Thousands of people walk prayerfully together through the streets during a Eucharistic procession in Derry, Ireland, on the feast of St. Brigid, Feb. 1, 2025. / Credit: EWTN IrelandDerry, Northern Ireland, Feb 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).On the recent feast day of St. Brigid in Ireland, thousands of people walked the streets together in a joyful celebration of prayer that has attracted global interest. The Come Follow Me Procession on the feast of one of Ireland's patron saints was organized by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) and a group of lay Catholics.Father Antonio Maria Diez de Medina, CFR, has encouraged an active interest in Eucharistic processions in Ireland. Credit: EWTN Ireland"We want to bring Our Lord Jesus to people who no longer go to church, those who are lost or those who have no hope. There is a lot of darkness here, and when we lift Jesus high, we know that hearts are changed," said Father Antonio Maria Diez de Medina, CFR, who has encouraged an activ...
Thousands of people walk prayerfully together through the streets during a Eucharistic procession in Derry, Ireland, on the feast of St. Brigid, Feb. 1, 2025. / Credit: EWTN Ireland
Derry, Northern Ireland, Feb 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
On the recent feast day of St. Brigid in Ireland, thousands of people walked the streets together in a joyful celebration of prayer that has attracted global interest. The Come Follow Me Procession on the feast of one of Ireland's patron saints was organized by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) and a group of lay Catholics.
Father Antonio Maria Diez de Medina, CFR, has encouraged an active interest in Eucharistic processions in Ireland. Credit: EWTN Ireland
"We want to bring Our Lord Jesus to people who no longer go to church, those who are lost or those who have no hope. There is a lot of darkness here, and when we lift Jesus high, we know that hearts are changed," said Father Antonio Maria Diez de Medina, CFR, who has encouraged an active interest in Eucharistic processions in Ireland.
Holding the procession on the feast of St. Brigid was no accident, Diez de Medina explained to CNA. "There is a tendency to make her into a New Age saint or a goddess and part of it was to correct that," he said.
"We need to carry Our Lord Jesus in our hearts, and I really believe there is a new fire, a new hope, and a new song," he said.
Banner of St. Brigid in the Eucharistic procession in Derry, Ireland, Feb. 1, 2025. Credit: EWTN Ireland
Roisin Doherty, another organizer, said: "We are looking today to see Jesus come alive on the streets in public witness so that people will come to know Jesus Christ the King and his Eucharistic heart beating on the streets. This today is a breakthrough; Jesus is here, and Ireland is coming back to God."
Worshippers of all ages took part in the Eucharistic procession, singing and bearing religious statues, banners, and flags with images of Jesus, St. Brigid, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Derry's own Sister Clare Crockett.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Guildhall Square, Derry, Ireland, Feb. 1, 2025. Credit: EWTN Ireland
The procession halted for adoration in Guildhall Square, a moving and powerful setting that was the scene of many past Catholic civil rights protests.
Prayer intentions included an end to abortion, euthanasia, and war; the healing of families from sin, division, addictions, and suicide; and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
"There can be a fear of expressing your faith, of hiding your Catholic identity, so we bring him to those who are lost, those who have given up on the Church, those who no longer go to church," Diez de Medina said. "Really, we become his hands and feet when we bring him out onto the streets and venerate him."
The Eucharistic procession was featured in a segment on "EWTN News Nightly," which can be viewed below.
St. Peter's Basilica. / Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNAACI Prensa Staff, Feb 12, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).The first Vatican Summit on Longevity will take place on March 24, bringing together experts and world leaders to explore the most advanced scientific discoveries and reflect on the fundamental ethical values ??that guide research in this field.The summit will take place in the context of the 2025 Jubilee in the auditorium of the Augustinianum Conference Center in Rome in a meeting that will bring together scientists, Nobel laureates, and world leaders to address one of the crucial challenges of our time: promoting healthy, sustainable, and integral aging.The idea for the meeting came from Alberto Carrara, president of the International Institute of Neurobioethics, and Viviana Kasam, president of BrainCircle Italy, who passed away in October 2024. The event is sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life, whose president, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, will open the event.The Vatican ...
St. Peter's Basilica. / Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNA
ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 12, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The first Vatican Summit on Longevity will take place on March 24, bringing together experts and world leaders to explore the most advanced scientific discoveries and reflect on the fundamental ethical values ??that guide research in this field.
The summit will take place in the context of the 2025 Jubilee in the auditorium of the Augustinianum Conference Center in Rome in a meeting that will bring together scientists, Nobel laureates, and world leaders to address one of the crucial challenges of our time: promoting healthy, sustainable, and integral aging.
The idea for the meeting came from Alberto Carrara, president of the International Institute of Neurobioethics, and Viviana Kasam, president of BrainCircle Italy, who passed away in October 2024. The event is sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life, whose president, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, will open the event.
