Catholic News

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged young Ecuadorian Catholics to follow Christ with determination and to reflect his love and mercy to the world.

The Vatican published a video message from Leo for Ecuador's seventh National Youth Day on Aug. 2, the final day of the event that began on July 31 in Ibarra. In the message, the pope greeted those present and urged them to listen to Christ's call for their lives.

"I encourage you to listen to the Lord's call and to follow him with determination," the pope said in his message. "An encounter with Jesus Christ fills the heart with joy and gives us the strength to be witnesses of his love and his mercy."

Leo also asked them to allow themselves to be transformed by Christ's love and to work for peace in today's world.

"Allow yourselves to be transformed by his love and be promoters of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace."

"The Church needs your joy, your courage, and your witness so that many others may come to know Christ," Leo added.

The National Youth Day in Ecuador ("Jornada Nacional de la Juventud") is the country's own adaptation of World Youth Day, gathering dioceses nationwide for catechesis, worship, and fellowship. The motto for this year's gathering is drawn from John 16:33: "Take courage; I have conquered the world."

Amid a rise in homicides nationwide, the Ecuadorian bishops renewed the country's consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. In 1874, Ecuador became the first country to be officially consecrated to the Sacred Heart.

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Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor Mario León Dorado, OMI, as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco, after Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero temporarily stepped back from the public exercise of his ministry amid an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and inappropriate conduct, which he denies.

The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate announced the appointment in a statement published on the order's official Facebook page. The appointment was also confirmed to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, although it has not yet been officially announced by the Vatican.

"We are pleased to announce that the Holy See has appointed Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco," the Oblates said.

The statement said the Spanish priest would carry out the responsibility "in communion with the Holy See and at its discretion" and invited the faithful to accompany him with their prayers in his new mission.

ACI Prensa obtained a copy of the decree sent by the apostolic nunciature in Morocco communicating the decision. The letter was signed by Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, the apostolic nuncio, and dated Aug. 1.

An apostolic administrator "sede plena" is appointed when the diocesan bishop remains in office but is temporarily unable to exercise pastoral governance. In such circumstances, the Holy See entrusts the ordinary administration of the diocese to another bishop or priest until the situation that prompted the measure is resolved.

The Archdiocese of Rabat covers much of Morocco and is one of the Catholic Church's principal jurisdictions in the country.

Preliminary investigation underway

The appointment follows López Romero's announcement in early July that he would temporarily withdraw from all public and pastoral activity while the Church conducts a preliminary investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct involving adult women.

The cardinal defended his innocence in a brief statement released at the time by the Spanish news agency EFE.

"I have not committed any assault, violence, or sexual harassment," he said.

López Romero informed the diocesan community of his decision in a message issued at the end of the pastoral year. He said the Church had opened a preliminary investigation into the complaints and that the case was in the hands of the appropriate Holy See authorities.

"I am accused of inappropriate conduct toward adult women," the archbishop said, adding that he was cooperating fully with the ecclesiastical process.

The cardinal said he would refrain from presiding at public celebrations or taking part in pastoral activities while the investigation is underway.

"During this period of investigation, and so as not to hinder it, I am going to take a step back, refraining from presiding at any public celebration and from participating in any pastoral activity, as you will undoubtedly understand," he said in the statement obtained by ACI Prensa.

Who is Mario León Dorado?

León Dorado, who is also Spanish, belongs to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and currently serves as apostolic prefect of Western Sahara. According to information released by the archdiocese, he has carried out his ministry in the region for nearly 25 years.

He discerned a missionary vocation at a young age and professed religious vows on Sept. 15, 1996. He was ordained a priest on June 2, 2001, and began his pastoral ministry in the Spanish province of Jaén, where he served for three years while retaining his desire to minister in an Arab cultural setting.

That interest was strengthened by a visit to the Sahara during his formation, an experience that profoundly shaped his vocation and ultimately directed his pastoral and missionary work toward North Africa.

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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Anti-Christian violence claimed the lives of numerous clergy, religious, and lay Catholics in Spain during the 1930s, producing one of the most extensively studied chapters in the modern history of the Church.

The memory of that religious persecution, however, has largely been constructed around its martyrs, leaving in the background those who endured the same brutality but did not receive the palm of martyrdom.

A new book by Spanish priest and theologian Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca Alameda brings to light the stories of Catholics who survived the upheaval and violence of those years.

