water

Preparing for death with the Sister Servants of Mary #Catholic The Sister Servants of Mary hold a procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Assumption at Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick CNA Staff, Nov 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). When a 93-year-old Catholic father from New Orleans had a stroke, he knew he was prepared to die.Clinton Jacob attended adoration and Mass daily and was “rarely without a prayer book or rosary in hand,” according to his daughter, Kim DeSopo.“[He] never spoke of death with fear or sadness,” she told CNA. “He would simply say, ‘I’ll be going home.’”But not everyone feels prepared for death.The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, is a Catholic community of sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick and dying in New Orleans and around the world. As nurses, they are at the bedside of the dying through the long nights, whether their patients are lifelong Catholics or have never thought about religion.The sisters often encounter patients as well as family members who are struggling to accept “an illness or imminent death,” Sister Catherine Bussen, a Servant of Mary, told CNA.“Many times, there is a need for reconciliation within the family, for a return to their faith, for acceptance of their condition, etc.,” Bussen said.As medical professionals, the sisters provide physical treatment, but they also walk with their patients throughout their illnesses, encouraging patients and families “always with the hope of eternal life,” Bussen said. DeSopo, Jacob’s daughter, called the sisters for support. The next day, Bussen arrived at their doorstep, and every night for two weeks, she sat at Jacob’s bedside. Bussen’s presence was “a gift,” DeSopo said. “Sister Catherine brought peace and calm into a time filled with stress and sorrow.”“Her prayers, patience, and care provided comfort not only to my father but also to my mother, who could finally sleep knowing someone trustworthy and compassionate was by his side,” DeSopo said, recalling Bussen’s “selfless dedication” and “unwavering faith.” Bussen was with Jacob when he died on Sept. 26, 2024. She prepared his body, cleaning him and sprinkling him with holy water, and then prayed with his wife and daughter.“I will never forget the care and dignity she gave him, even after his final breath,” DeSopo said.Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister CatherineMary at the foot of the cross “I was sick and you visited me.”This Scripture verse, Matthew 25:36, summarizes the charism of the Servants of Mary, according to Bussen. When they care for the sick, they care for Christ.The sisters will care for anyone in need, preferably within the sick person’s own home. In those who are suffering, the sisters “discover Jesus carrying his cross,” Bussen explained. “By caring for the sick, we believe that we are caring for Christ himself, who still suffers today in the suffering mystical body of Christ,” she said.Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickFounded in Madrid, Spain, in the 1800s, the sisters care for the sick and dying in Louisiana, Kansas, and California as well as throughout Central and South America, Spain, France, England, Italy, Cameroon, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They run a hospital for the poor in Bamenda, Cameroon, as well as two missionary houses in Oaxaca, Mexico.The sisters look to Mary as an example as they accompany those who are suffering.“Although we are not able to take away someone’s cross, we are present to them, offering all to the Father, like Mary did at the cross of Jesus, that all suffering may be redemptive and fruitful,” Bussen said.“Every one of us sisters would tell you that it is an absolute privilege to be able to enter into the intimacy of a family’s home, listening to the dying, praying with them, and encouraging them on the final stage of their journey as their soul passes into eternity,” she said.Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick“Our Catholic Christian faith is a beautiful comfort during these times because it is all about looking forward to the promised life to come, the whole goal of our lives, eternal life,” Bussen said.One woman from New Orleans received news no one wants to hear — she had a terminal illness. Though she was not religious, she knew she needed help and did not know who else to turn to, so she called the Servants of Mary.As they cared for her and helped her deal with her terminal diagnosis, the sisters learned the woman was “completely alone in the world,” said Bussen, who took care of her. Other people from the surrounding Catholic community volunteered to stay with her.During that time, the woman found a home in the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of baptism.Her “anxiety was transformed into peace,” said Bussen, who was with her as she died.“As the end drew near, she had a new faith family,” Bussen said. “She was no longer alone.”Remembering the dead The life of a sister Servant of Mary is “contemplative in action.” The sisters unite “our prayer life with our work — going about what we are doing, in all the business of daily life, in a prayerful spirit,” Bussen said.The sisters have time set aside for prayer and work, “but these two aspects cannot be separated from one another,” she continued. “The grace and light received in prayer flows into our work and ministry, and everything we experience in our ministry is taken to prayer.”The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickThroughout the year, the sisters take special care to remember the dead. In November especially, Bussen said the sisters “remember all our patients who have died with us by placing their names in our chapel and offering Masses for their eternal happiness.”“Even after a patient has passed,” she said, “and they no longer need physical care, our ministry continues by praying for their soul.”
