null / Credit: Aberu.Go/Shutterstock

Puebla, Mexico, Oct 19, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

It’s common for families to attend Saturday vigil or Sunday Mass with their small children, which can sometimes lead to interruptions due to children crying or playing. Two Catholic priests have some advice aimed at improving the experience for both parents and other Mass attendees.

Father Vicente Eliamar Vega, a priest of the Diocese of Saltillo in the Mexican state of Coahuila, started out by saying that it’s essential to get children used to fulfilling the obligation to attend Mass weekly, as well as on holy days of obligation, “for the glory of God and the salvation of their souls.” 

Vega urged families to maintain this practice and take their children to church, since “it’s the way in which we are going to prolong the heritage of faith.”

Father José Juan Montalvo — known on social media as Father Borre — founder of online ministry for the Archdiocese of Monterrey in the state of Nuevo León, called for patience and asked people to remember that the noise and behavior of children are natural for their age and that “this is what the hope and future of our Church sounds like.”

Advice for parents

Montalvo said he often encourages parents to look for a parish where there are special celebrations for children.

However, the priest explained, whether or not this type of Mass is available, it is essential that parents accompany their children and not only let them “experience the Mass as children but gradually educate them.”

He suggested teaching them something new every time they attend Mass, such as explaining the moment of the consecration, the readings, or when it’s time to pray or stand up. Thus, parents can “be catechists” for their children “during Mass.”

He also suggested that parents look for resources “on dynamics or tasks.” He recommended using a “checklist” with elements of the celebration to keep them attentive. For example, they can recognize simple elements such as a chalice or remember which apostle the Gospel of the day was from.

Montalvo indicated that these types of lists or activities can be found on the internet, so “little by little” children can be taught “how to live the Mass, but with a lot of patience, with a lot of pedagogy.”

Advice for priests

Vega emphasized the importance of “forging the heart in the love of Sunday Mass,” pointing out that in this regard priests play a fundamental role.

He suggested that, with charity, the priest himself or one of his assistants could “directly get the child’s attention.”

“This has a more intense effect than if the father or mother did it,” he explained.

Although this measure could provoke some reactions, Vega noted that “it’s not something that should cause scandal,” since “Christian education is firm in the principle, gentle in the manner,” which allows firmness to be maintained without offending anyone.

Does Mass count if I’m caring for my children?

The Code of Canon Law states that the faithful are “obliged to participate in the Eucharist on holy days of obligation.” However, it notes that people who have “a serious reason (for example, illness or the care of small children) or who are dispensed by their own pastor” are excused from attending.

Those who “deliberately fail to fulfill this obligation commit a grave sin,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church states in No. 2181.

Pope Francis has also addressed the issue. During a homily at the Vatican in 2020 while baptizing 32 babies, he told parents: “Don’t be afraid, let the children cry. However, if your child cries or complains, maybe it is because he’s too warm; take something off him; or because he’s hungry, breastfeed him quietly here.”

Vega explained that “the Mass counts in the same way if I am coming in and out to calm my restless child.” However, he recommended that “the child learn to be at Mass.”

The priest explained that in case the father or mother must leave the church — for example, to go outside to the atrium — they must remain “in their heart united to the divine worship that is being offered at the altar.” 

What should not be done in this case, he said, is to use that time for distractions such as cellphones but rather “stay united, but on that side of the wall,” thus fulfilling the Sunday or holy day precept to be kept.

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

The Cathedral Church of St. Barnabas in Nottingham, England, U.K. / Credit: Kevin George/Shutterstock

London, England, Oct 19, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A leading U.K. bishop has vowed to make the Church a place of “safety and sanctuary for all” after a report showed a third of Mass-goers reduced their Mass attendance because of concerns about the child sexual abuse crisis.

Last week, the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University published a study titled “Attitudes of Catholics in England and Wales to Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church.”

The study showed that a third of Catholics who previously went to Mass have reduced their attendance or stopped going altogether as a result of the child sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church.

