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CNA Newsroom, Apr 2, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

A YouTuber disillusioned with his experience in an Austrian evangelical Protestant environment has found a spiritual family and home in the Catholic Church, embracing rich tradition and liturgical beauty. 

In the process of sharing his conversion story, the channel of the YouTuber, who goes by "Pillar and Foundation" ("Säule und Fundament"), has grown to almost 14,000 subscribers. 

For a Vienna-based channel in German, this is a considerable audience, and Jean, the 26-year-old married convert behind the project, recently shared his journey from being a member of a Protestant Free Church to Catholicism with CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner. 

Apostolic connection and liturgical beauty

In countries with a history of state churches, like Austria, Germany, and others in Europe, evangelical and Pentecostal congregations often fall under the broader category of "Freikirchen" — literally "free churches" — due to their independent status. 

Jean's journey into the Catholic Church was propelled by an earnest desire to align himself with the apostolic tradition, a lineage he felt was absent in his previous religious experiences.

"I can finally stand by the disciples of the apostles and say that I have a connection with them. Not only to them but above all to the Church that the Lord Jesus founded," Jean told CNA Deutsch.

Catholicism's aesthetic and doctrinal aspects significantly influenced the conversion. 

The YouTuber articulated a profound appreciation for the Church's liturgical practices and architectural magnificence, stating: "I am always impressed anew by the incredible beauty of the Catholic religion. Here, I mean above all the holy Mass and the interior architecture of Catholic churches." 

He added that this sensory and intellectual engagement with Catholicism offered him a cohesive understanding of the Gospel, liberating him from the "spasmodic Protestant interpretations" that previously confined his spiritual comprehension.

Navigating social repercussions

Jean's transition from an evangelical community to the Catholic Church was not seamless. He candidly discussed the mixed reactions from his former circle, noting both the loss and retention of friendships. 

"In my free church environment, the reactions were of course predominantly negative, but I was surprised that one or two friendships have remained," he revealed. 

The new Catholic's steadfast commitment to his newfound faith and readiness to engage in doctrinal debates have resulted in further videos.

Jean shared insights into the communal aspects of free churches with CNA Deutsch. He acknowledged the emphasis on fellowship with Pentecostal and other Protestant communities but suggested a potential imbalance between theological depth and fellowship. 

The YouTuber said he was bothered by Protestantism's doctrinal disunity, tracing it back to the foundational splits among Reformers and the subsequent proliferation of denominations.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 1, 2024 / 16:20 pm (CNA).

Three pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested after disrupting the Saturday evening Easter Vigil Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City as the faithful were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Protesters entered the cathedral about 45 minutes into the 8 p.m. Vigil Mass, which was celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and stood in front of the altar with a large flag that read "silence = death." Security quickly tried to wrestle the flag from the protesters and eventually forced them away from the altar and toward the exit of the church before police came to arrest them.

As the protesters were being forced out of the cathedral, more protesters who were standing in the pews shouted "free, free Palestine." Security also forced those protesters out of the church. 

New York City police arrested three of the protesters without further incident: 63-year-old John Rozendaal, 35-year-old Gregory Schwedock, and 31-year-old Matthew Menzies. According to police, all three were charged with disrupting a religious service, which is a Class A misdemeanor. 

"Three male individuals barged [into] the church and disrupted Mass by approaching the altar while yelling 'Free Palestine,'" according to a statement the New York City Police Department provided to CNA.

The protesters who disrupted the Mass were associated with a subgroup of the environmental group called Extinction Rebellion (XR). The subgroup is called XR NYC Palestine Solidarity. All three men issued statements through the organization in a news release after their arrests.

"War, occupation, and industrial pollution are poisoning the soil, air, and water in Gaza and all over the planet, destroying the earth's capacity to sustain life," Schwedock said. "This destruction is called 'Ecocide.'"

The disruption of the Mass occurred following a daylong pro-Palestinian rally in Times Square.

The news release from XR NYC Palestine Solidarity said that its goal was to "demand faith leaders speak out" about the war in Gaza. 

Although it's unclear what the protesters are specifically requesting of Catholic faith leaders, both the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Pope Francis have vocally urged a cease-fire in Gaza for months.

The week before, the USCCB urged the faithful to direct prayers during Holy Week "for an end to the raging Israel-Hamas war." 

