International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry emphasized that "the policy we have announced is based on science."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new policy to protect women in sports, under which only "biological women" — and not "biological men" who self-identify as women — will be permitted to compete in the women's category.
The new policy, announced on March 26, will take effect starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and, according to the organization's website, "will not be retroactive."
Kirsty Coventry, an IOC member and two-time Olympic swimming champion, stated in a video that she is "aware that this is a very sensitive issue" and that, as a former athlete, she "firmly believes in the right of all Olympic athletes to participate in fair competition."
Coventry emphasized that "the policy we have announced is based on science and has been developed by medical experts, taking into account — above all — the interests of the athletes."
"The scientific evidence is very clear. Male chromosomes provide performance advantages in sports that rely on strength, power, or endurance," she underscored.
"At the Olympic Games, even the slightest differences can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Therefore, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the women's category. Furthermore, in some sports, it simply would not be safe," the IOC member said.
Testing of athletes
The IOC further indicated that Olympic athletes will be tested to detect the presence or absence of the SRY gene, which demonstrates that an athlete has undergone male sexual development — something that can be verified using a saliva or blood sample.
Those who test negative on this test, the IOC emphasizes, "permanently meet the eligibility criteria of this policy to compete in the female category."
"Unless there are grounds to believe that a negative result is erroneous, this test will be performed only once in a lifetime," it adds.
No athlete who tests positive will be permitted to participate in the female category, with the "rare exceptions" of those holding a "diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders of sex development (DSD) who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone."
Those who test positive — "including androgen-sensitive XY transgender and XY-DSD athletes" — may participate in the categories for which they qualify, the IOC clarifies, pointing to male or mixed categories, "or in sports and events that do not classify athletes by sex."
This policy, the IOC explains, was guided by its objectives "regarding equality (equal opportunities for female athletes in finals, on podiums, and in championships); enhancing Olympic value (including both women's and men's finals in all sports); and visibility and inspiration (celebrating female athletes on the Olympic podium to inspire and represent women and girls worldwide)."
How was this new policy developed?
The new policy is the result of an IOC review — conducted between September 2024 and March 2026 — of the IOC's policy objectives concerning the women's category. Within this framework, a working group was established in September 2025 to "specifically examine scientific, medical, and legal advancements made since 2021."
The members of the working group hail from five continents and include "specialists in sports science, endocrinology, transgender medicine, sports medicine, women's health, ethics, and law."
Olympic athletes also participated through more than 1,100 survey responses, in-depth individual interviews with "affected athletes from around the world," and a presentation and discussion with members of the IOC Athletes' Commission.
The results of the consultation revealed that "while there are nuances depending on sex, gender, region, and the athlete's status (active or retired), there was a strong consensus that fairness and safety in the women's category require clear, science-based eligibility rules, and that protecting the women's category is a shared priority."
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.
EWTN will commemorate its foundress with a Vatican Mass and daylong programming celebrating her life of faith and media innovation.
The EWTN Global Catholic Network will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of its foundress, Mother Angelica, with a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on March 27.
According to a press release, the memorial Mass will be celebrated by Father Michael Baggot, LC, at the basilica's Choir Altar at 11 a.m. ET, marking a decade since the death of the Poor Clare nun who founded what would become the world's largest Catholic media network.
"Mother Angelica loved the beauty and grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica and wanted only the best for her beloved Jesus Christ," said Michael P. Warsaw, EWTN chair and CEO. "It's fitting that we honor her memory and commitment to sharing truth, beauty, and goodness with the world at the place that points all people toward the transcendent."
The network will air these events across its television and digital platforms, including its YouTube channel, the EWTN+ streaming platform, and live and on demand at www.ewtn.com, making the commemorations of Mother Angelica's life and legacy accessible to viewers worldwide.
Mother Angelica
Born Rita Antoinette Rizzo in 1923, Mother Angelica entered religious life in Ohio as Sister Mary Angelica of the Annunciation and later founded a monastery of Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Our Lady of the Angels in Irondale, Alabama. From there, she launched the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in 1981, beginning with a small television studio built in the monastery's garage.
What began as a small local broadcasting effort developed into a global Catholic media network spanning across television, radio, publishing, print, and digital platforms.
