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VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV told leaders of international associations of the faithful, ecclesial movements, and new communities Thursday that governance in the Church must never become a vehicle for prestige or personal power but must serve communion and the spiritual good of the faithful.

Speaking May 21 in the Synod Hall to participants in a meeting promoted by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, the pope reflected on the theme of governance in ecclesial communities and the responsibility of those who lead them.

"In every social entity there exists a need for suitable people and structures to guide and coordinate communal life," Pope Leo said. "At its root, the term 'to govern' refers to the action of 'holding the helm,' of 'steering a ship.' It is, therefore, a matter of providing a sure direction, so that the community may be a place of growth for the people who belong to it."

The pope said Church governance cannot be reduced to administrative efficiency or coordination.

"However, in the Church, governance does not arise simply from the need to coordinate the religious needs of its members," he said. "The Church was established by Christ as a lasting sign of his universal salvific will and is the place, willed by God, where all people, in every age, may receive the fruits of redemption and experience the new life that Christ has given us."

For that reason, he said, governance in the Church "is never merely technical" but "has a salvific orientation in itself," directed toward "the spiritual good of the faithful."

Addressing leaders of lay associations and movements, Pope Leo said governance is generally entrusted to laypeople and "expresses participation in the royal 'munus' of Christ received in baptism." He emphasized that such leadership is "placed at the service of other faithful and of the life of the association" and should be the fruit of free elections understood as an act of communal discernment.

"If, as we have said, governance is a particular gift of the Holy Spirit, which the members of a community recognize as present in some of their brethren in the faith, at least three consequences derive from this," the pope said.

The first, he said, is that governance must be "for the benefit of all," serving the community, the association, and the whole Church. "Governance, therefore, can never be exploited for personal interests or worldly forms of prestige and power," he said.

The second consequence, Pope Leo continued, is that governance "can never be imposed from above but must be a gift recognizable within the community and freely accepted," which is why "free elections" are important.

The third, he said, is that the governance of an association, "like every charism," remains subject to the discernment of pastors, who are responsible for safeguarding "the authenticity and orderly use of charisms."

The pope also cited several qualities he said must mark Church governance: "mutual listening, shared responsibility, transparency, fraternal closeness, and communal discernment."

Leaders of ecclesial movements, he said, have a delicate task. They must both preserve "the memory of a living heritage" and exercise a "prophetic" role by listening to present pastoral needs and responding to "the new challenges and to the cultural, social, and spiritual sensibilities of our time."

"Indeed, only in this way can one be a Christian, a disciple and a missionary in today's society and Church," Pope Leo said.

He placed particular emphasis on communion, warning against the temptation for ecclesial groups to close in on themselves.

"Those who exercise a mission of leadership in the Church must learn to listen to and welcome different opinions, different cultural and spiritual orientations, and different personal temperaments, always seeking to preserve, especially in necessary and often difficult decisions, the greater good of communion," he said.

"This requires a witness of meekness, detachment, and selfless love for one's brothers and sisters and for the community, which serves as an example to everyone," the pope added.

Pope Leo warned that some groups can become self-referential.

"At times we find groups who close themselves up and think that their specific reality is the only one, or that it is the Church, but the Church is all of us, it is much more!" he said. "And so our movements must truly endeavor to live in communion with the entire Church, at diocesan level."

The bishop, he said, is "a very important figure of reference," adding that groups must seek communion with the Church both locally and universally.

The pope concluded by thanking the associations and movements for their service, calling them "an inestimable gift to the Church."

"There is great richness among you: so many well-formed people and so many fine evangelizers; so many young people and diverse vocations to the priesthood and married life," he said. "The variety of charisms, gifts, and methods of apostolate developed over the years allows you to be present in the fields of culture, art, social life and work, bringing the light of the Gospel everywhere."

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Pakistan's Catholic bishops have ended their "ad limina" visit to the Vatican with a formal invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the country, a move they and Christian activists hope will boost interfaith harmony and highlight minority concerns.

Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan, extended the invitation during a papal audience on May 15, according to UCA News.

