Catholic News

LAHORE, Pakistan — Every year during Lent, Sunil Masih remembers his elder brother as churches in Youhanabad — Lahore's largest squatter settlement for poor Christians — mark the anniversary of the 2015 church bombings.

The four Catholic brothers were among more than 150 Christians arrested by police days after twin suicide attacks on St. John's Catholic Church and Christ Church on March 15, 2015, which killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

The bombings sparked mob violence that mistakenly killed two Muslim men, who were later identified and detained through raids and video evidence.

Masih, now 28, said the trauma of prison changed him forever.

"They hurled abuses at us, beat us with strips cut from vehicle tires, and in jail we were given old dried roti [flat bread]," he told EWTN News. "Water from the greasy toilet taps was served for drinking. Family meetings were allowed only after a month. It was a hellhole on earth."

He and his brother Sadaqat Perwaiz — popularly known as Monty — were released after six months in Central Jail Lahore. One brother, however, remained among 42 Christians and one Muslim charged in the lynching case.

Devastation beyond prison

The protracted court proceedings devastated the family's four-decade-old milk business, saddled them with mounting debts, and forced the sale of their 680-square-foot home.

Their worries deepened after two Christian inmates, Inderyas Masih, 36, and Usman Shaukat, 29, died in custody under suspicious circumstances during the trial. Police claimed tuberculosis and a heart attack, respectively, while families and the British Pakistani Christian Association reported bruises and unexplained injuries.

In January 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the remaining 39 accused after blood money (Diyat) of 25 million rupees ($89,800) was paid to the victims' families by Pastor Anwar Fazal, a prominent Christian televangelist.

Under the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990, introduced during Gen. Ziaul Haq's Islamization process, courts calculate compensation based on the financial capacity of the convict and the victim's heirs, with a minimum value linked to 30,630 grams of silver.

Monty died of a heart attack in 2022, leaving behind two children aged 10 and 14. His faded poster still hangs in front of the family's closed milk shop.

"He was a stout man, known for his strong community ties and friendly nature in our neighborhood. Prison left him very lean and weakened by an infection that caused his legs to swell beneath the knees and bleed," Masih said.

Today, Sunil Masih sells vegetables from a wooden cart in front of the same shop, now leased to a real estate dealer. He hopes to marry once his new business stabilizes.

'The gift of a hero'

On March 15, police guarded churches in Youhanabad, which houses more than 150,000 Christians, as the community observed the 11th bombing anniversary.

At St. John's, parishioners lit candles and placed flowers beneath a banner honoring Akash Bashir, the 20-year-old security volunteer who died preventing a suicide bomber from entering the church during that Sunday Mass.

"Salute and gratitude to the martyrs of Youhanabad," read the banner near the Marian grotto. In January 2022, the Vatican recognized Bashir as a servant of God, making him the first Pakistani Catholic on the path to canonization.

Father Akram Javed, parish priest of St. John's, thanked police for security.

"A group of 30 local volunteers carry on Akash's mission, protecting the church and worshippers. The bombings were a terrible tragedy, but in that darkness, we received the gift of a hero," he told EWTN News.

'The bombing was a national tragedy'

Pentecostal politician Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, who spent five years in prison, sees the anniversary as a moment of reflection for Pakistan's 3.3 million Christians, many of whom continue to face discrimination, economic hardship, and lingering trauma.

"The bombing was a national tragedy from which the authorities learnt nothing. We continue to suffer losses due to terrorism, with sporadic attacks targeting minority communities and security forces," said the 65-year-old head of the Massiha Millat Party (Christian Nation Party).

He alleged prison authorities tried to manipulate him, introducing Muslim prisoners to persuade him to stay passive.

"Despite back pain from four displaced vertebrae, my time in prison strengthened my faith and resolve for activism. The trend of arresting Christians for alleged blasphemy to appease angry crowds will continue unless investigations are conducted on merit," he added.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its 2025 annual report, said religious freedom in Pakistan continued to deteriorate, recommending it be designated a "country of particular concern," citing blasphemy-related prosecutions, mob violence, and forced conversions targeting Christians and other minorities, and a growing climate of fear and impunity.

