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Vatican urges religious leaders not to be ‘complicit through silence or fear’ amid division #Catholic The Vatican has called on religious leaders around the world to take an active role in promoting peace and urged them not to become “complicit through silence or fear” in the face of those who fuel division and confrontation.The appeal is contained in the message “Buddhists and Christians for an ‘Unarmed and Disarming’ Peace,” signed by Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, secretary of the dicastery, for the Buddhist feast of Vesak.In the message, addressed to the Buddhist community and published Monday, May 11, the Vatican said religious leaders “are called to be authentic partners in dialogue and true agents of reconciliation.”The text stressed that a passive attitude is not enough. Together with all believers, it said, “we are invited to become artisans of peace — not passive observers but courageous witnesses capable of fostering encounter, healing wounds, and rebuilding trust.”“As citizens and believers, we share a responsibility to promote peace, challenge injustice, and urge those in positions of authority not to inflame division but to pursue dialogue over confrontation,” the message said. “We must also guard against becoming complicit through silence or fear.”A peace born in the heartThe message, issued for Vesak — which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha — reflected on the meaning of peace, defining it not merely as the absence of war but as “a gift that seeks to dwell within the human heart” and “a quiet yet powerful presence that enlightens and transforms.”The message cited Pope Leo XIV’s words for the 2026 World Day of Peace: “Peace exists; it wants to dwell within us. It has the gentle power to enlighten and expand our understanding; it resists and overcomes violence. Peace is a breath of the eternal: While to evil we cry out ‘Enough,’ to peace we whisper ‘Forever.’”Even when peace appears fragile, the Vatican message said, it “must be protected and nurtured.” It described this peace as “an unarmed and disarming peace that does not rely on force but flows from truth, compassion, and mutual trust.”Facing the world’s shadowsThe Vatican did not ignore the gravity of the current international context, marked by conflicts and growing tensions.“We cannot ignore the shadows weighing upon the world,” the message said. “Wars, violence, rising ethno-religious nationalism, and the manipulation of religion continue to wound our common humanity.”In response, the Vatican emphasized the irreplaceable role of religious traditions, which it said “can offer a vital contribution.”“Goodness is truly disarming,” the message said. “It breaks the cycle of suspicion and opens paths where none seemed possible.”Buddhism and Christianity convergeThe message highlighted the deep harmony between Buddhist and Christian teachings on peace.It recalled the Buddha’s teaching: “Hatred is never appeased by hatred; by non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law.” It also cited Jesus’ command to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” and his proclamation “Blessed are the peacemakers.”Both traditions, the document said, point toward “a peace that is lived — one that disarms hearts before it disarms hands.”A concrete, daily commitmentThe message concluded with a call to translate these principles into concrete action, noting that peace is “lived daily — in gestures of kindness, in patience, in the refusal of hatred and vengeance, and in the courage to hope.”Far from being a utopia, the Vatican said, “peace is not an illusion or a distant ideal; it is a real possibility already placed within our reach, waiting to be welcomed and shared.”With that spirit, the Vatican expressed hope that Buddhists and Christians may “increasingly become witnesses of this disarming peace — one that heals wounds, restores relationships, and opens new horizons for humanity.”“May your celebration of Vesak be filled with serenity and joy, and may it inspire all of us to walk together on this path,” the message concluded. “We wish you a blessed and fruitful celebration of Vesak!”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 urges religious leaders not to be ‘complicit through silence or fear’ amid division #Catholic The Vatican has called on religious leaders around the world to take an active role in promoting peace and urged them not to become “complicit through silence or fear” in the face of those who fuel division and confrontation.The appeal is contained in the message “Buddhists and Christians for an ‘Unarmed and Disarming’ Peace,” signed by Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, secretary of the dicastery, for the Buddhist feast of Vesak.In the message, addressed to the Buddhist community and published Monday, May 11, the Vatican said religious leaders “are called to be authentic partners in dialogue and true agents of reconciliation.”The text stressed that a passive attitude is not enough. Together with all believers, it said, “we are invited to become artisans of peace — not passive observers but courageous witnesses capable of fostering encounter, healing wounds, and rebuilding trust.”“As citizens and believers, we share a responsibility to promote peace, challenge injustice, and urge those in positions of authority not to inflame division but to pursue dialogue over confrontation,” the message said. “We must also guard against becoming complicit through silence or fear.”A peace born in the heartThe message, issued for Vesak — which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha — reflected on the meaning of peace, defining it not merely as the absence of war but as “a gift that seeks to dwell within the human heart” and “a quiet yet powerful presence that enlightens and transforms.”The message cited Pope Leo XIV’s words for the 2026 World Day of Peace: “Peace exists; it wants to dwell within us. It has the gentle power to enlighten and expand our understanding; it resists and overcomes violence. Peace is a breath of the eternal: While to evil we cry out ‘Enough,’ to peace we whisper ‘Forever.’”Even when peace appears fragile, the Vatican message said, it “must be protected and nurtured.” It described this peace as “an unarmed and disarming peace that does not rely on force but flows from truth, compassion, and mutual trust.”Facing the world’s shadowsThe Vatican did not ignore the gravity of the current international context, marked by conflicts and growing tensions.“We cannot ignore the shadows weighing upon the world,” the message said. “Wars, violence, rising ethno-religious nationalism, and the manipulation of religion continue to wound our common humanity.”In response, the Vatican emphasized the irreplaceable role of religious traditions, which it said “can offer a vital contribution.”“Goodness is truly disarming,” the message said. “It breaks the cycle of suspicion and opens paths where none seemed possible.”Buddhism and Christianity convergeThe message highlighted the deep harmony between Buddhist and Christian teachings on peace.It recalled the Buddha’s teaching: “Hatred is never appeased by hatred; by non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law.” It also cited Jesus’ command to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” and his proclamation “Blessed are the peacemakers.”Both traditions, the document said, point toward “a peace that is lived — one that disarms hearts before it disarms hands.”A concrete, daily commitmentThe message concluded with a call to translate these principles into concrete action, noting that peace is “lived daily — in gestures of kindness, in patience, in the refusal of hatred and vengeance, and in the courage to hope.”Far from being a utopia, the Vatican said, “peace is not an illusion or a distant ideal; it is a real possibility already placed within our reach, waiting to be welcomed and shared.”With that spirit, the Vatican expressed hope that Buddhists and Christians may “increasingly become witnesses of this disarming peace — one that heals wounds, restores relationships, and opens new horizons for humanity.”“May your celebration of Vesak be filled with serenity and joy, and may it inspire all of us to walk together on this path,” the message concluded. “We wish you a blessed and fruitful celebration of Vesak!”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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The Vatican’s message for Vesak calls Buddhists and Christians to promote an “unarmed and disarming” peace rooted in truth, compassion, and mutual trust.

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Pope Leo XIV prays for Sahel victims #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for victims of growing violence in the Sahel, thanked the people of the Canary Islands for welcoming a cruise ship carrying people sick with hantavirus, and offered a special blessing for mothers during his Regina Caeli address in St. Peter’s Square.Speaking after the Marian prayer May 10, the pope said he had learned “with deep concern of the reports regarding the growing violence in the Sahel region, particularly in Chad and Mali,” which have recently suffered terrorist attacks.“I offer the assurance of my heartfelt prayers for the victims and my spiritual closeness to all those who are suffering as a result of the tragic events,” he said. “I fervently hope that every form of violence may cease, and I encourage all efforts aimed at fostering peace and development in that beloved land.”The pope also marked the annual “Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship,” extending “fraternal greetings” to Pope Tawadros II and assuring “the entire beloved Coptic Church” of his “remembrance in prayer.”“It is my hope that our journey of friendship will lead us to perfect unity in Christ, who has called us ‘friends,’” he said.In Spanish, Pope Leo XIV thanked the people of the Canary Islands who, “with the hospitality characteristic of them,” welcomed the Hondius cruise ship and the passengers infected with hantavirus.“I look forward to seeing all of you next month during my visit to the Islands,” he said.The pope also offered a Mother’s Day greeting, asking Mary, “the Mother of Jesus and our own Mother,” to intercede for all mothers.“Let us pray with love and gratitude for every mother, particularly those living in very difficult circumstances,” he said. “Thank you! May God bless you!”Before the Regina Caeli, Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in which Jesus tells his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”The pope said the words of Jesus free Christians from the misconception “that we are loved because we keep the commandments, as if our righteousness were a prerequisite for God’s love.”“On the contrary, God’s love is the basis for our righteousness,” he said.Jesus’ words, he said, are “an invitation to enter into a relationship, not a blackmail or a suspicious ultimatum.”The Lord commands his followers to love one another as he has loved them, Pope Leo said, because “it is Jesus’ love that begets love within us.”Christ, he said, is “the standard, the measure of true love: the love that is faithful forever, pure and unconditional,” the love that knows no “buts” or “maybes.”“Because God loved us first, we too can love, and when we truly love God, we truly love one another,” he said.The pope said the Lord’s commandments are “a way of life that heal us from false loves” and “a spiritual lifestyle that is a path towards salvation.”Because God loves his people, the pope continued, he “does not leave us alone in life’s trials” but promises the Paraclete, the Advocate, the “Spirit of truth.”The Holy Spirit, he said, is a gift that “the world cannot receive” as long as it persists in evil, “oppressing the poor, excluding the weak and killing the innocent.” But those who respond to Jesus’ love for all “will find in the Holy Spirit an ally who will never fail.”Pope Leo said Christians can always bear witness to “God, who is love,” adding that love is “not an idea of the human mind, but the reality of divine life, through which all things were created out of nothing and redeemed from death.”Jesus, he said, shares with believers his identity as the beloved Son: “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”This “all-encompassing communion of life,” the pope said, refutes the Accuser, the adversary of the Paraclete, who seeks to set humanity against God and people against one another. Jesus does the opposite, he said, “saving us from evil and uniting us as a people of brothers and sisters in the Church.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV prays for Sahel victims #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for victims of growing violence in the Sahel, thanked the people of the Canary Islands for welcoming a cruise ship carrying people sick with hantavirus, and offered a special blessing for mothers during his Regina Caeli address in St. Peter’s Square.Speaking after the Marian prayer May 10, the pope said he had learned “with deep concern of the reports regarding the growing violence in the Sahel region, particularly in Chad and Mali,” which have recently suffered terrorist attacks.“I offer the assurance of my heartfelt prayers for the victims and my spiritual closeness to all those who are suffering as a result of the tragic events,” he said. “I fervently hope that every form of violence may cease, and I encourage all efforts aimed at fostering peace and development in that beloved land.”The pope also marked the annual “Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship,” extending “fraternal greetings” to Pope Tawadros II and assuring “the entire beloved Coptic Church” of his “remembrance in prayer.”“It is my hope that our journey of friendship will lead us to perfect unity in Christ, who has called us ‘friends,’” he said.In Spanish, Pope Leo XIV thanked the people of the Canary Islands who, “with the hospitality characteristic of them,” welcomed the Hondius cruise ship and the passengers infected with hantavirus.“I look forward to seeing all of you next month during my visit to the Islands,” he said.The pope also offered a Mother’s Day greeting, asking Mary, “the Mother of Jesus and our own Mother,” to intercede for all mothers.“Let us pray with love and gratitude for every mother, particularly those living in very difficult circumstances,” he said. “Thank you! May God bless you!”Before the Regina Caeli, Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in which Jesus tells his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”The pope said the words of Jesus free Christians from the misconception “that we are loved because we keep the commandments, as if our righteousness were a prerequisite for God’s love.”“On the contrary, God’s love is the basis for our righteousness,” he said.Jesus’ words, he said, are “an invitation to enter into a relationship, not a blackmail or a suspicious ultimatum.”The Lord commands his followers to love one another as he has loved them, Pope Leo said, because “it is Jesus’ love that begets love within us.”Christ, he said, is “the standard, the measure of true love: the love that is faithful forever, pure and unconditional,” the love that knows no “buts” or “maybes.”“Because God loved us first, we too can love, and when we truly love God, we truly love one another,” he said.The pope said the Lord’s commandments are “a way of life that heal us from false loves” and “a spiritual lifestyle that is a path towards salvation.”Because God loves his people, the pope continued, he “does not leave us alone in life’s trials” but promises the Paraclete, the Advocate, the “Spirit of truth.”The Holy Spirit, he said, is a gift that “the world cannot receive” as long as it persists in evil, “oppressing the poor, excluding the weak and killing the innocent.” But those who respond to Jesus’ love for all “will find in the Holy Spirit an ally who will never fail.”Pope Leo said Christians can always bear witness to “God, who is love,” adding that love is “not an idea of the human mind, but the reality of divine life, through which all things were created out of nothing and redeemed from death.”Jesus, he said, shares with believers his identity as the beloved Son: “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”This “all-encompassing communion of life,” the pope said, refutes the Accuser, the adversary of the Paraclete, who seeks to set humanity against God and people against one another. Jesus does the opposite, he said, “saving us from evil and uniting us as a people of brothers and sisters in the Church.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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At the Regina Caeli, the pope also thanked the Canary Islands for welcoming a cruise ship with passengers sick with hantavirus.

