Saint Michael Parish

U.S. Vice-President JD Vance meets Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 at the Vatican / Screenshot / Vatican Media

CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 07:26 am (CNA).

Pope Francis met briefly with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Easter Sunday morning at the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican confirmed.

According to the Holy See Press Office, the private audience took place at approximately 11:30 a.m. and lasted only a few minutes. The pope and the vice president exchanged Easter greetings and spoke briefly in English.

Vance thanked the Holy Father for receiving him and noted, “It’s good to see you in better health.” Pope Francis responded warmly. Both wished each other ‘’Happy Easter.”

During the encounter, the pope presented Vance with several gifts: a Vatican tie, a red rosary for him, white rosaries for his children, and a set of three large chocolate Easter eggs. A separate white rosary was designated for his wife.

Vance replied, “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

The meeting followed a formal conversation the day before between Vice President Vance and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state. That discussion focused on international relations, religious freedom, and humanitarian concerns.

Both parties expressed hope for continued positive collaboration between the U.S. government and the Catholic Church in America.

During his time in Rome, Vance and his family also participated in the solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday evening at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis wishes the crowd a “Happy Easter” from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 07:12 am (CNA).

Pope Francis decried the numerous conflicts plaguing the planet and appealed to world leaders “not to yield to the logic of fear” in his Easter message “urbi et orbi” (to the city and to the world) on Sunday.

The pope’s traditional blessing, “urbi et orbi,” was read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, as the 88-year-old pontiff, still convalescing, was present but physically limited.

Francis, who arrived at the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica in a wheelchair, greeted the faithful with a brief “Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter” before asking Archbishop Ravelli to read the message on his behalf.

“I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development,” the message stated.

Earlier in the morning, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Pope Francis held a brief private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Casa Santa Marta, according to the Holy See Press Office.

The meeting, which lasted only a few minutes, provided an opportunity for the two to exchange Easter greetings.

Vice President Vance met Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday regarding international relations, religious freedom, and humanitarian concerns.

The pope’s Easter address — delivered amid a confluence of global conflicts — focused particularly on war-torn regions, including Ukraine, the Holy Land, Myanmar, and various parts of Africa.

Regarding Gaza, where “the terrible conflict continues to generate death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation,” Francis called for concrete action: “I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!”

The Holy Father also lamented the “growing climate of anti-Semitism throughout the world” while expressing closeness to “the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel, and to all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people.”

The pope’s message emphasized that “there can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.” He added that peace is also impossible without “true disarmament,” warning against the “race to rearmament” that threatens global stability.

Reflecting on the spiritual significance of Easter, Francis reminded the faithful that Christ’s resurrection represents “the basis of our hope” and that “hope does not disappoint!” He characterized this hope not as “an evasion, but a challenge” that “does not delude, but empowers us.”

The message “urbi et orbi” concluded with the pontiff’s customary invocation for a peaceful world: “Let us entrust ourselves to him, for he alone can make all things new.”

This year’s Easter celebration held particular significance as it coincided with this year’s 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and was celebrated on the same day by Catholics and Orthodox Christians following the Julian calendar.

After the blessing, Pope Francis greeted jubilant pilgrims from the popemobile, to shouts of joy from the crowd. It was the first time the pontiff used the popemobile to visit the square since his hospitalization.

Last updated on April 20, 2025, with further details.

Iman Hijaze and her mother, Hadidza, at St. Joseph’s House. / Credit: Alexey Gotovskiy/EWTN Vatican Bureau

Rome Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

In 2017, while working at the World Food Program office in the Azarieh building in downtown Beirut, Iman Hijaze spotted her colleague’s rosary lying on the floor. Alex Imad, a former Shiite Muslim who had converted to Christianity, had accidentally dropped it.

“When I touched it, I felt an electrical shock through my body,” Hijaze recalled.  

Instead of returning the rosary to Imad, Hijaze slipped it into her pocket. Later, Imad checked the security camera footage and discovered what happened. When he confronted her, he hugged her gently and drew the sign of the cross on her back. 

“I felt another electrical sensation,” Hijaze said when recalling the encounter. “It was the first time I actually felt something religious.”