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The Loyola University Chicago student who was shot and killed last week was a "beautiful person" and a "genuine soul," campus leaders said amid mourning over the 18-year-old's murder.

Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed early on March 19 while walking with her friends near the Jesuit university's campus, officials said last week.

Law enforcement has alleged that 25-year-old Jose Medina carried out the killing. Medina had reportedly been observed acting strangely in the area; witnesses said he opened fire on Gorman and her friends when they walked nearby.

Medina was living in the country illegally, police said. Federal immigration officials have placed a detainer against him in order to arrest him if he is released from police custody, while local officials in Chicago are moving to prosecute him for the murder.

'Compassionate, selfless, kind'

The Catholic university mourned the news of Gorman's passing, with leadership lamenting the loss of the New York state native who was just finishing up her freshman year there.

Loyola Cru, a Christian campus ministry at the school, said in an Instagram post that Gorman was "an absolute delight."

The group described her as "compassionate, selfless, kind, generous, joyful, willing, and so much fun. A beautiful person and a genuine soul."

The Christian student organization said it was "heavy with grief" but that it was "hold[ing] that in tension with the reality that Jesus is our refuge and shelter."

"The darkness of this world does not overshadow the light of Christ's love," the group wrote.

Gorman's obituary said she "loved [her faith] fiercely" along with "her family, her friends, [and] her community." A native of Yorktown Heights, New York, she is survived by her mother, Jessica, and father, Thomas, as well as her sister, Madelon.

A GoFundMe set up to raise money for a memorial scholarship in Gorman's honor said she "loved Jesus, her family ... her lifelong friends, and the simple, beautiful moments that made up her life."

"She had a way of making everyone feel special, seen, and loved," the fundraiser said. "To know her was to be changed by her."

In a letter to the school's community, university President Mark Reed described Gorman's death as a "tragic loss" for the school.

Reed urged the school to petition St. Joseph "to intercede for our grieving community and for the family of our beloved student Sheridan." The school also hosted a memorial vigil for Gorman on March 19.

At an event at City Club Chicago on March 23, meanwhile, Cardinal Blase Cupich said he had spoken with Gorman's parents amid their grief.

"Tom and Jessica ... are taking this very hard," the cardinal said.

The Chicago archbishop said Tom Gorman said to him on the phone: "Every parent says that their kid is the best in the world. But mine was."

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A conference will highlight Orestes Brownson with the hopes of making him "a household name" among Catholics, organizers said.

The "Orestes Brownson and the Mission of America" conference will be held at The Catholic University of America (CUA) on April 16 for "all those seeking a vision of the United States to carry us into the next 250 years," according to conference organizers.

Brownson was an American intellectual, activist, writer, and a Catholic convert. He had little formal schooling but rose from poverty in Vermont to become one of the original Transcendentalists.

Brownson worked as the editor of the Boston Quarterly Review and then the Brownson Quarterly Review, an influential 19th-century American publication edited and written by the philosopher and theologian.

He wrote about many of the constitutional and political debates of his day, notably in his work "The American Republic," which was published just after the Civil War and received praise from both Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Brownson's death, the Politics Department of CUA with the American Family Project and the Orestes Brownson Studies Foundation organized the conference dedicated to his writings, particularly on the U.S. Constitution.

The groups are hoping "to spread the word on Orestes Brownson," Tom McDonough, co-founder and president of The American Family Project, told EWTN News. As the motto of the conference and of the Orestes Brownson Studies foundation says: "What Aquinas was to Aristotle, Orestes Brownson is to our American founding."

The conference is intended to raise Brownson's profile "particularly among Catholics, because he has so much to say about modernity," McDonough said.

While his works were written 150 years ago, "he's dealing with the same issues that we're dealing with today — progressivism, increase in the federal government, collapse of the family, and we the people being replaced by private interests," McDonough said.

"He was dealing with this back in 1865. So he's got a lot to say about us today, and particularly from a Catholic's perspective," McDonough said. "He was one of the finest minds of the 19th century. Even Arthur Schlesinger, no fan of conservatives or the Catholic Church, regarded him as the premier intellectual of the 19th century."

The groups organizing the event have also been working on other ways to spread Brownson's message. Over the next year or two, they plan to build a library of every essay written by Brownson in searchable text.

