Cathedral

Pope Leo XIV arrives in Paris at start of 4-day visit to France #Catholic PARIS — Pope Leo XIV arrived in France on Friday for a four-day visit to the country that begins with a packed first day, with stops at UNESCO headquarters, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the national stadium for a prayer vigil with 80,000 young people. Leo is the first pope to visit Paris since Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.Leo was welcomed at Paris Orly Airport by President Emmanuel Macron. Two local children presented flowers as the pontiff was given military honors — a formal ceremonial tribute — before entering a room of the airport with the French president for a private conversation.During the flight from Rome, the pope told reporters that he would address “a number of very important topics” during his visit. “I above all am traveling to France, as anywhere else in the world, as a follower of Jesus Christ who wants to bring peace of Christ throughout the world,” he said.The pope’s first stop in the French capital will be the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president, an 18th-century mansion surrounded by elaborate landscaped gardens.There, Leo will again have time to speak with Macron, before delivering the first official speech of the trip, addressed to political authorities and members of civil society, the business world, and the diplomatic corps.Among the most sensitive issues that the pope is expected to address are end-of-life questions. France legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia this summer, becoming the fifth European country to do so after Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Spain. After a break for lunch, the Holy Father will visit the headquarters of UNESCO — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — a specialized UN agency that preserves cultural heritage sites and promotes peace, sustainable development, and human rights.
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Pope Leo XIV arrives in Paris at start of 4-day visit to France #Catholic PARIS — Pope Leo XIV arrived in France on Friday for a four-day visit to the country that begins with a packed first day, with stops at UNESCO headquarters, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the national stadium for a prayer vigil with 80,000 young people. Leo is the first pope to visit Paris since Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.Leo was welcomed at Paris Orly Airport by President Emmanuel Macron. Two local children presented flowers as the pontiff was given military honors — a formal ceremonial tribute — before entering a room of the airport with the French president for a private conversation.During the flight from Rome, the pope told reporters that he would address “a number of very important topics” during his visit. “I above all am traveling to France, as anywhere else in the world, as a follower of Jesus Christ who wants to bring peace of Christ throughout the world,” he said.The pope’s first stop in the French capital will be the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president, an 18th-century mansion surrounded by elaborate landscaped gardens.There, Leo will again have time to speak with Macron, before delivering the first official speech of the trip, addressed to political authorities and members of civil society, the business world, and the diplomatic corps.Among the most sensitive issues that the pope is expected to address are end-of-life questions. France legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia this summer, becoming the fifth European country to do so after Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Spain. After a break for lunch, the Holy Father will visit the headquarters of UNESCO — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — a specialized UN agency that preserves cultural heritage sites and promotes peace, sustainable development, and human rights.

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The pontiff is expected to proclaim Catholic social teaching to a secular country showing signs of Christian revival.

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Controversial ‘Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities’ included at Mass in Brazil #Catholic On Sept. 7, Bishop José Valdeci Santos Mendes of Brejo, Maranhão, Brazil, celebrated Mass as part of a national Cry of the Excluded event. During the Mass, the "Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities” (known as CEBs, by their synonym in Portuguese) was read. This creed, developed in 2016, professes belief in “a God/Goddess present in the diverse experiences of the communities: a God who is close, a liberating and revolutionary God, a God who is a member of the CEBs, who works and struggles just as Jesus of Nazareth did.”Following the distribution of the Eucharist but before the final blessing, the bishop — who chairs the Episcopal Commission for Social-Transformative Action of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CEPAST-CNBB, by its Portuguese acronym) — introduced the referenced creed. He called it a “supplication from the youth of Latin America, who stand before God asking him to come to meet us,” and entrusted the creed’s recitation to two young men.“We do not believe in a static, patriarchal, clerical, and hierarchical Church,” stated the text read by the young men at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception. “We believe in an inclusive, intergenerational community with a voice of its own. We believe in this Church that struggles, ‘casting its lot with the poor of the earth’ in the face of a dominant capitalist system.”“We believe we are daughters and sons of a ‘Great Homeland’ free from racism and free from rules governing love — embracing all sexual diversity, women, youth, Indigenous peoples, Black people, minorities, and all those at the bottom of the social order.”The Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities is part of a suggested liturgy outline for Masses, worship services, and public gatherings marking the 32nd Cry of the Excluded — a mobilization bringing together pastoral groups, Catholic organizations, and social movements, held annually on Brazil’s Independence Day. CEPAST has called upon dioceses, pastoral groups, and grassroots movements to strengthen this mobilization within their respective jurisdictions this year.In a message released in June regarding the 2026 elections, the CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil) stated that “the Catholic Church does not endorse candidates or political parties” but affirmed that the Church, “driven by the Gospel and the mission to proclaim it, promotes life and human dignity, and serves the building of the common good.”Elections, the CEB Creed, and prayersDuring the penitential rite, Mass participants asked for forgiveness for “times when we did not take the country’s destiny seriously during elections” and for failing to speak out against “candidacies backed by economic power that will harm the people and potentially even impose authoritarian regimes.”The other parts of the penitential rite address wars, people living on the streets, real estate speculation, housing movements, violence against women, and femicide.During the Prayers of the Faithful, an intention regarding the elections was also included: “For this election season, that we may have the discernment not to vote for anyone who seeks to jeopardize Brazil’s sovereignty or harbors plans for a coup. May we not vote for politicians and parties that wish to turn the public good into an object of profit. Sovereignty is not negotiable.” The assembly’s response was: “Deliver us, Lord, from all those who use politics to betray the Brazilian people!”CEPAST states it did not draft the liturgy guideCEPAST’s communications office told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News, that the CNBB commission did not participate in drafting the document. “The ‘Cry of the Excluded’ is a coalition formed by various organizations, and CEPAST did not participate in drafting the liturgy guide,” said Juce Rocha of the commission’s communications team.The National Coordination of the Cry of the Excluded includes among its participants Catholic pastoral groups, organizations, and social movements such as the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), Caritas Brazil, the Workers' Pastoral, the Migrants' Pastoral Service, Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBs), the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST), the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), the Central of Popular Movements (CMP), and the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE).The national map for this year’s “Cry” documented activities in all regions of the country. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peterʼs Cathedral, where Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa participated in the mobilization. In Santos, São Paulo, the “Cry” was part of the dioceseʼs official agenda and was attended by Bishop Joaquim Giovani Mol Guimarães. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peter’s Cathedral. | Credit: Diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim The same order of service was not followed at all Masses linked to the Cry. At the National Shrine of Aparecida in São Paulo, for instance, the Sept. 7 Mass was celebrated within the context of both the 39th Workers' Pilgrimage and the 32nd Cry of the Excluded. The Mass was celebrated by the archbishop of Aparecida, Mário Antonio da Silva; among the concelebrants was the bishop of the Prelature of Marajó, Pará, José Ionilton Lisboa de Oliveira, president of the Pastoral Land Commission.The Cry was mentioned during the Mass and the homily, but the program used in Brejo was not adopted for the celebration.The Cry of the Excluded first emerged during the evaluation of the second Brazilian Social Week — promoted by the CNBB in 1993 and 1994 — as a way to continue the reflections from that process. The initiative was also inspired by the 1995 Fraternity Campaign, which featured the theme “Fraternity and the Excluded” and the motto “Was it you, Lord?”The first edition took place on Sept. 7, 1995, in 170 locations. In 1996, the CNBB adopted the Cry during its general assembly as part of the Toward the New Millennium Project.Today, the mobilization is led by a National Coordination body comprising the CNBB’s Commission 8, Catholic pastoral groups and organizations, and various social movements and entities — including the CPT, Cáritas Brasileira, the Workers‘ Pastoral, the Migrants’ Pastoral Service, CEBs, the MST, MAB, CMP, and CNTE.According to the event’s organizers, the choice of Sept. 7 is intended to provide a “counterpoint” to the official Independence Day commemoration. The date has also been identified by the event’s organizers as a moment for “political awareness” and the struggle for a “new national and global order.”While the movement’s longtime theme is “Life Comes First!”, the slogan for 2026 is: “In defense of the land, peace, and housing, we raise our voices: Women alive and sovereignty!” National demands include ending the “6×1” (six days of work and one day off) work schedule, ensuring dignified housing, agrarian reform, quality public education, and the defense of the SUS (Unified Health System), as well as combating femicide, racism, and what is termed as “LGBTphobia.”The event’s website states that the choice of Sept. 7 seeks to offer a “counterpoint to the official history of Brazilʼs independence. Contrasting with the civic and military parades that have traditionally marked the day, it calls upon the people — especially the poor and the excluded — to step down from the grandstands, leave passive patriotism behind, and occupy public squares and streets in defense of their rights.”This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Controversial ‘Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities’ included at Mass in Brazil #Catholic On Sept. 7, Bishop José Valdeci Santos Mendes of Brejo, Maranhão, Brazil, celebrated Mass as part of a national Cry of the Excluded event. During the Mass, the "Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities” (known as CEBs, by their synonym in Portuguese) was read. This creed, developed in 2016, professes belief in “a God/Goddess present in the diverse experiences of the communities: a God who is close, a liberating and revolutionary God, a God who is a member of the CEBs, who works and struggles just as Jesus of Nazareth did.”Following the distribution of the Eucharist but before the final blessing, the bishop — who chairs the Episcopal Commission for Social-Transformative Action of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CEPAST-CNBB, by its Portuguese acronym) — introduced the referenced creed. He called it a “supplication from the youth of Latin America, who stand before God asking him to come to meet us,” and entrusted the creed’s recitation to two young men.“We do not believe in a static, patriarchal, clerical, and hierarchical Church,” stated the text read by the young men at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception. “We believe in an inclusive, intergenerational community with a voice of its own. We believe in this Church that struggles, ‘casting its lot with the poor of the earth’ in the face of a dominant capitalist system.”“We believe we are daughters and sons of a ‘Great Homeland’ free from racism and free from rules governing love — embracing all sexual diversity, women, youth, Indigenous peoples, Black people, minorities, and all those at the bottom of the social order.”The Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities is part of a suggested liturgy outline for Masses, worship services, and public gatherings marking the 32nd Cry of the Excluded — a mobilization bringing together pastoral groups, Catholic organizations, and social movements, held annually on Brazil’s Independence Day. CEPAST has called upon dioceses, pastoral groups, and grassroots movements to strengthen this mobilization within their respective jurisdictions this year.In a message released in June regarding the 2026 elections, the CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil) stated that “the Catholic Church does not endorse candidates or political parties” but affirmed that the Church, “driven by the Gospel and the mission to proclaim it, promotes life and human dignity, and serves the building of the common good.”Elections, the CEB Creed, and prayersDuring the penitential rite, Mass participants asked for forgiveness for “times when we did not take the country’s destiny seriously during elections” and for failing to speak out against “candidacies backed by economic power that will harm the people and potentially even impose authoritarian regimes.”The other parts of the penitential rite address wars, people living on the streets, real estate speculation, housing movements, violence against women, and femicide.During the Prayers of the Faithful, an intention regarding the elections was also included: “For this election season, that we may have the discernment not to vote for anyone who seeks to jeopardize Brazil’s sovereignty or harbors plans for a coup. May we not vote for politicians and parties that wish to turn the public good into an object of profit. Sovereignty is not negotiable.” The assembly’s response was: “Deliver us, Lord, from all those who use politics to betray the Brazilian people!”CEPAST states it did not draft the liturgy guideCEPAST’s communications office told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News, that the CNBB commission did not participate in drafting the document. “The ‘Cry of the Excluded’ is a coalition formed by various organizations, and CEPAST did not participate in drafting the liturgy guide,” said Juce Rocha of the commission’s communications team.The National Coordination of the Cry of the Excluded includes among its participants Catholic pastoral groups, organizations, and social movements such as the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), Caritas Brazil, the Workers' Pastoral, the Migrants' Pastoral Service, Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBs), the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST), the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), the Central of Popular Movements (CMP), and the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE).The national map for this year’s “Cry” documented activities in all regions of the country. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peterʼs Cathedral, where Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa participated in the mobilization. In Santos, São Paulo, the “Cry” was part of the dioceseʼs official agenda and was attended by Bishop Joaquim Giovani Mol Guimarães. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peter’s Cathedral. | Credit: Diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim The same order of service was not followed at all Masses linked to the Cry. At the National Shrine of Aparecida in São Paulo, for instance, the Sept. 7 Mass was celebrated within the context of both the 39th Workers' Pilgrimage and the 32nd Cry of the Excluded. The Mass was celebrated by the archbishop of Aparecida, Mário Antonio da Silva; among the concelebrants was the bishop of the Prelature of Marajó, Pará, José Ionilton Lisboa de Oliveira, president of the Pastoral Land Commission.The Cry was mentioned during the Mass and the homily, but the program used in Brejo was not adopted for the celebration.The Cry of the Excluded first emerged during the evaluation of the second Brazilian Social Week — promoted by the CNBB in 1993 and 1994 — as a way to continue the reflections from that process. The initiative was also inspired by the 1995 Fraternity Campaign, which featured the theme “Fraternity and the Excluded” and the motto “Was it you, Lord?”The first edition took place on Sept. 7, 1995, in 170 locations. In 1996, the CNBB adopted the Cry during its general assembly as part of the Toward the New Millennium Project.Today, the mobilization is led by a National Coordination body comprising the CNBB’s Commission 8, Catholic pastoral groups and organizations, and various social movements and entities — including the CPT, Cáritas Brasileira, the Workers‘ Pastoral, the Migrants’ Pastoral Service, CEBs, the MST, MAB, CMP, and CNTE.According to the event’s organizers, the choice of Sept. 7 is intended to provide a “counterpoint” to the official Independence Day commemoration. The date has also been identified by the event’s organizers as a moment for “political awareness” and the struggle for a “new national and global order.”While the movement’s longtime theme is “Life Comes First!”, the slogan for 2026 is: “In defense of the land, peace, and housing, we raise our voices: Women alive and sovereignty!” National demands include ending the “6×1” (six days of work and one day off) work schedule, ensuring dignified housing, agrarian reform, quality public education, and the defense of the SUS (Unified Health System), as well as combating femicide, racism, and what is termed as “LGBTphobia.”The event’s website states that the choice of Sept. 7 seeks to offer a “counterpoint to the official history of Brazilʼs independence. Contrasting with the civic and military parades that have traditionally marked the day, it calls upon the people — especially the poor and the excluded — to step down from the grandstands, leave passive patriotism behind, and occupy public squares and streets in defense of their rights.”This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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This past Sept. 7, the “Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities” was included as part of a Mass marking Brazil’s annual “Cry of the Excluded” event.