Raised in a culturally Shiite household in southern Lebanon, Hijaze had long considered herself an atheist. “I used to mock believers,” she admitted. “I told Alex, ‘There’s no God. You left Islam to become Christian? Why?’” 

But something had shifted. She asked to accompany Imad to church to see how Christians pray. The next day, he gave her three books: the Bible, the Quran, and a small Arabic-language booklet explaining how to pray the rosary. 

“I didn’t even open the Quran — I already knew it,” she said. “But when I read the rosary book, I felt like I was entering another world. I knew then that I had to start praying.” 

Hijaze shared her growing interest in Christianity with a Christian gym coach named Ravid. She recalled that he was surprised she hadn’t been baptized. Given that she rode motorcycles, lifted weights, and dressed freely, he had assumed she was already a Christian since such a lifestyle is less common among Shiite Muslim women in Lebanon’s more conservative communities. Seeing her curiosity, Ravid introduced her to a Catholic priest, Father Francis, who became her spiritual guide on the path to baptism. 

Father Francis began accompanying her to Christian shrines throughout Lebanon. But after visiting the Monastery of St. Veronica Giuliani in Qsaybeh, Hijaze began having terrifying dreams. “I saw the monks with the faces of mummies and beasts,” she said. “A red devil appeared and beat me. Alex was in the dream, trying to protect me.” 

The experiences left her overwhelmed. “I couldn’t sleep. Every night I saw horrible things,” she said she told Father Francis. “I told him I didn’t want to pray anymore, didn’t want to be baptized. It was destroying my life.” 

But Father Francis stayed faithful to her journey. “Every day after work, he picked me up to pray the exorcism prayers. He told me I was in a spiritual battle — and I must never surrender.” 

She also faced opposition at home. “My family saw me reading the Bible. They knew I wanted to change my religion. I suffered for three years.” 

In early 2021, Hijaze returned to the monastery, hoping to be baptized, and while at first she mistakenly thought it would not happen, three days later, three candidates — including Hijaze — were baptized at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. Hijaze chose the Christian name Rita, in honor of St. Rita of Cascia. She said she felt a connection with the saint as both had suffered because of their husbands. 

“After I was baptized, the dreams stopped,” she said. “But the devil tried another way. People around me became more aggressive. He couldn’t reach my mind anymore, so he worked through the unbaptized.”

Her mother, Hadidza, was the first to confront her when Hijaze told her that she had been baptized. She came home carrying a Bible, images of saints, and baptismal gifts. A friend warned her not to go home, fearing her family might kill her. But she went anyway. She said she didn’t care anymore.

Her mother didn’t speak to her at first but later that night had a vivid dream. “I saw a tall and handsome man, wearing a crown of gold,” Hadidza recounted. “He stood silently at the door. I didn’t understand what he said, but I felt it was Isa al-Masih [Jesus the Messiah]; peace upon him!”

Soon after, she had another dream — this time of the Virgin Mary.

“She looked exactly like the statue at Harissa, except she was holding the child Jesus,” Hadidza said.

“I approached and kissed the child on the forehead,” she said. “After what I saw, I said to myself: Leave her be — let her believe in what she believes. Let her live her religion freely. I won’t interfere anymore.”

War breaks out

In September 2024, war in Lebanon broke out. Israeli bombs struck their hometown of Douris.  

“We left just in time,” Hijaze said. “Ten days later, our home was gone.” She had just sold her car to finish building a small restaurant next to the house. “Everything I worked for was destroyed.” 

She and her mother moved from school to school, sleeping in overcrowded shelters. “We are clean people. It was so hard to sleep among 60 others,” she said. 

Hijaze’s godmother helped them escape a basement shelter during the conflict and arranged for their relocation to “Beit Youssef” — St. Joseph’s House, an old monastery just steps away from the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. Currently the site is being transformed into a retreat center for families and youth by Doud and Kate Tayeh, a Lebanese-American couple raising six children. 

