Catholic News

EWTN News has released a new documentary shedding light on Christianity in Algeria, exploring its deep historical roots, the challenges Christians face in a Muslim-majority country, and the quiet yet resilient faith witness of Christians there.

The documentary, "Christianity in Algeria: Walking a Fine Line," produced by journalist Colm Flynn, takes viewers on a journey from Annaba to Constantine, Oran, and Algiers telling the story of Christianity through the country's people, places, and realities of daily life.

The film opens to the sound of hymns and church bells, capturing what it calls "rare moments" from the Mass for the episcopal ordination and installation of Michel Guillaud as the new bishop of the Diocese of Constantine toward the end of 2025. The ceremony took place at the Basilica of St. Augustine, which stands majestically above the ancient site of Hippo in Annaba, attended by Christian faithful as well as Muslim imams.

St. Augustine: A living presence

The documentary takes viewers to the archaeological remains of ancient Hippo, which has Christian roots dating back to the second century and flourished as one of the most important Christian cities of the Roman Empire, particularly during the time of its bishop, St. Augustine (354–430). Hippo's Christian ruins and heritage remain a subject of research and excavation by Algerian universities.

The film also highlights the beauty of the Basilica of St. Augustine, built in the early 20th century as a place of prayer for European pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. Its architecture blends European and local styles, while its stained-glass windows recount the life of St. Augustine in vivid detail.

At the same time, the documentary notes the absence of Algerians among the three Augustinian friars currently serving the basilica — and more broadly within the clergy in Algeria — a reflection of the scarcity of vocations in a country where Muslims make up approximately 98% of the population.

An ongoing dialogue

During a visit to the Abu Marwan al-Sharif Mosque in Annaba, the imam spoke about the importance of dialogue and rejecting extremism, describing the site — once a place of prayer for St. Augustine — as a symbol of the continuing encounter between followers of different faiths.

The Emir Abdelkader Mosque in Constantine, one of Africa's largest mosques, also features prominently with its striking architecture.

Challenges and constraints

Guillaud explains in the documentary that Algeria's dioceses suffer from wide geographic dispersion, with distances of nearly 100 kilometers (just over 62 miles) separating some communities, as well as cultural and linguistic diversity among the faithful, many of whom are students or workers from various African countries.

Outside a small number of churches, there are few dedicated church buildings in the traditional sense, and many communities gather for prayer in adapted rooms. Due to the shortage of priests, Mass may be celebrated only twice a month in some places.

Given the criminalization of proselytism, the Church in Algeria emphasizes that it does not seek to convert others. "We are here to support Christian believers and to build bridges of fraternity between Muslims and Christians," Guillaud says, stressing that the Gospel is proclaimed through good works, service to the sick and the poor, and a lived witness of faith.

While the country respects freedom of belief and does not criminalize apostasy from Islam, converts to Christianity often face social pressure and harassment. For this reason, the documentary team was unable to secure an interview with Algerian converts who wished to remain anonymous, despite assurances that their identities would be protected.

One exception is Karim Kakar, a man in his 30s, who agreed to speak on camera and shared his experience of embracing Christianity as "a grace from God," recounting the social rejection and family pressure faced by him and others like him.

Witnesses of faith

In Oran, Algeria's second-largest city, the former Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, once one of the city's most prominent Christian landmarks, has been converted into a public library, though a towering statue of the Virgin Mary still recalls the city's Christian past.

Elsewhere, testimonies of faith continue. At the convent of the Little Sisters of the Poor, nuns care for dozens of elderly men and women, most of whom are Muslim. A small mosque even stands within the convent grounds to serve them.

The documentary also features Bishop Davide Carraro, who speaks of the resilience of the Church in Algeria. He serves as bishop of Oran following his predecessor, Pierre Claverie, who was assassinated by Islamist extremists in 1996.

Carraro reflects on how the presence of some 300 faithful in what he calls a "listening Church," surrounded by millions of Muslims, helps Christians deepen their faith.

In Algiers, Augustinian sisters bear witness through their work nursing the sick in hospitals. They chose not to leave the country during its darkest moments, continuing their service even after losing two of their sisters to violence.

The 'Black Decade'

The documentary also recalls Algeria's traumatic experience with extremist violence during the 1990s, known as the "Black Decade," when nearly 200,000 civilians were killed, including Christian clergy and Muslims alike. It notes the government's efforts to dismantle extremist groups and its determination to prevent their return.

