Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church

Cardinals participate in Day 4 of the Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis on April 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 18:06 pm (CNA).

The way to evangelization is “unreserved openness” to others, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, said on the fourth day of the Novendiales, the Church’s nine days of mourning for Pope Francis.

Gambetti, who is archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated the Mass for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul in the presence of the cardinals and the chapters of the four papal basilicas, which are groups of clergy entrusted with ensuring the liturgical and sacramental care of the basilicas.

The first reading at the Mass, held in St. Peter’s Basilica, was from the Acts of the Apostles and quotes Peter, who says: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

In a globalized, secular age that is thirsty for truth and love, Gambetti said, “Peter’s attitude points the way to evangelization: the unreserved openness to the human, gratuitous interest in others, the sharing of experience and deepening to help every man and every woman give respect to life, to creaturely grace, and, when they see that it pleases God — St. Francis of Assisi would say (RegNB XVI, 43) — the proclamation of the Gospel.”

The Gospel at the Mass was a passage in which Jesus tells his disciples that in his heavenly kingdom, the Son of Man will one day separate people, “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

The cardinal noted that sheep “do not rebel, [are] faithful, meek, take care of the lambs and the weakest of the flock,” while goats “want independence, defy the shepherd and other animals with their horns, jump over the other goats as a sign of dominance, think of themselves and not the rest of the flock in the face of danger.”

“On a personal and institutional level, which of the two styles do we embody?” Gambetti said, posing the question for reflection.

“Clearly, then, whether or not we belong to the kingdom of God does not depend on explicit knowledge of Christ: Lord, when did we see you hungry ... thirsty ... a stranger ... naked ... sick or in prison...? In the Greek text, the verb ‘to see’ is expressed by Matthew as òráo, which means to see deeply, to perceive, to understand. Paraphrasing: Lord, when did we ‘understand,’ ‘detect,’ ‘distinguish’ you?” the cardinal said.

“Jesus’ answer suggests that it is not the profession of faith, theological knowledge, or sacramental practice that guarantees participation in God’s joy but qualitative and quantitative involvement in the human story of the least of our brothers and sisters,” he added.

According to Gambetti, the parable of the Last Judgment “reveals the supreme dignity of human acts, defined in relation to compassion, solidarity, tenderness, and closeness in humanity.”

He said Pope Francis expressed such humanity and quoted from some poetic verses of the Hungarian-born Italian writer and Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck.

Bruck, who met and spoke with Pope Francis on several occasions, wrote a farewell to him in the April 23 edition of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

Quoting Bruck, Gambetti said:

“We have lost a man who lives in me.

“A man who loved, was moved, wept, invoked peace, laughed, kissed, hugged, was moved and moved others, spread warmth.

“The love of people of all colors and everywhere rejuvenated him.

“Irony and wit made him wise.

“His humanity was contagious, softening even stones.

“To heal him from illnesses was his healthy faith rooted in heaven.”

The nine days of Masses for Pope Francis will continue with the fifth day on April 30. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, will celebrate the Mass, which will include the Papal Chapel.

The College of Cardinals, in the midst of pre-conclave meetings called general congregations, will begin the conclave to choose Francis’ successor on May 7.

Pilgrims visit Rome for the Jubilee of People with Disabilities on Monday, April 28, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).

Thousands of people from more than 90 countries gathered in Rome this week to celebrate the Catholic Church’s Jubilee of People with Disabilities. 

Wheelchairs rolled across cobblestones and walking aids clicked on the marble floors of St. Peter’s Basilica as people with disabilities passed through the Holy Door for the Jubilee of Hope, entrusting their prayers to the Lord. 

“I pray for a better world, I pray for a world where inclusion becomes a normality,” 18-year-old Anna Maria Gargiulo from Perugia, Italy, told CNA. 

“I am blind from birth, but for me this is not a problem,” she added. “I experience it rather as a possibility, because I look at the world with different eyes.” 

More than 10,000 participants registered to take part in the April 28–29 event at the Vatican, which included an opportunity to have confessions heard by priests specifically trained to work with people with disabilities and time to adore the Lord in Eucharistic adoration. 

Among those who traveled to the jubilee was Davide Andreoli, 32, from Ferrara, Italy. Living with cerebral palsy, he made his pilgrimage with his family and spoke with joy about the experience: “It’s beautiful! You can see the jubilee, Piazza del Popolo, Rome, the Colosseum.” 

