In comments to reporters at Joint Base Andrews shortly afterward, Trump said: “I donʼt think heʼs doing a very good job. … I am not a fan of Pope Leo.” He added: “Heʼs a very liberal person.”

Trump accused Leo of being soft on Iran and criticized the popeʼs opposition to U.S. military operations. “I donʼt want a Pope who thinks itʼs OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” the president wrote. He also criticized the pope for opposing the U.S. intervention in Venezuela that ousted President Nicolás Maduro in January.

Leo has not said Iran should possess nuclear weapons. He has called the U.S.-Israel war in Iran “unjust” and on April 7 called Trumpʼs threat to destroy an entire “civilization” in Iran “truly unacceptable.”

Trump also claimed credit for Leoʼs election to the papacy in May 2025, writing: “He wasnʼt on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American.” He added: “If I wasnʼt in the White House, Leo wouldnʼt be in the Vatican.”

The post on Truth Social came hours before Leo was scheduled to depart Monday for an 11-day trip to four African countries, and one day after the pope presided over a globally broadcast prayer vigil for peace at St. Peterʼs Basilica.

U.S. bishops' leader: Pope 'is not his rival'

The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said he was “disheartened” by President Donald Trumpʼs public attack on Pope Leo XIV, defending the pontiff as the Vicar of Christ who speaks for the Gospel and the care of souls.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City issued a brief statement late Sunday in response to Trumpʼs lengthy social media post calling the pope “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”

“I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father,” Coakley said. “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”

The president said he preferred the popeʼs older brother, Louis Prevost, a Port Charlotte, Florida, resident who has described himself as a “MAGA type.” “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” Trump wrote.

Trump also criticized Leo for meeting April 9 with David Axelrod, a former chief strategist for President Barack Obama, calling Axelrod “a LOSER from the Left.” The Vatican has previously confirmed the audience but did not disclose what was discussed.

Trump also posted an image that commentators said depicted him as Jesus Christ, wearing a biblical-style robe and laying hands on a bedridden man as light emanates from his fingers, while admirers look on and eagles and military jets fill the sky above an American flag.

The public clash comes after weeks of growing friction between the White House and Catholic leaders since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on Feb. 28.

Pope Leoʼs appeals for peace intensified over Holy Week, culminating in Saturdayʼs vigil, where he denounced a “delusion of omnipotence” and warned that “the holy Name of God” was being “dragged into discourses of death.”

At a special Mass for Peace held in Washington on April 11, Cardinal Robert McElroy argued that the current war fails to meet the strict criteria of just war theory, particularly in light of civilian suffering and the risk of disproportionate harm.

The Vatican has not yet publicly responded to Trumpʼs post. The pope is expected to arrive in Algiers on Monday.

Last updated: April 14, 2026, 00:31 a.m. ET.

Speaking to crowds gathered in the square, the pope noted his upcoming departure for Africa, where “some martyrs of the early African Church, the Martyrs of Abitene, have left us a beautiful testimony in this regard."

"Faced with the offer to save their lives on the condition that they renounce celebrating the Eucharist, they replied that they could not live without celebrating the Lord’s Day. It is there that our faith is nourished and grows,” the Holy Father said.

“Because it is through the Eucharist that even our hands become ‘hands of the Risen One,’ witnesses of his presence, of his mercy, and of his peace, in the signs of work, of sacrifices, of illness, and of the passing of the years, which are often engraved upon them — just as in the tenderness of a caress, a handshake, or a gesture of charity," he said.

In his commentary on the April 12 Gospel for the second Sunday of Easter — dedicated by Pope John Paul II to Divine Mercy — the pope spoke about the faithfulʼs encounter with Jesus: “Where can we find him? How can we recognize him? How can we believe?”

“Certainly, it is not always easy to believe. It was not easy for Thomas, and it is not easy for us either. Faith needs to be nourished and supported. For this reason, on the ‘eighth day,’ that is, every Sunday, the Church invites us to do as the first disciples did: to gather together and celebrate the Eucharist as one," he said.

The pope concluded: “In a world that is in such great need of peace, this commits us more than ever to be assiduous and faithful in our Eucharistic encounter with the Risen Lord, so that we may depart from it as witnesses of charity and bearers of reconciliation."

“May the Virgin Mary help us to do this — she who is blessed because she was the first to believe without seeing,” he said.

After the prayer, Pope Leo XIV returned to the theme of peace. Recalling the Easter celebration of the Orthodox Churches, he said: “I accompany those communities with even more intense prayer for all those who suffer because of the war, in particular for the dear people of Ukraine.”

“May the light of Christ bring comfort to afflicted hearts and strengthen the hope of peace. May the attention of the international community toward the drama of this war not diminish. I am also more than ever close to the beloved people of Lebanon in these days of sorrow, fear, and invincible hope in God.”

“The principle of humanity, inscribed in the conscience of every person and recognized in international law, entails the moral obligation to protect the civilian population from the atrocious effects of war. I appeal to the conflicting parties to cease fire and to urgently seek a peaceful solution," he said.

Next Wednesday marks three years since the beginning of the bloody conflict in Sudan. “How much the Sudanese people are suffering — innocent victims of this inhuman tragedy!“ the pope said. ”I renew my heartfelt appeal to the warring parties to silence the weapons and to begin, without preconditions, a sincere dialogue aimed at ending as soon as possible this fratricidal war.”

The pope then greeted everyone: “I extend a warm welcome to all of you, Romans and pilgrims, especially to the faithful who have celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday at the Shrine of Santo Spirito in Sassia.”

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

The election took place during the synod’s meetings held in Rome since April 9.

This election comes at a critical time for both the Chaldean Church and the wider region, amid ongoing political challenges in Iraq and the Middle East, as well as internal ecclesial issues related to unity and the organization of Church life both locally and in the diaspora.

Following the election, the Chaldean bishops issued a statement saying:
“After deep spiritual and fraternal deliberations, conducted in a spirit of prayer and ecclesial discernment, and mindful of the apostolic responsibility entrusted to them, the Fathers of the Synod elected the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church according to the established canonical procedures. After completing the required ballots, and in accordance with the will expressed by the Synod, His Excellency Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona was elected Patriarch of the Chaldean Church and chose for himself the name His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona.”

The statement continued: “His Beatitude accepted the election in accordance with canonical norms, expressing his reliance on God’s grace and his commitment to exercise his patriarchal ministry with fidelity and responsibility, in full communion with the Fathers of the Synod, in service of the unity of the Chaldean Church and its mission in the homeland and the diaspora.”

“The Fathers of the Synod raise their prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, asking that He grant the elected Patriarch wisdom and strength,“ the statement continued. ”They affirm their confidence that this ministry will contribute to strengthening the faithful in their faith, enhancing their unity, and revitalizing the Church’s mission in bearing witness to the Gospel.”

The Synod also called on all members of the Chaldean Church — clergy and faithful alike — to unite around the new Patriarch and support him through prayer and shared responsibility for the good of the Church and the growth of its mission.

Archbishop Nona was born in Alqosh in northern Iraq in 1967. He was ordained a priest in 1991 after completing his studies at the Patriarchal Seminary in Baghdad. He later pursued higher studies in Rome, earning a doctorate in theological anthropology from the Pontifical Lateran University.

He served in the parishes of Alqosh before being appointed Archbishop of Mosul in 2009, during a period marked by escalating violence against Christians in Iraq.

During the events of 2014, he left Mosul along with his faithful following the takeover of the city by the terrorist group ISIS, marking a pivotal moment in the modern history of the Chaldean Church.

In 2015, the Holy See appointed him head of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle in Australia and New Zealand, where he continued his pastoral ministry among the Chaldean diaspora.

His appointment comes following the resignation of Cardinal Raphael Sako, who announced that he submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV of his own free will on the morning of March 9 so he could “dedicate himself quietly to prayer, writing, and simple service.”

The timing sparked controversy within the Chaldean community.

Pope Leo XIV on March 10 accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, a Chaldean Catholic bishop arrested in San Diego in March on charges of embezzling Church funds.

Sako had allegedly attempted to support or transfer the embattled bishop to a higher position, leading many to question whether the financial scandal played a role in the patriarch’s decision.

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

“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. And I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” Vance told reporters in Islamabad, where the meetings took place. “We’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That’s the good news.”

He added that the core impasse remained Iran’s nuclear ambitions: “But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon. That is the core goal of the president of the United States. And that’s what we’ve tried to achieve through these negotiations.”

Vance emphasized that the U.S. side negotiated “in good faith,” but Iran “has chosen not to accept our terms.” He further noted, “We leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”

Iran has insisted the aims of its nuclear program are civilian.

The high-level face-to-face talks in Pakistan, a mediator between the two countries, followed weeks of military confrontation that began in late February and produced a tenuous two-week ceasefire, which ends April 22. With no deal secured, the future of that truce now hangs in greater uncertainty.

Despite the breakdown in negotiations, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar pushed both sides to continue to "uphold their commitment to ceasefire."

Vance, a Catholic convert and Iraq War veteran, has reflected on the moral weight of these national security decisions in the context of his faith. Speaking to the Washington Post last week about U.S. actions to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, he said, “I certainly hope that God agrees with the decision that Iran shouldn’t have a nuclear weapon, but I’ll keep praying about it.” He added that his approach has been “to pray that we are on God’s side” because “that would mean a lot of innocent people dead.”

Catholic leaders in the U.S. and at the Vatican have responded to the broader conflict with strong calls for peace and a return to dialogue.

In Rome, Pope Leo XIV led a peace vigil at the Vatican April 11, where he delivered a forceful appeal against the violence.

“Enough of war!” he declared, lamenting the human and spiritual cost of the fighting. He stressed that prayer is “the most free, universal and disruptive response to death," and is among the things that “break the demonic chain of evil and put themselves at the service of the Kingdom of God; a kingdom in which there is no sword, no drones, no revenge, no trivialization of evil, no unfair profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness.”

He and other Catholic leaders have drawn on the Church’s just war tradition, which holds that the use of force must meet strict moral criteria, including just cause, right intention, last resort, proportionality, and discrimination between combatants and non-combatants.

The Holy Father called on all parties to reject escalation and instead commit to patient, honest dialogue aimed at genuine coexistence and the protection of civilians.

“Stop! Itʼs time for peace! Sit at tables of dialogue and mediation, not at tables where rearmament is planned and death actions are deliberated,” he said.

At a special Mass for Peace held in Washington, also on April 11, Cardinal Robert McElroy argued that the current war fails to meet the strict criteria of just war theory, particularly in light of civilian suffering and the risk of disproportionate harm.

The cardinal urged the faithful to pray for an immediate end to hostilities and for diplomats to pursue a just settlement that protects human life.

Predicting the failure of negotiations “because of recalcitrance on both sides” and the United States’ reentry into hostilities after the ceasefire, he said:

“At that critical juncture, as disciples of Jesus Christ called to be peacemakers in the world, we must answer vocally and in unison: No,” he said. “Not in our name. Not at this moment. Not with our country.”

He warned of the “expansion of the war far beyond Iran, the disruption of the world economy, and the loss of life.”

The Dominican-born prelate made the appeal in an interview with “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News, after a March visit to Cuba to attend the installation of Osmany Massó Cuesta as bishop of Bayamo-Manzanillo.

Speaking with “EWTN Noticias,” Rodríguez addressed recent events in the Caribbean nation, including the government’s Holy Week announcement that it would release more than 2,000 people from prison.

The bishop stated that this was “a first step toward a long-term and more stable solution.”

“It is certainly neither the definitive nor the complete solution, but it is a sign that should be appreciated as a positive step,” he said.

He noted that this step “must be followed by other measures” capable of “increasingly guaranteeing the growing integral development of Cuban men and women at the social level.”

“In Cuba,” he stated, “a process must take place wherein Cubans are granted increasingly greater access to the internet, where the exercise of freedom of expression is made possible, and where political freedom — naturally — can also be exercised, for that is part of human dignity.”

“However,” he noted, “all of this must always proceed from an attitude of dialogue and collaboration.”

Regarding the Catholic Church in Cuba, the prelate stated that in recent years, the bishops have been granted the opportunity “to speak on the radio,” thereby enabling them to evangelize and provide moral support to the people “within the limitations inherent to the prevailing situation and circumstances.”

In Cuba, where a one-party system is imposed, the internet is monopolized by the state-owned company ETECSA. The most affordable data plan available to citizens costs 120 Cuban pesos ($5) and offers only 2 GB. In contrast, a person arriving from abroad can access a minimum plan of 10 GB, although the cost is not listed on the website.

The state also holds a monopoly over print, television, and radio media. Those wishing to establish independent media outlets have the internet as their only alternative, albeit at the risk of being harassed and detained by the communist regime, as documented on March 11 by the Inter American Press Association.

The Catholic Church ‘is no one’s enemy’

Rodríguez first visited Cuba as a young man in 1998 on the occasion of the historic apostolic journey of St. John Paul II. He returned in 1999 as a missionary and lived on the island until 2000.

“Upon returning after 25 years, I have found a people who still possess the same faith, a people filled with hope, and a Church that has continued to grow and renew itself. However, suffering and distress in general have multiplied. When I was here more than 25 years ago, the humanitarian and social situation was already appalling.”

“But now, the crisis has reached truly inhumane proportions … and our solidarity and response are urgently needed,” Rodríguez emphasized.

The blackouts and shortages of food and medicine plaguing the island intensified starting in January, after the United States effectively stopped oil shipments from Mexico and Venezuela, a measure that has further complicated daily life, affecting, among other things, transportation, the accumulation of trash on the streets, and foreign tourism.

And although a Russian vessel arrived in late March carrying 730,000 barrels of oil and the U.S. government is sending donations to be distributed by Caritas Cuba, this is not enough.

Rodríguez therefore called upon the Cuban authorities to understand that the Catholic Church “is no one’s enemy,” for it is not married “to any ideology or to any political party” but rather preaches “Jesus Christ and his message of love, fraternity, respect for human dignity, peace, and hope.”

“By working with the Church, they will be safeguarding the dignity of the Cuban people and will also be collaborating in a deliberate process aimed at implementing measures to restore the people’s dignity,” he stated.

“Therefore, I invite the authorities of Cuba — the government of Cuba — not to be afraid to collaborate” with the Church, Rodríguez urged, who assured that “we, the Catholic bishops of the United States, are here to support the bishops of Cuba in whatever is needed.”

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.

Acutis AI has been developed by brothers Peter, 21, and Thomas, 19, Cooney — students who attend the University of Dallas and Baylor University — and strives to stand out as a search tool shaped by Catholic morality that provides responses users can trust.

Additionally, the platform offers parents the ability to monitor their children’s chats, set time limits, and set alerts to be notified when concerning topics are detected.

In an interview with EWTN News, Peter Cooney explained that after he and his brother used many of the other current AI platforms, they found they all had two issues in common: Responses to questions on morality are all built to be neutral, and the platforms cause young people to become dependent on them.

He shared that while testing responses on ChatGPT, he asked the platform its thoughts on abortion — if it was OK to get an abortion and if it could affirm one’s decision in obtaining the procedure.

“Itʼll say, ‘Yes, absolutely. I can affirm this. You made the best decision you could, etc., etc.,” Cooney said. “Thatʼs directly contrary to Church teaching. So, I think that’s the first big issue is that they try to be neutral, but at their core theyʼre not aligned with Church teaching and all the big platforms just have a small team of people who make all these moral decisions.”

In regard to the issue of user dependency, Cooney said: “I think a lot of parents have realized at this point the dangers of social media for their children, and so theyʼve become much more cautious about social media. But, I think very few parents … are aware of the huge threat that AI companions and chatbots can pose to their kids because theyʼre built to hook users and keep them engaged.”

“I think this is especially problematic for young people — like children [or] teenagers — because their brains arenʼt fully developed yet,” he added. “So, if thereʼs a teenager whoʼs lonely, maybe he doesnʼt have a ton of friends at school, maybe he doesnʼt see his parents much, the appeal of having an AI companion that will sound just like a human, and will also be super affirming and validating, thatʼs a huge appeal to those teenagers and they can easily get sucked into them.”

With this in mind, the brothers — who have experience creating websites and other computer programs — grounded Acutis AI in Church teaching by uploading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, encyclicals, the “Summa Theologica,” and other Church documents into the platformʼs code.

Additionally, through coding, Acutis AI is only allowed to answer questions regarding faith and morals from those sources. For any general questions, it is allowed to do a more broad web search.

Cooney pointed out that while there are negatives in using AI, he believes the tool can be used responsibly.

“I donʼt think the right answer is just saying OK, weʼre just not [going to] use AI at all, weʼre just going to ban it completely, because I think it can be a valuable tool if used correctly,” he said.

He added: “I think the best way to use it is to automate things. It should not be a replacement for critical thinking. I think itʼs super important to keep critical thinking at the forefront in all of this.”

The young Catholic also emphasized the importance of maintaining human relationships and preventing AI from taking the place of face-to-face interactions.

For students, Cooney said he believes it can be a great tool in helping them study for tests by having the platform quiz the individual or help create study guides.

Cooney said he hopes Acutis AI will help “teach young people how to use AI responsibly and give parents the guidance they need to help their kids use AI responsibly.”

Looking to the saint who inspired the platformʼs name, Cooney highlighted how St. Carlo Acutis is a “great example of how you use technology to serve God —he used it to spread his love for the Eucharist and he brought so many people closer to Christ through that — so I think we can do the same thing.”

Speaking before and after the Regina Caeli on Divine Mercy Sunday, the pope appealed for an end to fighting and urged those involved in conflicts to pursue peaceful solutions without delay.

“The principle of humanity, inscribed in the conscience of every person and recognized in international law, entails the moral obligation to protect the civilian population from the atrocious effects of war,” Leo said. “I appeal to the parties in conflict to cease fire and to seek with urgency a peaceful solution.”

Marking Easter as celebrated by the Orthodox Churches, the pope said he was accompanying those communities with more intense prayer “for all who suffer because of war, especially for the beloved Ukrainian people.”

He added: “May the light of Christ bring comfort to afflicted hearts and strengthen the hope of peace. May the attention of the international community not fail toward the drama of this war.”

Leo also expressed closeness to Lebanon, saying: “To the beloved Lebanese people too I am more than ever close in these days of sorrow, fear, and invincible hope in God.”

Turning to Sudan, the pope noted that Wednesday marks three years since the start of the bloody conflict there and lamented the suffering of the Sudanese people, whom he described as innocent victims of an inhuman tragedy.

“I renew my heartfelt appeal to the warring parties to silence the weapons and begin, without preconditions, a sincere dialogue aimed at ending this fratricidal war as soon as possible,” he said.

Before the Marian prayer, Leo reflected on the Gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, and said faith must be nourished and sustained through the Church’s weekly Eucharistic gathering.

“Sunday Eucharist is indispensable for Christian life,” the pope said.

Recalling the witness of the Martyrs of Abitene ahead of his departure for Africa, he said the early African martyrs had left the Church “a beautiful testimony” when, faced with the offer of saving their lives if they renounced celebrating the Eucharist, they answered that they could not live without celebrating the Lord’s Day.

“It is there that our faith is nourished and grows,” he said.

Leo said that, like St. Thomas, Christians today can find belief difficult, but that the Church invites the faithful every Sunday, the “eighth day,” to gather and celebrate the Eucharist together, as the first disciples did.

“In a world that has such great need of peace, this commits us more than ever to be assiduous and faithful in our eucharistic encounter with the Risen One, so that we may set out again from it as witnesses of charity and bearers of reconciliation,” he said.

The pope also said that “it is through the Eucharist that our hands too become ‘hands of the Risen One,’ witnesses of his presence, his mercy, his peace.”