Responding to the report, Bishop Paul Mason, lead bishop for safeguarding at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said: “I would like to assure Catholics, and indeed anyone who has concerns, that safeguarding is integral to a bishop’s work and ministry and that we will not rest in our efforts to make the Church a place of safety and sanctuary for all.”

Mason added an apology “for the failings of the past” and promised to “listen attentively” to those who have suffered abuse.

The report looks at a YouGov survey conducted in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in June/July 2022 with over 3,000 adults who identify as Roman Catholic. More than three-quarters (79%) of people surveyed believe the Church must change a great deal to prevent further cases of child sexual abuse. The sample was aimed at “regular” and “occasional” churchgoers as well as those who do not attend Mass but do identify as Catholics.

Almost half of regular Mass-goers considered abuse within the Church to be similar to other institutes working with children and young people. Meanwhile, almost a third of people who were regular Mass-goers were more likely to believe that child abuse is a thing of the past in comparison with non-Mass-goers.

The report shows that the abuse scandal has caused many to separate from the Church. 

One of the report’s key findings was that over three quarters (77%) of Catholics believe the Church has lost her moral authority because of clerical sexual abuse. The shorter report follows the main research report, “The Cross of the Moment,” published in April, and Bishop Mason expressed an openness to learning from the painful results of both reports.

“As with the previous report from the Boundary Breaking Project, ‘The Cross of the Moment,’ we as bishops will never pass up an opportunity to learn from research that offers insights that can improve our safeguarding work — work that is continually under review and open to improvement,” Mason said.

The report was written by Gregory Ryan and Marcus Pound from the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. 

“Overall, our analysis of the data shows that the Catholic community feels abuse is not a uniquely Catholic or clerical problem,” Pound said. “However, there is also a conviction that the Church needs to make changes to prevent such abuse happening in the future.”

The annual Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse, welcomed by Pope Francis and introduced in 2018, is viewed as a positive step and area of encouragement. The focus of the day, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, is on “the hope and renewal that is necessary for the victims, survivors, and others affected by abuse (for example families, parish communities).”

Concerning attitudes among Catholics toward such a day of prayer who had not previously been aware of it, 59% said they would like to see such a day in their parishes. This was particularly popular among younger adults, with 73% of 18- to 24-year-olds in favor, which is suggested by the authors as a path forward of healing, productive dialogue, and progress for the Church.

The report states: “The unexpected positive trend for younger Catholics, previously unaware of the Day of Prayer, to support having it in their parish (even for occasional or non-attenders) invites reflection and responses from the Church in England and Wales. It also perhaps highlights the potential and significance for symbolic actions as well as practical and juridical ones, whilst being acutely aware of the danger of any such action being ‘purely’ symbolic and a surrogate for the actions the situation demands.”

“Awareness of, and even more so desire for, the Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse points to the potential effectiveness of communication also within the Church’s liturgical and devotional life — when done well,” he said.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops meets for its fall plenary assembly meeting Nov. 14, 2023, in Baltimore. / Credit: Joe Bukuras/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 18, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather in Baltimore next month for its 2024 Fall Plenary Assembly.

Major items on the agenda for the plenary assembly, according to a USCCB press release, include reports on the U.S. bishops’ efforts concerning the National Eucharistic Revival and the National Eucharistic Congress, which took place this summer in Indianapolis.

Additionally, coming on the heels of the second session of the Synod on Synodality in Rome this month, bishops attending the Nov. 11–14 plenary assembly will discuss a comprehensive report on the multiyear synodal process begun by Pope Francis in 2021 and concluding this month. 

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States, and USCCB president Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, will address the conference. 

While the full schedule is not yet set in stone, the USCCB stated that bishops are expected to discuss updates on resources being developed among several USCCB committees to advance papal initiatives on human dignity and the ministry of catechesis. 

They will also reportedly discuss plans for “pastoral implementation of integral ecology” as articulated by Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. 

Bishops will also vote for new chairman-elect for five of the USCCB’s committees and a new USCCB treasurer.

