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PAVIA, Italy — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday visited the Basilica of St. Peter in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia, where the relics of St. Augustine are kept, in what amounted to a kind of homecoming for the Augustinian pope.

The basilica, whose construction began in the eighth century, has housed the mortal remains of St. Augustine since around the year 722, when they arrived in Pavia from Cagliari. The relics had previously been brought to Sardinia from Hippo in 504.

The June 20 stop continued Pope Leo's Augustinian itinerary. In April, during his apostolic journey to Algeria, the pope visited Annaba, the ancient Hippo, where Augustine served as bishop.

Upon his arrival at the basilica, Pope Leo was welcomed by Father Joseph L. Farrell, prior general of the Order of St. Augustine; Father Gabriele Pedicino, provincial prior; and Father Gianfranco Casagrande, prior of the convent. The pope then met with the Augustinian community and, later in the cloister, with bishops of the Lombardy Episcopal Conference.

The last papal visit to the Basilica of St. Peter in Ciel d'Oro took place in 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI came to Pavia and was welcomed by Father Robert Francis Prevost, then prior general of the Order of St. Augustine.

Greeting those present in the cloister, where about 1,800 faithful were gathered inside and outside the basilica, Pope Leo spoke briefly off the cuff.

"I know many of you," he said. "St. Augustine teaches us to live and to love God and our brothers and sisters. Fraternal love and charity toward all are important; this is the message of Jesus and of St. Augustine. We are signs of love and charity, and we know how to live forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace."

In his greeting to the Augustinian community, Leo said that "St. Augustine is not ours; he belongs to the Church, and our mission is to make him known in the Church," because Augustine "has so much to offer in this time."

The pope said it is necessary "to offer the message of love for Christ and love for the Church," adding: "May St. Augustine always help us to live this mission."

In his address in the basilica, Pope Leo praised the Church in Pavia as "a community of ancient tradition that remains alive and present in the city and territory, attentive to the signs of this time and to its challenges, without allowing itself to be discouraged by fatigue, by the secularized context, and by the difficulties in transmitting the faith."

To avoid discouragement, he said, Christians need "a gaze animated by the spirit of faith" that helps them read reality more deeply and resist "a negative and pessimistic attitude, incapable of generating new life."

"The gaze that is required of us is instead that of Jesus," he said.

The pope asked what it means to be "a living Church," answering that it requires remaining united to Christ, "the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God."

"Christ is the foundation of the spiritual building," Leo said. "He is the cornerstone placed as the basis of our ecclesial journey, of pastoral action, and of evangelization."

Being built in Christ, he said, protects the Church from the risk of becoming scattered or exhausted by "secondary things" that may be good but do not reach what is essential.

"Since the center is Christ, we all draw from this one source and submit our efforts to the discernment that comes from his light and his word," the pope said. "Then we help grow a Church in which people walk together, capable of renewing itself without division, in which all recognize one another as brothers and sisters and work joyfully in service of the kingdom of God."

Leo urged Christian communities to be centered on what is essential, "even if this should involve giving up some structures and some securities of the past."

"The essential thing is to live with Christ, and spreading his Gospel is what must be close to our hearts," he said.

The pope addressed that appeal first to priests, calling them to "always return to the center" and to unify everything in their relationship with the Lord. He also encouraged men and women religious, who he said often know the fatigue of updating the charism to which they belong, to begin again from Christ and share their gifts with the whole diocesan Church.

In a secularized world, Leo said, Christians are called above all to bring "the joyful and liberating proclamation of Jesus Christ" and to help people discover or rediscover the faith.

The pope then pointed again to Augustine, saying that "his thought, the story of his conversion, and his spirituality remind us of the value and primacy of interiority."

"As living stones, we are called to be a Church well rooted in the territory," Pope Leo said, "a Church that walks amid the struggles and hopes of the people, expert in the art of listening and accompanying."

He emphasized the importance in Pavia of university pastoral ministry and dialogue with culture, saying that study and scientific work challenge believers to offer a faith capable of illuminating the human search for truth, justice, and beauty.

Before the pope's address, Bishop Corrado Sanguineti of Pavia described the local Church as "a Church on the journey," marked by growing communion among religious communities, associations, movements, and pastoral efforts to reach people in the concrete circumstances of their lives.

Farrell, the Augustinian prior general and Prevost's successor, also addressed the pope. He said Pope Leo's presence among the Augustinians had "inestimable meaning," because they are "historically and spiritually, sons of the Church and sons of St. Augustine."

"We have St. Augustine for a father and the Church for a mother," Farrell said, noting that the words would sound familiar to Leo because they were the same words then-Father Prevost had addressed to Pope Benedict XVI during his 2007 visit to Pavia.

After leaving the basilica, Pope Leo went to Piazza Duomo, where he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament and venerated the relics of St. Syrus, the first bishop of Pavia.

On the steps of the cathedral, the pope blessed a heated cradle intended for abandoned newborns and prayed before the image of Our Lady of Colombina. The then-Cardinal Prevost had been expected to visit the shrine of Colombina last year, but his election to the papacy made the visit impossible.

Speaking off the cuff on the cathedral steps, Pope Leo greeted young people and the large Peruvian community present in the city.

"We all want to live in peace," he said. "It is very important that we never lose hope. But, as St. Augustine told us, if we want to change the times, if we want the world to live in peace, we must begin with ourselves."