At the end of the Regina Caeli, Leo greeted pilgrims and asked for prayers ahead of his 10-day apostolic journey beginning Monday to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

This story was originally published by ACI Stampa, EWTN News' Italian-language partner agency. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The liturgy, livestreamed from Washington, D.C., was part of a broader global observance of Masses for peace following the pope’s appeal — first made during his Easter “urbi et orbi” blessing — for intensified prayer as tensions escalated and a fragile ceasefire emerged between the United States and Iran.

In his homily, McElroy began with the account of the Resurrection in the Gospel of John, where the Risen Christ’s first words to the disciples are: “Peace be with you.”

He said this greeting is not incidental but central to Christian belief, noting that “peace is the ultimate fruit and gift of the Resurrection: an inner conviction that Christ has conquered death once and for all.”

Peace, he added, is also a responsibility.

“For as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said, “we are called profoundly to be peacemakers in the world in which we live.”

He argued that the United States entered the current Iranian conflict by choice rather than necessity, adding that leaders had “no clear intention,” but instead moved between aims such as “unconditional surrender to regime change to the degradation of conventional weapons to the removal of nuclear materials.”

“And we blinded ourselves to the cascade of global destructiveness that would flow from our attacks,” he added, citing the “expansion of the war far beyond Iran, the disruption of the world economy, and the loss of life.”

These “policy failures,” he said, amount to a “moral failure," as Catholic just war principles render both “the initiation of this war and any continuation of it morally illegitimate.”

He pointed to Church teaching as articulated by Pope Leo XIV, saying that “the only pathway which Catholic teaching allows at this moment is the permanent cessation of hostilities and vigorous steps to build up the conditions for a lasting peace.”

McElroy invoked the United States’ approaching 250th anniversary as a moment for national reckoning, warning against allowing division and violence to define the country’s identity.

He called on “citizens and believers in this democracy” to advocate for peace both in prayer and with elected representatives.

“For it is very possible that negotiations will fail because of recalcitrance on both sides,” he said, “and the president will move to reenter this immoral war.”

“At that critical juncture, as disciples of Jesus Christ called to be peacemakers in the world, we must answer vocally and in unison: No,” he said. “Not in our name. Not at this moment. Not with our country.”

The cardinal’s homily concluded to sustained applause inside the cathedral.

“Cardinal McElroy’s homily affected me very deeply,” said Timothy Rush, a participant in the Mass. “I particularly applaud the idea that prayer serves to focus our energies, but then we have to apply them and reverse this hideous descent into war by talking to our representatives and others.”

“We have to fight the desensitization that is going on that normalizes the cruelties and violence of war,” he added.

‘True strength is shown in serving life’

A longtime advocate for the Church’s just war doctrine, McElroy has frequently warned that modern conflicts often fail to meet the rigorous criteria for a morally legitimate war.

In a March 9 interview with the Catholic Standard, he said the U.S. decision to engage in war with Iran does not meet key requirements, particularly regarding “just cause,” “right intention,” and proportionality.

He emphasized that Catholic teaching rejects preventative war, noting that the U.S. was not responding to a direct or imminent threat from Iran. “You cannot satisfy the just war tradition’s criterion of right intention,” he explained, pointing to what he described as a lack of clarity surrounding U.S. objectives.

In response to Pope Leo XIV’s call for a global prayer vigil for peace, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) encouraged the faithful to join in prayer, uniting with Catholics worldwide in seeking peace and reconciliation.

Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the USCCB, made an urgent plea in an April 7 statement, writing: “Let us entrust to the Lord ‘all hearts that suffer and await the true peace that only he can give. Let us entrust ourselves to him and open our hearts to him! He is the only one who makes all things new (cf. Rev 21:5).’”

Pope Leo XIV’s message during the vigil, held at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 11, echoed these calls for peace. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” he told the nearly 10,000 gathered. “True strength is shown in serving life.”

In his reflection, the pope reminded the Church of its role as a beacon of peace, calling on all people to reject the culture of war and to “unite the moral and spiritual strength of the millions and billions of men and women, young and old, who today choose to believe in peace.”

“Let us believe once again in love, moderation and good politics,” he said. “We must form ourselves and get personally involved, each following our own calling. Everyone has a place in the mosaic of peace!”

The pontiffʼs first apostolic trip to Africa comes at a time when the continent accounts for about 20% of Catholics worldwide and is experiencing significant growth in priestly vocations.

Here are nine important facts to know about Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Africa:

1. The pope will visit four countries and 11 cities in 10 days.

Pope Leo will spend 10 days in Africa and will visit four countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, with stops in 11 cities across those nations. The Vatican estimates he will travel more than 11,000 miles on 18 separate flights during this single trip, underscoring how demanding modern papal travel has become.

Leo will celebrate eight public Masses and deliver 24 speeches and homilies during the visit. He is expected to speak French in Algeria and Cameroon, Portuguese in Angola, and Spanish in Equatorial Guinea as well as English throughout the trip.

2. He follows in the footsteps of other modern popes.

This is Pope Leo’s third international trip and his first apostolic journey to Africa — taking place less than a year after his election.

In his 12 years of pontificate, Pope Francis made five trips to Africa and visited 10 countries. Benedict XVI made two apostolic trips, visiting three countries, and Pope John Paul II made 11 trips to Africa, visiting 41 countries during his 26‑year pontificate. 

Pope Paul VI was the first reigning pope ever to visit Africa when he traveled to Uganda from July 31 to Aug. 2, 1969.

3. Pope Leoʼs polyglot talent will be on full display.

Pope Leo speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, and he can read Latin and German, which makes it very likely he will use several of these languages during his visit. It is also likely that Arabic will appear in greetings or prepared texts.

According to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, the popeʼs Africa itinerary will showcase the main languages of the four host countries: Arabic and French in Algeria, English and French in Cameroon, Portuguese in Angola, and Spanish in Equatorial Guinea, which is the only African country that has Spanish as its official language.

4. This is the first-ever papal visit to Algeria.

Pope Leo will become the first pope in history to visit Algeria, the largest African country and where Islam is the state religion. Algeria has roughly 45 million to 48 million people, but only a few thousand Catholics — often estimated at no more than 10,000, a fraction of 1%. Most Catholics are expatriates, sub-Saharan African students, migrant workers, diplomats, and religious.

5. The visit will highlight the popeʼs Augustine connection.

The Algerian leg of the journey intentionally traces the footsteps of St. Augustine of Hippo, connecting Pope Leo’s trip to one of the most influential doctors of the Church who lived and died in North Africa.

He will visit Annaba, a place that underlines his personal devotion to St. Augustine and his Augustinian identity. While there, he will visit the archaeological site of Hippo, meet Augustinian religious, and celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. Augustine, which makes this first leg of the trip a kind of pilgrimage to his “father” in faith, echoing his own description of himself as “a son of St. Augustine.”

6. The pope will visit a mosque for the second time.

In Algiers, the pope is scheduled to visit the Great Mosque of Algiers — one of the largest mosques in the world — as a concrete gesture of interreligious dialogue. This will be his second visit to a mosque as a pope. He visited the Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, during his first international trip in November 2025.

7. His journey will be marked by works of mercy.

Throughout the pope’s papal visit to Africa there will be several encounters that explicitly highlight the Church’s works of mercy. These include the popeʼs plan to visit an orphanage and a hospital in Cameroon, a nursing home in Angola, the Little Sisters of the Poor in Algeria, and a psychiatric hospital and prison in Equatorial Guinea.

8. A record-breaking rosary is expected to take place in Angola. 

In Angola, local authorities expect to host a record-breaking event at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Muxima, a Marian shrine in Angola’s Diocese of Viana and one of the country’s most important pilgrimage sites. The pope will lead a public rosary where roughly 2 million pilgrims are expected to attend.

Additionally, this will be the first time a pope visits the Muxima shrine since its founding in 1599.

9. The trip will end with a visit to one of Africaʼs smallest countries — Equatorial Guinea.

The last leg of the pope’s trip will be to Equatorial Guinea. One of the smallest countries of Africa, it’s similar in size to the state of Maryland. In this country nearly 90% of the population is Catholic, making it one of the most heavily Catholic nations on the African continent.

The small nation is welcoming a pope after 44 years. Pope John Paul II visited Equatorial Guinea in 1982.

Pope Leo plans to visit Bata Prison, a facility criticized internationally for its conditions, signaling a clear concern for prisoners and human rights.

He will also pray at a monument for the victims of the Bata explosions, a disaster that killed about 100 people and injured 500, bringing a strong message of consolation and remembrance.

Prior to the vigil in the basilica — which the pope announced on Easter Sunday, April 5, amid ongoing war in Iran and in the Holy Land — the Holy Father briefly addressed the thousands of faithful present in St. Peterʼs Square to participate in the vigil, whom he thanked for their presence while reminding them that it is possible to build peace.

The pope then entered the basilica to direct the prayer of the rosary, meditating on the glorious mysteries, each accompanied by a biblical reading and a reflection of Saint Cyprian of Cartagena, Saint Caesar of Arles, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Ambrose of Milan and, as is customary, Saint Augustine, all Fathers of the Church.

In addition, and as a sign of peace, before each of the mysteries, a delegation from each of the five continents lit a candle at the foot of the image of Mary, Queen of Peace.

In his speech, the pope said that “war divides, hope unites. Arrogance tramples, love lifts. Blind idolatry, the living God illuminates.”

“A little faith is enough — a pinch of faith, dear brothers — to face together, as humanity and with humanity, this dramatic hour of history.”

"Prayer, in fact, is not a refuge to evade our responsibilities, it is not a painkiller to avoid the pain that unleashes so much injustice," the pope said. "It is, on the other hand, the most free, universal and disruptive response to death: We are a people who are already resurrected!”

“Letʼs get up from the rubble again!” the pope said. “Nothing can lock us in an already-written destiny, not even in this world in which the graves seem not to be enough, because life continues to be crucified, annihilated, without right and without mercy.”

Leo XIV then recalled the message of St. John Paul II in January of 2003 amid the burgeoning conflict in Iraq in which — while referencing his having survived World War II — the Polish-born pope said: "Never again war!"

Pope Leo stressed that prayer is among the things that “break the demonic chain of evil and put themselves at the service of the Kingdom of God; a kingdom in which there is no sword, no drones, no revenge, no trivialization of evil, no unfair profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness.”

With prayer, he continued, there is "a barrier against that delirium of omnipotence that becomes increasingly unpredictable and aggressive around us. The balances in the human family are severely destabilized.”

After lamenting that “the Holy Name of God — the God of life — is dragged into death speeches,” Leo XIV said that an individual is subjected to this death if he “has turned his back on the living God, to make himself and his own power the mute, blind and deaf idol (cf. Ps 115,4-8), to whom to sacrifice all value and pretend that the whole world bends before him.”

“Enough of self-idolation and money! Enough of the show of strength! Enough of the war! True strength is manifested in the service to life,” the pope said.

The pontiff encouraged the world to overcome the “madness of war” and urged rulers: “Stop! Itʼs time for peace! Sit at tables of dialogue and mediation, not at tables where rearmament is planned and death actions are deliberated.”

Pope Leo specified that this is not only the responsibility of the rulers but of all, since “each one has his place in the mosaic of peace!”

The strength of the rosary

“The rosary, like other very old forms of prayer, has united us this afternoon in its regular rhythm, based on repetition,” the pope said. “This is how peace makes its way, word after word, gesture after gesture. Like a rock, it is sculpted drop by drop. As in a loom, the fabric advances movement after movement. They are the long times of life, a sign of Godʼs patience.”

After urging the faithful not to fall into the “acceleration of a world that does not know what it pursues, to return to serve the rhythm of life, the harmony of creation, and heal its wounds,” Leo recalled that the Church “is a great people at the service of reconciliation and peace, which advances without hesitation, even when the rejection of the logic of war can cost incomprehension and contempt.”

The Church “announces the Gospel of peace and educates to obey God before men, especially when it comes to the infinite dignity of other human beings, endangered by the continuous violations of international law,” 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.

Minnesota bishop cites Gracie Abrams in speech on educators’ role in healing wounds

Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston shared a video performance of pop singer Gracie Abrams during his keynote speech at the National Catholic Educational Association convention.

While discussing the role of educators in helping young people to heal from their wounds, Cozzens played a video of Abrams performing her song “Camden."

“The poetry that she sings about expresses the depth of pain that she carries in her heart, and whatʼs even more clear is that it resonates with tens of thousands of people in the stadium all her same age,” Cozzens said during his April 7 keynote, according to UCA News. "Many people in the stadium also feel like singing.”

In the song, an extended reflection on insecurity and personal struggles, Abrams sings, in part, “All of me, a wound to close / But I leave the whole thing open / I just wanted you to know / I was never good at coping.”

“This is the height of popular culture,” he said. “This is what our young people are singing about, the gaping wounds in their hearts."

Catholic educators must invite young people to encounter Christ in their wounds, rather than seeking value from social media, artificial intelligence, popular culture, or politics, he said.

The National Catholic Educational Association convention took place April 7-9. Other highlights at the event included a live butter sculpture of Pope Leo XIV, and “Puppy Love” sessions sponsored by Safe Hands Rescue and Healing Hearts Rescue, according to the event schedule.

Chicago Archdiocese says public school system abruptly cut off funding for students with disabilities

More than 800 students with disabilities attending Chicago Catholic schools will be affected after the city’s public school system suddenly suspended funding to social services before the end of the school year.

The Chicago Archdiocese said in an April 10 statement that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) targeted only Catholic schools in terminating services for individuals with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The statement noted students with learning differences will lose access to math, reading, and writing tutoring, which will create “severe hardship for hundreds of students” who were relying on the services through the end of the year.

“We are not aware of any other non-public school system or individual school, religious or secular, whose IDEA services have been terminated,” the archdiocese said. “It is not clear why Catholic schools are being treated differently, but Catholic school students have the right to be treated equally under the law.”

Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich said the archdiocese "cannot allow this shocking and possibly discriminatory action by CPS to stand, not only given its affront to Catholics, but even more so since this injustice would disenfranchise the students we serve.”

The archdiocese said efforts to reach CPS Superintendent Macquline King “have not yielded a response.”

The archdiocese said the Chicago school system had verbally confirmed funding for the services would continue through the end of the school year “as recently as March 25" before informing the archdiocese during Holy Week that the services would be suspended.

“While federal funding for these services was provided to CPS for the full school year, we were informed that the last day of services would be [April 10],” the archdiocese said.

Georgia archdiocese launches virtual Catholic high school

The Archdiocese of Atlanta is starting a fully online Catholic high school program this fall in partnership with Catholic Education Services.

The launch of Sacred Heart Virtual Academy comes amid increased demand among homeschooling families, according to an April 8 report from the Georgia Bulletin.

Curriculum will be provided by Catholic Education Services, whose mission “is to partner with Catholic school leaders and provide services that extend the reach and impact of your school’s mission through a faith-centered, rigorously academic education with a flexible learning platform,” according to its website.

“We knew that we were not filling the needs of a group of kids that were in our parishes,” Kim Shields, the archdiocesan associate superintendent of schools, said in the report. “This allows a child that doesn’t want to go to a brick-and-mortar school to have that opportunity.” 

The school will serve grades 9-12, according to its website, and is open to students outside of the archdiocese.

“My hope is that it serves what we’re about — to provide programs for students to help them develop in all areas of their life,” Shields said. “The premise is that everything is centered around the mission of the Catholic Church.”

U.S. District Judge David Joseph in Lafayette, Louisiana, ruled that the challenge be paused pending the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s review of the safety of the drug but noted that the state could continue the challenge after the review was completed.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a lawsuit in late 2025 to challenge the 2023 deregulation of mifepristone, which is used in chemical abortions. The 2023 rule changes, initiated during former president Joe Biden’s administration, allowed the drugs to be delivered through the mail and prescribed without any visits to a doctor.

In January of this year, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion with a federal district court to pause the suit, pending a review by the FDA of the chemical abortion drug.

Louisiana had filed the lawsuit after residents — including Rosalie Markezich, who is named in the lawsuit — said they were coerced into taking abortion pills that were obtained through the mail. In Markezich’s case, she said her boyfriend forced her to take it.

Study: Maternal mortality decreased in states that protect unborn life

A recent study published by JAMA Network Open found a decrease in maternal mortality in states that protect unborn children from abortions as well as in states with permissive abortion laws.

The study considered 22 million births and more than 12,000 pregnancy-related deaths from 2018 to 2023, with 14 states with abortion bans and 37 control jurisdictions.

“This cohort study found that abortion bans were not associated with statistically significant overall or state-specific increases in pregnancy-associated mortality,” the study read.

In states with strong pro-life laws, on average, maternal mortality rates declined slightly faster than pro-abortion states.

Illinois pregnancy centers continue to appeal for conscience rights

A court heard arguments on Friday from Illinois pregnancy centers that are appealing an Illinois district court decision that affirmed a law requiring pregnancy centers to refer women for abortions.

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and three Illinois pregnancy centers appealed after an April 2025 court ruling found that requiring pregnancy centers to refer pregnant women for an abortion was not a violation of speech and conscience rights.

“No one should be forced to express a message that violates their convictions, and compelling people to refer others for abortions does that,” said Alliance Defending Freedom Counsel Erin Hawley. “The U.S. Supreme Court held in NIFLA v. Becerra that forcing people to promote abortion is unconstitutional.”

Maryland bill to force hospitals to offer abortions goes to governor’s desk

A Maryland bill that would force hospitals to offer abortions, even against their conscience, in some circumstances, heads to the stateʼs governor after the state Legislature passed it this week.

The bill would require “a hospital to allow the termination of a pregnancy in certain circumstances” under the federal 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which ensures that emergency care is offered regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

The bill would also require a hospital to screen patients for “emergency pregnancy-related medical condition[s]” and to provide “transfer of a patient who has an emergency pregnancy-related medical condition.”

“This bill will result in a new government-created loss of valuable highly trained and experienced emergency department physicians, nurses, providers, and staff,” said Dr. James Kelly, representing the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. “The legislation will increase the already existing severe shortages of qualified medical staff and will decrease access to emergency medical care, and endanger the health and safety of patients seeking emergency medical care.”

“I support the smoke-free and vape-free policies in church premises for the good of all,” Maria Christina Jomen, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist Parish in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, told EWTN News. “Having a healthy environment is a responsibility for all, especially in places of worship.”

The church, some 755.89 kilometers (469.69 miles) south of Manila, is among the parishes implementing the smoke-free policy in response to health initiatives from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in collaboration with local governments.

On April 2, the executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Health Care, Camillian Father Dan Vicente Cancino Jr., issued a statement directing parishes nationwide to adhere to smoking bans as a sign of respect for sacred spaces. The Department of Health later circulated a video message from Cancino on its platforms.

Cancino said tobacco use leads to preventable disease, premature death, and suffering, and called on all parishes to strictly enforce smoke-free and vape-free policies. The bishops' conference has voiced alarm at the prevalence of smoking and vaping among Filipinos, particularly among the young.

“This initiative is in accordance with our existing laws, and the move is also out of respect for the sacred and concern for community health,” the priest said, noting that smoking in public places such as churches endangers both individual and community health.

“These habits pose serious threats to both individuals and the community. I hope that all our parishes and communities strictly enforce smoke-free and vape-free policies in accordance with existing laws,” Cancino said.

“We understand it is not easy. But with Godʼs grace, liberation is possible. We can do it,” he added.

A long-standing precedent

The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Parañaque City, Manila, has enforced a no-smoking policy on its premises since 2015, partly in response to Pope Francis' encyclical on care for creation, Laudato Si'.

