X

Browsing News Entries

Super Bowl commercials: Rocket Mortgage, Google’s dream job were top life-affirming ads

The Caesars Superdome is seen on Feb. 7, 2025, ahead of Super Bowl LIX, where the Kansas City Chiefs played the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans. / Credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

National Catholic Register, Feb 10, 2025 / 16:30 pm (CNA).

The internet is aflutter every year when Super Bowl Sunday comes along. 

This year, some people were posting family gametime photos, sharing mouth-watering images of how their signature chili turned out, or reacting in real time to the blowout game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. 

But, of course, many came strictly for the commercials, and Super Bowl LIX did not disappoint. Here are the top pro-life commercials from Super Bowl 2025. 

1. Rocket Mortgage invested in a 60-second spot, and the message was, indeed, a winner. 

The commercial opened with a view into a high-rise building, showing a silhouette of a pregnant mother rubbing her belly and saying, “Let’s get you home.” The video montage then moved to winding roads in West Virginia, focusing on a home with a child playing in the sprinkler, beautiful babies being cleaned in the tub, and a doting dad washing his baby in the sink. Next came couples coming into their new home, smiling as they spent their first night sleeping on the floor — sprinkled with shots of servicemen and women singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” all aboard a military aircraft. The commercial honed in on the American dream, as a father goes outside to glimpse up at his house, with a tear running down his cheek. Families and babies for the win! 

2. He Gets Us ran another ad this year set to the Johnny Cash song “Personal Jesus,” showcasing several scenes of Americans helping one another. 

From neighbors pushing cars out of snow piles to a woman helping another woman out of an overturned car after an accident, the message resonated with viewers, especially given the events of the last year: devastating wildfires, flooding, mass shootings, and other tragedies. One scene shows an elderly man on the floor next to his ailing wife, who is in a fragile state resting on the couch. In another scene, the commercial pans to what appears to be a “pride march,” with two men hugging, as one, presumably a Christian, wears a hat emblazoned with John 3:16. At the end of the video, text is shown across the screen: “Jesus showed us what greatness really is.”

null

Unaffiliated with any one religion, He Gets Us first came on to the scene in 2021. In recent years, the Servant Foundation, an organization that has been a strong donor to Alliance Defending Freedom, was helping to create the ads. The website of He Gets Us shares this message: “No matter who you are, YOU are invited to explore the story of Jesus and consider what it means for your life.”

3. Jeep spent $32 million for a two-minute ad featuring actor Harrison Ford with a patriotic message that also highlighted the dangers of pride (while mentioning humility). 

“Freedom is for everybody. But it isn’t free. It’s earned," Ford says amid interspliced archival shots of Jeeps shown carrying servicemen during past wars. 

“There are real heroes in the world, but not the ones in the movies. Real heroes are humble, and they’re not driven by pride.”

A father is shown hugging his daughter before he departs on a military mission. 

Adds the actor: “The most sacred thing in life isn’t the path. It’s the freedom to choose it.”

4. Rapper Snoop Dogg and NFL legend-turned-sports broadcaster Tom Brady team up for an ad highlighting the rise of antisemitism across the country.

Focusing on the word “hate,” the celebrity duo battle back and forth, throwing insults at each other to highlight the scourge of hatred:

“I hate you because we are from different neighborhoods.”

“I hate you because you look different.”

 “I hate you because you pray different.”

“I hate you because I don’t understand you.”

“I hate you because people I know I hate you.”

“I hate you because I think you hate me.”

The organization No Reason to Hate, owned by New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft, produced the ad. The foundation’s main aim is to fight antisemitism, an issue the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has picked up recently, partnering with the American Jewish League to publish “Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition.” As the USCCB document states: “Stopping antisemitism starts with understanding it.” Catholic actress Patricia Heaton has also been working to raise awareness of the rise of antisemitism; she recently announced her own pilgrimage to the Holy Land, set for the springtime. 

The ad ends with the onscreen sentence: “Reasons for hate are as stupid as they sound.”

5. The NFL stepped in this year with a beautiful ad highlighting the great work the football organization does within the host city of New Orleans to inspire young kids and teens.

Posting the video to YouTube, the NFL explained the idea behind the images of football players talking with different groups of children: “Demario Davis, Arik Armstead, and Adam Thielen partner with kids across New Orleans to help shine a light on the NFL’s ongoing dedication to supporting programs that positively impact the lives of kids everywhere.”

The commercial starts with a player saying: “Repeat after me ... ‘I am … Somebody.’” 

Later is another favorite: “I may be small, but I am Somebody ....” 

