Catholic News

Mike Hammer, chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, is conducting visits throughout the island, during which he has met with bishops, opposition figures, and local residents.

The American diplomat has been documenting these visits and meetings on the U.S. Embassy in Cuba's X account.

The first meeting publicized was the one he held with the president of the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Arturo González Amador, and Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García, archbishop of Havana.

The diplomat reported on Jan. 30 that the meeting was to "review the distribution of humanitarian aid that the U.S. government is sending through Caritas Cuba to those affected by Hurricane Melissa in eastern Cuba."

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"If everything goes well and the aid is reaching those most in need, the Trump administration is ready to send more assistance given the great needs of the average Cuban citizen," the embassy stated.

On Feb. 1, Hammer posted a video on X showing him with Father José Conrado in the municipality of Trinidad. Conrado is known for denouncing injustices in Cuba for many years.

"I had the pleasure of meeting Father Conrado again in Trinidad," Hammer wrote on X. "He inspires me every time I talk to him. And when I left the parish, a few communists, surely frustrated by how badly the revolution is going, shouted obscenities at me — but aren't they the ones who always insist on being treated with respect?"

In response, the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs demanded that the "illegitimate Cuban regime" immediately cease "its repressive acts of sending individuals to interfere with the diplomatic work of Chargé d'Affaires Hammer and the members" of the embassy team.

"Our diplomats will continue to meet with the Cuban people, despite the regime's failed intimidation tactics," the U.S. government office stated.

The U.S. embassy noted on X that Hammer is meeting with "ordinary Cubans" who "contacted us by email."

"If you would like us to visit you, send us your phone number and we will contact you when we are in your province," the diplomatic mission in Havana said.

The representative also visited the provinces of Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey. In the latter, he met with Archbishop Wilfredo Pino. Although he did not disclose the content of the conversation, Hammer noted on Feb. 2 that, "like the U.S., the Church has an important role in supporting ordinary Cubans."

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"The acts of repudiation organized by the regime will not prevent us from continuing to meet with Cubans concerned about the crisis facing the country," the embassy stated on X.

On Feb. 4, Hammer reported on his meeting with the bishop of Holguín, Emilio Aranguren, to whom he presented a miniature "replica of our 'Liberty Bell'" to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States.

During his visits, the diplomat also visited the homes of several citizens, including opposition figure Iván Hernández Carrillo and the family of Félix and Sayli Navarro, who were imprisoned because of the mass protests of July 2021.

"We continue to insist that they and all political prisoners be released," the U.S. Embassy stated.

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

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Pope Leo XIV and the founder of the Sant'Egidio Community, Andrea Riccardi, met at the Vatican this week and discussed the role Christians and the Church are called to play in promoting peace in the midst of various conflicts around the world.

According to a statement, the Feb. 5 meeting took place on the eve of the 58th anniversary of the ecclesial community, which was founded in Rome and has been committed for decades to peace, dialogue, and caring for the poorest.

In particular, the value of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue was emphasized as a fundamental resource, promoted by the so-called "spirit of Assisi": the movement of interreligious dialogue and communal prayer for world peace initiated by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 27, 1986, in that Italian city to reject the use of violence in the name of religion and to foster encounter, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence among peoples.

The Sant'Egidio Community is a lay Catholic movement founded in 1968 by Riccardi in Rome that focuses on prayer, solidarity with the poor (especially homeless people and the elderly), and peace, operating in more than 70 countries.

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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Here's a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news:

Irish bishop says abortion is driving down population

An Irish bishop has observed that the nation has lost the equivalent of 300 primary school classes of children to abortion in one year.

Bishop Kevin Doran of Achonry and Elphin drew attention to the impact of abortion on population, citing a recent figure that found that 10,852 unborn babies were aborted in Ireland in 2024, The Irish Catholic reported.

"The closure of primary schools across Ireland, and especially in rural communities, has surfaced as a major cause of concern in recent weeks," Doran said. "There are complex reasons for this, but the impact of abortion on population is becoming increasingly clear."

"Quite apart from the enormous human tragedy involved, this is the equivalent of 300 classes of primary school children," he said. "Abortion doesn't just kill babies. It deprives communities all over Ireland of thousands of happy, laughing children."

Doran anticipates "a dramatic reduction of young adults in every aspect of community life" if things continue on this path.

