PHOTOS: Pilgrims keep watch with Eucharist at altars of repose in Rome
ROME — Hundreds of pilgrims in Rome visited churches to pray before special side altars containing the blessed sacrament, called altars of repose, on Holy Thursday.
The altars of repose are a popular devotion in the Catholic Church during Holy Week. The practice begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday, when Catholics commemorate the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood.
Afterward, a priest carries the Eucharist in solemn procession from the altar where Mass was celebrated to a decorated side altar lit with candles and sometimes plants and flowers, where it remains for adoration until midnight.
In Rome, many churches open their doors at night to welcome pilgrims to pray before the Blessed Sacrament at the altar of repose.
The tradition recalls Jesus’ request to his disciples to “keep watch with me” in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion.
Lucía Dero Herrero, a pilgrim to Rome from Madrid, Spain, described her experience of the tradition at the Basilica di Sant’Apollinare as a profound moment of connection with God.
“The ceremony and the church were so beautiful,” Lucia told EWTN News. “It helped me to pray and to realize that this is the night it all begins. In a sense, [Jesus] has already been captured, and the next day, he will be crucified.”
Many pilgrims participated in the tradition for the first time. Maureen Finnegan, a 75-year-old woman from Liverpool, United Kingdom, was one. She described visiting the altar of repose at the Venerable English College as a true testament to our faith.
“It was lovely to see the church just absolutely packed. The singing was amazing. It’s certainly a different experience from back home in Liverpool. The whole thing was traditional, and I feel so privileged to have been a part of it.”
DNA research sheds new light on the Shroud of Turin’s complex history
A new study found that the Shroud of Turin — the cloth believed to have been used to bury Jesus Christ after his crucifixion — contains traces from multiple geographic regions spanning several centuries.
As originally reported by the official Vatican News outlet, the recent study, now available as a preprint, was made by several geneticists, including Dr. Gianni Barcaccia of the University of Padua.
In their study, researchers explained that DNA testing could not definitively date the Shroud of Turin but revealed its extensive handling by many individuals over its centuries-long existence. They described it as a “diverse mosaic of genetic traces,” including those from the Mediterranean, India, and even from North America.
“In brief, a reappraisal of those outcomes from the analysis of the DNA traces found on the Shroud of Turin suggests the potentially extensive exposure of the cloth in the Mediterranean region,” the researchers wrote. “DNA traces from various species and regions, including the Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe, America, and Asia, indicate that the shroud was exposed to different environments and peoples.”
The Shroud of Turin has been venerated for centuries by Christians as the burial shroud of Jesus and is among the most famous relics associated with his passion. The authenticity of the Shroud of Turin and its connection to Christ have been the subjects of scientific debate.
In 1988, researchers traced it to medieval origins around 1350, casting doubt on whether it was the actual burial cloth of Christ and on whether it came from the Holy Land.
However, the researchers assert in their recent article that the presence of H33, a rare genetic strand, supports their claim that the relic passed through the Middle East at some point in its history.
“H33 is a rare haplogroup found today mainly in the Near East, especially among the Druze, an Arabic-speaking ethnoreligious minority currently present in the Holy Land, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. In particular, the Druze population shares common genetic ancestry with Jews and Cypriots and has historically intermixed with other Levantine populations, including Palestinians and Syrians,” they said.
The Catholic Church has no official position on the relic’s authenticity. It is presently located at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy.
Pope speaks with Israeli and Ukrainian presidents amid conflicts in Holy Land, Ukraine
Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Good Friday.
The Vatican said the pope spoke separately with both presidents on April 3. They exchanged Easter and Passover greetings. Leo also spoke with the presidents about the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and highlighted the need for continued humanitarian aid.
The Middle East and Ukraine continue to be plagued by armed conflicts. The U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran has entered a new phase with U.S. President Donald Trump this week vowing stronger military action against Iran. The Russia-Ukraine War continues to claim casualties and has entered its fourth year.
A statement from the office of the Israeli president said Herzog discussed the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran with the pope, including “the ongoing threat of missile attacks by the Iranian regime and its terror proxies against people of all faiths in the region.”
