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ORLANDO, Florida — Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), on Wednesday offered his first remarks as president to his brother bishops.

At the USCCB spring plenary session in Orlando, Florida, on June 10, Coakley, archbishop of Oklahoma City, detailed what the U.S. bishops have recently accomplished, and outlined the challenges they still face and work they have to do.

The work of the bishops "is good work," Coakley said. "It is necessary work, as can be seen in the many ways we, as a conference, have responded to the many challenges our world faces today."

The archbishop said he is "especially pleased to recognize the impact" of the conference's special message on immigration issued at the bishops' November meeting, which expressed the bishops' opposition to "indiscriminate mass deportation of people."

"That message demonstrated our united concern as pastors for the dignity of every person, especially our migrant brothers and sisters," Coakley said.

"I am also grateful for our unity: our unity as bishops of the United States, our unity with the Holy Father, Pope Leo, and our unity with all his predecessors since the founding of this nation," he said.

"For 250 years, the bishops of this country have worked together, alongside priests, religious brothers and sisters, and so many faithful men and women as witnesses to Christ and to make known his love in so many concrete ways," he said.

This work has been accomplished through parishes, schools, hospitals, and charitable agencies, which are "performing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, including welcoming wave after wave of new arrivals to this land," Coakley said.

"Admittedly, we have not been always perfect in doing this, but overall, I would say our track record is very good," he said.

The bishops "are commanded to put out into the deep water, to move beyond our comfort zones and the safe places where we can maintain our illusions of safety and control," he said.

Mission of the conference going forward

The president shared "challenges" that the bishops face and how the Church must offer "hope" in order to address them.

"The Church's witness to Christ" is especially needed today "in an age of constant flux, of forced migration, polarization, disruptions, climatic and economic upheavals, artificial intelligence, and wars," and when "many are wondering what it even means to be a human person," Coakley said.

The bishop posed the questions "What are some of the challenges to hope that need to be addressed? Where must hope be restored and how, as a conference, can we help?"

"First and foremost," these questions can be addressed "by continuing to defend human dignity," Coakley said.

"The dignity of the human person continues to be threatened," he said. Through "threats to the unborn, to the elderly, to the sick and suffering" and "through the violence of war and injustice."

"Society tends to disregard and cast aside what it deems useless, but life, human life, can never be adequately valued based on it being useful or useless. Or a burden or unworthy of protection," he said.

"To restore hope necessitates preaching exactly that — that life is a gift from God," he said.

"Human dignity is also threatened by the scourge of racism, by abuse, disdain, and contempt — especially towards the poor, the stranger, the condemned, and the outcast," Coakley said.

Reducing polarization in our nation

"Another area in which we can promote hope is in our willingness and efforts to work with others — both in and outside of the halls of government — to reduce polarization," Coakley said.

"Together we are working on ways to promote faithful citizenship — through dialogue, deeper realization of who is our neighbor, and by placing faith before politics — a faith that inspires hope, respect, and the pursuit of the common good," he said.

Following a "cordial visit to the White House last January, which I am grateful to have made, we recognize the need for further progress," Coakley said regarding his Jan. 12 meeting with President Donald Trump, about four months before the president called the pope "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy" in a social media post that drew a response from U.S. bishops.

The Church must "stay in the conversation," Coakley said. "As our Holy Father has said in so many contexts and in so many ways, 'Now is the time for dialogue and building bridges.'"

"Polarization within our country, and even within our Church, is a scandal that can only be overcome through encounter, through the cultivation of interpersonal relationships and conversations between those who may disagree," Coakley said.

In order to "help restore hope to a world so desperately in need of it," the bishops must reach "out to all those who are hungry to hear the words of hope that come from the Lord," he said.

"This year we saw record numbers enter the Church, and this, after last year's record numbers. This is a great sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is also a further example of how we need to put out into the deep — proclaiming the risen Son of God and sharing the Gospel with others," he said.

As the bishops prepare to consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11, Coakley said: "I am reminded how deep, unfathomable, and profound is the love that lives in that heart, and how it embraces the entire world."

"Can there be a greater message of hope? Can a greater gift of hope be offered?" he asked.

"It is the love flowing from the Sacred Heart of Jesus that feeds our hope," he said.

"I know that we have much work to do before we rest, but we are comforted by two things — we are in this vineyard working together, and, in the end, it is the Lord who will accomplish it all," Coakley concluded.

