Catholic News

Temptations in a fallen city, memories of a beautiful woman, a poisoned chalice, the attacks of an envious priest, curses from a pagan priest, a rock that won't budge and another that falls on a young monk, a kitchen in flames, a dragon that lurks to devour a fleeing monk, threats from Gothic warlords, and the prospect of a destroyed monastery.

These are some of the attacks that St. Benedict, whose feast the Catholic Church celebrates on July 11, endured throughout his life.

Benedict even had to use force to manifest his authority as abbot over his monks oppressed by the enemy, as related in Father Robert Nixon's book "The Cross and Medal of Saint Benedict: A Mystical Sign of Divine Power" (TAN, 2024):

"Benedict found this monk outside wandering around aimlessly when he should have been in the oratory in prayer. With a certain degree of paternal severity and charitable discipline, he reprimanded him for his lack of wisdom and discernment and struck him with his staff. At this, the monk fell down, motionless. And after that, the devil ... never troubled him again. It was as if the staff of Benedict had not struck the hapless monk but had rather driven away the wicked tempter himself!" (p. 14).

St. Benedict has come to be recognized for the power of his actions against the enemy, alongside St. Michael the Archangel, as a major protector against evil — particularly through the medal that bears his image.

Nixon's book offers an overview of how the medal rose to prominence as a Catholic devotion and received papal approval, couching it within the story of St. Benedict's life and the rise of his order of monks.

The St. Benedict medal

If you've seen the back of a St. Benedict medal, you may have noticed a series of letters. The first set is arranged in and around the shape of the cross: C S P B C S S M L N D S M D. The next set is arranged in a circle around the cross: V R S N S M V S M Q L I V B.

This arrangement first came to serious attention in the year 1647 in relation to the Benedictine Abbey of Metten in Bavaria, Germany, when it was believed to have prevented a series of diabolic attacks.

Although some of the laity already had medals with these letters engraved, no one at the time understood their meaning. It was only in researching the library's manuscripts that a 15th-century illustration of St. Benedict pointed to the full prayer they abbreviated:

"Cross of our Holy Father Benedict. May the cross be light to me. May the dragon not be a leader to me. Get behind me, Satan: Never persuade me to vain things. What you like is evil; may you yourself drink your venom!"

Due to a widespread story of the medal preventing the effect of curses and bringing about exorcisms and healings, which Nixon details in his book, its use spread across Europe, with Pope Benedict XIV approving an official blessing for it and granting it indulgences in 1741.

The great father of modern Benedictine monasticism, Dom Prosper Guéranger, speculated why God would grant so many favors to those who invoke his help through St. Benedict's medal. In an age when "rationalism is so rife," God has deigned to offer help to those "who put their confidence in the sacred signs marked on the medal" with "strong and simple" faith (Guéranger, "The Medal or Cross of St. Benedict," author's preface). It's as if to laugh at the devil and his plans to pull people away from God through the alleged sophistication of the modern world, overcoming them with simple signs pointing us to the cross and the protection of a holy monk.

Of course, the medal should not be used in a superstitious way. It expresses our faith and confidence in God, which conquers the power of the enemy through the blood of Christ. Within God's plan of salvation, there are certain key defenders of God's people. St. Benedict proved himself as one over his own monks in spiritual combat. Through the efficacy of his medal, he has manifested himself as a fatherly defender of all who invoke his help.

Throughout history, the monastic life has served as a constant beacon calling us to greater conversion of life and prayer. Turning to St. Benedict can lead us to embrace some of his spiritual principles, such as humility, obedience, stability, hospitality, the prayerful reading of Scripture in "lectio divina," and viewing our work as a means of honoring God.

While St. Benedict faced trials in his life as a monk, we all face trials and attacks from the enemy in the Christian life. Sacramentals can help us in our journey of faith, including our efforts to keep evil far away.

St. Benedict medals and rosaries with the medal affixed can be purchased at religious gift stores and can be blessed after purchase. Medals are also available at EWTN's Religious Catalogue site.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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A second cardinal and a third senior churchman may be rehabilitated this year for mistreatment under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. The District Court in Litomerice, in what is now the Czech Republic, will consider a proposal for the rehabilitation of Cardinal Štepán Trochta, the former bishop of Litomerice, over his internment between 1950 and 1953.

The public prosecutor asked the relevant authorities to carry out an investigation into the archives and, based on the outcome, found the initiative reasonable. He has already submitted a proposal for the judicial rehabilitation of Trochta over the illegal deprivation of his personal freedom. A date for consideration of the proposal has not yet been set.