Pope Leo XIV responded positively to the invitation and expressed a desire to visit Pakistan in the future, the outlet reported.

Shukardin said the bishops returned from the "ad limina" visit with renewed hope for the church in Pakistan.

"The challenges we have in Pakistan are first how to evangelize the Church and also reach other people. A big challenge is that our people are still illiterate but strong in faith; they are poor but very hardworking. Many of our people are not receiving equal rights," he said in a video shared on May 16 on Catholic TV.

"We have a big problem regarding blasphemy cases and forced conversions. Sometimes our Church is rejected and persecuted because we are not doing what others expect. Our Church is going through difficulties, but we are hopeful that one day we will receive equal rights in Pakistan."

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, religious minorities in the country, including Christians and Ahmadis, continued to face persecution and discrimination in 2025.

The commission's annual report highlighted persistent cases of forced conversion and underage marriages involving Hindu and Christian girls in Punjab and Sindh provinces, exposing failures in enforcing child marriage laws.

Mary James Gill, a Christian politician, former lawmaker, and executive director of the Center for Law and Justice, said Christians continue to face social and economic marginalization along with challenges related to religious freedom and interfaith relations.

"Eighty percent of Christians in Pakistan live below the poverty line. The reasons are linked more to caste-based structures than religion itself. A papal visit can bring attention to these issues," she told EWTN News on May 19.

Gill said the Vatican holds moral and diplomatic influence that could help amplify the concerns of marginalized communities.

"Pakistan as a state gives weight and respect to Vatican recommendations and to figures such as the archbishop of Canterbury. A papal visit could increase visibility for Christian concerns and resonate with expectations from the community. It would also be a positive gesture because Christian political leadership in Pakistan often remains divided," she said.

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Cardinal Jose Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, on Thursday criticized AI deepfakes as a threat to human encounter.

Speaking at a conference on AI in Rome on May 21, Mendonça warned of the dangers of AI, saying that it can "have painful consequences on the destiny of individuals."

"When a deepfake lends a person's face to words they have never spoken ... it is the very grammar of the human encounter that is altered," Mendonça said. "Technology that exploits our need for relationship ... can not only have painful consequences on the destiny of individuals, but it can also damage the social, cultural, and political fabric of societies."

Preserving humanity in the age of AI

Coming a few days before of the release of Pope Leo XIV's Magnifica Humanitas, which will treat moral and social questions related to AI, the theme of the conference was "Preserving Human Voices and Faces."

Organized by the Dicastery for Communication and held at the Pontifical Urban University, the conference brought together professors, journalists, and engineers who offered insights into the risks AI poses to authentic human experiences.

Mendonça, citing the pope's message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, clarified that the goal "lies not in stopping digital innovation but in guiding it."

Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, added: "The greatest danger consists in passively accepting the idea that knowledge no longer belongs to us."

Magnifica Humanitas: Keeping the human at the center

Some of the conference panelists expressed their hopes for Leo's upcoming encyclical on AI.

One of those was Bishop Paul Tighe, secretary of the Section of Culture of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. Speaking to EWTN News on the sidelines, Tighe gave his impressions about what the pope intends to contribute with this document.

"I think the pope is doing two things: First, he will be offering perspectives that enable people to reflect and think critically about AI and its role in society. Second, he is initiating a dialogue," Tighe told EWTN News. "He wants to create an environment where all the various people who have a part in the development of AI are attentive to keeping the human at the center."

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The Supreme Court on May 21 rejected an attempt by the state of Alabama to execute a convicted murderer whose low IQ may render him intellectually disabled and thus protected from capital punishment by the U.S. Constitution.

The court in an unsigned order dismissed an appeal from Alabama after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Joseph Clifton Smith, with the appeals court holding that Smith's low-70s IQ put him close enough to the threshold of an intellectually disability to render his death sentence unconstitutional.

The court heard oral arguments in the case in December 2025. The case had followed a twisting path through the federal court system; the 11th Circuit first ruled in Smith's favor in 2023, after which the Supreme Court in 2024 vacated that decision and ordered the appeals court to consider it again.

