Catholic News

A Filipino-American priest of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception (MIC) is inviting Catholics around the world, beginning May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fátima, to enter into a 153-day spiritual crusade: to pray the full rosary every day until Oct. 13 "for the salvation of souls."

Father James Cervantes, MIC, known for his initiative calling for Eucharistic revival in the Philippines and co-launching the Philippine Rosary Crusade during the EDSA Revolution's 40th anniversary, is calling the faithful to respond to what he described as heaven's urgent appeal for our time.

"The premise is simple," he said. "We are living in a time of deep moral confusion, widespread indifference to God, and a growing loss of souls. Our Lady has already given us the remedy. The answer is prayer, sacrifice, and the holy rosary."

The initiative, called "The 153-Day Fátima Invitation," asks the faithful to offer 153 Hail Marys a day for 153 days, from May 13 to Oct. 13 — the exact span of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima.

At Fátima in 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children and pleaded with the world: "Pray, pray much, and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to sacrifice and pray for them."

For Cervantes, that appeal remains as urgent today as ever.

"This is an act of love, an act of faith, and a great work of mercy for the salvation of souls," he said. "It will be an intense time of spiritual harvesting, done with great love and sacrifice, to honor and console Our Lord and Our Lady and to heed their request to help save many souls."

Why 153?

The number 153 is not arbitrary. Cervantes points to several striking spiritual and biblical connections.

First, Our Lady's apparitions at Fátima lasted from May 13 to Oct. 13 — a span of exactly 153 days.

Second, at the time of the Fátima apparitions, the full traditional rosary consisted of 15 mysteries — the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries — containing 153 Hail Marys. The luminous mysteries were later added by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

Third, in the Gospel of John, after the Resurrection, the disciples cast their nets at Christ's command and caught 153 large fish. According to St. Jerome, 153 represented all the known species of fish at the time — a symbol that all nations would be gathered into the net of the Church.

"It is a time of spiritual fishing," Cervantes explained. "A time to cast the net for souls lost in the sea of sin and death. As the call of Jesus goes: 'Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.'"

He also noted another striking providence: Our Lady appeared in 1917, and the sum of the numbers from 1 through 17 equals 153.

"In subtle but beautiful ways," he said, "heaven keeps pointing us back to 153."

A spiritual battle for souls

The invitation comes at a time when some Catholics sense that the world is entering deeper spiritual darkness.

Families are under strain. Faith is growing cold. Many young people are drifting from God. War, terrorism, and global instability dominate headlines. The battle is no longer merely social or cultural. At its core, it is spiritual, according to Cervantes.

"Our Lady of Fátima showed the children a vision of hell," he said. "She warned that many souls are lost because there is no one to pray and sacrifice for them. That warning should move us."

He added that the rosary is not merely a devotional practice but a spiritual weapon entrusted by heaven.

"The method to catch souls will be the holy rosary — a spiritual net," he said. "For the next 153 days, we are being invited to do spiritual harvesting."

The rosary and the salvation of souls

Throughout history, saints and popes have spoken of the power of the rosary.

St. Louis de Montfort taught that God gave the rosary as a means to convert even the most hardened sinners.

St. Dominic called it one of heaven's most powerful weapons for the conversion of souls.

Pope Pius X described the rosary as "the most beautiful and the richest in graces of all prayers."

Blessed Pius IX famously declared: "Give me an army saying the rosary and I will conquer the world."

And one of the children of Fátima, St. Francisco Marto, once said with childlike simplicity: "Oh, Our Lady! I'll say as many rosaries as you want." The children of Fátima were said to pray as many as nine rosaries a day.

A simple invitation

Cervantes emphasized that the invitation is simple: Place prayer at the center of daily life.

"Step into a sacred rhythm of prayer," he said. "For the next 153 days, place the rosary at the heart of your day and gently witness how God begins to move."

The purpose is not merely personal devotion but a concrete response to Our Lady of Fátima's request to help save souls through the power of the rosary.

"This is a great work of mercy for souls," he said. "The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. Who will be the 'few' to respond?"

From May 13 to Oct. 13, Catholics are invited to pray the full rosary — the 15 traditional mysteries — offering 153 Hail Marys each day for sinners, for souls in danger, and for those who are far from God.

YouTube evangelizer Gabriel Castillo, featured in the National Catholic Register about his book "The Power of the Rosary" and his "Rosary Testimonies" documentary, has spoken extensively about the power of praying the full rosary every day versus only one or two a day.

In a world marked by confusion, moral relativism, and spiritual darkness, Cervantes said heaven's answer remains astonishingly simple.