'Bishop of all Algerians'

Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, archbishop of Algiers, says he does not see himself as the bishop of Christians alone but of all Algerians. He emphasized that the Church does not seek to convert the Muslim majority but rather "to show the world that we worship the same God and can be brothers and sisters."

An inspiring experience

For his part, Flynn described his experience working on the documentary in Algeria as both inspiring and humbling.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, he said it made him realize "how simple it is for us to practice our faith in our own countries, compared with the great effort required to do the same there." He praised the Catholic Church's commitment to preserving its presence and witness in Algeria.

The documentary can be viewed here:

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Jimmy Lai's family is calling on national leaders to help free the Catholic pro-democracy activist after he received a 20-year prison sentence from a Hong Kong high court.

"The life expectancy of the average male in Hong Kong is 83. My father was handed a 20-year sentence. He is five years from 83. Just looking at this objectively, this has to be solved, sovereign to sovereign," Claire Lai, Jimmy Lai's daughter, said during a Feb. 9 press conference.

Jimmy Lai, founder and publisher of the outspoken pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, was sentenced on Feb. 9 over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations. The sentencing follows Lai's December conviction, which ended what Lai's defenders have described as a politically motivated show trial.

Following the announcement, national leaders, lawmakers, and Lai's family have spoken out about the court's decision.

"Every time when the Hong Kong government could have done the right thing, they decided not to," Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai's son, said during the press conference. "It took decades and decades to build up the Hong Kong legal system to what it was, the respect that it had internationally. Within five years, this government essentially managed to destroy it."

Hearing the sentence was "horrible," Sebastien said. "Even though you expect this sentence to come, you're still devastated by it," he said.

The decades-long sentence is "essentially tantamount to a life sentence" or "a death sentence, because in the conditions that my father is being kept in, I don't know if he even has a tenth of that," Sebastien said.

At the sentencing hearing, Jimmy Lai "was stoic and he smiled almost as an act of defiance" to the "horrible people who are doing … horrible things," Sebastien said. "It makes me remember one quote that Apple Daily had in its inaugural edition, and it says, 'Are we not afraid of the handover in 1997? Of course, we're afraid, but we refuse to be intimidated by fear.'"

"People who do amazing things like my father has done, courageous things, they feel like everybody else, but they refuse to be intimidated by fear," Sebastien said. "Still to this day, he is still refusing to be intimidated by fear."

Jimmy Lai "knows that he gave his all for his beliefs, for freedom, for democracy, for the people of Hong Kong, until there was no more to give," Sebastien said. "You can't control what these bullies, these horrible people do to you. You control what you do. And he has done that. And it's incredible. It's incredible that he's still holding strong."

"If you live always deterred by fear, you don't really live at all," Claire Lai said. "But my father, he always knew that, he always trusted in divine providence from the very first day of his arrest up until most recently. He knew that he was in God's good hands, and he fully trusted that."

'Another solution' needed for a release

President Donald Trump "has said multiple times that this is a case that he cares about. He's mentioned it to Xi Jinping already," Sebastien said.

Trump is scheduled to go to China and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April. The visit "will obviously be crucial," Sebastien said. "And hopefully my father will still be OK health-wise until that point."

"We're hopeful that now that the sentence is in, that we can move on to hopefully a political, diplomatic, solution for his release, and hopefully, our father will be back with us in the not-too-distant future," Claire said during a Feb. 9 interview with "EWTN News Nightly."

"I think we recognized quite a while ago that the rule of law in Hong Kong no longer exists and that the system is broken … that's why we have to look for another solution," she said.

Claire detailed the "huge amount of support" her family has received, including national support from the U.K. and in the U.S. "from both sides of the political aisle."

"President Trump has mentioned my father on multiple occasions," Claire said. "Him and his administration have a proven track record of freeing the unjustly detained. So … we are hopeful that our father is next."

The family hopes Jimmy can be released as soon as possible as his health declines. Claire detailed her father's health has "deteriorated over the last five years." She specifically highlighted his diabetes, failing eyesight and hearing, infections, and heart issues.

"We are extremely worried," she said. "And just the conditions in which he's kept are also getting worse. He doesn't have any access to natural sunlight. He doesn't have any access to fresh air."

