St. Andrew Catholic Church

Cardinals gather for the the seventh Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on May 2, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 16:41 pm (CNA).

In the days leading up to the conclave to elect the next pope, the College of Cardinals gathered for 12 general congregations at the Vatican to reflect on the state of the Church and the many challenges it faces in the modern world.

The meetings, held from April 22 to May 6, included both cardinal electors under the age of 80 and non-electors over 80, who, while not eligible to vote in the conclave, actively participated in the discussions.

The early sessions focused on procedural matters, including funeral arrangements and confirming that the conclave would begin on May 7. As the days progressed, the cardinals turned their attention to urgent ecclesial and global concerns.

According to daily briefings from the Holy See Press Office, the cardinals addressed a wide range of topics, including evangelization, sexual abuse, Vatican finances, synodality, interreligious dialogue, war and conflict, and the desired profile of the next pope.

Attendance at the general congregations rose steadily over the first days of meetings, starting with approximately 60 cardinals on April 22 and climbing to over 180 by April 29. 

The 12th and final congregation took place on May 6 with 173 cardinals present, 130 of whom were electors.

“Among the main themes that emerged was the reaffirmation that many of the reforms promoted by Pope Francis need to be continued: the fight against abuse, economic transparency, reorganization of the Curia, synodality, commitment to peace, and care for creation,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said of the cardinals’ last congregation meeting.

It should be noted that the general congregation discussions took place behind closed doors without any press access, and the daily summaries of topics covered provided by the Vatican were not all-encompassing. For example, topics addressed in Cardinal Joseph Zen’s intervention on April 30, including a critique of the Synod on Synodality and explicit mention of scandals related to the late Theodore McCarrick and Father Marko Rupnik, were not reflected in the Holy See Press Office’s briefing on the general congregation that day.

Here is a look at some of the challenges that the cardinals discussed ahead of the conclave:

Evangelization

Evangelization emerged as a recurring theme throughout the congregations. On May 5, during the 10th general congregation, there were interventions that focused on the Church’s missionary nature and the transmission of the faith. On May 3, cardinals emphasized the need for a pope with a “prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair,” according to Bruni.

On May 2, the cardinals reflected on evangelization as the heart of Pope Francis’ pontificate. Several interventions highlighted the urgency of effectively communicating the Gospel at all levels of Church life, from parishes to the Roman Curia. Several speakers highlighted the importance of mutual love as the first form of evangelization and another discussed “the hermeneutics of continuity” between the pontificates of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, particularly in relation to the Eucharist and the evangelizing mission of the Church.

On April 30, cardinals heard an intervention on the importance of coherence between the proclamation of the Gospel and the concrete witness of Christian life. Evangelization also featured in discussions on April 28.

War and global conflict

Cardinals from conflict zones offered firsthand testimony of the suffering caused by war. On May 5, the discussions included the theme of war and the fragmentation of the world. On May 3, cardinals reflected on the role of the Church and the pope in promoting peace. On May 2, particular attention was paid to the Eastern Churches, described as marked by suffering but also by strong faith.

On May 6, at the opening of the final congregation, the cardinals expressed regret over the lack of progress in peace processes in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other regions. They noted an intensification of attacks, particularly against civilians, and issued a heartfelt appeal for a permanent ceasefire and the negotiation of a just and lasting peace. The cardinals invited all the faithful to intensify their prayers for peace.

Sexual abuse

The issue of sexual abuse was discussed explicitly on May 2. Bruni noted that these wounds remain “open” and underlined the importance of awareness and identifying concrete paths for healing. Financial scandals were also mentioned as part of the Church’s “counter-witness.” The issue of abuse was also raised in the April 28 and May 6 sessions.

Vatican finances

On April 30, the cardinals discussed the financial situation of the Holy See. Cardinal Reinhard Marx presented an update on economic challenges and proposals for sustainability. Cardinal Kevin Farrell outlined the work of the Committee for Investments, while Cardinal Christoph Schönborn spoke about the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR). Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga provided an update on Vatican property and building renovations. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, apostolic almoner, spoke about the work of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.

Synodality

The Synod on Synodality came up in the interventions during several of the general congregations. On May 5, it was presented as “an expression of an ecclesiology of communion in which all are called to participate, listen, and discern together.” On May 3, some of the cardinals emphasized synodality and collegiality. On May 2, they discussed synodality in relation to mission and the need to overcome secularism. On April 30, several interventions reflected on synodality as an expression of “differentiated co-responsibility” connected to episcopal collegiality, the Holy See Press Office said.

