Catholic News
- Irish Primate, Anglican leader denounce burning of mosque replica (Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference)
The Primate of All Ireland and the head of the Anglican Church of Ireland issued a joint statement today denouncing the burning of a mosque replica in a bonfire. “Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan to teach his disciples that they have a duty to those who differ from them in terms of religious belief and cultural tradition,” said Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Anglican Archbishop John McDowell. “Jesus teaches that people who differ from us are not simply to be tolerated; they are to be respected, cared for and loved.” “The targeting of the Muslim community through crude symbols and threats of violence by sinister forces undermines these Gospel principles of respect and compassion as well as freedom of religion which is a fundamental principle of a democratic society,” the prelates continued, adding: Christians of all traditions would be aghast at the wanton destruction of Christian imagery. Likewise, we should be appalled at the provocative denigration of symbols associated with faiths that are sincerely held by others. - Vatican diplomat: GDP fails to capture climate-related risks to island nations (Holy See Mission)
Citing Pope Leo’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, a Vatican diplomat called upon the international community to “move beyond development metrics tied to gross domestic product,” especially with regard to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Addressing a UN discussion on SIDS, Msgr. Marco Formica, interim chargé d’affaires of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, said on July 9 that small island nations’ “exposure to climate-related disasters, environmental degradation, and external economic shocks repeatedly unmask deep structure vulnerabilities that GDP-metrics fail to capture.” - 'Besieged by bombs and hunger': Vatican newspaper shines spotlight on El-Obeid, Sudan (CWN)
The Vatican newspaper drew attention to the dire situation of Sudanese civilians in and around El-Obeid, a strategic city in the nation’s civil war. - Nigerian Archbishop Akubeze dies at 69; remembered as 'pillar of orthodox truth' (CSN Media)
Archbishop Augustine Akubeze, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria from 2018 to 2022, died on July 9 at the age of 69. “He firmly stood as a pillar of orthodox truth,” said Father Michael Banjo, secretary general of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the administrative arm of the bishops’ conference. “His voice did not tickle ears but fed souls, bringing to light his episcopal motto: ‘Ut Testimonium perhibeam veritati’ (Jn 18:37), which means ‘That I may bear witness to the Truth.’” “He demonstrated always by his gentleness and quiet disposition that genuine authority in the church is not measured by power but by service and this was a result of his deep level of spirituality,” Father Banjo added. Archbishop Akubeze was appointed founding bishop of Uromi in 2005 and archbishop of Benin City in 2011. - Archbishop Gänswein renews call for repeal of restrictions on traditional Latin Mass (Il Giornale)
Echoing an appeal he made last week, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the former prefect of the Papal Household and private secretary of the late Pope Benedict, renewed his repeal for the lifting of restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass. Archbishop Gänswein, now apostolic nuncio to three Baltic nations, said in an interview that Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict’s 2007 document permitting wider celebration of the extraordinary form, bore fruit “especially for young people, and this can be seen first of all in the increasing numbers of the Paris-Chartres pilgrimage every year.” “These young people are nourished by the beauty of the liturgy; they are not at all opposed to the Second Vatican Council,” he continued. “It is not true that those who have a traditional liturgical sensibility and participate in the Tridentine Masses are anti-conciliar.” In 2021, Pope Francis repealed the provisions of Summorum Pontificum when he issued Traditionis Custodes, his 2021 document restricting the extraordinary form of the Mass. - 3,344 candidates for sainthood in Spain (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Citing a report from the Spanish Episcopal Conference, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints said that there are currently 3,344 candidates for sainthood in Spain. In his overview of Spanish canonization causes, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro said that the 3,344 candidates are included in 53 causes of martyrdom (48 from the 20th century), 292 causes of heroic virtue, one cause for the offering of one’s life, and one for equipollent canonization. 148 of the candidates have been declared venerable. Cardinal Semeraro added: Significant, too, is the number of causes concerning founders: 71 from religious institutes and 11 from secular institutes. The total number of Blesseds (including those recognized via martyrdom decrees as of 2026) stands at 2,449; of these, 2,404 are martyrs from the religious persecution in Spain during the 20th century. The remaining 45 causes are based on heroic virtue and include 2 cardinals, 1 diocesan bishop, 7 diocesan priests, 4 religious priests, 2 male religious, 22 female religious, and 7 laypeople. Cardinal Semeraro encouraged other episcopal conferences to follow the example of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, which established an Office for the Causes of Saints in 2001. - Caritas Venezuela distributes 7,000 tons of food, water to earthquake victims (Vatican News)
