Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church

Highlands El Encinar School in Madrid. / Credit: Courtesy of Highlands School

Madrid, Spain, Mar 13, 2025 / 06:40 am (CNA).

According to several statements released by Highlands El Encinar School in recent days, Spain’s National Police arrested the priest on March 6.

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square, Oct. 5, 2016. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

CNA Staff, Mar 13, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

March 13 marks the 12th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the 265th successor of St. Peter. Here is a timeline of key events during his papacy:

2013

March 13 — About two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the papacy, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected pope. He takes the papal name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and proclaims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Let us begin this journey, the bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another.”

March 14 — The day after he begins his pontificate, Pope Francis returns to his hotel to personally pay his hotel bill and collect his luggage.

July 8 — Pope Francis visits Italy’s island of Lampedusa and meets with a group of 50 migrants, most of whom are young men from Somalia and Eritrea. The island, which is about 200 miles off the coast of Tunisia, is a common entry point for migrants who flee parts of Africa and the Middle East to enter Europe. This is the pope’s first pastoral visit outside of Rome and sets the stage for making reaching out to the peripheries a significant focus.

July 23-28 — Pope Francis visits Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in World Youth Day 2013. More than 3 million people from around the world attend the event.

July 29 — On the return flight from Brazil, Pope Francis gives his first papal news conference and sparks controversy by saying “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” The phrase is prompted by a reporter asking the pope a question about priests who have homosexual attraction.

Nov. 24 — Pope Francis publishes his first apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). The document illustrates the pope’s vision for how to approach evangelization in the modern world.

2014

Feb. 22 — Pope Francis holds his first papal consistory to appoint 19 new cardinals, including ones from countries in the developing world that have never previously been represented in the College of Cardinals, such as Haiti.

March 22 — Pope Francis creates the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The commission works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.

Oct. 5 — The Synod on the Family begins. The bishops discuss a variety of concerns, including single-parent homes, cohabitation, homosexual adoption of children, and interreligious marriages.

Dec. 6 — After facing some pushback for his efforts to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis discusses his opinion in an interview with La Nacion, an Argentine news outlet: “Resistance is now evident. And that is a good sign for me, getting the resistance out into the open, no stealthy mumbling when there is disagreement. It’s healthy to get things out into the open, it’s very healthy.”

2015

Jan. 18 — To conclude a trip to Asia, Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Manila, Philippines. Approximately 6 million to 7 million people attend the record-setting Mass, despite heavy rain.

March 23 — Pope Francis visits Naples, Italy, to show the Church’s commitment to helping the fight against corruption and organized crime in the city.

May 24 — To emphasize the Church’s mission to combat global warming and care for the environment, Pope Francis publishes the encyclical Laudato Si’, which urges people to take care of the environment and encourages political action to address climate problems.

Sept. 19-22 — Pope Francis visits Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro in the first papal visit to the country since Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his homily, Francis discusses the dignity of the human person: “Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it.”

Sept. 22-27 — After departing from Cuba, Pope Francis makes his first papal visit to the United States. In Washington, D.C., he speaks to a joint session of Congress, in which he urges lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good, and canonizes the Franciscan missionary St. Junípero Serra. He also attends the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which focuses on celebrating the gift of the family.

Oct. 4 — Pope Francis begins the second Synod on the Family to address issues within the modern family, such as single-parent homes, cohabitation, poverty, and abuse.

Oct. 18 — The pope canonizes St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azélie “Zelie” Guérin. The married couple were parents to five nuns, including St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple to be canonized together.

Dec. 8 — Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy begins. The year focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness and people’s redemption from sin. The pope delegates certain priests in each diocese to be Missionaries of Mercy who have the authority to forgive sins that are usually reserved for the Holy See.

2016

March 19 — Pope Francis publishes the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which discusses a wide variety of issues facing the modern family based on discussions from the two synods on the family. The pope garners significant controversy from within the Church for comments he makes in Chapter 8 about Communion for the divorced and remarried.

April 16 — After visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis allows three Muslim refugee families to join him on his flight back to Rome. He says the move was not a political statement.

July 26-31 — Pope Francis visits Krakow, Poland, as part of the World Youth Day festivities. About 3 million young Catholic pilgrims from around the world attend.

