Ss. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church

Eucharistic hosts. / Credit: L.A. Faille/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2025 / 17:50 pm (CNA).

Following an investigation into a possible Eucharistic miracle at a local parish, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis announced Monday that scientific analysis indicated that the cause was natural, not miraculous. 

Last month, a post on X drew attention to what the post called a “‘potential’ Eucharistic miracle” after a parish in southern Indiana discovered a host with red spots on it, which the parish sacristan thought could be blood. 

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis said in a statement shared with CNA that laboratory analysis of common bacteria had caused the discoloration. 

“A biochemical analysis of a host from St. Anthony Catholic Church in Morris, Indiana, that was displaying red discoloration revealed the presence of a common bacteria found on all humans,” the statement read. “No presence of human blood was discovered.” 

The host had fallen and was later discovered with red spots, and biochemical analysis found that the discoloration was due to common bacteria and fungus.

“The host had fallen out of a Mass kit used at the parish, and when it was discovered, red spots were present,” the archdiocese stated. “Following policy established by the Holy See, the host was submitted for professional, biochemical analysis at a local laboratory. The results indicate the presence of fungus and three different species of bacteria, all of which are commonly found on human hands.” 

The archdiocese noted that there have been many carefully-reviewed miracles in the history of the Church. 

“Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, there have been well-documented miracles and apparitions, and each has been thoroughly and carefully reviewed,” the statement read.

Last year, the Vatican developed its practice regarding potential supernatural events, issuing new guidelines that give the Disastery for the Doctrine of the Faith the final say. 

Previous norms established by Pope Paul VI in 1978 left the discernment process for possible miraculous occurrences to local bishops. Under the new guidance, the task remains with the local bishop, but the dicastery must be consulted throughout the process.

null / Credit: Ulf Wittrock/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of an abortion procedure.

A woman is suing an abortionist for allegedly leaving more than half of her unborn child inside her after an abortion.

The 32-year-old woman, identified as “Jane Doe,” was about five months pregnant with her fifth child when she traveled from Indianapolis to an abortion facility in Champaign, Illinois. 

Days later, she needed emergency care and surgery to remove remnants of her 22-week-old child from her body. 

Now, Doe is suing the abortionist for medical negligence.

Doe and her lawyers filed the lawsuit against Dr. Keith Reisinger-Kindle and his Equity Clinic last week in the Circuit Court of Champaign County. 

On April 1 and 2, 2023, Doe visited the Equity Clinic for a late-term abortion. The next day, she called the clinic to report heavy cramping. 

When Doe first reported something had gone wrong, the clinic told her to take Tylenol and laxatives, the lawsuit alleges. 

But by April 4, the clinic recommended she have an enema or go to the emergency room. That day, Doe checked into the Community Hospital South Emergency Room in Indianapolis. 

When Doe went to the emergency room soon after her abortion procedure, the days-old remains of the unborn child had to be surgically removed from her body, according to the suit. 

Reisinger-Kindle, the suit alleges, had perforated her uterus during the procedure, leaving a hole the size of a quarter. 

The emergency room surgeon found half of the remains of Doe’s unborn child in her right pelvis as well as pieces of the child’s skull adhered to her intestines, according to the suit. 

The lawsuit claims that on April 5, the emergency room general surgeon called Reisinger-Kindle, who refused to provide information about the abortion. 

The lawsuit alleges that Reisinger-Kindle did not adequately examine Doe after discharging her from the clinic. In a medical report included in the files, an obstetrician-gynecologist consulted on the matter said the remnants should have been obvious had the doctor performed an “adequate exam.” 

The lawsuit states that Doe “will continue to experience irreversible suffering and emotional damages” as a result of the events. 

Reisinger-Kindle founded the Equity Clinic in response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, according to a profile about the clinic published by the Chicago Tribune. 

According to the profile, Reisinger-Kindle has volunteered in abortion clinics as a medical assistant since he was 18.

“The only reason I went to medical school was to be an abortion provider,” he told the Tribune.

A large percentage of the clinic’s patients are out-of-state women, as abortion is legally considered a “fundamental right” in Illinois under the 2019 Reproductive Health Act.

The Equity Clinic provides surgical and chemical abortions as well as late-term dilation and evacuation abortions on unborn children in some cases up to 26 weeks old.

