![March for Life in Warsaw commemorates 1,060 years of Christianity in Poland #Catholic Thousands of people gathered in Poland’s capital on April 19 for the National March for Life, a large public demonstration organized under the slogan “Faith and Fidelity 1966–2026,” commemorating the 1,060th anniversary of the Christianization of Poland. The event combined religious observance, civic participation, and pro-life advocacy, drawing families, clergy, activists, and public figures to central Warsaw. The day began with Mass celebrated in two of the cityʼs major churches.
Mass is celebrated at the Archcathedral Basilica of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist in Warsaw, Poland, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo Iuris
In the Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, Bishop Piotr Jarecki presided over the liturgy, while Bishop Tomasz Sztajerwald celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian in Warsaw-Praga.Participants later gathered at Castle Square, where the march officially began. Organizers described the event as a public expression of support for life and family, rooted in Poland’s Christian tradition. Metropolitan Archbishop Adrian Galbas of Warsaw encouraged participation ahead of the event, framing it as a testimony to human dignity. “We want to testify that we are lovers of life. Bring your family along! Life triumphs over every death,” he declared.
Church leaders join Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki and other dignitaries at the March for Life in Warsaw on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo lures
March through Warsaw highlights pro-life messageThe procession moved through central Warsaw streets under the historic slogan marking Poland’s Christian heritage. As participants approached the Presidential Palace, Polish President Karol Nawrocki spoke, linking the march to broader social concerns.“I support initiatives that serve Poland, and this initiative certainly serves Poland,” he said. “It is also a response to the deep demographic crisis. Today, the answer to many Polish problems lies precisely in Polish families, in our identity, in remembering where we come from and where we are going.”Organizers said the march was intended not only as a demonstration of pro-life conviction but also as a broader reflection on national identity and social cohesion.A prominent symbol carried during the march was a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa, which has been traveling internationally for 14 years as part of the From Ocean to Ocean pilgrimage in defense of life. The icon has traveled more than 220,000 kilometers (almost 137,000 miles) and visited 32 countries across five continents.
Participants carry an icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo Iuris
Shifting abortion attitudes among younger PolesThe National March for Life is organized by the St. Benedict Foundation alongside dozens of pro-life groups from across Poland and takes place under the honorary patronage of the Polish Episcopal Conference.Patrycja Michońska-Dynek, director of the Press Center of the Archdiocese of Warsaw, told EWTN News that there are shifting public attitudes toward abortion in Poland, including growing societal acceptance and increased calls for liberalization, attributing these changes to secularization, cultural pressures, and differing interpretations of freedom.Michońska-Dynek also observed that while pro-life values remain important in Polish society, younger generations often approach the issue with more nuanced perspectives, particularly in complex or exceptional situations. Fostering a “culture of life” must include practical support for families, such as assistance for single mothers and couples in crisis, Michońska-Dynek said.
Lidia, a participant at the National March for Life. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo Iuris
Not a single-issue agendaLidia Sankowska-Grabczuk, one of the organizers of the National March for Life, told EWTN News that the pro-life movement in Poland extends beyond a single-issue focus on abortion.“In a nutshell, the pro-life movement is [often] the anti-abortion movement. In our view… it’s a bit different. We don’t reduce it to a single-issue agenda,” she said, warning that such a narrow framing “strips it of its true meaning.” While protecting unborn life remains central, she described it as part of a broader vision rooted in what she called “the public voice of Polish Christianity.”She outlined three core pillars underpinning the movement. The first is “respect for life,” encompassing not only the unborn but also solidarity with the elderly, families, and those in need. The second is the family as society’s foundation, grounded in the traditional understanding of marriage and its role in Poland’s social stability. The third pillar is “a state serving the common good,” reflecting a view of politics as service and a call for greater social solidarity.
March for Life in Warsaw commemorates 1,060 years of Christianity in Poland. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo Iuris
Sankowska-Grabczuk also discussed the importance of Poland’s historical and Christian identity in shaping the movement. She noted that recent marches have intentionally marked major national milestones, including the 1,000th anniversary of Poland’s first royal coronation in 2025.These commemorations, she said, highlight how the movement sees its mission as inseparable from Poland’s historical development, where Christianity has long informed both national identity and social values.Pro-life voices and public participationAmong international participants was Tonio Borg, president of the European Federation One of Us. He urged participants to remain steadfast in their convictions despite criticism or public pressure. “Do not be afraid of being slandered and ridiculed because you seek to protect life from the moment of conception,” he said, encouraging continued public engagement and advocacy. He also called on supporters to make their voices heard in the public sphere, stressing the importance of influencing lawmakers and demonstrating that “the unborn child is one of us.”
Paula, a participant at the National March for Life in Poland. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo Iuris
Marcin Perłowski, director of the Centre for Life and Family, said participants gathered at the march out of a shared conviction that “human life begins at conception” and must be defended. He stated that the National March for Life serves as a public demonstration of that belief, describing it as a stand “against all those who raise a hand against unborn children.”Pro-life activist Emilia Mędrzecka told EWTN News that her position is grounded in a belief in universal human dignity. “Children in the womb are as human as we are… they are more dependent and need time to grow,” she said while adding that the march reflected a strong presence of families, young people, and older generations united in support of life.
Polish president Karol Nawrocki walks among participants at the National March for Life in Poland. | Credit: Tomasz Daniluk/Ordo Iuris
While official attendance figures have not been released, estimates provided to EWTN News suggested more than 10,000 people participated, with organizers placing peak attendance between 25,000 and 30,000.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/march-for-life-in-warsaw-commemorates-1060-years-of-christianity-in-poland-catholic-thousands-of-people-gathered-in-polands-capital-on-april-19-for-the-national-march-for-life-a-large-publ-scaled.jpg)
Recent marches in Poland have intentionally marked major national milestones, including the 1,000th anniversary of Poland’s first royal coronation in 2025.
![Police reveal bomb threat at Chicago-area home of Pope Leo XIV’s brother #Catholic The brother of Pope Leo XIV was reportedly the victim of a hoax bomb threat in a suburb outside of Chicago, according to police and media reports. The New Lenox, Illinois, Police Department said in a Facebook post on April 15 that it had responded to a “reported bomb threat at a private residence” in the Chicago suburb about 40 miles outside of the city center. The statement did not identify the home as belonging to Leoʼs brother John Prevost, but local media reports said the target of the threat was Prevostʼs home. Public records indicate that Prevost lives on the street to which police responded. Police evacuated nearby homes during their investigation and called in explosive-detection K9 units. “After careful examination, investigators determined that the threat was unsubstantiated and that no explosive devices or hazardous materials were present,” New Lenox police said. The police noted that no injuries were reported but that the false bomb threat was “a serious offense and may result in criminal charges.”New Lenox Police Chief Micah Nuesse told EWTN News via email on April 16 that the matter was an “active and ongoing investigation” and that the police department had “no new updates to share” about the crime or any suspects. The hoax threat came just several days after President Donald Trump praised Pope Leo XIVʼs other brother, Louis, in a rambling Truth Social post in which he derided Pope Leo XIV as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” after Leo repeatedly criticized the ongoing U.S.-led war in Iran. “I like [Leoʼs] brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!” Trump said. Louis Prevost currently lives in Florida. On April 11 at a Vatican peace vigil, the pope criticized the “madness of war” and urged world leaders: “Stop! Itʼs time for peace!” On March 29, meanwhile, he said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”In Trumpʼs Truth Social post, he suggested that Leo — the first American-born pontiff — was only elected to the papacy as part of a diplomatic strategy to “deal with” Trump himself, due to Leoʼs U.S. background. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump claimed in the post. Responding to a question about Trumpʼs post on April 13, Leo told media that “people who read it will be able to draw their own conclusions.” "I am not a politician, and I have no intention of entering into a debate with him,” the pope said, adding that he had "no fear neither of the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel."](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/police-reveal-bomb-threat-at-chicago-area-home-of-pope-leo-xivs-brother-catholic-the-brother-of-pope-leo-xiv-was-reportedly-the-victim-of-a-hoax-bomb-threat-in-a-suburb-outside-of-chicago-a.jpg "Police reveal bomb threat at Chicago-area home of Pope Leo XIV’s brother #Catholic The brother of Pope Leo XIV was reportedly the victim of a hoax bomb threat in a suburb outside of Chicago, according to police and media reports. The New Lenox, Illinois, Police Department said in a Facebook post on April 15 that it had responded to a “reported bomb threat at a private residence” in the Chicago suburb about 40 miles outside of the city center. The statement did not identify the home as belonging to Leoʼs brother John Prevost, but local media reports said the target of the threat was Prevostʼs home. Public records indicate that Prevost lives on the street to which police responded. Police evacuated nearby homes during their investigation and called in explosive-detection K9 units. “After careful examination, investigators determined that the threat was unsubstantiated and that no explosive devices or hazardous materials were present,” New Lenox police said. The police noted that no injuries were reported but that the false bomb threat was “a serious offense and may result in criminal charges.”New Lenox Police Chief Micah Nuesse told EWTN News via email on April 16 that the matter was an “active and ongoing investigation” and that the police department had “no new updates to share” about the crime or any suspects. The hoax threat came just several days after President Donald Trump praised Pope Leo XIVʼs other brother, Louis, in a rambling Truth Social post in which he derided Pope Leo XIV as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” after Leo repeatedly criticized the ongoing U.S.-led war in Iran. “I like [Leoʼs] brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!” Trump said. Louis Prevost currently lives in Florida. On April 11 at a Vatican peace vigil, the pope criticized the “madness of war” and urged world leaders: “Stop! Itʼs time for peace!” On March 29, meanwhile, he said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”In Trumpʼs Truth Social post, he suggested that Leo — the first American-born pontiff — was only elected to the papacy as part of a diplomatic strategy to “deal with” Trump himself, due to Leoʼs U.S. background. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump claimed in the post. Responding to a question about Trumpʼs post on April 13, Leo told media that “people who read it will be able to draw their own conclusions.” \"I am not a politician, and I have no intention of entering into a debate with him,” the pope said, adding that he had \"no fear neither of the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel.\"")
