Hello, I'm Gina Christian, and you're listening to our OSV newscast for Friday, March 20th,
Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the day.
Catholic diocese and organizations are counseling events and rethinking initiatives honoring
the late civil rights icon, Cesar Chavez.
That follows newly reported allegations, the activists, who publicly drew on his Catholic
faith in his work, sexually abused several women and girls.
A New York Times investigation published on March 18th uncovered extensive evidence
Chavez had sexually abused two teen girls, raped his closest colleague, fathered at
least four extramarital children, and sexually harassed several other women.
All that allegedly took place even as he spent decades lobbying for farm worker and Latino
In response to the New York Times investigation, the archdiocese of Los Angeles, citing the
request of the Chavez family, told OSV News it would not move forward with plans for
an annual mass in Chavez's honor.
Bishop Michael Fahm of San Diego said in a statement yesterday he was renaming that
diocese annual Cesar Chavez Day as National Farm Workers Day.
The California Catholic Conference, representing the Catholic bishops of the state home to Chavez's
activism, told OSV News in a statement it was deeply troubled by both the allegations
and the harm experienced by those who have come forward.
The conference pledged its solidarity with the survivors.
Up to this point, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has listed Chavez on its website as
a champion of life and dignity, but the conference told OSV News in a statement it's now reviewing
the website to identify references to him for removal.
The spokesperson said those references that are part of the historical archives will be
retained, but stressed that the Catholic Church is committed to addressing the sin of
sexual abuse, keeping children safe, and no matter where the abuse took place to accompanying
survivors of abuse in their healing.
Well for the first time, a Catholic mass was celebrated at the Museum of the Bible in Washington.
The liturgy was part of the Napa Institute's second ecumenical forum at the Protestant
The mass took place on March 18th with the permission of the museum's Evangelical Christian
The California-based Napa Institute works to equip Catholic leaders to bring the light
of Christ into every sphere of culture.
The gathering of 75 Christians from different traditions took place amid thousands of objects
ranging over 4,000 years of biblical history.
The mass was celebrated by Bishop Stephen Lopes of the Ordinariat of the Chair of St. Peter.
It followed the liturgical form found in Divine Worship the Missile.
That missile includes elements drawn from the Anglican tradition that Pope Francis approved
for Catholic Worship in 2015, and it's used by the personal Ordinariates established under
Other ecumenical forum presentations looked at evangelicals and Catholics, America as
it marks its 250th anniversary, a growing Catholic emphasis on Bible reading, a panel on social
and cultural change, along with breakout discussions, and Protestant worship services.
About 240 students from the Chesterton Schools Network began their 10-day pilgrimage to Italy
with Pope Leo XIV's general audience in St. Peter's Square.
In group, representing upper-classmen students from some of the more than 70 Chesterton Academy
Catholic High Schools in the U.S. and abroad, will visit Rome, Florence, and Assisi.
Nora Kennedy is a student from the Chesterton Academy of the Holy Family in Illinois, and
she described being in Rome as the best experience of her life.
My favorite thing about Chesterton is that faith is at the center of everything that we
do, from daily mass, confession, adoration, but then also in my friendships, and the way
that Christ is at the center of all of those.
The Chesterton Schools Network is a Catholic non-profit apostolate dedicated to inspiring
and supporting Catholic High School students around the U.S., while equipping parents to
be the primary educators of their children.
The network is inspired by G.K. Chesterton, the English author, philosopher, and apologist,
and the schools emphasize intellectual, spiritual, and character formation, and faith plays
a central role in the overall growth of students at the Chesterton Schools.
And finally, Israel has closed Jerusalem's holiest sites, including the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, citing security concerns amid escalating conflict with Iran.
The shutdown began on February 28th, as Israeli and U.S. forces launched attacks and regional
Officials say the closures are precautionary, pointing to a recent missile attack near the
Old City, which is home to the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Church leaders warned the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is revered as the site of
Jesus' tomb, could remain closed until the conflict subsides.
With Holy Week approaching on March 29th, officials expect limited celebrations, possibly restricted
to clergy, which would echo COVID-19 aeroproto calls.
Jesus' tomb is governed by the status quo, the 19th century agreement that oversees Jerusalem's
The Church has services for Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Apostolic, Coptic, Syriac,
and Ethiopian Orthodox worshipers.
Meanwhile, access to the Old City has also been restricted for Muslims during Ramadan,
raising concerns among Christian and Muslim leaders about access to sacred spaces during
Church leaders plan to meet with police representatives to impress on them the need to allow Easter celebrations,
even if at a reduced capacity.
And that's your OSV newscast for today, I'm Gina Christian.
Check out the show notes for a link to our website where you can find the stories in this
As always, make sure to subscribe to this podcast, follow us on social media, and bookmark
We'll be back on Monday, thanks so much for listening and God bless.
This has been an OSV News production.
To learn more, visit OSVnews.com.
To learn more, visit OSVnews.com.
