Catholic News

The Vatican Museums has launched an ambitious restoration to the frescoes of the Hall of Raphael in the Apostolic Palace, expected to take five years and to cost 5.5 million euros (around $6.3 million).

The Renaissance frescoes — which date to the early 16th century and have been virtually untouched since their creation — are in dire need of cleaning and repairing, according to the Vatican Museums.

A team of over 20 conservators began the delicate work, utilizing laser technology, on April 15. The process is expected to conclude in 2031.

The corridor, which is 210 feet long and 13 feet wide, boasts nearly 14,000 square feet of frescoes and stucco work designed by Raphael and executed between 1517 and 1519 by Raphael's assistants, Giulio Romano, Giovanni da Udine, and Perin del Vaga. The designs include scenes from the Old Testament, botanical designs, and grotesques.

Raphael, a prominent artist and architect of the High Renaissance, had been commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. Pope Leo X brought the artist back to decorate one of the loggias, a hall on the west wing of the second floor, overlooking the Courtyard of St. Damasus.

The decorated hall, also known as the Loggia of Raphael, was "immediately considered one of the highest expressions of Renaissance art applied to architecture," per a June 24 press release from the Vatican Museums. "It is still today one of the most refined testimonies of the figurative language of the early 16th century."

The hall is "a passageway long traversed by cardinals, high prelates, and ambassadors visiting the pope, admired and copied by the greatest Italian and foreign artists and an essential destination of the Grand Tour," said Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, quoted in the statement.

The conservation work "will mark a pivotal moment both in the history of restoration and in the history of Italian Renaissance art," she said.

The cost of the project, which is the first-ever major restoration of the frescoes, is sponsored by the World Monuments Fund and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation.

Delicate restoration process

Angela Cerreta, the director of the restoration, told the Spanish news outlet ABC in June that the paintings are not in a good condition: "It's a very delicate surface and has been exposed to the elements for centuries. For many years, it was copied for fear of its loss."

"We are meticulously analyzing the engravings to observe all the phases prior to the losses," he said, explaining that in the 1970s, the Vatican attempted to restore the hall using inorganic products, but the result did not turn out well.

"Since then, a kind of negative legend has arisen about this hall, suggesting it was best left untouched," Cerreta told the Spanish news outlet. But between 2019 and 2023, conservators carried out additional restoration tests to find the right technology.

The Vatican Museums' chief restorer of paintings and wood materials, Paolo Violini, said that "Examination of the surface revealed the need to adopt a 'dry' cleaning method in order to preserve the delicate original layers and their fragile surviving traces, which are highly sensitive to the action of chemical procedures. Laser technology proved exceptionally e?ective in meeting this requirement."

"Following a series of tests employing di?erent systems and operating modes, an 'active fiber' model was selected for its versatility in managing the degree of cleaning, allowing for highly accurate and detailed control," he said, per the statement.

Part of the restoration process will be the installation of a new lighting system and new filtered windows to protect the frescoes from ultraviolet radiation and to reduce solar heat. The cost of the lighting and windows is supported by the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.

After the restoration concludes, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation will cover the cost of digitizing the artwork, and the Vatican Museums is also weighing the possibility of opening the hallway to the public on specific dates.

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"Every holy Mass, when I look into the church from the altar, I see the whole world in front of me."

For Dom Alois Brodersen, an Augustinian canon regular and parish priest of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Bergen, Norway, those words capture the reality of parish life.

Standing before a congregation representing more than 120 nationalities, he sees the fulfillment of a vision first imagined by the parish's founders nearly 150 years ago.

When St. Paul's was built in the 1870s, it seated more than 300 people despite serving a Catholic community of only a few dozen faithful. Its founders envisioned the church as a missionary bridgehead for Catholicism in Norway. Years later that vision has been realized.

Today, the parish is home to almost 20,000 Catholics from more than 120 nations.

"Experiencing all these people from all places in the world coming together and working for Christ, their piety and their faithfulness, that's the greatest gift," Brodersen told EWTN News.

That vision was given fresh significance on June 28, when Bishop Fredrik Hansen solemnly consecrated St. Paul's Church a century and a half after the building first opened for worship.

A church built on faith and foresight

The congregation dedicated to St. Paul was founded in 1858 with the blessing of Pope Pius IX. As the Catholic community steadily grew, parish leaders acquired land on what was then the outskirts of Bergen and began constructing a permanent church in 1864.

