Auteur/autrice : Mathilde Daniel

Governments must eliminate laws discriminating against women and help guarantee women’s human rights, Pope Francis said.

« Let us respect women. Let us respect their dignity, their basic rights. And if we don’t, our society will not progress, » the pope said in a video message released April 2 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, formerly known as the Apostleship of Prayer.

The pope’s prayer intention for the month of April is: « Let us pray that the dignity and worth of women be recognized in every culture and for an end to the discrimination they face in various parts of the world. »

In the video, the pope said, « In theory, we all agree that men and women have the same dignity as persons. But this does not play out in practice. »

« In many parts of the world, women are treated like the first thing to get rid of, » he said.

« There are countries where women are forbidden to access aid, open a business or go to school, » he said. « In these places, they are subject to laws that make them dress a certain way. And in many countries, genital mutilation is still practiced. »

« Let us not deprive women of their voice. Let us not rob all these abused women of their voice. They are exploited, marginalized, » the pope said.

« Governments need to commit to eliminate discriminatory laws everywhere and to work toward guaranteeing women’s human rights, » he said.

The Vatican will publish a document next week on gender theory and surrogacy that was announced in a bid to respond to opposition from conservatives over Pope Francis’ willingness to bless same-sex unions.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will hold his first news conference to present the document « Infinite Dignity, on human dignity, » on April 8, the Vatican announced Tuesday.

Fernández, who is very close to Francis, revealed the declaration was in the works after he came under criticism for the roll-out of a December document from his office authorizing priests to offer non-liturgical blessings to same-sex couples.

Conservative bishops, including entire national bishops conferences in Africa, blasted the document as contrary to biblical teaching about homosexuality and said they wouldn’t implement it.

Fernández, who is from Argentina, has said in various media interviews since then that the new document will offer a strong critique of « immoral tendencies » in society today, including surrogacy, sex changes and gender theory.

While Francis has made a hallmark of his papacy to reach out to LGBTQ+ people, he has also strongly denounced what he calls « gender ideology. » He has in particular railed against what he says is the tendency of Western countries to impose their values about gender and sexuality on the developing world as a condition for economic aid.

Francis has also called for a global ban on surrogacy, saying the practice exploits the economic needs of the surrogate mother and violates the dignity of mother and child.

Pope Francis voted for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, in the 2005 conclave that followed the death of St. John Paul II.

« He was the only one who could be pope at that time, » Francis said about his immediate predecessor in an excerpt from the upcoming book « El Sucesor » (« The Successor »). The excerpt was published March 31 by the Spanish daily newspaper ABC.

Francis told Spanish journalist Javier Martínez-Brocal that he voted for Ratzinger in the 2005 conclave because after the « dynamic, very active pontificate » of St. John Paul II, « a pope was needed that would maintain a healthy balance, a transitional pope. »

« El Sucesor » is a book-length interview with Martínez-Brocal focused on Francis’ relationship with Benedict. Discussing the conclave that he participated in as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires and which elected his predecessor, Francis said he was « used » by other cardinals attempting to block Cardinal Ratzinger’s election to the papacy. He was widely reported to have come out second on the final ballot.

Pope Francis said that a group of cardinals deployed a « full-fledged maneuver » by putting forward his name « to block Ratzinger’s election and then negotiate for a different, third candidate. » He said he had received 40 of the 115 votes from among the cardinal-electors in the Sistine Chapel — « enough to stop the candidacy of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, because if they would have kept voting for me he would not have been able to reach the two-thirds needed to be elected pope. »

« They still did not agree on who, but they were on the verge of throwing out a name, » he said.

Once he learned of the strategy after the second or third ballot cast in the April 18-19 conclave, Pope Francis said he told Colombian Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos to not « joke with my candidacy » and that he would not accept being pope if he were elected. « And from there Benedict was elected, » he said.

Francis said the group of cardinals who had put him up for election later told him they did not want a « foreign » pope. Although he did not explain what the comment meant, the term « foreign » was used in media reports after the 1978 election of St. John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope since 1523. Although Francis was born and raised in Argentina he is ethnically Italian.

Francis said that Ratzinger « was my candidate » in the conclave and that he came out of the conclave feeling pleased.