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Catholic community in shock after terrorists torch historic church in Mozambique #Catholic MAPUTO, Mozambique — The bishop of Mozambique’s Catholic Diocese of Pemba has expressed sorrow following a terrorist attack that destroyed the historic St. Louis de Montfort Parish in Cabo Delgado province, saying the local community “remains in shock” after the assault.In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, a Catholic charity foundation that supports the suffering Church all over the world, on May 1, Bishop António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo said the parish in Meza, northern Mozambique, was completely burned down during an attack carried out by insurgents on April 30.“The terrorists arrived around 4 p.m. and entered the parish of St. Louis of Montfort, a symbol, since 1946, of the Catholic presence in the region,” the bishop said.He added: “The parish was attacked and completely burned down by the insurgents. The scene was one of terror: Houses and infrastructure destroyed, the historic parish reduced to rubble.”According to Sandramo, civilians were captured during the attack and forced to listen to hate speeches delivered by the assailants.The Cameroonian missionaries serving the parish were not present at the time of the attack and are safe.“The missionaries are safe, but the community remains in shock,” the bishop said.The Catholic Church leader appealed for international solidarity with the victims of violence in Cabo Delgado, where Islamist insurgency has persisted for nearly nine years.“We ask for attention and solidarity with the victims of Meza. For almost nine years now, chapels and churches have been burned in the Diocese of Pemba,” the bishop said.Despite the destruction, he expressed hope and resilience among the Christian faithful.“But the faith of this people of God will never be burned; it is rebuilt daily!” he emphasized.According to ACN, the church building, which dates back to colonial times, was vandalized and reduced to ashes. The attack is the latest in a series of assaults attributed to militants linked to the Islamic State in Mozambique.During a December 2025 visit to Mozambique by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Sandramo shared the extent of the devastation caused by the insurgency in Cabo Delgado.“More than 300 Catholics were killed, most by decapitation,” the bishop said at the time, referring to catechists, parish animators, and ordinary faithful.He also reported that since the insurgency began in October 2017, at least 117 churches and chapels had been destroyed in the Pemba Diocese, including 23 in 2025 alone. The destruction of St. Louis de Montfort Parish adds to that toll.Parolin visited Cabo Delgado during his Dec. 5–10 trip to Mozambique, where he met victims and heard testimonies from communities affected by the violence.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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Catholic community in shock after terrorists torch historic church in Mozambique #Catholic MAPUTO, Mozambique — The bishop of Mozambique’s Catholic Diocese of Pemba has expressed sorrow following a terrorist attack that destroyed the historic St. Louis de Montfort Parish in Cabo Delgado province, saying the local community “remains in shock” after the assault.In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, a Catholic charity foundation that supports the suffering Church all over the world, on May 1, Bishop António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo said the parish in Meza, northern Mozambique, was completely burned down during an attack carried out by insurgents on April 30.“The terrorists arrived around 4 p.m. and entered the parish of St. Louis of Montfort, a symbol, since 1946, of the Catholic presence in the region,” the bishop said.He added: “The parish was attacked and completely burned down by the insurgents. The scene was one of terror: Houses and infrastructure destroyed, the historic parish reduced to rubble.”According to Sandramo, civilians were captured during the attack and forced to listen to hate speeches delivered by the assailants.The Cameroonian missionaries serving the parish were not present at the time of the attack and are safe.“The missionaries are safe, but the community remains in shock,” the bishop said.The Catholic Church leader appealed for international solidarity with the victims of violence in Cabo Delgado, where Islamist insurgency has persisted for nearly nine years.“We ask for attention and solidarity with the victims of Meza. For almost nine years now, chapels and churches have been burned in the Diocese of Pemba,” the bishop said.Despite the destruction, he expressed hope and resilience among the Christian faithful.“But the faith of this people of God will never be burned; it is rebuilt daily!” he emphasized.According to ACN, the church building, which dates back to colonial times, was vandalized and reduced to ashes. The attack is the latest in a series of assaults attributed to militants linked to the Islamic State in Mozambique.During a December 2025 visit to Mozambique by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Sandramo shared the extent of the devastation caused by the insurgency in Cabo Delgado.“More than 300 Catholics were killed, most by decapitation,” the bishop said at the time, referring to catechists, parish animators, and ordinary faithful.He also reported that since the insurgency began in October 2017, at least 117 churches and chapels had been destroyed in the Pemba Diocese, including 23 in 2025 alone. The destruction of St. Louis de Montfort Parish adds to that toll.Parolin visited Cabo Delgado during his Dec. 5–10 trip to Mozambique, where he met victims and heard testimonies from communities affected by the violence.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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The bishop of the Pemba Diocese in northern Mozambique has expressed sadness and solidarity with victims of violence in a region where Islamist insurgency has persisted for nearly nine years.

