Pope Francis spoke about the Christian roots of Hungary during his general audience in St. Peter's Square on May 3, 2023. / Daniel Ibanez/CNAVatican City, May 3, 2023 / 02:21 am (CNA).Pope Francis said Wednesday that freedom is under threat in Europe, as people choose consumerism and individualism over building families and community.Even today, "freedom is under threat," he said May 3. "Above all with kid gloves, by a consumerism that anesthetizes, where one is content with a little material well-being and, forgetting the past, one floats in a present made to the measure of the individual.""This is the dangerous persecution of modernity that advances consumerism," he underlined. "But when the only thing that counts is thinking about oneself and doing what one likes, the roots suffocate," he warned. "This is a problem throughout Europe, where dedicating oneself to others, community feeling, the beauty of dreaming together and creating
Metropolitan Anthony, chairman for external church relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, greets Pope Francis after his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square on May 3, 2023. / Daniel Ibañez/CNARome Newsroom, May 3, 2023 / 06:15 am (CNA).Pope Francis greeted the chairman for external church relations of the Russian Orthodox Church after his weekly public audience on Wednesday.The brief encounter in St. Peter s Square with Metropolitan Anthony comes amid heightened scrutiny of diplomatic signals involving the Holy See s desire to broker a peaceful settlement to the ongoing fighting in Ukraine.In his press conference Sunday on his flight back to Rome from Budapest, Pope Francis told reporters that the Holy See is involved in a secret peace mission to end the conflict. Both Ukrainian and Russian officials were quick to deny that negotiations were taking place, but a close papal aide confirmed the pope s statement in an interview with an Italian news outlet published.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols celebrates a Pontifical Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament at Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane, London, Sept. 11, 2021. / Mazur/cbcew.org.uk.London, England, May 3, 2023 / 12:30 pm (CNA).The coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, May 6, will be a historic moment for both the Catholic Church and the British monarchy, as well as the whole of the U.K.For the first time since the Reformation, a Catholic prelate will be formally participating in the coronation ceremony, along with other Christian leaders across the country who have been invited to formally bestow a blessing on the new king.The Order of Service, released by the Church of England, explains: "The progress of ecumenical relations since 1953 means that for the first time, this blessing is to be shared by Christian leaders across the country."The blessings will take place shortly after the archbishop of Canterbury formally crowns King Charles III, after which Westminster Abbey s bells w
Father Dario E. Viganò, president of the MAC Foundation, shares about the foundation in a May 2, 2023, presentation at the Vatican Apostolic Library / Credit: Father Dario E. ViganòRome Newsroom, May 3, 2023 / 13:00 pm (CNA).Unveiled this week, an Italian foundation aims to both preserve and give better access to the audiovisual heritage of the Catholic Church.One member of the MAC Foundation, which takes its name from the Italian initials for "Audiovisual Memories of Catholicism," said the foundation is working to create a digital library that will be "a single online access point" for historic archives related to Catholicism.It will be "a great digital archive and portal of studies and documentation available to everyone," Gianluca della Maggiore, director of a research center on Catholicism and audiovisual studies, said in a statement Tuesday.The foundation s president, Father Dario E. Viganò, told CNA the foundation will make an announcement about
null / Video Creative / Shutterstock.Boston, Mass., May 3, 2023 / 13:30 pm (CNA).Republican Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont signed a bill Tuesday allowing non-residents to avail themselves of the state s assisted suicide law.Vermont legalized assisted suicide in 2013, but with this new law became the first state in the nation to change its legislation to allow the life-ending procedure to those living out of state, according to the Associated Press.Oregon stopped enforcing its residency requirement for assisted suicide in 2022 but has not enshrined that provision in law.Earlier this year Vermont reached a settlement with a Connecticut woman who had sued the state over its residency requirement for assisted suicide.According to the Vermont Department of Health, assisted suicide is available for those "suffering from an incurable and irreversible disease" that will end the patient s life within six months.After a doctor determines death is imminent, a patient must make an oral