« If they had elected someone like me, who makes a big mess, he would not have been able to do anything, » he said. « Benedict XVI was a man who went with the new style, and it wasn’t easy for him. He found a lot of resistance inside the Vatican. »

Asked what he thought the Holy Spirit was saying to the Catholic Church through the election of Benedict, the pope said the Spirit was saying, « Here I am in charge. There is no room for maneuvering. »

In the book excerpt, Francis prefaces his response to the journalist’s questions about the 2005 election by explaining that while cardinals are sworn not to reveal what happens in a conclave, « popes are allowed to tell. »

The book is scheduled to be released in Spanish April 3; no publication date for an English-language translation for the book has yet been announced.

March 31 — the end of another calendar month — ushers in a season of profound hope as Christians everywhere celebrate Easter, the commemoration of Christ’s resurrection. Many times Easter and the Jewish feast of Passover overlap, but not this year. Easter symbolizes new life and often coincides with the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. Springtime, a season of rejuvenation and rebirth, reminds us that before new life can emerge, the old must first pass away.

Ecologically, the natural world is forever trying to renew itself. The brilliantly colored tree leaves of autumn turn brown, die and fall to the ground, leaving tree limbs bare until new buds burst forth and flower, greening Earth’s landscape once again. Also in the natural world eight living beings shed their skin in the growth and rebirth process: snakes, true crabs, frogs, dragonflies, geckos, spiders, cicadas and humans. Once a snake is free of its old skin, the snake’s colors become bright and vibrant. Some young spiders shed their skins so that their limbs can regenerate. The natural process that nonhuman life goes through is called ecdysis. 

Today’s Easter readings highlight three things that need to happen in the lives of Christians if Christians want to participate ever more deeply in the new life of the risen Christ whose divine spirit and power infuses the entire cosmos.

First, if we Christians wish to become an « Easter people, » then we have to clear out the old yeast in our lives. 1 Corinthians 5 focuses on yeast and dough. In this letter, the Festival of Unleavened Bread celebrated at the time of Passover is linked to Easter and the resurrection of Christ. As part of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Jewish people had to remove all old leaven from their homes. Leavened bread contains yeast, a living, single-cell organism that, when mixed with dough, causes the dough to rise. Old or « expired » yeast, however, could cause illnesses and even keep the dough from rising. Thus, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread and Passover, the Jewish people were to eat only untainted, unleavened bread. 

The reading from 1 Corinthians calls us to get rid of the old, expired yeast in the fabric of our lives so we can become a new fresh batch of dough that, when baked, turns into unleavened bread. Thus, by clearing out the « old yeast » within us and by becoming a new batch of dough, we prepare ourselves to be changed into unleavened bread and essentially, to be transformed into Christ. The question to be explored is this: what in our lives is old and expired yeast that needs to be cleared out?

Second, if Christians wish to participate in Christ’s rising from the dead, then we have to shed, figuratively, our burial clothes. The Gospel reading from John tells the story of Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter, and a beloved disciple discovering that the body of the crucified, dead Jesus was no longer in the tomb where he was laid to rest. Instead, all they found there were Jesus’ burial clothes.

According to the Gospel story, as part of Christ’s rising from the dead, he shed his old burial clothes like the snake that shed its skin, both becoming bright and vibrant. Even though we are among the living, are we wearing burial clothes? What in our lives represents burial clothes? Have we dressed ourselves in these clothes or allowed others to dress us in them? Are we willing to shed these clothes to rise from the dead and become one with the living, wonder-full Christ or are we content to be part of the living dead spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, socially, intellectually? Easter invites us to put on vibrant new garments — essentially, to « put on Christ. » 

Third, if Christians wish to be an « Easter people, » sharing in the gift of new life while bearing witness to the resurrection of Christ, then just singing « alleluia » is not enough. Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the Divine One anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Spirit and with power which, in turn, empowered Christ to embrace and live out his holy mission of preaching, teaching, healing and liberating all who were oppressed. 

