Catholic News

Student debt almost prevented Sister Ann Dominic Mahowald from pursuing her vocation with the Dominicans.

When someone becomes a religious, he or she no longer receives an income, making it impossible to maintain student loan payments that can span decades. Fund for Vocations offers a solution.

Founded in 2004 by Corey and Katherine Huber, the organization now offers two programs: the long-standing St. Joseph Grant Program, which covers student loan debt, and the recently launched "DAD Fund" (Discretionary Anti-Discouragement Fund).

While the St. Joseph program handles monthly tuition payments, the DAD Fund takes on the smaller costs of discernment — what Fund for Vocations spokesperson Annie Ryland described as "hidden financial barriers to religious vocations." The DAD Fund provides grants of $5,000 or $10,000 directly to religious communities to support discerners.

For instance, Mahowald, now a board member of Fund for Vocations, told the group how she had needed to ask her parish to sponsor her airfare to visit the Nashville Dominicans when she was discerning.

"We asked ourselves, 'How many young people are getting stuck at that stage of discernment? Not being able to fly to the discernment retreat and quietly giving up?'" Ryland told EWTN News.

"Expenses like travel for 'Come and See' visits, psychological evaluations, or temporary health insurance can total several thousands of dollars, and that's all before candidates even enter novitiate," Ryland added.

Eleven religious communities have already reached out to Fund for Vocations for funds "to support the new discerners," according to Ryland.

"The goal of the DAD Fund is to ensure that these smaller financial barriers do not delay or discourage men and women who are already showing great courage in sincerely exploring a vocation," Ryland continued.

Work of renewal

In recent years, the Catholic Church has seen a worldwide decline in the number of priests and seminarians. The number of religious sisters has plummeted since 1965, with an 82% decrease over the past 60 years.

But religious and priests are vital to the life of the Church.

"Every vocation is a gift to the Church," Mary Radford, executive director of the Fund for Vocations, said in a press release shared with EWTN News. "We want to make sure that practical concerns, whether travel costs, required evaluations, or basic entry expenses, never become the reason someone hesitates to take the next step in discernment."

"Every religious vocation means a life given over to prayer and service for Christ's Church," Ryland said. "Religious serve in parishes, in schools, in medical clinics, on the streets with the homeless and suffering. They are living witness to the power of the Gospel."

"Religious also serve to remind us all of our heavenly goal. When young people see devout, joy-filled priests and sisters, they catch a glimpse of the power of God's love and are shown that the Catholic faith is worth living and dying for," Ryland said. "And of course, we all need the sacraments, so vocations to the priesthood are especially critical for the salvation of souls."

"By removing the financial obstacles that can stand in the way of a vocation, we get to play a small role in the great work of renewal and hope that God is stirring up in his Church today," Ryland said.

In the past few weeks since the new fund launched, Ryland said that "the response has been overwhelmingly grateful and positive."

"Vocations directors seem most excited about being able to assist with travel expenses for candidates who wish to attend a Come and See weekend but cannot afford the trip on their own," Ryland said.

'A late vocation'

Steven Ellison, a seminarian with the Discalced Carmelite order, describes himself as a "late vocation." Raised by a devout Protestant family, Ellison joined the Catholic Church in his early 30s in 2022.

"When the Lord first lifted the veil that covered my eyes and allowed me to see the beauty of his Church for the first time, I perceived then in a passing moment of clarity my vocation to the Discalced Carmelite order and to the priesthood," Ellison said.

He picked St. Teresa of Ávila as his confirmation sponsor, but it would be a few years before his vocation became fully clear to him.

When he began to pursue a vocation with the Carmelites, he faced the burden of student debt.

"When discerning religious life with its vow to poverty, all personal debts need to be either cleared away or assumed by a third party so that the aspiring religious can be free from financial entanglements," Ellison said.

He remembered thinking: "If the Lord removes these circumstances that appear to be obstacles and opens every door to Carmel for me then I would enter through each open door so that I might do his will."

Despite being an older candidate, at 34, the Carmelites said it would not be a barrier — but his student debt still would be.