"Let us be the few who answer the call of Our Lord and Our Lady," he said.

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The inaugural Africa Digital Assets Summit concluded in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 30 with organizers declaring it a "resounding success," even as the event's keynote speaker issued a stark warning: Rapid advances in digital systems risk making the continent's poorest citizens "invisible."

The summit's organizers said their purpose was to bring "together investors, regulators, innovators, and policymakers to accelerate Africa's digital economy — from policy to prosperity."

ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, first reported on the summit in February and said Kenya was preparing to host the summit at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) under the theme "Ethical Stewardship for the Love of the Poor" with the aim of examining "how digital innovation can serve humanity."

One of the summit's organizers, Eddie Cullen, said he drew inspiration from Pope Leo XIV's first apostolic exhortation on love for the poor, Dilexi Te, a copy of which all participants received. 

Cullen, CEO of Crescite Innovation Corporation, which sponsored the event, called it a "a resounding success."

The former papal nuncio to Kenya, Archbishop Bert van Megen, delivered the keynote address titled "The Intersection of Faith, Ethics, and Technological Development: Toward Ethical Stewardship in Service of the Poor." 

Van Megen framed technological development as a moral question with direct implications for vulnerable communities, cautioning that modern financial and technological infrastructure, while promising inclusion, could instead sideline vulnerable populations if not designed with them in mind.

"Artificial intelligence, fintech ecosystems, and digital identity infrastructures are not merely tools; they are rapidly becoming systems of governance," he said, adding that "they determine access to credit, healthcare, mobility, and even citizenship itself."

He noted that "in previous eras, exclusion was visible. Today, it is increasingly encoded."

The Dutch-born archbishop, whom Pope Leo XIV appointed as the new apostolic nuncio to Germany on April 9, cautioned that digital systems presented as neutral or efficient can quietly exclude people who lack stable digital records or formal participation in financial systems.

"The danger is not only that technology may fail the poor," he said. "The deeper danger is that it may systematically exclude them while appearing neutral, efficient, and even progressive."

Drawing from Dilexi Te, van Megen said Christian love must become the standard by which technological systems are evaluated.

"If this is true, then love is not one value among many," he said, referring to the apostolic exhortation's opening words: "I have loved you."

"It is the criterion by which all systems, including technological ones, must be judged," he said.

He warned that societies focused on speed and optimization often marginalize vulnerable populations.

"In a world driven by speed, scale, and efficiency, attention to the poor becomes structurally inconvenient," the Vatican diplomat said. "We must ask: Are we building systems that can still afford to notice the vulnerable?"

He said the poor increasingly risk becoming "statistically invisible" within modern digital systems.

"Modern technological systems operate through abstraction," he said. "They convert persons into data points, profiles, and probabilities."

According to the archbishop, many economically disadvantaged people lack "stable digital identities," "formal financial histories," and "continuous data trails," making them difficult for algorithmic systems to process.

"The poor are the privileged recipients of the Gospel," he said, quoting Dilexi Te, while warning that they risk becoming "present in life, but absent in the data that drives decisions."

"This is not simply exclusion; it is invisibility by design," the apostolic nuncio said.

Using examples from AI-powered credit systems and fintech ecosystems operating across Africa, he explained how algorithmic systems can interpret poverty itself as a financial liability.

"Irregular income becomes 'risk'; informal economies become 'instability'; community-based sharing becomes 'lack of ownership,'" he said.

"The poor are not excluded explicitly ... They are filtered out silently," he noted.

It is 'false' to call technology 'neutral'

The archbishop also challenged the widely repeated claim that technology is neutral.

"We often hear that technology is neutral. While this is convenient, it is equally false," he said.

"Technology is never simply a passive tool," he went on to say, adding: "Every system is shaped by human decisions such as what to measure, what to prioritize, what to optimize, and what to ignore."

Quoting Pope Benedict XVI's June 2009 encyclical letter on integral human development in charity and truth, Caritas in Veritate, he said: "Technology is never merely technology. It reveals man and his aspirations."

He also warned that technology "can give those with knowledge and economic resources an impressive dominance."

"When access to essential goods, credit, healthcare, and education is mediated through digital systems, then control over those systems becomes a form of social authority," van Megen said, adding: "If that authority is concentrated, inequality is not merely preserved, it is amplified."

'Structural ethics' must shape design of digital systems

The Vatican envoy called for what he termed "structural ethics," arguing that ethical responsibility must shape the design of systems themselves.

"Ethics today must move from personal virtue to system design," he said.

He went on to propose that technological systems prioritize vulnerable users, preserve non-digital alternatives, create accountability structures, and accept exceptions where justice requires flexibility.

