Catholic News

On the steps of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Pope Leo XIV met last week with some of his eighth grade classmates from St. Mary of the Assumption lower school in south Chicago, where he grew up.

Of the 82 eighth graders with whom he attended St. Mary's in 1969, 10 greeted him after the general audience on March 18, exchanging laughs, gifts, and warm handshakes.

During the meeting, his former classmates gave him a photograph of the class of 1969, which he held up as he posed for another group shot more than 50 years later.

Jerome Clemens pointed out the young Robert Prevost standing among his classmates to the L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper: "Here he is, our friend, the pope," showing the back of the photo with Prevost's old autograph and his new one, which he signed, "Leo XIV."

Another former classmate, Sherry Stone (née Blue), dropped a sign she held that read "God bless you Pope Leo" when the pope approached her.

"Sorry! I'm nervous!" she said, laughing, as he shook her hand.

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Last spring, Stone told the Lansing Journal: "When he was in the conclave, I thought, 'Could it be him? Could Bob be the new pope? No, probably not.' When I saw that it was him, I was just amazed. I was crying tears of joy."

"He was a super nice guy, but not nerdy," she said.

After finishing eighth grade at St. Mary's, Prevost attended boarding school at St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan, graduating in 1973. He then attended another Augustinian school, Villanova University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1977 before entering the Augustinian novitiate that September.

He was ordained a priest in 1982, earning a master of divinity degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago that same year. He earned a licentiate in canon law (JCL) in 1984 and completed a doctorate in canon law (JCD) in 1987, both from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

St. Mary's church and school on Chicago's 'most endangered list'

St. Mary of the Assumption Church and School, where a young Prevost served as an altar boy and his mother, Mildred Prevost, worked as a librarian, was at the center of a vibrant Catholic community in the Riverdale neighborhood on Chicago's South Side in the 1960s.

The property, which has been vacant since 2011 and is now privately owned, is located just a few blocks from the pope's childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, but within Chicago city limits.

The neighborhood has seen significant decline since the pope's childhood. Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago told EWTN News that St. Mary's, which has a hole in the roof of the church building, broken windows, graffiti, and many other issues, was listed on Preservation Chicago's 2026 "7 Most Endangered List" as of March 4.

"We at Preservation Chicago are of the opinion that the church and school buildings of St. Mary's are in need of immediate attention in order to secure temporary repairs, with a long-term goal of a full restoration of the campus of buildings, before everything is lost to deterioration," Miller said.

The property's current owner, Joel Hall, said last year he is open to a landmark designation by the city, according to Miller.

Preservation Chicago, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to preserving historic sites in Chicago and encouraging landmark designations in the city, presented its case to designate it as such at a meeting in May 2025 of the Commission of Chicago Landmarks.

No decision has been made yet regarding the landmark designation, but Preservation Chicago has created an online petition to the city of Chicago to "Save the Pope's Church!"

"This complex should become a visitors site, an oratory or shrine, as this is our first American pope — a world leader, and from Chicago!" Miller told EWTN News.

"We would very much like to see a partnership form to save these buildings and tell the story of this world leader," reads an article on Preservation Chicago's website. "An initial step in this process would be to consider a Chicago landmark designation of the buildings of this campus, with a plan to methodically restore and repurpose each of the buildings."

Miller told EWTN News he would like to see the property "prepared [in time] for the pope's return visits to Chicago!"

The pope does not yet have plans to visit the United States.

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The Latin parish priest of the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank appealed for the solidarity of Christians worldwide in the face of new attacks by "fanatical Israeli settlers" seeking to displace the local population.

Father Bashar Fawadleh issued an appeal on Saturday, March 21, telling ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that the lands seized this week by Israeli settlers "belonged to the people of Taybeh and were, moreover, our private property."

These incursions, he continued, in addition to constituting "a violation of international law and of the rights of the local community," represent an affront that, for the village's inhabitants, goes far beyond a mere legal or political matter.

