Catholic News

Bishop Michael Bransfield, who was accused of a pattern of sexual harassment and financial impropriety while leading the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, died on May 7 at 82 years old.

The Wheeling-Charleston Diocese said in a statement that Bransfield "passed away peacefully." It urged the faithful to pray for his family and friends.

"As it is the tradition in our Church to pray for the dead as well as for the living, we pray for the repose of his soul, asking God's mercy upon him," the diocese said.

A native of Philadelphia, Bransfield was ordained in that archdiocese in 1971. He served as the first rector at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., after it was named a basilica in 1990.

Pope John Paul II appointed him to lead Wheeling-Charleston in 2004. He served there until 2018 when he reached the customary retirement age of 75.

After Bransfield retired, Pope Francis ordered Baltimore Archbishop William Lori to investigate claims that Bransfield had engaged in sexual harassment of adults. The investigation ultimately uncovered a wide-ranging series of scandals, including a "consistent pattern" of inappropriate sexual behavior.

Bransfield bestowed financial gifts on several bishops, Lori said, adding he received $7,500 worth of gifts from Bransfield and subsequently returned the funds.

The inquiry also found instances of financial mismanagement and impropriety, including what were reportedly huge amounts of money spent on alcohol and millions of dollars spent on a home renovation.

The bishop "adopted an extravagant and lavish lifestyle that was in stark contrast to the faithful he served and was for his own personal benefit," the report found.

Pope Francis subsequently banned Bransfield from participating in public celebration of the Mass, while Bransfield's successor, Bishop Mark Brennan, ordered him to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution to the diocese.

Brennan also barred Bransfield from being buried in the diocesan cemetery. The diocese said on May 7 that his funeral and burial would "not take place in West Virginia."

Full Article

POMPEI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV placed his pontificate under the protection of Mary during a visit to two cities in southern Italy on Friday — the first anniversary of his election to the papacy on May 8, 2025.

Leo celebrated Mass for an estimated 20,000 people outside the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, whose feast day is May 8, during the day trip to Pompei and Naples.

"Exactly one year ago," the pope said in his homily, amid thunderous applause from the assembled faithful, "when the ministry of successor of Peter was entrusted to me, it was precisely the day of the Supplication to the Virgin, this beautiful day of the Supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompei! I therefore had to come here, to place my service under the protection of the Holy Virgin."

"Having then chosen the name Leo places me in the footsteps of Leo XIII, who, among his many merits, also developed a rich magisterium on the holy rosary. Added to all of this is the recent canonization of St. Bartolo Longo, apostle of the rosary," Leo added.

Before Mass, the pope — who flew about 150 miles from Rome to Pompei by helicopter early on May 8 — visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei. Despite forecasts of rain, thousands of people filled Bartolo Longo Square from the first light of dawn.

At the shrine, the Holy Father met the "Temple of Charity," an organization that welcomes and assists people coming from situations of hardship.

"Good morning, Pompei! Our Mother Mary — our mom — is always with us," the pope said, informally greeting the faithful who were waiting for Mass. Before the Eucharistic celebration, Leo also greeted the sick and people with disabilities inside the shrine.

The pope's homily at the outdoor Mass focused on the power of the rosary.

"The Hail Mary repeated in the holy rosary is an act of love," he said. "Generations of believers have been shaped and safeguarded by this prayer — simple and popular, yet at the same time capable of mystical heights and a treasure chest of the most essential Christian theology."

He also called the Hail Mary prayer "an invitation to joy."

"It tells Mary, and in her all of us, that upon the ruins of our humanity, tried by sin and therefore always inclined to abuses, oppression, and war, the caress of God has come — the caress of mercy, which in Jesus takes on a human face. Mary thus becomes the mother of mercy."

"When St. John Paul II proclaimed the Year of the Rosary [2002–2003], he wished to place it in a special way under the gaze of the Virgin of Pompei," Leo XIV continued. "Times have not improved since then. The wars still being fought in so many regions of the world call for renewed commitment, not only economic and political, but also spiritual and religious."

"Peace is born within the heart," he added. "We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news presents to us every day. St. Bartolo Longo, reflecting on Mary's faith, called her 'omnipotent by grace.' Through her intercession, may an abundant outpouring of mercy come from the God of peace — touching hearts, calming resentments and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of governance. No earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love."

At the conclusion of Mass, Pope Leo prayed together with the faithful the traditional Supplication to Our Lady of Pompei.

The Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary of Pompei was written in 1883 by St. Bartolo Longo. It is solemnly recited twice a year, at noon on May 8 and on the first Sunday of October. The supplication was composed in response to the invitation that Pope Leo XIII addressed to Catholics in his first encyclical on the rosary, Supremi Apostolatus Officio, calling for a spiritual commitment to confront the evils of society.

Visit to Naples

After lunch in private, Pope Leo took a helicopter about 16 miles northwest to Naples, the capital city of the Campania region of Italy, where he met with priests and religious brothers and sisters in the Naples cathedral.

During his visit to the cathedral, Leo stopped in the Chapel of the Treasure of St. Januarius, where the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius had taken place on May 3. The pope kissed the relic and with it blessed those in the packed cathedral.

After some time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the pope addressed the Catholic community: "What I therefore ask of you is this: Listen to one another, walk together, create a symphony of charisms and ministries, and in this way find ways to move from a pastoral ministry of maintenance to a missionary pastoral ministry, capable of engaging with the concrete lives of people."

"In a city marked by inequality, youth unemployment, school dropout rates, and fragile family situations, the proclamation of the Gospel cannot be separated from a concrete and supportive presence that involves everyone — priests, religious, and laypeople alike," he added.