At 22 weeks, Doe’s baby was nearing the age of viability — the age when an unborn child can survive outside of the womb, usually determined to be about 24-26 weeks. In Illinois, abortions are allowed up until fetal viability.

In some cases, prematurely-born babies have survived as early as 21 to 22 weeks.

St. Mary's School in Fredericksburg, Texas. / Credit: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Seattle, Wash., Mar 24, 2025 / 15:40 pm (CNA).

A $1 billion “school choice” proposal moving through the Texas Legislature could dramatically expand private education and home schooling in the country’s second most populous state, winning praise from Catholic leaders while raising concerns among some public school advocates. 

The legislation would create education savings accounts (ESAs) of about $10,893 per student — calculated as roughly 85% of what public schools receive per pupil — and allow home schooling families to collect $2,000 per child. Crucially, the bill does not include any income cap, prompting debate over whether higher-earning parents should also benefit from state funds.

If passed, the bill could trigger an influx of students to Catholic schools, the largest private school network in Texas. According to Helen Osman, communications consultant for the Texas Catholic Conference, there are 240 Catholic schools in the state educating approximately 62,000 students, but they have room for 25,000 more.

“This legislation would give more families access to Catholic education, allowing parents to exercise their fundamental right and responsibility to find the best education for their children,” Osman told CNA. 

In recent guidance, the state’s bishops said the bill meets key criteria they support, such as accreditation-based accountability, strong religious liberty protections, and a focus on aiding low-income families.

Despite that endorsement, critics worry about the bill’s impact on public schools, which rely heavily on attendance-based state funding. If families move their children to private or home-based education, fewer dollars remain for the 5.5 million students in the public system. 

Lawmakers on the left argue that wealthier Texans stand to benefit disproportionately, while supporters insist that today’s inflationary climate affects a wide range of households. 

Home-schoolers could also benefit

Home-schoolers who opt in to the program would receive $2,000 per student. Anita Scott, education policy director for the Texas Home School Coalition, told CNA in an interview that parents appreciate the financial relief.

When asked about those home schooling families wary of a potential increase of state oversight, she said they’ve “been invited to the table to make sure the bill is functional for home-schoolers.” 

“If parents are still uncomfortable, they can opt out. Families want to be in charge of what’s placed in front of their children. They deserve that freedom, whether or not they take state funds,” Scott said.

Meanwhile, conservative advocates, including Mandy Drogin of Next Generation Texas, say these education savings accounts would not siphon money from public school coffers. 

“So first off, the money for the education savings account does not come from any education-related funding,” Drogin said. “It’s from state revenue funds, especially the surplus, and does not in any way remove or defund the public schools.” Proponents also argue the competition will elevate academic quality for all students.

The House plan differs from the Senate bill, which establishes a flat voucher amount rather than pegging it to public school funding. Both proposals prioritize children with disabilities and expand home-based education support, but lawmakers must reconcile those differences if they intend to finalize a single policy.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who has made “school choice” a central priority this session, predicts a final compromise before the legislative term ends in June.

Nationally, Catholic leaders are also backing the Educational Choices for Children Act (ECCA), a federal bill offering $10 billion in tax credits to donors who fund K–12 scholarships. They view it as another avenue to help low- and middle-income families afford private education, especially in states restricted by “anti-Catholic” Blaine amendments.

Two years ago, voucher bills floundered in the Texas House. This year, more lawmakers appear open to ESAs, thanks to retirements and electoral changes that have brought additional supporters into the chamber. Many see this shift as pivotal in moving the House bill forward.

Observers note that negotiations are likely to produce amendments, especially regarding details such as special education funding or income-based priorities.

Should legislators vote it into law, the program would become one of the country’s most expansive voucher-style initiatives, lauded by supporters as a boon for educational freedom and criticized by opponents as a drain on local school budgets. 

With the political momentum behind school choice stronger than it has been in years, the debate over whether affluent Texans should tap taxpayer-funded ESAs remains a key sticking point — and one that could shape the future of education in Texas for years to come.

A group of members of Regnum Christi. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Regnum Christi

Madrid, Spain, Mar 24, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).

The confirmation, more than 15 years ago, of the sexual abuse of minors committed by the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Marcial Maciel, marked a turning point for priests, consecrated men and women, and laypeople in the Regnum Christi movement. The revelation of these painful events led to a period of discernment and renewal that for many became a path of hope.