“At first, I was nervous [about the center],” Kate Tayeh admitted. “What if they bring someone from Hezbollah? What if we’re targeted? What if the neighbors see people in hijab and hate us? But the biggest [loss] ...would be if we lost our humanity. We’re not going to let that happen.” 

They welcomed Hijaze and her mother with open arms, on the condition that no men would stay.  

“And they were happy with that,” Kate said. 

A few weeks later, Hijaze’s sister also arrived — fleeing another bombing — with her four young children. Another sister remains safe in Beirut. 

“When Shiite villages are bombed, families flee to churches in the mountains,” Kate said. “They believe churches are less likely to be hit.” 

When Hijaze arrived at St. Joseph’s House, she noticed Doud wearing a rosary and asked him for it.  

Hijaze, along with her mother and sister, is currently staying at St. Joseph’s House, facing an uncertain future. She never parts with the rosary Doud gave her, which she wears around her neck. Today, she asks for prayers — and holds onto hope for a safe and stable future for herself and her family, whether in Lebanon or elsewhere in the world. 

Pope Francis speaks the Easter blessing "urbi et orbi" from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, April 20, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 06:48 am (CNA).

On Easter Sunday 2025, Pope Francis did not deliver his speech in person, though he briefly greeted the faithful with a brief “Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter”.

The pope’s traditio, “urbi et orbi,” was read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, as the 88-year-old pontiff, still convalescing, was present but physically limited. Pope Francis briefly blessed the crowd after the message was read.

“Urbi et orbi” means “To the city [of Rome] and to the world.” It is a special apostolic blessing given by the pope every year on Easter Sunday, Christmas, and other special occasions.

Here is the full text of the pope’s message:

Christ is risen, alleluia!

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!

Today at last, the singing of the “alleluia” is heard once more in the Church, passing from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart, and this makes the people of God throughout the world shed tears of joy.

From the empty tomb in Jerusalem, we hear unexpected good news: Jesus, who was crucified, “is not here, he has risen” (Lk 24:5). Jesus is not in the tomb, he is alive!

Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge. Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand; it no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.

Sisters and brothers, especially those of you experiencing pain and sorrow, your silent cry has been heard and your tears have been counted; not one of them has been lost! In the passion and death of Jesus, God has taken upon himself all the evil in this world and in his infinite mercy has defeated it. He has uprooted the diabolical pride that poisons the human heart and wreaks violence and corruption on every side. The Lamb of God is victorious! That is why, today, we can joyfully cry out: “Christ, my hope, has risen!” (Easter Sequence).

The resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion. Thanks to Christ — crucified and risen from the dead — hope does not disappoint! Spes non confundit! (cf. Rom 5:5). That hope is not an evasion, but a challenge; it does not delude, but empowers us.

All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of Life.

Christ is risen! These words capture the whole meaning of our existence, for we were not made for death but for life. Easter is the celebration of life! God created us for life and wants the human family to rise again! In his eyes, every life is precious! The life of a child in the mother’s womb, as well as the lives of the elderly and the sick, who in more and more countries are looked upon as people to be discarded.

What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of our world! How much violence we see, often even within families, directed at women and children! How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants!

On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!

I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible! From the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Resurrection, where this year Easter is being celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox on the same day, may the light of peace radiate throughout the Holy Land and the entire world. I express my closeness to the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel, and to all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. The growing climate of anti-Semitism throughout the world is worrisome. Yet at the same time, I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation. I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!

Let us pray for the Christian communities in Lebanon and in Syria, presently experiencing a delicate transition in its history. They aspire to stability and to participation in the life of their respective nations. I urge the whole Church to keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers.

I also think in particular of the people of Yemen, who are experiencing one of the world’s most serious and prolonged humanitarian crises because of war, and I invite all to find solutions through a constructive dialogue.

May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace.

On this festive day, let us remember the South Caucasus and pray that a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will soon be signed and implemented, and lead to long-awaited reconciliation in the region.

May the light of Easter inspire efforts to promote harmony in the western Balkans and sustain political leaders in their efforts to allay tensions and crises, and, together with their partner countries in the region, to reject dangerous and destabilizing actions.

