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National Catholic Register, Jul 25, 2025 / 13:53 pm (CNA).

Prominent Catholic theologian Ralph Martin says Detroit's new archbishop told him he fired him from the archdiocese's seminary faculty over undefined "concerns about my theological perspectives."

Martin, 82, who had taught at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit since 2002, said Archbishop Edward Weisenburger told him Wednesday he "was terminating my position at the seminary effective immediately."

"When I asked him for an explanation, he said he didn't think it would be helpful to give any specifics but mentioned something about having concerns about my theological perspectives," Martin said in a written statement Thursday afternoon.

"This news came as a shock," Martin said. "I have contributed much to the seminary over more than 23 years. I even helped introduce and lead, up until yesterday, our flagship pontifical degree program, the Licentiate of Sacred Theology Degree in the New Evangelization."

Martin did not offer comment about the archbishop, who was installed March 18.

"I want what I say about this situation to be truthful, but I also do not want to unnecessarily contribute to current polarization in the Church," Martin said.

A spokesman for the archbishop declined comment on Thursday.

Martin and another theologian, Eduardo Echeverria, 74, were fired on Wednesday. Echeverria, who taught philosophy and systematic theology, confirmed his firing Thursday when asked by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, but declined further comment, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Both men have criticized Pope Francis in the past for what they described as his theologically ambiguous or even misleading public statements.

In January 2024, Martin wrote a column for the Register arguing that an oral statement by Pope Francis during an interview expressing hope that hell is empty "plays into a widespread sympathy towards a heresy called 'universalism,' which teaches that perhaps — or certainly — everyone will eventually end up in heaven."

Martin is the host of "The Choices We Face" on EWTN, which owns the Register and CNA, and has appeared on or hosted other EWTN programs.

He is also the founder and president of Renewal Ministries, which sponsors international missions and holds evangelizing events in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Toronto each year.

In his written statement Thursday, Martin described a busy summer schedule that continues despite his firing from the seminary.

"As I write this, I have just returned from a national deacons' conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Tomorrow, I will leave for a conference in Birmingham, Alabama. Then, Bishop Scott McCaig and I will leave on Monday for a priests' retreat supporting hundreds of priests in Cameroon," Martin said.

When Pope Francis died April 21, Weisenberger called a press conference, during which he praised the late pontiff for his statements on climate change and immigration, among other things, and called Francis "the perfect man at the right time" and suggested he was "a saint."

The archbishop also praised Pope Francis for his informal speaking style.

"No one could be that transparent and not be authentic," Weisenburger said. "So many people in the world today, especially on the international stage, measure every word. He didn't measure anything."

"He spoke from the heart," Weisenburger continued. "He spoke what was on his mind. And in that way, I think he kind of just reflected something of the great prophets of Scripture, who would allow the Holy Spirit to well up within them, speak the words, and let it fall on whatever ears would listen."

A reporter asked the archbishop about how he deals with Catholic conservatives and traditionalists who thought Pope Francis was too liberal.

"Whenever anyone speaks prophetically, they're always going to rub some people the wrong way," Weisenburger said.

He said that when he ran into Catholics who didn't like Pope Francis, they nevertheless accepted him as pope and prayed for him.

"Even the Holy Father himself would say the arms of the Church are broad and wide, and there's a place for almost everybody. And so I think he was OK with people who ask questions," Weiseburger said. "And I'm kind of OK with them, too."

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Vatican City, Jul 25, 2025 / 14:23 pm (CNA).

Update: The Vatican's jubilee office on Tuesday, July 8, removed posts on its website and social media pages referring to plans to expose Frassati's relics as described below. However, the Diocese of Rome confirmed on July 22 that Frassati's incorrupt body will be in Rome for veneration.

The coffin holding the incorrupt body of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be in Rome for veneration during the Jubilee of Youth July 26 through Aug. 4.

According to the Diocese of Rome, the coffin will be transferred from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, in the Italian region of Piedmont, to the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome.