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Preparing for death with the Sister Servants of Mary #Catholic The Sister Servants of Mary hold a procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Assumption at Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick CNA Staff, Nov 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). When a 93-year-old Catholic father from New Orleans had a stroke, he knew he was prepared to die.Clinton Jacob attended adoration and Mass daily and was “rarely without a prayer book or rosary in hand,” according to his daughter, Kim DeSopo.“[He] never spoke of death with fear or sadness,” she told CNA. “He would simply say, ‘I’ll be going home.’”But not everyone feels prepared for death.The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, is a Catholic community of sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick and dying in New Orleans and around the world. As nurses, they are at the bedside of the dying through the long nights, whether their patients are lifelong Catholics or have never thought about religion.The sisters often encounter patients as well as family members who are struggling to accept “an illness or imminent death,” Sister Catherine Bussen, a Servant of Mary, told CNA.“Many times, there is a need for reconciliation within the family, for a return to their faith, for acceptance of their condition, etc.,” Bussen said.As medical professionals, the sisters provide physical treatment, but they also walk with their patients throughout their illnesses, encouraging patients and families “always with the hope of eternal life,” Bussen said. DeSopo, Jacob’s daughter, called the sisters for support. The next day, Bussen arrived at their doorstep, and every night for two weeks, she sat at Jacob’s bedside. Bussen’s presence was “a gift,” DeSopo said. “Sister Catherine brought peace and calm into a time filled with stress and sorrow.”“Her prayers, patience, and care provided comfort not only to my father but also to my mother, who could finally sleep knowing someone trustworthy and compassionate was by his side,” DeSopo said, recalling Bussen’s “selfless dedication” and “unwavering faith.” Bussen was with Jacob when he died on Sept. 26, 2024. She prepared his body, cleaning him and sprinkling him with holy water, and then prayed with his wife and daughter.“I will never forget the care and dignity she gave him, even after his final breath,” DeSopo said.Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister CatherineMary at the foot of the cross “I was sick and you visited me.”This Scripture verse, Matthew 25:36, summarizes the charism of the Servants of Mary, according to Bussen. When they care for the sick, they care for Christ.The sisters will care for anyone in need, preferably within the sick person’s own home. In those who are suffering, the sisters “discover Jesus carrying his cross,” Bussen explained. “By caring for the sick, we believe that we are caring for Christ himself, who still suffers today in the suffering mystical body of Christ,” she said.Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickFounded in Madrid, Spain, in the 1800s, the sisters care for the sick and dying in Louisiana, Kansas, and California as well as throughout Central and South America, Spain, France, England, Italy, Cameroon, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They run a hospital for the poor in Bamenda, Cameroon, as well as two missionary houses in Oaxaca, Mexico.The sisters look to Mary as an example as they accompany those who are suffering.“Although we are not able to take away someone’s cross, we are present to them, offering all to the Father, like Mary did at the cross of Jesus, that all suffering may be redemptive and fruitful,” Bussen said.“Every one of us sisters would tell you that it is an absolute privilege to be able to enter into the intimacy of a family’s home, listening to the dying, praying with them, and encouraging them on the final stage of their journey as their soul passes into eternity,” she said.Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick“Our Catholic Christian faith is a beautiful comfort during these times because it is all about looking forward to the promised life to come, the whole goal of our lives, eternal life,” Bussen said.One woman from New Orleans received news no one wants to hear — she had a terminal illness. Though she was not religious, she knew she needed help and did not know who else to turn to, so she called the Servants of Mary.As they cared for her and helped her deal with her terminal diagnosis, the sisters learned the woman was “completely alone in the world,” said Bussen, who took care of her. Other people from the surrounding Catholic community volunteered to stay with her.During that time, the woman found a home in the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of baptism.Her “anxiety was transformed into peace,” said Bussen, who was with her as she died.“As the end drew near, she had a new faith family,” Bussen said. “She was no longer alone.”Remembering the dead The life of a sister Servant of Mary is “contemplative in action.” The sisters unite “our prayer life with our work — going about what we are doing, in all the business of daily life, in a prayerful spirit,” Bussen said.The sisters have time set aside for prayer and work, “but these two aspects cannot be separated from one another,” she continued. “The grace and light received in prayer flows into our work and ministry, and everything we experience in our ministry is taken to prayer.”The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickThroughout the year, the sisters take special care to remember the dead. In November especially, Bussen said the sisters “remember all our patients who have died with us by placing their names in our chapel and offering Masses for their eternal happiness.”“Even after a patient has passed,” she said, “and they no longer need physical care, our ministry continues by praying for their soul.”

