Bishop Michael T. Martin of Charlotte, N.C., listens to a speaker June 13, 2024, at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' spring plenary assembly in Louisville, Ky. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. Catholic bishops have approved a new pastoral plan for Indigenous Catholics, almost half a century since the last such document.
"Keeping Christ's Sacred Promise: A Pastoral Framework for Indigenous Ministry" was approved by a vote of 181 to 2, with three bishops abstaining, on June 14, the second day of public sessions during the bishops' Spring Plenary Assembly in Louisville.
The 56-page text was developed by the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, chaired by Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Cepeda of Detroit, and its Subcommittee on Native American Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, chaired by Bishop Chad W. Zielinski of New Ulm, Minnesota.
The pastoral plan had been tabled at the bishops' meeting last fall pending further discussion. Chieko Noguchi, USCCB executive director of public affairs, told OSV News ahead of the spring assembly that the vote had been delayed until now to ensure the plan was "wide enough (so) that it encompasses" the "many different cultures that are affiliated with Native and Indigenous communities."
Currently, the U.S. government recognizes 574 American Indian nations and tribes and Alaska Native entities -- although this is not an exhaustive account of Indigenous peoples as some do not have federal recognition.
"Many Indigenous Catholics have felt a sense of abandonment in their relationship with Church leaders due to a lack of understanding of their unique cultural needs," says the introduction of the pastoral plan. "We apologize for the failure to nurture, strengthen, honor, recognize, and appreciate those entrusted to our pastoral care."
The five-part plan focuses on calls for healing, mission, reconciliation, holiness and transformation in ministry to the nation's Indigenous Catholics, whose "journey … in the United States of America has been marked by moments of great joy but also of profound sorrow," the document states.
"Through this pastoral framework, we … hope to begin anew a journey of mutual accompaniment with the Catholic Indigenous Peoples of these lands," states the document. "We recognize that the Indigenous Peoples were the first to embrace the Catholic faith in this continent."
The text points to the missionary efforts of St. John de Brébeuf, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Junípero Serra, Venerable Frederic Baraga, Venerable Eusebio Francesco Chini (also known as "Padre Kino").
In addition, the plan cites the witness of Indigenous Catholics such as St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Servants of God Antonio Inija and Companions (known as the Martyrs of La Florida Missions), Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk and "countless other Indigenous Catholics."
At the same time, the plan acknowledges that "the history of Indigenous Peoples" in the U.S. has been "punctuated by trauma," due to "epidemics, national policies and Native boarding schools," all of which worked to systemically eradicate Indigenous peoples and their languages, cultural and religious practices, and varied ways of life.
Through the residential school system, both the U.S. and Canadian governments sought to forcibly assimilate Indigenous peoples by separating children at an early age from their parents, families and communities -- including those who had been Christian for some time -- and depriving them of their languages, cultures and identities.
Historically, Catholic Church leaders were co-opted by government officials into participating in these violations of natural law engineered by the government, with clergy and religious abandoning the church's previous model of missionaries integrating into Indigenous communities, sharing the faith through their cultures and providing education locally. The residential school system ended up severely damaging the familial and social fabric of Indigenous nations, and saw thousands of students physically, mentally and sexually abused.
In July 2022, Pope Francis embarked on a penitential pilgrimage to Canada, during which he apologized for the church's role in that nation's residential school system in the 19th and 20th centuries.
"The church recognizes that it has played a part in traumas experienced by Native children," said the pastoral framework.
The plan also reiterated the Vatican's March 2023 repudiation of the so-called "Doctrine of Discovery," a concept first formulated to support European claims to land beyond continental Europe that, and according to some scholars, found a basis in several papal bulls from the 15th century, among them Pope Nicholas V's "Dum Diversas" (1452) and "Romanus Pontifex" (1455), and Pope Alexander VI's "Inter Caetera" (1493).
Along with such apologies for the long-standing traumas experienced by Indigenous peoples at the hands of colonists and church alike -- the effects of which continue today -- the plan called for "a return to authentic evangelization," which decouples the proclamation of the Gospel from attempts to colonize.