The ad stresses how kids are different in appearance or ability, but “I must be respected… I must be protected” while the screen shows young Special Olympics athletes huddling together; included in the group is an athlete with Down syndrome. 

It is an inspiring ad showcasing the fragility and beauty of all life — with a message at the end for all of us to be that somebody who knows each child’s value: “Every kid can be somebody if they have somebody to show them the way.”

6. “The Dream Job” ad about Google Gemini’s artificial intelligence also stole the show last night, showing a man’s best job ever: fatherhood. 

Opening with a man talking as he peers into a fridge decorated with images of him and his daughter hugging. 

“When you’re ready, tell me about the job that taught you the most,” an AI assistant prompts the pajama-wearing dad. 

“It was a role where I worked long hours with a small team,” the father answers, as images flood the screen of a baby crying at night, before showing the mother coming to take her turn caring for the infant. 

“I did a lot of multitasking and negotiating,” he says as he’s shown juggling the baby while he’s on a call and trying to stir something on the stove. 

“One more book,” he then says to a little toddler, who answers back: “Two more ...”

The AI voice mentions how much collaborating is part of this job, and the dad agrees, saying: “I don’t always have all the answers, but I get the job done, no matter how long it takes” as he is shown teaching his teen daughter how to drive. 

“Last question,” the AI assistant asks. “What motivates you?” 

“I guess knowing that people can depend on me. And knowing that I can depend on them too,” the now-aging father says as his daughter returns back to the car for one last hug at college drop-off — and the father reminisces, still hugging that tiny child, about the early days of his dream job. 

Although the commercial is highlighting the Google Pixel phone and this new era of artificial intelligence being used in almost every facet of business, now including job counseling and even interview preparation, Google showcased the truly wonderful gift of parenting.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

Minnesota bishops call for ‘generous but also prudent’ welcome of refugees

Migrants walk alongside the railroad tracks after dismounting from the “La Bestia” train, which they rode through Mexico to reach the Mexico-U.S. border near Chihuahua, Mexico, on Sept. 27, 2023. / Credit: David Peinado Romero/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 10, 2025 / 16:00 pm (CNA).

Minnesota’s Catholic bishops released a statement Feb. 7 advocating for “comprehensive immigration reform to fix our broken system” while urging the Trump administration to refrain from deporting migrants without criminal records.

“Sadly, our nation’s immigration system is broken. For too long, our laws on paper said ‘stop, no entry’ while in fact, for economic and political reasons, undocumented migrants were allowed inside, sometimes with the encouragement of business interests and even our government,” the statement from the eight bishops reads.

“As Pope Francis has said, migrants have been too often treated as ‘pawns on the chessboard of humanity,’” the bishops said. “Elected officials in both major political parties have failed to rise above political calculation and collaborate on a solution rooted in respect for migrants and the common good of the nation.”

“The Biden administration’s migration policies exacerbated these problems, and as a response, President Trump has resolved to instigate measures focused primarily on enforcement and deportations,” the statement reads.

The bishops called on citizens “to appeal to Congress and the president for comprehensive reform of our broken system that includes resources for improved border security, a generous but also prudent welcome of refugees and those seeking asylum that does not overly burden local communities, and pathways to legal status for long-term undocumented residents.”

The bishops in the statement took issue with a Jan. 21 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directive rescinding Biden-era guidelines that previously required Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to seek their superior’s approval before arresting people at or near “sensitive locations” such as churches, hospitals, or schools.

“We appeal to the administration for a revised order that would establish that, absent exigent circumstances, no immigration enforcement action may take place on Catholic church or school property without a properly executed warrant,” the statement reads.

The statement aligns with others from bishops across the nation in urging the administration to prioritize deporting “those with criminal records” rather than migrants without criminal records, many of whom have lived in the United States for years.

“We oppose any campaign of indiscriminate immigration enforcement that threatens to unnecessarily or unjustly separate the families of those we have come to know as our brothers and sisters in Christ,” the bishops said.

The statement also acknowledges the need for securing borders but calls for human dignity to be upheld while doing so.

“The fact that we advocate for comprehensive immigration reform and the just enforcement of laws against those already residing here is not simple-minded advocacy for ‘open borders.’ We recognize that public officials have the responsibility of protecting their citizens and both promoting public safety and putting the needs of their people first.”

Does the death penalty deter crime?

null / Credit: txking/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Feb 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order promoting the death penalty as an “essential tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes and acts of lethal violence against American citizens.”

Following through on copious rhetoric from Trump on the campaign trail, the Jan. 20 order aims to overturn Supreme Court precedents limiting capital punishment, increase its use in federal cases, and ensure states have sufficient lethal injection drugs.