"This story is about the life of a Christian community that has been present in this land for more than 2,000 years," Fawadleh said.

Taybeh is the modern name of the biblical village of Ephraim, where Jesus went to rest shortly before his passion (cf. John 11:54). In addition to being the only entirely Christian village in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, it is also renowned for its beer.

In recent days, Israeli settlers have seized areas near the village's quarry and cement factory. These encroachments have been ongoing for some time. In July 2025, settlers set fire in the area near the ruins of St. George Church, built in the historic Byzantine style and dating back to the fifth century, where the local community typically holds religious celebrations.

Several vehicles were also set ablaze, and the attackers "painted hateful graffiti," according to sources in Taybeh. Christian leaders have demanded immediate action from Israeli authorities and called upon the international community to halt the escalating violence.

When asked what message he would like to send to Pope Leo XIV and to all Christians around the world, he said: "We ask not only for compassion, but for solidarity."

Fawadleh, whose mother was born in Venezuela but returned to the West Bank at the age of 16, told ACI Prensa: "As a church, our mission is to help people remain in their land, to live with dignity, and to keep the Christian presence alive in the Holy Land. Our presence here is a living testament to the roots of Christianity — where it all began."

According to the parish priest, "when the land is threatened, people become fearful." The local community simply wants "to live in peace, with dignity, and on our own land," he said, noting that the farmers of Taybeh are even afraid to go out to their fields.

"This is a matter that concerns the entire Church. We ask for your prayers, and for your visits to the Holy Land and to the 'living stones' in Taybeh and throughout the Holy Land," he said.

"And your support, so that Christians may remain here through education, housing, and employment opportunities. For the Christian presence in the Holy Land is not merely a local matter," he pointed out.

"For the truth is one; it is not a matter of distorting it. Thank you; we will remain in contact and united in prayer," the priest said.

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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In 1792, a young architect from Kilkenny, Ireland, began what would become one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Centuries later, James Hoban, who designed and oversaw the building of the White House, is now being remembered alongside other Irish Americans who made significant contributions to American history.

At a reception on March 20 at the newly opened Irish embassy on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., Ireland's ambassador to the U.S., Geraldine Byrne Nason, highlighted Hoban's life, saying he is among those Irish Americans who have left their "Irish fingerprints" on American's founding.

"Irish immigrants helped to shape the very ideas at the heart of this great country," Nason told approximately 200 guests, pointing out that 23 American presidents are of Irish heritage.

According to historian Matthew Costello with the White House Historical Association, Hoban relied on other Irish immigrants, as well as enslaved laborers, to bring his vision — based on Leinster House in Dublin — to life in 1800.

John Adams would be the first president to move into the White House, but the British sent Hoban's work up in flames, burning the mansion down during the War of 1812.

Costello told EWTN News that Hoban would return to rebuild the White House, using the same Irish brethren as his stalwarts. His camaraderie with Irish immigrants was fostered not only by their shared origins but also by their Catholic faith during a time when Catholics were viewed with great suspicion — and often hostility. Many state constitutions forbade Catholics from holding public office.

Although the Jesuits brought Catholicism to America before the Revolution and founded Georgetown University in what was then Georgetown, Maryland, Hoban is celebrated as a founding father of the Irish Catholic community in the Federal City, which he nurtured and built like one of his renowned buildings.

In 1794, in anticipation of more Irish immigrants arriving in Washington, D.C., Hoban — along with fellow immigrant Father Anthony Caffry from County Mayo — started building St. Patrick's Church, which is today the oldest Catholic parish in Washington, D.C.

Like the White House, the church was damaged by fire by British invaders but continues in its current iteration in the heart of the capital. Pope Francis visited the church in 2015.

By the time of Hoban's death in 1831, Irish Catholics had made great progress in American society. The heralded architect would go on to serve as a captain in the Washington militia and on the city council. He is credited with the Octagon House in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, various public buildings and city projects, and became superintendent of the construction of the U.S. Capitol.