"We're trying to make his work more available, more accessible to people … and to build up a library of all of the scholarly work that's been done over the last century," McDonough said.

They also hope to create written and visual content on his works, form a bibliography of all the best Brownson scholarship, and hold at least one annual conference on Brownson's insights.

The organizations will also continue to conduct the Orestes Brownson Essay Contest for college students. The first contest was held this year, which invited students to enter their work on the American writer.

Conference schedule

The conference program will include multiple keynote addresses, panels, and other discussion among organizers and attendees.

Peter Kilpatrick, CUA president, will give a keynote called "Orestes Brownson and the Mission of America." Seth Smith, clinical associate professor of history at CUA, will present a talk called "Orestes Brownson's Place in American History." The last keynote will be led by Rick Santorum, attorney and former U.S. senator, who will speak about "Brownson and the Family."

A number of panels will also address Brownson's contributions and approaches to matters including constitutional thought, post-Civil War democracy, American Catholics, and church and state.

Panel speakers will include academics and professors from a number of universities including CUA, University of Massachusetts School of Law, Purdue University, Belmont Abbey College, and Benedictine College.

Other panelists from organizations including The Heritage Foundation and the Orestes Brownson Studies Foundation will also offer insight on Brownson and the mission of America.

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On March 19, Albanian Cardinal Ernest Simoni at the age of 97 was among the last people to venerate the remains of St. Francis of Assisi before their return to a tomb in the crypt of the 13th-century Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, where the saint's small skeleton has been contained in a plexiglass case since 1978.

St. Francis' bones were on display in the church from Feb. 22 to March 22, when they were returned to the stone tomb in the crypt, located at the foot of the altar in the lower church.

The bones are not usually visible to the public. Pilgrims can visit and pray at the tomb itself, but the actual skeleton stays sealed inside the sarcophagus (protected within the nitrogen-filled plexiglass case since 1978).

According to the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, more than 370,000 pilgrims from all over the world were able to pray before his bones during that month.

Simoni, who studied at a Franciscan seminary from 1938 to 1948, was described by Pope Francis as "a living martyr" of the bloody communist persecution in Albania during the era of communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

The cardinal said: "I give thanks to the Lord for having allowed me to be a pilgrim in Assisi and to pray for peace and fraternity in the world before the remains of the great St. Francis — for me, a protector, father, and teacher whom I have always looked up to from my beloved Albania," Vatican News reported.

The cardinal, who will celebrate the 70th anniversary of his ordination on April 7, described the day as "moving, seeing thousands of pilgrims of all ages, as well as so many young people who represent the hope and future of the Church arriving from all over the world to the city, which is par excellence a symbol of peace and faith, to pray and encounter the seraphic St. Francis, his great disciple St. Clare, and St. Carlo Acutis, a saint of our own times."

Simoni, who was secretly ordained in 1956, 12 years after the rise of communism in Albania, personally endured the regime's brutal persecution.

The priest was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to death but the sentence was commuted to forced labor. He spent 18 years in prison and was released in 1981. However, still considered "an enemy of the people" he was afterward forced to work cleaning out the sewers in the city of Shkodrë. He carried out priestly ministry clandestinely until the fall of the communist regime in 1990.

Ingenious ways to celebrate Mass in prison

During his imprisonment, the priest celebrated Mass daily, employing ingenious subterfuges to outwit the prison system in Albania, the world's first officially declared atheist state, which prohibited all religious practice.

He offered Mass in Latin and his jailers believed he was merely babbling nonsense. His testimony moved Pope Francis to tears during his visit to Albania in 2014. Two years later, the pope named him a cardinal.

Despite his mobility issues, Simoni did not want to miss the immense grace of venerating the skeletal remains of St. Francis of Assisi in the year marking the 800th anniversary of his death. The cardinal recounted that this was one of the first pilgrimages he has undertaken.

Simoni was only 10 years old the first time he crossed the threshold of the Franciscan convent in Shkodër, taking the name Friar Enrico, thus fulfilling his desire to live in poverty, following St. Francis' example. During the communist regime, Simoni's Franciscan formators and superiors were shot — accused of being enemies of the people — often right in front of the young novices.