Amid his declining health and time in prison, Jimmy continues to be "sustained by" prayers, Claire said.

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Pope Leo XIV has indicated he will visit Sydney in the spring of 2028 to preside over the International Eucharistic Congress, Bishop Richard Umbers, CEO of the organizing body, announced Feb. 9.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invited the pope to visit Sydney for the International Eucharistic Congress on the day after his installation in May 2025. Since Pope Leo is the head of a foreign government, the Holy See, diplomatic protocol requires that the Australian government extend a formal invitation and that he respond to it.

In the strongest indication yet that the pope will come to Sydney, Pope Leo told Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher of his intention to attend the International Eucharistic Congress.

Umbers, CEO of Eucharist28, told a Feb. 9 press conference at St. Mary's Cathedral: "Archbishop Anthony Fisher was in Rome speaking to Pope Leo. He said to him, 'Look, we're counting down the days for you to come to the International Eucharistic Congress, which will be held here in 2028' and the pope said, 'Well, it's still a way off, but I'll be there.'"

The year 2028 will mark the 100th anniversary of Australia's first International Eucharistic Congress — in Melbourne in 1928. Melbourne also hosted the quadrennial event in 1973. That congress was attended by two saints — Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, now St. John Paul II, and Mother Teresa, now St. Teresa of Calcutta.

With the massive event still two-and-a-half years away, many logistical issues still need to be resolved. But Umbers sketched out the International Eucharistic Congress' main features.

"The congress itself will be run for a week. There'll be an opening Mass," he said.

"And then one would expect, if the pope is able to make it, which we really hope he does, in the latter part of that week he will be involved in a very, very long and large Eucharistic procession, which will be very exciting.

"And then there will be a final Mass. As we've seen with previous papal visits, it also brings people all over the world."

Umbers was reluctant to forecast attendance at the final Mass. But he said: "Given that there are 5 million Catholics in Australia, we expect hundreds of thousands to attend the Mass and to be at the conference and many to come from overseas."

A visit in 2028 will be the fifth time that a reigning pope has visited Australia. Pope Paul VI was the first, in 1970. Pope John Paul II visited twice — in 1986 and in 1995, when he beatified Mother Mary MacKillop. Benedict XVI came to Sydney for World Youth Day in 2008. All of them said Mass at Randwick Racecourse. In 2008, 400,000 attended the Mass — the largest crowd in Australia's history.

Of course, the most important metrics are the spiritual ones, Umbers emphasized.

"We hope that Eucharist28 will invigorate people in their faith, to appreciate the presence of Jesus among us, and through spiritual conversion, return to their parish renewed and on fire with love for the Lord."

In practical terms, this hopefully means a substantial uptick in Sunday Mass attendance.

"All Catholics are invited to Sunday Mass," Umbers told The Catholic Weekly, "and we would love to see more. We would love to see everyone in church. All are welcome!"

The presence of Pope Leo XIV should make the event even more attractive. "It will be a tremendous boost to the faith of the faithful and to seekers," Umbers said, "because the opportunity it presents to hear directly from the successor of Peter will move hearts with the help of the Holy Spirit."

As Father Robert Prevost, the pope visited Australia several times. "He knows that it is a place where there are many Catholics from communities that represent the whole world," Umbers said. "And this will be an opportunity to speak to the world of the saving message of Jesus Christ."

While dates are yet to be announced, there has been some suggestion that Eucharist28 could coincide with the Rugby League Grand Final.

But Umbers is optimistic that this logistical wrinkle can be ironed out. "Sydney is a great international city, and will do everything we can to facilitate attendance at the Mass. A lot of Catholics love their footy — and if the Doggies were to make it into the Grand Final, I could have trouble trying to get some of my priests along to the final Mass," he quipped.

This story was first published by The Catholic Weekly and has been adapted and reprinted by EWTN News with permission.

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New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch is naming Cardinal Timothy Dolan to co-lead the NYPD's chaplain's unit.

Dolan, who recently retired as archbishop of New York, will serve alongside Rev. A.R. Bernard, pastor and founder of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, according to a Feb. 9 press release from the archdiocese. 

Tisch is expected to announce the appointment during her Feb. 10 "State of the NYPD" address.

"For more than a century, our Chaplains Unit has made sure that our officers never have to carry the tremendous weight of their work alone. They've helped officers find their better angels and remember the calling that lives at the heart of this work," Tisch said in a statement.