Hoban's personal papers were burned in a fire after his death, which has obscured historians from discovering more about the man. Nevertheless, every year, the White House Historical Association gathers at Hoban's grave at Mount Olivet Cemetery to keep his memory alive.

At this year's ceremony on March 20, Hoban's contributions were honored in view of America's 250th commemoration. Monsignor Veceslav Tumir, first counselor from the apostolic nunciature, was there to salute Hoban's ongoing connection to the Catholic community.

After a wreath placement ceremony at the cemetery hosted by the White House Historical Association and featuring Mark Carney of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, guests of the Irish ambassador gathered at the embassy, where Nason praised Hoban and other Irish patriots for their impressive contributions to historic architectural buildings as well as for lending their "Irishness" to the ideals of a young nation.

The embassy has brought together many examples of these contributions in a new exhibit called "The Emerald Thread," which depicts how Ireland's diaspora has been woven into American history. The artifacts are on display in a room overlooking the city and will will run through the America 250 celebrations this summer.

A large portrait of Hoban — a gift to the ambassador from the White House Historical Association — is among the exhibition's many treasures.

Among other Irish-American heroes being highlighted by the embassy in the exhibit is Stephen Moylan of Cork, an Irish Catholic who became part of George Washington's inner circle and served as his aide-de-camp during the Siege of Boston.

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Pope Leo XIV on Monday approved the advancement of the beatification cause for Boys Town founder Father Edward J. Flanagan, declaring him "venerable."

The Irish-born priest, revered for his revolutionary approach to caring for homeless and impoverished children in the 20th century, famously said there was "no such thing as a bad boy, only bad environment, bad modeling, and bad teaching."

His life and legacy were immortalized in the 1938 movie "Boys Town," starring Spencer Tracy, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of the priest.

Thanks to his ministry to young boys in Omaha, Nebraska, Flanagan was invited to review the child welfare conditions in Japan and Korea in 1947, and the following year in Austria and Germany.

While in Germany, Flanagan had a heart attack and died on May 15, 1948. His body rests at Dowd Memorial Chapel of the Immaculate Conception in Boys Town, Nebraska.

The pope declared the "heroic virtue" of Flanagan alongside four other holy men and women on March 23.

He also authorized the beatification of Italian Cardinal Ludovico Altieri, who died ministering to cholera patients during an epidemic in 1867.

Altieri was found to have made an "offering of life," a legal path to sainthood created by Pope Francis in 2017.

The other sainthood causes advanced Monday are French diocesan priest Henri Caffarel (1903–1996), founder of Équipes Notre-Dame; visionary and Polish Sister Barbara Stanislawa Samulowska, who served for five decades as a missionary in Guatemala (1865–1950); Spanish Sister Maria Dolores Romero Algarín (Mother Belén) (1916–1977); and Italian husband and father of 12 Giuseppe Castagnetti (1909–1965).

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NAGPUR, India — Catholic leaders in one of India's most populous states are demanding the repeal of a new law that criminalizes religious conversion — the 13th such measure enacted across the country under the ruling Hindu-nationalist government.

"We protest this move. We have urged the government to repeal this law. Copies of our [Western Regional Bishops' Council] statement have been sent to the chief minister and governor of the state," Archbishop Elias Gonsalves of Nagpur, chairman of the Western Regional Bishops' Council, told EWTN News on March 23.

"Far from safeguarding religious freedom, this law, in its present form, effectively undermines the very right it claims to protect, i.e., the freedom to choose and profess one's religion, as guaranteed under Articles 19, 21, and 25 of the Constitution of India," the Western Regional Bishops' Council said in its March 19 statement.

Expressing "deep disappointment and strong protest" against the bill, the bishops' council said sections of the legislation "amount to a direct and unjustified interference in the legitimate religious practices of the Catholic Church, particularly its Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program. It is equally disheartening that the ruling party has passed this bill [on March 16] without adequate consultation with the communities most affected by it."

