hatred

Nicaraguan dictatorship detains Bishop Abelardo Mata again #Catholic Nicaraguan police detained Bishop Emeritus Abelardo Mata again on June 30, just one day after his initial detention and subsequent release on June 29. The 80-year-old prelate is reportedly now under house arrest.Mata, bishop emeritus of Estelí, was arrested at a clinic where he had gone for a checkup for his pacemaker. This occurred the day after he celebrated a Mass in which he prayed for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua, an act that may have provoked the ire of the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo.Following the new detention, the bishop is reportedly under house arrest at his home in the town of Tisma, according to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa.In addition to the bishop, Father Francisco Morales, pastor of Calvary’s Cross Church in Estelí, where Mata celebrated Mass on June 28, and Deacon Wilfred Arauz Rodríguez were also detained. Both were released but remain subject to conditions.“Bishop Mata holds no administrative responsibilities within the Diocese of Estelí but continues to assist that diocese with its pastoral needs. He thus went to celebrate Mass last Sunday at the request of the parish priest. However, the Sandinista dictatorship has forbidden him from being in the department of Estelí,” ​​Martha Patricia Molina explained on July 2 to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. She is the author of the report “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church,” which documents thousands of attacks by the dictatorship against Catholics since 2018.Molina further highlighted that “the Diocese of Estelí has ​​always been a target of repression by the Sandinista dictatorship due to the hatred the dictatorial couple harbors toward Bishop Rolando José Álvarez, the apostolic administrator. Although Álvarez is not voicing opinions, the dictatorship views him as a constant focus of their attention.”Álvarez, apostolic administrator of Estelí since 2021, following Mata’s resignation, currently lives in Rome after being exiled in January 2024 while serving a 26-year prison sentence. The prelate was a consistent critic of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.Even though Álvarez is living in exile, Pope Francis confirmed him in his position as bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí.Molina also told ACI Prensa that the situation in Estelí “is being aggravated because Mata has been critical of the arbitrary actions committed by the Sandinista dictatorship. Currently, we only learn of 10% of the attacks committed against the Catholic Church because the rest go unreported due to the fear and caution priests and laypeople have about speaking out in the news media or on social media.”The researcher noted that the number of reports could reach “400 a day” if Catholics were able to speak freely in public.The ‘dire’ situation in EstelíMolina noted that the dictatorship is now persecuting the Church in a different way: “They had stopped abducting priests, but now they have gone back to it; furthermore, there are cases of priests having to report to police stations to give statements, and also there’s the constant monitoring and harassment of priests across the countryʼs various dioceses by the police.”The researcher pointed out that the Diocese of Estelí, “the one most persecuted by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship after Matagalpa,” is currently forced to “operate without [its bishop] and with only 42% of its clergy. This makes pastoral work difficult and places a heavier workload on the active priests.”These priests must also take on “the duties of those who are in exile due to persecution, those who have passed away, or those who, for one reason or another, are not exercising their ministry in Nicaragua,” she pointed out.“The situation is worsening because the Sandinista dictatorship has banned diaconal and priestly ordinations in that diocese,” she emphasized. Ordinations are also forbidden in Matagalpa, Jinotega, and Siuna. None of the four dioceses has its bishop present, as they have all been exiled from Nicaragua.The need to be vigilant“We have to remain vigilant regarding Bishop Mata because his health is fragile and requires professional care. What worries me is that the last individuals who have been under surveillance by the dictatorship or the police have ended up in worse condition or even dead,” Arturo McFields, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), told ACI Prensa on July 2.A recent example of this situation is the case of Brooklyn Rivera, an Indigenous leader and political prisoner whom the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship held incommunicado for over 970 days. He passed away in late May at the age of 73, following several statements from the regime regarding his critical health condition.