Zimbabwe bishops oppose pro-abortion legislation

The Zimbabwe Catholic bishops are urging the nation's senate to protect unborn children ahead of a vote that could expand abortion access, reported ACI Africa, EWTN News' sister service in Africa.

On Feb. 10, the senate will vote on a proposal to legalize abortion, which would be changed from Zimbabwe's long-held protections for life. If the bill passes, it will go to the president to be approved.

The Catholic bishops in Zimbabwe appealed to the senators, asking them to "uphold your constitutional responsibility to protect the right to life of unborn children."

The bishops also urged Christians to stand against the bill, saying it "strikes at the heart of the African and Christian moral heritage."

The bishops also are requiring parishes to read a statement at Mass in which the bishops "call upon all Christians to commit themselves to prayer for the protection of human life from the moment of conception."

Nebraska narrowly fails to advance bill protecting women from trafficking and forced abortions

A Nebraska bill to protect women from forced abortions and screen for coercion narrowly failed to advance.

Designed to strengthen Nebraska's informed-consent laws, the bill required abortion providers to screen for coercion, domestic violence, and human trafficking before performing an abortion. Introduced by state Sen. Tanya Storer and prioritized by state Sen. Dan Lonowski, the bill required that providers have resources such as confidential phone calls and national hotlines available.

Nate Grasz, executive director of Nebraska Family Alliance, said: "Sex trafficking and abortion are inextricably linked, and [the bill] would have given pregnant women a critical layer of protection."

"The Legislature had a clear choice: stand with women who are being exploited and abused or side with an abortion lobby spreading misinformation and profiting at the expense of women in danger," Grasz said in a statement.

Texas father sues California abortionist for providing illegal abortions

After his girlfriend aborted two of their children, a Texas man is suing the California doctor who allegedly provided the abortion pills, which are illegal in Texas.

Jerry Rodriguez filed the original lawsuit in July 2025 but updated it on Feb. 1 to include a new law that allows private citizens in Texas to sue providers of abortion pills.

Under the law, which went into effect at the end of December, a Texan can receive up to $100,000 from the defendant if he or she is directly related to the unborn child. If the plaintiff is not related to the child, he or she could receive 10% of the amount, while the remaining money would go to charity.

The defendant in this case is Dr. Remy Coeytaux, an abortionist from California.

Disorderly conduct charges against Memphis pro-lifers dropped

After being arrested for conducting a rescue at a Planned Parenthood facility in Memphis, Tennessee, charges against a group of activists have been dropped.

More than a dozen members of the Rescue Resurrection group were arrested after they blocked facility doors at an abortion clinic, Monica Migliorino Miller, a pro-life activist involved in the group, told EWTN News.

Memphis police officers eventually arrived, warning the group its members were trespassing, and arrested the 17 activists who remained blocking the door after the warning, according to Miller.

All charges were dropped for four of the activists, while the charges against two others were dismissed. For the remaining 13, the court dropped the disorderly conduct charge and the defendants gave a "no contest" plea on the trespass charge, receiving time served.

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The U.S. government announced that it will send a new shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba worth $6 million, which will be delivered directly to the population through the Catholic Church.

On its website, the U.S. State Department informed on Feb. 5 that the decision was made "following the success of the partnership" with the Catholic Church in Cuba in distributing the first $3 million in aid.

The department explained that this second round of assistance "will be delivered through the same channel as the first $3 million, with prepackaged commodities transported from Miami and delivered by local parish representatives."

"This method has proven highly effective at ensuring that the failed Cuban regime cannot interfere with, or divert, assistance intended for the island's needy population," said the department, headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants.

As with the first delivery, "the regime must not make any effort to interfere with the provision of this lifesaving support. We remain vigilant in tracking any diversion or frustration of U.S. assistance efforts, and the regime will be accountable to the United States and its own people for any interference," the statement warned.

"Beyond this tranche of assistance, the United States stands ready to surge even greater direct support to the Cuban people. The corrupt regime must simply permit it," it added.

Following the announcement, Cuba's deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, wrote on X that it was "hypocritical to apply coercive measures" and "then announce soup and canned goods for a few."

The official was referring to the tariffs announced by the United States on countries that send oil to the island as a way to further pressure the communist regime that has governed Cuba since 1959.

On Jan. 14, Caritas Cuba — the charitable arm of the Church — received the first shipment of aid to assist those still suffering the consequences of Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island on Oct. 29, 2025.

