Tag: Christianity

Jesus loves people as they are, not based on their merit or righteousness, said the text for Pope Francis’ weekly general audience.

“Precisely because Jesus looks within each one of us, he loves us as we truly are,” said the text prepared for April 9.

“What does Jesus see when he looks within every one of us and loves us, despite our distractions and our sins? He sees our fragility, but also our desire to be loved as we are,” he wrote.

While Pope Francis was not holding audiences since he was still recovering from double pneumonia and multiple infections, the Vatican has been publishing the texts prepared for his general audiences each Wednesday.

During the Holy Year 2025, the pope’s audiences have focused on “Jesus Christ our hope.” Continuing a series looking at Gospel stories of Jesus’ encounters with different people and how meeting him changed their lives, the April 9 text focused on St. Mark’s presentation of Jesus’ encounter with “the rich man.”

The Gospel account (Mk 10:17-31) tells the story of an unnamed rich man who asks Jesus what he must do to “inherit eternal life” after insisting he has observed all the commandments since his youth.

Pope Francis, in his text, asked people to notice that the man uses the verb “inherit,” indicating that “eternal life is for him an inheritance, something that is obtained by right, through meticulous observance of commitments.”

However, “since observance of the law did not give him the happiness and security of being saved, he turns to the master Jesus,” the pope wrote.

The man realizes something is missing and is still searching for the meaning of his life, the text said. “Indeed, beyond the things we do, our sacrifices and successes, what truly counts in order to be happy is what we carry in our heart.”

“What is striking is that this man does not know the vocabulary of gratuitousness,” the pope wrote. “Everything seems to be owed. Everything is a duty. … But in a life lived in this way, although certainly for good purpose, what space can love have?”

Jesus, however, looks at the man and loves him even before he invites the man to follow him, the pope wrote. “He loves him just as he is. Jesus’ love is gratuitous: exactly the opposite of the logic of merit that has beset this person.”

“We are truly happy when we realize we are loved in this way, freely, by grace,” he wrote. “And this also applies to the relationships between us: as long as we try to buy love or beg for affection, those relationships will never make us feel happy.”

Jesus then invites him to sell everything he has, give to the poor and “change his way of living and relating with God,” he wrote. “Jesus recognizes that inside him, as in all of us,” the thing that is lacking is “the desire we carry in our heart to be loved.”

To fill this void, “we do not need to ‘buy’ recognition, affection, consideration: instead, we need to ‘sell off’ everything that weighs us down, to make our hearts freer. There is no need to continue to take for ourselves but rather to give to the poor, to provide, to share,” the pope’s text said.

Jesus also invites this man no longer be alone and sad, but to follow him, create a bond and experience a relationship, he wrote. “Perhaps today, precisely because we live in a culture of self-sufficiency and individualism, we find ourselves more unhappy because we no longer hear our name spoken by someone who loves us freely.”

Sometimes, the pope wrote, “what we think are riches are instead only burdens that are holding us back. The hope is that this person, like each one of us, will sooner or later change and decide to set sail” with Jesus as the guide and companion.

The pope asked people to pray for “all people who are sad and undecided, so that they may feel the loving gaze of the Lord, who is moved by looking tenderly within us.”

Bucharest, April 9, 2025

Photo: basilica.ro     

The main tower of the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest was adorned yesterday with a large cross weighing 7.7 tons being placed atop it.

“In this moment, when the imperfect work of our hands becomes sanctified in the name of the Holy Trinity, it truly acquires dimensions of perfection,” said Fr. Nicolae Crîngaşu, Patriarchal Coordinator Counselor of the Monuments and Church Buildings Sector of the Romanian Patriarchate.

This moment had been planned for a year and a half, reports the Basilica News Agency.

The cross was consecrated by His Grace Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești and Archimandrite Ciprian Grădinaru, Ecclesiarch of the Chapel of the Nation’s Salvation Cathedral, before it was hoisted on top of the dome by a special crane.

Photo: basilica.ro     

“Before our eyes rises, in the sky of our capital, in the sky of Bucharest, as a sign of hope, of light for our daily Christian life. And the figures associated with this cross, which will be raised shortly, have special significance: it is seven meters tall and weighs seven metric tons, and the number seven, in Christian spirituality, has the significance of perfection, of fullness,” Bp. Varlaam said.