The statement also said that Herzog recalled to Leo recent Iranian missile attacks on Jerusalem, and his insistence that Hezbollah continues to be a threat to stability in the Middle East.
The telephone discussions followed Leo’s public plea on March 31 in which he again called for an unconditional ceasefire and expressed hopes that Trump would be “looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing.” In that same plea, he also called for an Easter truce for both conflicts.
The discussion between the pope and the Israeli president also followed an incident in Jerusalem on March 29, where the Latin patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, was denied access to the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday by Israeli police.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land later reached an agreement with Israeli authorities, permitting access for Church representatives to celebrate Masses and religious rites while restrictions on public gatherings remain in force.
Neither the office of the Israeli president nor the Vatican commented on whether the pope and Herzog discussed the incident in Jerusalem.
Built to mirror Jerusalem, this Lithuanian Calvary has 35 stations of the cross
VILNIUS, Lithuania — On the northern edge of Lithuania’s capital, pilgrims walk a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) route known as Vilnius Calvary, a landscape of chapels, gates, hills, and a small bridge designed to reflect the topography and distances of Jerusalem’s Way of the Cross.
At the center of the route stands the Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross, located in the city’s Jeruzalė (Jerusalem) neighborhood. Unlike the familiar 14 Stations of the Cross found in many Catholic parishes, Vilnius Calvary leads pilgrims through 35 stations, making it one of Europe’s largest outdoor Stations of the Cross ensembles.
A Lithuanian ‘Jerusalem’ built for pilgrims
The devotion of the Stations of the Cross, strongly promoted across Europe through Franciscan tradition, developed in part as a spiritual alternative for Christians unable to make the long, costly, and dangerous journey to the Holy Land.
Vilnius Calvary gave that tradition a local form by integrating prayer with geography: Pilgrims walk a route laid across hills and valleys, with places bearing biblical names creating a pilgrimage experience shaped by movement as well as meditation.
In practice, planners modeled the route using pilgrimage accounts, devotional guides, early maps of Jerusalem, and traditions preserved by the Franciscans, who long served as custodians of holy sites in the Holy Land. These descriptions were then adapted to Vilnius’ natural landscape so that pilgrims could experience the Via Dolorosa not only through prayer but also through the physical rhythm of walking, ascent, and pause.
Founded in gratitude
Vilnius Calvary took shape in the late 17th century following the wars that brought severe destruction to Vilnius and the surrounding region. At the time, Vilnius belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was seized during the mid-1600s conflicts involving Muscovite (tsarist Russian) forces. Lithuanian forces and their allies later recaptured the city, and Church leaders established the Calvary as a public act of thanksgiving for the restoration of the capital.
The project was initiated by Vilnius Bishop Jurgis Bialozoras, who allocated roughly 140 hectares of land from his Verkiai Manor estate to build a church, various chapels, and the pilgrimage path. The area was chosen because its terrain allowed for a symbolic “Jerusalem” in Lithuania: Hills were assigned biblical names such as Golgotha, Zion, and the Mount of Olives, while a nearby stream recalled the Kidron Valley.
The church and the Way of the Cross were solemnly consecrated on June 9, 1669, on the feast of Pentecost.
Why 35 stations of the cross?
The 35-station structure reflects an older “Passion route” tradition in which the devotion extends beyond the standard 14 stations. In such traditions, the pilgrimage includes additional moments associated with Christ’s final hours as well as devotional scenes linked to the Church’s meditation on the Passion.
In Vilnius Calvary, the route begins not with Christ’s condemnation but reaches back to earlier moments of the Passion, including the Last Supper, Christ’s journey toward the Mount of Olives, and his interrogation before Annas and Caiaphas.
The pilgrimage then continues through the later stages of the Passion and extends beyond the Crucifixion. It also draws meaning from the church’s title, the Discovery of the Holy Cross, linking the devotion not only to Christ’s suffering but also to the Church’s proclamation of the cross as the source of salvation.