On the same day the first shipment arrived, the Cuban ministry of foreign affairs stated that there had been "no official communication" between the two governments to confirm the shipment.

U.S. bishops' role

"It was the Cuban Catholic Church that contacted the country's authorities with the information that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) intended to serve as the channel for sending material assistance to Cuba, which would be provided by the U.S. government," the ministry reported in a statement published in the official newspaper Granma.

For its part, Caritas Cuba stated that day that the material assistance "will be distributed by the Catholic Church" and that it worked together "with Catholic Relief Services in organizing this shipment. Technical support from Caritas Germany was also received in the process."

The chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, Mike Hammer, also reported that he had met with the president of the Cuban Bishops' Conference, Bishop Arturo González Amador, and the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García, to "review the progress of the distribution of humanitarian aid."

The fact that international humanitarian aid is not passing through the regime's controls marks an unprecedented event in Cuban history, since previous assistance had always required the participation and approval of the state.

On Oct. 31, 2025, before this U.S. initiative began, the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH, by its Spanish acronym) reported that the regime had "established 'checkpoints' at the exit of Las Tunas province and at the entrance to Granma province, to prevent the passage of people from the western and central parts of the island carrying food and other aid, especially from Christian churches," intended to support those affected by Hurricane Melissa.

"The OCDH demands that the Cuban government allow the flow of aid from civil society and refrain from attempting to control social initiatives," the organization stated.

Continued support for humanitarian channels

The Christian Liberation Movement (MCL, by its Spanish acronym) expressed its support for the U.S. humanitarian aid effort and said that providing assistance to the population through humanitarian channels is the way to "break the relationship of forced dependence that the dictatorship has imposed for decades as a mechanism of domination."

"For the first time in history, this aid disconnects the dictatorship's direct control over the people" and is truly humanitarian and not ideological, since "it doesn't involve slogans" or require political allegiance. "For the first time, a Cuban can receive aid without supporting the regime, without thanking the regime, without being politically dependent on the regime," the organization stated in a press release.

The MCL recalled that in July 2021 — after the protests that the government responded to with repression — it called on the international community to implement "11 concrete actions to isolate the Cuban regime, in solidarity with the freedom of the Cuban people."

"In point 10 of those actions, we requested the creation of a humanitarian channel that would allow aid to be sent directly to the Cuban people while isolating the regime," the MCL pointed out.

The Christian Liberation Movement noted that "this aid, distributed by the Church and supervised by the donors, not by the Cuban state, makes concrete an essential idea: international pressure must be directed at the oppressive power, and solidarity must reach — without political intermediaries — those who are suffering."

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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As the Winter Olympic Games open in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Pope Leo XIV has issued a wide-ranging letter on the value of sport, urging nations to embrace an "Olympic Truce" and warning against corruption, fanaticism, and a "dictatorship of performance" that can distort athletics' deeper purpose.

The letter, titled "Life in Abundance," was released by the Vatican on Feb. 6 on the occasion of the XXV Winter Olympic Games (Feb. 6–22) and the XIV Paralympic Games (March 6–15).

The pope describes sport as more than elite competition, calling it "a shared activity, open to all and salutary for both body and spirit, even becoming a universal expression of our humanity."

A call for an Olympic Truce

Reflecting on sport's role in peace-building, Leo recalls the ancient Greek tradition of the Olympic Truce — "an agreement to suspend hostilities before, during, and after the Olympic Games" — so that travel and competition could proceed safely.

By contrast, he warns that war "results from a radicalization of conflict and a refusal to cooperate with each other," such that "the adversary is considered a mortal enemy, to be isolated and, if possible, eliminated."

"In a world thirsting for peace," he writes, "I wholeheartedly encourage all nations to rediscover and respect this instrument of hope that is the Olympic Truce, a symbol and promise of a reconciled world."

The human person at the center

Turning to sport's formative value, the pope anchors his reflection in Christ's words: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10). From a Christian perspective, he writes, "the human person must always remain the focal point of sport in all its expressions, even those aiming for competitive and professional excellence."

Leo traces the Church's positive engagement with physical culture through St. Paul's athletic imagery, medieval theology's rejection of gnostic and Manichean denials of the body, and the contributions of thinkers such as Hugh of Saint Victor and St. Thomas Aquinas. He also points to major educators including St. Philip Neri and St. John Bosco and notes how the Church's modern reflection on sport grows through the 20th century and after the Second Vatican Council.