“If the dictatorship’s actions are not strongly denounced, the regime would not hesitate to bring about the death of Bishop Mata, as they harbor deep resentment toward this man of God because of his courage and clarity for many years,” McFields emphasized.An exiled Nicaraguan priest who prefers to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals told ACI Prensa that the situation involving Mata “is sad, but it can also be viewed as a sign of the fear the dictatorship has of an elderly bishop, an 80-year-old (with health issues) because his presence as a shepherd strengthens the lives of the faithful,” ensuring that “the faith remains alive.”The priest emphasized that he continues to prepare “our hearts for a future in which we can rebuild the Church in Nicaragua not only socially but also through faith because spiritual and pastoral reconstruction work must also be done.”Call for releaseFélix Maradiaga, president of the Freedom for Nicaragua Foundation, issued “an urgent call to the international community, human rights organizations, the world’s democracies, and all people of goodwill to remain vigilant, demand the immediate release of Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata and all arbitrarily detained members of the clergy, and firmly condemn this new escalation of repression.”“Nicaragua cannot normalize a dictatorship imprisoning priests, silencing pulpits, and persecuting the faith. The moral voice of the Church has historically stood with the Nicaraguan people during their most difficult times, and that is precisely why the regime seeks to intimidate it,” Maradiaga told ACI Prensa.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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Nicaraguan dictatorship detains Bishop Abelardo Mata again #Catholic Nicaraguan police detained Bishop Emeritus Abelardo Mata again on June 30, just one day after his initial detention and subsequent release on June 29. The 80-year-old prelate is reportedly now under house arrest.Mata, bishop emeritus of Estelí, was arrested at a clinic where he had gone for a checkup for his pacemaker. This occurred the day after he celebrated a Mass in which he prayed for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua, an act that may have provoked the ire of the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo.Following the new detention, the bishop is reportedly under house arrest at his home in the town of Tisma, according to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa.In addition to the bishop, Father Francisco Morales, pastor of Calvary’s Cross Church in Estelí, where Mata celebrated Mass on June 28, and Deacon Wilfred Arauz Rodríguez were also detained. Both were released but remain subject to conditions.“Bishop Mata holds no administrative responsibilities within the Diocese of Estelí but continues to assist that diocese with its pastoral needs. He thus went to celebrate Mass last Sunday at the request of the parish priest. However, the Sandinista dictatorship has forbidden him from being in the department of Estelí,” ​​Martha Patricia Molina explained on July 2 to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. She is the author of the report “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church,” which documents thousands of attacks by the dictatorship against Catholics since 2018.Molina further highlighted that “the Diocese of Estelí has ​​always been a target of repression by the Sandinista dictatorship due to the hatred the dictatorial couple harbors toward Bishop Rolando José Álvarez, the apostolic administrator. Although Álvarez is not voicing opinions, the dictatorship views him as a constant focus of their attention.”Álvarez, apostolic administrator of Estelí since 2021, following Mata’s resignation, currently lives in Rome after being exiled in January 2024 while serving a 26-year prison sentence. The prelate was a consistent critic of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.Even though Álvarez is living in exile, Pope Francis confirmed him in his position as bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí.Molina also told ACI Prensa that the situation in Estelí “is being aggravated because Mata has been critical of the arbitrary actions committed by the Sandinista dictatorship. Currently, we only learn of 10% of the attacks committed against the Catholic Church because the rest go unreported due to the fear and caution priests and laypeople have about speaking out in the news media or on social media.”The researcher noted that the number of reports could reach “400 a day” if Catholics were able to speak freely in public.The ‘dire’ situation in EstelíMolina noted that the dictatorship is now persecuting the Church in a different way: “They had stopped abducting priests, but now they have gone back to it; furthermore, there are cases of priests having to report to police stations to give statements, and also there’s the constant monitoring and harassment of priests across the countryʼs various dioceses by the police.”The researcher pointed out that the Diocese of Estelí, “the one most persecuted by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship after Matagalpa,” is currently forced to “operate without [its bishop] and with only 42% of its clergy. This makes pastoral work difficult and places a heavier workload on the active priests.”These priests must also take on “the duties of those who are in exile due to persecution, those who have passed away, or those who, for one reason or another, are not exercising their ministry in Nicaragua,” she pointed out.