Catholic News

About 1 million people have been displaced over the past 10 days in Lebanon, where the situation continues to deteriorate, according to Marwan Sehnaoui, president of the Sovereign Order of Malta's Lebanon chapter.

"The situation in Lebanon, in Beirut, and all over Lebanon is a catastrophic situation," Sehnaoui told "EWTN News Nightly" host Veronica Dudo on March 18. "We are a peaceful country, and here we are with shelling all over."

Sehnaoui leads the Order of Malta's Lebanon Association, which, he said, "is all over the Lebanese territory," with about 600 employees charged with operating more than 60 projects related to health, social, and agricultural humanitarian aid. The Order of Malta also operates 12 mobile medical centers, he said.

"Around 20% of our population had to run away," he said, noting that "where to put them" has become "a very complicated situation." He further cited about 1,000 casualties in the region, noting the deaths of 60 people "just today."

"To see this is very painful, as you can imagine, when there is shelling, destruction, and death," he said, "but we will survive."

Sehnaoui emphasized the war's impact on the Christian community, warning that if the war continues, increased pressure on Christians in the region may force them to leave their homes.

"We don't want immigration; we want people to stay on their lands," he said. "And this is why the order has opened a lot of projects on agriculture, so they can be there and cultivate the land and have food."

"What is important for [the Lebanese Christian community] and others is to have their dignity," he said. "And the order is a factor in giving back dignity and being an instrument of coexistence … not through weapons but through love and presence at the side of the suffering."

Sehnaoui expressed gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for visiting Lebanon last year, which he said "was very important for all Lebanese."

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Amid deepening political uncertainty and widespread gang violence, a Camillian missionary in Haiti said the country's upcoming elections offer a fragile hope for renewal, even as the path toward them remains "very vague and very uncertain."

Father Massimo Miraglio, parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the remote village of Pourcine Pic Makaya, told Vatican news agency Fides that despite the chaos, a resilient faith community continues to place the Lord at the center of its life and strives for a more dignified future.

The last presidential elections in Haiti were held in 2016 and were deeply controversial, with widespread allegations of fraud and extremely low voter turnout. Businessman Jovenel Moïse was declared the winner and took office in February 2017, serving until his assassination in July 2021.

Since then, Haiti has spiraled into political chaos and violence — particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs operate unchecked and control a large portion of the territory.

The elections scheduled for later this year will determine the new president, fill every seat in the Senate and the lower House, and elect all local and municipal officials.

"The year 2026 is likely to be a turning point for Haiti, with elections planned ... and the inauguration of the new president and Parliament in February 2027. But everything is still very vague and very, very uncertain," Miraglio said.

In late February, Bishop Pierre-André Dumas, vice president of the Haitian Bishops' Conference, said that these elections would be neither "transparent" nor "democratic" due to the economic and political problems facing the Caribbean nation.

Miraglio shares this view, noting that the country's economic situation is "dire," as inflation and the cost of living are "extremely high." The country's supply chain faces severe challenges due to the "complicated" and "arduous" routes involved in transporting goods.

"Everything that does arrive comes at a shocking cost in a country at a standstill, where there are no jobs, and where people struggle daily to scrape together the bare necessities. People live from day to day, and hope is gradually fading, as no significant changes are in sight to halt this terrible decline into which the country has plunged," he said.

"There is a frightening institutional vacuum that has led to this situation," he continued, "a truly tragic development in which millions of people are suffering and forced to live in the shadows in total fear because gangs continue to control the capital."

Nevertheless, the priest highlighted the importance of religious celebrations in uplifting his community and fostering communion: "These are moments when we share what is most important: faith in God, a generous God who loves us and gives us hope and strength to face life's challenge," he said.

"The goal is to create a Christian community filled with the Holy Spirit, a community that strives to live the values of the Gospel daily; a community that places the Lord at the center of its life and seeks a dignified life in which everyone has what is necessary for their own well-being," the missionary 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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On March 12, 2025, Papua New Guinea's Parliament passed a constitutional amendment by an 80-4 vote formally declaring the country a Christian nation. Led by Prime Minister James Marape, the amendment revised the constitution's preamble to explicitly acknowledge the Trinity and recognize the Bible as a national symbol.