EWTN now operates 11 television channels broadcasting 24 hours a day in multiple languages, reaching audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Its content is also distributed through hundreds of AM and FM radio affiliates worldwide, satellite radio services, and a range of digital platforms, including one of the most widely visited Catholic websites in the United States.
Warsaw said the nun's legacy continues to resonate across those platforms and with new generations of viewers.
"While we all still miss her every day, her deep love of Our Lord resonates in the walls of the studios in Irondale still, as much as her laugh on YouTube, social media, and the new EWTN platforms inspire new audiences that encounter her story and advice," he said.
Mother Angelica died on March 27, 2016 — Easter Sunday — at the age of 92 after long suffering the aftereffects of a stroke. Her funeral was held at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, drawing thousands of mourners.
Her life was marked by a combination of contemplative religious devotion and entrepreneurial initiative. In the early years of her community, Mother Angelica and her fellow sisters supported their work of evangelization through small fundraising efforts, including selling fishing lures and roasted peanuts, before expanding into media production.
EWTN's founding in the early days of satellite television made it a pioneer in religious broadcasting in the United States. Over four decades, the network expanded its global footprint and established EWTN News, a multilingual news service, alongside its television and radio programming.
Kathryn Jean Lopez, religion editor at National Review, described Mother Angelica as a "joy and inspiration — a gift to the United States and the world over."
"I was blessed and honored to be at her funeral Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama," she said. "The Eucharist was her reason for living — holding on for so long in reparation for her sins and the sins of the whole world."
The Supreme Court of Finland has acquitted Päivi Räsänen over her 2019 Bible verse tweet and found her guilty of hate speech over a pamphlet she wrote more than 20 years ago.
The Finnish Supreme Court has convicted parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen on one charge related to her expression of her Christian beliefs on marriage and sexual ethics.
In the 3-2 decision, the court said Räsänen's criminal conviction over the distribution of a 2004 pamphlet alongside her Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola was for "making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group" under a section of the Finnish criminal code titled "War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity."
"I am shocked and profoundly disappointed that the court has failed to recognize my basic human right to freedom of expression," Räsänen said in a March 26 press release from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International. "I stand by the teachings of my Christian faith, and will continue to defend my and every person's right to share their convictions in the public square."
In it, she quotedRomans 1:24–27 and questioned how the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland could sponsor an LGBT Pride event, asking how what Scripture calls "shame and sin" could be presented as "a matter of pride."
Räsänen said she is looking into appealing her case to the European Court of Human Rights.
"This is not about my free speech alone but that of every person in Finland. A positive ruling would help to prevent other innocent people from experiencing the same ordeal for simply sharing their beliefs," she said in a statement.
The latest decision comes after Räsänen was previously acquitted on all charges by two lower courts in early 2022 and 2023 over the tweet, pamphlet, and a 2019 radio debate.
The Supreme Court heard Räsänen's case again in October 2025 following a third appeal by the prosecution regarding the tweet and pamphlet, delivering its latest decision on March 26. The prosecution did not appeal the radio debate.
Social media reactions
ADF Senior Legal Counsel Sean Nelson described the Finnish Court's decision as "Truly Year Zero, Orwellian thinking" in a March 26 social media post.
"I can't express how enraging and unjust this decision is," he said. "No one ever filed a complaint about her pamphlet written 20 years ago. The prosecutors only found out because of a witch hunt after her Bible tweet, dredging anything they could up."
Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, reacted to the news on social media, describing the conviction as "part of a broader trend I've been warning about where Western countries are prosecuting Christians."
"As a Christian country, the U.S. cannot stand idly by and watch as the Christian foundations of the West are destroyed," he said.
Father Benedict Kiely, founder of Nazarean.org, also weighed in on the decision, writing that Räsänen "is the canary in the coal mine for freedom of expression and religious freedom in Europe."
"And now the canary — and the Bible — have been found guilty," he said.
Mullally's installation as archbishop of Canterbury took place on March 25.
Pope Leo XIV expressed the desire to continue dialogue with the Church of England in a message to Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation as archbishop of Canterbury.
Mullally, formerly the bishop of London, was appointed archbishop of Canterbury in October 2025 with the approval of the King of England. She was installed March 25 in Canterbury Cathedral in east London. She the first woman to occupy the highest-ranking position in the Church of England.