A threat to conscience

The statement pointed out that sections of the legislation "mandate that any individual intending to convert must submit a notice 60 days in advance to the competent authority. ... This provision intrudes deeply into the personal domain of conscience and belief, opening the door to scrutiny, suspicion, and harassment."

"This section, like most sections in the bill, is manifestly arbitrary and violative of individual's right to privacy protected by Article 21 [under Fundamental Rights]," the statement cautioned.

Given the serious concern, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India distributed the statement to media across the country.

Laity and civil society

"We are very disappointed that the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill was passed in haste and rammed through the Assembly owing to the brute majority of the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government," said Dolphy D'Souza, spokesperson of the Bombay Catholic Sabha — a lay forum of the Archdiocese of Bombay.

"One of our demands was to give opportunity to discuss the provisions of the bill, some of which are draconian, which has the propensity to be misused against minorities, women, and interfaith marriages, as is evident from states where this law has been implemented," D'Souza said in a March 21 statement.

"This law will be a tool used to harass minorities, women, and interfaith marriages and those who want to convert out of their personal choice voluntarily. While the bill is titled Freedom of Religion Act, it curtails this fundamental right," D'Souza told EWTN News.

"This bill also criminalizes all charitable works including imparting education under the vague terms of 'allurement.' It will give unbridled power to [Hindu] vigilante groups and 'suo motu' powers to police to harass and intimidate citizens, encouraging violence and attacks," he cautioned.

A week before the legislation was passed, a coalition of 35 civil rights, social action, Muslim, and Christian groups had condemned the bill as a "threat to constitutional freedom."

"Article 25 guarantees the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion, which includes the right to adopt and change one's faith," the groups asserted.

"The political agenda behind this legislation is to polarize and divide communities on religious lines," said Irfan Engineer, who heads the Center for Study of Society and Secularism, one of the groups that signed the statement.

Hindu nationalists, Engineer said, are using the propaganda of "love jihad" — marriage for the purpose of conversion — to defend the legislation. He pointed out, however, that "the committee appointed by the state government studied 152 interreligious marriages and found no conversion motive."

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"After the tragic experiences of the 20th century, aerial bombardment should have been banished forever!" Pope Leo XIV said Monday during an audience with airline executives and staff.

"Instead, as we know, it still exists, and technological development, which is positive in itself, is being put at the service of war. This is not progress, it is regression!" he added.

The pope, speaking to representatives of Italy's national airline, ITA Airways, along with a delegation from the Lufthansa Group, emphasized that aviation must serve peace rather than conflict.

"Aircraft should always be vehicles of peace, never of war! No one should fear that threats of death and destruction will come from the sky," he said.

Leo XIV also underscored the importance of fostering peace through global travel and cooperation.

"In this context, it becomes even more important to chart courses of peace in the skies," he said.

The audience highlighted the long-standing relationship between the papacy and Italy's national airline, dating back to St. Paul VI's historic 1964 pilgrimage to the Holy Land — the first papal journey by air. Since then, successive popes have continued the tradition of international apostolic travel.

The pope noted that he himself plans to rely on ITA Airways for his upcoming trip to Africa in about 20 days.

Reflecting on papal travel more broadly, Leo XIV described such journeys as a visible expression of the Church's mission.

"The papal flights are one of the most eloquent symbols of the mission of the successors of Peter in the contemporary age," he said. "In a particular way, in his apostolic journeys, the pope appears to everyone as a messenger of peace: His routes are what they should always be, namely bridges of dialogue, of encounter, and of brotherhood."

He also praised airline personnel for their professionalism and spirit of service.

"My predecessors and the collaborators who accompanied them on their international journeys found in the personnel of Alitalia and ITA not only qualified and experienced professionals, but also people capable of creating a serene, I would say almost family-like, atmosphere, where respect goes hand in hand with devotion," he said.

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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Questions about whether Pope Leo XIV must vote in Peru or pay taxes in the United States remain unresolved, with one canon law expert arguing that the pope's unique status as a sovereign head of state likely exempts him in practice — even if the legal picture is not entirely settled.

