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... health and &#039;OB-GYN exodus&#039; ]]></title>
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Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/catholicnewsagency/dailynews

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<title>Catholic News Agency</title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com</link>
<description>ACI Prensa's latest initiative is the Catholic News Agency (CNA), aimed at serving
the English-speaking Catholic audience. ACI Prensa (www.aciprensa.com)
is currently the largest provider of Catholic news in Spanish and Portuguese.</description>
<language>en</language>
<copyright>Copyright © 2006-2025, CNA</copyright>
<ttl>60</ttl>
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<title>CNA</title>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[ San Bernardino diocese grants Sunday Mass dispensation to those fearing deportation ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265303/san-bernardino-diocese-grants-sunday-mass-dispensation-to-those-fearing-deportation</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/Our_Lady_of_the_Rosary_Cathedral_in_San_Bernardino_Calif_Credit_Farragutful_via_Wikimedia_CC_BY_SA_40_CNA.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino, Calif. / Farragutful via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 17:55 pm (CNA).
Bishop Alberto Rojas of the diocese of San Bernardino, California has granted a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for those within the diocese who fear deportation. The bishop said all of the faithful within the diocese who possess “genuine fear” of arrest while attending Mass are dispensed from the obligation until further notice, and are "encouraged to maintain their spiritual communion with Christ and His Church through acts of personal prayer.” In a July 8<a href="https://www.sbdiocese.org/newsmedia/statements/2025/Diocesan%20Decree%20Dispensing%20from%20the%20Obligation%20to%20Attend%20Sunday%20Mass.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> statement</a>, Rojas said the decision to grant the dispensation came after he recognized that “fear of immigration enforcement raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may deter some members of our diocese from fulfilling the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.” According to John Andrews, the director of communications for the diocese, attendance for Spanish language Masses across the diocese has been “down about 50 percent,” since around the time raids began in Southern California last month. Andrews told CNA the diocese is aware of two recent instances of ICE enforcement actions on church properties, with both taking place on June 20. One of the instances, he said, occurred at St. Adelaide Church in Highland and “involved several men who had been working in the neighborhood where the church is located.” The men were chased into the church parking lot and detained, according to Andrews, who said “we do not know whether these men were actually arrested.”The second instance occurred at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Montclair, and "involved the apprehension and arrest of one man who was on parish property to do landscaping work,” Andrews told CNA, adding: “He and his family are longtime parishioners there and we know that he was arrested and ultimately sent to a detention facility in Texas.” “There is real fear gripping many in our parish communities,” said Rojas in a separate statement to CNA. “I want our immigrant communities to know that their Church stands with them and walks with them through this trying time.” A bishop is enabled <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib1-cann35-93_en.html#:~:text=institutes%20or%20acts.-,Can.,supreme%20authority%20of%20the%20Church." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">under the Code of Canon Law</a> to provide dispensations for the faithful under his care “whenever he judges that it contributes to their spiritual good.”“I know that they would be in church if not for this threat to their safety and their family unity,” the bishop added. “With all the worry and anxiety that they are feeling, I wanted to take away, for a time, the burden they may be feeling from not being able to fulfill this commitment to which our Catholic faithful are called.”In the July 8 announcement, which was also signed by Vicar General Msgr. Gerard López, Rojas stipulated that priests within the diocese must seek ways to provide support to those affected, and that parishes must also "explore alternative means of catechesis and sacramental preparation for those unable to attend regularly.” “In issuing this decree, I am guided by the Church’s mission to care for the spiritual welfare of all entrusted to my care, particularly those who face fear or hardship,” the bishop declared. This past May, the Diocese of Nashville <a href="https://www.nashvillecatholic.org/news/posts/statement-in-response-to-immigration-enforcement-activities-in-nashville" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">also granted a Sunday Mass dispensation</a> to “those in our diocese [who] are concerned about the possibility of being confronted or detained while attending Mass or other parish events.” <h2>ICE: agency 'does not indiscriminately take enforcement actions’ at churches</h2>An ICE spokesperson told CNA, “While ICE is not subject to previous restrictions on immigration operations at sensitive locations, to include schools, churches and courthouses, ICE does not indiscriminately take enforcement actions at these locations.” “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws,” the spokesperson noted, adding: “All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removed from the United States.”In January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/ero/protected-areas#:~:text=21%2C%202025)-,On%20Jan.,non%2Dpublic%20entrances%20and%20exits." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">removed places of worship</a> from its sensitive locations list, allowing ICE agents to carry out immigration enforcement procedures. Following a lawsuit from a group of 27 religious organizations, ICE was temporarily blocked in March from carrying out deportations in places of worship. However, a federal judge in April<a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-judge-will-not-curb-immigration-enforcement-places-worship-2025-04-11/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> found the organizations did not have legal standing</a>, thereby allowing operations to continue.In an <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265087/20-catholic-bishops-join-interfaith-letter-against-ice-funding-boost-in-big-beautiful-bill" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">interview with CNA last week</a>, Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and current fellow at the <a href="https://cis.org/Arthur" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Center for Immigration Studies</a>, expressed doubt that ICE would carry out extensive raids in Catholic churches. He noted that while it’s possible a dangerous criminal could be targeted for enforcement at a church, “it’s not like they’re going to sweep through Sunday Mass looking for people.”
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:55:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV urges hope and care for elderly on World Day for Grandparents ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265301/pope-leo-xiv-urges-hope-and-care-for-elderly-on-world-day-for-grandparents</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265301/pope-leo-xiv-urges-hope-and-care-for-elderly-on-world-day-for-grandparents</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/250601-holy-mass-for-jubilee-of-families-children-grandparents-and-the-elderly-daniel-ibanez-6.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV (pictured at St. Peter's on June 1, 2025) issued a message of hope on July 10 in anticipation of the upcoming World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
</div>
Rome Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 17:29 pm (CNA).
For the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly established by Pope Francis and celebrated this year on July 27, Pope Leo XIV has issued a message of hope to the elderly.At the beginning of<a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/07/10/0491/00894.html#en" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> his message</a>, the Holy Father evoked the Jubilee Year to remind the faithful that "hope is a constant source of joy, whatever our age." He cited some elderly biblical figures, such as Abraham and Sarah, Moses, and Zechariah, whom the Lord surprised in "an act of saving power": "God repeatedly demonstrates his providential care by turning to people in their later years," he explained.The pontiff noted that by making these choices, "God thus teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope."<h2>Life is more than the present moment</h2>He then emphasized that the increasing number of elderly people "is a sign of the times that we are called to discern, in order to properly interpret this moment of history."The Holy Father noted that "embracing the elderly helps us to understand that life is more than just the present moment, and should not be wasted in superficial encounters and fleeting relationships. Instead, life is constantly pointing us toward the future."He also emphasized that "if it is true that the weakness of the elderly needs the strength of the young, it is equally true that the inexperience of the young needs the witness of the elderly in order to build the future with wisdom.”“How often our grandparents have been for us examples of faith and devotion, civic virtue and social commitment, memory and perseverance amid trials! The precious legacy that they have handed down to us with hope and love will always be a source of gratitude and a summons to perseverance,” he said.In the context of the Jubilee Year, he invited the faithful to “to break through the barriers of indifference …” and to give of themselves to prevent feelings of loneliness and abandonment among the elderly.“Our societies, everywhere in the world, are growing all too accustomed to letting this significant and enriching part of their life be marginalized and forgotten,” he lamented.<h2>Protagonists of the “revolution” of gratitude and care</h2>The pope emphasized that every parish, association, or church group is called to be “protagonists in a ‘revolution’ of gratitude and care,” and that this must be done “by regular visits to the elderly, the creation of networks of support and prayer for them and with them, and the forging of relationships that can restore hope and dignity to those who feel forgotten.”“Christian hope always urges us to be more daring, to think big, to be dissatisfied with things the way they are … [and] to work for a change that can restore esteem and affection,” he explained.The Holy Father recalled that Pope Francis wanted the faithful, and especially young people, to reach out to those who are alone. He noted that those who cannot make the pilgrimage to Rome this year will be able to obtain the Jubilee indulgence if they visit the elderly alone for an appropriate amount of time.<h2>The freedom to love and to pray </h2>Addressing grandparents and the elderly, Pope Leo XIV encouraged them not to lose hope, even in those moments when they are tempted “to look not to the future but to the past.”"We possess a freedom that no difficulty can rob us of: it is the freedom to love and to pray. Everyone, always, can love and pray," he emphasizedThe pope also recalled <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262773/pope-francis-praises-god-for-those-who-shine-light-of-his-infinite-love-in-the-world" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pope Francis's words</a> during his last hospitalization: "our bodies are weak, but even so, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being there for one another, in faith, as shining signs of hope."Pope Leo XIV also indicated that "affection for our loved ones – for the wife or husband with whom we have spent so much of our lives, for our children, for our grandchildren who brighten our days – does not fade when our strength wanes."“Indeed, their own affection often revives our energy and brings us hope and comfort,” he added.Therefore, the pontiff continued, “especially as we grow older, let us press forward with confidence in the Lord. May we be renewed each day by our encounter with him in prayer and in Holy Mass.”“Let us lovingly pass on the faith we have lived for so many years, in our families and in our daily encounter with others. May we always praise God for his goodness, cultivate unity with our loved ones, open our hearts to those who are far away and, in particular, to all those in need. In this way, we will be signs of hope, whatever our age,” the pope concluded.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115173/papa-leon-xiv-anima-a-participar-en-la-revolucion-del-cuidado-a-los-ancianos" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
]]></description>
<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:29:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Studies dispute pro-abortion claims about maternal health and 'OB-GYN exodus' ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265295/studies-dispute-pro-abortion-claims-about-maternal-health-and-ob-gyn-exodus</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265295/studies-dispute-pro-abortion-claims-about-maternal-health-and-ob-gyn-exodus</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/Doctor_Credit_Syda_Productions_via_wwwshutterstockcom_CNA_1_21_16.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
null / Syda Productions via www.shutterstock.com.
</div>
CNA Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 17:10 pm (CNA).
Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.<h2>Studies debunk pro-abortion maternal health, 'OB-GYNs exodus' claims </h2>Recently released peer-reviewed research is disputing what pro-life researchers call “fear-mongering narratives” about maternal health and OB-GYNs. A peer reviewed study published <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-23468-8__;!!GfxeEQ!Q-Ul0QwoCr-X4M5JlLkbI8v0q5eoh5O-6WcnAwcDQH8cBP8Lag7rXFfimPxue2upG_Zw1bJdRovKHOKhhZ_u$" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">last week</a> found that the maternal morbidity — health problems following pregnancy or giving birth — remained unchanged in states with pro-life protections for unborn children. But in pro-abortion states, maternal morbidity rates increased significantly, according to the study published by <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BMC Public Health</a>. Additionally, the infant mortality rate remained the same in states with pro-life protections.The so-called “OB-GYN exodus,” the claim that OB-GYNs were fleeing pro-life states, is also untrue, according to a recent <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2833030__;!!GfxeEQ!Q-Ul0QwoCr-X4M5JlLkbI8v0q5eoh5O-6WcnAwcDQH8cBP8Lag7rXFfimPxue2upG_Zw1bJdRovKHKe4IxNv$" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">JAMA</a> article. The article found that OB-GYNs aren’t fleeing states with pro-life protections. About 94% of OB-GYNs stayed in the same practice location when their state implemented pro-life protections, which is nearly the same as the 95.8% in pro-abortion states, according to a Charlotte Lozier Institute spokeswoman. Ingrid Skop, the vice president and director of medical affairs at the Lozier Institute and a board-certified OB-GYN, said that following the Dobbs decision, abortion activists “tried to convince the public that legal protections for the unborn would force OB-GYNs to leave pro-life states, and that pregnancy-related complications for women and infant mortality would increase.”But this recent data, Skop said, “shows the fearmongering didn’t match the facts.” "It turns out that providing better quality, life-affirming medical care protects the lives of both mothers and babies,” Skop told CNA. “The fearmongering narratives alleging otherwise have been disproven.” <h2>Nearly three in 10 unborn babies aborted in England and Wales </h2>Nearly three in 10 pregnancies ended in abortion in 2022 in England and Wales, according to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2022" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">government statistics</a>.Abortions are at the highest levels since recording began in England and Wales, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics. Abortions are up from about two in 10 a decade earlier. The percent of pregnancies ending in abortions went from 20.8% in 2012 to 26.5% in 2021, and has now reached 29.7% in 2022.The numbers came out soon after the British Parliament<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264815/parliament-takes-steps-to-decriminalize-abortions-in-england-and-wales" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> voted to decriminalize illegal abortions</a> in June. <h2>Abortions drop in South Carolina by 63%</h2>Two years after South Carolina’s six-week heartbeat protection law went into effect in May of 2023, the state health department is reporting that legal abortions have plummeted.From 2023 to 2024, the state saw a 63% drop in abortion, per the <a href="https://dph.sc.gov/sites/scdph/files/2025-06/2024-SC_Abortion_Report.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">annual abortion report</a>. This was the first full year that the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act was in effect. In 2023, there were a reported 8,187 abortions, but the number dropped by more than half a year later, to 3,025 abortions statewide in 2024.Lisa Van Riper, the president of South Carolina Citizens for Life, said the state pro-life organization “rejoices in these numbers,” citing the “the preservation of the precious little lives,” according to a statement by the <a href="https://nrlc.org/nrlnewstoday/2025/07/south-carolina-abortions-decline-63-in-2024-heartbeat-act-saves-lives/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">National Right to Life.</a>The National Right to Life group also condemned the disproportionate amount of abortions of black babies. While 26% of South Carolina is black, 41% of aborted babies were black children, the group noted.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Priest shares how he battled depression, emerged from ‘dark pit’ of temptation to suicide ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265297/priest-shares-how-he-battled-depression-emerged-from-dark-pit-of-temptation-to-suicide</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265297/priest-shares-how-he-battled-depression-emerged-from-dark-pit-of-temptation-to-suicide</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/p.salvador.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Father Salvador Aguado Miguel. / Credit: Courtesy of Father Salvador Aguado Miguel
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 10, 2025 / 16:30 pm (CNA).
“I was on the edge of a precipice, dead inside, at the very bottom of a dark pit.” With these stark words, Spanish priest Salvador Aguado Miguel shared his testimony following the suicide last week of young <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265247/italian-priest-s-suicide-underscores-humanity-of-priests" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Father Matteo Balzano</a>, an event that has shaken the Catholic Church, especially in Italy.In the wake of this tragedy, Aguado shared on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLz-vjBIPG_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">social media</a> something he had not said publicly until now: “Five years ago, I was in the same place, on the edge of that precipice, at the bottom of that dark pit. Thank goodness Manuel, my psychologist, came into my life; he was like an angel who rescued me, sent by God. "It's very, very hard to be in that situation,” the priest wrote on Instagram.The pastor of Holy Faith parish in Valencia, Spain, revealed that he went through an extremely difficult period of anxiety, during which he felt “dead inside.” He confessed that the pressure was so intense that he even considered “getting out of the way.” <h2>The importance of mental health</h2>Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Aguado said he “really identified” with Balzano, because often “we are not aware of those demands we make on ourselves or all the pressures we subject ourselves to.”“We’re not superheroes…we also go through emotional lows,” the priest explained, emphasizing that seeking professional help, especially a psychologist, “is not a bad thing, but quite the opposite.”For Aguado, it is urgent to raise greater awareness about mental health and the importance of psychological help “at all levels.”<h2>The ‘idealization’ of the priesthood</h2>The priest lamented the criticism or stigmatization of those who have experienced depression or publicly shared their suffering, and expressed his sorrow for the judgment passed on Balzano following his suicide. “We have to put ourselves in the shoes of these people. Recognizing something like that is not easy; I know this from experience. In those moments, no matter how much faith or commitment you may have, managing such profound suffering is extremely difficult,” he pointed out.Aguado added that one of the reasons that leads to the demands and pressure on priests is the “idealization” of the priesthood: “We forget that human side, that fragile side.”The self-imposed need to always give his best and the false belief that he must be available 24/7 pushed the priest to the limit, to the point of even considering leaving the priesthood. “We too need our space: going to the movies, taking a walk, having coffee with another priest or a parishioner,” he explained.<h2>A deeply Catholic psychologist</h2>Regarding his experience with the psychologist, whom he described as “an angel” and a true gift from the Lord, he emphasized the great difference it made that he was a “deeply Catholic” person.“During the sessions, we also worked with the Bible. He often encouraged me to read what Jesus did in this or that passage,” reflecting on the “more psychological” side of Jesus, the priest recounted.Addressing priests who may be going through a similar situation, Aguado encouraged them to “allow themselves to be touched by the fragility of the Lord and understand that, in the end, we are not made of iron, but rather flesh and blood.”He advised them to remove the “mask” that “everything is fine” and learn to “combine human and priestly reality at the same time.” Above all, he recommended “allowing themselves to be accompanied by professionals” and to draw from resources within the parish or pastoral ministry, “which is always very helpful.”In addition to self-imposed demands, he noted that criticism, from both clergy and laity, also caused him a lot of pain. “I learned to deal with all those critical and angry attacks with the Bible,” he explained.<h2>The Lord always draws a lesson from evil</h2>The Spanish priest, who last winter experienced firsthand the tragedy of the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/260181/church-in-spain-mobilizes-as-severe-flooding-leaves-more-than-60-dead" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">catastrophic flooding in Valencia</a>, which caused more than 200 deaths and extensive property damage, emphasized that “the Lord always draws a lesson from every evil.”In his case, he says, he found his passion for digital evangelization, something that has helped him "discover that unique gift that the Lord has placed in my life." Now, he enthusiastically evangelizes through social media, where he has more than 50,000 followers.<h2>Improving formation in seminaries</h2>To anticipate these situations, Aguado suggested more mental health formation in seminaries: "We receive a lot of formation in spirituality and theology, but we don't have any formation in mental health," he said.According to the priest, they also lack a place to turn when they are in a bad way such as a team of psychologists in the diocese who can help them through the most difficult moments. "I believe it is essential, in addition to the seminary, which is the place of formation par excellence, to have follow-up support."Aguado concluded with hope, emphasizing that the important thing is to recognize the problem, "realize that there is something to change in your life," and take the steps to get help.<h2>Help is available</h2>If you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional crisis or having suicidal thoughts, remember that the Catholic Church offers spiritual guidance, prayer, and listening spaces, and encourages seeking professional help. You can contact helplines, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">for your country</a>, or go to your parish, where you will find pastoral support and resources. The Catholic Church teaches that life is a gift from God and compassionately accompanies those who suffer, without judging, and offers hope, prayer, and comfort to affected families.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115079/sacerdote-que-supero-una-depresion-destaca-la-importancia-de-la-salud-mental" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
]]></description>
<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Court blocks $5 million West Virginia grant to Catholic trade college amid lawsuit ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265299/court-blocks-5-dollars-million-west-virginia-grant-to-catholic-trade-college-amid-lawsuit</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265299/court-blocks-5-dollars-million-west-virginia-grant-to-catholic-trade-college-amid-lawsuit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/justicia-brian-a-jackson-shutterstock-270423.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
null / Credit: Brian A Jackson / Shutterstock
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 16:05 pm (CNA).
A circuit court blocked a West Virginia agency from awarding a $5 million grant to <a href="https://www.collegeofstjoseph.com/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">St. Joseph the Worker</a>, an Ohio-based <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256397/new-catholic-trade-schools-are-sprouting-up-across-the-country-here-are-four" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Catholic trade college</a> that planned to expand into the state.In a bench ruling, Judge Richard Lindsay found that the planned grant would violate Article III of the West Virginia Constitution, which forbids the government from using tax funds “for the erection or repair of any house for public worship or for the support of any church or ministry.”The grant had been approved by the West Virginia Water Development Authority for the purpose of economic development. The American Humanist Association <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/261603/aclu-files-suit-against-west-virginia-over-5-dollars-million-grant-to-catholic-trade-college" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">filed a lawsuit</a> against the agency for awarding the grant and had legal representation from the West Virginia American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).“We’re proud to have taken a stand on behalf of our members and are encouraged that the court held the line on this unconstitutional appropriation of funds,” American Humanist Association Legal Director Amitai Heller said <a href="https://americanhumanist.org/press-releases/victory-court-rules-grant-to-out-of-state-catholic-institution-violates-west-virginia-constitution/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">in a statement</a>.“The separation of church and state is a non-negotiable, and the [water authority] had no business granting public infrastructure dollars to fund religious education and advocacy,” Heller said. “Our members saw this blatant violation of church-state separation happening in their community and in concert with the ACLU of West Virginia, we acted,” he said.The ruling was announced in a news release from the humanist group. Because the judge delivered an oral ruling from the bench, a written order was not available as of Thursday afternoon. A spokesman for the group told CNA a written order is expected within the next 30 days.According to the humanist organization, the court gave the water authority 30 days to submit a filing to the court that shows compliance with the order.St. Joseph the Worker, which is based in Steubenville, Ohio, teaches construction-related trades such as carpentry, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. It also offers a bachelor’s degree in Catholic studies along with the trade lessons.The grant money <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/261301/west-virginia-awards-catholic-trade-college-5-dollars-million-grant-for-expansion" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">would have supported</a> job training and education programs based in West Virginia. It would have also supported the creation of a non-profit construction company that would have employed students to work on community revitalization projects that would not be profitable enough to receive private investment.A spokesperson for St. Joseph the Worker was not available to provide a comment by press time.When reached for comment, West Virginia Water Development Authority Executive Director Marie Prezioso declined to comment on the ruling directly. “[A]ny comments … will be made in public court filings or other public disclosures,” Prezioso said. She did not respond to a followup email asking whether the water authority plans to appeal the ruling.The decision to block the grant comes about two weeks after <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265091/judge-rejects-motion-to-dismiss-lawsuit-blocking-catholic-trade-school-from-setting-up-shop-in-west-virginia" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the court rejected</a> the authority’s request for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:05:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV: AI developers, users share responsibility to promote good of humanity ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265291/pope-leo-xiv-ai-developers-users-share-responsibility-to-promote-good-of-humanity</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/artificialintelligence010325jpg.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
null / Credit: LookerStudio/Shutterstock
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Vatican City, Jul 10, 2025 / 15:15 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday said developers and users of artificial intelligence (AI) are jointly responsible for ensuring innovations uphold human dignity and the common good in his message to participants of the 2025 <a href="https://aiforgood.itu.int/summit25/programme/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">AI for Good Summit</a> taking place in Geneva, Switzerland."Although responsibility for the ethical use of AI systems begins with those who develop, manage and oversee them, those who use them also share in this responsibility,” the Holy Father said in a message to participants at the July 8-11 global meeting. The <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/pont-messages/2025/documents/20250708-messaggio-aiforgood-ginevra.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">letter</a>, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, expressed the pope’s call for “regulatory frameworks centered on the human person” and “proper ethical management” of AI technologies on local and global levels.“Humanity is at a crossroads, facing the immense potential generated by the digital revolution driven by artificial intelligence,” the pope said. “The impact of this revolution is far-reaching, transforming areas such as education, work, art, healthcare, governance, the military, and communication.”In spite of these global advancements, Leo commented that approximately 2.6 billion persons living in rural and low-income areas do not even have access to basic communication technologies.“This epochal transformation requires responsibility and discernment to ensure that AI is developed and utilized for the common good, building bridges of dialogue and fostering fraternity, and ensuring it serves the interests of humanity as a whole,” he said.While AI can perform specific tasks, “simulate” human reasoning, or technically enhance global cooperation with speed and efficiency, Leo said it “cannot replicate moral discernment or the ability to form genuine relationships.   “Ultimately, we must never lose sight of the common goal of contributing to that ‘tranquillitas ordinis — the tranquility of order,’ as St. Augustine called it,” he said, “and fostering a more humane order of social relations, and peaceful and just societies in the service of integral human development and the good of the human family.” Just days into his pontificate, at his <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250510-collegio-cardinalizio.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">first meeting with the College of Cardinals</a> on May 10, Pope Leo identified AI as “another industrial revolution” that can “pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labor.”
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Leo XIV withdraws papal delegate after agreement avoids schism in Syro-Malabar Church ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265289/leo-xiv-withdraws-papal-delegate-after-agreement-avoids-schism-in-syro-malabar-church</link>
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Built in 1578, Mar Hormizd Cathedral is the Syro-Malabar cathedral church in Angamaly, India. / Credit: St. Hormizd's Cathedral, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Vatican City, Jul 10, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).