Caritas Venezuela, the charitable agency of the Church in Venezuela, reported that it has distributed 4,031 tons of water and 3,247 tons of food to more than 8,000 families affected by the recent earthquakes. The agency also report that it has received 14,700 tons of humanitarian aid. - Latin American, Caribbean dioceses advocate against mining abuses (Fides)
Fides News Agency, the agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reported on recent efforts by Latin American and Caribbean dioceses to advocate for communities adversely affected by mining. “Our only concern is to safeguard the life of every human being,” said Bishop Rafael Valdivieso of Chitré, Panama. “Anything that endangers human health and life represents a serious risk.” - Virginia bishop instructs faithful to avoid SSPX activities (Diocese of Arlington)
The bishop of Arlington, Virginia, instructed the faithful to “avoid participating in the activities of the SSPX.” “I encourage any persons locally who have been attached to the SSPX and who desire the spiritual nourishment of the Church and the Extraordinary Form of the Mass to become active in any one of the eight locations in our diocese where this is currently possible,” Bishop Michael Burbidge said in his July 8 statement. “To my brother priests in the SSPX, please know of my prayers for you and my heartfelt desire for your return to full communion with the Church,” Bishop Burbidge added. “I invite all the faithful to join me in prayer for the end of all division and schism and for the unity of the Church, so that she may better fulfill the divine commission to make disciples of all nations.” - Bishop Paprocki assesses revisions to Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (Pillar)
The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ canonical affairs committee discussed the bishops’ recent revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, said that “in the Charter revision process, the feedback we were getting was not to make any major revisions, that what we have has been working well—and so that’s the approach the revision process took.” He said that positive revisions include a glossary that defines terms and references to the presumption of innocence and mandatory Church reporting of allegations. Defending the continued exclusion of the sexual abuse of adults from the document, the prelate said that “one reason is the potential ramifications—currently under the charter and the Essential Norms, we have a policy of zero tolerance and that is not necessarily the case with adult misconduct ... Bringing them into the Essential Norms would be the whole process of having to take that to the Holy See, and just delaying this whole thing, in order to deal with these other issues under the Charter.” - Canonization cause for Mother Angelica's spiritual mentor, Rhoda Wise, reaches next step (EWTN News)
Father John Sheridan of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, announced that the documentation for the sainthood cause of the Servant of God Rhoda Wise (1888-1948) has been submitted to the Vatican. The late Bishop George Murry, S.J., began the cause’s diocesan phase in 2017. - US sanctions are harming the Church in Cuba, Jesuit argues (RNS)
The former president of Fairfield University in Connecticut argued in an op-ed that U.S. sanctions against Cuba are harming the Church there. Father Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., wrote that “while there is growing awareness of the severe humanitarian crisis in Cuba, in large measure brought on by the U.S. fuel blockade, few are paying attention to the damage that decades of sanctions are inflicting on the Catholic Church’s ability to serve the Cuban people,” “The sisters who bake the hosts for Holy Communion for most of the parishes in Cuba can no longer provide them because they cannot use their ovens due to lack of gas and electricity,” Father von Arx continued. “Churches have appealed abroad for assistance simply to celebrate the Eucharist.” “The Church has become one of the few institutions capable of accompanying vulnerable families, providing humanitarian assistance and creating space for dialogue,” he added, as he argued that “policies that further weaken the Church’s ability to carry out that mission ultimately harm the very people the United States says it wants to support.” - Paulist priest celebrates Stonewall Pride Mass (National Catholic Reporter)
A Paulist priest recently celebrated a Pride Mass outside the Stonewall National Monument in New York, as part of his parish’s Out at St. Paul ministry. “To all those who have suffered because of our Church, please hear this: first, I’m sorry,” Father Chris Lawton, C.S.P., preached. “I am sorry for the times that the Church has not recognized the presence of God in you, and for the times it has implicitly encouraged others to do the same.” “I want to apologize to our transgender siblings, who continue to face unique injustice in this Church, and at this time in the life of our country as well,” Father Lawton added. - Ukrainian Catholic bishops from around the world meet to discuss challenges (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church bishops from around the world gathered at the Marian Spiritual Center in Zarvanytsia to discuss the challenges they face. At the July 6 gathering, bishops who minister in Ukraine discussed the challenges that stem from the Russian invasion. Bishops elsewhere in Europe discussed “integrating newcomers into parish life, providing pastoral care in their new communities, maintaining Ukrainian identity, and educating the younger generation,” while North and South American bishops highlighted “secularization, assimilation, a shortage of vocations, and the need to reconsider pastoral models.” - Vatican diplomat calls for 'robust governance' of AI (Holy See Mission)
