Catholic News

President Donald Trump's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching an investigation into 13 states for allegedly violating federal conscience protections for those who hold moral or religious objections to abortion.

The HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced March 19 that its investigation relies on information that those states have allegedly coerced health care entities to provide coverage of or pay for abortions as a condition of offering health coverage in those states.

States that either have laws or regulations that conflict with federal conscience protection mandates are: California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

According to a news release, the states may be in violation of the Weldon Amendment, which is routinely added to health care spending bills annually. It prohibits state and local discrimination against health entities that do not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.

"OCR launches these investigations to address certain states' alleged disregard of, or confusion about, compliance with the Weldon Amendment," HHS OCR Director Paula M. Stannard said in a statement.

"Under the Weldon Amendment," she added, "health care entities, such as health insurance issuers and health plans, are protected from state discrimination for not paying for, or providing coverage of, abortion contrary to conscience. Period."

An HHS official said in a conference call that the OCR is investigating every state with "some type of mandate" that requires insurance plans to "cover abortion, regardless of whether or not [an entity] … objects on the basis of religious belief or conscience."

The HHS official said OCR sent letters to relevant states March 18, requesting information to help determine whether the policies violate the Weldon Amendment. If OCR determines that a state is in violation, the office will seek to solve the matter informally, the official said. If this fails, OCR will withhold funding or request action from the Department of Justice, the official said.

In January, OCR strengthened its interpretation of the Weldon Amendment. It disavowed a legal opinion under former President Joe Biden that had previously excluded employers and plan sponsors from protection under Weldon.

Although OCR determined in January that those entities were covered under Weldon, the HHS official said states did not amend laws or regulations to comply with the current interpretation.

A 2026 report from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Religious Liberty urged Congress to pass the Conscience Protection Act to broadly expand conscience protections for all Americans.

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The nation's capital will serve as the halfway point for the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The Catholic Information Center's (CIC) Washington, D.C., Eucharistic procession has taken place the past three years, processing through the city's downtown area near the White House and past the U.S. Capitol.

Father Charles Trullols, CIC director, started the procession in 2023. "I thought it was a great opportunity as we were going through the National Eucharistic Revival to have a Eucharistic procession in the center of our nation's capital, so that so many people around the country could see that we praise, and we pray, and we worship, together," Trullols said in an interview with "EWTN News Nightly."

Ahead of the upcoming 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, the Archdiocese of Washington reached out to Trullols to inquire if the CIC would partner with the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in the capital for the 250th anniversary of the country.

"To partner with them at the heart of our nation's capital … is a great honor," Trullols said. "And we are looking forward to having many, many, many people joining us."

"I was so excited and so happy to be able to do that, especially because the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is going to have such a relevance … this year for so many people to see our faith and to express their belief in the real presence of the Eucharist through the journey that they are going to be doing from Florida, going up north, and finally ending in Philadelphia," Trullols said.

The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's theme is "One Nation Under God," to commemorate the anniversary. Pilgrims will journey on the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Route to honor the first American citizen to be canonized.

The 2026 pilgrimage is set to kick off on May 24 in St. Augustine, Florida, and conclude on July 5 in Philadelphia. The Eucharistic procession will go through 18 dioceses and archdioceses.

Walking with Jesus

Since starting the annual event in D.C., Trullols said "the best part, for me, of the Eucharistic procession is to see Jesus walking with us."

There are "so many people out there in the streets who do not know what's going on, and they ask, and they inquire, and they also benefit from all the grace that is coming out from the monstrance, from the Blessed Sacrament, even if they don't realize that is happening," he said.

"But many other times people also join, without expecting it, into the procession. And this year, on June 6, when we are going to have our Eucharistic procession with the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage … I hope it will be a great sunny day for us to celebrate, to commemorate, and to walk with Our Lord in the Eucharist," he said.

Physically walking with the Eucharist in person is "very important because it's a personal encounter with Jesus Christ," Trullols said. "Through the screens, we see people, we look at people, but many times we are lacking this personal encounter with Our Lord, which is to physically be with him and honor him and worship him publicly."

