Catholic News

In Pittsburgh's suburban neighborhood of Beechview sits a unique Catholic spiritual center focused on a saint known for miracles whose feast is celebrated July 24 in the Latin rite and the third Sunday of July in the Maronite rite.

The Saint Sharbel Spiritual Life Center is "the only one of its kind in the world," Maronite Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn said in an interview with EWTN News when it opened on Dec. 8, 2023. (Its official opening date was April 13, 2024.)

St. Sharbel, canonized in 1954, was a Lebanese Maronite priest and hermit who lived between 1828 and 1898. Although few words are recorded from his life and he lived in solitude, he is the patron saint of Lebanon and is famous for his miraculous healing intercession.

The Saint Sharbel Spiritual Life Center offers retreats, courses on spirituality, daily sacraments, Eucharistic adoration, Scripture studies, prayer, reading, and several other opportunities for growth.

Dr. Anne Borik, a Catholic medical doctor and founder of the worldwide prayer group the Saint Sharbel Global Prayer Net, is director of the center. According to the center's website, Borik was the lead physician who investigated the miraculous healing of the blind woman who fully regained her sight through the intercession of St. Sharbel in 2016 at St. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church in Phoenix.

The center, which is adjacent to Our Lady of Victory Maronite Parish, also includes a library filled with more than 10,000 books on spirituality and a relic of St. Sharbel Makhlouf.

The saint's relic that is housed in the center is the same first-class relic associated with the healing of Dafne Gutierrez, the Phoenix woman who was completely blind but healed after venerating the relic in 2016.

Mansour told EWTN News that the eparchy named the center after St. Sharbel "because people know and associate him mostly with miracles and with favors done and intercessions. But sometimes they don't associate him with a deep and abiding spiritual life."

"And that's why we want to focus, of course, on his miracles and his favors and his intercessions, but also developing our love for the Eucharist, our love for Our Lady, our love for the Church, our love for asceticism, our love for silence, our love for solitude that Sharbel not only embodied but lived by extraordinary, heroic example," he said.

Those visiting the 10,300-square-foot center can learn about St. Sharbel through books, periodicals, and videos, and can attend Mass, retreats, and workshops. The center also offers virtual programs.

In addition to its focus on St. Sharbel's spirituality, the center also features both western and eastern saints, and has offered the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and a course in Syriac spirituality.

When it opened, the center was approved to build more than a dozen overnight housing units on the property so that retreatants can stay for a prolonged period of time. The center welcomes funding to continue to realize its mission and grow its programs.

This story was first published on July 25, 2024, and has been updated.

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NAIROBI, Kenya — Residents in an impoverished informal settlement called "Bangladesh" in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa turned up in large numbers for a two-day medical camp July 18–19 organized by Mother Amadea Mission Hospital.

Many were seeking treatment for ailments that had gone untreated for years.

During the two-day medical screening, run by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Archdiocese of Mombasa (SSJ), many previously undiagnosed and unmanaged cases of noncommunicable diseases — particularly hypertension — along with numerous skin diseases and suspected cases of cancer requiring further evaluation were identified.

Although thousands turned up for assistance, the resources available could only support 1,140 individuals. Those that could not be assisted at the camp were given appointments for free medical services at the sister-run hospital in Mikindani.

In an interview on July 22 with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, Sister Veronica Wanjiru, the administrator of Mother Amadea Mission Hospital, said the medical camp is one in an array of community support activities the sisters are engaged in and that it is tied to the SSJ's charism.

"Our charism is to witness in simplicity the saving mission of Christ among ourselves, those that we serve, and also that we interact with. As sisters of St. Joseph, we are always committed to serving the poor and the vulnerable," Sister Veronica said.

She added that in the vast Bangladesh slum, many families lack access to healthcare services because of financial constraints, and families also lack awareness about preventive measures to possible ailments. "We therefore organized a medical camp to bring the services closer to them," she said.

For the medical camp, the SSJ members brought on board several partners, including UCESCO Africa, as well as a team of volunteers from Italy, America, South Africa, and Japan.

Dr. Don Maimba Ocholi, the medical superintendent at Mother Amadea Mission Hospital, told ACI Africa that 63% of those who participated in the camp were female.