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Cardinal Burke to lead international Rosary Rally in Amsterdam #Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke will preside over Radio Maria’s annual Rosary Rally of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sept. 5.“Cardinal Burke will be the principal celebrant at Holy Mass in the Church of Our Lady, Keizersgracht 218, Amsterdam. Later that afternoon, he will lead a prayer service and give an inspiring talk at the Vondelpark,” Radio Maria’s website states. The event takes place every year as a fulfillment of the request of Our Lady of Fatima to pray for a spirit of conversion in society. Centenary of first Catholic Mass in Norway celebratedIn celebration of 100 years since the first Catholic Mass in Norway, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim presided over a solemn Mass in Longyearbyen.The Mass took place at Svalbard Church on Aug. 30, and was widely attended by members of the Catholic community, as well as nonprofit organizations and representatives of the Lutheran Church of Norway, according to a Vatican News report on Aug. 31. “For the sake of bringing Jesus’ sacrifice concretely to Svalbard, Bishop Smit came here in 1926 and celebrated the first Catholic Mass on the archipelago,” Varden said during his homily. “In gratitude for the grace God has poured out on Svalbard through a hundred years, we will faithfully take responsibility for that grace.”Scottish sisters to stand trial over historic child abuse chargesIn Scotland, five Sisters of Nazareth nuns aged between 67 and 84 have been indicted to stand trial. They are accused of multiple abuse charges against several children following a preliminary hearing that took place at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.Marie Docherty, 84, Mary Broderick, 83, Margaret McLafferty, 67, Kathleen McLean, 76, and Mary Doyle, 80, were named on an indictment, which contains 108 charges. The indictment includes allegations that children were punched, struck, kicked, force-fed, forced to stand while wearing soiled bedding or clothing. The alleged crimes are said to have taken place mainly at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982.The accused have previously entered pleas of not guilty.A further preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2027, and the court has provisionally set aside eight weeks for a trial starting on March 30, 2027, in Glasgow. ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ in Australia to operate under theme ‘Love Protects’Catholics across Australia will observe “Safeguarding Sunday” on Sept. 13 under the theme, “Love Protects” in honor of victims of abuse within the Church.“‘Love Protects’ reminds us that genuine love is demonstrated through action,” Bishop Greg Bennet, chair of the Bishops Commission for Professional Standards and Safeguarding in Australia, said in a Sept. 4 press release. “Safeguarding is an essential part of our mission and ministry. It calls each of us to be attentive, accountable, and committed to ensuring that every person can participate in the life of the Church safely and with confidence.”New leader for Melkite Catholics in Argentina Lebanese priest Jean Abou Charouche has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to lead the Melkite Greek Catholic community in Argentina as apostolic exarch and has been raised to the rank of bishop, ACI MENA, EWTN News’ Arabic-language sister service, reported on Aug. 31.The Melkite exarchate in Argentina serves about 345,000 faithful.Born near Beirut in 1972, Abou Charouche was ordained a priest in 1998 and has devoted much of his ministry to preparing future priests and religious. He later moved to Argentina, becoming pastor of St. George Cathedral in Córdoba in 2015. Since 2023, he has already been overseeing the countryʼs Melkite Catholic community as apostolic administrator. Pro-life groups protest ‘International Safe Abortion Day’ celebration in BelfastChristian and pro-life groups have called on the Belfast City Council to cancel plans to illuminate the city in observance of “International Safe Abortion Day.”“The strength of this open letter comes from the breadth of organizations standing together. Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, pro-life, pregnancy-support, and Christian community groups have united to send Belfast City Council a clear and respectful message: City Hall is not a billboard for abortion,” Bernadette Smyth, director of the Precious Life, the largest pro-life group in Northern Ireland, said in a press release Sept. 1. The letter came ahead of Belfast City Hall’s 11-3 vote to approve the measure on Sept. 2.Ivory Coast cardinal decries illegal gold mining Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo of the Ivory Coast’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan has denounced the devastating environmental consequences of illegal gold mining, calling for stronger state action to protect the country’s natural resources and its people, ACI Africa, EWTN News’ sister service in Africa, reported Sept. 3.In his homily during the Mass of the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the cardinal reflected on the ecological vision of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, warning against the destruction of land and waterways caused by the pursuit of gold.He also challenged what he described as the excessive attachment to money that fuels the exploitation of creation.“Gold that kills is not gold. Illegal gold mining that kills human beings is worse than idolatry. It is beyond words,” Dogbo said, condemning mining activities that “soil the water,” destroy the environment, and transform rivers into “polluted wastelands.”UK government warns against assisted suicide in latest assessmentAn updated assessment from the UK government has found that “poverty, poor care, and abuse” could lead to “disproportionate numbers of ethnic minority people” seeking to end their lives via assisted suicide.The latest assessment, released Aug. 29, comes as the government increased its central estimate of annual assisted deaths from 2,183 to 3,502, according to an Aug. 29 press release from Right To Life UK. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for extensive healthcare reforms to take place before the passage of legislation on assisted dying. “Personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first, and that’s the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” Burnham said on July 29. ”I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”Patrick J. Passmore contributed to this report.
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Cardinal Burke to lead international Rosary Rally in Amsterdam #Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke will preside over Radio Maria’s annual Rosary Rally of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sept. 5.“Cardinal Burke will be the principal celebrant at Holy Mass in the Church of Our Lady, Keizersgracht 218, Amsterdam. Later that afternoon, he will lead a prayer service and give an inspiring talk at the Vondelpark,” Radio Maria’s website states. The event takes place every year as a fulfillment of the request of Our Lady of Fatima to pray for a spirit of conversion in society. Centenary of first Catholic Mass in Norway celebratedIn celebration of 100 years since the first Catholic Mass in Norway, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim presided over a solemn Mass in Longyearbyen.The Mass took place at Svalbard Church on Aug. 30, and was widely attended by members of the Catholic community, as well as nonprofit organizations and representatives of the Lutheran Church of Norway, according to a Vatican News report on Aug. 31. “For the sake of bringing Jesus’ sacrifice concretely to Svalbard, Bishop Smit came here in 1926 and celebrated the first Catholic Mass on the archipelago,” Varden said during his homily. “In gratitude for the grace God has poured out on Svalbard through a hundred years, we will faithfully take responsibility for that grace.”Scottish sisters to stand trial over historic child abuse chargesIn Scotland, five Sisters of Nazareth nuns aged between 67 and 84 have been indicted to stand trial. They are accused of multiple abuse charges against several children following a preliminary hearing that took place at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.Marie Docherty, 84, Mary Broderick, 83, Margaret McLafferty, 67, Kathleen McLean, 76, and Mary Doyle, 80, were named on an indictment, which contains 108 charges. The indictment includes allegations that children were punched, struck, kicked, force-fed, forced to stand while wearing soiled bedding or clothing. The alleged crimes are said to have taken place mainly at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982.The accused have previously entered pleas of not guilty.A further preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2027, and the court has provisionally set aside eight weeks for a trial starting on March 30, 2027, in Glasgow. ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ in Australia to operate under theme ‘Love Protects’Catholics across Australia will observe “Safeguarding Sunday” on Sept. 13 under the theme, “Love Protects” in honor of victims of abuse within the Church.“‘Love Protects’ reminds us that genuine love is demonstrated through action,” Bishop Greg Bennet, chair of the Bishops Commission for Professional Standards and Safeguarding in Australia, said in a Sept. 4 press release. “Safeguarding is an essential part of our mission and ministry. It calls each of us to be attentive, accountable, and committed to ensuring that every person can participate in the life of the Church safely and with confidence.”New leader for Melkite Catholics in Argentina Lebanese priest Jean Abou Charouche has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to lead the Melkite Greek Catholic community in Argentina as apostolic exarch and has been raised to the rank of bishop, ACI MENA, EWTN News’ Arabic-language sister service, reported on Aug. 31.The Melkite exarchate in Argentina serves about 345,000 faithful.Born near Beirut in 1972, Abou Charouche was ordained a priest in 1998 and has devoted much of his ministry to preparing future priests and religious. He later moved to Argentina, becoming pastor of St. George Cathedral in Córdoba in 2015. Since 2023, he has already been overseeing the countryʼs Melkite Catholic community as apostolic administrator. Pro-life groups protest ‘International Safe Abortion Day’ celebration in BelfastChristian and pro-life groups have called on the Belfast City Council to cancel plans to illuminate the city in observance of “International Safe Abortion Day.”“The strength of this open letter comes from the breadth of organizations standing together. Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, pro-life, pregnancy-support, and Christian community groups have united to send Belfast City Council a clear and respectful message: City Hall is not a billboard for abortion,” Bernadette Smyth, director of the Precious Life, the largest pro-life group in Northern Ireland, said in a press release Sept. 1. The letter came ahead of Belfast City Hall’s 11-3 vote to approve the measure on Sept. 2.Ivory Coast cardinal decries illegal gold mining Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo of the Ivory Coast’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan has denounced the devastating environmental consequences of illegal gold mining, calling for stronger state action to protect the country’s natural resources and its people, ACI Africa, EWTN News’ sister service in Africa, reported Sept. 3.In his homily during the Mass of the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the cardinal reflected on the ecological vision of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, warning against the destruction of land and waterways caused by the pursuit of gold.He also challenged what he described as the excessive attachment to money that fuels the exploitation of creation.“Gold that kills is not gold. Illegal gold mining that kills human beings is worse than idolatry. It is beyond words,” Dogbo said, condemning mining activities that “soil the water,” destroy the environment, and transform rivers into “polluted wastelands.”UK government warns against assisted suicide in latest assessmentAn updated assessment from the UK government has found that “poverty, poor care, and abuse” could lead to “disproportionate numbers of ethnic minority people” seeking to end their lives via assisted suicide.The latest assessment, released Aug. 29, comes as the government increased its central estimate of annual assisted deaths from 2,183 to 3,502, according to an Aug. 29 press release from Right To Life UK. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for extensive healthcare reforms to take place before the passage of legislation on assisted dying. “Personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first, and that’s the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” Burnham said on July 29. ”I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”Patrick J. Passmore contributed to this report.