The Vatican Longevity Summit will not be an isolated event but the first step of an ambitious global project led by the Vatican in collaboration with international scientific and academic institutions.
According to a statement from the Pontifical Academy for Life, this project aims to promote a model of longevity that does not simply increase lifespan but enriches it in terms of quality, dignity, and sustainability, integrating science, ethics, and spirituality.
Furthermore, in line with shared ethical and anthropological principles, the International Institute of Neurobioethics aims to develop an interdisciplinary platform to foster dialogue between scientists, philosophers, bioethicists, and policymakers.
Integral human longevity will be the central theme of future activities, the statement said, with the aim of building a society that values ??all stages of life and promotes intergenerational solidarity.
"This summit represents not only a scientific reflection but [also] a call to consider aging as an ethical responsibility and an extraordinary opportunity for innovation for the common good," the statement said.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks at the USCCB fall plenary assembly Nov. 14, 2023. / Credit: USCCB videoCNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025 / 18:44 pm (CNA).The president of the U.S. bishops' conference has responded to Pope Francis' letter to the bishops regarding the country's latest drive to deport unauthorized immigrants, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding human dignity and the goal of building a humane system of immigration. Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) thanked Pope Francis for his "prayerful support" and asked for the Holy Father to pray for the U.S. to improve its immigration system, protect communities, and safeguard human dignity. "Boldly I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protect...
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks at the USCCB fall plenary assembly Nov. 14, 2023. / Credit: USCCB video
CNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025 / 18:44 pm (CNA).
The president of the U.S. bishops' conference has responded to Pope Francis' letter to the bishops regarding the country's latest drive to deport unauthorized immigrants, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding human dignity and the goal of building a humane system of immigration.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) thanked Pope Francis for his "prayerful support" and asked for the Holy Father to pray for the U.S. to improve its immigration system, protect communities, and safeguard human dignity.
"Boldly I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all," Broglio wrote.
The letter was in response to Pope Francis' Feb. 10 letter in which the Holy Father urged the U.S. to evaluate the justness of its policies in the light of human dignity and highlighted the inherent dignity of migrants.
Broglio, in turn, highlighted the importance of centering the issue on Christ.
"As successor to St. Peter, you call not only every Catholic but every Christian to what unites us in faith — offering the hope of Jesus Christ to every person, citizen and immigrant alike," Broglio wrote on behalf of all the country's bishops. "In these times of fear and confusion, we must be ready to answer our Savior's question, 'What have you done for the least of these?'"
Pope Francis in his letter proposed that a "rightly formed conscience" would disagree with associating the illegal status of some migrants with criminality, while at the same time he affirmed a nation's right to defend itself from people who have committed violent or serious crimes. Additionally, the Holy Father weighed in on the Catholic concept of "ordo amoris" — "rightly ordered love" — which was recently invoked by Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, in the ongoing debate over the country's refugee and immigration policies.
Broglio also directly addressed ongoing concerns around the U.S. government's role in charitable aid. Noting the recent funding pause by the U.S. government, Broglio urged the U.S. and the faithful to support Catholic charity and relief organizations.
"We all turn to the Lord in prayer that families suffering from the sudden withdrawal of aid may find the strength to endure," Broglio continued. "With you, we pray that the U.S. government keep its prior commitments to help those in desperate need."
Under the Trump-Vance administration, the U.S. has paused its funding to most national and international charities. This includes Catholic organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities, which have since urged the administration to resume funding.
Meanwhile, the U.S. bishops' conference last week laid off 50 staff members in its migration and refugee services office, citing a delay in reimbursements from the federal government.
"We also turn to the people of God to ask their mercy and generosity in supporting the Catholic Relief Services national collection this Lent as well as the 'on the ground' work of local Catholic Charities organizations so that the void might be filled with the efforts of all," Broglio wrote.
Broglio concluded by highlighting the importance of fraternity, especially in the jubilee year.
"As we struggle to continue our care for the needy in our midst and the desire to improve the situation in those places from which immigrants come to our shores, we are ever mindful that in them we see the face of Christ," Broglio wrote. "In this jubilee year, may we build bridges of reconciliation, inclusion, and fraternity."
A view of the Opera House in the port zone of Sydney, Australia. / Credit: Benh LIEU SONG vía Flickr (CC BY-SA 4.0)Vatican City, Feb 11, 2025 / 10:35 am (CNA).Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed Father Anthony Gerard Percy as a new auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney and as bishop of the titular see of Appiaria, Bulgaria.Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, welcomed the news of Percy's appointment, saying: "I'm grateful to the Holy Father for choosing another good and faith-filled priest to serve as a bishop in our archdiocese and to work alongside me in the vineyard of Sydney."A parish priest of St. Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan since 2023, Percy, 62, was born in Cooma, southern New South Wales, and ordained a priest in 1990 for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. Since his priestly ordination, he has ministered to Catholics in six parishes: St. Mary's Parish in Young; St. Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan; Our Lady Help of Christians in Ardlethan; Sacred He...
