St. James Roman Catholic Church

Pope Francis waves while traveling by boat in Venice, Italy, for a meeting with young people at the Basilica della Madonna della Salute on April 28, 2024. Earlier in the day he met with inmates at a women's prison. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Apr 28, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis opened his one-day visit to Venice on Sunday morning with a meeting with female inmates where he reaffirmed the importance of fraternity and human dignity, noting that prison can be a place of new beginnings. 

“A stay in prison can mark the beginning of something new, through the rediscovery of the unsuspected beauty in us and in others, as symbolized by the artistic event you are hosting and the project to which you actively contribute,” the pope said to the female inmates gathered in the intimate courtyard of the Women’s Prison on the Island of Giudecca. 

Pope Francis left the Vatican by helicopter at approximately 6:30 in the morning, arriving in the Floating City by 8 a.m. The pope’s visit, albeit short, holds a deep meaning as Francis is the first pontiff to visit the prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition, which is marking its 60th iteration. As part of the exhibition the Holy See has erected a pavilion at the women’s prison titled “With My Eyes.” The pope also spoke with artists while he visited the pavilion.

Taking a center seat in the intimate courtyard of the 16th-century former convent, the pope opened his address by saying that he wanted it to be thought not as an “official visit” but an “encounter” centered on “prayer, closeness, and fraternal affection.” 

“No one should take away people’s dignity,” Pope Francis said to the inmates, volunteers, and staff, joined by the patriarch of Venice, Archbishop Francesco Moraglia. 

Drawing attention to the “harsh reality” of prison, the pope highlighted some of the problems inmates are confronted with, “such as overcrowding, the lack of facilities and resources, and episodes of violence, [which] give rise to a great deal of suffering there.” 

But Francis, anchoring his message on hope and mercy, implored the women to “always look at the horizon, always look to the future, with hope.” 

The pope continued by noting that prison can also be a place of “moral and material rebirth where the dignity of women and men is not ‘placed in isolation’ but promoted through mutual respect and the nurturing of talents and abilities, perhaps dormant or imprisoned by the vicissitudes of life, but which can reemerge for the good of all and which deserve attention and trust.” 

Pope Francis stressed that it is “fundamental” that prisons offer inmates “the tools and room for human, spiritual, cultural and professional growth, creating the conditions for their healthy reintegration. Not to ‘isolate dignity’ but to give new possibilities.” 

“Let us not forget that we all have mistakes to be forgiven and wounds to heal and that we can all become the healed who bring healing, the forgiven who bring forgiveness, the reborn who bring rebirth,” the pope added. 

At the end of the encounter there was a lighthearted exchange when the pope, after asking the inmates — who responded, in unison, “Of course!” — to pray for him, quipped: “But in my favor, not against.”

At the end of the address, the pope presented an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a gift to the inmates, saying: “Mary has tenderness with all of us, with all of us, she is the mother of tenderness.” In return the female inmates presented the pope with a basket of all-natural toiletries they make through a worker-training program. 

Following the encounter with the inmates, the pope made his way to the prison’s chapel, where he spoke to the artists, imploring them to use their craft to envision a world based on fraternity where “no human being is considered a stranger.” 

“Art has the status of a ‘city of refuge,’” the pope said to the artists, “a city that disobeys the regime of violence and discrimination in order to create forms of human belonging capable of recognizing, including protecting and embracing everyone.” 

Members of the Provincial Episcopal Assembly of Bukavu (ASSEPB). / Credit: Radio Moto

ACI Africa, Apr 28, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Catholic bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have denounced the insecurity and violence in their dioceses.

In their collective statement issued Sunday, April 14, the members of the Provincial Episcopal Assembly of Bukavu (ASSEPB) said: “Insecurity has become endemic, with its trail of killings even in the middle of the day, massacres and kidnappings of peaceful citizens in our towns and villages.”

ASSEPB members decried “the opening up of most of our territorial entities; the [rebel group] M23s surrounding of the town of Goma supported by Rwanda; and the strategy of paralyzing the economy by isolating and suffocating large and small towns.”

“Despite the holding of elections, the Congolese state remains weak and ineffective,” they further lamented. 

The Catholic Church leaders faulted the President Felix Tshisekedi-led government for leaving citizens to their own devices, saying: “The Congolese state is dead, and we, the governed, are abandoned to our sad fate; and we see no indication that today’s rulers are thinking about the well-being of the governed in the near future.”

“One wonders whether this behavior is not contributing to the plan for the [fragmentation] and dismemberment of the DRC, even though the people are already opposed to it,” they added.

The Congolese Catholic Church leaders attributed the challenges ordinary people in DRC face to “tribalism, electoral fraud, and the manipulation of almost all social strata” and added that the highlighted social ills “are increasing the suffering of the people.”

They challenged politicians to come to terms with the correct meaning of politics, prioritizing the people of God.

“Politics is the highest form of charity, because its purpose is not to serve oneself but to serve others and society — the people first,” they said.