Designed by Italian architect Edoardo A. Mella, the church took 12 years to complete. Its construction was financed through an international fundraising effort led by parish priest Father Daniel Stub, who secured support from Pope Pius IX, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, Queen Josephine of Norway and Sweden, and Catholics across Europe.

When the first Mass was celebrated on June 30, 1876, the newspaper Bergens Tidende described the new church as "one of the most beautiful houses of worship in the whole country."

Yet one important ceremony never took place.

According to Brodersen, the church was not solemnly dedicated when it opened because the ceremony required a bishop assisted by 14 priests — more clergy than Bergen's fledgling Catholic community could provide. Although the altar was consecrated during renovations in 1972, the church itself remained undedicated for nearly a century and a half.

Completing a 150-year mission

That changed on June 28, when Hansen formally consecrated St. Paul's Church, entering the historic building accompanied by a traditional "buekorps," one of Bergen's distinctive boys' marching corps whose drums have long been part of the city's cultural heritage.

For Hansen, the consecration represented far more than correcting a historical oversight.

"It is about bringing to completion the work of so many, undertaken over so many years," he told EWTN News. Quoting Christ's words that "one sows and another reaps," he said today's Catholics continue building upon the work begun by earlier generations who planted the seeds of the Church in western Norway.

Looking ahead, Hansen expressed hope that the anniversary would inspire renewed evangelization. Describing St. Paul's as a parish of nearly 20,000 faithful served by 10 priests, seven religious sisters, two schools, numerous national communities, and a growing catechetical program, he said he hopes the celebration will strengthen its mission of "teaching the faith, celebrating the sacraments, and building the parochial community."

For Catholics living in increasingly secular societies, he added, "our common and enthusiastic witness of Catholic faith is crucial. By this we fortify our own community and preach to society at large."

The universal Church in 1 parish

By the church's centenary in 1976, membership had reached around 1,100. Today it numbers nearly 20,000, with much of the growth driven by successive waves of immigration from Vietnam, India, Chile, the Philippines, Poland, Lithuania, and dozens of other countries.

"We have more than 120 different nations in the parish," Brodersen said. "They all bring their piety, their traditions with them, and they are very active in the parish."

Rather than dividing the parish, he explained that diversity has strengthened it. During Bergen's annual Corpus Christi procession, the parish's major national communities each prepare one of the outdoor altars.

"Everybody is working together on this great project," he said.

The universal character of St. Paul's becomes tangible as the church celebrates Masses in Norwegian, Vietnamese, Spanish, French, Polish, Lithuanian, Tamil, and Tagalog, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its parishioners.

Yet many parishioners regularly attend liturgies outside their own linguistic communities, including the Saturday evening Latin Mass. "Holy Mass is there for everybody," Brodersen noted. "It's not all about understanding the words spoken, because you know the Mass and you take part in it by heart."

For him, St. Paul's demonstrates that cultural diversity need not weaken the Church but can deepen its witness.

"It is possible, by all differences in language, culture, and whatever, to work together," he said. "It is possible to be one in Christ."

"When people see this church so full that sometimes people have to stand outside because there is no room inside anymore," Brodersen reflected, they encounter something increasingly uncommon across much of Western Europe.

And each time he stands at the altar and looks across a congregation drawn from every continent, he sees the vision the founders of St. Paul's Church had.

"I see the whole world united in adoration."

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At the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage, the Archdiocese of Mexico reminded fans that prayer is "the path to unite the world."

In an editorial from the June 28 edition of its weekly publication, Desde la Fe (From a Faith Perspective), the Archdiocese of Mexico stated that seeing "rival players praying together at the end of matches" during the World Cup, the most-watched sports event in the world, has provided "the most moving and hopeful scenes of the tournament."

The Mexican capital's archdiocese emphasized that "strengthening unity is one of the greatest gifts of prayer," which "allows us to discover that beyond our differences, we share the same fragility, the same hopes, and the same need for God."

"Furthermore, it creates a communion that does not depend on physical proximity or a coincidence of circumstances," the editorial noted.

In this regard, the Archdiocese of Mexico recalled the suffering of the Venezuelan people, shaken last week by powerful earthquakes that have left at least 1,450 dead and thousands injured.

"When tragedy strikes a community, prayer takes on a special meaning," the archdiocese emphasized, noting that while it "does not replace material aid or the work of those risking their lives in rescue efforts," it brings solace and reminds those suffering the tragedy "that you're not alone."

"Prayer does not always immediately change circumstances, but it transforms the heart of the person who places himself in God's hands, causing hope to flourish, even in places where many might think God is absent," the archdiocese stated.