"I firmly believe that the name of Štepán Trochta, my predecessor in Litomerice, will be cleared through the courts," said Archbishop Stanislav Pribyl of Prague, who is also apostolic administrator of Litomerice.

The verdict that sent Trochta to prison, handed down in a political trial for "treason and conspiracy," was overturned in 1968, but the Czech courts have not dealt with his earlier illegal internment. The initiative for full rehabilitation came from Jan Kratochvil, director of the Museum of Czech, Slovak, and Ruthenian Exile of the 20th Century, and the lawyer Lubomír Müller.

It is "important to clean his name in this way as well," said Kratochvil, whose family was friends with the prelate.

Salesian, prisoner, cardinal

Štepán Trochta (1905–1974) was one of the first Czech members of the Society of St. Francis de Sales, the so-called Salesians. He studied in Turin, Italy, where he obtained a doctorate in theology. He returned to Czechoslovakia, and when Nazi Germany occupied the country, he was arrested for his contacts with and support for the resistance and was sent to several concentration camps.

He was "ready to work, full of energy, enthusiasm, and willing to work hard." Trochta was also a good organizer and a gifted speaker and writer who "enjoyed being among the boys, even though he gradually had to spend more time in administration," according to "Life and Legacy," a booklet published by the Salesians on the 50th anniversary of the prelate's death.

Shortly before the communists took over in Czechoslovakia, he was appointed bishop of Litomerice. He became the spokesman for the episcopate of Czechoslovakia in difficult negotiations with the new government. In the end, the regime interned him in his residence and later imprisoned him. Although he was released sooner than expected, he was not allowed to continue as a bishop and had to work as a manual laborer.

In 1969, when he was already back in the Diocese of Litomerice, Pope Paul VI created him a cardinal "in pectore" — that is, secretly.

When Trochta died five years later, the funeral was attended by many of the faithful, including cardinals from Berlin, Krakow, and Vienna. Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, who later became Pope John Paul II, reportedly asked to concelebrate but was not permitted to do so. Wojtyla then defied the ban on foreign participants speaking, delivering a short address over the coffin in which he called the deceased prelate a martyr. The funeral Mass was celebrated by the Czech bishop and future Cardinal František Tomášek.

A series of Czech rehabilitations

The case may become one more in a recent series of rehabilitations in the Czech Republic.

In February, the District Court of Prague recognized the unjust treatment of Cardinal Josef Beran, the former archbishop of Prague, who was interned in several locations. Last month, the District Court in Olomouc rehabilitated Archbishop Josef Karel Matocha of Olomouc, also over his internment.

In 2024, the Regional Court in Hradec Králové rehabilitated Father Josef Toufar, who was illegally arrested and tortured to death.

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Archbishop Eamon Martin of the Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh and Archbishop John McDowell of the Church of Ireland have condemned the burning of a mosque replica in Northern Ireland during the country's Eleventh Night bonfires.

"The placement of a replica mosque atop a bonfire is grossly offensive and raises tensions so soon after the unrest that destroyed property and severely impacted the lives of individuals and families," the archbishops said.

Bonfires are traditionally lit in loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the night before July 12 — a holiday referred to as "The Twelfth" — marking the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, which saw the defeat of Catholic King James II. The mosque replica placed on top of a bonfire was reported to depict a person holding a knife and a flag.

The incident follows weeks of civil unrest and targeting of migrant communities throughout Northern Ireland after a brutal knife attack in Belfast carried out by a Sudanese national.

Little Sisters of the Poor set up field hospital for Venezuela earthquake victims

The Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor of Maiquetía has set up a field hospital following the destruction of San José Hospital during the earthquakes in Venezuela last month.

The sisters are continuing their health ministry operations across the street from the damaged hospital, Sister María Yraida Mora Sánchez, vicar general of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor, told Vatican News.

"We are also making regular visits to three emergency shelters, and the situation is extremely difficult. It is especially challenging because Venezuela was already facing a severe economic and humanitarian crisis, as much of the world already knows," she said. 

Abuse survivors seek damages from entity tied to Christian Brothers' asset transfers

Survivors of clergy abuse at the hands of the Congregation of Christian Brothers are seeking to transfer their compensation claims to Edmund Rice Education Australia, a Catholic entity that received over $50 million worth of property from the Christian Brothers over the course of a decade in symbolic $1 transfers.

The move comes after the Christian Brothers said in court that they could not afford to pay survivors' claims in full but that they would sell off their remaining 36 properties valued at $217 million to divide among creditors and abuse survivors, according to a report from The Guardian on Friday.

Indonesia bishops speak out against killing of American mission pilot

Catholic bishops in Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, have condemned the murder of an American pilot on July 2 by an armed group.