Pope Leo XIV then arrived in the popemobile to Piazza del Plebiscito, the main square of Naples, where authorities estimate about 50,000 people were present.

The pope's address focused on peace and justice: a peace that "begins in the human heart, passes through relationships, takes root in neighborhoods and on the outskirts, and expands to embrace the entire city and the world." A peace that needs justice "to be authentic" and that "can never be separated from charity."

Leo also spoke about the "Neapolitan paradox:" on the one hand, the significant increase in tourism, which however struggles to correspond to "economic dynamism capable of truly involving the entire social community." He described a city "marked by a social divide that no longer separates the center from the outskirts but is even evident within every area, with existential peripheries nested even in the heart of the historic center." Faced with these disparities, Pope Leo XIV recalled the presence of the state as "more necessary than ever, to provide security and confidence to citizens and to take space away from organized crime."

He then encouraged moving forward with the projects of hope taking shape in the city: "Gather your strength, work together, walk united — institutions, Church, and civil society — to connect the city, protect your children from the snares of hardship and evil, and restore to Naples its vocation to be a capital of humanity and hope."

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

Full Article

Pope Leo XIV on May 8 visited the historic Italian cities of Pompei and Naples, meeting with local citizens and clergy and celebrating Mass on the first anniversary of his election to the papacy.

The Holy Father visited the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei and met with the public before concelebrating the Eucharist in the Piazza Bartolo Longo.

Later, in Naples, he met with clergy and visited the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary.

Here is a look in photos of Pope Leo XIV's activities in Pompei and Naples as he marked one year as pope:

Full Article

Just weeks before Pope Leo XIV's apostolic visit to Spain, the Spanish Bishops' Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) released a document that establishes seven pastoral priorities for the 2026–2030 period in which they embrace a bracing challenge: "We cannot just stand by and watch the ship sink."

The document, titled "Set Out on the Journey," was approved during the plenary assembly in November 2025 but was not published until after the conference's meeting in April.

Following an exercise in "conversation in the Spirit" — the same method used during the Synod on Synodality — the Spanish prelates established the following seven priority pastoral goals:

1. Proclaiming the Gospel and initiation into the Christian life

The prelates observed that "in Spain, the era — firmly established for centuries — in which we would say, 'I am Catholic because I was born in Spain,' has passed. We can no longer take Christian conversion for granted."

Consequently, the catechumenate is an "indispensable" reality in the dioceses, serving to ensure the continued growth of impactful experiences following the initial proclamation of the Gospel. "Today, Christian initiation along with the creation of communities that accompany individuals through this process and welcome the newly initiated constitute a fundamental priority," they stated.

The bishops further emphasized that "in secularized Spanish society, the Church's challenge is not so much atheism as it is the hunger for God, which manifests itself in very diverse ways," such that all pastoral actions "should assess their impact on the initial proclamation."

2. Celebrating Sunday

Added to the challenge of Christian initiation is "another great challenge of ecclesial life: the celebration of the Lord's Day" — that is, participation in Sunday Mass, which, as the prelates underscored, "is not a mere act of private devotion or fulfilling an obligation but rather the experience of being an assembly of the called — those who, summoned by the Word, are gathered together as a people taking the form of the body of Christ, in order to be sent forth on mission."

In Spain, only about 8 million of the country's 45 million inhabitants attend Mass regularly on Sundays.

3. A Church with fewer people but a lot of parishes

The bishops' third pastoral concern stems from the realization that the Catholic Church in Spain has more than 22,000 parishes distributed across over 11,000 municipalities and smaller local entities, many of which have fewer than 100 inhabitants.

This distribution reveals "a great asymmetry." As the prelates expressed with concern, "many baptismal fonts 'hold no water' — that is to say, there is no Christian community that, under the action of the Spirit, possesses the capacity to bring forth new Christians."

On the other hand, in areas with larger populations, the parish community "possesses a very weak awareness of the responsibility entailed by the baptismal font."

Beyond the diocesan parochial structure, Spain is home to 1,400 monasteries and shrines as well as hundreds of non-parochial churches where the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated, institutions that are typically under the care of religious communities.

In this regard, the prelates declared: "We cannot simply stand by and watch the ship sink."

4. Promoting formative communities

Given that "one has never been able to be a Christian alone," the prelates consider it necessary to "offer a visible communal face" and to foster the creation of communities "where the integral formation of the heart may be lived out."

The bishops acknowledged that, despite experiences of initial proclamation, "at times there exists the difficulty of transforming emotion into virtue," as noted in the recently published document "Cor ad cor loquitur" ("Heart Speaks to Heart").

In this regard, they consider the integration of Catholic immigrants to be a "great opportunity to revive and rejuvenate" the communities.

5. Living the faith in a pluralistic society

The Spanish prelates focused their attention on the pluralistic social reality in which "people of diverse ethnic origins, with diverse ideological, ethical, and religious worldviews" coexist — and not always "in a proper spirit of coexistence, but rather they fall into confrontation."

Given that "the religious map of Spain is changing" and there are "increasingly more adherents of other religions who do not come 'from abroad,'" this poses "a new challenge for the Church, which must establish channels for coexistence based on mutual respect and the fundamental right to religious freedom."

6. Welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants

The bishops' conference also takes into account the need to address the reality of increasing migration, in a twofold sense.

"Catholics must be incorporated into the Christian community"; therefore, the CEE called for an effort to welcome them by "offering the possibility of a space of their own that does not break off communion with the whole."