Destruction and rebuilding
For centuries, Vilnius Calvary served as a major site of popular devotion, especially at Pentecost, when large crowds traditionally gathered for prayer and preaching along the route.
The site was damaged during the Napoleonic Wars, when French forces occupied the Verkiai forest area and used the church as a barracks and a hospital. Some chapels were damaged, and the church was plundered during the army’s retreat following their failed invasion of Russia.
The most severe destruction came under Soviet rule. In 1962, communist authorities demolished most of the chapels, leaving only a small number of structures nearest the church intact.
After Lithuania regained independence in 1990, reconstruction began. The restored chapels were solemnly blessed again at Pentecost in 2002. Over roughly a decade, the ensemble was rebuilt with 16 masonry chapels, seven wooden gates, one masonry gate, and a bridge structure, restoring the route as a full pilgrimage path.
The church at the center of the pilgrimage
The Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross is not simply a landmark along the route. It is also the spiritual center of the ensemble and the culmination of the pilgrimage. Its position on a high hill is intended to correspond symbolically to Golgotha, and the main altar, dedicated to the crucified Christ, is treated as the central devotional point of the Way of the Cross.
The church also contains an 18th-century silver gilded reliquary containing a relic of the holy cross, which is decorated with rhinestones.
A living devotion in modern Vilnius
Vilnius Calvary remains active as a place of prayer. The route is used throughout the year for organized Stations of the Cross, including regular Friday devotions and monthly pilgrimages. The Secular Franciscans in Vilnius also unite their prayer with the Franciscans in Jerusalem, reflecting the devotion’s historical connection to the Holy Land.
Elzbieta Uckuronyte, a lifelong parishioner at the church, told EWTN News that the Stations of the Cross at Vilnius Calvary had become deeply personal to her over time.
“The first time I went, I didn’t fully understand it,” she said. “But as my faith has grown, I’ve come to see the value in the discomfort — kneeling on stones, walking in rain or snow, crossing hills and streams. It isn’t easy, but it reflects the hardship Christ endured, and there is a quiet beauty in that.”
For many pilgrims, Vilnius Calvary offers something rare in a modern European capital: a sustained Passion pilgrimage shaped not only by texts and stations but also by distance, landscape, and public religious memory.
Philippines Church mobilizes support for migrant workers hit by war, oil crisis
MANILA, Philippines — Three Filipino bishops have urged the Catholic dioceses in the Philippines to support overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), migrants, and their families back home amid the economic crisis following the outbreak of the war with Iran on Feb. 28.
Bishop Socrates Mesiona, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, said the Church monitors families of overseas workers in parishes nationwide.
This effort enables parishes to provide migrant families with pastoral care and material help, along with government agencies, he said.
Meanwhile, parishes and Church institutions are praying the “Oratio Imperata” (Latin for “Obligatory Prayer”) for peace in the Middle East in all their Masses and prayer gatherings.
In a message, Bishop Broderick Soncuaco Pabillo, the apostolic vicar of Taytay in Palawan, said migrants and others must trust more in God as the world faces oil crises amid the war in the Middle East.
He urged OFWs not to lose hope in God and support the needs of families in the Philippines.
“It is worrisome that OFWs in the Middle East and their safety and jobs are at risk. The remittances they send to their families will be greatly affected,” he said. “The price of oil and essential commodities is increasing. Let us not lose hope, because we will face this scenario with prayer and faith.”
Another bishop, Ruperto Cruz Santos of Antipolo, urged OFWs to care for their safety with precautions, avoiding risky areas and staying informed about local situations.
“Let us remain vigilant in prayer and steadfast in hope. May our voices rise to heaven, pleading for an end to violence and the coming of lasting peace,” he said.
He advised OFWs in the Middle East to stay indoors and in workplaces, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow instructions from embassy officials and government officials.
Given the current war situation, numerous OFWs face uncertainty, displacement, and separation from their families.
About 2.4 million Filipinos reside in the Middle East, mainly in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. They work in construction, health care, and domestic services and are at high risk following the conflicts, which may lead to job loss, reduced income, and increased vulnerability to exploitation.
