One hundred sixty thousand people have already registered for the vigil scheduled for June 6 and 250,000 for the Corpus Christi Mass and procession.
The organizers of Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to Spain have confirmed that nearly half a million people have registered for some of the major public events along the itinerary, particularly those in Madrid and the Canary Islands.
Rafael Rubio, the communications coordinator for the pontiff's apostolic visit, said during a press briefing that 160,000 people have already registered for the vigil scheduled for June 6; 250,000 for the Corpus Christi Mass and procession; 36,000 for the Mass to be celebrated at Gran Canaria Stadium on June 11; and another 25,000 for the event taking place the following day at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canaries.
However, they are unable to provide figures regarding the events to be held in Barcelona as the local organizers "have decided that the ticket distribution system will be different," Rubio explained.
Nevertheless, the Archdiocese of Barcelona reported that the Olympic Stadium will accommodate approximately 37,000 people.
The organizers also confirmed they have over 20,000 volunteers who will assist at the various venues during the pope's visit. They will be wearing four different-colored T-shirts depending on their role: red for the organizing team, orange for general duties, blue for assisting people with reduced mobility, and green for those providing information to participants at the various events.
Volunteer T-shirt for Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain. | Credit: Nicolás de Cárdenas/ACI Prensa
To ensure that "there is no one in Spain unaware of the pope's visit," Rubio emphasized, a communication strategy has been developed, one that is still in progress but already features two commercials: "Metro" and "Amigos."
Its creation involved the participation of over 100 contributors and 45 volunteers, with the support of Omnicom Media for strategic planning, Ábside Media for production, and The Cyranos for creative direction.
The campaign aims to invite people "to no longer be indifferent, listen to others, and rediscover them," which goes along with the trip's theme, "Lift Up Your Eyes," Rubio noted.
This communication effort will be rolled out not only through social media but also across some 400 advertising displays distributed throughout Spain.
Listening centers
During the Holy Father's visit to Madrid, the archdiocese will set up listening centers along the Paseo de la Castellana — the city's main north-south thoroughfare — a pastoral initiative that has been underway for several years, coordinated by the Camillian religious order.
Through this initiative, the Catholic Church hopes to minister to the personal, spiritual, and psychological concerns of those generous enough to share them in a welcoming and confidential environment through a model of accompaniment based on the humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers.
Dedicated to this ministry of listening are not only priests but also laypeople, who undergo training courses before joining the listening centers.
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.
Pro Orantibus Day, observed May 31 this year in Spain, highlights the contribution of the contemplative life to the Church and the world and why it is so needed in a fast-paced distracted society.
The bishops of the Commission for Consecrated Life of the Spanish Bishops' Conference underscored the importance of the contemplative life in a message issued on the occasion of Pro Orantibus Day ("for those who pray"), which will be observed on May 31, the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.
The celebration was instituted by Pope Pius XII to foster awareness of and prayer for those who consecrate their lives to prayer and contemplation in cloistered convents.
Under the theme "Vida contemplativa, ¿por quién eres?" ("Contemplative Life, for Whom Do You Exist?"), the bishops said this observance invites the faithful "to turn our attention toward those who, called by the Lord, have consecrated their lives to prayer, praise, and constant intercession for the people of God and for all of humanity."
The question "For whom do you exist?" is intended as a call to "return to the origin and center: the One from whom contemplative life flows, is configured, and sustained." In other words, the bishops said this involves "reflecting on God, who is love, who takes the initiative, calls, draws people in, and consecrates them" as well as "recognizing the ecclesial and missionary fruitfulness" of this form of consecrated life.
"In a time and cultural context marked by being in a hurry," the bishops said, "interior distractedness and the temptation to measure life by immediate efficacy along with a thirst for spirituality on many levels, the contemplative life reminds the entire Church that the decisive question is not merely what we can do and hope for but also and above all for whom we exist, live, and act, for whom we lift up our eyes."
