Catholic News

Pope Leo XIV said Thursday that the Church is called to reach all peoples not by imposing itself but by bearing witness to the truth in charity.

In an April 30 audience with members of the Diocesan Office for the Universal Church and Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Cologne, the pope reflected on the universality of the Church and the importance of dialogue.

The pope recalled that, "in light of Christ's resurrection, the Church recognizes herself as being sent to all peoples — not by imposing herself but by bearing witness to the truth in charity."

"Dialogue, in turn, strengthens communion, opens paths of understanding, and serves the cause of peace," he said, adding that "Christ draws all things to himself and makes the Church a sign of unity and hope for the world."

Leo addressed the delegation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Weltkirche & Dialog, today known as the Diocesan Office for the Universal Church and Dialogue.

Turning to the German archdiocese, the pope highlighted its long-standing openness to encounter, mutual exchange, and dialogue among peoples and cultures. In particular, he recalled that in 1954, under Cardinal Josef Frings and Vicar General Father Josef Teusch, the Archdiocese of Cologne established a partnership with the Archdiocese of Tokyo — "the first of its kind in Germany."

The pope said the archdiocese's commitment to a truly universal Church, "called to solidarity beyond the confines of Europe and sustained through a culture of dialogue," remains at the heart of the office's identity.

Leo also praised the archdiocese's charitable work in regions affected by famine, flooding, war, and other crises as well as its relationships of support with churches in more than 100 countries, with particular attention to the Middle East and the Eastern Churches.

The pope also noted the scholarships for priestly formation and assistance to elderly priests offered by the Archdiocese of Cologne.

"I might add here that when I was bishop in Perù, in Chiclayo, the Archdiocese of Cologne was also very supportive of a number of different initiatives, including helping purchase oxygen-producing machines, which saved the lives of many people," he said. "And the people today are still grateful for that support."

The pope expressed gratitude for the group's initiatives, saying that through their service "the universal dimension of the Church is made visible and concrete, fostering solidarity, strengthening bonds of unity, and bearing witness to the Gospel of peace in a world so often marked by division and distress."

Such witness, Leo said, is "all the more necessary today," especially as many Christians have been forced to leave their homelands because of war, violence, and poverty.

"I therefore encourage you to persevere in this mission of charity, so that they may still experience the closeness of the universal Church," he said.

The pope asked the delegation in a particular way to continue supporting the presence of Christians in the Middle East "in order to ensure that these venerable traditions of the Eastern Churches are preserved, safeguarded, and more widely known."

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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The Archdiocese of Atlanta is launching a fully online high school program, known as Sacred Heart Virtual Academy, designed to expand access to Catholic education throughout Georgia and beyond.

Enrollment is currently open for students in grades 9–12, both inside and outside of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, including those living in other states or countries.

"We know this type of offering can have an impact on a global scale, and we are excited about that opportunity," said Kim Shields, facilitator of the program and an associate superintendent of the Catholic school office of the archdiocese. "Our commitment starts with the communities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, but we will welcome anyone who feels our program will meet their child's learning needs."

The archdiocese designed the program with home-schooling students and students with flexible learning needs in mind, according to Shields.

"Sacred Heart Virtual Academy was created in response to home-schooling groups and others in the archdiocese who are looking for more flexible options for high school," Shields told EWTN News.

"This program will also enable us to meet the needs of rural students, students with diverse learning needs, and any other student who just needs an alternative to a brick-and-mortar school," Shields continued.

The archdiocese is partnering with Catholic Education Services, a provider of Catholic virtual education, to provide courses. The group has "partnered with several archdioceses to provide programs for Catholic schools," according to Shields.

Organizers hope to expand courses to provide more opportunities for students, including a course in American Sign Language.

"We have an inclusion program in the archdiocese, and we are hoping to offer some alternative courses for foreign language such as American Sign Language through the virtual academy for students who need that opportunity," Shields said.

Students will follow a traditional school year schedule from late August to late May. Optional summer classes are also offered.