In 1998, nine victims filed formal charges against Maciel at the Vatican, but he denied the allegations. In 2004, the investigation was resumed, and the Holy See ordered him to withdraw from active ministry, although he was never expelled from the congregation. After his death in 2008, the Legionaries of Christ publicly apologized, confirming Maciel’s double life, which also included fathering at least four children with various women.

According to a 2019 report by Regnum Christi, at least 175 minors between the ages of 11 and 16 were victims of abuse by 33 priests of the congregation, including at least 60 cases attributed to Maciel.

After what happened, many consecrated women embarked on new paths, rediscovering their vocation to marriage or other charisms within the Church. Others, however, chose to stay and begin anew, embracing with hope a process of renewal that, after years of work, continues to bear fruit in the life and mission of the movement. In 2005, Regnum Christi had 540 consecrated women, and in 2024 it had 484.

A process to heal the ‘deep father wound’

Mary Patt Pirie, originally from the United States, is studying moral theology in Rome and is the director general of studies for consecrated women. In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, she reflected on her spiritual journey and acknowledged that, although at times it was “despite herself,” she was able to confirm that the Lord had called her to follow him in Regnum Christi.

“He wasn’t showing me a different path: Following his voice, I came here, and here he asked me to give my life,” she shared.

“I realized that this renewal would likely last several decades, given the depth of the necessary reform and the difficulty of reaching agreement among so many, in a group that has experienced a deep father wound due to the life of our founder,” she explained.

Now, she affirmed with hope that they have “moved in the right direction,” although she doesn’t rule out difficulties in the future: “This is part of the realism of what we have experienced. The Lord is with us and today he tells us ‘courage; continue making my kingdom present in the world.’”

Called to participate in the renewal

Renée Pomarico from the United States trained in institutional communications and spiritual direction and is director of communications for consecrated women. After discernment, she felt God calling her to belong exclusively to him through the movement and after the apostolic visitation ordered by the Vatican, she said she received “an invitation from God to collaborate in the process of renewal.”

In March 2009, the then-secretary of state of the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, announced to the apostolate’s director general, Father Álvaro Corcuera, that he would undertake an apostolic visitation to the Legionaries of Christ. Following the work of a team of five prelates, it was concluded in 2010 that Maciel’s conduct had caused “serious consequences for the life and structure of the Legion, such as to require a process of profound reevaluation.”

After the apostolic visitation, Pope Benedict XVI deemed it necessary to undertake a new revision of the constitutions and entrusted this task to the papal delegate, Cardinal Velasio de Paolis.

It was the archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia, Charles Chaput, one of the apostolic visitors, who gave Pomarico the confidence to continue. She said she was thus able to ascertain that she was not investing her energies “in a work destined to fail” and perceived that God was inviting her to collaborate on the “path of renewal,” for which she is grateful today.

For Canadian Glory Darbellay, current director of the formation center for consecrated women in Madrid, the Lord encouraged her “to keep moving forward in the face of difficulties,” so the call “always remained.” For her, this process of renewal is a path guided by the Holy Spirit: “We have had many challenges, of forgiving one another and making room in hope for a new perspective,” she said in a statement to ACI Prensa.

Greater recognition and presence in the academic world

One of the most significant institutional changes in recent years has been the growing recognition of consecrated women, collateral victims of an internal culture marked by the double life led by the founder.

“The change has been very radical,” Spanish consecrated woman Marta Rodríguez, a professor at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, told ACI Prensa.

Rodríguez, who is also the academic director of the course on gender, sex, and education at Francisco de Vitoria University, pointed out that Maciel “talked a lot about excellent formation, but in practice, the time and resources dedicated to the formation of consecrated women were insufficient and this resulted in very superficial formation.”

However, she emphasized that in the last 15 years there has been great progress, going from having only three or four consecrated women holding doctorates to about 20 or 25 today.

“A lot has been invested in serious formation, and this has allowed our mission to unfold,” she said. Previously, with little education, their work was limited to the formation of girls, “a beautiful vocation,” but there was no opportunity to serve in universities or in more cultural settings.

For Pirie, although human and spiritual formation “has been appreciated by the people whom we served at almost every moment in our history,” she said the formation process is more demanding today.

