Catholic News

Magnifica Humanitas has opened the doors for deeper conversations between the Church and the tech industry regarding "how AI is going to affect humanity," priest and former Silicon Valley executive Father Brendan McGuire said.

McGuire, pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos, California, told "EWTN News Nightly" that tech companies are searching for "wisdom" right now, and Pope Leo's encyclical can offer it.

The Church has "been working with the different tech companies for a number of years … directly from Rome, in the Vatican, and also here locally," he said.

In 2024 Anthropic, an AI safety company and creator of the Claude AI system that filed to go public June 1, reached out to the Vatican for ethical guidance. McGuire helped shape Claude's Constitution, the 23,000-word document governing how Claude reasons through complex moral questions.

McGuire also co-founded the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture — a formal partnership between Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education.

Earlier he had worked for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), an industry consortium of computer hardware manufacturers.

The Irish priest holds degrees in engineering and computer science from Trinity College Dublin and has a theology degree from St. Patrick's Seminary and University.

'Engaged in deeper conversations'

"More intensely over this last year, we've been more deliberately, and more intentionally, engaged in deeper conversations monthly … mostly with Anthropic, and we believe this document now will be able to deepen these relationships even more," he said.

These relationships will prompt "real dialogue as to how AI is going to affect humanity," he said.

"I love the reframing that the pope has done" by asking "How do we have all of humanity … flourish inside of AI? Instead of the other way around," McGuire said. "It's a reframing of the whole issue."

While some wonder if tech companies will listen to the pope's call, McGuire said he believes they will, as people in the industry "are looking for wisdom."

Those in the tech industry "are men and women of goodwill, and they want this AI to go well," he said. "And if it's going to go well, then they're going to have to have people outside of the programmers, and the mathematicians, and the technology people, and engineers."

"They need wisdom from outside. It's not just the Catholic Church. Every religious tradition needs to lean into this moment," he said.

Reading the pope's encyclical is 'the most important thing'

The encyclical comes years after AI really took off, but "it's not true" when people say the pope's call is too late, McGuire said.

"The technology people themselves say that it's not true. But I do believe that the window is closing," he said.

The "whole intention" of the pope's encyclical is "to start asking those more difficult questions," McGuire said.

The pope has asked: "What [does it] mean for a human being to flourish? What is good for all of humanity? And not what is just good for a handful of people, but what is good for all of us?"

"So what we've done here is raised questions more than got answers," McGuire said. Now we must "bring about a dialogue to go for those answers."

The "first thing I implore everyone to do is to read it," he said. Reading it is "the most important thing" and "not relying … on soundbites from somebody else."

The first half of the encyclical "is a survey of the previous documents of the Church and social doctrine" and it is "a great summary of them," he said.

Then, focus on reading "Chapter 3 on artificial intelligence" and "Chapter 4 [on] the impact of it."

Pope Leo "uses two biblical metaphors" that "are beautiful and really important": the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, he said.

He is "basically saying we don't want to go back to the Tower of Babel, where everyone builds it for their own … purposes," he said. Instead, it must be like the city Jerusalem where "everyone has a role. Every family, every person, every engineer, every journalist, every philosopher."

"Everyone needs to play a role, and we need to engage with this because it will, in large part, determine our future as a humanity," McGuire said.

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A Christian motorcycle ride-hailing driver is battling for his life after allegedly being shot nine times by members of a police anti-crime patrol, renewing concerns over police conduct and the use of force in Pakistan's Punjab province.

Alyan Johnson, 22, was critically injured in a shooting involving personnel of the Dolphin Force in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjoining Islamabad, on the night of May 26.

According to his family, Johnson had just dropped off a passenger when police arrived in pursuit of a suspected armed man. The suspect allegedly fired into the air and attempted to flee, after which officers opened fire.

Johnson, who joined a ride-hailing company six months ago to help support his family, remains hospitalized.

His family has filed a complaint at Sadiqabad police station, demanding an impartial investigation, strict action against those responsible, and compensation for the injuries and losses suffered.

Four Dolphin Force personnel allegedly involved in the shooting have been suspended and charged on the orders of the Rawalpindi city police officer.