“The situation is worsening because the Sandinista dictatorship has banned diaconal and priestly ordinations in that diocese,” she emphasized. Ordinations are also forbidden in Matagalpa, Jinotega, and Siuna. None of the four dioceses has its bishop present, as they have all been exiled from Nicaragua.The need to be vigilant“We have to remain vigilant regarding Bishop Mata because his health is fragile and requires professional care. What worries me is that the last individuals who have been under surveillance by the dictatorship or the police have ended up in worse condition or even dead,” Arturo McFields, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), told ACI Prensa on July 2.A recent example of this situation is the case of Brooklyn Rivera, an Indigenous leader and political prisoner whom the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship held incommunicado for over 970 days. He passed away in late May at the age of 73, following several statements from the regime regarding his critical health condition.“If the dictatorship’s actions are not strongly denounced, the regime would not hesitate to bring about the death of Bishop Mata, as they harbor deep resentment toward this man of God because of his courage and clarity for many years,” McFields emphasized.An exiled Nicaraguan priest who prefers to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals told ACI Prensa that the situation involving Mata “is sad, but it can also be viewed as a sign of the fear the dictatorship has of an elderly bishop, an 80-year-old (with health issues) because his presence as a shepherd strengthens the lives of the faithful,” ensuring that “the faith remains alive.”The priest emphasized that he continues to prepare “our hearts for a future in which we can rebuild the Church in Nicaragua not only socially but also through faith because spiritual and pastoral reconstruction work must also be done.”Call for releaseFélix Maradiaga, president of the Freedom for Nicaragua Foundation, issued “an urgent call to the international community, human rights organizations, the world’s democracies, and all people of goodwill to remain vigilant, demand the immediate release of Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata and all arbitrarily detained members of the clergy, and firmly condemn this new escalation of repression.”“Nicaragua cannot normalize a dictatorship imprisoning priests, silencing pulpits, and persecuting the faith. The moral voice of the Church has historically stood with the Nicaraguan people during their most difficult times, and that is precisely why the regime seeks to intimidate it,” Maradiaga told ACI Prensa.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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Mata was detained on June 29, released the same day, and as of June 30 reportedly is under house arrest. At a June 28 Mass he asked for prayers for the persecuted Church, triggering retaliation.

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97-year-old cardinal, tortured under communism, climbs Medjugorje’s Apparition Hill #Catholic Cardinal Ernest Simoni, 97, who was tortured by Albaniaʼs communist regime, climbed Apparition Hill in Medjugorje on June 23, the day before the 45th anniversary of the start of the alleged apparitions.Six young people claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary for the first time on June 24, 1981, the feast day of St. John the Baptist, on Mount Podbrdo. Since then, some of those visionaries say they still receive messages from the Mother of God on a daily basis.Following a lengthy investigation, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith approved a document in 2024 titled The Queen of Peace, which acknowledges the spiritual fruits that have been borne, finds no obstacles in the alleged messages received, and makes no pronouncement regarding the supernatural nature of the phenomena.Assisted by young people from the Cenacolo Community, who carried the cardinal part of the way as he was seated on a litter, the Albanian cardinal traversed a portion of the rocky path on foot, though not without difficulty. Members of the Cenacolo Community carry Cardinal Simoni in Medjugorje. | Credit: Courtesy of Maria Vision Medjugorje Along the way, he blessed those present who stopped to greet him. Upon reaching the summit of the mountain, he prayed the rosary beside the statue of the Virgin Mary and blessed the water with which he sprinkled the crowd before returning.The footage of this pilgrimage, provided by María Visión Medjugorje, bears witness to the determination of the cardinal who, as a priest, endured the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, the man who proclaimed Albania to be “the first atheist state in the world."A priest twice sentenced to deathBorn in 1928 in the village of Troshani, the young Simoni underwent formation with the Franciscans from 1938 to 1948, until a bloody religious persecution eliminated the communityʼs superiors and forced him to continue his formation in secret.In 1956, he was ordained a priest at St. Stephenʼs Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Shkodrë-Pult. Seven