"The authentic Catholic approach to evangelization is predicated on the idea that all cultures are open to the truth of the Gospel," the text states.
Reconciliation between the Catholic Church and Native American communities must be predicated on developing "a sense of trust," said the plan, emphasizing the need for "transparency … relationship building … listening … (and) accountability."
Healing the intergenerational wounds inflicted on Indigenous families is critical, the plan notes, stressing the importance of nurturing marriage, family bonds, respect for elders and -- urgently -- addressing a suicide crisis among Native youth and young adults.
In addition, the text calls for "authentic inculturation in the liturgy," in full conformity with the directives of the Holy See, to deepen the faith of Indigenous Catholics. The plan notes that elements present in some Native cultures -- such as sacred smoke and the orientation of sacred spaces with regard to the four main directions -- already find a complement in the Catholic faith, as in the use of incense and the traditional orientation of the altar to the east.
The Eucharist remains central to healing the wounds of Indigenous Catholics and deepening their relationship with Christ, said the document.
"Catholic Native Peoples have a deep reverence for and devotion to the mystery of Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist," said the text. "In general, Indigenous communities demonstrate an innate capacity to accept and integrate into their cultural beliefs this mystical union: of the human and the divine, of matter and spirit."
Catechesis and formation, as well as the practical redress of inequalities in housing, economic development, education and health care are also essential, said the text, which highlighted as well the importance of ministering to urban Indigenous and to ending racism, "an intergenerational scourge that continues to affect Native Peoples."
Developing Indigenous leadership in the church also is crucial, said the document.
Following the adoption of the plan, the bishops have committed to "conduct a follow-up listening session with Catholic Native leaders within a year or so," along with "continued dialogue with experts and organizations" to address social justice concerns among Indigenous communities.
"In a world that is increasingly secular, the Indigenous worldview -- which recognizes that we are all created and loved by God -- stands as a beacon of hope and truth," said the plan. "Indigenous Catholics witness to the rest of the church about the need to see God in day-to-day life. ... The Church must use all available resources to evangelize and form this part of the body of Christ."
— Gina Christian, OSV News
US bishops' canonical committee to offer 'clear analysis' of transgenderism and consecrated life
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A number of the nation's Catholic bishops have asked for guidance from their episcopal conference following the public disclosure of transgenderism by a Lexington diocesan hermit.
"This issue is now on our agenda," Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, told OSV News. "Other bishops may be looking at this, and they've asked about this. And so we will try to give a clear analysis that will give the doctrinal and canonical guidelines that hopefully will be helpful to any bishop."
Bishop Paprocki spoke to OSV News June 14 after the final public session of the USCCB's 2024 Spring Plenary Assembly in Louisville.
Less than 100 miles from where the U.S. bishops convened, 39-year-old Brother Christian Matson, hermit for the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, came out as transgender on Pentecost Sunday (May 19, 2024), having been received as such when professing vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to Bishop John E. Stowe a year prior.
Bishop Stowe, who declined OSV News' request for comment, told Religion News Service in a May 19 article that he regarded Matson as "a sincere person seeking a way to serve the church."
The bishop also told the outlet that "hermits are a rarely used form of religious life ... but they can be either male or female. Because there's no pursuit of priesthood or engagement in sacramental ministry, and because the hermit is a relatively quiet and secluded type of vocation, I didn't see any harm in letting him live this vocation."
But Bishop Paprocki indicated to OSV News that following a "preliminary discussion" by the canonical affairs and governance committee, "the initial consensus … was that it's not really possible for a (transgender) person to be admitted to the role of a hermit or consecrated life if they are not repentant of what they've done."
Bishop Paprocki told OSV News that the issue "was not presented to us with a question of addressing any one particular bishop."