"To move forward, a cease-fire and a permanent cessation of war and violence is absolutely necessary," the bishops said in their March 31 statement. "To move forward, those held hostage must be released and civilians must be protected. To move forward, humanitarian aid must reach those who are in such dire need."

The pontiff urged an end to the war and expressed solidarity with Catholics in the Holy Land in a letter during Holy Week: "You are not alone; we will never leave you alone but will demonstrate our solidarity with you by prayer and practical charity."

Neither St. Patrick's Cathedral nor the Archdiocese of New York responded to a request for comment.

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Long Island, New York, Apr 1, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

Thousands of mourners lined the streets of the New York suburb of Massapequa on Long Island on Holy Saturday for the Catholic funeral of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed while on duty during a traffic stop last Monday. 

The 31-year-old officer left behind his wife, Stephanie, and 1-year-old son, Ryan.

"The city is mourning a cop. The tens of thousands of police officers outside are mourning a brother in arms. But Stephanie and Ryan are mourning their everything," said Father Michael Duffy, who presided over the marriage of the Dillers in 2019, in his homily for the funeral service, held at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.

Coverage of the officer's death dominated local news throughout Holy Week. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff in the officer's honor. Parishes throughout Long Island remembered Diller in their Prayers of the Faithful at Masses.

Diller, a three-year veteran police officer, was killed as he and his partner investigated an illegally parked car. After refusing to exit the car at Diller's request, a passenger in the car, 34-year-old Guy Rivera of Queens, allegedly opened fire, striking Diller in the stomach just below his bullet-proof vest. He died later at a local hospital. Diller's partner returned fire and wounded the suspect, who was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder, CBS News reported. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Rivera had more than 20 prior arrests.

"Everything about this Church, about our faith, about our prayers today is a reminder that we believe that death is not an end," Duffy continued in his homily. "The fact that we find ourselves gathered here today on Holy Saturday having just gone through Good Friday awaiting Easter Sunday is a reminder of why we can be here together today at all."

In his Easter Sunday homily at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, Cardinal Timothy Dolan observed that "last week here in New York City [we] seemed to have two Good Fridays."

"Of course, the one two days ago as we somberly bowed our heads recalling the death of Jesus on the cross on that hill called Calvary, on that Friday strangely called good," the cardinal said, "but also last Monday in the murder of New York police officer, now detective, Jonathan Diller in the line of duty, we had a second Good Friday."

"He wasn't the type to sugarcoat anything, so I won't sugarcoat this," Stephanie Diller, choking back tears, said of her husband during the eulogy she delivered at his funeral. "This is devastating. It's a devastating and tragic loss."

Several politicians also attended the funeral, including Adams, who also spoke. New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban promoted Diller to detective posthumously during the service.

Former President Donald Trump was invited by the family to attend the officer's wake on Holy Thursday, NBC News reported. Hochul also attended the wake but was allegedly heckled outside the funeral home. The governor later said that no one told her to leave. 

Trump was reported to have prayed an Our Father with the family at the wake.

Diller's widow introduced the former president to Father Duffy there. "I was able to just say, Mr. President, thank you for being here," Duffy told Fox News. "Would you be willing to pray with us? And he said, 'Of course.'"

Criminal justice reform in the state has been placed back into the spotlight following Diller's death, with many blaming the state's bail reform law for allowing criminals to run free.

In 2019, the state adopted a law ending cash bail in most cases involving misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The law sought to reduce the risk of someone being jailed because he or she could not afford to pay for release.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 1, 2024 / 18:05 pm (CNA).

The Florida Supreme Court ruled to allow the state's 15-week abortion ban to take effect while also allowing a broad abortion amendment to be added to the November ballot. 

The separate rulings uphold Florida's 15-week abortion ban while also clearing the path for a proposal that opponents say could invalidate almost all the state's pro-life laws and enshrine abortion up till the moment of birth in the state.

One of the rulings upholds Florida's 15-week pro-life law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022. In this decision, the court ruled 6-1 that abortion is not covered in the state's right to privacy clause. This clears the path for the state's six-week Heartbeat Protection Act, which is currently blocked, to also take effect in 30 days. 

At the same time, a separate 4-3 decision found that the Limiting Government Interference with Abortion Amendment proposal meets the state's qualifications of being worded clearly and concerned with only one issue, stipulations that opponents argued the amendment did not meet.

