St. Mary's Church

La Catedral de Notre Dame de París anunció que, a partir de este 5 de diciembre, la Corona de Espinas, una de las reliquias más veneradas de la Pasión de Cristo, será presentada en ostensión todos los viernes de 3:00 a 6:30 p.m.

El Papa León XIV reflexionó sobre los desafíos de la inteligencia artificial y propuso diversos objetivos para que contribuya al bien común y no sólo al poder y la riqueza de unos pocos.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 5, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Pope Leo sends surprise video message to Australian Catholic youth festival 

Pope Leo XIV sent a surprise video message to thousands of young Catholics at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival on Nov. 30, urging them to turn to God, “especially through prayer and the sacraments. That’s where you’ll hear your Heavenly Father’s voice most clearly.”

The papal message — played during the opening plenary at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre — drew cheers from young Catholics who gathered from around the country under the 2025 Jubilee theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” The three-day event, held Nov. 30–Dec. 2, opened with a five-kilometer (three-mile) pilgrimage walk from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Participants accompanied the World Youth Day Cross and Icon through the city streets to the convention center.

“Our lives find their ultimate purpose in becoming who God made us to be, by living out his will," Leo said. He reminded pilgrims of the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “You are not the result of a random process. Each of you is willed, each of you is loved, each of you is necessary.”

Holy See Permanent Observer Mission to U.N. calls for end of Ukraine war ‘right now’

The Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the U.N. called for the end of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine immediately during a Dec. 3 emergency session. 

Monsignor Robert Murphy, chargé d’affaires, said the war in Ukraine must halt “not at some undefined moment in the future, but right now.” Murphy emphasized the need for both sides of the conflict to bring about the return of children to their families and urged all nations represented in the assembly interested in ending the war “to reject passivity and provide tangible support for any initiative that could lead to genuine negotiations and lasting peace.”

Bishops praise ‘historic decision’ to end child marriage in west Pakistan province

The western province of Balochistan in Pakistan has passed a law criminalizing child marriages, eliciting praise from Catholic bishops in the region. 

The 2025 Law on the Restriction of Child Marriage in Balochistan penalizes adults who facilitate arranged marriages for minors under the age of 18, repealing a previous law that set the minimum age for girls to be married at 14 years old. Bishop Samson Shukardin, OFM, of Hyderabad and president of the Pakistan Bishops’ Conference, called the new law “a historic decision to protect children and an important step toward strengthening the rights of minors,” according to a Fides report on Monday. 

The bishop further expressed gratitude to lawmakers for passing the law, noting that “the Church promotes the fundamental rights of every human being, especially those of girls,” adding: “Early marriage deprives them of their education, their health, and their self-confidence.” 

Sri Lankan cardinal urges Catholics to join emergency response amid natural disaster

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is urging Catholics to join emergency response efforts across Sri Lanka as the country recovers from Cyclone Ditwah, the worst natural disaster in its history.

“We request our priests, religious, brothers, sisters, and lay leaders to work together with all the societies and organizations to provide relief to the people who are helpless at this moment,” Ranjith said in a statement, according to UCA News. 

Bishop Jude N. Silva of the Diocese of Badulla, one of the “worst affected,” according to UCA, instructed all priests to cancel Masses and programs “until the situation improved.” Caritas Sri Lanka has led the emergency response, according to AsiaNews.  

European bishops talk Catholic-Muslim relations at three-day meeting on Nostra Aetate

The Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe discussed Catholic-Muslim dialogue at a three-day conference titled “Nostra Aetate, 60 Years On: Perspectives on Catholic-Muslim Dialogue.”

The meeting took place in Augsburg, Germany, and included “over 30 participants, representatives of European Bishops’ Conferences, theologians, and witnesses from 20 European countries,” according to a press release from the council.

In his keynote address, Cardinal Michael Louis Fitzgerald reflected on ways Nostra Aetate may frame encounters where interreligious dialogue takes place, the release said, noting that “the three days of the meeting were characterized by a wide-ranging exchange in the plenary conversations as well as beautiful liturgies celebrated in the churches of St. Moritz, St. Peter in Perlach, and the Basilica of Sts. Ulrich and Afra.” 

Capuchin Friars in Sumatra welcome those displaced by severe flooding

Capuchin Friars in the Sibolga province of Indonesia welcomed those displaced by flooding in the country due to Cyclone Senyar, according to Fides. 

“The worst is over, but the emergency continues. Floods and landslides have swept away entire villages. Many people are homeless. Rescue teams are now trying to reach the displaced: for some it is possible, for others it is not, because the areas remain isolated,” said Provincial Superior of the Capuchin Friars in Sibolga Friar Yoseph Norbert Sinaga. The cyclone has affected 1.5 million people and displaced more than 570,000, according to the report.

Archdiocese of Raipur, India, completes historic Eucharistic pilgrimage

The Archdiocese of Raipur in India has concluded a historic Eucharistic yatra, or pilgrimage, covering 1,655 miles across 72 parishes. 

The Eucharistic yatra lasted 14 days, with pilgrims traveling through 19 civil districts of the Central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, stopping in each parish for an hour of Eucharistic adoration, according to a Catholic Connect report. Participants in the yatra used a vehicle that was converted into a mobile chapel donated by the Mid India Province of the SCSC Sisters.