The Archdiocese of Mexico emphasized that "when millions of people see rival players praying together at the end of a match, they are witnessing a reminder that prayer has the power to unite those whom the world insists on keeping apart."

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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New discoveries in quantum science raise profound questions, but how does this emerging branch of research relate to the Catholic faith? That question is at the heart of a new international gathering of physicists, philosophers, and theologians taking place July 12–15 at Chapman University in Orange, California.

The university will host the inaugural meeting of the "Interface Between Quantum Science and Technology, Philosophy, and Catholic Theology" where topics will include quantum entanglement, quantum indeterminacy, hylomorphism, and electromagnetic radiation — with Catholic theology integrated into most lectures. Daily Mass will also be celebrated. All talks will be recorded and made available afterward.

Organizers include Professor Vincenzo Tamma, founding director of the Quantum Science and Technology Hub at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K., and Jesuit Father Robert Spitzer, director of the Magis Center, host of EWTN's "Father Spitzer's Universe," and a prolific writer on faith and science. Local organizers include Chapman professors Andrew Jordan and Daniele Struppa, both from Chapman's Institute for Quantum Studies.

A 'call' to bring people across disciplines together

The idea for the gathering was conceived when Tamma first visited Chapman.

"I was in contact with Father Spitzer when Dr. Jordan invited me to visit the Institute of Quantum Studies at Chapman, and then I realized Father Spitzer was based very close," Tamma told EWTN News. "So we met in person for the first time, and I shared with him my desire — what felt more like a call — to bring together people across disciplines and to build a community … to take away the false understanding that science and faith are in opposition."

Faith, science, and technology collaborations are hardly new. Besides the work of many Catholic scientists throughout history, thousands of scientists belong today to the Society of Catholic Scientists, which recently held its annual convention at Mundelein Seminary outside of Chicago. The event at Chapman, however, is the first to focus specifically on quantum science and technology, a field only about a century old — and which some scientists say rips shreds in a purely materialistic worldview.

"At the very beginning of this field, physicists — the fathers of quantum mechanics — like Einstein were very, very interested in philosophy and what we can call 'the ultimate questions,'" Tamma said in an interview with EWTN News. "We've lost, a little bit, that sense of interdisciplinary collaboration. I share in the same desire — and sense of wonder — of many other physicists, to open deeper questions."

Tamma pointed to St. Augustine's image of "the book of nature" and "the book of revelation," two different ways of knowing truth that are fundamentally complementary.

"Together, they can help us understand the truth of reality and why we are here and the purpose of creation," he said.

The gathering's 3 goals

Organizers said the conference's purpose is threefold: informing the public, initiating fellowship, and advancing knowledge.

"We want to inform the public that there exists an excellent intersection between faith and science," Spitzer told EWTN News. "We want to use this conference as a starting point to form an international organization dedicated to having Ph.D. scientists, philosophers, and theologians interacting with each other in a fellowship of both faith and their academic disciplines."

To that end, a public keynote titled "Is the Notion of God Meaningful to Scientific Culture? The Openness of Science to the Quest for Truth and Meaning" will be delivered by Father Giuseppe Tanzella-Nitti of Rome's Pontifical University of the Holy Cross who is also an adjunct scholar at the Vatican Observatory. The lecture is free but registration is required.

Beyond that public lecture, the conference itself is invitation-only, gathering some of the world's leading scientists, philosophers, and theologians. "This is not a lightweight group," Jordan said.

Physics is an area of science remarkably appealing to Catholics, revealing as it does the created world's order and intelligibility. A number of famous physicists have been deeply religious Catholics, including Georges Lemaître, a Belgian priest and astrophysicist who first proposed the big bang theory; Victor Hess, who won the Nobel Prize for discovering cosmic rays; and modern scientists like Cornell's Jonathan Lunine, Vanderbilt's Robert Scherrer, and the University of Delaware's Stephen Barr, who will deliver a keynote at Chapman.

"By bringing together various research organizations, without losing their identity, they can contribute to the common knowledge," Tamma said. "They can come in dialogue to really work together and the results can be a gift to society and to the Church."

Advancing the existing body of knowledge across various disciplines through this focused collaboration is the third major goal of the event.

"Can we make further progress? Can we advance our knowledge, both about our work and our faith?" Jordan said. "I would love to see new insights come out of this meeting, such as new scientific, philosophical, and theological articles and books published. We hope to deepen our knowledge about faith and science together."

