The project was announced April 21 during a press conference given by Bolivia’s deputy minister for the Promotion of Sustainable Tourism, Andrés Aramayo; the bishop of Oruro, Cristobal Bialasik; architect Josefina Matas, who will direct the restoration; and Debra Hevia, chief of mission at the U.S. embassy.

The U.S. will make an investment of $66,240 toward the restoration of the historic church, which dates back to the early 17th century.

Hevia said the funding comes from the U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Preservation Fund, which has a history spanning more than 26 years of protecting Bolivian cultural heritage.

“This church is beautiful. Its architectural style and murals tell the story of Bolivia, and we want to protect them to share with the world,” she said, highlighting the importance of preserving Bolivia’s history and combating the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage objects.

“As the Ministry of Sustainable Tourism, Cultures, Folklore, and Gastronomy, we view culture as a catalyst for our national pride, of our essence, but also for the social cohesion and peace we so urgently need to truly understand where we come from and where we wish to go,” Aramayo said at the press conference.

The project, which entails the repair and waterproofing of the thatched roof as well as the reconstruction of the buttresses that support the building, will respect the churchʼs architectural style and unique construction materials, the deputy minister explained. In addition, the exterior walls and façades, which have deteriorated with age, will be restored.

The building, constructed between 1587 and 1608, is located in the Andean province of Sajama at an elevation of 12,788 feet above sea level.

It is a large structure built of stone and adobe, featuring stone buttresses and a gated entrance to the church compound composed of two pilasters and a semicircular arch executed in a Renaissance style.

Inside the church, the walls and ceilings feature paintings depicting biblical scenes, which were completed in 1777 according to period documents belonging to the town of Curahuara de Carangas.

In 1960, the church was declared a national monument. With this restoration, the town hopes to become a hub for economic and social development through tourism, as part of a national religious tourism strategy.

At the press conference, the local bishop expressed his gratitude to the United States, as well as to Germany, which funded previous restoration work on the church.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Chisim, 65, received the papal honor “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” in 2025 in recognition of her lifelong service to the Church. The award highlighted a vocation lived not in vows or ordination but in persistent support of Catholics discerning consecrated life.

Mariamnagar Parish, founded in 1937 by American Holy Cross missionaries, has produced at least eight priests and seven religious sisters over the years. According to clergy and religious from the parish, Chisim has played a role — both direct or indirect — in nearly all of those vocations.

A member of the parish, Chisim teaches at the local Catholic school and serves as a catechist. Known for her fidelity to Church teaching and firm moral guidance, she has long accompanied young people considering the priesthood or religious life, often stepping into roles usually filled by parents or formal formation staff.

Though never officially assigned to a seminary or formation house, Chisim has acted quietly and become what local clergy call a “caregiver of vocations,” introducing boys and girls to seminaries and religious congregations, helping them navigate formation, and supporting them materially when poverty threatened to derail their calling.

Chisim, the mother of one child, personally financed the seminary education of her younger brother — now Father Joseph Chisim. Beyond her family, she has continued to follow the progress of seminarians and candidates, remaining in contact with them through letters, visits, and phone calls, particularly during moments of doubt or crisis.

Father Sanchaya Ignatius Chisim (no relation to Lobdine Chisim), rector of St. Paul’s Minor Seminary in Jalchatra, Tangail, credits the influence of the laywoman as decisive in his own discernment. Speaking to EWTN News, he said she first inspired him while teaching catechism classes during his school years.

“She encouraged me to enter the seminary and continued to guide me after I joined,” he said. “She gave me advice and counseling, and many times helped me financially while I was a seminarian.”

During vacations home from the seminary, Father Chisim recalled, she would regularly check on him. “She protected me like a mother and warned me against temptation. She played an important role in my becoming a priest, and I am grateful to her.”

Religious sisters from Mariamnagar Parish offer similar testimony.

Sister Mary Hima of the Associates of Mary, Queen of Apostles, now headmistress of St. Lawrence School in Dhaka, said she first encountered Chisim as a child in catechism classes.

“She inspired us to become sisters even then,” Hima told EWTN News. “When I later entered the formation house, she was very happy and continued to motivate me, saying that as a sister I would be able to serve very well.”

Hima said Chisim’s support did not end after first profession. During a difficult period in her early religious life, when she felt unable to confide in her community or family, she turned to Chisim for guidance.

“She gave me honest advice and counseling, which helped me continue my religious life with strength,” Hima said, adding that she remains deeply grateful.

Beyond individual discernment, Chisim has become a respected figure throughout her village. She regularly leads evening prayers and is known for encouraging priests, sisters, and laypeople to live faithfully and ethically.

Speaking to EWTN News, Chisim said her motivation comes from a simple conviction about the life of the Church.

“Priests and sisters provide wonderful service. They keep the Church alive,” she said. “That is why we need many of them.”

She explained that she offers financial assistance only to those pursuing religious vocations, not for marriage. “Many families live below the poverty line,” she said. “Some boys and girls lose enthusiasm because they cannot afford books, exam fees, or school costs. I help them as much as I can.”

Although she does not consider herself wealthy, Chisim said she finds peace in supporting vocations. “I spend less on the world so that I can help them,” she said.

Her role has even extended to assisting diocesan leadership. She recalled being asked by Bishop Ponen Paul Kubi, CSC, of Mymensingh to counsel seminarians struggling with hesitation shortly before ordination.

“I talk to them and encourage them to return to the seminary,” she said. “Many have continued and are now serving the Church beautifully.”

For those who know her, Chisim’s life stands as a testimony to the often-unseen power of lay witness — a vocation of fidelity that, quietly and persistently, has helped sustain the Church in Bangladesh.

Melkite Greek Catholic priest Father Marios Khairallah told ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, that he returned to the Lebanese town of Tbenine on April 17 following the ceasefire that had come into effect. Entering the church, surrounded by shattered glass, he found the consecrated bread exactly where he had left it weeks earlier — unchanged despite the absence of people for 47 days. He described the discovery as a confirmation of God’s enduring presence amid suffering.

“After 47 days, there is no scientific explanation for why the bread did not spoil,” Khairallah said. “But for us, this is not strange, because we believe this is the body of Christ. This is our faith, it is neither new nor unfamiliar. We believe in God’s presence in the Eucharist.”

He said the story was a “message of hope for the parish,” adding: “It is true that there is destruction in Tbenine. But there is also an encounter with Jesus… Jesus waited for us for 47 days, without human presence.”

Khairallah also noted that a statue of the Virgin Mary remained standing amid the devastation, describing her as “the mother who awaits her children.”

Khairallah also spoke about the situation of residents, noting that the town is home to around 55 Melkite Catholic families who were forced to leave due to the war. After the ceasefire, some returned temporarily to retrieve clothes and belongings, while most are now staying with relatives, in rented apartments, schools, monasteries, or with friends.

The priest pointed out that aid remains almost nonexistent so far, except for assistance that arrived through a papal mission, while some individuals have helped provide medication.

He also praised the role of the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, describing him as “a true shepherd and father who cares for everyone” and noting that “he does what no one else does, visiting us even under shelling.”

As for the town itself, he said it suffers from an almost complete lack of basic necessities: no water, no electricity, and no internet, along with harsh cold that worsens the already difficult conditions. He explained that most of Tbenine’s residents are of limited means: retirees, teachers, soldiers, and farmers with no affluent class able to absorb the impact of the crisis.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The online confrontation began after Sikorski responded to Sa’ar’s post apologizing for the destruction of the statue, which he called “grave and disgraceful.” Sikorski wrote that the IDF soldier “should be punished” and that “IDF soldiers themselves admit to war crimes. They killed not only civilian Palestinians but even their own hostages.”

Sa’ar condemned the response, describing the IDF as “a professional and ethical army” adding: “One should be cautious about making irresponsible statements that can ultimately lead to dangerous consequences.”

Catholic Church in South Korea surpasses major population milestone

South Korea’s Catholic population has surpassed 6 million people for the first time, according to statistics released by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.

The numbers released on Tuesday indicated that while the total population of Catholics in the country did not change from the previous year at 11.4%, the total number of Catholics rose by 9,178 from the year prior to 6,006,832, according to a Seoul Economic Daily Report Thursday.

Jesus mosaic created by refugee fleeing Nazis to be preserved

A mosaic of Jesus created by a refugee of Nazi persecution will be preserved, along with the historic Catholic church it is housed in, according to The Tablet.

The mural depicting Jesus on the cross created by Jewish Hungarian emigre artist George Mayer-Marton in 1955 will remain at Holy Rosary Church in Manchester, England, after the Oldham Mural & Cultural Heritage Trust launched a plan to turn the church into an arts and culture center.

Report alleges violations during Syria cost-of-living protest

A report on the April 17 protest in Damascus, Syria, says a peaceful civic demonstration calling for better living conditions, anti-corruption measures, justice, and accountability was met by intimidation, incitement, and multiple violations, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Sunday.

The “Justice for All” report said five people were injured, journalists were targeted in attacks, and a car attempted to drive into the protest, where between 900 and 1,200 Syrians staged a sit-in in Yusuf al-Azma Square.

The report also noted verbal threats against the protesters, who remained peaceful and carried only the Syrian flag, while some opponents used inflammatory slogans, filmed demonstrators, and challenged them over their political history. It urged independent investigations, prosecution of those responsible for incitement and abuse, stronger protections for journalists, and better safeguards for the right to peaceful assembly.

Beloved Italian missionary in Indonesia dies after five decades of ministry

Father Natalino Belingheri, the last surviving member of the first group of Italian missionaries assigned to Indonesia’s North Kalimantan province, has died.

“Thousands” of Indigenous Dayak in North Kalimantan attended Belingheri’s funeral, according to a Licas News report on Monday.

Belingheri, who was known locally by his Dayak name, “Wan Abung,” died April 10. He had been serving in remote areas across the northern province of Indonesia since 1977 and played a significant part in the establishment of the Diocese of Tanjung Selor in 2001, according to the report.

Catholic Nobel laureate urges Church not to ignore political prisoners in Belarus

Ales Bialiatski, a Catholic and Nobel laureate, is calling on Church leaders to intervene on behalf of political prisoners in Belarus in the wake of recent crackdowns on religious freedom.

“Western Church leaders and Vatican diplomats should be helping more against current restrictions,” Bialiatski told OSV News Thursday.

Bialiatski’s remarks come after the March 16 arrest of Father Anatoly Parakhnevich, a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev, by KGB agents and the closure of his church.

Bialiatski has been detained multiple times, including in 2021 amid government crackdowns on nationwide protests following President Alexander Lukashenko’s contested election. “I know from my own experience how good it is to be free, with time to recover and rebuild oneself — and if I get to meet the pope, Iʼll inform him of our Churchʼs needs,” Bialiatski said.

Thailand Catholics mourn seminarians killed in car accident

A funeral for four teenaged boys, including two seminarians, in Thailand drew hundreds of attendees, according to a report from Licas News on Monday.

“With their character and faith, they were the hope of their families and of the Thabom community, who longed to see them become priests,” said Father Nicholas Sarawut Sahaikaen, rector of the Prince of Peace Seminary in Udon Thani, in his eulogy for the two seminarians. He noted that one of the boys had also applied to seminary but was unable to attend due to family circumstances.

At the packed event at the stadium on April 23, the Holy Father formally concluded his visit with Mass, closing a four-nation pastoral visit that took him to 11 cities in northern, central, and southern Africa.

“The time has come for me to say farewell to Equatorial Guinea and also to Africa,” Pope Leo XIV said at the end of the Mass, situating his departure within what he termed a grace-filled journey “that God has allowed me to make.”

He reflected on the significance of his April 13–23 encounters in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, stating: “I carry from Africa an invaluable treasure of faith, hope, and charity.”

Those who spoke to ACI Africa at the concluding Mass expressed a comparable assessment, also characterizing Pope Leo XIV’s presence on the continent as a treasure.

‘A profound experience of faith’

For Father Jose Fernando Liso, 44, the defining takeaway lay less in the logistical success than in its spiritual benefits.

“I believe it has been a profound experience of faith,” he told ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa.

Situating the events of the papal visit within the collective effort of the clergy, women and men religious, and the lay faithful, the parish priest of St. Anthony Abad Parish of the Archdiocese of Malabo said the experience “has involved fatigue, hard work, ups and downs.”

Yet for Liso its real significance will be measured in its aftermath, he said,  emphasizing the virtue of responsibility.

“The responsibility, the growth of our nation as a Church and of our nation as a whole, depends on the responsible decisions that each of us … make,” he said, referencing a key theme he attributed to the Holy Father’s broader reflections during his maiden trip to Africa as pope.

Also at Malabo Stadium for the closing Mass was Maria Lourdes Ndong Esono, 57, who framed her experience through a recollection that links two papacies across decades.

“We were thrilled with the pope’s visit; it couldn’t have come at a better time,” she said.

Esono recalled “walking from Malabo to the airport to see Pope John Paul II” alongside her pregnant mother in February 1982 and expressing gratitude, adding: “Today I got to see Leo XIV.”

Encouragement amid loss and uncertainty

For Sister Gertrude Ehizokhale of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, Pope Leo XIV’s impact was both affective and pastoral.

Having served in Equatorial Guinea for nearly two years, the native of Nigeria interpreted the papal visit through the lens of missionary presence and local context.

“I’m so happy because the pope came all the way from Rome to visit us,” she said.

Her reaction to the Holy Father’s homily focused on its motivational dimension: “His words … really gave me that more encouragement.”

More specifically, she pointed to the pope’s reference to the death, in controversial circumstances, of Father Fortunato Nsue Esono, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Malabo, just days before the arrival of the Holy Father in Equatorial Guinea.

For Ehizokhale, the pope’s words of consolation and call for truth and justice at the beginning of his homily functioned as a stabilizing intervention. “That encouraged us … [who] were a bit discouraged,” she said.

From the papal homily, she highlighted a call to generosity, “not to be attached to only to ourselves but to others also, learn to give” as well as a preferential concern for the poor, which she interpreted as a source of consolation and the assurance “that we have God on our side.”

Peace, joy, and national framing

Narciso Pedro Nsue, the president of Radio Maria Equatorial Guinea, situated the papal visit within a broader communicative and national context.

“The pope brings peace, joy, and hope to the entire country,” Narciso told ACI Africa.

He emphasized that Equatorial Guinea as “the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa,” suggesting that the presence of Pope Leo XIV in his native country carries representational significance beyond strictly ecclesial boundaries.

For 19-year-old Ricardo Bibang Bonsundi, a representative of the Bixió tribe who was at the stadium adorned in traditional attire, he attended “to extend greetings and welcome to the people and to Pope Leo XIV.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

The ministryʼs initial sale of the pro-life pillow raised roughly $40,000 shortly after they began, Schaefer told EWTN News. “With the sale of the pillow, we were featured in an article, and that’s how the first invitations to schools started to emerge in 2015.”

“So, itʼs been 11 years since weʼve been in schools,” Schaefer said. “Since that first presentation, all kinds of things have come forth: We have presented in eight different states, we are all over the state of Nebraska, we have developed a K-4 Celebration of Life program, a fifth through sixth program, a middle school, and a high school and beyond program.”

Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, Heart of a Child Ministries is growing into a multistate presence, with two new fetal certified educators in Illinois, one in Springfield and another set to be trained in Mokena in October. The organization also now has certified educators in Alabama and Idaho. 

Fetal development education for every level

Heart of a Child’s fetal development education brings live ultrasounds to classrooms in a way that is specially tailored to suit each grade level. Its K–4 program centers on “fun fetal facts for kids” and includes “all kinds of hands-on things,” such as a team of musicians who play songs, according to Schaefer. “The kids absolutely love it,” she said. “We’re just putting the joy of life in front of them.”

Having the foundation of a K–4 program is crucial, according to Schaefer. “It really solidifies the deal — it puts the truth in their hearts from the very beginning so that when the lies start coming in middle school through social media, through their friends, they’ve already seen an ultrasound; they’ve already learned all these amazing facts about what’s happening.”

Through middle school, the curriculum progresses with more detailed fetal development facts, adoption stories, and begins addressing the abortion issue. In high school, the live ultrasound and fetal development education is supplemented with more detailed information about abortion, a testimonial speaker, and a panel discussion.

The ministry’s first college event on March 30, sponsored by Turning Point USA, utilized this format. The event took place at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska, and included a panel of two OB-GYN doctors, a representative for the abortion pill reversal (APR), Teresa Kenney, host of the Hormone Genius podcast, and other pro-life experts.

“We feel confident that when kids walk away from that, their hearts are changed, their hearts are moved, and we have the statistics to prove that,” Schaefer said, noting their events have had “a 56% conversion rate on average” among students regarding the topic of abortion.

Schaefer emphasized that the root of the program’s success is its holistic approach, acknowledging that each child processes information differently depending on age, personality, and maturity.

“Every piece that we do is extremely important because it hits kids at different levels,” she said. “Some kids are more logical, right? They want the facts. Some kids are more heart. They want to hear a testimonial for some from someone who had an abortion, and it affected them. That’s what’s going to touch their hearts.”

9 months of pregnancy for 9 months of school

Apart from its latest multistate expansion, Heart of a Child has also debuted a fetal development curriculum for teachers to implement in their classrooms year-round.

Titled “The Journey Within,” the teacher-led curriculum takes students through nine months of pregnancy during nine months of the school year, with posters, fetal development PowerPoints, ultrasound videos, studies, and images of babies in the womb.

A version of the curriculum is available for both public and Catholic schools and has been vetted by a medical panel for accuracy, Schaefer noted.

“For Catholic schools, we have a spiritual component where each month the teachers go through Scripture readings or a Church teaching, and the kids reflect on that, write about that, and go deeper,” she said. The faith-based curriculum operates under a “4S model” that incorporates Scripture, science, stories, and service. Each faith-based school that Heart of a Child presents to completes a service project, such as raising money to buy diapers for pro-life pregnancy centers.

Schaefer emphasized the importance of fetal development curriculum today, noting that “right now the buzz in pro-life education and the pro-life movement in general is that different states have passed a law requiring fetal development education.”

States that have laws requiring fetal development education in public schools include Tennessee, Idaho, North Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, Iowa, and Ohio. Lobbying efforts in Nebraska to pass similar legislation have yet to be successful, Schaefer said, citing difficulty in finding a senator to prioritize a bill with precise language.

“We’ve been meeting with senators, and unfortunately the bill they came up with [had] the potential for a Planned Parenthood to get in there and do fetal development education because it was too loose,” she said. “So weʼve recommended the senators to go back and redo the language, and it might be where certain fetal development programs are required in the state of Nebraska.”