Another highlight for the plenary assembly will be a consultation among the bishops regarding the causes of beatification and canonization for two 20th-century women: Sister Annella Zervas, a Benedictine nun from Minnesota, and teacher and servant of God Gertrude Agnes Barber of Pennsylvania.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, announced in October 2023 that preliminary steps had been taken that could lead to the advancement of the cause for Sister Annella’s canonization, while the process was begun for Barber’s in December 2019. 

Public sessions of the assembly will be livestreamed on Nov. 12 and 13 on the USCCB’s website along with other news updates, texts of addresses, and voting results.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops meets for its fall plenary assembly meeting Nov. 14, 2023, in Baltimore. / Credit: Joe Bukuras/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 18, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather in Baltimore next month for its 2024 Fall Plenary Assembly.

Major items on the agenda for the plenary assembly, according to a USCCB press release, include reports on the U.S. bishops’ efforts concerning the National Eucharistic Revival and the National Eucharistic Congress, which took place this summer in Indianapolis.

Additionally, coming on the heels of the second session of the Synod on Synodality in Rome this month, bishops attending the Nov. 11–14 plenary assembly will discuss a comprehensive report on the multiyear synodal process begun by Pope Francis in 2021 and concluding this month. 

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States, and USCCB president Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, will address the conference. 

While the full schedule is not yet set in stone, the USCCB stated that bishops are expected to discuss updates on resources being developed among several USCCB committees to advance papal initiatives on human dignity and the ministry of catechesis. 

They will also reportedly discuss plans for “pastoral implementation of integral ecology” as articulated by Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. 

Bishops will also vote for new chairman-elect for five of the USCCB’s committees and a new USCCB treasurer.

Another highlight for the plenary assembly will be a consultation among the bishops regarding the causes of beatification and canonization for two 20th-century women: Sister Annella Zervas, a Benedictine nun from Minnesota, and teacher and servant of God Gertrude Agnes Barber of Pennsylvania.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, announced in October 2023 that preliminary steps had been taken that could lead to the advancement of the cause for Sister Annella’s canonization, while the process was begun for Barber’s in December 2019. 

Public sessions of the assembly will be livestreamed on Nov. 12 and 13 on the USCCB’s website along with other news updates, texts of addresses, and voting results.

Haitians at prayer before an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. / Credit: Courtesy of Aid to the Church in Need

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

The bishops of Haiti are echoing their Dominican counterparts in objecting to the immigration measures of the newly elected president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, who this month announced the implementation of an operation to repatriate up to 10,000 illegal Haitian immigrants per week.

The Dominican government stated that the operation aims to “reduce the excess of migrant population that can be seen in Dominican communities” and that it will be carried out “under strict protocols that ensure respect for human rights and the dignity of those repatriated.”

“Although it is the responsibility of the authorities of each nation to reinforce, when necessary, the security and economic systems of their countries, the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights do not authorize any state to mistreat foreigners,” the Haitian bishops said.

“Mistreating a stranger is an abominable act. Strangers must be welcomed with kindness,” they emphasized, according to Vatican News.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Haitians are largely of African descent and speak Haitian Creole or French. The Dominican Republic is a mixed-race society including people of mixed African, Indigenous, and European ancestry.

Finally, the Haitian bishops asked the authorities of their country, which has been caught in an uncontrollable spiral of violence for several months, to create “safe living conditions through responsible and committed governance so that our fellow citizens can feel at peace, in harmony, in security, and with the hope of a better life.”

“Our fellow citizens need to see in Haiti, our beautiful country, humane socioeconomic conditions that will convince them not to emigrate in search of more humane conditions abroad,” they concluded.

The Dominican bishops’ message

Earlier this month, the Permanent Council of the Dominican Bishops’ Conference stated that it felt the duty to reflect on this delicate issue “that challenges our consciences and our faith.”

Like the Haitian bishops, the Dominican bishops began by recognizing the right of each nation “to apply its immigration laws and policies” but emphasized that they must be applied “with justice and respect for human dignity.”

