St. James the Apostle Roman Catholic Church

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ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 25, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

In the context of the Day of the Unborn Child, March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, Archbishop Enrique Benavent Vidal of Valencia, Spain, issued a call to defend human life from conception to natural death and in all situations.

The Annunciation commemorates the Virgin Mary’s consent to the conception of the Son of God in her womb.

In this context, the prelate published a pastoral letter titled “Defending Life Is Sowing Hope” in which he noted that Christians are called “to be sowers of hope, fighting for life and the dignity of all people.”

Benavent invited the faithful to take advantage of the 2025 Jubilee to “sow hope in the hearts of the sick,” the young, migrants, exiles, the elderly, the poor, and families “who are afraid to welcome new life.”

The archbishop noted that “in our world there are many people who, humanly speaking, have no reason to live with hope.”

He said “these are those whose dignity is not respected and whose rights are violated: the victims of any attack on their lives,” those who have been physically harmed; “the victims of deportations, those living in inhumane living conditions, those subjected to arbitrary detention, those subjected to prostitution.”

Others affected include “the poor who are victims of the selfishness and injustices of our economic system, those who suffer the consequences of wars, those who suffer the consequences of gender ideology, victims of sexual abuse, women who suffer violence, etc.”

The archbishop pointed out that we can only “credibly proclaim the Christian hope in eternal life if we defend the dignity of human life for all people,” at all times and in all situations.

“It‘s not Christian,” he noted, “to defend life at its beginning or end and to justify, provoke, or ignore the tragedies experienced by those whose dignity is not respected. Nor does it correspond to a Christian vision of life to consider abortion and euthanasia as a right and justify them in society.”

The archbishop of Valencia called for the creation of “social conditions and a legislative framework that promote birth and create the conditions for people to face the end of this life with dignity, so that no one is tempted to desire death.”

“A society and a culture that lead people to view the beginning and end of life as a threat sows despair. Only a world that values, promotes, and defends human life and its dignity at all times and in all situations, from conception to its natural end, can live in hope,” he emphasized.

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

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ACI Africa, Mar 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Church leaders in Zambia have denounced what they have termed “unpalatable remarks” against faith leaders who have reportedly criticized the Zambian government for various misdeeds, including unfair distribution of resources and poor infrastructure.

In a March 19 statement, the church leaders, including representatives of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), emphasized the churches’ role as a voice for the voiceless. 

CCZ general secretary Rev. Emmanuel Chikoya; EFZ executive secretary Bishop Andrew Mwenda; and ZCCB secretary-general Father Francis Mukosa signed the statement. 

“We observe that church leaders, in the course of fulfilling their role of providing checks and balances, have been subjected to unpalatable remarks with no consequences,” they lamented. 

“We strongly object to the demeaning language used against church leaders. We believe that it is essential to uphold the dignity of all people, regardless of their role in society,” they said. “This incident exemplifies the ongoing tensions between political figures and religious leaders, especially when the church fulfills its responsibility to provide checks and balances.”

Auxiliary Bishop Gabriel Msipu Phiri of Zambia’s Chipata Diocese has reportedly been at the center of tensions with the country’s United Party for National Development government for being vocal about gaps in governance. 

Phiri has criticized President Hakainde Hichilema’s government of failing to realize promises — particularly regarding the rehabilitation of roads in Eastern Province, one of Zambia’s 10 provinces. 

Phiri highlighted the dire state of roads leading to areas such as Vubwi, Chadiza, and Lundazi, adding that residents were compelled to use routes through Malawi, incurring additional border fees.

In his criticism, the bishop expressed concern about delays in fertilizer distribution, noting that agriculture is the primary livelihood in the region and that such a setback adversely affects farmers’ welfare.

Reacting to the criticisms, chief government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa threatened Phiri. 

In his March 4 press release, Mweetwa said the Zambian government was going to isolate him and deal with him in person for challenging the government.

The president of the Association of Zambian Diocesan Catholic Clergy, Father Augustine Mwewa, is said to have defended Phiri, asserting that Phiri’s homilies represent the broader Catholic Church and the Holy Father, not just personal opinion.

Mwewa cautioned the Zambian government against isolating and targeting the bishop for speaking truth to power. 

In their March 19 statement, the Church leaders in Zambia said: “We have a duty to speak to the moral conscience of the nation, a task that we are committed to do informed by our Scriptures and not coercion by any other forces.”

They added: “The three church mother bodies have consistently and actively spoken on matters of public and national interest. We do not rush to comment on issues, as we strive to ensure that our messages are informed, thoughtful, and balanced.”