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ORLANDO, Florida — In his first address to the U.S. bishops since becoming apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia called for deeper communion within the Church and presented Pope Leo XIV's pontificate as a moment of renewal rooted in continuity with the vision of Pope Francis.

Speaking June 10 at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' spring plenary assembly in Orlando, Florida, Caccia emphasized themes of peace, communion, and mission, describing them as essential both to the Church's public witness and to the ministry of bishops themselves.

"I wish to be present among you as a brother bishop who journeys with you," Caccia told the assembly. "My service here is one of listening, trust, and shared discernment within the Church that we are all serving together."

The address marked Caccia's first appearance before the full body of U.S. bishops since Pope Leo appointed him nuncio in March, succeeding Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who retired after reaching the Vatican's age limit.

Caccia began by conveying greetings and a blessing from Pope Leo, telling the bishops that the Holy Father remains close to them in their ministry and prays that the Lord will strengthen them in their vocation.

The nuncio also paid tribute to Pierre, thanking his predecessor for years of service to the Church in the United States and noting his efforts to travel widely throughout the country to better understand local Churches.

Throughout his remarks, Caccia repeatedly returned to the theme of communion, portraying it as a defining characteristic of the Church's mission and of the new pontificate.

"I see the election of Pope Leo as a gift of the Holy Spirit," he said, encouraging the Church in the United States to foster what is best in its tradition while continuing to confront difficult chapters in its recent history, particularly the abuse crisis.

The archbishop emphasized that the United States has contributed significantly to the life of the universal Church and now has given the Church its first pope born and raised in the country. Recalling observations by French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville during his travels in America in the 1830s, Caccia noted that one priest had suggested the United States could someday become the center of Catholicism.

"Perhaps he was very optimistic," Caccia joked, drawing laughter from the bishops. "But I wonder what Tocqueville would think today, seeing that the successor of Peter has come from this land."

At the same time, he cautioned that esteem for the Church in America must not obscure the need for continued renewal and purification.

"The Church is at once holy and always in need of being purified," he said, quoting the Second Vatican Council.

'We are called to build together'

Another focus of the speech was the bishops' planned consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, scheduled for June 11. Caccia described the act as providing a "spiritual center" for the assembly and linked devotion to the Sacred Heart directly to the Church's efforts to foster unity and peace.

"Rooted in our own communion with Jesus, we can become builders of peace and communion among ourselves and with others," he said.

Communion, Caccia emphasized, naturally leads to mission. While noting the Church's history as both a recipient and sender of missionaries, he said the missionary vocation is lived not only by going out to others but also by welcoming those who come to us.

"To meet them with the charity of Christ, to recognize their dignity, and to help them find a place in the life of the community is also part of a missionary Church," he said. The theme was later echoed by Archbishop Paul Coakley, USCCB president, in remarks following the nuncio's address.

The nuncio also highlighted what he described as a strong continuity between Pope Francis and Pope Leo.

Referencing Francis' encyclical Dilexit Nos and Leo's recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which addresses the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, Caccia said both pontiffs have emphasized the dignity of the human person in the face of modern challenges and technological advancements.

"Here we can see the continuity between Pope Francis and Pope Leo," he said.

According to Caccia, Francis stressed that no technology can fully capture the depth of the human heart, while Leo is asking how the Church can safeguard human dignity amid rapidly developing technological systems.

"Such a humanism allows the Church to meet new realities without naive enthusiasm or anxious fear," he said. "It also reminds us that the Church's response is built in communion, not in isolation."

Drawing on an image used by Pope Leo in Magnifica Humanitas, Caccia pointed to the biblical figure Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem alongside the people.

The emphasis on unity reflected themes that have marked Caccia's own diplomatic ministry. Before arriving in Washington, the Milan-born prelate served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations in New York from 2019 until his appointment as nuncio, representing the Vatican on issues ranging from migration to nuclear disarmament.

Ordained a priest in 1983, Caccia entered the Holy See's diplomatic service in 1991 and later served as apostolic nuncio to Lebanon and the Philippines before his assignment to the United States.

As apostolic nuncio, he serves both as the Holy See's ambassador to the United States and as the pope's representative to the Catholic Church in the country, maintaining relations with the U.S. government while also playing a key role in communication between the Vatican and the nation's bishops.

