Catholic News

The young Italian priest and influencer Alberto Ravagnani, 32, surprised his hundreds of thousands of social media followers a few days ago by publicly announcing his decision to leave the priesthood.

Ravagnani had gained popularity on digital platforms, where he posted messages with religious content aimed especially at young people. However, his activities were not without controversy, as he was criticized on several occasions for collaborating with product brands and advertising companies.

Until his decision, Ravagnani served as parochial vicar of St. Gotthard Parish and actively collaborated in youth ministry in the Archdiocese of Milan.

His case, along with others such as those of Daniel Pajuelo, Sister Cristina, and Father Sam, outlines a new scenario in which media exposure, hyper-connectivity, and cultural changes raise profound questions for the Catholic Church.

Woundedness of priests in the digital world

Father Ignacio Amorós, a Spanish priest known for his commitment to digital evangelization, shared his reflections on these cases with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

Drawing on his own experience, he focused on a "wound" that affects many priests present on social media: the lack of support and the distrust that arises in the face of these new forms of evangelization, even within the Church itself.

Amorós, who holds a doctorate in theology, is the founder of the evangelization channel "Se buscan rebeldes" ("Rebels Wanted") and the recently launched "Rebeldes Podcast." He explained that situations of this type seem to be part of a larger challenge that the Church is called to discern more deeply.

He emphasized that this does not only happen to priests who are active on social media, since "there are many who, unfortunately, are leaving the priesthood in the early years of their ministry." He said there is an underlying issue that goes beyond the digital world.

"Secularization, the situation of the Church in the world during this change in epochs, the loneliness of priests, and the changes in methods of evangelization also have their influence," he said. All these factors "constitute both a challenge and an opportunity, but they can also cause envy and a feeling of loneliness, especially among young priests."

Many of them, he explained, "have the feeling that they are dedicating their efforts to managing a decline, instead of something that excites them. There is a lot at stake, so it's important not to judge a priest who started with good intentions."

A compassionate perspective

He said it is always sad news when "a fellow priest leaves the ministry, since we are priests for all eternity. But I'm not judging him; I look at him with compassion, with mercy, knowing that we are all vulnerable, and I wish him the best and pray for him. I trust in the Lord's plans for him."

Amorós pointed out that everyone who evangelizes and engages in an apostolate — whether online or in the parish — "always carries a cross, just as Jesus Christ did." For this reason, he emphasized the importance of caring for and supporting priests with a real community, especially those who are out there on social media and those "who risk their lives for the Lord."

"We must protect them from external attacks, as well as from those within themselves, such as pride, their ego, or vanity. But with love, helping them in the same way that missionaries who evangelized in India or China were supported."

Spanish priest Father Fernando Gallego is one of the founders of the Catholic Youth platform, which has more than 200,000 followers on X. He also received an award in 2023 for his social media presence.

Gallego, who holds a doctorate in canon law and is the current chaplain of Sierra Blanca school in Málaga, Spain, emphasized in an interview with ACI Prensa that social media can be a positive force, provided they are used responsibly. He specifically warned against the temptation to vanity, which can distort "what started out with good intentions."

Cultivating a strong interior life

Concrete situations like that of Ravagnani, Amorós explained, invite us to reflect on the need to be authentic as well as "to safeguard our purity of intention, to remain humble when you have a presence on social media — which is a very powerful platform  — and to be willing to leave social media if it's God's will."

Like Amorós, Gallego emphasized the need to be authentic and that Christ alone should be the focus: "We should go on social media not to seek success, but to give glory to God."

He noted that to achieve this, "we must make ourselves small," so that God may become great, cultivating humility and having "a strong interior life," so that dangers may be kept at bay.

He also emphasized that the most important thing is the ministry, administering the sacraments and preaching the word of God. "We are priests 24 hours a day, and we must uphold our dignity as priests," he pointed out.

"We shouldn't judge, because we don't have all the facts and we don't know what's in Alberto's heart or in the heart of anyone else who has left the ministry, but I think it's important for a priest to know how to maintain his role, to take care of his appearance as a priest, on social media as well. We are representatives of Jesus Christ," he said.