In their statement, the leaders reaffirmed their responsibility to their respective congregants.

“The various churches and parishes continue to actively provide ongoing pastoral care, counseling, and sermons that speak directly or indirectly to issues promoting Christian values and principles in our society,” they said.

The leaders of all three bodies — the ZCCB, CCZ, and EF — also weighed in on a couple of other issues, including what they describe as “the rushed and hasty constitutional amendment process” and “the ever-increasing cost of living for Zambians.”

“Our repeated calls for constitutional amendments have largely gone unanswered. Why is the government drafting documents in isolation without public consultation?” they asked in their statement. 

The church leaders denounced the ”growing culture of miscommunication” in the country as well as the “emergence of cadre militancy with the wearing of military regalia and the blatant disregard for traffic rules.” They also called out “the lack of urgency and attention given to calls for national dialogue, reconciliation, and national unity.”

In the statement, the church leaders reaffirmed their stance of autonomy, resisting any form of coercion.

“We reserve the right to speak or remain silent as we see fit, and we will not be dictated to by any political party or individual. We will not be coerced into speaking at your pace or on your timeline,” they said.

Zambia’s church leaders urged the government to “address the underlying causes of poverty, such as the need for sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective energy, as well as comprehensive poverty alleviation strategies.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapated by CNA.

A Chase bank building in Wilmington, Delaware. / Credit: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Mar 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Legislators in several states are moving to address the practice of “debanking” as part of an effort to stop what some critics say are anti-conservative measures employed by major U.S. financial institutions.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines debanking as “the act by a bank of closing someone’s account because they are regarded as a risk legally, financially, or to the bank’s reputation.” Critics have claimed that the practice is used by banks to antagonize certain groups, including conservatives and other political activists. 

For example, the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit earlier this month against one of the largest banks in the United States. President Donald Trump claims he was a victim of debanking after Capital One allegedly closed hundreds of his organization’s accounts soon after his supporters’ Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol.

In her recently-released memoir, Melania Trump alleged that she and her son, Barron, were also debanked.

The Ruth Institute, a global coalition designed to equip Christians to defend the family, alleged it was debanked in 2017. Just two years ago, a Memphis-based Christian charity called the Indigenous Advance Ministries also claimed that it had been debanked by Bank of America.

In another high-profile case, in 2022 former U.S. senator and ambassador Sam Brownback announced that his nonprofit group the National Committee for Religious Freedom had been debanked.

Over the past decade, other high-ranking individuals and grassroots organizations have reportedly faced debanking, including Nigel Farage, who led the Brexit effort in the United Kingdom; evangelist and motivational speaker Nick Vujicic; Moms for Liberty, a parental rights advocacy group; Christian author and preacher Lance Wallnau; and Timothy Two Project International, a Christian ministry.

U.S. bishops ‘monitoring’ debanking; legislators move to address 

While it’s unclear to what extent debanking has affected U.S. Catholics, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops acknowledged the phenomenon in its 2025 religious liberty report. 

“In recent years, individuals have raised concerns that banks are discriminating on the basis of political and religious viewpoints,” the report read.

“In response to incidents like these, some states have begun passing laws intended to prevent politically motivated debanking,” the bishops noted. “However, the U.S. government argues that these laws hamstring banks, who need to be able to account for potential customers’ exposure to foreign actors. The lack of transparency, though, makes it difficult to ascertain why someone like Ambassador Brownback would be debanked.”

According to the report, the USCCB is “monitoring this issue but has not taken a position on it.” 

Taking action against debanking 

Some lawmakers are moving to address the controversy via legislation.

An anti-debanking bill in Idaho was sent to the state governor for signature last week.

The Transparency in Financial Services Act would prohibit “large financial institutions from discriminating against customers based on their political or religious views” and would give customers the right to request the reason for denial from an institution.

Montana’s Republican-sponsored Equality in Financial Services Act and South Carolina’s anti-debanking bill — similar to Idaho’s bill — have made some progress in the state Legislature, while Georgia’s Freedom of Speech and Belief Act failed to pass at the beginning of March.

Some see changes in bank policy, or even legal changes, as potential solutions to debanking.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) — a legal group committed to protecting religious freedom and freedom of speech — worked with Indigenous Advance Ministries to file a consumer complaint following its alleged debanking in 2022.

“No American should ever fear losing access to their bank account due to their religious or political beliefs,” Lathan Watts, ADF’s vice president of public affairs, told CNA.