“We wish that this cross be not only the shield of this cathedral, a strong and unconquered covering, but also for each Romanian, from the country and abroad, a sign of victory and a sign of hope that Christ is, in every trial of our life, beside us. And just as His Cross, which He willingly carried for us and for our salvation, brought joy to the whole world, may this cross that will adorn the sky of our capital from the highest tower of the cathedral illuminate and sanctify our daily life,” the hierarch added.

The National Cathedral, the foundation stone of which was laid in 2007, will be consecrated on Sunday, October 26, 2025, by the Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania.

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On April 5, Archbishop Gomez led more than 6,000 Catholics in a “pilgrimage of hope,” a seven-mile procession with holy relics from nearly two dozen of the Church’s saints, from All Souls Church in Alhambra to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, where he celebrated Mass. The following is adapted from his homily. 

Today has been a glorious celebration of the Church’s hope, the hope of the whole family of God here in Los Angeles. 

As you know, we have been walking in the company of saints, who are present with us in their holy relics, now before us at this altar. 

It’s amazing to think of all the historic saints in our midst, from the holy apostles who walked with the Lord, to St. Junípero Serra, the holy missionary who established the faith here in Los Angeles. 

We are also in the presence of the Church’s newest saints: the young millennial Carlo Acutis, who will be canonized after Easter, and Pier Frassati, who will be canonized in August!

My brothers and sisters, in these saints that we’ve been walking with today, we see the universal call to holiness, from the Church’s first beginnings until right now. 

And I think it’s important to remember that we are called to the same holiness, the same heroic virtue, the same mission. Our vocation and destiny is to join them. We are created to become saints ourselves and to live forever with God in the love that never ends. 

This is our hope as Catholics. 

In the Gospel that we just heard, the people are amazed at Jesus’ teaching. Some say he’s a prophet; others, the Messiah. “Never before has anyone spoken like this man,” they say. 

Nobody has ever spoken like Jesus because he is the living God who has come into our midst; come to show us his face, come to open his heart to us. 

In taking human flesh, Jesus shows us what it means to be a human being, a human person. He shows us who we are, and what we are made for, and why we are here. 

The beautiful truth that he reveals is that God knows our name; he has loved us from before all ages, and he will love us to the end. That’s why Jesus gave his life for us on the cross. Because he loves us more than we could ever imagine. 

And Jesus saves our lives for a reason! 

Jesus has a job for each one of us, for you and for me. He wants each of us to be a part of his beautiful project of redemption. 

One of the saints said: “I am created to do something or to be something for which no one else is created. I have my mission — I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.”

This is the truth for everyone in the Church. Jesus has a mission for all of us. 

In this Jubilee Year, it’s important for us to reflect on how Jesus is calling us to be his instruments, to be heroes of hope! In our parishes and schools; in our communities, and in our homes. We are called to be missionaries of hope. 

And that’s the way in which we are going to make a difference in our families and in our society.

So, Jesus is sending us into the world to share the hope that we have in him.

Jesus is also calling us to show our world what hope looks like in action. 

We need to lift up our neighbors in need, feed the hungry, and welcome the stranger. We need to work for peace and build up our families and communities. In all things, we need to love others so they will know that they are loved by God. 

That’s what I wanted to share with you today, that really this call of hope is personal for each one of us. And it is a beautiful mission!

So, let’s ask Mary our Blessed Mother for her intercession today — that we can be those heroes of hope! And let us commit ourselves again today to becoming the saints that we are created to be. 

We ask our Blessed Mother, Queen of the Angels and Star of Hope, to guide us as we seek always to follow in the way of her Son!

Kuremäe, Estonia, April 9, 2025

Photo: monasterium.ru     

A number of famous monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church have addressed letters of support for the Holy Dormition-Pükhtitsa Monastery, which is facing persecution by Estonian authorities.

The monastery is not formally part of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church, which is an autonomous body within the Moscow Patriarchate, but is directly under the omophorion of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. In any case, the Estonian Parliament has branded both the Church and monastery as supporters of military aggression without evidence, using this accusation as a pretext to ban them. The relevant bill Estonia: Bill to ban Estonian Orthodox Church passes second Parliament reading—one more reading to goEstonian authorities have taken another step towards banning the Estonian Orthodox Church.

“>passed its second reading last month, and is expected to pass its third reading today, after which it will be transferred to the President for promulgation.

