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CNA Newsroom, Jul 22, 2025 / 08:42 am (CNA).

Swiss prosecutors have filed criminal charges against a Zurich councillor and former Green Liberal Party leader after she posted images of herself firing approximately 20 shots at a Christian image depicting the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus.

According to the Swiss news outlet 20 Minuten, the Zurich public prosecutor's office accuses Sanija Ameti of publicly disparaging religious beliefs and disturbing religious peace under Article 261 of the Swiss Penal Code. 

The code penalizes anyone "who publicly and maliciously insults or mocks the religious convictions of others, and in particular their belief in God, or maliciously desecrates objects of religious veneration."

The incident occurred in September 2024, when Ameti used an air pistol to shoot at a reproduction of the 14th-century painting "Madonna with Child and the Archangel Michael" by the artist Tommaso del Mazza.

The politician reportedly fired from around 10 meters (about 33 feet), deliberately targeting the heads of Mary and Jesus.

Ameti, who identifies as a Muslim-born atheist, then posted photographs of the desecrated image on Instagram, captioning it with the word "abschalten" — a German term that means "switch off" but that, in the context of firing at the faces of Mary and Jesus, was understood by some as a symbolic act of erasure or elimination.

The images of the desecration, including a close-up of the bullet holes, sparked immediate and widespread outrage.

In total, 31 people filed criminal complaints. Ameti resigned from her leadership position in Zurich's Green Liberal Party and quit the party entirely in January. She still serves as an independent member of Zurich's municipal council, however.

At the time, Ameti reacted to the outrage on social media with a short post on X. 

"I ask for forgiveness from those hurt by my post," she wrote, claiming that she had not initially recognized the religious significance of the imagery and then deleted the images upon realizing it.

According to the indictment, the Zurich public prosecutor's office considers the act to have been a deliberate "public staging" that constituted a "needlessly disparaging and hurtful disregard" for the beliefs of Christians, with the potential to disturb religious peace.

Prosecutors are seeking a conditional fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (approximately $11,500) and a 2,500-franc penalty (roughly $2,900), as well as legal costs.

The Swiss civic movement Mass-Voll, which filed one of the original complaints, described the incident as "a clear incitement to violence against Christians."

Its president, Nicolas Rimoldi, noted that in light of rising violence against Christians across Europe, such acts "lower the threshold for further attacks," Swiss media reported.

The former Green Liberal Party politician has so far not publicly commented on the indictment.

Reaction of Swiss bishops

The Swiss Bishops' Conference at the time condemned the act as "unacceptable," stating that it expressed "violence and disrespect toward the human person" and caused "deep hurt among Catholic faithful."

The bishops emphasized that "even apart from the religious depiction of the Mother of God," the act revealed "a fundamental lack of respect for human dignity," the bishops said, according to CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner.

Bishop Joseph Bonnemain of Chur, Switzerland, said Ameti had written to him personally to express remorse.

In response, he publicly offered his forgiveness and urged Catholics and other believers to do the same.

"How could I not forgive her?" he said, according to CNA Deutsch.

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Rome Newsroom, Jul 22, 2025 / 09:38 am (CNA).

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa spoke on Tuesday about the devastation of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, emphasizing that the Church "will never abandon" the city's long-suffering people.

Describing the extent of the destruction in Gaza at a press conference held at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Centre, Pizzaballa said he and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem witnessed during their July 18 pastoral visit the inadequate living conditions families have been forced to live in.

"We walked through the dust of ruins, past collapsed buildings and tents everywhere: in courtyards, alleyways, on the streets and on the beach," he told journalists on Tuesday. "Tents that have become homes for those who have lost everything."

"The Church, the entire Christian community, will never abandon them," he said.

While expressing particular solidarity with Christian communities in Gaza, the cardinal emphasized that the Church's "mission" in Gaza is open to all people.

"Our hospitals, shelters, schools, parishes — St. Porphyrius, the Holy Family, the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, Caritas — are places of encounter and sharing for all: Christians, Muslims, believers, doubters, refugees, children," he said.

Reiterating Pope Leo XIV's July 20 Sunday Angelus appeal to the international community to observe international humanitarian law and protect civilians, the cardinal said delaying humanitarian aid to Gaza is "a matter of life and death."

"Every hour without food, water, medicine and shelter causes deep harm," he said.

"We have seen it: men holding out in the sun for hours in the hope of a simple meal," he continued. "This is a humiliation that is hard to bear when you see it with your own eyes."