The official opening of the veneration will take place on July 26 with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina, who will also impart a blessing to the volunteers working during the Jubilee.

Frassati, originally scheduled to be canonized on Aug. 3 during the Jubilee of Youth, will now be declared a saint by Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, Sept. 7, together with Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Frassati's remains will be displayed in the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome until Aug. 4 so that they can be venerated by young people attending jubilee events July 28 through Aug. 3, when Pope Leo will celebrate the youth jubilee's closing Mass at the Tor Vergata University campus on the southeastern outskirts of Rome.

The relic will return to Turin after a Mass celebrated by Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher on Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. concludes.

The young blessed's relics were also present at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, in 2008, at the request of Cardinal George Pell.

Frassati was born to a prominent family in Turin in 1901. He balanced a deep life of faith with active engagement in politics and service to the poor. He joined the Dominican Third Order, climbed Alpine peaks, and distributed food and medicine to the needy in the poorest parts of Turin.

This weekend, towns in northern Italy marked 100 years since Pier Giorgio Frassati's death on July 4, 1925, from polio.

When Frassati's coffin was opened during his beatification process in 1981, his body was found to be incorrupt, or preserved from the natural process of decay after death. According to Catholic tradition, incorruptible saints give witness to the truth of the resurrection of the body and the life that is to come.

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Vatican City, Jul 25, 2025 / 14:53 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV offered three brief suggestions to two groups of priests he met at the Vatican on Friday morning, saying a "solid and integral formation" is essential for all Catholic faithful but especially for those who give Christian formation.

In his July 25 address to priests belonging to the Society of St. Xavier and participants of a monthlong seminary formators course at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, the Holy Father said the main purpose of formation is to have "the same mind" as Jesus Christ and "reflect the Gospel."

"Indeed, it is necessary that the 'house' of our life and vocational journey, whether priestly or lay, be founded on 'rock,'" the pope said Friday.

The formation of priests, laypeople, and consecrated men and women, Leo said, is not "limited to specialized knowledge" but involves "a continuous journey of conversion." 

The Holy Father's first suggestion to build a rock-solid formation was to cultivate a "friendship with Jesus."

"This is the foundation of the house, which must lie at the heart of every vocation and apostolic mission," he said. "We need personally to experience the closeness of the Master; to know that we have been seen, loved, and chosen by the Lord by pure grace and without merit on our part."

The Augustinian pope's second suggestion for Catholic formators was to live an "effective and affective fraternity" with others.

"It is necessary to learn to live as brothers within the presbyterate as well as in religious communities and with our bishops and superiors," he said.

"We must work hard on ourselves in order to overcome individualism and the desire to overtake others, which makes us competitors, so that we learn gradually to build human and spiritual relationships that are both healthy and fraternal," he continued.

Before concluding his Friday meeting with the group of priests, the Holy Father gave his third and final suggestion: "to share the mission with all the baptized."     

The pope said priests should not view themselves as "lone leaders" or live their ordained ministry with a "sense of superiority" but to be pastors who are "immersed in the reality of the people of God."

"During the first centuries of the Church, it was usual for all the faithful to be like missionary disciples and to commit themselves personally to evangelization," Leo explained. "The ordained ministry was at the service of this mission shared by all." 

"Today, we feel strongly that we must return to this participation of all the baptized in witnessing to and proclaiming the Gospel," he said.

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CNA Staff, Jul 25, 2025 / 15:23 pm (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Baltimore will host a gun buyback event for the third year in a row, urging citizens to surrender their guns for cash as the city continues to see declining gun crime rates.

The archdiocese hosted successful gun buyback events in 2023 and 2024. The program raised tens of thousands of dollars each year to help finance the purchasing of guns.

The archdiocese says on its website that the event will take place Aug. 9 in the southwestern part of the city. The Baltimore City Police Department, St. Joseph's Monastery Parish, and the Health by Southwest coalition will join the archdiocese in supporting the buyback.