Nearly 1 million Filipinos live in the UAE, while Saudi Arabia has over 813,000; in Qatar, 250,000; and in Kuwait, over 106,000.
The Middle East remains a critical source of remittances for the Philippines, with a large concentration of workers in the Gulf region.
“Since the oil boom in the 1970s, Filipinos have been working there doing various skilled and semi-skilled jobs,” Jeremaiah M. Opiniano, executive director of the Institute for Migration and Development Issues, told EWTN News.
“Like during the pandemic and other episodes of conflict (e.g., Israel and Palestine), naturally affected Filipinos seek shelter. They try to tell their loved ones back home not to worry, but both parties are worried,” he added.
Plight of OPWs
The Philippines heavily depends on the Middle East for oil. The government has declared a state of national energy emergency following a rise in domestic fuel prices, which has impacted industries, transportation, logistics, trade, and agriculture. Moreover, workers and consumers face challenges in the crisis.
Christina Reys, 52, a mother of four adults from the Bicol region, is distressed because her son Rolando, a seafarer, is stuck in the Persian Gulf along with his crew, as their ship carrying oil cannot sail due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The ship cannot pass. We are worried for Rolando and his crew. We are seeking divine guidance and protection amid the war,” she told EWTN News.
Since the onset of the war, the crew has remained on the ship, clinging to the hope of returning home.
According to Reys, the local parish is assisting her and her family with material and spiritual guidance, providing food, shelter, and emotional support to help them cope with the challenges they face during this difficult time.
The safety and livelihood of over 2 million Filipinos in the Middle East are at risk as well.
Repatriation
The government has begun repatriating Filipinos in high-risk areas like Iraq and Syria. As of March 30, as many as 3,347 OFWs from the Middle East returned to the Philippines via chartered flights, according to the Department of Migrant Workers, who said the repatriation efforts will continue for an unforeseen time.
Once an OFW has returned home, the government provides financial aid, medical assistance, and travel fares to the individual’s home province.
If this crisis in the Middle East escalates and jobs are affected, there may be some job displacements and possibly disruptions in sending remittances, said Opiniano, who is also a professor at the Dominican-run University of Santo Tomas.
Stakeholders wishing to assist OFWs in the Middle East can do so by maintaining regular communication, helping their families save for emergencies, participating in repatriation efforts if desired, and continuing to pray.
All the more, families back home may want to maximize their memberships with the Social Security System, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG Fund should the family need resources, besides temporary aid from charity organizations and others, Opiniano explained.
EWTN News explains: What are the Good Friday Reproaches?
The Good Friday Reproaches are a series of antiphons, known also as the “Improperia” or “Popule Meus” (“My People”), coming from the opening lines of the Latin text of the recitation.
Dating back to the ninth century, though not gaining a permanent place in the Roman orders until the 14th century, the Good Friday Reproaches have long been an essential part of the Roman liturgy. But they largely disappeared from many parishes following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
The antiphons have, however, retained their prominence at the Vatican — and are normally chanted by the Sistine Chapel Choir during the Good Friday service in St. Peter’s Basilica.
In the moment leading up to the dramatic recitation, the priest chants three times, in an increasing pitch, “Ecce lignum crucis,” or “Behold the wood of the cross,” each time gradually unveiling the cross that hitherto has been covered in a purple veil.
Once the crucifix is placed in a central location at the edge of the sanctuary, cast against a bare altar, the faithful are invited to kneel before — and kiss — it, a powerful remembrance of Christ’s passion but also a recognition of the cross as an instrument of salvation.
During the adoration of the cross, the Good Friday Reproaches are chanted in an alternating manner between a cantor and choir. It opens: “Popule meus, quid feci tibi? Aut in quo contristavi te? Responde mihi” (“My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me”).
This hauntingly sorrowful and beautiful text is followed by the first reproach: “Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti: parasti crucem Salvatori tuo” (“Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt: thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior”), showcasing the world’s fatal rejection of Christ despite his love and saving acts.
The following is the full text of the reproaches:
Popule meus, quid feci tibi?
Aut in quo contristavi te?
Responde mihi.
