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Pope Leo XIV urges halt to Mideast attacks, return to diplomacy #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged parties across the Middle East to suspend their attacks and reopen diplomatic negotiations, warning that escalating military operations were endangering civilians and worsening shortages of drinking water and electricity.“I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim,” the pope said July 26 after leading the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo.His remarks followed one of the most tense days in the West Bank in recent months. A shooting in Tell, southwest of Nablus, reportedly killed at least four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers and was followed by attacks by Israeli settlers against several Palestinian communities.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz subsequently announced that military operations would be intensified in areas Israel considers centers of terrorism.“I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person,” Pope Leo said.“At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion.”The pope also renewed his appeal concerning the wider Middle East, where he said intensified military operations had “again wreaked violence and destruction, endangering the lives of countless civilians and further aggravating the shortages of drinking water and electricity.”“From the depths of my heart, I exhort all parties involved to suspend the attacks and urgently reopen paths of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the longed-for peace for the entire region may be achieved without delay,” he said.Pope Leo invited the faithful to continue praying for people throughout the world who are suffering because of war.“May the Lord touch the hearts and enlighten the minds of those in power, so that reconciliation and peace may soon prevail,” he said.Prayers for wildfire victimsThe pope also expressed his closeness to people affected by devastating wildfires in France and Spain and called for prayers for both the victims and emergency workers involved in relief efforts.The fires have forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes, while forecasts of temperatures reaching approximately 108 degrees Fahrenheit were expected to increase the danger in the affected areas.Beatification of Elias HoayekPope Leo recalled the July 25 beatification in Lebanon of Elias Hoayek, who served as Maronite patriarch of Antioch from 1899 to 1931 and founded the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family.“For more than thirty years, he led the Maronite Church with great dedication and pastoral sensitivity,” the pope said.“A man of dialogue and hope, he was an outstanding ecclesial, social and political leader, so much so that he came to be known as the ‘Father of Greater Lebanon.’”The pope prayed that the new blessed’s intercession would accompany Maronite Catholics throughout the world and obtain peace for Lebanon, “a country dear to my heart.”World Day for Grandparents and the ElderlyPope Leo also marked the sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, whose theme was drawn from the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I will never forget you.”“Together, let us give thanks to the Lord for the gift that the elderly are to the Church and society,” he said.“Let us also commit ourselves to respecting and valuing the precious role they play, and to ensuring that they always receive the care, attention and assistance they deserve.”The kingdom of God enlarges lifeDuring his Angelus reflection, Pope Leo focused on the Gospel’s images of the kingdom of God as a hidden treasure and a pearl of great price.“The parables convey the surprise of those who find something far beyond what they could have hoped for, so much so that selling or leaving everything behind no longer seems a sacrifice, but a gain,” he said.The pope said the evangelists present Christ’s call to discipleship as irresistible.“It is a free choice, yet also urgent and capable of eliciting a ready and wholehearted response,” he said. “Encountering his Kingdom marks a turning point that does not limit life but enlarges it.”“If anything must change on our part, it is only so that our lives may be opened to greater possibilities, not fewer.”Pope Leo noted that the figures appearing in Christ’s parables include peasants, merchants, travelers, fishermen, scribes, shepherds, farmers and women carrying out ordinary household tasks.“In short, the Kingdom of God reveals its inestimable beauty in different ways, but calls everyone — men and women, young and old, rich and poor — to a profound renewal,” he said. “Everyone is capable of understanding it and is drawn to it.”The pope said that the Church likewise brings together people with different backgrounds, cultures, abilities and responsibilities.“Yet all are called to recognize themselves as ‘one’ in Jesus Christ: he is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, the net that gathers those who are scattered,” he said.“From the beginning, Jesus called and gathered around himself people who would otherwise never have come to know one another. In this way, he demonstrated that God has no favorites, but instead offers his love freely, especially to the little ones or those cast aside.”Pope Leo concluded by urging Catholics to ask for the wisdom sought by the young King Solomon: the ability to recognize what is truly valuable.“While the consumer culture influences our tastes, constantly creating new needs only to sell us solutions that never satisfy, and that sometimes even poison the heart, we must learn to grasp what truly matters,” he said.That treasure, the pope continued, is “a relationship with God that opens us to joy and helps us to live our relationships with one another more fully.”The July 26 Angelus was Pope Leo’s final Sunday appearance during his summer stay at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. He was scheduled to return to the Vatican on Monday, July 27.The pope was expected to return to Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 29, to meet young choristers participating in the Andrea Bocelli Foundation’s Voices of Global Gathering at the Borgo Laudato Si’. Bocelli was scheduled to perform a musical work titled “Cantico di Pace.”This story was first published in two parts 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 urges halt to Mideast attacks, return to diplomacy #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged parties across the Middle East to suspend their attacks and reopen diplomatic negotiations, warning that escalating military operations were endangering civilians and worsening shortages of drinking water and electricity.