Catholic News

Throughout 2026, a museum in Puebla, Mexico, is hosting the exhibition "When Faith Challenged Power," which depicts the history of the Cristero War, a popular uprising against religious persecution in Mexico that frequently goes unmentioned in education and public discourse.

Marking the centenary of the outbreak of the conflict, also known as the La Cristiada, the exhibition on display at the museum at the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP by its Spanish acronym) aims to highlight "everything involved in the defense of religious freedom" in early 20th-century Mexico, and how Mexicans "decided to defend something that was important to them."

Mariana Cruz Ugarte, coordinator of the UPAEP Museum, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that the exhibition presents "a reflection that seems very pertinent both today and always: what is important to us, and why is it worth defending?"

A war Mexico rarely talks about

Although tensions between the Church and the Mexican state were rooted in the anticlerical 1917 Constitution, the Cristero War erupted in 1926 when the so-called "Law on Tolerance of Religious Worship" or the "Calles Law," named after then president Plutarco Elías Calles, went into effect in July of that year.

The regulations promoted and enforced by Calles severely restricted religious freedom, banning public worship outside of churches, prohibiting religious attire, dissolving religious orders, and deporting foreign priests.

Faced with the restrictions, Mexican bishops decided to suspend religious services. Tensions with the authorities escalated, and groups of Catholic faithful across various parts of Mexico spontaneously took up arms against federal repression.

Many of these men and women faced persecution while shouting "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" ("Long live Christ the King!") — a rallying cry that gave rise to the name by which they would become known: the "Cristeros."

"There is talk of more than 250,000 deaths in the Cristero War resulting from the armed conflict," noted Cruz, pointing out that despite the magnitude of that war, it is a "little-known" event.

In Mexico, she said, the War of Independence in the first half of the 19th century and the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s are "very deeply ingrained" in our minds, yet the Cristero War is "a moment in our history that little is said about."

"That's why it is important" to remember this war, she said, for "when we forget these lessons, which cost our nation dearly in blood, we risk the possibility that it could happen again, that it could continue to occur in other ways."

Furthermore, she emphasized, "even though this happened long ago, it helps us reflect on the importance of dialogue versus a response that descends into violence."

An exhibition that seeks to surprise

The immersive exhibition invites visitors to witness the private lives and concerns of the Cristeros "as if we were observing it ourselves," and to see "how people's lives changed" due to the war.

"That really adds to the element of surprise, because people don't imagine the characters speaking," noted Cruz, pointing out how visitors approaching certain areas of the exhibition are startled by sounds recreating the lives of persecuted Catholics.

In this way, it feels as though "they are living their lives and we are spying on them," even witnessing the "fear" experienced by those who "decided to defend something that was important to them."

"We wanted to surprise people," she emphasized, noting that this is "an exhibition that differs greatly from what we have traditionally presented at the UPAEP Museum."

In one area of ??the exhibition, two women can be heard conversing in hushed tones. "We are seeing these women making flags that they're going to donate to the Cristero army," the museum coordinator explained.

Then, one makes one's way in the dead of night to the center of a village, where the church stands closed and guarded by the federal army.

There, "we approach very discreetly so as not to interrupt what is taking place, the way people continued to live out their faith in secret, inside their homes, in the early hours of the morning," she added.

Inside one of the "houses" recreated by the exhibition, another exchange can be heard: "The priest is celebrating Mass, and they ask him to please lower his voice so they won't be discovered," Cruz explained.

"We seek to stir emotions but also to engage the senses," she said, noting that visitors "can even smell the grass in the village center."

The exhibition is further enriched by authentic Cristero artifacts ranging from flags and photographs to clothes and even weapons used by those who took up arms against the Mexican government's repression.

The UPAEP Museum coordinator emphasized that the exhibition aims to foster "reflection on peaceful coexistence," as well as "the importance of dialogue, always as a means to facilitate and reach conflict resolution."

However, a key point, she noted, is "the importance of getting involved and staying informed about what is happening in political life."

"One thing we can see is that political decisions affect people's lives," she said, pointing out that such decisions "transform even our everyday lives, the way we are accustomed to living them."

This can be especially relevant when "it seems there are young people today who do not feel particularly compelled" to pay attention to these developments.