In its 2023 Viewpoint Diversity Score Index, ADF found that 7 out of 10 of the largest commercial banks — including Chase — have “hate speech” or “reputational risk” policies that contribute to debanking.

JPMorgan Chase, a top American bank, recently adjusted its policy, agreeing to protect clients against political and religious debanking in its code of conduct after 19 attorneys general petitioned the bank to cease its debanking practices in 2023.

“Chase’s policy change is a significant step by our nation’s largest bank to uphold financial access for all Americans,” Watts said. “This change provides necessary protections for customers like Ambassador Brownback, whose account at the National Committee for Religious Freedom was unexpectedly canceled in 2022.”

Watts shared his hope that other banks will take similar measures.

“Alliance Defending Freedom actively engaged with Chase in these negotiations, and we are hopeful that other banks will follow suit in safeguarding fundamental financial freedoms,” Watts said.

Jennifer Roback Morse, the founder and president of the Ruth Institute — an organization dedicated to combating the effects of the sexual revolution — recalled her own experience allegedly being debanked.

“In 2017, the Ruth Institute was one of the first organizations to be attacked in the banking arena,” Morse told CNA. “In our case, our credit card processor cut us off with no notification, or explanation, except to say that we ‘violated its standards.’”

While there was no clear explanation, Morse believes it was due to a leftist law center labeling the organization as a hate group. 

“We surmised this was because we were listed on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s ‘Hate Map’ for our opposition to the redefinition of marriage and other LGBT-issues,” Morse said. “Thankfully, we were able to secure another credit card processor fairly quickly.” 

Morse told CNA that banking “is a highly regulated, semi-monopolistic industry, comparable in some respects to public utilities such as electricity and water.”

“I am in favor of banks being legally required to be transparent and even-handed in their standards,” she said.

“Alternatively, if banks are permitted to engage in viewpoint discrimination,” she argued, “I would urge that bakers, florists, therapists, and other professionals also be permitted to refuse service to potential customers for any reason they choose.”

“A disappointed customer can find an alternative photographer a lot easier than they can find an alternative bank,” Morse noted. “And it is a lot easier to participate in the business world without a photographer or florist than to survive without banking services.”

‘A balanced approach’ 

While conservative legislators are pushing these anti-debanking bills, support for this legislation is not entirely united within the conservative movement.

A recent poll found that while a majority of conservatives are concerned about debanking, nearly three-quarters of conservatives expressed support for banks having the right to choose their own clients. 

The poll by the Tyson Group found that conservatives “do not support broad government intervention that prevents financial institutions from making risk-based assessments when determining their customers.” 

“When informed that legislation could force businesses to provide services to customers at odds with their values and the conservative movement, many expressed hesitations,” the study noted.

“As conservatives push for greater accountability from regulators, they also seek a balanced approach to debanking that avoids unintended consequences and protects the rights of both consumers and businesses.”

Some opponents of anti-debanking laws maintain that restrictions against debanking could have unintended consequences.

In South Carolina, for example, an anti-debanking bill under consideration, the Equality in Financial Services Act, would prevent financial institutions from discriminating when providing financial services.

But a Republican executive committeeman from Richland, South Carolina, is concerned that such an anti-debanking law could require pro-life banks to work with abortionists.

“Stopping abortion and protecting children requires winning hearts and minds but also cutting off the financial pipeline that enables these activities,” Eaddy Roe Willard, Richland GOP executive committeeman, told CNA. “Misguided legislation at the state level will only make it harder to do that.”

Cardinal Robert McElroy speaks at the conference “Catholic Social Teaching and Work with Migrants and Refugees at a Time of Uncertainty” on March 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Madalaine Elhabbal/CNA

Washington D.C., Mar 25, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

Washington, D.C.’s newly minted archbishop, Cardinal Robert McElroy, made his first public appearance since his installment at a conference on immigration policy Monday, offering a “spiritual and moral” reflection on the “American situation at this moment.”

Appealing to the teachings of Pope Francis as articulated in his recent letter to the American bishops and his 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti, McElroy centered his remarks on the parable of the good Samaritan. 

“We’ve got to remember the call of Jesus is constant, to always be attentive to the needs and the suffering that lie around us, to perceive it, and then to act,” he said, comparing the plight of migrants to the robbers’ victim in the parable of the good Samaritan. 

Following the Holy Father’s reflection on the same parable, McElroy asserted that “each of us victimizes others consciously in a variety of different ways” and that “when we place our own interests and well-being ahead of others and cause harm, we must be in touch with that side of ourselves with the darkness, which is the robber inside every one of us.”

