Day: July 9, 2026

SSPX Masses an ‘abuse’ of Eucharist: U.S. bishops continue to urge Catholics not to attend #Catholic U.S. bishops continue to instruct Catholics to separate themselves from the schismatic Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) while urging the society’s members to return to full communion with the Catholic Church.The Vatican declared July 2 that six prelates involved in the SSPX’s unauthorized July 1 episcopal consecrations incurred automatic excommunication. Despite repeated warnings, SSPX bishops consecrated four new bishops without a pontifical mandate — an act of open disobedience to the authority of the pope that carries automatic excommunication for the six bishops involved.Lay faithful who formally adhere to SSPX are also considered schismatic and can incur excommunication by continuing to attend SSPX services after the Church’s formal pronouncement of a schism.Various Catholic bishops with SSPX locations in their dioceses are explicitly forbidding Catholics from attending SSPX Masses, instructing them to avoid the now-illicit sacraments and to withdraw their children from SSPX-affiliated schools while also urging frequent attendees and SSPX priests to seek spiritual guidance and return to the Catholic Church.Abuse of the EucharistBishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, instructed Catholics to “avoid participating in the activities of the SSPX.”Burbidge emphasized in a July 8 letter to his flock that “as a result of the SSPXʼs schismatic act, any celebrations of the sacraments of confession and matrimony by the SSPX are invalid, and the administration of other sacraments is illicit.”Bishop John Iffert of Covington, Kentucky, explained what it means for these sacraments to be “illicit.”“This means that the celebrations are not permitted by the law of the Church and the cleric offering the sacrament commits the canonical and moral fault of disobedience in each instance,” Iffert said.“The Masses these priests celebrate are an abuse of the Eucharist, insofar as they make the sacrament of unity into an occasion of division within the Church, and so they should be firmly rejected and avoided by all the Catholic faithful,” Iffert said.“Together with the priests of the diocese, I invite all Catholics who have been attending the SSPX liturgy to practice their faith in one of the parishes, missions, or chapels of the diocese,” Iffert said. “You will find the Catholic Mass and the sacramental life celebrated faithfully and respectfully throughout the Diocese of Covington.”Who is in schism?Burbidge clarified that not all attendees of SSPX are necessarily in schism but must simply return to sacraments and ministries in union with the Church.“I encourage any persons locally who have been attached to the SSPX and who desire the spiritual nourishment of the Church and the extraordinary form of the Mass to become active in any one of the eight locations in our diocese where this is currently possible,” Burbidge said.“Although lay faithful who formally adhere to the SSPX are considered schismatic and excommunicated, this does not apply to lay faithful ‘who do not reject the magisterium of the authority of the Roman pontiff’ and have engaged with the SSPX for solely liturgical or spiritual reasons,” Burbidge said. “Such persons must simply resolve not to continue to participate in future SSPX sacramental worship or pastoral ministries.”“The Holy See, in the spirit of conciliation, has outlined the procedure necessary for SSPX priests and lay faithful to return to Catholic communion,” Burbidge explained.Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez of Palm Beach, Florida, issued a decree reiterating the Holy See’s excommunication and instructing the faithful to separate from SSPX in any "ecclesiastical ministry” or “diocesan entity.”Rodríguez also provided instructions for any Catholics who wish to leave SSPX “and enter into full communion with the Catholic Church."How SSPX’s schism affects educationThe schismatic acts of SSPX have a trickle-down effect, even affecting the education of children.In Covington, Kentucky, two schools are affiliated with SSPX. Iffert has instructed Catholics to withdraw their children from the schools due to the schismatic nature of the group.“Because Assumption Academy and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy are associated with the SSPX, Catholic parents should not enroll their children in these schools,” Iffert said in a letter. “To do so is to entrust the religious formation of children to those who participate in schism against the Roman Catholic Church.”He encouraged parents to reach out to the diocesan Catholic schools office for “appropriate placement in a local Catholic school.”Praying for returnThe bishops prayed for union and for society members to return to the Church.“I pledge to pray for the bishops and priests of the SSPX and for their faithful return to regular order in the Catholic Church,” Iffert said. “I also assure the lay faithful who have been attached to the SSPX of my prayer for their good and for the restoration of unity in the Church.”Burbidge prayed especially for SSPX priests.“To my brother priests in the SSPX, please know of my prayers for you and my heartfelt desire for your return to full communion with the Church,” Burbidge said. “I invite all the faithful to join me in prayer for the end of all division and schism and for the unity of the Church, so that she may better fulfill the divine commission to make disciples of all nations.”“I ask all faithful Catholics to pray for restored unity and order in the Church and in our diocese,” Iffert said. “Please beg the intercession of Pope St. Pius X, that his name may always give glory to God and never be a sign of division in the Eucharistic community that he cherished.”
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SSPX Masses an ‘abuse’ of Eucharist: U.S. bishops continue to urge Catholics not to attend #Catholic U.S. bishops continue to instruct Catholics to separate themselves from the schismatic Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) while urging the society’s members to return to full communion with the Catholic Church.The Vatican declared July 2 that six prelates involved in the SSPX’s unauthorized July 1 episcopal consecrations incurred automatic excommunication. Despite repeated warnings, SSPX bishops consecrated four new bishops without a pontifical mandate — an act of open disobedience to the authority of the pope that carries automatic excommunication for the six bishops involved.Lay faithful who formally adhere to SSPX are also considered schismatic and can incur excommunication by continuing to attend SSPX services after the Church’s formal pronouncement of a schism.Various Catholic bishops with SSPX locations in their dioceses are explicitly forbidding Catholics from attending SSPX Masses, instructing them to avoid the now-illicit sacraments and to withdraw their children from SSPX-affiliated schools while also urging frequent attendees and SSPX priests to seek spiritual guidance and return to the Catholic Church.Abuse of the EucharistBishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, instructed Catholics to “avoid participating in the activities of the SSPX.”Burbidge emphasized in a July 8 letter to his flock that “as a result of the SSPXʼs schismatic act, any celebrations of the sacraments of confession and matrimony by the SSPX are invalid, and the administration of other sacraments is illicit.”Bishop John Iffert of Covington, Kentucky, explained what it means for these sacraments to be “illicit.”“This means that the celebrations are not permitted by the law of the Church and the cleric offering the sacrament commits the canonical and moral fault of disobedience in each instance,” Iffert said.“The Masses these priests celebrate are an abuse of the Eucharist, insofar as they make the sacrament of unity into an occasion of division within the Church, and so they should be firmly rejected and avoided by all the Catholic faithful,” Iffert said.“Together with the priests of the diocese, I invite all Catholics who have been attending the SSPX liturgy to practice their faith in one of the parishes, missions, or chapels of the diocese,” Iffert said. “You will find the Catholic Mass and the sacramental life celebrated faithfully and respectfully throughout the Diocese of Covington.”Who is in schism?Burbidge clarified that not all attendees of SSPX are necessarily in schism but must simply return to sacraments and ministries in union with the Church.“I encourage any persons locally who have been attached to the SSPX and who desire the spiritual nourishment of the Church and the extraordinary form of the Mass to become active in any one of the eight locations in our diocese where this is currently possible,” Burbidge said.“Although lay faithful who formally adhere to the SSPX are considered schismatic and excommunicated, this does not apply to lay faithful ‘who do not reject the magisterium of the authority of the Roman pontiff’ and have engaged with the SSPX for solely liturgical or spiritual reasons,” Burbidge said. “Such persons must simply resolve not to continue to participate in future SSPX sacramental worship or pastoral ministries.”“The Holy See, in the spirit of conciliation, has outlined the procedure necessary for SSPX priests and lay faithful to return to Catholic communion,” Burbidge explained.Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez of Palm Beach, Florida, issued a decree reiterating the Holy See’s excommunication and instructing the faithful to separate from SSPX in any "ecclesiastical ministry” or “diocesan entity.”Rodríguez also provided instructions for any Catholics who wish to leave SSPX “and enter into full communion with the Catholic Church."How SSPX’s schism affects educationThe schismatic acts of SSPX have a trickle-down effect, even affecting the education of children.In Covington, Kentucky, two schools are affiliated with SSPX. Iffert has instructed Catholics to withdraw their children from the schools due to the schismatic nature of the group.“Because Assumption Academy and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy are associated with the SSPX, Catholic parents should not enroll their children in these schools,” Iffert said in a letter. “To do so is to entrust the religious formation of children to those who participate in schism against the Roman Catholic Church.”He encouraged parents to reach out to the diocesan Catholic schools office for “appropriate placement in a local Catholic school.”Praying for returnThe bishops prayed for union and for society members to return to the Church.“I pledge to pray for the bishops and priests of the SSPX and for their faithful return to regular order in the Catholic Church,” Iffert said. “I also assure the lay faithful who have been attached to the SSPX of my prayer for their good and for the restoration of unity in the Church.”Burbidge prayed especially for SSPX priests.“To my brother priests in the SSPX, please know of my prayers for you and my heartfelt desire for your return to full communion with the Church,” Burbidge said. “I invite all the faithful to join me in prayer for the end of all division and schism and for the unity of the Church, so that she may better fulfill the divine commission to make disciples of all nations.”“I ask all faithful Catholics to pray for restored unity and order in the Church and in our diocese,” Iffert said. “Please beg the intercession of Pope St. Pius X, that his name may always give glory to God and never be a sign of division in the Eucharistic community that he cherished.”

