Catholic News

"We're going to Cairo."

That's how husband and wife Father Albert and Abby Scharbach discovered that their pilgrimage in Israel had been cut short by the launch of the current Iranian conflict.

The Scharbachs — Father Albert is a priest of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, having originally served as a priest in the Anglican church — spent the morning of Feb. 28 on the Jordan River and at the Mount of Beatitudes. They were enjoying a lunch of "St. Peter's Fish" by the Sea of Galilee when their tour guide announced to the group that they needed to leave immediately for Cairo.

"We were given two hours to pack and then we were going across the Egyptian border that night," Abby said.

Unbeknownst to most of the group, the strikes in Iran had begun, making Israel a prime target for retaliation from the Iranian regime. Joint strikes by Israel and the United States starting on Feb. 28 brought destruction to major sites in Iran, including Tehran and Qom, and led to the deaths of major Iranian leadership including Ali Hosseini Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has struck many sites in the Gulf region.

Father Albert said he was aware of the "high probability" that such an incident could occur during their pilgrimage, and the group had indeed been instructed earlier in the pilgrimage to proceed to bomb shelters in the event of any danger.

Once the military operations began, however, the group was quickly hustled out of Israel and into Egypt, though there was still danger there.

Father Albert said the route from the border crossing of Taba to their destination of Cairo normally might have taken four-and-a-half hours, but due to fears of ISIS in the region, the bus took a circuitous eight-hour route instead.

"We had a police escort," Abby said. The escort consisted of one man in a pickup truck and one man with a gun on one of the buses.

"I don't know what they could have done against a terrorist group, but they were there," she said.

The Sinai Desert is a monotonous landscape of "dark-colored rocks," they said, though the group passed close by Mount Sinai, where Moses is recorded as having received the Ten Commandments.

Meanwhile, "all along the Red Sea were resorts — resort after resort, all of them abandoned on this beautiful sea," Abby said. "There is nothing there."

The desolate region was visibly more Islamic than the surrounding urban environs, with Muslims dressed in traditional garb including keffiyeh and thawb. Father Albert said the group was warned "not to wear any Israeli symbols or American flags" during brief rest stops along the road.

Though the process to get to Cairo was a lengthy one, the Scharbachs said they got off relatively lucky. Crossing the border at Taba took three hours, they said, but had they waited another day, the process could have been drawn out to 48 hours or more given the huge crush of tourists converging on the site.

Once in Cairo, the groups were quickly routed to any available outbound flights. The Scharbachs took a flight from Istanbul and from there to the United States. "There were others going to Europe," Father Albert said. "Any airlines, any itinerary they could find, they were putting people on flights."

Still, during their brief stopover in Cairo, the Scharbachs were able to take in some of the historic city, including the Giza pyramid complex. "The tour group took good care of us," Abby said.

'This is not just going to be a couple of weeks'

While the Scharbachs were able to safely evacuate the region, others haven't been able to get out, and planned pilgrimages to the Holy Land have been postponed indefinitely amid the conflict.

John Hale, the president of Corporate Travel Service, said the organization is still trying to figure out what travel in the region will look like in the near future.

A broad-based travel enterprise, Corporate Travel Service includes an entire division devoted to faith-based experiences.

Hale, a Catholic, said that while the group has no pilgrimages to Iran, it sponsors trips to Israel, though the conflict is "disrupting future pilgrimages" there for the time being.

"We're right in the middle of it, so we don't have any concrete details," he said. "In the past what we've typically done is either postponed a pilgrimage and hopefully moved people to another one or else scheduled a future pilgrimage to the Holy Land when we're able to send people."

Steve Ray, a filmmaker who with his wife, Janet, launched the "Footprints of God" pilgrimage program after filming a documentary series of the same name, said pilgrimages in the region are often "fraught with danger" to begin with.

The Rays have been sponsoring trips to the region for over 20 years, since 2005, he said. Pilgrimages have been put on hold there numerous times in the past, including after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. Ray said his tour group returned from a pilgrimage there on Oct. 5 of that year, just two days before the conflict broke out.

The organization resumed trips in December 2025, but with the Iranian conflict, tours are once again on hold. Ray said an affiliate in the region told him: "This is going to be protracted for a long time. It's not going to be over in a couple of weeks."