Spitzer highlighted that many scientific fields point toward Catholic beliefs, citing the argument for "fine tuning" in the field of cosmology, the theories of emergence and convergence in biology, and the argument for a "mind-like universe" proposed in philosopher Thomas Nagel's book "Mind and Cosmos."

His examples reveal how many disparate scientific fields offer their own support of St. Augustine's words: "If any man could hear [the earth and sea and air and heavens], he should hear them saying with one voice, 'We did not make ourselves, but he made us who abides forever.'"

Quantum physics — which is foundational to scientific understanding and widely known in popular culture — lends itself particularly well to the growing faith-science dialogue. "Quantum science is foundational for the whole of physics and therefore for the rest of science," Spitzer said, "so it's a good place to start."

Three decades of rapid progress in quantum physics have filtered into pop culture through science fiction, but beneath the hype, scientists say the field definitively opens the door to something greater than what science can know.

"A lot of people know about quantum mechanics, but they have a flawed understanding of what it is," Tamma said. "There are laws of quantum mechanics that are well defined — and these laws point to questions that cannot be answered by physics alone."

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The dream of unity has long inspired the churches that trace their roots to the ancient Church of the East. Efforts to reach that goal continue, while Christians pray that, in God's time, full unity will one day be realized.

Until then, these sister churches continue to work together in serving the Gospel and caring for their faithful, despite the growing challenges facing Christians in the Middle East, where their shared history began.

As the region goes through another difficult moment, and following the election and installation of a new Chaldean patriarch, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, spoke with Mar Awa III, catholicos-patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, about the historic relationship between the Assyrian and Chaldean churches and the future of Christians in Iraq and across the Middle East.

A new beginning

Mar Awa III described the election of Mar Paul III Nona in Baghdad in late May as the beginning of a new chapter in the modern history of the Chaldean Church after years marked by internal challenges, especially those connected to political issues.

He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two sister churches.

"Our churches share the same history, traditions, liturgy, and spiritual heritage," he said. "We are committed to working closely together for the good of our Assyrian and Chaldean faithful, both in our homelands and throughout the global communities."

Guided by divine providence

The Assyrian patriarch reflected on what he sees as a meaningful sign of divine providence. The heads of the three churches that descend from the historic Church of the East all bear the title "III" in their patriarchal names.

He said this gives them a special opportunity to deepen cooperation and strengthen coordination among their churches in practical and effective ways.

"In addition to this shared connection that brings us together as brothers in faith and ministry, all three of us have served our churches in the abroad," he said. "That experience has helped us understand both the needs and the challenges facing our faithful around the world."

The gift of the Holy Spirit

Asked about practical steps toward the long-desired unity of the Church of the East, Mar Awa III said Christian unity is, above all, a gift from God.

"The unity of the sister churches is first and foremost a gift of the Holy Spirit," he said. "It is also a living spiritual experience that requires constant prayer, deep reflection, and sincere fraternal cooperation."

He expressed hope that the three patriarchs would meet soon to discuss pastoral and community cooperation and to develop a roadmap for closer collaboration on shared concerns, both in their homelands and in communities abroad.

"I am confident that our cooperation on the social and political challenges facing our people will help strengthen them in the land of their fathers and preserve our presence and identity," he said.

Responsible media

Mar Awa III also reflected on the growing power of media and social media in today's world and their influence on society and the life of the church.

"Freedom of expression is important," he said, "but it does not mean using that freedom without respect for ethical and human values, whether in religious or secular media."

He urged media organizations to adopt respectful language that pursues truth and benefits society instead of stirring up pointless disputes or harmful criticism.

He also warned against social media campaigns that target church leaders and clergy with insults, personal attacks, and language that can slide into hatred and defamation.

"Such behavior is not only lacking in accuracy and objectivity," he said. "It is also far from Christian virtues and moral values."

Returning to the roots

The patriarch said a new chapter began in the history of the Assyrian Church of the East when its patriarchal see returned to Iraq in 2015 after more than 80 years abroad.

"The return to Erbil brought our Church closer to its deep Eastern roots in Mesopotamia, as one of the oldest apostolic churches in the world," he said.

Although this has created difficulties in managing communities abroad — where most of the church's faithful now live — he said the return strengthened their sense of belonging to the church's traditions and spiritual heritage. It also deepened their connection to their land and historical roots.

Strengthening cooperation

Mar Awa III said the reality facing churches in Iraq and the wider Middle East requires closer cooperation among them, regardless of church affiliation, for the good and future of their faithful.