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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Jonathan Roumie, known for his role portraying Jesus in "The Chosen," is trading in the sandals for dress shoes in a new movie titled "Solo Mio" to be released on Feb. 6.

Roumie first appeared as Jesus in the hit series in 2019. In 2023, he took on the role of Lonnie Frisbee, an evangelical pastor, in the film "Jesus Revolution." Now, Roumie is playing the role of Neil, a wannabe therapist, in his first non-faith-based role since taking on the role of Jesus Christ.

"It was a lovely change of pace for me," Roumie told EWTN News in an interview. "It was nice to play a character that is not shouldering the weight of the world."

"Solo Mio," rated PG and taking place in Rome, is a romantic comedy starring Kevin James as Matt Taylor, an art teacher left at the altar in Rome who decides to go on his nonrefundable honeymoon despite no longer being in a relationship. Throughout his journey, he encounters fellow honeymooners Neil, played by Roumie, and Julian, played by Kim Coates, who offer friendship and advice.

Roumie shared that he became friends with James, a practicing Catholic, during a Lenten spiritual retreat. Two years later, James reached out to Roumie to pitch him the idea of the movie.

"I said, 'I'd do anything you're doing. Whatever you're doing, if you want me in it, I'd be honored to be in it," Roumie recalled. "Because I just love him, I love his heart, and I love who he is and getting to know him as a person and as a man of faith to me was like, 'All right, whatever this guy's doing I know it's going to be — he's got God at the center of his life, so I know it'll be good no matter what.'"

Reflecting on his character, Neil, and Jesus, Roumie pointed out a similarity the two share in that they "both have huge hearts."

"Neil wants to help people heal. That's his thing. He's a therapist and he wants to help people heal and so does Jesus. And so I think that's where they can kind of connect in that way," he added.

Another major theme seen throughout the film is the importance of genuine male friendships — a theme also seen among Jesus and the disciples in "The Chosen."

Roumie said he believes portrayals of male friendships are important because "for whatever reason, culture or society or the world in its current state has driven culture to, I don't know, paint this negative picture of what it means to be masculine and what it means to share brotherhood."

"I think it comes down to this detraction of masculinity. And the whole toxic masculinity thing I think was something adopted by the culture that became very pervasive over the last 10 years," he added. "And so you've seen any image of men being just men, and like good men, just stripped from stories and stripped from culture as if that's what people want to see. And I think it's a gross mischaracterization of what it means to be a man."

The actor said he sees this new movie as a "real throwback to how stories used to be told and the kinds of movies that used to be made — they were just good films, with great stories, that were wholesome, and that were beloved by generations of fans."

Roumie admitted that he's aware that there will be people who are "a little nervous to see it because they only want to see me as Jesus."

"To them I say: It's OK. It's going to be OK. You're going to enjoy the film. It's within the ethos of the projects that appeal to me. It's within the ethos of the spirit of the work that I think God has put me on this Earth to do. It's within the ethos of the mission and the ministry that I carry as an artist," he said.

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Mexican priest Father Carlos Alberto Gutiérrez has been elected the new director general of the Legionaries of Christ for the 2026–2032 term to "continue the path of renewal" of the congregation founded in Mexico.

Gutiérrez was chosen at the general chapter of the Legionaries of Christ, which has been meeting in Rome since Jan. 20. He succeeds Father John Connor, LC, an American.

Gutiérrez, 51, was born in the city of Hermosillo in Sonora state, Mexico. He has been a member of the congregation since 1999 and was ordained a priest in 2009.

Throughout his pastoral work, he has served in Chile, Italy, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico, where until recently he served as territorial director for the northern region of the country.

Gutiérrez holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum and a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology. He also earned a master's degree in psychology from Divine Mercy University in Virginia.

The new director general served as an assistant in Regnum Christi's youth ministry known by its Spanish acronym ECYD (Encounters, Convictions, and Decisions) program, in Santiago, Chile, for three years.