The specter of schism has hovered in recent years over the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabar Church in India—one of the 24 Eastern Churches in full communion with the Catholic Church.Part of the clergy and faithful of Ernakulam-Angamaly, the largest Indian episcopal see in terms of the number of priests as well as the see presided over by the bishop in charge of the entire Syro-Malabar Church, did not accept the 1999 reform of the liturgical rite, which was later confirmed at the 2021 Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church.Pope Leo XIV appears to have resolved the controversy by terminating the 2023 appointment of Archbishop Cyril Vasil' as papal delegate to the Syro-Malabar Church to mediate the dispute.According to <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/es/vaticano/news/2025-07/india-y-la-santa-sede-concluyen-su-labor-de-mediacion.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vatican News</a>, the official Vatican website, this decision by the pope "concludes the Holy See's mediation work among the Syro-Malabars."Martin Bräuer, an expert at the Ecumenical Research Institute in Bensheim, Germany, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that "Rome now considers the conflict over and therefore no longer needs a papal representative. Secondly, the agreement reached within the [Syro-Malabar] Church without the direct mediation of Archbishop Vasil' is recognized."Indeed, <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/07/07/0483/00886.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the news comes</a> after new measures to implement the liturgical reform approved by the 2021 Synod came into effect on July 3, the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle—patron saint of the Syro-Malabar Church.The compromise now reached allows the parishes of Ernakulam-Angamaly to celebrate the liturgy with the priest facing the faithful (versus populum), adhering to the practice of the Roman Rite, provided that at least one Sunday or feast day Mass is celebrated according to the traditional form, that is, with the priest facing the altar (ad orientem) during the consecration.According to the 2021 reform of the rite, during Mass the priest was required to address the people during the first part of the celebration, but the liturgy of the Eucharist was celebrated facing the altar.Prior to the reform that sparked the dispute, all solemnities had to be celebrated in line with the directives issued by the Syro-Malabar Synod four years ago. Now, however, the Syro-Malabar Church accepts as sufficient that all churches celebrate just one of their Masses on Sundays and feast days according to those directives.“This rule also applies to parishes with ongoing civil proceedings, provided they do not contravene the decisions of state courts,” the academic explained.Furthermore, he said, it is made explicit that the synod will only address future liturgical changes “if they are discussed in a spirit of synodality with the canonical bodies of the archeparchy.”Other points include “the use of the sanctuary in accordance with liturgical norms, the possibility of outside bishops celebrating the unified form in all churches, and that any internal conflicts be resolved in an atmosphere of respect and friendship,” Bräuer emphasized.What was the liturgical dispute about?While the 2021 synod promoted a return to the liturgy facing the altar as the traditional form of the Syro-Oriental rite, many priests and faithful in Ernakulam-Angamaly defended the practice of facing the people that had become widespread after the Second Vatican Council.The Vatican then asked the 35 dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church to eliminate elements of the Roman rite and return to their original traditions, in this case the pure Chaldean rite, present today especially in Iraq.For Bräuer, what is remarkable is that "this agreement was reached by means of synodality, that is, through dialogue and mutual listening," which gives legitimacy and hope to its practical application.This case has been, according to the expert, an acid test of the delicate balance between papal authority and the autonomy of the Eastern Churches. It was St. John Paul II who, in 1998, gave the Syro-Malabar bishops authority to resolve liturgical conflicts.According to Bräuer, “the Syro-Malabar Church first attempted to resolve the conflict internally. When that failed, Rome intervened, but that too was unsuccessful.”The papal delegate, Archbishop Vasil’, who belongs to the Byzantine rite and had worked in the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, was widely criticized for his authoritarian style. “He didn’t know how to find the right tone with the parties in conflict,” Bräuer commented.However, it was not an easy task. When <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-12/pope-meets-with-delegate-to-syro-malabar-church.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Archbishop Vasil'</a> traveled to India on Aug. 4, 2023, at the beginning of his mission, some priests publicly burned photos of him and he was greeted with a shower of eggs.In this regard, it was the metropolitan vicar, Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, successor to the apostolic administrator Bishop Bosco Puthur, who managed to move toward a solution thanks to a strategy of open communication and active listening.Finally, the consensus—which relaxed the norms that the communities of this rite in the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly were required to adopt a year ago, following an ultimatum from Pope Francis—was forged in a meeting between Archbishop Pamplany and the Major Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Archdiocese, Raphael Thattil.Another new rule that has softened positions is that deacons may be ordained without having to commit in writing not to celebrate according to the previous form of the rite.Is the ghost of schism laid to rest forever?Although the threat of schism has been dispelled for now, there is still work to be done. According to Bräuer, even priests who opposed the unified liturgy have accepted the agreement, although not without reservations.Their spokesman, Father Kuriakose Mundadan, expressed in a letter his willingness to support the agreement, although he harshly criticized both the way in which the liturgical reform was adopted and the repressive attitude of some of those previously in authority. “In addition to criticizing the way the synod imposed the liturgical reform, he also criticized the treatment of those opposed to the reform. He also felt that the papal delegate exacerbated the situation,” Bräuer noted. “Pope Francis constantly called for unity, but ultimately did not succeed in resolving the conflict. It became clear that the problem could not be resolved solely by means of authority and discipline. Now a synodal solution has been found, which we hope will be lasting,” the expert added.Bräuer emphasized that how the agreement is implemented in the coming months will be decisive: “Only then will we see if the agreement is stable and lasting.”For priests currently facing disciplinary proceedings, amicable solutions will be sought, and the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly will also undertake to resolve disputes in civil courts.Those who prefer the Roman Rite practice of facing the people to the traditional one are a minority: they represent only about 450,000 people, or 10% of Syro-Malabar believers, who total about five million. However, they are quite vocal. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AI4RDzETgY" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Videos</a> of attacks on bishops and clashes between groups of Catholics circulate online.The special tribunal created to resolve these types of liturgical disputes will not be dissolved, at least for now.Lessons for the entire Catholic ChurchAsked about the value of this experience for other liturgical conflicts in the Church, Bräuer said that the liturgy is “prayed dogma,” that is, an “expression of the Church’s faith” that can take many forms, as seen in the Catholic Church: for example, “in the West, with the ancient Mozarabic rite, and also with inculturated forms of the Mass in the Congo, Australia, or Mexico.”“Liturgical diversity enriches the Church, but fidelity to tradition does not mean stubbornly clinging to the past, but rather accepting change with discernment,” he stated.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115161/leon-xiv-retira-al-delegado-papal-tras-acuerdo-que-evita-el-cisma-en-la-iglesia-siro-malaba" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV appoints Iowa priest to lead mission diocese of Baker, Oregon ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265287/pope-leo-xiv-appoints-iowa-priest-to-lead-mission-diocese-of-baker-oregon</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/bishop-elect-thomas-hennen.png?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Father Thomas Hennen, vicar general of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to be the next bishop of Baker, a mission diocese in eastern Oregon. / Courtesy of Diocese of Davenport
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Rome Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has tapped Father Thomas Hennen, vicar general of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, to be the next bishop of Baker, a mission diocese in eastern Oregon.The bishop-elect, who celebrates 21 years as a priest on July 10, is a former vocations director. He has also been rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport since 2021. A moral theologian, Hennen has over 10 years of experience in pastoral outreach to people with same-sex attraction, as diocesan coordinator and chaplain for the local chapter of the Catholic organization Courage International, which offers support to men and women who experience same-sex attraction and have chosen to live a chaste life.The 47-year-old priest, who goes by “Fr. Thom,” also has experience as a parochial vicar, university and high school chaplain, campus minister, and theology teacher.For the last almost four years, he has also been the Davenport diocese’s leader for the Synod on Synodality, which he described in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae-MD9_c4Pc" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a 2021 homily</a> as “about how we go about listening to each other, how we go about our mission as the Church, the Body of Christ, in our present age, to better communicate and better embody the Kingdom of God on earth.”Born on July 4, 1978, in Ottumwa, a town in southeast Iowa, Hennen’s hobbies include strategy board games, reading, and playing the tin whistle and the violin, according to <a href="https://catholicmessenger.net/2009/07/priest-profiles-father-thom-hennen/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a 2009 interview</a>. He has also said he first felt a call to the priesthood in the fourth grade.He completed his studies for the priesthood at Saint Ambrose University in Davenport and the Pontifical North American College in Rome, earning a bachelor’s in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. A year after his 2004 ordination to the priesthood, he also earned a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome.The bishop-elect speaks Spanish and Italian in addition to his native English.The Diocese of Baker covers 66,800 square miles in eastern Oregon. Considered a mission territory, the diocese’s landscape includes mountains, hills, valleys, rivers, lakes, and plains, and has a population of approximately 12,500 Catholic households across 57 parishes and missions.In 1987, the Baker diocesan offices were moved to Bend, in central Oregon, while the Cathedral Church of St. Francis de Sales is over 200 miles east in Baker City.Hennen succeeds Bishop Liam Cary, who has led the Baker diocese since 2012. Cary will turn 78 in August, making him nearly three years past the usual age of retirement for Catholic bishops.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ ‘Never again second-class people:’ German bishops defend life amid high court controversy ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265285/never-again-second-class-people-german-bishops-defend-life-amid-high-court-controversy</link>
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Bishops Rudolf Voderholzer and Stefan Oster / Credit: Diocese of Regensburg / Diocese of Passau
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CNA Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).
Amid a heated debate over appointments to Germany’s constitutional court, two Bavarian bishops have issued an urgent call to uphold human life and dignity, warning “there must never again be second-class people” in Germany as the country faces a contentious parliamentary vote.Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau and Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg declared that anyone who relativizes human dignity protections should be disqualified from Germany’s highest judicial body, according to<a href="https://de.catholicnewsagency.com/news/20557/bischofe-oster-und-voderholzer-verteidigen-lebensrecht-vor-wahl-neuer-verfassungsrichter" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> CNA Deutsch</a>, CNA’s German-language news partner.The bishops’ intervention comes as the German parliament prepares to vote Friday on three candidates for the court that serves as the nation’s supreme judicial authority and final arbiter on fundamental rights questions.The debate over nominations has focused on views<a href="https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/1049772/9d489ff7139c2f58d3374268ed13795f/Stellungnahme-Brosius-Gersdorf.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> publicly expressed</a> by Social Democratic Party nominee Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf. The constitutional law professor served as deputy coordinator of the government commission on abortion law reform. She argued that legalizing abortion within the first twelve weeks of pregnancy would be constitutionally permissible.Most contentious was her<a href="https://www.herder.de/communio/gesellschaft/spd-kandidatin-fuer-bundesverfassungsgericht-will-abtreibungsparagrafen-streichen-warum-macht-die-kirche-nicht-mehr-druck/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> widely criticized assertion</a> that “whether the embryo and later fetus is entitled to the protection of the Basic Law’s guarantee of human dignity is indeed very controversial in constitutional law scholarship. In my view, there are good reasons why the guarantee of human dignity only applies from birth.”Without naming names, the two bishops characterized such constitutional interpretation this week as fundamentally disqualifying, emphasizing the state’s duty to guarantee human dignity protections without exception.The Bavarian bishops — who have also risen to prominence for<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/260257/four-german-bishops-praise-rome-synod-criticize-german-synodal-way" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> their resistance</a> to the controversial Synodal Way — are not the only ones raising concerns.Some Christian Democratic Union (CDU) parliamentarians took to<a href="https://x.com/SaskiaLudwigCDU/status/1940783312764916031" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> social media</a> to call Brosius-Gersdorf “unelectable.”The bishops’<a href="https://www.bistum-passau.de/artikel/bischof-oster-und-bischof-voderholzer-zur-wahl-der-drei-richterinnen-und-richter-fuer-das-bundesverfassungsgericht" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> statement</a> establishes what they describe as non-negotiable criteria for constitutional judges as the country grapples with fundamental questions about the protection of human life, particularly regarding abortion law.<h2>Bishops establish disqualification criteria</h2>The bishops’ statement, titled “<a href="https://www.bistum-passau.de/artikel/bischof-oster-und-bischof-voderholzer-zur-wahl-der-drei-richterinnen-und-richter-fuer-das-bundesverfassungsgericht" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Our Basic Law is maximally inclusive</a>,” asserts that every human being is granted human dignity and the right to life regardless of their life situation. Oster and Voderholzer pointed to Germany’s<a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Basic Law</a> (Grundgesetz), the country’s constitution established in 1949, which enshrines the inviolability of human dignity in<a href="https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html#p0020" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Article 1</a> as the foundation of all constitutional rights.The Bavarian bishops warned that “anyone who holds the view that the embryo or fetus in the womb does not yet have dignity and only has a lesser right to life than the human being after the birth is carrying out a radical attack on the foundations of our constitution. “He or she must not be entrusted with the binding interpretation of the Basic Law,” they said.Oster and Voderholzer added that there “must never again be second-class people in Germany.”<h2>Catholic chancellor causes outrage</h2>The bishops’ principled position comes as Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz — a Catholic and leader of the CDU — appeared to defend Brosius-Gersdorf despite her controversial constitutional views.In a dramatic moment during Wednesday’s Bundestag debate, when asked by Alternative for Germany parliamentarian Beatrix von Storch whether he could reconcile with his conscience voting for a candidate “for whom human dignity does not apply if [the person] is not yet born,” Merz responded: “My straightforward answer to your question is: Yes!”The chancellor’s words created significant tension within his own parliamentary faction, according to<a href="https://www.nzz.ch/international/die-wahl-der-neuen-verfassungsrichter-wird-zum-problem-zwischen-union-und-spd-ld.1892615" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> media reports</a>.The CDU's pro-life organization, Christian Democrats for Life, urged party leadership to reject the nominee based on her stance on the right to life.Pro-life organizations have announced a demonstration outside the Reichstag building on Friday morning, CNA Deutsch<a href="https://de.catholicnewsagency.com/news/20527/verfassungsgericht-spd-kandidatin-wegen-abtreibungsposition-umstritten" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> reported</a>.Germany records more than 100,000 abortions annually, with approximately 1.8 million procedures performed between 1996 and 2023.Currently, women in Germany can obtain an abortion from a doctor during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, following a compulsory counseling session.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ San Antonio Archdiocese to commemorate martyr who fought for religious freedom in Mexico ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265271/san-antonio-archdiocese-to-commemorate-martyr-who-fought-for-religious-freedom-in-mexico</link>
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Blessed Anacleto González Flores, martyr of the religious persecution that Mexico experienced in the 1920s. / Credit: Mexican Bishops’ Conference
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Puebla, Mexico, Jul 10, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, will hold a <a href="https://archsa.org/event/Cristeros/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">celebration</a> in Spanish and English on Sunday, July 13, commemorating the 137th anniversary of the birth of Blessed Anacleto González Flores, a martyr of the religious persecution Mexico experienced in the 1920s and patron saint of the Mexican laity.González was born in Tepatitlán, Jalisco state, Mexico, on July 13, 1888. He was a prominent layman, lawyer, and catechist, recognized for his profound faith and leadership during the religious persecution in Mexico in the 1920s. He founded associations for Christian formation and defended the rights of the Church, promoting peaceful resistance to the government’s anti-clerical laws.For his commitment to faith and justice, he was arrested, tortured, and ultimately executed on April 1, 1927. Pope Benedict XVI <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_letters/documents/hf_ben-xvi_apl_20051115_beatification-messico.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">approved his beatification</a> on Nov. 15, 2005. In 2019, he was <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/76720/obispos-de-mexico-declaran-a-este-beato-como-nuevo-patrono-de-los-laicos" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">named patron saint</a> of the Mexican laity.The Archdiocese of San Antonio’s celebration will begin at noon CT on Sunday, July 13, with Mass at St. Andrew’s Church in Pleasanton, Texas.At 1:15 p.m. there will be a talk in English about the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s support, often including providing refuge, for persecuted Mexican Catholics. This will be followed by a bilingual presentation of the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Anacleto-Gonz%C3%A1lez-Flores-Palabra-transformaci%C3%B3n/dp/6079984628#" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Spanish-language book</a> “Anacleto González Flores: From the Word to Social Transformation.”The celebration will conclude with the veneration of the first-class relics of Blessed Anacleto starting at 2:15 p.m.<h2>Archdiocese of San Antonio provided aid to persecuted Church in Mexico</h2>During the years of religious persecution in Mexico, various dioceses and Catholic institutions in the United States provided assistance to Mexican bishops, priests, and laypeople, including the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Father Rafael Becerra, the priest organizing the celebration, shared with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that there are records that show that “some of the homes of the Josephite Sisters became a place for refugee priests.”Also in the town of Castroville, just west of San Antonio, “a seminary was built and founded for seminarians from Mexico during the time of religious persecution.”“It is known that seminarians from 13 different dioceses in Mexico came to study at that seminary” and that 59 priests were ordained after receiving their formation at that seminary, he noted.Among other institutions, Becerra mentioned the important support of the Knights of Columbus, the largest Catholic fraternal service organization in the world. <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/viva-cristo-rey-the-passion-of-the-knights" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Six members of the Knights</a> were martyred during the 1926–1929 Cristero War.“We also know that several priests were here in San Antonio. There are about 40 refugees, some Claretians, other priests, and some bishops like [the archbishop of Mexico City] José Mora,” he commented.Among other Mexican prelates who also passed through the Archdiocese of San Antonio during the years of persecution were St. Rafael Guízar y Valencia — today the patron saint of the bishops of Mexico — and his brother, Antonio, who was archbishop of Chihuahua.These and other historical materials will be presented this Sunday, July 13, as part of the celebration of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.For more information on how to participate in the celebration, click <a href="https://archsa.org/event/Cristeros/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115045/arquidiocesis-en-eeuu-celebrara-137-anos-del-nacimiento-del-beato-anacleto-gonzalez-flores" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Americas</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Crippling priest shortage leads to restructuring of Grand Rapids Diocese ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265275/crippling-priest-shortage-leads-to-restructuring-of-grand-rapids-diocese</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/grandrapids.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan, announced on June 29, 2025, a restructuring plan that will merge parishes in the face of a priest shortage. / Credit: Snehit Photo/Shutterstock
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has announced a restructuring process as it faces a shortage of priests.  The announcement of the “Rooted in Christ Pastoral Planning Process” comes a year after Bishop David John Walkowiak issued an urgent diocesan-wide appeal to pray for an increase in vocations in the diocese, which has had just one ordination to the priesthood in the last two years. “In 2024, we had one priestly ordination. In 2025, seven pastors were either granted senior priest status or reassigned outside the Diocese of Grand Rapids, and there were no priestly ordinations,” the diocese <a href="https://grdiocese.org/rooted-in-christ/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said in a June 29 statement</a>. “Given this reality, the Presbyteral Council and priests of the diocese urged Bishop Walkowiak to take a hard look at what is required for the well-being of our parish communities and priests.”The priest shortage has forced many priests to take on the responsibility of shepherding two to three parishes at a time, according to the diocese.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCtcbZHLUwc" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">In a video message</a>, Walkowiak said that while he is “grateful to our pastors who have generously taken on the responsibility,” the situation is ultimately not sustainable.It has been more than a decade since the diocese — which spans 11 counties, 79 parishes, and 31 Catholic schools — last underwent a pastoral planning process.<a href="https://grdiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/rooted-in-christ-pastoral-plan-final-june-2025.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">According to the restructuring plan</a>, 13 parishes across the diocese will merge, forming new parishes, while 8 parishes will form clusters in which two or more parishes will be made to collaborate to varying degrees on ministries, resources, and personnel. Parishes in clusters retain their buildings and finances, unlike in cases where parishes merge. While he noted the change can be “difficult and often painful,” the bishop expressed faith that the changes would ultimately be beneficial to parish communities. “We risk stagnation and decline if we fail to adapt,” he said, adding: “We need to remember that a parish is a communion of persons, one that extends beyond the confines of parish buildings. Sometimes in order for that communion of persons to remain healthy and continue to grow, the administrative and physical structures that support it must be reassessed.” Six of the mergers were kicked off with the promulgation of the plan on June 29, while other mergers and clusters are set to take place in accordance with the end of pastors’ terms and priestly assignments.Walkowiak has appointed Vicar General Father Colin J. Mulhall to oversee the implementation of the pastoral plan.In addition to the merging of parishes and formation of parish clusters, the diocese also announced that land for a new parish in the West Deanery would be purchased between the cities of Zeeland and Hudsonville due to projected population growth. A new parish will also be established on land already owned by the diocese in the townships of Robinson and West Olive, also due to projected population growth.“We must adjust administrative duties so that pastors can encourage their parish communities to become centers of evangelization, where all are invited into a relationship with Christ through worship, participation, and outreach to those in need,” the bishop said.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Funeral of soccer star Diogo Jota: Tributes, mourning, and final farewell ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265283/funeral-of-soccer-star-diogo-jota-tributes-mourning-and-final-farewell</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/d.j..jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Diogo Jota of the Liverpool soccer team. / Credit: Spanish-language edition of EWTN News
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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 9, 2025 / 20:19 pm (CNA).
In an atmosphere of deep recollection and sadness, but also of hope, the funeral of Portuguese soccer players Diogo Jota of the Liverpool Football Club and his brother André Silva, <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/114947/diogo-jota-del-liverpool-de-inglaterra-fallece-en-accidente-en-espana-y-arzobispo-lamenta-su-partida" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">who died last Thursday</a> in a traffic accident in Zamora, Spain, was held on July 5. Jota’s marriage to Rute Cardoso had been solemnized in the Church just 11 days prior. They have three children.At the funeral, which took place in the town of Gondomar’s main church on the outskirts of Porto, Portugal, the coffins were brought in as the church bells rang. The funeral was attended by several of Jota’s teammates, including Liverpool soccer club captain Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Argentine Alexis MacAllister, Uruguayan Darwin Nuñez, and coach Arne Slot.Father Alípio Germano Barbosa, who was the pastor of the church in Gondomar for more than 18 years and who gave Diogo and André their first Communion, fondly recalled the time the brothers were part of his parish community.“I lived here for 18 and a half years, and closely followed the human and Christian growth of these two young men, with great affection for them and their family,” the priest who attended the funeral told AP.“They were very well behaved, humble, and courageous boys. In fact, following in the steps of their parents and grandparents, they were deeply connected to the local community and, naturally, participated in community life, the sacraments, Christian fellowship, and communion,” Germano added.Roberto Martínez, coach of the Portuguese national football team, told the press at the funeral: “These are very sad days, as you can imagine, but today we have shown that we are a large and united family.”“We are Portugal, and it was essential for us to be together and the world will be united, and his spirit will be with us forever. Thank you so much for your messages, for your support, and for everything we have received from all over the world. It means a lot, and today we are all a football family,” he emphasized.<h2>The bishop of Porto’s homily at the brothers’ funeral</h2>The funeral Mass was celebrated by the bishop of Porto, Manuel Linda, who first addressed the children of the late Liverpool player who did not attend the funeral:“Right now you’re suffering immensely. Or maybe you’re not, because you don’t even realize the tragedy that has befallen your family. You will become aware of it later. And it will be terrible. But I will pray to Jesus for you.”“The one who suffers deeply,” the prelate continued, “is your mother, Rute. She is heartbroken! Likewise, your grandparents, Isabel and Joaquim, and the rest of your family. Seeing before you a coffin containing the remains of a son must be the ultimate torment. But when it’s not just one coffin, but two, belonging to two brothers... there are no words.”“We are here to say that we too suffer greatly,” the bishop continued. “We are here with you emotionally … Yes, tears! It’s human! It would be a shame for us if we didn’t.”Linda encouraged having “faith and hope in the Resurrection.” “This communion of life is achieved through baptism and good works … Your father, Diogo, was married in the Church 11 days before he died.”After highlighting the importance of sports, the bishop of Porto said that “while it’s sad to see an adult cry, it’s even more painful when it’s a child… I send a special greeting to your mother, your grandparents, and other family members. I am with you. Jesus is also with you.”<h2>Liverpool soccer club’s tribute to Diogo Jota</h2>In addition to retiring Jota’s No. 20 jersey, the Liverpool soccer club chartered a plane to accommodate those members who wished to travel to the funeral in Portugal.This was confirmed by the Portuguese newspaper Record. Liverpool will keep Jota’s contract in force and will pay his salary and all bonuses to his family.The club decided to pay out the remaining two years of Jota’s contract, meaning his widow and his three young children will receive the corresponding sum of more than 17 million euros ($19.9 million).English journalist Tom Harrington also said on X that Liverpool <a href="https://x.com/cbctom/status/1940914023123517481" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">will establish a fund for the children</a> of Jota and Cardoso, specifically for their education.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115051/funeral-de-diogo-jota-del-liverpool-sacerdote-obispo-de-oporto-y-companeros-dan-el-ultimo-adios" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:19:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Historic Mass celebrated by papal nuncio at Anglican cathedral in rare event ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265281/historic-mass-celebrated-by-papal-nuncio-at-anglican-cathedral-in-rare-event</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/Canterbury_cathedral_wyrdlight.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Canterbury Anglican Cathedral. / Credit: Antony McCallum WyrdLight.com/Wikimedia, CC BY SA 4.0
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London, England, Jul 9, 2025 / 18:55 pm (CNA).
For the first time in modern history, the apostolic nuncio to the United Kingdom has celebrated Mass in England’s most celebrated Anglican cathedral.On Monday, July 7, which marked the feast of the Translation of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía celebrated the holy sacrifice of the Mass at Canterbury Cathedral with hundreds in attendance, including the Vatican’s cricket team.During his homily, Maury Buendía said: “This Mass of pilgrimage takes place within the context of the jubilee year. It highlights the Christian life as a spiritual journey, moving through life’s trials and joys with hope anchored in Christ. Having traveled as pilgrims today, we do more than just honor a figure from history.”He continued: “The stained-glass windows all around us illustrate the many miracles attributed to St. Thomas in the medieval period. This should be a living story, too. Our world, today as then, is in need of hope. We come in this jubilee year as ‘pilgrims of hope’ to be inspired by St. Thomas’ holiness and his courageous witness to Christ and his Church.”Those in attendance on Monday also received a plenary indulgence because of the jubilee year and its customs.While it is traditional for the Catholic Parish of St. Thomas of Canterbury to celebrate Mass at the cathedral every year on July 7, this is the first time the apostolic nuncio has presided.St. Thomas Becket served as archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until he was murdered in 1170 by supporters of King Henry II, who clashed with Thomas over his defense of the Church and its rights.Thomas was canonized soon after his death by Pope Alexander III and in 1220 his body was translated, or moved, from the cathedral’s crypt to the shrine behind the altar. It is believed that a papal legate was present at the time.The crypt was destroyed by Henry VIII in 1538 in an attempt to suppress allegiance to St. Thomas Becket.In correspondence with CNA on Wednesday, July 9, Father David Palmer, a member of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham (and a former Anglican priest), reflected on the significance of the event.“Canterbury Cathedral is often referred to as the home of Anglicanism, the mother Church of the Anglican Communion. This obscures the fact that it is also (and originally) the mother Church of Catholicism in England. The seat of St. Augustine of Canterbury, the first archbishop of Canterbury, sent by Pope Gregory to bring the (Roman) Catholic faith to the ‘Angles,’” he said.“For those of us who have made the journey from Anglicanism back to Rome this is an event of special significance and joy.”
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:55:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ U.S. Catholic bishops: Church will not endorse political candidates despite IRS shift ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265279/us-catholic-bishops-church-will-not-endorse-political-candidates-despite-irs-shift</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/usccb.hq.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
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
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 9, 2025 / 18:25 pm (CNA).
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has confirmed that the Catholic Church will not endorse political candidates for public office in any elections, despite <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265239/irs-ends-70-year-gag-rule-says-churches-can-now-endorse-political-candidates" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a tax code change</a> that has opened the door for houses of worship to make such endorsements.On July 7, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) signed <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txed.232590/gov.uscourts.txed.232590.35.0.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a court agreement</a> to allow churches and other houses of worship to endorse candidates without risking their tax-exempt status. This reversed a 70-year ban that was in place based on the IRS’ interpretation of the “Johnson Amendment,” which prohibits nonprofits in the tax bracket from engaging in political campaigns.USCCB Director of Public Affairs Chieko Noguchi, however, <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/catholic-church-maintains-its-stance-not-endorsing-or-opposing-political-candidates" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">released a statement</a> this week to announce that the Catholic Church will not be endorsing political candidates, even if the tax code allows it.“The IRS was addressing a specific case, and it doesn’t change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate,” Noguchi said.“The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good,” she added. “The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.”Noguchi told CNA that if an individual member of the clergy were to endorse a candidate, “this is a matter that is best handled by the local bishop.”Christopher Check, the president of Catholic Answers, told CNA that the USCCB’s decision to avoid endorsements is “a wise one for our time and place.”“The Church is not one of several political organizations or NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] competing for public opinion on the cultural and civic playing fields,” Check added. “She is the primary and divine institution through which all that public activity must be understood.”Check pointed out that avoiding endorsements is consistent with <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann208-329_en.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the 1983 Code of Canon Law</a>, which he explained “[prohibits] clergy from engaging in active participation in political parties except in cases where the rights of the Church are threatened or the ‘promotion of the common good requires it,’ and then only in the judgment of ‘competent ecclesiastical authority.’”There have been situations historically in which clergy rightly engaged in political campaigns, such as when Marxist parties in some countries sought to “eradicate the Church,” according to Check. Yet he also cautioned that there have been times in which members of the clergy have “misled the faithful” by involving themselves in campaigns.“Today in the United States, neither political party offers a platform that would serve as a foundation for a true home for faithful Catholics,” Check said. “As such, the obligation for the clergy and the episcopacy to form the consciences of the faithful rightly is especially critical. It is in this realm that the Church, who very much in a sense is above partisan politics, is called to operate.”Susan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas (a Catholic institution), told CNA she believes the IRS policy to not penalize churches for political endorsements is “wise” but said the USCCB commitment to not endorse candidates “is also prudent.”“The IRS policy is wise to leave broad leeway to religious leaders to offer guidance, even on political matters that could shape the moral and cultural atmosphere within which religious life takes place,” Hanssen said.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/susan.hanssen.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="University of Dallas history professor Susan Hanssen. Credit: Photo courtesy of Susan Hanssen"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">University of Dallas history professor Susan Hanssen. Credit: Photo courtesy of Susan Hanssen</figcaption></figure>Hanssen added that the Church hierarchy and the clergy can still be vocal on political issues that implicate Church teaching, noting that they “should give clear principles of action” but that “it is the moral responsibility of the laity to potentially apply those principles.” She added that clergy should also help correct Catholic politicians whose policies do not conform to “the principles of natural law, for example, with regard to abortion, parental rights over their children’s education and medical care, euthanasia, and same-sex marriage.” “Thus their action would be appropriately pastoral, rather than political — a concern for souls,” Hanssen said.Ryan Tucker, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, told CNA that the IRS decision could still have an impact on churches that do not endorse candidates, saying those entities have a “constitutional right to speak freely” and the IRS change ensures “they can do so more boldly” now.“The government shouldn’t be able to threaten a church with financial penalties based on a requirement that the church self-censor and surrender its constitutionally protected freedom,” he said. “Pastors and clergy members have been engaged in matters of the day that affect the members of their church body since our founding.”