"The Second Vatican Council," he writes, "placed its positive assessment of sport in the broader context of culture," encouraging leisure and exercise as part of balanced human development and stronger fraternal relations.

Tennis, teamwork, and the 'flow experience'

Using tennis as an example, the pope describes "a prolonged rally" as one of the sport's most enjoyable moments because "each player pushes the other to the limit of his or her skill level. The experience is exhilarating, and the two players challenge each other to improve."

He also emphasizes how sport can draw people out of egocentricity, especially in team settings. Quoting Pope Francis, Leo recalls the call to athletes: "Be team players … it is an opportunity to encounter and be with others, to help one another, to compete in mutual esteem and to grow in brotherhood."

When team sports are "not polluted by the worship of profit," he writes, young people "put themselves on the line" — "a tremendous educational opportunity."

Corruption, doping, and fanaticism

Leo warns that sporting values are threatened when "business becomes the primary or sole motivation," because decisions then cease to be rooted in "human dignity" and the true good of athletes and communities.

"When the objective is to maximize profit," he cautions, "what can be measured or quantified is overvalued to the detriment of the incalculable and important human dimensions: 'It only counts if it can be counted.'"

He also warns about the "dictatorship of performance," which "can lead to the use of performance-enhancing substances and other forms of dishonesty," and he underscores that "rejecting doping and all forms of corruption … is not merely a disciplinary issue but one that touches the very heart of sport."

The pope similarly cautions against fandom becoming fanaticism, noting it can become "a source of polarization that leads to verbal and physical violence," turning stadiums into places of confrontation rather than encounter.

Victory, defeat, and a 'quasi-religious' temptation

Leo says sport educates in a unique way through the relationship between winning and losing: "Losing… does not entail personal failure but can become a lesson in truth and humility."

At the same time, he warns that sport can take on a "quasi-religious dimension," where "stadiums are perceived as secular cathedrals, matches as collective liturgies and athletes as saviors." Such "sacralization," he writes, can reveal a real hunger for meaning and communion, but it risks hollowing out both sport and spirituality.

He also cautions against narcissism and the "cult of image and performance," which can "fragment" the person by "separating body from mind and spirit."

Saints, politics, and technology

Calling for models of integrated holiness, Leo writes: "We need to rediscover those who have combined passion for sports, sensitivity to social issues and holiness," pointing to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati as a young man who "perfectly combined faith, prayer, social commitment, and sport."

He warns, too, against politicizing international competitions: "Major sporting events are meant to be places of encounter and mutual admiration, not stages for the affirmation of political or ideological interests."

The pope also highlights contemporary challenges from transhumanism and artificial intelligence, cautioning that performance technologies can "transform the athlete into an optimized, controlled product, enhanced beyond natural limits."

A pastoral approach to sport

Finally, Leo urges local Churches to treat sport as a space for "discernment and accompaniment," calling for pastoral initiatives that offer "human and spiritual guidance" and help make sport "a welcoming space" for communion.

He concludes by returning to the theme of "life in abundance," writing: "This is not an accumulation of successes or performances but a fullness of life that integrates our bodies, relationships, and interior lives." Sport, he adds, can become "a school of life," teaching that "abundance does not come from victory at any cost but from sharing, from respecting others, and from the joy of walking together."

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 met with members of Courage International on Feb. 6 in what the ministry called a "historic" and "momentous" event that took place in Vatican City.

The Connecticut-based ministry, which for nearly half a century has ministered to Catholics dealing with same-sex attraction, said in a press statement that leaders associated with the group, including Bridgeport Bishop Frank Caggiano and group Executive Director Father Brian Gannon, met with the Holy Father in a private audience.

"The opportunity to share with the Holy Father the works of the apostolate, to provide pastoral accompaniment to persons who experience same-sex attraction but who strive to live chaste lives or to accompany family members who have a loved one who identifies as LGBTQ, was a momentous occasion," the group said.

Officially founded in 1980, Courage International marked 45 years in 2025 of helping individuals struggling with sexuality to "live a chaste life" in line with Church teaching. Originally founded in Manhattan, the group's headquarters is based in Bridgeport.

Pope Leo "is very, very supportive of everything that Courage is doing."

Father Brian Gannon

Executive Director, Courage International

Gannon, who came into the leadership role at the organization in 2024, told EWTN News on Feb. 6 that the meeting — the group's first with a pope — was an "extraordinary gift" from the Holy Father.