The debate has gained attention following Leo XIV's election, given that he holds both U.S. and Peruvian citizenship. In Peru, voting is mandatory, with elections scheduled for April 13. In the United States, citizens — including those living abroad — are generally required to file tax returns, including disclosures of foreign income.

The Holy See Press Office did not immediately respond to questions about whether the pope will vote in Peru or in the United States or file U.S. income tax returns.

According to Professor Antonio G. Chizzoniti, a canon law scholar at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, these questions arise from treating the pope as an ordinary dual citizen — an assumption he argues is incomplete.

"The issue of the pope's citizenship lies at the intersection of distinct legal systems," Chizzoniti told ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News, referring to canon law, Vatican law, and the laws of the countries from which popes originate. "None of these systems establishes uniform rules," he said, noting that the pope's legal status is the result of a "complex layering of norms" that has led to different outcomes in modern history.

Chizzoniti emphasized that canon law does not require a pope to renounce prior citizenship, nor does it forbid retaining it. He described this as an intentional gap, reflecting the Church's focus on the pope's spiritual and ecclesial role rather than his civil status.

At the same time, Vatican law grants the pope citizenship of Vatican City automatically upon his election. This "functional citizenship," tied to office rather than birth or descent, exists alongside any prior nationality, which may still be retained depending on the laws of the country of origin.

As a result, modern popes have typically held multiple citizenships. Historical examples include St. John Paul II retaining Polish citizenship and Pope Francis maintaining Argentine nationality.

In principle, Chizzoniti said, obligations tied to original citizenship — such as taxes or voting — could still apply. However, he argued that the pope's status as a foreign head of state introduces a decisive complication.

"It will be necessary to verify the applicability of such obligations to a foreign head of state," he said, pointing to the well-established principle in international law that grants heads of state immunity from the jurisdiction of other countries.

This immunity, he explained, generally covers both official and private acts and prevents enforcement of civil or administrative obligations by foreign states.

For that reason, while the pope's dual citizenship is not merely theoretical, "there are multiple reasons to consider these obligations not applicable or no longer enforceable" in his case, Chizzoniti said.

Still, his analysis reflects a legal interpretation rather than a definitive resolution. The interaction between citizenship obligations and head-of-state immunity — especially in cases as unique as the papacy — remains a matter of ongoing discussion rather than settled law.

Leo XIV's situation is particularly notable because he holds three citizenships: U.S. citizenship by birth, Peruvian citizenship acquired in 2015 when he became bishop of Chiclayo, and Vatican citizenship by virtue of his election as pope.

Ultimately, Chizzoniti argues that the pope's identity as both the Holy See and the sovereign of Vatican City distinguishes him fundamentally from ordinary citizens — even those with dual nationality.

But the broader questions — whether and how civil obligations tied to citizenship apply to a reigning pope — remain open, highlighting the unusual intersection of international law, state sovereignty, and the unique nature of the papal office.

A version of this story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The number of catechumens — people preparing to receive baptism — continues to grow robustly in France. After reaching the highest number in two decades in 2025, with a total of 10,384 baptisms during the Easter Vigil, several French dioceses indicated that this year the number could reach 20,000.

Young people are seeking something transcendent

Father Gian Strapazzon, rector of St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in France, arrived in the country 12 years ago from his native Brazil. In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, he said there he encountered exemplary priests whose witness confirmed his vocation: "They were like lights amidst the darkness."

St. Vincent de Paul Seminary serves as the primary formation center for the Institute of the Good Shepherd, founded in 2006 in Courtalain within the French Diocese of Chartres. It is distinguished by its formation of priests utilizing the traditional Roman rite.

The record number of conversions in France, particularly among young adults, stems from "reaction to a society that's not finding answers," reflecting a spiritual awakening in Europe, according to Strapazzon.

"These are young people seeking something transcendent who find answers in preaching rooted in the tradition of the Catholic faith — just as it has always been done. This encourages many adults to take a more radical step and live out their faith more intensely," he noted.

