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CNA Staff, Oct 2, 2024 / 04:00 am (CNA).

During the month of October, the Catholic Church celebrates guardian angels.

Guardian angels are instruments of providence who help protect their charges from suffering serious harm and assist them on the path of salvation.

It is a teaching of the Church that every one of the faithful has his or her own guardian angel, and it is the general teaching of theologians that everyone has a guardian angel from birth.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their [angels’] watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’ Already here on earth, the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God” (No. 336).

Several of our greatest saints have also shared their thoughts on guardian angels. Here’s what they had to say:

St. John Vianney

“Our guardian angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere. We ought often to invoke them.”

St. John Bosco

“When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped. Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him; he trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel.”

St. Jerome

“How great is the dignity of souls, that each person has from birth received an angel to protect it.”

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

“My holy Guardian Angel, cover me with your wing. With your fire light the road that I’m taking. Come, direct my steps… help me, I call upon you. Just for today.”

St. Basil the Great

“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd, leading him to life.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

“We should show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our co-heirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father.”

St. Francis de Sales

“Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you.”

St. Josemaría Escrivá

“If you remembered the presence of your angel and the angels of your neighbors, you would avoid many of the foolish things which slip into your conversations.”

St. John Cassian

“Cherubim means knowledge in abundance. They provide an everlasting protection for that which appeases God, namely, the calm of your heart, and they will cast a shadow of protection against all the attacks of malign spirits.”

This article was previously published at CNA on Oct. 2, 2022, and was updated on Sept. 30, 2024.

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis said on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, that the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 1, 2024 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis said on Tuesday that the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church. 

“Sin is always a wound in relationships; our relationship with God, our relationships with our brothers and sisters,” the Holy Father said during a penitential liturgy held in St. Peter’s Basilica. More than 500 people were in attendance.

“How could we be credible in mission if we do not recognize and acknowledge our mistakes and bend down to heal the wounds we have caused by our sins?” the pope asked.

During the evening penitential celebration, confessions and testimonies were shared by bishops, religious, and laypeople who have been impacted by sins committed against minors, migrants, victims of war and poverty, the environment, Indigenous people, women, and synodality.        

Following each of the 10 confessions and testimonies read aloud during the liturgy was a prayerful petition for forgiveness.

‘Sins against peace’ 

“I ask forgiveness to God the Father, feeling shame for the lack of courage necessary to seek peace among peoples and nations in recognition of every human life in all its phases,” shared Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, India.

“To make peace, it takes courage,” Gracias continued. “Say ‘yes’ to the encounter [and] ‘no’ to the clash; ‘yes’ to the respective agreements and ‘no’ to provocations.”

Sister Dima Fayad also shared her testimony of sins against peace she has witnessed in her homeland Syria.

“Indeed war often manages to bring out the worst side of us. It brings selfishness, violence, and greed to light,” she said.

“However, it can also bring out the best in us — the ability to resist, to unite in solidarity, and to not give in to hatred.” 

‘Sins of abuse’ 

Laurence, a South African layman who suffered sexual abuse as a child, said a lack of transparency and accountability by Church authorities had broken the trust of survivors and made his and their journey of healing more difficult.

“For decades, accusations were ignored, covered up or handled internally rather than reported to authorities,” he said.

“This lack of accountability has not only allowed abusers to continue their behavior but has also eroded the trust that so many once placed in this institution.”

Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, former head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, asked forgiveness for those who “used the condition of ordained ministry and consecrated life” to commit sins against children.

“How much shame and pain I feel when considering sexual abuse of minors and of vulnerable persons,” he said. “Abuses that have stolen the innocence and profaned the sacredness of those who are weak and helpless.”

‘Sins against migrants’ 

Sara Vatteroni, who works with La Fondazione Migrantes in Tuscany, Italy, stood beside Solange, a migrant from the Ivory Coast, as she shared her testimony before the pope in St. Peter’s Basilica. 

“The Mediterranean is considered the most dangerous migration route in the world because an average of six people lose their lives every day,” she said.