"It was there that the Fund for Vocations and their donors became the avenue of God's grace for me," Ellison said. "In their assumption of my student loans, and in their pledge to support me throughout my formation, the final doors of entry to Carmel were opened and I was able to walk through them with confidence in the Lord because of the faithfulness of his Church."

"The Fund for Vocations became for me a reflection of the Church's goodness," Ellison said.

"The fruits have been innumerable so far, and I have grown accustomed to referring to those fruits as treasures — treasures because these gifts from the Lord seem both hidden and imperishable," he said of the vocations program.

'A life given'

Mahowald "was seriously contemplating a religious vocation," but she had a 30-year payment plan for more than $100,000 in student debt.

"I was dumbfounded by the simple fact that my Catholic education was both the reason for my deep love for Jesus and the obstacle to my pursuit of following Jesus in religious life due to the debt I had accrued," Mahowald said.

Debt can be a barrier to joining religious life, especially student debt that is designed to be paid off over decades.

"My debt was too significant for the sisters to assume so I knew that I couldn't enter until that financial difficulty was solved," Mahowald said.

"There were moments of real sadness and confusion when I didn't see how God would answer this dilemma," Mahowald said. "The Fund for Vocations was the miracle that allowed me to enter religious life at the age of 24 instead of 54."

"I applied for a grant and was eligible to enter religious life while the Fund for Vocations paid my monthly loan payments," Mahowald said. "The genius behind this model is that it gave me the freedom to discern."

"The Fund for Vocations is set up to make monthly loan payments while the candidate is in formation," Mahowald said. "If the candidate discerns to leave, he or she just picks up the next loan payment. If the candidate makes final vows then the loans are taken care of completely."

Ryland described Fund for Vocations as a "family" and "a beautiful microcosm of the generosity and love of the whole body of Christ."

"We love to see the relationships of love and prayer that develop between our supporters and our grant recipients," Ryland continued. "Supporters are like spiritual godmothers and godfathers to these young men and women. Many tell us they think of them as spiritual children."

Mahowald found the same in her experience.

"One of the fruits of being a grant recipient is that I've been adopted into a larger family," Mahowald said. "Katherine and Corey Huber, the founders of the Fund for Vocations, keep in contact with me and came to celebrate both my first and final vows. Other benefactors were placed in my life that I still keep in touch with to this day."

"Knowing that donors to the Fund for Vocations were supporting me in my vocational journey taught me that the gift of my 'yes' to God was not just for me but also for the upbuilding of the Church," Mahowald said.

'I walk the halls with saints in the making'

Mahowald now works as the assistant principal of student life and discipline at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Virginia — the same school she taught at before she became a religious sister.

"My position allows me to watch over and shape the social development of our young students," Mahowald said. "We care deeply about the formation of the whole person and desire our graduates to become disciples of Christ."

"I joke with the students that my job is to plan parties and to keep everyone safe. While I say that with a smile, it's not a bad summary of how I serve," Mahowald said.

"Working with high school students brings daily adventures, and I am certain that I walk the halls with saints in the making," Mahowald said. "God is raising up many young people who are sincerely eager to know, love, and serve him."

"I anticipate more vocations to the priesthood and religious life and therefore am so grateful that the Fund for Vocations exists so that anyone experiencing financial obstacles to religious life will not be discouraged but will instead have hope and support to be able to leave everything and follow Christ," Mahowald said.

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A newly launched Catholic group is seeking to apply the Church's teachings to the topic of animal welfare in order to counteract the "needless suffering" of animals and underscore the "inherent value" they hold.

"I believe most Catholics would be surprised, as I was, to learn about the extent of preventable animal suffering in our world today," Kristin Dunn, the founder of the Saint Francis Institute for Animals, told EWTN News.

The group launched in March and is promoting community outreach and parish partnerships in order to spread its message. It also offers a guided 30-day program of "reflections, readings, short videos, and exercises" meant to introduce Catholics to the topic of animal welfare.

Dunn said she began learning more about animal welfare more than a decade ago. She "loved dogs," she said, but had given "very little thought to other animals."

Her growing awareness of the issue was bolstered by works such as Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', which, as part of its reflections on the environment, criticized the "indifference or cruelty" humans often show toward animals.