"That means no more words of hatred, no more insults, no more bullying, no more all those things that create war between people, between communities, between countries," the pope said. "We must all learn to be builders of peace and promoters of reconciliation."

After the visit to the cathedral, Pope Leo walked despite the intense heat to Piazza Vittoria for a meeting with the city's residents.

The beauty of Pavia, Leo said, is demanding because it represents "the precious inheritance of a past that becomes a commitment for the present."

"The city is in fact a gift and a task for those who live there," he said.

Referring to schools, universities, hospitals, and parishes, the pope said they are "significant places" that testify to welcome, education, and culture. In different ways, he said, they attest to "the same care for the person-in-community, with his dignity and his values," which unite citizens as one people and also underlie the Italian Constitution.

The city, Pope Leo said, points to "a human condition: The city is one for all; it is singular and plural."

"To be social means to be solidary, behaving as authentic partners, motivated by the common good and not by partisan interests," he said. "Citizens are always fellow citizens."

Speaking before about 3,500 people gathered between the cathedral and Piazza Vittoria, the pope warned against indifference and called for renewed participation in civic life.

"When indifference seems to break apart our community, it is necessary to renew the active participation of all in city life," he said. "Faced with forms of degradation and civic illiteracy, we are called to share languages of dedication and service, which safeguard squares, parks, and streets as places of encounter par excellence."

Good citizenship, he said, "knows how to cultivate concord through dialogue and constructive encounter among the people and cultures that animate Pavia."

"Today I invite each of you to repeat within yourselves: I care about our city," the pope said. "I care about the health of the person next to me. I care about the beauty of the place where I live. I care about the quality of life in the environments where I work and where I spend my free time."

Leo also highlighted the University of Pavia, saying its students experience not "an agglomeration of knowledge" but a system capable of forming the person "without speculating on his labor."

"To promote the sciences, in fact, means to promote man, who must always remain the protagonist of his own research," the pope said. "To every form of knowledge there corresponds a form of care."

Returning to Augustine, Leo said "one cannot believe without thinking, nor is it possible to illuminate the highest questions of reason without faith."

"With this trusting openness, human reason asks and plans," he said. "It does not close itself within the logic of profit or domination but discovers new ways to care for itself and for the world."

Faith, he added, reminds people that they are not "subjects of an anonymous fate" but are sustained by the certainty that God is "creator and savior of life."

"Thanks to your commitment, Pavia is prosperous not only in goods but also in virtues: Always honor the dignity of every human life!" he said.

Earlier in the day, Pope Leo began his brief but intense visit to Pavia at the National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy, known by its Italian acronym CNAO.

The papal helicopter landed in Pavia shortly before 2:40 p.m. on a day of particularly high temperatures. The pope was welcomed by local authorities and Sanguineti.

"Great emotion, an atmosphere of joy, a hot day because of the heat — we think it is a beautiful moment for everyone and an experience of faith for many," the bishop told accredited journalists gathered in the press room inside the bishop's residence.

The cancer center, inaugurated Feb. 15, 2010, treats patients with solid tumors that cannot be cured surgically or with traditional radiotherapy, using hadrontherapy: irradiation with beams of protons and carbon ions.

CNAO was the first center dedicated to hadrontherapy in Italy and remains the only one in the country able to offer carbon ion therapy.

Inside the facility, the pope greeted administrators, medical staff, and several children undergoing treatment at the center, together with their parents.

"Help the whole world understand how, when there are difficult moments, if there is not the presence and love of the family, everything is more difficult," the pope said off the cuff. "God does not want anyone to suffer. What God promises us is that he will always be present, even when we are too weak; he sends us angels."

The pope thanked CNAO, "which works miracles," and its staff, saying "God works in our lives also through doctors, nurses, and so many people."

"When things are difficult," he said, "let us place all our trust in God."

After leaving Pavia, Pope Leo was scheduled to stop in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano to venerate the relics of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini before returning to the Vatican.

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

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SANT'ANGELO LODIGIANO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV paid tribute Saturday to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. citizen ever canonized as a Catholic saint, holding her up as a model for how the Church should respond to migrants today.

Before returning to the Vatican after a daylong visit to the northern Italian city of Pavia, the pope traveled to Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, in the Diocese of Lodi, the birthplace of Cabrini, the Italian-born missionary who became a tireless defender of migrants in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century.

Cabrini died in Chicago in 1917 — the same city where Pope Leo was born. She was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1938 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1946.

Welcomed by about 5,000 faithful, Pope Leo visited the Parish of Santi Antonio Abate e Francesca Cabrini for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and to venerate the heart of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.

"When I learned that Sant'Angelo Lodigiano is only a few kilometers from Pavia," Pope Leo said, "I thought I would take the opportunity, and here I am."

The pope said Mother Cabrini, following the guidance of Pope Leo XIII and St. John Baptist Scalabrini, "interpreted the signs of the times" and understood that her dream of going to China, in imitation of St. Francis Xavier, had to be fulfilled where the need was greatest.

"Today that sign, that is, the phenomenon of migration, has entered a different phase, certainly more complex, yet no less capable of challenging the Church," he said.

Pope Leo asked what Cabrini's missionary soul would say if she were alive today.

"For my part, I inherited and carried forward the magisterium of Pope Francis with the apostolic exhortation Dilexi te on love for the poor," he said. "And there, where it speaks of charity in the form of accompanying migrants, the figure of St. Frances Cabrini appears right alongside St. John Baptist Scalabrini. What could be more timely than a missionary charism placed at the service of migrants?"