The 2023 program netted nearly 160 handguns as well as shotguns and rifles. Handguns and long guns were purchased for $200 apiece, while assault weapons were bought for $300. All of the purchased firearms were destroyed. Last year's event, meanwhile, collected nearly 300 guns.

Father Mike Murphy, the pastor of St. Joseph Monastery as well as of Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus, told CNA this week that organizers have raised roughly $60,000 so far this year, about the same as last year. The first year the effort raised about $40,000.

"We have cultivated a group of wonderful supporters over the years," he said. "I anticipate a bit more leading up to the day of the buyback."

The latest buyback comes as crime has been dropping rapidly in Baltimore, including gun crime.

The city has long struggled with a violent crime rate significantly higher than the national average. From 2015–2022 the city recorded more than 300 homicides annually, including 348 in 2019, which nearly equaled the record of 353 set in 1993.

Earlier this year in the city the Sisters of Bon Secours launched a citywide campaign against gun violence, one featuring ads inside and outside of city buses and in subway transit stations urging residents to "put the guns down" and "let peace begin with us."

In a press release earlier this month, meanwhile, the Baltimore Police Department said it has recorded "double-digit reductions in gun violence" in the city throughout 2025.

That decline includes a 22% decrease in homicides and a 19% reduction in nonfatal shootings. By this time last year, the police department said, there were 88 gun killings, compared with 68 so far this year.

"Baltimore is a safer city today, and I'm proud of the dedication shown by our officers, community members, and all of our partners in working together towards that goal," Police Commissioner Richard Worley said in the release.

Murphy, meanwhile, told CNA he thinks the drop in homicides is "due to a few factors, of which I hope we played some part in."

The priest said the effort to bring down crime has been citywide.

"Mayor [Brandon] Scott has worked hard on this issue [as have] others in the city," he said. "It is, I think, all of us doing our part that helps real change to come about."

"And we cannot stop these efforts," he added. "The city, groups, churches, and neighborhoods [all] have to work together to stop the senseless loss and disrespect of life."

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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 25, 2025 / 10:10 am (CNA).

An armed group in Colombia pledged to hand over for destruction 13.5 tons of weapons to the Colombian government after reaching an agreement facilitated by the Catholic Church.

The agreement, known as Accord No. 12, was signed July 19 following talks between the government and the armed group known as the National Coordinator of the Bolivarian Army (CNEB, by its Spanish acronym) held in the Inda Zabaleta Indigenous Reserve in the town of Tumaco.

Representatives of President Gustavo Petro's government and the CNEB, as well as the bishops' delegate for church-state relations, Monsignor Héctor Fabio Henao, were present at the meeting.

In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, Henao explained that the Church representatives "are permanent facilitators at the [negotiating] table, along with the United Nations."

"Our role is to connect the territories," Henao said. "We have invited both the diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Tumaco and the priest delegate in the Putumayo administrative district to participate."

During the talks, the Church helped the negotiators convey "the concerns of the communities" suffering from the armed conflict, who want a guaranteed "level of stability" in the region.

"It's a very complex issue … very difficult to resolve because a high level of trust is always required," Henao said.

He said that to build trust, the armed group "agreed … to take the first step: the destruction of these 13 tons of ammunition and devices."

According to the Colombian presidency, the armed group will hand over 9 tons located in the Nariño district bordering Ecuador and 4.5 tons in Putumayo, a district that also borders Ecuador and Peru.

Local communities will be notified about the process so they are aware that controlled detonations will take place.

The National Coordinator of the Bolivarian Army, which is made up of approximately 2,000 people, was part of the Second Marquetalia, one of the armed groups known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which rejected the Peace Agreement signed with the Colombian government in 2016.

The Petro administration held peace talks with the Second Marquetalia, but dialogue broke down at the end of 2024. However, two groups chose to disassociate themselves from the organization and continue negotiations under the name of the National Coordinator of the Bolivarian Army.