years later, after celebrating Christmas Eve Mass on Dec. 24, 1963, he was arrested by four agents and informed that he would be executed by hanging, accused of having celebrated a Mass for the repose of the soul of recently assassinated U.S. President John F. Kennedy at the behest of St. Paul VI. According to his own account, an attempt was made to entrap him by placing another prisoner in his cell who began complaining about the Communist Party. News of his preaching about love for oneʼs enemies while in prison reached the dictator, who decided to commute his sentence to 28 years of forced labor. During those years, he continued to celebrate Mass and exercise his priestly ministry clandestinely.In 1973, he was once again sentenced to death, accused of inciting a rebellion. However, exonerating testimony prevented the immediate execution of the sentence, and he remained in prison for another 18 years until his release in 1981.He continued his pastoral work in secret for another nine years, until the fall of the communist regime in 1990. “The Lord has helped me to serve so many people and to reconcile many, driving hatred and the devil away from the hearts of men,” he stated upon concluding his testimony before Pope Francis in October 2016.A month later, Simoni was created a cardinal at the consistory held on Nov. 19, 2016.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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97-year-old cardinal, tortured under communism, climbs Medjugorje’s Apparition Hill #Catholic Cardinal Ernest Simoni, 97, who was tortured by Albaniaʼs communist regime, climbed Apparition Hill in Medjugorje on June 23, the day before the 45th anniversary of the start of the alleged apparitions.Six young people claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary for the first time on June 24, 1981, the feast day of St. John the Baptist, on Mount Podbrdo. Since then, some of those visionaries say they still receive messages from the Mother of God on a daily basis.Following a lengthy investigation, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith approved a document in 2024 titled The Queen of Peace, which acknowledges the spiritual fruits that have been borne, finds no obstacles in the alleged messages received, and makes no pronouncement regarding the supernatural nature of the phenomena.Assisted by young people from the Cenacolo Community, who carried the cardinal part of the way as he was seated on a litter, the Albanian cardinal traversed a portion of the rocky path on foot, though not without difficulty. Members of the Cenacolo Community carry Cardinal Simoni in Medjugorje. | Credit: Courtesy of Maria Vision Medjugorje Along the way, he blessed those present who stopped to greet him. Upon reaching the summit of the mountain, he prayed the rosary beside the statue of the Virgin Mary and blessed the water with which he sprinkled the crowd before returning.The footage of this pilgrimage, provided by María Visión Medjugorje, bears witness to the determination of the cardinal who, as a priest, endured the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, the man who proclaimed Albania to be “the first atheist state in the world."A priest twice sentenced to deathBorn in 1928 in the village of Troshani, the young Simoni underwent formation with the Franciscans from 1938 to 1948, until a bloody religious persecution eliminated the communityʼs superiors and forced him to continue his formation in secret.In 1956, he was ordained a priest at St. Stephenʼs Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Shkodrë-Pult. Seven years later, after celebrating Christmas Eve Mass on Dec. 24, 1963, he was arrested by four agents and informed that he would be executed by hanging, accused of having celebrated a Mass for the repose of the soul of recently assassinated U.S. President John F. Kennedy at the behest of St. Paul VI. According to his own account, an attempt was made to entrap him by placing another prisoner in his cell who began complaining about the Communist Party. News of his preaching about love for oneʼs enemies while in prison reached the dictator, who decided to commute his sentence to 28 years of forced labor. During those years, he continued to celebrate Mass and exercise his priestly ministry clandestinely.In 1973, he was once again sentenced to death, accused of inciting a rebellion. However, exonerating testimony prevented the immediate execution of the sentence, and he remained in prison for another 18 years until his release in 1981.He continued his pastoral work in secret for another nine years, until the fall of the communist regime in 1990. “The Lord has helped me to serve so many people and to reconcile many, driving hatred and the devil away from the hearts of men,” he stated upon concluding his testimony before Pope Francis in October 2016.A month later, Simoni was created a cardinal at the consistory held on Nov. 19, 2016.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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In an act of great devotion, the elderly cardinal reached the top with assistance, prayed the rosary and blessed those present with holy water.