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VATICAN CITY — Ten years after Pope Francis issued a controversial document on families, Pope Leo XIV will meet with bishops from around the world to discuss the text's application for today.

Amoris Laetitia, Francis' apostolic exhortation on marriage and the family, followed two contentious synods at the Vatican dominated by debate over divorce.

Pope Leo on Thursday announced that he is calling the presidents of the world's bishops' conferences to Rome in October for "synodal discernment" on how "to proclaim the Gospel to families today, in light of Amoris Laetitia."

The meeting is not part of the Synod on Synodality, which will conclude a three-year implementation phase with an assembly in October 2028.

Francis signed Amoris Laetitia on March 19, 2016 following separate synods on the family in 2014 and 2015. The two monthlong assemblies prominently featured debates over divorce, and Francis' postsynodal document sparked controversy with a footnote that said "in certain cases," divorced and civilly remarried Catholics could receive Communion.

Previous popes had said such Catholics could not receive Communion unless they lived as brother and sister.

In his March 19 message, Pope Leo said societal changes make pastoral attention to families even more necessary than 10 years ago.

Amoris Laetitia is "a luminous message of hope regarding conjugal love and family life," and "we ask God for the courage to persevere on this path, always welcoming the Gospel anew in the joy of being able to proclaim it to all," he said.

Leo recalled the Second Vatican Council's teaching that the family is "'the basis of society,' a gift from God, and 'a school for human enrichment.'"

Since Vatican II, he added, "the two apostolic exhortations, Familiaris Consortio — issued by St. John Paul II in 1981 — and Amoris Laetitia (AL), have both strengthened the Church's doctrinal and pastoral commitment to the service of young people, married couples, and families."

The Lord has entrusted families with the task of participating in the Church's mission to proclaim the Gospel, including in places where the Church can witness only through the lay faithful, the pope said.

"For this reason, the Church's commitment in this area must be renewed and deepened, so that those whom the Lord calls to marriage and family life can, in Christ, fully live out their conjugal love, and that young people may feel attracted, within the Church, to the beauty of the vocation to marriage," he said.

The pontiff also pointed out "valuable teachings that we must continue to examine today" from Amoris Laetitia, including how to live through family crises, that love in marriage "always gives life," and the need for new pastoral methods.

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About 1 million people have been displaced over the past 10 days in Lebanon, where the situation continues to deteriorate, according to Marwan Sehnaoui, president of the Sovereign Order of Malta's Lebanon chapter.

"The situation in Lebanon, in Beirut, and all over Lebanon is a catastrophic situation," Sehnaoui told "EWTN News Nightly" host Veronica Dudo on March 18. "We are a peaceful country, and here we are with shelling all over."

Sehnaoui leads the Order of Malta's Lebanon Association, which, he said, "is all over the Lebanese territory," with about 600 employees charged with operating more than 60 projects related to health, social, and agricultural humanitarian aid. The Order of Malta also operates 12 mobile medical centers, he said.

"Around 20% of our population had to run away," he said, noting that "where to put them" has become "a very complicated situation." He further cited about 1,000 casualties in the region, noting the deaths of 60 people "just today."

"To see this is very painful, as you can imagine, when there is shelling, destruction, and death," he said, "but we will survive."

Sehnaoui emphasized the war's impact on the Christian community, warning that if the war continues, increased pressure on Christians in the region may force them to leave their homes.

"We don't want immigration; we want people to stay on their lands," he said. "And this is why the order has opened a lot of projects on agriculture, so they can be there and cultivate the land and have food."

"What is important for [the Lebanese Christian community] and others is to have their dignity," he said. "And the order is a factor in giving back dignity and being an instrument of coexistence … not through weapons but through love and presence at the side of the suffering."

Sehnaoui expressed gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for visiting Lebanon last year, which he said "was very important for all Lebanese."

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Amid deepening political uncertainty and widespread gang violence, a Camillian missionary in Haiti said the country's upcoming elections offer a fragile hope for renewal, even as the path toward them remains "very vague and very uncertain."

Father Massimo Miraglio, parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the remote village of Pourcine Pic Makaya, told Vatican news agency Fides that despite the chaos, a resilient faith community continues to place the Lord at the center of its life and strives for a more dignified future.