State presence is needed

During the ACI Prensa interview, Henao explained that in Colombia, as in other parts of the world, a phenomenon called "the fragmentation of conflicts" is occurring.

"This fragmentation occurs through the emergence of new groups or the division of existing groups" that control territory as well as illicit economies in Colombia. 

The bishops' representative said that law enforcement must establish itself as a "state presence" in areas where peace agreements have been reached to "fill the space where illegal actors were present."

Henao said that "one of the backbones of this entire process must be the implementation of the 2016 agreements signed with the FARC, because there was no adequate and efficient state takeover of the territories where the FARC was present, so new groups emerged."

Therefore, he said, the state must "establish full democratic governance, which also guarantees the exercise of citizens' rights and freedoms."

In its 2025 Humanitarian Situation Report published in June, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicated that from January to April of this year, "the impact of the armed conflict remains alarming, with more than 953,300 people affected (7,900 daily and more than 238,000 per month)."

The document warns that "this number is four times higher than that recorded in the same period in 2024."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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ACI Africa, Jul 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Over 200 young people from Tanzania are traveling to Rome as pilgrims to the Jubilee of Youth, an event that is part of the ongoing 2025 Jubilee Year. It is a huge number, coming from Africa, where denied visa applications have blocked many youth from participating in the global July 28 to Aug. 3 event.

Father Liston Lukoo, head of the Youth Department of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), told ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, that excitement is high among those set to travel to Rome for the event. 

For many, this is the first time they are setting foot outside their native country, he said. But their biggest anticipation is to visit the Vatican, and if fortunate, shake hands with the new pontiff, Pope Leo XIV.

Asked to describe the mood of those participating in the Vatican pilgrimage, Lukoo said: "Everyone is extremely excited."

"This is the first time many of these young people are going outside the country," Lukoo said. "And as you can imagine, going to the Vatican is another story for them. Their biggest excitement, however, is going to shake the hand of the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV."

The Tanzanian priest gave credit to the Catholic bishops in the East African nation for their mobilization efforts that saw a huge number of young people express their interest to travel to the Vatican for the Jubilee of Youth.

He said that once the event was announced in the TEC plenary assembly, each bishop returned to his diocese and embarked on mobilizing the youth.

Those linked with TEC alone are 54 pilgrims. But other Tanzanian pilgrims have registered to participate through Church groups, individual dioceses and parishes, and even Catholic institutions of learning.

Lukoo is sure that those traveling could exceed 200 — "perhaps 350," he told ACI Africa.

"We thank God that this year we have a very big number. These 54 [are] just a group, which has been organized by the TEC as a reference point. But we have also a group of about 30 young people traveling from the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam. We have a group of about 27 volunteers traveling," the head of the TEC's Youth Department said.

He added: "There is also a group of about 80 youths representing a lay group. I am told that we have a group of about 10 young people from the Archdiocese of Tabora also traveling to Rome and many other people registered in various parts of Tanzania."

Lukoo also spoke about various institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life in Tanzania who he said are making their own travel arrangements for their member pilgrims.

"We know of one Catholic school here that is sending 22 of its learners to represent the rest," he said. "All this representation is why I confidently say that there could be over 300 young people traveling from Tanzania for the pilgrimage."

On how the pilgrimage is funded, Lukoo said: "This has been more of an individual arrangement. But we also have dioceses and parishes that have done fundraising for their participants. The TEC youth office has also fully funded seven people for the pilgrimage."

At Dar es Salaam-based TEC, preparation for the Jubilee of Youth in Rome has involved virtual meetings to pray for the success of the pilgrimage and to also get everything ready for participation, including travel documents.

Communication with the participants has been the biggest challenge for the TEC youth coordination office, Lukoo told ACI Africa, and explained: "It has been very difficult for us to pass messages owing to the complexities of our vast country."

