ORLANDO, Florida — Headlining the June 10 public session of the U.S. bishops' spring plenary in Orlando were addresses by the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, along with a preliminary presentation on proposed updates to the bishops' landmark document on protection policies for children and minors.

A highlight in the afternoon was a report on World Youth Day 2027, accompanied by a gift of traditional Asian paper fans for each bishop from South Korea -- whose capital, Seoul, will host the international event.

In a morning presentation, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, said the bishops are reviewing proposed updates to the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," seeking to define key terms while balancing care for victim-survivors with accused clergy's right to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.

The suggested changes would keep the charter focused "exclusively" on clergy abuse of minors, with a new document being developed to address abuse involving vulnerable adults, Bishop Knestout said. Voting on the agenda item was scheduled for June 11.

He said the revised text includes a glossary of terms in response to diocesan requests, and -- drawing on canon law -- the integration of"the right of an accused to the presumption of innocence."

Following the presentation, Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas -- citing several factors, and calling for a "more synodal approach" -- asked if it would be possible to suspend the vote on the revisions pending further consultation among presbyteral councils and diocesan review boards.

At the start of the public session, Msgr. Michael J.K. Fuller, the USCCB's general secretary, read a message from the U.S. bishops to Pope Leo XIV thanking him for his new encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" and for shining "the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise" of artificial intelligence and "emerging technologies."

The bishop said the pope's teaching is a timely reminder that human life and dignity must remain at the center of technological development. Marking the first year of Pope Leo's pontificate, they prayed that he would continue to be a guiding light for both the Church and the wider world.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City gave his first address to the body of bishops as USCCB president, having been elected during the conference's annual fall meeting in November 2025.

The Church must "put out into the deep" and "create hope in Christ," he said. He told the bishops he was "especially pleased to recognize the impact" of the USCCB's special message on migration, released during the conference's November 2025 plenary assembly amid the Trump administration's hardline crackdown on immigration, which has seen sweeping mass detentions and deportations.

The USCCB message "demonstrated our united concern as pastors for the dignity of every person, especially our migrant brothers and sisters," said Archbishop Coakley.

Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia gave his inaugural address to the bishops as nuncio to the U.S.
He was named to his new post in March, after having previously served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations.

In his remarks, he highlighted the consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, urged the bishops to fulfill their mission as missionary disciples by welcoming immigrants in their midst, and reminded his brother bishops he is there for them, especially in moments when their responsibilities as episcopal shepherds leads them to feel isolated.

"My service here is one of listening, trust, and shared discernment within the Church that we are all serving together," Archbishop Caccia said.

In the late afternoon, as chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, Bishop Edward J. Burns of Dallas gave a report on World Youth Day 2027, which is to take place Aug. 3-8 in Seoul, and he introduced Auxiliary Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee of Seoul, general coordinator for WYD 2027, who brought traditional Asian folding fans as a gift to the bishops.

Bishop Burns said some 10,000 to 15,000 young pilgrims will travel to South Korea, a number he said would be comparable to the U.S. presence at WYD in Brazil (2013) and in Panama (2019).

Bishop Lee said he hopes all U.S. bishops will inspire young people of their dioceses to participate in the global event. The bishop detailed how the Catholic Church of Korea began in the hands of the laypeople, became strengthened by the blood of 10,000-plus martyrs, and served as a sanctuary for democracy and human rights.

"I have a simple hope that by the end of this presentation, Seoul will feel a little less far away," Bishop Lee said. After the Korean War (1950-1953), he said, "Korea was one of the poorest countries of the world. In 80 years, Korea moved from devastation to renewal. The hardships did not have the final world. Hope can renew and heal a nation."

Bishop Lee also spoke about three special WYD events that are to take place with Pope Leo XIV -- a meeting with people facing hardships, interreligious dialogue, and prayers for world peace.

World Youth Day promises to be a "powerful opportunity" for young people from across the globe to witness how "God's love never ceases, regardless of circumstances," the bishop said, adding that three special events with Pope Leo XIV are planned -- a meeting with people facing hardships, interreligious dialogue and prayers for world peace.

The bishops also heard from mathematical biologist Santiago Schnell, a Catholic scientist and provost of Dartmouth University. He was invited to speak June 10 by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, USCCB secretary and chair of its Committee on Priorities and Plans.

The talk anticipated the bishops' discussion of the 25th anniversary of the USCCB's implementation of "Ex Corde Ecclesia," St. John Paul II's apostolic constitution on Catholic universities.

The Catholic imagination needs to be reawakened in academic life to nurture leaders who can become "voices for the Catholic Church," Schnell advised the nation's bishops.

During his presentation, Schnell -- formerly dean of the University of Notre Dame's College of Science -- warned that Catholics were, as his presentation title asserted, "educated, yet absent" from American intellectual life.

"The Catholic paradox is that we have a massive infrastructure of higher education with average outcomes," said Schnell. "We are not educating sufficient Catholics in our Catholic higher educational system. And we're not educating them, actually, to become leaders."

The bishops also heard a preliminary presentation on portions of two texts for consideration: a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass, which provides the Scripture readings and psalm for each day's liturgy; and the 2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement.

In a voice vote they showed support for the local advancement of two separate American canonization causes: Bishop Daniel J. Felton of Duluth, Minnesota, gave a presentation on the cause opened in his diocese for pioneer missionary priest Msgr. Joseph Buh and Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami presented the cause of entrepreneur-turned-evangelist John Rick Miller.

The consultation of a body of bishops -- at either the regional or national level -- is required by Church legislation governing the canonization process as a cause gets underway.

— Julie Asher, OSV News

Church must 'put out into the deep,' offer hope in Christ to all, says USCCB president

ORLANDO, Florida — The Church must "put out into the deep" and "create hope in Christ," said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The archbishop shared his thoughts in his opening address at the USCCB's annual spring plenary assembly, taking place June 10-12 in Orlando.

The public sessions of the meeting, June 10 and 11, were being livestreamed through the USCCB's website at usccb.org.

Archbishop Coakley opened the public sessions with his first address as USCCB president, having been elected during the conference's annual fall meeting in November 2025.

He began his remarks with a lighthearted quote of a comment Blessed John Paul I reportedly made to the cardinals upon his papal election: "May God forgive you for what you have done.”

Also speaking to the bishops was Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, who was appointed as papal nuncio to the U.S. in March, having previously served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations. Archbishop Caccia succeeded Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who turned 80 in January and had served in the post since 2016.

The meeting will see expected votes on several action items on the USCCB's agenda, which was publicly released June 8.

Among those items are revisions to the USCCB's "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," adopted in 2002 and updated at regular intervals over the ensuing years; episcopal consultations for the canonization causes of Slovenian missionary priest Msgr. Joseph Francis Buh and lay American John Rick Miller; and proposed adjustments to portions of several liturgical texts. Presentations on several initiatives, such as Catholic prison ministry and World Youth Day 2027, were also scheduled.

In his address, Archbishop Coakley said he was "especially pleased to recognize the impact" of the USCCB's special message on migration, which was released during the conference's November 2025 plenary assembly under Archbishop Coakley's predecessor as USCCB president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese of the Military Services.

The statement, overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. bishops, came amid the Trump administration's hardline crackdown on immigration, which has seen sweeping mass detentions and deportations.

The USCCB message "demonstrated our united concern as pastors for the dignity of every person, especially our migrant brothers and sisters," said Archbishop Coakley.

He noted that "the concern, the grief over how people are being treated, expressed in our message, remains as relevant now," adding, "We continue to advocate for “meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.”

Archbishop Coakley said he was "grateful" for the unity of the U.S. bishops with each other and with Pope Leo XIV, whom he quoted frequently in his comments.

The archbishop said that during the past six months of his tenure as USCCB president, he had returned "many times" to Luke 5:4, the Scripture verse that he chose for his episcopal motto: "Duc in altum."

"It is the verse from the Gospel according to St. Luke where the Lord says to Peter, 'Put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch,'" he explained.

The words are not only a source of comfort but "a command and a challenge," said Archbishop Coakley.

Both the Church and its bishops are "commanded to put out into the deep water, to move beyond our comfort zones and the safe places where we can maintain our illusions of safety and control."

He added, "Obeying this command is perhaps more necessary at this moment than ever."

Archbishop Coakley pointed to current challenges such as "constant flux … forced migration, polarization, disruptions, climatic, and economic upheavals, artificial intelligence, and wars," as well as the struggles of those who "are wondering what it even means to be a human person."

To restore hope, he said, "the truth of Christ must be proclaimed all the more confidently."

Peace, "which is the heart of the truth of Christ, always brings hope," said Archbishop Coakley.

Threats to that hope include attacks on human dignity, especially against "the unborn … the elderly … the sick and suffering," he said.

He also cited "the violence of war and injustice," as well as "the scourge of racism," "abuse, disdain and contempt -- especially towards the poor, the stranger, the condemned and the outcast."

Restoring hope "necessitates preaching" that "life is a gift from God," said Archbishop Coakley. "Every life has value and dignity, and we cannot forfeit that dignity, even when it is besmirched by sin and wickedness. It comes from God."

That truth "will renew hope in the hardest of hearts," he said.

Another threat is polarization "within our country, and even within our Church," said the archbishop, who described such division as "a scandal that can only be overcome through encounter, through the cultivation of interpersonal relationships and conversations between those who may disagree."

"We must never give up on those who are different or see things differently," he said.

Archbishop Coakley said that the "record numbers" entering the Church this year and prior were both "a great sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit" and "a further example of how we need to put out into the deep."

The bishops' current mission directive, "to reach out to the disaffiliated and the unaffiliated, remains a major task in helping to restore hope," he said.

Looking ahead to the U.S. bishops' June 11 consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Archbishop Coakley said he was "reminded how deep, unfathomable, and profound is the love that lives in that heart, and how it embraces the entire world."

"It excludes no one," he said. "Can there be a greater message of hope? Can a greater gift of hope be offered? It is the love flowing from the Sacred Heart of Jesus that feeds our hope."

— Gina Christian, OSV News

Nuncio to U.S. bishops: Truth of human heart comes from the heart of Christ

ORLANDO, Florida — The new apostolic nuncio to the United States told the U.S. bishops June 10 their "generosity and collaboration" will assist him in carrying out his new mission "at the service of communion and peace."

Those words were offered by Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia in his inaugural address to the bishops as nuncio to the U.S. during the first public session of their June 10-12 spring plenary at the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate near Orlando.

He gave thanks to his "brother bishops" for their fraternal welcome and turned to the new president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops -- Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City -- and said "so we begin together."

The two prelates both addressed the assembly for the first time in their current positions; the nuncio was named in March, after having previously served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations, and the new USCCB president was elected last November.

In his address, Archbishop Caccia highlighted the consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, urged the bishops to fulfill their mission as missionary disciples by welcoming immigrants in their midst, and reminded his brother bishops he is there for them, especially in moments when their responsibilities as episcopal shepherds leads them to feel isolated.

"My service here is one of listening, trust, and shared discernment within the Church that we are all serving together," Archbishop Caccia said.

Grateful for the U.S. bishop's fraternal welcome, the archbishop remarked how "beautiful is the image of unity of brother bishops gathered," sharing the same sprit and fulfilling the same mission. He added if he were to encapsulate his feelings in a few words, it would be "great esteem for the Church in America," which he said has "given so much to the universal church, even giving us our pope."

But he added that esteem does mean "wounds that remain in the life of the Church" should be ignored.

"I see the election of Pope Leo as a gift of the Holy Spirit, encouraging the Church in this country, on one hand to foster what is best in her tradition and on the other to continue facing with determination those wounds in her recent history that have caused much suffering especially through the cases of abuse," he told the U.S. bishops.

"As the (Second Vatican) Council reminds us, the Church is at once holy and always in need of being purified. Let us pray and work together for her renewal, so that her witness may be credible, her communities safe and her mission ever more faithful to the Gospel."

Leaders of the Church are called to witness to one another the "peace of the risen Christ," borrowing the words of Pope Leo XIV, as a peace that is "unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering," and a peace of God’s unconditional love.

As "builders of peace," Archbishop Caccia said the formal consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will occur at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe June 11, would serve as a "spiritual center" of the assembly.

"When the heart is lost, the person becomes fragmented. When the heart is healed, life can find unity again," the archbishop said. "From the heart of Christ, the Church learns the truth of the human heart: its dignity, its wounds, its desire for God, and its need for communion."

Archbishop Caccia said the U.S. Church certainly understands the missionary spirit, as its young history benefited from the missionaries who arrived on U.S. shores from other lands.

But he said the Church sends missionaries and awakens missionary disciples not just to go to foreign lands, but to welcome immigrants seeking hope in the United States. He said bishops should meet immigrants "with the charity of Christ, to recognize their dignity, and to help them find a place in the life of the community is also part of a missionary Church."

Before his closing remarks, the archbishop gifted each U.S. bishop a pocket-sized booklet containing the two dogmatic constitutions of the Second Vatican Council: "Lumen Gentium," on (on the Church) and "Dei Verbum" (on Divine Revelation). He said the constitutions "remind us who the Church is, and how the Church listens to the Word of God."

"They bring us back to the sources of our communion and mission," he told the bishops. "This continuity is important. We are not beginning again from zero. We receive a living tradition; and above all, we receive the love of Christ, poured out from his heart for the life of the world."

 — Jean Gonzalez, OSV News

U.S. bishops consider updates to landmark child protection policies

ORLANDO, Florida — The U.S. Catholic bishops are reviewing proposed updates to their landmark document on protection policies for children and minors, seeking to define key terms while balancing care for victim-survivors with accused clergy's right to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.

The potential revisions were preliminarily introduced June 10 during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' spring plenary assembly in Orlando.

The suggested changes would keep the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" focused "exclusively" on clergy abuse of minors, with a new document being developed to address abuse involving vulnerable adults, said Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, in his introductory remarks.

Joining Bishop Knestout on the dais were Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York, chair of the USCCB's Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; and Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, chair of the USCCB's Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance. Both committees have also weighed in on charter updates, as have the USCCB's general counsel and its consultative National Review Board.

The charter -- instituted by the USCCB in 2002 as a number of clerical abuse scandals emerged -- lays out a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. Commonly called the Dallas Charter, the document also includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability and prevention of abuse.

A year after the charter's most recent revision in 2018, Pope Francis issued the motu proprio "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" ("You are the light of the world"), outlining global legal procedures for how the church should deal with clergy sexual abuse, including procedures for investigating bishops. The updated 2023 version included the specific term "vulnerable adults," and extended investigations to leaders of Vatican-recognized international Catholic lay associations and movements.

Bishop Knestout said that "forthcoming documents" are expected from the Vatican, "specifically the Universal Guidelines Framework being prepared by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and canonical legislation on spiritual abuse."

Both of those "may impact" the charter, he said.

Bishop Knestout noted that "none of the proposed modifications" to the charter would require changes to the U.S. bishops' 2005 essential norms, which are the particular application of the Church's canon law on the issue to the Church in the U.S.

He said the revised text includes a glossary of terms "in response to repeated requests from dioceses on having more consistent definitions."

In addition, said Bishop Knestout, proposed revisions -- drawing on canon law -- integrate "the right of an accused to the presumption of innocence."

Additional modifications include "the clear allowance for electronic letters of suitability," and "an added reference to the protection of information under the seal of the Sacrament of Penance," he said.

He also noted that among the general provisions under "Vos Estis" is "the identification of mandatory Church reporters to complement mandatory reporting to civil authorities.

Following the presentation, Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas -- citing several factors -- asked if it would be possible to suspend the vote on the revisions pending further consultation among presbyteral councils and diocesan review boards. The latter are consultative bodies required under the charter, with members assisting bishops in their assessment of abuse allegations.

In particular, ArchbIshop McKnight pointed to concerns over the revisions "will impact known victims, as well as unknown" and priests.

In response, Bishop Knestout - acknowledging that the charter is "not a perfect document" -- noted that consultation on the revision has been "occuring for about five years," with "input received on multiple occasions from bishops."

Archbishop McKnight, while affirming "there has been extensive consultation over many years," said that "a lot has happened" since 2022, the last year that, as he was aware, consultations had taken place.

"There are a lot of new bishops that have been appointed since that time," he observed, while calling for a "more synodal" approach, with "better feedback and buy-in" regarding "how we're addressing these issues."

Archbishop McKnight underscored the need "make it very clear and not create more ambiguity" with respect to the charter.

The USCCB is expected to further debate and vote on the proposed charter revisions June 11.

— Gina Christian, OSV News

In a “real estate summit” last month, the diocese brought together Church leaders and Catholic professionals in the fields of real estate, development, law, construction and finance to help shape a comprehensive strategy for managing its property portfolio and future needs.

The summit examined how real estate can help address challenges created by growth – including overcrowded churches, rising school enrollment, expanding ministries and emerging pastoral needs. The goal is not simply to buy more land or construct new buildings, leaders said, but to anticipate and respond to real estate needs to more effectively serve its communities.

“As a significant landowner in western North Carolina, we need to be nimble as we invite and attract more people into the Catholic Church,” said Bishop Michael Martin, who convened the summit to seek advice and foster relationships with industry experts.

“We need to prepare now,” he said, “for realities we anticipate will be playing out in 20 years in our churches, schools and ministries.”

A comprehensive strategy would inform and guide future decisions about property acquisitions and sales, development opportunities and facility investments. It would help the diocese stay ahead of real estate trends and pay attention to areas in need of the Church’s presence as communities grow.

An estimated 575,000 Catholics live within the 46 counties encompassed by the diocese, and projections indicate another 30% increase in population by 2050.

“We’ve got a lot more people we’re trying to serve now,” said Emmett Sapp, the diocese’s director of real estate and construction, “so we’re looking at all the different ways to respond to that.” The diocese is already building to accommodate the influx – with more than 80 parish, school and ministry projects undertaken since 2018. The diocese owns or oversees more than 100 properties from Greensboro to Asheville and beyond, including 93 churches and 20 schools.

Summit participant David Longo, chairman of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and member of St. Matthew Parish in south Charlotte, said just as businesses do, the diocese must be ready to act when opportunities emerge.

“A comprehensive real estate strategy will give the diocese a consistent, overarching framework for making decisions, leveraging opportunities and finding creative ways to manage growth,” said Longo, one of a dozen local leaders who will continue to help guide the diocese.

A real estate strategy would help determine whether to expand a church or build a new one, purchase adjacent property near a parish or school, and acquire land in fast-growing areas for future ministry sites.

It would also help leaders further evaluate major projects, among them:

• The future of the diocese’s aging Pastoral Center in uptown Charlotte
• The possible location of a new parish in Charlotte that could also serve as a future cathedral site
• Planning for possible Catholic schools in currently underserved areas.

Complicating the diocese’s ability to respond to growth, leaders noted, is the fact that securing land is becoming more difficult as costs rise and availability declines. Land acquisition is among the diocese’s priorities in its $150 million philanthropic initiative “Making Room – for More to Know the Love of Jesus,” which the diocese launched this month.

Diocesan leaders said they were inspired by the urgency of growth as well as the diocese’s history of strategic investments. In the 1980s, then-Bishop John Donoghue and his chancellor, Monsignor John McSweeney, bought land along the future Interstate 485 corridor before the Charlotte beltway was built, enabling the eventual establishment of St. Matthew, St. Mark and St. Luke parishes. Today, those congregations are among the diocese’s largest, serving 50,000 people.

Acquiring land in high-growth areas is only one option, Sapp said. Others might include expanding facilities, creating new parishes, or adding Masses to accommodate more people. Another focus is the diocese’s inventory of vacant and underutilized land.

The summit marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to ensure responsible stewardship of the resources, said Matt Ferrante, the diocese’s chief financial officer.

A Real Estate and Facilities Subcommittee is also being formed under the recently expanded Diocesan Finance Council to bring together professionals with deep expertise who will help advise diocesan leaders.

Leaders agree the goal is to take a forward-looking approach, rather than waiting until growth pressures become critical.

“We know the growth occurring throughout western North Carolina will continue to shape the needs of our parishes, schools and ministries,” Ferrante said. “Our goal is to be proactive, strategic and thoughtful in how we steward our facilities and real estate resources in support of the Church’s mission.”

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle

Terry Goitom, accompanied by her daughter, Nighisti Tecle, traveled to Lourdes, France, as a “malade” – a person with an aggressive disease seeking healing.

“Even before the cancer, there was Lourdes. I had always wanted to go,” Goitom said. “This, to me, is a big miracle.”

This May, more than a dozen Order of Malta members from the Diocese of Charlotte traveled to Lourdes, France, to convene with global members of the oldest lay religious order for their annual pilgrimage.

Together, knights and dames carried “Malades” – people suffering from aggressive ailments – in pull-carts across the 130-acre sanctuary nestled next to the Gave de Pau River, which offers spiritual and healing pathways.

“Bringing the malades to the waters is just so fulfilling,” the region hospitaller for Charlotte, Dame Ellen Linares, said. “People are really able to see love in action, what Christ wanted us to be on Earth.”

Goitom was the chosen malade from the Diocese of Charlotte, and her daughter, Nighisti Tecle, was her designated companion.

The two were escorted by Order of Malta members and led through candlelight processions, brought to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes Basilica for Masses, taken to the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto apparition site for prayer, and assisted to the famed healing baths.

Dignitaries such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Cardinal Arthur Roche and Jesuit Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda took turns preaching homilies full of hope and love.

Lourdes has been recognized as a healing site since 1858, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous and instructed her to dig.

Dutifully, she burrowed through the dried mud Mary pointed to and drank the first dirty water that sprang from the hole. The next day, the puddle was transformed into a giant clear spring that still thrives.

More than 4 million pilgrims visit the site each year to bathe in the healing springs that are home to more than 7,000 recorded healings and 72 medical miracles confirmed by the Vatican.

Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey was there to greet her when she arrived in Lourdes.

The road to Lourdes

Goitom has felt a personal connection to Lourdes, through Belmont Abbey’s campus replica grotto, since 2021. Fittingly, she rolled off the plane in Lourdes and right into the arms of Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey, who blessed and prayed over her and her daughter.