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More U.S. bishops are instructing Catholics to avoid attending Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) events in light of the recent excommunications of SSPX leadership.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 10 July 2026 – A reading from the Book of Hosea 14:2-10 Thus says the LORD: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion.” I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. “I am like a verdant cypress tree”— because of me you bear fruit! Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.From the Gospel according to Matthew 10:16-23 Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men,  for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”One cannot evangelise only with the mind or only with the heart or only with the hands. Everything is involved. And, in style, the important thing is testimony, as Jesus wants us to do. He says this: “I send you out as sheep among wolves” (v. 16). He does not ask us to be able to face the wolves, that is, to be able to argue, to offer counter arguments, and to defend ourselves. No, no. We might think like this: let us become relevant, numerous, prestigious, and the world will listen to us and respect us and we will defeat the wolves. No, it’s not like that. No, I send you out as sheep, as lambs. This is important. If you don’t want to be sheep, the Lord will not defend you from the wolves. Deal with it as best you can. But if you are sheep, rest assured that the Lord will defend you from the wolves. Be humble. He asks us to be like this, to be meek and with the will to be innocent, to be disposed to sacrifice; this is what the lamb represents: meekness, innocence, dedication, tenderness. And he, the Shepherd, will recognise his lambs and protect them from the wolves. On the other hand, lambs disguised as wolves are unmasked and torn to pieces. A Church Father wrote: “As long as we are lambs, we will conquer, and even if we are surrounded by many wolves, we will overcome them. But if we become wolves — ‘Ah, how clever, look, I feel good about myself’ — we will be defeated, because we will be deprived of the shepherd’s help. He does not shepherd wolves, but lambs” (St John Chrysostom, Homily 33 on the Gospel of Matthew). If I want to be the Lord’s, I have to allow him to be my shepherd; and he is not the shepherd of wolves, He is the shepherd of lambs, meek, humble, kind as the Lord is. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 February 2023)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Hosea
14:2-10

Thus says the LORD:
Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the LORD;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols?
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”—
because of me you bear fruit!

Let him who is wise understand these things;
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
10:16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men, 
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”

One cannot evangelise only with the mind or only with the heart or only with the hands. Everything is involved. And, in style, the important thing is testimony, as Jesus wants us to do. He says this: “I send you out as sheep among wolves” (v. 16). He does not ask us to be able to face the wolves, that is, to be able to argue, to offer counter arguments, and to defend ourselves. No, no. We might think like this: let us become relevant, numerous, prestigious, and the world will listen to us and respect us and we will defeat the wolves. No, it’s not like that. No, I send you out as sheep, as lambs. This is important. If you don’t want to be sheep, the Lord will not defend you from the wolves. Deal with it as best you can. But if you are sheep, rest assured that the Lord will defend you from the wolves. Be humble. He asks us to be like this, to be meek and with the will to be innocent, to be disposed to sacrifice; this is what the lamb represents: meekness, innocence, dedication, tenderness. And he, the Shepherd, will recognise his lambs and protect them from the wolves. On the other hand, lambs disguised as wolves are unmasked and torn to pieces. A Church Father wrote: “As long as we are lambs, we will conquer, and even if we are surrounded by many wolves, we will overcome them. But if we become wolves — ‘Ah, how clever, look, I feel good about myself’ — we will be defeated, because we will be deprived of the shepherd’s help. He does not shepherd wolves, but lambs” (St John Chrysostom, Homily 33 on the Gospel of Matthew). If I want to be the Lord’s, I have to allow him to be my shepherd; and he is not the shepherd of wolves, He is the shepherd of lambs, meek, humble, kind as the Lord is. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 February 2023)