Andreoli shared how he made a confession before passing through the Holy Door offering a prayer for the late Pope Francis. 

“I pray to God. For our pope, Pope Francis,” he said. 

In St. Peter’s Square, families shared how faith helps them face life’s trials. Wanda Martena’s oldest son has special needs. She said: “Our family is a very close family, and we love each other very much and are happy. I have two children who are our jewels.” 

“We face everything with a smile,” her son, Alessandro, added. 

Michael Busuioc, a Romanian man with Parkinson’s disease, lives in the Vatican’s homeless shelter founded by Pope Francis. He recalled a powerful encounter with the pope last year during the World Day of the Poor.

“Pope Francis prayed for me. … I tell him, ‘Pray for me because I have a disease, Parkinson.’ He put the hand on my head and he prayed,” Busuioc recalled, showing a photo of him with the pope.  

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who is spearheading the Church’s jubilee year, offered Mass in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for the jubilee participants. He prayed that the late Pope Francis’ legacy would inspire mercy and inclusion to continue to flourish in the Church. 

Corina Ciunae, also from Romania, came to Rome with her scouting group. Passionate about communication, she emphasized the importance of visibility and dignity for people with disabilities. 

“The most important thing is that we are people like everyone and we do the same things — but yes, we need the a little bit of help. We need to be helped,” she said. 

“But together we can do all of the things we want to do and nothing is impossible. If you want to be somewhere to do something you can do, and the disability can’t stop you,” she said. 

Pilgrims visit Rome for the Jubilee of People with Disabilities on Monday, April 28, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).

Thousands of people from more than 90 countries gathered in Rome this week to celebrate the Catholic Church’s Jubilee of People with Disabilities. 

Wheelchairs rolled across cobblestones and walking aids clicked on the marble floors of St. Peter’s Basilica as people with disabilities passed through the Holy Door for the Jubilee of Hope, entrusting their prayers to the Lord. 

“I pray for a better world, I pray for a world where inclusion becomes a normality,” 18-year-old Anna Maria Gargiulo from Perugia, Italy, told CNA. 

“I am blind from birth, but for me this is not a problem,” she added. “I experience it rather as a possibility, because I look at the world with different eyes.” 

More than 10,000 participants registered to take part in the April 28–29 event at the Vatican, which included an opportunity to have confessions heard by priests specifically trained to work with people with disabilities and time to adore the Lord in Eucharistic adoration. 

Among those who traveled to the jubilee was Davide Andreoli, 32, from Ferrara, Italy. Living with cerebral palsy, he made his pilgrimage with his family and spoke with joy about the experience: “It’s beautiful! You can see the jubilee, Piazza del Popolo, Rome, the Colosseum.” 

Andreoli shared how he made a confession before passing through the Holy Door offering a prayer for the late Pope Francis. 

“I pray to God. For our pope, Pope Francis,” he said. 

In St. Peter’s Square, families shared how faith helps them face life’s trials. Wanda Martena’s oldest son has special needs. She said: “Our family is a very close family, and we love each other very much and are happy. I have two children who are our jewels.” 

“We face everything with a smile,” her son, Alessandro, added. 

Michael Busuioc, a Romanian man with Parkinson’s disease, lives in the Vatican’s homeless shelter founded by Pope Francis. He recalled a powerful encounter with the pope last year during the World Day of the Poor.

“Pope Francis prayed for me. … I tell him, ‘Pray for me because I have a disease, Parkinson.’ He put the hand on my head and he prayed,” Busuioc recalled, showing a photo of him with the pope.  

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who is spearheading the Church’s jubilee year, offered Mass in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for the jubilee participants. He prayed that the late Pope Francis’ legacy would inspire mercy and inclusion to continue to flourish in the Church. 

Corina Ciunae, also from Romania, came to Rome with her scouting group. Passionate about communication, she emphasized the importance of visibility and dignity for people with disabilities. 

“The most important thing is that we are people like everyone and we do the same things — but yes, we need the a little bit of help. We need to be helped,” she said. 

“But together we can do all of the things we want to do and nothing is impossible. If you want to be somewhere to do something you can do, and the disability can’t stop you,” she said. 

Pope Francis with Missionaries of Charity in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sept. 15, 2022. / Credit: Pavel Mikheyev/Shutterstock

Lima Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:19 pm (CNA).

Since his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was already known for his humility, closeness to the poor, and an austere lifestyle that spoke louder than words.