"Consecrated life is vowing yourself to God, and the church's teaching on transgender ideology is very clear," Bishop Paprocki told OSV News. "Pope Francis has been very clear about that. And the Bible is also very clear. God made us male and female. And so someone who is claiming to be a transgender person is basically denying a biblical and a doctrinal teaching of the church, and so I would say it would be very difficult for a person like that to authentically enter consecrated life unless that person's repented."
However, he added, "at least as far as being a hermit is concerned, if that person has repented and somehow tries to take steps to reverse the decision they made, well, maybe there's a possibility for a person in that situation. But that's not the scenario that's been presented to us."
As a result, the case "also raises other questions in terms of Catholic teaching about mutilation of the body, which is also part of the church's moral objection to transgender surgeries, unless it's in those very rare cases of ambiguous sexuality that a baby may be born with. But that's very rare."
Bishop Paprocki also noted an apparent incongruence between Matson's public disclosure and the hermit vocation, which -- although tracing its roots to the third century -- was only formally recognized by the universal church's canon law in 1983.
"You also have a question of why is a hermit going public with making statements, when you can see the very nature of eremitical life is to withdraw and to dedicate yourself to a life of private prayer with God," he said. "And so it seems that someone who is claiming to be a hermit and then is giving public interviews -- it really raises some serious questions about the seriousness of that person's commitment to this way of life."
At a June 13 press briefing during the bishops' spring assembly, the USCCB president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese ofr the Military Services, in response to a question from a member of the media, also noted concerns about the impact of the disclosure on the integrity of the eremitic vocation under canon law.
Asked by OSV News if the USCCB committee will consult with the Vatican regarding the issue, Bishop Paprocki said, "I think we can handle it here.
"Pope Francis has made some very clear statements," he said, pointing as well to the declaration "Dignitas Infinita" released in April by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
"'Dignitas Infinita' has some very clear sections on gender ideology. So I think we have guidance already from the Holy See," said Bishop Paprocki. "So … I would say this is within our competence. If in the course of our study we have any questions that seem not clear, I suppose we could bring those (to the dicastery). But for now, I think there's some very clear guidance from the Holy See on this."
— Gina Christian, OSV News
Bishops' spring meeting opens with focus on anti-poverty arm, Eucharistic revival, mental health
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first day of the U.S. Catholic bishops' public meetings during their spring assembly June 12-14 began with a closed door session on the future of its anti-poverty initiative and closed with a lively open discussion surrounding its ongoing campaign to address the mental health crisis.
The morning of June 13 was spent entirely in an executive session in which the Catholic Campaign for Human Development was discussed. CCHD, the domestic anti-poverty initiative of the U.S. bishops, has suffered in recent years from declining donations; questions about its spending decisions regarding available resources for grants; and long-running criticisms, both doctrinal and political, with respect to the projects funded.
In an afternoon press conference, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services USA, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed questions about the bishops' closed-door discussions on CCHD.
He said the bishops gave feedback to the subcommittee overseeing CCHD, and the subcommittee will review all the comments and incorporate that advice. Beyond indicating that it would be put under the U.S. bishops' national collections, the archbishop said there were no real decisions as yet.
"In all of these discussions, there's been an ongoing commitment to the vital work of fighting poverty in this country," he said.
The bishops' public session in the afternoon addressed both the National Eucharistic Revival, which will mark its high point with the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21, and the ongoing Synod on Synodality, which is holding its second and final session in Rome this October.
In his address, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal ambassador to the U.S., spoke extensively to the importance of the bishops' national effort to revive belief in the Eucharist. He noted Pope Francis' calls for Catholics to recover the practice of Eucharistic adoration, which is connected with the church's mission of "washing the feet of wounded humanity; accompanying those who are frail, weak and cast aside; going out lovingly to encounter the poor."
"We want people to turn to the Eucharistic Lord, to walk with him and to be led by him. … We want our people to come to a renewed and deeper appreciation of Christ's presence in the Eucharist," he said, adding this needs to take place "in the context of community."
Cardinal Pierre also told the bishops that the Eucharistic revival wasn't simply for others.