A 'living tradition'

Near the conclusion of his remarks, Caccia presented each bishop with a pocket-sized volume containing Lumen Gentium and Dei Verbum, the Second Vatican Council's dogmatic constitutions.

The gesture underscored another theme of the speech: continuity with the Church's living tradition.

"This continuity is important," Caccia said. "We are not beginning again from zero. We receive a living tradition; and above all, we receive the love of Christ, poured out from his heart for the life of the world."

As the bishops gather for their first plenary assembly since Pope Leo's election and under the leadership of newly elected USCCB president Coakley, Caccia's message offered a vision of the Church centered on communion with Christ, unity among bishops, and a shared missionary purpose.

"May our renewal in the Sacred Heart of Jesus give us the grace to do this together," the nuncio said, "for the life of the Church and the good of the world."

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Six Catholic activists linked to the traditionalist movement Civitas were held in police custody for nearly 48 hours after attempting to block a contemporary art installation from taking place inside the Church of Saint-Laurent in Paris' 10th arrondissement on the evening of Saturday, June 6 — the opening night of the city's 25th annual Nuit Blanche ("Sleepless Night") festival.

According to online reports, they were released on the evening of June 8.

The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed to AFP that the six were detained following disturbances by a group of approximately 30 individuals outside and inside the church on boulevard Magenta.

Two of those held are suspected of voluntary violence against Alexandra Cordebard, the Socialist mayor of the 10th arrondissement, and Pouria Amirshahi, an Ecologist member of the National Assembly, both of whom reported being jostled and said they intended to file complaints.

The four others were held for participating in an unlawful assembly after refusing to disperse following official warnings.

The City of Paris announced Saturday night that it would also file a complaint, accusing "far-right fundamentalist militants" of attempting to prevent the presentation of one of the festival's works.

Authorization for the use of Saint-Laurent was granted by the parish and the Archdiocese of Paris through their established cultural partnership with the association Art, Culture et Foi, which regularly facilitates artistic events in Parisian churches.

Titled?"Sous la peau du ciel"?("Under the Skin of the Sky"), artist Marie-Luce Nadal's immersive sound installation was conceived as an invisible membrane stretched between what represented the atmosphere and human beings. It consisted of playing recordings of wishes from anonymous people collected from around the world, mixed and blended with the sounds of thunder and lightning and then played inside the church. 

Among the recorded wishes shared during the evening were: "I hope the true left comes to power"; "I hope everyone's soul takes over"; "I hope to be happy and in love all the time"; and "more pasta in the school cafeteria." 

The broader controversy, however, centered on the Nuit Blanche's artistic director, Barbara Butch, a French DJ and LGBT activist who became a polarizing figure after her appearance in a tableau during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The scene, which featured drag queens and dancers seated along a long table with Butch at the center — wearing a silver headdress resembling a halo — was widely interpreted on social media as a mockery of Leonardo da Vinci's?famous painting "The Last Supper." Butch later posted a caption on Instagram reading "Oh yes! Oh yes! The New Gay Testament!"

Against that backdrop, the appointment of Butch to lead the 2026 Nuit Blanche — an event that included programming inside several Parisian churches — drew organized objection from some Catholic groups weeks before the festival opened.

Civitas International, along with the?Knights of Our Lady?(Militia Sanctae Mariae), had publicly called on Catholics to protest the use of church buildings for the festival. Civitas International is distinct from the French political party Civitas, which was dissolved by the French government in late 2023. It remains active in Switzerland and Belgium and continues to operate online.

In a statement issued Sunday, Civitas International president Alain Escada denied that the group had organized a "collective" action and rejected the accusations of violence.

"We challenge anyone to produce a single image of any aggression carried out against Alexandra Cordebard or deputy Pouria Amirshahi by Catholics during this action," the statement read, calling the accusations an attempt to "intimidate, stigmatize, or even criminalize" Catholics.

Escada also cited the opinion of jurist Grégor Puppinck, director of the European Centre for Law and Justice, that using a place of worship for purposes unrelated to worship constitutes a violation of both Article 13 of France's 1905 Law on the Separation of Church and State and Canon 1210 of the Code of Canon Law.

Whether physical violence occurred remains contested. The mayor stated on X that she "personally received blows" from individuals who wanted to prevent entry to the church. Those detained offer a sharply different account.