"The pope was very gracious, a very good listener," he said. "We talked about the importance of chastity, how it heals and strengthens and restores the person. The pope was obviously very encouraging."

The Holy Father in turn "talked about freedom, about what real freedom is —not the unbridled freedom that the world offers, but rather mastering our passions and being in complete surrender to the will of God."

Gannon said the meeting with Leo constitutes a "huge morale booster" for the group, which has chapters in over a dozen countries and numbers more than 200 chaplains, including through its family support ministry, EnCourage.

"All the members of Courage throughout the whole world will see that the pope extended an audience and listened and is very, very supportive of everything that Courage is doing," Gannon said, calling the encounter "a huge blessing."

The priest told EWTN News last year that the organization is a "needed ministry" that "helps people find peace."

Group members "come together, read through the goals, discuss their experiences and challenges during the week, and pray," he said. "Prayer is absolutely central to it."

On Feb. 6, Gannon said, the pope spoke to the group about "the woundedness of people," and how "Jesus Christ is always with you and you're never alone."

Gannon described the group's mission as helping people to develop self-control in service to Christ. He offered the example of someone who falls into water and is "thrashing about," unable to swim.

"The person who learns how to swim is really free, not the person who's thrashing about," he said. "You put the passions to good use for the pursuit of God."

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Catholic Dutch political commentator and activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek said "the rule of law is dead" in Europe and detailed the issues of censorship and immigration on the continent.

Vlaardingerbroek is an attorney and Catholic convert who has been outspoken about European immigration, national sovereignty, and free speech. Recently, the U.K. government banned her from entering the country due to her outspoken views.

"Out of the blue, I saw that I had received an email from the U.K. government," she told Raymond Arroyo on EWTN's "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo." It was "just a couple of sentences saying that my ETA, which is the travel authorization that Europeans need to travel to the U.K., had been revoked."

The reason they stated "was that I am 'not conducive to the public good,'" she said. Vlaardingerbroek said she believes the ban occurred because she criticized the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, on social media three days before receiving the email.

The situation shows that "the rule of law is dead in Europe," Vlaardingerbroek said. "Because if you get a notification like that out of the blue, you have no ability, no means to defend yourself … I  don't have a criminal record. I didn't commit a crime."

"I got converted to Catholicism in the United Kingdom, so I have a couple of really dear friends there. Now, I'm no longer able to go because I say the wrong things, apparently. That is the state of Europe right now … They either throw you in jail or they make sure that you can't enter the country. That's what happens in the United Kingdom if you go against the grain," she said.

European immigration

Vlaardingerbroek has also been outspoken about illegal immigration in Europe and said that mass immigration has destabilized Europe and led to spikes in violent crimes.

"Anyone with two eyes can see that it's true," she said. Everyone who lives here, apart from maybe people living in ivory towers or in areas where there are no immigrants, everyone who lives in the real world knows that it's true."

"I will continue speaking the truth about what I see happening to this beautiful continent of ours because it's being destroyed," she said. "We see churches burning down every week here in Europe, and that's not a coincidence. That didn't happen for hundreds of years, and suddenly now … they're burning down faster than I can count."

"You can break the law coming here. It's not being punished. In fact, it's rewarded because people get to stay, people get free housing, people get free health care, and they're able to just roam around even awaiting whether they are going to get their asylum approved or not."

"The governments and the legal system seem to be working hand in hand" and the "judges are complicit," Vlaardingerbroek said. In Europe, the migrants that commit crimes are not held accountable because judges believe "they are traumatized because they come from a war zone" or due to their "their mental state."

"Then what ends up happening is these immigrants who rape, kill, and assault the native population, they just don't get any real prison time, and they definitely do not get deported," she said.

"I think that this is a holdover from World War II," she continued. Institutions including the European Union have "given evil one face and one face only" and "they refuse to see the difference between a Nazi and a conservative Christian."

"To them, it's all the same, and that's the way that they treat us," she said. "I don't think they're afraid to acknowledge it. I think they honestly don't care. I mean, the churches that are being burned down in France that we see, that's a physical thing unfolding in front of our eyes."

The burning of churches "is powerful imagery that should wake people up to something else, something invisible, which is the agenda that is being carried out here to erode Christianity," Vlaardingerbroek said.

When the European Union discusses European culture, identity, and history, "they never mention Christianity," Vlaardingerbroek said.