Joseph Michael, Johnson's uncle, said the family was dissatisfied with what he described as a limited official response.

"We demand justice and imprisonment for the shooters who misused their authority," Michael told EWTN News. "Johnson raised his hands and identified himself as a rider in a loud voice, but the shooting continued. He had no weapon and no criminal record. He only wanted to help his father, who works as a sanitary worker."

Michael said Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and two fractures in his right leg.

"Anything could have happened. We are grateful he survived," he added.

Raja Abdul Hanif, chairman of the Punjab chief minister's inspection team, visited Johnson in the hospital on May 29 and assured the family of justice. He directed authorities to ensure all medicines and treatment costs were provided by the hospital.

"The law is equal for everyone and action will be taken against those involved in the incident following a transparent investigation," Hanif said.

Police have yet to issue a detailed public explanation of the shooting.

The incident has triggered strong reactions among Christian activists and rights advocates.

A delegation led by Tariq Mehmood Ghouri, coordinator of the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Diocese, visited the hospital and pledged legal and moral support to the family.

"The situation was mishandled. Doctors are still uncertain whether the young laborer will ever walk normally again," Ghouri said.

"For many poor families, motorcycle ride-hailing is one of the few ways to earn a living amid soaring inflation and fuel prices. The state must recognize these realities and act with compassion."

Ghouri said the shooting raised serious questions about police training and operational procedures.

"The incident is an eye-opener for those who claim that religious minorities enjoy equal rights and protection in Pakistan," he said.

A pattern of police 'encounters' in Punjab

The shooting comes amid growing scrutiny of police encounter practices in Punjab.

A fact-finding report released in February by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) concluded that Punjab's Crime Control Department has pursued a policy of staged police encounters, often resulting in extrajudicial killings and undermining constitutional safeguards and the rule of law.

Based on media reports, the commission documented at least 670 Crime Control Department-led encounters during the first eight months of 2025, resulting in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officers were reported killed.

"In genuine armed confrontations, such a ratio appears to be statistically implausible," the report states. "This imbalance suggests deliberate executions and reckless disregard for the sanctity of life."

The report also documented allegations of intimidation against victims' families, including pressure to bury relatives quickly, obstacles to independent medical examinations, and threats against those seeking justice.

Concerns over Dolphin Force operations are not new. In 2022, members of the unit shot dead a dismissed police constable and injured two others in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, after allegedly mistaking them for robbers.

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Parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, will undergo "rapid" bankruptcy proceedings as part of a larger Chapter 11 process, the diocese has told the faithful.

A statement included in parish bulletins on May 31 said all parishes in the diocese would file "rapid prepackaged bankruptcy" cases in federal court "in an effort to bring the bankruptcy proceedings of the Diocese of Buffalo to a successful conclusion."

The Buffalo Diocese has been moving through the bankruptcy process for a notable length of time. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has been working to finalize a major settlement since April 2025.

The announcement at parishes on May 31 said the parish bankruptcy filings would occur "immediately before a hearing on confirmation of the plan."

The move "will happen if and only if sufficient votes [from abuse victims] are received for approval of the plan," the statement said, adding that the approach "has the support of pastors and the diocese."

"The parish bankruptcy cases will not be commenced until later this year and will come at the very last minute before the 'confirmation' hearing on approval of the diocese's plan," the statement said, adding that it was "anticipated that parishes will emerge from bankruptcy within 48 hours."

Similar approaches have been taken in other dioceses undergoing bankruptcy, the statement said, including the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York as well as the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

"With the prospect of officially achieving this goal, we look to the future with renewed commitment and focus on our mission and work in service to the Catholic faithful throughout Western New York and our broader community," the diocese said in its statement.

In addition to its yearslong bankruptcy proceedings, the Buffalo Diocese has also fended off both legal and ecclesial challenges from parishioners who have objected to an ongoing diocesan merger plan.

Opposition to proposed closures and mergers in the diocese reached the New York Supreme Court in 2025; the state court ultimately tossed the suit out, ruling that it did not have jurisdiction over Church governance disputes.