Mathieu Goyer, president of the association Sainte-Geneviève Paris, who was among those arrested, said in a June 9 interview that he was held for 44 hours across three different police stations.

"The mayor of the 10th accused us of violence — that is why our custody was extended," he said. "But when police reviewed the surveillance footage, the mayor can be seen on the other side of the church gate. She simply wanted her media moment."

The Paris Public Prosecutor's Office announced on the evening of June 9 that it had closed the case against the six activists, concluding that "there was insufficient evidence of any offense."

The Archdiocese of Paris, for its part, has not issued any public statement on the events.

Conservative Catholic commentators, including Olivier Frèrejacques of the political review?Liberté Politique, described this silence as "incomprehensible" and questioned why Church authorities had agreed to host a festival directed by Butch in the first place.

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The Archdiocese of Guayaquil in Ecuador is inviting all the faithful to participate on Friday, June 12, in a Mass during which Cardinal Luis Cabrera will renew the consecration of Ecuador to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was done for the first time on March 25, 1874.

The Mass, which the cardinal will celebrate on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will take place at noon at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil.

Pablo Moysam, spokesman for the event's organizing committee, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that "it is evident that in the hearts of ordinary Catholics there is a need to renew our country's consecration to the heart of Jesus to ask for his protection and mercy and as a people to make an act of faith and hope in union with the whole Church on the feast of the Sacred Heart."

"It will take place in Guayaquil because it is the city hardest hit by insecurity and the one most in need of this renewal," he noted.

According to official figures from Ecuador's Ministry of the Interior, the country recorded 2,778 first-degree murders from January to April. In the area comprising Guayaquil, Durán, and Samborondón, there were 674 homicides during the first three months of 2026. Many of these crimes are linked to disputes between drug-trafficking gangs.

Moysam also told ACI Prensa that Ecuador was the "first nation in the world officially consecrated to the heart of Jesus, on March 25, 1874." The renewal, he continued, seeks to "place our families, authorities, and communities under his protection once again."

"This is an open invitation to the entire Church as well as to civil and military authorities. Beyond the numbers, the spirit of this celebration is to call together all Ecuadorians who wish to join in prayer for the country," he noted.

Moysam also highlighted that this renewal of the consecration serves as a reminder that "God's love is a source of hope, reconciliation, and commitment to the common good."

"In a context marked by social challenges, violence, and uncertainty, this act helps renew confidence that the country can build paths of peace, justice, and fraternity through personal conversion and solidarity among all."

The last time Ecuador renewed its consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was on March 25, 2024, during the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress held in Quito.

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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For more than a thousand years, generations of Catholics in Madrid have turned to Our Lady of Almudena in times of celebration, hardship, and prayer. On June 8, that enduring devotion received one of the Church's highest marks of recognition when Pope Leo XIV bestowed a Golden Rose upon the historic statue.

"As a symbol of the pope's filial love for the Virgin Mary, I will place a Golden Rose at her feet," Leo said during a ceremony at Madrid's Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena.

The papal honor — one of the highest distinctions a pope can bestow upon a Marian image or shrine — recognizes the deep devotion generations of Spanish Catholics have shown to the Blessed Virgin under the title of Almudena.

The exact origin of the gifting of a Golden Rose is unknown, although it is considered one of the oldest papal traditions. The earliest reliable record dates to 1096, when Pope Urban II sent one to Fulcone d'Angers.

Hidden in the citadel wall

Addressing the faithful gathered in the cathedral, Leo reflected on the image's unique place in Madrid's history.

"For centuries, countless generations of Madrileños have venerated this image of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her divine Son in her arms and presenting him to us," the pope said.

According to long-standing tradition, the devotion dates to the early centuries of Christianity in Spain. When Muslim forces conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula in A.D. 712, Christians in Madrid reportedly concealed the statue within the city's defensive walls to protect it from destruction. The image remained hidden for centuries as Christian kingdoms gradually sought to reclaim territories across the peninsula during the Reconquista.

The wall that fell 

In 1083, after King Alfonso VI of Castile recaptured Madrid, Christians searched for the long-lost statue. Tradition holds that after days of prayer, a section of the city wall suddenly collapsed, revealing the image preserved within. Witnesses reported seeing lights near the site, and the statue was discovered largely intact despite centuries of concealment.

