As the medical clinic began to shake with the force of the earthquake, the selfless actions of a doctor ensured the safety of two newborn babies and two mothers.
The powerful earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10 also put to the test those who look after the most vulnerable, such as those working at the Panamericana Clinic in the town of Apartadó where in the urgency to evacuate, a doctor, not thinking of himself first, grabbed up two newborns to carry them to safety outside the building.
In images that have gone viral, Dr. Germán Somoyar is seen holding the infants outside the medical center alongside colleagues and the families of other patients who had to evacuate the building.
Speaking with Noticias Telemundo, Somoyar recounted that he was with his colleagues when everything began to shake and as the intensity increased, "everyone started evacuating the clinic immediately."
He said that at that moment, he thought he had to go get the babies — the ones the nurses or parents might not be able to reach in their cribs. "In my line of work, the children always have 100% absolute priority," Somoyar stated.
The doctor added that "there were two mothers in their rooms who were paralyzed with fear and weren't evacuating. I had to quickly explain the situation, calm them down, and tell them we're going to evacuate."
"After they proceeded to leave, I headed to the room where the newborns are, the neonatal unit" and picked up the babies, carrying them down from the sixth floor to the street, ensuring their safety.
So far, the deaths of 234 people have been confirmed as a result of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake. The hardest-hit cities are Cali, with 95 fatalities, and Pereira, with 72.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Coakley discussed immigration on EWTN's "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo."
Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), addressed the loss of federal grant money for refugee resettlement and ongoing deportation efforts from President Donald Trump's administration during an EWTN interview Aug. 13.
In 2024, the USCCB received more than $180 million in funding for government contracts, most of which supported services for migrants and refugee resettlement. When Trump took office, the president ended most of those contracts.
In an interview on "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo," the archbishop said "we are no longer receiving those dollars, and we have, as a result, discontinued our resettlement services."
"I don't think it has affected … our ability to continue our core mission, that's for sure," Coakley said. "But we'll have to adjust our budgets and act accordingly."
Coakley also addressed Trump's immigration policy, saying nations have a right to control their borders but they should also be welcoming to immigrants.
"Every nation has a right to protect its sovereign borders, and we bishops have emphasized that again and again," he said. "... People have a right to live in security in their own land."
However, he also pointed to a USCCB special message on immigration, which the U.S. bishops approved in a 216-5 vote, which expressed opposition to "the indiscriminate mass deportation of people."
"[The message] called upon the bishops to continue to accompany and support migrants and assured migrants of our continued support and accompaniment," Coakley said. "And that's happening around the country in different places and certainly along the border in different ways."
"It's obviously a challenging situation, both for the people who are concerned about their safety and security within the borders of the United States, but also those who are seeking peace and security and safety by striving to become a part of our people and our culture, our nation," he said.
"We've always been a nation welcoming of immigrants," the archbishop said.
"We're all — all but a few of us — are from migrant immigrant families," Coakley said. "So we have a sensitivity as Americans to the plight of immigrants on both sides of the border."
Pope Leo sent a letter to Cardinal Arthur Roche for a conference on liturgical formation at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon Aug. 14–19.
Pope Leo XIV has emphasized the need for priests to remain faithful to the texts and instructions of the Mass and to receive the proper formation to celebrate the sacred liturgy with dignity.
"I have called attention to the respect that all those called to prepare the celebration of the divine mysteries, and priests in particular, must show toward the rites promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI and Pope Saint John Paul II," the pontiff wrote in a letter addressed to Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, published Aug. 14.
"It is vital that this respect 'springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before his greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,'" Leo added.
Roche is participating in a conference on liturgical formation organized by his dicastery at the Benedictine Abbey of Mount Angel in Oregon from Aug. 14–19. Other participants include cardinals, bishops, and laypeople with diverse Church experiences.
According to the dicastery, the meeting is intended to be "a joint reflection with the aim of defining shared, concrete, and practical proposals."