Abbess Philareta and the Pükhtitsa sisterhood have Estonian official tells monastery: You have to choose either the Moscow Patriarchate or Estonian valuesAbbess Philareta and sisters from Pükhtitsa Monastery arrived at the Estonian Parliament building on Monday to submit a petition to maintain the monastery’s current status.

“>repeatedly demonstrated that they exist outside of politics and that they have no authority to simply change jurisdictions on their own (they could avoid banning by joining the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Estonian jurisdiction, which would put them in communion with the Ukrainian schismatics).

It’s noteworthy that even under godless Soviet rule, Pükhtitsa Monastery, which was founded with support by St. John of Kronstadt, managed to avoid closure.

Over the past few days, several monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church have written Mother Philareta and the sisters of Pükhtitsa, expressing their support. These include Valaam, Optina, Solovki, Diveyevo, Novodevichy in Moscow, Holy Protection Monastery in Moscow, and St. John of Rila Monastery in St. Petersburg, reports the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.

The letter of Abbot Bishop Pankraty and the leadership of Valaam emphasizes the deep spiritual connection that exists between their monasteries and assures the Pükhtitsa sisterhood of their prayers.

“Your steadfastness in confessing Christ’s Church in the face of injustice is a living testimony to the Apostle’s words: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12),” writes Abbot Bishop Joseph of Optina, with wishes for the sisters to overcome the devil’s machinations.

Likewise, Abbess Theophania of Moscow’s Holy Protection Convent ensures Pükhtitsa of her sisterhood’s prayers at the relics of St. Matrona, which are treasured at the Moscow monastery.

And in their letter, Abbess Ludmila and the sisters of St. John of Rila Convent in St. Petersburg note that their monastery actually began as a dependency of Pükhtitsa Monastery. It is also home to the relics of St. John of Kronstadt, who spiritually nurtured the Estonian monastery.

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Catholic social services are facing a funding crisis.

On Feb. 27, the U.S. State Department canceled its longstanding contract with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), cutting funding for a refugee resettlement program that dates back to the 1980s.

The decision came after a monthlong funding battle that has panicked many nonprofits — including Catholic social services nationwide. As they’ve discovered, even a short-term federal funding freeze is enough to decimate programming.

“The Conference does not have the funds to continue operations in USCCB Refugee Services at the current levels,” read a Feb. 7 memo from USCCB General Secretary Father Michael Fuller. “As such, we must inform our local Catholic Charities and other subcontracting agencies that there will be a delay in payments until further notice. This will be a burden on them and the people they serve and will result in staff layoffs.”

Whether Catholic institutions should accept federal money can be, and is, debated. But the simple truth is that right now we are, and at significant amounts. For the USCCB alone, close to $20 million in outstanding reimbursements from December were frozen.  

But this model is unstable, with just one month without that funding is enough to buckle some of the nation’s Catholic social services. And this reality exposes a historic and scandalous truth about American Catholics.

We just don’t give money like other Christians.

The almost immediate need to cut down staffing implies that our current levels of social services simply cannot function, even for a short period of time, relying solely on individual donations or private grants from the laity. And this is not a new phenomenon.

In fact, Catholics haven’t given at the same levels as mainline Protestants since the early 1960s, according to a 2006 book by Villanova University economics professor Charles E. Zech titled  “Why Catholics Don’t Give … And What Can Be Done About It” (Our Sunday Visitor, $19.14).

At the book’s publication in 2000, Protestants were cited as giving 2.2% of income to their church compared to 1.1% of Catholics. That’s a 2:1 ratio — just slightly lower than the ratio of per capita giving to churches found in 2023 by the Lake Institute.

Donations to one’s church and total charitable donations are two separate numbers, and many try to explain lower levels of Catholics giving to their local church because of other charitable causes supported by Catholics — such as Catholic Charities. But the truth is, Catholics give less across the board.

According to the 2024 State of the Bible Report produced by the American Bible Society, 60% of Catholic giving goes to religious charities of all types, compared to 75% of Evangelical and 73% for historically Black denominations. Only Mainline Protestants gave to religious causes at a lower level of 52% — but considering their total average giving nearly triple Catholic giving, that lower percentage still equates to greater religious giving than Catholics.

For Catholics, 45% of religious giving was slated to their local church, again lower than Evangelicals and historically Black denominations and just 4% higher than mainline Protestants.

Put another way, the “other causes” that some use to rationalize low levels of parish giving statistically amount to just 15%. In real numbers, that’s an average of $237.15 based on the Lake Institute’s median giving data. 