Dunn also pointed to Catholic writer Matthew Scully's 2003 book "Dominion," which criticized "the many ways our society has turned its gaze away from animals" and allowed animal suffering to flourish.

"It's something I've felt called to start for the past decade, since learning about the issues, realizing how connected they are to my Catholic values, and knowing that other Catholics could make a tremendous impact with increased awareness," Dunn said.

The group has thus far drawn funding from small donors and has received pro-bono legal support and design assistance. Since the launch, "many Catholics have reached out sharing that they've hoped for something like this, which has been extremely encouraging," Dunn said.

'Not to hurt our humble brethren'

The institute is named for St. Francis of Assisi, who lived during the High Middle Ages and who became famous for his exhortations to treat animals kindly and respectfully.

Catholic theologians throughout the centuries have not always evinced such concern for animals. St. Augustine, for instance, largely dismissed objections to animal suffering in part by arguing that animals are "nonrational" and "do not share the use of reason with us."

St. Francis, on the other hand, argued strongly for including animals within the human moral framework. He famously wrote that "if you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."

"Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them," the saint wrote, though he advised that "to stop there is not enough" and that we must "be of service to them wherever they require it."

Pope Francis echoed those sentiments in his landmark 2015 encyclical Laudato Si'. In the document he also pointed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which, while arguing that it is "legitimate to use animals for food and clothing," stipulates that it is "contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly."

The Vatican also regularly recognizes the importance of animals within creation through a yearly blessing of the animals in St. Peter's Square.

"God cherishes his creation. He cares for the animals, the plants, because these create the conditions for life to continue and flourish, especially intelligent life, the life of humankind," Cardinal Mauro Gambetti said last year during the blessing.

Many animal advocates over the centuries have opted for vegetarianism or veganism in order to avoid any use of animals for food or other materials.

In the modern era, meanwhile, many consumers concerned about animal welfare have opted for "humane" agricultural options such as pasture-based farms rather than the intensive factory-style animal farming from which most meat comes.

Dunn said the Saint Francis Institute is "encouraging people to learn about factory farming, given what so many animals endure and given the urgent need for change."

"Our focus is on choosing plant-based foods to make the greatest impact for animals, and, within that, to take the first step," she said.

Among its other outreach efforts, "we're focused on building partnerships with parishes to share practical, meaningful ways to protect God's creatures," Dunn said.

"We can advise on straightforward changes they can make to be more animal-friendly, coordinate talks with animal experts, provide our printed brochures, and explore other ways to work together," she said.

Dunn said those uncertain of how to start advocating on behalf of animals should "learn about who the animals are — how smart, sensitive, and gentle they are."

"For example, most people don't know that pigs are known to be as intelligent as dogs. How can we treat them so differently?" she said.

She quoted Pope Francis, who in Laudato Si' wrote that if humans "feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously."

Learning about animals, Dunn said, "follows the example set by St. Francis, who saw each creature as an individual worthy of love and care."

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Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, OFM Conv, archbishop of Tehran, shared a message reflecting on his experience celebrating Easter in Rome amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

In his April 6 message published in Agenzia Fides, Mathieu emphasized that "in the communion of saints and in the grace of the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, we are truly united, even when we cannot be so visibly. ... I celebrated the Easter Vigil carrying you all in my heart: far from my flock, but precisely for this reason, in a mysterious way, close to each one of you."

Cambodia welcomes 375 new Catholics

The minority Catholic population in Cambodia has reported a surge in the number of baptisms this Easter, according to Fides News Agency.

Apostolic Prefect of Battambang Father Enrique Figaredo said 92 people were baptized in his province, while 152 catechumens were baptized in the capital city of Phnom Penh and 131 were welcomed into the Church in Kampong Cham.

"The new baptisms of young people and adults that we celebrated this year are a sign of great hope. They show that young Cambodians hear God's call and want to follow it. For our Church, they are a true source of strength and life," Figaredo said.

Filipino bishop condemns Easter ritual involving dove and balloon

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan in the Philippines reprimanded a local parish for the way it used a live dove in an Easter ritual involving a balloon, according to a Licas News report Wednesday.