A view of the Opera House in the port zone of Sydney, Australia. / Credit: Benh LIEU SONG vía Flickr (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Vatican City, Feb 11, 2025 / 10:35 am (CNA).
Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed Father Anthony Gerard Percy as a new auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney and as bishop of the titular see of Appiaria, Bulgaria.
Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, welcomed the news of Percy's appointment, saying: "I'm grateful to the Holy Father for choosing another good and faith-filled priest to serve as a bishop in our archdiocese and to work alongside me in the vineyard of Sydney."
A parish priest of St. Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan since 2023, Percy, 62, was born in Cooma, southern New South Wales, and ordained a priest in 1990 for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn.
Since his priestly ordination, he has ministered to Catholics in six parishes: St. Mary's Parish in Young; St. Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan; Our Lady Help of Christians in Ardlethan; Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ariah Park; St. Therese Parish in Barellan; and Mary Queen of Apostles in Goulburn.
From 1999–2003 Percy studied at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was awarded a doctorate specializing in marriage from the university's Pontifical John Paul II Institute.
The bishop-elect was appointed rector of the Good Shepherd Seminary in Sydney from 2009–2014 by the late Cardinal George Pell and afterward made vicar general of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn from 2014–2023.
In a Tuesday interview with The Catholic Weekly, Percy said Pell had "placed a lot of trust in me and in the formation team" at the seminary, adding: "We had a great seminary and we had some really great young students who then became great priests."
Percy also shared with The Catholic Weekly his anticipation for the 54th International Eucharistic Congress set to take place in Sydney in 2028.
"The love you have for the Eucharist drives you to want to go out and serve people who are less fortunate than we are. One would hope that the Eucharistic Congress will really release that sort of grace in the Church once again."
Percy's episcopal consecration will take place at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on May 2.
Our Lady of Lourdes grotto, Lourdes, France. / Credit: Elise Harris/CNACNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).On Feb. 11, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. In Lourdes, France, in 1858, 13-year-old Bernadette Soubirous was collecting pieces of wood as part of her daily chores when she noticed a startling wind and rustling sound. The noise came from a nearby grotto. When Bernadette looked toward it, she saw it filled with a golden light and a beautiful lady.It was at this grotto that the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette 18 times and where millions of Catholic pilgrims visit the healing waters at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.Records have been kept from the exchanges between Bernadette and our Blessed Mother. Here are five of the most fascinating facts about the apparitions that took place at the grotto:1. Paralysis When Bernadette first saw the beautiful lady in the grotto during the first apparition, on Feb. 11, 1858, it is said ...
Our Lady of Lourdes grotto, Lourdes, France. / Credit: Elise Harris/CNA
CNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).
On Feb. 11, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. In Lourdes, France, in 1858, 13-year-old Bernadette Soubirous was collecting pieces of wood as part of her daily chores when she noticed a startling wind and rustling sound. The noise came from a nearby grotto. When Bernadette looked toward it, she saw it filled with a golden light and a beautiful lady.
It was at this grotto that the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette 18 times and where millions of Catholic pilgrims visit the healing waters at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Records have been kept from the exchanges between Bernadette and our Blessed Mother. Here are five of the most fascinating facts about the apparitions that took place at the grotto:
1. Paralysis
When Bernadette first saw the beautiful lady in the grotto during the first apparition, on Feb. 11, 1858, it is said that she immediately smiled at Bernadette and signaled to her to come closer, in the same way a mother motions to her child. Bernadette took out her rosary and knelt before the Lady, who also had a rosary on her right arm. When Bernadette tried to begin saying the rosary by making the sign of the cross, her arm was paralyzed. It was only after the Lady made the sign of the cross herself that Bernadette was able to do the same. The Lady remained silent as Bernadette prayed the rosary, but the beads of her rosary passed between her fingers.
2. The secret prayer
During the fifth apparition, which took place on Feb. 20, 1858, the Lady taught Bernadette a prayer, which she recited every day for the rest of her life. She never revealed the prayer to anyone, but she did say she was told to always bring a blessed candle with her. This is why candles perpetually burn at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.
3. The Lady shares her name
At the 16th apparition, on March 25, 1858, the feast of the Annunciation, the Lady revealed her identity to Bernadette, calling herself the "Immaculate Conception."
