Catholic News

The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., awarded Father Mike Schmitz, known for hosting "The Bible in a Year" podcast, and Bible scholar Jeff Cavins with its prestigious Pillar Award for Narrative on Feb. 20.

This was the fourth Pillar Awards, which, according to its website, celebrates "individuals who embody the Museum of the Bible's mission to invite all people to engage with the transformative power of the Bible through its history, narrative, and impact."

Cavins and Schmitz are the first Catholics to receive the award, joining past winners including Dallas Jenkins, the creator of the hit series "The Chosen," and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

The award recognized the global impact of Cavins' "The Bible Timeline" learning system and the reach it has had through the chart-topping "The Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz" podcast.

Cavins received the award on behalf of himself and Schmitz and said in his acceptance speech he was "deeply honored" to receive the award.

He went on to share how he met his wife, Emily, and the impact she had on his life, as well as his time away from the Catholic Church as a Protestant pastor and his eventual return to the Catholic faith.

"I speak evangelical and Catholic with no accent on either," he said jokingly.

Cavins shared with those in attendance that there are a lot of people like him in the world "that when they hear the story of salvation history it changes our lives. It's the story that changes our lives. It's the word of God that changes our lives. It isn't our own skill, it isn't our own cleverness, but it is the word of God that transforms the human soul."

Carlos Campo, Museum of the Bible president and CEO, said in a press release: "We're honoring leaders, teachers, artists, and scholars who have carried the Bible into culture and changed lives with its truth."

"The Bible does not only inform us, but it also transforms us. It changes the way we love, changes the way we lead, changes the way we serve. We celebrate the truth of that Bible; preserved through history, proclaimed story and proven through changed lives," he added.

Honorees are selected by a committee of Museum of the Bible leadership and representatives of the board of directors. Nominees for the Narrative award bring the stories of the Bible to life through cultural mediums.

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Pope Leo XIV promulgated new statutes for the Pontifical Academy for Life, recalling that its objective is "the defense and promotion of the value of human life and the dignity of the person."

The new statutes, which introduce the role of "supporters," according to Vatican News, the Vatican's official media outlet, were signed by the Holy Father on Feb. 27 and were released in Italian by the Vatican Press Office on Feb. 28.

"Supporters, subject to approval from the Secretariat of State, are appointed by the board of directors for a three-year term and may be confirmed, upon resolution of the same body, for a maximum of two further consecutive terms," the new statutes state.

Supporters "are individuals who, identifying with the academy's institutional purposes, contribute to the advancement of its academic activities. They are persons who do not possess an academic profile but who wish to sustain the objectives promoted by the academy," the new statutes explain.

The Pontifical Academy for Life was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994 with his motu proprio Vitae Mysterium. In that document, the Polish saint emphasized that "the mystery of life, and of human life in particular, is attracting the increased attention of experts who are drawn by the extraordinary opportunities for investigation that scientific and technological advances offer their research today."

"This new situation opens up fascinating horizons for intervention at the sources of life itself; it also gives rise to a variety of new moral questions that man cannot ignore without the risk of taking steps that could prove irreversible," John Paul II warned.

The work on drafting the new document, which updates the statutes approved by Pope Francis in 2016, began "more than a year ago," the Vatican news outlet added.

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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Sara Carter, director of the U.S. government's Office of National Drug Control Policy, recently visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, where she stated that with God's blessing, "the plague of the cartels and the poisons they inflict on us and our children" will be overcome.

On Feb. 26, Carter visited the basilica, the site that houses the original tilma of St. Juan Diego, upon which the Virgin of Guadalupe's image is imprinted.

Carter's visit last week follows the operation carried out on Feb. 22 in the state of Jalisco, which resulted in the capture and subsequent death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

At a press conference on Feb. 23, Omar García Harfuch, Mexico's secretary of security and citizen protection, indicated that the capture of the drug kingpin was also made possible thanks to information provided by U.S. authorities.