He stressed that today's challenges, especially migration, preserving the deposit of faith, and protecting Christian and community identity, require shared attention and cooperation.

He said churches must coordinate more closely to find effective solutions that help preserve the Christian presence in the East and protect its spiritual and historical heritage.

Deep concern over events in Iran

Mar Awa III expressed deep concern over the current war in the region, especially the fate of the church's faithful in Iran, who are directly affected by it.

He said the outcome remains unclear at this stage.

All churches in the region, he added, are following the consequences of the war with great concern.

"Military conflicts always have serious consequences for small communities, including Middle Eastern Christians," he said. "Our prayers continue without ceasing that the war end as soon as possible and that dialogue and understanding may silence the sound of weapons."

Called to support one another

Alongside repeated wars, worsening economic hardships, social instability, and ongoing security challenges have caused painful waves of migration from all churches in the East, especially among young people.

With the renewal of war, Mar Awa III expressed hope that Christians around the world would recognize the suffering of their brothers and sisters in the East and understand the size of the challenges they face.

He encouraged them to support Christians in the region in ways that can help reduce continued migration, especially from Iraq.

He also called on the international community to play its part in addressing the economic and security causes of migration by supporting practical initiatives that help provide the conditions for a dignified life in a safe homeland.

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

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Deacon Jim Winder, the chancellor of the Diocese of Las Cruces in New Mexico, says the diocese, which sits along the U.S.-Mexico border, is "not against border security."

"We've been accused of that, and it's not correct," he told EWTN News. In 2021 the diocese allowed federal immigration officials to build an access road and place motion sensors on diocesan-owned land that runs alongside Mexico, an arrangement the diocese renewed in 2023.

"They've had that ever since," Winder said. "We think that's adequate. I don't think any people can get through there with that system."

The U.S. federal government, however, is attempting to seize that land outright from the diocese and build a much more substantial border wall there. It is so determined to do so that it seeks to seize the land through eminent domain.

Las Cruces is fighting the government's attempt in court, putting the diocese at the forefront of the current U.S. immigration debate.

Quite literally at the apex of the dispute is Mount Cristo Rey, a small mountain with a nearly-century-old statue of Jesus Christ atop it that has been a pilgrimage site for decades. The diocese says the government's proposed border security at the base of the mountain would negatively affect pilgrims coming to the site.

The Trump administration's immigration policy has come under fire from numerous elements of the U.S. Catholic Church over the past 18 months, including the U.S. bishops and multiple dioceses that have witnessed enhanced immigration enforcement. Various Church leaders have urged the administration to balance its border security efforts with more mercy and discretion.

Winder stressed that the diocese is supportive of immigration security. But, he said, "we see the border wall as more of a political tool — something that the administration wants to do to show that they're tough on immigration."

Winder said the disputed stretch of land near El Paso, Texas, is not ideal for illegal immigration. Mount Cristo Rey, he said, is "really rough. It's not super tall but it's rough. To try to go over the mountain to get in the United States — it's a pretty effective barrier in and of itself."

"It's nice flat ground on either side of it, for hundreds of miles," he said. "[The government] patrols it. They've got vehicles parked there. I don't think it's a real high-volume place," he observed, for illegal immigration crossings.

Statue of Christ arose from priest's vision

Amid the ongoing court battle, Las Cruces Bishop Peter Baldacchino held a Mass atop Mount Cristo Rey on June 28, drawing hundreds of faithful to the sun-baked top of the mountain with Christ towering over them.

Mount Cristo Rey sits near the now-vanished town of Smeltertown within what Winder called a "unique" tip of land in New Mexico, one that is surrounded both by the state of Texas and the nation of Mexico. Both El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, are roughly southeast of the mountain.

An informational website says the towering statue of Christ took shape from 1933, when local priest Father Lourdes Costa "[looked] out the back window of his residence in the community of Smeltertown [and] envisioned erecting a monument at the summit of this glorious mountain."

The 29-foot-tall limestone statue was dedicated in 1940. It has since become a regular pilgrimage site, with the faithful hiking up the short summit to the base of the monument.

Winder said the decision to hold the Mass on June 28 was "completely apolitical."

"It wasn't meant as a protest," he said. "It was a Mass. It was meant for prayer, to bring people together, to practice unity, to pray for the Church, and to pray for government leaders."

The response to the Mass was "very good," the deacon said.