"Students will need to complete 24 credits to graduate, and this requirement is in alignment with our current brick-and-mortar high schools," Shields added. "Class offerings will be synchronous and asynchronous depending on the course."

Full-time tuition for one year is $7,200, while individual classes cost between $500 and $600.

"The diploma and transcripts will be issued from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and we are proud to be able to offer that to any student who completes our high school program," Shields said.

Quoting from the value statements of the Office of Catholic Schools, Shields said the branch is "committed to providing an excellent education in an environment of spiritual, moral, intellectual, and physical formation in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church."

"Our vision is to provide all families and children in the Archdiocese of Atlanta with faith-filled, high-quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities," Shields continued.

"We also believe that all of God's children deserve a Catholic education, and to live our mission, it is our responsibility to meet the needs of all students as best we can," Shields added.

Sacred Heart Virtual Academy applications are currently open. For more information, visit here.

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St. Louis de Montfort Academy, the independent boarding school for boys in Herndon, Pennsylvania, run by the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) on April 25 inaugurated a four-level expansion of its main building, almost doubling its size.

The event, which coincided with the academy's 30th anniversary, was headlined by Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke along with Auxiliary Bishop William Waltersheid of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In his remarks on the occasion, Burke noted that the academy's students often courageously join older TFP members at pro-life and other events that witness to eternal truths that are rejected by many in modern society.

"Millions of Americans have seen, through the videos of TFP Student Action, how the young men formed here go onto university campuses to confront the prevailing ideology," Burke noted. "They do so not with anger, not with disorder, but with clarity, charity, and courage. They calmly dismantle anti-Christian fallacies. They endure ridicule, threats, and even physical intimidation with dignity. And in every instance, they emerge victorious — not because they shout the loudest, but because they stand with the truth."

In a nod to the TFP apostolate's Brazilian roots, Prince Bertrand of Orleans-Braganza, head of the Imperial House of Brazil, was invited to cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the new school building. Instead of using scissors, he chose to employ a ceremonial sword for the task.

"At this academy, the notion of spiritual combat is at the forefront of daily life," Prince Bertrand, a direct descendant of French Crusader king St. Louis IX, noted.

"The sacraments, the rosary, and religion classes are complemented by fencing, debate practices, and pro-life campaigns. All of these things give the academy students the training they need to become upright, generous, and brave soldiers of Christ," he observed.

Nebraska bishop praises university's creation of ethics panel after 'drag Mass'

Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, expressed gratitude to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, for creating in ethics panel following a "drag Mass" staged by a doctoral student.

"I appreciate the willingness of the university leaders to meet with us to discuss issues of concern to the Catholic community," Conley said in his April 24 "Bishop's Column" reacting to the university's creation of an ethics panel to address the incident, which came after he met with University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold to express his opposition to the performance.

The event was put on in April 2025 by music doctoral student Joseph Willette, who claimed the performance was meant to "bridge the gap between queerness and spirituality." The demonstration "imitated various parts of the Mass, including the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei."

"President Gold and his team have made good on their promise to keep us updated on their progress so far," Conley said. "I would like to know more about the membership of the committee that President Gold and [Creighton University President] Father [Daniel] Hendrickson have put together, but I also understand to some degree their reluctance to share more about it given committee members' request for anonymity."

"I believe we can all agree there is more work that needs to be done, and my hope and prayer is that we all continue to strive to eliminate unjust discrimination of any kind on our campuses… and in our world," Conley said. "I am also hopeful that continued engagement with community leaders at the university and elsewhere will help not only to prevent future problems but will also assist in the continued development of a culture that is respectful of religion and of the Catholic presence in and contribution to our state and its universities."

Christendom College launches master's for public policy program

Christendom College has expanded its graduate school offerings with the debut of its Center for Public Policy.

Started in partnership with the Heritage Foundation, the new center is "designed to equip leaders with the philosophical, ethical, and practical tools necessary for service in public life, nonprofit leadership, education, and policy-related professions," according to a college press release.

Classes for the center's flagship program will start this fall.

