Recap of U.S. Bishops’ Fall Plenary in Baltimore

BALTIMORE - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered for their Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, November 11-14. The bishops began their plenary in prayer at the Baltimore Basilica and as the public session of the assembly began, they sent a message to the Holy Father, followed by an address by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the USCCB, also addressed the bishops.

 Attending the plenary as a special guest was Bishop Stepan Sus, auxiliary and curial bishop to the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Metropolitan of Kyiv-Halych, who shared his testimony of the Church in Ukraine in the midst of war. Bishop Roy E. Campbell, auxiliary bishop of Washington and president of The National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) gave a brief presentation to the body on the history, mission and programs of the NBCC. And as the universal Catholic Church prepares to celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025, Sister Maria Juan Anderson, a Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Michigan who currently serves as the coordinator for the Bishops’ Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican, shared information about her office and the services they provide to pilgrims visiting Rome. Mr. Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, provided an update on the Order’s Cor initiative.   

 The bishops received a report on the 2021-2024 Synod of Bishops that concluded in Rome last month; a report on the Eucharistic revival initiative and the National Eucharistic Congress held this summer; and an update on the interim implementation of Antiquum Ministerium (on the ministry of the catechist). An update was also given on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) as a follow up to the discussion the bishops had at their June plenary on the best way that the CCHD could continue the vital work of fighting poverty. The bishops’ migration committee chairman gave an update on the work of the committee, which aims to help reshape the national narrative on migration to be more welcoming and responsive to the needs of migrants and to help the faithful better understand Catholic teaching on migration. A presentation was also given on the resources available for diocesan and parish leaders in applying the Vatican’s declaration, Dignitas Infinita (on human dignity) to the specific cultural context of the United States; this effort is an ongoing collaboration among several committees of the USCCB.

 Exemplifying synodality, the bishops engaged in a table discussion during the public session on the pastoral implementation of integral ecology and Laudato si’. Specifically, they were provided with prompts to discuss how best to mark the tenth anniversary of Laudato si’. The table discussions were enhanced by the adjustment to bishops’ seating made during the November 2022 plenary to more naturally accommodate fraternal dialogue. While a summary of the discussions was not provided publicly during the plenary, the reports from each bishop group will be used to guide the work of Conference committees.

 The bishops also approved the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth to move forward with the drafting of a document to guide lay ecclesial ministry, which is meant to be a follow-up to the bishops’ 2005 document, Coworkers in the Vineyard of the Lord; the action item was passed with 223 votes in favor, 9 votes against, and 6 abstentions. The bishops also voted to pass the USCCB’s 2025 budget (226 votes in favor, 3 votes against, and 4 abstentions), and on the USCCB’s 2025-2028 Mission Directive, which will guide the work of the Conference staff over the next three years (225 votes in favor, 7 votes against, and 2 abstentions).

 During their meeting, the bishops voted for a new treasurer and new chairmen of five standing committees. All six elected bishops will serve for one year as the chairman-elect before beginning a three-year term that begins at the conclusion of the bishops’ 2025 Plenary Assembly. They also held a consultation on advancing the causes for beatification and canonization for Sister Annella Zervas, a professed religious of the Order of Saint Benedict, and of the Servant of God Gertrude Agnes Barber, a lay woman, and by voice vote, they affirmed the advancement of both causes at the local levels.

 The bishops discussed and voted on three action items related to liturgical texts, presented by the USCCB’s Committee on Divine Worship:

• The bishops voted 216 votes in favor, 4 votes against, and 3 abstentions to approve the revised New American Bible for liturgical use. The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the Latin Church members, with subsequent confirmatio from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

• The bishops voted 220 in favor, 2 votes against, and 1 abstention to approve the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) Gray Book of The Order of Crowning of an Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the Latin Church members, with subsequent confirmatio by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

• The bishops voted 213 in favor, 1 vote against, and 9 abstentions to approve the Liturgia de las Horas: Textos propios y adaptaciones para las diócesis de los Estados Unidos de América. The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the Latin Church members, with subsequent recognitio by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

News updates, texts of addresses and presentations, and other materials from the 2024 fall plenary assembly are posted to: www.usccb.org/meetings.

Bishop Robert Barron pans ‘Conclave’ movie: ‘Run away from it as fast as you can’

By Catholic News Agency

Washington, D.C. Newsroom - Bishop Robert Barron is urging Catholics to skip the new film “Conclave” — a fictional movie that depicts a papal conclave — saying that it “checks every woke box.”

“If you are interested in a film about the Catholic Church that could have been written by the editorial board of the New York Times, this is your movie,” Barron, the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, said in a post on X after watching the film himself.