Sept. 4 — The pope canonizes St. Teresa of Calcutta, who is also known as Mother Teresa. The saint, a nun from Albania, dedicated her life to missionary and charity work, primarily in India.

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 — Pope Francis visits Georgia and Azerbaijan on his 16th trip outside of Rome since the start of his papacy. His trip focuses on Catholic relations with Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

Oct. 4 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Amatrice, Italy, to pray for the victims of an earthquake in central Italy that killed nearly 300 people.

2017

May 12-13 — In another papal trip, Francis travels to Fatima, Portugal, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Marian apparition to three children in the city.

July 11 — Pope Francis adds another category of Christian life suitable for the consideration of sainthood: “offering of life.” The category is distinct from martyrdom, which only applies to someone who is killed for his or her faith. The new category applies to those who died prematurely through an offering of their life to God and neighbor.

Nov. 19 — On the first-ever World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis eats lunch with 4,000 poor and people in need in Rome.

Nov. 27-Dec. 2 — In another trip to Asia, Pope Francis travels to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He visits landmarks and meets with government officials, Catholic clergy, and Buddhist monks. He also preaches the Gospel and promotes peace in the region.

2018

Jan. 15-21 — The pope takes another trip to Latin America, this time visiting Chile and Peru. The pontiff meets with government officials and members of the clergy while urging the faithful to remain close to the clergy and reject secularism. The Chilean visit leads to controversy over Chilean clergy sex abuse scandals.

Aug. 2 — The Vatican formally revises No. 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which concerns the death penalty. The previous text suggested the death penalty could be permissible in certain circumstances, but the revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”

Aug. 25 — Archbishop Carlo Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, publishes an 11-page letter calling for the resignation of Pope Francis and accusing him and other Vatican officials of covering up sexual abuse including allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The pope initially does not directly respond to the letter, but nine months after its publication he denies having prior knowledge about McCarrick’s conduct.

Aug. 25-26 — Pope Francis visits Dublin, Ireland, to attend the World Meeting of Families. The theme is “the Gospel of family, joy for the world.”

Oct. 3-28 — The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment takes place. The synod focuses on best practices to teach the faith to young people and to help them discern God’s will.

2019

Jan. 22-27 — The third World Youth Day during Pope Francis’ pontificate takes place during these six days in Panama City, Panama. Young Catholics from around the world gather for the event, with approximately 3 million people in attendance.

Feb. 4 — Pope Francis signs a joint document in with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, titled the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” The document focuses on people of different faiths uniting together to live peacefully and advance a culture of mutual respect.

Feb. 21-24 — The Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, which is labeled the Vatican Sexual Abuse Summit, takes place. The meeting focuses on sexual abuse scandals in the Church and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and transparency.

Oct. 6-27 — The Church holds the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, which is also known as the Amazon Synod. The synod is meant to present ways in which the Church can better evangelize the Amazon region but leads to controversy when carved images of a pregnant Amazonian woman, referred to by the pope as Pachamama, are used in several events and displayed in a basilica near the Vatican.

Oct. 13 — St. John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism and a cardinal, is canonized by Pope Francis. Newman’s writings inspired Catholic student associations at nonreligious colleges and universities in the United States and other countries.

2020

March 15 — Pope Francis takes a walking pilgrimage in Rome to the chapel of the crucifix and prays for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crucifix was carried through Rome during the plague of 1522.

March 27 — Pope Francis gives an extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing in an empty and rain-covered St. Peter’s Square, praying for the world during the coronavirus pandemic.

2021

March 5-8 — In his first papal trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis becomes the first pope to visit Iraq. On his trip, he signs a joint statement with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemning extremism and promoting peace.

July 3 — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, is indicted in a Vatican court for embezzlement, money laundering, and other crimes. The pope gives approval for the indictment.

July 4 — Pope Francis undergoes colon surgery for diverticulitis, a common condition in older people. The Vatican releases a statement that assures the pope “reacted well” to the surgery. Francis is released from the hospital after 10 days.

July 16 — Pope Francis issues a motu proprio titled Traditionis Custodes. The document imposes heavy restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.

