Iulia-Elena Cazan (ZENIT News – Center for Family and Human Rights / New York, 05.06.2024).- A groundswell of complaints engulfed the annual UN Commission on Population and Development. Countries are in an angry panic about the results of decades-long propaganda favoring lowering fertility rates. Even so, Western countries and UN agencies doubled down the need for lower fertility rates. Governments voiced concerns that low fertility rates are threatening their societies with anemic economic growth, labor shortages, fiscal insolvency, and other social problems at the annual gathering at UN head ..read more

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.06.2024).- Around 20,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to accompany the Pope in the recitation of the Regina Coeli prayer and to listen to his Sunday address. The address revolved around the Gospel of the sixth week of the liturgical season of Easter (John 15:15). After the address and the Marian prayer, the Pope congratulated the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians who were celebrating Easter that Sunday according to the Julian calendar. Below is the translation into English of the Pope’s words: *** Today the Gospel tells us about Jesus who ..read more

(ZENIT News / Roma, 05.06.2024).- One of the Pope’s most insistent appeals in this last period of his pontificate, has been for Adoration of the Eucharistic Christ. Two recent decisions must be read in this context: the calling of the Year dedicated to Prayer, before the Jubilee 2025, and the announcement of the taking up again in 2024 of the Corpus Chrisiti procession in the diocese of Rome, of which the Pope is Bishop. In fact, three years after not doing so, Pope Francis will preside over the Holy Mass on Sunday, June 2, in the Cathedral of Saint John Lateran. Subsequently, he will lead the ..read more

(ZENIT News / Covington, Ky., 05.06.2024).- Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a motion Friday asking a Kentucky federal district court to allow A.C., a high-school athlete from West Virginia, and Christian Educators Association International, an association of teachers, to join a lawsuit suing the Biden administration over its recent attempt to rewrite Title IX, a federal law designed to create equal opportunities for students in education and athletics. A.C. has already lost key opportunities to a male student on her track team and had to endure that student’s vulgar sexual ..read more

(ZENIT News / Los Angeles, 04.05.2024).- Sister Monica Clare, a un in northern New Jersey, walks by a sunlit church, sits on a bench, makes the sign of the cross and says: “Thanks to TikTok, I’ve created a Community in which we can feel safe, asking questions about spirituality.” It’s a TV ad with an underlying message that depicts TikTok as a force of good. The video app spends millions of dollars on such ads, taking advantage of TikTok fans, such as the nun or Navy veteran P. Kenny. Clare, 58, said in an interview: “The majority of people, especially those older than 60, say TikTok is a heap ..read more

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.04.2024).- The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of Pope Francis reported that the Pontiff will preside over the Holy Mass on the occasion of the solemnity of Corpus Christi at the Cathedral of St. John Lateran and subsequently the Eucharistic procession to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The solemnity will be moved from Thursday to Sunday, June 2nd. It was in 2018 when Pope Francis decided not to continue the tradition of the Corpus Christi Eucharistic procession in Rome. That year, for that occasion, the Pope was in Ostia. Already in 2017, he had dec ..read more

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.04.2024).- On the morning of Saturday, May 4th, Pope Francis received in Audience, at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs. Viola Amherd, who subsequently met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, accompanied by Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. During the cordial discussions at the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed for the good relations and collaboration between the Holy See and the Swiss Confederation, including regarding the renovation project of the Pontifi ..read more

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.04.2024).- On the morning of Saturday, May 4th, Pope Francis received in audience the international leaders of the Equipes Notre-Dame Movement. This is a Catholic Church movement that brings together married couples who wish to fully experience the riches of their sacrament of marriage. The Equipes Notre-Dame were recognized by the Vatican’s International Catholic Association in 1975 and by the International Private Association of the Faithful in 2002. *** I am pleased to meet you, international leaders of the Équipes Notre-Dame Movement. Thank you for ..read more

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.04.2024).- In the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis received an audience of about 50 pilgrims from Amsterdam, on the occasion of the city’s 750th anniversary. The delegation included a choir that performed some pieces for the Pope during the audience (Diga Maria). Among the participants were also the Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Holy See, Annemieke Ruigrok, former Minister Ed Nijpels, and former European Parliament member Maria Martens. A new variety of tulip was presented to the Pope, which will be named after his latest encyclical ‘F ..read more

(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.04.2024).- On the morning of Friday, April 3rd, the Pope held a special audience with members of the Blanquerna Foundation from the Ramon Llull University of the Archdiocese of Barcelona. Below are the Pope’s words in English: *** I am pleased to greet you again: some of you have already been here for the meeting with the Federation of Catholic Universities, you already know the way, you are almost at home. My attention was drawn by the name Blanquerna, the illustrious literary personage used by Blessed Ramón Llull to give a precise description of the society of ..read more