“I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim,” the pope said July 26 after leading the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo.His remarks followed one of the most tense days in the West Bank in recent months. A shooting in Tell, southwest of Nablus, reportedly killed at least four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers and was followed by attacks by Israeli settlers against several Palestinian communities.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz subsequently announced that military operations would be intensified in areas Israel considers centers of terrorism.“I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person,” Pope Leo said.“At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion.”The pope also renewed his appeal concerning the wider Middle East, where he said intensified military operations had “again wreaked violence and destruction, endangering the lives of countless civilians and further aggravating the shortages of drinking water and electricity.”“From the depths of my heart, I exhort all parties involved to suspend the attacks and urgently reopen paths of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the longed-for peace for the entire region may be achieved without delay,” he said.Pope Leo invited the faithful to continue praying for people throughout the world who are suffering because of war.“May the Lord touch the hearts and enlighten the minds of those in power, so that reconciliation and peace may soon prevail,” he said.Prayers for wildfire victimsThe pope also expressed his closeness to people affected by devastating wildfires in France and Spain and called for prayers for both the victims and emergency workers involved in relief efforts.The fires have forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes, while forecasts of temperatures reaching approximately 108 degrees Fahrenheit were expected to increase the danger in the affected areas.Beatification of Elias HoayekPope Leo recalled the July 25 beatification in Lebanon of Elias Hoayek, who served as Maronite patriarch of Antioch from 1899 to 1931 and founded the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family.“For more than thirty years, he led the Maronite Church with great dedication and pastoral sensitivity,” the pope said.“A man of dialogue and hope, he was an outstanding ecclesial, social and political leader, so much so that he came to be known as the ‘Father of Greater Lebanon.’”The pope prayed that the new blessed’s intercession would accompany Maronite Catholics throughout the world and obtain peace for Lebanon, “a country dear to my heart.”World Day for Grandparents and the ElderlyPope Leo also marked the sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, whose theme was drawn from the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I will never forget you.”“Together, let us give thanks to the Lord for the gift that the elderly are to the Church and society,” he said.“Let us also commit ourselves to respecting and valuing the precious role they play, and to ensuring that they always receive the care, attention and assistance they deserve.”The kingdom of God enlarges lifeDuring his Angelus reflection, Pope Leo focused on the Gospel’s images of the kingdom of God as a hidden treasure and a pearl of great price.“The parables convey the surprise of those who find something far beyond what they could have hoped for, so much so that selling or leaving everything behind no longer seems a sacrifice, but a gain,” he said.The pope said the evangelists present Christ’s call to discipleship as irresistible.“It is a free choice, yet also urgent and capable of eliciting a ready and wholehearted response,” he said. “Encountering his Kingdom marks a turning point that does not limit life but enlarges it.”“If anything must change on our part, it is only so that our lives may be opened to greater possibilities, not fewer.”Pope Leo noted that the figures appearing in Christ’s parables include peasants, merchants, travelers, fishermen, scribes, shepherds, farmers and women carrying out ordinary household tasks.“In short, the Kingdom of God reveals its inestimable beauty in different ways, but calls everyone — men and women, young and old, rich and poor — to a profound renewal,” he said. “Everyone is capable of understanding it and is drawn to it.”The pope said that the Church likewise brings together people with different backgrounds, cultures, abilities and responsibilities.“Yet all are called to recognize themselves as ‘one’ in Jesus Christ: he is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, the net that gathers those who are scattered,” he said.“From the beginning, Jesus called and gathered around himself people who would otherwise never have come to know one another. In this way, he demonstrated that God has no favorites, but instead offers his love freely, especially to the little ones or those cast aside.”Pope Leo concluded by urging Catholics to ask for the wisdom sought by the young King Solomon: the ability to recognize what is truly valuable.“While the consumer culture influences our tastes, constantly creating new needs only to sell us solutions that never satisfy, and that sometimes even poison the heart, we must learn to grasp what truly matters,” he said.That treasure, the pope continued, is “a relationship with God that opens us to joy and helps us to live our relationships with one another more fully.”The July 26 Angelus was Pope Leo’s final Sunday appearance during his summer stay at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. He was scheduled to return to the Vatican on Monday, July 27.The pope was expected to return to Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday, July 29, to meet young choristers participating in the Andrea Bocelli Foundation’s Voices of Global Gathering at the Borgo Laudato Si’. Bocelli was scheduled to perform a musical work titled “Cantico di Pace.”This story was first published in two parts 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 also reflected on the kingdom of God as a treasure that enlarges life and unites people of different backgrounds in Christ.