The report said the bird was tied to the balloon during the ritual, causing distress to the animal, which was eventually killed.

"I was not aware that there was a subsequent practice of tying the pigeon to balloons, with its wings restrained. Had I known, I would have objected, because this is not only cruel to the animal but also harmful to the environment, especially to marine life that may ingest deflated balloons," David said after the incident drew controversy among the Philippine Animal Welfare Society.

Christians in southern Lebanon at odds with state and Hezbollah operatives

Lebanon's Christian community is reacting with growing fury after an Israeli strike killed Pierre Maouad, a Lebanese Forces official; his wife, Flavia; and their neighbor, Roula, on Easter Sunday, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News reported Tuesday.

The deaths quickly fueled accusations that Hezbollah operatives had been using civilians as cover in Christian areas, especially after conflicting accounts emerged about whether the targeted apartment had been occupied. The episode has deepened mistrust toward both Hezbollah and state institutions, with many residents dismissing the Lebanese Army's explanation of events and demanding accountability.

In several neighborhoods, the fear has translated into stricter local vigilance, new security measures, and louder calls for self-protection, as many Christians insist they are being forced to bear the cost of a war not of their making.

South Korean archdiocese launches Carlo Acutis-inspired AI initiative

The Archdiocese of Seoul has announced it will soon launch AI-integrated information services inspired by St. Carlo Acutis.

The first phase of the initiative will launch in May and will integrate data across services provided by the archdiocese, including catechism, pastoral programs, and volunteer work, with its other information systems, UCA News reported Wednesday.

The second phase will focus on the archdiocese's administrative systems from 2029–2031. The report said the initiative will also promote World Youth Day 2027, which is set to take place in Seoul.

3 Asian Church leaders appointed by pope to communications dicastery

Three prominent Asian prelates have been tapped by Pope Leo XIV to serve on the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication.

The Vatican announced Thursday the appointments of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization; Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Damão, India, and president of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences; and Bishop Marcelino Antonio M. Maralit, president of the Office of Social Communications of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences.

The Dicastery for Communication oversees the various media outlets of the Holy See, including the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican News website, Vatican Radio, Vatican Television Center, L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican.va website, and the Holy Father's X account @pontifex.

French church targeted by vandals on Holy Thursday

Vandals attacked a Catholic Church in the French city of Rosny-sous-Bois just outside of Paris, causing serious damage on Holy Thursday.

The unknown perpetrators drove a car into the Church of Saint-Laurent and vandalized the church's interior with an axe, according to an UOJ report Tuesday. The gates and doors of the church were destroyed, and the sacristy was vandalized, the report said, noting that nothing was stolen.

Religious sisters remain in Yemen amid ongoing conflict

A group of 10 sisters from the Missionaries of Charity are continuing to minister to communities in Yemen despite war and instability in the gulf region.

"The most concrete example of mission in a war-torn area is that of the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the priest who lives with them," Bishop Paolo Martinelli, apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia, said in an interview, according to Licas News, noting the sisters provide companionship to the small community of Catholics. "I am impressed by their joy, by their joy at being in Yemen and being able to be close to the suffering people."

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Catholic organizations are still providing shelter, food, and aid as Israel continues airstrikes throughout Lebanon and Israeli and Hezbollah forces engage in firefights throughout the south.

The military carried out its deadliest attack of the war on April 8, killing more than 300 people throughout southern and eastern Lebanon and inside Beirut and its surrounding suburbs.

Although Iranian officials continue to assert that Lebanon was included in the U.S.-Iran two-week ceasefire agreement, American and Israeli officials contend this was never promised.

Many people in Lebanon initially believed their country was included in the ceasefire.

Cedric Choukeir, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) country representative for Lebanon, told EWTN News that Wednesday, April 8, was "a little bit of an emotional roller coaster because people woke up to the news of a ceasefire" and many people were "hopeful" until they heard reports that neither the U.S. nor Israel recognized Lebanon as part of the agreement.

"When the strikes happened, it was very sudden," said Choukeir, who works in the capital city of Beirut. "Everything happened within 10 minutes. The strikes were across the country."

