“Now it is a matter of translating the work of the previous stages into choices that will give impetus and new life to the mission of the Church in our time,” he said. “The most important thing of this synod is synodality, the subjects and topics are there to advance this expression of the Church that is synodality.”

“For this, there is a need for people forged in the Spirit, for ‘pilgrims of hope’ ... men and women capable of charting and walking new and challenging paths,” the Pope added.

The Pontiff made his remarks about the synod at the conclusion of an address to members of Italian Catholic Action. During the address, he proposed a “culture of embrace” to the members of the lay apostolate.

FfD4, an upcoming forum on global finance, is “an opportune moment to implement new forms of solidarity in the actions to reverse growing economic imbalances,” Archbishop Caccia said at an April 24 UN meeting. “Through debt forgiveness and debt restructuring, developing countries are released from unsustainable debt, enabling them to make critical investments in healthcare, education, job creation, and social protection.”

In his address, the Pope recalled the different events of his three-day visit there. He concluded by thanking the pilgrims for their “fidelity to Christ, manifested in the testimony of faith and in lived ecumenism, in relationships with your neighbors, in welcoming charity even for those who are different, in respect for every human life and in responsible care for the environment.”

The Pontiff also received Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok in a private audience.

“In addition to the dramatic situation in Gaza, where 81% of families do not have access to safe and clean water, Sudan has also suffered the greatest deterioration in its condition” because of the civil war there, L’Osservatore Romano reported. “Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Yemen also suffer from food crises.”

Bishop Seitz presented members of Congress with detailed requests for funding for nearly 20 different programs. For example, he requested $150 million for the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s Legal Representation Grant Program, and $432,161,000 for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services operations and support.

“We strongly hold that the protection of unborn lives cannot be separated from any work that aims at ensuring justice and flourishing for every human being,” he added. “The USCCB will oppose any bill that expands taxpayer funding of abortion, including any appropriations bill.”

Bishop Seitz’s April 25 letter followed a similar letter calling for increased spending on foreign-aid programs.

A police spokesman said that the search is part of an investigation begun in 2022, prompted by “numerous complaints of child sexual abuse.”

The archdiocese is cooperating with the search, the police spokesman said.

Attorney General Josh Kaul said that his department has received 274 abuse reports, 66 of which were previously unreported, and 76 of which were previously reported only to a religious authority.

Kaul pledged to issue a final report, though he said that the timing of its release is uncertain.

The chemistry professor, Dan O’Leary, said he almost became one of O’Donnell’s victims as an altar boy and that O’Donnell’s dissertation, “Evoking Trustworthy Behavior of Children and Adults in A Prisoner’s Dilemma Game,” might have involved “sexually abusive behavior under the pretext of conducting doctoral research.”

The University of Washington said that O’Donnell’s actions were “heinous and reprehensible,” but that the university was “unable to obtain evidence that in the course of his graduate work, Mr. O’Donnell met the standard for degree revocation.”

Police arrested a man, who was described as cognitively impaired, in connection with the attack. Father Marques was expected to resume his ministry immediately after medical treatment.

Rahmon also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. The parties discussed “the good relations between the Holy See and Tajikistan,” “some aspects of the country’s political and socio-economic situation,” and “the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding between peoples and cultures for the promotion of peace and stability,” according to a Vatican statement.

The Central Asian nation of 9.3 million (map) is 98% Muslim, but is known for its repression of all public religiosity.

Bishop Alan Gates of Boston has apologized for taking the collar from Rev. Tamra Tucker; she has not issued any public comment on the incident, which caused a shocked silence from the congregation.

The confrontation occurred during what a spokesman for the Episcopal diocese described as a “non-traditional” ceremony that included other Protestant communities and made a special point of welcoming homosexuals.

New data from the federal government show a rate of 1.62 births per woman in 2023. That figure, a 2% decline from the previous year, is the lowest ever recorded.

The number of births in 2023 also dropped 2% from the previous year, The 3.59 million births were the fewest since 1979.

The birth rate in the US has been declining 1 to 2% consistently over the past decade. The fertility rate is now well under the “replacement rate” of 2.1 children per woman.

In an interview with Norah O’Donnell of CBS, timed for broadcast before World Children’s Day, the Pope spoke about the suffering of children in war zones. “Those kids don’t know how to smile,” he said ruefully. “That’s really very serious.”

Questioned about Catholics who have left the Church, the Pope said: “If in this parish, the priest doesn’t seem welcoming, I understand; but go and look.” He said that there is “always a place” where Catholics will be welcome.

CBS broadcast excerpts from the interview on April 24. A more extended conversation—covering more controversial issues—will air later in May.

Cardinal Parolin offered that thought at a press conference introducing a new book about Vatican controversies by the journalist Ignazio Ingrao. In that book the author writes of “irreversible processes” of reform begun in this pontificate.

Early this week, Catholic Answers introduced the AI-generated character, which answers questions by drawing on the site’s archives. The experiment proved unpopular with many users, who questioned the prudence of using AI to answer serious questions of faith—and especially to invoke the authority of the priesthood. One user reported that “Father Justin” had, on request, agreed to a “virtual confession, all the way to giving me absolution and a penance.”

Our Lady is “coming now,” Pope Francis said. “She will arrive by helicopter, but then she’ll knock; with her presence, she knocks on the door of families, of homes—on the door of your hearts.”

The Rome Call, which dates from 2020, was first signed by leaders of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Microsoft, IBM, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and later signed by Jewish and Muslim representatives.

“The Rome Call principles align with Cisco’s core belief that technology must be built on a foundation of trust at the highest levels in order to power an inclusive future for all,” said Robbins.

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said that “we are very pleased that Cisco has joined the Rome Call because it is a company that plays a crucial role as a technology partner for the adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence by offering expertise in infrastructure, security and protection of AI data and systems.”

A 1986 federal law mandates that hospitals that receive Medicare funds provide emergency care to patients?and the Biden administration has interpreted emergency care to include some abortions. Citing the 1986 law, the administration has challenged an Idaho law that protects almost all unborn children from abortion.

“When we met in Gaza in November for a long conversation 30 days after the beginning of the war, we certainly did not think we would find ourselves here again after 200 days, and without a possible solution to the conflict,” the prelate said.

“I have lived in this land for 34 years. It is now my land and I have seen so much between wars, intifada, and clashes, but I have no doubt: this is the most difficult trial we have had to face,” he continued. “The uncertainty now is about how much longer this war will last, and even more, what will happen after because you see one thing is certain. Nothing will ever be like before. “

In his remarks to the group the Pope asked them to “bear witness to everyone that the way of the embrace is the way of life.” He spoke of “first the missing embrace, then the embrace that saves, and third the embrace that changes life.”