He continued: “That is one of the great calls of Christian conversion, to root out that darkness, to face it where it lies and to fight against it always.” 

The March 24 event, titled “Catholic Social Teaching and Work with Migrants and Refugees at a Time of Uncertainty,” was hosted in Washington, D.C., by Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) USA and the Center for Migration Studies of New York. 

Like numerous Catholic Charities organizations across the country, the Trump administration suspended aid to JRS USA’s refugee programs around the world, initiating a “total work stoppage” for the foreign aid programs at the beginning of last month. The State Department has since restored funding for two of JRS USA’s programs but has sought to terminate funding contracts for others. 

During his remarks, McElroy sharply criticized the administration’s foreign aid suspension as “unconscionable through any prism of Catholic thought.”

“If we look at the figure of the robber at this moment,” he stated, “I think we must say to ourselves quite clearly and categorically, the suspension of the U.S. Agency for International Development monies for humanitarian relief is moral theft from the poorest and the most desperate men, women, and children in our world today.”

He further condemned the administration’s mass deportation efforts, which he said victimizes migrants as in the parable and “generates fear ... which uproots everybody’s understanding of the bonds which so many undocumented men, women, children, and families have formed in our society in the often decades that they have been here.”

“The undocumented are the victims of this moment and of these policies,” he said. 

McElroy further called for solidarity among Catholics and migrants, saying that “we must not only advocate but also act in support of them in every way possible.” The archbishop gave an example of mothers he knew several years ago in the Diocese of San Diego, who he said would text each other if they saw an ICE truck in front of their children’s school.

While the archbishop acknowledged border security and the exclusion of criminals as “legitimate,” he said “we must always also understand the many themes that are supporting the effort to undermine the rights and dignity of the undocumented come from the blackest parts of our history.”

Ultimately, he concluded that there are two pathways forward for the U.S. on immigration. The first pathway, supported he said by Catholic social teaching, “is to change our laws so that they have secure borders and dignity for the treatment of everyone at those borders and a generous asylum and refugee policy.”

“The other pathway is a crusade, which comes from the darkest parts of our American psyche and soul and history,” he continued. “These are the two choices we have. We as a nation will have to make one choice. The pathway of crusade and mass deportation cannot be followed in conscience by those who call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ.”

The Annunciation by Fra Angelico. / Credit: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

National Catholic Register, Mar 25, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Annunciation. It’s typically celebrated on March 25, unless it falls during Holy Week, by which it is superseded.

The day celebrates the appearance of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce the incarnation. Here are eight things to know and to share about the feast day and its significance.

1. What does the word “annunciation” mean?

The word is derived from the same root as the word “announce.” Gabriel is announcing the incarnation of Christ — God becoming man in the person of Jesus.

“Annunciation” is simply an old-fashioned way of saying “announcement.”

The term can be applied to other events also. For example, in his book “Jesus of Nazareth 3: The Infancy Narratives,” Pope Benedict XVI has sections on both “the annunciation of the birth of John” and “the annunciation to Mary,” because John the Baptist’s birth was also announced in advance.

2. When is the Annunciation normally celebrated and why does it sometimes move?

Normally the solemnity of the Annunciation is celebrated March 25.

This date is used because it is nine months before Christmas (Dec. 25), and it is assumed that Jesus spent the normal nine months in his mother’s womb.

However, March 25 sometimes falls during Holy Week, and the days of Holy Week have a higher liturgical rank than this solemnity.

Still, the Annunciation is an important solemnity, and so it doesn’t just vanish from the calendar. Instead, as the rubrics in the Roman Missal note: “Whenever this solemnity occurs during Holy Week, it is transferred to the Monday after the second Sunday of Easter.”

It is thus celebrated on the first available day after Holy Week and the Octave of Easter (which ends on the second Sunday of Easter).

3. How does this story parallel the birth of John the Baptist?

As noted above, John the Baptist’s conception was announced in advance also. In both stories there are multiple parallels:

• The angel Gabriel makes the announcement.

• He announces to a single individual: Zechariah in John the Baptist’s case and Mary in Jesus’ case.

• He announces the miraculous conception of an individual who has a prominent place in God’s plan.

• He is met with a question in both cases (Zechariah asks how he can know this will happen; Mary asks how it will happen).

• A miraculous sign is offered as evidence (Zechariah is struck dumb; Mary is told of Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy, which is in its sixth month).

• Gabriel departs.