In December 2025, after appeals from parishioners, the Vatican ordered the reversal of several parish closures in the Buffalo Diocese.

In April the Vatican also said that multiple parishes would not have to contribute disputed amounts of cash into the diocesan abuse settlement plan.

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This year the Church marks 800 years since St. Francis of Assisi's death at the age of 44 — his "Transitus," as Franciscans call it. Pope Leo declared a special Franciscan Jubilee Year from Jan. 10, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027, inviting Catholics to visit churches and places linked to Francis' spirituality, love of animals, and devotion to the poor.

"The jubilee year provides us the opportunity to be more than a tourist … to be a pilgrim, joining the millions of pilgrims expected in Assisi for the jubilee, with even more pilgrims who will travel to Franciscan churches throughout the world," explained Father John Puodziunas, OFM , the new Franciscan commissary of the Holy Land USA based in Washington, D.C. "The pilgrim returns changed … they see themselves, their world, God differently."

A must-see is the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, a vast church overlooking his Umbrian hometown. In the crypt, pilgrims rest their hands on the saint's neo-Romanesque tomb, where a votive lamp softly illuminates the dim space and only the shuffle of footsteps breaks the silence.

In February and March, many viewed his skeletal remains in the basilica, displayed for the first time in honor of the jubilee year. Vatican News estimates that 400,000 people came to pay their respects and venerate the relics of this extraordinary Christian saint.

His epic life is told through the artistic genius of Giotto in frescoes painted above the crypt in the upper basilica: Francis hears the voice of Christ while praying to the San Damiano cross; his surrender of all his clothes and worldly goods back to his wealthy father; his meeting with Pope Innocent III; his creation of the first Christian manger scene at Greccio; Francis preaching the Gospel to the birds; Francis receives the stigmata.

Father David Wathen, OFM, also of the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C., is a veteran guide who has led more than 200 pilgrimages to the Holy Land but took a detour to Italy this year in honor of the jubilee.

Wathen celebrated Mass with 10 pilgrims from all over the country in April in the Portiuncula, the small chapel where St. Francis acted on Christ's call: "Francis, Francis, go and repair my house, which, as you can see, is falling into ruins…" Francis responded by giving up his family's wealth and status and embracing a life of chastity, poverty, and obedience with his small band of brothers. Today there are 35,000 Franciscan friars worldwide spread across 100 countries.

The Portiuncula became the spiritual center of the new Franciscan community and the place where Francis welcomed the young woman who would become St. Clare of Assisi, founder of the Poor Clares.

Today the Portiuncula, housed inside the Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, is another major pilgrimage site, right outside Assisi. A bronze statue of Francis in the basilica's rose garden commemorates his conversations with turtle doves, inviting them to join him in worshipping the Lord. Today doves still nest in the hands of the statue while birdsong creates a symphony of praise.

It was also in this garden that St. Francis, in an act of penance, rolled through the brambles, which mysteriously turned into dog roses on contact with his body. This hybrid of rose is still flourishing centuries later.

"A pilgrim experiences the spirituality of space, where the location … a chapel, a cave, a town square, a garden ... speaks to the inner yearnings of the individual. In Assisi, we not only encounter Francis, but we step into his personal encounter with God formed on medieval streets or on the side of a mountain," Puodziunas said.

Asceticism, bodily mortification, and fasting were constant reminders to St. Francis of Christ's suffering. At the Carceri hermitage, a favorite retreat of St. Francis, pilgrims can see the small stone alcoves where he slept, often using a wooden board as a pillow.

Being close to sites strongly associated with St. Francis and St. Clare has inspired pilgrims to deepen their faith and to serve others.

"Some of my neighbors in the Florida retirement community where I now live are dying," said Regina Brown, one of Wathen's pilgrims who volunteers with St. Timothy Catholic Church Ministry to the Sick and Homebound in Florida. Brown explained that the Franciscan pilgrimage has fortified her practice of taking Communion to her bedridden friends.

"It's the closest I can get to keeping in mind and expressing my (our) hope in Christ, the promise of eternal life, the Mass, our glimpse into heaven," she said.

