St. Mary's Church

El Cardenal filipino Pablo Virgilio David reflexiona sobre los desafíos de la Iglesia en su país, sobre la fe del pueblo filipino y los valores que debería encarnar el candidato al que votaría en un eventual cónclave.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 20, 2025 / 12:35 pm (CNA).

In tandem with the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., is preparing to offer visitors an up-close glimpse of a uniquely personal element used during the presidential swearing-in ceremony.

Museum of the Bible Chief Curatorial Officer Robert Duke told CNA that beginning Tuesday, Trump’s personal Bible, which First Lady Melania Trump held while Trump took the oath of office on Monday, will be added to the set of U.S. presidential inauguration Bibles currently on display at the museum.

Given to him in 1955 to mark his Sunday Church Primary School graduation, Trump’s personal Bible is a 1953 Revised Standard Version published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in New York, according to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.

It is embossed with his name on the bottom corner of the front cover and is signed by church officials on the inside alongside an inscription with the details of when it was presented to him.

Trump was also sworn in with the revered Lincoln Bible, which he also used during his 2017 inauguration. The Lincoln Bible is unique in that Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, and Trump are the only presidents to have used it for their swearing-in ceremonies.

“The Bible’s played such a pivotal role in the history of presidential inaugurations,” Duke said. “So we thought, for this year, it’d be great on our first floor to have a mini exhibit on the inauguration.”

In addition to the Trump and Lincoln Bibles, other Bibles featured in the exhibit include the one used by the late President Jimmy Carter. His Bible is opened to Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good, / And what does the Lord require of you? / To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” which he quoted during his 1977 inaugural address.

“We also have on display the Grover Cleveland Bible,” Duke pointed out, noting that Cleveland “was the only other president that had four intervening years between their two presidencies.”

Meanwhile, newly sworn-in Vice President JD Vance used a family Bible that belonged to his maternal great-grandmother, which had been given to him in 2003 on the day he left home for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in South Carolina, according to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.

Un gran número de fieles acompañó este sábado 18 de enero a la Orden de Agustinos Recoletos en una Misa de Acción de Gracias que dio comienzo a los festejos por sus primeros 100 años de presencia en Argentina.

CNA Staff, Jan 20, 2025 / 11:55 am (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Chicago has removed two priests from active ministry as it investigates sex abuse allegations leveled against both of them.

The archdiocese announced the development on Saturday, writing to 14 different parishes at which the two priests, Father Matthew Foley and Father Henry Kricek, served over a series of years.

The allegation against Foley involved claims of abuse when he was assigned to St. Agatha Parish (now renamed St. Simon of Cyrene Parish) “approximately 30 years ago,” the archdiocese said, while those against Kricek concerned alleged abuse at St. John Bosco Parish “approximately 40 years ago.”

Both allegations involved abuse of a minor, the archdiocese said. Both priests have been removed from ministry while the archdiocese investigates the claims.

The archdiocese has reported the allegations to civil authorities and has offered the accusers access to the diocesan victim assistance ministry.

“After the civil authorities have finished their work, the archdiocese will complete its investigation and report the results to our Independent Review Board,” the archdiocese told parishioners of the respective priests.

Both priests have “strenuously” denied the allegations against them, the archdiocese said in its letters while noting that “those accused are innocent until proven otherwise.”

In November the archdiocese announced that archdiocesan priest Father Martin Marren, who had previously been accused of abuse of a minor, had been restored to ministry after the archdiocesan Independent Review Board “found that there [was] not a reasonable cause” to believe the allegations.

In September the archdiocese removed from ministry Father Martin Nyberg after allegations that he molested a child during a recent penance service that allegedly took place at a youth retreat. Nyberg denied the claims. That investigation is still underway.

El Papa Francisco ha otorgado la medalla Pro Ecclesia et Pontífice a la española Lydia Jiménez, presidenta del Consejo Directivo de la Universidad Católica de Ávila (UCAV) y directora general del Instituto Secular Cruzadas de Santa María.

Los Angeles, Calif., Jan 20, 2025 / 10:15 am (CNA).

Approximately 3,000 people gathered for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ 11th annual OneLife LA on Saturday. While previously held as a walk through the streets of Los Angeles, the event was moved to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A. due to unhealthy air caused by the region’s wildfires and the acute need of police in other parts of the city.

Unlike the Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco, which has its exclusive focus on ending abortion, OneLife LA lists a wide range of focus areas: pro-life issues, homelessness, human trafficking, end-of-life care, foster care and adoption, the environment, the disabled, and “racism immigration.”

The purpose of this year’s event, according to organizers, was to “unite in a sacred space as a family of God in prayer, healing, and hope as the devastating wildfires continue through Southern California.”  