Along these lines, she emphasized that consecrated women themselves have rediscovered the value of ongoing formation: “The vast majority of initiatives proposing personal formation paths come from consecrated women themselves, who perceive a need to be better formed in some area or sense that it is time to reinvent themselves and undertake formation for new areas of service,” she noted.

This formation, according to Pirie, “better positions consecrated women to be in the world, in the way our vocation was originally intended,” noting that the formation they received has allowed some to serve in ecclesiastical structures such as dicasteries, parishes, and dioceses.

“In all cases, the formation we receive and seek better enables us to ‘give a reason for our hope’ [1 Pt 3:15] and to share the love of Christ with people, regardless of their situation and stage of their lives,” Pirie commented.

Darbellay noted that the formation of young consecrated women “is very different from the past” and emphasized that the Catholic Church “is strongly promoting these changes.”

“I am seeing the fruits of this in the human and spiritual maturity of the consecrated women who are making their final vows,” she observed.

Greater autonomy and freedom

Although Rodríguez assured that she was always happy, she lamented that in the past, they didn’t decide anything and that decisions were imposed without discussion.

“Before, we would receive a letter and we went from one apostolate [to another] without any prior formation. The idea was to be highly available and for you to be useful for everything. Everything in our lives was regulated,” she recalled. Now, however, she assured that decisions are made through dialogue, which is “totally new.”

Another key change is the transformation in the exercise of authority. She explained that before, it was an “enormous and invasive” authority that controlled every aspect of their lives, from what they wore to with whom they spent their free time.

“All decisions about their lives were left to the [women] directors; you didn’t choose anything,” she said. She said she believes this erroneous conception of authority led to infantilization, with “sickening details” and “chronic stress,” eliminating autonomy and originality.

“There were no reciprocal relationships,” she concluded.

Challenges in Regnum Christi

Rodríguez emphasized that a major challenge for the movement is financial support and autonomy, which they have enjoyed since 2018 following one of the directives issued by the Holy See that stipulated that part of the apostolate’s assets be transferred to the name of the consecrated women. 

“There are many consecrated women who have never worked, who have never paid into a retirement fund. How are we going to support them as they grow older?” she asked.

She also noted the challenge of reaching a certain maturity, since, she pointed out, “we have lived a childlike life; we weren’t responsible for our own lives, we didn’t make our own decisions, and that’s the system’s fault.”

Regarding the fight against abuse, since the beginning of the process of change, Regnum Christi has developed specific protocols adapted to each country in which it carries out its pastoral work and established a universal code of conduct for consecrated women, which follows clear procedures for investigating any report of abuse.

The movement announced on March 11 that it will review its abuse prevention policies in Spain following five allegations of sexual abuse against Maciel’s former secretary, Legionary priest Marcelino de Andrés Núñez, who worked at the Highlands El Encinar school in Madrid.

The Legion of Christ also publishes an annual report on the website 0abuse, which reports on the steps taken by the congregation to care for victims of abuse and develop safe environments.

The future of Regnum Christi

At the beginning of February, the Vatican definitively approved the statutes of the Regnum Christi Federation. The consecrated women agree that the new collegial approach to governance and a shared spirituality and mission, as well as unity in diversity, are some of the most notable changes.

“With the request for definitive approval, Regnum Christi wishes to tell the Church that we believe these statutes sufficiently safeguard the charism the Lord has entrusted to us and that, at least for now, we can continue to journey, serve, and carry out our mission with these statutes as our guide. I say ‘for now’ because only the Holy Spirit is the master of charisms, and a document written in human words will never capture the full richness of this gift,” Pirie explained.

For Pomarico, the Vatican’s decision represents “a confirmation of the action of God, who has been present and manifested his grace throughout this entire journey or process.”

Darbellay, for her part, said that she is already seeing “the budding forth of new life that come from living out our statutes and a new enthusiasm for the common mission we share.”

Both Pirie and Darbellay look to the future with hope and say they see “sound initiatives and proposals” highlighting “vocations ministry in a universal sense, the focus on strengthening marriages and families, and forming communities of apostles.”