Tisch, who is Jewish, said that when contemplating whom she might choose to fill the role, "one word kept coming to mind — 'tzadik,' a person of righteousness."

"Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Rev. A.R. Bernard are two of the most righteous people this city has ever known," she said. "They are two men of incredible faith whose lives and leadership embody the moral clarity, compassion, and wisdom our officers rely on in their hardest moments."

Tisch commended both faith leaders for helping to "shape the spiritual life of this city through leadership that reaches far beyond their pulpits."

"Their decision to serve the NYPD speaks to something enduring between faith and policing, and to the place the chief chaplain role has long held in the lives of the men and women who wear the shield," she added.

Dolan and Bernard will replace longtime Chief Chaplain Rabbi Alvin Kass, who died in October 2025.

News of Dolan's appointment comes days after the installation of New York City's new archbishop, Ronald Hicks, on Feb. 6. Dolan's resignation was accepted by Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 18, 2025.

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In spite of opposition from Catholic bishops and patient advocate groups, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Feb. 6 signed a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in the Empire State.

Assisted suicide is already legal in California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Washington, D.C.

Hochul, a Catholic, had already announced she would sign the bill once "guardrails" were added — specifically, laws to allow faith-based hospice providers to opt out of offering assisted suicide.

The Catholic bishops had urged Hochul not to pass the bill, saying that it undermined her own work on anti-suicide programs.

"How can any society have credibility to tell young people or people with depression that suicide is never the answer, while at the same time telling elderly and sick people that it is a compassionate choice to be celebrated?" the bishops said in a recent statement.

The Catholic Church is outspokenly opposed to euthanasia and assisted suicide. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Church condemns assisted suicide and euthanasia, instead encouraging palliative care, which means supporting patients with pain management and care as the end of their lives approaches. Additionally, the Church advocates for a "special respect" for anyone with a disability or serious health condition (CCC, 2276).

Any action or lack of action that intentionally "causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator" (CCC, 2277).

"We call on Catholics and all New Yorkers to reject physician-assisted suicide for themselves, their loved ones, and those in their care," the bishops continued. "And we pray that our state turn away from its promotion of a culture of death and invest instead in life-affirming, compassionate hospice and palliative care, which is seriously underutilized."

"While physician-assisted suicide will soon be legal here in New York, we must clearly reiterate that it is in direct conflict with Catholic teaching on the sacredness and dignity of all human life from conception until natural death and is a grave moral evil on par with other direct attacks on human life," the New York bishops said.

Hochul said the law, which goes into effect 180 days after its signing, gives New Yorkers "the choice to endure less suffering."

"Our state will always stand firm in safeguarding New Yorkers' freedoms and right to bodily autonomy, which includes the right for the terminally ill to peacefully and comfortably end their lives with dignity and compassion," Hochul said in the Feb. 6 statement.

"I firmly believe we made the right decision," she concluded.

A national disability rights group, the Patients' Rights Action Fund, along with the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide, advocated against the law.

Jessica Rodgers, a spokeswoman for the Patients Rights Action Fund, urged those behind the new law "to reexamine your consciences."

"New York's assisted suicide law will turn some doctors and pharmacists into executioners," Rodgers said in a statement shared with EWTN News. "It will turn coroners into liars by requiring them to provide false information about the cause of death for each person who chooses assisted suicide."

Rodgers noted that the bill "will do nothing to address New York's low rates of hospice care use."

"Instead of doing the difficult work of making hospice care more accessible and helping to ease the pain of terminal illnesses, the governor has chosen to enact a law that will, likely, result in some New Yorkers' premature deaths," she said.

"It will stigmatize and endanger the terminally ill, whose lives are deemed of so little worth by our governor that other New Yorkers will now be allowed to help them expedite their own deaths," Rodgers continued.

"It will encourage vulnerable people to view suicide as a legitimate response to suffering of all kinds; it could even raise the overall suicide rate," she said. "It opens the door to future expansions of doctor-assisted death, like those we have seen in Canada in recent years."

"Finally, it willfully ignores the fact that physicians' estimates of their patients' life expectancies can be mistaken, and that such mistakes could lead people to choose assisted suicide when they could otherwise have gone on living for years," Rodgers concluded.

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"The Hong Kong High Court's decision to sentence Jimmy Lai to 20 years is an unjust and tragic conclusion to this case," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Feb. 9 statement.