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Pope Leo XIV declares American religious founder Mary Teresa Tallon venerable #Catholic Pope Leo XIV has declared American religious sister Mary Teresa Tallon venerable.The pontiff signed a decree on Thursday recognizing the heroic virtue of the foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in New York. He also recognized the heroic virtue of several others, bringing them closer to sainthood. Just before signing the decree, he met with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.Mary Teresa Tallon: Making every soul countTallon was born on May 6, 1867, in Hanover, New York, as the daughter of Irish immigrants.In 1887, at the age of 19, Tallon joined the Sisters of the Holy Cross, despite her family’s disapproval. She remained part of the congregation for the next 33 years, teaching in Catholic schools in South Bend, Indiana.During this time, Tallon was inspired to establish a new congregation dedicated to contemplation and to preaching the Gospel to the neglected. In 1920, she left the Sisters of the Holy Cross and, on Aug. 15, established the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate (PVMI). She gave it the motto “Make every soul count.”Considered a gifted scholar, Tallon authored a report documenting the first decade of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in New York for the National Catechetical Congress in 1936.Tallon died on Feb. 10, 1954, after a prolonged illness. In 2013, she was declared a servant of God in recognition of her holiness.Others declared venerablePope Leo XIV on June 18 also moved several other servants of God along the path to sainthood.Two Italians were declared venerable: Maria Agnese Tribbioli, a religious sister who founded the Pie Operaie di San Giuseppe congregation, and Maria Petra Giordano, a Dominican nun.Others included Spanish nun Clara Andreu y Malferit and Belgian missionary Júlio Maria de Lombaerde.Leo also recognized the martyrdom of Juan Torres Torres and 19 companions, all Catholic priests, for having been killed “in odium fidei” (“in hatred of the faith”) in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
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Pope Leo XIV declares American religious founder Mary Teresa Tallon venerable #Catholic Pope Leo XIV has declared American religious sister Mary Teresa Tallon venerable.The pontiff signed a decree on Thursday recognizing the heroic virtue of the foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in New York. He also recognized the heroic virtue of several others, bringing them closer to sainthood. Just before signing the decree, he met with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.Mary Teresa Tallon: Making every soul countTallon was born on May 6, 1867, in Hanover, New York, as the daughter of Irish immigrants.In 1887, at the age of 19, Tallon joined the Sisters of the Holy Cross, despite her family’s disapproval. She remained part of the congregation for the next 33 years, teaching in Catholic schools in South Bend, Indiana.During this time, Tallon was inspired to establish a new congregation dedicated to contemplation and to preaching the Gospel to the neglected. In 1920, she left the Sisters of the Holy Cross and, on Aug. 15, established the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate (PVMI). She gave it the motto “Make every soul count.”Considered a gifted scholar, Tallon authored a report documenting the first decade of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in New York for the National Catechetical Congress in 1936.Tallon died on Feb. 10, 1954, after a prolonged illness. In 2013, she was declared a servant of God in recognition of her holiness.Others declared venerablePope Leo XIV on June 18 also moved several other servants of God along the path to sainthood.Two Italians were declared venerable: Maria Agnese Tribbioli, a religious sister who founded the Pie Operaie di San Giuseppe congregation, and Maria Petra Giordano, a Dominican nun.Others included Spanish nun Clara Andreu y Malferit and Belgian missionary Júlio Maria de Lombaerde.Leo also recognized the martyrdom of Juan Torres Torres and 19 companions, all Catholic priests, for having been killed “in odium fidei” (“in hatred of the faith”) in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

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On June 18, the pope issued a decree recognizing the heroic virtue of the foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in New York, among several others.