4. How is Mary’s reaction different from Zechariah’s?

At first glance, Mary’s reaction to Gabriel can appear like Zechariah’s unbelieving reaction, but it is fundamentally different.

Like Zechariah, she asks a question, but it is a question of a different sort:

• Zechariah asked how he could know what the angel says would be true. His attitude was one of skepticism.

• Mary does not ask for proof. Instead, she asks how the angel’s words will be fulfilled. She accepts what he says and wants to understand specifically how it will take place. Her attitude is thus one of faith seeking understanding, not a lack of faith.

5. What does Mary’s reaction say about her perpetual virginity?

Mary’s question is translated in the RSVCE translation of the Bible as “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”

This is not a good translation, because she does, in fact, have a husband: Joseph. Luke has already told us that she is betrothed to Joseph, which means that they were legally married (thus Joseph would have had to divorce her, not just “break the engagement” as one might today; cf. Matthew 1:19).

What the text literally says in Greek is “since I do not know man.”

This relies on the common biblical euphemism of “knowing” for sexual relations. Mary’s question indicates that she understands the facts of life, and it is surprising since she is legally married and awaiting the time that she and Joseph would begin to cohabit.

If she were planning on an ordinary marriage then the most natural interpretation of the angel’s statement would be that, after she and Joseph begin to cohabit, they will together conceive a child, whom the angel is now telling her about.

The fact that she asks the question indicates that this is not her understanding, and it has often been taken as a sign that she was not planning on an ordinary marriage.

Early Christian writings from the second century onward, beginning with the “Protoevangelium of James,” indicate that Mary was a consecrated virgin who was entrusted to the care of Joseph.

6. How does Gabriel respond to Mary’s question?

Gabriel informs her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”

Here Gabriel indicates the involvement of all three Persons of the Trinity: Through the action of the Holy Spirit, the Father causes the Son to be conceived in human form. There will be no human father, making clear the fact that the child will be the Son of God.

As a further illustration of God’s power, he points to the fact that Elizabeth, though old and apparently barren, has miraculously conceived a son and is in her sixth month of pregnancy. “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

7. Is Elizabeth Mary’s cousin?

This question sometimes comes up in discussions of Mary’s perpetual virginity, because it is sometimes thought that the “brothers” of the Lord were his cousins and that they are described as brothers because Aramaic has no word for “cousin.”

Yet the New American Bible described Elizabeth as Mary’s cousin.

Who Jesus’ “brothers” were has been understood in different ways. The earliest sources that comment on the question (including the second-century “Protoevangelium of James”) say they were stepbrothers through Joseph. They also, hypothetically, could have been adopted (adoption was very common in the ancient world since people often died early). So they need not have been cousins.

While it’s true that Aramaic does not have a word for cousin, Greek does (“anepsios”), but that is not the word used here.

Despite the well-known mistranslation in the NAB (later corrected in the NABRE), Elizabeth is not described as Mary’s “cousin.” The Greek word in this passage (“sungenis”) indicates a female relative — a kinswoman — not a cousin in particular.

8. Why is Mary’s “fiat” important?

Mary’s acceptance of this role is momentous and will entail suffering. It is momentous because she will be the mother of the Son of God himself. It will entail suffering in ways that she cannot yet foresee (e.g., witnessing the Crucifixion), but some she can foresee.

In particular, she will be regarded as having been unfaithful to Joseph, and that involves not only public shame but also, as Matthew records, endangering her relationship with Joseph and her future livelihood and social position. Yet she places herself completely at the service of God’s will.

Commenting on this, Pope Benedict writes:

“In one of his Advent homilies, Bernard of Clairvaux offers a stirring presentation of the drama of this moment. After the error of our first parents, the whole world was shrouded in darkness, under the dominion of death. Now God seeks to enter the world anew. He knocks at Mary’s door. He needs human freedom. The only way he can redeem man, who was created free, is by means of a free ‘yes’ to his will. In creating freedom, he made himself in a certain sense dependent upon man. His power is tied to the unenforceable ’yes’ of a human being.

“So Bernard portrays heaven and earth as it were holding its breath at this moment of the question addressed to Mary. Will she say yes? She hesitates … will her humility hold her back? Just this once — Bernard tells her — do not be humble but daring! Give us your ‘yes’! This is the crucial moment when, from her lips, from her heart, the answer comes: ‘Let it be to me according to your word.’ It is the moment of free, humble yet magnanimous obedience in which the loftiest choice of human freedom is made (‘Jesus of Nazareth 3: The Infancy Narratives,’ chapter 2).”