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Catholic cardinal presides over Rosary Rally in Holland, Norway celebrates 100 years since first Mass, Scottish sisters to stand trial for abuse, and more in this week’s world news round up.

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Bishops from Mexico, U.S., Canada see urgent need to speak ‘with one voice’ #Catholic “It is increasingly urgent that the Catholic Church in the Americas speak with one voice,” stated Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), following the Mass celebrated Aug. 30 at the cathedral in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which marked the beginning of a meeting among Mexican, U.S., and Canadian bishops.Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) was the main celebrant of the Mass. Concelebrating alongside various priests, along with Flores, were Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, addresses the congregation at the conclusion of the Mass at Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca In a brief message, Flores expressed gratitude for “Bishop Ramón’s inspiration in inviting us to this gathering to strengthen this ecclesial communion.”“In the times we are living through, it will become increasingly important — indeed, urgent — for the Catholic Church in the Americas to speak with one voice, defending the honor of Our Lord and the dignity of the human person — especially the poor and immigrants, who often have nowhere to lay their heads, just like the Lord Jesus himself,” he said.“We need to preach together and united as one Church, under the guidance of our Holy Father, Pope Leo, and in communion with all the bishops of the world,” he added.3 distinct countries ‘but one and the same faith’In his homily, Castro highlighted that this meeting of leaders from North American episcopal conferences is “the first of its kind in our history.”“We are three distinct countries. We are three Churches with different histories and realities, yet we share one and the same faith, one baptism, one Eucharist, and one mission,” the Mexican prelate affirmed.Regarding the role of bishops, Castro emphasized that “before being leaders, we are disciples,” and “before having responsibilities, we are men called by the Lord.”“Perhaps this can be the profound spirit of this gathering of the Church in North America: for all of us to place ourselves once again behind Jesus.” Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, Mexico, right, and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Canada, pray during the consecration at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca ‘Enormous challenges’The president of the CEM emphasized that “our peoples face enormous challenges, particularly Mexico,” and pointed to issues such as “violence, demagoguery, corruption, loneliness, secularization, individualism, materialism, polarization, wounded families, and young people seeking reasons for hope.”He further noted that “perhaps one of the most common themes among the three of us as countries and conferences is migration.”“Over the coming days, we will have the opportunity to share our perspectives on these realities, not in a spirit of judgment or confrontation but rather out of the pastoral responsibility that falls to us as shepherds,” the bishop of Cuernavaca said. The faithful attend Mass at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca “We want to better understand the lives of our people. To what end? To be able to serve them better,” he stated.Castro emphasized that “migration must not be reduced to statistics, public policies, or economic obligations,” because “behind every migrant there is a face, a story, a family, a hope, and, unfortunately, often many wounds.”“The Church must view these people as brothers and sisters whose dignity must be recognized and protected,” he said.The Mexican bishop also expressed his wish “that from Cuernavaca we might send a simple yet powerful sign to our churches, churches on pilgrimage in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.”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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Bishops from Mexico, U.S., Canada see urgent need to speak ‘with one voice’ #Catholic “It is increasingly urgent that the Catholic Church in the Americas speak with one voice,” stated Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), following the Mass celebrated Aug. 30 at the cathedral in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which marked the beginning of a meeting among Mexican, U.S., and Canadian bishops.Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) was the main celebrant of the Mass. Concelebrating alongside various priests, along with Flores, were Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, addresses the congregation at the conclusion of the Mass at Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca In a brief message, Flores expressed gratitude for “Bishop Ramón’s inspiration in inviting us to this gathering to strengthen this ecclesial communion.”“In the times we are living through, it will become increasingly important — indeed, urgent — for the Catholic Church in the Americas to speak with one voice, defending the honor of Our Lord and the dignity of the human person — especially the poor and immigrants, who often have nowhere to lay their heads, just like the Lord Jesus himself,” he said.“We need to preach together and united as one Church, under the guidance of our Holy Father, Pope Leo, and in communion with all the bishops of the world,” he added.3 distinct countries ‘but one and the same faith’In his homily, Castro highlighted that this meeting of leaders from North American episcopal conferences is “the first of its kind in our history.”“We are three distinct countries. We are three Churches with different histories and realities, yet we share one and the same faith, one baptism, one Eucharist, and one mission,” the Mexican prelate affirmed.Regarding the role of bishops, Castro emphasized that “before being leaders, we are disciples,” and “before having responsibilities, we are men called by the Lord.”“Perhaps this can be the profound spirit of this gathering of the Church in North America: for all of us to place ourselves once again behind Jesus.” Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, Mexico, right, and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Canada, pray during the consecration at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca ‘Enormous challenges’The president of the CEM emphasized that “our peoples face enormous challenges, particularly Mexico,” and pointed to issues such as “violence, demagoguery, corruption, loneliness, secularization, individualism, materialism, polarization, wounded families, and young people seeking reasons for hope.”He further noted that “perhaps one of the most common themes among the three of us as countries and conferences is migration.”“Over the coming days, we will have the opportunity to share our perspectives on these realities, not in a spirit of judgment or confrontation but rather out of the pastoral responsibility that falls to us as shepherds,” the bishop of Cuernavaca said. The faithful attend Mass at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca “We want to better understand the lives of our people. To what end? To be able to serve them better,” he stated.Castro emphasized that “migration must not be reduced to statistics, public policies, or economic obligations,” because “behind every migrant there is a face, a story, a family, a hope, and, unfortunately, often many wounds.”“The Church must view these people as brothers and sisters whose dignity must be recognized and protected,” he said.The Mexican bishop also expressed his wish “that from Cuernavaca we might send a simple yet powerful sign to our churches, churches on pilgrimage in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.”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 bishops discussed the pastoral challenges facing the Church in North America as a whole and concelebrated a Mass on Aug. 30 in the Cuernavaca, Mexico, cathedral.