The film, based on the 2016 Robert Harris novel of the same name, hit American movie theaters on Oct. 25. It depicts ideological and theological infighting among Catholic cardinals during the election of a new pope. More traditional cardinals are pitted against others who are portrayed as being open to changes in doctrine that are contrary to Catholic teaching. 

“The hierarchy of the Church is a hotbed of ambition, corruption, and desperate egotism [in the movie],” Barron continued. “Conservatives are xenophobic extremists and the liberals are self-important schemers. None can escape this irredeemable situation.”

In the movie, a fictional cardinal with female chromosomes and an intersex disorder is selected as the new pope. 

“The only way forward is the embrace of the progressive buzz words of diversity, inclusion, indifference to doctrine, and the ultimate solution is a virtue-signaling cardinal who takes the papal name of Innocent and who is a biological female,” Barron said.

 “Since it checks practically every woke box, I’m sure it will win a boatload of awards, but my advice is to run away from it as fast as you can.”

The priesthood, including the papacy, is reserved for biological men. According to St. John Paul II’s apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and ... this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”

Pope Francis has affirmed this Church teaching and spoken about other important roles women have in the Catholic Church. The final document from the Church’s Synod on Synodality encourages the expansion of women’s leadership roles within the Church.

Late last month, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights issued a warning about the book that the film was based on and the film itself.

“Conclave is more a piece of anti-Catholic propaganda than it is a work of art,” the statement reads. “It might have stunning cinematic sequences and a star-studded cast, but those things do not redeem the underlying ugliness of the project, namely it aims to paint the Catholic Church in the most negative light possible.”

The Catholic League statement also notes that Harris, the author of the book, is not Catholic and not, in fact, religious at all. 

Father Carter Griffin, the rector of St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C., spoke to CNA about the filmmakers’ decision to depict a person with female chromosomes and an intersex disorder as the selected pope, saying “a stable, secure, and well-ordered sexual identity is a necessary condition for priestly formation and ordination.”

“It is our individual and unique creation as either male or female that identifies us as man or woman, not our subjective feelings or choices,” he said.

The film’s director, Edward Berger, has responded to some of the criticism from Catholics. He told Yahoo Entertainment that the film is not meant to be “a takedown of the Catholic Church” and that he “tried to portray … the characters in the movie as humans.”

“In the end, if there were controversy, I never think it’s bad,” he said. “I invite that. I love that. We’ve lost the ability to argue with each other without fighting each other. And if everyone has a different opinion and a different feeling, that’s a good thing. If I disagree with you, I might learn something from you … and suddenly go, ‘Ah, OK, never thought about it that way. Thank you for teaching me.’” 

The film had a budget of $20 million and has earned more than $15 million at the box office so far. According to Rotten Tomatoes, about 92% of critics liked the film, while about 84% of viewers rated the film positively. The film has a rating of 7.7 out of 10 on the Internet Movie Database.

U.S. Bishops’ President Calls for Prayers and Unity Following Presidential Election

 WASHINGTON – Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a statement following the results of yesterday’s presidential election.

 Archbishop Broglio’s statement follows:

 “In the United States, we are fortunate to live in a democracy and yesterday Americans went to the polls to choose who should lead our country as the next President of the United States. I congratulate President-elect Trump, as well as the national, state and local officials who campaigned to represent the people. Now, we move from campaigning to governing. We rejoice in our ability to transition peacefully from one government to the next.

 “The Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference. No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged, and we bishops look forward to working with the people’s elected representatives to advance the common good of all. As Christians, and as Americans, we have the duty to treat each other with charity, respect, and civility, even if we may disagree on how to carry out matters of public policy. As a Nation blessed with many gifts we must also be concerned for those outside our borders and eager to offer assistance to all.

 “Let us pray for President-elect Trump, as well as all leaders in public life, that they may rise to meet the responsibilities entrusted to them as they serve our country and those whom they represent. Let us ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the patroness of our nation, that she guide to uphold the common good of all and promote the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the poor, the stranger, the elderly and infirm, and migrants.”

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including archbishops of Tehran and Toronto

Pope Francis announced on Sunday that he will create 21 new cardinals, including the archbishops of Tehran, Tokyo, and Toronto, at a consistory on Dec. 8.

The 87-year-old pope made the announcement from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square after reciting the Angelus prayer on Oct. 6.