Divisions in the Church

Concerns about polarization within the Church were raised on May 5, with an intervention expressing alarm over internal divisions. On May 3, the cardinals discussed the Church’s dual role to live communion within itself and to promote fraternity in the world. On April 30, an intervention reflected on the suffering caused by ecclesial and social polarization.

During their final congregation, the theme of divisions within the Church and in society was addressed again, along with the way in which the cardinals are called to exercise their role in relation to the papacy.

Priestly and religious vocations

Vocations were addressed in multiple sessions. On April 30, the topic was linked to the spiritual and pastoral renewal of the Church. On May 5, cardinals spoke about vocations, the family, and the Church’s responsibility to educate the young.

Service to the poor and migrants

On May 5, the cardinals spoke about the importance of Caritas and its role not only in providing relief but also in defending the poor and bearing witness to the Gospel’s call to justice. In the afternoon session on the same day, they discussed migration, recognizing migrants as a gift to the Church while also stressing the need to accompany them and support their faith.

Other topics

The cardinals also discussed care for creation, the legacy of Pope Francis, global fraternity, education as a tool for transformation, ecumenical dialogue, the role of the Curia, the importance of canon law, and the centrality of the liturgy.

In the final general congregation on May 6, the cardinals spoke of the “need to make the meetings of the College of Cardinals more significant on the occasion of consistories” in the future, as this would give the cardinals more of a chance to know one another. After 12 general congregations, the hope is the cardinal electors who hail from 70 different countries at least know each other a little better than they did 15 days ago as they begin the momentous task of electing the next successor of Peter.

Washington state’s governor signed a law on May 1, 2025, that threatens priests with up to one year in jail if they fail to report child abuse they learn about during the sacrament of confession. / Credit: Romana Klee via Flickr

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2025 / 16:11 pm (CNA).

President Donald Trump's Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating an “anti-Catholic law” in Washington state that threatens priests with up to one year in jail if they fail to report child abuse they learn about during the sacrament of confession.

The new law, signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson last week, adds members of the clergy to the list of mandatory reporters for child abuse. It specifically states that clergy must report abuse, even if it is learned of during “privileged communication.” All other mandatory reporters, such as nurses and therapists, are exempt from the reporting requirements when the information is obtained during “privileged communication.”

A priest who refuses to report information learned during confession could be sent to jail for up to 364 days and receive a fine of up to $5,000.

In a press release, the DOJ expressed that one of its primary concerns is that the law seems to single out priests and confession. The law exempts most privileged communication from the mandatory reporting law but denies that right to priests by including the phrase “except for members of the clergy.”

“The law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals,” the DOJ wrote. “We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington state’s cooperation with our investigation.”

Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, sent a letter to the governor and called the mandate a “legislative attack on the Catholic Church and its sacrament of confession, a religious practice ordained by the Catholic Church dating back to the Church’s origins.”

“Not only does this new law put state authorities in direct conflict with the free exercise of a well-established religion, but your law demands that priests disobey one of the Catholic Church’s first authorities related to confession,” she wrote. “This state command runs afoul of the First Amendment.”

Dhillon cited Catholic canon law, which states that “it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in manner and for any reason.”

Bishops: ‘Confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential’

The Washington State Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops, put out a statement to assure Catholics that “their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential, and protected by the law of the Church.”

“Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession — or they will be excommunicated from the Church,” the statement, signed by Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, added.

The bishop noted that Church policy requires priests to report knowledge of child abuse to the police but “not if this information is obtained during confession.” He wrote that the bishops are committed to working with civil authorities in ways that do not impugn the seal of confession.

“The Catholic Church agrees with the goal of protecting children and preventing child abuse,” the statement added. “The Archdiocese of Seattle remains committed to reporting child sexual abuse, working with victim survivors towards healing, and protecting all minors and vulnerable people.”

However, Etienne wrote: “While we remain committed to protecting minors and all vulnerable people from abuse, priests cannot comply with this law if the knowledge of abuse is obtained during the sacrament of reconciliation.”

The bishop recalled the first reading from this past Sunday’s Mass, in which apostles were arrested and thrown in jail for preaching Christianity, and cites St. Peter’s remark to the Sanhedrin: “We must obey God rather than men.”

“This is our stance now in the face of this new law,” he wrote.

Eric Kniffin, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), told CNA that the new law “discriminates against religion on its face, which is really unusual.”

Kniffin told CNA that over the last three years, he has “warned the Washington Legislature that a law that invades the clergy-penitent privilege would be challenged and found unconstitutional.”

“I am confident that there will be litigation over this and that the law will be struck down,” he said.

He noted that the DOJ investigation “does not commit the government to a particular course of action,” but added: “I am encouraged that the DOJ is concerned about this law, and I believe the United States will look for opportunities to come alongside the religious plaintiffs in litigation.”