He has also served as an assistant to the general secretariat, assistant to the territorial director for apostolate in Colombia-Venezuela (2009–2012), superior of the community in Bogotá, territorial councilor for Venezuela, director of ECYD in Monterrey (2014–2015), coordinator of the general area of ??family and youth ministry, and territorial director of Colombia-Venezuela (2018–2022).

In pursuit of transparency, care, and service

According to a statement from the congregation regarding Gutiérrez's election, the general chapter entrusts him with "the mission of continuing the path of renewal undertaken by the congregation for many years under the guidance of the Church and promoting the service of evangelization to all people, in order to be a community that reaches out to the existential peripheries."

The statement notes that "the new government is continuing in the pursuit of an institutional culture of transparency, care, and service to all people, and communion in the Church."

The general chapter of the Legionaries of Christ has been meeting since Jan. 20 and is comprised of 60 priests from 13 countries. In the coming days, they will address the election of the general councilors and the general administrator, as well as "reflect on various aspects of the life and mission of the Legion of Christ."

Regnum Christi Federation

The Legion of Christ is a religious congregation of pontifical right founded in 1941. Today it has two bishops, 1,033 priests, and 273 religious and novices worldwide.

It is part of the Regnum Christi spiritual family, which has undertaken a process of profound renewal and reform following numerous cases of sexual and abuse of power within the congregation, primarily involving the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Marcial Maciel.

The new statutes of the Regnum Christi Federation were definitively approved in February 2025, defining it as a "spiritual family and apostolic body" with four vocations: Legionaries of Christ, consecrated laymen, consecrated women, and lay members, who share a common charism, spirituality, and mission.

At the same time the general chapter of the Legionaries of Christ is meeting, the general assembly of the consecrated women of Regnum Christi is being held in Rome, where they reelected Nancy Nohrden as director general. The general assembly of the consecrated laymen is also taking place, whose new leader will be elected in the coming days.

On Jan. 28, Pope Leo XIV received in audience the participants in these meetings and encouraged them to clarify their identity, convinced that a clearer awareness of their own vocation would allow them to proclaim the Gospel with greater fruitfulness.

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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Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami is calling on Congress to find a "permanent" solution for Haitian refugees in the United States.

On Feb. 2 a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants that was given in 2010. TPS provides eligible Haitians in the U.S. with protection from deportation and work authorization, due to ongoing safety concerns in Haiti.

As Florida has the largest Haitian population in the country, Wenski said there is "relief" after the judge blocked the order. Ending TPS "would affect possibly 300,000 Haitians, not only here in South Florida but throughout the United States," he said in an interview with "EWTN News Nightly."

"It's not the final solution … because the administration, I think, has the intention of making an appeal, and what is given could be quickly taken away as well. While the Haitians are breathing a sigh of relief, at the same time, we realize that it's a temporary relief."

Now, Wenski said, it is up to Congress "to step up to the plate and provide a more permanent solution to the plight of these Haitians." The administration "is applying the laws as they understand them, but it is Congress that makes the laws."

"If the laws are unfair, unjust, or inadequate to the real needs of our country, then they should be changed, and that's a prerogative of Congress. So I would urge Congress to step up to provide a solution, because the Haitians being forced back to Haiti with very perilous, dangerous conditions right now … puts their lives in danger."

The Haitians "leaving South Florida and other places in the United States so abruptly would cause great economic damage to the United States," Wenski said. He detailed that Haitians in the U.S. with TPS are working gainfully, paying taxes, and participating in the economy.

"It is also important to remember, these people have temporary protective status, which also grants them a work permit. They are not illegals. They're not violating any law because they have been given a status by the government," Wenski said.

TPS status does put them "in limbo," Wenski said. It "doesn't provide any path to permanent residency. If they would leave the country, they would not be able to return."

Concerns in Haiti

As the U.S. State Department tells Americans not to travel to Haiti, when "the Trump administration puts a travel ban, trying to stop people from Haiti," it "shows the perilousness of the country conditions," Wenski said.

"For instance, the capital city, where there's about 3 million people residing, is in the hands of gangs," he said. "Here's a country that has its school system in disarray because gangs make it impossible for kids to go to school."

Wenski also highlighted the issue of "almost nonexistent health care" as "doctors have been forced to flee and hospitals have been closed" in the country.