Speakers and performances began at 2 p.m followed by a Requiem Mass for the Unborn celebrated by Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez.

Two families who lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires were featured at the event, joining the procession into the church. The Gonzalez family carried a cross and the Magallon family carried a statue of the Blessed Mother, which survived amid the rubble when their home burned down.

Diana and Rodrigo Gonzalez shared with attendees the story of how they lost their Altadena home they purchased just a year ago. “I was proud of that house,” Rodrigo told CNA. “It was on a large lot, a wooded, green area. It had a lot of history: I could show you the place nearby at JPL Laboratories where Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer walked and talked about the atom bomb.”

The family celebrated Epiphany on Jan. 7 and a local priest blessed the home. Due to its higher elevation, the property was swept by Santa Ana winds reaching 100 mph and authorities shut off the power in an effort to reduce the likelihood of sparking a fire. The couple fled with some of their belongings.

Rodrigo Gonzalez and his father-in-law made their way back to the Altadena home on the morning of Jan. 8. Rodrigo recalled: “I have never seen anything like it. On multiple streets houses were on fire, downed trees and power lines. There was hardly a fireman around anywhere, but some residents were doing what they could to douse the blazes.”

The Gonzalezes tried to save their house — ultimately 20 of 22 homes on their block would burn — but with water pressure near zero and no fire department personnel to be seen, they ultimately had to surrender their home to the flames.

“We are stunned and shocked, but also moved by the generosity of so many who have offered to help. And our faith has played an invaluable role in helping us get through this,” they said.

They expressed gratitude to OneLife LA for offering them a venue in which to share their story, noting that before moving to Altadena, the cathedral had been their home parish.

“When the archbishop invited us to offer the gifts at the Requiem Mass, it was like I heard Jesus say, ‘I didn’t abandon you.’ That was a message I needed to hear,” Diana Gonzalez said.

Listen to his voice

Gómez, joined by the auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese, welcomed those in attendance in English and Spanish. He observed that while it was difficult “trying to understand God’s will,” it was still “our challenge to try to listen to his voice.”

“God loves us with a love beyond telling,” he assured those gathered, and despite the devastation, “in everything God is working for the good of those who love him.” The fires are an important reminder, he continued, that “life is fragile … what we can lose, we can lose in a moment.” Our goal must be to “support one another, sacrifice for one another, take care of one another.”

Among the other speakers was Sister Maria Goretti of the Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ, a religious community headquartered in Brazil. She, along with her other sisters and local volunteers, feeds and offers support to the homeless and immigrants in the Skid Row area of downtown L.A. While sister touched on her work on Skid Row, her central message was one of hope amid the fire devastation.

“The gift of hope gives us encouragement amid the most difficult circumstances,” she said.  

Sister Maria Goretti has been a regular OneLife LA participant for years but said this was her first time addressing the group.

“It continually amazes me how many people, particularly young people, turn out in support of life, especially that of the unborn,” she said. “These participants are the light of Christ for those who are in darkness, this year especially those who have lost their homes.”

Another woman, Desiree Gentile, shared her story at OneLife LA of being abandoned by a 17-year-old mother, placed in foster care, and then adopted by a loving family. She described herself as an “abortion survivor; my mom chose life.” That choice, she said, “gave me a chance to fulfill my purpose. There is a reason for me.”

With her upbringing Gentile said she developed a strong Catholic faith, saying: “You’re not always intended for the family that birthed you. You’re intended for God.”

Two religious items drew attention during the OneLife LA event. The first was the Magallon family’s Marian statue, and the second was a tabernacle from Corpus Christi Parish in Pacific Palisades. Although the entire church was destroyed by fire, the tabernacle remained largely unscathed.  

Also recognized at OneLife LA was Maryvale, a San Gabriel Valley charity that provides child and family services for the underserved of the region and was the recipient of a Dr. Tirsio del Junco 2025 grant.

The 11th OneLife LA can be viewed here.

La March for Life (Marcha por la Vida) 2025 se llevará a cabo el viernes 24 de enero en Washington D.C. (Estados Unidos), consolidándose como una de las manifestaciones anuales más grandes en defensa de los derechos de los niños por nacer en el mundo.

Este tercer lunes de enero es considerado como el “Blue Monday”, el día más triste del año. En este contexto, les compartimos el testimonio de algunos santos que padecieron de depresión y lo que hicieron para salir de él aferrados al amor de Dios.

El Papa Francisco dirige un mensaje a Donald Trump con motivo de la toma de posesión como 47º presidente de los Estados Unidos.

El Papa Francisco subrayó la vocación ecuménica que comparten los cristianos durante una audiencia este lunes en el Vaticano con una delegación ecuménica de Finlandia.