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Hope for broken marriages: One couple’s story #Catholic On April 7, 2009, Mariela Villanueva landed in Venezuela convinced that she was going to end her marriage. Five years had passed since her husband, Harold Figueras, had left his family in Peru and rebuilt his life in another country. She carried with her the pain of a long separation and the resolve to sign the divorce papers. He had with him a written list of all the grievances he intended to unleash the moment he saw her.Nothing happened the way either of them had imagined.They arranged to meet on a Wednesday at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy, at the very spot where they had courted years before. When Mariela appeared, Harold frantically searched for the sheet of paper containing his complaints. It had vanished.“I was expecting a war. She opened her arms to embrace me, and I realized that I was the only one who wanted to fight,” Harold recalled in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. Mariela said she made that gesture because she had already begun a process of conversion and was holding onto one last hope.That embrace did not immediately restore the marriage, however. It would still be nearly a month before he ended the other relationship he was in and decided to return to his family. But on that day, they both attest, Jesus won the first great battle. Harold and Mariela in front of Lima Cathedral. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva A marriage marked by woundednessHarold and Mariela met in 1998 at the Venezuelan College of Engineers. He worked in systems; she was a young lawyer running a legal consultation firm with dozens of professionals under her supervision.While Mariela had grown up in a Catholic family and frequently prayed the rosary, Harold was completely indifferent to the faith.“I used to make fun of priests. For me, getting married in the Church was simply a matter of fulfilling a social formality,” he admitted.They were married in a civil ceremony and on Sept. 2, 2000, received the sacrament at marriage at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Barranco, Peru. However, they acknowledged that they came to the altar without truly understanding the meaning of the vocation of marriage.“We began our life together without God at the center. That was the first major mistake,” Harold explained.Over the years, deep-seated wounds began to surface: abandonment, loneliness, pride, an inability to communicate, and unrealistic expectations about love. Venezuela’s economic crisis further aggravated the situation. Harold traveled constantly between the two countries until, one day, he simply stopped coming back.Mariela was left alone in Lima with her young daughter. Recent photo of Harold and Mariela with their three daughters in Lima, Peru. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva ‘Mom, teach me to pray’Paradoxically, the restoration did not begin when Harold changed. It began when Mariela got down on her knees.Estranged from the Church and filled with resentment, the young mother had abandoned the practice of her faith after being hurt by a bad experience at a parish. Everything changed thanks to an unexpected request from her 7-year-old daughter: “Mom, grandma says you know how to pray. Teach me the rosary.”Mariela agreed, more out of a sense of obligation than anything else. Shortly after that, her daughter insisted on making her first Communion and said something that pierced her mother’s heart: “You know what it’s like to have Jesus in your heart… so why don’t you [go to Communion]?”Those words led Mariela back to the confessional.From then on, she began a routine that would change her life: daily Mass before work, Eucharistic adoration at midday, and the rosary every night with her daughter.“I was looking for God to change my husband. The Lord ended up changing me,” she related. Harold and Mariela with members of the Peruvian Catholic movement “Jesus and Mary Are Restoring My Family.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva ‘Look at me’During Eucharistic adoration, an experience occurred that would, years later, give its name to the retreat the couple now leads as part of the Peruvian Catholic movement “Jesus and Mary Are Restoring My Family.”Mariela was praying, seeing herself as the victim in her story: “Lord, look at me. Look at how good I am. Look at what he did to me.”Then, she raised her eyes toward the monstrance.“I no longer saw the monstrance. I saw Jesus, wounded and bloodied. And he said to me only: ‘Look at me.’”In that moment, she experienced a personal encounter with Jesus. She began to recall her own sins from childhood and realized that, for years, she had been unable to recognize her own wounds.“I realized that God wasn’t going to ask me about Harold’s sins. He was going to ask me how much I loved my husband within the sacrament.”Her prayer changed completely, and she no longer asked for Harold to return. She only prayed: “Lord, bring him back to you.” Mariela Villanueva. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mariela Villanueva The hell of the occultWhile Mariela was deepening her prayer life, Harold was heading down a completely opposite path.Seeking better financial prospects, he began consulting tarot cards. Next came syncretist Santería practices, and finally Palería, a witchcraft practice involving human remains and animal sacrifices.“I entered a dark room containing skeletal remains. I felt an indescribable fear, yet I kept looking for answers where they weren’t to be found,” Harold recalled.Amid that emptiness, he began to notice something strange. Mariela kept calling him, but no longer to get him back. One afternoon, in a mocking tone, he asked her: “What’s wrong? Don’t you need me anymore?”Her answer baffled him.“No. Whatʼs going on is that I have someone here who loves me.”Harold thought she had another romantic partner, but today he knows his wife was speaking of Christ himself. Harold Figueras. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras Welcomed back with loveAfter that encounter with his wife in Venezuela, Harold eventually returned to Peru.He admitted he was terrified of facing Mariela’s family and above all, their daughter. He imagined reproaches, humiliation, and rejection. Yet, he found exactly the opposite.“They all hugged me as if I had just stepped out to buy bread,” he recounted.A few days later, he accompanied Mariela to the Oblate Fathers’ church in the Barranco neighborhood of Lima. He had no thought of even going inside. He was standing near the doorway when, as he tells it, he felt an inner impulse that led him straight to the confessional.“I told the priest: ‘Father, I’ve been separated from my wife for five years, and I don’t know why I’ve come back.’”The priest invited him to attend a spiritual retreat. It was there that Harold experienced his own conversion.Before the Blessed Sacrament, after resisting for hours, Harold looked up: “I no longer saw the monstrance. I saw two honey-colored eyes that pierced my heart. I began to weep as I never had in my life.”From that moment on, he abandoned the occult and began a journey of faith that continues to this day.An ongoing miracleMore than 15 years have passed since that reconciliation.Harold and Mariela maintain that the true miracle was not simply living together again but discovering that marriage is a daily path to holiness.“Restoring the marriage takes your whole life. It doesn’t stop when the husband returns. It begins there,” Mariela said. Harold and Mariela today. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva That experience gave rise to the “Jesus and Mary Are Restoring My Family” movement, an initiative that supports spouses who are separated or on the verge of divorce. The path they propose begins with oneʼs own conversion rather than an attempt to change oneʼs spouse.Those who come to the mission begin with what’s called “Mary’s Workshop,” a preparation for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary that focuses on the sacrament of marriage. There, the aim is for each person to acknowledge his or her own wounds and receive the tools to discern how to handle their issues as a family.However, Harold and Mariela noted that not all journeys end the same way. Some married couples manage to reunite, while others go their separate ways, including through the process of a declaration of nullity. What remains, they maintain, is the call to conversion and to seek God’s will.“The Lord wants us to be holy,” Mariela explained. She said that even when a person goes through a process different from what she or he hoped for, suffering can become an opportunity to draw closer to Christ and offer that pain for the holiness of the Church.Today, when they look back, the couple no longer see themselves as the same people who had separated. Mariela describes Harold as a man more committed to knowing Godʼs love and capable of giving of himself to his family.For his part, he acknowledged that the woman he reunited with after five years was no longer the same one he had left behind. The Figueras Villanueva family today. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva For this reason, their testimony does not aim to offer a formula for restoring a lost marriage. It is, above all, the story of two people who discovered that, before asking God to change the other person, they had to allow themselves to be transformed by him.“Many people come saying, ‘I want my husband to come back.’ We tell them: First, let Jesus return to the center of your heart,” Harold explained.Their message to couples in crisis stems from that experience: Don’t hide your wounds, don’t let shame defeat you, and don’t confuse restoration with a simple return to the life you had before.For as they discovered that Wednesday afternoon in 2009, some marital battles are not won by defeating the other person but by allowing oneself to be conquered by God’s merciful love.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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Hope for broken marriages: One couple’s story #Catholic On April 7, 2009, Mariela Villanueva landed in Venezuela convinced that she was going to end her marriage. Five years had passed since her husband, Harold Figueras, had left his family in Peru and rebuilt his life in another country. She carried with her the pain of a long separation and the resolve to sign the divorce papers. He had with him a written list of all the grievances he intended to unleash the moment he saw her.Nothing happened the way either of them had imagined.They arranged to meet on a Wednesday at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy, at the very spot where they had courted years before. When Mariela appeared, Harold frantically searched for the sheet of paper containing his complaints. It had vanished.“I was expecting a war. She opened her arms to embrace me, and I realized that I was the only one who wanted to fight,” Harold recalled in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. Mariela said she made that gesture because she had already begun a process of conversion and was holding onto one last hope.That embrace did not immediately restore the marriage, however. It would still be nearly a month before he ended the other relationship he was in and decided to return to his family. But on that day, they both attest, Jesus won the first great battle. Harold and Mariela in front of Lima Cathedral. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva A marriage marked by woundednessHarold and Mariela met in 1998 at the Venezuelan College of Engineers. He worked in systems; she was a young lawyer running a legal consultation firm with dozens of professionals under her supervision.While Mariela had grown up in a Catholic family and frequently prayed the rosary, Harold was completely indifferent to the faith.“I used to make fun of priests. For me, getting married in the Church was simply a matter of fulfilling a social formality,” he admitted.They were married in a civil ceremony and on Sept. 2, 2000, received the sacrament at marriage at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Barranco, Peru. However, they acknowledged that they came to the altar without truly understanding the meaning of the vocation of marriage.“We began our life together without God at the center. That was the first major mistake,” Harold explained.Over the years, deep-seated wounds began to surface: abandonment, loneliness, pride, an inability to communicate, and unrealistic expectations about love. Venezuela’s economic crisis further aggravated the situation. Harold traveled constantly between the two countries until, one day, he simply stopped coming back.Mariela was left alone in Lima with her young daughter. Recent photo of Harold and Mariela with their three daughters in Lima, Peru. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva ‘Mom, teach me to pray’Paradoxically, the restoration did not begin when Harold changed. It began when Mariela got down on her knees.Estranged from the Church and filled with resentment, the young mother had abandoned the practice of her faith after being hurt by a bad experience at a parish. Everything changed thanks to an unexpected request from her 7-year-old daughter: “Mom, grandma says you know how to pray. Teach me the rosary.”Mariela agreed, more out of a sense of obligation than anything else. Shortly after that, her daughter insisted on making her first Communion and said something that pierced her mother’s heart: “You know what it’s like to have Jesus in your heart… so why don’t you [go to Communion]?”Those words led Mariela back to the confessional.From then on, she began a routine that would change her life: daily Mass before work, Eucharistic adoration at midday, and the rosary every night with her daughter.“I was looking for God to change my husband. The Lord ended up changing me,” she related. Harold and Mariela with members of the Peruvian Catholic movement “Jesus and Mary Are Restoring My Family.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva ‘Look at me’During Eucharistic adoration, an experience occurred that would, years later, give its name to the retreat the couple now leads as part of the Peruvian Catholic movement “Jesus and Mary Are Restoring My Family.”Mariela was praying, seeing herself as the victim in her story: “Lord, look at me. Look at how good I am. Look at what he did to me.”Then, she raised her eyes toward the monstrance.“I no longer saw the monstrance. I saw Jesus, wounded and bloodied. And he said to me only: ‘Look at me.’”In that moment, she experienced a personal encounter with Jesus. She began to recall her own sins from childhood and realized that, for years, she had been unable to recognize her own wounds.“I realized that God wasn’t going to ask me about Harold’s sins. He was going to ask me how much I loved my husband within the sacrament.”Her prayer changed completely, and she no longer asked for Harold to return. She only prayed: “Lord, bring him back to you.” Mariela Villanueva. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mariela Villanueva The hell of the occultWhile Mariela was deepening her prayer life, Harold was heading down a completely opposite path.Seeking better financial prospects, he began consulting tarot cards. Next came syncretist Santería practices, and finally Palería, a witchcraft practice involving human remains and animal sacrifices.“I entered a dark room containing skeletal remains. I felt an indescribable fear, yet I kept looking for answers where they weren’t to be found,” Harold recalled.Amid that emptiness, he began to notice something strange. Mariela kept calling him, but no longer to get him back. One afternoon, in a mocking tone, he asked her: “What’s wrong? Don’t you need me anymore?”Her answer baffled him.“No. Whatʼs going on is that I have someone here who loves me.”Harold thought she had another romantic partner, but today he knows his wife was speaking of Christ himself. Harold Figueras. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras Welcomed back with loveAfter that encounter with his wife in Venezuela, Harold eventually returned to Peru.He admitted he was terrified of facing Mariela’s family and above all, their daughter. He imagined reproaches, humiliation, and rejection. Yet, he found exactly the opposite.“They all hugged me as if I had just stepped out to buy bread,” he recounted.A few days later, he accompanied Mariela to the Oblate Fathers’ church in the Barranco neighborhood of Lima. He had no thought of even going inside. He was standing near the doorway when, as he tells it, he felt an inner impulse that led him straight to the confessional.“I told the priest: ‘Father, I’ve been separated from my wife for five years, and I don’t know why I’ve come back.’”The priest invited him to attend a spiritual retreat. It was there that Harold experienced his own conversion.Before the Blessed Sacrament, after resisting for hours, Harold looked up: “I no longer saw the monstrance. I saw two honey-colored eyes that pierced my heart. I began to weep as I never had in my life.”From that moment on, he abandoned the occult and began a journey of faith that continues to this day.An ongoing miracleMore than 15 years have passed since that reconciliation.Harold and Mariela maintain that the true miracle was not simply living together again but discovering that marriage is a daily path to holiness.“Restoring the marriage takes your whole life. It doesn’t stop when the husband returns. It begins there,” Mariela said. Harold and Mariela today. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva That experience gave rise to the “Jesus and Mary Are Restoring My Family” movement, an initiative that supports spouses who are separated or on the verge of divorce. The path they propose begins with oneʼs own conversion rather than an attempt to change oneʼs spouse.Those who come to the mission begin with what’s called “Mary’s Workshop,” a preparation for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary that focuses on the sacrament of marriage. There, the aim is for each person to acknowledge his or her own wounds and receive the tools to discern how to handle their issues as a family.However, Harold and Mariela noted that not all journeys end the same way. Some married couples manage to reunite, while others go their separate ways, including through the process of a declaration of nullity. What remains, they maintain, is the call to conversion and to seek God’s will.“The Lord wants us to be holy,” Mariela explained. She said that even when a person goes through a process different from what she or he hoped for, suffering can become an opportunity to draw closer to Christ and offer that pain for the holiness of the Church.Today, when they look back, the couple no longer see themselves as the same people who had separated. Mariela describes Harold as a man more committed to knowing Godʼs love and capable of giving of himself to his family.For his part, he acknowledged that the woman he reunited with after five years was no longer the same one he had left behind. The Figueras Villanueva family today. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Harold Figueras and Mariela Villanueva For this reason, their testimony does not aim to offer a formula for restoring a lost marriage. It is, above all, the story of two people who discovered that, before asking God to change the other person, they had to allow themselves to be transformed by him.“Many people come saying, ‘I want my husband to come back.’ We tell them: First, let Jesus return to the center of your heart,” Harold explained.Their message to couples in crisis stems from that experience: Don’t hide your wounds, don’t let shame defeat you, and don’t confuse restoration with a simple return to the life you had before.For as they discovered that Wednesday afternoon in 2009, some marital battles are not won by defeating the other person but by allowing oneself to be conquered by God’s merciful love.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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Starting out their marriage without God at the center, the couple became estranged and the husband left, but things began to change when their daughter asked her mom, “Teach me to pray.”