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

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

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Pope Leo XIV prays for Venezuela quake victims at Angelus #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed his closeness to the people of Venezuela after recent earthquakes, offering prayers for the victims and encouragement to rescue workers.“I wish to express my solidarity with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquakes, which have caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive damage to property,” the pope said after praying the Angelus on June 28 in St. Peter’s Square.“Praying to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I renew my spiritual solidarity with their families, the injured, and all who have been shaken by this tragedy,” he continued. “I also wish to express my gratitude and encouragement to those generously working on search and rescue efforts and providing assistance.”Before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10:37–42, saying that Jesus’ call to discipleship is rooted in a love that requires “detachment, loss and hospitality.”“In today’s Gospel reading, we hear some of Jesus’ exhortations on how to follow him and be witnesses to his kingdom,” the pope said. “This is not just a matter of outward acts, but of committing ourselves entirely to a loving relationship with him.”The first requirement, he said, is detachment. Citing Jesus’ words — “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” — Pope Leo said the Lord wanted the apostles to be free for mission.“When the Lord begins to send his apostles on mission, he wants them to be free from any ties,” he said. “However, this applies to everyone, as even the most significant relationships find their fullness through the love that Christ gives us.”The pope pointed to married life as an example, saying it “can only be lived fully by ‘leaving’ one’s parents’ home in order to commit to the life of marriage.” He also spoke of raising children, saying parents help them “to fulfill themselves and be happy by teaching them to ‘stand on their own two feet’ and make their own choices.”Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo said: “It is painful to part from what you love. Yet even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows.”“Only by ‘losing’ that seed sown in the ground, can we see it blossom,” the pope added.Pope Leo said Christians often struggle to understand that “love is also loss,” especially “in a world where losing is seen as weakness and we are obsessed with having and possessing.”“However, love only bears fruit in self-giving: when we are willing to lose a little of ourselves to make room for another; to lose a little time to listen to a friend; to lose a little comfort to share in a time of hardship,” he said.He added that “according to the Gospel, those who hold on to their lives merely for themselves actually lose them, for they do not open themselves to the joy of love and thus become barren.”“This is why Jesus invites us to embrace the cross,” the pope said. “He offered himself, lost himself, and in this very way we were enabled to receive his life in abundance. In the same way, if we live by the logic of the gift of self, we too will be capable of bringing forth new life in our relationships.”Finally, Pope Leo turned to hospitality, saying love must take shape in concrete acts.“Love is expressed through concrete choices and actions; by a commitment made up of small daily gestures, such as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty,” he said.Jesus, he said, sent his disciples without provisions “so that, by being dependent on the help of others, they would inspire hospitality in those they met.”“By welcoming those who come in Jesus’ name, we welcome him and the heavenly Father who sent him,” the pope said. “Indeed, love for the Lord always involves welcoming our brothers and sisters.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV prays for Venezuela quake victims at Angelus #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed his closeness to the people of Venezuela after recent earthquakes, offering prayers for the victims and encouragement to rescue workers.“I wish to express my solidarity with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquakes, which have caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive damage to property,” the pope said after praying the Angelus on June 28 in St. Peter’s Square.“Praying to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I renew my spiritual solidarity with their families, the injured, and all who have been shaken by this tragedy,” he continued. “I also wish to express my gratitude and encouragement to those generously working on search and rescue efforts and providing assistance.”Before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10:37–42, saying that Jesus’ call to discipleship is rooted in a love that requires “detachment, loss and hospitality.”“In today’s Gospel reading, we hear some of Jesus’ exhortations on how to follow him and be witnesses to his kingdom,” the pope said. “This is not just a matter of outward acts, but of committing ourselves entirely to a loving relationship with him.”The first requirement, he said, is detachment. Citing Jesus’ words — “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” — Pope Leo said the Lord wanted the apostles to be free for mission.“When the Lord begins to send his apostles on mission, he wants them to be free from any ties,” he said. “However, this applies to everyone, as even the most significant relationships find their fullness through the love that Christ gives us.”The pope pointed to married life as an example, saying it “can only be lived fully by ‘leaving’ one’s parents’ home in order to commit to the life of marriage.” He also spoke of raising children, saying parents help them “to fulfill themselves and be happy by teaching them to ‘stand on their own two feet’ and make their own choices.”Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo said: “It is painful to part from what you love. Yet even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows.”“Only by ‘losing’ that seed sown in the ground, can we see it blossom,” the pope added.Pope Leo said Christians often struggle to understand that “love is also loss,” especially “in a world where losing is seen as weakness and we are obsessed with having and possessing.”“However, love only bears fruit in self-giving: when we are willing to lose a little of ourselves to make room for another; to lose a little time to listen to a friend; to lose a little comfort to share in a time of hardship,” he said.He added that “according to the Gospel, those who hold on to their lives merely for themselves actually lose them, for they do not open themselves to the joy of love and thus become barren.”“This is why Jesus invites us to embrace the cross,” the pope said. “He offered himself, lost himself, and in this very way we were enabled to receive his life in abundance. In the same way, if we live by the logic of the gift of self, we too will be capable of bringing forth new life in our relationships.”Finally, Pope Leo turned to hospitality, saying love must take shape in concrete acts.“Love is expressed through concrete choices and actions; by a commitment made up of small daily gestures, such as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty,” he said.Jesus, he said, sent his disciples without provisions “so that, by being dependent on the help of others, they would inspire hospitality in those they met.”“By welcoming those who come in Jesus’ name, we welcome him and the heavenly Father who sent him,” the pope said. “Indeed, love for the Lord always involves welcoming our brothers and sisters.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pope expressed solidarity with those affected by recent earthquakes, following a reflection on “detachment, loss and hospitality” in Christian love.