Services by the medical team included general consultation and screening for cervical, breast, and prostate cancer as well as counseling and other specialized services such as gynecology, dental, and ENT (ear, nose, and throat).

Ocholi observed a lot of eagerness from the community. "Even though we had announced that our camp would be starting from 8 a.m., there would be people queuing for services from as early as 6:30 a.m."

Through screening, the experts discovered cases with elevated blood pressure and glucose readings. "Some didn't even know about their conditions. We found it deeply concerning that there is no regard for screening and early management of these diseases in the community," Ocholi said.

"We also found that a high number of individuals who had been initially placed on hypertension and diabetes medications had defaulted in management of their conditions due to inadequate social support and financial constraints. So, we had to reinitiate treatment," he said.

The team also attended to many dermatological and dental cases. Ocholi said that owing to hygiene challenges and the lack of water in the slum community, many residents end up with skin conditions that require medical intervention.

Of the 47 people screened for cancer, one was found "highly suspicious," according to the doctor, adding: "During the screening, we also discovered some fungal and bacterial infections that were also managed at the site. Those we screened had walked around not knowing they had all these infections."

The team further discovered general surgical cases that need intervention.

Most medical needs, however, were found not to be covered by the national health insurer, in large part because there is a certain amount of money that must be paid. For most slum residents, the small amount required to enlist for government insurance is a luxury they can't afford. The sisters have offered to pay this amount for those needing urgent surgery so that the government can cover their operations.

The team at the medical camp discovered that the Bangladesh community needed a lot of counseling and education regarding certain illnesses.

Ocholi spoke about the misconceptions in the community that young people cannot have hypertension and that the poor cannot be diabetic.

He said that in the checkups, however, people as young as 20 were found to have elevated blood pressure.

Some, Ocholi said, blame witchcraft for their diseases.

To curb misconceptions, Mother Amadea Mission Hospital has a 15-member support group for individuals with hypertension. The aim is to help members cope with their conditions and to equip them with skills to create awareness about noncommunicable diseases in the community.

Anne Kamau, director of nursing at Mother Amadea Mission Hospital, painted the picture of an impoverished community unable to access basic healthcare.

Describing the situation of Bangladesh where people wait until it is too late before they seek medical help, Kamau told ACI Africa: "A diabetic lady who had been out of treatment for a while came in with high, unrecordable sugar levels. And because our facility neither has an ICU [intensive-care unit] nor a HDU [high-dependency unit], we had to refer the patient. Unfortunately, she passed on just about an hour after being referred."

"We live in a community that is sick, a community that needs services. And being a mission hospital, it isn't just about offering healthcare. We look at this as service to God. We conduct medical camps so that even those who are sick in the villages do not feel forgotten," Kamau said.

She lauded, in particular, the mental talk that the residents at the camp received, saying: "It is rare to get people in the community coming to seek mental health services even amid the rise in mental issues today. Many people prefer to suffer in silence."

There was also a talk on cancer. Kamau said the talk on prostate cancer especially encouraged men to be screened. "This was encouraging since men hardly go for such tests," she said.

Sister Veronica emphasized the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mombasa, "to reveal God's love to the people," adding: "By organizing this medical camp I believe that we are living this mission."

According to the Kenyan sister, locals treat mission facilities, especially run by sisters, as a place where they can experience God's love and care.

"We always see many coming to us even when they do not have money. We still go ahead to give them the services because through this, we are living our mission," she said, adding: "We are continuing with Christ's healing ministry. We give our services not just to treat diseases but also to restore dignity, to give hope to the community, starting with those that are very poor and vulnerable."

In addition to healthcare and wellness, SSJ members are involved in education and care for the destitute and orphans.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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After the Vatican reframed statements that U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch made to The New York Times, the ambassador has clarified that he understands Pope Leo XIV's role as a head of state is "inseparable" from his role as the universal shepherd of the Church.

During a July 23 interview with the EWTN News program "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo," Burch clarified that his July 9 comments to the Times were not meant to imply that Leo's statements about Iran war policy should be seen as simply diplomatic — rather than spiritual — guidance.