Wathen's pilgrimage concluded in Rome, where everything his group had learned about St. Francis came into focus. At a papal audience in St. Peter's Square, they witnessed its grandeur as Pope Leo reflected on the living mystical body of Christ, the Church.

Throughout the jubilee year, pilgrims are granted plenary indulgences by making a visit to any Franciscan church — including the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C. — or to any site dedicated to St. Francis, receiving holy Communion on the day of the visit, reciting the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Creed, and the Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father, and making a confession within eight days.

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Pope Leo XIV has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, as Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication. The appointment will take effect Nov. 1, 2026.

Since 2023, Alvarado has overseen EWTN News' global and multilingual news operations across television, radio, print, digital, and social media platforms. During her tenure, she helped expand the network's international news presence and deepen collaboration across its multilingual platforms.

"Montse's background in international media, public affairs, and Church engagement has helped shape EWTN's outreach at a critical moment in the history of our apostolate: the pivot into a deeper engagement with the digital space," said Michael P. Warsaw, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of EWTN. "Just as importantly, she has remained deeply committed to the mission that defines EWTN: proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church with clarity, fidelity, and charity."

Before joining EWTN, Alvarado spent 14 years in leadership roles at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, where she worked extensively on issues related to religious freedom and human dignity.

In a statement released following the appointment, Alvarado said she received the news "with deep gratitude, humility, and trust in the Lord," adding that the faithful witness of the EWTN family strengthened her faith.

The Dicastery for Communication was established by Pope Francis in 2015 as part of his reform of the Roman Curia, bringing together the Holy See's various communications entities, including Vatican News, Vatican Radio, L'Osservatore Romano, Vatican Media, the Vatican Publishing house and printing press, Filmoteca Vaticana, and the Holy See Press Office. Appointed for a five year term, the Prefect is responsible for overseeing the entire media network of the Holy See.

Alvarado succeeds Paolo Ruffini, whom Pope Francis appointed in 2018 as the first lay prefect of a dicastery in the Roman Curia. Ruffini said he had come to know Alvarado "over the last couple of years" and will work closely with her in the coming months "in the spirit of communion that unites us in the Church."

In recent years, Pope Francis entrusted a growing number of leadership roles in the Vatican to lay men and women, including several senior appointments for women religious. Alvarado's appointment continues that development and marks the first time a woman who has not taken religious vows as a nun or a sister has been appointed to lead a dicastery of the Holy See.

Born in Mexico City, Alvarado earned academic degrees from Florida International University and George Washington University. She has received several national recognitions for her commitment to religious freedom and service to the Church, and her writings and commentary have appeared in a range of international media outlets.

While noting that EWTN would miss Alvarado's leadership, Warsaw said the network rejoices in her new mission of service to the universal Church.

"We offer her our prayers, our encouragement, and the full support of the EWTN family as she begins this important mission in service to Pope Leo XIV and his pontificate."

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Members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service (CHARIS) in the United States have announced the launch of a new, ecumenically-oriented organization, Evangelize America, that aims to reignite the Catholic charismatic renewal from the grassroots.

The initiative was announced May 30 following an audience Pope Leo XIV held with members of CHARIS in which he expressed encouragement for their apostolate.

Deacon Darrell Wentworth, who serves as a deacon in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, and will serve as the inaugural president and CEO of Evangelize America, explained to EWTN News that the charismatic renewal has always been tied to ecumenism.

"Our fight is not with flesh and blood. It is not with our Protestant brothers and sisters or Christians of other traditions. Our fight is with the enemy — the powers and principalities causing the divisions," he observed.

Wentworth described initiatives such as Evangelize America as a response to the call from recent popes to encourage the new evangelization.

"We are responding to John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and specifically Pope Francis, when he told the Catholic fraternity communities to baptize everyone in the Holy Spirit and to devise strategies to bring Christians together," Wentworth said.

As to the name Evangelize America, Wentworth said it is inspired by John Paul II's apostolic exhortations to the continents of the world. John Paul II wrote Ecclesia in America, Ecclesia in Asia, Ecclesia in Africa, and Ecclesia in Europe.