unitedyam

The Sister Servants of Mary hold a procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Assumption at Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

CNA Staff, Nov 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

When a 93-year-old Catholic father from New Orleans had a stroke, he knew he was prepared to die.

Clinton Jacob attended adoration and Mass daily and was “rarely without a prayer book or rosary in hand,” according to his daughter, Kim DeSopo.

“[He] never spoke of death with fear or sadness,” she told CNA. “He would simply say, ‘I’ll be going home.’”

But not everyone feels prepared for death.

The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, is a Catholic community of sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick and dying in New Orleans and around the world. As nurses, they are at the bedside of the dying through the long nights, whether their patients are lifelong Catholics or have never thought about religion.

The sisters often encounter patients as well as family members who are struggling to accept “an illness or imminent death,” Sister Catherine Bussen, a Servant of Mary, told CNA.

“Many times, there is a need for reconciliation within the family, for a return to their faith, for acceptance of their condition, etc.,” Bussen said.

As medical professionals, the sisters provide physical treatment, but they also walk with their patients throughout their illnesses, encouraging patients and families “always with the hope of eternal life,” Bussen said. 

DeSopo, Jacob’s daughter, called the sisters for support. The next day, Bussen arrived at their doorstep, and every night for two weeks, she sat at Jacob’s bedside. 

Bussen’s presence was “a gift,” DeSopo said. “Sister Catherine brought peace and calm into a time filled with stress and sorrow.”

“Her prayers, patience, and care provided comfort not only to my father but also to my mother, who could finally sleep knowing someone trustworthy and compassionate was by his side,” DeSopo said, recalling Bussen’s “selfless dedication” and “unwavering faith.” 

Bussen was with Jacob when he died on Sept. 26, 2024. She prepared his body, cleaning him and sprinkling him with holy water, and then prayed with his wife and daughter.

“I will never forget the care and dignity she gave him, even after his final breath,” DeSopo said.

Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister Catherine
Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister Catherine

Mary at the foot of the cross 

“I was sick and you visited me.”

This Scripture verse, Matthew 25:36, summarizes the charism of the Servants of Mary, according to Bussen. 

When they care for the sick, they care for Christ.

The sisters will care for anyone in need, preferably within the sick person’s own home. In those who are suffering, the sisters “discover Jesus carrying his cross,” Bussen explained. 

“By caring for the sick, we believe that we are caring for Christ himself, who still suffers today in the suffering mystical body of Christ,” she said.

Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick
Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

Founded in Madrid, Spain, in the 1800s, the sisters care for the sick and dying in Louisiana, Kansas, and California as well as throughout Central and South America, Spain, France, England, Italy, Cameroon, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They run a hospital for the poor in Bamenda, Cameroon, as well as two missionary houses in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The sisters look to Mary as an example as they accompany those who are suffering.

“Although we are not able to take away someone’s cross, we are present to them, offering all to the Father, like Mary did at the cross of Jesus, that all suffering may be redemptive and fruitful,” Bussen said.

“Every one of us sisters would tell you that it is an absolute privilege to be able to enter into the intimacy of a family’s home, listening to the dying, praying with them, and encouraging them on the final stage of their journey as their soul passes into eternity,” she said.

Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick
Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

“Our Catholic Christian faith is a beautiful comfort during these times because it is all about looking forward to the promised life to come, the whole goal of our lives, eternal life,” Bussen said.

One woman from New Orleans received news no one wants to hear — she had a terminal illness. Though she was not religious, she knew she needed help and did not know who else to turn to, so she called the Servants of Mary.

As they cared for her and helped her deal with her terminal diagnosis, the sisters learned the woman was “completely alone in the world,” said Bussen, who took care of her. Other people from the surrounding Catholic community volunteered to stay with her.

During that time, the woman found a home in the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of baptism.

Her “anxiety was transformed into peace,” said Bussen, who was with her as she died.

“As the end drew near, she had a new faith family,” Bussen said. “She was no longer alone.”

Remembering the dead 

The life of a sister Servant of Mary is “contemplative in action.” 

The sisters unite “our prayer life with our work — going about what we are doing, in all the business of daily life, in a prayerful spirit,” Bussen said.

The sisters have time set aside for prayer and work, “but these two aspects cannot be separated from one another,” she continued. “The grace and light received in prayer flows into our work and ministry, and everything we experience in our ministry is taken to prayer.”

The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick
The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

Throughout the year, the sisters take special care to remember the dead. 

In November especially, Bussen said the sisters “remember all our patients who have died with us by placing their names in our chapel and offering Masses for their eternal happiness.”

“Even after a patient has passed,” she said, “and they no longer need physical care, our ministry continues by praying for their soul.”