“It all seems like a brutal game of fate of which we are all spectators because all we can do is wait on the shore for those who survive.”

‘Sins against creation, against Indigenous populations’

Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, asked forgiveness for sins against the environment and Indigenous populations.

“I ask forgiveness and feel shame for what we, too, the faithful have done to transform creation from a garden into a desert,” he stated.

“I ask forgiveness and feel shame for when we have not recognized the right and dignity of every human person, discriminating and exploiting it,” he continued.

“I am thinking in particular of the Indigenous peoples and for when we were accomplices in systems that favored slavery and colonialism.” 

‘Sins against women, family, youth’

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life asked for forgiveness from God on behalf of all people in the Church who failed to recognize or defend the dignity of women who have been exploited and left “mute or subservient.”

Farrell also asked forgiveness on behalf of the Church for the times it has judged and condemned the “frailties and wounds of the family” and “stolen hope and love from younger generations” by not supporting their growth and talents.   

‘Sins against poverty’

Cardinal Archbishop Cristóbal López Romero of Rabat, Morocco, expressed shame for when members of the Church have turned away from the poor, particularly clerics who “adorn ourselves at the altar with guilty valuables that steal bread from the hungry.”

“I ask forgiveness, feeling shame for the inertia that keeps us from accepting the call to be a poor Church of the poor,” he said.

‘Sins of using doctrine as stones to be hurled’

“I beg forgiveness, feeling shame for all the times we have given doctrinal justification to inhumane treatment,” confessed Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

According to Fernández, many pastors “who are entrusted with the task of confirming brothers and sisters in the faith have not been able to guard and propose the Gospel as a living source of eternal newness.”

‘Sins against synodality; lack of listening, communion, and participation of all’

In light of the wide diversity found within the Catholic Church, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, Austria, lamented the obstacles that prevent “the building of a truly syondal and symphonic Church.”

“I ask forgiveness, feeling shame for when we have transformed authority into power, suffocating plurality, not listening to the people, making it difficult for brothers and sisters to participate in the mission of the Church,” he said.

The second and last session of the global discernment phase of the Synod of Synodality will commence on Wednesday morning, Oct. 2, with the celebration of Mass with Pope Francis.

null / Credit: liseykina/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

The Catholic bishops of Georgia have called a court’s ruling that a law protecting life beginning at six weeks is unconstitutional a “terrible step backwards” and have asked the faithful to respond through “prayer and action.”

The ruling, issued in the state Superior Court for Fulton County on Monday, blocks enforcement of the state’s pro-life law, which was enacted in 2022 following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The law, titled the LIFE Act, prohibits abortion after an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable. The court’s ruling means that abortion is now legal in Georgia until 22 weeks of pregnancy.

In a statement shared with CNA on Tuesday, Georgia’s five bishops said that “yesterday’s ruling to overturn Georgia’s abortion ban represents a terrible step backwards in our never-ending efforts to recognize and respect the inherent dignity of every life.”

Lamenting the decision, the bishops asked: “How many tiny lives will be extinguished while lawyers appeal and lawmakers debate?”

What did the ruling say?

In the 26-page ruling, Judge Robert McBurney said the six-week law and any pre-viability abortion restriction is arbitrary and unconstitutional.

McBurney was originally appointed by former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal to fill a vacancy in the Fulton County Superior Court in 2012. He was reelected to the court in 2022. 

He said the state could restrict abortion only after viability, which is typically measured at around 23 or 24 weeks. Restrictions before then, McBurney said, violate a pregnant woman’s right to liberty and privacy.

McBurney wrote that the definition of liberty includes “the power of a woman to control her own body, to decide what happens to it and in it, and to reject state interference with her health care choices.”

Though McBurney said the state may intervene with abortion after viability, he said that “an arbitrary six-week ban is inconsistent with these rights and the proper balance that a viability rule establishes between a woman’s rights of liberty and privacy and society’s interest in protecting and caring for unborn infants.”

