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Stockholm, Sweden, Jun 9, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

The conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV was first and foremost a unifying experience, despite the frantic pace and intrigue, said Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius.

"The conclave was a wonderful experience of unity in the Church and openness to the voice of the Spirit," Arborelius told CNA on June 5. "It was also very well organized."

However, one of the primary challenges for the cardinals at the conclave was getting to know one another, especially those from faraway countries.

During the general congregations prior to the conclave, when cardinals discussed the challenges that the Church and the new pope would face, Arborelius told the New York Times that the "cardinals don't know each other so well" and that he himself felt "lost all the time."

The cardinal explained to CNA that the College of Cardinals got "an overview of the universal Church but not so much guidance for electing a pope."

"It was interesting to meet all the cardinals and listen to them but also a bit tiring to listen for hours," he said.

Nevertheless, despite constant media speculation, the surprise election of then-Cardinal Robert Prevost as the 266th successor to St. Peter was welcomed by the Swedish cardinal who, as a member of the Dicastery for Bishops, knew him well.

"It was really an experience of God's grace to see a cardinal who suddenly became the vicar of Christ, and I could feel that he was the right person, chosen by God," the cardinal told CNA.  

He also said he was "struck" by Pope Leo's "humility and simplicity" when addressing the thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square after his election, which he said was "a sign of the Holy Spirit and his guidance."

Within the first month of his pontificate, Pope Leo set about visiting officials from the Vatican dicasteries and offices. For Arborelius, the many meetings show that "he is a person eager to establish dialogue on so many levels."

"I am very grateful for Pope Leo, and it is extraordinary that he has been able to achieve so much in a short period," the cardinal said.

His election, he added, "means that we enter a new chapter in the history of the Church and we have to be open to divine providence and how Pope Leo will guide us to holiness in a secular and divided world that badly needs the Gospel."

Arborelius said that, although he would appreciate a papal visit from Pope Leo XIV, he hopes that the new pope will be able to visit Catholics in the neighboring countries of Scandinavia.  

"I am sure he will visit many countries. Maybe it is now time for the other northern countries to have a papal visit!" he said.

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Vatican City, Jun 9, 2025 / 10:08 am (CNA).

Sister Maria Gloria Riva of the Nuns of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament spoke on the importance of working with eternity in mind during a talk delivered Monday morning at the Vatican, a highly unusual case of a layperson publicly addressing the pontiff on spiritual matters.

The 66-year-old nun, part of a cloistered, contemplative monastery in the small state of San Marino in Italy, was the invited speaker for the Jubilee of the Holy See, part of the Catholic Church's wider 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.

"Eternity is before us. If we work for short-term and mediocre horizons, we work in vain," Riva said in her June 9 meditation to Pope Leo XIV, cardinals, bishops, and other employees of the Vatican and Roman Curia. 

The nun's participation was planned by the Dicastery for Evangelization with Pope Francis before his death. Francis had expanded women's leadership roles in the Church, including opening the ministries of lector and acolyte to women.

Riva's talk was followed by a procession through the Holy Door, led by Pope Leo, who carried the jubilee cross like an ordinary pilgrim from the Vatican's Paul VI Hall to St. Peter's Basilica, where he then celebrated Mass for the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.

In his homily, Leo emphasized the necessity of bearing one's cross in order to be fruitful.

"All the fruitfulness of the Church and of the Holy See depends on the cross of Christ. Otherwise, it is only appearance, if not worse," the pontiff said.

"The Holy See is holy as the Church is holy, in her original core, in the very fabric of her being," he continued. "The Apostolic See thus preserves the holiness of its roots while being preserved by them. But it is no less true that it also lives in the holiness of each of its members. Therefore, the best way to serve the Holy See is to strive for holiness, each according to his or her particular state of life and the work entrusted to him or her."

Reflecting on the liturgical feast day of Mary, Mother of the Church, the pope connected the fruitfulness of the Church and the fruitfulness of Mary, which, he said, "is realized in the lives of her members to the extent that they relive, 'in miniature,' what the Mother lived, namely, they love according to the love of Jesus."

The fruitfulness of the Church is also linked to the grace of the pierced heart of Jesus and the sacraments, he added.

According to Leo, Mary, as the living memory of Jesus, also ensures the unity of the disciples' prayer in the upper room at Pentecost.

In the account of Pentecost in the Acts of the Apostles, "the apostles are listed by name and, as always, Peter is the first," the pope pointed out. "But he himself, in truth, is the first to be supported by Mary in his ministry."