"For too long, public leaders and their supporters have led movements, crafted laws, and developed policies that assume presuppositions that are antithetical to human flourishing and the common good," Christendom College President George A. Harne said in the release.

"By forming a new generation of leaders who understand classical Catholic social teaching and can apply it to the most pressing needs of today, Christendom College will lead in the restoration of the public square in a way that is deeply consistent with the college's founding principles," he said. "This unique program — oriented to real political change through the development of wise public policies and the formation of the next generation of leaders — is the next logical step in the fulfillment of Christendom College's founding mission."

Catholic Massachusetts college to close after 80 years following 'financial pressure'

Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts, announced "with profound grief" that it will close its doors at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 academic year.

"The decision reflects years of financial pressure that we were ultimately unable to overcome and the honest recognition that continuing would not be responsible to the students, faculty, and staff who depend on us," the college said in an April 23 statement signed by Anna Maria College President Sean J. Ryan and Board of Trustees Chair David Trainor.

The college cited "months" of attempts by leadership, the board of trustees, and the Sisters of St. Anne to "examine every option."

"We tried to find a way," the college said. "We are grateful to everyone who tried alongside us. And we are deeply, genuinely sorry we found no viable path forward."

The college assured graduating seniors they would receive their degrees and walk in their graduation ceremony and non-graduating students that "clear paths forward are in place." The college also said it has finalized partnerships with institutions for transfer students.

Anna Maria College was founded in 1946 by the Sisters of St. Anne.

Theology school offers chance to audit summer course free of charge

St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, New York, will allow anyone to audit any one of its summer courses for free via Zoom.

"Thanks to the generous support of the Knights of Columbus Finger Lakes Chapter, St. Bernard's is delighted to offer the opportunity of auditing one summer course for free," the college said on its website. "We are a Catholic graduate school committed to featuring courses that enhance the truths of our faith, and as such, wish to share our offerings with as many people as possible."

Available courses include "American Saints and Blesseds" and "Tolkien the Artist: Creativity and the Image of God." Prospective students have the chance to audit courses from either the first session, which runs from May 11 to June 26, or the second session, which runs from June 29 to Aug. 14.

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A proposed federal bill would allow child abuse victims to continue seeking evidence in civil suits even amid bankruptcy filings, a rule that could have significant consequences for U.S. Catholic dioceses facing abuse lawsuits.

The bill, proposed by a bipartisan group of U.S. congresswomen and announced on April 29, would move to "address misuse of the bankruptcy system by organizations facing lawsuits for child sex abuse," according to a press release from Rep. Deborah Ross, D-North Carolina.

Ross noted that bankruptcy filings, including those by U.S. dioceses facing voluminous child abuse allegations, trigger stays in civil litigation that block plaintiffs from further discovery while the Chapter 11 process plays out.

Ross said U.S. bankruptcy law contains "unacceptable loopholes" that allow organizations to "avoid the consequences of their negligence and abuse."

The proposed bill would allow abuse victims to continue the discovery process even amid bankruptcy filings. It would also allow victims to submit impact statements within the Chapter 11 proceedings themselves.

The bill would also "require forensic accountants to assess the debtor's estate and nondebtor holdings in child sex abuse cases."

The measure, titled the "Closing Bankruptcy Loopholes for Child Predators Act," was previously introduced in 2024, though it stalled in the House of Representatives.

Bankruptcy generally offers more payouts for victims

Numerous U.S. dioceses have filed for bankruptcy in recent years, particularly amid the passage of state-level laws that have expanded or removed the statute of limitations for filing child abuse claims.

Marie Reilly, a professor of law at Penn State University and an expert in bankruptcy litigation, told EWTN News in 2025 that bankruptcy filings are generally advantageous not just for a diocese but for those seeking compensation from it.

The alternative, she said, is for a plaintiff to "prove their case on a trial of evidence against the diocese," which requires considerably more effort with less chance of payment.

Committees of survivors usually agree that bankruptcy is the better option, she said, insofar as it ensures that everyone gets some form of compensation instead of just a few big payouts being limited to the quickest litigants.