The question of whether the use of the death penalty actually deters and lowers rates of crime — as Trump presumes in his order — is a long-simmering one, with both proponents and opponents of the death penalty variously claiming evidence in their favor. 

Here’s a look at the issue. 

What does the evidence say?

From a social science perspective, the evidence for whether the death penalty actually deters crime is highly disputed.

Robin Maher, executive director of the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), told CNA that studies they have reviewed “consistently fail” to demonstrate a link between capital punishment and reduced crime.

She pointed to a resource page from the DPIC that summarizes a number of studies on the death penalty’s deterrent effect. Chief among them is a 2012 study from the congressionally-chartered National Research Council (NRC), which concluded that the existing research was “not informative about whether capital punishment decreases, increases, or has no effect on homicide rates,” while cautioning that “lack of evidence is not evidence for or against the hypothesis.”

A more recent study from 2023, controlling for a number of variables, found that states that placed a moratorium on the death penalty in recent years actually saw a very slight decrease in homicide rates, suggesting the presence of the death penalty had a very small or even nonexistent deterrent effect. 

Meanwhile, some studies purporting to demonstrate a strong deterrent effect of the death penalty — some even going so far as to hypothesize how many innocent lives an execution can reasonably be expected to save — have been criticized for apparent shortcomings in accounting for other factors that influence homicide rates. 

For her part, Maher said the idea that the death penalty is an especially effective deterrent of crime ignores the fact that a significant number of offenders suffer from severe mental illness or trauma. The actions of such people are less likely to be driven by rational cost-benefit analyses than a healthy person’s actions, she said.

“For someone who doesn’t have these impediments to deal with, who can think about the consequences of committing a crime very rationally and logically, those folks might make a different decision if there’s a death sentence as a possible consequence. But the reality is most murders are committed by people who have serious impairments, physical or mental,” she explained. 

While it may be true that the death penalty has some deterrent effect, the DPIC’s resource page notes that other pun­ish­ments, such as life in prison with­out parole, might pro­vide equal deter­rence at far less cost, and with­out the atten­dant risk of exe­cut­ing an inno­cent per­son.

Additionally, the aforementioned 2023 study opines that “increased certainty of sanctions” — in other words, offenders’ perception of how likely the threat of punishment is if they break the law — may be a more effective deterrent than “a policy permitting a more severe punishment.”

“All punishment has a specific deterrent effect of some kind already. The fact that you are putting someone in a prison environment, often for the rest of their natural life, is also a very significant punishment that should, in theory, deter future crime,” Maher said.

What should Catholics make of this?

The question of whether or not the death penalty deters crime has not been central to the teachings of recent popes on the death penalty. The writings of St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis have instead emphasized the inherent dignity of all human beings, even those who have committed crimes. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, reflecting a 2018 update promulgated by Pope Francis, describes the death penalty as “inadmissible” and an “attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” (No. 2267). Because of this teaching, the Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide,” the catechism continues.

Most recently, Pope Francis underlined his strong opposition to capital punishment in a book preface, saying that “the death penalty is in no way a solution to the violence that can strike innocent people.”

“Capital executions, far from bringing justice, fuel a sense of revenge that becomes a dangerous poison for the body of our civil societies,” the pope said.

That said, Catholics in the U.S. public sphere, including the U.S. bishops, have occasionally made reference to the “deterrence” argument for the death penalty in recent decades. 

In a 1980 statement on the death penalty, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) noted that “while it is certain that capital punishment prevents the individual from committing further crimes, it is far from certain that it actually prevents others from doing so.”

“There are strong reasons to doubt that many crimes of violence are undertaken in a spirit of rational calculation which would be influenced by a remote threat of death. The small number of death sentences in relation to the number of murders also makes it seem highly unlikely that the threat will be carried out and so undercuts the effectiveness of the deterrent,” the bishops wrote. 

Further, the bishops noted the practical reality that lengthy delays in carrying out executions “diminishes the effectiveness of capital punishment as a deterrent, for it makes the death penalty uncertain and remote. Death row can be the scene of conversion and spiritual growth, but it also produces aimlessness, fear, and despair.”

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of the anti-death penalty group Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN), directly criticized the deterrence argument contained in Trump’s Jan. 20 order. 

“​​What we know about the death penalty is that it does not deter crime or make communities safer. It’s immoral, flawed, and risky; arbitrary and unfair; cruel and dehumanizing. Both the state and federal death penalty systems are broken beyond repair and emblematic of a throwaway culture,” Vaillancourt Murphy said in a statement to CNA at the time. 

