FEED Validator

for Atom and RSS and KML

Congratulations!

This is a valid RSS feed.

Recommendations

This feed is valid, but interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved by implementing the following recommendations.

line 2, column 0: The prefix "dc" generally is associated with the namespace "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" [help]
```
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:dc="htt ...
```

line 13, column 16: Image title doesn't match channel title [help]

      <title>CNA</title> 
                ^

line 23, column 0: style attribute contains potentially dangerous content: max-width (59 occurrences) [help]
```
  <img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/abpbrogliousccb ...
```
line 193, column 4: description should not contain relative URL references: h [help]
```
 ]]></description>
    ^
```

line 274, column 93: title should not contain HTML: ' (2 occurrences) [help]

... iest among injured in Israeli attack ]]></title>
                                             ^

line 327, column 0: description should not contain script tag (2 occurrences) [help]
```
Following a strike against the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic Chur ...
```
line 327, column 0: description should not contain data-drag-handle attribute (2 occurrences) [help]
```
Following a strike against the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic Chur ...
```
line 597, column 0: description should not contain data-instgrm-permalink attribute [help]
```
Alex Jurado, a popular Catholic apologist known for his social media mini ...
```
line 597, column 0: description should not contain data-instgrm-version attribute [help]
```
Alex Jurado, a popular Catholic apologist known for his social media mini ...
```
line 777, column 6: Missing atom:link with rel="self" [help]
```
      </channel>
      ^
```

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/catholicnewsagency/dailynews