"Outside of bankruptcy, we call it 'the race of the diligent,' where the speediest get the spoils," she told EWTN News.

Still, the U.S. representatives sponsoring the latest bankruptcy reform bill argue that such procedures should not limit victims from being able to seek evidence in their suits against organizations including Catholic dioceses.

Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, said in the press release that abuse victims "deserve justice, accountability, and transparency at every step of the process."

"No one should be able to use bankruptcy proceedings as a shield to avoid responsibility," she said, arguing that the bill "closes those loopholes so survivors can continue their pursuit of justice and bad actors are held fully accountable."

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As it continues the "confident renewal of its Catholic identity," the University of St. Thomas in Houston announced the appointment of influential Catholic leaders to its board of directors this week.

Among the new board members are R.R. "Rusty" Reno, editor of First Things; Adam Laxalt, the former attorney general of Nevada; and Mary Eberstadt, writer and senior research fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington, D.C.

Reno told EWTN News he would like to see the school become a leader on the American Catholic academic scene.

"It's a Thomistic institute," said Reno, a former theology professor, "and there's a unique opportunity to put forward the Thomistic tradition in the context of American Catholic higher education in an intellectually strong and robust way."

The new members join the university board as the school "is poised to take its place among the leading Catholic institutions in our country," school President Sinda Vanderpool said in a press release April 28.

"The university's governance now draws upon voices who have shaped national conversations in faith, culture, law, and public life," said board chairman Craig Jarchow in the press release.

"We live in a time when the academic culture, which is secular and progressive, exerts tremendous influence over the formation of young people," Reno said. "A Catholic university requires a very clear and explicit mission to avoid drifting and becoming like any other university with a chapel. You don't want that."

Eberstadt told EWTN News "the fact that UST has this enthusiastic, unapologetically Catholic leadership" is "what drew me to the school."

"Against the backdrop of secularization, and all the things that we know are wrong in the West," the writer said she is seeing what she calls "the next American awakening."

Seeing "new forms of fellowship and outreach, Catholic and Protestant alike, including on campuses where there had never been such things before," is exciting, she said.

"It is clear that something is stirring, and so when I saw this in action at UST, I wanted to be a part of it and not just to keep telling people this was out there, but to participate in building it."

The school is now "the Catholic 'room where it happens,'" Eberstadt said.

Laxalt, a former naval officer and Iraq veteran, agreed, telling EWTN News that there is "an orthodox Catholic revival going on in the U.S. and our youth are seeking more depth and formation in their education."

"One of the things I have most cherished, both in and out of public service, is mentoring young people," he said. "I am honored to support UST in grounding students in the Catholic intellectual tradition."

Eberstadt said she hopes that as a board member, she can help "enhance the social lives of the students because I know from my research, and we all know after COVID, there's been a real collapse of socializing, in Gen Z especially."

She said she hopes this will build "community that will be part of their battle armor that they will take into their lives after they leave the university, so they will be grounded in a spiritual network and a network of fellowship."

Practically, she said she would like to see the university add square dances to its cultural repertoire.

"It's very small 'd' democratic," she laughed. "You have to dance with everybody, you don't have to have a partner, and it has the spiritual dimension of bringing students together who would otherwise be looking at their phones."

"And the fact that it's an American pastime … It's an American thing, perfect for the 250th anniversary of our country," she said.

Other new board members include philanthropist Charlene Brandau, attorney and UST alumnus Habeeb "Hobbs" Gnaim, energy executive David Preng, and board director for the Mays MBA Program at Texas A&M University Bill Way.

The University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive Catholic university offering programs in the traditional liberal arts, professional, and skilled-based disciplines.

It ranks as the second-largest institution by enrollment among colleges and universities listed in the Newman Guide, published by the Cardinal Newman Society, which recognizes institutions committed to the Church's principles of education.

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The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to efforts from President Donald Trump's administration to remove the temporary legal status of Haitian and Syrian migrants.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem terminated the temporary protected status (TPS) designation for migrants from Syria, Haiti, and other countries. If the court rules that her actions are lawful, the administration could order the removal of more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians.