Most of the strikes occurred within a 10-minute window in the early afternoon. Choukeir said Israel provided no warning before the attack and the strikes included locations that are not covered in evacuation orders as well as villages that had not previously been hit.

He said "people were just going about their daily business in areas they considered themselves to be safe in," adding that some of the strikes were in "heavily populated" areas in and around Beirut.

"No one felt safe in Beirut and anyone who could leave, left," Choukeir said.

He said "we had a few people in the office" during the strikes, and "it's traumatizing for most of us because it's hard to tell what's going on; you definitely hear the airstrikes happening."

"You feel the vibrations, the shaking, the impact of the explosions," Choukeir said, adding that "the level of chaos is similar to what we experienced a little bit in the Beirut blast [in 2020] and the [Israeli] pager attack in 2024."

He said everyone in Beirut heard the "sound of ambulances nonstop for several hours after the strikes" and "hospitals were filled up, everyone was coming for blood donations."

Every one of his team members at CRS in Beirut knows someone who was impacted by the strikes, including people who suffered injuries, he said.

Jesuit Father Daniel Corrou, Middle East and North Africa regional director for Jesuit Refugee Service, similarly told EWTN News that initially, "there was a sense of relief here" amid news of a ceasefire.

Corrou also serves as a parish priest at St. Joseph in Beirut and has opened up his church as a shelter, primarily for migrant workers and ethnic minorities.

Many people, he said, believed "there's an end in sight." People were "moving from shelters, and the roads going to the south were full again; the people were moving back down to that area," he said.

When the strikes happened, Corrou said, "it was everywhere all at once" and people promptly turned their cars back around, away from the south, and "it was sheer chaos on the streets."

Since the attacks, he said the number of people he has seen camping on the streets doubled, but he is unsure whether these are new people or people who were in shelters before the attack. Government-run and privately-run shelters, he noted, are completely full.

"We have seen an uptick in the number of people trying to get in [for shelter at our church]," Corrou said. "We're at capacity. We're completely saturated here."

Fighting continues as peace talks begin

Choukeir said it's difficult to know how recent attacks will impact the number of displaced people in Lebanon: "It's changing on a daily basis ... people are leaving some neighborhoods in the suburbs and going up to Beirut, while some are moving further north."

"Definitely no one's going back home, I think," he said. "People are reluctant to go back."

Israel's destruction of bridges that cross the Litani River has also caused problems for those who remain in the south to leave at this point, according to Choukeir. He said there are about 150,000 people remaining there despite evacuation orders. Many are in Tyre, but this includes at least three Christian villages that are difficult to reach: Debel, Rmeish, and Ain Ebel.

Choukeir said only one bridge still functions and just one lane is operational, but "the moment that bridge is cut, there are very few options."

"The supplies that people have there aren't going to last for weeks and weeks," he warned. "Some of the items are going to run out in days."

Corrou noted that several hospitals were struck in Israel's most recent attack and more than 40 health care workers have been killed during the conflict so far. He noted that Catholics have been delivering aid throughout the south, but some difficulties include recent news of a Vatican convoy being turned around after getting caught in a ground fight between Israel and Hezbollah.

He echoed messages coming from Pope Leo XIV about the conflict that "war is always a human failure" and "real peace will never come from violent conflict." Ultimately, peace for Lebanon will have to come from the "difficult, messy work of dialogue [and] diplomacy," the pope said.

As the Lebanese and Israeli governments signal talks aimed at peace, Choukeir said he thinks "everybody's tired of conflict, pain, suffering, [and] destruction," and "everyone would welcome any kind of cessation to hostilities" and a just, long-lasting peace.

"We pray it would allow people to return home and live in dignity and safety with the hope that their children can have a bright and prosperous future," he said. "But I haven't felt optimism yet. I think the road from … where we are to that hopeful future isn't clear to people."

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President Donald Trump was elected in 2024 with support from a majority of Catholic voters, but a poll shows his support from Catholics dipping below 50% amid the U.S. war against Iran.

The poll, conducted March 20–23 jointly by Republican pollster Shaw & Co. Research and Democratic pollster Beacon Research, found that 48% of Catholic voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president and 52% disapprove.