Pirie’s “dreams” for the future of the movement are clear: “Greater participation and promotion of professional networks, a greater presence in the academic world, a truly comprehensive pastoral ministry, centered on the family and accessible to more people.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

null / Credit: Orhan Cam/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 24, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Three U.S. representatives have introduced a bill that supports American taxpayers who choose to participate in health sharing, a care option favored by Christians and pro-lifers for its religious freedom protections.

If passed, the Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act would designate health sharing payments as tax deductable, alleviating costs for families who opt for health sharing over traditional health coverage, many of whom do so for religious reasons. The act was introduced by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania; Greg Murphy, R-North Carolina; and Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.

“Unfairly, Americans have been historically penalized by the tax code when they chose to use faith-based health care sharing ministries to meet their health care needs. The Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act will remedy this problem, ensuring Americans are no longer disadvantaged by the tax code for their religious beliefs,” Smith said in a press release on March 14.

Health sharing became a popular alternative to mainstream insurance coverage over a decade ago with the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which included a mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requiring insurance plans to fund contraception, sterilizations, and early abortion pills.

The practice allows members to pool their money and pay for each other’s health care costs, similar to traditional insurance plans.

Legal disputes over religious freedom violations that precipitated from the Affordable Care Act continue today, with the Supreme Court set to hear a case in June regarding a part of the law governing preventative care.

“Americans should have choices when it comes to their health care. For many families, traditional insurance is a great option. For some, however, particularly people of faith, alternative options such as health care sharing ministries more closely align with their values,” Kelly said in the release.

“This legislation preserves that choice for families by allowing them to deduct payments made as part of their ministry membership in their taxes by classifying regular ministry expenses as medical care expenses,” he added. “It’s time we focus on initiatives that reintroduce freedom and dignity back to our health care system.”

Solidarity HealthShare collaborated with the three congressmen on the legislation. Founded in 2012 in wake of the Affordable Care Act, Solidarity HealthShare facilitates health sharing among individuals and families across the country who are looking to opt out of traditional insurance for a more faith-centered option.

“Solidarity is grateful for the leadership and support of Congressman Mike Kelly and his team, who have consistently taken the lead in working for tax parity for health care sharing ministry members,” Solidarity HealthShare President Chris Faddis and CEO Brad Hahn told CNA in a statement.

“His introduction of the Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act has the potential to be a game changer for families who have chosen to escape the troubled landscape of traditional health insurance but have been unable to benefit from tax deductions available to other Americans,” the executives added.

“This bill is the culmination of an industry-wide effort to provide tax relief to members of health care sharing ministries,” they said, adding: “We are also thankful for the support of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing and other health care sharing ministry partners for advancing this effort.”

A scene from St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer's trip to Jaltepec, Mexico, in June 1970. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei/Flickr

Madrid, Spain, Mar 24, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

On March 28, the centennial of the priestly ordination of St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, will be celebrated with liturgical and academic events in Zaragoza, Spain, and in Rome.

The Spanish saint was ordained a priest in Zaragoza in the chapel of the current St. Charles Borromeo seminary.

Escrivá entered the seminary in September 1920, transferring from the seminary in Logroño. In addition to studying theology at the Pontifical University of Zaragoza, he also studied law at the state university.

The newly ordained priest celebrated his first Mass on March 30, 1925, the Monday of Holy Week, in the chapel of Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral. The new priest offered the Mass for the repose of the soul of his father, José Escrivá, who had died in November 1924.

Various activities have been planned in Zaragoza to mark the anniversary. On March 27, an academic event will be held with the participation of the archbishop of Zaragoza, Carlos Escribano; priest and historian José Luis González Gullón; the prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik; and the prelate of Opus Dei, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz.

In the afternoon, a Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Pillar Basilica to be followed by a prayer vigil for priestly vocations at St. Charles Borromeo Royal Seminary.

The following day, a solemn Mass will be celebrated in St. Charles Borromeo Church, and Ocáriz will hold various meetings with priests, families, and young people.

On Sunday, March 30, at the town of Perdiguera where the founder of Opus Dei served as parish priest, his first apostolic assignments after his ordination will be commemorated.

To celebrate the centennial, a commemorative holy card has been designed, available in 13 languages, with a photo of the saint during his years as a seminarian, requesting his intercession so that “holy and abundant vocations” may come to the seminaries.