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Trump administration cuts million in funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs #Catholic The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is set to cut tens of millions of teenage pregnancy prevention grants that don’t align with the administration’s goals.The department’s Office of Population Affairs, which designates grants for teenage pregnancy prevention, will divert million to open new grants for prevention programs, a source confirmed to EWTN News. The department will terminate 53 of 67 of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants following a department review, according to a Daily Signal report. The department reportedly described the current grants as “age-inappropriate,” “sexually explicit," and in violation of the program’s founding statute.Some of the current teenage pregnancy programs teach teens how to access abortion, while others promote transgender ideology or sexually explicit material.“Under programming favored by the Biden Administration, we saw too much emphasis on abortion and too little on protecting kids,” said Kristi Hamrick, a spokeswoman for Students for Life.Hamrick referred to various instances of programming that instruct high schoolers with sexually explicit content.“The kind of programming that tries to separate sexual activity from marriage or from babies, who are an important reality, misses the point,” Hamrick told EWTN News. “Pretending in programming that the presence or absence of a baby is the only thing to discuss, or that contraception comes with magical guarantees, doesnʼt begin to educate teenagers.”“Young girls being groomed by older men; sexually transmitted diseases or broken hearts are all part of this reality, which makes pushing abortion as a ‘solution’ seriously off base,” Hamrick continued.The administration is opening up new grants for pregnancy prevention programming more aligned with its goals, promoting two new funding streams according to two notices the department listed on Tuesday, totaling .1 million in grants. Applications close July 26.Andrea Trudden, spokeswoman for Heartbeat International, an organization of pregnancy help centers, noted that many pregnancy centers provide education that reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancies."Pregnancy help organizations serve as an important resource for young women when an unexpected pregnancy occurs, offering practical support, compassionate care, and information about the resources available to help them continue their pregnancies,” she told EWTN News.“Many of these organizations also provide sexual risk avoidance education that encourages healthy relationships, responsible decision-making, and behaviors that reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy,” Trudden continued."When a teen pregnancy does occur, the goal should be to ensure that no young woman feels she has to choose between her future and her child,” said Trudden.“Pregnancy help organizations have decades of experience walking alongside teens before, during, and after pregnancy, helping them build healthy futures,” said Trudden.“With the right support, education, parenting resources, and community assistance, teens can pursue their goals while welcoming the life of their baby,” Trudden said.“There are so many out there ready to help, at churches, at pregnancy care centers, and in the community,” Hamrick added.Hamrick noted that Students for Life lists resources at their webpage, Standing With You.“A baby represents hope and a future, and for a family, whether by birth or adoption, and we need to help teenagers understand that they are not alone, that many will help, and that this is the beginning of another personʼs story,” Hamrick said.
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Trump administration cuts $67 million in funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs #Catholic The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is set to cut tens of millions of teenage pregnancy prevention grants that don’t align with the administration’s goals.The department’s Office of Population Affairs, which designates grants for teenage pregnancy prevention, will divert $67 million to open new grants for prevention programs, a source confirmed to EWTN News. The department will terminate 53 of 67 of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants following a department review, according to a Daily Signal report. The department reportedly described the current grants as “age-inappropriate,” “sexually explicit," and in violation of the program’s founding statute.Some of the current teenage pregnancy programs teach teens how to access abortion, while others promote transgender ideology or sexually explicit material.“Under programming favored by the Biden Administration, we saw too much emphasis on abortion and too little on protecting kids,” said Kristi Hamrick, a spokeswoman for Students for Life.Hamrick referred to various instances of programming that instruct high schoolers with sexually explicit content.“The kind of programming that tries to separate sexual activity from marriage or from babies, who are an important reality, misses the point,” Hamrick told EWTN News. “Pretending in programming that the presence or absence of a baby is the only thing to discuss, or that contraception comes with magical guarantees, doesnʼt begin to educate teenagers.”“Young girls being groomed by older men; sexually transmitted diseases or broken hearts are all part of this reality, which makes pushing abortion as a ‘solution’ seriously off base,” Hamrick continued.The administration is opening up new grants for pregnancy prevention programming more aligned with its goals, promoting two new funding streams according to two notices the department listed on Tuesday, totaling $71.1 million in grants. Applications close July 26.Andrea Trudden, spokeswoman for Heartbeat International, an organization of pregnancy help centers, noted that many pregnancy centers provide education that reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancies."Pregnancy help organizations serve as an important resource for young women when an unexpected pregnancy occurs, offering practical support, compassionate care, and information about the resources available to help them continue their pregnancies,” she told EWTN News.“Many of these organizations also provide sexual risk avoidance education that encourages healthy relationships, responsible decision-making, and behaviors that reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy,” Trudden continued."When a teen pregnancy does occur, the goal should be to ensure that no young woman feels she has to choose between her future and her child,” said Trudden.“Pregnancy help organizations have decades of experience walking alongside teens before, during, and after pregnancy, helping them build healthy futures,” said Trudden.“With the right support, education, parenting resources, and community assistance, teens can pursue their goals while welcoming the life of their baby,” Trudden said.“There are so many out there ready to help, at churches, at pregnancy care centers, and in the community,” Hamrick added.Hamrick noted that Students for Life lists resources at their webpage, Standing With You.“A baby represents hope and a future, and for a family, whether by birth or adoption, and we need to help teenagers understand that they are not alone, that many will help, and that this is the beginning of another personʼs story,” Hamrick said.

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The Department of Health and Human Services is cutting grants for teenage pregnancy prevention programs that promote abortion, sexual activity for minors, or transgender ideology.