"I think there's a misunderstanding," Burch explained. "... [The role of] the pope as the universal sovereign of the Holy See and as the universal pastor — a pastor of the universal Church — is inseparable."

The controversy stemmed from a quotation in the Times article in which Burch said: "When the pope acts as the sovereign leader of the Holy See, he is coequal with world leaders." The article also paraphrased Burch's position by saying the ambassador argued that the pope's comments about the Iran war were not made as the vicar of Christ but rather as the political leader of the Vatican City State.

Without naming Burch, the Editorial Director for the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, Andrea Tornielli, subsequently wrote a July 13 op-ed saying that "even when he speaks about war and peace … the Successor of Peter remains, above all, a spiritual leader." Even though Leo is a head of state, he wrote, this "does not mean that he acts or speaks as a politician when addressing issues concerning the affairs of humanity."

In his interview with Arroyo, Burch disputed the Times' characterization of his views, saying the outlet "doesn't exactly understand the nuances of Catholic social teaching and how to apply it."

"The pope has this dual role," Burch said. "He is both the head of the sovereign territory of the Holy See, which has diplomatic relations with the world, but inseparable from that is his role as the universal pastor of the Catholic Church. And when he acts, he certainly acts in such a way to call the world to these high moral principles, to the ideals of … how [humanity] ought to live together."

At the same time, Burch insisted that "there are some very difficult, contingent, practical matters" that play into decisions about going to war, which he said "is the responsibility of the prudential wisdom of those responsible for the common good," which are political leaders like President Trump.

"I tried to explain [to the Times] where there are certain prudential questions," Burch said. "For example, what does the intelligence information tell us about the situation in Iran? Where is the dialogue at? What [do] the regional alliances look like? What [does] the war game scenario implicate?"

"These are very contingent, prudential questions that inform this question on the legitimate use of force," he added. "And I think, to the Holy Father's credit, he is the universal shepherd that is calling humanity to this high ideal to try to resolve these sorts of conflicts without violence, without the use of force."

Burch told Arroyo that he does not see disagreement between Trump and Leo on the intended end goal: "There's no disagreement on peace, on disarming Iran, on the need for interreligious dialogue, for religious freedom."

"Where the challenge comes is the means to get there," Burch said. He added that it's not "a surprise, nor a shock, nor an unwelcome message from the Holy Father that we ought to seek peace, that we ought to seek ways to resolve these sorts of conflicts without the use of force."

"But as you know, original sin exists, and there are evil people in this world with evil intentions that, if they aren't stopped, certainly could do enormous damage, catastrophic damage, in the world," the ambassador emphasized.

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Ann Teresa O'Neill, whose confirmed miracle led to the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, died on July 17 at age 78.

O'Neill, of Easton, Maryland, had leukemia as a child, and her cure was accepted for Seton's path to sainthood in 1975.

Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore will serve as the principal celebrant for O'Neill's funeral Mass on July 25 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Interment will follow on the grounds of the shrine.

"Ann O'Neill spent more than seventy years answering questions about a miracle," Rob Judge, executive director of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, said in a statement following her death. "Yet, if you talked with her for any length of time, you discovered she wasn't really interested in talking about miracles."

"She wanted to talk about her mother's faith. She wanted to talk about Mother Seton. Mostly, she wanted to talk about Jesus," he said.

She wanted to talk about her mother's faith. She wanted to talk about Mother Seton. Mostly, she wanted to talk about Jesus. That may be the clearest evidence of why God chose her life to become part of one of the most important stories in American Catholic history."

Rob Judge

Executive director of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

"That may be the clearest evidence of why God chose her life to become part of one of the most important stories in American Catholic history," he said.

"The saints are like our friends," O'Neill said in an interview with the Archdiocese of Baltimore's Catholic Review in 2025. "Mother Seton was my mother's friend. She's my friend. And because we're Catholic, we have a lot of friends in heaven."

Born on Oct. 7, 1947, O'Neill was the daughter of the late Felixena O'Neill and the late William Richard O'Neill.

She is survived by her children, Joseph Hooe, Gerard Hooe, and Mary Alice Zawodny, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a funeral notice said. She was preceded in death by her son Robert Eugene Hooe Jr.