In Assisi last week, Simoni celebrated Mass at the Protomonastery of St. Clare, prayed at the saint's tomb, and met with the nuns inside the cloistered monastery.

370,000 pilgrims venerate remains of St. Francis

During the four weeks St. Francis' body was on display, small groups of pilgrims filed beneath the frescoes of Giotto and Cimabue in the dim light to venerate the saint's remains.

"We have been a fraternity gathered around Francis," stated Friar Marco Moroni, custos of the Sacred Convent. "A fraternity of 370,000 people gathered here, and of many others throughout the world. A serene and prayerful fraternity, which sought to discover in the sign of a few poor and fragile bones, the full power of a life animated by the Spirit, which continues to bear fruit."

"Many have asked me," added Friar Giulio Cesareo, director of the communications office of the Sacred Convent, "whether I expected such a significant turnout, and I must say that I did: I had no doubt that there would be a great many of us. However, something I did not expect was the atmosphere — at once recollected and joyful: silence, patience, mobile phones in pockets"

"The only explanation is that none of us came to see Francis; rather, it is he who, being alive, has called out to us to speak to our hearts and minds. This is therefore an opportunity to express our gratitude — also on behalf of the press office team at the Sacred Convent — to our many journalist colleagues and communications professionals: We have experienced a high degree of collaboration and immense professionalism. One of the keys to the exhibition's success has been precisely this transparent, far-reaching, free, and organized work by the communication media," he noted.

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

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Pope Leo XIV warned that children must not come to see artificial intelligence chatbots as substitutes for real friendship, cautioning that such reliance could harm their intellectual and emotional development.

"We must not allow children to end up believing they can find in artificial intelligence chatbots their best friends or the oracle of all knowledge, dulling their intelligence and their capacity for relationships, and numbing their creativity and thinking," the pope said.

Leo made the remarks in a message published Sunday in Popotus, the weekly supplement of the Italian newspaper Avvenire dedicated to children, marking its 30th anniversary.

In that context, he urged adults to "safeguard" childhood and guide "the growth of children so that they may become protagonists of a renewed world."

The pope has consistently highlighted artificial intelligence as a central concern of his pontificate, framing it as an ethical challenge comparable to the industrial revolution addressed by Pope Leo XIII.

On May 10, 2025, in an address to cardinals in the New Synod Hall, he stressed the need to "respond to another industrial revolution — the digital one — and to developments in artificial intelligence, which pose new challenges in defending human dignity, justice, and work."

In recognition of his engagement on the issue, Time magazine included him on Aug. 29 in its list of the 100 most influential people in the field of artificial intelligence, following several notable interventions on the topic in the early months of his pontificate.

In his message to Popotus readers, Leo encouraged children to rediscover the beauty of the world.

"I want to tell you that restoring the world's beauty is possible and that you can help adults to see it — precisely through this newspaper designed for you — with renewed wonder, to think about it with trust, and to build it without prejudice," he said.

He also emphasized fundamental values to be preserved in childhood: "Trust in those who love you, the universal language of love, the disarming power of a smile, the courage to ask forgiveness, the beauty of making peace."

The Holy Father expressed "great concern" over wars threatening humanity's future and underscored the need to recover a pure way of seeing reality.

Quoting Jesus' words — "Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" — the pope explained that becoming like children does not mean going backward but rather "safeguarding a key to seeing what is essential in everything, to finding surprising answers even to the most difficult questions."

"Perhaps only by looking into the lost eyes of children in the face of the barbarity of war can we be converted. We must learn again to look into one another's eyes and to see the world with pure eyes," he added.

Addressing parents and educators, Leo thanked them for "the care and love with which they educate children," helping them "to draw out the beauty within them and to express it in ever new ways."

"Today especially, in the digital age and the age of artificial intelligence, we all need ongoing education. And to remain human, we must preserve a childlike way of looking at reality," he concluded.

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

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The state of Aguascalientes in Mexico marked a milestone in the defense of life by becoming the first state to establish a specific date as the "Day of the Unborn Girl and Boy," an initiative aimed at promoting public policies in support of maternal health and child development.