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Vatican commission seeks to address legal loophole facing women religious suffering abuse #Catholic Consecrated women and women religious who have suffered abuse face a significant legal loophole: Canon law and specialized commissions focus primarily on minors and adults with disabilities, leaving these women outside their scope of protection.In practice, this means that if the victim is an adult who has received formation, it is assumed she can defend herself or that she consented. However, signs of change are beginning to emerge from the Vatican.In addressing this issue, “it cannot simply be a label of ‘vulnerable adult,’” said Claudia Giampietro, an Italian canon lawyer working at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM).“We must understand that there are situations of imbalances of power … and situations involving abuse, and so it is these situations of vulnerability that we need to examine more deeply,” she told EWTN News on July 1. Claudia Giampietro, an Italian canon lawyer working at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), during an interview on July 1, 2026. | Credit: EWTN News One of the functions of the PCPM is to collaborate with the various dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the conferences and unions of religious men and women, and the institutes of consecrated life.This enables them to gain firsthand knowledge of a complex reality: “There are a great many circumstances, situations, and people that can also affect women religious, including older ones, and so it is necessary to understand the contexts in which they work and carry out their ministry, both within their communities and also outside them,” Giampietro said.The situation in Latin AmericaThe Vatican helped break the taboo surrounding abuse against women religious by dedicating an extensive report to it in January 2020, published in Donne, Chiesa, Mondo (Women, Church, World), the monthly women’s supplement to L’Osservatore Romano. Issues covered include abuse of power, sexual abuse, and the difficulties faced by many nuns both within and outside consecrated life.In subsequent years, there has been a proliferation of studies aimed at gauging the scale of a phenomenon that was traditionally hidden. Notable among them is the research published in 2022 in the Spanish-language book “Vulnerability, Abuse, and Care in Womenʼs Religious Life,” edited by Sister María Rosaura González Casas, who at the time was coordinator of the Commission for the Care and Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons for the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious.Based on a survey of 1,417 women religious, the study revealed that 19.8% reported having suffered sexual abuse, and more than half stated they had experienced some form of abuse of power at the hands of superiors, priests, formators, or bishops. Additionally, 14.3% of respondents indicated having been harassed by a priest, 9.7% by laypeople, and 8% by other religious women, figures that highlight the scope and complexity of an issue that remained largely silenced for decades.González Casas, dean of the Institute of Anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, explained that since the study was published four years ago, “greater awareness of what abuse entails has grown at all levels” in the region. Sister María Rosaura González Casas of the Company of St. Teresa of Jesus is dean of the Institute of Anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News “The sisters are more aware, and bishops and priests are also more alert to it. When we conducted the survey, many women religious did not want to respond, even though it was anonymous. There was fear of speaking out. Now there is greater awareness, although clear codes of conduct are still lacking. Unconscious and internalized machismo persists in society and has permeated religious and priestly life,” she explained in comments to EWTN News.A conference in Rome on abuse preventionIn order to promote dialogue to prevent abuse against women religious, the PCPM will organize the second annual meeting on abuse prevention, focusing on consecrated life. It will be held in Rome on Dec. 9–11, centering on the theme “Communion, Care, and Justice: Mutual Relationships for a Shared Mission.”This is not an academic conference but a synodal “learning lab” geared toward concrete results. Over the course of three days, bishops, representatives from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, conferences and unions of major superiors, officials from Roman Curia dicasteries, and experts in abuse prevention will collaborate through roundtables, sessions on canon law, and working groups.“The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has already taken up this issue, and with their involvement, superiors and women religious will take it more seriously,” said Sister Jacinta Ondeng of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Kenya, who has been invited to participate in the forum.“Safeguarding must be an essential part of community life,” emphasized the religious sister, director of the Safeguarding Initiative for Catholic Sisters, a project based at Tangaza University in Nairobi that provides training on abuse prevention across various African countries.Many situations are covered up due to a lack of oversightOndeng emphasized the need for effective case follow-up. “It’s important for the relevant Vatican offices to oversee these situations because cases from Africa, and perhaps other parts of the world, are often covered up precisely due to a lack of oversight. If the relevant bodies of the Holy See intervene and evaluate cases when congregations fail to resolve them, that will help.” Sister Jacinta Ondeng, of the School Sisters of Notre Dame congregation in Kenya, will participate in a Vatican-organized conference on abuse. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Sister Jacinta Ondeng She also proposes developing clear guidelines for handling abuse cases within consecrated life — similar to those established by Pope Francis in Vos Estis Lux Mundi for allegations of abuse against minors — which require bishops and superiors to take action when faced with complaints or concerning indications.“Once it becomes clear that the Vatican is involved in matters affecting members of consecrated life, there will be changes. Human nature responds to clear rules: When they exist, people tend to act with greater prudence,” she observed.The sister also led a revealing, as-yet-unpublished study in Africa that brought to light harrowing testimonies from consecrated women, such as:“Sisters leave not because they lack a vocation but because of abuse; superiors are abusing their authority.”“Sisters suffer in silence rather than reporting it because they love the Church and fear damaging the reputation of a priest, bishop, or superior.”“I told my superior what was happening, and since the sister in question was her friend, she did nothing.”The study’s results were presented at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome during the 2026 International Safeguarding Conference, held June 16–19 under the theme “One Commitment, Many Contexts: Safeguarding Across Cultures.” The study was based on an anonymous online survey conducted between February and March in which more than 140 religious sisters from various African countries participated.Fear of stigma and self-blameThe findings are revealing: 35.5% of congregations lack a formal safeguarding policy; 67.4% of those surveyed identify fear of stigma and self-blame as the main obstacles to reporting abuse; and 60.3% point to the absence of confidential reporting channels.Personal factors such as “shame, guilt, and self-reproach are very prevalent among many women religious who wish to take the step of reporting abuse,” explained Ondeng, who dedicates her ministry to conducting workshops and training on safeguarding in Africa, with a particular focus on Catholic women religious.Her goal is to raise awareness about abuse and its consequences, empower consecrated women to break the culture of silence, and promote safe environments for all. She also emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability as fundamental pillars for the success of safeguarding policies within the Church.The religious also warned of the tendency toward cover-ups that can arise in certain ecclesial contexts.“As numerous studies on abuse and the abuse of authority have shown, the Church hierarchy commands immense respect in many African societies,” she noted. While this is a positive cultural value, it also helps explain why individuals in positions of authority are rarely reported when involved in abusive behavior.This phenomenon is reflected in several of the testimonies gathered during the investigation:“Many sisters do not want to air dirty laundry. They do not wish to publicly expose these problems, in order to protect the institute’s reputation.”“Some fear that if they speak out, they will be expelled from religious life, and they do not want to leave,” Ondeng added.Lack of training in abuse preventionOndeng’s study also reveals that, when faced with situations of injustice or abuse, some women religious choose to leave consecrated life. Abuse can take many forms — sexual, spiritual, physical, emotional, or institutional — and, in certain cases, becomes unbearable.However, the majority of victims remain in their communities, often out of fear of the social stigma or rejection they might suffer if they returned to their families.Others are aware that leaving the convent could entail serious financial difficulties, as they lack employment or the means to support themselves, the religious explained.Of the 141 women religious surveyed, more than 95% stated they had received some form of training on the prevention of sexual abuse. However, in many cases, this preparation proves insufficient.“Most have taken short courses, but we cannot say that this 95% has received comprehensive training in safeguarding. At most, some have participated in one- or two-day sessions. That is very little, and it poses a problem,” the Kenyan religious sister noted in a statement to EWTN News.For this reason, she insists on the need to strengthen safeguarding training as a true ministry within the Church.“Much more preparation is needed for Catholic women religious to have the courage to speak about their experiences in their communities. Currently, training is very limited and must be ramped up to empower consecrated women,” she stated.Added to this challenge is a significant cultural component. “People do not want to make their problems public. It is something deeply rooted in African culture, although it also occurs in European and American contexts,” she stated.For its part, the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life does not publish aggregate figures on apostolic visitations conducted worldwide, as these are carried out on an occasional rather than a systematic basis.The only large-scale investigation for which detailed data exist was the one conducted in the United States from 2008 to 2014, which involved 341 institutes of consecrated life and about 50,000 religious women.“The entire Church must understand that safeguarding is a Gospel value. It’s not something imposed from the outside. The Gospel calls us to promote the dignity of every person, support those who suffer, and care for those who are hurting,” Ondeng pointed out.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.
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Vatican commission seeks to address legal loophole facing women religious suffering abuse #Catholic Consecrated women and women religious who have suffered abuse face a significant legal loophole: Canon law and specialized commissions focus primarily on minors and adults with disabilities, leaving these women outside their scope of protection.In practice, this means that if the victim is an adult who has received formation, it is assumed she can defend herself or that she consented. However, signs of change are beginning to emerge from the Vatican.In addressing this issue, “it cannot simply be a label of ‘vulnerable adult,’” said Claudia Giampietro, an Italian canon lawyer working at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM).“We must understand that there are situations of imbalances of power … and situations involving abuse, and so it is these situations of vulnerability that we need to examine more deeply,” she told EWTN News on July 1. Claudia Giampietro, an Italian canon lawyer working at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), during an interview on July 1, 2026. | Credit: EWTN News One of the functions of the PCPM is to collaborate with the various dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the conferences and unions of religious men and women, and the institutes of consecrated life.This enables them to gain firsthand knowledge of a complex reality: “There are a great many circumstances, situations, and people that can also affect women religious, including older ones, and so it is necessary to understand the contexts in which they work and carry out their ministry, both within their communities and also outside them,” Giampietro said.The situation in Latin AmericaThe Vatican helped break the taboo surrounding abuse against women religious by dedicating an extensive report to it in January 2020, published in Donne, Chiesa, Mondo (Women, Church, World), the monthly women’s supplement to L’Osservatore Romano. Issues covered include abuse of power, sexual abuse, and the difficulties faced by many nuns both within and outside consecrated life.In subsequent years, there has been a proliferation of studies aimed at gauging the scale of a phenomenon that was traditionally hidden. Notable among them is the research published in 2022 in the Spanish-language book “Vulnerability, Abuse, and Care in Womenʼs Religious Life,” edited by Sister María Rosaura González Casas, who at the time was coordinator of the Commission for the Care and Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons for the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious.Based on a survey of 1,417 women religious, the study revealed that 19.8% reported having suffered sexual abuse, and more than half stated they had experienced some form of abuse of power at the hands of superiors, priests, formators, or bishops. Additionally, 14.3% of respondents indicated having been harassed by a priest, 9.7% by laypeople, and 8% by other religious women, figures that highlight the scope and complexity of an issue that remained largely silenced for decades.González Casas, dean of the Institute of Anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, explained that since the study was published four years ago, “greater awareness of what abuse entails has grown at all levels” in the region. Sister María Rosaura González Casas of the Company of St. Teresa of Jesus is dean of the Institute of Anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News “The sisters are more aware, and bishops and priests are also more alert to it. When we conducted the survey, many women religious did not want to respond, even though it was anonymous. There was fear of speaking out. Now there is greater awareness, although clear codes of conduct are still lacking. Unconscious and internalized machismo persists in society and has permeated religious and priestly life,” she explained in comments to EWTN News.A conference in Rome on abuse preventionIn order to promote dialogue to prevent abuse against women religious, the PCPM will organize the second annual meeting on abuse prevention, focusing on consecrated life. It will be held in Rome on Dec. 9–11, centering on the theme “Communion, Care, and Justice: Mutual Relationships for a Shared Mission.”This is not an academic conference but a synodal “learning lab” geared toward concrete results. Over the course of three days, bishops, representatives from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, conferences and unions of major superiors, officials from Roman Curia dicasteries, and experts in abuse prevention will collaborate through roundtables, sessions on canon law, and working groups.“The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has already taken up this issue, and with their involvement, superiors and women religious will take it more seriously,” said Sister Jacinta Ondeng of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Kenya, who has been invited to participate in the forum.“Safeguarding must be an essential part of community life,” emphasized the religious sister, director of the Safeguarding Initiative for Catholic Sisters, a project based at Tangaza University in Nairobi that provides training on abuse prevention across various African countries.Many situations are covered up due to a lack of oversightOndeng emphasized the need for effective case follow-up. “It’s important for the relevant Vatican offices to oversee these situations because cases from Africa, and perhaps other parts of the world, are often covered up precisely due to a lack of oversight. If the relevant bodies of the Holy See intervene and evaluate cases when congregations fail to resolve them, that will help.” Sister Jacinta Ondeng, of the School Sisters of Notre Dame congregation in Kenya, will participate in a Vatican-organized conference on abuse. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Sister Jacinta Ondeng She also proposes developing clear guidelines for handling abuse cases within consecrated life — similar to those established by Pope Francis in Vos Estis Lux Mundi for allegations of abuse against minors — which require bishops and superiors to take action when faced with complaints or concerning indications.“Once it becomes clear that the Vatican is involved in matters affecting members of consecrated life, there will be changes. Human nature responds to clear rules: When they exist, people tend to act with greater prudence,” she observed.The sister also led a revealing, as-yet-unpublished study in Africa that brought to light harrowing testimonies from consecrated women, such as:“Sisters leave not because they lack a vocation but because of abuse; superiors are abusing their authority.”“Sisters suffer in silence rather than reporting it because they love the Church and fear damaging the reputation of a priest, bishop, or superior.”“I told my superior what was happening, and since the sister in question was her friend, she did nothing.”The study’s results were presented at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome during the 2026 International Safeguarding Conference, held June 16–19 under the theme “One Commitment, Many Contexts: Safeguarding Across Cultures.” The study was based on an anonymous online survey conducted between February and March in which more than 140 religious sisters from various African countries participated.Fear of stigma and self-blameThe findings are revealing: 35.5% of congregations lack a formal safeguarding policy; 67.4% of those surveyed identify fear of stigma and self-blame as the main obstacles to reporting abuse; and 60.3% point to the absence of confidential reporting channels.Personal factors such as “shame, guilt, and self-reproach are very prevalent among many women religious who wish to take the step of reporting abuse,” explained Ondeng, who dedicates her ministry to conducting workshops and training on safeguarding in Africa, with a particular focus on Catholic women religious.Her goal is to raise awareness about abuse and its consequences, empower consecrated women to break the culture of silence, and promote safe environments for all. She also emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability as fundamental pillars for the success of safeguarding policies within the Church.The religious also warned of the tendency toward cover-ups that can arise in certain ecclesial contexts.“As numerous studies on abuse and the abuse of authority have shown, the Church hierarchy commands immense respect in many African societies,” she noted. While this is a positive cultural value, it also helps explain why individuals in positions of authority are rarely reported when involved in abusive behavior.This phenomenon is reflected in several of the testimonies gathered during the investigation:“Many sisters do not want to air dirty laundry. They do not wish to publicly expose these problems, in order to protect the institute’s reputation.”“Some fear that if they speak out, they will be expelled from religious life, and they do not want to leave,” Ondeng added.Lack of training in abuse preventionOndeng’s study also reveals that, when faced with situations of injustice or abuse, some women religious choose to leave consecrated life. Abuse can take many forms — sexual, spiritual, physical, emotional, or institutional — and, in certain cases, becomes unbearable.However, the majority of victims remain in their communities, often out of fear of the social stigma or rejection they might suffer if they returned to their families.Others are aware that leaving the convent could entail serious financial difficulties, as they lack employment or the means to support themselves, the religious explained.Of the 141 women religious surveyed, more than 95% stated they had received some form of training on the prevention of sexual abuse. However, in many cases, this preparation proves insufficient.“Most have taken short courses, but we cannot say that this 95% has received comprehensive training in safeguarding. At most, some have participated in one- or two-day sessions. That is very little, and it poses a problem,” the Kenyan religious sister noted in a statement to EWTN News.For this reason, she insists on the need to strengthen safeguarding training as a true ministry within the Church.“Much more preparation is needed for Catholic women religious to have the courage to speak about their experiences in their communities. Currently, training is very limited and must be ramped up to empower consecrated women,” she stated.Added to this challenge is a significant cultural component. “People do not want to make their problems public. It is something deeply rooted in African culture, although it also occurs in European and American contexts,” she stated.For its part, the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life does not publish aggregate figures on apostolic visitations conducted worldwide, as these are carried out on an occasional rather than a systematic basis.The only large-scale investigation for which detailed data exist was the one conducted in the United States from 2008 to 2014, which involved 341 institutes of consecrated life and about 50,000 religious women.“The entire Church must understand that safeguarding is a Gospel value. It’s not something imposed from the outside. The Gospel calls us to promote the dignity of every person, support those who suffer, and care for those who are hurting,” Ondeng pointed out.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.

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Efforts to address the abuse crisis in the Church have focused on minors and vulnerable adults, leaving unaddressed the abuse suffered by women religious. Efforts are underway to rectify that.