The eight dioceses comprising the ecclesiastical province of Paris have convened a council that opened Jan. 25 and will continue through May 2027 with the aim of discerning an appropriate response to the growing numbers of younger people coming into the Church and establishing common guidelines at the provincial level.

This is indispensable, according to Strapazzon, who said "it is necessary to understand the source of this surge in order to offer good solutions."

"People want Our Lord Jesus Christ," he explained, "and this must be taught correctly. People are already weary of the superficiality they encounter in the world; they are seeking the true God, the revelation of God."

The rector of the French seminary underscored the importance of teaching sound doctrine and noted that many adults who wish to receive the sacrament of baptism — even those raised in non-Catholic environments — attend the Traditional Latin Mass.

"This is what attracts people today: this truth and this search for something concrete, serious, and profound, something that stands in contrast to what they have become accustomed to in the modern world, as they realize that the latter does not quench the thirst of their souls," Strapazzon said. "For this reason, obviously, it is essential that there be sound doctrine."

Increase in applications to enter the seminary

Strapazzon has also witnessed an increase in applications to the seminary in recent years: "At the seminary, we have a young man who was baptized five years ago as well as another who converted from Islam."

He noted, however, that the Church encourages "a certain prudence" regarding the acceptance and formation of newly baptized young men, who must wait at least two years after their baptism before entering the seminary.

"One can become confused in one's fervor and fail to discern. It's one thing to be a Christian and quite another to have a vocation to the priesthood. For this reason great prudence [is always exercised]. But yes, here we receive many inquiries every year from individuals who have been baptized only recently, individuals who require guidance to discern whether to enter the seminary."

The priest emphasized that this unprecedented phenomenon in France "demonstrates to us that the Church of Our Lord is always alive, that our faith is truly catholic — that is to say, universal — and that it is always enduring and life-giving."

He said this will continue to happen as long as there is a "faith preached with fidelity" on the part of the priests. "Even if there are no priests, the Lord has told us that the stones will preach," he reminded.

Strapazzon explained that the correct way to interpret this phenomenon "is that the Catholic Church is always alive, will always be fruitful, and when it dies in one place, it revives in another. Moreover, in her resides a soul which is the Holy Spirit who constantly moves it and builds it up."

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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Pope Leo XIV on Sunday voiced dismay over ongoing conflicts around the world, saying the suffering of innocent victims "hurts all of humanity" and urging an end to hostilities grounded in dialogue and respect for human dignity.

"We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenseless people who are victims of these conflicts. What hurts them hurts all of humanity," the pope said after praying the Angelus on March 22.

"The death and pain caused by these wars is a scandal for the entire human family and a cry that rises to God," he continued. "I strongly renew my appeal to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and paths to peace may finally open up, based on sincere dialogue and respect for the dignity of every human person."

Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, the pope focused on the Gospel account of the raising of Lazarus, describing it as a sign of Christ's victory over death and the promise of eternal life received through baptism.

"The account of the resurrection of Lazarus, then, invites us to listen to this profound need and, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to free our hearts from habits, conditioning, and ways of thinking which, like boulders, shut us away in the tomb of selfishness, materialism, violence, and superficiality," he said.

"In these places there is no life but only confusion, dissatisfaction, and loneliness."

Quoting Jesus' command in the Gospel — "Come out!" — the pope said Christ calls believers to emerge from such "cramped spaces," renewed by his grace, and to "walk in the light of love, as new women and men, capable of hoping and loving, without calculation and without measure, according to the model of his infinite charity."

He also warned that the world seems "to constantly search for novelty and change, even at the cost of sacrificing important things — time, energy, values, affections," as though "fame, material goods, entertainment, and fleeting relationships could fill our hearts or make us immortal."

"It is a symptom of a longing for the infinite that each of us carries within us, a need that cannot be satisfied by passing things," he said. "Nothing finite can quench our inner thirst, for we are made for God, and we find no peace until we rest in him."

The pope concluded by entrusting the faithful to the Virgin Mary, praying that the experience of encountering the risen Christ may be renewed in them each day.

