St. Mary's Church

“Yo fui su médico del cuerpo, pero ella fue mi médico espiritual”; así describe la doctora Branca Pereira Acevedo su relación con Sor Lucia dos Santos, vidente de la Virgen de Fátima a quien atendió durante los últimos 15 años de su vida.

Cada 5 de diciembre damos inicio a la Novena dedicada a San Juan de la Cruz (Ávila, 24 de junio de 1542 - Úbeda, Jaén, 14 de diciembre de 1591).

Como todos los años, hoy, 5 de diciembre, la Iglesia Católica recuerda la figura de San Sabas de Capadocia, célebre monje de la antigüedad, discípulo de San Eutimio el Grande. La mayor parte de su vida, transcurrida entre los siglos V y VI, residió en Palestina, dedicado a la oración, la meditación, la dirección espiritual y al trabajo manual.

El perfil del Papa León XIV figura entre las páginas más vistas en Wikipedia; y su nombre —tanto el que eligió al comenzar su pontificado como el de pila, Robert Francis Prevost— está entre lo más buscado en Google durante el año 2025.

St. Louis, Missouri, Dec 4, 2025 / 18:06 pm (CNA).

Andre Mahanna, a former Maronite Catholic priest who gained a national profile as a commentator, fundraiser, and advocate for persecuted Christians is continuing to present himself as a priest despite having been dismissed from the clerical state for financial impropriety, the Archdiocese of Denver announced Thursday.  

In a statement, the archdiocese said Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles had dismissed Mahanna from the clerical state due to financial impropriety and that Mahanna is not permitted to act or present himself validly as a Catholic priest.

Mahanna has no priestly faculties, the statement continues, and is not authorized to “celebrate sacraments, preach, bless, or represent himself as a cleric in any setting.”  

Catholics and members of the public should not engage in any invalid sacraments he is attempting nor give him money or support fundraising efforts connected to him, the archdiocese warned.  

“The archdiocese asks Catholics to take this warning seriously and avoid any involvement that could imply Church approval, including donations, sponsorships, event invitations, or promotion of his activities,” the statement reads, noting that Zaidan has sent an alert to all U.S. bishops warning them that Mahanna is still presenting himself as a priest.

Mahanna served for a time at St. Rafka Maronite Catholic Church in Lakewood, Colorado, in the Denver metro. The charitable organization he founded, Saint Rafka Mission of Hope and Mercy, is registered in Lakewood. The mission reported $138,045 in revenue against $67,422 in expenses in 2024, according to its tax forms.

Although Mahanna’s mission is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it is not recognized as a Catholic organization and is not authorized to solicit funds or participate in ministry within the Archdiocese of Denver, the statement continues.

“Neither Mr. Mahanna nor this nonprofit may take part in parish life, ministry, or fundraising in any Catholic setting within the archdiocese,” it says.

Ivette Jackson, communications director for the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, indicated that Mahanna was dismissed from the clerical state in 2024 after a regular canonical process during which he was afforded the opportunity to defend himself. The decision to dismiss him is final, Jackson said.

Archbishop Samuel Aquila was not immediately available for further comment.

Mahanna grew up in Lebanon during the country’s civil war and is now an American citizen, according to the bio on his website. He was a guest of President Donald Trump for the signing of an executive order on religious freedom at the White House on the National Day of Prayer in 2017 and “has been invited back to this event as one of 40 select religious leaders every year since then,” the bio says.  

His bio describes him as a popular speaker and says he has authored many articles focused on the unity of Christians, religious freedom, and the biblical foundation of Judeo-Christian values and traditions. 

During 2017 and 2018, Mahanna appeared several times as a guest on EWTN television programs such as “EWTN News Nightly” and “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” mainly as an expert voice discussing the plight of Christians in the Middle East. (Note: EWTN is the parent company of CNA).

Numerous videos posted by Mission of Hope and Mercy in recent days show Mahanna wearing his priestly collar and introducing himself as “Father.”  

In a Nov. 28 video, Mahanna, seeking donations, described how his mission provides aid to Christian families and victims of persecution in Lebanon, delivering food boxes, mattresses, water, and Christmas presents to villages affected by conflict.

This story was updated on Dec. 5, 2025, at 9:40 a.m. ET with the comments from Ivette Jackson.