"The choice of a monastic community signifies the intention to engage in dialogue within a prayerful setting," the press release states. "Rather than a scholarly conference, it will be a time of spiritual discernment on the theme of liturgical formation, to continue along the path charted by Sacrosanctum Concilium."
In Leo's letter, he stressed the need for clergy and laity to receive ongoing liturgical formation, citing Pope Francis' apostolic letter on the liturgy, Desiderio Desideravi.
"In his Apostolic Letter Desiderio Desideravi … Pope Francis emphasized the need for an attentive and ongoing formation of clergy and laity alike in revitalizing the liturgical life of the universal Church," Leo said. "I would therefore encourage you to explore concrete paths for liturgical formation at every level in the Body of Christ."
One practical opportunity for liturgical formation, he said, is in the regular gathering for Mass on Sundays.
"These celebrations are anchored in the annual rhythm of the liturgical year, with the Paschal Mystery at its center. For this reason, it is essential that they also be profoundly formative, promoting an ever deeper understanding of the ars celebrandi, expressed not only by the celebrant of the liturgy, but also by the entire assembly," the pope said. "In this way, through proper education and reverent worship, Catholics will be formed both for the liturgy and by the liturgy."
As the pontiff also noted in his letter, his remarks follow his recent addresses on the Second Vatican Council's constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, during Wednesday general audiences.
In his Aug. 12 audience, Leo encouraged the faithful to attend Sunday Mass and warned that virtual gatherings cannot replace in-person attendance.
The pontiff's message was published ahead of the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, observed on Sept. 27.
Pope Leo XIV has appealed to all people to recognize the suffering of child migrants, noting that they are often the most vulnerable during mass migration.
In a message published by the Vatican on Aug. 14, the pope reflected on the theme for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, "Even Just One of These Children," drawn from Matthew 18:5. The initiative is organized by the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
Leo highlighted the growing challenges faced by minors forced to migrate from their home countries, including human trafficking, loss of parents, and sexual violence.
"Sadly, migrant children are more easily ignored, because they lack adults capable of protecting and supporting them," Leo said in his message.
"To this already appalling situation are added further tragedies: deaths along migration routes, trafficking and exploitation, the recruitment of minors for use in armed conflicts, sexual violence, forced marriages, and the atrocities they have suffered or witnessed during their travels."
He also noted the contributions of families, civil society, and Church communities in helping child migrants.
"We think of the families who open the doors of their homes in order to restore to these children the warmth of a family hearth; the educators who serve in reception centers; the volunteers and aid workers who each day devote themselves to healing the invisible wounds of these little ones along migration routes and in our cities," Leo said.
The pope then appealed to civil institutions to work to improve protections for migrant children to uphold the dignity of every child.
"Even just one of these children, in the context of civil institutions, calls us to reaffirm the principle of the best interests of the child. Public and private institutions are bound to prioritize the protection and dignity of every single child and adolescent," he said.
Several homes were looted and vandalized in a mainly Catholic village after the body of a Muslim man was found nearby, and 19 Indigenous villagers were arrested.
The Catholic Church and Indigenous Christian leaders in Bangladesh have called on the authorities to protect families terrified by an attack on a Christian village and to bring those responsible to justice.
On Aug. 12, houses in the village of Gazarikura, a community in the Diocese of Mymensingh in the north of the Muslim-majority country, were attacked, looted, and vandalized. Local Indigenous Garo people said the stolen property included cash, cows, goats, and other valuables.
The Indigenous families said the attack and looting were carried out by people from a neighboring Muslim village after the body of a Muslim man was found in their village.
Father Simon Hacha, vicar general of the Diocese of Mymensingh, visited the village together with other priests, sisters, Garo Indigenous leaders, and local leaders.
"We never want unrest; we are for peace," Hacha, who is himself a Garo, told EWTN News.
"We pray for the soul of the deceased person around whom this problem has arisen and we offer our condolences to his family," he said.
He urged police not to harass those who are not guilty and to identify the culprits and take appropriate action.