The pope also urged young people to learn more about Mother Cabrini, saying that those who come to know her "are captivated by her."

"Her soul was at once contemplative and active," Pope Leo said. "She was immersed in the love of the heart of Christ, and this gave her an extraordinary capacity for work and strength of spirit."

In his greeting to the pope, Bishop Maurizio Malvestiti of Lodi praised what he called Mother Cabrini's "original and highly fruitful" union of contemplation and social charity.

Both dimensions, he said, were "overwhelming and farsighted in an evangelical reading of the times and of new realities," marked by "ecumenical and interreligious intuitions" that testify that "no one is a stranger in history: We are all called to fraternity in justice and peace."

The stop in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano was the final leg of Pope Leo's brief but intense visit to Lombardy.

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

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Caritas Bangladesh has been forced to scale back its relief work for Rohingya refugees in the city of Cox's Bazar as funding from foreign donors declines, its emergency response director said.

"Our biggest challenge now is funding," said Liton Luis Gomes, project director of Caritas Bangladesh's Emergency Response Program.

"We only received 60% of the funds we planned for this fiscal year; we didn't get the remaining 40%," Gomes told EWTN News by phone. "That's why we had to reduce the quantity while maintaining the quality of our services."

The cuts have fallen hardest on shelter and hygiene work. "If we used to be able to repair 500 houses, now it has decreased by 50%. If someone asks for a hygiene kit like soap, we can't give it urgently," Gomes said.

A shrinking budget

The decline in donor support has been steep. Caritas Bangladesh reported receiving about 916 million taka ($7.4 million) for its Rohingya response in 2017–18. Support fell to about 468 million taka ($3.8 million) in 2020 and about 417 million taka ($3.4 million) in 2024. It rose to about 531 million taka ($4.3 million) in 2025 before falling again to about 427 million taka ($3.5 million) so far in 2026, the agency said.

Even so, Gomes said, the charity is maintaining the services that do not require money. "We are doing things like training volunteers for the crisis period, raising awareness about disaster relief," he said.

Caritas Bangladesh has worked in the camps since the 2017 exodus, providing shelter, water and sanitation, child protection, and education. Between 2017 and 2024, its shelter and settlement program reached an average of 38,335 households a year, the charity said, through transitional shelter assistance, repairs, tarpaulin distribution, and monsoon support. It runs 12 learning centers and two youth and adolescent centers in the camps, teaching children under the Myanmar curriculum.

Lives in the camps

The charity's work is felt in individual lives. Mohammad Arshad, 23, who lives in Camp 19, has volunteered in the shelter program of Caritas Bangladesh's Emergency Response Program since 2018. He had studied up to class nine in Myanmar and helped his father run a grocery shop before the family was forced to flee. With no stable income and eight people to support, including his aging parents, his wife, his young son, and two younger siblings, he had lain awake wondering how he would provide.

"The job was more than just a source of income; it gave me a sense of purpose. I learned how to organize workers, coordinate with engineers, and develop technical skills," Arshad told EWTN News.

"This opportunity had not only helped me; it supports my family but also [has] given me hope for a better future. As I watched my son sleep peacefully at night, [I] whispered silent thanks, to Caritas Bangladesh, to the people who had trusted me, to the strength that kept me going," Arshad added.

Momtaz Begum, a vulnerable woman who received income-generating support through Caritas, described a similar turnaround.

"My husband's addiction left us in debt, and after he abandoned us, I struggled to provide for my family by raising poultry and growing vegetables. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse, leaving us without food or income. When our home was destroyed in the rain, I moved to my father's house, where I faced mistreatment from relatives," she told EWTN News.

On Jan. 18, 2022, Begum received 25,000 taka (about $200) from Caritas Bangladesh to start an income-generating activity. She used the money to expand her cloth business.

"Earlier, I had to share profits with a shopkeeper, but now I buy cloth independently and keep all the profit. This has increased my daily earnings to 400-500 taka [about $3 to $4], allowing me to save … money," Begum told EWTN News.

A stateless people

Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since the 1970s. In the 1990s, more than 250,000 sheltered in Cox's Bazar, though all but 20,000 were repatriated after a campaign that began in the early 2000s.

The influx resumed in 2015, and by 2017 an estimated 300,000 Rohingya were in Bangladesh. About 537,000 more fled across the border to Cox's Bazar in August 2017 as violence intensified in Myanmar's Rakhine state, prompting the United Nations to call the situation "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

By December 2023, 971,904 Rohingya were living in 33 camps in the Cox's Bazar district. Pope Francis met a group of Rohingya refugees during his apostolic visit to Bangladesh in 2017.

Looking ahead, Caritas Bangladesh said it aims to build stronger links between the refugees it assists and local businesses, and to deepen cooperation with government and aid agencies, even within a tighter budget.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup began on June 11 — making history as the first World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The FIFA World Cup is one of the most-watched sporting events with roughly 5 billion people tuning in to the tournament that brings together soccer's best athletes from around the world.

Despite only being a little over a week into the soccer tournament, the name of Jesus has already been made known many times from several of the athletes and teams as they compete on this global stage.

Here are five powerful moments of faith we've seen at the World Cup so far:

1. Croatian team shares the importance of their Catholic faith

Ahead of Croatia's first match against England, two members of the team took part in a press conference where they discussed the role their Catholic faith plays in their lives.