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:dc="http://dublincore.org/documents/dcmi-namespace/">
<channel>
<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>
<image>
<title>CNA</title>
<url>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/assets/images/branding/CNA_LOGOredblk.png</url>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com</link>
</image>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ U.S. bishops stress need for immediate ceasefire after deadly attack on Gaza parish ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265443/us-bishops-stress-need-for-immediate-ceasefire-after-deadly-attack-on-gaza-parish</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265443/us-bishops-stress-need-for-immediate-ceasefire-after-deadly-attack-on-gaza-parish</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/abpbrogliousccbmtg1-11.14.23.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. / Credit: USCCB video
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 18, 2025 / 16:00 pm (CNA).
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has called for peace and an “immediate ceasefire” following the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265409/gaza-church-attack-without-warnings-by-priest-it-would-have-been-a-massacre" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">bombing of the only Catholic church in Gaza.</a>“With the Holy Father, the Catholic bishops of the United States are deeply saddened to learn about the deaths and injuries at Holy Family Church in Gaza caused by a military strike,” Broglio wrote in a Thursday <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/wake-strike-church-gaza-archbishop-broglio-calls-immediate-ceasefire-and-dialogue-towards" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a>. The July 17 Israeli strike killed three people and injured nine others, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.“Our first concern, naturally, goes out to Father Gabriel Romanelli and all his parishioners, most especially to the families of those killed,” Broglio said. “Our prayers are for them during these tragic times.”The statement follows a <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265391/pope-leo-xiv-demands-ceasefire-after-deadly-attack-on-catholic-parish-in-gaza" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">message from Pope Leo XIV</a> on the social media platform <a href="https://x.com/Pontifex/status/1945830848604917912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1945830848604917912%7Ctwgr%5E87316221c7f3b8af95321c3fa9761fd15683925d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicnewsagency.com%2Fnews%2F265391%2Fpope-leo-xiv-demands-ceasefire-after-deadly-attack-on-catholic-parish-in-gaza" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">X</a> that said: “I commend the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God and pray for their families and the injured. I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire. Only dialogue and reconciliation can ensure enduring peace!”In agreement, Broglio wrote: “With the Holy Father, we also continue to pray and advocate for dialogue and an immediate ceasefire. Yesterday was the memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; through her intercession, may there be peace in Gaza.”On Friday, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265431/pope-leo-xiv-receives-call-from-netanyahu-after-gaza-church-attack" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CNA reported</a> that Pope Leo received a phone call from Benjamin Netanyahu<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265431/pope-leo-xiv-receives-call-from-netanyahu-after-gaza-church-attack" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">,</a> the prime minister of Israel, following yesterday’s Israel Defense Forces attack on Holy Family Church in Gaza.During the conversation, the Holy Father renewed his call for the urgent reactivation of the negotiation process in order to establish a ceasefire and end the war. He expressed his deep concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza as well as the urgent need to protect places of worship “and the faithful and all people living in both Palestine and Israel.”
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ 9 people sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder of Myanmar priest ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265437/9-people-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-for-murder-of-myanmar-priest</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265437/9-people-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-for-murder-of-myanmar-priest</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/mandalay.priest.feb.2025.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The funeral of Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win (left), who was martyred in Myanmar on Feb. 14, 2025. / Credit: Archdiocese of Mandalay
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
The Vatican news agency Fides reported that nine people were sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of a 44-year-old priest in Myanmar, a crime that shocked a country that has been enveloped in civil war since 2021.According to the <a href="https://www.fides.org/en/news/76604-ASIA_MYANMAR_Nine_people_sentenced_for_the_murder_of_the_Catholic_priest_from_Mandalay" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">article </a>published July 17, a court affiliated with the Ministry of Justice of the National Unity Government (NUG), the government in exile that leads the opposition, sentenced the nine defendants for the murder of Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mandalay, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262309/44-year-old-priest-murdered-amid-myanmar-civil-war" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">who was killed</a> on Feb. 14 on the grounds of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in the Shwe Bo district in the Sagaing region.According to investigations, those convicted were part of local armed groups linked to the People’s Defense Force (PDF), the resistance force that controls the “liberated areas” wrested from the control of the Burmese military junta.Although the PDF reports to the NUG — composed of parliamentarians ousted after the February 2021 military coup — these units often operate without full coordination. “In some ways, the PDF itself tried to bring to justice the armed men who, in the situation of widespread instability, are out of control. However, the reasons for the murder are still unclear,” sources cited by Fides said.“We know that Father Donald was a man of God, a parish priest dedicated to the people, a good and sincere person who was committed, above all, to the education of children left without school due to the civil war. He had done nothing wrong,” said Father John, a priest in Mandalay.The local Catholic community is moderately satisfied with the sentence, as justice was expected, although “there are still too many unanswered questions; the family would also like more clarity and full justice,” the priest added.<h2>The civil war in Myanmar</h2>Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been in a state of civil war since the February 2021 military coup that overthrew the democratic government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The military junta’s seizure of power sparked massive protests, the rise of civilian militias (such as the PDF), and spiraling violence across the country.The repression has left thousands dead, tens of thousands detained, and widespread damage to civilian infrastructure. Among the most recent attacks was the Feb. 6 airstrike <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262163/myanmar-cathedral-bombed-days-after-its-establishment-we-will-rebuild" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">on Sacred Heart of Jesus Church</a> in Mindat, Chin state, a Christian-majority state.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115407/condenan-a-9-personas-por-el-asesinato-de-un-joven-sacerdote-en-myanmar" 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>Asia - Pacific</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ California couple with 21 kids from surrogate mothers charged with neglect, endangerment ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265433/california-couple-with-21-kids-from-surrogate-mothers-charged-with-neglect-endangerment</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265433/california-couple-with-21-kids-from-surrogate-mothers-charged-with-neglect-endangerment</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/Embryos_Credit_Andrii_Vodolazhskyi_CNA.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Human embryos. / Credit: Andrii Vodolazhskyi/CNA
</div>
CNA Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).
Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.<h2>California couple that had 21 kids via surrogate mothers charged with neglect, endangerment</h2>A California couple that had 21 children via surrogacy has been charged with felony child endangerment and neglect.Authorities also alleged that their nannies were physically abusing the children. Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38, own a mansion in Arcadia and a business called Mark Surrogacy. Unbeknownst to the surrogate mothers the couple was working with, the embryos the mothers were carrying belonged to the company owners — and each embryo was one of many. Seventeen of the children are toddlers or infants, and the oldest is 13. All 21 children have since been taken in by the state Department of Children and Family Services.The investigation took place after a 2-month-old child was brought into a hospital with a traumatic brain injury.Cops alleged that the family nanny, 56-year-old Chunmei Li, had injured the baby and committed other abuses. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Li shaking and hitting the infant. Footage also showed other nannies abusing the children, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/16/us-news/cops-seize-21-kids-including-17-toddlers-from-california-couple-who-had-them-all-via-surrogacy/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to the authorities</a>. <h2>Federal court upholds West Virginia ban on abortion drugs</h2>The 4th Circuit Court has upheld West Virginia’s <a href="https://code.wvlegislature.gov/16-2R-3/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ban on chemical abortion</a>, ruling that the law cannot be overridden by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.Mifepristone manufacturer GenBioPro asked the court to strike down West Virginia’s protections for unborn children against chemical abortion, arguing that the FDA has the final say in whether drugs are legal.In a<a href="https://mcusercontent.com/a5c044ed726385e6f9e799721/files/58f70813-e58b-41c1-242b-1d72db3e3b06/6599673869674073111.01.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> 45-page opinion</a> by Judge J. Harvey Wilkinson III, the court found that in approving the drug, the FDA “did not create a right to utilize any particular high-risk drug” simultaneously. Rather, the FDA regulations constitute the “minimum safety rules for administering drugs like mifepristone where they may be legally prescribed.”March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter <a href="https://x.com/JennieMFL/status/1945323596701712793" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">called</a> the decision “huge,” noting that it meant that a state could ban a federally approved drug.It was the first time a federal appeals court had said states can restrict mifepristone use.West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said the decision was a “big win.”“West Virginia can continue to enforce our pro-life laws and lead the nation in our efforts to protect life,” Morrisey <a href="https://governor.wv.gov/article/governor-patrick-morrisey-releases-statement-pro-life-victory-4th-circuit-court-appeals" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">stated</a>. “We will always be a pro-life state!” <h2>8 babies born via IVF from DNA of 3 people</h2>Eight healthy babies were born via an in vitro fertilization procedure where doctors created embryos with DNA from three people.The United Kingdom <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jul/16/eight-healthy-babies-born-after-ivf-using-dna-from-three-people" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">made the procedure legal in 2015 </a>and granted the first license in 2017 to a fertility clinic at Newcastle University.The doctors used the third-party DNA to prevent children from inheriting incurable genetic disorders. The mothers were at risk for passing on life-threatening diseases to their babies, but the babies have no signs of the mitochondrial diseases they were at risk of inheriting. Four boys and four girls — including one set of identical twins — were born to the seven women.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Catholic Charities Fort Worth to continue refugee efforts ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265429/catholic-charities-fort-worth-to-continue-refugee-efforts</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265429/catholic-charities-fort-worth-to-continue-refugee-efforts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/fort-worth-skyline-1-1-25.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Fort Worth, Texas, skyline. / Credit: The Safety Kingpin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
Houston, Texas, Jul 18, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).
Catholic Charities Fort Worth (CCFW) announced July 17 that it will continue leading the Texas Office for Refugees until September 2026, reversing an earlier decision to step down later this year due to challenges imposed by the Trump administration’s funding cuts to refugee programs. The move follows urgent pleas from approximately 60 refugee service providers across Texas, who warned that CCFW’s withdrawal would jeopardize $200 million in critical federal funding for over 118,000 refugees.In early June, CCFW announced plans to relinquish its role in October as the state’s replacement designee for the Texas Office for Refugees, a role the nonprofit took on in 2021 after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott withdrew the state from the federal refugee resettlement program in 2016.This prompted a swift response from providers, who sent letters to the group warning that its abrupt exit would disrupt critical refugee services. “To do this in this climate is not moral in a lot of ways,” said Kimberly Haynes, Texas director of Church World Service, who urged CCFW to stay for another year to ensure a stable transition.Haynes told the Houston Chronicle in June that CCFW’s departure could force her organization to lay off employees and close programs, including the Refugee Cash Assistance, Medical Assistance, Immigration Legal Services, and Social Adjustment programs, affecting 80% of its services in Dallas and Houston.CCFW President and CEO Michael Iglio said in a statement shared with CNA the reversal came after “deeper reflection” and “thoughtful feedback” from providers. “We recognized that an early withdrawal could risk serious disruptions in services,” Iglio stated, adding that stepping down prematurely was a decision the agency “could not in good conscience allow.” By continuing through September 2026, when its contract ends, CCFW aims to safeguard services and facilitate a responsible transition.CCFW sued the Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in March, alleging an unlawful freeze of $36 million in funding. Although payments resumed after a program integrity review, the incident highlighted the precarious funding environment for refugee programs.The decision comes amid broader challenges for refugee services under the second Trump administration, which froze the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in January, disrupting $100 million in aid for Houston-area refugees alone.As a result, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in February <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/immigration/article/catholic-charities-houston-layoff-refugee-20163806.php" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">laid off 120 employees</a> who mostly worked in refugee assistance.<a href="https://www.usccb.org/committees/migration/immigration" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Catholic social teaching on immigration</a>, which is built on Jesus’ call to welcome the stranger (cf. Matthew 25:35), underpins CCFW’s commitment to refugees. The agency’s decision to stay aligns with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ <a href="https://justiceforimmigrants.org/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">advocacy</a> for humane immigration policies.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV receives call from Netanyahu after Gaza church attack ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265431/pope-leo-xiv-receives-call-from-netanyahu-after-gaza-church-attack</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265431/pope-leo-xiv-receives-call-from-netanyahu-after-gaza-church-attack</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/netan.leo.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, and Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0/Vatican Media
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV received a phone call Friday from Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, following yesterday’s Israeli army attack on Holy Family Church in Gaza.According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, the pope received the call at Castel Gandolfo, where he is on vacation.On July 17, the Israeli army struck with a projectile Holy Family Parish, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, which had been used as a shelter for more than 600 people since the beginning of the war in October 2023.The attack killed three people and left a number of injured, some of them seriously.During the conversation, the Holy Father renewed his call for the urgent reactivation of the negotiation process in order to establish a ceasefire and end the war.He again expressed his deep concern for the humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, “whose heartbreaking price is being paid, in particular, by children, the elderly, and the sick.”Finally, Pope Leo XIV reiterated the urgency of protecting places of worship and, above all, the faithful and all people living in both Palestine and Israel.Also on Friday, the Holy Father called Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, to whom he <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265421/pope-leo-xiv-to-cardinal-pizzaballa-after-gaza-church-attack-it-is-time-to-stop-this-slaughter" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">expressed his strong condemnation </a>of the attack and asserted that “it is time to stop this slaughter.”Israel Defense Forces stated that “fragments of a projectile fired during a military operation in the area mistakenly hit the church” and that the cause of the incident is currently under investigation.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115419/el-papa-leon-xiv-recibe-llamada-de-netanyahu-tras-el-ataque-a-la-iglesia-catolica-de-gaza" 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>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pizzaballa, Patriarch Theophilos III visit Holy Family Church in Gaza after Israeli attack ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265427/cardinal-pizzaballa-patriarch-theophilos-iii-visit-holy-family-church-in-gaza-after-israeli-attack</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265427/cardinal-pizzaballa-patriarch-theophilos-iii-visit-holy-family-church-in-gaza-after-israeli-attack</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/pizza.theo.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, leave the church after a visit to Holy Family Parish in Gaza on July 18, 2025. / Credit: Caritas Jerusalem
</div>
Rome Newsroom, Jul 18, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III visited Gaza on Friday, offering spiritual support and humanitarian aid to the Holy Family Church community.Both religious leaders led an ecclesiastical delegation into Gaza to “offer condolences and solidarity” with both Christian and non-Christian families living at the Holy Family Church compound, one day after shrapnel from an Israeli military attack fatally wounded three people and injured several others on the premises.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/visit.holy.family.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III visit Gaza on Friday, July 18, 2025, where they offer comfort to those wounded by the July 17 attack. Credit: Caritas Jerusalem"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III visit Gaza on Friday, July 18, 2025, where they offer comfort to those wounded by the July 17 attack. Credit: Caritas Jerusalem</figcaption></figure>Approximately 600 people are living in the compound of Gaza’s only Catholic church. Most are Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and Catholics, but there are also more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities living there with their families.The church has sheltered hundreds of refugees since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October 2023. The compound includes the church, a school, a convent, a multipurpose center, and a building for the Missionaries of Charity.In a <a href="https://lpj.org/en/news/press-release-from-the-latin-patriarchate" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> Friday, the Latin Patriarchate said it “remains steadfast” in its commitment to the Holy Family Church community and the entire population of Gaza.In coordination with humanitarian partners, the delegation was able to deliver “hundreds of tons of food supplies as well as first-aid kits and urgently needed medical equipment” to refugees and ensure the evacuation and transportation of injured individuals to medical facilities outside Gaza.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/humanitarian.visit.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III visit Gaza on Friday, July 18, 2025, bringing humanitarian aid and assessing the situation to determine the greatest needs. Credit: Caritas Jerusalem"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III visit Gaza on Friday, July 18, 2025, bringing humanitarian aid and assessing the situation to determine the greatest needs. Credit: Caritas Jerusalem</figcaption></figure>According to the Latin Patriarchate, Pizzaballa will continue to “personally assess the humanitarian and pastoral needs of the community to help guide the Church’s continued presence and response.”Upon their entrance into Gaza, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265421/pope-leo-xiv-to-cardinal-pizzaballa-after-gaza-church-attack-it-is-time-to-stop-this-slaughter" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pope Leo XIV called Pizzaballa</a> to “offer his support, closeness, and prayers” for the ecclesiastical delegation and the people left shaken by the Israeli attack. Meanwhile, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, the ecumenical body that brings together the principal Christian churches in the Holy Land, on Friday condemned the latest “atrocious attack perpetrated by the Israeli army.”“We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, call upon world leaders and United Nations agencies to work towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that leads to an end of this war,” the <a href="https://www.lpj.org/en/news/statement-on-the-attack-on-holy-family-catholic-church-in-gaza" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> read.“We also implore them to guarantee the protection of all religious and humanitarian sites, and to provide for the relief of the starving masses throughout the Gaza Strip.”Pizzaballa and Theophilos III’s visit to Gaza comes days after the two leaders visited the Palestinian village of Taybeh, where they spoke out against <a href="https://lpj.org/en/news/statement-of-the-patriarchs-and-heads-of-the-churches-in-jerusalem-dur" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">“systemic and targeted” attacks against Christians</a> by illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Israel says Holy Family Church in Gaza was ‘mistakenly’ hit, ‘regrets’ damage ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265423/israel-says-holy-family-church-in-gaza-was-mistakenly-hit-regrets-damage</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265423/israel-says-holy-family-church-in-gaza-was-mistakenly-hit-regrets-damage</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2224813962.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A view of the damage to Holy Family Church in Gaza City following an Israeli strike on the church in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City on July 17, 2025. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said an Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church killed three and injured several people on July 17, including the parish priest, as well as causing damage to the building. / Credit: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images
</div>
Rome Newsroom, Jul 18, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).
Israel said Holy Family Church in Gaza was “mistakenly” hit during a Thursday military operation and “regrets” damage done to the city’s only Catholic parish.Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared a post on X on the evening of July 17 saying “fragments from a shell” hit the parish church, which has become a shelter for more than 500 people since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October 2023.“The cause of the incident is under review,” the X statement read. “The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them.”Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, 60; Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, 84; and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70, were <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265409/gaza-church-attack-without-warnings-by-priest-it-would-have-been-a-massacre" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">fatally wounded by shrapnel</a> that scattered across the compound after the explosion. Holy Family Church pastor <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265399/gazas-only-catholic-priest-among-injured-in-israeli-attack" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Father Gabriel Romanelli</a>, a native of Argentina and friend of the late Pope Francis, was also among those injured by the Israeli attack.The Latin Patriarchate in a <a href="https://lpj.org/en/news/lpj-statement-july-17th-2025" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">July 17 statement</a> strongly condemned “this targeting of innocent civilians and of a sacred place,” adding that it “will continue to stand by the side of the community of Gaza” and other Christian communities in the Holy Land.“The time has come for leaders to raise their voices and to do all [that] is necessary in order to stop this tragedy, which is humanly and morally unjustified,” the statement read. The attack occurred days after Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III spoke out on July 14 against <a href="https://lpj.org/en/news/statement-of-the-patriarchs-and-heads-of-the-churches-in-jerusalem-dur" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">“systemic and targeted” attacks against Christians</a> by illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank. “The Church has had a faithful presence in this region for nearly 2,000 years,” the Monday statement read. “We firmly reject this message of exclusion and reaffirm our commitment to a Holy Land that is a mosaic of different faiths, living peacefully together in dignity and safety.”
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Federal court blocks Washington law that would force priests to violate seal of confession ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265425/federal-court-blocks-washington-law-that-would-force-priests-to-violate-seal-of-confession</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265425/federal-court-blocks-washington-law-that-would-force-priests-to-violate-seal-of-confession</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>
CNA Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).
A federal court on July 18 blocked a controversial Washington state reporting law that would require priests to violate the seal of confession, siding with the state’s Catholic bishops who brought suit against the measure earlier this year.The law, passed by the state Legislature earlier this year and <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263841/washington-governor-signs-abuse-bill-requiring-priests-to-break-seal-of-confession" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">signed by Gov. Robert Ferguson,</a> added clergy to the list of mandatory abuse reporters in the state. But it didn’t include an exemption for information learned in the confessional, explicitly leaving priests out of a “privileged communication” exception afforded to other professionals.<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/pdfs/us-dis-wawd-3-25cv5461-d215668310e182-order-on-motion-for-preliminary-injunction-dkt-no-.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">In the ruling,</a> District Judge David Estudillo said there was “no question” that the law burdened the free exercise of religion.“In situations where [priests] hear confessions related to child abuse or neglect, [the rule] places them in the position of either complying with the requirements of their faith or violating the law,” the judge wrote.Estudillo noted that the measure as passed “modifies existing law solely to make members of the clergy mandatory reporters with respect to child abuse or neglect.” As written, the law is “neither neutral nor generally applicable” insofar as it “treats religious activity less favorably than comparable secular activity,” he said.The state could have made clergy mandatory reporters while allowing a narrow exception for confession, Estudillo said, as more than two dozen other states already have. The order bars the Washington state government from enforcing the law.The ruling comes after the bishops sued Ferguson, state Attorney General Nicholas Brown, and more than three dozen prosecutors over the controversial reporting law. On July 15 those prosecutors filed a motion in the court promising not to appeal the injunction against the law or any final judgment of the court in exchange for largely being excused from the ongoing legal proceedings. Ferguson and Brown are still subject to the suit.The lawsuit argued that the law violated the free exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment by infringing on the sacred seal of confession as well as both the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and the state constitution.The Washington bishops’ effort drew support from a broad variety of advocates, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263887/trump-s-doj-investigates-washington-law-threatening-catholic-seal-of-confession" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> the U.S. Department of Justice</a>, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264793/orthodox-churches-join-catholic-bishops-in-suing-washington-state-over-confession-law" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a coalition of Orthodox churches,</a> and <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265195/bishop-barron-tells-court-that-washington-law-manifestly-disrespects-seal-of-confession" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota.</a>Barron earlier this month argued to the court that a penitent who is “aware the priest might (let alone must) share with others what was given in the most sacred confidence” of confession “would be reluctant indeed to ever approach” the sacrament. The Department of Justice, meanwhile, said the law “appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals,” including lawyers, doctors, and social service workers. The law even drew international rebuke when the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy — which represents over 500 Roman Catholic priests and deacons from the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom — last month <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265105/confraternity-of-catholic-clergy-defends-inviolable-seal-of-confession" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">issued a statement</a> criticizing the passage of laws “which attempt to compel ordained priests to disclose the identity and content of what a penitent has confessed.”The group criticized governments for specifically targeting priests while at the same time “respect[ing] and uphold[ing] the institutions of attorney/client and doctor/patient privilege.”Though the Washington bishops had mounted an aggressive challenge to the state law, Church leaders there assured the faithful that the seal of confession would remain inviolate regardless of any legal stipulations one way or the other. “[S]hepherds, bishops, and priests” are “committed to keeping the seal of confession — even to the point of going to jail,” Spokane Bishop Thomas Daly said in May. Church canon law <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib6-cann1364-1399_en.html#OFFENCES_AGAINST_THE_SACRAMENTS" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">dictates</a> that a priest who directly violates the seal of confession is automatically excommunicated. Barron earlier this month told the court that “few religious practices are more misunderstood than the sacred seal of confession in the Catholic Church.”Catholics believe that penitents who seek the sacrament of confession are “speaking to and hearing from the Lord himself” via the priest, the prelate wrote. As a result, “absolutely nothing ought to stand in the way of a sinner who seeks this font of grace,” Barron said.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope to Cardinal Pizzaballa after Gaza church attack: ‘It is time to stop this slaughter’ ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265421/pope-leo-xiv-to-cardinal-pizzaballa-after-gaza-church-attack-it-is-time-to-stop-this-slaughter</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265421/pope-leo-xiv-to-cardinal-pizzaballa-after-gaza-church-attack-it-is-time-to-stop-this-slaughter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/pope.leo.pizza.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV called Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa on Friday, July 18, 2025, just before the cardinal entered Gaza following the July 17 attack on Holy Family Parish in Gaza. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 12:09 pm (CNA).
“It is time to stop this slaughter.” With these words, Pope Leo XIV on Friday expressed his firm condemnation of the Israeli army’s July 17 attack on the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in a call to the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.As reported by <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-07/pope-leo-xiv-calls-patriarch-pizzaballa-gaza-parish-attack.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vatican News</a>, the pontiff placed the call to Pizzaballa as the cardinal was traveling to the Gaza Strip with Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III.The two religious leaders entered the area — whose borders remain blocked — with hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid to assist Gazan families regardless of their religion. They also offered their comfort to the families of the victims of the attack, which directly hit the roof of the church and left three dead and 10 wounded, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.As the two made their way to Gaza to visit the stricken parish, families of the victims, and the entire community, Pizzaballa said they received the call from Pope Leo, who, as the cardinal described it, “called us to express his closeness, care, prayer, support, and desire to do everything possible to achieve not only a ceasefire but also an end to this tragedy.”According to the prelate, during the conversation, the pope repeatedly expressed his outrage at the violence of the Israeli armed forces. “He repeatedly stated that it is time to stop this slaughter, that what has happened is unjustifiable, and that we must ensure there are no more victims,” he explained. Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly expressed his concern about the situation in Gaza since the beginning of the military offensive. His call on Friday added to a series of gestures of solidarity toward local Christians and the entire Palestinian people.On Thursday, as soon as he learned of the attack, he sent a telegram signed — as is customary — by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to lament the loss of life and injuries “caused by the military attack” and to demand a ceasefire.For its part, the Israeli government expressed its regret over the attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, attributing it to “a stray projectile” during the fighting in the Strip.In a message on the social media platform <a href="https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1945919102062592303" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">X</a>, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated his government was investigating what had happened and expressed his commitment to protecting civilians and holy sites.The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem described the attack as a “crime” against a holy site. At the time of the bombing, the Catholic parish complex was housing some 600 displaced people, including many children and people with disabilities.Among the dead were the groundskeeper and two elderly women who were being cared for by Caritas at the time of the attack. The parish priest, Romanelli, suffered minor injuries to his leg.This is not the first time Holy Family Parish has been attacked. In December 2023, two women inside the compound were killed by an Israeli sniper. Seven people were also injured during that shooting. At the time, the Jerusalem Patriarchate condemned the “cold-blooded” attack on the parish perimeter, where there were “no combatants.”This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115413/leon-xiv-al-cardenal-pizzaballa-sobre-gaza-es-hora-de-poner-fin-a-esta-masacre" target="_blank" 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>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:09:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Mexico City government projects pro-abortion images on cathedral’s façade ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265411/mexico-city-government-projects-pro-abortion-images-on-cathedral-s-facade</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265411/mexico-city-government-projects-pro-abortion-images-on-cathedral-s-facade</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/catedral-ciudad-de-mexico.-junio-2017.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City. / Credit: Salvador alc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
Puebla, Mexico, Jul 18, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).