The last presidential elections in Haiti were held in 2016 and were deeply controversial, with widespread allegations of fraud and extremely low voter turnout. Businessman Jovenel Moïse was declared the winner and took office in February 2017, serving until his assassination in July 2021.

Since then, Haiti has spiraled into political chaos and violence — particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs operate unchecked and control a large portion of the territory.

The elections scheduled for later this year will determine the new president, fill every seat in the Senate and the lower House, and elect all local and municipal officials.

"The year 2026 is likely to be a turning point for Haiti, with elections planned ... and the inauguration of the new president and Parliament in February 2027. But everything is still very vague and very, very uncertain," Miraglio said.

In late February, Bishop Pierre-André Dumas, vice president of the Haitian Bishops' Conference, said that these elections would be neither "transparent" nor "democratic" due to the economic and political problems facing the Caribbean nation.

Miraglio shares this view, noting that the country's economic situation is "dire," as inflation and the cost of living are "extremely high." The country's supply chain faces severe challenges due to the "complicated" and "arduous" routes involved in transporting goods.

"Everything that does arrive comes at a shocking cost in a country at a standstill, where there are no jobs, and where people struggle daily to scrape together the bare necessities. People live from day to day, and hope is gradually fading, as no significant changes are in sight to halt this terrible decline into which the country has plunged," he said.

"There is a frightening institutional vacuum that has led to this situation," he continued, "a truly tragic development in which millions of people are suffering and forced to live in the shadows in total fear because gangs continue to control the capital."

Nevertheless, the priest highlighted the importance of religious celebrations in uplifting his community and fostering communion: "These are moments when we share what is most important: faith in God, a generous God who loves us and gives us hope and strength to face life's challenge," he said.

"The goal is to create a Christian community filled with the Holy Spirit, a community that strives to live the values of the Gospel daily; a community that places the Lord at the center of its life and seeks a dignified life in which everyone has what is necessary for their own well-being," the missionary 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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On March 12, 2025, Papua New Guinea's Parliament passed a constitutional amendment by an 80-4 vote formally declaring the country a Christian nation. Led by Prime Minister James Marape, the amendment revised the constitution's preamble to explicitly acknowledge the Trinity and recognize the Bible as a national symbol.

The updated text states: "We acknowledge and declare God, the Father; Jesus Christ, the Son; and Holy Spirit, as our Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and the source of our powers and authorities, delegated to the people and all persons within the geographical jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea."

One year later, Catholic bishops say the amendment has so far had little practical effect on Church life, while raising longer-term questions about religious freedom and Church-state relations.

Limited practical impact so far

Bishop Donald F. Lippert, OFM Cap, of the Diocese of Mendi told EWTN News that the Catholic Church continues its core mission regardless of constitutional language, focusing on "making our people and hence the country more 'Christian'" through pastoral ministry and its extensive work in education, health care, and social services.

The Pittsburgh-born bishop said concerns raised at the time of the amendment's passage sparked debate within Papua New Guinea's Christian communities about whether the change was necessary, given that the constitution already referenced Christian principles. Some also expressed concern that the amendment could, over time, allow the state to take a more active role in religious affairs or complicate protections for religious liberty.

So far, Lippert said, he has not observed concrete changes affecting parish life in his diocese. He suggested the amendment has functioned more as a symbolic affirmation than as a practical guide for governance.

He also said the Church must continue engaging public authorities prudently while maintaining its prophetic voice on pressing social issues, including violence linked to sorcery accusations, tribal conflict, and child protection.

Questions over alignment between constitutional change and public policy

Since taking office in 2019, Marape has framed his leadership around the vision of "Taking Back PNG: Making PNG the Richest Black Christian Nation in the World."

Yet observers say recent government actions sit uneasily alongside that pledge. They point to the removal of blanket tax exemptions for churches, a move widely seen as an effort to expand state revenue by taxing religious institutions, highlighting that government priorities can be shaped more by fiscal and political concerns than by constitutional religious language.

The ambition to become the "richest" nation appears to take precedence over the commitment to remain a "Christian" one, with fiscal policy treating churches less as partners in nation building and more as a taxable base, despite their central role in providing education, health care, and social services across the country.