"Coordination was extremely difficult and sometimes we had to send messages over and over to get people to know what had to be done," he recalled, adding that the other challenge had to do with finances. Many young people struggled to pay for the trip.

"Some of the participants could not meet the financial demand until the last minute. This has been a very big problem for us because we couldn't get things going until the last person had paid for the trip," he said.

Lukoo went on to thank the Italian embassy in Tanzania for being "extremely supportive" to TEC and for ensuring that every young person who did his or her part went through the visa application successfully.

"We have had no single problem with the Italian embassy. Everyone who met their end of the deal has gotten their visas," he said. "The only problem was that the embassy was overwhelmed by our large numbers. Over 200 interviews is not a joke. The embassy has organized interviews with our young people to this day [July 23] and we hope that this last lot will get their visas tomorrow."

The biggest support to the young pilgrims, however, came from TEC, which provided technical and moral support to the participants.

The young pilgrims, Lukoo said, needed help in getting these documents to the relevant Vatican offices, in acquiring invitation letters, and all other visa application requirements.

TEC has also been journeying with the group spiritually. Lukoo said that some of those traveling, especially from the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, will have Mass on Friday, July 25, ahead of their departure for Rome on the same day.

"A large group from TEC will also accompany us to the airport and wave a hand of farewell and a safe journey to us," the priest said.

He told ACI Africa that the entire group of 54 pilgrims from TEC will board one plane. "There will also be other groups on this plane," he said. "It will be exciting to have a plane full of these Tanzanians, more than 100 of them."

According to the official Jubilee of Youth website, several key activities have been confirmed. On Tuesday, July 29, at 6 p.m. local time, a welcome Mass is to be celebrated in St. Peter's Square.

In the following days, Rome will host numerous cultural, artistic, and spiritual initiatives that are distributed throughout the capital city of Italy under the title "Dialogues with the City."

Friday, Aug. 1, has been reserved as a Penitential Day, to be celebrated in the Circus Maximus, where pilgrims are to be able to receive the sacrament of penance.

On Saturday, Aug. 2, pilgrims are to move to Tor Vergata. And finally, on Sunday, Aug. 3, Pope Leo XIV is to preside over Mass at 9:30 a.m. before bidding farewell to the young pilgrims who are to return to their respective countries.

In the July 23 interview, Lukoo told ACI Africa that for young Tanzanians unable to participate in the Jubilee of Youth in Rome in person, the TEC Youth Department he heads has organized a series of congresses that they would benefit from locally.

Between June 7–12, the youth congress brought together 1,289 high school students who gathered in Tanzania's Diocese of Shinyanga.

The next youth congress, scheduled for Aug. 19–24, is expected to bring together over 3,000 Young Catholic Workers in Tanzania who will gather in the country's Archdiocese of Mbeya.

Thereafter will be the Dec. 26–31 congress, during which Catholic university students are to come together in Tanzania's Diocese of Iringa.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA. 

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 24, 2025 / 17:53 pm (CNA).

This week the White House released its plan for artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States, which aims "to achieve global dominance in AI" and promote "human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security for the American people." 

The plan comes as Catholic leaders continue to urge developers to exercise caution when growing and refining the new technology.

The government's "Winning the AI Race: America's AI Action Plan" identifies more than 90 federal policy actions within the categories of "accelerating innovation, building American AI infrastructure, and leading in international diplomacy and security."

The White House announcement laid out the key policies the AI plan will focus on, including sharing technology with allies around the world, developing data centers, and stripping away red tape around AI development.

The government will also focus on "updating federal procurement guidelines to ensure that the government only contracts with frontier large language model developers who ensure that their systems are objective and free from top-down ideological bias."

Catholic perspective on AI

Charles Camosy, an author and professor of moral theology and bioethics at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News this week that people need to be "extremely, extremely careful" when using AI, particularly as it continues to advance in the U.S. and abroad. 

Camosy told "EWTN News In Depth" that "we have to create a culture that shapes AI to serve human beings, not the other way around."