If passed, the amendment would change the Florida Constitution to include a provision reading: "No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's health care provider."

In its ruling, the Florida Supreme Court cited an earlier decision to state that it "does not have the authority or responsibility to rule on the merits or the wisdom of these proposed initiative amendments" and said that "in the end, the ballot title and summary fairly inform voters, in clear and unambiguous language, of the chief purpose of the amendment and they are not misleading."

"We conclude that the proposed amendment complies with the single-subject requirement of article XI, section 3 of the Florida Constitution and that the ballot title and summary comply with section 101.161(1), Florida Statutes. And there is no basis for concluding that the proposed amendment is facially invalid under the United States Constitution," the court said. "Accordingly, we approve the proposed amendment for placement on the ballot."

With its path to the ballot now cleared, the fate of Florida's six-week, 15-week, and several other pro-life laws will be decided by voters on Nov. 5.

What's at stake?

Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and an attorney who argued before the state Supreme Court against including the proposal, told CNA that the amendment's wording is dangerously misleading and if passed would void all Florida's pro-life laws, including those post-viability and in the third trimester.

"The language that the voter reads does not apprise the voter how broad this amendment is, that every law will be gone, including health and safety regulations," he said. "The voter has no clue that by saying yes, they're abolishing all the laws, including [those concerned with] health and safety."

Though the amendment specifically targets pre-viability pro-life laws, Staver said that the amendment's vague wording would effectively allow abortions till birth in Florida.

"After viability, any law that you would pass, like for late-term abortion, can be overridden because it provides a health care provider with veto power over any post-viability law if the health care provider deems it necessary to protect the health of the woman," he explained. "A health care provider can say, for any reason, health not being defined, includes everything, for any reason: 'This law cannot prohibit abortion.'"

According to Staver, the amendment also allows for a broad definition of health care provider, which he said can include "a tattoo artist, a 911 operator, orthotic fitter, orthotic fitter assistant," and many more.  

Julia Friedland, a representative for DeSantis, also blasted the amendment, saying it was misleading.

"We agree with the three women on the court who got it right in dissent," Friedland told CNA. "This amendment is misleading and will confuse voters. The language hides the amendment's true purpose of mandating that abortions be permitted up to the time of birth."

Bishops urge Floridians to vote 'no'

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement shortly after the ruling decrying the court's decision and urging Floridians to oppose the amendment. 

"We are greatly dismayed that the Florida Supreme Court did not reject this deceptively-worded amendment and that it will appear on the November 2024 ballot," the bishops said. "If passed, the amendment to our state constitution would put the most innocent of human lives in grave danger until the moment of birth and would eliminate gains made over the past several decades to protect women from the harms of abortion, including health and safety protocols at abortion facilities." 

The bishops went on to say that they "will work hard to oppose this cruel and dangerous amendment and urge all Floridians to vote 'no' on Amendment 4."

The Florida bishops have long opposed the amendment and submitted a brief to the state Supreme Court in November 2023 that argued the proposal's title "misleadingly suggests that the amendment 'limits' government interference when it bans all regulation before viability."

Angela Curatalo, director of the Respect Life Office at the Archdiocese of Miami, told CNA that is extreme, deceptive, and "absolutely harmful to Floridians." 

"Voters need to know what it actually does," Curatalo said. "What it would actually do is remove all regulation totally and not 'limit' it. This would mean legalizing abortion in Florida up to the moment of birth, anytime and for any reason."  

She explained that the amendment would also "remove the Parental Consent Prior to a Minor's Abortion law in the state of Florida, taking away a parent's right to oversight of their child's health and well-being" and "would nullify regulations for safe and sanitary practices and voluntary informed consent prior to an abortion, among other things." 

Curatalo pointed to the archdiocese's three pregnancy centers and other pro-life efforts to say that while the abortion industry offers the "violence and horror of abortion," the pro-life movement is "here to assist pregnant women and their families."

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CNA Staff, Apr 1, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis said he was "used" in the 2005 conclave in an effort to block the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, though he supported the candidacy of the man who soon became Pope Benedict XVI. 

"He was my candidate," Francis said of his predecessor in excerpts from the forthcoming book "The Successor," published by the Spanish newspaper ABC on Easter Sunday.  

In the book, Pope Francis told Spanish journalist Javier Martínez-Brocal that his name, then-Cardinal Jose Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, was put forward as part of a "complete maneuver" by an unnamed group of cardinals to manipulate the conclave's outcome. 

