Catholic News

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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For nearly four decades, a Minnesota-based pro-life organization has sought to change minds about abortion not through politics but through public education.

Mary Ann Kuharski, founder of Pro-Life Across America, said the organization began out of frustration with the growing politicization of the abortion debate and a conviction that lasting change comes from changing hearts rather than winning elections.

"I started out of frustration," Kuharski told EWTN News. "The more I looked into it, the more I realized if we don't do something to change hearts, we're never going to save babies and moms from the devastation of abortion."

Kuharski said she had spent years involved in political organizing before stepping away to focus on what would become a nonpartisan educational ministry. With encouragement from her husband and local pastors, she launched what she expected would be a small Minnesota organization dedicated to sharing pro-life messages through advertising.

"We said we were going to do one thing, and that is to get the truth out before the public," she said. "What we didn't realize is that God would use that truth to touch hearts."

'There's no such thing as an unwanted baby'

Kuharski's commitment to the pro-life movement is deeply personal.

She was adopted from one of Minnesota's last orphanages and later became the mother of 13 children, including six mixed-race children with special needs whom she adopted.

"I came from one of the last orphanages out of Minnesota, so I have a special reason why I feel like there should never be a slogan that says there's such a thing as an unwanted baby," she said.

"There's always someone who will welcome that baby if they give them a chance for life."

From a kitchen table to a nationwide outreach

Kuharski said the organization began in 1989 from her kitchen table with the help of her husband and another couple. With no office and no paid staff, the group purchased 42 simple black-and-white billboards across Minnesota carrying a message encouraging people to "listen to the heartbeat" of an unborn child.

Within two weeks, Kuharski said, the organization received a call that convinced her the campaign was making a difference.

"A clinic director in St. Paul called me and said, 'I know that's you behind these billboards,'" Kuharski recalled. "She told me a woman had come in scheduled for an abortion and said, 'I can't stand to drive by that billboard on my way to work every day. Will you help me?'"

"That's when we realized that the Holy Spirit was behind these billboards, not us," she said.

As requests for the campaign spread beyond Minnesota, the organization expanded nationally and eventually changed its name to Pro-Life Across America.

Now in its 37th year, the nonprofit operates in all 50 states through a nationwide educational outreach that includes more than 11,000 billboards annually, as well as thousands of radio spots, internet advertisements, and streaming television and radio ads when funding allows.

A ministry serving women — and men

While many assume pregnancy resource ministries primarily serve women, Kuharski said a significant number of calls come from men.

"Forty percent or more of the calls to our hotline are men," she said. "They're the fathers of the baby. They're the brothers. They're the fathers of the pregnant girl."

Some callers seek pregnancy resources, including medical care, confidential counseling, housing, and adoption information, while others are looking for healing years after abortion.

Kuharski recalled one man who contacted the organization around Christmas after years of staying away from church.

"He said, 'I paid for two abortions years ago, and I've never felt good about going back into a church,'" she said. "'I pushed and pushed her until she got those abortions, and I haven't been able to have peace since.'"

The organization connected him with a pastor and a men's support group.

"It's amazing what the truth will do to help us really relieve our consciences if we follow our conscience," Kuharski said.

Kuharski said stories like his are common, as are calls from women who credit the organization's outreach with changing the course of their lives.

One recent caller shared her gratitude three years after seeing one of the organization's billboards.

"I had to call to say, 'Thank you!' Three years ago today, because of many circumstances, I was scheduled for an abortion. I drove by one of your billboards and read the message. Today, I'm on my way to church with my 3-and-a-half-year-old little girl, and I have you to thank for her!"

Kuharski said moments like these reinforce the organization's belief that a simple billboard or advertisement can be the only sign of hope someone encounters during an unexpected pregnancy.

"So often a simple billboard, radio message, or ad on the internet may be the only sign of help and hope to someone experiencing an untimely pregnancy," she said.

Continuing the mission

Today, Kuharski's daughter oversees much of the organization's daily operations. The ministry's hotline receives more than 700 calls each month from people seeking pregnancy assistance, adoption information, medical care, confidential counseling, housing, or post-abortion support.