“When a fetus growing inside a woman reaches viability, when society can assume care and responsibility for that separate life, then — and only then — may society intervene,” he said.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court on Tuesday. Kara Murray, a spokesperson for the attorney general, told CNA, ​​“we believe Georgia’s LIFE Act is fully constitutional.” 

Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s office responded to the news: “Once again, the will of Georgians and their representatives has been overruled by the personal beliefs of one judge. Protecting the lives of the most vulnerable among us is one of our most sacred responsibilities,” his spokesperson said, according to The Hill.

The LIFE Act, which was passed in 2019, was blocked by McBurney that same year because it violated the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the Georgia Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed the law to take effect in 2022.

LIFE Act takes center stage in election

As Election Day approaches, the LIFE Act has taken center stage in the national debate over restrictions on abortion.

The pro-life law has been the target of criticism from Democrats in recent weeks after the left-leaning news outlet ProPublica published several stories blaming the law for the deaths of two women, Amber Thurman, 28, and Candi Miller, 41. The two women died from infections caused by complications after taking abortion pills.

ProPublica reported that Georgia’s pro-life law caused medical providers to delay giving Thurman the care necessary to save her life. In Miller’s case, ProPublica said she opted not to visit a medical provider “due to the current legislation on pregnancies and abortions.”

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris also blamed the law for the deaths of Thurman and Miller, saying in a televised town hall in Atlanta that former president Donald Trump and Republicans were causing a national maternal “health care crisis.”

Several doctors, experts, and lawmakers, however, have debunked the idea that the Georgia pro-life law was to blame by pointing out that the law explicitly allows exceptions for abortion in cases in which the mother’s life is in danger. This means that Miller and Thurman could have legally been given the care they needed promptly.

Georgia is one of the swing states that will be critical in deciding the outcome of this year’s presidential election. Harris has largely focused her pitch to Georgia voters on expanding abortion access in the state and across the country. Trump, meanwhile, has focused his rhetoric on other issues such as the economy and the border.

Bishops call for action

Following Monday’s ruling, the Georgia bishops, representing the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah, said that “even as abortion laws are challenged and changed, we will not stand idle.”

“We remain committed to helping mothers and fathers facing crisis pregnancies as well as their precious babies. We will advocate for laws to protect those in the margins. We can foster a culture of life in our families and communities. We can demonstrate how sacred each life is in the eyes of God,” the bishops said. 

In conclusion, the bishops asked the faithful and “all people of goodwill” to “take this to prayer and action.”

“Pray for mothers, fathers, and the unborn. Pray that our leaders will have a change of heart,” the bishops said.

This article was updated on Oct. 2, 2024.

Newly inaugurated President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum. / Credit: Government of Mexico

Puebla, Mexico, Oct 1, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

On the occasion of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo’s Oct. 1 inauguration as president of Mexico, the Catholic Church made several requests to the new government, in particular issuing a call for “the dominance of organized crime and criminal activity in general” to not prevail in the country.

Sheinbaum, a candidate of the political coalition “Let’s Keep Making History” consisting of the political parties the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), the Labor Party, and the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico — was the winner of Mexico’s presidential election earlier this year.

In addition to winning the presidency, MORENA and its allied parties now govern 23 of the country’s 32 states and holds a majority of seats in the Congress of the Union, Mexico’s bicameral federal legislative body.

In this context, in a Sept. 30 statement, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference offered “prayers and good wishes” for the beginning of the new administration, expressing its joy that for the first time the country has a woman president.

The bishops’ conference expressed its trust that Sheinbaum “will know how to have great sensitivity and respect, promoting everything that redounds to the good and social development of all citizens.”

However, the bishops pointed out that “reality speaks for itself and demands, immediately,” certain actions.

Among them, the Mexican bishops highlighted the implementation of “public policies that guarantee citizen security, overcome poverty and inequality, and promote national unity and harmony among all.” According to the prelates, these policies must be aimed at “achieving the goal of social peace.”

The bishops also said the country needs a society in which both the government and citizens “respect the laws” and where people can once again “live in a true democratic rule of law.”

According to their message, this requires “a federation of autonomous states, with a balance of powers, which makes us a republic that all can trust. Without trust there is no development, nor a stable future.”