This story was first published on April 7, 2013, at the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted and updated by CNA.

Eucharistic hosts. / Credit: L.A. Faille/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2025 / 17:50 pm (CNA).

Following an investigation into a possible Eucharistic miracle at a local parish, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis announced Monday that scientific analysis indicated that the cause was natural, not miraculous. 

Last month, a post on X drew attention to what the post called a “‘potential’ Eucharistic miracle” after a parish in southern Indiana discovered a host with red spots on it, which the parish sacristan thought could be blood. 

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis said in a statement shared with CNA that laboratory analysis of common bacteria had caused the discoloration. 

“A biochemical analysis of a host from St. Anthony Catholic Church in Morris, Indiana, that was displaying red discoloration revealed the presence of a common bacteria found on all humans,” the statement read. “No presence of human blood was discovered.” 

The host had fallen and was later discovered with red spots, and biochemical analysis found that the discoloration was due to common bacteria and fungus.

“The host had fallen out of a Mass kit used at the parish, and when it was discovered, red spots were present,” the archdiocese stated. “Following policy established by the Holy See, the host was submitted for professional, biochemical analysis at a local laboratory. The results indicate the presence of fungus and three different species of bacteria, all of which are commonly found on human hands.” 

The archdiocese noted that there have been many carefully-reviewed miracles in the history of the Church. 

“Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, there have been well-documented miracles and apparitions, and each has been thoroughly and carefully reviewed,” the statement read.

Last year, the Vatican developed its practice regarding potential supernatural events, issuing new guidelines that give the Disastery for the Doctrine of the Faith the final say. 

Previous norms established by Pope Paul VI in 1978 left the discernment process for possible miraculous occurrences to local bishops. Under the new guidance, the task remains with the local bishop, but the dicastery must be consulted throughout the process.

null / Credit: Ulf Wittrock/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of an abortion procedure.

A woman is suing an abortionist for allegedly leaving more than half of her unborn child inside her after an abortion.

The 32-year-old woman, identified as “Jane Doe,” was about five months pregnant with her fifth child when she traveled from Indianapolis to an abortion facility in Champaign, Illinois. 

Days later, she needed emergency care and surgery to remove remnants of her 22-week-old child from her body. 

Now, Doe is suing the abortionist for medical negligence.

Doe and her lawyers filed the lawsuit against Dr. Keith Reisinger-Kindle and his Equity Clinic last week in the Circuit Court of Champaign County. 

On April 1 and 2, 2023, Doe visited the Equity Clinic for a late-term abortion. The next day, she called the clinic to report heavy cramping. 

When Doe first reported something had gone wrong, the clinic told her to take Tylenol and laxatives, the lawsuit alleges. 

But by April 4, the clinic recommended she have an enema or go to the emergency room. That day, Doe checked into the Community Hospital South Emergency Room in Indianapolis. 

When Doe went to the emergency room soon after her abortion procedure, the days-old remains of the unborn child had to be surgically removed from her body, according to the suit. 

Reisinger-Kindle, the suit alleges, had perforated her uterus during the procedure, leaving a hole the size of a quarter. 

The emergency room surgeon found half of the remains of Doe’s unborn child in her right pelvis as well as pieces of the child’s skull adhered to her intestines, according to the suit. 

The lawsuit claims that on April 5, the emergency room general surgeon called Reisinger-Kindle, who refused to provide information about the abortion. 

The lawsuit alleges that Reisinger-Kindle did not adequately examine Doe after discharging her from the clinic. In a medical report included in the files, an obstetrician-gynecologist consulted on the matter said the remnants should have been obvious had the doctor performed an “adequate exam.” 

The lawsuit states that Doe “will continue to experience irreversible suffering and emotional damages” as a result of the events. 

Reisinger-Kindle founded the Equity Clinic in response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, according to a profile about the clinic published by the Chicago Tribune. 

According to the profile, Reisinger-Kindle has volunteered in abortion clinics as a medical assistant since he was 18.

“The only reason I went to medical school was to be an abortion provider,” he told the Tribune.

A large percentage of the clinic’s patients are out-of-state women, as abortion is legally considered a “fundamental right” in Illinois under the 2019 Reproductive Health Act.

The Equity Clinic provides surgical and chemical abortions as well as late-term dilation and evacuation abortions on unborn children in some cases up to 26 weeks old.

At 22 weeks, Doe’s baby was nearing the age of viability — the age when an unborn child can survive outside of the womb, usually determined to be about 24-26 weeks. In Illinois, abortions are allowed up until fetal viability.

