Catholic News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Concerns over access to the sacraments

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

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

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

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

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

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

A call for legal pathways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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March for Life president steps down to focus on family

Jennie Bradley Lichter, the president of the March for Life, is stepping down to devote more time to her family as a "full-time mom," the leader said this week.

"I have been humbled and inspired by the stories — so many stories, everywhere I go — of how the March for Life has changed people's minds and hearts, how for so many Marchers it has sparked a lifetime of action and advocacy on behalf of the unborn, and in some cases, how it has changed the entire trajectory of their lives," Bradley Lichter wrote in a farewell statement.

She and her husband "are raising two tweens and a rising kindergartner, and it has become very clear that my family needs more of my time and my active presence than I'm able to give while leading the March for Life," she said in the statement

"My most important titles of all are not 'President' — but 'wife' and 'Mom,'" she said.

Bradley Lichter said that her role has been "the highlight of my professional life."

The resignation is effective July 31. The March for Life Board is actively searching for a new president.

The annual demonstration draws tens of thousands to the nation's capital yearly to advocate for the rights of unborn babies.

Abortion drug present in municipal water, study finds

A study published on July 20 in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine highlighted the need for "significant additional investigation into the levels of various hormones and [endocrine-disrupting chemicals], including mifepristone, in water sources," with researchers finding high levels of the abortion drug in municipal water supplies.

Mifepristone is used in chemical abortions, as well as in treatment for miscarriages, and works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary for pregnancy.

The investigation found "significant levels of mifepristone (up to 0.041 µgram/l) in the water of all but one of the nine sampling classes," the study read.

Water samples "were collected from sites upstream and downstream of water treatment facilities, and from municipal tap water," from multiple American cities.

"Because of the plethora of effects of progesterone, this contaminant could affect the physiology of aquatic animals; and human health, including fertility, pregnancy and fetal development," the researchers said.

Justice Department settles with pro-life father after FBI raid

The U.S. Department of Justice reached a seven-figure settlement with pro-life father Paul Vaughn after his home was raided by the FBI in connection with his pro-life work.

The settlement affirmed that under the Biden administration, the government's actions "were an abuse of government power," according to a July 28 press release by the Thomas More Society, the legal nonprofit that defended Vaughn.

Vaughn, a Catholic father of 11, was arrested at gunpoint after the FBI raided his house in connection with his protest at an abortion clinic. He is one of several pro-life advocates prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during the Biden administration.

"My family has been through a traumatic ordeal that never should have happened. But today brings an end to this portion of the story," Vaughn said in a statement.

"This chapter is finally closed, and our family looks forward with gratitude and hope, as we continue to serve God, advocating for the most vulnerable among us without fear."

Catholic bishops of Massachusetts speak out against late-term abortion bill

The Catholic bishops of Massachusetts spoke out this week against a bill that will legalize late-term abortion in the state.

"As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death," the bishops said in July 29 statement signed by Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, and Bishop Edgar da Cunha of Fall River.

The state legislature passed the bill in July, with the Massachusetts Senate voting in favor of it on July 31. The measure, if signed into law, will remove the state's 24-week limit on abortion.

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

The advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is also strongly opposing the bill; the group's president Marjorie Dannenfelser called for nationwide protections for unborn children.

"If Gov. [Maura] Healey signs this bill into law, Massachusetts will join 10 states and Washington, D.C. with an all-trimester abortion policy where babies are killed after the point they can survive outside of the womb," Dannenfelser told EWTN News.

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

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Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.

"Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.

He added: "This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises."

In the full video shared on the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month's prayer intention:

"Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,

You walk through our streets and squares,

enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,

and silently accompany millions

who seek meaning amid noise and haste.

You know, Lord, the heart of the city:

its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.

We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,

but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.

That's why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,

able to discover in urban life

fertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.

Give us a creative and deep faith,

that doesn't remain in words,

but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.

Make us a Church that goes forth,

able to reach out to the peripheries,

to console those who are lonely,

and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.