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Vatican approves Marian devotion in Slovakia but doesn’t recognize apparitions ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265273/vatican-approves-marian-devotion-in-slovakia-but-doesn-t-recognize-apparitions</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/slovakia.shrine.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Vatican recognizes the pastoral value of the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary on Mount Zvir near the village of Litmanová in northwestern Slovakia from 1990 to 1995 and authorizes public worship, without commenting on the supernatural authenticity of the apparitions. / Credit: Courtesy of Michal Petriľak, Zvir Shrine
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Vatican City, Jul 9, 2025 / 17:21 pm (CNA).
The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith granted a “nihil obstat” — that is, nothing stands in the way — of Marian devotion surrounding the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary on Mount Zvir near the village of Litmanová in northwestern Slovakia from 1990 to 1995 — without recognizing their supernatural character.The <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20250704_lettera-esperienza-litmanova_en.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">letter</a>, signed by the dicastery’s prefect, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, and addressed to Archbishop Jonáš Jozef Maxim, hierarch of the Archeparchy of Prešov for Byzantine-rite Catholics, recognizes the pastoral value of the phenomenon and authorizes public worship without commenting on the supernatural authenticity of the apparitions.The cardinal stated in the letter, published by the Vatican dicastery, that the discernment has taken into account “the many spiritual fruits” borne from this phenomenon.The decision responds to the formal request by Maxim, who in letters sent to the Vatican in February and May highlighted “the countless sincere and heartfelt confessions and conversions experienced by pilgrims, which continue to take place at the shrine, despite the alleged apparitions ending three decades ago. The Slovak prelate also highlighted the constant flow of pilgrims who have continued to come to the site, manifesting an ongoing experience of faith.Fernández noted several messages attributed to the Virgin that offer invitations to conversion, joy, and inner freedom. One of the most cited texts exhorts: “Let Jesus set you free. Let Jesus set you free. And do not allow your enemy to limit your freedom, for which Jesus shed so much blood. A soul that is free is the soul of a child” (Dec. 5, 1993).On several occasions, the Marian figure presents herself as “happy” and repeats expressions of unconditional love: “I love you, just as you are. I love you. I love you! I want you to be happy, but this world will never make you happy” (Aug. 7, 1994). The faithful are also invited to live a simple and profound spirituality: “Begin to live simply, to think simply, and to act simply. Seek out silence so that the Spirit of Christ may be born anew within you” (June 5, 1994).<h2>Some ambiguities</h2>However, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith recognized that “some messages contain ambiguities or unclear formulations,” such as one that suggests that that nearly all people in one part of the world are condemned or one that states that “the cause of all illness is sin.”These messages have not been deemed acceptable by the Vatican for publication. However, the Argentine cardinal recalled in the letter that, as early as 2011, a doctrinal commission dedicated to investigating these apparitions explained that the alleged visionaries did not hear messages in human language but rather had inner experiences that they then attempted to translate, which explains certain inaccuracies or personal interpretations.For this reason, the cardinal of the Roman Curia asked the archbishop of Prešov to publish a compilation of these messages, excluding any statements that could lead to confusion or disturb the faith of ordinary people.The Vatican made it clear that the “nihil obstat” does not equate to the recognition of supernatural intervention, but it does permit public worship and that the faithful can “safely approach this spiritual offering,” whose contents can help them live the Gospel of Christ more deeply.<h2>A living shrine</h2>Mount Zvir, less than two miles from the village of Litmanová, has been a place of pilgrimage for years, especially for those of the Byzantine rite. Three children were present at the alleged apparitions, which began on Aug. 5, 1990: Ivetka Korcáková, Katka Ceselková, and Mitko Ceselka.This step by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is possible thanks to the new norms on supernatural phenomena, <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20240517_norme-fenomeni-soprannaturali_en.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">published in May 2024</a>, which provide for varying degrees of discernment, from “nihil obstat” to negative judgments, allowing for a more flexible assessment of the spiritual experiences of communities.Since they came into force just over a year ago, it is the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and not the local bishop that pronounces on these events, and the Catholic Church’s discernment process no longer ends “with a declaration of ‘supernaturalitate’ [supernaturalness]” of the events.The objective of the reform of the regulations, approved by Pope Francis, was to prevent fraud and scams that take advantage of the goodwill of the faithful.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115113/vaticano-aprueba-la-devocion-mariana-arraigada-en-un-monte-de-eslovaquia-sin-reconocer-las-apariciones" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:21:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Youth event in Spain draws thousands who are embracing holiness ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265261/youth-event-in-spain-draws-thousands-who-are-embracing-holiness</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/jemj.mass.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Thousands of young people at the opening Mass for JEMJ 2025 on July 4, 2025, at the shrine in Covadonga located in the Asturias province of Spain. / Credit: Courtesy of Marian Eucharistic Youth Day/JEMJ
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Madrid, Spain, Jul 9, 2025 / 15:45 pm (CNA).
At the foot of the shrine in Covadonga located in the Asturias province of Spain — where the Reconquista began centuries ago — more than 1,700 young Catholics from 28 countries gathered recently for the second consecutive year for the Marian Eucharistic Youth Day (JEMJ, by its Spanish acronym), with the firm resolve to undertake a new “reconquest”: that of hearts.The “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Reconquista" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reconquista</a>” (reconquest) refers to a series of battles over the course of centuries that in 1492 eventually ended the eighth-century Moorish conquest of Spain. The<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Covadonga" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Battle of Covadonga</a> (about 720) is considered the start of the Reconquista when Christian forces in Asturias defeated the Muslim invaders. On the afternoon of July 4, an atmosphere of joy, singing, hugs, and reunions enveloped the surroundings of the Holy Cave and the majestic basilica, nestled in the imposing mountain landscape of the Picos de Europa. With backpacks, banners, and rosaries in hand, the first pilgrims began to arrive, ready for three days of an intense faith-filled experience.Under the motto “I will give you a new heart,” young people <a href="https://www.jemj.org/es/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">participated</a> in Masses, Eucharistic adoration, talks, Eucharistic workshops, catechesis, and even a festival in a deeply spiritual yet festive atmosphere, where the hope of a generation that has not renounced living its faith was felt.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/kneeling.cova..jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="A scene from the opening Mass at the Marian Eucharistic Youth Day in Spain on July 4, 2025. Credit: EWTN News"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">A scene from the opening Mass at the Marian Eucharistic Youth Day in Spain on July 4, 2025. Credit: EWTN News</figcaption></figure>At the heart of this youth gathering — which is becoming a key event during Catholic summer activities in Spain — are the Virgin Mary and the Eucharist. Sister Beatriz Liaño of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother religious order and media liaison for JEMJ, shared a revealing anecdote with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.“There were so many young people who wanted to spend the evening adoring the Blessed Sacrament at the shrine that the priests decided to also expose the sacrament on the esplanade so everyone could participate.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/hna.beatriz.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Sister Beatriz Liaño of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Credit: EWTN News"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Sister Beatriz Liaño of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Credit: EWTN News</figcaption></figure>The En Marcha (on the move) JEMJ association, promoter of the initiative, made the event possible with the indispensable help of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, who quietly serve, and more than 200 volunteers.For Liaño, the JEMJ is not just a youth event: “It’s something precious, a gift from the Virgin Mary to her son, Jesus. I believe that the heart of the Mother has called all these young people together to offer them, with total respect for their freedom, a personal encounter with the living Christ in the Eucharist, capable of transforming their lives.”Bishop Juan Carlos Elizalde of Vitoria, Spain, celebrated the opening Mass on Friday evening. More than 30 priests concelebrated.“There is a promise of happiness in the depths of your heart, and you are on pilgrimage because you refuse to resign yourself to vegetating. You leave your home in search of happiness: a new heart, a full life,” the prelate told the young people during <a href="https://www.jemj.org/homilia-de-mons-elizalde-obispo-de-vitoria-misa-de-apertura-jemj-2025/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">his homily</a>.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/juan.carlos.elizalde.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Juan Carlos Elizalde, bishop of Vitoria, Spain, celebrates the opening Mass of the Marian Eucharistic Youth Day on July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtesy of Marian Eucharistic Youth Day/JEMJ"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Juan Carlos Elizalde, bishop of Vitoria, Spain, celebrates the opening Mass of the Marian Eucharistic Youth Day on July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtesy of Marian Eucharistic Youth Day/JEMJ</figcaption></figure>Elizalde also invited the young people to reflect on what the Lord is “shouting out” to them: “We are all called; there is no one without a vocation. The Lord calls us all by name. It’s not a question of consecrated life or priesthood, it is a question of happiness, it is a question of a new heart.”<h2>‘Reconquering what is worthwhile’</h2>Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes of Oviedo was also present at the event. Speaking with ACI Prensa, he recalled the words of Pope Benedict XVI during the 2005 World Youth Day in Cologne: “Looking at these youths so healthy, so hopeful, the Church is alive and the Church is young.”For the prelate, going to Covadonga is “going up to a particularly blessed place, because here a people is born, a Christian people, and here in Mary we find a reason for hope.” He also emphasized that “we must beat with the heart of Jesus Christ.”In his homily during the closing Mass on Sunday, July 6, Sanz invited the young people to “reconquer what is worthwhile, that which gives glory to God as Father and allows us to recognize ourselves as brothers and sisters in Jesus, his son, to proclaim the Christian good news with the power of the Holy Spirit.”He also warned about pornography, a “deception” that “kills the soul and perverts the gaze, stealing the outlook of purity and hope.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/jesus.sanz.montes.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes of Oviedo, Spain. Credit: EWTN News"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes of Oviedo, Spain. Credit: EWTN News</figcaption></figure><h2>Presence of relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis</h2>During the three days of the event, participants had the opportunity to pray before the relic of the heart of Carlo Acutis, the soon-to-be “millennial saint” who continues to guide the new generation of young people and show them that holiness is a goal that is possible.Minutes before the start of JEMJ, a <a href="https://www.jemj.org/en-exclusiva-mensaje-de-la-madre-de-carlo-acutis-a-la-jemj/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">video message</a> from Antonia Salzano, Carlo Acutis’ mother, was shown to the young participants. In the video, she confided to them what her son’s secret to attain holiness was: “Carlo’s secret to being a saint was: Carlo went to Mass every day, did Eucharistic adoration every day, read sacred Scripture every day, and, above all, he prayed the rosary every day, which Carlo said are exorcisms we perform for ourselves.”Carlos Leret, international delegate of the Friends of Carlo Acutis Association, explained to ACI Prensa outside the basilica that Acutis “is an ordinary saint who challenges [people] to holiness” and emphasized that young people “love to be challenged.”Also present at the opening of the event was Friar Marco Gaballo, rector of the Shrine of the Dispossession in Assisi, Italy, and custodian of the relic of Carlo Acutis’ heart. Speaking to ACI Prensa, he described Covadonga as “a place of faith” and expressed his gratitude for the warm reception of the relic: “It has been received with such enthusiasm and such affection… it’s been very beautiful.”For the Franciscan, testimonies like those of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati — who will both be canonized Sept. 7 in Rome — “are sources of inspiration” for today’s youth.In addition, the “protector saints” of JEMJ 2025 were the 11 “Martyrs of Damascus,” eight Franciscan friars and three lay brothers murdered on the night of July 9-10, 1860. These martyrs sought the strength to go through their martyrdom in the Eucharist.<h2>‘Make the most of your youth’</h2>Nuria Leal, a young woman from Valencia, Spain, was in charge of presenting the JEMJ events with her brother, Nacho. “It’s a very great responsibility, but also a very great grace,” she shared with ACI Prensa.The young laywoman, a member of the Home of the Mother, said with conviction that she is already seeing the spiritual fruits of the gathering in her own life: “It’s a weekend in which everything is designed so that the Lord constantly touches your heart. Every talk, every prayer, every workshop… the Lord uses it to enter your heart.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/nuria.leal.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Nuria Leal, presenter of JEMJ 2025. Credit: EWTN News"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Nuria Leal, presenter of JEMJ 2025. Credit: EWTN News</figcaption></figure>“For me, it’s a rekindling of my faith, it’s a waking up and making good use of the youth that the Lord has given us, which is such a wonderful gift,” she added. “It’s discovering it in the Eucharist and bringing it to other young people who may never have heard this great message: that Jesus is alive in the Eucharist, that the Virgin Mary awaits us, she is our mother, and we are so fortunate.”<h2>The musical ‘A Famous Nun’</h2>On the evening of July 4, the musical “A Famous Nun” premiered on the shrine’s esplanade, based on the life of Sister Clare Crockett, a nun who died in an earthquake in Ecuador in 2016.Crockett, originally from Ireland, died at the age of 34 as a missionary for the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Her life changed on Good Friday in 2000, at the age of 17, when she discovered the Lord’s call for her life, despite having dreamed of being recognized for her acting talent since childhood: “My God, I have a vocation! But I want to be famous... So I told myself: I’ll be a famous nun.”The play was presented by <a href="https://www.jemj.org/el-festival-jemj/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Catholic Stuff</a>, a YouTube project for youth evangelization, “characterized by a mix of humor, profound ideas, and sound doctrine.”A few hours before the performance began, the star of the performance, Ana, excitedly shared the details of the show. “It will be successful thanks to the Lord’s help,” she assured.For this young Spanish woman, Crockett taught that “you have to ask God what he wants from you. The Lord is merciful, and no matter what your past life may be, he will always welcome you in his mercy.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/ana.clare.c..jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Ana, the star of the musical about the life of Sister Clare Crockett. Credit: EWTN News"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Ana, the star of the musical about the life of Sister Clare Crockett. Credit: EWTN News</figcaption></figure>Regarding last year’s JEMJ, in which she participated as a member of the choir, she highlighted drawing close to the Eucharist and her desire to continue her apostolate, especially “seeing the faith of so many young people and so many changed lives.”As for herself, Leal said Crockett is very present in her life: “She has always been an example of dedication, of giving 110%. She had migraines, she was tired, but it never showed, and she never said no. She always said ‘everything for souls,’ so we can also say that here in Covadonga: everything for souls.”<h2>The Virgin Mary’s care</h2>Mateo Gratacós, 18, is one of the more than 200 volunteers who made the event possible for the second consecutive year. “You spend a weekend here and have a great time, because there’s a great atmosphere. I came back because I wanted to relive last year’s experience. Volunteering is worth it, even when the going gets tough,” he told ACI Prensa.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/mateo.gratacos.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="18-year-old Mateo Gratacós was one of JEMJ's more than 200 volunteers. Credit: EWTN News"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">18-year-old Mateo Gratacós was one of JEMJ's more than 200 volunteers. Credit: EWTN News</figcaption></figure>“It’s true that some people say young people have less faith, or that we’re constantly on social media, and that gets a lot of attention. But here we have thousands of young people who believe in God and the Virgin Mary, who have traveled from all over to come to Covadonga, and that demonstrates that it’s not true,” he said.Finally, he turned his gaze to the Holy Cave to remind people that “the Virgin is our mother; you feel her presence here; the way she takes care of you is very powerful. There are things that are like direct messages from her, and that’s amazing. For me, that’s what Our Lady of Covadonga is, a mother.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/santuario.covadonga..jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga (Spain). Credit: Michel Curi (CC BY 2.0)"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga (Spain). Credit: Michel Curi (CC BY 2.0)</figcaption></figure>This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115041/jemj2025-miles-de-jovenes-abrazan-su-anhelo-de-santidad-desde-covadonga" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV receives Ukrainian president Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265267/pope-leo-xiv-receives-ukrainian-president-zelenskyy-at-castel-gandolfo</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/zelen.pope.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo on July 9, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 9, 2025 / 15:07 pm (CNA).
On Wednesday Pope Leo XIV took time out from his summer vacation in Castel Gandolfo to receive the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.It was the second time the two have met after exchanging greetings at the Vatican on May 18 in the context of the Mass inaugurating Pope Leo’s pontificate.According to an official statement from the Holy See, the two leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and “the urgency of pursuing just and lasting paths of peace.”<div class="twitter-wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pope Leo XIV took time out from his summer vacation in Castel Gandolfo to receive the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It was the second time the two have met after exchanging greetings at the Vatican on May 18 in the context of the Mass inaugurating Pope Leo’s… <a href="https://t.co/E2NaTM9Neg">pic.twitter.com/E2NaTM9Neg</a>— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) <a href="https://twitter.com/EWTNVatican/status/1943045086331441278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div class="drag-handle" data-drag-handle="true"> </div></div>During the meeting, held behind closed doors, the importance of dialogue was reiterated “as the best avenue for ending hostilities.”The pope expressed his profound sorrow for the victims of the Russia-Ukraine war and renewed his spiritual closeness to the Ukrainian people, encouraging all efforts aimed at the release of prisoners and the search for shared solutions.Leo XIV also reaffirmed the Holy See’s willingness to receive representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican with a view to possible peace negotiations. The audience lasted approximately 30 minutes.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/zelenandpope.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Holy See's willingness to receive representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican with a view to possible peace negotiations during a meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 9, 2025, at Castel Gandolfo in Italy. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Holy See's willingness to receive representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican with a view to possible peace negotiations during a meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 9, 2025, at Castel Gandolfo in Italy. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude on <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1942945232292638839" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">X</a> for the meeting and for “a very substantive conversation” with the Holy Father. “We value all the support and every prayer for peace in Ukraine,” he added.Regarding the proposal for meetings between leaders from both sides of the conflict to be held at the Vatican, he confirmed that “it remains open and entirely possible, with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting, and genuine peace.”However, he lamented that, currently, “only Moscow continues to reject this proposal, as it has turned down all other peace initiatives.”“We will continue to strengthen global solidarity so that diplomacy can still succeed,” he added.He also noted that he especially thanked Pope Leo for his support for Ukrainian children, “particularly those returned from Russian captivity.”“Ukrainian children now have the opportunity for rehabilitation and rest in Italy, and such hospitality and sincerity are extremely important. Today, we also discussed the Vatican’s continued efforts to help return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia,” he noted.He also explained that he spoke with the pontiff about the “the deep respect that Ukrainian society holds for Andrey Sheptytskyy — his actions, including the rescue of Jews during the Second World War and his defense of the Christian faith.”Archbishop Andrey Sheptysky was a leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1900 to 1944, who, at the risk of his own life, saved hundreds of Jews during the Nazi occupation and worked for Christian unity.“We hope that Metropolitan Sheptytsky’s contribution and merits will receive the recognition they deserve,” the president said.<h2>International Meeting on the Reconstruction of Ukraine </h2>Zelenskyy’s visit to Rome is part of the Fourth International Meeting on the Reconstruction of Ukraine to be held in the Italian capital July 10–11.This is a series of international conferences aimed at mobilizing diplomatic, financial, strategic, and political support for the country’s recovery following the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.The meeting will be opened tomorrow by Zelenskyy and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The event brings together heads of state and government from 77 countries and a total of 1,800 attendees, including representatives of 500 companies.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115125/papa-leon-xiv-recibe-a-zelenski-en-castel-gandolfo" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:07:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for creation with Latin prayers in Castel Gandolfo gardens ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265265/pope-leo-xiv-celebrates-mass-for-creation-with-latin-prayers-in-castel-gandolfo-gardens</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sza2520.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
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Vatican City, Jul 9, 2025 / 14:03 pm (CNA).
It was a mix of liturgical old and new in the gardens of Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday as Pope Leo XIV inaugurated a special Mass for the Care of Creation — with key portions in the ancient language of Latin.Against a backdrop of green foliage and a large sculpture of Mary at the pope’s traditional summer residence, the pontiff prayed July 9 for more people to be converted from “the excesses of the human being, with his style of life,” which he said was a major cause of the many natural disasters taking place around the world.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sfo7924.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>“We should pray for the conversion of many people, in and outside of the Church, who still do not recognize the urgency of caring for creation, for our common home,” he said, adding that the world is burning both because of global warming and armed conflicts.The pope also emphasized “the indestructible alliance between Creator and creatures,” which he said “mobilizes our intelligence and our efforts, so that evil may be turned into good, injustice into justice, greed into communion.”The open-air celebration was likely the first use of the prayers and scriptural readings specified for the new Mass formulary. Inspired by Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Laudato Si’</a>, the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265157/vatican-hopes-new-mass-prayers-will-renew-care-for-gods-creation" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">“Mass for the Care of Creation”</a> was presented at the Vatican on July 3.<div class="twitter-wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pope Leo XIV celebrated the first Mass for the Care of Creation, a new formulary of the Roman Missal, at the Laudato Si’ Village in Castel Gandolfo. <a href="https://t.co/Gd19HCz0DP">pic.twitter.com/Gd19HCz0DP</a>— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) <a href="https://twitter.com/EWTNVatican/status/1942966207142908275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div class="drag-handle" data-drag-handle="true"> </div></div>The Mass, attended by around 50 people involved in the Castel Gandolfo-based environmental center Borgo Laudato Si’, was celebrated in Italian but with Leo reciting certain prayers, including the collect and prayer over the offerings, in Latin.The Borgo Laudato Si’ is an initiative to put into practice the principles for integral development outlined in Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical Laudato Si’.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sim8424-1.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Pope Leo XIV poses with visitors at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV poses with visitors at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>Archbishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, told CNA by phone after the Mass that Pope Leo recited the prayers in Latin because that is how they appear in the “typical edition,” meaning the approved original, while official translations have not yet been created.“Pope Leo is absolutely familiar with Latin; it’s certainly not a problem,” the No. 2 at the Vatican’s liturgy office added.Pope Leo gave some insight into his personal experience with the Latin language during a meeting with hundreds of children on July 3, when he explained that he was exposed to the universal language of the Church as an altar server from around age 6, when he would serve at 6:30 a.m. Mass every day before school.“Then it was in Latin; we still had to learn Latin for Mass, and then it changed to English,” he said. “But it wasn’t so much the language [the Mass] was celebrated in, but rather having that experience of meeting other young people who served Mass together, the friendship always, and then this closeness to Jesus in the Church.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/l1031220.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation at Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>The pope celebrated the Mass of Care for Creation July 9 during a planned two-week stay at the pontifical estate, located in the lakeside town of Castel Gandolfo, 18 miles southeast of Rome. The period of limited private and public engagements, which comes just two months into his pontificate, will end July 20.Pope Leo has revived the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265193/pope-leo-xiv-moves-to-the-second-vatican-city-castel-gandolfo" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">400-year tradition</a> of papal vacationing at Castel Gandolfo, a practice eschewed by Pope Francis.Starting his homily for the July 9 Mass on the estate’s gardens with a few improvised comments, the pontiff invited “everyone, beginning with myself, to experience that which we are celebrating in the beauty of what you could say is a ‘natural’ cathedral, with the plants and many elements of creation which they have brought here for us to celebrate the Eucharist, which means, render thanks to the Lord.”He pointed to a reflection pool in front of the altar and recalled a practice in the first centuries of Christianity of having the faithful enter a church by passing through a baptismal font.Leo joked that he would not want to be baptized in that specific water, which featured waterlilies and appeared to be green with algae, but he said the “symbol of passing through the water to all be washed of our sins, of our weaknesses, and so be able to enter into the great mystery of the Church is something that we experience even today.”Viola, who was present at Leo’s Mass, noted the significance of the location, immersed in the beautiful gardens at a site of prayer for some of Leo’s predecessors.“The place where [the Mass] was celebrated was not chosen by chance, because it is the place where several pontiffs stopped to pray during their periods of rest in Castel Gandolfo, before that image of the Virgin Mary,” he explained.Viola called it “a place that has always preserved a dimension of prayer and the prayer of the popes. And so gathering in that place was significant, as if to preserve the heart of [Borgo Laudato Si’] that is being built on the indications of Laudato Si’, which is a heart of spirituality.”Pope Leo, reflecting on the Gospel passage read at Mass — Jesus’ calming of the storm at sea — said the Lord’s disciples, “at the mercy of the storm, gripped by fear,” could not yet profess knowledge of Jesus as heard in the first reading, from St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, that “he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth.”“We today,” the pontiff added, “in the faith that has been passed on to us, can instead continue: ‘He is also the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in all things he might have preeminence.’”“These are words that commit us throughout history, that make us a living body, the body of which Christ is the head. Our mission to protect creation, to bring it peace and reconciliation, is his own mission: the mission that the Lord has entrusted to us,” he said.
]]></description>
<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:03:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope thanks Cardinal Burke, who clashed with Francis, for 50 years of priestly ministry ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265263/pope-thanks-cardinal-burke-who-clashed-with-francis-for-50-years-of-priestly-ministry</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/CNA_5d1b774370fa2_158256_1.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke during the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, June 29, 2019. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
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Vatican City, Jul 9, 2025 / 13:33 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has written a warm and detailed letter to Cardinal Raymond Burke, thanking the American cardinal for 50 years of priestly ministry, in a gesture that marks a shift in tone following years of tension between Burke and Pope Francis.The cardinal was one of the most prominent critics in the hierarchy of the late pope, under whom he fell conspicuously out of favor.Leo’s letter, written in Latin and signed by the pope on June 17, was posted Tuesday by Burke on his official X account. In it, the pope praised Burke “for the prompt service he has zealously carried out and the earnest care he has demonstrated most especially for the law, which has also been of good service to the dicasteries of the Apostolic See.”The pope went on to commend Burke’s pastoral witness, writing: “He has preached the precepts of the Gospel according to the heart of Christ and has recounted His treasures, diligently offering his devoted service to the Church universal.”<div class="twitter-wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Praised be Jesus Christ! I am very humbled to have received this letter from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, for the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of my ordination to the Holy Priesthood. Please join me in thanking Our Lord for the election of Pope Leo XIV, Successor of Saint… <a href="https://t.co/BBLX5VQxdS">pic.twitter.com/BBLX5VQxdS</a>— Cardinal Burke (@cardinalrlburke) <a href="https://twitter.com/cardinalrlburke/status/1942733464245051854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></blockquote><script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div class="drag-handle" data-drag-handle="true"> </div></div>In his post accompanying the papal letter, Burke wrote that he was “very humbled” by it and appealed to his followers to pray for the pope. “May God bless Pope Leo and grant him many years. Viva il Papa!” Burke wrote.The exchange represents a striking departure from the contentious relationship between Burke and Pope Francis, under whose pontificate Burke was increasingly sidelined.Francis removed Burke in 2013 from the Vatican Congregation for Bishops — the curial body that recommends episcopal candidates — and reassigned him the following year from the Church’s supreme court to a largely ceremonial position with the Order of Malta, later taking away many of those responsibilities and eventually removing him altogether.A vocal critic of Pope Francis’ approach to pastoral theology, Burke twice joined other cardinals in submitting “dubia” — formal requests for clarification — regarding the pope’s teachings on Communion for divorced-and-remarried Catholics and blessings for same-sex couples.  He has also been a staunch proponent of the Traditional Latin Mass, which Francis severely restricted in 2021 through his motu proprio Traditionis Custodes. Last month, Burke made an <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264773/cardinal-burke-asks-pope-leo-to-lift-latin-mass-restrictions" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW64331141 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">open appeal</a> to Pope Leo to lift the restrictions on the Latin Mass. Late in his pontificate, Pope Francis told a meeting of Vatican officials in late 2023 that he was taking away Burke’s stipend and rent-free apartment in Rome. In response to an inquiry from CNA on Wednesday about his current situation in regard to the stipend and the apartment, Burke declined through his secretary to comment.Burke, 77, was ordained to the priesthood by Pope Paul VI on June 29, 1975, at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome while studying at the Pontifical North American College.He celebrated his golden jubilee with a Novus Ordo Mass of thanksgiving on Saturday at his titular church in Rome, Sant’Agata dei Goti. Among the concelebrants were Cardinals Dominique Mamberti and James Harvey, the latter of whom delivered the homily.The cardinal’s decades-long service includes posts as bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin (1995–2004), archbishop of St. Louis (2004–2008), and prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (2008–2014). He was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 and served as patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 2014 to 2023.Burke participated in the May conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed Cardinal Burke's age. It is 77, not 76. Also, this story was updated at 3:08 p.m. ET with the cardinal’s response to CNA’s request for comment. (Published July 9, 2025)
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:33:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Florida bishop: No problem with removing criminals, but ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ is troubling ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265259/florida-bishop-no-problem-with-removing-criminals-but-alligator-alcatraz-is-troubling</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/alligatoralcatraz070925.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Rows of bunk beds line the interior of the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility in the Florida Everglades, a repurposed training center now designated for holding immigrants. President Donald Trump appears in the background during a July 1, 2025, visit to the site, which has drawn criticism from Bishop Frank Dewane and other Catholic leaders. / Credit: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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National Catholic Register, Jul 9, 2025 / 12:06 pm (CNA).