EWTN News correspondent Mark Irons was in attendance and asked Kristijan Jakic and Igor Matanovic what Catholicism means to the team and if prayer and faith is important to them in their own lives.

"I think faith is very important in my life. When you pray to God, it's like a feeling that someone is listening to you, and that gives me a lot of strength," Matanovic said.

Jakic added: "We are a country in which we are Catholics and in which faith means the path in our lives. I think faith represents the entire national team. Faith simply means everything in our lives."

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2. Players from Curaçao and Germany join in prayer after competing against one another

The national team from the country of Curaçao — which is a Caribbean island with a population of 150,000 — made history by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. By qualifying, the island nation set a Guinness World Record as the smallest country by population to ever reach the global men's tournament.

Despite losing to Germany in their first match 7-1, the players and coaches were visibly emotional realizing the achievement the team had accomplished. In a moment of gratitude, several of the athletes joined on the pitch for a moment of prayer. They were then joined by German players Jonathan Tah and Felix Nmecha — both outspoken Christians.

In a postgame interview, Nmecha said: "During the game, we are opponents, but after the game we are all Christians and we are brothers… In our faith, we all believe that Jesus is glorified through the game and that's why we came together and simply prayed together."

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3. Lionel Messi thanks God after making history

Argentina went up against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, Kansas, where over 69,000 fans watched history unfold at the feet of the famous Argentinian player Lionel Messi.

During the 3-0 victory against Algeria, Messi recorded the first FIFA World Cup hat trick — when a single player scores three goals during one game — of his career. Additionally, Messi made history by tying former German soccer player Miroslav Klose's record for most men's World Cup goals scored at 16.

After the game, Messi, a devout Catholic, said: "I can't ask for more than what I received. As I've said many times, thank God that he has given me so much and everything that comes now is a blessing."

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4. Team USA shares a moment of prayer after historic win against Paraguay

On June 12, the men from the United States started their World Cup journey on a positive note with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay. After the game, defender Mark McKenzie led the team in a moment of prayer on the field.

Leading into the tournament, several of the U.S. players were vocal about their faith. Star winger Christian Pulisic is known for leading several of his teammates in a Bible study he calls "Bible Time" and has discussed the important role reading Scripture plays in his daily life.

Goalkeeper Matt Freese recently spoke to Sports Spectrum's "What's Up" podcast and discussed how his faith and career are intertwined.

"God's given me so many opportunities within this game and within my career. I still have a role to play in that. I still have to do my part and take that opportunity and do something with it," Freese said.

He also shared that he's a listener of Father Mike Schmitz's "Bible in a Year" podcast.

"Right now I'm listening to 'Bible in a Year' by Father Mike Schmitz. It's been fantastic and it kind of makes me able to — even when I'm on the road or even if it's a busy stretch — make sure I'm spending some time every day, hopefully every day, [with Scripture]," he said.

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5. Felix Nmecha honors Jesus in post-goal celebration

German midfielder Felix Nmecha honored Jesus by making a powerful gesture after scoring the first goal in Germany's 7-1 victory against Curaçao on June 14.

After scoring the goal, Nmecha knelt down on one knee and made the gesture of taking off a crown from his head, placed it on the ground, and then pointed up to the sky. This "crown down" gesture, as it has been called, symbolizes that every gift, every victory, and every moment of glory belongs to Christ.

In a postgame interview, Nmecha said: "It was an incredible blessing to score my first goal for Germany and for it to be so fast. All the glory I give to God, because he is the one who has given me this talent and the opportunity to be here living this dream."

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The Child Jesus Children's Hospital in Madrid is unlike most hospitals. Its waiting room is reminiscent of a theater; in its long corridors, decorated with bright colors, there is a fruit shop, a school, game rooms, an ice cream parlor, and even some bird houses that adorn the main staircase.

At this hospital, which looks like something out of a storybook, medical professionals work to ensure that children can keep smiling despite their illnesses.

This is the case for Carmen Molina, a nurse in the hospital's pediatric comprehensive palliative care unit, who recently shared her testimony at a gathering organized for Pope Leo XIV's visit to the Movistar Arena in Madrid.

Sitting near one of the play areas in the hospital, Molina shared with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, her experience accompanying seriously ill children and their families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

'God's hand is always there'

The vocation Molina chose is not an easy one. "There are things that are painful for you, too, when accompanying the patient through this process, knowing there is no option for a cure. But it changes your perspective and the way you care for them," she said.

Since she first came to the hospital three years ago, she has had to face tough challenges marked "not only by physical exhaustion, but also by the emotional and spiritual pain" of sick children and their families.

Despite the hardships, she said faith sustains her every day and helps her to be aware of her own limitations and fragility. "You find meaning in many of the situations you experience, and you realize that, thank God, a lot of things don't depend on you personally; that gives you peace of mind."

"The hand of God is always there — always," Molina said, convinced that his presence becomes visible in sick children and their loved ones. "Of course, everyone goes through it as best they can, but I see it in the way they face so many things in their day-to-day lives, in the way they look toward the future and 'normalize' so many aspects of their situation."

With extensive experience in palliative care, the nurse pointed out certain recurring patterns among people in the final stage of life. "They want to feel loved and don't want to be a burden to others. They wish to heal old wounds, ask for forgiveness, be forgiven, or find reconciliation."

As they find themselves in the final stretch of their lives, Molina noted that many people "seek the meaning of their life" without concerning themselves with material things. Ultimately, she emphasized, "what counts is the love given or not given; that's what matters at the end of life."