The bishops cautioned their compatriots against despair, saying that the Congolese people should “refuse to die and remain hopeful, praying unceasingly for their conversion and that of their executioners both inside and outside the country, confident that help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

They prayed that the “image of the Congolese, distorted by evil, be restored.”

In their statement, the bishops acknowledged with appreciation “the dynamism of the people of God” and the heroism of priests and women and men religious amid “endemic” insecurity.

“Almost everywhere, parishes are being created, church buildings are coming up, presbyteries are being improved, and many other services [are happening],” the bishops said, adding that the planned beatification of four martyrs — including three members of Xaverian missionaries and a priest — is scheduled to take place Aug. 18 in the Diocese of Uvira and is “a cause for joy.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

VENICE, Italy (CNS) -- Visiting a lagoon of tiny islands, canals and narrow walkways for one day, Pope Francis moved around Venice by boat, bridge and electric golf cart. 

Tourists and residents, however, came to a standstill; many were marooned in small neighborhoods as security shut down entire streets and severely limited regular waterway traffic.

The pope's early morning touchdown by helicopter from Rome April 28 brought him first to a women's prison, then by wooden motorboat to the Basilica of St. Mary of Health, a 17th-century church built to honor Mary, invoking her protection and intercession to end a devastating plague that killed nearly one-third of the population in the 1630s. 

About 1,500 young people were in front of the basilica singing and cheering to greet the pope as he arrived waving from the boat decorated with a small Vatican flag. He took his place on a chair near the steps looking out onto the turquoise-blue water. 

"Arise and go!" he told them. "Open your heart to God, thank him and embrace the beauty that you are; fall in love with your life." 

"Walk together with others, color the world with your creativity and paint the streets of life with the Gospel," he said.

Young people must resist inertia and discouragement, he said, "because we are made for Heaven." Tell God, "Here I am!" and recognize and welcome the gift of being made "precious and irreplaceable."

No one is ugly, and everyone carries a priceless treasure inside that is meant to be shared with others, he said. "This is not self-esteem, it is reality! Recognizing this is the first step we should take in the morning when we wake up: get out of bed and accept yourself as a gift." 

"Remember that for God, you are not a digital profile," he said, but "a child of heaven."

But, just like Venice, the pope said, people are beautiful and fragile at the same time. Take care of these fragilities and recognize that God always extends a hand, not to blame or punish, but to heal and lift people back up.

Never get isolated, even when one's friends are stuck at home behind screens and video games, he told the young people.

This is not easy, he said, but take advice from Venetian wisdom that says one can only go far by consistently and steadily rowing.

It is tiring, he said, especially when one must go against the tide, but perseverance brings rewards, and it is better done together and with God's guidance. 

Accompanied by a delegation of young people, Pope Francis then went by electric golf cart to St. Mark's Square by crossing a "bridge of boats," a floating pontoon bridge that is a traditional Venetian way of temporarily connecting opposite shores. Guests, some still in bathrobes, staying at a waterfront hotel peered out their large balcony windows to see the unusual sight. 

More than 10,000 people packed the huge square for Mass and to pray the "Regina Coeli." In his homily, the pope said Jesus' metaphor of being the grapevine while believers are the branches "expresses God's loving care for us; it also warns us that if we sever this connection with the Lord, we cannot produce fruits of good life and risk becoming dry branches, which will be cast aside."

"This is what matters: to remain in the Lord, to dwell in him," which does not mean standing still or being passive. "Indeed, it invites us to move, because to remain in the Lord means to grow in relationship with him."

"As we gaze upon this city of Venice today, we admire its enchanting beauty. Yet, we are also concerned about the many issues that threaten it: climate change, which impacts the waters of the lagoon and the land," he said. 

He highlighted the problems facing the city's architecture, cultural heritage and people, noting "the difficulty of creating an environment that is fit for human beings through adequate tourism management."

Christians must remain united to Christ so "we can bring the fruits of the Gospel into the reality we inhabit: fruits of justice and peace, fruits of solidarity and mutual care; carefully-made choices to preserve our environmental and human heritage," he said.

"We need our Christian communities, neighborhoods and cities to become welcoming, inclusive and hospitable places," he said. 

After Mass and the "Regina Coeli" prayer, the pope greeted the faithful in the square and went into St. Mark's Basilica to venerate the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist. He also greeted local volunteers who assisted with the visit and then returned to Rome by helicopter. By early afternoon, the streets, squares and waterways of Venice were again freed up for the throngs of visitors.  
 

Around 10,500 people gather in St. Mark’s Square in Venice to attend Mass with Pope Francis April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis accepts the offertory gifts as he celebrates Mass in St. Mark's Square in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis delivers his homily as he presides over Mass in St. Mark's Square in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis greets people from a golf cart as he rides around St. Mark's Square before his Mass in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis prays in front of the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis arrives by boat from Giudecca Island to the Basilica of St. Mary of Health in Venice April 28, 2024, to meet with young people. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

About 1,500 young people gather with Pope Francis in front of the Basilica of St. Mary of Health in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis talks to curators, special guests and artists at the chapel of the Giudecca women's prison in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Francis gives his blessing to a female detainee inside the courtyard of the Giudecca women's prison in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Francis talks to female detainees inside the courtyard of the Giudecca women's prison in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope visits Venice

Highlights from Pope Francis' visit to Venice April 28, 2024.