In Rome, the auxiliary vicar of Opus Dei, Monsignor Mariano Fazio, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving in the St. Apollinare Basilica on March 28. In the afternoon, Luis Cano, a member of the St. Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute, will give a lecture for priests.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Auxiliary Bishop Nicholas Hudson with the lord mayor of Westminster, Robert Rigby, at Westminster Cathedral on Thursday, March 20, 2025. / Credit: Westminster City Council

London, England, Mar 22, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic lord mayor of Westminster, London, received a papal knighthood this week, with the leader expressing belief in a “return of pride” in the United Kingdom for Catholics.

Councilor Robert Rigby was formally awarded the knighthood — the highest honor a lay Catholic can be given by the Holy See — on March 20. 

Rigby, 63, has spoken openly about his Catholic faith since being elected lord mayor in May 2024, referring frequently to his Benedictine education at Ampleforth College, Yorkshire, and framing his role as lord mayor as an opportunity to serve the poor and those in need in Westminster.

With the papal designation Rigby will now carry the title of knight of St. Gregory, an honor created in 1831 that recognizes service in public life and to the Church.

“I am a proud Catholic. The investiture at Westminster was a tremendous event and I was moved to see so many people there,” Rigby told CNA.

The papal honor came as more than 500 adults from his home diocese of Westminster were preparing to enter the Catholic Church at Easter. Rigby described it as an important sign. 

“My sense is that we are seeing a return of that pride in our faith across the U.K.,” he said. “Just look at the fact that 500 people are joining the Church in Westminster alone this year. That upward trend is being seen elsewhere in the country.”

In the neighboring Archdiocese of Southwark, around 450 people are similarly preparing to be received into the Catholic Church at Easter. 

During the 60-minute investiture and Mass at Westminster Cathedral, Rigby wore the traditional knight of St. Gregory uniform of dark green tailcoat and trousers trimmed with silver embroidery, a cocked hat, and dress sword with white gloves. 

In attendance were a mixture of leaders from the worlds of politics, charity, and business. The celebrant was Bishop Nicholas Hudson, auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Westminster.

Rigby described the event as “an unexpected honor and one that took me entirely by surprise.”

The lord mayor has placed his Catholic faith at the center of his public role. “Talking about faith — especially if you are in public life — has sometimes been seen as a bit of a risky activity in the U.K.,” he told CNA. “But when I meet groups from different communities across Westminster, it’s clear to me many embrace the idea of faith informing their everyday life.”

Rigby has visited numerous Catholic projects in his time as lord mayor. He has helped serve meals at the Central London Catholic Churches Homeless lunch service run from Farm Street Church and the Companions Café, run by the Companions of the Order of Malta at St. James’ Catholic Church in Spanish Place.

“I made it clear at the start of my mayoral year that I wanted to talk about faith and what Catholicism means to me,” he told CNA. “I have also had the chance to see how it inspires Catholics in Westminster doing amazing things like running cafés for the homeless or the Cardinal Hume Center, which takes in teens who have drifted from home.” 

Part of Rigby’s mission was to reinstate a civic service for Westminster City Council at the Catholic Westminster Cathedral. While an annual civic service for the lord mayor is held at the Anglican Church’s Westminster Abbey every year, the parallel Catholic event had not been held at Westminster Cathedral since 2004. 

The newly reinstated service, which took place on March 16, drew more than 500 worshippers to Westminster Cathedral. 

Westminster archbishop Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who attended the reinstated Catholic civic service, praised Rigby’s contributions. 

“I am very pleased that the lord mayor of Westminster has asked for the tradition of a civic service at Westminster Cathedral to be restored,” he said. “May God bless his dedicated efforts and the population of the city of Westminster.”

Reflecting on his knighthood, Rigby again referred to speaking publicly about his Catholic faith. 

“This award really is a crowning accolade for me as a public and private person,” he said. “When I became lord mayor, I wanted to talk publicly about my faith. It has been my privilege to meet some remarkable Catholics who demonstrate their faith in action in a range of ways.”

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy in a March 20, 2025, interview on “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” shares how his family and Catholic faith have sustained him during his extraordinarily intense first months as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. / Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/EWTN News screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 22, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

Sean Duffy shared how his family and Catholic faith have sustained him during his extraordinarily intense first months as U.S. secretary of transportation. 