Ray admitted that pilgrimages to the Holy Land require flexibility. "We learned early on that with Israel you have to be adaptive," he said. The group has pilgrimages planned to holy sites in Europe, he said, as well as in Ireland and on the Mediterranean.

In spite of the harrowing experience of evacuating a country amid a military conflict, meanwhile, the Scharbachs expressed no regret about going in the first place.

"Even though there was danger, it was so important, and we were called to go," Father Albert said. "It wasn't an uncalculated risk. It was that important to go when we had the opportunity."

Abby said that among the holy sites the couple visited was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Father Albert was able to celebrate Mass.

"This was meaningful for us, besides the obvious [reasons], because the parish we serve is Mount Calvary," she said. "We offered Mass for the people of Mount Calvary on Mount Calvary."

"I would go back to the Holy Land in a heartbeat," she added. "It was that beautiful."

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Catholic parishes throughout the United States will request collection funds for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and other charitable groups during Masses on Sunday, March 15, and the vigil Masses on Saturday evening, March 14.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced the annual collection for the fourth Sunday in Lent. It will benefit six Catholic agencies and offices that provide charitable services, which primarily focus on support for migrants domestically and relief abroad.

"The Church in the United States was built on ministry among immigrants," Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg of Reno, Nevada, chair of the USCCB Committee on National Collection, said in a statement.

"We help all who are marginalized, including victims of war and disaster overseas," he said. "The Catholic Relief Services Collection combines all these kinds of assistance. Our Lord tells us to love our neighbors — those we know, those we don't, and those we think are very different from us. The Catholic Relief Services Collection is one way that we show that love. Today it is more vital than ever."

Along with CRS, the collections will support the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), the USCCB Secretariat of Migration, the USCCB Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, the USCCB Secretariat of Justice and Peace, and the Holy Father's Relief Fund.

According to the USCCB, the CRS funds support international development and relief efforts, which include those affected by war and disaster.

Funds for CLINIC help provide training and support for more than 400 community-based and Catholic immigration law providers in 49 states. Donations to the Secretariat of Migration will assist ministries for migrants and refugees, publish education resources, and promote policies that affirm their lives and dignity.

The Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church funds will support two initiatives. One focuses on pastoral ministry for migrant workers, travelers, and seafarers. The other focuses on pastoral needs for Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Funds for the Secretariat of Justice and Peace support advocacy for the poor in other countries, which includes work with government officials to end violent international conflicts abroad. The Holy Father's Relief Fund provides aid to areas in crisis.

"Together, these agencies help victims of war and natural disaster, support sustainable economic development overseas, advocate for international peace and human rights, help refugees and immigrants in the United States to obtain legal support, offer pastoral support to a wide variety of people who migrate for work and build cross-cultural understanding," Mueggenborg said.

The bishops said the Church received nearly $13.5 million from the collections in 2024 and $8 million supported CRS to support international relief and development efforts in places affected by war and natural disasters.

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The Middle East has once again surged to the top of global headlines as renewed fighting spreads across multiple fronts, placing several countries at risk of continued strikes and retaliation, with no clear end in sight.

Airstrikes on the Iranian capital, Tehran, and other major cities have raised serious concerns about the country's Christian communities.

Iran has already been grappling with instability following months of popular protests driven largely by economic hardship. Those demonstrations evolved into broader anti-government protests, during which many lives were lost.

In a previous report, Open Doors described Christians in Iran as consistently vulnerable, particularly converts to Christianity. The Islamic Republic officially recognizes only the Armenian Church (both Catholic and Orthodox branches) and the Assyrian and Chaldean Churches as recognized Christian communities with parliamentary representation.

Aside from remarks given to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, by Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, the Latin archbishop of Tehran, no official statements have been issued by churches inside Iran regarding the war and its repercussions.

This silence comes amid near-total internet blackouts and widespread mobile network disruptions across the country.

Iraq feels the heat of war

Several areas across Iraq have come under attack from different directions, despite assurances from the Ministerial Council for National Security that Iraq remains committed to preventing escalation and to ensuring that its territory is not used for external or internal conflicts. The stated goal is to safeguard the country's stability and its citizens.