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Vatican prepares Pope Leo XIV summit on marriage crisis #Catholic Pope Leo XIV is aware that among the vocations to which men and women are called by God, marriage is one of the “noblest and highest.”He said as much last October, on the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Now, the pope has set in motion a process to address both marital crises and the growing fear among young people of getting married and forming a family.Leo XIV has called the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences to Rome this October to seek a response to an issue he considers crucial not only for the Church but also for society.In preparation for the high-level meeting, the Vatican organized a study day Tuesday titled “The Sacrament of Marriage, Faith, and Munus Docendi” at the Casina Pio IV.The initiative, hosted by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, brought together about 75 participants by invitation, including representatives of various dicasteries of the Roman Curia as well as rectors, lecturers, and others involved in the formation of future pastors.According to the dicastery, the study day was devoted to the formation of priests in accompanying “young people, engaged couples, and married couples in faith.”How can the Church form pastors capable of accompanying young people, engaged couples, and spouses so that they live Christian marriage as an authentic experience of faith in a cultural context marked by secularization? Several speakers addressed that question, including Father Andrea Bozzolo, rector of the Pontifical Salesian University.Speaking with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the Italian priest — who has taught theology of marriage at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family — emphasized the urgent need to form priests who are prepared to accompany young people and help them live Christian marriage as a true event of faith rather than as a mere “formality or social rite.”According to Bozzolo, in large sectors of contemporary society, marriage is no longer perceived as a decisive moment in the formation of a family.“For many couples, marriage today seems to be a less decisive step in the emergence of the family covenant,” he said.In that context, he added, cohabitation before marriage has become widespread as a kind of trial stage. For many young people, the strength of that relationship, tested in daily life, “has become the condition for eventually considering access to marriage,” he said.Bozzolo explained that this mentality fuels the now widespread phenomenon of couples living together before going to the altar.Unlike in past decades, when de facto unions were presented as an ideological alternative to marriage, today “they are often understood as a preparatory path,” he said.In what he described as a “liquid society,” cohabitation frequently functions as a first family experience, open to being consolidated over time into a more stable relationship.“Cohabitation in most cases does not seek to exclude the marriage covenant but rather to verify its viability,” he said, noting that the increase in separations also reflects this way of understanding the bond.Not blaming, but not trivializingIn response to this reality, Bozzolo said the Church should “not blame” young people who ask to marry after living together, but it also should not “trivialize” premarital cohabitation, because “it is not the correct way” to arrive at the altar.He also called on the Church to break with stereotypes that present love as if it were “a simple feeling.”“Love has ontological value — and not merely psychological value — and that is why marriage is a privileged vehicle for the biblical revelation of the face of God,” he said.Bozzolo insisted on the need for priestly formation that helps future priests rediscover the decisive value of marriage as a public and sacramental act.“The public and religious expression of consent,” he said, is no longer usually perceived today as something that substantially affects the stability of the bond — a reality he described as “a pastoral challenge of the first order.”Marriage is not a simple social procedureFor that reason, he said, it is essential for the Church to prepare priests who can accompany young people along a journey of faith that presents Christian marriage not as a “simple social procedure.”The goal, Bozzolo explained, is to help priests accompany married couples so that they learn to “recognize the presence and action of God in the concrete history of their bond.”Such accompaniment, he said, requires a “formative approach” capable of bringing together biblical wisdom, theological understanding, an awareness of contemporary cultural trends, and attentive listening to the real experiences of families.One current problem among couples, he said, is the tendency to absolutize the relationship and place expectations on the spousal bond that the other person cannot sustain alone.“We cannot place the entire responsibility for our happiness on our spouse, because he or she will disappoint us. For that, we have Jesus, the true messiah,” Bozzolo said.Only from a well-grounded faith, he emphasized, is it possible to live marriage in a healthy, realistic way that is open to gratuitousness, without making the other person the ultimate source of meaning.For that reason, and in direct relation to the formation of future priests, Bozzolo highlighted the need to create formation paths in seminaries that integrate these dimensions and prepare pastors for authentic marriage ministry, rooted in life and not reduced to theoretical frameworks.The last time a pope called together all the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences was in February 2019, when Pope Francis gathered them to address the wound of sexual abuse in the Church. That meeting marked a shift in the global perception of the problem and made it possible to outline a long-term strategy.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 prepares Pope Leo XIV summit on marriage crisis #Catholic Pope Leo XIV is aware that among the vocations to which men and women are called by God, marriage is one of the “noblest and highest.”He said as much last October, on the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Now, the pope has set in motion a process to address both marital crises and the growing fear among young people of getting married and forming a family.Leo XIV has called the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences to Rome this October to seek a response to an issue he considers crucial not only for the Church but also for society.In preparation for the high-level meeting, the Vatican organized a study day Tuesday titled “The Sacrament of Marriage, Faith, and Munus Docendi” at the Casina Pio IV.The initiative, hosted by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, brought together about 75 participants by invitation, including representatives of various dicasteries of the Roman Curia as well as rectors, lecturers, and others involved in the formation of future pastors.According to the dicastery, the study day was devoted to the formation of priests in accompanying “young people, engaged couples, and married couples in faith.”How can the Church form pastors capable of accompanying young people, engaged couples, and spouses so that they live Christian marriage as an authentic experience of faith in a cultural context marked by secularization? Several speakers addressed that question, including Father Andrea Bozzolo, rector of the Pontifical Salesian University.Speaking with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the Italian priest — who has taught theology of marriage at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family — emphasized the urgent need to form priests who are prepared to accompany young people and help them live Christian marriage as a true event of faith rather than as a mere “formality or social rite.”According to Bozzolo, in large sectors of contemporary society, marriage is no longer perceived as a decisive moment in the formation of a family.“For many couples, marriage today seems to be a less decisive step in the emergence of the family covenant,” he said.In that context, he added, cohabitation before marriage has become widespread as a kind of trial stage. For many young people, the strength of that relationship, tested in daily life, “has become the condition for eventually considering access to marriage,” he said.Bozzolo explained that this mentality fuels the now widespread phenomenon of couples living together before going to the altar.Unlike in past decades, when de facto unions were presented as an ideological alternative to marriage, today “they are often understood as a preparatory path,” he said.In what he described as a “liquid society,” cohabitation frequently functions as a first family experience, open to being consolidated over time into a more stable relationship.“Cohabitation in most cases does not seek to exclude the marriage covenant but rather to verify its viability,” he said, noting that the increase in separations also reflects this way of understanding the bond.Not blaming, but not trivializingIn response to this reality, Bozzolo said the Church should “not blame” young people who ask to marry after living together, but it also should not “trivialize” premarital cohabitation, because “it is not the correct way” to arrive at the altar.He also called on the Church to break with stereotypes that present love as if it were “a simple feeling.”“Love has ontological value — and not merely psychological value — and that is why marriage is a privileged vehicle for the biblical revelation of the face of God,” he said.Bozzolo insisted on the need for priestly formation that helps future priests rediscover the decisive value of marriage as a public and sacramental act.“The public and religious expression of consent,” he said, is no longer usually perceived today as something that substantially affects the stability of the bond — a reality he described as “a pastoral challenge of the first order.”Marriage is not a simple social procedureFor that reason, he said, it is essential for the Church to prepare priests who can accompany young people along a journey of faith that presents Christian marriage not as a “simple social procedure.”The goal, Bozzolo explained, is to help priests accompany married couples so that they learn to “recognize the presence and action of God in the concrete history of their bond.”Such accompaniment, he said, requires a “formative approach” capable of bringing together biblical wisdom, theological understanding, an awareness of contemporary cultural trends, and attentive listening to the real experiences of families.One current problem among couples, he said, is the tendency to absolutize the relationship and place expectations on the spousal bond that the other person cannot sustain alone.“We cannot place the entire responsibility for our happiness on our spouse, because he or she will disappoint us. For that, we have Jesus, the true messiah,” Bozzolo said.Only from a well-grounded faith, he emphasized, is it possible to live marriage in a healthy, realistic way that is open to gratuitousness, without making the other person the ultimate source of meaning.For that reason, and in direct relation to the formation of future priests, Bozzolo highlighted the need to create formation paths in seminaries that integrate these dimensions and prepare pastors for authentic marriage ministry, rooted in life and not reduced to theoretical frameworks.The last time a pope called together all the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences was in February 2019, when Pope Francis gathered them to address the wound of sexual abuse in the Church. That meeting marked a shift in the global perception of the problem and made it possible to outline a long-term strategy.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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The October meeting in Rome will bring together presidents of bishops’ conferences from around the world to seek a response to what the pope considers a crucial issue for the Church and society.