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Pope Leo XIV: Spain is an example of unity despite differences #Catholic Pope Leo XIV dedicated his general audience on June 17 to reflecting on his apostolic journey to Spain the previous week, during which he visited Madrid, Barcelona, ​​and the Canary Islands.In his remarks, the pope praised Spainʼs "very rich Catholic tradition" and highlighted the countryʼs “joyful expression of their faith" as well as the affection shown to him by the people.“In the case of Spain, I was able to observe with joy how much people of every age and situation were looking forward to the pope’s visit: Everywhere I found multitudes who welcomed me with great warmth,” Leo remarked, acknowledging that this was not something to be taken for granted.Safeguarding encounter between Catholic tradition, contemporary cultureReferring to the events in Madrid and Barcelona during his trip to Spain, the pope also described his trip as an “encounter of ancient and modern, Catholic tradition and contemporary culture,” allowing him to experience “the very character of Europe, its inestimable wealth, as a living reality, not a thing of the past.”Leo also said that Europeʼs cultural heritage must be preserved to address ongoing challenges.“It is a heritage to be safeguarded with care, so that it may be invested in today’s global world with its momentous challenges: peace, integral ecology, equitable and sustainable development, and respect for human dignity,” Leo said.Care for migrantsReferring to the final stage of the journey at the Canary Islands, where Leo met a large number of African migrants, the pope acknowledged that the migration phenomenon “is complex and requires organic and coordinated action plans.”The pontiff noted, however, that this reality also offers an interpretation that “opens up a different, broader perspective,” allowing Catholics to understand how “to reread the Gospel in today’s world, exchanging with each other the gifts of our respective cultures, and in particular the results produced in them by the fruitfulness of Christ’s message.”Among these results, he highlighted “dialogue between people and between peoples, the encounter in a spirit of fraternity, which enables us to discover and appreciate one another’s values.” He cautioned that this path is not easy and that asking for God’s help is essential to achieving a “civilization of love.”Praise for U.S.-Iran peace dealLeo concluded his remarks by expressing his satisfaction with the peace agreement between the United States and Iran, to be signed on June 19, which will bring an end to prolonged hostilities.He also renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine, acknowledging with concern the casualties suffered in the Russo-Ukrainian war. He invited all to “ask the Lord to open pathways to dialogue, to extinguish hatred, and to make a just and lasting peace possible.”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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Pope Leo XIV: Spain is an example of unity despite differences #Catholic Pope Leo XIV dedicated his general audience on June 17 to reflecting on his apostolic journey to Spain the previous week, during which he visited Madrid, Barcelona, ​​and the Canary Islands.In his remarks, the pope praised Spainʼs "very rich Catholic tradition" and highlighted the countryʼs “joyful expression of their faith" as well as the affection shown to him by the people.“In the case of Spain, I was able to observe with joy how much people of every age and situation were looking forward to the pope’s visit: Everywhere I found multitudes who welcomed me with great warmth,” Leo remarked, acknowledging that this was not something to be taken for granted.Safeguarding encounter between Catholic tradition, contemporary cultureReferring to the events in Madrid and Barcelona during his trip to Spain, the pope also described his trip as an “encounter of ancient and modern, Catholic tradition and contemporary culture,” allowing him to experience “the very character of Europe, its inestimable wealth, as a living reality, not a thing of the past.”Leo also said that Europeʼs cultural heritage must be preserved to address ongoing challenges.“It is a heritage to be safeguarded with care, so that it may be invested in today’s global world with its momentous challenges: peace, integral ecology, equitable and sustainable development, and respect for human dignity,” Leo said.Care for migrantsReferring to the final stage of the journey at the Canary Islands, where Leo met a large number of African migrants, the pope acknowledged that the migration phenomenon “is complex and requires organic and coordinated action plans.”The pontiff noted, however, that this reality also offers an interpretation that “opens up a different, broader perspective,” allowing Catholics to understand how “to reread the Gospel in today’s world, exchanging with each other the gifts of our respective cultures, and in particular the results produced in them by the fruitfulness of Christ’s message.”Among these results, he highlighted “dialogue between people and between peoples, the encounter in a spirit of fraternity, which enables us to discover and appreciate one another’s values.” He cautioned that this path is not easy and that asking for God’s help is essential to achieving a “civilization of love.”Praise for U.S.-Iran peace dealLeo concluded his remarks by expressing his satisfaction with the peace agreement between the United States and Iran, to be signed on June 19, which will bring an end to prolonged hostilities.He also renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine, acknowledging with concern the casualties suffered in the Russo-Ukrainian war. He invited all to “ask the Lord to open pathways to dialogue, to extinguish hatred, and to make a just and lasting peace possible.”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 pontiff reflected on his recent apostolic journey to Spain during his general audience on June 17.