For many years, she visited the Abbey every morning for Mass and then prayed the rosary at the grotto, where she discussed plans with Mary for how it would be when she was able to go to Lourdes.

On Valentine’s Day in 2023, Goitom went to Mass, but her side hurt too much to do much else. After months of physical therapy, a trip to the emergency room showed a misdiagnosis; it was an aggressive cancer causing her pain.

Turning to our lady for help

Goitom prayed in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel all that night. When her daughter Tecle, whose father was also in ill health, learned of her mother’s diagnosis, she fell into despair.

“I wanted my mom to be healed. It broke my heart,” she said. “I thought I was not praying enough, and I was getting punished because of me fleeing from the Church.”

For her birthday on Feb. 11, which is also the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, Tecle visited the abbey grotto in the pouring rain and prayed.

“I said I know I am not your strongest Christian, but my mom is sick and she really wants to go to Lourdes,” Tecle begged.

Two weeks later, Don Meanor of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte called Goitom. They were going to Lourdes – Frank Grass, Order of Malta Knight and fellow member of St. Gabriel Parish, sponsored her and Tecle.

His wife, like Goitom, fell victim to ovarian cancer. He still wears the teal bracelet the couple received when she was diagnosed and has the bottle of holy water from Lourdes that he placed on her forehead every night. He now carries the hope of physical healing Goitom may experience in her place.

“Don saw this opportunity and batted for us. If it wasn’t for him, Frank and the Order of Malta. I don’t think it ever would have happened,” Tecle said.

In Lourdes, Goitom was given a sticker with her name and placed it on the largest candle she ever saw, which was put on the grotto rocks where passersby could pray for the malades. The candle burned all week, and she said she can still recall feeling its flame.

When they first saw the spring and grotto, the mother and daughter were overwhelmed.

“It was so beautiful, I couldn’t even take a picture. I just wanted to soak in every moment of it,” Tecle said. “It brought us to tears because we realized where we were and all the prayers and support it took us to get there.”

Meeting the other malades made Goitom’s own diagnosis fade.

“Some of the malade stories were so sad,” said Goitom. “All of us were there for the same reason, and it was amazing to see people still fighting, still smiling, still having so much faith.”

When Goitom was led to the bath waters, she prayed while the people surrounding her sang “Ave Maria.”

“People say there is a thin veil between heaven and earth, and I felt it. I felt warmth all through my body,” Goitom said. “When I was in the bath, I wanted to fully submerge, and it touched my heart. I was saying remove this cancer from my body. I felt very close to God. I was not fearful, just peaceful. Mary brought me there. I planned in all types of ways, but it never happened, but she got me there her own way.”

And, as the baths soothed Goitom, Tecle felt her own strength in Mary while she walked the life-sized Stations of the Cross.

“Mary was watching someone she loved suffer, and she was helpless,” Tecle said. “It was at the Ninth Dtation of the Cross when I cried. I understood why I was there. I know when I leave this place, I know that I will never truly be alone in my burdens.”

Goitom does not know if she may be cured, but this trip taught her to surrender her burden to God.

“I don’t have any fear,” Goitom said. “I am praying and waiting. I have learned in my experience to surrender it to God. The doctors say something, but God has the final say, and I am not scared.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

The grant comes in response to a Jan. 7 incident in downtown Belmont, where the absence of nearby Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) contributed to the emergency in which Nancy Litwak, 39, lost her life. Her death highlighted a critical gap in the community’s emergency response resources, inspired changes to the downtown policy, and motivated Belmont Abbey College to pursue this grant to help prevent future tragedies.

In collaboration with the City of Belmont, the grant will fund a public AED initiative. The project will:

> Install nine AEDs: Six in downtown Belmont locations and three on the college campus, ensuring any point in the downtown corridor is within a two-minute walk to an AED, well within the critical four-minute window for defibrillation.

> Train faculty and the community: Four nursing faculty will become certified American Heart Association CPR instructors. Recurring CPR and AED training will be offered to local employees, organizational staff and community members.

> Establish sustainable preparedness: The initiative will create a faculty-led model for ongoing community cardiac emergency preparedness and education.
“The safety and well-being of our community is always a top priority,” said Belmont Mayor Joe Jordan.

“This collaboration with Belmont Abbey College and the support of the CaroMont Health Foundation will ensure that lifesaving resources, like AEDs and CPR training, are accessible to everyone in our town. ”

As Dr. Lee-Ann Kenny, chair and nursing program director at Belmont Abbey College, said, “This grant from the CaroMont Health Foundation equips both our students and our community to respond effectively in life-saving situations.”

— Belmont Abbey College

Father Sullivan, who often credits daily Mass at St. Matthew with helping him discern the brotherhood and priesthood, will be saying a Mass of Thanksgiving at 10:45 a.m. June 21 in St. Matthew Church. His new assignment, effective July 1, will be at St. Francis Church in Hackensack, New Jersey. 

— Photos courtesy of Patty Armstrong

CHARLOTTE — With monstrances raised high, thousands of parishioners reverently processed across roads, paths and campuses throughout the Diocese of Charlotte on Corpus Christi Sunday.

The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, celebrates the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist – His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Many parishes have unique traditions for commemorating this feast, which has been celebrated by Catholics worldwide since 1264. Through the Eucharistic Triduum at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe, intricate sawdust carpets depicting images of chalices and hosts, altars adorned with roses and garnished with bread and grapes, and streets draped with patterns created using flower petals, the beauty of our Eucharistic faith was creatively displayed through diverse cultures, all gathered as one Church.

Charlotte Catholic High School’s girls soccer team pulled off a dream season, going undefeated to rank first in the nation and to win the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 6A state title. 

“(It) was an amazing moment,” says Charlotte Catholic left forward Marguerite McPhillips, celebrating at a May 26 team get-together. “We all are so close, such a tight knit community, and we all wanted this for each other…We knew what had to be done, and we put it all out there.” 

Charlotte Catholic’s lacrosse program also achieved a coup with both the girls and boys teams winning state championships.

Overall, the Cougars spring championships topped off a banner year in which student athletes captured a total of seven team state championships, the most of any NCHSAA school in North Carolina.   

Christ the King High School also won state championships in girls soccer and boys golf this spring. 

“There was so much joy in the moment when we won,” says Christ the King soccer coach Brooke Bradt, whose team won their fourth 2A state championship last week, despite a season plagued with injuries and challenges. 

Combined with the five state championships captured last fall, the diocese’s Catholic Schools won a total of 10 titles for the 2025-26 school year – plus additional state championships captured by individual athletes. 

Catholic Schools Superintendent Greg Monroe attributes the athletic success to the investment teachers and coaches make in their students – as well as the modeling and support of families. Also, he cites:

• Catholic School athletes are typically strong academically, he says, and “the discipline required to excel in the classroom translates to excellence on the field.” 
• Catholic Schools are relatively small, so students often play multiple sports, cross-training that makes them stronger in their preferred sports.
• Many students have been playing together for years, moving through Catholic Schools together beginning in elementary school. “They get along, they have good chemistry, and they play to each other’s strengths,” Monroe says.

Here’s a closer look at the spring victories:

Charlotte Catholic soccer 

The girls team won 1-0 over the Jacksonville Cardinals in the May 29 title game. The team learned earlier in the day they had been ranked No. 1 in the country by nationally recognized high school sports tracker MaxPreps. 

Junior Savannah Leckner scored the winning – and only – goal. 

Right wing Mary Martin Spinner cites one key to the championship: “We never took a game lightly and we always showed up and put the work in. Honestly, I feel like we really deserved the championship this year, and we got it done.” 

Longtime Cougar soccer coach Gary Hoilett agrees. “The girls just had a fantastic year. They bonded well, they played as a team and from the beginning of the season showed determination.”

Christ the King soccer 

The girls team overcame a challenging season to win the 2A state championship on May 29 with a 3-0 victory over Franklin Academy from Wake Forest. Junior Addison Pierce had a hattrick, scoring all three of the team’s goals. It was the team’s fourth state title in five years. 

The victory was especially sweet, coach Bradt says, following repeated challenges in the run-up to the championship, including multiple player injuries and an inability to play on their home field because of ongoing renovations. Bradt coached most of the season while expecting a baby that was born on May 1. 

“This championship meant a lot to us, especially after everything we’ve gone through this season,” she says. “With all the ups and downs and how much work the girls have put in, they deserved it one hundred percent.” 

Charlotte Catholic lacrosse

Both the girls and boys lacrosse teams won state championships May 29, in a developing division spanning 1A through 6A schools.

Both won with the same score, 9-8. 

The boys team beat Middle Creek High School from Apex in a highly anticipated matchup after the NCHSAA expanded its playoff brackets to allow more teams to compete. It was the lacrosse team’s second state championship. 

The girls team won in overtime, defeating East Chapel Hill High School. The program has two previous state championships, most recently in 2014.

Christ the King golf 

Earlier in May, the boys golf team won the program’s first state championship May 11-12 capturing the 2A championship over Mitchell High School in Bakersville. The outcome came down to the final hole, with Christ the King winning by just two strokes to gain the title with a final team score of 650.

Other state team championships: 

This spring topped off a 2025-2026 school year of state team championships for all three Catholic high schools.

Charlotte Catholic also captured state team championships in girls tennis, boys soccer, girls swimming and girls golf. 

Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville capture the boys 2A cross country state championship. 

Christ the King’s women’s cross country team also won the 2A state championships in the fall. 

Two high schools also captured club championships in sports being newly introduced to the league: Charlotte Catholic in mens rugby and Christ the King in men’s volleyball. 

Best of the Best

Athletic teams at Diocese of Charlotte Catholic High Schools won a total of 10 team state championships as  well as individual titles in spring and fall sports during 2025-26 school year.

Charlotte Catholic (6A):

Girls – golf, tennis, swimming, soccer and lacrosse.

Boys – soccer and lacrosse. Individual championships – Girls Golf (6A), Elizabeth Guthrie. Tennis (6A), Ella Davis and Madison McWilliams, doubles. Wrestling, Jackson D’Ettore - 6A 120 lb. Swimming (6A), 50 Free – Kathryn Kern, 100 Butterfly – Madi Hertzig, 100 Free – CJ Bernardo, Diving – Reagan Leckner, 200 Free Relay –  Kathryn Kern, Ellie Druhan, Olivia Jacobson and Madi Hertzig, 400 Free Relay – CJ Bernardo, Caroline Meehan, Olivia Jacobson, Madi Hertzig. 

Christ the King (2A):

Boys – golf and volleyball (1A-4A division).Individual championships – Diving, Avery Noonan.  Track, 4x800m relay – Brandi Malloy, Claire Oglesby, Shea Roche and Anna White (1A-2A division). 

Bishop McGuinness (2A): Boys – Cross country. Individual championship – Drew Pacholke.

— Christina Lee Knauss. Photo by Troy C. Hull

MADRID — More than 1.2 million people filled the streets of Madrid as Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass and led a Eucharistic procession through the heart of the Spanish capital June 7 for the solemnity of Corpus Christi, the liturgical feast celebrating the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

"We are gathered around the Eucharist, the gift of Christ's living presence among us. He who wished to offer us his life so that we might enter into communion with the Father and become his children, is here as the living Bread come down from heaven, to nourish us with the very life of God, with a love stronger than death," Pope Leo said in his homily.

"Just as Christ gives himself as food in the Eucharistic celebration, the procession shows that he is not confined to the church, but comes out to meet us," he added. "Jesus travels the streets, crosses the squares and visits our neighborhoods, dwelling in the settings of our daily lives."

-- Eucharistic grace to transform people's lives --

The pope offered Mass in the Plaza de Cibeles, the city's iconic neoclassical fountain square where several of Madrid's grand avenues converge, before leading the Corpus Christi procession that wound nearly a mile and a half through streets adorned with elaborate floral carpets crafted by local artisans from more than 30,000 carnations.

Children who recently received the sacrament of First Communion scattered flower petals and religious sisters carried candles near the front of the long procession of priests and bishops, culminating with a golden canopy under which Pope Leo carried the large monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. People in the crowd knelt down and tossed flowers as the Eucharist passed by.

In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on the power of Eucharistic grace to transform people's lives.

"It is not merely a matter of bringing out the monstrance, but of allowing ourselves to be brought out of our selfishness and indifference, of a comfortable, private faith, so as to respond to his invitation to conversion, to change our perspective, and to welcome his presence which transforms us," the pope said, telling Spaniards to live their faith courageously in the public square.

The task of Spain today and in the future, the pope said, is to "ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today."

In a country struggling with extreme political polarization and unhealed wounds of the Civil War, the pope said the living faith can transform society as "no one can kneel before the Lord" and at the same time "despise their brother."

Catholic roots of Spain can be "a school" that "teaches us of the gratuitousness of love that becomes a gift, so that it may flow among us and break the chains of all selfishness," and one "from which we learn that God is a real presence and that we too are called to be present in the realities and challenges of society, not shying away, but personally committing ourselves to the building of the common good."

-- Silent fidelity to the Eucharist --

As Pope Leo passed by in the procession, he may have recognized one of the faces in the crowd.

Twenty-eight-year-old Erci Torres from Peru, was confirmed by Pope Leo when he served as her bishop at the Santa Rosa de Lima parish in Chiclayo. Today she lives in Madrid and was thrilled to see the pope again.

"It was a very unforgettable experience," Torres told OSV News. "And to imagine that he is now the pope is incredible."

During the Mass, Pope Leo invoked St. Manuel González García, an early 20th-century Spanish bishop who passionately urged people to recognize the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Today the saint is known as "the bishop of the abandoned tabernacle" because on his tomb in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of Palencia Cathedral, it is written, "I ask to be buried next to a tabernacle, so that my bones after my death, like my tongue and my pen in life, may always be repeating to those who pass by: 'Jesus is here! Jesus is here! Do not leave him abandoned!'"

Pope Leo said, "His life reminds us that the Eucharist should be honored not only during great celebrations or on special occasions, but also through the silent fidelity of those who accompany the Lord with a humble and quiet friendship that is nourished day by day."

The pope also drew on the poetry of St. John of the Cross, who, while imprisoned in Toledo around the time of Corpus Christi in 1578, found the Lord in the darkness of his cell, which the pope described as "a presence from which emanates a light that never fades."

-- Special moment for Madrileños --

Crowds lined the major avenues leading to the plaza for hours before the Mass began, with 2,300 Eucharistic ministers needed to distribute communion to the assembled faithful. About 400 musicians provided music for the liturgy, including an orchestral ensemble.

Among the crowd was the Adam family, eight siblings who waited together for hours to take part in the papal Mass. Seventeen-year-old Patricia Adam is the second oldest of the 8 siblings. Her older sister played violin in the orchestra for the papal Mass.

"For me, my Catholic faith is living a relationship with God and with Jesus in intimacy," Adam said. "Being here with my family means a lot because it is not just a relationship one to one, but all together with God."

Nearby 23-year-old Lucia waited with her four siblings and 17 cousins as they attended the Mass together.

"Faith has always been so important to me," she said. "I have an aunt who is a nun. She is from the Missionaries of Charity. She's my best example of faith."

-- Corpus Christi: a beloved public expression of faith --

The elaborate floral carpets lining the Calle de Alcalá were created by artisans from the Galician town of Ponteareas, working alongside more than 160 volunteers. The 16 large carpets depicting Eucharistic and Christian symbols lined the streets.

"The solemn processions held on this day have for centuries shaped the piety, art, music, architecture and life of the Spanish people," Pope Leo said. "Even today, they still express and manifest the spiritual sentiments of this country through the beauty and elegance of the floral carpets, the altars erected in the streets, the carefully crafted monstrances and stands, the hymns and the liturgical vestments."

For Spaniards, Corpus Christi remains one of the country's most beloved public expressions of faith and an example of how deeply rooted popular piety remains in Spanish culture.

"This is not an exhibition," the pope said. "It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us, who becomes bread to satiate our hunger for life, and visits the recesses of our hearts and history, even those shrouded in darkness."

"May the Lord Jesus, present in the Eucharist, transform you into bread that is broken, given, and offered, so that a life of fullness may spring forth for you, for your families, and for your country."

— OSV News

'Be human as Christ is,' Pope Leo XIV tells half a million youth in Madrid

MADRID  — Pope Leo XIV urged half a million young people gathered in Madrid June 6 to reject superficiality and become "men and women of flesh and blood," telling them that the mission he entrusts to them is simply to "be human."

"The mission I entrust to you is precisely this: that you be human," the pope said during an evening prayer vigil in Madrid's Plaza de Lima. "Yes, be human: men and women of flesh and blood! Not mere appearances, but trustworthy faces."

"Be human as Christ is," he urged.

The gathering drew approximately 500,000 people and combined music, testimonies, Marian devotion and Eucharistic adoration in what organizers described as a "festival of faith." Young people began arriving hours before the pope's appearance, filling the plaza and surrounding streets in the heart of the Spanish capital.

-- Massive crowd to greet Pope Leo --

The scale of the gathering became apparent as Pope Leo tried to reach the stage. The journey along Madrid's Paseo de la Castellana stretched for more than 20 minutes as the popemobile moved slowly through the sea of pilgrims, repeatedly stopping while Pope Leo greeted the faithful. Along the route, he embraced worshippers lining the barriers and kissed dozens of babies passed forward by their parents.

Many others watched from apartment balconies and terraces overlooking the broad boulevard, creating a continuous presence along the route connecting the city center to the vigil site.

When he finally arrived at the stage in Plaza de Lima, the welcome only intensified. Thousands of young people waved Vatican and Spanish flags and broke into chants of "Esta es la juventud del Papa" ("This is the pope's youth"). Pope Leo appeared visibly moved as he paused to take in the scene before Cardinal Jose Cobo of Madrid began the final part of the evening's program.

-- Dialogue with the youth --

In a departure from the formal settings often associated with papal events, the dialogue unfolded on a stage arranged like a living room.

There, young people and the pope spoke about faith, vocation and the search for meaning, creating the impression of a conversation between generations united less by age than by a common desire to follow Christ. The exchange followed a performance from "Godspell," the musical produced by "Zorro" actor Antonio Banderas, which helped set the tone for an evening organizers described as a "festival of faith."

During a dialogue with young people, Pope Leo reflected on saints who shaped his spiritual life, including St. John Chrysostom, St. Thomas of Villanova and St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, the Spanish missionary bishop who evangelized Peru in the 16th century.

Asked about his own missionary years in Peru, the pope said he most treasured the witness of faith shown by people who faced hardship without losing hope.

"As I proclaimed the Gospel, I too was transformed by it," he said. " I have seen how the Word of God can transform conflict into peace, can be a source of reconciliation, peace, and justice."

Leo also encouraged young people to seek silence amid the noise of contemporary life.

"When we seek silence, we choose what not to listen to and which noises not to let distract us," he said. "It is in silence that we come to understand that ideologies pass away, while the truth always remains."

Pope Leo connected that invitation directly to the Eucharistic adoration that followed -- and during which the entire square fell silent.

"Eucharistic adoration, which we share this evening, is the perfect place to be silent, to open our hearts, and to 'be' ourselves in the presence of the Lord," he said.

Turning to the role of Christians in contemporary society, Pope Leo reminded the crowd that "Jesus' disciples are always people of their time, but never prisoners of a passing era."

He urged young Catholics to become missionaries in today's world, including in digital spaces, and challenged them to be "the salt of the earth and the light of the world."

-- A youth Catholic revival --

Looking around the plaza before the pope's arrival, Laura Blanco, who traveled to Madrid from Burgos with a group of 15 friends, said she sees that missionary spirit already at work among young people.

Two members of her group were baptized as children but grew up in nonreligious households, she said.

"They knew we were coming, they knew the pope was coming, and they wanted to join us," Blanco said. "One of them comes to Mass with me every day now. We study together, and we end the day by going to Mass."

Blushing, she added that faith may be playing an unexpected role in another kind of discernment.

"I think he likes me. I know I like him," she said. "Seeing how important my faith is to me, I think he's trying to get to know it well enough to see if he can live with it."

In fact, after one of the young men on the stage mentioned he was a newlywed, Pope Leo went visibly off the cuff to urge young people to "not be afraid of marriage. Do not be afraid of forming a family!"

Earlier, the pope emphasized: "Never be afraid to consider a vocation to the priesthood, religious life, or other services in the Church" -- to much applause from the crowd.

-- A blend of prayer and Spanish culture --

Before Leo arrived at Plaza de Lima, pilgrims prayed the rosary's luminous mysteries, with meditations offered by young people and accompanied by sacred art from Madrid's Prado Museum.

This part of the vigil was the prelude of the city's "White and Yellow Night," during which some of Madrid's most important museums, including the Prado, opened their doors free of charge to pilgrims and visitors ahead of the pope's Mass and the Corpus Christi procession on Sunday.

As they waited for Pope Leo's arrival, giant screens replayed images from the visits of St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to Spain. Special attention was given to the 2011 World Youth Day vigil at Madrid's Cuatro Vientos airfield, where pilgrims endured extreme heat and a violent storm before joining Pope Benedict in Eucharistic adoration.

Organizers addressed a-then-still-absent and popemobile-riding Pope Leo directly, urging him:
"Fifteen years after World Youth Day Madrid 2011, where young people discovered that together we are stronger than the elements, today more than ever we want to welcome you, Holy Father. Inspire us as your predecessors inspired our parents, grandparents and older brothers and sisters."

Father José Gabriel Vera Beorlegui, spokesman for the Spanish bishops' conference, said the pope's visit comes at a moment when many people are searching for hope amid global instability.

"The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Spain is a reason for joy for the whole Church," he said. "People are anguished by war, anger, violence, lies and corruption in the world. Christ is the light that will help the Church in Spain, but also Spanish society, move forward."

As darkness settled over Madrid, the music and celebrations gave way to silence as hundreds of thousands of young people joined Pope Leo in Eucharistic adoration, bringing to a close an evening that connected Spain's Catholic past with a new generation being called to shape its future.
 — Ines San Martin, OSV News

Pope Leo XIV calls defense of life the measure of a nation’s moral greatness in landmark parliament speech

MADRID  — In a sweeping address to the Spanish parliament, Pope Leo XIV delivered a forceful defense of the dignity of every human life, declaring that its protection is not a partisan issue but "a goal of civilization," while addressing the issues of abortion, migration, freedom of conscience, the seal of confession and the Church’s role in public life.