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Student asks Supreme Court to overturn ruling blocking public aid for religious studies #Catholic Representatives for Liberty University student Bethany Hall have filed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a decades-old court decision that has been used to bar Catholic institutions from receiving state funds.The National Legal Foundation, Claybrook LLC, Troutman Pepper Locke, First Liberty Institute, and Alliance Defending Freedom filed the petition on Aug. 11. The filing follows a May 13 ruling by a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel that rejected Hall’s attempt to sue Virginia officials for blocking her from using a ,000 Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant for a youth ministries degree, citing the 2004 Supreme Court decision Locke v. Davey.“It is odious to our Constitution for a state to fund a degree in music but refuse to fund a degree in music & worship,” Steven Fitschen of National Legal Foundation said in a press release announcing the petition. “The Free Exercise clause is meant to encourage and even prefer religion. But Virginia’s decision to deny funding based upon religious use is the type of hostility toward religion rejected by the First Amendment.”Diocese of Scranton reopens St. Pius X Seminary after over 20 yearsSt. Pius X Seminary in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been reestablished 22 years after its closure in 2004 due to a declining number of vocations to the priesthood.Bishop Joseph Bambera presided over the seminary’s official opening on Aug. 23, welcoming four seminarians to the freshly renovated building that was formerly the Cathedral Convent building, according to a press release from the diocese.“As we re-establish the ministry of Saint Pius X Seminary, what an incredible gift this is,” Bambera said during his homily at the seminary’s first Mass, according to the release. Bambera had been a seminarian at St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton 48 years ago.The release noted that the decision to reestablish the seminary came from Bambera’s wish “to make the first stage of priestly formation more closely connected to the Diocese of Scranton and the people the seminarians may one day serve.”“We are excited because it’s going to give these men, as they start seminary, an opportunity to get to know the Diocese better,” Father Alex Roche, diocesan secretary for clergy formation and rector of St. Pius X Seminary, said in the release. “It’s also going to give the people of the Diocese a chance to get to know our seminarians before they go elsewhere to continue their studies in theology.”Justice Barrett to speak at Benedictine College’s library dedicationSupreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett will deliver a speech at the upcoming dedication of Benedictine College’s Independence Hall-inspired library on Sept. 26.“This is an exciting milestone for Benedictine College,” Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis said in a press release on Aug. 25. “The library will not only demonstrate our commitment to academic excellence and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, but it will also be a symbol of our love for this great country of ours.”“The college is pleased to have Justice Barrett as part of the dedication ceremony,” the press release said, noting that the dedication for the Moritz Library in D’Aniello Hall will be free and open to the public.Barrett earned her bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame.Students revive 1982 robotic arm at Catholic University despite lost documentationA group of students from The Catholic University of America have brought to life a robotic space arm built in 1982 after documentation for the piece of technology has been lost for years.Originally developed by Engineering Dean Emeritus and Ordinary Professor Charles Cuong Nguyen, the arm had been part of a pioneering technological effort to build the International Space Station, according to the university’s press release on Aug. 12.The project to revive the arm, which is capable of a wide range of precise movements within a thousandth of an inch, was carried out by three students, including a high school Da Vinci Scholar, and was led by Nguyen. The students included Saliha Kavafogolu, an undergraduate intern from Yale University; Nathan Arega, a high school Da Vinci Scholar; and Ha (Jessica) Ngo-Tang, a biomedical engineering doctoral candidate.California parents ask Supreme Court to overturn ruling excluding them from state programThree California parents have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to exclude them from a state program over the religious materials they chose to home-school their children.“The Ninth Circuit declared the homes of these parents to be ‘public school programs’ in order to justify the state’s religious discrimination,” Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for First Liberty Institute, said in an Aug. 20 press release. “Parents should not be punished for choosing quality religious curriculum meeting the state’s standard that they teach to their own children in their own home just because it’s religious.”The state of California’s tuition-free charter schools allow parents to home-school their children and have access to state funds to purchase curriculum. However, the press release notes, parents “can’t select a religious curriculum, even if they purchase it with their own funds, and their children’s work samples are rejected if they include religious wording or derive from materials created by religious publishers.”The petition states that “California’s policy singles out parents who wish to give their children a faith-based education and excludes them from homeschooling benefits and support extended to other California families.”
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Student asks Supreme Court to overturn ruling blocking public aid for religious studies #Catholic Representatives for Liberty University student Bethany Hall have filed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a decades-old court decision that has been used to bar Catholic institutions from receiving state funds.The National Legal Foundation, Claybrook LLC, Troutman Pepper Locke, First Liberty Institute, and Alliance Defending Freedom filed the petition on Aug. 11. The filing follows a May 13 ruling by a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel that rejected Hall’s attempt to sue Virginia officials for blocking her from using a $5,000 Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant for a youth ministries degree, citing the 2004 Supreme Court decision Locke v. Davey.“It is odious to our Constitution for a state to fund a degree in music but refuse to fund a degree in music & worship,” Steven Fitschen of National Legal Foundation said in a press release announcing the petition. “The Free Exercise clause is meant to encourage and even prefer religion. But Virginia’s decision to deny funding based upon religious use is the type of hostility toward religion rejected by the First Amendment.”Diocese of Scranton reopens St. Pius X Seminary after over 20 yearsSt. Pius X Seminary in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been reestablished 22 years after its closure in 2004 due to a declining number of vocations to the priesthood.Bishop Joseph Bambera presided over the seminary’s official opening on Aug. 23, welcoming four seminarians to the freshly renovated building that was formerly the Cathedral Convent building, according to a press release from the diocese.“As we re-establish the ministry of Saint Pius X Seminary, what an incredible gift this is,” Bambera said during his homily at the seminary’s first Mass, according to the release. Bambera had been a seminarian at St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton 48 years ago.The release noted that the decision to reestablish the seminary came from Bambera’s wish “to make the first stage of priestly formation more closely connected to the Diocese of Scranton and the people the seminarians may one day serve.”“We are excited because it’s going to give these men, as they start seminary, an opportunity to get to know the Diocese better,” Father Alex Roche, diocesan secretary for clergy formation and rector of St. Pius X Seminary, said in the release. “It’s also going to give the people of the Diocese a chance to get to know our seminarians before they go elsewhere to continue their studies in theology.”Justice Barrett to speak at Benedictine College’s library dedicationSupreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett will deliver a speech at the upcoming dedication of Benedictine College’s Independence Hall-inspired library on Sept. 26.“This is an exciting milestone for Benedictine College,” Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis said in a press release on Aug. 25. “The library will not only demonstrate our commitment to academic excellence and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, but it will also be a symbol of our love for this great country of ours.”“The college is pleased to have Justice Barrett as part of the dedication ceremony,” the press release said, noting that the dedication for the Moritz Library in D’Aniello Hall will be free and open to the public.Barrett earned her bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame.Students revive 1982 robotic arm at Catholic University despite lost documentationA group of students from The Catholic University of America have brought to life a robotic space arm built in 1982 after documentation for the piece of technology has been lost for years.Originally developed by Engineering Dean Emeritus and Ordinary Professor Charles Cuong Nguyen, the arm had been part of a pioneering technological effort to build the International Space Station, according to the university’s press release on Aug. 12.The project to revive the arm, which is capable of a wide range of precise movements within a thousandth of an inch, was carried out by three students, including a high school Da Vinci Scholar, and was led by Nguyen. The students included Saliha Kavafogolu, an undergraduate intern from Yale University; Nathan Arega, a high school Da Vinci Scholar; and Ha (Jessica) Ngo-Tang, a biomedical engineering doctoral candidate.California parents ask Supreme Court to overturn ruling excluding them from state programThree California parents have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to exclude them from a state program over the religious materials they chose to home-school their children.“The Ninth Circuit declared the homes of these parents to be ‘public school programs’ in order to justify the state’s religious discrimination,” Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for First Liberty Institute, said in an Aug. 20 press release. “Parents should not be punished for choosing quality religious curriculum meeting the state’s standard that they teach to their own children in their own home just because it’s religious.”The state of California’s tuition-free charter schools allow parents to home-school their children and have access to state funds to purchase curriculum. However, the press release notes, parents “can’t select a religious curriculum, even if they purchase it with their own funds, and their children’s work samples are rejected if they include religious wording or derive from materials created by religious publishers.”The petition states that “California’s policy singles out parents who wish to give their children a faith-based education and excludes them from homeschooling benefits and support extended to other California families.”