The bishops also emphasized that "an existence dedicated to contemplation proclaims just by the entire dedication of one's life that God is worthy of being sought and loved for his own sake and that placing one's life before him represents in and of itself a profound and silent service both to the Church and to humanity as a whole, a humanity often lost in the depths of hatred and destruction. It is a service and a mission that the Church and men and women of all times need."
Of God, for God, for the world and in community
The bishops of the Commission for Consecrated Life presented four distinctive characteristics of contemplative life: to be of God, for God, for the world, and in community.
This means that it "is born of a divine initiative that precedes any human response and takes concrete form in a total consecration, lived out in stability, silence, listening to the Word, and persevering praise."
This consecration "for God" means that "contemplative persons order their days, renounce other good and legitimate projects, and remain faithful even amid aridity, trials, and anonymity."
This "radical orientation toward God" is the reason why the contemplative life "exists for the Church," the prelates noted, because "the personal and communal prayer of contemplatives sustains communion, strengthens the faith of the people of God, and serves as a reminder that all pastoral and missionary action is born of and returns to listening to the Spirit and to one's brothers and sisters, as the synodal journey highlights."
The bishops said that "the contemplative life is also for the world, even when the world neither knows nor understands it," insofar as "its constant intercession reaches men and women of every walk of life, and becomes a hidden source of hope for a wounded humanity in need of meaning, reconciliation, and a profound joy of living."
Pro Orantibus Day is an ecclesial act of gratitude, reciprocity, and co-responsibility, the prelates said, one that should help "to rediscover, value, and sustain the contemplative life, to pray for vocations, and to learn in the light of your witness that mission begins on one's knees and is sustained by daily fidelity to the Lord."
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.
A Chicago-based Catholic and Christian advocacy group said it has struck a deal allowing "daily pastoral visits" to a federal immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois.
A group of Catholic and Christian faith leaders said it has been granted daily access to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, since May 15 under a milestone agreement with immigration officials.
The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Chicago-based Catholic and Christian advocacy group, said in a May 19 press release that it has struck a deal with ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that allows "daily pastoral visits."
The group noted that the agreement is not permanent and that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois requested a July status update.
"During the pendency of this federal litigation, as ordered by the court, plaintiffs may access the ICE Broadview Service Staging Area Facility," the agreement states, according to CSPL, "to offer pastoral services on a daily basis to detainees who wish to receive pastoral care, including spiritual care, prayer, or facility-approved sacramental ministry, which may include rites tied to specific religious observances."
Access to the facility will be allowed for up to five religious leaders per day between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. and between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., CSPL said. ICE personnel are required under the agreement to provide "sufficient space for religious services to be carried out within reasonable operational parameters," CSPL said. The agreement also requires ICE to "make reasonable efforts" to facilitate privacy for detainees during the sacrament of confession, CSPL said.
Visits may only take place after detainees have completed intake and must be concluded with enough time for detainees to be transported out of the facility, CSPL said. ICE is permitted to limit visitation based on safety threats and operational concerns under the agreement, CSPL said.
'Emergency room treatment'
The group provided religious services to 12 detainees at Broadview under the agreement on May 17, CSPL said.
"One detainee, facing deportation, expressed his gratitude for the visit and said, 'Me siento como a volver a vivir,' which loosely translates to a feeling of being brought back to life," the organization said in the release.
"To my mind, it's emergency room treatment," said Father Paul Keller, CMF, the provincial for the Claretian Missionaries and a member of the CSPL Clergy Council. "Someone is there right when the trauma has happened to attend to the immediate emotional and spiritual wounds."
"This agreement represents a recognition of the human dignity and basic human rights of our detained sisters and brothers," CSPL Executive Director Michael N. Okinczyc-Cruz said.
Another civil suit (Moreno Gonzalez v. Noem) in federal court alleged detainees at the Broadview facility faced overcrowded, "inhumane" conditions, insufficient nutrition, inadequate medical care, lack of privacy, and a squalid living environment.
Although detainees are only meant to be held at Broadview for a few hours, with the maximum being 72 hours, some alleged last year that they were held there for several days and even up to one week during ICE's Operation Midway Blitz, which detained about 3,000 immigrants illegally residing in the state.