La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos (USCCB, por sus siglas en inglés) ha publicado un comentario en el que respalda la eliminación de la ideología de género en los formularios de reasentamiento de refugiados para niños no acompañados.

El Arzobispo para los Servicios Militares de EE.UU., Mons. Timothy Broglio, ha pedido a los líderes del país abstenerse de matar a no combatientes mientras neutralizan a los violentos cárteles de la droga en todo el mundo.

En el cuarto día del novenario a Nuestra Señora de los Milagros de Caacupé, patrona del Paraguay, el Obispo de Ciudad del Este, Mons. Pedro Collar, alertó sobre la pobreza, el narcotráfico y la trata de personas en el país. 

CNA Staff, Dec 4, 2025 / 15:37 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news:

1 in 4 post-abortive women regret abortion decades later, study finds 

A new study found that 1 in 4 women regret their abortion decades after undergoing the procedure. 

The study, published in the International Journal of Women’s Health Care, measured the levels of distress abortive women feel years after having an abortion. 

Authored by Father Donald Paul Sullins with The Catholic University of America and the Ruth Institute, the study found that 24% of postabortive women in the U.S. “suffer from serious post-abortion distress.” 

Of these post-abortive women, just under half showed “multiple symptoms of post-traumatic stress,” according to the study. 

In the study, Sullins called for more research on the long-term effects of abortion as well as the development of “effective therapeutic interventions.”

“The health care of this population of women is understudied and underserved,” the study read. “Women considering an abortion should be informed of the possibility that they may experience persistent emotional distress.” 

1 million ‘conversion counts’ highlights pregnancy center’s lifesaving work

A group that promotes life-affirming pregnancy centers has logged 1 million “conversions” away from abortion since its inception, the group announced earlier this week.

Choose Life Marketing works with more than 900 pro-life clients, including pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies. 

The group found that a million women experiencing unplanned pregnancies had scheduled an appointment with a pregnancy help center since the agency’s founding in 2016. 

“It reflects women choosing connection over isolation, hope over fear, and the courage to reach out for help,” said Nelly Roach, who heads Choose Life Marketing. “Pregnancy help centers across the country continue to meet those moments with the compassion, excellence, and support women deserve.”

“One million women reached out,” she continued. “Hundreds of thousands found the support they needed to choose life. Their courage and their children will shape families, communities, and futures for generations.”  

Appeals court rules in favor of pregnancy centers in legal battle 

A federal appeals court in New York ruled in favor of pregnancy centers in a legal battle over abortion pill reversal services.

A panel on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injunction allowing pregnancy clinics to advertise abortion pill reversal.

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the group Heartbeat International and 11 pregnancy centers in May 2024 accusing them of fraud in promoting a drug regimen that purports to reverse the effects of mifepristone. 

In response, the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates sued James, claiming she was attacking their right to free speech. The three-judge panel at the appeals court ruled unanimously that the pregnancy centers could continue to advertise abortion reversal. 

Thomas Glessner, president of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, heralded the ruling, saying that pregnancy resource centers in the state “are now free to help women who regret taking the abortion pill and want a chance at saving the lives of their babies.” 

“Abortion pill reversal, like the court said, offers no financial gains for pregnancy centers,” Glessner said in a statement shared with CNA. “They are simply giving women another option than ending the life of their unborn babies.”

Iowa lawmaker reintroduces bill in support of pregnant college students 

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, has reintroduced a bill requiring colleges to inform pregnant students of their rights and the resources available to them in their schools.

Under Title IX, pregnant students have the right to remain in school and complete their education, but about 30% of abortions are performed on college-aged women, according to Hinson’s press release. Resources that colleges offer to pregnant students often include flexible class schedules, excused absences, and child care assistance.

Students “deserve to know every resource available to them,” Hinson said in a statement.

“It is unacceptable that so many often feel they have to choose between finishing their education and having their baby,” the lawmaker continued.

Praising the bill, Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life of America, said in a statement: “Women balancing school, pregnancy, and family deserve our support. Yet, ironically, far too few know about Title IX, the law that is supposed to protect their rights.”

La Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina confirmó la pena de prisión perpetua para Jorge Leonardo Herrera por el homicidio del P. Oscar Juárez, asesinado en 2020 en la provincia de Tucumán.