A screengrab from Pope Francis’ video message, released March 4, 2025, highlights his prayer intention for March: “For families in crisis.” (CNS screengrab/Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network)
By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The best medicine to heal the pain of a wounded family is forgiveness, Pope Francis said.
“Forgiveness always renews the family, making it look forward with hope,” the pope said in a video message to present his prayer intention for the month of March: “For families in crisis.”
The video, which was recorded weeks before his hospitalization Feb. 14 and released March 4, did not include the usual footage of Pope Francis at his desk reading the message but only used his voice for the narration.
It did not seem “respectful” or appropriate to be publishing a previously recorded video of him while he was recovering at the hospital, an official at the prayer network told Catholic News Service March 4. No images of the pope taken after he was hospitalized have been released.
The final frame of the video says, “The video was recorded a few weeks ago. Let us join in prayer with Pope Francis at clicktopray.org.”
In the message, Pope Francis said, “We all dream about a beautiful, perfect family. But there’s no such thing as a perfect family. Every family has its own problems, as well as its tremendous joys.”
“Every member of the family is important because each member is different than the others, each person is unique. But these differences can also cause conflict and painful wounds,” he said.
The best medicine to help heal the pain of those wounds, he said, is forgiveness. “Forgiveness means giving another chance. God does this with us all the time. God’s patience is infinite. He forgives us, lifts us up, gives us a new start.”
Even if there is no possibility of there being a fairytale ending of “happily ever after,” he said, “God’s grace gives us the strength to forgive, and it brings peace, because it frees us from sadness, and, above all, from resentment.”
“Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences,” he said.
(The video can be found in English and other languages at www.thepopevideo.org.)
So, a random guy walks into a bar. No, this isn’t the beginning of a joke. For me, it’s a Lenten meditation. A friend of mine tends bar in a neighborhood tavern. It’s a small place where “regulars” gather. Once, on the rare occasion I visited, I asked for red wine. My friend shook her head. “I wouldn’t order wine here,” she said. Apparently, a bottle of Merlot can sit open for weeks. This is a beer drinker’s haven.
She told me that one night as she stood behind the bar, she was looking at a GoFundMe page for a friend, a young woman diagnosed with very serious cancer. The woman had to quit her job to begin treatment.
Effie Caldarola
A customer my friend didn’t know was sitting at the bar sipping a beer and asked what she was doing. She explained the young woman’s situation. This random guy, a stranger, pulled out two $20 bills and pushed them over to her. Add that to the GoFundMe, he said.
What does this have to do with my Lent? I’ve been thinking about generosity. More specifically, I’ve been pondering spontaneous generosity and what it says about the heart. My heart.
Spring brings two familiar rituals – one, the penitential season of Lent with its many graces. The other, tax season, with its obligations. Although ostensibly very different things, they may intersect at the point where some of us use our charitable donations as deductions.
Tax season holds us hostage to paper, and I’ve carefully recorded the donations my husband and I have made. Again, the intersection: I want a deduction, but I also use this as a time to evaluate my generosity. Were our contributions “enough?” Were they more than last year? Did they reflect our church’s preferential option for the poor? What do they say about our priorities?
But then, a random guy pushes $40 across the bar in a spontaneous act of compassion, and my receipts suddenly seem less important and a bit more calculated. Where, I wonder, is my record of everyday acts of generosity, acts which held no hidden benefit to me except the grace of a God whose generosity is boundless?
I think back to times I’ve failed at spontaneous generosity. I sometimes recall, long ago, a man loitering on the early morning street, me rushing to a coffee shop before a meeting. I had no cash to give him, but later I asked myself why I didn’t offer to buy him a coffee. Maybe a muffin? I had a credit card.
There’s nothing wrong with planned giving. Actually, it’s important. Maybe we tithe, or maybe we choose a sacrifice so that we can give more. In these troubled times, with so many people suffering and even dying because federal contracts to Catholic charities have been frozen, our charitable planning is critical.
But generosity should be a way of life, not just a budget line item. Generosity is stumbling out of bed after a sleepless night and smiling brightly at our family. It’s letting someone else have the last piece of cake. It’s spontaneous compassion on a daily basis, through our time, our words, our resources. Without payback. Just sliding a little cash across the bar.
Did that guy have a sister or mother who struggled with the same cancer? Or did he just have a generous heart? We’ll never know.
People often ask a deacon friend of mine how much they should give, almost as if his answer would justify them. He would always smile and say, “More.” That’s a good daily Lenten mantra. After all, how can we give God less?
(Effie Caldarola is a wife, mom and grandmother who received her master’s degree in pastoral studies from Seattle University.)
By Deacon John McGregor The formation process for men interested in the permanent diaconate is both rigorous and rewarding. Let’s begin by looking at the inquiry and application processes.
Inquiry sessions are scheduled in all the deaneries in our diocese. At the inquiry sessions the participant will hear about the ministry of the permanent diaconate, the formation process, and be given an opportunity to ask questions. The participant will be asked to complete a short inquirer’s form, so we have some basic information about the party and the party’s association with the church. Then in May, the inquirer may request an application, which must be completed by the end of July. The application includes an extensive questionnaire about the perspective candidate’s relationship with the church, with Christ, with his family, etc. In addition, the inquirer will be asked to write three essays – an autobiography, another describing his spiritual journey, and another, outlining why the perspective candidate believes he is called to serve as a deacon. His wife will also be asked to complete part of the application form and to write a letter of support for the application.