"Systems should not be designed around the most efficient or profitable user but around those who are most vulnerable," van Megen said.

He linked those principles to Catholic social teaching, including "the dignity of the human person, the common good, solidarity, and subsidiarity."

Catholics called to 'shape ethical frameworks for emerging tech

The Vatican diplomat further urged Catholics to play a more active role in shaping emerging technologies.

"The Church must do more than critique. It must also propose," he said. "It is called to shape ethical frameworks for emerging technologies; advocate for policies that protect the most vulnerable; form leaders capable of integrating faith, ethics, and innovation; offer a vision of development rooted not in domination but in dignity."

Van Megen said technological advancement cannot be separated from moral responsibility.

"We are not merely building technologies," he said. "We are constructing the moral architecture of the future — the conditions under which human life will flourish or fail."

For him, "the question is not whether technology will shape the future. It will."

"The question is: Will it recognize the poor or render them invisible?" van Megen said, and affirmed: "The answer will not be found in code alone. It will be found in conscience."

Cullen said he hopes to expand faith-driven technological initiatives "inspired by Dilexi Te to more projects in Africa."

"We are hopeful of continuing to spread the love of Christ across the continent," Cullen added.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News English.

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Daughter of imprisoned Catholic activist Jimmy Lai said she is feeling "hopeful" ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to China where he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"My father, his fight, the rights and values that he stands for, and the urgency of his case is one that speaks to a lot of people," Claire Lai said in an interview with EWTN News. "And we're just extremely grateful for the people who have taken his case to heart."

Jimmy Lai, founder and publisher of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 9 over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations. He has already spent more than five years in detention, much of which was in solitary confinement.

Trump is traveling to Beijing this week to meet with Xi Jinping about numerous topics including trade, Taiwan, and emerging technology issues. He has also said he will raise the release of multiple prisoners including Lai, whose case he  previously brought up to the Chinese president.

The U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote May 12 on a resolution that would condemn the People's Republic of China for its prosecution and imprisonment of Lai and call for his immediate release. Catholic Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, sponsored the measure.

"The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) jails people to silence their faith, speech, and conscience — and to scare their families here in America and beyond," Smith said. "The CCP's unacceptable and unfair practice of politically motivated detention must end."

The push by lawmakers "absolutely does give more hope," Claire Lai said. She also noted a May 7 letter to Trump spearheaded by Smith and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, and signed by more than 100 lawmakers "from both sides of the political aisle urging President Trump to bring up my father in the upcoming summit," she said.

"There were 68 senators, which is over two-thirds of all senators, which we are so incredibly grateful for," she said. "Someone said once, 'When's the last time … two-thirds of senators agreed on anything?' It's such a privilege, and … we are just so extremely humbled that this is the one thing that they have agreed on."

"President Trump and his administration have continuously mentioned my father, and they have continuously mentioned their commitment to freeing him," Claire said. "At least speaking for myself, I am extremely confident that it will be this administration that does secure my father's freedom."

Need for a humanitarian release

Lawmakers are urging a humanitarian release as Jimmy Lai's health continues to worsen. While Claire Lai said her family has "basically stopped" receiving reports on her father and his health, they do "hear things here and there."

"He's lost weight, he still has heart issues, he still has high blood pressure," Claire Lai said. It is becoming increasingly urgent as it is "getting close to summer," as the weather in Hong Kong will reach extremely hot temperatures and humid and wet conditions.

"I heard that it's not too hot in Hong Kong yet, but every summer he gets heat rashes and they're … painful red bumps," she said. He also gets "frequent and pretty severe back pains and waist pains."

His "infections that last for months are … just another sign of a compromised immune system," she said. "He has nails starting to fall off. He has teeth that are rotting and just skin that is drying and just a lot, a lot, of things that are … just cascading health issues."

"In terms of detailed reports — we just haven't received those without really any reason since January. Not because we stopped asking; we're still asking, but we haven't received those," she said.

The feast of Our Lady of Fátima offers hope ahead of summit

"It would mean so much to have our father back," Claire Lai said. "I think that tomorrow is when President Trump arrives and it's the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima."

Our Lady of Fátima presented herself to three shepherd children "during the first World War," Claire Lai explained. "So it was a sign of hope. It was a sign of hope during a time of turmoil."

"It reminds us of the power of prayer for the conversion of souls and just … that the Blessed Mother appears to the weakest among us. And my father is physically very weak right now," she said.

Claire Lai also noted an incident when her father fell in the shower while imprisoned, which "happened actually three days right before the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima." She added: "And he prayed to the Blessed Mother and suddenly he was able to get up again."