Recalling the story, Leo noted that "during challenging periods for the Christian community, the statue of the Virgin Mary was hidden in a niche of the citadel wall for protection. It remained concealed for some time, until parts of the wall collapsed and it was miraculously discovered intact."

The title "Almudena" derives from the Arabic word "al-mudayna," meaning "citadel" or "fortress," a reference to the location where the image was found.

A message for today 

In his homily, the pope used the collapse of the wall as a spiritual lesson for modern society."

It was thanks to a collapsed wall that the Mother was reunited with her people," Leo said. "This event is providential, because it points to the path that Jesus, through his most holy mother, invites us to follow."

Leo connected that image to challenges facing the modern world, observing that "there are still many walls that do not protect but rather divide, separate, and isolate."

The ceremony also highlighted the pope's connection to Spain, a nation whose Catholic heritage has profoundly shaped the history of the Church. By honoring one of Spain's most beloved Marian images, the pontiff underscored the enduring importance of popular Marian devotion and the Christian roots that continue to influence Spanish culture.

Renewing faith and hope 

Beyond its historical significance, the story of Our Lady of Almudena continues to resonate with Catholics today. The devotion recalls themes of perseverance, hope, and trust in God's providence, themes Pope Leo himself highlighted as he encouraged the faithful to remain steadfast in faith, charity, and hope.

Calling the devotion a source of hope, Leo described it as "a sign of the Christian roots that characterize you and give you life, but also of the great hope which continues to motivate you to move forward."

He concluded by encouraging Catholics to remain steadfast in faith, charity, and hope, asking that the intercession of Our Lady of Almudena strengthen believers in their love for Christ and help them "form bonds and restore the universal language of communion, fraternal love, and harmony."

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MONTSERRAT, Spain — The rugged silhouette of the Montserrat mountain range was one of the first symbols of Catalonia that Pope Leo XIV saw from above as his plane brought him to Barcelona from Madrid on June 9.

The following day, the pope traveled by car to the mountainous area of Montserrat — whose name in Catalan means "serrated mountain" — home to a Benedictine abbey, which rises to a height of over 4,000 feet on the west side of the Llobregat River.

Before arriving, however, the pontiff made a brief detour during the approximate 25-mile journey from Barcelona to stop at Brians 1 Penitentiary Center — a place steeped in suffering, where the lives of inmates find some comfort thanks to the prison chaplain, Father Jesús Bel, coordinator of prison ministry for the Diocese of Sant Feliu de Llobregat and a Mercedarian priest who has spent 40 years accompanying those deprived of their freedom.

As he did during his trip to Equatorial Guinea, the pope embraced the suffering carried by prisoners.

There, he heard directly from two inmates, Montserrat and Josefina, about the importance of having an anchor such as faith in Christ when life shows its harshest face. Their testimony moved the pope.

"Here in prison I am not alone — Jesus gives me strength, he gives me life. I feel him within me; otherwise, I don't know how I could have endured this," Josefina told him.

After her words, a heavy silence fell. Then, Leo offered a reflection that resonated among those present: "The mistakes of a person's life do not determine who they are."

God loves you as you are

The pontiff invoked St. Augustine to underscore that the past does not chain the future, adding: "God loves you just as you are, but he dreams of you being even better! The Lord allows us all to start anew, for being human and being Christian does not mean never making mistakes, but rather growing in the ability to convert, repent, make amends, and, above all, to reconcile and forgive."

The encounter — though barely 20 minutes — set the tone for the rest of the day: the mercy of God embracing even the darkest hearts.

The ascent to Montserrat

After visiting the prison, the pontiff headed to the Abbey of Montserrat, nestled among towering rock formations that resemble sculpted figures of animals or objects. The monastery radiates peace both inside and outside its ancient walls.

In 1025, Abbot Oliba, then superior of the monastery of Ripoll, founded a smaller monastery on the mountain of Montserrat at a site where a small hermitage dedicated to the Virgin already stood.

According to tradition, the first image of the Virgin — known in Catalan as "La Mare de Déu de Montserrat" — was discovered in the year 880 by children tending a flock in a cave after seeing a light on the mountain.

When the bishop learned of the discovery, he sought to move the small statue to Manresa but was unable to do so because it became too heavy — a sign, he believed, that the Virgin wished to remain there. He then ordered a sanctuary to be built on the spot.