The exhibition at the UPAEP Museum is open to the public free of charge and will remain open until Jan. 16, 2027.

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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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A Catholic religious community in Melbourne, Australia says it will be forced to close after nearly two centuries as it moves to settle a large number of abuse claims brought against it.

Christian Brothers Oceania Province said on June 22 it was proposing a plan to facilitate the "orderly distribution of our remaining property, funds and other assets" to victims of abuse by congregation members.

The organization said in a press release that "some members" of the congregation had caused "enormous harm through their criminal sexual abuse of children."

The group said it is facing a "pivotal moment" in which a "very difficult financial position" led it to propose the distribution scheme. Either through that scheme or through "liquidation," the group said its Oceania province would "inevitably come to an end."

The congregation has multiple chapters on every continent except Antartica and has faced numerous sexual abuse allegations elsewhere. The Oceania province includes congregations in Australia, New Zealand, and Papa New Guinea.

The organization said that over roughly the past 45 years it has already made payments to abuse victims "in excess of $480 million." Yet in the past decade the number of claims against the organization has "accelerated," leading the group to propose the distribution scheme.

If the proposal does not receive court approval, the congregation said, then it will "have no option but to enter liquidation."

"In both cases," the group said, the Oceania province will "cease to exist."

The organization's press release noted that it is "financially and canonically distinct" from the "broader Catholic Church," meaning it has "no ability to compel other Catholic institutions" to help with the financial payout.

The province's assets include approximately 36 properties throughout Australia with a total value of about $216 million, the group said.

The proposed distribution scheme would also account for the future care of the remaining brothers in the province, the congregation said. A total of 176 brothers are still living throughout the province with an average age of 80 years.

The interests of the abuse victims "remain our highest priority," the congregation said.

The congregation first established a presence in Australia 183 years ago, in 1843, the group said, and while it argued that there is "much to be proud of" in its work, its history of sex abuse is "shameful and painful."

"It is a truth we do not resile from, and it is this which has brought us to this point today," the group said.

The Congregation of Christian Brothers was founded in 1802 by Edmund Ignatius Rice in Waterford, Ireland. It was formally recognized by the Holy See in 1820.

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One year has passed since St. Elias Church in the Dweilaa district of Damascus, Syria, was bombed, killing at least 25 worshippers and injuring as many as over 100 people.

For many Syrian Christians, the terrorist attack became a defining moment that shook the community in a way not seen since the final years of the Ottoman Empire.

Speaking to ACI MENA, EWTN News' Arabic-language news service, Father Yohanna Shahada, pastor of St. Elias Church, recalled not only a year marked by grief, tears, and fear, but also one shaped by hope born of prayer, faith, and the solidarity of the Church's living stones, supporting one another through suffering.

One memory from the days immediately following the attack remains especially vivid in Shahada's mind. Rather than waiting to receive consolation, grieving families found themselves comforting the priests. Many of the wounded, despite their own pain, sought to encourage those serving the parish.

Shahada recalled one parishioner who underwent surgery on his leg. When the priest asked how he was doing, the man replied: "Father, as long as you are standing, we are well."

The bombing revived memories of war, destruction, and fear that many had spent years trying to overcome, Shahada said. Even today, concerns about the future and the possibility of another attack remain present among many families.

The families of victims of the church bombing faced not only the emotional pain of losing loved ones but also significant financial hardship, as many of those killed were the primary breadwinners for their households.

According to Shahada, approximately 150 people were injured in the attack. Their injuries ranged from minor to moderate, with some requiring surgery and others suffering life-altering wounds that resulted in the loss of a limb.

The priest emphasized that from the first moments after the bombing, Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi closely followed developments and directed efforts to provide emergency assistance, hospital care, medication, and the medical treatment needed by the injured.

Shahada also praised the work of the Church's Department of Ecumenical Relations, which organized individual and group psychological support sessions. He highlighted the contributions of Church institutions and charitable organizations, including Caritas and the St. Ephrem Organization, as well as numerous community initiatives that stood beside affected families during their time of need.

Continuing support

The months following the attack were marked by sustained efforts to address urgent needs and help families rebuild their lives, Shahada said. These initiatives included assisting people in finding employment, supporting small business projects, and helping cover educational expenses for children from affected households whenever possible.