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UK bishops welcome child safety but cautious on social media ban for under 16 #Catholic Catholic bishops across the United Kingdom say they need to see more legislative detail before supporting government proposals to ban social media for youth under 16. On June 15, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Liz Kendall announced to the House of Commons that the government "will ban social media companies providing their services to under 16s.”Kendall said that the UK would be following the same model as Australia, which was the first country in the world to ban social media for youth under 16. The UK ban is due to come into effect early next year.In an email response to EWTN News on June 17 regarding whether bishops of England and Wales support the proposed ban, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference for England and Wales said: “Until the government publishes further details it’s hard to give a yes or no answer.” But Bishop John Arnold, the lead bishop for communications for the conference, “is very keen to ensure that the safety and protection of the dignity of young people online is a central concern for all,” the statement said.In a separate email to EWTN News, Bishop Arnold wrote that the “safety of children and young people in the digital world is paramount. Young people face many pressures today, which are often exacerbated by unrealistic and harmful material which they have accessed online.”“When it comes to the responsible and appropriate use of technology, the protection of children and young people is a shared responsibility among parents, schools, government and society,” he said.“I urge all people to work together to protect and place the dignity of the human person, especially children, the young and vulnerable, at the center of technological and legislative developments,” the bishop said.The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, meanwhile, said it would “prefer not to comment directly on the specific policy issue, but rather give a considered response to the noble principles behind online safety measures.” “The bishops support the introduction of any new measures which increase online safety for children and young people,” the conference said."We have a responsibility to ensure that children and young people are protected from harmful and age-inappropriate content, and from online environments that can negatively affect their wellbeing, relationships and healthy development,” the statement continued.The UK governmentʼs proposal includes banning youth usage of platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, and X. They do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the ban.Livestreamers and strangers being able to contact children will also be restricted for those under‑16 on other online services like gaming.“Who should take responsibility?”Edwin Fawcett, a Catholic psychotherapist based in England and Wales, is also unsure about the benefits and drawbacks of the proposal.“At this point the toll taken on mental and emotional health by social media, especially for developing brains, is virtually undisputed. Who should take responsibility for young peopleʼs formation and education?” he told EWTN News. “The Churchʼs wise answer: parents. Yet in a busy, driven and fragmented society the tsunami of digital hyper-reality is almost impossible to avoid or withstand,” he said.Fawcett argued that there is “a pandemic of relational wounds and deficits in the real world” which “has set the stage for widespread mental health issues, which are being activated and worsened by addictive online behavior — behavior chosen in an attempt to anesthetize the same wounds.”He continued: “Whether the ban is designed to support the rights and responsibilities of the family is hard to say. But letʼs pray that a deep renewal of family life, communities and culture will begin filling the void which social media has falsely promised to do — a void which may now be exposed by the incoming ban.”Lucy Marsh, a spokeswoman for the Family Education Trust — a secular research body which supports traditional family values — said that the ban has not been sufficiently “thought through.”“Children should not have unsupervised access to social media, but the government’s rushed plan to ban under-16s from using certain platforms is the wrong way to go about it,” she told EWTN News.“Rather than educating parents on how to restrict their child’s access to the internet and raising awareness about why young children should not have smartphones, the government is trying to introduce digital ID via the back door. This means using facial recognition and biometrics which involve giving even more information to tech companies. In the name of protecting children, those children will be under even more surveillance.”The government “should focus on ensuring tech companies make phones for children which cannot access social media apps, including WhatsApp, which is used by predatory adults to share pornography and groom children,” she said.
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UK bishops welcome child safety but cautious on social media ban for under 16 #Catholic Catholic bishops across the United Kingdom say they need to see more legislative detail before supporting government proposals to ban social media for youth under 16. On June 15, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Liz Kendall announced to the House of Commons that the government "will ban social media companies providing their services to under 16s.”Kendall said that the UK would be following the same model as Australia, which was the first country in the world to ban social media for youth under 16. The UK ban is due to come into effect early next year.In an email response to EWTN News on June 17 regarding whether bishops of England and Wales support the proposed ban, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference for England and Wales said: “Until the government publishes further details it’s hard to give a yes or no answer.” But Bishop John Arnold, the lead bishop for communications for the conference, “is very keen to ensure that the safety and protection of the dignity of young people online is a central concern for all,” the statement said.In a separate email to EWTN News, Bishop Arnold wrote that the “safety of children and young people in the digital world is paramount. Young people face many pressures today, which are often exacerbated by unrealistic and harmful material which they have accessed online.”“When it comes to the responsible and appropriate use of technology, the protection of children and young people is a shared responsibility among parents, schools, government and society,” he said.