It found that 23% of Catholics strongly approve of the job he is doing, 25% somewhat approve, 12% somewhat disapprove, and 40% strongly disapprove. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3%.

Pope Leo XIV and Catholic bishops in the United States and globally have encouraged Trump to pursue peace and diplomacy, as opposed to war, in Iran. With peace negotiations underway, the Holy Father echoed his call for more diplomacy in an April 10 post on X.

"God does not bless any conflict," Leo said. "Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples."

God does not bless any conflict.

Pope Leo XIV

In the 2024 election, Trump won the Catholic vote by a 12-point margin, securing 55% of the voting bloc's support, compared with former Vice President Kamala Harris' 43%. In 2020, Trump won 49% of the Catholic vote, compared with former President Joe Biden's 50%.

This poll comes as Trump's support is dwindling with the broader American public as well. The poll found that only 41% of all voters approve of the president, and 59% disapprove.

Iran war disapproval

The poll found that most Catholics disapprove of Trump's actions in Iran and the use of military force against the country but still favor some American influence in the region.

According to the poll, only 40% of Catholics approve of the way Trump has handled the conflict with Iran, and 60% disapprove. It found that 45% of Catholics support military force against Iran and 55% oppose military force. Similarly, 45% of Catholics believe military action against Iran is going well, and 55% believe it is not going well.

The poll found that 39% of Catholics believe attacks on Iran will make the country safer, 38% believe it will make the country less safe, and 23% believe it will not make much of a difference.

Alternatively, 71% of Catholics believe ending Iran's nuclear program is important, and 29% said it is not important. It found 61% said it is important to bring about changes in Iran's government, and 39% said it is not important.

The poll also found that 71% of Catholics believe it is important to protect the flow of oil from the region, and 29% believe it is not important. It found that 73% of Catholics believe it is important to reduce Iran's support for terrorism, and 27% believe it is not important.

According to the poll, 74% of Catholics are concerned about Iran potentially getting a nuclear weapon, and 26% are not concerned.

2024 coalition 'in tatters'

John White, professor emeritus of politics at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News that he believes Trump's 2024 coalition "is now in tatters [and] Catholics are no exception."

"The Iran War is unpopular with the American public and Catholics reflect that," he said. "What may carry more resonance with Catholic voters are the strong and blunt statements about the war from Pope Leo. It is not unreasonable to assume that there is a higher level of cognitive dissonance among Catholics who support Trump but are hearing the words of the pope. For some, that may result in their shifting opinions."

Susan Hanssen, history professor at the University of Dallas — a Catholic institution — had a similar view about why Catholic support has dipped, telling EWTN News "a reversal of positions seems to be underway within the Catholic community.

"During Trump's campaign, Trump's supporters expressed hopes for a fundamental realignment of America's foreign policy, particularly withdrawing from 'forever wars,' while many of Trump's Catholic critics expressed concern during his campaign that he would disengage America from its support for Ukraine or [for] Israel," she said. "Support for Trump's strong stance on Iran seems to be coming now … from Catholics who were wary of Trump earlier."

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has departed the U.S. for his trip to Pakistan, where he plans to directly negotiate with Iranian leaders for a long-term peace while both sides hold off on military strikes during a two-week ceasefire.

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On April 10, Pope Leo XIV received French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time since the beginning of his pontificate. Accompanying Macron was his wife, Brigitte.

Following the closed-door meeting at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace that lasted an hour, the French president said he was "very happy" to have met with the Holy Father, adding that both share "a common conviction: In the face of the world's divisions, action for peace is a duty and a requirement."

"France will always work toward dialogue, justice, and fraternity among peoples," Macron wrote on X.

The Élysée Palace saw this meeting as an opportunity to "recognize the essential role of the Holy See and the Holy Father's personal commitment to peace, dialogue, and solidarity among peoples, as well as to demonstrate France's willingness to work jointly with the Holy See toward this end."

During the traditional exchange of gifts, Macron presented Pope Leo XIV with a French national basketball team jersey signed by the players, a book on the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following the 2019 fire, and a map of the Mississippi region created by French missionaries in 1617.

The pontiff presented the French president with a decorative ceramic tile symbolizing abundance, along with his message for this year's World Day of Peace.