Erbil has faced a series of repeated attacks. The Christian-majority town of Ankawa, adjacent to Erbil International Airport, has encountered growing challenges as the U.S. coalition base located at the airport, situated within Ankawa's municipal boundaries, has been targeted. The new U.S. consulate building nearby has also raised security concerns in the area.

Residents reported intercepts of rockets and drones in Ankawa's skies, with falling debris causing limited damage to buildings and property. In the Nineveh Plain, a "drone of unknown origin" struck a building affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces in the Syriac town of Bartella.

In response to the escalating violence, Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako called on all Chaldean churches to pray for peace "amid the rising war in our region and its repercussions for neighboring countries." The Patriarchate of the Assyrian Church of the East likewise issued a statement urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint to protect innocent civilians and asked Christians worldwide to pray for peace.

Syria and Lebanon

In Syria, Israeli air defenses intercepted an Iranian missile, which subsequently fell in Sweida, causing casualties. Additional scattered incidents of missile and drone debris were reported in several southern provinces.

As Israel intensifies troop deployments along its borders with Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon faces a dangerous escalation. Israeli airstrikes targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, as well as areas in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, following a rocket attack launched by Hezbollah toward northern Israel. Hezbollah described the attack as retaliation "for the blood of Imam Khamenei and in defense of Lebanon and its people."

Meanwhile, Lebanon's presidency and government rejected the rocket launches, reiterating that the country must not be dragged into war.

Waves of displacement

Fearing further escalation, residents fled Beirut's southern suburbs and parts of southern Lebanon, regions that include several Christian towns and villages. The scenes of displacement have repeated themselves as the government works to provide shelter and humanitarian assistance.

Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, the Maronite patriarch, emphasized that a nation cannot be healed by slogans or noise alone but through genuine faith. In his Sunday homily, he called for prayer "for our country, that the Lord may touch it with his healing hand and plant in the hearts of its people a living faith that leads to real healing and sincere renewal."

The Holy Land and Jordan

The Holy Land is also feeling the strain of war. Several cities have faced repeated rocket and drone attacks, resulting in 12 deaths and nearly 500 injuries in Israel to date. In Jordan, a senior military source confirmed that the armed forces continue to fulfill their national duty to protect the kingdom's airspace and sovereignty. Citizens were urged not to circulate rumors and to rely on official sources for information, as multiple areas witnessed falling debris from intercepted missiles.

Gulf states under fire

The Gulf countries, long regarded as among the region's safest, have experienced what officials described as unprecedented and reckless Iranian attacks. The strikes were strongly condemned by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United States.

The attacks have damaged infrastructure and private property, and resulted in casualties. Since Feb. 28, five people have been killed in the Gulf, "all foreign nationals: one in Kuwait, three in the UAE [United Arab Emirates], and one in Bahrain," according to Bishop Eugene Nugent, the apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Nugent described the situation as grave and deteriorating by the day as air raid sirens, once unthinkable in the Arabian Peninsula, have become an alarming reality in countries long considered safe havens.

The Apostolic Vicariates of Northern Arabia and Southern Arabia both called on the faithful to remain steadfast in faith, calm, united in prayer, and attentive to civil safety instructions. Other churches across the Gulf echoed these appeals.

In his Angelus address March 1 in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep concern over the unfolding events in the Middle East and Iran during these tense hours.

He stressed that stability and peace cannot be built on mutual threats or on weapons that sow destruction, pain, and death but rather through rational, sincere, and responsible dialogue.

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

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Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York is hosting a program called "All Good Things with Archbishop Hicks" for SiriusXM's Catholic Channel.

About a month after Hicks was installed as New York's 11th archbishop at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Feb. 6, SiriusXM announced he is hosting the show. The program takes over the time slot previously held by former archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who hosted "Conversations with Cardinal Dolan."

Hicks will host the weekly program alongside Father Dave Dwyer, host of the daily call-in show "The Busted Halo Show" and executive director of Busted Halo Ministries. Dwyer also co-hosted the radio show with Dolan.

Hicks and Dwyer will discuss real-world issues, current events, and everyday life through a Catholic lens, according to a statement. The show will offer conversation rooted in Church teachings and lived pastoral experience. The program will highlight works of those fostering personal conversion and the transformation of society through evangelization, the statement said.