Dec. 2-6 — The pope travels to Cyprus and Greece. The trip includes another visit to the Greek island of Lesbos to meet with migrants.

2022

Jan. 11 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to a record store in Rome called StereoSound. The pope, who has an affinity for classical music, blesses the newly renovated store.

March 19 — The pope promulgates Praedicate Evangelium, which reforms the Roman Curia. The reforms emphasize evangelization and establish more opportunities for the laity to be in leadership positions.

May 5 — Pope Francis is seen in a wheelchair for the first time in public and begins to use one more frequently. The pope has been suffering from knee problems for months.

July 24-30 — In his first papal visit to Canada, Pope Francis apologizes for the harsh treatment of the indigenous Canadians, saying many Christians and members of the Catholic Church were complicit.

2023

Jan. 31-Feb. 5 — Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. During his visit, the pope condemns political violence in the countries and promotes peace. He also participates in an ecumenical prayer service with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.

March 29-April 1 — Pope Francis is hospitalized for a respiratory infection. During his stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, he visits the pediatric cancer ward and baptizes a newborn baby.  

April 5 — The pope appears in the Disney documentary “The Pope: Answers,” which is in Spanish, answering six “hot-button” issues from members of Gen Z from various backgrounds. The group discusses immigration, depression, abortion, clergy sexual and psychological abuse, transgenderism, pornography, and loss of faith.

April 28-30 — Pope Francis visits Hungary to meet with government officials, civil society members, bishops, priests, seminarians, Jesuits, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers. He celebrates Mass on the final day of the trip in Kossuth Lajos Square.

June 7 — The Vatican announces that Pope Francis will undergo abdominal surgery that afternoon under general anesthesia due to a hernia that is causing painful, recurring, and worsening symptoms. In his general audience that morning before the surgery, Francis says he intends to publish an apostolic letter on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, “patroness of the missions,” to mark the 150th anniversary of her birth.

June 15 — After successful surgery and a week of recovery, Pope Francis is released from Gemelli Hospital.

Aug. 2-6 — Pope Francis travels to Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day 2023, taking place from Aug. 1-6. He meets with Church and civil leaders ahead of presiding at the welcoming Mass and Stations of the Cross. He also hears the confessions of several pilgrims. On Aug. 5, he visits the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, where he prays the rosary with young people with disabilities. That evening he presides over the vigil and on Sunday, Aug. 6, he celebrates the closing Mass, where he urges the 1.5 million young people present to “be not afraid,” echoing the words of the founder of World Youth Days, St. John Paul II.

Aug. 31-Sept. 4 — Pope Francis travels to Mongolia, the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country. The trip makes Francis the first pope to visit the Asian country that shares a 2,880-mile border with China, its most significant economic partner. Mongolia has a population of about 1,300 Catholics in a country of more than 3 million people.

Sept. 22-23 — On a two-day trip to Marseille, France, Pope Francis meets with local civil and religious leaders and participates in the Mediterranean Encounter, a gathering of some 120 young people of various creeds with bishops from 30 countries.

Oct. 4-29 — The Vatican hosts the first of two monthlong global assemblies of the Synod on Synodality, initiated by Pope Francis in 2021 to enhance the communion, participation, and mission of the Church. Pope Francis celebrates the closing Mass of the synod at St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 29. The second and final global assembly will take place at the Vatican in October 2024.

Nov. 25 — Pope Francis visits the hospital briefly for precautionary testing after coming down with the flu earlier in the day. Although he still participates in scheduled activities, other officials read his prepared remarks. The Vatican on Nov. 28 cancels the pope’s planned Dec. 1–3 trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech, due to his illness.

Dec. 18 — The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issues the declaration Fiducia Supplicans, which authorizes nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples and couples in “irregular situations.” Various bishops from around the world voice both support for and criticism of the document.

2024

Jan. 14 — Pope Francis for the first time responds publicly to questions about Fiducia Supplicans in an interview on an Italian television show. The pope underlines that “the Lord blesses everyone” and that a blessing is an invitation to enter into a conversation “to see what the road is that the Lord proposes to them.”