According to the Vatican, Macron subsequently met with the Holy See's secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organizations.

During the meeting at the Secretariat of State, they addressed various international issues, particularly conflicts around the world.

Both Macron and Vatican officials expressed the hope that peaceful coexistence might be restored through dialogue and negotiation.

The day before, on April 9, Macron visited the Sant'Egidio Community in Rome, an organization characterized by its promotion of international ecumenical prayer gatherings for peace.

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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Pope Leo XIV on Friday appointed Father Andrea Ciucci chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life. The Italian priest has served as the academy's secretariat coordinator since 2016.

Originally from Milan, the 59-year-old Ciucci has a doctorate in the philosophy of religion from the Pontifical University of Sant'Anselmo in Rome. After serving as a parish vicar in Milan, he worked at the former Pontifical Council for the Family from 2012–2016.

He is also the general secretary of the RenAIssance Foundation, a Vatican institution that promotes an ethical perspective on artificial intelligence.

Ciucci is a professor at the Pontifical Theological Institute John Paul II in Rome and he is a public speaker and writer on the topic of new technologies and their influence on young people and families.

Last month, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Renzo Pegoraro, received the title of "bishop" from Pope Leo for his role.

Pegoraro was chancellor of the academy from 2011 until his appointment as president in May 2025.

According to the academy's statutes, the chancellor "may represent the Pontifical Academy for Life on behalf of the president and collaborates with him in the direction and administration of the academy's activities."

The Pontifical Academy for Life was founded in February 1994 by St. John Paul II. It is one of several academic and cultural institutions at the Vatican that bring together experts in their fields to discuss issues of relevance to the Church and the world.

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation this week that strengthens parents' ability to have their children briefly excused from public school during the school day to receive religious instruction.

The Republican governor approved Senate Bill 248, known as the Alabama Released Time Credit Act, on April 8. The new law takes effect July 1.

The measure allows parents to choose for their child to participate in a released-time program sponsored by a church or local community-based religious organization. Instruction must take place off school grounds, be privately funded, and require no use of taxpayer money. Schools are not responsible for transportation or liable for students during the released time.

Students may earn elective credit for participating, provided they complete any missed schoolwork and meet state education guidelines. School boards can deny a request only if there is an objective substantial risk of physical harm to the student.

The bill passed the state Senate 32-0 and the state House 88-4 after revisions.

Supporters say it protects parental rights and religious liberty without burdening public schools.

Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Greg Chafuen praised the law in a statement: "The government shouldn't stop families from raising their children in their family's faith. SB 248 respects parents' educational decisions, allowing public school children to be briefly excused from school to receive free, off-campus religious instruction taught by private charitable organizations."

"As the U.S. Supreme Court has explained, respecting parents' decisions for their child to participate in released-time programs 'follows the best of our traditions,'" he wrote.

Chafuen commended the Alabama Legislature as well as Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth and Ivey "for their commitment to ensuring that parents remain in the driver's seat when it comes to their children's education."

The legislation updates a 2019 law and adds clearer guidelines and protections requested by school superintendents.

Critics have raised concerns about church-state separation and potential logistical challenges for schools.

Released-time programs have historically been used more frequently by Protestant and evangelical groups, though Catholic parishes could organize similar off-campus faith formation sessions under the new rules.

At least a dozen other states have similar laws allowing students to leave campus for voluntary religious instruction.

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The Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków, Poland — one of the foremost pilgrimage centers in the Catholic world — is preparing to welcome thousands of the faithful for Divine Mercy Sunday on April 12.

According to official information released by the shrine, the celebrations will be marked by liturgical observances and moments of prayer in response to the request of St. Faustina Kowalska, who conveyed the words of Jesus: "I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the feast of mercy."

Mass and vigil celebration

Under this year's theme, "God, the Merciful Father... To You We Entrust the Destiny of the World," the organizers invite the faithful to the commencement of celebrations on Saturday, April 11, with a vigil Mass in the basilica to be celebrated by the archbishop emeritus of Kraków, Marek Jedraszewski.