A Florida bishop is criticizing recent statements from public officials supporting a new detention facility for illegal immigrants in the Everglades as “obviously intentionally provocative” and degrading to the dignity of people who will be held there. “Decency requires that we remember individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives,” Venice, Florida, Bishop Frank Dewane said in a written statement last week. The Diocese of Venice in southwestern Florida includes the cities of Fort Myers and Sarasota. It also includes an underused training facility and airport that state and federal officials are turning into a detention facility for up to 1,000 people in the country illegally, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” Without naming him, Dewane criticized Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican who served as chief of staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis until DeSantis appointed him attorney general in February to fill a vacancy.Uthmeier posted a<a href="https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1935741644101374271" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> video</a> to social media last month touting the virtues of using the training facility, which is in the middle of the Everglades, to house immigrants here illegally.“You don’t need to invest that much in the perimeter. People get out, there’s not much waiting for ‘em other than pythons and alligators. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide,” Uthmeier said in the video, posted June 19.Dewane expressed concern about the potential living conditions at the site and about the ability of Catholic clerics to provide spiritual services to inmates and staff there. He also chided Uthmeier for what he suggested was disrespect to people who may be held there. “It is unbecoming of public officials and corrosive of the common good to speak of the deterrence value of ‘alligators and pythons’ at the Collier-Dade facility,” Dewane said in the statement, released July 3. “I do not speak so glibly in regard to convicted felons in Florida Department of Corrections facilities.” He also criticized the way President Donald Trump’s administration has gone about removing illegal immigrants from the United States, describing it as overreach. “It is alarming to see enforcement strategies, which treat all unauthorized immigrants as dangerous criminals. Masked, heavily armed agents who fail to identify themselves in enforcement activities are surprising. So is an apparent lack of due process in deportation proceedings in recent months,” Dewane said.The bishop did endorse one major goal of Trump concerning immigration enforcement.“In describing immigration enforcement initiatives, the Trump administration has stated its focus is on removing criminal aliens who endanger public safety. This concern is widely shared. There is no argument with this,” Dewane said.“However,” he added, “the need for just immigration enforcement and the government’s obligation to carry it out must be undertaken in a way that is targeted, humane, and proportional.”Dewane noted that Trump<a href="https://youtu.be/2yq-3CwQTOE?t=83" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> has said</a> in recent weeks that his administration plans to offer passes to foreign farmworkers who don’t have legal residency in the United States. American farmers have said they are suffering from a work shortage and that recent immigration raids have further decreased their supply of labor.“We’re going to sort of put the farmers in charge,” Trump said during a July 3 rally. “We don’t want to do it where we take all of the workers off the farms. We want the farms to do great like they’re doing right now,” the president said. Dewane said the president’s recent remarks on farmworkers reflect what the bishop called “a growing recognition that many, indeed most immigrants, even those who are not lawfully present, are not dangerous but peaceful, law-abiding, and hardworking contributors to our communities and to our economy.” The prelate called for “serious reforms” of the country’s immigration system that “preserve safety and the integrity of our borders, as well as to accommodate needs for labor, family stability, and the ability of those at risk of grave harm to migrate with due process,” without mentioning specific policies. Dewane’s statement includes a link to a January<a href="https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/churchteachingonimmigrationreform" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> statement on immigration</a> from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that says, in part, that “enforcement measures should focus on those who present genuine risks and dangers to society, particularly efforts to reduce gang activity, stem the flow of drugs, and end human trafficking.” The bishops’ conference’s statement also calls for providing “legal processes for longtime residents and other undocumented immigrants to regularize their status.”This story <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/mcdonald-florida-bishop-alligator-alcatraz" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:06:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Norwegian jubilee pilgrimage honors the feast day of St. Sunniva ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265257/norwegian-jubilee-pilgrimage-honors-the-feast-day-of-st-sunniva</link>
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Oslo Coadjutor Bishop Fredrik Hansen speaks to “EWTN News Nightly” on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 9, 2025 / 11:07 am (CNA).
In celebration of the Catholic Church’s jubilee year, hundreds of pilgrims have traveled by boat to the Norwegian island of Selja to honor the feast day of St. Sunniva, Norway’s only recognized female saint.On July 8, the feast day of St. Sunniva, Catholics from multiple countries arrived at Selja, an island just off the west coast of Norway. The faithful gathered to recognize the ninth-century Irish princess whose martyrdom inspired Norway’s first Benedictine monastery and eventually its first diocese.<div style="width:100%" class="mx-auto embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X1ICbeO4Yr8?feature=oembed" class="embed-responsive-item null" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="null" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Oslo Coadjutor Bishop Fredrik Hansen told “EWTN News Nightly” that the island was “where the cross of Christ first arrived in our nation and in our country. So to be here is to celebrate our history, the development of Christianity, the coming of Catholicism to our country.”“We use it now as part of our buildup to the anniversary in 2030, 1,000 years of evangelization,” Hansen said.The island was home to the Selja Abbey before it was abandoned in 1537 amid the Protestant Reformation. The island is now a shrine to St. Sunniva that attracts pilgrims from across the globe.Selja is one of many Catholic pilgrimage sites welcoming the faithful during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.“It felt logical, I think, for all the Catholic bishops in Norway to designate this as a site of pilgrimage, a jubilee site for people to come and to refresh their faith,” Hansen said. The celebration on the island began with prayer as the pilgrims walked the trail from the harbor to the ruins of the monastery, where they celebrated Mass. The faithful also learned more about St. Sunniva’s life and legacy.According to legend, Sunniva was born in Ireland but left after her father’s death. She had rejected a pagan suitor who in turn threatened to destroy her land and oppress her people. The future saint left with a number of other refugees and traveled on a boat that had no sail; the legend claims that they let the current and wind take them where God intended, eventually making it to Selja.Newly ordained Oslo priest Father Mathias Ledum, a frequent pilgrim to Selja, told “EWTN News Nightly” how Sunniva’s story was an inspiration to him when he was discerning his vocation.“I came here on the pilgrimage, and I just felt the intercession of Sunniva very strongly for my vocation, and given her story, going from Ireland and setting out in a boat without any oars, without any sails, and just letting God take control,” Ledum said.Once Sunniva arrived on the island, she and the others took shelter in a cave to escape abuse from enemies they encountered. Ledum said the refugees “prayed to God to be spared from this. And then the cave fell down on top of them. So they died.”Many years later, according to tradition, a light was witnessed in the same cave Sunnivia once hid and died in. It is said to have spread over the whole island. Many said the cave and the relics within it had an inexplicable but pleasant fragrance.“There were signs that … these were holy people,” Ledum said. “And then this place became the seat of the first diocese in Norway. Her relics were here. The seed was planted, and you could see … the living faith of Norwegians today.”“It’s such a great pleasure to be here and to seek their intercession … and to continue to pray for the conversion of Norway,” the priest said.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:07:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ German bishops brace for budgetary blow amid financial crisis ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265255/german-bishops-brace-for-budgetary-blow</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/Limburg_an_der_Lahn-Dom_mit_Altstadt_von_Suedwesten-20140402.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Catholic Cathedral of Limburg in Hesse, Germany. / Credit: Mylius via Wikimedia (GFDL 1.2)
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CNA Newsroom, Jul 9, 2025 / 09:50 am (CNA).
The Catholic Church in Germany is facing a cascading financial crisis as declining revenues force dioceses nationwide to implement drastic spending cuts, with one diocese projecting a staggering deficit of over 100 million euros (about $117 million) by 2035.The Diocese of Limburg — led by the chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing — recorded its first annual deficit of 810,000 euros (about $937,000) in 2024.The deficit signals the beginning of what some describe as an inevitable financial reckoning, <a href="https://de.catholicnewsagency.com/news/20519/bistum-limburg-erwartet-in-zehn-jahren-ein-defizit-von-mehr-als-100-millionen-euro" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">reported</a> CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.The diocese attributes the shortfall to “rising personnel and pension costs, a continuing decline in church tax revenues, and the financial consequences of societal megatrends such as demographic change, declining church affiliation, and increasing secularization.”The financial pressures extend beyond individual dioceses to the national level,<a href="https://de.catholicnewsagency.com/news/20515/rechtstrager-der-deutschen-bischofskonferenz-kundigt-ambitionierte-sparmassnahmen-an" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> reports</a> CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.The Association of German Dioceses, which serves as a legal entity for the German Bishops’ Conference, has announced “ambitious austerity measures” that require cuts of approximately 8 million euros ($9.4 million) from its 129-million-euro ($151.2 million) budget. The association’s full assembly mandated that a balanced budget be presented for fiscal year 2027.Only recently, however, the German Church was awash with cash. Church tax revenue peaked at 6.76 billion euros (about $7.92 billion) in 2019, up by more than 100 million euros on the previous year, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/45228/church-in-germany-receives-highest-ever-church-tax-income-despite-record-exodus" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">despite a record exodus</a> of 272,771 Catholics that same year. The windfall reflected Germany’s robust pre-pandemic economy, which temporarily masked structural weaknesses now coming sharply into view.The financial crisis increasingly reflects the reality in the pews, namely, a precipitous decline in German Catholic membership and practice.For the first time, the number of Catholics in Germany has<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262993/catholic-population-in-germany-drops-below-20-million-for-the-first-time" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> dropped below 20 million</a>, with a total of 19,769,237 recorded in 2024 — a decrease of more than 576,000 from the previous year. Catholics now represent less than a quarter of Germany’s population of 83.6 million.Even more striking is the collapse in active faith practice. Only 6.6% of German Catholics — just over 1.3 million people — regularly attend Sunday Mass, meaning less than 2% of the entire German population participates in weekly Catholic worship.The Church in Germany recorded more than 321,000 formal resignations in 2024, compared with approximately 6,600 new members and readmissions.Vicar General Father Wolfgang Pax emphasized that Limburg’s approach would avoid indiscriminate cuts. The prelate said: “Our goal is not to cut with a lawnmower. We want to align budgetary policy decisions with our ecclesiastical mission and strategic goals — with a clear compass in stormy times.”The financial constraints come as questions persist about the Church’s spending on Germany’s controversial Synodal Way, a multiyear initiative that has drawn worldwide criticism and warnings of potential schism.Reports raised the question of whether the organizers spent more than<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251181/cost-of-germany-s-synodal-way-remains-a-mystery" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> 5.7 million euros</a> (about $6.7 million) on the project between 2019 and 2022, although Church officials have declined to confirm such calculations.The spending has proven particularly contentious, given that the Catholic Church in Germany is funded by both state payments and a mandatory church tax — 8% to 9% of income tax for registered Catholics — making it one of the world’s richest Catholic institutions.Beate Gilles, general secretary of the German Bishops’ Conference, acknowledged the severity of the situation: “The austerity process, which is already running parallel in many dioceses, is unavoidable. There will be hard cuts that are inevitable.”She warned that the Church would be forced to withdraw support from important projects due to resource limitations.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:50:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Toulouse, France, archbishop names rape-convicted priest as chancellor ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265253/toulouse-france-archbishop-names-rape-convicted-priest-to-chancellor</link>
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Archbishop Guy de Kerimel of Toulouse, France. / Credit: Paralacre, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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CNA Newsroom, Jul 9, 2025 / 09:20 am (CNA).
The archbishop of Toulouse, France, has drawn fierce criticism for appointing a priest previously convicted of raping a 16-year-old boy to serve as diocesan chancellor, sparking outrage from victims’ advocates and the local Catholic community.Archbishop Guy de Kerimel named Father Dominique Spina as chancellor and episcopal delegate for marriages, effective Sept. 1, according to a decree<a href="https://toulouse.catholique.fr/publication/decrets-nominations/nominations-du-2-juin-2025/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> published June 2</a> on the archdiocese’s website. The appointment became public knowledge on July 7, when the regional newspaper La Dépêche du Midi<a href="https://www.ladepeche.fr/2025/07/07/jai-pris-le-parti-de-la-misericorde-declare-larcheveque-de-toulouse-mgr-de-kerimel-en-nommant-chancelier-du-diocese-labbe-dominique-spina-condamne-en-12810743.php" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> broke the story</a>.Spina was convicted in 2006 by the Tarbes Court of Appeals for raping a 16-year-old student in 1993 while serving as the boy’s spiritual director at Notre-Dame de Bétharram school. The court sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment, with four years to be served and one year suspended.<h2>Archbishop defends ‘mercy‘ decision</h2>De Kerimel defended his controversial choice in a statement to Agence France-Presse, saying he had “taken the side of mercy” in promoting Spina, who had worked in diocesan archives for five years.“It is true that Father Spina served a five-year prison sentence, including one year suspended, for very serious acts that took place nearly 30 years ago,” the archbishop said, according to<a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/07/07/l-archeveque-de-toulouse-nomme-chancelier-du-diocese-un-pretre-condamne-pour-viol-sur-mineur-en-2006_" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Le Monde</a>.He justified the appointment by arguing that Church officials “have nothing to reproach this priest for in the last 30 years.”The archbishop added that Spina “no longer exercises pastoral responsibility, other than celebrating the Eucharist, alone or exceptionally for the faithful.”The appointment has generated widespread condemnation within Catholic circles.“What is offensive is that this is a priest who was convicted of rape of a minor. It’s unacceptable,” one Toulouse Catholic told La Dépêche du Midi after learning of the news on the diocesan website.Catholic news portal<a href="https://tribunechretienne.com/que-se-passe-t-il-dans-le-diocese-de-toulouse-la-nomination-du-pere-dominique-spina-condamne-pour-viol-sur-mineur-interroge/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Tribune Chrétienne</a> described the decision as causing “astonishment” and raising “serious questions” about the coherence of the Church’s commitment to <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253049/why-the-french-bishops-have-launched-the-world-s-first-canonical-criminal-court" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">fighting abuse</a> following the 2021<a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/7-things-catholics-need-to-know-about-the-french-report-on-sexual-abuse" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> CIASE report</a>.The controversial appointment also raises canonical questions. <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann460-572_en.html#TITLE_III." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Church law requires</a> diocesan chancellors to be “of unimpaired reputation and above all suspicion.”
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:20:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Court agreement limits Virginia’s enforcement of ‘conversion therapy’ ban for minors ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265251/court-agreement-limits-virginia-s-enforcement-of-conversion-therapy-ban-for-minors</link>
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null / Credit: Pormezz/Shutterstock
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
An agreement between the Virginia attorney general’s office and two Christian counselors will limit that state’s enforcement of a so-called “conversion therapy” ban for minors, a law that restricts the way counselors can interact with patients on issues related to transgenderism and sexual orientation.Under the agreement, the state will allow a patient under the age of 18 with gender dysphoria to receive “talk therapy” that helps the patient conform his or her self-perceived “gender identity” to his or her biological sex. It will also allow a minor to receive “talk therapy” intended to align his or her sexual orientation toward attraction to the opposite sex.Counselors who provide this type of therapy based on religious beliefs will not face disciplinary action for providing the therapy sessions to patients who request it, according to the agreement.“This court action fixes a constitutional problem with the existing law by allowing talk therapy between willing counselors and willing patients, including those struggling with gender dysphoria,” Shaun Kenney, a spokesperson for the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, said in a statement provided to CNA.“Talk therapy with voluntary participants was punishable before this judgment was entered,” Kenney added. “This result — which merely permits talk therapy within the standards of care while preserving the remainder of the law — respects the religious liberty and free speech rights of both counselors and patients.”The agreement effectively limits enforcement of the statewide ban. Under a 2020 law signed by former Gov. Ralph Northam, counselors could have faced disciplinary action from regulatory boards if they provided the prohibited therapy, even if the patient had expressly requested it.State law defines “conversion therapy” as any “practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” This includes “efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.”The agreement, approved in the Henrico County Circuit Court, notes that the two counselors who challenged the ban in court — John and Janet Raymond — provide Christian counseling that integrates their religious beliefs in therapy sessions. The agreement states this includes “voluntary conversations, prayer, and written materials such as Scripture.”Because their Christian faith includes a belief that “a person’s behaviors or gender expressions should be consistent with that person’s biological sex” and a belief that “sexual or romantic attractions or feelings should not be directed toward persons of the same sex,” the agreement affirms that the therapy is protected under the state’s constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.The <a href="https://www.foundingfreedomslaw.org" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Founding Freedoms Law Center</a>, which represented the two Christian counselors in court, <a href="https://www.foundingfreedomslaw.org/news/va-conversion-therapy-ban-struck-down" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">called the agreement</a> a “major victory” and stated that the ban is “effectively dead” in Virginia.“With this court order, every counselor in Virginia will now be able to speak freely, truthfully, and candidly with clients who are seeking to have those critical conversations about their identity and to hear faith-based insights from trusted professionals,” the law center’s statement read.“This is a major victory for free speech, religious freedom, and parental rights in Virginia,” the statement added.Jennifer Morse, the president of the pro-family <a href="https://ruthinstitute.org/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ruth Institute</a>, told CNA she believes this legal victory is essentially about free speech, and added that the bans exist because “activists would prefer that no one try to change, because if enough people try, sooner or later, at least some of them will succeed.”“The strategic purpose of these bans is to protect the fiction that people are ‘born gay’ and can never change and that ‘sexual orientation’ is an innate immutable trait, comparable to race or eye color or left-handedness,” she said.“If people start saying ‘I don’t want to be gay. I’m not convinced I was born this way, can I find someone who will talk to me about that?’ enough of them would change enough to disprove these crucial assumptions that underlie the ideology of the committed LGBT activists,” Morse added.In March, the United States Supreme Court <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262661/supreme-court-will-hear-case-challenging-colorado-ban-on-conversion-therapy-for-minors" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">agreed to hear a lawsuit</a> challenging Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy” for minors. That lawsuit, which could set nationwide precedent, focuses on similar arguments about religious freedom and free speech.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Seven Weeks Coffee hits milestone in donations given to pro-life organizations ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265245/seven-weeks-coffee-hits-milestone-in-donations-given-to-pro-life-organizations</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265245/seven-weeks-coffee-hits-milestone-in-donations-given-to-pro-life-organizations</guid>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sevenweekscoffee.png?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Anton Krecic, founder of Seven Weeks Coffee. / Credit: Screen capture “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Seven Weeks Coffee
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CNA Staff, Jul 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Seven Weeks Coffee, an American, pro-life coffee brand, <a href="https://sevenweekscoffee.com/pages/one-million-dollars-for-life?sort_by=manual" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">announced</a> July 7 that it has now donated $1 million to pro-life organizations.Founded in 2021 by Anton Krecic, the coffee company has combined direct-trade specialty coffee with pro-life values. Ten percent of the profit of each coffee bag sold is donated to pro-life organizations, specifically pregnancy resource centers.“When my wife and I founded Seven Weeks Coffee, the skeptics doubted Americans would support a values-based company. They were wrong,” Krecic said in a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seven-weeks-coffee-donates-1-million-to-pro-life-organizations-302498825.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">press release</a>. “We are so blessed to have gone on this journey with our customers, raising money for pro-life causes.”During its time in business, Seven Weeks Coffee has donated to over 1,000 pregnancy resource centers in all 50 states, paid for ultrasounds for pregnant mothers in unwanted pregnancies, and estimates that it has helped save over 9,000 lives.Women from across the country have written to the pro-life coffee company thanking it for its support.“When I found out I was pregnant, I didn’t know what to do. I was scared, alone, and abortion felt like the only option. But the pregnancy center offered me a free ultrasound — and I saw my baby’s heartbeat. That changed everything,” one mother wrote to Seven Weeks Coffee after the company paid for her ultrasound.In an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8DD2omYS9M" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">interview</a> with “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” in 2023, Krecic discussed how he originally wanted to work in politics but ended up running a coffee company instead. He explained that he moved to Washington, D.C., “with a passion just to get involved in the political process” but that he also has always had “a very big heart for the pro-life movement.”After visiting a pregnancy care center several years ago, the experience made a lasting impact on him, which led to his idea to start a pro-life coffee company.“There really was no pro-life coffee company around that I really saw making a kind of a national impact … I was like, ‘There’s a mission here and there’s an impact that we can have,’” he recalled.While trying to come up with a name for the business, Krecic’s wife asked him when a baby in utero was the size of a coffee bean. After doing some research, Krecic found that a baby in utero is the size of a coffee bean at seven weeks. Additionally, this is also when a baby’s heartbeat is clearly detectable during an ultrasound.“So I was like, ‘That is the name. That’s what we’re going to call the company,’” he recalled.In its first year alone, 2022 — which was also the year Roe v. Wade was overturned — Seven Weeks Coffee donated over $50,000 to more than 250 pregnancy resource centers.“God has blessed us more than we could have ever imagined,” Krecic said.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Faith communities hold memorial services for flood victims in Texas ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265249/faith-communities-hold-memorial-services-for-flood-victims-in-texas</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-0234.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Camp Mystic alumnae sing songs after a memorial service on July 7, 2025, for the young campers who perished in floods last week. / Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA
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Houston, Texas, Jul 8, 2025 / 17:51 pm (CNA).
The faith communities of the Texas Hill Country flood victims are rallying in support of the families with Masses, rosaries, and memorial services. The Fourth of July flood disaster near the central Texas town of Kerrville, <a href="https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-08166200/#dataTypeId=continuous-00065-0&period=P7D" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">where the Guadalupe River rose 35 feet</a> in the early morning hours, has claimed over 100 lives so far, including more than 30 young children, with many more still unaccounted for.Especially affected was Camp Mystic, the 100-year-old Christian girls’ camp in Hunt, Texas. At least 27 campers there perished, with several more, including a counselor, not yet recovered.Over the last few days, schools and churches in Houston, where many current and former Camp Mystic families reside, have held prayer services and Masses for the victims and their families.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/texasprayerservice1070825.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Mourners pray in a chapel outside of the Church of St. John the Divine in Houston on July 7, 2025, after a memorial service for the Camp Mystic girls who perished in the floods in central Texas last week. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Mourners pray in a chapel outside of the Church of St. John the Divine in Houston on July 7, 2025, after a memorial service for the Camp Mystic girls who perished in the floods in central Texas last week. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA</figcaption></figure>In an email, Father Sean Horrigan, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, asked the community for prayers for the family of Anna Margaret Bellows, 8, a parishioner who was one of the 27 girls who died in the flood.He said funeral details were forthcoming.St. John Vianney Church held a memorial Mass on Monday, July 7, for Molly DeWitt, another of the young girls who passed away.A filled-to-overflowing memorial service for Camp Mystic families took place on July 7 at the Church of St. John the Divine, an Episcopal church with deep ties to the camp. Buried there is Anne Eastland Spears, former Camp Mystic chairman of the board and mother of camp director Dick Eastland, who lost his life while rescuing campers from the flood.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/episcopalstjohndivine.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="The Church of St. John the Divine in Houston, Texas on July 7, 2025. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The Church of St. John the Divine in Houston, Texas on July 7, 2025. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA</figcaption></figure>The ministers spoke of Jesus’ love for his children, especially when they suffer. St. John’s rector, Rev. Leigh Spruill, encouraged those in mourning to “have hope. Keep talking to God … He may seem absent now, but he hears everything and he is present.”Youth ministry director Rev. Sutton Lowe referred to the Gospel story of Jairus and his little girl, who died and whom Jesus raised from the dead. “When we die, Jesus is there to touch us and say ‘arise,’ and there is new life beyond our imagining,” he said.Rev. Libby Garfield told mourners that “there is a path forward that is lined with the life and death and resurrection of Jesus.”After the service, Camp Mystic alumnae of all ages gathered on the lawn north of the church, forming a large circle in the grass and singing camp songs, many of which were Christian hymns. Ashley Emshoff, an alumna who spoke to CNA after the memorial, told CNA that the camp forges bonds between campers that are lifelong and are “as strong as family.” Mystic alumna and St. John parishioner Alafair Hotze told CNA the Eastland family, who run the camp, became like family to generations of campers.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/cmhouston.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Camp Mystic alumnae and family sing after the memorial service on July 7, 2025, honoring victims of the flash floods in Central Texas last week. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Camp Mystic alumnae and family sing after the memorial service on July 7, 2025, honoring victims of the flash floods in Central Texas last week. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA</figcaption></figure>Emshoff and Hotze said that many Camp Mystic alumnae are so eager for their daughters to become part of the Mystic community that they write to the camp as soon as they find out they are pregnant with girls. The Eastlands respond with a Camp Mystic infant onesie for their newborn and a letter of congratulations (along with a place on the waitlist). Hotze said that Dick Eastland’s death, while tragic, aligned perfectly with the man he was: “He taught us to be selfless and love as Christ loves,” Hotze said.“He died as he had lived,” Hotze said: “Giving his life for those he loved.”
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 17:51:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Italian priest’s suicide underscores humanity of priests ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265247/italian-priest-s-suicide-underscores-humanity-of-priests</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265247/italian-priest-s-suicide-underscores-humanity-of-priests</guid>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/religious.praying.rosary.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The tragedy points to the urgent need to provide support and accompaniment to priests, who often bear great responsibilities and challenges, usually alone. / Credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock
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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 8, 2025 / 16:18 pm (CNA).
