LOURDES BISHOP COVERING FATHER RUPNIK’S MOSAICS ON SANCTUARY’S BASILICA DOORS

 written by Federica Tourn  

The mosaics on the doors of the facade of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southwestern France, are being covered in an undated photograph provided by the sanctuary. They showcase the artwork of Father Marko Rupnik, a priest and former Jesuit, who is currently under investigation after accusations of spiritual, psychological and sexual abuse by multiple adult women. Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Lourdes and Tarbes said March 31, 2025, that the sanctuary will cover the mosaics on the door of the facade of the basilica, citing a need for a symbolic step to help those unable to cross its threshold. (OSV News photo/courtesy Lourdes Sanctuary)

(OSV News) — Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes has decided to cover mosaics by Father Marko Rupnik at the entrance of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, a move aimed at making the basilica more welcoming for all, particularly victims of abuse.

The bishop explained his decision in an interview released by the sanctuary March 31.

“I felt, along with my colleagues, that a new symbolic step had to be taken to facilitate entry into the basilica for all those who are currently unable to cross the threshold. As a result, all the doors to the Basilica of (Our Lady of) the Rosary have been modified,” Bishop Micas said.

Whether or not the rest of the mosaics on the facade of the basilica will be covered has not been announced. The sanctuary posted a photograph of staff covering the doors March 31 on their X account.

More: https://www.osvnews.com/lourdes-bishop-covering-father-rupniks-mosaics-on-sanctuarys-basilica-doors/

INSTRUCTION ON PREPARATION FOR EASTER

 “Now the Pasch the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand.” (John VI. 4.)

If we would sing a joyful Alleluia with the Church on the festival of Easter, we must fulfill her desire, and prepare ourselves to celebrate it worthily. Therefore, we should shun improper, clamorous meetings, and retire often to pray in solitude, especially to meditate on the bitter sufferings of our Saviour, for when man is alone, God speaks to his heart. (Osee. II. 14.) We should carefully examine our conscience, and consider how we stand before God, for upon this day shall be the expiation for you, and the cleansing from all your sins: you shall be cleansed before the Lord; for it is a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls, that is, by fasting, watching, and praying. (Lev. XVI. 30-31.) From this Sunday until Easter we should fast more strictly, give more alms to the poor if we are able, or if poor ourselves, bear our poverty more patiently, offering it to Christ in union with His poverty, His hunger, thirst, &c. ; we should make a sincere and contrite confession, and purify our heart from the old leaven of iniquity, that we may keep the Easter meal with Christ in the unleavened bread of purity and truth. (I Cor. V. 7. 8.) For this end we should incite ourselves to holy desires, rise from sin, which is the death of the soul.

 

FSSP Diaconate Ordinations in Omaha, Nebraska

Today, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Omaha, Nebraska, twelve men of the priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter were ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Robert Finn. Congratulations to all.

States Where Illegal Immigrant Children Were Released Across US

 Virginia Allen  | March 28, 2025

An unaccompanied Guatemalan alien child named Oscar, age 12, stands by a Border Patrol vehicle in Roma, Texas, on March 27, 2021. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

Virginia Allen@Virginia_Allen5

Virginia Allen is a senior news producer for The Daily Signal and host of "The Daily Signal Podcast" and "Problematic Women." Send an email to Virginia.

Of the hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied alien children the Department of Health and Human Servicestransferred to sponsors between fiscal year 2019 and 2023, the majority were sent to 10 states, according to a new report.  

More than 63,000 unaccompanied alien children were released to sponsors in Texas, according to a March Department of Homeland Security report, and more than 46,000 were sent to California. Sponsors in Florida came in third, receiving 43,811 children.  

• Texas—63,039 
• California—46,293  
• Florida—43,811 
• New York—33,582 
• New Jersey—23,075 
• Maryland—21,976 
• Virginia—21,431  
• Georgia—17,769 
• North Carolina—17,032 
• Tennessee—16,355  

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Following extensive reporting and multiple congressional hearings on missing migrant children during the Biden administration, DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari conducted an audit “to determine [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s] ability to monitor the location and status of [unaccompanied alien children] once released or transferred from DHS and HHS’ custody.” 

The Inspector General’s Office found that the location of thousands of illegal alien children remains unknown, and ICE cannot monitor the status of these children after they are released from government custody. 

An unaccompanied Guatemalan alien child named Oscar, age 12, stands by a Border Patrol vehicle in Roma, Texas, on March 27, 2021. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty

Virginia Allen@Virginia_Allen5

Virginia Allen is a senior news producer for The Daily Signal and host of "The Daily Signal Podcast" and "Problematic Women." Send an email to Virginia.

More: https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/03/28/top-10-states-where-illegal-immigrant-children-were-released/

BREAKING: Theodore McCarrick, Cardinal Accused of Sexual Abuse, Dies at 94

He ascended to the highest levels of the Roman Catholic Church before allegations of misconduct in 2018, and an investigation led Pope Francis to strip him of his title and priesthood.

Theodore E. McCarrick in Rome in 2013. An investigation in 2018 concluded that he had molested a teenage altar server in 1971 and 1972, while he was a monsignor in New York City.Credit...Andrew Medichini/Associated Press

By Robert D. McFadden

April 4, 2025Updated 4:40 p.m. ET

Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington and the highest American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church to be accused of sexually abusing minors and seminarians — a charge that stripped him of his ministry, his place in the College of Cardinals and his priesthood, reducing him to the status of a layman — has died. He was 94.

Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, archbishop of Washington, confirmed the death in a statement, which provided no further details. A statement by the Vatican said he died on Thursday in Missouri, where he had been reported to be living.

The accusations against Cardinal McCarrick, who had helped shape many of his church’s policies for responding to its sexual abuse crisis, were shocking but hardly incredible when they came to light in 2018, after a church investigation concluded that he had molested a teenage altar server in 1971 and 1972 while he was monsignor in New York City. Thousands of priests before him had faced charges of abuse, and the church had paid victims hundreds of millions in settlements. In 2012, Cardinal Bernard F. Law, the archbishop of Boston and America’s senior prelate, resigned amid revelations that he had protected pedophile priests for years.

More: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/us/theodore-mccarrick-dead.html

Baptisms, Marriages, and Seminarians Disappeared – Only Bishops Increase

 

Argentinean Archbishop Héctor Agüer, 81, writes in a March 25 comment about "the reality of the Church". Main points.

- After twelve years of Francis' pontificate, the Vatican reports are self-congratulatory, but the Church's decadence is evident.

- The seminaries are empty, and in Argentina there is a seminary that is one hundred years old, in which not a single seminarian has entered this year.

- Marriage no longer exists, now there are only "couples."

- The birth rate in Argentina has decreased: in 2023, with 460,902 births, the lowest number in the last 50 years was registered.

- There are few baptisms.

- There is no Christian culture left.

- The public presence of the Church is non-existent and media activists only mention the Church when they can quote political judgments against the current government.

- There are no Catholic thinkers who stand out, as, for example, Carlos Sacheri. He was murdered in 1974, as he was leaving Mass, in San Isidro, in front of his wife and seven children, by terrorists of the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP).

- The Statistical Yearbook of the Church has just been published. It is revealed in it that the global number of bishops has increased: from 5353 in 2022 to 5430 in 2023.

- At the same time, the number of priests has decreased, and even worse, the number of seminarians.

- There are Argentine dioceses where the number of bishops exceeds or is equal to the number of seminarians.

- Sixty years after Vatican II, it is time to face reality. A 'Church on the move,' in search of those who do not know Christ, must not be a 'Church on the run' from her own nature and mission.

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