"No assistance can replace the loss of a loved one," he said. "But these efforts are a tangible expression of the Church's commitment to its people and its determination not to leave them alone in their suffering."

Reflecting on the spiritual dimension of the tragedy, Shahada said the experience, despite the evil and pain it brought, ultimately deepened many people's relationship with the Church and strengthened their appreciation for prayer and hope.

"The miracles we need are not born from anger or hatred," he said. "Those only deepen divisions. Prayer for those who harm us, however, opens the door to true transformation."

He pointed to the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus as an example of such transformation. Evil, he said, resembles thorns that grow and spread on their own, while a field of wheat requires patience, effort, and constant care to bear fruit.

Looking back, Shahada noted that although the bombing itself lasted only seconds, the restoration of the church has taken more than a year because every part of the building sustained damage.

He expressed hope that the faithful will be able to celebrate the rededication of St. Elias Church next autumn.

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

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Major League Baseball (MLB) will not punish the three San Francisco Giants players who wrote Bible verses on their caps during the team's gay pride celebrations and blamed the incident on poor communication from the franchise, according to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri.

Hawley posted a letter on X, which he said he received from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred after the senator accused the league of discrimination and the Department of Justice (DOJ) opened an investigation into the matter.

The incident stemmed from the Giants' June 12 "Pride Night," in which most players wore caps that infused a gay pride rainbow into the team logo. Three players inscribed Bible verses on the caps, with one referencing Genesis 9:12-16, in which God tells Noah the rainbow is "the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come" and promises to never flood the entire Earth again.

After the game, the Giants apologized for the players causing "pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community" and the MLB issued warnings, which Manfred said was simply enforcing its content-neutral prohibition on writing messages on uniforms.

In the letter Hawley posted, Manfred said players cannot be forced to wear the pride-inspired uniform, but blamed the Giants for not properly communicating to players that it is optional.

He said "the Giants' communication with players was inadequate and not clear" but the MLB warnings to the players were delivered before the league became aware of that.

"Some players apparently did not understand that they had the option to wear their normal uniform and elected to add messages to their hats bearing the pride logo as a result," the commissioner added.

He said the players "were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be." He said the MLB "believes in the right of our players and fans to express their religious beliefs and at the same time supports the communities in this country that are fans of our clubs, including the LGBTQ community."

"We believe that a policy permitting our clubs to celebrate or honor segments of its fanbase, yet does not require players or other on-field personnel to directly participate in the celebration in ways that makes them uncomfortable, strikes the right balance," he wrote.

Neither the MLB nor the Giants responded to requests for comment from EWTN News about the letter.

Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ, sent a letter to Manfred last week to inform him that the DOJ will use all available means to hold employers accountable for any discrimination against Christians and that the incident was referred to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

In spite of the MLB's position that the policy banning written messages is content-neutral, the DOJ letter contends that the league has a "double standard" when it comes to enforcement, noting that players were allowed to wear "Black Lives Matter" messages in spite of the general prohibition.

This incident came less than a month after the Washington Nationals fired Sean Hudson, its former director of community relations, for saying the team tries to avoid the inclusion of pitcher Trevor Williams in promotional materials because of his Catholic faith.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, urged the Justice Department to reexamine the MLB's antitrust exemption because of the incident and to investigate potential patterns of discriminatory actions.

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Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Theophilus III, Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, All Palestine, and Jordan, undertook a visit to the Gaza Strip on June 22, as announced by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The visit of the two heads of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in the Holy Land expressed, according to the statement, the "pastoral responsibility" of their respective Churches toward the Christian communities of Gaza but also "toward the whole population" of this territory, "where families continue to endure grave humanitarian suffering, fear, loss and uncertainty."

The patriarchs were accompanied on their visit by Josef D. Blotz, grand hospitaller of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, as well as by representatives of Malteser International, the order's humanitarian agency.

Their presence "reflects the enduring commitment of faith-based humanitarian services to healthcare, relief work, and the protection of human dignity in Gaza," the statement noted.

Furthermore, the statement said the presence of both religious leaders "carries the prayer of Jerusalem to Gaza's wounded faithful and to all who suffer, in a ministry of consolation, mercy and steadfast Christian witness rooted in the Gospel and in the sacred vocation of the Holy City."