The Catholic Church — especially in Italy — was profoundly shocked by the news of the death of Father Matteo Balzano, a 35-year-old priest who took his own life on Saturday, July 5.Alarm was initially raised when he failed to celebrate Sunday Mass. Shortly after, his colleagues found the young priest dead in his parish residence in the town of Cannobio in the Italian region of Piedmont, part of the Diocese of Novara.In a <a href="https://www.diocesinovara.it/addio-a-don-matteo-balzano/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">moving message</a>, Father Franco Giudice, episcopal vicar for clergy and consecrated life in the Diocese of Novara, recalled that “only the Lord, he who scrutinizes and knows each one of us, knows how to understand the most impenetrable mysteries of the human soul.”“We lift up to the God of mercy a prayer for Don Matteo, our brother in the priesthood, expressing our human closeness, in this dramatic moment, to his family and to the entire parish community of Cannobio,” Giudice wrote.Balzano was born Jan. 3, 1990, in Borgomanero, Piedmont. He was a member of the parish in Grignasco and was ordained a priest on June 10, 2017, by Bishop Franco Giulio Brambilla of Novara. He served as parochial vicar in the community of Castelletto sopra Ticino from 2017 to early 2023. After a period of time at the Marian shrine in Re, a village in northern Italy, he enthusiastically resumed his mission among the young people of the oratory of the parish of Cannobio, also serving in the Cannobina Valley, according to the Diocese of Novara.<h2>‘No one knows the hell one has inside’</h2>One of Balzano’s parishioners, Maria Grazia, told the newspaper <a href="https://www.secoloditalia.it/2025/07/don-matteo-balzano-si-uccide-prima-della-messa-aveva-confidato-a-una-parrocchiana-nessuno-sa-linferno-che-uno-ha-dentro/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Il Secolo d’Italia</a> that before taking his own life that he had commented to her regarding the death of another person who was close to the parish that “no one knows the hell one has inside to commit such an extreme act.”On the afternoon of Monday, July 7, a prayer vigil was held at St. Victor Church in Cannobio. On Tuesday, July 8, at 10:30 a.m. local time, Bishop Franco Giulio Brambilla offered the funeral Mass.After the service, burial took place in the cemetery church of Grignasco, about 55 miles southwest of Cannobio.<h2>The human heart of priests</h2>The tragic event points to the urgent need to provide support and accompaniment to priests, who often bear great responsibilities and challenges, usually alone.<a href="https://www.churchpop.com/priest-threatened-with-letter-containing-bullet-falls-victim-to-cyber-attack-do-you-want-me-to-shut-up-never/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Father Omar Buenaventura,</a> a Peruvian priest widely recognized for his work in solidarity with those most in need, reflected on this vulnerability — inseparable from the human condition.“Like any man, I feel, I suffer, I laugh, I cry, I get anxious, I get sad, and many, many times I feel that the weight on my shoulders is too great and is going to crush me,” he wrote <a href="https://www.facebook.com/padreomarbuenaventura/posts/pfbid02sD2Lmh6pUC4dfbtHdS6dPPDetKNkzPTDvd6MBCECKV3Kr6vUUNcCT75gLKKfxSWDl" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">on Facebook</a>.Buenaventura noted that “inside every priest there is a human heart, with feelings, joys, wounds, traumas, and histories that few people know. And when this happens, I can’t help but stop and ask myself about my own life.”“It’s true, God is our strength, but we are made of flesh and blood. And in the face of a situation as painful as this, there are no words. Only faith,” he added.After emphasizing that God is his strength, he acknowledged that he too needs “to be embraced, listened to, supported, loved, forgiven, and cared for. We need to be treated like men, not like machines. Seriously, sometimes the weight is enormous, and without God, I would be crushed too.”<h2>‘We are not the functionaries of the rite’</h2>Along these lines, Father Francisco Javier Bronchalo, a priest of the Diocese of Getafe in Spain, emphasized that priests “are not superheroes” and that the vocation does not alleviate suffering.He explained that “the loneliness of priests is not so much physical but emotional” and emphasized the need for support.Bronchalo also stated that “indifference kills more than hatred” and lamented that many priests live “in a climate of indifference, judgment, and excessive demands. If we make a mistake, they point it out. If we do something right, no one usually says anything.”In this context, the Spanish priest noted that the suicide “is not an isolated case” but rather a symptom that brings to light “communities that demand much but offer little support. Who receive but don’t give [support]. A symptom of priests who silence their pain out of fear or shame and then fall ill and go through an ordeal.” Bronchalo therefore insisted on the need to “rediscover the humanity of the priest”: “We are not the functionaries of the rite. We are poor men with fragile souls who have left everything and have been ordained full of hope. We don’t need pity but truth, prayer, affection, community. God sustains us, but none of us are immune from such a tragedy,” he added.<h2>Not an isolated case</h2>A <a href="https://www.agensir.it/europa/2020/11/27/france-report-on-the-state-of-health-of-priests-to-gain-insight-into-the-risk-of-burnout-and-depression/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">study </a>published in 2020 revealed that at least seven priests died by suicide in France over a four-year period.In <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/priests-turn-to-suicide-as-workload-and-isolation-increase-1.3181459" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the case of Ireland</a>, according to the Association of Catholic Priests, at least eight priests have taken their own lives in the last 10 years. Another <a href="https://catholicoutlook.org/priestly-loneliness-and-disquietude-a-structural-problem/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">worrying example</a> is Brazil, where 40 priests died by suicide between 2016 and 2023.These incidents are often associated with overwork and too many responsibilities, poor mental health including anxiety and depression, as well as a culture of being over-demanding of oneself and clericalism.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115067/suicidio-del-p-matteo-balzano-evidencia-la-humanidad-de-los-sacerdotes" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:18:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Oratory priest in London calls Catholic politicians to confession before Communion ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265243/oratory-priest-in-london-calls-catholic-politicians-to-confession-before-communion</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/Brompton_Oratory_London_England_October_27_2008_Credit_James_Grey_via_Flickr_CC_BY_NC_ND_20_CNA.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Brompton Oratory in London, with which the London Oratory School is associated. / Credit: James Grey via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Dublin, Ireland, Jul 8, 2025 / 15:38 pm (CNA).
At Sunday Mass at the Brompton Oratory in Knightsbridge, London, Provost Father Julian Large pleaded with members of Parliament (MPs) who voted in favor of abortion up until birth or assisted suicide not to present themselves for Communion.During his July 6 homily at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Large referred to the recent and widely reported situation in which Chris Coghlan, a Catholic MP, voted in favor of assisted suicide and then <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265077/british-mp-chris-coghlan-criticizes-catholic-priest-father-ian-vane-for-refusing-holy-communion-over-bill" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">publicly criticized his parish priest</a> for refusing him Communion.Ahead of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults Bill, the Liberal Democratic MP had been told by his parish priest Father Ian Vane that if he voted for assisted suicide, he would be an obstinate public sinner and be denied Communion.Subsequently, at Mass the weekend following the Westminster vote, Vane publicly announced that Coghlan had broken canon law and was being denied Communion.Coghlan subsequently took to social media and complained to the press that his parish priest had tried to coerce him when all he was doing was representing the views of his constituents.An Oratory Mass-goer told the <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thecatholicherald.com/author/herald/__;!!GfxeEQ!TvU0VVv5vGfxYVDxAD2aYB9Ya6cYjJwbMO1tdMvMq298HxfVEaII0osyLXU1hEORfLrKSy6ebBp0sDg$" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Catholic Herald</a> that Large commended Vane for his courage and charity in calling the MP to repentance. And, while the provost acknowledged that he did not recognize any of the names of the Catholic MPs who voted in favor of either of the bills, and therefore would not be in any position to refuse them Communion, he pleaded that if any were present at Mass, they first repent of their sins and receive absolution in the sacrament of penance before presenting themselves at the altar rail.Large also encouraged Catholics more broadly to reflect on whether they were receiving Communion worthily and to approach Communion as though it were their first and their last. Indeed, in his June 30 <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.bromptonoratory.co.uk/provost-blog__;!!GfxeEQ!TvU0VVv5vGfxYVDxAD2aYB9Ya6cYjJwbMO1tdMvMq298HxfVEaII0osyLXU1hEORfLrKSy6eH-bD0yw$" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">parish newsletter</a>, Large lamented the lack of piety and seriousness among the parents of young Catholics receiving their first holy Communion in the oratory.“Judging by the comportment of many of the adults in church at the first holy Communion Masses, however, it seems that in many cases it will be down to the children to set a good example to the grown-ups. The roar of chatter, and the marching backwards and forwards in front of the high altar before and after the Mass without any sign of acknowledgment for the King of Kings who is present in the tabernacle give the impression that many of the adults (including those once educated at expensive Catholic schools) treat the event more like a summer cocktail party.”Coghlan wrote on X: “I thought an MP could keep their religion private but there’s been some discussion about mine. If there isn’t space in the Catholic Church for those who don’t subscribe to all of it, that’s a shame.”The Brompton Oratory in London is a community of 10 priests who are part of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. It has emerged as a significant focus and location of renewal of Catholicism in the United Kingdom. Thousands attend Mass there each weekend, including many young people. This trend reflects a growing interest in traditional practices within the Church.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:38:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Judge says government must keep funding Planned Parenthood in spite of Medicaid cutoff ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265241/judge-says-government-must-keep-funding-planned-parenthood-in-spite-of-medicaid-cutoff</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/plannedparenthoodminneapolis051425.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A Planned Parenthood facility in Minneapolis. / Credit: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 8, 2025 / 14:24 pm (CNA).
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the government’s effort to defund Planned Parenthood by ordering President Donald Trump’s administration to continue funding to the nation’s largest abortion provider for at least the next 14 days.<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/pdfs/gov.uscourts.mad.286600.18.0.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The court order</a>, signed by Judge Indira Talwani, partially halts a provision in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that would have cut off Medicaid reimbursements for certain organizations that perform abortions. Trump signed the bill on Friday, July 4, after it passed both chambers of Congress with support from most Republicans and no Democrats.Planned Parenthood Federation of America <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/pdfs/1-complaint-07072025.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">sued the administration</a> just three days after Trump signed the bill into law and asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement against the organization while its litigation continues. Talwani signed the order on the same day.In <a href="https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/district-court-blocks-defund-provision-in-medicaid-case-2" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a statement shortly after the order was signed</a>, Planned Parenthood thanked the judge for acting quickly “to block this unconstitutional law attacking Planned Parenthood providers and patients.”According to the statement, Planned Parenthood staffers had “been forced to turn away patients who use Medicaid to get basic sexual and reproductive health care.”The lawsuit asserts the defunding effort targets Planned Parenthood “for punishment” and that even though the organization isn’t singled out by name, it is “the target of the law.” It claims the bill denies Planned Parenthood equal protection under the law and that the network has been targeted because of “its unique role in providing abortions and advocating for abortion rights and access across the country.”In a statement provided to CNA, a White House official did not get into specific legal arguments but stated that the provision to defund organizations that perform abortion is in line with public opinion.“The Trump administration is ending the forced use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund or promote elective abortion — a commonsense position that the overwhelming majority of Americans agree with,” the official said.Katie Glenn Daniel, the director of legal affairs and policy counsel at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, told CNA that Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit is “brazen defiance of elected leaders, both the president and Congress, who had every right to act on the will of the people to stop forced taxpayer funding of Big Abortion.”“Before the ink was even dry on President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, abortion giant Planned Parenthood ran to court to protect their cash flow of over $2 million a day from American taxpayers, and an activist federal judge obliged by ordering the spigot turned back on,” Glenn Daniel added.Glenn Daniel thanked the Trump administration for “standing firm on principle” and accused Planned Parenthood of trying to “run out the clock and rake in every last tax dollar they can.”“We’re confident [the Trump administration] will prevail and the abortion industry’s last-ditch money grab will fail,” she said.Under <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248452/us-bishops-petition-to-preserve-hyde-amendment-surpasses-130000-signatures" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">long-standing federal law</a>, taxpayer money cannot be used to fund most abortions. Federal funds have historically still covered non-abortive services at abortion clinics through Medicaid reimbursements.Planned Parenthood’s annual <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264069/planned-parenthood-says-abortions-at-all-time-high-taxpayer-funding-increasing" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">report for July 2023 to June 2024</a> disclosed that the abortion network received nearly $800 million in taxpayer funding in that period, which accounted for almost 40% of its total revenue. A large portion of these funds come from state and federal Medicaid reimbursements.Pro-life organizations for decades <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265069/thousands-rally-across-the-us-urging-congress-to-defund-planned-parenthood" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">have urged</a> the federal government and state governments to end all taxpayer funds for organizations that perform abortions. The legislation signed by Trump halts federal Medicaid reimbursements to those organizations for one year, but activists hope to make the policy shift permanent.The issue came before the Supreme Court in its last term after South Carolina halted state-level Medicaid reimbursement funding for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic facilities. Two patients who received non-abortive services at those facilities sued the state, claiming that the policy violated their right to receive services at the provider of their choosing.In <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265027/states-can-withhold-medicaid-funds-from-planned-parenthood-us-supreme-court-rules" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a 6-3 decision</a>, the Supreme Court sided with South Carolina, finding that the patients did not have a legal right to sue. However, the current case against the federal government is distinctly different because the abortion network — rather than the patients — filed the lawsuit on different grounds.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:24:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ IRS ends 70-year gag rule, says churches can now endorse political candidates ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265239/irs-ends-70-year-gag-rule-says-churches-can-now-endorse-political-candidates</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265239/irs-ends-70-year-gag-rule-says-churches-can-now-endorse-political-candidates</guid>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/internalrevenueservice082924.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building in downtown Washington, D.C. / Credit: Rob Crandall/Shutterstock
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CNA Staff, Jul 8, 2025 / 13:54 pm (CNA).
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) this week backed off a decades-old rule first established during the Eisenhower administration, declaring for the first time since the 1950s that churches and other nonprofits can openly endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status.The order resolves <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/258987/religious-broadcasters-sue-irs-over-rule-limiting-political-speech-for-nonprofits" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a lawsuit launched in August 2024</a> by a coalition of religious broadcasters, one that challenged the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which says that 501(c)(3) nonprofits may not “participate in or intervene in” political campaigns.Advocates have argued that the rule shields the nonprofit industry from caustic politics. The National Religious Broadcasters, meanwhile, said in its suit that the tax rule punished churches by “silenc[ing] their speech while providing no realistic alternative for operating in any other fashion.”In <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/pdf/2024-08-28-complaint.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a filing on Monday</a> with the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Texas, the IRS agreed with the religious broadcasters in that “communications internal to a house of worship, between the house of worship and its congregation, in connection with religious services” do not run afoul of the amendment’s prohibition on “participating in” campaigns.The rule “imposes a substantial burden on plaintiffs’ free exercise of religion,” the filing states.The document points to numerous nonprofits that are allowed to opine on political candidacies even as churches remain barred from doing so. The Johnson Amendment is “not a neutral rule of general applicability,” it says.Religious entities “cannot fulfill their spiritual duties to teach the full counsel of the Word of God if they fail to address such issues and to inform their listeners how the views of various political candidates compare to the Bible’s position on such matters,” it states.The Monday filing asked the court to accept the agreement, which will bar the IRS from enforcing the rule. The court accepted the decision shortly after its filing.The National Religious Broadcasters did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/35363/trump-defends-refugee-policy-as-part-of-protecting-religious-freedom" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said at the 2017 National Prayer Breakfast</a> that he aspired to “get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution."When proposed in 1954, the Johnson Amendment was passed with no debate, <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1954-pt7/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1954-pt7-9-1.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to the congressional record.</a> A 2017 effort in the House of Representatives to repeal the amendment <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/172/all-actions" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">died at committee.</a>
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:54:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ New museum in Turin, Italy, honors soon-to-be saint Pier Giorgio Frassati ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265237/new-museum-in-turin-italy-honors-soon-to-be-saint-pier-giorgio-frassati</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseum3070825.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati opened in Turin, Italy, on Juy 5, 2025, offering pilgrims and visitors an immersive look at the soon-to-be saint’s vibrant faith, political engagement, and Marian devotion. / Credit: Archdiocese of Turin
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Turin, Italy, Jul 8, 2025 / 13:24 pm (CNA).
A new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati has opened in Turin, Italy, offering pilgrims and visitors an immersive look at the soon-to-be saint’s vibrant faith, political engagement, and Marian devotion.Housed in the former rectory of the Church of Santa Maria di Piazza — where Frassati used to spend hours in Eucharistic adoration — the permanent exhibition, titled “Verso l’altro” is an initiative of the Archdiocese of Turin and opened its doors on July 5.Cardinal Archbishop Roberto Repole of Turin and Mayor Stefano Lo Russo presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The unveiling capped three days of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of Frassati’s death.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseum1070825.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Cardinal Archbishop Roberto Repole of Turin, Italy, (center) and Turin Mayor Stefano Lo Russo (right) preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 5, 2025, at the new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati in Turin. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Cardinal Archbishop Roberto Repole of Turin, Italy, (center) and Turin Mayor Stefano Lo Russo (right) preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 5, 2025, at the new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati in Turin. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>In an interview with CNA, the cardinal expressed his hopes for the future of the small museum.  “[Frassati] tells us that at any age of life you can live a full life, a holy life,” Repole said. “My hope is that this will be a place that brings together many dimensions of our city,” he added. “That it can also become a place of connection between people belonging to different cultures and peoples because it could really be visited by so many tourists and that it will be a testimony especially to the world of youth.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseumrepole070825.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Cardinal Archbishop Roberto Repole of Turin speaks with CNA at the opening of the new Pier Giorgio Frassati museum in Turin, Italy, on July 5, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Cardinal Archbishop Roberto Repole of Turin speaks with CNA at the opening of the new Pier Giorgio Frassati museum in Turin, Italy, on July 5, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>While small in size, the exhibition houses multiple rooms with large video projections, historical photos, and some of Frassati’s belongings to tell the story of his life.  The name of the museum plays off Frassati’s famous words, “Verso l’alto” (“To the heights”). By adding one letter to the phrase, the title of the exhibition, “Verso l’altro” (“Toward the other”) also draws attention to his works of charity with the poor and marginalized. The exhibition arrives just in time for the influx of visitors expected for the Vatican’s Jubilee of Youth in late July and for Frassati’s canonization, which will take place alongside that of Blessed Carlo Acutis on Sept. 7.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseum6070825.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Visitors watch an exhibit at the new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati in Turin, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Visitors watch an exhibit at the new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati in Turin, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>Christine Wohar, executive director of Frassati USA, a Nashville, Tennessee-based nonprofit apostolate dedicated to spreading awareness of his life, welcomed the museum as a long-overdue tribute in Frassati’s hometown.“There are several significant social saints from the Turin area — Don Bosco, Caffaso, Allamano to name a few — not to mention the holy shroud,” Wohar said. “So Pier Giorgio Frassati is just one among many in the area. This is frustrating if you have a devotion to him and cannot find any information about him anywhere.”Frassati’s tomb is located in Turin’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, which also houses the Shroud of Turin, a sacred relic believed to be the burial cloth of Jesus.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatitomb070825.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="The tomb of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The tomb of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>“The first time I visited the cathedral, I walked right past his side altar and didn’t even know his coffin was there,” Wohar said. “There was no explanation that it is located behind the floral display painted by his mother.”“I am very excited that there will be an exhibition space dedicated just to him and hope it will be something permanent for future pilgrims to enjoy, especially after he is canonized,” she added.The exhibition includes excerpts from Frassati’s letters, videos showcasing the places that shaped him — Turin, its suburbs, European cities he visited, and the countryside of Pollone — and brings special focus to the mountains he used to climb as a symbol of his spiritual ascent.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseum4070825.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="A new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati opened in Turin, Italy, on Juy 5, 2025. While small in size, the exhibition houses multiple rooms with historical photos and some of Frassati’s belongings to tell the story of his life. Credit: Archdiocese of Turn"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">A new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati opened in Turin, Italy, on Juy 5, 2025. While small in size, the exhibition houses multiple rooms with historical photos and some of Frassati’s belongings to tell the story of his life. Credit: Archdiocese of Turn</figcaption></figure>Next to Frassati’s snowshoes mounted on a wall of the museum is a quote from one of his letters written to a friend in 1923. “Every day I fall more and more in love with the mountains and would like to spend whole days in the mountains contemplating in that pure air the greatness of the Creator,” Frassati wrote. Repole emphasized that Frassati is an important witness for young people today as “a young man full of vitality and joy.” “I think this can be very fruitful and helpful for young people today who sometimes are struck by anxieties and sadness,” Repole said.  “Above all I would say that he is a man of faith, someone who really staked his existence on faith in Jesus Christ, finding in him a full meaning of life that made him live it to the fullest even though he died young, and of this meaning I think young people today have a great need,” he added. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseum7070825.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="People gather inside of the Church of Santa Maria di Piazza in Turin, Italy, to listen to speeches by Cardinal Roberto Repole and others involved in putting together the new museum dedicated to Pier Giorgio Frassati in Turin on July 5, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">People gather inside of the Church of Santa Maria di Piazza in Turin, Italy, to listen to speeches by Cardinal Roberto Repole and others involved in putting together the new museum dedicated to Pier Giorgio Frassati in Turin on July 5, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>“What strikes me most is his Eucharistic devotion,” the cardinal noted. Sister Carmela Busìa, the archdiocese’s pastoral coordinator for youth and children, described the exhibit as an invitation to discover how “to live youth intensely.” “We are very excited about the opening of this place dedicated to Pier Giorgio Frassati: His witness is truly precious and encouraging for young people,” she said. “He was able to find time for everything: friendships, study, prayer, commitment, and fun. In ‘Verso l’altro’ young people will find a companion on the road, to understand how to dedicate themselves to others.” <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatimuseum5070825.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="A new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati opened in Turin, Italy, on Juy 5, 2025. The exhibition houses multiple rooms with large video projections, historical photos, and some of Frassati’s belongings to tell the story of his life. Credit: Archdiocese of Turn"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">A new multimedia museum dedicated to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati opened in Turin, Italy, on Juy 5, 2025. The exhibition houses multiple rooms with large video projections, historical photos, and some of Frassati’s belongings to tell the story of his life. Credit: Archdiocese of Turn</figcaption></figure>Admission to the museum, located at Via Santa Maria, 4, is by reservation only via email at <a href="mailto:prenotazioni@versolaltro.it" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW17973334 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">prenotazioni@versolaltro.it</a> or on the website <a href="https://versolaltro.it/frassati/prenotazioni/" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW17973334 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">versoaltro.it</a>.  Currently, the video installations are only in Italian, but English, Spanish, and Polish versions will be available beginning Sept. 1 for international visitors attending the canonization. Pilgrims can also visit <a href="https://frassatiusa.org/visit-the-family-home" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW17973334 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the Frassati family home</a> in Pollone, about 50 miles north of Turin, where with special permission they can see Pier Giorgio’s bedroom, preserved with his original furniture and offering views of the Alpine peaks he loved.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:24:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ ‘Humility marches’ offer alternative to ‘pride’ parades in Philippines ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265233/humility-marches-offer-alternative-to-pride-parades-in-philippines</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/humilitymarch070825.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
“Humility marches” are prayerful citywide Eucharistic processions and public acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Philippines. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Humilitas for the Sacred Heart; public domain
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 8, 2025 / 12:29 pm (CNA).
Hundreds of young Catholics across the Philippines gathered in June for public acts of penance and prayer, participating in what organizers called “humility marches” in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.Raven Castañeda told the <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/humility-overcomes-pride-in-the-philippines" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">National Catholic Register</a>, CNA’s sister news partner, that he witnessed an LGBT “pride” event at his Catholic school, Ateneo de Davao University.“I could not understand how it was possible for a Catholic university to allow an event that promotes vice and pushes for an ideology that is contrary to the truths of our faith,” he said.After Castañeda saw the event he went to the school’s Our Lady of the Assumption Chapel and prayed. At that point, he said he was moved by the Spirit to take a vow: “I will publicly wave the banner of his most humble and most Sacred Heart to remind people that in his heart is the love that saves.”Castañeda helped lead volunteers door to door to different parishes to promote their event to reclaim the LGBT-centric “pride month” for God. Young volunteers have coordinated with parishes across the country to organize similar marches and Eucharistic processions, the Register reported.Catholic groups including the Missionary Families of Christ, Singles for Christ, Youth for Christ, Pro-Life Philippines, and the Philippine Social Conservative Movement joined efforts to promote and support the marches.In some cases, former “pride” marchers have joined the humility marches. One attendee, Xyril — who previously identified as a lesbian — told the Register that she converted to the Catholic faith from Protestantism amid her feelings of “emptiness.” After seeing a vision of a “glowing heart of Jesus” during transubstantiation, the experience moved her toward the Catholic Church.She characterized the humility marches as “reverent and sacred,” adding that it felt like a “homecoming to the heart of Christ.”Leo, another attendee, told the Register: “I used to struggle with sexual sins, and even try to excuse it or justify it, telling myself it’s not really wrong because ‘everyone’s doing it anyway.’”“But then I realized that’s what pride is. Pride says, ‘I will follow my own will, make my own rules, redefine gender, marriage, and sexuality the way I want it’ — rather than following God’s will and God’s design for sexuality. It’s ‘My will be done’ not ‘Thy will be done.’”“Jesus must be Lord over every aspect of my life — including my sexuality — [or] else he is not Lord at all,” Leo told the Register.Father Joel Jason, a Filipino priest who promotes St. John Paul II’s theology of the body teachings, told the Register that pride is the product of original sin. “Pride says, ‘I am not a creature; I am my own creator.’ It is the original sin of the first man and woman that separated them from God,” the priest said. After the march, youths signed a promise statement that reads: “We are the young Church of the Philippines. We are committed to promote and grow in our devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist; to walk with the poor, finding ways to serve them and champion their cause — for, in them, we see the Sacred Heart; to build a society where truth reigns and is guided by Christ’s teachings; and to evangelize boldly, even when it’s uncomfortable, strengthening communities that are formed in the orthodox Catholic faith.” Organizers told the Register they plan to continue expanding the event annually and hope it will encourage more young Filipinos to live lives of humility, reparation, and faithfulness to Church teachings.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:29:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ 5 ways to sanctify your summer vacation and evangelize ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265225/5-ways-to-sanctify-your-summer-vacation-and-evangelize</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/beach.sunset.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Summertime vacations can also be very spiritually beneficial. / Credit: Egor Pasko from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 8, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).