Another concern expressed by the bishops was the improvement of the Mexican educational system, which they consider “recently neglected by public policies limited in resources and by a vision lacking a true humanism that forges the spirit” of children and adolescents.

They concluded their message by acknowledging that the country faces “great challenges” and called for reaching the necessary agreements with all political forces, “without annihilating minorities,” to build “the project of the common good so that Mexican society can live in peace.”

“God bless you, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, president of Mexico, and all Mexicans, members of this nation. We reiterate our willingness to join this dynamic to live together with justice and solidarity for all,” the message stated.

The message concluded by invoking the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe to “help us value all the richness of our common historical roots that make us one nation.”

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

“Approximately 1 in 7 Christians [more than 365 million people] are subject to significant levels of persecution on the basis of religious beliefs. The number of attacks against Christian churches and property increased significantly in 2023, with more Christians than ever suffering violent attacks,” said Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin during his Sept. 28, 2024 address to the United Nations General Assembly. / Credit: The Official CTBTO Photostream (2019 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Article XIV Conference)/ ]Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 1, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, addressed the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 28, touching on several of the most pressing issues of international concern, including the situations in Nicaragua and Venezuela as well as the wars in Ukraine and the Holy Land.

The cardinal denounced “an alarming increase in the number of conflicts around the world and the gravity of their violence” and lamented that this is causing “a significant loss of innocent lives and an enormous amount of destruction.”

He also called for “leaving no one behind” and “acting together for the advancement of peace.” Below are seven key points he made in his speech.

1. Freedom in Venezuela and Nicaragua

The Vatican official expressed concern about the attacks carried out by the dictatorship of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, against “the personnel and institutions of the Church, which directly affect the delicate issue of religious freedom,” stressing that it must always be guaranteed.

Parolin indicated the Holy See is open to a respectful dialogue with the authorities of the Central American country “to resolve the difficulties and promote peace, fraternity, and harmony for the benefit of all.”

He also emphasized that the Venezuelan people, “despite the numerous challenges they face … continue to trust in the democratic values ​​enshrined in the constitution.”

He lamented the crisis that erupted after the country’s July 28 presidential election and said that the Holy See, “deeply saddened and concerned,” calls on the authorities “to respect and protect the life, dignity, human rights, and fundamental freedoms of their citizens.”

2. Respect for life and rejection of surrogacy

Speaking in front of the U.N. General Assembly, Parolin did not hesitate to affirm that “the life of the human being must be protected from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. Failing to do this is one of the greatest forms of poverty of our time.”

The cardinal also described as “deplorable” the practice of surrogate motherhood, also known as “rent-a-womb,” which is increasingly widespread and accepted in today’s societies. He noted that “it represents a serious violation of the dignity of women and children, based on the exploitation of the mother’s material needs,” and pointed out that a child is always a gift and “never the basis of a commercial contract.”

“Consequently, the Holy See calls for an effort by the international community to universally prohibit this practice,” he said.

3. Gender theory is “ideological colonization”

Despite the U.N.’s explicit support for gender ideology, Parolin was emphatic in contending that it is “extremely dangerous because it nullifies differences in its claim to make everyone equal.” He also repudiated the instrumentalization of democracy to promote “rights that are not even fully consistent with those originally defined,” such as the practice of abortion.

The cardinal was likely referring to the U.N.’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

The cardinal stated that these are clear “cases of ideological colonization, in which gender theory plays a central role,” and called for the defense of values ​​and rights based on human dignity and the common good.

4. War in Ukraine and the Holy Land

The cardinal echoed the words of Pope Francis, stating that the world is now experiencing a “third world war in piecemeal.”

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Parolin indicated that “we are facing a situation that requires urgent action to avoid further escalation and create a path toward a just and peaceful resolution.”

He also added that “although diplomatic efforts are crucial, it is clear that military engagement continues to prevail. Therefore, it is essential to find ways to encourage gestures of goodwill and a means of direct dialogue between the parties involved.”