Taking a different view, Edward Feser, a Catholic philosopher who coauthored a 2017 book defending the use of the death penalty, told CNA that while not the main focus of its argument, he believes social science favors the idea that the death penalty does deter crime. 

In the book “By Man Shall His Blood Be Shed,” Feser and his coauthor Joseph Bessette cite nine peer-reviewed studies that purport to demonstrate a deterrent effect while also tipping a hat to the aforementioned NRC study that equivocated on the question. 

The “inconclusiveness” of the statistical evidence, they assert — echoing the U.S. bishops’ 1980 statement — “can plausibly be attributed to such factors as protracted appeals processes and other obstacles to carrying out executions, which dilute the deterrent effects of the death penalty,” adding “for which opponents of capital punishment are themselves largely responsible.”

While concluding in the book that “from the perspective of quantitative social science, the deterrent effect of the death penalty is very much an open question,” Feser argued to CNA that it is “silly to suppose in the first place that this is the sort of thing one really needs social scientific studies to establish.”

“Nobody thinks that any sort of punishment will always deter everyone everywhere. But nobody doubts that punishments will at least deter many people much of the time, and that harsher punishments will, all things being equal, have a greater deterrence effect. It quite obviously follows that the death penalty is bound to have deterrence value,” he said. 

In the book, Feser and Bessette argue that the Catholic Church has historically affirmed the legitimacy of capital punishment as a just practice. They acknowledge that there have always been different views within the Church on the application of the death penalty but maintain that the Church’s teaching that capital punishment is legitimate in principle has been consistent.

Addressing concerns raised by others that the death penalty has been applied fallibly and in a biased manner in the United States, Feser said the solution ought “not be to get rid of it but rather to reform it so that it is applied in a fair way.”

“[G]iven that the death penalty deters, mercy toward the innocent would require making use of it. But there is also a kind of mercy to the guilty person himself, if we are looking at things from a theological point of view and not just from a worldly point of view. For this life is, of course, not what is most important. What is most important is the destiny of one’s soul in the next life,” he said.

“St. Thomas Aquinas pointed out that the prospect of execution can actually prod an offender to repent of his evildoing while he still has time to get himself right with God. And as the catechism teaches, when an offender accepts a deserved punishment in a penitential spirit, it has expiatory value. It contributes to the salvation of his soul.”

Nebraska man describes meeting Christ in new autobiography

Derek Ruth has written his story in a new book, “The Eight-Minute Flight.” / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth family

Lincoln, Neb., Feb 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

It was a hard hit on the football field, but 12-year-old Derek Ruth of Lincoln, Nebraska, was able to answer all his coach’s questions correctly, so it looked like he was okay.

Suddenly, he ripped off his helmet, screamed, “My head!” and collapsed into his coach’s arms.

As he was life-flighted for emergency surgery, Ruth had a remarkable meeting with Jesus, the first of many tangible encounters he would have as he battled back from the traumatic brain injury. Now, 16 years later, he has written a book about his experiences to help people and to bring them to Christ: “The Eight-Minute Flight.”

“After my first initial encounter with Jesus in heaven, I kept quiet about that experience and only told a few select people, such as my parents and brothers,” Ruth recalled. “I decided to write a book about my life because Jesus kept appearing to me on somewhat of a regular basis when I was in my late teenage years, early 20s.”

His memory remains clear of standing before Jesus in heaven while emergency medical technicians were fighting to save his life. 

“I had no real sense of leaving my physical body,” Ruth said. “I could feel all my extremities when I was standing in front of Jesus. It was like I still had my earthly body, but everything was purified and glorified. The quality of the air in heaven made my body feel amazing, especially my hands and feet…. I just felt perfect.”

Overwhelmed with a sense of peace, Ruth’s eyes were focused on Jesus Christ, who stood before the boy, emanating pure love.

“The only way I can describe it is to say that the physical presence of Jesus is awesome!” Ruth revealed. “His face was perfect. It had a beautiful glow that was completely white — the whitest white I have ever seen. The heart of Jesus was bursting with unconditional light.”

During this moment, the Lord gave Ruth a choice. And so his battle to recover from a traumatic brain injury began.

After his first surgery, Ruth was comatose and resting on a tilt table that elevated his head, a proven method of increasing successful recovery. Doctors also employed induced hypothermia, cooling his body to further protect his brain. A second surgery ensued when his brain continued to swell.

When he finally awoke, he was unable to do anything for himself. The once-healthy athlete only had the use of his left hand.

“Words cannot even come close to giving a comparison to that feeling,” Ruth remembered. “It was just flat out brutal, and at that point I was scared to death.”