With the arrival of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, many people take a vacation, a period of rest away from their routine but also a unique opportunity to reconnect with their faith.A bishop, a mother, and a priest shared some tips from their own experiences for “sanctifying vacations” and evangelizing at vacation spots.<h2>1. Take time to connect with God.</h2>Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the bishop of Matamoros-Reynosa in Mexico, Eugenio Lira, emphasized that summer is a time of rest to “recreate” ourselves, that is, to “completely renew ourselves.”The prelate thus advised “dedicating time to prayer and contemplation” to “connect” with God and “better see the great gifts he gives us,” being aware “that we are unconditionally and infinitely loved.”In this context, the Mexican bishop invited the faithful to value more and be aware that “we must responsibly care for our lives.” He also advised dedicating time to reading good books, “talking with family and friends, and doing something for others, such as evangelizing, going on a mission trip, visiting the sick, prisoners, a retirement home or a nursing home.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/bishop.mexico.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Bishop Eugenio Lira of Matamoros-Reynosa, Mexico. Credit: Diocese of Matamoros-Reynosa, Mexico"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Bishop Eugenio Lira of Matamoros-Reynosa, Mexico. Credit: Diocese of Matamoros-Reynosa, Mexico</figcaption></figure>Lira even encouraged people to use social media to “share a Gospel message that conveys faith, love, and hope. We can always do something to improve and help make the lives of others better.”<h2>2. Strengthen family ties.</h2>Leticia Sánchez de León lives in Rome with her husband and four children. Although she studied law in Madrid, she has been working in strategic communications since 2016. She currently has a blog on family communication and education and moderates family counseling courses.Sánchez de León shared several tips for “living a Christian summer, healthy, joyful, generous with others, where God is found in the small details and where all family members can recharge to return to their daily routine in September.For the mother, by putting these small things into practice, “we will go deeper into what it means for the family to be a domestic church in the midst of the society of our time and from which the individual can set out to build a more just, more welcoming, more peaceful, more convivial, and more deeply human humanity.”First, she advised strengthening family ties and rediscovering “harmony” among family members: “During vacation, we have more time to relate face-to-face with our spouse and our children and to listen more closely,” she said.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/leticia.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Leticia Sánchez de León, a Spaniard, lives in Rome with her husband and four children. Credit: Almudena Martínez-Bordiú/ACI Prensa"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Leticia Sánchez de León, a Spaniard, lives in Rome with her husband and four children. Credit: Almudena Martínez-Bordiú/ACI Prensa</figcaption></figure>To this end, Sánchez de León emphasized, it can be very helpful to “pray for them before the vacation begins.” She also encouraged spouses to maintain good communication and maintain harmony between them, since “on vacation people often get upset.” She also encouraged them to enjoy simple family plans: “Those memories will remain firmly fixed in their hearts, and tomorrow, what they will remember about what it is to be a family will be those plans together, where everyone had a voice, where everyone could choose, where everyone did things for each other.”<h2>3. Instill detachment and generosity.</h2>Sánchez de León also noted that sometimes we have a “distorted idea of vacation.” She consequently reminded everyone that vacation is a time “to instill some values that we struggle to transmit during the year, due to the lack of downtime.”In this sense, she highlighted two family values: detachment and generosity. Although during vacation “rules and schedules are relaxed,” she advised parents to say “no” from time to time, so that their children appreciate things more. “The virtues of detachment and austerity are not very fashionable these days and therefore attract a lot of attention when seen in other people,” she noted.“In families,” she added, “everyone has to pitch in and collaborate, always assigning small tasks appropriate to their age and helping them if we see they aren’t capable or need a push: taking out the trash, unloading the dishwasher, setting the table, watering the plants, emptying the beach bag, hanging up swimsuits, etc.”<h2>4. Take a vacation, but with God.</h2>All of these ideas, Sánchez de León clarified, “really stem from the intention to live out our vacation with a Christian sense of purpose,” since “everything is deeply connected to our life with God.”“How are we going to give meaning to vacation, plans, and moments of connection if we are distracted from the ultimate meaning of our lives? How can we bring Jesus to others during vacation if we don’t have him within us and within our summer home, between the beach towels and bags of potato chips?” she asked.“God also wants to be with us in the summer. He wants us to enjoy ourselves, and he wants to see us enjoying ourselves with him. God wants to be in our family plans and in the ice cream drippings on our children’s T-shirts; we can share everything with him,” she pointed out.To achieve this, she advised “not forgetting the small spiritual or devotional practices” that are usually practiced during the academic year, such as praying the rosary, some spiritual reading, the Angelus at noon, or saying grace before meals.“By practicing these things, we elevate our souls to God and can give thanks for what we are receiving this summer. Vacation is also a great opportunity to pray more serenely, dive into reading, and deepen our relationship with God,” she affirmed.Finally, the mother of four noted that, “if we maintain this harmony, we will also be more able to look upon others better, help them, serve them, overcome friction, and have more patience. Putting God into our daily lives will help us live a more Christian summer that will give us rest and deeply fill our souls. We will also be creating unforgettable memories for ourselves to continue building upon in the years to come.”<h2>5. Preach by example.</h2>Father Héctor Razo, an Opus Dei Mexican priest, pointed out in a conversation with ACI Prensa that evangelization during vacation “can be done through one’s own life and one’s own example of a life lived united with Jesus.”“Sometimes we Christians can think that changing the world in which we live — this world that is increasingly secularized — is a feat that would take years, or perhaps centuries, when in reality that is not the case,” he explained.He thus invited the faithful to reflect on the early Christians: “They had everything against them, and yet they managed to convert an entire society from pagan to Christian. How did they do it? By their example, because they belonged to Christ and that person had changed their hearts.”In this regard, he recalled St. Josemaría Escrivá, “the saint who would preach the universal call to holiness through ordinary life,” who summed it up in one sentence: Know Jesus Christ, make him known, take him everywhere. That is, “be so in love with Christ that it becomes so natural for us to speak about him to those around us.”To achieve this, he encouraged Catholics to “live our own faith wherever we are, without shame. If we say grace at home, we should also do so when we are on vacation with our friends and relatives.”“Teach your children that God deserves a place even during vacations, by going to Sunday Mass and perhaps one more day during the week. By praying the rosary as a family a couple of days a week, with the intention of praying for something special and involving everyone in that prayer; that is, by having each child lead a mystery,” Razo suggested.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/114981/como-evangelizar-en-verano-5-consejos-para-santificar-las-vacaciones" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ 2 Midwest Catholic universities merge, set sights on preserving Catholic identity ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265227/two-midwest-catholic-universities-merge-set-sights-on-preserving-catholic-identity</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/767169d9-7aa3-493b-89f8-767de9acc67e.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
(Left to right) Bishop Dennis Walsh of Davenport, Iowa; St. Ambrose University President Amy Novak; Mount Mercy University President Todd Olson; and Conference for Mercy Higher Education Executive Director Julia Cavallo at the June 27, 2025, Milestone Celebration. / Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University
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CNA Staff, Jul 8, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Two Midwest Catholic universities are merging in the hopes of making Catholic education more accessible — a “proactive” step amid decreasing enrollment numbers across the nation.The small, historic institutions — <a href="https://sau.edu/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">St. Ambrose University</a> in Davenport and <a href="https://www.mtmercy.edu/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mount Mercy University</a> in Cedar Rapids — have both had a presence in eastern Iowa for more than a century.In what St. Ambrose University President <a href="https://sau.edu/about-sau/directory/leadership/amy-novak.php" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Amy Novak</a> called a “defining moment,” St. Ambrose has become the parent organization of Mount Mercy, according to a <a href="https://www.mtmercy.edu/news-events/news/2025/06/combination-milestone-celebration" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">recent press release.</a><figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/583dede5-948d-4e3c-be0f-3313014050da.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="St. Ambrose University President Amy Novak (left) and Mount Mercy University President Todd Olson (right) at the June 27, 2025, Milestone Celebration. Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">St. Ambrose University President Amy Novak (left) and Mount Mercy University President Todd Olson (right) at the June 27, 2025, Milestone Celebration. Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University</figcaption></figure>The plan, Mount Mercy media representative Taryn DeBoard explained, is a “proactive” one — not a reaction to financial challenges.“Both institutions are currently in good financial standing and bring strong offerings to the partnership,” DeBoard told CNA, citing the universities’ “strong endowments, minimal debt, and wonderful community connections.”Mount Mercy University President <a href="https://www.mtmercy.edu/faculty-staff-directory/olson-todd" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Todd Olson</a> said this first step ensures the universities can “begin investing in a future that empowers our students, faculty, staff, and alumni communities across both universities.”“Together, we are stronger, and together, we will be able to serve our missions in even more transformative ways,” Olson said in a June 27 <a href="https://www.mtmercy.edu/news-events/news/2025/06/combination-milestone-celebration" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a>. “By joining together, we are honoring the founding missions of both institutions while also building something more adaptive, more sustainable, and more student-centered,” Novak added.The change takes place <a href="https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">amid a national trend</a> of <a href="https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">decreasing enrollment</a>, which has affected <a href="https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/college-enrollment-decline/#:~:text=US%20College%20Enrollment%20Decline%20%E2%80%93%20Enrollment%20Cliff%20(Continued)&text=Enrollment%20at%202%2Dyear%20public,54%25%20between%202010%2D2021." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">colleges of all sizes</a> <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256983/historic-notre-dame-college-in-ohio-to-close-this-spring-after-100-years" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">across the country</a> — though some Catholic colleges have continued to grow in spite of the trend, as<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/259765/colleges-with-strong-catholic-identity-see-record-enrollment-in-fall-2024" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> previously reported by CNA</a>.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/af7e8a2c-2f2f-452d-b641-bf6059f6b97b.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Attendees at the combination Mass for St. Ambrose and Mount Mercy universities. Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Attendees at the combination Mass for St. Ambrose and Mount Mercy universities. Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University</figcaption></figure>When the two presidents met to discuss challenges facing Catholic higher education in the region, they decided to address them through “collaboration rather than competition,” according to DeBoard.“It was critical that this combination started from a point of strength and not from a point of desperation,” DeBoard said.With this recent development, the universities look ahead to becoming fully integrated by mid-2026.To preserve the character of the original institutions, not everything will be merged. For instance, the two universities will merge library systems but won’t combine <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/04/nx-s1-5321066/two-catholic-colleges-in-iowa-merging-to-reduce-costs-expand-offerings" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">sports teams. </a>A big priority lies in preserving the unique Catholic identities of the two colleges. Leaders considered “Catholic roots” to be “extremely important” as the two colleges considered merging, DeBoard said.“This combination is about specifically preserving Catholic higher education,” DeBoard noted. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/640ea096-cb67-4015-baf9-0f26f8a53814.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="St. Ambrose University grotto in Davenport, Iowa. Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">St. Ambrose University grotto in Davenport, Iowa. Credit: Zyon Velázquez/St. Ambrose University</figcaption></figure>St. Ambrose — named for the Church father St. Ambrose of Milan — is a diocesan university, while Mount Mercy was “founded on the philosophies and teachings of the <a href="https://www.mercycare.org/about/our-history/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sisters of Mercy</a>,” DeBoard explained.  “While we both have different foundations, we have found that we are much more alike than we are different, driven by similar missions, visions, and values,” she said. Throughout the merger, DeBoard said it is critical that the colleges “keep the foundation and values of each respective school at the forefront.”Catholic leaders tied to the universities commended the decision, which was <a href="https://www.mtmercy.edu/news-events/news/2024/05/sau-mmu-agreement" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">first announced in 2024.</a>The Sisters of Mercy in Cedar Rapids <a href="https://sau.edu/education-together/statement-from-the-sisters-of-mercy/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">encouraged</a> the colleges “to continue to preserve the nearly 100-year-old legacy of the Sisters of Mercy in Cedar Rapids,” while the archbishop of Dubuque also expressed his support for the “innovative spirit of cooperation.” DeBoard noted that the “new shared mission” will incorporate “aspects of both the diocesan and Mercy charisms.” Both the <a href="https://davenportdiocese.org/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Diocese of Davenport</a> and the Sisters of Mercy will be represented on the board of trustees, DeBoard said. “Our shared Catholic identity will remain the foundation, but the opportunities to collaborate, innovate, and serve even more students, especially those historically underrepresented in higher education, are what excite me most,” Novak said.DeBoard said he hopes they will be a “model” for other Catholic colleges.“We hope other institutions will look at this model and consider exploring similar partnerships as a way to sustain Catholic higher education for many years to come,” DeBoard said.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ How a teenage boy became a ‘ninja fighting hunger’ ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265211/19-year-old-uses-ninja-warrior-platform-to-serve-the-poor</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/a1a22536-a254-47be-9cb9-95f6f98d368f.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Austin Baron at the “American Ninja Warrior”course filming for Season 17 of the show. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Austin Baron
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 8, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
At just 19 years old, Austin Baron is taking college classes, competing on sports reality television, making handmade dog toys, and raising tens of thousands of dollars to feed the hungry. How does he do it all? According to him, it’s all thanks to “the gifts God’s given” him.Baron is a rising sophomore at the University of Notre Dame and the founder of <a href="https://www.knotperfect.org/home" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Knot Perfect</a>, a nonprofit that has provided more than 100,000 meals to children and families across the globe. He is now using his participation on NBC’s reality television show “American Ninja Warrior” to help expand his outreach.<h2>Discovering his mission</h2>Baron was first moved to feed the hungry when he was 12 years old and volunteered at his parish, <a href="https://sainttheresaparish.com/activity/youth-vs-hunger/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">St. Theresa Catholic Church</a> in Ashburn, Virginia, to pack meals for Cross Catholic Outreach’s food distribution ministry You(th) vs. Hunger. “I learned that a billion people go to bed hungry each night,” Baron told CNA. “The meals I was packing with my own hands would be the only food for someone else to eat.”“That really inspired me to want to do something to help them. Billion is a big number, and I decided that I wanted to start collecting donations because that would be a way that we could pack more meals and feed more people.”Baron began collecting donations and gave them to a number of organizations that help provide meals but primarily to You(th) vs. Hunger. In order to “excite people and to encourage them to donate,” he said, he decided to turn it into a fun experience by giving those who donated a handmade dog toy.“I love animals — especially dogs,” Baron said. “And around the same time that I wanted to start feeding the hungry, I started making dog toys. I watched videos to learn how to make them.” Since then, Baron has made more than 1,500 knotted dog toys.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/d53b7297-3892-4ffd-bd97-2809cad5960f.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Austin Baron pictured with the handmade knotted dog toys given to people who have donated to Knot Perfect. Credit: Photo courtesy of Austin Baron"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Austin Baron pictured with the handmade knotted dog toys given to people who have donated to Knot Perfect. Credit: Photo courtesy of Austin Baron</figcaption></figure>Around the time of the pandemic, it became more challenging for Baron to collect cash donations, so at 16 years old, with the help of his parents and brothers, Baron turned his project into a nonprofit that could collect online donations. He named the organization Knot Perfect to represent both the knotted toys and the imperfect world where hunger is an issue across the globe.<h2>Using ‘American Ninja Warrior’ to feed the hungry </h2>After starting Knot Perfect, Baron had an inspiring rock-climbing experience that sparked his next big move.“I went rock climbing on a cliff over the Atlantic Ocean, and I really had a wonderful experience doing that. And then ... around the same time I was doing that, I started watching ‘[American] Ninja Warrior.’” <a href="https://www.nbc.com/american-ninja-warrior" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">“American Ninja Warrior”</a> is a sports-competition reality show that features athletes from around the country who compete on “the most difficult obstacle courses.” Participants compete for the fastest time and race to get a “button push” — pressing the buzzer at the end of the course indicating they completed the obstacle without falling off. After watching the series, Baron “went to a ‘Ninja Warrior’ gym to train and to try the obstacles that were on the show, and [I] just really fell in love with the sport, and especially the ninja community.”“Everyone was super supportive, even though we’re all competing against each other on the course. Everyone helps each other and shares their tips and encourages them on all the obstacles … then a friend suggested that I apply for the show.”“I didn’t know if I was going to get in,” Baron said. “[But] I feel like God really blessed me with the opportunity to be on the show and to use it to advocate for an end to world hunger and to encourage other people to do good in the world.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/97c82447-717c-46ad-baba-55ceb83ebf6e.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Austin Baron completes the "American Ninja Warrior" course and advances to the semifinals for Season 17. Credit: Photo courtesy of Trae Patton/NBC"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Austin Baron completes the "American Ninja Warrior" course and advances to the semifinals for Season 17. Credit: Photo courtesy of Trae Patton/NBC</figcaption></figure>Baron heard back that he was accepted for Season 15 of the show. In 2023, he participated and made it to the semifinal round. (Approximately 40,000 of the meals provided by Knot Perfect were a direct result of Baron’s appearance on “American Ninja Warrior.”)Baron was invited to rejoin the show for Season 17, which is taking place in Las Vegas this summer. So far he has been a fierce competitor, hitting his first buzzer on the June 2 episode, which advanced him to the upcoming July 14 semifinals.Wearing a shirt that says “Ninja Fighting Hunger” on the episode, Baron said he is “dedicating [his] summer to being the hands and feet of Christ for the 1 billion people around the world who go to bed hungry each night.” <h2>Knot Perfect’s next steps</h2>As much as Baron enjoys the course and community of “American Ninja Warrior,” he said, “The whole reason I go on the show is to advocate for world hunger … As a result of being on the season this year, we’re trying to pack our 1-millionth meal as a community in northern Virginia. It’s our 10-year anniversary of packing meals, and we have a big goal of hitting that million-meal mark.”The anniversary marks a milestone for You(th) vs. Hunger, and Baron said he hopes “American Ninja Warrior” can help the Catholic community reach its goal, as a donation of just $10 allows the organization to feed 30 people.“My mission of feeding the hungry, starting a nonprofit, and then going to the University of Notre Dame and competing on [‘American Ninja Warrior’], I just felt that God has really blessed me with this opportunity,” Baron said. “I felt his hands, him walking me, and helping me throughout it.”As he heads into his sophomore year, Baron will continue to study business analytics to continue his nonprofit and its mission after he graduates. He recently received two grants totaling $1,650 to help him reach his donation goals. He was also selected as the Virginia Young Man of the Year by the Knights of Columbus in 2024 for his work. But he gives all the credit to God. “I’m so grateful to God for the gifts he’s given me and to use it to do something good for other people. I couldn’t have done any of this without him,” Baron said. “It’s him, not me. I’m so grateful to him for that.”
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Report details killings, discrimination against religious minorities in post-Assad Syria ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265229/report-details-killings-discrimination-against-religious-minorities-in-post-assad-syria</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/d84a3299.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Mourners gather in the Church of the Holy Cross in Qassaa, Damascus, for the funeral of many who lost their lives in a terrorist attack at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria’s capital on Sunday, June 22, 2025. / Credit: Mohammad Al-Rifai/ACI MENA
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 7, 2025 / 17:51 pm (CNA).
Allies of the new Syrian government and other non-state actors have continued violence and discrimination against Christians, Druze, and Shia Muslims, <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/2025%20Syria%20Policy%20Update.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to a new report</a> from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).Syrian rebels, many of whom were affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), toppled former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024. The report notes that HTS members, many of whom were foreign fighters, engaged in mass killings and other forms of persecution against religious minorities during the overthrow of Assad and have continued violations after taking control of the government.Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, commanded HTS during the revolution. He was also previously a member of al-Qaeda. In addition to HTS, the report also noted that members of Turkish-backed political opposition and militias (TSOs) and other organizations that engaged in mass killings and religious liberty violations have been welcomed into high-ranking positions in the new Syrian government.Despite these developments, the new Syrian government has vowed to protect religious liberty as it sets up its new government. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to work with the new leadership and has lifted sanctions and removed HTS’ designation as a terrorist organization.The USCIRF is encouraging the Trump administration to impose conditions on sanction removals that require improvements in religious liberty. The report also encourages the U.S. government to impose targeted sanctions on people and organizations that continue violations of religious liberty. USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi told CNA that the commission’s primary concern for Syria’s Christians and other religious minorities is “that the transitional authorities’ actual policies and actions match their claims of supporting a religiously inclusive future for the country.”“The U.S. administration must condition its lifting of sanctions with clear measures so that the emerging government fully abandons its extremist past, extends equal protection to all religious minorities, and enshrines comprehensive religious freedom into Syria’s laws and institutions,” Elsanousi said.<h2>Religious persecution and killings</h2>The most egregious violence after the new government took control was waged against Alawite Muslims — a Shia sect to which Assad and many of his allies belonged — and against Druze — an Abrahamic religion that is separate from Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.According to the report, unidentified rebels burned the homes of civilian Alawites in Latakia and waged an arson attack against an Alawite shrine in Aleppo last December. It also notes that men who may have been affiliated with the new government executed Alawites and members of the Twelver Shia sect in the Hama province.The report notes in January and February, HTS loyalists conducted “door-to-door interrogations and select executions” of Alawite Muslims around the Mediterranean coast. In March, the report adds, “the murders escalated to full-blown sectarian massacres” of Alawites in Latakia and Tartus based on allegations of “pro-Assad remnants.”“Tallies put the confirmed death toll at between 1,700 and 2,246, with the caveat that the actual numbers might be much higher,” the report states.The report references additional reports of civilian massacres of Alawites “with no known links to the Assad regime” during that time frame. It states that persecutions against Alawites seem to have decreased since March but that as recently as May, there were reports of fighters who may have been affiliated with the government kidnapping Alawites.Additionally, “a new wave of killings” against Druze began in April, according to the report. This includes “militant Islamist” supporters of the new government killing 134 people in a suburb of Damascus that month.In March, Syriac Orthodox Christians who lived near the anti-Alawite violence reported that the Christian death toll was “three people,” but other persecutions against Christians took place.“Islamist militia members regularly intimidated and taunted Christians at checkpoints and looted the homes of Christians with no known links to the Assad regime,” the report states.The report notes that the new government has retained many HTS fighters, including “the most militant violators of religious freedom during the Syrian civil war,” within the military. People who are associated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) hold high positions in the government as well.For example, intelligence chief Anas Khattab is a former al-Qaeda commander. Abu Hatem Shaqra, who was given a high-level military position, personally participated in executions and other forms of religious persecution “such as recruitment of ISIS members and trafficking of Yazidi women and girls into sexual and domestic slavery,” according to the report.<h2>The future of Syria</h2>In spite of these religious liberty violations, the report notes that the new government has stated its intent to be “inclusive of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities.”The new government has taken credit for thwarting a planned ISIS attack against a Shia shrine and denounced an ISIS attack that killed 25 worshippers at Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus. It also held a one-day conference to speak with representatives of minority religions.Alternatively, the new government intends to maintain HTS control for a transitional five-year period. It also notes that after the conference with the minority religions, the government expressed its intent to enshrine Islamic jurisprudence as “the major source of legislation.” After the conference, it notes that the government only expressed its intent to safeguard Christians, Muslims, and Jews, but not other religions.“The recent bombing of the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264983/solemn-farewell-for-victims-of-damascus-church-bombing-amid-anger-at-government-silence" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church</a> in Damascus and massacres earlier this year targeting Alawis in Syria’s coastal areas serve as tragic reminders that these communities remain under serious threat of violence,” Elsanousi said.Jeff King, the president of International Christian Concern, told CNA the report “exposes the failure of Syria’s transitional government … to protect its Christian minority.”“This illegitimate regime, composed of rebranded al-Qaeda and ISIS operatives, has done little to curb radical Islam’s campaign to eradicate Christianity in Syria,” he said. King called the bombing of Mar Elias Church in Damascus, which killed <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264971/pope-leo-xiv-deeply-saddened-by-islamist-attack-on-a-church-in-damascus" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">25 Christians</a>, “a stark example” of “ongoing persecution enabled by the government’s inaction or complicity.”“The Catholic community worldwide must advocate for Syria’s dwindling Christian population, which is now a fraction of its prewar size, and press the international community to reject the legitimacy of this jihadist-led government and demand robust protections for religious minorities,” King emphasized.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:51:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Catholic leaders, government officials offer condolences and support to Texas flood victims ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265223/catholic-leaders-government-officials-offer-condolences-and-support-to-texas-flood-victims</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/kerrville1.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller speaks to the press after the memorial Mass for the Guadalupe River flood victims on July 6, 2025. / Credit: Sophie Abuzeid
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Houston, Texas, Jul 7, 2025 / 17:17 pm (CNA).
Catholic leaders and government officials on Monday continued to issue statements of solidarity and support to victims of the catastrophic flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country over the weekend. The death toll rose to 94 Monday afternoon, according to county officials, with Camp Mystic, the girls’ Christian camp devastated on July 4, confirming that 27 girls have perished, while 10 girls and a counselor from the camp are still unaccounted for.Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville held a memorial Mass for the flood victims on Sunday. Afterward, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller told CNA the Church is “listening to the cry of all those who suffer, and their cry is not falling on deaf ears.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/kerrville2.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Worshippers pray at the Texas Hill Country flood victims' memorial Mass in Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Credit: Sophie Abuzeid"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Worshippers pray at the Texas Hill Country flood victims' memorial Mass in Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Credit: Sophie Abuzeid</figcaption></figure>He said that “pain and sorrow and death do not have the last word”; rather, “goodness, truth, love, and care [do], and hope never dies.” The Mass had already been scheduled as the installation Mass for the parish’s new pastor, Father Scott Janysek.In his first homily as pastor at Notre Dame, Janysek said in a time of crisis, “there is only one community. Whether we’re Catholic or Protestant … at this time, boundaries do not exist. We are one community, and we are all hurting.”“We are one Church,” Janysek continued. He asked the congregation: “What does Catholic mean?”“Universal!” they responded eagerly.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/kerrville3.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="People pray during the memorial Mass for victims of catastrophic flooding in Texas at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Credit: Sophie Abuzeid"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">People pray during the memorial Mass for victims of catastrophic flooding in Texas at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Credit: Sophie Abuzeid</figcaption></figure>“Yes, it means universal. It’s a description of what we are. We are the universal Church. We are one community.”Janysek spoke of <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265221/2-sisters-catholic-school-students-lost-in-texas-flood-remembered-for-faith-and-kindness" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the two young girls who attended St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas</a> who drowned and were found with their hands clasped together 15 miles from where they had been staying, saying: “We are connected to the Church in Dallas… We are connected to all the churches across our state. We hurt with them.”Archbishop Joe S. Vasquez of Galveston-Houston released<a href="https://www.archgh.org/news/archbishop-vasquez-statement-on-the-flooding-in-kerr-county" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> a statement</a> on July 5 saying the archdiocese joined the Archdiocese of San Antonio in “praying for those affected by the recent severe flooding” and asking for God’s protection over and comfort for the victims, their families, and first responders.He continued: “We entrust the souls of those who passed to the mercy of our heavenly Father, and we seek the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, imploring her assistance in the rescue of those still missing.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-0071.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="St. Peter Catholic Church in Boerne, Texas, a parish near Kerrville that is organizing aid for the flood victims. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">St. Peter Catholic Church in Boerne, Texas, a parish near Kerrville that is organizing aid for the flood victims. Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA</figcaption></figure>Father Norm Ermis, pastor at St. Peter Catholic Church in Boerne, a town about 40 miles from Kerrville, said at the Mass on Sunday that the parish would be informed of how it could help flood victims in the coming week.Ermis said he spends a lot of time on the Guadalupe River and was grieving with all who had lost loved ones.San Antonio resident Bridie Chaudoir told CNA that she had almost sent her daughter to Camp Mystic in July, but she decided in the end to send her in August. Had she attended in July, she would have been in the Bubble Inn cabin, which was washed away by the swiftly moving floodwaters and whose occupants are all believed to have perished.Chaudoir’s sons and nephews were rescued from Camp La Junta, also located in Hunt. Her son, Henry, 12, told CNA he prayed a decade of the rosary, the guardian angel prayer, and the St. Michael prayer the night before the flood.She told CNA the Camp Mystic community’s response to its grieving members has been “overwhelmingly beautiful.” Gov. Greg Abbott declared Sunday, July 6, as a day of prayer for the victims. President Donald Trump declared Kerr County a federal disaster area on July 6, and the White House Faith Office issued a statement that evening, saying <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1942015905325588701" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">on social media</a>: “May God wrap his loving arms around all of those in Texas. Psalm 34:18: ‘The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’”
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:17:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV given 2 electric, eco-friendly ‘popemobiles’ for travel ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265219/pope-leo-xiv-given-2-electric-eco-friendly-popemobiles-for-travel</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265219/pope-leo-xiv-given-2-electric-eco-friendly-popemobiles-for-travel</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/popemobiles070725.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Two “popemobiles” have been given to Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Vatican Media
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 7, 2025 / 15:34 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has been given two electric vehicles that can be transported by air and will accompany him on his international travels.According to a statement from the Governorate of Vatican City State, the delivery took place during a July 3 private meeting held at the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, with the participation of a delegation from the <a href="https://www.exelentia.it/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Exelentia</a> company and the Club Car Group, responsible for the vehicle design project.The two vehicles are the result of collaboration between the Italian company Exelentia — founded by Domenico and Giovanni Zappia and specializing in the design, customization, and distribution of electric commuter vehicles for individuals, businesses, and public entities — and the Vatican Gendarmerie, which supervised and validated every stage of development.The cars, based on electric models from the <a href="https://www.garia.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=consumer_garia-conversion-bg_search-branded&utm_content=22674027583_186533125328_757924126488&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22674027583&gbraid=0AAAAA9iE4SjcqAZlKlYXCvG7bWdXBaQHK&gclid=CjwKCAjw4K3DBhBqEiwAYtG_9B7sx9oBf5X1all22G1LZlH2dDth09TXhfJ77lWZ3IQeSNY0LtgAixoCtDMQAvD_BwE" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Garia</a> company (part of the Club Car Group), have been completely customized by hand with high-precision technical and artisanal craftsmanship.Designed with total sustainability criteria, the vehicles produce no environmental emissions or noise pollution. One of their main advantages is the ability to be transported by plane without having to be disassembled, which represents a logistical benefit for the pope’s travels.According to the Vatican Governorate, the Italian airline ITA Airways also actively collaborated on the project, providing technical data on the vehicles’ dimensions and the means to secure them in place required for transport on intercontinental flights. With a compact design and great maneuverability, the two vehicles are designed to move agilely in tight spaces or with high pedestrian density, such as squares, shrines, or urban centers. Furthermore, according to the Vatican, elements such as a front handlebar and side supports under the armrests have been incorporated, ensuring greater comfort and stability for the pope inside the vehicle.The project responds to the need to provide the Holy Father with sustainable, practical, and safe means of transportation that adapt to the demands of his pastoral trips. Its use will extend to both private trips and the public appearances that Leo XIV will make in various cities around the world.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115027/regalan-a-leon-xiv-dos-vehiculos-electricos-y-ecologicos-para-sus-viajes-apostolicos" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:34:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ 2 sisters, Catholic school students, lost in Texas flood remembered for faith and kindness ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265221/2-sisters-catholic-school-students-lost-in-texas-flood-remembered-for-faith-and-kindness</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265221/2-sisters-catholic-school-students-lost-in-texas-flood-remembered-for-faith-and-kindness</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-2001.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Guadalupe River, already spilling over its banks on July 4, 2025, (left), rose to a record breaking 47.4 feet on July 5 (right). / Credit: Sophie Abuzeid
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 7, 2025 / 15:04 pm (CNA).