"In the same way, Mother Church supports the ministry of Peter's successors with the Marian charism. The Holy See experiences in a very special way the coexistence of the two poles; the Marian and the Petrine. It is precisely the Marian pole, with its motherhood, gift of Christ and of the Spirit, that ensures the fruitfulness and holiness of the Petrine pole," he said.

Riva, an author and prolific spiritual writer, also spoke about the direction of one's work and life in her reflection. "We need to work for the great horizon of life that does not die: to live by asking ourselves at every moment whether what we are doing connects us firmly to that truth which is charity and eternity; this is hope," she underlined.

"We, dear brothers and sisters, know where we must run: The race of John and Peter towards the tomb of Christ is the only race that the Church and the world can run without fear. It is the race of those who know that hope lies in true life, eternal life."

The meaning of a jubilee, she continued, is to help us think about the last things, the brevity of existence, and the meaning of our lives.

The nun, who founded her monastic community, which educates Catholics about Eucharistic adoration and "the passion for the beauty that saves," recalled an oft-repeated line from the Russian author Dostoevsky that "beauty will save the world."

This quote is incorrect, she said, because Prince Myshkin, in the novel "The Idiot," actually asks: "What beauty will save the world?"

"The prince," Riva explained, "is confronted with a terrible image," a painting by Hans Holbein, "The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb." The painting, also referred to as "Dead Christ," "is a life-size Christ with sunken eyes and limbs already showing signs of necrosis," she said.

"So the question is serious. What beauty will save the world? Will the beauty of the cross save the world? The beauty of defeat? The beauty of humiliation? Yes, the cross can still save us," the nun emphasized. "In 2025, in postmodern man, the great salvation of the cross still exists. The cross will save us."

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Vatican City, Jun 9, 2025 / 11:08 am (CNA).

The Vatican on Monday removed artwork by former Jesuit Father Marko Ivan Rupnik from its official websites.

Digital images of the Slovenian priest's sacred art, which were frequently used by Vatican News to illustrate articles of the Church's liturgical feast days, are no longer found on the digital news service.

Catholic writer Amy Welborn took to X to show screenshots of Vatican News' "Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church" article before and after Rupnik's accompanying artwork was removed from the website on June 9.

Rupnik, who was expelled by the Society of Jesus in June 2023 for his "stubborn refusal to observe the vow of obedience," is accused by about two dozen women, mostly former nuns, of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse they allege has occurred over the past three decades.

The recent changes to the Vatican News and the Dicastery for Communication websites came soon after Pope Leo XIV met with members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors on June 5.

Within the first week of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV met with Cardinal Seán O'Malley, OFM, archbishop emeritus of Boston and president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, on May 14.

Several Church leaders and Catholic groups around the world have increasingly called for the removal of sacred art created by the former Jesuit.

On March 31, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France announced its decision to cover Rupnik mosaics found at the entrances to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.

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Vatican City, Jun 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A total of 24 fortunate young people from around the world are participating this year in the Vatican Observatory's summer camp, an exceptional opportunity to see "that science and faith work together."

The camp is led by the observatory's director, Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, who during these summer months is teaching the cohort of future astronomers.

"We hope that simply living and working alongside Jesuit astronomers will be the strongest evidence that science and faith work together, and even more so, that this is a very natural collaboration," Consolmagno told ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.

The veteran Vatican astronomer, born in Detroit, recalled that Pope John Paul II once described faith and reason "as the two wings that lift us toward the truth."

"I hear in Pope Leo's comments an echo of that same intuition," the Jesuit affirmed, referring to the pontiff's words at a recent international bioethics conference in which he called for a science that serves the truth and that is "increasingly humane and respectful of the integrity of the human person."

According to the director of the observatory, which is located in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, the important thing is to remember "that truth itself is the goal" and that understanding "our faith and our science is never complete, never perfect, but always worth pursuing."

Spreading the joy of discovery

As Consolmagno sees it, astronomers have a responsibility to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.

In this context, he acknowledged that "young, fresh minds are essential to making new discoveries and creating a deeper understanding of what we discover."

The Jesuit brother highlighted the "special" nature of the camp, as many of the students "come from the less developed world, which means we can spread the joy of discovery to places that too often don't have the opportunity to experience it."

He also noted that the best part of the summer school for the young people "is the opportunity to meet both their peers from around the world and to have access to the experts who teach the classes."

"Astronomy is a small field, and meeting other astronomers personally and professionally enriches both the students and the work," he added.

Academic ability and enthusiasm

Consolmagno indicated that this year's 24 students were chosen from among 175 applicants, so "the decisions were not easy."