Read More
Jerusalem Church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefire #Catholic Churches in Jerusalem. / Credit: Amizor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Jerusalem church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefireThe Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem has hailed the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, describing it as a “first real step toward ending the war,” CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported Oct. 16. The statement thanked the international community, particularly mediators at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, for helping secure the deal and called for rapid humanitarian access to food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.The church leaders also voiced alarm over growing violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank, insisting that peace talks must lead to an independent Palestinian state living in safety beside Israel. They praised Christians in Gaza for their steadfast faith, calling the communities of St. Porphyrius Orthodox and Holy Family Catholic churches “a living witness of hope amid suffering.”Tokyo archbishop calls for end to death penaltyCardinal Isao Kikuchi, archbishop of Tokyo, is calling on Japan to abolish the death penalty and grant clemency to two men charged with murder, according to a report by Crux. “The Catholic Church in Japan opposes capital punishment, calling for the protection of all life as a gift from the Creator. The Church urges the government to abolish the death penalty and reform the Japanese criminal justice system,” the cardinal said, adding: “I fundamentally believe that if we uphold the value of human life and dignity, we must not employ the same method as the criminals by taking a life away.” Protests in Cameroon overshadow presidential election despite bishops’ call for peaceDespite repeated appeals by Catholic bishops for peace and transparency ahead of Cameroon’s presidential elections, protests reportedly erupted in some cities in the country, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 16.In the country’s capital of Douala, angry demonstrators accused authorities of electoral fraud in the Oct. 12 vote. This comes after members of the Cameroon bishops’ conference called on authorities to address any electoral insecurities they said could possibly mar the country’s presidential elections. “Every human life is sacred and must be protected. It is everyone’s duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved before, during, and after the upcoming elections,” they said, adding: “We call on the competent authorities of the Republic to use their powers to prevent electoral insecurity and ensure a favorable environment, free from fear and intimidation.” Results for the election are expected by Oct. 26. Pope Leo XIV meets Jordan’s King Abdullah II: a renewed friendshipPope Leo XIV welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania to the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City this week, their first meeting since the pope’s election earlier this year, ACI MENA reported Oct. 14. The encounter reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between the Holy See and the Hashemite Kingdom, centered on interfaith dialogue and shared concern for peace in the Middle East. The visit comes as King Abdullah tours Europe, including Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia, for talks on regional stability. Observers note that the strong personal rapport once shared between Pope Francis and the Jordanian monarch is likely to continue under Pope Leo, whose pontificate has already signaled continuity in humanitarian outreach and mutual respect.Korean Catholics call on government to protect workers under new lawCatholic officials are welcoming a change to Korea’s labor laws that will help protect workers by strengthening unions and adding protections for workers in Korea’s segmented labor market, according to an Oct. 15 report from UCA News. “Nothing is more important than the happiness, well-being, and protection of the lives of workers and their families, so it is natural for the Church to stand on the side of workers,” said Father Alexander Lee Young-hoon, the Bishops’ Conference of Korea’s secretary of labor.“When the Church speaks out on labor and social issues, many believers perceive it as a political stance,” said John Park Young-ki, attorney and member of the Seoul Archdiocese Labor Ministry Committee. “The path of a Church that stands with the poor and the vulnerable, as Pope Francis has said, is not to follow secular logic but to show concern for the vulnerable.”Germany names its head of foreign intelligence service as ambassador to Holy SeePope Leo XIV received Bruno Kahl, Germany’s new ambassador to the Holy See, on Oct. 11, according to a Vatican press bulletin. Kahl presented Leo with his credential letters during the meeting, marking the official start of his post. The new ambassador has been in Rome for several weeks, according to reports, and previously met with Leo during a private audience with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During his stint as head of German intelligence, Kahl was in Ukraine when Russia invaded at the start of the war and had to be evacuated by special forces from the country via car, according to several reports.
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Jerusalem Church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefire #Catholic Churches in Jerusalem. / Credit: Amizor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Jerusalem church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefireThe Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem has hailed the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, describing it as a “first real step toward ending the war,” CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported Oct. 16. The statement thanked the international community, particularly mediators at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, for helping secure the deal and called for rapid humanitarian access to food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.The church leaders also voiced alarm over growing violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank, insisting that peace talks must lead to an independent Palestinian state living in safety beside Israel. They praised Christians in Gaza for their steadfast faith, calling the communities of St. Porphyrius Orthodox and Holy Family Catholic churches “a living witness of hope amid suffering.”Tokyo archbishop calls for end to death penaltyCardinal Isao Kikuchi, archbishop of Tokyo, is calling on Japan to abolish the death penalty and grant clemency to two men charged with murder, according to a report by Crux. “The Catholic Church in Japan opposes capital punishment, calling for the protection of all life as a gift from the Creator. The Church urges the government to abolish the death penalty and reform the Japanese criminal justice system,” the cardinal said, adding: “I fundamentally believe that if we uphold the value of human life and dignity, we must not employ the same method as the criminals by taking a life away.” Protests in Cameroon overshadow presidential election despite bishops’ call for peaceDespite repeated appeals by Catholic bishops for peace and transparency ahead of Cameroon’s presidential elections, protests reportedly erupted in some cities in the country, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 16.In the country’s capital of Douala, angry demonstrators accused authorities of electoral fraud in the Oct. 12 vote. This comes after members of the Cameroon bishops’ conference called on authorities to address any electoral insecurities they said could possibly mar the country’s presidential elections. “Every human life is sacred and must be protected. It is everyone’s duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved before, during, and after the upcoming elections,” they said, adding: “We call on the competent authorities of the Republic to use their powers to prevent electoral insecurity and ensure a favorable environment, free from fear and intimidation.” Results for the election are expected by Oct. 26. Pope Leo XIV meets Jordan’s King Abdullah II: a renewed friendshipPope Leo XIV welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania to the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City this week, their first meeting since the pope’s election earlier this year, ACI MENA reported Oct. 14. The encounter reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between the Holy See and the Hashemite Kingdom, centered on interfaith dialogue and shared concern for peace in the Middle East. The visit comes as King Abdullah tours Europe, including Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia, for talks on regional stability. Observers note that the strong personal rapport once shared between Pope Francis and the Jordanian monarch is likely to continue under Pope Leo, whose pontificate has already signaled continuity in humanitarian outreach and mutual respect.Korean Catholics call on government to protect workers under new lawCatholic officials are welcoming a change to Korea’s labor laws that will help protect workers by strengthening unions and adding protections for workers in Korea’s segmented labor market, according to an Oct. 15 report from UCA News. “Nothing is more important than the happiness, well-being, and protection of the lives of workers and their families, so it is natural for the Church to stand on the side of workers,” said Father Alexander Lee Young-hoon, the Bishops’ Conference of Korea’s secretary of labor.“When the Church speaks out on labor and social issues, many believers perceive it as a political stance,” said John Park Young-ki, attorney and member of the Seoul Archdiocese Labor Ministry Committee. “The path of a Church that stands with the poor and the vulnerable, as Pope Francis has said, is not to follow secular logic but to show concern for the vulnerable.”Germany names its head of foreign intelligence service as ambassador to Holy SeePope Leo XIV received Bruno Kahl, Germany’s new ambassador to the Holy See, on Oct. 11, according to a Vatican press bulletin. Kahl presented Leo with his credential letters during the meeting, marking the official start of his post. The new ambassador has been in Rome for several weeks, according to reports, and previously met with Leo during a private audience with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During his stint as head of German intelligence, Kahl was in Ukraine when Russia invaded at the start of the war and had to be evacuated by special forces from the country via car, according to several reports.