![Chicago priest resigns after archdiocese discovers misuse of parish funds #Catholic A priest in Chicago has resigned after the archdiocese found that he misused parish funds for “personal expenses,” Cardinal Blase Cupich told parishioners this month. Cupich told St. John Henry Newman Parish in Evanston that the archdiocese had launched a review of the parishʼs finances on March 30 amid “serious questions” about the parishʼs “fiscal administration.” The prelate said in an April 10 letter to the parish that the review found Father Kenneth Anderson “violated a number of core archdiocesan policies pertaining to the proper exercise of good stewardship of parish resources.” Among the reported violations included “the creation and maintenance of a separate bank account into which he deposited substantial parish funds,” Cupich said. Some of those funds “were used to cover costs unrelated to parish needs including his personal expenses.”Anderson resigned after being presented with the findings of the report, Cupich said. The priest also “accepted [Cupichʼs] instruction that, when the full accounting is complete, he is to make restitution for any funds clearly identified as covering his personal expenses.”The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the total amount of funds reportedly misused at the parish. Cupich in his letter said Father Wayne Watts, the pastor of Sts. Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in nearby Wilmette, oversaw the administration of St. John Henry Newman Parishʼs finances during the review process. The archbishop further said that he had asked the archdiocesan placement board to recommend a new pastor for the parish by July 1. Retired priest Father Gerald Gunderson will serve as parish administrator until the new pastor is appointed, Cupich said. The parish was formed in 2022 after the merging of Sts. Athanasius and Joan of Arc parishes as part of the archdiocesan Renew My Faith campaign.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/chicago-priest-resigns-after-archdiocese-discovers-misuse-of-parish-funds-catholic-a-priest-in-chicago-has-resigned-after-the-archdiocese-found-that-he-misused-parish-funds-for-personal-expe.jpg "Chicago priest resigns after archdiocese discovers misuse of parish funds #Catholic A priest in Chicago has resigned after the archdiocese found that he misused parish funds for “personal expenses,” Cardinal Blase Cupich told parishioners this month. Cupich told St. John Henry Newman Parish in Evanston that the archdiocese had launched a review of the parishʼs finances on March 30 amid “serious questions” about the parishʼs “fiscal administration.” The prelate said in an April 10 letter to the parish that the review found Father Kenneth Anderson “violated a number of core archdiocesan policies pertaining to the proper exercise of good stewardship of parish resources.” Among the reported violations included “the creation and maintenance of a separate bank account into which he deposited substantial parish funds,” Cupich said. Some of those funds “were used to cover costs unrelated to parish needs including his personal expenses.”Anderson resigned after being presented with the findings of the report, Cupich said. The priest also “accepted [Cupichʼs] instruction that, when the full accounting is complete, he is to make restitution for any funds clearly identified as covering his personal expenses.”The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the total amount of funds reportedly misused at the parish. Cupich in his letter said Father Wayne Watts, the pastor of Sts. Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in nearby Wilmette, oversaw the administration of St. John Henry Newman Parishʼs finances during the review process. The archbishop further said that he had asked the archdiocesan placement board to recommend a new pastor for the parish by July 1. Retired priest Father Gerald Gunderson will serve as parish administrator until the new pastor is appointed, Cupich said. The parish was formed in 2022 after the merging of Sts. Athanasius and Joan of Arc parishes as part of the archdiocesan Renew My Faith campaign.")
Father Kenneth Anderson violated “a number of core archdiocesan policies,” Cardinal Blase Cupich told parishioners.
His appointment comes following the resignation of Cardinal Raphael Sako, who submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV on March 9 amid a legal and financial scandal surrounding a former bishop.
![Minnesota bishop: Singer Gracie Abrams helps young people confront ‘gaping wounds in their hearts’ #Catholic Hereʼs a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the U.S.Minnesota bishop cites Gracie Abrams in speech on educators’ role in healing woundsBishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston shared a video performance of pop singer Gracie Abrams during his keynote speech at the National Catholic Educational Association convention.While discussing the role of educators in helping young people to heal from their wounds, Cozzens played a video of Abrams performing her song “Camden."“The poetry that she sings about expresses the depth of pain that she carries in her heart, and whatʼs even more clear is that it resonates with tens of thousands of people in the stadium all her same age,” Cozzens said during his April 7 keynote, according to UCA News. "Many people in the stadium also feel like singing.”In the song, an extended reflection on insecurity and personal struggles, Abrams sings, in part, “All of me, a wound to close / But I leave the whole thing open / I just wanted you to know / I was never good at coping.”“This is the height of popular culture,” he said. “This is what our young people are singing about, the gaping wounds in their hearts." Catholic educators must invite young people to encounter Christ in their wounds, rather than seeking value from social media, artificial intelligence, popular culture, or politics, he said.The National Catholic Educational Association convention took place April 7-9. Other highlights at the event included a live butter sculpture of Pope Leo XIV, and “Puppy Love” sessions sponsored by Safe Hands Rescue and Healing Hearts Rescue, according to the event schedule.Chicago Archdiocese says public school system abruptly cut off funding for students with disabilitiesMore than 800 students with disabilities attending Chicago Catholic schools will be affected after the city’s public school system suddenly suspended funding to social services before the end of the school year.The Chicago Archdiocese said in an April 10 statement that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) targeted only Catholic schools in terminating services for individuals with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The statement noted students with learning differences will lose access to math, reading, and writing tutoring, which will create “severe hardship for hundreds of students” who were relying on the services through the end of the year.“We are not aware of any other non-public school system or individual school, religious or secular, whose IDEA services have been terminated,” the archdiocese said. “It is not clear why Catholic schools are being treated differently, but Catholic school students have the right to be treated equally under the law.”Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich said the archdiocese "cannot allow this shocking and possibly discriminatory action by CPS to stand, not only given its affront to Catholics, but even more so since this injustice would disenfranchise the students we serve.” The archdiocese said efforts to reach CPS Superintendent Macquline King “have not yielded a response.”The archdiocese said the Chicago school system had verbally confirmed funding for the services would continue through the end of the school year “as recently as March 25" before informing the archdiocese during Holy Week that the services would be suspended. “While federal funding for these services was provided to CPS for the full school year, we were informed that the last day of services would be [April 10],” the archdiocese said.Georgia archdiocese launches virtual Catholic high schoolThe Archdiocese of Atlanta is starting a fully online Catholic high school program this fall in partnership with Catholic Education Services.The launch of Sacred Heart Virtual Academy comes amid increased demand among homeschooling families, according to an April 8 report from the Georgia Bulletin. Curriculum will be provided by Catholic Education Services, whose mission “is to partner with Catholic school leaders and provide services that extend the reach and impact of your school’s mission through a faith-centered, rigorously academic education with a flexible learning platform,” according to its website.“We knew that we were not filling the needs of a group of kids that were in our parishes,” Kim Shields, the archdiocesan associate superintendent of schools, said in the report. “This allows a child that doesn’t want to go to a brick-and-mortar school to have that opportunity.” The school will serve grades 9-12, according to its website, and is open to students outside of the archdiocese.“My hope is that it serves what we’re about — to provide programs for students to help them develop in all areas of their life,” Shields said. “The premise is that everything is centered around the mission of the Catholic Church.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/minnesota-bishop-singer-gracie-abrams-helps-young-people-confront-gaping-wounds-in-their-hearts-catholic-herecabcs-a-roundup-of-the-latest-catholic-education-news-in-the-u-s-minnesota-bishop-c.jpg "Minnesota bishop: Singer Gracie Abrams helps young people confront ‘gaping wounds in their hearts’ #Catholic Hereʼs a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the U.S.Minnesota bishop cites Gracie Abrams in speech on educators’ role in healing woundsBishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston shared a video performance of pop singer Gracie Abrams during his keynote speech at the National Catholic Educational Association convention.While discussing the role of educators in helping young people to heal from their wounds, Cozzens played a video of Abrams performing her song “Camden.