"The Blessed Mother is watching over my father and … she continues to guide us under her mantle," she said. "This month is dedicated to the Blessed Mother and I'm just extremely grateful that in times of doubt, in times where I have thoughts or emotions that I know don't come from God, I can turn to her."

"My father's trust in the provisions of divine providence has never wavered. So … it's a reminder for mine not to either," she said. "My father's story isn't really one of religious persecution per se, because he's not in prison because of his faith, but his faith is a huge driving force of why he had the courage for the things that he did."

"As his physical conditions got from bad to worse, he came to know … the abundance of God's mercy and God's grace," she said. "It's something that's almost limitless."

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Four months after U.S. special forces captured and removed President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela remains trapped in a political no-man's-land.

The leadership of the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference updated the pope at the Vatican on May 4 about the situation: "Change has arrived, yes — but democracy has not yet," Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate, president of the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

"Many unresolved questions remain regarding what Venezuela's immediate future will be like," Zárate explained, following the meeting with the leadership team held with Pope Leo XIV, to whom they laid out the complex and uncertain situation the country is currently facing.

"Throughout these past months, we have asked ourselves many questions, and we still do not have sufficient answers," he explained in a statement to ACI Prensa.

The bishops "constantly" receive requests to mediate the release of political prisoners. However, "the channels are not always open," Zárate said.

More than 450 political prisoners remain behind bars, according to the count by Foro Penal, the promised amnesty has stalled, and fear of arbitrary detention persists in the streets.

As pastors, he noted, the Venezuelan bishops "have highlighted the need to restore the primacy of human dignity, which is the fundamental point of the Church's social doctrine."

"Upon this," he clearly affirmed, "would rest the freedom of citizens, the right to participate, the paths toward democratization that we need, and overcoming of merely partisan or private interests for the sake of the common good."

Political continuity following Maduro's departure

Although he acknowledged that since Maduro's capture, "there is a change, a result of the fact that the person who previously held the highest office is no longer there," he pointed out that "there is also continuity among the political actors," which casts doubt on whether there will be political change.

The prelate emphasized that the outlook remains uncertain: "More concrete decisions were expected in the political sphere, which have yet to materialize."

Relations with the United States have been normalized, but for Zárate, the advent of democracy does not appear to be imminent. "The reconstruction of political institutions, economic recovery, and the establishment of a new social dynamic constitute a slow, complex, and difficult undertaking," he said.

In this process, he insisted that "the participation of everyone is required," particularly to overcome the "constant confrontation and conflict-ridden political rhetoric that have impoverished Venezuelan social life."

The prelate issued an urgent call to rebuild trust: "It is necessary to restore the population's trust in institutions such as the National Electoral Council, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, and other state institutions" in order to reestablish "healthy democratic coexistence."

The National Electoral Council tallies and announces election results and declared Maduro the winner of the last presidential election despite strong evidence to the contrary.

The amnesty law passed in February benefited 8,616 people. However, that process appears to have stalled since Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced that it had come to an end.

For the Church, this represented a key opportunity to advance national reconciliation, even though the law's implementation has been inconsistent.

"What was particularly significant was the full liberty of political prisoners, not merely their release," Zárate said.

"Release would mean that they leave the detention facility, but their activities would still remain restricted; we are speaking of full liberty, that is, the recognition of full freedom for all," the archbishop explained.

The prelate acknowledged a loss of momentum after initial progress: "At first, there was greater diligence in the implementation of the amnesty law; subsequently, however, there has been something of a delay."

In light of this, he warned that as long as there remains a Venezuelan "imprisoned for their political ideas or personal opinions, we can hardly rest easy or build a better society in peace."

Víctor Hugo Quero, a Venezuelan political prisoner who died in custody, is one of many on a long list of citizens who have perished at the hands of the state over more than 25 years of authoritarian socialist rule.

"Doubts therefore remain regarding the whereabouts of many others. At this moment, there is the open question whether those about whom there is no news may have met a similar fate," he added.

From initial hope to discouragement

Maduro's removal from power sparked a certain "hopeful expectation" among Venezuelans, he said, yet now there is growing frustration. "There is much talk of investments in oil, of better prices, and of agreements with various companies, but the concrete reality is the average Venezuelan continues to suffer from the same deprivations," Zárate lamented.

Among these difficulties, he cited "the constant rise in prices, the depreciation of buying power, the inability to access certain services, or the deficiencies within those very services" such as electricity or water supply. It's a situation that "breeds discouragement."

The harsh reality of the Venezuelan diaspora

After years of crisis, many who fled the country have been unable to return. "There are more than 8 million Venezuelans outside our country," the archbishop noted.