“Our border should not be a scene of corruption, where those called to guard it become mercenaries. We ask ourselves: Where do illegal Haitians enter? Who allows them to enter without proper documentation? What happens during the process of detaining undocumented immigrants?” the bishops questioned.

The prelates emphasized that the Dominican Republic, being a Christian nation, “must prevent painful situations that affect migrants from occurring,” including unfair treatment, arbitrary deportations, and the separation of families.

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

The Supreme Court of Texas said in a post on X late Thursday, Oct. 17, that it had “granted a Texas House of Representatives’ emergency motion” and “effectively [halted] the execution of Robert Roberson,” which was scheduled to take place that night. / Credit: Innocence Project

CNA Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

A condemned Texas man’s execution has been halted after lawmakers subpoenaed him to appear before the state Legislature amid claims of his innocence. 

The Supreme Court of Texas said in a post on X late Thursday that it had “granted a Texas House of Representatives’ emergency motion” and “effectively [halted] the execution of Robert Roberson,” which was scheduled to take place on Thursday night.

Roberson was convicted in 2003 of the murder of his infant daughter, Nikki, whom he had brought to a local hospital with severe injuries. Roberson claimed the baby had fallen from her bed, but medical experts argued that her injuries were consistent with child abuse. 

Testimony at his trial included the claim that Nikki’s injuries were consistent with “shaken baby syndrome.” Since his conviction, Roberson has attempted to establish his innocence by invoking Texas’s “junk science” law, which allows defendants to argue that scientific evidence used in their conviction was flawed.

A hearing at the Texas capitol on Oct. 21, convened by the Texas House of Representatives Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, will consider testimony regarding that law. Lawmakers had issued a subpoena for Roberson to appear before the committee to testify. Advocates argued that executing Roberson before that would undermine the authority of the Texas Legislature. 

A district court had ruled to halt the execution to allow Roberson to attend the hearing. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals subsequently struck down that ruling, putting the execution back on schedule. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday also declined to halt the execution.

In an opinion issued when the Texas Supreme Court halted the execution, Justice Evan Young noted that the Legislature “has subpoenaed an inmate subject to a sentence of death to appear as a witness” and that “if the sentence is carried out, the witness obviously cannot appear.”

Young noted that the dispute raises major questions about the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

The government “[does] not have clear precedent” as to what extent lawmakers can “subpoena an inmate who is subject to an impending death sentence,” Young said. He urged the lower district court to resolve the matter quickly. 

Attorney Gretchen Sween, who is representing Roberson, said in a statement that the condemned man’s advocates were “elated … that a contingent of brave, bipartisan Texas lawmakers chose to dig deep into the facts of Robert’s case that no court had yet considered and recognized that his life was worth fighting for.” 

“He lives to fight another day and hopes that his experience can help improve the integrity of our criminal legal system,” she said.

Texas has executed more criminals than any other state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, with the state putting 586 people to death since then, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Catholics praise decision

On Thursday, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops said in a statement that they were “grateful” for the decision to halt the execution. 

“Now is the time for all Texans to demand justice for Robert and denounce the execution of a likely innocent man which violates the laws of God and humanity to which we hold one another accountable,” the bishops said. 

The prelates called for “renewed effort to reform our criminal justice system in Texas, so that the human dignity of every person can be honored and that the principles of restorative justice can be applied to end capital punishment.”

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, the executive director of the anti-death penalty Catholic Mobilizing Network, likewise praised “the bipartisan, courageous leadership of the Texas legislators who took action that led to this temporary stay of execution.”

“As Catholics, we know that every life is sacred,” Murphy said. “Catholic teaching on the ‘inadmissibility in all cases’ of capital punishment is crystal clear — no exclusions or exceptions.” 

“We will continue to educate, advocate, and pray that soon, every state — including the state of Texas — will be free of the scourge of capital punishment,” she said. 