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1 in 6 face infertility; Catholic author urges faith-filled support #Catholic During this yearʼs National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead, who personally carries the cross of infertility, spoke about the difficult topic with the hope of making others experiencing it feel less alone.NIAW runs from April 19–25, bringing attention to the high numbers of people — now 1 in 6 globally — who experience infertility at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organization.Snead, a fellow at The Catholic Association, tackles the topic in her book “Infertile But Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Canʼt Conceive.” Through her story and the stories of other women, she wrote the book to be “the voice of a friend who has been where you are now and made it through in one piece.”Snead said the book was “a chance for me to add to the growing conversation and awareness about infertility, especially among Catholics for whom in vitro fertilization (IVF) (the standard ‘cure’ for infertility) is not an option.” In an interview with EWTN News, Snead shared her perspective and offered encouragement and advice for couples navigating the grief of infertility.EWTN News: What might people not know about infertility?Leigh Snead: For sure, how many people are suffering from it. For good reasons, this is a particularly private cross — it involves the most intimate parts of your marriage, for one. But marriage is public, and people can easily see if you do or donʼt have children, or, in most cases, whether or not youʼre expecting.There is a lot of hard stuff experienced in silence and even shame. It might be hard to understand if you havenʼt been through it, but it can feel almost humiliating when you canʼt conceive and so you tend to slap on a smile and pretend nothing is wrong.Itʼs too bad when we give in to this temptation to isolate ourselves from others who really only want to help. Yes, their concern can feel like even more pressure on top of what you may already be feeling internally, but you should open yourself up to their prayers. In the same way, pray for married couples and couples you think might be carrying the cross of infertility, even before they ask you.What do you wish you knew when you began navigating infertility, and what would you tell couples who are going through it now?I wish I hadnʼt overlooked and underestimated the relief and comfort I could have received by being more open about my physical and emotional struggles when facing infertility. The more I kept it a secret, the more shameful it all felt, which led to isolation and even more secrecy and shame.Privacy is one thing, but purposefully forgoing the love and prayers of those who only care for you out of shame over something you have little to no control over — nothing good can come of that.What steps can couples who are going through infertility take?Seek good medical care that aligns with your values. Learn and develop a good understanding of what the Church teaches, especially about the prohibition of IVF. Understand the “why” — not just the fact that itʼs “not allowed.” Communicate with each other and make time to enjoy your marriage even though youʼre struggling.Bear this burden together. Find parish support groups or a group online. Pray together and choose a saint to accompany you. Youʼre probably going to feel and think some dark things, so frequent confession, spiritual direction, and counseling is a good idea.What does the Catholic Church offer couples who struggle with this? What do you think the Church can do to further help them?The teachings on marriage, sexuality, and procreation the Church gives us are such a gift, but we need to be reminded of them regularly. Iʼd like to see more priests and seminarians become fluent in the language of Catholic infertility. I think making a discussion about the possibility of infertility should be included in marriage prep courses.The Catholic infertility ministry Springs in the Desert is a great resource not only for those carrying the cross of infertility but for those, like priests, hoping to support them.What advice do you have for couples who are being pushed to try IVF and other methods that do not align with Church teaching?Seek medical care from a doctor who respects or, even better, shares your views on marriage, sexuality, procreation, and human dignity. This is true for whatever type of medical care you may be seeking and is not limited to fertility care. If you feel mistreated by your physician, just walk out. There is another doctor out there who will provide you with the care you deserve.You and your husband eventually became parents though adoption. What would you want people to know about adoption?I think itʼs important to keep in mind that infertility and adoption are not to be lumped together, and I try to not conflate the two in my work. Thatʼs not always easy for me because I have four beautiful sons through the great gift of adoption.Not everyone with a diagnosis of infertility will be called to adopt a child. There are so many ways to be fruitful! We shouldnʼt limit our idea of a fruitful marriage to the raising of children, and no one should feel obliged to adopt because theyʼre unable to conceive. And if they donʼt hear that call to adopt it does not mean that they didnʼt “really” want a child, or that they arenʼt suffering.In a similar fashion, adoption fulfilled my call to motherhood but the arrival of my sons did not “cure” my infertility, nor did it take away the scars infertility can leave behind. Itʼs one of those messy parts of life where you feel all the feelings at once.
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1 in 6 face infertility; Catholic author urges faith-filled support #Catholic During this yearʼs National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead, who personally carries the cross of infertility, spoke about the difficult topic with the hope of making others experiencing it feel less alone.NIAW runs from April 19–25, bringing attention to the high numbers of people — now 1 in 6 globally — who experience infertility at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organization.Snead, a fellow at The Catholic Association, tackles the topic in her book “Infertile But Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Canʼt Conceive.” Through her story and the stories of other women, she wrote the book to be “the voice of a friend who has been where you are now and made it through in one piece.”Snead said the book was “a chance for me to add to the growing conversation and awareness about infertility, especially among Catholics for whom in vitro fertilization (IVF) (the standard ‘cure’ for infertility) is not an option.” In an interview with EWTN News, Snead shared her perspective and offered encouragement and advice for couples navigating the grief of infertility.EWTN News: What might people not know about infertility?Leigh Snead: For sure, how many people are suffering from it. For good reasons, this is a particularly private cross — it involves the most intimate parts of your marriage, for one. But marriage is public, and people can easily see if you do or donʼt have children, or, in most cases, whether or not youʼre expecting.There is a lot of hard stuff experienced in silence and even shame. It might be hard to understand if you havenʼt been through it, but it can feel almost humiliating when you canʼt conceive and so you tend to slap on a smile and pretend nothing is wrong.Itʼs too bad when we give in to this temptation to isolate ourselves from others who really only want to help. Yes, their concern can feel like even more pressure on top of what you may already be feeling internally, but you should open yourself up to their prayers. In the same way, pray for married couples and couples you think might be carrying the cross of infertility, even before they ask you.What do you wish you knew when you began navigating infertility, and what would you tell couples who are going through it now?I wish I hadnʼt overlooked and underestimated the relief and comfort I could have received by being more open about my physical and emotional struggles when facing infertility. The more I kept it a secret, the more shameful it all felt, which led to isolation and even more secrecy and shame.Privacy is one thing, but purposefully forgoing the love and prayers of those who only care for you out of shame over something you have little to no control over — nothing good can come of that.What steps can couples who are going through infertility take?Seek good medical care that aligns with your values. Learn and develop a good understanding of what the Church teaches, especially about the prohibition of IVF. Understand the “why” — not just the fact that itʼs “not allowed.” Communicate with each other and make time to enjoy your marriage even though youʼre struggling.Bear this burden together. Find parish support groups or a group online. Pray together and choose a saint to accompany you. Youʼre probably going to feel and think some dark things, so frequent confession, spiritual direction, and counseling is a good idea.What does the Catholic Church offer couples who struggle with this? What do you think the Church can do to further help them?The teachings on marriage, sexuality, and procreation the Church gives us are such a gift, but we need to be reminded of them regularly. Iʼd like to see more priests and seminarians become fluent in the language of Catholic infertility. I think making a discussion about the possibility of infertility should be included in marriage prep courses.The Catholic infertility ministry Springs in the Desert is a great resource not only for those carrying the cross of infertility but for those, like priests, hoping to support them.What advice do you have for couples who are being pushed to try IVF and other methods that do not align with Church teaching?Seek medical care from a doctor who respects or, even better, shares your views on marriage, sexuality, procreation, and human dignity. This is true for whatever type of medical care you may be seeking and is not limited to fertility care. If you feel mistreated by your physician, just walk out. There is another doctor out there who will provide you with the care you deserve.You and your husband eventually became parents though adoption. What would you want people to know about adoption?I think itʼs important to keep in mind that infertility and adoption are not to be lumped together, and I try to not conflate the two in my work. Thatʼs not always easy for me because I have four beautiful sons through the great gift of adoption.Not everyone with a diagnosis of infertility will be called to adopt a child. There are so many ways to be fruitful! We shouldnʼt limit our idea of a fruitful marriage to the raising of children, and no one should feel obliged to adopt because theyʼre unable to conceive. And if they donʼt hear that call to adopt it does not mean that they didnʼt “really” want a child, or that they arenʼt suffering.In a similar fashion, adoption fulfilled my call to motherhood but the arrival of my sons did not “cure” my infertility, nor did it take away the scars infertility can leave behind. Itʼs one of those messy parts of life where you feel all the feelings at once.

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During National Infertility Awareness Week, author Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead shared encouragement and advice for Catholic couples navigating infertility.