Kniffin praised Washington state’s bishops for publicly committing to safeguard the seal of confession but also warned that “it’s hard for bishops to reassure Catholics when the law is asserting the right to force priests to break their vows.”

“It is reasonable for the bishops to fear that the law could affect whether someone goes to confession or what they say in confession,” he said.

“This law casts a cloud of doubt over the confessional,” he continued, “and that fear of government discourages people from exercising their First Amendment rights.”

New York state capitol in Albany. / Credit: Nina Alizada/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2025 / 15:41 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Timothy Dolan this week called New York legislation aiming to legalize medical assisted suicide “a disaster waiting to happen” after the state Assembly advanced the measure last week.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Dolan — the archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York — said: “For people of faith who believe in the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, the very idea of having a doctor give you a prescription to end your life prematurely is contrary to everything we cherish.”

“But one need not be religious to see that assisted suicide is a terrible idea. It is a classic Pandora’s box; once opened, its consequences cannot be contained.”

The New York State Assembly passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act in New York on April 29 in an 81–67 vote. If passed into law, the legislation will allow terminally ill adults to request medication to end their own lives.

Dolan on Tuesday reflected on the last weeks of Pope Francis’ life and how he was “not afraid to let us watch him die, much like his beloved predecessor, Pope St. John Paul II.” 

“Both men knew that our worth is based on who we are as children of God, not on what we can do,” the archbishop wrote.

Dolan highlighted that the New York bill lacks safety guidelines, arguing that the medication can be prescribed by any kind of doctor and the meeting to request the medication is not required to be held in person. 

Patients also do not have to be asked if they have ever contemplated suicide or been treated for any mental health conditions.

“How is this compassion?” Dolan said on Tuesday, arguing that the measure forces doctors “to lie on death certificates by claiming the cause of death was the person’s underlying illness and not what actually killed him or her — the lethal combination of drugs.”

He explained the bill follows successful work by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to bring suicide rates in New York down. Hochul spearheaded initiatives to help schools, hospitals, first responders, and veterans and a hotline during a “mental health crisis.”

Dolan said he commended her “highly successful suicide prevention efforts.” 

“But,” he continued, “a new law that sanctions suicide while the state simultaneously pursues a policy of suicide prevention amounts to cutting holes into one side of a boat while bailing water from the other.”

Dolan pointed to the Catholic Church’s “long and proud history in health care.”

“We opened America’s first hospitals. We’ve cared for the casualties of war, measles, homelessness, illness, violence, AIDS, and all diseases and ailments known to man. We’ve also cared for our fellow humans’ emotional, psychological, and spiritual ailments.”

“State-sanctioned suicide turns everything society knows and believes about medicine on its head,” Dolan said. “Doctors go from healers to killers.”

Meanwhile, “what is proposed as compassion for the suffering terminally ill” becomes “a duty, as the elderly, the disabled, and the sick feel pressured to end their lives and stop being an inconvenience to others.”

“All stages of life provide lessons — to ourselves and others — but perhaps none more so than life’s end, as Pope Francis so eloquently taught,” the cardinal said.

Dolan noted that Pope Francis called assisted suicide the “discarding of the patient” and “false compassion.” 

“New York and all our states can do better than this,” Dolan said. 

“Let us instead focus our formidable efforts on strengthening care for people at the end of life. They are finishing the race. Let them go with their hands held high, the way God and nature intended,” the prelate said.

Cardinals celebrate the ninth Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on the third Sunday of Easter, May 4, 2025, at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 15:11 pm (CNA).

Cardinals on Sunday concluded the celebration of nine requiem Masses for the nine days of mourning for Pope Francis. In many cases their homilies emphasized the relatable feelings of worry, fear, and sadness the apostles experienced after Christ’s death, relating it to the “‘sede vacante” and the uncertainty around the election of a new pope — and reminding Catholics of the joy and hope brought by the Resurrection.

They also reflected on the service and legacy of Pope Francis’ pontificate, highlighting his strong work ethic and focus on mercy and offering advice to their fellow cardinals for choosing his successor.

“As in the time of the first disciples, there are successes and also failures, fatigue, and fear” during this time following Pope Francis’ death, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, said on April 28. “The horizon is immense, and temptations creep in that veil the one thing that matters: to desire, seek, and labor in anticipation of ‘a new heaven and a new earth.’” 

Here are some of the other memorable quotes from the nine homilies, which began with Pope Francis’ funeral on April 26 and concluded on May 4, the third Sunday of Easter.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former secretary of state, on April 27:

“The risen Jesus appears to his disciples while they are in the upper room where they have fearfully shut themselves in, with the doors locked (John 20:19). Their state of mind is disturbed and their hearts are full of sadness, because the master and shepherd they had followed, leaving everything behind, has been nailed to the cross. They experienced terrible things and feel orphaned, alone, lost, threatened, and helpless.