The updated text states: "We acknowledge and declare God, the Father; Jesus Christ, the Son; and Holy Spirit, as our Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and the source of our powers and authorities, delegated to the people and all persons within the geographical jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea."

One year later, Catholic bishops say the amendment has so far had little practical effect on Church life, while raising longer-term questions about religious freedom and Church-state relations.

Limited practical impact so far

Bishop Donald F. Lippert, OFM Cap, of the Diocese of Mendi told EWTN News that the Catholic Church continues its core mission regardless of constitutional language, focusing on "making our people and hence the country more 'Christian'" through pastoral ministry and its extensive work in education, health care, and social services.

The Pittsburgh-born bishop said concerns raised at the time of the amendment's passage sparked debate within Papua New Guinea's Christian communities about whether the change was necessary, given that the constitution already referenced Christian principles. Some also expressed concern that the amendment could, over time, allow the state to take a more active role in religious affairs or complicate protections for religious liberty.

So far, Lippert said, he has not observed concrete changes affecting parish life in his diocese. He suggested the amendment has functioned more as a symbolic affirmation than as a practical guide for governance.

He also said the Church must continue engaging public authorities prudently while maintaining its prophetic voice on pressing social issues, including violence linked to sorcery accusations, tribal conflict, and child protection.

Questions over alignment between constitutional change and public policy

Since taking office in 2019, Marape has framed his leadership around the vision of "Taking Back PNG: Making PNG the Richest Black Christian Nation in the World."

Yet observers say recent government actions sit uneasily alongside that pledge. They point to the removal of blanket tax exemptions for churches, a move widely seen as an effort to expand state revenue by taxing religious institutions, highlighting that government priorities can be shaped more by fiscal and political concerns than by constitutional religious language.

The ambition to become the "richest" nation appears to take precedence over the commitment to remain a "Christian" one, with fiscal policy treating churches less as partners in nation building and more as a taxable base, despite their central role in providing education, health care, and social services across the country.

Additionally, some have expressed concern that leadership positions across the legislature, executive, and judiciary, as well as within the national public service, are disproportionately held by members of the Seventh-day Adventist faith, raising questions about denominational balance and the perception of neutrality in public institutions, particularly in the context of the 2025 constitutional amendment.

Catholic leaders warn of long-term risks to religious freedom

Bishop Rozario Menezes, SMM, of the Diocese of Lae told EWTN News the Catholic Church opposed the amendment not because it rejects Papua New Guinea's Christian identity but because it judged the change "unnecessary and problematic."

He explained that the Church has "always proclaimed Christ and served the spiritual and social development of our country since before independence" and argued that the constitution already provided "a strong moral and Christian foundation."

"There was no constitutional vacuum that required such an amendment," he said.

Menezes warned that the amendment could create long-term risks even if it has not yet produced visible disruptions. He said it could "risk contradicting the rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution," including "freedom of conscience, thought, religion, and assembly," and could allow future governments to "enact laws or regulations that may adversely affect minority faith communities or citizens of no religious affiliation."

While noting that "at present, there has not been significant visible disruption to the practices of different faith communities," he said concerns remain that future governments could "by decree or regulation, interfere in religious practice," particularly if religious life becomes subject to political interpretation.

Concerns over Church-state balance and institutional autonomy

Menezes also pointed to earlier state actions that, in his view, demonstrate how religious symbolism can become entangled with politics. These include the installation of the King James Version Bible in Parliament, which he noted "is not a Catholic translation," and what he described as a "legally and theologically problematic" covenant language behind a 2017 National Day of Repentance government campaign.

He said the amendment appears to have been promoted by pastors linked to a Protestant movement known as the Body of Christ, which the Catholic Church is not part of. At the same time, he said the government remains aware of the Catholic Church's significant contributions in education, health care, and public life, and engagement between Church and state remains cautious and measured.