Feb. 11 — In a ceremony attended by Argentine president Javier Milei, Pope Francis canonizes María Antonia of St. Joseph — known affectionately in the pope’s home country as “Mama Antula” — in a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The president and the former archbishop of Buenos Aires embrace after the ceremony. Pope Francis, who has not returned to his homeland since becoming pope in 2013, has said he wants to visit Argentina in the second half of this year.

March 13 — Pope Francis celebrates 11 years as supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

April 8 — The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith releases Dignitas Infinita (“Infinite Dignity”), a document that reaffirms the Church’s perennial opposition to abortion, euthanasia, and gender ideology. 

May 19 — Pope Francis appears on CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview with Norah O’Donnell, where he states categorically that women’s ordination to the priesthood and the diaconate is off the table.

June 14 — Pope Francis becomes the first pope to address the G7 Summit in the southern Italian region of Puglia. In his remarks, he stresses that human dignity requires that the decisions of artificial intelligence (AI) be under the control of human beings. During the three-day event, the pope also meets with U.S. President Joe Biden.

Sept. 2-13 — Pope Francis embarks on a 12-day trip of more than 20,000 miles over seven flights through Asia and Oceania. The trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore is his most ambitious international trip yet and the longest of his 11-year pontificate. In East Timor, 600,000 Catholics attend Mass with the Holy Father.

Oct. 2-27 — The three-year Synod on Synodality concludes with the final session in Rome and the adoption of the final report, which in a surprise move Pope Francis signs immediately, stating he will not issue a separate postsynodal document.

Dec. 7 — Pope Francis holds a consistory at the Vatican in which he creates 21 new cardinals, including Archbishop Frank Leo of Toronto; Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran-Isfahan, Iran; and Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, reflecting the pope’s emphasis on the Church’s global mission.

Dec. 24 — On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opens the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica to officially launch the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.

2025

Jan. 14 — “Hope,” Pope Francis’ autobiography, is released. The book marks the first time a pope has provided a first-person narration of the episodes that have marked his entire life, in this case from his childhood in Argentina in a family of Italian immigrants to becoming the successor of St. Peter.

Feb. 14 — Pope Francis is hospitalized with bronchitis and later develops double pneumonia.

March 13 — While still in Gemelli Hosptial in Rome for treatment for respiratory illnesses, Pope Francis celebrates the 12th anniversay of his election to the papacy.

This story was last updated on March 11, 2025.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on March 12, 2025, that said she has “limited authority” to cancel a scheduled “black mass,” instead decreeing that the event must take place outside and not inside the capitol building itself. / Credit: Nils Huenerfuerst/Wikipedia/CC BY 4.0

CNA Staff, Mar 12, 2025 / 18:55 pm (CNA).

Amid outcry from Catholics over a “black mass” slated to take place at the Kansas state capitol building on March 28, Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday said she has “limited authority” to cancel the event, instead decreeing that the event must take place outside and not inside the building itself. 

The Satanic Grotto, the Kansas group purportedly organizing the March 28 “black mass,” says the event is intended to “dedicate the grounds and our legislature to the glory of Satan.” The group will be “performing rites” and “indulging in sacrilegious blaspheme [sic].”

“Satanist” groups intending to stage so-called “black masses” — a direct mockery of the Catholic Mass — have on at least one occasion boasted of possessing a stolen consecrated host with an intent to desecrate the Eucharist in an unspecified but profane ritual.

A petition launched by a Catholic group asking Kelly to shut down the event claims to have attracted nearly 34,600 signatures as of Wednesday.

In a March 12 statement, Kelly said she shares many of the concerns Catholics have raised about the “black mass,” noting there are “more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols.”

“However, as governor, I also have a duty to protect protesters’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, regardless of how offensive or distasteful I might find the content to be. Since these rights are constitutionally protected, the governor’s office has limited authority to respond to such actions,” Kelly continued. 

In the interest of keeping the capitol “open and accessible to the public while ensuring all necessary health and safety regulations are enforced,” however, Kelly said the “black mass” event will need to take place outside on the capitol grounds rather than inside the capitol building itself. 

“[N]o protests will be allowed inside the statehouse on March 28,” Kelly concluded. 

Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, was unimpressed with Kelly’s response, telling CNA in a statement that her March 12 message “reeks of condescension and a willful ignorance about what is scheduled to happen.”