"I hope that the administration will provide security to the Garo Indigenous of this village and that the villagers will maintain good relations with each other so that peace can prevail in the future," Hacha added.
Losses and arrests
Village leaders told EWTN News that six houses in Gazarikura were vandalized and that the furniture of one house was burned. The attackers took away seven cows, 10 goats, a motorcycle, cash, and expensive furniture. The incident spread panic among local residents.
Father Lawrence Ribeiro, the parish priest of Mariamnagar, told EWTN News by telephone during a visit to the village on Aug. 14 that 11 houses had been looted and that televisions, refrigerators, cows, and goats had been taken away. The families do not have enough food, he said. "So, we brought food, soap, and other items for these families."
Ribeiro said the families had been calculated to have suffered losses of about 4 million taka (about $32,000). "We are preparing to file a case of looting for this," he said.
The body of a rice trader, Billal Hossain, 40, was recovered by police. Nineteen people, including men and women from the Garo community, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the case. Police later released 14 of them.
According to police sources, Hossain, a resident of the Jarultala area of the upazila, or subdistrict, went missing on Aug. 4. On the afternoon of Aug. 12, local farmers working in a field smelled a foul odor near a canal, searched the surroundings, and found the body buried in the ground. Police went to the spot and recovered it after being informed.
An organization of Garo Indigenous students said in a statement: "We want to say very clearly that the responsibility for the crime of an individual can never be imposed on an entire ethnic group, community, or population."
"If someone is involved in any crime, his involvement will be determined through an impartial and fair investigation. If the crime is proven, he will be tried according to the prevailing law. But suspecting, harassing, or victimizing another innocent person on the basis of an individual's identity, ethnic identity, or community identity is against justice," the student organization said.
S.M. Noor Mohammad, officer in charge of the Jhenaigati police station, said the atmosphere in the village is now calm and that police have been deployed.
"The police are investigating the incident and are continuing their efforts to identify the criminals involved in the incident," Mohammad said.
On Aug. 9, Indigenous people had rallied for their rights and to protest atrocities against them on the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
The last image taken of the saint before his final arrest was notable for what it didn't show — his signature long beard.
In 2022, the Catholic Church in Poland shared a photo commemorating the 81st anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe's arrest by the Nazis. The image, the last one taken of the saint before his final arrest, was notable for what it didn't show — his signature long beard.
By the time the photo was taken, Kolbe had already been arrested by the Nazis once but was clearly resolved to continue his nationwide evangelization efforts. The monastery he had established at Niepokalanów, 25 miles west of Warsaw, had become a major Catholic publishing center.
The beard with which Kolbe is often pictured is notable for several reasons, one of which was the fact that not many of his Franciscan counterparts in Poland sported them. He shaved his signature beard in order to blend in with his fellow Franciscans and with society at large.
St. Maximilian Kolbe. | Credit: Public domain
The second reason is that Kolbe's beard is the only first-class relic that exists of him. The rest of his body was incinerated in the ovens of Auschwitz after he was murdered by the Nazis in 1941.
Father James McCurry, a Conventual Franciscan and minister provincial of the Our Lady of the Angels Province, gave a homily in 2016 commemorating the 75th anniversary of Kolbe's martyrdom in which he mentioned the saint's beard.
McCurry, author of the book "Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr of Charity," said Kolbe chose to keep the beard upon his return from six years of missionary work in Japan. In those days, it was customary for missionaries to grow long beards, and Kolbe wanted to keep it as a reminder of his missionary days and as a reminder to always be a "missionary" of the Gospel.
McCurry said Kolbe's beard made him unusual among his Conventual Franciscan counterparts, who generally did not wear them. Kolbe's fame was spreading in Poland thanks to his publishing work, and his unique beard helped him to stand out all the more.
It was for this reason that Kolbe eventually, after the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, made the decision to shave it, McCurry said, so as not to stand out. Kolbe's founding of the Militia Immaculata (MI), an evangelization movement identifying with Mary, put him high on Nazi watchlists.