Passed on March 19 by the unicameral state Legislature, the measure was introduced by state legislator Humberto Montero de Alba of the National Action Party in collaboration with the citizen signature-gathering platform Actívate ("Get active").

The declaration designates March 25 as a day dedicated to promoting "the early initiation of prenatal care" as well as promoting campaigns for improved maternal nutrition and fostering "shared paternal and family responsibility."

In a statement, the state Legislature said the legislation is not symbolic but rather is "a strategic instrument of preventive public policy, aligned with the constitutional mandate for the progressive protection of human rights and with international best practices in providing health care information."

The state also noted that the declaration represents "an affirmative action for maternal health" and seeks to promote "preventive measures for the benefit of early childhood development" in addition to constituting "an institutional recognition of the dignity of motherhood."

Defending life 'will never be a mistake'

During the debate, Rep. Arlette Muñoz of the National Action Party emphasized that "being a mother is not merely a role in life; it is a profound transformation" and underscored that every life "is unique, irreplaceable, and profoundly valuable."

Muñoz urged that the issue be approached with empathy toward women facing pregnancies under adverse circumstances, noting that "they do not need judgment; rather, they need love."

Furthermore, she argued that the declaration does not impose a particular viewpoint but rather calls for the development of public policies centered on support: "It's not about pointing fingers; it is about offering support."

Rep. Jedsabel Sánchez — also of the National Action Party — said speaking of human rights entails including "those who have no voice" and called for this date to become "not merely a commemoration but a commitment to life, to women, and to our future generations" while insisting that "defending girls and boys will never be a mistake."

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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DHAKA, Bangladesh — Although very small in number, Catholics in Bangladesh are making an invaluable contribution to the care of tuberculosis patients in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh is an underdeveloped country and due to financial reasons, many people in this country do not go to the doctor at the primary stage of any health issue, only when the problem becomes big — and this is the case with tuberculosis patients," said Italian Sister Roberta Pignone, 55, a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate, popularly known as the PIME sisters.

Sister Roberta has been serving tuberculosis (TB) patients at the Damien Hospital in the Khulna Diocese, in the coastal area of Bangladesh, for about 25 years. People in the coastal area constantly struggle with natural disasters and salinity to survive, and they often avoid seeking care for minor illnesses.

"On behalf of the hospital, we distribute awareness leaflets in various public places, and if someone has symptoms of TB, we bring their samples and test them. It is seen that about 90% have tuberculosis and they are not aware," Sister Roberta told EWTN News.

In this hospital, patients are provided with free accommodation and food, and if someone can afford it, they pay some expenses to the hospital.

Social stigma and late diagnosis

Sister Roberta said that although the Bangladesh government maintains there are not a lot of tuberculosis patients in the country, many cases still go undetected. She also noted that many doctors fail to recognize tuberculosis symptoms in patients because the disease is not given priority by the government.

Sister Roberta's friends and relatives from her home country, Italy, and from other countries provide financial support for the hospital's operations.

"I have not had any financial problems yet; I am continuing God's work in some way or another. As long as my community keeps me here, I will work happily," Sister Roberta added.

The Maria Bambina Sisters of Rajshahi Diocese run the Tuberculosis Shelter, which was established by the PIME Missionary Fathers in 1989. Initially, the shelter was run with funding from the PIME Fathers, but now it is operated entirely by the sisters.

Sister Augustina Tudu, 70, has been serving tuberculosis patients at this shelter for about 22 years. Initially, various groups of sisters and fathers would go to villages and bring tuberculosis patients for treatment, but now the patients themselves come for treatment with the help of parish priests and sisters.

Medicine, food, and shelter

In Bangladesh, tuberculosis and leprosy are still not given importance in the early stages. In many cases, these diseases, which are viewed differently by society, are not disclosed, Sister Augustina said.

"We used to provide free accommodation and food to tuberculosis patients, but now we are not able to do that anymore due to the economic crisis," Sister Augustina told EWTN News. "After the PIME Fathers left this hospital, we are going through a lot of financial crises; in that case, we have to take some money from the patients."

The TB shelter not only provides medicines but also nutritious food to the patients, "because TB is a disease that requires not only medicines but also nutritious food, and these patients are poor and they cannot eat that kind of food at home," Sister Augustina added.