Calling the deprivation of basic necessities "morally unacceptable and unjustifiable," Pizzaballa said he and Theophilos III support the work of all humanitarian actors — "local and international, Christian and Muslim, religious and secular" — to help the people of Gaza.

Besides highlighting the horrors of war, the cardinal said he also witnessed testimonies of faith and "the dignity of the human spirit" in those he and the Greek Orthodox patriarch encountered during their pastoral visit. 

"We met mothers preparing food for others, nurses treating wounds with gentleness, and people of all faiths still praying to the God who sees and never forgets," he recalled at the press conference.

"Christ is not absent from Gaza," he said. "He is there — crucified in the wounded, buried under rubble and yet present in every act of mercy, every candle in the darkness, every hand extended to the suffering."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 22, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Mississippi is promoting family, motherhood, and pro-life policies through its Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance (MAMA) program. 

Established under Senate Bill 2781 in 2023, the MAMA program leverages state funds to connect women and families with resources that support motherhood and family stability. Mississippi prohibits state funds from going to abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, following the Dobbs decision. 

Faith-based organizations, however, play a strong role in the network of listed services. Catholic Charities of Southern Mississippi, Catholic Charities of Jackson, and Embrace Grace Ministry at Trinity Wesleyan Church are among the organizations that provide both spiritual and material assistance.

"The most important part about the MAMA program is it is comprised of public, private, and faith-based resources," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch in a recent interview on "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly." Fitch oversees the program and played a prominent role in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case.

A key component of the program is its mobile-friendly platform, mama.ms.gov, which centralizes information and referrals for essential services. 

The platform allows users to search for resources in their geographical area and is organized by categories that include health care, housing, parenting, mental health providers, and employment.

"What a God thing to have this available technology," Fitch told "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly."

Since its launch, the site has received "over 56,000 hits" and "served 23,000 women with their particular needs."

In addition to medical and mental health services, MAMA also connects users with providers of material support like diapers and car seats.

The Bare Needs Diaper Bank Warehouse, for instance, distributes diapers, menstrual supplies, and adult incontinence products to families in mid-south Mississippi. Employment services and job training programs are also featured on the platform.

For parents in crisis, the platform provides information about Mississippi's Safe Haven law, including a list of Safe Haven Baby Box locations where infants under 45 days old can be safely and anonymously surrendered for adoption.

The platform continues to grow its partner list and resource categories, helping ensure that families across Mississippi can locate and receive critical support at every stage of parenthood.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 21, 2025 / 16:43 pm (CNA).

The pastor of the only Catholic church in Gaza, Argentine priest Father Gabriel Romanelli, on Sunday described the current situation after the church was hit by Israeli fire on July 17, leaving three people dead and several injured, including a 19-year-old postulant who remains hospitalized.

In a video posted July 20 on his YouTube channel, Romanelli, a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, began by sharing the bad news: "Unfortunately, the war continues," he said. "Today there were many deaths, people who were even waiting in the north, where there is a great need for humanitarian aid. The numbers are terrible; there is no final figure yet, but they're talking about dozens of deaths, many."

Furthermore, he continued, "the heat is oppressive. Today the heat index was 42 degrees [Celsius; 108 degrees Fahrenheit], and they say it will remain that way for days to come. There have been more evacuations in different places throughout the Gaza Strip, and the bombardment continues unabated. We have had nearby bombardment with some shrapnel falling, and unfortunately, we have come to understand what shrapnel means, which is not just something that makes noise but something that damages, wounds, and kills."

The priest mentioned that he, too, was injured on Thursday by shrapnel from Israeli fire, which was condemned by various Church leaders and by Pope Leo XIV himself, who spoke on Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and on Monday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The good news from Gaza

Romanelli then said there is good news: "We are in God's grace, we are persevering in the faith. Many have expressed their closeness in every way because of what has happened here: the attack on the Catholic Church here. The patriarchs have come to visit, as I told you."

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, "is still here, so it's a blessing for the people to have him, to pray with him, to see him pray, to ask for his blessing, to listen to him, to console him. That he can console us is very gratifying. Everyone's gratitude is very good news."

"Other good news is that Nayib, one of our young men in a wheelchair with a lung injury, is doing better. He prays; he's always been a prayerful man, and he continues to pray and ask for prayers. He's still hospitalized," Romanelli said, although the situation at the hospital, so necessary now, "is deplorable."

"Most of the hospitals in the [Gaza] Strip were destroyed, but Nayib is doing better. His situation is delicate, but he's doing better," the priest added.