La Fundación Contemplare impulsa por tercer año un mercadillo de productos elaborados por conventos de clausura bajo el sello de calidad espiritual “Made in prayer”. 

En la lista de las películas favoritas del Papa León XIV figura La vida es bella, dirigida por el italiano Roberto Benigni, con quien se reunió en la tarde de este jueves en el Vaticano.

“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.

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.

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.”

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 4, 2025 / 15:07 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has published a public comment that supports the removal of gender ideology within refugee resettlement forms for unaccompanied children.

In accordance with President Donald Trump’s executive order “defending women from gender ideology extremism” and restoring “biological truth to the federal government,” the Office of Refugee Resettlement has proposed a change to forms that would replace the word “gender” with “sex.”

The proposed change would require that the forms reflect the child’s biological sex as opposed to perceived identity. The form options will be limited to only “male” and female.”

In the public comment, the bishops said they have “historically partnered closely with the Office of Refugee Resettlement to protect the well-being of unaccompanied noncitizen children while, in all respects, adhering to the Catholic Church’s teachings on the God-given dignity of the human person, created male and female,” and cited Genesis 1:27.

“By replacing the references in [the forms] to ‘gender’ with ‘sex,’ the proposal reflects a true anthropology that is grounded in the biological sexual identity that is either male or female, an anthropology that promotes human flourishing,” read the comment, signed by USCCB General Counsel William J. Quinn and Assistant General Counsel Daniel E. Balserak.

The USCCB elaborated on the Catholic doctrines related to sex and the inability to change a person’s sex, as highlighted in the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s (DDF) April 2024 document Dignitas Infinita, approved by Pope Francis.

“Biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated,” the document teaches.

“Therefore, all attempts to obscure reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman are to be rejected: We cannot separate the masculine and the feminine from God’s work of creation, which is prior to all our decisions and experiences, and where biological elements exist which are impossible to ignore. Only by acknowledging and accepting this difference in reciprocity can each person fully discover themselves, their dignity, and their identity,” it adds.

The bishops also cited the June 2019 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education titled “Male and Female He Created Them” to emphasize the importance of using the term “sex” instead of “gender.”

“In this cultural context, it is clear that sex and gender are no longer synonyms or interchangeable concepts, since they are used to describe two different realities… the concept of gender is seen as dependent upon the subjective mindset of each person, who can choose a gender not corresponding to his or her biological sex, and therefore with the way others see that person (transgenderism),” the document reads.

Trump’s executive order directed agencies and departments to update terminology on forms and in all official government documents to remove any recognition of gender ideology. The order reflects the administration’s position that there are only two sexes: male and female.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 4, 2025 / 14:37 pm (CNA).

First Liberty Institute and Heather Gebelin Hacker of Hacker Stephens LLP have filed an amicus brief on behalf of 46 United States lawmakers urging the federal court to allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools.

U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas; and Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, R-Texas, are among the lawmakers supporting the cause after federal judges blocked Texas and Louisiana laws requiring the display of the commandments.

“The Ten Commandments — adorned both inside and outside the U.S. Supreme Court — served as essential building blocks for Western civilization and are deeply embedded in the history of this country,” Johnson said in a Dec 4. statement.

“I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me in filing this amicus brief, and we hope the court follows well-established precedent and affirms the importance of teaching the fundamental foundations of our country,” he said.

In 2024, the state of Louisiana adopted House Bill 71, which requires schools that receive public funding to display the Ten Commandments, but a federal judge subsequently blocked the law for being “coercive” and “unconstitutional.” Then in May of this year, Texas passed Senate Bill 10 that also requires the commandments be placed in classrooms. In August, a federal judge also partially blocked that state from enforcing its law. 

The cases were consolidated and are slated to be heard this month by the full panel of judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

First Liberty Institute, a legal organization dedicated to defending religious liberty in the U.S., reported that previous religious freedom cases including The American Legion v. American Humanist Association and Kennedy v. Bremerton School District “make clear that displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools is constitutional.”

“As the Supreme Court has repeatedly acknowledged, the Ten Commandments were foundational to Western legal tradition, including the common-law system that shaped American law, and this case is critical to reaffirming our commitment to the principles that have guided America since our founding,” Cruz said. “I hope the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will uphold the ruling.”

“I’m proud to stand with Sen. Cruz in supporting Texas’ law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools across the Lone Star State,” Cornyn said. “The Ten Commandments ensure students are reminded of the Judeo-Christian values that have shaped our state and nation.”

“America was founded as a nation grounded in a distinctly Christian understanding, and the Ten Commandments are intertwined with America’s legal, moral, and historical heritage,” Roy said. Placing them “in every classroom in Texas affirms that we are a Judeo-Christian nation, upholding our historical and moral heritage and proclaiming the Ten Commandments as a guiding path for a righteous way of life.”

“Our religious heritage and the best of the nation’s history and traditions acknowledge the Ten Commandments as an important symbol of law and moral conduct with both religious and secular significance,” said Kelly Shackelford, president, CEO, and chief counsel for First Liberty. “Government hostility to religion and our religious history is not the law.”

In the brief, Hacker said: “As Justice [Neil] Gorsuch warned in American Legion, if individuals ‘could invoke the authority of a federal court to forbid what they dislike for no more reason than they dislike it … courts would start to look more like legislatures, responding to social pressures rather than remedying concrete harms, in the process supplanting the right of the people and their elected representatives to govern themselves.’”