Published in Spanish by publishing house Didaskalos under the title "Los mártires que no fueron. Salvados, clandestinos, refugiados, evadidos y muertos de la persecución religiosa en España (1936–1939)" ("The Martyrs Who Were Not: Survivors, Underground Catholics, Refugees, Escapees and Victims of Religious Persecution in Spain, 1936–1939"), the book recounts the experiences of people who escaped death, lived in hiding, fled dangerous areas, or died during the Spanish Civil War under circumstances that did not meet the Church's criteria for martyrdom.

Sánchez de Toca, a relator at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, has worked on numerous causes of martyrdom connected with the religious persecution of the 1930s.

That experience, he told ACI Prensa, inspired him to begin collecting the stories of those whose lives had received less attention.

"Those who went through the persecution and did not die in it, or who died during that period but without the grace of martyrdom, had been left somewhat in the shadows," he said.

Would-be martyrs

The book presents a broad collection of men and women who endured the same trial as the martyrs but met a different fate.

Some escaped death through unexpected circumstances. Others remained hidden for years while sustaining a Church forced underground. Some fled the most dangerous areas, while others died during the war without their deaths being recognized as martyrdom.

"Not all saints who live through a religious persecution attain the palm of martyrdom by dying in it, and not everyone who dies during a persecution is a martyr," Sánchez de Toca explained.

Rather than attempting an exhaustive catalog, the author selected figures who have been canonized or are currently the subjects of beatification causes, offering a different perspective on the dramatic events of the period.

Among the better-known figures are St. Maravillas of Jesus, St. Josemaría Escrivá, Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, Venerable José María García Lahiguera, Blessed Pere Tarrés, Isidoro Zorzano, and Servant of God Carmen Hidalgo, co-founder of the Oblate Sisters of Christ the Priest.

The book also features lesser-known people whose lives were marked by the persecution, including Ismael de Tomelloso, known as "the saintly militiaman"; Antonio Rivera, called "the angel of the Alcázar"; and Jesuit Father Fernando Huidobro, a chaplain to the Spanish Legion.

Those three cases initially attracted the author's interest. Although all suffered the consequences of the war and two died from wounds or at the front, none can be considered martyrs in the strict sense.

"There were attempts to present them as martyrs, especially during the postwar period through Francoist propaganda," Sánchez de Toca said.

They were sometimes described using a phrase common at the time, "fallen for God and for Spain." The circumstances of their deaths, however, did not satisfy the requirements established by the Church for the recognition of martyrdom.

The underground Church

One of the book's most distinctive sections reconstructs the daily lives of Catholics who remained in Republican-controlled territory and were forced to practice their faith clandestinely.

A chapter devoted to "the underground and the prayerful home front" recounts the experiences of courageous men and women who organized secret networks to assist priests in hiding, enable the celebration of the sacraments and keep Catholic religious practice alive.

"They created assistance networks that would not be out of place in the best spy novels," Sánchez de Toca said.

Isidoro Zorzano, Venerable José María García Lahiguera and Mother Carmen Hidalgo organized a network of financial assistance for priests who had survived.

"They provided them with the materials needed to celebrate Mass and then redistributed Communion, taking it to homes through underground agents," he explained.

Crossing the front lines

Another chapter recounts the stories of Catholics who crossed the front lines through exceptionally dangerous operations.

They include Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, who crossed through the battlefront; Servant of God Tomás Alvira, who accompanied St. Josemaría Escrivá across the Pyrenees; and Venerable Sister Justa Domínguez de Vidaurreta, a superior of the Daughters of Charity who escaped Madrid after numerous difficulties and eventually settled in Pamplona.

The burden of survival

Sánchez de Toca was also struck by what is commonly known as survivor's guilt, a psychological phenomenon experienced by many who escaped persecution.

Although a chapter devoted to the subject was removed for editorial reasons, the author said many survivors spent the rest of their lives wrestling with a troubling question: Why had they survived while so many of their companions had been killed?

"It is not always easy to answer the question: 'Why did the Lord not want me to be a martyr when so many of my companions were killed?'" he said.

Saved at the last moment

Some of the book's most dramatic passages recount the experiences of people who escaped what appeared to be certain death.

One of the most striking accounts concerns an Augustinian friar imprisoned in Madrid during the persecution.

According to Sánchez de Toca, the friar's hands had already been tied and he was preparing to be transported to Paracuellos when an unknown person cut his ropes and whispered: "Turn around and go back to your cell. Don't look back."