On the Holy Land, the cardinal expressed his concern about the instability in the region that ensued “especially after the terrorist attack perpetrated on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.” However, he lamented “the high number of civilian victims” of the Israeli military response and commented that “it raises many questions about its proportionality.”

Through Parolin, the Holy See stressed at the U.N. that “an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the West Bank is necessary as well as the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza,” in addition to “humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population.”

For the Vatican, the only viable option for peace is “a two-state solution with a special status for Jerusalem” and that the two warring parties abandon “all forms of violence, coercion, and unilateral actions, such as Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories.”

5. Concern for Lebanon

Parolin referred to the Israeli bombings and attacks of recent days that have seriously affected the Lebanese population, including the Christian community. He noted that this situation puts the entire region at risk. “This has led to a considerable number of displaced persons and a considerable loss of human life, among which are many civilians, including children,” he said.

“The Holy See calls on all parties to adhere to the principles of international humanitarian law and to stop the escalation and conclude a cease-fire without delay,” adding that “a strong Christian voice is needed to guide the nation through this unprecedented crisis.”

6. Defending persecuted Christians and the poor

“Approximately 1 in 7 Christians [more than 365 million people] are subject to significant levels of persecution on the basis of religious beliefs. The number of attacks against Christian churches and property increased significantly in 2023, with more Christians than ever suffering violent attacks,” the cardinal said, addressing the issue of religious freedom.

The cardinal called on nations to commit to safeguarding peace and returning to “the roots, spirit, and values” on which the U.N. was founded.

“The Holy See, as it has done for the past six decades, continues to support the work of the United Nations, making its voice heard in defense of the poor, of those in vulnerable situations, supporting every peace process and initiative,” he concluded.

7. Promoting development to promote peace

Parolin said that “it’s not enough to eliminate the instruments of war; it is necessary to eradicate its root causes. The first of these is hunger, a scourge that continues to afflict entire areas of our world, while others are marked by massive food waste.”

He also criticized “the growth in military spending” that many countries are registering, to the detriment of initiatives that contribute to promoting the eradication of hunger and poverty. This, he said, must “continue to be the main objective of all future action, bearing in mind that development is the name of peace.”

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

A child clings to a Caritas Lebanon aid worker. An ongoing military escalation between Hezbollah and Israel has resulted in a massive displacement crisis. The situation is dire, affecting many regions in Lebanon. / Credit: Caritas Lebanon

ACI MENA, Oct 1, 2024 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

An ongoing military escalation between Hezbollah and Israel has resulted in a massive displacement crisis. The situation is dire, affecting many regions in Lebanon.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs), primarily from the south and the southern suburbs of Beirut, are facing numerous challenges. There are “as many as a million people,” according to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

This humanitarian crisis has overwhelmed the state’s capacity to help so local and international aid organizations are stepping up to assist displaced people who have moved to shelters across the country. Among these organizations is Caritas Lebanon, which is mobilizing aid on multiple fronts.

In an interview with ACI Mena, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Father Michel Abboud, president of the Caritas Lebanon Association, explained how Caritas provides help.

“Our organization is addressing the displacement crisis through a comprehensive emergency response strategy in its various regions of operations,” he said. “Through coordinating efforts with local and international organizations and relying on a network of volunteers and administrators across different regions, Caritas provides humanitarian support and meets the needs of the displaced as much as possible.”

Abboud said Caritas had prepared a response for the potential crisis in advance, but recent events exceeded everyone’s projections. “Therefore, we are doing our part to preserve the lives of these displaced people,” Abboud said.

Regarding the aid provided by Caritas in the shelters, the priest said: “We provide a wide range of services, including hot and canned food, drinking water, and primary health care services. We have also started providing psychological support. Psychologists are entering the shelters and listening to people’s needs. We are also working to provide a safe environment for children by organizing recreational programs.”

When asked about the sustainability of services in the event of a prolonged escalation, Abboud said: “Caritas is working to strengthen its relief capacity through cooperation with its local and international partners to ensure the essential commodities to address the crisis. However, sustaining our capabilities depends on continued support and donations. If the escalation prolongs, we will face significant challenges, but we are constantly developing alternative emergency plans, increasing our stocks, and securing the necessary funds to meet the needs of the most vulnerable for as long as possible.”