The strategy of the Twelve

According to Wentworth, Evangelize America will consist of setting up intentional small groups modeled after the Twelve Apostles.

"A group of 12 will consist of a priest, a deacon and his wife, seven lay members taking on the seven tasks that influence culture, one charismatic Catholic focused on pursuing full communion and healing animosity between local Christian denominations, and one Pentecostal," Wentworth said.

Encouragement from Pope Leo

Leo XIV held an audience at the Vatican's Paul VI Hall with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal on May 30. This was his first meeting with them since his election as pope, and, like Wentworth, he referred to previous popes in the development of the charismatic movement.

"My venerable predecessors recognized this development as a great gift to the Church," Leo said in his remarks. "I, too, wish to foster the relationship of mutual respect, closeness, and support between the See of Peter and the great family of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal."

Wentworth praised the pope's remarks as confirmation to continue their work.

"It is not a new vision. It is the vision of the Holy Spirit that dates back to the year 33," Wentworth noted. "Pope Leo shows us that this is what the charismatic movement is all about: help everyone to experience the power of the Holy Spirit and fall in love with God the Father instead of all the material things present in society."

Carlos Campo, a Protestant who serves as president and CEO of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., was also part of the U.S. delegation that was present at the audience. He expressed hope that Evangelize America would help mobilize the Catholic Church in the U.S. to proclaim the Gospel in new ways.

"I believe this is something that will change marriages, families, and communities and has the opportunity to change our nation," Campo said.

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In his first meeting with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR), Pope Leo XIV focused on five "key aspects" of the spirituality that characterizes the movement.

"God has indeed blessed your communities with so many gifts, including spiritual vitality," Leo declared before thousands of charismatic Catholics who gathered with him on May 30 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

"The years following the Second Vatican Council were a time of great expansion and growth," for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Leo continued, as he proceeded to cite several messages from his predecessors, such as St. Paul VI — who, in 1975, encouraged the CCR to bear witness to spiritual renewal in a secularized world — or St. John Paul II, who urged members of the movement to communicate "zeal for the Gospel to those around you."

Leo XIV also cited Benedict XVI, who, in 2008, highlighted that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal has reminded the Church of the enduring relevance of the charisms — or gifts — of the Holy Spirit. He concluded with Francis, who regarded the CCR as a "flood of grace."

5 key aspects

1. Baptism in the Spirit. Pope Leo XIV highlighted that the path of faith of the CCR "has its source in the personal experience of the Holy Spirit, which has enabled the grace of baptism to become effective within each of you, leading you to a clear awareness of God's love."

"The Holy Spirit has likewise allowed you to taste the sweetness of Christ. For you, too, life has changed since that moment. God ceased to be a mere idea and became the real and ultimate expression of fatherhood. His Spirit has brought inner reconciliation, peace, and freedom from worldly attachments and the oppression of sin," which animates one "to be witnesses and heralds of his love, bringing his consolation to people oppressed by a sense of emptiness and loneliness."

2. Prayer of praise. Leo XIV also underscored that it is "from this captivating experience of the Holy Spirit that a new life of prayer began, taking the form of a new capacity for spontaneous and sincere dialogue with God, and a new openness to praise, worship, and offering thanksgiving."

"Worship and praise, which are so characteristic of your gatherings, are essential aspects of Christian prayer, and you have helped them to be rediscovered and brought them back to the forefront in recent years," Leo noted.

3. The word of God. "The Holy Spirit inspired the revealed word of God and is also the one who keeps it ever alive and active in the Church, causing it to resonate in the hearts of believers, especially in the liturgy," the pope continued.

So it is that "Scripture has therefore become for you a wonderful source of spiritual nourishment that enlightens and comforts. It is similarly a source of discernment for guiding your daily choices and gives substance to communal prayer, enabling you to address the Lord with words inspired by God himself."

4. Communion. Leo XIV highlighted that "the Holy Spirit is the wellspring of communion" and recalled that Pope Leo XIII encouraged praying to the Holy Spirit for Christian unity. "You clearly appreciate the significance of this invitation, for you have seen that unity in the Church is the fruit of the Spirit," Leo XIV emphasized.