"Our only limit is that there can be no more than two students per nation. Beyond that, we choose the students who showed the greatest promise of being able to benefit from a school like this... both for their academic ability and for their enthusiasm for living in this historic setting," he indicated.

For many of the students, the connections they make at the Vatican Observatory allow them to enter top-tier doctoral programs around the world "and then bring this high level of scientific excellence back to their home countries."

"We estimate that more than 80% of students continue on to professional astronomy," he noted, adding that those who pursue other paths still benefit greatly from the experience.

The revolutionary James Webb telescope

The theme of this year's summer school — the 19th since its first edition in 1986 — is "Exploring the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope: The First Three Years."

The James Webb Space Telescope was launched on Christmas Day 2021. Since it began transmitting data the following July, Consolmagno said, it "has revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos."

Consolmagno explained that this telescope allows students to see firsthand what science is really saying and not just "the results that have been reported in the press."

"This allows them to appreciate how important — and difficult — it can be to try to explain to the general public what we have learned," he emphasized.

For the Vatican astronomer, this is "an ideal time to review what the Webb telescope has discovered so far and to teach what we have learned about how best to take advantage of its capabilities."

He further pointed out that "the combination of theory and practice" is something the observatory has promoted since these courses began almost four decades ago.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Lincoln, Neb., Jun 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

For parents, having the opportunity to see their children embrace the vocation to which God has called them marks the culmination of years of prayer and sacrifice. While most will see their children married, a smaller group will get to celebrate calls to the priesthood and religious life. 

Even more rare, though, is the opportunity to celebrate multiple ordinations from the same family, let alone among siblings. But as of Saturday, May 24, with the ordination of Father Isaac Wahlmeier, six families in the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, can celebrate such a blessing.

These sets of brothers include Father Isaac Wahlmeier and his brother Father Joseph Wahlmeier, ordained in 2020, and Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey Eickhoff, who were ordained in 1989 and 1995, respectively,

For Father Isaac Wahlmeier, the opportunity to see his brother begin his journey to the priesthood was a major factor in discerning his own vocation. He said that visiting his brother Joseph when he was attending St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, brought the seminary that much closer to his purview, and getting to visit Joseph while he studied in Rome was a huge "trust booster" for him. 

Likening it to the communion of saints, Father Isaac said: "Where you see the witness of one person, it's an instrument for God to increase the trust in your own life, and the confidence you have in his will and his love for you." 

Father Joseph was studying as a seminarian in Rome when he first heard his brother Isaac planned to enter into the seminary as well. He described his reaction to the news as being "both surprised, and not" at the same time. 

"It kind of felt like my own vocation," he said. "I didn't really think about being a priest, especially until college, but when the call came, it just made so much sense."

Looking back, the brothers can see how the example that their parents, Patrick and Debbie, set for them led them to where they are today.

Married more than 45 years, Patrick and Debbie Wahlmeier are parents to 15 children and grandparents to 29 grandchildren. When Debbie donned her wedding dress all those years ago, she didn't know that one day her son Isaac would have lace from her dress included in the albs that he would wear for his diaconate and priestly ordinations. 

"It makes me feel like a part of his dad and I will be with him at every Mass," Debbie said. "As he does the Lord's work, we can be with him." 

Debbie said she's been asked if she knew that her sons had a calling to the priesthood when they were young. Her response is that she didn't know what God's plan was for any of her children, but she prayed that they would find it.

As for the prayer she would pray as the mother of a seminarian? Simply this: "May God's will be done." 

"I don't think a parent has the power to make a vocation or make it happen, whatever that vocation is, but let it happen. Let God make it clear to your children," she said. 

Reflecting on Isaac's ordination, Debbie said that she and her husband feel very blessed and see it as an affirmation of the power of the sacrament of marriage, how God blesses it and can make so much good come out of it. 

This is something that Father Isaac said he can see play out in the lives of his siblings who are married and embracing their own vocation of self-giving love. 

"That goodness that my parents have is manifested in them too, and it multiplies. By giving themselves away to their children and their families, they just become more of who they are, more of who they're meant to be," he said.

Father Joseph said that growing up, his parents "put him and his siblings in the near occasion of virtue," praying the rosary together often and challenging them to serve the Lord in different ways — whether through volunteer time, attending Sky Camp, or serving at Mass, which taught them to always be ready to give of themselves. 

"I think that probably lends itself to growing in the ability to answer the call to a vocation, to hear it and know that 'I'll be able to give of myself in this way as well,'" he said. 