Other parishes have moved in step with municipal anti-smoking ordinances in cities including Baguio, Davao, Balanga, and Iloilo, pairing health-conscious campaigns with what Church officials describe as “green” initiatives to protect public health and the environment.

Smoking and vaping in the Philippines

According to the World Health Organizationʼs 2025 Global Report on Trends in Prevalence of Tobacco Use, roughly 1 in 5 Filipino adults — about 19.7% of those aged 15 and over — currently smoke, with the rate among men (35.6%) more than eight times higher than among women (4.2%).

The 2021 Philippines Global Adult Tobacco Survey, conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Health with WHO support, similarly found that 18.5% of Filipino adults currently smoke tobacco. WHO estimates that smoking causes roughly 88,000 deaths in the Philippines each year.

Data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology indicate that 4.8% of Filipinos aged 10 to 19 smoked in 2023, up from 2.3% in 2021.

The World Health Organization has reported that, globally, children aged 13 to 15 are using e-cigarettes at higher rates than adults. The Philippine Department of Health has urged the public to reject vaping products, warning they are not a safer alternative to cigarettes and citing the rising trend of nicotine use among young Filipinos.

Catholics must have “the entrepreneurial zeal to go out and get souls and to promise people what they actually deeply want,” Brooks said. “This is so critically important, but the way it could fail is because we just donʼt have the guts for it. We donʼt have the stomach for it. We donʼt have the heart for it.”

In an April 10 interview with “EWTN News In Depth,” Brooks spoke about the increasing numbers of Catholics. He also shared what is driving people to the Church and how the Church can best reach new people in natural and simple ways.

While there have been increasing numbers of baptisms and confirmations, Brooks said Catholics “canʼt just rest on our laurels,” as there are still “trends largely going in the other direction with respect to people coming to church,” he said.

The Pew Research Center “shows us that 840 Catholics left last year for every 100 who came into the Church. These are not good statistics. But what we see thatʼs really encouraging is a lot of young people, especially young men, coming into the Church searching for a sense of transcendence and really looking for in-real-life community,” he said.

People want meaning, because the “sense of meaninglessness is characteristic of why people are feeling depression, anxiety, loneliness, addiction,“ Brooks said. “And people are starting to fight back.”

Brooks said: “Theyʼre starting to recognize that the little friend in their pocket, the supercomputer thatʼs their smartphone, is not doing them any favors because itʼs mediating their relationship with other people and they want real-life life.”

“We need meaning, and we have these natural questions: ‘Why am I alive? For what would I give my life? Why does my life matter?’ ... And weʼre starting to figure out after about 15 years that you canʼt Google these questions,” he said.

People “feel that thereʼs something bigger,” he said. “Young people today, they have a craving for something thatʼs bigger and bigger. And if we donʼt feed it, then weʼre not feeding our sheep. Then weʼre not following the teachings of Christ.”

Bring back boredom, but not ‘in a bad way’

In his newest book, “The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness,” Brooks discusses how he wants to bring back “boredom.”

“We have actual protocols built into the Catholic Church that give us moments of peace, that give us moments of perspective that most people just donʼt have,” he said. Catholics have prayer, Mass, and Communion that offer us these moments throughout our days.

“The first thing that I do is I get up very early, then I exercise, and then I go to Mass every day,” Brooks said. “Iʼve been a daily communicant for a long time and so has my wife. And we finish the day, even when Iʼm on the road … we pray the rosary together on the phone before we go to sleep.”

“These are the moments,” and “when I say boredom, I donʼt mean boredom in a bad way,” he said.

“Iʼm not casting aspersions at all. Iʼm talking about blank space. Iʼm talking about turning on the structures in the brain called the default mode network that you need to understand your life. ‘When do I understand my life the most?’ When Iʼm at holy Mass. ‘When do I understand it the most?’ When Iʼm in conversation with God,” he said.

This time in prayer can actually benefit brain function, because “you only have access to certain parts of your brain that you need to find meaning and to love your life when you have these metaphysical experiences,” he said.

"Thereʼs a lot of research on this," he said. "This is not speculation. Thereʼs a ton of neuroscience research that shows that you only have access to certain parts of your brain that you need to find meaning and to love your life when you have these metaphysical experiences.”

Evangelization should be ‘as natural as putting on your shirt’

Brooks also discussed his personal conversion and how through simple ways of “friendship and excellence,” people can invite others to the Church.

“When I was 15, I had an experience at the Shrine of Guadalupe in Mexico City on a music trip,” Brooks said. “I came into the Church when I was 16. I went and told my parents, ‘Iʼve discovered that Iʼm Catholic.’”

“I come from a good, strong, Christian background, good evangelical background. I had missionaries on both sides of the family. And my parents looked at each other and they said, ‘I guess itʼs better than drugs.’ They just thought it was rebellion, but the truth is I was called to it. I really was,” he said.

As people now come to the Church the question is: “‘Do you want to go deeper?’ I have something deeper. I have something more profound. I have something that has more historical significance. I have something that has more structure. Come with me, come with me … youʼre hungry and Iʼm going to give you real food,” he said.

“Itʼs the only thing that can fill this hollowness thatʼs in our lives. Itʼs the only thing that can break us out of the simulation,” he said. “People know it in their hearts, and we just have to show that to them. We have to take them by the hand and bring them along.”

As a professor, Brooks said he uses his role to guide students but does not force his faith and beliefs on them.

“I tell them on the first day of class at Harvard, my Catholic faith is the single most important thing in my life. And then I go on and I teach them science,” he said.

“The science of human happiness is what I teach. And they look it up and they say, ‘you know, thatʼs not weird. Itʼs not weird with him. Heʼs doing a good job with his life … He also has a good family life. He loves his wife a lot. Heʼs got kids and grandkids. Thatʼs apostolate. Thatʼs how apostolate actually works,” he said.

“Live your life and live it right and let people see your Catholic faith and donʼt make it weird … Just make it as natural as putting on your shirt. Thatʼs the deal. And thatʼs what Iʼm trying to do every day," he said.

“When my students come to me in office hours, the No. 1 question they ask me is not about my paper, my term project. The No. 1 question they ask me is, ‘How do I fall in love, stay in love, start a family?’ Which, of course, the university doesnʼt teach them, but thatʼs the single most important thing in their lives,” Brooks said.

“No. 2, ‘How do I find my faith?“ Brooks said. ”What do I do to find my faith? They want to be led. You know, this is what it means to be a shepherd … We all have an ability to actually influence other people. And the question is, ‘Am I influencing other people to get them a little closer to heaven? Am I cracking the door that the Holy Spirit in his wisdom can kick in or not?’”

“I believe most Catholics would be surprised, as I was, to learn about the extent of preventable animal suffering in our world today,” Kristin Dunn, the founder of the Saint Francis Institute for Animals, told EWTN News.

The group launched in March and is promoting community outreach and parish partnerships in order to spread its message. It also offers a guided 30-day program of “reflections, readings, short videos, and exercises” meant to introduce Catholics to the topic of animal welfare.

Dunn said she began learning more about animal welfare more than a decade ago. She “loved dogs,” she said, but had given “very little thought to other animals.”

Her growing awareness of the issue was bolstered by works such as Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, which, as part of its reflections on the environment, criticized the “indifference or cruelty” humans often show toward animals.

Dunn also pointed to Catholic writer Matthew Scully’s 2003 book “Dominion,” which criticized “the many ways our society has turned its gaze away from animals” and allowed animal suffering to flourish.

“It’s something I’ve felt called to start for the past decade, since learning about the issues, realizing how connected they are to my Catholic values, and knowing that other Catholics could make a tremendous impact with increased awareness,” Dunn said.

The group has thus far drawn funding from small donors and has received pro-bono legal support and design assistance. Since the launch, “many Catholics have reached out sharing that they’ve hoped for something like this, which has been extremely encouraging,” Dunn said.

‘Not to hurt our humble brethren’

The institute is named for St. Francis of Assisi, who lived during the High Middle Ages and who became famous for his exhortations to treat animals kindly and respectfully.

Catholic theologians throughout the centuries have not always evinced such concern for animals. St. Augustine, for instance, largely dismissed objections to animal suffering in part by arguing that animals are “nonrational” and “do not share the use of reason with us.”

St. Francis, on the other hand, argued strongly for including animals within the human moral framework. He famously wrote that “if you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”

“Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them,” the saint wrote, though he advised that “to stop there is not enough” and that we must “be of service to them wherever they require it.”

Pope Francis echoed those sentiments in his landmark 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. In the document he also pointed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which, while arguing that it is “legitimate to use animals for food and clothing,” stipulates that it is “contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly.”

The Vatican also regularly recognizes the importance of animals within creation through a yearly blessing of the animals in St. Peter’s Square.

“God cherishes his creation. He cares for the animals, the plants, because these create the conditions for life to continue and flourish, especially intelligent life, the life of humankind,” Cardinal Mauro Gambetti said last year during the blessing.

Many animal advocates over the centuries have opted for vegetarianism or veganism in order to avoid any use of animals for food or other materials.

In the modern era, meanwhile, many consumers concerned about animal welfare have opted for “humane” agricultural options such as pasture-based farms rather than the intensive factory-style animal farming from which most meat comes.

Dunn said the Saint Francis Institute is “encouraging people to learn about factory farming, given what so many animals endure and given the urgent need for change.”

“Our focus is on choosing plant-based foods to make the greatest impact for animals, and, within that, to take the first step,” she said.

Among its other outreach efforts, “we’re focused on building partnerships with parishes to share practical, meaningful ways to protect God’s creatures,” Dunn said.

“We can advise on straightforward changes they can make to be more animal-friendly, coordinate talks with animal experts, provide our printed brochures, and explore other ways to work together,” she said.

Dunn said those uncertain of how to start advocating on behalf of animals should “learn about who the animals are — how smart, sensitive, and gentle they are.”

“For example, most people don’t know that pigs are known to be as intelligent as dogs. How can we treat them so differently?” she said.

She quoted Pope Francis, who in Laudato Si’ wrote that if humans “feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously.”

Learning about animals, Dunn said, “follows the example set by St. Francis, who saw each creature as an individual worthy of love and care.”

When someone becomes a religious, he or she no longer receives an income, making it impossible to maintain student loan payments that can span decades. Fund for Vocations offers a solution.

Founded in 2004 by Corey and Katherine Huber, the organization now offers two programs: the long-standing St. Joseph Grant Program, which covers student loan debt, and the recently launched “DAD Fund” (Discretionary Anti-Discouragement Fund).

While the St. Joseph program handles monthly tuition payments, the DAD Fund takes on the smaller costs of discernment — what Fund for Vocations spokesperson Annie Ryland described as “hidden financial barriers to religious vocations.” The DAD Fund provides grants of $5,000 or $10,000 directly to religious communities to support discerners.

For instance, Mahowald, now a board member of Fund for Vocations, told the group how she had needed to ask her parish to sponsor her airfare to visit the Nashville Dominicans when she was discerning.

“We asked ourselves, ‘How many young people are getting stuck at that stage of discernment? Not being able to fly to the discernment retreat and quietly giving up?’” Ryland told EWTN News.

“Expenses like travel for ‘Come and See’ visits, psychological evaluations, or temporary health insurance can total several thousands of dollars, and that’s all before candidates even enter novitiate,” Ryland added.

Eleven religious communities have already reached out to Fund for Vocations for funds “to support the new discerners,” according to Ryland.

“The goal of the DAD Fund is to ensure that these smaller financial barriers do not delay or discourage men and women who are already showing great courage in sincerely exploring a vocation,” Ryland continued.

Work of renewal

In recent years, the Catholic Church has seen a worldwide decline in the number of priests and seminarians. The number of religious sisters has plummeted since 1965, with an 82% decrease over the past 60 years.

But religious and priests are vital to the life of the Church.

“Every vocation is a gift to the Church,” Mary Radford, executive director of the Fund for Vocations, said in a press release shared with EWTN News. “We want to make sure that practical concerns, whether travel costs, required evaluations, or basic entry expenses, never become the reason someone hesitates to take the next step in discernment.”

“Every religious vocation means a life given over to prayer and service for Christ’s Church,” Ryland said. “Religious serve in parishes, in schools, in medical clinics, on the streets with the homeless and suffering. They are living witness to the power of the Gospel.”

“Religious also serve to remind us all of our heavenly goal. When young people see devout, joy-filled priests and sisters, they catch a glimpse of the power of God’s love and are shown that the Catholic faith is worth living and dying for,” Ryland said. “And of course, we all need the sacraments, so vocations to the priesthood are especially critical for the salvation of souls.”

“By removing the financial obstacles that can stand in the way of a vocation, we get to play a small role in the great work of renewal and hope that God is stirring up in his Church today,” Ryland said.

In the past few weeks since the new fund launched, Ryland said that “the response has been overwhelmingly grateful and positive.”

“Vocations directors seem most excited about being able to assist with travel expenses for candidates who wish to attend a Come and See weekend but cannot afford the trip on their own,” Ryland said.

‘A late vocation’

Steven Ellison, a seminarian with the Discalced Carmelite order, describes himself as a “late vocation.” Raised by a devout Protestant family, Ellison joined the Catholic Church in his early 30s in 2022.

“When the Lord first lifted the veil that covered my eyes and allowed me to see the beauty of his Church for the first time, I perceived then in a passing moment of clarity my vocation to the Discalced Carmelite order and to the priesthood,” Ellison said.

He picked St. Teresa of Ávila as his confirmation sponsor, but it would be a few years before his vocation became fully clear to him.

When he began to pursue a vocation with the Carmelites, he faced the burden of student debt.

“When discerning religious life with its vow to poverty, all personal debts need to be either cleared away or assumed by a third party so that the aspiring religious can be free from financial entanglements,” Ellison said.

He remembered thinking: “If the Lord removes these circumstances that appear to be obstacles and opens every door to Carmel for me then I would enter through each open door so that I might do his will.”

Despite being an older candidate, at 34, the Carmelites said it would not be a barrier — but his student debt still would be.

“It was there that the Fund for Vocations and their donors became the avenue of God’s grace for me,” Ellison said. “In their assumption of my student loans, and in their pledge to support me throughout my formation, the final doors of entry to Carmel were opened and I was able to walk through them with confidence in the Lord because of the faithfulness of his Church.”

“The Fund for Vocations became for me a reflection of the Church’s goodness,” Ellison said.

“The fruits have been innumerable so far, and I have grown accustomed to referring to those fruits as treasures — treasures because these gifts from the Lord seem both hidden and imperishable,” he said of the vocations program.

‘A life given’

Mahowald “was seriously contemplating a religious vocation,” but she had a 30-year payment plan for more than $100,000 in student debt.

“I was dumbfounded by the simple fact that my Catholic education was both the reason for my deep love for Jesus and the obstacle to my pursuit of following Jesus in religious life due to the debt I had accrued,” Mahowald said.

Debt can be a barrier to joining religious life, especially student debt that is designed to be paid off over decades.

“My debt was too significant for the sisters to assume so I knew that I couldn’t enter until that financial difficulty was solved,” Mahowald said.

“There were moments of real sadness and confusion when I didn’t see how God would answer this dilemma,” Mahowald said. “The Fund for Vocations was the miracle that allowed me to enter religious life at the age of 24 instead of 54.”

“I applied for a grant and was eligible to enter religious life while the Fund for Vocations paid my monthly loan payments,” Mahowald said. “The genius behind this model is that it gave me the freedom to discern.”

“The Fund for Vocations is set up to make monthly loan payments while the candidate is in formation,” Mahowald said. “If the candidate discerns to leave, he or she just picks up the next loan payment. If the candidate makes final vows then the loans are taken care of completely.”

Ryland described Fund for Vocations as a “family” and “a beautiful microcosm of the generosity and love of the whole body of Christ.”

“We love to see the relationships of love and prayer that develop between our supporters and our grant recipients,” Ryland continued. “Supporters are like spiritual godmothers and godfathers to these young men and women. Many tell us they think of them as spiritual children.”

Mahowald found the same in her experience.

“One of the fruits of being a grant recipient is that I’ve been adopted into a larger family,” Mahowald said. “Katherine and Corey Huber, the founders of the Fund for Vocations, keep in contact with me and came to celebrate both my first and final vows. Other benefactors were placed in my life that I still keep in touch with to this day.”

“Knowing that donors to the Fund for Vocations were supporting me in my vocational journey taught me that the gift of my ‘yes’ to God was not just for me but also for the upbuilding of the Church,” Mahowald said.

‘I walk the halls with saints in the making’

Mahowald now works as the assistant principal of student life and discipline at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Virginia — the same school she taught at before she became a religious sister.

“My position allows me to watch over and shape the social development of our young students,” Mahowald said. “We care deeply about the formation of the whole person and desire our graduates to become disciples of Christ.”

“I joke with the students that my job is to plan parties and to keep everyone safe. While I say that with a smile, it’s not a bad summary of how I serve,” Mahowald said.

“Working with high school students brings daily adventures, and I am certain that I walk the halls with saints in the making,” Mahowald said. “God is raising up many young people who are sincerely eager to know, love, and serve him.”

“I anticipate more vocations to the priesthood and religious life and therefore am so grateful that the Fund for Vocations exists so that anyone experiencing financial obstacles to religious life will not be discouraged but will instead have hope and support to be able to leave everything and follow Christ,” Mahowald said.

Following the closed-door meeting at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace that lasted an hour, the French president said he was “very happy” to have met with the Holy Father, adding that both share “a common conviction: In the face of the world’s divisions, action for peace is a duty and a requirement.”

“France will always work toward dialogue, justice, and fraternity among peoples,” Macron wrote on X.

The Élysée Palace saw this meeting as an opportunity to “recognize the essential role of the Holy See and the Holy Father’s personal commitment to peace, dialogue, and solidarity among peoples, as well as to demonstrate France’s willingness to work jointly with the Holy See toward this end.”

During the traditional exchange of gifts, Macron presented Pope Leo XIV with a French national basketball team jersey signed by the players, a book on the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following the 2019 fire, and a map of the Mississippi region created by French missionaries in 1617.

The pontiff presented the French president with a decorative ceramic tile symbolizing abundance, along with his message for this yearʼs World Day of Peace.

According to the Vatican, Macron subsequently met with the Holy See’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organizations.

During the meeting at the Secretariat of State, they addressed various international issues, particularly conflicts around the world.

Both Macron and Vatican officials expressed the hope that peaceful coexistence might be restored through dialogue and negotiation.

The day before, on April 9, Macron visited the Sant’Egidio Community in Rome, an organization characterized by its promotion of international ecumenical prayer gatherings for peace.

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 poll, conducted March 20–23 jointly by Republican pollster Shaw & Co. Research and Democratic pollster Beacon Research, found that 48% of Catholic voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president and 52% disapprove.

It found that 23% of Catholics strongly approve of the job he is doing, 25% somewhat approve, 12% somewhat disapprove, and 40% strongly disapprove. The pollʼs margin of error is plus or minus 3%.

Pope Leo XIV and Catholic bishops in the United States and globally have encouraged Trump to pursue peace and diplomacy, as opposed to war, in Iran. With peace negotiations underway, the Holy Father echoed his call for more diplomacy in an April 10 post on X.

“God does not bless any conflict,” Leo said. “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. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples.”

God does not bless any conflict.

Pope Leo XIV

In the 2024 election, Trump won the Catholic vote by a 12-point margin, securing 55% of the voting bloc’s support, compared with former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 43%. In 2020, Trump won 49% of the Catholic vote, compared with former President Joe Biden’s 50%.

This poll comes as Trump’s support is dwindling with the broader American public as well. The poll found that only 41% of all voters approve of the president, and 59% disapprove.