With regard to those of other faiths, the prelates highlighted the "opportunity for interreligious dialogue and collaboration in the service of the common good," while acknowledging that this constitutes "a challenge for Catholics, who must be formed in order to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect."

7. Bringing the love of the heart of Christ to the world

Beyond matters more specific to the Spanish context, the prelates, in their latest pastoral guidance, aim to make the love of God present beyond the confines of the Church: "It is essential to practice political charity in schools, in neighborhoods, in hospitals, and in our relationships with one another — fostering a presence, where possible, within institutional politics, the life of political parties, or other channels of institutional action."

In the charitable sphere, the bishops also warned that "we run the risk that our organizations — so dependent on the welfare state, its regulations, and its subsidies for the third sector — may offer the novelty of Christian love in a weak manner and be easily confused with NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. The same could happen to us in our educational institutions or our media outlets."

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.

Full Article

NAIROBI, Kenya — Catholic Church leaders across Africa have described the first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV as a period marked by pastoral closeness, missionary renewal, peace advocacy, and renewed attention to the peripheries of the Church.

In separate reflections shared with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV's election on May 8, 2025, many have pointed particularly to the pope's maiden apostolic visit to Africa as a defining moment of his ministry.

Church leaders from across the continent have also highlighted the Holy Father's emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, missionary outreach, justice, and peace.

Through the president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Catholic bishops in Africa said that "throughout this first year of his pontificate, his witness of faith and humility has become a source of hope for the Church and for the world."

They said Pope Leo's "tireless appeals for peace, reconciliation, justice, and human fraternity have touched hearts across nations and renewed confidence in the Gospel of Christ, especially among those who suffer from war, poverty, displacement, and social injustice."

For SECAM, the Holy Father's recently concluded trip to Africa was "not merely a pastoral journey but also a powerful sign of communion, closeness, and encouragement."

"He came to Africa as a true apostle of Christ and messenger of peace, strengthening the faith of the people, comforting the afflicted, inspiring the youth, and reaffirming the dignity of every human person," the continental episcopal body said.

'The "margins" become the center'

Bishop Christian Carlassare of South Sudan's Catholic Diocese of Bentiu, apostolic administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek, described the pope's choice of Africa for his first intercontinental visit as a strong ecclesial statement.

"Going to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea means declaring through actions that the Gospel does not follow the maps of power but crosses them and overturns them," Carlassare said in his reflection shared with ACI Africa.

He added: "In a world that measures the value of peoples according to economic weight, this journey reversed the perspective: the so-called 'margins' become the center."

The Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus said the people of God in Africa are "not communities 'to be assisted' but living subjects of mission."

"Here, faith is not a cultural fact or a tradition: It is choice, resistance, and concrete hope," he said.

Reflecting on the significance of the pope's engagement with African realities, Carlassare said the journey highlighted "that mission is increasingly a circular movement of mutual giving and receiving."

"And in this movement, one realizes that it is often the 'small ones' who evangelize the 'great,'" he added.

The chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde of Zambia's Catholic Diocese of Solwezi, also reflected on the pope's visit to Africa.

"This is a pope who is bringing us together to realize the gift of love in our ministry and our mission as a Church," Kasonde said about the first pope from the United States, who belongs to the Order of St. Augustine.

Referring to the April 13–15 apostolic journey of Leo XIV to Algeria, the Zambian bishop said the Holy Father "connects with his root, St. Augustine of Hippo, who is the patron saint for their congregation as Augustinians."

"He gives honor to this great son of Africa," Kasonde further said.

The AMECEA chairman also reflected on the Holy Father's emphasis on Christian-Muslim relations during the Algeria visit. "This opens up also the interaction with our brothers and sisters, the Muslims, in appreciating what religion stands for," Kasonde said in his audio reflection.

On the pope's visit to Cameroon, Kasonde said Pope Leo sought "creating the bond of friendship and praying for that unity that subsists in the children of God."

For Bishop Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella of Algeria's Catholic Diocese of Laghouat-Ghardaïa, Pope Leo's presence in Algeria, the first pontiff to visit the North African nation, carried deep significance for the local Church.

"His visit to Algeria was experienced by our small local Church, and by many beyond the Catholic community, as a moment of fraternity, peace, and spiritual encouragement," Diego said.

The Spanish-born member of the Missionaries of Africa (MAfr/White Fathers) added: "His words on dialogue, reconciliation, the dignity of every human person, and the importance of building bridges deeply resonated with the Algerian people."

In his reflection shared with ACI Africa, Diego described the Holy Father's insistence "that believers are called to be artisans of peace and fraternity in a wounded world" as "particularly meaningful."

'The Church must continue to be a sign of peace'

In Cameroon, Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi of the Catholic Diocese of Buea said that many people were moved by the Holy Father's message during his four-day apostolic visit.

"Many faithful in Cameroon were deeply moved by his encouraging words calling on Africans 'not to lose hope despite the trials of the present moment' and his reminder that 'the Church must continue to be a sign of peace, reconciliation, and hope in society,'" Bibi said, recalling the April 15–18 visit.

The Cameroonian bishop said the pope's "closeness to young people, displaced persons, and families facing hardship left a lasting spiritual impact on many across the country."

For his part, Bishop José Luís Gerardo Ponce de León of Eswatini's Catholic Diocese of Manzini in South Africa said Pope Leo XIV's first anniversary cannot be reflected upon without recalling his first address as pope on May 8, 2025, following his election.

"We cannot but remember his very first address on this day," Ponce de León said, recalling the Holy Father's "call for an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering."