(O my people, what have I done to thee?
Or how have I offended you?
Answer me.)
Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti:
parasti crucem Salvatori tuo.
(Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt:
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.)
Hagios o Theos.
Sanctus Deus.
Hagios Ischyros.
Sanctus fortis.
Hagios Athanatos, eleison himas.
Sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis.
(O holy God!
O holy God!
O holy strong One!
O holy strong One!
O holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
O holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.)
Quia eduxi te per desertum quadraginta annis:
et manna cibavi te, et introduxi te in terram satis bonam:
parasti crucem Salvatori tuo.
Hagios ...
(Because I led thee through the desert for 40 years:
and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good:
Thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.
O holy God! ...)
Quid ultra debui facere tibi, et non feci?
Ego quidem plantavi te vineam meam speciosissimam:
et tu facta es mihi nimis amara:
aceto namque sitim meam potasti:
et lancea perforasti latus Salvatori tuo.
Hagios ...
(What more ought I to have done for thee, that I have not done?
I planted thee, indeed, my most beautiful vineyard:
and thou hast become exceeding bitter to me:
for in my thirst thou gavest me vinegar to drink:
and with a spear thou hast pierced the side of thy Savior.
O holy God! ...)
Ego propter te flagellavi Aegyptum cum primogenitis suis:
et tu me flagellatum tradidisti.
Popule meus ...
(For thy sake I scourged the firstborn of Egypt:
Thou hast given me up to be scourged.
O my people ...)
Ego te eduxi de Aegypto, demerso Pharone in mare Rubrum:
et tu me tradidisti principibus sacerdotum.
Popule meus ...
(I led thee out of Egypt, having drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea:
and thou hast delivered me to the chief priests.
O my people ...)
Ego ante te aperui mare:
et tu aperuisti lancea latus meum.
Popule meus ...
(I opened the sea before thee:
and thou hast opened my side with a spear.
O my people ...)
Ego ante te praeivi in columna nubis:
et tu me duxisti ad praetorium Pilati.
Popule meus ...
(I went before thee in a pillar of cloud:
and thou hast led me to the judgment hall of Pilate.
O my people ...)
Ego te pavi manna in desertum:
et tu me cedisti alapis et flagellis.
Popule meus . . .
(I fed thee with manna in the desert:
and thou hast assaulted me with blows and scourges.
O my people ...)
Ego te potavi aqua salutis de petra:
et tu me potasti felle et aceto.
Popule meus ...
(I gave thee the water of salvation from the rock:
and thou hast given me gall and vinegar to drink.
O my people ...)
Ego propter te Chananeorum reges percussi:
et tu percussisti arundine caput meum.
Popule meus . . .
(For thy sake I struck the kings of the Canaanites:
and thou hast struck my head with a reed.
O my people ...)
Ego dedi tibi sceptrum regale:
et tu dedisti capiti meo spineam coronam.
Popule meus ...
(I gave thee a royal scepter:
and thou hast given a crown of thorns for my head.
O my people ...)
Ego te exaltavi magna virtute:
et tu me suspendisti in patibulo crucis.
Popule meus ...
(I exalted thee with great strength:
and thou hast hanged me on the gibbet of the cross.
O my people ...)
This story was first published on Good Friday 2024 and has been updated.
5 ways to solemnly celebrate Good Friday
Good Friday is considered for many one of the holiest days of the liturgical year. Part of the Triduum, Good Friday is the day the Church turns its attention to the cross on Calvary. It is the somber day Jesus Christ was crucified.
Catholic churches everywhere can be seen with a bare altar and with the door of the empty tabernacle open. As the Church mourns, Catholics are also called to solemnly observe this holy day.
Here are some ways you can solemnly celebrate Good Friday:
1. Attend the celebration of the Lord’s passion at your local parish
Mass is not celebrated on Good Friday. However, Catholic churches will offer a service celebrating the Lord’s passion with holy Communion and veneration of the cross. These services are normally held at 3 p.m. because that is the time Jesus died on the cross.