"Suheil is doing better. He had a major operation and will need to be patient during his recovery," he continued. "He's our postulant, whom you know, a great guy. He's 19 years old and very well-liked here. The young people, the teenagers, the children, the adults are all very moved by what happened, so, well, today we were able to have a conversation. He spoke on the phone, so he's doing better."

Praying and working for peace in Gaza and the entire region

The pastor of Holy Family Church also said that "people are still in shock: You can imagine how little time has passed since all of this. The good thing is that we prayed and sang. Although there were bombardments, there has been little flying debris these days, and the children wanted to go out, sing, and yell, so they were seen more in the yard, and they started playing with a soccer ball."

"And well, we continue to ask you, thanking you for your prayers, and asking you to work, let us all work, and convince the world that peace is possible and necessary," he continued.

The priest prayed "to the Prince of Peace, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the gift of peace, especially for Gaza and for the entire region."

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

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ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 21, 2025 / 15:12 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Monday morning visited St. Martha Home for the Elderly in Castel Gandolfo, the Italian town where he is spending his vacation.

According to the Holy See Press Office, the pontiff arrived at the residence on July 20 at 10:30 a.m. local time and was welcomed by the community of nuns who run the facility.

The Sisters of St. Martha religious order was founded in 1946 by Blessed Tommaso Reggio. The sisters aim to be "humble presences of peace and hope" for those most in need and to pay "the utmost attention to the quality of relationships and the well-being" of the nursing home's residents, according to the order's website.

After spending time praying in the chapel, the Holy Father personally greeted approximately 20 elderly people, all between the ages of 80 and 101.

He also greeted a young nurse and after prayer along with some songs, the pope addressed everyone, highlighting some themes from the songs and referring to Sunday's Gospel reading from Luke.

The pope emphasized how in every person there is a part of Martha and a part of Mary and invited those present to take advantage of this time of life to live the dimension exemplified by Mary: to listen to the words of Jesus and to pray.

Pope Leo emphasized the importance of prayer, saying it is "so important, much greater than we can imagine," and told the residents that "age doesn't matter: It is Jesus who wants to draw near to us, who makes himself a guest for us, who invites us to be witnesses, young and not so young."

"You are signs of hope," he added. "You have given so much in life" and "continue to be that testimony of prayer, of faith," a family that offers to the Lord what it has.

After praying the Lord's Prayer together, Pope Leo XIV spent a while longer visiting the residence and returned to Villa Barberini, where he is residing during his stay at Castel Gandolfo, shortly before 11:30 a.m.

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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CNA Staff, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In the heart of New York City, nestled among the tall buildings of Times Square, sits a small tattoo shop with two 17-inch signs of the Miraculous Medal hanging outside the front door. Inside, walls of rosaries, crucifixes, and religious images greet visitors, while an old church pew serves as a place to sit and wait. A glass jar filled with blessed Miraculous Medals sits on the front desk. 

The tattoo parlor, Times Square Tattoo, is more than a tattoo parlor, according to owner Tommy Houlihan, who has a deep devotion to the Miraculous Medal and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The 55-year-old told CNA that he views his shop as a "ministry for the Miraculous Medal."

Houlihan has been a tattoo artist since 1990. He grew up in a Catholic household in Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood on the west side of midtown Manhattan, and by the age of 18 began his career in body art.

In the early years of his tattoo career, Houlihan shared that he was making a lot of money — he wore expensive jewelry and tailored clothes, went to steakhouses every night, and "lived like a rock star."

"That's all gone now," he said. "It's all gone because I went and really cracked down on my faith."

About five years ago, Houlihan returned to the Catholic faith. A big factor was the powerful testimony of Zachary King, a former Satanist who had a powerful conversion to Catholicism after an encounter with the Miraculous Medal, a sacramental based on the vision of a French nun in 1830. St. Catherine Labouré, a young sister at the time, was instructed in an apparition of the Virgin Mary to have a special medal cast. Originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, it became better known as the "Miraculous Medal."

After hearing King's testimony, Houlihan began digging deeper into his faith and praying about what he should do with his tattoo shop. He also spoke to several priests, some of whom were exorcists, about his struggle of wanting to keep his tattoo shop open but also honoring his faith.

In one of his conversations, Houlihan told the priest about the kinds of places around his shop — a Wiccan coven to his right, a Masonic temple to his left, and a church of Scientology across the street — describing it as being "in a den of vipers." The priest told Houlihan that he was the "antivenom." This response moved Houlihan to hand his shop over to the Blessed Mother.