4. The burn of fire
Bernadette never forgot to bring a lighted candle to the grotto since she was told to do so by the Lady. During the 17th apparition, on April 7, 1858, Bernadette unconsciously placed one of her hands over the burning flame. Witnesses saw the flame burning through her fingers, and yet she was able to pray for 15 minutes with the flame burning her hand. As she emerged from her prayer, she was unscathed and didn't even notice cries of horror from the people in the crowd. Dr. Pierre Romaine Dozous, a well-known physician from Lourdes, took another lit candle and, without warning, placed the flame to her hand. Bernadette immediately cried out in pain.
5. The miracle of Bernadette's body
After the apparitions ended, Bernadette went on to become a Sister of Charity. She died at age 34 on April 16, 1879. She was buried on the convent grounds in Nevers, France. Thirty years later, on Sept. 22, 1909, her body was exhumed and found completely intact. A second exhumation took place on April 3, 1919. The body was found in the exact same state as it had been 10 years earlier. Bernadette was canonized a saint on Dec. 8, 1933, by Pope Pius XI.
This story was first published on Feb. 11, 2022, and has been updated.
Father Zvonimir Pavicic, OFM, is pastor of the parish church at the Marian shrine of Medjugorje. / Credit: Nicolás de Cárdenas/ACI PrensaMadrid, Spain, Feb 11, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).Father Zvonimir Pavicic, OFM, the pastor of the parish church at the Marian shrine of Medjugorje, welcomed the recent Vatican recognition of the spiritual phenomenon there as a call to make this recognition more widely known. To skeptics, he says: "We never argue about Medjugorje, but I tell everyone: Come and see."The Franciscan was in Spain last week for the 15th Ibero-American Congress on the Queen of Peace organized by the Medjugorje Center Foundation with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope Guided by the Queen of Peace." During a brief break from the event's busy schedule, the priest took some time to speak to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.ACI Prensa: What does it mean to be a priest and pastor of Medjugorje and what is the particular grace that you have found there?Pavicic: Bein...
Father Zvonimir Pavicic, OFM, is pastor of the parish church at the Marian shrine of Medjugorje. / Credit: Nicolás de Cárdenas/ACI Prensa
Madrid, Spain, Feb 11, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Father Zvonimir Pavicic, OFM, the pastor of the parish church at the Marian shrine of Medjugorje, welcomed the recent Vatican recognition of the spiritual phenomenon there as a call to make this recognition more widely known. To skeptics, he says: "We never argue about Medjugorje, but I tell everyone: Come and see."
The Franciscan was in Spain last week for the 15th Ibero-American Congress on the Queen of Peace organized by the Medjugorje Center Foundation with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope Guided by the Queen of Peace."
During a brief break from the event's busy schedule, the priest took some time to speak to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.
ACI Prensa: What does it mean to be a priest and pastor of Medjugorje and what is the particular grace that you have found there?
Pavicic: Being a parish priest at Medjugorje is very demanding, because you are at the same time the pastor, the rector, and the guardian. Because the three duties are not yet separated and the pastor is the one who does everything.
As a pastor, I take care of the parishioners and everything that parish life entails. But the pastor is also responsible for all the pilgrims who come. Although it is a very difficult and demanding task, at the same time it is very beautiful, because you meet people who come to encounter God and who want to live with Mary, and that makes your work easier. And I have to emphasize that I am not alone there, but the Franciscan brothers are there and they make all my work easier.
The grace that I discovered in Medjugorje is precisely the grace of the priestly vocation. What the priest means to the Church, how much people need priests, how much they seek him and, in reality through him, they seek the grace of God. And I discover this more and more in Medjugorje every day.
What has Rome's recognition of Medjugorje as a place of extraordinary grace meant and what does it bring to the Church?
Before the recognition of the "nihil obstat" ("nothing stands in the way"), Medjugorje brought a lot to the Church. It brought people to conversion, the faithful to conversion. And these people, in turn, prayed for others, converted others, moved people to prayer in their cities. So Medjugorje is a gift to the Church. And the Church has recognized this.
And the "nihil obstat" has opened the doors to Medjugorje and also to all those who want to go to Medjugorje. It has recognized the spirituality of Medjugorje as sound and that it can help the Church in today's world. And that is why the declaration states that this spirituality must be proclaimed in the Church, so that the greatest number of people will hear about this spirituality and that, by the grace of God, the greatest possible number of people will be converted. And I would conclude that Medjugorje was, is, and will be a gift for the Church.
You are a Franciscan. St. Francis was commissioned by the Lord to restore the Church in Porziuncola. What fruits has Medjugorje been bearing in these 44 years for the restoration and edification of the Church?
It's the same task. How did St. Francis renew the Church? With a holy life. With prayer. Living in the Church. Not criticizing the pope, the bishops, or the priests. And at that time he had reason to criticize them!
But he loved the Church and lived in it. And that is the true reform of the Church. And that is what Medjugorje does today. We have always been within the Church and for the Church. We have been waiting for the "nihil obstat" and we continue to serve the Church humbly, because we have not created ourselves. We say that God has granted us this grace and we only collaborate with it: for the Church and in the Church.