A second review by the lower court, with another favorable ruling for Smith, again brought the case before the Supreme Court last year; the high court's May 21 ruling brought the case to an end.

The latest ruling represents a potential precedent in how the Supreme Court considers certain cases of capital punishment. The court ruled in the 2002 case Atkins v. Virginia that executing people with intellectual disabilities violated the Constitution's Eighth Amendment, which prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment."

The justices did not define "intellectual disability" in that case, though it cited expert opinion that "an IQ between 70 and 75 or lower" is "typically considered the cutoff" in some definitions.

Theresa Farnan, philosopher on the Ethics and Public Policy Committee of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, told EWTN News in April that Smith's death sentence was "clearly a borderline case." Smith was convicted in the brutal 1997 slaying of Durk Van Dam.

"It's obvious to me he could not grasp the gravity of his crimes," Farnan said of Smith. "In cases like these, the burden on us as a society is even more pronounced to be radically pro-life."

The Catholic Church in recent decades has come out increasingly against the death penalty, with multiple popes arguing that modern penal systems have rendered capital punishment inadmissible in many if not most cases.

Pope Leo XIV in particular has spoken out several times against the death penalty in just the first year of his pontificate, arguing that "human life is to be respected" and that support for capital punishment is incompatible with a pro-life philosophy.

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Seton Hall University could be forced to release a long-hidden investigation into clergy sexual abuse at the Catholic institution's seminary and the university's handling of it.

The controversy centers on the so-called "Latham report," a years-old inquiry commissioned by the school itself amid the fallout of bombshell abuse allegations against now-disgraced and deceased former cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Attorney Gabriel Magee represents several Church abuse victims as part of "approximately 400 cases total" in a consolidated litigation against the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall is a defendant in a handful of the cases, he told EWTN News.

As part of those proceedings, state judge Avion Benjamin had ordered the school in November 2025 to turn over the Latham report to lawyers representing victims of clergy abuse. The school had previously argued that the report was protected by attorney-client privilege.

Seton Hall appealed Benjamin's order to surrender the report. Oral arguments were held in the appeals court this month.

The Latham report was commissioned by Seton Hall in 2019. Produced by the law firm Latham & Watkins, it has never been made public. The report is expected to examine whether Monsignor Joseph Reilly, then rector of Seton Hall's Immaculate Conception Seminary (and now university president), knew about abuse claims and failed to report them. Reilly was appointed president in 2024.

Neither the school nor attorneys representing it responded to requests for comment on the ongoing litigation. Magee, meanwhile, disputed claims that the report is protected by legal shields such as the attorney-client privilege or the "work-product privilege."

"For either to apply, the primary purpose must either be conveying legal advice or it must have been created in anticipation of litigation," Magee said.

"But the record here shows instead that the Latham Report was created for self-critical analysis by Seton Hall, primarily to determine how to discipline employees who failed to report the sexual harassment and sexual abuse committed by McCarrick and to advise [the school] on how to create new policies to prevent this from happening again," he said.

Magee said the appeal to the higher court had been expedited, suggesting the court may issue a ruling "sooner rather than later."

Newark Archdiocese ordered investigation in 2025

Amid the ongoing controversy, Newark archbishop Cardinal Joseph Tobin in February 2025 ordered an independent review.

The prelate said at the time that the review would examine "how the findings of [the earlier reports] relate to Monsignor Joseph Reilly, including whether they were communicated to any and all appropriate personnel at the archdiocese and Seton Hall University and Monsignor Reilly, and if so, by what means and by whom."

The archbishop said he had not "place[d] a timetable" on the review, which was being carried out by the law firm Ropes & Gray.

Tobin in 2025 had further said that he had not "restricted the firm from exploring any relevant facts or avenue of investigation."

"A transparent review of the facts will best serve the interests of all involved and of those who have voiced a call for it," the cardinal said.

In a statement to EWTN News, the Archdiocese of Newark indicated that the review was still ongoing as of May 20.

"Cardinal Tobin stands by his earlier statement that there should be no restrictions on Ropes & Gray's efforts to access all relevant information and witnesses," the archdiocese said.