"We strongly condemn this brutal act," Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke said, according to Licas News, noting that the plane that was set on fire by the group was an Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) aircraft owned by five dioceses in Papua. AMA has served Papua for 67 years, delivering humanitarian aid to areas difficult to reach by land.

"For decades, we have faced risks from weather and technical problems. However, a criminal act involving the burning of an aircraft and the murder of a pilot is extremely difficult to accept. It is a barbaric and inhumane act," Bishop Yanuarius Theofilus Matopai of Jayapura in Papua said.

Pakistan archbishop declares child abuse a national, moral crisis

Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi in Pakistan has designated 2026 the "Year of Children" amid what he described as "deep concern over the growing number of child abuse cases in society."

"The issue of child sexual abuse in Pakistan remains widespread and requires urgent attention," the archbishop said in an interview with Fides News Agency on July 8.

"Crimes against children are among the most shameful and intolerable violations of human dignity. No society can call itself just, peaceful, or civilized as long as its children live under threat, fear, and insecurity. Children are a sacred gift from God and must be protected with the highest level of moral, social, legal and institutional responsibility," he said, calling for action from the Pakistani government. 

New Zealand marks near-50% surge in euthanasia deaths in 3 years

A report has recorded a 48.17% increase in deaths by euthanasia and assisted suicide in New Zealand over the past three years.

The Registrar (assisted dying) Annual Report to the Minister of Health June 2026 report found there was a total of 486 cases of euthanasia and assisted suicide in New Zealand from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. In 2023-2024, there were 328 cases nationwide.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference has repeatedly spoken out against euthanasia and assisted suicide laws in the country.

Bishop of Alexandria, Egypt, celebrates centenary of Latin Vicariate of Port Said

Hundreds of pilgrims gathered in Port Said in Egypt to celebrate 100 years after the establishment of the apostolic procurator there, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Sunday.

Bishop Claudio Lurati of the Apostolic Vicariate of Alexandria presided over the Mass celebrating the anniversary at the Regina Mundi Cathedral.

Beyond the anniversary itself, the celebration brought together the history of the local Church, the legacy of generations of Christians, and a remarkable example of ecumenical cooperation, with Regina Mundi Cathedral serving both Latin Catholic and Coptic Orthodox communities.

Thailand Catholic schools launch program to combat food insecurity

In the wake of catastrophic flooding across southern Thailand, the Catholic Foundation of the Surat Thani Diocese has launched a program to transform schools into food hubs.

The "Promoting Nutrition and Sustainable Food Production for Children and the Poor" project is funded by Pope Leo XIV through the apostolic nuncio to Thailand, according to a report from Licas News on Wednesday.

The project is designed to ensure that students receive balanced meals every day by enabling schools to become agricultural food production zones. The program will also establish health monitoring systems to track body mass index (BMI) of students suffering from food insecurity.

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A long-negotiated housing bill will become law without President Donald Trump's signature, ending months of debate.

Congress sent the measure to the president's desk on June 29, and he refused to sign it to leverage lawmakers to address restrictions on voter identification and mail-in ballots. Without a veto, the measure becomes law 10 days later, excluding Sundays, under the Constitution.

The legislative push comes as federal data shows homelessness has begun to fall nationwide.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s annual Point-In-Time (PIT) report, 745,652 people were homeless in the U.S. in 2025, including 266,320 people living on the street on a single night in January 2025. While the total number of homeless people in the U.S. has increased by 27% since 2013, the number decreased by 3% from 2024 to 2025.

Under federal law, HUD also is mandated to release another annual report on homelessness. HUD has yet to release the Annual Homelessness Assessment report (AHAR), despite legal requirements and congressional pressure. HUD did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, sponsored the bill, (HR 6644), titled "The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act."

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has repeatedly said the government has a legitimate role in ensuring access to safe, affordable housing, especially when market forces fail vulnerable families. The Catholic Church recognizes housing is a basic human right that must be available to all persons so that they may lead a life that reflects their God-given dignity, U.S. bishops said.

"The necessity of housing dictates that individuals, community and religious institutions, the private sector, and the government must all work together to make safe and decent housing affordable to all, especially people who are most vulnerable," the USCCB said in its fact sheet on affordable housing.

Catholic Charities USA has long maintained that coordinated federal, state, and local efforts, paired with community-based ministries, can reduce homelessness when sustained over time.

In June, Catholic Charities USA praised provisions in the housing measure related to zoning reforms, increased private investment in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, a higher public welfare investment cap for banks, changes to homeless assistance programs, and the reauthorization of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program.