At the foot of Montserrat, after praying the rosary, the pope lifted up his prayer: "Let us ask her to help us clothe ourselves only with the armor of God."

"Let us also consider how the Virgin holds the globe in her right hand, a sign of her maternal care, for the whole world finds a place in her heart. She invites us to recognize one another as brothers and sisters, so that no one is excluded and that communion is stronger than every division," he added.

The image of Mary currently venerated is a 12th-century Romanesque wooden sculpture, just over 3 feet tall, depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus.

Except for the faces and hands, the statue is covered in gold, while the Virgin's dark complexion has earned her the popular nickname "La Moreneta." In 2023, Pope Francis offered a Golden Rose to this venerated image.

Among those who entrusted themselves to her was St. Ignatius of Loyola, in one of the most profound conversions in Christian tradition: "After a night spent in prayer before the Virgin, [he] laid aside his knightly arms — a moment that marked the beginning of a new life in the service of Jesus Christ," Pope Leo XIV recalled.

For centuries, faithful from all walks of life have passed through this sanctuary, praying the rosary bead by bead, because Mary, "Mare de Déu," as the pope said, "is fundamental in the life of every Christian."

"I am happy to come to the feet of La Moreneta to entrust to her, with full confidence in her maternal intercession, my Petrine ministry and the mission of the Church in a world that cries out for justice and peace," the pope said.

"I invite you today to accept Mary's invitation: 'Do whatever he tells you' (Jn 2:5). These words spoken at Cana in Galilee contain a true guide for Christian living, because Mary leads us to Christ and teaches us to listen to his voice, obey his word, and allow him to transform us," he added.

The pontiff also made clear the message God brought to the world when he became man: "Jesus shows us the path of mercy, reconciliation, truth, and gentleness. At the same time, he exposes the violence that can lurk in our words and attitudes: criticism that humiliates, condemnation that destroys, and aggression that divides."

That hidden violence, he continued, "can often disguise itself as a kind of armor, which we use to protect our wounds, our fears, and the suffering caused by injustice."

Over the centuries, Montserrat has grown as living things do — with scars and memory. It has not always been a place of peace. It was plundered, destroyed, abandoned. Yet it always rose again, as if the mountain itself sustained it.

Leo XIV concluded by asking that "Mary, Mother of the Church, always guide us to Jesus. I invite you to honor her with these words that you know so well: To the Catalans, you will always be the Princess; to the Spanish people and to the whole world, all our love; say to us: You are my treasure, I am your mother, do not be afraid."

In the abbey cloister, hundreds of people waited eagerly for the pope. Among them was Miguel, a kind-eyed boy who wrote a letter hoping to hand it to the pontiff himself.

"He wanted to write it in Italian, even though the pope — as we know — speaks Spanish perfectly," said his father, also named Miguel. In the letter, he asks nothing for himself or his family.

"I would like him to bless all of Ukraine," said the 9-year-old, an avid reader who currently keeps the greatest of all books on his nightstand. "I'm reading the Bible. I love everything about it," he said.

'Catalonia without La Moreneta would be nothing'

Also waiting for the pope were two nuns from the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Sister Ángeles Piqué, from a small town in Lleida, and Sister Doraliza, originally from Cajamarca, Peru.

"We need the pope to bring us Christ's message: unity, fraternity, and to come to the Virgin as our point of reference," Sister Doralizia said.

She gave voice to the widespread devotion to the Virgin of Montserrat in this region of Spain. "Catalonia without La Moreneta would be nothing," she said.

"Our Lady of Montserrat is a very special grace. This is her sanctuary, and all her children come here to ask for her protection and to be sheltered under her mantle," Piqué added.

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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Amid worsening armed conflicts in countries such as Ukraine, Nigeria, and those in the Middle East, a group of teenagers recently came to Rome to launch a new peace initiative, Project Oxygen.

From May 31 to June 5, 40 teenagers from war-torn regions worldwide, including Ukraine, Nigeria, and the Middle East, participated in peace-building workshops on diplomacy and political engagement in conflict-affected areas. Through Project Oxygen, they aim to shift current narratives about conflict toward a future of creativity and compassion.

Their activities included visits to Vatican dicasteries and the Italian Parliament, conferences on artificial intelligence, and a Wednesday general audience with Pope Leo XIV.