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has signaled his support of efforts to pass legislation requiring education on fetal development in Nebraska public schools, telling EWTN News in an interview earlier this year: “I am 100% behind it and am supportive of it.”

In a recent advocacy appeal, the organization called on Americans to contact their representatives in support of global food aid programs, emphasizing that such efforts reflect a commitment to human dignity, solidarity, and the common good. The House is expected to take up the farm bill (H.R. 7567) during the week of April 27.

“Hunger is a daily reality for families around the world — and the decisions Congress makes right now will shape the future of our global family,” the statement reads. “With the House vote approaching, a narrow window offers a critical opportunity to speak up.”

In an emailed statement to EWTN News, CRS emphasized that U.S. international food assistance — particularly Food for Peace — must remain strong and flexible as “around the world, needs are rising, and these programs are often the difference between families getting through a crisis or not.”

The organization said it is “particularly concerned about anything that would limit flexibility or reduce resources at a time when global hunger is already at historic levels.”

“Programs like Food for Peace have a long track record of saving lives,” it continued, “and it’s critical they remain well funded and able to adapt to complex emergencies.”

It added that in “fast-moving crises, delays or limitations can mean families go without food when they need it most” and framed the issue more broadly: “At its core, this is about human dignity. Hunger isn’t just a policy issue — it’s a moral one.”

“CRS is encouraging both Catholics and policymakers to keep the needs of the most vulnerable at the center of these decisions,” the organization said.

The push comes as lawmakers will decide whether to vote on more than 300 amendments to the legislation, revealing sharp disagreement over whether the bill should focus primarily on domestic nutrition programs or maintain a significant role in global humanitarian food assistance.

Much of the debate has centered on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative. Some proposed changes would tighten eligibility requirements, alter benefit structures, or restrict the types of foods eligible for purchase, including sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods. Other proposals would expand access through measures such as universal school meals, increased nutrition incentives, and additional support for food-insecure communities.

Together, the competing proposals highlight differing visions for federal food policy — whether it should be narrowly focused on alleviating hunger or also used to influence dietary outcomes and public health.

Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, has led Republican negotiations on the bill, while Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, the committee’s ranking Democrat, has served as the lead Democratic negotiator.

In a statement shared with EWTN News, a House Agriculture Committee aide for Thompson said the “Food for Peace program has a long history of helping both American farmers and hungry communities around the world.”

“The House Committee on Agriculture was proud to include a provision in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 that designates the United States Department of Agriculture as this program’s permanent home,” the statement continued. “Chairman Thompson continues to advocate for this program in the halls of Congress as debate on the farm bill advances.”

Craigʼs office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Catholic teaching frames hunger as global responsibility

Catholic organizations have long emphasized that hunger policy extends beyond national borders, a theme reflected in recent advocacy surrounding the farm bill.

In February, a joint Catholic letter to Congress from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), CRS, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Rural Life, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul urged lawmakers to strengthen both domestic and international food assistance programs.

The letter highlighted initiatives such as Food for Peace, which provides U.S. food aid abroad; McGovern-Dole Food for Education, which supports reducing hunger and improving literacy and primary education in low-income countries; and Food for Progress, which helps developing nations strengthen agricultural systems.

The letter’s emphasis on global responsibility reflects broader Catholic teaching on hunger, echoed in recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV.

Speaking at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome for World Food Day in October 2025, the pope noted that “whoever suffers from hunger is not a stranger. He is my brother, and I must help him without delay.”

He expanded on that theme more recently while speaking to reporters aboard the papal flight returning from Africa on April 23, reflecting on the responsibility of wealthier nations to address conditions in poorer regions of the world.

“I ask myself: What are we doing in richer countries to change the situation in poorer countries?” he said. “Why can we not try, both through state aid and through the investments of large wealthy companies and multinationals, to change the situation in countries like those we visited on this visit?”

I ask myself: What are we doing in richer countries to change the situation in poorer countries?”

Pope Leo XIV

Faith-based organizations, including CRS, have pointed to such statements in urging policymakers to maintain international food assistance as part of U.S. humanitarian leadership.

Amendments reflect long-standing debates

Several amendments reflect long-standing debates — often highlighted in Catholic advocacy — over how U.S. policy should balance domestic nutrition programs with international hunger relief.

An amendment by Rep. Jim Costa, D-California, would increase funding for the administration of Food for Peace, a program that provides U.S. food aid abroad, often using uses American agricultural commodities.

Introduced by Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-New York, and Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, another amendment would extend Food for Peace through 2031 and expand its scope to address child wasting, a severe form of malnutrition, through the use of specialized therapeutic foods.

Other amendments focus on domestic programs such as one introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tennessee, that would expand allowable SNAP purchases to include sliced meats and cheeses from delis.

Reps. Kim Schrier, D-Washington, and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, proposed creating a grant program under the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to support purchases from small and undeserved agricultural producers for distribution through emergency feeding organizations.

The House Rules Committee is set to decide April 27 whether to allow floor votes on any of the amendments.

Expert highlights food system links

Speaking more broadly about the farm bill debate, Stephanie Scott, a senior policy analyst at the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, said domestic nutrition programs and international food assistance are more closely linked than they are often treated in policy discussions.

“I think when it comes to the food priorities for both domestic and international, they’re kind of the same in what we as a nation would like,” she told EWTN News, noting that programs such as SNAP and international food aid both function as core tools for addressing hunger.

Scott said international food assistance programs also respond to crises driven by conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability, and raised concerns about whether funding levels are sufficient to meet rising need both domestically and abroad.

“Prioritizing international food security,” she added, “is not only a human right and a basic need but a strategic one.”

Wendy Duffy told the New York Post she paid $13,500 to the Swiss assisted-dying nonprofit the Pegasos clinic.

Duffy’s son, Marcus, died at age 23 four years ago after choking on a tomato lodged in his windpipe while sleeping. Nine months later, unable to cope with her grief, she attempted suicide by overdose and was placed on a ventilator for two weeks.

She told the Daily Mail suicide is the only way her “spirit can be free.” She also said no amount of medication or therapy can make her whole again, and she “can’t wait” to die. She added: “I could step off a motorway bridge or a tower block but that would leave anyone finding me dealing with that for the rest of their lives.”

She said she has chosen her deathbed outfit and requested that Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” play as she dies. Her belongings will be donated afterward.

Duffy said she plans to call her four sisters and two brothers from Switzerland to say goodbye. “It will be a hard call where I’ll say goodbye and thank them,” she said. “But they will get it. They know. Honestly, 100%, they know that I’m not happy, that I don’t want to be here.”

Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, even for physically healthy people. On its website, Pegasos says it “believes that it is the human right of every rational adult of sound mind, regardless of state of health, to choose the manner and timing of their death."

Duffy’s case follows the recent death by euthanasia of 25-year-old Noelia Castillo in Spain. On March 26, the young woman was euthanized over her father’s objections. The case sparked national debate in Spain, where euthanasia has been legal since 2021.

The Church in Spain called Castillo’s death “a societal defeat.”

In a statement, members of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference’s Subcommittee for the Family and Defense of Life said Castillo’s “story reflects an accumulation of personal suffering and institutional failings that challenge the whole of society.”

Timeʼs up for right-to-die bill in UK

Meanwhile, a right-to-die bill has stalled in the U.K. Parliament. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ran out of parliamentary time and therefore failed in the House of Lords on April 24.

The archbishop of Liverpool, John Sherrington, said he was grateful to “all those Parliamentarians who have worked tirelessly to preserve the dignity of every human life and ensure that end-of life care remains rooted in compassion and respect until the natural end of life.”

The Catholic Church teaches that suicide and euthanasia are gravely immoral.

In a 2024 message to a palliative care symposium, Pope Francis called euthanasia “a failure of love.” He recalled when he said previously that assisted suicide and euthanasia constitute a “false compassion.”

“‘[C]ompassion,’ a word that means ‘suffering with,’ does not involve the intentional ending of a life but rather the willingness to share the burdens of those facing the end stages of our earthly pilgrimage,” he said.

In St. John Paul II’s 1999 address to the Pontifical Academy for Life, “Love and Solidarity for the Dying,” he said: “No one can arbitrarily choose whether to live or die; the absolute master of such a decision is the Creator alone.”

In his 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae, he said: “suicide ... involves the rejection of love of self and the renunciation of the obligation of justice and charity towards one’s neighbor … In its deepest reality, suicide represents a rejection of God’s absolute sovereignty over life and death.” Euthanasia is likewise condemned as “a grave violation of the law of God.”

He also calls euthanasia “a false mercy, and indeed a disturbing ‘perversion’ of mercy. True ‘compassion’ leads to sharing anotherʼs pain; it does not kill the person whose suffering we cannot bear.”

He continued: “Moreover, the act of euthanasia appears all the more perverse if it is carried out by those, like relatives, who are supposed to treat a family member with patience and love, or by those, such as doctors, who by virtue of their specific profession are supposed to care for the sick person even in the most painful terminal stages.”

While the Church says euthanasia and assisted suicide are never permissible, it supports palliative care. According to Dian Backoff, former executive director of Catholic Hospice for Catholic Health Services, palliative care is meant to address “what the whole patient wants during the treatment of an illness,” whether or not the patient is terminally ill or dealing with a long-term affliction.

“Palliative care, then, is a genuine form of compassion, for it responds to suffering, whether physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual, by affirming the fundamental and inviolable dignity of every person, especially the dying, and helping them to accept the inevitable moment of passage from this life to eternal life,” Pope Francis said in 2024.

The U.S. Department of Justice said on April 24 that it was moving to once again “seek, obtain, and implement lawful capital sentences,” restarting the federal death penalty process that had been indefinitely stalled under the Biden administration.

Among the measures that the Justice Department said it will take include “expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad” as well as “streamlining” administrative processes to hasten executions by the federal government.

The government said it would also seek to restart carrying out lethal injections by pentobarbital, a barbiturate that prisoner advocates have said can cause extreme pain and suffering when used in executions.

In an accompanying report released on April 24, the Justice Department called pentobarbital “the gold standard of lethal injection drugs.” It described the drug as “more humane” than other modes of execution and pointed out that it has been used in assisted suicide procedures in the U.S. for those suffering from terminal illnesses.

Pope Leo XIV urges abolition of death penalty

The governmentʼs announcement came roughly at the same time on April 24 that Pope Leo XIV addressed, via video message, a gathering of activists at DePaul University celebrating the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois.

The pope in his message noted that the Catholic Church teaches that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."

The Holy See updated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 2018 to explicitly call for the abolition of capital punishment worldwide. Leo likewise told the pro-life advocates in his hometown of Chicago that the Church “affirm[s] that the dignity of the person is not lost even after very serious crimes are committed.”

The Holy Father said he joined the advocates in celebrating the stateʼs 2011 abolition of the death penalty; he wrote that he offered his “support to those who advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world.”

“I pray that your efforts will lead to a greater acknowledgement of the dignity of every person and will inspire others to work for the same just cause,” the pope wrote.

Leoʼs message comes one day after he spoke out forcefully against executions aboard the papal plane returning from his apostolic visit to Africa.

Asked about Iranʼs reported large-scale executions, the pope said: “I condemn the taking of people’s lives. I condemn capital punishment. I believe that human life is to be respected and that all people — from conception to natural [death] — their lives should be respected and protected.”

Barr, a Catholic, said because Iranʼs potential use of nuclear weapons posed a legitimate threat to the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, the war doesnʼt violate just war doctrine.

Barr said the Iran war doesnʼt clearly violate just war doctrine during an April 23 panel discussion hosted by the Napa Institute.

“The traditional position of the Church was to exhort leaders to take into account all the factors, but not to say, ‘thatʼs wrong’ unless it clearly violated the just war doctrine, which this obviously doesn’t,” Barr said.

‘If we allow this window to go by’

Barr, a former board member at the Catholic Information Center,  said the U.S. faces “difficult questions dealing with nuclear weapons” and argued that allowing the window of opportunity to dismantle Iranʼs nuclear capabilities to pass by would result in grave consequences.

“If somethingʼs obviously out of bounds, you can say the Nazis, you know, should not have invaded this, or, you know, Saddam Hussein should not have invaded Kuwait. But thatʼs not the situation we face,” he said.

“We face these very difficult questions dealing with nuclear weapons,” Barr said. "We’ve tried for a long time to deal with it, and if we allow this window to go by, the costs in the future are much higher, and the likelihood will be that the people won’t be willing to pay that, and nuclear weapons will be deployed by Iran.”

“Youʼre basically weighing these imponderables and risks,” he said. “If the cost of dealing with it later and allowing them more time to reach a certain level of conventional force will make it almost impossible to deal with it without massive losses, including in Europe, certainly in the Middle East and certainly among Americans, then those future costs have to be taken into account and say thereʼs a window now.”

“When youʼre faced with some of these difficult issues, itʼs very easy to stand back and say, turn the other cheek, or take an absolutist position [that] ‘you shouldnʼt be violent,’” Barr said. “But that begs the question, that doesnʼt really solve the problem, and deal with the real issue at stake that other people have to deal with.”

Barr also said he believed “the primary temptation of religious people is self-righteousness,” which he said Pope Francis “was very good to call attention to.” He said he has seen Catholics on both ends of the political spectrum fall into “virtue signaling,” which he said, “is not coming to grips with the real moral choices and the real practical reality.”

Reflecting on his upbringing, Barr said his father got him interested in St. Augustine, the fourth- to fifth-century theologian who developed criteria morally limiting when war may be justified.

“My parents always said, ‘Think things through, donʼt just take your belief like itʼs a suit off a rack in a store and say, ”OK, Iʼm putting this coat on, this is what I believe.“ Understand why you believe it,’” he said.

Barr’s remarks come as Leo calls for peace and Church officials question the justification of the war on the basis of just war doctrine. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., Cardinal Robert McElroy have said they do not believe the war fits just war criteria.

Leo has said the Iran war fails to align with just war theory, citing failure to exhaust all diplomatic resources, disproportionate civilian harm, and lack of clear moral objectives. The U.S. bishops have publicly backed Leo, stating that just war teachings do not morally authorize unchecked military violence.

Popes seldom issue blanket rulings but Pope Benedict XV made clear World War I lacked moral legitimacy given its scale, civilian toll, and lack of proportionate ends. Pope John Paul II warned the Gulf War did not meet just war criteria. And the Vatican also formally stated in 2003 the Iraq invasion failed just‑war standards.

Pope Leo XIV urges peace

The Holy Father has said “God does not bless any conflict” and said that “anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

On Palm Sunday, Leo stated that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: Your hands are full of blood.’”

The Trump administration defunded Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers for one year; this letter asks the Senate to continue this defunding for 10 years.

Signed by Live Action Founder Lila Rose, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, March for Life Action President Jennie Bradley Lichter, and more than 30 others, the letter urges the Senate to ban abortion funding in the 2026 budget reconciliation package.

“Without further congressional action, federal funding for the abortion industry will resume after July 4, 2026, and taxpayer dollars will once again flow to organizations whose core business model relies on abortion,” the letter read.

“The financial stakes are significant,” the letter continued. “Planned Parenthood alone receives over $830 million annually in taxpayer funding, primarily through federal health programs. Ending this funding would represent one of the most meaningful pro-taxpayer reforms Congress can enact.”

Pennsylvania court rules state Medicaid program must cover abortion

A Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that the state constitution guarantees a right to abortion and that state Medicaid funds must cover abortion.

The April 20 decision struck down a decades-old law that protected taxpayer money from being used to cover abortion through Medicaid.

The case could still be appealed to Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court.

In addition to Pennsylvania, 21 states in the U.S. use Medicaid funds to cover abortion, and an additional seven states sometimes do in certain circumstances.

Pennsylvania joins 12 other states that have enshrined a right to abortion in their state constitutions.

In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal through 23 weeks of pregnancy.

U.S. senator urges Federal Trade Commission to investigate ‘misleading’ claims by abortion drug groups

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate abortion drug manufacturers’ claims that the drugs are “safer than Tylenol.”

In an April 20 letter to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Banks asked the commission to investigate “misleading” claims made by those selling abortion drugs, as the trade commission can intervene in “deceptive trade practices.”

“Many online clinics — including online clinics that ship to women in Indiana — explicitly state on their websites that abortion drugs are safer than Tylenol,” Banks said. “Others claim that abortion drugs almost never cause serious complications.”

“At best, these statements are misleading,” Banks continued.

“Emerging evidence indicates that abortion drugs are more dangerous than manufacturers and dispensers claim and cause serious medical complications in a concerning number of cases,” Banks said.

Banks urged the commission to “act swiftly and without delay,” noting that “companies that profit from abortion drugs should be honest about their risk.”

Thousands gather for Virginia March for Life

Thousands of Virginians gathered for a March for Life on Wednesday in Richmond, Virginia.

Speakers included national March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter, leaders from the American Association of Pro-Life OB-GYNs, and the Catholic dioceses of Richmond and Arlington, among others.

On the day of, The Family Foundation Action, which partnered with other organizations to host the March for Life, also held a training session for pro-lifers designed to equip them to talk about abortion.

“We had about 1,000 people attend the training, which is remarkable,” Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, told EWTN News. “We had four different trainings: one for ministry leaders, students, medical professionals, and pro-life activists. Attendees were thrilled to be equipped to be more than just a voter but an influencer.”

Richmond Bishop Barry Knestout led the closing prayer of the rally before the march.

“Father, we ask you for grace today, for all those entrusted with the responsibility of leadership in our commonwealth, that they have the courage to turn away from the darkness of the culture of death and turn toward the light of the Gospel of life,” Knestout prayed.

The event, held April 19–22 at the Manresa Ignatian Spirituality Center, brought together participants from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Haiti in addition to the Dominican hosts.

The meeting served as an opportunity to discuss the prevention of abuse, taking into account its pastoral, psychological, and legal dimensions, according to a statement from the Dominican episcopate.

Archbishop Héctor Rafael Rodríguez of Santiago de los Caballeros, president of the Dominican Bishops’ Conference (CED, by its Spanish acronym), emphasized that “as evangelizers, we must ensure safe environments where every person, especially the most vulnerable, is respected.”

“Written protocols are not enough unless they are embodied in concrete attitudes,” the prelate emphasized.

Furthermore, Auxiliary Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrera of Cusco, Peru, secretary-general of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Council (CELAM, by its Spanish acronym), stated that “the prevention of abuse in the Church is neither a strategy nor an option; it is a commitment of the Gospel.”

Therefore, the bishop added, “it is fundamental that we commit ourselves to working together on prevention and on the protection of the most vulnerable.”

