Catholic News
- Pope accepts resignation of Peruvian bishop accused of abuse (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop Antonio Santarsiero Rosa, O.S.J., from the governance of the Diocese of Huacho, Peru. - Vatican promulgates new Latin edition of Roman Martyrology (USCCB)
Updating editions published in 2001 and 2004, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has promulgated the third edition of the postconciliar Martyrologium Romanum (Roman Martyrology), the Church’s comprehensive listing of saints and blesseds. The January 6 promulgation was announced in the March 2026 newsletter of the US bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship. The newsletter was posted on the USCCB website on July 14, along with the January and February newsletters. - Vatican Bank names new director general (Institute for the Works of Religion)
The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), colloquially known as the Vatican Bank, announced the appointment of a new director general, Giovanni Boscia. Boscia, the IOR’s deputy director general, succeeds Gian Franco Mammì, the director general since 2019, who has reached retirement age. Prior to becoming the IOR’s CFO in 2019, Boscia was head of fixed income and credit at Quaestio Capital SGR. Under the IOR’s governance structure, the director general reports to the IOR’s Board of Superintendence, which in turn is overseen by a Commission of Cardinals. An on-site prelate—since 2013, Msgr. Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca—“helps administrators and employees govern and operate according to the founding principles of Catholic ethics and consistently with the mission of the Institute.” The director general, in turn, “directs and controls all activities concerning the administration, management and organization of the Institute, as well as the recruitment and management of personnel.” - USCCB calls on Trump administration to reconsider support for IVF (USCCB)
Noting that in vitro fertilization (IVF) “kills countless children and violates others’ rights and dignity,” the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called upon the Trump administration to reconsider a proposed regulation that would expand IVF insurance coverage. “We urge the Departments to refocus the rule on therapeutic, restorative treatments, and to abandon its inclusion of IVF, which is profoundly flawed both legally and morally,” the USCCB’s general counsel and associate general counsel wrote at the conclusion of their 17-page public comment. - Scholar who has written on synodality, teen pregnancy, suffering to lead Ugandan diocese (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Bonaventure Gubazire, M.Afr., rector of the Missionaries of Africa’s formation house in Enju, Ghana, as the new bishop of Kabale. The Ugandan diocese is the priest’s diocese of birth. - Recalling St. Vladimir, papal envoy prays for peace in Ukraine (Vatican News)
As his papal mission in Ukraine continued, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi of Bologna, Italy, traveled to Kyiv, where he took part in the national celebration of the anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan Rus’ under St. Vladimir (Volodymyr). As he prayed for a just peace and the release of prisoners and children, Cardinal Zuppi noted that Volodymyr is the first name of both the Russian and Ukrainian presidents. He added, “May St. Volodymyr enlighten the minds and hearts of the two heads of state, opening paths of justice and peace.” - Cardinal Burke: Synodality has to be stopped (The College of Cardinals Report)
In a wide-ranging interview, Cardinal Raymond Burke said that “there is no definition of synodality, there’s no history of it in the Church.” “We have to insist that this whole synodality business stop, and there be a very serious study done of the whole matter, because we’re talking about the very life of the Church, and we’re talking about the salvation of souls,” Cardinal Burke said in a 20-minute video interview, granted June 28 and posted online yesterday. “Whatever it is, it has to be completely faithful to what the Church teaches, and to the holiness of the Church’s life.” Cardinal Burke also called for the establishment of a dicastery to assist Catholics who wish to “receive all the sacraments” according to the extraordinary form. - Montfort Missionaries sell former seminary to United American Muslim Association (Long Island Business News)
The Montfort Missionaries sold their former seminary in Bay Shore, New York, to the United American Muslim Association for $5.2 million. The 15-acre property was previously slated to sold to an assisted-living facility company, but the planned sale encountered vocal local opposition. The Montfort Missionaries bade farewell to the property in April, after a century of presence there. The United American Muslim Association plans to open a boarding school at the former seminary. - Colorado bishop leads Rosary outside new ICE facility (Denver Catholic)
Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez of Denver prayed the Rosary outside a Colorado prison that is being repurposed as an ICE facility. The bishop was joined by an advisor to the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) and by Luca Casarini, whose organization seeks to rescue refugees whose boats have capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. “As believers, we believe in the power of prayer,” said Bishop Rodríguez. “We acknowledge something sad and tragic may happen in this place, but for us this is just a symbolic way of expressing our concern, and to bring this concern to our most powerful God who will help us to do the right thing. That is why we are here.” - Goa archdiocesan officials face trial in multimillion-dollar land fraud case (UCANews)
Two former procurators of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, India, face a trial in a multimillion-dollar land fraud case. Prosecutors alleged that Fathers Arlino De Mello and Victor Conceicao Rodrigues “deprived a tenant family of its legal rights to a 2,479-square-meter plot of land,” the Union of Catholic Asian News reported. “Forged land records were used to register the property in the name of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman before it was sold in 2007.” Father De Mello described the charge as a “clear case of politically motivated harassment.” - Arkansas gains top ranking in Religious Liberty in the States report (First Liberty Institute)
Arkansas gained the top ranking in the 2026 Religious Liberty in the States report, compiled by First Liberty Institute’s Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy. The report, published annually, assesses states on the basis of 20 religious liberty safeguards. The states with the highest rankings are Arkansas, Tennessee, and Florida; the lowest ranked are Michigan (48), Vermont (49), and New York (50). - Nigerian president assures Archbishop Gallagher of commitment to freedom of worship (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, traveled to Nigeria from July 2-7 to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Africa’s most populous nation. In a detailed article on the trip, published on July 14, the Vatican newspaper reported on Archbishop Gallagher’s meeting with President Bola Tinubu, who is Muslim: During the cordial discussion, the good relations between the two parties were highlighted, as was the Catholic Church’s contribution to Nigerian society, particularly in the fields of education and interreligious dialogue. President Tinubu reaffirmed his government’s commitment to promoting religious harmony and guaranteeing freedom of worship for all citizens. He also praised the contribution of Catholic bishops and other religious leaders in fostering peace and tolerance. Located in West Africa, Nigeria, a nation of 243 million (map), is the world’s sixth most populous country. The nation is 47% Muslim, 46% Christian (11% Catholic), and 7% ethnic religionist. - Cardinals address Nobel laureates, scholars at Castel Gandolfo gathering (Vatican News)
Cardinal Fabio Baggio, C.S., pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Cardinal Silvano Tomasi, C.S., a retired Vatican diplomat, addressed over 200 Nobel laureates, scholars, AI experts, and former heads of state on July 14. The assembly has gathered to draft the Rome Declaration for a Disarmed and Disarming Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear and Autonomous Weapons, New Digital Protocols, and Emerging Models of Digital Development. “At a time when the pace of innovation often exceeds that of reflection, the world stands in need of shared principles capable of guiding progress toward authentically human ends,” Cardinal Baggio told the gathering, organized by the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War. “May future generations be able to say that, at a moment when humanity possessed unprecedented power over its own destiny, women and men of conscience chose cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over fear, and hope over resignation,” Cardinal Tomasi added. - Vatican newspaper highlights plight of repatriated Afghan refugees (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The Vatican newspaper devoted the most prominent article in its July 15 edition to the plight of thousands of Afghan refugees who are being deported to their native country by officials in neighboring Pakistan. The refugees “are sent back to their home country unceremoniously, men, women, children, and entire families alike,” Federico Piana reported. “Often, in the transit camps where they are held before being pushed across the border into the Afghan town of Spin Boldak, they are kept in chains.” Repatriation, Piana added, is “extremely dangerous; the deportees include former employees of the previous Afghan government, former security force members, journalists, activists, judges, and women active in public life, people who, according to many humanitarian organizations, could face reprisals or discrimination from the Taliban government.” - Mob violence against Pakistani Christian family averted (Vatican News)