Although no overt restrictions have emerged, Menezes conveyed that Church leaders are watching for subtler institutional effects. He pointed to cases in which appointments of teachers and principals to Catholic agency schools occurred "without meaningful consultation," raising broader questions about "partnership, respect, and justice" in Church-state relations.

Such developments, he suggested, test the practical health of Church-state relations in a country that has historically maintained social harmony through mutual respect rather than coercion.

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The number of Catholics in Germany shrank by more than half a million in 2025, leaving just 19.22 million Catholics in the country, according to the latest Church statistics released Monday by the German Bishops' Conference (DBK).

The figure represents a decline from the previous year's total of roughly 19.77 million, meaning Catholics now make up 23% of the total German population. Only 6.8% of those Catholics practice their faith by regularly attending Sunday Mass — less than 2% of the country's overall population.

The share of practicing Catholics rose from 6.6% to 6.8%, but a closer look reveals that fewer people actually attended Mass in 2025 than the year before: 1.304 million compared with 1.306 million. The percentage increase is a statistical effect of the sharp drop in the total number of Catholics.

Six dioceses now have a double-digit percentage of Massgoers, up from five the previous year: Dresden-Meissen, Eichstätt, Erfurt, Görlitz, Magdeburg, and Regensburg. Four of the six are East German diaspora dioceses, and two are in Bavaria.

While the number of confirmations and first Communions remained stable between 2024 and 2025, only about 109,000 people were baptized — a decrease of more than 7,000 baptisms.

The number of readmissions and new entries into the Church increased slightly, though still fewer than 750 people in each category.

At the same time, formal departures from the Church — a legal process in Germany that exempts individuals from the country's church tax — fell from over 321,000 to around 307,000, continuing a downward trend in recent years.

Bishop Wilmer's response

Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, of Hildesheim, chairman of the DBK, commented on the latest figures.

"I am grateful for the committed work of the full-time staff in our Church and also for the quality of pastoral care," Wilmer said. "It is a welcome sign that Mass attendance is once again slightly increasing. And I see it as a positive sign that the numbers for first Communion and confirmation have remained stable."

Nevertheless, Wilmer said he regrets "the still high number of departures from the Church."

"The motives are different, and yet I say — because we are a community of believers through baptism and confirmation — that every Church departure hurts us," he said. "We are becoming fewer Christians in Germany, which does not stop us — with all the necessary measures that this entails — from giving witness to our faith with great personal commitment."

Wilmer expressly addressed "a word of thanks to all volunteers in our Church." They are "not captured by the statistics," he said, but there are "around 600,000 who ensure that the Church with its diverse offerings is made possible in society in the first place."

He added: "Despite all the upheavals, I encourage us not to bury our heads in the sand but to look forward and seek together — also in ecumenical solidarity — ways in which being Christian today can lead to greater acceptance in society."

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Prominent U.S. Catholic leaders will headline commencement ceremonies at multiple Newman Guide-listed schools this spring, offering words of wisdom and faith to graduates around the country.

Clergy, political leaders, and media figures will all take part in graduation events from Florida to Texas to Ohio and beyond.

Ave Maria University

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be the commencement speaker at Ave Maria University, a spokesperson for the university told EWTN News.

The Florida governor and former presidential candidate, who is a Catholic, will speak at the university's May 9 graduation ceremony.

Benedictine College

Peter Cancro, the founder and chairman of the popular sandwich chain Jersey Mike's, will deliver the 2026 commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

Cancro will address graduates during the college's commencement exercises on May 16 and will be presented with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, according to a March 3 press release.

Cancro is renowned for his charitable contributions to faith-based organizations, including a $5 million gift to Ave Maria School of Law.

University of Dallas

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Dallas this year.

The university will present Dolan with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the May 16 ceremony, according to a press release.

"Cardinal Dolan is one of the Church's most joyful and widely respected shepherds, and we are honored to welcome him to the University of Dallas," University of Dallas President Jonathan Sanford said.

The Catholic University of America

University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea will return to his alma mater, The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to deliver the commencement address for the class of 2026.