In the midst of AI expanding, Camosy said he is "100%" sure that Pope Leo XIV is aware of the dangers that come with it. Camosy said addressing AI could be the "most ambitious and enduring project" of the pope's legacy.

At the Vatican in June, Pope Leo said that AI "will certainly be of great help to society, provided that its employment does not undermine the identity and dignity of the human person and his or her fundamental freedoms."

The pope added: "It must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them, not to replace them."

"He took the name [Leo XIV] to connect himself to Leo XIII, who himself was dealing with the industrial revolution of the late 19th century," Camosy said. 

"So he's imagined himself in a situation where he's saying, 'We're undergoing right now a similar technological change that is going to totally transform the culture. How do we respond?'"

"The Church is certainly not going to be able to control AI," Camosy said. But, he said, Leo XIV will be able to draw from what Leo XIII articulated during the industrial revolution to say "it's important to have developments of technology, but workers have rights."

If AI's presence does become too large within the work realm, Camosy said, "we won't even think of ourselves as people who need to work or want to work. But as so many popes have said over the years, through Catholic social teaching, work is an integral part of the human experience."

"It's how we mirror, in some ways, God's creative work. And how we reflect God's image in precisely that way."

Camosy also highlighted the risks of AI chatbots, which he said can be "super dangerous" because sometimes "people can't tell the difference often when they're talking to a human being or a chatbot. And to the extent that we have any sort of confusion about that, that's really super worrisome."

"We are flesh and blood, made in the image and likeness of God with a soul that reflects a relationship that can't possibly be present in a chatbot," Camosy said.

Humans must be careful with AI and chatbots because they can "absolutely" be a source of evil, especially as they can cause "horrible delusions" to some users. 

"We don't have to go into some sort of metaphysical understanding of the relationship between the demonic and chatbots to say, 'Of course it can be a portal for evil.'" 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has also urged the importance of AI upholding human dignity as it progresses. 

"AI is a tool that, when informed by sound moral principles, can help overcome many of life's obstacles and improve the human condition," the bishops told Congress earlier this year.

"But this technology should supplement what human beings do, not replace them or their moral judgments."

"As pastors entrusted with the care of human life and dignity, we urge lawmakers to heed the call of our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to help ensure that AI is developed with responsibility and discernment so that it may truly benefit every person," the bishops said. 

With the technology progressing at a rapid rate, Camosy said: "Thank God we have the Holy Father we do."

The Catholic Church, he said, "may be the sole countercultural voice speaking out against some of these trends."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 24, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).

"Thanks be to God more people weren't harmed," said Father Gabriel Romanelli in an exclusive interview with EWTN on July 24 in the wake of the July 17 bombing of his parish, Holy Family Church in Gaza, which left three dead and 15 wounded, including himself. 

"It was a shocking experience," Romanelli told "EWTN Noticias" in the Spanish-language interview, noting that while the parish grounds were struck toward the beginning of the war in December 2023, last week's attack marked the first time the church itself was hit. The front of the church was hit in a strike that Israeli officials have said was an accident. 

"That iconic cross you've seen — it's about 2 meters [6.5 feet] tall — was heavily damaged," the priest said of the crucifix fixed atop the church structure. "Shrapnel flew in all directions," he recounted. 

"The area is quite small, and while we hear bombings daily and metal fragments often fall, there hadn't been such a severe incident since the war began," Romanelli continued, adding: "The recent strike has left a deep mark."

Romanelli sustained an injury to his leg during the strike, which he shared is healing despite "a minor infection." Of the others injured, Romanelli revealed only two are now no longer in life-threatening condition: one who suffered a punctured leg and another who sustained internal organ damage.

Life inside the walls of Gaza's only Catholic parish

In the 17 days leading up to the strike on Holy Family, Romanelli described an atmosphere of "intense military activity and heavy bombardment." Amid it all, he said, those living in the parish strive to "keep some semblance of a routine." 