The impact of the diaspora is part of families' daily lives: "There are children who don't have the opportunity to be close to their parents, and parents who cannot enjoy their children or their grandchildren."

This also impacts ecclesial life: "The migration of many Venezuelans also leaves parishes without catechists, without their ministers, and without the young people who were part of the youth ministry."

Economic deterioration further exacerbates this scenario. "The widespread impoverishment of the population — to which the Church has sought to respond through social programs [providing] food and healthcare — also affects the life of the Christian community," he noted.

Zárate said this reality even limits the Church's pastoral outreach: "It finds itself weakened in its capacity to carry out its programs and to provide assistance to people."

The bishops' priority: 'Preserving internal unity'

The president of the bishops' conference stated that one of the episcopate's constant efforts has been "to preserve internal unity."

Unity was one of the key issues discussed during the meeting at the Vatican on May 4. The pope, he said, was "very attentive; he is well-informed about the reality in the country."

The pontiff centered his interest on the Church's role as an agent of reconciliation: "His questions focused on the role we can play in the reunification of the Venezuelan people and in the internal unity of the Church."

Zárate emphasized that the credibility of the message depends on the witness: "We could hardly proclaim reunification, reconciliation, or harmonious coexistence if divergences were visible within the Church itself."

Some things never should have happened

Zárate clarified that the Church's message of reconciliation to Venezuelan society "is not that forgiving means forgetting."

"There are situations that never should have happened, and there are people who are responsible," he pointed out.

Nevertheless, Zárate emphasized that the response cannot be based on vengeance: "We cannot believe that revenge or retaliation will provide the answer. The healing of hearts must be based on the truth."

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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Many pro-life advocates cheered Marty Makary's resignation as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while raising concerns that the agency's acting leader once represented a Planned Parenthood affiliate in court.

Makary, who resigned on May 12, drew the ire of the pro-life community throughout his tenure for inaction to reimpose regulations on the abortion pill mifepristone.

Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Kyle Diamantas will serve as the acting commissioner of the FDA until President Donald Trump nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement. Some pro-life advocates lamented Diamantas' elevation to acting commissioner, saying he once served as counsel for Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando.

Court documents show that while he worked at the Baker Donelson law firm, he was part of the legal team that represented the Planned Parenthood affiliate in a property dispute. He was not an employee of Planned Parenthood, and a Trump administration adviser says it was just an assignment that he eventually backed out of due to moral objections.

Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins posted concerns about Diamantas on X, saying: "Quite frankly, this is why our team at Students for Life did not call for Dr. Makary to resign, because I know the FDA is filled with pro-abortion leftists."

"The new FDA commissioner must be 100% committed to protecting innocent children in the womb AND their mothers," she said.

Live Action President Lila Rose posted on X that "we cannot allow someone who represented Planned Parenthood to oversee rules surrounding the deadly abortion pill mifepristone that has killed MILLIONS of babies."

In response to the concerns, Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz said in a post on X that Diamantas was working as a junior associate "but he later removed himself from the case because of his personal beliefs."

"Kyle is a good man, is pro-life, and he is focused on delivering on President Trump's promise to MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN," he said.

Makary's tenure

During his tenure, Makary faced repeated criticism from pro-life advocates, who are expressing hope that Trump will nominate someone who will take stronger action against abortion.

Makary launched a study in coordination with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to review the safety of the abortion drug mifepristone in September 2025. No action has been taken to restrict the drug, but the FDA did move in the opposite direction by approving a generic version of mifepristone that same month.

The Department of Justice also filed a motion on behalf of the FDA in January asking a federal court to pause a lawsuit from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill that challenged the 2023 deregulation of mifepristone based on claims that it led to harm against residents.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, who has been one of Makary's top critics for months, said on X that "we must return immediately to the [first] Trump administration standard of in-person dispensing to protect women from coercion and abuse and allow the enforcement of pro-life state laws."

Live Action President Lila Rose similarly rejoiced about Makary's exit, saying: "He tragically continued to allow sending the abortion pill through the mail and approved a new version of the abortion pill."

"The abortion pill has killed over 7 million preborn American children and harmed countless mothers," she said and appealed to Trump to appoint a pro-life commissioner who will "ban the abortion pill now!"

Some pro-life senators joined the voices cheering his resignation, including Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, who called the announcement "welcome news" in a post on X and accused Makary of being "uniquely destructive to the pro-life movement."

Hawley, who initially supported Makary's nomination in January 2025, has been publicly critical of his leadership since December. In his post, he said Makary "slow walked" the mifepristone review while approving a generic version in spite of safety risks.