“The opening image that the Gospel offers us on this Sunday can also well represent the state of mind of all of us, of the Church, and of the entire world. The shepherd whom the Lord gave to his people, Pope Francis, has ended his earthly life and has left us. The grief at his departure, the sense of sadness that assails us, the turmoil we feel in our hearts, the sense of bewilderment: We are experiencing all of this, like the apostles grieving over the death of Jesus.

“The joy of Easter, which sustains us in this time of trial and sadness, is something that can almost be touched in this square today; you can see it etched above all in your faces, dear children and young people who have come from all over the world to celebrate the jubilee [of teenagers]. You come from so many places: from all of the dioceses of Italy, from Europe, from the United States to Latin America, from Africa to Asia, from the United Arab Emirates… with you here, the whole world is truly present!”

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of Rome, on April 28:

“In this time, while the world is burning and few have the courage to proclaim the Gospel and translate it into a concrete and possible vision of the future, humanity appears like sheep without a shepherd. This image leaves the mouth of Jesus as he gazes upon the crowds following him.

“Around him are the apostles, reporting all they had done and taught: the words, gestures, and actions learned from the Master — the proclamation of the coming kingdom of God, the call to conversion, and the signs that gave flesh to the words — a caress, an outstretched hand, disarmed speech, without judgment, liberating, unafraid of contact with impurity. In performing this service, necessary to awaken faith and hope — that evil would not have the last word, that life is stronger than death — they did not even have time to eat.

“Jesus senses the weight of this — and that comforts us now. Jesus, the true shepherd of history in need of salvation, knows the burden placed on each of us in continuing his mission, especially as we find ourselves searching for his first shepherd on earth.

“This cannot be the time for balancing acts, tactics, caution, instincts to turn back, or, worse, revenge and power alliances, but rather we need a radical disposition to enter into God’s dream entrusted to our poor hands.

“Our duty must be to discern and order what has begun, in light of what our mission demands of us, moving toward a new heaven and a new earth, adorning the bride (the Church) for the Bridegroom. Otherwise, we risk clothing the bride according to worldly fashions, guided by ideological claims that tear the unity of Christ’s garment.”

Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, former prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, on May 2:

“In this Eucharist we intend to unite ourselves as we can and know how, even in our aridities, distractions, continuous losses of focus on the only thing necessary, to the inexpressible groaning of the Spirit who cries out to God what is pleasing to him and what expresses in fullness the groaning of our nature, which we do not know how to formulate in words, also because we do not even allow ourselves, overwhelmed by haste, the time to know ourselves, to know him, to invoke him.

“St. Augustine invites us to enter within ourselves because it is there that we can find the authentic meaning that not only expresses what we are but cries out to the Father our need to be beloved children, repeating, ‘Abbá, Father’: ‘Noli foras ire, in te ipsum redi; in interiore homine habitat veritas.’ [‘Do not go outside, return to within yourself; truth dwells in the inner man’].”

Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, former pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, on May 3:

“St. Athanasius affirms that the risen Jesus Christ makes man’s life a continuous feast. And that is why the apostles — and Peter first among them — are not afraid of imprisonment, nor of threats, nor of being persecuted again. And in fact they boldly and frankly declare: ‘Of these things we are witnesses as also is the Holy Spirit whom God has sent to those who obey him.’

“It is clear that only the presence, with them, of the risen Lord and the action of the Holy Spirit can explain this fact. Their faith was based on such a strong and personal experience of Christ, dead and risen, that they were not afraid of anything or anyone.

“In the Gospel we heard that the risen Lord was waiting for his disciples at the seashore. The account says that when everything seemed finished, failed, the Lord made himself present, went to meet his own, who — filled with joy — were able to exclaim through the mouth of the disciple whom Jesus loved, ‘It is the Lord.’

“In this expression we grasp the enthusiasm of Easter faith, full of joy and amazement, which contrasts sharply with the bewilderment, discouragement, and sense of helplessness hitherto present in the disciples’ souls.

“It is only the presence of the risen Jesus that transforms everything: Darkness is overcome by light; useless work becomes fruitful and promising again; the sense of weariness and abandonment gives way to a new momentum and the certainty that he is with us.”

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, former prefect of the supreme tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, on May 4:

“Love is the key word of this Gospel passage [John 21:1-19]. The first to recognize Jesus is ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved,’ John, who exclaims: ‘It is the Lord!’ and Peter immediately throws himself into the sea to join the Master. After they had shared the food, which will have kindled in the hearts of the apostles the memory of the Last Supper, the dialogue between Jesus and Peter begins, the threefold question of the Lord and Peter’s threefold response.