"The rate of homelessness in the United States continues to rise. On any given night last year, roughly 650,000 people were unsheltered. That is a 12% increase compared to the prior year and the largest level of homelessness since the federal government began tracking that statistic," Catholic Charities said in its 2024 housing report. "At the same time, there is a national shortage of more than 7 million affordable rental homes for our nation's roughly 10.8 million extremely low-income families."

"This represents an urgent crisis that gets ignored far too often by the government and the media," the report added. "With so many families living on the brink, Catholic Charities USA and its member agencies are providing short- and long-term solutions."

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An Iranian delegation recently visited Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City, the Marian shrine that displays the original image of the Virgin Mary that miraculously appeared on the tilma of the Indigenous St. Juan Diego nearly 500 years ago.

On July 8, the Iranian Embassy in Mexico shared on social media that "at the spiritual heart of Mexico, Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica, we had the honor of sharing a fraternal meeting between representatives of Islam and Christianity."

The Iranian delegation consisted of Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh; Ayatollah Dr. Emran Khanzadeh; and Mohammad Reza Gilani, the counselor of cultural affairs at the Iranian Embassy.

The three were welcomed at the Marian shrine by Monsignor Edgar Alan Valtierra López, senior penitentiary canon and head of the Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue at the basilica.

In its social media post, under the title "When respect opens the way, friendship is born," the Iranian embassy highlighted that "during the conversation, Dr. Emran Khanzadeh recalled that the Virgin Mary (Maryam) occupies a unique place in Islam," since "she is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran and an eternal example of purity, faith, and dedication to God."

"We also share a little-known reality: In Iran, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians have lived together for centuries with mutual respect. Because when people know each other, prejudices disappear," the Iranian delegation said.

"Religions may have different paths, but they all lead to peace," the embassy wrote.

The Virgin Mary and her 'very important' role in dialogue between Catholics and Muslims

Speaking to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Valtierra said that "the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Catholic-Muslim dialogue is very important."

"Ambassador Abolfazl told us that in the Quran, their holy book, she is called Maryam, and she is the only woman to whom a surah, that is, a chapter of the Quran, is dedicated. Surah 3:42 states: 'Oh Mary! God has chosen you, purified you, and selected you above the women of all worlds.'"

"Although there are very profound differences regarding the figure of Jesus, Mary becomes a sign of rapprochement and respectful dialogue, as we discover shared values such as love for God, obedience, faith, humility, hope, and many others," the Mexican priest said.

Valtierra noted that the gathering took place in the context of the desire of the primatial archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, for the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe to be a place where people of all faiths can learn about and draw closer to the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe and her son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Interfaith and ecumenical events are held in various areas of the shrine," he said, noting that meetings have taken place with Lutheran, Anglican, and evangelical Christians as well as believers "from other religions such as Jews, Buddhists, and Hare Krishnas," among others.

"In this context, the Iranian embassy requested to visit the shrine on the occasion of a visit by a very important figure, Ayatollah Dr. Emran Khanzadeh, who wished to engage in interfaith dialogue," he explained.

'A testimony to the Church's openness'

Valtierra noted that during the visit, "we first toured the shrine, which included viewing the image head-on from the sanctuary. Afterward, we moved to a room where Ayatollah Emran spoke, drawing on profound Islamic theology, about the need for religions to work together."

The ayatollah, he said, "mentioned that in Iran there is a street where there is a Mazdean [Zoroastrian] temple, an Armenian Christian church, and a mosque," ??and "noted that monotheistic religions share many common points, one of which is a merciful God who calls upon us to work in fraternity."

This meeting, the canon of the basilica noted, demonstrates "that the Church can welcome everyone with respect and without neglecting the proclamation of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

Visitors who were 'very devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe'

According to Valtierra, the Iranian visitors "showed themselves to be very devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe" and noted that "in the sacristy, we gave them some holy cards featuring the image of the Virgin, and they liked them very much."

The ambassador and the ayatollah shared with him that both men have daughters named Mary.

Furthermore, "they also told us that they have an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in their homes, and that in Iran there is even a metro station named 'Holy Virgin Mary,' which features a beautiful relief image of the Virgin on one of its walls."

"While the image in the station does not depict Guadalupe, it certainly speaks volumes about the respect held for Holy Mary," the priest noted.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica and interreligious dialogue

Valtierra clarified that when receiving visits from believers of other religions, "the basilica does not stop being a Catholic shrine; rites blending beliefs are not performed," but rather "each participant fully retains their own religious identity."

The aim, he emphasized, is "to promote mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration for peace and human dignity, as called for by the Second Vatican Council and the contemporary magisterium of the popes."