"They actively removed it from their documents. They talk about the Enlightenment, but Christianity is never mentioned. They are actively eroding and erasing Christianity here in Europe because it threatens their agenda, because these people see [themselves] as God," she said.

U.S. immigration

As debates over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and law enforcement continue in the U.S, Vlaardingerbroek also discussed the status of immigration on this side of the pond.

"As a Catholic, of course, we can be charitable. Nobody's saying that we cannot allow some immigration or that we cannot help those in need. That is, of course, a Catholic ideal. That is a Catholic value … That's what our legal system reflects," she said.

"That doesn't mean, however, that when you come here illegally, which is what happens the majority of the time, and you break [the] laws, that we have to sit by and watch that happen."

ICE agents "are doing their job," Vlaardingerbroek said. "They are enforcing the law. I think it's a disgrace the way that they are being treated."

"I wish actually that here in Europe, we would have our version of ICE and that they would … send back home the people who come here illegally and who do not belong in these countries and who actively fight everything that we stand for, both in America and here in Europe," Vlaardingerbroek said.

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Public schools in the United States are required by the U.S. Constitution to allow students and staff to pray, the government said this week, with the Trump administration reminding educators that they must neither impose nor generally forbid prayer in school facilities.

The government issued the guidance on Feb. 5, with U.S. Department of Education Office of the Secretary Chief Counsel Josh Kleinfeld writing that schools in general should "allow the individuals who make up a public school community to act and speak in accordance with their faith."

Schools must adopt a "stance of neutrality" regarding faith, the guidance says, with educators required to allow personal religious conduct so long as it does not infringe upon the rights of other students and the school itself does not show favoritism to one religion or another.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the guidance ahead of its release on Feb. 5, telling attendees at the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast that he expected the document to incur lawsuits. "We'll win it," Trump anticipated.

Students, employees allowed to express religious beliefs

Detailing a history of Supreme Court decisions involving free speech and religious expression in schools, the guidance offers "concrete scenarios" in which schools are required to accommodate religious expression.

Among them include instances where students "pray privately and quietly by themselves" and cases where students "dress in accordance with their religious faith," such as wearing crosses, yarmulkes, or headscarfs.

Support for religious student groups

Schools are also required to support religious student groups "on the same terms" they support nonreligious groups.

Public schools "may not sponsor or organize compulsory prayer" at school functions, the guidance notes, but schools are also required to allow participants to engage in prayer at such events provided they do not coerce other attendees or "speak on behalf of the school."

Teachers and staff themselves, meanwhile, "do not forfeit their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate and need not pray behind closed doors." School employees "must be permitted to pray while at work on the same terms as students."

The guidance distances itself from what it described as the "legally unsound" principle of a "wall of separation" between church and state.

Rather, it advances what it says is "a stance of neutrality among and accommodation toward all faiths, and hostility toward none," which it describes as "deeply rooted in our nation's history, traditions, and constitutional law."

Though the guidance itself is ultimately reflective of years of settled court precedent, it offers another indication of the Trump administration's proactive support for religious liberty and practice in the U.S.

At the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast, Trump announced that the government will hold an event, titled "Rededicate 250," on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17 "to rededicate America as one nation under God."

"We're inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall to pray, to give thanks," he said.

In May 2025 the president established the Religious Liberty Commission, which has held hearings on religious liberty in education and the military.

In December 2025, meanwhile, Trump became the first president in U.S. history to officially recognize the feast of the Immaculate Conception, acknowledging it as a "holy day honoring the faith, humility, and love of Mary, mother of Jesus and one of the greatest figures in the Bible."

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Adm. Brian Christine, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a practicing Catholic, talked about the state of the pro-life movement as well as his own faith in an interview on "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly" on Wednesday.

Christine, a practicing Catholic, said the HHS values religious freedom.

"We are not going to allow health care practitioners to be disparaged or be discriminated against because of their faith," he told host Abigail Galvan. "We faithful don't have to check our faith at the door to practice medicine or science."

For his part, Christine said his faith and the example of the saints guides him.

"My Catholic faith guides me," he said. "Every decision that I make — I don't set my faith aside at the door."

When asked if he had a particular devotion, Christine said he takes inspiration from many saints.

"I don't have a patron saint — I have a whole cloud of witnesses," he said. "I have a whole cloud of saints because I need them. I'm really devoted to St. Peter the Apostle — I've made so many mistakes in my life. I've fallen so many times. But you get back up and St. Peter could deny the Lord, and yet there he is, the rock of the Church, the first pontiff, the first Holy Father."