Day by day, he fought to regain everything he had lost in the head injury. His family — including his mother and grandfather, who are both physical therapists — remained at his side to help, and countless people prayed for his recovery.

When things got tough, Ruth, a member of North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln, turned to prayer.

“My faith has gotten me through every trial and tribulation I was faced with,” he stated. “My faith has only grown stronger, along with my personal prayer life.”

While still an inpatient at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, he finally told his mother about meeting Jesus in heaven.

“My mom was not surprised or shocked when I told her about being in heaven with Jesus, because Mom knew the person I was and understood how important my Catholic faith is to me,” he said. “Mom also knew about my devotion to the most holy rosary.”

As his recovery progressed, he would occasionally be in prayer when Jesus or the Blessed Mother would appear to him. After learning about Mother Teresa from Father Raymond Jansen, a priest in the Diocese of Lincoln, he began praying for her assistance, and she, too, appeared to him.

“Every appearance I have had up to this point came as an unexpected surprise, and it is scary,” he admitted, “… praying to Jesus and Mary and just having them appear to me unexpectedly!”

Bishop James Conley, the bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Derek Ruth. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth family
Bishop James Conley, the bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Derek Ruth. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth family

Now a University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate with a sociology degree, Derek lives independently despite some lingering effects from the brain injury. He is limited in his gait and fine motor movements, and he uses a text-to-speech device for verbal communication.

“The visible marks such as my numerous scars are a constant reminder of what I have been through,” he said.

Overall, Ruth emerged with stronger faith and gratitude.

“This experience has changed me by [teaching me to] not take anything for granted, even the little things, because I have learned the hard way how life can change just like that.”

Through the years, Ruth has journaled about his recovery, faith, and encounters with Christ. During college, he determined to put it all into a book so that he could share it with a wider audience.

Now he finds himself in high demand from various retail outlets and organizations who want to book him for speaking engagements.

“I would love to continue telling my story in hopes that it will inspire others,” he said.

“The Eight-Minute Flight” is now available for purchase locally and online. Ruth’s website is theeightminuteflight.com and contains more details, photos, and testimonials from people who have read advanced copies of his book.

One person who shared a testimonial is Bishop James Conley, who met Derek in 2013 shortly after he was installed as bishop of Lincoln.

“Getting to know Derek as a friend and hearing his remarkable story of faith, courage, trust, resilience, and acceptance has profoundly moved me as a bishop,” Conley said.

“Derek’s deep Catholic faith, nurtured by devout parents, continues to inform his life, providing him with a firm foundation for his hope, purpose, and motivation to move forward in life day after day. Through hard work, discipline, and perseverance, and with the heart of a true athlete, Derek continues to provide true hope for all of us, particularly as he describes in vivid language the long and enduring road of rehabilitation.”

This story was first published by Southern Nebraska Register on Jan. 10, 2025, and has been reprinted here with permission.

U.S. bishops’ conference lays off 50 amid migrant funding ‘uncertainty’

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington D.C., Feb 7, 2025 / 21:55 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Catholic bishops’ conference laid off 50 staff members in its migration and refugee services office Friday, citing a delay in reimbursements from the federal government.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ spokesperson Chieko Noguchi, in a statement shared with CNA, said the job cuts were due to “continuing uncertainty regarding refugee resettlement and the overall future of those programs.”

“Please pray for these dedicated men and women who have given so much of themselves in service to their sisters and brothers in need,” Noguchi said.

The layoffs, first reported by The Pillar website Friday night, mark an escalation of a deepening political and financial crisis for the USCCB and its affiliated charitable agencies, whose decades-long role providing essential services for migrants and refugees largely paid with federal funds has come under scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration.

The USCCB directs the bulk of the more than $100 million in federal grants it receives annually to affiliate organizations that provide migration and refugee services such as Catholic Charities. 

A large portion of funding comes from grants through the federal U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) to help resettle refugees who have been vetted by the federal government. 

According to the USCCB’s audited financial statements, federal funding covered more than 95% of what the conference spent on refugee and migrant programs in recent years. The USCCB has spent slightly more on these services than what is covered by federal funding, according to the financial statements.

In 2023, the most recent year reported, the USCCB spent more than $134.2 million on these services with federal grants covering more than $129.6 million of the spending. In 2022, the USCCB spent nearly $127.4 million after getting nearly $123 million from the government.

According to the USCCB Committee on Migration, the Catholic refugee resettlement network includes more than 65 affiliate offices throughout the United States. The bishops self-report that the USCCB and its Migration and Refugee Services help resettle about 18% of refugees who enter the country every year.