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National Infertility Awareness Week: 4 Catholic ministries walking with couples #Catholic According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 6 people globally experience infertility in their lifetime. In the United States, 1 in 8 couples deal with infertility.This year, National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) runs from April 19–25. Established in 1989 by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, NIAW is an annual initiative held each April that raises public awareness, promotes policy change — especially regarding insurance coverage — and fosters open conversations to support those struggling to build their families.RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association was founded in 1974 as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and couples facing infertility through education, advocacy, and community support.The Catholic Church offers couples struggling with infertility a wide range of resources that aim to address the root of the issue in a holistic manner and in a way that aligns with Church teaching.Here are four Catholic ministries that work with couples carrying the cross of infertility:Springs in the DesertSprings in the Desert is a Catholic infertility ministry founded in 2019 by Kimberly Henkel and Ann Koshute after they recognized how isolating infertility can be and how little pastoral support existed within the Church. The ministry exists to accompany women and couples spiritually and emotionally, helping them encounter God’s love and discover a broader understanding of fruitfulness beyond biological parenthood. Rooted deeply in Catholic teaching on marriage, human dignity, and reproductive ethics, it also works to educate clergy and lay leaders about the unique grief and needs associated with infertility.The ministry offers a wide range of resources, including retreats, small groups, blog reflections, a podcast, and virtual and in-person events designed to foster community and healing.For this year’s National Infertility Awareness Week, Springs in the Desert has partnered with Ascension to launch two free spiritual resources designed specifically for couples experiencing this hardship. They are a 15-part “Scripture and Saints” audio series featuring biblical figures such as Sarah and Abraham, Ruth and Naomi, Hannah and Elkanah, St. Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, the woman with the hemorrhage, and St. Paul who connect the listener to the lived experience of infertility, and a novena inviting couples to pray with titles of Our Lady such as Our Lady of Sorrows and Queen of Families in order to invoke the Blessed Mother during times of grief and loss.Both resources will be available beginning April 19 in the Ascension app.The Fruitful HollowThe Fruitful Hollow is an online Catholic infertility ministry founded in 2021 by Lauren Allen after her own experience of infertility inspired her to create a space rooted in Church teaching and authentic support. The ministry focuses on helping women and couples live out their vocation with purpose during infertility, emphasizing that fruitfulness is not limited to having children but can be lived out in many spiritual and relational ways. It aims to address the lack of conversation and resources within Catholic circles and to guide people toward holiness in the midst of suffering. Lauren Allen, the founder of the Catholic infertility ministry the Fruitful Hollow, with her husband. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Lauren Allen The ministry provides weekly blog reflections, a mentorship program titled “Sisters of Hannah,” and a wide range of downloadable resources that address grief, medical decisions, marriage, and spiritual growth. It also offers tools for prayer, education on ethical fertility treatments, and even a memorial space for those who have experienced loss.Lily of the ValleyLily of the Valley is a Catholic lay ministry founded in 2022 to support families facing infertility, pregnancy loss, and difficult prenatal or postnatal diagnoses. Rooted in Catholic teaching and devotion — especially to St. Gianna Molla — the ministry’s mission is to accompany those carrying the cross of early-life suffering with prayer, compassion, and spiritual solidarity.The ministry’s work focuses on providing both spiritual and community-based support, particularly through tangible and relational resources. One of its most distinctive offerings is personalized prayer care packages, which include sacramentals, prayer cards, and handwritten notes designed to bring comfort and encourage prayer during difficult times.In addition, Lily of the Valley offers online support groups, curated spiritual resources, and opportunities for prayer accompaniment, helping women and families feel less alone and more supported within a faith-filled community as they navigate infertility and related struggles.Elizabeth MinistryA parish-based Catholic outreach founded in 1991 in Wisconsin, Elizabeth Ministry is designed to support women and families during critical reproductive and family life experiences, including infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, and adoption. The ministry is inspired by the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, emphasizing accompaniment, presence, and shared faith. Its mission is to affirm the dignity of life and provide emotional, spiritual, and practical care to women navigating difficult or unexpected journeys.The ministry operates primarily through local parish chapters, offering one-on-one mentoring, meal support, prayer networks, and companionship for women experiencing infertility or loss. It also provides training materials, spiritual reflections, and structured programs to help parishes build supportive communities.Elizabeth Ministry’s work is especially valuable for women seeking in-person, relational support within their local Catholic community rather than solely online resources.Several parishes and dioceses have their own programs for couples struggling with infertility. For example, the Archdiocese of Denver and the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, have a program called Behold Your Child, which offers spiritual and emotional support for those experiencing infertility and hosts memorial Masses for those who have lost a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss.
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National Infertility Awareness Week: 4 Catholic ministries walking with couples #Catholic According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 6 people globally experience infertility in their lifetime. In the United States, 1 in 8 couples deal with infertility.This year, National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) runs from April 19–25. Established in 1989 by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, NIAW is an annual initiative held each April that raises public awareness, promotes policy change — especially regarding insurance coverage — and fosters open conversations to support those struggling to build their families.RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association was founded in 1974 as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and couples facing infertility through education, advocacy, and community support.The Catholic Church offers couples struggling with infertility a wide range of resources that aim to address the root of the issue in a holistic manner and in a way that aligns with Church teaching.Here are four Catholic ministries that work with couples carrying the cross of infertility:Springs in the DesertSprings in the Desert is a Catholic infertility ministry founded in 2019 by Kimberly Henkel and Ann Koshute after they recognized how isolating infertility can be and how little pastoral support existed within the Church. The ministry exists to accompany women and couples spiritually and emotionally, helping them encounter God’s love and discover a broader understanding of fruitfulness beyond biological parenthood. Rooted deeply in Catholic teaching on marriage, human dignity, and reproductive ethics, it also works to educate clergy and lay leaders about the unique grief and needs associated with infertility.The ministry offers a wide range of resources, including retreats, small groups, blog reflections, a podcast, and virtual and in-person events designed to foster community and healing.For this year’s National Infertility Awareness Week, Springs in the Desert has partnered with Ascension to launch two free spiritual resources designed specifically for couples experiencing this hardship. They are a 15-part “Scripture and Saints” audio series featuring biblical figures such as Sarah and Abraham, Ruth and Naomi, Hannah and Elkanah, St. Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, the woman with the hemorrhage, and St. Paul who connect the listener to the lived experience of infertility, and a novena inviting couples to pray with titles of Our Lady such as Our Lady of Sorrows and Queen of Families in order to invoke the Blessed Mother during times of grief and loss.Both resources will be available beginning April 19 in the Ascension app.The Fruitful HollowThe Fruitful Hollow is an online Catholic infertility ministry founded in 2021 by Lauren Allen after her own experience of infertility inspired her to create a space rooted in Church teaching and authentic support. The ministry focuses on helping women and couples live out their vocation with purpose during infertility, emphasizing that fruitfulness is not limited to having children but can be lived out in many spiritual and relational ways. It aims to address the lack of conversation and resources within Catholic circles and to guide people toward holiness in the midst of suffering. Lauren Allen, the founder of the Catholic infertility ministry the Fruitful Hollow, with her husband. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Lauren Allen The ministry provides weekly blog reflections, a mentorship program titled “Sisters of Hannah,” and a wide range of downloadable resources that address grief, medical decisions, marriage, and spiritual growth. It also offers tools for prayer, education on ethical fertility treatments, and even a memorial space for those who have experienced loss.Lily of the ValleyLily of the Valley is a Catholic lay ministry founded in 2022 to support families facing infertility, pregnancy loss, and difficult prenatal or postnatal diagnoses. Rooted in Catholic teaching and devotion — especially to St. Gianna Molla — the ministry’s mission is to accompany those carrying the cross of early-life suffering with prayer, compassion, and spiritual solidarity.The ministry’s work focuses on providing both spiritual and community-based support, particularly through tangible and relational resources. One of its most distinctive offerings is personalized prayer care packages, which include sacramentals, prayer cards, and handwritten notes designed to bring comfort and encourage prayer during difficult times.In addition, Lily of the Valley offers online support groups, curated spiritual resources, and opportunities for prayer accompaniment, helping women and families feel less alone and more supported within a faith-filled community as they navigate infertility and related struggles.Elizabeth MinistryA parish-based Catholic outreach founded in 1991 in Wisconsin, Elizabeth Ministry is designed to support women and families during critical reproductive and family life experiences, including infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, and adoption. The ministry is inspired by the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, emphasizing accompaniment, presence, and shared faith. Its mission is to affirm the dignity of life and provide emotional, spiritual, and practical care to women navigating difficult or unexpected journeys.The ministry operates primarily through local parish chapters, offering one-on-one mentoring, meal support, prayer networks, and companionship for women experiencing infertility or loss. It also provides training materials, spiritual reflections, and structured programs to help parishes build supportive communities.Elizabeth Ministry’s work is especially valuable for women seeking in-person, relational support within their local Catholic community rather than solely online resources.Several parishes and dioceses have their own programs for couples struggling with infertility. For example, the Archdiocese of Denver and the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, have a program called Behold Your Child, which offers spiritual and emotional support for those experiencing infertility and hosts memorial Masses for those who have lost a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss.