One book on his life offers this quote from the saint: "Beards provoke the enemy who rapidly is approaching our friary. Our Franciscan habits also will provoke him. I can part with my beard. I can't sacrifice my habit."
After a fellow brother cut off Kolbe's beard for him, the brother at first tried to save the beard, but Kolbe objected and told him to throw it in the stove. So, obediently, the brother threw it into the stove, but the fire was not lit, so the brother later retrieved it and stored it in a pickle jar.
Today, Kolbe's beard is his only surviving first-class relic.
McCurry was also a friend of Franciszek Gajowniczek, the man for whom Kolbe laid down his life at Auschwitz in late July 1941, following his arrest on Feb. 17.
Gajowniczek was one of the 10 men selected to be executed in reprisal for one prisoner's escape from the barracks. He cried out: "What will happen to my wife and children?" And in response, Kolbe stepped forward and offered to take his place. The 10 were placed, naked, in a starvation chamber.
All 10 of those condemned that day died eventually; six starved, and the deaths of the rest, including Kolbe, were hastened by an injection of carbolic acid.
This story was first published in August 2021 and has been updated.
Southeast India's March for Life draws thousands of participants, a UK bishop is calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to push for Jimmy Lai's release, and more in this week's roundup of world news.
Thousands gathered in the city of Chennai in southeast India on Aug. 8–9 for the country's fifth National March for Life, bringing together Catholic bishops, clergy, religious, families, young people, and pro-life advocates for two days of prayer, formation, and public witness to the dignity of human life.
Organized by CHARIS India and hosted by the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, the event featured Catholic leaders including Cardinal Anthony Poola, archbishop of Hyderabad and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.
JCD Prabhakar, speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, opened the event. According to march organizers, he is the first Indian politician to publicly express his commitment to the protection and promotion of human life. At the march, he unveiled a memorial dedicated to unborn children. India's National March for Life has previously been held in Delhi (2022), Pune (2023), Thrissur (2024), and Bengaluru (2025).
UK bishop urges prime minister to push for Jimmy Lai's release
Auxiliary Bishop James Curry of Westminster, England, has written a letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to do everything possible to secure the release of jailed China democracy activist Jimmy Lai.
"Jimmy Lai's 'crime' was to voice concerns, engage in peaceful protest, and publish a newspaper which was critical of oppressive new laws," Curry said, expressing concern that Lai "has no access to the sacraments" and about his deteriorating health conditions.
"Around 200,000 migrants have come to the U.K. from Hong Kong since 2020, many of whom are Catholic. The Church in England and Wales continues to provide pastoral support to all those from Hong Kong who seek it," he said. "I also offer my prayers for those who are persecuted because of their faith or political beliefs throughout the world. I ask Catholics in England and Wales to join with me in seeking the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe for Jimmy Lai, and in seeking the intercession of St. Alban and St. Frances Cabrini for all those who have had to leave their own country because of persecution."
Lebanon's general amnesty law raises concern among Christians
Lebanon's Parliament approved a sweeping general amnesty law on Aug. 12, drawing support from a majority of lawmakers, including representatives of Christian parties.
The vote came shortly after the country abolished the death penalty, but the amnesty has proved far more divisive, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Aug. 11.
Critics, particularly within Christian circles, fear the release of large numbers of prisoners without adequate rehabilitation programs could deepen Lebanon's security problems. They argue that the measure does little to address overcrowded prisons, prolonged pretrial detention, slow judicial proceedings, or the rights of victims.
The law also permits some Lebanese who fled to Israel after 2000 to return, provided they did not participate in military or security activities. Lebanese activist Maryam Younes, who was deported to Israel, rejected the measure as inadequate, saying returnees could not be certain of their safety from Hezbollah.
Young Russian Catholics gather to discuss Christianity in a digital world
Around 80 young Russian Catholics participated in the 24th annual Catholic Youth Meeting in the Diocese of St. Joseph in Irkutsk, Siberia, the largest geographical diocese in the world.