In the 2013 documentary “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” the pontiff recalled that “Jesus, in the Gospel, tells us that we cannot serve two masters: Either we serve God or we serve riches. And the great temptation that Christians, humankind, and the Church have always faced throughout history has been that of riches.”

The following are some of the gestures of austerity and charity toward the most needy made by Pope Francis during his 12 years as pontiff.

1. He lived at St. Martha’s House.

Instead of moving into the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, as is customary for pontiffs, Pope Francis decided to reside in Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse — where he stayed during the March 2013 conclave — because he wanted to maintain a simple lifestyle close to the people.

In a handwritten letter to an Argentine priest, he explained: “I’m out where people can see and live a normal life: public Mass in the morning, eating in the dining room with everyone, etc. This is good for me and prevents me from becoming isolated.”

The pontiff also confessed that he didn’t want to live in the Apostolic Palace because he wished to maintain the same way of being he had as archbishop in Buenos Aires.

During a June 7, 2013, meeting with children in Paul VI Hall, a little girl named Sofía asked him directly why he didn’t live in the Apostolic Palace. The pontiff’s response was simple and convincing: “We all have to think about becoming a little poorer: We should all do it. We should ask ourselves: How can I become a little poorer to be more like Jesus, who was the poor teacher?”

2. He visited the sick in the hospital.

Pope Francis regularly visited children, parents, and doctors at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome. He also visited the children’s section of Gemelli Polyclinic, the same hospital where he himself received medical treatment.

An example of this was on March 19, 2022, when, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the pope visited Ukrainian children hospitalized at Bambino Gesù, expressing his closeness and solidarity with the victims of the conflict.

A year earlier, while recovering from surgery, Francis visited children with cancer in the pediatric oncology department of the same hospital. The visit was prompted by the letters and drawings the children sent him wishing him a speedy recovery.

3. He opted for a simple iron pectoral cross and a silver-gilt fisherman’s ring.

After being elected pope, Francis didn’t want to wear the gilded crucifix with precious stones as his predecessors had done and instead opted to wear a simpler iron pectoral cross, known as the “Cross of the Good Shepherd,” that he had worn since 1998 as archbishop of Buenos Aires. 

Likewise, the “fisherman’s ring,” a symbol of the pontificate that Francis wore starting with inaugural Mass on March 19, 2013, was not made of gold but of gilded silver. The design depicted St. Peter with his keys and was created by the Italian artist Enrico Manfrini. The choice of this model, among three options presented, once again reflected Pope Francis’ simplicity.

4. He wore his predecessor’s vestments as archbishop of Buenos Aires.

In a recent statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Marcelo Pivato, a close friend of Pope Francis, shared an anecdote that illustrates the pontiff’s humility. The story takes place during the time when Cardinal Antonio Quarracino was the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Pivato fondly recalled that, at the time, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, was known for his simplicity and austere lifestyle. He then recounted how, after Quarracino’s death, a curious incident arose involving vestments.

“When Cardinal Quarracino died, he was a robust, heavy man, and Pope Francis was very thin. During the Corpus Christi celebrations, the nuns who were serving at the archdiocesan office told him that he would need a vestment for the occasion, and Quarracino’s was the one that was left, but it was very large. So he said, ‘Well, bring me an estimate so they can make it.’ When he saw the figure, he asked the nuns, ‘Who knows how to sew?’ And some of them did. Then he told them, ‘Well, make Cardinal Quarracino’s vestment smaller for me.’”

5. Pope Francis always carried his black briefcase.

The image of Pope Francis with his signature black briefcase caught the eye on his first papal trip, during World Youth Day in Rio 2013, although a friend assured he had been using it since he was a priest.

That year, the Holy Father told reporters on the return flight to Rome that he has always carried his own briefcase. “When I travel, I take it with me. Inside, I carry my razor, my breviary, my date book, a book to read. I carry one about St. Thérèse, to whom I am devoted.”

Pivato recalled with humor and admiration the pontiff’s attachment to that briefcase since he was a priest in Buenos Aires.

“You’ll remember that he always carried a leather suitcase. The little black one. So one day I gave him a new one. I said, ‘Here, Father, I brought you a new suitcase, so you can get rid of the one that was used by a door-to-door linens collector in my grandmother’s time.’ Because, in truth, sheets were collected in installments before, and those little suitcases were used. Well, he never used it. He stuck with that one,” he told ACI Prensa.