"If life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have? Can a community that casts into the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence, or those who depend entirely on the care of others be called fully just?" the pope asked the members of congress in his speech on June 8.

"The defense of human life is neither a partisan issue nor a confessional interest: it is a goal of civilization," he emphasized. "Every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to its natural end, in every circumstance of its existence."

It was the first time in history that a pope addressed the Spanish parliament -- a moment met with much anticipation in a country facing deep political polarization.

Ahead of the speech there had been tension among both the right and the left in Spain over what the pope would say to the legislature, known as Las Cortes Generales. In the end, Pope Leo received a seven-minute standing ovation for remarks that did not shy away from some of the most debated issues in the country.

In the 30-minute speech, touching on issues from euthanasia to artificial intelligence, the pope underlined that "every truly just society is built upon the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person," warning that when that certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable suffer first and the law loses its deepest meaning.

"The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile," the pope said.

-- A multifaceted analysis of the issue of migration in Spain --

In addressing the highly polarizing issue of migration in Spain, Pope Leo gave a multifaceted analysis, saying no nation can handle the challenge alone and calling migration "an eminently moral and legal issue" requiring a coordinated response that addresses root causes.

"The situation of migrants and refugees calls for a response that focuses on people, addresses the root causes that force them to leave, and goes beyond the mere management of migration flows," Pope Leo said.

He described a twofold demand for social justice: offering safe and legal pathways with real integration opportunities, while also promoting the right to remain in one's homeland by addressing lack of peace, security, and decent living conditions.

The pope also called for stronger prevention and rescue efforts for trafficking victims through regional and multilateral cooperation.

"The affirmation of human dignity cannot remain abstract when so many people are forced to leave everything behind in search of peace, security, and a future," he said.

"The tragic drama of migration also challenges the conscience of nations and the ethical foundation of the international order today."

-- Freedom of conscience and the seal of confession --

Pope Leo offered a strong defense of freedom of conscience in the parliament chamber, underlining what he called the duty to protect the inner space where personal convictions, conscience and faith develop.

He described "freedom of thought, conscience and religion" as a fundamental right protecting the most intimate sphere of the person.

"The freedom upon which the contemporary state is built, if it is authentic, recognizes the religious dimension of the human person, respects it and protects it legally; and it ensures that faith is not a reason for which a person has to forfeit his or her contribution to society," he said.

"Without confusing the legal sphere with the moral one, it is also worth recalling that freedom must be understood in its fullness. Being free does not simply mean being free from coercion or having many choices; it means being able to recognize the good and commit to it responsibly," he added.

The pope connected the seal of confession to religious freedom, describing it as part of the broader space that guarantees religious communities their own sphere of life and internal discipline.

Protecting it legally, he said, preserves "a sacred space of inner freedom, where the believer can open his or her soul to God without fear of external pressures."

-- The importance of the family --

Pope Leo called the family "the primary human reality and the natural foundation of community," saying that where families are upheld, the spiritual and social stability of nations is strengthened. He described the family as "the first school of humanity," where people learn to welcome life, care for others, forgive, serve and live together.

"Educational institutions also play a decisive role in this task. In them, new generations can learn to seek and love the truth, to reflect on the meaning of life and the dignity of every person," he said.

"For this reason, many parents who wish for their children to learn to relate to others, to think critically, and to acquire solid values place great hope in these institutions, seeing them as valuable allies in their children's education."

-- The role of the Church in the public square --

Pope Leo framed his speech within a reflection on the Church's place in public life, stressing that when the Church speaks on public matters it does so while respecting the proper mission of civil institutions and the legitimate authority of those who legislate.

He challenged parliamentarians to consider what conception of the human person inspires their laws.

"Beyond the legitimate diversity of positions, every legislative task ultimately confronts a decisive question: what conception of the human person inspires laws, and what kind of society do those laws build?" he asked, arguing that human dignity must guide every legal system.

The pope warned that the world is undergoing "a profound spiritual and cultural crisis," manifesting in violence, polarization and mutual distrust, and called on leaders to foster dialogue, historical reconciliation and civic friendship.

He also cautioned politicians about their particular responsibility for language, saying words have the power to either illuminate reality or distort it.

"Those who hold public office therefore have a special obligation to be mindful of their words in order to disarm language," the pope said. "Firmness does not require contempt; disagreement does not entail humiliation."

"Remember that every decision by public authorities affects real people, especially those who have less power to make their voices heard," he said.

 — Courtney Mares, OSV News

Catholic Church has message for everyone, pope says before landing in Spain

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE FROM ROME TO MADRID — Before touching down in Spain for his fourth apostolic journey abroad, Pope Leo XIV told reporters traveling with him that his plan was to meet with all facets of society: Catholics, young people, migrants, the poor and regular citizens.

"The Church has a message for everyone," he said in Spanish June 6, offering special greetings to journalists from Spain and those from other nations. "Thank you very much for your service."

The pope's June 6-12 visit to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands also comes at a time when the capital is hosting a major sporting event, -- Real Madrid is facing La Laguna Tenerife in Game 3 of their quarterfinal series --and the Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who performed at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, Bad Bunny, is playing six concert dates, kicking off his Spain tour the evening of the pope's arrival.

Aware that the star's shows are scheduled around the same time as the pope's prayer vigil with youth June 6 and meeting representatives of the "world of culture, art and sport" June 7, the pope said it will be interesting to see those young people who will still choose to see the pope.

"If they are confronted with the question: do they want to see Bad Bunny or do they want to see the pope, I think many will see Bad Bunny. But I think there will also be a few there to see the pope. And that says something, you know," he said in English.

Asked about reports of an increase in young people joining the Catholic Church, the pope said he was "very pleased by the reports." According to a recent blog from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, about half of Gen-Z raised Catholic retain that identity into adulthood.

Young people who are "looking for something more," he said, often have grown up without a "spiritual dimension in their lives. They realize there's an emptiness and a lack of a sense of meaning, and perhaps my visiting is helping to awaken" something further that they may still not be able to define.

While he has visited Spain many times, particularly during his 12 years as prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, he said he was looking forward to visiting this predominantly Catholic though increasingly-secularized country as pope: "to meet the faithful, celebrate the faith, proclaim the message of Jesus Christ."

Pope Leo is scheduled to visit Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands June 6-12, visiting migrants and the poor as well as the royal family, dignitaries, representatives of the world of culture, sports and politicians, becoming the first pope to address the Spanish parliament in Madrid.

He will also meet privately with survivors of sexual abuse by clergy. Cases of abuse, he told one reporter, "are still an open wound," adding that it was "unfortunately impossible to meet everyone that wanted" a papal audience.

He told the pool reporter that he always "fought against" known cases of abuse wherever he was serving and would continue to do so as pope.

Pope Leo will lead many events with the nation's Catholics, and one of the highlights will be his blessing of the recently-completed central tower of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, which now makes it the tallest church in the world at nearly 535 feet. The event also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of its architect, Antoni Gaudí.

But, at the same time, he was going to "greet everyone, all of society, because the Church has a message for everyone, as you have seen this very clearly, I believe, in the encyclical letter" published May 25 on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, he said in his main remarks.

The trip will be an opportunity to discover the "great enthusiasm" of the people, Pope Leo told reporters on the plane.

"There are many Catholics here, and I especially want to highlight the presence of young people," he said.

"By everyone sharing the joy of the faith, we can send a very positive message," he said, of "God's love, of charity, of respect for every human being."

The pope then walked down the aisle of the plane, greeting each of the 80 journalists individually, answering their questions, taking selfies and accepting gifts, such as a small wooden cross made from the wreckage of boats that had been carrying migrants to the Italian island of Lampedusa, where he will visit July 4.

One French reporter reminded him that June 6 marked the anniversary of "D-Day," when American, British and Canadian forces invaded Normandy, France, to free Western Europe of Nazi occupation during World War II. Asked whether he would like to visit the region to bring a message of peace, the pope said, "Yes, my father was there," serving in the Navy and taking part in the landings.

Asked if he will support the United States soccer team during the FIFA World Cup this summer, he replied, "I will certainly support the U.S., though I am not sure how many games I will be able to see."

When asked which of the two highest-ranked Spanish squads he was a fan of: Real Madrid or Barcelona, he responded: "That's easy...the pope is for all teams, but Prevost is Real Madrid!"
— Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

He replaces Vincentian Joseph Anh Nguyen, who is returning to his home province in Vietnam after eight years of service to St. Mary’s.

He recently earned a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from St. John’s University in Queens, New York. He is assigned to general ministry at St. Mary’s, but his primary focus will be serving the people of Holy Family Vietnamese Catholic Community of Greensboro.

— Catholic News Herald

The May 30 lecture, “Women Leaders in the Early Jesus Movement: Could the pivotal role women played in Jesus’ earthly ministry point the way to a greater role in the modern Church?” was originally slated for Jan. 31 but postponed because of winter storms. 

This year’s Kennedy Lecturer was Dominican Sister Barbara Reid, a nationally known biblical scholar and feminist theologian. She is the first woman religious to serve as president of the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and has written extensively on Scripture, discipleship and the role of women in the Gospel accounts.

Sister Reid, who professed her vows in 1974, described growing up seeing only men and boys having liturgical roles at Mass. 

“I remember as a little girl watching male classmates serve at the altar and saying, ‘I wish I could do that,’” she recalled.

“Now, we don’t just have women altar servers, but women lectors... women serving in all different pastoral roles that didn’t exist when I was younger,” she said.

Yet a common complaint is that including women in Church leadership roles has been slow, Sister Reid said, so she looks to the example of the early Church to offer insights as today’s Church leaders explore more ways women can serve and leverage their skills to build up the Church.

“The question about women leaders is complex, but what I will offer is one important piece of the conversation, mainly the role of women leaders in the early Jesus movement,” she said.

In the early Church, she said, “The types of ministerial leadership that women exercised as disciples in the New Testament are many. They were apostles, deacons, prophets, teachers, preachers, evangelizers, heads of house churches and more.”

Sister Reid introduced attendees to prominent women who typically go unnoticed, including Junia, a prominent first-century Christian leader and missionary. In Romans 16:7 Paul commended her: “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.” 

St. Mary Magdalene was an apostle to the apostles, according to Hippolytus of Rome. The Samaritan woman at the well in John’s Gospel later rose to the role of lead apostle and missionary after her encounter with Jesus.

Sister Reid also pointed out that the early title from which the word “deacon” evolved was given to a woman named Phoebe, as noted in Romans 16:1, where Paul wrote, “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a diakonos of the Church in Cenchreae.”

While the concept of female deacons may now appear revolutionary, Sister Barabara outlined its  historical roots.

Women, she said, served as “deaconesses” until the 5th or 6th centuries in the Western Church and until the 11th to 12th century in the Eastern Church. By then,  the role of deacon had shifted to being a step toward priesthood, and women were instead exercising diaconal duties – teaching, providing medical care, ministering to the poor, serving parishes – through religious communities.

“Women then and now provide crucial gifts and skills that benefit the whole Church, not only other female members,” Sister Reid said. “The New Testament gives us only glimpses of leadership in the past, but it does give us a firm foundation for advancing leadership in the present and future of the Church.”

Today, she said, the issue of women deacons “has become a center of attention, and remains an open question.” 

Pope Francis established two commissions to study the possibility of women becoming deacons. The most recent 2020 “Study Commission on the Female Diaconate” voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons but supported further study and broader access to current ministries, according to a report released by Pope Leo XIV in 2025.

Sister Reid mentioned scholars such as Hofstra University scholar Dr. Phyllis Zagano, who advocates for ordaining women deacons, speculate that the issue eventually could be delegated to regional bishops’ conferences which could navigate local cultural norms and differences in gender roles.

Knowing Pope Leo from the Synod of Bishops, through consultations and from past educational endeavors, Sister Barbara said she remains optimistic he will address the topic.

“(Pope Leo) always finds ways to build bridges and is committed to synodality,” she said. 

Sister Reid ended her talk with questions to help move dialogue forward. “What does the Church need today that women can participate in?” she asked. “And what obstacles can be removed to achieve full flourishing for all?”

Sister Reid also signed books, including her newest, “Wisdom’s Feast: An Invitation to Feminist Interpretation of the Scriptures,” and “At the Table of Holy Wisdom: Global Hungers and Feminist Biblical Interpretation.”

The Kennedy Lecture is sponsored by Thomas and Richard Kennedy in memory of their parents, Keith and Joan Kennedy. It was recorded and will be made available on the parish website, www.stpeterscatholic.org.

— Lisa M. Geraci

Continuing his series on the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, "Sacrosanctum Concilium," the pope reflected on the role of rites, signs and symbols in Catholic worship during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"The rites of the Christian liturgy are not a mere external covering of the sacramental mystery, a collection of arbitrary ceremonies, but are the ecclesial mediation through which the divine gift reaches us," he said.

The pope said liturgical rites shape the spiritual lives of believers, teaching them to recognize God's presence and participate more fully in the life of the church.

"Rite gives shape to liturgical action and, through it, to our lives, generating in us a spiritual sensibility that makes us capable of savoring the presence of God through Jesus Christ," he said.

Catholics are called to participate in the liturgy with their "body, mind and heart," the pope said, allowing themselves to be formed through listening to Scripture, giving thanks, adoration, fraternal sharing and communion.

He added that while the structure of the liturgy may seem at odds with modern preferences for spontaneity, its rhythms help believers step away from a culture focused on productivity and rediscover what is essential.

"In the rite we experience a logic of gratuitousness, we find a pause that regenerates the heart, we recognize that we are preceded by divine grace, we learn to live in a rhythm inhabited by the Holy Spirit," he said.

Turning to signs and symbols, Pope Leo cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that their meaning is rooted in creation, human culture and salvation history, and fully revealed in Christ.

He pointed to water as one of Christianity's most significant symbols, recalling its role in the story of creation, the flood, the crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, and the water flowing from Christ's side at his death.

"When we are sprinkled with holy water, our awareness of the gift received at baptism and our commitment to new life in Christ is rekindled," he said.

The pope also highlighted symbolic actions such as kneeling and exchanging the sign of peace, saying they foster a sense of belonging and help create "authentic ecclesial relationships."

Quoting Pope Francis' apostolic letter "Desiderio Desideravi," Pope Leo said Christians must once again become capable of understanding symbols and allowing themselves to be educated by the church's liturgical rites.

The experience of a living and devout liturgy, accompanied by sound catechesis, remains "the best resource for reawakening in everyone that openness to the encounter with God," he said.

In his greeting to English-speaking pilgrims, the pope encouraged Catholics to rediscover the signs and symbols of the liturgy as the church prepares to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi later this month. Greeting Polish pilgrims, he said Eucharistic processions should be "a courageous witness of faith" that reminds people God remains present among his people and accompanies them in daily life. He also encouraged Italian-speaking pilgrims to keep alive "this beautiful expression of public witness to the faith."

Minister General Friar Carlos, OFM Conv., (left) and Minister Provincial Friar Michael Heine, OFM Conv.

BALTIMORE — Friar Michael Heine, OFM Conv., was installed for the second time as minister provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province during a May 19 Mass in Baltimore. Friar Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, OFM Conv., minister general of the Friars Minor Conventual, traveled from Rome to celebrate the Mass and preside over the installation. Charlotte Bishop Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., is a member of the province.

The installation was held on the second day of OLA’s Fourth Ordinary Chapter, a special meeting attended by delegates from a geographic region called a province. 

“The Chapter is an opportunity to renew our faith, our relationship with God and our identity as believers as Conventual Franciscans,” Friar Carlos said in his homily. “Brothers: Yes, with live within ecclesiastical structures, but let us pay attention to our real relationship with God. Let us allow ourselves to be embraced by the mystery.”

Friar Michael entered the Franciscan Friars Conventual in 1981, professing his simple vows in 1982, followed by his solemn vows in 1986. He was ordained a friar-priest in 1990. His ministry has taken him to the town of Above Rocks, Jamaica, where he served as a missionary; he taught religion and directed the ALPHA Peer Ministry program at John Carroll High School in Fort Pierce, Florida; was director of School Counseling at Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore; and for eight years was director of The Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, Maryland, where OLA is located.

“It is worth reflecting on what Friar Carlos said that we need to keep our intimate relationship with God and from there everything else flows,” Friar Michael said.

The Mass and installation was celebrated at the Maritime Conference Center, where 70 delegate friars gathered.

“Let us renew ourselves, then, and return time and again to the sources of our identity, to our first love, to the desire the live in the glory of Christ, manifested in His Cross and Resurrection,” Friar Carlos said.

— Kevin A. Keenan

Day 1 - Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe

MONROE — As the nine perpetual pilgrims from the National Eucharist Pilgrimage drove over the North Carolina state line from the Diocese of Charleston on May 30, they were greeted by more than 100 Catholics from the Diocese of Charlotte at their first stop - Our Lady of Lourdes Church. 

The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with the theme “One Nation Under God,” and incorporates key sites in the history of the country and its Catholic roots. 

The pilgrimage began on Memorial Day weekend in St. Augustine, Florida, where the first Mass on the continent was celebrated, and will end on July 5 in Philadelphia, just steps from where the Declaration of Independence was signed. 

The 2,200-mile route dubbed “The Cabrini Route” in honor of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the religious sister and Italian immigrant who became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized after a lifetime of work ministering to immigrants, will stretch through the 13 original colonies. North Carolina is the fourth state on the tour up the East Coast. 

At Our Lady of Lourdes Church, the pilgrims who are accompanying the Blessed Sacrament processed from the “monstrance van,” a special van that has a built-in tabernacle visible through a large side window, into their first Holy Hour in North Carolina.

For perpetual pilgrim Mary Carmen, this spiritual journey continues to stir her soul.

“To see the People of God come together in such expectation and hope and excitement continues to amaze me,” Carmen said. 

“They feel seen by God. This pilgrimage finds us. Jesus Christ is present in this, and He sees us. And it has been a great privilege and beauty to bring Him. Even though He resides in every tabernacle at any Catholic church, there is something very special about processing with Him to the church.” 

Lynette Gates traveled 118 miles from Sacred Heart Church in Burnsville to be there. 

“I don’t know if I will ever be able to do this again, so I had to get down here,” Gates said. “It’s so close, so I thought, ‘Why not?’” 

After Holy Hour, Our Lady of Lourdes pastor Father Benjamin Roberts celebrated a joyful Mass punctuated with a homily that emphasized the importance of God’s love. 

“Our faith is a love story. Our message is a love story. Our destiny is a love story,” he said. “Because God is love, and in His perfect Trinity, nothing is needed, nothing is lacking. There is no loneliness. There is no isolation. There is only love.”

Day 2 - St. Peter and St. Vincent De Paul churches, Charlotte 

CHARLOTTE — The second day of the National Eucharist Pilgrimage’s visit to the Diocese of Charlotte was bustling with activity with Masses, a meet and greet, a Holy Hour and Eucharistic procession and a screening of the film “Cabrini” at Regal Stonecrest at Piper Glen. 

Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., celebrated the Mass for Trinity Sunday at St. Peter Church in Charlotte – the oldest active parish in the diocese – as more than 450 people turned out to greet the pilgrims, filling the church and an overflow area.

The nine "Perpetual Pilgrims" leading the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage sat in the front pew, listening to the bishop’s message which provoked a tangible response to the mystery of the Trinity.

“God does so much of the work in helping us to engage and encounter the mystery of the Trinity,” Bishop Martin said. “We are left with the work of how we are going to use that.” 

He pointed to the perpetual pilgrims and commended them on bringing the gospel reading, John 3:16, to life.

“(Pilgrimage) is a metaphor for life. We are all on a pilgrimage,” he said. “They are bringing the Real Presence of Jesus to this place and that.” 

Yet, Jesus’ Body and Blood are not just given to us to adore, the bishop cautioned; Jesus asks us to take action. 

“Jesus said, ‘Do this in memory of Me,’” the bishop said. “He has touched us with His Body and Blood and tasked us to be His presence in the world.”

After Mass, the perpetual pilgrims gathered to meet with parishioners from across the diocese. But first they lived the homily message by engaging with those present on the street. 

The pilgrims then visited a nearby retirement home, breaking bread with those who shared their own faith journeys.

Before watching the free screening of “Cabrini,” co-sponsored by St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte, the pilgrims brought the Blessed Sacrament to St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte for a Spanish Mass, Eucharistic procession and Holy Hour.

Perpetual pilgrim Sharon Phillips from Washington, though tired from the long day, loved bringing the Blessed Sacrament to others. 

“I am really enjoying my stay in Charlotte. I have never been to this part of the country before, so I was showing up with a fresh, clean slate to all these events and areas and churches,” Phillips said. 

“You can’t get much better than a time of adoration in a local church with all the parishioners of that community adoring our Lord,” she said.

Day 3 - St. Philip the Apostle Church, Statesville 

STATESVILLE — On day three, the energy of the pilgrimage continued to surge as 400 people processed across the campus of St. Philip the Apostle Church. Monday morning looked more like an overflowing Sunday as pilgrims gathered for Mass, a Holy Hour, and an opportunity to bring the Blessed Sacrament out into the world.  

Father Bernard I. Oleru, M.S.P., and the parish were honored to host the powerful spiritual event. 

Father Oleru, a native of Nigeria, reflected on the 250th anniversary of the United States and the gift of God within the Eucharist with reverence.

“This year the United States of America is celebrating 250 years of independence, of freedom, and the bishops and the Church have decided to allow this Eucharist, Jesus Himself, to bless the land,” he said.

“The greatest thing we have is the Eucharist. Our strength is the Eucharist,” he said. “We are Catholic because Jesus is here in the Eucharist. He is not just a symbol. The same Jesus that died on the cross, the same Jesus who rose from the dead, the same Jesus who promised the disciples the Holy Spirit, that is the same Jesus who is here.”