Many priests experience a profound renewal of their ministry when they go to Medjugorje. What do you think the experience brings to priests?
It's the grace of God. It can't be described simply. It can't be described, because it would not be divine if it could be described. But God acts in Medjugorje. And this is very visible in every priest and in every member of the faithful who goes to Medjugorje. I think it's not necessary to describe it but to live it.
And not only in Medjugorje but in any other parish. Medjugorje is only an image and a model of what any other parish should be like. Any parish should offer God to men. And the opportunity to go to confession, to pray the rosary, the Eucharist, adoration, and many other devotions. Everything is very simple and God acts in all of this. And this is what priests discover in Medjugorje. In reality, they discover that God is hidden in simplicity.
What do you say to those who are hesitant, who even look with suspicion at the phenomenon of Medjugorje, who do not feel called to that place?
I wouldn't say anything to them. I never argue with people about Medjugorje. Those who believe, should continue to believe. Those who do not believe, should live with it. God reaches out to each person in different ways. He has touched millions through Medjugorje through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Others have been touched through something else.
The Spirit blows where he wants and how he wants. We never argue about Medjugorje. But I tell everyone: Come and see. Only those who come to Medjugorje and participate in the evening program in the parish will reach a conclusion and make a judgment about Medjugorje.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Cardinal Michael Czerny is the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. / Credit: Pablo Esparza/CNACNA Newsroom, Feb 10, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).A prominent Vatican cardinal said on Monday that people are being "terrorized" by the U.S. government's "crackdown" on immigration and freeze of Catholic-run aid programs.Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, told the Associated Press in an interview published Feb. 10 that U.S. measures affecting both migration policy and international aid programs are causing serious harm to vulnerable populations."A crackdown is a terrible way to administer affairs and much less to administer justice," the Czech-born Canadian Jesuit said. "I'm very sorry that many people are being hurt and indeed terrorized by the measures."The cardinal's comments coincided with a sharp rebuke from Caritas Internationalis, which on Monday strongly condemned what it called ...
Cardinal Michael Czerny is the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. / Credit: Pablo Esparza/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Feb 10, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).
A prominent Vatican cardinal said on Monday that people are being "terrorized" by the U.S. government's "crackdown" on immigration and freeze of Catholic-run aid programs.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, told the Associated Press in an interview published Feb. 10 that U.S. measures affecting both migration policy and international aid programs are causing serious harm to vulnerable populations.
"A crackdown is a terrible way to administer affairs and much less to administer justice," the Czech-born Canadian Jesuit said. "I'm very sorry that many people are being hurt and indeed terrorized by the measures."
The cardinal's comments coincided with a sharp rebuke from Caritas Internationalis, which on Monday strongly condemned what it called "the reckless decision by the U.S. administration to abruptly close USAID funded programs and offices worldwide."
Caritas warned: "Stopping USAID will jeopardize essential services for hundreds of millions of people, undermine decades of progress in humanitarian and development assistance, destabilize regions that rely on this critical support, and condemn millions to dehumanizing poverty or even death."
Catholic Relief Services — the U.S. Catholic Church's primary aid agency and one of USAID's recipients — has already raised concerns about the impact.
Czerny noted that smaller Catholic programs are also affected.
The Vatican official emphasized Pope Francis' teaching that caring for migrants and vulnerable people is a fundamental Christian duty.
"What the Church teaches is very well summed up by Pope Francis, who says that our obligation, not only as Christians but as human beings, is to welcome people, to protect them, to promote them, and to integrate them," Czerny said.
On Feb. 7, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, noted that "the Church does not have the authority or the responsibility to determine the legal status of those living in the United States" but does have "an obligation to care for every person with respect and love, no matter their citizenship status."
At the same time, the Kansas archbishop offered a full-throated endorsement of prioritizing public safety threats in immigration enforcement.
Thirty-three university students of diverse faiths participate in the Middle Meets project at the headquarters of Scholas Ocurrentes in the Roman neighborhood of Trastevere. / Credit: Scholas OcurrentesVatican City, Feb 10, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).In 2023, the conflict between Israel and Hamas dragged universities around the world into a war of ideas with protests, proclamations, and accusations ramping up the tension.The initial, almost unanimous support for Israel and the condemnation of the 1,200 murders and 252 hostages that Hamas took on Oct. 7, 2023, quickly turned into protests, some very violent, due to the overwhelming Israeli response."What happened in the academic world is that it became a place where people can no longer speak freely. Everyone takes sides and silences the other by saying: 'We're right, the others are wrong,'" Professor Elitzur Bar-Asher Siegal of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem told ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner."When I see my stu...