"These have not been just words. We have seen them leading him daily in the last year and a call to each one of us to be peacemakers with and like him," the Argentine member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC) has said in a reflection shared with ACI Africa.

For Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of South Sudan's Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, Pope Leo's first year resonated strongly in a continent "burdened by conflict, poverty, corruption, and fragile social structures."

"Pope Leo XIV speaks directly to this reality," Hiiboro said in a reflection shared with ACI Africa, adding that the Holy Father "reminds us that leadership must become service and that the dignity of every human person must remain at the center of society."

Reflecting on South Sudan's context, the South Sudanese bishop who chairs the Commission for the Promotion of Integral Human Development of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference said: "Our peace remains fragile, yet our faith remains strong."

'The Church is called to ... see, to recognize, to give voice'

In his reflection shared with ACI Africa, Carlassare also spoke about exploitation, injustice, and the prophetic role of the Church.

"Pope Leo convincingly returned to the theme of exploitation," he said recalling the apostolic journey to Africa of Pope Leo XIV. "He spoke of plundered natural resources, economic dependence, and dependence on humanitarian aid caused by poor governance and lack of peace."

Carlassare went on to quote the late Pope Francis' January 2023 appeal in the DRC, recalling: "Hands off from Africa. Stop suffocating it: It is not a natural reservoir to be exploited or a land to be plundered."

For Carlassare, Pope Leo's emphasis on dialogue and encounter during his pastoral visit to Africa also stood out.

"Mission does not pass through ideological confrontation but through daily relationships and becoming a neighbor to the other," he said. "In a global system that tends to make entire peoples invisible, the Church is called to do the opposite: to see, to recognize, to give voice."

As Pope Leo XIV marks one year since his election, African Church leaders continue to envision his pontificate through the lens of missionary closeness, peace-building, and attention to those living at the peripheries.

In a message addressed to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his first anniversary as pope, SECAM leadership said that the Holy Father's "words and gestures" have "renewed missionary zeal, encouraged reconciliation where wounds and divisions persist, deepened solidarity among ecclesial communities, and strengthened the Church's commitment to justice, peace, and integral human development."

"The Church in Africa entrusts his ministry to the loving protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary," Catholic bishops in Africa said in the message signed by SECAM president Cardinal Ambongo.

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

Full Article

Caught in the war between Hezbollah and Israel, Christians in southern Lebanon have been paying a heavy price. Churches and monasteries have been destroyed, Christian symbols desecrated, and many families have lost loved ones, including a parish priest.

Yet despite the violence and destruction, they have refused to abandon their homes and villages. Much of this resilience has been sustained through the support of Catholic organizations and initiatives, which continue to help families, churches, and communities endure the crisis.

A French Catholic ally in Lebanon

L'Œuvre d'Orient is one of the Catholic organizations that has supported Christian communities in Lebanon long before the war. Its work includes supporting Christian schools, churches, pastoral initiatives, and agricultural projects, as many of these southern communities are largely rural and farming-based.

In a conversation with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Vincent Gelot, director of L'Œuvre d'Orient in Lebanon, said the French organization has delivered in 2026 seven humanitarian aid convoys and carried out several visits to villages in southern Lebanon.

"We are extremely close to the local communities. We have known them for a long time, we love them, and we try to remain as present as possible by their side," Gelot said.

Explaining his approach to humanitarian work, he added: "As far as L'Œuvre d'Orient is concerned, I make it a point to accompany every one of our trucks. I want to be certain the aid reaches its destination and the right people. It is important to be physically present, because when we come, we meet our partners and the villagers and remind them how courageous and important they are. We are trying to maintain this human bond. It is not only about sending trucks and aid but also about being there with them on the ground."

Gelot described the difficult reality facing Christians in southern Lebanon as being "caught in a vice" between Hezbollah militants attempting to use their villages to launch attacks across the border and Israeli military operations that have left homes, schools, and convents destroyed or occupied. "It is their very existence that is at stake," he said.

Gelot stressed that many of these villages date back to the time of Christ.

"This is a region visited by Christ, the apostles, and the Virgin Mary. The people are profoundly attached to their land and their villages. It is therefore essential to help them remain on their native land."

He also praised what he described as the communities' "peaceful courage and resistance," saying it is vital to stand beside them and show them the affection, admiration, and support of L'Œuvre d'Orient, its donors, and the Church in France.

However, for him, the stakes go beyond the survival of one community. "It is the very existence of Lebanon that is at stake," he said, describing the country as a rare model in the Middle East for religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of the press. He added that Christians in Lebanon continue to hold a unique political, cultural, and historical role that remains vital to preserve.

He also highlighted the close coordination between L'Œuvre d'Orient; the apostolic nuncio, Paolo Borgia; and other Catholic organizations, including Caritas Lebanon.

Caritas on the front lines

Peter Mahfouz, commander and head of the emergency response unit at Caritas Lebanon, has been on the ground assisting communities across southern Lebanon.

Speaking to ACI MENA, he said Caritas teams have been delivering emergency food parcels, hygiene and shelter kits, mattresses, and blankets while also operating mobile clinics that bring medical consultations and essential medication directly to villages cut off from hospitals.

According to Mahfouz, the most urgent needs today include shelter capacity, continuity of medical care for chronic patients, food assistance for families who have lost their income, and mental health support — particularly for children and the elderly. He also stressed the urgent need to maintain humanitarian corridors allowing aid to reach southern Lebanon.