The miracle that helped Mother Seton become a saint

Born in Baltimore, O'Neill developed advanced leukemia as a young girl in 1952. Despite doctors trying every treatment, she grew more sick and her case was considered hopeless.

During Holy Week, it was expected that the 4-year-old girl would pass within a few weeks.

While her family prepared for her loss, Sister Mary Alice Fowler, supervisor of the children's ward at St. Agnes Hospital, gave O'Neill's mother prayers for Seton's intercession and had her give them to relatives and friends.

She pinned a cloth that had touched Seton's remains to O'Neill's hospital gown. Family members, friends, and other religious leaders began a novena for O'Neill.

On Good Friday in 1952, with her daughter's condition deteriorating, O'Neill's mother took her to Mother Seton's resting place in Emmitsburg — where Seton started the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, the first community for religious women established in the U.S., and the first Catholic school for girls.

Against doctors' wishes, O'Neill's parents drove her to Emmitsburg, laid her on Seton's tomb in the cemetery, and took her inside Mother Seton's house where the saint had died of tuberculosis in 1821.

Once her mother returned O'Neill to the hospital, doctors performed blood work and testing. On Easter Monday her blood count was normal. Constant tests over the following years showed her health to be normal.

O'Neill's cure was accepted for Seton's path to sainthood. Pope Paul VI officially canonized Mother Seton on Sept. 14, 1975, the ceremony for which O'Neill attended in Rome.

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In response to the insults exchanged on social media between Argentinian and Spanish fans following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, a priest questioned the amount of rage, warning that those behaving this way have "lost their bearings" and that "the way they're acting isn't about soccer; it's idolatry."

In a thread posted on X, Father Francisco Javier Bronchalo, a Spanish priest from the Diocese of Getafe, lamented having read "too many insults on social media between Argentinians and Spaniards" in recent days.

"Someone posts something with the best of intentions, and people come down on them as if they had hit their mother," he noted.

The Spanish national team defeated Argentina 1-0 on Sunday, July 19, with a goal by Ferrán Torres and became world champion for the second time, following the title won in 2010.

In his reflection, Bronchalo noted that "the human heart is made to worship" and warned that if it "does not worship God, it will worship something else: success, the body, money, or a soccer team."

This idolatry, he continued, replaces "liturgical chant with the team anthem, the worshipping assembly with the cheering section, and salvation with winning a title," ultimately becoming "a religion without God."

The Spanish priest said "the insults and excesses seen in recent days" demonstrate that "people defend with violence and mockery something that, deep down, is devoid of both truth and meaning."

"The Gospel says that the mouth speaks from what overflows from the heart. Today, we would say: The fingers write from what overflows from the heart," he remarked.

However, Bronchalo clarified that "[soccer] is not the problem," as the sport can bring about "healthy joy" and promote values ??such as effort, perseverance, loyalty, and teamwork.

"But a means treated as an end becomes a tyrant. Soccer as an ultimate end turns into the opposite: a source of anger, anxiety, and emptiness," he warned.

"The question is not whether you are passionate about soccer. The question is what place it holds in your heart. If it is a means, it draws you closer to heaven. If it is an end, it traps you on earth," he said.

Bishop Munilla: Don't turn soccer into 'a religion'

The Spanish priest's reflection echoed the warning issued before the World Cup final by the bishop of Orihuela-Alicante in Spain, José Ignacio Munilla, who highlighted that soccer has values ??worth recognizing but noted that "it is one thing to enjoy the sport, and quite another to turn it into a religion."

The prelate further noted that "an inability to accept defeat is a sign of immaturity" but "those who need to humiliate others don't know how to win, either."

"True sportsmanship lies in discovering that one's rival is not an enemy but someone who makes the game possible," he stated.

'Rivals for a day. Brothers forever'

Amid verbal clashes on social media, Catholic priests from Argentina and Spain shared messages of goodwill and congratulations.

Argentinian priest Father Tomás Agustín Beroch wrote on X: "Congratulations to Spain. They were far superior and won decisively. Long live Spain — our Motherland that evangelized us — and congratulations on this cup. It is well-deserved."

"As I've been saying throughout this World Cup, we must win heaven, and Christ must reign in our hearts above all else. A big hug to my Spanish friends and to all the people of that great nation," he said.