“Make no mistake: A vile and despicable Satanic worship ritual has been approved to take place on the grounds of the Kansas state Capitol, ‘The People’s House.’ Moving it from the living room to the front porch changes nothing,” Weber said. 

“Where is the condemnation of this provocative expression of hatred and anti-Catholic bigotry?” he said.

Weber also informed CNA that the organizer of the group planning the “black mass” has been telephoning the Catholic Conference for the purpose of “taunting me and the bishops,” even texting Weber personally to harass him and boast of his intention to “kill Jesus.” The group has engaged in anti-Catholic political protests in the past, including recently at the Kansas March for Life. 

For their part, the Catholic bishops of the state are urging the faithful to counter the planned event through prayer, good works such as seeking out volunteer opportunities with Catholic Charities, and by contacting their lawmakers to ask them to shut the event down. 

“If true, this explicit demonstration of anti-Catholic bigotry will be an insult to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill. Spiritual and legal responses are being explored,” the bishops said in a joint statement shared with CNA on March 6. 

“The Catholic bishops of Kansas ask that first and foremost, we pray for the conversion of those taking part in this event, as well as each person’s own conversion of heart during this sacred season of Lent. The Kansas Catholic Conference will continue to update the faithful as the situation unfolds.”

Nearby Benedictine College announced March 10 that students and staff will be dedicating the month’s weekly Holy Hours, rosaries, and Memorare prayers to the intention of the conversion of those involved in the sacrilegious event and to the intention that faith will grow in Kansas.

Catholic opposition to “black mass” events has a history of success in recent years. 

Last October, Catholics in Atlanta were outraged and called to prayer when a “black mass” event was announced by the Satanic Temple, a provocative Salem, Massachusetts-based political organization that denies belief in the supernatural and is known for protesting religious symbolism in public spaces.

After legal action by the Atlanta Archdiocese, the Satanic Temple admitted it did not have a consecrated host and did not intend to use one in its “mass.”

In 2014, a planned “black mass” at Harvard University sparked considerable outcry from Catholics, as did another one later that year in Oklahoma City. The latter led to a successful lawsuit from the Oklahoma City Archdiocese against an occult group that claimed to have obtained a consecrated host, leading to the host’s safe return. 

Pope Francis with Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako in 2020. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Mar 12, 2025 / 17:55 pm (CNA).

The Chaldean patriarch of Baghdad, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, said with emotion that most of the Iraqi population has been distressed by Pope Francis’ extended hospitalization and that even “Muslims are praying for his recovery.”

Sako revealed that both the current Iraqi prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudan, and Mustafa Abdellatif Mshatat, a politician who was in office when the pope traveled to the country in March 2021, have personally called him to inquire about the Holy Father’s health.

“They were very concerned and asked me to convey their closeness to him; I did so through the secretariat of state,” the cardinal explained in a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

Sako said with emotion that all the Chaldean churches and convents pray for Pope Francis every day. “He is also our father, not only of the Latin Church, and every day we await the medical report,” he explained.

The cardinal emphasized that Muslims, too, have wanted to show their closeness to him.

“Many Muslims contact me every day to find out how he is,” he continued, adding that they hold dear the memory of the Holy Father’s visit to this country four years ago, in March 2021.

“No one forgets it. Those were three days when we were like in paradise, without attacks, bombs, or deaths from war,” he recalled.

The prelate also noted that Al-Kadhimi went all out for Pope Francis’ visit, having “the streets decorated and music played to create a festive atmosphere.”

“Everywhere there were pictures of the Holy Father and the Vatican flag,” he added.

Sako was on a pilgrimage last week to Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, the common father of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. This town in southern Iraq is considered one of the most important sacred sites for Christianity in ancient Mesopotamia.

“We made the Stations of the Cross for Pope Francis, all the priests from Baghdad together with about 20 nuns, and there were also some Muslims with us. It was truly a beautiful moment,” he related.

South Sudan is also praying for the Holy Father

South Sudan is another country that fondly remembers Pope Francis’ visit in early 2023 and continues to pray for him during these difficult times.

The bishop of the Diocese of Bentiu, Christian Carlassare, who was in charge of some of the preparations and organized a 250-mile pilgrimage with the country’s youth to prepare for the pope’s arrival, assured that the South Sudanese “love him very much.”