"We need Eucharistic revival too. Let us be attentive in our own hearts to what the Lord is saying and doing among us," he said, asking, "Are we experiencing in our own lives the Eucharistic transformation that we want our people to experience?"
Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, and Archbishop Thomas R. Zinkula of Dubuque, Iowa, both gave a presentation on the U.S. synthesis for the upcoming global synod.
Bishop Flores, who served last year as a president delegate of the Synod assembly and a member of the synod's preparatory commission, highlighted that the purpose of developing synodality in the church is to "foster communion and create space for relationship," and this was key to "moving forward together."
The process of getting there, he added, "is not magic," but it is "an invitation to the humility of the Gospel as we try to get out and listen and to think together with our people about how to be about what we should be about, which is the concerns of Christ the Lord."
Archbishop Zinkula reflected on the existence of "tensions" within the church, but noted that managing these tensions can contribute to the church's health and holiness. He echoed the benefits of the "conversations in the Spirit" introduced to the bishops from last year's Synod on Synodality, saying they can "alleviate" and "transform" those tensions.
"If the work of the new evangelization is to be fruitful, we must be able to encounter these tensions while still striving toward unity within our diversity," Archbishop Zinkula said.
The bishops' public meeting also focused on the critical need for peace as global armed conflicts are at their greatest height now since World War II. In their afternoon session, the bishops approved a message to Pope Francis, joining him in praying for peace in the world -- particularly for "peace in Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, Myanmar and Sudan" -- and in calling for diplomatic solutions that affirm human fraternity.
The bishops' message also thanked Pope Francis for sending Cardinal Luis A. Tagle as his delegate to the National Eucharistic Congress, sharing their expectation it would be "a time of abundant grace."
Archbishop Broglio gave a presidential address that began with a reflection upon the American sacrifices to liberate Europe from Nazi domination that were made 80 years ago at D-Day on the blood-soaked beaches of Normandy, France, and concluded with his thoughts on the National Eucharistic Congress.
Within that arc, he focused on how various Catholic agencies and individuals were bringing the church's witness to peace amid ongoing conflicts -- many of which the rest of the world has otherwise forgotten. He stressed the importance of the church's witness domestically, and, with respect to migrants at the Southern border, said that while the bishops respect the law, they will nevertheless "respond to the divine law that speaks to us about care for the poor, the homeless and the unborn."
He also thanked the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith for releasing the April declaration "Dignitas Infinita," emphasizing it offers a "clear message" about many issues, including gender theory, which he said Pope Francis identified as "one of the greatest threats of our age."
The bishops also heard presentations on action items up for vote June 14, including pastoral frameworks for ministry to Native Americans and to youth and young adults, along with decisions relating to texts for the Liturgy of the Hours, the Roman rite's form of the church's divine office, which consists of canonical "hours" -- set times of prayer observed throughout the day by clergy, religious and laity. Typically, clergy and religious -- but not laity, although it is highly encouraged -- are obliged to pray the hours.
Bishop Chad W. Zielinski of New Ulm, Minnesota, reintroduced the pastoral framework for Native American ministry -- which had been pulled at last minute from the agenda at the bishops' November meeting.
The bishop, who chairs the bishops' Subcommittee on Native American Affairs, noted the document was a "framework" -- not a pastoral plan -- and now reflected feedback from Western and Southwestern U.S. bishops who had wanted more time for consultation.
"I firmly believe we have in front of us a very solid document we can all stand behind," he said. The bishop received no questions from the floor.
Bishop Steven J. Lopes of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, chair of the bishops' Committee on Divine Worship, introduced amendable texts regarding the Liturgy of the Hours, which is undergoing a new revision in English, and texts for the Roman Missal, along with their lectionaries.
Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and chair of the bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, introduced the pastoral framework for youth and young adult ministry, which he hoped would be a "watershed moment" in how the church accompanies youth and young adults and forms them for "missionary discipleship and Christlike leadership in society."
