CRS Urges U.S. to Restore ‘Lifesaving’ Assistance WASHINGTON, D.C. (OSV News) – Leaders of Catholic Relief Services, the overseas charitable arm of the Catholic Church in the U.S., urged the Trump administration to issue “prompt payments” for lifesaving foreign aid work after U.S. Secretar y of State Marco Rubio said earlier this month that just a fraction of programs of the now-shuttered U.S. Agency for International Development would remain intact. Cuts to the government’s humanitarian aid agency, which operated in countries around the globe, included funding for efforts by Catholic and other faith-based humanitarian groups. Officials with CRS noted in a March 17 statement that its programs serve “the needs of very poor communities” and appealed to Catholic teaching on governments’ moral responsibility to assist the most vulnerable. “By ending these life-saving programs, our government is not only neglecting our nation’s responsibility, but also weakening the very foundations of peace, stability, and prosperity,” CRS leaders said. “We urge the administration to reverse these terminations and issue prompt payments to continue this life-saving and life-giving assistance.” Pro-life Movement Needs New Approach, Dicastery Says VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Officials with the Dicastery for Laity, the Family, and Life have published a pastoral framework to help dioceses begin a synodal process for strengthening and promoting the pastoral care of human life. The aim is to help all Catholics defend, safeguard, and promote all human life worldwide and in different cultural contexts, the dicastery members said in a statement on Monday, March 24. Titled, “Life Is Always a Good: Initiating Processes for a Pastoral Care of Human Life,” the 40-page framework seeks to reaffirm St. John Paul’s words as repeatedly emphasized by Pope Francis and to “draw the attention of all people of goodwill who wish to be at the service of communities to effectively defend and promote every human person’s life,” Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, dicastery prefect, wrote in its preface. The principle that every person’s life should always be respected, safeguarded, and defended, which is evident in Church teaching and recognizable even by reason, must be “implemented in every country, village, and household” with special emphasis on helping young people understand and welcome the value of life, the cardinal wrote. Through dialogue, listening, prayer, and discernment, all the faithful with the guidance of the Holy Spirit can work “to create the conditions to welcome and accompany life anywhere and anytime,” Cardinal Farrell wrote. Planners of ‘Black Mass’ Admit They Don’t Possess Eucharist LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (OSV News) – A Satanic group that was planning a “black mass” at the Kansas Statehouse on Friday, March 28, has sworn in court it is not in possession of a consecrated host and wine the group seeks to desecrate at the event. On Thursday, March 20, a judge dismissed a case brought by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, against the Satanic Grotto for the return of a consecrated host and consecrated wine the group claimed to have secured. Dismissal of the case was “an unexpected but welcome development” since the defendants admitted under oath they did not have the sacred species, officials with the Kansas Catholic Conference stated shortly after the hearing. The conference also said Archbishop Naumann is “calling upon the faithful to pray for the spiritual conversion of those promoting and participating in the satanic worship ritual.” Myanmar Junta Torches Catholic Cathedral in Kachin BANMAW, Myanmar (OSV News) – The military junta in Myanmar reportedly burned down St. Patrick Cathedral in Kachin state on Sunday, March 16, the eve of the feast day of St. Patrick. This act of destruction is part of a broader pattern of attacks on church buildings and related properties in the region, according to local sources. A priest from the Diocese of Banmaw expressed the deep sorrow and suffering among the faithful, many of whom are turning to prayer and penance in the face of these atrocities, including holding services in forests and mountains. This attack follows the burning of diocesan offices and schools in February and the destruction of Sacred Heart Church in Chin state by airstrikes earlier this year. The junta’s military forces have also been linked to the death of a priest in February. Myanmar’s military, which took control in 2021, continues its violent crackdown on armed groups and civilians, displacing more than 2.4 million people across the country. A local priest, under condition of anonymity, told Fides agency that he has seen many faithful cry and suffer following the burning of the cathedral, adding that people in the region can only take refuge in the Lord. Nuncio: Ukraine War Confirms Humanity Can ‘Rely Only on God’ KYIV, Ukraine (OSV News) – The apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, emphasized that prayer is the only true weapon for peace amid the ongoing war. Speaking to OSV News on Wednesday, March 19, via email, he expressed that relying on human justice or international powers is insufficient, as stronger military forces often dominate. He encouraged Catholics to embrace prayer and repentance as essential tools for peace. As the situation in Ukraine is further complicated by political tensions, Archbishop Kulbokas stressed the importance of international dialogue and the Holy See’s commitment to peace, despite the difficulty of achieving it. Pope Francis echoed this sentiment in a recent letter, calling for disarmament of minds and words. Both the pope and Ukrainian leaders, including Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, have warned against any peace settlements that undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty. The bishops continue to place their trust in God, hopeful for peace even in these trying times. Church Urges Protection of Youth after Attack on Mexican Youth Group SALAMANCA, Mexico (OSV News) – On Sunday, March 23, Mexican Catholics honored the memory of eight young people shot dead outside a parish in Salamanca, Guanajuato state, on Sunday, March 16. The victims were socializing after Mass when armed men opened fire, leaving five others injured. In response, candles were placed on altars across the country, and Catholic leaders condemned the escalating violence, urging reflection on its devastating impact on youth. The Mexican bishops’ conference described the violence as a “cancer” for society, calling for unity and action against crime and impunity. The attack highlights the growing violence in Guanajuato, fueled by drug cartels battling for control of illegal fuel theft operations. Young people are particularly vulnerable, with many falling into crime, while others are tragically caught in the violence. Father Andrés Larios, working in a cartel-affected region, emphasized the dire need for pastoral care and better youth outreach to prevent drug cartels from trapping vulnerable young Mexicans. Pope Urges Young to Embrace Vocation as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Amid widespread uncertainty and social fragmentation, Pope Francis urged young people to embrace their vocation as “pilgrims of hope,” offering their lives generously in service to others and as a response to God’s love. Every vocation in the Church – to ordained ministry, consecrated life, or life as a layperson – “ is a sign of God’s hope for the world and for each of His children,” the pope wrote in his message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which is to be observed on Sunday, May 11. “A vocation is a precious gift that God sows in the heart,” the pope wrote. “It is a call to go out of ourselves and begin a journey of love and service.” Officials with the Vatican released the pope’s message, titled “Pilgrims of Hope: The Gift of Life,” on Wednesday, March 19, the feast of St. Joseph. Pope Francis said the theme reflects the need for Christians, especially youth, to live their faith courageously amid economic, social, and spiritual challenges. “In our time, many young people feel lost about the future,” he wrote. “They often experience uncertainty about job prospects and, more profoundly, an identity crisis, which is also a crisis of meaning and values.” Retiring Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron hands the crosier, or shepherd’s staff, to Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger as Archbishop Weisenburger takes his seat for the first time upon the cathedra March 18, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, officially becoming Detroit’s sixth archbishop and the 10th man to officially lead Detroit’s Catholic faithful. (OSV News photo/Valaurian Waller, Detroit Catholic) The post News Briefs: March 30, 2025 appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less