2. Participate in the Stations of the Cross
In addition to offering a service celebrating the Lord’s passion, many parishes will also have Stations of the Cross later in the evening. This is a wonderful opportunity to meditate on the events that took place on Good Friday, which led to Jesus’ passion and crucifixion.
3. Fast
Throughout Lent, Catholics are encouraged to fast on all Fridays. On Good Friday, strive to observe the obligatory full day of fasting by consuming no more than one full meal and two smaller meals that do not equal the one larger meal. In addition to fasting from food, you can also fast from social media, television, or radio in order to spend more time meditating on the significance of the day.
4. Read the Lord’s passion in the Bible
If you’re unable to attend a celebration of the Lord’s passion or Stations of the Cross, try to find time to spend in Scripture. Jesus’ crucifixion can be found in Mark 15, Luke 23, John 18, and Matthew 27.
5. Spend time in prayer
Spending time with the Lord in prayer is a great way to solemnly celebrate Good Friday. You can simply spend time speaking with Jesus or sit in silence as you allow yourself to be in his presence. Other prayers you can include are the Litany of the Passion and the Seven Sorrows of Mary. You can also pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. Or, you can begin the Divine Mercy Novena, which starts today.
This story was first published on April 7, 2023, and has been updated.
PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV celebrates the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV on Holy Thursday returned the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, reviving a papal practice last observed there in 2012 under Benedict XVI.
Departing from Pope Francis’ custom of celebrating the liturgy in prisons or migrant centers, Leo celebrated the rite in the cathedral of Rome and washed the feet of 12 priests of the Diocese of Rome.
Bishop Barron, Father Mike Schmitz to speak at Trump event rededicating U.S. to God
A few prominent Catholics are scheduled to speak at a May 17 event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where President Donald Trump will rededicate the United States to “one nation, under God.”
Speakers will include Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire and member of the president’s Religious Liberty Commission, and Father Mike Schmitz, a Catholic media figure and host of “The Bible in a Year” podcast, according to an announcement by the White House.
Jonathan Roumie, the Catholic actor who plays Jesus Christ on the television series “The Chosen,” will also speak at the event. Cardinal Timothy Dolan will provide a video address for the event.
The programming for the event will include talks about Christianity in American history and the Christian faith of American historical figures along with prayers and Christian music.
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and House Speaker Mike Johnson are scheduled to speak as well.
“Our mission is to gather the nation in prayer and worship, to have a moment reflecting on God’s providence in the birth and preservation of the United States, and this is really our opportunity to unite the country and rededicate our nation to God,” Justin Caporale, executive producer for major events and public appearances for the White House, said in a media call.
Some Protestant speakers expected include Pastor Jack Graham, Samuel Rodriguez, and Eric Metaxas. There will also be a video address by Franklin Graham. There will be musical performances by Chris Tomlin, Blessing Offor, and the U.S. Navy Band.
Trump announced the “Rededicate 250” event in February during the National Prayer Breakfast, which coincides with broader celebrations to honor the 250th anniversary of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Rededicate 250 event organizer, Freedom 250, is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Park Foundation.
“When our founders proclaimed the immortal truths that echoed around the world and down all the way through time, they declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator,” Trump said at the Feb. 4 breakfast.
Last September, Trump also launched the “America Prays” initiative, which asks Americans to create groups to dedicate one hour of prayer every week for the United States and its people leading up to the Fourth of July anniversary.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched separate events to honor the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
In February, the USCCB asked parishes to contribute to 250 collective hours of adoration and 250 collective works of mercy in the lead up to the Fourth of July. The bishops asked parishes to report participation in the initiative and inform them of the fruits of the prayers and actions.
On July 12, the bishops will also reconsecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as part of the solemnity. This will occur during Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
Teens sidestep parental notification through telehealth abortion, study shows
Teenagers and young adults are obtaining abortion pills through telehealth at high rates, a recent report found.
The report, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum, looked at telehealth abortion requests for an online provider across three age groups (ages 15–17, 18–24, and 25–49). The report found that young adults (ages 18–24) order abortion medication at much higher rates than older adults and that more teenagers order abortion pills in states with parental notification or consent laws around abortion.