Iran war disapproval

The poll found that most Catholics disapprove of Trump’s actions in Iran and the use of military force against the country but still favor some American influence in the region.

According to the poll, only 40% of Catholics approve of the way Trump has handled the conflict with Iran, and 60% disapprove. It found that 45% of Catholics support military force against Iran and 55% oppose military force. Similarly, 45% of Catholics believe military action against Iran is going well, and 55% believe it is not going well.

The poll found that 39% of Catholics believe attacks on Iran will make the country safer, 38% believe it will make the country less safe, and 23% believe it will not make much of a difference.

Alternatively, 71% of Catholics believe ending Iran’s nuclear program is important, and 29% said it is not important. It found 61% said it is important to bring about changes in Iran’s government, and 39% said it is not important.

The poll also found that 71% of Catholics believe it is important to protect the flow of oil from the region, and 29% believe it is not important. It found that 73% of Catholics believe it is important to reduce Iran’s support for terrorism, and 27% believe it is not important.

According to the poll, 74% of Catholics are concerned about Iran potentially getting a nuclear weapon, and 26% are not concerned.

2024 coalition ‘in tatters’

John White, professor emeritus of politics at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News that he believes Trump’s 2024 coalition “is now in tatters [and] Catholics are no exception.”

“The Iran War is unpopular with the American public and Catholics reflect that,” he said. “What may carry more resonance with Catholic voters are the strong and blunt statements about the war from Pope Leo. It is not unreasonable to assume that there is a higher level of cognitive dissonance among Catholics who support Trump but are hearing the words of the pope. For some, that may result in their shifting opinions.”

Susan Hanssen, history professor at the University of Dallas — a Catholic institution — had a similar view about why Catholic support has dipped, telling EWTN News “a reversal of positions seems to be underway within the Catholic community.

“During Trump‘s campaign, Trump‘s supporters expressed hopes for a fundamental realignment of America’s foreign policy, particularly withdrawing from ‘forever wars,’ while many of Trump’s Catholic critics expressed concern during his campaign that he would disengage America from its support for Ukraine or [for] Israel,” she said. “Support for Trump’s strong stance on Iran seems to be coming now … from Catholics who were wary of Trump earlier.”

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has departed the U.S. for his trip to Pakistan, where he plans to directly negotiate with Iranian leaders for a long-term peace while both sides hold off on military strikes during a two-week ceasefire.

The military carried out its deadliest attack of the war on April 8, killing more than 300 people throughout southern and eastern Lebanon and inside Beirut and its surrounding suburbs.

Although Iranian officials continue to assert that Lebanon was included in the U.S.-Iran two-week ceasefire agreement, American and Israeli officials contend this was never promised.

Many people in Lebanon initially believed their country was included in the ceasefire.

Cedric Choukeir, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) country representative for Lebanon, told EWTN News that Wednesday, April 8, was “a little bit of an emotional roller coaster because people woke up to the news of a ceasefire” and many people were “hopeful” until they heard reports that neither the U.S. nor Israel recognized Lebanon as part of the agreement.

“When the strikes happened, it was very sudden,” said Choukeir, who works in the capital city of Beirut. “Everything happened within 10 minutes. The strikes were across the country.”

Most of the strikes occurred within a 10-minute window in the early afternoon. Choukeir said Israel provided no warning before the attack and the strikes included locations that are not covered in evacuation orders as well as villages that had not previously been hit.

He said "people were just going about their daily business in areas they considered themselves to be safe in,” adding that some of the strikes were in “heavily populated” areas in and around Beirut.

“No one felt safe in Beirut and anyone who could leave, left,” Choukeir said.

He said “we had a few people in the office” during the strikes, and “it’s traumatizing for most of us because it’s hard to tell what’s going on; you definitely hear the airstrikes happening.”

“You feel the vibrations, the shaking, the impact of the explosions,” Choukeir said, adding that “the level of chaos is similar to what we experienced a little bit in the Beirut blast [in 2020] and the [Israeli] pager attack in 2024.”

He said everyone in Beirut heard the “sound of ambulances nonstop for several hours after the strikes” and “hospitals were filled up, everyone was coming for blood donations.”

Every one of his team members at CRS in Beirut knows someone who was impacted by the strikes, including people who suffered injuries, he said.

Jesuit Father Daniel Corrou, Middle East and North Africa regional director for Jesuit Refugee Service, similarly told EWTN News that initially, “there was a sense of relief here” amid news of a ceasefire.

Corrou also serves as a parish priest at St. Joseph in Beirut and has opened up his church as a shelter, primarily for migrant workers and ethnic minorities.

Many people, he said, believed “there’s an end in sight.” People were “moving from shelters, and the roads going to the south were full again; the people were moving back down to that area,” he said.

When the strikes happened, Corrou said, “it was everywhere all at once” and people promptly turned their cars back around, away from the south, and “it was sheer chaos on the streets.”

Since the attacks, he said the number of people he has seen camping on the streets doubled, but he is unsure whether these are new people or people who were in shelters before the attack. Government-run and privately-run shelters, he noted, are completely full.

“We have seen an uptick in the number of people trying to get in [for shelter at our church],” Corrou said. “We’re at capacity. We’re completely saturated here.”

Fighting continues as peace talks begin

Choukeir said it’s difficult to know how recent attacks will impact the number of displaced people in Lebanon: “It’s changing on a daily basis ... people are leaving some neighborhoods in the suburbs and going up to Beirut, while some are moving further north.”

“Definitely no one’s going back home, I think,” he said. “People are reluctant to go back.”

Israel’s destruction of bridges that cross the Litani River has also caused problems for those who remain in the south to leave at this point, according to Choukeir. He said there are about 150,000 people remaining there despite evacuation orders. Many are in Tyre, but this includes at least three Christian villages that are difficult to reach: Debel, Rmeish, and Ain Ebel.

Choukeir said only one bridge still functions and just one lane is operational, but “the moment that bridge is cut, there are very few options.”

“The supplies that people have there aren’t going to last for weeks and weeks,” he warned. “Some of the items are going to run out in days.”

Corrou noted that several hospitals were struck in Israelʼs most recent attack and more than 40 health care workers have been killed during the conflict so far. He noted that Catholics have been delivering aid throughout the south, but some difficulties include recent news of a Vatican convoy being turned around after getting caught in a ground fight between Israel and Hezbollah.

He echoed messages coming from Pope Leo XIV about the conflict that “war is always a human failure” and “real peace will never come from violent conflict.” Ultimately, peace for Lebanon will have to come from the “difficult, messy work of dialogue [and] diplomacy,” the pope said.

As the Lebanese and Israeli governments signal talks aimed at peace, Choukeir said he thinks “everybody’s tired of conflict, pain, suffering, [and] destruction,” and “everyone would welcome any kind of cessation to hostilities” and a just, long-lasting peace.

“We pray it would allow people to return home and live in dignity and safety with the hope that their children can have a bright and prosperous future,” he said. “But I havenʼt felt optimism yet. I think the road from … where we are to that hopeful future isn’t clear to people.”

In his April 6 message published in Agenzia Fides, Mathieu emphasized that “in the communion of saints and in the grace of the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, we are truly united, even when we cannot be so visibly. ... I celebrated the Easter Vigil carrying you all in my heart: far from my flock, but precisely for this reason, in a mysterious way, close to each one of you.”

Cambodia welcomes 375 new Catholics

The minority Catholic population in Cambodia has reported a surge in the number of baptisms this Easter, according to Fides News Agency.

Apostolic Prefect of Battambang Father Enrique Figaredo said 92 people were baptized in his province, while 152 catechumens were baptized in the capital city of Phnom Penh and 131 were welcomed into the Church in Kampong Cham.

“The new baptisms of young people and adults that we celebrated this year are a sign of great hope. They show that young Cambodians hear Godʼs call and want to follow it. For our Church, they are a true source of strength and life,” Figaredo said.

Filipino bishop condemns Easter ritual involving dove and balloon

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan in the Philippines reprimanded a local parish for the way it used a live dove in an Easter ritual involving a balloon, according to a Licas News report Wednesday.

The report said the bird was tied to the balloon during the ritual, causing distress to the animal, which was eventually killed.

“I was not aware that there was a subsequent practice of tying the pigeon to balloons, with its wings restrained. Had I known, I would have objected, because this is not only cruel to the animal but also harmful to the environment, especially to marine life that may ingest deflated balloons,” David said after the incident drew controversy among the Philippine Animal Welfare Society.

Christians in southern Lebanon at odds with state and Hezbollah operatives

Lebanon’s Christian community is reacting with growing fury after an Israeli strike killed Pierre Maouad, a Lebanese Forces official; his wife, Flavia; and their neighbor, Roula, on Easter Sunday, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News reported Tuesday.

The deaths quickly fueled accusations that Hezbollah operatives had been using civilians as cover in Christian areas, especially after conflicting accounts emerged about whether the targeted apartment had been occupied. The episode has deepened mistrust toward both Hezbollah and state institutions, with many residents dismissing the Lebanese Army’s explanation of events and demanding accountability.

In several neighborhoods, the fear has translated into stricter local vigilance, new security measures, and louder calls for self-protection, as many Christians insist they are being forced to bear the cost of a war not of their making.

South Korean archdiocese launches Carlo Acutis-inspired AI initiative

The Archdiocese of Seoul has announced it will soon launch AI-integrated information services inspired by St. Carlo Acutis.

The first phase of the initiative will launch in May and will integrate data across services provided by the archdiocese, including catechism, pastoral programs, and volunteer work, with its other information systems, UCA News reported Wednesday.

The second phase will focus on the archdiocese’s administrative systems from 2029–2031. The report said the initiative will also promote World Youth Day 2027, which is set to take place in Seoul.

3 Asian Church leaders appointed by pope to communications dicastery

Three prominent Asian prelates have been tapped by Pope Leo XIV to serve on the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

The Vatican announced Thursday the appointments of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization; Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Damão, India, and president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences; and Bishop Marcelino Antonio M. Maralit, president of the Office of Social Communications of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

The Dicastery for Communication oversees the various media outlets of the Holy See, including the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican News website, Vatican Radio, Vatican Television Center, LʼOsservatore Romano, the Vatican.va website, and the Holy Father’s X account @pontifex.

French church targeted by vandals on Holy Thursday

Vandals attacked a Catholic Church in the French city of Rosny-sous-Bois just outside of Paris, causing serious damage on Holy Thursday.

The unknown perpetrators drove a car into the Church of Saint-Laurent and vandalized the church’s interior with an axe, according to an UOJ report Tuesday. The gates and doors of the church were destroyed, and the sacristy was vandalized, the report said, noting that nothing was stolen.

Religious sisters remain in Yemen amid ongoing conflict

A group of 10 sisters from the Missionaries of Charity are continuing to minister to communities in Yemen despite war and instability in the gulf region.

“The most concrete example of mission in a war-torn area is that of the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the priest who lives with them,” Bishop Paolo Martinelli, apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia, said in an interview, according to Licas News, noting the sisters provide companionship to the small community of Catholics. “I am impressed by their joy, by their joy at being in Yemen and being able to be close to the suffering people.”

The Republican governor approved Senate Bill 248, known as the Alabama Released Time Credit Act, on April 8. The new law takes effect July 1.

The measure allows parents to choose for their child to participate in a released-time program sponsored by a church or local community-based religious organization. Instruction must take place off school grounds, be privately funded, and require no use of taxpayer money. Schools are not responsible for transportation or liable for students during the released time.

Students may earn elective credit for participating, provided they complete any missed schoolwork and meet state education guidelines. School boards can deny a request only if there is an objective substantial risk of physical harm to the student.

The bill passed the state Senate 32-0 and the state House 88-4 after revisions.

Supporters say it protects parental rights and religious liberty without burdening public schools.

Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Greg Chafuen praised the law in a statement: “The government shouldn’t stop families from raising their children in their family’s faith. SB 248 respects parents’ educational decisions, allowing public school children to be briefly excused from school to receive free, off-campus religious instruction taught by private charitable organizations."

"As the U.S. Supreme Court has explained, respecting parents’ decisions for their child to participate in released-time programs ‘follows the best of our traditions,’” he wrote.

Chafuen was referring to the Supreme Court’s 1952 ruling in Zorach v. Clauson, which upheld the constitutionality of released-time programs. In that decision, the court stated that when the state accommodates religious instruction by adjusting school schedules, it follows “the best of our traditions” by respecting the religious nature of the American people.

Chafuen commended the Alabama Legislature as well as Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth and Ivey “for their commitment to ensuring that parents remain in the driver’s seat when it comes to their children’s education.”

The legislation updates a 2019 law and adds clearer guidelines and protections requested by school superintendents.

Critics have raised concerns about church-state separation and potential logistical challenges for schools.

Released-time programs have historically been used more frequently by Protestant and evangelical groups, though Catholic parishes could organize similar off-campus faith formation sessions under the new rules.

At least a dozen other states have similar laws allowing students to leave campus for voluntary religious instruction.

Originally from Milan, the 59-year-old Ciucci has a doctorate in the philosophy of religion from the Pontifical University of Sant’Anselmo in Rome. After serving as a parish vicar in Milan, he worked at the former Pontifical Council for the Family from 2012–2016.

He is also the general secretary of the RenAIssance Foundation, a Vatican institution that promotes an ethical perspective on artificial intelligence.

Ciucci is a professor at the Pontifical Theological Institute John Paul II in Rome and he is a public speaker and writer on the topic of new technologies and their influence on young people and families.

Last month, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Renzo Pegoraro, received the title of “bishop” from Pope Leo for his role.

Pegoraro was chancellor of the academy from 2011 until his appointment as president in May 2025.

According to the academyʼs statutes, the chancellor “may represent the Pontifical Academy for Life on behalf of the president and collaborates with him in the direction and administration of the academy’s activities.”

The Pontifical Academy for Life was founded in February 1994 by St. John Paul II. It is one of several academic and cultural institutions at the Vatican that bring together experts in their fields to discuss issues of relevance to the Church and the world.

Organized by the Finnish pro-life group Oikeus elämään ry, the “Muistamme” (“In remembrance”) event featured 8,645 candles, one for each abortion performed in Finland in 2024.

Johannes Laitinen, one of the eventʼs organizers, said approximately 100 preselected participants were invited to light the candles, chosen because of their personal connection to the loss of children through abortion. Members of the public were also given the opportunity to take part in the candle lighting during the vigil.

After the candles were lit, participants observed a minute of silence, while volunteers remained through the night as the display continued glowing in central Helsinki.

A public witness in the heart of Helsinki

Speaking to EWTN News, Kirsi Morgan-MacKay, chairman of Finlandʼs Right to Life Association, said the vigil sought both to honor the unborn and to confront the public with the scale of abortion in the country.

“The event created a visual that touched peopleʼs hearts and perhaps made them stop and think about how many children are actually lost every year through abortion,” she said.

Morgan-MacKay added that the vigil also aimed to acknowledge the often-unspoken grief experienced by women and families affected by abortion.

She noted that leaders from multiple Christian denominations attended the event, which organizers viewed as an encouraging sign of broader ecclesial engagement.

“We have always hoped that churches would come together to defend the lives of unborn children,” she said, explaining that abortion is not merely political but “a spiritual, ethical, and moral issue.”

A prayer gathering was also held in connection with the vigil at Luther Church in Helsinki, where clergy from Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Catholic communities offered prayers. Representing the Catholic Church, Jean Claude Kabeza, vicar general of the Diocese of Helsinki, conveyed greetings from Bishop Raimo Goyarrola.

Finlandʼs welfare state and the limits of social support

While happy about Finlandʼs reputation for its strong social welfare system, Morgan-MacKay noted that many women facing crisis pregnancies still experience profound isolation. “Many women and families are still left alone in the midst of a crisis,” she said, adding that loneliness and lack of support often persist even within families.

She also observed that in Finland, the lives of unborn children often go unvalued when a pregnancy is unwanted. She pointed out that women confronted with an unplanned pregnancy, sometimes in shock, may see abortion as an “easy” way out, particularly since medical abortion is frequently presented as a simple “procedure.”

Morgan-MacKay also drew attention to Finlandʼs liberalized abortion framework, particularly the increased accessibility of medical abortion, arguing that women may be pressured into rushed decisions without adequate counseling.

“Sometimes the health care system offers abortion as the only option,” she said. “Many times, these women need space to pause, think everything through, and receive real support.”

She added that while Finlandʼs pro-life movement remains relatively small, it is gradually growing, with increased awareness of abortionʼs broader social and personal consequences. She expressed particular encouragement at the involvement of younger supporters, especially young men, saying she believes “God is raising up a new generation of pro-lifers” as more Finns begin speaking openly about the issue.

A bishopʼs medical perspective on abortion

EWTN News also spoke with Goyarrola, who said he remains hopeful that Finland can become more receptive to pro-life values, despite abortion remaining a sensitive and often taboo topic in public life.

Goyarrolaʼs comments carry added weight in Finlandʼs abortion debates because of his medical background. Before entering the priesthood, he trained as a physician, graduating with a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Navarra in Spain in 1992, and has pursued doctoral research in palliative care at the University of Eastern Finland since 2022.

Drawing on his medical knowledge, he has also written extensively on social issues for general audiences, authoring “Ihmiselämää äidin kohdussa” (“Human Life in the Womb”), on abortion, and “Arvokas kuolema” (“A Dignified Death”), on euthanasia. Both books were widely praised for making complex bioethical questions accessible to ordinary readers.

Reflecting on his experience, Goyarrola said that with regard to discussing abortion, conversations require clarity and compassion rather than confrontation.

“I believe that positive language is what truly reaches people and opens hearts to reflection,” he said. “The Church speaks in defense of life by offering real solutions to real problems and proposing ways to prevent abortion.”

“No one celebrates abortion as a joyful experience,” he added.

Signs of change among younger Finns

Assessing the broader cultural climate, Goyarrola said abortion has historically remained difficult to discuss openly in Finnish society. “Abortion has long been a taboo subject in Finland, and to a large extent it still is,” he said, noting that public discourse is often narrowly framed around “the womanʼs right to her own body.”

Yet the bishop said younger generations appear increasingly willing to engage the issue more thoughtfully. “Among young people, the topic is beginning to be discussed more openly, and with many serious questions,” he noted.

Goyarrola explained that because over 90% of abortions in Finland are carried out for social rather than medical reasons, the underlying causes must be addressed socially as well. He called for “better education, access to information, healthier lifestyles, and more personal responsibility and support for marriage and family life.”

He added that the Church must continue promoting a concrete vision of family and human dignity, saying: “We aim to promote a culture that values life, family, and hope.” He also noted that the Catholic Church in Finland tries to speak about the “need for more children in society,” not for economic or labor-related reasons but rather for the future of Finnish society itself.

“I hope that we can speak about abortion and about life in the motherʼs womb without prejudice, in a rational and thoughtful way,” Goyarrola added. “Only through open and respectful conversation can we better understand the complexity of the issue and seek humane and responsible solutions.”

At the 2026 Christian Institutional Investors conference in Lakewood, Colorado, on April 8, speakers urged Christian businesses, schools, and apostolates to stand up for their beliefs as investors.

More than 150 attendees from across the country attended the conference, which was hosted by the faith-based investment consulting company Innovest Portfolio Solutions along with the Archdiocese of Denver, Catholic Benefits Association, The Catholic Foundation of Northern Colorado, AmPhil, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Colorado Christian University, where the event took place.

“This ecumenical gathering brings together Catholic and Protestant leaders to explore portfolio screening, values alignment with asset managers, and the importance of proxy voting and corporate engagement,” Innovest principal Sarah Newman said.