Recognizing the person as someone unique

She emphasized that palliative care "is necessary for living with peace and dignity" and clarified that "we don't focus on death, but on life," so that patients live as well as possible. "What matters is how they live; it's not so much about how long they will live, but rather how they will live."

In her view, this is closely linked to the dignity of each person, which "depends neither on the time lived — whether long or short — nor on the health one enjoys or the illness one suffers."

"Nor does it depend on success," she added, "nor on the abilities one may possess; rather, it is something so intrinsic and so infinite that we are called to protect, care for, appreciate, and attend to the person in a holistic way."

The nurse explained that palliative care aims to address every dimension of the person, focusing not only on the physical dimension but also on the emotional, social, and spiritual ones.

"We try not to reduce the person to their illness," she said, "but rather to recognize that person as a unique individual with a story that deserves respect, someone who has value right up to the very last moment of their life."

She further noted that hope is indispensable at this stage: "As long as there is hope, there is life and expectation."

She clarified that it's not about "the hope of a cure, but the hope of living each day with meaning, being at peace, and saying goodbye properly."

"If you are at peace with yourself and with others, I believe going to heaven is a joy."

The cross: A companion in suffering

Molina also pointed out that accepting the illness is a key element: "When you take a step toward transcendence, toward peace, it is palpable, even if it isn't fully understood. I have been fortunate enough to witness how the sick person and their family, despite the hardships, experience moments of serenity, peace, intimacy, and inner healing. I believe that hope does not vanish; rather, it changes form."

Throughout her journey as a palliative care nurse, she has witnessed how many patients and their loved ones have found "strength in faith, in prayer, and in the cross, understood as a companion in suffering."

Ultimately, she emphasized that what helps the patient most "is knowing that their life matters to others and feeling accompanied by God."

Drawing on her own experience, she encourages people "not to wait until they are sick to ask themselves about what is truly important and essential: loving and letting yourself be loved. It's about living a life of integrity and caring for your family, friends, and those around you. Ultimately, life is not measured by success or productivity but by authenticity and love."

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

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On the evening of July 25, 1624, a Breton farmer, Yves Nicolazic, followed an unexplained light through the countryside of Brittany, France. What he discovered would transform a quiet village into the third-most-visited pilgrimage site in France and establish the only Church-approved apparition of St. Anne.

According to historical accounts, Nicolazic, a deeply religious farmer from the village of Keranna, began experiencing a series of extraordinary events in August 1623. He reported seeing mysterious lights and hearing voices near his home. Eventually, he said the figure speaking to him identified herself as St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Anne told Nicolazic that an ancient chapel dedicated to her had once stood in the area but had fallen into ruin centuries earlier. She asked that the sanctuary be rebuilt so that people could once again come there to honor God and seek her intercession.

According to tradition, the first chapel had been built nearly nine centuries before Nicolazic's visitations. However, the original chapel was destroyed at the end of the seventh century. Still, the memory of it was kept alive by tradition, and the hamlet was called "Keranna"; i.e., "Village of Anne." The visions culminated on the night of July 25, 1624, when Nicolazic followed a brilliant torch-like light to a field where workers later uncovered an old statue of St. Anne. The discovery was viewed as confirmation of Nicolazic's claims and sparked widespread interest throughout Brittany.

Church authorities investigated the reported apparitions and eventually approved devotion at the site. Construction of a new chapel soon began, laying the foundation for what would become the Shrine of St. Anne d'Auray.

A center of Breton faith

The shrine quickly became a focal point for Catholic life in Brittany, a region known for its strong religious traditions and distinctive Catholic identity.

Pilgrims traveled long distances on foot to visit the sanctuary, seeking healing, spiritual renewal, and the intercession of St. Anne. Over time, annual pilgrimages grew into major religious gatherings that attracted thousands of faithful.

As devotion spread, St. Anne came to be regarded as a special patroness of Brittany. Families entrusted children to her care, sailors sought her protection before voyages, and generations of Catholics turned to her as a model of faith and family life.

Surviving revolution and conflict

The shrine's history has not been without challenges.

During the French Revolution, Catholic churches and religious institutions across France faced suppression, confiscation, and destruction from revolutionists. Like countless Catholic sites throughout the country, St. Anne d'Auray experienced the same persecution. The original statue, which had lasted over nine centuries, was tragically destroyed by anticlerical forces. Today, a surviving, blackened fragment of the original head is securely preserved and venerated within a dedicated reliquary. Despite the revolution, devotion to St. Anne endured.

The sanctuary eventually recovered and entered a new period of growth during the 19th century. A larger basilica was constructed from 1865 to 1872 to accommodate increasing numbers of pilgrims. 

Papal recognition

The significance of St. Anne d'Auray has been recognized repeatedly by the universal Church.

In 1996, Pope John Paul II visited the shrine during his apostolic journey to France. During the visit, he prayed with pilgrims and highlighted the importance of family life, a theme closely associated with devotion to St. Anne and the Holy Family.

The papal visit marked a milestone in the shrine's history and underscored its importance not only to Brittany but also to the broader Catholic world.

Today, the sanctuary remains one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in France, behind Lisieux and Lourdes. Pilgrims arrive for major feast days, organized diocesan pilgrimages, and personal spiritual retreats.

A legacy that endures

Four hundred years after Nicolazic first reported seeing a mysterious light in the Breton countryside, the message associated with St. Anne d'Auray continues to resonate.