\"“The poetry that she sings about expresses the depth of pain that she carries in her heart, and whatʼs even more clear is that it resonates with tens of thousands of people in the stadium all her same age,” Cozzens said during his April 7 keynote, according to UCA News. \"Many people in the stadium also feel like singing.”In the song, an extended reflection on insecurity and personal struggles, Abrams sings, in part, “All of me, a wound to close / But I leave the whole thing open / I just wanted you to know / I was never good at coping.”“This is the height of popular culture,” he said. “This is what our young people are singing about, the gaping wounds in their hearts.\" Catholic educators must invite young people to encounter Christ in their wounds, rather than seeking value from social media, artificial intelligence, popular culture, or politics, he said.The National Catholic Educational Association convention took place April 7-9. Other highlights at the event included a live butter sculpture of Pope Leo XIV, and “Puppy Love” sessions sponsored by Safe Hands Rescue and Healing Hearts Rescue, according to the event schedule.Chicago Archdiocese says public school system abruptly cut off funding for students with disabilitiesMore than 800 students with disabilities attending Chicago Catholic schools will be affected after the city’s public school system suddenly suspended funding to social services before the end of the school year.The Chicago Archdiocese said in an April 10 statement that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) targeted only Catholic schools in terminating services for individuals with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The statement noted students with learning differences will lose access to math, reading, and writing tutoring, which will create “severe hardship for hundreds of students” who were relying on the services through the end of the year.“We are not aware of any other non-public school system or individual school, religious or secular, whose IDEA services have been terminated,” the archdiocese said. “It is not clear why Catholic schools are being treated differently, but Catholic school students have the right to be treated equally under the law.”Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich said the archdiocese \"cannot allow this shocking and possibly discriminatory action by CPS to stand, not only given its affront to Catholics, but even more so since this injustice would disenfranchise the students we serve.” The archdiocese said efforts to reach CPS Superintendent Macquline King “have not yielded a response.”The archdiocese said the Chicago school system had verbally confirmed funding for the services would continue through the end of the school year “as recently as March 25\" before informing the archdiocese during Holy Week that the services would be suspended. “While federal funding for these services was provided to CPS for the full school year, we were informed that the last day of services would be [April 10],” the archdiocese said.Georgia archdiocese launches virtual Catholic high schoolThe Archdiocese of Atlanta is starting a fully online Catholic high school program this fall in partnership with Catholic Education Services.The launch of Sacred Heart Virtual Academy comes amid increased demand among homeschooling families, according to an April 8 report from the Georgia Bulletin. Curriculum will be provided by Catholic Education Services, whose mission “is to partner with Catholic school leaders and provide services that extend the reach and impact of your school’s mission through a faith-centered, rigorously academic education with a flexible learning platform,” according to its website.“We knew that we were not filling the needs of a group of kids that were in our parishes,” Kim Shields, the archdiocesan associate superintendent of schools, said in the report. “This allows a child that doesn’t want to go to a brick-and-mortar school to have that opportunity.” The school will serve grades 9-12, according to its website, and is open to students outside of the archdiocese.“My hope is that it serves what we’re about — to provide programs for students to help them develop in all areas of their life,” Shields said. “The premise is that everything is centered around the mission of the Catholic Church.”")
Organizers of the “Muistamme” vigil lit one candle for each of the 8,645 abortions performed in Finland in 2024, drawing Catholic, Lutheran, and Presbyterian clergy together in central Helsinki.
Bishop Samson Shukardin said government committees are often delayed so people forget, as protests continue over the marriage of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz.
A married couple that leads the Teams of Our Lady, founded by newly-declared Venerable Father Henri Caffarel, explains how this lay apostolate helps couples grow together in holiness.
Church authorities unveiled details of the official delegation expected to accompany the Holy Father during his visit scheduled for April 21–23.
The government said it was making the release “in the context of the religious celebrations of Holy Week.”
![Archbishop Broglio: War should always be ‘a last resort’ #Catholic Archbishop for the Military Services, USA Timothy Broglio said this week that the ongoing U.S.-Iran war doesnʼt seem to be legitimate under a just war theory, with the prelate admitting that while military intelligence may have additional information unknown to the public, it was nevertheless “hard” to see how the war could be justified. The archbishop, who also served as the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2022 to 2025, made the remarks during an interview with Ed OʼKeefe on CBS Newsʼs “Face the Nation,” set to air on April 5. OʼKeefe during the interview highlighted Saint Augustineʼs theory of “just war” in which the ancient theologian pointed out that “the causes for which men undertake wars” must be grounded in both peace and necessity. The journalist asked if the Iran war could be justified under that doctrine. “I would think under the just war theory, it is not,” the archbishop said. “Because while there was a threat with nuclear arms, [the war is] compensating for a threat before [the threat itself] is actually realized.”“I would line myself up with Pope Leo, who has been urging for negotiation,” Broglio continued. “I realize also that you could say, well, with whom are you going to negotiate? And that is a problem.” “But in the meantime, lives are being lost, both there and also among troops,” he said. “So it is a concern.”On March 31 Pope Leo XIV appealed for world peace amid multiple conflicts throughout the Middle East, urging the faithful to pray “for the victims of war … that there may truly be a new, renewed peace, which can give new life to all.”Earlier, on Palm Sunday, the Holy Father spoke out more strongly against global conflict, arguing that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."In his interview on CBS, Broglio pointed to remarks in October of 1965 by then-Pope Paul VI, who in addressing the United Nations decried the “blood of millions” resulting from numerous global conflicts, telling the international body: “Never again war, never again war!” “Now, so many years later, weʼre still in this situation,” Broglio said. “So I think Pope Leo would definitely support saying that, you know, we have to find a situation where men and women can sit down and find avenues of peace.”“I think war is always a last resort,” the archbishop said during the interview. In January, amid overtures by the U.S. to potentially invade Greenland, Broglio in an interview with the BBC expressed concern that soldiers might be “put in a situation where they’re being ordered to do something that is morally questionable.”Speaking to CBS, the prelate acknowledged that a soldier in the military “has to obey [an order] unless itʼs clearly immoral.”“And then he would probably have to speak to his chaplain, to his chain of command,” the archbishop said. “The question might be, would generals or admirals have space to perhaps say, can we look at this a different way?” “But having spoken to some of them too, theyʼre also in the same dilemma,” he said. “So I guess my counsel would be to do as little harm as you can, and to try and preserve innocent lives.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/archbishop-broglio-war-should-always-be-a-last-resort-catholic-archbishop-for-the-military-services-usa-timothy-broglio-said-this-week-that-the-ongoing-u-s-iran-war-doesncabct-seem-to-be-leg.jpg "Archbishop Broglio: War should always be ‘a last resort’ #Catholic Archbishop for the Military Services, USA Timothy Broglio said this week that the ongoing U.S.-Iran war doesnʼt seem to be legitimate under a just war theory, with the prelate admitting that while military intelligence may have additional information unknown to the public, it was nevertheless “hard” to see how the war could be justified. The archbishop, who also served as the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2022 to 2025, made the remarks during an interview with Ed OʼKeefe on CBS Newsʼs “Face the Nation,” set to air on April 5. OʼKeefe during the interview highlighted Saint Augustineʼs theory of “just war” in which the ancient theologian pointed out that “the causes for which men undertake wars” must be grounded in both peace and necessity. The journalist asked if the Iran war could be justified under that doctrine. “I would think under the just war theory, it is not,” the archbishop said. “Because while there was a threat with nuclear arms, [the war is] compensating for a threat before [the threat itself] is actually realized.”“I would line myself up with Pope Leo, who has been urging for negotiation,” Broglio continued. “I realize also that you could say, well, with whom are you going to negotiate? And that is a problem.” “But in the meantime, lives are being lost, both there and also among troops,” he said. “So it is a concern.”On March 31 Pope Leo XIV appealed for world peace amid multiple conflicts throughout the Middle East, urging the faithful to pray “for the victims of war … that there may truly be a new, renewed peace, which can give new life to all.”Earlier, on Palm Sunday, the Holy Father spoke out more strongly against global conflict, arguing that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.\"In his interview on CBS, Broglio pointed to remarks in October of 1965 by then-Pope Paul VI, who in addressing the United Nations decried the “blood of millions” resulting from numerous global conflicts, telling the international body: “Never again war, never again war!” “Now, so many years later, weʼre still in this situation,” Broglio said. “So I think Pope Leo would definitely support saying that, you know, we have to find a situation where men and women can sit down and find avenues of peace.”“I think war is always a last resort,” the archbishop said during the interview. In January, amid overtures by the U.S. to potentially invade Greenland, Broglio in an interview with the BBC expressed concern that soldiers might be “put in a situation where they’re being ordered to do something that is morally questionable.”Speaking to CBS, the prelate acknowledged that a soldier in the military “has to obey [an order] unless itʼs clearly immoral.”“And then he would probably have to speak to his chaplain, to his chain of command,” the archbishop said. “The question might be, would generals or admirals have space to perhaps say, can we look at this a different way?” “But having spoken to some of them too, theyʼre also in the same dilemma,” he said. “So I guess my counsel would be to do as little harm as you can, and to try and preserve innocent lives.”")