"Visits by people of other faiths to Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica offer an opportunity to encounter the Catholic faith through its liturgy, devotion to the Virgin, and the witness of popular piety," he said, noting that "interreligious dialogue does not promote relativism or syncretism; rather, it expresses the conviction that Christianity can bear witness to Christ with clarity while simultaneously listening to, learning from, and working alongside people of other religious traditions."

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.

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Notre Dame Law School awarded its 2026 Prize for Religious Liberty to the Becket Fund — a nonprofit law firm that has secured 13 Supreme Court victories in the past 15 years defending the First Amendment's religious liberty protections.

"We're deeply honored to be recognized with the religious liberty prize," Becket President and CEO Mark Rienzi told EWTN News.

"We're honored to be able to be part of fighting to protect something that is very important for our country and the Church," said Reinzi, who accepted the award at the July 8 conclusion of Notre Dame's sixth annual Religious Liberty Summit in Chicago.

Becket — established in 1994 to provide cost-free legal counsel to those whose religious liberties were violated — has an undefeated record at the Supreme Court.

Its lawyers represented the Little Sisters of the Poor and Hobby Lobby against contraception mandates, defended the rights of Maryland parents to opt their children out of gender-related coursework that conflicted with their religious beliefs, and backed a Catholic foster care agency that only placed children with opposite-sex married couples.

G. Marcus Cole, a dean and professor of law at Notre Dame, said during the award ceremony that when the university started giving out the award, "we always imagined that it would go to one person."

"But when we think about the Becket Fund, it is an entire team of lawyers, led by Mark Rienzi, who have made a difference in our world, who have made our lives better," he said. "And for that reason, we thought it only appropriate to give the award to the Becket Fund as an entity."

Ongoing fights for religious liberty

The most recent victory secured by Becket came in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which ensured parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, had a right to opt their children out of coursework that included material related to gender that conflicted with their religious faith.

Rienzi told EWTN News that "parents don't give up the right to [raise] their children when they drop their kids off at the schoolhouse gates." He added: "Your children don't belong to the state just because you use a public school."

Becket represented Catholic, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Muslim parents in the lawsuit. Rienzi said religious parents have a right to "operate equally as a full citizen and full member of the public" by utilizing the public school system while maintaining the right to instill religious values in their children.

"[This was] the most important case in at least 50 or 100 years in establishing that principle," he said.

Becket also secured the 2020 victory for the Little Sisters of the Poor in which the Supreme Court ruled in favor of federal regulations that exempted the religious sisters from mandatory contraception coverage in insurance plans.

The sisters, however, are back in court after the governments of Pennsylvania and New Jersey challenged those exemptions on separate grounds than those on which the court previously ruled. This case is now in an appellate court, which heard oral arguments on July 7. Becket is representing them again and Rienzi is the lead attorney on the case.

"It's outrageous that governments keep volunteering for the beating they get when they keep [going after] the Little Sisters of the Poor," Rienzi said.

He said "the law is really, really clear" that Pennsylvania cannot remove their exemptions from the mandate.

Becket is also representing a coalition of Catholic preschools in Colorado that is suing the state because they were excluded from a "universal" tuition program. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case.

Notre Dame awarded Becket the prize less than one week after Americans celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which culminated in the adoption of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which secured religious freedom.

"God created everybody equal and equally free and gave them rights," Rienzi said, adding that religious freedom is "essential to the declaration's idea of who we are as a country and … [it] is crucial for maintaining it."

"It's a shame that you still have to fight about it," Rienzi said. "But on the other hand, it's worth fighting for."

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With fewer than 10 matches left to play, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is entering its final stretch. As the tournament continues and more national teams are defeated and eliminated, the dream of becoming world champion fades away.

Faced with this reality, a question arises: What message can defeat convey from the perspective of the Catholic faith?

The world's most important national team tournament has already seen the elimination of host countries Mexico, the United States, and Canada, as well as teams with high aspirations like Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and Luka Modric's Croatia.

Although one might think that a defeat brings only sadness and frustration, Father David Jasso, a priest of the Archdiocese of Monterrey, Mexico, and former sporting director of the Monterrey Soccer Club, said in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that failure also offers important lessons.

"We learn more from failure and mistakes than from achievements and successes," the priest stated, noting that defeat is part of life and personal growth.

He also highlighted that the World Cup has demonstrated the power of sport to bring people together around the same dream. He pointed out that experiences like this remind us that we can still "unite, that we can still be together, and that shared hopes and dreams are also part of life."

He encouraged fans to experience the remainder of the tournament in a spirit of fraternity. "Even though our national team isn't participating, we love soccer, so let's enjoy it, especially with family and friends," he said, while also calling for gatherings and fan festivities to take place "with respect and peace."