In his message, dated March 20 from the Vatican, Leo expressed his spiritual closeness and sent Mullally "prayerful greetings" on the occasion of her installation.
The pope emphasized the responsibility of the office, noting that it is a mission "with responsibilities not only in the Diocese of Canterbury but throughout the Church of England as well as the Anglican Communion as a whole," especially at "a challenging moment in the history of the Anglican family."
"In asking the Lord to strengthen you with the gift of wisdom, I pray that you may be guided by the Holy Spirit in serving your communities and draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the mother of God," he wrote.
A call to unity and dialogue
In his message, Pope Leo recalled the progress of ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans since the historic meeting between St. Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966, which began "a new stage in the development of fraternal relations, based on Christian charity."
He praised the fruits of the theological dialogue promoted by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), which has made it possible to "to witness together more effectively" in the face of current challenges.
He also acknowledged the difficulties along the ecumenical journey, quoting his and Mullally's immediate predecessors, Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby, who wrote in a 2016 Joint Declaration that "new circumstances have presented new disagreements among us."
Leo insisted on the need to continue moving forward: "We need to continue to dialogue in truth and love, for it is only in truth and love that we come to know together the grace, mercy, and peace of God."
Unity in service of proclaiming the Gospel
The pope emphasized that the unity of Christians is not an end in itself but is oriented toward the mission of evangelization: "The unity which Christians seek is never an end in itself but is directed towards the proclamation of Christ, in order that … 'the world may believe.'"
In this context, he recalled the words of Pope Francis, who warned that "it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfill our common vocation to make Christ known."
A historic and controversial election
Mullally's election has had significant repercussions within Anglicanism. The Global Anglican Future Conference announced after her appointment that it was breaking with Canterbury and the Church of England, and stated it would not participate in meetings convened by the new archbishop nor contribute financially to Anglican bodies.
The churches belonging to GAFCON represent about 80% of Anglicans worldwide, reflecting the magnitude of the division opened by this historic appointment.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It was translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste de Franssu at helm of Institute for the Works of Religion.
The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), often referred to as the Vatican bank, has announced that Luxembourg banker François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu as president of its Board of Superintendence.
According to a March 25 press release, Pauly "has been elected as the next president of the Board of Superintendence" and will formally take office following the board meeting scheduled for April 28, when the institute's 2025 financial statements are approved.
De Franssu, who has led the IOR since July 9, 2014, will remain in office until that date, concluding a tenure marked by significant internal reform and efforts to rebuild the institution's international credibility.
The need for reform stemmed from years of scrutiny over the Vatican bank's management, transparency, and anti-money-laundering controls. In the past, the institute faced damaged credibility amid concerns about oversight and compliance, prompting a long push to strengthen governance, tighten internal procedures, and bring its operations into line with international financial standards.
The transition "follows a carefully managed succession process conducted over the past 12 months in close collaboration between the Board of Superintendence and the Commission of Cardinals, ensuring continuity in the governance of the Institute," the IOR said.
Pauly, a Luxembourg national, has served on the board since 2024. His appointment was approved Jan. 28 by the Commission of Cardinals following a proposal by the board in December 2025, in accordance with the institute's statutes.
He brings decades of experience in the financial sector, having begun his banking career in the late 1980s. He previously served as deputy chief executive officer of Dexia Crediop in Italy and later as CEO and chairman of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg from 2011 to 2016. He also served on the board of the Vatican Pension Fund from 2017 to 2021.
Currently, Pauly is chairman of La Luxembourgeoise Group and a member of the Commission for Economic Affairs of the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, while also serving on the boards of several financial firms across Europe.
In a statement, de Franssu reflected on his tenure, saying the institute had undergone "a profound structural transformation" that restored credibility and strengthened financial performance.
"This process has enabled the institute to achieve strong international credibility and to deliver solid financial results," he said, noting that reforms improved governance, transparency, and compliance with international anti-money laundering standards.
Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, president of the IOR's Commission of Cardinals, expressed "deep gratitude" for de Franssu's service and praised his "essential contribution" to the institute's renewal.
He also welcomed Pauly's appointment, highlighting his "extensive professional experience" as key to consolidating recent progress and strengthening the institute's ties with the global financial sector.
"We hope that, under his leadership, the Board of Superintendence continues to effectively support the mission of the IOR in service of the universal Church," Petrocchi said.