"It is the Spirit who creates harmony among the various charisms and components of the charismatic renewal, as well as with our brothers and sisters of other Christian denominations," Leo observed.

5. Charity. "The renewed presence of the Spirit has awakened in you a new capacity to love, inspired by divine charity itself. This love is directed toward God and toward your brothers and sisters, and inspires closeness and compassion, especially for those who are suffering," he added.

"Many works of charity for those in need, both in spirit and in body, have sprung from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. I invite you, then, to keep alive this love for the poor, which reveals the true face of God," he continued.

Concluding exhortation

After thanking them, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal to pursue their mission by placing themselves "at the service of the dioceses and parishes, offering your experience and methods of evangelization. Faithfully follow the guidance of your priests and, in your communal discernment, listen to the voices of wise people, even if they do not belong to your groups," Leo exhorted.

In his final exhortation, Pope Leo called upon the members of the movement to "cultivate harmony and cooperation among the communities to which you belong, taking care to never give way to the desire for self-promotion, or the pursuit of power or personal prestige."

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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Bishop Michael Martin of the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, ordained 10 men to the priesthood on May 30, the highest number of priests ordained in one year in the diocese's history.

The number surpasses the previous record high of seven ordinations (set in 2000 and 2024) and follows six ordinations in 2025.

"We stand in awe of God's work in our midst," Martin told EWTN News in a statement. "We give thanks for the 'yes' of these men, which is freely offered by them to God's free invitation."

The ordinands will bolster the diocese's 145 active priests who serve more than 575,000 Catholics. The Diocese of Charlotte, covering western North Carolina, has seen steady growth in vocations amid a booming Catholic population.

"There is always a desire to explain a moment such as ours," Martin said, noting that there are "factors unique to each man in our seminary formation program" that explain the record number of ordinations and that there is "no one set formula."

"God uses whatever he chooses to invite and foster a faith-filled response from these men," he said.

He credited families, who are "responsible as they are placing faith in Christ in its rightful place at the center of daily life," as well as the diocese's priests, who "are more regularly inviting young men to consider the priesthood."

He also said the diocese has promoted a culture of vocations" for years and it "is clearly making a difference."

In 2016, then-Bishop Peter Jugis founded St. Joseph's College Seminary. Eight of this year's 10 ordinands studied there before advancing to major seminary. The other two lived there during their pastoral years of parish ministry.

"Many years ago, seeing the desperate need for priests, Bishop Jugis and his clergy made the cultivation of vocations the highest priority," said the seminary's rector, Father Matthew Kauth, in May.

In addition, under the leadership of Father Christopher Gober, who served as the diocese's vocations director until July 2025, two vocations camps were launched: "Quo Vadis Days" in 2014 for young men and "Duc in Altum" in 2016 for young women. The programs are held at Belmont Abbey College.

"We are now reaping the harvest of 20-plus years of labor. It didn't just happen," Kauth said. "God has blessed our efforts and a culture of vocations has been established — yielding increasing returns, just as Christ said it would. Now, we must cultivate and care for those vocations and give thanks to God."

Saturday's ordination drew an overflowing crowd of more than 1,640 attendees, many of whom arrived hours early.

In his homily, Martin described the occasion as "a day of great joy for the Church and for these 10 men."

The bishop urged the new priests to love so that people "will follow not just what you say but follow who you are," and encouraged them to "love the people of God you're being sent out to serve."

"His sheep are every human person on the face of the Earth, every person in whatever school or parish, every community, every hospital or nursing home," Martin told the new priests. "Wherever you go, love them all … you cannot wait for them to come to you, you have to go out to them. That is the nature of the apostolic Church. As you feed them with this holy banquet, you nourish them in ways only the Lord can."

The new priests are Father Robert Bauman, Father Michael Camilleri, Father Daniel Chaves Peña, Father John Cuppett, Father Maximilian Frei, Father Juan González Hernández, Father Bryan Ilagor, Father Michael Lugo, Father Peter Townsend, and Father James Tweed.