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Discover St. Francis through Jubilee Year pilgrimages and prayer opportunities #Catholic - Faithful near and far are invited to draw inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi and gain a plenary indulgence by making prayerful pilgrimages to any of five designated St. Francis-related parishes in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., until Jan. 10, 2027. On Jan. 10, 2026, Pope Leo XVI decreed that the Universal Church would commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, which ends next Jan. 10. The decree also provides for a special plenary indulgence for parishes associated with the saint. A plenary indulgence is remission of temporal punishment that may remain after sacramental confession. On April 29, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney issued a decree designating the five parishes in the diocese where pilgrims are able to avail themselves of a plenary indulgence. These parishes are St. Francis of Assisi in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J.; St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J.; St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J.; St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., and St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton. St. Francis of Assisi is known for his ministry to the poor and underprivileged, his care for nature and animals, his promotion of peace, and his founding of the Franciscan order, one of the largest in the Church. The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe founded many parishes in the diocese, especially in Passaic County. “The Holy Father notes that in an age known for strife, division, and interminable wars, the life of St. Francis of Assisi, ‘continues to point to the authentic source of peace.’ We profess that the source of all peace is Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” Bishop Sweeney wrote in the local decree. Some of these parishes are also planning St. Francis-related events. Check their websites, bulletins, and social media, or call them, for Mass and confession times and special event schedules if not already listed below. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his Jan. 10, 2026, decree, Pope Leo wrote, “May this Year of St. Francis urge us all, each according to our own possibilities, to imitate the Poverello of Assisi… [and] to mold ourselves as much as possible on the model of Christ…May the hope that saw us as pilgrims now be transformed into zeal and fervor of active charity.” Pilgrims seeking a plenary indulgence have the opportunity to “experience the divine mercy of God,” said Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office and pastor of St. Brendan/St. George Parish in Clifton. He helped coordinate the pilgrimages under the leadership of Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious. To gain the plenary indulgence, pilgrims must show detachment from sin, receive the Eucharist, go to confession, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions and recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. Those unable to travel due to illness or caregiving responsibilities may obtain the indulgence by offering their suffering to God. Each designated parish in the diocese is connected to St. Francis. St. Francis is the only parish in the diocese currently named for the saint. St. Mary’s is one of two remaining parishes in the diocese founded by the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The other is St. Anthony’s, which also has a friary. In addition, St. Clare’s is named after St. Clare, a devoted spiritual student, close confidante, and first female follower of St. Francis. St. John Kanty, which serves a Polish community, is administered by the Conventual Franciscan Friars. Franciscan Father John Aherne, pastor of St. Mary’s, is pleased that the parish was selected as a Jubilee pilgrimage site. “The Jubilee Year is a way for St. Mary’s to highlight its identity as a Franciscan community and engage with the community,” Father John Aherne said. He noted that the parish has been holding a full schedule of St. Francis-related events. “As Franciscans, we endeavor to bring peace and unity to a world fraught with violence and division and cherish and protect the beauty of the world and humanity,” Father Aherne said. During the Jubilee Year, Bishop Sweeney will visit St. Francis for the annual Religious Jubilee Mass on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m. All attendees will have an opportunity for an indulgence. In addition, it’s anticipated that the bishop will return on Sunday, Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis, for confirmations. St. Francis Parish is expecting the arrival of a new, larger statue of the saint from Italy for outside the church. The parish also has a first-class relic of St. Francis for veneration, said Father Greg Golba, St. Francis’ pastor. “St. Francis of Assisi was friendly to everyone and everything: people, nature, and animals. During this Jubilee Year, pilgrims can receive important graces from God by praying for people through the intercession of St. Francis,” Father Golba said. Diocesan St. Francis of Assisi pilgrimage parishes St. Francis of Assisi Parish 868 Ringwood Ave., Haskell, N.J. 07420 Phone: (973) 835-0480 Email: stfrancis@optonline.net Website: stfrancishaskell.org Daily Mass: Monday: 8 a.m. Tuesday: 8 a.m. Wednesday: noon Thursday: 8 a.m. Friday: 8 a.m. Confession: Saturday: 4:30 to 5 p.m. or upon request St. Mary’s Parish 31 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes, N.J. 07442 Phone: 973-835-0374 Email: smc@stmarys-pompton.org Website: stmarys-pompton.org Mass times: Saturday: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m. in Spanish (also livestreamed), 9 a.m. in the Carnevale Center, 10:30 a.m. (also livestreamed), noon Monday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) Tuesday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) Wednesday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) and 7 p.m. in Spanish (also livestreamed) Thursday: 8 p.m. (also livestreamed) Friday: 8 p.m. (also livestreamed) Saturday: 9 a.m. Liturgy of the Word with Communion in the Prayer Room Confession: Thursday: 4 to 5 p.m. or by appointment St. Anthony of Padua Parish 65 Bartholdi Ave., Butler, N.J. Phone: 973-838-0031 Email: bleck@saopp.org Website: saopp.org Masses: Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. in Spanish Weekdays: 7:30 a.m. and Saturday: 8 a.m. Confession: Saturday: 8:30 to 9 a.m. after the 8 a.m. Mass or by appointment St. Clare Parish 69 Allwood Rd., Clifton, N.J. 07014 Phone: 973-777-9313 Email: office@saintclarenj.com Website: saintclarenj.com Mass times: Saturday: 4 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. Confession: Saturday: 3 to 3:30 p.m. or by appointment St. John Kanty Parish 49 Speer Ave., Clifton, N.J. 07013 Parish Office: 973-779-4102 Website: saintjohnkanty.org Masses: Saturday Vigil: 5 p.m. in English Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in English, 10 a.m. in Polish, noon in English and 7 p.m. in Polish Weekend Mass: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 7 a.m. in English, 8 a.m. in Polish Wednesday and Friday: 7 a.m. in English and 7 p.m. in Polish Saturday: 8 a.m. in English First Friday: 7 p.m. in Polish Confession: Saturday: from 4 to 4:45 p.m., daily before morning Masses or by appointment
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Discover St. Francis through Jubilee Year pilgrimages and prayer opportunities #Catholic – Faithful near and far are invited to draw inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi and gain a plenary indulgence by making prayerful pilgrimages to any of five designated St. Francis-related parishes in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., until Jan. 10, 2027. On Jan. 10, 2026, Pope Leo XVI decreed that the Universal Church would commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, which ends next Jan. 10. The decree also provides for a special plenary indulgence for parishes associated with the saint. A plenary indulgence is remission of temporal punishment that may remain after sacramental confession. On April 29, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney issued a decree designating the five parishes in the diocese where pilgrims are able to avail themselves of a plenary indulgence. These parishes are St. Francis of Assisi in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J.; St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J.; St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J.; St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., and St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton. St. Francis of Assisi is known for his ministry to the poor and underprivileged, his care for nature and animals, his promotion of peace, and his founding of the Franciscan order, one of the largest in the Church. The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe founded many parishes in the diocese, especially in Passaic County. “The Holy Father notes that in an age known for strife, division, and interminable wars, the life of St. Francis of Assisi, ‘continues to point to the authentic source of peace.’ We profess that the source of all peace is Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” Bishop Sweeney wrote in the local decree. Some of these parishes are also planning St. Francis-related events. Check their websites, bulletins, and social media, or call them, for Mass and confession times and special event schedules if not already listed below. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his Jan. 10, 2026, decree, Pope Leo wrote, “May this Year of St. Francis urge us all, each according to our own possibilities, to imitate the Poverello of Assisi… [and] to mold ourselves as much as possible on the model of Christ…May the hope that saw us as pilgrims now be transformed into zeal and fervor of active charity.” Pilgrims seeking a plenary indulgence have the opportunity to “experience the divine mercy of God,” said Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office and pastor of St. Brendan/St. George Parish in Clifton. He helped coordinate the pilgrimages under the leadership of Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious. To gain the plenary indulgence, pilgrims must show detachment from sin, receive the Eucharist, go to confession, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions and recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. Those unable to travel due to illness or caregiving responsibilities may obtain the indulgence by offering their suffering to God. Each designated parish in the diocese is connected to St. Francis. St. Francis is the only parish in the diocese currently named for the saint. St. Mary’s is one of two remaining parishes in the diocese founded by the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The other is St. Anthony’s, which also has a friary. In addition, St. Clare’s is named after St. Clare, a devoted spiritual student, close confidante, and first female follower of St. Francis. St. John Kanty, which serves a Polish community, is administered by the Conventual Franciscan Friars. Franciscan Father John Aherne, pastor of St. Mary’s, is pleased that the parish was selected as a Jubilee pilgrimage site. “The Jubilee Year is a way for St. Mary’s to highlight its identity as a Franciscan community and engage with the community,” Father John Aherne said. He noted that the parish has been holding a full schedule of St. Francis-related events. “As Franciscans, we endeavor to bring peace and unity to a world fraught with violence and division and cherish and protect the beauty of the world and humanity,” Father Aherne said. During the Jubilee Year, Bishop Sweeney will visit St. Francis for the annual Religious Jubilee Mass on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m. All attendees will have an opportunity for an indulgence. In addition, it’s anticipated that the bishop will return on Sunday, Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis, for confirmations. St. Francis Parish is expecting the arrival of a new, larger statue of the saint from Italy for outside the church. The parish also has a first-class relic of St. Francis for veneration, said Father Greg Golba, St. Francis’ pastor. “St. Francis of Assisi was friendly to everyone and everything: people, nature, and animals. During this Jubilee Year, pilgrims can receive important graces from God by praying for people through the intercession of St. Francis,” Father Golba said. Diocesan St. Francis of Assisi pilgrimage parishes St. Francis of Assisi Parish 868 Ringwood Ave., Haskell, N.J. 07420 Phone: (973) 835-0480 Email: stfrancis@optonline.net Website: stfrancishaskell.org Daily Mass: Monday: 8 a.m. Tuesday: 8 a.m. Wednesday: noon Thursday: 8 a.m. Friday: 8 a.m. Confession: Saturday: 4:30 to 5 p.m. or upon request St. Mary’s Parish 31 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes, N.J. 07442 Phone: 973-835-0374 Email: smc@stmarys-pompton.org Website: stmarys-pompton.org Mass times: Saturday: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m. in Spanish (also livestreamed), 9 a.m. in the Carnevale Center, 10:30 a.m. (also livestreamed), noon Monday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) Tuesday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) Wednesday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) and 7 p.m. in Spanish (also livestreamed) Thursday: 8 p.m. (also livestreamed) Friday: 8 p.m. (also livestreamed) Saturday: 9 a.m. Liturgy of the Word with Communion in the Prayer Room Confession: Thursday: 4 to 5 p.m. or by appointment St. Anthony of Padua Parish 65 Bartholdi Ave., Butler, N.J. Phone: 973-838-0031 Email: bleck@saopp.org Website: saopp.org Masses: Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. in Spanish Weekdays: 7:30 a.m. and Saturday: 8 a.m. Confession: Saturday: 8:30 to 9 a.m. after the 8 a.m. Mass or by appointment St. Clare Parish 69 Allwood Rd., Clifton, N.J. 07014 Phone: 973-777-9313 Email: office@saintclarenj.com Website: saintclarenj.com Mass times: Saturday: 4 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. Confession: Saturday: 3 to 3:30 p.m. or by appointment St. John Kanty Parish 49 Speer Ave., Clifton, N.J. 07013 Parish Office: 973-779-4102 Website: saintjohnkanty.org Masses: Saturday Vigil: 5 p.m. in English Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in English, 10 a.m. in Polish, noon in English and 7 p.m. in Polish Weekend Mass: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 7 a.m. in English, 8 a.m. in Polish Wednesday and Friday: 7 a.m. in English and 7 p.m. in Polish Saturday: 8 a.m. in English First Friday: 7 p.m. in Polish Confession: Saturday: from 4 to 4:45 p.m., daily before morning Masses or by appointment

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Discover St. Francis through Jubilee Year pilgrimages and prayer opportunities #Catholic –

Faithful near and far are invited to draw inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi and gain a plenary indulgence by making prayerful pilgrimages to any of five designated St. Francis-related parishes in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., until Jan. 10, 2027.