The Commission of Cardinals will now appoint a new member of the Board of Superintendence to replace de Franssu, subject to regulatory approval.
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.
Multiple congregations of sisters alleged that the gun manufacturer was partly complicit in "an unrelenting and growing stream of killings."
Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has "facilitated" mass shootings in the United States.
A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province.
The filing alleged that Smith & Wesson is "intent on marketing and selling AR-15 rifles in whatever manner results in the most sales." The suit claimed the company was pursuing such marketing even if it "is illegal and attracts a dangerous category of buyers [and] facilitates an unrelenting and growing stream of killings."
The sisters had filed the suit as shareholders in the company, claiming that Smith & Wesson's marketing "causes the company to face an ever-increasing and substantial likelihood of liability that threatens its long-term existence."
The filing specifically targeted the company's board of directors on behalf of the company and its shareholders in what is known as a "derivative lawsuit."
The sisters in the original lawsuit failed to meet a required $500,000 security bond deadline, leading to the suit's dismissal. They subsequently refiled in federal court in February 2025. In a March 23 order dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said the nuns failed to establish standing to bring the action against the board members.
The judge said the nuns could amend the lawsuit if they wished, though the court reimposed the $500,000 security bond, ordering that the sisters must post the amount if they wished to continue the suit.
Smith & Wesson was founded in 1852. It operates out of Tennessee and Nevada.
The company makes and sells a wide array of firearms, including ArmaLite-type rifles, commonly referred to as "AR-15s," which it has been selling since 2006.
The report is the conclusion of the work carried out by one of the 10 study groups created by Pope Francis in 2024 during the Synod on Synodality.
The final report of the Synod on Synodality study group dedicated to the poor and the earth raises the need to create an observatory on disability and to include theologians from poor regions in consultative and governing bodies.
The text — published March 24 — emphasizes that listening to "the cry of the poor and of the earth" is not a pastoral option but a constitutive act of faith in the mission of the Church. It identifies already existing tools such as parishes, base communities, movements, charitable organizations, and ecumenical and international networks.
However, it states that social ministry cannot be delegated only to these structures, since all Christians have the responsibility to listen and respond to the needs of the poor.
The report — which is not binding and will now be reviewed by Pope Leo XIV — is part of the work carried out by 10 study groups created by Pope Francis in 2024 during the Synod on Synodality. The groups are dissolved once their reports are published.
Within the group on the poor, another subgroup was established, mostly composed of people with disabilities.
This subgroup produced the proposal to create an international "Ecclesial Observatory on Disability" that would establish similar bodies at the diocesan, national, and regional levels.
The aim, the text states, is to use this model to "create structures and processes for listening to other marginalized groups," including "the LGBTQIA+ community."
"The Church has many means to listen to the cries of the poor and the earth. However, the Synod learned that women, Indigenous people, Dalits, young people, people with disability, victims of class or caste discrimination and racism, LGBTQIA+ people, those made poor, and other marginalized groups, are still asking to be heard," it states.
"We need to deepen our listening and respond with transformative action. Synodality invites us to move from having means of listening to becoming a means of listening in the service of God's mission," the report says.
The document also highlights the importance of the language used for people in vulnerable situations and urges that it respect the "diversity of their experience" and reflect their dignity, for example through the use of "person first language."
Groups for single or widowed people
Another recommendation in the report is for dioceses and bishops' conferences to consider creating "groups for single parents, widows, and widowers" in order to offer support and learn about their needs, and that there be deeper exploration of "effective ways of listening to those affected by war, conflicts, and violence."
It also calls for ensuring the presence of vulnerable groups, women, and those coming from territories affected by climate change and conflicts in Church bodies.
Greater role for the marginalized and the poor in theology
The report also raises the need to include theologians from "poor, marginalized, or excluded" contexts in the drafting of Church statements.
"The appointment of women, people with disabilities, and people of color should be a key priority," it says.
It proposes creating global networks connecting theologians with organizations working on the ground, strengthening dialogue with other Christian denominations and religions, and promoting collaboration among Catholic media, universities, and young people in order to translate theological reflection into concrete action.
It suggests creating "global networks" that connect the poor "with organizations closest to the reality of the world of the poor." According to the report, the goal is to promote a theology more connected to the reality of the poor and open to intercultural dialogue and other disciplines.