Auxiliary Bishop José Amable Durán Tineo of Santo Domingo, president of the Dominican bishops’ National Commission for Pastoral Ministry for the Culture of Care, encouraged continued work in the region, “applying the knowledge acquired under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.”

The Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Culture of Care is composed of bishops and delegates from the offices, commissions, and councils of bishops’ conferences as well as other Latin American ecclesial bodies, the statement from the CED noted.

It was formed during the first meeting held in Chile in 2023. Its second meeting was held in Colombia in 2024, and its third meeting took place in the Dominican Republic in 2025. The network serves as a vehicle to coordinate abuse prevention within the Church.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The diocese announced the rollout of “Maria” this month. It describes the tool as a means of “thoughtfully exploring how new technologies can support more attentive listening, more consistent communication, and more personal engagement with those we serve.”

Bishop Frank Caggiano says on the programʼs website that the digital tool will “help us discern how technology may support deeper connection and accompaniment.”

“Maria will help us learn how digital tools can deepen our listening and foster more personal responses, while always keeping human relationships at the heart of the Church’s mission,” he said.

Ethical safeguards, ‘huge potential’

On the April 15 edition of his weekly podcast “Let Me Be Frank,” Caggiano jokingly described himself as “technologically a Neanderthal,” but he expressed excitement that the tool could be used “not just to raise money but to evangelize.”

Speaking on the podcast to diocesan chancellor Deacon Patrick Toole, who spent years as an executive with the technology giant IBM, Caggiano asked if an AI agent can “ever get to the point where it could resist human control.”

Toole acknowledged that such a scenario was “possible,” though he noted that AI companies institute “huge safeguards” to ensure that AI personalities are trained properly.

The deacon said that the diocesan chancery has been holding discussions about “how to use artificial intelligence for the good of the mission” and that diocesan fundraising “seemed like a good opportunity to try it in an area where we donʼt have the resources.”

“My primary motivation was that weʼre doing so many really exciting things and itʼs hard to get the message out,” he said.

Emily Groccia, a vice president at the tech company Givzey, which helped design Maria, said on the podcast that the program was rolled out to 1,000 donors in late March.

She said part of the toolʼs programming will be to “graduate” donors to actual human workers under some circumstances, such as when someone wants to significantly upgrade a donation, or if they raise intimate personal questions better addressed by a fellow human being.

“We are very cautious on allowing our [AI] to engage in lines of conversation that are outside of those traditional fundraising conversations,” she said.

The bishop said that AI fundraising represents “huge potential” for the nearly 200 dioceses in the United States. But he stressed the need for “guidelines” to ensure that AI agents do not take the place of human beings.

“Just off the top of my head, if someone reveals a death, I would not want the assistant to respond at all,” he said. “I want a human person to respond. ... Because again, as a Church, weʼre a unique reality.”

Diocesan spokeswoman Marie Oates shared with EWTN News several examples of Mariaʼs interactions with local Catholics. In one, a parishioner expresses interest in volunteering with immigrants, for which Maria was able to provide information on local Catholic Charities immigration services.

In another, a mother asks Maria for opportunities to get involved in diocesan programs with “other moms like me.” Maria offers to connect the mother to parish programs with mothers' groups and family ministries.

Oates said both interactions “highlight our goal for the program,” which she said focuses on “using AI [not] as a way to replace human relationships but as a tool to help us connect more personally.”

“[We want to use] AI to bridge the gaps in our ability as a Church to communicate directly with everyone, with the goal of fostering more personal and human connection and interaction, so that we as humans can better accompany each other,” she said.

On the bishopʼs podcast, meanwhile, Toole said that Catholics “have the opportunity to bear great fruit” with AI technology “as long as we align it to the One and make sure we stay true to that with Christ at the center.”

Caggiano described AI innovation as representing “an epochal shift in human life” comparable to the development of the printing press.

“Thereʼs no one on Earth alive — even these great architects of [AI] — who really know where all of this will go,” he said. “We need to answer the question, where should it go?”

NIAW runs from April 19–25, bringing attention to the high numbers of people — now 1 in 6 globally — who experience infertility at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organization.

Snead, a fellow at The Catholic Association, tackles the topic in her book “Infertile But Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Canʼt Conceive.” Through her story and the stories of other women, she wrote the book to be “the voice of a friend who has been where you are now and made it through in one piece.”

Snead said the book was “a chance for me to add to the growing conversation and awareness about infertility, especially among Catholics for whom in vitro fertilization (IVF) (the standard ‘cure’ for infertility) is not an option.”

In an interview with EWTN News, Snead shared her perspective and offered encouragement and advice for couples navigating the grief of infertility.

EWTN News: What might people not know about infertility?

Leigh Snead: For sure, how many people are suffering from it. For good reasons, this is a particularly private cross — it involves the most intimate parts of your marriage, for one. But marriage is public, and people can easily see if you do or donʼt have children, or, in most cases, whether or not youʼre expecting.

There is a lot of hard stuff experienced in silence and even shame. It might be hard to understand if you havenʼt been through it, but it can feel almost humiliating when you canʼt conceive and so you tend to slap on a smile and pretend nothing is wrong.

Itʼs too bad when we give in to this temptation to isolate ourselves from others who really only want to help. Yes, their concern can feel like even more pressure on top of what you may already be feeling internally, but you should open yourself up to their prayers.

In the same way, pray for married couples and couples you think might be carrying the cross of infertility, even before they ask you.

What do you wish you knew when you began navigating infertility, and what would you tell couples who are going through it now?

I wish I hadnʼt overlooked and underestimated the relief and comfort I could have received by being more open about my physical and emotional struggles when facing infertility. The more I kept it a secret, the more shameful it all felt, which led to isolation and even more secrecy and shame.

Privacy is one thing, but purposefully forgoing the love and prayers of those who only care for you out of shame over something you have little to no control over — nothing good can come of that.

What steps can couples who are going through infertility take?

Seek good medical care that aligns with your values. Learn and develop a good understanding of what the Church teaches, especially about the prohibition of IVF. Understand the “why” — not just the fact that itʼs “not allowed.” Communicate with each other and make time to enjoy your marriage even though youʼre struggling.

Bear this burden together. Find parish support groups or a group online. Pray together and choose a saint to accompany you. Youʼre probably going to feel and think some dark things, so frequent confession, spiritual direction, and counseling is a good idea.

What does the Catholic Church offer couples who struggle with this? What do you think the Church can do to further help them?

The teachings on marriage, sexuality, and procreation the Church gives us are such a gift, but we need to be reminded of them regularly. Iʼd like to see more priests and seminarians become fluent in the language of Catholic infertility. I think making a discussion about the possibility of infertility should be included in marriage prep courses.

The Catholic infertility ministry Springs in the Desert is a great resource not only for those carrying the cross of infertility but for those, like priests, hoping to support them.

What advice do you have for couples who are being pushed to try IVF and other methods that do not align with Church teaching?

Seek medical care from a doctor who respects or, even better, shares your views on marriage, sexuality, procreation, and human dignity. This is true for whatever type of medical care you may be seeking and is not limited to fertility care. If you feel mistreated by your physician, just walk out. There is another doctor out there who will provide you with the care you deserve.

You and your husband eventually became parents though adoption. What would you want people to know about adoption?

I think itʼs important to keep in mind that infertility and adoption are not to be lumped together, and I try to not conflate the two in my work. Thatʼs not always easy for me because I have four beautiful sons through the great gift of adoption.

Not everyone with a diagnosis of infertility will be called to adopt a child. There are so many ways to be fruitful! We shouldnʼt limit our idea of a fruitful marriage to the raising of children, and no one should feel obliged to adopt because theyʼre unable to conceive. And if they donʼt hear that call to adopt it does not mean that they didnʼt “really” want a child, or that they arenʼt suffering.

In a similar fashion, adoption fulfilled my call to motherhood but the arrival of my sons did not “cure” my infertility, nor did it take away the scars infertility can leave behind. Itʼs one of those messy parts of life where you feel all the feelings at once.

During HHS budget discussions on Wednesday, Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, pressed Kennedy about assisted suicide, noting that in several states, disability groups have filed lawsuits saying that their assisted suicide laws are discriminatory.

“Disability groups are filing against some of the assisted suicide laws because it seems to target those with disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990: That act has worked to protect those with disabilities, not incentivize them to take their own life,” Lankford said.

“We’ve now seen a rise of people with eating disorders that are given access to assisted suicide, and this is just wrong a multitude of ways,” Lankford added.

“What is HHS doing to protect those with disabilities that may be targeted by those assisted suicide laws?” Lankford asked.

“To me, I think those laws are abhorrent,” Kennedy responded. “And we just see in Canada today, I think the No. 1 cause of death is assisted suicide, and as you say, it targets people with disabilities and people who are struggling in their lives.”

Euthanasia is the fifth-leading cause of death in Canada, accounting for an estimated 1 in 20 deaths in Canada. The country is currently considering expanding medical assistance in dying (MAID) to individuals whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.

In the United States, assisted suicide is legal in 12 states and Washington, D.C. A recently-compiled database found that at least 14,000 Americans have died by assisted suicide since 1997; the actual number is likely much higher because not all states provide data.

“I don’t think we can be a moral society — we can’t be a moral society around the globe if that becomes institutionalized throughout our society,” Kennedy told Lankford. “So, I am happy to work with you in whatever way we can.”

Three ongoing lawsuits allege that their state’s assisted suicide laws are discriminatory against people with disabilities.

Most recently in December 2025, several disability and patient advocacy groups filed a lawsuit alleging that Delawareʼs new assisted suicide law discriminates against people with disabilities.

The Delaware lawsuit maintained that “people with life-threatening disabilities” are at “imminent risk” because of the new law.

“Throughout the country, a state-endorsed narrative is rapidly spreading that threatens people with disabilities: Namely, that people with life-threatening disabilities should be directed to suicide help and not suicide prevention,” the lawsuit read.

“At its core, this is discrimination plain and simple,” the lawsuit continued. “With cuts in health care spending at the federal level, persons with life-threatening disabilities are now more vulnerable than ever.”

In another recent lawsuit in July 2025, United Spinal v. Colorado, a coalition of advocacy groups claimed that Colorado’s assisted suicide law is unconstitutional because it allegedly discriminates against those who suffer from disabilities.

In 2023, a similar California lawsuit challenged California’s assisted suicide law, saying it puts people with disabilities at greater risk.

The panel was part of an April 22 event, “Shoulder to Shoulder: Strengthening Jewish-Catholic Friendship at a Moment of Crisis,” cosponsored by the college and the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism.

Featured speakers on the panel included Yarden Zelivansky, an active reserve sergeant in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a Jewish convert to Catholicism; Gideon Lazar, an American Jewish convert to Catholicism; and Aviva Lund, a Catholic of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.

The panel was moderated by Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism founding member Simone Rizkallah and Peter Wolfgang, president of the Family Institute of Connecticut Action.

Gen Z and Jewish-Catholic Relations

Observing an uptick in antisemitism among Catholics online, Lazar pointed to Gen Z’s reticence to accept arguments rooted in “brotherhood” or theological similarities between Catholics and Jews.

Lazar said Gen Z men are looking for answers related to theological and political differences, and that when arguments fail to address these differences, “what they’re hearing is you don’t have answers to their questions.”

“Gen Z men in many ways see a culture that has failed them, and they’re looking for answers and feel that because the older generations failed them, they don’t have those answers,” Lazar said.

“When Gen Z men don’t get those real answers,” he said, “theyʼre going to get them from random antisemites online who have quote-mined a bunch of random Church fathers to make the Church fathers and the tradition look antisemitic.”

He further condemned the weaponization of the phrase “Christ is King,” saying “one of the worst things that’s happened is this beautiful message, the kingship of Christ, has been corrupted by people who are fundamentally opposed to Christ.”

“How are we possibly supposed to tell our Jewish brothers and sisters that Jesus is their Messiah when we tell that to them, they think that means you hate us?” he said. “This should be a message of love.”

Being a Jewish Catholic convert in Israel

Zelivanksy, who co-hosts “The Voice of Jacob” podcast with Lazar, shared that his experience being a Jewish convert to Catholicism living in Israel has been “mostly surprisingly benign.”

“It seems to me that especially since Oct. 7, [2023], thereʼs been a shift in how Israelis view what kind of makes you a part of the nation of Israel,” Zelivansky said, explaining even if Israelis disagree with your theological position, he said, it is more important to them that “you do what everybody else does to be a part of the nation of Israel.”

“I canʼt say life is too complicated for me as a Christian. Generally, people seem to just not really care,” he said, noting that his IDF gear and car are marked with the Jerusalem cross.

“A lot of the problems people speak of in Israel are kind of centered in Jerusalem,” said Zelivanksy, who lives just outside Tel Aviv. “My friends who live in Jerusalem do experience some of the spitting and the cursing that you hear about, but Iʼve never experienced it anywhere else.”

Zelivansky, who attended the conference virtually after his flight was delayed due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, also offered his view as a Catholic regarding the war.

“Faith comes first. Faith informs morals. Morals inform politics," he said. “And serving in a certain countryʼs military certainly does not entail agreeing with every single policy.”

“I wouldnʼt say itʼs my place to comment on politics,” he said. “I would say that we all need to inform ourselves on current events that are relevant to us and examine them in the light of faith and not examine faith in the light of politics, which is something that tends to happen a lot, left and right, these days.”

Jewish-Catholic identity

During her remarks, Lund said embracing her Jewish roots as a cradle Catholic among her extended Jewish family has been a mostly positive experience, noting: “From my experience, Jews are not evangelical. They just care about their own people.”

“For me itʼs honestly kind of been an evolution,” she said. “The way I approach it now is basically our Jewish brethren are our brethren, theyʼre our older siblings, and so, we might as well just enjoy them as fellow human beings.”

Lund said her Jewish roots have influenced her Catholic faith, because “the more I meet Jewish brethren, the more I deepen into the mystery of Jesus, especially with evangelizing.”

Sister Francis Domenici Piscatella was born on April 20, 1913, on Long Island.

“My whole mind is [on] God. He has kept me going all these years,” she told Fox 5 News.

“God gives us a certain amount of years to live, and we try to live out that number of years,” the nun told Fox News. "I’ve given up counting my years. I never really thought I would get to be that age.”

Sister Piscatella, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville since 1931, has dedicated 94 years of her life to the service of the Church. “I wanted to be someone important to the sisters,” she remarked, although those who know her attest that she has had a profound influence on generations of students and religious alike.

A life marked by faith and resilience

The nun lost part of her left arm at the age of 2 in an accident, but it did not prevent her from pursuing her vocation. “I had to show them that the fact that I had only one arm didn’t in any way impede me,” she told Channel 7 Eyewitness News.

“No one ever had to help me. If anyone helped someone else, I was the one who did the helping,” she said.

“I always ran to church and prayed all the time,” she recalled, highlighting the role of faith in her life.

She was a teacher for 52 years. At Molloy College in Rockville Centre, New York, she taught geometry, drawing perfect circles on the blackboard with her one good arm.

A testimony that inspires generations

Those who know her highlight her tireless spirit. Even at the age of 110, she continued performing household chores and attending Mass daily. “I hope you saw something good about this old lady,” she said humbly.

During Sister Piscatellaʼs lifetime, there have been 10 popes, 20 U.S. presidents, two world wars, and several pandemics. According to Guinness World Records, she became the world’s oldest nun following the passing of the Brazilian religious Inah Canabarro Lucas.

During the celebration of her 113th birthday, she said: “It’s very kind of everybody who came and made this such a lovely day.” She even received a proclamation from Pope Leo, the 10th pontiff to be elected in her lifetime.

With a life that continues to bear fruit, Sister Piscatella has become a living symbol of persevering faith and quiet service, leaving an indelible mark on the Church and on those who have passed through her classrooms.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The White House said in March that it would go ahead with the planned sale of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper, a transfer that the coalition group Apache Stronghold has been fighting for roughly half a decade.

The Native American group has attempted several times to have federal courts block the sale, which it says violates the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Those efforts peaked in October 2025 when the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal by the group to have its case heard.

Yet on April 22 the religious liberty law firm Becket said Apache Stronghold filed an amended lawsuit in U.S. district court, with senior attorney Luke Goodrich claiming that the federal government “rushed the Oak Flat transfer through under cover of darkness” in order to avoid “meaningful judicial review.”

"That was as illegal as it was brazen," Goodrich said, urging the court to "rescind the illegal transfer and protect the freedom of Western Apaches to continue worshipping at Oak Flat for generations to come.”

In addition to claims of violating both the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the suit alleges that the transfer violates the 1852 Treaty of Santa Fe struck between the Apaches and the U.S. government.

The Indigenous coalition has garnered support from major Catholic backers in its religious liberty bid. In 2024 the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) joined an amicus brief arguing that lower court decisions allowing the sale of Oak Flat represent “a grave misunderstanding” of religious freedom law.

The Knights of Columbus similarly filed a brief in support of the Apaches, arguing that the decision to allow the property to be mined applies an “atextual constraint” to the federal religious freedom law with “no grounding in the statute itself.”

Resolution Copper was aiming to start exploratory drilling at the Oak Flat site in mid-March, according to a March 15 letter filed at the Supreme Court by an attorney for the company.

This is the first time that the top EU court found an infringement of Article 2 of The Treaty of the European Union, which contains the values on which the union is founded and are shared by all the member states, including Hungary.

Several of the amendments of the Hungary law, the CJEU said, “constitute a coordinated series of discriminatory measures” against “the rights of non-cisgender persons — including transgender persons — or nonheterosexual persons,” the judges argued. The problematic parts are also against respect for human dignity, equality, and human rights, “including the rights of persons belonging to minorities,” according to the decision.

The Hungary law contained amendments strengthening penalties against pedophilia, protecting minors, as well as limitations on promoting LGBTQ and gender-related issues and themes for minors, mainly in schools.

The law was passed by outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been in power since 2010 and lost recent elections held on April 12. It was the European Commission, one of the main institutions of the EU, that brought an action for “failure to fulfill obligations” before the Court of Justice.

The court also lamented “the offensive and stigmatizing nature of the amending law” as well as “discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation,” and “a preference for certain identities and sexual orientations to the detriment of others.” 

Moreover, the court underlined “a particularly serious interference with several fundamental rights” such as private and family life and found a breach of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) as well as the right to the protection of data.

Orbán reacted to the decision saying: “Our patriotic government protected Hungarian children from aggressive LGBTQ propaganda. Brusselian empire now strikes back.” The politician promised he would “not give up the fight for the soul of Europe!”

The Hungarian Conservative media outlet noted that “Western mainstream media and politicians welcomed the ruling,” while “many right-wing activists and political commentators criticized the court’s decision.”