“The first two times, Jesus adopts the verb to love, a strong word, while Peter, mindful of the betrayal, responds with the less demanding expression ‘to care,’ and the third time Jesus stresses the expression to care, adjusting to the apostle’s weakness. Pope Benedict XVI noted in commenting on this dialogue: ‘Simon understands that Jesus is satisfied with his poor love, the only one of which he is capable. ... It is precisely this divine adjustment that gives hope to the disciple, who has recognized the suffering of infidelity. ... From that day on, Peter ‘followed’ the Master with a precise awareness of his own fragility; but this awareness did not discourage him. For he knew that he could count on the presence of the Risen One beside him ... and so he shows us the way as well’ (General audience, May 24, 2006).”

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, on April 30:

“The celebration of the Novendiales for the deceased pontiff constitutes on the part of different categories and affiliations the performance of a rite of Christian suffrage: Ideally, in this way, too, the successor of Peter summons us to confirm ourselves, precisely because we renew our profession of faith in the resurrection of the flesh, in the forgiveness of sins, including those of a man who became pontiff, and in renewing the awareness that the unity of each person’s history is in God’s hands.

“Today it is the cardinal fathers who are called to participate in the Novendiales, almost a central stage of this ecclesial journey, huddling together in prayer as a collegium and entrusting to the Lord the one whose first collaborators and advisers they have been, or at least have sought to be, in the Roman Curia as well as in dioceses throughout the world.”

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, on April 29:

“The message [of the parable of the sheep and goats] is clear: In the lives of all, believers and nonbelievers alike, there is a moment of discrimination; at a certain point some begin to share in the same joy of God, others begin to suffer the tremendous suffering of true loneliness, because, ousted from the kingdom, they remain desperately alone in their souls.

“The passage in the first reading is the conclusion of Peter’s encounter with pagans, Cornelius and his family (Acts 10); an episode that — in a globalized, secularized age as thirsty for truth and love as ours — through 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.”

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, former prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, on May 1:

“Behind this love of work is a strong conviction of Pope Francis: the infinite value of every human being, an immense dignity that should never be lost, that under no circumstances can be ignored or forgotten.

“But every person is so very worthy, and must be taken so seriously, that it’s not just a matter of giving them things but promoting them. That is, that they can develop all the good in them, that they can earn their bread with the gifts God has given them, that they can develop their abilities. Thus each person is promoted in all his dignity. And this is where work becomes so important.

“But in this Mass, with the presence of the Vatican Curia, let us keep in mind that we in the Curia also work. Indeed, we are workers who keep a schedule, who carry out the tasks assigned to us, who must be responsible and strive and sacrifice in our commitments. The responsibility of work is also for us in the Curia a path of maturation and fulfillment as Christians.”

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, on April 26:

“Evangelization was the guiding principle of [Pope Francis’] pontificate. With a clear missionary vision, he spread the joy of the Gospel, which was the title of his first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. It is a joy that fills the hearts of all those who entrust themselves to God with confidence and hope.

“The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open. He often used the image of the Church as a ‘field hospital’ after a battle in which many were wounded; a Church determined to take care of the problems of people and the great anxieties that tear the contemporary world apart; a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds.”

Cap Arcona — once a luxurious transatlantic liner — became a place of execution in the spring of 1945 when it was bombed by British aircraft on May 3. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Piotr Wiśniowski

Dublin, Ireland, May 6, 2025 / 14:37 pm (CNA).

Eighty years ago, on May 3, 1945, as Europe stood in hope and prayer for the end of World War II, one of the greatest and most silenced maritime tragedies of the 20th century unfolded in the Bay of Lübeck in Germany.

British aircraft carried out an air raid on the German ships Cap Arcona, Thielbek, and Athen. Officially, the boats were identified as military targets possibly carrying fleeing Nazi SS soldiers. However, on board were thousands of concentration camp prisoners. Nearly 7,000 people, emaciated by their ordeal in the camps, perished.

Father Piotr Wiśniowski, director of EWTN Poland, lost his grandfather Sebastian Wiśniowski, a man who had survived Auschwitz, in this air raid. 

Sebastian Wiśniowski was arrested by the Gestapo for refusing to cooperate with the German occupiers. 

“My grandfather was a husband, father of three children, a faithful Catholic and patriot. He passed through the hell of several prisons and camps only to die tragically and needlessly shortly before the war’s end. He left behind words that today become my voice, words I can never forget: ‘I ask only for remembrance.’”