Faith, a 'cornerstone' against addiction

The released photographs show Carter at various points within the Marian shrine, accompanied by Father Martín Muñoz López, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Mexico City and canon of the basilica.

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The post was accompanied by a message in which the official stated that "faith remains a cornerstone in the fight against drug addiction — guiding prevention, healing, and recovery for communities everywhere."

In another image, in which she appears at the feet of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Carter affirmed that faith "is not only the cornerstone of my life, but our National Drug Control strategy."

"I pray for the people of the United States and Mexico who are under the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe. With God's blessings and his providence, we will overcome the plague of cartels and the poisons they inflict on us and our children," Carter said.

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Bilateral security meetings

The day before, on Feb. 25, Carter met with Mexico's security cabinet, along with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson.

Those participating in the meeting included Secretary of National Defense General Ricardo Trevilla; Secretary of the Navy Admiral Raymundo Morales; Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Omar García Harfuch; Secretary of the Interior Rosa Icela Rodríguez; and Attorney General of the Republic Ernestina Godoy, as well as members of the U.S. delegation.

Following the meeting, Johnson stated that both governments are working "together to stop the scourge of fentanyl and dismantle the networks that are poisoning our communities."

It was also reported that the director met with Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and Undersecretary Roberto Velasco Álvarez as part of the bilateral agenda on cooperation and combating drug trafficking.

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

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The Pew Research Center released a report examining religious groups' levels of education in the United States.

The report "Which U.S. religious groups are most highly educated?" found that 35% of U.S. Catholics have received a bachelor's degree or higher education.

The report was based on Pew's 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS). The RLS is a survey with 36,908 American respondents from all 50 states that examines their religious affiliations, beliefs, and practices and their social and political views. The margin of error is plus or minus 0.8 percentage points.

According to the research, 35% of U.S. Catholics are college graduates, which  matches the share for all U.S. adults. Catholics' education levels tend to vary by race and ethnicity, social and political views, and religious practices.

The research found Asian Catholics were most likely to be college educated, with 53% of the group holding a bachelor's degree or more education. About 43% of white Catholics and 20% of Hispanic Catholics are college educated.

The RLS did not include enough Black Catholics to show their results separately, but based on analysis of 2019-20 Pew Research Center survey data, Pew reported that 38% of Black Catholics (defined as those who report being one race and are not Hispanic) were college educated.

Findings among other religious groups

Based on the RLS, Pew found that Hindus and Jews are more likely to have a four-year college degree than Americans in other religious groups. Of the Hindu population, 70% hold a bachelor's degree or more education, and 65% of the Jewish population does.

Fewer evangelical Protestants (29%) and members of historically Black Protestant denominations (24%) hold college degrees.

Among the evangelical denominations Pew analyzed, those with the highest shares of college graduates were the Global Methodist Church (57%) and the Presbyterian Church in America (57%).

The research also concluded that about 40% of mainline Protestants are college graduates, which is slightly higher than U.S. adults overall.

Among religiously unaffiliated Americans, agnostics (53%) and atheists (48%) are more likely than U.S. adults overall to have completed college. In contrast, people who describe their religion as "nothing in particular" (29%) are less likely than Americans overall to hold a bachelor's degree.

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The Citizens' Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion in El Salvador announced its legal dissolution, stating that its work is "no longer compatible" with the country's current legislation for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The decision has been met with caution among pro-life advocates in El Salvador.

In a Feb. 23 statement, the abortion advocacy group stated that the Foreign Agents Law, enacted by the Salvadoran government in 2025, "limits the work of legally constituted associations by restricting freedom of expression and criminalizing social organizations that defend human rights."

"In this context, and given the structure of an NGO, our work is no longer compatible [with the new law], so we decided to dissolve and not register with the Foreign Agents Registry," they stated.