The Metropolitan Cathedral’s communications office in Mexico City expressed its dissatisfaction with the projection of pro-abortion messages on the façade of the church during a show organized by the capital city’s government.The show, titled “Luminous Memory: Mexico-Tenochtitlan 700 Years,” takes place every night July 11–27 in the capital’s Zócalo (central square). It transforms the National Palace and the Cathedral into monumental screens to visually narrate the history of the capital, from its Aztec origins to the present day.<a href="https://jefaturadegobierno.cdmx.gob.mx/comunicacion/nota/memoria-luminosa-mexico-tenochtitlan-transforma-el-zocalo-en-un-viaje-audiovisual-por-700-anos-de-historia" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">According to the Mexico City government</a>, the narrative includes episodes such as independence, the Mexican Revolution, and "recent events such as the arrival of the first LGBTIQ+ Pride March to the Zócalo, the decriminalization of abortion, the election of two female heads of government, and the consolidation of a city of rights and freedoms."Among the images projected onto the façade of the cathedral are women with green neckerchiefs, symbols of the feminist movement, and a sign reading "safe abortion."<h2>Messages that ‘deeply wound and hurt the faith’</h2>In a <a href="https://x.com/Catedral_CdMx/status/1945547696653136017" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> released July 15, the cathedral reported that it had not been previously consulted about the content of the show. It clarified that the Memoria Luminosa has no connection to the Archdiocese of Mexico, is produced by others and specified that no religious authority “has participated in the pre-production or the script of said show.”The statement points out that while the cathedral property belongs to the federal government—as established by the Law of Religious Associations and Public Worship for churches built before 1992, the year in which relations between the state and the Catholic Church were reestablished — its use and administration belong exclusively to the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico, including responsibility for the messages disseminated on its façade and atriums.However, the religious authorities stated that they were informed only that both the cathedral façade and the adjacent Assumption parish church "would serve as canvases for said projection, taking into account the colonial and baroque periods that would supposedly be projected on these spaces."Therefore, they deplored the inclusion of "various captions and images that deeply wound and injure the faith and fundamental principles that we Catholics profess.""Regardless of the fact that, given the division between religious freedom and public policies, both protected by our constitution, the free expression of ideas is respected within their respective premises and spaces, it is objectionable that messages specifically contrary to Catholic principles should be projected on this holy cathedral," the statement pointed out.Finally, the cathedral’s communications office called on Mexico City authorities, in the exercise of their powers, to provide the necessary instructions so that on the façade of the church "it is avoided at all times projecting messages contrary to the Catholic faith, which in the deepest way  are hurtful to the devotion of the Mexican people."This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115371/catedral-en-cdmx-protesta-por-mensajes-pro-aborto-proyectados-en-su-fachada" 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>Americas</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Violence against Christians escalates in Syria ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265395/violence-against-christians-escalates-in-syria</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265395/violence-against-christians-escalates-in-syria</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/d84a3203.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
In a scene marked by deep sorrow and righteous anger, churches across Syria held funeral services for the victims of the suicide bombing that targeted St. Elias Church in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The attack claimed the lives of 25 people and left dozens injured. / Credit: Mohammad Al-Rifai/ACI MENA
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 18, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed. <h2>Violence against Christians escalates in Syria</h2>Christian communities in Syria continue to experience escalating violence, with one church severely damaged and another narrowly escaping what would have been a fatal car bombing attack, according to CNA’s Arabic-language news partner <a href="https://www.acimena.com/news/6065/knays-sorya-al-aloagh-mgdwdana-tkhryb-fy-alsoydaaa-oahbat-tfgyr-fy-trtos" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ACI MENA</a>.Vandals desecrated the altar at Mar Michael (Saint Michael) Church in the southern Syrian province of Sweida, smashed Christian symbols, and set fire to its ceiling and walls, charring the upper icons and the central cross above the altar. In a parallel development, security forces thwarted an attempt to bomb the Maronite Church of Mar Elias (Saint Elias) in eastern rural Tartus. Three individuals who planned to detonate a car bomb loaded with roughly 44 pounds of explosives have been arrested. The attacks come amid escalating armed clashes in southern Syria between Druze and Bedouin militias. <h2>Sako appeals to Iraqi prime minister to protect Christian heritage in Najaf</h2>Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako has issued an urgent appeal to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, calling on him to avert the threat of encroachment on sacred Christian historical sites in Najaf province dating back to the sixth century, <a href="https://www.acimena.com/news/6067/sako-ydaao-alsodanyw-al-hmay-alarth-almsyhyw-alaarakyw" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ACI MENA reports</a>. In a <a href="https://chaldeanpatriarchate.com/2025/07/15/%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">July 15 statement</a>, Sako cited “trusted sources in Najav” who warned of “attempts to allocate historic Christian cemeteries for investment” despite their status as archeological sites. The Chaldean patriarch further noted that “oil will one day run out,” and the historic sites could one day become a destination for religious tourism, bringing in substantial revenues. Among them are the al-Manathira Cemetery, burial site of great Patriarchs of the Church of the East, and <a href="https://www.acimena.com/news/3315/alnhb-almtoasl-fy-mkbr-am-khshm-yhdwd-alarth-almsyhyw-alaarakyw" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Umm Khishm Cemetery</a>, which dates back to the time of the Kingdom of <a href="https://www.acimena.com/news/1954/alhiyr-mmlk-athryw-tshhd-aal-almsyhyw-alaarakyw" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">al-Hira</a>.<h2>Chinese bishop encourages faithful to abandon burdensome dowry custom </h2>In a wedding Mass homily on July 13, Archbishop Meng Ningyou of Taiyuan invited the faithful to abandon the still-widespread custom of wedding dowries, a practice which has caused couples in rural areas to break up due to the financial burden it places on families, <a href="https://www.fides.org/en/news/76597-ASIA_CHINA_Wedding_without_a_dowry_the_Chinese_Catholic_community_promotes_the_gratuitousness_of_married_life_in_a_secularized_society" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to a report from Fides</a>. Bishop Meng reportedly described the sacrament of marriage as “a union of free, mutual self-giving blessed by God” and “called on spouses to accept one another, support each other in the Christian upbringing of their children, and care for one another, following the example of the Good Samaritan.” <h2>Filipino cardinal slams government for promoting online gambling addictions </h2>The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, delivered a sharp criticism of the government in a homily on July 13 for promoting online gambling addictions, <a href="https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/cardinal-hits-govt-anew-for-fueling-online-gambling-addiction/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to a local Catholic news report</a>. “We fail to see the real culprit: a government that grants licenses and expands online gambling platforms just to earn revenue for public spending — spending that often becomes a tool for political power,” he declared, adding: “The Word opens our eyes to see the hidden victims on these digital highways. … It urges us to take concrete steps to help these vulnerable ones whom society often ignores.”<h2>Vietnamese bishop celebrates the abolition of the death penalty for eight crimes </h2>Bishop Joseph Nguyen Dec Cuong of Thanh Hóa, president of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, is celebrating the country’s decision to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/25/vietnam-ends-death-penalty-for-crimes-against-the-state-bribery-drugs" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">end the death penalty</a> for crimes against the state, bribery, and drugs. “The decision marks an encouraging step forward in legal awareness, in line with the spirit of international treaties,” <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=66305" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the bishop said</a>, adding that the occasion marked a significant step towards “a modern constitutional state, in which life is protected, human dignity is respected, and opportunities for rehabilitation are open.” <h2>Religious freedom group calls on EU to create position to combat Christian hate crimes </h2>The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Spain has called on the president of the European Commission to create a Special Coordinator position to combat anti-Christian hate crimes, according to a <a href="https://www.christiandaily.com/news/religious-rights-group-in-spain-urges-eu-to-create-post-to-combat-christian-hate-crimes" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Christian Daily report</a>. “It is imperative that the European Commission act with the same commitment it shows in the fight against other forms of religious hatred,” OLRC President María García said in a press statement. Equivalent positions exist to combat anti-semitism and Islamophobia in the EU already.<h2>Charity pledges continued support for seminarians in Nigeria as vocations rise</h2>The pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need International (ACN) has expressed its commitment to continue supporting the formation of priests in Nigeria, where the foundation has observed exponential growth in vocations, <a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/16581/charity-pledges-continued-support-in-forming-future-priests-in-nigeria-amid-rise-in-vocations" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ACI Africa reports</a>. ACN said on Monday it would move forward in its support for one more year for the 76 members of the Sons of Mary, Mother of Mercy, who are currently studying to be priests. “Nigeria is a dangerous country for priests,” <a href="https://www.acncolombia.org/76-jovenes-se-preparan-para-el-sacerdocio-pese-a-la-violencia/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the organization stated</a>. “In the last 10 years, more than 150 have been kidnapped and more than a dozen murdered. However, the number of vocations has not decreased, but has even increased, and many young men aspire to become diocesan or religious priests.”
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ 8 things to know about the only Catholic parish in Gaza ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265407/8-things-to-know-about-the-only-catholic-parish-in-gaza</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265407/8-things-to-know-about-the-only-catholic-parish-in-gaza</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/gaza-2.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Holy Mass at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli during the Advent season. December 2024. / Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli
</div>
CNA Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 04:10 am (CNA).
A reported <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265389/latin-patriarchate-confirms-holy-family-church-in-gaza-hit-damage-and-injuries-reported" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">strike on the only Catholic Church in Gaza</a> killed three people and injured nine others July 17, according to a <a href="https://lpj.org/en/news/lpj-statement-july-17th-2025" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> from the Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM. Among the injured was the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli. Pictures showed damage to the church’s roof and windows. Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, the parish has been a refuge for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Here are eight things to know about Holy Family Church in Gaza:  <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/gaza-4.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="The priests of the Latin Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza with the group of altar servers. December 2024. Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The priests of the Latin Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza with the group of altar servers. December 2024. Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli</figcaption></figure><h2>1) The parish is the only Catholic Church in Gaza  </h2>Holy Family parish was <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/10/gaza-evacuations-catholic-parish/675639/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">built in the 1960s</a>. Before it became a shelter, the were <a href="h" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">about 130 Catholics in Gaza</a><a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/gaza-tiny-catholic-community-tries-stay-touch-during-airstrikes" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> according NCR</a> . Christians are a minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim territory, with only 1,000 Christians, according to the 2024 U.S. State Department’s <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/547499-WEST-BANK-AND-GAZA-2023-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">international religious freedom report</a>. Most Palestinian Christians are Greek Orthodox, though other Christians such as Roman Catholics, Melkite Greek Catholics, and some Protestant denominations have a presence in Gaza and the West Bank. Christians represent less than 1% of Gaza, according to the <a href="https://www.lpj.org/en/the-patriarchate/diocese/parishes/palestine/gaza-parish-holy-family-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Latin Patriarchate website</a>. Gaza is one of the <a href="https://www.lpj.org/en/the-patriarchate/diocese/parishes/palestine/gaza-parish-holy-family-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">most densely populated areas</a> in the world, with about 5,000 people per square kilometer. The area is also highly impoverished with a high level of unemployment.  Children<a href="https://www.moh.gov.ps/portal/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/annual-english-202218-7-2023.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> under 15 make up about 50% of the population</a>, per a 2022 Palestine Ministry of Health report. <h2>2) The parish has provided shelter for over 500 people </h2>The parish complex is a makeshift home to over 500 people: mostly Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic Christians but also some Muslim families, as well as children with disabilities. The parish complex was converted to an improvised shelter at the beginning of the war between the terrorist group Hamas and Israel, which began more than a year and a half ago when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1200 men, women, and children, and kidnapping more than 250 hostages. About 20 living hostages still remain in Gaza. <h2>3) The parish has a successful school</h2>In addition to the church, the parish has a<a href="https://www.lpj.org/en/the-patriarchate/diocese/parishes/palestine/gaza-parish-holy-family-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Latin Patriarchate school</a>. Built in 1974 by the Latin Patriarchate, the Holy Family School has more than 600 students, both Christian and non-Christian. It is considered the best school in Gaza, according to the patriarchate <a href="https://www.lpj.org/en/the-patriarchate/diocese/parishes/palestine/gaza-parish-holy-family-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">website</a>. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/gaza-10.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Children play at the Latin Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza. December 2024. Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Children play at the Latin Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza. December 2024. Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli</figcaption></figure><h2>4) The pastor is a Buenos Aires native </h2>Father Gabriel Romanelli, a priest of the <a href="https://ssvmusa.org/index.php/about-us/our-religious-family/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Institute of the Incarnate Word</a>, a branch of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word, is the pastor of the church and is a<a href="https://www.newyorkencounter.org/fr-gabriel-romanelli" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> native of Buenos Aires</a>. He was injured in the leg by shrapnel in Israel's recent attack on the parish<a href="https://www.newyorkencounter.org/fr-gabriel-romanelli" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">.</a> Romanelli came to the Middle East as part of his missionary vocation as a seminarian. After his ordination, the Argentinian priest spent two years in Egypt learning Arabic and then went to Jordan. In 2019, he arrived in Gaza as the parish priest. In 2023 (when the Israel-Hamas war started) he was evacuated to Jerusalem, but decided to return to minister to his flock and support the community there. <h2>5) Three orders of religious sisters help the parish </h2>The Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa, have been in Gaza for <a href="https://www.cmc-terrasanta.com/en/media/terra-santa-news/29667/the-golden-jubilee-of-missionaries-of-charity-sisters-in-gaza#:~:text=2023%2D02%2D14%2014:,the%20epitome%20of%20evangelical%20love." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">more than 50 years,</a> since 1973. Several sisters care for the elderly and disabled at a convent in the parish complex. In December 2023, their convent was hit by rockets, creating <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256328/missionaries-of-charity-convent-in-gaza-unhabitable-after-taking-fire-residents-take-refuge-in-parish-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a fire that made the convent uninhabitable</a>. Two women were killed in the attack on the convent, which the patriarchate<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/israel.jpeg" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> alleged was targeted by the IDF</a>, but the IDF <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256306/idf-denies-responsibility-for-killing-of-palestinian-christians" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">denied responsibility.  </a>The Holy Rosary Sisters also <a href="https://acninternational.org/gaza-i-am-heartbroken-sister-nabila-about-the-bombing-of-her-school/#:~:text=Since%20then%2C%20the%20Holy%20Rosary,the%20whole%20community%2C%20without%20distinction." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">have a presence</a> in the Tal Al Hawa neighborhood in Gaza. The sisters  founded a school in 2000 with more than 800 students, 10% of whom are Christian. But early on in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the school — which was evacuated days before — was severely damaged. The two Rosary sisters now reside at Holy Family Parish.The Servants of the Lord the Virgin of Matará  (SSVM), also known as the “Servidoras,”<a href="https://ssvmusa.org/index.php/missions/foreign-missions/palestine/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> also have a presence in Gaza, </a>as well as throughout the Middle East. Along with the pastor Romanelli, the Servidoras are part of a larger religious family known as the Family of the Incarnate Word. Two Servidoras — who are <a href="https://www.churchpop.com/two-nuns-also-twin-sisters-remain-in-gaza-to-help-victims-in-need-their-inspiring-story/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">also biological twins</a> — decided to stay in Gaza at the start of the conflict and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLdGpjASQK7/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">continue</a> to minister to the people there.<h2>6) Pope Francis made daily calls to the parish</h2>In the last year and a half of his life, even after being hospitalized, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262479/cna-explains-pope-francis-still-calls-gaza-parish-every-day" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pope Francis called the Holy Family Parish almost daily</a>. The<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263567/two-days-before-his-death-pope-francis-made-final-call-to-pastor-of-gaza-parish" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> last call Francis made to the parish</a> was on Easter vigil on April 19, just two days before his death. The calls were simple check-ins via WhatsApp, usually lasting about a minute. The parish grew to expect the nightly calls and the children called the Holy Father “grandfather.” <h2>7) The parish compound has been bombed before </h2>The parish has directly come under attack before, including a bombing that occurred<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262813/catholic-priest-in-gaza-reports-explosions-near-parish" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> about 1,000 feet away</a> from the church in March. In April, Romanelli <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263269/priest-of-only-catholic-parish-in-gaza-calls-for-peace-says-gaza-is-a-prison" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">called Gaza a “prison” and urged world leaders to seek peace.</a> This week’s attack on the church was reportedly by an Israeli tank. <a href="https://x.com/OrenMarmorstein/status/1945790701280649412" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Israel Foreign Ministry </a>expressed “deep sorrow” at the damage and casualties and said that the IDF is examining the incident, adding that Israel “never targets churches or religious sites.” <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/card.pizza.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is seen here speaking with Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Church, during his December 2024 visit to Gaza. Credit: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is seen here speaking with Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Church, during his December 2024 visit to Gaza. Credit: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem</figcaption></figure><h2>8) The parish's welfare is a priority for Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa</h2>In response to the recent attack, the Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM said that he is “always” trying “to reach Gaza in all possible ways,” noting that “we will never leave them alone,” according to <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025-07/the-parish-priest-father-gabriel-romanelli.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vatican News.</a> The sentiment is one that Pizzaballa has consistently highlighted and practiced. He <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/257712/cardinal-pizzaballa-visits-gaza-in-show-of-support-solidarity-with-suffering-population" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">visited the parish</a> in May 2024 and <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2024-12/patriarch-pizzaballa-visits-gaza-christians.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">again in December 2024</a>. <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264963/cardinal-pizzaballa-in-the-holy-land-the-church-must-be-a-point-of-connection-for-everyone" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Last month</a>, the cardinal stressed the “utmost importance” of supporting the parish community there. “Our primary concern is our community in Gaza: to support them, to be present for them, to not abandon them,” he told ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 04:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Catholic bishops seek relief from federal abortion rule in appeals court ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265413/catholic-bishops-seek-relief-from-eeoc-abortion-accommodation-rule-in-appellate-court</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265413/catholic-bishops-seek-relief-from-eeoc-abortion-accommodation-rule-in-appellate-court</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<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. / Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 19:30 pm (CNA).
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/pdfs/us-dis-lawd-2-24cv691-d11950287e8729-motion-for-preliminary-injunction-pending-appeal-p.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">asking a federal district court</a> to block the government from enforcing any portion of an abortion “accommodation” rule against them while they appeal a court order that provided only partial relief from the rule.Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) abortion accommodation rule, the USCCB can deny workplace accommodations for employees who obtain purely elective abortions, but they may still have to provide accommodations for abortions related to treating medical conditions.Qualifying medical conditions are broad. According to the EEOC rule, conditions include “modest” or even “minor” anxiety, depression, nausea, dehydration, and changes in hormone levels that result from a pregnancy.Because of this, the USCCB asked the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to fully block the EEOC’s abortion accommodation rule during their appeal. The rule comes from the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, passed under President Joe Biden, which requires employers to offer reasonable workplace accommodations for women with limitations from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.Although the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself makes no mention of abortion, the EEOC regulation states that “having or choosing not to have an abortion” qualifies as a related medical condition. The rule provides for religious exemptions only on a case-by-case basis, which would be determined after the accommodation request was made and denied.Daniel Blomberg, the lead attorney for the bishops, told CNA that the case-by-case exemption is “facially inadequate.” He said USCCB policy is to never provide accommodations for an abortion and warned that the USCCB would need to change its policy to comply with the mandate, which the bishops have not done and will not do.Numerous Catholic and other religious organizations have also sued the EEOC for its abortion accommodation rule and were given full relief from the mandate. Blomberg said the USCCB is the only entity that was denied full relief.“They cannot change their policy,” Blomberg said. “They cannot violate the faith that animates what they do.”Blomberg, who serves as vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself ensures that “religious organizations are protected.” He contested that the EEOC’s implementation regulations go against the text of the law and Congress’s intent.“Congress did not intend to force the bishops or any other religious groups to accommodate abortions at any time,” he added.In addition to arguing that the EEOC regulations are an improper implementation of the law, the lawsuit also appeals to the religious liberty protections in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion.Andrea Lucas, the new EEOC chair appointed by President Donald Trump, <a href="https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/position-acting-chair-lucas-regarding-commissions-final-regulations-implementing-pregnant" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">has vocally criticized</a> the final rule. However, because Trump removed two Democrat-appointed commissioners from the EEOC, the body lacks the necessary quorum to issue new guidelines. Trump nominated Brittany Panuccio, a Republican lawyer, to serve on the commission. If she is confirmed by the Senate, the commission would have the necessary quorum. Blomberg said the commission is likely “months away from any prospect of getting [a quorum]” right now, which means the rule will stay in place for the time being.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 19:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Gaza church attack: Without warnings by priest ‘it would have been a massacre’ ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265409/gaza-church-attack-without-warnings-by-priest-it-would-have-been-a-massacre</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265409/gaza-church-attack-without-warnings-by-priest-it-would-have-been-a-massacre</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/gaza-2.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Holy Mass at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli during the Advent season. December 2024. / Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 17, 2025 / 18:00 pm (CNA).
Father Yusuf Asad, 49, who has been the assistant parochial vicar at Holy Family Church in Gaza for six years, had just celebrated morning Mass when a loud bang sounded. At around 10:20 a.m. local time, a projectile hit the building. “It fell directly on the roof. The explosion occurred next to the cross atop the church and soon scattered shrapnel throughout the courtyard,” Anton Asfar, director of Caritas Jerusalem, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. He received a call from Gaza shortly after the attack alerting him to the incident.“It was later clarified to us that at the time of the explosion, there were some people in the courtyard outside, even though Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor, had warned everyone to stay inside,” he explained.Still shaken, he added: “Without Father Romanelli's warnings to stay inside, we could have lost 50 or 60 people. It would have been a massacre.”The parish compound consists of the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, a school, a convent, a multipurpose center, and a Missionaries of Charity building. At the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, it became a makeshift shelter for more than 500 displaced people.The majority are Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and Catholics, but there are also more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities living there with their families.“We are assessing the situation together with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to understand what has happened. People are in shock,” he said.He explained that the Israeli army issues an evacuation or displacement order every day. “There is a constant threat. Two Sundays ago, there was an evacuation order for the residential neighborhood of al-Zaytun,” where the parish is located in Gaza City, he added.In fact, the attacks have intensified in recent weeks, and bombs have continuously fallen on the surroundings of this parish.<h2>‘There are no safe areas in Gaza’</h2>“It is very difficult to move people. Everyone is determined to stay in the churches and continue taking refuge there. But the truth is that there are no safe areas in Gaza anymore,” he lamented.So far, the <a href="https://lpj.org/en/news/lpj-statement-july-17th-2025" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem</a> has confirmed three deaths. They are Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, 60, who was the parish maintenance manager and was in the courtyard at the time of the explosion.The other two fatalities are Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, an 84-year-old woman, and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70, who were receiving psychological care at the time inside the tent of the Caritas psycho-social support project.“People were terrified when the evacuation of the wounded to the hospital began. Father Gabriel [Romanelli] was also taken because he had a minor leg injury, but he is out of danger,” Asfar confirmed.In addition to the Argentine priest from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, eight other people were injured and rushed to Al Mamadami Hospital, just one kilometer (.62 miles) from the church. But the bombings have also pushed to the limit the capacity of health centers, with no electricity or medical supplies. “There is no medicine, no drinking water. There is a severe shortage of fuel, which is essential for hospitals and medical centers,” he pointed out.<h2>The Gaza Interim Foundation is not enough </h2>The last significant influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza occurred more than four months ago. “Nothing has entered since March 2. Only small amounts of aid. The only active operation is the Gaza Interim Foundation, but it’s not enough. Four centers cannot replace the 400 distribution points that existed during the truce,” Asfar noted.Furthermore, the management of this organization, also known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), — created in February 2025 and supported by the United States and Israel — has raised growing suspicions that it has turned food distribution into a weapon of war. <a href="https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2025/06/107503/un-rights-office-horrified-deadly-violence-gaza-food-distribution" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">According to UN figures</a>, more than 400 Gazans have already died at GHF aid distribution points.The humanitarian situation is dire. Caritas currently has more than 120 staff operating in Gaza, spread across ten medical centers, but resources are dwindling. The borders remain closed, which has put the population in a desperate situation. “People are dying of hunger. All the children are suffering from malnutrition,” the director of Caritas Jerusalem warned.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115389/ataque-a-la-iglesia-de-gaza-sin-las-alertas-del-p-romanelli-hubiera-sido-una-masacre" 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, 17 Jul 2025 18:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Catholic youth urge European leaders to address migrant crisis with charity, understanding ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265405/catholic-youth-urge-european-leaders-to-address-migrant-crisis-with-charity-understanding</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265405/catholic-youth-urge-european-leaders-to-address-migrant-crisis-with-charity-understanding</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/migrants.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Migrants aboard an inflatable vessel in the Mediterranean Sea approach the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney in 2013. Carney provided food and water to the migrants aboard the vessel before coordinating with a nearby merchant vessel to take them to safety. / Credit: Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
Young Catholic Europeans have issued recommendations to leaders on the continent in an effort to address the current migration crisis affecting numerous countries there.This year’s written contribution by the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) Youth Net centers on solutions for “fostering integration of migrants in the European Union.” The region has seen high levels of immigration in recent years, particularly from the Middle East and Africa. The paper, <a href="https://www.comece.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/Contribution-17072025-Annual-2024-2025-contribution-of-the-COMECE-Youth-Net-on-integrating-migrants-EN.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">published this month,</a> is based on a small-scale survey conducted by COMECE delegates under the auspices of the EU Episcopal Conferences. “Rooted in Europe’s Christian heritage and Catholic Social Teaching, this contribution seeks to reflect on the call to support just integration processes: to welcome, protect, and actively integrate migrants, whilst addressing key challenges and proposing a way forward for European leaders,” the paper states. The paper addresses three main issues regarding migration in the EU: social integration of migrants as a “two-way process,” addressing the link between migration and crime rates, and the loss of national identity amid demographic crises. Respondents of the COMECE survey emphasized the importance of the two-way process of integration, according to the paper, sharing they believed that “while migrants should continue to respect local customs, language and laws, host societies should also provide opportunities for participation in economic, social and cultural life.” Respondents also “stressed the need to balance preserving one’s cultural identity and embracing the values of the host state.” In light of the responses, the paper urges “both sides to engage in cultural exchange,” with migrants learning the language and customs of the host country, and local communities participating in events that promote intercultural dialogue. The paper also calls for integration of migrants into society in the professional sphere, noting that “overqualification amongst migrants is an issue that affects both their personal development and the socio-economic advancement of the host countries.”“The Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church highlights the deep connection between work and human dignity, asserting that immigration can serve as a resource to the host country for development when migrants fill labour needs unmet by the local workforce,” the paper states. The delegates further called on host counties to “facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications and offer tailored vocational training, enabling migrants to engage in work that truly reflects their skills and aspirations.” Regarding the link between crime rates and increased levels of migration, the paper states that “the perception of a direct link between migration and crime,” which it says is propagated by politicians and the media, “is not always factual.”“It is essential to approach this subject with data, see the human person behind the statistics, and create empathy for people who, like so many of the local population, are simply looking for a better life,” the paper states. Furthermore, the COMECE delegates assert that increased crime rates “tend to be concentrated in regions and areas which have less opportunities or where previous generations of migrant communities have already established themselves.”Attributing rising crime to newcomers alone is “illogical,” the paper states.The paper notes various factors that “can make a person more prone” to commit illegal offenses, citing poor integration into society and “having lived in a context of violence in one’s country of origin,” and “lacking a strong social network.”“As such, integration is a fundamental part of the process for receiving migrants, especially asylum seekers and refugees, who are more vulnerable,” the paper states, recommending EU member states make resources such as language courses, integration programs, social services, more readily available. It also recommends streamlining visa programs and “debureaucratizing the job market” as a preventative measure to crime. Lastly, in their recommendations to EU member states regarding the preservation of national identity amid rising immigration, the COMECE delegates propose “investing in strong local communities.” In practice, this means promoting pro-family policies, engaging local communities including churches to promote integration between migrants and citizens, and facilitating more volunteering in local communities to help introduce migrants into society, according to the COMECE delegates.