In response to a question from the floor, Bishop Barron said the committee tried to listen to a wide variety of youth and young adults, not just those already engaged.
The most engaged part of the open portion of the day's session involved the update on the bishops' mental health campaign, which was followed by a 25-minute discussion of the issue of mental health at the bishops' tables and some open floor discussion.
Kerry Alys Robinson, CEO of Catholic Charities USA, presented to the bishops on the importance of being a "trauma-aware church," and she invited them to work closely with Catholic Charities in comprehensively addressing the mental health crisis. She pointed to data showing that more than half of American families have experienced the mental health crisis either personally or with a family member.
Bishop John P. Dolan of Phoenix took to the floor and affirmed the importance of Catholic Charities' work. But the bishop, who has lost family members to suicide, also made clear parish engagement with mental health is vitally important for saving lives from this scourge, saying deaths of despair drop 68% among women and 33% among men who are going to church weekly.
"We're bringing people back into the framework of church through accompaniment," he said. "And I can only applaud you for that."
— Peter Jesserer Smith, OSV News
U.S. bishops' mental health campaign gaining 'a lot of traction' amid national crisis
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U.S. bishops' mental health campaign gaining 'a lot of traction' amid national crisis
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The launch of a mental health initiative by the U.S. bishops last year has "received a lot of traction," according to one of its leaders.
Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota -- who leads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth -- updated his fellow bishops on the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign during a June 13 session of the USCCB's 2024 Spring Plenary Assembly.
The gathering -- part of the bishops' annual fall and spring general assemblies convened to conduct business and to discuss various canonical and civil issues -- is being held June 12-14 in Louisville, Kentucky, with public sessions being livestreamed June 13 and 14 via the USCCB website.
The USCCB's mental health campaign was launched in October 2023 under Bishop Barron and Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, who chairs the USCCB's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
Several organizations partnered with Archbishop Gudziak and Bishop Barron in developing the campaign -- among them Catholic Charities USA, the Catholic Health Association, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana, the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults, and the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers.
In their introductory message for the effort, the two prelates said their goals were threefold: to raise greater awareness of the issue, to remove the sense of stigma for those suffering from mental illness, and "to advocate a clear message to all: everyone who needs help should get help."
Archbishop Gudziak (who was unable to attend the USCCB spring assembly due to an overseas funeral) recently told OSV News that "awareness is growing, and we see ever more the dangers and the burdens of mental health issues."
Close to 60 million U.S. adults, or one in five, experienced mental illness in 2021, with more than 14 million of them reporting a serious condition, and well over 19 million battling both substance abuse and mental illness concurrently, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The nation's youth have been particularly hard hit: In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy issued an advisory on the issue, citing data that showed in 2019, one in three high school students and half of female students reported feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness, a 40% spike since 2009.
Speaking to OSV News in late May, Archbishop Gudziak said, "There's still a lot of stigma and fear about dealing with mental health in a holistic and professional way."
During his report at the USCCB spring assembly, Bishop Barron said that over the past several months, campaign organizers have "held roundtable discussions around two populations impacted by mental health -- namely, young adults and our own clergy."
Those conversations have provided "a foundation from which to build, and have more roundtables to come," he said Bishop.
A recording of one such roundtable, held on March 19, is available on the USCCB website, and Bishop Barron said that forthcoming sessions would also be posted online.
At the same time, "discussion, while fruitful … would only scratch the surface" of the crisis, he said.
The campaign has "truly elicited much fervor among the faithful," said Bishop Barron. "We know we're on to something here."
He invited the bishops present to focus their breakout discussions about the campaign on three points: existing programs and ministries in their dioceses that respond to mental health concerns, strategies the church can employ to alleviate the stigma associated with mental health challenges, and ways in which "the church's prophetic voice is advocating for persons and families impacted by mental health."
Joining Bishop Barron in his update were Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, and Brian Corbin, CCUSA executive vice president for member services.