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.
CRS said it plans to share its experience of aiding communities with developing climate-smart agriculture, accessing nutritious foods, and strengthening local government.
Catholic Relief Services has joined a coalition dedicated to using sustainable means to eradicate hunger and poverty around the world.
"CRS is delighted to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty," said Sean Callahan, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) president and CEO, in a press release. "Ending hunger and poverty requires more than goodwill. It requires a sustained commitment to strengthening the systems that shape opportunity."
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty has over 200 members from more than 100 countries and about 20 international organizations. It was founded in 2024 at the behest of the Brazilian presidency of the G20 to combat poverty and reduce inequalities.
Members join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty through one of the organization's three pillars: national, financial support, and knowledge. CRS joins the alliance under its knowledge pillar, according to the release, and will focus its efforts toward advancing social equality and inclusion, civic engagement and justice, care for creation, and local leadership.
"Durable change happens when we pair global solidarity with local leadership," Callahan said. "CRS believes that the best way to ensure long-lasting change, especially change that can spread and be sustainable, is built through lifting up our local partners and helping them grow."
"We are committed to the Catholic social teaching principle of subsidiarity and believe that joining the Global Alliance will help us spread that principle farther," he said.
According to the release, CRS plans to share its experience with the alliance of aiding local communities around the world, "from building resilience with climate-smart agriculture to helping mothers and children access and eat nutritious foods and strengthening local government."
In Central America and southern Mexico, the release noted, CRS collaborated with local governments and partners to boost agricultural development and water management, mobilizing "more than $150 million to scale regenerative agriculture," increasing yields by more than 40%.
"We have had tremendous success helping our local partners become stronger," Callahan said. "When local governments and organizations are more capable, their communities become stronger, and their people live better."
Nine Catholic pilgrims will travel more than 2,000 miles across the country with the real presence of Jesus Christ during the 250th anniversary of the U.S.
Nine young adult Catholic perpetual pilgrims will walk with the Eucharist this summer during the National Catholic Eucharistic Pilgrimage spanning more than 2,000 miles.
In celebration of the United States of America's 250th anniversary, the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's theme is "One Nation Under God." Pilgrims will journey on the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Route to honor the first American citizen to be canonized.
"The real beauty in 'One Nation Under God' is the great humility that it takes to truly believe that … there's nothing more healing than God's divine mercy and love, which is open and available to all people," said Zachary Dotson, one of the perpetual pilgrims, during a press conference about the pilgrimage.
Perpetual Pilgrim Zach Dotson. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
"'One Nation under God' shows that, like St. Augustine said, 'We are a people on pilgrimage.' We are constantly striving for that end goal, which is, of course, full communion with Christ and with the saints," Dotson said.
The 2026 pilgrimage is set to kick off on May 24 in St. Augustine, Florida, and conclude on July 5 in Philadelphia. The pilgrims will pass through most of the original 13 colonies and 18 dioceses, which will host a number of events also open to the public.
Meet the young pilgrims who will be bringing Christ across the nation this summer:
Zachary Dotson
Dotson lives in Hammond, Indiana, where he is the city's "Citizen of the Year" due to his dedication to his community. Dotson pivoted from a career in finance to give himself completely to his parish at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
At the parish, Dotson helps his brothers and sisters in need by working at the parish's soup kitchen. In his free time, Dotson enjoys reading, biking, and spending time with his younger brother.
"I'm excited to be a part of the pilgrimage, and I feel so honored and blessed," Dotson said. "I've really seen the transformation that Christ's Eucharistic heart has had on my life … So to be able to open one single heart to Christ, and to his divine mercy, and for the love and salvation that he offers us through his bride, the Church, is the greatest honor of a life."
"Also to reach our brothers and sisters in the peripheral societies, in the prisons, in the jails, the hospices, and the food pantries, in the soup kitchen. I think Christ was really clear in Matthew's Gospel when he said: 'Did you visit me?' Did you give drink to me? Did you clothe me?' So the opportunity to do that on a national level is again, one of the greatest honors of my life."
Perpetual Pilgrim Marcel Ferrer. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Marcel Ferrer
Marcel Ferrer is from Akron, Ohio, and is a sophomore at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, where he is pursuing a degree in marketing with a double minor in theology and music ministry.