May the risen Christ, our hope, grant peace and consolation to the African peoples who are victims of violence and conflict, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan and South Sudan. May he sustain those suffering from the tensions in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, as well as those Christians who in many places are not able freely to profess their faith.

There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.

Nor is peace possible without true disarmament! The requirement that every people provide for its own defence must not turn into a race to rearmament. The light of Easter impels us to break down the barriers that create division and are fraught with grave political and economic consequences. It impels us to care for one another, to increase our mutual solidarity, and to work for the integral development of each human person.

During this time, let us not fail to assist the people of Myanmar, plagued by long years of armed conflict, who, with courage and patience, are dealing with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Sagaing, which caused the death of thousands and great suffering for the many survivors, including orphans and the elderly. We pray for the victims and their loved ones, and we heartily thank all the generous volunteers carrying out the relief operations. The announcement of a ceasefire by various actors in the country is a sign of hope for the whole of Myanmar.

I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development. These are the “weapons” of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death!

May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions. In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenceless civilians and attack schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity.

In this Jubilee year, may Easter also be a fitting occasion for the liberation of prisoners of war and political prisoners!

Dear brothers and sisters,

In the Lord’s Paschal Mystery, death and life contended in a stupendous struggle, but the Lord now lives forever (cf. Easter Sequence). He fills us with the certainty that we too are called to share in the life that knows no end, when the clash of arms and the rumble of death will be heard no more. Let us entrust ourselves to him, for he alone can make all things new (cf. Rev. 21:5)!

Happy Easter to everyone!

Rows of daffodils decorate St. Peter's Square during Easter Sunday celebrations at the Vatican on April 20, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 06:10 am (CNA).

Under clear spring skies and surrounded by thousands of faithful gathered in a St. Peter’s Square adorned with vibrant yellow daffodils, Pope Francis’s Easter Sunday homily called Christians to actively seek the risen Jesus in their daily lives, urging believers to “run” just as the disciples did after discovering the empty tomb.

“We must look for him without ceasing,” emphasized the pope’s text, which was delivered by Cardinal Angelo Comastri on April 20. “Because if he has risen from the dead, then he is present everywhere, he dwells among us, he hides himself and reveals himself even today in the sisters and brothers we meet along the way.”

Earlier in the morning, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Pope Francis held a brief private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Casa Santa Marta. The meeting, which lasted only a few minutes, provided an opportunity for the two to exchange Easter greetings.

Vice President Vance previously met Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday to international relations, religious freedom, and humanitarian concerns.

The homily described how the Gospel account of Easter features the disciples “running” to discover Christ’s resurrection. This physical movement, the text explained, symbolizes the spiritual dynamism required of Christians.

“The protagonists of the Easter narratives all ran!” the homily stated. “This ‘running’ expresses, on the one hand, the concern that the Lord’s body had been taken away; but, on the other hand, the running of Mary Magdalene, Peter and John expresses the desire, the yearning of the heart, the inner attitude of those who set out to search for Jesus.”

The prepared text emphasized that followers of Christ “cannot remain stationary” but must “take action” to seek Jesus “in life,” “in the faces of our brothers and sisters,” and “in everyday business” — “everywhere except in the tomb.”

Pope Francis warned against confining Christ “to a fairy tale” or thinking of him “as a statue in a museum,” insisting instead on the living presence of Jesus in the world today.

The homily highlighted the radical nature of the Easter faith, describing it as “anything but a complacent settling into some sort of ‘religious reassurance.’” Rather, “Easter spurs us to action” and “invites us to have eyes that can ‘see beyond.’”

The homily concluded with a prayer asking for renewal: “Lord, on this feast day we ask you for this gift: that we too may be made new, so as to experience this eternal newness. Cleanse us, O God, from the sad dust of habit, tiredness and indifference.”

This year’s Easter celebration took on special significance as it coincided with the current Jubilee Year, with the homily specifically noting how “the Jubilee invites us to renew the gift of hope within us.”

Dutch flowers decorate St. Peter’s Square for Easter Sunday Mass 2019. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In early 2022, some Dutch Catholics were dismayed to learn that a 37-year Easter tradition would not continue.