Additionally, some have expressed concern that leadership positions across the legislature, executive, and judiciary, as well as within the national public service, are disproportionately held by members of the Seventh-day Adventist faith, raising questions about denominational balance and the perception of neutrality in public institutions, particularly in the context of the 2025 constitutional amendment.

Catholic leaders warn of long-term risks to religious freedom

Bishop Rozario Menezes, SMM, of the Diocese of Lae told EWTN News the Catholic Church opposed the amendment not because it rejects Papua New Guinea's Christian identity but because it judged the change "unnecessary and problematic."

He explained that the Church has "always proclaimed Christ and served the spiritual and social development of our country since before independence" and argued that the constitution already provided "a strong moral and Christian foundation."

"There was no constitutional vacuum that required such an amendment," he said.

Menezes warned that the amendment could create long-term risks even if it has not yet produced visible disruptions. He said it could "risk contradicting the rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution," including "freedom of conscience, thought, religion, and assembly," and could allow future governments to "enact laws or regulations that may adversely affect minority faith communities or citizens of no religious affiliation."

While noting that "at present, there has not been significant visible disruption to the practices of different faith communities," he said concerns remain that future governments could "by decree or regulation, interfere in religious practice," particularly if religious life becomes subject to political interpretation.

Concerns over Church-state balance and institutional autonomy

Menezes also pointed to earlier state actions that, in his view, demonstrate how religious symbolism can become entangled with politics. These include the installation of the King James Version Bible in Parliament, which he noted "is not a Catholic translation," and what he described as a "legally and theologically problematic" covenant language behind a 2017 National Day of Repentance government campaign.

He said the amendment appears to have been promoted by pastors linked to a Protestant movement known as the Body of Christ, which the Catholic Church is not part of. At the same time, he said the government remains aware of the Catholic Church's significant contributions in education, health care, and public life, and engagement between Church and state remains cautious and measured.

Although no overt restrictions have emerged, Menezes conveyed that Church leaders are watching for subtler institutional effects. He pointed to cases in which appointments of teachers and principals to Catholic agency schools occurred "without meaningful consultation," raising broader questions about "partnership, respect, and justice" in Church-state relations.

Such developments, he suggested, test the practical health of Church-state relations in a country that has historically maintained social harmony through mutual respect rather than coercion.

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The number of Catholics in Germany shrank by more than half a million in 2025, leaving just 19.22 million Catholics in the country, according to the latest Church statistics released Monday by the German Bishops' Conference (DBK).

The figure represents a decline from the previous year's total of roughly 19.77 million, meaning Catholics now make up 23% of the total German population. Only 6.8% of those Catholics practice their faith by regularly attending Sunday Mass — less than 2% of the country's overall population.

The share of practicing Catholics rose from 6.6% to 6.8%, but a closer look reveals that fewer people actually attended Mass in 2025 than the year before: 1.304 million compared with 1.306 million. The percentage increase is a statistical effect of the sharp drop in the total number of Catholics.

Six dioceses now have a double-digit percentage of Massgoers, up from five the previous year: Dresden-Meissen, Eichstätt, Erfurt, Görlitz, Magdeburg, and Regensburg. Four of the six are East German diaspora dioceses, and two are in Bavaria.

While the number of confirmations and first Communions remained stable between 2024 and 2025, only about 109,000 people were baptized — a decrease of more than 7,000 baptisms.

The number of readmissions and new entries into the Church increased slightly, though still fewer than 750 people in each category.

At the same time, formal departures from the Church — a legal process in Germany that exempts individuals from the country's church tax — fell from over 321,000 to around 307,000, continuing a downward trend in recent years.

Bishop Wilmer's response

Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, of Hildesheim, chairman of the DBK, commented on the latest figures.

"I am grateful for the committed work of the full-time staff in our Church and also for the quality of pastoral care," Wilmer said. "It is a welcome sign that Mass attendance is once again slightly increasing. And I see it as a positive sign that the numbers for first Communion and confirmation have remained stable."

Nevertheless, Wilmer said he regrets "the still high number of departures from the Church."