Jimmy Lai, Catholic entrepreneur and media tycoon, was sentenced on Feb. 9 to 20 years in prison over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations.

The sentencing comes after Lai's December 2025 conviction, which ended several years of what advocates have described as a politically motivated show trial. Lai, founder and publisher of the outspoken pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, was first arrested in 2020 after alleged violations of Chinese national security policy.

Lai's ongoing case has drawn support from lawmakers, activists, religious leaders, and political leaders around the world including President Donald Trump, who has advocated for Lai's release and reportedly spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the issue in October 2025.

The sentencing "shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, casting aside the international commitments Beijing made in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration," Rubio said.

The joint treaty was signed by the U.K. and China establishing the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from Britain to the People's Republic of China. It guaranteed Hong Kong a "high degree of autonomy" to maintain its capitalist system and freedoms.

"After enduring a trial lasting two years, and detention in prison for more than five, Mr. Lai and his family have suffered enough," Rubio said. "The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole."

Catholic Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, also condemned the "unconscionable" 20-year sentence.

Smith has been a prominent voice in promoting Lai's cause by authoring legislation and chairing numerous congressional hearings to raise awareness of his case and call for his release.

"Jimmy Lai is a man of faith and conscientious conviction, and he should be released immediately. Despite — or perhaps in spite of — his life's work as a legendary entrepreneur and a lion of free speech, Jimmy has been unjustly prosecuted and persecuted by functionaries who, for all purposes, are lackeys of the Chinese Communist Party," Smith said in a statement.

"President Trump has spoken eloquently on his behalf, and I ask the president to continue to prioritize Jimmy Lai's release, as well as the releases of Americans unjustly detained in China. Jimmy's poor health, due to his advanced age and mistreatment in prison, only underscores the necessity of his prompt release on humanitarian grounds," Smith said.

Smith emphasized that "time is of the essence" and said the U.S. "must use all diplomatic and economic tools at its disposal to advocate for the release of heroes like Jimmy Lai."

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, who has also been a longtime advocate of Lai's, said the sentencing was "for the 'crime' of journalism." It "should put to rest any illusion that the Chinese government will relent until it exercises total control over the people of Hong Kong," he said in a statement.

"This sham trial, carried out via Hong Kong officials acting on China's behalf, is an attempt by the Chinese government to extinguish press freedom, an effort that will never succeed as long as there are people like Lai who are brave enough to risk everything to speak the truth," he said.

"There can be no business as usual while the Chinese government continues its campaign of brutal oppression against Hong Kongers. That includes Beijing's reliance on institutions such as Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) to surveil political activism and push Chinese government propaganda in the United States," he said.

"Republicans and Democrats must stand united in the defense of the people of Hong Kong," Merkley said. The senator is working to pass a measure to "impose real consequences on China — including the potential removal of diplomatic privileges from HKETOs — as a meaningful response to destroying Hong Kong's autonomy."

The U.S. "must signal unequivocally that Beijing's crackdown in Hong Kong is unacceptable," Merkley said. "We will never abandon those fighting for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law."

Lai's team: 'The situation could not be more urgent'

Lai's international team has also spoken out following the sentencing, calling attention to the lack of rule of law in Hong Kong.

"Today marks the final blow to the rule of law in Hong Kong," said Caoilfhionn Gallagher, lead counsel of Lai's international legal team, in a press release. "Sentencing Jimmy Lai — already aged 78 — to two decades behind bars is an affront to justice and the culmination of over five years of malicious lawfare against a courageous, elderly British citizen and prisoner of conscience."

"Now that this sham trial is finally over, we call on leaders from around the world to speak with one voice in their demand for China to free Jimmy Lai so he can come home to his family in London at last," she said.

"Also sentenced today was the company itself, the company through which Apple Daily, the newspaper, was run so successfully for so long, and the other digital media outlets Mr. Lai founded and ran in Hong Kong," Jonathan Price, human rights barrister with the international legal team for Jimmy Lai, said during a Feb. 9 press conference.

"Those companies were fined 3 million Hong Kong dollars, despite the court acknowledging that they were insolvent and they have no means of paying it. What that demonstrates is the total destruction of press freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong," he said.