The archbishop for the Military Services, USA said it was “hard” to see how the ongoing war with Iran could be justified.
The Catholic bishops were among more than 50 intervenors presenting arguments at a landmark Supreme Court of Canada hearing into the constitutionality of Quebec’s 2019 secularism law.
Christian leaders and Catholic clergy in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation are urging Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to add Easter Sunday to the government holiday calendar.
UEFA told EWTN News its fine on a Serbian soccer club was for offensive language, not a massive Orthodox Christian display — contradicting widespread reports the sanction targeted religious imagery.
From left to right, NASA astronauts Andre Douglas, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronauts Jenni Gibbons, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen pose for a photo before the Artemis II crew proceed to a media event on March 27, 2026.
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The final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy in Africa draws attention to a wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral realities shaping the practice across the continent.
Police stopped the two church leaders on their way as they were proceeding privately “without any ceremonial or liturgical manifestations,” and forced them to turn back.
The Holy Father met with the country’s royalty, addressed Catholic youth, and celebrated Mass at Louis II Stadium.
The Holy Father during his homily at Monaco’s Louis II Stadium urged the faithful to “not get used to the rumble of weapons or the images of war.”
Pope Leo XIV erected the Diocese of Joypurhat on March 25, appointing Father Paul Gomes as first bishop of a region whose Catholics are largely Indigenous.
![California grandmother aims for 10,000 signatures on petition against second-trimester abortions #Catholic Mary Waldorf didn’t know anything about organizing petitions, but when a hospital worker and fellow parishioner told her that staff were forced to participate in second-trimester abortions, she felt called to do something.Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California, about 80 miles north of Sacramento, is the primary hospital in the area.“It’s the only hospital in a huge county. We all have to use it,” Waldorf told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.”Waldorf still remembers how she felt the day she found out about the abortions being performed there.“I spent the rest of the day just bawling because I know what a second-trimester abortion is,” she said.“Everybody was shocked,” she added.Waldorf went with a small group to peacefully protest in front of the hospital, holding signs. Hospital staff approached, asking why they were there.“They didn’t even know” about the later-term abortions being performed at the facility, Waldorf said.Waldorf claimed that local media will not cover the controversy. She said she has sent several letters to the editor of local papers but described the situation as a “media blackout.”A pediatrician at the hospital told her the hospital administration might reconsider if there was enough concern. “Why she told me, God only knows,” Waldorf said. “But I thought, well, if that’s the case, then what if we do a petition?”“I’m just somebody who goes to church, has grandkids, goes to work — I don’t know how to do [a petition],” she told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.” “I am not a media [figure]. But when God gives you an opportunity, you got to go for it.”The petition had about 800 signatures as of March 27. Waldorf is aiming for 10,000 — 10% of the size of the town.Waldorf said staff members have told her that the hospital allegedly has refused to allow some medical workers to opt out of assisting with abortion procedures.“They were told that the pre-op and the post-op nurses and personnel could not opt out,” Waldorf said.Waldorf runs a local chapter of 40 Days for Life, a nationwide effort aimed at praying for women seeking abortions and for their children, usually in front of abortion clinics during Lent. She says she wants women to have “true choice.”“If the mindset of people is about death, they don’t consider the child — and you have to consider both,” Waldorf said. “They’re not counseling these women. What about giving them true choice?”“The dignity of the human person is so paramount,” Waldorf added. “And I think that that is what’s being lost here completely.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/california-grandmother-aims-for-10000-signatures-on-petition-against-second-trimester-abortions-catholic-mary-waldorf-didnt-know-anything-about-organizing-petitions-but-when-a-hospital-wor-scaled.png "California grandmother aims for 10,000 signatures on petition against second-trimester abortions #Catholic Mary Waldorf didn’t know anything about organizing petitions, but when a hospital worker and fellow parishioner told her that staff were forced to participate in second-trimester abortions, she felt called to do something.Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California, about 80 miles north of Sacramento, is the primary hospital in the area.“It’s the only hospital in a huge county. We all have to use it,” Waldorf told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.”Waldorf still remembers how she felt the day she found out about the abortions being performed there.“I spent the rest of the day just bawling because I know what a second-trimester abortion is,” she said.“Everybody was shocked,” she added.Waldorf went with a small group to peacefully protest in front of the hospital, holding signs. Hospital staff approached, asking why they were there.“They didn’t even know” about the later-term abortions being performed at the facility, Waldorf said.Waldorf claimed that local media will not cover the controversy. She said she has sent several letters to the editor of local papers but described the situation as a “media blackout.”A pediatrician at the hospital told her the hospital administration might reconsider if there was enough concern. “Why she told me, God only knows,” Waldorf said. “But I thought, well, if that’s the case, then what if we do a petition?”“I’m just somebody who goes to church, has grandkids, goes to work — I don’t know how to do [a petition],” she told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.” “I am not a media [figure]. But when God gives you an opportunity, you got to go for it.”The petition had about 800 signatures as of March 27. Waldorf is aiming for 10,000 — 10% of the size of the town.Waldorf said staff members have told her that the hospital allegedly has refused to allow some medical workers to opt out of assisting with abortion procedures.“They were told that the pre-op and the post-op nurses and personnel could not opt out,” Waldorf said.Waldorf runs a local chapter of 40 Days for Life, a nationwide effort aimed at praying for women seeking abortions and for their children, usually in front of abortion clinics during Lent. She says she wants women to have “true choice.”“If the mindset of people is about death, they don’t consider the child — and you have to consider both,” Waldorf said. “They’re not counseling these women. What about giving them true choice?”“The dignity of the human person is so paramount,” Waldorf added. “And I think that that is what’s being lost here completely.”")
Mary Waldorf is rallying her town to petition against second-trimester abortions offered by Enloe Medical Center.