The Pillar reported Friday night that a memo announcing the staff cuts was emailed to U.S. bishops by USCCB General Secretary Father Michael Fuller on Feb. 7.

The memo followed White House directives to freeze federal grants and loans to nongovernmental organizations, and statements by Vice President JD Vance criticizing the USCCB for receiving federal money to help “resettle illegal immigrants.”

Fuller informed the bishops in the memo that “to the best of my knowledge” no resettlement agencies or other nongovernmental agencies, including Catholic Relief Services, had received reimbursement from the federal government for their services since Trump took office on Jan. 20, The Pillar reported.

On its website, Catholic Relief Services, which provides aid to the poor and other people in need in more than 100 countries, is urging its supporters to contact their representatives in Congress to let them know that they are “deeply concerned about the administration’s recent decision to stop work on almost all U.S. foreign assistance programs.”

Super Bowl teams’ bishops renew rivalry with public wager

Kansas City Bishop James Johnston (left) and Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez (right) talk some clerical smack on “EWTN News in Depth” over their purportedly friendly Super Bowl wager.  / Credit: “EWTN News in Depth”/Screenshot

CNA Newsroom, Feb 7, 2025 / 21:05 pm (CNA).

On Super Bowl Sunday, players for the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are vying for a championship, a ring, money ($178,000 for winners versus $103,000 for losers), and a lifetime achievement.

The Catholic bishops of their respective dioceses have more modest things at stake: food, a $500 donation, and bragging rights. 

Even so, the bishops are talking some clerical smack over their purportedly friendly wager. 

It’s a rematch for Kansas City Bishop James Johnston and Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez, whose city’s teams played each other in the big game two years ago. (Kansas City won, 38-35, the first of two Super Bowl victories in a row. Philadelphia won the title in 2017, its only championship in the Super Bowl era.) 

For years, the bishops of dioceses whose teams make it to the Super Bowl have been placing a public bet on the outcome. This year, if the Eagles win, Johnston is supposed to provide Jack Stack barbecue (famous in the Kansas City area) for Pérez. If the Chiefs win, Pérez will provide Philadelphia cheesesteak for Johnston. 

Each bishop is also promising a $500 contribution to the other diocese’s Catholic Charities if his team loses. 

The two bishops made a joint Feb. 7 appearance on EWTN News In Depth.”

Johnston, whose Chiefs are looking for an unprecedented third Super Bowl victory in a row, expressed confidence in coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 

Pérez sounded hungrier, though, in support of the Eagles, affectionately called “the Birds” by their loyal fans. 

“Well, I think the bishop and his Chiefs … are in for it. Because the Birds are hunting,” Pérez said. 

Pérez made two things clear during the interview: 

1.  He’s totally confident the Eagles will win. 

2.  He wants the benefit of a point spread. 

“Bishop Johnston, the bishops that I’m in retreat with asked me to ask you for two points since we’re the underdog,” Pérez said. 

(In such a case, if the Chiefs won by one point, Pérez would still win the bet. If the Chiefs won by two points, it would be what’s known as a “push,” and neither side would win. The Chiefs would have to win by three or more for Johnston to collect.) 

Johnston was having none of the retreat bishops’ suggestion. 

“You tell them to go back to their prayer,” Johnston said. 

Neither bishop can claim as much team spirit as Bishop Michael Burbidge, a Philadelphia native who had an Eagles emblem put into stained glass during a recent renovation of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in his Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. 

Even so, the rival dioceses on Sunday have heavy-duty patron saints, as the bishops pointed out. Philadelphia has St. John Neumann (the fourth bishop of the city) and St. Katharine Drexel (a native of the city). 

Johnston’s see is called the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, making for an obvious go-to saint. 

“So we’re going to rely on good old St. Joseph, who’s the patron of the universal Church. So I think we’ve got him outnumbered there, with St. Joseph,” Johnston said. 

The program’s host, EWTN News President and COO Montse Alvarado, pointed out that Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker is known for publicly expressing his Catholic faith, and she asked Johnston: “Do you think evangelizing in the end zone can bring fans to Christ?” 

“Well, I’m really encouraged by the faith of so many of the players, and not just on the field, but even afterwards in interviews, how many of them speak about their faith,” Johnston replied. “And so I think it’s a great witness of, you know, not covering your lampstand, but putting it out to where it can give light.”

Next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in 2029

Attendees kneel and reach for the monstrance as it passes by them during a procession at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana. / Credit: Jacob Bentzinger in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress

CNA Staff, Feb 7, 2025 / 18:40 pm (CNA).

The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in 2029, CNA confirmed today. 