unitedyam

Churches in Jerusalem. / Credit: Amizor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Jerusalem church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefire

The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem has hailed the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, describing it as a “first real step toward ending the war,” CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported Oct. 16. 

The statement thanked the international community, particularly mediators at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, for helping secure the deal and called for rapid humanitarian access to food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.

The church leaders also voiced alarm over growing violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank, insisting that peace talks must lead to an independent Palestinian state living in safety beside Israel. They praised Christians in Gaza for their steadfast faith, calling the communities of St. Porphyrius Orthodox and Holy Family Catholic churches “a living witness of hope amid suffering.”

Tokyo archbishop calls for end to death penalty

Cardinal Isao Kikuchi, archbishop of Tokyo, is calling on Japan to abolish the death penalty and grant clemency to two men charged with murder, according to a report by Crux. 

“The Catholic Church in Japan opposes capital punishment, calling for the protection of all life as a gift from the Creator. The Church urges the government to abolish the death penalty and reform the Japanese criminal justice system,” the cardinal said, adding: “I fundamentally believe that if we uphold the value of human life and dignity, we must not employ the same method as the criminals by taking a life away.” 

Protests in Cameroon overshadow presidential election despite bishops’ call for peace

Despite repeated appeals by Catholic bishops for peace and transparency ahead of Cameroon’s presidential elections, protests reportedly erupted in some cities in the country, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 16.

In the country’s capital of Douala, angry demonstrators accused authorities of electoral fraud in the Oct. 12 vote. This comes after members of the Cameroon bishops’ conference called on authorities to address any electoral insecurities they said could possibly mar the country’s presidential elections. 

“Every human life is sacred and must be protected. It is everyone’s duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved before, during, and after the upcoming elections,” they said, adding: “We call on the competent authorities of the Republic to use their powers to prevent electoral insecurity and ensure a favorable environment, free from fear and intimidation.” 

Results for the election are expected by Oct. 26. 

Pope Leo XIV meets Jordan’s King Abdullah II: a renewed friendship

Pope Leo XIV welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania to the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City this week, their first meeting since the pope’s election earlier this year, ACI MENA reported Oct. 14. 

The encounter reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between the Holy See and the Hashemite Kingdom, centered on interfaith dialogue and shared concern for peace in the Middle East. The visit comes as King Abdullah tours Europe, including Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia, for talks on regional stability. 

Observers note that the strong personal rapport once shared between Pope Francis and the Jordanian monarch is likely to continue under Pope Leo, whose pontificate has already signaled continuity in humanitarian outreach and mutual respect.

Korean Catholics call on government to protect workers under new law

Catholic officials are welcoming a change to Korea’s labor laws that will help protect workers by strengthening unions and adding protections for workers in Korea’s segmented labor market, according to an Oct. 15 report from UCA News. 

“Nothing is more important than the happiness, well-being, and protection of the lives of workers and their families, so it is natural for the Church to stand on the side of workers,” said Father Alexander Lee Young-hoon, the Bishops’ Conference of Korea’s secretary of labor.

“When the Church speaks out on labor and social issues, many believers perceive it as a political stance,” said John Park Young-ki, attorney and member of the Seoul Archdiocese Labor Ministry Committee. “The path of a Church that stands with the poor and the vulnerable, as Pope Francis has said, is not to follow secular logic but to show concern for the vulnerable.”

Germany names its head of foreign intelligence service as ambassador to Holy See

Pope Leo XIV received Bruno Kahl, Germany’s new ambassador to the Holy See, on Oct. 11, according to a Vatican press bulletin. 

Kahl presented Leo with his credential letters during the meeting, marking the official start of his post. The new ambassador has been in Rome for several weeks, according to reports, and previously met with Leo during a private audience with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During his stint as head of German intelligence, Kahl was in Ukraine when Russia invaded at the start of the war and had to be evacuated by special forces from the country via car, according to several reports.