The hotline operates around the clock and connects callers with a network of more than 3,000 pro-life agencies across the country, including Spanish-language resources.

Although the organization now has 11 employees, Kuharski said that only one works full time. She said approximately 92 cents of every donated dollar goes directly toward the ministry's outreach rather than administrative costs, with less than 8 cents going toward administrative expenses. The organization remains entirely donor-funded.

Despite decades of growth, Kuharski said the organization's mission has remained unchanged.

"We're nonpolitical and totally educational and service-oriented," she said. "Not that I wouldn't want to change the laws, but I think it's important for us to change hearts in this country."

She said the ministry continues to operate "like a mission," relying entirely on public support to sustain its nationwide outreach and to ensure that those facing unexpected pregnancies can find help when they need it most.

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Vampires can teach us about ourselves and about God's mercy, at least according to Sister Allison Gliot, a religious sister who wrote a vampire trilogy that concluded this summer.

Gliot is part of the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious order with the mission to evangelize through media. The vampire trilogy is a part of that evangelizing mission.

Gliot's "In Aeternum" trilogy begins with Elizabeth, a Catholic teenager caught up in a fight between vampires who goes on the run with a vampire outcast named Christopher. The story concludes in the third book, "The Dawn We Seek," which was released July 24.

In an interview with EWTN News, Gliot shared about the spiritual journey of her writing process, what Catholics can learn from cryptids, and a prayer request.

EWTN News: As you conclude this trilogy, what stays with you from the spiritual journey of writing it?

Gliot: When I first started writing this series, it was a solitary endeavor — just me and Jesus. When I shared the books with my publishing house, the circle grew to include my sisters and editors.

But now that actual readers have been engaging with these stories and sharing their thoughts, hopes, and spiritual struggles with me as a result, Jesus has really been encouraging me to carry the readers in my heart and prayers in a special way.

This story isn't just mine anymore.

I surrendered it to God and to the readers when I published it, and it's beautiful and profoundly humbling for me to see the fruit it's bearing in so many lives.

How can writing be a spiritual experience and how do you as a religious sister connect your faith with your writing?

For me, storytelling is a spiritual experience because it's something I do with Jesus. He provides the initial inspiration and asks me to trust him enough to put the time and effort into writing it down. Then he stays with me during the writing, teaching me things through the experience and helping me make connections I never would have been able to see on my own.

Writing stories that involve my faith helps me to explore and live that faith more deeply, and, at the same time, I often notice my spiritual struggles and faith epiphanies from religious life trickling into my writing in various (and sometimes surprising) ways.

How does the trilogy deal with sin, redemption, and our relationship with God, and what can we learn about ourselves through fictional cryptid characters?

In the "In Aeternum" trilogy, vampires are a mirror of our wounded humanity at its worst. They are an exploration of just how far we can fall when we truly make the choice to embrace sin and evil.

But because vampires embody such an extreme, they also provide an opportunity to show the extremity of God's mercy and the lengths he will go to save us — if we let him. And if we're willing to change our ways and step toward God's goodness, even if we've gone very far in the other direction, even if it's just a tiny step.

No reader will have committed the same atrocities as the vampires in my books (I hope). But if there can be a possibility of repentance and redemption even for them, then I pray that even readers who feel like they've hit rock bottom can find a ray of divine hope through these books.

How does Catholicism invite us to use our imagination and creativity? How does it expand our imagination rather than limit it?

The Catholic Church teaches that God created our imaginations and gave us gifts of creativity — gifts that he desires us to delight in and to use for building up his kingdom.

But God is the ultimate Creator, and his imagination far surpasses ours. He can speak to us through so many means — including beauty, story, and imaginative play. Catholicism, far from limiting our imagination, puts us in touch with God's imagination and communicates his very life to us through the grace of the sacraments.

When we fully embrace our faith, allowing God to infuse us with his grace and inspire us with his divine love, we find ourselves on fire with the same creativity he used to make the world and everything in it. Exercising that creativity through our minds, wills, and hearts in harmony with God is a powerful force to draw us even closer to him.

What does the field of fiction-writing look like for Catholic authors?