Robinson said that most of the 15 million individuals served by CCUSA over the past year had "endured some form of trauma," which can make a person "more vulnerable to experiencing a mental health crisis or developing post-traumatic stress disorder."
She cited several statistics from the 2022 KFF/CNN Mental Health in America survey, which found that 28% of the nation's families reported having a member who required in-person treatment for mental health distress, with 21% having a family member receiving emergency medical treatment for a drug overdose, 16% losing a family member to suicide, and 16% having a family member experience homelessness due to mental illness.
Robinson said that becoming a "trauma-aware church" entails being aware of and sensitive to trauma's impact" on families, while helping parishioners "recognize their experience of, and response to, trauma" and providing "restorative spiritual and professional resources" in a variety of ways.
Corbin described some of those resources, including CCUSA's Whole Hearted, a parish-based trauma-awareness aid that integrates spirituality and religious practices with behavioral health, and CCUSA's Hope, a pilot program to develop a mental health chatbot.
Also highlighted during the session was the experience of Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, who, in his May 2024 pastoral letter, "A Future with Hope," shared his own struggles with depression and anxiety, and how an integrated, Catholic approach to mental health enabled him to return to ministry after a leave of absence.
"Our dream is to have all Catholics across the country praying, talking about, learning and advocating for spiritual and mental well-being in our dioceses," said Bishop Barron.
— Gina Christian, OSV News
Eucharist remains 'place of encounter' where Christ transforms wounded church, nuncio says
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Eucharist remains 'place of encounter' where Christ transforms wounded church, nuncio says
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At their annual spring meeting, the U.S. Catholic bishops were exhorted to focus on the Eucharist as the "place of encounter" where the wounded yet victorious Christ meets and transforms his church.
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., addressed the bishops June 13 during the USCCB's 2024 Spring Plenary Assembly, held June 12-14 in Louisville. Public sessions of the gathering were being livestreamed June 13 and 14 via the USCCB website.
Noting the National Eucharistic Revival's four pilgrimages -- which will converge from across the country at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July -- Cardinal Pierre said the processions "are an outward symbol of what we want to happen on a spiritual level.
"We want people to turn to the Eucharistic Lord, to walk with him, and to be led by him," said the cardinal. "We also want this to happen in the context of community. Our people need to experience that a journey with the Lord is also a journey with others who seek the Lord (and) that this journey is a true synod."
Christ's post-resurrection encounter with his Apostles, during which he showed them his pierced hands and feet, shows that "the wounds suffered in the body of Christ become signs of his victory over death," said Cardinal Pierre.
In the same way, he said, the "presence of the risen Christ" can be discerned "in the woundedness of the church."
Among "the most glaring wounds" are "the scandal of abuse and of failed oversight, the plague of indifference toward the poor and suffering … skepticism toward God and religion in a secularized culture … (and) an agitating temptation toward polarization and division, even among those of us who are committed to Christ and his church."
As both a disciple and shepherd, the bishop "feels these wounds firsthand," said Cardinal Pierre. "How can a shepherd, who himself is hurting, adequately lead and guide his suffering sheep? We find the answer in Christ. By showing the Apostles his hands, feet, and side, the Lord is saying to them, and to us: 'I choose to make your sin and failure a part of the story of my victory. If the marks of my crucifixion can exist on my resurrected body, then the marks of your own suffering and failures can exist in the body of my resurrected church.'"
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the USCCB, echoed the centrality of the Eucharist in his June 13 address to the bishops at the assembly, saying, "We are eagerly preparing for the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress. … It will be important to consider how to capitalize on the momentum of this important event which will gather so many faithful to celebrate the Lord's unique presence."
The archbishop stressed the importance of "the continued building and reaffirmation of our Eucharistic faith," and surveyed a broad range of concerns the Catholic Church in the U.S. seeks to address with the love of Christ.