One of the participants, Olena from Ukraine, expressed her conviction that her young generation can make a difference by uniting around shared values in a divided world.

"We can make a change altogether and understand what things and circumstances unite us, and by that go to peace altogether," Olena told EWTN News.

Kathleen Hessert, founder of Project Oxygen and CEO of Sports Media Challenge, added: "The people in charge have not been able to come up with the solutions to peace. So we need to look somewhere else. And [by] their creativity and their imagination, these kids can bring a vibrancy, a creativity, and a dedication to peace."

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Pope Leo XIV has called for greater respect for the elderly, affirming that their fragility still has much to teach humanity today.

In a letter sent via the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to the participants of the June 10 symposium in Rome titled "A Bridge Toward Heaven," the pontiff expressed his hope that their efforts would encourage "renewed attitudes of respect, gratitude, and esteem toward the elderly."

Leo also criticized the modern tendency to equate strength with mere displays of power. "The society we live in is dominated by the logic of performance and competition, whereby strength is conceived as a display of power and tends to degenerate into abuse," the message said.

The pope also praised the witness of the elderly in their physical weakness with age and described them as offering profound lessons for the younger generation, who might not yet recognize their value.

"The elderly, in the serene acceptance of the limitations linked to the passing of the years, without hiding them or being ashamed of them, can be teachers of life, capable of showing everyone — and especially young people — that the value of an existence is not measured by the yardstick of efficiency or self-sufficiency but by the capacity to love and to let oneself be loved, to give and to receive," the message said.

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Philippine bishops have appealed for donations to help people affected by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines that left thousands displaced and communities struggling to recover.

The June 8 earthquake caused buildings to collapse, triggering landslides and setting off tsunami warnings across a swath of the southern island.

According to the Office of Civil Defense, the national disaster agency, the earthquake had left 46 people dead, 630 injured, and 17 missing as of June 10.

More than 800,000 households across Mindanao lacked access to electricity, with the Department of Energy yet to fully assess damage to energy infrastructure and accelerate power restoration efforts.

Expressing profound sorrow and solidarity with people in Sarangani province and other parts of Mindanao, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), issued a statement on June 9.

"We grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, pray for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured, and stand in spiritual communion with all those who have been displaced from their homes and livelihoods," he said.

"We also remember in our prayers the rescue workers, medical personnel, government agencies, and volunteers who continue to labor tirelessly in responding to this tragedy," he added.

He urged all dioceses to hold a second collection at Sunday Masses on June 14. The proceeds will be sent through the diocesan social action centers and Caritas Philippines to support relief and rehabilitation efforts.

In a separate message, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, head of Caritas Philippines, the humanitarian, development, and advocacy arm of the CBCP, said many families are in urgent need of assistance.

"In times of uncertainty and loss, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from Mindanao," he added. "May compassion, hope, and our shared humanity continue to connect us as communities rebuild and rise together."

People's donations can help provide relief and restore hope, and no amount is too small when given with love, the prelate said.

Caritas Philippines, together with diocesan social action centers, is responding to affected communities, with their efforts matched by dioceses, religious congregations, and aid groups across the country.

Dioceses express solidarity

The Diocese of Antipolo has sent 100,000 pesos ($1,630) to the Diocese of Marbel for earthquake relief and 50,000 pesos ($810) to Stella Maris in General Santos City to assist seafarers' families affected by the disaster.

"In solidarity with our brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquake in Mindanao, the Diocese of Antipolo has extended financial assistance to support ongoing relief and recovery efforts," Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos said.

"As one Church, we continue to respond to the call of Christian charity and compassion. We also invite the faithful and all people of goodwill to support our ongoing relief efforts through cash donations," he added.

Santos said people's generosity will help bring hope, relief, and recovery to families and communities affected by the calamity.

The Philippines has 87 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, comprising 60 dioceses, 16 archdioceses, six apostolic vicariates, four territorial prelatures, and a military ordinariate, which have started expressing solidarity with those affected by the disaster.

Marcos visits quake-hit region

On June 10, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited General Santos City, including the National High School, one of the sites damaged by the earthquake.

After speaking with teachers and students, he said the government would provide mental health support, in coordination with the Department of Health, for students traumatized by the earthquake.