Lord, may our urban communities

be open and welcoming homes,

places where hope is shared,

where no one feels invisible,

and where the joy of your Gospel shines

in the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.

Make us your witnesses in the city,

bold and creative missionaries,

who proclaim your love with their lives—

a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.

Amen."

"Pray with the Pope" is accessible on the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.

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One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: "Why can't learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?"

The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.

Creedo's platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works.

"I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Church's rich tradition in small, manageable steps," he told EWTN News. "Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more."

Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.

EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?

Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Church's incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What it's often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.

Creedo doesn't just put the Church's teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. We've been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy.

That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.

What has been the response to Creedo among users?

The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Church's teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustine's "Confessions," the "Summa Theologica," "Story of a Soul" [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.

For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins.

It's also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.

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How does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIV's call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?

I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and that's what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isn't simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.

Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, you're reading Scripture, engaging with the Church's teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Church's traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isn't the point. It's simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.

If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then we've accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

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Two Catholic bishops are criticizing the California government's targeting of abortion pill reversal ministries and urging support for the right of women to choose life, a cause the bishops argue people on all sides of the aisle should support.

Abortion pill reversal gives a mother the option to save the life of her child after she has taken the first chemical abortion pill. If she changes her mind, she can take the hormone progesterone to potentially save the child.

California's attorney general is asking the Alameda County Superior Court to stop nonprofits Heartbeat International and RealOptions from offering this reversal, demanding up to $20 million in fines for alleged false advertising, with the government calling the measure "an unproven and largely experimental procedure."

The state government is targeting those ministries for "telling women who regret swallowing the abortion pill that there is a medical treatment that can sometimes save their babies," San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Oakland Bishop Michael Barber wrote in a July 30 op-ed for the Wall Street Journal.

Cordileone and Barber said that as priests they hear from many women who regret their abortions. Reading those depositions is "painful," the bishops said.

They cited the case of Elizabeth Barrett, a woman who turned to abortion pill reversal through Heartbeat International and who ultimately gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Barrett testified in the case that she had originally felt pressured by Planned Parenthood staff to abort the baby.

"To be a Catholic priest these days, as we both are, is to have heard many similar stories of women who felt pressured to have an abortion they didn't want," they said. "Everyone should oppose this."

The bishops argued that the California government aims to take away choices from women. The legal dispute "is a rare case that should bring together both sides of the abortion debate," the bishops wrote.

"In particular, it tests the souls of those who claim the platform of 'pro-choice.' What kind of people see a pregnant woman who wants to reverse the effects of an abortion pill and think, 'Let's punish the nonprofits that informed her she has a choice'?" they said.

This is not the only case targeting abortion pill reversal, the bishops pointed out. New York state's attorney general has filed a similar lawsuit against Heartbeat International.

People of faith have a particular call to support women in these scenarios, the bishops said.

"[T]hese women especially need support from the religious — those who hold that creation in God's image means life is endowed with a dignity that can't be trampled by a government determined to punish those who oppose unquestioned abortion," they said.

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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has sent a letter to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops urging compliance with state law requiring religious exemptions for vaccine mandates.

In a July 31 letter addressed to Michael Sheedy, the conference's executive director, Uthmeier, a Catholic, expressed concern that "at least one diocese" appears to have adopted a policy articulated by the National Catholic Bioethics Center in 2011 that states Catholic institutions "cannot grant an exemption from vaccination on religious grounds." Under Florida law, the attorney general pointed out, both public and private schools are required to provide religious exemptions for vaccinations.

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Citing Church teaching on respect for human life from conception to natural death, Uthmeier noted that "the Catholic Church has historically encouraged the faithful to abstain from the use of vaccines produced from aborted fetal tissue, while at the same time recognizing the moral permissibility of using such vaccines in certain circumstances."