Read More
Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than 9 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.
Read More

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

unitedyam

City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya

In the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.

Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.

Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decades

In northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.

Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.

Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic church

An investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.

A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.

Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.

American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India 

Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. 

After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. 

Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospital

South African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. 

“This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. 

Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan 

Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. 

“The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”

German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases 

The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. 

“We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.

According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

Read More
Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than 9 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.
Read More

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya #Catholic City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in LibyaIn the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decadesIn northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic churchAn investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospitalSouth African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. “This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. “The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. “We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

unitedyam

City of Tripoli, Libya. / Credit: Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Ancient traces of St. Mark reveal Christianity’s deep roots in Libya

In the eastern Libyan city of Derna, archaeological remains linked to St. Mark the Evangelist continue to bear witness to the country’s early Christian heritage, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Oct. 8. Though not explicitly named in the Gospels, Mark, believed to have been among the 72 disciples sent out by Christ, became one of the four Evangelists and the first patriarch of Alexandria.

Researchers note that Mark may have been born in Cyrene — present-day eastern Libya — before carrying the Christian message across the region’s “Pentapolis” cities. The scenic Mark Valley in the Green Mountain area, with its waterfalls and caves, is thought to have sheltered him and his followers during Roman persecutions. Nearby, “Gospel Valley” is believed to be where he began writing his Gospel. The enduring local veneration of “Mark of Cyrene” underscores how deeply the Libyan landscape is intertwined with the faith’s earliest chapters.

Church schools in northeast Syria face closure after 7 decades

In northeast Syria, Christian churches are warning that more than 70 years of faith-based education may soon come to an end, according to ACI MENA. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has ordered the closure of 22 church-run schools in cities such as Qamishli, Hasakah, and Malikiya for refusing to adopt its new curriculum, insisting instead on teaching Syria’s national syllabus.

Local educators describe the move as a direct blow to the Church’s historic role in education. Negotiations have failed despite appeals to international organizations, leaving families torn between relocating their children or losing access to recognized exams. The dispute, which has already driven emigration among Christian communities, highlights the precarious status of minorities in postwar Syria and the growing tension between Church autonomy and regional political agendas.

Crude bombs detonated in front of Bangladesh’s oldest Catholic church

An investigation is underway in Bangladesh after four assailants on motorbikes reportedly threw makeshift bombs at the gate in front of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Tejgaon, central Dhaka, before fleeing the scene, according to a report from UCA News.

A security guard who witnessed the attack on Oct. 8 said he saw white smoke go up around the gate in wake of the explosion that “shook the surrounding area.” A bomb disposal team deployed to the site managed to diffuse two unexploded bombs.

Holy Rosary Church was founded by Portuguese missionaries in 1677 and is nestled among several buildings, including a convent, two schools, a college, and a hospital. It is home to approximately 10,000 Catholics, according to the report.

American citizen, 2 Indian nationals arrested on ‘conversion’ charges in India 

Police in India have arrested an American citizen and two Indian nationals for violating the country’s stringent anti-conversion laws by allegedly attempting to convert Hindu villagers to Christianity at a prayer meeting, according to UCA News. 

After an Oct. 3 incident in the western state of Maharashtra, American James Watson, 58, and Indian nationals Ganpati Sarpe, 42, and Manoj Govind Kolha, 35 have been charged with “attempting to hurt religious sentiments and violating provisions of Maharashtra’s anti-black magic law by allegedly promising miracle cures and prosperity through conversion.” The three were arrested after a local Hindu villager, Ravinath Bhurkut, told police that the group had said during the meeting that “Hinduism was based on superstition and that conversion to Christianity would bring happiness and success,” UCA reported. 

Bishop condemns corruption scandal at South African hospital

South African Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa has condemned a corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital, where more than $109 million was looted from the institution in what he has said is a grave injustice and direct assault on the poor’s right to health care, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 8. 

“This scandal constitutes not only a grave betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on the dignity and rights of the poor who depend on public health care,” he said in a statement welcoming an investigative report on the matter. Dating back to 2021, the scandal saw a whistleblower assassinated outside her home in southern Johannesburg after exposing suspicious and irregular payments at the hospital. 

Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya prepare to launch 5-year Integral Ecology Plan 

Members of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Kenya are preparing to launch a five-year Integral Ecology Plan (2026–2030) aimed at ending the long-standing “piecemeal” approach to projects across their institutions in the east African nation, ACI Africa reported Oct. 8. 

“The Integral Ecology is inspired by Pope Francis, and it is a response to his call,” the executive director of Don Bosco Development Outreach Network told ACI Africa in an interview on Oct. 7. “Often what happens is that our Don Bosco institutions have been doing things piecemeal, one by one,” he explained. “What we wanted to do is to have a comprehensive plan for all the Don Bosco institutions in Kenya.”

German diocese complains of rising number of burglary and vandalism cases 

The Diocese of Passau in Germany has reported 15 cases of burglaries and vandalism in churches for the month of September, CNA’s German-language news partner, CNA Deutsch, reported Oct. 9. 