However, far from disappearing, they affirmed that they will become "a broad, activist movement" called "The Regional Movement for the Right to Abortion and Motherhood."

"Together, we together (masculine, feminine, and neuter pronouns) will overcome authoritarian populism and anti-gender groups," they added.

In El Salvador, abortion is a crime, and according to Article 1 of its constitution, the country "recognizes every human being as a human person from the moment of conception."

To further its agenda in the country, the now-dissolved Citizens' Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion promoted on an international level controversial cases such as the Beatriz Case, the Manuela Case, and the Case of the 17.

New law 'will guarantee transparency'

The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approved the Foreign Agents Law on May 21, 2025, and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele enacted it nine days later.

A statement from the legislative body emphasized that the new law "will guarantee transparency in the financial transactions that NGOs receive from foreign individuals or agents in the country and will allow citizens to know about the activities these agents carry out."

The assembly also noted that, according to the new law, a 30% tax will be applied to all financial transactions and imports received from abroad by Salvadoran NGOs.

In response to criticism from NGOs that charge that the law represses civil society organizations, in his Message to the Nation address to the Legislative Assembly on June 1, 2025, Bukele warned that "there are foreign organizations that claim to come to help but really come to engage in politics, to move millions for political campaigns, to operate in the shadows, without rules, without limits, without paying anything [as they are tax exempt]."

"The foreign agents law guarantees that those who truly want to come and help our people are able to maintain the great privilege of not paying taxes like everyone else does," Bukele said, adding that the law "also guarantees that those who come to look after political interests at least pay their tax obligations like everyone else."

Pro-life success measured by saved lives

While there is some joy among pro-life organizations in El Salvador, caution prevails regarding the news of the dissolution of the NGO that promoted the decriminalization of abortion.

Although "we are happy about any progress in favor of life," explained Norma de Milán, a member of the international fasting and prayer campaign 40 Days for Life in El Salvador, "we don't measure success by the number of institutions that have closed but rather by the lives and souls that have been saved."

De Milán, leader of the campaign at Gabriela Mistral Square — one of the places where people pray for the end of abortion in San Salvador, the country's capital — sees the legal dissolution of the pro-abortion platform as a "fruit of that silent, peaceful, and visible prayer" offered by 40 Days for Life in the face of the "vast structure" that promotes abortion. At times, volunteers ask themselves: "What can three people do on a street with a sign and a rosary against this entire structure?"

However, she emphasized that "not all the fruits of our prayer will be seen on earth."

For De Milán, the hope for the pro-life cause in El Salvador "remains that life be respected and defended in the country," as recognized in the constitution.

"We are convinced that any lasting transformation begins in the heart, and we contribute [to that end] through our prayer," she said, adding that "we give educational talks and respectfully accompany those who allow us to."

"Everything we do is not a political strategy, but rather it's basically our spiritual mission, and our primary mission is to awaken consciences," she stated.

Desperate measures

Julia Regina de Cardenal, president of the Yes to Life Foundation in El Salvador, said she sees the change adopted by the Citizens' Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion as "a new strategy to stay afloat."

"They're desperately flailing about drowning, trying to reinvent themselves, as they say, in what they deceptively call the defense of women's rights," she told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

She also stated that "the truth is that their fight is to legalize a very lucrative business that does the exact opposite of what they claim: a business that exploits women with difficult pregnancies, deceiving them, convincing them that killing their children in the womb is the only solution, putting their physical and mental health, and even their lives, at serious risk."

"This is the worst barbarity invented by humankind against women and their defenseless children. They need support, not violence and death," she emphasized.

The pro-life leader denied that the Citizens' Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion had "secured the freedom of 80 women who claim they were criminalized by the absolute criminalization of abortion."

"Forensic evidence shows that babies were struck with a rock, stabbed, strangled, and thrown alive into septic tanks," she said. "Each story is more horrific than the last."

"They even lie about that," she added, emphasizing that in El Salvador there are "several organizations where we provide free assistance to these pregnant women."