During their time in Gaza, the leaders visited the city's only Catholic church, the Latin rite parish dedicated to the Holy Family where, according to Vatican News, Theophilos III and Pizzaballa were welcomed with applause from the faithful and joyful cheers from the children.

After an initial greeting and a prayer led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, Pizzaballa expressed his joy at being able to look into the eyes not only of the parishioners and those living in the vicinity of the church, but also of all the inhabitants of that suffering city.

The situation, the cardinal said, is difficult but the presence of Church representatives demonstrates their concern for Gaza, which remains a priority.

In addition, they held meetings with the clergy, religious communities, and "local Christian families and people affected by the continuing humanitarian crisis," according to the statement.

Through these encounters, they "seek to offer spiritual strength, comfort, and hope in the midst of deep suffering," they said. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem emphasized that the presence of Theophilos III and Pizzaballa "carries the prayer of Jerusalem to Gaza's wounded faithful and to all who suffer."

This is the third such visit in the past year; Pizzaballa previously visited the Strip in July and December 2025.

The humanitarian work of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza has recently been recognized. On June 12, in the presence of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, they were awarded the Antonio Feltrinelli International Prize by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei — one of Italy's most prestigious scientific and humanitarian awards. Iyad Twal, patriarchal vicar for Jordan, accepted the prize on behalf of Pizzaballa.

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

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Cambodia's Buddhist leadership has conferred a high honorary title on the Catholic bishop of Phnom Penh, recognizing decades of cooperation between Buddhist and Christian communities in a country where the Catholic Church remains a small minority.

Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, received the title "Akka Mahaupasakabuddhasasanupatthambhakr," roughly translated as "Elder Great Lay Supporter and Upholder of the Buddha's Dispensation," during a ceremony on June 13, 2026, at Wat Botum Vatey in the Cambodian capital.

The title was conferred by Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget of Cambodia's Mohanikaya Buddhist order and presented at a ceremony presided over by Venerable Khim Sorn, the order's third deputy supreme patriarch.

The honor builds on a distinction Schmitthaeusler received in 2022, when Cambodia's Buddhist leadership named him a "Maha Upasaka," recognizing his support for Buddhist communities and his role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between Cambodia's Buddhist majority and its small Catholic minority.

At the time, Buddhist leaders cited joint development projects, educational initiatives, and efforts to strengthen social cohesion. The new title represents a higher level of recognition from the country's Buddhist establishment.

Speaking at the ceremony, Khim Sorn pointed to Cambodia's constitutional framework, which recognizes Buddhism as the state religion while protecting religious freedom.

He said the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia clearly stipulates that Buddhism is the state religion, but "it also guarantees complete freedom of religious belief without coercion" and promotes religious harmony, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect among the different religions.

Buddhist leaders said the recognition reflected Schmitthaeusler's long involvement in educational, humanitarian, and community-development initiatives carried out in cooperation with Buddhist institutions.

For Schmitthaeusler, the award marked another chapter in a relationship that began more than two decades ago. "This is a profoundly meaningful event for me as a Catholic bishop," he said.

The French-born missionary of the Paris Foreign Missions Society traced that relationship to his years as a parish priest in Takeo province, where Catholics and Buddhists worked together on local development projects.

Among them was the construction of a road linking a Catholic community and a nearby pagoda, an initiative he said helped lay the groundwork for deeper cooperation.

Over the years, that collaboration expanded into education and social services. Schmitthaeusler noted that he supported the establishment of a primary school at Wat Ang Montrey, where students study Pali, Sanskrit, and other academic subjects.

The prelate also highlighted joint humanitarian efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and assistance provided to displaced families during recent tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

"Receiving the status of Akka Mahaupasakabuddhasasanupatthambhakr today is a moment of profound recognition of how the Catholic Church and Buddhism walk hand-in-hand for the common good of our people and our country," he said.

Schmitthaeusler also cited recent dialogue initiatives involving Buddhist and Christian leaders from Cambodia and across Asia focused on peacebuilding and reconciliation.

"We know that when Cambodia is full of peace, it radiates a positive influence to the rest of the world," he said. "This is a powerful signal: when religions journey together, the world will witness true peace," he added.