"I work almost exclusively on tourists from all over the world," Houlihan explained. "And every single person that comes in my shop gets a medal when they first walk in. And then they fly back to France, Germany, Argentina, Canada, wherever they're going back to, so that makes us a worldwide ministry."

Houlihan has implemented strict guidelines for the type of work he and his employees do.

Some of the images that Houlihan's shop declines to do include Satanic symbols, zodiac signs, anything related to witchcraft or sorcery (including shows like "Wicked" or "Harry Potter"), anything that desecrates a sacred image, anything related to the LGBT "pride" movement, and other things. He says he will also not tattoo on places on the body that are primarily meant to sexualize the individual.

"I cannot attach myself to anything in the occult and I can't put that image on you. One day I got to answer for that," he said.

Despite turning down many requests and handing out Miraculous Medals to those who are religious or not, Houlihan pointed out that "almost everybody gives a positive reaction."

"I think 60% of the people react really favorably; I'd say maybe 30% are indifferent. But I do get some that don't want it or people [who] are outright hostile to it," he said.

When asked how his guidelines have impacted the business, Houlihan said: "I definitely took a hit, but the Blessed Mother's making sure that I make enough money to get by."

Seeing his tattoo shop as a ministry, Houlihan said he hopes those he encounters experience a change in their lives and in their faith.

"I hope they have an instant conversion," he shared. "And if they're a bad Catholic, [that] they become a good Catholic, and if they're a good Catholic, [that] they become a great Catholic."

He added that not only has his shop helped to keep his own faith "in line," but it has also given him a way to evangelize and to "give the word of God" to all those who visit. 

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Rome Newsroom, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a video call to U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin and a visit to the Vatican Observatory, located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, where he has been staying for two weeks.

According to the Vatican, the pontiff's July 20 call with the 95-year-old Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving Apollo 11 crew member, included reminiscing on the historic 1969 landing and meditating together on the "mystery, greatness, and fragility" of God's creation as described in Psalm 8.

Earlier in the day, Leo visited the Vatican's internationally-recognized observatory, called the Specola Vaticana, where he was able to look through the astronomical center's historic telescopes.

The Vatican Observatory has been located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, around 18 miles southeast of Rome, since the 1930s, but the history of the institution dates to the 18th century. After several years of closure in the late 1800s, Leo's predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, re-founded the observatory in 1891.

In 1993, the Vatican Observatory Research Group (VORG), which opened a second research center at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1981, completed construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Mount Graham, Arizona.

Pope Leo has been taking a break from the heat of Rome with a sojourn at the lakeside town of Castel Gandolfo, a revival of a tradition last observed by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff's stay was originally expected to end July 20, but the Vatican announced Sunday that Leo had extended the two-week stay an additional two days, through July 22.

A pope close to science

On June 16, Pope Leo XIV, who holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Villanova, expressed his appreciation for astronomy when he received the participants of this year's Vatican Observatory Summer School.

On that occasion, he asked the young scientists to never forget "that what they do is meant to benefit everyone."

"Be generous in sharing what you learn and what you experience, to the best of your ability and in any way possible," he added.

The pope also urged them not to hesitate to share "the joy and wonder born of your contemplation of the 'seeds' which, in the words of St. Augustine, God has sown in the harmony of the universe."

This summer program, held every two years, brings together young astronomers from different countries. The most recent edition hosted 24 students from 22 nations under the theme: "Exploring the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope," an instrument that has revolutionized astronomical observation since 2022.

During his meeting with astronomy students, Pope Leo highlighted the importance of the advances made by the telescope: "For the first time we can deeply observe the atmosphere of exoplanets where life may be developing, and study the nebulae where the planetary systems themselves are forming", as well as trace "the ancient light of distant galaxies, which speaks of the very beginning of our universe".

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Vancouver, Canada, Jul 21, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Nestled within Whistler's many snow-covered peaks, Our Lady of the Mountains Parish finds itself just months away from the grand opening of its newly renovated church, a multimillion-dollar restoration project five years in the making, which is set to embrace the town's historic alpine atmosphere.

As the only Catholic church in the popular British Columbia resort town in the Coastal Mountains north of Vancouver, Our Lady of the Mountains' transformation will see what was once no more than a quaint multipurpose hall become a fully functional sacred space for prayer, service, and evangelization as well as a visual testament to the community's steadfast faith and perseverance.

Whistler is part of the Diocese of Kamloops but has long been a spiritual home for many Catholics in the wider region who flock there for vacation.