Again, this discrepancy in giving is not a modern phenomenon. The 1996 study “Money Matters” conducted by Zech and other economists found that “Catholics in our sample donated an average of $576 per household to religious and nonreligious causes outside their parish. This was the second lowest among the five denominations [surveyed].”

This is all despite Catholic churches leading the nation in top annual median income. According to the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, the median income of American churches is up 42% from 2020 — with Catholic churches leading with the top annual median income.

But this view of the charitable forest is missing the trees. Catholics are, and consistently have been, less generous per capita than our Protestant brothers and sisters. That same report found that, in 2023, mainline Protestants gave a median of $2,748 per person versus Catholic median giving of $1,581.

So while our top-line numbers do show large averages in aggregate, the only reason is because Catholics currently outnumber other congregations. But that can, and is, changing.

Despite Catholics continuing to outnumber any single Protestant denomination according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Pew Research Center found that Catholics have “experienced the greatest new losses” among America’s religious groups. 

A full 43% of people raised Catholic no longer identify as such, the survey finds, “meaning that 12.8% of all U.S. adults are former Catholics.”

That is less than seven percentage points off from the 19% of U.S. adults who do identify as Catholics. And with 8.4 people leaving the Catholic church for every 1 person, it is not inconceivable that the number of lapsed Catholics could soon overtake the number of practicing ones.

As the Catholic population continues to fall, our giving crisis will continue to become more acute, especially without access to other funding sources like federal grants. Without concerted efforts by Catholic leadership and laity to increase our levels of giving, the cuts in Catholic social services seen today will likely just be the tip of the iceberg.

Kiev, April 8, 2025

Photo: uoc-news.church     

Ukrainian Church canonizes two new 20th-century saintsOn October 23, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church canonized two 20th-century saints: Archimandrite Philaret (Kochubei), abbot of Zverinetsky Skete in Kiev, and Blessed John the Wanderer, a Fool-for-Christ.

“>On October 23, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church canonized two 20th-century saints: Archimandrite Philaret (Kochubei), abbot of Zverinetsky Skete in Kiev, and Blessed John the Wanderer, a Fool-for-Christ.

And on April 6, when the UOC celebrates the Synaxis of the Fathers of Zverinetsky Skete in Kiev, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukriane led the glorification service for St. Philaret of Zverinetsky. He was concelebrated by seven hierarchs, the monastery clergy, and visiting clergy, reports the UOC’s Department for Information and Education.

Photo: uoc-news.church     

According to tradition, the last memorial prayers were offered for St. Philaret before the formal glorification. The Synodal decision to canonize the monastic saint was read out by His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Nizhyn, head of the Information-Education Department. Then the saint’s biography was read and his troparion, kontakion, and magnification were sung.

Following the reading of the Gospel, His Beatitude offered a sermon. During the service, he ordained one of the monastery’s deacons to the priesthood.

Photo: uoc-news.church     

Following the service, the hierarchs visited the caves where the monastic fathers struggled and venerated the monastery’s sacred treasures.

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Crete, April 9, 2025

Photo: romfea.gr     

Another hierarch from the Greek Orthodox world reposed in the Lord yesterday, April 8.

Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronou, Hypertimos, and Exarch of the Cretan and Myrtoo Sea had been facing serious health issues recently, “fighting a brave and humble daily battle against his illness,” reports Romfea.

The hierarch from Crete, which is under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, is the fourth Greek hierarch to repose in the past month. Metropolitans Anthimos, the retired hierarch of Thessaloniki, and Titus, the retired hierarch of Paramythia, both reposed in the Lord on Two retired Greek hierarchs repose in the Lord on same dayMay their memories be eternal!

“>March 14, and Metropolitan Andreas of Konitsa reposed over this past weekend on Saturday, Greek Metropolitan of Konitsa laid to rest after decades of service (+VIDEOS)His Eminence Metropolitan Andreas of Konitsa reposed in the Lord on Saturday, April 5.”>April 5.

The newly reposed Met. Damaskinos was 66 years old. He served as a hierarch for the past 19 years of his life.

May Met. Damaskinos’ memory be eternal!

***

The Metropolitan was born in Chania, Crete in 1958.

After his general education, he attended the Ecclesiastical School of Crete and the Theological School of the University of Thessaloniki, subsequently completing a postgraduate program in the Department of Worship and Art, obtaining a Master’s Degree.