Jasso noted that although soccer is a "thrilling, indescribable" sport and winning the World Cup is a great aspiration, "there are more important things for which we are playing," including "glory, heaven, and salvation."

He also pointed out the importance of preserving the essence of the game, urging people to "carefully protect the sport from corruption, negative practices, and business aspects that unfortunately affect this beautiful sport."

A moment to reflect on hope

Father José de Jesús Aguilar, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mexico, told ACI Prensa that even in defeat, "one must always have hope."

The priest noted that the Gospel invites us to "always seek success, the best, and growth," but he also pointed out that Scripture teaches, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, that "there is a time to win and a time to lose."

He explained that this is because "there are many things that do not depend solely on oneself, but also on others," and furthermore, "people, times, circumstances, opportunities, and many other things" can change.

For this reason, he urged fans to accept the final scores with composure, noting that although all the teams are competing to lift up the trophy in celebration, "in this World Cup, there will be only one winner, while all the others participate and learn even from their losses."

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.

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Police are conducting a murder investigation into the death of long-serving British Catholic politician Ann Widdecombe, authorities said on July 10, one day after her death at 78.

The long-serving British politician, who converted to Catholicism in the early 1990s, was found dead on July 9 at her home in Dartmoor in southwestern England.

Initial reports suggested she may have died from a fall in her home. But in a statement on July 10 Devon and Cornwall Police said they had launched a murder investigation into her death.

Police "are conducting extensive enquiries into the circumstances surrounding Miss Widdecombe's death," the statement said, adding that investigators were performing forensic examinations of the purported crime scene.

"Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace," Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson said in the statement. "We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible, who we believe to be a white male."

The police said later on July 10 that a 26-year-old male suspect had been arrested as part of the investigation and was in police custody. The event was not being treated as terrorism, authorities said.

A member of the U.K.'s Conservative Party, Widdecombe served in various government roles for decades, including as a member of Parliament and as prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major.

She famously converted to Catholicism in 1993 after the Church of England began ordaining women. In an interview with The New Statesman, she described the English church as "a huge bundle of straw," with women's ordination "the last straw."

"For years I had been disillusioned by the Church of England's compromising on everything. The Catholic Church doesn't care if something is unpopular," she told the outlet.

Throughout her life as a Catholic she was a vocal defender of the Church and its teachings, especially on the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage.

She herself never married; she lived with her widowed mother, Rita, in London until 2007 when her mother died at the age of 95.

In one of her last interviews before her death, she told EWTN News' Colm Flynn in September 2025 that the "great thing about Catholicism is it doesn't compromise."

"You know, something's either true or it's false. It's right or it's wrong. It's sin or it's not," she told Flynn. "[In the Catholic Church] there is none of the endless fudging that you got with the Anglican Church."

She argued that the Church is "appealing to young people" in the modern era, pointing to an uptick of interest and an increase in the sale of Bibles. She also cited high levels of religious devotion in the Global South, including in Africa.

"We live in a surprisingly optimistic time," she said.

This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. ET on July 10, 2026, with news of the arrest of a suspect in Ann Widdecombe's murder.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. bishops and Catholic charitable organizations sent a letter to senators asking them to strengthen domestic and international programs designed to alleviate hunger and to prioritize rural development and conservation efforts in the 2026 farm bill.

"Our greatest concern with the current draft is with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), our nation's core nutrition program," the bishops said in the letter sent to the leadership of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

The letter was signed by Louisville, Kentucky, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Domestic Justice and Human Development Committee, and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chair of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace.

The bishops cautioned the draft of the farm bill released June 23 by the Senate Agriculture Committee "does not sufficiently strengthen or modernize SNAP." They warned "it shifts focus away from addressing hunger itself and toward additional administrative and compliance requirements."

Specifically, they urged lawmakers to delay a plan to shift costs to the states for two years to "allow states adequate time to plan and fix error rates and would help prevent disruptions in access to nutrition assistance for vulnerable households."

Additionally, they asked Congress to eliminate a restriction on SNAP that bans access to some people with felony convictions. They wrote: "Removing this restriction would better support successful reentry, reduce food insecurity, and promote family stability without compromising program integrity."

The House passed its version of the measure in April. It would reshape U.S. global food aid programs by shifting more resources toward purchasing food closer to crisis regions rather than shipping U.S. commodities overseas.

The bishops urged senators to align with the House version by allowing Puerto Rico to move from the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) to full SNAP participation over a 10-year transition, saying the phased shift would better match benefits to need, strengthen responsiveness during downturns and disasters, and advance parity for U.S. citizens in the territories.