A small Church rebuilt after the Khmer Rouge

Theravada Buddhism is practiced by the vast majority of Cambodia's roughly 18 million people. The Catholic Church numbers about 20,000 faithful across one apostolic vicariate and two apostolic prefectures.

The Catholic Church was nearly wiped out during the Khmer Rouge era, when religious communities were persecuted and most church buildings were destroyed.

Since public religious life resumed in the early 1990s, the Catholic Church has gradually rebuilt through education, health care, social services, and pastoral ministry, becoming a small but visible presence in Cambodian society.

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VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has rejected a request by the German Bishops' Conference to allow lay faithful, in exceptional circumstances, to preach the homily during the celebration of the Eucharist.

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments communicated the decision in a letter dated June 17 addressed to Bishop Heiner Wilmer, president of the German Bishops' Conference.

In the letter, released by the Vatican on June 23, the dicastery said it is "not possible to grant the indult requested" on March 30 which would have allowed a duly designated layperson to preach in place of the homily.

Although the dicastery — which oversees most matters related to the Catholic Church's liturgy and the ritual of the sacraments — expressed appreciation for the pastoral motivations behind the request, it emphasized that current norms do not allow for exceptions on this point.

"The reservation of the homily to a priest or deacon is not a merely disciplinary norm, but derives from the very nature of the liturgy," the dicastery said.

The letter noted that the homily "constitutes an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word," is "intrinsically linked to the proclamation of the Gospel," and "represents an exercise of the munus docendi entrusted to ordained ministers through the sacrament of holy orders."

The dicastery also stressed that the "proclamation of the Word within the liturgical celebration is inseparable from the mission received sacramentally and from the unity that links the Word and the Sacrament in the eucharistic celebration."

The letter underlined the need to strengthen the formation of clergy, pointing to "the importance of promoting the ongoing formation of ordained ministers, so that the homily may fully express its pastoral and spiritual efficacy."

Finally, the dicastery recalled that the Church's current discipline already provides other possibilities for lay faithful to preach.

"There are numerous forms of proclamation of the Word and preaching that can be entrusted to the lay faithful outside the homily and outside the celebration of the Eucharist," the dicastery said, noting that such preaching must always be carried out in accordance with canon law and the proper nature of those forms of announcing the Gospel.

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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Christians and rights advocates in Pakistan have welcomed the acquittal of a blind Catholic man who spent nearly 10 months in jail on a blasphemy charge carrying a mandatory death sentence.

A sessions court in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, on June 22 cleared 49-year-old Nadeem Masih, who is blind by birth, of charges under Section 295-C of Pakistan's blasphemy law, which criminalizes insults against the Prophet Muhammad.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Saad Salman Khan dismissed the case after finding insufficient evidence to support the prosecution's allegations.

Masih had been in custody since August 2025. His family alleges the accusation stemmed from a dispute with contractors at Nawaz Sharif Park, where he earned a living operating a weighing scale for visitors. The family said the contractors harassed him and demanded money.

Fearing reprisals, relatives have since moved to a shelter and were unavailable for comment.

Defense attorney Javed Sahotra said the prosecution's own evidence undermined its case.

"The police report stated they received information about the alleged blasphemy at 11 p.m., although the park closes at 9 p.m. Two prosecution witnesses also gave statements that raised serious questions about the allegations," he told EWTN News.

Sahotra said imprisonment had been especially difficult for Masih because of his disability.

"He spent 10 distressing months in prison. Simple daily tasks such as using the toilet and obtaining food were major challenges," the lawyer said.

"The case demonstrates how vulnerable people can become entangled in serious criminal accusations. Even a poor blind man was not spared."

Blasphemy remains one of Pakistan's most sensitive issues and has frequently triggered mob violence against religious minorities, including attacks on homes and places of worship.

According to the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 812 people were imprisoned on blasphemy-related charges in Punjab during 2025, including 796 men, 15 women, and one juvenile.

Christian advocacy groups say eight Christians, including two women, were acquitted or granted bail in blasphemy cases during the first half of 2026, all in Punjab province.

Over the past five years, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has helped secure the acquittal of 15 people accused of blasphemy — 10 Christians and five Muslims, including three women.