The senator called Makary's resignation "an opportunity for the FDA to reset."

Sarah Zagorski, senior director of public relations and communications for Americans United for Life, told EWTN News the Trump administration "has the opportunity to demonstrate real moral leadership by appointing a commissioner dedicated to protecting women and girls from the harms associated with abortion drugs" upon Makary's resignation.

"With these drugs increasingly available online, the risks of coercion, misuse, and medical complications have grown substantially. Strong oversight and patient safety must come first," she said.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, called Makary's tenure "part of a broader symptom of an administration that has not paid attention to pro-life issues" in a post on X.

"I care deeply about life, and I anticipate the next FDA nominee shall as well," he said.

Although many pro-life advocates see an opportunity for change, it's unclear whether their criticisms contributed to Makary's resignation, considering Trump himself committed during his campaign to ensuring the FDA would not threaten access to the abortion pill.

Trump did not reference the life issue when asked by reporters about Makary's resignation and declined to say whether he asked him to step down.

"He was having some difficulty," Trump said. "You know he's a great doctor and he was having some difficulty, but he's going to go on and he's going to do well. We have — everybody wants that job, everybody."

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Former Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said the U.S. is "in a battle today with the Chinese Communist Party" over religious persecution.

"We're in a battle today with the Chinese Communist Party and their authoritarian view, and their view that religion is an opium of the people, something that should be thrown out, discarded, persecuted, stomped on, and killed," Brownback said at a May 12 event at the Hudson Institute. 

Brownback appeared at the event to promote his book "China's War on Faith," co-authored with journalist Michael Arkush.

The book, released May 12, highlights "three genocides" taking place in China against the Tibetan Buddhist, Uyghur Muslims, and Falun Gong practitioners, as well as systematic persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.

The event comes as U.S. President Donald Trump travels to China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Additional speakers included Nina Shea, Hudson Institute senior fellow; former Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Virginia; as well as individuals profiled in the book, such as Frances Hui, Hong Kong Foundation policy and advocacy manager; Mihrigul Tursun, a Uyghur woman once detained in Xinjiang; Arjia Rinpoche, Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center director; Falun Gong practitioner Wang Chunyan; and Chinese Christian "Born Again Movement" founder Peter Xu.

"Their stories really merit movies being made about them," Brownback said. "It's my prayer that this book is the clarion call, is the trumpet sound, into the fight against persecution of people in faith, of all faiths in China, and for us to stand up on American principles against that persecution."

Brownback lauded the panelists for speaking out about their stories of persecution under the Chinese Communist Party, which he described as "a regime that has killed more of its own people than any other regime in the history of mankind; a regime that is at war with us, whether we realize we are at war with them or not."

"I hope the president's trip is very successful," he said. "The president has done more than any president of modern times to push for religious freedom. He believes the world needs more religion. That's the direct opposite of what the Chinese Communist Party believes. It believes there should be no religion whatsoever in the world. And those two systems are clashing with each other."

'Critical' international religious freedom post vacant

Brownback told EWTN News "it is critical right now" for Trump to nominate an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, a post that has remained vacant since the start of the administration after Trump's nominee, Mark Walker, saw his confirmation stall in the Senate.

"We need to have that voice and that representation inside the administration and talking about what China is doing, and we need it right now," he said, adding that he hopes the Trump administration will nominate someone quickly and that the Senate will proceed with a swift confirmation.

"I've talked to a person that they're discussing, I understand, internally, and I think she would be excellent, but I don't know if that one's moving forward or not, and I'm not at liberty to say," Brownback said.

Brownback's remarks come after the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urged Trump to fill the position in a statement on May 11.

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A priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago has been barred from ministry there after allegations he engaged in "inappropriate conversations" with both children and adults.

Father Jose Molina, a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, was accused of engaging in "improper and inappropriate conversations and communications with minors and adult women," Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich said in a May 9 letter.

Cupich, in the letter addressed to parishioners at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Chicago's Near West Side, said he had sent Molina back to the provincial house of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and had removed Molina's faculties to minister in the archdiocese.

The letter also said the archdiocese has "reported the allegations to civil authorities," while Molina's accusers were "offered the services of the archdiocese's Office of Assistance Ministry."

The archbishop's letter did not offer any further details about the allegations against Molina and indicated the investigation was ongoing.

Priest in New Mexico also removed from ministry

A priest in New Mexico was also recently removed from ministry amid allegations of the theft of diocesan records.