Most of the Christian patients from the northern dioceses of Rajshahi and Dinajpur come to this TB shelter for treatment. Of the nearly 150,000 Catholics in these two dioceses, most are from the Indigenous community and are financially poor.

"The Indigenous are naturally in financial crisis and lead an ignorant life, as a result of which TB or tuberculosis is more common among them. We are doing what we can, but due to the financial crisis, we are not able to help them completely," Sister Augustina said.

According to the National TB Control Programme of the Bangladesh Health Department, 278,607 tuberculosis patients were identified in the country from January to October 2025.

The country's goal is to eliminate tuberculosis by 2035. Its data indicates that deaths from tuberculosis have been reduced by 90% since 2015.

After the World Health Organization declared tuberculosis a global emergency in 1993, the health department has been working with nongovernmental organizations to control the disease. Tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment, and medicines are all provided free of charge. Still, the tuberculosis situation in the country has not improved.

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Representatives of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE) have asked Pope Leo XIV to ensure that every Catholic diocese worldwide has "one or more" trained exorcists, citing what they describe as a rise in cases linked to occult practices and spiritual distress.

The request was made during a private audience March 13 at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, where the pope met with Bishop Karel Orlita and Father Francesco Bamonte, president and vice president of the association. The meeting focused on what the group described as "unprecedented challenges" facing the ministry of exorcism.

During the half-hour meeting, the AIE presented the pope with a detailed report warning of a "painful and increasingly widespread situation of people seriously affected by the extraordinary action of the devil as a result of their involvement in occult sects," according to a statement released after the meeting.

The group's primary proposal was structural and educational. Given the "great suffering caused by the extraordinary action of the devil," it emphasized "the need for each diocese in the world to have one or more priest exorcists" who are properly trained.

To that end, the AIE called for expanded formation at multiple levels of Church life: instruction in seminaries on the "real existence and nature of the demonic world" in light of the Gospel; a brief course in exorcism ministry for newly appointed bishops so they can oversee it in their dioceses; and mandatory prior training for priests designated as exorcists, in line with the Church's official ritual.

In comments to ACI Prensa, Bamonte warned that ignoring the extraordinary action of the devil risks "leaving the faithful without defense against serious spiritual attacks," potentially prolonging suffering or leading people to seek inappropriate solutions.

"The spread of occultism in its various forms, and of Satanism, unfortunately opens doors and windows to the extraordinary action of the devil in today's world," he said. "This can cause grave suffering in those who imprudently turn to these practices, through possible cases of possession, vexation, obsession, or diabolical infestation."

Bamonte said it is "reasonable" to believe such cases are increasing, pointing to the rise of esoteric and magical practices in recent decades.

According to the group, this trend is also linked to a broader "turning away from God, the increase of sin, and the spread of esotericism and occultism."

The presence of authorized exorcists, Bamonte said, allows the Church to "continue Christ's mandate to cast out demons" and to assist those suffering from what it describes as extraordinary demonic influence.

"The Church, as the family of God, has the task of caring for its members in all their needs, even the most extreme at the spiritual level; the priest exorcist is a pastor who offers this help," he said.

He added that the absence of exorcists in a diocese constitutes "a harm" to the faithful, depriving them of specific sacramental assistance and weakening the Church's ability to function as a true "family of God."

For that reason, he stressed the importance of preparing clergy to address such cases. "The future priest must be prepared to face the real pastoral situations he will encounter in his ministry, including the growing number of faithful who request the intervention of exorcists," he said.

This formation, he added, should include criteria to discern when the intervention of an exorcist is necessary and should begin during seminary training.

One of the AIE's recent initiatives has been the publication of "Guidelines for the Ministry of Exorcism," a document reviewed by several Vatican dicasteries that offers doctrinal and practical guidance. The text was presented to the pope during the audience, along with an image of St. Michael the Archangel from the sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo.

During the meeting, Pope Leo XIV also told those present that he had known and appreciated Father Gabriele Amorth, the priest who founded the International Association of Exorcists in 1994.