The friar obeyed mechanically and survived.

"He returned to his cell and began trembling and convulsing from the post-traumatic shock so violently that several companions had to hold him down," Sánchez de Toca recounted.

Others survived because of errors in prisoner lists or the unexpected intervention of anonymous people. Many interpreted their rescue as an act of divine providence and spent the rest of their lives wondering why they had been chosen to survive.

The author also addresses crimes committed by Nationalist forces. Father Huidobro, for example, denounced the summary executions of prisoners in complaints submitted to Gen. Francisco Franco's headquarters.

A lesson for today

Beyond their historical value, Sánchez de Toca said he believes the biographies offer lessons of particular relevance to Christians today.

"They all lived with a clear vocation to martyrdom," he said.

According to the author, martyrdom was part of the spiritual horizon of many Spanish Catholics even before the outbreak of the Civil War.

"This can be seen in their letters, homilies, and conversations as an expression of their willingness to give their lives for Christ if necessary," he said.

Sánchez de Toca also highlighted the extraordinary apostolic creativity Catholics demonstrated under extreme circumstances.

"This is another enduring lesson for our time," he concluded. "The Holy Spirit inspires apostolic creativity in the circumstances in which each person lives."

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

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The president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym), Archbishop Luis Argüello, stated that "the invasion of Ceuta is a test. Demography is a weapon," referring to the crisis in recent days caused by the massive illegal entry of migrants into the Spanish city located on the African coast — a situation Pope Leo XIV has also described as "alarming."

In an Aug. 2 message shared on X, Argüello declared: "Biopolitics is key to current global power. Life is toyed with, and people — their dreams, hunger, sexuality, and data — are exploited for the sake of profit and power."

"Migration is part of this strategy. The invasion of Ceuta is a test. Demography is a weapon," the prelate added. Since July 31, the Spanish city of Ceuta — located on the African coast of the Strait of Gibraltar — has been facing an extremely grave situation following the illegal entry of some 60,000 people who swam from Morocco, skirting the Tarajal breakwater.

As a result, at least 72 people are believed to have lost their lives during the crossing, though the death toll is estimated to potentially exceed 100. While it is estimated that the majority of those who crossed the border irregularly have returned to Morocco, around 5,000 people still remain on the streets of the autonomous city.

Up to 22 European Union countries have pointed to the recent mass legalization of immigrants carried out in Spain — and backed by the Catholic Church — as a contributing factor to the current migration crisis.

Meanwhile, a recent Spanish court ruling invalidated the practice of so-called "hot returns" (immediate, summary expulsions) in cases where illegal entry into the country was made by swimming, as occurred on July 31.

The bishop of Sant Feliú de Llobregat, the Dominican Xabier Gómez — speaking in his capacity as the official responsible for Migration and Interculturality for the Tarraconense Episcopal Conference — stated in a reflection that "we are not facing an ordinary migration crisis."

The "terrible and very real human drama" that unfolded has benefited neither those who took to the sea risking their lives nor the citizens of Ceuta, who "have the right to live in safety, free from alarm, and in peaceful coexistence."

However, it has served the interests of "those who use human mobility as a tool for political pressure, those seeking to strain diplomatic relations through potential 'hybrid threats,' those who play on public fear, and those who turn the suffering of others and fear into electoral gain."

After ruling out the recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling or the regulatory process as the root causes of the situation, Gómez recalled the words of Pope Leo XIV regarding the migration issue — spoken during his recent trip to Spain, which included a visit to the Canary Islands, a region that has also been heavily impacted by the mass migration phenomenon.

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

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The Young Professional Catholics of Toronto (YPCT), a growing lay association of the Archdiocese of Toronto, will host its first conference on Sept. 26 at the Canada Event Centre in the greater Toronto area.

According to its website, ARISE is a full-day conference built for young professionals and Catholics from all walks of life called to be a "light and witness in their workplaces and society."

The conference will include keynote speakers, breakout sessions, Mass, benediction, and networking opportunities. Some of the speakers set to take the stage include Sister Marie Veritas of the Sisters of Life; Father Charbel Bousamra, a Maronite priest and founder of Assumption Academy in Canada; and Father Marcin Serwin, a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate and director of Oblate Youth Canada, among others.

YPCT brings together ambitious individuals navigating careers and personal growth, all while remaining rooted in shared Catholic values. Through networking events, service initiatives, and faith-centered gatherings, the group offers more than just social connection — it provides purpose and belonging as it redefines how Catholic identity can thrive among the next generation of leaders.