A DHS spokesperson said "religious organizations are more than welcome to provide services to detainees in ICE detention facilities" and disputed detainees' claims that the Broadview facility functions as a detention center, not a temporary processing facility.
"Even before the attacks on the Broadview facility, it was not within standard operating procedure for religious services to be provided in a field office, as detainees are continuously brought in, processed, and transferred out," according to a DHS spokesperson.
The vast majority of the settlement would come from insurance contributions, according to a filing from the archdiocese.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is proposing nearly $170 million in compensation for abuse victims amid its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings there.
A May 15 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court revealed that the archdiocese would contribute just under $44 million to an abuse settlement for survivors, while "settling insurers" would pay a total of $125 million into the fund.
The insurance amount represents a 25% increase from an earlier proposed contribution of $100 million.
In a statement on the filing, the archdiocese said the overall plan "seeks to provide equitable compensation to survivors while sustaining the Church's mission and ministries."
The proposal "reflects a commitment to transparency and a realistic assessment of available resources," it said.
The archdiocese noted that "no final agreement has yet been achieved." The proposal would also establish a "Survivor Compensation Trust" to "evaluate claims and distribute compensation to survivors."
The archdiocese "will continue to listen, to learn, and to seek a resolution that honors the dignity of survivors and strengthens the mission of the Church for generations to come," the statement said.
In 2024 the Baltimore Archdiocese sued multiple insurers over what it claimed was a failure to pay abuse claims for which the insurers were contractually obligated.
U.S. dioceses in recent years have frequently turned to insurers to help cover major abuse settlements, though insurers have at times challenged claims from dioceses on the grounds that their insurance policies did not cover instances of sex abuse.
Marie Reilly, a professor of law at Penn State University and an expert in bankruptcy litigation, including Catholic diocesan bankruptcy proceedings, told EWTN News in 2025 that starting in the 1990s, insurance companies mostly changed how they cover sexual abuse.
"Up until about the mid-'90s, a general liability policy used to include coverages for employee liability," she said. "It would cover sex abuse claims against the diocese stemming from an employee's abuse."
"After 1996, insurance policies issued under new revised standards just don't provide that coverage anymore," she said.
Speaking to a group of young people soon to be confirmed, Pope Leo XIV encouraged perseverance in the faith and emphasized that faith is lived in community, not in isolation.
Pope Leo XIV lamented that after being confirmed, many young people no longer attend church. He asked those awaiting confirmation to "pay special attention" to one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, perseverance.
The pope met on Saturday, May 16, with those awaiting confirmation from the Archdiocese of Genoa, Italy. In an impromptu message, the Holy Father said that "one of the greatest joys of a bishop is celebrating confirmations, because it is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit."
"It is truly beautiful to receive this sacrament, for the fullness of the Holy Spirit gives us this enthusiasm, this strength, this ability to follow Jesus Christ, to always say 'yes' to the Lord, to have no fear of following him with courage, and to live out our faith in a world that so often seeks to draw us away from Jesus," he told them.
After recalling the significance of the solemnity of Pentecost — to be celebrated on Sunday, May 24 — the pope lamented a sad reality: "At times, when the bishop administers confirmation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the children are never seen again! They disappear from the parish."
"Don't forget what you have experienced during this time, including the joy of coming to Rome to celebrate together, to pray together. And may this joy live on in your hearts as you continue to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ," Pope Leo urged.
He also invited young people to "persevere in the faith, to return to the parish — there are so many activities, so many opportunities — but above all in the life of faith, because Jesus Christ wants to walk with you, with each one of you, and with all of you in community, which is so important."
"We do not live out our faith alone; we live it together. And forming these relationships of friendship and community is a way of living with perseverance as disciples of Jesus," he added.
Finally, he called upon those to be confirmed to make a promise to the Lord: "that you truly desire to continue being his friends, his disciples, and his missionaries, and that you desire to persevere in the faith. So, I leave you with these words," he concluded.
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.