Every morning, the priest shared, the residents at Holy Family begin each day at 7 a.m. with silent adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament. "The children and youth participate in their own way — writing prayers or meditating," he said. "It's a miracle they are able to pray for peace amid the chaos." Morning prayers in Arabic and a Eucharistic blessing follow.

Due to recent escalation, the parish has had to suspend many of its activities, which included games, youth meetings, and educational programs. "Shrapnel was falling so frequently that we couldn't risk anyone being in the central courtyard, although it's small," Romanelli said. 

Holy Family Parish grounds include two homes run by the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, as well as the residences of the priests and sisters from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, a kindergarten and its oratory, a middle school, and an elementary school. 

Romanelli explained that the classrooms have been converted into living spaces, where about 500 mostly Christian refugees now live. "The few Muslims staying with us are terminally ill or disabled individuals cared for by the sisters," he said. 

While the grounds provide much-needed shelter, Romanelli said the lack of access to proper sanitation or running water in addition to Gaza's 100-plus-degree weather has made keeping children inside the classrooms, which are inhabited by 10-12 people each, "nearly impossible." Prior to the escalations, nighttime soccer and basketball games were a staple among the children before prayers. 

While families mostly "fend for themselves" amid the widespread food shortage plaguing the region, the parish cooks for everyone twice per week. The parish relies mainly on solar panels, and the task of purifying water remains ongoing. 

Amid the disruption of daily life caused by the recent strike, Romanelli said religious formation for young people continues, "albeit modestly." He noted the parish sometimes shows religious films, depending on power availability. Tomorrow, they will watch "the life of St. Rafqa, a Lebanese saint."

When asked whether the parish could face closure under the current circumstances, Romanelli said: "Where would we go? The Christians here continue to say: 'We'll stay with Jesus.'" 

"No one has considered leaving," he added. "They've known from the start there is nowhere else to go. Danger is everywhere, not just in designated 'danger zones.'" 

Church's critical role in supplying aid, hope among Gazans 

Catholic agencies alongside other churches were able to provide humanitarian assistance to tens of thousands of families during the ceasefire five months ago. Since most of Gaza is currently under active military operations, "almost no aid has entered northern Gaza," Romanelli said. 

Caritas Jerusalem and Holy Family Parish have provided medical services to the wider community, operating two makeshift clinics. In total, Romanelli noted, the Church has 10 clinics across Gaza, one permanent and nine mobile. But the lack of supplies limits what they are able to do. 

"There is dire need, particularly for food and medicine," he emphasized. While some aid has been distributed across southern parts of Gaza, it has yet to reach Gaza City in the north, where the majority of the region's Christians are concentrated.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabella, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, was able to enter the city following the strikes but was prevented from distributing aid. "He's doing all he can to bring relief," Romanelli said.

"We implore and beg that large-scale humanitarian assistance be allowed in," the priest said, adding: "Even though some trucks are looted at times, that cannot justify stopping all humanitarian assistance. The more aid comes in, the less likely theft becomes." 

A message to the international community

In his parting words, Romanelli called on the faithful and the international community to pray and to "speak the truth clearly and with fairness." With prayer and diplomacy, he said, peace can be possible. 

On a practical level, the priest encouraged those who wish to help to "channel their support through the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem," which has succeeded in bringing aid to the region in the past. 

"As we walk this way of the cross in Gaza, we cling to the hope that every via crucis ends with the empty tomb — with the Resurrection," Romanelli said. "Christ suffers now in the innocent. But one day, glory will shine through."

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CNA Staff, Jul 24, 2025 / 13:05 pm (CNA).

Archbishop José H. Gómez has announced a new initiative of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to support parishes in providing essential services to immigrant families affected by recent immigration enforcement policies. 

The archdiocese will partner with area businesses and philanthropists to administer the Family Assistance Program, which will ensure that "every dollar" will provide direct aid such as groceries, meals, and prescription deliveries to those in crisis.