Faced with the tragedy of a high-risk pregnancy and abortion, she emphasized, "the answer should always be 'yes to life.'"

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

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The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to protect birthright citizenship, warning that abandoning the long-standing practice would be "immoral."

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prevent children from automatically receiving United States citizenship at birth if their parents entered the country illegally and were residing in the country unlawfully when the child was born.

The order faced an immediate legal challenge from parents of children denied citizenship based on the order. That lawsuit argues that birthright citizenship is a constitutional right, protected by the 14th Amendment. The case is currently before the Supreme Court.

In an amicus or "friend of the court" brief, lawyers for the bishops argued that ending birthright citizenship is not legal, based on the 14th Amendment, and lacks historical support from Western legal tradition.

They wrote that birthright citizenship is also backed by Catholic teaching, "which affirms the inherent dignity of every human person, especially the innocent child."

"As Catholics, our faith compels us to protest laws that deny the dignity of the human person and harm innocent children, particularly when such laws resurrect the very injustices the 14th Amendment was enacted to repudiate," the amicus brief stated.

"At its core, this case is not solely a question about citizenship status or the 14th Amendment," it added. "It is a question of whether the law will affirm or deny the equal worth of those born within our common community — whether the law will protect the human dignity of all God's children."

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) joined the bishops in the amicus brief.

The U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment was adopted in 1868 with the primary purpose of ensuring formerly enslaved people were recognized as citizens. The amendment states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."

In 1898, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a broad right to birthright citizenship, based on the amendment, with very limited exceptions. However, the nation's highest court has never directly ruled on a case in which a person was denied birthright citizenship because his or her parents were in the country unlawfully.

The bishops' amicus brief was mostly focused on morality, highlighting their interpretation that abandoning the practice would deny the innate dignity and freedom of the person, would inflict harm on vulnerable people, and would weaken and threaten the family.

"Because every person is created in the image and likeness of God, the Church rejects the notion that some people are considered 'others' and do not possess intrinsic God-given human dignity," the amicus brief stated.

"The executive order is antithetical to the import of the Church's teachings because it deprives people whose parents were not born here, or whose mother has temporary status, of the legal rights necessary to participate in the society of their birth," it added.

Some Catholics push back

The amicus brief prompted some sharp pushback from Catholics who questioned the bishops' interpretation of the 14th Amendment and of Catholic social teaching.

In a post on X, Joshua Hochschild, a philosophy professor at Mount St. Mary's University, suggested there be "another amicus brief for the citizenship case" signed by priests and scholars to reflect what he called "actual Catholic social thought on the political, moral, and legal question of citizenship."

"[It] could easily be conspicuously bipartisan too: The brief should explain actual Catholic teaching, moral principles, the nature of political prudence, and come to the conclusion that Church teaching is compatible with a variety of interpretations and applications of the 14th Amendment," Hochschild added.

Kevin Roberts, a Catholic and president of the conservative Heritage Foundation, posted on X that "none of this is Church teaching" but rather "just a poor argument."

"It's interesting how the 'human dignity' argument is always a one-way street: Everything for the foreigner, including lawbreakers, at the expense of the citizen," Roberts said.

He noted that the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that political authorities "may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption."

The catechism also states that prosperous nations have a greater obligation to accept migrants but that migrants also have an obligation to that nation's laws and customs.

Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies and a former immigration judge, told EWTN News that he "respect[s] what [the bishops] have to say" but thinks the amicus brief is "more of a political statement than it is a moral one."

He noted that most Catholic countries — apart from the Western Hemisphere — do not have unrestricted birthright citizenship. He added that "the Holy See doesn't have birthright citizenship" and most European countries have moved away from it in recent years.

According to the World Population Review, only 36 countries — including the United States — have unrestricted birthright citizenship. Another 45 have birthright citizenship that is restricted, meaning that it only applies under certain conditions.