Participants in the program, titled "Nets of Jesus: Towards Dull Presence," included young people from Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Transbaikalia, and Buryatia, Vatican News reported Aug. 10.
The Aug. 6–9 event included reflections on the parable of the good Samaritan, discussions on remaining Christian in a digital age, and discussions of their experiences and plans for future projects at their respective parishes. Participants were also guided in a daily spiritual reflection centered on young saints of the Church, including St. Carlo Acutis.
The All Ireland winning Mayo Gaelic football team carried the Sam Maguire cup to the summit of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain, in thanksgiving for the historic win. | Credit: Father John Kenny, Westport Parish, Tuam Archdiocese
Ireland's Mayo Gaelic football team carries trophy to Croagh Patrick in thanksgiving
Footballers from the All Ireland winning Mayo Gaelic football team carried the Sam Maguire cup to the summit of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain, in thanksgiving. They won a historic All Ireland match on July 26, breaking the legend of a 75-year curse by a parish priest placed on the last Mayo team that won for disrespecting a funeral procession during homecoming celebrations.
Mayo won their all Ireland Championship on Reek Sunday, traditionally a day of pilgrimage in the western county, when thousands of Catholics climb the mountain, many barefooted.
The group of Mayo players led by manager Andy Moran and captain Jack Coyne brought the famous trophy to the summit, where there is a small oratory. There they greeted other pilgrims and said a prayer of thanksgiving for their victory.
Kidnappings heighten anxiety among Syrian Christians
A series of reported kidnappings involving Syrian Christians has renewed concern over security in the region.
The cases include the abduction of a deacon near Homs and the disappearance of a young Christian man in Saidnaya, ACI MENA reported Aug. 11.
Elias Khazal, a farmer and deacon at the Syriac Orthodox Church of St. George in Zaidal, was seized by masked gunmen while working about two miles north of his village. His captors held him for 41 days near Tall Manin, between Damascus and Saidnaya, and demanded a ransom of $1 million. Father Hamid Masouh of Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Church said security forces eventually raided the building where Khazal was being held. They freed him without a ransom payment and arrested members of the gang. Although the deacon endured several forms of torture, he returned home in good physical condition.
In Saidnaya, local sources reported that armed men abducted jeweler Fadi Samaan after entering a parking area in vehicles without license plates and opening fire. His fate remains unknown.
Mauritius religious leaders pledge united action against drug abuse
Leaders from several religious communities across Mauritius expressed their commitment to closer collaboration in confronting the country's growing drug crisis in a meeting at Bishop Jean Michaël Durhône's residence in the Diocese of Port-Louis.
At the Aug. 11 meeting, Durhône emphasized the importance of the family, which he described as "the foundation of society," and called on Mauritians not to lose hope, ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, reported Aug. 12. "We are not giving up," he said, inviting the different religious communities to pool "their experiences, programs, and strengths."
In a statement issued after the meeting, participants described the drug situation as "alarming," noting that drugs, particularly "synthetic drugs," are affecting all sectors of Mauritian society, with young people becoming increasingly involved.
"Families, both rich and poor, are directly affected, while communities are facing a growing deterioration of their social fabric," the religious leaders said in their statement.
Roman pilgrims prepare to return to the Holy Land
After months of suspended pilgrimages because of war in the Middle East, the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, the Diocese of Rome's pilgrimage office, is preparing to return to the Holy Land. Its first trip is scheduled to depart Monday, Aug. 17.
Father Giovanni Biallo, the organization's spiritual assistant, told ACI MENA on Aug. 13 that preparations resumed after fighting between Lebanon and the Galilee region ceased and direct flights between Rome and the Holy Land began returning during the past two months. He said European pilgrims have been slower to return than groups from Asia and Latin America, partly because of widespread fears about instability across the region.
The priest welcomed the resumption as a sign of solidarity with local Christian communities whose livelihoods have been devastated. In Bethlehem alone, he said, 100 hotels had been closed and are now waiting for pilgrims to return.