I'd like to ask anyone reading this to say a prayer for Catholic authors who are seeking to bring God and the faith into popular genres. Since I began publishing Catholic urban fantasy stories, I've had so many authors and aspiring authors reach out to me to share their hopes and dreams for their faith-based stories. But even though these stories are so needed in our world today and have so much evangelizing and catechetical potential, it isn't an easy field to navigate or break into. So please pray for Catholic authors and storytellers, that the Holy Spirit can bring much good out of the work we strive to do in his name.

To learn more about Gliot's new book, visit Pauline Books & Media.

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Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed concern over the "alarming situation" in Ceuta and appealed for solutions capable of bringing peace, stability and justice to the Spanish enclave facing a major migration and humanitarian crisis.

"I am following with concern the alarming situation in Ceuta, praying to God that, through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa, solutions may be found to bring peace, stability and justice," the pope said after leading the Angelus in St. Peter's Square on Aug. 2.

His remarks followed the arrival of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people from Morocco on July 30, many of whom attempted to reach Spanish territory by swimming around the border barriers.

According to figures provided by Spanish authorities, at least 67 people died, most of them by drowning. The influx overwhelmed the autonomous city's capacity to respond and prompted authorities to install additional barriers near the El Tarajal border crossing.

The pope also renewed his appeal for an end to armed conflicts around the world.

"Let us continue to pray for peace, that wars may cease throughout the world and diplomatic solutions to conflicts may be found," he said.

"Let us remember all the victims of hostilities, especially the weakest and most defenseless: children, the elderly and the sick," he continued. "May the Lord comfort those who suffer and bless the work of those who bring aid and consolation."

Pope Leo also recalled the Pardon of Assisi, the plenary indulgence traditionally associated with the Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy.

"Saint Francis obtained this Indulgence from Pope Honorius III in 1216, having been inspired — while praying at the Porziuncola — by a vision of Jesus and Mary surrounded by angels," he said.

"Let us thank the Lord for this great gift and treasure it, especially in this eighth centenary year of the Transitus of the Poor Man of Assisi, who died at the Porziuncola on 3 October 1226."

Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Leo encouraged Catholics to rediscover the practice of blessing meals as a simple public witness to faith and a way of bringing the beauty of the Eucharist into everyday life.

"As we savor the grace of the Eucharist, let us commit ourselves to bearing witness to its beauty in our daily actions, beginning with blessing meals at the table with family and friends," he said.

The pope reflected on the Gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, explaining that Christ's miracles reveal both his care for humanity and the salvation he offers to the world.

"When we listen to the Gospel, we frequently hear that Jesus performed signs, which are acts that reveal his special dedication to us and the salvation that he brings to the world," he said. "The Lord is presented as the One who gives meaning to our lives, freeing us from evil and sin."

Pope Leo said Christ's healing miracles were not merely extraordinary acts but signs that the kingdom of God was near.

"By restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, Christ is doing more than merely performing miraculous deeds; he is proclaiming to all that the Kingdom of God is near," he said.

The Gospel, he continued, shows that Christ not only restores the senses but also fills them with good things, giving food to the hungry as well as sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.

"The account of the multiplication of the loaves shows us that the encounter with the Lord is a nourishing experience," he said. "In the desert, that is, when we are in need, Christ is the bread of life."

The 12 baskets of food left over after the crowd had eaten, the pope explained, signify both the universal character of God's gift and the constancy of his providential care.

"Christ truly satisfies humanity's hunger, our hunger for truth and life," he said. "His gesture teaches us that nothing is discarded when it is shared."

Pope Leo contrasted that spirit of generosity with a culture driven by accumulation and waste.

"Hoarding and waste, on the contrary, are two sides of the same evil: greed," he said.

He described greed as a spiritual sickness that dulls the senses and makes people indifferent to the suffering of others.

"This spiritual sickness numbs the senses, which become intoxicated with wealth, to the point of making people forget those who weep from hunger and cry out from thirst," he said.

"And so, in the face of an opulence that reeks of decay, we find the outstretched hands of those who have no nourishment, the burned homes of those who have no peace."