Wiśniowski was arrested in Szczawnica Zdrój, Poland, where he lived with his family, running a guesthouse and restaurant. After his arrest in the spring of 1940, he was imprisoned successively in Szczawnica, in the Gestapo torture chamber known as “Palace” in Zakopane, and in Tarnów prison. He was then deported to Auschwitz, where he received camp number 10,823. 

“In the summer of 1944, he was transferred to Neuengamme — one of the harshest German concentration camps. There, in the final days of the war in April 1945, he was, along with thousands of other prisoners, loaded onto ships that the Germans had assembled in the port of Lübeck. None of them knew where they were going or why they had been placed there.

Cap Arcona — The pride of the Reich and a floating prison

Cap Arcona — once a luxurious transatlantic liner — became a place of execution that spring when British aircraft bombed it on May 3.

Father Wiśniowski explained: “To this day, it is not definitively known whether the Allies knew who was on board. Some suppose it was a tragic mistake. But the truth still lies hidden in classified documents. The files of this operation, held in British archives, have been sealed for 100 years — until the year 2045.” 

He continued: “For my grandfather and thousands of other prisoners, it no longer mattered. Locked below deck, with no chance to escape, they perished in fire and drowned in the icy waters of the Baltic. The testimonies of the few survivors are terrifying and full of suffering.”

From this unimaginable and horrifying story, there is a powerful message of hope that resonates so many years later. Father Wiśniowski has in his possession a remarkable artifact, a letter written to his family by his grandfather.

“From the Neuengamme camp, on Aug. 20, 1944, my grandfather wrote a letter to his wife, Józefa, and their children — including my father, Wacław. Of course, he couldn’t say everything — letters were censored by the SS. But besides greetings, he wrote one essential sentence: “I ask only for REMEMBRANCE.”

These words became a testament, Father Wiśniowski explained, a plea not only to his family but also to all future generations.

Eighty years later, as the grandson of Sebastian Wiśniowski, Father Wiśniowski said he feels the duty to repeat this plea. For him “remembering Cap Arcona” is not just a matter of historical truth but a moral issue. “It is a warning of what happens when man loses his conscience, when political systems trample human dignity, and when the world looks away,” he said.

“It is also a call to prayer — for the victims, for the perpetrators, for the future of all humanity. Because the evil that happened then in the 20th century did not begin with gas chambers — it began with contempt, with dehumanization, with the stripping away of memory.”

Father Wiśniowski went on to describe his grandfather, who he says was “an ordinary man — a loving husband and father.” 

“He did not choose the path of a great hero. He chose fidelity and love for the principles he carried in his heart. And for this fidelity and love, he paid with his life,” he said.

Fired up by the call he still hears from his grandfather, to remember the horrors of the Nazi regime, Father Wiśniowski is determined to pass on this message from the millions murdered in the Second World War. “That is why I speak on his behalf — and on behalf of all those who died, especially those without a proper burial, in nameless mass graves, without justice.”

“Let their lives not be forgotten,” he said. “Let their deaths not be in vain. Let their memory be the link that connects generations in truth, love, and faith. Let their memory be eternal!”

Long tables at the Sistine Chapel await the arrival of cardinals for the conclave to elect the next pope, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, May 6, 2025 / 12:58 pm (CNA).

The Vatican on Tuesday released photos of the Sistine Chapel prepared for the arrival of the cardinal electors who will select the next pope in the conclave set to begin on Wednesday.

The proceedings will take place in absolute secrecy, with the prelates largely sequestered from the outside world for as long as the conclave lasts until a new supreme pontiff is chosen.

Raniero Mancinelli in his workshop on Via Borgo Pio in Rome. / Credit: Almudena Martínez-Bordiú/ACI Prensa

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 11:57 am (CNA).

At 89 Via Borgo Pio, located a few steps from Porta Santa Anna leading to the Vatican, is Mancinelli Clergy, the iconic shop that embodies the history and tradition of ecclesiastical tailoring in Rome.

Behind a time-worn wooden counter, surrounded by tall glass cases displaying all kinds of religious articles — cassocks, scarlet caps, skullcaps, embroidered chasubles, and pectoral crosses — stands tailor Raniero Mancinelli, tasked with making the next pope’s habit.

With a measuring tape around his neck, Mancinelli welcomed ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, and shared the details of a craft he has been performing for more than six decades. “I’ve dressed John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Pope Francis… and this will be the fourth,” he commented proudly.

“It’s almost ready; there’s very little left, although we still have a few days to go, because I don’t think they’ll choose him on the first day,” Mancinelli assured a few days before the beginning of the conclave.

With a slow but steady pace, he heads toward the workshop, located at the back of the building, where, amid spools of thread, white fabrics, and patterns, the cassock, sash, and skullcap (“zuchetto” in Italian), the small round cap that will crown the head of the next successor of Peter, are all taking shape.