The show joins a number of other Catholic faith-based shows on the channel including "The Katie McGrady Show," "Catholic Guy with Lino Rulli," and "Frontiers of Faith."

The show is set to air at 2 p.m. ET Tuesdays on channel 129 and will be available on demand on the SiriusXM app. An inaugural episode aired March 3, according to the Archdiocese of New York.

Archbishop Hicks

Hicks was named archbishop of New York by Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 18, 2025, and brings a perspective from decades of service and ministry. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 1989 with a philosophy degree and went on to receive master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois.

He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 21, 1994. Prior to his appointment in New York, Hicks was appointed by Pope Francis on July 17, 2020, as bishop of Joliet, Illinois.

He has a history of ministerial experience in Latin America serving in El Salvador as the regional director of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a charity that serves orphans in Latin America. He previously served as vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago and auxiliary bishop of Chicago.

Hicks also serves on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations and as the USCCB liaison to the Association of Ongoing Formation of Priests and the National Association of Diaconate Directors.

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Mexican priest José Dolores Aguayo González, known as Father Lolo, has received criticism from the archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, about letters Aguayo sent to a U.S. court on behalf of two convicted drug traffickers.

The letters concerning Jessica Johanna and Rubén Oseguera, adult children of drug trafficker Nemesio Rubén Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," were written at the request of the judge and the detainees' family as part of the priest's work providing spiritual ministry to people in prison.

The elder Oseguera was the founder and leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel who was killed in a shoot-out with the Mexican military on Feb. 22.

In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the priest defended his actions, stating that "the Church cannot turn its back on those who seek reconciliation with God, even if they are public figures."

"Imagine if the Church slams the door on them, and I think the issue here is, if it had been any anonymous prisoner in Puente Grande [penitentiary], there wouldn't have been a problem. The problem is that the Church tried to fulfill its mission with these individuals," the priest stated.

Both letters, revealed last week by journalist Laura Sánchez Ley, were addressed to Judge Beryl A. Howell in Washington, D.C. The first, sent in March 2021, describes Jessica Johanna Oseguera as "a very kind person, an excellent mother, a very philanthropic woman."

Aguayo explained that he met the cartel leader's daughter because she actively participated in parish activities, years before she pleaded guilty in U.S. court to drug trafficking charges.

"When I wrote about this man's daughter, the judge was the one who asked for my personal opinion of her, how although she had already pleaded guilty to certain crimes, had taken responsibility, what was my personal assessment [of her]," the priest told ACI Prensa.

He sent the second letter to the same judge in January 2025, this time speaking favorably of Rubén Oseguera, known as "El Menchito" (Little Mencho), who was extradited to the U.S. in 2020 and sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking two months after the priest's letter.

In that letter, Aguayo said that he was Rubén Oseguera's "spiritual director" and that "he comes from a very devout Catholic family, has reflected a great deal on his future, and has read the holy Scriptures," adding that "despite any mistakes he may have made, he is a man who has been touched by God's mercy."

The priest clarified that he did not know "El Menchito" personally but rather maintained correspondence through letters and phone conversations with family members during Oseguera's imprisonment.

"His wife asked me to accompany them spiritually through letters … what did we talk about? Biblical themes, faith, personal growth, change — nothing out of the ordinary that could be discussed with a priest," he recounted.

"Having gotten to know this young man through the letters ... all I can say is that human beings make mistakes, they can change. I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished by human justice, because we will also be punished by divine justice for our sins, but there is an opportunity to remake ourselves. In the Church, we believe in remaking ourselves; in conversion, and that is the great calling we have as priests: the sacrament of reconciliation," he added.

Though visibly concerned about the public judgment of his actions, the priest said he has nothing to hide. He maintained that he has conducted his ministry in accordance with the precepts of the Church and that, to date, no authority in Mexico or the U.S. has contacted him regarding this matter.

The Archdiocese of Guadalajara on Feb. 28 issued a statement on the case, describing a lack of "prudence and good judgment on the part of this priest in addressing this matter ... given the nature of this relationship."

The archbishop said at a March 1 press conference that "the issue is much more complex and much broader than the issue of the imprudence or inexperience of a priest who wanted to act in good faith, but, as we say in slang, messed up."

Robles added that Aguayo continues to fulfill his pastoral duties as a parish priest and that the Church is committed to providing spiritual support to everyone, including criminals and their families.