The Netherlands, known for its fields of flowers, had for more than three decades donated the colorful tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths that decorate St. Peter’s Square for the pope’s Easter Sunday Mass at the Vatican.

The custom was put on hold for two years because of coronavirus restrictions, and in 2022, the Dutch florist who had organized the initiative since 2015 said he no longer had the sponsors to continue the project.

The tradition seemed fated to end. But Dutch Catholics in Rome and the Netherlands were not easily discouraged, and they stepped in to ensure the floral finery would once again adorn St. Peter’s Square for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.

“We were disappointed and thought: This is a beautiful tradition. If Mr. [Paul] Deckers cannot find sponsors again, why not try to find another flower artist to do the same job?” Father Antoine Bodar told CNA via email.

“The floral gift from the Netherlands and the province of the Dutch Church to the pope in Rome is too special not to give it continuity,” he told SIR, the news agency of the Italian bishops.

Bodar is the rector of the Dutch Catholic church in Rome, Sts. Michael and Magnus, which is on a side street just a few steps from the Vatican.

He rallied his countrymen, and in April 2022 he announced that the tradition would go on with chief florist Piet van der Burg, who would arrange the plants, trees, and flowers before the Easter Mass.

“Overwhelmed by positive reactions from growers, sponsors, and many others, and after intensive consultation with various stakeholders in the Netherlands and the Vatican, the efforts of many have shown that [in 2022], after two years of pandemic, Dutch flowers will once again be in St. Peter’s Square in Rome,” Bodar said.

The flowers and plants arrived at the Vatican by truck after a dayslong journey from the Netherlands. Before the start of the long drive, the flowers were blessed by Bishop Hans van den Hende of Rotterdam, chairman of the Dutch bishops’ conference.

“These flowers and plants have been grown with craftsmanship,” the bishop said at the Keukenhof Flower Park in Lisse, the flower capital of the Netherlands.

The flowers, he said, “go to Rome for the great feast of Easter, when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The flowers will grace St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis pronounces his ‘urbi et orbi,’ his blessing over the city and the world. On the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, this floral splendor will be fully displayed.”

He added: “God gives the blooming power and growth, and as human beings we are allowed to cooperate with creation through the talents we have been given.”

In 2018, Dutch media reported that 50,000 flowers, weighing around 30 tons, were brought to the Vatican, where they were arranged by 25 people.

After his Easter “urbi et orbi” blessing, Pope Francis always makes a point of thanking the Netherlands for the gift of flowers.

“In this square, the joy of the Resurrection is symbolized by flowers, which also this year come from the Netherlands, while those in St. Peter’s Basilica are from Slovenia,” the pope said in 2019. “A big special thanks to the donors of these splendid floral gifts.”

This article was first published on April 16, 2022, and has been updated.

Incense is dispensed at St. Peter's Basilica during the Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 19, 2025 / Credit: Zosia Czubak

Vatican City, Apr 19, 2025 / 20:25 pm (CNA).

Catholics celebrated Easter Vigil in the Holy Night at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Saturday, marking what Pope Francis in his homily said was the moment when "the divine light of the Resurrection begins to shine" and "the Lord’s Passover from death to life takes place as the sun is about to rise."

Still recovering from his bout with pneumonia, the Holy Father delegated the liturgy to be celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who read the pope's homily during the Mass.

Hundreds of clergy were in attendance, including nearly three dozen cardinals.

Catholics gather for Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday, April 19, 2025 / Credit: Zosia Czubak

Vatican City, Apr 19, 2025 / 15:15 pm (CNA).

Candlelight illuminated St. Peter’s Basilica during the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday where Pope Francis’ homily, read on his behalf, proclaimed the resurrection of Christ as “the definitive turning point in human history.”  

“It falls to us to proclaim this Easter hope, this ‘turning point’ where darkness becomes light,” the pope wrote in the homily, delivered by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. 

“The risen Christ … is the hope that does not fade. He is the love that accompanies us and sustains us,” he said. “He is the future of history, the ultimate destination towards which we walk, to be welcomed into that new life in which the Lord himself will wipe away all our tears and ‘death, mourning and crying and pain will be no more.’” 