“We usually have about 15 to 20 burglaries in a whole year, and now we currently have 15 cases that have been reported to us in the month of September alone. That’s very worrying,” the financial director of the diocese, Josef Sonnleitner, said.

According to the diocese, incidents have included damage to doors and windows, sacrificial candlesticks broken, and a holy water vessel and stars from a Madonna statue stolen.

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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte charged with murder
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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte charged with murder

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Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte gives a speech during a campaign rally at Southorn Stadium on March 9, 2025, in Hong Kong, China. / Credit: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 26, 2025 / 14:36 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte charged with murder

After Filipino Catholic bishops welcomed the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte in March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has now charged Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, with murder.

The three charges laid against Duterte, made public on Sept. 22, were dated back to July, according to the BBC. The first charge relates to Duterte’s involvement in the murder of 19 people in Davao City while he served as mayor from 2013 to 2016. The remaining charges relate to Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which saw the murder of 14 people across the country and the attempted murder of 45 others.

Caritas Philippines President Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan called Duterte’s detention a critical step toward justice, Vatican News reported in March. “For years Duterte has claimed that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions. Now is the time for him to prove it,” the bishop said. 

Syriac Catholic bishop discusses role of Christians in rebuilding Syria

In a meeting with the Levantine National Council, Syriac Catholic Bishop Hanna Jallouf discussed the role of Christians in public life as the country rebuilds after the fall of the Assad regime last winter.

According to a report from the Syriac Press, the meeting took place on Sept. 25 at the Monastery of St. Lazarus in Daramsuq (Damascus). “The meeting featured an in-depth discussion on the country’s current challenges, focusing on ways to enhance the role of Christians in public life while also addressing their concerns and fears amid ongoing instability,” the report said. 

Jallouf reportedly advocated for “citizenship and pluralism as the foundation for Syria’s stability” and encouraged the council to continue its efforts “to preserve the Church’s witness and unity” amid a period marked by fear for Christians and other religious minorities in the country.

Christians in India suffer harassment, arrests at hands of Hindu groups 

Police in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh arrested 14 Christians on Sept. 19 for allegedly violating the state’s stringent anti-conversion law and the national criminal code, according to UCA News.

The report also noted that a group of 19 girls accompanied by a Catholic nun and two staff members of a nongovernmental organization were also arrested Sept. 19 in Jharkhand, which borders Uttar Pradesh from the south, for violating the conversion law as well. The group was released the following day. According to Church sources cited in the report, the arrests were made after “allegations by some right-wing Hindu groups as the girls were traveling to attend a training program, and the nuns came to the railway station to welcome them.” 

Chair of Philippines Bishops’ Conference speaks out against corruption 

Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Taytay in Palawan, Philippines, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Office on Stewardship, has published a pastoral letter condemning the normalization of corruption in the country. 

“We must not accept corruption as the norm — it is stealing the people’s taxes,” he said in the letter, according to local reports, pointing out that government funds have been redirected away from critical services such as hospitals, clean water initiatives, safe roads, and electricity for political reasons. “If we want to reduce corruption, we must stop voting for relatives in power,” the bishop added. 

Chaldean Catholics return to ancestral homeland in Turkey after nearly half a century

A Chaldean Catholic community from the southeast village of Köreli in the Şirnak Silopi district of Turkey returned to their ancestral homeland after nearly half a century, according to a local report on Sept. 25.

About 150 pilgrims, who traveled from across Turkey and abroad, participated in the 10-day visit and celebrated a “deeply symbolic Mass and offered prayers at the village cemetery.”

According to the report, Turkey’s Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Sabri Anar expressed gratitude to the government and for those who welcomed the group. “Our aim is to reconcile those who left this land with their past and show them that the region is safe,” he noted. “Each visit fills us with happiness. In the eyes of our people, we can see the longing for homeland, for soil, and for history.”

Australian bishop returned to public ministry after abuse allegation dismissed

Bishop Richard Umbers of the Archdiocese of Sydney has been reinstated to public ministry after an independent investigation determined abuse allegations lodged against him were “not sustained,” according to an internal email cited in a Sept. 24 report by the Pillar.

“The report from the independent investigator highlighted information given by the complainant that was inconsistent with other evidence obtained and therefore, the investigator could not be satisfied that the alleged conduct occurred,” the email by archdiocesan vicar general Father Samuel Lynch said. 

The claim of historical abuse against the Opus Dei bishop had been made in early July, after which he stepped down in accordance with archdiocesan protocol. 

Bangladesh Catholics fear Muslim extremist persecution as elections loom

The Catholic community in Bangladesh is “living in fear” of persecution as Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise and elections loom in the coming February, according to a Sept. 24 Crux report.

“We are afraid of the upcoming elections. Because, before and after the elections, we have been subjected to many injustices and this time there is a greater possibility of it. So, we are constantly praying to God to protect us,” Welcome Lamba, a leader of the Khasi Indigenous village of Pratappur Punjee, told Crux, which noted that there were over 1,000 cases of human rights violations against religious minorities in the country from 2023 to 2024. 