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A student challenges a 2004 Supreme Court decision, the Diocese of Scranton reopens its seminary, and Benedictine College names a speaker for its library dedication in this week’s education roundup.

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Bishop prays for Norway’s King Harald V, hails ‘stable pillar’ #Catholic King Harald V of Norway, Europeʼs oldest reigning monarch, died on Aug. 28 at Oslo University Hospital. He was 89.A Requiem Mass for King Harald will be celebrated at St. Olavʼs Cathedral in Trondheim on Aug. 29 at noon, and Lauds and Vespers will also be offered for the late monarch.EWTN Norway is streaming the services on its website and YouTube channel.Within hours of the kingʼs death, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim published a tribute on behalf of Norwegian Catholics. He commended Harald to Godʼs mercy and offered prayers for Queen Sonja, the royal family, and the new King Haakon VIII.Varden, a Trappist monk who also serves as apostolic administrator of Tromsø and president of the Nordic Bishops' Conference, opened his reflection with the ninth-century Commendatio Animae — the Churchʼs prayer for the dying.“Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God, the Almighty Father, who created you; in the name of Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, who suffered for you; and in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you,” the prayer begins.Varden wrote that the prayer reminds the faithful that death is a transition “from life to Life.”Prayers for the new kingVarden described Harald as a monarch who embodied the nation in an exemplary way, giving Norwegians a sense of being seen and cared for.“He was so completely and utterly king, devoted to the people, that it was as if no ego stood in the way,” the bishop wrote. “In this way, he drew near to us in a comforting way.”Harald “has spoken wisely to us, with a subtle sense of humor that we will miss,” Varden added.The bishop placed the kingʼs passing in the context of the ancient acclamation “The King is dead; long live the King,” and wrote that the monarchy stands as “a stable pillar in society” that represents continuity.“In a time as uncertain as ours, that is a comfort,” he wrote.Varden called on Norwegian Catholics to pray for King Haakon VIII. He asked the faithful for “blessings and wisdom,” and called on Catholics to stand loyally by the new sovereign..Closing his tribute, the bishop invoked the intercession of St. Olav, Norwayʼs patron saint.King Haraldʼs reignHarald V was born on Feb. 21, 1937, and ascended the throne on Jan. 17, 1991, succeeding his father, King Olav V. He reigned for 35 years.A three-time Olympic yachtsman, Harald modernized the Norwegian royal house. Later in his life, he refused to abdicate, saying he had taken a lifelong oath before the Norwegian parliament.He had experienced multiple health problems in recent years.Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, 89, his wife of 57 years, and their two children: Princess Märtha Louise, 54, and the new King Haakon VIII, 53. His granddaughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is now next in line to the throne.This report draws on coverage by EWTN Norway and reporting by Pål Johannes Nes.
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Bishop prays for Norway’s King Harald V, hails ‘stable pillar’ #Catholic King Harald V of Norway, Europeʼs oldest reigning monarch, died on Aug. 28 at Oslo University Hospital. He was 89.A Requiem Mass for King Harald will be celebrated at St. Olavʼs Cathedral in Trondheim on Aug. 29 at noon, and Lauds and Vespers will also be offered for the late monarch.EWTN Norway is streaming the services on its website and YouTube channel.Within hours of the kingʼs death, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim published a tribute on behalf of Norwegian Catholics. He commended Harald to Godʼs mercy and offered prayers for Queen Sonja, the royal family, and the new King Haakon VIII.Varden, a Trappist monk who also serves as apostolic administrator of Tromsø and president of the Nordic Bishops' Conference, opened his reflection with the ninth-century Commendatio Animae — the Churchʼs prayer for the dying.“Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God, the Almighty Father, who created you; in the name of Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, who suffered for you; and in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you,” the prayer begins.Varden wrote that the prayer reminds the faithful that death is a transition “from life to Life.”Prayers for the new kingVarden described Harald as a monarch who embodied the nation in an exemplary way, giving Norwegians a sense of being seen and cared for.“He was so completely and utterly king, devoted to the people, that it was as if no ego stood in the way,” the bishop wrote. “In this way, he drew near to us in a comforting way.”Harald “has spoken wisely to us, with a subtle sense of humor that we will miss,” Varden added.The bishop placed the kingʼs passing in the context of the ancient acclamation “The King is dead; long live the King,” and wrote that the monarchy stands as “a stable pillar in society” that represents continuity.“In a time as uncertain as ours, that is a comfort,” he wrote.Varden called on Norwegian Catholics to pray for King Haakon VIII. He asked the faithful for “blessings and wisdom,” and called on Catholics to stand loyally by the new sovereign..Closing his tribute, the bishop invoked the intercession of St. Olav, Norwayʼs patron saint.King Haraldʼs reignHarald V was born on Feb. 21, 1937, and ascended the throne on Jan. 17, 1991, succeeding his father, King Olav V. He reigned for 35 years.A three-time Olympic yachtsman, Harald modernized the Norwegian royal house. Later in his life, he refused to abdicate, saying he had taken a lifelong oath before the Norwegian parliament.He had experienced multiple health problems in recent years.Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, 89, his wife of 57 years, and their two children: Princess Märtha Louise, 54, and the new King Haakon VIII, 53. His granddaughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is now next in line to the throne.This report draws on coverage by EWTN Norway and reporting by Pål Johannes Nes.