In addition to the application, the perspective diaconate candidate will be required to submit the results of a physical examination, proof of reception of the sacrament of baptism, holy communion and confirmation. If married, the applicant must show that he is married “in the church.” He will also be asked to submit three letters of recommendation, and request a letter of recommendation from his pastor, mailed directly to the director of the permanent diaconate. Once a completed application package is received, no later than July 31, 2025, the applicant and his spouse will interview with a deacon and his spouse, and a priest. After these interviews, the applicant will be required to take a psychological evaluation. Ultimately, the final interview is with the bishop and the deacon vocations board. If accepted, aspirancy would begin in January 2026.
Aspirancy is a one-year period of discernment, prior to entering formation. During phase one, the aspirant will learn more about the ministry of the deacon, prayer, discernment and other introductory topics. Aspirants meet once a month on Saturdays, from January through June during this first phase of aspirancy. Phase two begins in September with a prerequisite theology course on divine revelation. Again, throughout Phase two, meetings are on Saturdays only. At the end of the aspirancy period, the aspirant will once again be interviewed to determine if he is able and willing to move into the formation program.
Those accepted into candidacy would begin the formation process in January 2027. During the four years of formation, candidates are required to meet one weekend a month from Friday evening to Sunday midday. During this period, the candidate will study theology at a graduate level, receive formation in spirituality and take part in practicums. The candidate is also expected to maintain an active ministry in his parish, working with his pastor as a means to developing his pastoral ministry skills. At the end of the formation process, candidates may petition the bishop for ordination. Those who successfully complete the course work must also take and pass a comprehensive written exam. Those who complete all the requirements will receive a Master of Theological Studies degree from Spring Hill College.
Deacon Wesley Lindsay and other permanent deacons throughout the Diocese of Jackson serve in the ministries of Word, liturgy and charity, assisting priests, supporting parish communities and reaching out to those in need. (Photo from archives)
The diaconal formation process is both rigorous and rewarding. Those who complete the program can be confident in their abilities to serve the church in the diaconal ministries of Word, liturgy and charity. They will be formed according to the four pillars of formation for priests and deacons which seeks to develop the whole person: human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral. While to some, the program may seem too demanding, but Christ and his church deserve nothing less than the best formation program we can offer.
Those interested in learning more about the permanent diaconate are encouraged to contact Deacon John McGregor (john.mcgregor@jacksondiocese.org) and attend one of the inquiry sessions planned in your area.
For many years, Jeff and Ann Cook have been dedicated parishioners of St. Richard Parish in Jackson. Their journey toward the diaconate began in 2016 when they first considered the possibility. After much discussion with their family, they decided the timing was not right. However, in early 2021, they felt a renewed calling to discern this path together. With faith-filled hearts, they took the leap, and Jeff submitted his application to begin formation for the diaconate.
Currently, Jeff is a candidate with plans to be ordained in the summer of 2026. “When we began this process, Ann and I felt we would be walking this path alone,” Jeff shared. “Much to our delight, we found a supportive community in the other deacon applicants and their wives. Our faith has been strengthened as we journey together.”
Pictured, Jeff and Ann Cook of St. Richard parish in Jackson. In 2021 Jeff and Ann felt a renewed calling to discern the path of joining the diaconate. Jeff looks to be ordained a permanent deacon in the summer of 2026.
Ann, who initially had reservations about the balance between marriage, family and the diaconate program, and she found peace through prayer and discernment. “God reassured me with the words, ‘Never have I led you where you could not go,’ which eased my anxiety and allowed us to say yes,” she said. “I am grateful for the friendships we have formed, the deepening of our Catholic faith, and the support we have received during difficult times. Despite the challenges, this formation process has been a profound blessing.”
Jeff’s journey would not be possible without the generous support of the Catholic Service Appeal (CSA). Contributions to the CSA help offset the costs of the formation program, providing assistance for those pursuing vocations.
“Your support reminds us that we are not walking this journey alone but are accompanied by the prayers and sacrifices of parishioners like you,” Jeff said. “We are profoundly humbled and truly thankful for this shared commitment. Knowing that others are walking with us on this path means more than words can express.”
Donate to the Catholic Service appeal by clicking the image below.
By Madelyn Johnson JACKSON – Beads, feathers, silent auctions, and a chance to win $10,000? Mardi Gras was in the air and the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Jackson knew how to celebrate!
Mardi Gras is a great time for celebration and indulgence as we prepare for the Lenten season. Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” started in Medieval Europe as a time of celebration before Lent. Mardi Gras begins on the Twelfth Night, which is the Holy Day of Epiphany.
Mardi Gras came to Mobile, Alabama in the 1700s, where the first celebration took place. New Orleans soon caught on to the celebrations, and became very popular. Mardi Gras is an official state holiday in Louisiana.
Diocesan Catholic schools use this time of celebration to honor and fundraise. Many of the schools celebrate Mardi Gras with a ball or drawdown event.
First, St. Richard Catholic School in Jackson hosted Krewe de Cardinal at the Westin, where the Roaring 20s theme took over the night with a silent auction including the chance to win a Gold Frame Samsung TV. Mardi Gras King Hilary Zimmerman and Mardi Gras Queen Helen Shirley shared a dance on the dance floor with music by the Groove Factor. Sponsoring the event was Cathead Distillery, St. Dominic’s Hospital and many more.
“From a parent’s perspective, Krewe is ‘the’ event of the school year. This is when those relationships you’ve been building with families and parishioners throughout the year really shine,” says Celeste Sauicer, development director of St. Richard School and parent. ‘And everyone is there for the same reason, to support the best school. To see so many people come together on one night, all in good spirits, really showcases this incredible community and how much of an impact St. Richard has on so many. As a staff member, this is the busiest time of the year, but my favorite time of the year because this event/fundraiser is really parent run and there are a lot of moving parts to creating a successful event. I’m constantly in awe and appreciation of how much our parents truly love this school. I get to see everything behind the scenes and really talk with these parents, so I learn a lot and see constantly how hard these parents will work and all they will do for this school. I always say that if there is one event that will show you the spirit of St. Richard Catholic School, Krewe de Cardinal is it.”