"But even if abortion-derived vaccines may be permissible to take, Church teaching also recognizes that no one should be forced to take a vaccine 'if it would violate the sanctity of his or her conscience,'" he said. "Having no legitimate religious reason to refuse granting religious exemptions to the taking of abortion-derived vaccines, Catholic schools in Florida should comply with Florida law."

Institute for Ethics and Common Good grants boost ethics and spirituality research on AI

The University of Notre Dame announced that its Institute for Ethics and the Common Good has awarded more than $800,000 in rapid-response grants for research on "the ethical and spiritual implications" of AI.

"The grants, provided through the institute's DELTA Partner Program and selected from a competitive pool of over 160 applicants, offer seed funding for organizations to convene strategic gatherings, provide training, and create high-impact, practical tools and resources for educators, students, policymakers, and pastoral leaders as they lead in the midst of the rapidly changing technological landscape," the university said in a July 29 press release.

Grants were distributed to 12 organizations, including Catholic tech companies, schools, and public policy nonprofits.

"We were thrilled to see such a wide range of organizations and individuals who were interested in immersing themselves in the DELTA framework and adapting it for their own unique contexts," Meghan Sullivan, director of the Ethics Initiative, said in the release. "We know that those working to develop this new technology are moving rapidly, and so there's a real need for Christian leaders across a wide variety of fields to also work quickly to help navigate questions of what it means to lead a good human life, to serve the common good, and to build what Pope Leo calls the 'civilization of love' in this new context."

"Each of these partners brings a unique perspective to bear on the question of what it means to be human in this current moment," Adam Kronk, director of DELTA, said in the release. "We are excited to have them as part of our growing community of leaders who are looking for tools to protect the dignity of learning and form people's hearts and minds."

Franciscan University launches 'Be Light' faculty appreciation fellowship

Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, has announced a faculty fellowship program aimed at recognizing professors who have made an exceptional impact on students and the university's Catholic mission.

"The highly competitive Be Light Faculty Fellows Program was established in 2026 to recognize and retain professors whose consistent exceptional performance strengthens academic programs, creates new opportunities, inspires students, and advances the university," Franciscan said in a July 28 press release.

The university named seven faculty members to the fellowship, which includes "a monetary award that can be utilized for research costs, course reduction, or salary."

"Recipients were selected following a nomination process and an extensive review of their performance in teaching, scholarship, and service over the previous three years, along with assessments of their broader institutional impact by their deans and department chairs," the university said.

The program comes as part of the university's Be Light Strategic Plan aimed at improving recruitment and retention of "mission-dedicated faculty and staff."

John Paul the Great Catholic University announces degree in narrative arts

John Paul the Great Catholic University will launch a bachelor of narrative arts degree in screenwriting and fiction in fall 2026.

"The degree creates new pathways for students pursuing careers in storytelling across multiple media, while retaining the previous pathways," the university said in a July 1 press release. Students who apply to the program before Sept. 1 will receive a $1,000 scholarship that may be stacked with other need- and merit-based aid.

Screenwriting students will be able to choose from a bachelor of science in communications media with an emphasis in screenwriting, a bachelor of arts in humanities with an emphasis in screenwriting, or a bachelor of narrative arts with an emphasis in screenwriting. Creative writing students will be able to choose from a bachelor of arts in humanities with an emphasis in creative writing or a bachelor of narrative arts with an emphasis in fiction.

"Alongside the launch of the Bachelor of Narrative Arts, JPCatholic is also introducing a renewed emphasis in Catholic Education & Evangelization within its Bachelor of Arts in Humanities," the release said. "Led by Professor Justin Panlasigui, chair of Humanities, the revised emphasis builds upon the university's former New Evangelization emphasis while providing students with stronger preparation for careers in Catholic education, ministry, catechesis, and evangelization."

"Our new Catholic Education & Evangelization emphasis will help students develop an important skill set for today's intra- and extra-ecclesial landscape," Panlasigui said.

University of Dallas, DeSales University launch graduate partnership

The University of Dallas and DeSales University have announced an academic partnership to expand graduate-level business school offerings.