The bells that ring across the sanctuary grounds today echo a history stretching back centuries. They tell the story of a farmer who was entrusted with a mission, a community that responded in faith, and a shrine that remains a living witness to one of Catholicism's most enduring traditions.

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DENVER — On March 25, Archbishop James Golka was installed as the new archbishop for the Archdiocese of Denver after serving as bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs since 2021.

Golka follows in the footsteps of Archbishop Samuel Aquila, who led the archdiocese since 2012 and was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI.

Golka told EWTN News in a sit-down interview that he was "not expecting to come to Denver."

"I had been in [Colorado] Springs for four and a half years as a bishop and I know many other bishops more qualified than I am, who have served longer than I have. So, I thought I was safe, if you will," he said. "So when I saw that the nuncio had tried to call me, I said a prayer and called him back and he said, 'Are you alone? Can we talk?' And I joked and I said, 'Your Eminence, we can talk all you want as long as you're not going to move me.' And he laughed and he just right away said, 'You've been appointed.'

Golka shared that he had two reactions to the news. First, he was sad to be leaving the Diocese of Colorado Springs after falling in love with the parishes, the people, and the pastors. Second, he immediately said "yes" because he believes that "if the Holy Spirit is asking through the Church and the Holy Father, you have to say yes."

"I also joked that in my last five assignments I would have never chosen any of them myself. So it's clear to me God chose them and if God wants it, it's going to be great if I let God do it," he added.

The new appointment comes at a time where the world is still getting to know Pope Leo XIV, which includes analyzing and monitoring the new pope's appointments. When asked why he believes the Holy Father chose him for Denver, Golka shared that he asked the papal nuncio this very question during their call, which took place on Feb. 7.

"I asked the papal nuncio why I was chosen for Denver and he said, 'I don't really know,'" Golka recalled. "He said that the Holy Father discerns and prays, so we believe the Spirit is leading this choice, so that's first of all it."

Golka added that he sees Pope Leo as a "very thoughtful, well-considered person," so if he had to guess why he was chosen, Golka would credit it to the fact that he loves Jesus "immensely."

"I try to talk about him [Jesus] as much as I can and be a witness to that. I love being a pastor … So, I think the Holy Father wants people who love Our Lord openly, outwardly, and who are pastors who care for the people," he said.

Born and raised in Grand Island, Nebraska, Golka was the fourth of 10 children. His father, Robert, was a civil engineer and his mother, Patricia, was a Catholic school teacher.

Golka shared that his parents were "experts at passing on the faith." While they never sat their children down for a lesson on the faith or opened the catechism to teach them from it, the children had the faith instilled in them from young ages because "they just lived it [the faith]."

In second grade, Golka was preparing to receive his first Communion and in one of his workbook activities it asked the children to draw a picture of someone they enjoyed listening to. Golka drew a picture of his parish priest.

"I knew it was in me at a young age," he said.

When Golka was in eighth grade one of his older brothers entered the seminary. Despite his brother discerning out of the priesthood, Golka thought to himself, "Boy, if he can do it, I can do it."

"I went up and stayed with him for a week when I was in eighth grade and I thought to myself, 'This is where God's calling me.'"

Growing up in a large family, Golka dreamt of getting married and having a lot of children. He shared that he "grieved the loss of children I wouldn't have and the loss of a family."

However, "God assured me that many people would treat me as father and call me Father for the rest of my life, and he's come through on that promise," he said.

In the weeks leading up to Golka's installation as archbishop of Denver, both of his parents passed away — his mother in January and his father in March.

"Both of their deaths were not surprising, but both were unexpected and both were incredibly beautiful deaths but painful as heck," he shared.

He explained that his mother passed away in her sleep right before he was appointed archbishop. Golka's father was in attendance at the press conference held after the announcement was made and he recalled his father "being the star of the show that day."

On March 3 — less than a month after the press conference — Golka visited his father in the hospital.

"I went into his hospital room — he was very awake that day, his last day of being lucid — and I walked in the room and … he looked at me and he smiled and I said, 'What dad, you couldn't wait till March 25?' And he laughed and he said, 'No, I'm going to die tomorrow or the next day, but I can do more for you from heaven that I can from here. So you can trust that,'" Golka recalled.

His father passed away on March 5.

On the day of Golka's installation, he recalled being extremely tired, lightheaded, and he was worried he was going to pass out.

"I was just so tired, exhausted, and as soon as Archbishop Aquila and [apostolic nuncio] Cardinal [Christophe] Pierre put me in the cathedra and Archbishop Aquila gave me the crozier, immediately my mom was standing right here [on his right side] and my dad right here [on his left side] — like they're tangible," he shared. "And so it was almost like God told me, 'Now relax and enjoy this. We'll take care of you.' And my dad said, 'We're going to stand in front of God and intercede for our family for all of eternity. So, don't worry.' So, at my installation, what a gift to have had that, because without them there that day, I would have passed out."

He added that he has felt his parents' presence with him several times already in his new role as archbishop.

As for his top priorities for Denver, Golka said he wants to start by getting to know his priests and their parishes and invest time in supporting them, he wants to continue to work hard to defend life in the state of Colorado, and lastly he wants to "listen more intently" to God's plans for the archdiocese.

"God has a plan for this archdiocese and he knows why he brought me here and why he brought all of us here. I don't know why he made me an archbishop; I'm just a guy from Nebraska … But, he has a plan so we need to listen to him intently and trust that he isn't hiding the plan from us. He wants to show it to us. So our job then is to learn how to listen and discern."