The case “raises great concerns about whether courts are narrowing the space” for “states to legislate on moral or child-protection grounds,” a global network of natural law scholars said in response to the ruling. 

The International Society of Natural Law Scholars also noted that the courtʼs ruling exposes a “tension between national authority over education, culture, and family policy” on one hand and “supranational enforcement of rights and nondiscrimination norms” on the other.

Some have questioned the timing of the ruling, coming shortly after the parliamentary elections in Hungary. The winning party, Tisza, is led by former government insider Péter Magyar, who is expected to succeed Orbán.

Hungarian analysts told the National Catholic Register on April 10 that Magyar was a conservative, while others suggested he may bring “dangerous trends,” leading to “worse legislation” in favor of “abortion, euthanasia, and LGBTQ issues.”

The Hungarian Conservative also noted that “the future of the child protection law remains unclear” as Magyar largely avoided speaking about the gender issues during his campaign but said after his election: “Everyone can live with whoever they love as long as they do not violate laws and are not harmful to others.’”

The research released April 23 found that Christianity has experienced some of the largest losses of followers due to religious switching, when people identify with a different religion in adulthood than they were raised in as a child, compared with other faith groups around the world.

The U.S. data in the report, “Catholicism Has Lost People to Religious Switching in Many Countries, While Protestantism Has Gained in Some,” comes from the Center’s 2023-24 U.S. Religious Landscape Study (RLS). The international data comes from surveys conducted by Pew in spring 2024.

The global data that analyzed 24 countries was from Pew’s international surveys conducted via telephone or face-to-face interviews. Pew has conducted more than 800,000 interviews in over 110 countries. The margin of sampling error is based on individual countries’ research.

Religious switching impact on Catholicism

Religious switching has affected Catholicism and Protestantism, two of the largest Christian subgroups, in differing ways. Catholicism has lost more people than it has gained in almost all the countries surveyed, whereas Protestantism has seen a net gain from religious switching.

Despite losses from religious switching, Catholics still make up the majority of the population in eight of the 24 nations Pew surveyed, including Poland (92%), the Philippines (80%), Italy (69%), Mexico (67%), Peru (67%), Hungary (63%), Colombia (60%), and Argentina (58%).

In 12 of the 24 surveyed countries, most of the population was raised Catholic and many adults still identify with the faith today. For example, 96% of Polish adults were raised Catholics. Of the group, 92% still identify with the religion, with 4% reporting they have left Catholicism.

Hungary also experienced a slight loss with 57% of the population identifying as lifelong Catholics and only 2% reporting that they left the Church.

But overall, more people left Catholicism than joined it in 21 of the countries. People who leave Catholicism tend to join Protestantism or disaffiliate from religion altogether, the report said.

Disaffiliation was found to be especially common in parts of Europe and Latin America, including Chile, where 19% of all adults who are former Catholics identify as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.”

In comparison, in Kenya, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Philippines, former Catholics are more likely to have joined Protestantism than to have become religious “nones,” the report said.

Other adults have left the Church, with former Catholics making up 10% or more of the total population in 15 countries.

In Italy, 22% of adults said they were raised Catholic but no longer identify as such, and an additional 1% were not raised Catholic but entered the Church. The nationʼs Catholic population experienced a net loss of 21% due to religious switching.

In the United States, 30% of adults surveyed reported they were raised Catholic and only 17% remain Catholic. An additional 2% who were not raised Catholic reported they entered the Church, for a total of 19% of U.S. adults who are Catholic.

Impact on other religions

Similar to Catholics, former Protestants also make up a large share of the population in many countries. In nine of the 24 countries analyzed, the group was found to make up 10% or more of the population.

In several countries, more people have joined Protestantism than have left it, with the religion having a net gain from switching in almost as many places as it has seen a net loss. Adults who leave Protestantism tend to become religiously unaffiliated, the report said.

Most of the countries where Protestantism has had net gains are in Latin America, including in Brazil where 15% have joined Protestantism and 6% have left. Most Brazilians who reported switching into Protestantism were former Catholics.

A jury in Alameda County Superior Court on April 22 awarded the eight-figure settlement to an unidentified John Doe amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings brought by the Oakland Diocese.

The law firm Jeff Anderson and Associations said in a press release that the settlement was “the first case to reach a jury verdict under the California Child Victims Act.” The law, passed in 2019, opened a three-year window for alleged abuse victims to file claims outside of the standard statute of limitations.

The allegations brought by the John Doe in Oakland concerned Father Stephen Kiesle, a priest who has faced multiple abuse allegations dating from the 1970s. The victim said Kiesle abused him during that decade.

Kiesle pleaded no contest in 1978 to lewd conduct involving two boys, for which he received probation, while in the early 2000s he was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading no contest on charges of molesting a girl near Sacramento.

Kiesle was charged in 2022 with vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving after a crash that killed a man in Rossmoor, California. He pleaded no contest to those charges in 2023 and was sentenced to more than six years in state prison.

The Diocese of Oakland says on its list of credibly accused priests that Kiesle was removed from ministry in 1978 and laicized in 1987.

In November 2024 the Oakland Diocese said it would pay up to $200 million as part of a major abuse settlement. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in May 2023.

The bankruptcy filing put nearly all abuse lawsuits against the diocese on hold, though several were allowed to proceed to trial, including the John Doe suit settled on April 22.

The Cristero War, also known as the “Cristiada,” was an armed conflict that erupted in 1926 after President Plutarco Elías Calles tightened the enforcement of the anticlerical articles contained in the 1917 constitution.

This was done through the so-called Calles Law, which imposed severe restrictions on religious life. In response, on July 31, 1926, the Mexican bishops suspended public worship throughout the country. Subsequently, the federal government responded with an intensified persecution of Catholics.

According to the Mexican Bishops’ Conference, there were “more than 200,000 martyrs who gave their lives defending their faith: children, young people, and the elderly; peasants, laborers, and professionals; priests, religious, and laypeople.”

‘Defend your faith by knowing it better’

During the 120th plenary assembly of the Mexican bishops, held from April 13–17, one of the topics addressed was the Cristero War.

In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Noriega explained that the Catholic Church is currently engaged in a “plan to recover the memory” of the war, with the aim of reflecting on “the significance” of the Cristiada “at that time, and the implications it holds for our own time.”

The bishop recalled that many who died remained “faithful even to the point of risking their lives.”

He lamented that, 100 years later, it appears that for many Catholics “the religious principles governing our lives are not as solid” and therefore emphasized the need to strengthen formation in the faith and in the events that forged the Church in the country.

In that context, he said the call that those who defended the Catholic religion at that time would make today is: “defend your faith by knowing it better.”

He said Catholics should use this knowledge to reflect on how to prevent history from repeating itself so that “it will no longer be necessary to take up any kind of arms to defend religious freedom, to defend the principles and values ​​that define us.”

Finally, the bishop called for the recognition — with admiration — of those “individuals who gave their lives, who confronted these situations that were touching and upending the very depths not only of a belief but of life itself.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Bill C-218, the Right to Recover Act, introduced last year by Conservative member of Parliament Tamara Jansen, is a private member’s bill that would prohibit the expansion of medical assistance in dying (MAID) to individuals whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.

Under current federal law, that expansion is scheduled to take effect March 17, 2027. Parliament was expected to debate the bill earlier this month, but its order of precedence in the House of Commons has been pushed back, and no new date has been set.

In the April 20 letters, Leo reminded the prime minister and parliamentarians that a society “is rightly judged” by how it cares for its most vulnerable members and said many Canadians are “increasingly troubled” by the expansion of MAID since it was legalized in 2016.

Since then, nearly 100,000 lives have been ended by medically assisted death as eligibility criteria have broadened beyond the original framework that restricted MAID largely to those facing a reasonably foreseeable death.

“Our Catholic faith opposes the taking of any life, and it is with great disappointment and anguish that we have seen our country expand MAID at a rapid and alarming rate,” Leo wrote.

Assisted suicide and euthanasia, he said, are “contrary to the dignity of the human person.”

Leo and the Archdiocese of Toronto are leading the nationwide Help Not Harm campaign, which is encouraging Canadians to write to their MPs in support of Bill C-218.

“We are encouraging parishes and the faithful to continue their efforts through the month of April and until a date for the vote is announced,” Neil MacCarthy, director of public relations and communications for the archdiocese, told The Catholic Register earlier this month.

By mid-April, about 5,000 letters had been sent through the Help Not Harm online portal.

“There is growing anxiety that the normalization and expansion of assisted suicide risks undermining a culture of compassion, weakening investments in palliative support, and diminishing the collective commitment to accompany those suffering,” Leo wrote.

He is also calling on Carney to allow Liberal MPs a free vote when C-218 comes before Parliament.

“This legislation raises profound questions of conscience that transcend partisan alignment and touch on deeply held moral, ethical, and spiritual convictions,” Leo wrote. “I ask you to choose life and not death; to help build a civilization that cares for those suffering and does not eliminate them, but instead surrounds them with dignity, compassion, and love.”

He also asked the prime minister and Justice Minister Sean Fraser to “consider measures that restrict any further expansion of assisted suicide in Canada and instead prioritize investments in palliative care, mental health support, and resources for those who are increasingly marginalized and isolated, especially seniors and Canadians living with disabilities.”

This story was first published by Canadaʼs The Catholic Register and is reprinted here with permission.

In a recently published updated end-of-life guidebook, the Catholic bishops of New York state outlined the Catholic Church’s teaching on assisted suicide as well as what care is morally obligatory or morally optional.

The updated pamphlet, “Now and at the Hour of Our Death,” is designed “to simply explain the moral principles of Catholic teaching with regard to end-of-life decision-making and to outline the options that exist in New York state for advance care planning,” according to its introduction. The pamphlet also encourages Catholics to appoint proxies who are informed on their values to make medical decisions should they be unable to make them.

“Medical advances bring with them new and complex questions with regard to medical treatments and moral decision-making,” the introduction to the guidebook reads.

The guidebook specifically addresses the moral problem of assisted suicide but also goes into detail about other important end-of-life decisions.

“Assisted suicide is the voluntary termination of one’s own life using physician-prescribed chemicals or drugs that will cause death. It is considered active euthanasia,” the guidebook reads. “Our Church warns us in no uncertain terms that this practice is objectively immoral and must be avoided, despite the false veil of compassion with which it is sold.”

What types of medical interventions are morally required for Catholics?

Basic lifesaving medical interventions, such as feeding tubes, are generally considered morally obligatory by the Catholic Church, according to the bishops’ guidebook.

The bishops distinguish between these morally required “ordinary” medical interventions and “extraordinary” or morally optional interventions. Determining which is which requires “the weighing of benefits and burdens expected for each individual.”

“This is not just a pragmatic decision of costs and benefits but a moral decision that affects our spiritual health,” the bishops say of end-of-life decisions.

The bishops note that “we must always accept (and others must provide) ordinary medical means of preserving life.”

“Ordinary means are those that offer us a reasonable hope of benefit and would not entail excessive burden on us, our family, or the community,” the bishops continue.

The pamphlet goes into the distinction between “ordinary” and “extraordinary” treatments and its connection to assisted suicide.

“The immorality of directly intending and bringing about our own death or of assisting in the death of another by intentional action is self-evident,” the bishops state. “Decisions can become much more complex, however, when we contemplate the removal or withholding of medical treatment, such as a ventilator or dialysis.”

“Withholding ordinary care with the intention of causing death is considered passive euthanasia and is always gravely contrary to God’s will,” the bishops continue. “But Catholics are not morally bound to prolong the dying process by using every medical treatment available. Allowing natural death to occur is not the same as killing.”

But the bishops note that “extraordinary treatments” are “considered morally optional.”

“For example, it would be permissible for a cancer patient to forego a particularly aggressive and expensive treatment if the patient judged the survival rate too low and the pain of the treatment too great a burden,” the bishops say.

The bishops emphasize that the distinction can be complex and encourage Catholics to seek guidance in these decisions.

“Weighing the burdens and benefits of particular medical treatments for each individual requires us to apply the virtue of prudence, using practical reason to discern the true good and choose the right path,” the bishops say. “Because such decisions are often sensitive and complex, Catholics may wish to seek guidance from a priest, chaplain, or ethicist whose counsel is informed by Church teaching.”

For instance, the bishops note that there is an obligation “in principle” to always provide patients with food and water, including when patients require medical assistance or have irreversible conditions. The bishops also note that this moral standard can have exceptions in extreme cases, such as “when death is imminent” or if the gastric tube causes severe side effects; even then, hydration and nutrition should be provided to the extent possible.

“It is never permissible to remove a feeding tube, or any other form of life-sustaining treatment, based on a belief that the patient’s life no longer holds value or with the intention to terminate the patient’s life,” the bishops state.

How should Catholics make important medical decisions?

The bishops emphasize that the guide “is by no means a substitute for prayer.”

“Determining if and when a particular treatment can morally be withheld or withdrawn should be done collaboratively with the patient or surrogate, family members, health care providers, and spiritual adviser,” the bishops say.

The bishops encourage Catholics to plan in advance and ensure that surrogate decision-makers, a legal standard in New York, will honor “your values and beliefs.”

The bishops recommend the health care proxy as “the most morally appropriate advance care planning tool in New York state.” The New York State Catholic Conference referred New York Catholics to fill out a government form that enables citizens to appoint a trusted loved one to make health care decisions and also to include instructions for their proxy.

Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, noted that the original issue of the guidebook has been a useful tool “for more than 15 years.”

“Our hope is that many thousands more Catholics in the years to come will find ‘Now and at the Hour of Our Death’ to be a useful guide in what is by nature a very stressful time,” Poust said. “We urge Catholics to read the booklet and familiarize themselves with Catholic teaching on these issues and the options available in New York now, before they or their loved ones are facing a health crisis.”

The situation on the Canary Islands, arising from pressure caused by immigration from Africa, was behind Pope Francis’ desire to visit the islands; this wish will now be fulfilled by his successor, Pope Leo XIV, who will visit the islands June 11–12 as well as Madrid and Barcelona on June 6–10.

The bishop of Tenerife, Eloy Santiago, acknowledged that the fact that the archipelago serves as “Europeʼs southern frontier — the point of arrival for immigration coming from the African continent” — is a reality “that often overwhelms us.”

“We lack the human and economic resources to address this dramatic reality. We feel powerless in the face of this deadly Atlantic route,” Santiago explained during a meeting with the press.

Since the arrival of the first boat carrying two immigrants from Africa in 1994 and over the course of more than three decades, thousands of people — generally young men — have reached the shores of the Canary Islands in search of a future. Thousands of others have drowned in the attempt.

The Holy Father’s visit will signify “support and motivation“ and will ”draw attention to this sad drama,” the bishop of the Diocese of Tenerife added.

The bishop of Canary Islands (which include the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and La Graciosa), José Mazuelos, also expressed his hope that “the Holy Father will shed light on the matter, to see if it is possible to put an end to the Atlantic route,” although he also noted that the popeʼs presence in the islands is pastoral in nature and encompasses other aspects of the life of the Church.

“It’s not as if the pope is coming to the Canary Islands to use the issue of migration as a stick to politically beat one side or the other,” he emphasized.

Mazuelos also suggested that for many people “you’d have to put them on a ‘cayuco’ (a large, flat-bottomed wooden boat) spending five days in the Atlantic, day and night, without food so that they can see when [the migrants] get here what it is that we’re doing,” he said in reference to those who criticize the Catholic Church’s work of welcoming migrants, protecting them, and integrating them into society.

Mazuelos noted that if the countries of origin receive development aid intended to help them eliminate the causes that lead so many to leave their homes, “we must hold them accountable, and we must crack down on the mafias.”

Furthermore, he expressed support for “seeking ways for migrants to come to work through alternative channels.” He cited as an example that during the second half of the 20th century, Spaniards legally emigrated to central European countries “with their proper work papers.”

He mused about whether this same outcome could be achieved regarding African migration, though he acknowledged that this approach is “a bit idealistic.”

Caya Suárez, secretary-general of Caritas for the Diocese of Canary Islands who was present at the meeting, said that “the pope’s visit is not only a recognition of the welcome extended but also a call to prayer for the victims who have lost their lives on the Atlantic route,” a figure she estimated is more than 19,000 people since 2020.

Awaiting details on Pope Leo XIV’s visit

Regarding Leo XIV’s visit to the Canary Islands, where so far the celebration of two large Masses has been confirmed, Mazuelos expressed his conviction that personal testimonies will be shared during at least one of the gatherings, as one of the Catholic Church’s priorities is to “put a human face” on the reality of migrants.

The island of El Hierro, part of the Diocese of Tenerife, is one of the places in the archipelago where this reality has become most palpable. Just last year, 25,000 migrants arrived to a local population of 9,000 inhabitants.

The prelate, aware that “the people of El Hierro are eagerly anticipating” the possibility of a visit from the pope, realistically pointed out that given the timing and the necessary logistics, “while not impossible,” it will be “difficult” for such a visit to take place.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Priests who do not want to carry out such blessing celebrations for homosexual marriages or remarried divorced people must refer the couples to the dean or other staff.

A letter from the cardinal, which Die Tagespost reported on Monday, indicates that the handout should be “the basis of pastoral care” and beginning in June, various offices within the archdiocese are to offer further training as to the design of the blessing celebrations for all full-time officials in pastoral care.

Marx emphasized that "the blessing is not the celebration of a sacramental marriage.” However, this does not mean that the blessing of a non-sacramental union, which in many cases is already a civil marriage, moves the couple to the margins of the community and the Church.

According to Tagespost, Marx instructed that the "theological meaning" of the text be explained to all those "who still struggle with this blessing.”

The handout “Blessing Gives Strength to Love” is the result of a process that emerged from a vote at the Synodal Way. In March 2023, the fifth synodal meeting adopted the text of the handout with 92% of the votes. The Joint Conference of the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) presented the text of the handout in spring 2025.

In the Church in Germany, the handout is highly controversial. Official recommendations were issued by the dioceses of Limburg, Osnabrück, Rottenburg-Stuttgart, and Trier. However, the Archdiocese of Cologne and the dioceses of Augsburg, Eichstätt, Passau, and Regensburg all rejected the application and referred to Fiducia Supplicans for justification.

According to Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, or CDF) in December 2023, blessings of connections in irregular situations and of homosexual couples are possible — although the CDF claimed the opposite only two years earlier.

Paragraph 31 of the document states that the form of the blessings may not be "ritually determined by the ecclesiastical authorities ... so as not to cause confusion with the blessing of the sacrament of marriage.”