Despite the major challenges he has faced in the role, Duffy said: “I think that when you’re called to service and called in times of crisis, you don’t do it by yourself … you have someone walking with you, and it’s important to tap into your faith.”

In an interview with EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” on March 20, Duffy discussed the horrific airplane crashes in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia earlier this year. He told Arroyo that the devastating losses “put in focus the mission of the department is safety.” 

“It was not the way we anticipated our tenure starting out,” he said. “I talked to a number of the families from the DCA [Reagan National Airport] crash who lost loved ones. And if you can prevent that, if you can have policies in place that save future lives, I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen.”

Duffy said the DCA crash “was really day number one” for him and he was thrown into the job at a critical time. 

He shared that the crash has led to the banning of military aircraft operations within the sphere of Reagan National Airport. “But,” he said, “the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] could have seen the data before.”

“Sometimes it’s easy to look back and see data as opposed to looking forward. We’re using AI [artificial intelligence] tools to analyze the data and see other hotspots to make sure that we don’t miss anything moving forward.”

Duffy said the tragic midair collision made the Department of Transportation “look at the system as a whole,” and the goal is to “fix the system before we lose lives.”

Duffy shared future department plans and addressed the negative response he received after he said that he will prioritize transportation work in areas that have the largest populations, specifically those with high marriage rates.

“It’s common sense,” Duffy said. “Where people get married and where people have kids is where we’re going to seek growth. Where you seek growth, you’ll need roads and bridges. This is one consideration I said we’re going to look at because, again, family formation and having kids is where you’ll need infrastructure.”

Family and faith

Duffy, who is a husband and father of nine children, highlighted the importance of family during this time in his life.

When Duffy was asked to take on the secretary role, he first spoke with his family. “I talked to my kids about it,” he said, “and we walked through what does the schedule look like? How does my time at home change with this new job?”

Duffy said his hours are extensive, working 12 to 14 hours a day or if in crisis, through the night. “But it is the best work because you know what we do? We truly do impact people’s lives. How people move, how fast they get home to their loved ones, how safely they travel.”

“So my kids have been incredibly supportive,” he said.

“By the way,” he continued, “public service — it’s not just the individual that serves, families serve. It’s a family commitment to do these jobs, and it is an amazing honor to serve in this president’s cabinet.”

Duffy said it is not only his family that sustains him during his long, sometimes distressing, days but also his faith. He told Arroyo: “My faith is very important to me.”

“I bought a place that’s right near a Catholic church, and I was looking at a number of places and decided, this is probably the place.”

Duffy concluded the interview addressing a viral video of him and his family praying the Hail Mary before his confirmation hearing.

“I just thought, we’re going to take this moment to say the Hail Mary before we walk in, because there’s a lot of bad things that are happening. There’s a lot of forces that are at play, and I want to make sure I’m with the right force,” he said. “I’m going to walk the right line, and that means I have to remain centered, which means I have to be focused on my faith.”

Genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament. / Credit: ACI Prensa

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 22, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, explained one of the expressions of reverence Catholics make in church — genuflection — and why they make this sign.

In a video posted on X, the cardinal commented that this past St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, a woman who stopped to talk to him after Mass told him that, although she is not Catholic, she loves the Church and enjoys attending Mass but doesn’t understand the various postures people take. The cardinal then decided to explain them to his viewers, beginning with genuflection.

“Here’s the first posture that we Catholics always do. When we come into church, we look for the tabernacle, where the real presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is reposed, and we genuflect!” the archbishop of New York explained.

“We go down on one knee. We genuflect. Why? That’s the ancient sign of adoration, the ancient sign of esteem, the ancient sign of worship,” he continued.

The cardinal pointed out that “when you hear the name of Jesus, every knee on earth and in heaven should bend, as St. Paul taught. That’s genuflection — we do it to Jesus, really and truly present in the most Blessed Sacrament.”

“I’m afraid that beautiful tradition of genuflection to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament may have faded a little," that cardinal noted. “We can’t let that happen; it’s a great act of devotion.”

In conclusion, Dolan recalled that “St. Thomas Aquinas said: ‘You know what? Satan doesn’t have knees because he genuflects to no one.’ Well we do. We genuflect to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.”