The group's vice president, Kathleen Muggeridge, and Eva Bracho, one of the group's event directors, told EWTN News in an interview that the inspiration for the conference came from a passage from the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus tells the rich young man to arise, sell his possessions, and follow him.

"Obviously not everyone can literally sell everything that they have and follow him and become like a monk or be out on the streets to serve the poor, but in their own vocational path — whether it's to be a father or mother of many children and to work and contribute to society — in whatever state of their life that they're in, they need to arise and go and follow Our Lord," Muggeridge said.

Bracho added that the theme of "arise" is also a "call from from spiritual slumber to intentional action. Especially, I think, in our society now, in our generation as well, it's really that call to live our faith fully in the world and tend to our individual God-given missions whatever that is and to become the person that God has created us to be."

YPCT is expecting 600 to 800 attendees and while the conference is open to all Catholics, Bracho emphasized that what sets this conference apart is "that mission focus in your life. A lot of us are called to marriage and professional life. So what does that look like from a professional standpoint, which I think has not really been touched before."

She added that she hopes attendees will leave the conference with "a sense of renewal."

"So really remembering who God created each person to be in our identity as daughters and sons and then coming out of that and saying, 'OK, what am I here for? What is my mission?' And feeling the renewal of 'I'm going to go forth in whatever my circumstances, my job, my life, my family, whatever that is, and be intentional about the life that I'm living and have that call to holiness but also have that call of like pursuing with purpose what I feel like my mission is in this life,'" Bracho said.

Muggeridge added: "The conference will be a reminder to people that God's grace is in the here and now; it's right now, and every single moment of life that God wills us to be here is a moment where we can turn it all around. I really believe that it only takes a little bit of goodness on our part for God to do huge things."

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When the American Founding Fathers declared independence from the British crown 250 years ago, Catholicism represented a very small portion of the population — accounting for less than 2% of the people.

The primary hub for American Catholicism in 1776 was Maryland, which was created as a safe haven for Catholics and home to the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence: Charles Carroll of Carrollton.

Yet, more than one-third of Catholics lived outside Maryland in the late 1700s. Archbishop John Carroll — the first bishop in the United States — reported the Catholic population to the Holy See in 1785: about 15,800 in Maryland, at least 7,000 in Pennsylvania, at least 1,500 in New York, and no more than 200 in Virginia. There were a few hundred scattered elsewhere.

The primary reason for the low numbers was restrictive laws, some of which outright banned Catholicism and priests from colonies. Even in Maryland, after the 1689 Protestant Revolution, Catholics faced severe restrictions, including a ban on voting and openly celebrating Mass.

"[The laws were] definitely repressive," said Seth Smith, a history professor at The Catholic University of America with expertise in American Catholicism.

"But Catholics in the colonies had more freedom to practice their faith than they would have in Britain," Smith told EWTN News.

"On the books, virtually everywhere except Rhode Island and (informally) Pennsylvania, Catholics faced disenfranchisement, exclusion from office, land restrictions, and bans on public worship, Catholic schools, and priests," he said. "These laws escalated throughout the colonial period."

For example, Massachusetts had a law permitting executions of priests but "actual executions of priests for simply being priests essentially didn't happen in the 13 colonies," Smith said.

"[These laws] had the effect of limiting Catholic migration to British North America," he said. "... The practical reality was that there were so few Catholics that enforcement was often moot."

Catholicism in Pennsylvania

As the Catholic hub in Maryland faced legal restrictions in the late 1600s into the 1700s, Jesuits in Maryland sought to extend their reach into the colonies and found the friendliest colony to be Pennsylvania, founded by a Quaker strong advocate for religious freedom, William Penn.

Father Joseph Greaton, an English Catholic who moved to Maryland in 1719, was assigned to Pennsylvania, where he established the colony's first Catholic parish in Philadelphia — Old St. Joseph's Church, founded in 1733.

Although the colony and city tolerated Catholics legally, Greaton still took precautions because of anti-Catholic sentiment, designing the church to look more like a residential building rather than appearing outwardly like a Catholic church.

When reached for comment, the current pastor referred EWTN News to Stephen Paesani, a parishioner deeply involved in the parish, to speak about its history.

Paesani said the chapel was designed that way "so it wouldn't draw attention to itself." When it was created, it was the "only place in the British empire where Mass was celebrated legally and publicly" because the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly — the governing body — determined British anti-Catholic laws did not apply.