The Eickhoff brothers

This family involvement in the Church was something that Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey Eickhoff experienced growing up as well. 

The sons of Larry and Joan Eickhoff, Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey grew up members of Holy Cross Parish in Omaha. The two have an older brother who passed away three years ago and two sisters who are married with children.

"My parents were very involved in the parish and involved us kids as much as was feasible when we were small," Father Matthew said. Sometimes that meant answering the phone at the rectory for a dollar an hour or serving as substitutes for the priest's cook. The family always attended Mass, participated in Stations of the Cross, parish missions and retreats, and prayed the rosary together regularly. 

In addition to their shared childhood experiences and priesthood, Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey share some unique skills and interests as well. The two have a music and juggling act that they've performed in 20 of the diocese's schools over the years, and they're known for their six-course gourmet Italian meals, which have brought in thousands of dollars at auctions for Catholic institutions over the years. 

The two had the opportunity to study in Rome, where they walked to class together once a week, and they have shared in travels throughout Italy. 

Both celebrate the anniversary of their ordination on the same day, May 27, and Father Matthew said he enjoys getting to share the simple joys of the priesthood with someone as close as a brother. 

"We've really enjoyed sharing all of the family Catholic celebrations, like the sacraments," Father Matthew said. "We've taken turns baptizing our nephews and our niece, we've been to their first Communions, confirmations, Catholic weddings, anniversary celebrations of our aunts and uncles, and celebrated funerals."

Their experience might give them a glimpse of what the Wahlmeiers will experience for themselves as they live out their lives as priests and brothers.

"There's definitely a brotherhood of priests in our diocese," Father Joseph Wahlmeier said. "The priests are especially close… so to join that with a brother priest I think makes it all the more special. And I think it only helps grow the brotherhood of our presbyterate."

Additional sets of brothers who have become priests in the diocese are Fathers Andrew and Christian Schwenka, ordained in 2019 and 2022; Monsignor Daniel and Fathers Mark and Leo Seiker ordained in 1987, 1984, and 1991; Fathers Evan and Dominic Winter ordained in 2016 and 2022; and Fathers Matthew and Michael Zimmer, ordained in 2011 and 2012. 

This story was first published by The Southern Nebraska Register, has been adapted by CNA, and is reprinted here with permission. 

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CNA Newsroom, Jun 8, 2025 / 12:05 pm (CNA).

Follow our live coverage of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, first U.S.-born pope in history.

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Rome Newsroom, Jun 8, 2025 / 13:45 pm (CNA).

Traveling more than 10,000 miles to take part in this weekend's Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities, Sister Therese Mills, MGL, spoke to CNA of her great joy as she joined tens of thousands of other pilgrims in Rome.

A leader of the Missionaries of God's Love Sisters, a charismatic Catholic group founded in Australia in 1987, Mills said her pilgrimage to Rome during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope has been a time of refreshment and renewal.

She described the "amazing" experience of walking through the Jubilee Door of St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday, the first day of the special jubilee dedicated to new Catholic movements and associations.  

Mills recalled "just opening my hands and just praying that the Lord would refresh and renew my heart and refresh and renew my faith."

"The thing that blew me away — and what I loved the most — was we were all on this journey together but everyone was speaking and praying in different languages," she shared with CNA on Pentecost Sunday. 

Mills called her visit to the Blessed Sacrament chapel inside the papal basilica a "God moment" that she will not forget.

"I just sat before Jesus and bawled my eyes out to be honest," she told CNA with a laugh. "I was very overwhelmed with his love … the gift of being with him in this place, and with the universal Church."        

The approximately 70,000 pilgrims participating in the weekend jubilee had the opportunity to explore different churches in Rome and attend music and entertainment events organized by various ecclesial groups.   

A few of the hundreds of new Catholic associations taking part in the June jubilee include the Neocatechumenal Way, Catholic Action, Communion and Liberation, the Catholic Shalom Community, the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Focolare Movement, and CHARIS International.

During his homily at the Vigil Mass, Pope Leo described the new and diverse Church communities gathered around him as "the fruits of the Second Vatican Council" who are "grounded in the one Lord Jesus Christ" entrusted with "a single mission."

Mills attended both Pope Leo's Pentecost Masses — the Vigil on Saturday night and one on Sunday morning. 

"I really love being part of a universal Church, being united as one, and coming together to pray for the Spirit," Mills said.

In the days leading up to the official jubilee festivities, Mills undertook a pilgrimage to holy sites in Rome linked to patron saints of her Australian-based community, including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Catherine of Siena.