"St. Thomas More, who really stood strong to serve in government and yet ultimately did what was right, and he paid the ultimate price," Christine said.

Christine said he also looks to a more recent blessed, Blessed Clemens August Graf von Galen, the archbishop of Münster in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, and how he spoke out against euthanasia in his time.

"He was known as the Lion of Münster because [of] his homilies against the Nazi T4 program, which was the euthanasia of those the Nazis considered undesirable for life or unworthy of life," Christine said. "He preached such strong homilies against the T4 program that the Nazis ultimately stopped that program."

Abortion pill

Chemical abortions make up nearly two-thirds of U.S. abortions and are being mailed across state lines, even to states where unborn children are protected throughout pregnancy. Due to easy access to the abortion drug, mifepristone, abortion rates are climbing, making it a key issue in the pro-life movement.

But action against chemical abortions has stalled in the Trump administration, which promised an investigation into the safety concerns for women surrounding the abortion pills.

When asked about this, Christine said that "data is being collected" and a review is "ongoing," saying "the commissioner of the FDA [Food and Drug Administration], Dr. Marty Makary, has certainly committed to doing a review of the safety of mifepristone."

"That review is ongoing because we want to make sure we have the best data about the potential harm of mifepristone so that women can make truly informed-consent decisions," Christine continued. "If women are considering using that drug, they need to understand what the implications may be."

Compassionate mental health care

For the HHS, "compassionate mental health care" for minors suffering from gender dysphoria "is incredibly important to the country," Christine said.

"It's incredibly important to those most vulnerable, these minors who suffer from gender dysphoria, because gender dysphoria is a real condition, a mental health condition," Christine said.

Referring to an HHS study, Christine said that "using castrating chemicals — that is not the way to treat these vulnerable children."

"If you use the mental health support, the vast majority of these children are going to be very happy in their own skin," he continued. "We don't need to be cutting off body parts."

"We don't need to be giving them chemicals that are going to cause irreversible harm for the rest of their life," Christine said. "We have been very strong about this in the Trump administration. We have been led by [HHS] Secretary [Robert] Kennedy, and we're never going to back away from these things."

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A Catholic parish in western Germany is facing criticism after advertising what it calls a "Harry Potter ecumenical service" to be held inside a church later this month, drawing criticism from Catholics who say the event trivializes sacred space and introduces occult imagery into worship.

The service is scheduled for Feb. 28 at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Herne, within the Archdiocese of Paderborn. Promotional materials invite "fans and Hogwarts newcomers" to gather for an evening "among candles, light and darkness," using imagery drawn from the popular fantasy book series.

Attendees are encouraged to wear themed costumes, though "Muggle clothing is also permitted," and the church is described as the "Great Hall" for the event.

The plans have prompted a public campaign by Christkönigtum, a conservative Catholic organization, which argues that incorporating "magical and occult motifs" into a church constitutes a desecration of a space reserved for divine worship.

"Our motivation is clear," said Kevin Mis of Christkönigtum in a written response to EWTN News. "We do not tolerate God's houses being profaned by zeitgeist-driven, in this case explicitly occult and magical, events. This 'ecumenical Harry Potter service' must not take place."

Mis said more than 700 emails have been sent to church authorities through the group's website. According to Christkönigtum, the Archdiocese of Paderborn has confirmed receiving over 500 messages and has contacted the parish. Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz and senior diocesan officials have been informed, and an official statement is expected.

In a written response, the Archdiocese of Paderborn defended the event as a pastoral initiative aimed at evangelization in an increasingly secular society.

Spokeswoman Isabella Struck said: "Familiar images and stories from contemporary culture can help to open up initial approaches to the Christian faith and build bridges to the holy Scriptures. With this in mind, local pastoral workers are drawing on motifs from the well-known and popular Harry Potter series, which is an integral part of the lives of many young people — and adults too — for an ecumenical service of the word."

She emphasized that literary works such as Harry Potter "are not sources of faith" and do not replace Scripture, adding that "the measure, center, and goal" of the service remain the word of God.

"The sacred character of the service and the dignity of the church interior remain fully preserved," Struck said. "At the same time, it has been noted that some believers have expressed questions and concerns in connection with the announcement of the service. This feedback is being taken seriously and will be incorporated into the further planning and organization of the service."

The parish organizers did not respond to press inquiries.

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