To enter the church, Paesani said, "you had to come in through the alley and go through the courtyard." He said "if you didn't know the church was there, you would never know."

Catholics were a small minority in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania more broadly. Paesani said treatment of Catholics was "a mixed bag." There were "clearly incidents of anti-Catholicism" in colonial Philadelphia, but the priests were involved in the community and generally had support from public officials, he said.

Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a Catholic Founding Father, sometimes worshipped there. Another prominent parishioner was John Barry, an Irish Catholic naval officer who fought in the American Revolution and was appointed to lead the U.S. Navy post-Revolution.

Greaton established other churches throughout Pennsylvania to serve Catholics and would travel from town to town administering the sacraments to the faithful. One parish that's still standing is Most Blessed Sacrament in Bally, which was home to a small number of German Catholics, founded in 1741.

Michael Miller, the museum director at Most Blessed Sacrament, told EWTN News the parish only served "a few families," with the closest being the Kuhn family. John Kuhn — a German Catholic — informed the Jesuits that land there was for sale, previously owned by Mennonites.

"[Greaton] would travel to other Mass houses [throughout Pennsylvania]," Miller said.

When asked whether the German Catholics faced discrimination, he said "not around here." In that part of Pennsylvania, he said most people, regardless of religion, were either iron workers or farmers, and the Protestant majorities were "good neighbors."

"There were so few Catholics in the immediate area, when they got around to building the chapel, they had Mennonite workers," he said.

Other locations he traveled to included Ivy Mills, where Mass was celebrated in the home of Thomas Willcox in the early 1700s until Catholics established the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle. Another was the Conewago Chapel in Hanover (now the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), established in 1730.

Catholicism outside Maryland and Pennsylvania

Outside of Maryland and Pennsylvania, Smith said "mostly what existed were scattered gentry families like the Brents in Virginia (who had ties to Maryland) and Catholics with diplomatic and mercantile roles in port cities."

This contributed to the small number of Catholics present in New York City and Charleston, South Carolina, even though Catholicism was illegal in both cities for most of colonial times. Catholicism was only briefly legal in colonial New York when Irish Catholic Thomas Dongan was appointed governor from 1683 to 1688.

"The reason that there was any Catholic presence in these cities (or any port cities in British North America) was due to commerce," Smith said. "Port cities pulled sailors, merchants, etc., from around the world. Some level of religious tolerance was good for business, though tolerance generally meant that Catholics could practice their faith out of sight."

After the revolution and when the United States adopted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which guaranteed a right to "the free exercise" of religion, Catholicism was tolerated — at least legally. This led to a greater influx of Catholic immigration in the 1800s.

In 1790, President George Washington wrote to Archbishop John Carroll while lawmakers were still in the process of adopting the Bill of Rights.

Washington assured the archbishop that Catholics would enjoy the same rights as Protestants under the new government. He said "your fellow-citizens will not forget the patriotic part which you took" in the revolutionary war and the establishment of the government. He also noted the support received from the Catholic country of France.

"May the members of your society in America, animated alone by the pure spirit of Christianity, and still conducting themselves as the faithful subjects of our free government, enjoy every temporal and spiritual felicity," Washington wrote.

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A crime that deeply shocked Egypt's Coptic community and broader public has reached its legal conclusion after the family of Father Arsanios Wadid confirmed that Egyptian authorities have executed the man convicted of murdering him.

The sentence was carried out after all stages of litigation were completed and the defendant had exhausted his available legal appeals, bringing to an end a case that lasted more than four years from the killing to the execution of the final judgment.

According to the attorney representing the priest's family, Egyptian authorities carried out the death sentence, the most severe punishment under the country's law, after investigators and the courts found the defendant responsible for intentional murder.

The execution followed the Egyptian Court of Cassation's rejection of the defendant's final appeal and its affirmation of an earlier ruling by the Alexandria Criminal Court, making the sentence final and enforceable.

The case dates back to April 7, 2022, when Wadid, a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Paul the Apostle in Alexandria's Karmouz-Moharam Bek district, was participating in a weekly parish gathering at one of the city's beaches. As participants were boarding buses following the gathering, Wadid, who was wearing clerical attire and helping organize their departure, was attacked from behind and fatally stabbed.