Mahfouz said one of the organization's biggest challenges is that "the needs are growing faster than the funding." Access to some villages also remains difficult and at times dangerous, forcing teams to constantly adapt routes and delaying aid distributions.

Furthermore, he stressed that Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis has not paused during the war: "Fuel, electricity, and the cost of basic food continue to weigh on every family we serve and on our own operations."

Explaining how Caritas coordinates its work, Mahfouz said local parishes are often the organization's first point of contact within affected communities.

"They know the families, they know who is most vulnerable, and they open their halls and centers as shelters when needed," he added.

Caritas works closely with dioceses, religious congregations operating schools and clinics, and other Catholic organizations. "It is a network built on trust that existed long before this war, and that is exactly why it works in an emergency," he concluded.

Asked what keeps him going despite the exhaustion and risks, Mahfouz pointed to the people themselves.

"The way they welcome us, the way their faces change when they see us arrive, and the prayers they send with us when we leave. You arrive expecting to give something, and you leave realizing they have given you more. That is what carries us through the long days," he said.

A Polish initiative

The Lebanese Christian diaspora has also played an active role in supporting communities affected by the war, with numerous initiatives mobilizing aid from abroad.

European partners have also stepped up. One example is "Lebanon in Need," a volunteer crisis committee founded by the Maronite Missionary Foundation in Poland in partnership with 4fund.com as part of the international "Europe for Lebanon" fundraising campaign.

The initiative emphasizes transparency and accountability in humanitarian assistance. All donations are processed through 4fund.com, a payment institution licensed by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority and authorized to operate across the European Economic Area, meaning transactions are subject to anti-money-laundering controls, regulatory oversight, and full traceability.

Organizers also stress that 100% of donations reach the field thanks to the commission-free structure of the partnership. Aid is distributed through trusted local channels, including Caritas Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, and local parishes.

The initiative further relies on continuous coordination between partners to avoid duplication of aid efforts, while regular financial and narrative reports are prepared to ensure transparency with donors.

The Vatican's ongoing support

This week, a screenshot from a video call between parish priests in southern Lebanon went viral after Pope Leo XIV surprised them with a call to express his solidarity and prayers. The Vatican has repeatedly shown support for Lebanon's Christians throughout the war, not only through words but also through concrete assistance.

The call was organized by the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Borgia, who has become a deeply respected and loved figure in these communities. Viewed by many locals as a hero, he has consistently visited front-line villages, even during periods of heightened danger. Beyond diplomacy, he has taken a direct role in relief efforts, helping distribute aid alongside volunteers, carrying boxes from trucks, speaking with residents, and listening to their concerns. He works closely with Catholic organizations and initiatives supporting affected Christian communities in the south.

Full Article

On May 8, 2025, white smoke billowed from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope had been chosen. On that day, the world was introduced to Pope Leo XIV, known just hours before as Cardinal Robert Prevost, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops.

One year later, Pope Leo has captured the hearts of the faithful through his papal trips, events like canonizations and special liturgies, as well as through his spoken and printed words, including an apostolic letter, and much more.

Here are 10 of the most significant events and moments of Leo XIV's first year as pope:

The new pontiff's inaugural Mass

On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV inaugurated his pontificate with a Mass in St. Peter's Square calling for a united Church. Addressing approximately 150,000 attendees, he emphasized fraternal communion, servant leadership, and reconciliation, marking the official start of his ministry as the 266th successor of St. Peter.

At the Mass, concelebrated with the members of the College of Cardinals, Leo expressed his intention to "come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God's love, for he wants us all to be united in one family."

Instagram post

Visit to Pope Francis' tomb

Less than 48 hours after his election, Pope Leo made his first visit outside of the Vatican visiting the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, located about an hour east of Rome and run by the religious of the Order of St. Augustine.

On his way back to the Vatican, the new pontiff stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary Major where he prayed before the tomb of Pope Francis and the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary there, "Salus Populi Romani."

Pope Leo left a white rose, which is said to have been Pope Francis' favorite flower.

Impactful addresses to youth

Throughout his first year as pope, the Holy Father has had powerful experiences with young people. Two in particular that stand out are his addresses to roughly 1 million young adults during the Jubilee of Youth and his live talk with young people gathered at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

During the Jubilee of Youth, which took place July 28–Aug. 3 and was part of the yearlong Jubilee of Hope, young adults from around the world filled the streets of Rome. Each day was filled with different opportunities and events for the young people to experience the richness of the Catholic faith.

On Aug. 2, Pope Leo was greeted by the largest crowd he had addressed during his pontificate so far for the evening vigil at Tor Vergata, an outdoor venue 10 miles east of Rome. An estimated 1 million people were in attendance. The Holy Father arrived by helicopter and then drove through the grounds on the popemobile, waving to the cheering young people before the prayer service began.

The Jubilee of Youth concluded on Aug. 3 with a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo on the 237-acre grounds of Tor Vergata, where more than a million young pilgrims had spent the night following a prayer vigil and Eucharistic adoration.

In his homily, Pope Leo invited the pilgrims to open their hearts to God and venture with him "towards eternity."

NCYC took place in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium from Nov. 20–22. On Nov. 21, Pope Leo held a historic digital encounter with American teenagers.

During this live conversation, five teenagers asked the pope questions regarding using technology, recovering from mistakes, giving worries to Jesus, avoiding distractions, and preparing for the future of the Church. The pope gave guidance to the young crowd with words applicable to both teenagers and the universal Church.

Canonizations of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis

On Sept. 7, 2025, Pope Leo canonized Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis in his first canonization ceremony before an estimated 70,000 people in St. Peter's Square.