Hours before the final, Father Francisco Delgado of the Archdiocese of Toledo in Spain posted an image of two soccer players — one Spanish and the other Argentinian — walking across the playing field with their arms around each other. Above them, the words read: "Rivals for a day. Brothers forever."

Argentinian priest Father Javier Olivera Ravasi congratulated Spain on the championship on X, stating: "They deserve it. They were better."

He then posted a photo of his backpack featuring the flags of Argentina and Spain, which he has carried "for years" declaring "Long live Christ the King! Long live Catholic Spain and Catholic Argentina!"

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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Vance Boelter was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years for shooting one Minnesota Democratic lawmaker and killing another and her husband last year.

Boelter, 58, was sentenced after pleading guilty to stalking and murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, in their Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, home on June 14, 2025.

Melissa Hortman was a Catholic who once taught Sunday school and volunteered in her parish's children's faith formation program.

She and her husband "had been a part of the St. Timothy Parish community,"  Father Joe Whalen, the pastor of the Blaine, Minnesota, parish, said in a statement following the murders.

U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim sentenced Boelter in federal court on July 23.

Boelter was also sentenced for the stalking and shooting of Sen. John Hoffman, D-Minnesota, and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, and the attempted shooting of their daughter Hope Hoffman, who all survived Boelter's attack in their Champlin, Minnesota, home.

Boelter previously pleaded guilty June 11 to the six charges including two stalkings, two murders through use of a firearm, and two federal firearm-shooting offenses. Through his plea agreement, Boelter was able to avoid the possibility of the death penalty.

"Vance Boelter's crimes rank among the most horrific this office has ever prosecuted," U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said in a press release.

"Today, the United States ensured that Boelter will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of release. Those who commit political violence at any level should take heed that the Department of Justice will seek and obtain the longest prison terms available for their crimes," he said.

In a statement following the attacks, Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, recalled meeting both Hortman and Hoffman at the state capitol a few months before the shootings during a meeting of bishops with state leaders.

"I was deeply impressed by both," Barron said in a statement. "Rep. Hortman listened to us with sharp intelligence and acute attention."

Both lawmakers also met regularly with the local Catholic bishops, according to Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

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Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain last month made a profound impact on the Spanish people, according to a survey commissioned by the Spanish Bishops' Conference.

Conducted online by GAD3 with more than 5,000 of registered participants and volunteers involved in the apostolic journey, 97% held a positive or very positive view of the pontiff's visit to Madrid, Barcelona, ??and the Canary Islands that took place June 6–12.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents acknowledged that, prior to the pope's arrival in Spain, their knowledge of the person, biography, and apostolic message of Leo XIV was limited. That number dropped to 14% following the visit.

The vast majority of registered participants and volunteers indicated that the presence of the vicar of Christ in Spain has strengthened their desire to help improve the world, deepen their personal relationship with God, and reinforce their commitment to the Church.

The visit has also contributed very positively to a better understanding of the person of Jesus Christ and the Church.

Among the emotions most frequently experienced during the days of the papal visit to the country, respondents highlighted joy, enthusiasm, hope, peace, a sense of unity with others, spiritual connection, and pride.

The pope's most impactful messages

Among the messages from Pope Leo XIV that had the greatest impact were "the importance of prayer and a personal encounter with God" (19%); "the importance of living out one's faith with joy and hope" (17%); "the call to serve and help others" (13%); and "building peace through dialogue, listening, and reconciliation" (12%).

Among the least highlighted messages were "the value of volunteering" (1%), "the dialogue between faith, culture, and art" (2%), and "welcoming and integrating migrants and vulnerable people" (7%) even though a significant part of the pope's visit and his messages involved the migration situation in Spain.

Resolutions following the visit

After the pope's visit to Spain, the survey participants made personal resolutions, including "trying to live with more hope or joy" (45%), "attending more to my spiritual life" (41%), "trying to help others more" (30%), and "talking more about my faith with others" (28%).

Likewise, many have committed to "spending more time in prayer" (27%), "considering an important decision," "participating in my parish or community," or "becoming more committed to the Church" (11%).