The bishops' conference is set to hold its 2026 Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando on June 10–12.
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City is set to deliver his first remarks as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) before bishops consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June.
The USCCB is set to gather for the 2026 Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida, on June 10–12.
Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, nuncio to the United States, also is scheduled to deliver his first address to U.S. bishops since his appointment in March.
In preparation for consecrating the nation, bishops will hear reflections on the Sacred Heart from several of the bishops ahead of the Mass. The USCCB said in a statement that the bishops hope the event encourages parishes and individuals to also participate in America's 250th anniversary by contributing to 250 hours of adoration and 250 works of mercy.
Lectionary changes
The full plenary agenda has not yet been finalized and is subject to change, but it is expected to include votes on a number of action items including the causes for canonization of Monsignor Joseph Francis Buh and John Rick Miller.
The Committee on Divine Worship also will present elements of a revised edition of the "Lectionary for Mass" and the "2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement" for approval.
The bishops have determined the charter is in need of revisions to align with its original intention of safeguarding minors, the prevention of abuse, and ensuring structures continue to be in place to respond to abuse allegations, the USCCB said.
9-year novena, Catholic universities to be discussed
The U.S. bishops are also expected to talk about the USCCB's engagement with the Intercontinental Guadalupan Novena, a nine-year novena called for by Pope Francis in 2022 that anticipates the fifth centennial of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031.
For the 25th anniversary of the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae in the U.S., there is an expected presentation and reflection on Pope John Paul II's apostolic constitution to guide Catholic colleges and universities on theological and pastoral principles.
The group will also discuss upcoming events including World Youth Day 2027, which will be held in Seoul, South Korea.
Fifty-four people have died in ICE custody since the start of fiscal 2025.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging Congress to include immigration reform in the budget reconciliation package that is being negotiated by lawmakers and seeking protection of the pastoral needs of detainees and changes to enforcement practices.
"We encourage members of both parties to reject partisan appropriations funding and instead rededicate yourselves to a collaborative process that pursues the common good and promotes human dignity and flourishing," they wrote in a letter to Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
The letter was signed by Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the USCCB, and Victoria, Texas, Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration.
In the letter, the bishops acknowledge "the legitimate role of the state to regulate immigration, including by bringing to justice those among us who seek to inflict harm," but raise concerns about enforcement practices.
"Enforcement of immigration laws cannot truly advance the common good without reasonable conditions that ensure respect for the God-given dignity of each person, inherent in which is the exercise of certain fundamental rights," they wrote.
The bishops asked for enforcement to be better aligned with "the moral order," such as avoiding enforcement near sensitive locations like churches when there are not extreme circumstances and "mandating consistent access to religious and pastoral services" for detainees.
"Rather than pursuing such measures through a bipartisan process, Congress now risks setting a concerning precedent — one in which furthering the common good is undermined for the sake of political expediency," they wrote.
Under President Donald Trump's administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded a rule that put limits on immigration enforcement at "sensitive locations" like churches. DHS officials still urge officer discretion and contend such enforcement would be rare.
DHS also says it encourages clergy to reach out for accommodations to ensure spiritual needs are met for detainees, although officials denied faith leaders' requests to bring the sacraments to an immigration processing facility in Illinois until a federal lawsuit was filed in November 2025 following repeated denials.
DHS recently emerged from a prolonged fiscal 2026 funding impasse, the longest DHS shutdown on record. Congress passed a bill that funded most DHS components, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) funding was left unresolved, requiring separate legislative action. The ongoing complexity may influence the fiscal 2027 appropriations timeline, and Republicans have proposed giving ICE and CBP $70 billion in additional funding, on top of $170 billion Congress already allocated last year.
The bishops requested lawmakers "limit additional funding increases for immigration enforcement after the unprecedented amounts provided through last year's reconciliation bill." They expressed concern over "an enforcement-only approach to immigration," which they said "can never meet the demands of the moral law."
"Nor does such an approach truly support the welfare and prosperity of American communities," the bishops said.