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In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, here are four Catholic ministries helping couples carry the cross of infertility.

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8,645 candles light Finland’s Parliament in pro-life vigil for unborn #Catholic HELSINKI — Thousands of candles illuminated the steps of Finlandʼs Parliament in Helsinki on March 21 as pro-life advocates held a public vigil commemorating children lost to abortion.Organized by the Finnish pro-life group Oikeus elämään ry, the “Muistamme” (“In remembrance”) event featured 8,645 candles, one for each abortion performed in Finland in 2024. Johannes Laitinen, one of the eventʼs organizers, said approximately 100 preselected participants were invited to light the candles, chosen because of their personal connection to the loss of children through abortion. Members of the public were also given the opportunity to take part in the candle lighting during the vigil. Johannes Laitinen, one of the organizers of the “Muistamme” pro-life vigil held outside Finland’s Parliament in Helsinki on March 21, 2026. | Credit: Miika Soininen After the candles were lit, participants observed a minute of silence, while volunteers remained through the night as the display continued glowing in central Helsinki.A public witness in the heart of HelsinkiSpeaking to EWTN News, Kirsi Morgan-MacKay, chairman of Finlandʼs Right to Life Association, said the vigil sought both to honor the unborn and to confront the public with the scale of abortion in the country. “The event created a visual that touched peopleʼs hearts and perhaps made them stop and think about how many children are actually lost every year through abortion,” she said.Morgan-MacKay added that the vigil also aimed to acknowledge the often-unspoken grief experienced by women and families affected by abortion. The full display of 8,645 candles glows on the steps of Finland’s Parliament in Helsinki on the night of March 21, 2026. | Credit: Jaakko Haapanen She noted that leaders from multiple Christian denominations attended the event, which organizers viewed as an encouraging sign of broader ecclesial engagement. “We have always hoped that churches would come together to defend the lives of unborn children,” she said, explaining that abortion is not merely political but “a spiritual, ethical, and moral issue.”A prayer gathering was also held in connection with the vigil at Luther Church in Helsinki, where clergy from Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Catholic communities offered prayers. Representing the Catholic Church, Jean Claude Kabeza, vicar general of the Diocese of Helsinki, conveyed greetings from Bishop Raimo Goyarrola.Finlandʼs welfare state and the limits of social supportWhile happy about Finlandʼs reputation for its strong social welfare system, Morgan-MacKay noted that many women facing crisis pregnancies still experience profound isolation. “Many women and families are still left alone in the midst of a crisis,” she said, adding that loneliness and lack of support often persist even within families.She also observed that in Finland, the lives of unborn children often go unvalued when a pregnancy is unwanted. She pointed out that women confronted with an unplanned pregnancy, sometimes in shock, may see abortion as an “easy” way out, particularly since medical abortion is frequently presented as a simple “procedure.” Pro-life advocates carry the “Muistamme” banner through central Helsinki during the candlelit vigil on March 21, 2026. | Credit: Miika Soininen Morgan-MacKay also drew attention to Finlandʼs liberalized abortion framework, particularly the increased accessibility of medical abortion, arguing that women may be pressured into rushed decisions without adequate counseling.“Sometimes the health care system offers abortion as the only option,” she said. “Many times, these women need space to pause, think everything through, and receive real support.”She added that while Finlandʼs pro-life movement remains relatively small, it is gradually growing, with increased awareness of abortionʼs broader social and personal consequences. She expressed particular encouragement at the involvement of younger supporters, especially young men, saying she believes “God is raising up a new generation of pro-lifers” as more Finns begin speaking openly about the issue.A bishopʼs medical perspective on abortionEWTN News also spoke with Goyarrola, who said he remains hopeful that Finland can become more receptive to pro-life values, despite abortion remaining a sensitive and often taboo topic in public life.Goyarrolaʼs comments carry added weight in Finlandʼs abortion debates because of his medical background. Before entering the priesthood, he trained as a physician, graduating with a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Navarra in Spain in 1992, and has pursued doctoral research in palliative care at the University of Eastern Finland since 2022. Spanish Opus Dei priest announced as new Helsinki bishop Drawing on his medical knowledge, he has also written extensively on social issues for general audiences, authoring “Ihmiselämää äidin kohdussa” (“Human Life in the Womb”), on abortion, and “Arvokas kuolema” (“A Dignified Death”), on euthanasia. Both books were widely praised for making complex bioethical questions accessible to ordinary readers.Reflecting on his experience, Goyarrola said that with regard to discussing abortion, conversations require clarity and compassion rather than confrontation.“I believe that positive language is what truly reaches people and opens hearts to reflection,” he said. “The Church speaks in defense of life by offering real solutions to real problems and proposing ways to prevent abortion.”“No one celebrates abortion as a joyful experience,” he added.Signs of change among younger FinnsAssessing the broader cultural climate, Goyarrola said abortion has historically remained difficult to discuss openly in Finnish society. “Abortion has long been a taboo subject in Finland, and to a large extent it still is,” he said, noting that public discourse is often narrowly framed around “the womanʼs right to her own body.”Yet the bishop said younger generations appear increasingly willing to engage the issue more thoughtfully. “Among young people, the topic is beginning to be discussed more openly, and with many serious questions,” he noted. Participants light some of the 8,645 candles on the steps of Finlandʼs Parliament in Helsinki on March 21, 2026, one for each abortion performed in Finland in 2024. | Credit: Jaakko Haapanen Goyarrola explained that because over 90% of abortions in Finland are carried out for social rather than medical reasons, the underlying causes must be addressed socially as well. He called for “better education, access to information, healthier lifestyles, and more personal responsibility and support for marriage and family life.”He added that the Church must continue promoting a concrete vision of family and human dignity, saying: “We aim to promote a culture that values life, family, and hope.” He also noted that the Catholic Church in Finland tries to speak about the “need for more children in society,” not for economic or labor-related reasons but rather for the future of Finnish society itself.“I hope that we can speak about abortion and about life in the motherʼs womb without prejudice, in a rational and thoughtful way,” Goyarrola added. “Only through open and respectful conversation can we better understand the complexity of the issue and seek humane and responsible solutions.”
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8,645 candles light Finland’s Parliament in pro-life vigil for unborn #Catholic HELSINKI — Thousands of candles illuminated the steps of Finlandʼs Parliament in Helsinki on March 21 as pro-life advocates held a public vigil commemorating children lost to abortion.Organized by the Finnish pro-life group Oikeus elämään ry, the “Muistamme” (“In remembrance”) event featured 8,645 candles, one for each abortion performed in Finland in 2024. Johannes Laitinen, one of the eventʼs organizers, said approximately 100 preselected participants were invited to light the candles, chosen because of their personal connection to the loss of children through abortion. Members of the public were also given the opportunity to take part in the candle lighting during the vigil. Johannes Laitinen, one of the organizers of the “Muistamme” pro-life vigil held outside Finland’s Parliament in Helsinki on March 21, 2026. | Credit: Miika Soininen After the candles were lit, participants observed a minute of silence, while volunteers remained through the night as the display continued glowing in central Helsinki.A public witness in the heart of HelsinkiSpeaking to EWTN News, Kirsi Morgan-MacKay, chairman of Finlandʼs Right to Life Association, said the vigil sought both to honor the unborn and to confront the public with the scale of abortion in the country. “The event created a visual that touched peopleʼs hearts and perhaps made them stop and think about how many children are actually lost every year through abortion,” she said.Morgan-MacKay added that the vigil also aimed to acknowledge the often-unspoken grief experienced by women and families affected by abortion. The full display of 8,645 candles glows on the steps of Finland’s Parliament in Helsinki on the night of March 21, 2026. | Credit: Jaakko Haapanen She noted that leaders from multiple Christian denominations attended the event, which organizers viewed as an encouraging sign of broader ecclesial engagement. “We have always hoped that churches would come together to defend the lives of unborn children,” she said, explaining that abortion is not merely political but “a spiritual, ethical, and moral issue.”A prayer gathering was also held in connection with the vigil at Luther Church in Helsinki, where clergy from Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Catholic communities offered prayers. Representing the Catholic Church, Jean Claude Kabeza, vicar general of the Diocese of Helsinki, conveyed greetings from Bishop Raimo Goyarrola.Finlandʼs welfare state and the limits of social supportWhile happy about Finlandʼs reputation for its strong social welfare system, Morgan-MacKay noted that many women facing crisis pregnancies still experience profound isolation. “Many women and families are still left alone in the midst of a crisis,” she said, adding that loneliness and lack of support often persist even within families.She also observed that in Finland, the lives of unborn children often go unvalued when a pregnancy is unwanted. She pointed out that women confronted with an unplanned pregnancy, sometimes in shock, may see abortion as an “easy” way out, particularly since medical abortion is frequently presented as a simple “procedure.” Pro-life advocates carry the “Muistamme” banner through central Helsinki during the candlelit vigil on March 21, 2026. | Credit: Miika Soininen Morgan-MacKay also drew attention to Finlandʼs liberalized abortion framework, particularly the increased accessibility of medical abortion, arguing that women may be pressured into rushed decisions without adequate counseling.“Sometimes the health care system offers abortion as the only option,” she said. “Many times, these women need space to pause, think everything through, and receive real support.”She added that while Finlandʼs pro-life movement remains relatively small, it is gradually growing, with increased awareness of abortionʼs broader social and personal consequences. She expressed particular encouragement at the involvement of younger supporters, especially young men, saying she believes “God is raising up a new generation of pro-lifers” as more Finns begin speaking openly about the issue.A bishopʼs medical perspective on abortionEWTN News also spoke with Goyarrola, who said he remains hopeful that Finland can become more receptive to pro-life values, despite abortion remaining a sensitive and often taboo topic in public life.Goyarrolaʼs comments carry added weight in Finlandʼs abortion debates because of his medical background. Before entering the priesthood, he trained as a physician, graduating with a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Navarra in Spain in 1992, and has pursued doctoral research in palliative care at the University of Eastern Finland since 2022. Spanish Opus Dei priest announced as new Helsinki bishop Drawing on his medical knowledge, he has also written extensively on social issues for general audiences, authoring “Ihmiselämää äidin kohdussa” (“Human Life in the Womb”), on abortion, and “Arvokas kuolema” (“A Dignified Death”), on euthanasia. Both books were widely praised for making complex bioethical questions accessible to ordinary readers.Reflecting on his experience, Goyarrola said that with regard to discussing abortion, conversations require clarity and compassion rather than confrontation.“I believe that positive language is what truly reaches people and opens hearts to reflection,” he said. “The Church speaks in defense of life by offering real solutions to real problems and proposing ways to prevent abortion.”“No one celebrates abortion as a joyful experience,” he added.Signs of change among younger FinnsAssessing the broader cultural climate, Goyarrola said abortion has historically remained difficult to discuss openly in Finnish society. “Abortion has long been a taboo subject in Finland, and to a large extent it still is,” he said, noting that public discourse is often narrowly framed around “the womanʼs right to her own body.”Yet the bishop said younger generations appear increasingly willing to engage the issue more thoughtfully. “Among young people, the topic is beginning to be discussed more openly, and with many serious questions,” he noted. Participants light some of the 8,645 candles on the steps of Finlandʼs Parliament in Helsinki on March 21, 2026, one for each abortion performed in Finland in 2024. | Credit: Jaakko Haapanen Goyarrola explained that because over 90% of abortions in Finland are carried out for social rather than medical reasons, the underlying causes must be addressed socially as well. He called for “better education, access to information, healthier lifestyles, and more personal responsibility and support for marriage and family life.”He added that the Church must continue promoting a concrete vision of family and human dignity, saying: “We aim to promote a culture that values life, family, and hope.” He also noted that the Catholic Church in Finland tries to speak about the “need for more children in society,” not for economic or labor-related reasons but rather for the future of Finnish society itself.“I hope that we can speak about abortion and about life in the motherʼs womb without prejudice, in a rational and thoughtful way,” Goyarrola added. “Only through open and respectful conversation can we better understand the complexity of the issue and seek humane and responsible solutions.”