On Jan. 10, 2026, Pope Leo XVI decreed that the Universal Church would commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, which ends next Jan. 10. The decree also provides for a special plenary indulgence for parishes associated with the saint. A plenary indulgence is remission of temporal punishment that may remain after sacramental confession.

On April 29, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney issued a decree designating the five parishes in the diocese where pilgrims are able to avail themselves of a plenary indulgence.

These parishes are St. Francis of Assisi in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J.; St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J.; St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J.; St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., and St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton.

St. Francis of Assisi is known for his ministry to the poor and underprivileged, his care for nature and animals, his promotion of peace, and his founding of the Franciscan order, one of the largest in the Church. The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe founded many parishes in the diocese, especially in Passaic County.

“The Holy Father notes that in an age known for strife, division, and interminable wars, the life of St. Francis of Assisi, ‘continues to point to the authentic source of peace.’ We profess that the source of all peace is Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” Bishop Sweeney wrote in the local decree.

Some of these parishes are also planning St. Francis-related events. Check their websites, bulletins, and social media, or call them, for Mass and confession times and special event schedules if not already listed below.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

In his Jan. 10, 2026, decree, Pope Leo wrote, “May this Year of St. Francis urge us all, each according to our own possibilities, to imitate the Poverello of Assisi… [and] to mold ourselves as much as possible on the model of Christ…May the hope that saw us as pilgrims now be transformed into zeal and fervor of active charity.”

Pilgrims seeking a plenary indulgence have the opportunity to “experience the divine mercy of God,” said Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office and pastor of St. Brendan/St. George Parish in Clifton. He helped coordinate the pilgrimages under the leadership of Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious.

To gain the plenary indulgence, pilgrims must show detachment from sin, receive the Eucharist, go to confession, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions and recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. Those unable to travel due to illness or caregiving responsibilities may obtain the indulgence by offering their suffering to God.

Each designated parish in the diocese is connected to St. Francis. St. Francis is the only parish in the diocese currently named for the saint. St. Mary’s is one of two remaining parishes in the diocese founded by the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The other is St. Anthony’s, which also has a friary.

In addition, St. Clare’s is named after St. Clare, a devoted spiritual student, close confidante, and first female follower of St. Francis. St. John Kanty, which serves a Polish community, is administered by the Conventual Franciscan Friars.

Franciscan Father John Aherne, pastor of St. Mary’s, is pleased that the parish was selected as a Jubilee pilgrimage site.

“The Jubilee Year is a way for St. Mary’s to highlight its identity as a Franciscan community and engage with the community,” Father John Aherne said. He noted that the parish has been holding a full schedule of St. Francis-related events. “As Franciscans, we endeavor to bring peace and unity to a world fraught with violence and division and cherish and protect the beauty of the world and humanity,” Father Aherne said.

During the Jubilee Year, Bishop Sweeney will visit St. Francis for the annual Religious Jubilee Mass on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m. All attendees will have an opportunity for an indulgence. In addition, it’s anticipated that the bishop will return on Sunday, Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis, for confirmations.

St. Francis Parish is expecting the arrival of a new, larger statue of the saint from Italy for outside the church. The parish also has a first-class relic of St. Francis for veneration, said Father Greg Golba, St. Francis’ pastor.

“St. Francis of Assisi was friendly to everyone and everything: people, nature, and animals. During this Jubilee Year, pilgrims can receive important graces from God by praying for people through the intercession of St. Francis,” Father Golba said.

Diocesan St. Francis of Assisi pilgrimage parishes

St. Francis of Assisi Parish

868 Ringwood Ave., Haskell, N.J. 07420
Phone: (973) 835-0480
Email: stfrancis@optonline.net
Website: stfrancishaskell.org

Daily Mass:
Monday: 8 a.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m.
Wednesday: noon
Thursday: 8 a.m.
Friday: 8 a.m.

Confession:
Saturday: 4:30 to 5 p.m. or upon request

St. Mary’s Parish

31 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes, N.J. 07442
Phone: 973-835-0374
Email: smc@stmarys-pompton.org
Website: stmarys-pompton.org

Mass times:
Saturday: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m. in Spanish (also livestreamed), 9 a.m. in the Carnevale Center, 10:30 a.m. (also livestreamed), noon
Monday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed)
Tuesday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed)
Wednesday: 8 a.m. (also livestreamed) and 7 p.m. in Spanish (also livestreamed)
Thursday: 8 p.m. (also livestreamed)
Friday: 8 p.m. (also livestreamed)
Saturday: 9 a.m. Liturgy of the Word with Communion in the Prayer Room

Confession:
Thursday: 4 to 5 p.m. or by appointment

St. Anthony of Padua Parish

65 Bartholdi Ave., Butler, N.J.
Phone: 973-838-0031
Email: bleck@saopp.org
Website: saopp.org

Masses:
Saturday 5 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. in Spanish
Weekdays: 7:30 a.m. and Saturday: 8 a.m.

Confession:
Saturday: 8:30 to 9 a.m. after the 8 a.m. Mass or by appointment

St. Clare Parish

69 Allwood Rd., Clifton, N.J. 07014
Phone: 973-777-9313
Email: office@saintclarenj.com
Website: saintclarenj.com

Mass times:
Saturday: 4 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Weekdays: 8:30 a.m.

Confession:
Saturday: 3 to 3:30 p.m. or by appointment

St. John Kanty Parish

49 Speer Ave., Clifton, N.J. 07013
Parish Office: 973-779-4102
Website: saintjohnkanty.org

Masses:
Saturday Vigil: 5 p.m. in English
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in English, 10 a.m. in Polish, noon in English and 7 p.m. in Polish

Weekend Mass:
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 7 a.m. in English, 8 a.m. in Polish
Wednesday and Friday: 7 a.m. in English and 7 p.m. in Polish
Saturday: 8 a.m. in English
First Friday: 7 p.m. in Polish

Confession:
Saturday: from 4 to 4:45 p.m., daily before morning Masses or by appointment

– Faithful near and far are invited to draw inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi and gain a plenary indulgence by making prayerful pilgrimages to any of five designated St. Francis-related parishes in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., until Jan. 10, 2027. On Jan. 10, 2026, Pope Leo XVI decreed that the Universal Church would commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, which ends next Jan. 10. The decree also provides for a special plenary indulgence for parishes associated with the saint. A plenary indulgence is remission of temporal punishment that may remain after sacramental confession. On April 29, Bishop Kevin

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says no changes to capital punishment after botched execution – #Catholic – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee told reporters in Knoxville on Tuesday that there will be no changes to the protocol for capital punishment in the state following the botched execution attempt of death row inmate Tony Carruthers on May 21.In May, the Republican governor suspended Carruthers’ execution for one year after the medical team failed to find a vein when trying to set up the backup IV line of lethal drugs. They tried to set up the IV line for more than an hour.“The Department of Corrections did exactly what they were supposed to,” Lee told reporters. “I decided to suspend the execution. I have the authority to do that. I’m the only one who can.”“Given the circumstances of not being able to find a vein, I made that decision,” the governor added. “But the protocol itself and the process for the death penalty in this state — which is the law of Tennessee that the people have decided — but the protocol itself still stands, as it should.”After the botched execution, eight Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to the governor, which urged him to review the death penalty protocol, according to the Tennessee Lookout. The letter called the incident a failure “to carry a lawful sentence of its own courts,” but the lawmakers still expressed support for the death penalty.Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network — a group that works with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on opposition to the death penalty — expressed disappointment in Lee’s comment in a statement to EWTN News.“Tony Carruthers’ botched execution reminds us that every execution — regardless of the method or the procedures that take place — is a barbaric act that disregards the sanctity of life,” she said. “I am heartbroken to hear that Gov. Bill Lee has decided to let current lethal injection procedures stand.”Murphy noted that Republican lawmakers urged the governor to commission an independent review of how the execution was botched.“It is helpful to pause in times like this and ask ourselves: To what lengths will the state go to seek revenge?” she said. “There is nothing appropriate in this situation. The only way to avoid perpetuating more violence and harm is to step back from executing people altogether.”
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says no changes to capital punishment after botched execution – #Catholic – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee told reporters in Knoxville on Tuesday that there will be no changes to the protocol for capital punishment in the state following the botched execution attempt of death row inmate Tony Carruthers on May 21.In May, the Republican governor suspended Carruthers’ execution for one year after the medical team failed to find a vein when trying to set up the backup IV line of lethal drugs. They tried to set up the IV line for more than an hour.“The Department of Corrections did exactly what they were supposed to,” Lee told reporters. “I decided to suspend the execution. I have the authority to do that. I’m the only one who can.”“Given the circumstances of not being able to find a vein, I made that decision,” the governor added. “But the protocol itself and the process for the death penalty in this state — which is the law of Tennessee that the people have decided — but the protocol itself still stands, as it should.”After the botched execution, eight Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to the governor, which urged him to review the death penalty protocol, according to the Tennessee Lookout. The letter called the incident a failure “to carry a lawful sentence of its own courts,” but the lawmakers still expressed support for the death penalty.Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network — a group that works with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on opposition to the death penalty — expressed disappointment in Lee’s comment in a statement to EWTN News.“Tony Carruthers’ botched execution reminds us that every execution — regardless of the method or the procedures that take place — is a barbaric act that disregards the sanctity of life,” she said. “I am heartbroken to hear that Gov. Bill Lee has decided to let current lethal injection procedures stand.”Murphy noted that Republican lawmakers urged the governor to commission an independent review of how the execution was botched.“It is helpful to pause in times like this and ask ourselves: To what lengths will the state go to seek revenge?” she said. “There is nothing appropriate in this situation. The only way to avoid perpetuating more violence and harm is to step back from executing people altogether.”