"It is a place where there is no rule of law, no government, where these gangs and other criminals operate with impunity. For many people, the only lifeline that they have that allows them to survive is the remittances, small as they might be, that the Haitians in the United States are sending home to support families," Wenski said.

"It's a real problem, not only in Haiti, but the Caribbean region," Wenski said. He specifically noted Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.

"We see the drugs that are being transported into Europe from Asia and also Africa. It is a worldwide problem. What I think we have to recognize is that the poorest people are not the ones that are driving the problem. They are the victims of the problem."

The Haitians in the U.S. seeking refuge and protection "did not create the problems, but they were the ones that have been victimized by the problems," Wenski said.

"We have to be careful that we don't blame the victims because it's easier to do that sometimes because they don't have the strength to oppose us," Wenski said.

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Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on Feb. 5 that his government is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States without pressure and "on equal terms."

"Cuba is open to dialogue with the United States, a dialogue on any topic they wish to discuss," Díaz-Canel said during a lengthy press conference.

The press conference took place two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced extraordinary tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba, which is exacerbating the island's fuel shortage.

On Jan. 31, the Cuban bishops published a message reiterating that the country needs urgent structural changes to prevent the crisis from deepening further. "The risk of social chaos and violence among the people of the same nation is real," they stated.

Díaz-Canel said the dialogue would have to take place "without pressure; dialogue is impossible under pressure, without preconditions, on equal footing, with respect for our sovereignty, our independence, and our self-determination, and without addressing issues that are offensive and that we could consider interference in our internal affairs."

After asserting that Cubans "do not hate the American people," he said that from a dialogue "like that, a civilized relationship between neighbors can be built, one that could bring mutual benefit to our peoples, to the peoples of the region."

"That is our position, it is also a position of continuity, and I believe it is possible," he affirmed.

Díaz-Canel, 65, has been president of Cuba since October 2019. He succeeded Raúl Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro, who seized power on the island in January 1959.

Yesterday, in an interview with NBC News, Trump stated that "we are talking with Cuba" and recalled the thousands of Cubans who were forced to emigrate to the United States because of communism.

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However, on Feb. 4, Cuba's deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, told CNN that a change in the system of government would not be discussed.

"We are not ready to discuss our constitutional system, just as we assume that the United States is not ready to discuss its constitutional system, its political system, or its economic reality," Fernández de Cossío indicated.

While fuel shortages — exacerbated by Venezuelan oil shipments being cut off — are affecting the Cuban economy, the crisis on the island has been ongoing for several years, with continuous power outages due to a lack of electricity, insufficient supplies of medicine and food, and frequent repression of those who express dissenting opinions and call for free elections and an end to the communist dictatorship.

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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President Donald Trump addressed the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 5, touting his record on religious issues and announcing that the United States will hold an event to rededicate the nation to God.

"This prayer breakfast comes at a special time for our country as we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence," Trump said five months ahead of the national celebration of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

"When our founders proclaimed the immortal truths that echoed around the world and down all the way through time, they declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator," the president said.

In honor of the occasion, Trump announced at the breakfast that he 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.

Earlier this year, Trump launched the "America Prays" initiative ahead of the anniversary, asking Americans to pray for the country and its citizens. The White House published a 22-page document at the time to highlight the Christian roots of the country, which contained historical prayers, sermons, and presidential proclamations.

The president also announced new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, which seeks to protect religious speech and prayer in public schools. He said he expects the guidance to face lawsuits but told the crowd: "We'll win it."

He said the country is seeing a resurgence in the Christian faith and highlighted a rise in Bible sales in 2025 and a higher frequency of young people attending religious services. When asked about church attendance rates, a spokesperson for the White House cited one study from the Barna Group as an example, which showed millennial and Generation Z Christians attending religious services at higher rates.

Two of Trump's guests — Emma Foltz and London Smith — were invited to the breakfast to highlight examples of what the president called "young American patriots and believers."

Foltz and Smith, two counselors at Camp Mystic, are credited with saving 14 girls in the deadly July 2025 flood at the Christian summer camp that claimed 27 lives.