• Watch Father Bernard I. Oleru's homily

Given that, he cautioned that Catholics must never get so comfortable that they forget God's real presence in the Host.

“Have we become so close to the Eucharist that we do not see Jesus anymore?” he asked. 

Ron Wasserman, who was vacationing from Indianapolis, certainly saw it. A strong urge to better recognize God’s presence led him to the little church in a small town where he only knew one person – Jesus.

Determined to travel to one destination along the Cabrini route, he moved his plans to visit his sister and brother-in-law in Taylorsville up one week to coincide with the pilgrimage. 

“It was divine intervention indeed, divine providence,” he said. “Today was glorious, unbelievable. A great opportunity to worship God and spend time with Jesus in prayer and adoration and giving thanks for all the many blessings.”

Later that day, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in south Charlotte, Hispanic parishioners welcomed the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage at a packed Sunday afternoon Mass. Led by Capuchin Franciscan Father Michael Herlihey, the Mass brought a joyful celebration to the afternoon stop, uniting the Hispanic community with the nine perpetual pilgrims traveling the route. Read more.

Day 4 - St. Pius X Church in Greensboro 

GREENSBORO —  The pilgrims ended their journey through the diocese with a two-day visit to St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. There, more than 300 people from Greensboro, Raleigh, Durham, High Point, Winston Salem and other areas attended a June 1 procession and a Mass celebrated by Father Christian Cook. 

“It was so beautiful and inspiring and liberating,” said Sister Archana from the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in High Point. Sister Archana joined in the procession and said the visit was “a gift and a blessing.”

The next day, the pilgrims visited Greensboro Urban Ministry for one of their largest service projects, distributing food brought by Mass attendees to Greensboro Urban Ministry, with whom the parish has a longstanding partnership. The pilgrims also handed out cookies made by St. Pius X youth. 

“This is important to me because the folks that we are helping really are struggling,” said Suzanne Bland, Director of Development at GUM. “Just to know that somebody is praying for them is so powerful, and that somebody is willing to be so generous with their time and knowing that somebody cares.”

The visit hit close to home for perpetual pilgrim Zachary Dotson, who helps run one of the only five-day-a week soup kitchens in the Diocese of Gary, Indiana.  

What stood out to Dotson most is that “it’s not about how you move physically; it’s about how you move internally when you are on the pilgrimage.”

— Lisa M. Geraci and Brian Segovia. Photos also by MaryAnn Luedtke Photography and Georgianna Penn

MOORESVILLE — Bishop Pedro Alberto Bustamante López of the Diocese of Huánuco, Peru, concluded a 17-day visit to the Diocese of Charlotte that strengthened ties between the two dioceses and promoted a missionary campaign to support a radio evangelization initiative in Peru.

During his stay from May 5 to 22, the prelate spent much of his time with Father Huver Navarro, a priest from Huánuco who serves at St. Therese Parish in Mooresville. There, he celebrated Masses and participated in various community activities. He also visited several parishes, from Charlotte to High Point, and met with Bishop Michael Martin at the Diocesan Pastoral Center to discuss collaboration between the two dioceses.

Bishop Bustamante, who assumed leadership of the Diocese of Huánuco in 2024, is continuing the relationship initiated by his predecessor, Bishop Jaime Rodríguez Salazar. It was through a meeting between then-Bishop Rodríguez and Father Mark Lawlor, pastor of St. Therese Church, during a trip to Peru in 2006 that a close friendship began. It eventually led to the assignment of the newly ordained Father Huver Navarro as a missionary priest at St. Therese.

Thanks to the efforts of Father Navarro and Father Lawlor, the Diocese of Charlotte maintains its relationship with Huánuco through radio evangelization projects such as “Across Borders” (“Entre Fronteras”), launched in 2025. The program is broadcast live from Mama Katie’s restaurant in Mooresville through DH Radio FM in Huánuco and on various social media platforms around the world.

“We have seen people connecting from many countries, and the program continues to grow,” Reyes said.

One of the purposes of Bishop Bustamante’s visit was to garner financial support for the acquisition of a 800 AM transmitter for DH Radio in Huánuco. The bishop explained that this technology will make it possible to reach more remote rural communities where many parishioners live. Unlike FM signals, AM radio has greater range and more easily overcomes the geographic barriers of the region.

“The response here has been very positive. I see that solidarity here has truly been a virtue,” Bishop Bustamante said. “I saw that almost everyone stood up to help.”

The Diocese of Huánuco, founded in 1865 after separating from the Archdiocese of Lima, has faced significant challenges due to its geography. It covers 17,375 square miles – an area roughly the size of West Virginia, that includes parts of the Andes Mountains as well as river valleys and the Amazon rain forest. Many smaller communities are isolated due to the terrain. 

In this context, DH Radio has become a key tool for strengthening communication, formation and evangelization. Through new programs and content, the station seeks especially to reach younger generations and connect not only the faithful of Huánuco and Charlotte, but also Hispanic communities in different parts of the world.

“The jurisdiction remains extensive, so the need arose to create a radio station through which the voice of the bishop, the voice of the priest, the voice of the religious sister, and also of our lay brothers and sisters, could reach the people,” Bishop Bustamante said.

During his visit, the bishop traveled across much of the diocese. On May 13 he met with Bishop Martin in Charlotte to discuss joint projects and strengthening the relationship between the two dioceses.

He also visited Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte, where he met with its pastor, Vincentian Father Marvin Navas, and then toured Belmont Abbey College in Belmont. On May 20, he presided over confirmation ceremonies at both Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Therese, which allowed him to interact with parishioners.

Each morning, he also broadcast his radio program “Jesus Christ Meeting the Brothers and Sisters of the Countryside” live from Mooresville.

He described his meeting with Bishop Martin as an unforgettable experience, marked by their mutual desire to collaborate pastorally.

“It was memorable because we shared many of the same concerns and, above all, the same interest in the salvation of souls,” he said. “It was impressive to find a brother willing to help in every possible way.”

Reyes, who accompanied the bishop during much of his visit, highlighted the closeness and pastoral warmth he showed to everyone he encountered. She especially recalled his visit to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the largest Hispanic parish in the diocese, where he spontaneously decided to assist with confirmations.

“He had not planned to do the confirmations at Guadalupe, but after spending time with Father Marvin, he felt the desire to help,” Reyes commented. “It was precisely that willingness to serve that made him stay with us longer.”

— Brian Segovia

So when Father Kloster saw an opportunity to provide long-term support for the two churches he led for 15 years prior to his retirement in 2013, he took full advantage of it. Using the proceeds from the sale of his home in his estate, he created two Father George Kloster Endowment funds. One funds the general needs of St. William Parish in Murphy and one funds the general needs of its mission, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hayesville.

“Father Kloster was completely committed not just to the churches and the two communities in the counties they serve, but to the whole community,” said Bob McGinnis, a 30-year parishioner in Hayesville. “He was a man who opened his arms to everyone and served on so many important community organizations that had an impact in both communities.”

George Martin Kloster Jr. was born on Oct. 28, 1943, in Utica, New York, and moved to Clayton at the age of 10, where his father was the manager of a textile mill. He studied theology at the Pontifical North American College and was ordained on Dec. 20, 1968.

His generous spirit extended beyond his local parish. He served on the North Carolina Council of Churches in many capacities, including as president from 1986 to 1988, and received its Distinguished Service Award in 1991.

In 2013, he was named Catholic Charities USA Volunteer of the Year, and a portion of U.S. 64 in western North Carolina was named in his honor – the “Rev. George Kloster Highway” – recognizing his commitment to church, civic and community affairs in Clay and Cherokee counties.

He loved to travel and led several pilgrimages. Don Stillwagon, who was on the building crew at St. William Parish, developed a friendship with Father Kloster and accompanied him on several trips, including a cruise through the Adriatic and later through Europe.

“When we landed in town, there would normally be an old historic church and Father would have Mass,” recalls Stillwagon. “He would link the progression of Christianity in the region to his homily. He had done his research.”

His intelligence was coupled with a call to serve, said Stillwagon. “He didn’t want one of his parishioners needing a hand and him not know about it.”

“He was down to earth and he was committed, but he definitely was a man of God who loved the community. He didn’t just preach the gospel, he lived it,” added McGinnis.
Father Kloster died in 2020, but those he served will never forget him.

“This is the 23rd endowment named for a priest or bishop in our diocesan foundation,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director. “Most of those endowments were established in the priests’ estate plans. Just like Father Kloster, more and more individuals are leaving real estate gifts in their estate plans. Contributing to or starting an endowment in the name of a priest or a bishop who has impacted them is a wonderful way for parishioners to ensure the legacy of these men who have dedicated their lives to serving others.”

— Courtney McLaughlin

Fund an endowment

Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school? You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.org.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida — A softening of hearts toward the Eucharist, a greater sense of unity in the Church, and a "fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit" -- these were the intentions held in the hearts of perpetual pilgrims as they set out on the third National Eucharistic Pilgrimage from St. Augustine May 24.

Under the bright Florida sun, on the grounds of the Mission Nombre de Dios and the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, Bishop Erik T. Pohlmeier of St. Augustine celebrated Mass to kick off the 2026 pilgrimage on the feast of Pentecost -- nearly 500 years after the first Mass of Thanksgiving there in 1565 in what is now "the oldest site of continuous Catholic presence in the United States."

In attendance were the nine "perpetual pilgrims" of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage who will be traveling with the Eucharist -- which Catholics believe to be Jesus Christ truly present in his body, blood, soul and divinity -- for six weeks on the "St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Route" up the East Coast, ending in Philadelphia over the July 4 holiday. Also present were officials connected to the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and the Diocese of Augustine, and as many as 1,500 pilgrims gathered for the first leg of the 2026 pilgrimage.

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage comes to Charlotte diocese this weekend

From May 30 to June 2, the Diocese of Charlotte will host the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, honoring America’s 250th anniversary. Join us and pray for our nation as the pilgrimage visits five local churches. Attend a free screening of Cabrini, the hit movie about the first American saint, and give back in gratitude through support for people in need. Learn more: https://charlottediocese.org/national-eucharistic-pilgrimage/

 
A clergyman and other pilgrims pray during adoration in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine in Florida May 24, 2026, during the kickoff of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. (OSV News/George Martell)

"Today, on the feast of Pentecost, I've really just been praying for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit: that we would be really filled with his gifts, and would experience peace and joy and freedom, and that that comes by living in an authentic relationship with Jesus," said Mary Carmen Zakrajsek, a perpetual pilgrim from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, at a press event at the start of the day. "And so that is my intention today, is that all of us here will allow Jesus to breathe new life into us through the Holy Spirit, and draw us into an even deeper relationship with him."

Zakrajsek, 26, told OSV News that being at Mass at the Mission Nombre de Dios is a "very surreal moment."

"To be in the place where the first Catholic Mass was celebrated centuries ago in this country is really historic and unique," she said. "And I think we as pilgrims are on this pilgrimage, we as a country are also on a pilgrimage, right? And it's a beautiful full-circle moment to see where we started, and where we are now, and where the Lord wants to take us in the future."

During Mass, umbrellas blocked the sun in chairs near the altar, while worshippers -- seated on beach and lawn chairs, or crowded on blankets -- sought out any available shade under surrounding trees or tents. A steady breeze blew in from the nearby Matanzas River and, beyond that, the Atlantic Ocean. Participants ranged from families to the elderly, from Knights of Columbus to women religious.

Sister Mary Faithful Virgin, a member of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara, a missionary order founded in Argentina, told OSV News she traveled from central Florida, where she is based, with 40 parishioners.

"It is a beautiful opportunity to be part of this moment of history and to pray for our country and our nation, that we can live truly 'One Nation under God,'" she said, referring to the 2026 pilgrimage's theme.

Buddy Odom and his wife, Gina, traveled from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to St. Augustine for the launch of the pilgrimage. "We wanted to be part of the beginning of it," Buddy told OSV News. "It's really a wonderful thing to be a part of: to see everybody coming together for Christ and to demonstrate that to others."

Maria Basilice attended the Mass with her husband and nine children. The family had participated in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage when it went through Springfield, Illinois, in 2024.

"It's a beautiful thing," Basilice told OSV News about Jesus Christ being brought to the streets of the U.S. through the Eucharist. "Other people who may not ever encounter Jesus will get to."

In his homily, Bishop Pohlmeier focused on two effects of Pentecost: the "missionary impulse because of the coming of the Holy Spirit" and "the divine power of the Church's work because of the coming of the Holy Spirit."

"From the beginning, we see that the Church is able to carry out the mission entrusted by God himself -- able to carry it out because God provides," he said. "And what God asks is that we faithfully receive the gifts that He gives. That in receiving those gifts, we step out in faith, allowing God to work in us."

Following Mass, Bishop Pohlmeier processed throughout the grounds of the shrine with the Eucharist to the "Rustic Altar," a memorial of where Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales celebrated St. Augustine's first Mass Sept. 8, 1565. From there, Bishop Pohlmeier carried the Blessed Sacrament to the altar in the historic chapel of Our Lady of La Leche, where he placed Jesus at the foot of the iconic image of Our Lady holding the Child Jesus to her breast.

Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress organization, which operates the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, said they wanted to begin the 2026 leg in St. Augustine to "highlight the Catholic contribution to this American experiment before there was even a Declaration of Independence" as the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary July 4.

"The Catholic contribution for us started with Mass," he told OSV News. "I think with these times of polarization and ideology ... it's really important for us to go back to the roots. And for us as Catholics, it's going back to the roots of Mass and the Eucharist."

Shanks also wanted to "lean into the cultural diversity" of the Church. He said, "We felt it's important to tell that the Catholic story in America has always been culturally diverse.

"It's missionary -- it started with missions there in Florida -- and it's bigger than any sort of region or ethnic group," he added. "Through the Eucharist, there is unity in diversity in how our faith is expressed."

Pilgrim Zach Dotson, who drove the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage van outfitted with a monstrance from its resting place in Zionsville, Indiana, to St. Augustine earlier this week, told OSV News that it's fitting the pilgrimage should begin in a place named for the saint who himself described the Church as being a people on pilgrimage.

Just like a pilgrimage, he said, with our earthly lives "we're heading towards that end goal, which is hopefully to heaven, to full communion with God, to join the community of saints."

Dotson told OSV News he hopes the witness of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will inspire all people, whether they are Catholics, other fellow Christians, those fallen-away from the faith or those with no faith.

"You don't celebrate, for nearly 500 years, the Mass for a symbol," he said, referring to how long Catholics have celebrated the Eucharist in what is now the U.S. "You don't follow behind in procession a symbol or a piece of bread. People don't fall on their knees or lie prostrate for a symbol; but we do for our Lord and Savior, for the King of Kings. We follow after him. We lie prostrate for him. ... So I hope that is the true witness: people seeing us live our faith authentically in our worship and in our adoration of our Lord, especially in the Blessed Sacrament."

Following a period of Eucharistic adoration at the shrine, the pilgrimage continued with a one-mile procession down San Marco Avenue to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine where Jesus Christ in the Eucharist would be adored by those keeping watch with him overnight.

­— Gretchen R. Crowe, OSV News. Pictured at top: Bishop Erik T. Pohlmeier of St. Augustine, Fla., carries the monstrance in the historic Our Lady of La Leche Shrine during the kickoff of the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in St. Augustine May 24. (OSV News/George Martell)

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV published his landmark encyclical on artificial intelligence "Magnifica Humanitas" May 25, comparing the attempt to build an AI future that excludes God to the "Tower of Babel" and underlining the need to safeguard human dignity as it is "threatened by new forms of dehumanization."

"The risk of dehumanization – of building a future that excludes God and reduces the other to a means -- is an ancient and ever-new temptation that today takes on a technical guise," Pope Leo wrote in his first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence."

"In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human. We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace," he said.

Learn more about the encyclical

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has launched a new website for the encyclical, featuring a summary, chapter-by-chapter infographics in several languages, and an introductory video. Visit: magnificahumanitas.org/en

Bishop Martin praises pope’s encyclical for its focus on human dignity

CHARLOTTE — On Monday, Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., offered this reaction to Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on artificial intelligence:

Pope Leo’s first encyclical "Magnifica humanitas" is so helpful at this historic time in our world. Like the Industrial Revolution of his namesake Pope Leo XIII in the 19^th century, Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the world as we know it, and the Church then and now stands ready to offer safeguards that value human dignity above all else. As important as technology can be, our Holy Father shows us that we are likely to miss the mark when we place production over process. Pope Leo calls us to value truth, freedom and work as we utilize technologies that can make the world a better place. This isn’t the Catholic Church lamenting progress; rather, it is our pontiff calling humanity to live into its best expression for the common good while never disregarding the importance of the person. He reminds us that technologies meant to empower can also enslave, as all of us know who have found ourselves lost at times without our phones! At a time when so many people struggle with the effects of isolation, some of which can be caused by technological overdependence, Pope Leo challenges us to uphold the human connection as paramount as we utilize artificial means in appropriate ways.

AI misuse compared to 'Tower of Babel'

Pope Leo opens the first encyclical of his pontificate by saying that humanity today faces a pivotal choice -- "either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together." Using the Biblical Genesis narrative, the pope warns against the "'Babel syndrome,' namely the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak" and the pretense that everything, "including the mystery of the person," can be translated into "data and performance."

"Calling for prudence, rigorous evaluation and even, at times, a slower pace in adopting AI does not mean opposing progress; instead, it is an exercise of responsible care for the human family," Pope Leo wrote.

From cryptocurrency to the 'Lord of the Rings'

The lengthy papal document is divided into five chapters and touches on wide ranging issues related to AI, including the prospect of massive unemployment, the future of education, the protection of human freedom, excessive screen time for young people, cryptocurrencies, economic disparities, transhumanism, cyberattacks and the application of Catholic social teaching principles.

Pope Leo dedicated the final chapter of the encyclical to AI in warfare and the need for "rigorous ethical constraints" and proactive peacebuilding "to curb the technological arms race."

The American pope points to Martin Luther King Jr., St. Teresa of Kolkata, Dorothy Day, St. Maximilian Kolbe and others as examples that "history can also change when individuals truly take the dignity of everyone seriously."

In "Magnifica Humanitas," Latin for "Magnificent Humanity," the pope calls on Christians not to be "passive spectators" or "mere commentators on what is crumbling," but to take a proactive role in building the future by cultivating community and in-person relationships, educating young people to love wisdom, spending time with the poor and the lonely, being a voice for justice, defending objective truth, and treating the digital world as "a new continent to be evangelized."

"It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till," the pope wrote, quoting J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." He added that it is "small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization."

'Slowing things down when everything is accelerating'

In the encyclical, Pope Leo says that the idea of a "more moral AI" is not enough if that morality is only determined by a few.

"What is needed is a more active political involvement that is capable of slowing things down when everything is accelerating, and of protecting the opportunities for communities still to be able to participate and ask questions," he said.

The pope argues that "we cannot consider AI to be morally neutral" and underlines that ethical discernment cannot be limited to "asking whether we are using a system for good or bad purposes," but must also "examine how that system is designed and what vision of the human person and society is embedded in the data and models that guide it."

Pope Leo added that data cannot be left solely in private hands and "should not be treated as something to be sold off or entrusted to a select few," calling for appropriate regulation and creative thinking to "manage data as a common or shared good."

Pope Leo XIV attends the presentation of "Magnifica Humanitas" at the Vatican's Synod Hall May 25, 2026, the first encyclical of his papacy, which focuses on the rise of artificial intelligence. Also pictured on the panel are Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Léocadie Lushombo; Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state; Anna Rowlands; and Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah. (OSV News /Yara Nardi, Reuters)

Unemployment as a 'grave evil' and 'social calamity'

Pope Leo addresses the looming specter of mass unemployment due to the adoption of AI, saying this would be "a true social calamity that especially requires the State to exercise responsibility." He cites St. John Paul II's 1981 encyclical on human work "Laborem Exercens," noting that his predecessor recognized that unemployment is "a grave evil," with Pope Leo adding that "exposing many to forced inactivity, a lack of responsibility and the absence of daily tasks and stimuli" could lead to "human and cultural impoverishment."

"The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means, and the economic order must remain subordinate to human dignity and the common good," Pope Leo said.

"Without bold decisions, the prospect of greater poverty and inequality looms large, which would leave many individuals marginalized, stranded and surrounded by the machines and automated systems that have replaced them," he added.

God created humans for communion, not efficiency

Pope Leo writes that AI promises efficiency but the "new ways" of working are not necessarily better, describing how "contrary to the advertised benefits of AI, current approaches to technology can paradoxically de-skill workers, subject them to automated surveillance and relegate them to rigid and repetitive tasks."

"When efficiency becomes the ultimate measure of value, human beings are tempted to see themselves as a project to be optimized rather than as persons called to relationship and communion," Pope Leo said.

A defense of objective truth

Truth is a major theme in the encyclical by the Augustinian pope. He said that in the face of incessant flows of information, opinions, images and sophisticated algorithms that can influence decisions, it is imperative to "cultivate hearts that love the truth, prefer what is right despite the most appealing content and pursue wisdom rather than immediate results."

"We must always keep before us the truth about God and humanity, just as Christ has revealed them to us. We must lay aside an individualistic and technical view of humanity," he said.

Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he added, "Modern man is wrongly convinced that he is the sole author of himself, his life and society. This is a presumption that follows from being selfishly closed in upon himself."

The pope underlined that "the search for truth is an essential element of democracy," and that "indifference to the truth leads, slowly but surely, to a descent into totalitarianism."

He said people must "promote an ecology of communication," in which public policy establishes norms "so that the decision-making behind content selection and its development becomes more transparent and protects personal data." On a cultural level, he called for "a strengthening of intermediary organizations, serious journalism and forums for debate," for families and schools to gain formation in using digital tools, and for universities to strive for the "integration of knowledge."

"Our first task is neither to demonize nor idolize technological tools, but to utilize them on the basis of a fundamental principle, namely that truth is a common good and not the property of those with power or influence," he said.

Social control and the 'digital attention economy'

Pope Leo called for "education in digital sobriety" due to subtle forms of addiction in today's "digital attention economy," in which digital platforms that are "designed to capture users' time and attention" weaken "their inner freedom."