Ferrer grew up Catholic but fell away from the faith when he was young. When he was a junior in high school, Ferrer had a powerful experience with the Lord during Eucharistic adoration, which brought him back to the faith.
Ferrer has a passion for working with youth ministry and helps lead confirmation retreats across the Midwest. He also enjoys playing guitar, going to concerts, and watching movies.
"I've come to know that true happiness and joy cannot be attained in this life without Jesus. I want everyone to experience that joy in the Eucharist," Ferrer said in a statement shared with EWTN News.
"During this mission, I hope to love well and value the person in front of me as a tabernacle. I want to tell stories of God's mercy and love in order to turn hearts to his loving care," he said.
Perpetual Pilgrim John Paul Flynn. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
John Paul Flynn
John Paul Flynn is from Maryland and is a sophomore at The Catholic University of America, where he is studying business. He is one of 15 siblings and grew up Catholic but has especially grown in his faith in recent years through mission activities.
Flynn will be serving as the media missionary for the pilgrimage and is looking forward to being able to capture the beauty of the Eucharist in his role as the photographer and videographer of the team.
"I decided to become a pilgrim because of the unique mission that is given to us to share the Eucharist with all those around us," Flynn said. "Being the media missionary is especially important to me, as I get to reach a broad audience in a new way through media. The beauty that I have found in the Eucharist drives me to share it with anyone I can."
Perpetual Pilgrim Eduardo Gutierrez. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Eduardo Gutierrez
Eduardo Gutierrez was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Phoenix to attend Grand Canyon University (GCU), where he majored in accounting. Gutierrez works at a local tax firm and serves in youth and college ministry.
"I am serving as a Perpetual Pilgrim to be able to share the most beautiful thing on earth: the love, joy, and peace that can only come from the Eucharist," Gutierrez said.
As a cradle Catholic, Gutierrez would occasionally go to church growing up, but at GCU he experienced a renewal of faith, leading to his confirmation during Easter 2022.
"Through the witness of the pilgrimage, I hope that people come to the Lord in all that they do. I hope they see that they are beloved sons and daughters, and that their eternal Father knows them personally by name," he said.
Perpetual Pilgrim Cheyenne Johnson. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Cheyenne Johnson
Cheyenne Johnson, who serves as a missionary, is originally from Florida and calls Indiana home. She graduated from Butler University, where she studied music, elementary education, and Chinese.
"I have witnessed the fruits of the pilgrimage with my own eyes and look forward to the ways Our Lord will continue to work this summer," she said.
Johnson was a pilgrim on the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and will be returning as the team lead for this year. As a convert to the Catholic faith, she said she understands the power of encountering Jesus in the Eucharist and its ability to bring people to the faith.
"Being a pilgrim on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in 2025 was one of the greatest gifts of my life," Johnson said. "I was blessed to witness the faith and conversion of so many people throughout our country, as well as the transformation of my own heart."
"This summer, returning as the team lead, I desire to continue bringing Christ to others, while traveling with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and leading my brothers and sisters into deeper relationship with Christ," she said.
Perpetual Pilgrim Angelina Marconi. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Angelina Marconi
Angelina Marconi is from Marion, Arkansas, and lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she works as a college athletic trainer.
"When I was in high school, I had a personal encounter with the Lord during adoration at a diocesan retreat. From that moment on, I've held the truth that I can rely on Jesus in the Eucharist," Marconi said.
Marconi's faith led her to participate with FIERCE Athlete and the FIERCE Coach ministry, an organization empowering female athletes to thrive in their God-given identity. When she's not working, Marconi likes to cook, spend time with friends and family, and participate in her local Catholic young adult community.
As a pilgrim, Marconi said she wants "to share that no matter the circumstance, Jesus will meet us in the Eucharist and transform our hearts through the struggles and joys in our lives."
Perpetual Pilgrim Raymond Martinez II. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Raymond Martinez II
Raymond Martinez II grew up in Midland, Texas, and is a seminarian for the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas. He attends Conception Seminary College in Missouri.
"I am serving as a Perpetual Pilgrim because I want every person to recognize that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist: body, blood, soul, and divinity," Martinez said. "As I journey with our Eucharistic Lord across the country, I hope to help others grow in their love for the Eucharist through a transformative encounter with him."