“Our goal is for attendees to leave informed, inspired, and equipped to better understand how their portfolios are built and why the partners they choose truly matter to create returns they need for their Christian mission,” Newman told EWTN News.

Fighting for Christian values through proxy voting

In the fight to bring Christian values into investing, speakers emphasized the importance of proxy voting — a process where shareholders authorize someone else to vote on their behalf in shareholder meetings.

“As a shareholder, youʼre sort of a citizen of a company and are entitled to vote on these matters — but most people donʼt realize that their proxies are being delegated to an adviser and unintentionally support things that are opposed to their own values,” speaker Dustin DeVito said.

DeVito is a research director at the 1792 Exchange, a company working to bring “ideological balance back to public corporations.”

Nicholas Schmitz, the Traviesa chair of finance at The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business, noted that Christian investors “need a custom proxy option that actually represents Christian viewpoints” to have a cumulative, widespread impact across corporate America.

Custom proxy options enable institutions to vote according to their own guidelines rather than the default options.

“That would be a huge, huge uptake that would get long-term cultural change,” Schmitz said in a panel titled “Leading Change: Bringing Faithful Christian Proxy Voting Rules to Institutional Systems.”

In November, The Catholic University of America developed new proxy guidelines that leading companies representing shareholders accepted — giving a faith-based option in line with the Catholic Churchʼs teachings.

“Catholicism ... I joke, weʼre the most organized religion in America, but the least organized in capital markets. We donʼt really have an excuse for not getting this right,” Schmitz said.

In his talk, “The Post-ESG Landscape: Where Corporate America Is Headed and How Faith-Aligned Capital Can Lead,” DeVito also encouraged Christian investors to stand up for their faith.

“As Christians, we want to be the ones boldly leading because the lordship of Christ is over everything,” DeVito said. “So if thereʼs any issue in which companies are engaging in something thatʼs biased and thatʼs harming Christians, we need to be willing to have the courage and put ourselves out there and engage on the issue.”

As an example, DeVito cited the debanking of Christians and conservatives. In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting banks and financial institutions from debanking clients based on their political or religious views after Christians and conservatives expressed concern about the controversial practice.

“Even just with a small amount of shares and the willingness to engage these companies and to talk through the research, we end up seeing incredible wins,” DeVito continued. “All it takes is just some people willing to fight.”

In his research at 1792, DeVito said he has seen a trend away from DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives and “ESG” (environmental, social, and governance) — politically-motivated standards that large companies subscribed to but that recently fell out of favor after criticism from conservatives.

DeVito pointed to the work of Robby Starbuck, an influencer known for raising awareness of DEI policies at companies like Tractor Supply, as well as the Trump administration as defining moments in the decline of DEI and ESG.

“For the first time in over 20 years, corporate America is headed back in the direction of depoliticizing and focusing on business,” DeVito said. “And this is good because the companies are supported for the value they bring in, the goods and services they provide, not for identifying and solving all the worldʼs problems.”

During an April 9 event hosted by the Hudson Institute highlighting new evidence of forced organ harvesting in China, Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, called out the Vatican for hosting China’s leading transplant official at the Summit on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism in 2017.

Smith was a panelist at the Hudson Institute event with Ethan Gutmann, the author of a new book, “The Xinjiang Procedure,” which presents evidence of forced organ harvesting targeting Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim communities on an industrial scale in China.

Gutmann testified during the panel about his findings while on an undercover mission where he secretly interviewed former detainees of Chinese concentration camps, whose testimonies included accounts of gang rape, water torture, and forced organ harvesting.

“I’ve argued with [the Vatican],” Smith said. “If you’re bringing in people who are doing terrible evil, you’re giving them a platform.”

Participants at the 2017 Vatican conference, organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, signed a statement agreeing to unite in fighting the crime of organ trafficking, submitting 11 proposals for implementation by health care and law enforcement professionals around the world.

China’s participation in the conference was the source of controversy at the time, as the advocacy group Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting said in a statement that there was “no evidence that past practices of forced organ harvesting have ended” in China.

The group further criticized the Vatican’s decision to invite Huang Jiefu, Beijing’s top official on transplants, saying that it would compromise the conference’s image and objectives, when there was not sufficient evidence that China was changing its ways.

Human rights advocate and Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Nina Shea, who also spoke at the April 9 event, echoed Smith’s censure of the Vatican for hosting Jiefu.

She told EWTN News the Vatican’s first point of leverage to help prevent organ harvesting is to “start by doing no harm.”

“What they did was host the public face of the organ transplant sector of China at their conference in Rome,” she said, describing Jiefu as a “longtime member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Shea said the Vatican conference helped “open doors” for Jiefu with the World Health Organization (WHO), after which she said he proposed a “task force for best practices on organ transplants.”

“That’s part of his propaganda,” she said. “The Vatican thought that was a great idea and introduced him to WHO, and when he proposed it, they said, ‘Yes, at the Vatican’s urging we’ll create a task force and you’re on it.’”

“So, they appointed this Chinese Communist Party Central Committee member, who is the vice minister of health and the public face of their organ transplant sector, to this task force,” she said.

“Needless to say, the task force has done nothing," she said.

“I think Pope Leo should pronounce against forced organ harvesting. Itʼs a great human rights issue,” she said. “It hasnʼt been addressed on the world stage, and the pope has the platform to do that and the moral authority to do it."

Legislative efforts in the U.S.

On a policy level, Smith emphasized the need to “seriously criminalize” forced organ harvesting to combat the practice on an international level. He also lamented that the Senate failed to pass the Stop Organ Harvesting Act of 2023 after it passed in the House with nearly unanimously.

The congressman warned that the latest attempt to pass legislation with the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025 could face the same fate if the Senate fails to lend its support.

The current legislation, he noted, would require the president to impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in forced organ harvesting and authorize the State Department to revoke passports of individuals found complicit in the practice.

“This would have a chilling effect on [organ] brokers,” Smith said.

The electoral synod represents a pivotal moment in the life of the Chaldean Catholic Church, as the bishops are expected to choose a new shepherd to lead Chaldean Catholics amid complex internal and national challenges. The meetings also reflect a broader dimension that goes beyond the local framework, highlighting a close relationship with the Holy See.

Leoʼs hope for the next patriarch

The Holy Father addressed the bishops on April 10, praying that the Holy Spirit would guide them in their election of a patriarch. He expressed the hope that the patriarch would be a father in faith and a sign of unity; a person of the beatitudes who lives daily holiness based on fidelity, mercy, and purity of heart; and a shepherd close to his people, steadfast in prayer, capable of facing difficulties with hope, and working with the bishops in a spirit of unity.

The pope described the Chaldeans as guardians of a living and noble memory, and of a faith transmitted through the centuries with courage and fidelity. He added that their history is glorious but also marked by harsh experiences: wars, persecutions, and trials that affected their communities and scattered many believers around the world.

Leo further stated that it is precisely in these wounds that the witness of faith shines, because a Church that bears the scars of history shows how wounds, in the risen Lord, can become signs of hope and new life. He affirmed his closeness to them in their trials, calling for communion with Christians of other denominations.

He urged the bishops to remain vigilant and transparent in managing Church property, to exercise moderation and responsibility in the use of media, and to be cautious in public statements so that every word contributes to building ecclesial communion rather than harm it. He also emphasized the importance of forming priests, supporting consecrated persons, and accompanying laypeople. He highlighted the importance of believers remaining in their homelands and respecting the freedom of Christians in the Middle East.

He also described those present as signs of hope in a world full of violence, noting that they are called to be peacemakers, since only dialogue creates true peace. He said they have a great mission: to proclaim the risen Christ and keep hope alive.

Sako bids farewell to his Church

Leo accepted the resignation of Sako on March 10, one day after the patriarch requested to step down to “dedicate himself quietly to prayer, writing, and simple service.”

In a farewell letter April 9, Sako expressed his deep gratitude to all those who supported him during his 13 years as patriarch, noting his profound emotion at the messages of solidarity he received from Church figures and believers of different backgrounds. He affirmed his commitment to pray for the Church and the bishops gathered in Rome, calling for the election of a patriarch who embodies unity and serves the people with love.

Sako also emphasized his neutrality in the electoral process, considering his absence from the synod an expression of respect for the bishops’ freedom. He also reviewed key aspects of his ministry, through which he sought to balance tradition and renewal, affirming that ecclesial tradition must remain alive and engaged with the times.

Sako noted his influence since the Second Vatican Council, his participation in Catholic Church synods, and his role in the Middle East Council of Churches. These experiences, he said, shaped his efforts to develop Church discourse in liturgy and teaching in a modern and accessible language. He highlighted his efforts to strengthen Christian-Muslim dialogue, unify Church positions, defend the presence of Christians in Iraq, and advocate for a state based on citizenship and equality. He said he considers his resignation not an end but the beginning of a new phase of quiet service.

After the election and announcement of a new patriarch, a holy Mass, an expression of ecclesial communion, will be celebrated by the new leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church with Pope Leo XIV or his representative. The newly elected patriarch will also announce, in consultation with the synod fathers, the date of his enthronement at the patriarchal seat in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital.

According to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, his meeting with Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge A. Colby in January was part of the former nuncio’s “regular mission and provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest,” Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said in a statement April 10.

“The narrative presented by certain media outlets regarding this meeting does not correspond to the truth at all,” Bruni added.

Bruni’s statement followed an April 6 report by The Free Press claiming Pierre, then the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., received “a bitter lecture” in a January meeting with defense officials, reportedly because of a speech in which Pope Leo XIV criticized “a diplomacy based on force.”

According to The Free Press, the pope’s message was interpreted as a criticism of U.S. policy by Pentagon officials, who told Pierre: “America has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.”

The U.S. Department of Defense, in a post on X on April 9, said that a “substantive, respectful, and professional” meeting took place on Jan. 22, but “recent reporting of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted.”

“During the cordial meeting, they discussed a range of topics, including issues of morality in foreign policy, the logic of the U.S. National Security Strategy, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and other topics. Cardinal Pierre expressed his appreciation for the outreach and both sides looked forward to continued open and respectful dialogue,” the department said. It also shared photos from the meeting.

Tweet

The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, also commented on the Pentagon meeting on X on April 9. Burch said he had spoken to the former nuncio who “emphatically denied the media’s portrayal of his meeting with Colby.”

Pierre, Burch wrote, “described the meeting as ‘frank, but very cordial’ and a ‘normal encounter.’ He confirmed that the reporting ‘does not reflect what happened’ and was ‘just invented to make a story.’”

Catholic news outlet The Pillar reported April 10 that one senior Vatican official had described the conversation as having moments of tension, with some U.S. officials being “aggressive” and “bullying,” though “there was no question of anybody threatening anyone.”

Pope Leo accepted Pierreʼs resignation as nuncio in March for reaching the age limit and appointed Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as his new representative to the U.S.

According to official information released by the shrine, the celebrations will be marked by liturgical observances and moments of prayer in response to the request of St. Faustina Kowalska, who conveyed the words of Jesus: “I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the feast of mercy.”

Mass and vigil celebration

Under this year’s theme, “God, the Merciful Father... To You We Entrust the Destiny of the World,” the organizers invite the faithful to the commencement of celebrations on Saturday, April 11, with a vigil Mass in the basilica to be celebrated by the archbishop emeritus of Kraków, Marek Jędraszewski.

After the Mass, a prayer vigil will take place, continuing through the early morning hours. At midnight, another Mass will be celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Janusz Mastalski of Kraków. Afterward, the faithful will continue to participate in the vigil until 5 a.m.

On Divine Mercy Sunday, the Mass will be celebrated at the outdoor altar by the archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, who also serves as the honorary patron of the event.

During this celebration, the so-called “Bell of Hope” destined for the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania, will be blessed.

One of the most significant moments will be the solemn hour of mercy, a practice deeply connected to this devotion, which will be observed in the basilica at 3 p.m., coinciding with the hour of Christʼs death.

A shrine marked by history and faith

The shrine’s current basilica was built from 1999 to 2002 and was consecrated on Aug. 17, 2002, by St. John Paul II, who at that site entrusted the entire world to divine mercy.

The basilica is noted for its symbolism: Its shape evokes an ark, a sign of salvation for those who place their trust in God. Inside, a tabernacle shaped like a globe representing humanity in need of mercy is situated alongside the image of the merciful Jesus.

It also houses depictions of St. Faustina Kowalska and St. John Paul II — great apostles of this devotion — as well as one of the largest stained-glass windows in Kraków, which symbolizes the light of divine mercy radiating upon the world.

Mass schedule

The shrine has scheduled multiple Eucharistic celebrations throughout the day:

6 a.m. (basilica), celebrated by Father Tomasz Szopa

8 a.m. (basilica), celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Damian Muskus

10 a.m. (outdoor altar), principal Mass with Cardinal Ryś

12:30 p.m. (basilica), celebrated by Father Robert Woźniak

4 p.m. (outdoor altar), celebrated by Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, who served as secretary to St. John Paul II for over 40 years.

6 p.m. (basilica), with the participation of young people

7 p.m. (convent chapel)

Broadcasts and global participation

All celebrations will be broadcast on television and digital platforms. The main Mass will be aired on TVP1, while the hour of mercy can be followed on EWTN.

Additionally, the shrine will offer online broadcasts via its official website and YouTube channel, enabling the participation of the faithful from around the world.

The shrine has implemented various logistical measures to accommodate the crowds expected to attend the celebration.

Confessions will be available throughout the night and on Sunday, including in several languages, and Communion will be distributed between Masses.

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 decision, communicated by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the dicastery, stems from “a possible canonical procedure not carried out by Bishop Jorge Novak, SVD, regarding the conduct of a priest of the diocese,” the Diocese of Quilmes clarified.

Furthermore, the diocese clarified that this decision expresses “no moral judgment regarding the life, virtues, and pastoral ministry" of Novak and that consequently he is still recognized as a servant of God even though his cause will not proceed.

The Diocese of Quilmes and the Society of the Divine Word — co-sponsors of the canonical cause initiated on Dec. 11, 2017 — announced the news “with sorrow,” while simultaneously expressing their confidence that “God, in his immense goodness, has granted the beloved and fondly remembered Father-Bishop Jorge Novak, SVD, the joy of eternal life, even if he is not inscribed in the canonical register of the blessed and saints officially proclaimed by the Church.”

Novak, who died in 2001, was the first bishop of the Diocese of Quilmes, which was established in June 1976. His episcopal consecration took place on Sept. 19, 1976, and he remained at the helm of the diocese until his death.

He is remembered for his staunch defense of human rights during the military dictatorship in Argentina and for his care for the poor. Novak also promoted the “Mass of Hope,” which continues to be celebrated to this day.

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.

During his “urbi et irbi” (“to the city and the world”) message on Easter Sunday, the Holy Father called for a prayer vigil for peace to be held Saturday at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

Responding to that call, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Paul Coakley, made “a special plea to my brother bishops, the priests, the laity, and all people yearning for true peace to join the Holy Father’s Vigil for Peace, whether virtually or in parishes, chapels, or before the Lord present in the quiet of their hearts to join with our Holy Father as we pray for peace in our world.”

The pontiff encouraged the faithful to join together to make heard “the cry for peace that springs from our hearts” and warned against growing indifference: “We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent.”

“Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people,” he continued, “indifferent to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow. Indifferent to the economic and social consequences they produce, which we all feel.”

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, issued a statement urging priests, religious, and all believers to participate in the vigil led by the pope or to gather in prayer within their local communities to “implore the gift of reconciliation.”

“Let us halt the whirlwind of pain, suffering, and devastation; let us say our ‘no’ to war, and let us not grow accustomed to the horror,” the cardinal said.

Together with the Society of Jesus and the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious in Mexico, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference issued “an urgent call to society” to join the popeʼs campaign of prayer for peace with the theme “Let Us Make Heard the Cry for Peace That Springs from the Heart!”

“The peace that Christ offers us is both a gift and a mission. This peace is built by learning to transform conflicts into opportunities for forgiveness rather than into excuses for violence. Therefore, peace within the family and community is a daily task that requires a generous heart, willing to forgive,” the Mexican bishops stated.

The bishop of Huesca, Spain, Pedro Aguado Cuesta, has also called upon the faithful there to participate in the prayer vigil.

The prelate will lead the vigil at San Vicente el Real Church at 9 p.m. local time in communion with the initiative promoted by the Holy Father.

“Peace lies at the heart of the Gospel and at the center of human aspirations,” said Aguado, who urged the faithful to make a personal commitment to be builders of peace.

Likewise, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, invited local churches to participate in the day of prayer.

“In a world increasingly marked by conflict and the ‘globalization of indifference,’ the Holy Father has invited the entire Church to unite in prayer, exhorting everyone to implore the gift of peace and to renew our commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, and nonviolence,” he said in a statement.

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.

Zaidan, a native of Lebanon and chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, issued a statement on April 9 conveying his gratitude for the U.S.-Iranian ceasefire but also expressing his concerns about Lebanon, which he says the agreement does not cover.

Shortly after the ceasefire, Israel launched its deadliest attack on Lebanon since the start of the war, killing more than 300 people, according to the Associated Press. The attack outraged Iran, with officials claiming Lebanon was part of the ceasefire. American officials asserted Lebanon’s inclusion was never promised.

“I am grateful for the ceasefire between the United States, Israel, and Iran, and pray for all sides to engage in effective dialogue to end this devastating war,” Zaidan said in his statement. “I am disappointed, however, to learn that the agreement does not cover Lebanon, and thus falls short of encompassing the entire region where the conflict has been raging.”

On April 9, Lebanese and Israeli officials both expressed an interest in beginning peace talks.

Zaidan acknowledged the Israeli people “have the right to live in peace,” as do “the innocent Lebanese civilians who are currently suffering from lack of food, medical supplies, and from paralyzing fear.”

“Distressingly, over 1 million people, including 370,000 children, have been displaced by the fighting in what is becoming one of Lebanon’s most acute internal displacement crises in recent history,” he said.

As EWTN News previously reported, several Catholic organizations are operating in Lebanon seeking to provide shelter, food, medical services, and other forms of aid to people harmed or displaced by the conflict. This week, a Vatican humanitarian convoy in southern Lebanon was forced to turn back after it was caught in the crossfire between Hezbollah and Israel.

Father Pierre al-Rahi, a Catholic priest, was killed in Israeli strikes in late March. Some Catholic communities in southern Lebanon were ordered to evacuate, but some have refused to leave the war zone out of fear their land and homes could be permanently occupied. The majority of southern Lebanon is Shia Muslim, but it has pockets of Catholic, Sunni, and religiously mixed communities.

In total, more than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon and more than 5,500 have been injured.

“As the United States seeks a negotiated end to the war in Iran, I call on President Trump and the international community to ensure that the people of Lebanon receive greater access to humanitarian assistance, including food and medical supplies, especially in the south,” Zaidan said in his statement.

For a long-term peace, Zaidan said “it is imperative that all parties work toward the full and immediate disarming of Hezbollah,” which is an Iranian-backed Shia militant group operating throughout southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah joined the war against Israel following the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, prompting Israel to fire rockets and launch ground incursions in Lebanon.

The Lebanese government has sought to disarm Hezbollah previously and attempts to disarm them are part of the Lebanon-Israel peace negotiations.

Zaidan also called for “the implementation of the U.N. resolutions concerning Lebanon,” adding that “hopefully, after that, the governments of Israel and Lebanon can sign an agreement for lasting peace.”

The bishop quoted Pope Leo XIV’s Easter message, in which the Holy Father said: “May you, in the midst of feelings of pain, anxiety, and mourning, come to know in your hearts a deeper joy: Jesus has gloriously triumphed over death. It is a joy that comes from heaven and that nothing can take away.”