Although Pope Francis did not preside at the liturgy due to his ongoing recovery from a recent hospitalization for double pneumonia, he made a surprise appearance in the basilica about two hours before the Mass. He paused to pray and greeted some of the pilgrims who had been waiting for hours for the Easter Mass at the Vatican. 

The pope, who has delegated cardinals to preside over all Holy Week events, entrusted the Easter Vigil to Cardinal Re. The Mass included the blessing of the new fire, the lighting of the Paschal Candle, and the singing of the Exsultet, a hymn recalling the story of salvation from creation to Christ’s resurrection. 

Thirty-four cardinals, 24 bishops, and about 250 priests processed silently through the dark basilica with lit candles, symbolizing the light of Christ overcoming darkness. 

The basilica gradually became illuminated throughout the liturgy until the Gloria, when bells rang out and the altar was revealed adorned with Easter flowers. 

During the vigil, three people from Italy and Albania were baptized. The congregation prayed the Litany of the Saints and renewed their baptismal promises. 

“In the risen Jesus we have the certainty that our personal history and that of our human family, albeit still immersed in a dark night where lights seem distant and dim, are nonetheless in God’s hands,” the pope wrote. “In his great love, he will not let us falter, or allow evil to have the last word.” 

Referencing the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to “let the hope of Easter blossom” in their lives. 

“When the thought of death lies heavy on our hearts … when we feel the wounds of selfishness or violence … let us not lose heart,” he wrote. “The light quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness … and a new beginning, however impossible it might seem, can take us by surprise.” 

Pope Francis called on Christians to become messengers of this Easter hope through daily acts of love. 

“We can do this by our words, by our small daily acts, by decisions inspired by the Gospel,” he wrote. “Our whole life can be a presence of hope. We want to be that presence for those who lack faith in the Lord … for those who have given up … for the poor and oppressed … for the unborn and for children who are mistreated; and for the victims of war. To each of them let us bring the hope of Easter!” 

According to the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, vicar general emeritus of Vatican City, is scheduled to preside over Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square. 

State capitol in Dover, Delaware. / Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

CNA Newsroom, Apr 19, 2025 / 11:15 am (CNA).

Delaware's Democratic Gov. Matt Meyer is set to sign a controversial assisted suicide bill recently passed by the state legislature, one that has drawn opposition from Catholic advocates who warn that it will "put the lives of [the state's] most vulnerable citizens at risk."

Legislators passed Delaware House Bill 140 this week. The measure, once signed by the governor, will allow "a terminally ill individual who is an adult resident of Delaware to request and self-administer medication to end the individual's life."

Prior to his election in November Meyer signaled his intent to sign the bill, stating during a debate that people "should have a right to exercise their right to die."

If signed into law, the bill will make Delaware the 11th state to legalize physician-assisted suicide, joining California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. The District of Columbia also permits the practice.

'Government-sanctioned suicide'

The measure has drawn considerable criticism from Catholic advocates in the state. Supporters of assisted suicide have been attempting to institute the practice in Delaware for roughly a decade.

The Catholic Advocacy Network for Delaware had earlier urged residents to oppose the bill. "HB 140 is government-sanctioned suicide. It leads to a slippery slope, with vulnerable individuals — such as the elderly, disabled, or those experiencing depression — being pressured into choosing death over life," the group told state Catholics.

"Every state or country that has legalized physician-assisted suicide has experienced dangerous expansions and abuses of the law," the advocacy network said. "This practice threatens the values of compassion, care, and respect for human life - from conception to natural death - that we hold dear."

Wilmington Bishop William Koenig, who heads the lone Catholic diocese in the state, told residents earlier this month that there is "a great distinction between, on the one hand, death that comes naturally and, on the other hand, performing actions to bring on death."

"We are never required to undergo medical treatments that are 'extraordinary' (i.e., treatments that are burdensome, costly, or offer little hope of benefit)," the bishop wrote. "Not undergoing such treatments, however, is much different from having a physician providing the means for a patient to end one’s life."