Vicksburg Catholic School celebrated Mardi Gras with their 42nd $20,000 Draw Down at the Levee Street Warehouse in Vicksburg. There, a silent auction took place with many prizes given away. For the grand prize, the last ten names drawn decided to split the cash.
Annunciation Catholic School in Columbus hosted their Mardi Gras event, A Night of Bids and Beads, where the grand prize was a drawing of $10,000. The event was held at the ACS gym, and tickets sold out quickly. A silent auction was held as well.
For St. Elizabeth Catholic School in Clarksdale, a drawdown of $10,000 was the way to go. Hosted by Hopson Hospitality, friendship and good times rolled while silent auction items steadily were bid upon. Farm Bureau sponsored the event, and Ginny Moser went home with the big Drawdown cash prize.
St. Joseph Catholic School in Greenville had a great time at the Delta Men’s Association in Eudora, Arkansas with their Spring Fling. The night started off strong with drawdown for a chance to win $10,000. Tension was high when the last two names were to be drawn, with Joel Henderson winning the grand prize. A catfish dinner with all the trimmings followed with king cake for dessert. Door prizes and raffles continued through the night.
This year’s Mardi Gras celebrations had wonderful turnouts and great times; however, it is now time we prepare ourselves for Lent.
“[Mardi Gras] is a time where we all have Lent in the back of our mind,” says Bishop Joseph Kopcaz. “People understand now it’s 40 days of sacrifice, where we consider the Lord’s sacrifice. And also our sacrifice in baptism and faith to know that we are blessed. We know that we walk the new path of renewal through Him.”
St. Joseph School in Greenville hosted a “Spring Fling” complete with a raffle and draw down. (Photo by Madelyn Johnson)Principal Joni House draws a winner at Annunciation School’s “Night of Bids and Beads.” (Photo by Jacque Hince)Patrons dance the night away at St. Richard School’s annual “Krewe de Cardinal” event. (Photo by Tereza Ma)A large crowd was in attendance at Vicksburg Catholic School’s 42nd Draw Down on Sunday, Feb. 16. (Photo vy Connie Hosemann)Attendees excitedly talk amongst themselves as the drawdown takes place at Hopson Hospitality in Clarksdale for St. Elizabeth School. (Photo by Madelyn Johnson)
By Galen Holley HOUSTON – On Feb. 27, the parishioners at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church gathered around the Eucharistic table to commemorate their 70th year as a worshiping community. Bishop Joseph Kopacz was on hand to lead the congregation in their observances.
Before celebrating Mass, Bishop Kopacz reflected upon the history of Immaculate Heart.
HOUSTON – Dedicated on Feb. 20, 1955, Immaculate Heart of Mary was constructed with the generous assistance of Catholic Extension. (Photo from archives)
“This is mission territory, and some of the early inroads of the church were made when the Benedictine Monks of Cullman (Alabama) built this church in 1955 with support from the Catholic Extension Society. By 1965, the Glenmary Home Missioners arrived to help these people establish a foothold and, through the years, it has spread a traditional culture and values that are part of the character of the parish.”
The Glenmary Home Missioners are a Cincinnati-based order serving the church in rural America. Father Bob Dalton was a beloved Glenmary priest who served a long tenure as the pastor at IHM. He was the last of the Glenmarians to leave Mississippi in 2014, when Immaculate Heart returned to the care of the Diocese of Jackson. Brother Terry O’Rourke was another Glenmarian who worked for the parish for years. He was a carpenter, handyman and general, all-around servant of the people. Other ministers who served the church included Father Francois Pellessier and Father Vince Burns.
Several women are invaluable to development of Immaculate Heart. Sister Nancy Schreck, a Dubuque Franciscan, was the first woman commissioned to lead a parish in the Jackson Diocese. Two Dominican women, Sister Rosemary Empen and Sister Pat Sullivan directed the construction of the parish hall, and Sheila Preszmicki and Sister Pat Hinton nurtured the growing Hispanic community. In 2022, Bishop Kopacz installed Danna Johnson as the Lay Ecclesicial Minister. She coordinates an entire range of pastoral ministries, in English and Spanish for the vibrant and growing population. Two diocesan priests, Fathers Binh Nguyen and Tim Murphy, celebrate the weekend Masses.
Deacon Dien Hoang, Father Binh Nguyen and Bishop Joseph Kopacz are pictured at the 70th anniversary Mass for Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Houston on Feb. 27, 2025. (Photo by Galen Holley)
Dr. John Dyer was a physician and civic leader in Chickasaw County who donated the land for the church, The adjoining property was acquired from the Stewart family. Their son, Dr. Robert Stewart, a retired Delta State professor attended the Anniversary Mass. Among the parish’s most long-tenured members is Sandra Porter. Her grandparents, John and Sophie Mihelic came over as immigrants from Yugoslavia. “I remember a closeness among us,” said Porter, adding that, in the church’s infancy, a handful of Catholics met in people’s homes to celebrate Mass. “We were a bit of an oddity at the time,” said Porter, laughing good naturedly. “There was always a flicker of a flame that grew into something bigger.” She also recalled the central role of the late Ruth Agnes Carty Crosthwait. Her father was the only Catholic in Houston in the 1940’s. He then became the lead carpenter of the crew that built the church in 1955.
Gus and Diane Clark have been parishioners for a decade, and they’ve found a welcoming church home. “It’s a tightly knit parish community,” said Gus. “The people are so warm and friendly, and we really love Father Binh,” added Diane, who said she’s the “resident Catholic expert” in her bridge club. “That’s because I’m the only Catholic,” she said laughing.