The cardinal "remains committed to a transparent examination of the facts and is optimistic that the review will be completed as expeditiously as possible," the statement added.

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Bishop John Ricard, who led the National Black Catholic Congress for three decades and served as a bishop in two U.S. dioceses, died on May 20 at 86.

His death was announced by the Archdiocese of Baltimore in the archdiocesan newspaper, Catholic Review. Ricard passed away at St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington, D.C., according to the archdiocese.

"Bishop John Ricard's death is a profound loss for our local Church and for the entire Catholic community in the United States," Baltimore Archbishop William Lori said in the announcement.

Lori said Ricard, a former auxiliary bishop in Baltimore, "served this archdiocese with grace, humility, and a joyful spirit that made him beloved by all who encountered him."

Born in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, on Feb. 29, 1940, as one of eight children, Ricard attended Epiphany Apostolic College in Newburgh, New York. He completed religious studies at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., and received a doctoral degree from The Catholic University of America.

He joined the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, or the Josephites, in 1962 and took his final vows on June 1, 1967. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1968, by Baton Rouge Bishop Emmet Tracy.

He served at several parishes in New Orleans and Washington prior to being appointed as a vicar bishop in the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Pope John Paul II. He was subsequently consecrated as an auxiliary bishop of that archdiocese on July 2, 1984, the first Black bishop to serve there.

In 1997 he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida, where he served until 2011 when he retired for health reasons.

In addition to his duties as a prelate, Ricard also served as the first president of the National Black Catholic Congress, holding that role from the congress' inception in 1987 until 2017.

After his retirement from Pensacola-Tallahassee, he served as rector of St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington. He was elected superior general of the Josephites in 2019.

Having grown up amid pervasive racism in the segregated South prior to the Civil Rights era, Ricard at times commented on racial conflict in the United States, including in 2016 amid civil unrest around police shootings, which he described as a "wake-up call for all of us" in an interview with Catholic News Service.

The bishop said he and his friends "lived under constant threat of being arrested" during the 1950s in Louisiana. He said the Catholic Church can "bring [a lot] to the table" of racial healing in the United States.

"We've got a lot of work to do," he told the news service.

In a statement released after his death, the Josephites said Ricard "faithfully served the Catholic Church for decades through his ministry as a Josephite priest, counselor, educator, pastor, bishop, humanitarian, and leader."

"He devoted his life to the proclamation of the Gospel, humanitarian efforts worldwide, the mission of the Josephite Society, and the pastoral care of God's people, especially within Black Catholic communities," they said.

The Josephites asked for "prayers for the repose of Bishop Ricard's soul, for the Josephite community, his family, friends, and all who mourn his passing."

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Pope Leo XIV sent a moving letter filled with tenderness, understanding, and valuable guidance to an 18-year-old man who had expressed his fears regarding uncertainty of the future and the new chapter he is about to begin in his life at a university.

In just a few weeks, young Pietro from Reggio Calabria in Italy will finish high school and begin his university studies, a major change about which he feels "a great deal of confusion."

The young Italian conveyed his concerns to the Holy Father in a heartfelt letter published May 19 in Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter's Square) magazine. Specifically, the young man said he fears losing the friendships he has forged in high school and not knowing which path God desires for him.

Fear of the future

In his letter, he opened up to the pope and shared his dream of "building and realizing the project of a family united in the love of Christ." He also asks for prayers for his future and for the ability to understand how to live with the feelings of "restlessness and longing" while embarking upon his new path with serenity.

Mindful of the weight the young man feels upon his shoulders, Pope Leo XIV congratulated him in his letter for not being easily satisfied and for taking his life seriously.

First, the pontiff reminded him that he is loved by Jesus — personally and just as he is — including his dreams, questions, and fears. "This love precedes you and will always accompany you; it does not depend on the decisions you make or the paths you take," he assured the young man.

'What was authentic isn't lost'

The pope also reminded Pietro that Jesus "knows the experience of friendship well," and for this reason, "he would be the first to understand your fear regarding the friendships that have marked these years."