They offered first blessings for more than two hours after the Mass and will celebrate their inaugural Masses of thanksgiving in the coming days. Effective July 1, they will take up assignments across the diocese, serving as university and high school chaplains and in parochial vicar positions.

Also on May 30, the nine perpetual pilgrims from the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage arrived in the diocese where they were greeted by more than 100 Catholics at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe.

The 2026 theme, "One Nation Under God," recognizes the nation's 250th anniversary. The pilgrimage began on Pentecost Sunday and will continue through Independence Day weekend.

A group of nine perpetual pilgrims carrying the Blessed Sacrament will journey up the Eastern Seaboard on the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Route, named for the first U.S. citizen to be canonized.

All are invited to join the public processions and other events.

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In the mid-1960s, the Neocatechumenal Way began in an impoverished area of ??Madrid, where its initiators — Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández —proclaimed Christ among those most in need. Today, it is a reality of the Catholic Church that is present today on all five continents.

On the occasion of the apostolate's 60th anniversary — originally scheduled for 2025 but postponed due to the death of Pope Francis — Pope Leo XIV sent a special message to those who attended a Mass marking the occasion that was celebrated by Cardinal José Cobo, archbishop of Madrid, at the Almudena Cathedral.

"It is essential to remember that the evangelizing mission is a fundamental task of the entire Church — which, with joy and humility, seeking the unity of all its members (cf. Lumen Gentium, 7) and docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, strives to bring the gift of salvation to all," the pope noted in a message signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

"May this conviction serve as an inspiration to undertake this missionary work on behalf of God's beloved children," the Holy Father emphasized, concluding with his apostolic blessing for the members of the Neocatechumenal Way.

In January, Pope Leo XIV received the leaders of the Neocatechumenal Way at the Vatican and highlighted that their charism, as well as their works of evangelization and catechesis, constitute "a valuable contribution to the life of the Church."

Kiko Argüello: 'Christian initiation inspired by the Holy Spirit'

"History is important — calling to mind how the Lord has acted throughout all these years," said Argüello before the start of the Eucharist, beneath the icons he himself painted in the apse of the Madrid cathedral.

In the presence of several bishops and cardinals, and after asking for a round of applause for the 130 priests attending the Mass, Argüello expressed his joy at the conclusion of the diocesan phase of the canonization process for Hernández — the formal closing of which is scheduled to take place on June 2 in the Spanish capital.

"In the Way, we do nothing without the pope and without the bishops. If the Way has spread so remarkably, it is due to the support of all the popes, who have regarded it as a gift of the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church," he affirmed.

Argüello — as noted on the Neocatechumenal Way's website — explained that this apostolate "is a Christian initiation raised up by the Holy Spirit as one of the fruits of the council. What was being drafted in writing at Vatican II, Carmen and I were putting into practice in the shantytowns of Palomeras Altas."

'God tends to sow his most fruitful works in places that the world barely notices'

In his homily, Cobo referred to the place of origin of the Neocatechumenal Way, emphasizing that "it is no coincidence that it emerged there: God tends to sow his most fruitful works in places that the world barely notices, and through specific individuals such as Kiko, Carmen, and so many others who have followed in their footsteps."

The cardinal expressed his gratitude for the evangelizing work of the Neocatechumenal Way over these past 60 years, highlighting that it "continues to inspire new paths for proclaiming the Gospel and calls upon the Church to confront the challenges of every era through the word of God, liturgical life, and community."

'Filial obedience to the Church's pastors'

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, also sent a message in which he noted that "Spain has gifted the Church with luminous examples of Christian life and spiritual renewal — through saints, martyrs, evangelization initiatives, schools of prayer, ecclesial movements, and spiritual currents. Among these fruits, the Neocatechumenal Way can undoubtedly be included."

After highlighting the "innumerable conversions" and the many vocations that the Neocatechumenal Way has given to the Church, the cardinal invited its members to "live out their charism with renewed impetus and creativity, interpreting the spiritual needs of the men and women of today, and bringing them the ever-relevant treasure of the faith and of ecclesial tradition."