Digital impact

The vast majority of participants read or listened to digital content about the pope after the visit (91%) or shared photos and videos of the visit via WhatsApp (89%).

Seven out of 10 forwarded messages, quotes, or videos of the pope via WhatsApp or Telegram, while slightly more than half sought out and followed new social media profiles related to the pontiff or the visit, or shared content in parish, volunteer, or attendee groups.

Furthermore, 55% used Instagram, 24% YouTube, 1 in 5 Facebook, 14% TikTok, and only 10% used X. More than a quarter of the respondents did not use social media.

Overall, 91% felt that media coverage accurately reflected the experience to a great or significant extent.

The group of registrants and volunteers consisted of 39% men and 61% women, with an average age of 36; 22% of those attending the various events were under the age of 18.

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 Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a memorandum to federal departments and agencies with updated guidance on religious liberty and parental rights protections, based on recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

The update, issued July 23, is the first revision to the guidance since 2017. It incorporates Supreme Court rulings issued after the earlier guidance, including rulings on church autonomy, equal access for religious entities to grants and government programs, and the right for parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children.

"Religious liberty is not merely a right to personal religious beliefs or even to worship in a particular place," the memorandum, sent by the attorney general's office, states. "It also encompasses religious observance and practice as displayed in a person's daily life."

"Except in the narrowest circumstances, no one should be forced to choose between living out his or her faith and complying with the law," it says. "Therefore, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law, religious observance and practice should be reasonably accommodated."

The guidance expands the DOJ interpretation of church autonomy for hiring and firing practices. Current statutes already give religious employers discretion to base employment decisions on a person's adherence to the entity's religious faith under Title VIII exemption.

The update adds: "Even in the absence of the Title VII exemption, both RFRA [the Religious Freedom Restoration Act] and the principle of church autonomy under the Religion Clauses of the Constitution protect religious employers' authority to make employment decisions consistent with their religious mission."

Under the guidance, religious entities must have the opportunity to compete for government grants and contracts "on an equal basis with nonreligious organizations." Government entities cannot force a religious organization "to choose between curtailing their government-funded mission and taking actions inconsistent with their religious beliefs" as a condition of a grant or contract.

This extends to school choice programs, stating religious schools "with curricula and activities that include religious elements" have the same right to participate in vouchers.

The guidance also explains that RFRA's prohibition on burdening a person's religious practice is not limited to individuals, citing the Supreme Court decision that allowed Hobby Lobby to refuse to cover abortifacient drugs in its insurance plans.

"RFRA protects the exercise of religion by individuals and by corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies," it states.

"Constitutional protections for religious liberty are not conditioned upon the willingness of a religious person or organization to remain separate from civil society," the guidance states.

"Although the application of the relevant protections may differ depending on the context, individuals and organizations do not give up their religious-liberty protections by providing or receiving social services, education, or healthcare; by earning or seeking to earn a living; by employing others to do the same; by receiving government grants or contracts; or by otherwise interacting with the federal government or with state or local governments," it states.

Employers, the guidance notes, must also provide accommodations for employees to ensure employment does not interfere with religious practice "unless the employer cannot reasonably accommodate such observance or practice without incurring substantial hardship."

The guidance further prohibits government interference in parental rights to direct the religious upbringing of their children, stating: "This right extends beyond a mere right to teach religion in the confines of one's home and encompasses the choices parents make for their children outside the home."

"Government policies that substantially interfere with the religious development of children violate this right," it adds. "Government may not choose to condition the availability of public benefits, such as public schooling, upon parents' willingness to surrender their religious freedom."

Updated guidance includes instructions for departments and agencies to proactively consider potential burdens on religious exercise and possible accommodations during the rulemaking process. DOJ instructs them to develop a process for reviewing rules with this in mind and recommends consultation with the White House Faith Office.

The DOJ's Office of Legal Policy will review potential rules for compliance. Agencies are asked to consider and respond to religious liberty objections to proposed rules that are raised during the public comment period.

Some of the guidance is also designed to protect the religious liberty of federal workers. It states federal employees can keep religious materials on their desks, can discuss religious topics, and can display religious clothing.

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On July 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic of the Middle Ages who was a wife, mother to a large family, lady-in-waiting to a queen, and founder of a religious order that still exists today.