No. 274 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal specifies “a genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the holy cross” on Good Friday.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

A previous class of St. Kateri Rosary Walk interns. / Credit: Courtesy of St. Kateri Rosary Walk

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mar 22, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

A New Mexico diocese is offering a unique opportunity for young men to affirm their faith and literally build up the Church in the American Southwest.

Until March 31, the Diocese of Gallup is accepting applications for the 2025 St. Kateri Rosary Walk internship program. Started in 2019, the program is finishing its building project and seeks to complete an outdoor plaza and chapel in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the saint known as the Lily of the Mohawks, St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

The internship is available to young men 18 and over and runs from May until Aug. 1. The missionaries will receive free housing, meals, travel to various local sites, and a stipend of $5,000.

William McCarthy, CEO of the Southwest Indian Foundation, which is cooperating with the program, told CNA that the program “provides intense leadership training to encourage manliness and Catholic faith to last a lifetime,” adding that “the men who come here will build a beautiful, lasting shrine for Our Lady and St. Kateri.”

Bishop James Wall of Gallup is on the board of the nonprofit guiding the project and serves as a chaplain to the interns. The men working on the project live at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center and receive spiritual and academic formation. They also have time for visits and travel to enrich their appreciation of the traditions and natural world of the region.

The first Native American saint who resided in what became the United States, Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in present-day New York state. She consecrated her life to Christ despite persecution by her own people.

According to the program website, “her near-daily walks through nature became a powerful symbol of the beauty of life. Kateri found comfort in her constant prayer and meditation along with her deep belief that even in hardships, God was always present.”

“Our program is based on three essential elements: One is physical, challenging these guys and getting them into great shape with labor and medical attention. Another is spiritual, which is more important, and a somewhat monastic life. They pray in the morning and evening, have daily Mass, and are plugged into Catholic prayer life. The third feature is the mentors and speakers all summer. There’s also a lot of music,” McCarthy said.

The interns are required to surrender their electronic devices during the week but are allowed to use them on Sundays. “This is a unique opportunity for a young man,” McCarthy noted.

Scope of project

Once completed, the St. Kateri Rosary Walk will feature four trails representing the mysteries of the rosary. Along each trail are five “nichos” or shrines made from traditional adobe and stucco construction typical of the Southwest. Each of them will feature one of the mysteries of the rosary made of tile conceived by a native artist as well as sacred images. 

Victoria Begay, a member of the Diné or Navajo people, serves as interim director of the rosary walk. In an interview with CNA, she stressed that the project melds Native American reverence of creation with a strong Catholic faith. 

“We want to strengthen our relationship with God and we are bringing native and Catholic values together in one place, providing a profound spiritual experience for everyone who comes through, whether from North America or the rest of the world,” Begay said. 

The site is on a hill overlooking Gallup and offers vistas for miles around, including the extensive Navajo reservation. Begay said it offers a natural place to pray, and noted: “That’s what Kateri did. She left her backyard and walked where there were trees and nature. We’d like to provide that space for everyone to experience creation, to meditate, to pray.” 

Dividends of participating

Joseph Meyers, a recent college graduate from Kansas City, Kansas, told CNA that he spent two summers working on the rosary walk. “It’s still nourishing me to this day,” said Meyers, who plans to attend law school. 

Meyers said he and his comrades spent each day of the week working hard on construction but with time in the evenings and weekends for hiking and exploring as a group.

“It is a male formation experience: no phones, no tech, no distractions, not a lot of comfort. We’re at a time in the world and the Church where masculinity is in crisis. The things holding men back are basic things like comfort, distraction, isolation, and addiction, which is the worst,” Meyers said.

Invigorated prayer life, he said, was encouraged by group prayer, Scripture study, and liturgies, which were coupled with physical challenges. For Meyers, the experience was life-changing.

“People didn’t recognize me when I came back. I was lean and brown and fit. All of the guys needed something like this and walked away as different people than when they came in,” he recalled. “It is sort of a Catholic school of hard knocks for young guys who are on a mission, and it’s super awesome.”

Among the fruits of the program are enduring friendships and at least two religious vocations, Meyers said.

“We go to each other’s weddings. There’s a brotherhood bond because we grew up together” on the rosary walk, Meyers said. “We stay in touch, we’re tight. It’s good because it’s what you need: communities of guys who have serious bonds and help each other do good in the world.”