“In all our work, we rely on divine providence in our journey and mission,” Abboud said, “and he never leaves us… Caritas relies on God in its efforts to meet the needs of his people.”

This story was first published by ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted for CNA.

Pope Francis presides at the penitential celebration ahead of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at St. Peter’s Basilica, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Staff, Oct 1, 2024 / 14:05 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October is for a shared Catholic mission.

“We Christians are all responsible for the Church’s mission. Every priest. Everyone,” the pope said in a video released Sept. 30. 

“We priests are not the bosses of the laity but their pastors. Jesus called us, one and others — not one above others, or one on one side and others on another side, but complementing each other,” he said, adding: “We are community. That is why we need to walk together, taking the path of synodality.”

“What can I do as a bus driver? A farmer? A fisher? What all of us need to do is to witness with our lives. Be co-responsible for the Church’s mission.”

The Holy Father pointed out that “the laity, the baptized, are in the Church, in their own home, and need to take care of it. So do we priests and consecrated persons. Everyone contributes what they know how to do best. We are co-responsible in mission, we participate and we live in the communion of the Church.”

Pope Francis concluded with a prayer: “Let us pray that the Church continue to sustain a synodal lifestyle in every way, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, communion, and mission shared by priests, religious, and laity.”

Pope Francis’ prayer video is promoted by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which raises awareness of monthly papal prayer intentions.

Bishops process into St. Peter's Basilica for the closing Mass of the first assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Oct. 29, 2023. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 1, 2024 / 13:05 pm (CNA).

As the Church kicks off the second session of the Synod on Synodality this week, it’s helpful to understand some key terms and concepts. This glossary aims to clarify important vocabulary related to the synod.

What is a synod?

A synod is traditionally a meeting of bishops gathered to discuss a theological or pastorally significant topic. The word “synod” comes from a Greek term meaning “to meet” or “to walk together” (“syn” = together; “hodos” = way or journey). From the first centuries, the term came to denote ecclesial assemblies of varying size and importance.

The Synod of Bishops was created in 1965 by Pope Paul VI toward the end of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) to foster a close union and collaboration between the pope and the bishops of the whole world and provide information and reflection on questions and situations touching upon the internal life of the Church and its necessary activity in the world of today.

Types of synods

Pope Paul VI established three types of synods:

• Ordinary — for matters concerning the good of the universal Church

• Extraordinary — for matters of pressing concern to the Church

• Special — focused chiefly on the concerns of a region or continent

Over the years, there have been 15 ordinary sessions, from 1967 to 2018; three extraordinary sessions, in 1969, 1985, and 2014; and 11 special synods, most recently in 2019, looking at the Pan-Amazonian region.

The synod functioned under Paul VI’s 1965 establishing decree, with some minor modifications under Pope John Paul II, until the current pontificate. The current two-part Synod on Synodality is considered the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. 

Synod on Synodality's key terms

accountability

The practice of taking responsibility for one’s actions and decisions, and being able to explain them.

co-responsibility

The shared responsibility of all baptized members in the Church’s mission. A central theme in the synodal discussions was clarified in the 2024 synod document to distinguish between roles flowing from holy orders and those arising from baptism.

consensus

In the context of the synod, consensus doesn’t mean uniformity or democratic majority but refers to the process of listening to one another in an environment of prayer and inner freedom.

consultation

A process of listening, especially as it relates to hearing from the faithful and listening to their perspectives on matters of the Christian life, before undertaking a decision. According to the Synod on Synodality organizers, “This current synod seeks to broaden the experience of ‘consultation’ to move toward a more synodal Church that more fully listens to and engages the entire people of God.”

discernment

The process of distinguishing or deciding between options, guided by the Holy Spirit. The synod organizers have stressed: “We listen to each other in order to discern what God is saying to all of us.”

ecumenical dialogue

The relationship between the Catholic Church and other Christian churches in pursuit of full, visible unity. 

facilitator

A new role introduced in the Synod on Synodality. Facilitators are experienced individuals tasked with aiding the work in various moments of the assembly.

fraternal delegates

Representatives from other Christian churches and ecclesial communities invited to participate in the synod as observers.

general congregation

The assembly where all delegates, including the pope, participate in discussions.