Fifty-four people have died in ICE custody since the start of fiscal 2025, which is 125% more detainee deaths than occurred during all four previous fiscal years combined (24 deaths), according to ICE detainee death reporting data.
In their letter to Congress, the bishops quoted a speech by Pope Leo XIV on Jan. 9 in which the Holy Father said: "To be authentic, democratic processes must be accompanied by the political will to pursue the common good, to strengthen social cohesion, and to promote the integral development of every person."
The bishops asked Congress to follow that guidance when putting together the budget bill.
"Through this reconciliation effort and the circumstances that gave rise to it, we see the unfortunate absence of that will and therefore the failure to achieve reasonable and necessary reforms to current immigration enforcement practices," they said.
Father Sergio Gutiérrez, known in the wrestling world as "Friar Storm," dedicated his life to helping the orphans he called his "cubs."
Sometimes clad in alb and chasuble, other times in a wrestling costume: Such was the life of the Mexican priest Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, better known as "Fray Tormenta" ("Friar Storm"), a man who celebrated Mass by day and wrestled in a mask by night.
With the goal of sustaining an orphanage that provided a home for dozens of children, Gutiérrez decided to enter the world of freestyle wrestling, which combines sport and spectacle and is deeply rooted in Mexican popular culture.
The name of Friar Storm echoes through wrestling arenas from Mexico to Japan, but his story achieved global fame thanks to a 2006 film inspired by him: "Nacho Libre," starring Jack Black (though the priest has always been quick to clarify that the movie is not his biography, because, he said, "I never stalked a nun").
Today, at the age of 80, Friar Storm is waging a different kind of battle. He still celebrates Mass occasionally, and facing advancing blindness as well as the ailments typical of old age, he supports himself by selling wrestling-themed merchandise.
A life marked by violence
Gutiérrez was born in 1945 in a town in the state of Hidalgo, although he grew up in Mexico City near the Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica. As he told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, it was a neighborhood "of kicks and punches," a place where violence was a daily reality.
There he fell in with "gang kids" who introduced him to the world of drugs. That addiction, he confessed with sadness, led him to a life of crime; he was even arrested for homicide, but he managed to prove his innocence.
Upon reaching adulthood, he wanted to leave that life behind. He sought help at a church, and this led him to consider a priestly vocation. "I said to myself: 'If there weren't cool priests, good guys, really down-to-earth, how many of us wouldn't change?'"
Gutiérrez recounted that he found spiritual support in a religious brother from the Mercedarian order who took him to a detox clinic and subsequently helped him enter the Order of Poor Regular Clerics of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools, known as the Piarists, where he completed his novitiate around 1962.
Before professing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, his formator asked the novices to share their life stories. Gutiérrez recalled feeling afraid that the others would discover who he truly was and he considered running away. Then his formator told him that he need not fear, because "it is precisely people like you that the Church needs."
While serving as a deacon in the port of Veracruz, where he taught classes and assisted at a parish, he recalled that the young people told him: "We don't want priests here." He won their friendship over time and was ordained a priest there on May 26, 1973.
Holy Family Parish, where Mexican priest Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez was ordained. | Credit: Holy Family Parish, Veracruz
Thus began his ministry, marked by his work helping young people whom he affectionately called his "cubs," kids who accompanied him wherever he went. His bond with them was such that, even when he was transferred to other parishes, they would follow him, and he would take it upon himself to find them temporary homes.
Around 1976, acting on the suggestion of a Piarist superior, he decided to leave the order and seek out a bishop who would accept him "along with all my 'chamacos'" (as children are known in Mexico).
In the state of Mexico in the Diocese of Texcoco, he was welcomed by Bishop Magín C. Torreblanca Reyes, who gave him a chapel and the opportunity to embark on his dream of building a children's home, a project he began with 15 youths. "The most I ever had living with me at one time was 350," he noted.
From the altar to the ring: The origins of Friar Storm
With no money to build his orphanage, he recalled an old inspiration: the 1962 film "El Señor Tormenta" ("Mr. Storm"), in which a priest becomes a masked wrestler. He originally fantasized about becoming a boxer, fighting a couple of bouts, earning $2 million, and using that money to build the shelter.