The Supreme Court of Texas said in a post on X late Thursday, Oct. 17, that it had “granted a Texas House of Representatives’ emergency motion” and “effectively [halted] the execution of Robert Roberson,” which was scheduled to take place that night. / Credit: Innocence Project

CNA Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

A condemned Texas man’s execution has been halted after lawmakers subpoenaed him to appear before the state Legislature amid claims of his innocence. 

The Supreme Court of Texas said in a post on X late Thursday that it had “granted a Texas House of Representatives’ emergency motion” and “effectively [halted] the execution of Robert Roberson,” which was scheduled to take place on Thursday night.

Roberson was convicted in 2003 of the murder of his infant daughter, Nikki, whom he had brought to a local hospital with severe injuries. Roberson claimed the baby had fallen from her bed, but medical experts argued that her injuries were consistent with child abuse. 

Testimony at his trial included the claim that Nikki’s injuries were consistent with “shaken baby syndrome.” Since his conviction, Roberson has attempted to establish his innocence by invoking Texas’s “junk science” law, which allows defendants to argue that scientific evidence used in their conviction was flawed.

A hearing at the Texas capitol on Oct. 21, convened by the Texas House of Representatives Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, will consider testimony regarding that law. Lawmakers had issued a subpoena for Roberson to appear before the committee to testify. Advocates argued that executing Roberson before that would undermine the authority of the Texas Legislature. 

A district court had ruled to halt the execution to allow Roberson to attend the hearing. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals subsequently struck down that ruling, putting the execution back on schedule. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday also declined to halt the execution.

In an opinion issued when the Texas Supreme Court halted the execution, Justice Evan Young noted that the Legislature “has subpoenaed an inmate subject to a sentence of death to appear as a witness” and that “if the sentence is carried out, the witness obviously cannot appear.”

Young noted that the dispute raises major questions about the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

The government “[does] not have clear precedent” as to what extent lawmakers can “subpoena an inmate who is subject to an impending death sentence,” Young said. He urged the lower district court to resolve the matter quickly. 

Attorney Gretchen Sween, who is representing Roberson, said in a statement that the condemned man’s advocates were “elated … that a contingent of brave, bipartisan Texas lawmakers chose to dig deep into the facts of Robert’s case that no court had yet considered and recognized that his life was worth fighting for.” 

“He lives to fight another day and hopes that his experience can help improve the integrity of our criminal legal system,” she said.

Texas has executed more criminals than any other state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, with the state putting 586 people to death since then, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Catholics praise decision

On Thursday, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops said in a statement that they were “grateful” for the decision to halt the execution. 

“Now is the time for all Texans to demand justice for Robert and denounce the execution of a likely innocent man which violates the laws of God and humanity to which we hold one another accountable,” the bishops said. 

The prelates called for “renewed effort to reform our criminal justice system in Texas, so that the human dignity of every person can be honored and that the principles of restorative justice can be applied to end capital punishment.”

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, the executive director of the anti-death penalty Catholic Mobilizing Network, likewise praised “the bipartisan, courageous leadership of the Texas legislators who took action that led to this temporary stay of execution.”

“As Catholics, we know that every life is sacred,” Murphy said. “Catholic teaching on the ‘inadmissibility in all cases’ of capital punishment is crystal clear — no exclusions or exceptions.” 

“We will continue to educate, advocate, and pray that soon, every state — including the state of Texas — will be free of the scourge of capital punishment,” she said. 

Bishop David G. O’Connell, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, explains his call to the priesthood on EWTN’s “The Call,” which aired on Oct. 3, 2019. / Credit: EWTN

CNA Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

A judge suspended the criminal proceedings of the alleged murderer of a beloved California bishop as courts evaluate whether the 64-year-old man is mentally fit for trial. 

Carlos Medina was charged with murder last year for allegedly shooting and killing Bishop David O’Connell, Los Angeles’ 69-year-old auxiliary bishop, in his home in Hacienda Heights.