"Emma bravely helped lead 14 precious little girls to safety, and London, seeing the water rise, gathered with other girls at the top of their building and prayed," Trump said in the speech.

"Almost 250 years after our Founding Fathers took one of the greatest leaps of faith in human history, the story of Emma and London shows us that faith of the American people remains unbroken, actually became stronger than ever," he said. "And it reminds us that prayers strengthen, prayers heal, prayer empowers, and prayer saves. Quite simply, prayer is America's superpower."

"Prayer is America's superpower."

Donald Trump

45th and 47th president of the United States

During his speech, Trump also took credit for accomplishments that he believes have benefited Christians in the United States and abroad.

The president brought up his executive order related to the Johnson Amendment, which eased restrictions on pastors commenting on political issues. He also noted he expanded the Mexico City Policy to prevent taxpayer funds for international organizations that support abortion and "radical gender ideology."

Trump also touted his executive actions "to slash federal funding for any public school that pushes transgender insanity" on children and "stopped the mutilation of children" with policies that restrict hospitals from offering drugs and surgeries to minors to make them appear like the opposite sex. He also said: "We got men out of women's sports."

"We're still fighting it, but, you know, transgender for everybody — they want transgender for everybody," he said. "We stopped it."

Trump also reminded that crowd that he created the White House Faith Office and the Religious Liberty Commission.

"My administration is confronting head on the militant and really intolerant campaign that tried to drive religious believers out of public life and out of society," Trump said.

Trump also spoke about international affairs, specifically about the December 2025 military strikes on Nigeria, which was aimed at combatting the persecution of Christians. Another one of his guests was Nigerian First Lady Remi Tinubu, who is Christian.

"We knocked the hell out of them the other day in Nigeria because they were killing Christians," Trump said. "They were killing Christians. You can't do that. When Christians come under attack, they know they're going to be attacked violently and viciously by President Trump."

Several lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, and members of Trump's Cabinet, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, also attended the prayer breakfast.

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Here's a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the United States:

Sisters part ways with Benedictine due to aging community, demanding board, expansion efforts

The announcement of the decision by Mount St. Scholastica sisters to part ways with Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, came as no surprise to leadership at the institution, as the aging religious community has faced difficulties keeping up with the popular Newman Guide school's growth.

Dean of Students Joe Wurtz told EWTN News he believes the sisters have been discerning the move for more than a decade but ultimately informed the college of the decision a few days before the announcement. "I believe it's because they saw the trajectory of their order and thought, 'OK, we have to plan for the future.'"

Wurtz, who is also the executive director of the Gregorian Fellows Leadership Program at Benedictine, said he believes the current demands of the college's board of directors were ultimately too much for the sisters to handle alongside their current ministries. "I think they just felt it was too much," he said.

Benedictine's board requires three sisters, the prioress and two sisters who rotate every four years, to be present at every board meeting as well as every executive meeting.

"Again, with the complexity of the medical school, there's a lot of terminology, there's a lot of process, there's a lot of things to consider, and it's complicated if you're not tracking all that detail and you're making a big vote," Wurtz said.

While the sisters did not cite the proposed medical school specifically, "they did say the demands of the board are heavy compared to their other things," he said.

According to Wurtz, the sisters did not cite differences in mission or politics when informing the college of their decision.

Dartmouth's new provost a Catholic who says Ivies have been 'negative' role models

Dartmouth University's new provost, Santiago Schnell, spoke with the National Catholic Register's Jonathan Liedl on "EWTN News In Depth" about how his Catholic faith shapes his vision for higher education reform, discussing the Catholic foundations of the modern university and how higher education has gone "astray."

"We have been failing in the United States higher education. That's why the general public and the government are responding negatively," Schnell said. "The Ivies have served as a role model in a very negative way on how higher education should be moving forward, and the time for reform has arrived."

Schnell, a Venezuelan-born mathematical biologist and former dean at the University of Notre Dame, said the "primary challenge" causing the crisis in higher education has been "that we don't have intellectual diversity as we used to" and that many university and faculty members have "unearned certainty" about their beliefs. "They are promoting their ideologies or their points of views instead of providing the tools and the perspectives to the students to actually question and seek the truth," he said.