“I urge all people to work together to protect and place the dignity of the human person, especially children, the young and vulnerable, at the center of technological and legislative developments,” the bishop said.The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, meanwhile, said it would “prefer not to comment directly on the specific policy issue, but rather give a considered response to the noble principles behind online safety measures.” “The bishops support the introduction of any new measures which increase online safety for children and young people,” the conference said."We have a responsibility to ensure that children and young people are protected from harmful and age-inappropriate content, and from online environments that can negatively affect their wellbeing, relationships and healthy development,” the statement continued.The UK governmentʼs proposal includes banning youth usage of platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, and X. They do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the ban.Livestreamers and strangers being able to contact children will also be restricted for those under‑16 on other online services like gaming.“Who should take responsibility?”Edwin Fawcett, a Catholic psychotherapist based in England and Wales, is also unsure about the benefits and drawbacks of the proposal.“At this point the toll taken on mental and emotional health by social media, especially for developing brains, is virtually undisputed. Who should take responsibility for young peopleʼs formation and education?” he told EWTN News. “The Churchʼs wise answer: parents. Yet in a busy, driven and fragmented society the tsunami of digital hyper-reality is almost impossible to avoid or withstand,” he said.Fawcett argued that there is “a pandemic of relational wounds and deficits in the real world” which “has set the stage for widespread mental health issues, which are being activated and worsened by addictive online behavior — behavior chosen in an attempt to anesthetize the same wounds.”He continued: “Whether the ban is designed to support the rights and responsibilities of the family is hard to say. But letʼs pray that a deep renewal of family life, communities and culture will begin filling the void which social media has falsely promised to do — a void which may now be exposed by the incoming ban.”Lucy Marsh, a spokeswoman for the Family Education Trust — a secular research body which supports traditional family values — said that the ban has not been sufficiently “thought through.”“Children should not have unsupervised access to social media, but the government’s rushed plan to ban under-16s from using certain platforms is the wrong way to go about it,” she told EWTN News.“Rather than educating parents on how to restrict their child’s access to the internet and raising awareness about why young children should not have smartphones, the government is trying to introduce digital ID via the back door. This means using facial recognition and biometrics which involve giving even more information to tech companies. In the name of protecting children, those children will be under even more surveillance.”The government “should focus on ensuring tech companies make phones for children which cannot access social media apps, including WhatsApp, which is used by predatory adults to share pornography and groom children,” she said.

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Bishops across the UK and other Catholic leaders say they want more information before endorsing a proposal to ban social media for youth under 16.

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‘Chant GPT’: How Catholics are responding to AI-generated Gregorian chant #Catholic In the early morning and late at night, monks still rise to sing the divine office, their voices low and hoarse from sleep. With every breath they are keeping alive a centuries-old tradition in monasteries around the world.But in a small corner of the internet, and on music providers like Spotify, another form of chant has taken hold. The text is often a hodgepodge of Latin-sounding words; a mechanical simulation not sung by human voices but generated by artificial intelligence (AI).How should Catholics navigate the new phenomenon of AI-generated chant, or, in the term hymnist Alan Hommerding coined, “Chant GPT”?What is Gregorian chant?Chant isn’t something that is consumed, like social media or food. Instead, it is a way to worship and pray, according to Catholic theologians and musicians.“Chant is not meant to be performed for artistic consumption but meant to attune our hearts to the Lord over the course of time,” Father Phillip Alcon Ganir, a Jesuit priest who teaches sacred music classes at Boston College, told EWTN News. Father Phillip Alcon Ganir, a Jesuit priest who researches and teaches about music, catechetics, and liturgy at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry, encourages Catholics to “develop a more nuanced appreciation” of Gregorian chant by engaging more deeply with it. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Phillip Alcon Ganir Composer and liturgist Father Ricky Manalo, a Paulist priest, agreed, adding: “Gregorian chant is not merely an aesthetic; it is part of the Church’s living tradition of sung prayer, as much as Gospel music is a living tradition for many African American Catholics, or pentatonic melodies are a living tradition for many East Asian Catholics.”“Its beauty is tied not only to its sound but to its liturgical, scriptural, and cultural roots,” he said.Named for St. Gregory the Great, Gregorian chant is a “musical synthesis” of Roman and Gallican chant, according to Father Basil Nixen, a monk of the Abbey of San Benedetto in Monte, Norcia, Italy, where the monks chant daily together. These chanted psalms continue to be prayed as part of the Divine Office, or Liturgy of the Hours — a daily practice for Catholic priests, religious, and laypeople. The Monks of Norcia. | Credit: Christopher McLallen, courtesy of Benedicta, de Montfort Music “Many might assume that Gregorian chant is really a product of the medieval or dark ages from Western Christianity,” noted Giorgio Navarini, founder and director of the Catholic chant group Floriani Sacred Music. “However, Gregorian chant derives its existence from the Hebrew Temple. Sung psalmody, lamentations, and hymns were a significant part of the Hebraic liturgical life in both the synagogue and Temple.”In the Middle Ages came the “unprecedented notation” of the chant, which helped Gregorian chant spread, Nixen explained.“The sacred melodies of the chant were written by men and women inspired by the Holy Spirit, and every time we sing them, we allow the Holy Spirit to possess our hearts too so as to enter more fully into communion with God in prayer,” Nixen said.“Through the Divine Office the voice of Christ praying to his Father mingles with our own, allowing us to unite our voice with his and to participate in his priestly intercession for the salvation of the world,” Nixen said.How do we pray through Gregorian chant?Because Gregorian chant is more than just an aesthetic, questions about Gregorian chant are, at their root, questions about the connection between prayer and song.