6. He organized lunches to feed the poorest.

Pope Francis instituted the World Day of the Poor on Nov. 21, 2016, through his apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. With this initiative, he called all Christians to live in concrete solidarity with those who suffer most, especially by feeding the hungry and sharing one’s table with the poorest.

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has provided a concrete example of this mandate. Between the establishment of the World Day of the Poor and the end of 2024, he shared lunch with thousands of people in need on several occasions in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

7. He wore his usual black shoes instead of the traditional red shoes.

True to his simple style, Pope Francis wore his usual black shoes made in Buenos Aires throughout his 12-year pontificate, abandoning the traditional red shoes of his predecessors and continuing to wear modest loafers.

In a phone call to his longtime shoemaker, Carlos Samaria, he asked him not to do anything new or flashy for the start of his pontificate: “No red shoes, just black as usual.”

Samaria, who made his shoes for 40 years, described the shoes the pope wore as having “a simple cut, made of black calfskin, with a smooth upper, no frills. If you pick up one of the pope’s shoes, it looks like a galosh, unadorned but with laces.”

8. ‘I was in prison and you visited me’: He was close to the incarcerated.

From opening a Holy Door in a prison to visiting prisons on his apostolic trips, Pope Francis has made accompanying prisoners a regular gesture.

During his first Holy Week after being elected pontiff, in 2013, he went to a prison to wash the feet of prisoners, a gesture he repeated every year until his final Holy Thursday, four days before his death, when he visited the inmates of Regina Caeli prison. That day, Francis personally greeted each of the inmates. Afterward, he addressed them “to pray the Lord’s Prayer together and impart his blessing.”

Another memorable moment was when the pope inaugurated the 2025 Jubilee of Hope and, two days later, on Dec. 26, visited the Rebibbia prison, where he opened a second Holy Door as a gesture of grace toward those deprived of their freedom, incorporating them in a special way into this jubilee year, despite the fact that, according to tradition, Holy Doors are found only in the four papal basilicas in Rome.

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

Pope Francis with Missionaries of Charity in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sept. 15, 2022. / Credit: Pavel Mikheyev/Shutterstock

Lima Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:19 pm (CNA).

Since his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was already known for his humility, closeness to the poor, and an austere lifestyle that spoke louder than words.

In the 2013 documentary “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” the pontiff recalled that “Jesus, in the Gospel, tells us that we cannot serve two masters: Either we serve God or we serve riches. And the great temptation that Christians, humankind, and the Church have always faced throughout history has been that of riches.”

The following are some of the gestures of austerity and charity toward the most needy made by Pope Francis during his 12 years as pontiff.

1. He lived at St. Martha’s House.

Instead of moving into the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, as is customary for pontiffs, Pope Francis decided to reside in Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse — where he stayed during the March 2013 conclave — because he wanted to maintain a simple lifestyle close to the people.

In a handwritten letter to an Argentine priest, he explained: “I’m out where people can see and live a normal life: public Mass in the morning, eating in the dining room with everyone, etc. This is good for me and prevents me from becoming isolated.”

The pontiff also confessed that he didn’t want to live in the Apostolic Palace because he wished to maintain the same way of being he had as archbishop in Buenos Aires.

During a June 7, 2013, meeting with children in Paul VI Hall, a little girl named Sofía asked him directly why he didn’t live in the Apostolic Palace. The pontiff’s response was simple and convincing: “We all have to think about becoming a little poorer: We should all do it. We should ask ourselves: How can I become a little poorer to be more like Jesus, who was the poor teacher?”

2. He visited the sick in the hospital.

Pope Francis regularly visited children, parents, and doctors at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome. He also visited the children’s section of Gemelli Polyclinic, the same hospital where he himself received medical treatment.

An example of this was on March 19, 2022, when, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the pope visited Ukrainian children hospitalized at Bambino Gesù, expressing his closeness and solidarity with the victims of the conflict.

A year earlier, while recovering from surgery, Francis visited children with cancer in the pediatric oncology department of the same hospital. The visit was prompted by the letters and drawings the children sent him wishing him a speedy recovery.

3. He opted for a simple iron pectoral cross and a silver-gilt fisherman’s ring.

After being elected pope, Francis didn’t want to wear the gilded crucifix with precious stones as his predecessors had done and instead opted to wear a simpler iron pectoral cross, known as the “Cross of the Good Shepherd,” that he had worn since 1998 as archbishop of Buenos Aires. 