"Many of our friends and family, our neighbors and fellow parishioners, are afraid and anxious," said Gómez, who unveiled the new program at a press conference at St. Patrick Church in South Los Angeles on July 23. "These are good, hardworking men and women, people of faith, people who have been in this country for a long time and are making important contributions to our economy who are now afraid to go to work or be seen in public for fear that they will get arrested and be deported." 

At the press conference, the archbishop said he is working with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to "find a practical, peaceful solution to the situation with the federal authorities."

Residents of the city have been on edge after weeks of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids by heavily armed agents at area businesses. A federal judge in Los Angeles temporarily blocked ICE's actions on July 11 after local business leaders and civil and immigrants' rights groups sued the Trump administration on July 2.

The Catholic Association for Latino Leadership (CALL) and Parishioners Federal Credit Union have donated funds to the archdiocesan initiative, along with Vallarta Supermarkets, a chain of grocery stores that specializes in Mexican food, which has pledged to donate grocery gift cards to the program.

"Never in my life did I think that I would see the day where Catholics are afraid to go to church, afraid to send their children to school," said Michael Molina, chair of CALL's board of directors, who announced the organization of local business leaders will make a $10,000 donation to the program. He also said the group will encourage its members to make individual donations.

"As Catholics, we are called to share God's mercy with those in need," Molina said. "We reiterate our commitment to live the teachings of the Gospels of love and compassion for our immigrant brothers and sisters."

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and businessman Rick Caruso donated $50,000 to the initiative and committed to matching additional donations up to $50,000 made through the archdiocese's website.

"I am proud to help support these families who work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to our economy," Caruso, a parishioner of St. Monica's Church in Santa Monica, said. "America is a nation of immigrants, which is why I am teaming up with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to provide direct support for families that are struggling financially."

The CEO of the Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company, David Socha, made a financial contribution and donated toys to comfort children affected by the Trump administration's enforcement actions.

"We can't forget the human aspect of these issues," Socha said. "No matter what side of this issue you are on, the children are some of the worst affected … We are glad to be able to bring them, and their loved ones, comfort and support."

Across Southern California, Catholic parishes have witnessed the impact of family separations, with parents detained and households left without income. Many immigrants fear leaving their homes, getting arrested, and being separated from their families.

The bishop of San Bernardino, California, Alberto Rojas, recently granted a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday for those with such fears.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 24, 2025 / 13:35 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Catholic bishops' 2024 Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa has awarded $2.6 million to support 96 pastoral projects across 32 African countries and multinational regions.

In a July 22 statement, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said the "boundless growth of the Catholic faith" throughout Africa "can challenge the Church as much as material poverty does."

The "gifts of American Catholics to the USCCB's Solidarity Fund" help preserve a "spirit of unity" within the universal Church, the bishops said.

Compared with the 2023 effort, funding has increased by $500,000, expanding grant projects by 28%. 

"The Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa makes it possible for African Catholics to carry out vital spiritual and social ministries," said Dubuque, Iowa, Archbishop Thomas Zinkula, chairman of the bishops' Subcommittee on the Church in Africa.

"The African Church gives generously to the U.S. Church as thousands of African priests serve in parishes of the United States," Zinkula pointed out. 

The Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa was created "as a concrete way for Catholics in the United States to express a spirit of unity with their brothers and sisters in Africa," the USCCB says.

The U.S. bishops "created the national collections so that, by combining resources, we can more effectively carry out our mission as Catholics."

The Solidarity Fund last year supported nearly 100 bishop-backed grants, funding projects such as peacebuilding in South Sudan, catechetical training in Zambia, and church administration workshops in Togo.

Also funded was intergenerational teaching in Malawi as well as climate advocacy in Eastern Africa, where parishes are becoming hubs for practical environmental action.

Supported by dioceses across the country, the faithful can contribute year-round through the #iGiveCatholicTogether collection program or participate in their parish's collection on a date scheduled by the local diocese.

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