Against the "deserts of war and arrogance," the pope invited Christians to contemplate the actions of Jesus during the multiplication of the loaves: looking to heaven, blessing the bread, breaking it and giving it to the disciples to distribute.

"In this miracle of charity, we recognize the characteristic actions of Jesus, which find their culmination in the Last Supper, for it was then that the Son of God gave us his very life as our brother in humanity," he said.

The pope concluded by encouraging Catholics to make their summer vacations an opportunity for fraternity and service.

"In Jesus' company, even vacations can become a time of fraternal serenity, if we reach out to our neighbors in need," he said.

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

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Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

"Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments," Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.

Gilbert's statement came after Sim's participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as "a clear break with the Church."

Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation "have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them."

Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in Spain

A community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is "waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home" after being evacuated amid wildfires.

The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community.

"We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home," the sisters said. "We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all."

Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstill

Father Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28.

Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford.

The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.

Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identity

The bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church's theological teachings about human biology amid rising "tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality."

"In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains," the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled "Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity."

The bishops further called on the faithful to "resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order."

Christians in Syria call for lasting security

Another security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.

Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.

French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfires

The presidency of the Bishops' Conference of France is calling on Catholics to "take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place" in the aftermath of recent wildfires.

"We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat," the conference's leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president.

"We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated," the bishops said. "That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence."

Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab Emirates

Nearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.

Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported.

Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.

2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishop

Bishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses "in persona Episcopi."

"I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns," Nash said in a statement following the announcement.

"The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish," he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visit

Lebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.

During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported.

The patriarch also highlighted Lebanon's importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the region's Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.

Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South Sudan

Bishop Elias Zaidan expressed his "solidarity and fraternal unity" with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.

"On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan," Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.

"Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country's Transitional Constitution framework."

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Ahead of New York's assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation "was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide."

Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.

On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.

"We shouldn't be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering," Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of "EWTN News In Depth."

When New York's state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, "it didn't include any waiting periods out of the gate," which are intended "to protect against rash decision-making," he said.

There also "wasn't a residential requirement," he said. So people "could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period."

"Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because they're going to come back. They always do," he said.

Aging with Dignity

Founded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization "was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life," said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.

For Mother Teresa, "dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people weren't just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied," he said.

"They needed, in Mother's words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Mother's example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity," he said.

Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.

Its research has found that the situation is "a mess," Jamie Towey said. "We were promised that this would be transparent," but "in reality we have very poor insights into what's happening with the data."

New Mexico and Montana have "never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data," he said. "Our nation's capital of Washington, D.C., hasn't submitted one in years."

Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii's health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.

There are also "tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states," because "one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs," he said.

"But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things," he said.

Even though "every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, "only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and that's Oregon," he said. "Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations."

Some studies show "as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression," he said. "One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that."

Increase in assisted suicide led by 'culture of death'

"To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or who's just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,"  Towey said. "Maybe they don't have good access to pain control" or "they don't have good access to care."

"If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow," he said.

"Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are $20 million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where it's been legalized. And so they're moving in on the vulnerable," he said.

To people who feel this way, Towey's message is to remember that "your life has meaning, and it's hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment."

"You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you're not getting those, that's an indictment on our healthcare system, and that's what we ought to fix," he said.

You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you're not getting those, that's an indictment on our healthcare system, and that's what we ought to fix."

Jamie Towie

President, Aging with Dignity

To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.

"Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. That's guaranteed in federal law," he said.

Five Wishes "has been used by 44 million Americans" and "40,000 organizations," he said. "We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them."

"I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones," he said.

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The brief detention by immigration officials of a Catholic religious sister in south Texas continues to reverberate through immigrant Catholic communities, with Sister Norma Pimentel saying the experience left lasting emotional scars and heightened fears about immigration enforcement.

Speaking in an interview with "EWTN News In Depth" host Catherine Hadro on July 31, Pimentel — a Missionary of Jesus and the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley who has served as a long-time migrant advocate — recounted her reaction after learning that Sister Leticia "Letty" Ugboaja had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials while walking to church in June.