Thirty-three university students of diverse faiths participate in the Middle Meets project at the headquarters of Scholas Ocurrentes in the Roman neighborhood of Trastevere. / Credit: Scholas Ocurrentes
Vatican City, Feb 10, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
In 2023, the conflict between Israel and Hamas dragged universities around the world into a war of ideas with protests, proclamations, and accusations ramping up the tension.
The initial, almost unanimous support for Israel and the condemnation of the 1,200 murders and 252 hostages that Hamas took on Oct. 7, 2023, quickly turned into protests, some very violent, due to the overwhelming Israeli response.
"What happened in the academic world is that it became a place where people can no longer speak freely. Everyone takes sides and silences the other by saying: 'We're right, the others are wrong,'" Professor Elitzur Bar-Asher Siegal of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem told ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.
"When I see my students go to a demonstration, I don't tell them not to do it because I think it represents the issue that matters to them. The problem is when they repeat rhetoric that means nothing or arguments based on fake news; that's when I feel that the university has failed in its purpose," the professor commented.
The pro-Palestinian demonstrations held across more than 60 university campuses in the United States were replicated by students in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, who in turn organized hundreds of sit-ins in which they even demanded that each of their universities break academic ties with Israeli institutions.
All of this was forged in the heat of a torrent of social media posts orchestrated to manipulate public opinion, with images and videos that promoted two opposing and partial narratives.
In this context of polarization, the "Middle Meets" project emerged with the aim of creating a space for listening and understanding between Muslim, Jewish, and Christian students.
Professor Elitzur Bar-Asher Siegal (at left) of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem leads the "Middle Meets" project. Credit: Scholas Occurrentes
"We felt that universities around the world were becoming very divided and very extremist. And we wanted to create a platform for Palestinian, Hebrew, and American students to have an in-depth conversation, without superficial slogans and without going to extremes; just listening to each other in an open dialogue," university student Tomy Stockman explained.
Two months after the Hamas attacks in Israel, this student from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem planted the seed that gave birth to Middle Meets, which is currently run by Bar-Asher Siegal. So far, 33 young people from Israel, Palestine, and the United States have participated.
The first meeting was held remotely in November 2024, but last week they met in person in Rome in an interreligious meeting promoted by the Vatican, thanks to the Pontifical Foundation Scholas Occurrentes.
"More than just meeting, they have lived together and forged bonds of friendship. It hasn't been easy because they have spoken of painful situations, of war, of confrontation, but it has been a process of sharing pain and suffering," Bar-Asher Siegal explained.
Students engage in a workshop discussion. Credit: Scholas Ocurrentes
He also noted the significance of the Vatican lending its facilities for the occasion.
"When we visited Rome's Campo de Fiori square, we were told that the Vatican banned the Talmud in the 16th century. But here we are now, five centuries later, invited by the Vatican. Things can change," he said during one of the meetings held Feb. 4 at Palazzo San Calixto, headquarters of the Pontifical Foundation Scholas Occurrentes, located in the central Roman neighborhood of Trastevere.
Ignoring the other: the main cause of polarization
Jewish student Stockman, who attends classes at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with other Muslim students, said the lack of understanding between Jews and Palestinian Arabs is a constant factor.
"We ignore each other. Before this meeting promoted by Middle Meets, I didn't have any Palestinian friends," she revealed, adding that "Society is so divided that it's almost impossible to start a conversation with someone from another ethnic group."
In this regard, Stockman hopes the creation of a space for dialogue like this will succeed in forging fruitful bridges of friendship that overcome the divisions present in the social fabric of the Holy Land.
Thanks to the Middle Meets project, university students are able to get to know each other better and break down prejudices. Credit: Scholas Ocurrentes
"At this moment there is an Israeli narrative and a Palestinian narrative about the conflict, and we are trying to create a third narrative based on the possibility of coexisting in peace within the societies of the country," Stockman explained.
Shadan Khatib is one of the young women who participated in the Middle Meets project. She is Muslim and studies at a university in Tel Aviv. When she received the invitation to participate in the meeting, she was initially somewhat skeptical.
"It was very difficult to see your people, innocent civilians, die, and at first I thought that these types of organizations that bring Jews and Muslims together never get anywhere," she said.
However, a friend who also participated in the project made her change her mind. After two days of living with other young Christians and Jews, she judged the experience to be "very positive."
Thus, she said she is going back to Tel Aviv with the conviction that the mission of the young people is to "start a new chapter."
"Peace is very far away now, but I have hope. I think there will be forgiveness if we find a solution that is equal for both parties," she commented.
"At the end of the day we are all human, we all want to live in peace and happiness," she emphasized.