He warned of the risk of "social control made possible by the massive collection of data and use of algorithmic systems."

"When every action -- movements, purchases, relationships and preferences -- leaves a trace, a new form of power emerges, namely the power to profile, predict and influence behavior, often without individuals being fully aware of it," he said. "If such kinds of data are used to make decisions affecting concrete opportunities -- such as access to credit, employment or essential services -- there is a risk of undermining freedom and discriminating against the most vulnerable."

Pope Leo XIII and Catholic social doctrine

Pope Leo XIV places his writing on the age of artificial intelligence within the context of the magisterial tradition of Catholic social doctrine, also known as Catholic social teaching. The first chapter of the encyclical provides an overview of what each pope has contributed to the Church's social magisterium from Pope Leo XIII to present, highlighting key ideas that are particularly relevant today. The second chapter provides definitions of key principles of Catholic social doctrine from the "common good" to "subsidiarity." Pope Francis and St. John Paul II are both frequently quoted throughout the encyclical.

Pope Leo XIV signed "Magnifica Humanitas" on May 15, the 135th anniversary of "Rerum Novarum," Pope Leo XIII's foundational 1891 social encyclical on labor and capital written during the first Industrial Revolution.

"While new economic and technological networks can generate exclusion, isolation and dependencies, the Church -- nourished by the Eucharist -- is called to make visible a different paradigm, one that preserves human connections, gives a voice to the invisible and ensures that processes are aimed at respecting people's dignity," Pope Leo said.

— Courtney Mares, OSV News. Pictured at top: Pope Leo XIV poses for a selfie as he meets May 16, 2026, with young Catholics from the Italian Archdiocese of Genoa at the Vatican who are preparing to receive the sacrament of confirmation. (OSV News/Simone Risoluti, Vatican Media)

Learn more about the encyclical

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has launched a new website for the encyclical, featuring a summary, chapter-by-chapter infographics in several languages, and an introductory video. Visit: magnificahumanitas.org/en

In this file photo from June 14, 2025, Pope Leo XIV greets people as they hold up cellphones to take photos and videos as he enters St. Peter’s Basilica for an audience with pilgrims in Rome for the Holy Year 2025. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

10 quotes from Pope Leo’s first encyclical you should know for the era of AI

"Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together."

This line starts "Magnifica Humanitas" ("Magnificent Humanity") and sets the tone for Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, promulgated May 25, which outlines two potential futures for humanity in the era of artificial intelligence, or AI.

Here are 10 quotes that provide a glimpse into what the encyclical contains:

• "Like the natural environment, the 'digital ecosystem' can be preserved or exploited, shared or monopolized. Solidarity demands that decisions regarding data, algorithms, platforms and artificial intelligence take into account not only the immediate benefit for a few, but also the impact on all peoples and on future generations" (paragraph 76).
• "In one sense, technological innovation can represent human participation in the divine act of creation. Developers, therefore, bear a particular ethical and spiritual responsibility, for every design choice reflects a vision of humanity" (paragraph 111).
• "For an algorithm, an error is a flaw to be corrected; for a person, however, an error can be a catalyst for profound change" (paragraph 128).
• "Those who control digital platforms and means of communication have a considerable ability to affect the collective imagination and to present a particular vision of reality as desirable. Such power should be constantly guided by the pursuit of truth and respect for human dignity, so that the culture fostered on the internet does not become an instrument of excessive distraction, homogenization or dominance, but rather a setting in which inner freedom and critical thought can mature" (paragraph 136).
• "Our first task is neither to demonize nor idolize technological tools, but to utilize them on the basis of a fundamental principle, namely that truth is a common good and not the property of those with power or influence. We must therefore promote an ecology of communication" (paragraph 137).
• "We must learn, then, how to exercise restraint in the use of AI and to protect our young people from the promise of the perfect machine, from that subtle temptation which renders human thought seemingly superfluous precisely when it is most needed" (paragraph 140).
• "In the short term, it may seem advantageous to reduce labor costs or maximize financial efficiency, but in the long term this undermines the very foundations of social coexistence. While technological successes are celebrated, the social fabric is progressively eroded, as if by a silent virus" (paragraph 166).
• "No algorithm can make war morally acceptable. AI does not remove the intrinsic inhumanity of conflict; indeed it can only bring about conflict more quickly and render it more impersonal, lowering the threshold for resorting to violence, transforming defense into threat prediction and thus reducing victims to data" (paragraph 198).
• "Even in the darkest nights, the Lord raises up men and women who refuse to give up, who persevere in doing good, who protect the vulnerable and open pathways to reconciliation. The memory of the saints, righteous people and the oft-forgotten peacemakers, show us that grace does not magically eliminate conflict, but instead it inspires active resistance to evil and an astonishing creativity in doing good" (paragraph 211).
• "We all need to learn how to engage with the digital world in a human way, as an integral part of our education in the faith and in a life lived according to the Gospel. Indeed, we must consider the digital world as a new continent to be evangelized, one that requires generous missionaries who are mature in the faith" (paragraph 238).

— OSV News

Learn more about the encyclical

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has launched a new website for the encyclical, featuring a summary, chapter-by-chapter infographics in several languages, and an introductory video. Visit: magnificahumanitas.org/en

13 things to know about Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI

What does it mean to safeguard our humanity? That question is at the heart of Pope Leo XIV's much anticipated first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence," released May 25. The following are some key things to know about this weighty papal letter.

1. Latin for "Magnificent Humanity," the title is drawn from the opening words of the text as rendered in Latin, as is customary for papal encyclicals. Those words state, in its English translation, "Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together." Throughout the encyclical, Pope Leo points to "the grandeur of humanity," with men and women created by God for relationship with him and each other, cooperating in God's creative work and guided by the Holy Spirit.

2. The document is about 42,000 words long, including footnotes, making it roughly the size of a novella. It spans five chapters sandwiched between a robust introduction and conclusion. The first chapter traces the development of Catholic social doctrine, or social teaching, especially since "Rerum Novarum," Pope Leo XIII's seminal 1891 encyclical on the dignity of labor. The second chapter dives into the substance of Catholic social teaching. The third chapter explores the challenges artificial intelligence presents to humanity; the fourth chapter hones in on safeguarding truth, work and freedom; and the fifth chapter focuses on the implications of AI in warfare.

3. From education and jobs to private tech companies and families, "Magnifica Humanitas" is wide-ranging. It touches on the prospect of massive unemployment, the future of education, the protection of human freedom, excessive screen time for young people and technology addiction, data ownership, cryptocurrencies, economic disparities, environmental impacts, transhumanism and posthumanism, and cyberattacks and other forms of warfare. Pope Leo addresses the idea of "moral AI," and argues that the basis for "alignment of AI with human values" requires "openly discussing the ethical frameworks involved and subjecting them to shared standards of social justice" in a conversation inclusive to all communities.

4. The document includes references to an array of influential thinkers. Beyond Pope Leo's papal predecessors, the letter points to or quotes Dorothy Day, Maria Montessori, Martin Luther King Jr., J.R.R. Tolkien, Plato, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the American humanist thinker Hannah Arendt, among others. And, of course, Pope Leo weaves in St. Augustine, the patron of Pope Leo's Augustinian religious order and Pope Leo's ever-present guide, particularly through the African bishop's important fifth-century book, "The City of God."

5. It uses biblical imagery, imploring people to examine what humanity is building in "the construction site of our time." The Tower of Babel and the City of God are contrasted throughout the encyclical to illustrate the two possible directions that the era of AI could take: a path of arrogance, artificial sense of self-sufficiency and chaos, or a path towards communion, relationship and God. Pope Leo underlines the critical need for developing a process for discernment to guide the development of AI. "The task of building today must place our relationship with God at its center," Pope Leo writes.

6. Despite its challenges, AI is not to be inherently feared. "Technology should not be considered, in itself, as a force antagonistic to humanity," he writes. "Over the centuries, technological development has significantly improved the living conditions of humanity. At the same time, each phase of progress has also revealed the ambiguity of tools that can cause harm when not oriented toward the good." He speaks directly to AI developers, telling them that "technological innovation can represent human participation in the divine act of creation," and therefore they "bear a particular ethical and spiritual responsibility, for every design choice reflects a vision of humanity."

7. Taking time for discernment is critical in our path forward. The encyclical invites people of goodwill into "a shared discernment process for identifying the spiritual and cultural roots of ongoing transformations" as they relate to AI. "We are living through a rapid phase of transition, a 'change of era,' in which ... most people are watching and waiting, observing from afar and merely hoping for the best," Pope Leo writes. "For this very reason, crucial questions impose themselves on our conscience and can no longer be avoided: Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as people and as a human community?"

8. It explains the principles of Catholic social teaching and why they are important in building a future where humanity flourishes. Pope Leo explains central tenets of Catholic social teaching -- the dignity of the person, the common good, the universal destination of goods, subsidiarity, solidarity and justice -- as he makes the case for their use as guiding principles for AI. "The Social Doctrine of the Church is a legacy of wisdom, where we find principles for thought, criteria for discernment and judgment, and concrete guidelines for action," Pope Leo writes. "Founded on Sacred Scripture and Tradition, and in engagement with the sciences, it helps us clearly interpret the challenges of the present and identify appropriate ways for living out a clear Christian witness, with joy and in service to the world. It is not an inert set of concepts, but a living corpus of truth that safeguards and interprets humanity’s vocation to a full and just life." As AI has exponentially advanced and become part of daily life, people of goodwill must "face the challenges of our time with clarity of thought and responsibility," he writes.

9. People cannot be reduced to machines, measured for their efficiency and valued for their "optimization." Artificial intelligence "threatens to normalize an anti-human vision," Pope Leo writes. "In that vision, the fullness of life is equated with having more, reducing weakness, eliminating uncertainty and exerting total control. When efficiency becomes the ultimate measure of value, human beings are tempted to see themselves as a project to be optimized rather than as persons called to relationship and communion." Instead, "the quality of a civilization," he writes, "is measured not by the power of its means, but by the care it is able to offer, by its ability to recognize the other as a face not merely as a function."

10. Robust ethical consideration should be given to AI's impact on war. Pope Leo is particularly concerned that AI, "detached from ethics and responsibility, will render decisions about life and death more rapid and impersonal, and will present the use of force as an immediate and viable option." In calling for the principles of Catholic social teaching to serve as decision-making guidelines, he condemns "the spread of a culture of power characterized by polarization and violence." Instead, he calls humanity to "the civilization of love," which is "no naïve utopia, but a demanding project, which consists in translating charity into structures of justice, giving institutional form to fraternity, and regarding others -- whether individuals or peoples -- as allies necessary for building the common good." He also gives criteria for using AI in war.

11. "Magnifica Humanitas" is actually all about relationship. Throughout the encyclical, Pope Leo points to humanity's relationship to God and relationship to each other. In this area, he underscores action over passivity, and urges people to work toward "a willed and chosen solidarity." He writes, "This is the guiding principle for technological processes: it is not enough for artificial intelligence to make us more efficient or connected; it must also serve to build a universal human family, with shared rights and duties, where digital proximity becomes a real opportunity for encounter and mutual care."

12. Whatever the future holds, humanity's meaning is rooted in Jesus Christ. The document's conclusion includes a compelling reflection on the Incarnation through the "face of the Son of God, the grandeur of humanity that shines a light also on the era of AI." "No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil. Even when machines excel in efficiency, a human face that asks to be gazed upon remains the center of our history," Pope Leo writes. "This human face is the fullness toward which history is moving."

13. The encyclical calls for personal conversion. The pope proposes for the Christian "a sober yet demanding program of Christian life with which we can navigate this epochal change in the light of the Gospel" centered on "contemplating God's plan," receiving the Eucharist, "building a world centered on the common good," and praying in union with Mary. He encourages people to cultivate community and in-person relationships, educate young people to love wisdom, spend time with the poor and lonely, be a voice for justice, defend objective truth, and treat the digital world as "a new continent to be evangelized." His final reflection centers on the "Magnificat," Mary's famous canticle glorifying God, recounted in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Pope Leo writes: "In the humble fidelity of daily life, even the era of AI can become a time in which the Holy Spirit brings about the civilization of love in our lives."

— Maria Wiering, OSV News

Learn more about the encyclical

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has launched a new website for the encyclical, featuring a summary, chapter-by-chapter infographics in several languages, and an introductory video. Visit: magnificahumanitas.org/en

‘Magnifica Humanitas’: Reading Pope Leo’s vision between the lines

Pope Leo XIV's widely anticipated first encyclical on artificial intelligence is here, and it offers a clear path forward to one of the most pressing challenges of our age. But the 42,000-word "Magnifica Humanitas" also serves as a formal launching point for Pope Leo's vision for contemporary application of Catholic social teaching.

The text provides answers to questions pertaining to the "new things" of our modern age following in the footsteps of Pope Leo XIII's treatment of the advancements in technology, industry and economics at the turn of the 19th century, which birthed modern Catholic social doctrine. But "Magnifica Humanitas" also reveals some aspects of who Pope Leo is, how he governs, and what he brings to the Petrine office. Reading between the lines, the encyclical can be seen also as a roundup of what has been learned about Pope Leo so far and sheds perspective on what might lie ahead.

A particular word that Pope Leo repeats, as he frequently has even since his first address to the world as the newly elected 266th Successor of Peter, can serve as a key to these latent aspects of "Magnifica Humanitas." In fact, "to disarm," Pope Leo says in the encyclical, is an expression "close to my heart" (No. 110). Closer, perhaps, than it might appear at first glance?

A pivotal moment

Pope Leo begins his encyclical in stark terms, arguing that the modern world is at risk of heading down the path of the architects of the Tower of Babel -- where the descendents of Noah chose their own glorification over that of God, as recounted in Chapter 11 of Genesis -- and facing similar disastrous consequences.

Countering the cautionary tale with an example of a positive path forward, Pope Leo offers Nehemiah's plan for rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, as recounted in the first and second chapters of the Book of Nehemiah. Where the inhabitants of Babel attempted to build a single vision for the future -- one that put the self and not God at the center -- Nehemiah's vision facilitated progress through collaboration with God and others, bringing together society, with its various talents, to achieve a common purpose. In many ways, "Magnifica Humanitas" serves as Pope Leo's desire to bring Nehemiah's vision to the modern world.

This is achieved, Pope Leo proposes, when we disarm our own priorities, plans and projects by choosing to put Jesus Christ at their center rather than ourselves. This message is congruent with the Christocentrism that has pervaded Pope Leo's words and actions from the earliest moments of his pontificate.

"Whenever humanity is in danger of marring its true identity, we Christians lift our eyes to the Incarnate God, knowing that it is 'only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear,'" he writes, quoting Vatican II's "Gaudium et Spes." "In Jesus Christ, this humanity in its grandeur becomes the Way, the Truth and the Life, opening the path for each of us to grow toward fullness" (No. 1).

Citing his beloved St. Augustine, Pope Leo wants to help humanity understand its innate desire for the happiness found only in God. As he writes, "Like Saint Augustine, we too can say, 'You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you'" (No. 11).

A call to embrace the Church's vision

In a world so polarized and ideological, so unable to find a common language, purpose or vision -- and too often defined by a growing absence of objective truth and moral relativism -- Pope Leo holds up the Church's social doctrine as a much-needed means to disarm current growing divisions, tensions and threats.

Pope Leo is clear that this time of rapid change in technology, economics and politics warrants revisiting this tradition comprehensively and boldly. Pope Leo's choice of papal name itself, as he explained to the College of Cardinals just two days after his election, was "mainly" because of how Pope Leo XIII "addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution" in his groundbreaking 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum."

"In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor," Pope Leo XIV told the cardinals.

"Magnifica Humanitas" is Pope Leo's magisterial contribution to this tradition -- even signed on the 135th anniversary of "Rerum Novarum," his namesake's monumental text. It is his invitation for humanity to disarm itself against self-interest. It is a call to step back, see the bigger picture, and work together to overcome collective challenges and plot the course ahead.

Through keen pastoral insights, Pope Leo underscores how the Church possesses the truth that the world needs to address the great social questions of our time; that we hold the blueprint for the way ahead. He argues that "building for the common good requires an evangelical language" and that "we must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace." (No. 14-15).

A call to unity

In order for humanity to work toward the peace God wills, Pope Leo stresses the importance of collaboration to advance the common good. The theological and anthropological implications of humanity's creation in God's image lies at the heart of human fraternity, communion and unity. Observers of his public schedule will note how available Pope Leo has made himself. Those who meet with him remark what a keen listener he is. Pope Leo promotes the implementation of synodality as a means to foster dialogue and co-responsibility in ecclesial life. He advocates for diplomacy and multilateralism.

Pope Leo's own episcopal motto -- "In Illo uno unum," which means "In the One, we are one" -- is taken from a commentary of St. Augustine on the psalms and stresses unity in Jesus Christ. Echoing Christ's own call to unity -- an innate desire for which is written into human consciousness as made in the image of the Triune God -- ought to permeate our answers to social questions.

As we await the fulfillment of the heavenly Jerusalem described by St. John in the Book of Revelation, Pope Leo draws attention to this vision as it serves "as an encouragement, a call to overcome our divisions and to work together, for this is the way of Jesus Christ, yesterday, today, and forever" (No. 242). In essence, Pope Leo teaches that the path of Christ is the way to disarm humanity from that which competes with God's vision for humanity.

Of course, the Church is not immune from reflecting the divisions, polarization and ideological defects of the wider society. And it is no secret that these realities plague the Church in a host of ways. While these divisions deepened under the pontificate of Pope Francis -- and were in some ways exacerbated by him -- Pope Leo has been a disarming presence since Day 1. When he chose to wear the traditional red mozetta, or cape, on the loggia after his election, it was a signal of his beginning down the path that comes full circle with this encyclical.

This makes particularly significant Pope Leo's extensive treatment of many of his papal predecessors' contributions to Catholic social teaching, beginning with Pope Leo XIII, who reigned as pope from 1878 to 1903. The former Robert Prevost, who grew up in Chicago and became a missionary priest and bishop in Peru, has receded into the Petrine office to such a degree that Pope Leo is who we now see. By his lengthy commentary of what recent popes have contributed to the social questions of their age, Pope Leo situates himself squarely within those confines.

And, through Pope Leo's generous quoting of Pope Francis, he accomplishes the same for his predecessor, highlighting the best of what Pope Francis contributed to the Church's magisterium. He has found a way, in "Magnifica Humanitas" and other official texts in his brief pontificate, to position his predecessor's contributions more securely within the tradition.

With his disarming style -- allowing the office and the One he represents to take center stage -- Pope Leo is leading the Church into a new age of unity, thereby making room for the Church to find its voice in a world so constantly at odds with its mission.

A shift in priorities?

Naturally, any document of this sort comes with its own limitations. The subjective nature of any kind of teaching document addressing timely issues will naturally lend itself to criticism, especially from those more prone to agendas.

Rather than giving into the temptation of ideology, though, listening to Pope Leo and heeding what he has to say to humanity at this moment would be the wiser path. From what we have seen and heard from Pope Leo, it seems like he is encouraging us to avoid constructing such Babel-like towers in the Church, and instead is offering the vocabulary and blueprint for humanity to collaborate in rebuilding the walls of a fractured world at risk of collapse.

Pope Leo's life as a priest and bishop put him in contact often with the global poor, a people whose faith greatly shaped his own. Their daily reality dictated that they be less concerned with such internal debates in Church life. Is Pope Leo not encouraging us to actually live Christianity instead of trying to tinker with revelation and trivialize sanctity?

Perhaps that is really the call of "Magnifica Humanitas": that those of us in the Church disarm ourselves of our own preoccupations and proclivities for nothing short of the life of the world.

— Michael R. Heinlein, OSV News

What the pope’s new encyclical on AI is asking of you

Near the end of his new encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," Pope Leo XIV senses that his reader may be feeling overwhelmed. "At this point," the Holy Father writes, "a subtle temptation may emerge, namely the thought that the problems are too big and we are too small, and that our choices, therefore, cannot make a difference."

And here he turns to, of all people, J.R.R. Tolkien and "The Lord of the Rings": "It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till."

The Holy Father just quoted Gandalf in an encyclical. And it was pitch perfect.

If you don't yet understand why a pope would feel the need to offer that kind of reassurance, then you aren't paying close enough attention to what AI is doing and may do to our world.

Many have heard that this new technology threatens to displace all sorts of workers, but such a threat, as real and profound as it is, is by no means the only one. The U.S. Department of War has sued an AI company to make sure it can create autonomous weapons which kill without any human oversight.

AI-generated child porn is now one of the fastest-growing categories of online demonic debauchery. The most recent version of Anthropic's AI, Claude Mythos, was not only able to hack into virtually any phone or computer in the world, during safety testing it was regularly able to discover it was under observation and act differently.

This is not a future problem. This is a now problem.

Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of getting to know several people at Anthropic, including via two convenings at their San Francisco headquarters for Christian scholars and leaders.

During these months, I developed a friendship with Chris Olah, one of Anthropic's co-founders, and the same person who stood alongside Pope Leo at the Vatican press conference to mark the encyclical's release and called for critical dialogue and cooperation between the Church and the AI industry.

I can tell you with confidence that he means it. There is a great mystery underlying the nature of what it is they are building and the worries Chris and others have about what the future may hold as AI systems get exponentially more powerful quite rightly keep them up at night.

Their existential fears, and their need for help, underscore why the encyclical matters so much.

Leo builds his argument on three foundations Catholics should sit with carefully. The first is that something genuinely new is happening here. AI is not just a faster calculator or a smarter search engine. It "challenges the categories of Social Doctrine from within," the encyclical says, in ways that require not just new applications of old principles but the development of those principles themselves. Human dignity is under a threat that we have not faced before, and Leo knows it.

The second is that labor should be at the heart of our concern. Leo XIV signed "Magnifica Humanitas" on the 135th anniversary of "Rerum Novarum," Leo XIII's great encyclical on behalf of workers being ground up by the previous industrial-technical revolution.