We, too, who walk in the tradition of the apostles, are baptized into Christ. We have been anointed with the Spirit, and we have the same mission as Christ and the apostles. To be an Easter people means to do the work of Easter: to confront and work against hegemonic, systemic and structural injustices while creating alternatives, to shake up the status quo, to welcome the marginalized, to embrace all creation with a healing love. And if we find ourselves like the stone that the builders rejected, then we can rest assured that the risen Christ is alive and well among us and within us.

Pope Francis urged his priests Thursday to avoid « clerical hypocrisy » and treat their flocks with mercy as he delivered a lengthy set of marching orders to Rome-based priests at the start of a busy few days leading to Easter.

A strong-looking Francis presided over a Holy Thursday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica during which the oils for church services are blessed. Later in the afternoon, he travels to Rome’s main women’s prison for the annual Holy Week ritual in which he washes the feet of inmates in a symbol of humility and service.

The 87-year-old Francis, who has been hobbled by a long bout of respiratory problems this winter, appeared in good form for the morning Mass. He read aloud a long homily, after skipping his text at the last minute during Palm Sunday Mass last weekend.

In his remarks, Francis warned priests against « sliding into clerical hypocrisy, » or preaching one thing to their flocks but doing differently in their own spiritual lives. Rather, he urged them to always show mercy to the faithful and not judge them, and weep instead for their own sins.

Doing so, he said, « means looking within and repenting of our ingratitude and inconstancy, and acknowledging with sorrow our duplicity, dishonesty and hypocrisy, » he said.

The Mass was the first major papal liturgy in St. Peter’s since Bernini’s great columned canopy over the altar, known as a baldacchino, was covered in scaffolding for a months-long renovation and cleaning.

Francis has a busy few days coming up that will test his stamina.

On Friday, he is due to travel at night to the Colosseum for the Way of the Cross procession re-enacting Christ’s crucifixion. On Saturday, he presides over an evening Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica followed a few hours later by Easter Sunday Mass in the piazza and his big noontime Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) speech highlighting global conflicts and disasters afflicting humanity.

In its first detailed analysis of the Vatican’s pre-Christmas declaration « Fiducia Supplicans, » Russia’s Orthodox Church has accused Pope Francis of « rejecting the Christian moral ideal » by allowing the blessing of same-sex couples.

« While affirming the inviolable understanding of marriage as a union of man and woman … the entire section of the document devoted to these blessings is in radical conflict with Christian moral teaching, » the Russian church said in a March 25 report.

« Although ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ is an internal document of the Catholic Church, the Russian Orthodox Church considers it has a duty to respond to radical innovations that reject the divinely revealed norms of Christian morality, » it said. « While accepting with maternal love every individual sinner who asks for her blessing, the church cannot bless same-sex couples in any form, since this would mean consenting to a union sinful in nature. »

The report, by the church’s Synodal Biblical Commission, comes three months after the Dec. 18, 2023, publication of « Fiducia Supplicans, » which said Catholic clergy could now give blessings « outside of a liturgical framework » to couples in « irregular » and « unsettled » situations.

It said the Vatican’s declaration had changed the Catholic Church’s previously « unambiguous position » on same-sex couples, gaining a « positive response » from sexual minorities and the « liberal wing of the Catholic Church, » but causing « deep disappointment » among « traditional Catholics. »

It added that the document had sought to move away from « merely denying, rejecting and excluding, » but had failed to clarify its terminology, while remaining « completely silent about the sacrament of repentance » and « indirectly legitimizing what, in essence, is illegitimate. »

« God’s love for man cannot serve as a basis for blessing couples in sinful cohabitation, » the Russian report said.

« This declaration says nothing about … renouncing a sinful lifestyle or pastoral assistance to the believer in overcoming sin. … One can conclude from it that a sinful lifestyle does not pose an obstacle to communion with God, » Russian Orthodox leaders said.

« Fiducia Supplicans » (« Supplicating Trust ») on « the pastoral meaning of blessings, » published by the Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith and signed by its Argentine prefect, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, said Catholic priests should be permitted to give « pastoral » and « spontaneous » blessings to same-sex and unmarried couples, without « officially validating their status or changing in any way the church’s perennial teaching on marriage. »

However, the proposed blessings have been rejected by numerous Catholic bishops’ conferences and dioceses worldwide, while Egypt’s historic Coptic Church, the Middle East’s largest Christian denomination, announced March 7 it was suspending dialogue with Catholics over the issue, « after consulting with sister-churches from the Orthodox family. »

Theologians from the world’s 14 other main Orthodox churches, together making up around 220 million Christians, also are believed to be studying « Fiducia Supplicans, » including those of Serbia and Greece, which have condemned legislation on same-sex unions.