The first Missionaries of God's Love Sisters household was formed in the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn in 1988. Since then, the religious sisters have lived and ministered in the Australian cities of Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, and Sydney, and led outreach missions around the country and in other Asia-Pacific nations, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

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Vatican City, Jun 8, 2025 / 08:42 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost in St. Peter's Square on Sunday with international pilgrims belonging to new Church movements, associations, and communities celebrating this year's Jubilee Year of Hope in Rome.

Emphasizing the significance of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian, the Holy Father noted that it is the third person of the Blessed Trinity who anoints, heals, and strengthens followers of Jesus to "open borders" in hearts, in relationships with others, and between nations.   

"Let us invoke the Spirit of love and peace, that he may open borders, break down walls, dispel hatred and help us to live as children of our one Father who is in heaven," the pope said on a hot Sunday morning.

"Brothers and sisters, Pentecost renews the Church and the world!" he said. "May the strong wind of the Spirit come upon us and within us, open the borders of our hearts, grant us the grace of encounter with God, enlarge the horizons of our love and sustain our efforts to build a world in which peace reigns."

Approximately 70,000 people from more than 100 countries registered to take part in this year's special Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities taking place over the June 7–8 weekend in Rome.

Celebrating Sunday Mass alongside cardinals, bishops, and other priests wearing red vestments to represent the fire of the Holy Spirit who descended upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Father invited those gathered in St. Peter's Square and along Via della Conciliazione to also reflect on the words of his papal predecessors. 

"The Spirit opens borders... The Church must always become anew what she already is," the pope said, quoting Benedict XVI. "She must open the borders between peoples and break down the barriers between class and race." 

During his homily, Pope Leo reiterated Pope Francis' pleas for the end of ongoing violence, including femicide, creating "much discord" and "such great division" in the world.

"The Spirit breaks down barriers and tears down the walls of indifference and hatred because he 'teaches us all things' and 'reminds us of Jesus' words," he said, reflecting on the Gospel of St. John. 

"Where there is love, there is no room for prejudice, for 'security' zones separating us from our neighbors, for the exclusionary mindset that, tragically, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms," he added.

The pope also prayed to God for his gift of unity and fraternity in the world.

Before concluding the celebration of the Mass with the Regina Caeli prayer in Latin, the Holy Father thanked his brother cardinals, bishops, and all representatives of ecclesial associations, movements, and new communities in Rome for their presence and witness of faith.

"Dear sisters and brothers, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, set out renewed from this Jubilee of yours. Go and bring to everyone the hope of the Lord Jesus!" he said. "May the Spirit of the Risen Christ open paths of reconciliation wherever there is war; may he enlighten governments and give them the courage to make gestures of de-escalation and dialogue." 

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CNA Newsroom, Jun 7, 2025 / 17:43 pm (CNA).

Follow our live coverage of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, first U.S.-born pope in history.

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CNA Staff, Jun 7, 2025 / 11:45 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday said the Catholic Church is open to establishing a common date of Easter among all Christian churches, echoing one of the aims of the Council of Nicaea that met 1,700 years ago.

The pope spoke to participants of the symposium "Nicaea and the Church of the Third Millennium: Towards Catholic-Orthodox Unity," which took place this week at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

The Holy Father called the 325 Council of Nicaea "foundational for the common journey that Catholics and Orthodox have undertaken together since the Second Vatican Council."

This week's symposium focused on the themes of faith, synodality and "the date of Easter," Leo said. The lattermost issue was "one of the objectives" of the ancient council.

"Sadly, differences in their calendars no longer allow Christians to celebrate together the most important feast of the liturgical year, causing pastoral problems within communities, dividing families and weakening the credibility of our witness to the Gospel," the pope said.

"Several concrete solutions have been proposed that, while respecting the principle of Nicaea, would allow Christians to celebrate together the 'Feast of Feasts'," the Holy Father said.

"In this year, when all Christians have celebrated Easter on the same day, I would reaffirm the openness of the Catholic Church to the pursuit of an ecumenical solution favouring a common celebration of the Lord's resurrection," the pope said.

On April 20 of this year, Easter landed on the same day for both the East and the West. Easter will fall on April 16, 2028, again for both the East and the West, and again on April 13, 2031, and April 9, 2034.

Leo on Saturday said that Christian unity, when it is ultimately achieved, "will not be primarily the fruit of our own efforts, nor will it be realized through any preconceived model or blueprint."

"Rather, unity will be a gift received 'as Christ wills and by the means that he wills'," he said.

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