In this week’s edition:

• What should you know about the Holy Father’s latest encyclical?

• Pope Francis could be behind the push to reinstate convicted abuser priest.

• Fr. Rupnik investigation leaves much to be desired a year later

• Biden administration to mandate insurance coverage of OTC birth control

• and more!

Pope Francis publishes Dilexit Nos, an encyclical on the Sacred Heart

Summary: The ~30,000 word encyclical was published on October 24 and focuses on the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a source of healing for a wounded world.

Details:

• The title of the encyclical comes from Romans 8:35;37-39, which talks about how “[nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God….”

• Pope Francis emphasizes the need for improved interior lives “in societies of serial consumers….”

• The Holy Father draws from thinkers across the centuries to address our current age, even touching on topics such as tech and AI.

• +Forte has called it “the key to his entire pontificate” and “the inspiring motive of [his] whole ministry and magisterium.”

Why we care: We admit we’ve not yet read the encyclical, but so far we’ve heard nothing but good things about it. It feels extremely timely; so often our world feels fractured and in need of Christ, and it seems His Holiness has taken that issue head-on. We’d love to see an increase in devotion to the Sacred Heart and hope that the fruits thereof can begin to transform our secular society into one aflame with love for Christ.

Canon lawyer’s comments suggest Pope Francis’ involvement in the case of laicized priest

Summary: While perhaps not intended, the canonists remarks had the effect of raising some new questions about who was behind the Secretariat’s order.

Details:

• +Filippo Iannone noted in an interview that the Secretariat of State can have a role in abuse cases when relaying decisions reached by other departments in the Vatican.

• He also underlined the fact that appeals in the case of laicized priests can only be handled by the pope himself.

• These comments yield questions about Pope Francis’ involvement in the case of Ariel Principi.

• If His Holiness was involved in the decision to reverse the laicization it would mean that +Kennedy’s order was directly opposed to an act or order by the pope.

Why we care: While on the surface it definitely has a bit of a “workplace drama” feel to it - departments fighting with each other over authority and all that - beneath that lies the question of why Pope Francis might have ordered the return to ministry for Principi, who had previously been found guilty of abusing minors. It certainly wouldn’t help the Holy See beat the allegations of not sufficiently caring about clerical abuse or its victims (see below). We’d hate to think that Pope Francis would do something so tone-deaf as reinstating a suspect priest, but this certainly does raise questions. Of course nothing has been confirmed but we’re eagerly awaiting new developments and answers to these questions.

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Fr. Rupnik’s victims say they feel ‘betrayed’ by state Vatican investigation

Summary: The DDF is actively working on the case but victims say the uncertainty creates anxiety, scandal.

Details:

• The DDF opened an investigation into Fr. Rupnik after Pope Franics waived the statute of limitations on his case in Oct. 2023

• An unnamed person inside the DDF said they are looking into “the mechanism by which justice can be served.”

• Abuse prevention expert Fr. Zollner, S.J. says the “uncertainty…creates much discomfort and potentially a lot of anxiety in victims….”

• Director of Bishop Accountability Anne Barrett Doyle said the “delay…scandalizes the faithful.”

• An alleged victim says she feels “betrayed”.

• Fr. Rupnik is still in active ministry and his works continue to be used.

Why we care: We recognize that justice must be blind and impartial, but we also wish it would be swift. Perhaps we are letting our emotions and gut feeling about Fr. Rupnik do too much of the driving here, but we think this case ought to be handled with a bit more alacrity. We’d count ourselves among the faithful who are scandalized by the slow response - or lack thereof when it comes to ceasing to use Fr Rupnik’s artwork, especially on the Vatican communications website. It’s certainly not hard to see how victims of clerical abuse might not feel hopeful about the Church’s response given the gravity of the allegations and the speed of the response. We simply hope for a just and satisfying resolution to this investigation - and if it could be soon that would be nice too.

Biden mandate to make over-the-counter birth control available at no cost without a prescription

Summary: This expansion to the Affordable Care Act would be the most biggest change in over ten years.

Details:

• The change would demand insurance companies no longer require a prescription for birth control coverage.

• OTC contraception would be at no cost and insurance companies would be required to cover additional prescription forms of contraception.

• Assistant to the president Jennifer Klein said “…women would be able to obtain over-the-counter (OTC) contraception without a prescription at no additional cost, and health plans would have to cover even more prescribed contraceptives without cost sharing,”

Why we care: This is a terrible policy both on moral and political grounds. The Church’s position on birth control is pretty well-established at this point, so we don’t have much to add there. From a political standpoint we feel it’s a pretty gross overstepping of boundaries by the government to force insurance companies to cover a product/service, especially when that coverage ostensibly forces the companies’ members to violate their consciences by paying into a pool that’s paying for contraceptives. We expect this to be challenged in court, but seeing as the toothpaste is somewhat out of the tube in this area it’s tough to say which way it goes.

Other Stories

• In memoriam:

  • Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez Merino, the “father of liberation theology”, died on Oct. 22.

  • Fr. Marcelo Pérez, “tireless apostle of peace”, was murdered on Oct. 20. 

• Synod on Synodality concludes as Pope Francis approves final document.

• SCOTUS to hear challenge to a TN law that prohibits sex-change surgeries for minors.

• Dioceses denounce self-described “Catholic” publication.

• Swiss bishops bungled abuse allegations but did not attempt to conceal them, Vatican finds.

• Consider us skeptical: Satanic Temple denied plans to use a consecrated host in its “black mass”.

• Dominican musicians join country artist Zac Brown for a performance of “Chicken Fried”.

Quote of the Week

What’s going on:

• All Saints’ Day is on Friday (Nov. 1) and is a Holy Day of Obligation.

• Nov 2. is The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

• The Holy Father’s intention for the month of November is for anyone who has lost a child.

• Notable feast days:

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