"It was very hot. It's not a great time to climb mountains in southern New Mexico. But about 400 people showed up and made the climb. They came from all over. Some from El Paso, some from our diocese, some from Albuquerque and beyond."

The mountain has served as a significant site for local Catholic worship for nearly a century, Winder said. He compared the geography of the area to the "Four Corners" monument where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico all meet.

"This is a place where there's this unity of two nations and two states," he said. "There's a symbolism of that unity in Christ the King standing above it. But it's also a pilgrimage site."

"It's just a special place," he said. "It's very powerful. It's a magnificent place to have Mass."

The diocese was dealt a blow in June when a federal district court said the government could put down a six-figure deposit on the land as a pretext to obtaining it. The dispute is still ongoing, Winder said, with another hearing anticipated in late July.

The diocese has filed numerous motions against the government's effort, he said. He described the proposed border wall as more of a political symbol than a really practical measure, one that would mar the sacredness of the site.

"If you go to the mountain and hike to the top, you'll see a 30-foot-tall image of Christ the King," he said. "And if the government builds this wall, and you turn your head slightly [from Christ], you'll see a 30-foot 'Keep Out' sign below."

"It's an affront," he said.

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Several coastal states in Venezuela remain without foreign assistance as thousands of people — including children who have lost their families — are homeless or missing after two earthquakes last week.

"The world fell apart in less than two minutes," Claudia Gonzales, an external relations manager for World Vision Venezuela, told "EWTN News Nightly" on June 30. "And yesterday our government says that we already have confirmed 1,700 people that died during the earthquakes."

According to Gonzales, who lives just outside of Caracas, more than 60,000 people remain missing and 50,000 are homeless following a pair of 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

In her own city of Guarenas, she said, "we have more than 500 families that are sleeping in the streets, looking for help and looking for comfort."

"We have people on the ground with concrete under them, and we don't know if they are still alive," she said.

According to Gonzales, the most affected area is the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas. She noted that several other northern states, including Carabobo, Falcón, Aragua, and Miranda, have not received aid.

"We have a lot of children that have not only [lost] their houses," she said. "We have children that have lost their entire family, their neighbors."

While Gonzales expressed gratitude for the influx of foreign aid and support, she emphasized that large parts of the population are still waiting for help.

"The international help came," she said. "But the thing is, La Guaira is big; that is not enough."

"The size of this tragedy, we're talking about 80% of the buildings in La Guaira collapsed," she said. "You know, it's just something that we never thought could happen in our country."

Catholic response

The Catholic Church in Venezuela has mobilized alongside international Catholic nonprofits such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas International, and Catholic Charities to provide support for earthquake victims.

CRS has been working in partnership with Caritas to provide food, shelter, and emergency healthcare to earthquake victims, according to CRS' website.

Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami announced a relief fund for earthquake victims on June 26, with Archbishop Thomas Wenski calling for "our Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill across South Florida to stand in solidarity with the communities that will be hard hit" and "to please be generous in providing assistance."

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Abelardo Mata, the bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, who recently turned 80, was detained for several hours on June 29 by the dictatorships's police one day after he had celebrated a Mass in which he called for prayers for the persecuted Church in the country.

Around midday on Monday, the prelate was taken into police custody from the clinic to the Investigations Center at the Evaristo Vásquez Sánchez Police Complex, headquarters of the Directorate of Judicial Assistance known as "El Nuevo Chipote," according to reports by Arnulfo Peralta Solís, a Nicaraguan journalist based in the United States.

El Nuevo Chipote is where political dissidents have been imprisoned and allegedly tortured.

Peralta further stated that on that same day, Mata returned to his home in the town of Tisma. The journalist had spoken with the bishop on May 18 during the latter's first public appearance in years as he congratulated an Indigenous Nicaraguan doctor working in Denver.

According to the newspaper La Prensa, Mata arrived in Estelí on Thursday, June 25, and his detention took place following a Mass he celebrated on Sunday, June 28, at the Calvary's Cross church, where the bishop "asked for prayers for the persecuted Church and prayed for exiled priests, including Bishop Rolando Álvarez and Father Frutos Constantino Valle Salmerón."

According to the Nicaraguan newspaper, Mata is reportedly barred by authorities from traveling to Estelí and celebrating Mass there.

The Nicaraguan media Mosaico CSI reported that the prelate had visited a clinic in Estelí for a checkup, as he uses a pacemaker.