That anniversary is not rhetorical decoration. The new encyclical insists that work is "a fundamental good for the person, a principle of economic activity and the key to the entire societal question." When AI systems mass-displace workers in the service of being more efficient and extracting more profit, this constitutes a foundational attack on human dignity.

Work, says Leo, is not merely an instrument or a source of income; on the contrary, "it expresses and enhances the dignity of our lives." The pope calls work "a requirement of the human condition" and he quotes the U.S. bishops who insist that it provides "a crucial sphere in which identity is formed, friendships and relationships are forged, practical responsibilities are learned and one's vocation is discerned."

The third is that the Church has a unique and urgent role to play at this hinge moment in history. Leo quotes his predecessor, Pope Francis, directly: "No one can demand that religion should be relegated to the inner sanctum of personal life, without influence on societal and national life, without concern for the soundness of civil institutions, without a right to offer an opinion on events affecting society."

The Church is the guardian and promoter of a 2,000-year tradition of thinking about what human beings are and what they are for. That tradition, not least because it has navigated these kinds of dramatic moments in the past, is exactly what we need right now. And the fact that some of the most important AI researchers in the world are actively engaging it should give added confidence to act in light of our tradition.

But what, specifically, is Leo asking of us?

First, he is channeling his inner St. John Paul II in urging us not to be afraid in spreading the good news in the midst of the AI revolution. "I encourage all members of the Church not to be afraid of the present challenges," the Holy Father says. The truth which the Church has to offer at this historical moment "is a gift to be shared" with the world.

Second, he is asking us to begin with ourselves. The encyclical returns repeatedly to the following question: Does this technology "make human life on earth 'more human' in every aspect of that life? Does it make it more worthy of man?" That question, first, is a personal one. How am I using AI in my own life? What habits is it building or eroding in me? Am I using it in ways that deepen my attention and my relationships, or in ways that outsource my judgment and thin out my humanity? We must evangelize ourselves before we bring this message to the world.

Third, he is asking us to get to work. The biblical image Leo returns to again and again is Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem: Everyone is given their own section. Scientists and researchers. Entrepreneurs and workers. Educators and legislators. Faith communities. Each in their own field, doing what is in them to do.

Perhaps you are being called to organize a labor union for workers in your school or hospital? Especially if you work in a Catholic institution, perhaps you are being called to ask, right now, whether anyone has evaluated the AI tools your institution is adopting, and against what criteria. The encyclical gives you both the standing and the obligation to ask that question. If no one is asking it, then this may be your section of the wall to get started on.

Leo writes: "The civilization of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture, but from the sum total of small and steadfast acts of fidelity."

We have our marching orders. Time to get to work.

— Charles Camosy teaches moral theology and bioethics at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Anthropic’s Christopher Olah urges global moral oversight of AI at Vatican presentation

Christopher Olah, co-founder of the U.S. artificial intelligence company Anthropic, attends a news conference in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall May 25, 2026, after the presentation of "Magnifica humanitas," Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical. (OSV News/Yara Nardi, Reuters)

The May 25 speech of Anthropic's co-founder Christopher Olah at the presentation of the first encyclical of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV ended with a special request: "We need more of the world -- religious communities, civil society, scholars, governments -- to do what His Holiness has done here: to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction."

Olah, sitting in the Synodal Hall for the presentation of "Magnifica Humanitas," Pope Leo's encyclical on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence, said the world of technology needs "informed critics who will tell the labs when we are failing," and "moral voices that the incentives cannot bend."

"Today is just the beginning," he said, "the start of a long collaboration between those of us who are building this and those who can see what we, from inside, cannot."

He said the event "is a powerful illustration of the form this global project of goodwill might take. Let it also be a decisive first step toward a hopeful future for magnificent humanity," he said.

His speech, while humble and open to collaboration on ethical dimensions, also showed stark differences between the realities of the industry and what Pope Leo asked in the encyclical.

Olah admitted that as he was sitting in the same room with the pope, these words "may sound strange coming from the co-founder of an AI company -- and someone who chose this work out of a desire to help things go well for humankind," but every frontier AI lab, he said, including his own, "operates inside a set of incentives and constraints that can sometimes conflict with doing the right thing."

The incentives -- geopolitical, commercial or research-oriented -- influence the industry, he explained.

Three challenges have emerged as immediate in the world of AI, he said.

First, "there is a real possibility that AI will displace human labor at a very large scale."

If that happens, Olah said, "supporting those displaced will be a moral imperative of historic proportions."

Pope Leo wrote in "Magnifica Humanitas" that the dignity of work at a time of digital transition is of fundamental concern.

"The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means, and the economic order must remain subordinate to human dignity and the common good," Pope Leo wrote.

"For young people, job insecurity is particularly devastating. ... When access to work is hindered ... many young people find the path to their human and professional fulfillment blocked."

The task of keeping jobs "will be difficult enough," Olah said May 25 at the Vatican, "but I worry most dialogue misses an even harder challenge," he added.

"AI development is concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. How can we ensure the gains of AI are shared globally?" Olah asked. "We do not have a mechanism for this. It is an unsolved problem, and it is the kind of problem the Church has historically refused to let the world ignore."

In fact, Pope Leo wrote in his encyclical that "protecting freedom of men against commercialization" is an urgent task.

"When business models thrive on human weakness, the person is treated as a means rather than as an end," the pope said, stressing that "if technology becomes the ultimate criterion, the human person risks being reduced to data, a cog in a machine or a commodity."

"It is not enough for artificial intelligence to make us more efficient or connected; it must also serve to build a universal human family, with shared rights and duties," Pope Leo wrote, stressing that the Church is called to be "capable of listening to the cry of the poor, migrants and victims of new forms of slavery."

Olah said another challenge is "the need for moral imagination and ambition regarding human flourishing."

If AI models are going to be widespread, he said, the question remains open on "what does it look like for humans, families and the world to flourish?"

Today, Olah said, "parents are already worried about their children's minds; individuals about the future of their work. These are not questions a lab can answer. They are questions traditions like yours have carried for millennia, and we need you to keep carrying them into this new moment in history."

The encyclical outlines the severe psychological and social harms of early and unsupervised digital exposure, which can negatively impact sleep, attention spans and emotional control, while opening the door to online exploitation, cyberbullying and manipulation by AI tools.

Acknowledging the immense pressure on the modern family, the pope conceded that "it is difficult for parents by themselves to resist the influence of business models that monetize attention and time."

Because of that, he called for an "alliance among policy-makers, educational institutions and families that is capable of concretely supporting adults in this task."

Olah pointed out the third challenge of "the nature of AI models."

"I am a scientist," he said, "I lead a research team that studies the internal structure of these models -- what is actually happening inside them. And I will be honest: we keep finding things that are mysterious, even unsettling," he said, pointing out that researchers find "structures that mirror results from human neuroscience. We find evidence of introspection. We find internal states that functionally mirror joy, satisfaction, fear, grief and unease. I don't know what that means, but I think it warrants ongoing discernment."

"If we want this technology to go well," he pointed out, "it is enormously important that there be people outside those incentives -- people who care about things going well, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say hard things, who are willing to be our earnest, thoughtful, critics," Olah said before bowing his head for the papal blessing.

The pope thanked Olah for his presence at the presentation and "accepting our invitation in turn in the name of the church."

"I accept your invitation to walk together, to listen and to speak, and together to find a way for humanity in this time of artificial intelligence," the pope said.

"What a great sign of hope it is that with our differences we can listen to one another. This interchange clearly bespeaks the gravity of the moment as well as confidence that together we can discern the major questions of our time," Pope Leo stressed.

"At key moments in history, the Church is called to decipher the new things in the light of the Gospel and the dignity of the human being."

— Paulina Guzik, OSV News

Bishops welcome Pope Leo’s encyclical as ‘crystal’ clear guidance for the AI era

Catholic bishops are welcoming Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, dedicated to safeguarding human dignity by invoking Catholic social teaching as a framework for anchoring artificial intelligence.

The document is a "powerful reminder that no technology can replace a child of God, and all technology should be placed at the service of helping humanity thrive," said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The archbishop shared his thoughts in a May 25 statement issued minutes after the official release of the pope's highly anticipated encyclical on AI "Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence."

Pope Leo joined senior Vatican officials, theologians and Christopher Olah, one of the founders of the AI research and safety firm Anthropic, for a press conference at the Vatican at which the encyclical was publicly presented.

"Magnifica Humanitas" invokes the wisdom of the Church's social teaching -- which articulates the means of building a just society and living out holiness in modern life -- as a framework for shaping AI amid rapid technological advances, a fractured global order and accelerating threats to human dignity.

"The Holy Father's teaching on safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence speaks to a critical need and brings clarity to a confusing landscape," said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia said in a May 25 statement posted to CatholicPhilly.com, the digital news outlet of that archdiocese.

"Pope Leo emphasizes with crystal clarity that the sanctity of human life must remain paramount as artificial intelligence systems continue to develop and become more closely integrated into nearly every aspect of our lives," said Archbishop Pérez.

AI's benefits to healthcare, education and evangelization are accompanied by the technology's "significant moral and ethical pitfalls that must be navigated and reflected upon," he said. He encouraged "all people to read it with care and reflect on its vital message."

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, also exhorted the faithful to read the document, which is available online at the Vatican website.

In his May 25 statement, posted to Arlington Diocese's website, Bishop Burbidge said he was "grateful" for Pope Leo's attention to "issues of profound concern to the human person, most especially our innate desire for God and everlasting happiness."

He said the encyclical is "especially welcome in this time of tremendous social and technological change, especially concerning artificial intelligence and the right use of such tools."

Bishop Michael T. Martin of Charlotte, North Carolina, said Pope Leo's text was "so helpful at this historic time in our world."

In a May 25 statement emailed to OSV News, Bishop Martin, a Conventual Franciscan, observed that like the Industrial Revolution -- which Pope Leo XIII addressed in his 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum" -- AI is "revolutionizing the world as we know it."

The Church "then and now stands ready to offer safeguards that value human dignity above all else," said Bishop Martin.

He clarified that Pope Leo's new encyclical "isn't the Catholic Church lamenting progress," but it is "our pontiff calling humanity to live into its best expression for the common good while never disregarding the importance of the person."

In a May 25 post in Spanish on the X social media platform, Mexico's Catholic bishops said the encyclical "offers a profound and enlightening perspective on our times, demonstrating that emerging technologies can become allies of human dignity when oriented toward the common good."

"The text combines lucidity with hope: it analyzes real risks, but, above all, points to concrete paths for safeguarding the human element in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)," said the Mexican bishops. "Its strength lies in its capacity to integrate doctrine, discernment, and social responsibility."

"It is too early to say how the AI revolution will pan out," Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of Philadelphia told OSV News, "but the optimism and embrace for human discovery that Pope Leo combines with deep anthropological, cultural, social, moral and spiritual reflection is something that is welcomed -- because it is deeply needed."

— Gina Christian, OSV News

"As we reflect on our history, from the founding through the trials of the Civil War to the struggle for civil rights, we can see this consistent thread, the conviction that human dignity, equality, rights, freedom, and the rule of law are all grounded in God," he said. 

Organizers of the event, "Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving," said they aimed to mark the nation's upcoming 250th birthday "with Scripture, testimony, prayer, and rededication of our country as One Nation to God." It was organized by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership with the White House to mark America 250.

The event primarily featured Protestant faith leaders, but in addition to Bishop Barron, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, retired archbishop of New York, spoke by video, and Rabbi Meir Soloveichik spoke in person. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who identifies as Hindu, also spoke by video message.

Citing Abraham Lincoln's use of the phrase "under God" in the Gettysburg address, Bishop Barron argued he did so because he knew "that God is essential to any coherent account of democracy, freedom, and equality."

That sense of freedom can also be traced to the founding, he argued, citing the Declaration of Independence's phrase, "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

"What the founders knew from their Christian formation is that all people, despite their enormous inequalities, are equally children of God and therefore equal in dignity," Bishop Barron said.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both Catholics, as well as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Gabbard, were among the administration officials who addressed the event by video messages. 

"We've always been and still are a nation of prayer, and thank God for that," Vance said in a video message. 

Rubio said in a video message that the nation was "shaped by this Christian idea."

He pointed to the Apollo 8 astronauts -- Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders -- reading from the book of Genesis during their historic 1968 mission to orbit the moon.

"This is who we are," Rubio said. "It is who we have always been. America is still a young nation, measured against the record of history, and from the beginning, we have carried the belief that our country represents something new in the world. But the soul of our nation has always been rooted in an ancient faith." 

Organizers replayed a video message Trump previously delivered in April for an event called "America Reads the Bible," in which he read from 2 Chronicles 7:11–22, using the King James Easy Read Bible by Whitaker House Publishers, a Protestant translation. 

"I HOPE EVERYBODY AT REDEDICATE 250 IS HAVING A GOOD TIME," Trump posted on his social media website, Truth Social. 

Critics of the event argued that the Trump administration's level of participation improperly blended church and state.

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in a statement, "If President Trump and his allies truly cared about America's legacy of religious freedom, they would be celebrating church-state separation as the unique American invention that has allowed religious diversity to flourish in our country."

Cardinal Dolan said in a video message that "in every chapter of the American story, our faith in God has been the bedrock of our greatness, the source of our success."

"Boy, going back to the days of the Revolutionary War, our very way of life has been defined in part by a few key principles: prayer, trust, worship, the Sabbath, loyalty to family, freedom of religion, the power and strength of democracy, the principle of subsidiarity, devotion to the common good," Cardinal Dolan said. "In other words, our deepest values as a country have always been rooted in our identity as a people of God and anchored in the reality that we're not only American citizens -- you bet we are, and grateful for it -- but that we are bound someday to be citizens of heaven."

Cardinal Dolan noted the U.S. Catholic bishops plan to dedicate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11.

In addition to Bishop Barron and Cardinal Dolan, other members of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission who spoke at the event included Ben Carson, the Rev. Paula White-Cain, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Eric Metaxas, and Rabbi Soloveichik. 

During a prayer at the event, Bishop Barron said, "A religiously vibrant America is a politically healthy America."

"It's also why we cherish religious liberty -- a conviction that's made us a haven for people fleeing religious persecution from all over the world," he said.

— Kate Scanlon, OSV News

The son of immigrants and shaped through experiences of pain, conversion and mission, Samol speaks about how a personal encounter with God transformed his story and led him to serve the Church with passion, especially by accompanying the Hispanic community in the United States. 

CNH: Could you tell us a little about your personal story and what has shaped you up to this point in your life? 

Samol: I am the son of immigrants, and for many years I carried a deep feeling that I didn’t belong, that I was neither from here nor from there. To make that experience even harder, my parents divorced, and I also did not know whether I belonged to one family or the other. I hated being asked, “Where are you from?” because it made me aware of my doubts and the shame of feeling out of place. 

But God had a plan. I had a very powerful personal encounter with Him. At age 14, during a retreat that my mother practically forced me to attend, on the third day, during a prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Lord gave me a deep and undeniable peace. In that moment, something changed in and gave me a new certainty: I belong to God. I am His son. And I have a home in His Church. Since then, my path has been to respond to that love, allowing Him to form me and following Him wherever He has called me, in different countries and situations, always as a missionary disciple. 

CNH: How did your faith journey begin and how has it evolved over the years? 

Samol: My faith journey began when I was little, living with my grandmother, who taught me to pray and read the Bible. However, my true conversion happened at age 14 during that retreat.

Since then, I have continued growing in my relationship with the Lord, discovering more and more my identity as a beloved son of God. My faith has matured into the desire to follow Christ, imitate Him and allow Him to transform me so that I may belong completely to Him. Today I can say with conviction: God is my Father. 

CNH: When did you begin to feel that God was calling you to ministry or service in the Church in a more specific way? 

Samol: Very early in my conversion I began serving. I remember that at only 15 years old, I was invited to give a talk at an adult retreat. I loved the experience of serving. 

The encounter with God not only transformed my life but also awakened in me the desire that others might experience it, too. Over time I understood that my calling was to be a missionary disciple: not only to believe, but to share – with my life and my words –  what God has done in me. Throughout the years, that calling has taken shape in different opportunities for service, always with the certainty that it is the Lord who guides the way. 

CNH: Looking back, how do you see the path that led you to this new role in the Diocese of Charlotte? 

Samol: Looking back, I clearly see God’s faithfulness in every stage of my life. He has guided our journey – my wife’s and mine – through different countries, always calling us to serve. 

In recent years I strongly felt God’s love for Hispanics in the United States, but I never imagined that would become this mission. 

Today I see my arrival in the Diocese of Charlotte as part of God’s plan: an invitation from the Father to continue serving with passion and openness. 

CNH: How do you understand this new role in the Diocese of Charlotte, and how would you like to lead Hispanic ministry at this stage? 

Samol: I understand this role as a call from God to serve, helping more people experience that the Church is their home, the family of God. 

The vision of Bishop Michael Martin deeply resonates in my heart — a pastoral ministry that proclaims the Gospel while also demonstrating God’s love by making it visible in people’s lives. 

My desire is to accompany, listen and create spaces where Hispanics can encounter Christ and discover that they are not foreigners or strangers, but members of God’s family: a pastoral ministry where the Gospel is proclaimed with words and demonstrated with concrete love. 

CNH: What part of your faith experience would you like people to know or better understand about you? 

Samol: I would like people to understand that my life is marked by a very concrete experience: going from feeling like someone who did not belong to discovering that I am the Father’s son and part of His family. 

God has also given me the gift of marriage. The best thing that has happened to me in my  life is marrying my wife, Saylí. She and I have experienced moments of joy, but also moments of the cross – including the loss of two unborn children, who are now in heaven – and even so we have experienced that God is faithful and never stops sustaining us. 

If anything defines my journey, it is that certainty born at that retreat: God is my Father, His family is where I belong. And together with my wife, I have found my home.

And from there, I want to invite others: If you have ever felt out of place or like you don’t belong, I want you to know this: in God the Father, there is a home for you. The Church is the house of God, and it can also be your home. 

— Brian Segovia  

Father Patrick Cahill, pastor of St. Matthew Church, high-fives a young parishioner at the Waxhaw campus the morning he announced that the diocese was moving toward creating a separate parish. (Troy C. Hull)

Pastor of St. Matthew in south Charlotte, Father Cahill celebrated all three Masses at the parish’s satellite campus last weekend, announcing the change at the start of his homily.

“This is a blessed moment in the history of the diocese,” said Father Cahill, who celebrated the very first Mass at the satellite campus in 2014. “It’s a time to thank God for His divine providence that has brought us here.”

The news sparked both praise and reflection for long-time parishioners and newcomers, most of whom were happy with the development in the life of their community.

“I’m thrilled – absolutely thrilled – because we’ve waited a long time for this,” said Joan Ondrof, a member of St. Matthew Parish for 18 years who has been coming to the Waxhaw campus since its inception.

Father Cahill will work in collaboration with diocesan leaders and Father Benjamin Roberts (read more on page 5). Until the parish is formally established, Father Roberts will work alongside

Father Cahill as “Priest in solidum” (meaning “jointly” or “equally”) as boundaries are defined, parish resources are separated, and families in the new territory are identified.

Once the community is prepared, the process of establishing the parish can take as little as a few months (read details above).

For some, the need for a new parish was obvious, as the number of Catholics in southern Mecklenburg and Union counties continues to grow. Weekend Masses regularly draw more than 1,600 people.

“We are elated and so excited that this dream is finally coming together,” said Theresa Peters, who drives to Waxhaw from her home over the border in Lancaster, South Carolina. “Hopefully starting a new parish will help us continue to build community here in the Waxhaw area.”

“I think it’s great – it shows that the Church is expanding in this area,” said Waxhaw resident Franklin Lim. “It’s great to see the growth of the Church.”

Some were more hesitant about separating from St. Matthew.

“I was shocked to hear this, and I think it’s going to be hard and a little sad,” said Lucy Reyes, who lives just across the state line in Indian Land, South Carolina. “I don’t want to lose the community and fellowship we have with the St. Matthew Parish. But I guess we’ll have to see where God leads us.”

The addition is also bringing change to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe as Father Roberts leaves after 14 years as pastor.

While parishioners and staff at Our Lady of Lourdes said they will miss working with Father Roberts, they think he’s a good choice for the new project.

Cantor and organist Bradley Stiver has worked with Father Roberts since 2019 and said his ability to collaborate and build relationships is top-notch.

“He’s a pretty incredible boss, very, very kind and caring for staff – and he creates an environment where staff members’ ideas are heard,” Stiver said. “He’s a very kind human being who gets crazy ideas in the very best way. He’s an incredible preacher who leads from the pulpit, and he values being a pastor and being a shepherd, so I think he’ll be a remarkable leader in Waxhaw.”

Parishioner Lizeth Ildefonso has known Father Roberts for much of her life. He gave her First Communion and confirmed her, and as she’s entered adulthood, she values the relationships he builds with parishioners.

“He has been so involved with the parish – he is one of the best priests I’ve ever met,” Ildefonso said.

“He has always led with faith and always called and invited anyone to come to the church. He is someone you can talk with easily, and he has also helped connect people in the parish,” she said.

Ildefonso, a data analyst, said Father Roberts has introduced her to other parishioners in her field.

“He has done so much community outreach in our parish, and he has helped families and young adults both in growing and learning more about their faith,” she said. “I think him being open to communicating and to being welcoming is going to be very helpful in starting a new parish.”

 — Christina Lee Knauss

Father Gnanapragasam Mariasoosia, the pastor of St. Joseph of the Hills Church in Eden, served his parish for eight years and bridged the gap between his hometown in Tamil Nadu, India, and North Carolina.

The parish of 300 members he has served for eight years is large in faith and love, he said.

“The people are very nice, kind and cooperative,” said Father Mariasoosai. “Sometimes they may not understand my English, but even then, they continuously love me and inspire me.”

When Father Mariasoosai cracks jokes in his homilies, he is always impressed with their laughs and encouraging smiles.

“I love saying Mass regularly and keeping people connected to the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

The congregation has worked to improve the church, raising money to build a protective landscaping wall around the church and rectory and adding stairs and an accessible parking lot.

“These may not be huge projects, but we did it and everyone supported it, and they are so happy with everything,” he said.