Whistler welcomes around 3 million visitors each year — about 45% in winter and 55% in summer — so thousands of Catholics are served by the parish during ski weekends and summer getaways.

In early 2020, Our Lady of the Mountains launched an ambitious campaign to build a larger church, beginning with a vision that pastor Father Andrew L'Heureux called "a dream." From the start, parishioners said they felt God walking with them through each challenge and triumph.

The project was spearheaded by Andy Szocs, a parishioner since the late 1970s and fundraising lead for the project. Szocs took on much of the fundraising himself, leveraging his network and experience from renovating a 250-year-old church in Hungary in 2010 to contribute toward the project's $6.7 million target.

"I know the value of building a church up, and I saw this as a similar opportunity back at home," the 85-year-old said. "It has been quite the challenge, and we had to rely on the Holy Spirit a lot. I would go to bed at night with all these challenges about where I would find this money, and I said to the Holy Spirit that I needed some answers. It happened so many times, it has to be divine providence."

"Standing inside the new church is awe-inspiring," L'Heureux wrote in a letter to parishioners this month. "It offers more than beauty — it is a sign of hope, unity, and the bright future of our parish."

The journey hasn't been without obstacles. Unexpected soil conditions, design refinements, and inflation pushed the original budget from $5.5 million to $6.7 million. After reaching the initial goal, the parish needed to urgently raise an additional $1.2 million. In June, an existing donor, along with partners and friends, stepped forward to close the gap.

"We believe, without question, that the Holy Spirit guided their hearts, reminding us once again that we are not alone in this mission," L'Heureux said in his letter.

The new spiritual home, including the use of the preexisting hall, will seat 500 people — more than triple of the current capacity of 160.

The $6.7-million price tag also affords the parish a completely new interior, including a sanctuary, a 15-foot choir loft with space for 25 choir members and instruments, and an an interior design featuring 23 sacred elements such as the altar, crucifix, statues, lighting, and a communion rail — with stained-glass windows and a pipe organ remaining as future goals when funds allow.

Unique to the sanctuary's design by Oberto Oberti Architecture is the 40-foot timber-frame ceilings, a design reflective of Whistler's distinct outdoor ethos. A nod to Whistler's prominent winter and ski culture, the interior is reminiscent of an old-school wooden ski chalet.

"I don't think you can help but connect to it and feel impressed. It's what we set out to create, which is something sacred, attractive, and reflective of that Whistler-style look and feel," Szocs said.

He also shared that through donors' efforts, close to 90% of the project was funded externally, with local pride in the world-class resort destination and a strong Catholic belief being the main draw for those involved.

"This was possible with a strong fundraising strategy, but we knew from the start that we couldn't do this without help from our major donors. Quite a number of them, like myself, had an attachment to Whistler," Szocs said.

"We have the lakes and the valley trails, the ski mountains. It's just one of God's beautiful nature scenes. We raised the money with those donors strictly through the personal efforts of selling the vision. We used the motto: 'If we build the church, they will come.'"

Still, Szocs knew the parish couldn't solely depend on traditional methods.

"You can't do something like this with bake sales and bingo," he said with a laugh, emphasizing the importance of his continued targeted strategy for intriguing wealthy donors.

With the grand opening of the new church slated for October, the Catholic community in Whistler continues to work amid the anticipation. L'Heureux noted in the church's latest newsletter that many parishioners have contributed both their time and labor by assisting in drywalling, painting, and donating needed tools. One parishioner donated pews, accounting for up to 250 seats in the new sanctuary.

Beyond worship, Szocs sees the church as a beacon for evangelization, potentially hosting Catholic conferences inspired by the Napa Institute to draw Catholics to Whistler's new spiritual appeal.

"It's not just a church; it's a place for people to find God," he said.

Szocs said the project's success comes from a balance of divine trust and devoted human action, as often expressed by St. Augustine and St. Ignatius.

"Some would say, 'Leave it to the Holy Spirit,' but you can't just pray and wait. It doesn't always work that way," he said. "God gave us gifts for a reason. So I like the saying, 'Pray like everything depends on God, and act like everything depends on you.'"

This story was first published by The B. C. Catholic and is reprinted here with permission.

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CNA Staff, Jul 20, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A new, short documentary tells the story of Servant of God Julia Greeley, also known as Denver's Angel of Charity, who was born into slavery near Hannibal, Missouri. 

"Julia Greeley: Servant of the Sacred Heart" features interviews with Father Blaine Burkey, OFM Cap, who wrote a book on Greeley's life; Mary Leisring, president of the Julia Greeley Guild; Father Eric Zegeer, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Denver, Greeley's parish; and Jean Torkelson, executive director of the Julia Greeley Home, a Denver nonprofit that serves women in need.

