistan court sentences 5 men to death for alleged ‘online blasphemy’ 

A court in Pakistan has sentenced five men — four Pakistani nationals and one Afghan — to death on Tuesday for allegedly violating the Muslim-majority country’s blasphemy laws online, according to an AFP report on March 26. A representative for the legal group that brought the case forward told AFP that “all five accused were sentenced to death for spreading blasphemous content against the holy prophet.”

The five accused have each been sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly desecrating the Quran and 10 years for “hurting religious sentiments.” The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended Pakistan be designated as a country of particular concern in its latest annual global watch report earlier this week.

The Kansas Capitol in Topeka. / Credit: Nils Huenerfuerst/Wikipedia| CC BY 4.0

CNA Staff, Mar 28, 2025 / 17:05 pm (CNA).

The organizer of a “black mass” that took place outside the Kansas state Capitol on Friday amid heavy Catholic protest was arrested shortly afterward in the Capitol building after punching a protester in the face. 

A video from local news outlet WIBW shows Michael Stewart raising his arms and chanting in the Capitol rotunda, surrounded by a number of protesters urging him to stop. A young man later identified as Marcus Schroeder attempted to snatch what appeared to be papers from Stewart’s outstretched hands. 

Video and images circulating on social media show Stewart punching Schroeder twice in the face before a half-dozen police officers tackled him and led him away.  

Upon reaching the Capitol building’s doors, law enforcement had greeted Stewart and told him he was welcome to enter but could not hold a demonstration. Gov. Laura Kelly had previously banned all protesters from entering the building. 

Stewart had publicly announced on numerous occasions his intention to defy Kelly’s order and enter the Capitol rotunda, saying in a recent Facebook live video that he intended to enter the building and “read prayers.” 

According to the Kansas Reflector, after the area cleared, two other Satanists tried to pick up where Stewart left off and were taken into custody. 

It’s not yet clear what charges, if any, will be brought against members of the Satanist group. 

During the “mass” on the Capitol steps prior to the altercation inside the building, a protester attempted to throw himself on the unconsecrated “crackers” that Stewart was stomping on as part of the Satanic ritual. Stewart pummelled the man with his fists, and law enforcement took the man away, the Reflector reported.  

Catholic leaders in the state, while deploring the planned sacriligious “black mass” — which is designed to protest and mock the Catholic Mass — had called for peaceful and prayerful resistance. 

At the center of the Catholic reaction, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, led a session of Eucharistic adoration and Mass at a Catholic church directly opposite the Capitol. According to the Reflector, “as many as 400 people” showed up for the Mass at Assumption Church.  

Naumann, who settled a lawsuit earlier this month after the Satanic group testified under oath that it did not steal a consecrated host, had urged the faithful not to “succumb to anger and violence, as that would be cooperating with the devil.”

A large crowd of several hundred counterprotestors, primarily organized by the Catholic group the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, gathered on the south side of the Capitol to pray the rosary and demonstrate in defense of the Catholic faith. 

Meanwhile, “about 20 people” showed up in support of the “black mass,” WIBW reported. 

Credit: Ivanko80/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 28, 2025 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

A public official in Ulster County, New York, is refusing to cooperate with a ruling from a Texas judge ordering a doctor to pay a $113,000 fine for allegedly mailing abortion pills into the southern state. 

Acting County Clerk Taylor Bruck will not file the summary judgment ordered against abortion doctor Margaret Daley Carpenter for allegedly providing abortion pills to women in Texas via mail, a violation of the state’s laws.

The order was issued by Collin County, Texas, District Court Judge Bryan Gantt against Carpenter, a cofounder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine Access (ACT).

This is the first case, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, in which a court official in one state refused to cooperate with a judicial ruling from another state on a matter related to interstate abortion services.

Under Texas law, both surgical and chemical abortions are illegal in most circumstances and it is expressly illegal to supply abortion drugs to a person through the mail. The initial complaint against Carpenter, issued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, also noted that she is not licensed to practice medicine in Texas.

However, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill in 2023 that prohibits New York courts from cooperating with abortion-related court orders from out-of-state judges in pro-life states. The New York “Shield Law” is designed to create a “safe haven” for abortionists.

“I hold my responsibilities and the oath I have taken in the highest regard,” Bruck said in a statement after refusing to file the summary judgment.