According to paragraph 38, one should neither promote the blessing of couples who are in an irregular situation nor provide a ritual for it. Blessings according to No. 39 are expressly excluded “in direct connection with a civil celebration.” Also “the clothes, the gestures, and the words that are the expression for a marriage” are therefore to be refrained from.

Numerous bishops — including entire bishops' conferences — have rejected the Vatican approval of blessings for same-sex unions. Thus, there is a struggle for direction in the Church between those who adhere to the Church’s traditional teaching on homosexuality and those who consider blessings of same-sex couples to be possible in principle — whether in the form outlined by the Vatican or in the form that is largely common in Germany.

The Catholic Church in the catechism, basing its teaching in sacred Scripture and tradition, distinguishes between homosexual inclinations or tendencies and homosexual acts, calling such acts “intrinsically disordered” and contrary to natural law. “They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved,” the catechism says in No. 2357.

The Church at the same time strictly forbids discrimination against homosexuals, saying they must always be accepted with “respect, compassion, and sensitivity.” Furthermore, the Church calls persons with same-sex attraction to chastity — as all are called to according to their state in life — and to “fulfill God’s will in their lives” (No. 2358).

According to Catholic doctrine, marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman, and their union has a twofold end: “the good of the spouses themselves, and the transmission of life” (No. 2363). The catechism says these two values of marriage may never be separated.

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN New English.

SPLC, an organization that reports it fights “white supremacy and various forms of injustice,” faces charges including 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. SPLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While there has been overlap with Catholic advocacy over the years on social and economic justice issues such as racial justice and advocacy concerning conditions in immigration detention centers, the SPLC has also taken positions that many Catholic institutions strongly dispute. SPLC has labeled some Catholic organizations as “hate groups.”

The U.S. attorney for the middle district of Alabama issued the April 21 indictment. The FBI and the Internal Revenue Service investigated.

“The SPLC allegedly engaged in a massive fraud operation to deceive their donors, enrich themselves, and hide their deceptive operations from the public," Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel said.

While "vowing to dismantle violent extremist groups," SPLC "actually turned around and paid the leaders of these very extremist groups,” Patel said.

According to the indictment, in the 1980s the SPLC began operating a network of individuals who were associated with, or who infiltrated, violent extremist groups at the SPLC’s direction. Donors were unaware that donations were funding the organizers of the same racist and extremist groups that the SPLC reported it was denouncing.

Prosecutors said that between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC funneled more than $3 million in donated funds to individuals associated with various extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, National Socialist Party of America (American Nazi Party), and United Klans of America. No Catholic groups were mentioned in the indictment.

According to the indictment, the scheme was intended to obtain money via donations through materially false representations and omissions about what the funds would be used for.

In order to pay the individuals, the SPLC allegedly opened bank accounts connected to a series of fake entities such as “Fox Photography” and “Rare Books Warehouse” that were used to send money from donors to informants. The SPLC then made a series of false statements related to the operation of the accounts, the indictment alleges.

“The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” said acting Attorney General Todd Blanche when announcing the indictment. “Using donor money to allegedly profit off Klansmen cannot go unchecked.”

U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson said this "kind of deception undermines public trust and social cohesion.”

Patel added that it is an “ongoing investigation against all individuals involved.” The DOJ reported a conviction will result in the forfeiture of financial gains from the alleged illegal activities.

Labeling Catholics and Christian groups

In recent years, SPLC has been accused of unfairly labeling Christian organizations as “radical.”

In July 2025, the House Judiciary Committee found documents that revealed the FBI “put more federal law-enforcement resources into surveilling Catholics than previously known.”

The committee’s report found that several internal FBI documents used the terms “radical traditionalist catholic” or “Radical-Traditionalist Catholic” between 2009 and 2023. An FBI internal database contained at least 13 documents that used these terms that all cited the SPLC.

Also, in 2021, critics of SPLC said the organization had become extreme after it released its 2020 “census of hate groups,” which included numerous pro-life and family organizations such as the Ruth Institute.

After being classified by SPLC as a hate group, a spokesperson for the Ruth Institute said, “our credit card processing company dropped us. Businesses refused to work with us. People scattered, thinking we were radioactive.”

“What the Southern Poverty Law Center did to us was a mere inconvenience in comparison to the harm they have done to our country. The indiscriminate application of the ‘hate’ label, the ratcheting up of rhetoric — all this has contributed to the polarized and toxic atmosphere we now experience,” according to Jennifer Roback Morse, Ruth Institute president.

Along with the Ruth Institute, Christian organizations Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy organization defending religious liberty, and Family Research Council, a nonprofit promoting family values, were also both designated as “Anti-LGBTQ hate groups" by SPLC for their stances on marriage and family.

This story was updated at 5:15 p.m. ET on April 22, 2026, to include a statement from the Ruth Institute.

The prelate succeeds Bishop Peter Fabbro in leading the Diocese of London. Fabbro’s resignation was accepted upon reaching the age of 75, the mandatory retirement age for bishops.

After expressing his gratitude for the trust placed in him by the Holy Father for the new role, Miehm stated: “In this Easter season, as the Church celebrates the resurrection of Christ, we are invited to deep faith, trust in God, and hope in the promise of new life. It is in such a spirit that I embrace this new chapter in my continued service to the Church.”

“I ask your prayers for me, for all those I have served in Peterborough and for those whom I will meet and serve in my episcopal ministry in the Diocese of London,” the prelate added in a statement from the Diocese of London.

Fabbro, who served at the helm of the London Diocese for 24 years, said that Miehm “is a strong, compassionate leader with outstanding pastoral instincts and the wisdom to guide our diocese into the future. Under his episcopal leadership, the Diocese of London will be in very capable hands.”

Miehm will be installed as the new bishop of London on June 29, the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica in London.

Who is the new bishop of London?

Miehm was born on Aug. 27, 1960, in Kitchener, Ontario. He studied philosophy at St. Jeromeʼs University in Waterloo, Ontario, and theology at St. Augustineʼs Seminary in Toronto. He earned a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome, according to the Vatican Press Office.

He was ordained a priest on May 6, 1989, for the Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario.

He has held the following positions, among others: vicar of the Cathedral of Christ the King; defender of the bond at the ecclesiastical tribunal of Hamilton; pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Hamilton (1998–2004) and of St. Ann in Ancaster (2004–2012); and pastor of St. Benedict in Milton, as well as spiritual assistant to the St. Thomas More Lawyers' Guild (2012).

He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Hamilton on Feb. 20, 2013, receiving episcopal consecration on May 7 of that year. On March 10, 2017, he was appointed bishop of Peterborough, where he served until now.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The violence took place on April 19 in the Christian village of Birganj in the area of Christ the King Catholic Church in the Birganj area of ​​the Dinajpur Diocese in the northern part of the country.

Nearly 200 Muslims were reportedly involved in the attack and used local homemade weapons such as axes, iron rods, and bamboo sticks in an attempt to steal land from Indigenous Christians and Hindus.

Indigenous peoples in Bangladesh are made up of ethnic groups that are culturally and historically distinct from the Bengali majority in the country, and many happen to be Christian, Hindu, or Buddhist.

“Six Indigenous were seriously injured in the attack and one was pierced by an arrow. The injured are undergoing treatment in the hospital,” Pius Murmu, a 45-year-old Catholic injured in the attack, told EWTN News.

Murmu said that almost 50-60 families live in Birganj and that they have been using the land there for more than a century. In addition, more than 200 landless Indigenous families in the area use the cemetery to bury their dead and live around it.

Indigenous Christian families in Birganj say they have been living on the land there for several generations.

Saiful Islam, police officer in charge of the local Birganj police station, told EWTN News that there has been a long-standing dispute with members of the Indigenous community over a small parcel (93 decimals, which is .01 acres) of state-owned land. Rezaul Islam, son of Abdul Quader of the nearby village of Ghoraband, claims to own the land.

According to the police officer: "On April 19, at noon, about 200 people led by Islam and his uncle Azad attacked the temple and graveyard with the intention of taking the land. They attacked the temple with sticks, rods, and sharp weapons and cut down 10-12 trees in the graveyard. A house was also vandalized during this time.”

He added that when members of the Indigenous community resisted, they were beaten up and injured.

Saiful Islam also said that after the police received information, they went to the spot and dispersed the attackers. Additional police were deployed to control the situation. The vandalized property and other evidence were seized.

When asked about his involvement in the attack, Rezaul Islam said: “I bought 41 decimals of the land in 1999 and another 48 decimals in 2023 from someone else. The remaining land belongs to the graveyard.” But he denied the allegations that he attacked Indigenous people, saying: “We are not involved in this attack. I do not know who or what carried out this attack.”

Christians account for less than half a percent of the population of Bangladesh and religious minorities are only 8% of more than 180 million people in the Muslim-majority south Asian nation of Bangladesh.

Father Antony Sen, convener of the Justice and Peace Commission of Dinajpur Diocese, said he believes minorities are often made victims of violence because of injustice and the lack of will on the part of government officials to address it.

“Such incidents will be resolved only when the government of the country is humane and solves every incident fairly. The government must solve the problem of these Indigenous people with land,” Sen told EWTN News.

He said the problem is not only with privately-owned land but also that Church lands are also threatened as local influential people make attempts to occupy it. Sen said they will soon hold discussions with government officials to try to resolve the situation.

The attack in Birganj is not the only example of violence against Indigenous people and religious minorities in Bangladesh; most of it is centered on land grabbing.

In 2001, a bomb attack took place during Sunday Mass at Most Holy Redeemer Church in the southern district of Gopalganj, killing 10 and injuring over 50 Catholics.

On Jan. 24, 2015, a group of Muslims armed with homemade weapons and firearms attempted to forcibly cultivate tribal lands in Dinajpur.

On Nov. 6, 2016, in the Gobindganj area of Gaibandha district, tribal homes were set on fire and three Christians were killed.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) annual report in 2025, on violence against religious and ethnic minorities, recorded over 1,000 cases of human rights violations.

The interreligious forum’s findings were based on media reports from July 2023 to June 2024. During this period, 45 members of minority communities were murdered and there were 10 attempted murders and 36 death threats.

“Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Family” tells the story of a married couple facing a serious marital crisis. After the husband — a journalist — is assigned to investigate testimonies of people who claim to have experienced the intercession of St. Joseph, he begins to be personally impacted by the beloved saint and is inspired to become the guardian of his own family, striving to fix the struggles they face.

Based on true stories, the film shows how love can heal the deepest of wounds and highlights how St. Joseph is a model for fatherhood and marriage.

Made by the Polish production studio Rafael Film, “Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Family” was made through the crowdfunding efforts of more than 5,000 people in Poland and several other countries. After a successful run in theaters internationally, the film will be released in theaters across the United States on April 23.

Dariusz Regucki, the film’s director, told EWTN News in an interview that the film was inspired by Father Jacek Płota, custodian of the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Kalisz, Poland, and a “great devotee” of St. Joseph.

Before working on the film, Regucki was not very familiar with St. Joseph.

“I had no prior personal experiences with St. Joseph … It was only when I received the proposal to make the movie from Rafael Film — something I am still very grateful for — and began working on the script that I started discovering our protagonist for myself,” he shared.

He added that while making the film he “had to remain very careful not to create any caricature of St. Joseph — one that, for example, would merely fulfill our expectations. St. Joseph is a silent yet obedient man, and he simply does his work. He is very concrete. He does not complain, does not grumble, and does not feel sorry for himself.”

“This deeply moved me. St. Joseph inspires me as a father and as a husband. In the rush of everyday life, he makes me stop and, at times, look at myself — almost with embarrassment — as if in a mirror,” he said. “It confronts me with the truth and pulls me out of alienation and my comfort zone. St. Joseph shows me what true love really is.”

The Polish filmmaker said he hopes viewers “will leave the cinema moved and full of hope — holding the hand of his wife, partner, or fiancée, perhaps for the first time in many years. It’s simple, yet very difficult. But it is possible to look at one another with love and say, ‘I love you.’”

He added: “To my viewer — who is so often lost and lonely — I propose that through the story told in the film, and through St. Joseph, they look upward, stop dwelling on their sadness and suffering, and begin to affirm life. This is the message St. Joseph brings to us, and this is how I portray him in my film.”

Acero emphasized that “our primary goal is to care for life, to love it, and, above all, to protect the most vulnerable,“ extending an invitation to ”take part in the march” in order to “show the beauty of life and continue protecting it.”

Traditionally held in April to commemorate the victims of the decriminalization of abortion on demand for up to 12 weeks' gestation, which was passed by  Mexico Cityʼs government in 2007, the March for Life, organized by the Steps for Life platform for the past 15 years, attracts tens of thousands of people.

In an April 19 editorial of its weekly publication Desde la Fe (From a Faith Perspective), the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico described as “hope-inspiring” the “knowledge that a new generation has become convinced of the need to care for our common home and for our neighbor.”

“We affirm, grounded in science and anthropology, that the human being possesses inherent dignity simply by existing, regardless of its circumstances: from the moment life begins at fertilization, throughout all stages of life, and until death. Therefore, it is not licit to kill, enslave, capture, or torture any human being at any time,” the editorial emphasized.

The archdiocese said that “abortion, euthanasia, and suicide are scourges that attack our humanity, wearing the mask of being valid solutions in the face of suffering.”

Although the editorial stated, “We do not judge those who resort to any of these measures,” it emphasized that “neither can we, as a society, present these three issues as solutions, nor as rights.”

“Trivializing the importance of life contaminates society, making it easier to attack life and dignity through actions such as human trafficking, which constitutes the new slavery, as well as kidnapping and murder,” the editorial stated.

With the 19th anniversary of the decriminalization of abortion up to 12 weeks' gestation coming up, “there is nothing to celebrate,” the Archdiocese of Mexico pointed out, for “hundreds of thousands of human beings have been eliminated, while the health policy regarding abortion as a symbol of a capitulating state has demonstrated that it has not improved the situation of women but has instead turned pregnancy into a stigma from which one must seek to be liberated.”

“We entrust these new generations to Mary Most Holy, so that just as she while still very young gave her ‘yes’ to God and to life, she may continue to imbue them with courage and love, and that this may always be reflected in their service to the most vulnerable,” the editorial stated.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In a video message on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Cupich reflected with gratitude on the bishops’ adoption of the 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” while Knestout separately emphasized April as a time for prayer, education, and recommitment to the well‑being of the young.

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Cupich described the bishops’ enactment of the 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” in the video as “something important and that I’m really proud of.”

“When I look back at the 50 years of being a priest and 27 years as a bishop, one of the things that I am so pleased happened during my time was a means by which the Church would come together in this country and protect and defend those who suffered abuse,” the Chicago archbishop said. 

“I was the chair of the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People but also was involved in the 2002 moment in which, in Dallas, we enacted the charter,” Cupich said.

“And then, of course, when we released the studies by the John Jay School of Criminal Justice, I was the chair of that committee,” he said.

“So, I think that is an important contribution for the life of the Church that I really embrace as something important and that Iʼm proud of,” he said.

Cupich was serving on the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse in 2002 when the abuse crisis hit and was part of the group that helped draft the charter. The Ad Hoc Committee was established in 1993 by the then-National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) after the conference had been “dealing with the subject of sexual abuse by clergy since the mid-1980s.”

The 2002 charter mandated the creation of a permanent USCCB Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, which Cupich led from 2008 to 2011.

A call for vigilance

“In the protection of children and young people from abuse, it is important for all of us who work or minister to youth to remain vigilant in our efforts of protection and education,” Knestout, who serves as chair of the committee, told EWTN News.

“This annual reminder to recommit and refocus our attention on the physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being of the young is also an important reminder that, as we continue to walk with survivors in their healing, we are called to continual improvement,” he said.

Knestout noted that each April, dioceses are called to observe National Child Abuse Prevention Month “by praying for victim survivors and their families.”

“We do this in different ways, such as at Mass, or with a special rosary with these intentions,” he said. “Protecting children and youth is a vital part of the Church’s ongoing ministry throughout the year, but April provides us with an occasion for our diocesan safe environment office to share information about our child protection practices with the people of the diocese, ensuring that it remains a core value for our ministry.”

The USCCB’s poster from the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection for National Child Abuse Prevention Month 2026 includes messages such as “Every Child Matters — Make a Difference,” as well as “Let’s stand up for children!” and “Learn how we can all keep children safe.”

“We deeply lament that this has occurred as a consequence of the loss of a sense of the meaning of life and the failure to recognize the other as a brother,” the bishop stated in a press release.

According to a statement from the Security Cabinet, the body responsible for the countryʼs security strategy, “a man fired shots at the scene and subsequently took his own life.”

“Regrettably, a Canadian woman lost her life, and as of now there are reports of several individuals who sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical attention. A firearm, a bladed weapon, and unspent ammunition were secured at the scene,” the statement said.

According to the Security Cabinet, the 13 people injured, two of whom are minors aged 6 and 13, are foreign nationals: six from the United States, three from Colombia, one from Canada, one from Russia, one from the Netherlands, and one from Brazil. As of the latest report, “eight remain hospitalized.”

The office of the attorney general of Mexico state identified Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a Mexican national, as the alleged assailant.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated April 20 on X that “what occurred today in Teotihuacán pains us deeply. I express my most sincere solidarity with those affected and their families. We are in contact with the Canadian Embassy.”

“I have instructed the Security Cabinet to thoroughly investigate these events and provide all necessary support,” she stated.

The federal attorney generalʼs office stated that it is carrying out “the necessary investigative steps to clarify what occurred, in coordination with the attorney generalʼs office of Mexico state.”

Located approximately 25 miles northeast of Mexico City, the Teotihuacán archaeological site, which includes the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, is the second-most-visited site in Mexico after Chichén Itzá in Yucatán state. According to official figures from the Secretariat of Tourism, 1.8 million tourists visited Teotihuacán during 2025.

Look to Jesus Christ

In his statement, Escobar called upon all Catholic faithful “to lift up our prayers for those who have lost their lives, as well as for all those who are going astray, that they may be profoundly reconciled with God and with others.”

“Today, more than ever, we need to look to Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, to return to Christian values ​​within our families,” he said.

“May Mary Most Holy accompany and soothe the pain of those suffering the loss of a loved one and of those who have gone through this bitter experience,” the prelate prayed.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“Often we think of a neighbor as just someone who lives nearby, but itʼs more than simple geography,” a new 30-second video advertisement states.

“Being a neighbor is how you show up in moments of need, when things are unsure, when small acts can be huge, and youʼre a light in someoneʼs darkest moment, showing up again and again to faithfully serve,” the advertisement adds. “Thatʼs a neighbor. Be the hope around the corner in your neighborhood nationwide.”

According to a news release, CCUSA has 169 affiliates in the country and serves more than 16 million people every year.