"For example, if a family member of someone who was killed or cut down [in a confrontation with law enforcement] and whose involvement in criminal activity has been proven, requests, for instance, a Mass, they cannot be refused. If they request to take the body to the church, they cannot be refused," the cardinal stated.

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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English professor Leanna Brunner devotes much of her time to educating prisoners — work that she says is "some of the most rewarding work of my entire career."

"The students are some of the most devoted, conscientious, and hardworking I have had," Brunner told EWTN News. "Every week that I go in the prison to teach, I come out feeling even more insightful than when I entered. I learn as much from the students about life as they do from me."

Brunner, an assistant professor at University of St. Mary, a Catholic liberal arts university in Leavenworth, Kansas, is involved in the university's prison education program.

About 100 students are enrolled across federal, state, and military correctional facilities in the university's program. Though the university has worked in prisons for decades, the program recently received full accreditation, according to a Feb. 26 announcement.

"This is not an auxiliary initiative but a central expression of our Catholic identity," program director Michelle Workman said.

"We approach prison education as authentic higher education rooted in rigor, dignity, and long-term formation," Workman told EWTN News. "Our faculty teach the same curriculum, and our students meet the same expectations, as those enrolled on campus."

As the university is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Workman said that "our mission calls us to educate the whole person and to serve those on the margins."

"Catholic social teaching affirms the inherent dignity of every human person and calls us to solidarity and the pursuit of the common good," Workman said. "Incarcerated individuals are not defined solely by their past actions; they remain persons created in the image of God, capable of intellectual growth, moral reflection, and meaningful contribution."

Another professor involved in the program, Michael Hill, told EWTN News: "We are called to serve the least of these; to care for the imprisoned."

"When I look at many of my students, I know that, with only a few different choices or a few different contingencies, I might well be one of them," said Hill, assistant professor of history and theology at the university.

"I had several great professors in my life who radically altered my trajectory, not by being great, but by simply being present," he continued. "If I can help some of these men, in however small a way, then my life has been for something."

When asked about the challenges of the work he does, Hill said they are "beyond count."

"On a personal level, many of our students come from backgrounds that don't celebrate academic success. Many wonder if they truly belong in college. All carry the scars of life that ultimately placed them in prison," he said. "I'm not only a teacher to many of our students, I'm also an adviser, mentor, and counselor. Wearing so many hats is an ongoing challenge. But those challenges make the successes so much sweeter."

Sometimes, unexpected challenges arise that are "more to do with the nature of prison itself," Brunner added.

"Flexibility is the name of the game because we never know what to expect on any given day," Brunner said. "We constantly have to pivot, whether it be because of lockdowns, rules that arise because of prison culture, or any other unexpected event."

But the in-person element of education "adds a layer of humanity to the program that other modes of learning cannot," Brunner observed.

"Sitting in a classroom with these men again allows them to feel human," she said. "Being there in person with them shows the men that I believe in their ability to change and that I am not going to judge them for the mistakes they have made in the past."

"Sadly, their time in my class is one of the few times in their lives when they can feel like ordinary humans — a time when they can forget their bad decisions and focus on making a better life for themselves, both in prison and out," Brunner said.

Classes give students a reprieve from the daily life of prison, what Hill described as "a space to be men, not just inmates or [a] number."

"Giving our students a time and place to simply be — away from the violence and politics — matters," Hill said. "Giving them face-to-face responsibility and accountability, not in a hierarchical relationship of authority with the state or its representatives, matters."

Workman said higher education improves outcomes after prison, including reducing the likelihood of re-offending.

"Education inside correctional facilities strengthens families, reduces the social and financial costs of re-incarceration, and contributes to safer communities," Workman said.

"Research consistently demonstrates that participation in higher education during incarceration is associated with significantly lower recidivism rates and stronger post-release employment outcomes," she continued.

"Education builds cognitive skills, strengthens decision-making capacity, and supports the development of pro-social identity," Workman said.

Brunner often sees the men "realize that they have the ability to learn, grow, and make better decisions."

"Watching this kind of transformation is life-changing for me as well," Brunner said. "I often tell my students that just because they are imprisoned physically, they do not have to be imprisoned mentally or spiritually. That is a choice, and there is no better feeling than to see them choose freedom."