“May Our Lady of Lebanon, Queen of Peace, pray for her children in Lebanon and for the peace of the entire world,” Zaidan concluded.

There were 3,606,400 live births last year, down from 3,628,934 in 2024, the National Center for Health Statistics reported.

The general fertility rate dropped 1% to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44, continuing a long-term decline of 23% since its 2007 peak.

The most notable decline came in teenage births, which reached another historic low. The birth rate for females ages 15–19 fell 7% to 11.7 births per 1,000 — the lowest rate ever recorded.

In total, 125,933 babies were born to teen mothers in 2025, an 8% decrease from the previous year.

Rates dropped for both younger teens (ages 15–17) and older teens (ages 18–19), with both age groups setting new record lows.

The provisional figures are based on nearly all (99.95%) birth records received and processed by the CDC as of early February. Final 2025 numbers, expected later this year, are not anticipated to change significantly.

The report reflects the ongoing gradual decline in U.S. births that has persisted for most of the past two decades, interrupted only by a modest uptick in 2024.

Experts continue to link the broader trend to factors such as abortion, biotechnology, economic pressures, and shifting social and political priorities.

“There is no single driver of declining birth rates, and yet what is undeniable is that due to anti-life technologies, economic pressures, bad policies, and cultural movements such as girl-boss feminism, more and more women are delaying or forgoing children," said Emma Waters, a senior policy analyst in the Center for Technology and the Human Person at The Heritage Foundation.

“Increasingly, it is women without a college degree who are opting out of children, in part because it feels like a luxury or elite enterprise to get married and have kids, and sadly our elite class only continues to fuel this lie,” she said.

Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute, also expressed concern about the broader trend.

“The continuing decline in birth rates in the U.S. is very worrisome,” Mosher said. “We seem to be going the way of Old Europe, that is, entering an extended period of low fertility that puts us, as a country, in danger of entering into an irrecoverable demographic decline.”

He pointed to multiple possible factors, including “the increasingly widespread use of the abortion pill” and high numbers of abortions reported by Planned Parenthood.

According to the groupʼs 2024-2025 annual report, Planned Parenthood performed an all-time high of 434,450 abortions in 2023-2024.

The record number of abortions is an 8% increase, or about 32,000 more abortions, from the previous year. The number does not include telehealth chemical abortions, which are a growing percentage of all abortions, especially for teenagers and young adults.

A recent report, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum, found that young adults (ages 18–24) order abortion medication at much higher rates than older adults and that more teenagers order abortion pills in states with parental notification or consent laws around abortion.

The report found a “growing demand among adolescents and young adults in legally constrained environments.”

Mosher also attributed part of the decline in births to stricter immigration enforcement.

“Another part of the decline is surely related to the now-closed border and the crackdown on ‘birth tourism,’ which means that fewer and fewer babies [of foreign-born parents] are being born in the U.S.,” he said. “Ten percent of all births in the U.S. in 2024 were to illegal aliens, a percentage that is undoubtedly lower in 2025 as deportations and remigration reduce their numbers.”

The CDC also found that the cesarean delivery rate rose slightly to 32.5%, the highest since 2013, while the preterm birth rate held steady at 10.41%. Early preterm births (less than 34 weeks) saw a small 1% decline.

Trump announced a ceasefire agreement on April 7, hours after threatening the annihilation of the “whole civilization” of Iran if the country did not agree to U.S. terms.

Plans to destroy Iran’s infrastructure by striking power plants and bridges were paused for two weeks. Yet disputes about the ceasefire’s terms and the starting point of negotiations quickly raised tensions again.

During the war, both sides have already struck some civilian infrastructure. Iran struck hotels, energy facilities, and private companies, among other targets in the Gulf states.

Both Iran and Hezbollah fired rockets into civilian neighborhoods in Israel. The United States struck a girls’ school and civilian neighborhoods and targeted steel plants in Iran, while Israel has struck bridges, hospitals, and civilian neighborhoods in Lebanon and transportation and energy infrastructure, along with civilian buildings in Iran.

William Newton, chair of the theology department at Franciscan University of Steubenville, told EWTN News: “It always seems best to sort out disputes by talking rather than fighting when this is possible.”

He urged prayers “that a real peace can be established that makes the world safer and the people of Iran better off.”

Joseph Capizzi, dean and ordinary professor of moral theology and ethics at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News he is “glad” the ceasefire is in place and believes pushback against the war prompted it.

Taylor Patrick O’Neill, a theology professor at Thomas Aquinas College, told EWTN News the ceasefire is “a cause for hope” but “still far from lasting peace.”

He urged both sides to negotiate “in the spirit of using force as an absolutely last resort.”

Peaceful intention

On April 8, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, a Catholic, told reporters that Trump’s threat to destroy the Iranian civilization “was not an empty threat by any means.” The Pentagon, she said, had a list of targets if a deal was not reached.

When asked about the morality of the threats, Leavitt said it was “insulting” to suggest Iran had a moral high ground. She accused Iran of “atrocities” against Americans and the military.

Catholic doctrine recognizes war can be justified under some circumstances. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, war is justified only to confront grave evil, and even then its harm must not exceed the evil it seeks to end and there must be a real chance of success, with all alternatives to war exhausted.

St. Augustine — the architect of just war doctrine — wrote to the Roman general Boniface: “Peace should be the object of your desire; war should be waged only as a necessity, and waged only that God may by it deliver men from the necessity and preserve them in peace.”

Augustine, writing in A.D. 418, told the general that “even in waging war, cherish the spirit of a peacemaker." The theologian cited Christ’s teaching in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Capizzi said Trump’s rhetoric “is utterly alien to a peaceful intention” and, even if war is justified, “the intention of war must always be peace.”

“We Catholics do not pray to be merciless,” he said. “We do not invoke God in vengeance against our enemies. When we pray to God for victory, Catholics do so with humility and a desire for peace, a peace that ought to include our enemies whom Our Lord taught us to love.”

Capizzi said the notion that power plants are “dual use” because it “fuels both civilian homes and military arms production factors” does not make it a legitimate military target.

“Thereʼs significant gray area in this, but the idea is to limit the conduct of war to legitimate military targets and reduce the expansion of war in ways that increase civilian suffering,” he said.

O’Neill said it is not intrinsically evil to destroy a power plant or bridge, but the question must be: “Why are we striking it?”

Military officials, he said, must also ask: “How do the proportion of innocent deaths caused (directly and indirectly, with a bridge out of service in the coming weeks) by the strike compare to the good sought?”

He said Trumpʼs rhetoric shows “the intention and the means employed to achieve the fruition of those intentions.” He argued Trumpʼs intentions “explicitly and directly threaten mass casualty strikes that make no determination between combatant and noncombatant."

Trumpʼs remarks “border on the genocidal," he argued.

“What the Church provides is a clear moral reasoning for making difficult judgments about how to defend yourself and your nation justly,” O’Neill said. “These comments are more or less a rejection of any kind of moral reasoning beyond ‘win at all costs.’ Under no circumstances is it just to attempt to wipe a nation off of the face of the earth.”

According to Newton, distinguishing between military and civilian targets can be complex, but he offered his opinion that "a proper military target is one which is proximately ordered towards a military goal. By this I mean that the facility exists — or exists in the mode it currently does — because of military needs.”

To determine morality, Newton said, it “is not merely what you do but why you do it” and “something can be evil on account of either or both these elements.”

He said the president’s threats to destroy Iran “imply targeting elements of the country which go way beyond military targets and would be immoral,” but he added the caveat that “not knowing the intention means we cannot really interpret these [words] accurately.”

Principle of double effect

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that a moral act requires “a good intention,” but a good intention does not justify an intrinsically evil act. A bad intention always “makes an act evil,” it states.

St. Thomas Aquinas explains in the “Summa Theologica” that some acts can have several effects — some good and some bad. If the act itself is morally neutral, the act can be justified only if the good result is intended, and the bad consequence is unintended.

Capizzi said the principle of double effect often applies to war because hitting a legitimate target can result in hitting something that is not legitimate. When necessary, it may be moral to accept “collateral damage” as a secondary, unintended effect, he said.

“The proportionality of military actions is always important,” he said. “The bad secondary effects should not outweigh the good associated with the act. Again, the general idea is that war should be borne by combatants to the war and not be civilians.”

Yet because bad intentions and intrinsically immoral acts cannot be justified, Capizzi said “the intentional targeting of the innocent is never permissible, no matter how much good might come of it.”

O’Neill said this applies in the context of civilian infrastructure, noting the justification cannot just be “Does this harm the Iranian military?” and “Will this help us win the war?”

He said Trump must consider proportionality and cannot actively will the harm to civilians.

“If part of your decision to blow up a power plant is to cause suffering to the civilian population that depends upon it so that they are more likely to organize a coup, you are seeking a good effect through the evil means of civilian suffering,” he said.

Newton also noted the importance of proportionality: “One does need to make a prudential judgment concerning whether the good that one is seeking is really sufficiently good to tolerate the unintended but foreseen negative outcomes.”

He noted any intention to harm civilians “does not square with the principle of double effect” and expressed concern that Trump’s comments “are at least in danger of giving the impression that the approach taken to seeking the military defeat of the enemy is the demoralization of the population as a whole.”

“Iʼm not saying that this is the only way to interpret those statements but they are statements which definitely open up the possibility of an interpretation which is not compatible with the principle of double effect,” Newton said.

Iranian and American officials, including Vice President JD Vance, are scheduled to meet in Pakistan this weekend to negotiate long-term peace. Lebanese and Israeli officials have both expressed interest in peace talks as well.

“The social, economic, and political reality of human life and poverty is not disconnected from environmental issues concerning polluted air, water, and land, decreasing biodiversity, and habitat destruction,” the Indiana Catholic Conference of Bishops wrote in a pastoral letter released April 8.

“Human ecology and natural ecology are united in what Pope Francis called ‘integral ecology,’" the prelates said.

The pastoral letter, signed by Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Bishop Robert McClory of Gary, Bishop Timothy Doherty of Lafayette, and Bishop Joseph Siegel of Evansville, was written during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, according to a press release from the bishops.

The prelates emphasized “Christian hope” amid ecological and societal challenges and called the faithful “to live Eucharistic lives as we care for both our human community and for God’s good world.”

They explained that integral ecology “recognizes that we are both ecological citizens and ecclesiological citizens. We belong to the earth and to the Church."

The letter encourages sustainable farming, enhanced development of renewable energy sources, and care for the state’s water sources.

The Indiana faith leaders highlighted farming as “a vocation from God to feed the human community,” noting that “our state is an agricultural leader in that regard.” They called for the prioritization of “safe, affordable, and sustainable food supply” that “treats people, land, and animals in accord with their God-given way of being.”

“At the core of the ecological and social crises is a human heart enclosed in upon itself, alienated from God, our neighbor, and creation,” the bishops said. “The Sacred Heart of Jesus seeks to draw each human heart into communion with himself and through him into communion with the Trinity.”

Beyond care of creation and the poor, the bishops encouraged Catholics to seek healing in relationships with God, oneself, and each other by restoring commitment to observing the sabbath, unplugging from the virtual world, and seeking encounter with each other and creation.

They further suggested that the faithful could take up gardening in order to become closer to Godʼs world.

“Biblically, our human life originated in the Garden of Eden, a paradise of holy and just relationships among God, ourselves, and creation," the bishops said.

"Gardening is a way of life that requires humility, attentiveness, gratitude, and faithful obedience to cooperate with the ways of soil and plants.”

Cardinal Michael Czerny, the prefect of the Vaticanʼs Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, praised the bishops' letter in a separate message.

He called the letter a “thoughtful contribution to the Church’s ongoing reflection on the relationship between integral human development and care for creation.”

Czerny urged Catholics in Indiana to “continue fostering reflection and action regarding integral ecology in an attentive and balanced manner.”

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin this week stressed the need for “more voices of peace, more voices against the madness of the rush toward rearmament” after several weeks of U.S.-led strikes against Iran have reportedly resulted in thousands of casualties and have raised the specter of a sustained global war.

The two countries agreed to a temporary ceasefire on April 7 while negotiations play out, but the agreement has been marred by subsequent Israeli strikes in Lebanon as well as disputes over Iranʼs reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route whose closure upended global markets and sent oil prices skyward.

Before the ceasefire, U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened the annihilation of the “whole civilization” of Iran if the country failed to accept U.S. terms — a vow that drew an explicit rebuke from Pope Leo XIV.

“Attacks on civilian infrastructure [are] against international law [and are] also a sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction that the human being is capable of,” the pope said after Trumpʼs threat. “We all want to work for peace. People want peace.”

“I would invite citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities, political leaders, congressmen, to ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war,” the Holy Father said.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops President Archbishop Paul Coakley also condemned the threat, arguing on April 7 that such rhetoric “cannot be morally justified.”

Coakley at the time "call[ed] on President Trump to step back from the precipice of war and negotiate a just settlement for the sake of peace and before more lives are lost.”

‘A victory for the United States of America’

Amid rebukes from Catholic leaders around the world, U.S. leadership has celebrated both the military action and the ceasefire that came after Trumpʼs apparent willingness to destroy Iran, a threat that critics said pointed to the potential deaths of millions of civilians.

In a release on April 8 after the ceasefire was announced, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the ongoing actions in Iran a “decisive military victory.”

"President Trump forged this moment," Hegseth said. "Iran begged for this ceasefire — and we all know it.”

The terms of the ceasefire are themselves in dispute, leaving open the question of whether military action will resume before the two-week window expires.

Iran has argued that the Israeli strikes in Lebanon violated the agreement. The U.S. government, meanwhile, said Iran agreed to reopen the critical Hormuz Strait amid ongoing peace negotiations, but United Arab Emirates industry minister Sultan Al Jaber said on April 9 that the strait has not been fully reopened.

Still, U.S. officials have continued to boast of the success of the mission. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on April 8 that coalition forces “achieved the military objectives” they set out to accomplish in Iran, including the destruction of much of Iranʼs military forces.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt similarly called the campaign “a victory for the United States of America,” one that “the president and our incredible military made happen.”

The putative victories after sharp criticism from Catholic leadership come as tensions between the U.S. and the Vatican appear to be strained.

Disputed report

On April 6 the Free Press reported that the government in January summoned then-Apostolic Nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre to the Pentagon, allegedly delivering to the diplomat a “bitter lecture” demanding that the Holy See “take [the United States'] side” in global military conflicts.

An official with the Department of Defense told EWTN News in a statement on April 9 that the Free Press report was “highly exaggerated and distorted.”

“The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion,” the statement said. “We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See.”

The apostolic nunciature in the United States of America on April 9 also confirmed the meeting, saying in a statement that Pierre visited the Pentagon on Jan. 22 and that the cardinal “discussed current affairs” with U.S. officials.

“Meetings with government officials are a standard practice for the nuncio, who serves as the Holy See’s ambassador to the United States,” the nunciature said. “The apostolic nunciature is grateful for the opportunities to meet and dialogue with government officials and others in Washington to discuss areas of mutual concern.”

Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, likewise wrote on X on April 9 that Pierre told him the reports of a “bitter” meeting were “fabrications” that were “just invented.”

“It was a frank and cordial meeting," Pierre said, according to Burch.

The Department of Defenseʼs rapid response team similarly wrote on X on April 9 that the report was “grossly false and distorted.” The account also shared images of the meeting between Pierre and government officials.

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Vice President JD Vance, himself a Catholic, was asked about the report on April 8 while in Hungary. He told media he would “like to talk to Cardinal Christophe Pierre and, frankly, to our people, to figure out what actually happened.”

“I think itʼs always a bad idea to offer an opinion on stories that are unconfirmed and uncorroborated, so Iʼm not going to do that,” the vice president said at the time.

Pierre retired in March; Pope Leo XIV subsequently appointed Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia to replace him. Caccia has thus far been silent about the Iran conflict, though in the recent past he has been an open critic of war and an outspoken proponent of peace.

Shortly after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, he told the United Nations Security Council in October 2023 that war “is always a defeat,” and he lamented the “lasting end to the cycle of violence that has engulfed” the Holy Land.

U.S. leaders have justified the Iranian conflict by alleging that the Middle Eastern country represents a threat to the U.S. and to global peace. Ahead of the ceasefire, Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that Iran was “violating every law known” by allegedly striking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

He described the country as “a regime that doesnʼt believe in laws or rules or anything like that.”

Parolin, meanwhile, this week called for “more voices raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters” and urged the Catholic world — including Catholic universities — to seek out “new economic models inspired by justice.”

"I am struck by how much determination ... with which the military option is presented as decisive, almost inevitable,” the cardinal said.

This story was updated at 2:50 p.m. ET on April 9, 2026, with remarks from U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch and the Department of Defenseʼs rapid response X account.

Almost half of Planned Parenthood’s revenue came from taxpayer dollars, even as abortion services increased and other services dwindled, according to the groupʼs 2024-2025 annual report. Notably, Planned Parenthood also registered a net loss of revenue for the first time in recent years.

In response to the report, advocates for unborn children are renewing their call to permanently defund Planned Parenthood.

Abortion a priority for Planned Parenthood

The all-time high abortion count is an 8% increase from the previous year, about 32,000 more abortions than the previous year. The number does not include telehealth chemical abortions, which are a growing percentage of all abortions.

Planned Parenthood’s other services like preventative care, pap tests, and cancer screenings all decreased from the previous year, continuing a decade-long trend, according to a report by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, a research and education group that advocates for unborn children and mothers.

The recent annual report is “consistent with long-term trends,” Michael New, a Charlotte Lozier Institute scholar and Catholic University of America assistant professor, told EWTN News.

“During the past 10 years, the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood has increased by over 34%,” New said. “Meanwhile, cancer screenings fell by more than 42% and prenatal services declined by more than 55% during the same time period.”

“They perform nearly 40% of the abortions that take place in the United States,” New added. “Abortion is a very large revenue source for them so it is unsurprising they prioritize abortions while cutting back on some health care services.”

Tessa Cox, another senior research associate at the institute, noted that “over the past decade, abortions, government funding, and total revenue soared, even as the number of clients served has declined and total services have stagnated.”

Dr. Christina Francis, who heads the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said that “an organization that touts death as health care and a main driver of their services can hardly be expected to be taken seriously as a health care provider.”

"With each annual report, Planned Parenthood proves itʼs more concerned with planning abortions than promoting the beauty and strength of motherhood,” Francis told EWTN News.

Advocacy goals: Defunding Planned Parenthood

In spite of the decline in other services, more taxpayer funding continues to go to Planned Parenthood.

In 2023-2024, the abortion provider received more than $830 million in government grants, contracts, and Medicaid reimbursements — about $40 million more than the previous year. This was a 50% increase from 2014, or 10% when adjusted for inflation.

New noted that “Planned Parenthood is heavily dependent on taxpayer funding.”

“It is unsurprising that after they were made ineligible for federal Medicaid money starting in fiscal 2026, approximately 50 Planned Parenthood facilities ceased operations,” New noted.

Advocates for unborn children agree: Defunding Planned Parenthood is a priority, especially in light of the report.

“Defunding Planned Parenthood remains an important policy goal for pro-lifers,” New said.

Though the movement to defund Planned Parenthood saw some success last year, President Donald Trump’s budget only defunds abortion providers for one year.

“Pro-lifers should encourage President Trump and congressional Republicans to pass a 2027 budget that prevents Planned Parenthood from receiving federal Medicaid dollars,” New continued. “That said, cutting funding to Planned Parenthood may not have a large impact on the incidence of abortion in the short term due the increasing prevalence of telehealth abortions.”

Noah Brandt, a spokesman for Live Action, a human rights group that advocates for unborn children, said that “32,000 more innocent children were killed than the year before.”