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Bishop Erik Varden invoked a ninth-century prayer for the dying as he commended King Harald V to God’s mercy on behalf of Norwegian Catholics.

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Nevada Catholic churches open doors amid northern Nevada wildfires #Catholic A Nevada wildfire that has leveled homes near Reno, Nevada, and caused the evacuation of about 90,000 residents is expected to burn for another 48 hours.Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada is preparing its response for short- and long-term aid while evacuating employees and volunteers.Marie Baxter, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, said she had a family of six — and their two cats, dog, and rabbit — staying in her office Saturday night.“We have 200 employees and, on a rough estimate, would say that 20% of our staff are evacuated,” she told EWTN News. “We are also navigating assisting our volunteers, as many of whom also are evacuated. Volunteers provide critical manpower in our dining rooms and our food pantry.”Catholic Charities worked with the Red Cross over the weekend while planning to step in for a long-term response.Both St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral and Holy Cross Catholic Church in Sparks opened doors for overnight guests, according to Baxter.“Over the weekend, we were in regular communication with the Red Cross ready to provide volunteers, food, and other resources,” she said.“Our most intensive role actually comes after the fire as we do all of the long-term case management for individuals referred to us by the Red Cross,” she said. “Red Cross and Washoe County Human Services Agency does the short-term stabilization; we take it from there.”“We are also scaling up our food resources in our food pantry as we know we will see a surge of individuals once they are able to return home and have to throw out perishable foods due to extended power loss,” she said. “Many of those displaced on the north/northwest border of the fire live in lower-income neighborhoods or are seniors on fixed incomes.”Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada has responded to wildfires “in and around our area the past seven years,” according to Baxter.“We help with bridge housing, grocery replacement, household item replacement, et cetera,” she said. “We also help individuals replace essential documents, work with their insurance company (if they have insurance) and generally help them move back toward stability.”“Where this fire burned, there are a lot of lower-income families and a lot of renters,” Baxter said. “There are often multiple families living in houses/trailers on a single land plot. When they are displaced, they are truly displaced.”“Even when they are let back in, they could have damage or loss that makes it impossible for them to stay,” Baxter continued. “Just finding a new place and coming up with first/last monthʼs rent can be a huge barrier; tack on replacing your food, getting your kiddos back in school … this is where we shine at accompaniment.”Hawk Fire Service did not yet have an anticipated timeline for when the nearly 90,000 evacuated people will be able to return to the area. The cause for the fire was identified as “human” by Hawk Fire. Officials anticipated that hot, dry, breezy conditions will spread the fire. There were a reported six people injured, three of whom were emergency responders.“While the evacuation orders are still in place, we are stocking our pantry with additional food and extending what is available in our Essentials Closet so we can help individuals who need items while at the evacuation shelters or while they are staying with friends and family,” Baxter said.
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Nevada Catholic churches open doors amid northern Nevada wildfires #Catholic A Nevada wildfire that has leveled homes near Reno, Nevada, and caused the evacuation of about 90,000 residents is expected to burn for another 48 hours.Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada is preparing its response for short- and long-term aid while evacuating employees and volunteers.Marie Baxter, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, said she had a family of six — and their two cats, dog, and rabbit — staying in her office Saturday night.“We have 200 employees and, on a rough estimate, would say that 20% of our staff are evacuated,” she told EWTN News. “We are also navigating assisting our volunteers, as many of whom also are evacuated. Volunteers provide critical manpower in our dining rooms and our food pantry.”Catholic Charities worked with the Red Cross over the weekend while planning to step in for a long-term response.Both St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral and Holy Cross Catholic Church in Sparks opened doors for overnight guests, according to Baxter.“Over the weekend, we were in regular communication with the Red Cross ready to provide volunteers, food, and other resources,” she said.“Our most intensive role actually comes after the fire as we do all of the long-term case management for individuals referred to us by the Red Cross,” she said. “Red Cross and Washoe County Human Services Agency does the short-term stabilization; we take it from there.”“We are also scaling up our food resources in our food pantry as we know we will see a surge of individuals once they are able to return home and have to throw out perishable foods due to extended power loss,” she said. “Many of those displaced on the north/northwest border of the fire live in lower-income neighborhoods or are seniors on fixed incomes.”Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada has responded to wildfires “in and around our area the past seven years,” according to Baxter.“We help with bridge housing, grocery replacement, household item replacement, et cetera,” she said. “We also help individuals replace essential documents, work with their insurance company (if they have insurance) and generally help them move back toward stability.”“Where this fire burned, there are a lot of lower-income families and a lot of renters,” Baxter said. “There are often multiple families living in houses/trailers on a single land plot. When they are displaced, they are truly displaced.”“Even when they are let back in, they could have damage or loss that makes it impossible for them to stay,” Baxter continued. “Just finding a new place and coming up with first/last monthʼs rent can be a huge barrier; tack on replacing your food, getting your kiddos back in school … this is where we shine at accompaniment.”Hawk Fire Service did not yet have an anticipated timeline for when the nearly 90,000 evacuated people will be able to return to the area. The cause for the fire was identified as “human” by Hawk Fire. Officials anticipated that hot, dry, breezy conditions will spread the fire. There were a reported six people injured, three of whom were emergency responders.“While the evacuation orders are still in place, we are stocking our pantry with additional food and extending what is available in our Essentials Closet so we can help individuals who need items while at the evacuation shelters or while they are staying with friends and family,” Baxter said.

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Catholic parishes and Catholic Charities in Nevada are responding with aid amid an ongoing wildfire that has caused mass evacuations in the Reno area.

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High-ranking Vatican official to meet with Putin’s adviser in Russia #Catholic The Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, will travel to Russia this week to hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as visit the country’s Catholic community.The announcement was made by the Vatican Secretariat of State on its X account and was described by Vatican News as “a mission of dialogue and peace.”According to the schedule, the first meeting will take place Aug. 25 with Lavrov. Subsequently, Gallagher will meet with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Gallagher will meet with Ushakov, the foreign policy adviser to Putin. Vatican News noted that “the schedule confirms the Holy See’s determination to continue along the path of dialogue, even at one of the most difficult moments in international relations at the global level.”The Vatican representative will visit the Catholic community on Aug. 27. Gallagher will first meet with clergy and religious and then celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary in Moscow. Finally, he will meet with the bishops.Gallagher is scheduled to return to the Holy See on Aug. 28. His previous visit to Russia took place in November 2021, when he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Lavrov, and the then-head of the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion.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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High-ranking Vatican official to meet with Putin’s adviser in Russia #Catholic The Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, will travel to Russia this week to hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as visit the country’s Catholic community.The announcement was made by the Vatican Secretariat of State on its X account and was described by Vatican News as “a mission of dialogue and peace.”According to the schedule, the first meeting will take place Aug. 25 with Lavrov. Subsequently, Gallagher will meet with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Gallagher will meet with Ushakov, the foreign policy adviser to Putin. Vatican News noted that “the schedule confirms the Holy See’s determination to continue along the path of dialogue, even at one of the most difficult moments in international relations at the global level.”The Vatican representative will visit the Catholic community on Aug. 27. Gallagher will first meet with clergy and religious and then celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary in Moscow. Finally, he will meet with the bishops.Gallagher is scheduled to return to the Holy See on Aug. 28. His previous visit to Russia took place in November 2021, when he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Lavrov, and the then-head of the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion.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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With Archbishop Paul Gallagher’s visit to Moscow this week, the Vatican continues to try to be a facilitator in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war.

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‘You are home’: Pope Leo XIV meets with sick, disabled residents at Rimini #Catholic Pope Leo XIV met with sick and disabled residents of the city of Rimini, Italy on Aug. 22, urging them to “follow the Lord by taking an active part in the life of the Church.” The meeting came at the end of a whirlwind day of travel for the pope, who visited the tiny landlocked country of San Marino before making an appearance at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini. Pope Leo XIV is handed flowers by a woman in a wheelchair at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media In his meeting with those suffering from illness and disabilities, which took place at Rimini Cathedral, the pope said the ancient church signified to the sick and poor: “You are home.”Jesus, the Holy Father said, worked to “heal [sick people] and restore to them a life worthy of their dignity.” Pope Leo XIV speaks at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media He urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”The pope subsequently said Mass at the Port of Rimini, where in his homily he told the faithful that “everything we are and have is a gift from God.”He said every baptized Christian is oriented toward “embracing, gathering, welcoming, liberating, forgiving [and] emancipating anyone who is a prisoner of sin and its consequence.”Referring to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the pope said: “God is simple, because he is pure charity, and calls us also to love with a heart similar to his, conforming our ways to his ways and our thoughts to his thoughts.”
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‘You are home’: Pope Leo XIV meets with sick, disabled residents at Rimini #Catholic Pope Leo XIV met with sick and disabled residents of the city of Rimini, Italy on Aug. 22, urging them to “follow the Lord by taking an active part in the life of the Church.” The meeting came at the end of a whirlwind day of travel for the pope, who visited the tiny landlocked country of San Marino before making an appearance at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini. Pope Leo XIV is handed flowers by a woman in a wheelchair at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media In his meeting with those suffering from illness and disabilities, which took place at Rimini Cathedral, the pope said the ancient church signified to the sick and poor: “You are home.”Jesus, the Holy Father said, worked to “heal [sick people] and restore to them a life worthy of their dignity.” Pope Leo XIV speaks at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media He urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”The pope subsequently said Mass at the Port of Rimini, where in his homily he told the faithful that “everything we are and have is a gift from God.”He said every baptized Christian is oriented toward “embracing, gathering, welcoming, liberating, forgiving [and] emancipating anyone who is a prisoner of sin and its consequence.”Referring to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the pope said: “God is simple, because he is pure charity, and calls us also to love with a heart similar to his, conforming our ways to his ways and our thoughts to his thoughts.”