In some cases, prematurely-born babies have survived as early as 21 to 22 weeks.

St. Mary's School in Fredericksburg, Texas. / Credit: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Seattle, Wash., Mar 24, 2025 / 15:40 pm (CNA).

A $1 billion “school choice” proposal moving through the Texas Legislature could dramatically expand private education and home schooling in the country’s second most populous state, winning praise from Catholic leaders while raising concerns among some public school advocates. 

The legislation would create education savings accounts (ESAs) of about $10,893 per student — calculated as roughly 85% of what public schools receive per pupil — and allow home schooling families to collect $2,000 per child. Crucially, the bill does not include any income cap, prompting debate over whether higher-earning parents should also benefit from state funds.

If passed, the bill could trigger an influx of students to Catholic schools, the largest private school network in Texas. According to Helen Osman, communications consultant for the Texas Catholic Conference, there are 240 Catholic schools in the state educating approximately 62,000 students, but they have room for 25,000 more.

“This legislation would give more families access to Catholic education, allowing parents to exercise their fundamental right and responsibility to find the best education for their children,” Osman told CNA. 

In recent guidance, the state’s bishops said the bill meets key criteria they support, such as accreditation-based accountability, strong religious liberty protections, and a focus on aiding low-income families.

Despite that endorsement, critics worry about the bill’s impact on public schools, which rely heavily on attendance-based state funding. If families move their children to private or home-based education, fewer dollars remain for the 5.5 million students in the public system. 

Lawmakers on the left argue that wealthier Texans stand to benefit disproportionately, while supporters insist that today’s inflationary climate affects a wide range of households. 

Home-schoolers could also benefit

Home-schoolers who opt in to the program would receive $2,000 per student. Anita Scott, education policy director for the Texas Home School Coalition, told CNA in an interview that parents appreciate the financial relief.

When asked about those home schooling families wary of a potential increase of state oversight, she said they’ve “been invited to the table to make sure the bill is functional for home-schoolers.” 

“If parents are still uncomfortable, they can opt out. Families want to be in charge of what’s placed in front of their children. They deserve that freedom, whether or not they take state funds,” Scott said.

Meanwhile, conservative advocates, including Mandy Drogin of Next Generation Texas, say these education savings accounts would not siphon money from public school coffers. 

“So first off, the money for the education savings account does not come from any education-related funding,” Drogin said. “It’s from state revenue funds, especially the surplus, and does not in any way remove or defund the public schools.” Proponents also argue the competition will elevate academic quality for all students.

The House plan differs from the Senate bill, which establishes a flat voucher amount rather than pegging it to public school funding. Both proposals prioritize children with disabilities and expand home-based education support, but lawmakers must reconcile those differences if they intend to finalize a single policy.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who has made “school choice” a central priority this session, predicts a final compromise before the legislative term ends in June.

Nationally, Catholic leaders are also backing the Educational Choices for Children Act (ECCA), a federal bill offering $10 billion in tax credits to donors who fund K–12 scholarships. They view it as another avenue to help low- and middle-income families afford private education, especially in states restricted by “anti-Catholic” Blaine amendments.

Two years ago, voucher bills floundered in the Texas House. This year, more lawmakers appear open to ESAs, thanks to retirements and electoral changes that have brought additional supporters into the chamber. Many see this shift as pivotal in moving the House bill forward.

Observers note that negotiations are likely to produce amendments, especially regarding details such as special education funding or income-based priorities.

Should legislators vote it into law, the program would become one of the country’s most expansive voucher-style initiatives, lauded by supporters as a boon for educational freedom and criticized by opponents as a drain on local school budgets. 

With the political momentum behind school choice stronger than it has been in years, the debate over whether affluent Texans should tap taxpayer-funded ESAs remains a key sticking point — and one that could shape the future of education in Texas for years to come.

Young parishioners from the Church of St. Eugene in the Roman suburb of Parioli — Maddy (far left) and Constaza (far right) — emphasized the importance of continuing prayers for Pope Francis. The pope was discharged from Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Sunday, March 23, 2025.  / Credit: Photo courtesy of Paty/Club Arcogrande

Vatican City, Mar 24, 2025 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

Children in Rome have welcomed the news of Pope Francis’ return to the Vatican after the pontiff spent nearly 40 days in Gemelli Hospital due to complex respiratory illnesses, including bilateral pneumonia.