CCUSA Vice President for Communications Kevin Brennan told EWTN News the organization launched the advertisements because volunteers are “the backbone of the work of the Catholic Charities network across the country.”

“There’s always more need, and so it is a priority for us at [CCUSA] and for agencies across the country to encourage people to volunteer,” he said.

Brennan said specific services vary depending on location to “respond to the specific needs of those most in need in their local communities.” The largest service, he said, is to “feed hungry people” through food pantries or other services such as delivering meals to homebound seniors.

Services also include support for those with developmental disabilities, accompanying pregnant mothers in need, and financial counseling for veterans looking to enter the workforce or change careers, among other things.

He said CCUSA “really serves virtually any category of a person in need that you can think of” and any person “can contact your local Catholic Charities agency and learn how you can get involved.”

Brennan said each agency is united in the core mission to “live out the Gospel call to love your neighbor and serve those most in need.” He said doing volunteer work also “benefits the one doing the service.”

“We know [serving your neighbor is] critical to being a well-rounded person [and] to being a well-rounded Catholic,” he said.

According to the news release, the first round of advertisements will run until the end of May, and another two phases will run in the summer and fall. They will appear on Catholic media, other Christian media, and secular national media outlets. They will also run on podcasts and digital publications.

CCUSA will run advertisements in both English and Spanish media.

“Inspired by the merciful, selfless acts of service undertaken each day by the staff and volunteers of the Catholic Charities network, this campaign calls all of us to find ways, big and small, to offer assistance and accompaniment to those struggling in our midst,” CCUSA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson said in a statement.

“By following the Gospel call to love and serve our neighbors, we can strengthen our communities, our world, and ourselves,” she said.

The campaign was launched in conjunction with CCUSA’s launch of the traveling museum People of Hope, which celebrates Christian service with stories of faith-based acts of charity.

The museum’s nationwide tour began in late March. It offers an exhibit with 42 stories from CCUSA staff serving around the country and an interactive data wall on poverty and other challenges.

A native of Pangasinan, Peralta grew up with a deep love for Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag, affectionately called by devotees “Apo Baket,” a local term that literally means “Old Lady” but conveys deep reverence for the Blessed Mother as a venerable matriarch.

After marrying her husband, a serviceman in the United States Navy, Peralta relocated to California, where they began raising their family. Despite the distance from her homeland, Peralta said her Marian devotion remained central to her life, especially during moments of suffering.

Her faith was put to the test when doctors diagnosed her with malignant tumors in her thyroid. During that difficult period, she turned constantly to prayer before a replica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag enshrined at her parish church in San Diego.

“There was no single day that I didn’t pray to Our Lady of Manaoag and to Our Lord Jesus, who is really our healer,” Peralta recalled.

After undergoing a series of medical tests, she said her physician was surprised when a subsequent biopsy showed no trace of cancer.

According to Peralta, she initially kept both her diagnosis and her healing private. But her story eventually came to light when a fellow Filipino-American parishioner approached her one day after Mass saying she had dreamt of the Blessed Mother inviting her to visit her shrine in Manaoag.

The parishioner shared that she had purchased a plane ticket to the Philippines for the visit. Peralta, who had also quietly arranged a trip with her husband to give thanks for her healing, was struck by the unexpected confirmation.

News of her recovery quickly spread within the close-knit Filipino Catholic community in San Diego, and she soon found herself sharing her testimony with fellow Marian devotees.

On April 22, Peralta and her husband will be among the millions of pilgrims in Pangasinan marking the centenary of the canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag, enshrined at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.

A canonical coronation is a formal act of the pope typically expressed through a papal decree or bull that bestows the pontifical right to “crown” a specific, highly venerated image of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or St. Joseph.

A devotion rooted in centuries of faith

The devotion to the Lady of Manaoag traces its origins to a reported apparition in 1605 when a farmer is said to have seen the Blessed Mother holding the Child Jesus atop a tree located on the present-day site of the basilica.

According to long-standing tradition, the farmer heard a voice calling him by name. Following the sound, he saw a radiant cloud resting on a leafy tree. From there, the Blessed Mother identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary and asked that a shrine be built in that place so that the faithful could come to seek her maternal protection.

Word of the apparition spread quickly among neighboring communities, drawing pilgrims to the site. Over time, the area came to be known as “Manaoag,” a term derived from the local expression “Dimad Virgen ya Mantataoag,” meaning “to the place where the Virgin calls.”

Missionary activity in the region was first undertaken by Augustinian missionaries who accompanied Ferdinand Magellanʼs expedition. Later, administration of the mission was entrusted to the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), whose members eventually built the church dedicated to the Blessed Mother.

The centuries-old ivory image of the Virgin Mary housed in the basilica has since become one of the most beloved Marian images in the Philippines. Devotees widely attribute to her powerful intercession countless testimonies of healing, protection, and answered prayers.

The image was solemnly crowned in April 1926 by Archbishop Guglielmo Piani, then the apostolic delegate of Pope Pius XI to the Philippines, in recognition of the deep and enduring devotion of the faithful.

Centennial celebration of faith

The centenary celebration marks a historic milestone for Filipino Catholics and Marian devotees worldwide.

Father Felix Legaspi III, OP, basilica rector, said in a statement that the celebration commemorates a century of faith and grace experienced by pilgrims who continue to entrust their lives to the Blessed Mother.

“This historic celebration marks 100 years of faith, devotion, and grace for countless pilgrims and devotees who frequent the shrine of the Blessed Mother, asking for her unwavering help and intercession,” he said.

A series of novena Masses is being held in preparation for the April 22 commemorative liturgy marking 100 years since the 1926 canonical coronation.

The solemn pontifical Mass will be presided over by Archbishop Charles John Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, and concelebrated with Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will be the homilist. National and local dignitaries are also expected to attend the celebration.

A devotion shared across oceans

Devotion to the Lady of Manaoag continues to flourish not only in the Philippines but also among Filipino communities abroad.

Peralta is one of many Filipino-American devotees who helped establish associations in the U.S. dedicated to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag, including the Devotees of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag-San Diego.

The group gathers annually to celebrate the Blessed Mother’s feast in May at San Rafael Parish in San Diego as well as during October, the month traditionally dedicated to the holy rosary.

This year, many Filipino-American pilgrims have traveled to Manaoag to join people from across the Philippines and around the world to honor “the lady who calls.”

For Peralta, returning to the shrine is more than a pilgrimage — it is an act of gratitude.

Her story, like those of countless others, reflects a faith rooted in trust and sustained by prayer — a devotion that continues to draw generations of believers to the shrine where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary once called her people to come.

The event combined religious observance, civic participation, and pro-life advocacy, drawing families, clergy, activists, and public figures to central Warsaw. The day began with Mass celebrated in two of the cityʼs major churches.

In the Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, Bishop Piotr Jarecki presided over the liturgy, while Bishop Tomasz Sztajerwald celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian in Warsaw-Praga.

Participants later gathered at Castle Square, where the march officially began. Organizers described the event as a public expression of support for life and family, rooted in Poland’s Christian tradition. Metropolitan Archbishop Adrian Galbas of Warsaw encouraged participation ahead of the event, framing it as a testimony to human dignity. “We want to testify that we are lovers of life. Bring your family along! Life triumphs over every death,” he declared.

March through Warsaw highlights pro-life message

The procession moved through central Warsaw streets under the historic slogan marking Poland’s Christian heritage. As participants approached the Presidential Palace, Polish President Karol Nawrocki spoke, linking the march to broader social concerns.

“I support initiatives that serve Poland, and this initiative certainly serves Poland,” he said. “It is also a response to the deep demographic crisis. Today, the answer to many Polish problems lies precisely in Polish families, in our identity, in remembering where we come from and where we are going.”

Organizers said the march was intended not only as a demonstration of pro-life conviction but also as a broader reflection on national identity and social cohesion.

A prominent symbol carried during the march was a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa, which has been traveling internationally for 14 years as part of the From Ocean to Ocean pilgrimage in defense of life. The icon has traveled more than 220,000 kilometers (almost 137,000 miles) and visited 32 countries across five continents.

Shifting abortion attitudes among younger Poles

The National March for Life is organized by the St. Benedict Foundation alongside dozens of pro-life groups from across Poland and takes place under the honorary patronage of the Polish Episcopal Conference.

Patrycja Michońska-Dynek, director of the Press Center of the Archdiocese of Warsaw, told EWTN News that there are shifting public attitudes toward abortion in Poland, including growing societal acceptance and increased calls for liberalization, attributing these changes to secularization, cultural pressures, and differing interpretations of freedom.

Michońska-Dynek also observed that while pro-life values remain important in Polish society, younger generations often approach the issue with more nuanced perspectives, particularly in complex or exceptional situations. Fostering a “culture of life” must include practical support for families, such as assistance for single mothers and couples in crisis, Michońska-Dynek said.

Not a single-issue agenda

Lidia Sankowska-Grabczuk, one of the organizers of the National March for Life, told EWTN News that the pro-life movement in Poland extends beyond a single-issue focus on abortion.

“In a nutshell, the pro-life movement is [often] the anti-abortion movement. In our view… it’s a bit different. We don’t reduce it to a single-issue agenda,” she said, warning that such a narrow framing “strips it of its true meaning.” While protecting unborn life remains central, she described it as part of a broader vision rooted in what she called “the public voice of Polish Christianity.”

She outlined three core pillars underpinning the movement. The first is “respect for life,” encompassing not only the unborn but also solidarity with the elderly, families, and those in need. The second is the family as society’s foundation, grounded in the traditional understanding of marriage and its role in Poland’s social stability. The third pillar is “a state serving the common good,” reflecting a view of politics as service and a call for greater social solidarity.

Sankowska-Grabczuk also discussed the importance of Poland’s historical and Christian identity in shaping the movement. She noted that recent marches have intentionally marked major national milestones, including the 1,000th anniversary of Poland’s first royal coronation in 2025.

These commemorations, she said, highlight how the movement sees its mission as inseparable from Poland’s historical development, where Christianity has long informed both national identity and social values.

Pro-life voices and public participation

Among international participants was Tonio Borg, president of the European Federation One of Us. He urged participants to remain steadfast in their convictions despite criticism or public pressure.

“Do not be afraid of being slandered and ridiculed because you seek to protect life from the moment of conception,” he said, encouraging continued public engagement and advocacy.

He also called on supporters to make their voices heard in the public sphere, stressing the importance of influencing lawmakers and demonstrating that “the unborn child is one of us.”

Marcin Perłowski, director of the Centre for Life and Family, said participants gathered at the march out of a shared conviction that “human life begins at conception” and must be defended. He stated that the National March for Life serves as a public demonstration of that belief, describing it as a stand “against all those who raise a hand against unborn children.”

Pro-life activist Emilia Mędrzecka told EWTN News that her position is grounded in a belief in universal human dignity. “Children in the womb are as human as we are… they are more dependent and need time to grow,” she said while adding that the march reflected a strong presence of families, young people, and older generations united in support of life.

While official attendance figures have not been released, estimates provided to EWTN News suggested more than 10,000 people participated, with organizers placing peak attendance between 25,000 and 30,000.

“In full coordination with the local community of Debel in southern Lebanon, the damaged statue was replaced by IDF troops,” the Israeli military announced in an April 21 post on X.

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“The Northern Command worked to coordinate the replacement of the statue from the moment it received the report of the incident,” they said. “The IDF expresses deep regret over the incident and is working to ensure that it does not happen again in the future.”

The response comes after a photo circulated on social media that showed an Israeli soldier striking the face of Christ on a damaged crucifix with a sledgehammer. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, called the act “a grave affront to the Christian faith.”

In a separate post, the IDF confirmed that the soldier depicted with the sledgehammer and the soldier who took the photo will receive 30 days of military detention and will be removed from combat duty.

Six other members of the IDF were present and did not act or report the incident, according to the IDF. Those soldiers were summoned for "clarification discussions” and further actions might be taken.

The IDF’s inquiry determined that the conduct of the soldiers involved “completely deviated from IDF orders and values.”

According to the IDF: “Procedures regarding conduct with religious institutions and symbols were reinforced to the troops prior to their entry into the relevant areas and will be reinforced again for all troops in the area following the incident.”

The post stated that the chief of general staff “condemned the incident and stated that it constitutes unacceptable conduct and a moral failure, far exceeding any acceptable standard and contradicting IDF values and the expected conduct of its troops.”

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In a statement through the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land on April 20, Pizzaballa said even amid the destruction of the statue, “the cross remains unassailable in its meaning.”

“As St. Paul the Apostle declares, ‘Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Gal 6:14),” his statement read. “For believers, the cross endures as a source of dignity, hope, and redemption, and as a summons to overcome violence through sacrificial love.”

In addition to offering a reflection on the popeʼs upcoming June 6–12 apostolic journey to Spain, the archbishop of Valladolid devoted a large portion of his address to analyzing the issue of polarization, which carries significant consequences both within and outside the Catholic Church.

Drawing upon a doctrinal note published by the CEE in March, which warned of the dangers of emotivism, a phenomenon he defined as fundamentally based on emotions. Argüello said that “reductionism based on emotivism poses a genuine risk,” one that spreads to social, ecclesial, and political coexistence through polarization.

This polarization based on emotions “transforms opinions into identities,” such that fear becomes “the strongest factor undergirding polarization. One’s opponent is no longer viewed as someone with whom one disagrees, but rather as a threat,” which leads to dehumanization.

Argüello emphasized that this phenomenon “denies the polarities that constitute us and make us fruitful,” namely, the Trinitarian polarity, which is “foundational to all others”; the anthropological polarity, male and female; the polarity of “you and I, ourselves and society”; and the polarity of “history and eternal life.”

Polarization affects the life of the Church

The prelate addressed how this phenomenon affects the life of the Catholic Church, alluding to a “typically polarizing controversy” that arose in various media outlets regarding a conversation held by members of the CEE executive committee with Pope Leo XIV in November 2025.

The controversy surrounded leaked comments from the meeting attributed to Pope Leo, who purportedly said that his greatest concern in Spain is the "far right," according to some media outlets. The CEE explained, however, that “in the dialogue, the Holy Father reflected, among other things, on the risks of subjecting faith to ideologies, without mentioning any specific group."

“Ideologies in postmodern societies participate in the interplay of identity, belonging, and polarization, serving the struggle for power. Theological thought — and, stemming from it, ecclesial life and pastoral action — are also affected by ideological reductionism,” Argüello noted.

The consequence is that these positions “wound the deposit of faith, cause division within the Church, and anesthetize the missionary power of the Gospel,” he added.

Polarization and synodality

Argüello also listed other negative fruits of polarization in various spheres, such as human anthropology, attitudes toward immigrants, the Churchʼs role in public life, whether Spain is a single nation or a nation composed of nations, and ecclesiology.

Argüello pointed out that “democracy, when lived as an ideology, seeks to be applied to all dimensions of existence; it disrupts genuine synodality — a shared discernment aimed at being more faithful to the missionary mandate of the Lord — and transforms it into an exercise in the distribution of power based on the theological-pastoral preferences of the participants.”

“By way of contrast, clericalism, both ideological and emotional, views every form of participation with suspicion and rejects synodality under the pretext that it threatens legitimate authority, yet this merely masks the ambition to retain absolute power over the Christian community,” he stated.

Government forcing agreements

The president of the CEE also addressed relations with public authorities and denounced certain attitudes on the part of the government. Although the Spanish state is defined in its constitution as “non-confessional,” the prelate remarked ironically that the executive branch “tends to adopt ‘confessional’ stances” — for instance, in matters of anthropology.

“It also adopts a confessional perspective on history, and a selective one regarding victims,” he added. Furthermore, it “manifests an excessive desire to intervene in civil society and to control institutions,” as well as “double standards, depending on who is affected by matters of abuse of power or corruption. All of this is done in an effort to secure control over the media.”

Argüello stated that “several of these characteristics would apply to almost all governments” and renewed his commitment to cooperation, though not without first noting that despite having engaged in dialogue with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez regarding various matters, “this government’s priority interest, the only one on which it has sought to force agreements, has been the issue of the abuse of minors committed solely within the Church, and the re-signification of the Valley of the Fallen,” the monumental complex dedicated to combatants on both sides of the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War.

The prelate further took issue with Justice Minister Félix Bolaños’ assertion made following the signing of the protocol to assist victims of abuse, that “the government decides and the Church pays,” pointing out that the Church “has provided compensation, in many cases, without any government or court ruling having imposed it.”

Regarding the situation of the Basilica of the Holy Cross at the Valley of the Fallen, Argüello invited "the government and the monks of the Abbey of the Valley of Cuelgamuros to reach a reasonable and satisfactory agreement for both parties — one that, moreover, serves as a testament that it is possible to overcome polarization and find paths for reconciliation.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“God’s timing is perfect,” Rodríguez shared in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. Following various setbacks, she will embark on a promotional book tour April 23–26, visiting four Mexican cities: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Puebla, and Xalapa.

On April 25, she will also participate in the March for Life organized by the “Pasos por la Vida” (Steps for Life) platform in Mexico City, drawing tens of thousands to the streets of the Mexican capital.

“The book is about my story. I speak briefly about my childhood in Mexico and how I arrived in the United States,” she said, adding that the book also discusses “the mindset of a Catholic within the reproductive rights movement,” saying it is something “that is profoundly impacting our Hispanic culture.”

Rodríguez clarified: “How many people do we know who call themselves Catholic yet support contraception, abortion, and things like that?”

Rodríguez, who worked for the abortion provider for over 15 years, sued Planned Parenthood Arizona in 2017 for “retaliatory employment termination” after she was fired for reporting to her superiors a series of practices at the facilities that were dangerous to women.

In 2019, a jury ruled in Rodríguez’s favor and awarded her $3 million in damages.

“Throughout the entire trial, we didn’t ask for a single cent,” she emphasized; “we left everything to the jury,” which “decided everything and delivered its verdict. Our sole focus was on proving that I was telling the truth.”

She initially hesitated over the bookʼs title but ultimately settled on “Mayra Rodríguez vs. Planned Parenthood.” She feared it might face a legal challenge, but after consulting with her attorney, they concluded that “that’s the name of the case,” a case that “is a matter of public record; anyone can look it up online. Thanks to that, I am the only person who can afford the luxury of using that name ... because they are the defendants.”

Her intention, she emphasized, is to show “who Planned Parenthood is,” because many Mexicans and Hispanics, even within the pro-life movement, are unaware of its impact on politics. She wants people to "see the name and recognize it, and understand that it is synonymous with abortion, synonymous with puberty blockers, synonymous with this entire LGBT movement.”