The Trump administration argued April 29 that the executive branch has broad discretion to terminate TPS for any country. The challengers, representing the migrants, argued Noem failed to follow the proper procedure and accused officials of unlawfully using racist beliefs about migrants to make their determinations.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged the administration to extend TPS status for both countries.

Migrants' lawyers challenge Trump

Ahilan Arulanantham, who argued on behalf of the Syrians, recognized that the administration has "broad" discretion in determining TPS status but argued that Noem failed to follow proper procedure in her decision-making.

Even though he said Noem can make the final decision to terminate TPS, he noted that the law requires Noem to consult with relevant agencies before deciding. He argued that Noem did not adequately consult with agencies prior to making the decision.

"We cannot challenge on the ground that she's wrong," Arulanantham acknowledged, "… [but] what is reviewable is whether she actually asks anything and gets any information about country conditions."

He said that one basis for Syria's TPS designation was armed conflict, "but the secretary never consulted the State Department about the armed conflict." Rather, he argued, "she terminated based on the national interest."

"We don't argue about the levels; we don't argue about the amount," Arulanantham said. "All we say is [there] has to be deliberation about a subject. They have to talk about country conditions."

Justices questioned those arguments, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett pressing Arulanantham, asking him whether Noem could have consulted with the State Department on those subjects, and terminated the status, even if there was strong evidence in favor of extending it.

Arulanantham said she could have, which led Barrett to assert the procedure appears to simply be a "box-checking exercise."

Justice Samuel Alito argued that if the administration has broad discretion in the "determination" of whether TPS status is extended: "If we apply the ordinary meaning of that term here, I really don't understand how you can prevail."

Justice Elena Kagan appeared sympathetic to the claim that the court could review whether the administration followed procedures but that scrutinizing whether Noem consulted with agencies about proper or improper subjects "seems harder to me than the procedural argument."

Geoffrey Pipoly, who represented the Haitians, argued Noem's review of the termination for his clients "was a sham," saying the decision was "a preordained result driven by the president's resolve to end TPS for Haiti no matter what."

He accused the president of "racial animus toward non-white immigrants and bare dislike of Haitians in particular," citing Trump's remark that Haiti is an "[expletive]-hole country" and his assertion that migrants were "eating the dogs and eating the cats."

Kagan questioned the argument, noting the Trump administration broadly scaled immigration back, stating: "I don't quite see how that operates when all of these programs went."

Alito pressed Pipoly on what constitutes "white" and "non-white," and said: "You have a really broad definition of who's white and who's not white. As I said, I don't like dividing people of the world into these groups."

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson defended the argument, noting that only predominantly non-white countries have TPS status.

'Broad discretion'

U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the law does not permit judicial review of Noem's decision to terminate TPS, arguing that Noem had "broad discretion" over how she considered whether to extend the status for those countries.

"Any determination — with respect to designation, extension, or termination — is not subject to judicial review," Sauer told the justices.

Sauer said the secretary can determine which agencies are appropriate to consult and could even determine there are no proper agencies to consult. He accused the other side of simply claiming her consultation "wasn't quite enough."

"Seeking input is consultation, seeking advice from someone knowledgeable is a form of consultation," he said, arguing the secretary has broad discretion to decide what constitutes consultation.

Sauer said these decisions are "traditionally entrusted to the political branches" and accused the district courts that halted TPS terminations of "appointing themselves junior varsity secretaries of state."

He also rejected the allegations of racism, saying "not a single one of [Trump's comments] mentions race or relates to race." He said they always refer to "crime, poverty, welfare dependency, drugs, [and] drug importation," among other issues.

Kagan challenged the suggestion there could be no judicial review at all, noting that Congress enacted a statute that requires consultation and "it set forth procedural steps that have to be followed."

"The Constitution … [says] due process applies to any alien who lives in the United States," she said. "It applies to all people living here. … They're entitled to due process. Now Congress has given them a process. It may not be a court process, but that's OK. It's a process and you're saying … it's unreviewable whether the president has followed that process."

Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies and a former immigration judge, told "EWTN News Nightly" that terminating the status would not remove every person who entered through TPS if the administration succeeds in court because some people have other forms of lawful status, such as a student visa.

"If they are here and they are not in lawful status and they don't have removal orders, [the Department of Homeland Security] is then going to have to take them all and put them into removal proceedings, get a removal order, and then remove them from the United States," he said.

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The U.S. Supreme Court said a New Jersey faith-based pregnancy center may challenge a state subpoena demanding donor information.

The court in a unanimous ruling April 29 decided the case could proceed in federal court, reversing a lower court decision that had deemed the lawsuit premature.

The pregnancy center had raised First Amendment concerns about whether it could immediately assert its right to challenge a state subpoena demanding donor information — including names, addresses, and places of employment — in federal court, or whether it must first proceed through the state court system.

The ruling was a victory for First Choice Women's Resource Centers. Diverse groups including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members of Congress, the Trump administration, and the ACLU had agreed that First Choice should be able to challenge the subpoena in federal court without first litigating the issue in New Jersey state court.

The case, First Choice Women's Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport, involves a 2023 subpoena issued by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin seeking donor information from First Choice. In 2022, Platkin had begun investigating crisis pregnancy centers like First Choice, saying they are organizations that may provide "false or misleading information about the safety and legality of abortion."

First Choice described itself in a Supreme Court brief as a faith-based nonprofit serving New Jersey women by offering material support and medical services such as ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. The organization said it does not provide or refer for abortions.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told the court in an amicus brief: "Compelling disclosure of a religious organization's financial support violates the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion."

It contended that compelling disclosure would undermine the group's religious mission and chill the free-exercise rights of donors who give anonymously in keeping with their beliefs.

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Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami (CCADM) said it will cut more than 80 jobs after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declined to renew an $11 million federal contract.

"HHS not renewing funding to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami will result in 85 staff members being laid off as of May 31, 2026," Peter Routsis-Arroyo, the organization's CEO, said in a statement to EWTN News.

He said another 20 employees will be let go on June 30.

For decades, CCADM partnered with the federal government to serve vulnerable children and families. The termination of the contract ended a more than 65-year relationship that began with Operation Pedro Pan, which resettled about 14,000 Cuban children who were fleeing the Castro regime in the U.S.

The layoffs follow the announcement that CCADM "had to make the difficult decision to close the Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children's Village," Devika Austin, chief administrative officer of CCADM, wrote in an April 24 letter.

The Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh Children's Village, formerly known as Boys Town, is a CCADM program sheltering unaccompanied, undocumented immigrant children with the ability to house up to 81 children.

It is baffling that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be hard-pressed to replicate at the level of competence and excellence that Catholic Charities has achieved, if and when future waves of unaccompanied minors reach our shores."

Archbishop Thomas Wenski

Archdiocese of Miami

"This week all affected employees received notice," she wrote. "We are working with our employees to assist them during this difficult transition."

Due to the unforeseen circumstances, CCADM reported in the letter it was "unable to provide 60 days' notice" to employees and noted that the "layoffs are permanent."

More than half of the staff laid off was made up of youth care workers in the program, along with numerous others including clinicians, case managers, and medical coordinators.

During a press conference on April 15 following the funding cuts, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami urged the government to reinstate the funds noting that services for unaccompanied minors would "be forced to shut down within three months."

"It is baffling that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be hard-pressed to replicate at the level of competence and excellence that Catholic Charities has achieved, if and when future waves of unaccompanied minors reach our shores," he said.

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The Vatican Observatory has named four asteroids after key figures in its history. Among them is Pope Leo XIII, who refounded the institution in 1891.

The newly named asteroids were discovered by the telescope the Vatican operates in Arizona.

The asteroid "Gioacchinopecci" honors Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, whose legacy is closely tied to the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.

According to the observatory, Leo XIII reestablished the Vatican Observatory after the loss of the Papal States and of important astronomical facilities, particularly the observatory of Father Angelo Secchi located above the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome.