"When I talked to the teachers, I told them they should remember that this was a traumatizing experience for the students, for the children," he said. "So, they should also keep an eye on them."

He added that teachers would be trained to talk with students and provide support to those who may be experiencing trauma and stress.

The earthquake struck on the first day of the school year, following the two-month summer break, disrupting classes across several areas of Mindanao and affecting the safety and learning of teachers and students.

The Department of Education said the earthquake had affected more than 3.2 million students.

Marcos also announced 100 million pesos ($1,627,000) in financial assistance for the General Santos City government to repair its city hall, which was damaged by the earthquake, and 50,000 pesos ($810) for the families of those who died.

Appeal for more cooperation

The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines called for solidarity with the victims.

"We pray for the safety of our communities, the strength of rescue and response teams, and the swift recovery of all affected areas. As one faith community, let us continue to accompany our brothers and sisters through our prayers and acts of compassion," the association said in a social media post.

The Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP) also appealed to the public to aid families affected by the calamity, urging people to help disaster victims facing hardship, uncertainty, and a lack of necessities.

"In this time of tragedy and uncertainty, let us come together as one community of faith and compassion. The recent earthquake in Mindanao has left many families grieving, displaced, and in urgent need of assistance," a CMSP statement read.

The organization stressed that, through donations, the Church can help provide food, clean water, temporary shelter, medicine, and other essential needs for affected families.

"As consecrated persons and people of goodwill, we are called to be instruments of God's love and mercy. Through your generous donations, we can help provide food, water, shelter, medicines, and other essential needs for our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster," CMSP said.

"With the support of the government and church organizations and others, we can pick up the pieces and rebuild our lives again," Nova Lapara, 37, a mother of two teenage girls from General Santos City, told EWTN News.

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Just four days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico called on Mexican Catholics to enjoy the championship but at the same time to "not lose sight of what is really important, which is what remains after the final whistle."

In a June 7 editorial, the archdiocese stressed that "the emotions of these days will remain in our memories but our children will still be there waiting for our attention, our parents needing a call, our grandparents longing for a visit, our spouse waiting for some time together, and our daily responsibilities demanding our presence."

The Archdiocese of Mexico stated that "the world once again comes to a halt before the playing field. Millions of people will gather in front of a screen to celebrate, suffer disappointment, feel the excitement, and share the passion that soccer brings out."

"Mexico, like many other participating nations, is undergoing challenges that call for unity; the entire world, caught up in scenarios of war and inequality, is in urgent need of reconciliation," the editorial noted.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the world's premier soccer championship, will have three host countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The opening match, between Mexico and South Africa, will take place on June 11 in Mexico City. Thirteen matches total will be played in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.

After acknowledging the frequent divisions caused by "politics, social media, economic disparities, or the wounds we carry in our personal and community relationships," the archdiocese noted that during the World Cup weeks, "we will see entire families sitting together in front of the television, neighbors gathering to watch a match, and people who don't usually agree on things celebrating the same goal."

The archdiocese recalled that Pope Leo XIV, in his prayer intention for June, "reminds us that 'in life, as in the game, no one is saved alone. We need others to grow, to learn respect, to overcome our limits, and to celebrate together the victories we achieve.'"

The archdiocese acknowledged that "the World Cup can be a great celebration" yet noted that "any celebration has meaning when it strengthens the bonds that sustain our lives."

In this spirit, it extended an invitation to Mexican society, urging that "these weeks help us sit down together at the table as a family more often, reconcile with those from whom we have drifted apart, pick up conversations we had put on hold, and rediscover the joy of sharing."

"Sport need not be a reason to distance ourselves from those we love, to isolate ourselves, or to shut ourselves away for hours in front of the television, shunning human contact or neglecting what requires our attention," the editorial pointed out.

Both while the World Cup is underway as well as after it ends, "the people who are with us on the journey today remain essential."

"We still need peace in our communities. We still need to be close to those who suffer. We still need to value and defend human life and dignity. We still urgently need reconciliation in our country. And the love we build each day in our homes remains irreplaceable," the archdiocese emphasized.

The archdiocese encouraged people to both enjoy the soccer matches and celebrate "the fraternity it can inspire," without forgetting "that trophies are fleeting and that the most valuable things in our lives are built day by day in family, friendship, honest work, and everyone's commitment to building a more united society."

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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