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The acquittal of an elderly Missionaries of Charity (MC) nun and two others in a much-publicized "child trafficking" case at Ranchi in the eastern state of Jharkhand has been widely hailed by the Church.

"We thank God for this (court) verdict. We are happy as our prayers have been heard," Sister Concettina, MC secretary general, told EWTN News June 19 from the Mother House in Kolkata.

"Finally, 8 long years ordeal has come to an end," Archbishop Vincent Aind of Ranchi and head of the Catholic Church in Jharkhand told EWTN News, reacting to the June 18 verdict of the Ranchi district court.

On July 4, 2018, 62-year-old MC Sister Concilia and two aides from the MC home for unwed mothers at Jail Road in Ranchi were arrested on the allegation by Rupa Verma, the chairwoman of the Child Welfare Committee for the Ranchi district, that the home had sold a 14-day-old infant boy to a couple.

The sensational news of "child trafficking" against the Missionaries of Charity, the congregation founded by Mother Teresa, made worldwide headlines.

A flurry of criticism followed after the federal Ministry for Women and Child Welfare under the Hindu nationalist BJP government tried to malign the MC congregation by even ordering inspection of all MC homes across the country, as detailed in this National Catholic Register report.

On July 11, The Republic, a major news channel known for publicizing BJP perspectives, alleged that the number of babies missing from the Missionaries of Charity home was as many as 280 and branded the congregation as a "multimillion corporation." However, three days later, the channel abandoned its hyperbolic earlier allegation and reported instead about "three babies sold."

Even the Supreme Court of India denied bail to the accused nun, who was released after 14 months on bail from the Jharkhand High Court.

"We are happy that the judiciary has thrown out the concocted case," Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, who was then secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), told EWTN News.

"The whole allegation was part of a conspiracy to tarnish the image of the Church and has to be seen in the background of the political atmosphere in Jharkhand (under BJP rule) at the time with concerted attempts to discredit the Church. Church institutions were having visits of investigation teams in late evenings," Mascarenhas said.

Following this case, he said, 22 children — from infants to those below five years — who were under nutritional care at the nearby MC home at Hinoo were taken away by the government, and two of the children died.

"I met the (federal) home minister to communicate the ridicule, humiliation, and distress the Missionaries of Charity congregation faced and the pain of the Church in India over the wild allegation," said Mascarenhas, now bishop of Daltonganj in Jharkhand.

"I cannot forget the face of the tearful Sr. Concilia when I met her in jail when she told me 'I am hungry for Eucharist,'" he added.

Meanwhile, church sources in Ranchi told EWTN News that the news of the court's rejection of the "child trafficking" charge against the MCs has been virtually blacked out in the Jharkhand media, let alone the entire national media.

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Canada's Parliament has passed a bill that strengthens the prosecution of hate crimes but removes a long-standing protection for expressing religious beliefs, raising concerns among Catholic leaders.

The legislation, named the Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9), received Royal Assent on June 18 and is set to take effect July 18. The law increases penalties for hate-motivated offenses, adds new protections against intimidation or blocking access to places of worship, and bans the promotion of terrorism or certain hate symbols. It also repeals a section of the Criminal Code that said a person could not be convicted for "in good faith" expressing an opinion on a religious subject or based on a religious text.

Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto urged lawmakers to "carefully consider amendments that will provide clear and unambiguous protection for freedom of religion, conscience, and expression."

Missionaries of Charity acquitted by Indian court in child trafficking case

The Ranchi Civil Court of Jharkhand, India, has acquitted Missionaries of Charity Sister Concelia Baxla of 2018 charges of child trafficking.

Baxla had been accused of cooperating with the sale of a 2-week-old baby from a home for unwed mothers for 50,000 rupees.

"This has taken eight years to get cleared," Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas of Daltonganj, a former general secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, said, according to an Asia News report Thursday. "Today, after years of suffering, prayer, and perseverance, truth has prevailed." The decision comes after the sister spent three years in prison before being granted bail and an intense investigation of the congregation's facilities across the Indian state of Jharkhand, the report noted.

U.S.-born missionary sister who helped shape African Bible dies at 87

Tributes poured in following the death of Sister Mary Augustine Nemer, a member of the Pious Society of the Daughters of St. Paul who spent more than three decades serving the Church in East Africa.

Nemer, who died Tuesday, according to a report from ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, contributed significantly to the publication of the African Bible, one of the most important Catholic publishing projects on the continent. Beyond publishing, the late Sister Mary Augustine assisted sisters serving in Africa with immigration documentation, taught English, catechetics, and the Constitutions of the Daughters of St. Paul, and played a key role in the formation of young women preparing for religious life.

Coptic Catholic synod focuses on education and the diaspora

The Coptic Catholic Synod concluded its two-day meeting in Egypt with discussions focused on pastoral life, education, and the future of communities outside Egypt, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Wednesday.

The bishops expressed support for the Upper Egypt Association for Education and emphasized the importance of developing its mission while preserving its Catholic identity. A point of discussion was the possible establishment of the first Coptic Catholic eparchy in the diaspora. The synod also reviewed developments related to Egypt's Christian personal status law and reflected on Catholic social teaching in the age of artificial intelligence, especially the need to protect human dignity, truth, justice, and peace.