“Christian worship involves the whole human being — body and soul,” Nixen said. “Chanting is fundamental for Christian worship precisely for this purpose, because it allows us to pray not only with our minds but also with our bodies, our heart, our sentiments.”“Worship is the natural expression of the highest love, the love which most engages and engrosses us, which is why we owe it to God alone, whom we must love with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength — i.e., with body, heart, mind, and soul,” Nixen said. “And we do this most perfectly when we sing.” The Benedictine Monks of Norcia give their lives to pray for the world. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Monks of Norcia Music, Navarini said, is “an art form that directly reflects the inner workings of the soul, unlike other art forms, which gives it a unique power of being united to prayer.”“Chant has the power to raise the soul to the divine,” Navarini said. “It is unlike any music in this world and truly provides a doorway and glimpse into the life to come.”Can machines pray?Human chant is meant to be just that — human, in every imperfection, hoarse voice, or flat note.“Even with AI aside, one of the dangers of chant recordings is that singers often aim to present pristine, errorless, and sublime sounds — which are good and holy in and of themselves,” Ganir said. “But such perfection is not often reflective of a life that worships regularly with chant.”The monks who chant daily in monasteries often sing with “tired” voices, Ganir observed. The monks of Norcia chant the Divine Office seven times during the day and once during the night. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Monks of Norcia “Sung prayer early in the morning or in the evening is often a different, usually 'tired,’ sound than prayers chanted during the day,” Ganir said.This isn’t a bad thing; in fact, it’s part of the deeper meaning behind chant.“Prayer is meant to span and intersect through all of life,” Ganir continued. “And music, especially our chant tradition, can be such a worthy and life-giving companion.”“AI-generated sacred-sounding music may have a place as a tool for study, preparation, or even private reflection, but it should not replace the living voice of the Church, the trained pastoral musician, the human composer, or the sung participation of the assembly,” Manalo said. Father Ricky Manalo, a distinguished liturgical composer who also gives lectures on artificial intelligence, defines liturgical music as “sung prayer” that “belongs to the embodied worship of a community gathered before God.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Ricky Manalo “AI can generate chant-like sounds or contemporary songs, but it cannot replace the faith, breath, body, and communal participation during a liturgy,” Manalo continued.“Sacred music requires theological depth, pastoral sensitivity, scriptural grounding, ritual awareness, and a sense of the actual community that will sing or hear it,” Manalo said.“Every true prayer is an authentic and personal encounter of trust between a creature with its Creator, a recognition of our dependence on the one who is infinitely good,” Father Ezra Sullivan, a Dominican priest and director of the Spirituality Institute at the Angelicum, told EWTN News.“There is an old saying: ‘You cannot give what you do not have,’” Sullivan continued. “Because an algorithm does not have a knowledge and love of God, no person to have a relationship with him, it cannot make prayers or music that authentically express the raising up of the soul to the hands of our loving Father — even if it makes imitations that are somewhat pleasing, the soul would be missing.”“One of the reasons why we like to know the biography of composers or authors is because when we read their works or listen to their music, we can commune with them across the ages and join our souls with theirs in coming closer to God,” Sullivan continued. “Artificial intelligence might be able to fool us into thinking that it facilitates these horizontal and vertical relationships, and thatʼs precisely how it can be dangerous in the spiritual realm.” Giorgio Navarini, right, sings with his chant group Floriani Sacred Music, a group founded to bring about a revival of Catholic sacred chant. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Floriani Sacred Music In Pope Leoʼs recent encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas, the Holy Father wrote: “No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil.”“Gregorian chant is what the soul sings to God; it is what a bride sings to her Divine Bridegroom,” Nixen said. “If an AI-generated thing can love and get married, then it can sing chant. If it can get baptized, then it can sing chant. But if it cannot love, get married, get baptized, or be united to God, then it cannot chant.”
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‘Chant GPT’: How Catholics are responding to AI-generated Gregorian chant #Catholic In the early morning and late at night, monks still rise to sing the divine office, their voices low and hoarse from sleep. With every breath they are keeping alive a centuries-old tradition in monasteries around the world.But in a small corner of the internet, and on music providers like Spotify, another form of chant has taken hold. The text is often a hodgepodge of Latin-sounding words; a mechanical simulation not sung by human voices but generated by artificial intelligence (AI).How should Catholics navigate the new phenomenon of AI-generated chant, or, in the term hymnist Alan Hommerding coined, “Chant GPT”?What is Gregorian chant?Chant isn’t something that is consumed, like social media or food. Instead, it is a way to worship and pray, according to Catholic theologians and musicians.“Chant is not meant to be performed for artistic consumption but meant to attune our hearts to the Lord over the course of time,” Father Phillip Alcon Ganir, a Jesuit priest who teaches sacred music classes at Boston College, told EWTN News. Father Phillip Alcon Ganir, a Jesuit priest who researches and teaches about music, catechetics, and liturgy at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry, encourages Catholics to “develop a more nuanced appreciation” of Gregorian chant by engaging more deeply with it. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Phillip Alcon Ganir Composer and liturgist Father Ricky Manalo, a Paulist priest, agreed, adding: “Gregorian chant is not merely an aesthetic; it is part of the Church’s living tradition of sung prayer, as much as Gospel music is a living tradition for many African American Catholics, or pentatonic melodies are a living tradition for many East Asian Catholics.”