In a March 3 statement, university President Peter Kilpatrick described Shea as a "teacher, evangelist, interpreter of culture, and preacher," one who is "deeply committed to the education and formation of young people."

"His ability to engage the larger culture with clarity, Christian hope, and great wit is a much-needed antidote to so many of the challenges we face today and an example I pray our students will take with them into their future vocations," Kilpatrick said. The school's graduation ceremony will take place May 16.

Wyoming Catholic College

CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt will give the commencement address for Wyoming Catholic College.

"As two Wyoming natives, frequently traveling on behalf of our apostolates, our paths cross somewhat regularly," said Wyoming Catholic College President Kyle Washut in a Feb. 23 press release.

"I have had the privilege of visiting with Kelsey a number of times over the past year, and I have been impressed by her clarity on the moral challenges confronting America today and by her generosity and gentleness toward those who do not agree with her own clear-eyed analysis of those challenges."

Reinhardt's commencement address will take place on May 18.

Franciscan University of Steubenville

The founders of the Napa Institute, Tim Busch and Father Robert J. Spitzer, SJ, will deliver commencement speeches for Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio.

Busch, co-founder of the Napa Institute and founder of the Busch Firm, will deliver the commencement address for graduates of Franciscan University's business and science programs, while Spitzer will give the commencement speech for humanities and social sciences graduates during the May 9 ceremonies, according to a March 10 university press release.

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, will also celebrate the baccalaureate Mass.

Christendom College

Anne Carroll, founder of Seton School and Seton Home Study, will deliver the commencement address at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia.

Carroll, who is the wife of the late Christendom College Founder Warren Carroll, will give the commencement address on May 15, the college announced in a March 12 release.

The college will also honor Carroll "for her outstanding contributions to the Catholic faith, culture, and public life."

Walsh University

EWTN "Real Life Catholic" host Chris Stefanick will serve as commencement speaker for Walsh University, a Catholic university in Ohio.

The university will also present Stefanick with an honorary doctorate of applied theology at the May 2 commencement ceremonies. "Commencement is more than a celebration of achievement. It is a commissioning," President Tim Collins said in a Feb. 25 press release.

"The leaders we honor on this day remind us that a life well lived is measured not only by accomplishment, but by impact — by how we place our talents at the service of faith, community, and the greater good. That is our hope for every Walsh University graduate. We pray they carry a deep sense of purpose, lead with integrity, and embrace the calling that gives their lives and work lasting meaning throughout every stage of life."

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Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, called upon the faithful worldwide to participate in the Good Friday collection aimed at assisting Christian communities in the Holy Land.

The Good Friday collection is one of the primary sources of support for the Custody of the Holy Land — the Franciscan institution that for centuries has safeguarded the sites connected to the life of Jesus Christ and accompanied the Christian communities living in the region.

The prefect called upon the faithful around the world to respond with a concrete gesture of solidarity. "I wish to propose a small gesture to you: to offer a little of our money to help our brothers and sisters who find themselves in extreme peril to live one more day, to find hope, and to find the possibility of starting anew."

"How many times have I personally visited those Christian minorities who wake up every morning facing the danger of no longer having a place to exist!" Gugerotti wrote in the March 18 letter, which was also signed by the dicastery's secretary, Archbishop Michel Jalakh.

"Help us to offer them concrete hope, not merely words of consolation — for we who visit them will leave, while they remain with their fears, even with the terror that, precisely because they are Christians, they may be eliminated," the cardinal stated.

The cardinal explained that the Good Friday donations hold a twofold significance: on the one hand, providing material aid to those living amid war and poverty, and on the other, challenging the conscience of the faithful.

"It is also vital for us, because without sacrifice, without a real change in our way of living, we risk remaining inert before a world in flames — and thus complicit in its destruction," he said.

Gugerotti noted that many Christians in the Holy Land have lost their means of livelihood, especially those who depended on religious tourism, which historically sustained a large portion of the local economy.

The conflict that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, triggered a sharp decline in religious tourism.