"Sentencing sends a crystal clear message that … lawful dissent in Hong Kong will no longer be tolerated. Twenty years is a very long time in anyone's life. Mr. Lai … is 78 years old. His health is rapidly failing. The situation could not be more urgent," he said.

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U.S. Catholic bishops condemned President Donald Trump's social media post that showed the faces of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama superimposed on cartoon apes.

Trump has since deleted the Feb. 5 Truth Social post, said he did not intend to post a depiction of the Obamas as apes, and condemned the racist part of the video. He refused to apologize for posting it.

In a statement by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on X, Bishop Daniel Garcia, chair of the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, said he was "glad to see that the egregious post has been taken down" and reposted part of the USCCB's 2018 pastoral letter against racism.

"Every racist act — every such comment, every joke, every disparaging look as a reaction to the color of skin, ethnicity, or place of origin — is a failure to acknowledge another person as a brother or sister, created in the image of God," the 2018 statement said.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, issued a statement Feb. 9 calling on Trump to immediately issue an apology, regardless of whether it was intentional, saying the post showed that "such blatant racism is not merely a practice of the past."

"Either way he should apologize," he said. "Our shock is real. So is our outrage. Nothing less than an unequivocal apology — to the nation and to the persons demeaned — is acceptable. And it must come immediately."

Cupich said the trope of "portraying human beings as animals — less than human — is not new" and that it was commonly used to "demean immigrant groups." He said it "immunized the national conscience when we turned away shiploads of refugees, lynched thousands, and doomed generations to poverty."

"If the president intentionally approved the message containing viciously racist images, he should admit it. If he did not know of it originally, he should explain why he let his staff describe the public outcry over their transmission as fake outrage," Cupich said.

Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger issued a statement calling the depiction "a racist meme" and said it's "disturbing" if either Trump or a staff member views racist memes "as humorous or appropriate expressions of political discourse."

"They are deeply offensive and must be condemned in the strongest terms," he said. "I join my voice to the many calling for a public apology with full acceptance of responsibility, and I also bristle at claims from the White House that the rage many of us feel is 'fake.'"

"Beyond the necessary apology, I also believe that we all must examine our conscience, individually and collectively," he said. "We need to recognize and acknowledge how prevalent racism continues to be in our society and commit ourselves to vigilance in counteracting its harm."

Sister Josephine Garrett of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth posted on Instagram that the depiction is "an age-old racist trope" and said "what a time to be alive," in reference to the president posting it on social media.

Garrett, who is Black, said she is not Democrat or Republican and posted a photo of Barack and Michelle Obama, saying: "Since these faces will be degraded in the timelines today, I'm adding something to the timeline that honors the dignity of this couple and their family — and also, it's Black History Month."

The Ancient Order of Hibernians, an Irish-American Catholic fraternal organization, also issued a statement against Trump's social media post, saying: "We recognize this tactic because it was used against us as Irish Americans."

"The claim that this video was merely an 'internet meme' or that critics were engaging in 'fake outrage' is both morally bankrupt and historically ignorant," the statement said. "There is nothing lighthearted about reducing any people to apes. This imagery has been used for centuries as a tool of oppression, designed to dehumanize and justify subjugation. It is not humor; it is bigotry."

Trump's social media post

Late Thursday, Feb. 5, around 11:45 p.m. ET, Trump posted a video that was one minute and two seconds long.

The bulk of the video reiterated claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. At the 59-second mark, it depicts the Obamas as apes.

When reporters asked him about it, Trump said: "I just looked at the first part" about voter fraud and "I didn't see the whole thing." When asked whether he condemns the racist part of the video, he said "of course I do."

"I guess during the end of it, there was some picture that people don't like," he said. "I wouldn't like it either, but I didn't see it."

Trump refused to apologize for the post when asked, saying: "No; I didn't make a mistake." He said he looks at "thousands of things" and only "looked at the beginning of it [and that part] was fine."

The Obamas have not publicly commented on the video.

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Pope Leo XIV approved the new statutes of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, an organization founded 80 years ago to promote and coordinate Mariological and Marian studies worldwide.

According to the Vatican Press Office, the Holy Father approved the new statutes during an audience with Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, substitute for general affairs of the Secretariat of State.

The updating of the statutes is intended to adapt the academy's organization to the development of its mission and to the current structure of the institutions of the Roman Curia.