"The idea was to block the election of [Ratzinger]," he explained. "They were using me, but behind them they were already thinking about proposing another cardinal. They still couldn't agree on who, but they were already on the verge of throwing out a name." 

Francis said that at one point of the conclave, which began on April 18, 2005, he was receiving 40 of the 115 total votes. If cardinals continued to support him, Ratzinger would not have reached the necessary two-thirds threshold to be elected, likely prompting a search for an alternative candidate. 

Francis said that he realized the "operation" was afoot on the second day of voting and told the Colombian Cardinal Dario Castrillón to not "joke with my candidacy" and cease supporting him, "because I'm not going to accept" being elected. 

Austen Ivereigh, the pope's English-speaking biographer, has previously written that Bergoglio, "almost in tears," had begged not to be elected. 

Ratzinger, who had been the longtime prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, was elected that same day. 

Pope Francis did not say who this group of conclave manipulators consisted of nor who they planned to introduce as a third candidate, but the Argentinian prelate said that the group of cardinals "did not want a 'foreign' pope." 

Several accounts from the time have claimed that a group of liberal European cardinals, known as the Saint Gallen Group, attempted to manipulate the outcome of the 2005 conclave. Three members of the group, German Cardinals Walter Kasper and Karl Lehmann and Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels, also participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Francis. According to Ivereigh, they advocated for Bergoglio after first securing his assent, a claim the cardinals have denied. 

According to Universi Dominici Gregis, an apostolic constitution governing papal conclaves, cardinal electors must refrain from "any form of pact, agreement, promise, or other commitment of any kind which could oblige them to give or deny their vote to a person or persons" under threat of automatic excommunication. 

Conclave proceedings are, by definition, secretive, as the term is derived from a Latin word that means a "locked room." But in "The Successor," Francis said that while cardinals are sworn to secrecy regarding conclave proceedings, "the popes have license to tell it." 

Pope Francis also revealed that while others were putting his name forward in the hopes of forcing a stalemate, he believed Ratzinger "was the only one at that time [who] could be pope." 

"After the revolution of John Paul II, who had been a dynamic pontiff, very active, with initiative who traveled … there was a need for a pope who maintained a healthy balance, a transitional pope," the Holy Father said of his predecessor, who served from 2005 to 2013. 

Francis also said that he left Rome happy that Ratzinger had been elected and not himself. 

"If they had chosen someone like me, who makes a lot of trouble, I wouldn't have been able to do anything," he said. "At that time, it would not have been possible." 

Nonetheless, Pope Francis added that the papacy "wasn't easy" for Benedict XVI, who "encountered a lot of resistance within the Vatican." 

Pope Francis was also asked what the Holy Spirit was saying to the Church through the election of Benedict XVI. 

"'I am in charge here,'" Francis said of the Spirit's response. "'There is no room for maneuver.'" 

"The Successor" is part of a flurry of Francis-focused books being released in the 87-year-old Jesuit's 11th year as pontiff, which also includes "Life: My Story Through History," the pope's first autobiography. 

The new book, which focuses on the relationship between Pope Francis and Benedict XVI, is set to be published in Spanish on Wednesday, April 3, with no details yet available on an English edition. 

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CNA Staff, Apr 1, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Psychologist and author Jordan Peterson spoke about Easter as the "core story of humanity" in an interview with "EWTN News In Depth" hours before his wife, Tammy, joined the Catholic Church this Easter at Holy Rosary Church in Toronto.

Tammy Peterson's faith was formed through praying the rosary while she struggled against a rare form of cancer. Peterson is known for his biblical lectures on Genesis and Exodus in particular, which often appeal to both Christian and secular listeners. 

When asked by EWTN News correspondent Colm Flynn about what he thought about the Christian Easter message, Peterson said that it's "the core story of humanity." 

"I'll speak psychologically about it and speak in terms of its literary echoes," he said. "It's a variant of the dragon and treasure story, which is the oldest story we have. It's the core story of humanity in some fundamental sense — that in the darkest places, what's of most value can be found." 

Peterson noted that he was "not going to delve into theological matters" but that "speaking strictly psychologically," the Easter story describes "the worst that life and death can throw at us," but then offers a "promise." 