"A great many Christians in the Holy Land have lost everything, even the work that came from serving pilgrims," he pointed out.

In early 2025, Israel's Ministry of Tourism characterized the year as a turning point, with 1.3 million international arrivals. However, 2026 has once again proven to be a highly problematic year for pilgrimages primarily due to the military escalation by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has thrown the entire region into crisis.

The drastic reduction in pilgrimages and the current climate of insecurity have  exacerbated the situation. "Now, out of fear, almost everyone tends to avoid venturing into those lands," he said.

What is done with the money collected?

In 2023 — the most recent year for which official data are available — the Holy Land collection raised 6,571,893 euros ($7.5 million).

The Custody of the Holy Land typically receives 65% of the proceeds, while the remaining 35% goes to the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, which uses it for the formation of priests and for subsidies to the various dioceses and eparchies in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.

Of the money it receives, the Custody of the Holy Land normally invests 20% in the upkeep of the sites where Jesus Christ walked, while the remainder goes to Christian families, who, in 1948, constituted 20% of the local population but now make up less than 1.4%.

In the Gaza Strip, it collaborates with the Latin parish and the Atfa-Luna association to provide psycho-social support "to some 1,000 children and 300 adults," as well as to distribute emergency kits and aid to families of people with disabilities.

In Lebanon, the Church responded to the 2024 crisis (the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah) by providing "hot meals for some 500 beneficiaries every day" and ensuring "drinking water for about 250 people daily."

The Custody of the Holy Land also manages hundreds of housing units at nominal rents to prevent emigration.

"It has been said that peace has been achieved; however, even though the media speak of it much less today than before, the shooting continues, people continue to die, lands remain disputed, and Christians continue to emigrate to save their lives," the cardinal noted.

According to the 2023 data released by the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, 2,376,167 euros ($2.7 million) was donated to seminaries, houses of religious formation, and cultural institutions.

The Franciscan Custody allocated more than 2 million euros ($2.3 million) to the education of young people in the Holy Land in 2023, funding scholarships at various universities in the region.

Nearly 1 million euros ($1.15 million) were allocated to the Pontifical Oriental Institute, which now encompasses, at Pope Francis' direction, the Pontifical Gregorian University.

A portion was also invested in Bethlehem University, one of the prestigious foundations that underwrites the academic studies of 3,300 young people, both Muslim and Christian, with the aim of educating them to build a future of peace in the Holy Land.

A concrete gesture: Giving is a 'strong sign of faith'

In his message, the cardinal invited bishops and pastoral leaders to raise awareness among the faithful regarding the importance of sustaining the Christian presence in the places where Christianity was born.

"Let us ensure that our people approach the collection with the awareness that giving is a strong sign of faith," he wrote. "A Holy Land without believers is a lost land, for the living memory of salvation is lost," he added.

"Pope Leo XIV never ceases to bring to our minds and hearts this commitment to be one, so that there may be peace — not a provisional truce, not perpetual hatred, not an immense expenditure on armaments, but a contribution to our common rebirth," the cardinal wrote.

The prelate concluded his letter by acknowledging that the collection would be merely "a drop in the ocean" but that "the ocean, as a result of losing its drops, is turning into a desert."

In addition to supporting the Franciscan mission in the Holy Land to safeguard the holy places, sustain local Christian communities, and foster peace in the region where Jesus lived, the cardinal said Christians can actively contribute by offering prayers to support this work and inspire new vocations, or by undertaking a pilgrimage to discover the roots of Christianity.

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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Michael Knowles, Catholic author, political commentator, and Daily Wire host, highlighted the accomplishments throughout the 250-year journey of Catholicism in the United States during his keynote address at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

About 1,500 guests, including about a dozen Catholic U.S. lawmakers, attended the 21st annual breakfast held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on March 19.

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Protestant, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Catholic, both Republicans from Louisiana, also spoke. Former apostolic nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre addressed attendees via video, and Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump provided written messages.

Claire Lai, daughter of imprisoned pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, took the stage at the event, receiving a standing ovation. She provided an update on her father and discussed the work U.S. officials have done to win his release from prison after Lai was found guilty of violations of China's national security laws.