With June 6 marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Archbishop Broglio prayerfully recalled
those who had sacrificed their lives to liberate Europe from the Nazis. He then turned to a host of conflicts currently besetting the world, commending the work of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, whose chair, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, traveled to Israel and Palestine on an April 12-18 pastoral visit amid the Israel-Hamas war. The cardinal's visit commemorated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, established by Pope Pius XII in 1949 and placed since its inception under the administration of CNEWA."We are anxious to see peace return to that corner of the world where our Lord walked and we join the Bishop of Rome in his earnest appeal for dialogue, an end to hostilities, and care for the innocent victims of war," said Archbishop Broglio.
He also expressed his gratitude to Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' overseas relief and development agency, for its "presence and action of … in that troubled area and in so many other places," adding that such assistance is made possible by "the generosity of the people entrusted to our pastoral care."
The archbishop also highlighted the needs of war-ravaged Syria and violence-plagued Haiti, noting that Father Thomas Hagan, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, had recently returned to his long-running mission in the latter country "to care for the poor and abandoned."
"He is another example of the positive efforts of the church in the United States to be mindful of our neighbors," said Archbishop Broglio.
He drew attention to "the situation of the migrants who seek a safe haven along our southern borders," noting that "the bishops in those dioceses try their best to respect the law, but also to respond to the divine law that speaks to us about care for the poor, the homeless, and the unborn."
"In an election year our pleas will probably fall on deaf ears," he admitted. "But we cannot cease in our efforts to proclaim the Gospel from the rooftops and to see if we cannot influence those in power at the very least to improve the conditions in the countries of origin so that migration is not seen as a necessity for life."
Archbishop Broglio advised that Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matalgalpa, Nicaragua -- who had been imprisoned in August 2022 and then exiled in early 2024 by that nation's repressive Ortega administration -- had written " to thank all of us for our solidarity."
In addition, said the archbishop, "we also remember our suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine and offer them the solidarity of our prayers, our willingness to offer refuge and support, and our encouragement to the U.S. government and those of good will who hold dear the treasure of self-determination, respect for national borders, and the right to live in peace free from foreign invasion."
Archbishop Broglio also examined the fundamental battle to uphold "human dignity from the moment of conception until natural death," and lauded the April release of the declaration "Dignitas Infinita" by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which affirms God's creative intention for the unity of body and soul and sexual differentiation.
The archbishop applauded the work of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy and the USCCB's Committee on Liturgy for their work on the revised Liturgy of the Hours.
With the second session of the synod of bishops set to take place in October, Archbishop Broglio said he and his fellow bishops were "eager to see the final version" of the "Instrumentum Laboris," or working document, for the synod, which will no doubt be an opportunity to advance the notion of synodality in the church."
"It is good that we have the opportunity to gather here and to consider the important agenda items that will occupy our time," said Archbishop Broglio.
During the course of their spring assembly gathering, the bishops -- who meet in fall and spring general assemblies each year to conduct business and to discuss various canonical and civil issues -- will receive updates on the Synod on Synodality; the National Eucharistic Revival and its attendant July 17-21 National Eucharistic Congress; the USCCB's recently launched mental health campaign; and migration. The bishops also were to decide whether to affirm opening a canonization cause for Adele Brise, a 19th-century Belgian immigrant and woman religious whose visions of Mary near Champion, Wisconsin, were deemed worthy of belief in 2010 by Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Before their public sessions, the bishops -- whose schedule included communal prayer and dialogue -- evaluated the status and future of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the official domestic anti-poverty agency of the U.S. bishops, which has suffered in recent years from declining donations; a shift in available post-pandemic resources; and long-running criticisms, both doctrinal and political, made by some with respect to the projects funded by CCHD.
Among the action items up for vote at the plenary are pastoral frameworks for ministry to Indigenous and to youth and young adults, along with decisions relating to texts for the Liturgy of the Hours, the Roman rite's form of the church's divine office, which consists of canonical "hours" of prayer observed throughout the day by clergy, religious and laity. Typically, clergy and religious -- but not laity, although it is highly encouraged -- are obliged to pray the Divine Office.
— Gina Christian, OSV News