Tom and Carol Byrne have been members of Immaculate Heart for nearly four decades. “The Catholic identity and soul of Immaculate Heart really shines through in a way that might not be so clear in a huge church with a lot of resources,” said Tom, adding that he is especially grateful for the variety of priests from different cultural backgrounds, like Vietnam and India, who have shepherded the parish. “It really is a rich history and it’s fantastic how these people’s stories have converged and we’ve been incredibly blessed by these priests, and they’ve been warmly received,” said Byrne. “It’s the true meaning of Catholic and universal.”
Donna Cole has been a member of Immaculate Heart since the 1970s, and over the years she’s served as a lector, Eucharistic minister and in Hispanic ministry. She remembered holding numerous fundraising dinners in order to fund expansion. “We practically built that parish center with chicken dinners,” said Cole, laughing. She added that parishioners have always stepped forward to help when needed. She fondly recalled that in the early days of the influx of Hispanic members, the church would hold services at the fire department in Calhoun City.
Cole particularly enjoyed Bishop Kopacz’s visit on the anniversary. “There was a special energy in the building tonight,” she said.
It was exemplified by well-known Mississippi author, Ralph Eubanks, who returned for the anniversary Mass. He and his sister were welcomed into Full Communion in Immaculate Heart in 1976 by Glenmary Father Bob Hare.
Cole also remembered that IHM enjoyed the service of two lay ecclesial ministers, Walter Fircowycz and Lorenzo Ajo, Another blessing to the parish, according to Cole, was a large group of youth and adults from St. John’s parish in Savage, Minnesota who, for 10 years, during the last week of June came down to conduct a Bible camp. They brought all their own supplies to feed and educate children, to the tune of more than 100 youngsters each day, from Chickasaw and Calhoun counties. “This was an exciting time for our parish and so many lasting friendships were made,” said Cole, adding that the visits started during the time of Sister Pat Sullivan’s ministry and carried over into that of Lorenzo.
Cole also said that she’s developed a heart for Hispanic Catholics at IHM. “I truly believe that we would not have a church if it were not for our flourishing Hispanic community,” said Cole. “I am so grateful for them.”
During his homily, Bishop Kopacz spoke of the symbolism of crossing the threshold of the church during the holy Jubilee Year. “The Lord is the door through which, for many years, people have entered,” said Kopacz. “Joy is a completion of hope and peace … The earliest Catholics here were pioneers in the faith, and they built the church, sometimes facing hostility and rejection. They walked by faith and not by sight. The first Mass here was a moment of grace, and tonight is as well,” said Kopacz.
(Galen Holley is a member of St. Francis of Assisi in New Albany.)
By Jack Figge (OSV News) – Catholics across the world are embarking on pilgrimages to commemorate the Jubilee Year of Hope.
Many will travel to Rome to visit the four major basilicas and pass through their Holy Doors so as to gain a plenary indulgence.
For those that are unable to travel to Rome, however, they are still able to participate by traveling to one of the numerous Jubilee Year pilgrimage sites across the country.
These sites each have a unique history and hold significance in their local region, helping Catholics to encounter God in new ways.
In the densely populated East Coast, bishops have designated a multitude of jubilee sites located in dense cities and rural countryside.
Surrounded by dense forest, yet only a mere 50 miles away from New York City, sits Graymoor – the Holy Mountain.
Mission San Buenaventura in Ventura, Calif., is seen in this undated photo. On July 15, 2020, Pope Francis elevated the mission church to the rank of minor basilica. (OSV News photo/Mike Nelson)
Run by the Franciscan Friars of Atonement, Graymoor serves as a home for the friars and a retreat center. It also houses many ministries, such as St. Christopher’s Inn, a residential program for men battling drug addiction.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York designated Graymoor as one of the eight jubilee pilgrimage sites in his archdiocese. When Atonement Father Jim Gardiner, director of special projects, and the other friars learned about the designation, they were ecstatic.
“We’re grateful to be named a pilgrimage site because Cardinal Dolan could’ve named all kinds of other places,” Father Gardiner told OSV News. “We see it as a sign of support and encouragement, which is especially needed as these are tough times, since we, like many other places, have been struggling with vocations.” In Father Gardiner’s own vocation story, a pilgrimage to Graymoor played a significant role. He said it launched his discernment journey.
“In 1948, I was in the first grade when I visited Graymoor,” Father Gardiner recalled. “It was so exciting. We had Mass outdoors and walked around the property. When we were preparing to leave, one of the friars stopped and asked me if I had a good day. I said yes, and he said, ‘I’m going to pray every day that you come back here.’”
“I have no idea who that friar was, but as a result of that pilgrimage, I’ve been here 60-plus years now,” he said.
To commemorate the Jubilee Year, Father Gardiner and other staff members have developed a variety of programs and events.
“We have great staff here that has been meeting regularly, coming up with all kinds of great ideas,” Father Gardiner said. “We have special Masses planned, special retreats; but really, we just have a great space that we want visitors to take part in.”
In the South, Sacred Heart Parish in downtown Tampa, Florida, is preparing to welcome a plethora of pilgrims.
Founded in the early 1850s, the parish became a cornerstone in the Tampa Bay area as the city grew around it.
“Sacred Heart was founded in the infancy of Tampa Bay as a city,” Rob Boelke, director of communications at Sacred Heart, told OSV News. “John Jackson, an Irish immigrant, and his wife, Ellen, arrived in the area as a surveyor. He surveyed the majority of our downtown and the older areas of the city itself, and those streets largely stand in the same grid that he had put together. Soon after arriving, he and his wife sent a petition to the Diocese of Savannah asking for a parish to be founded.”