Photographs of the Vatican from the early 20th century show the domes of the observatory's telescopes above the Vatican walls and the Tower of the Winds.

In the 1930s, because electric lighting made Rome's night sky brighter, the telescopes were moved to the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, whose domes can still be seen today from miles away.

The later increase in light pollution from Rome led to the construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, or VATT, on Mount Graham in Arizona in the 1990s.

Through the 1891 motu proprio Ut Mysticam, Leo XIII established the Vatican Observatory, stating that it would help show the world that the Church's present and historic attitude toward "true and solid science" was to "embrace it, encourage it, and promote it with the greatest possible dedication," contrary to what its critics claimed.

In particular, he emphasized that the observatory would help promote "a most noble science that, more than any other human discipline, raises the spirit of mortals to the contemplation of heavenly events."

Leo XIII is the third pope to have an asteroid named after him. Gregory XIII has one in recognition of his role in the reform of the calendar, as does Benedict XVI, to whom "(8661) Ratzinger" is dedicated.

In addition to Pope Leo XIII, another asteroid has been named "Lais" in honor of Giuseppe Lais, an Italian priest and astronomer who served as deputy director of the Vatican Observatory for 30 years. Asteroids were also named for Pietro Maffi, an Italian cardinal, archbishop of Pisa, and astronomer, and André Bertiau, a Belgian Jesuit priest, astronomer, and former director of the Vatican Observatory.

Asteroids receive a provisional designation at the time of discovery based on the date of observation and managed by the Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union.

When an asteroid's orbit is determined with sufficient precision and its future path can be reliably predicted, it is assigned a permanent number. Currently, about 850,000 of the roughly 1.3 million known asteroids have received a permanent number.

Only after receiving this number, the observatory noted, can discoverers propose a definitive name to replace the provisional designation.

The proposed name is then examined by the working group and must comply with specific guidelines. Once approved, the asteroid is known by its official name, written as "(number) Name."

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 granted ecclesiastical communion to the new patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, His Beatitude Mar Paul III Nona, who now serves as the head of this Eastern Catholic Church based in Iraq, which is in full communion with Rome.

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What is the Chaldean Church?

The Chaldean Church is one of more than 20 Eastern Catholic Churches under the authority of the pope in Rome and possesses autonomy in accordance with Canon 27 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

This allows it to manage its internal affairs in accordance with the laws it has established for itself. The Synod of Chaldean Bishops was the body that elected the new patriarch.

What is ecclesiastical communion?

The new patriarch, who succeeds Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako following his resignation, was elected on April 12 and received ecclesiastical communion on April 24, having requested it via a letter sent to Pope Leo, as established by Canon 76 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

"With a heart filled with joy, I grant you ecclesiastica communio as an expression and bond of full communion with the Apostolic See in the common service of unity within the Church and the building up of the body of Christ," the Holy Father wrote to the new Chaldean patriarch.

Ecclesiastical communion is the formal recognition of full communion with the Diocese of Rome, i.e. with the pope, granted to the one requesting it; in this case, the Chaldean patriarch.

This recognition enables the new patriarch to fully exercise his ministry as the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, not only within Iraq but also among the diaspora throughout the world.

Once the patriarch, who is "primus inter pares" ("first among equals") has received ecclesiastical communion, he may convene the synod of bishops of the Church over which he presides and also ordain bishops.

Pope Leo's message to the new Chaldean patriarch

Pope Leo XIV offered his prayers for the new patriarch and his mission to proclaim the Gospel, "strengthening ecclesial communion within his own territory and in the territories of the diaspora, which is becoming increasingly numerous."

The Holy Father highlighted that Mar Paul III Nona was elected "on the day when the Chaldean liturgy commemorates the encounter of the risen Christ with St. Thomas, from whom the living tradition of this Church originates."

For this reason, he encouraged the Chaldeans to persevere as "true believers," especially in the face of the "exceedingly arduous trials" that the faithful in Iraq and other territories often confront.

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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