Arthur said "the government does have a good argument" but thinks the Supreme Court could rule in a variety of ways. If the ruling is favorable to the administration, he said it is more likely that the court narrows birthright citizenship than that it abandons it altogether. He said it's also possible that the justices find that Congress, rather than the executive, has the authority to limit it.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in about a month, on April 1, in the case of Trump v. Barbara, the birthright citizenship case.

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The owner of a historic 155-acre Vermont college campus is looking to give it away to a suitable Catholic nonprofit at no cost.

Raj Peter Bhakta, a whiskey entrepreneur and former contestant on "The Apprentice," has announced his intention to relinquish the former Green Mountain College campus and surrounding land in Poultney, Vermont, to a qualified Catholic mission-based nonprofit organization.

"I felt five years ago when I bought the place that there was something more important that God was calling me to do with my talents and capacities than business alone," Bhakta told EWTN News. He said he had originally hoped to turn the abandoned campus into a debt-free work-agriculture college himself but found the task to be more work than he anticipated.

Bhakta, a Catholic, said he also realized that "the biggest need in civilization was not necessarily another trade school" but rather "a spiritual revival," which he said is necessary for the U.S. "to turn itself around."

Finding an organization that will use the campus to this end by following the Catholic faith, he said, "is the highest and best use that I could possibly achieve for the place." Bhakta said his vision for the campus is for it to foster "long-term faith formation."

"If we want the future, we have to get the young," he said. "I think what the young people are looking for is something that is not a lukewarm version of our faith, which is in vogue in many places, but the stiff old brew of the Catholic faith." He further emphasized the need for would-be recipients of the campus to be dedicated to the pursuit of "capital T" truth "that's not mitigated by politically correct terminology."

Bhakta said the recipient will need to display the financial capacity to maintain the property. Rebuilding, he said, "will easily cost $200 [million] or $300 million."

So far, he said there have been more than 20 applicants, some which he described as "quite inspired and interesting."

If no applicants prove suitable, Bhakta said he plans to sell the property.

Bhakta is also the founder of BHAKTA Spirits and WhistlePig Whiskey.

The entrepreneur announced in a Feb. 17 release that he is seeking a Catholic entity "with demonstrated leadership, vision, and long-term operational capacity" that can maintain the property's yearly expenses of about $1.5 million.

The release said eligible recipients include dioceses, religious orders, Catholic colleges or seminaries, and faith-based nonprofits or apostolates for the more than 500,000-square-foot property. It also cited satellite campuses, classical schools, youth, family or clergy retreat and formation programs, and Catholic outreach, arts, or cultural centers as ideal uses.

March 31 application deadline

The entrepreneur and hopeful donor is inviting prospective recipients to vie for the Georgian-style brick campus situated along the "crystal-clear Poultney River" by submitting a proposal through a website by March 31. According to the website, interviews and negotiations are scheduled to take place in early April, with the recipient to be announced on April 20.

"Estimated to be worth in excess of $20 million in value by prior Maltz Auctions assessments, the offered properties present a rare chance to repurpose a historically rich, aesthetically beautiful, and strategically located campus for meaningful Catholic mission, education, and service," the release said.

Green Mountain College was founded in 1834 and includes several academic buildings, dormitories, a library, a gymnasium, as well as surrounding land and nearly a mile of river frontage. The campus is also within walking distance of the historic downtown Poultney.

"This is not just a gift of architecturally remarkable buildings — or even of [a] historic, singular campus site originally founded for Christian purpose[s] nearly two centuries ago," Bhakta said in the release. "It's a gift of opportunity — the chance to revive a campus for mission, formation, and future generations of the Catholic Church."

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A group of bishops from the Texas-Mexico border region, informally known as the "Tex-Mex bishops," met in El Paso, Texas, on Friday to discuss immigration and its effects on both the U.S. and Mexico as well as recent drug cartel-related violence in Mexico.