Schnell called for a return to the historic roots of the university, which he emphasized "is a Catholic invention."

Iowa Catholic schools see enrollment boom after new law grants public funding access

Catholic schools in Iowa saw rising enrollment in the 2024-2025 school year thanks to a 2023 Iowa state law allowing families to use education savings accounts (ESAs) for private school expenses.

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"Enrollment in Iowa's Catholic schools increased in the 2025-26 school year. As of October 2025, there were 26,095 students enrolled in Catholic schools, up a little more than 3% compared to the previous year. ESAs are being used increasingly by lower-income families," the Iowa Catholic Conference said in a statement on X.

According to data from the conference, 25,519 Catholic school students received an education savings account in the 2025-2026 school year. The accounts were also "used increasingly by lower-income families," with the number of students eligible for reduced-price lunches increasing by 10%.

Major gift allows Pittsburgh Diocese to offer all elementary school families financial aid

The Diocese of Pittsburgh has received "a significant Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) gift from an anonymous donor" to go exclusively toward expanding long-term financial assistance to Catholic families for education costs across the diocese.

"Combined with existing support and continued monitoring of potential new federal funding opportunities, this gift allows the diocese to make financial assistance available to everyone," the diocese said in a Feb. 3 statement.

"This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the value of Catholic education and the families who depend on it," Bishop Mark Eckman said. "We are deeply grateful for this generosity, which allows us to serve more children, strengthen our schools, and remain faithful to our mission of forming students in faith, knowledge, and service."

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Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), called upon policymakers to pursue diplomatic negotiations to maintain limitations of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) ahead of its expiration on Feb. 5.

New START is the treaty between the United States and Russia that enhances U.S. national security by placing limits on Russian-deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons. The treaty was signed in 2010 by then-U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and is the last major nuclear arms control pact signed by the two nations.

"The dangers posed by current conflicts around the world, including the devastating war in Ukraine, make the forthcoming expiration of New START simply unacceptable," Coakley said in a Feb. 3 statement.

He urged policymakers to "courageously pursue diplomatic negotiations" in order to maintain New START's limits and open pathways toward disarmament.

"I call on people of faith and all men and women of goodwill to ardently pray that we, as an international community, may develop the courage to pursue an authentic, transformative, and lasting peace," Coakley said.

"International policy disagreements, as serious as they are, cannot be used as excuses for diplomatic stalemates; on the contrary, they should spur us on to more vehemently pursue effective engagement and dialogue."

"May the Prince of Peace enlighten our hearts and minds to pursue peace around the world in a spirit of universal fraternity," he said.

Pope Leo XIV warns of 'new global arms race'

Pope Leo XIV has also called attention to the importance of renewing the treaty. In his address to the diplomatic corps this year, the Holy Father said there is a "need to follow up on the New START Treaty" and warned that "there is a danger of returning to the race of producing ever more sophisticated new weapons, also by means of artificial intelligence."

He also addressed the danger of a "new global arms race" at his general audience on Wednesday, Feb. 4. He urged world leaders not to allow the agreement to end without a credible and effective alternative.

"Tomorrow the New START treaty reaches its expiration," the pope said, noting that the agreement helped contain nuclear arsenals and strengthen international security. He called for "every constructive effort in favor of disarmament and mutual trust."

The pope stressed that the world must abandon "the logic of fear and distrust" and embrace "a shared ethic capable of guiding decisions toward the common good and making peace a heritage safeguarded by all."

During the same audience, Pope Leo also renewed his call for prayers for the people of Ukraine who are being "harshly tested" by continued Russian bombardments.

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The recent restoration of a fresco in an ancient baroque church in central Rome, just a short distance from the Spanish consulate and the Italian Parliament, has sparked an unexpected controversy after one of the angels depicted in the restoration bore a striking resemblance to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The figure in question holds a scroll with a map of Italy and is one of a pair of angels flanking the marble bust of Umberto II, the last king of Italy, who reigned briefly in 1946. The funerary monument includes the inscription "Acting like a Christian, resigned to the divine will."