Kevin Mario and Patrick J. Passmore contributed to this report.
A baby born to surrogate mother McKenna West is receiving medical care in a Dallas children's hospital.
The surrogate mother who refused to abort her baby after the biological parents allegedly called for an abortion gave birth two weeks early.
The child, called Gabriel by his surrogate mother, McKenna West, was born in Dallas on Aug. 12. He was born amid an ongoing legal dispute after his biological parents, identified in court documents as Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, allegedly demanded West undergo an abortion.
At about 20 weeks, Gabriel was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) — a serious congenital heart condition. Treatment for HLHS typically involves three surgeries, beginning with one procedure shortly after birth.
"It's horrific to think that so-called intended parents, when they found out that their baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, told the surrogate mother that they wanted her to abort that child," Amy O'Donnell, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, said in an interview with "EWTN News Nightly."
"That's horrific at any stage to want to abort a child simply because of a disability or a diagnosis, but late term after 20 weeks is even more so," she said.
West traveled to Texas from Alaska to ensure that Gabriel could be near doctors experienced in treating his condition. She allegedly offered to take full responsibility of the baby, but the baby's biological parents reportedly refused.
Gabriel was born "just 24 hours after Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated legal action," O'Donnell said.
Paxton filed an intervention in the case on Aug. 11 asking the Texas district court to enter orders directing the child's care upon birth, prohibiting his removal from the state, and setting an expedited hearing on any refusal of treatment.
"According to the district court, because McKenna [West] so bravely fled to Texas from Alaska to ensure that baby Gabriel had lifesaving care, baby Gabriel, now born in Texas, is a Texas resident," O'Donnell said.
The order stated that UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center of Dallas were legally obligated to care for Gabriel.
Gabriel has "received the lifesaving treatment available" at Dallas Children's, O'Donnell said. He is "in great hands and he has either had a heart surgery or it's pending."
"Due to HIPAA, we probably won't get information on the unfolding care, but we are certain that nobody can deny treatment, can demand transfer, and nobody can request that he receive anything less than the best that Texas has to offer."
"Our laws protect every child born in Texas and guarantee their right to life. The Department of Family and Protective Services [DFPS] holds authority under Texas law to protect children from medical neglect," Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Texas Gov. Gregory Abbott, said in a statement.
"DFPS will be closely monitoring this case and will take any action necessary to safeguard those rights," he said.
Pope Leo says surrogacy reduces a child to a 'product'
While acknowledging infertility is an immense cross to bear, the Catholic Church has a clear stance against surrogacy. The practice requires conceiving a child through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination and then transferring the embryo to the uterus of the surrogate.
Pope Leo XIV has affirmed that, by transforming gestation into a negotiable service, one "violates the dignity both of the child, who is reduced to a 'product,' and of the mother, exploiting her body and the generative process, and distorting the original relational calling of the family."
"Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral," the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states.
"These techniques (heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization) infringe the child's right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses' 'right to become a father and a mother only through each other'" (CCC, 2376).
"There are a lot of concerns with surrogacy, and the more we look into it, the more concerns we have," O'Donnell said.
"We believe that no contract should be able to require death of a child due to a disability or an imperfection. And so we believe that there should be … nationwide protections there," she said.
"We need to protect the dignity of mothers who are involved in surrogacy as well, as long as it is legal in our nation and in our state," she said.
The papal donation is an initial response to address the most urgent needs with more to come as new needs are identified.
Pope Leo XIV has directed the Office of Papal Charities to send 100,000 euros ($115,345) to the Catholic Church in Colombia to aid those affected by the Aug. 10 earthquake, which struck several cities in the western part of the country.
As reported by Vatican News, the donation was confirmed on the website of the Colombian Bishops' Conference (CEC, by its Spanish acronym). The aid was made possible through the coordination of the prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, with the apostolic nunciature in the country and the president of the CEC, Archbishop Javier Múnera.