A cradle Catholic from India

Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Madurai, India, in 1981, Father Mariasoosai, a native of Tamil Nadu, India, helps bridge the gap for Indian-American Catholics.

He travels to Holy Cross Church in Durham monthly to celebrate Mass in his native language, Tamil.

He was raised and baptized Catholic beside his two brothers and two sisters. When he was 3, his father died. Through difficult times, his mother held steadfast to the faith, raising her children to pray the rosary, give to the poor, go to daily Mass, and sacrifice time for God and others.

Father Mariasoosai said, “My mother sacrificed so much for us. She taught us everything, and she is the only reason I was ever able to become a priest. She died in 2003 but still lives on in my heart.”

After being ordained, Father Mariasoosai spent 19 years in India as a diocesan priest. His favorite part, he said, was “watching the children learn and grow in faith and love.”

He then spent three years in Jamaica, first studying in Kingston and then ministering in a small parish in Spanish Town.

Time to retire

Father Mariasoosai retires amid health issues.

“Last year, on the 27th of December, while I was saying Saturday Mass, after we said Our Father, I collapsed and I went to the emergency room. I stayed there for 5 hours,” he said. “I don’t know the reason, but maybe the sugar levels caused it.”

Plus, as he grows older, standing for long periods during Mass is taking its toll, he said.

His retirement plans are unclear for now, he said.

“I want to stay here, in the Charlotte diocese, for a couple more years if my health cooperates.”

He also plans to spend time visiting friends in London, Canada, and, of course, India.

Father José Palma Torres will step in as parochial administrator upon Father Mariasoosai’s departure. But before he leaves, he wants his parishioners and their new shepherd to keep his words in their hearts.

“Put Jesus in the center of your life,” Father Mariasoosai said. “Surround yourself with everything Jesus. With God, everything is possible.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

Themed “One Nation Under God,” the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will stop at five churches in the diocese as it journeys 1,500 miles up the East Coast to Philadelphia for the Fourth of July and America’s 250th anniversary.

This year’s route is named after St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint. The pilgrimage begins in St. Augustine, Florida, and ends near Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

“The Catholic Church has been a major part of our country’s history, and this pilgrimage gives us an opportunity to link to the greater Church, going forth in discipleship as we are called,” said Deacon Jim Bozik of St. Peter Parish in Charlotte, who is co-organizing diocesan festivities.

The “monstrance-mobile” – featuring a window allowing people to view the Blessed Sacrament – and nine young adult “perpetual pilgrims” will stop first at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe after crossing into the diocese from South Carolina. There, people can meet the pilgrims and join them for a Holy Hour and Mass. Churches in Charlotte, Statesville and Greensboro will also host the pilgrimage with Holy Hours and Masses. All are welcome.

For pilgrims Mary Carmen Zakrajsek and Raymond Martinez, the journey is both spiritual and personal.

“I am excited to meet all these Catholic communities,” Martinez said. “We want the entire nation to experience Our Lord through the Eucharist. We will carry your prayer intentions and place them at the foot of the monstrance in prayer. Eventually we will leave them at the altar with Christ after our last procession.”

On Sunday, May 31, Bishop Michael Martin will celebrate Mass at St. Peter Church in Charlotte, the oldest active parish in the diocese, followed by a meet-and-greet with the pilgrims.
Sunday evening, people can enjoy a free theater screening of “Cabrini,” the film about the saint’s advocacy for immigrants and the Church’s role in American history. St. Matthew, the diocese’s largest parish, will co-sponsor the exclusive screening. Advance ticket reservations are required.

Like Mother Cabrini, diocesan co-organizer Deacon Herb Quintanilla is an immigrant, and he sees the pilgrimage as a celebration of both faith and opportunity.

“Everyone comes to America to have a better life, a safer life. This is one of the greatest countries in the world because if you work hard and study, you can make it,” said Deacon Quintanilla, who moved from El Salvador. “This is an immigrant country, and that is why we have so many Catholics – the Irish, the Italians, the Polish, and the Latin Americans. This country has grown up Catholic.”

Zakrajsek said the pilgrimage also reflects the spiritual journey of the nation itself.

“Just like us as pilgrims walking this route, our country is also on pilgrimage. We are going to follow Him through the streets. We are going to bring Him to the poor. We are going to fall on our knees before Him in worship. This is an opportunity to live out the Gospel, to be united as a country, and to ask Him to bless us and to heal us, one soul at a time.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

More online

At www.charlottediocese.org/national-eucharistic-pilgrimage: Get details about the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage as it passes through the Diocese of Charlotte, including Mass and Holy Hour times, locations, movie screening reservations, and more.

Don’t miss this historic event!

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will stop in the Diocese of Charlotte at:

• SATURDAY, MAY 30 – Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe: Eucharistic Adoration from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., followed by 5 p.m. Mass
• SUNDAY, MAY 31 – St. Peter Church in Charlotte: Mass with Bishop Michael Martin at 9 a.m., followed by a meet-and-greet with the pilgrims
• SUNDAY, MAY 31 – St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte: 2 p.m. Spanish Mass, followed by Eucharistic Adoration and procession
• MONDAY, JUNE 1 – St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville: 9 a.m. Mass, followed by Eucharistic Adoration
• MONDAY-TUESDAY, JUNE 1-2 – St. Pius X Church in Greensboro: 4-5 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration and procession from 3:45-4:15 p.m., followed by 5:15 p.m. Mass; and 8:30 a.m. Mass on Tuesday, June 2. (Consider bringing a non-perishable item for the Greensboro Urban Ministry Food Pantry.)

Note: Parishes may add other events – please see each parish’s website or bulletin for details.

Watch ‘Cabrini’
Take the family out Sunday, May 31, to enjoy a free, exclusive screening of the hit movie about Mother Cabrini – patron of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage – at Regal Stonecrest at Piper Glen in Charlotte. Seating is limited; advance ticket reservations required (no walk-ins).

Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. Co-sponsored by St. Matthew Parish. Reserve your seat online at www.charlottediocese.org/national-eucharistic-pilgrimage,

Father Larry LaMonaco and a long-time altar server stand in front of the mural installed on the left wall of the church. The massive 34 foot by 21 foot mural brings people into the scene of Christ’s crucifixion.

The mural captures a powerful portrayal of the Crucifixion that has brought parishioners to their knees in prayer and quiet reflection.

“I think it is amazing. I love what it is adding to our church, the atmosphere of it,” said Carrie Socha, who has been a parishioner for three years.

The work took about nine months to complete. What started as an 8” x 11” computer sketch was unveiled as a 34’ x 21’ life-size piece covering much of the left wall of the church.

Autry, who finished the last paint strokes during the Easter season, got emotional at the sight of her work.

“I was painting the blood and bruising right during Easter time,” Autry said. “I have never painted the Crucifixion, so it was very touching. I just tried to show all the emotions of everyone that would have been there on the darkest day of human history.”

That emotion emanates from the expressions of the two-dimensional biblical characters on the walls into the hearts of parishioners in the pews.

“While I am praying, it makes me feel like I am part of that moment,” Socha said.

The mural is dedicated to the late Michele Acosta McCreary, who was co-founder of McCreary Modern, a large furniture manufacturer. (Lisa M. Geraci | Catholic News Herald)

The mural depicts guards rolling dice for Jesus’ tunic while another soldier sits alone with the realization that he helped kill the true “King of the Jews.” Joseph of Arimathea waits in despair to procure the body of Christ while Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ mother Mary weep. Jesus and the two thieves hang on three crosses in the distance, while the world around them reacts, some in mourning and changed forever by the death of Christ, others indifferent.

“It tells a story. I like the part where the guys are rolling the dice. They seem totally oblivious,” shared Father Larry LoMonaco, pastor of St. Aloysius. “I mean, the greatest thing in history happens, and they are sitting there rolling dice. Lisa really figured out how to bring this to life.“

The artwork was dedicated to the late Michele McCreary, co-founder of McCreary Modern Inc., a furniture manufacturer with more than 800 employees at six plants throughout North Carolina.

Even though they are not Catholic, her husband, one of the artwork’s two benefactors, arranged her funeral at St. Aloysius Church in 2024 and wanted a way to honor her there. A plaque highlighting her life sits at one corner of the work.

Planning for and creating the mural took about a year.

“It has been my experience that if you truly pray and take yourself out of the equation, and let it happen, God will work it out,” Father LoMonaco said. “Because we are on God’s time, He is not on our time.”

After Father LoMonaco tackled a long string of parish maintenance projects, the time felt right to finally focus on the beautification of the church.

“I got all the important stuff done. The elevator, the heating system and the AC, and now it is nice to have some art,” Father LoMonaco said.

Though the mural is complete, Father LoMonaco has already hired Autry to design another on the adjacent wall to depict Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, complete with the Magi and a manger.

“I just pray a lot and ask the Lord what He wants to be done. And I thought the idea would be nice,” Father LoMonaco said. “But, I give Lisa artistic license. Just like you don’t want to tell a priest what to preach, you don’t want to tell an artist what to paint.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

HUNTERSVILLE  — A joyful and historic day for the Diocese of Charlotte unfolded May 30 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville as Bishop Michael Martin ordained 10 men to the priesthood, the most ordained at one time in the history of the diocese.

As the Mass started, Bishop Martin called the occasion “a day of great joy for the Church and for these 10 men as we come together with hearts filled with joy.”

The Liturgy of Ordination drew a crowd of 1,640 people who started arriving more than two hours early to get a seat in the church to witness the solemn and beautiful event.

About 1,400 people filled the pews while another 240 watched a livestream of the ordination from an overflow space at the adjacent St. Mark School. Shuttle buses transported those who parked at a nearby public elementary school to the campus.

The historic landmark of 10 new priests follows the ordinations of six men in 2025 and closely approaches the previous record of seven achieved in both 2000 and 2024. With only two priests retiring this summer, this year’s ordinands will join the 145 priests now serving in some capacity for a Catholic population that tops 575,000.

The newly ordained priests are Father Robert Bauman, Father Michael Camilleri, Father Daniel Chaves Peña, Father John Cuppett, Father Maximilian Frei, Father Juan González Hernández, Father Bryan Ilagor, Father Michael Lugo, Father Peter Townsend and Father James Tweed.

Bishop Martin offered a homily that focused on both the sheer joy of the day and the commitment the men must show to the people they will serve.

“We’re here to rejoice in the thousands whose lives will be touched by Jesus Christ through your hands, through your words,” he said.

The day’s readings from Numbers, Hebrews and John’s Gospel, he said, offered a special focus on the work the men will do as priests, offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and bringing the message of Christ to the world while being conscious of the need to meet people where they are.

“Your voices in this kingly dimension of the priesthood must be believable such that people will follow not just what you say, but follow who you are,” he said. “They need to see Jesus Christ in each of you … You have to sit at the feet of the master and place your lives before Him so that others will see Him.”

The Gospel reading, in which Jesus tells Peter to “feed my lambs,” offered a poignant example of the work the men have ahead of them.

“You have to love the people of God you’re being sent out to serve,” he said. “His sheep are every human person on the face of the Earth, every person in whatever school or parish, every community, every hospital or nursing home. Wherever you go, love them all … you cannot wait for them to come to you, you have to go out to them. That is the nature of the apostolic Church. As you feed them with this holy banquet, you nourish them in ways only the Lord can.”

When the homily concluded, the men lay prostrate during the Litany of Supplication. The bishop then laid his hands on their heads and prayed over them. A long line of more than 95 priests who attended the ceremony then laid hands on the men as a symbol of priestly unity.

The 10 were then vested with their stole and chasuble by priests who had played meaningful roles in their lives. They were anointed with sacred chrism and received bread and wine as a symbol of their new ability to celebrate Holy Mass. They then received the fraternal kiss of peace from Bishop Martin and the other priests in attendance.

The diocesan choir offered a beautiful selection of hymns and anthems during the liturgy, and the choir from Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte sang the offertory hymn “I Love the Lord, He Heard my Cry.”

At the end of the Mass, the new priests processed out of the church to applause from the crowd that had gathered in the courtyard.

Maria Mossman, a parishioner at St. Mark, attended the ordination with her five children, including son Gabriel, 8, who is interested in the priesthood.

“It was so beautiful – I was crying for almost the whole time,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see the tradition of the Church and the fraternity this brings to these men as they become priests.”

After the Mass, the new priests’ families gathered in the church to take pictures with Bishop Martin. They then moved to the parish hall for a reception as the new priests spent more than two hours offering their first blessings.  

Father James Tweed’s mother and stepfather, Mary and Tom Hall, had wide smiles on their faces at the end of Mass.

“Today is about celebrating the glory of God and recognizing him as our son and a priest in the line of Melchizedek,” Tom Hall said, referring to the antiphon sung while his son was being vested with his stole and chasuble.

Mary Hall said it was both “overwhelming and humbling” to watch her son being ordained.

“I feel like an overflowing fountain today,” she said. “We’re all just covered in blessings today.”

— Christina Lee Knauss. Photos by Troy C. Hull, Amy Burger and Patrick Schneider

Following their ordination, Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., announced where each of the new priests will serve, effective July 1:

• Rev. Robert W. Bauman: Chaplain at Appalachian State University in Boone
• Rev. Michael P. Camilleri: Parochial Vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem
• Rev. Daniel E. Chavez Peña: Parochial Vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville
• Rev. John W. Cuppett: Chaplain of Christ the King Catholic High School in Huntersville
• Rev. Maximillian K. Frei: Parochial Vicar of St. Pius X Parish in Greensboro
• Rev. Juan González Hernández: Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe
• Rev. Bryan Ilagor: Parochial Vicar of St. Therese Parish in Mooresville
• Rev. Michael J. Lugo: Parochial Vicar of Queen of the Apostles Parish in Belmont
• Rev. Peter J. Townsend: Parochial Vicar of Holy Infant Parish in Reidsville and St. Joseph of the Hills Parish in Eden
• Rev. James C. Tweed: Parochial Vicar serving the faithful serving the faithful at the Catholic Community of Waxhaw

Vesting the new priests

During the May 30 Mass, the newly ordained priests remove their deacon’s stoles and are presented with the symbols of their new office in the Church: a priestly stole and chasuble (vestment). This moment is known as the “investiture.” The priests are assisted by other priests they have personally chosen to vest them.

• Robert Bauman — Father John Eckert, vocations director for the diocese
• Michael Camilleri — Father Bob Ferris, retired diocesan priest
• Daniel Chaves Peña — Father Francisco Javier Mahia
• John Cuppett — Father Jose Palma Torres, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem
• Maximilian Frei —Monsignor Karl Chimiak
• Juan González Hernández — Father Eusebio Gonzalez Hernandez
• Bryan Ilagor — Father Ricardo Sanchez, pastor of Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe
• Michael Lugo — Father Herbert Burke, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish
• Peter Townsend — Father Matthew Buettner, spiritual director of St. Joseph College Seminary
• James Tweed — Father Joseph Yellico, chaplain at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

First Masses of Thanksgiving

Following their ordination, the new priests offered the following first Masses:

Deacon Robert Bauman

Sunday, May 31, 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury

Sunday, June 7, for the Feast of Corpus Christi, 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Church in Charlotte

Deacon Michael Camilleri

Sunday, May 31, 3 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Church in Boone

Deacon Daniel Chaves Peña

Sunday, May 31, 10 a.m. in English at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville

Deacon John Cuppett

Sunday, May 31, noon at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem

Deacon Maximilian Frei

Sunday, May 31, 9 a.m. at St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton

Deacon Juan González Hernández

Sunday, May 31, 1:45 p.m. in Spanish at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville

Deacon Bryan Ilagor

Sunday, May 31, 2 p.m. bilingual at Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe

Deacon Michael Lugo

Sunday, May 31, at 9 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City

Deacon Peter Townsend

Sunday, May 31, 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Church in Charlotte

Deacon James Tweed

Sunday, May 31, 9 a.m. at St. Mark Church in Huntersville

Meet the new priests 

Father Robert Bauman

Age: 31

Home parish: St. Ann in Charlotte

Born and raised in: Wilmington, NC

Interests/hobbies: Hiking, disc golf, running and reading at a local coffee shop

Summer assignments in the diocese: Sacred Heart in Salisbury, Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem and St. Lucien’s parish / St. Bernadette’s mission in Spruce Pine / Linville.

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “During an eight-day Ignatian silent retreat.”

Father Michael Camilleri

Age: 26

Home parish: St Elizabeth Church, Boone

Born in: Florida

Raised in: North Carolina

Interests/hobbies: Learning languages and calligraphy

Summer assignments in the diocese: St Jude, Sapphire; Our Lady of the Mountains, Highlands; St Gabriel, Charlotte

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “I first heard the call to the priesthood when I was very young – 3 or 4 years old. My family loves to talk about how I used to “play Mass,” which is actually one of my earliest memories. I lost sight of the vocation in late elementary school until right before high school. I wanted to go into computer science.

While preparing to enter high school, by the grace of God, I decided to pursue what He put on my heart from that early age, and I entered the college seminary.”

Father Daniel Chaves Peña

Age: 44

Home parish: Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville

From: Bogotá, Colombia; moved to New Jersey in 1993

His journey of formation led him to missions in Peru from 2016 to 2018, and then to Rome, where he earned his Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology in 2021. In 2023, Chaves joined the Diocese of Charlotte’s seminary program.

When did you first feel a calling to the priesthood? “When I got to what was going to be my last year of high school, I ran cross-country and I was doing pretty well. I had many scholarship offers from universities here in the United States, and in the final race of the state championship in New Jersey, I collapsed just before reaching the finish line. They rushed me to the ER, and they told me it was my sugar levels – they were extremely low. That began a crisis not only health-wise, but spiritually. And I wasn’t getting better. I had relapses, so the decision was made for me to return to Colombia with my mom.”

Father John Cuppett

Age: 28

Home parish: St. Leo the Great in Winston-Salem

Born in: Cary, NC

Raised in: Four Oaks, NC

Vested by: Father Jose Palma Torres

Interest/hobbies: Sports and the outdoors, including hiking and camping

Summer assignments: Missionary work with the order of Jesus Crucified in Louisiana

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? Cuppett played baseball at Belmont Abbey College and clarified the call while at college.

“During high school I was interested in joining the seminary after I graduated; however, I did very little in pursuing it and soon it faded into the background. From then on and up until college it was a fun idea, but nothing more. After high school I attended Belmont Abbey College on a baseball scholarship, where I played as a second baseman for four years.

During my time at the Abbey, I met Matthew Harrison, a Charlotte seminarian. I informed him of my past dream of becoming a priest and he invited me to visit St. Joseph College Seminary. I did, and then all my previous desires and hopes for the priesthood came crashing back. I quickly sought help in my discernment with the diocesan Vocations Office. My senior year at the Abbey, I started spiritual direction with Father Brian Becker, the diocese’s promoter of vocations, and he helped me tremendously by answering all my questions, fears and thoughts regarding my vocation. Together we discovered that my call to the priesthood was very real, and he referred me to Father Christopher Gober, diocesan vocations director, to begin the process of applying.”

Father Maximilian Frei

Age: 31

Home parish:St. Dorothy in Lincolnton

Born in: Villingen, Germany

Interests/ hobbies: Chess, fitness and spiritual reading
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte; St. John Church in Waynesville and St. John the Baptist in Tryon

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood?  “The first time I can remember when I had a calling was when I was waiting in the confession line as a kid. Many years later in my mid 20's, after living a worldly and superficial life, it was Our Lord once more who called me to serve him as a priest.”

Father Juan González Hernández

Age:35

Home parish: Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville

Raised in: Mexico City, Mexico

When did you first feel a calling to the priesthood? “It was the day that my brother was ordained a priest in 1997 when I was just about to turn 7 years old. On that day, the light bulb in me lit up and I asked myself, ‘What if I myself become a priest one day, like my brother’”

What was it like to continue your studies by leaving for Spain? “My brother, a priest, and two of my sisters, who were cloistered nuns, lived there. My brother studied in Spain while in seminary and my sisters were also a part of the institute Obra de Amor, which brought them to Spain.

Having them there was helpful, because even though it was a new experience for me, I could be close to my family and learn from them.”

What does it mean to you to be able to serve the Hispanic community in this diocese? “I have lived in many different places with a variety of cultures. I feel as though I mold well to both communities, the Anglo and Hispanic communities. So the idea that my mentor at Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville, Father Andrés Gutierrez, has mentioned is to create a singular and strong community out of both of those cultures. That way, people do not show divisions but, rather, the Church becomes a place where everyone feels like one community.”

What will it mean for you to become a priest? “It is a radical change in my life, because after this moment I will be a representative of not only the Church, but of Jesus Christ. Of course, the responsibility is much bigger, but I am also conscious that God’s grace, the prayers of the faithful and a spiritual life, help to take charge of that weight.”

Father Bryan Ilagor

Age: 30

Home parish: Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe

Raised in: Zitácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico

Interest/ hobbies: “Expanding my knowledge of different cultures, such as Japanese, Korean, Filipino and many others; watching TV and movies and a football fan of La Liga, the Premier League and other leagues.”

Summer assignments in the diocese: Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville and St. Francis of Assisi in Lenoir

 When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood?

“Many seminarians can recall dressing up as priests, and that was their realization. However, I did not have a big realization moment. Instead, it was a step I decided to take in my life (at least, that’s how I saw it at first). I was not big into participating in Church activities, but I always found myself helping in the Church instead of going out with my friends to watch a movie. I always found myself at peace while serving the Church.

Hence, if I had to decide a moment in my life when I first realized, it was when I was helping my Pastor Ricardo Sanchez to close the church one night. After locking all the doors of the church, turning off all the lights, and making sure no one was left behind, I met with my pastor at the sanctuary to say goodbye. We were the only ones left at the church, and he asked me a question I have not forgotten. ‘Bryan, do you want to be a priest?’ Before I could respond, he said, “Before you answer, look at the Tabernacle; you are not going to answer to me but to God.” Great. I thought to myself. Now, I can’t lie or give an incomplete answer. I thought, ‘If this is God’s will, I will give it a shot.’ Shortly after, I told my pastor, ‘Yes.’ This first ‘step’ was accepting that God called me to enter the seminary. In the past, many parishioners had said, ‘You should be a priest,’ but dismissed them with ‘I don’t think it is my calling.’ Seven years later, I am here, realizing I will be ordained a deacon in a few months.”