Pope Francis with the group after a general audience. Credit: Scholas Ocurrentes
One of the most anticipated moments of the program was a meeting with Pope Francis, which occurred at the conclusion of his Feb. 5 general audience. There, the young people had the opportunity to present the conclusions they had worked on, along with a letter expressing their desire for peace in the region.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Military personnel in dress uniforms attend the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNARome Newsroom, Feb 9, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).Pope Francis presided over the Jubilee Mass for Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel on Sunday, with Archbishop Diego Ravelli reading his prepared homily as the pontiff recovers from bronchitis.Over the Feb. 8-9 weekend, approximately 30,000 men and women from more than 100 countries participated in various jubilee festivities in Rome, including a pilgrimage to the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.Pope Francis arrives in a vehicle at St. Peter's Square for the Jubilee Mass for Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNADuring the outdoor Mass in St. Peter's Square, Archbishop Ravelli, reading the pope's prepared homily, thanked those who have dedicated their lives to a "lofty mission that embraces numerous aspects of social and political life."A N...
Military personnel in dress uniforms attend the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Rome Newsroom, Feb 9, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Pope Francis presided over the Jubilee Mass for Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel on Sunday, with Archbishop Diego Ravelli reading his prepared homily as the pontiff recovers from bronchitis.
Over the Feb. 8-9 weekend, approximately 30,000 men and women from more than 100 countries participated in various jubilee festivities in Rome, including a pilgrimage to the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.
Pope Francis arrives in a vehicle at St. Peter's Square for the Jubilee Mass for Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
During the outdoor Mass in St. Peter's Square, Archbishop Ravelli, reading the pope's prepared homily, thanked those who have dedicated their lives to a "lofty mission that embraces numerous aspects of social and political life."
A New York City police officer holds an American flag during the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. | Daniel Ibáñez/CNA. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
"You are present in penitentiaries and at the forefront of the fight against crime and the various forms of violence that threaten to disrupt the life of society," Ravelli read from the pope's text.
Pope Francis and Archbishop Diego Ravelli during the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
The prepared homily continued: "I think too of all those engaged in relief work in the wake of natural disasters, the safeguarding of the environment, rescue efforts at sea, the protection of the vulnerable and the promotion of peace."
Military personnel in dress uniforms attend the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Praising their vigilance amid "the opposing forces of evil," the homily noted that security personnel who protect the defenseless and uphold law and order in cities and neighborhoods can "teach us that goodness can prevail over everything."
A military officer holds a rosary and service booklet during the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
The papal text also acknowledged the chaplains who provide moral and spiritual support to military and security personnel, describing them as "the presence of Christ, who desires to walk at your side, to offer you a listening and sympathetic ear, to encourage you to set out ever anew and to support you in your daily service."
Military personnel gather in St. Peter's Square as a banner reading "Pilgrimage of the Polish Army" is displayed during the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
The homily concluded with a call for those gathered to have the courage to be peacemakers who never lose sight of their purpose to save and protect lives, warning: "Be vigilant not to be taken in by the illusion of power and the roar of arms... Be vigilant lest you be poisoned by propaganda that instils hatred, divides the world into friends to be defended and foes to fight."
A priest distributes Holy Communion to a uniformed servicewoman during the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Speaking in his own voice during the Angelus prayer that followed the Mass, Pope Francis invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, for those who are the "servants of the security and freedom of their peoples."
"This armed service should be exercised only in legitimate defense, never to impose domination over other nations, always observing the international conventions," the pope said, referencingGaudium et Spes.
Polish military photographers document the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
"Brothers and sisters, let us pray for peace in the tormented Ukraine, in Palestine, in Israel and throughout the Middle East, in Myanmar, in Kivu, in Sudan," he urged.
"May the weapons be silent everywhere and the cry of the peoples, who ask for peace, be heard!"
A Swiss Guard stands alongside bishops during the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 9, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Derek Ruth has written his story of recovery from a traumatic brain injury and meeting Jesus and Mary in a new book, "The Eight-Minute Flight." / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth familyLincoln, Neb., Feb 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).It was a hard hit on the football field, but 12-year-old Derek Ruth of Lincoln, Nebraska, was able to answer all his coach's questions correctly, so it looked like he was okay.Suddenly, he ripped off his helmet, screamed, "My head!" and collapsed into his coach's arms.As he was life-flighted for emergency surgery, Ruth had a remarkable meeting with Jesus, the first of many tangible encounters he would have as he battled back from the traumatic brain injury. Now, 16 years later, he has written a book about his experiences to help people and to bring them to Christ: "The Eight-Minute Flight.""After my first initial encounter with Jesus in heaven, I kept quiet about that experience and only told a few select people, such as my parents and brothers," Ruth...
Derek Ruth has written his story of recovery from a traumatic brain injury and meeting Jesus and Mary in a new book, "The Eight-Minute Flight." / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth family
Lincoln, Neb., Feb 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
It was a hard hit on the football field, but 12-year-old Derek Ruth of Lincoln, Nebraska, was able to answer all his coach's questions correctly, so it looked like he was okay.