The Pontifical International Marian Academy was founded in 1946 by the Order of Friars Minor together with the Franciscan Marian Commission, institutions entrusted to the direction of the priest who inspired them, Father Charles Balic, then-rector magnificus (highest official) of the Pontifical Antonianum University and holder of the chair of Mariology.

Since 1950, the Holy See has entrusted the Marian Academy with the organization of the International Mariological-Marian Congresses.

In 1959, Pope John XXIII, recognizing that the academy, through its activities, had contributed to the progress of Marian doctrine and piety, added the title of "Pontifical."

Originally dependent on the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, it now falls under the Dicastery for Culture and Education, following the reform implemented by Pope Francis with the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium.

The new statutes consist of a preamble and 22 articles. Article 4 specifies that the academy "has the task of promoting and supporting Mariological-Marian research at all levels and of coordinating its studies within the context of an ever-renewed evangelization, taking into account the language of different cultures and the Marian manifestations specific to each people," with a view to fostering "sound popular piety and avoiding any form of maximalism or minimalism."

The academy's ordinary members cannot exceed 90 in number and may include nonbelievers and representatives of other religions and other Christian communities.

The academy is headed by the president, appointed by the pope, assisted by the council, which in turn is composed of the secretary, the treasurer — these two appointed by the minister general of the Order of Friars Minor — the director of the office of promotion and development, and seven members elected from among the ordinary members.

The appointment of ordinary members requires authorization from the Secretariat of State. Upon reaching the age of 75, they become emeritus members.

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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The Holy See has officially informed Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, that the cause for the Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen can proceed to beatification, according to an announcement from the diocese.

"The next step in the process is the celebration of the beatification, in which Fulton Sheen would be declared Blessed," Tylka said. "Archbishop Fulton Sheen was one of the greatest voices of evangelization in the Church and the world in the 20th century. I have long admired his lifelong commitment to serve the Church as a priest, rooted in his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist."

"As he journeyed through the different stages of his life, his ability to share the Gospel and truly relate to people drew countless souls into an encounter with Jesus — one that transformed not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of those he touched."

"In his later years, particularly through his work for the Missions, Archbishop Sheen helped us recognize that the Church is meant for all people. He reminded us that as members of the Church, we are called to serve everyone, especially those most in need and those longing to hear and experience the Gospel, wherever they may be in the world," he said.

Tylka thanked the Holy See, his brother bishops, clergy, and laypeople for the collaboration and prayers that led to Sheen's beatification, which will be "a special blessing for the Church in the United States, where he was a powerful evangelist on radio, television, and in personal appearances."

The Diocese of Peoria is working with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican to determine the details for the upcoming beatification.

Fulton Sheen

Peter John Sheen was born in El Paso, Illinois, on May 8, 1895, and was called "Fulton" in honor of his mother's maiden name. Sheen was ordained a priest of the Peoria Diocese on Sept. 20, 1919. On June 11, 1951, he was consecrated as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York and remained in the position until 1966. He was then named the bishop of Rochester, New York, until his retirement in 1969 at the age of 74.

Tylka has previously called Sheen a "trailblazer" due to his Emmy-winning television show "Life Is Worth Living." The show aired on television from 1952 until 1957, discussing morality and Catholicism.

Sheen "reached millions of people because of [the show]," Tylka said. "He was so far ahead of his time in that reality that we take for granted today."

Sheen died due to heart disease on Dec. 9, 1979, the feast of St. Juan Diego.

Road to beatification

Although Sheen is to be beatified, the process leading to the milestone has been marked by many challenges and delays.

The televangelist's cause for canonization was first opened in 2002 under the leadership of the Diocese of Peoria, and from then on he was referred to as a servant of God. Pope Benedict XVI declared him venerable in June 2012.

On March 6, 2014, the board of medical experts who advise the then-Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously approved a reported miracle attributed to his intercession. Parents of a stillborn baby, James Fulton, prayed through the intercession of Sheen and their son miraculously recovered.

On June 17, 2014, the seven-member theological commission that advises the congregation unanimously agreed with the medical team's finding.

In September 2014, Sheen's cause was suspended due to an ownership dispute of his remains. The suspension was announced "with sadness" in a statement by then-bishop of Peoria Daniel R. Jenky, president of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation.

Explaining how the Holy See "expected that the remains of Venerable Sheen would be moved to Peoria where official inspection would be made and first-class relics be taken," the statement said that the Archdiocese of New York had denied Jenky's request to move the body to Peoria.