Álvarez, who serves as apostolic administrator of Estelí since Mata resigned in 2021, currently lives in Rome. He was exiled there in January 2024 after serving about 11 months of a 26-year prison sentence, not counting the approximately seven months he was held under house arrest prior. The prelate was a consistent critic of the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo.

Valle, who is over 80 years old, holds the position of "administrator ad omnia" for Estelí, meaning he can carry out all ordinary functions of pastoral governance except those reserved to a bishop. Valle is currently living at the Our Lady of Fatima Seminary and is under house arrest, prohibited from leaving the seminary.

"Bishop Emeritus Juan Abelardo Mata has been a bishop close to the people who has spoken the truth, actions that the Sandinista dictatorship does not tolerate," researcher Martha Patricia Molina stated on June 30 in comments to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

Molina, the author of the report "Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church," which has documented thousands of attacks by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship against Catholics since 2018, noted that "in Nicaragua, anyone who dares to voice an opinion, however obvious it may seem, ends up offending the dictatorship and that's why they keep the prelates under surveillance."

"They are constantly threatened with imprisonment or exile, and while not all cases become public, several priests are enduring this same constant harassment without reporting it publicly, because the dictatorship reacts more harshly when they do," Molina explained.

In April, a priest in Nicaragua speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons gave an interview to ACI Prensa to denounce the harassment he faces on a daily basis.

Every Sunday, the police arrive to photograph him. He is required to report every time he leaves his parish, every religious service, and every movement outside his territory. If he speaks about a social issue during his homily, he risks one of two things: imprisonment or exile.

Mata is 'courageous, beloved, and credible voice in Nicaragua'

"Bishop Mata has been a strong, courageous voice that has always spoken truth to power, and that truth and light are unsettling. He is a beloved and credible voice in Nicaragua," Arturo McFields, Nicaragua's former ambassador to the Organization of American States, told ACI Prensa.

"The dictatorship tends to want to normalize what is happening in the country, and what has happened to Bishop Mata shows us that there is nothing normal in Nicaragua," he said. "There is a spiteful, dangerous, criminal, and satanic dictatorship, and this must be denounced because it is the only way to put a stop to these actions, especially against any voice that dares to question the regime."

McFields also charged that the dictatorship "harbors a deep-seated grudge against Bishop Mata and is intent on 'settling scores.'"

Bishop Báez condemns attack on Mata

"I am deeply outraged by and absolutely condemn the act of aggression committed by the regime's police against my brother Juan Abelardo Mata, bishop emeritus of Estelí," ??Bishop Silvio Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua, currently in exile in Miami, wrote on X.

"These cowardly actions only demonstrate the weakness and irrationality of a criminal dictatorship," the prelate stated on June 30.

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 continues to make changes to the leadership of the Roman Curia with new appointments to the No. 2 position in two key dicasteries: the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, responsible for promoting and ensuring the proper application of canon law in the Latin and Eastern Churches, and the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, tasked with channeling resources for the charitable work of the Holy Father.

The Vatican announced June 30 that the pontiff appointed Bishop Marco Mellino secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts. He has been serving as adjunct secretary of the same office.

Leo also appointed Father Lucio Adrián Ruiz secretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity; he previously served as secretary of the Dicastery for Communication.

In addition, the Holy Father named layman Massimo Ralli, who was working as an official in the charity dicastery, to serve as its undersecretary. Both Ralli and Ruiz will undertake their new roles starting Sept. 1.

Mellino, 59, had previously served as secretary of Pope Francis' Council of Cardinals. He was ordained a priest in 1991 and has also worked in the Secretariat of State. Since 2022, he had also served as secretary of the Interdicasterial Commission for the Revision of the General Regulations of the Roman Curia.

Ruiz was born in Argentina in 1965 and ordained a priest in 1990. He has extensive experience in ecclesial communications and new technologies. He holds a master's degree in business administration and a doctorate from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Over the course of his career, he has held various positions, including IT adviser to the Argentine Bishops' Conference and an official of the Congregation for the Clergy. He has also been head of the Vatican Internet Services office, a professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and president of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Center.

The role of secretary in the Vatican structure

The role of secretary — the No. 2 position after prefect — is central in the Vatican dicasteries, involving directing the day-to-day operations and coordinating the technical and administrative work.

With Tuesday's appointments, the pope continues to change the intermediate officials in dicasteries for which he appointed the top leaders earlier this year. In March, Leo named Archbishop Anthony Randazzo, then-bishop of Broken Bay, Australia, as prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts. He also appointed Spanish Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín as papal almoner — that is, head — of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.