Anjum James Paul, a CSI partner who helped coordinate legal and financial support for Masih's family, attributed many acquittals to careful legal preparation.

"We maintain a low profile during such trials because of the sensitivity of these cases," Paul said.

"One of the lawyers representing Masih is a Hafiz-e-Quran [a person who has memorized the entire Quran]. Having Muslim lawyers on defense teams can help reduce pressure because some district bar associations discourage lawyers from taking blasphemy cases."

Paul also called for authorities to implement court directives requiring the involvement of qualified religious scholars and senior police officers in preliminary blasphemy investigations.

A support group formed by families affected by alleged false blasphemy accusations welcomed the verdict in a social media statement issued hours after the ruling.

The Voice of the Victims of Blasphemy Business Group described the acquittal as a rare example of a lower court dismissing a blasphemy case and expressed hope that courts were becoming less vulnerable to public pressure in such cases.

The group alleged that Masih had been falsely accused following a dispute with park management and said the verdict offered encouragement to other families fighting blasphemy allegations.

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Widows have a place of privilege and special care in the Judeo-Christian tradition, according to biblical texts. On International Widows' Day, annually observed on June 23, the Church has the opportunity to honor these women who, throughout the ages, have meaningfully supported their families and communities after the loss of their spouses.

Widows in Scripture

In St. Luke's Gospel, Jesus' encounters with widows began in his infancy, when he was presented in the Temple of Jerusalem, and continued into the years of his public ministry as a teacher and healer.

These various meetings recorded in the Gospel highlighted the strength of a widow's faith and prayer before God, as well as Jesus' particular compassion for her needs and well-being.

Anna, the 87-year-old widow who "worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer," recognized the divinity of Jesus when Mary and Joseph brought him into the Temple.

According to Luke, Anna was a prophetess and one of the first women to praise Jesus as the Messiah. She "spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem."

When Jesus saw the widow of Naim mourning the death of her only son, accompanied by others, during the funeral procession, the Gospel said Our Lord was "moved with pity" when he saw her tears.

Without being asked to perform a miracle, Jesus approached the widow without hesitation, raised her only son back to life from the dead and "gave him to his mother."

Before dying on the cross, Jesus entrusted the care of his own widowed mother, Mary, to the "disciple whom he loved."

"He said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son,'" St. John wrote. "Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home."

In the Acts of the Apostles, the evangelist Luke also sheds light on how certain ministries were formed to support widows in the early Church.

The ministry of deacons was established by the Twelve Apostles to resolve the dispute among their Hebrew and Greek disciples regarding the care of widows, as outlined in Acts 6.

St. Luke also mentions how these women supported the various spiritual and material needs of the first Christian communities.

In Acts 9, Peter promptly visited the widows of Joppa who mourned the death of their friend Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, who was "completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving."

"When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them," the evangelist wrote.

After kneeling down and praying beside her, Peter "raised her up" and "presented her alive" to her Church community.

St. Augustine's letter to a Roman widow

According to Augustinian Father Kolawole Chabi, the Church's concern and reverence for widows continued over the centuries, exemplified in St. Augustine's letter to Proba written in A.D. 412.

The Roman noblewoman's supplication to St. Augustine led him to write an ancient treatise on Christian prayer that remains relevant today, the professor at Rome's Patristic Institute Augustinianum told EWTN News.

"The letter to Proba spoke of continuous praying," Chabi said in an April 27 interview. "Augustine said that inasmuch as you continue desiring God, you are praying. Your prayer stops when your desire for God stops."

In the bishop of Hippo's written response to the Roman noblewoman, he praised the widows mentioned in the Gospel whose ceaseless prayers were heard and heeded by God and encouraged her to continue living a pious life for the benefit of her family and community.

"[Proba] became, also, a leading figure in the Christianization of the Roman aristocracy," Chabi told EWTN News.

Before becoming a prominent Church leader, Augustine owed his own widowed mother St. Monica for his conversion. Through her persistent prayers and example of holiness, he was baptized by St. Ambrose during the Easter Vigil in A.D. 387 at the age of 32.

St. Monica continues to be a popular Catholic patron for married women, mothers, and widows.