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 23, thousands of athletes raced through the streets of Rome in the annual Rome Marathon. One of them, wearing the white habit of a Dominican friar under his jersey, was the Franco-Algerian Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, OP — the first cardinal to participate in the 44-year history of the event.

"Since I was a child, I have been running," Vesco told EWTN News. "I love running and I have already run several marathons, like the New York Marathon 37 years ago."

In a homily during Mass for participants of the Rome Marathon on March 21, the cardinal said competition teaches about the fragility of the human body and how this can be a "school of prayer" and of life.

"At some point in the race, our strength will fail, and we will have to take a leap of faith, going beyond our own strength. This is difficult. But it is precisely at this point that we can search deeper within ourselves for meaning, and perhaps it will be a moment of prayer," he said.

The cardinal's personal hero: A Muslim fellow runner

The cardinal completed the Rome Marathon with his longtime friend, Khaled Boudaoui. An Algerian Muslim, Boudaoui competed in the Rome Marathon last year and was awarded the trophy "La Coppa degli Ultimi" by the Vatican to recognize those who were "witnesses to hope" during the race.

Khaled was recently diagnosed with a tumor and began chemotherapy only 25 days before competing this year in Rome. Vesco praised his friend, saying his courage inspired him to run another public marathon.

"Khaled is my hero. He is sick, and we wanted to race and cross the finish line hand in hand. A marathon is beautiful because it's a bit like life. In a marathon, we don't run against each other but with each other — a race of brotherhood," he said.

Khaled added in turn: "It was very difficult for me to run after starting chemotherapy. But I ran today thanks to my friend, Jean-Paul. I ran to show others, who may be going through similar illnesses, that they too can run. We ran to build bridges."

A Catholic presence at the marathon inspired by Pope Francis

Vesco's participation in the marathon was a highlight for Catholics already competing in the race. The Vatican's sports team, Atletica Vaticana, has competed in the marathon since 2019, having been encouraged by Pope Francis. Giampaolo Mattei, president of Atletica Vaticana, described Francis' impact on their mission of sports and service to others.

"We were inspired by Pope Francis' example of inclusion," Mattei said to EWTN News, recalling that the late pope asked them to include migrants in their team. "In our sports team, we are not looking for just Catholics. We look for core values — being together, community, and attention to the disabled and the poor."

"La Coppa degli Ultimi" ("the Cup of the Last") is one of several spiritual initiatives promoted by Atletica Vaticana. Another initiative was a prayer box for the participants, into which runners of all faiths were invited to place written prayer intentions before competing.

Valentina Giacometti, vice president of Atletica Vaticana, explained the initiative: "On the day before the race, we invited all runners to submit prayer intentions. Each card began with the phrase 'I ran for,' and we offered all of these intentions to the Lord during the Mass with Cardinal Vesco."

Another noteworthy initiative of Atletica Vaticana is its service to Rome's poor. After the race, the members of Atletica Vaticana and other volunteers go to Rome's central train station, Roma Termini, to serve food to the homeless. Sister Marié-Theo Puybareau Manaud, who competed in the race, described it as a way of expressing universal fraternity as taught by Pope Francis.

"Service to the poor might seem disconnected to the idea of running. But I believe that connection is precisely that of universal brotherhood — 'fratelli tutti,'" she said, alluding to the 2020 encyclical by Pope Francis. "In this race, we are not competitors but brothers. Sport and service together make up a movement of life, especially alongside the poorest, for whom we can offer hope."

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BAMENDA, Cameroon — Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea of Cameroon's Archdiocese of Bamenda has described the planned apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon next month as an unexpected moment of grace for the nation, saying the decision can only be understood in light of divine providence.

Speaking at a press conference on March 20 ahead of the Holy Father's April 15–18 visit, Nkea expressed gratitude for the opportunity to brief journalists and begin preparing the faithful for what he characterized as a significant pastoral moment for the Church in the Central African nation.

"I'm very happy that I have this chance to meet the press before the visit of the Holy Father… You will discover that this came to us as very good news that the Holy Father is going to come to Bamenda within the first year of his pontificate," the Cameroonian archbishop said.

The planned papal visit is set to bring Pope Leo XIV to Bamenda less than a year after the beginning of his pontificate.