Welcoming ‘with compassion’ ex-abortion workers

Rodríguez also called upon pro-life advocates not to view those working in the abortion industry “as enemies,” encouraging them instead “to view them with love and compassion, understanding that only in this way will we be able to show them the dignity of the human being.”

She highlighted the abundance of cases involving abortion clinic workers who have become pro-life leaders such as Abby Johnson, Patricia Sandoval, Ramona Treviño, and Dr. Anthony Levatino, among many others.

Within the organization And Then There Were None founded by Johnson to assist those wishing to leave the abortion industry, and of which Rodríguez is a member, “we have over 750 employees who have left the abortion industry, and more continue to join.”

“Our true struggle,” she said, “is to focus on changing hearts. And that is done only by getting the word out, by speaking the truth, by talking to people, and by hoping that they listen and that this succeeds in ensuring that even if abortion remains legal, people come to view it as unthinkable,” she explained.

‘This is just the beginning’

“This is just the beginning. I hope people receive the book well, and ... I hope that many people who believe in abortion manage to open their eyes, or at least that that little seed is planted” that leads to their conversion.

“Mayra Rodríguez vs. Planned Parenthood” is published in Mexico by the publishing house Cristo Misionero. The book will be available for purchase during the tour and at the March for Life in Mexico City on April 25.

Rodríguez is also working on translating the book into English.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Until 1778, Equatorial Guinea was part of Portugal. However, following the Treaties of San Ildefonso and El Pardo, it became part of Spain within the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata, which had been split off from the former Viceroyalty of Peru in 1776.

The Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata encompassed the African continental territories of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea along with their islands of Bioko (known to the Spanish as Fernando Poo) and Annobón, as well as the territories of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia, and certain areas that today belong to Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

Viceroyalty control began to break down in 1810 amid the process toward independence in Spainʼs overseas territories. Between 1827 and 1843, the British had a significant presence in the territory of Equatorial Guinea. From that point onward, the Spanish became more actively involved in the Spanish territories of the Gulf of Guinea.

The turbulent political processes throughout the 19th century in the Spanish metropolis hindered the territoryʼs further development, despite the existence of a major cocoa industry.

In 1959, Spanish Guinea was recognized as a Spanish territory comprising two provinces. In 1963, it was granted autonomous status, and five years later, its independence was proclaimed.

Alberto Fernández, a contributor to EWTN News and former U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, explained to “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News, how Spainʼs legacy in the country endures to this day, including the role of Spanish as an official language, along with the Catholic faith.

“Itʼs an overwhelmingly Catholic country. The vast majority of people in Guinea are Catholic,” he said, unlike other countries visited by the pontiff during his African trip, where there is greater diversity of creeds.

Furthermore, in Equatorial Guinea, “one buys Spanish wine, chorizo ​​imported from Spain, and nougat from Spain. There is a strong cultural presence, as well as an Equatorial Guinean enclave in Spain that persists to this day,” the former ambassador noted.

A country rich in oil, with vast social disparities

Fernández described Equatorial Guinea as “one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of between 1 and 2 million people, and rich in natural resources, primarily oil and natural gas.”

This energy wealth allows for “major highways, modern airports, and investment in infrastructure,” yet the country is no stranger to “the problem of poverty — the disparity between the rich and the poor” much like other oil-producing nations, such as Venezuela.

“It’s a Spanish-speaking country, very Catholic, very African, but with certain touches of old Spain," Fernández noted.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Born in Laja, a small rural community on the banks of the Bío Bío River 28 miles from Los Ángeles, Chile, Daza still fondly remembers his grandmother Trinidad, who taught him how to pray “and to trust in God with a simple faith.”

These days, he also turns his thoughts with gratitude toward Father Félix Eicher, the first parish priest of his hometown, a Belgian priest who remained there for 50 years and whom he still remembers today as “a great man who helped me, guided me, and accompanied me” during his vocational discernment, he recounted in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

During this period of accompaniment, Eicher recommended St. Luigi Orione to him as a model whose example sparked in him the desire “to become a brother so that I could serve the most needy in a more direct way.”

As part of his discernment, in 1985 he spent a year in Argentina, completing his novitiate with the Little Work of Divine Providence. Currently, he directs a “Cottolengo” care facility housing 107 elderly residents.

A new calling

To be a coadjutor brother, he explained, means fulfilling the four vows: “Poverty, obedience, chastity, and fidelity to the pope,” which is the fourth vow of the Congregation of Don Orione. “I abide by all the regulations, and I have all the rights and duties of the congregation,” he said, adding that he has always felt “very content and very happy” with his consecration to religious life.

However, after several decades of service, he began to hear from colleagues and friends telling him: “The congregation needs priests; you’ve got to become a priest.”

At first, the religious offered some resistance: “I would say: ‘No! I feel content, fulfilled by what I do — happy,’” he recalled. But more recently, he began hearing this urging more frequently from acquaintances, as well as from priests within the diocese and the congregation, prompting him to consider more seriously this inner stirring. “Perhaps this had been within me all along, only I hadn’t wanted to bring it to the surface,” he began to think.

“I prayed about it extensively, discussed it with people of greater experience, and let them help me to be sure about this step. And after 40 years as a coadjutor brother and seven years as a permanent deacon, this restlessness arose in me about giving the Lord a more serious response regarding the path toward the priesthood,” he explained. Consequently, during a visit from one of the superiors of the congregation who had arrived from Rome, Daza presented his situation to him.

Understanding each step as God’s will

Following that conversation, he sent a letter to Rome as required by the formal process and also spoke with the bishop of Los Ángeles, Cristián Castro Toovey. “But I never thought this would happen so quickly,” he acknowledged with surprise.

So it was that on March 21, accompanied by his mother, María Jara, and in the presence of brothers in his congregation and communities hailing from various parts of Chile and even his novitiate classmate, Father Sergio Jiménez (who had traveled from Argentina), Daza was ordained a priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Los Ángeles by the local bishop.

Reflecting on this new path that God has set before him, he said: “One must understand it as the will of God and the ways of God in the life of a human being.”

“Since making my first vows, I have felt fulfilled and happy in the congregation. Today, more than ever, for this step is a huge step, a greater responsibility,” he shared.

As he relived the moment of his ordination, Daza recalled it as “a great mystery,” a moment in which he experienced “many conflicting emotions.”

“I don’t know how to explain it, because there are moments when you feel as if you are ‘up there,’” he said. And he especially cherishes the presence of his fellow brothers: “It was something of immense importance.”

Regarding his first Mass, he said: “As I walked behind the priests in the middle of the church, I felt something truly immense; it’s very difficult to explain, like a feeling of joy, of weeping for joy. It was a very powerful experience.”

A greater commitment to the people

Currently, Daza remains very active. “Don Orione always went all in,” he noted as he enumerated the works of the congregation currently active in Chile: the Home for the Elderly, the ministry to young offenders, and the farm that helps generate resources for the home, tasks that demand both his time and energy. Now, in addition, pastoral care has been added to his responsibilities.

The priest said he believes that, in these times, “there must be a greater commitment to the people. People need to be heard; they need someone to dedicate time to them.”

“I’m a bit hyperactive, so that’s an exercise I’m going to have to undertake,” he joked.

“I am deeply grateful to God and to the congregation, because my daily routine revolves around being able to help people spiritually. Many already know me, they know I can be a bit quirky,” he quipped, “but it seems I inspire a certain amount of trust. I am content and happy; the fact that people feel heard, loved, and respected, that’s already a big step,” he emphasized.

Be courageous and let others help you

Finally, the priest addressed young people, encouraging them “to be courageous in giving a response, in placing themselves at the Lord’s disposal, and in letting the Lord carry out his will.”

In this regard, he recalled the motto of his ordination — “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want,” and assured them: “If you give yourselves over to him, you will lack nothing in your life. We have more than we sometimes imagine,” he shared.

To those considering the possibility of the priesthood, he advised: “Pray often, allow yourself to be helped a great deal, be open with the people the Lord puts on your path, take heart, and I say it again: Don’t be afraid; take the step, and the Lord will help you afterwards.”

“In my case, it has been 40 years and today I can say with complete peace of mind that I have never once felt any doubt about my vocation, if this was truly my path or not because I have always felt secure, supported, and so loved by everyone; and that is what has kept me happy all along.”

“For the Lord, age is of no consequence; what matters is simply having the desire to help,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

As the pope lands in the central African nation — comprised of the Rio Muni mainland and five volcanic offshore islands — his visit is to be viewed as both a moment of spiritual renewal and an affirmation of the local Church’s growing maturity, according to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa.

Here are seven things to know about the Catholic Church in Equatorial Guinea:

1. Equatorial Guinea is Africa’s only Spanish-speaking country and has a distinct Catholic identity.

Equatorial Guinea is unique in Africa as the only country where Spanish is the primary official language, a legacy of nearly two centuries of Spanish colonial rule that ended in 1968. This history significantly shaped the Catholic Church in the country.

Evangelization was largely carried out by Spanish missionaries — especially members of the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CMF/Claretians) — whose pastoral methods, Marian devotion, and catechetical structures continue to influence parish life. Spanish remains the dominant language of Catholic liturgy, Church administration, and theological formation.

At the same time, Equatorial Guinea is officially multilingual. French and Portuguese were later adopted to facilitate regional and diplomatic integration, while Indigenous languages such as Fang, Bubi, Ndowe, and Annobonese remain central to everyday life and are increasingly used in local pastoral contexts.

This blend of Hispanic Catholic heritage and African cultural expression makes the central African nation unique within sub-Saharan Africa.

2. Catholics in Equatorial Guinea form one of the largest majorities on the continent.

Equatorial Guinea remains one of the most Catholic countries in sub-Saharan Africa — not only in cultural identity but also in measurable ecclesial terms.

According to Vatican Church statistics, as summarized by the Catholics and Cultures initiative drawing on the Holy See’s Statistical Yearbook of the Church, approximately 74.8% of Equatorial Guinea’s population is Catholic.

While this figure refers specifically to baptized Catholics — a standard metric used by the Vatican’s Central Office for Church Statistics — it underscores the depth of Catholic presence in a country of just over 1.6 million people. In practical terms, this translates into a Church that permeates national life, with parishes serving not only as places of worship but also as centers of education, health care, and social organization.

Church-run schools and health facilities continue to play a critical role, particularly in rural and island communities where public services are unevenly distributed. The Catholic Church remains one of the most visible and trusted institutions in Equatorial Guinean society.

3. The country has a young but structurally expanding local Church.

Although Catholicism has deep historical roots in Equatorial Guinea, the local Church hierarchy is relatively young and continues to evolve.

The country currently has one metropolitan see, the Archdiocese of Malabo, with four suffragan dioceses: Bata, Ebebiyin, Mongomo, and Evinayong. The latter two dioceses were erected in April 2017.

Church leadership is now largely Indigenous, marking a shift from missionary administration to local ecclesial responsibility. This maturation is a key backdrop to Pope Leo XIV’s visit, which can be interpreted as recognition of a Church that has come into its own.

4. A strong missionary legacy still shapes Catholic life in Equatorial Guinea.

Members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL) continue to play a defining role in Equatorial Guinea’s Catholic life. The Claretians in particular remain influential in parish ministry, education, and the formation of the clergy, alongside other ICLSAL.

According to a June 2024 report by Agenzia Fides, the Church in Equatorial Guinea has drawn strength from its missionary past, even after periods of hardship. Reflecting on this history, the president of CEGE, Bishop Juan Domingo-Beka Esono Ayang of the Mongono Diocese noted that the Church has entered “a period of new dynamics” following earlier challenges.

This enduring missionary presence has helped sustain vocations, catechesis, and social outreach, especially in rural and island communities of the central African nation.

5. More than four decades have passed since the last papal visit.

Pope Leo XIV’s trip will be only the second papal visit in the country’s history. The first took place on Feb. 18, 1982, when Pope John Paul II visited Equatorial Guinea. During that visit, the late pontiff presided over Mass in Bata and encouraged Catholics to live “in loyalty to Christ and the Church.”

For many Equatoguineans, particularly those born after 1982, the upcoming papal visit will mark their first encounter with a reigning pope.

6. Church-state relations are close but contextual in the country.

Relations between Equatorial Guinea and the Holy See have remained consistently cordial. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has met successive popes and has repeatedly expressed the government’s desire to host a papal visit.

According to a June 28 Vatican News report, Teodoro, accompanied by his wife and government officials, met with Pope Leo XIV in what was the Holy Father’s first formal audience with an African president following his election.

Meeting at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Pope Leo XIV and Teodoro discussed, among other topics, “the contribution of the Catholic Church in the fields of education and health care, and for the human, social, and cultural development of the population.”

The Equatoguinean president also held a meeting with the Vatican secretary for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, during which the two leaders noted “the good relations between the Holy See and Equatorial Guinea.”

At the same time, the Church in Equatorial Guinea operates within a broader social context marked by political longevity, oil-driven wealth, and persistent inequality — realities that frame local expectations of the papal message when he visits the country.

7. The pope’s stop in Equatorial Guinea is part of a linguistically and culturally symbolic African itinerary.

Equatorial Guinea’s confirmation of the papal pastoral visit followed Angola’s announcement, positioning Hispanic and Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) Africa at the forefront of Pope Leo XIV’s first African journey as pontiff.

In December 2025, Pope Leo XIV indicated that he would visit Africa in 2026, naming Algeria as a possible initial destination. Apart from Angola and Equatorial Guinea being confirmed, Cameroon was also mentioned and later confirmed as a potential stop.

Together these destinations reflect the pope’s emphasis on the Church’s universality across languages and cultures: Spanish, Portuguese, and potentially French, English, and Arabic in possible future African papal visits.

Pope Leo XIV is the first pontiff in modern history with firsthand knowledge of Africa. Unlike his predecessors, he had already been to eastern, western, southern, northern, and central Africa in person before his May 8, 2025, election.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and later by EWTN News. It has since been adapted and updated by EWTN News.

When remembering St. Anselm in a general audience on Sept. 23, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI said he was “a monk with an intense spiritual life, an excellent teacher of the young, a theologian with an extraordinary capacity for speculation, a wise man of governance and an intransigent defender of the Churchʼs freedom.”

St. Anselm, Benedict said, stands out as “one of the eminent figures of the Middle Ages who was able to harmonize all these qualities, thanks to the profound mystical experience that always guided his thought and his action.”

Anselm was born in Aosta, part of the Piedmont region of present-day Italy, around 1033. While his father provided little in the way of moral or religious influence, his mother was a notably devout woman and chose to send Anselm to a school run by the Benedictine order where he received a classical education and reportedly became a great Latinist of his time. 

The boy felt a profound religious calling during these years, spurred in part by a dream in which he met and conversed with God. At 15, he wanted to be a monk, but his father forbade it, wishing his son to have a political career. This disappointment was followed by a period of severe illness for Anselm as well as his motherʼs early death.

Unable to join the monks, and tired of mistreatment by his father, Anselm left home and wandered throughout parts of France and Italy for three years. His life regained its direction in Normandy, where he met the Benedictine prior Lanfranc of Pavia and became his disciple.

Lanfranc recognized his pupilʼs intellectual gifts and encouraged his vocation to religious life. Accepted into the order and ordained a priest at age 27, Anselm succeeded his teacher as prior in 1063 when Lanfranc was called to become abbot of another monastery. Anselm became abbot of his own monastery, Bec, in 1079.

Just prior to that, in 1077, Anselm wrote the “Monologian” (“Monologue”), which was both an apologetic and religious treatise attempting to demonstrate the existence of God using reason alone.

With Anselm at the helm, Bec became a center of monastic learning.

By this time, the Normans had conquered England and sought to bring monks from Normandy to influence the Church there. Lanfranc became archbishop of Canterbury and asked Anselm to come and assist him.

The period after Lanfrancʼs death, however, in the late 1080s, was a difficult time for the English Church. King William Rufus, the son of William the Conqueror, refused to allow the appointment of a new archbishop. Anselm went back to his monastery and did not want to return to England, but in 1092, he was persuaded to do so.

The following year, the king changed his mind and allowed Anselm to become archbishop of Canterbury, but the monk was extremely reluctant to accept the charge, which would involve him in further struggles with the English crown in subsequent years.

For a three-year period in the early 12th century, Anselmʼs insistence on the self-government of the Church — against the claims of the state to its administration and property — caused him to be exiled from England. But he was successful in his struggle and returned to his archdiocese in 1106.

Anselm continued to develop theological ideas and teaching. His doctrine of the atonement eventually became part of the theology of the Latin Church, forming the basis of both the Catholic and Protestant understanding of the work of Christ.

In his last years, Anselm worked to reform the Church and continued his theological investigations — following the motto of “faith seeking understanding.” After his death in 1109, his influence on the subsequent course of theology led Pope Clement XI to name him a doctor of the Church in 1720.

This story was first published on April 15, 2012, and has been updated.

Multiple families whose teens attend the school had complained that a priest stepped over the line into “inappropriate” talk during confession, but in a statement to EWTN News, the diocese said it “looked into complaints raised about conversations that occurred during confession at Charlotte Catholic High School last December” and did not identify any “violations of our conduct policies” in the priest’s behavior.

The families, who wished to remain anonymous to protect their daughters, said that during the sacrament of reconciliation, a priest asked the young women “unexpected and personal questions,” according to a report by WCNC Charlotte.

One father said the priest, who has not been identified, asked his daughter about sexual sins.

According to the young woman’s mother, the question was unrelated to the sins she was confessing at the time. “‘Mom, I was telling him about missing Mass and lying to you and fighting with my brother … and we were not talking about anything sexual at all and he just asked me that,’” the mother said.

Another mother reported that the priest asked her daughter “if she’s ever had a sexual relationship with a boy.”

Those two families and others said they informed the school as well as the Diocese of Charlotte of their concerns.

In its statement, the diocese said it has communicated about the matter “with all involved at the time and has addressed the issue with all priests of the diocese, reiterating the need for pastoral sensitivity in celebrating the sacrament.”

According to the Diocese of Charlotte, Bishop Michael Martin also responded by letter to the families, who told WCNC they received similar responses.

“I am sorry that your daughter had a conversation in confession that made her feel uncomfortable,” Martin reportedly said in his letter.

He said priests sometimes ask clarifying questions during confession or lead a penitent who has not properly examined his or her conscience.

The Catholic Church teaches that the faithful should examine their consciences regularly, but especially prior to the sacrament of reconciliation in order to make a good confession.

“Penitents frequently come to the sacrament having engaged in a limited examination of conscience,” Martin continued, saying a priest might “raise common age-appropriate struggles with sin … to jog his or her memory or give them the benefit of having only to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ so they do not have to describe the sin in too much detail."