"The promise in the story is that, if that's undertaken wholeheartedly, the consequence is redemptive, transformative and redemptive," he said. "A resurrection of the spirit, a resurrection of the spirit eternally — that's the promise."

When asked what the cross meant to him, Peterson said "it's the point where everything comes together."

"It's the agony of life," he continued. "With God's grace, you might say that the triumph of life, in the face of agony, in the face of malevolence, that's what it is."

"We're very confused about what faith is in the modern world. We think that faith is your verbal assent to a collection of descriptive statements," he noted. "That's perhaps an element of faith. …But the faith itself is, what would you say? It's the willingness to presume that being and becoming is good despite tragedy and malevolence." 

In the interview, Peterson reflected on the idea of a "calling." 

"You're called upon to climb Jacob's Ladder, and it spirals infinitely upward — well, to where?" Peterson asked. "Infinitely upward isn't a place — It's a direction. Heaven is a place that's perfect, that's getting better at the same time."

"Anything that attracts your attention is a portal to the divine," he added. "You'll pursue that thing that attracts your attention, that's your calling, and then it'll transmute, and you'll find yourself oriented in another direction. The spirit that remains constant through all the transformations of your calling — that's the divine." 

"That's what the divine is; it's ineffable because it can't be fully revealed. It's unlikely to be fully revealed in the course of your existence, but it calls you forward continually," he continued. "That's what the burning bush is in the story of Moses. It shows itself in different places for different people."

When asked what it was like to see his wife join the Catholic Church, Peterson said it's a "miraculous thing to see." 

"I loved my wife from the moment I laid eyes on her when I was a kid," he said. "If you love someone, it hurts you when you see them deviate from the thing that draws you to them. And since she's pursued her efforts at enlightening herself more thoroughly — and this investigation of Catholicism has been key to that — she's much more who she is."  

Though his wife became Catholic, Peterson said he remains "unlikely" to join the Church. When Flynn asked what was holding Peterson back from becoming Catholic himself, he responded: "I don't think anything's holding me back. Everybody's got their own destiny."

Peterson said that whether this was part of his own "destiny" was "unlikely" because he, as he put it, "exist[s] on the borders of things." 

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ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 1, 2024 / 05:00 am (CNA).

On Easter Monday, the Catholic Church celebrates what's called "Monday of the Angel." In many countries in Europe and South America, this day, also known as "Little Easter," is a national holiday.

In a Vatican Radio recording in 1994, Pope John Paul II gave an explanation for Monday of the Angel:

"Why is it called that?" the pope asked, highlighting the need for an angel to call out from the depths of the grave: "He is risen."

These words "were very difficult to proclaim, to express, for a person," John Paul II said. "Also, the women that were at the tomb encountered it empty but couldn't tell 'he had risen'; they only affirmed that the tomb was empty. The angel said more: 'He is not here, he has risen.'"

The Gospel of St. Matthew puts it this way: "Then the angel said to the women in reply, 'Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you" (Mt 28:5-7).

Angels are servants and messengers of God. As purely spiritual beings, they have intellects and wills. They are personal and immortal. They surpass all visible beings in their perfection.

Christ himself gives testimony to the angels when he said: "The angels in heaven always see the face of my father who is in heaven!" (Mt 18:10).

Christ is the center of the universe and angels belong to him. Even more so, because he made them messengers of his plan of salvation: an angel announced his conception to the Blessed Mother at the Annunciation and an angel proclaimed his Resurrection to Mary Magdalene.

From Easter Monday until the end of Easter at Pentecost, the Church prays the Regina Caeli instead of the Angelus at the noon hour.

On Monday of the Angel in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said the text of the Regina Caeli "is like a new 'Annunciation' to Mary, this time not made by an angel but by us Christians who invite the Mother to rejoice because her Son, whom she carried in her womb, is risen as he promised."

He continued: "Indeed, 'rejoice' was the first word that the heavenly messenger addressed to the Virgin in Nazareth. And this is what it meant: Rejoice, Mary, because the Son of God is about to become man within you. Now, after the drama of the Passion, a new invitation to rejoice rings out: 'Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia, quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia' — Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Rejoice because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia!"

Regina Caeli (English)

V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

R. For he whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.

R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

V. Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

R. Amen.

Regina Caeli (Latin)

V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.

R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.

V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.

R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

V. Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen. 