Knowles spoke about Catholicism at the founding of the United States in the context of the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He noted that Catholics faced forms of discrimination early on but argued the country was well suited for Catholicism to flourish.

"Here we find ourselves, a quarter millennium later, a people and a place so improbably and perfectly suited for each other that not only can a Catholic become president, but an American can even be the pope," Knowles said.

Knowles noted that many states had laws that restricted Catholics from holding office, and the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing Party had a strong foothold in certain parts of the country, but Catholics since have achieved representation in Congress, among recent White Houses, and in the Supreme Court.

"If you count vice presidents and first ladies, we have now had baptized Catholics in the White House for 17 consecutive years," he said. "What a surprise it must be to the ardent Calvinists who settled our country that America would come not only to tolerate Catholics, not only to appreciate the contributions of Catholics, but even to elect them."

Pope sends greetings

Pope Leo XIV addressed the breakfast through a letter delivered by Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, in which the Holy Father offered his "cordial greetings and good wishes" to all those gathered.

"You have gathered for fellowship as well as to pray for the United States," Leo wrote. "The tradition of interceding for one's own nation goes back to biblical times," he added, citing the writings of St. Paul.

Pierre also highlighted the importance of prayer for the country, especially "at a time when we are witnessing grave tensions and violence in different parts of the world."

Vince Haley, a Catholic and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, delivered the message from Trump that referenced the president's statement issued March 19. "Today, I'm also proud to be the first president to honor the feast of St. Joseph, in recognition of one of the greatest saints to ever live," Trump wrote.

Scalise recalled when he was shot in 2017 and spoke about the importance of his Catholic faith and the need to "understand the power of prayer."

"I turned to prayer," Scalise said. "I started praying and put that burden in God's hands; the weight of the world was lifted."

Though he knew death was possible, and he prayed that he would not die, Scalise said he knew that "if this was the day and this was the plan, then it was up to me to just get right with God."

"Prayer is such a powerful thing because it's a direct conversation with God, and God is listening," he said.

Johnson, who was recently criticized by Santa Fe, New Mexico, Archbishop John C. Wester for putting forth a biblical defense of Trump's mass deportation efforts, said during the 250th anniversary of the country, it's important to "reflect on the essential role that faith plays and has always played" and said the nation is "sustained by prayer."

"It is in the DNA of our nation and who we are," he said.

Tessa Gervasini contributed to this story.

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VATICAN CITY — Amid increased religious violence and insecurity in Nigeria, a group of Nigerian bishops recently met Pope Leo XIV during their "ad limina" visit to Rome. The Nigerian bishops described it as an opportunity to amplify the "cries of their people" to the Vatican and to counter "false narratives" from government officials about the situation facing Nigerian Christians.

Under canon law, every diocesan bishop must visit Rome — ideally every five years — to meet the pope and report on the state of his diocese. The visit also includes meetings with the dicasteries of the Roman Curia.

The Nigerian bishops spoke of their visit March 1–16 as an expression of filial communion with Pope Leo and an opportunity for him to confirm the faith of their beleaguered people.

A pilgrimage to Rome with a nation under fire

Nigeria continues to be plagued by ethnic and religious violence, accounting for 72% of Christian killings, according to Open Doors' World Watch List in 2026. A study by the World Watch List found the number of Christian killings and kidnappings in Nigeria was the highest in the world in 2024, underscoring the disproportionate targeting of Christians.

Pope Leo has raised awareness of religious violence in Nigeria. Last November, he commented to EWTN News on the issue that both "Christians and Muslims have been slaughtered."

Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso, who was recently elected head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, told EWTN News that the bishops recounted the reality of the situation to the pope.

"Before we came to Rome, we bishops sent reports on our dioceses to the Vatican, and the summary was given to the Holy Father," he told EWTN News. "But beyond what was written, we discussed with him the violence, the insurgencies, and the difficulties we face as apostles on the ground."