"Today we look to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis: a young man from the early 20th century and a teenager from our own day, both in love with Jesus and ready to give everything for him," he said during his homily.

He added: "Dear friends, Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces."

Tweet

Release of his first apostolic letter

Pope Leo XIV released his first apostolic letter, Dilexi Te, on Oct. 9, 2025. The document emphasizes the idea that the poor are not simply objects of charity but also evangelists who can prompt us to conversion through their example of weakness and reliance on God.

"The poor can act as silent teachers for us, making us conscious of our presumption and instilling within us a rightful spirit of humility," Leo writes in Dilexi Te ("I Have Loved You"). "The elderly, for example, by their physical frailty, remind us of our own fragility, even as we attempt to conceal it behind our apparent prosperity and outward appearance. The poor ... remind us how uncertain and empty our seemingly safe and secure lives may be."

The pontiff quotes his predecessor throughout the document, which was first drafted during Pope Francis' pontificate and draws heavily on the late pope's first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, on the joy of the Gospel.

First major international trip: Turkey and Lebanon

Pope Leo made his first international papal trip to Turkey and Lebanon Nov. 27–Dec. 2, 2025. The wide-ranging international visit included historic ecumenical encounters, deeply symbolic gestures of prayer, and pastoral visits to Christian communities under pressure. Pope Leo highlighted the importance of unity, peace, and fraternity, and brought encouragement to a region marked by ancient faith and present suffering.

One highlight from his time in Turkey included the commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea alongside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in the Turkish city of Iznik, the site of the Council of Nicaea, historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed.

In Lebanon, Pope Leo became the first pope in history to visit the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf when he arrived at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya.

An extraordinary consistory

In his opening address at an extraordinary consistory — which convened from Jan. 7–8 — Pope Leo assured the cardinals from around the world gathered at the Vatican that "I am here to listen."

This extraordinary consistory — different from the ordinary ones, which are more limited and frequent — was scheduled to take place immediately after the Jubilee of Hope to "offer support and advice to the Holy Father in the exercise of his high and arduous responsibility of governing the Church," according to a statement from the Holy See.

The consistory was a closed-door meeting to which no media were admitted, and cardinals were asked to keep the proceedings confidential. However, the cardinals were expected to offer the new pontiff their views on two specific topics: the Synod and synodality, and the mission of evangelization and the missionary character of the Church.

First Holy Week and Easter celebrations as pope

During Holy Week and Easter 2026, Pope Leo presided over the Church's most solemn liturgies in Rome, beginning with Palm Sunday and continuing through the chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the Good Friday Passion celebration, the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum, the Easter Vigil at St. Peter's Basilica, and finally Easter Sunday Mass with the "urbi et orbi" blessing from St. Peter's Square.

This was the first time in several years that a pope participated in all the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. Due to Pope Francis' declining health toward the end of his papacy, he had to scale back his participation in many of these events.

Pope Leo was also the first pope since John Paul II in 1994 to carry the wooden cross to all 14 stations during the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday.

Historic 11-day trip to Africa

Pope Leo spent 11 days in Africa — from April 13–23 — and visited four countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. During this trip, he traveled more than 11,000 miles on 18 separate flights. With stops in 11 cities across those countries, the Holy Father met with the youth, political leaders, prisoners, families, and many more to share the Gospel message.

Throughout his journey, he emphasized themes of peace, reconciliation, and economic justice, meeting with local leaders, clergy, and lay faithful. Large crowds gathered for outdoor Masses, reflecting the vibrancy and rapid growth of Catholicism in many African communities.

One of the highlights of the trip was Pope Leo's visit to Annaba — ancient Hippo — in what for the Augustinian pontiff amounted to a return to the roots of his faith and vocation. Despite pouring rain, the pope walked through the ruins and, at the end of the route, laid a wreath of flowers and stopped for a moment of prayer, visibly moved.

The pope also paid a visit to the Bata penitentiary in Equatorial Guinea and told inmates that "no one is excluded from God's love" and urged them to see that even behind bars, there remains the possibility of change, reconciliation, and hope. This prison is one of the country's harshest, known for its difficult conditions.

Strong messaging on war and peace

The Holy Father has made peace a defining theme of his pontificate from the very beginning, opening his first public remarks with the words "Peace be with you." That simple greeting set the tone for a broader vision — one rooted in the Gospel but directed squarely at a world marked by conflict and division.

In homilies and international addresses, he has consistently framed peace not as the absence of war but as an active, daily commitment grounded in justice, reconciliation, and respect for human dignity.

The pope has urged world leaders to reject cycles of violence and instead foster what he has called a "culture of peace." Speaking in the context of ongoing global tensions, he has warned against the normalization of war as a tool of policy, insisting that lasting solutions can only come through dialogue and mutual understanding.

The pope has also addressed the dangers of modern warfare, including the threat of nuclear escalation. He has called for renewed international efforts toward disarmament and de-escalation, emphasizing that the destructive power of nuclear weapons demands a moral as well as political response.

Reiterating the Church's long-standing teaching, Pope Leo has encouraged nations to pursue diplomacy over aggression, presenting dialogue not as weakness but as the strongest and most enduring path to peace.

Full Article

When Pope Leo XIV visits Pompeii, Italy, on May 8, the one-day trip will highlight the legacy of St. Bartolo Longo, whose dramatic conversion, influential writings, and promotion of the Fifteen Saturdays of the Most Holy Rosary devotion left a lasting mark on the city.