This article was originally published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, then translated and adapted by the National Catholic Register on March 4, 2021, and updated for CNA on March 28, 2024.

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Vancouver, Canada, Apr 1, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Cemeteries are the front line of defense against society's increasing secularism and fear of death and suffering, said Peter Nobes, director of Catholic Cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  

"In every age, Christ shows us the way to our heavenly home," he told The B.C. Catholic. "But modern Western culture historically represses the experience of death and dialogue on its meaning."

As a culture's religious awareness decreases and secularization increases, humanity becomes more and more afraid of discussing death, he said. Great effort then needs to be made to encourage people to speak about death and plan for the inevitable.

The emphasis on death as a medical event needs to be re-presented with the Christian truth that death is the passage to eternal life, Nobes added.

"Fear of death is an existential issue," he said. "Jesus Christ is our model and the key to existential meaning. He transforms death for believers," making it not just tolerable but hopeful.

"Christian hope and trust in God lower anxiety about death and contribute to an individual's sense of life fulfillment, and it's nourished and increased through the sacraments and teaching," he added.

By helping an individual prepare for death, which Nobes sees as part of the role of the Catholic cemetery, the entire person is spiritually nourished. 

"Preparing for earthly death and talking about eternal life is an act of sharing one's faith that benefits the Church's evangelical mission as well as individual well-being," he said. "Spiritual and practical preparation should be understood as a charitable act."

Nobes suggested some reframing might be helpful. "We must always speak of eternal life when the topic of death is addressed," he said. Integrating the funeral rite and sacred burial within the larger context of Catholic sacramental theology — specifically, the anointing of the sick, reconciliation, and the Eucharist — can provide a "broader picture of how the Church supports pilgrims when they face later life issues."

The Catholic cemetery becomes a central institution for Nobes. "The cemetery is not only a practical service that offers a respectful preservation of human remains in keeping with religious beliefs," he explained. "It also provides education and comfort for the distress felt over the death of loved ones and the inevitable approach of one's own death."

The Catholic cemetery needs to be seen as "a place of hope and a bridge between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven," Nobes said. He wants to see Catholic health care more closely collaborate with Catholic death care by "reestablishing a positive vision of Christian end-of-life and the life to come."

All of this is especially important in Canada where euthanasia, called medical assistance in dying (MAID), is increasingly a part of the landscape of death.

In Nobes' view, the cemetery can offer support and resources to Catholic health care workers and ministers who bring the Eucharist to the sick and dying. By working together, they can more effectively and with greater charity accompany the dying in their final hours.

This article was originally published in The B.C. Catholic and is reprinted here with permission. 

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Vatican City, Mar 31, 2024 / 08:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis presided over Mass in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday 2024 before giving the traditional urbi et orbi blessing in the presence of approximately 60,000 people.

On a warm and windy Easter Sunday at the Vatican, Pope Francis proclaimed: "Jesus Christ is risen! He alone has the power to roll away the stones that block the path to life. He, the living One, is himself that path. He is the Way."

"Only the risen Christ, by granting us the forgiveness of our sins, opens the way for a renewed world," the pope added.

Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in his urbi et orbi blessing, Pope Francis said that "today throughout the world there resounds the message proclaimed 2,000 years ago from Jerusalem: 'Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, has been raised!'"

St. Peter's Square was adorned with an array of over 21,000 flowers and plants from the Netherlands.

Three hundred priests, 18 bishops, and 34 cardinals concelebrated the Easter Sunday Mass on March 31. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re celebrated at the altar due to Francis' difficulty walking and standing.

The Gospel reading, John 20:1-9, was proclaimed in Latin and Greek. The passage recounts the moment in which Mary Magdalene and the apostles Peter and John found the empty tomb after Jesus' resurrection.

As is his custom, Francis did not give a homily after the Gospel but stayed a few moments in silent prayer. Pope Francis gave a homily at the Easter Vigil Mass, which can be read here.

The pope also participated in the "Resurrexit," an ancient rite honoring an icon of the Holy Savior. At the conclusion of the liturgy, Pope Francis rode through St. Peter's Square on the popemobile greeting enthusiastic pilgrims who waved flags and cheered.

In his urbi et orbi message following the Mass, the pope reflected on the "amazing discovery of Easter morning" as the women discovered an empty tomb.

"The tomb of Jesus is open and it is empty! From this, everything begins anew!" Pope Francis said.