Archbishop Adewale Martins of Lagos added that "the issue of Christian violence came up very strongly with the pope, and he told us that he will use whatever possibilities he has to highlight our situation and see what he can do for us."

Rebuttal to Nigerian first lady's comments on Christian genocide

Several of the bishops spoke to EWTN News about the comments made in a recent interview by the Nigerian first lady, Oluremi Tinubu. In the face of growing concerns of Christian persecution in Nigeria, the first lady denied that Christians were being targeted for genocide. Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, however, insisted that the plight of Christians in Nigeria is concerning.

"There are many interpretations depending on what people understand as persecution," Okpaleke said. "So, whatever vocabulary people want to use is not our concern. But the reality is that many people are dying."

Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji of Owerri also noted the discrimination of Nigerian Christians in the federal constitution.

"When you look at the constitution, you see that it is lopsided in favor of Islam," he told EWTN News. "Christians are often excluded. The Fulani militia has uprooted many communities. These groups are emboldened because of the government's inability or unwillingness to act."

Ndagoso also criticized the narrative denying the targeting of Christians in religious violence.

"For anyone to say there is no persecution of Christians in northern Nigeria is simply not living in reality. In some of our dioceses, the Muslim population is 98% or 99%. We Christians are an eternal minority. I can tell you that for over a century, we have been discriminated against and excluded from government and employment."

The office of Sen. Oluremi Tinubu did not respond to a request for comment from EWTN News.

A stagnant canonization cause of Blessed Iwene Tansi?

The bishops rejected claims in the Nigerian press that the cause for the canonization of Blessed Iwene Tansi, whom Pope John Paul II beatified in 1998, is stalled. Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Onitsha assured EWTN News that the canonization process is ongoing for Nigeria's only beatified person.

"It is not true that the cause has stalled," he told EWTN News. "It is proceeding according to the style of the Church. The Church is still waiting for that miracle that will defy all doubt and alternative explanations. The supernatural reality of the event will be so clear even to the uninitiated. The Church is waiting for that, and we are hopeful that it will come."

Okpaleke also addressed Blessed Tansi's canonization. "We are not worried that others are 'faster' than us. In our own case, yes, we look forward to Blessed Iwene Tansi being canonized, but this also reminds us of the need to continue to invoke him in our prayers," he said.

Looking ahead to 2027 general elections

Before their pilgrimage to Rome, the Nigerian bishops held their first plenary assembly from Feb. 19–26. They then issued a communiqué regarding the upcoming Nigerian general elections in 2027.

Ugorji, who formerly served as president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, spoke of the need for political leaders to stop promoting their own interests ahead of those of the nation.

"Nigeria is a country where people get into leadership and put their private interests above the common good. So, we needed to emphasize the fact that the common good of society is tied to individual welfare," he said.

Bishop John Niyiring, OSA, of Kano added: "All we want is for them to ensure security for all. Providing security is a constitutional responsibility. Instead of defending a narrative or their own interests, they should protect all citizens."

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The outbreak of the latest confrontations in the Middle East has presented residents of several Gulf countries with unprecedented challenges as they face the whir of missiles, the roar of drones, and the sound of air defenses and explosions, which they have never known in countries long known to be safe havens.

Amid anxiety and uncertainty, prayer has emerged as a spiritual refuge and a source of peace and serenity for these Christian communities.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Catholic faithful living in Kuwait shared their moving experience of clinging to prayer and seeking shelter in it during difficult times.

Norma and Angela Fernandez recalled their shock at hearing news of the war's outbreak on the evening of Feb. 28 as they were preparing to attend Mass after participating in a talk on the Seven Sorrows of Mary during a training course for catechism teachers at Our Lady of Arabia minor basilica in Ahmadi.

"We offered the Mass for the intention that the war would end quickly and that peace would return," they said.

In the days that followed, "we were stunned and somewhat afraid, because in Kuwait we are not used to the sound of sirens, followed by the buzz of air defenses intercepting missiles and drones, and the frightening blasts and rumbling they leave behind." Iranian missiles targeted American bases across Gulf countries, including Kuwait.