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The fresco is located in a side chapel of St. Lawrence Basilica in the Lucina area of Rome, which was built in the fourth century. In recent days, the cherub with features similar to those of Meloni became the focus of unexpected attention from numerous visitors, many of whom came out of curiosity rather than for religious reasons.

The Italian prime minister herself reacted with irony on social media. In a message posted on Instagram, accompanied by a smiling emoji, she wrote: "No, I certainly don't look like an angel."

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The image unleashed a flood of memes on the internet, where Meloni was even depicted as a version of the Mona Lisa.

However, the fresco is not an ancient work of art but a relatively recent one: It was painted in 2000 as part of the funerary complex dedicated to Umberto II, installed in 1985 at the initiative of the then-parish priest, Pietro Pintus. Over the years, the painting had deteriorated and required restoration.

The person responsible for the restoration was the church's sacristan, Bruno Valentinetti, 83, who described himself to the Italian media as an amateur painter. Valentinetti insisted that he never intended to portray the prime minister and downplayed the resemblance, attributing it to a coincidence.

On Jan. 31, the parish priest, Father Daniele Micheletti, was one of the first to speak publicly about the matter.

Although he acknowledged the resemblance between the angel and the Italian leader, he initially downplayed the controversy. However, a few hours later, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar of the Diocese of Rome, intervened, distancing himself from those remarks in an official statement.

The cardinal expressed his "deep dismay" over what had happened and announced immediate measures. "It is firmly reiterated that images of sacred art and Christian tradition cannot be subject to improper use or instrumentalization, as they are intended exclusively to support liturgical life and personal and communal prayer," he stated.

Meanwhile, the church had been transformed into an impromptu tourist attraction, with dozens of people flocking there every day to see and photograph the angel, often for nonreligious reasons — without attending Mass or participating in prayer.

The controversy finally came to an end on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 3, when according to Italian newspapers, the restorer himself covered over the angel's face with a layer of white paint. Micheletti later explained that the decision was made because the image had become divisive and because "there was a continuous stream of people coming in just to see it, not to pray or attend Mass; it was impossible to go on like this."

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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February 2026 marks 100 years of commemorating Black History Month in the United States and Catholic bishops are marking the milestone.

Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, and Bishop Roy E. Campbell, chairman of the USCCB's Subcommittee on African American Affairs, marked the anniversary by urging the faithful to "be faithful stewards of memory" and "courageous witnesses to truth."

In a statement released Feb. 3, the bishops highlighted the anniversary and called the milestone "an opportunity for us to prayerfully reflect on the ways history has been preserved, honored, and passed on across generations."

Reflecting on the U.S. bishops' pastoral letter against racism, "Open Wide Our Hearts," the bishops recognized "that the lived experience of the vast majority of African Americans bears the marks of our country's original sin of racism."

"During this year's observance of Black History Month, we encourage the faithful to consider the lessons of history, honoring our heroes of the past and learning from the mistakes of the past," the bishops said.

"Although we may at times encounter people or situations in our country that seek to erase 'memory' from our minds and books, it can never be erased from our hearts. May our reflections strengthen our faith and communities."

The bishops concluded: "Let us be faithful stewards of memory. Let us be courageous witnesses to truth. Let us pray and work to honor the inherent dignity of every person and the sacred stories of every people."

Black History Month first began in February 1926. At the time it was called Negro History Week and was created by Carter G. Woodson, who founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH).

After attending a national celebration of the 50th anniversary of emancipation in 1915, Woodson was left inspired and decided to form an organization to promote the scientific study of Black life and history.

From there, he formed ASNLH, launched The Journal of Negro History in 1916, and then in 1924 started Negro History and Literature Week, which was renamed Negro Achievement Week. Finally, in 1926, Woodson sent out a press release announcing Negro History Week, which was later renamed Black History Month by President Gerald Ford in 1976.

Black History Month aims to honor the contributions of Black individuals to history, culture, and society. Additionally, it serves to educate the public, challenge systemic racism, highlight Black leaders, and celebrate the ongoing journey toward equality.

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