“In accordance with the New York state shield law, I have refused this filing and will refuse any similar filings that may come to our office,” he continued. “Since this decision is likely to result in further litigation, I must refrain from discussing specific details about the situation.”

Paxton issued a statement on X chastising the county clerk for blocking the summary judgment. 

“I am outraged that New York would refuse to allow Texas to pursue enforcement of a civil judgment against a radical abortionist illegally peddling dangerous drugs across state lines,” Paxton wrote. 

“New York is shredding the Constitution to hide lawbreakers from justice, and it must end,” he added. “I will not stop my efforts to enforce Texas’ pro-life laws that protect our unborn children and mothers.”

Gantt, who was appointed to the district court in Texas by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2024, issued the ruling against Carpenter after she failed to appear at a court hearing in February. The order also prohibits her from mailing abortion pills into the state in the future.

According to Paxton’s lawsuit against Carpenter, the abortionist prescribed abortion drugs to a Texas woman after seeing the patient virtually via a telehealth appointment. The alleged drugs killed the unborn child and caused severe bleeding for the woman, which required her to seek medical attention at a hospital.

Carpenter is a co-medical director and cofounder of ACT, which advertises on its website that it makes abortion available “in all 50 states” and specifically offers “telemedicine care for patients in abortion-hostile states.” The organization supplies women with abortion pills up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

ACT was formed in 2022 in response to lawmakers in some states enacting pro-life laws after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

In February, Carpenter was also indicted by a Louisiana grand jury for allegedly supplying abortion drugs to a minor in that state, in violation of state law. Hochul said at the time that the doctor would not be extradited to Louisiana, citing New York’s shield law.roba

“People need genuine compassion and choices, not the false choice of pain or poison,” says Jim Towey, founder and president of Aging with Dignity, the organization behind a new watchdog effort to monitor and oppose the expansion of assisted suicide throughout the United States. / Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/EWTN News screenshot

CNA Staff, Mar 28, 2025 / 16:15 pm (CNA).

A new watchdog effort has launched to monitor and oppose the expansion of assisted suicide throughout the United States. 

Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit group inspired by St. Teresa of Calcutta that provides guidance on end-of-life issues, on Thursday debuted Assisted Suicide Watch, which the group said will “challenge the well-funded effort to convince people that suicide-affirming care is a social good.”

Jim Towey, the founder and CEO of Aging with Dignity, previously served as legal counsel to Mother Teresa. He told CNA last year that he launched the nonprofit “to give people a hopeful vision for end of life that helps them practice their faith and that doesn’t treat dying like it’s just a medical moment.”

The organization has widely distributed its “Five Wishes” legal document, an advance directive that helps Catholics and others establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness. Last year it rolled out a new resource, “Finishing Life Faithfully,” a booklet that helps Catholics address end-of-life decisions in line with Church teaching. 

Assisted Suicide Watch, meanwhile, is meant to research and analyze “the consequences of suicide-affirming care,” the organization says.

“If we adopt suicide as a social norm, then we remove any motivation to try and correct the increasing rate of suicide in the country because it is no longer a problem worth fixing but rather a ‘solution’ worth celebrating and promoting,” the initiative points out. 

The new watchdog effort is already tracking the growing rate at which assisted suicide is claiming lives in the U.S. It says more than 2,300 Americans died from the practice in 2023, while more than 1,000 lethal prescriptions remain unaccounted for in the country.

Aging with Dignity said the watchdog will “track, expose, and oppose state and national efforts to expand physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.”

Towey in a press release said the group “fully support[s] patient self-determination.” But, he said, “killing yourself or forcing doctors to participate is not the answer” because “it cheapens human dignity.”

“Physicians are healers, not executioners,” he said. “People need genuine compassion and choices, not the false choice of pain or poison.”

In addition to the United States, assisted suicide has been on the upswing in other parts of the world, including in Canada, where the country’s national “medical aid in dying” program accounted for nearly 1 in 20 deaths in the country in 2023.

Aging with Dignity said assisted suicide is the fifth-leading cause of death in Canada, with more than 96% of suicide requests granted. 

The group said that in order to counter assisted suicide it promotes “best practices in palliative care,” including pain management, timely hospital services, and spiritual and emotional support.