Nkea recalled that the relationship between the Church in Cameroon and the newly elected pontiff began shortly after the pope's installation on May 18, 2025, when a delegation of six Cameroonian bishops traveled to Rome to participate in the ceremony.

"From that moment we have had a very cordial relationship with the new Holy Father," he said, adding that early speculation about a possible papal trip in mid-2025 remained unconfirmed until the Holy See formally announced the visit in March 2026.

Reflecting on the choice of Cameroon as a destination, the archbishop acknowledged that the decision surprised many within the local Church.

"Why the choice of Cameroon? … I will say to you that it is God. Nobody understands why the pope is coming to Cameroon," said Nkea, who also serves as president of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC).

He added that the news came as a surprise even to Church leaders in the country. "None of us expected it… And he has chosen Cameroon as one of the places he wants to come first."

Nkea explained that papal visits require formal invitations from both the Church and the state, revealing his personal involvement in the process.

"When I was going to attend the installation of the new pope, I carried two letters with me. The first was a letter of congratulations on his election and installation. The second letter I carried with me was a letter of invitation to the pope to come to Cameroon," Nkea said.

He added: "Later on, the Vatican services contacted our local Church and asked for an invitation from the state, because the pope cannot come here without the state. The pope is the head of the Catholic Church… at the same time, the pope is the head of Vatican State."

"You saw some of us hanging around the presidency sometimes. It was to negotiate for a better invitation. At the time we were doing this, it was under pontifical secret. So no matter what you commented about us on your media pages, we were not obliged to tell you why we were going there. And therefore, the state of Cameroon invited Pope Leo XIV to come to Cameroon," the archbishop said.

He added: "He is coming here as the spiritual leader of all Catholics. At the same time, he is coming as the head of state of the Vatican."

Reflecting on the theme of the visit, "May They All Be One," Nkea said it was chosen in response to national challenges.

"We chose this theme in the backdrop of the things that are happening within our country, in the backdrop of political disturbances, ethnic divisions, spread of hate speech, and the violence in some regions of our country," he said.

"This oneness has nothing to do with politics," he continued. "This oneness has to do with the human person, with the Church of Christ, and the creatures of God to love one another."

Nkea revealed that each stop on the pope's itinerary is expected to focus on a specific message. For Bamenda, a region affected by prolonged unrest, the them is: "My Peace I Leave You, My Peace I Give You."

For Douala, the focus will be on youth and unemployment with the theme "Give Them Yourselves Something to Eat… Don't Wait for Somebody Else to Give Them Something to Eat."

For Yaoundé: "Love and Truth Have Met, Justice and Peace Have Embraced."

Nkea also revealed that the NECC organized the various ecclesiastical provinces to give the Holy Father a befitting reception in the three towns he is expected to visit.

Reflecting on the program of the visit, the NECC president said that during his visit to Bamenda, the pope is to meet a diverse group at St. Joseph Cathedral in Mankon.

"He is going to meet traditional rulers, members of the civil society, elites of the Northwest region, members of the Islamic and Protestant communities, and a great section of the Catholic community," the archbishop said.

He added: "All these will form part of the group that the pope will meet in the cathedral."

The gathering will also include internally displaced persons and civil authorities, reflecting the inclusive nature of the visit.

Following the meeting, the pope will celebrate Mass at the Bamenda airport.

Nkea addressed concerns about access to events, firmly rejecting claims that passes are being sold. "The pass is free. There is no money transacted for passes," he emphasized.

He also pointed to visible infrastructural developments in preparation for the visit.

"The airport has been renovated, streets are being carved and fixed up, and everywhere is being renovated," Nkea observed.

Expressing confidence that the visit will have a profound impact, he added: "The Holy Father cannot go anywhere without impacting the community."

He went on to express hope that the pope's message — especially in Bamenda— will bring healing. "Some hearts that have been hardened for the past 10 years… this is going to impact and soften some hearts," he said.

The archbishop urged journalists to report responsibly and objectively.

"We encourage you all to report this visit in the most objective way that you can. The Church does not have any intention to politicize this visit. It is a pastoral visit. The pope, as the universal pastor… is coming out to visit his flock," Nkea said.

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

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