This is the full list:

• Archbishop Frank Leo, metropolitan archbishop of Toronto (Canada)

• Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi, SVD, metropolitan archbishop of Tokyo (Japan)

• Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu, OFM Conv, archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan (Belgian missionary bishop in Iran)

• Bishop Mykola Bycok, CSsR, Eparch of Sts. Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians (Ukrainian bishop in Australia)

• Father Timothy Radcliffe, OP, theologian (United Kingdom)

• Father Fabio Baggio, CS, undersecretary for the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development (Italy)

• Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad, official of the Secretariat of State and organizer of papal trips (India)

• Bishop Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the diocese of Rome (Italy)

• Archbishop Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, metropolitan archbishop of Lima (Peru)

• Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, OFM, bishop of Bogor (Indonesia)

• Archbishop Vicente Bokalic Iglic, archbishop of Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

• Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, OFM, metropolitan archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador)

• Archbishop Fernando Natalio Chomali Garib, metropolitan archbishop of Santiago de Chile (Chile)

• Bishop Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, bishop of Kalookan (Philippines)

• Archbishop Laszlo Nemet, SVD, metropolitan archbishop of Belgrade (Serbia)

• Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM, metropolitan archbishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil)

• Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo, metropolitan archbishop of Abidjian (Ivory Coast)

• Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, OP, metropolitan archbishop of Algiers (Algeria)

• Archbishop Roberto Repole, metropolitan archbishop of Turin (Italy)

• Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas, coadjutor archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Lithuania)

One of the cardinals-elect is already over 80:

• Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, apostolic nuncio emeritus (Italy)

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has created 142 cardinals from 70 countries at nine consistories.

The last consistory to create new cardinals took place on Sept. 30, 2023. The new cardinals included Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem; Cardinal Stephen Chow of Hong Kong; and Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. 

Fifteen members of the College of Cardinals have turned 80 since the last consistory, thus losing their chance to participate in a future papal election. 

After the December consistory, there will be 141 cardinal electors (barring the unexpected death of any of the cardinals) — 111 (79%) of whom have been appointed by Pope Francis.

Next International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Sydney in 2028

The 53rd International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, wrapped up on Sunday with the announcement that Sydney will host the next International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.

The announcement was made by Cardinal Baltazar Porras, archbishop emeritus of Caracas, Venezuela, and pontifical legate to this year’s International Eucharistic Congress.

As part of the closing Mass in Quito, presided over by Porras, the prelate declared: “In the name and by mandate of Pope Francis, he announces to you that the 54th International Eucharistic Congress will take place in the city of Sydney” in 2028.

Sydney was the site of the 29th International Eucharistic Congress in 1928.

Role of the Eucharist in the Church in Sydney

In a video shown at the event, Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney said he was “delighted to invite you all to our port city in 2028 ... 100 years after Sydney hosted this great event.” 

In a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Danny Meagher assured that “we need life in the Church of Sydney to flourish. Archbishop Anthony Fisher, recognizing the importance of the International Eucharistic Congress, hopes that it will be a great success, not only for Sydney and Australia but also for all who participate.”

“We hope it will be a great occasion of grace for all attendees so that they return home with a true sense of grace, formed and transformed by what they have learned,” he said.

The prelate pointed out that “the challenge for us is to organize a very good International Eucharistic Congress, and I would measure success if we manage to have people’s hearts touched and their minds open to the richness of the Eucharist, entering into God.”

“Christ gives us his life, introduces us to his paschal mystery, and sends us into the world. Through quality presentations that touch the mind with good theology, and also connect with the heart and spirit through good liturgy and entertainment, we seek to get people truly engaged,” he said.

U.S. Bishops’ Hispanic Affairs Subcommittee Releases Diocesan Survey on Parishes and Hispanic/Latino Ministry

 WASHINGTON - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs has released the results of a recent diocesan survey it conducted on parishes and Hispanic/Latino ministry. The survey aligns with the launch of the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry and serves as a baseline for implementing it as a 10-year plan.

The survey featured three questions regarding the number of parishes in each diocese, the number of parishes offering Mass in Spanish, and the number of parishes with a Hispanic/Latino presence or ministry without a Mass celebrated in Spanish. The data was self-reported by the dioceses.

 The summary of the findings show:

• 175 surveys were completed, representing 100% of the Latin Catholic (arch)dioceses in the United States*

• The (arch)dioceses reported a total of 16,279 parishes, with 4,479 offering the Sunday Mass in Spanish.

• 2,760 parishes have a Hispanic/Latino presence or ministry, but do not currently offer Mass in Spanish.

• 99% of the surveyed dioceses have multiple parishes offering Mass in Spanish.

 *The survey did not include the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA,

the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair

of St. Peter, or the Eastern Catholic Archeparchies and Eparchies in the United States.