Those present restrained the assailant and handed him over to security forces. Wadid was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Although the legal proceedings initially moved quickly, with the defendant referred to the criminal court within weeks of the killing and sentenced to death by hanging, the ruling was not final at the time and remained pending while the Court of Cassation considered his appeals.

In January 2025, the Court of Cassation rejected the defendant's appeal and upheld the death sentence, making the judgment final. The sentence, however, was not carried out until approximately a year and a half later, making it more than four years from the killing to the execution and leaving a profound mark on the Coptic Orthodox Church and the people of Alexandria.

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 Vatican's financial investments and assets rose to a net worth of approximately $3 billion (2.686 billion euros) in 2025.

According to the annual report released on July 31 by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), the profit increased by $102 million (89 million euros) compared with 2024. The profit was also mainly due to the revaluation of physical gold, the increase in the value of real estate, and the positive valuation of financial securities.

Speaking to Vatican Media, APSA President Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti said that comparing profits in 2024 and 2025 should be done with caution, as 2025 was marked by extraordinary income from the reorganization of financial flows, a situation he described as unrepeatable.

"APSA's purpose is not to generate an annual profit, but rather to preserve and strengthen the patrimony entrusted to it," he stated.

A profit driven by real estate

According to the 2025 report, real estate management was APSA's main economic driver that year, with a profit of $51 million (44.5 million euros), an improvement of $10.8 million (9.4 million euros) over the $40.3 million (35.1 million euros) recorded in 2024.

This growth was driven by higher income from properties directly managed by APSA in Italy. APSA also manages approximately 1,200 properties abroad, including residential and commercial units, primarily in London, Paris, Geneva, and Lausanne, Switzerland.

APSA also made profits from its stakeholdings in several companies, including the Société Sopridex in France, the British Grolux Investments in the United Kingdom, and Profima S.A. in Switzerland.

Cardinal Becciu and the London property sale

For investments, APSA reported that it continues the financial and legal procedures for the divestment of the Luxembourg fund U.K. Opportunities (Sloane & Cadogan), in compliance with a 2020 motu proprio issued by Pope Francis to strengthen transparency and control of Vatican investments.

The fund is linked to the controversial real estate deal involving the Sloane Avenue building in London, which led to one of the Vatican's biggest financial scandals in recent years. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the former prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, was at the center of this scandal, and the Vatican sentenced him to five years and six months in prison.

Since his conviction in 2023, Becciu has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied any wrongdoing.

The Vatican court ordered a retrial of Becciu's case on March 17 after the initial sentence was overturned due to a "relative nullity" caused by violations of the right to defense. On Sept. 30, the appeal process against Becciu and other defendants will resume.

Growth by gold, money in reserves, and supporting Roman Curia

The growth in assets was mainly driven by the revaluation of physical gold in the portfolio, which contributed $46.9 million (40.8 million euros), as well as by the increase in the value of real estate by $45.1 million (39.2 million euros) and the appreciation of financial securities by $18.8 million (16.3 million euros).

Financial management showed a negative accounting result of $4.3 million (3.7 million euros) in 2025, compared with a positive $43.8 million (38.1 million euros) in 2024. However, APSA explained that this figure is mainly due to the application of the new Holy See accounting standards, the Vatican Financial Management Policy.

In 2025, APSA allocated a total of $26.1 million (22.7 million euros) to cover the financial needs of the Roman Curia, fully complying with the contribution requested by the Holy See.

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

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The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, has affirmed that churches throughout his vicariate remain open to all faithful and to anyone seeking prayer despite the uncertainty affecting the region.

Berardi said parish life across the vicariate, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudia Arabia, remains strong, noting that "our churches are filled with the faithful during Masses and Eucharistic adoration."

At the same time, the bishop acknowledged that the uncertainties created by the ongoing war in Iran and the anxiety it has generated have led many Catholics to leave the Gulf after businesses closed and jobs were lost.

Holding fast to hope

Berardi said the lack of clarity surrounding ongoing negotiations and the possibility of further escalation have raised serious concerns among Christians in the region.

"Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and continue to witness to our hope," he said. "Our faith is stronger than any challenge, and God alone is our help."

Berardi added that the Church continues to pray for peace throughout the Gulf region and in the Holy Land.

"We never cease praying for peace in the Gulf and for the Holy Land, placing our trust in Christ. His resurrection is our hope as we face this difficult time," he said.