"At its core, however, this work is about hope — about restoring the possibility that a person can grow intellectually, rebuild identity, and reenter society with purpose," Workman said.

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An Iraqi Catholic archbishop said his flock is frightened and communication with Tehran's archbishop has been impossible as the Iranian conflict escalates.

Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil, the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, told "EWTN News Nightly" that the situation is "quite frightening" because the Christian community is once more asking: "Will it reach us? Will we have to really leave again? Will our children have a future?"

Warda said the situation is particularly sensitive for Iraq's Christian population, which has seen "almost 50 years of continuous violence," including eight years of war with Iran, followed by the first and second Gulf wars, as well as sectarian violence.

"All of these memories," he said, are "still there."

Warda said schools and universities in the region have been closed for nearly a week, and "the economy is collapsing." All the while, he said, there is fear that "around every three, four hours, Erbil would be hit by either rockets or drones."

"The fear is there," he said. "And the scope of violence is just getting bigger, because following the news, we see new countries being attacked and new places being attacked."

"Erbil [has been] targeted a few times so far," he said, "and we know the largest Iraqi Christian gathering is in Erbil, and this might be another reason for the Christians to say, 'There is no future.'"

In Iraq, regional and local reporting said drones attempted to target Erbil International Airport and were intercepted.

Warda said his "biggest fear" is that Christian families who were previously committed to remaining in Iraq will decide to flee the region due to ongoing instability. "These types of wars and conflicts will shake everything," he said, regardless of what has been done to "really build something for the Christian community to stay."

Regarding efforts to get in contact with Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran, Iran, Warda said: "We have tried several times. But there is no communication whatsoever."

Warda said he asked one of the Chaldean religious sisters currently working in his diocese about her family, who live in Iran, but she has not been able to reach them.

"Sadly enough, there is no communication whatsoever with that part of the world," he said, noting loss of power and communication lines in Iran.

"We are praying for the community there," he said.

Amid the conflict, Warda said attendance at morning Mass and evening prayer in the community has been "really great." The community has canceled its weekly catechism classes, however, as well as its annual Ankawa Youth Gathering, the largest gathering of young people in Iraq.

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In a world marked by secularization and cultural fragmentation, Our Lady of Guadalupe remains a privileged path for proclaiming the Gospel, said Bishop Óscar Cantú of San Jose, California, as he shared how a recent event dedicated to the Virgin Mary illuminates the mission of the Church in the heart of Silicon Valley.

During the recent "Theological and Pastoral Congress on the Guadalupe Event," held in Mexico, the prelate described his diocese as a former valley of fruit orchards now transformed into the heart of global technology, home to world-class companies such as Google, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, and Nvidia.

There, Cantú explained, people from India, China, Latin America, Africa, and many other countries live together, bringing with them their religions or their religious "indifference."

He spoke of "a strong secularization" there, calling it a "society that proudly proclaims itself postmodern, without need for God or religion." He added that many "no longer have the time or space for religion" and that they "prefer modern practices" such as yoga or meditation, which they call mindfulness, which is "meditation without transcendence."

The bishop wants the pastoral and spiritual preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of San José in 2031 to be marked by Our Lady of Guadalupe, who he hopes will serve as a point of reference and model.

Using Our Lady of Guadalupe's methodology in Silicon Valley

The bishop posed a direct challenge to priests, deacons, religious, and laity of his diocese: "How can we apply the methodology of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which she used 500 years ago in Mexico, now, in Silicon Valley, in a postmodern world?"

He said the Spanish friars "did not have much success in evangelizing" because they arrived with the conquistadors, who used aggression and force. "But Our Lady had a great success that the friars could not have imagined. Millions of hearts were touched and transformed in a short time."

Cantú enumerated the key elements of this Guadalupan pedagogy, beginning with beauty and maternal tenderness of her words to Juan Diego: "'My dearest Juan Diego, the littlest of my sons.' Whose heart made of stone like we have in our Silicon Valley wouldn't melt with those words?" he asked.

He also emphasized how Mary "spoke to him in his language, not in Spanish. She used the symbolism of the Indigenous people, a codex that bore witness to what she recounted, which bore witness to what Juan Diego later told the other Indigenous people."