![Religious sisters lose lawsuit against Smith & Wesson alleging ‘facilitation’ of mass shootings #Catholic Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has “facilitated” mass shootings in the United States. A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province.The filing alleged that Smith & Wesson is “intent on marketing and selling AR-15 rifles in whatever manner results in the most sales.” The suit claimed the company was pursuing such marketing even if it “is illegal and attracts a dangerous category of buyers [and] facilitates an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”The sisters had filed the suit as shareholders in the company, claiming that Smith & Wesson’s marketing “causes the company to face an ever-increasing and substantial likelihood of liability that threatens its long-term existence.” The filing specifically targeted the company’s board of directors on behalf of the company and its shareholders in what is known as a “derivative lawsuit.”The sisters in the original lawsuit failed to meet a required $500,000 security bond deadline, leading to the suit’s dismissal. They subsequently refiled in federal court in February 2025. In a March 23 order dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said the nuns failed to establish standing to bring the action against the board members.The judge said the nuns could amend the lawsuit if they wished, though the court reimposed the $500,000 security bond, ordering that the sisters must post the amount if they wished to continue the suit.Smith & Wesson was founded in 1852. It operates out of Tennessee and Nevada.The company makes and sells a wide array of firearms, including ArmaLite-type rifles, commonly referred to as “AR-15s,” which it has been selling since 2006.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/religious-sisters-lose-lawsuit-against-smith-wesson-alleging-facilitation-of-mass-shootings-catholic-several-congregations-of-religious-sisters-have-lost-their-lawsuit-against-the-scaled.jpg "Religious sisters lose lawsuit against Smith & Wesson alleging ‘facilitation’ of mass shootings #Catholic Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has “facilitated” mass shootings in the United States. A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province.The filing alleged that Smith & Wesson is “intent on marketing and selling AR-15 rifles in whatever manner results in the most sales.” The suit claimed the company was pursuing such marketing even if it “is illegal and attracts a dangerous category of buyers [and] facilitates an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”The sisters had filed the suit as shareholders in the company, claiming that Smith & Wesson’s marketing “causes the company to face an ever-increasing and substantial likelihood of liability that threatens its long-term existence.” The filing specifically targeted the company’s board of directors on behalf of the company and its shareholders in what is known as a “derivative lawsuit.”The sisters in the original lawsuit failed to meet a required $500,000 security bond deadline, leading to the suit’s dismissal. They subsequently refiled in federal court in February 2025. In a March 23 order dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said the nuns failed to establish standing to bring the action against the board members.The judge said the nuns could amend the lawsuit if they wished, though the court reimposed the $500,000 security bond, ordering that the sisters must post the amount if they wished to continue the suit.Smith & Wesson was founded in 1852. It operates out of Tennessee and Nevada.The company makes and sells a wide array of firearms, including ArmaLite-type rifles, commonly referred to as “AR-15s,” which it has been selling since 2006.")
Multiple congregations of sisters alleged that the gun manufacturer was partly complicit in “an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”
François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste de Franssu at helm of Institute for the Works of Religion.
Bishop Brendan Cahill noted the importance of ecumenical approaches to “one of the most pressing issues of our time.”
Moon rocks are seen during a March 24, 2026, event where NASA is outlining how the agency is executing the National Space Policy and accelerating preparations for America’s return to the surface of the Moon by 2028.
Read More![Pakistan Christian prisoners rebuild lives after church bombings #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — Every year during Lent, Sunil Masih remembers his elder brother as churches in Youhanabad — Lahore’s largest squatter settlement for poor Christians — mark the anniversary of the 2015 church bombings.The four Catholic brothers were among more than 150 Christians arrested by police days after twin suicide attacks on St. John’s Catholic Church and Christ Church on March 15, 2015, which killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.The bombings sparked mob violence that mistakenly killed two Muslim men, who were later identified and detained through raids and video evidence.
Sunil Masih stands beside his vegetable cart in front of his family’s former
milk shop in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit:
Kamran Chaudhry
Masih, now 28, said the trauma of prison changed him forever.“They hurled abuses at us, beat us with strips cut from vehicle tires, and in jail we were given old dried roti [flat bread],” he told EWTN News. “Water from the greasy toilet taps was served for drinking. Family meetings were allowed only after a month. It was a hellhole on earth.”He and his brother Sadaqat Perwaiz — popularly known as Monty — were released after six months in Central Jail Lahore. One brother, however, remained among 42 Christians and one Muslim charged in the lynching case.Devastation beyond prisonThe protracted court proceedings devastated the family’s four-decade-old milk business, saddled them with mounting debts, and forced the sale of their 680-square-foot home.Their worries deepened after two Christian inmates, Inderyas Masih, 36, and Usman Shaukat, 29, died in custody under suspicious circumstances during the trial. Police claimed tuberculosis and a heart attack, respectively, while families and the British Pakistani Christian Association reported bruises and unexplained injuries.
Pakistani police stand guard outside St. John’s Catholic Church in
Youhanabad, Lahore, on March 15, 2025. Posters of Servant of God Akash Bashir flank the entrance gate on the 10th anniversary of twin suicide bombings that struck the neighborhood. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry
In January 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the remaining 39 accused after blood money (Diyat) of 25 million rupees ($89,800) was paid to the victims’ families by Pastor Anwar Fazal, a prominent Christian televangelist.Under the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990, introduced during Gen. Ziaul Haq’s Islamization process, courts calculate compensation based on the financial capacity of the convict and the victim’s heirs, with a minimum value linked to 30,630 grams of silver.Monty died of a heart attack in 2022, leaving behind two children aged 10 and 14. His faded poster still hangs in front of the family’s closed milk shop.“He was a stout man, known for his strong community ties and friendly nature in our neighborhood. Prison left him very lean and weakened by an infection that caused his legs to swell beneath the knees and bleed,” Masih said.Today, Sunil Masih sells vegetables from a wooden cart in front of the same shop, now leased to a real estate dealer. He hopes to marry once his new business stabilizes.‘The gift of a hero’On March 15, police guarded churches in Youhanabad, which houses more than 150,000 Christians, as the community observed the 11th bombing anniversary.At St. John’s, parishioners lit candles and placed flowers beneath a banner honoring Akash Bashir, the 20-year-old security volunteer who died preventing a suicide bomber from entering the church during that Sunday Mass.“Salute and gratitude to the martyrs of Youhanabad,” read the banner near the Marian grotto. In January 2022, the Vatican recognized Bashir as a servant of God, making him the first Pakistani Catholic on the path to canonization.
Father Akram Javed (fifth from right), parish priest of St. John’s Catholic Church, lights a memorial candle for Servant of God Akash Bashir at a commemoration in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. |
Credit: Kamran Chaudhry
Father Akram Javed, parish priest of St. John’s, thanked police for security.“A group of 30 local volunteers carry on Akash’s mission, protecting the church and worshippers. The bombings were a terrible tragedy, but in that darkness, we received the gift of a hero,” he told EWTN News.‘The bombing was a national tragedy’Pentecostal politician Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, who spent five years in prison, sees the anniversary as a moment of reflection for Pakistan’s 3.3 million Christians, many of whom continue to face discrimination, economic hardship, and lingering trauma.
A man prays outside a church in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025, during commemorations marking the anniversary of the twin suicide bombings. Banners honoring Akash Bashir are visible in the background. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry
“The bombing was a national tragedy from which the authorities learnt nothing. We continue to suffer losses due to terrorism, with sporadic attacks targeting minority communities and security forces,” said the 65-year-old head of the Massiha Millat Party (Christian Nation Party).He alleged prison authorities tried to manipulate him, introducing Muslim prisoners to persuade him to stay passive.“Despite back pain from four displaced vertebrae, my time in prison strengthened my faith and resolve for activism. The trend of arresting Christians for alleged blasphemy to appease angry crowds will continue unless investigations are conducted on merit,” he added.
Pakistani bishops demand probe into death of Christian farmworker
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its 2025 annual report, said religious freedom in Pakistan continued to deteriorate, recommending it be designated a “country of particular concern,” citing blasphemy-related prosecutions, mob violence, and forced conversions targeting Christians and other minorities, and a growing climate of fear and impunity.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/pakistan-christian-prisoners-rebuild-lives-after-church-bombings-catholic-lahore-pakistan-every-year-during-lent-sunil-masih-remembers-his-elder-brother-as-churches-in-youhanabad.jpg)
Eleven years after twin suicide bombings struck two Pakistan churches, survivors of mass arrests still bear the scars as a young martyr who died stopping the attack moves toward sainthood.