“These tragic numbers show exactly why we can’t settle for a one-year pause of the abortion giant’s federal funding, which expires on July 4, 2026,” Brandt told EWTN News.

“Congress needs to extend the defund and make it permanent to shut down the flow of public dollars to an organization that’s killing nearly half a million American children every year," he continued.

Francis noted the importance of cultural change and legal safeguards for chemical abortion pills.

“The pro-life movement has two battles: fighting the anti-motherhood narrative thatʼs infected American society and the abortion pill epidemic flooding the internet thanks to the Biden administrationʼs reckless policies and the Trump administrationʼs unwillingness to restore safeguards for abortion drugs,” Francis said.

Cox added that “women deserve better alternatives,” noting that these alternatives “outnumber Planned Parenthoods by 15 to 1 nationwide.”

Planned Parenthood did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

“The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel was intense. We waited a long time three kilometers from the village while hearing gunfire and explosions, but we could not continue and had to suspend the mission,” Monsignor Hugues de Woillemont, general director of l’Oeuvre d’Orient, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

De Woillemont traveled to Lebanon as a representative of the French Catholic aid organization and of the Church in France “to celebrate Easter, to show support and friendship, and also to thank Christians for their witness.”

Although the convoy was under the protection of soldiers from the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, he said “security conditions were not sufficient for us to carry out our visit or deliver the aid, which was a great disappointment for the Christians we wanted to visit.”

The aid was headed to Debel, a village just over a mile from the southern border with Israel in the Maronite Diocese of Tyre, where nearly 10,000 Christians live in about 20 parishes.

Residents there remain under an evacuation order issued by the Israeli army, but many Lebanese Christians have chosen to stay in their homes.

“That is why we wanted to bring a truck of humanitarian aid and, above all, to show our friendship and closeness to the Christians there,” De Woillemont said.

The region south of the Litani River makes up about 15% of Lebanese territory. Christian communities there are trying to remain in their villages despite the threat of Israeli annexation, and their situation reflects the long-standing vulnerability of Lebanon’s Maronite Christians, who often bear some of the conflict’s heaviest consequences.

L’Oeuvre d’Orient has distributed tons of humanitarian aid throughout Lebanon, but De Woillemont said the group, like other humanitarian and religious organizations, is reaching its limits.

“The situation is untenable,” he said.

The convoy he joined was the seventh sent to villages in southern Lebanon.

“We are determined to return as soon as conditions allow,” he said, while praising the courage and resilience of Christians in the land once walked by Christ.

On Wednesday, De Woillemont was able to visit three other villages with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rai, where they delivered 30 tons of humanitarian assistance — mainly food and hygiene kits — without incident.

“We were able to show our support and admiration for those who remain in their homes,” he said.

“For us it was a moment to measure up close the restrictions and dangers they — the living stones — experience every day,” he added after spending another night listening to the sound of detonations.

He said that in recent hours, the fall of about 100 Israeli projectiles in just 10 minutes overwhelmed hospitals and makeshift shelters.

“Recent Israeli bombings have affected more than 100 cities, causing more than 100 deaths and 800 injuries, including in Beirut. The situation is terrible and requires urgent help,” De Woillemont said, lamenting that the ceasefire with Iran does not apply to Lebanon.

Lebanon is also facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with 1.2 million internally displaced persons — about 20% of the country’s population of 5.5 million.

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.

Speaking in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican on April 9, the Holy Father welcomed the athletes “with joy” shortly after the conclusion of the Winter Games and thanked them for their witness.

“Thank you for what you have shown,” the pope said. “Truly, sport, when lived authentically, is not merely a performance: It is a form of language, a narrative made up of gestures, of effort, of anticipation, of falls, and of new beginnings.”

Leo XIV said the games revealed not only athletic achievement but also “stories of sacrifice, of discipline, of tenacity.”

“In particular, in Paralympic competitions we have seen how a limitation can become a source of revelation: not something that holds a person back but something that can be transformed, even transfigured into newfound qualities,” he said. “You athletes have become life stories that inspire a great number of people.”

The pope also emphasized the communal dimension of athletic success, saying: “No one wins alone.”

“Your team spirit reminds us that no one wins alone, because behind every victory there are many people involved — from family to teams — as well as many days of training, pressure, and solitude,” he said.

Quoting Psalm 18, he added: “It is often precisely in these moments that God reveals himself, as the psalmist sings: ‘Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.’”

Leo XIV said sport helps mature the human person by fostering discipline, humility, and right relationships.

“Sport contributes to the maturing of our character, requires a steadfast spirituality, and is a fruitful form of education,” he said. “By training the mind, along with the limbs, sport is authentic when it remains humane — that is, when it remains faithful to its first vocation: to be a school of life and talent.”

“A school in which one learns that true success is measured by the quality of relationships: not by the amount of prizes but by mutual respect, by shared joy in the game,” he continued.

Referring to his Feb. 6 apostolic letter “Life in Abundance,” written for the occasion of the Olympics and Paralympics, the pope said the Gospel’s vision of abundant life points to harmony between the physical and interior dimensions of the person.

Turning to the present global situation, Leo XIV said the athletes’ witness carries special importance.

“At the present time, so marked by polarization, rivalry, and conflicts that escalate into devastating wars, your commitment takes on an even greater value: Sport can and must truly become a space for encounter!” he said. “Not a show of strength but an exercise in relationship.”

Recalling the value of the Olympic truce, he thanked the athletes for making visible “this possibility of peace as a prophecy that is by no means rhetorical: breaking the logic of violence to promote that of encounter.”

The pope also warned against distortions in sport, including doping, commercialism, and the reduction of athletes to mere spectacle.

“We are well aware that sport also brings with it certain temptations: that of performance at any cost, which can lead to doping; that of profit, which transforms the game into a market and the athlete into a star; that of spectacle, which reduces the athlete to an image or a number,” he said. “Against these excesses, your witness is essential.”

Leo XIV concluded by thanking the athletes for showing “an honest and beautiful way of inhabiting the world” and urged them to keep the human person at the center of sport in all its forms.

Following the audience, several of the athletes spoke to journalists about their experience of the audience and competing in the Winter Games, including speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, who won two gold medals at Milan-Cortina this year.

“My goal was just to show that in my sport; I was able to combine, you know, being a mother and a top athlete,“ Lollobrigida told EWTN News. ”Iʼm just doing this for the other women, you know, that maybe at some points during their career they want to stop to focus on the family and then to come back.”

Nikko Landeros, an American-born Catholic who lost both his legs in 2007, represented Italy in ice hockey at the latest Paralympic games. He described to EWTN News the role of Catholicism in his athletic journey.

“At home, I started pretty much Catholic. You know, I went to Catholic school in the U.S. Weʼve been going to church now... not as much as I should, but, you know, I still pray every day, and Iʼm thankful to be here. You know, if it werenʼt for God, I wouldnʼt be alive. So, you know, Iʼm super thankful,” Landeros said.

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

Francis, a rich man who embraced poverty and had a heart for the poor, begged and sold items for materials to rebuild the Portiuncula.

But that’s not all of what was refurbished.

The saint asked God and Pope Honorius III for a special indulgence for those who visited the chapel. It was also there that St. Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor and later died in a small room that still exists today.

Now, as Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed 2026 as the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, Archbishop José H. Gomez has declared 15 sites in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as pilgrimage destinations, ensuring that L.A. Catholics don’t have to travel all the way to Assisi to participate in the commemoration.

In a letter released on March 25, Gomez encouraged local Catholics to take part in the archdiocese’s official jubilee events marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, including pilgrimages to area Franciscan parishes and sacred sites, prayer services, and community activities throughout the year. The archdiocese set up a special site for the observance: lacatholics.org/year-of-st-francis.

“During this time of grace, the Holy Father invites us to reflect on the witness of St. Francis and to grow in holiness through prayer, conversion, and works of charity,” Gomez wrote.

“In this way, may this year deepen our love for Jesus Christ, strengthen our care for creation, and renew our commitment to peace.”

As part of this observance, those who embark on the pilgrimages and meet certain spiritual conditions may receive a plenary indulgence, which removes the time a person might have spent in purgatory due to his or her sins, which have already been forgiven by God.

Many of the pilgrimage sites were chosen because of their ties to St. Francis or his Franciscan order. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the oldest California mission in the archdiocese, was founded by St. Junípero Serra, the Spanish missionary priest who was a Franciscan.

The Monastery of Poor Clares in Santa Barbara is the religious order named after Francis’ “spiritual sister,” St. Clare of Assisi, while St. Lawrence of Brindisi Church in Watts is run by the Capuchins and named after the Franciscan saint.

The altar at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles features a relic of Francis sealed into it.

In a recent Angelus column, the archbishop noted the “deep spiritual ties that connect us with St. Francis” and how he can still bring us peace in a divided world.

“St. Francis used to greet people with a little prayer: ‘May the Lord grant you peace,’” Gomez said. “As we reflect on his witness and teachings during this jubilee year, let us renew our commitment to bring the Lord’s peace into all of our relationships and to work to promote reconciliation and understanding among our neighbors.”

With a papal decree in January, Leo proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” that will extend through Jan. 10, 2027. In his remarks, Leo hoped that the special jubilee year would promote a spiritual calm in a world currently tormented by war, starvation, and persecution.

“I wish to join spiritually with the entire Franciscan Family and with all those who will take part in the commemorative events, hoping that the message of peace may find a profound echo in the Church and society today,” Leo wrote.

As part of the jubilee, the remains of St. Francis were moved from his tomb and exposed for public veneration from Feb. 22 to March 22 at the basilica bearing his name in Assisi, Italy — a rarity considering the saint’s bones have seldom been publicly displayed. Hundreds of thousands signed up and waited in lengthy lines to get an up-close and personal view of the saint.

On Oct. 4, Francis’ feast day will once again be a national holiday in Italy after lawmakers reinstated the celebration, which was repealed in 1977.

“It’s an exciting year; I don’t think any of us would have anticipated that Pope Leo would have declared this,” Father Jonathan St. Andre, vice president for Franciscan Life at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, told OSV News. “We figured the pope would go to Assisi; there would be different events. But to make this a jubilee, and to offer an indulgence ... is just remarkable.”

Full list of archdiocese jubilee sites

Santa Barbara Region

• St. Mark’s University Church: 6550 Picasso Rd., Isla Vista
• St. Francis of Assisi Church: 1048 W. Ventura St., Fillmore
• Old Mission Santa Barbara: 2201 Laguna St., Santa Barbara
• Mission Santa Inés: 1760 Mission Dr., Solvang
• Poor Clare Monastery: 215 E. Los Olivos St., Santa Barbara

San Fernando Region

• Poverello of Assisi Retreat Center: 1519 Woodworth St., San Fernando
• Provincial House and Chapel (Glory to God): 13367 Borden Ave., Sylmar
• Mother Gertrude Balcazar Home: 11320 Laurel Canyon Blvd., San Fernando
• Poor Clare Missionary Sisters: 13026 Angeles Trail Way, Kagel Canyon

Our Lady of the Angels Region

• St. Francis of Assisi Church: 1523 Golden Gate Ave., Silver Lake
• St. Lawrence of Brindisi Church: 10122 Compton Ave., Watts
• Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels: 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles

San Gabriel Region

• Mission San Gabriel Arcángel: 428 S. Mission Dr., San Gabriel
• San Francisco de Asís Church: 4800 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles

San Pedro Region

• Our Lady of Guadalupe Church: 440 Massey St., Hermosa Beach

This story was first published by Angelus, the multimedia news platform of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It has been reprinted here with permission.

“We Christians in Bangladesh run many educational institutions,” Archbishop Bejoy N. DʼCruze, OMI, of Dhaka said. “Along with academic subjects, we focus on morals, values, and good character. When we hear about online classes, we become worried about where this system will take our students.”

The archbishop made the remarks while exchanging Easter greetings with Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on Easter Sunday. He said Catholic school principals and headmasters remain deeply concerned about the impact of online learning on children.

The proposal comes as Bangladesh faces energy shortages linked to global instability in the Middle East. To reduce electricity consumption and ease pressure on infrastructure, the government is considering partial online learning in selected educational institutions. However, Catholic leaders say the experience of online education during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed serious limits, especially for students' academic and moral formation.

Students and parents voice concerns

Students say online classes make it harder to understand lessons and stay focused.

“I have difficulty understanding lessons when classes are online,” said Sonnet Gomes, a student at a missionary school in Dhaka. “I want to go to school and take classes physically.”

Referring to her experience during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Gomes said online learning created both academic and health-related problems. “When we had online classes during corona, it was not good for us. Now there is no health risk. If needed, we can reduce class hours instead of moving everything online,” she said.

Parents, especially Catholic parents, also strongly oppose online classes. They worry about screen addiction, lack of supervision, and the financial burden placed on families.

“I donʼt want online classes,” said Priyanka Gomes, a Catholic mother in Dhaka. “During corona, I was forced to buy my son a smartphone. With online classes, children stay on their phones all day. They play games, use social media, and become addicted.”

Teachers: ‘Online classes are not effective’

Catholic teachers echo these concerns and say online learning often leads to poor attendance and weak engagement.

“If the government orders online classes, we will obey,” said Cornelius DʼCruze, vice principal of Heed International School in Dhaka. “But honestly, online classes are not effective. Many students skip classes. Parents go to work, and children spend most of the time on their phones.”

According to the Catholic Directory of Bangladesh, the Catholic Church in the country runs one university, 17 colleges, 60 high schools, and nearly 300 primary and technical schools. Well-known institutions such as Notre Dame College, Holy Cross College, St. Gregoryʼs High School, and St. Joseph Higher Secondary School are among the countryʼs most respected academic centers.

Government says proposal still under review

Government officials say the move toward online or blended learning is necessary under current conditions.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education recently organized a seminar at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka to discuss how to continue education during the energy crisis.

Education Minister A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj attended the seminar. Students, teachers, and guardians from various institutions in the Dhaka metropolitan area shared their views on the proposal.

The education minister said online classes would not be introduced nationwide at once but would begin on an experimental basis in selected institutions.

“Various crises in world history have opened new possibilities,” Milon said. “Education must continue in new ways. We should not see everything as a threat. We can also see opportunities.”

The government is considering a hybrid system combining physical and online classes in selected schools and colleges, including Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and Ideal School and College in Motijheel.

“We disagree with the decision of the majority of judges at the Constitutional Court but accept it,” the Czech Bishops' Conference wrote in a press release. The episcopate finds it “positive that the court did not reject the idea of the existence of a treaty with the Holy See but only limited itself to partial passages.”

The agreement on certain legal issues was signed in 2024 by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and then-Prime Minister Petr Fiala. It was later approved by both chambers of the countryʼs Parliament and was submitted to the president of the country for ratification.

However, a group of senators filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court, which on April 1 stated that two parts of the accord are problematic.

The ruling says that the concordat would “give Catholic Church legal entities a powerful tool to prevent their documents (archive materials) from being made available.” Church archives are important sources of cultural wealth and history, but the accord would “exempt Catholic churches from the obligation to respect the Archives Act, which would, however, continue to apply to all other churches,” the court explained.

The second objection deals with the seal of confession, which would be enacted without any exceptions and would be “a clear violation of the neutrality of the state and the principle of equal treatment of different churches.”

Each side of the treaty understood it differently, the ruling observed, adding that the seal of confession would be more protected than professional secrecy.

Dissenting opinions

Three out of 15 judges of the Constitutional Court presented a different position, arguing the court did not deal with an important part of the legal file presented by senators, such as objections to “the alleged privilege of the Catholic Church in the provision of pastoral care in various types of institutions and facilities.”

However, they admitted that “the Holy See is a subject of international law, which the Czech Republic has recognized,” and so it is “undoubtedly an objective reason for the different treatment of the Catholic Church in various issues.” They further argued that the two problematic passages in the majority decision are not in conflict with the constitution.

Another two judges presented a different position each. One of them, Judge Tomáš Langášek, argued that “the dissenting opinions show that it was possible to adopt a rational interpretation of the concordat in good faith that would not in any way conflict with the constitutional order.”

He said he considers the decision “a paradigmatic change in the role and function of the constitutional judiciary.” The Constitutional Court opposed the intention of the Parliament “to take on an international legal obligation to maintain” the already existing and “legally guaranteed standard of protection of fundamental religious rights and freedoms in [the] future,” Langášek opined.

“The courtʼs concern for equal treatment among churches and religious communities is only a proxy problem,” the constitutional judge added.

‘A legal defeat for people who consider religious freedom an important value’

“It is a political victory for some, and a legal defeat for people, believers and nonbelievers, who consider religious freedom an important value,” commented Jakub Kříž, a lawyer who teaches at the Catholic Theological Faculty of Charles University in Prague.

At the same time, he said he believes “the absence of a concordat is not a tragedy” either for religious freedom or “for Catholics who, after all, always benefit the most when the state does not get along with them.”

The proposal “would have had no chance of success if” Czech President Petr Pavel “had not intervened and introduced new arguments,” for example suggesting that “the agreement contradicts the sovereignty of the state and its secular and republican character,” the scholar underscored.

The negotiated agreement was “poor in content, innocent, almost devoid of substance,” and the Czech side did not try to “negotiate anything beyond what is already in force today,” Kříž said, adding that it had “more a symbolic” value.

‘A big disappointment’

The decision was a “big disappointment” and “a very unfortunate event,” lamented Father Jiří Rajmund Tretera, a Dominican and professor of canon law at the Faculty of Law of Charles University.

On the seal of confession, there would be “no change to the current situation,” as all believers “were guaranteed that the current legal provisions” regarding “confessional secrecy could not be so easily eliminated” if a religion-averse group “came to power in our democratic state,” the priest said.

Tretera also said he believes the Constitutional Court committed “an unintentional attack against the ecumenical movement.” It argued that the proposed agreement “was not in accordance with the principle of equality of all churches,” yet “this is in conflict with the reality commonly recognized in non-Catholic churches.”

Kříž clarified that “non-Catholic churches did not” oppose the treaty, and “many even welcomed it, seeing its role as a stabilizer of guarantees of religious freedom.”

The only way to proceed is “to start negotiations from the beginning,” as this is not “a bill where a sentence can be deleted,” the lawyer warned.

Yet he said he is skeptical that the Holy See would risk another “embarrassment,” as “the Czech Republic showed to be a rather unreliable international partner.”

“On the very day of Jesus’ resurrection, on Easter day, Jesus appeared to the apostles [and] the message he delivered to them was, ‘Peace to you!’” Father Giulio Albanese, MCCJ, said in an exclusive interview with EWTN News reporter Valentina Di Donato.

“Peace, from a Christian perspective, is not simply a wish, it’s a gift, and we must be aware that this is our vocation, to bring peace to the world. What is shameful is that nowadays we are doing exactly the opposite,” he said.

Albanese, who was kidnapped in northern Uganda by armed rebels in 2002 and witnessed several atrocities of war firsthand, said today’s Christians cannot turn a blind eye to people’s sufferings.

“We have to be aware that we are living in a society, at an international level, where there are many, many contradictions,” he said.

“There are many innocent people who are slaughtered out of human selfishness. Look at what is taking place in Iran, in the Middle East, in Africa,” he continued.

In order to address the obstacles to peace, Albanese said it is necessary for Christians to undergo a conversion and to take Jesus’ Easter message of peace to heart.

“During Easter day and even in the following days we have to pray for peace because if there is a lack of peace in the world it’s because our Christianity has become meaningless,” he said.

After witnessing the violent killings of a woman and her young children in Uganda, Albanese shared with Di Donato how his faith in the risen Jesus was put to the test.