The study found a “growing demand among adolescents and young adults in legally constrained environments.”
“Young people appear to increasingly rely on online telemedicine services for abortion care, with compounding legal restrictions driving higher demand,” the report read.
Michael New, senior associate scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute and assistant professor at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News that the report shows how abortion pills “undermine abortion bans and heartbeat laws” and “pro-life parental involvement laws that are in effect in over 30 states.”
For minor girls ages 15–17 requesting abortion pills, New pointed out that “the largest increase was seen in states that had both parental consent laws and parental notice laws.”
“Overall online requests for chemical abortion pills increased after the Dobbs decision,” New noted. “However, states that had some sort of parental involvement law had considerably larger increases than states with no parental involvement law.”
This can put women at risk, he said.
“There are serious public health concerns with giving minor girls access to chemical abortions by telehealth,” New said. “Minor girls who are seeking abortions via telehealth are often doing so to conceal their pregnancy or their sexual activity from their parents. As such, they might be less likely to seek medical attention if complications occur. This increases the health risks involved with obtaining an abortion.”
Multiple studies indicate high rates of hospitalizations for women taking the abortion pills. Chemical abortion has a complication rate four times that of surgical abortion, according to one study. Another report found that abortion pill complications are often underreported or misclassified.
“Overall, research has shown that chemical abortions pills taken under in-person medical supervision have a much higher complication rate than surgical abortions,” New said. “The fact that minor girls are obtaining chemical abortion pills online without in-person medical supervision only increases those risks.”
Tennessee telehealth abortion liability bill heads to governor
A Tennessee bill that would allow civil action against out-of-state abortion drug suppliers is heading to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Gino Bulso of Brentwood, would make abortion pill suppliers liable in wrongful-death lawsuits. It would allow family members of an unborn baby, including the biological mother, to sue the abortion pill provider, allowing for statutory damages of at least $1 million for a wrongful-death lawsuit. It would also make it a Class E felony to knowingly mail abortion-inducing drugs to someone in Tennessee.
Though the state already has strong legal protections for unborn children, Bulso said that “mail-order abortions continue to kill thousands of innocent unborn children every year.” Bulso called the bill “a critical step in our efforts to promote life, protect women, and ensure morality defines our laws.”
Kansas lawmakers override governor’s veto of pregnancy center protections
Hours after Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill to protect conscience rights for pregnancy centers, the state House and Senate voted to override the veto.
Based on model legislation, the CARE Act is designed to ensure that pregnancy centers are not targeted for their life-affirming beliefs. The bill prevents any government rule or division from targeting centers or forcing them to perform abortions. The bill affirms that “pregnancy centers serve women with integrity and compassion in this state and across the United States.”
There are more than 50 pregnancy centers serving women and families in Kansas and an estimated 3,000 centers in the U.S.
United Kingdom lawmakers call for delay on abortion bill
In the U.K. Parliament, lawmakers called for a delay in an abortion clause that could effectively legalize abortion up to birth, according to the bill’s opponents.
A cross-party group of members of Parliament (MPs) and members of the House of Lords (peers) called on the government to delay the clause in an open letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Health Minister Wes Streeting. In England and Wales, abortions after 24 weeks are a criminal offense. Though the bill does not directly remove the 24-week limit for abortion, it would remove any legal sanction on women aborting their children outside the legal time frame.
The letter, which had 79 signatories from different parties, said that Clause 246 (formerly Clause 208) would create ambiguities that need to be addressed. The letter warned that the new clause could lead to cases of infanticide going undetected and raises questions about cases like women being pressured into abortions.
“Since the advent of the abortion ‘pills by post’ scheme, disturbing cases of women inducing their own abortions outside the terms of the Abortion Act have already occurred,” the letter read. “As there would no longer be a legal deterrent against such cases, there is a real danger that such instances will increase with tragic consequences for women and viable unborn babies.”
The letter calls on the government to “hit pause” on the proposals and allow for “consultation, impact assessment, or meaningful scrutiny” and to draft guidance for police and health care professionals.