In the 1850s, the area that now comprises the St. Petersburg Diocese was part of the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia.
Soon after the Jacksons’ request, a small wooden church was built, served by Jesuit missionaries. By the late 1800s, the parish had outgrown it and began constructing a new Romanesque-style church. Completed in 1905, the church remains today as a unique architectural fixture in Catholic Florida. “Most of the churches in Florida were built in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and they are not architecturally significant,” Boelke said. “Sacred Heart has very unique architecture that is much more in line with churches that you would see across the Northeast or in the Midwest. It’s largely Romanesque with beautiful stained-glass windows so people are drawn to the parish for its beauty.”
Sacred Heart is one of six Jubilee pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Already, pilgrims are flocking to the church to commemorate both the Jubilee Year and the parish’s 120th anniversary.
“We are hosting lots of tours for both Catholic and secular schools; other parishes are calling us to set up times for large group visits,” Boelke said.
Located in the Midwestern small town of Perryville, Missouri, the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is preparing to welcome pilgrims to its vast property for the Jubilee Year.
One of nine Jubilee sites in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the national shrine has a robust history dating back to 1818, when a small log cabin church was founded on the property. The shrine encompasses 55 acres and includes a large church, a rosary walk and a grotto.
Run by Vincentian priests, Father Jim Osendorf, superior of the community, told OSV News that he hopes pilgrims will develop a deeper relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary after visiting the site.
“Our facility is dedicated to the Blessed Mother and to commemorate the appearances of Mary to Catherine Labouré,” Father Osendorf said. “This just seems to be one of the perfect places to come just to kind of get away to pray, to meditate and to deepen our relationship with Mary, who leads us to Jesus.” To commemorate the Holy Year, the community has planned various events throughout the year that include speakers, music and special liturgies.
“We have a number of guest speakers who will be coming and will have musicians regularly,” Father Osendorf said. “But really, we just want people to come and encounter God on our property. From my office, I can see people coming to pray, pray the rosary on our walk or sometimes just getting away to think, to ponder, to meditate. And it brings me so much joy to see this happening.”
Out in the West, historical shrines and churches are abundant, as they have been ministering to locals since Franciscan missionaries established them centuries ago.
One such church is Mission Basilica of San Buenaventura in California, which was founded in 1782. Since its founding, the basilica has played a critical role in the local community, Father Tom Elewaut, pastor of the mission, told OSV News.
“There are 21 original missions established by the Franciscan padres in what is now the state of California,” Father Elewaut explained. “The significance of our particular parish is that we were the last of the nine missions founded by St. Junipero Serra.”
The town of San Buenaventura, located 70 miles from Los Angeles, grew around the parish. The original church built in 1809 and refurbished in 1812 after an earthquake remains as the primary worship space. “The church building that we have today was originally finished in 1809,” Father Elewaut said. “The artwork, the statues, the back altar – that is all original from 1809. Everything that was used to decorate the church had been shipped up from New Spain (today’s Mexico) … so there is a lot of history in the church.”
Father Elewaut is excited to welcome pilgrims from the surrounding area to the basilica. Everyday, pilgrims visit the historic church, and the priest uses these interactions and Sunday Mass as an opportunity to remind them to be pilgrims of hope.
“We are pilgrims of hope, and we certainly are including that message in our homilies weekly, and encouraging people to be hopeful in a world that sometimes wants to cast darkness; that we are to be people of hope in the light of Christ,” he said. “And not only for eternal life, but to be hope-filled in this life as well.”
By Kimberley Heatherington WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Catholic agencies including Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services and Jesuit Relief Service/USA are facing major setbacks in the wake of the Trump administration’s 90-day pause and review of federal funding to numerous nonprofit organizations providing domestic and overseas aid to migrants, refugees and people in need.
Reversals, litigation and appeals have followed – but funds remain in limbo, and contracts have been terminated.
Félicité Raminosoa shows Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, in gray hat, learns how to hand pollinate vanilla at her vanilla farm in Ifanadiana, Madagascar, Nov. 2, 2022. (OSV New photo/Laura Elizabeth Pohl, CRS)
On Feb. 26 – after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops filed suit challenging the funding suspension of its refugee admissions program – the U.S. State Department informed the USCCB its financial agreement would be terminated the next day, because the arrangement “no longer effectuates agency priorities.”
CRS is bracing for massive program cuts as high as 50%. Numerous Catholic Charities offices – including those in California, Kansas, New York and Texas – have scaled back operations and laid off staff. JRS/USA is trying to cover its funding gap, but laid off some 400 employees around the world.
While the cessation of funds has been devastating for these service-providing Catholic agencies, others that do not accept federal funds remain as active as before.
“Has the landscape changed? Absolutely. Has it changed irrevocably? Probably. Are we being asked to pick up where others can no longer function? Of course we will,” said Michael La Civita, communications director for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, or CNEWA.
“This places a huge burden on the local church,” he said. “We work entirely through the local church – the local Eastern churches – and their landscape has been changed irrevocably, because the church doesn’t shut down. The church doesn’t change from one administration to the next. The church is present where her members are.”
Founded by Pope Pius XI in 1926, the New York-based CNEWA – an initiative of the Holy See – works through and with the Eastern churches to provide humanitarian and spiritual support in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe.
As a Vatican agency, it operates independently of U.S. government funding – and instead raises its funds from individuals, family foundations, private grant organizations and partner agencies of the worldwide Catholic community. Material and spiritual aid is provided regardless of faith or religious creed.
While the funding freeze’s impact on other Catholic agencies will ultimately impact CNEWA as it attempts to help where others no longer can, La Civita remains optimistic.
“Things have changed so much and for the good in so many places, sometimes we lose sight of that,” he said. “And much of that has to do with, frankly, American Catholic generosity.”