Finally in March 2019, a New York appeals court unanimously ruled that the earthly remains of Sheen could be moved to St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria. The following June, his body was transferred to St. Mary's Cathedral after three years of litigation, helping to clear the way for the archbishop's sainthood cause to go forward.

Pope Francis approved of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Sheen on July 5, 2019. Sheen was set to be beatified on Dec. 21, 2019, but the beatification experienced a delay.

Bishop Salvatore Matano of Rochester reportedly requested the delay of Sheen's beatification due to concerns that he could be named in the final report of an ongoing investigation into clergy sex abuse in New York.

The situation was later cleared up and it was reported the delay was not related to the 2007 allegation that Sheen witnessed and covered up an act of clerical sexual abuse. The Diocese of Peoria issued an announcement that said "it has been demonstrated definitively that [Sheen] was an exemplary model of Christian conduct and a model of leadership in the Church. At no time has his life of virtue ever been called into question."

The diocese said the beatification would be delayed so that more time can be given to examine Sheen's life. It further called the delay "unfortunate," because "there continue to be many miracles reported through Sheen's intercession."

Despite the delays, proponents of the beatification continued to work to advance the cause. In May 2025 Tylka reiterated his intention to advocate for the beatification process with Pope Leo XIV.

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Pope Leo XIV expressed sorrow and prayerful closeness for victims of recent violent attacks in Nigeria on Sunday, calling on authorities to ensure the protection of every citizen.

Speaking after the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 8, the pope said: "It is with sorrow and concern that I learned of the recent attacks against various communities in Nigeria leading to a heavy loss of life. I express my prayerful closeness to all the victims of violence and terrorism."

According to reports cited by the Vatican agency Fides, armed groups had carried out a series of attacks in recent days in several Nigerian states, including Kaduna and Niger. The assaults included killings, kidnappings, the burning of police stations, attacks on churches and diocesan structures, and the vandalism of a Catholic clinic, forcing many residents to flee. Among those kidnapped was Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, parish priest of Holy Trinity Parish in Karku. The Diocese of Kafanchan confirmed the abduction and entrusted the captives "to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their safe return."

Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV focused on the Gospel passage in which Jesus called his disciples "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world," linking it to the theme of authentic Christian joy.

"Indeed, it is genuine joy that gives flavor to life and brings to light something that was not there before," the pope said. "This joy springs from a way of life, a way of inhabiting the earth and of living together that must be desired and chosen. It is the life that shines in Jesus, the new flavor of his words and deeds."

After encountering Christ, he explained, "those who would distance themselves from all this seem bland and dull," referring to Jesus' poverty of spirit, meekness and simplicity of heart, and hunger and thirst for justice that unlock mercy and peace as forces of transformation and reconciliation.

Acknowledging human frailty, Pope Leo XIV said: "Indeed, it is painful to lose flavor and give up joy; yet it is possible to have this wound in one's heart." Yet Jesus, he noted, warned believers not to surrender to discouragement, reminding them that God never discards anyone. "Every wound, even the deepest, will be healed by welcoming the word of the Beatitudes and setting us back on the path of the Gospel."

The pope emphasized that concrete acts of charity and attention to others rekindled joy, while remaining rooted in the Eucharist. The "true flavor," he said, was found "every Sunday in the Bread that is broken, which is a life given and a silent love."

After the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV also recalled the beatification of Father Salvatore Valera Parra in Huércal-Overa, Spain, praising him as "a parish priest completely devoted to his people, humble and generous in pastoral charity." His example, the pope said, could inspire today's priests "to be faithful in living each day with simplicity and asceticism."

Marking the memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita, the pope noted that the Church also celebrated the World Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Human Trafficking. "I thank the religious and all those who are committed to combating and eliminating current forms of slavery," he said. "Together with them, I say: Peace begins with dignity!"

Pope Leo XIV also assured prayers for communities affected by floods and landslides in Portugal, Morocco, Spain — especially Grazalema in Andalusia — and southern Italy, particularly Niscemi in Sicily, encouraging them to remain united and supportive under the protection of the Virgin Mary.

Concluding his remarks, the pope urged continued prayer for peace: "History teaches us that strategies of economic and military power do not give humanity a future. The future lies in respect and fraternity among peoples."

This story was first published in two parts 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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