1. St. Bridget experienced her first vision at age 10.

Bridget, or "Birgitta," was born to wealthy, devout parents in Sweden in the year 1303. Her mother died early in her life, and she and her siblings were raised by their aunt. At 10 years old, Bridget had a vision of Christ on the cross in his agonizing suffering. In her vision, Bridget saw Christ with his wounds from Good Friday, with the wounds of "The Man of Sorrows" in Isaiah 53. She asked Jesus who hurt him, and he responded: "Those who despise me and refuse my love for them." She would go on to write about these revelations; her works were published posthumously.

2. Bridget served in the royal court of Sweden.

Bridget was married in 1316 at the young age of 13 to 18-year-old Ulf Gudmarsson, the Swedish prince of Nericia. The two joined the Third Order of St. Francis and dedicated their resources to building a hospital and caring for the needs of the poor. Ulf served on the council of the king of Sweden, Magnus Eriksson, and the king asked Bridget to be a lady-in-waiting for his wife, Queen Blanche of Namur.

3. Bridget was a mother to eight children, and one of them became a saint.

Bridget and Ulf raised a large family together while also serving the poor and managing their duties in court. Of Bridget's eight children, two died in infancy, and another two died in the Crusades. Two of their surviving children were married, and another two joined religious life. One of those two became a saint and was canonized — St. Catherine of Sweden.

4. Bridget founded a religious order, the Bridgettines, after her husband died.

Bridget and Ulf made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain between 1341 and 1343, but on their return trip, Ulf became ill. The couple stopped in France until Ulf regained his health, but soon after they returned to Sweden, in 1344, he passed away.

After his death, Bridget donated her belongings to the poor and devoted her life to Christ, following a call from God to start a new religious order.

She founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior, now known as the Brigittines, in 1346, and her congregation was approved by Pope Urban V in 1370. The Brigittines were to be led by an abbess and constitute both nuns and priests. The priests, who lived in a separate section, served as chaplains and confessors for the nuns.

King Magnus helped Bridget make the Abbey of Vadstena the home of the Brigittines. He donated a small palace and land for the new monastery.

But Bridget would never see her work come to fruition. She had a vision from Christ calling her to return to Rome and await the pope's return from France during the Avignon Papacy. She never became a nun herself, and she never saw the monastery in Vadstena. She died several years before the pope's permanent return to Rome.

But her order spread through Europe and still exists today in both contemplative monasteries and apostolic convents, with branches in 19 countries including Sweden, Norway, Poland, Italy, Israel, India, the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States.

5. St. Bridget is the co-patroness of Europe.

After Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373, her children brought her remains back to the headquarters of her religious order. Less than 20 years later, in 1391, Pope Boniface IX proclaimed her a saint. Her revelations and writings on the sufferings of Christ were published after her death. In 1999, St. John Paul II chose her as one of the three female co-patronesses of Europe, along with St. Catherine of Siena and St. Edith Stein.

This story was first published on July 23, 2024, and has been updated.

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NAIROBI, Kenya — Young Catholics participating in the 21st assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) are welcoming the opportunity to engage directly with Catholic bishops at the event, saying they appreciate the bishops' efforts to strengthen youth participation in the life and mission of the Church in the region.

The July 19–26 plenary assembly has brought together over 100 bishops from AMECEA's eight member episcopal conferences, affiliated institutions, and other groups. The AMECEA is comprised of nine countries, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members.

Speaking to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on July 20 at the eight-day event centered on the theme "AMECEA'S Synodal Journey with Young People: Building Bridges of Communion, Hope, Justice, and Good Governance," youth participants said the assembly has provided a platform for them to present their concerns, share their experiences, and contribute recommendations to Church leaders.

'Guide us and accompany us on our journey'

Georgette George Wani, a youth delegate representing the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference, expressed gratitude to the Catholic leaders in the AMECEA region for creating space for young people at their plenary assembly.

"I am grateful to our bishops for giving us this opportunity to engage with them, to share our experiences, and to discuss the challenges we face both in the Church and in our countries," Wani said.