"The motives are different, and yet I say — because we are a community of believers through baptism and confirmation — that every Church departure hurts us," he said. "We are becoming fewer Christians in Germany, which does not stop us — with all the necessary measures that this entails — from giving witness to our faith with great personal commitment."

Wilmer expressly addressed "a word of thanks to all volunteers in our Church." They are "not captured by the statistics," he said, but there are "around 600,000 who ensure that the Church with its diverse offerings is made possible in society in the first place."

He added: "Despite all the upheavals, I encourage us not to bury our heads in the sand but to look forward and seek together — also in ecumenical solidarity — ways in which being Christian today can lead to greater acceptance in society."

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Prominent U.S. Catholic leaders will headline commencement ceremonies at multiple Newman Guide-listed schools this spring, offering words of wisdom and faith to graduates around the country.

Clergy, political leaders, and media figures will all take part in graduation events from Florida to Texas to Ohio and beyond.

Ave Maria University

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be the commencement speaker at Ave Maria University, a spokesperson for the university told EWTN News.

The Florida governor and former presidential candidate, who is a Catholic, will speak at the university's May 9 graduation ceremony.

Benedictine College

Peter Cancro, the founder and chairman of the popular sandwich chain Jersey Mike's, will deliver the 2026 commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

Cancro will address graduates during the college's commencement exercises on May 16 and will be presented with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, according to a March 3 press release.

Cancro is renowned for his charitable contributions to faith-based organizations, including a $5 million gift to Ave Maria School of Law.

University of Dallas

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Dallas this year.

The university will present Dolan with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the May 16 ceremony, according to a press release.

"Cardinal Dolan is one of the Church's most joyful and widely respected shepherds, and we are honored to welcome him to the University of Dallas," University of Dallas President Jonathan Sanford said.

The Catholic University of America

University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea will return to his alma mater, The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to deliver the commencement address for the class of 2026.

In a March 3 statement, university President Peter Kilpatrick described Shea as a "teacher, evangelist, interpreter of culture, and preacher," one who is "deeply committed to the education and formation of young people."

"His ability to engage the larger culture with clarity, Christian hope, and great wit is a much-needed antidote to so many of the challenges we face today and an example I pray our students will take with them into their future vocations," Kilpatrick said. The school's graduation ceremony will take place May 16.

Wyoming Catholic College

CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt will give the commencement address for Wyoming Catholic College.

"As two Wyoming natives, frequently traveling on behalf of our apostolates, our paths cross somewhat regularly," said Wyoming Catholic College President Kyle Washut in a Feb. 23 press release.

"I have had the privilege of visiting with Kelsey a number of times over the past year, and I have been impressed by her clarity on the moral challenges confronting America today and by her generosity and gentleness toward those who do not agree with her own clear-eyed analysis of those challenges."

Reinhardt's commencement address will take place on May 18.

Franciscan University of Steubenville

The founders of the Napa Institute, Tim Busch and Father Robert J. Spitzer, SJ, will deliver commencement speeches for Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio.

Busch, co-founder of the Napa Institute and founder of the Busch Firm, will deliver the commencement address for graduates of Franciscan University's business and science programs, while Spitzer will give the commencement speech for humanities and social sciences graduates during the May 9 ceremonies, according to a March 10 university press release.

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, will also celebrate the baccalaureate Mass.

Christendom College

Anne Carroll, founder of Seton School and Seton Home Study, will deliver the commencement address at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia.

Carroll, who is the wife of the late Christendom College Founder Warren Carroll, will give the commencement address on May 15, the college announced in a March 12 release.

The college will also honor Carroll "for her outstanding contributions to the Catholic faith, culture, and public life."

Walsh University

EWTN "Real Life Catholic" host Chris Stefanick will serve as commencement speaker for Walsh University, a Catholic university in Ohio.

The university will also present Stefanick with an honorary doctorate of applied theology at the May 2 commencement ceremonies. "Commencement is more than a celebration of achievement. It is a commissioning," President Tim Collins said in a Feb. 25 press release.