"SNAP remains our nation's most effective and responsive tool to combat hunger, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty, rising food costs, and persistent poverty," the bishops added. "Policies that weaken its reach or add unnecessary barriers ultimately harm low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and children who rely on these programs to meet their basic nutritional needs."

Last year, the bishops took issue with SNAP requirements added in the reconciliation bill, which shifted federal government cost to states, raised the work requirement age from 54 to 64, and imposed stricter eligibility verification rules.

Alternatively, the bishops welcomed some farm bill provisions related to SNAP, such as a provision to make online purchasing a permanent option; the reauthorization of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which supports seniors in rural communities; and the inclusion of cost-sharing waivers for counties with high poverty rates.

Leadership of Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Rural Life, and National Council of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul joined the bishops in signing the letter.

The letter states that these organizations, along with the bishops, are united in "our shared commitment to alleviate hunger and urge Congress to pass a farm bill that furthers this goal." They quoted Pope Leo's address from Oct. 16, 2025, related to the World Day of Hunger.

"Hunger … is a cry that rises to heaven and requires a swift response from every nation, every international organization, every regional, local, or private body," Leo said. "No one can remain on the sidelines in the fight against hunger."

Additional priorities

The bishops and other signatories expressed appreciation for continued funding of international food assistance programs, including the Food for Peace, McGovern-Dole Food for Education, Food for Progress, Farmer-to-Farmer, and the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

As Congress considers possible changes to how Food for Peace is administered, the bishops declined to take a formal position on potential reforms, so long as "operations continue" without impediment through any transition.

"We recommend maintaining a focus on the most hungry and malnourished places around the world using market-appropriate food aid," they wrote. "We also support efforts to ensure cooperation and consultation between [federal agencies] and other relevant stakeholders as policy changes and award decisions are made to this program going forward."

The bishops also expressed support for the draft bill's inclusion of rural development funding, which they said strengthen health care, new farmers, scholarships, and infrastructure. They similarly told lawmakers they support the draft bill's reauthorization of conservation funds, which include research programs on soil health and technology to prevent and respond to climate change.

"We encourage members to work together to advance nutrition, rural development, and conservation policies that are practical, compassionate, and responsive to current challenges," the bishops wrote.

"We stand ready to work with the committee in a constructive and collaborative manner to ensure that the final farm bill reflects our shared responsibility to protect vulnerable families, support thriving communities, and promote the common good," they added.

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Forced to leave Nicaragua in April 2019 for defending protesters opposing the regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, during a crackdown that left more than 350 people dead, exiled Auxiliary Bishop Silvio Báez of Managua decried the "irrationality" and "cruelty" of the country's dictatorship.

"One of the most tragic characteristics of this dictatorship is its irrationality. Along with that irrationality is cruelty. But the irrationality of this system is shocking," Báez said in an interview with the Nicaraguan newspaper Confidencial.

The interview took place in Madrid, Spain, where he had recently traveled to attend a conference in Ávila. The exiled bishop resides in Miami.

On April 18, 2018, in response to the brutal repression unleashed by the dictatorship, he had said: "I call upon Daniel Ortega and his wife to stop the violence and repression. Do not jeopardize the country's peace. Learn to listen, engage in dialogue, and have the maturity to correct so many errors. For the sake of Nicaragua, be sensible!"

The bishop said this message "has become even more relevant today. I would repeat it to their faces, the very same thing I told them eight years ago: Be sensible!"

"So much blood has been shed, so many lives sacrificed, so much pain. And that has an infinite cost. I hope that all of this is not in vain, and I trust that the Lord will gather all that blood, all that pain, and all that struggle into his gracious hands, and that it may serve as a deposit for a new chapter in Nicaragua's history," he said.

Since 2018, the Nicaraguan dictatorship has relentlessly persecuted the Catholic Church in the country, keeping priests under tight surveillance, expelling religious sisters, confiscating Church funds and property, banning ordinations, and exiling bishops.

Báez celebrates Mass every Sunday at St. Agatha Parish in Miami where the pastor and the parochial vicar — Fathers Marcos Antonio Somarriba and Edwing Román — are also Nicaraguan exiles.

'God is never on the side of a pharaoh'

Báez noted that "in Nicaragua, there is a dictatorship that kills, persecutes, exiles, confiscates, lies, and manipulates, one that resembles the authoritarian and totalitarian regimes found in the Bible. In sacred Scripture, the reality of oppression, slavery, and injustice is more present than one might think," he explained.