“They didn’t just warmly embrace him when he visited them two years ago. They know that the pope’s heart is in South Sudan and all the peripheries of the world,” he noted.

Likewise, no one will forget the gesture of peace Pope Francis made in April 2019 when he organized a spiritual retreat at the Vatican with the then-president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and his opponent, Riek Machar.

During his trip to the country, the second stop on his journey to Central Africa after spending three days in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the pope vehemently criticized the violence, which has been seared into that society’s conscience.

“These are years of wars and conflicts that seem to have no end. Violent clashes have even recently been recorded, while reconciliation processes and promises of peace remain unfulfilled,” Pope Francis said upon landing in Juba.

All the parishes in the country are praying for his recovery. “All the churches are praying the rosary, remembering the Holy Father especially in this time of fatigue and illness,” he said.

Carlassare said the people feel the pope’s “strong presence despite the weakness of his body.”

“It is the light of a person who is spontaneous, who is present, who loves Christ and loves his Church,” he concluded.

Indonesia: interfaith prayers for pope’s health

In addition, young Indonesians of different faiths have also wanted to join the prayers arriving from around the world to the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where the pontiff remains hospitalized with double pneumonia.

“In a gesture of unity and hope, young people and leaders of different religions gathered at Hati Indonesia, the geodesic dome of the Scholas Occurrentes center created by young people from the movement, to offer interfaith prayers for the health of Pope Francis,” the movement said in a statement.

This space, inaugurated by the Holy Father in September 2024 during his apostolic visit to Indonesia, has become a symbol of the encounter between cultures and religions.

On this occasion, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists gathered to pray together for the Holy Father’s “speedy recovery.”

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

Hundreds of people gather to pray the rosary for Pope Francis’ health on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Mar 12, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, reflected Tuesday on the great challenge of illness and suffering for Pope Francis as he approaches a month’s hospital stay amid a series of health crises.

Before leading Tuesday evening’s recitation of rosary, held inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, Koch drew parallels in the lives of Pope Francis and St. Peter.

“Truly, truly, I say to you when you were young, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go,” Koch said, citing John 21:18.   

Commenting on the Gospel account when the resurrected Jesus asked Peter, the first pope, to follow him until the end, Koch asked: “How can we not recognize in these words, in fact, what our Holy Father — the successor of Peter — is also experiencing and struggling with?”

“Of course the situations are different, but also the suffering of a serious illness is a great challenge,” he said before starting Tuesday’s contemplation of the rosary’s sorrowful mysteries.  

Since Feb. 24, a cardinal has presided over the daily recitation of the rosary for the pope’s health. Hundreds of local Catholic faithful and jubilee pilgrims from around the world have come to St. Peter’s Square to join the evening prayers open to the public.

“We ask for the intercession of Mary, the mother of hope, for the health of Pope Francis,” Koch prayed.

The 88-year-old pontiff has undergone various medical therapies to treat bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia as well as mild kidney problems since being admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital almost one month ago on Feb. 14.

Over the weeks, several Catholic faithful from Rome and abroad have also gathered outside Gemelli Hospital to pray for the Holy Father and have left behind written notes with well wishes, candles, and flowers before the St. John Paul II statue outside the facility.

Wednesday evening’s rosary at the Vatican was held at 6 p.m. local time and led by Cardinal ​​George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

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Usha Vance visits the 2025 Special Olympics Winter Games in Turin, Italy, on March 10, 2025. / Credit: Emily Higgins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 16:15 pm (CNA).

One of the largest inclusive sports events of the year, the games mark the first Special Olympics World Winter Games since 2017.

null / Credit: Drop of Light/Shutterstock

London, England, Mar 11, 2025 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

Following a report that the U.K. government is considering contracting out assisted death to the private sector, Right to Life UK said the plans were “a disaster waiting to happen.”

Father Raffaele Grimaldi, inspector general of chaplains in Italian prisons. / Credit: Almudena Martínez-Bordiú/ACI Prensa

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 11, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis decided to open for the first time in history a Holy Door in the Italian prison of Rebibbia during the Jubilee of Hope, a gesture that the prisoners welcomed as a sign of mercy, closeness, and hope.