The survey also highlighted the leadership in Hispanic/Latino ministry at the diocesan level, with 47% of respondents being either directors or coordinators of Hispanic/Latino ministry, while another 35% of respondents held positions in offices dedicated to cultural diversity, faith formation, and catechesis, signaling that there are other diocesan offices engaged in, or overseeing Hispanic/Latino ministry. The subcommittee reads this data point to show the correlation of a robust diocesan structure and a vibrant ministry at the parish level.

 Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs welcomed the results: “Surveys like this are vital to understand and address the response of the Church to the needs and aspirations of our Hispanic/Latino communities. There are common obstacles that dioceses face when engaging in Hispanic/Latino ministry, such as bilingual priests, or limited resources. In a practical way, this survey helps to measure our work and determine how we can continue serving this thriving part of our Church and the importance of ongoing ministry to the needs of our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters.”

 Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, assistant director of Hispanic Affairs under the USCCB’s Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church commended the dioceses for their participation in the survey, stating, “The high participation rate reflects the dedication of our dioceses to Hispanic and Latino communities. It is heartening to see such a widespread commitment to build a more integrated and united Catholic Church in the United States.”

 The results of the survey, and additional information about the work of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs may be found at: Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs USCCB.

 The survey results are also available in Spanish: Diocesan Survey (Edición en Español).

Survey: New priests are young and involved in their community

CNA Staff - The incoming class of seminarians who will be ordained in 2024 is young and involved in their community, an annual survey released April 15 found.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned the Center for Applied Research (CARA) at Georgetown University for an annual survey. From January to March of this year, CARA surveyed almost 400 seminarians who are scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood in 2024. 

More than 80% of respondents were to be ordained diocesan priests, while almost 20% were from a religious order. The largest group of respondents, 80%, were studying at seminaries in the Midwest.  

The survey found that half of the graduating 2024 seminarians, “ordinands,” will be ordained at 31 years or younger — younger than the recent average. Since 1999, ordinands were on average in their mid-30s, trending slightly younger. 

This year’s ordinands were involved in their local communities growing up. As many as 51% had attended parish youth groups, while 33% were involved in Catholic campus ministry. A significant number (28%) of the ordinands were Boy Scouts, while 24% reported that they had participated in the Knights of Columbus or Knights of Peter Claver.

Involvement in parish ministry was also a key commonality for this year’s ordinands. Surveyors found that 70% of ordinands were altar servers before attending seminary. Another 48% often read at Mass, while 41% distributed Communion as extraordinary ministers. In addition, just over 30% taught as catechists. 

The path to priesthood

Most seminarians first considered the priesthood when they were as young as 16 years old, according to the survey. But the process of affirming that vocation and studying to be a priest takes, on average, 18 years. 

Encouragement helps make a priest, according to the CARA survey. Almost 90% of ordinands said that someone (most often a parish priest, friend, or parishioner) encouraged them to consider becoming priests. 

Discerning the priesthood is not always an easy path, and 45% of ordinands said they were discouraged from considering the priesthood by someone in their life — most often a friend, classmate at school, mother, father, or other family member.

The survey also found that most ordinands had Catholic parents and were baptized Catholic as infants. Eighty-two percent of ordinands reported that both their parents were Catholic when they were children, while 92% of ordinands were baptized Catholic as an infant. Of those who became Catholic later in life, most converted at age 23. 

Catholic education and home schooling were also factors for this year’s ordinands. One in 10 ordinands were home-schooled, while between 32% and 42% of ordinands went to Catholic elementary school, high school, or college. 

Seeing religious vocations in the family also helped seminarians find their vocation, the survey indicated. About 3 in 10 ordinands reported that they had a relative who was a priest or religious. 

Eucharistic adoration was the most popular form of prayer for this year’s graduating seminarians. Seventy-five percent reported regularly attending Eucharistic adoration before entering seminary. The rosary was also important to those discerning vocations: 71% of ordinands said they regularly prayed the rosary before joining seminary. Half said they attended a prayer or Bible group, and 40% said they practiced lectio divina.

The survey also found that 60% of ordinands graduated college or obtained a graduate-level degree before joining the seminary. The most common areas of study were business, liberal arts, philosophy, or engineering. 

This leads to many seminarians — about 1 in 5 — carrying educational debt into the seminary. On average, each ordinand had more than $25,000 in educational debt. 

Most seminarians don’t come straight from school, however. Seventy percent reported having full-time work experience before joining the seminary. Very few served in the military, with only 4% reporting having served in the U.S. armed forces. 

About a quarter (23%) of ordinands were foreign-born — down from the average of 28% since 1999. Ordinands not born in the U.S. were most commonly born in Mexico, Vietnam, Colombia, and the Philippines. The survey found that 67% of ordinands were white; almost 20% were Hispanic or Latino; about 10% identified as Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native Hawaiian; and 2% were Black.