The prelate highlighted that "the history of the people in the Bible begins with a state of oppression where there is a pharaoh who decides who lives and who dies, holds the people in slavery, and uses that people for his own ends of enrichment and grandeur."

Nevertheless, he said God "hears the cry of the oppressed, sees the suffering of the poor, and feels for them. He is a God who does not remain indifferent. He comes down into history. And the way God came down into history in the Book of Exodus was by calling Moses, who liberates the people of Israel by the power of God and leads them to the Promised Land."

Today, the bishop continued, "Pharaoh still exists, and what we believers must live out and hold as a deep conviction is that our God, the God of the Bible, the God and Father of Jesus Christ, is never on the side of a pharaoh."

The silence of the Church

After denouncing the silencing of individuals and the media as a crime against human dignity, Báez addressed the silence within the Catholic Church.

"Within the Church, there exists a negative silence, keeping quiet to avoid trouble or difficulties with power groups, the established system, or those currently in power. The easiest thing to do is to be silent. And the Church succumbs to this temptation when it remains silent," he charged.

"As the community of Jesus, we are called to be a courageous, transparent community, a community of the Word. We are not a community of silence," he said, noting that there is also a positive silence rooted in prayer and prudence, where one silences "every human word in order to listen to the Lord."

"During my final days in Managua, I spoke some words that many remember: 'A crucified people will always rise again,' because the paschal icon of the cross reveals to us the same truth found in exile. For God, there is no final moment when everything comes to an end. A new light can always shine in the darkness," he said.

Bishop Rolando Álvarez

Báez recalled Bishop Rolando Álvarez, bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí, one of the four exiled Nicaraguan prelates.

Álvarez was unjustly accused of treason and sentenced to 26 years and four months in prison following a trial riddled with irregularities before being deported in January 2024.

Báez said he suffered "greatly over the tragedy Rolando went through in Nicaragua, and I find satisfaction in the fact that besides praying for him every day, I also did everything within my power. I raised my voice in various U.S. states and with different media outlets" so that "he would not suffer in prison and would be released."

A bishop in exile

Reflecting on Pope Francis' decision that Báez should leave Nicaragua in 2019, the bishop admitted that accepting it "was very painful. I argued with Pope Francis at length, but he was convinced it was for the best."

"He told me, 'I don't want another martyr bishop in Central America.' He took me by the arm there in Rome and said, 'Listen to me; I know what I'm talking about.' After a long discussion, I finally realized there was no point in arguing with the Holy Father, and I recognized the affection and kindness with which he was trying to save me from an attack and a death that were highly likely," he recounted.

Regarding his ministry while in exile, Báez said that "it is a challenge to pastoral creativity. You are where your heart is, not where your feet are. And I have discovered during these years of exile that not being physically present does not necessarily mean being far away."

One example of this work is that, on the last Monday of every month, more than 200 exiled Nicaraguan priests meet via Zoom, a gathering he said that has the approval of Pope Leo XIV and in which another exiled bishop, Carlos Enrique Herrera, president of the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference, also participates.

"It's the clergy in exile, but that is one of the dimensions in which I carry out my episcopal ministry of being close to the priests," he stated.

Pope Leo XIV and hope for Nicaragua

In August 2025, Pope Leo XIV met with exiled bishops, including Báez, who stated that the Holy Father "has a very detailed knowledge of the situation in Nicaragua. He knows what is going on, he knows the situation of the Church, he was aware of our own situation, and I believe he is going to make decisions."

"Pope Leo is very thoughtful; he is a man of God and deeply spiritual. He is a wise man who knows how to listen and does not let himself be guided by impulse. I am certain that Nicaragua, the Church in Nicaragua, the priests, and the bishops, are in his mind and in his heart," the prelate stated.

The bishop acknowledged that, given the climate of persecution in Nicaragua, he has at times felt afraid, but he said the important thing is to take action and not let "fear paralyze or silence you."

"Sometimes, fear also helps us perceive things more clearly. The important thing is that it doesn't hold you back," he added.

The prelate stressed that the source of hope is faith in God: "When all paths are closed, when everything seems dark, faith in God gives you the inner strength to say, 'No, it's not all over.' A new beginning is possible, one that is brighter than discouragement or sadness; we must not let fear block us, hem us in, cause us to give up, or silence our voices."

Báez said he believes change in Nicaragua depends on the people who are still there and that he dreams of a country where "we can share our ideas and our resources without fear, and in a spirit of solidarity and fairness; where we can build a homeland where no one feels excluded, where thinking differently is not a crime; a country with true peace founded on social justice."

"And I believe," he affirmed, "that it is possible. I am certain we will achieve it."

"The homeland lives in your heart. And I love Nicaragua."

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.

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