He couldn't find anyone to teach him to box, however, but it was in that search that he met José Ramírez, "El Líder" ("The Leader"), an amateur wrestler who taught him how to do basic moves.
To launch his wrestling career, he adopted the name of the character who had inspired him. "Mr. Storm was a 'mister'; I'm a friar so I took the name Friar Storm," he recalled. He then went to see Ranulfo López, one of the most prominent mask-makers in the industry, who helped him design his mask.
Friar Storm's mask and its variant. | Credit: Fray Tormenta Original
"The yellow signifies the quick reflexes that Friar Storm sought to display in the ring; the red signifies the blood which he is willing to shed for his orphans' home, and [at the center of the mask] the diamond, to attain eternal life," he recalled.
In his first fight in 1977, he earned a mere handful of pesos, yet he didn't hesitate to donate the entire sum to lay the foundations for the "Casa Hogar de los Cachorros" ("Home for the Cubs").
From modest neighborhood arenas, he gradually climbed the ranks to reach the most professional venues. His name began to spread by word of mouth, though his career did not truly take off until 1983, when the wrestler "Hurricane Ramírez" revealed his true identity, a secret he had kept guarded for six years.
Posters of Friar Storm. | Credit: "EWTN Noticias"
On one occasion "Hurricane" challenged Gutiérrez to a match, but he declined because he had to officiate a wedding. Much to Gutiérrez's disbelief, he showed up on the day of the religious ceremony, unmasked, among those in attendance.
"He winked at me, and I winked back. The wedding Mass ended; I went to the sacristy, and there he was. He said to me: 'You really are a priest — and those scoundrels [the wrestlers], look how they beat you up!'
From then on, everyone wanted to see the man who, in addition to delivering homilies, delivered blows in the ring. His fame grew, and with it, so did his apostolate within the world of freestyle wrestling. "I began baptizing [the other wrestlers'] children; I began hearing their confessions and [giving them] their first Communions," he recalled.
"I would be leaving after a match, and even the wrestlers themselves would say to me: 'Won't you give me your blessing, Father? Where can I find you? I'd like to go to confession,'" the priest related.
Although inside the ring "they showed me no mercy since I was already among the stars — everyone wanted to beat Friar Storm," outside the ring, "they never once disrespected me."
Friar Storm distributes Communion at a Mass he celebrated in the ring at Arena México. | Credit: Edgar Rosas/La Cavernaria, Conversando la Lucha
A legacy that impacted lives
Although Gutiérrez admitted he did not understand how he managed to balance his life — juggling his wrestling career, the children's home, and the priesthood — he attributes it all to divine providence. "God helped me a great deal," he affirmed.
"It was very difficult for me because for instance I would finish wrestling at 10 or 11 o'clock at night, and then I would drive back from wherever I happened to be. I would arrive just in time to celebrate [Mass] on Monday morning."
With a smile, he declared: "No one can tell you that there was no Mass because I went off to wrestle."
Among the many children he helped was "Storm Jr.," who arrived at the orphanage when he was barely 12 years old, hailing from a small town in the state of Nayarit. In an interview with ACI Prensa, he recalled: "We would sleep three, four, or five to a room or sometimes on the floor."
He, too, wanted to dedicate himself to professional wrestling. In doing so, he gained not only a mentor but also a close friend, a bond that has endured ever since, as the two now live together: "Since he is getting on in years and is quite elderly, there is no one to look after him but me."
Currently, both men support themselves by selling official Friar Storm merchandise such as keychains, masks, and other items to attendees at wrestling events.
"Storm Jr." said he feels a great sense of responsibility "because I bear this name and have a godfather, a very famous mentor like Friar Storm."
From the orphanage, which Gutiérrez eventually sold to pay for the university studies of his "cubs," came three doctors, 16 teachers, two accountants, 20 computer technicians, 13 lawyers, and a priest. In addition, he sponsored several young wrestlers.