He recalled the Christological way the Virgin introduced herself, identifying herself as "the Mother of the God by whom we live," and how she thus introduced "the beauty of truth" in contrast to the old logic of human sacrifice.

Another element that Cantú emphasized is the role of the laity and, in particular, the poor. He highlighted that the Virgin involves Juan Diego in the mission of the Church when she tells him: "It is necessary that you go to the bishop." He commented that "participation brings dignity and is an expression of dignity," and that aspects of synodality are already evident in Guadalupe: participation and a voice within the ecclesial community.

The bishop noted that Juan Diego's participation does not create a separate structure, because "we shouldn't create a parallel Church but rather everything should be under the authority, the structure that the Son of the Virgin left us, which is a hierarchical Church, with respect for the magisterium, but the magisterium, in turn, with the participation and listening of everyone, everyone, everyone." For this reason, he defined it as "a hierarchical and synodal Church."

Among the elements the prelate highlighted is the concept of the sacred little house as a Church of mercy, a house where wounded humanity is welcomed: a "little house of love and compassion."

Our Lady of Guadalupe resonates with migrant communities

Cantú explained that in his diocese, faith has remained alive thanks to refugees and immigrants: Hispanics, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Indians, and Africans, many of them with histories of having to leave their native lands and discrimination.

The Virgin of Guadalupe becomes a bridge of identity and solace there, not only for Mexicans, he noted. To illustrate this, he recounted an experience in a trilingual parish (Vietnamese, Filipino, and Hispanic) during a Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The bishop arrived prepared to celebrate Mass in Spanish with the Hispanic community, but discovered that about half of those present were Vietnamese, so he decided to preach by including his own story as the son of Mexican immigrants in Texas.

"In Texas, many times Americans didn't see me purely as American because my parents were born in another country, and at home they spoke Spanish; and when I went to visit my cousins ??in Monterrey, they also didn't see me as Mexican, so, well, I felt like a bit of an outsider."

As he shared this experience of not belonging, Cantú observed the faces of the Vietnamese faithful: "I saw in their faces that they understood, as refugees who left their country 30 or 40 years ago, that perhaps they never had the opportunity to learn the language well, to fully understand American politics or culture, that for the rest of their lives they felt like guests. And it was, I believe, at that moment that they identified with Juan Diego, whom the Virgin received in her little house."

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 final report from the Synod on Synodality study group on "mission in the digital environment" proposes the possible creation of a dedicated Vatican body to accompany and oversee the theological, pastoral, and canonical challenges that arise online.

The digital mission group is one of 10 study groups established by Pope Francis in 2024 at the conclusion of the first session of the Synod on Synodality, tasked with further examining issues seen as important to the Church's mission through a synodal lens.

Among its recommendations, the report suggests forming a "Pontifical Commission for Digital Culture and New Technologies" — or an equivalent office or department — that would monitor emerging questions in the digital world; prepare documents, guidelines, and practical handbooks; develop tailored formation strategies for bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople; and support bishops' conferences as they incorporate digital mission into pastoral planning.

The report emphasizes that these are proposals still subject to further study and discernment, not decisions already taken.

Ethical risks and polarization

The group also highlights ethical risks associated with digital platforms. The report says many participants in an international consultation pointed to the misuse of online platforms for polarization, manipulation, or the spread of false information as a significant challenge for ecclesial life and evangelization.

It specifically urges bishops' conferences and diocesan digital teams to recognize ethical risks and the potential for polarization — a dynamic the report says often appears to be embedded in social media platforms themselves.

Abuse, doctrinal drift, and algorithmic pressures

The report cautions that those engaged in digital evangelization should be alert to possible abuses of authority, doctrinal drift, sensationalism, and manipulation. It notes that online environments can intensify ideological postures, oversimplify complex debates, and encourage confrontations that weaken ecclesial communion.

It also argues that major platforms "are not neutral," because algorithm-driven systems can hinder the spread of positive messages while amplifying controversial or divisive content.

Rethinking jurisdiction in a digital culture

A central question raised by the report is how the Church should live its mission in a culture increasingly shaped by digital life. Drawing on a broad consultation involving pastoral workers, experts, and Church realities from across continents, the group gathered experiences, analyzed challenges, and proposed practical recommendations.