Ugboaja, a Nigerian-born member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a nurse, has served in the Diocese of Brownsville for nearly two decades. She has ministered in Catholic schools, parishes, and hospitals throughout south Texas and has become well known for her work with immigrant and low-income families.

In 2019, a judge denied Ugboaja's asylum application but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture because she is likely to face torture in her native country.

She is still at risk of third-country removal, however. Her attorney, Carlos Garcia, says she is legally permitted to work in the U.S. and has complied with every immigration requirement.

"My most immediate concern was that she needed somebody by her side," Pimentel recalled in the interview with "EWTN News in Depth."

She said she learned from a priest that Ugboaja was "very frightened," crying after being taken into custody. Pimentel immediately contacted an ICE official she knew to determine what had happened and whether she could accompany the nun during the process.

"Knowing her, she's such a beautiful person," Pimentel said. "She was walking to church, and the last thing in her mind was that somebody was just going to take her and change her life this way."

Although Ugboaja has resumed serving her community, including attending daily Mass, Pimentel said the experience continues to affect her.

"I think she's a strong woman that is trying her best to put this behind her," she said. "But I noticed that even the day of the press conference, she became overwhelmed with fear."

Concerns over access to the sacraments

During the interview, Hadro replayed remarks Ugboaja made at a recent press conference where the religious sister described being prevented from attending Sunday Mass or receiving Holy Communion while in detention.

"It was very, very heartbreaking for me," Letty said. "Can I go to Mass? Can I just attend Mass? Can I receive Communion? And the answer was no."

Asked whether immigration enforcement has affected Catholics' ability to practice their faith, Pimentel said priests throughout the Diocese of Brownsville have reported growing anxiety among immigrant families.

"What I hear from local priests that call me … is, 'Norma, please help me. One of our families, one of their mothers … they're all frightened,'" Pimentel said in the interview.

While Pimentel said she is not aware of people being detained while attending Mass, she said many families have become fearful after seeing immigration officials in their communities, including near schools.

"It's so sad to hear that, the fact that people are afraid to go to church," she said.

A call for legal pathways

Hadro also asked Pimentel how Catholics should balance respect for the rule of law with the Church's teaching on the dignity of every human person.

Pimentel said border security and human dignity "go hand in hand," arguing that nations have the right to maintain an orderly immigration system while also providing legal avenues for migrants who qualify to remain in the country.

"We must be able to distinguish the difference," she said, calling for "safe legal procedures" that allow immigrants who contribute to their communities to pursue legal status.

Pimentel expressed hope that legal pathways for asylum seekers who do not pose a threat to public safety would continue to be available.

"I think those legal pathways need to be established," she said, "for certain individuals that present themselves as something that contributes good to our country."

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The Massachusetts government this week moved to strip all restrictions from abortion and allow the procedure up until birth so long as a doctor approves of it.

The state Senate passed Bill H.5595 on July 31, a little over a week after the state House passed the same measure. The bill now awaits Democratic Gov. Maura Healey's signature.

The legislation removes all of the state's current restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks, instead dictating that a late-term abortion may be done based upon "the professional judgment of the physician" performing it.

Current state law, which H.5595 would change, only allows late-term abortions if they are necessary to preserve the life or "physical or mental health" of the mother, or if the baby has been diagnosed with a fatal condition.

Abortions are also allowed to be performed in the state if a baby would require "extraordinary medical interventions" to survive after birth.

If signed into law, the bill would make Massachusetts the 11th state to impose no limits whatsoever on abortion. Healey, who has served as the state's governor since 2023, is an outspoken supporter of abortion.

The passage of the bill drew rebuke from SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said in a July 31 statement that the state's already-generous abortion policy "isn't enough for Democrats whose party holds the position of no limits on abortion whatsoever."

"These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the 'states-only' philosophy on abortion," she argued.

"The GOP must abandon the failed 'leave it to the states' position and move the country toward a national protection for unborn children across this nation," she said.

Ahead of the July 31 vote, the state's Catholic bishops had also criticized the measure.

"The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral," the bishops' July 29 statement read.

The bishops urged Catholics "to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life."

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