In his spare time, Martinez enjoys reading, swimming, and making pilgrimages to various shrines and churches. Since he was young, Martinez has had a deep love for Christ in the Eucharist and has always desired to share his love of Christ with others.
Martinez shared that he has a lot of intentions that have been entrusted to his friends, family, and community.
"I regard all of them as special," he said. "Each and every one of the intentions that I'll be carrying with me, that I'll be bringing with me to the pilgrimage, is each unique and is coming from a place of desire for growth with the Lord…every prayer intention that I'm going to bring with me is going to be special in its own way."
Perpetual Pilgrim Sharon Phillips. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Sharon Phillips
Sharon Phillips, from northern California, has a love for finding God in all things, often spending her time exploring new restaurants, learning more about her faith and the human experience, and enjoying daily activity outdoors.
After attending Franciscan University, Phillips moved to Washington to serve as a high school youth minister in the Archdiocese of Seattle. There, she built a program founded on Eucharistic discipleship.
"Jesus shows us his heart in that he gives entirely of himself, not just on the cross, but every time we meet him in the Eucharist," Phillips said. "I've found this pilgrimage to be an invitation to root myself in his presence and, as a perpetual pilgrim, to be a part of bringing him to encounter every person and intention that joins in this pilgrimage."
Phillips, who enjoys songwriting and worship leading, will provide music for different processions and events along the route.
"Especially with this pilgrimage … serving the universal Church, I think it's so beautiful that we can take the same approach with our music and really our prayer as well," she said. "So we will have … opportunities for contemporary praise music, as well as traditional hymns."
Perpetual Pilgrim Mary Carmen Zakrajsek. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Simple Heart Photography in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress
Mary Carmen Zakrajsek
Mary Carmen Zakrajsek, from Carmel, Indiana, is a graduate of Marian University. She worked in the pro-life movement for Students for Life of America and then for a women's care center. She also has spent time volunteering as a mentor for Catholic high schoolers.
Last year she moved to South Bend, Indiana, to serve as a director of youth faith formation. She also loves to play guitar, rap about God, and bake sourdough bread.
"With so much hurt, suffering, and confusion in our culture, God can be seen as distant from our daily lives. But we know that our God is not distant," Zakrajsek said. "In the Eucharist, he is so close that we can touch him. By serving as a Perpetual Pilgrim, I hope that my witness will help others come into contact with this life-giving touch of the healer," she said.
Zakrajsek said she is looking forward to walking alongside Jesus and following him like the early apostles.
"I think that it's really a chance to remind us of our identity, and it's an invitation to realign ourselves under him, under his sovereignty. And so individually, and as part of a community, and as a country … I know he wants to bring about renewal and healing, and that's going to come when we recognize our deepest identity comes from him."
Catholic bishops in various countries are joining the celebration by organizing events in defense of the lives of unborn children.
The Day of the Unborn Child is celebrated internationally on March 25 to commemorate, promote, and defend human life from the moment of conception in the mother's womb until natural death.
The date was established in Argentina in December 1998 by President Carlos Saúl Menem. A few days before the observance of this day in 1999, the president encouraged leaders throughout Latin America to join the initiative.
At the time, St. John Paul II sent a letter to the Argentine president, encouraging that "the celebration of the 'Day of the Unborn Child' foster a positive choice in favor of life and the development of a culture oriented in this direction — one that ensures the promotion of human dignity in all situations."
In 1999, the observance was also adopted by law in Guatemala and Costa Rica, while Nicaragua embraced it the following year. Bolivia joined in 2000; the Dominican Republic followed in early 2001; in Peru, it was established by law in 2002; and Paraguay joined in 2003.
The observance is also celebrated on March 25 in El Salvador, Uruguay, Spain, Mexico, Austria, Slovakia, Cuba, and the Philippines. Ecuador joined in 2006, Chile in 2014, and it was enacted by law in Puerto Rico in 2018.
This date typically coincides with the solemnity of the Annunciation, usually celebrated on March 25. On this day, the Catholic Church commemorates the announcement made by Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary as well as her momentous yes to God — an assent that led her to conceive, at that very instant, the Child who saved humanity, becoming his most holy mother.
Catholic bishops in various countries are joining the celebration by organizing events in defense of the lives of unborn children. In addition, in recent years, memorials have been erected in memory of the millions of unborn child victims of abortion.
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.