]]></description>
<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ UPDATE: Catholic Sen. Tim Kaine blasts GOP for slashing aid funding ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265401/catholic-sen-tim-kaine-blasts-gop-for-slashing-aid-funding</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265401/catholic-sen-tim-kaine-blasts-gop-for-slashing-aid-funding</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2225245045.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on July 15, 2025. / Credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
</div>
CNA Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 15:58 pm (CNA).
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) delivered a speech on the Senate floor on July 16 denouncing cuts to federal funding of faith-based organizations that play critical roles in refugee resettlement and international humanitarian aid. The Rescissions Act of 2025, pushed by both President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, proposes $9.4 billion in cuts to previously appropriated federal funding, $800 million of which supports faith-based organizations like <a href="https://www.crs.org/donate/help-around-world-2?ms=agigoo0925bge00gen01&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1425500549&gbraid=0AAAAAD_IvJaOrIjSde3EsAn7EHc2CBMvB&gclid=CjwKCAjwvuLDBhAOEiwAPtF0VgIxn2hK2IPnnz1asDxUVIlZfdr4elKkwpx031kwA1yGcTx6sDcBfBoCc4sQAvD_BwE" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Catholic Relief Services</a> (CRS) as well as <a href="https://www.worldvision.org/our-work/refugees" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">World Vision</a>, an evangelical organization.The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/search?q=%7B%22congress%22%3A%5B%22119%22%5D%2C%22source%22%3A%22all%22%2C%22search%22%3A%22Rescissions+Act+of+2025+%28H.R.+4%29%22%7D" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">rescissions bill</a>, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives 214-212 on June 12 and passed in an amended form in the Senate on July 17, threatens to dismantle funding for faith-based groups, including the U.S. bishop-supported CRS.Kaine, a Catholic and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who opposes the cuts, on Wednesday called them an “attack on the religious organizations so that they cannot do the work that their faith in their Creator compels them to do.”During the Senate’s consideration of the measure on July 16, Kaine unsuccessfully introduced a motion to recommit the bill to the Senate Committee on Appropriations with instructions to preserve funding for faith-based organizations involved in refugee resettlement and international assistance. The motion was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 48-51.Kaine, the former governor of Virginia, had urged the Senate to preserve funding for the faith-based groups, many of which have already laid off employees.According to Kaine, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society have fired staff, and the Episcopal Church has closed its resettlement program completely.World Relief has warned that the cuts undermine protections for persecuted Christians, Kaine said.While he said he was “not surprised” that Trump had supported the funding cuts, Kaine expressed dismay at the cuts’ support among Republicans, many of whom “go to churches just like me and hear sermons preached about the Good Samaritan, just like I do every Sunday.”The senator said seven of the ten organizations resettling refugees in the U.S. are faith-based, with Catholic advocates leading efforts to integrate legal immigrants, such as Afghan allies and Congolese families, into American communities. In his speech Wednesday, Kaine spoke about his home parish, St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Richmond, Virginia, which was founded by Italian and German immigrants after World War I.He said those immigrants chose to honor St. Elizabeth because she took bread to the poor, a symbol of serving those in need.Kaine’s parish, which he said he has attended for 40 years, now has a large community of Congolese refugees.“My church looks … different in some ways than when it was founded 100 years ago,” Kaine said, “but in other ways it’s exactly the same—a haven for … legal immigrants” who have “come to a place where they feel loved and cared for and safe and welcome.”He highlighted the impact of the proposed funding cuts on his parish, where Congolese families fear for relatives still in refugee camps. “These families come to me after Mass, frightened about what these cuts mean,” he said.The Senate passed a version of the measure on July 17 incorporating <a href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/119th-congress/senate-amendment/2893/actions?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22SA+2893%22%7D&s=2&r=1" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">an amendment</a> that preserved $400 million to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The amendment also protected some country-specific grants.Because it was amended, the bill was sent back to the House. If Congress fails to pass the Rescissions Act by midnight on July 18, the White House must release the $9 billion in funds, including $7.9 billion in foreign aid cuts affecting faith-based organizations, to be spent as originally appropriated.Correction: An earlier version of this story identified Catholic Relief Services as assisting with refugee resettlement in the United States. CRS does not perform refugee resettlement in the U.S., but Catholic Charities does. Sen. Tim Kaine's remarks have also been updated. (Published July 18, 2025)
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:58:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ The Holy See at the UN calls for urgent measures to protect families ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265403/the-holy-see-at-the-un-calls-for-urgent-measures-to-protect-families</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265403/the-holy-see-at-the-un-calls-for-urgent-measures-to-protect-families</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/caccia.un.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia. / Credit: Holy See Mission to the United Nations
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 17, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
The permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, participated in this week’s ‘High-Level Political Forum’ with two speeches at UN headquarters in New York.The July 13-15 event focused on the UN’s sustainable development goals, according to <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-07/holy-see-united-nations-debate-debt-relief-development.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vatican News</a>. In particular, Caccia addressed Goal 3, which seeks to guarantee access to healthcare, and Goal 5, on "gender equality and empowering women."The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an action plan approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. It is structured around <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">17 Sustainable Development Goals</a> (SDGs) and 169 targets to be achieved within a 15-year period.Among these goals are "No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, affordable and clean energy, gender equality, and reduced inequalities." While many of these goals enjoy broad Catholic support, some also <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/98082/7-cosas-que-todo-catolico-debe-conocer-sobre-la-agenda-2030" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">engender controversy</a> in aspects which conflict with the doctrine of the Catholic Church.<h2>Access to basic medical care</h2>In his first address, Caccia denounced inequalities in access to medical services and highlighted the need to raise awareness about mental health, the source of many problems that are often hidden."These inequalities are evident in the millions of people who still lack access to basic medical care, in the stagnant maternal mortality rates, and in the silent suffering of those suffering from untreated mental illness," he stated.He also stressed that health should not be understood solely as "the absence of illness" and reiterated the right to health for all people, proposing the implementation of "integrated policies" that recognize the link between health and other dimensions such as poverty and education.In this regard, he urged the protection of the most vulnerable, especially children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and victims of war.<h2>The importance of the family</h2>During his second address, the permanent observer of the Holy See to the UN referred to the<a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20240402_dignitas-infinita_en.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Dignitas Infinita</a> declaration and recalled that true equality between men and women requires conditions that promote "the integral development of women," such as healthcare, decent work, and quality education.Caccia also rejected ideological agendas and denounced that "too often, the development efforts of the international community treat gender equality primarily as a matter of individual autonomy, divorced from relationships and responsibilities."He advocated for a change in perspective that values "the complementarity between men and women," emphasizing the importance of families as a "space for relationships.""In tandem with promoting equality between women and men, measures must be taken to support and protect families, motherhood, and fatherhood," he emphasized.The Vatican official also denounced the ecological debt that is suffocating a large portion of the least developed African countries; and highlighted that "the persistent and widespread reality of poverty continues to afflict millions of people, denying them material well-being and undermining their God-given dignity, while stifling their integral human development."Therefore, he emphasized that poverty must remain "the central and urgent priority of the international community."This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115383/santa-sede-ante-la-onu-pide-medidas-urgentes-para-proteger-a-las-familias" 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, 17 Jul 2025 15:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Gaza's only Catholic priest among injured in Israeli attack ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265399/gazas-only-catholic-priest-among-injured-in-israeli-attack</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265399/gazas-only-catholic-priest-among-injured-in-israeli-attack</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/romanelli.1.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Father Gabriel Romanelli with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, celebrating Christmas Mass at Holy Family Parish in Gaza, in December 2024. / Credit: Courtesy of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 17, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).
The Holy Family Church in Gaza was hit Thursday amid a new wave of Israeli bombings, leaving several people dead and injured, including the church’s pastor, Gabriel Romanelli, a native of Argentina.The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed the incident in an official <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Latin.patriarchate.of.jerusalem/posts/pfbid0hCgrfzevTZYDqSG4mnZDdHs2kWK5PMPWutzCxzdxh663erjb7fSBUcsNMFcu6TUPl?rdid=KDig0RKhuPcr4Gbj#" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a>. The attack left three dead, according to Caritas Jerusalem.One of the victims was Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, 60, the parish's maintenance manager who was in the courtyard at the time of the explosion. The other two fatalities were Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, an 84-year-old woman, and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70, who were receiving psychological care at the time inside the tent of Caritas' psycho-social support project.According to <a href="https://www.avvenire.it/mondo/pagine/gaza-bombe-sacra-famiglia" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Avvenire</a>, the Italian Bishops’ Conference newspaper, Romanelli suffered injuries to his leg and was hospitalized, although his condition is not reported as critical. In addition to the Argentine priest from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, eight other people were injured and rushed to Al Mamadami Hospital, just one kilometer (.62 miles) from the church.The parish building, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, was converted at the beginning of the war into a makeshift shelter where more than 500 people now live. The majority are Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and Catholics, but it also serves as a refuge for more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities and their families.For weeks, the 541 people sheltering in the parish complex have endured the daily roar of bombs falling in the surrounding area, especially in the residential neighborhood of al-Zaytun in Gaza City.Despite the insecurity, the priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) has remained in Gaza accompanying the local Catholic community in the midst of the conflict. In 2023 (when the Israel-Hamas war started) he was evacuated to Jerusalem, but decided to return in a gesture that demonstrates his pastoral commitment and spiritual resilience.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the incident. “The Israeli attacks on Gaza also hit the Holy Family church,” she <a href="https://x.com/GiorgiaMeloni/status/1945761595373580540" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">wrote </a>on X. “The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such deportment,” she added. This is not the first time that Holy Family parish, which has been a location for humanitarian assistance since the start of the war in October 2023, has been attacked. In December of that same year, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256328/missionaries-of-charity-convent-in-gaza-unhabitable-after-taking-fire-residents-take-refuge-in-parish-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">two women were killed </a>by an Israeli sniper inside the compound.In addition, seven people were injured during the shooting that hit several Gazans. On that occasion, the<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265389/latin-patriarchate-confirms-holy-family-church-in-gaza-hit-damage-and-injuries-reported" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the "cold-blooded" attack</a> on the perimeter of the parish, where there were "no combatants."This latest attack on a place of worship raises new concerns about the situation of civilians and religious communities trapped in the conflict. The Catholic Church in the Holy Land has repeatedly called for respect for sacred sites and the protection of the civilian population, regardless of faith.A United Nations delegation made <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265147/un-delegation-makes-surprise-visit-to-catholic-parish-in-gaza" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a surprise visit </a>to the parish on July 1, the only Latin-rite Catholic church in Gaza, which houses hundreds of people displaced by the war.According to Servizio Informazione Religiosa (SIR), the news agency of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) visited the church to assess the current situation there.The Catholic enclave had previously received special attention from the late Pope Francis, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262479/cna-explains-pope-francis-still-calls-gaza-parish-every-day" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">who called Father Romanelli every day</a>. His last call to the parish <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263567/two-days-before-his-death-pope-francis-made-final-call-to-pastor-of-gaza-parish" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was two days before his death</a>, on April 21.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115377/el-p-romanelli-unico-parroco-catolico-de-gaza-entre-los-heridos-tras-un-ataque-israeli" 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, 17 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Bishop says U.S. aid cuts, not migrants, crippling South Africa’s health system ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265397/catholic-bishop-links-migrants-woes-in-south-african-hospitals-to-us-aid-suspension</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265397/catholic-bishop-links-migrants-woes-in-south-african-hospitals-to-us-aid-suspension</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sabishop.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Bishop Joseph Mary Kizito, the Liaison Bishop for the SACBC Migrants and Refugees Office. / Credit: SACBC
</div>
ACI Africa, Jul 17, 2025 / 14:28 pm (CNA).
Bishop <a href="https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkizito.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Joseph Mary Kizito</a> of the <a href="https://sacbc.org.za/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference</a> (SACBC) said on July 15 that South Africa’s health sector has been brought to its knees not by foreign nationals, but by the recent suspension of most U.S. foreign aid. In an interview with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, the bishop said that many locals <a href="https://www.ewn.co.za/2025/07/10/some-rosettenville-residents-insist-foreign-nationals-stop-using-public-healthcare-facilities" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">protesting against migrants</a> “do not understand world politics” and are unaware of the effects of directives from the U.S. government. That is the reason they have turned against migrants and refugees, he said.Kizito, the liaison for the SACBC's <a href="https://sacbc.org.za/pastoral-care-of-migrants-and-refugeesmr/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Migrants and Refugees Department</a>, denounced ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals in some parts of the country, noting that they are not to blame for the shortage of medication in the country’s health facilities. “It is true that there is a lack of medication in the hospitals. But it's not because the foreigners have caused that; it is the economic situation we have found ourselves in. That is why we do not have a lot of money in the clinics,” Kizito said.He added: “I think this situation has also been caused by the current international withdrawal of funding by President Trump of America. It has affected many economic changes in the departments, especially health and education.”“I have seen HIV and TB projects here closing down. A lot of Trump money for HIV and TB is no longer there,” he said. “People are going to get a shortage of medication. And now, they are turning on foreigners, saying that it is they who are taking all their medications; but they don't know the causes of the shortage. They don't know the politics of the world.”The Ugandan bishop, who leads South Africa’s<a href="https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/daliw.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Diocese of Aliwal</a>, said he finds it hard to believe that foreigners are causing a strain on the country’s health system: “It is not true that all over the country, foreigners are more than the local people. That's not true.”<a href="https://www.enca.com/news/residents-protest-against-undocumented-migrants-and-crime" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Recent protests</a>, notably in Johannesburg’s Rosettenville suburb, have seen locals establish barricades demanding that undocumented migrants seek private medical care.For weeks, residents of Rosettenville have also been reportedly calling for the deportation of illegal immigrants in South Africa, saying that they want South Africans to be prioritized for state services. SACBC members have<a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/16519/catholic-church-in-southern-africa-denounces-attacks-against-migrants-seeking-treatment-in-public-hospitals" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> denounced</a> the attacks, describing the move to exclude foreign nationals in South Africa from health care as “a morally reprehensible” behavior that they say risks undermining the country’s attempts to strengthen social cohesion.Kizito told ACI Africa that “the situation in Zimbabwe is not improving, DRC is not improving. Same with Lesotho and many other countries whose nationals are here in South Africa. We do not see the issue of migrants and refugees stopping. They are only going to increase.”“We are still addressing this issue because the systems are very difficult to penetrate. There is a lot of miscommunication between the government and the agents on the ground,” he said.Kizito challenged authorities in South Africa to start probing the reasons that there are so many undocumented migrants in the country. He highlighted poor border management as one of the biggest contributors to the increase, faulting law enforcement for failing to control the country’s borders.“Our borders are either too big or the resources are not enough. And so, a lot of people come into the country illegally,” he explained, adding that corrupt officials at the borders do not help the situation.He bemoaned the growing woes of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and those labelled “stateless” in South Africa, noting that delays in documentation are forcing foreign priests to leave the country.He said that he had interacted with priests who were forced to go back to their home countries after attempts to renew their visas are delayed.“Many priests have left the country because they have failed to secure their documents that show that they are not living here illegally,” the bishop said.“These are clergy, men of God who want to renew their visas but they have failed. I know about three who have left. One left this week. They say that they cannot be here illegally. They have tried everything possible to complete their applications but nothing is working.”Kizito said that the growing trend of priests leaving South Africa is not good for the country, which already has a shortage of priests.He pleaded with South Africa’s department of Home Affairs and other authorities “to get their systems working” to reduce delays in documentation processes.“The system is stuck. They always say they have a huge backlog. But for how long?" he asked, adding, “We appeal to the government. We appeal to the department of Home Affairs to make the system work. People genuinely want to renew their papers. But the office bureaucracies turn them down. People don't want to be in this country illegally.”This article was <a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/16579/catholic-bishop-links-woes-of-migrants-in-south-africas-public-hospitals-to-us-presidents-aid-suspension" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">originally published by ACI Africa</a>, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:28:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV meets with U.S. Orthodox-Catholic pilgrim group at Castel Gandolfo ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265393/pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-us-orthodox-catholic-pilgrim-group-at-castel-gandolfo</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265393/pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-us-orthodox-catholic-pilgrim-group-at-castel-gandolfo</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/ris0060.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday met with a U.S. ecumenical group, led by Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, encouraging them to “return to the roots of our faith” in their pilgrimage to Italy and Turkey. July 17, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media
</div>
Rome Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 12:31 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday met with a U.S. ecumenical group, led by Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, encouraging them to “return to the roots of our faith” in their pilgrimage to Italy and Turkey.    Welcoming the group from his “native country” to his papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, located 15 miles southeast of Rome, the Holy Father said their visits to various holy sites in both countries are a “concrete way” of renewing their faith in the “Gospel handed down to us by the apostles.”He said: “Your pilgrimage is one of the abundant fruits of the ecumenical movement aimed at restoring full unity among all Christ’s disciples in accordance with the Lord’s prayer at the Last Supper, when Jesus said, ‘that they may all be one.’”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/ris0122.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="Pope Leo XIV on Thursday met with a U.S. ecumenical group, led by Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, encouraging them to “return to the roots of our faith” in their pilgrimage to Italy and Turkey. July 17, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV on Thursday met with a U.S. ecumenical group, led by Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, encouraging them to “return to the roots of our faith” in their pilgrimage to Italy and Turkey. July 17, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>Leo reiterated the importance of Christian unity — a key theme of his pontificate — during the meeting, saying Rome, Constantinople, and other episcopal sees “are not called to vie for primacy” but to pursue a path of “fraternal charity” through the Holy Spirit.“It is significant that your pilgrimage is taking place this year, in which we celebrate one thousand seven hundred years of the Council of Nicaea,” he said. “The symbol of faith adopted by the assembled Fathers remains – together with the additions made at the Council of Constantinople in 381 – the common patrimony of all Christians, for many of whom the creed is an integral part of their liturgical celebrations,” he continued.Pope Leo specially thanked Elpidophoros for leading the ecumenical group alongside Tobin, saying such “signs of sharing and fellowship” among Catholics and Orthodox should not be taken for granted.“On December 7th, 1965, on the eve of the conclusion of the <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Second Vatican Council</a>, my predecessor <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Saint Paul VI</a> and the Patriarch, Athenagoras signed a <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/speeches/1965/documents/hf_p-vi_spe_19651207_common-declaration.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Joint Declaration</a> removing from memory and the midst of the Church the sentences of excommunication that followed the events of the year 1054,” he said.“Before then, a pilgrimage like your own would probably not even have been possible,” he added. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/sim2844.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="Pope Leo specially thanked Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America Elpidophoros for leading the ecumenical group alongside Cardinal Joseph Tobin, saying such “signs of sharing and fellowship” among Catholics and Orthodox should not be taken for granted. July 17, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo specially thanked Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America Elpidophoros for leading the ecumenical group alongside Cardinal Joseph Tobin, saying such “signs of sharing and fellowship” among Catholics and Orthodox should not be taken for granted. July 17, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>The pope asked both religious leaders to bring his greetings and “an embrace of peace” to Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, who attended his May 18 inauguration Mass, when in Turkey to continue their pilgrimage. While encouraging the U.S. delegation to be “witnesses and bearers of hope” during the 2025 Jubilee Year, Leo asked pilgrims to look forward to 2033, when Christians will commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of “the redemption won by the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.”“Spiritually, all of us need to return to Jerusalem, the City of Peace, where Peter, Andrew and all the Apostles, after the days of the Lord’s passion and resurrection, received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and from there bore witness to Christ to the ends of the earth,” he said.Before concluding the audience, the Holy Father expressed his hope to meet the group again “in a few months” for an “ecumenical commemoration” to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. He did not specify if he would or would not undertake an apostolic journey to Turkey this year to celebrate the occasion in İznik, modern day Nicaea, during the meeting.
]]></description>
<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 12:31:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope urges immediate ceasefire after deadly attack on Catholic parish in Gaza ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265391/pope-leo-xiv-demands-ceasefire-after-deadly-attack-on-catholic-parish-in-gaza</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265391/pope-leo-xiv-demands-ceasefire-after-deadly-attack-on-catholic-parish-in-gaza</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2224813770.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A view of the damage to the Holy Family church in Gaza City following an Israeli strike on the church, in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City on July 17, 2025. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said an Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church killed two and injured several people on July 17, including the parish priest, as well as causing damage to the building. / Credit: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 17, 2025 / 11:40 am (CNA).
Following a strike against the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic Church in Gaza, which left at least two dead on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV issued an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire.In a telegram signed on the pope’s behalf by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pontiff expressed his “deep sadness” over the military attack and offered his prayers for “the consolation of those who are mourning and for the healing of the wounded.”“Pope Leo renews his profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation, and lasting peace in the region,” the message stated. Finally, the Holy Father entrusted the souls of the deceased “to the loving mercy of Almighty God” and assured his “spiritual closeness” to all those affected. The pope also posted a message on social media platform X, where he said "Only dialogue and reconciliation can ensure enduring peace!"<div class="twitter-wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaza?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaza</a>. I assure the parish community of my spiritual closeness. I commend the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, and pray for…— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/1945830848604917912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 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>According to humanitarian aid organization <a href="https://www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/middle-east-and-north-africa/jerusalem/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Caritas Jerusalem</a>, the two victims were outside the parish building — converted into a shelter for more than 500 people since the war began in October 2023 — at the time of the projectile strike.Saad Salameh, 60, the parish caretaker, was in the courtyard and Fumayya Ayyad, 84, was sitting inside a Caritas psychosocial support tent when the explosion sent shrapnel flying and caused debris to fall in the area.Both were rushed to Al-Mamadani Hospital, just over half a mile from the church, but died shortly afterward due to a "severe shortage of medical resources and blood units in Gaza," the statement said.Caritas Jerusalem denounced these deaths, saying they represent “a painful reminder of the impossible conditions faced by civilians and medical personnel under siege.” The humanitarian aid organization's teams in Gaza are “in a state of shock and mourning,” having witnessed “another senseless loss of innocent lives,” the group said.In response to the tragedy, Caritas Jerusalem issued a new appeal to the international community: “Once again, we urgently call for swift action to protect civilians, places of worship, and humanitarian spaces, and to ensure that people in Gaza have access to the most basic right: the opportunity to survive.”“May Saad and Fumayya rest in peace. We carry their memory with us,” the message concludes.For his part, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed doubt that the attack was not deliberate. “They say it was a mistake by an Israeli tank, but we don't know; it hit the church … directly,” Pizzaballa told Vatican News. In addition to the two deaths, the explosion caused five injuries, including to the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who suffered a minor leg injury.Pizzaballa acknowledged that it is still too early to fully assess the consequences of the attack, but he insisted on the need to clarify what happened and protect the local community. “Now is too early to talk about all this; we need to understand what happened, what must be done, above all, to protect our people, naturally trying to ensure that these things don't happen again, and then we will see how to continue,” he said.The patriarch reaffirmed the Catholic Church's closeness and commitment to the Christians of the Gaza Strip: "We always try to reach Gaza in every possible way, directly and indirectly."Following the attack, Israeli Foreign Minister Oren Marmorstein in a message posted on the social media platform X expressed the Israeli government's "deep sorrow for the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and for any civilian casualties."The Israeli foreign minister indicated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are examining the incident, the details of which "are still unclear." "The results of the investigation will be published with complete transparency," he said.In his statement, the minister stressed that "Israel never targets churches or religious sites" and regretted "any damage to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians."This article was <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115379/leon-xiv-exige-un-alto-el-fuego-tras-el-ataque-mortal-a-parroquia-catolica-en-gaza" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">originally published by ACI Prensa</a>, CNA's Spanish language news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:40:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ UPDATE: Latin Patriarchate confirms Holy Family Church in Gaza hit, 3 deaths reported ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265389/latin-patriarchate-confirms-holy-family-church-in-gaza-hit-damage-and-injuries-reported</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265389/latin-patriarchate-confirms-holy-family-church-in-gaza-hit-damage-and-injuries-reported</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2224814148.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A view of the damage to the Holy Family church in Gaza City following an Israeli strike on the church, in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City on July 17, 2025. / Credit: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images
</div>
ACI MENA, Jul 17, 2025 / 09:12 am (CNA).
The Holy Family Church in Gaza was struck by an Israeli attack on Thursday, with the strike resulting in casualties and injuries among civilians present at the historic church. The pastor of the parish, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was also injured.The direct strike killed three people — Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh and Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, confirmed by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem a few hours after the attack. A third person, Najwa Abu Daoud, succombed to her injuries a few hours later. The patriarchate stressed that it was praying for the repose of the souls of the dead and for an end to what it called this “barbaric war.” According to press reports, several other civilians sustained moderate to severe injuries, while the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was wounded by shrapnel in his leg.  His condition was described as mild, and he later returned to check on the wounded. According to church sources in Gaza, 14 people were injured in the attack. In its initial <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AzjcbTR1F/" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW221230928 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> earlier in the day, the patriarchate said: “The church was attacked this morning, causing injuries among those inside, including the parish priest.” In Rome, the Vatican issued a statement signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressing Pope Leo XIV’s profound sorrow upon learning that lives were lost and others injured.  The Holy Father conveyed his spiritual closeness to Romanelli and the parish community, renewing his call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and expressing his desire for dialogue, reconciliation, and lasting peace in the region. While the Israel Defense Forces <a href="https://x.com/OrenMarmorstein/status/1945790701280649412?t=LyWZXADj-BWjq3Noh3I_Bg&s=09" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW221230928 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said</a> they were investigating the incident, the spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Oren Marmorstein, expressed his country’s “deep regret over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualties.”  He added that the circumstances of the incident remain unclear and that the results of the investigation would be published transparently. The Holy Family Church is considered the last Christian refuge in Gaza, where dozens of families have been sheltering since the outbreak of the war in October 2023. The church also suffered partial damage in July 2024, when its surroundings were shelled, an incident that at the time drew condemnation from church leaders in the Holy Land. This story was updated at 2:20 p.m. July 17 to reflect the latest reports of deaths from the attack. This story <a href="https://www.acimena.com/news/6073/asthdaf-knys-alaaayl-almkdws-llatyn-fy-ghzw-oasabat-byn-almdnywyn" target="_blank" class="Hyperlink SCXW221230928 BCX4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">was first published </a>by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:12:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ South Korean priests undergo AI training ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265383/south-korean-priests-undergo-ai-training</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265383/south-korean-priests-undergo-ai-training</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/starfield-suwon-library.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Library in Starfield Shopping Mall, Suwon, South Korea. / Credit: Jpbarrass, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 17, 2025 / 07:30 am (CNA).