Suddenly, he ripped off his helmet, screamed, "My head!" and collapsed into his coach's arms.
As he was life-flighted for emergency surgery, Ruth had a remarkable meeting with Jesus, the first of many tangible encounters he would have as he battled back from the traumatic brain injury. Now, 16 years later, he has written a book about his experiences to help people and to bring them to Christ: "The Eight-Minute Flight."
"After my first initial encounter with Jesus in heaven, I kept quiet about that experience and only told a few select people, such as my parents and brothers," Ruth recalled. "I decided to write a book about my life because Jesus kept appearing to me on somewhat of a regular basis when I was in my late teenage years, early 20s."
His memory remains clear of standing before Jesus in heaven while emergency medical technicians were fighting to save his life.
"I had no real sense of leaving my physical body," Ruth said. "I could feel all my extremities when I was standing in front of Jesus. It was like I still had my earthly body, but everything was purified and glorified. The quality of the air in heaven made my body feel amazing, especially my hands and feet…. I just felt perfect."
Overwhelmed with a sense of peace, Ruth's eyes were focused on Jesus Christ, who stood before the boy, emanating pure love.
"The only way I can describe it is to say that the physical presence of Jesus is awesome!" Ruth revealed. "His face was perfect. It had a beautiful glow that was completely white — the whitest white I have ever seen. The heart of Jesus was bursting with unconditional light."
During this moment, the Lord gave Ruth a choice. And so his battle to recover from a traumatic brain injury began.
After his first surgery, Ruth was comatose and resting on a tilt table that elevated his head, a proven method of increasing successful recovery. Doctors also employed induced hypothermia, cooling his body to further protect his brain. A second surgery ensued when his brain continued to swell.
When he finally awoke, he was unable to do anything for himself. The once-healthy athlete only had the use of his left hand.
"Words cannot even come close to giving a comparison to that feeling," Ruth remembered. "It was just flat out brutal, and at that point I was scared to death."
Day by day, he fought to regain everything he had lost in the head injury. His family — including his mother and grandfather, who are both physical therapists — remained at his side to help, and countless people prayed for his recovery.
When things got tough, Ruth, a member of North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln, turned to prayer.
"My faith has gotten me through every trial and tribulation I was faced with," he stated. "My faith has only grown stronger, along with my personal prayer life."
While still an inpatient at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, he finally told his mother about meeting Jesus in heaven.
"My mom was not surprised or shocked when I told her about being in heaven with Jesus, because Mom knew the person I was and understood how important my Catholic faith is to me," he said. "Mom also knew about my devotion to the most holy rosary."
As his recovery progressed, he would occasionally be in prayer when Jesus or the Blessed Mother would appear to him. After learning about Mother Teresa from Father Raymond Jansen, a priest in the Diocese of Lincoln, he began praying for her assistance, and she, too, appeared to him.
"Every appearance I have had up to this point came as an unexpected surprise, and it is scary," he admitted, "… praying to Jesus and Mary and just having them appear to me unexpectedly!"
Bishop James Conley, the bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Derek Ruth. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth family
Now a University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate with a sociology degree, Derek lives independently despite some lingering effects from the brain injury. He is limited in his gait and fine motor movements, and he uses a text-to-speech device for verbal communication.
"The visible marks such as my numerous scars are a constant reminder of what I have been through," he said.
Overall, Ruth emerged with stronger faith and gratitude.
"This experience has changed me by [teaching me to] not take anything for granted, even the little things, because I have learned the hard way how life can change just like that."
Through the years, Ruth has journaled about his recovery, faith, and encounters with Christ. During college, he determined to put it all into a book so that he could share it with a wider audience.
Now he finds himself in high demand from various retail outlets and organizations who want to book him for speaking engagements.
"I would love to continue telling my story in hopes that it will inspire others," he said.
"The Eight-Minute Flight" is now available for purchase locally and online. Ruth's website is theeightminuteflight.com and contains more details, photos, and testimonials from people who have read advanced copies of his book.
One person who shared a testimonial is Bishop James Conley, who met Derek in 2013 shortly after he was installed as bishop of Lincoln.
"Getting to know Derek as a friend and hearing his remarkable story of faith, courage, trust, resilience, and acceptance has profoundly moved me as a bishop," Conley said.
"Derek's deep Catholic faith, nurtured by devout parents, continues to inform his life, providing him with a firm foundation for his hope, purpose, and motivation to move forward in life day after day. Through hard work, discipline, and perseverance, and with the heart of a true athlete, Derek continues to provide true hope for all of us, particularly as he describes in vivid language the long and enduring road of rehabilitation."
This story was first published by Southern Nebraska Register on Jan. 10, 2025, and has been reprinted here with permission.