"But we witnessed the courage of the country's leaders and its people in confronting the attacks, and their vigilance in protecting Kuwait's security and the safety of all who live there, citizens and residents alike," they said.

"The Church, too, kept watch over its faithful and worked hard to accompany them spiritually, doing everything possible to remain in contact with them. "Thanks to all the clergy, we were able to continue celebrating holy Mass online, with churches closed in the first days in response to the civil authorities' instructions. What a great blessing. We are all blessed."

The Fernandez sisters said that gathering in prayer for peace and seeking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, patroness of the apostolic vicariates of Northern and Southern Arabia, fills the hearts of the faithful with peace and strengthens their hope and trust in the Lord Jesus, "for he cares for us and protects us."

Our Lady of Arabia Church reopened its doors on March 9 to worshippers praying for peace and for the safety of every human person.

"We are not called to judge those who harm us but to ask God to purify their hearts, fill them with mercy, and forgive them, repeating the words of Our Lord: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,'" the sisters said.

Another Kuwaiti Catholic, Sharan Diaz, said the difficult times the Middle East is living through are a powerful reminder of God's grace, because they remind the faithful that Christ is present whenever they gather in prayer and in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Diaz said being unable to attend Mass in person and receive Communion during the period when churches were closed left an emptiness in her heart and reminded her of the importance of the Eucharist.

"As soon as the churches reopened, they were filled with faithful eager to celebrate the Eucharist and receive holy Communion. It is a great blessing," Diaz said. "Despite all that is happening in our world, being able to visit the church, encounter Jesus, and receive him in holy Communion fills my heart with gratitude."

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-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 released a video ahead of Easter decrying antisemitism and calling on Catholics to "speak out clearly" against it.

"The Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of antisemitism directed against Jews at any time and by anyone," Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, said in a March 18 video message posted by the USCCB.

"The Jewish community is attacked at a far higher rate than any other religious group in the United States," he said. "If we Catholics, in truly living out the Gospel, are to defend religious freedom with integrity, we must clearly speak out against antisemitism."

The USCCB's message comes less than 20 days before the Easter Triduum, during which Catholics "celebrate the central events of our faith," Sample said. However, the archbishop said, "sadly, the celebration of Easter has at times been the occasion for outbursts of hatred and even violence against Jews."

"The guilt for the suffering of Jesus is especially great in us because we who profess to know Christ deny him with our sins," he said, citing the Catechism of the Council of Trent, which rejects the claim, known as the myth of deicide, that the Jewish people bear the guilt for the death of Jesus, as well as the Second Vatican Council document Nostra Aetate.

"Indeed, Good Friday ought to be an occasion for us to return to the Lord, not to scapegoat others," he said, describing the myth of deicide as "a profound misunderstanding of what took place on Good Friday" and a significant source of historic and modern antisemitism.

"As Catholics, we are called to walk in the truth, and so to reject the conspiracies and lies that lead to harassment and even violence against our Jewish brothers and sisters," Sample said.

Nathan Diament, executive director of public policy for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America, welcomed Sample's remarks, telling EWTN News: "The statement by Archbishop Sample on behalf of the USCCB could not come at a more important time with bad actors weaponizing Catholicism to spread antisemitic views."

"We are grateful for the leadership of the Church itself stating unequivocally that the Church rejects those assertions and repudiates antisemitism," he said.

The Church's views on antisemitism recently became the center of controversy when media personality Carrie Prejean Boller was removed from the White House-sponsored Religious Liberty Commission last month for remarks she made during a hearing focused on antisemitism.

The former Miss California repeatedly stated during the hearing that her Catholic faith prevented her from embracing Zionism, despite Catholic teaching that does not oppose Israel as a nation or the Jewish people. Boller also repeatedly pressed Jewish panelists on whether her views made her an antisemite.

Catholic teaching does not explicitly oppose Zionism, the movement supporting Jewish self-determination in a homeland in Israel. Ancient Israel is seen as God's chosen people through whom God revealed himself and prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church universally condemns antisemitism. The Church recognizes Israel's fundamental right to exist.

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