![Yad Vashem chief: Holocaust memory is key to fighting antisemitism #Catholic Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, said that remembering and honoring the Holocaust is essential to combating rising antisemitism worldwide.Dayan, who met with Pope Leo XIV on March 23 together with Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said their conversation focused on “two issues: the historical remembrance, the need to remember, to know about the Holocaust — but not just for the sake of history, also for the sake of the present and the sake of the future.”We have to make sure that an “atrocity like this cannot happen again — not to the Jewish people, not to any other people,” he said.He added that antisemitism is “raising its ugly head again all over the world” and that the two issues are closely linked.“I think that knowing about the Holocaust, learning about the Holocaust, remembering, honoring the Holocaust is one of the tools to combat antisemitism,” Dayan said.‘Antisemitism is bigotry’Asked whether Israeli policy risks fueling antisemitism, Dayan rejected the premise.“I think antisemitism should not have palliative reasons. Antisemitism is bigotry, antisemitism is racism, and it’s completely independent of anything that Israel does or does not,” he said.He described antisemitism as a unifying force among otherwise opposed extremist groups.“In many sectors in the world, antisemitism has become the common denominator, the lingua franca of all the extremists in the world — left-wing extremists, right-wing extremists, religious extremists, Islamist extremists, and many others,” he said.“They hate each other on any other issue… [but] they don’t only agree, they even collaborate.”“Antisemitism should not be understood. It should be combated without any reservation,” he added, noting he found “full agreement” with Pope Leo XIV on the point.Memory, politics, and responsibilityDayan emphasized the distinction between Holocaust remembrance and contemporary political debates.“The policy and Holocaust remembrance are two completely different things,” he said, while noting that the Holocaust remains “omnipresent in the back of our minds” for many Jews and continues to shape collective identity.He said the obligation to remember the Holocaust is “threefold”: for the future, to build a world free of bigotry and genocide; for the present, amid resurging antisemitism; and as a moral duty to the victims.“Six million victims that were massacred by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Shoah deserve to be remembered,” he said. “It’s a debt that we have to maintain.”A shared history and a future visit?Reflecting on relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, Dayan pointed to the significance of papal visits to Yad Vashem.He presented Pope Leo XIV with a painting by Jewish artist Carol Deutsch, created during the Shoah, depicting the biblical question “Adam, where are you?”He linked the image to Pope Francis’ address at Yad Vashem, in which the late pope asked: “Where was humanity?”Dayan expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would visit Yad Vashem in the future, “when circumstances allow it.”‘Peace is an imperative’Asked about the role of believers in promoting peace, Dayan said the memory of the Holocaust underscores the urgency of that mission.“To yearn for it and to act for it,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust… is one of the greatest motivations a person can have to understand that peace is an imperative.”He acknowledged that he once believed the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust would end war and antisemitism.“Unfortunately… I was very naive in that respect. We have to work harder, all of us, in order to make that a reality in the future,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/yad-vashem-chief-holocaust-memory-is-key-to-fighting-antisemitism-catholic-dani-dayan-chairman-of-yad-vashem-said-that-remembering-and-honoring-the-holocaust-is-essential-to-combating-rising-antis-scaled.jpg "Yad Vashem chief: Holocaust memory is key to fighting antisemitism #Catholic Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, said that remembering and honoring the Holocaust is essential to combating rising antisemitism worldwide.Dayan, who met with Pope Leo XIV on March 23 together with Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said their conversation focused on “two issues: the historical remembrance, the need to remember, to know about the Holocaust — but not just for the sake of history, also for the sake of the present and the sake of the future.”We have to make sure that an “atrocity like this cannot happen again — not to the Jewish people, not to any other people,” he said.He added that antisemitism is “raising its ugly head again all over the world” and that the two issues are closely linked.“I think that knowing about the Holocaust, learning about the Holocaust, remembering, honoring the Holocaust is one of the tools to combat antisemitism,” Dayan said.‘Antisemitism is bigotry’Asked whether Israeli policy risks fueling antisemitism, Dayan rejected the premise.“I think antisemitism should not have palliative reasons. Antisemitism is bigotry, antisemitism is racism, and it’s completely independent of anything that Israel does or does not,” he said.He described antisemitism as a unifying force among otherwise opposed extremist groups.“In many sectors in the world, antisemitism has become the common denominator, the lingua franca of all the extremists in the world — left-wing extremists, right-wing extremists, religious extremists, Islamist extremists, and many others,” he said.“They hate each other on any other issue… [but] they don’t only agree, they even collaborate.”“Antisemitism should not be understood. It should be combated without any reservation,” he added, noting he found “full agreement” with Pope Leo XIV on the point.Memory, politics, and responsibilityDayan emphasized the distinction between Holocaust remembrance and contemporary political debates.“The policy and Holocaust remembrance are two completely different things,” he said, while noting that the Holocaust remains “omnipresent in the back of our minds” for many Jews and continues to shape collective identity.He said the obligation to remember the Holocaust is “threefold”: for the future, to build a world free of bigotry and genocide; for the present, amid resurging antisemitism; and as a moral duty to the victims.“Six million victims that were massacred by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Shoah deserve to be remembered,” he said. “It’s a debt that we have to maintain.”A shared history and a future visit?Reflecting on relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, Dayan pointed to the significance of papal visits to Yad Vashem.He presented Pope Leo XIV with a painting by Jewish artist Carol Deutsch, created during the Shoah, depicting the biblical question “Adam, where are you?”He linked the image to Pope Francis’ address at Yad Vashem, in which the late pope asked: “Where was humanity?”Dayan expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would visit Yad Vashem in the future, “when circumstances allow it.”‘Peace is an imperative’Asked about the role of believers in promoting peace, Dayan said the memory of the Holocaust underscores the urgency of that mission.“To yearn for it and to act for it,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust… is one of the greatest motivations a person can have to understand that peace is an imperative.”He acknowledged that he once believed the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust would end war and antisemitism.“Unfortunately… I was very naive in that respect. We have to work harder, all of us, in order to make that a reality in the future,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.")
Dani Dayan speaks after meeting Pope Leo XIV, says antisemitism is “bigotry” independent of Israeli policy.
![Pope Leo XIV reunites with his eighth grade classmates #Catholic On the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Pope Leo XIV met last week with some of his eighth grade classmates from St. Mary of the Assumption lower school in south Chicago, where he grew up.Of the 82 eighth graders with whom he attended St. Mary’s in 1969, 10 greeted him after the general audience on March 18, exchanging laughs, gifts, and warm handshakes.During the meeting, his former classmates gave him a photograph of the class of 1969, which he held up as he posed for another group shot more than 50 years later.Jerome Clemens pointed out the young Robert Prevost standing among his classmates to the L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper: “Here he is, our friend, the pope,” showing the back of the photo with Prevost’s old autograph and his new one, which he signed, “Leo XIV.”Another former classmate, Sherry Stone (née Blue), dropped a sign she held that read “God bless you Pope Leo” when the pope approached her.“Sorry! I’m nervous!” she said, laughing, as he shook her hand.Instagram postLast spring, Stone told the Lansing Journal: “When he was in the conclave, I thought, ‘Could it be him? Could Bob be the new pope? No, probably not.’ When I saw that it was him, I was just amazed. I was crying tears of joy.”“He was a super nice guy, but not nerdy,” she said.After finishing eighth grade at St. Mary’s, Prevost attended boarding school at St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan, graduating in 1973. He then attended another Augustinian school, Villanova University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1977 before entering the Augustinian novitiate that September. He was ordained a priest in 1982, earning a master of divinity degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago that same year. He earned a licentiate in canon law (JCL) in 1984 and completed a doctorate in canon law (JCD) in 1987, both from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.St. Mary’s church and school on Chicago’s ‘most endangered list’St. Mary of the Assumption Church and School, where a young Prevost served as an altar boy and his mother, Mildred Prevost, worked as a librarian, was at the center of a vibrant Catholic community in the Riverdale neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side in the 1960s.The property, which has been vacant since 2011 and is now privately owned, is located just a few blocks from the pope’s childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, but within Chicago city limits.The neighborhood has seen significant decline since then. Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago told EWTN News that St. Mary’s, which has a hole in the roof of the church building, broken windows, graffiti, and many other issues, was listed on Preservation Chicago’s 2026 “7 Most Endangered List" as of March 4.
Broken windows and graffiti on St. Mary of the Assumption School, where Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, attended eighth grade in 1969. | Credit: Matthew Kaplan
“We at Preservation Chicago are of the opinion that the church and school buildings of St. Mary’s are in need of immediate attention in order to secure temporary repairs, with a long-term goal of a full restoration of the campus of buildings, before everything is lost to deterioration,” Miller said.The property’s current owner, Joel Hall, said last year he is open to a landmark designation by the city, according to Miller. Preservation Chicago, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to preserving historic sites in Chicago and encouraging landmark designations in the city, presented its case to designate it as such at a meeting in May 2025 of the Commission of Chicago Landmarks.No decision has been made yet regarding the landmark designation, but Preservation Chicago has created an online petition to the city of Chicago to “Save the Pope’s Church!”“This complex should become a visitors site, an oratory or shrine, as this is our first American pope — a world leader, and from Chicago!” Miller told EWTN News.