"A new path leads through that empty tomb: the path that none of us but God alone could open: the path of life in the midst of death, the path of peace in the midst of war, the path of reconciliation in the midst of hatred, the path of fraternity in the midst of hostility."

Pope Francis prayed for peace in Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, and other parts of the world suffering from war and violence.

"On this day when we celebrate the life given us in the resurrection of the Son, let us remember the infinite love of God for each of us: a love that overcomes every limit and every weakness," he said.

"And yet how much the precious gift of life is despised! How many children cannot even be born? How many die of hunger and are deprived of essential care or are victims of abuse and violence? How many lives are made objects of trafficking for the increasing commerce in human beings?"

"May the light of the Resurrection illuminate our minds and convert our hearts, and make us aware of the value of every human life, which must be welcomed, protected, and loved. A happy Easter to all!" Pope Francis said.

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Vatican City, Mar 31, 2024 / 08:45 am (CNA).

In his Easter Sunday blessing, Pope Francis asked the risen Lord to open paths of peace in the Holy Land, Ukraine, and all regions of the world suffering from war and violence.

Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on March 31, Pope Francis called for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. He appealed for humanitarian access for the people of Gaza and called for the prompt release of the hostages seized by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

"Jesus alone opens up before us the doors of life, those doors that continually we shut with the  wars spreading throughout the world," Pope Francis said.

"Today we want, first and foremost, to turn our eyes to the Holy City of Jerusalem, that witnessed the mystery of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and to all the Christian communities of the Holy Land."

"My thoughts go especially to the victims of the many conflicts worldwide, beginning with  those in Israel and Palestine, and in Ukraine. May the risen Christ open a path of peace for the war-torn peoples of those regions."

Pope Francis gave the traditional urbi et orbi blessing from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica following Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square in the presence of about 60,000 people.

"Urbi et orbi" means "To the city [of Rome] and to the world" and is a special apostolic blessing given by the pope every year on Easter Sunday, Christmas, and other special occasions.

Beginning with the Holy Land and Ukraine, Pope Francis prayed for the many countries in the world that are suffering from violence, poverty, instability, food insecurity, and conflicts.

"Let us not allow the current hostilities to continue to have grave repercussions on the civil population by now at the limit of its endurance," Pope Francis said.

"How much suffering we see in the eyes of the children," he said. "The children in those war zones have forgotten how to smile. With those eyes, they ask us: Why? Why all this death? Why all this destruction?"

"Peace is never made with arms but with outstretched hands and open hearts," the pope added.

In his peace message, Pope Francis expressed hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine. He also offered prayers for Syria and Lebanon whose populations continue to experience the devastating effects of war.

The pope asked the Lord to open paths of peace on the African continent, praying especially for "the suffering peoples in Sudan and in the entire region of the Sahel, in the Horn of Africa, in the region of Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in the province of Capo Delgado in Mozambique."

He also prayed for the risen Lord to assist the people of Haiti, calling for "an end to the acts of violence, devastation, and bloodshed in that country, and that it can advance on the path to  democracy and fraternity."

Pope Francis encouraged the discussions taking place between Armenia and Azerbaijan, urging that with the support of the international community, they can "pursue dialogue, assist the displaced, respect the places of worship of the various religious confessions, and arrive as soon as possible at a definitive peace agreement."

He prayed for reconciliation in Myanmar and for Christ to grant consolation and strength to the Rohingya people as they face "a grave humanitarian crisis."

"On this day when we celebrate the life given us in the resurrection of the Son, let us remember the infinite love of God for each of us: a love that overcomes every limit and every weakness," Pope Francis said.

"And yet how much the precious gift of life is despised! How many children cannot even be born? How many die of hunger and are deprived of essential care or are victims of abuse and violence? How many lives are made objects of trafficking for the increasing commerce in human beings?"

"May the light of the Resurrection illuminate our minds and convert our hearts, and make us aware of the value of every human life, which must be welcomed, protected, and loved. A happy Easter to all!" he said.

A plenary indulgence, or the remittance of temporal punishment due to sins that have already been forgiven, is granted to those who participate in the urbi et orbi blessing in person or through radio, television, or the internet.

The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence must be met: The individual must be in a state of grace and have complete detachment from sin. The person must also pray for the pope's intentions and sacramentally confess their sins and receive Communion up to about 20 days before or after the indulgenced act.

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