American Catholics are “members of a global worldwide Catholic communion of churches – we’re not concerned about just what happens in our local parish; we’re concerned about the entire church,” he said. With that perspective, La Civita is certain the U.S. faithful “will continue to respond to the question that was put to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ I have great faith and hopes in our Catholic family, that it will continue to rise to the occasion.”
The Pontifical Mission Societies USA likewise does not receive government aid for its charitable work overseas. Its fundamental purpose is to share the faith, not specifically humanitarian works, but it does operate Missio, a crowdfunding platform that digitally connects donors with current and emerging projects in the pope’s missions.
“Even though we do fund some of the church’s charitable outreaches in missionary territories, most of the time we do so through church structures – dioceses, parishes, seminarians, religious orders, etc. – in missionary lands, building churches, seminaries, converts, charitable centers and other ecclesiastical infrastructure, so that they can better minister to their people,” said Msgr. Roger J. Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA.
Current Missio projects include helping flood victims in Nigeria, providing food and clothes to Holy Land residents, and aiding earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.
“We are grateful for the missionary zeal and charitable generosity of American Catholics that make this work possible,” Msgr. Landry said in an email to OSV News. “We’re not asking them to do so through their taxes.”
Edward Clancy, outreach director for Aid to the Church in Need-USA – an international papal charity supporting persecuted and suffering Christians around the world – said a certain amount of autonomy accompanies a decision not to receive government funding.
“It’s a long-standing policy of the organization – both in the United States and internationally – not to create alliances with governments,” Clancy said. “Obviously, they have their pluses and minuses. Governments are going to have great power and great money. But oftentimes that comes at the cost of the freedom of what we’re supposed to be doing with the money as a Catholic organization.”
Under the guidance of the pope, Aid to the Church in Need has provided pastoral and humanitarian assistance for nearly 75 years to the persecuted church around the world. It proudly notes its donors have helped “the suffering, the distressed and the poorest of the poor” in over 145 countries.
“We prioritize certain objectives that might be accepted, or not, by governments,” Clancy said. “And again, we don’t want to be beholden to them for long-term aid.”
Clancy shared an example involving the U.S. Agency for International Development, America’s now-dismantled overseas aid bureau.
“We were funding a project in Nigeria; the church was supporting victims of Boko Haram after their recovery and renewal from many years of torture,” he said. “And when the USAID initially said they were interested in supporting a project, the local project partner was happy to accept the funding — but they didn’t want to allow themselves to be subject to some of the strings attached. And then when it was decided not to be sent, Aid to the Church in Need, thankfully, was able to find donors to help them and to make up the difference.”
Echoing La Civita, Clancy confirmed that Aid to the Church in Need remains untouched by the uncertainty that can accompany political shifts.
“Aid to the Church in Need continues to work regardless of any administration or decisions at government levels – because we do the work of the church,” Clancy said. “That’s our mission.”
Mary’s Meals – an international charity founded in 2002 that establishes school meal programs in some of the world’s poorest communities and is currently feeding almost 2.5 million children every school day – also said its operations would not suffer disruption.
“Mary’s Meals is not currently receiving any U.S. government aid, and so our programs are not directly impacted by this news,” Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the Catholic CEO and founder of Mary’s Meals, told OSV News in an email. “We have diverse income streams through affiliate organizations and fundraising groups in more than 20 countries, who help to guide our grassroots movement and philanthropic activity.”
That does not mean, however, that Mary’s Meals will not feel the funding freeze’s effects.
“The communities we serve will still be impacted, though, and at a time of acute need, any reductions in aid budgets are devastating and likely to cost many lives – including the lives of children,” MacFarlane-Barrow said. “Right now, the world’s poorest communities are urgently in need of more life-saving assistance, not less.”
A lack of reliance on government funding instead means dependence upon everyday charity.
“Being largely reliant on the generosity of individuals, through our thriving grassroots support, allows us to make free choices on where to deliver our programs based on where need is greatest and allows us to stay free from politics,” MacFarlane-Barrow said. “We will continue to build our movement based on our confidence in the innate goodness of people and their little acts of love. Mary’s Meals is – and has always been – a movement of people who are not going to sit and do nothing in the face of child hunger, even if governments fail, or are not able, to act.”
(Kimberley Heatherington writes for OSV News from Virginia.)
By D.D. Emmons (OSV News) – Few annual events are more universally anticipated and celebrated than St. Patrick’s Day. It seems that no place or people on earth are immune from the activities, the frivolities, the food and drink that take place every March 17.
The day is so highly regarded that during the season of Lent, if St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday (which happens about every six years) Catholic bishops in many dioceses lift the law mandating abstinence from meat on that day. Catholics who accept the dispensation are asked to perform some other penitential practice or, in some locales, abstain from meat on another day near that Friday.
Surprisingly, given the popularity and influence of the day, many revelers know little about St. Patrick the man. They might be surprised to learn that he never drank green beer (not even a Guinness), never ate corned beef and cabbage, never drove snakes out of Ireland and had no leprechaun friends. The majority of St. Patrick’s Day customs, myths and fables have been perpetuated and instituted over a period of 16 centuries.
St. Patrick, patron of Ireland, is depicted in a stained-glass window at St. John of God Church in Central Islip, N.Y. in this undated file photo. (OSV News photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)
Stripping away the widespread secular activities, we discover a holy person – a saint – who spent more than 30 years successfully proclaiming the Gospel message, the gift of faith to the people of Ireland. Prayerfully recalling and recognizing his life as God’s chosen missionary is how to uncover the true spirit of St. Patrick.