“I must be sincere, in that very moment, I started screaming against the Lord, I said, ‘Lord where are you? Why are you allowing innocent people [to be] killed like that in that way? Why do they have to suffer in such a way? Lord have you forgotten us? Have you forgotten these people?” he said.

But it was through the help of an elderly priest that Albanese was able to sense the presence of God, when he was told: “You should ask yourself where is man, not where is God.”

Describing his heartfelt conversion as a “story of resurrection,” the Comboni missionary said these days of Easter can help Christians renew their commitment to work toward peace.

“We have to believe that our life is in the hands of God,” he said. “The Lord is faithful, and in the very moment you live an experience like this you understand also the significance of life.”

During Holy Week, Pope Leo XIV made several pleas to world leaders to bring all conflict and violence to an end.

Describing Jesus Christ as the “King of Peace” during the Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father said God does not listen to those who “wage war.”

“Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering,” he said in his March 29 homily.

On Easter Sunday, the pope renewed his prayerful petition for peace during his “urbi et orbi” blessing delivered from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

“The peace that Jesus gives us is not merely the silence of weapons but the peace that touches and transforms the heart of each one of us!” he said. “Let us allow ourselves to be transformed by the peace of Christ! Let us make heard the cry for peace that springs from our hearts!”

Pope Leo will preside over a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 11.

The prelate made his remarks during an interview with Venevisión on Sunday, April 5. Porras acknowledged that, although there is much debate surrounding the legality of Maduro’s capture and whether it violated Venezuelaʼs sovereignty — “the important thing is to look forward.”

Vengeance always “causes greater division” within a society, because “everything done through violence, war, or death invariably leaves wounds," he emphasized, noting that the Church’s primary task in Venezuela now is to help heal those wounds.

Porras urged people to seek shared solutions and to strive for that which unites. Otherwise, he said, “we’ll get nowhere.”

“We must learn to foster fraternity. We must learn to be brothers and sisters,” he said. “Learning how to coexist, learning the meaning of friendship; I believe this can subsequently lead us toward other expressions of love.”

Justice and forgiveness in a post-Maduro Venezuela

Since Maduroʼs arrest on Jan. 3, Venezuelan authorities have repeatedly characterized this as a time of forgiveness and reconciliation, the cardinal said. In February, Venezuelan lawmakers passed an amnesty law that has benefited thousands of political prisoners, according to various independent organizations.

Porras emphasized that the amnesty process “has proceeded very slowly,” however, because those who pushed for the legislation and those charged with approving the prisoner releases are often the same people “who committed, condoned, or were complicit in” the abuses by the socialist regime.

The prelate lamented that there is no separation of powers in the country. Freedom, he continued, is not a gift but rather “a matter of justice.”

He said recent events in the country have opened a window of opportunity for Venezuelans to “seek ... balance” in a society that, if it wishes to maintain hope for the future, must do so by “moving beyond a scale that tips in only one direction.”

Fundamental freedoms in the country

Porras noted that freedom of expression must be restored in Venezuela, “because we’re not slaves,” nor are people obliged to simply “do what others tell us to do.”

He said this is necessary so people can conduct their own analysis and exercise personal discernment. Today, many lack that ability simply because they don’t have enough information — or because the information they receive is manipulated by various interests, he noted.

The cardinal also pointed out that all authority “finds its raison dʼêtre in service to the people,” and its ultimate mission must be to seek the common good. “It is undoubtedly necessary to have regulations that ensure those services, which are fundamental to the development of a society … to serve precisely that common good which enables us to have a better life,” he stated.

A possible transition to democracy

When asked his thoughts about interim president Delcy Rodríguez, Porras recalled words once spoken to him by St. John Paul II: “Do not speak to those in power, for they do not listen. Speak to the people.”

The cardinal explained that the country must move toward a transition while simultaneously creating the conditions necessary to hold truly free elections.

“To move toward having elections, the first prerequisite is that citizens be able to decide for themselves, rather than simply accept what is dictated by those currently in power,” he said.

The archbishop emeritus also emphasized the urgent need to improve the country’s economy, a goal that can only be achieved through real and effective policies that guarantee legal certainty for investors.

“We are the ... ones who have gotten ourselves into this deep ditch, and together, we must figure out how to climb out of it,” he said.

The cardinal pointed out the necessity of having hope and joy in the process, emphasizing that Venezuelans will have to shed "sweat and tears" in order "to envision a better future. He prayed: "May the Lord and the Virgin bless the entire Venezuelan people."

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 Sisters of Nazareth will be aggregated into the Augustinian family, a step that requires both Vatican approval and consent of the local bishop. The union enables the Sisters of Nazareth to keep their autonomy while being a part of the Augustinians.

“This union, formalized by a decree from Rome, establishes a deep spiritual bond between the two institutes while allowing the sisters to maintain their canonical autonomy,” said Cindy Luyun, a spokesperson for the order.

Father Barnaby R. Johns, OSA, prior provincial of the Province of St. Augustine in California, told EWTN News that “this aggregation will only strengthen the present unity.”

“Together, the Sisters of Nazareth (1925) and the Augustinians (1924) share over 200 years of service to the Church and the people of God of the Diocese of San Diego,” he said. “Over those many years we have forged support and unity with each other and our ministries.”

Johns noted several preexisting ties between the two groups.

“The sisters educate young children at Nazareth School in San Diego and many of their eighth grade graduate boys continue their education and faith journey at St. Augustine’s High School run by the Augustinians,” he said.

“In our assisted living home also in San Diego, we have received the spiritual support of the Augustinians for our residents and sisters while supporting Augustinians who need assisted living,” Johns continued. “A number of Augustinian priests and brothers have spent their last days in the care of our Nazareth House.”

The ties are present around the world. The motherhouse of the Sisters of Nazareth is based in Hammersmith, London, within an Augustinian parish. According to Johns, local Augustinian Bishop Michael Campbell prompted the aggregation, and the sisters agreed.

“The hope of the Sisters of Nazareth going forward is to strengthen and continue the spiritual bond we already share, as ‘brothers and sisters in Christ,’” Johns explained.

The sisters will add the word “Augustinian” to their institution while also adopting the Augustinian liturgical calendar and other liturgical books and rituals belonging to the order, according to a March 18 press release shared with EWTN News.

“At the practical level, we remain autonomous religious congregations but share a close Augustinian bond of spiritual goods and indulgences, privileges under the patronage of our holy father, St. Augustine,” Johns said.

The sisters will be in good company, as Pope Leo XIV is an Augustinian.

“We are of one soul and one heart turning towards God, to the same purpose of his rule, to build up the body of Christ,” Johns said.

“Obviously Iʼm happy for anything that might lead us toward peace,” Broglio told anchor Veronica Dudo in an April 8 interview on “EWTN News Nightly” prerecorded at 11:30 a.m. ET.

“Iʼm happy that at least the two sides are talking to each other and perhaps looking for a solution to avoid any sort of armed conflict and perhaps pull back on the tensions in the area,” he said.

President Donald Trump announced on April 7 that he would hold off on further attacks as both countries negotiate long-term peace.

Part of the ceasefire agreement is that Iran will keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Reports from Iranian media Wednesday afternoon claimed that Iran had again closed the strait because of Israeli strikes on Lebanon. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the reports “unacceptable,” but as of the time of publication the ceasefire continues.

The ceasefire suspended Trump’s plan to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges just hours after he threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

Although he expressed some relief for the potential progress, Broglio said in the interview there is “genuine concern” about Lebanon’s exclusion, and it is “problematic that it isnʼt a whole vision of the entire area," as the Middle East has been “a tinderbox for a long time.”

“It would be helpful that any sort of peace dialogue involve all of the participants and all of those who might be either belligerents or victims of any sort of military action,” Broglio said.

The archbishop said the dialogue “should have taken place before any sort of military action was taking place” and noted that the United States was not directly attacked before it launched the military strikes on Iran, and he believes some elements were missing to justify the American attack, based on Catholic just war doctrine.

“Itʼs a long process because the tensions are so extreme and also the emotions in that part of the world are so strong,” he said. “But I think that certainly what Pope Leo has said … is that we really have to sit down and dialogue rather than see men and women sacrifice their lives for an armed conflict. And I think itʼs essential to enter into a process of negotiation, which of course means that everyoneʼs going to have to cede something.”

Broglio said he hopes, in these negotiations, religious figures “could bring the notion of dialogue, the notion of understanding, the attempt to listen to one another.”

“I think it would be a valuable contribution to the discourse because the three great monotheistic religions are all involved in that area,” he said. “I think we could bring something to bear.”

Broglio said the archdiocese is united with Pope Leo XIV’s calls for Catholics to pray for peace in the region. The Holy Father announced on Easter that he will lead a prayer vigil for peace on April 11 at St. Peter’s Basilica.

“Weʼll certainly encourage people to pray for peace,” Broglio said. “We are more interested than most in peace because the men and women that Iʼm privileged to serve know what warfare costs firsthand.”

Spiritual needs of the soldiers

With many American soldiers stationed throughout the Middle East as negotiations continue, Broglio said the archdiocese is working “to meet the spiritual needs with the chaplains who are actually in the Middle East right now.”

“I know that they are working very hard to answer some of the questions that men and women might have,” he said. “Theyʼre bringing the sacraments to them. And at the same time, most of the families that were in the area, such as the ones who were in Bahrain, have been brought home. So [families of the soldiers are] either in Europe or theyʼre back in the United States.”

“But obviously theyʼre separated from their loved ones. So that is another area where there has to be some ministerial assistance,” the archbishop said. “And there also has to be some, some ability to listen and to try to comfort them in this time of separation. If you think about people who have moved to a place and then are completely uprooted, itʼs a very drastic situation for them. And so they certainly need the comfort of the sacraments and also the counsel that chaplains can bring.”

The case, National Religious Broadcasters v. Bessent, was filed in August 2024 by the National Religious Broadcasters, two Texas churches, and Intercessors for America.

Plaintiffs argued the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which bars 501(c)(3) nonprofits from endorsing political candidates, violated the First Amendment and other protections.

On March 31, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker dismissed the case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, citing the Tax Anti-Injunction Act and the Declaratory Judgment Act.

The forthcoming guidance “will provide clear, administrable standards for houses of worship, including how the law applies to certain communications made within the context of religious services,” according to an April 3 press release from the Treasury Department.

“Religious liberty is foundational to our Constitution ... Treasury and the IRS will provide additional clarity and guidance to houses of worship that reflect these ideals and uphold the First Amendment,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, noting the administration’s commitment to protecting religious freedom.

In July 2025, the Trump administration had agreed to a proposed consent judgment with the plaintiffs that would have allowed certain religious communications about electoral politics from the pulpit.

That agreement was never approved by the court, however.

Last summer the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reiterated that, despite that agreement, the Catholic Church will continue its long-standing policy of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.

The Johnson Amendment remains in effect for now, though the new guidance, which is expected later this year, could offer churches more clarity on permissible political speech during religious services.

The growth of people joining the Catholic Church is widespread, spanning across dioceses of all sizes and regions. Dioceses welcomed both catechumens (unbaptized people preparing for full initiation into the Church) and candidates (those already baptized who are entering into full communion through confirmation). The numbers are beginning to align more with pre-pandemic numbers after a decrease in conversions around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on a survey completed before Easter by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, most dioceses and archdioceses expected to see increases in those entering the Church in 2026 compared with last year. Of the 71 U.S. dioceses in the survey, only five expected drops this year.

On average, American dioceses had 38% more people joining the Church in 2026 compared with 2025, according to an analysis of data by Hallow.

The four largest dioceses in the United States that witnessed significant increases were the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (139% increase), the Diocese of Phoenix (23%), the Archdiocese of New York (36%), and the Archdiocese of Chicago (52%).

Smaller dioceses also noted significant increases including the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota (145%); the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida (85%); the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota (96%); the Diocese of Honolulu (37%); and the Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska (40%).

Archdiocese of Detroit

This year in the Archdiocese of Detroit there were 583 catechumens and 845 candidates received into the Church on Easter. A spokesperson for the archdiocese told EWTN News that 2026 was its largest class since 2005, when it received 584 catechumens and 905 candidates.

At the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament on April 4, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger of Detroit welcomed the newest members. Along with the dozens of individuals who entered the Church at the cathedral’s Easter Vigil, at least 1,428 people were received into the Church across the archdiocese.

The archdiocese has been witnessing increases the past few years, with 793 people in 2024 and 977 in 2025.

Diocese of Boise

The Diocese of Boise, Idaho, is still compiling numbers to determine exactly how many people the city welcomed into the Church on Easter this year but said it could confirm that there was "a meaningful increase in the number of both catechumens and candidates who have been fully initiated into the Church,” a spokesperson for the diocese told EWTN News.

The demographics of people differ across dioceses, but in Boise the growth was “especially evident among young people, many of whom are drawn to the transcendent beauty, clarity, and orthodoxy of the Catholic faith,” the spokesperson said.

The “broader reality is already clear: The Holy Spirit is at work, and the Church in the Diocese of Boise is experiencing a renewed vitality through those responding to the call to discipleship,” the spokesperson said.

Los Angeles

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles reported that it welcomed more than 8,500 people into the Church this Easter, with a 139% increase from last year.

In 2023, the city welcomed a combined 3,462 catechumens and candidates, including both children and adults. The following year, there was a slight growth to 3,596 people, and then the number jumped to 5,587 in 2025.

In 2026, the archdiocese had a large surge with 2,452 catechumens and 6,146 candidates for a total of 8,598 people.

While there is no clear answer to the large increase in the city or other areas, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles reported individuals in the archdiocese said it was God himself who brought them to their conversions.

Other notable numbers

While many areas saw increases, some did report slight decreases. The Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas, were among the dioceses that experienced decreases this year, according to the Registerʼs survey.

The Diocese of Shreveport, Louisiana, welcomed about 257 combined candidates and catechumens this year. This was a decrease from 329 in 2025. But, its 2026 numbers are up considerably from 2021, when it only welcomed 89 people.

In the Diocese of Helena, Montana, diocesan officials believe this year’s group of those entering the Church is the largest that the diocese has had since the Rite of Election was restored after Vatican II. It also witnessed a notable 60% increase from last Easter, Hallow reported.

Many dioceses saw record-breaking classes in 2025 but still managed to surpass the numbers this year. In 2024, the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, welcomed its largest group of candidates and catechumens in a decade. Both last year and this year it surpassed that number, even witnessing a 36% increase in 2026 from 2025.

The fastest-growing diocese was found to be the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, which grew 145%, with 186 combined catechumens and candidates in 2026, compared with just 76 last year.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh experienced a growth of 108%. The increase is especially notable after the diocese announced the permanent closure of seven churches, which went into effective March 12.

The attack occurred overnight from April 2 to April 3 in the village of Bafwakao in the Mambasa territory.

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group affiliated with the Islamic State, reportedly stormed the village around 8 p.m., setting fire to nearly 60% of the homes.

Bodies were reportedly found along the main road and in burned houses, some mutilated with machetes and others shot.

By Thursday afternoon, local authorities reported at least 10 bodies discovered, while civic groups counted 32 deaths. The Congolese army later confirmed a total of 43 victims.

In his homily for Easter on Sunday, April 5, Paluku called for prayers for peace and urged authorities to ensure the protection of lives and property amid ongoing insecurity.

The bishop expressed solidarity with those affected by conflict, both within the region and beyond.

“I share the pain of the brothers and sisters of parishes such as Masoy, of Christians in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, as well as of countries like Israel that are unable to celebrate Easter in proper conditions due to the lack of peace and security,” he said during the Mass on Easter.

“I therefore call on the authorities to invest in the search for peace to ensure national unity; they must protect citizens and their property,” he said.

“The passion of Christ was not his defeat; he was not overcome. It is the greatest manifestation of his boundless love,” the bishop said, encouraging believers to turn away from actions that diminish human dignity, noting that rising with Christ does not mean abandoning the world but fulfilling one’s responsibilities faithfully.

“Each person must do their duty as it should be done,” he said.

Human rights defender John Vuleveryo Musombolwa confirmed cases of kidnappings during the attack and highlighted the mass displacement of the population. Residents fled in panic to safer neighborhoods, including Afrique du Sud, Darsalam, Pays-Bas, and Hewabora.

Musombolwa praised the intervention of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) but urged authorities to strengthen security measures in the area.

“The enemy is already at the center of Mambasa. The chief town risks being emptied if the authorities do not take the situation seriously,” he warned.

The attack in Bafwakao is unprecedented, as the village had previously been spared from jihadist incursions.

It comes amid a resurgence of violence since early March 2025 in the Bandaka chiefdom, to which the village belongs.

The ADF, originally from Uganda, has been operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since the 1990s, continuing to terrorize local communities despite joint military operations with the Ugandan army.

The effectiveness of the FARDC response has been questioned. While the territorial administrator said the army intervened the same night, civil society representatives denounced a delayed response that occurred the next morning without any exchange of fire. This discrepancy has fueled distrust between local communities and the military, highlighting long-standing concerns about government protection in rural areas.

In the wake of the attack, angry residents reportedly lynched a suspected ADF fighter in the Arua II neighborhood, located two kilometers (1.24 miles) from the center of Mambasa. The individual had allegedly been hiding in a residential house following the assault.

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

Born on Sept. 29, 1931, he founded the public association of the faithful, which is characterized by a Dominican spirituality, in 1981 together with “Little Sister Marie.” The community is composed of missionary brothers and sisters who live out a contemplative vocation and an evangelizing presence, particularly among the poor.

He entered the Franciscan novitiate at the age of 21 and professed his first vows on Sept. 17, the feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis.

While serving as a parish priest in the villages near the French town of Vézelay, he met a group of Dominican sisters from the Roman Congregation of St. Dominic, to whom he preached during a retreat in 1974.

That encounter was providential: Among those attending the retreat was Sister Marie, with whom he shared a conviction regarding the urgency of returning to the Gospel, a sentiment in harmony with the spirit of renewal of the Second Vatican Council.

As a result of this experience and encouraged by his Franciscan brothers, who encouraged him to attend to the spiritual needs of the sisters, the foundations were laid for what would, over the years, become the Community of the Lamb.

Living with the poor on the streets

Nevertheless, Chupin never ceased to be a Franciscan. In fact, he was known as “the little brother who wears brown,” as he continued to wear the habit of the Franciscan friars. It was not until 1994 that he assumed an official role within the Community of the Lamb.

His love for the poor played a decisive role in his life. After repeatedly requesting permission from his superiors, from 1982 to 1993 he was sent on mission to the streets alongside two Franciscan brothers.

During the 11 years he spent preaching and living alongside the poor of the streets, he never failed to attend the chapters of the Community of the Lamb in the French Pyrenees, becoming for the brothers and sisters a true spiritual father.

The community noted that his health had been in decline since last January, which allowed many brothers to accompany him, including spiritually, during this final stage of his life.

“Until the very end, in a way that edified us all, Brother Jean-Claude laid down his life, drawing on his last reserves of strength to offer each and every one of us his smile, a word of friendship, his kind gaze, and his fraternal and paternal attention,” read the statement released following his passing.

The brothers and sisters of the Community of the Lamb highlighted their deep union with Jesus and the Gospel as well as their love for St. Francis of Assisi. “Gospel, Gospel, Gospel!” the friar used to say.

They also gave thanks for his life, which was “filled with the light of the Gospel,” and for the gift “that he was and will always continue to be, for all those he accompanied with his faithful friendship: a father, a brother, a friend.”

Currently, the Community of the Lamb consists of approximately 170 sisters and 40 brothers, present in countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, Argentina, Chile, and the United States. Currently, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop emeritus of Vienna, is the bishop responsible for the community.

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.