One key theme is the need to integrate digital mission into the Church's ordinary structures rather than treating it as a marginal or parallel activity. The report also calls for deeper reflection on territorial jurisdiction in light of online communities and for stronger formation of pastors and pastoral workers in digital culture.

Possible canonical adaptations

One of the report's most significant areas of reflection concerns whether the traditional concept of ecclesial jurisdiction — typically tied to geographic territory — may require adaptation to address "supraterritorial" digital realities.

It encourages competent Vatican offices to study and discern possible canonical adaptations, suggesting that the Church's engagement in digital culture could eventually require some form of non-territorial organization shaped by pastoral relationships rooted in accompaniment.

Formation and spiritual accompaniment

The report proposes differentiated formation strategies based on ecclesial roles, with comprehensive preparation grounded in theology, pastoral ministry, communication, and digital culture — including "training of trainers" models.

It also recommends strengthening spiritual accompaniment and formation for so-called "digital missionaries," emphasizing discernment and mission, and developing stable structures for spiritual direction and pastoral support. The report adds that digital safety and well-being, along with media literacy, should be more structurally integrated into Catholic education and seminary formation.

The proposals, the report reiterates, are intended as open-ended orientations for further study and discernment, as the Church continues to ask what changes digital culture may require of pastoral approaches historically shaped by territorial boundaries.

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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Father Gabriel Romanelli, the only Catholic pastor in Gaza, is warning that the closure of border crossings into the territory is deepening an already dire humanitarian situation, leaving civilians "at the limit of their strength."

Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Gaza City, said the shutdown threatens the flow of humanitarian assistance and essential goods — and blocks patients who need medical treatment outside Gaza from leaving.

"The outlook is tragic, terrible," Romanelli told the official Vatican News outlet. While some assistance is reaching people, he said, "it is not enough," adding that even though major bombardments have eased, the aid available does not meet the needs of everyone.

Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an agency within the country's Defense Ministry, confirmed that all crossings into Gaza have been closed following an escalation in regional hostilities linked to joint Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran. No reopening date has been announced.

Aid corridor cut off

Romanelli said the closures are especially damaging in Gaza City, where a significant number of displaced people have gathered and where the pressure on food, water, and basic services is intense.

He noted that Israel's Supreme Court recently issued a temporary suspension of a prohibition affecting dozens of humanitarian organizations. Still, he said, the broader tightening of access — including the full closure of crossings — is making conditions worse.

High prices, no income

Romanelli said some products such as fruit, meat, and cheese have reappeared in markets after being scarce during the worst months of fighting. But he emphasized that prices are beyond what most families can afford.

"Prices are very high and most of the population doesn't even have the possibility to pay them," he said, adding that the problem is not only supply but also widespread loss of income. Many residents, he said, have lost "their home, their work, their salary."

Electricity and water remain scarce

The parish priest also described ongoing hardship in basic services. Since the conflict began, he said, electricity has not been available regularly. Some generators are used, but fuel and operating costs are high. Solar panels are rare, he added, and their entry has reportedly been restricted.

Water access is also critical. Romanelli said some distribution exists in certain neighborhoods, but it is insufficient. In many places, he said, people can wait hours for small amounts of potable water, and much of the infrastructure has been damaged.

Effects on Christians and the wider community

Romanelli said restrictions affecting aid organizations, in force since March 1, will impact the entire population — including Gaza's small Christian community.

He pointed to World Central Kitchen, the relief group founded by Spanish chef José Andrés, which has warned it may soon run out of food supplies to distribute in Gaza. Romanelli said similar disruptions could hit potable water distribution if providers are forced to suspend operations.

"If it's already difficult now, this will create many problems," he said.

A fragile hope and an appeal for action

Romanelli said people's hope remains rooted "in faith in God," but confidence in human beings is more fragile. He described widespread depression alongside efforts to restart daily life, noting that the parish school is still operating with a reduced number of students and that small survival businesses have begun to reappear.

But, he warned, the situation cannot continue indefinitely.

"We can't go on like this. It's not humane and it can't help justice and peace," he said.

Romanelli urged the international community to help ensure consistent humanitarian access — not only for rebuilding structures, he said, but also for restoring the "moral and existential" fabric of people's lives, which he argued is essential to lasting peace.

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

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