His visit to Rebibbia set an example of what he called for in the bull Spes Non Confundit: to be “tangible signs of hope for so many brothers and sisters who live in conditions of hardship.”

Father Raffaele Grimaldi, inspector general of chaplains in Italian prisons, emphasized during a meeting with journalists organized by the ISCOM Association near the Vatican that the Holy Father knows “that those who have made mistakes need us to give them a hand so that they can get back on track.”

‘I learned to be a priest’ as a prison chaplain

Grimaldi left the chaplaincy in the Secondigliano prison in Naples — where he served prisoners for 23 years — to coordinate the 230 priests who care for the nearly 62,000 prisoners throughout Italy, of whom 20,000 are foreigners.

From his years as a chaplain, he noted that there were not only ordinary prisoners there “but also those in maximum security, people with a very extensive criminal history.”

The priest emphasized that his service “was for everyone” and that “it did not matter what crime the person had committed, because we should not identify the man who is in prison with his mistakes.”

“My experience in the Secondigliano prison was very intense; it formed me both humanly and spiritually. I always say that by being a chaplain, I learned to be a priest, because I met the weakest, the excluded, and above all, I realized there has to be mercy and forgiveness.”

The priest also emphasized that this has been the “most beautiful experience I have ever had: being with them for 23 years, with their families, trying to be a sign of hope for them.”

“We chaplains are truly convinced that if we help the prisoners, they can regain confidence in themselves,” he said. Grimaldi also noted that the prisoners pray every day for the speedy recovery of Pope Francis and that they were able to listen to the audio message he sent on March 6 from Gemelli Hospital, which they welcomed with hope.

A new culture of acceptance

Regarding the Holy Father’s call to carry out acts of clemency toward prisoners during the holy year, as took place in Cuba in January with the release of 553 prisoners following mediation by the Vatican, Grimaldi commented that when the pope issues a call, “it sets people free.”

“The pope’s appeal is based on the Gospel, an appeal to the conscience and responsibility of others. The pardon and act of clemency that the pope asks for is a call to mercy. We know well that the prisoners are there for reasons of justice, but we must never separate mercy from justice. Otherwise, justice becomes revenge,” he added.

Grimaldi noted that Rebibbia has become a “symbol of all the prisons in the world,” a place that the Holy Father chose “to say to the whole world: Let’s try to take a look at our prisons.”

However, he pointed out that Pope Francis has expressed his closeness to prisoners since the beginning of his pontificate by washing their feet on Holy Thursday and by his continuous appeals for mercy.

In a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the priest emphasized that “the role of the laity is fundamental” since it is necessary to “convey a message of acceptance.” 

“The prison door has been opened so that one can cross over and enter the prison. But we must not forget that this door is also open for others to leave. It is not only an entrance but also an exit,” he pointed out.

The priest said his greatest concern is that “when these prisoners leave, they don’t find acceptance or openness. There are still many prejudices and, to be frank, society is afraid to accept those who leave prison.”

The priest emphasized the need to “educate the community and society to be more welcoming and not indifferent to so many problems,” creating a new culture and ending indifference.

He also noted that on April 9, members of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, led by Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, will pass through the Holy Door at the Rebibbia prison to celebrate the jubilee.

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

Black smoke billows over the city after drone strikes in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Sept. 19, 2023, amid Russia's military invasion on Ukraine. / Credit: YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP via Getty Images

Rome Newsroom, Mar 10, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Since being admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14, Pope Francis has dedicated time to work and pray while being treated for bilateral pneumonia and other medical conditions. And as the world continues to pray for him throughout his prolonged hospitalization, the 88-year-old pontiff has asked people to remember to pray for God’s “gift of peace” for those suffering in the following countries:

Ukraine

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago on Feb. 24, 2022, Pope Francis has never failed to ask people to pray for “martyred Ukraine” and the millions of victims of war who have been killed, injured, or left homeless as a result of the ongoing conflict.

In January, the pope said his “wish for the year 2025” was for the entire international community to end the Russia-Ukraine war that has “caused so much bloodshed in war-torn Ukraine.” Since the outbreak of the war, the Holy Father has called for the release of all prisoners and accessible humanitarian assistance for those in need.

