Catholic News
- English bishop charged with rape of girl (CWN)
Police in Staffordshire, England, announced that Bishop David Oakley of Northampton has been charged with two counts of rape of a girl under 16. - SSPX issues profession of faith, open letter to Pope Leo (SSPX Information Service)
The Society of St. Pius X issued an open letter to Pope Leo and the Church’s cardinals, along with a “Profession of Catholic Faith of the Society of Saint Pius X to Enlighten Souls in the Face of Modern Errors.” Referring to the scheduled ordinations of bishops without a papal mandate, the Society’s leaders said that “just days before the episcopal consecrations scheduled for 1 July in Écône, it seems to us that the time has come for the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X to make a full profession of Catholic Faith.” “We hope that one day this doctrinal text may serve as a basis for an honest discussion with the Holy See, in a spirit of peace, brotherhood, and charity,” they added. “I acknowledge in particular that modern errors represent a dreadful threat to the whole of the Catholic order, and that their penetration into the life of the Church, under the influence of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar reforms, has provoked a crisis of exceptional gravity,” they stated in their profession. - Be transformed by the mystery of the Eucharist, Pope says in audience on Vatican II (CWN)
Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV spoke this morning on “The mystery of the Eucharist“ (video). - On Vatican publishing house's 100th anniversary, Pope highlights importance of writing (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV marked the 100th anniversary of Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican publishing house, by highlighting the importance of writing. - Philippine court dismisses charges against bishop, other anti-mining advocates (CBCP News)
A Philippine court dismissed a case against Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao of Bayombong and other anti-mining advocates. The prelate and the other advocates had been charged with forcible entry and maintaining illegal barricades. Bishop Mangalinao described the dismissal of charges as a “victory for truth, justice, and the collective efforts of communities who courageously stand to protect our land, water and future generations.” - Cardinal Parolin, in papal message, reflects on relation between healing, salvation (CWN)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a message in Pope Leo’s name to the Caritas Internationalis Health Conference, which is taking place at Castel Gandolfo. - Pontiff marks centenary of Lithuanian ecclesiastical province (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV marked the centenary of the establishment of the Lithuanian ecclesiastical province with a Latin-language letter to his special envoy to the Mass commemorating the occasion. - Unpublished homilies of Pope Benedict XVI released in English (Vatican News)
The Vatican publishing house announced the release, in English, of The Lord Holds Us by the Hand, a collection of previously unpublished homilies that Pope Benedict delivered between 2005 and 2017. Last month, the homilies were released in Italian. - Vatican issues message: 'Beyond Cargo and Commerce: The Human Face of the Sea' (Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development)
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development issued “Beyond Cargo and Commerce: The Human Face of the Sea,” a message for Sea Sunday, commemorated this year on July 12. The Church “cannot remain distant from the lived experience of maritime workers,” said Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., the dicastery’s prefect. “The Lord who entered the boat with his disciples continues to draw near to those who navigate the seas and inland waterways of our time, and the Church is called to make that closeness visible through her presence and ministry.” - Kenya's bishops lament violence (Vatican News)
In a statement on the state of the nation, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops lamented political and social violence, including unrest in schools and a disrupting of the gathering at the Anglican cathedral in Nairobi, the nation’s capital. “The lives of all Kenyans matter, not only the lives of the high and mighty,” the bishops said in their June 23 statement. “These tragedies reveal a deeper crisis of human and moral formation.” - Vatican hosts conference on building interreligious brotherhood in Europe (Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue)
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue organized “Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs in Europe: Building Fraternity through Dialogue and Collaboration,” a two-day conference that concluded on June 24. Participants “reflected on the challenges facing contemporary societies and reaffirmed the importance of dialogue and collaboration as means of fostering understanding, solidarity and hope,” according to the dicastery. “In this context, they acknowledged the foundational role of fraternity for building cohesive and peaceful communities.” - Vatican newspaper highlights suffering of DR Congo miners (CWN)
L’Osservatore Romano devoted a prominent front-page article in its June 24 edition to the plight of miners in the epicenter of the Ebola crisis. - Schedule, agenda released for June 26-27 extraordinary consistory of cardinals (CWN)
The Holy See Press Office released the program of Pope Leo XIV’s second extraordinary consistory of cardinals, which will take place June 26-27. - Myanmar sister faces military tribunal after procuring medicines for the poor (Catholic Connect)
A religious sister appears before a military tribunal in Myanmar today after procuring medicines for the poor, according to Catholic Connect, a website of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India. “Sr. Benedetta Nya Moe has been held in military custody for the past two weeks after undertaking what fellow religious described as a mission to obtain essential medicines for impoverished patients,” according to the report. In 2023, Mission World reported that “together with her fellow Sisters of Charity, Sr. Benedetta Nya Moe runs a hostel in the small town of Hsipaw in Northern Myanmar.” Located in Southeast Asia, the nation has been under military rule since a 2021 coup d’état. - Laity are not permitted to deliver homilies at Mass, Vatican affirms (CWN)
The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments affirmed that only clergy are permitted to preach homilies during Mass. - Kentucky bishop ends diocese's sole traditional Latin Mass (Ad Vaticanum)
Stating that Pope Leo has not modified Traditionis Custodes, the bishop of Owensboro, Kentucky, instructed a priest to cease offering Mass in the extraordinary form at the end of the month. Bishop William Medley asked the priest to “obtain the appropriate Missal of Paul VI in Latin” and added, “I will grant the singular permission to offer this Mass ad orientem.” - Vatican newspaper highlights Gaza tailor's work (CWN)
L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent front-page article in its June 23 edition to the work of Amir al-Rantisi, a young Gaza tailor who turns waste fabrics into formal dresses. - Cardinal Koovakad says concept of fraternity is not utopian idea (Vatican News)
Speaking at a conference at the Angelicum, Cardinal George Koovakad, the prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, said that brotherhood is not a utopian ideal, even amid “crimes against humanity, wars, violence, conflicts, divisions, discrimination and hatred in various parts of the world.” Cardinal Koovakad called on Europeans to have the “conviction that cultural, religious, and social diversity is a human richness and not a threat.” “The more we, people of different religious traditions meet and exchange views while respecting the uniqueness of each other’s contexts, traditions, and religions, the more we will grow not only in fraternal love and mutual esteem, but also in our commitment to work and contribute together for the good of all in society,” he added. - Archbishop Hicks hails ministry of deacons (USCCB)
The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations praised the ministry of deacons as the bishops’ conference released its annual survey on the permanent diaconate (CWN coverage). “Deacons continue to bring a spirit of renewal and encouragement to the missionary ministry of the Church through their service in the liturgy and works of charity expressed in everyday life,” said Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York. “With nearly 15,000 active deacons in ministry in 2025, the permanent diaconate plays a vital role in bringing the Gospel to life through their witness as icons of Christ the Servant.” - Dobbs at risk from 'massive influx of abortion pills,' USCCB committee chairman warns (USCCB)
In a statement for the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision (CWN coverage), the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities warned that the “victory of the Dobbs decision risks being undone by the massive influx of abortion pills.” “While the Dobbs decision gave states the freedom to pass pro-life laws and protect preborn children, these laws are now being undermined,” said Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio. He added that the Food and Drug Administration “has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telemed appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb.” After calling for prayer and action, Bishop Thomas concluded: On this Anniversary of the Dobbs decision, we praise God for the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade, and we beg the intercession of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in building a culture of life. - More...