“I believe that artificial intelligence will become an essential technology for preaching or pastoral care of the faithful,” said Fr. Ignazio Son Chang-hyun, one of the priests who participated in a recent innovative training organized by the Diocese of Suwon, South Korea.According to <a href="https://www.asianews.it/news-en/South-Korea:-Suwon-priests-study-artificial-intelligence-for-parish-life-63495.html#google_vignette" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Asia News</a>, earlier this month the South Korean diocese brought together priests from the cities of Suwon, Daegu, and Masan to learn about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in parish life.Unlike other meetings focused on ethics, this training sought to explore the practical opportunities that AI offers for evangelization and care of the faithful.“Since it is a hot topic at the moment and its areas of application are expanding, we have prepared training for priests to learn skills that can be used in the pastoral field,” explained Father Lee Cheol-gu, director of the Office of Social Communications of the Diocese of Suwon, the event's sponsor.During the event, held in collaboration with a company specializing in AI literacy, priests learned how to use tools such as ChatGPT and other generative platforms to create images, presentations, videos, and even background music for their parish activities. They also experimented with a chatbot that can automatically take meeting minutes.For Father Son Chang-hyun, this technology can not only assist with administrative tasks, but could go further in its application. “I think that if we could better understand the trends and moods of the faithful, which change from place to place, through data analysis, we could get closer to them in pastoral terms,” he said.Father Bartolomeo Choi Jae-yong, another participant, emphasized the importance of integrating faith and science: “I believe that religion and science must be well harmonized in order for God's new work to be accomplished.”Speaking with Asia News, he added that religion "must actively learn and understand science and technology in order to prevent abuses related to their use.”Another goal of this initiative is to build bridges between the Church and technology companies, in order to improve the content of tools that use AI.“I have noticed that Catholic and Protestant terminology are often confused and that there is a lot of misinformation about the saints. I therefore thought it necessary for the Church to collaborate with companies to improve these aspects,” said Father Leone Lee Jae-geun, deputy director of the Office of Social Communications.In a country like South Korea, a world leader in technology, the local Church has taken this significant step to evangelize in the digital world as well. According to the participating priests, this experience could become a model for other dioceses around the world seeking to integrate technological innovation in the service of the Gospel.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115319/corea-del-sur-sacerdotes-se-forman-en-inteligencia-artificial-para-mejorar-su-labor-pastoral" 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>Asia - Pacific</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Abortions in Ireland up 300% since 2018 referendum ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265367/abortions-in-ireland-up-300-percent-since-2018-referendum</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265367/abortions-in-ireland-up-300-percent-since-2018-referendum</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/irelandmarchforlife4050824.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin, chairman of the Irish bishops’ Council for Life (far left), and Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, primate of all Ireland (second from left), stand with young pro-life activists at the 2024 Ireland March for Life in Dublin on May 6, 2024. / Credit: Courtesy of Pro Life Campaign
</div>
Dublin, Ireland, Jul 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
One in 6 unborn children’s lives now end in abortion in the Republic of Ireland, according to the Irish Department of Health statistics, which reports 10,852 abortions in 2024 — the highest number on record since the law changed in 2019 following the 2018 referendum.Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy speaking to CNA said: “That’s a truly horrifying figure, and it’s the opposite of what senior politicians promised the public would happen if they voted for repeal in 2018,” she added.During the 2018 referendum, pro-life voices warned that abortion numbers would increase dramatically if access to abortion were widened. Mulroy pointed out that 10,852 abortions in 2024 represent a 280% increase from the 2,879 Irish abortions that happened in 2018, the year before the law changed.Mulroy said the Pro Life Campaign and other groups have asked for a meeting with the minister for health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to discuss the shocking new figures.“I personally know politicians, TDs [a Teachta Dálaa is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish Parliament, the Oireachtas], and senators who would have been people who campaigned back in 2018 for a yes vote, who would have been encouraging other people to vote yes at that time for different reasons, who now feel it’s gone too far and are appalled at the figures,” Mulroy said.During the lead-up to the 2018 referendum vote to widen access to abortion, pro-life campaigners pointed out that in Britain at that time, 1 in 5 pregnancies ended in abortion. “Members of the media in Ireland were accusing the pro-life side of scaremongering, and were trying to disprove those figures, and saying that that was never going to happen in Ireland,” Mulroy said. “We have nearly caught up with that figure — we’re now at 1 in 6 babies’ lives ending in abortion,” she said. “And Britain, just this last week, released its latest figures, and they’re nearly at 1 in 3 pregnancies ending in abortion. So once you introduce abortion, once you change the law, over time, abortion rates grow, and if there was any doubt about that, there’s no doubt anymore.”She added: “Even if one accepts at face value the highly debatable claim by abortion advocates that an additional 1,000 illegal abortion pills were purchased annually before the law was repealed, the post-2018 surge in abortions is still staggering. Over 98% of all abortions in Ireland in 2024 were during early pregnancy up to 12 weeks.” Speaking to CNA, David Quinn of the <a href="https://ionainstitute.ie/about-the-iona-institute/ " target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Iona Institute</a> highlighted the messaging used by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Irish government at the time of the 2018 referendum. In announcing the referendum, Varadkar had said he was speaking “as Taoiseach, as a medical doctor, and as a former minister for health.”“Leo Varadkar, when he announced the referendum in early 2018, said abortion would be ‘safe, legal, and rare,’ which clearly is not the case,” Quinn said. “... So would Leo Varadkar consider 11,000 rare? They were spinning a line about it being rare that was convenient to them, and it was convenient to those who voted yes to believe it as well.”At the time of the 2018 abortion referendum in Ireland, Quinn said many people were led to believe that the subsequent legislation introduced would limit access to abortion. He wondered if the electorate realized the implications of voting yes.“If they had looked into a crystal ball and seen that it would go above 11,000 or 1 in 6 pregnancies ending this way, would that have given them pause? Would they have realized the law is not half as restrictive as we were led to believe?”He added: “It was sold to the voters on the hard cases — like the baby is going to die soon after birth. And there was very little focus on the fact that the vast majority of babies aborted will be the healthy children of healthy women. That was barely spoken about. I mean, our pro-life side tried to raise it, but the pro-choice circles and the government very successfully kept the conversation about the hard cases and weren’t telling people that 90% of abortions would take place before 12 weeks.”Mulroy is pressing for intervention by the minister for health and shared concerns about what people’s expectations were in 2018. “We spend a lot of time talking to politicians — even [those] who might not necessarily be coming from a pro-life perspective, but who might share common ground on some of the issues associated with the abortion question. For example the need for more positive alternatives for women in unplanned pregnancy.”Mulroy said that it is politicians who have “responsibility in the area of public policy.” “We’re talking about human lives here,” she said. “It’s not just like any other area of health care, where we’re trying to reduce waiting lists or other things. This is not health care. This is the ending of human lives, and that’s why we are really pushing for a meeting with the minister for health to discuss these figures and really allow us to discuss what’s happened under the abortion law, rather than this polarized situation where the pro-life voice is not allowed at all be at the decision-making table, which has happened in the Irish government in recent years.”Mulroy does see some small signs of hope in the current Irish government.“I would see a lot of positives there — the makeup of the current government. This government is supported by a number of independents, and some of those independents are very pro-life.”She said she thinks Ireland will “hopefully see in the lifetime of this government” some incremental changes, “even if the only focus is to ensure that women in unplanned pregnancy have all of the information they need to parent.”“Right now, when you ring the government-funded helpline to say that you are in an unplanned pregnancy, you really are only getting one piece of information, and that’s about where the nearest abortion-performing doctor is,” she said.She added: “No matter what side of the fence you’re on… everyone should be united in and agree that women who are in unplanned pregnancy should get all of that information, and I think that would have an impact on the abortion numbers.”Quinn is concerned that the issue of abortion numbers is simply not getting enough attention in the mainstream media. “It’s not getting enough publicity; it’s not being discussed. Actually, very few people know about it outside pro-life circles. Nobody … on air has been asked, ‘Well, do you think 11,000 is rare? You said it would be rare. So what’s going on?’ Mainly, there’s a conspiracy of silence. It is quite hard to break through the conspiracy of silence. But we’ve just got to keep trying.”
]]></description>
<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Jerusalem church leaders visit Taybeh: Christians’ presence in the Holy Land is at risk ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265387/jerusalem-church-heads-visit-taybeh-in-the-west-bank-christians-presence-in-the-holy-land-is-at-risk</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265387/jerusalem-church-heads-visit-taybeh-in-the-west-bank-christians-presence-in-the-holy-land-is-at-risk</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/taybeh1.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Heads of churches in Jerusalem visited the town of Taybeh in Ramallah on July 14, 2025. / Credit: Sand Sahiliya
</div>
ACI MENA, Jul 16, 2025 / 18:01 pm (CNA).
Church leaders in Jerusalem say they hold Israeli authorities responsible for “facilitating and enabling” settler attacks, warning that police silence in the face of emergency calls constitutes a form of complicity.On Monday, the heads of churches visited the predominantly Christian town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah. The delegation was led by Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, joined by diplomats representing more than 20 countries. U.S. representatives canceled their participation at the last minute without explanation.The visit carried a serious warning about the escalating threat to one of the oldest Christian communities in the Holy Land. Both church leaders and diplomats called for accountability for Israeli settlers and an end to the threats targeting a deeply rooted Christian community in the region.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/taybeh2.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="Heads of churches in Jerusalem visit the town of Taybeh in Ramallah on July 14, 2025. Credit: Sand Sahiliya"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Heads of churches in Jerusalem visit the town of Taybeh in Ramallah on July 14, 2025. Credit: Sand Sahiliya</figcaption></figure>Speaking on behalf of the church leaders, Theophilos III said: “We appeal to the conscience of the entire world, imploring its prayers, attention, and action, especially from our fellow Christians around the globe. The Church has maintained its faithful presence in this land for nearly 2,000 years, and we categorically reject these exclusionary messages.”For his part, Cardinal Pizzaballa remarked: “Sadly, the temptation to emigrate remains because of the current situation.” He described the West Bank as an area “outside the rule of law,” adding: “The only law that applies here is the law of force,  the law of whoever holds power, not true law. We must work to restore the presence of law to this part of the country, so that everyone can rely on it to guarantee and enforce their rights.”The churches demanded a transparent investigation, accountability for the perpetrators, and the dismantling of settlement outposts threatening local lands. They also called for international action to ensure Christians can remain on their land.Among other incidents, on July 7, settlers set fire near the historic St. George (al-Khader) cemetery. Locals managed to contain the blaze before it reached the church, but the message was clear: “You have no future here” was written on a sign later placed near the site.  This story was <a href="https://www.acimena.com/news/6055/rosaaa-alknays-fy-alkds-yzoron-altyb-nrfd-alrsayl-alaksayyw" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">first published by ACI MENA</a>, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 18:01:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Contemplating a crucifix led to conversion of young Chinese atheist ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265385/contemplating-a-crucifix-led-to-conversion-of-young-chinese-atheist</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265385/contemplating-a-crucifix-led-to-conversion-of-young-chinese-atheist</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/shushu.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Shushu, with her husband Josemi and their son Emmanuel during JEMJ at the Covadonga shrine. / Credit: Almudena Martínez-Bordiú/EWTN News
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 16, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
Originally from China, Shushu arrived in Spain in 2016 at just 23 years of age with the sole purpose of studying the history of the Spanish language. What she didn't imagine was that she would have a transformative encounter with Christ Crucified, which would lead her to embrace the Catholic faith."We have no merit; it's all because the Lord guides us. His mercy is immense," said Shushu in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, at the shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga in Spain.The young Chinese mother was there with her husband Josemi and son, Emmanuel, to share the testimony of her conversion from atheism to Catholicism before thousands of young people gathered July 4 for the opening of the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265261/youth-event-in-spain-draws-thousands-who-are-embracing-holiness" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Marian Eucharistic Youth Day</a> (JEMJ, by its Spanish acronym).It all began on Oct. 31, in the city of Alcalá de Henares. Shushu had only been in Spain for a month and had attended a Halloween party, drawn by curiosity and the festive atmosphere. However, the grotesque zombie costumes, the clatter of chains dragging along the floor, and the shrill, mournful music disturbed her.Restless and overwhelmed in her heart, she decided to leave and walk in no particular direction until she came upon the imposing <a href="https://www.homeofthemother.org/en/magazine/selected-articles/saints/8764-saints-justus-and-pastor" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sts. Justus and Pastor</a> Cathedral, where she began to hear almost heavenly music that contrasted drastically with the uneasiness she had just experienced.Drawn by that melody, she decided to enter the church, and it was then that her eyes fell upon an image of Christ Crucified. She stood there transfixed, and the encounter marked a turning point in her life. "There was a very large cross, and I saw Jesus there, and it had a great impact on me," she told ACI Prensa.She related that her childhood was spent in a profoundly atheistic environment, typical of communist China, where neither her family nor her closest friends believed in or spoke of God.Despite this, when she looked at the cross, she thought: "There is a person on the cross. And by supernatural intuition, I thought it was God, that God himself was on the cross, and it couldn't be anyone else," she said.<h2>The priest looked at her like a father</h2>Overwhelmed by a sense of peace, she decided to approach a confessional to speak with a priest, unsure of what the Sacrament of Reconciliation consisted of.When she finished speaking, she thanked the priest for listening to her, and as she was about to leave, the priest opened the screen in the confessional: “And he looked at me with a very special look,” Shushu recounted during <a href="https://youtu.be/UPeTt51WvfQ?t=2069" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the testimony </a>she shared at the JEMJ.She said the priest looked at her like a father would and that gave her “a lot of confidence.” She had the feeling that he had been waiting for her for a long time, and he was the one who introduced her to the Servants of the Home of the Mother, who would become her new “Spanish family.”“I didn't know anything; I'd never seen a nun in my life,” Shushu recalled with humor and a certain aplomb. She commented that the nun’s  “angelic” happiness caught her attention: “I'd never seen someone so happy, so joyful, so young. I decided to convert after meeting the nuns,” she recounted.<h2>‘I wanted to be a daughter of God’</h2>At one point one of the nuns took her hand and asked, “Do you want to be baptized?” To which she replied, “What does it mean to be baptized?”“She told me that being baptized means ‘being a daughter of God, like us.’ At that moment, I didn't understand anything, nor did I know why a Chinese woman could be a daughter of God or why God is my Father,” she explained.However, the happiness emanating from the faces of the nuns at the Home of the Mother convinced her. “It was as if I felt this calling in my heart: I wanted to be baptized too, I wanted to be like them, a daughter of God.” Finally, she was baptized with the name Shushu María.Her path to conversion was not easy, marked by the difficulties inherent in growing up in a deeply atheistic environment.However, she managed to move forward thanks to the close guidance and witness of the sisters, whose support was key in her being able to open her heart to the faith."I was baptized in the same church where I first entered, and I was also married there," she said, in front of the crucifix where she had first encountered Jesus Christ.Today, at 32, she stated with conviction that Spain is her “spiritual homeland” and the place where she was baptized and began “a new life.”She also felt extremely grateful to be able to share her testimony at the shrine in Covadonga, “the heart of Spain and a very important place in its history.”This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115163/conmovedora-conversion-de-una-joven-china-vio-a-una-persona-en-la-cruz-y-supo-que-era-dios" 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>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 17:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Small business agency launches ‘Center for Faith,’ ends ban on relief for faith groups ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265381/small-business-agency-launches-center-for-faith-ends-ban-on-relief-for-faith-groups</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265381/small-business-agency-launches-center-for-faith-ends-ban-on-relief-for-faith-groups</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/shutterstock_1283145100.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, D.C. / Jer123/Shutterstock
</div>
CNA Newsroom, Jul 16, 2025 / 16:35 pm (CNA).
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is opening a “Center for Faith” and eliminating a regulation that banned faith-based groups from receiving disaster loans. The SBA, a branch of the federal government established to bolster the economy by supporting small businesses, announced they would remove the longstanding regulation as part of the agency’s efforts to end faith-based discrimination by the government. The SBA previously prohibited any group “principally engaged in teaching, instructing, counseling, or indoctrinating religion” from applying for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), a regulation which the SBA is now nixing under the Trump administration. The SBA argues that the regulation is unconstitutional, citing the 2017 U.S. Supreme Court decision <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/16pdf/15-577_khlp.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer</a>. In the ruling, the court found that a Missouri state agency violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution when it refused to let a church participate in a state-funded program because of its religious affiliation. “We're rooting out religious discrimination — and embracing religious freedom,”  SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler <a href="https://x.com/SBA_Kelly/status/1944825318247710812" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said</a> in a post on X.In addition to cutting the restriction against faith-based groups, the SBA is launching the Center for Faith under the agency’s Office of Economic Development. Set to be headed by Director of Faith Outreach Janna Bowman, the center will “focus on building partnerships with faith-driven organizations to increase awareness and access to capital, business counseling, contracting opportunities, and disaster recovery,” according to a <a href="https://www.sba.gov/article/2025/07/14/sba-launches-center-faith-eliminates-biden-ban-disaster-relief-faith-organizations" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SBA press release. </a>The agency, Loeffler <a href="https://www.sba.gov/article/2025/07/14/sba-launches-center-faith-eliminates-biden-ban-disaster-relief-faith-organizations" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said</a>, “is committed to ending the era of weaponized government that has systematically discriminated against Americans of faith – even denying them access to vital disaster relief in times of tragedy.”  The new faith center was announced in the wake of President Donald Trump’s Feb. 7 executive order <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/establishment-of-the-white-house-faith-office/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">establishing the White House Faith Office</a>, <a href="https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-entrepreneurial-development/sba-center-faith" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according to the SBA</a>. Other federal agencies have also launched centers for faith, including the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and others. SBA’s first-ever faith center is designed to “improve access to agency resources for the faith community, ensuring that all SBA programs are accessible to eligible Americans regardless of their religious affiliation,” Loeffler said. “We are proud to uphold the principles of religious freedom that our nation was founded on — and look forward to forging lasting relationships that bring new small businesses into the SBA ecosystem,” she added.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 16:35:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Irish team begins search for children's remains at former home for unwed mothers ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265379/ireland-exhuming-remains-of-children-from-former-home-for-unwed-mothers</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265379/ireland-exhuming-remains-of-children-from-former-home-for-unwed-mothers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/view-of-the-mass-grave-at-the-bon-secours-mother-and-baby-home-tuam-galway.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
View of the mass grave at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in the town of Tuam, County Galway. / Credit: AugusteBlanqui, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
Rome Newsroom, Jul 16, 2025 / 15:45 pm (CNA).
A team of 18 archaeologists, anthropologists, and forensic scientists have begun excavating an old septic tank this week at the former St. Mary's Mother and Baby Home run by the <a href="https://bonsecours.org/en/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bon Secours Sisters</a> in Tuam, County Galway, western Ireland, now the site of a housing development.Over the next two years, according to <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/07/14/excavation-begins-of-site-of-tuam-mother-and-baby-institution/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Irish Times</a>, an excavating machine will go through the site in search of remains for 796 children allegedly buried, in the words of the Bon Secours Sisters “in a disrespectful and unacceptable way” between 1925 and 1960. The Bon Secours Sisters have released <a href="https://www.bonsecourssisters.ie/apology-statement" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a statement</a> apologizing for the treatment of the deceased babies, and their mothers during that time.The goal of the excavation is to find, analyze, identify, and provide a decent burial for the children's remains — many of them newborns. To identify them, DNA samples have been collected from more than 80 relatives who were invited to a symbolic event on July 8 to commemorate the start of the work.The excavations — carried out with the help of experts from Colombia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States — are underway, some 11 years after local historian Catherine Corless revealed that 796 children had died at the institution between 1925 and 1961. Only two of the deceased children were buried in local graveyards.In 2014, Corless published the investigation that, three years later, led to the discovery of the mass grave. In 2017, a preliminary excavation in the area found human remains, giving support to the suspicion of a mass burial site in "inhumane conditions.""These babies are in a sewage system. They have to be taken out of there," Corless said Monday, after the site was enclosed with an 8-foot fence, according to The Irish Times.<h2>‘Alarming’ infant mortality levels at these facilities</h2>In January 2021, a national commission of inquiry revealed in a <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/final-report-of-the-commission-of-investigation-into-mother-and-baby-homes/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">comprehensive repor</a>t the “alarming” levels of infant mortality in these institutions for unmarried mothers in Ireland.The 3,000-page document details what happened between 1922 and 1998 in 14 homes for unmarried mothers and a sample of four other county centers, where abandoned children and sick or disabled adults also lived.In total, some 9,000 children died in these facilities, representing 15% of the 57,000 children who, along with their mothers, passed through the 18 homes investigated during the period under study.One of the most shocking episodes occurred in 1943 in the Irish town of Bessborough, where three out of four children died in the care of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. According to the commission, more than 900 children died in that institution between 1922 and 1998, and to this day no documented burial site has been identified.<h2>Widespread indifference toward the children</h2>Most of the deaths, according to the documentation, occurred from respiratory illnesses or gastroenteritis. The report attributed these to appalling sanitary conditions, with limited access to hot, running water or a lack of sanitation, coupled with overcrowding and a lack of healthcare training for staff.The report emphasized that the high mortality rate was known to local authorities, who failed to act for years due to “widespread indifference” toward these children.When the report was made public, the Sisters of Bon Secours offered an official apology and pledged to contribute €12.97 million (over $15 million) to the government's victim compensation fund.The order's then-regional superior, Sister Eileen O'Connor, acknowledged that “the babies and children who died were buried in a disrespectful and unacceptable way” and that the congregation “was part of the system in which they suffered hardship, loneliness, and terrible hurt.”The former archbishop-elect of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, stated: “We can no longer run away from the extremely painful truths about how, collectively and individually, we failed in our duty of care to vulnerable women and their children.”The Irish government also publicly apologized, as several of the centers investigated were public, although in practice they were run by nuns.The former president of the Irish Bishops' Conference, Eamon Martin, asked that “anyone who can help, to do so” so that the babies can have a decent burial where their families can remember them.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115311/irlanda-exhuma-restos-de-casi-800-ninos-en-antiguo-hogar-para-madres-solteras" 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>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ CARA study: Mary’s role strongly shapes vocational paths in U.S. Church ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265377/cara-study-mary-s-role-strongly-shapes-vocational-paths-in-us-church</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265377/cara-study-mary-s-role-strongly-shapes-vocational-paths-in-us-church</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/04-cappella-del-coro.png?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Mosaic of Mary, Virgin Immaculate, in the Chapel of the Choir in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. / Daniel Ibañez/CNA
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 16, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
A new study has found that “reciting the rosary privately” is the most popular Marian devotion among those discerning a religious vocation.The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University published its June 2025 report: <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/629c7d00b33f845b6435b6ab/t/68766fa3e1d0a06afe42dbed/1752592292553/MarianDevotion2.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">“Impact of Mary, Mother of the Church, on Ecclesial Vocations</a>,” which includes results from six surveys with 1,091 respondents, 65% of whom were diocesan personnel in the U.S. — including bishops (9%), diocesan priests (40%), permanent deacons (10%), and deacon directors (7%). U.S. religious men and women accounted for the other 35% of respondents including religious priests (6%), major superiors of men (8%), and major superiors of women (21%). The majority of respondents are Latin Rite Catholic (95%), and 5% are Eastern Rite Catholic.The surveys were conducted by CARA in collaboration with the Diocese of Saginaw from March to May 2025.<h2>Marian devotions impact on vocational discernment</h2>The study found that 59% of respondents reported that their devotion to Mary has had either “a meaningful impact” or “a great impact” on their “original sense of a vocation to serve Christ and the Church.” Religious priests (71%) were most likely to report so, while responding deacon directors (49%) were least likely.The survey found that the most popular Marian devotion when discerning a vocation was “reciting the rosary privately.” Seven in 10 respondents reported that it “positively impacted them during their discernment period,” specifically among bishops, with 80% reporting that it did. When discerning a vocation to a particular religious community or diocese, 35% of respondents reported that a Marian dimension of that community was “significant" or "very significant.” Responding priests were found to be the most likely to report that the Marian dimension held some form of significance (47%) and deacon directors were the least likely (30%).Of all survey respondents, 44% reported that they visited at least one apparition site before deciding on their current ecclesial vocation. Nearly three in 10 made pilgrimages to Guadalupe (29%) and Lourdes (28%), which were the two most common sites mentioned. Marian devotions related to Fátima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe were the most likely to have impacted a respondent’s “original sense of ecclesial vocation.” Of respondents, 44% reported Marian devotions related to Fatima had “a meaningful impact” or “a great impact” on their original sense of an ecclesial vocation, 43% to Lourdes, and 31% to Guadalupe. <h2>Influence of Marian devotions on those living out ecclesial vocations</h2>When asked about their current devotion to Mary in a religious order, nearly all respondents (89%) reported they have a "strong devotion” (58%) or “some devotion” (31%).An average of 75% of respondents reported that their devotion to Mary has either “strengthened” (34%) or “very much strengthened” (41%) them while living out their ecclesial vocation. A combined 80% reported that they turn to Mary for spiritual assistance “often” (36%) or “very often” (44%).The study found that 80% of respondents indicated that their devotion to Mary has had either a “meaningful impact” (58%) or a “great impact” (22%) on their devotion to the Eucharist. Reciting the rosary alone (72%) was the most frequent Marian devotion that respondents reported doing “weekly” or “daily,” specifically among responding bishops with 87% answering that they do. Other popular Marian devotions included meditative or contemplative prayer with Our Lady (46%), reciting the rosary with others (37%), and reading spiritual writings on Mary (28%). Of respondents, 77% said at least one Marian site and its related devotions have strengthened them while living out their ecclesial vocation. Guadalupe (63%), Lourdes (59%), and Fátima (53%) were the most frequently mentioned. Responding bishops were most likely to report that Guadalupe (77%) and Lourdes (72%) have strengthened them.  <h2>Role of Mary in religious men and women’s lives</h2>Out of 710 respondents who specified how they view Mary in their lives, 167 expressed experiencing Mary’s presence in their life as a “companion, friend, guide and comforter.”  One respondent said: “Mary stands by me each day as I celebrate holy Mass, just as she stood by Christ at the foot of the Cross,” while another said Mary "is my comfort whenever I am afraid.”A total of 129 respondents expressed that Mary plays the role of “intercessor” in their lives. One specified: “I wouldn't be who I am today, or where I am today, if it were not for Mary's intercessory role in my life.”A total of 121 respondents answered that Mary plays the role of a “mother” in their ecclesial vocation. A respondent wrote that Mary as a mother “has always been there and continues to be there. I love her even more as I grow in my awareness of her love for me.”The majority of respondents (74%) said the Catholic Church places the “right amount of emphasis” on devotion to Mary. Among the others, 5% reported that there is “too much emphasis” and 21% said there is “not enough emphasis.”
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Australian bishops call on government to enforce country’s surrogacy ban ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265375/australian-bishops-call-on-government-to-enforce-country-s-surrogacy-ban</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265375/australian-bishops-call-on-government-to-enforce-country-s-surrogacy-ban</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/shutterstock-1852305409.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is urging lawmakers to prohibit surrogacy in all cases in a letter submitted on July 9, 2025. / Credit: Shutterstock
</div>
CNA Newsroom, Jul 16, 2025 / 12:05 pm (CNA).