In a May 8 letter to parishioners at the Basilica of San Albino, Las Cruces Bishop Peter Baldacchino said Father Chris Williams had been "relieved of all his duties" in the diocese and suspended as pastor of the basilica amid a controversy involving the reported theft of tens of thousands of diocesan files.

The bishop said a civil discovery process revealed that Williams and "certain employees" of the basilica allegedly conspired to steal "over 60,000 private diocesan records," specifically financial records. The diocese has referred the theft to law enforcement, he said.

The alleged robbery "exposed the diocese and all parishes to a significant risk of misappropriation and theft," the bishop said.

Williams' brother, Father Michael Williams, would serve as the temporary pastor of the basilica, Baldacchino said, noting he was unable to share further details due to the ongoing investigation.

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The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is voicing opposition to proposed regulatory changes that would impose stricter immigration rules for housing and employment.

A housing rule proposed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) could cause families to lose federal housing assistance if some family members lack legal immigration status. Current rules allow families to receive assistance at a prorated rate, with money adjusted based on how many family members are in the country lawfully.

An employment rule proposed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would establish a one-year waiting period for asylum seekers to receive work authorization and create stricter eligibility requirements. It also would pause new applications.

Both rules proposed by the Trump administration underwent the required 60-day comment period.

Housing rule

The bishops warned the proposed housing changes could lead to family separation by driving away family members who are in the country unlawfully, fearing the family's housing assistance would otherwise be lost.

"The proposed rule would require these families to make a heartbreaking choice — endure family separation so that eligible members could continue to qualify for critical subsidized housing programs or stay together and forfeit any housing assistance," the USCCB public comment states.

"This is a choice no family should be forced to make," it adds.

For families who do stay together, the bishops warn the rule risks them all losing affordable housing and could drive up homelessness. They also fear unintended consequences, with eligible families being kicked off if they do not have the necessary documents to prove their citizenship or legal status.

"Denying subsidies to eligible individuals because of their membership in a mixed-status family is morally wrong, concerning from a fiscal perspective, and is in conflict with the underlying law," the statement adds.

"The rule would have grave consequences for families, vulnerable communities, and the organizations that serve them," it continues. "It will lead to family separation and create unnecessary housing instability amongst eligible applicants and their families."

The bishops were joined by other Catholic organizations in objecting to the housing rule: the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Catholic Charities USA, the Catholic Health Association of the United States, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Employment rule

The bishops argued the proposed employment rule violates the law as written and raises both economic and moral consequences.

"Catholic social teaching affirms the inherent dignity of every human person and the right of individuals to support themselves and their families through work," the bishops said.

"Policies that deny asylum seekers the ability to meet their basic needs while pursuing protection effectively force individuals into destitution, exploitation, or abandonment of lawful claims," they said. "Such outcomes are incompatible with the Gospel's call to welcome the stranger and with long-standing principles of solidarity and the preferential option for the poor."

The bishops warned the change would negatively impact a vulnerable population that is fleeing hardship and has limited resources. They said asylum seekers are often not eligible for government assistance and must work to provide for themselves.

"The changes … would undermine the common good by disregarding the dignity of work as well as the right of noncitizens to provide for themselves and for their families in a dignified way, subjecting them to an increased risk of exploitation," they said. "They would also limit asylum seekers' ability to contribute their God-given gifts and talents for the benefit of the community as a whole."

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On May 8, the Vatican issued a commemorative stamp marking the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV.

The stamp, issued by the Vatican City Postal and Philatelic Service, features a portrait of the Holy Father set against an image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, whose feast the Church celebrates on May 8. In the portrait, the Blessed Virgin looks down toward Pope Leo "as a sign of maternal protection," Raúl Berzosa, the artist, explained.

In a statement to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Berzosa reflected on this work and also delved into the creative implications of artificial intelligence.

This new philatelic series marks another collaboration between Berzosa, who is from Málaga, Spain, and the Vatican, notable among which are his painting created for the commemorative stamp marking Pope Francis' 80th birthday in 2016 and the stamp dedicated to the golden jubilee of the pontiff's priestly ordination, produced in 2019.

Berzosa's work includes the stamps for Easter released by the Vatican Philatelic Office in 2020, 2022, and 2024. In addition is the recent stamp dedicated to the composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, issued during the pontificate of Leo XIV.

The latest stamp will be priced at 1.35 euros ($1.59) and will have a limited print run of 45,000 copies. The stamps were printed by Bpost (Belgium) using four-color offset lithography.

AI 'doesn't live what it depicts'

"I believe that sacred art is not merely the final result we see; it's the product of reflection. The time and effort invested are what give it the artist's personal imprint," Berzosa noted when asked about the value and appropriateness of AI-generated Catholic imagery.