The meeting of the Tex-Mex bishops is now "the longest-running international gathering of Catholic bishops anywhere in the world," according to a press release from the Diocese of El Paso on behalf of the bishops. The group has met twice a year for more than 40 years.

At the press conference, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, the group's coordinator, said the bishops were concerned with the "plight of our brothers and sisters, migrants, which are on both sides of the border."

The prelate said immigration enforcement has "changed drastically" in recent years. Because of these changes, García-Siller emphasized that the bishops "need to learn new ways to serve well" migrants and refugees in order to "bring solutions" and "some solace, some peace, some kind of understanding."

"You need to know that God loves you, and that we love you, too," he said before beginning to address his listeners in Spanish.

At their meeting, the bishops were guided by the November Special Message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on immigration and the recently released statement of 20 U.S. Catholic bishops from border states and others, who recommended immigration enforcement reforms to the Trump administration.

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso said, however, that "bishops are not politicians. That is not our role … our role is to be pastors."

Echoing García-Siller, Seitz said that "our role is to love the people that we serve. And … it doesn't matter to us whether they've lived here a long time or they're simply passing through. When we see that other person, we see a person created by God and given a special dignity, a value that is unparalleled and unrepeatable."

The bishops also discussed ongoing unrest in Mexico after this week's killing by the Mexican military of cartel leader Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho," and the violence that ensued. They discussed the necessity of a continued pastoral response for those affected.

Among the other bishops who participated in Friday's meeting were Bishop Brendan Cahill of Victoria, Texas, the chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration and Refugees, and Bishop Alfonso Gerardo Miranda Guardiola of Piedras Negras, Mexico.

Others in attendance included Bishop Michael Sis of San Angelo, Texas, and Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas. Father Francisco Gallardo from the Diocese of Matamoros Reynosa in Mexico and the executive secretary of the Mexican Bishops' Committee on Migration also participated.

Minnesota Mass in solidarity with migrants

Meanwhile, in Minnesota on Friday, Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C.; Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey; Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S.; and Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis along with more than 30 other Catholic bishops participated in a Mass said in solidarity with migrants in conjunction with the Way Forward conference at the University of St. Thomas.

In remarks made following the Mass, addressing the recent immigration enforcement-related violence in Minnesota, McElroy said: "We all need to engage in healing and reconciliation. It will take a long time."

Hebda agreed, saying: "That ministry of reconciliation has to be ours, in the Twin Cities and around the world."

In January, following the shooting deaths of two civilian protesters, Hebda called on all "to lower the temperature of rhetoric" and "rid our hearts of the hatreds and prejudices that prevent us from seeing each other as brothers and sisters," referring both to immigrants without legal status in the country as well as immigration enforcement personnel who "have the unenviable responsibility of enforcing our laws."

On Friday, McElroy called ICE's enforcement actions this past winter "almost a siege" in "the heartland of our country."

"Catholic teaching supports the nation's right to control its border and, in these cases, to deport those who've been convicted of serious crimes," he said.

However, he continued: "Seeking to deport millions of men and women and children — families who often lived here for decades, many children who don't know other countries — is contrary to Catholic faith and, more fundamentally, contrary to basic human dignity."

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Pope Leo XIV closed the Vatican's weeklong Lenten spiritual exercises Friday by thanking retreat preacher Bishop Erik Varden and urging those gathered to live out St. Paul's exhortation to "behave in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ."

Speaking at the conclusion of the retreat in the Pauline Chapel on Feb. 27, the pope said Varden's preaching helped the pope and members of the Roman Curia live "a profound, spiritual" experience at the beginning of Lent, starting Sunday with reflections on "the temptations" and moving through themes including St. Bernard and monastic life.

Leo said he found himself "particularly invited to reflect" at certain moments, including Varden's recounting of St. Bernard's reaction to the election of Pope Eugene III: "What have you done? May God have mercy on you."