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The pope urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”

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People ‘thirsting for Christ’ at procession in Brazil, bishop says #Catholic About 50,000 faithful took part in the closing procession for the novena to Our Lady of Glory in Brazil on Aug. 15. The local bishop, Flávio Giovenale, said the large turnout reflects the faith of the people, who are “thirsting for Christ.”“This multitude is saying: We want spirituality, we want Jesus, and we love Our Lady because she leads us to Jesus,” the bishop told the website Juruá 24 Horas.“Our Lady is like a mother who takes us to school; the teacher — the master — is Jesus, and Our Lady leads us to him,” he said.The devotees walked about two miles in a procession lasting nearly two hours. Holding candles, they followed the image of Our Lady, praying and giving thanks.“We came to give thanks for the harvest and for our family’s health. Being here among so many people sharing the same purpose is something indescribable,” farmer Renilson Fox said to news website G1.“We spend the whole year waiting for this moment,” veterinarian Douglas Vasconcelos told G1. He said that for him, this “is a day to renew our faith and give thanks for so many graces received.”Mary is our ‘prototype’“Today, we celebrate Our Lady of Glory, who is already there [in glory], a gift from God,” Giovenale said during the Mass at the Cruzeiro do Sul cathedral prior to the procession. The bishop recalled Jesus’s words: “I am going to the Father’s glory, and after I prepare a place, I will return and take you with me.”“We say that at the end of time, we will all rise again and be reunited in body and soul to live in heaven, body and soul. But for Our Lady, Jesus chose to make an exception, a gift. In his freedom, he said: ‘Our Lady was the first to say yes to me; she will also be the first to rise again,’” he explained.The bishop recalled that the Dormition of Mary, although not found in the Bible, has been a tradition “since the early years” of Christianity. It says “that Our Lady fell asleep in the Lord and Jesus came and took her, body and soul.”“She is there in heaven, body and soul, as the first Christian, the first to say ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord,’ and the first to rise again, body and soul. She is, as it were, our prototype,” he said.In his homily, Giovenale said that before attaining glory, Mary served, and Christians must follow her example to reach the kingdom of heaven.“We’re going to walk in procession, why? Because Mary — after receiving the angel’s announcement that she would be the Mother of the Savior, and after saying, ‘I am the servant of the Lord’ — what did she do? She went to serve Elizabeth,” he said.“To serve, to be Christians, to be a faithful people, we can’t afford to slack off. Jesus promised us happiness, not ease. It requires effort; it requires saying, ‘I want to serve,’ just as Mary did,” he said.The bishop recalled that it was Jesus who said, “I came into the world not to be served, but to serve.” “Mary was the one who, in so many ways, anticipated this, because she is the first to be faithful to Jesus,” he added.Giovenale cited the theme of this year’s novena to Our Lady of Glory: “Our Lady of Glory, Mother of the Faithful People.” “If we want to be faithful to Jesus, faithful to God, we must imitate Mary — to journey forth and go serve others,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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People ‘thirsting for Christ’ at procession in Brazil, bishop says #Catholic About 50,000 faithful took part in the closing procession for the novena to Our Lady of Glory in Brazil on Aug. 15. The local bishop, Flávio Giovenale, said the large turnout reflects the faith of the people, who are “thirsting for Christ.”“This multitude is saying: We want spirituality, we want Jesus, and we love Our Lady because she leads us to Jesus,” the bishop told the website Juruá 24 Horas.“Our Lady is like a mother who takes us to school; the teacher — the master — is Jesus, and Our Lady leads us to him,” he said.The devotees walked about two miles in a procession lasting nearly two hours. Holding candles, they followed the image of Our Lady, praying and giving thanks.“We came to give thanks for the harvest and for our family’s health. Being here among so many people sharing the same purpose is something indescribable,” farmer Renilson Fox said to news website G1.“We spend the whole year waiting for this moment,” veterinarian Douglas Vasconcelos told G1. He said that for him, this “is a day to renew our faith and give thanks for so many graces received.”Mary is our ‘prototype’“Today, we celebrate Our Lady of Glory, who is already there [in glory], a gift from God,” Giovenale said during the Mass at the Cruzeiro do Sul cathedral prior to the procession. The bishop recalled Jesus’s words: “I am going to the Father’s glory, and after I prepare a place, I will return and take you with me.”“We say that at the end of time, we will all rise again and be reunited in body and soul to live in heaven, body and soul. But for Our Lady, Jesus chose to make an exception, a gift. In his freedom, he said: ‘Our Lady was the first to say yes to me; she will also be the first to rise again,’” he explained.The bishop recalled that the Dormition of Mary, although not found in the Bible, has been a tradition “since the early years” of Christianity. It says “that Our Lady fell asleep in the Lord and Jesus came and took her, body and soul.”“She is there in heaven, body and soul, as the first Christian, the first to say ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord,’ and the first to rise again, body and soul. She is, as it were, our prototype,” he said.In his homily, Giovenale said that before attaining glory, Mary served, and Christians must follow her example to reach the kingdom of heaven.“We’re going to walk in procession, why? Because Mary — after receiving the angel’s announcement that she would be the Mother of the Savior, and after saying, ‘I am the servant of the Lord’ — what did she do? She went to serve Elizabeth,” he said.“To serve, to be Christians, to be a faithful people, we can’t afford to slack off. Jesus promised us happiness, not ease. It requires effort; it requires saying, ‘I want to serve,’ just as Mary did,” he said.The bishop recalled that it was Jesus who said, “I came into the world not to be served, but to serve.” “Mary was the one who, in so many ways, anticipated this, because she is the first to be faithful to Jesus,” he added.Giovenale cited the theme of this year’s novena to Our Lady of Glory: “Our Lady of Glory, Mother of the Faithful People.” “If we want to be faithful to Jesus, faithful to God, we must imitate Mary — to journey forth and go serve others,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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In his homily, Bishop Flávio Giovenale held up Mary as the faithful disciple who, like her son, served others.

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Pope Leo XIV expresses sorrow for the victims of earthquake in Colombia #Catholic Amid the devastation of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, Pope Leo XIV has sent his condolences to all victims of the disaster and assured them of his closeness.In a telegram dated Aug. 11 and signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed his sorrow upon learning of the earthquake, which, according to an Aug. 11 BBC news report, has killed at least 132 people and injured 570.It has also severely damaged several buildings, including the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, also known as the Manizales Cathedral.“The Holy Father,” according to the telegram, is “deeply saddened to learn of the sorrowful news of the earthquake that has severely affected several areas of Colombia, causing casualties and numerous injuries, as well as serious material damage, including to many churches.” The telegram added that the pontiff “offers prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased and raises his prayers to the Lord for the speedy recovery of those affected by this tragedy.”TweetThe message, addressed to the archbishop of Cartagena and president of the bishops’ conference of Colombia, Archbishop Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, ICM, asks him “to convey the heartfelt condolences of His Holiness Leo XIV to the families who, in this hour of profound sorrow, mourn the loss of their loved ones.”Local and national authorities continue to assess the casualties and damage from the earthquake, concentrated in the municipality of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, located on the Pacific coast.On its social media, the Archdiocese of Manizales shared a video showing cracks in the facade and the partial collapse of one of the side towers of the Manizales Cathedral, which stands 390 feet tall, making it the tallest cathedral in Colombia and the tallest neo-Gothic church in the Americas.
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Pope Leo XIV expresses sorrow for the victims of earthquake in Colombia #Catholic Amid the devastation of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, Pope Leo XIV has sent his condolences to all victims of the disaster and assured them of his closeness.In a telegram dated Aug. 11 and signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed his sorrow upon learning of the earthquake, which, according to an Aug. 11 BBC news report, has killed at least 132 people and injured 570.It has also severely damaged several buildings, including the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, also known as the Manizales Cathedral.“The Holy Father,” according to the telegram, is “deeply saddened to learn of the sorrowful news of the earthquake that has severely affected several areas of Colombia, causing casualties and numerous injuries, as well as serious material damage, including to many churches.” The telegram added that the pontiff “offers prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased and raises his prayers to the Lord for the speedy recovery of those affected by this tragedy.”TweetThe message, addressed to the archbishop of Cartagena and president of the bishops’ conference of Colombia, Archbishop Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, ICM, asks him “to convey the heartfelt condolences of His Holiness Leo XIV to the families who, in this hour of profound sorrow, mourn the loss of their loved ones.”Local and national authorities continue to assess the casualties and damage from the earthquake, concentrated in the municipality of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, located on the Pacific coast.On its social media, the Archdiocese of Manizales shared a video showing cracks in the facade and the partial collapse of one of the side towers of the Manizales Cathedral, which stands 390 feet tall, making it the tallest cathedral in Colombia and the tallest neo-Gothic church in the Americas.

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The pontiff expressed his closeness to the Colombian people in a message on Aug. 11.

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Picture of the day This stained glass window in the Cathedral of Saint Julian of Le Mans (Le Mans, France) depicts the Virgin Mary and the apostles during the Ascension of Jesus. Today is the Feast of the Ascension in Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day This stained glass window in the Cathedral of Saint Julian of Le Mans (Le Mans, France) depicts the Virgin Mary and the apostles during the Ascension of Jesus. Today is the Feast of the Ascension in Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
This stained glass window in the Cathedral of Saint Julian of Le Mans (Le Mans, France) depicts the Virgin Mary and the apostles during the Ascension of Jesus. Today is the Feast of the Ascension in Western Christianity.
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