The CEC announced that the funds will be sent to the National Secretariat for Social Pastoral Care-Caritas Colombia, the entity acting "as a coordination center for the collection and distribution of aid, with the aim of helping to address the most urgent needs of the affected communities."
"The €100,000 in aid constitutes an initial response to address the most urgent emergencies. According to information provided by the Holy See, additional assistance will be made available as new needs are identified and promptly communicated to the Dicastery for the Service of Charity," the CEC reported.
Given the extent of the damage in various dioceses such as Pereira, Cali, and Quibdó, among others, the CEC said that "in the coming days, work will continue on compiling a report regarding the priority needs of the affected communities, with the aim of directing aid to those who need it most."
During his Aug. 12 general audience, Pope Leo XIV once again expressed his closeness "to our brothers and sisters in Colombia who have suffered the consequences of the recent earthquake, which has caused many deaths and injuries, as well as extensive material damage."
"As I pray to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I assure you of my prayers for their families and all those affected by this tragedy. I express my gratitude to all those working on rescue and relief efforts for the victims," the pope said.
Meanwhile, the Colombian government declared three days of national mourning "in memory of the people who lost their lives as a result of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that occurred on Aug. 10."
The Ministry of the Interior noted in a statement that Monday's earthquake "is the greatest-magnitude quake recorded in Colombia during the 21st century, causing damage in various departments [administrative districts] and giving rise to a profound sense of solidarity throughout the country."
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
"We wish to raise serious concern regarding patterns of religiously motivated violence and persecution," the letter said, "especially Christians, including women and girls."
A joint letter from U.N. human rights experts warning Nigerian officials of the heightened risk of violence against Christian women and girls in the country has been made public after the government failed to respond within 60 days.
The June 1 letter cited attacks against Christian women and girls in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt region, including killings, forced conversion, and sexual violence. The letter was signed by Reem Alsalem, U.N. special rapporteur on violence against women and girls; Gabriella Citroni, chair-rapporteur of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Morris Tidball-Binz, U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions; Nicolas Levrat, U.N. special rapporteur on minority issues; and Alice Jill Edwards, U.N. special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
"With respect to the situation of religious or belief minorities, we wish to raise serious concern regarding patterns of religiously motivated violence and persecution or otherwise disproportionately targeting persons belonging to religious minority communities within affected federated states or local areas, especially Christians, including women and girls," the letter said.
The U.N. experts attributed the rising violence to armed extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani herder militias operating across the north and Middle Belt region and pointed to "acquiescence" and "negligence" on the part of Nigerian officials to counter them.
The letter cited the abduction and sexual assault of two women by armed militants, the forced conversion and marriage of a 13-year-old girl, and the abduction of a pastor's two daughters along with several members of a church by Boko Haram, as well as a 16-year-old girl whose hand was cut off after her family refused a marriage proposal by armed militants.
"While we do not wish to prejudge the accuracy of these allegations reported to us, we would like to especially express our grave concern regarding the alleged abduction and sexual assault of girls, the intimidation by armed groups and subsequent abduction and acts tantamount to enforced disappearance of the church members in Shikarkir," the U.N. experts said.
"We are also disturbed by reports of the inaction and complicity of government officials in the face of these abuses, the slowness of investigations and search actions aimed at determining the fate and whereabouts of abducted girls," they said.
The letter further called on Nigerian officials to respond to the allegations and to provide status updates on investigations and measures taken to combat violence against women and girls. They also asked for status updates on "any laws that affect the exercise of freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression, including so-called 'blasphemy' laws."
The letter asked the Nigerian government to provide information on measures taken to protect the rights of religious minorities, particularly in northern states, and urged authorities to take immediate steps to halt violence against women and girls.
The experts concluded by calling for interim measures to protect abductees, victims of sexual violence, and victims of forced conversion and forced marriage, particularly minors and those who have not been reunited with their families. The experts also urged Nigerian officials to prevent further violations and hold accountable those responsible if the allegations are substantiated.