The Holy Father reminded him that "what was authentic isn't lost; indeed, true love does not dissolve but remains forever; it matures even when it changes form."

Regarding the desires the young man harbors in his heart, the pope encouraged him to focus on those that grant him "a profound peace" and guide him toward good decisions, reminding him of the importance of discernment.

"Do not be in a hurry to understand everything immediately. Time is a patient teacher and heals wounds," he added.

'Not everything that ends is a defeat'

He also advised him to pray every day, listen to the word of God, receive the sacraments, and converse with wise individuals who could help him discern which ties he ought to keep.

"Not everything that comes to an end is a defeat; sometimes, it is merely a necessary step toward growth. Your dream of a family founded upon the love of Christ is a precious gift for the Church as well; preserve it with confidence. The Lord does not disappoint the desires that he himself has kindled within the heart," the pontiff advised.

Before concluding his letter, the pope reminded Pietro that restlessness is not a negative sign but rather represents "the place where God is working on a deep level."

"I ask for you the grace of inner peace, of trust, and of a clear perspective on your life. I entrust you to Mary, who as a young woman learned to trust despite having kept in her heart questions greater than herself," the pope said.

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 Knights of Columbus received the 2026 Path to Peace Award in recognition of the group's service to the cause of peace, justice, and humanitarian aid.

The award, an international distinction bestowed by the Path to Peace Foundation, was presented May 18 in New York to Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly during the traditional Path to Peace gala dinner, organized in support of the work of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and various urgent humanitarian causes.

The award was presented by the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, president of the foundation and permanent observer of the Holy See to the U.N.

The Knights of Columbus, considered the world's foremost Catholic lay organization for men, carries out initiatives involving charity, humanitarian aid, formation, and support for families in various countries.

The organization states that its mission is to help Catholic men live out their faith and serve their families, parishes, communities, and nations.

"On behalf of more than 2.2 million Knights of Columbus worldwide, it is an incredible honor to accept the Path to Peace Award," Kelly said during the ceremony.

The organization's leader recalled that Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights more than 140 years ago "upon the pillars of charity, unity, and fraternity."

"Today, we are proud to continue this mission throughout the world in our parishes and communities, and in nations facing the devastating impacts of war and religious intolerance. We pray that our efforts help bring peace and alleviate suffering, bearing witness to the hope that comes from Jesus Christ," Kelly stated.

An award linked to the diplomacy of the Holy See

The significance of this recognition is closely linked to the diplomatic and humanitarian mission of the Holy See at the U.N.

The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. was officially established on April 6, 1964, and has since played an active role in promoting peace, justice, human rights, and the social doctrine of the Church within the international community.

As the Path to Peace Foundation explains, the foundation was established with the aim of expanding humanitarian and reconciliation activities beyond the strictly diplomatic sphere, promoting the Catholic Church's message of peace and the pope's teachings on morality, development, and human rights.

Its key initiatives include international seminars on social encyclicals, cultural activities at the U.N., humanitarian projects for refugees and the sick, and the dissemination of documents related to the diplomacy of the Holy See.

Recognition of international leaders

The Path to Peace Award has been presented since 1993 to individuals and institutions whose lives and work have contributed significantly to the well-being of the international community.

Recipients include former U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali; Corazon Aquino, former president of the Philippines; Lech Walesa, former trade union leader and president of Poland; King Abdullah II along with Queen Rania Al Abdullah, reigning Jordanian monarchs; and current U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.

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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GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — The Catholic Diocese of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has issued preventive measures to all Catholic parishes and communities following the declaration of an Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever outbreak as a "health emergency."

In a communiqué issued May 18, the chancellor of the diocese said Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele had directed that all Catholic communities in the diocese observe strict preventive measures aimed at limiting the spread of the deadly virus.

"Given that the Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever epidemic has been declared a 'health emergency,' the Diocese of Goma recommends that all parish, priestly, and religious communities observe preventive measures," Father Christian Kisonia said.

Among the measures announced are avoiding physical contact with persons showing Ebola symptoms, frequent handwashing with soap, the use of hand sanitizers, and avoiding contact with bodily fluids.