Born in the late fourth century in the area now known as Scotland, Patrick was raised as a Christian but gave little notice to his religion. At age 16 he was kidnapped and carried off to Ireland, where he was sold as a slave to a landowner. For the next six years he tended the owner’s flocks. This was a lonely job, with days and nights spent out on the countryside in solitude, in all sorts of weather. It was during this isolation that he experienced an overwhelming spiritual renewal. According to his own words, he began praying almost constantly, and his indifference toward God turned to adulation and love.
When Patrick was 22 he had a dream that he was meant to escape from his captivity and return to his homeland. Believing this was a heavenly message, he spent some 20 days walking 200 miles to the sea, where he was able to find transportation on a ship to Gaul (France). God, in his surprising, unpredictable ways, was calling this unknown youth to holiness, to sainthood, to become the apostle to Ireland.
Eventually returning to his family, Patrick soon would experience another vision or dream. He claimed during the dream to have heard the voice of the Irish, “We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and walk again amongst us.” Patrick discerned that he was destined to return to Ireland and bring the Gospel to a people unaware of Jesus Christ. It would be 20 years before he could fulfill this dream.
Divinely inspired, Patrick sought to be ordained as a priest, but facts about these years of his life differ among writers. The saint tells us that on his way to becoming a bishop, at one time he was rejected by other bishops based on a “sin” or incident that occurred early in his life. He overcame this setback but was confronted by those who questioned his reason for wanting to return to Ireland. People thought he was demented to choose to go back to a place where he had been held as a slave – a place considered the end of the known earth and populated by barbarians.
As anxious as he was to return to Ireland, Patrick wanted no favors or shortcuts in his rise to the episcopate. He knew that his assignment as a missionary would come from the bishop he served in concert with the pope and, thus, he readied himself as best he could.
Even before Patrick began his mission, parts of Ireland had been exposed to Christianity.
Mariners and traders from countries converted to Christianity often visited Ireland; there also were other Christian slaves in the manner of Patrick. These groups widely were scattered, and in 431 Pope St. Celestine I (r. 422-32) sent Bishop Palladius to shepherd and organize the dispersed Christians. The mission of Palladius was short-lived, and within a year he either died or returned to Europe.
Now was Patrick’s opportunity. In 432, St. Germanus of Auxerre, a bishop, oversaw Patrick’s elevation to bishop and sent him (along with several assistants) to Ireland. The saint’s objective was to minister to the Christians in Ireland and evangelize to a people dismissed as heathens by most of the world.
Jesus said to his apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.’” (Mt 10:16) This was Patrick’s strategy throughout his ministry. He did not seek to change the culture of the people he wanted to convert; instead, he shrewdly and simply introduced Christianity in a way that made it take root and flourish in their pagan society. While the soil was fertile, sowing the Good Seed in this vast land was not without trial.
In fifth-century Ireland the population lived in thousands of tribal communities, or clans, throughout the country. Cities and city life were virtually nonexistent. Each tribe was ruled by a king; everyone lived off the land, was beholden to the king, and few had ever heard the name Jesus Christ.
They were idol worshippers with many gods, like the Romans during the time of Christ. Patrick and his group would seek out the tribal leader or king and, using bribery if necessary, try to evangelize the king and obtain permission to preach to the people.
Patrick knew the language from his years as a slave and had some knowledge of the culture; however, these people worshipped many different gods, and convincing them to worship the one true God and embrace the Way, the Truth and the Life was challenging. Besides getting approval to preach to the people, Patrick would ask the king for land on which to build a church. In each location, Patrick ordained individuals to carry on his work.
Walking into a tribe and seeking an audience with the king was not without peril. Patrick and his group were captured more than once, but thanks to the Holy Spirit, they were never harmed.
While Patrick did not attack the culture of these people, he made no such exception for the Druid priests. Druids were an ancient Irish society steeped in mystical beliefs fostered by evil priests promoting the ideas of reincarnation and human sacrifices. These priests had great influence among certain tribes, and Patrick often came face to face with this evil. Divine intervention was on Patrick’s side during these confrontations, and the Druids’ magic and superstitions were repeatedly refuted by the power of the Gospel as witnessed by Patrick. Legend holds that the shamrock was a sacred plant of the Druids, and Patrick used it to explain the Trinity.
Historians estimate that during Patrick’s mission thousands of people were baptized, some 300 bishops ordained and hundreds of churches erected throughout Ireland. Because of his zeal, passion for Christ and commitment to his missionary calling, an entire nation became Christian.
According to the 1905 biography on St. Patrick by John B. Bury, “He organized the Christianity that already existed; he converted kingdoms which were still pagan, especially in the West; and he brought Ireland into connexion with the Church of the Empire, and made it formally part of the universal Christendom.”
Patrick died in 461 and was made a “local” saint in the seventh century. At that time there was no church-institutionalized canonization process, and people were called saints in local communities or states based on popular acclaim.
Certainly Patrick was deserving of sainthood, and in the 17th century his national feast day was added to the annual Catholic liturgical calendar. Besides Ireland, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Nigeria and of many dioceses and churches around the world.
NATION INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) – The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is investigating a possible Eucharistic miracle at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Morris, Indiana, following an incident in late February. The archdiocesan Office of Communications confirmed the investigation aided by a professional scientific lab, but declined further comment. According to social media posts by the Catholic group Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace, a woman reported seeing blood on two consecrated hosts that had fallen on the floor. After being placed in water to dissolve, the next day, the hosts appeared to have a thin layer of skin with blood on it, according to the woman’s claims. Photos of the hosts, taken by the woman, were shared online. Father Terry Donahue, a scientific expert on Eucharistic miracles, explained that new Vatican guidelines require the local bishop to notify the Holy See and national episcopal conference at the beginning of an investigation and to ensure the specimens are carefully preserved for further examination.