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Fulton Sheen’s missionary legacy hailed by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised the missionary legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the famed American evangelist who will be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, calling him “a light of faith, hope, and love.”The pope made his remarks June 1 during an audience with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, recalling Sheen’s long service as national director of the societies in the United States.The pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of the penultimate Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day devoted to “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization.”Leo expressed his gratitude to those who promote the annual observance, which supports the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” the pope said.He added that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.”World Mission Sunday also reminds older and more established Churches “how important it is that they too join in the missionary spirit of the whole Church,” he said.The pope said the funds raised through World Mission Sunday make it possible for the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith to assist more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions that depend on the Dicastery for Evangelization’s section for first evangelization and new particular Churches.Those funds, he said, help establish Church infrastructure, support missionary initiatives, and contribute to the administration of five colleges in Rome for the ongoing formation of priests and consecrated men and women who later return to serve their local Churches.Leo also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Paolo Manna, later declared pontifical by Pope Pius XII and described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the other Pontifical Mission Societies.“I encourage all to participate in its mission of fostering among all the baptized an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” he said.The pope then turned again to Sheen, noting that his beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis.“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” Leo said.“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope continued. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”“May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world,” he added.Leo also underscored the importance of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.”He said the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood carries out “a particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and Christian charity to children around the world, especially in places afflicted by hatred and violence. He also praised the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for sustaining the formation of Indigenous clergy and consecrated religious in mission territories.The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” highlights the unity of believers and the 100th anniversary of the global celebration, the pope said.The theme “invites all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love,” he said.“I therefore encourage you to keep this teaching in mind, to live an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ, and to promote it through your activities among the faithful,” Leo told the assembly.Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, the pope recalled that the “Church on earth is by her very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.”He urged participants to recognize “the urgency of embracing an ongoing missionary conversion” and to seek together ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” Leo said, invoking the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”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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Fulton Sheen’s missionary legacy hailed by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised the missionary legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the famed American evangelist who will be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, calling him “a light of faith, hope, and love.”The pope made his remarks June 1 during an audience with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, recalling Sheen’s long service as national director of the societies in the United States.The pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of the penultimate Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day devoted to “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization.”Leo expressed his gratitude to those who promote the annual observance, which supports the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” the pope said.He added that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.”World Mission Sunday also reminds older and more established Churches “how important it is that they too join in the missionary spirit of the whole Church,” he said.The pope said the funds raised through World Mission Sunday make it possible for the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith to assist more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions that depend on the Dicastery for Evangelization’s section for first evangelization and new particular Churches.Those funds, he said, help establish Church infrastructure, support missionary initiatives, and contribute to the administration of five colleges in Rome for the ongoing formation of priests and consecrated men and women who later return to serve their local Churches.Leo also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Paolo Manna, later declared pontifical by Pope Pius XII and described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the other Pontifical Mission Societies.“I encourage all to participate in its mission of fostering among all the baptized an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” he said.The pope then turned again to Sheen, noting that his beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis.“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” Leo said.“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope continued. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”“May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world,” he added.Leo also underscored the importance of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.”He said the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood carries out “a particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and Christian charity to children around the world, especially in places afflicted by hatred and violence. He also praised the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for sustaining the formation of Indigenous clergy and consecrated religious in mission territories.The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” highlights the unity of believers and the 100th anniversary of the global celebration, the pope said.The theme “invites all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love,” he said.“I therefore encourage you to keep this teaching in mind, to live an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ, and to promote it through your activities among the faithful,” Leo told the assembly.Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, the pope recalled that the “Church on earth is by her very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.”He urged participants to recognize “the urgency of embracing an ongoing missionary conversion” and to seek together ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” Leo said, invoking the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”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 pontiff praised Venerable Sheen, who will be beatified Sept. 24, as “a light of faith, hope, and love” whose radio and television broadcasts brought the Gospel to millions.

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