"Through a Memorandum of Understanding, enrolled graduate students at each university will be able to pursue select online concentration courses offered by the partner institution while remaining matriculated at their home university," the University of Dallas said in a July 15 press release. Courses will be available online with flexible synchronous and asynchronous options, the release said.

"We are excited to partner with DeSales University in a collaboration that expands academic opportunities for students at both institutions while preserving our shared commitment to rigorous, applied graduate business education," said J. Lee Whittington, dean of the Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas.

Under the agreement, University of Dallas students will be able to enroll in DeSales' courses in healthcare management and operations and supply chain management, while DeSales students will have access to University of Dallas classes in accounting, finance, and financial planning.

"We view this partnership as more than an academic agreement — it is a strategic collaboration between two institutions committed to student success," said Chris Cocozza, dean of the Waterbury Reilly School of Business at DeSales.

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More than 2,000 Catholic Scouts and leaders gathered for Mass during the Scouting America National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia from July 26–30.

With 70% of Scouting units in the United States chartered by religious organizations, "faith is integral to who we are as an organization," Michael Ramsey, chief marketing officer for Scouting America, told EWTN News.

"Our Scout Oath, that every Scout knows, starts off with, 'On my honor, I will do my duty to God and my country.'"

"Faith is not just the motion that we go to. Faith is who we are as an organization," he said.

As part of its National Boy Scouts Jamboree, Scouting America brought together thousands of Catholic Scouts for a Mass celebrated by Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, and Bishop Michael Fisher of Buffalo, New York.

The jamboree, which wrapped up on July 30, is a 10-day-long event that takes place every four years. It brings together more than 15,000 Scouts to camp and learn outdoor, conservation, and survival skills while meeting peers from across the nation.

The event, which was first held in 1937 around the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., is now held at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.

"We actually took over a coal mine that had been abandoned in the '70s. And we reclaimed something that was an ugly scar on the earth … and turned it into heaven for Scouting," Ramsey said.

At the camp are zip lines, rock climbing, skateboarding, and also a Sunday morning of worship.

Scouting America offers multiple worship services at the jamboree, the Catholic Mass being the largest.

At the recent Mass it "was absolutely stunning to see that many young people," Ramsey reflected. "They're at camp, but they chose to be there. Almost 9,000 Scouts that were here, 2,000 of them came to Mass on Sunday morning. "

"It's really a powerful testimony to faith in Scouting," he said. "I don't know who else is running a Mass for 2,000 youth on Sunday morning. We like to think it was the biggest one in the country at that time, but it's such an important part of who we are."

The jamboree also offers a number of other attractions.

"We've got the second-largest zip line in the country at our property in West Virginia," Ramsey said. "We have a skate park that's the size of an aircraft carrier and some of the largest shooting ranges in the country."

At the jamboree, there are also concerts, food trucks, booths, adventure activities, and opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges.

"And you're with a bunch of scouts who are all living the ideals of the Scout Oath and Scout Law — to be trustworthy, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent," he said.

The event brings "together scouts from all across the country," Ramsey said. "They come in contingents from 228 of our local councils across the country."

National Catholic Committee on Scouting

"Right now across the country, there are almost 131,000 Catholic Scouts across the country, which is a phenomenal number for us representing just shy of 200 dioceses, which we are very proud of."

"The Catholic Church is the largest chartering organization that we work with in the whole country — by a fair amount. It is absolutely critical for us," Ramsey said. "We actually have the National Catholic Committee on Scouting."

The organization was recently renamed to Catholic Scouting America but has the same goal — to provide guidance and structure for the integration of Catholic teaching into Scouting America programs.

An organization officially related to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Scouting America is "made up of Catholic leaders that helped promote Scouting in the Catholic Church but also serve as a liaison with the leadership of the Catholic Church," Ramsey said.

The organization even "signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Catholic Church about 18 months ago," he said.

The MOU reported it reaffirms the organizations' "shared values and outlines collaborative efforts to provide enriching and character-building opportunities for Catholic youth through Scouting."