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The execution medical team spent more than an hour unsuccessfully trying to place a second intravenous line required in case the primary IV failed.

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Vatican unveils agenda for global family summit marking ‘Amoris Laetitia’ anniversary #Catholic – (OSV News) — The Vatican has released the framework for a fall meeting with the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences, marking the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia” and focusing on the Church’s pastoral approach to families. Pope Francis’ issued his post-synodal apostolic exhortation on the pastoral care of families. It was published after the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family. The Oct. 7-14 gathering is intended “to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today,” not only in light of “Amoris Laetitia” but also “taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches.” The Vatican described the initiative as part of an ongoing process of “pastoral conversion,” emphasizing renewed evangelization rooted in lived experience. Participants are expected to reflect on how families themselves contribute to the Church’s mission, not only as recipients of pastoral care but as active agents of evangelization. The framework — dated July 3 and released July 6 by the Vatican — said that families embody the Gospel in “daily relationships, choices, fragility and hope,” and calls for continued openness to renewal, asking for “the courage to persevere on this path,” while “always welcoming the Gospel anew in the joy of being able to proclaim it to all.” The meeting will include listening sessions, the sharing of concrete pastoral experiences, and dialogue with experts. Its goal is to discern “the direction in which the Holy Spirit is leading us today,” while recognizing and supporting what is already being lived out in families and local Church communities. The themes are divided into five daily sessions by the organizers of the family summit. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Families today: reality, beauty and challenges The first topic discussed will be “Families today: reality, beauty and challenges” — aimed at “discerning the signs of the times through the experience of families and the Church’s pastoral commitment today.” This part aims at “attentive listening to the concrete lives of families and to the experience of those who accompany them, recognizing together both the beauty of love as it takes shape in daily life and the fragilities that often affect it.” The Vatican listed “precarious employment and housing, illness, the challenges of raising children, emotional loneliness, and the care of family members with disabilities, the elderly, or those who are not self-sufficient,” as challenges that families face today. Among questions asked during the session will be: “How do the transformations of our time affect the experience of love between man and woman, generation of life, care, the transmission of the faith, and the mission of the Church?” Young people and the discovery of the vocation to marriage The second day will be focused on the young people “and the discovery of the vocation to marriage” and is aimed at “listening to young people and accompanying them in discovering the value of marriage.” “In many parts of the world, young people live in contexts in which confidence in the possibility of building a stable marital and family project has weakened due to economic, social and cultural factors,” the Vatican said, pointing out that the meeting will address several challenges connected to upbringing of young people in families. One of them is what “language, experiences, and educational and spiritual pathways help children, adolescents and young people today to recognize the value of marriage?” with the other asking “What witness can couples and families offer?” and how can they contribute to “accompanying young people in their emotional, relational and sexual growth?” Pope Leo XIV, traveling to Spain June 6-12, encouraged young people to not be afraid to marry. After one of the young men on the stage mentioned he was a newlywed, Pope Leo went visibly off the cuff to urge young people to “not be afraid of marriage. Do not be afraid of forming a family!” Married life. The first years of marriage: a decisive time Listening to and accompanying couples “in the early years of married life and at every stage of life” is a third-day topic of the discussion — titled “Married life. The first years of marriage: a decisive time.” “The experience of couples in the first years of married life calls for particular attention,” the Vatican said. “This is an especially important phase for strengthening the marital bond and facing together the changes that accompany the beginning of family life, such as the birth of children and the challenge of balancing family and work, while discovering ever new meanings of conjugal and family love.” The Vatican noted in their preparatory note that “it is during these early years that many of the human and spiritual resources are cultivated that will help spouses navigate the different seasons of family life.” Looking at this stage of marriage bears weight as according to Pew Research Center, 4 in 10 divorces occur in the first decade of marriage, with 16% of couples divorcing in the first four years, and 24% between the fifth and ninth year of marriage. The Vatican announced that in that phase of the discussion, some of the questions asked will be: “What forms of accompaniment are most effective in supporting couples, particularly during the first years of married life?” as well as “How can spouses be helped to recognize and develop their relational, spiritual, generative and parental resources?”and “Which experiences demonstrate the fruitfulness of networks of families capable of supporting one another and, in turn, becoming a source of accompaniment and witness for others?” — In the difficulties of life: accompanying and supporting — “Walking with families in complex situations” is the fourth stage of discussion, titled “In the difficulties of life: accompanying and supporting.” “Particular attention is directed to couples and families who, at every stage of married life, encounter relational, social or spiritual difficulties, situations in which the Gospel is called to draw ever closer,” the July 6 release said. “Failure, fragility, the gap between the ideal and reality, and the complexity of life situations also become places in which the work of God’s grace may be recognized and where persons can be accompanied with respect, patience and hope,” the Vatican said. In this fourth day of the family summit designed around “Amoris Laetitia,” participants will be asking “What steps have been taken to support those living in situations of fragility or difficulty?” as well as “What forms of resistance continue to emerge?” The discussion will also draw on the ways Christian communities can be built “in which those who have experienced suffering, abandonment, separation and divorce may truly feel listened to, involved and co-responsible.” Christian families as subjects of the Church’s mission The last day of the discussions will be focused on “Christian families as subjects of the Church’s mission” and will discuss the theme of “Embracing conjugal and family love as an impetus for mission.” “Spouses know well that one never ceases to learn the languages of love, day after day,” the Vatican said. “Within Christian communities, couples have a distinctive way of responding to the common vocation to love. In a rapidly changing world, the contribution of families to the Church’s mission is more necessary than ever in fostering an ‘apprenticeship in enduring love,’ with the benefits this brings to personal, ecclesial and social life.” The framework said that “Despite the challenges posed by the pace of contemporary life, families remain the primary setting in which the faith is handed on to new generations, therefore participants will ask “How can the experience of couples and families be valued as a place of human, spiritual, ecclesial and social growth?” and “How can the contribution of families to the Church’s evangelizing mission and to the pastoral conversion of Christian communities be recognized and supported?” The pope made the announcement about the meeting on the feast of St. Joseph, saying that he was convening the meeting “in light of the changes that continue to impact families … in an effort to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today, in light of Amoris Laetitia and taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches.” “I entrust this journey to the intercession of Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family of Nazareth,” he added. Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @Guzik_Paulina.  
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Vatican unveils agenda for global family summit marking ‘Amoris Laetitia’ anniversary #Catholic – (OSV News) — The Vatican has released the framework for a fall meeting with the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences, marking the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia” and focusing on the Church’s pastoral approach to families. Pope Francis’ issued his post-synodal apostolic exhortation on the pastoral care of families. It was published after the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family. The Oct. 7-14 gathering is intended “to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today,” not only in light of “Amoris Laetitia” but also “taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches.” The Vatican described the initiative as part of an ongoing process of “pastoral conversion,” emphasizing renewed evangelization rooted in lived experience. Participants are expected to reflect on how families themselves contribute to the Church’s mission, not only as recipients of pastoral care but as active agents of evangelization. The framework — dated July 3 and released July 6 by the Vatican — said that families embody the Gospel in “daily relationships, choices, fragility and hope,” and calls for continued openness to renewal, asking for “the courage to persevere on this path,” while “always welcoming the Gospel anew in the joy of being able to proclaim it to all.” The meeting will include listening sessions, the sharing of concrete pastoral experiences, and dialogue with experts. Its goal is to discern “the direction in which the Holy Spirit is leading us today,” while recognizing and supporting what is already being lived out in families and local Church communities. The themes are divided into five daily sessions by the organizers of the family summit. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Families today: reality, beauty and challenges The first topic discussed will be “Families today: reality, beauty and challenges” — aimed at “discerning the signs of the times through the experience of families and the Church’s pastoral commitment today.” This part aims at “attentive listening to the concrete lives of families and to the experience of those who accompany them, recognizing together both the beauty of love as it takes shape in daily life and the fragilities that often affect it.” The Vatican listed “precarious employment and housing, illness, the challenges of raising children, emotional loneliness, and the care of family members with disabilities, the elderly, or those who are not self-sufficient,” as challenges that families face today. Among questions asked during the session will be: “How do the transformations of our time affect the experience of love between man and woman, generation of life, care, the transmission of the faith, and the mission of the Church?” Young people and the discovery of the vocation to marriage The second day will be focused on the young people “and the discovery of the vocation to marriage” and is aimed at “listening to young people and accompanying them in discovering the value of marriage.” “In many parts of the world, young people live in contexts in which confidence in the possibility of building a stable marital and family project has weakened due to economic, social and cultural factors,” the Vatican said, pointing out that the meeting will address several challenges connected to upbringing of young people in families. One of them is what “language, experiences, and educational and spiritual pathways help children, adolescents and young people today to recognize the value of marriage?” with the other asking “What witness can couples and families offer?” and how can they contribute to “accompanying young people in their emotional, relational and sexual growth?” Pope Leo XIV, traveling to Spain June 6-12, encouraged young people to not be afraid to marry. After one of the young men on the stage mentioned he was a newlywed, Pope Leo went visibly off the cuff to urge young people to “not be afraid of marriage. Do not be afraid of forming a family!” Married life. The first years of marriage: a decisive time Listening to and accompanying couples “in the early years of married life and at every stage of life” is a third-day topic of the discussion — titled “Married life. The first years of marriage: a decisive time.” “The experience of couples in the first years of married life calls for particular attention,” the Vatican said. “This is an especially important phase for strengthening the marital bond and facing together the changes that accompany the beginning of family life, such as the birth of children and the challenge of balancing family and work, while discovering ever new meanings of conjugal and family love.” The Vatican noted in their preparatory note that “it is during these early years that many of the human and spiritual resources are cultivated that will help spouses navigate the different seasons of family life.” Looking at this stage of marriage bears weight as according to Pew Research Center, 4 in 10 divorces occur in the first decade of marriage, with 16% of couples divorcing in the first four years, and 24% between the fifth and ninth year of marriage. The Vatican announced that in that phase of the discussion, some of the questions asked will be: “What forms of accompaniment are most effective in supporting couples, particularly during the first years of married life?” as well as “How can spouses be helped to recognize and develop their relational, spiritual, generative and parental resources?”and “Which experiences demonstrate the fruitfulness of networks of families capable of supporting one another and, in turn, becoming a source of accompaniment and witness for others?” — In the difficulties of life: accompanying and supporting — “Walking with families in complex situations” is the fourth stage of discussion, titled “In the difficulties of life: accompanying and supporting.” “Particular attention is directed to couples and families who, at every stage of married life, encounter relational, social or spiritual difficulties, situations in which the Gospel is called to draw ever closer,” the July 6 release said. “Failure, fragility, the gap between the ideal and reality, and the complexity of life situations also become places in which the work of God’s grace may be recognized and where persons can be accompanied with respect, patience and hope,” the Vatican said. In this fourth day of the family summit designed around “Amoris Laetitia,” participants will be asking “What steps have been taken to support those living in situations of fragility or difficulty?” as well as “What forms of resistance continue to emerge?” The discussion will also draw on the ways Christian communities can be built “in which those who have experienced suffering, abandonment, separation and divorce may truly feel listened to, involved and co-responsible.” Christian families as subjects of the Church’s mission The last day of the discussions will be focused on “Christian families as subjects of the Church’s mission” and will discuss the theme of “Embracing conjugal and family love as an impetus for mission.” “Spouses know well that one never ceases to learn the languages of love, day after day,” the Vatican said. “Within Christian communities, couples have a distinctive way of responding to the common vocation to love. In a rapidly changing world, the contribution of families to the Church’s mission is more necessary than ever in fostering an ‘apprenticeship in enduring love,’ with the benefits this brings to personal, ecclesial and social life.” The framework said that “Despite the challenges posed by the pace of contemporary life, families remain the primary setting in which the faith is handed on to new generations, therefore participants will ask “How can the experience of couples and families be valued as a place of human, spiritual, ecclesial and social growth?” and “How can the contribution of families to the Church’s evangelizing mission and to the pastoral conversion of Christian communities be recognized and supported?” The pope made the announcement about the meeting on the feast of St. Joseph, saying that he was convening the meeting “in light of the changes that continue to impact families … in an effort to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today, in light of Amoris Laetitia and taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches.” “I entrust this journey to the intercession of Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family of Nazareth,” he added. Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @Guzik_Paulina.  