In 1976 he was tonsured a monk, in 1981 he was ordained a deacon, and the following year a priest.

In 2001, he was appointed by chancellor of the Metropolitan of Kydonia.

On November 7, 2006, he was unanimously elected by the Holy Synod of Crete as the next Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronou.

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As Pope Francis continues his recovery at the Vatican, he is very slowly beginning to get back to his old routine of meeting with top Vatican officials, the Vatican press office said.

In addition to working with his secretaries, he met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, April 7, the press office said in a briefing with reporters April 8.

The pope is also in contact with other dicasteries by phone and goes over the texts and documents he receives from them, it added. His regular phone calls to Holy Family parish in Gaza, which were sporadic during his hospitalization, continue.

Pope Francis was released from Rome’s Gemelli hospital March 23 after more than five weeks of treatment for breathing difficulties, double pneumonia and a polymicrobial infection in his airways.

His doctors had said he would need two months to convalesce following his release, which included staying home, avoiding visitors and keeping up with pharmacological, respiratory and physical therapy.

However, the pope surprised the faithful when he appeared in St. Peter’s Square April 6 at the end of the closing Mass of the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers. It was the first time Pope Francis had been seen in public since he was discharged from the hospital.

Seated in a wheelchair and wearing a nasal cannula, the pope greeted the crowd with a strained voice, wishing them “A happy Sunday to you all, many thanks!” Before appearing in the square, he also went to confession in St. Peter’s Basilica and passed through the Holy Door, the Vatican press office had said.

A Vatican source said the pope’s appearance Sunday still fit within his doctors’ recommendations, as the moment was very brief, it was outdoors and he greeted just a few people. A period of convalescence means being more careful about certain things and that was being respected, the source said.

The apparent difficulty the pope has in raising his arms, such as when he blessed or greeted the crowds in his last two public appearances, is connected with his long hospitalization and subsequent reduced mobility, the source added. The pope is following physical therapy that is meant to increase and improve all aspects of his mobility.

After concelebrating Mass with his secretaries each day, the pope spends “a good part” of his morning doing his physical therapy and respiratory therapy, which have led to some improvements as his condition and tests remain stable, the press office said. The rest of the day is dedicated to prayer and working.

Pope Francis still has a lingering lung infection, which doctors had said would take time to clear up. He continues to use high-flow oxygen at night only when needed, the press office said.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, and named Bishop William Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, Missouri, as his successor.

The resignation and appointment were announced by the Vatican on April 8.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was installed as the fourth archbishop and the 11th bishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City on Jan. 15, 2005.

On June 4, 2024, he turned 75, the age at which canon law requires bishops to submit their resignation to the pope.

Archbishop McKnight, 56, has headed the Diocese of Jefferson City since February 2018, when he was ordained bishop. He was executive director of the Office for Clergy and Consecrated Life of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops between 2010 and 2015.

“My heart is filled with gratitude for the faithful of the Diocese of Jefferson City,” Archbishop McKnight said in an April 8 statement posted by the Diocese of Jefferson City. “You welcomed me as your bishop over seven years ago, and together we have grown in faith and service to the Lord.”

He said: “You have been my first flock as a bishop, and that bond will always hold a special place in my heart. I am thankful for your trust, your prayers, and your dedication to living out the Gospel in your communities.”

As he prepares to transition to Kansas City, he said to his Jefferson City flock: “I am confident that God’s providence will continue to guide and bless you in the days ahead. You will always remain in my heart and in my prayers.”

MORE TO COME

Pope Francis has named a new bishop of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, Bishop Bruce Alan Lewandowski, C.S.R., titular Bishop of Croae and, to date, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore.

The appointment was announced by the Vatican on April 8.

Bishop Lewandowski was ordained a priest on May 7, 1994 for the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. He has previously worked in Manhattan and Bronx parishes in New York City, in Saint Lucia, West Indies, as well as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in Baltimore, Maryland. On June 10, 2020, he was appointed titular bishop of Croae and auxiliary bishop of Baltimore, receiving episcopal ordination on Aug. 18, 2020.

On Aug. 5, 2024, Pope Francis announced the appointment of the previous bishop of Providence, Richard G. Henning, as the new archbishop of Boston, where he was installed Oct. 31, 2024. Since then the Diocese of Providence has been waiting for the new appointment.

MORE TO COME