"Emulate their example of creativity, courage, and candor, of filial obedience to the pastors of the Church, and of tireless zeal for the good and salvation of souls," he encouraged.

The Neocatechumenal Way

Argüello and Hernández met in the mid-1960s in the Palomeras Altas neighborhood of Madrid, where the former — despite a promising career as a painter — gave it all up to live in a shack and proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ among the poorest of the poor.

This Christian initiation for adults soon spread to numerous parishes, driven by the encouragement of the then-archbishop of Madrid, Casimiro Morcillo.

The Neocatechumenal Way was officially approved by the Holy See in 2008 — "not as an association or movement but as a post-baptismal catechumenate, as an instrument to assist parishes and dioceses in the work of evangelization" — according to the organization.

The Neocatechumenal Way is present in 138 countries, has more than 115 seminaries, and comprises some 25,000 communities, totaling over 1 million members.

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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Christian women from tribal and minority communities are increasingly visible at the top of South Asian soccer — and none more so than Maria Manda, a Catholic from Bangladesh's Garo Indigenous community who has been named captain of her country's women's national team for the region's premier championship.

Manda, 23, a member of Bhalukapara Parish in the Diocese of Mymensingh, was appointed to lead her nation's squad for the 2026 South Asian Football Federation Women's Championship by English head coach Peter James Butler.

The tournament is being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, India, from May 25 to June 7.

In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where Christians make up a tiny minority, Maria's appointment has been a source of widespread pride among the country's Christian community, particularly its young people.

A member of the Garo Indigenous community, she is known for her ability to carry the ball from defensive lines to the opponent's box, earning a reputation as one of the team's most decisive players.

'A fighting leader'

Butler expressed strong confidence in the new captain.

"Maria is a player with a very fighting mentality, and she is highly respected in the entire squad," he said.

"She will lead the team with her performance. I know she will earn that respect from others too. A fighting leader like her can earn everyone's respect in the dressing room."

Speaking at the tournament's official press conference in Goa, Maria declared: "We have been champions in the last two editions. We want to play our natural game and keep moving forward."

Under her captaincy, Bangladesh opened the tournament with a 4-2 victory over the Maldives on May 28. After the match, Manda told Bangladeshi broadcaster T Sports: "We always aim to play well and give a good game to our countrymen. We won the first match with everyone's prayers and blessings. It feels great. I want more such support in the future."

Bangladesh fell 3-0 to host nation India on May 31 but advances to the semifinal round, where the team faces Nepal on June 3.

From U-15 glory to senior captain

Manda first became involved in organized football through the Bangamata School Football Tournament in 2011. She went on to captain Bangladesh's U-15 team, which won the inaugural SAFF U-15 Women's Championship in 2017 — a campaign in which Bangladesh went unbeaten and did not concede a single goal. She became a fixture in the senior squad that won back-to-back SAFF Women's Championship titles in 2022 and 2024.

This is her first time captaining the senior national team.

Father Bikash James Rebeiro, CSC, secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Youth and national youth coordinator for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh, told EWTN News: "Today, Christian youth and the youth of the country are very happy and proud to see the national team armband in your hand. Maria, the fighter on the field, is leading the entire country — this is a huge achievement for us."

"You have proven that with concentration and dreams, it is possible to overcome any obstacle," he added.

"Your leadership, hard work, and dedication are a great inspiration for millions."

Christian women rising in South Asian soccer

Manda is not alone in representing Christian communities on the South Asian soccer stage.

In Pakistan, Catholic defender Joyann Geraldine Thomas became the first Christian woman to represent her country when she debuted at the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship in Islamabad, having developed her skills through a parish-based soccer club in Karachi.

India forward Grace Dangmei — a Christian from Manipur's Rongmei Naga tribe who faced Manda's Bangladesh in Goa on May 31 — has helped India win multiple SAFF titles and is among the few Indian women to have played professionally overseas.

For now, Manda remains focused on the semifinal ahead. "We will be careful not to make the same mistakes we made in the first match," she said.

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