The MOU noted that the ties between the Catholic faith and Scouting in the United States are as old as the movement itself.

In 1910, the same year Scouting America was founded, one of the earliest known Catholic-chartered troops was established in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was quickly followed by the founding of a troop at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York in 1912.

"It was one of the earliest religious organizations to adopt Scouting in the U.S. It's a long, proud history that we have with the Church," Ramsey said. "We want to make sure that we reach every young person in the Catholic Church who wants to be involved in Scouting."

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The Archdiocese of Tours in France reported that three Catholic churches within its jurisdiction have been desecrated and announced that Masses of reparation will be held at the affected churches.

"In recent days, three churches in our diocese in Chambray-lès-Tours, Luynes, and Tours (St.Joan of Arc Church) have been targeted by malicious individuals," the archdiocese said in a July 28 statement.

The text specifies that "offering boxes were looted and damaged, doors forced open, sacred vessels damaged, a tabernacle forced open, and the Blessed Sacrament desecrated."

"These painful and hurtful events for the Catholic community unfortunately reveal the extent to which our society is permeated by disturbing forms of violence, a lack of culture, and a lack of civility," the statement laments.

Finally, the text notes without specifying dates that "Masses of reparation will be celebrated in the desecrated churches."

Michel Lamy, the mayor of Chambray-lès-Tours, condemned the desecration of the church in his town, stating: "These acts fill me with deep indignation and are simply unacceptable."

"Nothing can justify an attack on a place of worship, our heritage, and what it represents for many residents of Chambray," the mayor stated on his Facebook page.

The mayor posted photos of the desecration, showing Communion hosts scattered on the ground and excrement on the floor.

"I condemn this desecration in the strongest possible terms and offer my full support to the parish community, Father François Xavier Olayemy Oniossou, and all those deeply shocked by these events," the mayor added.

"In Chambray-lès-Tours, as elsewhere, respect for places of worship, regardless of one's convictions, is a fundamental value," he stated.

In November 2024, similar acts of desecration occurred at four churches in the Archdiocese of Tours. Archbishop Vincent Jordy stated at the time that "there may be people who wish to express at times hatred toward the Church, or toward what she represents."

"There is this type of phenomenon that unfortunately exists — we say it in the communique — and which manifests a lack of culture and a form of contempt for people's [way of] life and faith," the prelate lamented at the time.

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

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A retreat house inspired by the life and ministry of St. John Paul II is set to open its doors next to the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C.

Inspired by the retreats of Father Karol Wojtyla — later Pope John Paul II — the St. John Paul II Retreat House will offer Catholic group retreats in a prayerful setting.

The house, which is a pastoral initiative of the Knights of Columbus, will be unveiled and blessed on Aug. 26. The event will include Mass and a blessing by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.

"Pope John Paul II's deep spiritual life was the engine which drove everything else he did," Stephen White, executive director of the St. John Paul II Shrine, said in a press release.

"Through prayer, he allowed God to make him a saint. The Retreat House is a way to invite guests to enter more deeply into the vocation we all share — answering God's call to become saints," White said.

As a young priest, then-Wojtyla led wilderness excursions for young people while teaching them about the faith. He used the quiet setting as a place for Mass, prayer, and discussion, which the center hopes to reflect.

The center strives to imitate the early home of Wojtyla, in the years prior to his election as pope, according to White. It houses a collection of the saint's personal belongings including papal dishes, his rosary and cross, and handwritten letters and other items from his writing desk.

It also includes 40 rooms, a library, meeting spaces, a chapel, and a dining area.

The center invites parish ministries, young adult groups, college campus ministries, leadership teams, formation groups, pilgrimage groups visiting the shrine, and any other Catholic group hoping to gather in prayer.

The center also allows for immediate access to the St. John Paul II National Shrine, one of the nation's premier Catholic pilgrimage sites, offering a 16,000-square-foot exhibit, sacred spaces, daily Mass, confessions, and a first-class relic of the saint.

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