Likewise, the “fisherman’s ring,” a symbol of the pontificate that Francis wore starting with inaugural Mass on March 19, 2013, was not made of gold but of gilded silver. The design depicted St. Peter with his keys and was created by the Italian artist Enrico Manfrini. The choice of this model, among three options presented, once again reflected Pope Francis’ simplicity.

4. He wore his predecessor’s vestments as archbishop of Buenos Aires.

In a recent statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Marcelo Pivato, a close friend of Pope Francis, shared an anecdote that illustrates the pontiff’s humility. The story takes place during the time when Cardinal Antonio Quarracino was the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Pivato fondly recalled that, at the time, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, was known for his simplicity and austere lifestyle. He then recounted how, after Quarracino’s death, a curious incident arose involving vestments.

“When Cardinal Quarracino died, he was a robust, heavy man, and Pope Francis was very thin. During the Corpus Christi celebrations, the nuns who were serving at the archdiocesan office told him that he would need a vestment for the occasion, and Quarracino’s was the one that was left, but it was very large. So he said, ‘Well, bring me an estimate so they can make it.’ When he saw the figure, he asked the nuns, ‘Who knows how to sew?’ And some of them did. Then he told them, ‘Well, make Cardinal Quarracino’s vestment smaller for me.’”

5. Pope Francis always carried his black briefcase.

The image of Pope Francis with his signature black briefcase caught the eye on his first papal trip, during World Youth Day in Rio 2013, although a friend assured he had been using it since he was a priest.

That year, the Holy Father told reporters on the return flight to Rome that he has always carried his own briefcase. “When I travel, I take it with me. Inside, I carry my razor, my breviary, my date book, a book to read. I carry one about St. Thérèse, to whom I am devoted.”

Pivato recalled with humor and admiration the pontiff’s attachment to that briefcase since he was a priest in Buenos Aires.

“You’ll remember that he always carried a leather suitcase. The little black one. So one day I gave him a new one. I said, ‘Here, Father, I brought you a new suitcase, so you can get rid of the one that was used by a door-to-door linens collector in my grandmother’s time.’ Because, in truth, sheets were collected in installments before, and those little suitcases were used. Well, he never used it. He stuck with that one,” he told ACI Prensa.

6. He organized lunches to feed the poorest.

Pope Francis instituted the World Day of the Poor on Nov. 21, 2016, through his apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. With this initiative, he called all Christians to live in concrete solidarity with those who suffer most, especially by feeding the hungry and sharing one’s table with the poorest.

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has provided a concrete example of this mandate. Between the establishment of the World Day of the Poor and the end of 2024, he shared lunch with thousands of people in need on several occasions in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

7. He wore his usual black shoes instead of the traditional red shoes.

True to his simple style, Pope Francis wore his usual black shoes made in Buenos Aires throughout his 12-year pontificate, abandoning the traditional red shoes of his predecessors and continuing to wear modest loafers.

In a phone call to his longtime shoemaker, Carlos Samaria, he asked him not to do anything new or flashy for the start of his pontificate: “No red shoes, just black as usual.”

Samaria, who made his shoes for 40 years, described the shoes the pope wore as having “a simple cut, made of black calfskin, with a smooth upper, no frills. If you pick up one of the pope’s shoes, it looks like a galosh, unadorned but with laces.”

8. ‘I was in prison and you visited me’: He was close to the incarcerated.

From opening a Holy Door in a prison to visiting prisons on his apostolic trips, Pope Francis has made accompanying prisoners a regular gesture.

During his first Holy Week after being elected pontiff, in 2013, he went to a prison to wash the feet of prisoners, a gesture he repeated every year until his final Holy Thursday, four days before his death, when he visited the inmates of Regina Caeli prison. That day, Francis personally greeted each of the inmates. Afterward, he addressed them “to pray the Lord’s Prayer together and impart his blessing.”

Another memorable moment was when the pope inaugurated the 2025 Jubilee of Hope and, two days later, on Dec. 26, visited the Rebibbia prison, where he opened a second Holy Door as a gesture of grace toward those deprived of their freedom, incorporating them in a special way into this jubilee year, despite the fact that, according to tradition, Holy Doors are found only in the four papal basilicas in Rome.

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

Refugees from Mexico. / Credit: David Peinado Romero/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:49 pm (CNA).

Utah’s Catholic Community Services will continue to operate its refugee support programs despite federal funding cuts after receiving well over $1 million in donations.