The executive director of the Pakistani bishops’ Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice said in an interview that mob violence against a Christian family in Baldia Town was averted on July 9. Naeem Yousaf Gill told Vatican News that a torn page of the Qur’an, along with a picture of the Christian shopkeeper and his mother, was mailed to someone. Soon, a violent mob gathered outside the shopkeeper’s home. Gill said that the Commission swiftly drew on connections gained through interreligious dialogue. To Gill’s great surprise, Muslim clerics, seminary students, and local politicians intervened, and police dispersed the mob. Thus, said Gill, “interreligious dialogue has great significance. It should be continued. It will break the barriers.” “The Christian community feels unprotected and vulnerable in Pakistan due to repeated incidents,” he said. “The allegation is levelled against one person; however, if the accused is Christian, the whole community pays the price.” “The Catholics in Pakistan are living a hard life,” Gill added. “They are facing discrimination, humiliation and hatred in all spheres of their lives. Still struggling to live with dignity.” - West Papua rebels target Catholic Church (Lowy Institute)
An Indonesian rebel group is targeting the Catholic Church, according to a report published today by an Australian think tank. The Lowy Institute said that the West Papua National Liberation Army, which operates in Western New Guinea, has attacked a Church-run air service and Catholic schools because of the Church’s collaboration with the government and because of the “growing popularity of the Church’s programs among ordinary Papuans.” “The logic is simple: the more popular the Church becomes, the harder it gets for the rebels to recruit and win social support,” according to the report. - Cardinal Zuppi visits Ukraine, gives holy cards to Russian POWs (Vatican News)
At Pope Leo XIV’s behest, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi of Bologna, Italy, traveled to Ukraine and gave holy cards to Russian prisoners of war near Lviv. Cardinal Zuppi, accompanied by the apostolic nuncio and the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See, also gave the prisoners keychains, telling them that he hoped that “soon you will put your house key on it, so you can open your front door and embrace your loved ones.” “Pope Leo sent the nuncio and me here to bring you hope,” added Cardinal Zuppi. “He is praying for you, that the war may end and that you may return home.” Cardinal Zuppi also visited Ukraine in 2023 at the behest of Pope Francis as the Pope’s special wartime envoy. - Trump administration grants $235M in food aid to Catholic Relief Services (Catholic Relief Services)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted $235 million in food aid to Catholic Relief Services, for use in Ethiopia and Sudan. “This agreement with USDA comes at a critical moment for struggling families in Sudan and Ethiopia,” said Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services. “The scale of humanitarian need in Sudan and Ethiopia demands sustained national and international commitment, and strong partnerships are essential to meeting these needs.” Following earlier foreign aid cuts, the State Department granted $240 million to Catholic Relief Services last month for humanitarian and disaster-response needs. The U.S. bishops founded Catholic Relief Services in 1943, and the majority of the members of its board of directors are bishops. - Catholic Theological Society of America honors self-described queer theologian (Outreach)
The Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) bestowed its highest honor, the John Courtney Murray Award, on Father Bryan Massingale, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and professor at Fordham University. “I stand before you as both a Black theologian and a publicly gay/queer/same-gender loving one,” Father Massingale said as he received the award on July 13. He added: Recall that not so long ago, staff from the USCCB’s doctrine committee joined the CTSA and monitored any convention session that examined topics concerning human sexuality. Repressive conditions led many of us to suppress who we are and camouflaged how we love. Tonight’s honor is bigger than me, for it is a recognition of a new kind of theologian for the church: publicly identified LGBTQ Catholic theologians, doing Catholic theology for the sake of the Church and its understanding of God. We have always been here. Tonight we now have a visibility, acknowledgment and recognition never before granted. - Latin American bishops sign anti-drug abuse agreement with Organization of American States (Organization of American States)
The secretary general of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) signed an agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) on July 13 to combat drug abuse. Auxiliary Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrera, O.S.A., of Cuzco, Peru, said that the “Catholic Church, inspired by its social doctrine, seeks not only to address the structural consequences of drug use, but also to accompany people in their human, social, and spiritual dimensions.” The agreement will focus on “drug use prevention, treatment, recovery, and preventing the recruitment of young people by criminal organizations, combining evidence-based public health approaches with the Catholic Church’s community and pastoral work,” according to the OAS. - More...