Sitting by his sewing machine and surrounded by photographs capturing his encounters with various popes, Mancinelli explained with a thick Roman accent that he always makes three sizes: “We make a large, a medium, and a small, so the pope has different options.”

With some relief at not having been John XXIII”s tailor, he smiled as he recalled the occasion when new pope Cardinal Angelo Roncalli first appeared before the world wearing a cassock held together by pins, as none of the sizes fitted him properly.

Besides the “pride and honor” Mancinelli said he feels having dressed four popes, he confessed that what he values ​​most about his profession is being able to serve, through his work, those who have consecrated their lives to God.

“What I like most is seeing how priests and bishops find everything they need here to live out their vocation,” the Italian tailor, famous in the Borgo district, humbly stated.

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

The Sistine Chapel. / Credit: marcobrivio.photography/Shutterstock

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 11:12 am (CNA).

The Sistine Chapel has witnessed every papal election since 1492 with only five exceptions, and it is preparing to once again host the conclave.

The 133 cardinal electors, meeting behind closed doors, will have the task of electing Pope Francis’ successor starting Wednesday, surrounded by the beauty of frescoes by Michelangelo, Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, and Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Located in the heart of the Vatican and protected by the Leonine Wall, the Sistine Chapel was built on the site of the ancient Cappella Magna. From its origins, it served not only as a place of liturgy but also as a protected space for the crucial decisions that have marked the millennia-long life of the Church.

Its symbolic proximity to the site of St. Peter’s martyrdom also reinforces the spiritual dimension of the election that will take place there.

On Monday, April 28, the Sistine Chapel, named after Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned its construction between 1475 and 1483, was freed from its usual tourist traffic to adapt to the strict regulations of the conclave and ensure the necessary conditions of hermetic isolation surrounding the cardinals’ votes.

The six-century tradition of holding papal elections here was ratified by St. John Paul II, who emphasized that the space contributes to the experience of divine presence.

From Genesis to Revelation, Michelangelo’s masterful hand will guide the cardinals present through the holy Scriptures from the beginning of the world to the final pages of history in a vibrant catechesis through art that will remind them of the threat of sin and death but also of the hope of eternal life.

As the cardinals gaze up at the ceiling, they will feel the power of the “Creation of Adam,” one of the most famous frescoes by the Italian Renaissance master, hovering over their heads.

Another witness to the historic election will be “The Last Judgment,” which will preside over the conclave from the altar wall. There will be placed the ballot box and the lectern with the Gospel, upon which the cardinals will take their solemn oath.

In this masterpiece, Christ is the universal judge of the living and the dead. Surrounding him are angels awakening the dead with trumpets, skeletons taking on new flesh as the resurrection of the dead progresses, and numerous saints and martyrs populating heaven.

Below, Charon, with his boat, facilitates the passage from death to hell, showing the damned their destiny. And, at the very top of the fresco, the symbols of Christ’s passion are clearly visible: the column where he was scourged, the dice with which his garments were divided, the crown of thorns, and above all, the cross, which emphasizes the path to heaven.

First-time cardinals are often overwhelmed by the visual grandeur that surrounds them. Painted by the greatest Renaissance artists, the works of the Sistine Chapel speak to consciences, as pointed out by Pope Benedict XVI, who, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo’s vault in 2012, invited people to interpret the works with the help of prayer in his address.

“Praying in the Sistine Chapel, enveloped in the story of God’s journey with humanity, admirably represented in the frescoes above and around us, is an invitation to praise, an invitation to raise to God, creator, redeemer, and judge of the living and the dead, with all the saints in heaven, the words of the Canticle of Revelation: ‘Amen! Alleluia!’” he asserted.

In fact, the artists Michelangelo, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, and Perugino did not work alone: ​​The iconographic themes were dictated by the most experienced theologians of Popes Sixtus IV and Julius II, who commissioned their decoration.

This is the only way to explain the coherence between the frescoes of Genesis, the scenes from the lives of Moses and Christ, and the Last Judgment that crowns the apse.

Measuring about 132 feet long, 44 feet wide, and over 65 feet high, the Sistine Chapel exudes a serene atmosphere. At the beginning of the conclave on Wednesday, the cardinals will enter in procession, intoning the “Veni Creator Spiritus.” Each will take their assigned place after solemnly swearing a commitment to secrecy.

The pope is a martyr

But before all this, the cardinals will pass through the Pauline Chapel, which houses the frescoes depicting the crucifixion of St. Peter, painted by Michelangelo between 1546 and 1550.