The interior of the dilapidated St. Mary of the Assumption Church, showing water damage to the floor and graffiti behind where the altar once stood. Pope Leo XIV served as an altar boy there during his childhood. | Credit: Ward Miller/Preservation Chicago
“We would very much like to see a partnership form to save these buildings and tell the story of this world leader,” reads an article on Preservation Chicago’s website. “An initial step in this process would be to consider a Chicago landmark designation of the buildings of this campus, with a plan to methodically restore and repurpose each of the buildings.”
Close-up of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Riverdale, Chicago, Pope Leo XIV’s childhood parish, which was recently added to Preservation Chicagoʼs “7 Most Endangered” list of historic structures in the city. | Credit: Cristen Brown
Miller told EWTN News he would like to see the property “prepared [in time] for the pope’s return visits to Chicago!”The pope does not yet have plans to visit the United States.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/pope-leo-xiv-reunites-with-his-eighth-grade-classmates-catholic-on-the-steps-of-st-peters-basilica-in-rome-pope-leo-xiv-met-last-week-with-some-of-his-eighth-grade-classmates-from-st-mary.jpg)
Pope Leo XIV met with 10 of his eighth grade classmates in St. Peter’s Square at a recent general audience.
Holy Week observances and events in the Holy Land have been canceled or significantly revised in the face of closures in Jerusalem due to the war with Iran.
Pope Leo XIV says suffering of innocent victims “hurts all of humanity” as he calls for end to hostilities and renewed paths to peace.
Our Lady of Fatima Parish in the Archdiocese of Luanda is preparing to host Pope Leo XIV’s meeting with bishops, priests, women and men religious, and catechists during his April 18–21 visit.
Sister Anna Maria shares about her late-in-life vocation, some wisdom on living a long life, and how her advanced age has not stopped the elderly nun from keeping active.
“Protocanon” is an honorary title reserved exclusively for the Spanish head of state, recognizing the monarch as a collaborator of the pope.
An American bald eagles flies away from its nest and tree at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, March 13, 2026.
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Now more than ever, the Christian minority in the Holy Land needs the support it receives through the annual Good Friday collection as ongoing violence in the Middle East has curtailed pilgrimages.
Multiple Catholic leaders are slated to be commencement speakers at Newman Guide Schools in 2026.
In a decisive vote, Scottish members of Parliament have rejected the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, a victory the bishops in Scotland are praising.
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the new papal envoy to Washington, has been shaped by a diplomatic career in geopolitical hot spots.
Catholic Indigenous leaders in Bangladesh say they will escalate protests if the government does not halt a forest development project they call a pretext for eviction.
Dr. Robert H. Goddard and a liquid oxygen-gasoline rocket in the frame from which it was fired on March 16, 1926, at Auburn, Mass.
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Michigan Catholics “stand in solidarity” with Jewish community after attack on a synagogue.
The move was announced on March 14 by the Holy See Press Office, more than ten months after Leo’s election.
Early morning sunlight illuminates the western wall of this unnamed crater, leaving deep shadows on the ground and in the interior. The image was taken on August 30, 2023, by LROC (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera).
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On the International Day of Mathematics, Pope Leo XIV sent a message inviting reflection on the role good mathematics can play in today’s world.
Deacon John Zak was “an active member of the community” before he was killed on March 11, police said.
![Cuban government to release 51 prisoners following Vatican talks #Catholic The Cuban government announced that it will release 51 people from prison because of its “smooth” relations with the Vatican — a move that coincides with the upcoming observance of Holy Week.“In the spirit of goodwill, and of the close and smooth relations between the Cuban state and the Vatican — with which communication regarding processes for the review and release of persons deprived of liberty has historically been maintained — the government of Cuba has decided to release, in the coming days, 51 individuals sentenced to deprivation of liberty [prison],” the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported in a March 12 statement.The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on March 13 that “conversations regarding the release of prisoners have recently taken place.”The statement from the Cuban ministry notes that all these individuals “have served a significant portion of their sentences and have maintained good conduct in prison”; however, it does not indicate whether the group includes political prisoners.The communist regime states that since 2010, it “has granted pardons to 9,905 inmates, while — over the last three years, as part of Cuban practice and pursuant to the provisions of our legislation — another 10,000 individuals sentenced to deprivation of liberty were released based on certain conditions.”This announcement comes amid renewed tensions between Cuba and the United States, which began in January, and the recent meetings that representatives from both countries have held with Vatican officials.On Feb. 20, the U.S. chief of mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, held a meeting at the Vatican with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states.Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated on March 9 that the Holy See has taken “the necessary steps” regarding the situation in Cuba, “always with a view to a solution to the existing problems through dialogue.”In January 2025, the Cuban regime also announced the release of 553 prisoners following mediation by Pope Francis and “in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025.”Victoria Cardiel, EWTN News correspondent in Rome, contributed to this report.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.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cuban-government-to-release-51-prisoners-following-vatican-talks-catholic-the-cuban-government-announced-that-it-will-release-51-people-from-prison-because-of-its-smooth-relations-w.webp "Cuban government to release 51 prisoners following Vatican talks #Catholic The Cuban government announced that it will release 51 people from prison because of its “smooth” relations with the Vatican — a move that coincides with the upcoming observance of Holy Week.“In the spirit of goodwill, and of the close and smooth relations between the Cuban state and the Vatican — with which communication regarding processes for the review and release of persons deprived of liberty has historically been maintained — the government of Cuba has decided to release, in the coming days, 51 individuals sentenced to deprivation of liberty [prison],” the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported in a March 12 statement.The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on March 13 that “conversations regarding the release of prisoners have recently taken place.”The statement from the Cuban ministry notes that all these individuals “have served a significant portion of their sentences and have maintained good conduct in prison”; however, it does not indicate whether the group includes political prisoners.The communist regime states that since 2010, it “has granted pardons to 9,905 inmates, while — over the last three years, as part of Cuban practice and pursuant to the provisions of our legislation — another 10,000 individuals sentenced to deprivation of liberty were released based on certain conditions.”This announcement comes amid renewed tensions between Cuba and the United States, which began in January, and the recent meetings that representatives from both countries have held with Vatican officials.On Feb. 20, the U.S. chief of mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, held a meeting at the Vatican with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states.Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated on March 9 that the Holy See has taken “the necessary steps” regarding the situation in Cuba, “always with a view to a solution to the existing problems through dialogue.”In January 2025, the Cuban regime also announced the release of 553 prisoners following mediation by Pope Francis and “in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025.”Victoria Cardiel, EWTN News correspondent in Rome, contributed to this report.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.")
The regime stated the decision was made in a “spirit of goodwill” and because of its good relations with the Holy See, but did not indicate if any of those to be released are political prisoners.
Pro-life students are demonstrating against the “Repro Fund,” a program that uses mandatory student fees to finance abortions.
![The religious sisters in Vatican leadership #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Religious sisters and consecrated women are a formidable presence inside Vatican City State and the Roman Curia, with recent years seeing their number and prominence rise.The increasing presence of women in the Vatican has been well documented. According to the Vatican, the percentage of women grew from 19.2% to 23.4% during the first decade of Pope Francis’ pontificate.According to a study done at the end of 2024, there were 1,318 women in a total workforce of around 6,000. There is no publicly available data on how big a share of the female presence is composed of consecrated women and religious sisters.Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, was one of the first women to be appointed to a major role at the Vatican when she was named undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops in 2021. She was also the first woman to vote at a synodal assembly.Becquart told EWTN News that during her five years at the Vatican not only have women been given more key positions, but they are also serving in less visible, though no less important, roles.“At the Vatican now, you have more women as consultors to the different dicasteries or member of the dicasteries, on different commissions,” she said. “We had women in all our commissions as experts, as facilitators, inside the synod.”In August 2025, Pope Leo appointed Sister Iuliana Sarosi, CMD, and Sister Martha Driscoll, OCSO, consultors of the Dicastery for Clergy.
Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE, president of the Governorate and of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News
Sister Raffaella Petrini of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist is the first woman in the history of the Church to head the Vatican City State.She was appointed president of the Governorate and of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State — the equivalent of a kind of governor — in March 2025 after serving as secretary general of the city state for four years.Petrini is also one of the first women to be a member of the Dicastery for Bishops. Pope Francis appointed Petrini, consecrated virgin María Lía Zervino, and Sister Yvonne Reungoat, FMA, members in July 2022.Since 2023, the undersecretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) is also a religious sister: Sister Silvana Piro, FMGB.Serving at the VaticanBecquart described coming to the Vatican to work as “an adventure.”“For me, being appointed at the Vatican has been a little bit like being sent to be a missionary in Papua New Guinea or in Brazil. It’s arriving in a new context, a new experience, learning a new language, new ways of working. A new culture, I would say, a new environment,” the sister said.
Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, is an undersecretary for the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News
Becquart noted that one of the qualities religious sisters in general bring to their service at the Vatican is “a deep connection with real life.” As well, many “have started at the grassroots [ministering to] the people where they are. So we bring also this experience of being with others, especially with the poor and the most marginalized.”Margherita Romanelli, a non-religious sister who recently retired after working for 31 years in the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, told EWTN News “the recent appointments of women to top positions have greatly helped other women working [in the Vatican] to feel valued and to commit themselves to working for the common good, alongside men.”Romanelli, who is also president of the Women in the Vatican Association (DIVA), said the association was founded in 2016 because some women “felt the need to come together to respond to the needs of their female colleagues and, above all, to gain greater visibility within the Vatican. Their goal is therefore to create a network of friendship and solidarity.”In the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, where Romanelli worked, economist Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, is the first woman to hold the No. 2 position.Smerilli was named secretary in April 2022 after serving for eight months as interim secretary and, prior to that, almost half a year as undersecretary, starting in March 2021. Before starting in the Roman Curia, Smerilli was also a councilor of the Vatican City State.
Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News
Religious sisters serving religiousIn one department at the Vatican, there has been a revolution of women religious in leadership over the last year.In 2025, first Pope Francis, and then Pope Leo XIV, put two religious sisters in charge of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, starting with Sister Simona Brambilla of the Consolata Missionaries.Appointed prefect in January 2025, Brambilla is the first woman ever named prefect of a dicastery. She leads together with Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, who is pro-prefect of the same dicastery.Brambilla, who served as superior general of the Consolata Missionary Sisters from 2011 to 2023, was secretary of the dicastery for religious and consecrated life since October 2023.The sister, who trained as a nurse before entering religious life, was a missionary in Mozambique in the late 1990s. She then returned to Italy, where, with her advanced degree in psychology, she taught at the Pontifical Gregorian University in its Institute of Psychology. She was head of the institute of Consolata Missionary Sisters from 2011 until May 2023.In May 2025, Pope Leo XIV named Sister Tiziana Merletti, a Franciscan Sister of the Poor, secretary of the same dicastery.Merletti, a former superior general of her order, is an expert in canon law who taught at the Pontifical University Antonianum.With Sister Carmen Ros Nortes, NSC, who has been undersecretary of the same dicastery since 2018, three of the department’s top five positions are filled by religious sisters.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/the-religious-sisters-in-vatican-leadership-catholic-vatican-city-religious-sisters-and-consecrated-women-are-a-formidable-presence-inside-vatican-city-state-and-the-roman-curia-with-recen.webp)
The percentage of Vatican employees who are women grew from 19.2% to 23.4% during the first decade of the last pontificate.
![Georgia appeals court blocks abuse suit against Atlanta Archdiocese, cites statute of limitations #Catholic A dozen alleged abuse victims suffered a defeat at a Georgia appeals court this week when their lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Atlanta was dismissed on the grounds that the alleged abuse did not fall under an extended statute of limitations. The case turned on whether or not the archdiocese had covered up the alleged clergy sexual abuse, which if true could have “tolled” the time limit for filing abuse claims. “Tolling” occurs when a statute of limitations is extended beyond a normal window, allowing alleged victims to file abuse claims years after they normally would have been barred from doing so. In the Atlanta case, a dozen alleged victims had filed numerous suits against the Archdiocese of Atlanta and numerous churches, claiming that Fathers John Edwards and Jorge Cristancho had abused them over multiple decades from the 1960s to the early 2000s. A lower court had dismissed the cases. The Georgia Court of Appeals on March 9 upheld the dismissal, arguing that the statute of limitations for the filings had expired and that the archdiocese had not committed any malfeasance that could have extended the filing window. The plaintiffs “failed to point to any evidence that the [the archdioceseʼs] actions concealed the Plaintiffs’ claims and prevented or hindered them from filing their lawsuits,” the ruling held. The alleged victims failed to prove that they “ever requested information from the [archdiocese] about their knowledge and involvement in the abuse, or that the [archdiocese] refused” to provide it. The three-judge panel acknowledged that it was “certainly mindful of the grievous circumstances involving heinous conduct which led to the filing of these cases.”Edwards and Cristancho are both listed by the archdiocese as “credibly accused” of sexual abuse. Edwards died in 1997; Cristancho was laicized in 2003. Statutes of limitations have been a key component of disputes in the U.S. Church for years, with lawmakers in recent years advocating and often passing bills retroactively extending the window for filing abuse claims. In 2023 Maryland passed the state Child Victims Act, which abolished a 20-year statute of limitations for civil child abuse suits. The Maryland Supreme Court ruled in 2025 that the law did not violate the state constitution.Numerous states such as New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, Colorado and others have enacted similar laws allowing for abuse victims to seek restitution for alleged incidents that occurred in decades past. Such legal arrangements are not limited to the United States. In January the Spanish Bishops’ Conference and the national government agreed to a compensation plan for abuse victims that will allow victims to file for restitution even if the alleged abuse falls outside of the standard statute of limitations.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/georgia-appeals-court-blocks-abuse-suit-against-atlanta-archdiocese-cites-statute-of-limitations-catholic-a-dozen-alleged-abuse-victims-suffered-a-defeat-at-a-georgia-appeals-court-this-week-when-th.jpg "Georgia appeals court blocks abuse suit against Atlanta Archdiocese, cites statute of limitations #Catholic A dozen alleged abuse victims suffered a defeat at a Georgia appeals court this week when their lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Atlanta was dismissed on the grounds that the alleged abuse did not fall under an extended statute of limitations. The case turned on whether or not the archdiocese had covered up the alleged clergy sexual abuse, which if true could have “tolled” the time limit for filing abuse claims. “Tolling” occurs when a statute of limitations is extended beyond a normal window, allowing alleged victims to file abuse claims years after they normally would have been barred from doing so. In the Atlanta case, a dozen alleged victims had filed numerous suits against the Archdiocese of Atlanta and numerous churches, claiming that Fathers John Edwards and Jorge Cristancho had abused them over multiple decades from the 1960s to the early 2000s. A lower court had dismissed the cases. The Georgia Court of Appeals on March 9 upheld the dismissal, arguing that the statute of limitations for the filings had expired and that the archdiocese had not committed any malfeasance that could have extended the filing window. The plaintiffs “failed to point to any evidence that the [the archdioceseʼs] actions concealed the Plaintiffs’ claims and prevented or hindered them from filing their lawsuits,” the ruling held. The alleged victims failed to prove that they “ever requested information from the [archdiocese] about their knowledge and involvement in the abuse, or that the [archdiocese] refused” to provide it. The three-judge panel acknowledged that it was “certainly mindful of the grievous circumstances involving heinous conduct which led to the filing of these cases.”Edwards and Cristancho are both listed by the archdiocese as “credibly accused” of sexual abuse. Edwards died in 1997; Cristancho was laicized in 2003. Statutes of limitations have been a key component of disputes in the U.S. Church for years, with lawmakers in recent years advocating and often passing bills retroactively extending the window for filing abuse claims. In 2023 Maryland passed the state Child Victims Act, which abolished a 20-year statute of limitations for civil child abuse suits. The Maryland Supreme Court ruled in 2025 that the law did not violate the state constitution.Numerous states such as New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, Colorado and others have enacted similar laws allowing for abuse victims to seek restitution for alleged incidents that occurred in decades past. Such legal arrangements are not limited to the United States. In January the Spanish Bishops’ Conference and the national government agreed to a compensation plan for abuse victims that will allow victims to file for restitution even if the alleged abuse falls outside of the standard statute of limitations.")
The statute of limitations could not be extended due to a lack of evidence of fraud by the archdiocese, the court said.
Church leaders and Muslim clerics shared Ramadan fast-breaking meals across six Pakistani dioceses this year as the overlap of Lent and Ramadan inspired joint prayers for peace.