In the 13-minute documentary, interviewees discuss Greeley's deep faith, her acts of charity, and her courageous response to the challenges presented throughout her life. 

When she was a child, while her master was beating her mother, his whip caught Greeley's right eye and destroyed it. After she was freed in 1865, she spent her time serving poor families, mostly in Denver.

In 1880, Greeley entered the Catholic Church at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver. She attended daily Mass and had a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

She joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1901 and was known for her dedication to the people in her community, bringing them things they needed. Despite having arthritis, she walked countless miles to collect and distribute alms and to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Greely died on June 7, 1918, and her cause for canonization was opened by the Archdiocese of Denver in 2016.

Burkey is a retired priest in the Archdiocese of Denver. A scholar and expert on the life of Greeley, in an interview with CNA he described her as "a very zealous person."

"Despite all the problems people gave her, she turned it around and didn't spend time worrying about that," he said.

The priest also highlighted that among Greeley's many charitable deeds, "every time she had money leftover to take care of herself, she [instead] took care of the poor," and "she didn't spend her life trying to get even or [seek] vengeance or anything like that."

He said he hopes the faithful are "encouraged by that message that you shouldn't be concerned with vengeance but with mercy."

"Julia Greeley: Servant of the Sacred Heart" can be viewed for free on YouTube. 

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ACI Africa, Jul 20, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

In a statement shared on July 13 following its 58th plenary assembly, members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) said the current situation in Ethiopia calls "more than ever" for a unified voice.

"The Church, as a mother, always longs and grieves for her children to enter into peace," the bishops said, encouraging the people of God in the country to continue praying, fasting, and working earnestly for peace.

In March, Bishop Tesfasellassie Medhin of the Catholic Eparch of Adigrat, which covers the Tigray region in Ethiopia's northernmost territory, warned of "a very bloody confrontation" that could involve Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.

He confirmed at the time that tensions were continuing to escalate in the region following an internal split within the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which led a rebel faction of the group to seize control of Adigrat, a town near the Eritrean border, on March 11.

"Instability in our region continues to persist, tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are increasing, and the country could be engulfed in a very bloody confrontation," he said.

This would come on the heels of a civil war that raged mainly in the Tigray area from November 2020 to November 2022, primarily fought between the TPLF and the Ethiopian government, which joined forces with Eritrea. Some estimates say over a half a million people died from violence, famine, and lack of medical access during that time.   

During their latest assembly, the Ethiopian bishops also focused on other issues related to the Church's "mission, structure, institutions, evangelization, national and global matters." They committed to strengthening the apostolic mission of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia through renewed efforts under a general secretariat.

"Plans are underway to appoint qualified priests soon, and there is an emphasis on working in a synodal spirit (journeying together) with the faithful to strengthen evangelization," the bishops said in their statement.

In Ethiopia, which is predominantly Ethiopian Orthodox, the Latin rite is observed in nine ecclesiastical jurisdictions and the Eastern rite in four.

Meanwhile the bishops welcomed the newly ordained auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa, Bishop Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, as well as Bishop Merhakristos Gobezayehu Getachew Yilma of the Vicariate Apostolic of Awasa.

The late Pope Francis appointed Gebresilasie, a member of the Religious Institute of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) in November 2024 to assist Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, the archbishop of Addis Ababa. Yilma has been at the helm of Awasa Apostolic Vicariate since February 2024.

CBCE spokesperson Bishop Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun, who leads the Diocese of Bahirdar-Dessie, said in the bishops' statement that the new appointments will "enhance shared Church responsibilities, contribute new ideas for addressing challenges, and strengthen many services."

The bishops also welcomed the new apostolic nuncio to Ethiopia, Archbishop Brian Ngozi Udaigwe, and recognized his presence for the first time at a CBCE plenary assembly.

"Archbishop Brian expressed his happiness in coming to Ethiopia and showed his willingness to collaborate in the mission of the Church," the statement said in reference to the Vatican diplomat who "delivered Pope Leo XIV's message of fraternal communion to the bishops."

The late Pope Francis transferred Cameroonian-born Udaigwe from Sri Lanka to Ethiopia on April 12. The Nigerian national previously served as the representative of the Holy Father in Benin and Togo.

The Addis Ababa-based apostolic nunciature had been vacant since May 2024, when the Holy Father reassigned Archbishop Antoine Camilleri to Cuba.

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

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