Australia donates vehicles to Catholic Church Health Services in Papua New Guinea 

After government officials in Papua New Guinea (PNG) announced in June a nationwide HIV emergence, the Australian government has now donated “a fleet of vehicles” to the Catholic Church Health Services in PNG to help aid efforts to expand access to treatment for HIV, according to a local report on Sept. 25. 

“The vehicles will support outreach services that include community-based HIV testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and referrals to other clinics and social services,” the report stated.

Angolan bishop speaks out against deforestation, poaching

Bishop Martín Lasarte Topolansky in Lwena, Angola, spoke out this week against escalating environmental destruction in eastern Angola, particularly in border areas with Zambia, where illegal logging and poaching are severely impacting the population, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Thursday.

“It is with a heavy heart that I see the felling of precious trees and the disappearance of animals that are part of our environmental heritage. We are witnessing a true plunder of what belongs to the Angolan people,” Lasarte told ACI Africa, while recalling a recent pastoral visit to communities in Eastern Moxico.

The bishop also noted “illegal exploitation of our forests by foreign citizens crossing our border,” likely by Zambians taking advantage of weak local enforcement. He further called on the Angolan government to secure the country’s eastern border and establish stricter environmental laws. “This land is a gift from God, and we will be accountable for how we treat it,” he said.

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Picture of the day Coral (Favia favus), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This species of stony corals is massive and forms thickly encrusting dome-shaped colonial corals. There is a great diversity of form even among the same species. The corallites project slightly above the surface of the coral and each has its own wall. The septa and costae linked to the corallite wall are well developed and covered by fine teeth. The polyps only extend and feed during the night. Each one has a small number of tapering tentacles which often have a darker coloured tip; these are called stinger tentacles, or sweeper tentacles. They use these to sweep the water to see if any other coral is in its area; if so, then they begin to sting the other coral. This is commonly known as coral war. Each coral is trying to make sure it has enough room around it so it can continue to grow and have more surface area for its offspring. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Coral (Favia favus), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This species of stony corals is massive and forms thickly encrusting dome-shaped colonial corals. There is a great diversity of form even among the same species. The corallites project slightly above the surface of the coral and each has its own wall. The septa and costae linked to the corallite wall are well developed and covered by fine teeth. The polyps only extend and feed during the night. Each one has a small number of tapering tentacles which often have a darker coloured tip; these are called stinger tentacles, or sweeper tentacles. They use these to sweep the water to see if any other coral is in its area; if so, then they begin to sting the other coral. This is commonly known as coral war. Each coral is trying to make sure it has enough room around it so it can continue to grow and have more surface area for its offspring. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Coral (Favia favus), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This species of stony corals is massive and forms thickly encrusting dome-shaped colonial corals. There is a great diversity of form even among the same species. The corallites project slightly above the surface of the coral and each has its own wall. The septa and costae linked to the corallite wall are well developed and covered by fine teeth. The polyps only extend and feed during the night. Each one has a small number of tapering tentacles which often have a darker coloured tip; these are called stinger tentacles, or sweeper tentacles. They use these to sweep the water to see if any other coral is in its area; if so, then they begin to sting the other coral. This is commonly known as coral war. Each coral is trying to make sure it has enough room around it so it can continue to grow and have more surface area for its offspring.
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Picture of the day Fresh water collecting in the valleys between sand dunes in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil. A layer of rock beneath the sand prevents the rain water from dissipating during the rainy season, resulting in a broad expanse of lagoons. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Fresh water collecting in the valleys between sand dunes in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil. A layer of rock beneath the sand prevents the rain water from dissipating during the rainy season, resulting in a broad expanse of lagoons. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Fresh water collecting in the valleys between sand dunes in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil. A layer of rock beneath the sand prevents the rain water from dissipating during the rainy season, resulting in a broad expanse of lagoons.
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Webb Finds Icy Disk
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Webb Finds Icy Disk

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Webb has found crystalline water ice in a debris disk around a young, Sun-like star called HD 181327. Based on its presence in our own solar system, scientists have expected to see it in other star systems — but haven’t had sensitive enough instruments to provide definitive proof until now.

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Picture of the day (purge this page’s cache) The submerged St. Nicholas Church in Mavrovo, North Macedonia. Built in 1850, the church served as the main village church of Mavrovo. With the construction of the hydroelectric power station in Mavrovo and the artificial Mavrovo Lake, the church got submerged under water in 1953. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day (purge this page’s cache) The submerged St. Nicholas Church in Mavrovo, North Macedonia. Built in 1850, the church served as the main village church of Mavrovo. With the construction of the hydroelectric power station in Mavrovo and the artificial Mavrovo Lake, the church got submerged under water in 1953. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
(purge this page’s cache)
The submerged St. Nicholas Church in Mavrovo, North Macedonia. Built in 1850, the church served as the main village church of Mavrovo. With the construction of the hydroelectric power station in Mavrovo and the artificial Mavrovo Lake, the church got submerged under water in 1953.
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