Father Michael Lugo

Age: 25

Home parish: Immaculate Conception in Forest City

Born in: Kansas

Raised in: Rutherfordton, NC

Interests/ hobbies: Running, skiing, euchre, reading and piano

Summer assignments in the diocese: Holy Cross, Kernersville; St. Lucian and St. Bernadette, Spruce Pine/Linville; St. John the Baptist, Tryon

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “There were several points growing up that I remember seriously considering it as an option. But I really started taking it seriously during Quo Vadis Days in the summer of 2018. Throughout the course of that week, spending time in prayer and learning about the priesthood, it seemed to me that the priesthood was the summation of everything I wanted out of life, particularly the way in which the life of a priest is completely dedicated to one thing: the service of God.”

Father Peter Townsend

Age: 25

Home parish:St. Ann in Charlotte
Born in: Racine, Wisconsin

Raised in: Charlotte
Interests/hobbies: “I enjoy playing guitar in my free time and reading a good novel (right now I’m reading Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamozov). I’ve also found that I enjoy learning languages. Right now, I’m working on Spanish and would like to one day work on French (maybe even Italian and German!).”

 Summer assignments in the diocese: “During my college days, I participated in the St. Joseph Workers’ program where myself and my brother seminarians traveled around the diocese performing different odd jobs like lawn mowing, mulch spreading, painting.

After entering theology, I spent my summers at St. John the Baptist Parish in Tryon, St. Mark Parish in Huntersville and Our Lady of Grace Parish in Greensboro.”

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “I always knew I wanted to be a priest, so I entered St. Joseph College Seminary straight out of high school.

 “I first felt the call to the priesthood when I was about five years old, and the feeling never left me. So, when St. Joseph’s opened in 2016, I knew what I had to do.”

Father James Tweed

Age: 31

Home parish: Sacred Heart in Brevard

What are your hobbies? Working out, writing poetry and prose, walking in the woods, oil painting and hosting friends.

Who is your favorite saint? The Blessed Virgin Mary. When I’m with her, I feel very close to Jesus.

What is your favorite Bible verse? “For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness” (Wisdom 7:25-26).

What was your journey of discernment like? “God planted the seed of my vocation from my earliest years. It grew quietly, nurtured by grace, the sacraments and the loving care of my family.

There were moments when I sensed I was set apart for something special, though I couldn’t yet see what that would be.

Then came the moment during the Steubenville retreat in Atlanta. I was completely unprepared – the thought had never even entered my mind. I did not want this path, and I could not have imagined choosing it myself. Yet, in that moment, I felt an irresistible movement within my heart. It was as if the Lord spoke my name in a way that embraced my whole being, drawing me with a love both commanding and tender. Almost before I knew it, I stood. In that moment, I understood with clarity and joy that my life belonged to Him.”

Any advice for men considering the priesthood? “The joy, peace and purpose that come from embracing God’s plan for your life far surpass any earthly attachment. Do not be afraid to trust Him, even when the path is unclear. God’s call is a gift.”

During his May 13 general audience in St. Peter’s Square, the pope dedicated his catechesis to Mary, reflecting on her role as "model," "mother" and "pre-eminent member" of the Church through the teaching of the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution "Lumen Gentium."

The date marked 45 years since St. John Paul was shot and seriously wounded in St. Peter’s Square during a general audience in 1981. The Polish pope was struck twice while passing through the square in his open popemobile. He was rushed to the hospital, where it was discovered that no vital organ was pierced. He later credited his survival to the protection of the Virgin Mary and maintained a lifelong devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.

The shooter, Mehmet Ali Agca, was apprehended immediately and later visited by the pope who forgave him and called for his pardon. After serving 20 years in an Italian prison, he was deported to his country of Turkey in 2000. 

The pope was shot May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first of the Fatima apparitions, and the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Three children were tending sheep May 13, 1917, when they had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The apparitions continued once a month until Oct. 13, 1917. The children said Mary asked them to promote devotion to her Immaculate Heart and to pray the rosary daily to bring peace to the world.

In greeting the Portuguese speakers, Pope Leo said that the Church turns its gaze to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima today, where Mary delivered a message of peace.

"In that place, so dear to Christianity, numerous pilgrims from the five continents gather today: their presence is a sign of the need for consolation, unity, and hope of the people of our time," he said in Italian. 

Pope Leo said Mary is the model of what the "Church is meant to be," because her "unconditional 'yes' shows us how to be members of the Church."

"Let us be challenged by Mary’s example of humility, active faith and obedience," he said to English speakers following his address. "Let us generously respond in love, magnifying God in our hearts, and receiving strength from the sacraments."

He called Mary an “icon of the Mystery,” saying that in her, God’s plan of salvation is revealed through both divine grace and her free acceptance of God’s will.

Continuing his catechetical series on the Second Vatican Council, the pope quoted "Lumen Gentium," saying the council’s teaching on Mary helps the faithful "love the Church and to serve within her the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God."

The Church contemplates the mystery of Mary, not only because of her faith, her charity and the fact that she is the mother of Jesus, but also because, above all, she fulfilled all that she was called to be through the Lord.

Pope Leo called on the faithful to ask for Mary to help through her intercession, saying that everyone can learn from her example of humble and active faith, ending his address by saying, "Let us ask the Virgin to obtain this gift for us: that love for the Holy Mother Church may grow in all of us."

— Josephine Peterson, Catholic News Service

Rubio, who is Catholic, spoke with the American pope for over 45 minutes in a private meeting in the Apostolic Palace before also sitting down with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's foreign minister, for talks that reaffirmed "the shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America," according to the Vatican.

"There was then an exchange of views on the regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as the need to work tirelessly to promote peace," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement released after the meeting.

Secretary Rubio wrote on social media that he met the pope "to underscore our shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity."

In a separate statement, the State Department said Rubio's meeting with Cardinal Parolin covered mutual cooperation and pressing international issues, including humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East. Rubio also welcomed the recent arrival of Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as the new apostolic nuncio to the United States.

It was Rubio's second substantive meeting with Pope Leo. On May 19, 2025, the day after the pope's inauguration Mass, Rubio and Vice President JD Vance also held a bilateral meeting with the pope, according to Vatican News.

On the eve of the May 7 audience, Cardinal Parolin told journalists that the U.S. government had requested the meeting and that the pope remained open to continued dialogue with Washington.

"We cannot ignore the United States," Cardinal Parolin said. "Despite some difficulties, they certainly remain a key partner for the Holy See, not least because they play a role in almost every situation we face today."

Cardinal Parolin said that he was expecting to discuss "themes of international politics and above all conflicts," including issues in Latin America and Cuba -- "all those that are the most pressing issues." On Iran, he said the Holy See would offer no new proposals beyond its longstanding call for dialogue.

"These conflicts," he said, "cannot be resolved by force, but must be addressed and resolved through negotiation," adding, "Let it be a negotiation of good will, sincere, so that all parties can express their point of view and find points of convergence."

The visit of the U.S. secretary of state comes days after Trump reignited tensions by repeating his claim that the pope "thinks it's just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon" in an interview that aired May 5, an assertion that Pope Leo swiftly rejected.

"If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so with the truth," Pope Leo told journalists outside Castel Gandolfo that evening.

"The Church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt about this," the pope added. "I simply hope to be heard for the sake of the Word of God."

Cardinal Parolin weighed in on recent public clashes between Pope Leo and Trump, calling the president's repeated attacks on the pope "a bit strange to me, to say the least."

At a White House briefing the same day, Rubio disputed suggestions that his Vatican visit was an attempt to "smooth things over with the pope," saying the two sides have "shared concerns" including religious freedom in Africa and the distribution of humanitarian aid to Cuba.

"We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously, they won't let us distribute it," said Rubio, who is the son of Cuban immigrants. "We distribute it through the Church. We’d like to do more. We're willing to give more humanitarian aid to Cuba, by the way, distributed through the Church, but the Cuban regime has to allow us to do it."

On the question of a possible phone call between Trump and Pope Leo, Cardinal Parolin said May 6 it was "premature" to say whether one would take place, but indicated the pope would be receptive.

"The Holy Father is open to all options," Cardinal Parolin said. "If there were an offer or a request for a direct dialogue with President Trump, I imagine that he would have no difficulty in accepting it."

The meeting with Rubio was one of several audiences on the pope's schedule that day. Pope Leo also met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, bishops from Burkina Faso and Niger, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, and members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

Rubio is scheduled to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on May 8.

— Courtney Mares, OSV News

Rev. Robert W. Bauman

Newly ordained, to Chaplain at Appalachian State University in Boone.

Rev. Oscar D. Benavides

From Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Lexington to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Charlotte.

Rev. Herbert T. Burke Jr.

From Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Forest City to Parochial Vicar of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte.

Rev. Michael P. Camilleri

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem.

Rev. Daniel E. Chavez Peña

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville.

Rev. Jason M. Christian

To Parochial Vicar of Holy Cross Parish in Kernersville.

Rev. John W. Cuppett

Newly ordained, to Chaplain of Christ the King Catholic High School in Huntersville.

Rev. Binoy P. Davis

From Parochial Vicar of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte to Parochial Administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish in Forest City.

Rev. Matthew W. Dimock

From Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Parish in Salisbury to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Mercy Parish and Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Winston-Salem.

Rev. Maximillian K. Frei

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of St. Pius X Parish in Greensboro.

Rev. Juan González Hernández

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe.

Rev. John D. Hanic

Retiring as Pastor of St. John Baptist de La Salle Parish in North Wilkesboro and St. Stephen Mission in Elkin.

Rev. Aaron Z. Huber

From Chaplain of Christ the King High School and Priest in Residence at St. Mark Parish in Huntersville to Parochial Administrator of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa.

Rev. Bryan Ilagor

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of St. Therese Parish in Mooresville.

Rev. Michael J. Lugo

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of Queen of the Apostles Parish in Belmont.

Rev. Gnanapragasam Mariasoosai

Retiring as Pastor of St. Joseph of the Hills Parish in Eden.

Rev. Huver E. Navarro-Vigo

From Parochial Vicar of St. Therese Parish in Mooresville to Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Lexington.

Rev. David F. O’Connor

From Parochial Vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville to Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe.

Rev. Engelbert Ofon

From Parochial Vicar of St. Therese Church in Mooresville to Parochial Administrator of St. John Baptist de La Salle Parish in North Wilkesboro and St. Stephen Mission in Elkin.

Rev. José A. Palma Torres

From Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Mercy Parish and Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Winston-Salem to Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph of the Hills Parish in Eden and Holy Infant Parish in Reidsville.

Rev. Peter T. Pham

From Priest in Residence at St. John Neumann Parish in Charlotte to Chaplain for Charlotte-Area Hospitals.

Rev. Benjamin A. Roberts

From Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe to serving the faithful at the Waxhaw campus of St. Matthew Parish as a Priest in solidum with Father Patrick Cahill, Moderator Priest in solidum. Father Roberts will lead them in the process of becoming their own parish.

Rev. Peter M. Rusciolelli

From Parochial Vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem to Parochial Administrator of St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem and Good Shepherd Mission in King, effective Dec. 31, 2026.

Rev. Jonathan D. Torres

Returning from sabbatical to Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Parish in Salisbury.

Rev. Nohé Torres Vizcaino

From Parochial Administrator of Holy Infant Parish in Reidsville to return to his home Diocese of Ciudad Valles, Mexico.

Rev. Peter J. Townsend

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of Holy Infant Parish in Reidsville and St. Joseph of the Hills Parish in Eden.

Rev. James C. Tweed

Newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar of the Waxhaw Catholic Community.

Rev. Melchesideck W. Yumo

From Parochial Administrator of St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem and Good Shepherd Mission in King to return to his home Diocese of Buea, Cameroon, effective Dec. 31, 2026.

— Catholic News Herald

Priest assignments FAQ

1. How are priest assignments determined in the Diocese of Charlotte?

Each year, priests complete a survey expressing their current status and any ministerial goals or interests. Bishop Michael Martin, with guidance from the priest personnel board, reviews these inputs alongside parish needs. Assignments are made based on a careful balance of diocesan priorities, priest development and pastoral care.

2. Are priests moved on a regular schedule?

No, the Diocese of Charlotte does not follow a fixed rotation system. Instead, assignments are made based on the specific needs of the time. Pastors typically serve for five to six years or longer, while parochial vicars move more frequently to gain experience and support areas of greater need.

3. Why are reassignments necessary?

Reassignments respond to parish growth, retirements, special missions and other changes. The goal is to serve the diocese as a whole – matching priests’ gifts with the needs of various communities to build up the Body of Christ.

4. How do reassignments impact parishes and priests?

Reassignments can be emotional as relationships between priests and parishioners grow strong over time. While change is challenging, it brings renewal: new energy, new ideas, and new opportunities for growth in faith and ministry – for both priest and parish.

5. When do assignments take effect?

Priest assignments are typically announced in May and take effect on July 1. This allows time for smooth transitions and warm welcomes for incoming clergy.

An administrative stay issued by Justice Samuel Alito blocked a May 1 temporary injunction issued by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals until at least 5 p.m. on May 11 EDT.

Alito directed the state of Louisiana to respond by May 7.

The stay in effect restores permission for the drug's distribution by mail.

Previously, the 5th Circuit had granted May 1 Louisiana's request to temporarily pause the Food and Drug Administration’s policy permitting mifepristone -- a drug commonly, but not exclusively, used for abortion up to ten weeks' gestation -- to be mailed into the state despite its own laws restricting abortion.

Danco Laboratories, one of the pharmaceutical companies that manufactures the drug, promptly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to block that injunction.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, alongside Rosalie Markezich, who said she was coerced into taking abortifacient drugs by her then-boyfriend, sued the FDA over a Biden administration policy permitting mifepristone to be distributed by mail. The suit contends the policy enabled Markezich’s former partner to acquire the drug from a California doctor, whom Markezich says never spoke with her, and then coerced her into taking it.

However, the Trump administration has thus far left that regulation in place despite opposition from pro-life groups, and has sought to block state challenges to mifepristone, such as Louisiana's.

Prior to the appellate ruling, a federal judge on April 7 had granted the Trump administration's request to pause Louisiana’s lawsuit challenging the FDA’s approval of mifepristone pending the FDA's promised safety review, indicating the state could continue its challenge after that review. However, the status and timeline of the FDA’s review are still unclear.

Proponents of mifepristone -- the first of two drugs used in a chemical or medication-based abortion -- argue it is statistically safe for a woman to take, and attempts to restrict it are an attempt to ban abortion outright. Opponents of the drug’s use for abortion argue there are significant risks to those who take it, particularly outside of medical settings, in addition to ending the life of an unborn child early in its development.

The Catholic Church teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death, and as such, opposes direct abortion.

However, the same drug combination has sometimes been used in recent years for miscarriage care, where an unborn child has already passed, a situation that Catholic teaching would hold as morally licit use.

 — Kate Scanlon, OSV News

Pope Leo XIV sits for a photo with members of Catholic Charities USA as he meets with the agency's directors May 4, 2026, in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.  Executive director and CEO of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, Gerry Carter was in attendance (far right, front).  (OSV News photo/Mario Tomassetti, Vatican Media)

"It was a truly humbling experience to have met with Pope Leo XIV as part of board service with Catholic Charities USA," said Gerry Carter, executive director and CEO of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. "His Holiness reminded us several times in his remarks that all of us engaged in the Church’s charitable work should never lose heart – even in the face of challenges – because the Lord has promised us: 'I am with you always' (Mt. 28:20). I come back even more deeply dedicated to our shared work of charity across the diocese."   

Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, spoke after the papal audience about Catholic Charities' Gospel-driven mission, its emergency food response amid disruptions to federal food stamp programs, and the new "People of Hope" initiative currently traveling the country traveling the country that will be in the Diocese of Charlotte December 7-8.

She said the encounter with Pope Leo XIV left the delegation "deeply moved and confirmed in our commitment to serve poor and vulnerable people of all backgrounds … to bring merciful love and aid to people who need it the most, wherever they are suffering."

In Pope Leo's speech to the organization's board of directors and senior staff, the pope encouraged their work to "seek to find solutions to inhumane situations, to alleviate the suffering of individuals and families, and to relieve the burden of those who are weighed down by hardship and strife."

The pope also acknowledged the difficulties inherent in charitable work, from securing sufficient resources to combating discouragement, and urged them not to lose heart.

"I am fully aware that the Catholic Charities agencies in the United States of America are by no means immune from these challenges," the pope said. "Yet it is precisely when we are confronted with such obstacles that we must learn to hear Jesus' voice saying to us once again, 'I am with you always!'"

The papal audience comes at a moment when "many Americans are struggling to make ends meet," Robinson said, describing how donors to Catholic Charities stepped up to fill in the gap following disruptions to federal nutrition programs.

When funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP and commonly referred to as food stamps, was disrupted during the 43-day shutdown of the federal government in 2025, Catholic Charities USA launched an emergency fundraising appeal.

SNAP, which serves approximately 42 million Americans, provides food-purchasing assistance to low- and no-income individuals and families.

Catholic Charities was ultimately able to provide 2.5 million tons of food to families facing hunger, distributing 100% of donated funds directly to local Catholic agencies and food distribution partners serving those in need.

"When Americans are made aware of the names and the faces of hungry people, they want to help," Robinson said.

She noted that the organization has seen a rise in private giving as donors become more aware of hardship at the local level, "We're seeing an increase in anxiety around just the basics."

"Catholic Charities USA is the official disaster response agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. and the third largest in the country, second only to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, but the only one without a congressional mandate to serve as such," she said.

"When there is a flood or a wildfire or a hurricane, I just see people rushing in to help," she added. "I see the goodness that is common to all of us, and the desire to be part of a solution, to kind of be bridge builders, to be people of mercy and hope -- and that covers the full theological and political spectrum."

Founded in 1910, Catholic Charities USA serves as the national membership organization for 169 independent Catholic Charities agencies operating across the United States and five territories. Collectively, those agencies serve more than 16 million people annually, regardless of their religious background.

Robinson, who has led the organization for two and a half years, spoke of the spiritual dimension of serving the poor and its challenges. "That work, while deeply meaningful, is hard because you are bearing witness to human suffering every day, and there never seems to be enough resources to meet the plight of poor families and communities," she said.

"We know that in our 115 year history, whenever there is any kind of a dramatic change or upheaval, it is the poor who suffer disproportionately, and we see an increase in the demand for the services that we offer, basic things like food, shelter, job training," she said.

Robinson recalled a moving story shared with her by a Catholic Charities worker in the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, in which a man approached a staffer years after his mother had brought him to a safe shelter as a child. "‘It was the first time that I could sleep through the night and knew that I was safe,'" he told her, adding that because of the help he had received, he had broken a five-generation cycle of family violence.

"Now I am married and I am a father," he told her. "And for the first time … in five generations, because of your help… the violence in our family has been broken."

Robinson reflected, "It seems like you're making a difference in one day for one family, but it can lead to ending this cycle of violence and poverty."

During the audience, Robinson presented Pope Leo with a bound edition of "People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors," a book filled with stories of people Catholic Charities serves, drawn from the organization's new traveling museum of the same name.

The museum, housed in a retrofitted semi-truck and made possible by a nearly $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., features 42 first-person video testimonials from Catholic Charities staff and volunteers across the country. It began a three-year national tour in March and is expected to visit more than 150 communities across the U.S.

The book was offered as a gesture of gratitude to Pope Leo, who in a letter to the Catholic Charities network last fall called its members "agents of hope."

"I have never seen such unity in the Catholic Church. And I've worked for the Catholic Church since I was 14," Robinson said. "This is a moment in the United States where we feel enormously supported by Catholic bishops for all of the work we do. And I think that they are speaking increasingly with a unified voice, reminding all Catholics and people of goodwill about the Gospel mandate to be merciful, that you cannot separate authentic Christian life from care for and love of the poor."

The papal audience took place as Catholic Charities USA board began a series of meetings in Rome, including with Caritas Internationalis, the worldwide federation of Catholic social service organizations of which Catholic Charities USA is a member.

Pope Leo entrusted the organization to intercession of Mary Immaculate, patroness of the United States, and imparted his apostolic blessing to all of Catholic Charities 169 agencies across the country.

"Your work with the less fortunate continues to provide a privileged opportunity to share the joy of the Resurrection, and I thank you for this sincere witness of faith," Pope Leo said.

 — Courtney Mares, OSV News

Hoefling

The changes were formally adopted at the finance council’s April 22 meeting.

The updated bylaws establish a more layered governance approach that includes eight standing subcommittees to support the Finance Council – aligning the diocese with governance models already in use at many of the nation’s large dioceses, notes Matthew Ferrante, the diocese’s chief financial officer.

Among the changes, eight standing subcommittees were created: Audit; Financial Planning and Analysis/Benefits and Insurance; IT Systems and Data Management; Real Estate and Facilities; Membership and Governance; Development; Legal; and Investment.

Under Church law, every diocese must have a finance council made up of members of the Christian faithful who are experienced in financial matters. The finance council’s significant expansion builds on its strong foundation by bringing in additional expertise, Ferrante said.

“This new structure allows for much greater engagement in our processes with industry leaders who are among the lay faithful and who serve on our committees,” he said.

Ferrante“By creating these specialized subcommittees, we are able to bring in professionals with deep expertise in areas like real estate, investments, legal affairs and technology – people who are committed to the mission of the Church and who want to contribute their talents to its stewardship,” Ferrante said.

Each committee will be led by a finance council member and may include additional clergy and lay experts. The committees will be introduced in phases over the next year, with all expected to be in place by the end of 2027.

Hoefling is chief financial officer of Charlotte-based global investment firm Barings. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial sector and holds a B.S. in Accountancy from Villanova University and a Master of Accountancy from North Carolina State University. He is a member of St. Gabriel Parish in Charlotte.

— Catholic News Herald