“If America’s health care system routinely offered such humane services,” Towey said, “public support for the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide would nearly vanish.”

A wildfire blazes next to a stone lantern of family tomb in Andong, South Korea, on March 26, 2025. At least 18 people have been killed in one of South Korea’s worst wildfire outbreaks, with multiple blazes burning and causing “unprecedented damage,” the acting president said. / Credit: YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images

Rome Newsroom, Mar 28, 2025 / 15:25 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis has expressed his sorrow for the victims of the devastating wildfires in South Korea, which killed 28 people and forced tens of thousands to evacuate.

In a message sent on the pope’s behalf by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Francis conveyed his condolences to those mourning their loved ones and offered prayers for emergency personnel working to contain the fires.

“His Holiness Pope Francis is deeply concerned by the threat to life and the damage caused by the widespread wildfires in various parts of Korea,” Parolin wrote on March 28.

“Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, he sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss. His Holiness likewise offers prayers for the injured and for the relief efforts of the firefighters and other emergency personnel. Upon all, he invokes the divine blessings of consolation, healing, and strength.”

The wildfires, which burned for a week across South Korea’s southeastern regions, have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. 

Fueled by dry weather and strong winds, the blazes scorched more than 118,265 acres of land and forced over 30,000 people to flee. Thirty-seven people were injured. Many of those who perished were elderly residents who struggled to evacuate quickly.

As of March 28, the Korea Forest Service reported that the fires had been largely contained after rain on Thursday night helped firefighters battling the flames. However, about 8,000 people remain in temporary shelters, according to the Associated Press.

Among the affected areas was the Diocese of Andong, where parish priests, religious sisters, and parishioners were forced to evacuate as the fire spread to the mountain behind Cheongsong Cathedral. While the cathedral itself was spared, many parishioners lost their homes. In response, the diocese has established an emergency committee to coordinate relief efforts.

The Catholic Church in South Korea has mobilized aid to assist victims. Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul announced a fundraising campaign led by the One Body One Spirit Movement to support the Diocese of Andong and other impacted areas. Meanwhile, the Nanum Foundation chaired by Bishop Koo Yo-bi, has pledged 1 billion KRW (about $680,000) in emergency funding, according to Vatican News.

“The Archdiocese of Seoul will do its utmost to stand in solidarity and identify meaningful ways to accompany them on the journey of recovery,” Chung said.

Maryland State House. / Credit: Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 28, 2025 / 14:25 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Church in Maryland is urging the state Legislature to treat cases of child sexual abuse in state-run facilities equal to those in private institutions following a proposed bill that would “decrease the number of civil causes of action for child sexual abuse filed against the state.”

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) said in a statement on Thursday that the bill “greatly exacerbates an existing difference in treatment for victims abused in state institutions and those abused in private institutions.”

If passed, the bill would reduce the state damage cap for abuse victims to $400,000 while keeping the cap for private organizations at $1.5 million.

The “overtly unequal treatment in HB 1378 is not only poor policy for victim-survivors but also unfairly targets nonprofit and religious organizations that have long served children in this state and have implemented strong safeguards for youth protection,” the Maryland bishops said.

The bill is sponsored by state Del. C.T. Wilson, who spearheaded the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023, which abolished the statute of limitations on lawsuits against public and private entities involved in incidents of sexual abuse. That bill resulted in increased claims against the state.

“The Child Victims Act uncovered a terrible truth,” the Maryland bishops said. “The largest employer of abusers in the state of Maryland appears to be the state of Maryland itself.”

The MCC statement said the reports of abuse within state-led institutions, including Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services, are mainly from young men and women of color who are the majority of youth placed under the state’s care. 

The bishops called the harm done to them “heartbreaking.”

“As a Church that has faced its own painful reckoning,” the statement said, “we urge state leaders to be accountable and transparent.”

The statement calls for specific actions to be done by state leaders to ensure “abuse by state employees never happens again.”

The Church further instructs the government to “seek opportunities for an independent assessment to gain further insight into the history of abuse in state settings” as well as “implement reforms such as stringent safeguarding policies” and “provide survivor-centered support for those who suffered abuse by state representatives.”

But there is “no principled basis for treating victims of child sexual abuse in state institutions differently from those who suffered abuse in private institutions,” the conference said.