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has urged the Australian Law Reform Commission to ban all forms of surrogacy, including “altruistic” arrangements, in a <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/pdfs/submission-to-the-review-of-surrogacy-laws-20250709.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">nine-page letter</a> highlighting the “profound harms” of the practice. “The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference calls on the Law Reform Commission to recommend the prohibition of all forms of surrogacy in Australia,” the bishops write in the letter, which was shared with CNA. “A woman is not a machine for reproduction,” the bishops argue in the letter, “she is a person made in the image of God, called to bear life with love, freedom, and dignity.”“Surrogacy reduces this sacred role [of motherhood] to a service contract—an arrangement that denies the women’s full humanity,” the letter says. “Surrogacy attempts to divide a woman's body from her identity, as though she could be a vessel without being a mother.” Submitted to the commission on July 9 by Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Tony Percy — the conference’s delegate for life issues — the letter asserts that current laws fail to protect women and children from exploitation and trauma, emphasizing that children "have no voice" in surrogacy arrangements and deserve to be "received in love, not produced as part of a contractual arrangement."“While the pain of infertility is real and deserving of compassion, not all responses to suffering are just. Surrogacy introduces new and profound harms,” the bishops say in the letter, noting the practice places both women and children at heightened risk for medical and emotional trauma. “For children,” the letter continues, “it breaches core human rights, including identity, parentage, and protection from commodification, which are rights affirmed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.” Commercial surrogacy, where surrogate mothers are paid to carry the child, <a href="https://www.surrogacy.gov.au/#:~:text=All%20Australian%20states%20and%20territories,expenses%20%E2%80%93%20is%20illegal%20in%20Australia." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">is illegal</a> in Australia. Only “altruistic” surrogacy, where the mother’s pregnancy expenses are covered but she makes no profit, is considered lawful. Because commercial surrogacy is illegal, Australian state and territory courts will generally not recognize those who engage in a commercial surrogacy arrangement as the legal parents of the child born through it. Some states, however, including New South Wales, have passed laws that allow the granting of legal parentage in certain circumstances after a commercial arrangement. The pathways, however, “often require admitting criminal conduct to the court,” according to <a href="https://www.alrc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Surrogacy-Issues-paper.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the Review of Surrogacy Laws being considered by the law commission</a>. “It is concerning that although commercial surrogacy is banned in Australia, including overseas arrangements in several jurisdictions, these laws are rarely enforced,” the bishops point out in their letter. “As a result, Australians are continuing to commission children through international commercial surrogacy with little scrutiny or consequence, undermining the intent of the legal prohibitions which are to protect children.”The bishops’ letter includes testimony from former surrogate mothers who experienced “deep emotional, physical, and spiritual harm” when participating in the practice. One mother, identified as Cathy, stated: "The pain never goes away. I am still an emotional basket case and struggle every day with this… When I signed the paper, I thought I could do it. I did not realize it would break my heart. The pain and emptiness I feel have been unbearable.”Another woman, called Sherrie, said: “I can’t describe the depth of sadness I felt when I came home without the child I loved, carried within me, and gave birth to. It was as if I had a child die.” She continued: “I just couldn’t help but love this child like my own, because it was my own… As I watched their car driving away that day on the gravel road, I felt like the dust left behind to scatter in the corn fields.” Ultimately, the bishops in the letter express deep concern for the terms of the review conducted by the commission, which they say “appear[s] to prioritize easier access to surrogacy,” rather than promoting the “fundamental rights and dignity of women and children.” “We reject the idea that expanding surrogacy serves the best interests of children or respects human dignity,” they write. “Any legal reform must begin with a clear commitment to protect children from commodification, women from exploitation, and society from the normalization of contract-based human reproduction.”
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:05:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV cheers on charity soccer match for children from war zones ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265373/pope-leo-xiv-cheers-on-charity-soccer-match-for-children-from-war-zones</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265373/pope-leo-xiv-cheers-on-charity-soccer-match-for-children-from-war-zones</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/gettyimages-2224651694.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Leonardo Donno and Moreno il Biondo in action during the Charity Soccer Match "Partita del Cuore" on July 15, 2025 in L'Aquila, Italy. / Credit: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 16, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has encouraged encounter and unity in a message to the players and spectators of a soccer game to support sick and injured children from war zones.“It is still possible — it is always possible — to encounter one another, even in a time of divisions, bombs, and wars,” the pope said in a video played at the July 15 match in L’Aquila, a city in the Italian region of Abruzzo.A team of music artists beat out a bipartisan group of Italian politicians 8-6 in the friendly “Partita del Cuore” (“Game of the Heart”).The 34th edition of the event raised funds for significantly ill or injured children from poor and war-torn countries to receive free treatment at one of Europe’s top children’s hospitals, the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesù. The project is also supported by the Catholic charity Caritas Italia.In his message, played before a sold-out Gran Sasso d’Italia Stadium and two million television viewers, Leo underlined the importance of challenging divisions by coming together to contribute to a good cause.“Sport — when experienced well by those who practice it and those who cheer them on — has this great thing about it, that it transforms confrontation into encounter, division into inclusion, loneliness into community,” he said.Tiziano Onesti, the president of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, told CNA the hospital is “always on the front lines” of supporting children in need.“We take in many children who come from all over the world,” he said, especially those with complex illnesses, like leukemia, or serious injuries and mutilation from bombings.While the children — some of whom come from Ukraine and Gaza — are hospitalized, their families “are welcomed in these reception centers where they don’t spend a penny, they don’t pay anything. The hospital covers all the expenses,” Onesti explained.In his message, Pope Leo said the charity match recalled for him another famous soccer game, played during the Christmas truce of December 1914 between French, British, and German soldiers, near Ypres, Belgium.The pontiff also pointed to the politicians participating in the game, saying it shows that “politics can unite rather than divide, if it does not settle for propaganda that feeds on the creation of enemies, but engages in the difficult and necessary art of dialogue, which seeks the common good.”“In this case, match means encounter. An encounter where even opponents find a cause that unites them,” the pope said.Players on the winning “singers” team included some of Italy’s most popular artists across the genres of rap, hip-hop, pop, and rock. Matteo Renzi, a senator and former prime minister of Italy, played on the politicians team alongside other national politicians. Three members of the government also took part: the Italian ministers of economy and finance, of agriculture, and of culture.“The atmosphere was obviously first and foremost festive, fun, a moment of encounter between opponents, politicians and singers,” Onesti said. “But also within the political sphere, there were people from all sides; it was very bipartisan, both right and left.”The Bambino Gesù, founded by a wealthy family in Rome in 1869, was Italy’s first pediatric hospital. It became the property of the Holy See in 1924. Today, the “pope’s hospital” is a world-renowned research center and hospital specializing in pediatric medicine.
]]></description>
<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 10:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Catholic cliffhanger: Future saint was an avid mountain climber ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265355/catholic-cliffhanger-future-saint-was-an-avid-mountain-climber</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265355/catholic-cliffhanger-future-saint-was-an-avid-mountain-climber</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/screenshot-2025-07-16-at-12.32.59-pm.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Photos of Pier Giorgio Frassati climbing in the Alps. The right photo shows him rappelling Rocca Sella on March 30, 1925. / Credit: Associazione Pier Giorgio Frassati Torino
</div>
Turin, Italy, Jul 16, 2025 / 08:45 am (CNA).
When alpine climber Edoardo Ricci clips into a harness or prepares for a steep ascent in the Alps, he says a silent prayer to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. “I think that I was saved by him,” Ricci said, recalling the moment an avalanche struck during a ski tour. “I was the victim of an avalanche … and I survived without any injury.” Ricci and others who love to hike, climb and ski in the mountains will soon have a patron saint for their high-altitude pursuits.  As the Catholic Church prepares to canonize Frassati — a 24-year-old Italian from Turin who died of polio in 1925 — a new generation is rediscovering his passion for the peaks and his profound spirituality, captured in his now-famous phrase, “Verso l’alto” — to the heights. “Mountain alpinism is a way to, you know, touch the untouchable,” Ricci said. “When you are alone or just with a couple of friends, you can see and you can feel the silence. You can feel … very close to God.” <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/screenshot-2025-07-16-at-12.55.53-pm.png" class="img-fluid" alt="Alpine climber Edoardo Ricci pictured in Breuil Cervinia in front of the Matterhorn (left) and climbing the Tour Ronde in the Mont Blanc massif (right). Courtesy of Edoardo Ricci"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Alpine climber Edoardo Ricci pictured in Breuil Cervinia in front of the Matterhorn (left) and climbing the Tour Ronde in the Mont Blanc massif (right). Courtesy of Edoardo Ricci</figcaption></figure>Ricci is currently mapping Frassati’s alpine itineraries, many of which are difficult climbs requiring advanced skill. “He was for sure a really good climber at that period,” Ricci said, noting that Frassati was a member of the Italian Alpine Club.  While popes have encouraged young people to follow Frassati toward the summit of sanctity, Ricci advises modern climbers to consult a certified alpine guide before literally attempting to follow in his footsteps. <h2>The peaks Frassati loved </h2>Among the most challenging climbs Frassati completed was Mount Grivola, a 13,000-foot peak in the Alps in Gran Paradiso National Park. “It is a difficult [ascent] — not because of the technique, but because the rock is not so solid,” Ricci explained. After his successful two-day climb, Frassati triumphantly wrote “Grivola victa est” — Grivola has been conquered — in Latin on a photograph taken from the summit. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/00175-la-grivola.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="Among the most challenging climbs Frassati completed was Mount Grivola, a 13,000-foot peak in the Alps in Gran Paradiso National Park. Public Domain"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Among the most challenging climbs Frassati completed was Mount Grivola, a 13,000-foot peak in the Alps in Gran Paradiso National Park. Public Domain</figcaption></figure>“Every day I fall in love with the mountains more and more, and if my studies would allow me to do it, I would spend entire days on the mountains contemplating in that pure air the Greatness of the Creator,” Frassati wrote in a 1923 letter to a friend. Another demanding climb was Grand Tournalin, an 11,086-foot peak in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Frassati made the two-day ascent with a guide, pausing at mountain shelters along the way to rest before reaching the summit, which offers sweeping views of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. “It was a quite complex ascent, but the panorama was wonderful,” Ricci said. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/becca-daran-roisetta-grand-tournalin.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="Pier Giorgio Frassati made a two-day ascent up Grand Tournalin, an 11,086-foot peak in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Public domain"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pier Giorgio Frassati made a two-day ascent up Grand Tournalin, an 11,086-foot peak in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Public domain</figcaption></figure>Though Frassati dreamed of climbing the Matterhorn, his father forbade it, considering it too dangerous. “He also asked his father … to climb the Monte Bianco, the highest peak in Europe, but his father never granted permission,” Ricci said. Frassati did manage to climb Château des Dames, which stands at 11,443 feet in the Valtournenche region. “There are some parts of the itinerary that are quite difficult to ascend,” Ricci said, adding that Frassati earned praise from his alpine guide for completing the climb. Closer to home, Frassati often climbed Mount Mucrone, which was visible from his bedroom window in Pollone, the town where his grandparents lived. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-3688.jpeg" class="img-fluid" alt="The view of Mount Mucrone from Pier Giorgio Frassati's bedroom in Pollone, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The view of Mount Mucrone from Pier Giorgio Frassati's bedroom in Pollone, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares</figcaption></figure>“Mountains, mountains, mountains, I love you,” he once scribbled on a note taped to his bedroom door. In 1920, Frassati recounted in a letter how he attended Mass atop Mount Mucrone at the end of one of his climbs.  <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/20221015-150841-2.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="Views from Mount Mucrone, where Pier Giorgio Frassati attended a mountaintop Mass in 1920. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Views from Mount Mucrone, where Pier Giorgio Frassati attended a mountaintop Mass in 1920. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren</figcaption></figure>Frassati was also an avid skier. He frequented the Susa Valley, now home to ski resorts such as Sestriere and Cesana. “Typically at the time there were no roadways … so the idea was to go up with the skis … and then go down the slopes,” Ricci said. “His passion was the mountain in every shape.” <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/screenshot-2025-07-16-at-12.54.23-pm.png" class="img-fluid" alt="Pier Giorgio Frassati skiing in Val di Susa, Italy. Credit: Associazione Pier Giorgio Frassati Torino"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pier Giorgio Frassati skiing in Val di Susa, Italy. Credit: Associazione Pier Giorgio Frassati Torino</figcaption></figure>Just weeks before his death, Frassati climbed again in the Valli di Lanzo, a challenging route he completed with friends. A photograph taken during that climb shows him mid-ascent. On the back, he wrote his enduring motto: “Verso l’alto.” <h2>Pilgrimage in the peaks </h2>Not all of Frassati’s mountain outings involved ropes and ice axes. Some were pilgrimages. Each time he visited his grandparents’ home in Pollone, he made the steep six-mile hike to the Sanctuary of Oropa, home of the Black Madonna of Oropa — a darkened wooden statue of the Virgin Mary venerated for centuries. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-6764.jpeg" class="img-fluid" alt="For centuries, pilgrims have hiked up to the Marian Sanctuary of Oropa, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">For centuries, pilgrims have hiked up to the Marian Sanctuary of Oropa, Italy. Credit: Courtney Mares</figcaption></figure>“Tomorrow, as is my custom every time I leave Pollone, I’ll go up to Oropa to pray in the Holy Shrine. I’ll remember you at the feet of the brown Madonna,” Frassati wrote in a 1925 letter. Christine Wohar, president of Frassati USA, a Nashville-based nonprofit apostolate dedicated to spreading awareness of his life, shared one of the future saint’s more creative routines for making the early morning hike.  “He had to get up and out of the house very early, so he devised his own ‘alarm clock’ — a rope tied to his wrist or his nightstand and dangled from the window so that the gardener could come and tug on it and be sure he was awake without disturbing the rest of the house,” she said. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-20221015-wa0022-2.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="Catholic pilgrims can hike the "Frassati Trail" from the Sanctuary of Oropa up to the top of Mount Mucrone. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Catholic pilgrims can hike the "Frassati Trail" from the Sanctuary of Oropa up to the top of Mount Mucrone. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren</figcaption></figure>Hiking to and around the Oropa shrine is one of the most popular trails for pilgrims seeking to hike the “Frassati trails” today. Those looking for a more strenuous challenge can continue on to the peak of Mount Mucrone, which towers above the sanctuary. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/img-3570.jpeg" class="img-fluid" alt="The Black Madonna in the Sanctuary of Oropa, Italy. In a 1925 letter, Pier Giorgio Frassati wrote, "I’ll go up to Oropa to pray in the Holy Shrine. I’ll remember you at the feet of the brown Madonna.". Credit: Courtney Mares"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The Black Madonna in the Sanctuary of Oropa, Italy. In a 1925 letter, Pier Giorgio Frassati wrote, "I’ll go up to Oropa to pray in the Holy Shrine. I’ll remember you at the feet of the brown Madonna.". Credit: Courtney Mares</figcaption></figure>Before Frassati’s beatification, St. John Paul II visited Oropa in 1989 and encouraged young people to follow Frassati’s example. “Crossing the mountains, pilgrims have come here for centuries to venerate the Virgin and to seek in this sanctuary a place of peace and meditation,” the pope said. “Dear young people listening to me, may you also discover, like Pier Giorgio, the way to the shrine, embarking on a spiritual journey that, under the guidance of Mary, will bring you ever closer to Christ.” <h2>Climbing life’s mountains </h2>Yet summiting peaks was not the only challenge Frassati faced. Father Luca Bertarelli, the parish priest of Pollone, said Frassati’s path to heaven included many crosses. The first, Bertarelli said, was with his family, who did not understand Frassati's piety and simple lifestyle.“He was very different from them,” Bertarelli said. “Pier Giorgio felt this misunderstanding, and it was a great difficulty.” <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/bertarellifrassati.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="" 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>Frassati also faced challenges in his academic pursuits as he studied for a degree in mining engineering at the Royal Polytechnic University of Turin. “He was very intelligent, but he chose a faculty in the university that was very difficult for him,” Bertarelli said. Even prayer was hard-won. “He was a man of great prayer, but in some letters he wrote that prayer was very difficult for him,” Bertarelli said. “And this is the sign of great interiority, the spiritual [battle].” For Bertarelli, Frassati’s motto “Verso l’alto” means striving not only for mountain summits but for the heights of holiness.  “God is the heights that you want to reach,” he said.
]]></description>
<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 08:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ ‘A living and discreet Church’: Despite persecution, Catholic faith endures in Saudi Arabia ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265365/a-living-and-discreet-church-despite-persecution-the-catholic-faith-endures-in-saudi-arabia</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265365/a-living-and-discreet-church-despite-persecution-the-catholic-faith-endures-in-saudi-arabia</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/jeddah-corniche-36.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. / Credit: Tahir mq, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 16, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
In Saudi Arabia, a theocratic monarchy where Islam is the official and only permitted religion, religious freedom does not exist. However, according to data maintained by the <a href="https://www.avona.org/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia</a>, a considerable number of Catholics live in its vast territory — which covers more than 772,200 square miles, slightly larger than Mexico.“The vast majority of non-Muslims have no religious freedom. Among them, there are more than 1 million Catholics,” explained Bishop Aldo Berardi, who has headed this ecclesiastical jurisdiction since 2023, which also includes Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. The entire apostolic territory is home to nearly 35 million people, of whom more than 2 million are Catholics.Unlike other countries in the region that have shown small signs of religious openness — such as Qatar, where the construction of a church complex was permitted in 2008 — when it comes to religious freedom Saudi Arabia remains one of the most restrictive states in the world, as reported by organizations such as <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/saudi-arabia/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Open Doors</a> and <a href="https://acninternational.org/religiousfreedomreport/reports/country/2023/saudi-arabia" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Aid to the Church in Need</a> (ACN).In the country, ruled with an iron fist by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, conversion to another religion is considered apostasy and is punishable by death, as is any blasphemy against Islam.<h2>‘Lives are at stake’</h2>“I can’t tell you everything because lives are at stake. But what I can say is that they are not abandoned. We communicate, we organize ourselves, we enter [the country] when we can, and if not, we are present online. There is a living Church, discreet, but deeply connected to the universal Church and the bishop,” Berardi cautiously emphasized.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/aldo.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Bishop Aldo Berardi has led the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia since 2023. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Bishop Aldo Berardi has led the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia since 2023. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia</figcaption></figure>He explained, without going into detail, that the faithful gather clandestinely “according to language, rite, spirituality.” “There are charismatics, Marians, Trinitarians. The families who arrive there look for Christian groups to share with, and news spreads among them,” he stated.The Catholics residing in Saudi Arabia are, above all, foreign workers who have to live their faith in complete secrecy.As the bishop explained in a press conference organized by Institutional Communications (ISCOM, by its Italian acronym), these faithful — mostly Filipinos and Indians — live scattered throughout Saudi Arabia, unable to meet officially and under constant surveillance.Catholic families “follow Mass online,” he explained. However, “they don’t do so with the sacraments as we know them, but rather they develop groups for prayer, formation, and catechesis.”Amid the repression, the internet has become a formidable tool: “Now everything is a little easier with the internet. It offers us certain possibilities, such as those for formation, courses we can teach, retreats… Everything is done with absolute discretion, because everything is prohibited,” he emphasized.Furthermore, when there is a possibility to preside over “a celebration, there is one, but always with protection.”<h2>A dispersed Church in the hands of the laity</h2>However, the apostolic vicar noted that the majority “have no access to anything,” as many live in rural areas or small towns. “There are Catholics all over the country, because they hire nurses or technicians for hospitals and teachers for schools everywhere. There is a complete dispersion of Catholics,” he explained.Berardi, a member of the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263387/trinitarians-guardians-of-persecuted-christians-we-were-born-to-go-to-the-dungeons" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Trinitarians</a>, whose charism entails <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262471/trinitarian-order-quietly-helping-persecuted-christians-for-800-years" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">helping persecuted Christians</a>, also explained that, despite the restrictions, the Catholic Church has managed to sustain believers thanks to a network of lay-led communities.“It’s a beautiful experience to see the laypeople responsible for communities, for education, for prayer, and for worship. They, the families, [teach] the catechism. Everything is in their hands,” he stated.<h2>Wave of repression after the 1979 Iranian revolution</h2>The repression intensified, as the vicar explained, after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. The Sunni Kingdom of Saudi Arabia further tightened its internal religious control in an attempt to consolidate its legitimacy in the face of the Shia ideological challenge from Tehran. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini harshly criticized the Saudi regime for “allowing missionaries, priests, and pastors to enter,” he explained.As a consequence, “they expelled them and totally prohibited non-Muslim worship. Since then, nothing has been authorized,” he lamented.The apostolic vicar stressed that having the presence of the clergy in the country could be beneficial even for the Saudi authorities.“Our form of organization is hierarchical, well identified. It’s not like in other communities where it’s not known who’s in charge, who speaks in the name of who. For Catholics, everything is more systematic. If we are allowed to be present with a clergy and an organization, it would be even safer for all,” he said.This proposal, presented as a factor of stability for the regime, has not been fruitless: “Sometimes they invite someone from Rome to their conferences on Islamic dialogue. But nothing concrete for the moment. We are subject to politics, to the vagaries of the region.”<h2>Fleeting contacts with the Holy See</h2>Furthermore, although Saudi Arabia does not maintain diplomatic relations with the Holy See — unlike other countries in the region such as Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the Emirates — Berardi confirmed that informal contacts have taken place on specific occasions.“Sometimes it has happened that a letter that has passed through the hands of diplomats, between embassies, or a letter from the Saudi Embassy in Rome reaches the Holy See. It seems there is a desire for dialogue, but Islamic tradition blocks it. For them, Saudi Arabia is a great mosque. Steps are taken little by little,” he noted.Despite these circumstances, the vitality of the Catholic communities in the gulf has not disappeared. Berardi confirmed that some people will participate in the Jubilee of Youth from July 28 to Aug. 3: “We always send someone, even if it’s just one person. For the Jubilee of Priests, we sent 10. Now, about 40 young people from the four countries will attend.”“Between the visa, the cost, and getting time off from work, it’s not easy, but we’re taking care of it,” he added.In any case, he made it clear that at this time they are not demanding full religious freedom from the Saudi regime, “understood as being able to have a religion, change religion, or have none at all,” but rather to be guaranteed freedom of worship.“We ask that those who are not of their religion be allowed to conduct their worship. We want to care for the millions of Catholics there,” he stated.<h2>Saudi Arabia’s youth want change</h2>Asked about the future prospects, Berardi was cautious but hopeful: “Social openness in the country has taken hold very quickly, although the older generation is still alive and there can be tensions. However, 60%-70% of the country is under 30 years old, and this younger generation wants change because they see what’s happening in the world and don’t understand why their country can’t be open.”Therefore, his hope is for progress in the short term: “They will allow it one day. Not complete religious freedom, but freedom of worship. That’s what we’re asking for.”This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115301/una-iglesia-viva-y-discreta-la-fe-catolica-resiste-en-arabia-saudi-pese-a-la-persecucion" 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>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Benedictine Abbey in Belgium temporarily dissolved following abuse allegations ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265349/benedictine-abbey-in-belgium-temporarily-dissolved-following-abuse-allegations</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265349/benedictine-abbey-in-belgium-temporarily-dissolved-following-abuse-allegations</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/keizersbergabbey071525.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Keizersberg Abbey in Leuven, Belgium. / Credit: Johan Bakker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
Leuven, Belgium, Jul 16, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The Benedictine community at Keizersberg Abbey in Leuven, Belgium, has been temporarily dissolved following allegations of abusive behavior among adults, according to an official declaration released by the head of the Sublacense-Cassinese Benedictine Congregation.Abbot President Ignasi M. Fossas, OSB, announced sweeping disciplinary measures affecting multiple monasteries in the Flemish-Dutch province, including the suspension of community life at Keizersberg Abbey and the temporary prohibition of public ministry for several monks. “The archdiocese is not publishing any statement on Keizersberg,” the press office said in response to a request from CNA, referring to the abbey’s comprehensive statement.In his declaration, Fossas announced an extraordinary canonical visitation of all monasteries in the Flemish-Dutch province, including Dendermonde, Affligem, Steenbrugge, and Doetinchem/Slangenburg. The comprehensive review aims to verify the situation of each community and ensure effective governance structures.“The work of the visitation may continue for several months,” Fossas stated in the official document released from Rome.The extraordinary measures follow a canonical visitation that began in 2022 and was completed in January as well as a commission of inquiry into abuse allegations established in November 2024.<h2>Community life suspended, multiple disciplinary actions taken</h2>The four remaining monks at Keizersberg Abbey have been required to relocate to other abbeys since November 2024, when Fossas first suspended the community’s common life. Each monk maintains a residence imposed by the abbot president, and the situation will be reviewed during the ongoing extraordinary visitation.According to Belgian media reports, complaints were filed with the Church’s reporting center for sexual abuse, which forwarded the case to federal prosecutors. The Leuven prosecutor’s office confirmed receiving the case for detailed review.The investigation has resulted in several disciplinary measures across the province.At Keizersberg Abbey:— A monk has been temporarily suspended from diaconal ministry due to “defects of form in his ordination to the diaconate.”— The same individual is prohibited from any public activity as a Benedictine monk as a precautionary measure.— His case will be presented to the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life for final determination.At Doetinchem/Slangenburg:— The abbot has been suspended from his office as a precautionary measure.— He is prohibited from public exercise of priestly ministry.— His dossier will also be forwarded to the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life for decision.Fossas emphasized that the allegations do not involve sexual abuse of minors but rather “transgressive behavior between adults.” He described the situation as revealing “personal and structural fragility” affecting the monasteries in various ways.“The canonical measures decided are precautionary and not punitive,” Fossas explained. “They are temporary measures that suspend the exercise of a ministry, but do not suppress it, until the corresponding legislative body gives a conclusion.”Keizersberg Abbey, located above the Vaartkom in Leuven, has been operating with only four monks in a separate wing. The remainder of the large complex continues to house entrepreneurs, creative professionals, artists, and student housing.The Abbey of Affligem, also part of the investigation, was found to have “no concrete evidence of abusive behavior that constitutes criminal offenses,” though the small number of monks poses “canonical and structural difficulties” that the congregation will address.<h2>Apology and commitment to justice</h2>In his declaration, Fossas expressed “sadness, shame, and pain for the harm caused to the victims” and offered sincere apologies while making himself available to assist within his possibilities.He emphasized his determination to continue the reform process begun at the start of his service and expressed “full availability of the Benedictines to collaborate with the judicial authority.”The abbot president also acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting that while the process highlights failings in some individuals and governance structures, “we must take note of the fidelity, goodness, and self-denial of many other monks in living their vocation to serve the Church and society.”The extraordinary canonical visitation is expected to continue for several months as Church authorities work to address the structural and personal issues identified in the investigation.“The canonical visitation continues, but it will take a long time because it involves several monasteries,” a press spokesperson for the abbot told CNA in a statement Monday.Fossas concluded his statement by acknowledging the gravity of his decisions and the pain they may cause but maintained they are “necessary to be able to offer light, truth, justice, reparation, and hope to all those involved.”The case represents one of the most significant disciplinary actions taken against a Benedictine province in recent years, as the Catholic Church continues to address allegations of abuse and implement reforms to prevent future incidents.
]]></description>
<category>Europe</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ 12 keys to using the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251801/12-keys-to-using-brown-scapular-of-our-lady-of-mount-carmel</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251801/12-keys-to-using-brown-scapular-of-our-lady-of-mount-carmel</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/brownscapular.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
null / Credit: NS Natural Queen/Shutterstock
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 16, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).