“Its beauty is tied not only to its sound but to its liturgical, scriptural, and cultural roots,” he said.Named for St. Gregory the Great, Gregorian chant is a “musical synthesis” of Roman and Gallican chant, according to Father Basil Nixen, a monk of the Abbey of San Benedetto in Monte, Norcia, Italy, where the monks chant daily together. These chanted psalms continue to be prayed as part of the Divine Office, or Liturgy of the Hours — a daily practice for Catholic priests, religious, and laypeople. The Monks of Norcia. | Credit: Christopher McLallen, courtesy of Benedicta, de Montfort Music “Many might assume that Gregorian chant is really a product of the medieval or dark ages from Western Christianity,” noted Giorgio Navarini, founder and director of the Catholic chant group Floriani Sacred Music. “However, Gregorian chant derives its existence from the Hebrew Temple. Sung psalmody, lamentations, and hymns were a significant part of the Hebraic liturgical life in both the synagogue and Temple.”In the Middle Ages came the “unprecedented notation” of the chant, which helped Gregorian chant spread, Nixen explained.“The sacred melodies of the chant were written by men and women inspired by the Holy Spirit, and every time we sing them, we allow the Holy Spirit to possess our hearts too so as to enter more fully into communion with God in prayer,” Nixen said.“Through the Divine Office the voice of Christ praying to his Father mingles with our own, allowing us to unite our voice with his and to participate in his priestly intercession for the salvation of the world,” Nixen said.How do we pray through Gregorian chant?Because Gregorian chant is more than just an aesthetic, questions about Gregorian chant are, at their root, questions about the connection between prayer and song.“Christian worship involves the whole human being — body and soul,” Nixen said. “Chanting is fundamental for Christian worship precisely for this purpose, because it allows us to pray not only with our minds but also with our bodies, our heart, our sentiments.”“Worship is the natural expression of the highest love, the love which most engages and engrosses us, which is why we owe it to God alone, whom we must love with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength — i.e., with body, heart, mind, and soul,” Nixen said. “And we do this most perfectly when we sing.” The Benedictine Monks of Norcia give their lives to pray for the world. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Monks of Norcia Music, Navarini said, is “an art form that directly reflects the inner workings of the soul, unlike other art forms, which gives it a unique power of being united to prayer.”“Chant has the power to raise the soul to the divine,” Navarini said. “It is unlike any music in this world and truly provides a doorway and glimpse into the life to come.”Can machines pray?Human chant is meant to be just that — human, in every imperfection, hoarse voice, or flat note.“Even with AI aside, one of the dangers of chant recordings is that singers often aim to present pristine, errorless, and sublime sounds — which are good and holy in and of themselves,” Ganir said. “But such perfection is not often reflective of a life that worships regularly with chant.”The monks who chant daily in monasteries often sing with “tired” voices, Ganir observed. The monks of Norcia chant the Divine Office seven times during the day and once during the night. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Monks of Norcia “Sung prayer early in the morning or in the evening is often a different, usually 'tired,’ sound than prayers chanted during the day,” Ganir said.This isn’t a bad thing; in fact, it’s part of the deeper meaning behind chant.“Prayer is meant to span and intersect through all of life,” Ganir continued. “And music, especially our chant tradition, can be such a worthy and life-giving companion.”“AI-generated sacred-sounding music may have a place as a tool for study, preparation, or even private reflection, but it should not replace the living voice of the Church, the trained pastoral musician, the human composer, or the sung participation of the assembly,” Manalo said. Father Ricky Manalo, a distinguished liturgical composer who also gives lectures on artificial intelligence, defines liturgical music as “sung prayer” that “belongs to the embodied worship of a community gathered before God.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Ricky Manalo “AI can generate chant-like sounds or contemporary songs, but it cannot replace the faith, breath, body, and communal participation during a liturgy,” Manalo continued.“Sacred music requires theological depth, pastoral sensitivity, scriptural grounding, ritual awareness, and a sense of the actual community that will sing or hear it,” Manalo said.“Every true prayer is an authentic and personal encounter of trust between a creature with its Creator, a recognition of our dependence on the one who is infinitely good,” Father Ezra Sullivan, a Dominican priest and director of the Spirituality Institute at the Angelicum, told EWTN News.“There is an old saying: ‘You cannot give what you do not have,’” Sullivan continued. “Because an algorithm does not have a knowledge and love of God, no person to have a relationship with him, it cannot make prayers or music that authentically express the raising up of the soul to the hands of our loving Father — even if it makes imitations that are somewhat pleasing, the soul would be missing.”“One of the reasons why we like to know the biography of composers or authors is because when we read their works or listen to their music, we can commune with them across the ages and join our souls with theirs in coming closer to God,” Sullivan continued. “Artificial intelligence might be able to fool us into thinking that it facilitates these horizontal and vertical relationships, and thatʼs precisely how it can be dangerous in the spiritual realm.” Giorgio Navarini, right, sings with his chant group Floriani Sacred Music, a group founded to bring about a revival of Catholic sacred chant. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Floriani Sacred Music In Pope Leoʼs recent encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas, the Holy Father wrote: “No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil.”“Gregorian chant is what the soul sings to God; it is what a bride sings to her Divine Bridegroom,” Nixen said. “If an AI-generated thing can love and get married, then it can sing chant. If it can get baptized, then it can sing chant. But if it cannot love, get married, get baptized, or be united to God, then it cannot chant.”

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As AI encroaches on sacred music, Catholics still hold true to Gregorian chant, a historical form of sacred music that is still alive today.

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