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Organizers of the “Muistamme” vigil lit one candle for each of the 8,645 abortions performed in Finland in 2024, drawing Catholic, Lutheran, and Presbyterian clergy together in central Helsinki.

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Pope Leo XIV: Sport must be a ‘space for encounter’ #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Thursday praised athletes from the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, saying sport “can and must truly become a space for encounter” in a world marked by “polarization, rivalry, and conflicts that escalate into devastating wars.”Speaking in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican on April 9, the Holy Father welcomed the athletes “with joy” shortly after the conclusion of the Winter Games and thanked them for their witness.“Thank you for what you have shown,” the pope said. “Truly, sport, when lived authentically, is not merely a performance: It is a form of language, a narrative made up of gestures, of effort, of anticipation, of falls, and of new beginnings.”Leo XIV said the games revealed not only athletic achievement but also “stories of sacrifice, of discipline, of tenacity.”“In particular, in Paralympic competitions we have seen how a limitation can become a source of revelation: not something that holds a person back but something that can be transformed, even transfigured into newfound qualities,” he said. “You athletes have become life stories that inspire a great number of people.”The pope also emphasized the communal dimension of athletic success, saying: “No one wins alone.”“Your team spirit reminds us that no one wins alone, because behind every victory there are many people involved — from family to teams — as well as many days of training, pressure, and solitude,” he said.Quoting Psalm 18, he added: “It is often precisely in these moments that God reveals himself, as the psalmist sings: ‘Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.’”Leo XIV said sport helps mature the human person by fostering discipline, humility, and right relationships.“Sport contributes to the maturing of our character, requires a steadfast spirituality, and is a fruitful form of education,” he said. “By training the mind, along with the limbs, sport is authentic when it remains humane — that is, when it remains faithful to its first vocation: to be a school of life and talent.”“A school in which one learns that true success is measured by the quality of relationships: not by the amount of prizes but by mutual respect, by shared joy in the game,” he continued.Referring to his Feb. 6 apostolic letter “Life in Abundance,” written for the occasion of the Olympics and Paralympics, the pope said the Gospel’s vision of abundant life points to harmony between the physical and interior dimensions of the person.Turning to the present global situation, Leo XIV said the athletes’ witness carries special importance.“At the present time, so marked by polarization, rivalry, and conflicts that escalate into devastating wars, your commitment takes on an even greater value: Sport can and must truly become a space for encounter!” he said. “Not a show of strength but an exercise in relationship.”Recalling the value of the Olympic truce, he thanked the athletes for making visible “this possibility of peace as a prophecy that is by no means rhetorical: breaking the logic of violence to promote that of encounter.”The pope also warned against distortions in sport, including doping, commercialism, and the reduction of athletes to mere spectacle.“We are well aware that sport also brings with it certain temptations: that of performance at any cost, which can lead to doping; that of profit, which transforms the game into a market and the athlete into a star; that of spectacle, which reduces the athlete to an image or a number,” he said. “Against these excesses, your witness is essential.”Leo XIV concluded by thanking the athletes for showing “an honest and beautiful way of inhabiting the world” and urged them to keep the human person at the center of sport in all its forms.Following the audience, several of the athletes spoke to journalists about their experience of the audience and competing in the Winter Games, including speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, who won two gold medals at Milan-Cortina this year. Francesca Lollobrigida responds to journalists after a papal audience at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on April 9, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News “My goal was just to show that in my sport; I was able to combine, you know, being a mother and a top athlete,“ Lollobrigida told EWTN News. ”Iʼm just doing this for the other women, you know, that maybe at some points during their career they want to stop to focus on the family and then to come back.”Nikko Landeros, an American-born Catholic who lost both his legs in 2007, represented Italy in ice hockey at the latest Paralympic games. He described to EWTN News the role of Catholicism in his athletic journey.“At home, I started pretty much Catholic. You know, I went to Catholic school in the U.S. Weʼve been going to church now… not as much as I should, but, you know, I still pray every day, and Iʼm thankful to be here. You know, if it werenʼt for God, I wouldnʼt be alive. So, you know, Iʼm super thankful,” Landeros said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV: Sport must be a ‘space for encounter’ #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Thursday praised athletes from the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, saying sport “can and must truly become a space for encounter” in a world marked by “polarization, rivalry, and conflicts that escalate into devastating wars.”Speaking in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican on April 9, the Holy Father welcomed the athletes “with joy” shortly after the conclusion of the Winter Games and thanked them for their witness.“Thank you for what you have shown,” the pope said. “Truly, sport, when lived authentically, is not merely a performance: It is a form of language, a narrative made up of gestures, of effort, of anticipation, of falls, and of new beginnings.”Leo XIV said the games revealed not only athletic achievement but also “stories of sacrifice, of discipline, of tenacity.”“In particular, in Paralympic competitions we have seen how a limitation can become a source of revelation: not something that holds a person back but something that can be transformed, even transfigured into newfound qualities,” he said. “You athletes have become life stories that inspire a great number of people.”The pope also emphasized the communal dimension of athletic success, saying: “No one wins alone.”“Your team spirit reminds us that no one wins alone, because behind every victory there are many people involved — from family to teams — as well as many days of training, pressure, and solitude,” he said.Quoting Psalm 18, he added: “It is often precisely in these moments that God reveals himself, as the psalmist sings: ‘Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.’”Leo XIV said sport helps mature the human person by fostering discipline, humility, and right relationships.“Sport contributes to the maturing of our character, requires a steadfast spirituality, and is a fruitful form of education,” he said. “By training the mind, along with the limbs, sport is authentic when it remains humane — that is, when it remains faithful to its first vocation: to be a school of life and talent.”“A school in which one learns that true success is measured by the quality of relationships: not by the amount of prizes but by mutual respect, by shared joy in the game,” he continued.Referring to his Feb. 6 apostolic letter “Life in Abundance,” written for the occasion of the Olympics and Paralympics, the pope said the Gospel’s vision of abundant life points to harmony between the physical and interior dimensions of the person.Turning to the present global situation, Leo XIV said the athletes’ witness carries special importance.“At the present time, so marked by polarization, rivalry, and conflicts that escalate into devastating wars, your commitment takes on an even greater value: Sport can and must truly become a space for encounter!” he said. “Not a show of strength but an exercise in relationship.”Recalling the value of the Olympic truce, he thanked the athletes for making visible “this possibility of peace as a prophecy that is by no means rhetorical: breaking the logic of violence to promote that of encounter.”The pope also warned against distortions in sport, including doping, commercialism, and the reduction of athletes to mere spectacle.“We are well aware that sport also brings with it certain temptations: that of performance at any cost, which can lead to doping; that of profit, which transforms the game into a market and the athlete into a star; that of spectacle, which reduces the athlete to an image or a number,” he said. “Against these excesses, your witness is essential.”Leo XIV concluded by thanking the athletes for showing “an honest and beautiful way of inhabiting the world” and urged them to keep the human person at the center of sport in all its forms.Following the audience, several of the athletes spoke to journalists about their experience of the audience and competing in the Winter Games, including speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, who won two gold medals at Milan-Cortina this year. Francesca Lollobrigida responds to journalists after a papal audience at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on April 9, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News “My goal was just to show that in my sport; I was able to combine, you know, being a mother and a top athlete,“ Lollobrigida told EWTN News. ”Iʼm just doing this for the other women, you know, that maybe at some points during their career they want to stop to focus on the family and then to come back.”Nikko Landeros, an American-born Catholic who lost both his legs in 2007, represented Italy in ice hockey at the latest Paralympic games. He described to EWTN News the role of Catholicism in his athletic journey.“At home, I started pretty much Catholic. You know, I went to Catholic school in the U.S. Weʼve been going to church now… not as much as I should, but, you know, I still pray every day, and Iʼm thankful to be here. You know, if it werenʼt for God, I wouldnʼt be alive. So, you know, Iʼm super thankful,” Landeros said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pontiff addressed athletes from the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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Vatican urges Catholics not to leave Pope Leo XIV alone in opposing war #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned that the “logic of the strongest” risks prevailing on the international stage and called on Christians to become “voices of peace” who do not leave Pope Leo XIV standing alone in his opposition to war.In an interview with Dialoghi, a cultural magazine linked to Italian Catholic Action, Parolin said the voice of the pope is “prophetic” but risks becoming “a voice crying in the wilderness if it is not supported and helped concretely.”His remarks also offer a key to understanding the peace prayer vigil Leo XIV has called for April 11 in St. Peter’s Basilica.Parolin recalled the 2003 Iraq war, when St. John Paul II pleaded for the conflict to be avoided but “was left alone.” He therefore stressed the need to support the current pontiff’s appeal for a peace that is “unarmed and disarming” and to reject “the false propaganda of rearmament.”“There is a need for more voices of peace, more voices against the madness of the rush toward rearmament, more voices raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters, more voices and more proposals — I am thinking, for example, of the world of Catholic universities — for new economic models inspired by justice and care for the weakest instead of the idolatry of money,” Parolin said.The cardinal described an alarming international climate in which military action appears to impose itself too easily.“I am struck by how much determination — I was about to say ease — with which the military option is presented as decisive, almost inevitable,” he said.According to the Vatican secretary of state, this trend has left diplomacy practically “mute,” unable to activate alternative tools, while awareness of the tragedy of war and the value of shared rules is being lost.Parolin said the root of the problem is a “multi-polarism inspired by the primacy of power,” in which states place greater trust in force than in international law. That, he said, has produced “double standards,” visible in the differing reactions to attacks on civilians in Ukraine and the destruction in Gaza.“Many governments,” Parolin said, “have expressed indignation over attacks against Ukrainian civilians by Russian missiles and drones, imposing sanctions on the aggressors.”“I do not think the same has happened with the tragedy of the destruction of Gaza,” he added.For the cardinal, this is a case of “double standards” tied to the “primacy of power” — the dominance of one’s own country over others — with international law invoked “only when convenient” and ignored in many other cases.“It seems there has been a lack of awareness of the value of peace, awareness of the tragic reality of war, awareness of the importance of shared rules and of respecting them,” he said.Parolin also lamented the weakening of the global diplomatic architecture and said it is “utopian” to think peace can be guaranteed “by weapons and by balances imposed by the strongest rather than by international agreements.”“We cannot surrender to the logic of the strongest,” the cardinal insisted, because that logic “bends international law to its own interests” and weakens multilateral institutions.In that context, he also expressed regret that Europe has been unable to speak with one voice. He said it is necessary “to rekindle in peoples the sense of European belonging and, in leadership, the awareness of the need for common actions without ever failing the principles that are at the foundation of the European Union itself.”Regarding the United Nations, Parolin said the Holy See “continues to believe in its importance,” considering international organizations essential for restraining the logic of the strongest. At the same time, he acknowledged that the use of the veto has limited the U.N.’s ability to act.“We cannot move from the force of law to the law of force,” he warned.Parolin also highlighted the role believers can play, including defending life and human dignity, protecting religious freedom, promoting reforms to the economic and financial system in line with the Church’s social doctrine, and caring for creation.Finally, the cardinal addressed the cultural impact of new technologies, saying hyper-connectivity and the spread of fake news help fuel fear and build new walls.“As Christians, we must oppose this drift with our daily lives,” he concluded.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 urges Catholics not to leave Pope Leo XIV alone in opposing war #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned that the “logic of the strongest” risks prevailing on the international stage and called on Christians to become “voices of peace” who do not leave Pope Leo XIV standing alone in his opposition to war.In an interview with Dialoghi, a cultural magazine linked to Italian Catholic Action, Parolin said the voice of the pope is “prophetic” but risks becoming “a voice crying in the wilderness if it is not supported and helped concretely.”His remarks also offer a key to understanding the peace prayer vigil Leo XIV has called for April 11 in St. Peter’s Basilica.Parolin recalled the 2003 Iraq war, when St. John Paul II pleaded for the conflict to be avoided but “was left alone.” He therefore stressed the need to support the current pontiff’s appeal for a peace that is “unarmed and disarming” and to reject “the false propaganda of rearmament.”“There is a need for more voices of peace, more voices against the madness of the rush toward rearmament, more voices raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters, more voices and more proposals — I am thinking, for example, of the world of Catholic universities — for new economic models inspired by justice and care for the weakest instead of the idolatry of money,” Parolin said.The cardinal described an alarming international climate in which military action appears to impose itself too easily.“I am struck by how much determination — I was about to say ease — with which the military option is presented as decisive, almost inevitable,” he said.According to the Vatican secretary of state, this trend has left diplomacy practically “mute,” unable to activate alternative tools, while awareness of the tragedy of war and the value of shared rules is being lost.Parolin said the root of the problem is a “multi-polarism inspired by the primacy of power,” in which states place greater trust in force than in international law. That, he said, has produced “double standards,” visible in the differing reactions to attacks on civilians in Ukraine and the destruction in Gaza.“Many governments,” Parolin said, “have expressed indignation over attacks against Ukrainian civilians by Russian missiles and drones, imposing sanctions on the aggressors.”“I do not think the same has happened with the tragedy of the destruction of Gaza,” he added.For the cardinal, this is a case of “double standards” tied to the “primacy of power” — the dominance of one’s own country over others — with international law invoked “only when convenient” and ignored in many other cases.“It seems there has been a lack of awareness of the value of peace, awareness of the tragic reality of war, awareness of the importance of shared rules and of respecting them,” he said.Parolin also lamented the weakening of the global diplomatic architecture and said it is “utopian” to think peace can be guaranteed “by weapons and by balances imposed by the strongest rather than by international agreements.”“We cannot surrender to the logic of the strongest,” the cardinal insisted, because that logic “bends international law to its own interests” and weakens multilateral institutions.In that context, he also expressed regret that Europe has been unable to speak with one voice. He said it is necessary “to rekindle in peoples the sense of European belonging and, in leadership, the awareness of the need for common actions without ever failing the principles that are at the foundation of the European Union itself.”Regarding the United Nations, Parolin said the Holy See “continues to believe in its importance,” considering international organizations essential for restraining the logic of the strongest. At the same time, he acknowledged that the use of the veto has limited the U.N.’s ability to act.“We cannot move from the force of law to the law of force,” he warned.Parolin also highlighted the role believers can play, including defending life and human dignity, protecting religious freedom, promoting reforms to the economic and financial system in line with the Church’s social doctrine, and caring for creation.Finally, the cardinal addressed the cultural impact of new technologies, saying hyper-connectivity and the spread of fake news help fuel fear and build new walls.“As Christians, we must oppose this drift with our daily lives,” he concluded.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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The Vatican Secretary of State said the pope’s appeals for peace need concrete support.