The pope also recalled celebrating Mass in the same chapel last May 8 — the day of his election as pope — pointing to an inscription from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians, "For to me life is Christ and death is gain," and said that gathering for prayer during the retreat was an important moment amid the many issues facing the Church.

Leo noted several themes from the week, including a reference to St. John Henry Newman and "The Dream of Gerontius," which he said uses death and judgment as a prism for confronting fear of death and unworthiness before God. Returning to Philippians after Varden's final reflection on hope, the pope quoted Paul's call to live "in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ," describing it as the Word of God's invitation at the end of the retreat.

He thanked Varden for his "wisdom" and witness, as well as the Office for Liturgical Celebrations and the choir, saying music aids prayer in a way words cannot.

Earlier Friday, Varden delivered the retreat's final two talks — the 10th and 11th meditations — focusing on the cross, hope, and the Church's task of proclaiming Christ in the modern world.

In the morning meditation, Varden drew on St. Bernard of Clairvaux's treatise "On Consideration," written for a fellow monk who later became Pope Eugene III. Bernard's "consideration," Varden said, involves seeking truth in contingent human affairs. Rather than proposing institutional fixes, Bernard urged the pope to surround himself with good collaborators marked by "proven sanctity, ready obedience, and quiet patience," people "inclined towards peace and desirous of unity" and "farsighted in counsel."

Varden said Bernard saw these qualities as perennial for Church leadership, adding that a prelate must be principled, holy, and austere — but also "the Bridegroom's friend," delighting to share that friendship with others.

Varden also quoted St. Augustine's image of episcopal office as a burden: It is fearful, he said, only "if we fail to notice who puts the burden on our shoulders," because it is a share in Christ's "sweet yoke," enabling pastors to discover that the cross entrusted to them "is luminous and light," and that sharing it can be joyful.

In the afternoon meditation, Varden turned to the Second Vatican Council and St. John XXIII's opening address, saying the council set the Church the task of proclaiming Christ "clearly and compellingly" as the answer to the age's urgent questions "without compromising for a moment the sacred deposit of doctrine."

From there, he argued that Christian hope is not the same as optimism. "To have Christian hope is not necessarily to be an optimist," he said, describing hope as a determined choice for reality rather than wishful thinking. He pointed to the Passion as the place where God is "at his most active" and said the hope entrusted to Christians is ultimately rooted in resurrection and "a new heaven" and "a new earth."

Varden warned against the temptation to market "a happier Gospel" in a culture that, he said, repurposes sacred spaces for entertainment while many young people voice a deep sense of being wounded. He said Christ's passion "lets us lament without rage," opening the way to compassion and to a recognition that wounds are not final.

"The symbol of Christ's passion is not one we engender," he said. "It has been given us. It interprets us, not we it."

Varden concluded by returning to St. Bernard's preaching on the eve of Easter, presenting Christian life as a "continuous Lent" oriented toward Christ's victory over death — and toward a hope of glory that is already hidden within present trials.

A Vatican statement said Varden's retreat conferences are expected to be published at the end of March as a book.

This story was first published in two parts by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Deacon Steve Greco, founder of Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry and director of evangelization and formation for the Diocese of Orange in California, has joined with technology company eCatholic to launch the Adore Movement to promote adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

The movement has two components: creation of a website featuring a new adoration finder tool to help Catholics find the location of adoration in their area, and the release of "Adore Him," a full-length feature film promoting adoration. 

The Adore Movement's website went live in February. "Adore Him" is currently in production and will open in U.S. theaters in October.

"In 2022, we launched the 'Jesus Thirsts' movement in conjunction with the kickoff of the U.S. bishops' three-year National Eucharistic Revival to promote the Catholic teaching of the Holy Eucharist," Greco noted. 

"Our movement included a series of in-person diocesan events around the country, which culminated in the release of the 2024 film 'Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist.' It was a major success, and we felt led by the Lord to focus next on Eucharistic adoration."