In early April, the group, which is based in Salt Lake City, announced that its refugee resettlement program was “winding down” and would eventually close amid major federal funding cuts. The program normally provides “hundreds of refugees the assistance they need to recover from lives dismantled by persecution, war, or violence.”

The organization reported that it lost more than $2.5 million of annual aid and “could not sustain the program” without it.

In a statement on Monday, however, the group said that, following the announcement, “something remarkable happened. Our community rallied.”

The organization said it will no longer be forced to close the refugee program or end its support for Utah-based immigrant families.

“Thanks to a generous lead gift and an outpouring of support from individuals, foundations, and partners, CCS will continue offering resettlement services through a new, privately funded model,” the group said.

Catholic Community Services said it has raised $1.5 million to use over the next four years and said it will continue its work “on a smaller scale.” The majority of the funds came from one donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Catholic organization is now asking for another $1 million from “the broader community.” It stated that without this additional money, the organization “will be forced to scale back services and make further cuts to the program.”

The funds will help “refugee clients” by focusing on “six key pillars”: extended case management, housing assistance, employment readiness, youth education support, mental health services, and volunteer coordination and community engagement.

“These services aim to address the most urgent needs of refugee families and foster long-term self-sufficiency,” the organization said.

“While the program will operate at a reduced capacity, its core services — and the impact on the lives of those we serve — remain as vital as ever. This transformation ensures we can uphold our mission while adapting to a changing national landscape.”

Refugees from Mexico. / Credit: David Peinado Romero/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:49 pm (CNA).

Utah’s Catholic Community Services will continue to operate its refugee support programs despite federal funding cuts after receiving well over $1 million in donations.

In early April, the group, which is based in Salt Lake City, announced that its refugee resettlement program was “winding down” and would eventually close amid major federal funding cuts. The program normally provides “hundreds of refugees the assistance they need to recover from lives dismantled by persecution, war, or violence.”

The organization reported that it lost more than $2.5 million of annual aid and “could not sustain the program” without it.

In a statement on Monday, however, the group said that, following the announcement, “something remarkable happened. Our community rallied.”

The organization said it will no longer be forced to close the refugee program or end its support for Utah-based immigrant families.

“Thanks to a generous lead gift and an outpouring of support from individuals, foundations, and partners, CCS will continue offering resettlement services through a new, privately funded model,” the group said.

Catholic Community Services said it has raised $1.5 million to use over the next four years and said it will continue its work “on a smaller scale.” The majority of the funds came from one donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Catholic organization is now asking for another $1 million from “the broader community.” It stated that without this additional money, the organization “will be forced to scale back services and make further cuts to the program.”

The funds will help “refugee clients” by focusing on “six key pillars”: extended case management, housing assistance, employment readiness, youth education support, mental health services, and volunteer coordination and community engagement.

“These services aim to address the most urgent needs of refugee families and foster long-term self-sufficiency,” the organization said.

“While the program will operate at a reduced capacity, its core services — and the impact on the lives of those we serve — remain as vital as ever. This transformation ensures we can uphold our mission while adapting to a changing national landscape.”

Pope Francis blesses a newly married couple during his general audience on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:19 pm (CNA).

In an exhortation to young people published after his death, Pope Francis urged couples to prepare properly for marriage and commit themselves to “love that lasts a lifetime.” 

The missive, a foreword to the book “Love Forever” by the YOUCAT Foundation, urges young people considering marriage to “believe in love, believe in God, and believe that you are capable of taking on the adventure” of lifelong matrimony. 

The Holy Father in the text described the traditional wedding vows of “until death do us part” as “an extraordinary promise.” 

“Of course, I am not blind, and neither are you. How many marriages today fail after three, five, seven years?” the pope wrote in the foreword, published by the New York Times on Monday.

Asking rhetorically if it would be better “to avoid the pain, to touch each other only as though in a passing dance, to enjoy each other, play together, and then leave,” the pope countered that love “until further notice” is not love. 

“We humans have the desire to be accepted without reservations, and those who do not have this experience often — unknowingly — carry a wound for the rest of their lives,” Francis argued. “Instead, those who enter into a union lose nothing but gain everything: life at its fullest.“

The Holy Father noted that he had urged the Church to “help you build a foundation for your relationship based on God’s faithful love.” He wrote that he “dreamed” of a catechumenate-style marriage formation program for the Church, one that might last years and would “save you from disappointment, from invalid or unstable marriages.”