“The National Eucharistic Congress, Inc. is thrilled to share that we have begun the initial steps in preparing for the 11th National Eucharistic Congress, in 2029,”  said Jason Shanks, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, in an email to CNA. 

“We look forward to reuniting as an American Church to celebrate our shared Eucharistic faith.”

The next iteration of the National Eucharistic Congress had last year been tentatively announced to take place in 2033, the “Year of Redemption” marking 2,000 years since Jesus’ crucifixion.

The location for the major Catholic event has not been shared, and Shanks said organizers will “provide more details about the 11th National Eucharistic Congress in the future.” 

The news about the date was first reported by The Pillar on Friday. 

Last July’s National Eucharistic Congress, the first such event to take place on American soil since World War II, attracted tens of thousands of people for several massive sessions of Eucharistic adoration in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, numerous talks and workshops related to the Catholic faith, and 60,000-participant Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis.

Shanks said they are “eager to build on the grace we received during our gathering in Indianapolis this past summer.”

“We recognize that the success of the previous congress can be attributed to the countless individuals who prayed and interceded for the event. So, we invite the Church to join us in praying not only for the planning of this future congress but that we might continue to Walk with One through this year of missionary sending.”

The 2024 Congress was a major part of the National Eucharistic Revival, an ongoing initiative of the U.S. bishops that calls Catholics to share their rekindled love of the Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus.

This is a developing story.

Justice Department ends lawsuit against Tennessee law banning transgender surgeries

Demonstrators rally on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on Dec. 4, 2024, as justices heard oral arguments in a challenge to a Tennessee law banning transgender surgeries for minors. / Credit: Migi Fabara/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 7, 2025 / 18:00 pm (CNA).

President Donald Trump’s administration ended the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) support for a lawsuit that challenges the legality of a Tennessee law that prohibits doctors from performing transgender surgeries on minors and giving them transgender drugs.

In a letter written to the clerk of the United States Supreme Court, Deputy Solicitor General Curtis E. Gannon said the DOJ is no longer challenging the law. However, he asked that the court still issue a ruling on the matter because it will set precedent for the lower courts to follow.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill to prevent transgender procedures from being performed on minors in March 2023, which subsequently faced legal challenges from some residents in the state and President Joe Biden’s DOJ. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in October of last year and has already heard oral arguments.

Residents — represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Lambda Legal, and Akin Gump — and Biden’s DOJ argued that the law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Those lawyers made the case during oral arguments that a blanket prohibition on those procedures for minors constitutes a form of “sex” discrimination.

Lawyers representing Tennessee argued that the law is a simple health and safety regulation that protects all minors from risky procedures and does not discriminate on the basis of sex. 

In the letter to the court, Gannon said Trump’s DOJ does not believe the law violates the Constitution. 

“Following the change in administration, the [DOJ] has reconsidered the United States’ position in this case,” Gannon said. “The purpose of this letter is to notify the court that the government’s previously stated views no longer represent the United States’ position.”

The letter states that the new administration “would not have intervened to challenge” the law.

Gannon wrote, however, that the DOJ is not “seeking to dismiss its case,” adding: “The court’s prompt resolution of the question presented will bear on many cases pending in the lower courts.”

Because the DOJ will no longer argue against the law, Gannon urged the Supreme Court to continue the case with the private plaintiffs.

The ACLU, the ACLU of Tennessee, Lambda Legal, and Akin Gump issued a joint statement criticizing the administration’s decision, saying the “discriminatory and baseless ban continues to upend the lives of our plaintiffs — transgender adolescents, their families, and a medical provider.” 

“These Tennesseans have had their constitutional right to equal protection under the law violated by the state of Tennessee,” the statement read. “This latest move from the Trump administration is another indication that they are using the power of the federal government to target marginalized groups for further discrimination.”

In the first few weeks of Trump’s second presidency, the president has taken several actions to curtail the imposition of gender ideology in the United States, including an executive order that affirms there are two genders determined by biological characteristics, an executive order that bans transgender drugs and surgeries for minors, and an executive order to keep men out of women’s sports.

U.S. bishops: Human trafficking is ‘rejection of the God-given dignity of every human being’

null / Credit: Yupa Watchanakit/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 7, 2025 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

The U.S. bishops’ conference drew attention to the global crisis of “modern-day slavery” in a statement on the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. 

The day is annually observed by Catholics on Feb. 8 — the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of human trafficking victims.

Chairman of the bishops’ migration committee Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, cited the Holy Father in calling attention to the gravity of the issue.