"The leaders we honor on this day remind us that a life well lived is measured not only by accomplishment, but by impact — by how we place our talents at the service of faith, community, and the greater good. That is our hope for every Walsh University graduate. We pray they carry a deep sense of purpose, lead with integrity, and embrace the calling that gives their lives and work lasting meaning throughout every stage of life."

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Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, called upon the faithful worldwide to participate in the Good Friday collection aimed at assisting Christian communities in the Holy Land.

The Good Friday collection is one of the primary sources of support for the Custody of the Holy Land — the Franciscan institution that for centuries has safeguarded the sites connected to the life of Jesus Christ and accompanied the Christian communities living in the region.

The prefect called upon the faithful around the world to respond with a concrete gesture of solidarity. "I wish to propose a small gesture to you: to offer a little of our money to help our brothers and sisters who find themselves in extreme peril to live one more day, to find hope, and to find the possibility of starting anew."

"How many times have I personally visited those Christian minorities who wake up every morning facing the danger of no longer having a place to exist!" Gugerotti wrote in the March 18 letter, which was also signed by the dicastery's secretary, Archbishop Michel Jalakh.

"Help us to offer them concrete hope, not merely words of consolation — for we who visit them will leave, while they remain with their fears, even with the terror that, precisely because they are Christians, they may be eliminated," the cardinal stated.

The cardinal explained that the Good Friday donations hold a twofold significance: on the one hand, providing material aid to those living amid war and poverty, and on the other, challenging the conscience of the faithful.

"It is also vital for us, because without sacrifice, without a real change in our way of living, we risk remaining inert before a world in flames — and thus complicit in its destruction," he said.

Gugerotti noted that many Christians in the Holy Land have lost their means of livelihood, especially those who depended on religious tourism, which historically sustained a large portion of the local economy.

The conflict that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, triggered a sharp decline in religious tourism.

"A great many Christians in the Holy Land have lost everything, even the work that came from serving pilgrims," he pointed out.

In early 2025, Israel's Ministry of Tourism characterized the year as a turning point, with 1.3 million international arrivals. However, 2026 has once again proven to be a highly problematic year for pilgrimages primarily due to the military escalation by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has thrown the entire region into crisis.

The drastic reduction in pilgrimages and the current climate of insecurity have  exacerbated the situation. "Now, out of fear, almost everyone tends to avoid venturing into those lands," he said.

What is done with the money collected?

In 2023 — the most recent year for which official data are available — the Holy Land collection raised 6,571,893 euros ($7.5 million).

The Custody of the Holy Land typically receives 65% of the proceeds, while the remaining 35% goes to the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, which uses it for the formation of priests and for subsidies to the various dioceses and eparchies in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.

Of the money it receives, the Custody of the Holy Land normally invests 20% in the upkeep of the sites where Jesus Christ walked, while the remainder goes to Christian families, who, in 1948, constituted 20% of the local population but now make up less than 1.4%.

In the Gaza Strip, it collaborates with the Latin parish and the Atfa-Luna association to provide psycho-social support "to some 1,000 children and 300 adults," as well as to distribute emergency kits and aid to families of people with disabilities.

In Lebanon, the Church responded to the 2024 crisis (the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah) by providing "hot meals for some 500 beneficiaries every day" and ensuring "drinking water for about 250 people daily."

The Custody of the Holy Land also manages hundreds of housing units at nominal rents to prevent emigration.

"It has been said that peace has been achieved; however, even though the media speak of it much less today than before, the shooting continues, people continue to die, lands remain disputed, and Christians continue to emigrate to save their lives," the cardinal noted.

According to the 2023 data released by the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, 2,376,167 euros ($2.7 million) was donated to seminaries, houses of religious formation, and cultural institutions.

The Franciscan Custody allocated more than 2 million euros ($2.3 million) to the education of young people in the Holy Land in 2023, funding scholarships at various universities in the region.

Nearly 1 million euros ($1.15 million) were allocated to the Pontifical Oriental Institute, which now encompasses, at Pope Francis' direction, the Pontifical Gregorian University.

A portion was also invested in Bethlehem University, one of the prestigious foundations that underwrites the academic studies of 3,300 young people, both Muslim and Christian, with the aim of educating them to build a future of peace in the Holy Land.