When speaking of the brown scapular, Pope Pius XII once said: “The devotion to the Carmelite scapular has brought down on the world a copious rain of spiritual and temporal graces.”On the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16, here are 12 keys to explaining the brown scapular and its use:<h2>1. It is not an amulet.</h2>The scapular is not a charm or an automatic guarantee of salvation, nor is it a dispensation from living the demands of the Christian life. St. Claude de la Colombière once said: “You ask, what if I would want to die with my sins? I answer you, then you will die in sin, but you will not die with your scapular.”<h2>2. It was an article of clothing.</h2>The word “scapular” comes from the Latin “scapulae,” which means “shoulders” and was originally an overlapping article of clothing worn over the shoulders by monks at work. The Carmelites adopted it as a sign of special dedication to Our Lady, seeking to imitate her dedication to Christ and neighbor.<h2>3. It is a gift from the Virgin Mary.</h2>According to tradition, the scapular, as it is now known, was given by the Virgin Mary herself to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251. Mary told him: “It must be a sign and a privilege for you and for all Carmelites: Whoever dies wearing the scapular will not suffer eternal fire.” Later, the Church extended the use of the scapular to the laity.<h2>4. It is a mini habit.</h2>The scapular is like a miniature Carmelite habit that all devotees can wear as a sign of their consecration to the Virgin Mary. It consists of a string that is worn around the neck with two small pieces of brown cloth attached. One is placed on the chest and the other on the back, and it is usually worn underneath clothing.<h2>5. It is a service uniform.</h2>St. Alphonsus Liguori, a doctor of the Church, said: “Just as men are proud that others wear their uniform, so Our Lady, Mother Mary, is pleased when her servants wear their scapular as proof that they have dedicated themselves to her service, and they are members of the family of the Mother of God.”<h2>6. It has three meanings.</h2>The scapular stands for the maternal love and protection of Mary, for belonging to Mary, and for the gentle yoke of Christ that she helps us to bear.<h2>7. It is a sacramental.</h2>The brown scapular is recognized by the Church as a sacramental — that is, a sign that helps us to live a holy life and to increase our devotion. The scapular does not impart grace as the sacraments do, but it disposes the person wearing it to the love of the Lord and to repentance if it is received with devotion.<h2>8. It can be given to a non-Catholic.</h2>A dying man was reportedly brought to St. Simon Stock Hospital in New York City. A nurse noticed he was wearing the brown scapular and called a priest. As prayers were said over him, the man regained consciousness and told the priest that he wasn’t Catholic but wore the scapular as a promise to his friends. The priest asked the man if he wanted to become Catholic, and before he died the man received baptism and anointing of the sick.<h2>9. It was seen in one of the Fátima apparitions.</h2>Lucia, the visionary of Our Lady of Fátima, reported that in her last apparition (October 1917), Mary appeared with the Carmelite habit, the scapular in her hand, and said that her true children wear it with reverence. Mary also asked that those who consecrate themselves to her wear it as a sign of that consecration.<h2>10. The scapular has been discovered undamaged after burial.</h2>Blessed Pope Gregory X was buried with his scapular and, 600 years later when his tomb was opened, the object was intact. Something similar happened with St. Alphonsus Liguori. St. John Bosco and St. John Paul II also wore the scapular, and St. Peter Claver vested the scapular with those he converted.<h2>11. There’s a preferred way to receive the scapular.</h2>The imposition of the scapular should preferably be done in community, and in the ceremony the spiritual meaning and commitment to the Blessed Virgin should be clearly expressed. The first scapular must be blessed by a priest and placed on the devotee while reciting the following prayer:“Receive this blessed scapular and ask the Most Holy Virgin Mary, on her merits, that you may wear it without any stain of sin and that she guard you from all adversity and bring you unto everlasting life.”<h2>12. Only the first scapular you receive needs to be blessed.</h2>When the first scapular one receives is blessed, the devotee does not need to ask subsequent scapulars to be blessed. Those that are worn out, if they were blessed, should not be thrown away but should be burned or buried, as is suitable for sacramentals.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/56359/12-claves-para-usar-el-escapulario-de-la-virgen-del-carmen" 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>US</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV pays visit to Poor Clares who pray for him every day ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265371/pope-leo-xiv-pays-visit-to-poor-clares-who-pray-for-him-every-day</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265371/pope-leo-xiv-pays-visit-to-poor-clares-who-pray-for-him-every-day</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/p.leo.walking.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV visits the Poor Clares of Albano on July 15, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 15, 2025 / 19:07 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV made his first “getaway” from Castel Gandolfo to visit the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception of the Poor Clares of Albano, located within the Papal Villas.After celebrating Mass on Tuesday morning in the chapel of the Carabinieri station in Castel Gandolfo, where he is staying during his vacation, Pope Leo headed to the nearby monastery, where he was warmly welcomed by the nuns.The pontiff paused in prayer in the monastery chapel, sharing a moment of silence and contemplation with the sisters, whom he later greeted one by one, emphasizing that “it is beautiful that the Church knows your life, because it is a valuable testimony.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/p.leo.prayer.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="Pope Leo XIV spent some time in prayer at the chapel. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Pope Leo XIV spent some time in prayer at the chapel. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>The encounter generated various images of tenderness, reflected in the joyful and grateful faces of the Sisters of St. Clare, whose mission is to pray for the pope, for the Church, and for all of Vatican City.The Monastery of the Poor Clares of Albano, founded in 1631 during the pontificate of Urban VIII, has maintained a special bond with the Holy See since its origins.According to the official website of the Vatican City State, its foundation was due to the generosity of Princess Caterina Savelli and the prince and princess of Albano, who donated the monastery to Sister Francesca Farnese, founder of the Farnese Monastery in Viterbo and promoter of a reform of strict Poor Clare observance.Throughout the centuries, the nuns have lived in this monastery a life of silence, prayer, and contemplation, faithful to the charism of St. Clare of Assisi. They have also received visits from pontiffs, especially during the summer months.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/p.leo.signing.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Leo XIV signed the sisters' book of guests of honor. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Leo XIV signed the sisters' book of guests of honor. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>Pope Francis visited the community for the first time in July 2013, where he emphasized the “incalculable value” the sisters attribute to prayer.“I came here because I know you pray for me! I am so grateful for all you do for the Church: prayer, penance, caring for one another... Your vocation to the contemplative life is beautiful,” Francis said.During a visit by Pope Benedict XVI to the monastery in 2007, the pontiff emphasized that “the spiritual bond that exists between you and the successor of Peter is very close.”St. John Paul II, during a meeting with them in August 1979, affirmed that, of all the people “the pope loves dearly, you are certainly the most precious.”“The vicar of Christ has an extreme need for your spiritual help and counts above all on you, who, by divine vocation, have chosen the better part, which is silence, prayer, contemplation, the exclusive love of God.”Aware of this tradition, Pope Leo XIV chose to visit them as well. Before saying goodbye, he signed the monastery’s book of honor and prayed the Lord’s Prayer with the sisters.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/images/p.leo.sisters.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="Smiles all around among the Sisters of St. Clare at the Pope's visit. Credit: Vatican Media"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Smiles all around among the Sisters of St. Clare at the Pope's visit. Credit: Vatican Media</figcaption></figure>As a sign of gratitude, Pope Leo gave the community a chalice and paten for the celebration of Mass, and the sisters, in turn, presented him with an icon of the face of Jesus.
]]></description>
<category>Vatican</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:07:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Amid great danger, ‘Jesus wants his Church to remain in Syria,’ archbishop says ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265369/amid-great-danger-jesus-wants-his-church-to-remain-in-syria-archbishop-says</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265369/amid-great-danger-jesus-wants-his-church-to-remain-in-syria-archbishop-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/arch.mourad.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Archbishop Jacques Mourad denounced the practice of people driving around in official cars with loudspeakers proclaiming verses from the Quran and calling on Christians to convert. / Credit: Courtesy of Aid to the Church in Need
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 15, 2025 / 17:46 pm (CNA).
The Syrian Catholic archbishop of Homs in Syria, Jacques Mourad, has issued an urgent appeal for the future of the Christian presence in Syria amid a situation marked by violence, poverty, and the collapse of institutions.Born in Aleppo and a member of St. Moses the Abyssinian Monastery, Mourad — who was <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/32034/syrian-catholic-archdiocese-asks-prayers-for-kidnapped-priest" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">kidnapped by ISIS</a> in 2015 and <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/32818/its-truly-a-miracle-%E2%80%93-kidnapped-syrian-priest-escapes-from-islamic-state" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">managed to escape</a> after five months of captivity — painfully expressed his concern for the present situation in his country: “Today, Syria has ceased to exist as a country,” he stated in an interview with the <a href="https://www.fides.org/en/news/76590-ASIA_SYRIA_Archbishop_Jacques_Mourad_Jesus_wants_His_Church_to_remain_in_Syria" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vatican news agency Fide</a>s.However, he has not lost hope or his spiritual conviction: “Jesus wants his Church to remain in Syria. And this idea of emptying Syria of Christians is certainly not God’s will.”Syria is going through a period of great uncertainty following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Although the end of his government raised expectations of a democratic transition,<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265229/report-details-killings-discrimination-against-religious-minorities-in-post-assad-syria" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> violence has intensified</a> and the humanitarian crisis continues.Various armed factions are vying for power, especially in key cities such as Idlib, Aleppo, and Damascus, resulting in targeted killings, massacres, arbitrary arrests, and people disappearing.Consecrated the archbishop of Homs, Hama, and Nabek in 2023, Mourad recalled with regret the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264933/church-leaders-react-to-deadly-attack-on-mar-elias-church-in-damascus" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">recent massacre </a>of Orthodox Christians in Damascus on June 22 as they participated in the Divine Liturgy at St. Elijah Church. At the command of the Lord in biblical times, the prophet Elijah anointed Hazael as king of Syria.Back in 2013, two Orthodox archbishops <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/31672/read-the-words-of-an-orthodox-bishop-kidnapped-in-syria-nearly-two-years-ago" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">were abducted</a> and have never been found. “Every government is responsible for the security of its people. And I’m not just referring to Christians. Many Sunni Muslims, many Alawites have also been killed, many have disappeared. This government is persecuting the people. All the people,” he openly charged.According to the prelate, both the Assad regime and the current one “have no respect for the Syrian people and their history.”Adding to the violence is the daily hostility suffered by the baptized. The archbishop denounced the practice of people driving around in official cars with loudspeakers proclaiming verses from the Quran and calling on Christians to convert.“They drive by in government security cars and through loudspeakers, call on Christians to convert. If we then ask the security officials why they are acting this way, they tell us it’s an individual initiative. But meanwhile, they continue to use the security cars… The people no longer believe in this government,” he commented.Regarding rumors about a possible renewal of the armistice with Israel, Mourad said that “almost all the Syrian people want peace, including with Israel, because everyone is tired of war. But if an agreement were reached now, it would only be because Syria is weak. It would be another act of humiliation for the people.”<h2>The humanitarian situation in Syria</h2>According to the archbishop, the humanitarian situation in Syria is also devastating. “A large part of the population lives below the poverty line; we are massacred, humiliated, and worn out.”“We lack the strength to regain our dignity on our own. If there is no sincere political support for the people, and not the government, we are finished,” he firmly stated.Despite everything, the archbishop insisted that the Church can and must be a source of hope: “The Church is the only reference point for hope for all the Syrian people, not just for Christians. We do everything possible to support our people.”That’s why he has personally visited all the parishes in his archdiocese to encourage the faithful. “Thanks be to God, I always feel the Lord accompanying me in the words I address to the people,” he said.Mourad also emphasized the importance of dialogue between religious communities in a deeply wounded country: “In Homs, encounters are encouraged with all communities: Alawites, Ismailis, Sunnis, and Christians.”“Everyone we meet is concerned about government policy, including Muslims. We are united because we are all in the same boat,” the archbishop remarked.<h2>The reconstruction of Syria</h2>In his vision for the reconstruction of the country, Mourad highlighted the role of the Church in specific areas: “It is essential that the Church be deeply involved in the reconstruction of schools and the entire educational system in Syria. And also in the construction of decent hospitals for our people.”Currently, schools are functioning in Aleppo and Damascus, but “in Homs there’s nothing,” he lamented.The prelate therefore urged action also on behalf of young people: “We need to revive pastoral and cultural centers that can support the human and cultural growth of our young people. And also homes for young people who want to get married. In this way, all young people can be encouraged to stay in the country, not to leave.”Finally, with firm hope, the archbishop said that “resources are lacking, but the horizon is clear: This is how we can go forward on our Church’s journey in Syria. Because this is, without a doubt, the will of Jesus.”“Jesus wants his Church to remain in Syria. This idea of emptying Syria of Christians is certainly not the will of God. We have a duty to protect our faithful and do everything possible to guarantee the future of the Church in Syria,” he affirmed.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115283/jesus-quiere-que-su-iglesia-permanezca-en-siria-arzobispo-clama-por-el-futuro-cristiano-del-pais" 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>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:46:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Archdiocese of Santa Fe marks 80th anniversary of first nuclear bomb detonation ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265363/archdiocese-of-santa-fe-marks-80th-anniversary-of-first-nuclear-bomb-detonation</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265363/archdiocese-of-santa-fe-marks-80th-anniversary-of-first-nuclear-bomb-detonation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/Nuclear_explosion_Credit_Sergey_Nivens_Shutterstock_CNA.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A nuclear explosion. / Credit: Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 15, 2025 / 15:58 pm (CNA).
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe is calling on churches across the nation to mark the “somber milestone” of the 80th anniversary of the detonation of the first nuclear bomb, which took place in New Mexico in 1945.The detonation of <a href="https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/trinity-why-it-really-mattered" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the Trinity explosion</a> in the Jornada del Muerto desert, part of the Alamogordo Bombing Range, occurred at 5:29 a.m on July 16, 1945. In <a href="https://archdiosf.org/documents/2025/7/250714_Advisory_80thAnnivTrinity_BellsToll.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a statement released July 14</a>, Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe<a href="https://archdiosf.org/documents/2025/7/250714_Advisory_80thAnnivTrinity_BellsToll.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> </a>invited churches to ring their bells at that time this Wednesday, July 16, “as a call to prayer for peace and nuclear disarmament” and to remember “humanity’s entry into the atomic age.” To commemorate the anniversary, the archbishop, along with Bishop Peter Baldacchino of Las Cruces and Bishop James Wall of Gallup, “will gather with select faith and lay leaders at the Trinity test site for a private prayer and meditation service.”“Together, they will pray for the end of the wars that plague our world and to protect us from the ongoing threat of nuclear devastation,” the archdiocese said.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/CNA_5119373d92fee_17961_1.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="" alt="Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Credit: Archdiocese of Santa Fe"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Credit: Archdiocese of Santa Fe</figcaption></figure>The Trinity explosion was felt within a 160-mile radius that covered an area populated by about 500,000 people, most of whom were Latino or Native Americans.Those near the test area reported that they did not receive warnings about the detrimental effects of the nuclear explosion, which took place just a few miles from their homes. Following the detonation, nearby residents reported a surge in cancer cases, an increase in infant deaths, and other health issues related to contamination and radiation.“Additionally, clergy are encouraged to include prayers for peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons in the prayers of the faithful during the Mass of the day, celebrated in honor of the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a significant Marian feast in the Catholic Church.”The archdiocese stated that it “is fitting to seek Our Lady’s intercession for peace, protection from the threats of war and nuclear weapons, and for the conversion of hearts away from violence.”“As the mother of Christ, the prince of peace, invoking her aid on this feast emphasizes the Catholic Church’s hope for a world free from the peril of nuclear conflict.”On July 13, the archdiocese held an interfaith <a href="https://archdiosf.org/documents/2025/5/250501_PressRelease_80th_Trinity-2.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">vigil</a> in Albuquerque with a number of groups calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons worldwide.At the event, Wester <a href="https://www.osvnews.com/80-years-after-trinity-catholic-hosted-gathering-calls-to-abolish-nuclear-weapons/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">called</a> Pope Francis‘ <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-06/pope-francis-a-world-free-of-nuclear-weapons-is-necessary.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement </a>that nuclear weapons are immoral “groundbreaking” and asked the faithful to “to speak the truth” on the matter.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:58:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ UPDATE: Catholic influencer denies claims of ‘grooming’ underage girl: ‘Complete fabrication’ ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265361/catholic-influencer-denies-claims-of-grooming-underage-girl-complete-fabrication</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265361/catholic-influencer-denies-claims-of-grooming-underage-girl-complete-fabrication</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/alexjurado.png?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Catholic apologist Alex Jurado, known as Voice of Reason on social media. / Credit: Courtesy of Alexandro Jurado
</div>
CNA Staff, Jul 15, 2025 / 15:28 pm (CNA).
Alex Jurado, a popular Catholic apologist known for his social media ministry Voice of Reason, is denying allegations in a bombshell report that he sexually groomed an underage teenage girl when he was 21 years old.The Protestant website Protestia on Monday <a href="https://protestia.com/2025/07/14/prominent-catholic-apologist-voice-of-reason-accused-of-grooming-teen-sexting-multiple-women/#google_vignette" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">published a report</a> alleging that “whistleblowers within the Catholic community” had revealed sexually explicit texts Jurado, now 28, allegedly sent to a girl possibly as young as 14 years old.The website shared screenshots of the alleged conversations between Jurado and the young girl. The site further alleged that Jurado had sent “sexually explicit messages” to several other women. Jurado sharply denied the allegations on Tuesday. The influencer said in a statement on his Instagram page that the claims were untrue and that he is “voluntarily cooperating in an investigation that will allow the truth to come to light.” “[T]he accusation that I was having an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old girl is a complete fabrication,” he said. He added that he is “prepared to undergo legal action against those who have defamed me,” describing the allegations as an “awful and vicious rumor.”<div class="instagram-wrapper"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMIf03XMLvm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=invalid&ig_rid=b333d987-1372-4746-a36a-dd7130658af2" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;
border:0;
border-radius:3px;
box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px;
max-width:550px;
min-width:326px;
padding:0;
width:99.375%;
width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px)"></blockquote><script src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div class="drag-handle" data-drag-handle="true"> </div></div>In his statement, the content creator went on to apologize to all those who have “been hurt, shocked, and scandalized by these rumors.” Amid the controversy, several Catholic outlets, including Catholic Answers and Catholic Speakers, appeared to have removed pages featuring Jurado on their websites as of Tuesday afternoon.Jon Sorensen, chief operating officer at Catholic Answers, told CNA in an email that “Alex Jurado has never been a staff member of Catholic Answers. He was an occasional guest on our radio program, ‘Catholic Answers Live,’ and, like all our radio guests, he had a profile page on Catholic.com.”He added: “In light of the recent serious allegations about Alex, we have removed this profile from Catholic.com. We pray that the full truth may come to light, we pray for Alex, and we pray for everyone who may have been victimized, scandalized, or disedified by these reported events.”Catholic Speakers did not respond to requests for comment on the apparent removals. Jurado also did not respond to a query from CNA.Jurado began his Voice of Reason social media ministry in 2023. The influencer has over half a million followers across his social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. His content is primarily apologetical, sharing and defending the faith and engaging with other non-Catholic points of view. As a Byzantine Catholic, he also promotes the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church.This story was updated on July 15, 2025, at 5:19 p.m. ET with the comments from Jon Sorensen of Catholic Answers.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:28:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV: God’s love is so great that Jesus does not keep even his mother for himself ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265359/pope-leo-xiv-gods-love-is-so-great-that-jesus-does-not-keep-even-his-mother-for-himself</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265359/pope-leo-xiv-gods-love-is-so-great-that-jesus-does-not-keep-even-his-mother-for-himself</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/mass.july15.2025.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in the chapel at the Carabinieri station in Castel Gandolfo on July 15, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
</div>
Vatican City, Jul 15, 2025 / 14:58 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass on July 15 in the chapel at the Carabinieri station in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, where he is on vacation. The Carabinieri are the national gendarmerie of Italy, a form of military police. Reflecting in <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/it/homilies/2025/documents/20250715-omelia-carabinieri.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">his homily</a> on the day’s Gospel (Matthew 11:20-24), the pontiff emphasized that there is a bond “stronger than blood” that unites every man and woman who is in Christ. In this regard, he explained that “we are truly brothers and sisters of Jesus when we do the will of God,” that is, “when we live loving one another, as God has loved us.”“Every relationship that God lives, in himself and for us,” the pope continued, “thus becomes a gift: when his only Son becomes our brother, his Father becomes our Father, and the Holy Spirit, who unites the Father and the Son, comes to dwell in our hearts.”The Holy Father thus noted that “God’s love is so great that Jesus does not even keep for himself his mother, giving Mary as our mother at the hour of the cross.”From the chapel of Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo explained that Mary becomes the mother of Jesus “because she listens to the word of God with love, welcomes it into her heart, and lives it faithfully.”The pope also emphasized her fidelity to the Word she received from God: “the Word of life that she welcomed, carried in her womb, and offered to the world.”<h2>Don’t give in to temptation ‘of thinking that evil can triumph’</h2>He then noted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the faithful Virgin, the “Virgo fidelis,” as patroness of the Carabinieri, Italy’s national military police force after which the chapel at Castel Gandolfo is named.He also recalled when, in 1949, Pope Pius XII welcomed this “beautiful proposal” from the Carabinieri’s general command.“After the tragedy of the war, in a period of moral and material reconstruction, Mary’s fidelity to God thus became a model of fidelity” of the Carabinieri “toward the homeland and the Italian people,” he emphasized.This virtue, for Pope Leo, “expresses the dedication, purity, and constancy of commitment to the common good, which the Carabinieri safeguard by guaranteeing public safety and defending the rights of all, especially those in danger.”The pontiff expressed his profound gratitude, especially for the “noble and demanding” service they provide to Italy and the Holy See.After also recalling the Carabinieri motto, “Nei secoli fedele” (“Faithful throughout the centuries”), which expresses “the sense of duty and self-denial of each member of the armed forces, even to the point of self-sacrifice,” he asked them not to give in “to the temptation of thinking that evil can triumph.”“Especially in this time of wars and violence, remain faithful to your oath: as servants of the state, respond to crime with the force of law and honesty. This is how the Carabinieri, the ‘Benemerita’ [well-deserving], will always deserve the esteem of the Italian people,” he emphasized.In conclusion, he remembered the police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, such as <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/29810/salvo-dacquisto-the-popes-example-of-virtue-in-policemen" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Venerable Salvo D</a>’<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/29810/salvo-dacquisto-the-popes-example-of-virtue-in-policemen" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Acquisto</a>, whose beatification process is ongoing.The Holy Father will remain at the papal summer complex, located about 18 miles from the center of Rome, until July 20 and will return again Aug. 15–17.After the Mass, Pope Leo XIV visited the monastery of the Poor Clares in Albano, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115299/papa-leon-xiv-el-amor-de-dios-es-tan-grande-que-jesus-no-se-guarda-ni-siquiera-a-su-madre" 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>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:58:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Vatican says Diocese of Green Bay can close down historic Wisconsin parish ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265357/vatican-says-diocese-of-green-bay-can-close-down-historic-wisconsin-parish</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265357/vatican-says-diocese-of-green-bay-can-close-down-historic-wisconsin-parish</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/stbonifacemanitowoc071525.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The exterior of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. / Credit: John Maurer
</div>
CNA Staff, Jul 15, 2025 / 14:10 pm (CNA).
The Diocese of Green Bay can close down a historic parish in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the Vatican has ruled, bringing an end to efforts by a small group of parishioners to prevent the permanent shuttering of the church.The Apostolic Signatura, the highest court at the Holy See, ruled against parishioner efforts to save St. Boniface Church from closure. The ruling affirms <a href="https://files.ecatholic.com/30455/documents/2023/1/Bishops%20Decree%20for%20Website.pdf?t=1673740133000" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bishop David Ricken’s 2023 order</a> relegating the parish building to “profane but not sordid use.”“Planning for the disposition of the church, contents, and property is underway,” the diocese said in a statement announcing the Vatican’s decision.“Please continue to pray for the parish and community,” the diocese added.<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/interior-st.-boniface-facing-choir-loft.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="The interior of St. Boniface Church in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Credit: John Maurer"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">The interior of St. Boniface Church in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Credit: John Maurer</figcaption></figure> The order brings an end to a multiyear, multimillion-dollar effort to save St. Boniface from closure. The parish itself dates to the 1850s while the current building was constructed in 1886. Parishioners raised around $2 million to help bankroll a restoration of the parish. And last year <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/260979/wisconsin-parishioners-launch-gofundme-to-appeal-to-vatican-to-save-150-year-old-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">advocates launched a GoFundMe</a> to fund $8,000 worth of attorney’s fees for a canon lawyer to argue their case before the Holy See. John Maurer, a Manitowoc resident who helped lead the effort, told CNA last year that advocates had exhausted several avenues of appeal before seeking the ruling from the signatura. “We went to the Court of the Dicastery for the Clergy. They ruled in favor of Bishop Ricken’s decree,” he said at the time. “We then went to the Supreme Tribunal. They sided with the lower court.”Reached on Tuesday, Maurer told CNA that the decision to abandon the parish’s “rich history and architectural grandeur” is “a huge mistake that will be regretted for decades to come.”“There has been a huge outpouring of support for St. Boniface as many do recognize its significance and the importance of protecting our Catholic patrimony [and] reverencing God,” he said.The only way to stop the church’s demise, he said, would be for Ricken to “realize the gravity of this long-lasting decision and to bring it to a stop and instead give it to an oratory to take care of.”The parish church was originally built by German immigrants. Wisconsin welcomed tens of thousands of immigrants from Germany throughout the 19th century. Declining attendance saw the church merged with other parishes in 2005, though it was still used for some special observances and occasions. The last regularly scheduled Mass took place in the building in 2005, while the most recent Mass overall was held in 2013.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Tennessee priest will serve 7 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265351/tennessee-priest-will-serve-7-years-in-prison-after-pleading-guilty-to-sex-crimes</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265351/tennessee-priest-will-serve-7-years-in-prison-after-pleading-guilty-to-sex-crimes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/mendoza062124.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Father Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza, a priest in the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, will serve seven years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of sex abuse. / Credit: Courtesy of the Franklin Police Department
</div>
CNA Staff, Jul 15, 2025 / 13:23 pm (CNA).
A priest in the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, will serve seven years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of sex abuse.Father Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza was <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/258072/tennessee-priest-indicted-on-additional-sex-crime-charges" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">indicted last year</a> on several counts of sexual battery and other crimes, some of which involved children and some adults. The priest was charged with eight crimes in February 2024 and two more in June of that year.The Diocese of Nashville <a href="https://www.nashvillecatholic.org/news/posts/juan-carlos-garcia-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-misconduct-charges-in-williamson-county-court" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said in the Nashville Catholic this week</a> that Garcia had pleaded guilty to the February charges. Those crimes include “continuous sexual abuse of a child,” aggravated sexual battery, and “sexual battery by an authority figure.” In addition to the prison sentence, the priest will be listed in the state sex offender registry.The diocese also indicated that he would be removed from the priesthood. Garcia “agreed not to contest laicization from the priesthood,” the statement said.The Nashville Diocese said last year that it first learned of accusations against Garcia in November 2023 when “a teen in the parish had made a report of improper touching” involving the priest.The diocese made a report to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services; it also contracted with a former FBI agent to oversee the diocesan investigation into the claims.The Vatican, meanwhile, was “informed and involved from the outset of this matter, directing the appropriate canonical processes,” the diocese said this week.The Franklin Police Department on Monday <a href="https://x.com/FranklinTNPD/status/1944885994769244293" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">confirmed the report of the guilty plea via a post on X</a>.“Thanks to our detectives and the District AG’s Office for their hard work on this case,” the police department said.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:23:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Miami archbishop calls for administration, Congress to change course on immigration ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265353/miami-archbishop-calls-for-administration-congress-to-change-course-on-immigration</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265353/miami-archbishop-calls-for-administration-congress-to-change-course-on-immigration</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/wenski.immigration.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski serves on the Committee on Migration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. / Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/EWTN News screenshot
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 15, 2025 / 12:53 pm (CNA).
With the Trump administration having “effectively achieved control of the border,” Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski is now urging the president and Congress to turn to expanding legal pathways for unlawfully present migrants who have committed no other crimes to obtain citizenship.In a <a href="https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Article_statement-by-archbishop-thomas-wenski-on-immigration-enforcement-immigration-enforcement" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">statement</a> and <a href="https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Article_archdiocese-of-miami-the-broken-immigration-system-is-hurting-people" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">interview</a> with archdiocesan media, Wenski argued that the U.S. “faces labor shortages in many industries, including health care, service, and agriculture. Removing immigrant workers will only exacerbate these shortages.”“Rather than spending billions to deport people who are already contributing positively to our nation’s well-being, it would be more financially sensible and more morally acceptable for Congress, working with the administration, to expand legal pathways for noncriminal migrants to adjust to a permanent legal status,” Wenski affirmed.In an interview with <a href="https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Article_archdiocese-of-miami-the-broken-immigration-system-is-hurting-people" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">La Voz Catolica</a>, Wenski said that “what makes it cruel right now is the arbitrariness of this push to deport people who have already made a stake here — people who have put in sweat and effort to stay.”“If the United States government has allowed them to remain for 10 or 20 years, you can imagine many have children who are American citizens, own homes, or have established businesses,” Wenski noted. “To simply tell them to ‘go back home’ — when there is no home back there, and their home is here — that’s what makes it cruel.”Wenski also <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265259/florida-bishop-no-problem-with-removing-criminals-but-alligator-alcatraz-is-troubling" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">echoed Bishop Frank Dewane’s concerns</a> about the new detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” which sits in Dewane’s neighboring Diocese of Venice, Florida.Miami’s archbishop indicated that “from the moment this detention center opened, the archdiocese has requested access to provide religious services.” He said Deacon Edgardo Farías, director of the archdiocesan prison ministry, visited the site to inquire about when they could celebrate Mass but was told the mosquito situation was very bad and to come back later.“We wish to ensure that chaplains and pastoral ministers can serve those in custody, to their benefit and that of the staff,” Wenski indicated. “We also raise concerns about the isolation of the detention facility, which is far from medical care centers, and the precariousness of the temporary ‘tent’ structures.”In the interview, Wenski said if the Trump administration’s deportations are enforcement of current laws, then “the laws must be changed” by Congress, which has the authority to “rewrite, adjust, or fix the law.”“The vast majority of those here without permanent status are honest, hardworking people who simply want a future of hope for their children and their families,” Wenski added.Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and current fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, told CNA that Wenski’s call for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally is a form of “amnesty,” which he noted “is one of those things the Trump administration said is off the table.”<figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/judge.arthur.png" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Former U.S. Immigration Judge Andrew Arthur. Credit: Center for Immigration Studies"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Former U.S. Immigration Judge Andrew Arthur. Credit: Center for Immigration Studies</figcaption></figure>Arthur, who is Catholic, said that current law already affords the types of accommodations for which the archbishop is advocating. For example, he said people can appeal a removal order on the basis that their deportation would cause “extremely unusual hardship” to members of their family who are American citizens.He also argued that a pathway to citizenship would not address the labor shortage issues that Wenski raised. “There are both immigrant and non-immigrant visas that are available in order to accommodate those labor needs, but allowing individuals to remain in the United States unlawfully is unlikely to accommodate those labor needs,” Arthur contended.Arthur also noted that Immigration and Customs Enforcement follows the <a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-standards/2019/nds2019.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Performance-Based National Detention Standards</a>. In his experience as an immigration judge, he said immigration authorities have always “provided for pastoral care.”