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

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On their first day at LifeCampUSA, middle-school-aged campers are taught how to use a map and a compass to learn how to find their way around. Then they're given a Bible — for many, their first time having one — and shown how to find the different books of the Bible, after which there's a discussion about how God's word can serve as a map and compass in life.

For boys and girls who have lost their dads in military service, as first responders, or in law enforcement, LifeCampUSA and its Bible-based curriculum can be a life-changing summer experience where they forge new friendships and find a relationship with God.

Founded by married couple Mark and Jane Neumann, the camp — which, according to its website, is "a Christian ministry unassociated with a specific church or religious denomination" — first opened in the summer of 2021 after the Neumanns met a group of middle schoolers from military families and heard about the struggles they faced in the aftermath of losing their fathers. Having experience working with middle schoolers in youth ministry at their church, the Neumanns felt called to help these children and "become fathers to the fatherless."

Despite neither one growing up in a typical military family, both Jane and Mark grew up with a "general sense of patriotism," Jane told EWTN News in an interview.

The Neumanns emphasized that they start the week at camp with the map and compass lesson because they want the children to leave knowing that "just like with the compass you're not going to get lost if you follow the Bible's lessons and what this book has for you; it's going to give you direction in life," Mark said.

LifeCampUSA offers their summer camp program in several different states across the United States including Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Each camp has spaces for 10 boys and 10 girls. Each boy is assigned his own male mentor, while five couples serve as mentors for the girls' camp.

"We have five couples for the girls so that the men can speak into the girls' lives safely there and that the girls can see father figures [and] hear the things that a dad would want to tell their daughters, but also see the healthy marriages," Mark explained.

Additionally, all expenses — including airfare — are completely covered by LifeCampUSA for the campers who attend. Also, all campers can take part in a 12-month program called LifeCare after their week at camp to continue their mentorship.

Mark and Jane also highlighted the way in which they've seen young boys in particular grow into young men during their time at camp. Jane shared that much of the feedback she receives from moms once their sons get back home is how much more respectful they are and how they begin to take more initiative in helping around the house.

One of Mark's favorite stories was from a mom who shared with him that her son began leading his family in prayer before every meal after getting back home from camp.

"I mean there's countless stories — it's been such a blessing," Mark said.

The Neumanns also pointed out the impact camp has on the many children who have lost their fathers due to suicide after serving the country. They shared that out of the 100 children who are signed up to attend camp this summer, 80% have lost their dads from suicide.

"Moms will tell us that they didn't mean for this to happen, but they feel a sense of shame when their husbands have taken their own lives, and they didn't even want necessarily that sense of shame, but it just naturally happens and they don't mean to project that onto their kids, but it just has," Jane explained.

She added that these children also face bullying in school after kids find out the manner in which they lost their fathers.

"Their dads are our nation's heroes. [Yet] somebody finds out that that dad had an injury to their mind, they don't understand that, but they have no problem bullying our kids, teasing them that their dads took their own lives. And so they don't want anybody to know," she shared. "… And now these kids — they're almost suppressing their patriotism, putting shame into their lives. So our kids come to camp with that stigmatism."

However, many of the mothers of these children have shared that after they attend camp they witness a "change in their hearts and their heads and it puts more confidence in them, it puts a pride in there for their dad, it puts pride back in for our nation," Jane said.

Most importantly, the children are introduced to Jesus, which Mark and Jane believe is the greatest reason for the success seen during their summer camps.

"So, [when] you put the Creator in the heart and you know who your creator is, so many things get worked out. … We recognize the fact that Jesus is the one — when we can put Jesus into the program, we're going to have the best success for these kiddos and families," Jane said.

"We know that really we have the answer to the healing for these kids. That's it. And so we want to tell them about Jesus because that's the real solution," Mark added.

Mark shared that their main hope for children who attend LifeCampUSA is to give them "hope, to be honest, because a lot of them are pretty hopeless," and to "change the direction of their life."

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