In January of last year Koenig joined Baltimore Archbishop William Lori and Washington Archbishop Wilton Cardinal Gregory in issuing a pastoral letter, "A Better Way Forward," warning that assisted suicide "puts our most vulnerable brothers and sisters at risk of making decisions for themselves that are manipulated by factors such as disability, mental instability, poverty and isolation."

Society should "choose the path that models true compassion and dignity to those facing end of life decisions and protects the most vulnerable from the deadly proposition of physician assisted suicide," the bishops wrote.

Pope Francis has multiple times condemned medical practices that take human life. Last year he criticized euthanasia as "a failure of love" and "a reflection of a 'throwaway culture' in which 'persons are no longer seen as a paramount value to be cared for and respected'."

Euthanasia "is often presented falsely as a form of compassion," the Holy Father said.

"Yet 'compassion', a word that means 'suffering with', does not involve the intentional ending of a life, but rather the willingness to share the burdens of those facing the end stages of our earthly pilgrimage."

Texas capitol in Austin. / Credit: Gang Liu/Shutterstock

Seattle, Wash., Apr 19, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The Texas House of Representatives this week approved a sweeping school choice bill, one hailed by the state’s Catholic bishops and which could significantly reshape how families access private and religious education in the state.

Senate Bill 2 passed 86–63 after intense debate. The bill would create a $1 billion Education Savings Account (ESA) program, giving eligible families up to $10,000 per student to spend on tuition, transportation, therapy, and other education-related expenses. It previously passed the state Senate in February. 

The measure now heads to a conference committee where lawmakers will reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions.

Texas Catholic leaders welcomed the bill’s passage this week. 

“Thank you to all who worked so hard for passage of this legislation that will give parents a true choice for the education of their children,” Bishop Michael Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth said on X.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops likewise praised the vote, calling it the result of sustained collaboration. 

“We have worked alongside you and so many others for this day,” the bishops wrote, naming state House Speaker Dustin Burrows, state Gov. Greg Abbott, and other legislative champions of parental choice.

Abbott, who has made school choice a central plank of his legislative agenda, praised the bill’s passage. “I look forward to this school choice legislation reaching my desk, when I will swiftly sign it into law,” he posted on Instagram.

The vote was also celebrated by longtime school choice advocates. The Texas Public Policy Foundation, which has supported ESA legislation for years, called the bill’s passage a generational victory.

Growing share of Catholic students take part in school choice

This week the National Catholic Educational Association reported that nearly 1 in 5 Catholic school students across the U.S. now participate in a school choice program — up nearly 5 percentage points from last year. 

In states with robust choice legislation, Catholic schools are seeing enrollment stabilize and even grow after decades of decline.

Texas’ 230 Catholic schools serve approximately 75,000 students, many from working-class and immigrant families. With tuition averaging more than $7,000 per year, schools have long relied on parish subsidies and scholarship funds to make education accessible, meaning the proposed ESA could make Catholic education a sustainable option for many families. 

While Catholic leaders and school choice advocates cheered the vote, others in the Texas Legislature criticized the measure. Every state House Democrat opposed the bill, arguing that it would siphon funds away from public schools already facing budget shortfalls.

State Rep. James Talarico proposed putting the issue to a statewide vote. His amendment failed.

“Private school vouchers will take money out of our public schools and give it to wealthy parents who are already sending their kids to private school,” he claimed after the vote.

Amendments to expand the bill’s eligibility and support lower-income families were also rejected, drawing further criticism from Democrats and public school advocates.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced Thursday that he would recommend the state Senate concur with the House version without changes. 

“I’ve fought for school choice for my entire legislative career. Now, in consultation with Sen. Brandon Creighton, I am recommending the Senate concur with Senate Bill 2 — the largest school choice launch in American history,” Patrick wrote on X.

The bill also expands vocational training pathways. State Rep. Gary Gates told CNA the ESA framework aligns with House Bill 20, which he authored to allow high school students to attend Texas State Technical College full time.

“We have an incredible shortage of highly skilled labor in this country,” Gates said. “Here, a high school student could come out of school with no debt.”

If enacted, the ESA program could launch as early as the coming academic year.