"I've seen AI-generated images that are very beautiful or striking, yet they convey the sensation of being images seen before. AI, of course, does not feel or experience what it depicts. The artist, by contrast, leaves something of himself in every work," he pointed out.

The Spanish painter noted that we are witnessing "a flood" of AI-generated images and videos, some in fact created using the works of human artists. "I have seen my own paintings 'come to life and move,' and seeing them gave me a bittersweet feeling," Berzosa shared.

"From what I've seen, AI typically generates whatever grabs the most attention: perfect faces, highly dramatic lighting, or visually stunning scenes, yet they all tend to look alike," he commented.

The artist also noted that throughout centuries of Christian art history, "an infinite number of distinct artworks and styles" have emerged, something that today "stands in contrast to images created with AI."

'Human discernment remains fundamental'

Berzosa explained that religious images "are not merely decorative" but also serve as "a tool for evangelization." This has been the historical function of images within Catholicism: to help the faithful draw closer to God and to the message of the Gospel.

"With AI, there is a risk of creating images that are overly artificial or hollow, where the sacred is transformed almost into fantastical imagery. I believe that, here and now, human discernment remains fundamental," he noted.

"Technology can help, but human sensibility is needed to know which image is appropriate," he added.

However, Berzosa clarified that AI can serve as a complementary tool for artists. "I don't believe that technology is the enemy of art," he said. "I think that artists have always used new tools," he remarked.

"Often, viewing images — works of art as well as images created by AI — can be beneficial when seeking ideas; they can help in studying lighting or preparing compositions before beginning a work," he noted.

The greatest obstacle, he continued, arises when technology completely supplants human skill and talent, the artist's unique vision: "AI can create viable images, but ones that require subsequent interpretation by the artist. When used well, AI can be an important complement, a tool of its time," he noted.

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 Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the "Vatican bank," closed 2025 with a net profit of 51 million euros, an increase of 55.5% over the 32.8 million euros recorded the previous year.

The institution, founded by Pope Pius XII in 1942 and staffed by just over 100 employees, thus consolidated a trend of sustained growth.

According to the annual accounts report published Monday, May 11, at the Vatican, the result was mainly due to improved operating performance amid favorable market conditions and active, disciplined portfolio management.

Net banking income rose to 66.3 million euros, compared with 51.5 million euros in 2024, while net interest income grew to 32.3 million euros. Net commission income remained stable at about 26 million euros.

The stronger results made it possible to approve a dividend of 24.3 million euros for the Holy Father, 76.1% more than the previous year, in keeping with the institute's mission to support religious and charitable works.

Capital strength and asset growth

One of the most notable figures was the Tier 1 capital ratio, a key financial indicator that measures a bank's financial strength and its ability to absorb losses while continuing to operate.

The report underscored the Vatican bank's robust position, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 71.9%, reflecting an extraordinary level of solvency.

The figure means the bank covers 71.9% of its risk-weighted assets — loans and investments — with the highest-quality core capital, such as ordinary shares, reserves, and retained earnings. This places the institution among the strongest in the world in terms of capitalization and liquidity.

According to the results for the past fiscal year, the total volume of client assets managed by the IOR — including deposits, current accounts, managed assets, and securities held in custody — rose to 5.9 billion euros at year-end, 200 million euros more than the previous year.

The institute's net assets also grew to 815.3 million euros, an increase of 83.4 million euros, while comprehensive income reached 97.2 million euros, up 25% year over year.

Investments aligned with Catholic social teaching

The IOR emphasized that all of its financial activity is carried out in full coherence with the principles of Catholic social teaching. All of its portfolio management strategies recorded positive returns in 2025, within an investment approach that promotes only options compatible with the Catholic faith.

In this context, the institute strengthened its offerings by combining its own capabilities with the collaboration of more than 11 international asset managers. In February, together with Morningstar, it also launched two new equity indexes designed as benchmarks for Catholic investments worldwide.

Clean audit opinion and change in presidency

The IOR's financial statements — for an institution whose accounts are limited to Catholic institutions, clergy, Vatican employees, and embassies and ambassadors accredited to the Holy See — received a "clean" opinion from Deloitte & Touche and were approved April 28 by the Board of Superintendence and the Commission of Cardinals.

The fiscal year also coincided with a change in the institute's presidency: Jean-Baptiste de Franssu ended his mandate after the approval of the financial statements and was succeeded by François Pauly.

With 115 employees and about 12,000 clients in more than 110 countries — all linked to the Church — the IOR reaffirmed its role as a financial instrument at the service of the Church's mission under a model that combines prudent growth, security, and client focus.

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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