A resident is seen at a site of an apartment building in Odesa, Ukraine, March 4, 2025, hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine. (OSV News photo/Nina Liashonok, Reuters)
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The U.S. bishops urged Catholics to answer Pope Francis’ call for prayer for the people of Ukraine in their Lenten reflection as that nation fends off Russia’s invasion. In a Lenten reflection released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on March 3, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the conference, wrote, “As we begin the holy Season of Lent, a time of prayer, penance, and charity, we join our Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his solidarity with the ‘martyred people of Ukraine.’” “We pray and hope that the United States, in concert with the wider international community, works with perseverance for a just peace and an end to aggression,” Archbishop Broglio wrote. “As our Holy Father reminded us in 2024, courageous negotiations require ‘boldness’ to ‘open the door’ for dialogue.” Although the reflection did not mention either event, it was published shortly after Ukraine marked the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, and days after a tense Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance about the future of U.S. aid in that conflict.
PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) – At the start of Catholic Relief Services’ 2025 Rice Bowl initiative – an annual Lenten program blending almsgiving, meal-making and prayer to provide aid to overseas and domestic aid – Rice Bowl founder Msgr. Robert Coll, a retired priest of the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, reflected on the program as it marks its 50th year. He described how the initiative, which he launched as an Allentown pastor in 1975, rose to the national level as part of the 41st International Eucharistic Congress in 1976 and severe global famine at the time. “If there were grave problems in the world, to ignore them would itself be unacceptable as a Catholic and as a Christian,” he said. Rice Bowl “mixed the physical with the spiritual,” he said, adding that “it was never intended to be a collection,” but “an informative experience for the family.” Amid the U.S. government’s current suspension of foreign aid, Msgr. Coll said Rice Bowl could be in “its strongest moment, because the more funds you receive from the people, the greater pressure you put on governments to assist in a variety of ways.”
VATICAN ROME (CNS) – The journey of Lent “unfolds amid the remembrance of our fragility and the hope that, at the end of the road, the Risen Lord is waiting for us,” Pope Francis wrote in his homily for Ash Wednesday. “Indeed, the ashes help to remind us that our lives are fragile and insignificant: we are dust, from dust we were created, and to dust we shall return,” said the pope’s text. Although the 88-year-old pope was still in Rome’s Gemelli hospital March 5, the day Latin-rite Catholics received ashes and began their Lenten observances, the Vatican released what it said was the homily he prepared for the occasion. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, who read Pope Francis’ homily prefaced the reading by saying, “We are deeply united” with Pope Francis, and “we thank him for offering his prayer and his sufferings for the good of the whole church and the entire world.”
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Despite her distress at losing the 12-year-old Jesus, Mary’s search for her son is a model of every Christian’s journey to deepen their relationship with Christ, Pope Francis said in a prepared message. In the catechesis prepared for his general audience March 5, the pope reflected on the episode from St. Luke’s Gospel in which Mary and Joseph lose Jesus during a pilgrimage and search anxiously for him for three days before finding him in the Temple engaged in discussion with the elders. “Throughout this journey, the Virgin is a pilgrim of hope, in the strong sense that she becomes the ‘daughter of her son,’ the first of his disciples,” the pope’s text said, emphasizing that Mary, though chosen as the mother of God, had to undertake her own journey of faith. During the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis’ general audience talks have been focusing on “Jesus Christ our hope,” starting with a look at the Bible stories of Jesus’ infancy and childhood. Pope Francis has been hospitalized for treatment of bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14, but the Vatican has continued to publish the texts prepared for his general audience each Wednesday. The text for March 5 reflected on how Mary’s understanding of Jesus grew gradually, through moments of joy but also through hardship: She carried Jesus while pregnant to Bethlehem, fled with her family to Egypt to protect her son and ultimately stood by him at the foot of the cross.
WORLD BRUSSELS (OSV News) – Catholic bishops in the European Union are calling for unity in support of Ukraine amid growing tensions between the U.S. and the war-torn country invaded by Russia Feb. 24, 2022. In a March 4 statement, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union emphasized the importance of EU solidarity, stating that Ukraine’s fight for peace and territorial integrity is critical not only for the nation but for the future of Europe and the world. The statement comes after a tense Feb. 28 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. EU leaders, however, rallied behind Zelenskyy during a London summit, where peace plans were discussed. COMECE reaffirmed its support for Ukraine, condemning Russia’s violation of international law and calling for accountability. The bishops emphasized the need for a peace agreement based on justice, international law and security guarantees, while urging EU membership for Ukraine. “As the contours of a new global security architecture are currently being redrawn, it is our profound hope that the European Union will remain faithful to its vocation to be a promise of peace and an anchor of stability to its neighborhood and to the world,” the bishops said.
WARSAW, Poland (OSV News) – Poland honors the “cursed soldiers” throughout March – a group of patriots who fought against communist rule after World War II, motivated by an unwavering faith in God. Following the war, Poland was under Soviet influence, and the communist government was imposed. The resistance continued with the soldiers of the wartime Polish Home Army, which rejected the Soviet-aligned regime and fought for Polish independence. These soldiers, guided by their Catholic faith, took military oaths to defend Poland to the death under the virtues of “God, honor and homeland,” and were participating in daily prayers and rituals. The clergy played a vital role, offering spiritual support and risking their lives to serve the underground fighters. One notable figure, Capt. Witold Pilecki, voluntarily entered Auschwitz to organize a resistance movement in the German death camp, later offering vital intelligence to the Allies. He was arrested by the communists, tortured, and executed in 1948. His last request to his wife was that she read “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas á Kempis to their children after his death. The “cursed soldiers” are remembered each year on March 1, the National Day of Remembrance, which marks the death of the resistance’s leadership in 1951.