Known as the “capilla parva,” meaning “small chapel,” in contrast to its neighboring Sistine Chapel, this precious sacred space, inaccessible to the public, is reserved for the pope and the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

The powerful image of St. Peter crucified upside down, a symbol of his martyrdom, is above all a visual reminder that the pope is a martyr: a fundamental message for the cardinals when electing his successor.

Mozart was also moved by its beauty

The Sistine Chapel has not only been the scene of papal elections but also of great liturgical celebrations. According to tradition, in the mid-18th century, the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart traveled to Rome and was fascinated by Gregorio Allegri’s “Miserere.” This composition could only be performed here during Holy Week, as the score was closely guarded by the Vatican.

Today, the Mass of the Epiphany is regularly celebrated in the Sistine Chapel, where both Pope Francis and Benedict XVI have baptized some of the children of Vatican employees.

Over the centuries, this space, overflowing with beauty, has been restored several times. For example, between 1980 and 1999, an exhaustive cleaning was carried out to remove the dirt caused by the dust, soot, and wax accumulated over the centuries.

The Sistine Chapel continues to dazzle the millions of people who visit it each year — an aesthetic ecstasy that will also be experienced by the cardinals who, for many the first time, will sit beneath its dome to discern the future of the Church.

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

Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron speaks to EWTN News Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn in Rome on Monday, May 5, 2025. / Credit: EWTN News

CNA Staff, May 6, 2025 / 10:27 am (CNA).

Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, this week said the next pope should be a disciple of Christ first and foremost, one who places “the declaration of Jesus” at the center of his papacy. 

Barron spoke to EWTN News Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn on May 5 in Rome. The U.S. prelate noted that the Church is on “pins and needles” during the interregnum before the election of the next pope, though he admitted it’s “an exciting time.”

Asked by Flynn about the commentary that has proliferated around the papacy since Pope Francis’ death on April 21, Barron said the “politicization” of the papal selection process reflects a “lack of proper prioritization.” 

The bishop pointed to Australian priest and theologian Father Gerald Glynn O’Collins, SJ, who when  asked what he was looking for in the next pope after John Paul II’s death, responded, as Barron put it: “I want someone who declares the resurrection of Jesus in a compelling way.”

“Because that was Peter’s job,” Barron said, “and this is the successor of Peter. I think to put the stress on the spiritual, on the evangelical, on the declaration of Jesus — that’s what matters.” 

The prelate admitted that there are “further implications” to a pope’s job. He told Flynn that there are “political strategies” that help advance the “moral principles” espoused by the Church.

“[T]he preoccupation with — oh, is he left-wing? Is he right-wing? Climate change, immigration — OK, we can get to all that,” Barron said. 

“But the first thing I’d look for is a disciple, a believer in Jesus, and who has the capacity to proclaim the Resurrection in a compelling way,” he said. “That’s the pope’s job, [and] to be a source of unity for the Church.”

The politicization of the papacy is “seeing [the role] through a relentlessly secular political lens,” Barron said. “And you know, again, I get it. But I’m annoyed at the way it gets the priorities off.” 

Asked about the cardinals who are considered top contenders for the papal election this week, Barron pointed out that, during the last conclave, “nobody” suspected then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio would become Pope Francis. 

“I always put that forward as a caution whenever we’re talking about candidates,” the bishop said. “There is certainly a good chance it won’t be any of these people.”

The papal fisherman’s ring and lead seal are nulled during the 12th general congregation of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 09:46 am (CNA).

The papal fisherman’s ring and lead seal were nulled during the 12th general congregation of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday.

The ring and seal are destroyed or nulled after a pope’s death to prevent their future misuse to seal official documents.

Vatican Media shared photos and videos of the cancellation of the ring and seal on May 6, and the X account of the Vatican secretary of state said the procedure was carried out in the presence of camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell and the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall.

According to Universi Dominici Gregis, the apostolic constitution regulating the “sede vacante,” the College of Cardinals must “arrange for the destruction of the fisherman’s ring and of the lead seal with which apostolic letters are despatched” after the pope’s death.

The fisherman’s ring is one of several rings typically worn by the Roman pontiff. The ring takes its name from its image of St. Peter as a fisherman, which became the standard design around the mid-15th century.

The first record of the ring’s use was on two letters of Clement IV in 1265 and 1266. It was used as a wax seal in private letters in place of the official lead seal used for solemn papal documents.

In 1842, use of the ring and wax seal were replaced by a stamp, but each pope still receives a unique ring of the fisherman at the start of his papacy. Outside of papal ceremonies, Pope Francis typically wore only his episcopal ring.

The destruction of the ring and seal is part of a number of security measures overseen by the camerlengo after the pope’s death, including the sealing of the papal apartments, until the election of a new pontiff.