Though official numbers of Ukrainian and Russian war casualties are unknown, the Wall Street Journal reported in September 2024 that an estimated 1 million people have died or been injured since the large-scale Russian invasion. The United Nations has verified that at least 12,600 civilians have been killed and an additional 29,390 civilians injured since February 2022.

“A painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity!” the pope shared in his Feb. 23 Angelus message from Gemelli Hospital. “I reiterate my closeness to the suffering people of Ukraine.”

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Congo’s complex humanitarian situation — exacerbated by natural disasters, armed conflicts, and epidemics — has not gone unnoticed for the pontiff who visited the central African nation in 2023.

The Holy Father has often addressed the plight of the Congolese to pilgrims who come to the Vatican to attend his general audiences or to pray the Sunday Angelus with him in St. Peter’s Square.

On Feb. 14, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported more than 21.2 million people in the Congo are in need of aid.

Amid the country’s worsening humanitarian situation after the fall of Goma, in North Kivu, and Bukavu, in South Kivu, to M23 forces backed by Rwandan fighters, Aid to the Church in Need reported Christians have been targeted by armed groups after more than 70 people were massacred in a Protestant church and an additional 100 people taken hostage by terrorists in North Kivu last month.

Myanmar (Burma)

Pope Francis is the first pontiff to visit the majority-Buddhist southeast Asian nation that has been afflicted by heightened political unrest and violence since a 2021 military coup that thwarted the country’s transition toward democratic rule.

Appealing to warring parties to lay down their arms, the pope has asked the international community to remember the country’s elderly, children, sick, and the Rohingya ethnic minority.

More than 18.6 million people, 6 million of whom are children, are in need of humanitarian aid, according to a Feb. 21 report published by United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

Sudan

Pope Francis said “the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, is causing the most serious humanitarian crisis in the world, with dramatic consequences in South Sudan too” and during his Jan. 26 Angelus address renewed his appeal to those who are at war in Sudan to negotiate peace and end the hostilities.

In a March 10 report, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the conflict in Sudan has “caused the world’s largest and fastest-growing displacement crisis, with 12.8 million forcibly displaced.” WHO reported the country’s malnutrition rates are “among the highest globally,” with 4.9 million children under 5 and pregnant women “acutely malnourished.”  

Attacks on health care facilities also contributed to the August 2024 outbreak of cholera in the north African nation that has led to 1,500 deaths out of the 55,000 cases reported, according to UNICEF.  

Palestine

The impact of the decades-long political instability and violence in Gaza and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) — two Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967 —  is a concern close to the heart of the 88-year-old pope. 

Since the Oct. 7, 2023, declaration of the Israel-Hamas war, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ February 2025 report states more than 100,000 people have been injured in the conflict. According to the report at least 34,399 Palestinians — the majority of them women and children — were killed in Gaza between Nov. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2024.

While undergoing complex medical treatment at Gemelli Hospital, the Holy Father continues to make a daily call to the Holy Family Church in Gaza to check in on their welfare as approximately 600 people are still seeking shelter at the parish.

During a Dec. 6, 2024, Aid to the Church in Need press conference, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, told journalists the pope’s calls are “a very big support” for the community of Gaza.

Israel

Unable to read his Jan. 9 address to the diplomatic corp earlier this year due to a persistent cold, in his prepared speech the pontiff nevertheless stressed his great desire for peace in the country, a permanent cease-fire, and the release of Israeli hostages detained in Gaza.

More than 250 Israelis were taken hostage following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. At least 1,200 Israelis were killed on the same day, according to a BBC report. The attack, which sparked Israel’s declaration of war against the extreme Islamic terrorist group, was strongly condemned by the Holy Father.

​​”My prayerful hope is that Israelis and Palestinians can rebuild the bridges of dialogue and mutual trust,” the Holy Father expressed in his 2025 speech. “So that future generations can live side by side in the two states, in peace and security.”

Praying for harmony and mutual respect among Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Holy Land has been a daily prayer of the pope since the early years of his pontificate. Following his 2014 pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Holy See invited former President of Israel Shimon Peres, President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, and Patriarch Bartholomew I to the Vatican for the Invocation of Peace.