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Vatican unveils agenda for global family summit marking ‘Amoris Laetitia’ anniversary #Catholic –

(OSV News) — The Vatican has released the framework for a fall meeting with the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences, marking the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia” and focusing on the Church’s pastoral approach to families.

Pope Francis’ issued his post-synodal apostolic exhortation on the pastoral care of families. It was published after the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family.

The Oct. 7-14 gathering is intended “to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today,” not only in light of “Amoris Laetitia” but also “taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches.”

The Vatican described the initiative as part of an ongoing process of “pastoral conversion,” emphasizing renewed evangelization rooted in lived experience.

Participants are expected to reflect on how families themselves contribute to the Church’s mission, not only as recipients of pastoral care but as active agents of evangelization. The framework — dated July 3 and released July 6 by the Vatican — said that families embody the Gospel in “daily relationships, choices, fragility and hope,” and calls for continued openness to renewal, asking for “the courage to persevere on this path,” while “always welcoming the Gospel anew in the joy of being able to proclaim it to all.”

The meeting will include listening sessions, the sharing of concrete pastoral experiences, and dialogue with experts. Its goal is to discern “the direction in which the Holy Spirit is leading us today,” while recognizing and supporting what is already being lived out in families and local Church communities. The themes are divided into five daily sessions by the organizers of the family summit.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Families today: reality, beauty and challenges

The first topic discussed will be “Families today: reality, beauty and challenges” — aimed at “discerning the signs of the times through the experience of families and the Church’s pastoral commitment today.”

This part aims at “attentive listening to the concrete lives of families and to the experience of those who accompany them, recognizing together both the beauty of love as it takes shape in daily life and the fragilities that often affect it.”

The Vatican listed “precarious employment and housing, illness, the challenges of raising children, emotional loneliness, and the care of family members with disabilities, the elderly, or those who are not self-sufficient,” as challenges that families face today.

Among questions asked during the session will be: “How do the transformations of our time affect the experience of love between man and woman, generation of life, care, the transmission of the faith, and the mission of the Church?”

Young people and the discovery of the vocation to marriage

The second day will be focused on the young people “and the discovery of the vocation to marriage” and is aimed at “listening to young people and accompanying them in discovering the value of marriage.”

“In many parts of the world, young people live in contexts in which confidence in the possibility of building a stable marital and family project has weakened due to economic, social and cultural factors,” the Vatican said, pointing out that the meeting will address several challenges connected to upbringing of young people in families.

One of them is what “language, experiences, and educational and spiritual pathways help children, adolescents and young people today to recognize the value of marriage?” with the other asking “What witness can couples and families offer?” and how can they contribute to “accompanying young people in their emotional, relational and sexual growth?”

Pope Leo XIV, traveling to Spain June 6-12, encouraged young people to not be afraid to marry.

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

Married life. The first years of marriage: a decisive time

Listening to and accompanying couples “in the early years of married life and at every stage of life” is a third-day topic of the discussion — titled “Married life. The first years of marriage: a decisive time.”

“The experience of couples in the first years of married life calls for particular attention,” the Vatican said. “This is an especially important phase for strengthening the marital bond and facing together the changes that accompany the beginning of family life, such as the birth of children and the challenge of balancing family and work, while discovering ever new meanings of conjugal and family love.”

The Vatican noted in their preparatory note that “it is during these early years that many of the human and spiritual resources are cultivated that will help spouses navigate the different seasons of family life.”

Looking at this stage of marriage bears weight as according to Pew Research Center, 4 in 10 divorces occur in the first decade of marriage, with 16% of couples divorcing in the first four years, and 24% between the fifth and ninth year of marriage.

The Vatican announced that in that phase of the discussion, some of the questions asked will be: “What forms of accompaniment are most effective in supporting couples, particularly during the first years of married life?” as well as “How can spouses be helped to recognize and develop their relational, spiritual, generative and parental resources?”and “Which experiences demonstrate the fruitfulness of networks of families capable of supporting one another and, in turn, becoming a source of accompaniment and witness for others?”

— In the difficulties of life: accompanying and supporting —

“Walking with families in complex situations” is the fourth stage of discussion, titled “In the difficulties of life: accompanying and supporting.”

“Particular attention is directed to couples and families who, at every stage of married life, encounter relational, social or spiritual difficulties, situations in which the Gospel is called to draw ever closer,” the July 6 release said.

“Failure, fragility, the gap between the ideal and reality, and the complexity of life situations also become places in which the work of God’s grace may be recognized and where persons can be accompanied with respect, patience and hope,” the Vatican said.

In this fourth day of the family summit designed around “Amoris Laetitia,” participants will be asking “What steps have been taken to support those living in situations of fragility or difficulty?” as well as “What forms of resistance continue to emerge?”

The discussion will also draw on the ways Christian communities can be built “in which those who have experienced suffering, abandonment, separation and divorce may truly feel listened to, involved and co-responsible.”

Christian families as subjects of the Church’s mission

The last day of the discussions will be focused on “Christian families as subjects of the Church’s mission” and will discuss the theme of “Embracing conjugal and family love as an impetus for mission.”

“Spouses know well that one never ceases to learn the languages of love, day after day,” the Vatican said.

“Within Christian communities, couples have a distinctive way of responding to the common vocation to love. In a rapidly changing world, the contribution of families to the Church’s mission is more necessary than ever in fostering an ‘apprenticeship in enduring love,’ with the benefits this brings to personal, ecclesial and social life.”

The framework said that “Despite the challenges posed by the pace of contemporary life, families remain the primary setting in which the faith is handed on to new generations, therefore participants will ask “How can the experience of couples and families be valued as a place of human, spiritual, ecclesial and social growth?” and “How can the contribution of families to the Church’s evangelizing mission and to the pastoral conversion of Christian communities be recognized and supported?”

The pope made the announcement about the meeting on the feast of St. Joseph, saying that he was convening the meeting “in light of the changes that continue to impact families … in an effort to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today, in light of Amoris Laetitia and taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches.”

“I entrust this journey to the intercession of Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family of Nazareth,” he added.

Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @Guzik_Paulina.

 

– (OSV News) — The Vatican has released the framework for a fall meeting with the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences, marking the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia” and focusing on the Church’s pastoral approach to families. Pope Francis’ issued his post-synodal apostolic exhortation on the pastoral care of families. It was published after the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family. The Oct. 7-14 gathering is intended “to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today,” not only in light