From business executive to full-time evangelist

Greco is a retired pharmaceutical industry executive who was ordained a permanent deacon in 2007. As a young adult he experienced a conversion from being a "lukewarm to an on-fire Catholic" and has nurtured a passion for evangelization ever since. In 2014, he launched Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry, which engages in a variety of initiatives to promote the Catholic faith. 

Today, he is a full-time evangelist, working under the auspices of the Diocese of Orange from an office in the diocese's famous chancery office, Christ Cathedral (formerly Rev. Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral). He works in conjunction with the bishop of Orange, Kevin Vann, and Orange Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer, both of whom have been regular participants in Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry events. Vann, in fact, is the first on camera to introduce the "Jesus Thirsts" film to viewers.

"The Eucharist is at the heart of our faith. Any revival in our own lives, as well as that of the Church as a whole, must begin with a renewed devotion to Christ in the Eucharist," Greco told EWTN News.

The deacon went on to cite a 2019 Pew Research Center survey that found only 31% of Catholics believe that the bread and wine at Mass "actually become" the body and blood of Jesus at the command of the priest; 69% viewed them as mere "symbols." 

"Combine a survey like this with the reality that many Catholics are leaving the active practice of their faith and it shows us the necessity of focusing on the real presence of Jesus and the power of the Mass and Eucharistic adoration," he said.

Greco came up with the idea for the Adore Movement after prayer. "The Lord wants Eucharistic adoration to be better understood in terms of its grace and power," he said.

The movement's outreach

Visitors to the Adore Movement site can listen to videos featuring Greco; eCatholic CEO Jason Jaynes; Norbertine Father Charbel Grbavac, the movement's spiritual director; and Dan DeMatte, co-founder and executive director of Damascus, a ministry to youth and young adults, and co-host of the radio program/podcast "Beyond Damascus." 

There are print-ready materials suggesting how one may do a Holy Hour of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament as well as postcards and posters that can be downloaded to promote adoration in one's own parish. The site can be viewed in both English and Spanish.

While he's proud of what his team at eCatholic has accomplished, the site is still very much a work in progress, Jaynes said. eCatholic provides technology services to 40% of Catholic parishes in the United States, he said, which means the company can easily access up-to-date adoration information from those sites. For those not contracted with eCatholic, the team requests parishes to send in their adoration information so it can be added or updated.

The site is a "living, breathing, evergreen organism," Jaynes continued, with new videos, adoration sites, and educational materials being added regularly. eCatholic has worked with Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry on other projects previously, he noted, including "Jesus Thirsts." They were particularly excited to be part of the Adore Movement, he said, "because as we're surrounded by so much noise in society, and our team wants to utilize their capabilities to encourage Catholics to regularly spend time in silence before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament."

Jaynes said he believes that eCatholic's patron saint, Carlo Acutis, would be supportive of the Adore Movement, as Carlo believed that "technology should be a tool to bring people offline and back to the Church."

'Adore Him' film in production

Greco explained that the "Adore Him" film will feature interviews with prominent clergy and lay Catholics, including Chris Stefanick of Real Life Catholic, Father Chris Alar and Father Donald Calloway of the Marian Fathers, Deacon Larry Oney of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Curtis Martin of FOCUS, and Mark Hart of Life Teen, as well as Grbavac and DeMatte. Filming is scheduled through April, with the final release in October.

Greco said he hopes the Adore Movement will help Catholics nationwide to grow in their relationship with Christ and begin attending Eucharistic adoration on a regular basis.

"By allowing Jesus to fill your heart with his love, he will lead you to a better participation in the Mass and to more fully appreciate the blessings of Eucharistic adoration," he said.

The deacon also noted that the work of Spirit Filled Hearts was funded entirely by donors and welcomed donations in support of the Adore Movement, which will begin in the U.S. before being launched overseas.

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