One of them is Father "Fuerza Divina" ("Divine Force"). Although he didn't live in the orphanage, he was inspired by the priest's example. Today, he combines his priestly ministry with professional wrestling. In the courtyard of his parish in Mexico City, he installed a small wrestling ring where young people train while simultaneously receiving spiritual formation.
A wrestling ring in the courtyard of a parish in Mexico City. | Credit: "EWTN Noticias"
He shared with ACI Prensa that he uses that ring "not only to give them actual wrestling lessons but also to impart a message about values, a message of evangelization."
"Thanks to this, many are drawing closer to the parish. Many of them are leaving negative things behind. Many of them are behaving better, both with their families and in their own personal lives," Father "Divine Force" said.
The story of Friar Storm has inspired films, vocations, and hundreds of lives. Today, at 80 years old, the old wrestler lives an austere life, yet one with a heart full of gratitude. "I wrestled with a single objective: that everything I earned would go to the children's home... I never did get that $2 million, but I do want to say that I am proud."
And if he had to choose between the wrestling ring and the altar, his choice is clear: "Friar Storm would never have existed had I not been a priest."
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.
Two recent incidents brought attention to the desecration of Christian symbols in Lebanon — one involving an image of an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue.
Last week, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire following two days of U.S.-hosted talks described by Washington as "very productive." The negotiations carry major consequences for Lebanon, a country caught between Israeli pressure, Hezbollah's weapons, and the risk of deeper internal instability.
But while diplomats discuss security arrangements, military withdrawals, and the future of the border, the damage left in southern Lebanon from the latest war triggered by Hezbollah also includes a religious wound: the desecration of Christian symbols and the destruction of places of worship.
Desecration of Christian symbols
In several southern villages, the war has not only left homes destroyed and families displaced but has also affected churches, crosses, and statues of the Virgin Mary — sacred signs that mark the Christian presence in villages where questions of return, protection, and dignity are supposed to be inseparable from the diplomatic discussions.
Recently, two incidents in southern Lebanon brought renewed attention to the desecration of Christian symbols during the war. In one case, an image circulated showing an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Before that, another widely reported image showed a soldier damaging a statue of Christ on the cross in Debl.
These incidents were not isolated, however.
During an earlier phase of the war in 2024, a video reportedly showed Israeli soldiers inside a church in Deir Mimas, turning the sacred space into a scene of mockery. In the footage, soldiers appeared to stage a mock wedding between two servicemen, with others laughing, singing, filming, and moving through the church as though it were a place of entertainment rather than worship.
Israel has said the soldiers involved in the desecration incidents were punished and that such behavior is incompatible with the army's values. After the image of the Virgin Mary statue circulated, the Israeli military said one soldier had been sentenced to 21 days in military prison and another to 14 days, adding that it viewed the incident with "great severity."
In the earlier Debl case, two soldiers were reportedly removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days in military detention after an image showed a soldier damaging a statue of Christ on the cross.
The destruction of Christian places of worship
The incidents involving individual soldiers are only one part of a wider picture. Christian places of worship and religious institutions in southern Lebanon have also been targeted and destroyed during the war.
In Yaroun, a Catholic convent and former school belonging to the Salvatorian Sisters were destroyed by the Israeli army earlier this month. Israel denied that the monastery had been demolished, but Yaroun's mayor, Adib Ajaka, rejected the Israeli account.
The same village had already seen its church affected earlier in the war, as early as 2024. The Israeli army had also destroyed a statue of St. George.
Around the same period, in October 2024, other Christian villages in southern Lebanon were likewise hit. In Derdghaya, a church of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre was struck by an Israeli missile. A priest's house and three-story building housing parish offices were also destroyed by another missile.
The human toll in Christian villages
Beyond the desecration of symbols and the destruction of churches, Christian villages in southern Lebanon have also mourned civilian deaths during this latest war.