Ahead of the papal visit, Seek What Is Above, an initiative encouraging "people to lift their minds and hearts to God," has released a new version of the Fifteen Saturdays with the hopes of reintroducing "the forgotten Marian devotion."

The devotion is a series of 15 meditations on the mysteries of the rosary derived from the writings of Longo, who promoted the prayer by publishing a book with the same title in the late 1800s.

Longo, canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Oct. 19, 2025, developed a powerful devotion to the Blessed Mother after he was brought back to the Catholic faith following many years as a Satanic "priest."

Following his intense conversion, Longo devoted his life to spreading the fruits of the rosary and played an instrumental role in establishing the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii.

"Bartolo really popularized the Fifteen Saturdays devotion through the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii," Dominican Father Joseph-Anthony Kress told EWTN News. "It started when he met a noblewoman who had a … pamphlet translated from French that discussed the Fifteen Saturdays."

Using the mysteries of the rosary, the devotion encourages "a 15-week spiritual journey," Kress, the promoter of the holy rosary for the Province of St. Joseph, explained. "Every Saturday you dedicate to one of the 15 mysteries of the rosary, and you meditate on that mystery for the rest of the week."

Inspired by it, Longo then expanded on the original pamphlet in his book.

"He compiled all of the Scripture quotations and citations pertaining to each of the mysteries so that they would be collected in one place for … the individual praying, so it'd be easier for them to enter into the mysteries in their totality," Kress said.

Seek What Is Above's new edition provides both written and image-based meditations with a series of paintings from St. Paul's Church, a historic Dominican church in Antwerp, Belgium.

The 15-week-long devotion "encourages us to approach the rosary focused on the mysteries themselves," Kress said. It also "encourages the reception of the Eucharist on each Saturday as well as confession as a part of the structure to make sure that you're spiritually prepared."

St. Bartolo: 'Apostle of the Rosary'

On the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii, Pope Leo will visit the Shrine to Our Lady of the Rosary and the Chapel of Blessed Bartolo Longo, which houses Longo's relics and remains. The Holy Father will also celebrate Mass in the city's central square — Piazza Bartolo Longo.

While there is now a lasting presence of the saint in Pompeii, Longo was not always a strong example of the Catholic faith. He lived during the late 19th century when the Church was fighting to combat the growing popularity of the occult.

Born into a devout Catholic family, Longo fell away from the faith while studying law in Naples. He began to visit some of the city's infamous mediums who introduced him into the occult. His interest in the supernatural led him into Satanism and he began to preside over Satanic services, preaching blasphemously against God and the Church.

Simultaneously, Longo was struggling with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. A university professor, Vincenzo Pepe, urged him to abandon Satanism and introduced him to his future confessor, Dominican Father Alberto Radente.

With guidance from Radente and others, Longo repented and returned to the Church but still couldn't forgive himself or see how God could ever forgive him.

One day in Pompeii Longo despaired over his past with Satanism, but God helped him to see how he could be saved and how he could save others.

"I heard an echo in my ear of the voice of Friar Alberto repeating the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 'One who propagates my rosary shall be saved,'" Longo wrote.

"Falling to my knees, I exclaimed: 'If your words are true that he who propagates your rosary will be saved, I shall reach salvation because I shall not leave this earth without propagating your rosary,'" he wrote.

From then on he helped others "not just in their physical poverty but also in deep spiritual poverty" by "promoting the rosary," Kress said.

"He extended himself to care for the most vulnerable in his own city, and he put his professional skill set to work for the good of the poor — being a lawyer by trade and offering free legal services to the poor who were being taken advantage of."

Longo devoted himself to works of charity by starting orphanages and institutions for children of prisoners.

"His conversion from the spiritualisms of the day in which he lived in the occult to rejecting all of that to follow Christ and being devoted to the mother of Christ is such a moving conversion," Kress said.

"It really speaks to the hope that we as Christians cling to, that there's never a situation, never a particular life circumstance, that eliminates the hope of a conversion and union with Christ," Kress said.

Longo became a Third Order Dominican and would return to the exact places he once participated in occult activities. There, with a rosary in his hand, he would encourage those present to reject their ways and turn to the Blessed Mother for protection.

His love for the rosary and the Blessed Mother not only led to the establishment of Marian shrines and lasting devotions but also served as inspiration for Pope John Paul II's addition of the luminous mysteries to the rosary.

"As a true apostle of the rosary, Blessed Bartolo Longo had a special charism," St. John Paul wrote in his 2002 apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae proposing the new mysteries.

"By his whole life's work and especially by the practice of the '15 Saturdays,' Bartolo Longo promoted the Christocentric and contemplative heart of the rosary, and received great encouragement and support from Leo XIII, the 'Pope of the Rosary.'"

Why pray the Fifteen Saturdays devotion?

The Fifteen Saturdays is a unique devotion to pray and meditate on, as it is both devotional and sacramental.

"Committing to a Fifteen Saturdays devotion may seem like a large chunk of time — it's a few months," Kress said. "But it shows us that the rosary itself is, in a small sense, the summary of the Gospel that's lived out over a time."

"It's treated as a presentation of the mysteries of the life of Christ and the Gospels, but … it also incorporates a sacramental life, as it incorporates the reception of the Eucharist, incorporates confession, alongside mental prayer," Kress said.

It portrays "that our life with Christ isn't just this private secluded thing that we do in these interiors, but we join together in the public worship of the Church in the sacraments," he said.

"The greater sacramental life that we live fuels our mental prayer and our contemplation" and "disposes us to a more worthy reception of the sacraments," Kress said.

"Then on a human level, I think it helps us to live in the gift of perseverance."