Two sisters who attended St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas were among the victims of the Texas Hill Country flash floods that have devastated parts of the state, the school confirmed <a href="https://www.strita.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=125657&type=d&pREC_ID=2680788" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">in a statement</a> on Saturday.Blair Harber, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were vacationing with their parents and grandparents on the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas. The flash flood raised the river more than 22 feet in half an hour in the early morning hours of July 4, dislodging and carrying away their cabin, in which they were staying with their grandparents.They were discovered in Kerrville, 15 miles from their cabin community, with their hands clasped together, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/06/us-news/sisters-killed-in-texas-flood-found-with-their-hands-locked-together-grandparents-remain-missing/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to reports</a>.Their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, have yet to be found.According to a message shared by their aunt, Jennifer, on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/rjrcd-support-the-harber-family-after-tragic-loss?attribution_id=sl:38fc847d-4859-4a16-bd56-222c2528f710" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GoFundMe page</a> started for the Harber family, the girls’ parents, who were staying five cabins away from their children, awoke at around 3:30 a.m. on Friday to the sound of the storm and were forced to break a window in their cabin to escape. The girls’ father, RJ, had attempted to kayak to the girls’ cabin, but the water was too high and he was forced to turn around.The family reported receiving text messages from the girls sent as their cabin filled with water.“Brooke texted my brother [her father], her grandmother and grandfather on Annie’s side, saying ‘I love you’ at 3:30 a.m.,” the girls’ aunt wrote. “Blair and I had a conversation about God and heaven two weeks earlier. They had their rosaries with them.” The two girls will have a joint funeral at St. Rita’s at a date that will be determined after their grandparents have also been found, according to the aunt’s message.“We are beyond devastated and so heartbroken,” she concluded. “Prayers are much appreciated and what we needed at this time.”<h2>‘Young women of deep faith’ </h2>“Blair and Brooke were young women of deep faith, and religion was one of their favorite subjects. On the night they died, they went to the loft of their cabin with their rosaries,” the school said in its statement. “Even in their last moments, they held tightly to each other, a powerful symbol of their lasting bond and their trust in God.”<div class="twitter-wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The two Catholic sisters, Blair and Brooke Harber, who lost their lives in the devastating Kerr County floods, were found with their hands locked together and, according to their aunt Jennifer Harber, had their rosaries with them—they were believers, and one of their favorite… <a href="https://t.co/1TpgcLgM3Y">pic.twitter.com/1TpgcLgM3Y</a>— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sachinettiyil/status/1942074142867468761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2025</a></blockquote><script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div class="drag-handle" data-drag-handle="true"> </div></div>The school remembered Blair as having “the kindest heart” and for being an “an outstanding student,” who was both “enrolled in advanced classes and actively involved in school activities.”Blair played several sports, including volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, and cheerleading. She was also a student ambassador, a member of the yearbook committee, and was involved in the school’s speech and drama program. “Brooke was an excellent student who brought joy and energy wherever she went,” the school said of the younger of the two sisters. Like her sister, Brooke was also actively involved in sports, including soccer, basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse, and was “known for her spirit and determination.” Brooke also loved speech and drama, “and had a particular gift for improv that brought smiles and laughter to those around her,” the school said.“In this time of deep sorrow, we stay grounded in our faith and united in love. We will stand with the Harber family in the days to come, surrounding them with our prayers, compassion, and unwavering support,” the school said, adding: “As a community of faith, we hold onto the hope and promise that Christ has defeated death, and that eternal life is waiting for those who love him.” <h2>Background</h2>Flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265203/catholics-mobilize-aid-response-after-historic-flash-floods-devastate-texas-hill-country" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">began in the early hours of July 4</a>. Heavy rainfall filled the creeks that emptied into the several rivers that wind through the normally arid hills known as the Texas Hill Country, located north and west of San Antonio and Austin.The Guadalupe River near where the girls had been staying rose so quickly that the National Weather Service’s evacuation orders were not issued in time to evacuate. The river swelled over 22 feet in half an hour around 4 a.m. on July 4, according to local officials, devastating parts of the towns of Hunt, Kerrville, and Comfort.A girls’ Christian summer camp in the area, Camp Mystic, has confirmed the deaths of 27 campers and counselors that had been missing, including an entire cabin of 8- and 9- year-old girls, <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/camp-mystic-kerr-county-flood-20758799.php" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to local reports</a>, bringing the overall death toll to at least 89 people. At least 850 people have been rescued. Ten campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/texas-flooding-camp-mystic-07-07-25-hnk" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to CNN</a>.Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of San Antonio said a memorial Mass for the victims on July 6 at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville.President Donald Trump declared Kerr County a disaster area on July 6.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster for 15 counties on July 4, deploying more than 500 first responders, 14 helicopters, boats, high water vehicles, and drones. Abbott pledged <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRnGIzf4A-g" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">at a press conference in Kerrville on Friday</a> that rescuers “will stop at nothing” to find every victim of the catastrophic flooding.Rivers continued to rise through the holiday weekend. In the early hours of Saturday, July 5, the Guadalupe River rose to <a href="https://x.com/StormHQwx/status/1941280478348419157/photo/1" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a record 47.4 feet</a> in Bergheim, Texas, about 50 miles from Kerrville.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:04:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s incorrupt body to be in Rome for Jubilee of Youth ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265217/blessed-pier-giorgio-frassati-s-incorrupt-body-to-be-in-rome-for-jubilee-of-youth</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265217/blessed-pier-giorgio-frassati-s-incorrupt-body-to-be-in-rome-for-jubilee-of-youth</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/piergiorgiofrassati-adolescent.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died at the age of 24 in 1925, is beloved by many Catholic young people today for his enthusiastic witness to holiness that reaches “to the heights.” / Credit: Public domain
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 7, 2025 / 14:15 pm (CNA).
Update: The Vatican's jubilee office on Tuesday, July 8, removed posts on its website and social media pages referring to plans to expose Frassati's relics as described below. A spokesperson for the jubilee year told CNA the initiative is not yet confirmed.The coffin holding the incorrupt body of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be in Rome for veneration during the Jubilee of Youth July 26 through Aug. 4.According to the Vatican’s jubilee office, the coffin will be transferred from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, in the Italian region of Piedmont, to the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome.Frassati, originally scheduled to be canonized on Aug. 3 during the Jubilee of Youth, will now be declared a saint by Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, Sept. 7, together with Blessed Carlo Acutis.Frassati’s remains will be displayed in the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome until Aug. 4 so that they can be venerated by young people attending jubilee events July 28 through Aug. 3, when Pope Leo will celebrate the youth jubilee’s closing Mass at the Tor Vergata University campus on the southeastern outskirts of Rome.The young blessed’s relics were also present at <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/12048/relics-of-bl-pier-giorgio-to-be-taken-to-australia-for-wyd" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia</a>, in 2008, at the request of Cardinal George Pell.Frassati was born to a prominent family in Turin in 1901. He balanced a deep life of faith with active engagement in politics and service to the poor. He joined the Dominican Third Order, climbed Alpine peaks, and distributed food and medicine to the needy in the poorest parts of Turin.This weekend, towns in northern Italy <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265201/italy-marks-100-years-since-death-of-pier-giorgio-frassati-as-canonization-nears" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">marked 100 years</a> since Pier Giorgio Frassati’s death on July 4, 1925, from polio.When Frassati’s coffin was opened during his beatification process in 1981, his body was found to be incorrupt, or preserved from the natural process of decay after death. According to Catholic tradition, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254416/what-is-incorruptibility-here-s-what-you-need-to-know" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">incorruptible saints</a> give witness to the truth of the resurrection of the body and the life that is to come.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ EWTN launches new series on Catholic homesteading ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265213/ewtn-launches-new-series-on-catholic-homesteading</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265213/ewtn-launches-new-series-on-catholic-homesteading</guid>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/homesteading.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Catholic homesteader Jason Craig is featured in “On Good Soil” on EWTN. / Credit: EWTN
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National Catholic Register, Jul 7, 2025 / 13:45 pm (CNA).
With a title like “On Good Soil,” you might expect EWTN’s new series on homesteading to feature a lot of talk about living off the land and learning to farm. What you probably wouldn’t expect is a deep dive into how people in our modern society connect — or don’t connect — and how the teachings of the Catholic Church, including those of St. Thomas Aquinas, can help all of us rethink how we live, even in a big city.The five-part series airs at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday, July 7, through Friday, July 11, with an encore at 2:30 a.m. ET the following morning.Each 30-minute episode explores such questions as: What is the difference between a suburban home and an intentional homestead that may or may not be in a rural setting? Why do many families today feel so disintegrated from society? Most importantly, why do so many of us, who live in a world that encourages us to be constantly on the move, find ourselves longing for community and rootedness?Episode 5 challenges preconceptions about small-town living. Host Jason Craig says one of the benefits of living off the land is that people don’t just “like” to be around others, they actually “need” one another. Members of the community help each other out, and that creates a connectedness and a rootedness that isn’t often found in modern culture, where people tend to group themselves according to similar interests or social and financial status.In another episode of this series, a family recounts how they spend more time together on their homestead.Viewers will also meet Brian and Johanna Burke, whose former military family grew tired of moving every three years, so they relocated to a Catholic community in the country. “[W]e knew that if we were going to do this, we needed community, and we knew that if we were going to be successful in the long term, not burn out, our kids needed friends who had the same lifestyle as them, and that’s really where the Catholic farm group came in,” Johanna Burke says. The Burke family says they met a couple at their parish who became their mentors, and they intentionally began to create community by gathering people for monthly get-togethers on neighboring farms. Brian Burke says it’s now common for people to say: “Hey, I’m working on this thing. Does anybody know about this or have experience with this?” Other members may even teach a class on a given subject.“When you’re really intentional about developing community, you’re also just naturally going to broaden outside of your group,” Johanna explains, adding: “Now we’re looking at connecting the farmers to those in town who are looking to source this food. We’re trying to educate [them] about the superiority of this food. … We can promote interdependence on each other and not worry about supply-chain issues. We have a small, independent grocer downtown. … Local farms provide everything.” Craig notes that people today talk about plugging into a community, explaining that “a power cord just plugs in to get what it needs. It’s very different from being rooted in a community. Roots penetrate the soil and actually intertwine with other creatures, and they begin to need one another. … The reason Catholics very often want to return to the homestead, therefore, is because they want to … build community. … [H]omesteading can teach you to love a place.”This story <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/ewtn-homesteading-series" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Vatican’s synod office postpones reports on controversial issues ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265215/vaticans-synod-office-postpones-reports-on-controversial-issues</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265215/vaticans-synod-office-postpones-reports-on-controversial-issues</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/fotofinalsinodosinodalidad.png?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Participants of the Synod on Synodality gather for a group photo on Oct. 26, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media
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Vatican City, Jul 7, 2025 / 13:15 pm (CNA).
The Vatican’s synod office has said that final reports from Synod on Synodality study groups — including opinions on women deacons and controversial doctrinal issues such as LGBT inclusion — have been postponed until the end of the year.The study groups, formed by Pope Francis to examine topics he took off the table for discussion at the second session of the Synod on Synodality, held in October 2024, will have until Dec. 31 to submit their final results — a six-month extension of the original mandate of June 30, according to the Secretariat of the Synod. In the meantime, synod leadership will publish brief interim reports from the study groups in July.A spokesman for the synod secretariat told CNA that most of the 10 commissions had requested more time to complete their reports following delays due to Pope Francis’ death and the “sede vacante.” In June, they received a green light from Pope Leo XIV to proceed.The study commissions are made up of <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/258224/these-are-the-members-of-the-synod-on-synodality-study-groups" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">cardinals, bishops, priests, and lay experts</a> from both in and outside of the Vatican.The 10 study groups were formed <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/257097/pope-francis-study-groups-to-examine-10-synod-on-synodality-themes-through-june-2025" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">at Pope Francis’ request</a> in February 2024 on themes discussed in October 2023 during the first session of the Synod on Synodality. In his letter requesting the study groups, the pope said these issues “require in-depth study,” for which there would not be time during the second session in 2024.Francis’ decision effectively moved discussion of the synodal assembly’s most controversial topics — such as women deacons and LGBT inclusion — from the 200-plus synod participants and to small expert panels.One of the most highly-watched study groups is on ministries in the Church, specifically the question of a female diaconate. This group, whose members have not been published, is under the direction of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.According to the Secretariat of the Synod last year, this “is the context in which the question on the possible access of women to the diaconate can be appropriately posed.”Another group was tasked with addressing pastoral approaches to ethical and anthropological topics that were not publicly specified.The role of the groups is consultative. Pope Leo may use the final reports to make decisions for the Church about the topics addressed.The synod secretariat, which is responsible for coordinating the work of the study groups, on Monday published the text, “<a href="https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/process/implementation/pathways/250102---ENG-Pathways-for-the-implementation-phase.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod</a>.”The booklet, addressed to diocesan bishops and local synod teams, said Pope Leo has added study groups on two topics — “the liturgy in a synodal perspective” and “the statute of episcopal conferences, ecclesial assemblies, and particular councils” — to the existing groups.The document did not say if the two additional study groups will need to produce reports and by when, and a spokesman for the secretariat said he did not think they would be providing reports by the same Dec. 31 deadline.“It is also the secretariat’s responsibility to ensure that the pope’s decisions, developed also on the basis of the findings of these groups, will then be harmoniously integrated into the ongoing synodal journey,” the document says.The document, intended as guidelines for bishops to implement synodality in their dioceses, also outlines what can be expected during the synod’s next phase, which will culminate with a Church assembly in October 2028.According to synod leaders, the period from June 2025 to December 2026 will be dedicated to “implementation paths” of synodality in local Churches and groupings of Churches.In 2027, the synod secretariat will organize diocesan-based and then national-based evaluation assemblies before holding continental evaluations in the first part of 2028.“It is useful to reiterate that evaluation is not a form of judgment or control, rather an opportunity to ask ourselves what point we have reached in the process of implementation and conversion, highlighting the progress made and identifying areas for improvement,” the guiding document says.Cardinal Mario Grech, synod secretary-general, <a href="https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/process/implementation/pathways/250102---ENG-Pathways-for-the-implementation-phase.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said in the introduction</a> that “the intention is to ensure that the process moves forward with a deep concern for the unity of the Church.”
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Vatican announces Pope Leo XIV’s public Mass schedule for August and September ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265167/vatican-announces-pope-leo-xivs-public-mass-schedule-for-august-and-september</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/p.leo.outside.june.11.2025.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo greets throngs of faithful in St. Peter’s Square on June 11, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 7, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The Office for Liturgical Celebrations at the Vatican has announced Pope Leo XIV’s public Mass schedule for August and September, following his current stay through July 20 at Castel Gandolfo, the summer retreat of the pontiffs.On Aug. 3, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to celebrate Mass for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time at Tor Vergata University in Rome as part of the Jubilee of Youth.Although he will be in the Vatican in August, he is also scheduled to celebrate Mass at the pontifical parish of Castel Gandolfo on Friday, Aug. 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to pray the Angelus in the city’s Liberty Square. On Sunday, Sept. 7, the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, he will celebrate the eagerly awaited Mass for the canonization of Blesseds Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, which will take place in St. Peter’s Square at 10 a.m. local time.A week later, on Sunday, Sept. 14, he will participate in the ecumenical commemoration of the new martyrs, witnesses to the faith, in St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica at 5 p.m. local time.On Sunday, Sept. 28, he will celebrate the Mass for the Jubilee of Catechists in St. Peter’s Square at 10 a.m. local time.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/114945/celebraciones-del-papa-leon-xiv-en-agosto-y-septiembre-2025" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV arrives in Castel Gandolfo for summer vacation ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265209/pope-leo-xiv-arrives-in-castel-gandolfo-for-summer-vacation</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265209/pope-leo-xiv-arrives-in-castel-gandolfo-for-summer-vacation</guid>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2223190125.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV greets people as he arrives for a two-week stay in the summer papal estate in Castel Gandolfo, 25 miles southeast of Rome, on July 6, 2025. The newly elected pope revives a long-standing papal tradition paused under Francis, as Castel Gandolfo prepares to welcome a pope for the first time in over a decade. / Credit: ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images
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Rome Newsroom, Jul 6, 2025 / 13:45 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV was welcomed by well-wishers upon his arrival to his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on Sunday.Crowds of people standing behind barriers greeted the Holy Father, taking photos and shouting “Viva Papa!” as he walked toward the papal palace located southeast of Rome.<div class="twitter-wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pope Leo XIV arrives at the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo to start his summer holiday, the first part of which lasts until July 20. <a href="https://t.co/pVkar0MJIs">pic.twitter.com/pVkar0MJIs</a>— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/VaticanNews/status/1941884491439513942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote><script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div class="drag-handle" data-drag-handle="true"> </div></div>The pope will reside in Castel Gandolfo’s Villa Barberini during his <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265193/pope-leo-xiv-moves-to-the-second-vatican-city-castel-gandolfo" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">two-week summer vacation</a> taking place from July 6–20, continuing a centuries-old papal tradition of rest at the 135-acre estate.According to the New York Times, the property’s swimming pool has been refreshed and a new tennis court installed for the pope, who is known for his appreciation of physical fitness and training.Popes Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI all spent at least part of the summers in Castel Gandolfo, following the Lateran Pact of 1929.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2223178096.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Pope Leo XIV waves to people from the terrace of the summer papal estate where he arrives for a two-week stay in Castel Gandolfo, 25 miles southeast of Rome, on July 6, 2025. Credit: ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV waves to people from the terrace of the summer papal estate where he arrives for a two-week stay in Castel Gandolfo, 25 miles southeast of Rome, on July 6, 2025. Credit: ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Pope Francis chose to not use the property as a summer residence during his 12-year pontificate. The late pontiff instead chose to open the estate’s gardens to the general public in 2014 and, in 2016, converted the papal palace into a museum.The palace and gardens will remain open to the public during Leo’s stay, since he will be living in the Villa Barberini, a different palazzo on the grounds.Castel Gandolfo Mayor Alberto de Angelis told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, last month that Pope Leo’s stay “will give back to the city its daily connection with the pope.”“The Angelus, the visits, the contact with the people. We want to experience all of that again,” de Angelis said.Pope Leo will continue to deliver his weekly Angelus addresses in Liberty Square (Piazza della Libertà) in front of the pontifical palace on July 13 and on July 20.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 13:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV prays for victims, families of Texas flood disaster ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265207/pope-leo-xiv-prays-for-victims-families-of-texas-flood-disaster</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/tom1807.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV, speaking in English, expressed his “sincere condolences” to “families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States” after praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on July 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
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Vatican City, Jul 6, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for the victims and families affected by the recent flood disaster in Texas.The Holy Father, speaking in English, expressed his “sincere condolences” to “families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States” after praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.More than 20 children attending the all-girls summer camp are currently missing after flash floods struck Texas Hill Country in the early hours of July 4, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/texas-flooding-camp-mystic-07-06-25-hnk" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CNN</a> reported on Sunday. Aid organizations, including the Catholic Charities Mobile Relief Unit, have since <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265203/catholics-mobilize-aid-response-after-historic-flash-floods-devastate-texas-hill-country" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">mobilized services</a> to provide food, shelter, and water to flood victims forced to evacuate their homes. The death toll continues to rise as rescue and recovery efforts enter into its third day. At least 50 people have been confirmed dead, according to CNN.Pope Leo also asked his listeners on Sunday to pray for peace and for those who live in a state of war: “Let us ask the Lord to touch the hearts and inspire the minds of governments, so that the violence of weapons is replaced by the search for dialogue.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/tom1729.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Children gather for the Sunday Angelus in St. Peter's Square in Rome on July 6, 2025, where Pope Leo XIV prayed for the victims — many of whom are children — and families affected by the recent flood disaster in Texas. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Children gather for the Sunday Angelus in St. Peter's Square in Rome on July 6, 2025, where Pope Leo XIV prayed for the victims — many of whom are children — and families affected by the recent flood disaster in Texas. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure><h2>Daily cultivate the seed of the Gospel in your hearts</h2>Reflecting on the Gospel scene when Jesus sent out 72 disciples into towns to prepare for his coming, the Holy Father said there are few people who “perceive” Jesus’ call to share the Christian faith with others.“Dear brothers and sisters, the Church and the world do not need people who fulfill their religious duties as if the faith were merely an external label,” he said.“We need laborers who are eager to work in the mission field, loving disciples who bear witness to the kingdom of God in all places.”The Holy Father emphasized that the places of mission can be found “in the particular situations in which the Lord has placed us,” such as in the family home, places of work and study, and other social settings.“Perhaps there is no shortage of ‘intermittent Christians’ who occasionally act upon some religious feeling or participate in sporadic events,” the pope said. “But there are few who are ready, on a daily basis, to labor in God’s harvest, cultivating the seed of the Gospel in their own hearts.”To become a disciple of Jesus and a laborer in the “mission field,” the Holy Father said priority must be placed on cultivating a “relationship with the Lord” through dialogue.“We do not need too many theoretical ideas about pastoral plans,” he said. “Instead, we need to pray to the Lord of the harvest.”Pope Leo concluded his address asking the Blessed Virgin Mary “to intercede for us and accompany us on the path of following the Lord” to “become joyful laborers in God’s kingdom.”On Sunday, the pope departed for Castel Gandolfo where he will stay for a <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265193/pope-leo-xiv-moves-to-the-second-vatican-city-castel-gandolfo" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">short period of rest</a> during the summer.
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<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Catholic schools in spotlight as French abuse report fuels state oversight debate ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265205/catholic-schools-in-spotlight-as-french-abuse-report-fuels-state-oversight-debate</link>
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A photo shows a view of the National Assembly in Paris on June 10, 2024, a day after the European Parliament elections. / Credit: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images
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CNA Newsroom, Jul 6, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).
A French parliamentary report released on July 2 has shed light on disturbing cases of abuse in schools while also reigniting a long-standing national debate over the balance between state oversight and freedom of education.The <a href="https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/rapports/cion-cedu/l17b1642-ti_rapport-enquete" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">report</a>, resulting from a five-month inquiry into violence within the school system, proposes a series of measures aimed at better protecting minors. However, its heavy focus on Catholic private institutions under state contract has raised concerns about potential political bias and the future of educational pluralism in France.The inquiry was led by parliamentarians Violette Spillebout, from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party Renaissance, and Paul Vannier, from the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI).While the report formally addresses all types of schools, much of its attention is directed toward Catholic private institutions under state contract, especially those with boarding programs.<h2>‘Structural dysfunction’</h2>The commission of inquiry was established following revelations of abuse at Notre-Dame de Bétharram, a Catholic boarding school in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques (southwestern France). The case, spanning several decades, served as a catalyst for national reflection. Prime Minister François Bayrou, a former education minister who had sent his children to the school, was called to testify.The Bétharram school is cited in the report as a key case study, where priests, teachers, and staff are accused of having committed serious physical and sexual abuse between 1957 and 2004.Victims described acts of “unprecedented severity, of absolute sadism.” Lawmakers called the school a “textbook example” of the state’s structural dysfunction and failure to prevent abuse, warning that similar flaws remain in place today.More broadly, the report denounces ongoing violence in both public and private schools and cites decades of insufficient protective measures. Commission president Fatiha Keloua Hachi described the investigation as a “deep dive into the unthinkable,” revealing systemic silence and institutional failure. It documents over 270 affected schools and at least 80 victim collectives across the country.The report also pointed to cultural and religious factors that may have contributed to institutional silence in some schools, including rigid hierarchical structures and a reluctance to question authority.The commission found that sanctioned teachers could sometimes be quietly reassigned. It also highlighted the absence of national data on abuse cases and discrepancies in reporting: One national survey estimated 7,000 cases of sexual violence in a year, yet only 280 were officially recorded in 2023–2024.Ultimately, the report concludes that the Ministry of Education still lacks effective tools to identify and address abuse and calls for comprehensive structural reforms.Among the report’s most prominent recommendations is the lengthening of the statute of limitations for reporting abuse, reinforcing whistleblower protections, and establishing a new independent reporting body called “Signal Éduc.” It also calls for the creation of a national compensation fund for victims.Other proposed measures include increasing the frequency of inspections, particularly for boarding schools (annually in primary schools and at least every three years in middle and high schools), and lifting professional secrecy in cases involving abuse of minors under 15, even in the context of religious confession.This last proposal, already included in the 2021 Ciase report on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, is <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/catholic-church-in-france-considers-the-consequences-of-the-french-report-on-sexual-abuse" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">raising concern</a> among the Church hierarchy, which has consistently reaffirmed the inviolability of the seal of confession.The report further recommends that private institutions under state contract be brought more directly under the oversight of the Ministry of Education’s General Directorate and proposes reevaluating the role of the Catholic Education Secretariat (SGEC), which oversees over 7,200 schools.<h2>Catholic education’s response</h2>Philippe Delorme, secretary-general of the SGEC, which came under intense scrutiny from co-rapporteur Vannier — who repeatedly questioned its legitimacy and accused it of obstructing oversight — responded cautiously to the report.He <a href="https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/religions/rapport-betharram-le-patron-de-lenseignement-catholique-favorable-a-plus-de-controles-02-07-2025-52PPI6GLKRA7LKYK4LP7EGHKQA.php" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">acknowledged</a> its usefulness in surfacing abuses and encouraging vigilance while voicing concern about what he views as attempts to erode the distinctive mission of Catholic education.“School life in our establishments is not intended to be exactly the same as in public schools as we enjoy a certain freedom of organization,” he stated during an April 7 <a href="https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/comptes-rendus/cion-cedu/l17cion-cedu2425045_compte-rendu#:~:text=de%20l'%C3%89tat%20?-,M.,fait%20partie%20de%20notre%20libert%C3%A9." target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">audition</a> with the Commission for Cultural Affairs and Education.During a June 19 <a href="https://enseignement-catholique.fr/revue-de-presse-sur-le-renforcement-de-la-prevention-des-violences-dans-lenseignement-catholique/" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">press conference</a>, he claimed that the SGEC had already committed to verifying the criminal background of all non-teaching staff — some 80,000 individuals — well in advance of the report’s release.Furthermore, the SGEC recently launched, in May, the “<a href="https://enseignement-catholique.fr/campagne-stop-violences/" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Stop Violences</a>” campaign, aiming to raise awareness, enhance prevention strategies, and reinforce the commitment of Catholic educational institutions to student safety.The report’s emphasis on Catholic schools has sparked debate, as critics acknowledge the seriousness of the documented abuses but also question whether the focus risks suggesting a systemic failure unique to Catholic education, despite similar issues existing across the broader educational landscape.In a related <a href="https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/betharram-ce-que-contient-le-rapport-de-la-commission-d-enquete-parlementaire-20250702" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">analysis</a> published in Le Figaro, education journalist Caroline Beyer wrote that the report marks “a political sequence above all,” with Catholic education squarely in the firing line, and questioned whether the recommendations would result in meaningful change or serve ideological motives.Her observation echoed broader concerns that, while the report raises vital questions, it risks becoming a tool for polarizing debates around the role of faith-based schools in French society.Such doubts about the impartiality of the document have been reinforced by the fact that Vannier was already the author, in 2024, of a highly critical <a href="https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/rapports/cion-cedu/l17b0609_rapport-fond" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">report</a> on the funding of Catholic schools.Former Minister of Higher Education Patrick Hetzel also accused the parliamentarian of using the inquiry to pursue an ideological agenda aimed at undermining the 1959 Debré Law, which ensures state support for private schools under contract. “With him, LFI wants to revive the school war,” Hetzel <a href="https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/lfi-veut-ranimer-la-guerre-scolaire-hetzel-lr-denonce-une-instrumentalisation-de-la-commission-d-enquete-parlementaire-sur-les-violences-a-l-ecole-20250513" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">told </a>Le Figaro, referencing historic tensions between secular and faith-based education in France.Although Spillebout has insisted that their work was not guided by dogma but by the testimony of victims and a desire to ensure that no child, in any type of school, is left unprotected, the perception of disproportionate attention on Catholic institutions remains a point of contention.The report comes amid broader efforts by the French government to extend control over education. In 2021, Macron’s administration drew criticism for proposing a <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/french-government-seeks-to-ban-home-schooling" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ban on home schooling</a>, ostensibly to combat Islamic radicalization. Though softened before passage, the bill reflected a shift toward greater state control over education.The report’s publication also coincided with renewed focus on Paris’ Stanislas School, a prestigious Catholic institution under investigation for <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/08/02/the-demons-of-stanislas-paris-s-citadel-of-catholic-education_6076495_7.html" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">alleged</a> noncompliance with the national sex education curriculum as well as “homophobic and sexist drift” and for its new Christian culture courses.While a 2023 inspection <a href="https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/opendata/CRCANR5L17S2025PO419604N042.html" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW178022609 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">did not confirm</a> systemic discrimination, the Ministry of Education has signaled closer monitoring.