A member of the Archdiocese of Juba in South Sudan, she noted that young people are grappling with challenges brought about by digitalization, modernization, and changing social realities, adding that the Church has an important responsibility to accompany them.

"If we are the majority, it means that they have to take care of us, give us the space, and actually teach us, guide us, and accompany us on our journey, because time is going, and they will not be around for much longer, but it is us who are going to stay for a longer period," she said.

"We have to be guided, and we have to be taught, and yes, I am happy that we are here today," Wani added, expressing hope that the dialogue would strengthen harmony between the Catholic bishops and young people.

'Continue listening to us'

For Olwormudu Tonny Blair, a delegate from the Uganda Episcopal Conference, the plenary assembly reflects the vision of the late Pope Francis' March 2019 postsynodal apostolic exhortation to young people and the entire people of God, Christus Vivit, which says young people are not merely the future of the Church but its present.

"I now see that the Church is bringing to life what Pope Francis expressed in his message of Christus Vivit, that the young people are the 'now' of the Church. The Church is focusing on young people because they adapt quickly to change and influence many others. By investing in young people, the Church strengthens evangelization and prepares future generations of faithful leaders," Olwormundu told ACI Africa.

Balir, from the Diocese of Nebbi in Uganda, noted that the assembly has given youth a platform to present the challenges affecting them across the region, including political instability and social unrest.

"Whenever there is unrest, young people are often blamed or become the most affected. That is why we ask the Church to continue listening to us and to work with us in finding solutions to these challenges," he said.

"We now see that we have that platform where we can express ourselves easily because we shall get spiritual nourishment, and we shall get ideas from our elders, especially from our bishops, our priests, and our animators who are always there guiding us. The Church giving us this platform is an opportunity that we look at as distinct."

Blair encouraged young Catholics across the AMECEA region to remain hopeful and prayerful, saying: "Let us keep hope, let us keep praying. The Church is here to listen to us, and we are here to represent your views. We are here to present all your views to our bishops so that we can get an answer, build a better youth, and a better Church."

'Excited to have a discussion with our bishops'

Representing the Catholic youth of Ethiopia, Hayat Abdi from the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa described the assembly as a historic opportunity for young delegates to speak directly to Church leaders.

"I am here … representing our country's youth. For the past two days, we have had a lot of discussions with the youth from different AMECEA countries," she told ACI Africa.

"We are so excited to have a discussion with our bishops because this is our first time to be represented directly — we are the ones who represent our issues directly to the bishops."

Abdi added: "We expect them to deliberate on these resolutions and recommendations throughout all the AMECEA countries, including our own, to give an order or direction for the youth on how things should continue or move forward."

'Time to listen to young people'

Brother Janivier Kagayo Theophile, a member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Hope from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), currently studying in Kenya, said the bishops have delivered a message that the Church must continue listening to young people.

"It is time to listen to young people because for a long time our voices have often been ignored," Kagayo said, recalling Christ's teaching that the kingdom of God belongs to the little ones.

He emphasized that building a better future requires collaboration between the Church, governments, and young people.

"It is not enough to keep saying that young people are the leaders of tomorrow — tomorrow is shaped by how we live today. If we live well today, we will have a better Church tomorrow, a better country tomorrow, and a better society tomorrow," he said

Kagayo, who is representing his religious congregation at the assembly, proposed institutionalizing youth participation by establishing structures at parish, diocesan, and Small Christian Communities — levels where young people can contribute to pastoral life and decision-making.

He also proposed that every parish create a dedicated youth office or designate a youth representative within parish pastoral councils to ensure that young Catholics have a recognized platform through which they can make their voices heard.

Study sessions during the plenary assembly on July 20 examined key pastoral and social issues affecting young people, including governance, unemployment, migration, social exclusion, safeguarding, mental health, evangelization in the digital age, and missionary vocations.

'A great privilege'

Juanitha Pastory from Tanzania's Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam said she was grateful for the opportunity to talk with the bishops.

"It is a great privilege to share the challenges facing young people and to speak openly about our hopes and concerns," Pastory said, adding that the gathering demonstrated the bishops' willingness to understand the experiences of the youth.

She added: "I sincerely thank the bishops for creating this space for dialogue. By understanding our realities, they will be better placed to accompany and support young people in the Church."

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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