Pointing to YOUCAT’s marriage formation material as a guide, the pope said couples should “absolutely participate in marriage preparation courses.”

“Before receiving the sacrament of marriage, a proper preparation is necessary,” the pope wrote.

“We cannot continue on as before: Many only see the beautiful ritual,” he said. “And then, after some years, they separate. Faith is destroyed. Wounds are opened. There are often children who are missing a father or a mother.”

Comparing marriage to the dance of tango in his native Argentina, Pope Francis said treating a marriage this way is “like dancing tango poorly.” 

“Tango is a dance that must be learned. This is all the more true when it comes to marriage and family,” the late pontiff said.

Quoting his earlier apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, the pope finished the foreword: “In young love, the dancing — step by step, a dance toward hope with eyes full of wonder — must not stop.”

Pope Francis blesses a newly married couple during his general audience on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:19 pm (CNA).

In an exhortation to young people published after his death, Pope Francis urged couples to prepare properly for marriage and commit themselves to “love that lasts a lifetime.” 

The missive, a foreword to the book “Love Forever” by the YOUCAT Foundation, urges young people considering marriage to “believe in love, believe in God, and believe that you are capable of taking on the adventure” of lifelong matrimony. 

The Holy Father in the text described the traditional wedding vows of “until death do us part” as “an extraordinary promise.” 

“Of course, I am not blind, and neither are you. How many marriages today fail after three, five, seven years?” the pope wrote in the foreword, published by the New York Times on Monday.

Asking rhetorically if it would be better “to avoid the pain, to touch each other only as though in a passing dance, to enjoy each other, play together, and then leave,” the pope countered that love “until further notice” is not love. 

“We humans have the desire to be accepted without reservations, and those who do not have this experience often — unknowingly — carry a wound for the rest of their lives,” Francis argued. “Instead, those who enter into a union lose nothing but gain everything: life at its fullest.“

The Holy Father noted that he had urged the Church to “help you build a foundation for your relationship based on God’s faithful love.” He wrote that he “dreamed” of a catechumenate-style marriage formation program for the Church, one that might last years and would “save you from disappointment, from invalid or unstable marriages.”

Pointing to YOUCAT’s marriage formation material as a guide, the pope said couples should “absolutely participate in marriage preparation courses.”

“Before receiving the sacrament of marriage, a proper preparation is necessary,” the pope wrote.

“We cannot continue on as before: Many only see the beautiful ritual,” he said. “And then, after some years, they separate. Faith is destroyed. Wounds are opened. There are often children who are missing a father or a mother.”

Comparing marriage to the dance of tango in his native Argentina, Pope Francis said treating a marriage this way is “like dancing tango poorly.” 

“Tango is a dance that must be learned. This is all the more true when it comes to marriage and family,” the late pontiff said.

Quoting his earlier apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, the pope finished the foreword: “In young love, the dancing — step by step, a dance toward hope with eyes full of wonder — must not stop.”

Cardinals participate in Day 4 of the Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis on April 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 14:49 pm (CNA).

The Pontifical Mission Societies USA is launching a prayer campaign to pray for the cardinals involved in the upcoming conclave as they prepare to elect the next pope. 

Monsignor Roger Landry, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, encouraged Catholics to pray for the cardinals in a video message from St. Peter’s Square on Monday.

The cardinals on Monday determined that the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on Wednesday, May 7. 

“That’s nine days from now,” Landry said on Monday. “A perfect time of prayer for the cardinals as they take on their important responsibility before God of responding to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in order to be able to discern who should be the successor of St. Peter and the successor of Pope Francis.”

Each person who signs up for the pontifical campaign will be assigned to pray for one of the 135 cardinal electors participating in the upcoming conclave. The prayer initiative will share the cardinal’s name, birthplace, and birthday. 

“Please take that cardinal to every one of your prayers because, as each of these cardinals has been saying to us, they are depending on the prayers of the entire Church,” Landry said. 

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are voting members in the conclave — but Landry noted that “the selection of a pope is not just the act of cardinals under 80.”  

“It’s the act of the entire mystical body of Christ — you and me too,” Landry said.  

“So please help us help them through joining this prayer campaign,” Landry concluded.  

The prayer itself is simple: “Heavenly Father, guide the cardinals in wisdom and love as they may lead your Church. May your will be their compass. Amen.”

To adopt a cardinal in prayer, visit here.