Addressing the UN’s Global Dialogue on AI Governance, a Vatican diplomat said that “the necessity for robust governance does not mean placing limits on AI as obstacles for their own sake.” Robust governance is “a prerequisite for ensuring that technological progress is meaningfully oriented towards a broader horizon, at the service of all humanity, while respecting the inalienable God-given dignity of all persons and the common good,” Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, said on July 7. “Good governance requires the responsible use of AI, in a way that does not involve outsourcing or surrendering responsibility to an algorithm,” the prelate added. “Therefore, every critical choice made by an automated system must be subject to human oversight.” - Soaring number of priests in Africa, Southeast Asia amid declines in Europe, North America (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
In a detailed analysis of priesthood statistics between 2013 and 2024, the Vatican newspaper found that the total number of priests worldwide decreased 1.9% over the 11-year period to 407,421. The number of diocesan priests fell by 0.5%; the number of religious priests fell by 4.9%. In Africa, however, the number of priests soared by 35.8% between 2013 and 2024, and in Southeast Asia, the number of priests increased by 23.2%. In contrast, the number of priests in Europe declined by 17.2%, and the number of priests in North America (classified as the United States and Canada) declined by 14.2%. In 2024, Europe had 20.2% of the world’s Catholic population, 37.5% of the world’s priests, and only 11.7% of the world’s major seminarians. Africa, with 20.3% of the world’s Catholics, had 13.9% of the world’s priests, but 34.5% of the world’s major seminarians. - Nuncio urges Philippine bishops, faithful to advocate for right to life, combat corruption (CBCP News)
The apostolic nuncio to the Philippines called on the Philippine bishops and faithful to advocate for the right to life from conception to natural death and to combat evils such as corruption. “We need a society that works to eliminate corruption, sin, crime, discrimination, and all those things that weigh us down and degrade our earthly dreams,” Archbishop Charles Brown said during a July 8 homily in Ozamiz Cathedral, as the nation’s bishops gathered for their summer meeting, and the faithful witnessed the crowning of an 18th-century Marian image, the Blessed Virgin of the Fort. - Pakistani Catholic dies in prison after blasphemy accusation; archbishop hails his faith (Fides)
A 60-year-old Pakistani Catholic died in prison on July 1, nearly a year after he was accused of blasphemy against Islam. Fides, the news agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reported that the allegation against Amir Peter, the brother of a parish priest, was false. “Amir Peter remained steadfast in his faith until the end,” Archbishop Khalid Rehmat, O.F.M. Cap., of Lahore preached at Peter’s funeral Mass. “He lived his entire life according to the values of the Gospel and remained faithful to the Church. His witness of fidelity to God is an example for his children and for all of us.” - Syro-Malabar leader: In digital media age, seek the truth like St. Thomas (Syro-Malabar Church)
The head of the Syro-Malabar Church wrote in a pastoral letter that “in an age when rumors spread rapidly and truth is frequently obscured, we must become seekers of truth like St. Thomas.” “There is no doubt that social media is beneficial in many aspects of life,” Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil wrote in a wide-ranging letter for the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, the Syro-Malabar Church’s patron saint. “Yet it has also become a platform where falsehood, hatred, and defamation are deliberately disseminated.” The Major Archbishop added: When messages that malign others, harm the innocent, and spread falsehood are created or shared indiscriminately, the fifth commandment, “You shall not kill,” is violated, for such actions can wound a person’s dignity, reputation, and well-being. Today, more than ever, we need the prudence and vigilance to examine carefully what we encounter, to verify what we do not know, to refrain from promoting what is untrue, and to courageously oppose falsehood wherever it appears. Based in India, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (CNEWA profile) is among the Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with the Holy See. - Oslo bishop to open Sigrid Undset canonization cause (Pillar)
Bishop Fredrik Hansen of Oslo, Norway, announced that he will open the canonization cause of author Sigrid Undset (1882-1949) this fall. Bishop Hansen said that Undset “lived a faithful Christian life in a world of turmoil. She stood firm in the Catholic faith. She challenged Nazism and strove for Norwegian freedom.” Undset, a convert to Catholicism, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. Best known for the trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter, she also wrote lives of saints. - More...