A concrete gesture: Giving is a 'strong sign of faith'

In his message, the cardinal invited bishops and pastoral leaders to raise awareness among the faithful regarding the importance of sustaining the Christian presence in the places where Christianity was born.

"Let us ensure that our people approach the collection with the awareness that giving is a strong sign of faith," he wrote. "A Holy Land without believers is a lost land, for the living memory of salvation is lost," he added.

"Pope Leo XIV never ceases to bring to our minds and hearts this commitment to be one, so that there may be peace — not a provisional truce, not perpetual hatred, not an immense expenditure on armaments, but a contribution to our common rebirth," the cardinal wrote.

The prelate concluded his letter by acknowledging that the collection would be merely "a drop in the ocean" but that "the ocean, as a result of losing its drops, is turning into a desert."

In addition to supporting the Franciscan mission in the Holy Land to safeguard the holy places, sustain local Christian communities, and foster peace in the region where Jesus lived, the cardinal said Christians can actively contribute by offering prayers to support this work and inspire new vocations, or by undertaking a pilgrimage to discover the roots of Christianity.

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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Michael Knowles, Catholic author, political commentator, and Daily Wire host, highlighted the accomplishments throughout the 250-year journey of Catholicism in the United States during his keynote address at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

About 1,500 guests, including about a dozen Catholic U.S. lawmakers, attended the 21st annual breakfast held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on March 19.

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Protestant, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Catholic, both Republicans from Louisiana, also spoke. Former apostolic nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre addressed attendees via video, and Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump provided written messages.

Claire Lai, daughter of imprisoned pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, took the stage at the event, receiving a standing ovation. She provided an update on her father and discussed the work U.S. officials have done to win his release from prison after Lai was found guilty of violations of China's national security laws.

Knowles spoke about Catholicism at the founding of the United States in the context of the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He noted that Catholics faced forms of discrimination early on but argued the country was well suited for Catholicism to flourish.

"Here we find ourselves, a quarter millennium later, a people and a place so improbably and perfectly suited for each other that not only can a Catholic become president, but an American can even be the pope," Knowles said.

Knowles noted that many states had laws that restricted Catholics from holding office, and the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing Party had a strong foothold in certain parts of the country, but Catholics since have achieved representation in Congress, among recent White Houses, and in the Supreme Court.

"If you count vice presidents and first ladies, we have now had baptized Catholics in the White House for 17 consecutive years," he said. "What a surprise it must be to the ardent Calvinists who settled our country that America would come not only to tolerate Catholics, not only to appreciate the contributions of Catholics, but even to elect them."

Pope sends greetings

Pope Leo XIV addressed the breakfast through a letter delivered by Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, in which the Holy Father offered his "cordial greetings and good wishes" to all those gathered.

"You have gathered for fellowship as well as to pray for the United States," Leo wrote. "The tradition of interceding for one's own nation goes back to biblical times," he added, citing the writings of St. Paul.

Pierre also highlighted the importance of prayer for the country, especially "at a time when we are witnessing grave tensions and violence in different parts of the world."

Vince Haley, a Catholic and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, delivered the message from Trump that referenced the president's statement issued March 19. "Today, I'm also proud to be the first president to honor the feast of St. Joseph, in recognition of one of the greatest saints to ever live," Trump wrote.

Scalise recalled when he was shot in 2017 and spoke about the importance of his Catholic faith and the need to "understand the power of prayer."

"I turned to prayer," Scalise said. "I started praying and put that burden in God's hands; the weight of the world was lifted."

Though he knew death was possible, and he prayed that he would not die, Scalise said he knew that "if this was the day and this was the plan, then it was up to me to just get right with God."

"Prayer is such a powerful thing because it's a direct conversation with God, and God is listening," he said.

Johnson, who was recently criticized by Santa Fe, New Mexico, Archbishop John C. Wester for putting forth a biblical defense of Trump's mass deportation efforts, said during the 250th anniversary of the country, it's important to "reflect on the essential role that faith plays and has always played" and said the nation is "sustained by prayer."

"It is in the DNA of our nation and who we are," he said.

Tessa Gervasini contributed to this story.

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