2 women prefects appointed by Leo

Among other recent moves, the pope transferred Archbishop Filippo Iannone, then-prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, to head the Dicastery for Bishops, in September 2025. In March, Leo XIV appointed Canadian Archbishop Petar Rajic as the new prefect of the Pontifical Household, the office of the Roman Curia responsible for organizing the pope's schedule, audiences, and ceremonies.

He also appointed two women to head different dicasteries: On June 2, he named María Montserrat Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, as prefect of the Dicastery for Communication. In addition, on June 30, Leo appointed Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli as prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

New members and consultors of the Dicastery for Evangelization

The pope on June 30 also appointed new members and consultors to the Dicastery for Evangelization in its Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches in a move that strengthens the missionary and universal character of this key body of the Roman Curia.

Among the new members are prominent cardinals and bishops from different regions of the world, reflecting the global dimension of evangelization.

Appointed members were Cardinals Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu, Japan; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille, France; and Frank Leo, archbishop of Toronto in Canada.

Along with them, the pontiff added several archbishops and bishops as members, including Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos, Nigeria; Angelo Vincenzo Zani, archivist and librarian emeritus of the Holy Roman Church; Paolo Giulietti, archbishop of Lucca, Italy; Andrew Nkea Fuanya, archbishop of Bamenda, Cameroon; and Peter Chung Soon-taick, archbishop of Seoul, South Korea.

Also part of this group are Michel Jalakh, secretary of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; Paulus Budi Kleden, archbishop of Ende, Indonesia; Oscar Roberto Domínguez Couttolenc, archbishop of Tulancingo, Mexico; Elias Frank, archbishop of Calcutta, India; Daniel Ernest Flores, bishop of Brownsville, Texas; and Lisandro Alirio Rivas Durán, bishop of San Cristóbal, Venezuela. They are joined by Monsignor Roger Joseph Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, and Father Francesco Rapacioli, superior general of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.

At the same time, Leo XIV appointed as consultors of the same dicastery Davide Carbonaro, archbishop of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo, Italy, and François Sylla, archbishop of Conakry, Guinea. Completing the list are Father Remigio Bellizio, director of the Domus Missionalis in Rome, as well as Father Joseph Koonamparampil and Father Wenceslaus C. Madu, both members of the Claretian Missionaries.

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 first-class relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque will visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore as the next stop on their U.S. pilgrimage.

The sacred relics are traveling as part of a pilgrimage sponsored by the Knights of Columbus to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence following the June 11 Mass that consecrated the U.S. to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

While the relics are in Maryland, Archbishop William E. Lori will celebrate Mass on July 5 at the basilica to commemorate the nation's anniversary and welcome the faithful to venerate the relics.

The relics, which are usually housed in the Chapel of the Apparitions at St. Margaret Mary's French convent, were flown from Paris to New York on June 2.

The reliquary that is touring the U.S. weighs nearly 150 pounds with its protective case. It contains St. Margaret Mary Alacoque's clavicles, two of her ribs, and a small piece of her brain.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was a 17th-century French religious sister who experienced visions of Jesus revealing his Sacred Heart for over a year.

While praying in 1673, Margaret heard Jesus tell her that he wanted to show his love for people by encouraging a special devotion to his Sacred Heart.

Christ revealed ways to venerate his Sacred Heart and explained the immense love he has for humanity, appearing with his heart visible outside his chest, on fire, and surrounded by a crown of thorns.

She was canonized a saint for her works including her strong devotion in 1920.

Relics to continue U.S. journey

The relics previously traveled to Orlando, Florida, for the Mass consecrating the U.S. to the Sacred Heart. The U.S. bishops consecrated the nation as part of their plenary meeting on June 11.

In his homily at the consecration Mass, Lori said: "We cannot come to the heart of Christ while pretending we have no need of his mercy."

"The Sacred Heart does not divide; it reconciles," he said. "It does not harden hearts; it transforms them. It does not simply invite us to receive love; it sends us forth to share it."

Enclosed in the reliquary, the first-class relics were available for public veneration at the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center in New Haven, Connecticut, from June 24–27.

In celebration of Independence Day, the relics will visit two cities significant to America's 250th anniversary including Washington, D.C., where they will be June 29 to July 1 at the St. John Paul II National Shrine.

On July 5 and 6, the relics will visit the Baltimore basilica until they return to New Haven, where they will be until July 18. More stops on the relics' journey may be added while they are in the United States before returning to France.

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