On March 8, Christian farmer Sami Youssef al-Ghafri, from Alma al-Shaab, was killed in shelling. The following day, Father Pierre al-Rahi was killed in an Israeli strike on Qlayaa, prompting an outpouring of tributes online, with many portraying him as a symbol of Christian steadfastness for refusing to leave his parishioners. That same day, Lebanese Red Cross paramedic Youssef Assaf died of wounds sustained during a rescue mission after an Israeli strike in the Tyre district.
On March 12, three young men from Ain Ebel — Chadi Ammar, Elie Attallah, and Georges Khreich — were killed in an Israeli drone strike while trying to repair an internet connection.
Later, on March 28, Georges Soueid and his son Elie were killed by Israeli gunfire while traveling in a pickup truck on the road between Debl and Rmeish.
Some Christian villages in southern Lebanon were heavily damaged or emptied during the war. A few, such as Rmeish near the Israeli border, are mostly untouched. In the few where residents managed to stay, daily life remains extremely difficult: Aid is limited, infrastructure is fragile, and even basic services have been disrupted.
Local accounts point to damaged solar panels, targeted roads, and municipal equipment, including vehicles used for waste collection, destroyed or rendered unusable, making it harder for remaining families to sustain life in their villages.
Aid convoys as a lifeline
Aid convoys have been crucial for the remaining residents of southern Lebanon's Christian villages. Local Church sources have repeatedly pointed to the role of the apostolic nuncio, who became a key figure in coordinating and encouraging aid efforts to reach isolated communities.
Organizations such as Caritas Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, and L'Œuvre d'Orient have also played an essential role in helping residents receive basic assistance and remain in their villages despite the hardship. This weekend, the local nongovernmental organization Nawraj also reached several of the affected communities, bringing additional support to families still living under difficult conditions.
As U.S.-hosted negotiations between Lebanon and Israel continue, the protection of Christian places of worship, sacred symbols, and livelihoods should be part of the equation, according to the local Christian community.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
The pope met with the chief bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia headquartered in Lebanon, emphasizing his concern for that country and the role of ecumenism for Christian unity.
On Monday, May 18, Pope Leo XIV received at the Vatican His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the most prominent figures in Eastern Christianity.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, part of the Oriental Orthodox Church, is headquartered in Antelias, Lebanon.
During the audience held at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father underscored the profound bond uniting the two churches, marked in a special way by the figure of St. Paul, whom he described as the "apostle of communion."
In addition to St. Paul, the pontiff cited other saints who worked for Christian unity, such as St. Nerses, considered a "pioneer of ecumenism." In this context, Leo underscored "the tireless ecumenical zeal" of Aram I, 79 years old and one of the founders of the Middle East Council of Churches.
Pope Leo XIV also thanked him for his closeness to the Church of Rome and especially for his personal commitment to promoting theological dialogue.
"I sincerely hope that, despite recent difficulties, this dialogue will continue with renewed vigor, for there can be no restoration of communion between our churches without unity in faith," he emphasized.
The pope recalled his visit last December to Lebanon, a land that continues to "face severe trials" and that, for so long, "has shown the whole world that it is possible for people of diverse cultures and religions to live together as one nation."
"At a time when the unity and integrity of your country are once again under threat, our churches are called to strengthen the fraternal bonds that unite not only Christians amongst themselves but also with their brothers and sisters from other communities in their shared homeland," he noted.
Pope Leo XIV assured Aram I of his prayers for the nation and conveyed his "deep concern" for the people of Lebanon and for the Churches of the Middle East.
The pontiff asked the Holy Spirit to grant them the gift of unity and lasting peace.
At the close of the audience with the Holy Father, a moment of ecumenical prayer took place in the Urban VIII Chapel of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
This marks the first official meeting between Leo XIV and the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, who will also participate in the pope's general audience on Wednesday, May 20.
During his visit to the Vatican, Aram I will also meet with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and visit the Dicasteries for Promoting Christian Unity, Interreligious Dialogue, and Eastern Churches, as well as the Pontifical Armenian College.
On May 19, he is scheduled to deliver a lecture titled "The Challenges of the Churches in the Middle East" at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome.
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.