The Russian church « directly and unequivocally » rejected homosexuality, as « sinful damage to human nature, » and « categorically » denied recognition to « forms of cohabitation outside the previously given definition of marriage. »

Russia’s Orthodox Church backed the July 2020 constitutional amendments enshrining marriage « as a union of man and woman, » and has demanded full implementation of a November 2023 Russian Supreme Court decree banning the « extremist LGBT movement. »

The church’s long-running claims to be defending traditional Christian values have been widely derided in view of its support for the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In its report, the Russian church said the Vatican’s idea of « spontaneous blessings » stood « in radical contradiction with biblical moral teaching. »

Pope Francis’ planned visit to Venice will include a Mass in the city’s famous St. Mark’s Square, a meeting with young people from the archdiocese and a meeting with female detainees at an island prison where the Vatican has set up its pavilion for a major international contemporary art exhibition.

The pope will travel to and from Venice April 28 by helicopter from the Vatican City State heliport and he will move around the Venetian lagoon by boat, according to details released by the Vatican March 25.

The one-day trip will begin with an early morning visit to the Giudecca women’s prison on Giudecca Island, south of the historic center of Venice. There he will offer remarks and meet prison officials, staff and personally greet about 80 women detained there.

The pope will then visit the prison’s chapel where he will be welcomed by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education and curator of the Holy See’s pavilion for the Venice Biennale art exhibition. The pope will give a speech and greet local officials and artists whose work will be on display.

He will travel by boat from Giudecca Island to the Basilica of St. Mary of Health, a 17th-century church built to honor Mary, invoking her protection and intercession for an end to a devastating plague that killed nearly one-third of the population in the 1630s. The pope will meet with young people and give a speech.

Accompanied by a delegation of young people, Francis will then go to St. Mark’s Square by crossing a so-called « bridge of boats, » a floating pontoon bridge made from boats linked together and a traditional Venetian way of temporarily connecting opposite shores.

Traditionally, the 170-yard-long floating structure is built every year on Nov. 21, the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, allowing the faithful to cross the Grand Canal from St. Mark’s Square to the basilica; the tradition began as thanks for deliverance from the plague.

The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace called upon the faithful to renew prayers during Holy Week for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

« As the Church enters Holy Week and Christ’s suffering on the cross and his resurrection are made present to us so vividly, we are connected to the very source of hope. It is that hope that spurs us to call on Catholics here in the United States and all those of good will to renew their prayers for an end to the raging Israel-Hamas war, » wrote Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, USCCB president, and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, International Justice and Peace committee chairman, in a March 23 statement.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 32,000 people, including more than 13,000 children, with an additional estimated 75,000 injured, in Israel’s retaliation on the Palestinian territory following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on communities along Israel’s southern border. Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups have killed more than 1,100 people and injured more than 8,700, taking more than 240 hostages. A reported 130 hostages remain in Gaza, including at least 33 dead. With Israel restricting Gaza from access to resources, including food, many Gaza residents are facing catastrophic levels of hunger and imminent « famine. »

« Thousands of innocent people have died in this conflict, and thousands more have been displaced and face tremendous suffering, » the bishops said in their statement. « This must stop.

As the Holy Father recently said, ‘One cannot move forward in war. We must make every effort to negotiate, to negotiate, to end the war.’ To move forward, a cease fire and a permanent cessation of war and violence is absolutely necessary. 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. »

Israel and Hamas have been engaged in mediated talks about a ceasefire and the release of prisoners and captives, with Hamas recently presenting a proposal for a truce. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the proposal was based on « unrealistic demands » and he plans for Israeli forces to invade another area of the Gaza Strip to defeat Hamas, according to media reports.

« As Christians, we are rooted in the hope of the resurrection, and so we pray for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land, » the Catholic bishops wrote.

Holy Week began March 24 with Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.