"This isn't just a quick fix. It takes a little bit of a commitment," Kress continued. "But it slowly unfolds and allows the grace of God to nourish and nurture our souls over the course of time."

"So we grow in the virtue of hope and grow in the grace of perseverance by pursuing such a devotion like the Fifteen Saturdays," he said.

Full Article

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a fact sheet on May 6 that highlights opportunities to expand targeted sanctions against religious liberty violators.

"There are various opportunities to expand the usage of targeted sanctions, particularly in countries that rank among the world's worst violators of religious freedom," the USCIRF document said.

In the fact sheet, the USCIRF recommended the U.S. federal government not simply sanction entire countries but impose targeted sanctions against individuals and entities directly responsible for the violations.

"While countrywide trade embargoes impose broad restrictions on countries to exert maximum pressure, these can cause collateral damage on civilian populations," it states.

"In contrast, targeted sanctions focus narrowly on the individuals or entities responsible for abuses," it adds. "Depending on the program, these measures can include banning visas, freezing assets, and blocking financial transactions."

Specific perpetrators

The document lays out certain perpetrators who violate religious liberty in foreign countries, which was detailed in the USCIRF's 2026 annual report published in March.

In Afghanistan, for example, the USCIRF recommends sanctions against high-ranked Taliban officials of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which is the body tasked with enforcing Sharia law.

People involved in Iraqi militias, like the Popular Mobilization Forces, are recommended for sanctions, as are non-state actors and those affiliated with transnational authorities in Syria, which perpetuate religious freedom violations. It also lists government and non-state actors in Libya.

It recommends targeted sanctions against government agencies and officials in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

Individuals in two sub-Saharan African countries are also included: Nigerian government and military officials who tolerate or are complicit in attacks on religious communities and Eritrean government officials, including those in the police, judiciary, and correctional system.

The fact sheet recommends targeted sanctions against Chinese government agencies, entities, and officials. It also suggests sanctions against individuals and entities in neighboring India, like intelligence officials and the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Two Latin American countries are included. It suggests sanctions against Nicaraguan officials who tolerate or are complicit in targeting religious communities. It encourages sanctions against Cuban officials, including Caridad Diego Bello, the head of the Office of Religious Affairs.

Russia is the only European country listed. It suggests sanctions against officials and state agencies, including the Federal Security Service, which is an intelligence agency.

Ways to sanction

The document notes that several policies can be used to implement targeted sanctions related to human rights abuses.

The policies permit economic sanctions and visa bans against any foreign individual or entity engaged in "extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights" and those involved in "serious human rights abuse."

Other policies permit visa bans on individuals and — when appropriate — immediate family members for participating in religious freedom violations or gross violations of human rights.

"The primary goal of these programs is to drive behavior change by altering perpetrators' cost-benefit calculations, reducing their sense of impunity, and publicly naming and shaming," the document reads.

"These measures signal international expectations, restrict access to the resources needed to continue violations, and demonstrate solidarity with victims and survivors," it adds. "Generally, visa sanctions are legally required to be issued confidentially, which can diminish some of the impacts from 'naming and shaming' and decrease transparency."

Full Article

WASHINGTON — Witnesses called for U.S. intervention to end the ongoing persecution of religious minorities in India, including Christians, at a hearing on Capitol Hill.

"Religious freedom in India is abysmal. Religious minority communities and their places of worship remain particularly vulnerable to discriminatory legislation, surveillance, and harassment," U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Vice Chair Asif Mahmood said during a May 7 hearing. "Members of the clergy are also routinely arrested and released under accusation of conducting forced conversions."

USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler also highlighted persecution in India on the national, state, and local level through discriminatory legislation, arbitrary detention of religious leaders, failure to intervene in attacks against religious minorities, anti-conversion laws in 13 out of 28 states, anti-terrorism laws targeting minorities, and citizenship laws. She described religious freedom in India as continuing in "a downward trajectory."

The hearing comes as the commission warns of escalating attacks against Christians in India, including mob violence and property destruction. The Catholic population in India is about 23 million, about 1.6% of the country's population, according to the Vatican.

Raqib Naik, founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, called for the State Department to designate India as a country of particular concern (CPC).

"I believe that acknowledging the problem is the first step," Naik said. "I think the U.S. should designate India as a CPC. I think that should be the first step because you cannot have a solution without acknowledging the problem." Naik further called for sanctions and heightened awareness of transnational repression, which he said poses a "national security threat."

Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Stephen Rapp called for "methods that have a bite to them" to place pressure on the Indian government to end religious persecution in the country. Rapp encouraged heightened reporting of religious freedom violators to "build cases" against them so that it may be possible to prosecute them internationally in the future.

"Maybe many of the perpetrators may never travel, but basically you send a signal that if you commit crimes like these there will be no rest in this life," Rapp said. "It's not enough, but it's something."

Religious freedom advocate David Curry called for the State Department to demand that its international partners uphold religious liberty as a preliminary requirement in all negotiations.

"The international religious freedom infrastructure within the State Department should be part of every discussion and negotiation," Curry said. "Human rights and international religious freedom should be part of these discussions." 

Indian anthropologist Angana Chatterji echoed Curry, urging the U.S. "to examine seriously the impossibility of economic benefit and profit from relations with India under the current extreme conditions."

Georgetown Law professor Arjun Sethi noted that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was banned under the George W. Bush administration from entering the U.S. from 2005 to 2014. "And now he's courted by this country," he said.

"I think we should just have a much deeper understanding of who he is, what he stands for, and what he's about," Sethi said.

Full Article