After the Mass, a prayer vigil will take place, continuing through the early morning hours. At midnight, another Mass will be celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Janusz Mastalski of Kraków. Afterward, the faithful will continue to participate in the vigil until 5 a.m.

On Divine Mercy Sunday, the Mass will be celebrated at the outdoor altar by the archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal Grzegorz Rys, who also serves as the honorary patron of the event.

During this celebration, the so-called "Bell of Hope" destined for the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania, will be blessed.

One of the most significant moments will be the solemn hour of mercy, a practice deeply connected to this devotion, which will be observed in the basilica at 3 p.m., coinciding with the hour of Christ's death.

A shrine marked by history and faith

The shrine's current basilica was built from 1999 to 2002 and was consecrated on Aug. 17, 2002, by St. John Paul II, who at that site entrusted the entire world to divine mercy.

The basilica is noted for its symbolism: Its shape evokes an ark, a sign of salvation for those who place their trust in God. Inside, a tabernacle shaped like a globe representing humanity in need of mercy is situated alongside the image of the merciful Jesus.

It also houses depictions of St. Faustina Kowalska and St. John Paul II — great apostles of this devotion — as well as one of the largest stained-glass windows in Kraków, which symbolizes the light of divine mercy radiating upon the world.

Mass schedule

The shrine has scheduled multiple Eucharistic celebrations throughout the day:

6 a.m. (basilica), celebrated by Father Tomasz Szopa

8 a.m. (basilica), celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Damian Muskus

10 a.m. (outdoor altar), principal Mass with Cardinal Rys

12:30 p.m. (basilica), celebrated by Father Robert Wozniak

4 p.m. (outdoor altar), celebrated by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who served as secretary to St. John Paul II for over 40 years.

6 p.m. (basilica), with the participation of young people

7 p.m. (convent chapel)

Broadcasts and global participation

All celebrations will be broadcast on television and digital platforms. The main Mass will be aired on TVP1, while the hour of mercy can be followed on EWTN.

Additionally, the shrine will offer online broadcasts via its official website and YouTube channel, enabling the participation of the faithful from around the world.

The shrine has implemented various logistical measures to accommodate the crowds expected to attend the celebration.

Confessions will be available throughout the night and on Sunday, including in several languages, and Communion will be distributed between Masses.

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 Vatican on Friday said the narrative in some media outlets about a meeting at the Pentagon between senior U.S. defense officials and the pope's then-representative to the U.S. "does not correspond to the truth."

According to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, his meeting with Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge A. Colby in January was part of the former nuncio's "regular mission and provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest," Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said in a statement April 10.

"The narrative presented by certain media outlets regarding this meeting does not correspond to the truth at all," Bruni added.

Bruni's statement followed an April 6 report by The Free Press claiming Pierre, then the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., received "a bitter lecture" in a January meeting with defense officials, reportedly because of a speech in which Pope Leo XIV criticized "a diplomacy based on force."

According to The Free Press, the pope's message was interpreted as a criticism of U.S. policy by Pentagon officials, who told Pierre: "America has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side."

The U.S. Department of Defense, in a post on X on April 9, said that a "substantive, respectful, and professional" meeting took place on Jan. 22, but "recent reporting of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted."

"During the cordial meeting, they discussed a range of topics, including issues of morality in foreign policy, the logic of the U.S. National Security Strategy, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and other topics. Cardinal Pierre expressed his appreciation for the outreach and both sides looked forward to continued open and respectful dialogue," the department said. It also shared photos from the meeting.

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The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, also commented on the Pentagon meeting on X on April 9. Burch said he had spoken to the former nuncio who "emphatically denied the media's portrayal of his meeting with Colby."

Pierre, Burch wrote, "described the meeting as 'frank, but very cordial' and a 'normal encounter.' He confirmed that the reporting 'does not reflect what happened' and was 'just invented to make a story.'"

Catholic news outlet The Pillar reported April 10 that one senior Vatican official had described the conversation as having moments of tension, with some U.S. officials being "aggressive" and "bullying," though "there was no question of anybody threatening anyone."

Pope Leo accepted Pierre's resignation as nuncio in March for reaching the age limit and appointed Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as his new representative to the U.S.

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