Reading 1 Acts 9:26-31

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:18-24

Alleluia Jn 15:4a, 5b

Gospel Jn 15:1-8

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Acts 13:44-52

Responsorial Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Alleluia Jn 8:31b-32

Gospel Jn 14:7-14

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Before converting to Catholicism, Michael Baggot took his questions about faith and the church to the first place many people go with their questions: the internet.

Now a member of the Legionaries of Christ and a priest, Father Baggot spoke of "how important those online resources were for me in providing information and guidance, and how instrumental in God's providence they were to bring me eventually to baptism, to confirmation and to first holy Communion."

But some 20 years after his conversion, the internet has radically changed. Artificially intelligent chatbots are becoming a normal means for accessing information while omnipresent algorithms largely determine the type of content people encounter online in search results and on social media. And the Catholic Church is taking notice.

Pope Francis focused his messages for the church's 2024 celebrations of World Peace Day and World Communications Day on the use of artificial intelligence. He wrote that AI-powered systems "can help to overcome ignorance and facilitate the exchange of information," but he voiced his concern that such a rapid digital revolution can imprison people in "echo chambers" and leave humanity "adrift in a mire of confusion, prey to the interests of the market or of the powers that be."

Speaking at a conference April 18, Father Baggot said that while Catholics must have "an awareness of human sin and the capacity to misuse technology" when thinking about artificial intelligence, they must also have "confidence in grace, in redemption and the ability to harness these technologies well."

To that end, the conference at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, a Jesuit-run academic institution dedicated to studying Eastern Christianity, explored how the church can leverage the power of artificially intelligent tools to its benefit, showcasing two products developed by Longbeard -- a digital services company focused on Catholic-related projects.

MagisteriumAI, a large language model with an interface similar to ChatGPT's, seeks to synthesize and explain church teaching in natural language while drawing from more than 5,700 magisterial documents and over 2,300 Catholic theological and philosophical works. The other tool, Vulgate, allows scholars to upload entire libraries onto a platform, converting the contents into data that can be easily searched for, translated and summarized.

"When we saw ChatGPT out there and we learned that Catholics were using it to ask doctrinal questions and things like that, it drove us to then say, can we do this better than ChatGPT?" Matthew Sanders, CEO of Longbeard, said at the forum.

He demonstrated how MagisteriumAI responded to several different queries posed to it in different languages. One question he asked was, "What does the church say about Islam?" to which MagisteriumAI responded, "The Church regards Muslims with esteem" before elaborating further and citing six magisterial documents that users could read by following the links.

"When ChatGPT first came out, one of the concerns was it was generating responses but not providing transparency as to where that generation came from," Sanders said. "One of the first things we tried to do when we designed this AI system was to make sure there is transparency so that whatever answer is being generated by the system, you can see where that generation is coming from."

He added that the MagisteriumAI team had implemented a number of techniques to improve the tool's accuracy by greatly cutting down on its rate of "hallucinations" -- when AI systems provide incorrect and sometimes incoherent information in an effort to provide a response at any cost, even when they do not have the information available to do so.

Still, Sanders noted that the product is still in its beta stage and needs improvement although it is already being used in 150 countries by people ranging from bishops to high school students.

Catholic News Service asked him about the potential risks of entrusting complicated pastoral questions to an AI system. For example, when asked whether a Catholic priest can bless people in a same-sex relationship, MagisteriumAI answered "no," despite recent guidance from the Vatican allowing priests to discern when such a blessing could be opportune.

MagisteriumAI is "a tool that can be useful in some cases and in others, not so much," Sanders said. "All of its answers may not be perfect, if it seems like it's imperfect you should talk to a human being."

He added that it is particularly important to educate students and communities in the use of AI tools such as MagisteriumAI "so they understand what it is and what it is not."

Discussing MagisteriumAI as an evangelization tool, Father Baggot said, "When you start to explore the church's resources, you can be very easily intimidated by a long list of Latin titles, but with a system like MagisteriumAI you can enter into a kind of dialogue, and you can begin right with the questions that interest you most and that will eventually open you up to the broader picture."

"I see this as a great tool to first engage and give a kind of safe space, if you will, where people can explore these issues that they would never bring up to friends or family or other colleagues at a certain moment in their life," he said, noting that after online information gathering people will eventually want to talk to a human being about their questions.

"It's meant to bring us to another in-person experience," he said.

AI: The church's response

Father Philip Larrey, a professor of philosophy at Rome's Pontifical Lateran University talks about the challenges and promises of artificial intelligence.

Reading I Acts 13:26-33

Responsorial Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab

Alleluia Jn 14:6

Gospel Jn 14:1-6

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 1 Pt 5:5b-14

Responsorial Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17

Alleluia 1 Cor 1:23a-24b

Gospel Mk 16:15-20

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading I Acts 12:24—13:5a

Responsorial Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8

Alleluia Jn 8:12

Gospel Jn 12:44-50

• Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.