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Release date for Season 6 of ‘The Chosen’ announced #Catholic Prime Video and 5&2 Studios announced April 3 that the sixth season of “The Chosen” will be released in the U.S. and internationally exclusively on Prime Video on Nov. 15.Season 6 of “The Chosen” will include six episodes, the first three of which will debut on Nov. 15, followed by the release of a weekly episode through Dec. 6.The season finale will be a stand-alone theatrical release in spring 2027.The highly anticipated sixth season will portray the 24 hours of Good Friday — culminating in Christ’s crucifixion.“Everyone knows the basics of this part of the story, but not everyone knows the ‘why’ of the crucifixion and the extraordinary events of these 24 hours,” Dallas Jenkins, creator, writer, and director of “The Chosen,” said in a press release. “We realized this not only deserved a season of television but a stand-alone full-length theatrical event as well. We wrote and filmed all of it with this in mind.”The show’s star, actor Jonathan Roumie, has spoken about his experience portraying Jesus’ passion and crucifixion.“For the first few months afterwards going to Mass — and even thinking about it now — I just get weepy. I get emotional. It’s hard. It’s left an indelible impression on me — mentally and emotionally sharing even just a percentage, a micron of a percentage, of the Lord’s passion; playing it and reenacting it has left me absolutely humbled and moved,” he told EWTN News at ChosenCon on Feb. 20.The show’s cast spent three weeks filming the crucifixion in Matera, Italy, in June 2025. In a press conference held at the Vatican at the end of that time, Jenkins called the three weeks “the most challenging and difficult we had in filming,” requiring him to surrender everything to Christ.Abe Bueno-Jallad, the actor who portrays Big James, or James the Great, told EWTN News that during filming, he had “never seen the cast so focused.”He added that the actors were “all there for each other … Everybody is carrying such a heavy burden this season as an actor.”“There’s just been incredible stuff happening on set. I’ve come back to set on days that I don’t work just to watch and I’ve seen stuff that gives me goosebumps,” he shared.In 2025, Amazon MGM Studios and 5&2 Studios signed a deal that made Prime Video the exclusive U.S. streaming partner for “The Chosen.” The deal also provides streaming rights to 5&2 Studios’ future projects including “The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls,” “The Chosen Adventures,” and “Joseph of Egypt.”
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Release date for Season 6 of ‘The Chosen’ announced #Catholic Prime Video and 5&2 Studios announced April 3 that the sixth season of “The Chosen” will be released in the U.S. and internationally exclusively on Prime Video on Nov. 15.Season 6 of “The Chosen” will include six episodes, the first three of which will debut on Nov. 15, followed by the release of a weekly episode through Dec. 6.The season finale will be a stand-alone theatrical release in spring 2027.The highly anticipated sixth season will portray the 24 hours of Good Friday — culminating in Christ’s crucifixion.“Everyone knows the basics of this part of the story, but not everyone knows the ‘why’ of the crucifixion and the extraordinary events of these 24 hours,” Dallas Jenkins, creator, writer, and director of “The Chosen,” said in a press release. “We realized this not only deserved a season of television but a stand-alone full-length theatrical event as well. We wrote and filmed all of it with this in mind.”The show’s star, actor Jonathan Roumie, has spoken about his experience portraying Jesus’ passion and crucifixion.“For the first few months afterwards going to Mass — and even thinking about it now — I just get weepy. I get emotional. It’s hard. It’s left an indelible impression on me — mentally and emotionally sharing even just a percentage, a micron of a percentage, of the Lord’s passion; playing it and reenacting it has left me absolutely humbled and moved,” he told EWTN News at ChosenCon on Feb. 20.The show’s cast spent three weeks filming the crucifixion in Matera, Italy, in June 2025. In a press conference held at the Vatican at the end of that time, Jenkins called the three weeks “the most challenging and difficult we had in filming,” requiring him to surrender everything to Christ.Abe Bueno-Jallad, the actor who portrays Big James, or James the Great, told EWTN News that during filming, he had “never seen the cast so focused.”He added that the actors were “all there for each other … Everybody is carrying such a heavy burden this season as an actor.”“There’s just been incredible stuff happening on set. I’ve come back to set on days that I don’t work just to watch and I’ve seen stuff that gives me goosebumps,” he shared.In 2025, Amazon MGM Studios and 5&2 Studios signed a deal that made Prime Video the exclusive U.S. streaming partner for “The Chosen.” The deal also provides streaming rights to 5&2 Studios’ future projects including “The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls,” “The Chosen Adventures,” and “Joseph of Egypt.”

unitedyam

The highly anticipated sixth season will portray the 24 hours of Good Friday — culminating in Christ’s crucifixion.

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Vatican official warns of ‘Christianophobia’ in Muslim world and secular West #Catholic Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is alarmed about rising hostility toward Christians, both in parts of the Islamic world and in Europe’s increasingly post‑Christian culture.Nwachukwu, who serves as secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, told EWTN News that any serious conversation about peace and coexistence must begin with clear condemnation of anti‑Christian violence, particularly from Muslim leaders in places where Christians lack full religious freedom.The Nigerian prelate also warned of a growing cultural aversion to Christianity in the West, where Christian expression is often treated with suspicion even as societies insist on defending the religious symbols of others.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit four countries in Africa, including the Muslim-majority Algeria, on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.A diplomat urges Muslims to confront anti‑Christian violenceDrawing on decades of diplomatic service in Ghana, Paraguay, Algeria, and Switzerland, Nwachukwu described the anti‑Christian discrimination he witnessed firsthand — experiences he believes continue to be overlooked.“I do not criticize Islam; I criticize the way some people practice their Islam,” he said. “People just shout about Islamophobia, but its main cause is not to be sought in the West. It is to be sought in the way some Muslims practice their religion. We are calling our Muslim friends to condemn the wrong use of their religion as a religion of violence.”He recalled that during his service in Algeria, Christians were openly labeled “enemies of Islam.” In one incident, a shopkeeper refused to serve him because he was wearing a Roman collar.“Christians still do not have full liberty to practice their religion,” he said.A West increasingly uncomfortable with its Christian rootsBut Nwachukwu also directed sharp criticism toward Europe, where he sees a growing reluctance to defend Christianity even as Western societies emphasize religious tolerance.“Everybody denounces Islamophobia, but nobody denounces Christianophobia,” he said. “We are in a post‑Christian Europe and a post‑Christian West.”He noted that Christian symbols face discrimination not applied to other religions: “You enter a hall and see a symbol of Buddhism — nobody touches it. You see a Muslim in a hijab — nobody says to remove it. But you see a cross, and they say, ‘Remove it.’ Why?”This, he argued, reflects a cultural embarrassment about Europe’s Christian heritage:“It is like feeling guilty for having a mother who is ugly and then forgetting that she also has rights. The Christianity that gave them their education, culture, and society — they now feel uncomfortable with it.”Reverse missionaries and a hopeful response to Europe’s secular driftNwachukwu said this situation makes the growing presence of African and Asian missionaries in Europe all the more significant, as a hopeful sign that the global Church can help rekindle the continent’s Christian identity.“The West often forgets that we are the result of sacrifices made by their own brothers and sisters who became missionaries,” he said. “But the sheaves — the children of those missionaries — are now returning.”Nwachukwu described this movement as a gift that can strengthen Western Christianity in places where secularism has taken deep root.“We want to see the mother Churches in Europe accept and be proud of their missionary children from the global south.”Encouragement for persecuted ChristiansTo Christians facing persecution — whether under hostile regimes, extremist movements, or secular cultural pressures — Nwachukwu offered a message of strength: “If you are encountering persecution, it means that the message you have is important. If your message were not important, people wouldn’t even think of you. So, the message is: Do not feel you are alone. Know what you are worth.”
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Vatican official warns of ‘Christianophobia’ in Muslim world and secular West #Catholic Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is alarmed about rising hostility toward Christians, both in parts of the Islamic world and in Europe’s increasingly post‑Christian culture.Nwachukwu, who serves as secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, told EWTN News that any serious conversation about peace and coexistence must begin with clear condemnation of anti‑Christian violence, particularly from Muslim leaders in places where Christians lack full religious freedom.The Nigerian prelate also warned of a growing cultural aversion to Christianity in the West, where Christian expression is often treated with suspicion even as societies insist on defending the religious symbols of others.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit four countries in Africa, including the Muslim-majority Algeria, on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.A diplomat urges Muslims to confront anti‑Christian violenceDrawing on decades of diplomatic service in Ghana, Paraguay, Algeria, and Switzerland, Nwachukwu described the anti‑Christian discrimination he witnessed firsthand — experiences he believes continue to be overlooked.“I do not criticize Islam; I criticize the way some people practice their Islam,” he said. “People just shout about Islamophobia, but its main cause is not to be sought in the West. It is to be sought in the way some Muslims practice their religion. We are calling our Muslim friends to condemn the wrong use of their religion as a religion of violence.”He recalled that during his service in Algeria, Christians were openly labeled “enemies of Islam.” In one incident, a shopkeeper refused to serve him because he was wearing a Roman collar.“Christians still do not have full liberty to practice their religion,” he said.A West increasingly uncomfortable with its Christian rootsBut Nwachukwu also directed sharp criticism toward Europe, where he sees a growing reluctance to defend Christianity even as Western societies emphasize religious tolerance.“Everybody denounces Islamophobia, but nobody denounces Christianophobia,” he said. “We are in a post‑Christian Europe and a post‑Christian West.”He noted that Christian symbols face discrimination not applied to other religions: “You enter a hall and see a symbol of Buddhism — nobody touches it. You see a Muslim in a hijab — nobody says to remove it. But you see a cross, and they say, ‘Remove it.’ Why?”This, he argued, reflects a cultural embarrassment about Europe’s Christian heritage:“It is like feeling guilty for having a mother who is ugly and then forgetting that she also has rights. The Christianity that gave them their education, culture, and society — they now feel uncomfortable with it.”Reverse missionaries and a hopeful response to Europe’s secular driftNwachukwu said this situation makes the growing presence of African and Asian missionaries in Europe all the more significant, as a hopeful sign that the global Church can help rekindle the continent’s Christian identity.“The West often forgets that we are the result of sacrifices made by their own brothers and sisters who became missionaries,” he said. “But the sheaves — the children of those missionaries — are now returning.”Nwachukwu described this movement as a gift that can strengthen Western Christianity in places where secularism has taken deep root.“We want to see the mother Churches in Europe accept and be proud of their missionary children from the global south.”Encouragement for persecuted ChristiansTo Christians facing persecution — whether under hostile regimes, extremist movements, or secular cultural pressures — Nwachukwu offered a message of strength: “If you are encountering persecution, it means that the message you have is important. If your message were not important, people wouldn’t even think of you. So, the message is: Do not feel you are alone. Know what you are worth.”

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A Nigerian archbishop said African missionaries can evangelize a Europe uneasy with its Christian past.

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