Widows' ministries in the Church today

From ancient times to the present day, widows continue to have a significant apostolic role and place of care in Catholic archdioceses around the world.

Among several widows' groups formed within the Church, the Order of Widows (Ordo Viduarum) has seen a recent revival in parts of the U.S.

Carlotta Stricker, assistant servant leader for the Widows of Prayer, spoke to EWTN News about the unique vocation and how women who have lost their husbands are keeping the faith.

"As a Widow of Prayer, we live our lives with God as our focus," she explained. "Responsibilities include daily Mass, Eucharist, rosary, adoration, Liturgy of the Hours (morning and evening), and Divine Mercy Chaplet. All other forms of prayers and spiritual reading are encouraged."

"In spite of our promise and vows, we are still mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers and still have an active role in our families lives," she said.

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Catholic bishops across the United Kingdom say they need to see more legislative detail before supporting government proposals to ban social media for youth under 16.

On June 15, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Liz Kendall announced to the House of Commons that the government "will ban social media companies providing their services to under 16s."

Kendall said that the UK would be following the same model as Australia, which was the first country in the world to ban social media for youth under 16. The UK ban is due to come into effect early next year.

In an email response to EWTN News on June 17 regarding whether bishops of England and Wales support the proposed ban, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference for England and Wales said: "Until the government publishes further details it's hard to give a yes or no answer."

But Bishop John Arnold, the lead bishop for communications for the conference, "is very keen to ensure that the safety and protection of the dignity of young people online is a central concern for all," the statement said.

In a separate email to EWTN News, Bishop Arnold wrote that the "safety of children and young people in the digital world is paramount. Young people face many pressures today, which are often exacerbated by unrealistic and harmful material which they have accessed online."

"When it comes to the responsible and appropriate use of technology, the protection of children and young people is a shared responsibility among parents, schools, government and society," he said.

"I urge all people to work together to protect and place the dignity of the human person, especially children, the young and vulnerable, at the center of technological and legislative developments," the bishop said.

The Bishops' Conference of Scotland, meanwhile, said it would "prefer not to comment directly on the specific policy issue, but rather give a considered response to the noble principles behind online safety measures."

"The bishops support the introduction of any new measures which increase online safety for children and young people," the conference said.

"We have a responsibility to ensure that children and young people are protected from harmful and age-inappropriate content, and from online environments that can negatively affect their wellbeing, relationships and healthy development," the statement continued.

The UK government's proposal includes banning youth usage of platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat,?Facebook,?and X. They do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the ban.

Livestreamers and strangers being?able to contact children will also be restricted for those under-16 on other online services like gaming.

"Who should take responsibility?"

Edwin Fawcett, a Catholic psychotherapist based in England and Wales, is also unsure about the benefits and drawbacks of the proposal.

"At this point the toll taken on mental and emotional health by social media, especially for developing brains, is virtually undisputed. Who should take responsibility for young people's formation and education?" he told EWTN News.

"The Church's wise answer: parents. Yet in a busy, driven and fragmented society the tsunami of digital hyper-reality is almost impossible to avoid or withstand," he said.

Fawcett argued that there is "a pandemic of relational wounds and deficits in the real world" which "has set the stage for widespread mental health issues, which are being activated and worsened by addictive online behavior — behavior chosen in an attempt to anesthetize the same wounds."

He continued: "Whether the ban is designed to support the rights and responsibilities of the family is hard to say. But let's pray that a deep renewal of family life, communities and culture will begin filling the void which social media has falsely promised to do — a void which may now be exposed by the incoming ban."

Lucy Marsh, a spokeswoman for the Family Education Trust — a secular research body which supports traditional family values — said that the ban has not been sufficiently "thought through."

"Children should not have unsupervised access to social media, but the government's rushed plan to ban under-16s from using certain platforms is the wrong way to go about it," she told EWTN News.

"Rather than educating parents on how to restrict their child's access to the internet and raising awareness about why young children should not have smartphones, the government is trying to introduce digital ID via the back door. This means using facial recognition and biometrics which involve giving even more information to tech companies. In the name of protecting children, those children will be under even more surveillance."

The government "should focus on ensuring tech companies make phones for children which cannot access social media apps, including WhatsApp, which is used by predatory adults to share pornography and groom children," she said.

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