Kisonia also urged the people of God to report any suspected Ebola cases to the nearest health facility.

In the communiqué, the chancellor said handwashing before Mass "is mandatory" for all worshippers, directing parishes to prepare washbasins with chlorinated water and soap for use by the faithful.

"Washing before Mass is mandatory for all the faithful," Kisonia emphasized.

He further directed communities to limit visits from outsiders until further notice as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.

The DRC is facing a fresh Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak on May 15 after several deaths were reported in Ituri province. Health officials say investigations and contact tracing are ongoing, and there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for the Bundibugyo strain.

On May 16, WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, citing risks associated with cross-border movement, delayed case detection, weak health systems, and insecurity in eastern Congo.

The latest outbreak has equally spread to neighboring Uganda, forcing the government to postpone the 2026 Martyrs' Day.

Uganda's Catholic bishops have urged the people of God in the east African nation to continue commemorating the Uganda Martyrs in prayer and unity.

"Although the national gathering at Namugongo has been postponed, dioceses and parishes are encouraged to celebrate the day with the guidance of the diocesan bishop and the relevant government authorities," members of the Uganda Episcopal Conference said.

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

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Only three weeks remain until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most important national team tournament in soccer, which will bring together 48 participating countries. It is the first time a World Cup is hosted by three countries and spread across 16 host cities: 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico, and two in Canada.

With the arrival of the millions of tourists Mexico is expecting during the event, the Catholic Church there has expressed concern that "risks may increase" with regard to "human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violence."

In this context, the Commission for the Protection of Minors for the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico issued a statement May 19 acknowledging that while sporting events of this magnitude "present an opportunity for encounter, togetherness, fraternity, and cultural exchange," they can also be exploited by "criminal networks that operate through deception, manipulation, coercion, exploitation, and the abuse of individuals."

In the Mexican cities that will host matches  — Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara — the arrival of "more than 5.5 million international visitors" is anticipated, according to Gabriela Cuevas Barrón, the Mexican government's World Cup coordinator.

Reports from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNICEF, and Amnesty International have warned that this massive movement of people "entails a massive influx of visitors with a potential impact on tourism-related sexual exploitation."

In light of this situation, the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico called upon authorities to "strengthen prevention, early detection, responsible reporting, and the protection of potential victims during this period."

How could a person fall into the hands of these networks?

The bishops' statement reiterated several warnings issued by the Citizen Council for Security and Justice of Mexico City regarding risk factors that require special attention; among them is the use of social media, which has been identified "as a means for recruiting minors."

The council also issued a warning regarding "a growing trend of recruiting individuals of other nationalities — primarily from Colombia, Venezuela, and Honduras — with false promises of obtaining legal immigration status."

The organization drew attention to the lack of awareness surrounding this type of crime and recommended the implementation of "targeted awareness campaigns, particularly in sectors with high exposure during the World Cup."

What can a member of the Church do to help?

The Archdiocese of Mexico urged priests, deacons, men and women religious, catechists, and pastoral workers to "actively join this effort through concrete actions aimed at raising awareness and prevention."

Among the proposed actions, particular emphasis was placed on the need to "speak clearly about this crime within pastoral settings." In this regard, the archdiocese encouraged the "placement of informational materials in visible locations" in parishes and places where people gather at churches.

The archdiocese recommended "guiding parents and guardians regarding the risks present in digital environments" as well as "disseminating protocols for the protection of minors and promoting a culture of caring in catechesis and youth groups."

Likewise, it proposed including "moments of prayer for victims of trafficking, exploitation, abuse, and violence."

The archdiocese further reminded that, in the event of a potentially risky situation, "one must not directly confront the potential aggressor or trafficker, nor publicly expose the potential victim."

The recommended course of action, it stated, is "to act with prudence, safeguard one's personal safety, listen without applying pressure, inform the right people, and refer the matter to the competent authorities."

Various national and international organizations have launched the website Mundialsintrata ("World Cup Without Trafficking") where users can access information and materials related to this initiative, which aims to promote the identification and safe reporting of human trafficking cases.

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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