Weapons theft revealed in murder case of 11 Catholics in Northern Ireland

Documents detailing the theft of a British army gun later used to murder 11 Catholics in Northern Ireland have been revealed more than 50 years later amid an ongoing civil case against the country's police service and Ministry of Defence by a surviving family member.

The documents, which were not provided to investigation teams, link a Sterling submachine gun stolen from a military base in Northern Ireland in May 1974 to two gang members, who family survivor Eugene Reavey claims were involved in the murder of his three brothers, John Martin Reavey, Brian Reavey, and Anthony Reavey, according to an Irish News report on Tuesday. The stolen gun was used to kill 11 Catholics in 1975 and 1976.

Patriarch Paul III Nona receives Kurdish officials in Ankawa

Newly installed Chaldean Patriarch Paul III Nona received senior officials from the Kurdistan Region during his first pastoral visit outside the patriarchal diocese.

The meetings in Ankawa included congratulations from President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and other political and civil figures, ACI MENA reported Wednesday. Discussions focused on the situation of Christians in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, coexistence, and the protection of the country's religious and cultural diversity. Patriarch Nona thanked the Kurdish leadership and recalled the region's role in receiving displaced Christians after the ISIS invasion in 2014.

He also stressed the need to help Christians regain confidence, remain in their homeland, and find safe conditions and work opportunities that could encourage displaced and emigrated families to return.

'We still have a long way to go,' says archbishop in Democratic Republic of Congo

Archbishop François-Xavier Maroy Rusengo of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has expressed concern over persistent insecurity and violence in the eastern part of the country, lamenting that decades of conflict continue to undermine efforts toward national unity and lasting peace.

"For three decades, we have lived through the horrors of war in eastern DRC. This situation shows that we still have a long way to go in building a united nation, one family of God's children living on the land the Lord has entrusted to us," the archbishop said during a Thanksgiving Mass marking the 20th anniversary of his installation on Thursday, ACI Africa reported. Drawing on the Gospel message of love and reconciliation, Maroy urged Congolese citizens to embrace peaceful coexistence and work together for the common good.

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WASHINGTON — The Catholic Church's permanent diaconate in the United States reached a record size in 2025. Still, a national survey suggested the ministry may be approaching a demographic crossroads as aging membership, retirements, and deaths increasingly offset ordinations.

The findings come from the "A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate in 2025," an annual survey conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.

The survey was administered between February and May, asking about the previous year. CARA received responses from 143 of the 185 archdioceses, dioceses, archeparchies, and eparchies whose bishops and eparchs belong to the USCCB and have an active Office of Deacons, for a 77% overall response rate.

Researchers estimated that 21,562 permanent deacons serve in the United States, a record high. The previous year's report showed 20,212 U.S. deacons.

Yet beneath the 2025 record figure, the report revealed signs of stagnation that could shape the future of the ministry carried out by married or unmarried men ordained as permanent deacons to preach, teach, baptize, witness marriages, and lead charitable service.

"The 2025 diaconate portrait shows a remarkable rebound, estimating 570 ordinations compared to 494 retirements and 390 deaths," Sister Thu Do, LHC, the report's primary researcher, told EWTN News. "While we are moving toward a healthier replacement rate than in previous years, the workload for active deacons remains intense."

Growth slows despite record numbers

The report estimated that 13,864 deacons are active in ministry, while thousands of others are retired or no longer serving in active assignments.

Although the overall number of deacons increased slightly from the previous year, growth has slowed considerably. The survey found that losses from retirement and death are nearly matching the number of men entering the ministry.

During the 2025 calendar year, 466 permanent deacons were ordained, the study showed. Extrapolating to include those who did not respond to the survey, it can be estimated that there were 570 deacons ordained in the United States in 2025, according to the report. At the same time, 494 deacons retired from active ministry, and another 390 deacons died, the report said.

The data suggest that growth will depend heavily on whether dioceses can attract and form enough candidates to replace those leaving ministry.

An aging ministry

The report's findings highlight that the permanent diaconate is aging rapidly, and its pipeline isn't keeping up.

The median age of active deacons is 69, while the median age of all permanent deacons, including retirees, is 70. Only a small percentage of active deacons are younger than 50.

The report indicates that the permanent diaconate remains one of the oldest groups of ordained ministers in the Church in the United States.

The aging trend is also reflected in the number of deacons who retire each year. In many dioceses, retirements outpace growth, contributing to concerns that the ministry could begin declining in size if ordination rates do not increase, the report said.

Demographic profile

The survey found that the vast majority of permanent deacons are married, with only a small percentage being widowed or never married.

Racial and ethnic diversity within the diaconate continues to increase, though most deacons are non-Hispanic white, the report said. Hispanic and Latino Catholics represent a growing share of both active deacons and men in formation, the report said.

"I want to highlight how beautifully the diaconate reflects the growing cultural diversity of the U.S. Catholic Church," Sister Thu said. "This dynamic adaptation equips men to serve communities in their heart languages, serving as a wonderful testament to the universal and living nature of the Church."

Questions about the future

The report does not forecast an imminent decline in the permanent diaconate. However, its findings point to growing demographic pressures that could limit future expansion.

While the total number of deacons has reached a historic high, the ministry's growth increasingly depends on replacing aging members rather than expanding into new territory as retirements and deaths consume much of the annual increase generated by ordinations.

"This signals a crucial transition," Sister Thu said. "To maintain vibrant parish ministries and avoid a pastoral vacuum as our senior deacons rightfully retire, we must actively encourage the next generation of men to discern and hear this call."

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