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<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Auxiliary vicar of Opus Dei charged with human trafficking and labor exploitation ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265189/auxiliary-vicar-of-opus-dei-charged-with-human-trafficking-and-labor-exploitation</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/mariano.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Monsignor Mariano Fazio is auxiliary vicar of the Prelature of Opus Dei. / Credit: Opus Dei
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Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jul 6, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The Argentine justice system has added the auxiliary vicar of Opus Dei, the organization’s second in command, Monsignor Mariano Fazio, as a defendant in the case involving the alleged human trafficking and the reduction to servitude of 43 women in Argentina.The case, which was formally <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/259603/opus-dei-in-argentina-denies-accusations-of-human-trafficking-and-labor-exploitation" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">filed in 2024</a> but had been reported <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/97213/opus-dei-abre-oficina-de-sanacion-ante-acusaciones-de-explotacion-en-argentina" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">in the media </a>several years earlier, accuses Opus Dei authorities of allegedly recruiting 43 women while they were still minors and subjecting them to a regime of semi-slavery in their residences.Until now, the defendants were four priests who served as authorities at different times between 1991 and 2015: Carlos Nannei, Patricio Olmos, and Víctor Urrestarazu, former vicars of Opus Dei in Argentina, and the former director of the women’s branch in the country, Gabriel Dondo.The case now includes another defendant: Fazio, currently auxiliary vicar of the Prelature of the Holy Cross, the second-highest authority in Opus Dei worldwide. The Argentine Prosecutor’s Office Against Human Trafficking and the National Prosecutor’s Office in Criminal and Federal Correctional Affairs No. 3 are requesting that he appear to testify.<h2>The accusation</h2>Although the complaint states that at least 43 women were recruited by Opus Dei as minors, deceived with promises of an education and a home, and then forced to work for free as domestic workers for years, the document only focuses on the case of one of them.The prosecutor’s office maintains that Opus Dei presented “a false proposal” and that the only education these women received was to perform domestic tasks “without pay” and in violation of their rights.The accusation also refers to a system of “indoctrination and psychological manipulation” with “rules of life,” including the obligation to chastity, the severance of family and social ties, periodic health checkups, and the provision of psychiatric medication, which they had to comply with under threat of punishment.The case is based on the testimony of a Bolivian woman who worked for Opus Dei for 30 years. In April, the woman expanded her statement, claiming to have directly served Fazio, among other priests.<h2>Response by Opus Dei </h2>Upon the announcement of this new charge, reported by the Spanish newspaper <a href="https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/numero-opus-dei-investigado-trata-mujeres-argentina_1_12433197.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Eldiario</a>, the Opus Dei communications office in Argentina issued a <a href="https://opusdei.org/es-ar/article/el-opus-dei-niega-la-acusacion-de-trata-y-considera-necesario-que-se-otorgue-a-las-personas-senaladas-el-derecho-a-dar-su-version-de-los-hechos/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> clarifying that the judicial investigation concerns “the personal situation of a woman” during her time in Opus Dei and “categorically” denies the accusation of human trafficking and labor exploitation.Opus Dei expressed surprise at seeing that “the claim [that] initially began in the media as a complaint about inconsistencies in pension and employment contributions” has subsequently “morphed into a civil claim for financial harm and damages” as well as most recently an “accusation from a person claiming to have been a victim of ‘human trafficking.’”The complaint, Opus Dei maintains, stems from “a complete decontextualization” of the freely chosen vocation of the assistant numeraries.The statement goes on to defend the right of the people mentioned in the complaint to defend themselves and “be allowed to present their version of events for the first time, in order to definitively clarify this situation.”Those leveling the accusation, Opus Dei emphasized, “have systematically attempted to instill in the media a narrative of automatic guilt” that violates the presumption of innocence.The organization maintains that the woman making the complaint “is referring to a stage in her life when she freely chose to embark on her spiritual journey in the Catholic Church” as an assistant numerary.<h2>A life choice</h2>The <a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/assistant-numeraries-a-home-reaching-out-to-the-world/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">assistant numeraries</a>, the statement explains, “are women of Opus Dei who, like all other members, aspire to love God and others and demonstrate this through their work and their daily lives,” work that in this case consists of caring for people who live in the centers.The statement indicates that joining the apostolate is a life choice that involves an explicit, repeated, and often written desire, while “there is no barrier” to leaving.The statement also maintains that the “living situation and mistreatment” raised in the complaint is false, since in addition to receiving pay and having private health insurance, the homes where the numerary assistants reside provide “a welcoming environment with facilities for rest, recreation, reading, and study.”The prelature once again affirmed its “commitment to fully cooperate with the justice system to determine the facts and resolve the situation in a fair and transparent manner.”<h2>Who is Monsignor Mariano Fazio?</h2>Fazio was born in Buenos Aires on April 25, 1960. He holds a degree in history from the University of Buenos Aires and a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.Ordained a priest in 1991 by Pope John Paul II, he served as the first dean of the institutional communications department at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome from 1996 to 2002, and from 2002 to 2008 served as rector of that university.During the same period, he was elected president of the Conference of Rectors of the Pontifical Roman Catholic Universities.Fazio was an expert at the fifth general conference of the episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean (Aparecida, Brazil), where he met then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.He served as vicar of Opus Dei in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. In December 2014, he was appointed vicar general of Opus Dei by the then-prelate, Bishop Javier Echevarría, a position he held until January 2017 when the Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz as prelate of Opus Dei.He has served as auxiliary vicar since May 14, 2019.In May, Ocáriz and Fazio <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264103/pope-leo-xiv-ocariz-discuss-process-of-revising-opus-dei-s-statutes" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">met with Pope Leo XIV</a> to share the current situation of the apostolate after <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/94834/que-es-el-opus-dei-y-que-implican-las-nuevas-normas-del-papa-francisco" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pope Francis requested that the statutes be modified.</a>Regarding the meeting, the prelate of Opus Dei stated that “it was a fatherly gesture, during which the pope expressed his closeness and affection.” Regarding the process of modifying the statutes, he reflected: “The changes we are experiencing — including in the process of adjusting the statutes — are an impetus to safeguard what is essential.” He added that Opus Dei “is called to change in fidelity to its charism.”After a three-year journey, on June 11, Opus Dei <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264687/opus-dei-presents-proposal-for-new-statutes-to-the-holy-see" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">presented the proposal for its new statutes</a> to the Holy See.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/114959/el-vicario-auxiliar-del-opus-dei-acusado-por-delitos-de-trata-y-explotacion-laboral-en-argentina" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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<category>Americas</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Archbishop in Zambia calls for responsible, ethical journalism ahead of 2026 elections ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265185/archbishop-in-zambia-calls-for-responsible-ethical-journalism-ahead-of-2026-elections</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/aci-africa-archbishop-benjamin-phiri-1751543428.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Archbishop Benjamin Phiri of Zambia’s Archdiocese of Ndola. / Credit: Archdiocese of Ndola
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ACI Africa, Jul 6, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Archbishop <a href="https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bphiri.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Benjamin Phiri</a> of Zambia’s <a href="https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dndol.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Archdiocese of Ndola</a> has called on journalists and media in the South African nation to resist sensationalism and distorting of facts as the country prepares for general elections in August 2026.In his homily on Sunday, June 29, the <a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/3749/today-june-29-we-celebrate-sts-peter-and-paul" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">solemnity of Apostles Peter and Paul</a>, Phiri called for responsible and ethical journalism.“When you report in order to educate, you do not tell lies. You tell the facts as they are,” he said during a Mass marking the 40th anniversary of St. Peter the Apostle Mushili Parish of his metropolitan see.The archbishop faulted journalists, “whose narratives fuel more conflict than resolve issues because of the practice of pitting one against the other.”“You want that political party to fight against that political party; you want that person there to be fighting the other person there. Is that what you learn in school about reporting?” he asked.He added: “If you are a Catholic, and that is what you are doing, I am very disappointed in you. Because that is not what you are supposed to do. Yes, you are doing your job, but you are doing it wrongly. Report properly, report factually, and be constructive.”The archbishop, who started his episcopal ministry in January 2011 as auxiliary bishop of Zambia’s Chipata Diocese, warned media professionals and outlets against spreading harmful information or seeking “fame” at the expense of harmony.“Your newspaper or your radio station or TV may become famous because you are good at making people sad. You are also going to receive your own judgment,” he cautioned, adding: “If there is social unrest and people die, the blood is on your head. Because you are the one who misrepresented things and made people to arouse their emotions to the extent of killing each other, you are responsible.”In his homily, Phiri, who has been at the helm of the Ndola Archdiocese<a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/11173/pope-francis-erects-new-metropolitan-see-in-zambia-appoints-pioneer-local-ordinary" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> since June 2024</a>, also urged the people of God in the South African nation not to let differences in ideology lead them to violence.“Now we are going towards elections. I know we are mainly here for different beliefs and ideologies,” he said, emphasizing that while ideologies and political engagements are not fundamentally bad, they should be pursued “in accordance with the will of God.”He lamented the consequences of ideological differences, particularly during election seasons, highlighting how they have led to conflict, injury, and even loss of life among individuals who profess the same faith.“This one believes in that way, another believes something else, and suddenly we are beating each other, even killing each other. How foolish can one get? We are all worshipping the same God,” he said.The 66-year-old Church leader questioned the eternal value of political ideologies. “Is an ideology going to take you to heaven?” he asked. “And there you are, fighting each other, killing each other, trampling on each other, because of some ideology. You have missed it.”He added: “If what you do is against the will of God, salvation will not be yours. I’m saying this because we who are Christians, at times we talk too much and so much about Christianity, but our hearts are so far away from each other and from God.”Phiri also addressed corrupt practices in Zambia’s public service, urging public servants to refrain from misusing their positions for exploitation or personal gain and instead to serve the people of God with integrity.He lamented that corruption has made it increasingly difficult to secure employment opportunities or admission to educational institutions without offering bribes or personal connections.“Nowadays it is very difficult to find a job unless you know someone or pay someone. It is difficult to find a place in a school unless you know someone or pay someone. Don’t I have a right, if I am properly qualified, to find a job? Or for my child to find a place in an institution, if the child is qualified?” he asked.Zambia, which has a population of over 19.6 million people according to<a href="https://www.zamstats.gov.zm/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> 2022 statistics</a>, is scheduled to hold its general elections on Aug. 13, 2026, to elect its president, members of the National Assembly, Councilors, and Council chairpersons.This story <a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/16389/tell-facts-as-they-are-catholic-archbishop-in-zambia-calls-for-responsible-ethical-journalism-ahead-of-2026-polls" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published</a> by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
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<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Catholics mobilize aid after historic flash floods devastate Texas Hill Country ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265203/catholics-mobilize-aid-response-after-historic-flash-floods-devastate-texas-hill-country</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2222872823.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Trees emerge from flood waters along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. / Credit: Eric Vryn/Getty Images
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San Antonio, Texas, Jul 5, 2025 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
Catholics are responding with prayers and aid after record-breaking flash floods in central Texas devastated communities along the area’s rivers and killed at least 27 people. The flash flooding began in the early hours of July 4. Heavy rainfall filled the creeks that emptied into the several rivers that wind through the normally arid hills known as the Texas Hill Country, located north and west of San Antonio and Austin.“At this time it is unknown how many have been affected by rising water levels along rivers and creeks,” the Archdiocese of San Antonio <a href="https://archsa.org/statement-from-archdiocese-of-san-antonio-regarding-devastating-flooding-in-hill-country/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said in a Friday statement.</a>  “It is our prayer that those impacted by the floods will find the strength to rebuild. We pledge to be with the people in these challenging circumstances. Let us answer Christ’s call to love one another.”On July 4, the Catholic Charities Mobile Relief Unit turned Notre Dame Church in Kerrville into a shelter where evacuees can find food and water as well as clothing and other supplies, the archdiocese said.San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller and Auxiliary Bishop Michael Boulette traveled to Kerrville on July 4 as well to minister to victims of the flooding.<h2>‘Totally destroyed’</h2>The Guadalupe River near Kerrville, Texas, rose so quickly that the National Weather Service’s evacuation orders were not issued in time to evacuate. The river swelled over 22 feet in half an hour around 4 a.m. on July 4, according to local officials, devastating parts of the towns of Hunt, Kerrville, and Comfort. The river washed away RV parks, cars, homes, and entire cabins at summer camps located along its banks. The total number of missing people is still unknown because of the large number of visitors to area rivers due to the Fourth of July weekend. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster for 15 counties on July 4, deploying more than 500 first responders, 14 helicopters, boats, high water vehicles, and drones. Over 850 people have been rescued as of the afternoon of July 5.Abbott pledged <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRnGIzf4A-g" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">at a press conference in Kerrville on Friday</a> that rescuers “will stop at nothing” to find every victim of the catastrophic flooding. A girls’ Christian summer camp in the area, Camp Mystic, reported more than 23 people missing, including an entire cabin of 8- and 9- year-old girls, who are feared to have perished.Social media <a href="https://x.com/EddiePTATC/status/1941349743772229904/photo/1" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was filled with images</a> of the missing young girls on July 4. By the evening, reports began to come in of the recovery of several bodies, including some of the young girls. Rescue efforts continued throughout the night and into the morning of July 5.Camp Mystic director Dick Eastland is also reported to have perished after attempting to rescue some of the campers, according to a parent of a camper who wished to remain anonymous. One camper said she was “heartbroken” but thankful to be alive, describing the camp as “totally destroyed” after her safe return to her home in Houston in the early hours of July 5.Henry Chaudoir, 12, who was rescued from Camp La Junta, a boys’ camp in Hunt, told CNA he had prayed a decade of the rosary and the St. Michael prayer the night before the flood. He and his fellow campers felt “terrified” when flashes of lightning revealed “an ocean of water” covering the camp, he said, but he was “grateful to God to be alive.”Chaudoir’s cousin, Jackson Adams, 18, a counselor at Camp La Junta, told CNA that he and all the other counselors decided to stay in their cabins as the water rose because of the strong current outside. Adams, whose 13-year-old brother Harris was also rescued from the camp, said the water “only went up to our waists in our cabin” before starting to recede. He told CNA, however, that it rose to the ceiling in another cabin filled with 7- to 9-year-old boys. The counselors lifted the boys onto the rafters, rescuing several who fell off after a wall collapsed.Adams said the swiftly moving river carried away the Casita, a cabin that housed Camp La Junta staff. After the Casita collided with the cabin in which the boys were sitting in the rafters, it made a hole, which enabled the staff from the Casita to rescue the boys. All of them survived.“Praise the Lord the Casita hit the cabin!” Chaudoir said.One of the counselors from the cabin with the boys in the rafters tried to go for help but was swept off his feet by the current, Adams told CNA. The counselor caught onto a nearby tree and was rescued after several of the older counselors formed a “monkey chain” and dragged him to safety.Adams said a young girl from Camp Mystic was carried by the river onto Camp La Junta and was rescued by the camp’s maintenance and stables director, Katie Cain. The girl said the water sucked her and “two or three” other campers out of their cabin after a counselor opened a window.Cain also rescued most of the camp’s horses by breaking a fence, allowing them to run to safety as the waters rose.Adams said he plans to return to Camp La Junta to assist with rescue and cleanup efforts.One man in the town of Center Point heard a 22-year-old woman crying for help in the early hours of July 4 and called rescue workers, who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9MpE1BVnWE" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">plucked her from a tree</a> she had clung to after reportedly floating more than 20 miles on the raging Guadalupe River from Hunt.The flooding is the result of a slow-moving storm system that dumped 10-15 inches of rain on the Texas Hill Country, with some areas seeing up to 20 inches. The rivers continued to rise through the holiday weekend. In the early hours of Saturday, July 5, the Guadalupe River <a href="https://x.com/StormHQwx/status/1941280478348419157/photo/1" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">rose to a record 47.4 feet</a> in Bergheim, Texas, about 50 miles from Kerrville.The Llano and San Saba rivers have also risen, leading to road closures and evacuations of towns along their banks.Tina and Luke Gunter, who live near the San Saba River about two hours north of Kerrville, had to evacuate their home after quickly rising waters dislodged part of their home and carried it away.Neighbors allowed the Gunters, who have three young children, to stay in their guesthouse overnight, and other friends began to bring the family meals and offered other supplies.The Gunters plan to repair their home, which they built themselves, as soon as possible.“We will have a lot of work to do,” Tina Gunter told CNA. “But we are grateful we are all OK. It’s just a house. Better to lose a house than a child,” she said.
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<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2025 14:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[ Italy marks 100 years since death of Pier Giorgio Frassati as canonization nears ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265201/italy-marks-100-years-since-death-of-pier-giorgio-frassati-as-canonization-nears</link>
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<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frassatichoir.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A choir poses before an image of Pier Giorgio Frassati during a celebration of the centenary of his death, Turin, Italy, Friday, July 4, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA
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Turin, Italy, Jul 5, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).
On the 100th anniversary of Pier Giorgio Frassati’s death this week, crowds packed into the Turin Cathedral to pray at the tomb of the charismatic young man who is set to be canonized as a saint in September.The three-day celebration of the centenary, dubbed “Frassati Days,” drew pilgrims from the United States, Poland, and Switzerland to Piedmont, the northern Italian region where Frassati lived and left a lasting legacy of faith and charity.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/concelebrateturin.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Concelebrating priests preside at Mass in Turin’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist celebrating the centenary of Pier Giorgio Frassati’s death, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Concelebrating priests preside at Mass in Turin’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist celebrating the centenary of Pier Giorgio Frassati’s death, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure> “These 100 years made Frassati a popular young man. Not only in Turin, not only in Piedmont, not only in Italy, but all over the world,” Cardinal Archbishop Roberto Repole said during the centenary Mass on July 4.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/repole2.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Cardinal Roberto Repole presides over Mass in Turin’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist celebrating the centenary of Pier Giorgio Frassati’s death, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Cardinal Roberto Repole presides over Mass in Turin’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist celebrating the centenary of Pier Giorgio Frassati’s death, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>He described Frassati as “an authentic witness to Christ and the eternal God” and remembered him as “a natural leader” who loved the mountains and inspired those around him. Eucharistic adoration followed the evening Mass, with the cathedral remaining open late into the night as young people knelt in silence at the tomb of the man whom John Paul II called “the Man of the Beatitudes.” <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frastomb.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Faithful pray at Pier Giorgio Frassati’s tomb while marking the centenary of his death in Turin, Italy, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Faithful pray at Pier Giorgio Frassati’s tomb while marking the centenary of his death in Turin, Italy, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>Born in Turin in 1901 into a prominent family — his father was the founder of the La Stampa newspaper and a diplomat — Frassati balanced a deep life of faith with active engagement in politics and service to the poor. He joined the Dominican Third Order, climbed Alpine peaks, and distributed food and medicine to the needy in the poorest parts of Turin. He died on July 4, 1925, from polio at the age of 24, believed to have contracted the disease from one of the people he served.In the cathedral’s front pew for the solemn Mass was Frassati’s niece, 93-year-old Giovanna Gilardini.“He’s my uncle,” she told CNA. “My mother [Luciana] used to talk to us about Pier Giorgio.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/frasfamily.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Members of Pier Giorgio Frassati's family, including his 93-year-old niece Giovanna Gilardini, stand at a Mass honoring the centenary of Frassati’s death in Turin, Italy, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Members of Pier Giorgio Frassati's family, including his 93-year-old niece Giovanna Gilardini, stand at a Mass honoring the centenary of Frassati’s death in Turin, Italy, Friday, July 4, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>She recalled a moment in 1981 when Frassati’s coffin was opened during the beatification process. “I saw him,” she said. “He was intact, perfectly intact.”Frassati’s body was found to be incorrupt, or preserved from the natural process of decay after death. According to Catholic tradition, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254416/what-is-incorruptibility-here-s-what-you-need-to-know" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW137035776 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">incorruptible saints</a> give witness to the truth of the resurrection of the body and the life that is to come. That moment, Gilardini explained, solidified her belief in his sanctity.“Pier Giorgio helps me a lot [from heaven] all the time,” she said.Just behind her sat her grandson, 14-year-old Pier Giorgio Gilardini, named after the soon-to-be saint. “To live up to his name, I feel like I have to be good,” the teenager said. “He inspires me.”The Archdiocese of Turin and the neighboring Diocese of Biella shared responsibility for the commemorations, just as Frassati had split his own time between the city and the mountains. While he lived most of the year in Turin, his summers were spent with his grandparents in the mountain town of Pollone, where he hiked and prayed in the Alps.On Thursday evening, a vigil Mass was celebrated under the shadow of those Alps on the grounds of Villa Ametis, the Frassati family home in Pollone, by Bishop Roberto Farinella of Biella, who described the centenary as a celebration of Frassati’s “birth into heaven.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/farinella.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Bishop Roberto Farinella of Biella offers Mass on the grounds of the Frassati family home in Pollone, Italy, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Pier Giorgio Frassati's death, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Bishop Roberto Farinella of Biella offers Mass on the grounds of the Frassati family home in Pollone, Italy, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Pier Giorgio Frassati's death, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>The Mass took place beneath a towering sequoia tree planted by Frassati’s grandfather — a tree that the young Pier Giorgio used to climb as a boy. “Here everything speaks to us about Pier Giorgio,” said Father Luca Bertarelli, the local parish priest in Pollone. “The house, the yard, the sequoia which he used to climb, his pickax, these candelabras that were in his room for his last Communion, the viaticum before his death.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/bertarellifrassati.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Father Luca Bertarelli, a parish priest in Pollone, Italy, stands in front of the Frassati family home, Villa Ametis, where Pier Giorgio Frassati spent his summers climbing in the nearby mountains, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Father Luca Bertarelli, a parish priest in Pollone, Italy, stands in front of the Frassati family home, Villa Ametis, where Pier Giorgio Frassati spent his summers climbing in the nearby mountains, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure> “But what speaks to us most are the pilgrims,” he added. “I have met in these years thousands of pilgrims, especially young people… and I have also seen some tears that flowed from their eyes because of the holy life of Pier Giorgio.”“Pier Giorgio really is the saint for today,” Bertarelli said.Eucharistic adoration under the stars followed the Pollone Mass, with candles illuminating the façade of the Frassati home. Passages from Frassati’s letters were read aloud until late into the night.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sycamore.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="The faithful attend Mass on the grounds of the Frassati family home in Pollone, Italy, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Pier Giorgio Frassati's death, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The faithful attend Mass on the grounds of the Frassati family home in Pollone, Italy, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Pier Giorgio Frassati's death, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure>Among the attendees were Cedric Ebiner and his brother Vincent, who drove from Switzerland to be there. The Ebiner brothers began the day with a climb up Mount Mucrone, following the Poggio Frassati trail Pier Giorgio once hiked himself. “I have a big devotion to Pier Giorgio,” said Cedric, a Swiss native who now teaches French and Latin at Loyola High School in Los Angeles.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/ebinerbros.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Brothers Vincent (left) and Cedric Ebiner pose before a photo of Pier Giorgio Frassati after traveling from Switzerland to attend the celebrations in Pollone, Italy, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Brothers Vincent (left) and Cedric Ebiner pose before a photo of Pier Giorgio Frassati after traveling from Switzerland to attend the celebrations in Pollone, Italy, Thursday, July 3, 2025. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA</figcaption></figure> “Saints are just like other people — the more you know about them, the closer you can get to them, and so just visiting the place where they lived gets you closer to them. … being there just adds to it,” he said.  Growing up, he added, “we did a lot of hiking, mountain climbing… so that aspect of him being an outdoors kind of guy is really appealing. … He’s a real man.” In Turin, young people took part in the “Frassatour,” visiting key sites in Frassati’s spiritual life, from the Church of St. Dominic, where he discovered his vocation as a lay Dominican, to the Sanctuary of the Consolata, a Marian shrine he frequented. Paolo Reineri, who helped lead the tour and wrote a children’s book on Frassati, said he wanted kids to know that Frassati “is a friend who can be with them and inspire them.” He added: “He is an inspiration because he found time to do a lot of good — and he always found time for God.” Frassati’s canonization, alongside Blessed Carlo Acutis, will take place Sept. 7, making them the first new saints declared by Pope Leo XIV. Germana Moro, president of the Pier Giorgio Frassati Association in Turin, credited much of the progress in his sainthood cause to Frassati’s sister Luciana. “It was thanks to Luciana’s immense amount of work… that her brother’s beatification process was reopened,” she said, noting that Luciana had gathered more than 900 testimonies about her brother’s life. “Pier Giorgio teaches us that without constant deep union with the Blessed Sacrament… we will not survive,” Moro said. “Celebrations are not enough if they do not help us follow the path of faith that he walked before us and whose footprints he left clearly visible.” Christine Wohar, president of Frassati USA, a Nashville-based nonprofit apostolate dedicated to spreading awareness of his life, reflected on the timing of the upcoming canonization.  “We cannot improve on God’s plans. This is certainly the case with the centenary of Pier Giorgio’s death, the diocesan Year of Frassati that is concluding in Turin on his feast day, and the fact that he will soon be canonized,” she said.  “What is more significant is that it is happening in a jubilee year because it was also a jubilee year [when Frassati died] in 1925. And how appropriate that it is a year dedicated to hope — as devotees of Frassati have hoped and prayed for so long to be able to put ‘saint’ in front of his name.”
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<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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