Pastoral visits across the vicariate

In recent weeks, Berardi carried out a series of pastoral visits throughout the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, reaffirming the Church's closeness to the faithful and encouraging them to remain steadfast in unity, hope, and prayer amid rising tensions in the Gulf and across the broader Middle East.

His visits included 10 parishes and two cathedrals serving Catholic communities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. During his visits, he encouraged the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, remain firm in the faith, and continue witnessing to the Gospel within their families, workplaces, and communities.

Living unity in faith

In addition to celebrating Masses, Berardi administered the sacrament of confirmation to 155 candidates and inaugurated a jubilee year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. As part of the observance, one church was designated as a jubilee church where pilgrims may obtain jubilee indulgences.

The bishop also attended the screening of the documentary "Our Lady of Arabia: A Legacy of Faith," which recounts the history and spiritual heritage of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait, and highlights its continuing mission.

Throughout the visits, Berardi listened to the experiences, challenges, and hopes of the faithful, offering pastoral guidance to support their spiritual growth. He also called for greater collaboration, the promotion of missionary discipleship, and a spirit of service inspired by the Holy Spirit.

He concluded by reminding the faithful that the Church "cannot fully accomplish her mission unless her members live in unity of faith, hope, and charity."

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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Being chosen as a godparent or confirmation sponsor entails a commitment to providing spiritual accompaniment to the godchild or candidate, helping that person to grow in his or her faith.

This responsibility holds special significance in the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation, which, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "lay the foundations of every Christian life."

In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Mexican priest Father Luis Fernando Valdés, who holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra in Spain, explained that the role of the godparent or sponsor corresponds to a human reality, since "we all need help to achieve life's lofty goals."

Just as a person receives support to reach academic or professional goals, the priest noted, "the Church, with its centuries-old tradition, establishes this great custom of godparents for the spiritual life as well, because we all require this help."

Based on this reflection, he shared some recommendations for those wishing to better fulfill this mission and strengthen the bond with their godchild or candidate. (Editor's note: For simplicity's sake, both will now be referred to as godchild or godparent but includes adults receiving these sacraments.)

1. Know that the godparent's mission is to help the godchild grow in the faith.

Valdés said the first step is to understand that being a godparent means "helping one's godchild receive and cultivate a new life," a life that is born solely "from the encounter with Christ."

"This new life consists in that we are now another Christ, because Jesus has conformed us to his life through the action of the Holy Spirit among us. Like Christ, we are children of God the Father," he added.

Therefore, he continued, the godparent's goal is to help the godchild grow in that Christian identity.

2. You can't give what you don't have.

The priest pointed out that "no one gives what he doesn't have," emphasizing that "the first task of the one who agrees to be a godparent is his or her own self."

Godparents need to build their lives on the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "doctrine, sacraments, moral life, and life of prayer."

"That is the great task of the godparents: to form themselves and then help their godchildren know these four pillars, which are what will configure them with Christ in the Church," he stated.

Furthermore, he clarified that this formation does not take place solely in a classroom or during catechesis. Often, it is passed on "through ordinary life, get-togethers, conversations, and visits between godparents and their godchildren."

3. Make the sacraments and prayer part of life.

Another piece of advice from the priest is that godparents should strive to be people of the sacraments; that is, they should attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, go to confession frequently, and "live in a state of grace, leading a Christian life."

He also encouraged godparents to "strive to grow in charity," seeking to "care for others, attend to the poor, and share their goods."

He added that they need to be "prayerful souls" who entrust their godchildren to God and learn "the Church's beautiful vocal prayers," such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Creed, and the rosary.

However, he noted that spiritual life should not be limited to traditional formulas but also entails "engaging in personal prayer, knowing how to converse personally with Christ."

4. Review how you're living the faith.

Valdés acknowledged that being a godparent requires constant commitment; he therefore invited godparents to periodically examine their own spiritual lives and ask themselves whether they are living in accordance with the four pillars of the Christian life.

And if the answer is not what was hoped for, he suggested asking these questions: "What must I do? How should I start over? Where should I personally go to receive formation?"

5. Choose godparents who will "share parenthood."

His final piece of advice is addressed to parents. Valdés noted that choosing a godparent "is not simply about making it look like the other person is my closest friend"; rather, it is a commitment in which a person "shares their parenthood with a specific purpose."

"When someone chooses a godparent, they are saying to him or her 'I have such love for you, and such trust in you, that I am sharing my parenthood with you so that you can help ensure that my child lives out the Christian life,'" Valdés explained.

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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