Medina’s attorney argued that he was not mentally fit to stand trial on Thursday, according to a report by the L.A. Times. The criminal proceedings were suspended after a judge ordered that he be evaluated to see whether he can comprehend the charges and help the attorneys in his defense.

A deacon found O’Connell in his home on Feb. 18, 2023, when he went to check on the bishop after he failed to show up for a meeting. When authorities arrived, they discovered O’Connell with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

A manhunt ensued over the following days, leading to the arrest of Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper. Medina has since admitted to murdering the bishop, according to Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón.

But L.A. County Deputy Public Defender Pedro Cortes said that due to Medina’s mental health, he had doubts about the accused’s ability to defend himself. Medina did not appear in court for the preliminary hearing on Thursday, a proceeding that would have determined if there was enough evidence to go to trial.

Medina is set to appear at Hollywood Superior Court on Oct. 31 for court proceedings to evaluate his mental health. If he is found incompetent to stand trial, he will be treated until he is found competent. His proceedings will resume if he is found mentally competent. If convicted, Medina faces 35 years to life in prison. 

Medina was formally charged in February 2023 with one count of murder and a special allegation that he used a firearm.

Medina’s wife was the bishop’s housekeeper and Medina, a handyman, often worked on the home. There were no signs of forced entry. The motive for the murder remains unclear.

Medina was discovered after a tipster reported that Medina was exhibiting “strange” and “irrational behavior,” according to Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna. Police identified a dark-colored compact SUV similar to Medina’s vehicle in video footage of the bishop’s house on the day of O’Connell’s murder. 

A native of Ireland, O’Connell was named a bishop in 2015. The news of his murder last year shocked the local and wider Catholic community, who remembered him as a Christ-like man of deep prayer who was dedicated to serving the poor and immigrants.

Bishop David G. O’Connell, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, explains his call to the priesthood on EWTN’s “The Call,” which aired on Oct. 3, 2019. / Credit: EWTN

CNA Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

A judge suspended the criminal proceedings of the alleged murderer of a beloved California bishop as courts evaluate whether the 64-year-old man is mentally fit for trial. 

Carlos Medina was charged with murder last year for allegedly shooting and killing Bishop David O’Connell, Los Angeles’ 69-year-old auxiliary bishop, in his home in Hacienda Heights.

Medina’s attorney argued that he was not mentally fit to stand trial on Thursday, according to a report by the L.A. Times. The criminal proceedings were suspended after a judge ordered that he be evaluated to see whether he can comprehend the charges and help the attorneys in his defense.

A deacon found O’Connell in his home on Feb. 18, 2023, when he went to check on the bishop after he failed to show up for a meeting. When authorities arrived, they discovered O’Connell with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

A manhunt ensued over the following days, leading to the arrest of Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper. Medina has since admitted to murdering the bishop, according to Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón.

But L.A. County Deputy Public Defender Pedro Cortes said that due to Medina’s mental health, he had doubts about the accused’s ability to defend himself. Medina did not appear in court for the preliminary hearing on Thursday, a proceeding that would have determined if there was enough evidence to go to trial.

Medina is set to appear at Hollywood Superior Court on Oct. 31 for court proceedings to evaluate his mental health. If he is found incompetent to stand trial, he will be treated until he is found competent. His proceedings will resume if he is found mentally competent. If convicted, Medina faces 35 years to life in prison. 

Medina was formally charged in February 2023 with one count of murder and a special allegation that he used a firearm.

Medina’s wife was the bishop’s housekeeper and Medina, a handyman, often worked on the home. There were no signs of forced entry. The motive for the murder remains unclear.

Medina was discovered after a tipster reported that Medina was exhibiting “strange” and “irrational behavior,” according to Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna. Police identified a dark-colored compact SUV similar to Medina’s vehicle in video footage of the bishop’s house on the day of O’Connell’s murder. 

A native of Ireland, O’Connell was named a bishop in 2015. The news of his murder last year shocked the local and wider Catholic community, who remembered him as a Christ-like man of deep prayer who was dedicated to serving the poor and immigrants.

Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria, Florida. / Credit: Lee Leblanc cc by nc sa 2.0

CNA Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 16:15 pm (CNA).

A Catholic university in Florida is set to host a major rally against Florida’s pro-abortion ballot measure on Sunday, with several federal and state legislators as well as actor and producer Eduardo Verástegui scheduled to be in attendance. 

Ave Maria University is hosting the Oct. 20 rally in opposition to a Florida Amendment 4, which would enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution. The amendment would prevent the government from restricting abortion up until the point of viability and up to birth in cases of the woman’s health.

“We are so excited to host the Respect Life Rally at Ave Maria University,” said Father Joseph Lugalambi, Ave Maria University’s campus chaplain.

“We have been following our bishop, and his support for mothers and the unborn has been inspiring,” Lugalambi told CNA. “This event raises awareness of the harm Amendment 4 will cause to the unborn and their mothers — allowing for late-term abortions, eliminating parental consent laws, and worsening the health care provided to women in crisis.” 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to support life in all its stages!” he said. “Ave Maria University is pro-life!” 

The Ave Maria rally, organized by the Respect Life Ministry at Ave Maria Parish, is set to bring in a number of well-known Floridians.

Mexican producer and actor Eduardo Verástegui, who produced “Sound of Freedom,” starred in “For Greater Glory,” and was a producer for “Little Boy,” “Bella,” and “Cabrini,” will also be speaking at the rally. 

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Florida) and State Rep. Lauren Melo (R-Naples) are set to speak at the event, as is Bishop Frank Dewane of the Diocese of Venice. 

“We are humbled to welcome Bishop Dewane and many special guests as we organize our community to get out and vote against this radical pro-abortion amendment,” Sharon Levesque, coordinator of the parish Respect Life Ministry and the Oct. 20 rally, told CNA. 

Speakers also include Manuel Milanés, an “Ave Maria hero” who saved the lives of a mother and her four children by taking a bullet in the chest.

“He’s the strongest embodiment of a pro-life man that we’ve ever seen,” Ave Maria Respect Life Ministry volunteer and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Caputo told CNA. He noted that “it’s the same thing” as protecting unborn babies, but “on the left, only those children are worth saving.”

CatholicVote’s National Political Director Logan Church and members of Doctors Against Amendment 4 are also slated to be in attendance.

If passed, the amendment would change the Florida Constitution to include a provision that reads: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s health care provider.”

Opponents of the amendment note that the amendment would deregulate pre-viability abortion, removing health and safety regulations to the point that the government could not legally require a doctor to be present to prescribe chemical abortion pills. 

“There’s a lot of fear that Florida will become an abortion vacation destination” if the amendment is passed, Caputo said, noting that the state is already a major vacation destination.  

Proponents argue that abortion decisions should be in the hands of individuals. Proponents from the group “Yes on 4” call Florida’s current abortion law a “near-total abortion ban with no real exceptions,” according to a statement by the group’s campaign director, Lauren Brenzel.

The proposed amendment needs a 60% majority to pass in the state of Florida.

“Florida possesses a vibrant pro-life community,” Seana McGuire, the chair of the politics department at Ave Maria University, told CNA. “Our bishops have rallied the faithful and impressed upon us the gravity of the moral issues at stake with Amendment 4.”

State’s bishops are all in

The Florida bishops have steadfastly opposed the amendment and submitted a brief to the state Supreme Court in November 2023 that argued the proposal’s title “misleadingly suggests that the amendment ‘limits’ government interference when it bans all regulation before viability.”

The bishops “have communicated that Amendment 4 is a radical measure that undermines parental rights and perversely worsens the health care provided to women in crisis,” McGuire continued. “Most importantly, they have reminded us that every life is precious, no matter the stage of development. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. We can be thankful for their message of love for all and their prudence at this critical moment.”

“That is the mission of this town, of this parish, of this university — to support mothers and children,” Caputo added when asked why Ave Maria was hosting the rally.