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:53:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Outgoing custos of the Holy Land proposes a path to peace ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265345/outgoing-custos-of-the-holy-land-proposes-a-path-to-peace</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265345/outgoing-custos-of-the-holy-land-proposes-a-path-to-peace</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/f.patton.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Friar Francesco Patton, outgoing custos of the Holy Land. / Credit: Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 15, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Friar Francesco Patton, the outgoing Franciscan custos of the Holy Land, reflected on his nine years in office and proposed a path to achieving peace in the face of war in the region. He also noted that being a Christian in the holy places, as a minority, is a special vocation and mission.Patton, 61, is leaving the position entrusted to him in 2016. Friar Francesco Ielpo has now been appointed to the position, confirmed as the new custos of the Holy Land <a href="https://www.custodia.org/en/news/being-a-custos-like-a-pilgrim-interview-with-br-francesco-patton-on-his-experience-in-the-holy-land/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">by Pope Leo XIV</a> on June 24.In <a href="https://www.custodia.org/en/news/being-a-custos-like-a-pilgrim-interview-with-br-francesco-patton-on-his-experience-in-the-holy-land/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">an interview </a>published July 11 on the website of the Custody of the Holy Land, the Italian Franciscan explained that, in the face of the war between Israel and Hamas, “peace requires mutual acceptance between the two peoples who have been in conflict for decades, and the overcoming of ideological readings of history, geography, and even of the Bible.”“It would be necessary to teach coexistence in schools instead of an ideology that only generates fear, anger, and resentment. Neither of the two peoples must leave, and both must be able to live together in peace,” he added.“If both were able to overcome mutual separateness, the next generations could finally grow up in peace, without fear and without anger,” the Franciscan priest emphasized.<h2>Being a Christian in the Holy Land</h2>Patton shared that “I have always said, especially to young people, to cultivate their identity as Christians of the Holy Land. They must not focus on ethno-political identities but on a deeper identity: being custodians, with us, of the holy places.”“The holy places are an essential part of their identity. I have suggested to parish priests to bring the young people there, to tell the Gospel in the places of the Gospel. The holy places belong to them,” the Franciscan continued.The Italian priest emphasized that “being a Christian in the Holy Land is a vocation and a mission. If God lets you be born here, he is calling you to be light and salt, precisely because you are a minority and the context is difficult. And Jesus reminds us that salt which loses its flavor is useless.”“I was deeply moved by the faithfulness of the two friars who remained in the Orontes Valley when ISIS and Al-Qaeda were present. They stayed because they knew they were shepherds, and not hired hands, using the words from Chapter 10 of St. John. Their availability to give their lives was not hypothetical but concrete in a very risky context,” he recalled.“I was also struck by how important the holy places are to Christians who may only be able to visit once in their lives. In Brazil, I saw people who saved a little money each month for 10 or 15 years just to visit Nazareth, Bethlehem, and the Holy Sepulchre. Or a Christian from Syria visiting the Sepulchre and bursting into tears from the emotion,” the friar recounted.After highlighting the great value of schools in the Holy Land, the outgoing custos said he was dismayed by “the growth of intolerance, extremism, and the ideological manipulation of religion for political purposes. That made, and still makes, me suffer.”<h2>The holy places: An antidote to religious rationalism</h2>The Italian friar emphasized that holy places, being physical, “bring faith back into a concrete, existential realm. They are a great help in avoiding a disembodied, intellectualized Christianity. They are an antidote against religious rationalism and intellectualism.”“They also help us to understand the religiosity of the people,” the friar explained. “Intellectuals love reasoning, but people love to touch. They love to kiss a stone, smell the perfume of myrrh, see the olive trees in Gethsemane, the grotto of Bethlehem, Calvary, and the empty tomb.”“Popular religiosity,” he noted, “is much closer to the mystery of the Incarnation than that of professional theologians.”This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115263/custodio-franciscano-saliente-de-tierra-santa-propone-un-camino-para-la-paz-sin-ira-ni-miedo" 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>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Notre-Dame Cathedral welcomes more than 6 million visitors since reopening ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265347/notre-dame-cathedral-welcomes-more-than-6-million-visitors-since-reopening</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265347/notre-dame-cathedral-welcomes-more-than-6-million-visitors-since-reopening</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/notre-dame-de-paris-france-17289800741.jpeg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Notre-Dame de Paris (French for “Our Lady of Paris”), also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. / Credit: Sam valadi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 14, 2025 / 18:10 pm (CNA).
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris has become the most visited place in France. Since reopening its doors last December after a 2019 fire, it has welcomed more than 6 million people.On April 15, 2019, the French capital witnessed one of the most devastating tragedies in its recent history. Its iconic cathedral — a religious, architectural, and cultural symbol that had withstood the test of centuries — was engulfed in flames.The fire left in its wake incalculable losses, including the emblematic spire located above the transept of the church. However, the high altar was undamaged and all the works of art housed in the church, including the relic of the Crown of Thorns, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/41060/saved-from-the-flames-the-treasures-that-survived-the-notre-dame-fire" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">were rescued</a> and brought to a safe place.Five years later, on Dec. 7, 2024, the cathedral doors were once again opened wide, marking a new beginning for the restored church. On that occasion, Pope Francis referred to Notre-Dame Cathedral as “a masterpiece of Christian faith and architecture,” <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/260909/notre-dame-cathedral-reopening-pope-francis-calls-restoration-prophetic-sign-for-french-church" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">stating</a> that with its reopening, “sadness and mourning” gave way to joy.Since its reopening, the influx of faithful and pilgrims to the cathedral has continued. Just<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ewtnnewsnightly/posts/the-famous-catholic-cathedral-in-paris-france-is-breaking-records-since-it-reope/1147470984053152/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> one month later</a>, the church had already received 800,000 visitors, equivalent to nearly 29,000 people per day.The number has continued to grow. According to a recent report, the total number of visitors exceeded 6 million as of June 30, with a daily average of approximately 35,000.The French newspaper <a href="https://www.latribune.fr/la-tribune-dimanche/societe/a-notre-dame-de-paris-les-visites-montent-en-fleche-1028841.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">La Tribune Dimanche</a> reported that, in the six months since its reopening, 6.015 million people have passed through its doors.As a result, Notre-Dame has become the most visited place in France, the cathedral’s rector, Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, told the newspaper. The French priest also highlighted that, each month, visits average 1,000 more than the previous month.Taking into account these numbers represent only a half a year, they are on track to exceed the 8.7 million visitors to the famous Louvre Museum all last year, the 8.7 million recorded at Versailles, and the 6.3 million people who went up the iconic Eiffel Tower.This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115277/catedral-notre-dame-de-paris-recibe-6-millones-de-visitas-tras-su-reapertura" 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>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ UPDATE: Pope Leo XIV’s hometown purchases his childhood home ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265141/pope-leo-xivs-hometown-votes-to-purchase-his-childhood-home</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265141/pope-leo-xivs-hometown-votes-to-purchase-his-childhood-home</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/boyhood.home.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The childhood home of Pope Leo XIV in Dolton, Illinois. / Credit: “EWTN News in Depth”/Screenshot
</div>
CNA Staff, Jul 14, 2025 / 17:23 pm (CNA).
The village of Dolton purchased Pope Leo XIV’s boyhood home for $375,000 on Tuesday, July 8, after the village board unanimously approved its purchase at a special meeting the week before. Newly-elected Dolton Mayor Jason House said on July 10 that a steering committee would be formed in order to plan how to manage the property, which will become a historic site open to the public. He said the committee would then “lay out the plans to trustees and the community.”House called for the special July 1 vote, which was unanimous, after hearing from the trustees and allowing for comment from members of the public, several of whom opposed the home purchase by the cash-strapped village.Amid the pushback from Dolton residents who complained about the dilapidated state of local roads and the village’s high debt, House said the purchase of the childhood home of the first U.S.-born pope, Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, would eventually “pay for itself,” calling it a “historical opportunity.”Dolton, a formerly prosperous village due to the industrial boom during the second half of the 20th century, has declined economically since the 1980s. The per capita income is $29,776 and 20% of the residents live in poverty, according to<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/doltonvillageillinois/IPE120223" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> census data</a>.Trustee Edward Steave referred to the “busloads of people” in and out of the village to see the house, located at 212 E. 141st Place, since the pope’s election, emphasizing the economic benefits visitors to the historic site would bring to the community.Also acknowledging residents’ concerns, Trustee Kiana Belcher asked them to “stand with us as we make this decision because we know it will help all of us as a village.”Trustee Stanley Brown said that while he is not a Catholic himself, he is a Christian who would like to “help out the Catholics.”“I just believe in this opportunity that’s been given us, and I believe in waiting on the Lord,” Brown continued. “He’s here to strengthen our town, so don’t let this opportunity get away from us!”“We have been put on the back row … and now we have the opportunity to get on the front row, and we don’t want to let this opportunity get away from us,” he said.Dolton City Attorney Burt Odelson agreed, telling CNA that a “world of opportunity” has opened for the small suburb, which is like “no other place in the world.”“Things are just going to get better and better for the people of Dolton,” he said. On the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vodolton/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Village of Dolton’s Facebook page</a> on July 1, the village posted photos of the house getting a new roof, paid for by a donor, according to Odelson.“The pope’s house continues to draw in people, bringing new energy and attention to our village. This increased traffic represents a new day in Dolton — full of potential, progress, and promise,” the village wrote on its Facebook page.Speaking to the press after the meeting, House said he hoped the house could be “converted into its ultimate form” within 30-60 days after its purchase was finalized.House said the village will have the help of a “number of partnerships,” possibly referring to the Archdiocese of Chicago.As it considers next steps, Odelson said the village has done research on how former popes’ homes are preserved around the world. Last month, he told <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264899/auction-for-the-sale-of-popes-childhood-home-extended" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CNA </a>that he was speaking with someone “high up” in the archdiocese who was helping “guide” the village in its goal to preserve the historic home.The Archdiocese of Chicago did not respond to CNA’s request for comment by the time of publication.Odelson told CNA in June that once the house was purchased, the village would set up a nonprofit charity to help fundraise for the preservation of the house and the revitalization of the neighborhood.“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve what many people believe is a sacred” place, Odelson told CNA about the pope’s former home. “We need to do it right and we don’t have the funds to do it right. We have to lean on others.”People from “all over the U.S. have already offered to help preserve the house,” Odelson said, “and the charity will enable them to do so.”On the heels of the pope’s election in May, Odelson and House said at the time that the city intended to purchase the modest three-bedroom, 1,050-square-foot brick home, which had been listed for sale since January.Realtor Steve Budzik told CNA in May that as soon as the owner, house renovator Pawel Radzik, found out the house he had updated and listed for sale once belonged to the newly elected pope, he removed it from the market to “reassess” the situation.Radzik relisted it for sale by auction through Paramount Realty auction house. The auction was originally set to close on June 17 but was extended by a month “to finalize negotiations with the village of Dolton,” Odelson told CNA in June.The final sale price of $375,000 was much lower than the $1 million Budzik had said he thought the house might sell for at auction.This story was first published on July 2, 2025, and was updated on July 14, 2025, at 5:23 p.m. ET with details on the purchase of the home.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:23:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ ‘You were, above all, a friend’: Eulogy for Italian priest who died by suicide ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265343/you-were-above-all-a-friend-eulogy-for-italian-priest-who-died-by-suicide</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265343/you-were-above-all-a-friend-eulogy-for-italian-priest-who-died-by-suicide</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/funeral.suicide.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
The funeral of Matteo Balzano, a young Italian priest who recently took his own life at the age of 35, was held July 8, 2025, in the presence of the faithful — especially young people — he served at the parish in Cannobio in the Piedmont region. / Credit: Courtesy of Italian Episcopal Conference
</div>
ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 14, 2025 / 16:53 pm (CNA).
The funeral of Matteo Balzano, a young Italian priest who recently t<a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265247/italian-priest-s-suicide-underscores-humanity-of-priests" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ook his own life</a> at the age of 35, was held July 8 in the presence of the faithful — especially young people — he served at the parish in Cannobio in the Piedmont region.The bishop of Novara, Franco Giulio Brambilla, who offered the funeral Mass, gave an impromptu<a href="https://www.chiesacattolica.it/l/" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> homily </a>marked by hope but with considerable effort due to the fact that he was, as he put it, “devastated by grief.”Before the tragic event, Balzano had resumed his mission among the young people at the oratory of the parish in Cannobio, so Brambilla wanted to address them in particular: “I was struck by the inconsolable grief of the young people, the same ones who are here before us today,” he commented.<h2>‘You always believed in all of us and in every one of our dreams’</h2>A young woman named Alessia then read a letter addressed to Balzano on behalf of the young people he had served. “Even in our most difficult moments, you always managed to get us to smile, telling us something silly or teasing us, as you often did.”The young woman thanked him for bringing “life back” to the oratory and for valuing “each of our strengths.” With nostalgia, Alessia stated that, from the very beginning, the priest became “a fundamental pillar,” a person “to whom I could confide anything, even the most foolish, because for me, you were not just my priest, my confessor, or my ‘superior,’ for me, you were above all a friend.”She also recalled how the young people were “fascinated” by Balzano’s talks and highlighted his ability to involve them all. “You always believed in all of us and in every one of our dreams. You managed to help us face many insecurities and bring out the best in us.”“We will remember every laugh, every joke, every day together, because with your presence you knew how to make everything special. Our relationship has not ended; it has only transformed, because now you will be our guardian forever,” the young woman concluded.Speaking again, Brambilla affirmed with hope that “the Lord will be close to us through the affectionate memory of Don Matteo, which each of us holds in our hearts and which will come to our aid in life’s critical moments.”Addressing the faithful of the Diocese of Novara, Brambilla openly shared that the “unimaginable and incomprehensible news of the traumatic death” of the young priest left him “shocked and speechless.”He also expressed his gratitude to the priests and laypeople who have written to the diocese to express their closeness: “I have noticed that, above all, such a tragic circumstance has made us rediscover what is true, profoundly true, in our lives: the profound bond that unites us in the Lord Jesus,” he noted.He then shared some reflections that he said arose from his “heart torn apart” by grief.<h2>Helping priests stay the course </h2>First, he recalled when Jesus sent the apostles to prepare the Passover and explained that, in the same way, all the faithful “must help the bishop, the families of priests, the priests, and especially the younger ones, not lose the compass that points to the deepest meaning of the priest’s mission: to prepare the Passover, to eat the Passover.”“Preparation, setting the table for Passover, is the meaning of our entire mission, which means guiding the life of every person, every family, every child, adolescent, and young person to understand that the most difficult, but also the most beautiful moment of life, is to go through the Passover, which means ‘passage,’” he explained.He pointed out that, when difficulties arise, “it’s important to understand that there is something greater that drives us forward, and that is the Lord Jesus who dies with us, accompanies us, and makes us rise with him.” Thus, he encouraged priests to “never lose” the sense of this reality.Faced with this reality, he emphasized that “our language, our ways of speaking, must be edifying and reveal the communion that unites us. Only in the face of the truth of life and death can it be revealed whether our language edifies and whether our actions build communion,” he added.He also noted that, after what happened, he understood that “we must learn to listen to each other, to speak the truth more simply, to not hide our most intimate sufferings, to be open with one another in a transparent way, because this is the essential condition for building together the preparation for Jesus’ Passover.”At the end of his homily, he invited those present to “take more care for the soul” and give less importance to material things: “Our homes are too full of things, but poor in what is meaningful for living,” he said.“Don Matteo’s presence, his contagious spirit, his beautiful person, all these people present today in these saddest of circumstances, reveal to us precisely that there exists a profound bond, without which we run the risk of suffering from spiritual anemia,” he commented.The Italian prelate confessed that he doesn’t know if his heart “will ever stop crying, but I know that from now on and forever I will never be able to forget Don Matteo.”This story <a href="https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/115271/el-adios-de-una-joven-al-p-balzano-sacerdote-que-se-suicido" 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>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:53:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ As conditions worsen in Gaza, novena for peace set to start ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265339/as-conditions-worsen-in-gaza-novena-for-peace-set-to-start</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265339/as-conditions-worsen-in-gaza-novena-for-peace-set-to-start</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/gazadisplacedpeople051425.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
Charitable organizations distribute food to displaced people in shelter tents in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on June 9, 2024. / Credit: Anas-Mohammed/Shutterstock
</div>
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 14, 2025 / 16:20 pm (CNA).
As U.N. agencies issue dire warnings of humanitarian collapse in Gaza, the Catholic arm of an organization that promotes Christian engagement in the Near East has announced a nine-day novena prayer for peace in the Holy Land to begin on July 16.The Philos Project’s<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/philosproject.acemlna.com/lt.php?x=3DZy*GE5J3TP55N*_QA9V.Bv1XUoudUjvu5lkaLEIFieE8.t-ky.0eFr3X3ziNH3j_YxXYHEInei7m__;fn4!!GfxeEQ!U7o7BZ65sGMBW1x43JkfNBaP_hA_FVupCXmosw_CqgqD_Xs94f67yxLnfWGAbq6d38N8xWNRVmkGmGJqmQ$" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> “Nine-Day Novena to Pray for Peace in the Holy Land” </a>comes as Israel has intensified its bombardment of Gaza, <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2025-07/gaza-humanitarian-operations-at-risk-amidst-mounting-deaths.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">and eight U.N. agencies have indicated</a> that “without fuel, their lifesaving work may soon come to a halt.” Over the weekend, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0rvxjnvv71o" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BBC reported </a>the deaths of 10 people, including six children, who were killed in a July 13 Israeli airstrike while waiting to fill their containers of water in central Gaza. Fifty Israel hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including the bodies of at least 28 that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed dead, according to<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/abbas-urges-hamas-to-free-hostages-says-it-wont-rule-postwar-gaza/#:~:text=Terror%20groups%20in%20the%20Gaza,killed%20in%20Gaza%20in%202014." target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> a Times of Israel report</a>. Twenty hostages are believed to be alive, while “grave concerns for the well-being of two others” remain. The novena will begin July 16 on the feast of Our Lady of Carmel and end on July 24, the feast of St. Charbel of Mount Lebanon. A similar novena was held last year. This year, according to the Director of Philos Catholic Simone Rizkallah, participants will “dare to ask for more,” lifting up their prayers for an end to the conflict. “This jubilee year [of hope] reminds us that God’s promises are never revoked,” Rizkallah said, adding: “Let’s pray boldly together.”The novena’s intentions are for a complete end to the conflict in the Holy Land, the return of all hostages, the rebuilding of devastated communities, the healing of deep wounds and the restoration of trust, and a prophetic sign of peace: that one day soon, Christians may walk safely on pilgrimage from Mount Carmel to Mount Lebanon, two sacred peaks tied by faith, history, and hope.Last year, the Philos Project’s “emergency novena,” which was prayed by more than 1,000 people, centered on prayers for peace between Israel and Lebanon. “We began on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, asking that Lebanon be spared from imminent war,” Rizkallah recalled. “Against all odds, peace has held. Dialogue, not destruction, has taken root between Lebanon and Israel. It was almost unimaginable a year ago.” At the time, the novena was in response to ongoing clashes between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed, Shiite Muslim militant group based in Lebanon.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:20:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Security guard killed, 3 seminarians abducted from Nigerian seminary ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265335/security-guard-killed-3-seminarians-abducted-from-nigerian-diocese</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265335/security-guard-killed-3-seminarians-abducted-from-nigerian-diocese</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/nigeria-map-aug-2023.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
A map of Nigeria. / Credit: SevenMaps/Shutterstock
</div>
ACI Africa, Jul 14, 2025 / 14:28 pm (CNA).
Three seminarians were kidnapped and a security guard was killed in an armed attack on Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in the <a href="https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/daucn.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Diocese of Auchi</a> in Nigeria on the night of July 10.In a statement issued July 11, Father Peter Egielewa, the director of communications of the Auchi Diocese, provided details about the attack. He said the 9 p.m. attack on the Catholic institution located in Ivhianokpodi, Etsako East Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo state, involved “several gunmen.”“In the process, the Nigerian Civil Defense Security official, Mr. Christopher Aweneghieme, stationed at the seminary was killed, and three minor seminarians were abducted and led into the bush,” Egielewa said.The other seminarians have been moved to what Egielewa described as “a safe area until security measures around the seminary are tightened.”“Unfortunately, no communication has been had with the abductors yet,” he said, adding that the leadership of the diocese “sympathizes with the family of the deceased security official and prays for the repose for his soul.”In his statement, Egielewa also appealed for “prayers for the quick release of our seminarians.”He said the bishop of the Auchi Diocese has denounced the attack and called on security agencies to “do more to secure the lives and properties of our people.”Bishop <a href="https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdunia.html" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Gabriel Ghiakhomo Dunia</a> directed all priests of the diocese to celebrate a Votive Mass of the Precious Blood of Jesus on Saturday, July 12, and in morning Masses on Monday, July 14. According to Egielewa, the bishop has also directed all parish priests to “ensure the continuous recitation of the holy rosary and Sunday evening Benediction for divine protection for all faithful of the diocese, Edo state, and the country of Nigeria until further notice.”He appealed to all people of goodwill to “join the faithful of the diocese to pray for the repose of the soul of Aweneghieme and for the speedy release of the abducted seminarians unharmed.”Dunia, who has been at the helm of the Diocese of Auchi since February 2003, established Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in 2006 for the training of future priests. Over 500 minor seminarians have so far successfully graduated from the institution.Nigeria has been experiencing insecurity since 2009, when the Boko Haram insurgency began with the aim of turning the country into an Islamic state.Since then, the group, one of the largest Islamist groups in Africa, has been orchestrating indiscriminate terrorist attacks on various targets, including religious and political groups, as well as civilians.The insecurity situation in the country has further been complicated by the involvement of the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen, also referred to as the Fulani Militia.Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have <a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/15991/this-carnage-must-end-nigerias-catholic-bishops-denounce-as-affront-to-god-benue-killings-mokwa-deadly-floods" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">repeatedly denounced the reported killings</a> and abductions in the West African nation and challenged the government to prioritize the safeguarding of human life.This story <a href="https://www.aciafrica.org/news/16505/security-guard-killed-three-seminarians-abducted-from-nigerias-auchi-catholic-diocese" 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.
]]></description>
<category>Middle East - Africa</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:28:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[ Historic St. Kateri Tekakwitha shrine welcomes visitors to walk in her footsteps ]]></title>
<link>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254785/walking-in-the-footsteps-of-st-kateri-tekakwitha-at-historic-shrine</link>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254785/walking-in-the-footsteps-of-st-kateri-tekakwitha-at-historic-shrine</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ <div style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;">
<img src="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/saint-peters-chapel-and-native-american-museum.jpg?w=800&jpg" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%" />
St. Peter’s Chapel and Native American Museum at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site in Fonda, New York. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site
</div>
Chicago, Ill., Jul 14, 2025 / 09:20 am (CNA).
Shrines to various saints can be found in every part of the world, including every state in the U.S. Each one is dedicated to faith and prayer, but one shrine in the northeastern United States also has a distinct mission of connecting pilgrims with Native American culture and sharing the fascinating history of Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be canonized a saint.The <a href="https://www.katerishrine.org" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site </a>in Fonda, New York, honors not only the life of St. Kateri, whose feast day is July 14, but also the life and history of the local Indigenous people to whom she belonged.“We have cultivated strong ties to both the Catholic Mohawk community and the traditional Mohawk community,” said Melissa Miscevic Bramble, director of operations at the Saint Kateri Shrine, in an interview with CNA. “We see it as our mission to educate about her Mohawk culture as well as her Catholic faith.”<h3>Who was St. Kateri?</h3>Called the Lily of the Mohawks, Kateri Tekakwitha was the child of a Mohawk father and a Christian Algonquin mother but was orphaned at age 4 when the rest of her family died of smallpox. Her own early bout with the illness left lasting scars and poor vision.She went to live with an anti-Christian uncle and aunt, but at age 11 she encountered Jesuit missionaries and recognized their teaching as the beliefs of her beloved mother. Desiring to become a Christian, she began to privately practice Christianity. Beginning at about age 13, she experienced pressure from her family to marry, but she wanted to give her life to Jesus instead. A priest who knew her recorded her words: “I have deliberated enough. For a long time, my decision on what I will do has been made. I have consecrated myself entirely to Jesus, son of Mary, I have chosen him for husband, and he alone will take me for wife.”At last, she was baptized at about age 19, and her baptism made public her beliefs, which had been kept private up until then. The event was the catalyst for her ostracism from her village. Some members of her people believed that her beliefs were sorcery, and she was harassed, stoned, and threatened with torture in her home village.Tekakwitha fled 200 miles to Kahnawake, a Jesuit mission village for Native Amerian converts to Christianity to live together in community. There, she found her mother’s close friend, Anastasia Tegonhatsiongo, who was a clan matron of a Kahnawake longhouse. Anastasia and other Mohawk women took Kateri under their wings and taught her about Christianity, and she lived there happily for several years until her death at around age 23 or 24. Although she never took formal vows, Tekakwitha is considered a consecrated virgin, and the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins took her as its patron. She is also the patron saint of traditional ecology, Indigenous peoples, and care for creation.<h3>A shrine with a special mission</h3>The Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site has a unique mission of archaeological and historical research related to Kateri Tekakwitha and her people. Welcoming several thousand visitors per year, the shrine ministers not only to Christians but also to all Native American.According to its website, the shrine and historic site “promotes healing, encourages environmental stewardship, and facilitates peace for all people by offering the natural, cultural, and spiritual resources at this sacred site.” Describing itself as a sacred place of peace and healing with a Catholic identity, its ministry and site are intended to be ecumenical and welcome people of all faiths.In keeping with this mission, the shrine’s grounds include an archaeological site, the village of Caughnawaga, which is the only fully excavated Iroquois/Haudenosaunee village in the world. St. Kateri lived in this village, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can also visit the Kateri Spring, where Kateri Tekakwitha was baptized.“The water from the Kateri Spring is considered holy water by the Catholic Church,” Bramble said. “People are welcome to come take the waters, and we regularly get reports of healing. We’ve sent that water all over North America to folks who have requested it.”Besides the archaeological site, the main grounds of the shrine include St. Peter’s Chapel, housed in a former Dutch barn built in 1782; museum exhibits of Native American culture and history; St. Maximilian Kolbe Pavilion; a candle chapel dedicated to St. Kateri; Grassmann Hall and the shrine office; a friary; a gift shop; an outdoor sanctuary; and maintenance facilities. The 150-acre property includes hiking trails that are open to the public year-round from sunrise to sunset. <figure class="mx-auto" style="width:100%"><img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/peace-grove-sign.jpg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="Peace Grove at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and Historic Site in Fonda, New York. Credit: Photo courtesy of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and Historic Site"><figcaption class="caption text-muted">Peace Grove at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and Historic Site in Fonda, New York. Credit: Photo courtesy of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine and Historic Site</figcaption></figure>Outside the candle chapel, which is always open for prayer, visitors can participate in a ministry of “Kateri crosses.”“St. Kateri was known for going into the forest, gathering sticks, binding them into crosses, and then spending hours in prayer in front of crosses she created,” Bramble said. Sticks are gathered from the shrine grounds, and visitors are invited to make their own “Kateri crosses” and take them home to use as a prayer aid. Bramble shared that the shrine sends materials for Kateri crosses to those who aren’t able to visit, including recently to a confirmation group.<h3>The feast day weekend</h3>The Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine hosts special events for St. Kateri’s July 14 feast day. The shrine usally welcomes several hundred visitors for these events, which include Masses and talks. (A listing of the schedule can be found <a href="https://www.katerishrine.org/_files/ugd/43953f_778cab42fa234e999eee6b6757843c0e.pdf" target="null" class="null" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.)This weekend’s Masses included a traditional purification rite, a solemn blessing with a relic of St. Kateri, and music of the Akwesasne Mohawk Choir, which “incorporates American Indian spiritual practices in keeping with the Catholic Church,” Bramble told CNA. “The Akwesasne Mohawk Choir is made up of descendants of St. Kateri’s community who lived in the area historically.”“There is a reestablished traditional Mohawk community a few miles west of the shrine, and we feel very blessed that we’ve been able to cultivate a very cooperative and mutually respectful relationship with the folks there,” Bramble said.The Saint Kateri Shrine is also a great place for families. Events often include activities and crafts for children, there is an all-ages scavenger hunt available at the site, and the shrine’s museum is “a phenomenal educational opportunity,” she said.Bringing together Native American archaeology and history with the story of St. Kateri, the shrine and its programs shed light on the saint’s story and keep alive the traditions and history of her people.This story was first published on July 13, 2023, and has been updated.
]]></description>
<category>US</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:20:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>

If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:

Download the "valid RSS" banner.
Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)
Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):

<a href="http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=http%3A//feeds.feedburner.com/catholicnewsagency/dailynews"><img src="valid-rss-rogers.png" alt="[Valid RSS]" title="Validate my RSS feed" /></a>

If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:

http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=http%3A//feeds.feedburner.com/catholicnewsagency/dailynews

Home · About · News · Docs · Terms