Before being discharged Sunday afternoon, the Holy Father appeared on a fifth-floor balcony of Gemelli Hospital to briefly greet and bless approximately 3,000 people gathered in a square outside the clinic. It was the pope’s first public appearance since being admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14.

Throughout his prolonged hospital stay, several visitors — including children — have come to pray outside Gemelli Hospital and leave behind flowers, drawings, and written letters with well wishes for the pope.

Earlier this month, the Holy Father expressed his particular gratitude for children’s continuous prayers for his recovery and return home to the Vatican.

“I know that many children are praying for me,” the pope said in his March 16 Sunday Angelus message. “Thank you, dearest children! The pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you.”

In an interview with CNA, three young parishioners from the Church of St. Eugene in the Roman suburb of Parioli — Maddy, Niki, and Constaza — shared their gratitude for Pope Francis’ message and emphasized the importance of continuing prayers for the 88-year-old head of the universal Church.

The three girls, who belong to the parish’s youth group “Arcogrande,” are among the few children who have had their drawings and letters received by the Holy Father, thanks to the help of their catechism teacher who passed on their gifts to staff caring for the pope at Gemelli Hospital.

“Pope Francis’ message [to children] was beautiful,” Maddy shared with CNA over the weekend. “It is important to pray because the pope is sick … we can make him feel better.”

Niki told CNA that doing good to others is “a beautiful thing” that could help the pope feel better as he continues medical care from his Casa Santa Marta home in the Vatican.

“I think the pope thanks us so much for what we do for others,” Niki said. “He does so many things for us … we could do things for him.”

Describing the pontiff as an “important person for religious people,” Constaza said the pope’s work leading the Church must be supported by the prayers of the Catholic faithful around the world.

“It’s important to pray for the pope,” she told CNA. “He always prays for us and helps poor people.”

The Holy Father will continue oxygen therapy, physiotherapy, and other treatments during his two-month convalescence, the Vatican stated over the weekend.

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia speaks at a press conference for a Vatican summit on longevity on March 24, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Mar 24, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis, in his weakness, is teaching the world about human frailty, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia said Monday at a press conference for a Vatican summit on longevity.

The pope has shown “that old age is also marked by frailty, and frailty should not be rejected. It is not to be … expelled like the devil,” the archbishop and president of the Pontifical Academy for Life said at the Holy See Press Office on March 24, one day after Pope Francis returned to the Vatican after 38 days in the hospital.

While Francis, in his illness, has lost his ability to speak at the moment, he is teaching us with his body “the importance of old people,” Paglia added. “Pope Francis reminds us that it is actually a voice that should be deafening: that of the frail, who remind us that we do not live forever.”

The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life sponsored the first Vatican Longevity Summit on March 24 at the Augustinianum Conference Center in Rome to reflect with scientific and academic institutions on how to promote “a model of longevity that does not limit itself to extending the years of life but to enriching them in terms of quality, dignity, and sustainability, integrating science, ethics, and spirituality.”

Giulio Maira, a neurosurgeon who previously worked at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, is participating in the summit. He told CNA after the press conference that “frailty is the ultimate expression of aging.”

“Unfortunately, when we get to an age beyond 65-70, we get there with a more fragile organism, with a greater vulnerability to diseases, germs, bacteria, viruses,” he noted. “The pope is the expression, the living example, of how even a serious illness can be faced with dignity, with courage, and with serenity. And this must be an example for everyone.”

Pope Francis, Maira said during the press conference, has made it through the worst of a serious illness, and now, like everyone, needs to convalesce.

Reflecting on some of the popes of the last century and how they lived illness and old age, Paglia said: “We need to get out of an overly functionalist mindset.”

Francis, during his hospital stay, has taught us that everyone needs each other, the archbishop added in comments to CNA.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in chemistry and a participant in the summit on old age, said there are a few considerations when it comes to scientific research on longevity.

“The aim is not to get people to live much longer, but the aim is to have people live healthier lives, so more of their lives can be healthy,” he said. “It’s not entirely clear how we are going to achieve this because it may be that advances in longevity not only increase our health but also increase our lifespan.”

A second consideration is the imbalance of generations, a slow changeover of generations, and the effect it would have on the dynamic quality and creativity of a society, he added.

“If we all start living longer, what kind of society will we have? We already face a society where fertility rates are going down … so we may have a society which is very lopsided in that there are very few young people and very many old people, what would that mean?” 

Ramakrishnan said economic disparity is also an important issue: “Whenever new medical advances are made, they are often first used in rich countries and only very slowly go to poor countries.”