Instrumentum Laboris

Latin for “working document.” It serves as the basis for discussions during the synod. For the 2024 session, the second Instrumentum Laboris was published on July 9, 2024, and is 32 pages long. It clarified the Holy Father’s expressed desire for the deliberations of the synod to be more focused on concrete proposals for synodality rather than controversial topics. 

living tradition

The set of revealed truths — apostolic tradition — regarding faith and morals that are not contained in sacred Scripture but are transmitted faithfully and continuously from one generation to the next under the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church. 

missio ad gentes

The mission of the Catholic Church to bring the Gospel to those who do not know Christ or have abandoned the faith.

parrhesia

A Greek term denoting courage or boldness, specifically the fearlessness that comes from the Holy Spirit. It was embodied in the hearts of the apostles at Pentecost and the courage it took among the early Christians to go out and proclaim the Gospel across the ancient world.

penitential rite

A newly introduced element in the 2024 synod, where participants engage in a collective act of repentance and seeking forgiveness. This practice underscores the Church’s commitment to transparency and accountability and includes several notable innovations including the idea of “sins against synodality.”

people of God

A key ecclesiological concept highlighted in the synod, emphasizing the community of all baptized faithful. The term came into particular use after Chapter 2 of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) of the Second Vatican Council and claims roots in both scriptural and patristic images of the Church.

role of the Holy Spirit

Pope Francis has repeatedly emphasized that the Holy Spirit is the true “protagonist” of the synod. This term has become one of the most frequently used during public interventions by participants.

sensus fidei

Also called the “sensus fidelium” (“sense of the faithful”), the supernatural instinct of the faithful to recognize and endorse authentic Christian doctrine and practice. It is described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 92) as “the supernatural appreciation of faith on the part of the whole people, when, from the bishops to the last of the faithful, they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals.”

structural changes

Proposed alterations to decision-making processes within the Church aimed at widening participation of the laity while respecting episcopal authority.

study groups

Ten groups were established to delve deeper into specific themes emerging from the synod’s first session. The most controversial topics raised at the first session — including authority, the possibility of women deacons, and the Church’s outreach to the LGBTQ community — were committed to the study groups to allow the synod participants to focus on ways for the Church to be truly synodal.

synodality

A term emphasized in Pope Francis’ pontificate, generally understood to represent a process of discernment, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, involving bishops, priests, religious, and lay Catholics, each according to the gifts and charisms of their vocation. 

synthesis report

The document summarizing the discussions at the end of a synod phase. The document will be presented to Pope Francis and traditionally serves as the foundation for his own document, a postsynodal apostolic exhortation.

transparency

The quality of being clear, open, and accountable in processes and decision-making.

women’s participation

A notable feature of the 2023 and 2024 synod sessions is the participation of women with voting rights. In 2024, 54 women will again have the right to vote in the synod.

youth

In Vatican terms, a “youth” is defined as a person between the ages of 16 and 35. This age range extends beyond what is typically considered a “youth” in many countries, particularly the United States.

Given the Synod on Synodality is an ongoing process, interpretations or applications of these terms may evolve as the Church continues its synodal journey.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno/CNA

CNA Staff, Oct 1, 2024 / 12:20 pm (CNA).

New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan this week said the archdiocese’s longtime insurer is “attempting to evade their legal and moral contractual obligation” to pay out financial claims to sex abuse victims, with the archdiocese launching a lawsuit against the insurer in response.

The prelate said in a letter to the faithful on Tuesday that the archdiocese has already settled more than 500 claims of sex abuse “not covered by insurance.” Yet there remain around 1,400 unresolved abuse allegations, Dolan said. 