He reminded the families that priests are prohibited from breaking what is known as the “sacramental seal,” or discussing what they hear in confession.

Charlotte Catholic High School did not respond to EWTN News in time for publication.

Several of the parents who raised the issue expressed dissatisfaction with the bishop’s response, however, with one parent saying she felt her concerns were “dismissed.”

“The whole letter felt like we were being gaslighted,” another mother told the local news outlet. “We understand what is appropriate and inappropriate.”

Nevertheless, one of the mothers said “I’m still a faithful Catholic. I just want this to be about doing the right thing.”

The dioceseʼs statement continued: “Confession is a sacrament meant to address sins so a priest can offer a penitent absolution and guidance. A variety of topics come up during confession, and according to Church norms, a priest may ask clarifying questions and, if necessary, assists the penitent to make a complete confession.”

“Confession is a sacrament Catholics learn about at home and at their church, through required sacramental preparation classes. Confession is offered on a voluntary basis at our schools, and as Catholics, students are encouraged but not required to participate at school,” the statement concluded.

Priests' perspective

A priest who serves as a chaplain to middle and high school students told EWTN News that he knows of only one case personally where a penitent was “scandalized that the priest was asking for clarifying information,” which he acknowledged priests sometimes do to help the penitent make a “good confession.”

“People are sensitive about topics like that right now,” said the priest, who wished to remain anonymous. “Even with completely innocent intentions, things can play out really badly. We’re in the ‘Me Too’ season, we’re in the ‘priests are pedophiles’ time of history.”

The priest told EWTN News that he does not “regularly lead [penitents] in examination of conscience” during confession. He added: “I donʼt know of a single priest that does.”

In addition, the priest noted that there “is a beauty of the seal of confession,” he said, but because of it, a priest accused of wrongdoing “is helpless, not that he’s necessarily innocent, but his ability to defend himself is really limited.”

Another priest and former high school chaplain who also wished to remain anonymous told EWTN News that it is possible there was a misunderstanding, because young people, “especially teen girls, are often embarrassed to speak of sins of a sexual nature and are sometimes not clear during confession, requiring the priest to ask clarifying questions.”

“But the priest should not bring up questions unrelated to the sins the penitent is confessing, and then, they should be clarifying questions only to help him or her make a better confession,” he said.

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) released its 2026 national survey of seminarians who are scheduled for ordination this year. The survey was administered between Feb. 12 and March 20.

Out of 428 ordinands invited to participate, 334 ordinands responded to the survey for a response rate of 78%. The responding ordinands represent 110 U.S. dioceses and eparchies and 34 religious institutes. Four in 5 (81%) are preparing for ordination to a diocese or eparchy, and 19% are preparing for religious institutes.

The report is created in collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations and CARA about seminarians scheduled for ordination to the priesthood in 2026.

On average, responding ordinands first considered priesthood when they were 16 years old and were scheduled for ordination at the age of 33. Ordinands reported they lived in their dioceses for 16 years before entering seminary and knew the members of their religious institute for five years prior.

Most 2026 ordinands are white (62%), with others identifying as Hispanic or Latino (17%), Asian or Pacific Islander (11%), and Black or African American (5%). While most respondents reported they were born in the United States (74%), others said they were born in Vietnam (5%), Mexico (3%), Colombia (2%), or elsewhere (16%).

While most respondents reported they were born in the United States, a third (35%) were born abroad and, on average, came to live in the U.S. at 22 years old. The most common countries of birth among the foreign-born ordinands were Vietnam (5%), Mexico (3%), and Colombia (2%).

Of the men surveyed, 35% attended seminaries in the Midwest, 28% in the Northeast, 19% in the South, 14% in the West, and 5% abroad.

Education

The report found that 11% of responding ordinands were home-schooled at some point in their education and they received various levels of education. Of respondents, 29% attended high school or less, 19% reported some college or trade school, 39% received a college undergraduate degree, and 13% earned a graduate degree.

Of the respondents who went to undergraduate or graduate school before entering seminary, 22% studied theology or philosophy. Other common fields of study included business (18%), engineering (17%), and science or math (11%).

Nearly half of the ordinands (45%) attended a Catholic elementary school, 38% attended Catholic high school, and 34% attended Catholic college. Of all ordinands, 63% also reported participating in religious education in their parish.

Prayer practices

Many ordinands (81%) reported participation in Eucharistic adoration when asked about their prayer practices before entering seminary. Many also reported praying the rosary on a regular basis (79%), prayer and Bible groups (52%), and lectio divina (48%).

Overall, 93% of ordinands participated in at least one parish ministry before entering the seminary. Many reported that they had been active in parish life by serving as altar servers (79%), lectors (49%), campus or youth ministers (34%), or as catechists (32%).

Most ordinands (92%) were encouraged by at least one person to join the priesthood. For many it was a parish priest (70%), friends (49%), or mother (46%). Some also noted discouraging influences including family members (22%) and classmates and friends (17%).

Family life

The report found that 4% of respondents had served in the U.S. armed forces, and 12% reported their parents had a military career in the U.S.

Most respondents were baptized Catholic as an infant (93%), with just 7% who reported they became Catholic later in life. Most ordinands also reported that both of their parents were Catholic (86%).

The majority of respondents (88%) reported that they were raised by a married couple living together, with 97% who were raised by both biological parents and 11% who were raised by grandparents.

Of respondents, 28% said they have a relative who is a priest or religious. Most also said they have a sibling or siblings (96%).

After granting the appeal on April 20, the court will likely hear the case in the fall.

The Colorado universal preschool program provides tuition assistance to families for a school of their choice, whether public or private, but the state government excluded Catholic preschools that have faith requirements for attendees from the program.

The Catholic preschools ask teachers and families to sign a pledge promising to uphold their religious mission, including teachings on sexuality and gender identity. The Colorado preschool program’s nondiscrimination clause, however, requires schools to uphold provisions on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Months after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled in September 2025 that Colorado may continue to exclude Catholic preschools due to their religious beliefs, the Archdiocese of Denver and the Catholic preschools asked the Supreme Court to grant them access to the program.

St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy began in August 2023 when two Catholic parish preschools and the Denver Archdiocese filed the first suit.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood declined to comment, citing active litigation.

‘Universal means everyone’

In September 2025, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis celebrated the court ruling to exclude Catholic schools, saying it protected students from “discrimination.”

"Colorado’s highly popular, free Universal Preschool saves families more than $6,000 per year, gives students a strong start, and has skyrocketed Colorado from 27th in preschool enrollment to third,” Polis said in a Sept. 30 statement. “We are building a Colorado for all, where every student is free from discrimination.”

Catholic parents Dan and Lisa Sheley, who have seven children, said in a statement that they hope to be able to participate in the program and choose a Catholic preschool.

“All we want is the freedom to choose the best preschool for our kids without being punished for our faith,” the couple said. “Colorado promised families a universal preschool program, then cut out families like ours because we chose a Catholic education. We pray the Supreme Court will remind Colorado that universal means everyone.”

A Catholic mother of three said that “Colorado is punishing young religious families.”

“In a state that loudly preaches inclusion, it’s shocking to see Colorado go out of its way to exclude families like mine,” said Erika Navarrete Nagle, whose children attend St. Mary’s. “I hope the Supreme Court will make it clear that no family should be targeted for what they believe.”

Officials in charge of the program recently announced that the preschool program had reached 71.2% participation, leaving about 29% of eligible children not participating. The program’s goal is to reach 77% participation by 2030.

Nicholas Reaves, senior counsel at Becket, the religious liberty nonprofit law firm involved in the case, and attorney for the families and preschools, said he is “confident” the high court will rule in favor of religious freedom.

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that states cannot exclude families from government benefits because of their faith,” Reaves said.

“Colorado promised free preschool for all, then slammed the door on families who chose a religious education for their children,” Reaves continued. “After three losses in religious freedom cases at the Supreme Court, Colorado should know better.”

In May 2025, the Supreme Court declined to rule in a contentious case involving what was proposed to be the nation’s first religious charter school, leaving untouched a lower court ruling that forbade the Oklahoma Catholic institution from accessing state funds.

In previous years, the high court has ruled in favor of Maine tuition assistance for religious schools in 2022 and in favor of a Pennsylvania-based Catholic foster care agency in 2021.

On April 13, 1986, Pope John Paul II did what no other pope had ever done when he entered the synagogue and was welcomed by Chief Rabbi Elio Toaff. There, he notably declared that “with Judaism we have a relationship which we do not have with any other religion.”

Most memorably, he went on to say "you are our dearly beloved brothers and, in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers."

At the commemorative event co-sponsored by the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism and the St. John Paul II National Shrine, Eric Cohen, president and CEO of the Tikvah Fund, an influential Jewish think tank, extolled Pope John Paul II as “one of the greatest philosophers, religious leaders, and statesmen of the modern era.”

Likewise, Catherine Szkop, director of public affairs at the Embassy of Israel to the United States, recalled her Polish father recounting to her that “in Poland you can say that you donʼt like Jesus and someone will say, ‘Thatʼs your opinion,’ but if you say you donʼt like Pope John Paul II, theyʼll ask in very colorful language, ‘Whatʼs wrong with you?’”

In addition to being the first pope in nearly 2,000 years to visit a synagogue, Szkop noted that John Paul II was also the first pope to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem and established diplomatic relations with the State of Israel in 1994.

Cohen described antisemitism as “a perverse inversion of the election of the Jews to have a unique role in history, to be a light unto the nations, and to bring the biblical vision of the good to the world,” adding that “it is the use of the Jewish people as an instrument in a campaign for nihilism and or a campaign for a version of the Almighty that seeks not covenant but radical submission through the sword.”

“I believe Jews and Christians have a summons and a calling to stand together against this revolt against the Bible and to stand for the covenantal renewal of the West,” Cohen said.

“And I believe in that project, America is unique," he added.

America as a uniquely Hebraic and providential nation

Cohen recalled the 1790 letter of the nationʼs first president, George Washington, to congregants of the Jewish synagogue of Savannah, Georgia.

Washington wrote: “May the same wonder-working Deity, who long since delivering the Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors planted them in the promised land — whose providential agency has lately been conspicuous in establishing these United States as an independent nation — still continue to water them with the dews of heaven and to make the inhabitants of every denomination participate in the temporal and spiritual blessings of that people whose God is Jehovah.”

In addition to defending religious freedom, Cohen pointed out, Washington conspicuously advanced “the idea that you canʼt understand America if you donʼt see it as a providential nation made in the image of the Israelites. That it is the almost chosen nation.”

‘Elder brother’ perspective

Speaking specifically from the perspective of an “elder brother in faith,” Cohen urged both Jews and Christians to remember that “a theology of love, a theology that seeks peace, is not a denial of the reality of evil.”

"Evil is real, and evil has to be opposed sometimes by strength and force, and the Hebrew Bible teaches that,” he said. Referencing Catholic just war theory, Cohen asserted that now more than ever, "we need a reaffirmation and re-explanation of that just war tradition."

He warned both his Catholic and Jewish listeners in attendance, which included diocesan and Dominican clergy as well as members of the American Sephardi Federation, to “not give up on the teachings of the Bible about why force is sometimes necessary.”

Cohen also urged Jews and Catholics to work together “for the religious education of our children.”

Calling it "the great civil rights fight of our age," he continued: "We have to stand together to have a renewal and a renaissance of religious education. That should be the norm in America. And tragically, it is a very, very tiny minority of young Americans who are educated in religious schools.”

Cohen attributed this state of affairs to the country having a system that has until recently been designed against religious schools and “in favor of secularism.”

“We have to stand together in believing that if weʼre going to pass down our faiths, we need an America that welcomes and celebrates religious education,” he emphasized.

On being ‘a blessing to each other’

“The relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish community have never been more hopeful or positive than they are today,” Szkop said.

George Weigel, a Catholic theologian and author of “Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II,” said both the Catholic and Jewish communities “are  providentially entangled, not simply because weʼre living in the same space, trying to straighten out the same country, trying to defend the same good things in the world.”

"Weʼre providentially entangled religiously," Weigel continued. "Thatʼs going to take a while for us to wrap our common heads around, but I believe that conversation has started over the past six decades [referring to the 1965 Vatican II document Nostra Aetate] and I think it can only be enriching for both sides."

“The full meaning of that entanglement will only be revealed in the fullness of the kingdom of God, for which both Jews and Christians must hope,” Weigel concluded.

News of the network’s long-planned expansion comes ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s June 6–12 visit to Spain, the first papal visit to the country since Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2011, EWTN Global Catholic Network said in an April 20 press release.

“If faith is truly part of our lives, it cannot be confined to a single moment — it must be present in all of them. Expanding to 24/7 programming allows us to walk with people throughout their day, offering a constant point of encounter with Christ,” EWTN Spain president José Carlos González-Hurtado said. “It strengthens our ability to serve the Church in Spain and to partner more deeply with EWTN’s global mission, especially as we prepare for comprehensive coverage of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain.”

EWTN Spain began broadcasting four hours daily on three television platforms, including Movistar+ (channel 143), Vodafone (channel 212), and Orange (channel 92), in addition to the network’s YouTube channel and website.

The network’s adoption of digital terrestrial television more than doubles its viewership capacity, the release said.

Since its founding in 2020, EWTN Spain’s programming has included content adapted and translated from programming produced in EWTN studios in the U.S. and Latin America. With the expansion of the network, all future content will be produced in Spain for Spanish audiences.

“At a time when Spain is grappling with profound questions surrounding the dignity of life and participation in the Church, EWTN is stepping forward in a larger way — accompanying those who are searching and offering the clarity and hope of the Gospel to every soul hungry for the truth,” said EWTN Chairman of the Board and CEO Michael Warsaw.

“Launching on what would have been Mother Angelica’s 103rd birthday is a powerful sign that this expansion in Spain builds on her enduring legacy and vision to proclaim the Gospel without compromise,” he said.

Mother Angelica is the foundress of EWTN, the world’s largest Catholic media organization, with 11 global TV channels and numerous regional channels that broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours per day, seven days per week in over 160 countries and territories.

EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, and more than 600 domestic and international AM and FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the most visited Catholic websites in the U.S.; EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division; and EWTN News, its global, multilingual news service.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on April 19 confirmed the authenticity of a photo on social media showing one of its soldiers using a sledgehammer to strike the face of Christ on the statue in the village of Debel, which is more than 95% Catholic and more than 99% Christian.

The photo shows that the statue was already damaged before the photo was taken, with Christ’s body hanging upside down off of the cross, with only his feet connected to the wood. Photos do not show how the initial damage occurred prior to the soldier using the sledgehammer.

After confirming the authenticity of the photo, the IDF announced an investigation into the matter on its official X account. The IDF promised “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings” and that the IDF is helping the community restore the statue.

“The IDF is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols,” the statement read.

Netanyahu said in a post on X he was “stunned and saddened” by the actions, and “I condemn the act in the strongest terms.” He promised a criminal investigation and said military authorities “will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender.”

“We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,” Netanyahu added.

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Catholic leaders condemn act

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, condemned the destruction of the statue as “a grave affront to the Christian faith” in a statement issued through the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, of which he is the president.

He said the assembly “expresses its profound indignation and unreserved condemnation of the desecration of a representation of Jesus crucified by an Israeli soldier in a Lebanese village” and warned the action “adds to other reported incidents of desecration of Christian symbols by IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.”

“It further reveals a disturbing failure in moral and human formation, wherein even the most elementary reverence for the sacred and for the dignity of others has been gravely compromised,” Pizzaballa said.

The assembly called for “immediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated.”

Pizzaballa said that even amid the destruction of the statue, “the cross remains unassailable in its meaning.”

“As St. Paul the Apostle declares, ‘far be it from me to glory except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Gal 6:14),” the statement read. “For believers, the cross endures as a source of dignity, hope, and redemption, and as a summons to overcome violence through sacrificial love.”

Pizzaballa said “it is precisely in this light that the Church continues to proclaim that true peace cannot be born of violence” and quoted Pope Leo XIV, who cited the words of Christ in Matthew 26:52, that true peace must remain “unarmed… a peace that calls to ‘put [the] sword back into its sheath.’”

“For this reason, the assembly renews, with urgency, its call to bring to an end the war that has tormented this region for far too long, and to embrace a path where peace is witnessed in restraint, dialogue, responsibility, and reverence for the sacred and for every human life,” Pizzaballa concluded.

Catholic villages in the south

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on April 16, but the IDF remains stationed throughout much of the land south of the Litani River, which includes the Catholic villages of Debel, Rmeish, and Ain Ebel.

Most people in southern Lebanon are Shia Muslim, but the region includes Sunni villages and Christian villages and religiously mixed villages.

More than 1 million people fled their homes, but about 150,000 people — including Catholics — stayed in southern Lebanon despite Israeli evacuation orders over fears they may not have been allowed back if they left. Some people have returned to their homes during the ceasefire.

Catholic organizations have provided shelter and aid to those displaced and those who remain in the south throughout the war. Less than two weeks ago, a Vatican humanitarian convoy was caught in the crossfire between Israeli and Hezbollah forces.

Early in the war, a Catholic priest named Father Pierre al-Rahi was killed in Israeli strikes. The Lebanon Ministry of Health has confirmed at least 2,294 deaths during the conflict.

In honor of her birthday, here are 10 quotes from Mother Angelica about the love of Jesus and the beauty and challenge of living a life of faith:

1. “Faith is often most alive when everything feels dark. That is when you choose to believe that God is there, even when you cannot see him or feel him. That kind of faith pleases God the most — because it is pure trust.”
2. “Holiness is not for wimps and the cross is not negotiable, sweetheart — it’s a requirement.”
3. “Jesus asks me to go to him when I am overburdened. He did not promise to take away those burdens, for I must carry mine as he carried his.”
4. “Every Christian who strives for holiness of life experiences dryness of soul. It is to most people a heartrending experience. It is a paradox, for the soul becomes confused when it realizes the harder it strives the further away Jesus seems to be.”
5. “The heart of Jesus is compassionate and understanding. It has felt the sting of ingratitude, and when my heart suffers from that same offense, I can turn to him, and he understands my feelings.”
6. “Jesus feels my sorrow greater than I, for his love is infinite, and he suffers in an infinite way.”
7. “Sometimes my worst day — one filled with pain and suffering — in the eyes of God, is my best day if Iʼve born it cheerfully and Iʼve born it with love.”
8. “Faith is what gets you started. Hope is what keeps you going. Love is what brings you to the end.”
9. “Faith is one foot on the ground, one foot in the air, and a queasy feeling in the stomach.”
10. “You see, God expects his people to do the ridiculous so he can do the miraculous.”