“Human trafficking is not only a serious crime — it is a rejection of the God-given dignity of every human being. It is, as Pope Francis has said, an open wound on the body of Christ and on the body of all humanity, demanding an ongoing, united response,” Seitz said.

“The Catholic Church in the United States has long been at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking, and the U.S. bishops stand firmly alongside our Holy Father in his consistent efforts to shed light on this global injustice,” the statement continued.

Seitz urged Catholics to be vigilant, warning of the consequences of failing to protect the most vulnerable.

“For if we close our eyes and ears, if we become complacent, we will be held to account at the Last Judgment. As Catholics, we are called to face this issue with both courage and compassion, to initiate hard conversations, and to confront the harsh realities of trafficking and exploitation,” he said.

“At the same time, we will continue urging policymakers at all levels of government to pursue meaningful responses to this moral outrage — to bolster existing protections and expand services for survivors, including those made possible by the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act.”

Seitz criticized “proposals currently being discussed” that he said would “weaken or eliminate decades of bipartisan progress on this issue.” 

“We must reject policies that lead to expanded opportunities for bad actors to prey on the vulnerable, whether within or beyond our country’s borders,” he said. 

Last month, Seitz and USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio released a statement critical of the Trump administration’s plans to curb immigration.

“Preventing any access to asylum and other protections will only endanger those who are most vulnerable and deserving of relief while empowering gangs and other predators to exploit them,” the bishops said at the time. 

The bishops ask St. Josephine to intercede “as we pray for an end to human trafficking and for the healing, protection, and safety of all victims and survivors alike, especially for children and those in our society who are afraid to seek help because they are marginalized.” 

St. Josephine, who became a nun after being freed from slavery, is “a reminder that the fight against human trafficking is not just a social issue but a spiritual mission,” and her transformation is “a powerful testament to hope, healing, and unyielding resilience.”

“On her feast day, all are encouraged to pray for an end to modern slavery and recommit to building a world where every person’s dignity is respected and protected, from conception to natural death,” the statement said.

Archbishop Naumann weighs in on need to solve current immigration, refugee challenges

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, speaks to “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” on July 21, 2022. / Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 7, 2025 / 16:30 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, is the latest among prelates throughout the country who are weighing in with Catholic perspectives on setting aright the country’s dysfunctional immigration system.

In a Feb. 7 op-ed published in his archdiocesan newspaper, Naumann began by echoing the commitment he and his fellow bishops in Kansas made in a joint Nov. 28, 2024, statement to serve migrants in the state “no matter what the future holds.” 

Naumann noted that “the Church does not have the authority or the responsibility to determine the legal status of those living in the United States” but does have “an obligation to care for every person with respect and love, no matter their citizenship status.”

At the same time, the Kansas City archbishop offered a full-throated endorsement of prioritizing public safety threats in immigration enforcement. 

“Allowing violent gangs, individuals with serious criminal histories, dealers of lethal illegal drugs, human traffickers, and those who pose threats to our national security to enter our country and harm U.S. citizens is a serious dereliction of duty by our elected leaders,” Naumann said. “I commend President [Donald] Trump and those in his administration for addressing this serious, national threat.”

Naumann went on to fault the Biden administration for its handling of the unprecedented wave of unaccompanied minors it allowed to enter the country.

“It is inconceivable that our previous administration either did not know or care about the location or the circumstances of approximately 300,000 children and youth who entered the United States during the past four years,” Naumann declared. “I salute President Trump and his administration for making it a priority to find these lost children and youth.”

“At the same time, the vast majority of those who entered our country illegally are not gang members, criminals, drug dealers, human traffickers, or terrorists posing a threat to our national security,“ Naumann continued.

The archbishop suggested that with strong border security, provisions should be made for “the millions who entered our country illegally but have not committed any other crime and are working hard, raising families, and contributing to the welfare of society.”

“If President Trump is able to shut down the border successfully, making illegal entry into our country virtually impossible, does it not make more sense to create a pathway for the undocumented to be able to earn legal status?” the archbishop argued. “If those who entered the nation illegally paid significant fines in reparation, why not allow them to receive at least a type of legal status? If not citizenship, perhaps work permits?”

Naumannn also made the case for beginning immigration reform with “Dreamers,” adults who as children were brought to the United States by their parents. “Maybe providing lasting, legal status for the Dreamers could be the place to begin the reform of our immigration policy,” he specified.

In closing, Naumann said: “I would love to have the opportunity to have a conversation with President Trump and/or Vice President [JD] Vance about immigration and refugee resettlement policies.”

“I would treasure the opportunity to make the case for how generous policies for worker permits and legal immigration could be important ingredients in helping make America great again!” he said.