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Corruption in Pakistan’s courts hits poor Christians hardest, report finds – #Catholic – A new report by leading human rights groups says entrenched corruption throughout Pakistanʼs criminal justice system disproportionately harms the countryʼs poorest religious minorities, particularly Christians accused under its controversial blasphemy laws.The study — titled “Under the Bench: Mapping Corruption Risks in Pakistanʼs Justice System” — was released July 8 by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).“Ethnic and religious minorities continue to face rampant discrimination in Pakistan — issues that are compounded by the fact that they also come from low-income communities,” the report states.“Many of the victims in cases targeting Christians, for example, are sanitation workers or daily laborers, meaning that their resources to pay legal representation with necessary social and political connections or to pay bribes are very limited, if not absent, in effect widening the gap in access to justice.”The report is based on 30 interviews conducted by FIDH and HRCP in February and March with lawyers, journalists, civil society activists, academics, and judges.Several interviewees said anti-minority and anti-poor bias was evident in the language used by some judges in their rulings.Bribes and stalled trialsIts findings echo those of a 2025 report by Human Rights Watch, which said blasphemy accusations were increasingly being used for financial gain, with some police officials allegedly demanding bribes from victims to avoid the registration of false first information reports.The report also cited figures from the National Commission for Human Rights, a government human rights body, showing a sharp increase in blasphemy prosecutions. It said 767 people were detained on blasphemy charges as of July 25, 2024, compared with 213 in 2023, 64 in 2022, nine in 2021, and 11 in 2020.Behram Francis, legal adviser for the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace, said the findings matched what he has seen on the ground.“Police start dealing with families of blasphemy victims after an accusation is made and the case is publicized. Given the security risk, sensitivity, and public sentiment associated, the usual bribe rate in such cases starts from at least 50,000 rupees [$180],” Francis told EWTN News.“Trials in lower courts can drag on for years, and the victim continues suffering in prison, as the accuser can easily get the next hearing postponed by paying 15,000 rupees to the court reader. Our lawyers usually encounter prejudice against Christians during trials.”Concerns in the courtroomRiaz Anjum, president of the Christian Lawyers Association of Pakistan, said procedural delays and intimidation inside courtrooms remained among the biggest obstacles to defending Christians accused of blasphemy.“These cases are often not listed in the regular cause list, forcing us to file separate applications just to obtain a hearing,” Anjum told EWTN News.“Muslim lawyers sometimes openly threaten us in front of judges and mobilize madrassa students outside courtrooms. The risk of external pressure and mob intimidation influencing judicial proceedings remains very high.”Pakistan ranked 123rd out of 143 countries in the World Justice Projectʼs 2025 Rule of Law Index for absence of corruption, placing it second from the bottom in its regional rankings.
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Corruption in Pakistan’s courts hits poor Christians hardest, report finds – #Catholic – A new report by leading human rights groups says entrenched corruption throughout Pakistanʼs criminal justice system disproportionately harms the countryʼs poorest religious minorities, particularly Christians accused under its controversial blasphemy laws.The study — titled “Under the Bench: Mapping Corruption Risks in Pakistanʼs Justice System” — was released July 8 by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).“Ethnic and religious minorities continue to face rampant discrimination in Pakistan — issues that are compounded by the fact that they also come from low-income communities,” the report states.“Many of the victims in cases targeting Christians, for example, are sanitation workers or daily laborers, meaning that their resources to pay legal representation with necessary social and political connections or to pay bribes are very limited, if not absent, in effect widening the gap in access to justice.”The report is based on 30 interviews conducted by FIDH and HRCP in February and March with lawyers, journalists, civil society activists, academics, and judges.Several interviewees said anti-minority and anti-poor bias was evident in the language used by some judges in their rulings.Bribes and stalled trialsIts findings echo those of a 2025 report by Human Rights Watch, which said blasphemy accusations were increasingly being used for financial gain, with some police officials allegedly demanding bribes from victims to avoid the registration of false first information reports.The report also cited figures from the National Commission for Human Rights, a government human rights body, showing a sharp increase in blasphemy prosecutions. It said 767 people were detained on blasphemy charges as of July 25, 2024, compared with 213 in 2023, 64 in 2022, nine in 2021, and 11 in 2020.Behram Francis, legal adviser for the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace, said the findings matched what he has seen on the ground.“Police start dealing with families of blasphemy victims after an accusation is made and the case is publicized. Given the security risk, sensitivity, and public sentiment associated, the usual bribe rate in such cases starts from at least 50,000 rupees [$180],” Francis told EWTN News.“Trials in lower courts can drag on for years, and the victim continues suffering in prison, as the accuser can easily get the next hearing postponed by paying 15,000 rupees to the court reader. Our lawyers usually encounter prejudice against Christians during trials.”Concerns in the courtroomRiaz Anjum, president of the Christian Lawyers Association of Pakistan, said procedural delays and intimidation inside courtrooms remained among the biggest obstacles to defending Christians accused of blasphemy.“These cases are often not listed in the regular cause list, forcing us to file separate applications just to obtain a hearing,” Anjum told EWTN News.“Muslim lawyers sometimes openly threaten us in front of judges and mobilize madrassa students outside courtrooms. The risk of external pressure and mob intimidation influencing judicial proceedings remains very high.”Pakistan ranked 123rd out of 143 countries in the World Justice Projectʼs 2025 Rule of Law Index for absence of corruption, placing it second from the bottom in its regional rankings.

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Christians accused under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws face bribe demands, stalled trials, and courtroom intimidation, according to a new report by two leading human rights organizations.

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Report projects U.S. population decline as birth rates remain low – #Catholic – A report from the Institute for Family Studies warns that the United States is approaching a demographic turning point, with fertility rates continuing to fall well below replacement levels and population declines increasingly likely in the coming decades unless current trends change.The report, titled ”The Demographic Dead End: 2026 State of Fertility Report,” presents estimates of fertility trends for every state dating back to 1917. As part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, researchers also reconstructed birth rates in Massachusetts dating to 1660, offering one of the longest historical views of American fertility ever compiled.According to the report, the U.S. fertility rate has fallen to about 1.6 children per woman, well below the replacement level of about 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. Researchers said the decline is no longer a temporary consequence of delayed childbearing but reflects a sustained demographic shift.The authors projected that if trends continue, the U.S. population will likely peak during the 2050s before entering a prolonged period of decline. They contend that many mainstream demographic forecasts underestimate the pace of falling fertility and assume a rebound that has yet to materialize.The report notes fertility has declined in nearly every state over the past two decades, though the pace varies geographically. States with higher levels of religious participation, marriage, and family stability generally continue to post comparatively higher birth rates than states with lower rates of marriage and family formation.Although Americans’ desired family size has remained relatively stable, the gap between how many children they want and how many they ultimately have continues to widen. Surveys consistently show Americans expect to have about two children and ideally would like to have an average of 2.4.Catherine Pakaluk, professor at The Catholic University of America and author of “Hannahʼs Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth,” cautioned against interpreting that gap as entirely unmet demand.“I’d be careful treating that gap as pure unmet demand — people fall short of almost everything they say they want, and stated desires are aspirations measured before the real tradeoffs arrive,” Pakaluk told EWTN News. “What ‘I want 2.4’ mostly reflects is a preference stated in the abstract, which softens once a child is weighed against everything else a life can hold.”Why are fewer Americans having children?Pakaluk said economic pressures and delayed marriage play a role but are not the primary cause of declining birth rates.“Cost and later marriage matter at the margin, but they aren’t the engine,” she said. “The driver is a shift in the relative value placed on children.”She added that prolonged low fertility could reshape American society, leading to “an older population, a thinner worker-to-retiree ratio that strains Social Security and Medicare” as well as “thinner kin networks and more people aging without family nearby.”Limits of government policyResearchers argue reversing the trend will require more than financial incentives for parents. Pakaluk agreed that public policy has limits.“The most honest thing I can say is that the levers government actually controls aren’t the ones that move completed family size,” she said. “Policy can clear obstacles at the margin, but the decisive factors live in culture, faith, and community, where government has a light touch.”She said measures such as expanding housing supply, strengthening the child tax credit, and removing marriage penalties may help families but cautioned that “no wealthy country has policy-engineered its way back to replacement.”Global demographic challengeThe findings come as concerns over declining birth rates are growing worldwide. More than two-thirds of countries have fertility rates below replacement, prompting governments across Europe, Asia, and North America to examine ways to encourage family formation.For the Catholic Church, concern over declining birth rates has long been connected to its teaching on marriage, openness to life, and support for families. Recent popes have repeatedly warned that demographic decline carries not only economic consequences but also cultural and social implications for future generations.
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Report projects U.S. population decline as birth rates remain low – #Catholic – A report from the Institute for Family Studies warns that the United States is approaching a demographic turning point, with fertility rates continuing to fall well below replacement levels and population declines increasingly likely in the coming decades unless current trends change.The report, titled ”The Demographic Dead End: 2026 State of Fertility Report,” presents estimates of fertility trends for every state dating back to 1917. As part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, researchers also reconstructed birth rates in Massachusetts dating to 1660, offering one of the longest historical views of American fertility ever compiled.According to the report, the U.S. fertility rate has fallen to about 1.6 children per woman, well below the replacement level of about 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. Researchers said the decline is no longer a temporary consequence of delayed childbearing but reflects a sustained demographic shift.The authors projected that if trends continue, the U.S. population will likely peak during the 2050s before entering a prolonged period of decline. They contend that many mainstream demographic forecasts underestimate the pace of falling fertility and assume a rebound that has yet to materialize.The report notes fertility has declined in nearly every state over the past two decades, though the pace varies geographically. States with higher levels of religious participation, marriage, and family stability generally continue to post comparatively higher birth rates than states with lower rates of marriage and family formation.Although Americans’ desired family size has remained relatively stable, the gap between how many children they want and how many they ultimately have continues to widen. Surveys consistently show Americans expect to have about two children and ideally would like to have an average of 2.4.Catherine Pakaluk, professor at The Catholic University of America and author of “Hannahʼs Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth,” cautioned against interpreting that gap as entirely unmet demand.“I’d be careful treating that gap as pure unmet demand — people fall short of almost everything they say they want, and stated desires are aspirations measured before the real tradeoffs arrive,” Pakaluk told EWTN News. “What ‘I want 2.4’ mostly reflects is a preference stated in the abstract, which softens once a child is weighed against everything else a life can hold.”Why are fewer Americans having children?Pakaluk said economic pressures and delayed marriage play a role but are not the primary cause of declining birth rates.“Cost and later marriage matter at the margin, but they aren’t the engine,” she said. “The driver is a shift in the relative value placed on children.”She added that prolonged low fertility could reshape American society, leading to “an older population, a thinner worker-to-retiree ratio that strains Social Security and Medicare” as well as “thinner kin networks and more people aging without family nearby.”Limits of government policyResearchers argue reversing the trend will require more than financial incentives for parents. Pakaluk agreed that public policy has limits.“The most honest thing I can say is that the levers government actually controls aren’t the ones that move completed family size,” she said. “Policy can clear obstacles at the margin, but the decisive factors live in culture, faith, and community, where government has a light touch.”She said measures such as expanding housing supply, strengthening the child tax credit, and removing marriage penalties may help families but cautioned that “no wealthy country has policy-engineered its way back to replacement.”Global demographic challengeThe findings come as concerns over declining birth rates are growing worldwide. More than two-thirds of countries have fertility rates below replacement, prompting governments across Europe, Asia, and North America to examine ways to encourage family formation.For the Catholic Church, concern over declining birth rates has long been connected to its teaching on marriage, openness to life, and support for families. Recent popes have repeatedly warned that demographic decline carries not only economic consequences but also cultural and social implications for future generations.

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Below‑replacement fertility is widespread across the country, according to the report by the Institute for Family Studies.

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The Sky Today on Thursday, July 9: Venus stands above Regulus

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  July 8: Asteroid Melpomene at opposition Venus passes 1.1° north of Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, at 10 A.M. EDT. The pair is visible after sunset this evening, when they are still close as they slowly set in theContinue reading “The Sky Today on Thursday, July 9: Venus stands above Regulus”

The post The Sky Today on Thursday, July 9: Venus stands above Regulus appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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