“It has always been our wish to expeditiously settle all meritorious claims,” the archbishop said. “However, Chubb, for decades our primary insurance company, even though we have paid them over $2 billion in premiums by today’s standards, is now attempting to evade their legal and moral contractual obligation to settle covered claims which would bring peace and healing to victim-survivors.” 

“As a result we have sued them for violating New York’s General Business Law, which protects New York consumers from deceptive and fraudulent business practices,” the archbishop said. 

The insurer has “abandoned its archdiocese and parish policyholders and those people such policies were purchased to protect, the survivors of child sexual abuse,” Dolan said. 

He argued that Chubb “scurrilously” claims that the abuse of victims was “expected or intended” by the Catholic Church, meaning settlements stemming from that abuse cannot be covered by insurance. 

Dolan called that argument “false” and “outrageous” and said the insurer is merely trying “to protect their bottom line.” He alleged that the Archdiocese of San Francisco was similarly denied coverage by Chubb.

The plan, the prelate said, “is designed to delay, delay, and further delay, hoping to force the archdiocese to pay the claims Chubb is legally responsible for paying but has refused to pay. A sad story!”

In a statement to CNA on Tuesday morning the company argued that the archdiocese “tolerated, concealed, and covered up rampant child sexual abuse for decades, and despite having substantial financial resources, they still refuse to compensate their victims.”

“Instead, the archdiocese is attempting to shift responsibility for its actions onto insurers but won’t turn over information regarding what it knew about the abuse,” the company said, alleging further that the archdiocese has “concealed their vast wealth and hidden assets.”

“This is just another financial maneuver by the archdiocese to deflect, hide, and avoid responsibility,” Chubb said.

Dolan, meanwhile, said the archdiocese “can’t and won’t let this destroy us.” 

“This challenge will strengthen our resolve to rely confidently upon the infinite power of the holy name of Jesus,” he wrote. “With him, nothing is impossible! Without him, nothing is possible!”

This isn’t the first time the New York Archdiocese has struggled with insurance claims. The archdiocese in 2019 filed a lawsuit against 31 insurance companies, including Chubb, charging that many intended to limit or deny insurance claims related to abuse. The Archdiocese of Baltimore launched a similar lawsuit earlier this year. 

Last week the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York announced it has reached a massive settlement of more than $300 million for victims of clerical sex abuse there, bringing an end to a four-year-long process to resolve abuse claims.

The amount represents the largest settlement in U.S. diocesan bankruptcy history and will be distributed to about 600 abuse survivors. Insurance companies are set to distribute about $85 million of that amount, the diocese said.

Pope Francis addresses members of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who are meeting in an extraordinary plenary assembly Aug. 29–30, 2024, to discuss the future of the Pontifical Urban University, which educates priests and religious from the Catholic Church’s mission territories. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 1, 2024 / 11:50 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed Italian priest Father Samuele Sangalli, the president of a foundation that helps underprivileged youth, as deputy secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, with responsibility over the administration of the office for new dioceses.

The new role is a promotion for the 57-year-old priest, who was already serving as undersecretary in the same department.

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization was formed in 2022 by the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium. 

It replaces the former Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, sometimes called “Propaganda Fide” (“Propagation of the Faith”) from its earlier Latin title, and the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.

The important department, headed by the pope, is divided into two sections: the Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World and the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.

Sangalli has been named deputy secretary of the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.

Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella is pro-prefect of the section on evangelizing the world and Cardinal Luis Tagle is pro-prefect of the section on missionary territories, or “new particular churches.”

Originally from Lecco, a town in northern Italy close to Milan, Sangalli is a priest of the Ambrosian rite, the liturgical rite of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Milan named for St. Ambrose, who led the diocese in the fourth century.

A priest for 28 years, Sangalli has a license in philosophy and has also studied educational sciences, which he has put to use as president of the Sinderesi Foundation, an organization that promotes education and assistance for underpriviledged youth.

According to an article by the Archdiocese of Milan, the Sindersi Foundation “is committed to stimulating [adolescents] to develop the ability to develop their own mature and competent judgment on reality, training them to take responsibility for their personal vocation.”